Sebastian knock quietly on Leigh and Anders' door. He heard soft foot falls and the door slowly opened. Anders put his finger to his lips and ushered the prince into the room. A soft red glow illuminated the room and the sight that meet Sebastian made him stop dead with shock. Sitting in the middle of the room was Leigh. Her eyes were open, but unseeing. The hellish red glow was coming from her. Her skin looked cracked and lines of crimson. The air in the room felt thick and charged with energy. Anders pushed the man into the other room and shut the door.
"What...how..."
"She is in the Fade talking to some of our allies. It is the best way to pass information to some of our more obscure friends."
"Is this how she was able to have me see Meghan?" Anders smiled and nodded his head. "Maker."
"Leigh can enter dreams or even minds of people that are awake. It is not a power she uses lightly. A weak mind can be destroyed if she pushes to hard." Sebastian sank into a chair and stared at the floor. He had heard rumors of her being powerful, but he always thought it was because of her presence not her magic.
"Can she control people?"
"If she wanted to, but we both know she never would do that. Her father taught her better than that. She is what most mages dream to be. A strong confident person who is not broken, a person who understands how to survive. I was lucky, the Wardens showed me how to survive outside of the Circle. Leigh and Bethany are the example of what mages can be given a chance to have a normal life."
"This is what you are trying to do for Meghan and others like her?"
"Our daughter will never know the pain of being ripped away from her family. I think all three of us will do what ever we can to make sure of that." Sebastian raise his head and quirked his eyebrow. A smirk graced his face.
"Our daughter?"
"She holds my heart Sebastian. She has since she was born. In my heart she is just as much mine as my other children are. Nothing you or anyone says will ever change that. I would gladly die protecting her and her siblings."
"I was so very wrong about you. I thought nothing mattered to you but your cause. I always thought you would hurt Leigh and leave her broken. I see now that you were the only one who could have understood her."
"I am glad you can be so easily fooled. I don't think men were meant to understand women, but I do love her. She and I have owned each others hearts for over seventeen years."
"You met before Kirkwall?"
"She saved me from Templars and taught me that there was more to life than just meaningless trysts." The prince nodded and stood. He opened the door quietly and went to sit in the room that Leigh was in. The men sat in silence waiting for Leigh to come out of the Fade.
OoO
Leigh had concluded her meeting in the Fade with Feynrial and the Black Divine. It had went rather well all things considering. Tevinter would stand with Ferelden, Antiva, The Free Marches and Rivain. Now it seemed Orlais was surrounded. It was hoped that they could force the Divine into surrendering. Leigh knew that was wishful thinking, but part of her hoped. She stayed in the Fade after the others had left. She had to collect her thoughts and here seemed the safest place. She could feel Pash stirring in her mind, but the spirit was quiet. Leigh felt a shiver run through her and she turned just in time to dodge a bolt of energy. She rolled and jumped back to her feet.
"You are fast mortal. The accolades your people spew about you are true. You are a lovely as Andraste was and as loved." Leigh narrowed her eyes and drew her blades.
"The Divine I presume?" The older woman walked closer and smiled sweetly at Hawke.
"I thought it was time we met."
"Not that I am not flattered you would take the time to to find little old me, but how did you know I was here?"
"I have my ways. Your cousin was so sure that you would not be able to be persuaded to end this peacefully. I hope we can end this conflict."
"This will end only when you change what is done to mages. They are not puppets for the Chantry to use when they see fit, they are people!" The Divine sneered and waved her hand. The Fade changed around them. It turned darker, more ominous.
"Your kind does not deserve the powers you were given. The Maker made us first, we were his chosen!"
"Then why did he make us? Why give some of us the ability to walk the Fade while awake? He loves all his children. Spirit, mortal what does it matter. He has love enough for all of us."
"Then why is it your kind can walk in both worlds and mine can not? I must inhabit this disgusting body to walk among you. Mages where his chosen. They were to be the gateway for mortals to be able to gain his favor. Andraste's foolish daughter Mercy was to be the new voice of the Maker. It should never have been. I know what you are. You are nothing compared to me."
