103. Reunions and Revelations, the Second

Alistair wasn't sure which one of them did it. Brother Genitivi had flatly refused to do it himself, declaring that he wasn't worthy of it, since he hadn't gone through the Gauntlet. And it wasn't Alistair himself because… well… he'd have preferred to save all the Ashes he could for Eamon.

But it might have been any of the rest of them. Meila had been growing frustrated with their slow pace, while Leliana had expressed how much it looked like the leg hurt. One of the elves might have done it for chuckles (Finian's voice hadn't healed miraculously overnight by sheer coincidence after all). By Andraste, even Wynne was a healer at heart, and would have likely dipped into the pouch to ease the old man's pain.

Whoever it was, Alistair kept his mouth shut about it, because they moved a lot faster once the Ashes had healed Genitivi's leg. And he wasn't going to complain about anything that got them back to Redcliffe faster.

He was strung tight as a bowstring by the time the castle came in sight, a silhouette on the next hill, and he felt like he could finally breathe again. They were almost there, and they had (most of) what they'd gone to retrieve. Soon, Eamon would be awake, and he'd finally fix things.

"Do you think the others have returned yet?" Leliana's voice asked as they approached. Alistair was in the lead, so he had to peek over his shoulder to see them.

"They were heading into the Deep Roads, dear," Wynne said. "Such a journey is bound to take quite a while."

"Right," Alistair said. "Because us trekking the long way across Ferelden—twice—was a hop and a skip, wasn't it?"

"The Deep Roads are quite vast," Genitivi said. "Really, the length of such a journey would depend on their destination."

"Have you been into the Deep Roads, Brother?" That was Fin, ever curious.

The old man chuckled. "Not inside them, no… the dwarves would never have let me in. I did, however, spend a bit of time in Orzammar, who keep highly detailed records of such things."

"I cannot imagine staying in such a place for any extended period of time," Meila volunteered. "It sounds dark and soulless."

"I assure you, it is neither," Genitivi said with another laugh. "The magma ensures that there is plenty of heat and light, and the soul of the people is carved into the very stone above their heads. Their pride is not unlike that of your own people."

Meila made a doubtful sound, but nonetheless fell into a pensive silence. Leliana's hand threaded into hers while she thought, and Alistair hid a smile by turning forward again. Who knew that all Meila needed to mellow out was a pretty face to moon at?

As they crested the final rise before the Redcliffe gates, barking filled the air. A moment later, a familiar mabari tore through the open gates and bounded toward them, still barking his head off. Genitivi paused, and Fang growled, but the rest of them just smiled.

"Well, that answers that question," Alistair said as Hugo vaulted into their group and tackled Finian to the ground. Everyone laughed as the dog gave him a couple sloppy kisses, then hopped off the elf to bounce around them, barking playfully.

"My, but this creature certainly does have a long memory," Wynne said with some amusement.

"You don't know the half of it," Finian said with a grin, hopping smoothly back to his feet. "The reason he likes me is because I played fetch with him once. On our way to Ostagar."

Alistair gave a low whistle.

"It is fortunate, then, that you did not mistreat him, no?" Zevran said. "Or else we would have a dog plotting vengeance upon you, and that would simply be too amusing to stop."

"So, you wouldn't save me from a mabari attack, because you would find it funny?"

"Hilarious. I would be sad, amor, but I would also be laughing."

"You are the worst bodyguard ever. Meila, can I trade Zevran for Fang?"

"Absolutely not, lethallin. And I must warn you that if you intend to make an illicit switch during the night, wild wolves do not take as kindly to being hidden up your sleeve as you might think."

And thus they were laughing as they walked through the Redcliffe gate and into the courtyard. On the top of the stairs in front of them stood Percival and Teagan. Teagan was wearing a relieved smile and Percy… well, he was looking relaxed, and that might as well have been a smile, on him. The pair started descending the stairs to meet them.

"Alistair!" Bann Teagan called. "Welcome back! How was your mission?"

"A roaring success, minus the dragons and evil cults and whatnot," Alistair replied with a smirk. "I've got a pinch of Ashes right here." He patted the pouch on his belt.

"And judging by how they healed Fin's voice," Leliana added brightly, "they most certainly work."

Finian turned wide, innocent brown eyes to the bard. "Why, Leliana! How could you accuse me of using the Ashes for personal gain? I never touched that pouch."

Zevran chuckled.

"You found the Urn?" an excitable voice called, and Alistair's stomach did this funny flipping thing. Felicity scurried up to them, having come from the lower entrance. Her eyes darted between all of them. "I can scarcely believe it! It must have been amazing! You took notes, right Wynne?"

"Yes, of course, dear."

"And you're all well. You can't imagine what a relief it is to see all of you hale."

"Well," Alistair said, "we did have miraculous healing ashes, so… any major injuries sorted themselves out."

"So that part of the legend is also true? That's amazing!"

