Hey guys, so sorry about leaving this story for so long! Excuses at bottom, if anyone cares to read.
Extra long chapter!
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If we live our life in fear
I'll wait a thousand years
Just to see you smile again
Resistance, Muse
Sometimes Bethany worried about her older sister. Before he died, her father had told her; "Watch her, dear child, watch your sister closely." She had thought it meant to watch over her, though she had no idea how to when she was obviously the weaker of the two. Since moving to Lothering two years ago, however, Bethany now thinks she knows what he meant. And she doesn't like it at all.
Marian has always been there for them, the family, for her. She always knew just what to do; when templars were on their trail, when Mother was stuck in the past and couldn't care for them, or even when Bethany just needed someone to talk to about her magic. Sure, she seemed a little...weird at times, thought the younger girl, but she loved them deeply.
But there had been times when, like Mother, she wasn't there, not mentally. When her mind was far away and her face was a blank mask that somehow frightened her little sister, not that Bethany would ever admit that. Her mouth would form words -deaddeaddeadbackagain- and her eyes were empty and skin cold.
But then a shudder would run through her body and she was back, like nothing had ever happened. And maybe nothing did, she used to believe.
But these...episodes, have been happening more and more lately, though thankfully never in public, and whenever they did, Bethany felt...something from her sister. An aura that wasn't like her's; so heavy and dark that she wasn't sure her sister would come back each time, and instead, something else would take her place.
It felt like a demon. And Marian had no idea what was happening. Bethany didn't know what a demon could offer her sister, and she didn't want to know.
She just hopes she's wrong again, and that her father didn't know anything about this.
She just hopes he hadn't meant what she thinks. She doesn't want to be the one to do it.
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There was once, when I believe I could fix this, that I could make a deal and it would end finally. I wouldn't deal with demons, though they tempted me more that ever before. Their voices washed across me like cool water on a hot day, and I wanted so badly to close my eyes and let one take over, to give into my desires.
But I couldn't. I wouldn't. I had seen Abominations enough in Kirkwall, and had seen the price to their pretty promises. It didn't mean that stopped the temptation, though. They were demons, after all.
No, what I needed what something else, some ancient being who might know. I called on many spirits during my time in the fade, always cautious but hoping, too. Hoping that one might have the answers that I so desperately needed. I traveled through ruined cities and dark woods, always searching, but never finding anything. I grew more desperate has time wore on and the spirits couldn't help me.
I was flying, letting the feeling of pure freedom wash over me for once, when I found a whisper of something I never thought existed. I had followed it, the answer so close.
Kirkwall fell that morning to abominations and roaring mages.
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Carver could tell that Samson cared deeply for his sister. Hell, anyone could see that. He also knew that Marian liked Samson, too, but it was different. He didn't like to think about it, because his sister had a few flings in the other towns they live in before when she was younger, but never this long (that was because they never stayed that long, but that's beyond the point). The point is, that the older boy loved his sister, and Carver didn't very much understand why.
Yes, Marian was a good person -though sarcastic and very mocking at times- and she was pretty enough, he supposed grudgingly, because she was he sister and it felt weird to know that to others, she might be attractive. But this wasn't a recent development by far. No, this man had loved her almost and soon as he met her.
And who does that, except for in those tales the Chantry sister sometimes tells the young girls in the village? Marian clearly did not feel the same way, at least not that deeply, but she was still with him. What made this blue-eyed man care so deeply for his elder sibling, he wondered as they worked in the fields, the other two chatting and laughing.
Carver had asked him, once before. Mian -though he doesn't very much use that nickname aloud anymore- was important to him, and he didn't want to see his sister hurt. He also didn't want work to become awkward if the two of them had a falling out, but mostly he didn't want her to get hurt.
The older man got quiet, a far away look in his eyes with a sad, melancholy smile across his lips. Carver was confused; did he know that Marian didn't feel the same? Then he was smiling again, the same old happy-go-lucky Samson as always.
"She's just someone that I can't not love," he stated at that time. It wasn't an answer, but Carver knew he wouldn't get anything else from him so he dropped it.
He still wondered, however, why Samson looked at his sister so lovingly.
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Samson was born and raised in Lothering, never leaving the town in his short life there. He saw the same old faces and the same old buildings every day. It didn't bother him that much because he lived a good life; he had a good job at the family farm, his family wasn't starving, he was decent enough looking, and life was good.
The she had came into his life so calmly, unaware of the raging storm she had caused in him.
Marian Hawke had walked into town and his life suddenly became empty when she wasn't around.
He knew it would happen eventually, that the young woman would show up and make his life so much brighter, but he thought it wouldn't be this bad. He thought that he could just live with being her friend, just beside her.
He was wrong, but it didn't matter. After the incident with the magic, she hardly left his side. And soon, they were more than just friends. It was amazing.
Samson knew it wouldn't last, that the time was coming and that they only had a few years together, but he would try to change that. Mara needed him, maybe not as much as he needed her but that was just because she didn't know.
