Dragon Age: Destiny's Rise
Royal Palace, Denerim
Day 453 (Dragon Age 9:31, Month 4, Day 3)
"How do you feel? That was quite the blast."
Zevran was the first to realize he had woken up. The elf seemed to have a knack for such things, as if he had eyes everywhere.
He had lightly rapped on the door not five minutes after Leliana had managed to clean him up. She had cleaned up first of course.
Aedan had been pleased to see that at least one part of him seemed to be working right.
Leliana had been rather surprised. She'd lingered a bit, smiling slightly as she cleaned him. Taking her time, gently moving the sponges all over him, then shifting to her hands and fingers, moving them slowly, deliberately. Smirking as she did so.
He'd probably never been so clean in his life.
The warm water did wonders as well. He felt ten times better. Which basically meant he could walk, barely, without help, and perhaps stand for maybe ten minutes at a time.
Leliana had gone to tell the others he had woken.
"I feel like shit. Thanks Zev."
The elf pointed to his hair and laughed heartily. "I tried to stop them..."
Aedan frowned. "Try harder next time."
His long, dark hair was gone. The left side was still longer, but Leliana had just cut most of it off, but only for manageability's sake. Now it was just an uneven mess. The right side was practically all gone. Of course he had a huge gash there so it was necessary. Still...he looked like an idiot.
Leliana had told him she would fix it later, after the wounds had healed some more.
"It took me three years in Cumberland to grow that. My mother would never let me. I had to go away first..."
The elf and the warden had both spent far too much time on their hair over the previous year, according to the others at least. Even in the Deep Roads, Zevran had kept his clean and well groomed. It had become a point of ridicule and jest really. Towards the both of them.
Even prim and proper Leliana had mercilessly toyed with them both, claiming they were like little girls. For the longest time, it was the only thing the bard and the witch had completely agreed on. Their early morning jabs, one after another, often in rapid succession, had been a point of much humor nearly every day.
Zevran laughed again and sat in the chair near the fire. "Hair grows back. You do look rather terrible though."
Aedan sat in the chair, gingerly, beside him. "Who knew an Archdemon would explode like that?"
Zevran smiled, shaking his head. He had thoughts on that at first but dismissed it after thinking it through. After all, she was up there too, and far closer than everyone else. Only Aedan took more of the brunt.
"It was more the light I think. It did not really explode. The body simply died, I suppose...I don't know really. After, I went back to look, after it simply disappeared, or turned to dust. I am still unsure."
Aedan shook his head. "I couldn't see. I don't even remember driving the sword into it."
Zevran sighed. "Well...I can't believe we did it really. I have to say, I rather expected to die. What am I to do now?"
Aedan drifted off for a second.
I expected to die too but...
"I have thoughts on that actually. Now isn't the time for it though."
Zevran eyed him and nodded. He thought he knew what Aedan meant.
The driving force behind the group had always been either him or Morrigan, depending on circumstance. Often it was the two of them together. Other times it was the two of them at odds. Regardless, though Aedan was the unspoken leader to be sure, hardly anything happened, ever, without the witch being involved.
The elf had spoken with Morrigan a few times about what he might do after. Her ideas were intriguing. It would stand to reason that Aedan would have the same ideas. The witch and her warden, even after dear sweet Leliana had entered the picture, were more often than not of like mind. Only they approached it and vocalized it in very different ways.
Morrigan had no tact, no skill with words. Aedan did. He could talk the pants of a dragon, if a dragon wore pants of course. And if that dragon would not take her pants off. Well...too bad for that dragon.
"If you are thinking what I think you are thinking, then I would have to say yes."
Aedan nodded. "Good. He'll need the help."
"He has you."
Aedan sighed again. "For a time. But...well. I can't see myself just hanging around. He needs to be his own man."
Zevran smiled again. "He's started already. I was with them yesterday. He told Eamon off twice. A good sign. And his wife... Bellisima! I like her..."
"Zev..."
