When they arrived in the Viscounts walls he took the chance to look around him. Not paying much attention to the Templars nor the City Guards, since they were none of his concern at the moment. It was like the Warden was looking for something, but what? The Stark Haven Prince… Err King… Whatever he was now or a door which lead to the dungeon. He knew most places this mostly had trap doors, trap floors, and secret passageways. What place didn't? But he wouldn't be able to see such a thing since it would be naked to the common eye.
"Don't be such a worry wart." Aragorn whispered, as his eyes shifted towards the elf in his statement. "We just go in, get Leliana, and get out… If we can. Without being seen is my main priority. I rather not slay innocent lives if I don't have to, but—"
He began to say, which unexpectedly cut off from Lashers next segment of words. That he looked to the red-head and the way of which he had gestured too. "Are you sure?" He began to question in disbelief. "Its crazy that they would have that out in clear sight…" He finished with a whisper, as his eyes went to the Viscounts office. He was so tempted to go to his office and give Sebastian a piece of his mind. But he knew, he needed to find Leliana. Just in case if she was in danger. Plus he figured Sebastian would quickly hear of Aragorn's break in; in the prison cells below so as they were exiting he probably, most likely would run into him even when they were walk out the door to leave.
"We're taking it." He responded finally. "Varric you go, and talk to Sebastian. Distract his innocent little saint mind. And we'll try and make it as quick as possible to get her out of there." He wasn't sure if his plan was going to work but it was something to go on, for now. That he pursued forward and walked to the bookcase that Lasher spoke of.
"This one?" He asked curiously towards the red-head and began pulling on it, without waiting for a response. But the sound of a click filled his ears, making a wide grin appear on his lips. As he looked over his shoulder to the others and gave a tilt of his head. "C'mon lets go—"
"Hey what are you doing your not suppose to be going down there. Its personal only!" Stated a Templar through a hooded helm muffling his words.
Aragorn groaned, dropping his hand to his side. "Well buddy, your Viscount asked me to go down there, and we're suppose to take the rounds for the others below… Err.. We're the newbies." He finished with a sly grin tugging at his lips.
"Oh…" Whispered back the Templar. "We've been wondering where the new recruits were. Just next time use the other entrance."
"Of course." Aragorn replied rather happily as he began to turn a shoulder to take his leave.
But it seemed as if this war wasn't won as three 'green' Templars came walking in, and right towards the Templar who Aragorn just convinced that they happened to be the new recruits. "Sorry we're late ser." Announced one Templar after another. Ceasing Aragorn in his steps and taking a glance back. He could see right away the Templar was taking a double take from the newbies to the Warden. It wasn't until he looked further down Aragorn's armor plate, seeing the Warden Symbol crest in the center that he pulled out a weapon and shouted. "Intruder!"
"Dammit… Maybe we should have spoken to Sebastian first." He admitted rather blankly. "Looks like things will get messy earlier than we thought, yes?" He joked lightly, and thus reached back pulling out his weapon and braced himself for a fight.
The Templar lunged forward, Aragorn blocking it of course with the edge of his blade. But the clashing of their blades echoing brought more attention than what it was worth. And people all around were going rather, crazy; just as Fenris expected to happen from these many people. Otherwise bringing Aragorn to reach out with his free hand, and push the gaudy armored Templar back. When he arm's length out, he swung his leg up landing the sole of his foot on the males chest; causing the Templar to fly back into three Templars that happened to be rushing to the fight.
"Let's go!" Aragorn commanded quickly and pushed through the door making sure Fenris and Lasher had quickly followed or went in before. As he closed the door he looked back to the both of them and reached back with his free hand rubbing the back of his head in thought as the other clearly held the door in place so the Templar's couldn't pry it open. "Got any ideas?" He groaned as he felt the muscles in his arms beginning to strain from holding back the door from each pull they attempted.
Let's kill them." Lasher answered rather bluntly.
"Those are our own resources; we can't do that, you numbskull!" Fenris scowled after finding his worry actually prevailing this time.
"Ask my sodding advice, and I'll give it." Lasher scoffed but soon turned his attention to attempting with something helpful instead.
He searched for anything that could help Aragorn hold the door in place. The only thing the elf had found was an evidence chest, which he started to push to the end in order to keep the door from opening. He figured he was going to need more though, and so the quest of placing other heavier objects in between and turning to hold his position up against the door became the next big thing.
"He said there was another exit, right? Chances are they're going to be coming in from the other side too, so we can't stay here waiting to get clobbered." Fenris had warned and turned to march down the hall.
About that time, one of the soldiers ended up doing just as the elf had prophesized. He reached for his sword and unsheathed it, preparing to slam it down over Fenris's body in order to split him in two. However the armored gauntlets the elf wore were enough protection for his quick movements in propping the steel flatly up against him. His right hand grasped the man's helmet and balanced it on his fist.
"You see this?" He questioned before bumping the helmet into the air a little. Within a quick motion, his body started to glow from the lyrium in his veins, and his armor-covered hand ended up penetrating through the helmet as if it was butter. "This is going to be your head in a few minutes if you don't give me the bloody keys to the cells."
The soldier fumbled some and loosed his grip on his sword, which ended up falling over Fenris's grip and hitting the floor. The soldier hadn't taken much care to being disarmed though, since he had a life-and-death task at the moment and that was to find the keys. He handed the keys to him and his eyes started to grow wide from the elf retracting his arm in a punch.
"You said-! But you said!" The soldier fumbled just seconds before Fenris managed to knock him out with his fist. "I know what I said." Fenris grumbled and turned his attention on sorting through the keys to find the universal one used to open the rest of the remaining cells.
"Getting gutsy again, knife-ear?" Lasher teased, though kept his back pressed to door. He glanced towards Aragorn and nodded forward. "You go on ahead. I'm not letting them past me. I wouldn't get any fun out of it..."
"That's not what I meant by give me an idea." Aragorn muttered through each heave he felt from behind. So when Lasher had begun his search of anything to keep the others back he was grateful; as eventually some of the strain was lifted off his back. Though he still held the door in place just a bit longer, thinking Fenris would find something different to bind this door shut for good.
