Leliana was thankful Anders had at least allowed her to come along. She wasn't sure if she would have been able to convince him. But whatever she did, she had obviously had done it right for him to bring her along for the ride no matter how dangerous the terrain may have been on their journey.
Leliana was surprised at how 'easy' the ride was to Tevinter since she was actually getting use to the stop and go the attack and go and unexpected quests and go they had when they did travel to or from these lands. She actually kind of missed it that it kind of wanted her to play pranks, if small ones on the guards. But she knew how childish that would be, and not to mention dangerous and she really didn't want to upset Anders and worry him more-so than what he possibly was with what was all going on.
When the carriage had managed to stop, finally. Leliana's first thoughts were that they were just at another place to camp at, since it was dark, even if it had become dark rather quick. That she slowly had made her way out of the carriage in a slow and cautious manner. Her orbs had been shifted to the ground until a crackling noise from just ahead had brought her to glance up and see the several mages holding their ground. She began to slowly look further up and in doing so she saw the glooming cloud over head which had made her beliefs to it being night an incorrect thought and that it was something much larger than that. Leliana was bewildered by such a sight that she hadn't even followed Anders at first but instead stared into the abyss.
"Is Anna in there?" She asked in a hesitant but questionable tone as her cranium dropped to see Anders further ahead talking to one of the mages. "H-Hey now… Wait for me." She pleaded as she stepped forward in a quick haste to reach Anders side. The only words she managed to hear while barging into the conversation was the words of the demon. Just thinking of demons brought Leliana's skin to crawl, how she hated them and their games. To even think she was almost played by one when she was in the Wardens company sickened her. "Well don't worry the hero's are here to save the day." She attempted to somewhat joke in hope to put some of their worries aside.
Anders looked back over his shoulder towards Leliana once she had reached his side afterwards. He almost would have been quick to argue against the thought but he didn't have time to struggle against her stubbornness. This had been an emergency, despite how aloof they both had seemed to be. Anders was just going to have to keep a closer eye on Leliana then.
Walking into the mansion, on the first floor-no less—the mage had seen the place littered with other dead mages. The carpet was stained a deep wine color of red that seemed old and crusted in so thick that the edges it reached to the corners was practically black. The walls were stained with something that looked like black sludge and it stained wherever it was previously touched. The air wasn't as foul as one would have expected with seeing so much death, but it was certainly filled with more dust than possibly imagined. It was difficult to imagine that this place was the same building Anders and Leliana had stayed in during their happier times here.
"It's warmer here." Anders started to say after stepping over a couple of bodies and then turned towards Leliana to help her carefully across. "The concentration of magic is extremely high nearby… If things start to look too dangerous, I want you out of here. Understand? No discussion to it. When I say leave, you do so."
Hearing two swords clashing together, Anders looked in the direction of the kitchen and began the lead once Leliana was safely across. He motioned for her to follow him and carefully continued to step across. When they reached the kitchen, there he had seen Fenris fighting off three demons, two Black Divine Templars and two other Councilor mages. However, it was clear that each of them were risen zombie forms of their former selves and to Fenris none of that mattered.
Normally, Anders probably would have shouted at him but under the certain circumstances, there wasn't much of an argument he could currently give to patronize the elf. Instead, he raised his hands to ignite with flame and began to fire at the corpses that attempted to flank Fenris's battle.
"Damnable beasts! Damn all of you!" Fenris hollered at them as he continued to slice down one of the rage demons that was attacking him. He glanced over his shoulder towards the opened doorway once he had seen fire coming from the direction and then proceeded back to his battle. "Whose out there?"
The moment they stepped foot into the mansion Leliana's eyes had scanned about the area. Expecting some kind of fiend to pop up out of no where. She felt so rusty that she wasn't sure she was still able to shoot with a bow and arrow. Though she could try, as they said once your learn it never leaves you. Her pace was slowly trailing behind Anders until a small crackling noise came under foot, bringing the rouge to glace down to the mess below finally and see herself practically standing atop a corpse. "This part… I don't miss." She admitted as she glanced towards Anders outstretched hand which she had gladly took with her free one as she tip toed across the bodies surrounding them.
"What do you mean it's warmer here? Don't tell me you're going crazy now. It feels cold to me…" She responded with an arch of her brow as her hand slowly dropped back to her side once she was in safe standing. "Oh concentration." She mimicked once Anders had explained to her. "I knew that." She continued in a white lie as her hues had shifted back to the death and dismay surrounding them.