The elf laughed again. "No. Not like that...well...no, not to Alistair. I couldn't. Besides, the good queen has already offered me a place here. She seems to like the idea of having a former crow around. She is devious my friend. But smart. Very smart...I rather like her to be honest. It was a wise choice to convince them to marry."
Aedan had agonized over just that. He loved Alistair like a brother. They had become the best of friends. The sort forged in fire. Unbreakable.
He was a good man, honest and just. But he was always content to be second fiddle. Always willing to step aside.
Truthfully, Aedan had reservations about him being king. And Eamon had been so for it. At first, he worried the old man was perhaps more ambitious than he portrayed himself as. That was unlikely now though.
Aedan felt it was a possibility, if not likely, that Alistair would be overwhelmed. Unable to cope, especially after all this. Plus, he was a warden. That would not go over well at some point.
Anora, despite her father, solved most of those issues. She was a known quantity. She had already ruled for the most part for Cailan. So her capabilities were not in question. She was proven, and well liked, again, despite her father.
But she was also calculating. Even cold at times. Aedan would never speak it, but she was very much like Morrigan. He had worried she would simply devour Alistair. Push him aside or dominate him. He trusted her to run the country, but that trust had yet to move beyond that.
As the Landsmeet had approached, a union between the two really was the best option. Besides, Alistair had started to assert himself more. He was growing.
And he was a Theirin.
It was the best of both worlds.
Of course Anora had offered him a place by her side first. Prince-consort she had called it. He was nobility after all, and a very suitable match for her, more so than Alistair in many ways. She had made a compelling argument to be sure. Batting her eyes suggestively. Insinuating they could seal such an alliance right there.
If he were honest with himself, he'd have admitted a part of her offer had been tempting.
And Leliana, as close as they had gotten over the previous month, had proven to be a little different in such areas. Perhaps more than a little different to be truthful.
Their trip to the Pearl the previous day had proven that. And then some really.
But he had shrugged it off. He had no intention, or desire, to help rule, or really to even be a part of it. Besides, he could not do that to Alistair, if he were to in fact marry Anora. So he had smiled to her and politely declined.
And she had agreed to marry Alistair. And he had agreed as well, though it took some convincing on Aedan's part. Especially after Anora had tried to turn on them during the Landsmeet.
Aedan had been beyond angry at that.
He had actually wavered when Riordan had suggested Loghain join the wardens. He understood his argument, and despite Alistair's vehement refusal, it had only been Anora butting in again, trying to save her father that had driven Aedan to his final decision. Her betrayal, then subsequent return to form really irritated him.
He'd beheaded Loghain after that.
Looking back he actually regretted it. Misguided as he was, the old general could have been useful, whatever heinous his mistakes had been of late. He was a hero after all. Revered by many.
Aedan did not have quite the hatred for the man as Alistair had. He felt he deserved a better fate in light of past accomplishments. But there seemed no other option at the time.
And Anora likely despised him now. She'd not spoken to him since. Though she seemed to harbor no resentment towards Alistair at least.
He turned back to Zevran.
"You're right I think, but even so...keep an eye on her. She's not trustworthy. At least not yet."
Zevran laughed. "She tried for you first did she?"
Aedan raised an eyebrow. The damn elf was intuitive like no other. He only smiled and shook his head.
Zevran stood anyway and motioned for him to rise. The door had opened and a motley bunch of familiar faces, all happy, had just entered.
A reunion of sorts had turned into a bit of a celebration. The guest quarters, where Aedan had awoken, all surrounded a large central chamber that all the rooms either attached to or were near.
Alistair had food and drink shipped in, tables, all sorts of things. The eating and drinking and reminiscing had gone on for the rest of the day and into the early part of the night.
A great deal of drinking had occurred. More than Aedan had thought possible. Even Sten had consumed his share of wine, most certainly a first for the Qunari. Oghren of course was already passed out on the floor as things were winding down.