"You're jealous. This is why thousands of people have suffered? You want to make him pay for ignoring you, so you abuse the ones he wanted to lead mortals. You're insane." An evil laugh echoed in the space between the women. The Divine shifted into her true form. She was a pride demon, but she was not large and grotesque like her kin. She looked more like a desire demon, but her horns stood straight up instead of curling. She wore a robe, not the scant clothing the desire demons wore.
"Jealous of you? Your kind scampers around like a swarm of locust. He was a fool to make you with a free will. I will not let you win Hawke. I will make him see what a mistake he made making mortals. I was his first child, his most loved till your kind was made. I will gain his favor again." Leigh shook her head and let out a mirthless laugh.
"You killed both of his mortal daughters do you really think he will forgive you." The look on Strife's face told Leigh that she did not know Mercy and Drea were the Maker's children."
"Impossible! He would not have gifted mortals as he did with his first born."
"He knew your kind was flawed, you could not grow passed what you are. You could only be what he made you to be. Mortals can choose, and the only way spirits can choose is to take a mortal over. That's what happened isn't it? You meet a mortal in the Fade and became curious."
"I found it disgusting that your kind could use the same magic spirits could. Your filth polluted my home. I will not stop until there are no more mages. I will make him see that he made a mistake."
"We will stop you."
"I doubt that. I already have one of your family, very soon I will have at least two more. If you want them back you will have to face me. I wonder if you are stronger than Mercy and Drea? Both died so pitifully. I had such hopes for Drea. She was the one who created the Templars. It was her talents that made them possible, but they lacked the connection to magic she had. Giving them lyrium was a blessing in disguise. It made most to addicted to question."
"Who do you have?"
"Miranda, but she was stronger willed than I thought. It took time to break her. I wonder if Ser Cullen will be as strong or one of your children." Leigh lunged at the demon who disappeared right before the rogue made contact. "Temper, temper Hawke. Come find me where your kind use to have a safe haven. I will be waiting." Leigh let out a scream of rage and the Fade around her pulsed with magic. She let her magic reach out into the emptiness of the Fade. She hoped it would let her find Cullen and warn him. When her magic recoiled back to her she knew that Cullen was already taken. She could feel pain surrounding him and her heart ached. How could she tell Bethany that her betrothed was in the hands of the Divine? Leigh's mind remembered the other thing the demon had said. One of her children was in danger.
OoO
Both Anders and Sebastian jumped when they heard the animal like growl sound from Leigh. The glow around her went out fast and Leigh was on her feet in one quick movement. She either did not see the men there or did not care. Her only thought was to find her children and make sure nothing could get to them. Both men followed and tried to ask what was wrong, but Leigh just sprinted through the wing of the castle that housed her family. She reached the bedroom that just hours ago she tucked her children into their beds. Once she reached the door she threw it open door her heart stopped when she looked around a room. Drea was in her crib and Karl was in his bed, but Meghan's bed was empty. Leigh's eyes wheeled around the room and saw no sign of her oldest daughter.
"Maker, no please..." Anders finally caught up with Leigh and saw her shaking, her gaze on Meghan's bed.
"Love?" He reached out to touch her, but Leigh whipped around and ran to Arden's room which was down the hall. "Leigh wait." Fear gripped her as she ran willing her body to go faster. She kicked open the door making the older woman sit up in her bed.
"Leigh? What's wrong?"
"Is Meghan in here with you?" Arden shook her head and rose from her bed. She quickly wrapped herself in a robe and rushed out into the hall after Leigh.
"Leigh what is wrong?" Leigh could not form the words, afraid to put to words her worst fears. Anders and Sebastian came up the hall with worried looks on their faces. "Leo what is going on? I have never seen her like this."
"I'm not sure Mum, love please...what is going on?" Leigh closed her eyes and reached out her mana to find her daughter. She felt the girl's presence close by and began to run in the direction. "Dammit Leigh what is wrong?"