She had hardly caught on to Anders request of her to leave if things were to get out of hand. Which she would honor of course, that she as much as nodded her head in response while starting to part her lips. "Don't worry I'll be out of there quicker than you can say demons." She teased with a small jab to the mages sides.
Though the rouge's actions paused halfway through as the rusting sound of a battle filled her ears and not only caused Anders himself to go towards the noise but herself as well. Maybe there was still life in this home. Or so she hoped. That when they happened to reach the commotion Leliana was hesitant to peer over Anders, so instead she looked over his shoulder to see exactly what was going on . Since it could have been a number of things making that noise, many which she didn't want to encounter. When her eyes had narrowed onto the suspect she was relived to see such a familiar face that she came out of her hiding place behind Anders and watched for a moment while Fenris cut his way through the resurrected soldiers.
"Think we should help him? Or do you think hes a zombie too?" She asked in a serious tone but meant it fully in a joke as she heard his shout towards them of asking who was in the shadows. "It's not fair to leave him on his own after all. He is our friend… Kinda." She said in hopes to cause Anders to approach him instead of leaving him to his own battles. But instead of waiting for a reply as she had sometimes done with Anders, she stepped through the doorway and in doing so from the right of her came charging a fallen mage, thankfully Leliana somehow managed to avoid its swinging attack towards her that she was given a chance to reach back quickly and take her bow and instead of releasing an arrow from it due to her closeness to the monster she instead plummeted the undead over the head with her bow instead and somehow at least caused the thing to fall down. "Ha! I still got it." She swooned with a wide grin plastering over her features as she turned to greet Fenris while pulling out a single arrow in the moment to put an end to the undead below her. "Hi there Fenris. Long time no see. Miss us?"
The small smile Fenris had given was barely even noticeable but it was there in a quick flash before disappearing again. He returned back to lifting his large blade and slicing off the head of one particular stubborn rage demon. Then he turned to the closest enemy next to him and continued his fight.
"Better to see you than another damnable mage I suppose." He spoke in a gruff tone while fighting.
Anders stepped closer into the room since Leliana was already all the way inside and near Fenris at the moment. This had only pulled the mage in the direction of having to actually give more aid to the elf than he previously had attempted to do. His hands coated with flame as he continued to burn which zombies that were attempting to come too close.
"Hey, I'm a damnable mage, so you had better watch your tone." Anders called out as if to have taken an offense, but it was a playful tone still.
"Well that's just my luck." Fenris grumbled in the middle of his struggle against the swarm of zombies beginning to overwhelm him.
Though when the crowd had started to become too thick, Anders's flames began to engulf the flesh-controlled bodies and the dead group had soon fell to the floor in charcoal clumps. The elf looked at the clearing and then to the death below them before looking back up at Anders. He gave a slight shake of his head and started to raise his bloody blade up along his shoulder.
"You're not getting a thank—" Fenris started to say but his eyes suddenly widened and he charged towards the mage.
"Son of a—!" Anders began to exclaim, and instead of reaching down to recharge his magic against Fenris, the mage merely began to crouch. He heard something clash against the wall and then a loud screeching sound that shook the house.
Anders opened his eyes to see a large black tentacle that was pierced against the wall closest to him. It was stabbed by Fenris's blade. Anders began to turn and abruptly started to step away as Fenris pulled back his sword, only to turn it and cut off the freely wiggling appendage. Another screeching sound filled the room, followed by the walls of the mansion shaking. Still wide-eyed and slowly moving back to relax his shoulders, Anders started to stand up straight once more.
"Even then?" Anders asked, but Fenris didn't really confirm it. So, Anders doused the flames around the palms of his hands and began to wipe them on the front of his robes; feeling the need to do so. He had to change the subject constantly when talking to Fenris. "So… Having trouble with the Mage Council here?"
"The stupid bastards think they can reason with whatever's upstairs." Fenris spat to one side and sheathed his weapon for the time being. "The result of that is what you see here; so before you start your preaching to me about killing a mage you had best save it."
"I wasn't- Nevermind. Let's just go." Anders rolled his eyes as he walked towards Leliana to help her back across if she needed it. Though at the same time he wanted to show that he would rather allow Fenris to take the lead, since he was the obvious 'tank' of the small group.
Leliana had nodded some to Fenris reassuring reply of being at least possibly somewhat relived that it was them instead some demonic mage. "Well you know us, always lightness and bringers of good news." She joked considering there circumstances. "You know you really shouldn't be out here alone, fighting it's a good way to get killed." She teased as she had pulled back a second arrow and releasing the aimed arrow at her next victim's skull. That she had just caught the joke which Anders threw back towards Fenris which had brought a smile to creep to her lips. "But a cute damnable mage at that." She added with a stick of her tongue out.