"Huh?" Aragorn began to question from Fenris' warning of their being another entrance, it was as if he had forgotten from all this excitement! "Great; just what we need." He muttered and was then distracted by the incoming Templar ready to whack Fenris' right out cold. Thankfully though the elf had enough wits about him, and reflexes that he caught him beforehand. "Now, now Fenny haven't you ever heard of being nice to our friends-?" He began to question but it seemed as if this was cut off rather quickly by him winching at the sight of Fenris knocking the solider out cold.
"Well at least we have the keys now… Let's…" He began to state, but instead looked over to Lasher in his explanation for them to just go on ahead. It was probably best, for one he wouldn't be seen slaying the Templars, and City Guards hopefully making it so Sebastian wouldn't all despise him… He could just err.. Come up with some excuse later on as to why he came here and a commotion arose and Lasher slayed a few of his men. "Alright. Just try not to kill them all? Remember you have all those other ones back home to chow down on. Don't want them going to waste." He pleaded, and pushed his back from the door and to walk ahead.
Aragorn took the lead, and amazingly enough no Templars had run into them. He suspected they were all called up stairs for the sudden fight, and then when they found out the intruders were below, they would be heading back; making it little time for them to get Leliana out safely.
"Leliana!" He shouted while checking every cell in a panic. He heard no call out to him, making him think she may have been stashed away somewhere else… But where? Constant worry had filled his mind that it wasn't until he came up the very last cell in the darkest corner of the room that he saw her. Or at least he believed it was her. She didn't call out making him think the worst, as he darted to the edge of the cell and wrapped his hands around the bars. "Leliana! Are you alright!?"
"Ugh-Arg" Was all emitted from her lips as her cranium flopped to one side from hearing his voice fill her ears.
"Give me that." He commanded and with a quick movement of his arms he grabbed the keys, to unlock the door and run to the rouges side. When he neared her, he was able to see they had stripped her of all her former clothing of the night before, instead she wore an off-white clothed dress like thing that was awfully tattered, and along her hands, arms and face he took notice to all the scratches and bruises lightly splotched over her in some areas.
"We need to get out of here." He whispered and with that he picked the unconscious Leliana up in his arms. "I may need you to take her though, back to Anders… So I can deal with this, Sebastian." He admitted as he turned to face the elf and gave a gesture for the elf to take her in his arms. "After all I bet there another passageway through here to get back to the city. So you can avoid all this mess."
Fenris looked nodded some and accepted Leliana the moment she was handed to him. He wasn't about to ask questions or anything, since he wanted to put as much faith into the man as he could. Plus after seeing Leliana in this state, Fenris didn't feel he was in any right to say anything for Sebastian's defense—even if it may have been needed for the reassurance of still having their current army given to them. No. There really was no excuse to any of this treatment.
Back at the tavern Anders was pacing back and forth in Varric's room. He was distraught in the worst way over what was happening. It was even more frustrating to him that he couldn't save Leliana on his own. It was all a matter of protocol and safety measures. If Sebastian had known for certain that Anders was in Kirkwall, he'd tear the city apart trying to find him.
He groaned, sulking back into the chair and pressing his head against the table. Anders only started to flinch back to attention after hearing the door open. He turned to see Fenris carrying in Leliana. He was the only one. His eyes had widened as all sorts of emotions were swimming in his mind. There was the relief that she was safe now, the worry of what happened to her, the anger of what he saw done against her, and of course the petty confused jealousy all wrapped into one.
After all… did it have to be Fenris to carry her back to him? Why couldn't it have been Varric? -Ignoring the fact that the dwarf probably couldn't have lifted her, no matter how strong he claimed to be.
"You're back. Give her to me—" Anders started to say in his rush back to his feet.
"Back off, Mage. You're going to calm yourself down before you give away our position." Fenris growled and moved past him to place Leliana on the bed.
As he had passed, Anders moved towards the door, looking past it between the cracks to see if the elf was followed and/or if the others had caught up to them yet. When it looked like the coast was clear, he shut the door and locked it quickly. Turning back around, his started again in his hot pursuit.
"Let me take care of this. I'm a healer." He attempted again.
"You'll get your chance when you calm down." Fenris reminded him and checked over Leliana's body for any signs of shivs or punctures with poisons in them.
Being a slave most of his life, he knew such oversights would prevent her from healing quite as fast as it normally did if they weren't removed first. Though, he wasn't going to explain such in full detail to Anders. There wasn't time to, nor did the elf want the headache. Though when he found there wasn't any, he stood up and took a step back. Turning away, Fenris moved to the side
"Okay. I'm calm. I am completely calm." Anders tried to say, though he was still wringing his hands.
"Good. Now, heal her." Fenris instructed him and leaned away the instant that Anders started to push him back in order to get to the bed. He glanced at him with a slight grimace and shook his head. "You better not fail this. Aragorn's already pissed by seeing her in this state."
"I can heal her. Just get me a bowl of water and a cloth…" Anders reassured and turned his attention back over to Leliana. His hands started to glow with their usual warm healing magic, and he started to concentrate on the spell in order for it to work.
All which was let out as she laid down was a light groan, it wasn't clear if it was a groan of rising in her sleep or possibly her pain. That she unconsciously flipped to her side and curled slightly up. Behind her she heard voices, Anders… And Fenris? She began to think to herself in her fuzzy slumber, she didn't want to dare look over to see if it was them, that she hadn't even noticed the cushioned bed underneath her either. Thinking she was still in the cell, and this was all but a cruel dream.
Thinking this brought the rouge out in a defensive manner, thrashing an arm to whoever dared to get close to her as she did hear light footsteps after all. Her arm collided against something strong, an arm, a head? She wasn't sure but the familiar warmth she felt brought her to think of Anders healing magic, bringing her to open her eyes, and look down to her body; seeing before her the scrapes disappearing in front of her eyes. She blinked a few times in shock before shifting her body over and saw beside her Anders.
A full force of emotions began to flow through her, just by seeing him. That she rose without hesitation and lunged forward to embrace the mage through the tears that happened to be forming at the corner of her sockets. Not because of the pain, as there was still some, slightly. But the real reason was due to seeing him. As truthfully she believed to not see him again. Since she doubted Sebastian would have easily given her up.