"The Divine has Cullen and said she was going to take one of our children. Meghan is missing..." Without another word she raced out to the back entrance of the palace. Skidding to a halt Leigh barely missed the arrow that flew at her. Her eyes fell on a group of Templars. Behind them was Miranda with a unconscious Meghan in her arms. Miranda's eyes glowed a sickly green and her face was a mask of malice. "Give her back!"
"Sorry cousin, but the Divine so wants to meet her." Sebastian let loose an arrow hitting one of the Templars closest to the mage. Miranda just smirked and held a small dagger next to Meghan's neck. "I would not do that again if I were you."
"If you hurt her demon I swear I will make you pay."
"Such strong words from a man who was not gifted with magic. You are nothing!" The hand that held the dagger raised up and sent a blast of energy toward Sebastian. Leigh stepped in front of him and batted the bolt away. She saw the shock on the faces of both the Templars and her cousin. They were not prepared for her to be this strong.
"Give me back my daughter or so help me I will rip you all apart!" Miranda tsked and slipped back further behind the Templars.
"Keep her busy." The armored men closed ranks. Leigh let her magic manifest in her hands. One wreathed in fire, the other jumped with lightning. Anders' skin cracked and the blue glow illuminated the clearing they had been standing in. Sebastian notched an arrow, holding his aim for the right moment. The Templars moved forward, but stopped dead when they saw Leigh had reinforcements. Arden had alerted Bethany that Meghan was missing and the younger Hawke brought help.
"I suggest you give up now and your lives will be spared." Alistair stood right behind Anders, his own sword drawn. Fenris and Isabela rounded to either side both ready for whatever came next. Bethany placed herself right next of her sister.
"We will not bow to a heathen king. Our leader is the Divine."
"Their enthralled Alistair just like in the Tower during the Blight. The Divine is using her powers over them." Morrigan came out of the shadows. "She is stronger than you realize and her power over them absolute. They will not listen and you are wasting time to find the child. If she is lost then we have no hope." The first Templars were not prepared for what came next. Leigh let out a feral howl and shot fire and lightning at them. The screams were deafening, blocking out the din of metal on metal. The mages threw spells to stymie the Templars allowing the melee fighters to finish them off. Once all the Templars were down Leigh began to take off toward where she saw Miranda disappear only to be grabbed by Morrigan. "You can't go running after them alone. This is what she wants Hawke." Leigh twisted and tried to pull away, her mothering instincts were to find her daughter. Nothing else mattered but Meghan .
"I don't care what the Divine wants...I need to get my daughter back!"
"We will, but you have to keep your head. Storming after her will only serve one thing, getting you killed. If you are lost then everyone will suffer."
"How can you ask me to stand here and do nothing Shade? If it was your child..."
"I would be feeling the same way you are, but I would do him a great disservice in running off blind." Leigh relaxed as much as she could under the circumstances. Even the warm comfort of Anders' arms could not dull the dread in her heart. Her gaze fixed on Sebastian and she winced. He too looked like his heart had just been ripped from his chest.
"We will find her love and the Divine will pay for all of this." Anders was still glowing and his voice was a mixture of his and Justice. "How did you know she was coming for her?"
"I stayed in the Fade after my meeting with Feynriel and the Black Divine. She somehow found me...said she had broken Miranda...now she has Cullen and our daughter. She said if I wanted them back I would have to come to the last safe haven our kind had." Anders sneered, but she could not tell if it was his reaction to the news or Justice's.
"How in the name of the Maker did she get her hands on Cullen?"
"I'm not sure Alistair, but my guess would be she had Miranda lure him somewhere. I tried to warn him, but I was too late...they have him already..." Leigh's eyes fell on her sister and she swallowed hard. "Beth we will get him back. I promise you that. I know where they are going, but I have to talk to Alistair and Ashlyn about the lay out of the place." Bethany nodded numbly. She was close to breaking down, Leigh could see it in her eyes. Thankfully Isabela wrapped a comforting arm around the younger Hawke. "Fenris I need your help...I have to try to help Cullen stay strong so we don't to fight both him and Miranda."