Thankfully, Wynne had placed a rejuvenation spell on Aedan as soon as she'd arrived. It had helped to be sure, though he still remained seated for most of the time. His strength was simply not there yet.
All had seemed to have a wonderful time, finally able to relax and enjoy the simple things associated with good food, good wine and good friends.
Aedan had noticed Leliana, ever since they had all come into the room to greet him, was running interference with Alistair. He could see the future king had questions. Lots of questions. Each time he'd gotten closer to Aedan, alone, the bard had managed to intercept him.
Now, as Wynne, Zevran and Sten, carrying Oghren, were departing to their respective rooms, Alistair made straight for Aedan, sitting on a couch with Tiberius. Leliana stepped lightly in front of Alistair and whispered something sweetly to him while her hands brushed against his chest playfully, causing Alistair to blush a little and look at her in surprise.
Aedan, smiling at how good she really was at this, had already been thinking all night on just what to tell his future king. If anything really.
To be honest, he did not understand it himself. And Leliana was a factor as well. She was already aware. Of how much though, even he could not answer. The bard had been very quiet on the matter. And she refused to speak of what was discussed between her and Morrigan, both before and after.
Aedan watched her as she manipulated Alistair.
Looking towards the doors as the others had left, leaving only the three plus Tiberius, Aedan got her attention.
"Leliana..."
She looked over at him.
"It's alright."
He made a decision. Right or wrong, he trusted Alistair. And as king, and a warden, he probably needed to know.
She looked from him to Alistair. Sighed, shook her head, and moved to sit next to Aedan. Alistair grabbed a chair and sat it in front of the couch, directly across from them both. He turned to Leliana.
"Leliana, you should leave, warden business I'm afraid..."
Aedan put a hand on her leg, stopping her as she rose. "No. Not this time. She's involved in this. She needs to be here."
She put a hand to her eyes, rubbing them gently, then looked at them both in turn. She remained quiet but appeared uneasy and just a little irritated. Aedan could tell she did not want to talk about it. At all.
Alistair looked unsure at first, then simply nodded. If any were to be trusted with the secrets of their order, she was certainly it.
"Fine. But you are sworn to secrecy, understood? This is life or death here. A thousand years of tradition..."
She nodded. "I understand."
Accepting, the king turned to his friend.
"Why are you alive?"
Leliana got upset. "Maker's Breath Alistair! You'd rather he be dead!"
"Of course not!" He looked at her, then to Aedan. "Riordan told us a warden had to die to defeat the Archdemon, yet you're here..." He paused and looked at them both. He sighed and lowered his head. "I'm no fool. How did she do it?"
Aedan told him the truth. "I'm not sure."
He looked uneasily at Leliana. She simply shrugged and motioned for him to continue. She looked as though she just wanted this over.
He knew she was not exactly the jealous sort. Far from it actually. With what he had grown to call the Isabella incident, coupled with her frequently pointing out how pretty this girl was, or that girl was, Aedan was beginning to think he may be the exception in her life in regards to men. As in the only one.
At least the only one still alive.
But this was more than a little different.
And he found it disconcerting to speak of it in front of her all of the sudden. Even with her having first hand knowledge, so to speak, already.
She got impatient. "Oh go on! You tell him or I will." She shook her head in disgust. "Boys."
Aedan sighed and looked at Alistair. "Morrigan came to me that last night in Redcliffe. She knew everything man. Everything."
He wanted to stand up and pace but the spell was wearing off and he was starting to hurt again. Instead he leaned back. Explaining.
"She explained that she knew how an Archdemon was killed, and that a Grey Warden had to die or the Archdemon would be reborn. She explained how she was sent with us for just this purpose. Just this moment. Her mother had taught her a ritual. One that would allow for the killing of the Archdemon, but save the warden who was to slay it."
Alistair sat back. "Oh! Well...that's actually not so bad..."
Leliana snorted. "Oh, it gets better."
Aedan looked at her. She was clearly irritated now. He continued.