"Anders." She whispered into his ear, as she didn't want to let go. Not now, that in reaction her grip around him tightened. "I was so worried I wouldn't see you again." She admitted as her head ducked down and her forehead rested on his shoulder before finally pulling back, hoping that her tear swelled eyes had a chance to come to a more normal looking shape. "I hope this isn't where you've been staying this whole time is it?" She asked curiously glancing around. As she recognized some of the structure of it being like the Tavern she had been taken from the night before. But as she turned to the right she winched, feeling a ting of pain surge in a small area of her body. "Ow… I swear I'm going to kill that bastard." Leliana admitted as she finally looked to see Fenris, and the thoughts of the others, where were they, or so she thought before speaking it aloud. "Where's the others and how did I get here?"
Anders flinched some from Leliana's arm flying in his direction. He had to move in order to catch it. Though the moment that he had grasped around her limb, the mage wondered if that was the right thing to do. While he wanted Leliana calmed, restraining her so quickly might have caused her to panic more. On the other hand, he couldn't let her freely break out in a current state of panic either.
"It's alright. Everything's alright. It's me." He started to say and reassure her.
He looked into her eyes, seeing the fear and relief cascading over in separate doses before she lunged at him. Anders's arms welcomed and moved as if on automatic, to wrap his grasp around her in return. He was holding her so tight, because he feared of ever losing her again. He couldn't think of being in a place without Leliana in it or near him. Anders never wanted her out of his sight again.
"You'll never be without me again, I swear it." He spoke determinedly and tilted his lips towards her temple to kiss the side of her head. Though he did pause a little after listening halfway to Leliana's question of where he was staying. "Oh… No, not here. I found a refuge for us… We can go there later."
Fenris had been moving from the washing basin and then back to Anders with a the bowl of water and a clean cloth; of which Anders gratefully took. He rang out the cloth to dampen it and started to press it lightly to Leliana's skin in order to clean it.
"They're still at the Viscount's Keep… Hopefully talking things out with Kirkwall's two pedestrian leaders." Fenris answered and then moved to sitting down into a chair. "Just consider this part of our neutral agreement for now. Because if the Viscount sees you missing, he'll know that his attempts in finding Anders was foiled."
"He will pay, I swear it…." The mage mumbled under his breath and then looked back up to Leliana. "But we can't stay here. In fact, I would have rather been gone before the others get back, but they do deserve to see that you're alright first… I'd like to run a tests on you before any of that happens though."
Leliana was just a peace with knowing she was no longer in that cell with those horrible Templars for guards. She never knew some Templars could be so cruel, at least to those besides mages. That it started to bring a hate to rise inside her, and rarely did she hate such a thing or anyone for that matter.
"I told you I should have gone with you." She began to state in what seemed like a small form of guilt trip, but she was a woman, with her emotions at their highest that she didn't even notice she was doing such an act on him. "To tell you the truth, I'm just glad I didn't have to stay there longer than I had too." Her orbs shifted to Fenris and the water with the cloth, which she watched next with intent in her eyes as Anders tended to her other wounds.
"So Aragorn and you got me out I take it?" She questioned upon looking to Fenris as he spoke of 'they're still at the Viscounts keep' "And Lasher?" She questioned once more upon looking around, she wouldn't have thought of him to be so eager to help in such a task but she was thankful anyway; just as she was thankful for everyone who worked at getting her out. "Thank you Fenris. You're a good man... Er, elf man that is… I just hope everyone comes back safely."
Looking down Leliana had glanced down to her rags of clothes almost shrieking at the sight. "Did they really have to put me in such dab of clothes? I don't even remember putting these on myself." She admitted in a whisper. But glanced up the moment Anders' had spoken of these tests, that her eyes started to hold a suspicious look in them as she shifted her head to one side while she looked at the mage from the corner of her socket. "Tests huh?" She repeated in a whisper. "Fine, I won't fight it. Its probably for the best after all… Maybe when you're done the others will be back, and we can leave this place."
Anders nodded some in her response. He was lucky to have found a place on his own by then; a place that would have been protected for the both of them. Though, like always- he wasn't certain for how long, none of it mattered for as long as he had Leliana at his side safe and sound. Placing the cloth down into the bowl once more, he started to speak to Fenris, who had started to pick himself up from against the wall as his initial cue. "Leave us for now. I'll let you know when we're done."
Fenris sat at the bar end of the tavern, having an ale to calm his nerves. He wasn't going to have any more than one though since he needed to keep his wits about himself. He didn't see any Starkhaven templars around the tavern, but there were clearly those from Kirkwall's own city and the City Guard were starting to enter as well.
Anders had to know about them, so there was really no point to alert him. Still, it did leave Fenris a bit nervous. The door had opened moments later and in walked Varric and Lasher. Hopefully soon, Aragorn would have been behind them, but from the corner of his eyes, Fenris hadn't seen him yet.
"Well, the peace was nice while it lasted." Varric mused upon the moment he strolled inside.
"From what I've gathered about this place, I don't think there was ever any moment of real peace." Lasher scoffed behind him. "That's what I don't understand about the White Spire."
"We've got buddies still in service to them around this city, and more importantly in this tavern… so let's not bring that up." Varric laughed, but the tone was slightly pleading.
Lasher scoffed a bit more and shrugged his shoulders. He would have continued in his usual 'beastly manner' but Fenris had stood up from his chair and quickly cut him off by speaking to them. "You're back. Is the Commander with you? Please tell me nothing worse came of staying at the Keep for too long."
"Wish I could." Varric sighed a bit and looked up at him.
Fenris paused some and then turned towards the redheaded male. "What did you do?"
"Me?" Lasher asked, feeling a bit insulted that he was automatically pointed out as the problem.
"What did you?" Fenris repeated only his tone had slightly growled.
Lasher rolled his eyes and stepped past him. "Hey, I was minding my own business—"
"Nug-spew!" Fenris scowled quickly and started to chase after him. "Where's Aragorn?"
The elf had maybe paced three steps away from his seat in the heated pursuit of following after Lasher before hearing Aragorn's voice when he entered. He turned around, feeling a partial moment of relief wash over him. Turning his head back towards Varric's quarters upstairs, he started to speak.