"I will meet you in the study then." Leigh bit her lip and gave a sharp nod. He mind raced with all the things that could happen and how to stop it. Pash was quiet, but she was there. Leigh could feel her worry and her anger. "Pash?" "She will pay for this!" "Yes, she will, but Shade is right we can't lose our heads. Can you help me get to Cullen?" "Of course."
OoO
Fenris shifted uncomfortably in the chair across from Leigh. The last time someone had used his lyrium markings to amplify their magic it was excruciating. Almost akin to being skinned alive. Isabela stayed close and tried to be a positive as possible. She knew how much this frightened him, but she also knew he would do anything to help Hawke. Leigh had her eyes closed and was trying to calm her nerves.
"Hawke are you sure this is the only way?" Leigh opened her eyes and met Isabela's gaze.
"I used a lot of mana even before we fought the Templars. I don't know if I have enough to reach Cullen. I fear she might try to do what Tarohne did to Keran all those years ago. Cullen is strong, but so is this demon. She broke Miranda already...if there was any other way I would do it. I don't want to hurt Fenris..."
"Hawke, do what you have to. I know the stakes are high. Pain means nothing." Leigh saw determination in the elf's eyes and she reached forward to take his hands.
"I will be as gentle as possible. Most of my mana comes from the Fade...once I am there I will not have to draw on you as much. Are you ready?"
"Yes. I trust you Hawke." Leigh smiled and set herself back a bit. Fenris closed his eyes as the first jolt of magic drew from his markings. A hiss came from his lips, but he did not pull away. It felt different from when Danarius use to use him in this way. Leigh's touch was gentle and her magic far kinder. It felt more like a light tingle than a raging agony. When he opened his eyes he saw hers glowing. She gave him a sad smile before all recognition left her face. Anders saw her muscles relax and he tapped Isabela on the shoulder. He motioned for her to follow.
"She is in the Fade. I am not sure how long this will take. We should go and speak with Ashlyn and some of the other leaders."
"Who will stay and watch them?" Carver and Ori entered the room. "Guess that answers that question."
"The Queen sent us to get all of you, but it looks like my sister and Fenris are busy. Choir boy is waiting in the throne room. Ori and I will wait here just in case." Anders turned to walk out the door, but Carver caught him. "We will get them back Anders. That bitch messed with the wrong family."
"I hope you're right..."
OoO
Leigh stood in the Fade surrounded by spirits. Hope, Valor, Fortitude and Pash stood in the safe haven that Leigh created years ago. Hope looked distraught after hearing Meghan was now in the hands of the Chantry. Valor paced the clearing with his fists clenched.
"Valor I need you to help me save Cullen." The spirit turned and gave Leigh a questioning look. "If he has someone to protect him here in the Fade the Divine may not be able to break him."
"Hawke..."
"I am not asking you to join with him. He need someone to help keep him strong, defend him against become possessed." Valor shook his head and stepped back away from Leigh.
"I..."
"Brother she would not ask if we had any other recourse. If Cullen is lost than we all are. He embodies your virtue. All eight of the us must be represented or Strife wins and the mages will stand no chance. She will kill or make Tranquil all that remain. Ferelden will fall and all the people who have fought so hard to put right what we failed to do will suffer. Please Zander, we need your help."
"He...he is Zander, from the scrolls?"
"Yes, after Drea faced the Divine and lost her life Zander became head of Haven. His valor and leadership kept the people of Haven safe for years."
"I thought none of the others remembered who they were before."
"Once Justice remembered who he was, the others slowly followed. Faith resides in the Wynne, but as you said Sebastian embodies the very essence of faith."
"Alright, So I am Compassion, Anders is Justice, Cullen is Valor, Sebastian is Faith, and Meghan is Purity. We are missing three."