"Her mother explained to her how the Archdemon was just a physical manifestation of the old god, it's soul and essence corrupted by the darkspawn and brought into our world in the form of the dragon. She explained that the taint could be removed and the soul recovered. Not destroyed, but preserved, as it should be ..."
Alistair started to look uncomfortable. He interrupted. "How?"
Aedan looked at Leliana. She looked away from him. He then turned to Alistair.
"Morrigan's ritual will produce a child. My child. Our child..."
He paused as Alistair 's eyes got as wide as the empty plates on the diner table. His mouth was open and he seemed incapable of closing it. He was in complete shock.
Aedan noticed in the corner of his eye that Leliana had turned a little farther away. While perhaps not the jealous sort, she clearly did not like hearing this part.
"The unborn child, at the moment the Archdemon is slain, bearing the taint from me which acts as a beacon, would draw in the soul of the old god upon the Archdemon's death. It would not pass to me, or you. The child, at such an early stage, can safely absorb the soul, and destroy the taint. The soul of the old god is preserved, as is the warden."
Alistair was speechless. Leliana got up and walked to the table, grabbed a glass of wine and drank it quickly. She walked around behind Alistair. She finally eyed Aedan.
She was not mad. Upset perhaps. But not mad. More resigned than anything really. It was done after all.
Aedan got the impression it was not the ritual, or rather the sex, even with Morrigan, but the results which bothered her.
Alistair finally spoke. "You agreed to this?"
Aedan sighed. "At first. No... I turned her down."
He looked absolutely confused. "Then how..."
"Me."
"What?" Alistair turned around. Leliana was leaning against the table now, hands behind her back. Head down.
"She came to me after Aedan said no. She begged me to help convince him... We had...we had spoken of it before...many times." She looked up. "It was...it was expected." She looked back down at her feet. "And I agreed with her..."
She looked up again at Aedan. "I still do."
Alistair looked from her to Aedan in bewilderment.
Aedan, staring at the bard, recalled it vividly.
Morrigan, suddenly herself again after months of isolating herself. Moving to and fro sensually, sitting on the bed in his room suggestively. As if nothing had ever happened. As if she had never insisted they end it.
She was beyond good at it.
Aedan had known something was up the moment he walked into the room. Especially since it was Morrigan in the room and not Leliana. In fact, Leliana was nowhere to be found. He had looked for her first.
Then Morrigan had explained. Slowly, deliberately. He had been patient, inquisitive, listening to her. Taking it in.
Dying did not exactly appeal to him. And there was no way Alistair was going to be the one, not now. But he was very uneasy about what she was saying. There seemed to be missing pieces. Many missing pieces.
And Flemeth.
How could they even begin to trust something that came from Flemeth?
Morrigan did not exactly disagree. But she could find no alternative. She'd looked. Endlessly. For months. It was the only way. She was resolute.
Aedan told her no.
To her credit, Morrigan did not get upset. She simply offered a second choice.
Alistair.
Aedan had flat out refused that. It was bad enough she had driven him away before, and despite his growing attachment to Leliana, there was no way he'd send her to another man. Not to mention the fact Alistair was to be king and the problems that could bring...
He'd noticed the relief on her face when he'd said that actually.
But they were still at an impasse. And Aedan was still refusing. The witch had even teared up, coming as close to begging as she possibly could.
She had admitted she wanted him to live. It was the only way.
But Aedan had made up his mind. It was still no.
And Morrigan had walked through the door, saying she was leaving forever. That she would not watch him throw away his life needlessly.
Aedan had sat there for nearly a half hour when Leliana had come in.
Aedan had tried to play it off. As if nothing had happened. But Leliana already knew.
She admitted Morrigan was still downstairs. And that the witch had already told her, months ago in the Brecilian, that this day would come.
Leliana told Aedan how Morrigan had always feared he would turn her down. That he would sacrifice himself out of some perverted sense of honor when it was not needed.
That despite what Riordan had told them, there was always another way. There had always been another way. Always.