"Yes, she's been healed and Anders is with her at the moment. He said he wanted to do some tests to make sure there wouldn't be any need for any extra forms of medicine… like things that he couldn't initially heal on his own. Though, over-all she seemed to be doing well."
"I think I'm with you on that drink…" Varric added after Aragorn had mentioned about needing something strong. "Let me just pay my last tab and I'll have a round out for us in no time."
"Wait. So, we're not getting the army?" Fenris asked and then shifted his sights back towards Aragorn once more. "Just what happened?"
"Your 'innocent' Commander chopped off the bastard's hand-that's what." Lasher answered quickly to clear his name; and also because he felt that Aragorn probably didn't feel like really explaining much.
Fenris's mouth dropped in shock and his shoulders hiked up high as if being electrocuted from the news. "What!-?"
"Hey, you wouldn't happen to have saved that would you? I've always wondered what a royal tasted like." Lasher snickered at the thought, though for him it was more of a joke.
By then Varric had gathered a round of drinks and started to hand them out to everyone; though Fenris had seemed a little too stunned to accept his right away. The dwarf sighed and forced Fenris's hand to grasp around the mug before walking back to his seat. "Oh, come off it, Broody. We both knew Starkhaven was going to cause Kirkwall problems eventually anyway."
Aragorn kept his eyes glued to a nearby table and its cracks and carving as Lasher explained to Fenris of what he had done. He winched some the moment the words left the elfs lips. He was expecting him to throw a bigger fit than that. But he was happy he didn't totally freak as he didn't need to attention, not now.
When he was asked if he had the hand still he nodded some. Amazingly enough he kept it, for a prize trophy? Or just to mock the bastard Prince. Either way he did have it in his possession. "Yup." He muttered and waved the hand towards the knight to show him of this. "Want it so bad, take it. I'm tired of the bloody thing making a mess out of me." He finished and tossed the dismembered hand towards him, hopefully not hitting anyone who dared to walk past during the toss.
Going back to Fenris, Aragorn smile bleakly and gave a light chuckle before raising a defending hand that was somewhat clear of blood, and rubbed the back of his nape. "Well he did deserve it. I told him maybe he'll think twice on the matter before he steals another person, that's innocent… …Then he muttered something unintelligent and we left." Glancing over to Varric, he saw the drinks being handed, he took a step towards the dwarf to hurry in getting his drink and quickly had brought the mug to his lips to swallow down the fluids.
He peaked through one of his eyes towards the group as he still had a worried mind over the rouge. Bringing his gaze towards the door which the two were supposedly in he spoke out to himself and lastly to the elf. "I swear if those Templar's had done anything more to her, I'll have to go back there just to kill that so called Prince. A man of royalty should not allow such things to happen under his nose… Do you think… We can see them? Or do you still think he's busy?" He began to question curiously as he shifted his optics towards the elf.
The only reason why Fenris had been so "mildly mannered" was because of the current City Guard that were around them, and because Anders was in the room upstairs. Although his eyes still followed in disbelief to the flying hand that came to Lasher's direction. The barbarian tore at it happily with his teeth, causing an unrest in the tavern to those who saw.
Fenris was a little appalled that the City Guard hadn't done anything to confront them as of yet. Something was going on, obviously, but he was not about to rush himself or anyone to be thrown in the dungeon either. Aragorn's words had pulled him slightly back out of his inner thoughts and shook his head some towards the answer.
"He knows at least I'm waiting out here. He'll give us a signal when he's finished." He said and kept his eyes averted from Lasher and his new chew toy. "…I'd rather not walk in on them anyways… For all I know, they'd probably be getting busy."
"On my bed, they better not." Varric laughed some and raised his mug up in return. "That's not meant for humans. It can only support one person."
Meanwhile, from within Varric's room, Anders had seemed stunned after sensing the results of his scanning of Leliana's body. She was healed, and thankfully there weren't any diseases or anything worse of that nature inflicted upon her. However there was something else that he was sensing. Leliana was giving off the feeling of darkspawn blood within her.
Well, that and a dash of the Arch Demon's blood… Such was the elixir of the Joining that the Grey Wardens had gone under. However, he remembered distinctly that she had not participated in the dreary event. The confusion caused Anders to scan over her form numerous times, but he was still getting the same readings. So, with no other hopes than getting the same answers over and over, he had given up and gave her clothes back to wear them again.
"Um… Everything seems to be in order…" He started to say and then reached up to rub the back of his neck a little. He tried to think of how he could ask a question that he needed to ask. "You… never went under the Joining, right?-Of course not…"
"So—" He paused some and closed his eyes for the moment in a wince before staring back down at the floor. "Have you… uh…. That is… When's the last …time…. do you think… you've… been…in-bloom?"
Aragorn chuckled at the expression that Varric exposed when Fenris spoke of the two lovers going at it in his room, in his bed. "Well that's never stopped them." He muttered out. "I know I wouldn't put it past them either." Though he looked to the door again and back again but this time to Lasher and his rather odd chewing frenzy on the hand he was so kind to give to him. "Alright then we wait. I just don't want to be waiting too long; since I really don't trust any of these people that are around."
Inside the room Leliana watched Anders intently, as well as taking notice as how Anders had done several attempts at checking certain areas more than once; which had brought the rouge to think the worst and check right after him, or look as he was looking if she could. "Is something wrong?" She began to question curiously, as she arched her brow. But the moment she was given her clothes she took them, and held them closely to her bare frame.
As she stood to her feet she started to get dressed, to eventually turn her attention to some kind of mirror in the room and lean into it as she raised a hand and began to fix the misplacement of her crimson locks. When she was asked if she joined the Order she just looked at the mage through the mirror and gave him a wondrous look of confusion. He had to know that she hadn't, so when he changed his thought on the manner she turned her attention back to herself which hadn't lasted long either as his next choice of words almost crumbled her to stumble over the vanity and glance over her shoulder to him.
"Err.. I think." She began to whisper and rose a hand to begin counting on her fingers, it almost looked like she was counting out days, but the more she thought into it the more she noticed it had been longer than she had expected. "Uhh… … Two months?" She responded finally, as she dropped her hand down to her side in shock. She knew this wasn't normal. And the first thought should of been of her carrying a baby, Anders baby inside her. But he joined the Warden's long ago, she knew this. And she knew from hearing from Aragorn and Alistair that it was almost impossible to have children when the taint was inside them. But it was still a possibility; just not one Leliana would have thought to happen to her. "That's not normal is it…?" She began to question, knowing how dumb her question might have been, but she had to say something as she stepped towards the mage.
