"We don't need that witch," Fenris stated.
"Why do you hate her so much?" Morrigan asked. "Is it because she is a mage? I've noticed you keep your distance from Wynne and myself and verbally attack Anders all the time."
"Anders is an abomination and Merrill is a Blood Mage."
"Blood Mage?" Alistair shot Varric a concerned look.
"Shut it, Fenris. You're always hounding on Merrill for doing something she believed would help her clan. You go on and on about your markings and then you found out you had competed for them. Stop with the hypocrisy."
"It's different," Fenris spat. "She—"
"Just stop, Fenris. No matter what you think, Merrill is our friend and she's always been there for Hawke and you."
Fenris silently fumed.
"I think we should set up camp here," Leliana stated as she took in the area and the darkening sky.
"You're right," Alistair agreed.
Hawke and Donna breathed heavily as the other two champions fell. They stood back to back while the red haze around Lady slowly dissolved and herself inflicted wound healed.
"Good...job..." Donna panted.
"You're not...worried about...me being a blood mage?" Lady huffed along with her.
Donna's lips turned up in a half smirk but didn't turn to face her partner.
"We've been at this for months. No one can blame you for turning to blood magic for that extra edge that could make all the difference between life and death."
"I'm glad you're so open-minded."
"Well, when you know the people I know and have seen the things I've seen, you kind of have to be."
"Amen, sister."
Flemeth exited with a large horde of darkspawn.
"I'm glad you two made it. Especially you, Donna."
Fear spiked within her yet her posture and face remained the same. She'd allow herself to be scared but she wouldn't allow them to know it.
"Please, do fight. It'll be fun to watch you being taken forcefully."
"Caught your breath?" Hawke asked.
"Yeah."
"Go!"
Hands bled red as did hardened steel as they fought for their lives.
Slowly, both awoke in another cell, only this one was poorly lit and they were chained. Donna was chained to a bloodied wooden table, naked and spread eagle while Hawke was dangling from the roof by her hands. Unlike Donna, she was fully clothed.
"Where...are we?" Donna asked.
"Take a wild guess."
She groaned.
The sound of the door being thrown open drew their attention. Flemeth walked in with another large horde.
"Ah, you're both finally awake. Good."
She turned her eyes to Donna.
"I told you I'd have my revenge, Warden."
With a wave of her hands, the Hurlocks moved towards the Queen. She watched as they all released their tainted, strained erections, dripping with black liquid.
"No," Hawke murmured. "No, no, no, no, no!"
She struggled in her chains, only managing to sway herself around in the air.
"I...didn't think monsters could still rise to the occasion," Donna spoke, voice trembling in fear.
"Still trying to be witty? Well, we'll see how long that lasts, yes?"
"Hawke, close your eyes," Donna whispered as they came closer and one lined at her entrance.
"Donna, no—"
"Do me this favour, please!" Donna begged as she felt the rotting flesh touch her inner thigh.
Tears welled in Hawke's eyes and she clenched them shut. She heard the table creak amongst the sounds of the Hurlock's, followed by a muffled scream and a louder roar of a Hurlock before the creaking started in a repetitive rhythm.
Tears trailed down Hawke's face as she kept her eyes clenched shut.
'I'm so sorry!'
Hawke gently opened her eyes, sensing morning's arrival. She couldn't handle it last night and cast magic within herself to knock her out.
"D-Donna!" She looked to the table to find Donna covered by a sheet that had been dirtied by blood, dirt and whatever liquid Hurlock's ejaculate.
She was awake and by her side sat Dominic, the one who had covered her with the sheet. Donna didn't respond, seemingly dead to the world.
"W-What's wrong with her?" Hawke spoke softly.
"She's...she's in shock and her body is in overdrive trying to handle the taint in...inside her."
Both fell silently.
"I'm sorry, there's no way I can help you two," he whispered sadly.
As Hawke hung there, she thought about ways of getting out or contacting someone. As she stared down at Dominic, her eyes widened in surprise.
"Dominic, I'm going to need your help."
Later that night, Hawke was trying hard to concentrate while Donna was being raped on the table beneath her.