Her hand in his, her chin on his chest. They were together again and he wanted to cry from joy, but his heart was heavy. Her body was warm against his, but he felt cold and empty inside and she slept beside him.
She didn't remember him. She never did.
But as they walked together through the woods, he thought once again that it was fine that she didn't understand, didn't know why he cared so much about her. As long as she was alive, he could live by her side.
That night they had decided to get away for a while, from the families and the Chantry and small town politics. It was just them tonight, together with the other. They were close enough to Lothering to be back before anyone woke up, but far out enough to not be caught. They had precious few hours alone.
She let her guard down around him, and that made him so happy, because although she didn't know, she trusted him, and that was more than he could say at other times. Sometimes, she had killed him on the spot once he revealed what he knew. It was better to keep it a secret for now.
But as her guard was down, so was his.
They never noticed the bandits until they were upon them, swords flashing and teeth shining in the night. They were a few minutes away from the village, the sky slowly beginning to brighten.
They were ambushed by around twenty bandits, no weapons to fight back against and no warning. Samson was the first to act, pushing Marian before one man skewed her with his broadsword. Then she was up again, fighting with just her hands and feet, punching and kicking any who came close enough. He fought just as fiercely, rage bubbling under his skin and his eyes dark with it.
How dare they try and hurt them?
Both could fight, but they were at a disadvantage, using just their bodies. The village was too close for Marian to safely use her magic, and so they fought to buy time. The guards or the Templars would hear the sounds of the fighting and would come.
But as Marian fought, she kept one eye of the other male, worried. She was a fighter, had been for so many years, and he was just some farm boy. That's why, when she saw a bandit -a woman this time, savage grin on her lips- about to slip past his defense, she moved.
She felt the blade pass through her stomach completely, heard the sound of blood splash onto the ground. Felt a warm body against her back and smiled. She pushed the woman off her and pulled the weapon from her body, holding her hands against the wound. Quickly, she looked behind he to apologize for getting hurt.
Samson stood behind her, blood pooling from his own stomach, his eyes already dulling, with arrows in his back. As he looked up at her, a soft but pained smile graced his features,
"Mara, I-" Another arrow flew through the air and went through his sky blue eye, a sickening squish as it pierced the soft muscle, a loud thud as he hit the ground.
"Samson...?"
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The guards heard the fighting and shouting, and rushed to get their gear. A Templar, already suited up and ready by the time they were, followed them as they passed the bridge leaving the village. They saw the bandits attacking the two young adults, saw as the girl was stabbed trying to protect her friend. They saw as it went through he body into is, as arrows pierced his flesh, as he fell before his friend.
They were too late.
The girl was bleeding profusely, and bandits came rushing at her as she stood before the dead boy, stunned. The two archers that were with the guards managed to shoot some of them, but not enough. They were going to be too late to reach her, too.
That was when she screamed, so terribly and loud that a few of the bandits even dropped to their knees, hands against their ears.
The ground shook around them, and fire burst into the air, alive and raging, burning those around her. Their screams mixed with hers, and the guards had stopped a little aways, their eyes wide and hands shaking as they watched the apostate burn them, until she was the only one left standing. Ashes floated around her, and the smell of burnt flesh assaulted their senses.
The Templar finally acted, smiting the apostate and brandishing his sword. She fell to her knees from the effects of it, eyes wide and breath erratic.
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Look at what you've done, you foolish child! Let me out, or they'll have chains around your neck!
Marian stared at the silver blur, tears falling from her face as waves of pain from the smite. Her hands were on his body, cold and bloodied. Then it was dark, Samson's unfinished words ringing in her ears.
Pintsizedpsycho- Thanks! I haven't decided completely if I will write the spin off, but I'm hoping I'll have some concrete ideas for it soon. I've written somewhat for it.
Guest- Thanks for dropping the review, and I'll try to work on the spin off, hopefully!
If you don't really care about the excuses for my absence, just skip the italicized part next.
Now, to apologize for my absence. In May, I moved across country one again, and that was pretty tiring. The new town...isn't as great as I thought. I didn't really do anything over the summer, but I didn't have any inspiration for TtE either.
Senior year hit me hard, and the school didn't turn out so well, so I haven't really felt like writing much either, honestly. I did post two other stories, but one is from July, and the other is just a short Supernatural drabble that I had come up with on the spot.
I'm planning on moving back up to where I lived before around Christmas, so hopefully after that, updates will come more often, but until then I can't promise anything. For this story, or Samson's.
(By the way, when I had decided on the name Samson, I had forgotten about the actual Samson, so sorry about that)
Now, onto what happened in this chapter! We learn a little more about Samson, but if I didn't make it obvious, he's been reincarnated multiple times, too. And meets Marian every time, but that part might be harder to see in the story. She doesn't remember him, yada yada.
Samson's dead, and Mian is now caught by a Templar. I wanted things to be different than canon, so this happened.
Anyways, I can't think of anything else to say, except thanks to all my new followers and favorites, you guys make my day! Sorry for the wait!
Hope you enjoyed the extra long chapter, though the first two parts are mainly fillers.