"It's… Not… What I think it is, is it?" She asked, as her tone held more question then the last as she didn't want to seem to ecstatic just in case if what she was thinking was of a different thought than his own.
The more that Anders had dwelled on it, the more pale his face was becoming. He never expected such a possibility to happen either. From what he was told about it the effects of Joining, and from the few experiences he's had with women before, Anders really thought he'd never have to face this sort of question. There was no sense in possibly having the blame to be one of the guards in Sebastian's Keep either. That was because he could sense the blood of the Joining—his blood—from within her. There really was no other explanation to it.
"L—uh…_I'll have to check again later." He said and quickly stood to his feet and walked towards the door. "I've been drinking so, that might have interfered with the tests-right… You just, um… lay down for now, and I'll be back in a minute."
He didn't want to give an answer any further than that as he slipped out the door. It was clear that he was running from her at this point, but only because Anders feared of what all of this had meant. His thoughts sulked as he walked down the steps, and still staring at the ground. The mage knew he would have to confront Leliana again with the issue sooner or later, or else she'd eventually discover it on her own and then possibly unleash an anger against him. She was a smart woman, so Anders knew he couldn't hold off the discussion for long.
"About time…" Fenris said and folded his arms once Anders came down the stairs. He noticed the slight moped behavior from him and narrowed his eyes in response. "…Well?"
"Nothing… She's fine." Anders spoke quickly and lifted his head nervously. His eyes glanced towards Aragorn and offered as lifting of a smile as he could.
"You're really reassuring us here, Blondie." Varric mentioned, sensing more of the confused vibe than Fenris was. "What's going on?"
"After various…repeated…tests, I've sensed her taint-" Anders admitted with a slight squeak in his voice.
Fenris grimaced and punched the mage's arm. "On Varric's bed?"
Anders looked back at Fenris in shock and then glared at him slightly after catching of what he probably was thinking. "From the Joining In her blood! …You pervert."
Fenris stiffened but didn't give any form of apology. Varric's snickering was the only thing heard between them. "Well… at least it's not what I was thinking."
"Not you too…" Anders glanced towards the dwarf briefly but looked away. "Anyway… Since, she hasn't taken the Joining, I think… she may be…with child..."
Leliana was all confused about this matter, and seeing Anders leave the way he did just confused her even further. A part of her wanted to pull the mage back into this room and have him speak more on this matter… But he had already left before she could act, and she stood in the center of the room watching the door a moment longer. Eventually she forced herself to a chair, to sit and ultimately think of what he was possibly getting at. In her past experiences she was late before, but not this late… Thinking about it brought her heart to twinge, and then flutter. Finishing with a gulp she turned her palm to her chest, lowering that hand down further to her stomach. Gazing down in shock.
She shook her head at the thought, trying to shake it, but it came back stronger than ever that she looked to the door which Anders had left from. As she whispered to herself. "It can't be…?"
Outside the room Aragorn had found himself comfortably on a chair drinking his second Ale. With his eyes fixated on the swish of the fluids that he swirled around so carelessly. "Hm?" He began to hum the moment he heard Fenris speak aloud besides their conversation which they were having, that the Warden looked towards the incoming mage. Who he greeted with a warm smile back from his half one. "Something wrong?" He questioned wondering what the mage had going on in that mind of his.
Though when the word taint was brought into the conversation, he looked to Anders in shock. He knew that word from something completely different than the others around that it brought him to tighten his hold on his mug. Hoping he wouldn't say what he thought he would. Because the only way Leliana could have a taint in her was if she were with a child. And it seemed his thoughts were alinged with Anders the moment he spoke them.
Aragorn shook his head as he pushed himself up from his chair and walked to the mage in pursuit. Once he was past arm's length and in front of the mage he parted his lips to speak out in shock. "You bastard." Before anyone could react and save the mage or save himself he drew back his arm with his fist tightly balled up, he threw that hand forward, punching in his abdomen. Which would clearly make him hunch over in pain.
But before Aragorn could continue he felt something smack that the back of his head, causing his head to knock forward from the hit and him to flip his head around in fright. As he looked down, he saw it was a slipper which impaled him and when he looked further ahead he saw Leliana's head peeking out through the door of the dwarfs room.
"Sorry!" He shouted. "I'll make it up…" He reassured, turning his attention back to the mage as he reached over and gave a soft tap on the shoulder that ended in a full forced smack. "Congrats daddy. Never would of expected you to have the privilege to become such actually. But either way it's a good thing." Glancing over his shoulder he looked back to Leliana who didn't dare to come out, for multiple reasons, one the City Guards, two after what she figured out on her own and three what she was wearing. "You happy now?" He asked towards the rouge, who shook her head in a no response and pointed towards the mage almost as a cue to ask Aragorn to have him come forth. "… I think she wants you… You did tell her, right? That she's carrying your child… Poor woman I feel for her." He joked lightly and turned a shoulder from the mage to collect his drink which he left at his table.
Anders couldn't dodge the punch that sailed in his way, nor really had time to notice for any kind of reaction. He just heard the words and then suddenly felt the pain again. Anders didn't fight it either, since the force had come at him with such of a surprise. He groaned some, feeling himself double over from the hit. Lost in his thoughts, he felt his back being slapped moments later.
He cautiously started to stand back up, looking towards Aragorn nervously. This was probably the first time he had ever felt Aragorn's anger and possible jealousy directed at him. All the more reason why Anders had wanted to run from him when he first showed up at his and Leliana's bedside. He knew then, he was sunk in too deep.
His eyes glanced towards Leliana waiting by the door. Anders smiled some, over his shoulder and gave a wave to show as much confidence he could. "It's alright. I'll be up there in a minute…"
Turning around after finding that the door had closed, the mage slouched again and crawled onto a barstool. "I didn't tell her."
"You didn't tell her?" Varric asked, in the repeated tone, though he seemed more surprised than the other.
