Chapter 26
Cory gets his comeuppance and the Lady in White's identity is revealed at last! Don't worry, this fic is still being written. I'm having a friend come visit all this coming week, so might not get a chance to write a lot, but will write as much as possible. Next chapter is some of the years in between. Fic ends with Trespasser DLC ending. Ahem, my ending to it anyway!
Many thanks once again to my angelic beta Lady Darksbane. She is the reason this fic was posted! Also many thanks to those who are following this fic, especially to my Fanfiction Writers' friends in the group on Facebook! You guys ROCK! :D
Love reading your comments! Please feel free to say what you think! :D
…
The following day, Beatrix got together a team to go to the dragon. Cullen was in it, of course. He wouldn't let Beatrix go there without him, even though she was protected in a way, with three of her inner circle accompanying her.
Morrigan stood in the room where the eluvian was kept, waiting for them. She was to activate the mirror to allow them passage to the area where they would battle the dragon.
"Inquisitor, I wish to thank you again for helping me with Kieran," the dark-haired witch said sincerely as Beatrix stood beside her. "I confess I can breathe more easily, knowing I am away from mother's influence at last. Should you fail in your quest to subdue the dragon, I can shapeshift into one and I offer you my services."
"Thank you, Morrigan," Beatrix replied with a smile. "We'll see what happens. Stay close, please."
"I shall, Inquisitor," Morrigan replied with a brief nod. She then turned to the mirror and activated it. "It is done."
Beatrix gave Morrigan a bright smile and stepped through the mirror, with her four companions close behind.
They all breathed a sigh of relief as they were standing at the entrance to a very green grove that had an altar at the very end. The trees all around it formed a natural wall, separating it from the rest of the Arbor Wilds. Beatrix walked up to the altar, noticing a statue of a human draconic figure, wings outstretched. Behind her Cullen, the Iron Bull, Dorian and Cassandra stood in silence waiting for her to speak.
"Well," she said. "this is the place. Mythal!" Beatrix called, lifting her face to look up the sky. "I'm here! Send your dragon!"
A short while later, they heard the flapping of great wings and a dragon landed in the grove with a mighty roar. Dorian hurriedly placed a shield over everyone and the fight began.
"Remember, we can't kill it!" Beatrix shouted. "Just beat it around a bit!"
"Splendid!" Dorian quipped from where he stood, drinking down a fire resistance potion. "Always wanted to be surrounded by flames!"
"I can make you shoot out flames if you want," Bull purred at Dorian, chugging down his fire resistance potion.
"Ugh, will you two please focus! There is a DRAGON here!" Cassandra cried as she bashed her shield into the huge dragon's left leg, which Beatrix was already stabbing. Cullen said nothing, but pursed his lips, moving out of the way just in time as the beast swiped its great tail at him. With a determined look, the Commander charged forward, into the dragon's left forepaw, the rest following his lead.
A few moments later, Cassandra managed to hurt the dragon and it limped away, its eyes fixed on the group and roaring. Beatrix suddenly knew it was time for her to try to communicate with it. Turning to her team, she told them to stay put and Cullen protested.
"Cullen, I know what I'm doing! I know it will listen now, please!" Beatrix said, her voice laced with anguish as she begged him to stand back. Cullen complied, shaking his head, but he did not sheathe his weapon.
Slowly, Beatrix walked up to the dragon. It roared again once and flicked its tail, but as Beatrix got closer, it stood still. She walked straight up to the beast then, and it put down its mighty head. Cullen cursed and tried to walk forward, but Bull pulled him back, gesturing at him to look at the scene before him. Cullen turned accordingly and his jaw dropped.
Beatrix was actually petting the dragon's head. The dragon seemed to be having a good time also. She made her way to the dragon's wound and opened an elfroot potion, pouring it over the dragon's foot. The wound started to heal immediately and the dragon craned its neck for Beatrix to keep petting it. All at once a blue light shone from Beatrix's eyes to the dragon's face and eyes. It stayed there for a few moments and then vanished. The dragon stood, no longer limping, and Beatrix moved out of the way. All of them watched it flap its wings and take off, flying low and disappearing into the distance with a roar – almost like saying goodbye.