Leliana was careful not to venture to far off from Anders or Fenris, making a solid ground at least in the middle of them in the battlefield with the surrounding zombies seeing as how her fighting had slowed with the progress of her pregnancy and all. Thankfully though she was able to hold her own ground with the help of the other two. It seemed to their luck as if they were winning? Maybe that, thus bringing Leliana had casually dropped her guard and bow which was almost brought as far as clasping back to her casing on her back. But she only got as far as to her shoulder before whipping it back out in front of her as the shaking and screeching of something ominous filled her ears.
At first Leliana eyes sealed shut as tightly as they could while her hand reached up in hopes to cover her ears. When she had done so though her eyes had opened to see the monster before them. That had brought a sudden stagger of her feet to step back as she had reached back without hesitation to an arrow which she sighted to the fiends tentacle to avoid it hitting either of the men and then another to the skull. When the shaking of the building emitted around them followed by the last screech Leliana had quickly put her weapon back in place before dashing over to Anders side.
"Are you alright?" She asked curiously as she shifted her cranium to the side. Clearly he would be, he was the one now more equip for fighting, but her it was a different story. It seemed even such a small battle like this one brought enough wear down on her that the fatigue could almost be seen in her face. Which she would deny of course. She wasn't worried about herself but more so of Anna, and her safety if was even still alive.
"I can't believe there trying to reason with such a… Thing." She admitted in a scoffed tone of voice as her eyes rolled in the process. Leliana though arched a confused brow to Fenris as she crossed her arms to his last statement. "I doubt that's what he was going to say. I think it's best if we all just get along and get to the bottom of this while watching each others back." She finalized with a nod of her head as she slowly followed in suit behind Anders and Fenris, taking Anders offering hand whenever it was given.
"Hm… You think it's wise for Leliana to be out here in this?" Fenris spoke from after his shoulder after he had glanced back towards Leliana briefly; taking notice of how far along in her pregnancy she was getting.
"Don't you worry about her. I've got everything under control." Anders quickly spoke up in a countered statement, despite how it was obvious that he was smothering Leliana with the well-given care she deserved when it came to being in such conditions.
Fenris scoffed some and reached back for his weapon the higher that they went. "Uh-huh. Sure you do…"
Fighting the tentacles that slithered their way, left and right, Fenris was swatting at them and slicing down which ones that dared to have been challenging him. Though when any had dared to have came too close, Anders would have raised his hands and burned them to a crisp. For a short while, the mansion filled the hallways with screeching and the walls shook. This had only proven that the tentacles were connected to something bigger somewhere farther down the hall. When the screeching had finally stopped and the slithering things retreated to the darker corners of the structure, Fenris began to search which rooms that were closest to him.
"The damn thing's everywhere… Like it's filled up the whole place." Fenris mumbled to himself in the frustration of possibly having to check every last room when time was of the essence.
"There's a high source of concentrated magic in the West Wing." Anders announced and pointed towards the middle door of the hallway adjacent from where they were at the time.
Fenris didn't give any thanks, but instead took the words wisely to heart in his directed charge. When he reached the door, he raised up his knee and kicked it down. Though after the doorway was cleared, what he had seen before him caused him to step back and grimace in horror. Fenris couldn't believe his eyes to the sight and for a brief moment, he was stunned to even move.
"Vanhedis…!" The elf swore while feeling his breath momentarily leave him.
"What? What is it?" Anders started to ask as he took Leliana's hand in his and guided her behind him.
However when he saw what was happening in the room, his reactions mimicked closely to Fenris's at the moment. He reached up quickly with his opposite hand to cover over Leliana's eyes and attempted to turn her body against him so that she couldn't see.
"Don't look, Leliana!" Anders pleaded and tried to keep his cover over her eyes secured and blinded.
From inside the room, amongst the shambled furniture and torn fabric, shattered glass, and broken wood, was a true nightmare to any mother. The stranger in the room wore a sewn skinned mask of both fleshed parts of the late Alexander and Daemon Hamilton. He was nude, but his body was deformed in a black swimming mass of tentacles; each one interloping and exchanging motions over the one above it.
Though that wasn't the worst of the scene, for Anna remained as this abomination's captive. She was being held high into the air by a swarm of tentacles and her once-beautifully-blue robe had been torn from her body. Each limb that was near her was moving and seeking an orifice to fill into her. Anna couldn't fight them off, for it was clear she had been struggling previously long-since the point of exhaustion. She couldn't move, and barely even scream anymore as it seemed for any she may have made previously (at some point in time) was muffled away.
