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A chapter that reveals much more, lol, but still not enough. ;)
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Chapter 19 - The Dead Trenches
It can happen to anyone of us
Anyone you think of
Anyone can fall
Anyone can hurt someone they love
Hearts will break
'Cause I made a stupid mistake
It can happen to anyone of us
Say you will forgive me
Anyone can fail
Say you will believe me
I can't take
My heart will break
'Cause I made a stupid mistake...a stupid mistake
Anyone of us - Gareth Gates
.
.
They met the Legion of the Dead when they arrived at the Dead Trenches. They were standing in front of a bridge. The same bridge where Alistair and Duran had assisted them in fighting darkspawn two years ago.
Thanks to Duran, the Legion was not casteless any longer. As a direct result to this, both Kardol and the rest of the legion members admired Duran more than they dared to admit. Their admiration bordered on adoration. Also, Kardol had personally fought alongside them both against the archdemon on top of Fort Drakon.
So when he saw them approach, he let out an expletive and hurried to give Duran a bear hug, and then turned his attention to Alistair. The men clasped their hands warmly and asked them what they were doing there.
"We're here to find the source of another problem that has started on the surface," Alistair replied candidly. "There are frequent darkspawn attacks and this time Orlais is the nation that is suffering, but that is not important. What is important is that if it isn't stopped, everyone will succumb under the taint."
Kardol looked serious. "Aye. Darkspawn have retreated here. We knew something was up. We don't know why they aren't around, they seemed to be deeper inside. I think they are further down than ever before."
"We'll have to see what they are up to then." Alistair replied.
Kardol whistled. "It's mighty dangerous, but you are grey wardens. When are we leaving then?"
"Wait! What?" He shot back confused.
"You don't think we aren't going with you? We owe you! So we're going. Like it or not," Kardol replied gruffly.
Duran smiled. "You nughumper! Fine! But it could get nasty down there," he beamed at Kardol.
"We live to die fighting. It will be a party to us," Kardol replied grinning.
"Ah, charming! Do I get to wear a party hat now?" Anders drawled.
Chantalle and Leliana both giggled. Anders shot Leliana a look, and she turned away quickly, blushing. But Alistair had seen the blush and he smiled to himself.
"We'll set up camp here, we need to rest and replenish before we leave," Alistair said.
"Take your time. Darkspawn aren't going anywhere," Kardol broke into a loud guffaw.
...
Alistair smiled as Chantalle approached, but kept his eyes focused on Fiona.
"My love," she crooned as he enveloped her in his arms. "Thanks for all you did back there. I thought I was going to-"
"Don't you dare say it," he warned gruffly as he bent his head to kiss her on the lips.
The kiss was long and passionate. Alistair wished they were back at the inn, and tightened his grip on her. He needed her desperately, but slowly broke away from the kiss and looked deeply into her lovely blue eyes, breathing heavily.
"You have no idea how much I want and need you. I love you so much," he murmured, before holding her close again and kissing the crown of her head.
They were quiet for a time. Then Chantalle spoke. Her words made his blood run cold.
"The darkspawn wanted me down here didn't they? Why else would they rape and not kill me? I want to know Alistair. Please tell me."
Alistair sighed deeply.
"Yes, they raped you for a reason. There is a very dark reason why some women are spared. They are turned into broodmothers."
She looked up at him frowning.
"What is a broodmother?"
"A darkspawn that creates other darkspawn. It must be a female. Elves create shrieks, humans create hurlocks, dwarves create genlocks and Qunari create ogres. The women taken underground are raped constantly by the darkspawn. They are forced to drink tainted blood and eat the flesh of their victims, among other things. Horrible things," he shuddered, and his grip on her tightened briefly.
"They wanted to turn me into a broodmother?"
"Yes, Chantalle. The only way to save you was through the Joining, love," he whispered, caressing her hair and back.
She did not reply to this and they stood there holding each other, lost in their thoughts, till Anders called them over for a hot meal.
...
They chatted while they ate, but Alistair was still staring at Fiona, and Chantalle noticed this.
"Is everything all right? Now you are the one staring at her," she smiled.
"Oh!" He blushed slightly. "Yes. Just thinking."
"You are thinking about what she said? About how your father was the only one who knew the way to Ortan Thaig?"
"Yes, that's one of the things I'm thinking," he smiled, but Chantalle could see that the smile did not reach his eyes.
"What is it, my love?"
"Come with me. It's time I had a chat with Fiona," Alistair answered simply, taking his hand in hers.
They walked over to where Fiona was sitting in front of the fire, and sat down beside her.
Fiona smiled brightly at Alistair and he returned the smile, although it was not as bright as hers.
"Fiona?" Alistair began, his voice shaking slightly. He was nervous about something. Even Fiona could tell and she frowned. She felt she knew what he wanted to talk about.
"Yes, Alistair?" Her voice barely a whisper.
"Um...you said my father was here in the Deep Roads with you and Duncan?"
"That is correct," she tilted her head, and waited, looking deeply into his eyes.