"Maker's Breath!" Cullen said, able to finally speak at last.
"Do you think it will recognize you? How does this work exactly?" Dorian asked.
"She will come once only. When summoned," Beatrix told them in a low voice, but loud enough so all could hear her. Then she shook her head. "I hope she doesn't die. What a magnificent beast!"
…
Two days later, they all assembled at the war room as there were things that Leliana and Josephine had to report. After having gone through at least a dozen reports and coming up with solutions for them, Beatrix leaned forward, her hands on the heavy table before her.
"Have we gotten any missives from our scouts to pinpoint the direction Corypheus was heading towards?" Beatrix asked as she looked down at the great map carved into the table.
"No, Inquisitor," Leliana replied. "I haven't received word yet."
"Neither have I," Josephine added.
"I've received a missive from our soldiers. One of them saw Corypheus and his dragon heading north, but that was two days ago, when we arrived at Skyhold. I don't really know where he is right now," Cullen said with a frown.
At that very moment, there was a sound in the distance which sounded like an explosion that startled them all. Beatrix's anchor started to crackle and make popping noises, emitting a bright green light. Everyone and every single thing in the room was immediately bathed in green. She looked up towards the window and saw the breach was open again, stones revolving at the center.
"He's opened the Breach again," Varric said in a loud voice. "And he's close."
"Yes," Beatrix replied. "He's in Haven."
"The Breach must be closed before it fills Thedas with demons again," Morrigan commented.
"Inquisitor! We have no army to send with you. They haven't returned from the Wilds yet!" Cullen exclaimed.
"That's exactly why Corypheus did this, I imagine," Beatrix shrugged her shoulders and turned to look at her Inner Circle. "We must march to Haven at once. Who's with me?"
They all raised a hand and almost at the same time.
"We'll die protecting you, Inquisitor!" Cassandra exclaimed with a nod, her eyes bright and fierce in the green light of the room.
"I'm putting an arrow in that shitebag! Right in the danglebags!" Sera cried out angrily.
"I will not let you go there if I do not go with you," Cullen added. "Barris is leading our soldiers out of the Arbor Wilds. If he arrives here while we are at Haven, he can continue to do so. I just need to leave a parchment of written instructions for him, Inquisitor."
Beatrix nodded at this.
"Get ready, everyone! Meet you all at the stables in an hour," she said.
Everyone filed out of the room except for Cullen, who was scribbling something on a piece of parchment. He looked up as he finished, fixing his golden eyes on Beatrix.
"I'm ready, my love," Cullen nearly whispered. "I just have to take this note to one of my aides. I need to pray in the chapel as well."
"I'll go with you and pray also," she said, her eyes holding his. But Cullen's dropped and he sighed deeply.
"What is it, my love?" Beatrix asked, looking at him with a worried expression on her face.
"Once again you face him, once again I'm sending you to him. I –" but Cullen stopped, his heart breaking. Beatrix was crying and did not show signs of stopping. He opened his arms to her and she went to them quickly.
"Cullen, what if I don't survive?"
He leaned back to look at her, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Then I will surely die afterwards," he said in a whisper. "I can't live without you, my love. Maker help me, I simply can't…"
They embraced each other tightly, aware that this fight could be their last. After sharing a kiss, they left the war table room and headed towards the chapel to pray, Cullen holding her hand firmly in his.
They will not take you! Not while I draw breath!
…
The ride to Haven would not take long, as there had already been a path secured through the mountains, which would keep them away from all the snowstorms that regularly plagued the area. Therefore, they only traveled for a day and reached the Temple by sunset. Cullen stayed close to Beatrix the entire time, but they didn't have any time to be alone with each other. Nevertheless, as they were dismounting, he caught her in his arms and gave her a passionate kiss, full of love and longing.
"We will succeed," he whispered, letting her go with one of his lopsided smiles. She smiled back and at that moment they heard shouts indicating that the fighting had begun. They rushed to see soldiers fighting through demons that had already attacked and killed several.