"Look, Mommy. More toys to play with." The abomination chided and raised up a few of his previously damaged tentacles and charged them towards the trio in the hallway.
"I'll kill you!" Fenris scowled and charged into the room with his blade brandished and prepared to take on the abomination on his own.
Leliana had given a small smile towards Fenris and his concern as she waved a pop of her wrist at him. "Oh don't worry about me." She had almost said in unison with Anders before continuing. "There's far worse things than to worry about me. I have a good few months left before the baby is due, plus its good exercise. I need to work off all that extra weight Anders is trying to pile on me with twelve pancakes or whatever it was in the morning."
As they wandered the halls, Leliana's fighting skills were mostly of no use as both Fenris and Anders seemed to have everything under control whenever a Tentacle decided to slither its way over. As it seemed Fenris watched the front of them and Anders watched mostly everywhere else Leliana decided to watch behind them, or try to and dispose of anything that got to close. "Well at least there's never a dull moment around here." She commented back towards Fenris. It was true all this room checking was getting exhausting and wasting time. That when Anders gave some good news of there being some kind of magical concentration ahead alone had brought Leliana to quickly follow behind in Fenris's lead.
When they had entered in the room Leliana's eyes blinked multiple times. As she was hoping what she saw wasn't what she thought it was. But before she could finish her sight searching it was taken from her, thus bringing her to frail her arms until her hands wrapped around the familiar forearm that blinded her. "A-Anders!" She pleaded with a small tug to the mages arm. In her times of travel with Aragorn she had seen such odder things, so this couldn't possibly be worse, now could it? What exactly was he trying to keep her from seeing? Just the thought brought her to try and pry his shielding limb from her so not only could she see what it was but be able to defender herself and Anders as well could defend himself. She doubted Fenris could take on all before him. He was strong but still everyone had their limits.
Eventually Leliana managed to at least take a peek at the horrific sight before her and the more she looked into the details of the demon she saw the once tail signs of Alexander. "How is that possible?" She questioned more out of confusion and to herself as her hues had shifted further up and above and there she saw Anna herself, immediately this brought her heart to sink into despair and helplessness. As she felt the tears swelling to the corners of her sockets. When the abomination spoke its words, Leliana's hurt expression had shifted and turned to anger as her hues shot to which the voice came.
"Come on Anders." She whispered towards him as her cranium had shifted up to glance up to him while she gently slipped through his hold and from there brought her weapon in hand. "We should put an end to this. Plus I don't want to see Fenris getting hurt and losing yet another person we know." There was far to much death and sadness of late in Leliana and Anders life, she wanted so much to turn that around. She was hoping Anna was still, well herself but that was no longer true sadly. So at least she could have someone else in her life someone she could confide in when her child was born. But it seemed as if all who they knew now disappearing from their life. She was damned if she was going to lose another friend as well. Even if that was Fenris who had a hatred towards her lover.
"Wait for us Fenris!" She shouted in hopes the elf would hear and not make any hasty decisions without thinking them out properly first as she had readied her weapon to watch Fenris's back as her arrows had shot down any tentacle nearing the elf as he charged fourth into the center of the battle. "Damn Elf is gonna get himself killed!"
Anders fumbled some in his stretch towards Leliana. The more that she slipped from his grasp at the time, the more worried he was getting. He started to call out to her and jogged inside. "Leliana, wait-!"
The angered shouts Fenris had were fueled from the rage that was building inside of him. The battle against the tentacles that came their way were easy to take down, but most of them healed quickly and usually had charged after them still. This was pushing Anders's magic to have been used more along with as much arrows as Leliana's quiver could spare to set free.
The creature was hollering from the flames and from each time it was being struck. Seeing as how the abomination wasn't given the slightest break in this battle, it was finally killed when Fenris sliced off its head and what few loose arrows that reached its heart. The tentacles that were holding Anna up into the air were starting to fall and Fenris threw his sword down just so that he could run fast enough to catch Anna before she had hit the ground. The elf slid along the floor, and kicked away the tentacles around them as the blonde female mage landed promptly into his arms.
"Anna!" He called to her and carefully started to remove the tentacles away from over and inside of her. Fenris threw them as far as he could from themselves and tilted the woman against his forearm. "Anna? Anna, please—"
Anders stared back at the creature, making certain that it was dead before walking towards Fenris. "Let me take a look at her. I can—"
"Get your filthy magic-filled hands away from us." Fenris snapped and quickly stumbled to his feet as he cradled Anna protectively close. "Look around here! Look at what her faith in magic brought to her. She shouldn't have put trust into it then and I refuse to let her have trust into it now."