Aedan knew Leliana had been convinced. It was clear. She was calm as she spoke, but her eyes were pleading.
Morrigan's had looked much the same way.
He had only looked at her. Staring. Wondering. Wavering.
Weakness.
Then he nodded. Not able to speak.
She turned and walked out the door. Morrigan walked back in right after, clearly waiting outside. Listening.
He had gone through with it.
The witch had held onto him after as if she were drowning, and he was the only dry land for miles and miles.
She had not spoken. Only rose after a while and left quietly.
Aedan had wiped her tears off his chest after staring at them for over an hour...
Alistair brought him back. He looked worried anew as his mind went though the possibilities.
"What about the child?"
Aedan did not really know.
"Morrigan assured me the child would in fact be a child. Unique perhaps. Certainly magical given her powers. But aside from that...we really don't know. We likely never will."
Leliana looked at him when he'd said that. Aedan looked back at her and continued.
"She insisted on raising the child away from...well, everything. Including me."
Leliana continued to stare at him.
Alistair spoke again. "Why?"
Aedan could not really answer. "I don't really know, she would not, or could not, tell me."
"And you're alright with this?"
Aedan shifted his gaze and looked at him.
"No. I'm not."
Alistair put his hand to his eyes, rubbing them. He leaned back in the chair and turned to look at Leliana. She was still. Quiet. Watching Aedan.
He turned back to Aedan. "She'll never be found. Not unless she wants to be."
Aedan nodded. "I know."
Alistair stood up. He walked over to Aedan and put a hand on his shoulder.
"What do we do?"
Aedan looked back at Leliana.
"Nothing."
Alistair had helped him to his room shorty after. Aedan was exhausted, the spell Wynne had cast had worn off, and he was in pain again. All over.
He had just laid back in the bed. Alistair looked outside the door as he sat in the chair next to him.
Leliana was still leaning on the table, unmoving.
"Is she alright?"
Aedan looked at her. "I don't know."
Alistair looked back at Aedan. "You know, the entire time we were gone. She would always look at you when you were not paying attention. The whole time."
Aedan nodded. "I know."
"Even when you and Morrigan were...you know." Alistair frowned at saying her name. It was involuntary.
Aedan sighed. "I know."
Alistair leaned back in the chair and sighed.
"I never understood how, nearly out of the blue one day, she could suddenly just be friendly with Morrigan."
"I think friendly is the wrong word."
"Maybe..." Alistair looked back out the door at her. Then back to Aedan. "She planned it. Morrigan. The whole damn thing."
Aedan shook his head. "No. Flemeth. Morrigan just altered it. Only we don't know how much. I suspect a lot."
Alistair nodded. "Yes... It does make sense. At least Flemeth's dead."
Aedan smirked. "Not likely."
"But I was there." He looked surprised, but it faded before he finished the sentence, realizing who they were speaking of.
Aedan shook his head. "Morrigan said we could not kill her. Slow her, or maybe we could get lucky? Who knows? Now, looking back. I believe her. Flemeth is far more than she seems."
Alistair sighed deeply. "I had hoped this would be over too..."
Aedan actually laughed. "It is. For now. But you're right. I think. Eventually..."
He shook his head, then turned to Alistair. "I know this seems crazy. But have you ever thought that maybe what we just did, the whole thing, was perhaps too...well, easy."
Alistair looked at him like he was crazy. His mind running quickly through all the pain. The travel. The death. Then he thought a little deeper. To all the Blights past. They'd accomplished in just over a year what had always taken many. Sometimes decades. Sometimes a century.
And they'd done it with far fewer armies. Without hundreds, or thousands of Grey Wardens. Only two. Only them.
The king shook his head and sighed. "You may be right."
Aedan nodded. "Enough, for now. We'll work through this a little later...and I need to rest. How's your soon to be wife?"
Alistair stared off into space, suddenly blank. "Um...well..."
Aedan laughed. "That well?"