Cassandra rushed towards one of the demons and killed it on the spot. Dorian quickly had shields on all of them, while Vivienne quickly unsheathed her spirit blade. Cullen quickly unsheathed his sword and ran towards Corypheus, following Beatrix closely. She stopped in front of the Ancient Tevinter Magister, her eyes angry as she fixed her gaze upon him.
"I knew you would come," Corypheus commented, giving her a mocking bow.
"Yes, because you know everything, you fucking idiot!" Beatrix hissed. Cullen looked at her in alarm, then quickly back at the creature standing not far from them. "It ends here, Corypheus!"
"What a foul mouth you have, Inquisitor," Corypheus responded with a grimace. "It shall indeed end here and now!"
Very quickly he raised his hands, the red orb hovering above him. In an instant, the whole ruin of the Temple of Sacred Ashes rose from the ground, leaving behind some of Beatrix's Inner Circle and all of the scouts and remaining soldiers they had brought with them. Once they were suspended high above, all movement stopped. Corypheus stepped forward, looking at Beatrix with pure hatred in his eyes.
"You have been most successful in foiling my plans. But let us not forget what you are: A thief, in the wrong place at the wrong time. An interloper. A gnat. We shall prove here which of us is worthy of Godhood!"
"I'm Andraste's Chosen!" Beatrix screamed at him. "And you still talk too much you arrogant bastard!"
Corypheus let out a yell of outrage and started to attack. Pure red lyrium poured forth in a deadly beam and they ran for cover, while red lyrium nodes appeared from the very rocky ground they stood on. Beatrix disappeared in a puff of dark smoke and Cullen cursed as he advanced on the monster with Cassandra. Both Vivienne and Dorian focused on the deadliest spells and flung them at Corypheus.
Beatrix reappeared right behind the creature and stabbed, but Corypheus had already glided away in a speed that far outmatched her. Growling, she disappeared into stealth again, while both Cassandra and Cullen hacked at the demons that had appeared to join the fray. Beatrix reappeared at Cullen's side, stabbing at an enraged shade and quickly flittered away from view just as Corypheus raised his hands and red lyrium burst forth from the rocky ground.
"You dare use an avatar of divinity?" Corypheus growled, looking around for the rogue. Cullen rushed forward and used his shield to bash the Ancient Tevinter Magister who immediately teleported to a different area, directly in front of Beatrix who had reappeared. Cullen cursed and hurried to defend her from harm, bringing out his shield to protect them from the Red Lyrium assault.
He needn't have bothered. Both Dorian and Vivienne were keeping magical arcane shields on them continuously as they fought the monster, and they certainly were saving their lives from the red lyrium beams Corypheus flung at them. They just had to keep moving and attacking Corypheus since the red lyrium bursting from the rocky ground was the only thing that was deadly at the moment.
Beatrix disappeared again as both Cassandra and Cullen attacked Corypheus. At that same moment, however, Corypheus summoned his Red Lyrium dragon and Beatrix had to focus on the dragon she had tamed at the Shrine to Mythal.
Just as the great dragon was about to pounce on them all, another dragon attacked it and they flew off fighting. It was Mythal's dragon, ready to defend and destroy. Beatrix let a smile linger on her face and the whole team moved forward, this time going up a flight of stairs to meet the corrupted Ancient Magister.
The fighting was intense, but it wasn't until Vivienne wielded her spirit blade that they felt they had the upper hand. The blade damaged Corypheus so much that he yelled out, teleporting to a wholly different area. They ran towards the monster, while Corypheus continued to scream out in rage.
"I will NOT stand for this outrage!" the Magister bellowed at Beatrix, flicking his wrists to send off a powerful red lyrium attack. They ran out of range and circled him, Vivienne attacking him from behind.
He screamed out in pain and disappeared from view. At that moment, the two battling dragons flew right over them and they watched as the dragons once again came together in a deadly embrace, one clawing and biting at the other. In a few minutes, Mythal's dragon plummeted to the rocky surface, and lay there, still and silent, while Corypheus' dragon circled them once before landing in the area in front of the team.