Anders's head practically twitched to one side after receiving such of a scowl from the elf; though at the same time he could sense the ferocity still seeping from Fenris. He was wild and practically foaming at the mouth from what he had seen, that the only 'good mage' the elf would have probably accepted was Anna at that point.
"You do realize she is a mage also…" Anders began to question him slowly and lifted his hands up in a manner of giving up. "Fenris. I'm on your side in this. You know all I wish to do is heal her."
Fenris just glared at him for the moment. At first, he didn't move, then he suddenly turned to grab a blanket from the bed and wrapped Anna up in it. He then sought for his sword to return to its proper place; all the while trying to attempt at keeping Anna's shocked form to remain in a crooked balance. Anna only remained slouched over in whatever position Fenris had left to bounce when he moved. Her eyes were opened but they were showing signs of so much shock that Anna's whole body had loked to have been sleeping rather than the high tension her muscles and mind had been recently been pulled through. It was a shivering warning that the slightest wrong touch from anyone (or anyone else's touch) would have possibly caused the bloodmage to raise a fit of screaming.
When the battle was finally won Leliana wasn't as hesitant into looking to see if the demon laying at their feet was actually at deaths door as Anders had done. Her main concern was Anna, as her few steps had taken her to Fenris's side once his discarded sword clanged to the ground after he went to catch Anna in his hold. When she saw the elf had then her safely within his arms a sigh of relief passed her lips as she stepped back waited for any kind of response to come from the once cheerful Anna she knew and grew to love.
"Is she okay?" She asked almost hesitantly, knowing fully that emotionally she wouldn't be. But she at least hoped physically she would be on the better half. After Fenris took the time to take Anna in his embrace and do all he could for comfort. Leliana couldn't help but flinch to his last response to Anders as she neared the mage and wrapped an arm around his own before looking up to him. "Well that was kind of harsh." She responded but she could understand. He had grown to care for Anna unlike anyone else and his hatred towards mages hadn't helped the least. All she could do was shake her head and watch Fenris and keep an extra eye on Anna.
"I'm sorry I ran off like that." She sulked momentarily as she spoke towards Anders, she knew the dangers were at the highest they had been all day. But at least it was over and hopefully now they could relax before something else came up! "You know me wanting to be the Heroine and all. I can't let you boys have all the fun after all." She finished with a poke towards the mage as her attention quickly went back to Anna and her well-being that Leliana couldn't help but lean back to Anders as she questioned once more. "Do you think she'll eventually be okay?" Her pace was eventually picked back up as she trailed at least a few feet within Anna and from there slouched down in attempt to look within her eyes. It was like that saying, you could tell a lot by someone's eyes and by Anna's she could see so much swelling inside her that all the she would bring to the table was to sit across from the mage as her hand had draped across her protruding stomach. "There has to be something we can do for her."
Feeling a tad frustrated from being demanded to have done nothing, Anders was left to clench his teeth and soon lower his arms. "…I can't really do anything unless he allows me to…"
He paused and looked back towards Leliana after hearing her question in regards to Anna's health. "I don't know... And I won't be able to unless I get to examine her."
"You're not touching her." Fenris warned once more; causing Anders to shrug a little and flinch away in a display of defeat.
Anna was finally making small movements, but all that she could accomplish at the time was shivering. Her eyes twitched and diluted near Leliana's way. She was looking at her, but at the same time she didn't seem to have really been focusing on the woman as if she had known her as she had in the past. The only thing she had reflecting in her orbs was an emptiness and fear.
Anders shook his head, practically at the point of giving up. There was nothing he could do for Anna and most of it was because Fenris wouldn't allow it. He started to motion for Leliana to follow him on their leave. However her words had caused Anders to pause. Could there truly had been absolutely nothing Anders would have been capable to do? Surely there could have been more somewhere; with or without Fenris's approval to it. He then turned and looked back at Fenris and Anna.
"You're clearly not happy here, Fenris." Anders said and pulled Leliana's shoulders into a more comfortable embrace. "You're in a city of free-willed Magisters-:
"Don't remind me." Fenris grumbled and adjusted Atara into a more comfortable hold to carry her.
"Leliana and I would be thrilled to have you and Anna stay with us in Kirkwall." Anders offered in a rushed attempt to keep from Fenris's ranting to even begin.