"Courage, Hope and Fortitude, I know. We will find them, but first we must help Cullen." Leigh closed her eyes and concentrated on Cullen. It took her a few minutes, but she found him through all the other minds running in the Fade. She could also feel demons moving closer to where he was in the Fade.
"Found him. We need to hurry." Leigh had learned how to travel across the Fade quickly. Being a Somniari gave her the ability that very few mages had ever been gifted with. She could make portals to almost anywhere in the Fade. The ground in front of her began to shift and make a arch. Purple haze formed in the center and Pash gave her host a look of great pride.
"You never cease to amaze me Leigh."
"Let's hope that never changes. Ready Zander?"
"As I will ever be." Leigh stepped through the portal followed closely by Valor. What greeted her on the other side made her blood boil. Cullen was on his knees surrounded by rage demons and shades. His armor looked like it had been shredded and Leigh could see the skin underneath was blistered and red. The more powerful rage demon rose up in front of Cullen to loom over him.
"Give in mortal. No one will save you. Your Maker had forsaken you, as he had forsaken us."
"I will never give in! Leave me be demon, I will not bend to you!" The demon raised it's arm to strike the Templar only to find a ice bolt through it's chest.
"Leave him alone!" Leigh raised her hands over her head and watched the shades scatter. The rage demon growled and again made a move at the Templar only to be frozen. Valor wasted no time in shattering the demon. Leigh and Pash both rushed to Cullen's side. He cringed at Leigh's touch. "Cullen?"
"It is like the Tower all over again. Be gone demon. I will not let you break me."
"Of for the love of...Cullen it's me."
"No! I will not fall for it." Leigh sighed and shot Pash a pleading look. The spirit stood before the beleaguered man Her hands were behind her back and she smiled down at Cullen.
"Ser Cullen she speaks the truth. We know that Strife has you in her grasp in the waking world. She also has Miranda Amell. I am sure she used Miranda to lure you into a trap. We came here to make sure Strife did not plant a demon in you as she did to Miranda."
"Leigh?"
"Bethany would never forgive me is I did not try to make sure you were safe. At least here I can make sure you can't be hurt by demons. Valor here will be your guardian in the Fade." Valor moved to kneel next to Cullen and stretched out his hand. With a quick motion he placed a symbol on Cullen's forehead. "This mark will let him find you anywhere in the Fade. It will also block any demon from taking over your mind." Cullen rose to his feet and grasped Leigh's shoulders.
"Don't come after me Leigh. She wants you dead. The Divine fears you more than she will ever let on. Tell Beth...tell her I love her."
"You can tell her yourself when we free you. I will not sit by while that creature has people that I love. She took Meghan. So I will be coming after the Divine for this and I will get back those I love. I need you to stay strong."
"I...I will try."
"Watch over Meghan if you can. We will come for you soon." Cullen nodded and began to fade from Leigh's sight. "Andraste watch over you Cullen." Pash rested a comforting hand on Leigh's back. "I hate this. I feel helpless."
"You are not helpless. We will end this. I have faith in us."
"By your father's name I hope you're right. If that demon hurts my daughter I will make her regret ever being made by the Maker."
"You need to rest."
"I can't I need to go after my daughter..."
"You will do her no good if you are exhausted. You still need to find the others that embody the spirits we need." Leigh sighed knowing her guardian was right. She willed herself to wake and felt her body slump back into the chair. Bethany was at her side in a flash. When her eyes opened she saw Fenris in Isabela's arms. He looked tired, but otherwise alright.
"Leigh, were you able to..."
"He is safe. At least for now. She can't do to him what she did to Miranda." Leigh went to stand only to have her legs give out on her. She gave up and slumped back into her chair, letting her eyes close.
"Sunshine go get Anders to help her to bed. I will stay here with them both till you get back." Bethany ran out of the room at the pirate's request. "Fen are you alright?"