"Is there an echo in here?" Anders groaned and rubbed his stomach before looking back to Varric in a pleading tone. "Try not to be too loud. I don't want her hearing."
"How does a woman not know she's got a brat along the way?" Lasher asked and raised an eyebrow slightly to the question.
"Normally, It would be … rather early to truly determine it but… when sensing the taint in her blood, and knowing that she's not a Grey Warden…" Anders shook his head and sighed. "I can't do this. I'm not prepared for it. I'm in no position to take it—"
Varric noticed the slight panicked croaking in Anders's voice. He reached up and smacked him across the face.
Anders shook his head some and rubbed his cheek after being slapped. He glanced towards Varric and sighed. "Thanks I… I needed that…"
"Always happy to lend a hand." Varric grinned at the light pun.
Anders rubbed his sore jaw, then his shoulder and stomach. Glancing around them, he shook his head. "Honestly. Is it 'Hit Just Me' day or something? I think everyone except Lasher has done it."
Aragorn shifted his head around the moment the words left the mages lips of not telling Leliana she was pregnant. "Dumbass." He muttered through the rim of his cup after tilting the mug back to take a long hard drink. He needed it after he heard all this. He was half way okay with Leliana with someone else that she moved on, he was getting over it… Slowly adjusting to the fact. But her becoming pregnant, with an apostate mans child! For Makers sake she was crazy.
"Just how many times have you two jumped the hay shack…? Never mind I don't want to know. It's just you should have known better than to be so careless… We tell you this when you join the Wardens, or did you forget that little notion? And purposely impregnate her with your seed?" He scoffed and shifted his gaze away. "Who knows the kid might be mine even." He joked, standing to his feet as he picked up the tossed slipper which Leliana had thrown and him and tossed it to Varric, figuring it was his since it came from his room.
"You should know buddy, the second you find you're going to be a daddy you get hit by your friends. Due to your little whipper snapper going to push you around, so we have to tougen you up for the no more freedom part and you thought the Circle was bad. Just wait till you have the youngest boss you'll ever have telling you what to do. Oh and if it's a girl, ha… Now that will be a sight to see. You melt in the palm of her itty bitty hand, caving to each thing she asks for and being overly protective. Or so I've heard from others."
"Andraste's knickerweasels. Don't drop this on me, Aragorn. I didn't purposely do it no more than an Antivan Fishman purposely gets flogged into a marriage." Anders groaned and lowered his head down onto the bar for the moment.
With each continued explanation of what his life was going to be like, the mage had shuddered. Even a small whimper had escaped him from the thought of it all; not just because of the thought of having a child – but because of the strong percentage of that child being a mage. In truth, so far—Aragorn was actually being polite in not mentioning the worse ends of it.
"Sounds like you've done all the dropping, my friend." Varric shook his head with a laugh. "So, Grey Wardens can have children then… From what I heard about them, I didn't think it was possible."
"What am I supposed to tell her…?" Anders pondered out loud; blinking his eyes open for the moment.
Fenris looked at him disbelief. "The truth."
"Yeah. Right. And say what?" Anders scoffed some. "That her child not only has an eighty percent chance of becoming a mage, but that due to me being the possible father, the child may have only possibly fifty years tops, and that she'll be hunted for the rest of her life because of who and what I represent?"
"It's not the complete version, but it's a start." Fenris retorted and folded his arms.
Anders groaned again, wishing that the elf would stop hounding about the obvious hints to wanting to calling him an abomination. He paused some and opened his eyes again, looking more towards Aragorn. "You said, you'd might be the father… Didn't you? Is that still possible?"
Aragorn just listened to Anders in his whines and groans and moans of every single thing they threw at him. It was true, he was giving him a hard time. But he was an easy target especially now, it was always the funniest to poke at him when venerable.
"You better tell her soon. Women are better than any healer or doctor. They know before even missing their cycle at times… But it seems as if Leliana hasn't notice, yet. So you still have a chance; maybe, unless you leave her in there any longer alone in thought." He finished with a point towards the door, and then he looked to Varric on his comment of believing Warden couldn't bare children. "About that, its like a one chance in a million. Its very difficult, which is why you hardly hear of Wardens settling down, starting a family. I always wished for one, but-" He began to state but was suddenly caught off guard by Anders question to him that he couldn't help but fight the laughter back.
"Now that's a funny one. The first time I saw her and kissed her she punched me, that was on Isabela's ship. Then in the Tavern when we were traveling here… I kind of went to your guys room, and err… Tried to have my way with her, but she woke up and found out it was me and not you, and I swear she broke my nose that time…" He whined pointing to his nose. "So no Anders. Sorry to break it to you but you're the baby daddy of this child."
Anders sighed some and looked away towards the shelves of ale behind the counter. Aragorn was right, as much as the mage had dreaded it. He knew better not to ask, but it was still a fleeting hope—pulled out of desperation. He wasn't going to push the issue any further when it was plain and clear that he was the father. "…I was afraid of that…"
"Women." Lasher scoffed before tearing a piece of flesh off the severed hand and started to chew. "You can't live with them; you can't lawfully decapitate their heads without a legitimate license…"
Fenris cringed and grimaced at watching him, but kept his distance away still. "It's a wonder you're still single."
"Bloodlust keeps me from ever needing a companion." Lasher announced, if anything to make the elf shudder in disgust more. He stood up and waved the remains of the severed hand in a flopping motion towards the others. "Well, it's been a blast, but I think I'll take my leave now. I've got an asshole to find and he's somewhere in this city."
Varric laughed some at seeing the strange redhead leave. Though he didn't get a name from him, ever, he still had one picked out for him. "You know, I take back what I said about 'Hawke.' That guy's nickname is Killer… Hm…well either Killer or Lunatic."
"Lunatic seems more like it." Fenris said with a roll of his eyes.
After a while listening to the two banter, Anders finally pushed himself up from off of the barstool. "I guess, I can't drag this out any longer… I'll have to tell Leliana."
"Good for you, Blondie. You're doing the right thing." Varric cheered him on, at least a little.
"Then why does it feel like the dumb thing…?" Anders grumbled to himself and started to walk back up to the stairs.