"I've never wanted to talk about my father. He just..." Alistair took a deep breath, "Well, I think he was a selfish man, who pushed me aside when I was a baby. I was the product of his indiscretion with a scullery maid, who died after she gave birth to me. He wanted me out of the way, so he gave me to Arl Eamon to raise, and- well, I wasn't very happy there. I slept in the stables. And when we visited Denerim, I slept with the dogs. The arl was kind to me, but he never really saw me. You see, he- he married an Orlesian woman, and she hated me. She thought I was his bastard son. She felt threatened by my presence. I- well, I ended up feeling rejected and unwanted. And then, after I was ten, I was sent off to the Chantry. The arl did come to visit me for a time, but I always treated him badly. I felt bitter and blamed him for everything."
Her heart went out to him and she could feel it cracking under the pain she was feeling.
Maker's blood! Had she been so mistaken in giving him to Maric and making him promise that he would never know who she was? The promise for him to grow away from court? Not knowing about how his father really felt? She had only tried to keep him away from all the hypocrisy, away from Cailan and any possible rivalry between siblings, away from becoming a king, and the burden it meant. She had seen Maric carry this burden, and she didn't want her son to carry it! She had only wanted a normal life for him!
"I'm sorry, Alistair," she said quietly. "I'm so sorry you had such a bad life. I-" And then Fiona found she could not keep the tears in any longer. She broke down, her sobs making her body shake, her grief surprising Alistair and causing him to feel terribly sad and guilty for somehow having caused her tears.
"Hey! No, now. Don't cry, please! I didn't want to make you cry." He reached out and touched her shoulder, patting it softly.
But she continued to cry stormily, the sobs making her chest heave, her small frame shaking with the effort.
So Alistair pulled her gently into his arms, and she clung to him, wordlessly. She could not tell him how much she loved him. She could not express in words how sorry she was, how guilty she felt. She could not tell him the truth of who she was. She could only cling to him and continue to sob onto his chest.
He patted her back and slowly the tears began to subside. Chantalle got some water and gave it to her. She smiled gratefully at her and drank, sitting back up.
When the tears had subsided, she looked at Alistair, groping for the right words to say.
"You mustn't think your father didn't want you Alistair. You mustn't be so quick to judge him. Sometimes people have to do things they will regret forever. Sometimes it's the only way to go. Your father was a courageous, kind and good man. He was a good friend to me and the rest of the wardens. He fought and defended us bravely. And he nearly died to save my life many times here in the Deep Roads."
"You...loved him, didn't you?" Alistair asked softly, looking at her gently.
"Yes. We all loved him. He was an easy man to love."
Alistair could not think of a suitable reply. His mind was reeling from all the information that he had just been fed. He just sat there, staring into the distance, brooding.
"Well, Commander," Anders's voice cut through his reverie. "Everyone is now talking about setting out to get this over and done with. Are we ready?"
Alistair stood up, squared his shoulders and nodded.
"We are more than ready. Let's go find this Beloved and give him what he deserves."
...
They trudged on stopping only to eat and sleep. It seemed like days had gone by for them. There was no sun here to help them judge how much time had gone by.
They had reached the lower caverns in the underground. Tunnels dug out here had been dug out by darkspawn. The walls were covered in the thick oozing black fungus, it pulsated and seemed to reach out to the group. Alistair drew his sword automatically and the fungus resided, seemingly desperate to get away from the sword's magic. He kept it drawn at all times from that moment on.
He wondered why they hadn't been attacked. He could feel them clearly now, and knew that they could feel him. The only reason he could think of was what the talking darkspawn had told them back in Orlais. They were not fighting them. They were keeping away.
Presently, they arrived at a very large cavern. The tingling now had turned into a distinct humming and Alistair knew they were very close. There was a long wide crevice ahead. Alistair walked up to it and gazed down. The rest followed silently.
They gazed upon hundreds of darkspawn, illuminated by torch light. There could be no mistake about what they were doing.
They were digging.
A voice echoed through the cavern, making them spin around on the spot. The legionnaires growled and fell into a defensive stance.
"Lower your weapons," A cloaked figure, with a hood over its head said. "We mean no harm. We wish to talk."
"Talking darkspawn!" Kardol managed to yell. "Well, it don't matter to me! Still a darkspawn. Still bleeds and dies."
"No," Alistair stopped him as he stepped out to the front of the line. "I want to talk to him. Just wait here."
Kardol was surprised to say the least, but he faltered when Duran nodded at him and held on to his weapon arm, forcing it down.
"At ease, soldiers," Kardol barked. Then he turned back to Duran. "You'd better have a good reason for this!" He muttered darkly, shooting angry glances in Alistair's direction.
Alistair said nothing, turning back to the figure that had spoken. He then advanced towards him slowly, the darkspawn surrounding him, gnashing their teeth but keeping their distance. They soon parted leaving a path that led directly up to the cloaked figure.
Alistair stopped a distance away from it.
"I am the Warden Commander of Ferelden. I spoke to one of your own, and it told me to seek out 'The Beloved' here. It told me that 'The Beloved' was your leader. Do you know 'The Beloved'?" He spoke loudly and could be heard clearly, his voice unwavering.
"Yes." The cloaked figure replied. "I know the Beloved." It paused, and lifted putrid arms to its hood, taking it off slowly to reveal a face that was so similar to The Architect, that Alistair's breath hitched, and fear gripped his heart momentarily.
"I am 'The Beloved'." The cloaked figure said.
And then it smiled.
...