Felicity turned that stunning smile to Alistair, and he found his mouth too dry to speak properly. Oh Maker, last time he'd seen her, he'd kissed her. It had seemed like the thing to do at the time, but now what? Was he expected to kiss her again? Not that he didn't want to… but one didn't just grab a lady and plant one one her… he didn't think.

"Unless… you didn't get bumped on the head, did you Alistair?" Felicity moved closer, her grin all playful and relieved, and then her hand was on the back of his head. "Because if you did, I don't think the healing did a very good job."

He swallowed past the dryness of his throat. "And if I didn't get bumped on the head?"

She thought for a moment, her smile brightening. "Then, considering the variables of the circumstances and your personality, I suppose the only logical reaction is to be flattered."

His laugh was brief, but heartfelt, dissolving his nervousness in fond warmth. This was Felicity…there was no need to act like a shy Chantry boy around her.

He reached up and ran a hand through her hair, then cradled the back of her head to pull her close, so that their foreheads were touching. Her deep brown eyes sparkled, and he could get completely lost in those eyes… literally, given the labyrinthine mind behind them. "I missed you," he said thickly.

Her hand was still in his hair, moving gently through it. "And yet you don't even bring me a gift," she teased softly. "I believe social protocol dictates you give a woman a gift after calling her fat and then not seeing her for a month."

That reminded him of something, and he jerked back. "Oh, I did! Get you a gift, I mean. Well, a person actually." He pulled away from her, pausing to note her puzzled/amused expression. "Not that a person can be a gift, and he did come of his own accord on his way to Denerim… but never mind that. You'll love this." Alistair took her hand and walked her over to where the rest of the group was still in discussion with Teagan and Percy. "Felicity, this is Brother Genitivi. Brother, this is the girl I told you about."

Felicity's eyes went so wide that Alistair was worried they might fall out of her head. Meanwhile, the Chantry scholar smiled and said, "Pleased to meet you."

Felicity worked her lips a couple times, seeming completely at a loss for words for perhaps the first time in her life.

Finian nudged her gently. "He's way better than notes."

Felicity's breath whooshed out of her. "Brother Genitivi! Wow, this is an honor. I've read all your works, including the ones that weren't technically allowed in the Circle Tower. You're brilliant, and I've got so many questions about your travels! When observing the Qunari, did you ever note any family units, or did you never get close enough? If a lyrium potion allows full access to the Fade for a short time, why are the effects cumulative? Has any dwarf or other geologist of merit ever investigated Dragon's Peak, as having a potentially active volcano above the largest city in Ferelden seems ill advised? And… I'm babbling, aren't I?"

Genitivi chuckled. "I am always happy to meet an eager student." He turned to Alistair. "You were right… she is quite bright."

"She's also been into the Deep Roads," Finian piped up.

That piqued the scholar's interest. He turned back to Felicity. "Is that so?"

Felicity colored prettily. "I… well, yes, I have. We went as far as Bownammar… I mapped it, if you're interested."

"I most certainly am," Genitivi said with a bright smile. "Lead the way, Miss Amell."

Felicity was bursting with pride and excitement as she started leading the scholar back into the castle. Immediately, the air filled with her resumed stream of questions, about the history of the Deep Trenches, and Flemeth, and anything that came to mind apparently, while the Chantry scholar listened raptly and answered when given the chance.

Alistair watched her go, smiling. To his grinning companions, he said, "I think she liked her present."

This actually tore the girl away from Genitivi for a moment. She excused herself and ran back to Alistair, and he barely got his arms up in time to catch her as she launched herself into him.

Her lips were on his before he knew what was happening, but he wasn't about to complain! Maker, he'd missed her voice, and her smell, and her warmth, and everything about her.

As fast as the kiss had come, it was gone, leaving him a little dazed. "I love it," she gushed. "You're amazing." Then, she turned and ran back to Genitivi's side, thrumming with excitement as she led him inside.

"We escorted him too, yes?" Zevran said. "Why do we not get a kiss?"

Alistair couldn't seem to wipe the goofy grin from his face. "She thinks I'm amazing."

"Don't let it go to your head, tin can," rumbled a voice that Alistair hadn't heard in a long time. "She's hadda rough coupla weeks. Too many lyrium potions."

Garott walked smoothly down the stairs, a red-headed dwarf in tow. The red-head laughed. "Nothing wrong with a crazy lady, now and then. Makes things excitin', if you know what I mean." The dwarf gave them a lascivious wink.

Zevran laughed. "Why, I could not agree more!" He threw an arm around Fin. "My Warden here recently had an encounter with a dragon himself, except that he actually jumped on its back and rode it! It gave me more than a couple ideas for riding in other ways, as it were."

Percy went completely white, staring at the two elves blankly. Alistair wondered whether the other man was about to faint.

Meanwhile, Garott roared a laugh. "You rode a dragon? Elf, what is it with you and jumping on things that wanna eat you?"

Fin shrugged, looking bashful, for once. "Guess I like things exciting?"