Of course, despite Anders's goal to have been accomplish, Fenris had already began to recoil and growl at him like a wolf demanding claim on his territory. Hw started to walk towards them, sense it was on the way out. "You'd preferred us to leave the belly of Magic only to stay in the very mouth of it? Bloodmages, Magisters—When are you going to get it through your head they are all mostly the same? I'm not helping you to fight for your cause because of things like this predictably would happen more often."
"Damn elf is so stubborn…" She commented back towards Anders reply of not being able to do nothing without the okay by Fenris. "Why do you have to be so damn stubborn. It's not like Anders is going to hurt her even further. He is just trying to help after all." Usually Leliana hadn't lashed out so harshly towards Fenris, she actually couldn't recall a time when she had been so annoyed with him and showed it towards him. Maybe it was her emotions. That had to be it after all. Since it was said when a woman was pregnant she had mood swings more often than not, so hopefully for all their sakes Fenris wouldn't lash back so it wouldn't turn into a full on war.
In her small fit Leliana crossed her arms over her chest followed by her legs as her body shifted more so to keep her back towards the two males, but mostly Fenris. But the second her eyes had fallen upon Anna her anger had slowly subsided which brought her arms to slowly drape down her sides as she cocked her head to one side. She wanted to call out to her, but seeing as how Fenris's attempt was a failed one she doubted it would be any different for her and that the mage would be off in her own world still. After all the two weren't as close as she and Fenris were, or even Anders and her. So she guessed the men would have a better way to break through to her than herself.
When Anders offer had been made Leliana took the chance to at least smile about the thought. After all it would be better than here, plus they could all keep a close watch on Anna and her recovery. "Come on Fenny." She pleaded once the Elf had fought against the thought. "It will be for the good of things, you don't have to help Anders, he won't even bother you for your help. Or I'll stomp on his toes for you." She teased as she looked up to the mage once she felt his grasp being wrapped to her shoulders. "Plus it might be easier on you if you had a little help with Anna getting back to herself. After all I just sit around all day, and it would be nice to see some familiar faces besides Anders here. Oh plus I can give you all the juicy details on Anders. Come on Fenris what ya say?"
"Not my toes!" Anders attempted to playfully jilt at the moment; thinking if it would help any in getting Fenris to make a decision, he would have done so.
Fenris looked down at the floor and then back towards Anna in his arms. He knew that he couldn't really stay in Tevinter lands though. Remaining here would have meant remaining on his toes. Anna would be killed easily in the state she was in and he would end up being turned into another slave to someone else. Fenris couldn't care for Anna on his own, and the realization was seeping into him the longer he held her in his arms. It was frustrating.
The elf's arms tightened a little and he shifted his arm slightly so that her arm would rest more against his shoulder when he started to carry her past them. "…I'm making no promises."
Anders watched him with curious eyes as he moved on by and turned towards Fenris's backside. "Does that mean you'll come back with us then?"
"For now." He answered and paused only briefly before walking on ahead.
For a few moments, Anders remained quiet. He was waiting until he believed Fenris to have been out of ear-shot. Then his smile broadened and he pumped his left fist happily to the air in a mild cheer.
"Yes! Thanks, love." The mage started to praise Leliana as he turned to her and kissed her cheek. "You're amazing. Now, I'll just have to work my way into getting a chance to look at her when we reach the carriage."
He then proceeded to guide Leliana out of the mansion in his moment of following after Fenris once more. When they walked outside, they could see that the clouds had finally cleared and the sun was shining. In front of them all the other mages and Magisters of the Council were looking at them cautiously as the trio started to exit. They started to lower their hands and cautiously were canceling out their magical barriers so that crossing through would have been less exerting for them.
"Is—Is it over?" One of the men asked them as they started to approach.
Anders nodded some and returned a proud smile to them. "The demon has been exercised."
The sighs of relief and cheers from the mages were the small gestures of their received reward for a job well-done, but to Anders it was enough. However, to Fenris it was far from anything to feel relieved over. For all he saw among these free Magisters and Mages of the Black Council were Bloodmages and those willing to allow this form of disaster to occur in the first place. He couldn't even stand to be among them.
"Who was that attempted to wait and deliver negotiations to the abomination?" Fenris asked, looming his eyes over the men in disgust.
One of the head members of the council raised his hand slightly and started to step forward towards the group with a smile. "Oh. Um… That would be me. Yes, Sir."
"Really? You?" Anders asked in a slight surprise, as if being caught off guard of it truly being a Magister from the Black Divine's Council, rather than just an apprentice or something along those lines.
"Mm-hm." The man mentioned with a quick nod.