"She's...tolerant, so far. A little cold I suppose. We've only talked about kingy and queeny stuff. She's all business..."
"She's pretty hot. Don't wait too long."
Alistair again stared off into space. "Yeah...I'm not sure about all this Aedan..."
"Listen. It's easy. Just listen to her, pay attention. Look into her eyes when she talks and when you speak to her, and compliment her a few times a day. After a little while she'll loosen up and then just take it naturally. It'll work."
"I'm not you."
Aedan snorted. "No. You're much smarter. I've got a former witch lover, whose mother is probably some kind of demon or something, pregnant with my child, whose soul may or may not be an old god, wandering who knows where, trying to run from both me, her mother and the rest of the world."
Aedan shook his head.
"And. As if that was not impressive enough, I've got a former assassin waiting out in the other room who used to lure men, and women as well mind you, to their deaths by seducing them into complacency, while simultaneously stealing secrets from entire nations, causing untold numbers of people to try to kill her, forcing her into life as a Chantry sister to survive."
Aedan took a deep breath.
"Couple that with the fact that somehow, despite apparently hating one another for so long, these two gorgeous women have somehow conspired together in some fashion to make sure I am still here..."
Alistair tried not to smile but he could not help it.
"When you put it that way, I suppose the queen, my half brother's wife and daughter to the man who nearly destroyed us all, doesn't sound so bad." He laughed but his eyes opened wider at noticing the movement by the door. "Not that Leliana's bad..."
She was walking into the room as he said it. A look of irritation again on her face.
Alistair had really never seen Leliana angry. She rarely ever was. He had not been present when she, Aedan, Morrigan and Zevran had confronted and killed Marjolaine.
Aedan had. She had been furious then. It was much the same look. He looked at Alistair. The king caught on.
"Right then. Good night. I shall see you both in the morning..."
He quickly left. Leliana shut the door behind him.
She turned to Aedan and walked to the bed. Stopping and staring down at him.
Aedan noticed her facial expression had not changed. She still looked irritated. He actually had a few questions for her but decided now was probably not a good time based on her appearance. Besides, something told him she either would not know the answers, or if she did, she would not tell him.
At least right now.
"Do you want to talk?"
She continued to stare at him. Her eyes grew a little larger, as if in shock he would ask such a stupid question. She did not answer.
Instead she pulled her shirt off, then removed her pants. Her smallclothes followed until she was standing next to the bed in front of Aedan, completely naked.
She looked down at him again. Taking her fingers she lightly traced across his chest, up his neck to his lips. Her finger lingered there as if to say there would be no more talking of this.
Aedan understood.
"You're going to torment me aren't you? Because you know I can't do that yet..."
She smiled rather devilishly at him but did not speak.
Instead, she crawled over him, careful not to put any weight on him on but managing to lightly brush her breasts against him. She laid down beside him, pushing herself up to him slowly, watching his eyes for signs of pain.
Seeing none she gently took his hand and brought it to her stomach. She put both her hands over his.
She moved his hand slowly, a little further down, brushing against her softly until he was cupping her mound.
Aedan watched her as her eyes closed for a second, then opened again, staring into his.
He was continually amazed at how adept she was at changing the subject.
She finally spoke.
"Your fingers work yes?"
A/N: I actually finished this a few days ago but have not had much time to review/correct. I gave it the quick once over tonight, which was all I had time for. Hope it's okay.
Also, fair warning. I'm going to get a little on the dirty side at times. A small hint of it above. Violent too. But I want the violence to be realistic. No fifty move sword fights or half hour fistfights. Sorry, but that's crap, and while this may be fiction, I want some of it to seem real. This will be a solid M, growing as I progress.
And before I go further. The dates. For the sake of easy math, every month has 30 days and there are 12 of them. Normally I wouldn't care, but this will jump a bit and I want something concrete as far as keeping track of time. I pulled the dates form the wiki. I can't say it's spot on, but it has to be pretty close.
Thanks for reading.