Five Years After

Set after Witch Hunt. Sari and Alistair lead Ferelden, but a Warden's job is never done. She leaves just as a plot on her husband's life is discovered, can she trust others to take care of him whilst she does what a Warden does best?

Alistair was bed bound. He could no longer stand for too long. When awake he was in full control of his mind, but his body seemed to be giving up. Teagan had called in mages, they hadn't been able to help, obviously. Not that Zevran felt they had tried, they didn't even seem to be able to identify the true problem.

The only things that would help were stopping the poison or finding the antidote. Each symptom helped Zevran narrow down possibilities, yet that was not enough. The list was still too long and time too short.

The King was awake again. It was times like this people wanted his attention, for he was, after all, still able to give it. Zevran stood in the corner of the room, watching carefully. He'd managed to walk in unnoticed. People were too preoccupied to notice him, especially since he insisted on remaining inconspicuous.

He shook his head, so many books, so many scrolls and letters. Any of them could contain the poison. There was no way he could ever test every piece of paper Alistair was brought, though each one was an almost perfect poison delivery system. The King must have poured over such documents for hours each day...

Alistair began to cough.

If it was by this method there was no wonder he was getting worse at such a rate.

The coughing worsened.

"If something were to happen to him..."

"Stop this!" Zevran cried. "Can you not see the King is ill, perhaps he should be resting?"

All eyes in the room stared at Zevran. Most had not realised he was even there. But to be telling them what to do?

"Zevran is right." A familiar voice announced, "All of you out. King Alistair should be concentrating on getting better."

As the people cleared to let the mage through Alistair leant back against his pillow, exhaustion finally being allowed to show, "Wynne."

"I heard you were ill, I came as soon as I could."

"Finally a proper mage." Zevran muttered under his breath, someone he knew Sari trusted.

Wynne span round, "Now all of you out!" She shooed them away.

The group of people moved to leave, gathering the paper they had thrown all over the covers. Wynne set to work immediately sitting on the edge of the bed. Teagan had remained in the room, Zevran too. Placing her hand on Alistair's head she tutted, "Your temperature is far too high..."

Another symptom for the list.

"I'm not winning am I?" Alistair asked.

Wynne's face betrayed her true feelings despite her reassurances. "I'm going to do all I can to turn the tide here." She stood, "Try to get some rest."

Alistair obediently shuffled down in the bed. Sleep seemed to take him almost immediately.

"He is very ill." Wynne turned to Teagan.

"Is there anything you can do?"

"I can try to keep his temperature down but that will only make him more comfortable. There is significant damage in his lungs. It is likely why he is so exhausted, he is struggling able to breathe properly."

Another symptom.

"Are you saying you cannot heal this?" Teagan frowned.

"I can heal the damage but unless I can stop the disease causing it, it will be of little effect."

"But it will buy us time?"

"Some." She conceded.

"Do what you can." Teagan said turning from the room.

Wynne moved back to Alistair, her hands glowing as healing magic departed from them.

Zevran walked towards the end of the bed.

"Don't tell Alistair if you can help it, he already worries enough as it is. With me gone I'm sure he'll struggle enough just being King."

She hadn't said anything about telling anyone else... But he'd understood why he shouldn't. If someone discovered they knew, the plan could change. That would put them exactly back at square one. At least they knew the method, the means could be worked out... soon.

"I shall assume your loitering means you have something to add?" Wynne turned to face him, waiting expectantly.

Zevran glanced to Alistair, his breaths shallow, his face pale. The decision made Zevran looked to her with purpose, "Before I tell you this, my dear Wynne, promise you will listen to the entire story and not do anything... foolish."

She folded her arms across her chest, "Foolish? I do not think our definitions are the same so I will promise no such thing. I will listen to what you have to say, however."

What he had feared. He would have to take his chances. He lowered his voice sufficiently. "King Alistair is being poisoned."

"What? How do you know?" Then with a pause she began to nod, "Some of his symptoms are unusal."

"I discovered the contract before Sari went away, she charged me with Alistair's protection in her absence."

The was a pause. He wasn't doing a good job of it, that much was so clear it did not need saying.

"And you waited until now to tell anyone?"

"If too many people know information might leak back to the person poisoning him. Their plan would change and we'd know less than we do now."

"I understand." Wynne replied, "Knowing this can help me treat him but unless you stop the poison there is little I can do. We should also inform Teagan."

The less people that knew the better. There was no way of knowing if he was caught up in this.

"You cannot believe he has anything to do with this?"

"I don't know much at all at this point. I'd prefer to keep this between us."

"If Alistair worsens I will not hesitate to tell him."

"That will have to be enough." Having Wynne on his side filled him with slight confidence.

Wynne took a deep breath, "What do you know?"

He explained.

The mage seemed a little relieved, at least he had been doing something with his time. They did not know nothing.

"What can I do to assist you?" She asked.

A wry smile appeared on Zevran's face, he forced himself to suppress it. "Keep him alive. I shall test the documents Alistair's been looking at."

Zevran sighed and lent back in the chair. He had tested so many of these books and papers that it had fallen dark. If any of them had been poisoned he should probably have been showing symptoms by now, he joked with himself. They were too numerous. If it was these he could at least monitor what was brought to Alistair now he had Wynne in the know.

He walked back to Alistair's room.

"How is he?" He asked.

Wynne placed a wet cloth on the King's forehead and turned, "No change."

"That is good, no?"

She shrugged; it was hard to tell.

Zevran moved closer. He frowned; had there always been roses by the bed?

Thanks for reading! Sorry it took a while - Exams :(

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