Zevran nodded solemnly. "That you do, amor. Rest assured, it is not a fault."

Alistair snorted. "You would say that."

"Heh." Garott turned a discerning eye on the Antivan. "You must be the assassin I keep hearin' about. Carta thug here. Pleased to meet ya and all that." Garott held out a hand.

"Well met, Carta thug." The assassin shook it with a grin, and Alistair had the feeling that this may be the start of a very disturbing alliance. Maybe not dangerous—he was past the point where he blindly mistrusted either of them—but certainly disturbing.

"Bah, more elves," the red-head said, taking a swig of something that, judging by the smell, was definitely not water. "None o' you are as touchy as the one we got, right?"

"Define 'touchy'," Alistair said, throwing a pointed glance at Meila.

The Dalish elf ignored him. "And you are?"

"Name's Oghren. Wardens picked me up in Orzammar, and I stuck like a bad rash."

"Do you have a problem with elves?" she asked, though it was less of a challenge and more curiosity.

"Nah," Oghren said. "As long as you all don't bother me with your… frolicking or whatever, we're good."

"Frolicking?" Fin asked, holding back a laugh.

Meila tilted her head thoughtfully. "I am not sure whether this is insulting or not."

Leliana giggled. "If it helps, I have never seen any of you frolick."

"Why, I am quite good at it, dear bard," Zevran said. "Although, that greatly depends upon how you define 'frolick'."

Alistair groaned in Percy and Teagan's general direction. "Do you see what I've had to put up with? How have I not lost my mind?"

Percival was still eying Fin and Zevran. In a whisper he asked, "Are those two… together?"

Oh boy.

"Why yes, we are!" Zevran said loudly. "Also, my friend? Elves have very good hearing."

"It's not a big deal, Percy," Alistair said. "Meila and Leliana have shared a couple kisses too." He waved behind him at the women in question, suddenly feeling a very stony glare on the back of his neck.

Percy stared at Alistair blankly.

"Oh ho! Ya don't say?" Oghren crowed, eying the women in question. "You, and you, eh? Playin' horizontal handball? Ever need a… er… referee? Heh heh."

"That is disgusting," Leliana informed him sagely.

Alistair scratched at the back of his neck. He just knew Meila was glaring at him, but it wasn't like it was a secret, right? They'd kissed right in front of them.

He would never understand the ball of crazy known as Meila Mahariel.

"So how did your mission go?" Finian asked Garott. Sneaky little guy, changing the subject. Alistair also noticed that he'd taken a step away from Zevran, apparently to keep from breaking Percival's brain.

"Well enough," the dwarf said with a shrug. "We hadda wade into darkspawn infested ruins and kill metal suit monsters, then got to play kingmaker in the worst way… so Orzammar as usual."

"Also, we killed a dragon," Oghren said. "That part's not as important, but it sure does make us sound good."

"Alistair, there is one thing." At least Percival seemed to have snapped out of it, since he was talking like a normal person again. "We went back to Ostagar, and found a couple of Duncan's personal possessions. We thought it only right that you have them."

Alistair's throat tightened, but he bit back the old wave of grief and nodded. "Thank you."

Percival nodded back. "All right, let's get this done." He turned to head back up the steps, and the rest followed with surprising ease. "If you've got the Ashes, we'd best wake Eamon immediately. Loghain's men are getting either brave or restless, neither of which are good for our side. We could use a political mind like Arl Eamon's."

When had Percy gotten so commanding, exactly? And, wait...

Alistair stopped. "Shouldn't we wait for Marnan?"

Everyone stopped, and Alistair's stomach dropped as he saw Percy's shoulders stiffen. He and Garott exchanged a silent look, and the dwarf nodded grimly.

Percy sighed and turned back around, standing above them all on the steps. "Marnan won't be coming. She died in the Deep Roads." Behind them, Leliana gasped. "It was a death she would have wanted: in battle, with honor."

Garott snorted. "And surrounded by a ring of dead darkspawn."

The words were delivered so matter-of-factly that it took a minute for Alistair to process them. Marnan… dead? But… she had been the most competent of all of them! She'd actually known what she was doing. Oh Maker, how could they hope to fight the final battle without her?

"I'm going to miss her," Finian said softly.

"Yeah, I know the feeling," Garott rumbled gravely. "She and me had our differences, but she was good people. World needs more like her."

It wasn't the sort of thing that he'd ever have expected out of Garott, but they'd all had a lot of time to change in the intervening time. When they'd split, Percy had still been pretty wrecked, and Felicity had been torn up about not meeting Brother Genitivi, and Zevran had still been a borderline threat, and Meila had been in her shell, and Alistair had been a naïve boy who just wanted the perfect family he'd always secretly dreamed of…

They'd all had time to change.

Alistair hung his head. "Wow… that one was…wow. It's dangerous stuff, being a Warden during a Blight, isn't it?"

"We'll get through it, Alistair," Percy assured him. "We just have to keep moving forward. Now come on; let's wake Eamon."