When he reached the door, he opened it to find Leliana still waiting patiently on him. The mage glanced down, feeling his resolve quickly wearing off after his previous decision. His legs were just twitching to turn around and run, but fleeing wouldn't have solved this. Anders thought about it, and realized quickly that even if he attempted to run, he would have been caught, and Aragorn would probably do worse things to him than any Templar would have. At least a Templar would have put him out of his misery from the pain.
"So, uh… You might want to stay sitting down for this, but I have the rest of your results." He began nervously.
"Anders?" Leliana questioned curiously as she heard the door creaking open, showing her thoughts were true that it was him. A smile began pulling at her lips as he entered and she stayed sitting at least for a second longer watching as he walked in to close the door is when she stood up and trailed over to the mage, giving them both a foots length between one another as she placed her palms on his chest and gave a forcible push, to where his body would eventually thud against the wall behind.
"I was wondering when you were going to come back." She admitted, her eyes shifted from her playful fingers at his chest to meet his eyes as she leaned in with a tilted head and on tippy toes to lay a kiss on his lips.
As she drew back she slid her hands down his chest and wrapped her hands around his waist to give a gentle tug as she led him until her rear had brushed against the tables edge, and with a little hop she jolted back to where she quickly sat on the edge of the wooden table, legs spread and she drew Anders in-between them, and with his hands still in her hold, she reached back with them releasing them on her buttocks.
Her legs slightly wrapped from the back of his to hold him in place as her hands went to his waist holding there as she leaned in and shifted up high enough to lay a kiss along his neck line, that quickly followed by a suckling bite. "So what have you concluded, love?" She questioned as she continued her kissing as her hands tugged at his under shirt and buckles until they had found their way underneath, and rose up to his nipples, giving a playful flick of the end of her digits followed by a soothing rub.
"I had to run this test a couple times because it was something I couldn't believe at first—" He started to say but then his train of thought was deterred the moment he was pushed back against the wall.
Anders's eyes had widened some from her initiative motives; though it really shouldn't have been much of a surprise to him. Leliana was usually the one to instigate her enticing desires onto him, and if not that – she remained to tease the mage to the point that he normally ended up giving in to her anyway. However, this wasn't the time for them to have been fooling around; not here, in Varric's room.
He remembered pretty clearly that the bed could only hold one person, and he didn't know how what the weight limit capacity was for anything else in his place. It slightly even caused the mage to blush in his own thoughts, for having the 'weight' issue actually cross his mind before the fact that he and the dwarf were actually too good of friends to have done such things in each other's abodes.
Oh, but her methods were so distracting from the actual point. He had not even remembered from when he ended up being lead into her welcoming hold. An impish smile of guilt remained across his face and his eyes had fluttered some towards a close for the moment of feeling her lips near his neckline.
"Y-You're making this rather hard—" He started to say and shook his head in embarrassment. "I-I mean difficult…"
He squirmed some, squeezing his hands around her buttocks and drawing himself closer if possible. Leliana's touch had caused him to whimper softly before lowering his head towards her cheek. He trailed his lips towards hers in a more endearing kiss; nearly losing his purpose until the kiss had ended. Lifting his head back, he shook it slightly and looked back down towards her.
"I need your full attention for a minute, love. Because I'm not sure how I can say this…" His eyes darted away some in his nervousness, trying to figure out the best method.
To simply announce that she was pregnant wouldn't have been enough. Leliana would surely be left in a moment of loss, but at the same time Anders wouldn't have known how she would have felt about even having a child that could possibly be a mage/seed of a Grey Warden—terrorist. She would have needed to know of his support in whichever path that she chose; not so much as his opinion to the matter.
"Leliana, …in many ways, you've taken my heart of stone and you've made me feel human again. I don't think there are enough words to express my devotion to you." He began and soon turned his warm brown eyes to her deep hues. "You know that I would support you in anything you choose… but if there would still be some place in your heart for myself—and our child—in time, I would like for us to become a family."
Nothing but a slight giggle of happiness emitted from her lips when Anders had stumbled around his words, eventually changing them around that it had brought her to raise a sultry brow. "I have just started and you're getting all hot and ready, already? …. Tsk, tsk, a bad little mage you are." She finished just in time too as her lips were sealed by his own, causing a muffled passing sighs of satisfaction pushed through, anytime their lips had a chance to catch breath.
Leliana pouted the time he pulled away from her that her hands from under his shirt began to reach out to him and wrap around his chest sides and at least hold him there. "You can tell me anything, you know that." She admitted as she ducked to the side so when his eyes averted to the side she could regain his attention.
Hearing his words fill her ears brought a bright gleam of a blush that seemed to splatter over her face and downward to her chest. She knew Anders had cared for her, no, loved her. But hearing him say it was something she had always lived to hear leave his lips. And when she had it, she never expected to be reacting the way she had, heart racing, and possibly even wide eyed.
Just as she was about to glance down from his gaze, he began once more. And what she heard had made her heart feel like it was trying to plummet out her chest while skipping a beat. She just sat there in silence for a moment taking in what he said, a child, him and her, a family. One thing she had believed was never a possibility for her on so many levels, and he asked her of this. After growing enough courage she began to tilt her head to the side and take a quick look to the mage from the corner of her eye not saying anything, at least not at first.
Taking a sigh, Leliana shifted herself to where she stood straight once more and her face was facing him before beginning this response. "So…" She started to whisper. "You would really want a family?" She questioned but then shook her head as her hands left from around him and crossed around her stomach.
"You know you left me in here for a while to think… And after asking your questions when I was 'in-bloom' last brought me to think on the matter further. It didn't take me long either and I kind of figured you found out …" With a halt in her words she reached up cupping his cheeks on each side with her palms, as her fingers brushed through his golden locks. "Don't get mad at me, b-but I was afraid you weren't going to come back. But I'm so happy you did." She admitted with a warm smile. "I would love for us to be a family; you, I and our child. It's all I ever wished for… But I don't want you to feel bound down to me just because I became pregnant."
Anders smiled some, feeling himself relief over the matter sweep over him upon hearing her words. Though he wasn't certain if this decision between them would have made things better or worse; he was just happy to find that she had seemed happy. Perhaps that was the entire solution: to try and take life one day at a time—or at least in some things. He reached up with one hand to cover over hers and slightly tilted his head to kiss her wrist before carrying his smile back to her.