"Is Mythal's dragon alive, my dear?" Vivienne asked as she sliced the air with her spirit blade, readying herself to attack the dragon that looked upon them malevolently, roaring loudly.
"I can't check now, dragon here!" Beatrix said as she disappeared into stealth. Both Cullen and Cassandra attacked the great beast, but it was Vivienne's blizzard spell that caused the dragon to stand still. Another spell from Dorian encased it in thin ice, and both Cullen and Vivienne attacked in unison, while Beatrix sidestepped neatly to the other side and repeatedly stabbed it while Cassandra bashed it with her shield and used her blade near the dragon's unprotected underbelly.
Presently Cullen dealt a killing blow and the dragon roared as it fell, leaving Corypheus vulnerable. With renewed energy they rushed up another set of stairs, this time leading to the tower area and faced the Ancient Magister, battling for their lives.
"He's trying to cause the Breach to widen! We must stop him!" Dorian yelled, attacking from a distance.
"Over my dead body!" yelled Beatrix who had sneaked behind him. Cullen rushed forward madly, his senses warning him of danger even before he saw Corypheus grab Beatrix by the arm.
"You dare!" the Ancient Magister roared. "Let it end here! Let the skies boil! Let the world be rent asunder!" At that moment Cullen bashed his shield at the Magister and it dropped Beatrix to the ground, who quickly got up again and assaulted him from behind. "How would you like to watch your Commander lover die, Inquisitor?" Corypheus laughed, seizing Cullen and pulling the Commander to his chest.
"NO!" Beatrix yelled as she tried to rush over, but Vivienne was already there, thrusting her spirit blade deeply into the monster's side.
Corypheus fell on his knees, just as Beatrix called the orb to her using her mark. She took it into her hands while Corypheus roared in pain.
"Dumat! Ancient ones! I beseech you! If you exist – if you ever truly existed – aid me now!"
But the orb remained with Beatrix and she flung it high into the sky. The orb few directly to the Breach, sealing it instantaneously, then dropped down to where she stood, her mark emitting a bright green light as she walked towards the kneeling Ancient Tevinter Magister.
"You wanted to get into the Fade?" she shouted angrily. "Well, then! Here's your wish come true!"
The anchor immediately let out a beam and Corypheus screamed out as a rift began to form inside him. In mere seconds he imploded, disappearing from Thedas forever.
Cullen rushed to her side, only to see the whole place begin to crumble. In horror, he witnessed everything falling on his love as well as on them as the whole place fell to the ground.
But Beatrix was alive, she opened her eyes and sat up, brushing debris off her, only to get a glimpse of Solas kneeling right before the broken orb.
"Solas," she called softly, getting up and walking towards him.
"The orb," the elven mage said in a sad voice.
"I'm so sorry, Solas. I know you wanted the orb saved."
"This isn't your fault, Inquisitor," Solas turned to face her. "You should get that wound tended to, before you bleed out."
Beatrix shrugged, wincing as she did so. "There's more isn't there?"
"It was not supposed to happen this way. No matter what comes, I want you to know you shall always have my respect."
With those words, Beatrix swayed slightly, a dizziness overpowering her as she heard Cullen shout her name. Then she fainted dead away.
"No!" Cullen screamed as he rushed forward and knelt to take her in his arms. She was bleeding profusely from the side. Vivienne appeared at his side and quickly started to heal her.
"She lives, Commander, but she has lost a lot of blood. I will do my best to heal her."
Cullen nodded at the powerful mage, keeping the tears that were struggling to appear in check. He swallowed thickly as Vivienne worked to heal Beatrix as much as she could.
"It's done. I'll go check on the dragon too. It saved our lives and deserves to be healed if it yet lives," Vivienne whispered. "We should take her back to Skyhold immediately, Commander.
Cullen nodded once again, as he stood up, carrying Beatrix in his arms.
There was no time to lose.