"I am fine. Just exhausted. Hawke?" Leigh opened her eyes a bit and nodded to the elf. "I will have to say you are the most gentle one to ever use my markings to fuel their magic. It was a pleasant surprise." Leigh smiled and let her eyes slip closed again. She did not stay awake long enough for Anders to come and get her. Exhaustion took over even though her soul cried out for her to go after her daughter. She could not will her body to move.
OoO
Anders held his wife to him as she slept. His mind would not quiet so he watched her sleep. His heart was aching and he worried Meghan would pay for what he had done. He started this so mages would not longer have to live in fear, but was it the right thing? Anders always thought it would be him paying the price for his revolution, not his daughter. Meghan was innocent and it killed him and Justice alike to think of her being hurt or worse. He was so deep in thought he did not see Leigh looking up at him, watching his face.
"None of this is your fault love." His body jumped a bit hearing her voice. Amber orbs met silver and no words had to be spoken. They knew each other too well. Leigh sat up and rested her forehead to her husband's. A faint flash of magic caught Leigh's attention. She felt a cold shiver run up her spine, one she had only ever felt twice before. Both times were in the presence of Flemeth. "I need to get some water."
"I'll have one of the castle servants bring some up." Leigh shook her head and pulled Anders back down on the bed.
"I can get it myself. I don't want to bother anyone."
"I could go get it then."
"No love I need to get up and stretch out my legs. I promise I will be right back." He gave her a look that told her he did not quite believe her. "Leo please, I just need to get some water. I am not running off in the middle of the night to go after Meghan. Everything inside me wants to, but I know I can't go alone."
"Alright. Just hurry back. You used a lot of your mana and then some helping Cullen in the Fade. You need to rest." Leigh leaned over and kissed his forehead. She made her way down the castle hallways till she was out in the courtyard. A shadow moved to her right and Leigh drew her dagger. The shadow held up it's hands and came into the light.
"Flemeth."
"I see you took my advice and leaped."
"Could have warned me this was coming. It would have been kinder." Flemeth gave a hardy laugh and motioned for Leigh to sit on one of the benches in the garden.
"I always wondered what you would have become given enough time to come into yourself. I will say this, you have surprised me. I thought after the death of your mother you would have taken to the darker path of magic. You have a will far greater than any other mage I have ever met."
"I am guessing you did not come here just to say that."
"No, I came here to help you find the last of your virtues. First I must tell you a small tale. One not found in your scrolls. You know of the daughters, yes?"
"Yes, I am well aware of what happened to them, both here and in the Fade."
"You are full of surprises. Do you know how Strife came to be? What she was before she became a demon?" Leigh shook her head. Even Pash did not know how Strife fell or what she was before. "Strife was the first spirit to be created by the Maker. Her name was Grace. She was unlike the rest of the spirits. She was the strongest of them and the most devoted to the Maker. When he saw that the spirits could not be more than what they were it made him sad. He had created the dragons next, hoping they would be more than what his first children had become. The dragons became prideful and turned against their creator. All the while Grace stood by and watched."
"I am guessing when he made mortals she was not happy."
"At first she found mortals to be beneath the spirits, like the dragons a failed experiment on the Maker's part, but the Maker gave to mortals free will. They fascinated him, the way they struggle to survive, the way they choose to be good or evil. He made the elvan able to enter the Fade and stay awake. This made Grace question him. She did not understand why he gave mortals the same powers that the spirits had. She questioned, but remained faithful to him. It wasn't till his gaze fell on Andraste that Grace finally turned from him. Jealousy burned in her and she set out to stop him from turning from his first born."
"How do you know all this?"
"Do you think the Divine is the only one with an old spirit residing in her? I was one of Grace's sisters."
"Are you a demon as well?" Flemeth met Leigh's gaze and smiled solemnly.
"I tried to stop her. I took over a mage and went to confront her, but in the end like Mercy, like Drea I failed. I became Regret. In time I found a mage almost as strong as you are and we both tried to end it again, but the price for Flemeth was too high. She lost everything she cared about. We have lasted in hopes someone like you would come along."
