CHAPTER 27: Calenhad Docks

They had finally reached Lake Calenhad, named after the founding King of Ferelden. On the way there, Hadrian, just out of curiosity, asked a man, who looked highly suspicious, on what he was doing. He hovered around the entrance and his eyes darted anxiously from one side of the entrance to another side, as if watching out for whoever who could be spying on him in return. The man's clothes were of poor quality and threadbare. The noble figured he was either a beggar or a scavenger. He disliked both types and he decided to accost the man, to ask him what he was doing.

The Qunari, however, recognized the poor lad and before Hadrian could do anything, had grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck and shoved him against the stoned wall. His forearm pressed dangerously into the man's throat.

"Sten!" Hadrian tried to pry off the Qunari's arm but Sten was too strong. Seeing that he had no choice in the matter, Hadrian pulled out his sword and placed the tip of it at Sten's throat. The Qunari was intrinsically pleased that he had finally brought the animal out of his leader. Yet his face stayed stoic, showing nothing of his inner feelings about the man who had released him from his cage, from his torments. "Release him. Now."

Alistair's own hand hovered next to the hilt of the sword, ready to draw it out if need be. His eyes flickered nervously between the Qunari and his friend. Even Leliana and Morrigan were poised in a battle stance. However, while Alistair knew for certain that Leliana would side with Hadrian, he was unsure of Morrigan's stance. The way her staff was aiming directly at the Qunari put him at ease though, albeit temporarily.

"Explain to this man why you just attacked him," Hadrian demanded of the Qunari.

"Dead men don't need an explanation." The Qunari's eyes flashed with anger. The farmer flinched and his face paled even more.

"Then explain to us. I will have no secrets that will come back to bite us in the ass," Hadrian hissed. While he kept secrets of his own, he really didn't want to be offed by an enemy of his companions, at least not without his acknowledgment. Leliana squirmed just a bit at her friend's statement but her face betrayed no emotion. However, Alistair, for some odd reason, could hear her heartbeat spiked for a brief moment before calming itself again. However, like her, he too had secrets. Maybe he really should tell Hadrian the truth behind his heritage. No, it's too soon for that. He had just forged a good friendship and he didn't want to risk ending it by telling Hadrian, 'oh by the way, I'm the only heir to Ferelden's throne.'

"This man," the Qunari said in a calm voice, "is one of the farmers who ambushed me and took my sword."

"Your sword? So it's true then," Hadrian murmured. He thought the Qunari was joking when he was told of that anecdote about him being found by a bunch of farmers and thus ambushed.

"Yes," the Qunari snarled and the poor farmer gasped for breath. His hands clawed uselessly at the offending arm and his lips started to turn blue while his face was reddening with the strain of staying alive.

"Sten," Hadrian said in a soft tone, "if you kill him, you will never find out the location of your sword."

While Sten's instincts was to just pound the farmer to death for his loss, the Qunari knew that Hadrian was right. He certainly did not want to report back to the Arishok without a sword. That would be certain death, if he was lucky.

The farmer slid haplessly down the wall, only to fall into a boneless heap. His hands reached around his bruised throat as the man coughed in violent bursts, taking in much needed air.

Hadrian and the group waited until the farmer composed himself as much as he could while in the company of armed men and women. When his breathing calmed and his heartbeat leveled out, Hadrian put away his sword. He knelt at the man's eye level.

"As you can see, my friend believes you attacked him and stole his weapon," Hadrian started to say to him. "Is that correct?"

The farmer nodded his head fervently, his voice still too hoarse to be used. The nobleman sighed as the farmer's eyes flickered nervously back to the Qunari. He shifted himself to where it would effectively block the other man's view of the Qunari. When he did so, the reaction was almost immediate. Colour came back to his face and the black beady eyes focused on him. The haze of fear was nearly gone, although the stench of it was still stuck with Hadrian. Sometimes being cursed with this power was more of a nuisance than anything else. The farmer smelt as if he hadn't bathed in days and his body absolutely reeked of filth and hay. His clothes were tattered and torn in some places. Apparently, the farmer had just got here himself, having come from some nearby farm or something. Probably to get away the from Darkspawn further south.

"I..." the man gulped and his hands started to fidget again. "We just found him lying there and thinking that he was the darkspawn, we attacked him."

"Darkspawn are unholy, dark creatures," Sten growled unhappily at the farmer. The poor man flinched and he started to hiccup his answers. Hadrian threw a glare at the scowling Qunari before turning his attentions back to the scared farmer.

"What happened to the sword?" Hadrian's question was asked in a soft, quiet tone. The farmer swallowed another hiccup before answering in a very timid voice.

"I...uh...sold...it...already..."

"Where, when, and who?"

"Ummm...a guy with blonde hair...Frostback Mountains...a month or so ago..."