…
Beatrix looked up at the clear blue sky. Her place. Hers. A sigh of contentment escaped her lips as she walked around, admiring the different green colors that dotted the landscape. She approached the brook that was laughing merrily along its way, smiling as she knelt on its bank, her hands cupping water to drink. It was the best water she had drunk in her life.
Approaching footsteps made her quickly stand and she nodded to the Lady in White who was greeting her with the loveliest of smiles.
"What am I doing here? Am I dead or dreaming?" Beatrix asked immediately.
The Lady in White gave her a bright smile, her yellow eyes lighting up with love. Beatrix frowned until she finally spoke.
"Do you want to be dead?" the Lady asked, a chuckle escaping her lips.
"Not necessarily," Beatrix shrugged, her eyes narrowing slightly. "But someone told me something and I want to know if it is true."
The Lady's smile disappeared. "Ah, yes. My great, great, great, granddaughter. She is good with words, but her prophecies, while true, do not tend to happen when one thinks they shall."
"Flemeth is related to you?" Beatrix asked, her mouth agape with surprise.
"Yes, Inquisitor," the Lady replied. "She may or may not know. I'll soon find out, however. And this is not really the point of our conversation, is it?"
"No, it isn't," Beatrix closed her mouth and shook her head. "I'm so confused."
"Tell me if you wish to live or not. I'm most interested in your reply," the Lady smiled.
Beatrix looked deeply into her yellow eyes. The same color as Flemeth's eyes, Morrigan's as well. This White Lady seemed to be truthful for the moment.
"Do I have a reason to live?" Beatrix queried.
"You discount your love, who is thinking of ending his life if you fail to live at this very moment?" the Lady answered sharply.
"Cullen," Beatrix replied sadly. "I must go to him."
"If not for him, do it for the little one, who deserves to be born," the Lady said, pressing a hand on Beatrix's belly.
"I am with child?" Beatrix asked, knowing instantaneously that there was indeed a small life growing within. She smiled at the Lady, her eyes wide with emotion and love.
"Oh, yes, little one. Your path is safe and secure. For now," the Lady in White said, smiling kindly.
"What do you mean for now?" Beatrix wanted to know. But the Lady turned to leave.
Before she left however, Beatrix managed to catch her white robe in her hands, pulling slightly. The Lady stopped and turned with a smile.
"You have to live it all. Even what will come to be. But know this, you will get the life you deserve and more. But not in this era. That is all I have to say."
"Tell me your name!" Beatrix asked, still clinging to the Lady's robes.
"I thought you knew already," the Lady smiled. "I am Andraste. And I will always guide you, little one. Go in peace and live what time you have, happily by his side and your child's. You will always be my chosen."
Beatrix let go as she took a step back, her eyes open wide with surprise. The Lady in White nodded and smiled, her love for Beatrix apparent as she walked away and disappeared.
And Beatrix sat up in her bed and was immediately caught in an embrace as Cullen laughed out loud, holding her close and wishing her never to leave his side.
"You're alive!" he whispered over and over, thanking the Maker as well.
"Yes, Cullen! And…I'm also with child!"
Cullen leaned back, his eyes huge amber saucers as he looked at her. In mere seconds he was kissing her passionately, his hands all over her as they kissed, Beatrix moaning into his mouth until he leaned back and looked at her again.
"Are you sure?" he asked. "Are you feeling well? Do you need anything?"
"I'm quite sure, given I was told I was with child by none other than Andraste. I need a healer, only to confirm it. I'm so happy, Cullen!"
"As am I," Cullen murmured his reply, his lips devouring hers again.
"We'll be together from now on, my love," Beatrix said, her eyes alight with happiness.
"As it should be," Cullen replied. "I'd love to keep on kissing you, but first, the healer."
"And some water," Beatrix laughed. "And food!"
"I shall bring everything at once, my Lady," he said as he rushed to the stairs.
Beatrix heard the door slam shut as she laughed happily, then her eyes moved upwards and she offered thanks to the Maker and Andraste.
But most of all, she thanked Andraste.
And no matter how long she had left, she would make the most of it.
…