"I'm bound to you because I want to be." He reassured and returned his hands back around her waist.
"You're the only thing, out of all of this I would want to keep for myself…but I'm not a fool. Having a mage's child can lead to many forms of disaster and one from a Grey Warden can even be less predictable. I'd never want to see you, nor my own blood, to suffer from something like that. To know that you'd wish to stay at my side even through all this is more joy than I could have ever hoped for, my love."
He picked her up, carrying her thighs under each arm and moved towards a safer distance in order to spin himself and her around a few times. He tilted his head slightly up towards her lips and once he had finished spinning her, he kissed Leliana once more in his overwhelming moment of happiness. Pulling back, he kissed her nose lightly and smiled as he pressed his forehead back to hers.
"When our war is over, you and I are going run far from this place and everyone else." He promised with a wide smile. "The world will change, and there will be no more fear of us ever to be torn apart again."
Hearing his reassuring words had only brought Leliana more relief and happiness. That she could no longer hold back the bright smile that had begun to form on her lips. That she had reached out swinging her arms around his neck in a tight hug, she sighed closing her eyes as she listened to his next words of worries. That it had brought her to sit back and look to him. "I'm not worried, our child will grow to be a strong and probably adventurous soul, you being a mage doesn't frighten me. I love you. And I know things will turn out alright."
Leliana attempted to hold back the tears of joy and excitement, that when Anders had grasped her swinging around she felt a few which had fermented in the corner of her sockets glisten out into the air. Her arms firmed around him, holding her in place as he held her as their lips met in a tender meeting. When she had opened her eyes she giggled some from the kiss laid on her nose, that when he pulled away she playfully bit after him, biting the air.
"You know I cannot wait until that time." She admitted cheerfully. "Just think us, somewhere and it actually being a peaceful time; where we can have the rest of our time spent with one another. That's something to look forward to." She added with a pucker of her lips, to give off a small smooch to his. "I'm just happy you aren't upset with me, seeing as how I'm always pestering you." She teased lightly as she dropped a hand and begun to tap at the left side of his chest.
He placed her down gently, and reached back to tugging his hood back down from over his head; making certain that it wouldn't fall away if he was to move forward too fast this time. His eyes had glanced towards the door as he started to instruct the details. "We should get moving. For now, staying out of sight and away from everyone else is our only option. I have a place for us, but if I am to take you with me, you must swear to remain there at my side and never reveal the location to anyone else. It is important that my base remains a secret, even from Aragorn."
Anders's statement had been foreshadowing enough, but it was needed to have been said. She was to be in his world from then onward, and it was a world that separated cruelly from friend and enemy alike. There were those that he'd call friends to this day, and still would end up having to turn his back on them. Though for now, the only main issue that needed to be dealt with was to take Leliana with him—and away from everyone else. He could only hope that such separation would have made things easier later onward.
Upon heading downstairs, the others had looked towards them expectedly. The mage had walked down the steps with his left hand gliding back towards Leliana's in order t guide her along with him. Though his head was low to keep his identity hidden, he had a proud smile still dancing across his lips. When they stood within hearing range from the others, Varric had been the one to look up towards them from his lowered standing point. His eyebrows lifted up expected to hear "good news" hopefully after such ample time has passed by.
"Well, …she's uh… having my child!" Anders cheered with the thought still in mind.
"We know." Fenris blurted out quickly before Varric could utter the first word of any congratulations to them.
Of course Varric had laughed some afterwards and looked towards Leliana. "Don't mind Broody. He's always a sour lemon in almost any sort of news."
"I am not…" Fenris glanced away from them for the moment.
"And quick to argue, as always." Varric continued after glancing back towards them.
"You've been a good friend, Varric; always have." Anders said smiling to him with gratitude and then looked towards Aragorn. "And you as well, Commander. Which is why whatever comes after this will probably be of the most difficult things we must do. To ensure Leliana's safety and my own, I fear must part ways and separate all ties. I shall ask nothing more from any of you."
Leliana raised a suspicious brow when she was asked not to even let Aragorn know of this place Anders had found for refuge. But she wasn't one to argue, at least not now and she nodded her head giving him a reassuring answer promptly. "Alright. You can count on me to keep these lips of mine sealed." She responded with a twist of her fingers near her lips as she mimicked to toss invisible keys away, and with his leave she slid off her seat, standing to her feet as she quickly followed behind Anders, hand in hand.
Out in the tavern Aragorn was getting impatience with all this waiting that his hues had constantly went to the door every passing minute. Just making it seem longer than it was. Thankfully though he heard an opening of a door, bringing his hues to shoot up, and from behind it he saw Anders cloaked frame and Leliana following behind. He smile briefly, before glancing around the tavern to see if there were any possible City Guards or even Templars for that matter that would take notice to the rouge. To his relief, there weren't any, and he had turned his gaze back to the halted duo before them.
"Good to see you two out, finally." He stated with a smile pulling at his lips, as he looked to Leliana. "Congratulations on getting knocked up." He teased which had immediately turned Leliana's smile into a disbelief frown as she shook her head at his words. "So are you going to name the kid after me if it's a boy!?"
Leliana chuckled some as the words had left him. As she tucked a free arm around her belly and grasped her hip with her fingers. "We haven't even gotten that far into talking about names." She admitted. "But we'll keep that one in thought." She finished with a roll of her eyes as she put her gaze upon Anders and his final words of departure. But she couldn't help but look to the Warden; her eyes examining him to see his reaction.
"So… You're just leaving like that?" He asked towards the mage and mostly towards the rouge.
Leliana nodded as she began to part her lips. "I want to thank all of you for helping me. Without you I would still be under lock and key." She stated with gratefulness filling within her.
"You know we couldn't just leave you there… Your man there wouldn't let us." He responded trying to make it out to be all the mages idea for retrieving her.
"Don't be silly, I know you to well, you save everyone cause you want too." She added, and stepped to the side with Anders hand still wrapped with hers that she gave a light tug. "We better be off I don't want to be seen by any lurking eyes."
Before they could leave Aragorn raised an arm to catch their attention before they had a chance to run out. "You take care of her, you hear? Don't be getting to drunk and leaving her at a tavern to get swooped away."