"What do you need me to do?" Dominic asked.
"Cut your hand deeply."
Being raised not to question mages and their magic, he did as he was asked with one of the many torture instruments around him.
"Flick it up and onto me, preferably my face and hands."
Using his right hand to cup and gather the dripping life fluid flowing from his left wrist, he climbed onto Donna's table and flicked the liquid onto Hawke's face and her chained hands.
"What is this for?" He asked.
"Tonight is the full moon; it'll make entering the Fade easier."
"You're going into the Fade?"
"We are."
"Then what?"
"You navigate me to your mother."
Thanks to Dominic's blood, she could sense that he was in position, meditating on his bed with shallow slit wrists.
Breathing deeply, she allowed herself to slip into the Fade, Donna's whimper the last thing of reality she heard.
"We're close," Varric stated.
When they entered the clearing, they found a familiar Dalish camp.
"She went back to the Dalish?" Isabela asked.
"Right," Morrigan began. "We need to hurry up and find her. Who knows what—"
Without warning, Morrigan fell, crumpling to the ground.
"Morrigan!"
"Wait!" Anders called as he walked to her.
His eyes glowed blue as he sensed what was wrong.
"What's going on?" Alistair asked.
"Her spirit has been forced into the Fade. Her body is just as vessel at the moment."
"What do we have here?" A new voice interrupted.
Everyone turned to see Merrill, dressed in the Keeper's clothes.
Morrigan looked around, finding the familiar surroundings of the Fade.
"Mother!"
Spinning around, Morrigan felt a small weight smack into her abdomen.
"Dominic!"
"Mother, you have to help us!"
"Who is us?" Morrigan asked. "There are others with you?"
Dominic nodded. "Yes. There's Lady Hawke and Donna!"
"Can you explain the situation to me?" Morrigan asked.
"I can help with that."
Morrigan and Dominic turned to see Hawke materialise before them.
"You are Hawke?" Morrigan asked.
Hawke nodded.
"If you explain things to me, I might be able to help and tell you what Flemeth is planning."
"I was with my lover, Fenris, and I had just stepped out of the house when I suddenly found myself in the middle of an arena. From there, I was forced to fight for my life against other strong warriors and mages."
"What of Donna?"
"I didn't see her until the end of my trial. Flemeth told me we were two of the four left standing and that we'd be partners for the final fight. Flemeth is beyond pissed that she was bested by Donna in their fight. To save you, was it?"
Morrigan nodded. "I found out that Flemeth raises a daughter for the sole intention of taking over their body to retain her life and immortality. I asked Donna to seek her out and kill her so that I'd be free of her."
Hawke nodded and became stiff. "After we won, we tried to fight off a bunch of darkspawn but were taken down. We woke up in a cage and Donna...she..."
"She what?"
Hawke took a deep breath so she'd be able to finish her sentence. "Flemeth has her chained to a table and is being raped over and over by darkspawn."
Morrigan paled as her eyes widened in horror.
"She's...no," she muttered shakily.
"Please, help us," Hawke pleaded. "What is Flemeth planning?"
Morrigan forced back her horror as her mind ran through plans and rituals when suddenly, it came to her as if it were the most obvious thing.
"Maker have mercy on us all."
Suddenly, the Fade was slowly disappearing around them as Hawke's magic began to waver.
"Mother!" Dominic called as he and Hawke were drifting further away from her.
"Son..." she whispered sadly.
They disappeared completely from her sight and she felt herself slowly coming back to reality.
"He'll be dead before I can see him again."
Morrigan slowly came too, being surrounded by her friends and companions.
"Morrigan, are you alright?" Wynne asked. "What happened?"
"Hawke and Dominic pulled me into the Fade," she whispered.
"Hawke? So she was definitely taken?" Merrill asked, having been brought up to speed while Morrigan was out.
"Yes."
"Was Donna with them?" Leliana asked.
Remembering the news about her sister-like friend, Morrigan felt herself become nauseas. Turning to the side, she threw up and tears well in her eyes.
"Is Donna alive?" Alistair asked, desperate.
Morrigan looked him in the eyes. "Yes. But I wish she wasn't."