Though the smug grin he had was soon wiped from his face when Anders suddenly reached back from his elbow and punched him hard and square on the nose. The blood rushed forward and the sound of a broken nose was heard amongst the gasps of shock and cautiousness. However, Anders merely pulled back his hand and gave it a light shake, since he felt his knuckles still vibrating from the hit.
"Andraste's knickerweasels, that's smarts!" The Icon swore, but carried his smile nearly oblivious onward. Giving the Magistrate any explainations would have been pointless anyway.
For the first time in the complete history of Fenris and Anders every traveling together, the elf had actually given a small smirk in approval to something Anders had done. As they passed on by, Fenris leaned towards the male and curled his arms ever-more protectively around Anna. He glared at the man bent forward and coddling his broken and bleeding nose.
"Be thankful my hands are full at the moment; I would have killed you on the spot." Fenris growled like a wolf giving his final warning before turning back towards the others and following after them.
Leliana had clasped her hands together that moment of approval from Fenris and deciding on to go with them after all. She didn't think it would be that easy. She thought even she would have to throw a few more punches Anders way before making him say yes before nay. But hey, she would take it. The less she had to pick on Anders was for the best. No matter how fun it might have been at times. But she wouldn't tell him this of course. It was just another way she showed her love towards the mage after all.
The rouge began her pace slowly after Fenris but due to Anders sudden thanks brought her to halt and stare blankly at the mage before raising an arm that brought her to wave a hand to show otherwise that there was no thanks needed. After all she wanted what was best for Anna and to see her get better and not worst. And she believed staying in this place would only bring up the bad memories than the good if there were any left to be had.
As their exit was made to the outside of the mansion once more Leliana had sighed with a job well done effect. Anna may have not been herself but at least she was alive, that's all that counted. Right? Or so she tried to tell herself. But the moment they stood before the Magisters Leliana couldn't help but feel possibly just as Fenris had; sickened with the whole lot. She would have thought they would have taken better care of Anna seeing as how she was Alexander's wife. She guessed that was one of the biggest difference between Tevinter and Ferelden for sure. She wanted nothing more than to retreat in the carriage and leave this place. But from the questions arising brought Leliana to otherwise stay and see what was brought up about this matter.
That's when a shocked look came over the rouges features when the one who took responsibility over keeping Anna in harm's way stood before them. She was tempted to give her own piece of mind to the fool. But before she even could Anders actions had been acted upon which had brought Leliana not only stunned at first but proud of the mage for sticking up for Anna even if he had hurt himself in the process. It was still charming in her eyes.
After they had all made their way into the carriage, Leliana made quick due to rest her whole into the seat as comfortably as she could with how awkward the seats were while waiting as patiently as one could for the rest to join her.
"You know that was pretty darn cute of you punching that guy back there." She admitted as an exhausted but flattered grin smeared across her lips. "Here I thought you were always so calm and collected." She teased as her hues had shifted over towards Anna in hopes something had changed yet before turning her attention back to Anders. "How is your hand anyways?" She asked in attempt of concern and small talk so maybe Fenris wouldn't think they were out to get all close to Anna the whole time and if they had talked of others wounds than maybe just maybe he'd sooner than later allow Anders to overlook Anna.
"It was just a reflex…" Anders grinned some and curled his sore hand into his opposite one for the time being. He looked back down to his hand and began to concentrate on a healing spell to soothe the soon swelling knuckles he had. "…Only happens when an imbecile is nearby…but, man, does it ever get sore sometimes."
Fenris remained seated across from them and holding Anna wrapped up in her blanket, still into his lap. His eyes were watching Anders's healing spell carefully. He didn't want those hands moving anywhere near Anna; especially when they were glowing. After a while that the healing spell was in progress, the elf couldn't help but to have mumbled a little. "You just be sure to keep that on your side of the line."
Anders scoffed some, but he didn't do anything to surprise or go against Fenris's wishes. "Will you calm down? The only thing I'm going is helping myself to feel better. I could still do the same for Anna. I want to; if you'd only let me."
"I said no." Fenris quickly argued back and soon his back stiffened forward, but only for a brief moment until he rested back into his chair. "She doesn't need any more poison in her…"
"Poison?" Anders asked in the middle of taking a quick offense. It was then he reached over and this time was willing to attempt at least trying his best to help. He couldn't see Anna in this condition no more than the rest of them, after all. "Now, look. I'm not one of those Magisters, alright-?"
