"Tell me, has your work been successful here in Middle Earth?" Flemeth sat across from Elrond, her legs crossed as she leaned her chin into a hand and stirred a delicately tapered elven cup of tea.
"It has gone as expected. Mankind is now developing past our capability to help guide them and decide on their own fates."
"BAH!" The witch flicked her fingers in the air. "Mankind know nothing of fate nor their chances against what is to come."
"I believe they can handle our leaving."
Flemeth's eyes opened wide in amusement. "Leaving? Now that's a grand idea to foster. Tell me, do the other Ancients believe this as well?"
"We have agreed to take the wizards with us as well as a select few that have proven themselves worthy."
This ripped a loud laugh from the woman. She took her cup and drank from it, her eyes never leaving Elrond. She put down the cup the amusement flushed from her face. She locked his gaze, peering in, searching and finding what she needed to know before straightening her back. "You don't see it. How fascinating. Tell me, what has the future told you."
The elf cleared his throat. Asha'bellanar knew he did not have the best foresight out of the leaders of his people. She did know however that he was the most welcoming as well as the most understanding. Others of his race feared her while some of the others did not quite get along with her.
Elrond told her of what he knew true. A great battle with come, surrounding a golden light that pulled them all together. He knew his daughter would have a human child and how as a loving father had to convince her to continue on her life and not give it up. The more he told the more Flemeth seemed displeased. Then he stopped. If they fought hard enough everything will come out for the better.
"It is time I asked you a few questions Asha'bellanar." He folded his hands over his lap and wondered how to word what was in his mind. She was a powerful being that not even his most skilled warrior by his side could stop her.
Flemeth nodded for him to continue when the silence drew out.
"Where are the other Valar?"
Gold eyes narrowed, the witch stiffened and uncrossed her legs. She stood up and slowly walked up to the elf. She trailed her clawed finger tips across the table and stopped right in front of him. She looked down at him letting her well carved mask fall for the first time in so very long. Elrond found that she looked sad, perhaps even a bit vulnerable. And he dreaded her answer. Such powerful beings. They had been sent to Thedas as he, his kind, and the five wizards had been sent to shape Middle Earth. Thedas had been larger, steeped in the old magic forcing the stronger beings to care for those that dwelled within. A long time ago they had many roads that connected Thedas with Middle Earth, deep under the mountains. Entrusted with the forever sturdy and daunting race of the dwarves as their protectors. Long lost to time and even the long lives of the wizards and elves of the world have forgotten where they lay.
"Do you really wish to know?" She asked softly.
He didn't but he needed to know why she was there. "Yes."
"They died. One by one, picked off by man... elf... even our trusted dwarfs. …...All gone. I am the last to walk upon this world."
Elrond slowly stood, "What of Osen?"
"Gone as well. We had been the last, only able to survive relying upon one another until..." Her throat tightened and her brow knitted.
"He was a good man. I am sorry for your loss."
"No more than I."
Anders moved slowly, dressed in the clothing of the common clothing that was provided by his new friends. He didn't have a hair tie just yet but he was feeling better and paid little mind to having to tuck his hair behind his ear.
He was shaken. Never did he think he would have been able to be in such a place. When he was young he would fantasize of a land far away where no one cared what he was, didn't throw rocks at him because he had magic, helpful or no. This was a place of relief, refuge, a haven so far out of reach and here he is. With Hawke... his Garrett.
He had always thought he would find a pub and party until the dawn came but now that it came true he didn't know what to do. He wondered if he did anything that he would wake in the deep roads and be alone and still cold.
"How are you doing laddy?" Balin came up to Anders' side a list of necessities in his hands. "We're not too far from the tavern if you would like to go back."
"No. What is the next thing on the list?"
"Well, Master Hawke and Thorin are picking up supplies for your journey to resume after you are well enough to travel. That takes care of half of what needs to be collected." The old dwarf scratched at his beard. "That leaves tobacco for the company, stock up on bandages and ointments. Until Gandalf meets up with us we will hold off on restocking the other supplies."
"How long until your own journey will end?" Anders asked, moving in step with Balin in search for a shop that would have what they wanted.
"That... is hard to say." Balin's face pulled into a grim frown. It was the same expression that Hawke wore when he knew there would be a conflict that would end with someone's life cut short. That look never sat well with Anders. Aedan Cousland wore it, Justice always had it, Hawke, Varric, even once himself, and it hurt. When you knew someone was to die and it had to happen... death claimed a bit of your soul each time as toll for knowing and allowing it to happen.
They changed the subject quickly getting to know each other. Anders found Balin to be a very mild mannered dwarf nothing like he was used to. He was a saint compared to Ogren, then again, most people were.
When they were in the last shop Hawke and Thorin met up with them. Hawke coming up behind Anders and pulling him close with one arm and nuzzled the mage's temple.
"You're lucky I know you so well," Anders smiled, placing a hand on Hawke's arm. "If you were anyone else I would have been forced to defend myself."
Hawke smirked, "It is good to know you still have your spunk and that I'm still granted my privileges."
"Did you get what we need?" He asked browsing through a random book, thumbing through it with total concentration. Reminiscent from his time he lived in the Amell family mansion for a year or so.
"Yes. Although they do not sell staffs and both of ours were lost in the river."
"We might be able to make some if we can find the proper crystals. I would prefer to have one before we leave though it is not pressing seeing we do not have templars to flee from." He said softly so the others could not hear. "Can I get this book? It has an interesting history of the area."
"We can try. It seems the minting of our currency is different from theirs and we have to have a dwarf confirm that we do indeed have gold and silver. Anything you desire?"
"No just..." Anders brows knitted together. Something was stirring Justice. He tumbled inside Anders like churned water. He turned and looked around.
"What is it?" Hawke pulled Anders tighter to his chest. He knew that look and it never meant good things were to come.
"I don't know. It's like... something dark is near. Very dark, greedy, and..." He blinked looking around the shop. "...calling."
At that moment Bilbo and Bofur walked into the shop, the hobbit properly dressed in his waistcoat and laughing at something Bofur had said. They saw their companions and hurried over. A blue flash of light burned behind Anders eyes. His stomach twisted and he covered his mouth as a strange smell made him feel sick. The book he held fell to the floor.
"Anders!" Hawke held his lover up.
"Is he okay?" Bilbo asked coming up.
Anders tried to move back, a smell worse than the Kirkwall sewers during midsummer washed over him and he tried not to retch.
"I think he has pushed himself a little too much," Balin cut in. "It would be best to take him back to your room."
Hawke nodded, pulling Anders along assuring all the eyes that trailed on them that everything will be alright and he just needs another day of rest.
Once they were back in their room Hawke pushed Anders down in the bed, his palm going over the mage's brow feeling for sweat and heat.
"I'm alright, love." Anders took a hold of Hawke's hand and pulled it his lips, placing a kiss.
"You're not alright. And before you insist that you are, explain what just happened."
"Remember how I said something was coming up?"
"Yes."
"It also smelled. It was, it was so sickening."
"A smell? I didn't smell anything. Or are you saying it was more like something Justice interpreted."
"Garrett... you know how the air smells when you use your lightning spells?"
Hawke nearly growled not liking where this was going. "You were smelling a dark magic. Where was it coming from?"
"I'm not sure."
Hawke caressed Anders' cheek, leaning down and sealing their lips in a kiss. He wanted to ask more questions, he wanted to know how dangerous this dark magic was. But more than anything, this new place with no templars, this new world, it held untold dangers that set him on edge. Anders was the only one he had left and he was going to protect his mage.