Duty's Choice: The Bastards of Ferelden - Chapter 16

Nothing but the Truth

The Circle Tower – two months after East Watch

As it turned out, Elinora didn't have to decide what to tell the mages and what not to.

They already knew.

After a very cordial greeting, Alistair was lead off to the Senior Enchanter's study and Elinora to her quarters, or so they were told. Three steps into a room that most definitely was not a bedroom, the doors slammed shut behind her.

Questions had only managed to form, when something smashed at her feet. A glow appeared around her, a pale blue bubble. A fine mist rose from the broken flask on the floor, but force field around her kept it and her contained.

"What?" she coughed. The mist was translucent and cool, pleasantly scented like lavender.

A mage she vaguely recognized, a woman with auburn hair, approached with a grim expression. "My apologies, Warden Commander, but we have some questions."

Elinora coughed again. "So you're poisoning me?"

The mage shook her head. "Its just a little something to loosen the tongue, usually saved for naughty apprentices."

A lightheadedness overwhelmed Elinora for a moment, like she'd had one too many ales just a little too fast. Nothing like the drunken truth. "Let's get this over with," she growled. "I'd like to get to bed sometime soon."

"Do you know of the Divine's vision?" came from a voice behind her.

"Yes." She would keep her answers simple and limited.

"Who is the girl in the Divine's vision?"

Elinora fought it, but the words tumbled out of her mouth. "The daughter of Alistair and an apostate mage named Morrigan…"

The question continued like that for what seemed like hours. There were many she couldn't answer due to simple lack of information, ones about magic far too complex for someone not trained in their ways. She had no idea what sorts of magics were used in the ritual. The collected mages made notes and exchanged looks. Finally, they seemed to run out of questions. All but the auburn haired mage, who was studying her closely.

"Is it true that you and King Alistair wish to have a child?"

Elinora, for once in all this, hesitated. "Yes."

The mage cocked her head to the side in puzzlement. "What are you afraid of?"

Jaw clamped shut, hands curled into fists, Elinora resisted. She'd be damned if she would admit to being afraid of anything. The effects of the mist were easing.

With a jerk of her head to the rest of the assembled mages, the woman dismissed them. They filed out slowly as she explained to Elinora, "When I was a child, I was apprenticed to a midwife. I saw a great many births before my abilities surfaced and I was sent here. I know the fear that mothers face." The last mage left the room and the door was shut. Elinora was left alone with the former midwife's apprentice.

She smiled. "My name is Petra. We met during the… incident so many years ago."

Elinora relaxed a little. "I thought you looked familiar. Why do you ask, about the baby, I mean?"

A small look of guilt crept over Petra's features. "Wynne showed me the Warden Commander's journal. I know she shouldn't have."

"Is that all?" Elinora breathed a small sigh of relief. "So, you know what it is that I'm afraid of."

"Death?"

Elinora nodded sadly. "For me, for my child, for Alistair. Or worse, a monster."

"Jurgen's journal was hardly conclusive," Petra said matter-of-factly.

"Which makes it even more daunting." Elinora rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. "I put it in the Maker's hands, or Andraste's, or Fate, or whatever."

Petra snorted. "Don't you hate it when the Chantry gets in the way of faith? But that's not what you are afraid of. Be honest."

Elinora looked at the bubble around her and sighed. "I don't know if I can do it."

"Do what?" the mage asked evenly.

Her eyes on the floor, Elinora spoke aloud the thought that had been eating at her for weeks. "Be a good mother and Warden Commander at the same time. And maybe a good wife too."

Petra waved her hand. The force field around Elinora vanished. "I don't have an answer for you, Warden Commander, but to confess your fear is the first step to defeating it."

Elinora smiled. "You really were Wynne's pupil, weren't you?"

Petra smiled and led Elinora to her quarters, which were the same as Alistair's. At least she now knew where the Circle stood.

"Is it just me," said the King of Ferelden with his mouth full, "or did they already seem to know?"

Elinora nodded as she chewed a fine bit of roast. They were enjoying a private dinner for two, what should have been a romantic evening, but she kept going over in her head who knew about that awful night in Redcliff. They had tried to keep the whole thing quiet.

And then it hit her. She dropped her fork. "Aldo."

"Aldo?" Alistair said with a mouthful of bread.

"Zevran, Aldo and Rainer were there when First Warden Gerlach questioned me after Zevran opened his big mouth. Aldo spent quite a lot of time here after he left Orzammar. Silvers to sawdust he was trying to reverse engineer Morrigan's ritual." Her face fell into her hands. "I'm going to kill him."

Alistair pulled her hands away and looked into her eyes. "He was trying to help, or at least do what he had to for the Wardens. Whatever the cost, remember?"

She closed her eyes. "Whatever the cost."

He kissed her hands and then decreed, "No more business, no more worrying about what's done and done. We have a night to ourselves for once, and it shouldn't be wasted on anything wretched."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "What should it be wasted on?"

Afterglow faded into a deep sleep.

So deep that it took Elinora some time to realize she was in the Fade, and not alone.

"This is really a pleasant spot. I'm glad it seems to stay around."

Elinora turned to the warm, familiar voice with a smile. "With so many visitors, I guess its not surprising. Its good to see you, Wynne."

The old mage took a good look at Elinora, like a mother making sure her child was in one piece. "You as well, my dear. I've been waiting for you, in fact."

"Waiting? Why?"

"Interesting things drift in and out of the Fade, including whispers of a new power rising. You and I both know what it is." Wynne's expression became grave.

Elinora nodded, but said nothing.

"Eventually it will find you, and all the armies in Thedas will do you no good." Her knowing smile returned, warm and wry. "But you have what you need, all you have to do is what women and men have done for centuries."

Elinora's brow furrowed. "Are you telling me that my child can defeat an Old God."

"Prehaps. What I do know is that it will take more than mere mortals to handle this threat. A child of two Grey Wardens is more than just human."

A hand went unconsciously to her belly. "But I'm not pregnant. Petra confirmed that this afternoon for me."

Wynne looked disturbed a moment. "Yes, I fear the Warden talent for infertility may be a bit of a problem, but I have a solution, I hope."

"More standing on my head?" quipped Elinora. A midwife in Lothering had been very generous with that little piece of country wisdom.

Wynne laughed. "No, but this may sound just as ridiculous. Do you still have the rose Alistair gave you?"

"Yes." Elinora smiled wistfully. "Still looks like someone just picked it too."

"Oh lyrium," Wynne sighed. "Such a curse and a blessing. Anyway, you'll need a clear flask, a sprig of elfroot, one petal from that rose and a pinch of Andraste's Ashes."

"Andraste's Ashes? Again?"

"Yes, oh and pure water." Wynne started to fade. "Dash it all. Everything in the flask, seal it, drink when everything has dissolved and the liquid is clear. Good luck!"

"But Wynne!" Elinora reached for the completely transparent mage, her hand swiping through empty space. It was useless. Wynne was gone and Elinora couldn't have touched her anyway.

She took a long look around the Fade island of their camp; one tent, a blue burning fire and some convenient logs to sit on. An imperfect reflection of the campsite they had set up so many times during the Blight. A place that held so many memories, good and bad.

Elinora woke up slowly. Dawn was just starting to break and Alistair still slept beside her, snoring lightly. With a hopeful smile she snuggled against him and thought of the future.