"NO! Daemon-Alex-please-why…" Anna screamed from the sudden touch of someone who felt different than to what she was use to. She cried in frantic tears and recoiled away from Anders's glowing hand of healing. If she could have molded any further against Fenris in that moment, she would have.
Fenris moved to position Anna towards the far corner, where she quickly crawled to in fear. There the elf remained as a physical wall between her and Anders for the moment. He scowled at him, glaring at the mage with his warning still in-tact and well enforced.
"Vanhedis Ishall! I told you not to touch her. Her condition's too frail." Fenris said and watched as Anders leaned back in his chair and started to recoil his hand away from the center of the carriage.
Anders stared at his hand; truly puzzled and saddened for coming to discover that Anna's consciousness had been warped so deep. She wouldn't trust anyone; well anyone except for Fenris for some reason. That was the only thing Anders didn't understand. He clenched his fist momentarily and then rested his hand back into his lap. Looking back down at the floor of the carriage, Anders had started to frown.
"I'm sorry. You're right. I shouldn't have tried to soon." He finally admitted and slouched into the seat next to Leliana.
Fenris carefully started to move back down once he sensed that Anna was starting to calm down as well. It was a long and tiring carriage ride back to Kirkwall, but even as awkward and quiet as it seemed, the group had still managed to get home safely.
Leliana had shifted her hues down to Anders swollen hand and from there she gently placed a hand over his forearm and gave a small smile while listening to the childish bickering back and fourth between Ander and Fenris. "Well this I don't miss. But at least the ride home will be entertaining." She joked slightly as she sighed and pushed her back against the seat once more in defeat from just listening to the two ramble off back and forth between one another that she believed this would be a good time if any other to just shut her eyes and try and ignore it all.
Though with the silence between their bickering brought a smile to creep past her lips was short lived as Anna's sudden outburst had brought Leliana to jump up to a more up-right sitting position as her eyes had popped open. With concern in her eyes she looked to Anna and reached back with one of her few digits to scratch the back of her scalp in confusion. Then her hues shifted but to Anders and his hurt expression of not being able to do much for Anna and not listening to Fenris's words. For once the elf was right on something. But she still felt badly for Anders that Leliana sat more up right and wrapped a arm around the mages center in a small hold to console him, and even for her a bit for seeing Anna such a way brought Leliana's heart to tear in pieces.
"You didn't know ya'know. Just give it time and I'm sure she'll come around." She said in hopes to lighten everyones spirits as she had looked up to the mage and then back down to Anna and where Fenris had rested her before making her own self comfortable against Anders and trying to get some kind of rest on the journey home.
On the last few hours to their ride home Leliana couldn't help but feel like being in extinguishing pain. She imagined it was from the tight fit in the carriage and even the activity's back at Tevinter, nothing to worry about so she hadn't said a word to anyone. Not even Anders. As she didn't believe it was something to worry about or concern anyone else over. After all she was more worried about Anna, and Leliana didn't want to be seeming to take the medical needs she needed away from her.
"Finally." She muttered in a small groan as she peaked through one her eyes as the rays of the sun steamed into through the small windows of the carriage. She attempted to block the rays with her hand as she used the other as a lavage to help her up, but a flinch had come over her in an instant and her hand one cascaded over her wrapped to her stomach. "Owie." She whined in a whisper in hopes not to draw to much attention to herself as she continued her first started but not finished sentence. "We're home I thought we would never get here."
With the carriage stopping Leliana made a quick break through to the door once it was opened by one of the servants and probably to quick as the moment she stepped out to among everyone she felt her legs begin to give way under her and if it wasn't for the fellow mages around her to catch her fall she would have made a solid connection.
"You alright miss?" Asked one younger mage.
Leliana had just nodded her head in response to the male and smiled gratefully to their quickness. "Yes thank you."
"Errr…" Spoke one female mage in uncertainty as she began to point to the stoned ground below them. "Did you spill something or something?" She questioned as her eyes scanned around Leliana in search of something she may have dropped.
Leliana scoffed and regained her footing to look down. When she had the wetness between her legs had finally given her notice something wasn't exactly right, and then looking down to the ground and seeing the water looking substance brought even more question to her mind.
Then it clicked and as it did a frantic look came over her as her hands rose up to wave back and fourth. "No, no, no…. It's too early! Anders!" She shouted in hopes he was out of the carriage by now and hadn't gotten called off already to his other duties. "Err… Anders…. I think it's time…" She said in uncertainty and fright. Seeing as how this was her first pregnancy, labor and experiencing all first hand it was new to her. All she could do was hope she was wrong and Anders having been though many labors with the Darktown-ers could put her mind at ease.