"I...I don't know what to say."
"Say nothing, just listen. If this fails all will suffer. We saved you, your family and the Wardens all for a purpose. I knew Ashlyn Cousland would be the hero this country so desperately needed. Just as you would become the Champion of Kirkwall."
"How did you know all this?"
"One of the gifts the Maker gave me. I can see what could be. Just as I knew you and Leo would find each other again even after I told the Templars where you were heading." Leigh jumped up and glared at the older woman.
"It was you who told them! It was your fault he had to go back to that nightmare! How dare you do that to him! Do you have any idea what they did to Anders?!"
"It was not a thing I did lightly. He had to endure the hardships to make him ready for his fusion with Justice."
"They broke him! The man I found in Kirkwall was not the man I left in Denerim! How could you do that?"
"If you had stayed with him, ran like you wanted to where would both of you be right now? Where would the people that both of you have saved be? Your family would have died in the Blight. Isabela, Merrill, Fenris, Aveline and yes even your dwarven friend Varric would all be dead. You had to stay in Lothering, just as Leo had to return to the Circle. What I did was for the future of our kind. I am sorry he suffered, but it was for the greater good." Leigh growled and began to pace. She knew deep down Flemeth was right, but the pain Anders has suffered made her angry. The shuffle of fabric from behind her made Leigh whip around. Fire wreathed her hand and her eyes glowed their normal red.
"She is right love." Leigh's hands clenched and the flame died out at the sight of the man she loved. "If I had stayed with you then most of our friends would be gone. As horrible as it was to go through it was worth it to find you again. To build a family, even as eclectic as our is."
"I...Maker I know, but it does not make it right." Leigh leaned back into her husband's arms and tried to calm the rage boiling in her blood. "So now that I know what Strife is, how do we stop her?"
"The eight must face her. You have justice, compassion, faith, valor and purity already. Fortitude and hope are right here with you. Your sister embodies the hope for a better life all people want. Your friend Fenris or even your brother, both embody Fortitude with what they both have survived."
"What about the last one? Without Courage we can't do this." Flemeth stood and placed herself so she could look right into Leigh's eyes.
"Courage lives in every person. She sacrificed herself to give her gift to all mortals. As long as one of you shows courage she will always be with you."
"Then we have nothing else delaying us."
"Only one thing." Leigh raised an eyebrow and waited for the witch to continue. "I ask that you end me. I have lived here too long and have no desire to stay once all this is over."
"Then why go through all the trouble of having me take that amulet all the way to Sundermont for if you were just going to have me kill you now?"
"There were things I had to finish before my end that were not done. Now I leave them to my daughter and her child to finish."
"You mean Shade."
"Ah yes that is the name you know her by. Her true name is Morrigan. I sent her to observe you and your family. It amazed me you were so powerful and yet never used your magic. It was then I found you were bound to keep your family safe. I watched you during your time at Ostagar. The magic you used to protect your brother was awe inspiring."
"Using it nearly killed me."
"I know, but you survived and have flourished. You will accomplish what we could not. Flemeth and I see now are time is at an end." Leigh nodded and drew her dagger.
"Close your eyes. I will make it as quick as I can." Flemeth gave her a genuine smile.
"I know you will." With a shaky breath Leigh placed her dagger over the older woman's heart. All it took was a slight flick of her wrist and the dagger imbedded itself. Flemeth gasped and fell into Leigh's arms.
"May the Maker take you back into his arms, may you find peace." Anders stayed silent watching his wife gently lower the old mage's body down to the ground. Her fingers swept over Flemeth's eyes, closing them. "Anders please go find Morrigan and bring her here."
"Love?"
"I'll be fine." She heard the rustle of his robes and she waited til the sound disappeared. "She will find peace Leigh." "I hope we all do." "Only time will tell."
Okay we are almost to the end. I think I have about two or three chapters left in this. I am truly sorry about how long it has taken me to write this. Life is not my friend right now. Thank you all for sticking with me and being so patient.
Raven