"Damn," Hadrian cursed. He rose on his feet. Frostback Mountains was easily a few weeks away and there was no guarantee that the sword would still be there. "Well, Sten, we'll know where it is or rather was."

The Qunari snorted in disgust. His black eyes bore into the farmer's, causing the man to scrabble away into the wall.

"But first, the Circle," Hadrian said. He looked back at the man and then nudged his head to the direction of the entrance. The farmer hastily clambered to his feet, and after bidding them a hasty thank-you, he broke into a run and made for his escape, not once looking back at the strange group of people he had come across with.

"How about we go for a drink first?" Alistair suggested. "I could use a warm mead right about now and there's a tavern close by."

The women agreed with the blonde Warden while Sten just emitted a grunt of approval. Hadrian figured that his people would need a break whenever the opportunity presented itself. Perhaps while his friends were resting, he could walk around and fish for information. Besides, I'm sure Regus wants to sniff around for some stuff.

Regus, as if sensing his master's thoughts, let out a bark and jumped around several times before barking again.

"Alright," Hadrian sighed. "You all go on ahead. I'll stick around and see what I can find out."

"Let me come with you," Alistair offered. Hadrian's brows knitted together as he tried to figure out his friend's intentions. Just moments ago he was eager to get a drink. Now, he wanted to go with him. You know you want him...

"Ok," Hadrian walked off, trusting his companions to do what they would do. Morrigan looked like she was about to protest. Her mouth gaped open like a fish, the words of protest ready to fly out until Leliana gently took her hand and led her away to the tavern, the Flying Princess. Sten moved behind them, but not before glancing his way at the pair of Wardens that stood awkwardly at the entrance still. Strange humans. Perhaps conquering them will be harder than what the Arishok perceive it to be.

-0O0-

"Well, I knew something's always up in the Tower, but this," Alistair shook his head sadly as he leaned back on his forearms.

The pair had walked around and, after asking several questions concerning the state of the Tower, finally sat down on the ledge that jutted out over the large pond. Alistair's thoughts swirled around his mind. In the midst of asking questions and receiving odd answers about Sir Gregoir, Alistair noticed that Hadrian never once glanced in his direction. It was as if the older Warden was ignoring him for some reason. However, their bodies brushed against each other at such odd intervals, it made the younger Warden think that Hadrian was maybe fighting with himself about something. An inner turmoil but of what? And why?

He looked up, to gaze up fondly at the dark, starry sky. The moon herself was starting to wax and it seemed to call him, to call forth an urge of something. He was starting to remember what had happened, but only in pieces now. The rabid dogs, the soft rustles of the trees, the blue wolf. The Blue Wolf...and then Hadrian peering down at him with worried eyes.

"I never liked the Tower," Hadrian's whisper was almost lost in the breeze that had come in. Alistair jerked his head to the side at that blunt statement. Most of the people he met absolutely loved the Tower, how it kept the dangerous elements behind stoned walls. The Revered Mother Herself told him that mages were mistakes of the Maker and their only way to redemption is to help out mankind. Their only way to live was to be forever watched by their Templar guardians. To hear that someone disliked the Tower was out of the norm and it piqued Alistair's interest in the man even more.

"It reeks of power that is abused; the fear of those who couldn't help how they're born and yet they're punished for it in the most terrible of ways: to be caged like animals."

Alistair felt rather than heaTd the venom drip out of Hadrian. The vehemence didn't suit his friend. His eyes raked over the form of Hadrian and found it trembling. He felt that he should comfort the man somehow but how? He saw Hadrian's hands clenching in the grass, almost turning into fists. An aura of extreme dislike wafted from the man accompanied by the smell of lilacs and something musky underneath. Maker! I can't be thinking of that!

He tried to shift his thoughts but all he could think of was having this man, loving him, comforting him, kissing and...and...

"Alistair?"

"Uh...ummm..." Real smart answer, genius! "It's just...that not everyone shares your opinions."

"What do you think?" Maker's ass, why did he ask me that question? What do I think...I don't know honestly...Say your true feelings. Wait, where did that voice come from? That was not his conscience for sure. The voice sounded like his, but it sounded surer, commanding almost.

"I honestly think that the Tower is not essentially the only solution," came the blurted reply. The words just flew out of his mouth without him thinking about it. Hadrian's eyes became wide for a second, as if the other Warden was surprised by his response. Then, he smiled and it made Alistair's heart flutter.

Hadrian moved closer to him. The scent grew stronger and stronger until all Alistair could smell was that arousing scent of the wilds, something woodsy and fragrant. He realized that it was coming from Hadrian and it shocked him that he wasn't totally revolted by that idea. In fact, with his burgeoning erection underneath the groin plating, his body liked it, if not his mind.

"You should be more confident, Alistair," Hadrian breathed. This close, Alistair could see that those blue eyes looked startlingly familiar to those of the blue wolf. He is the one who saved us. The call of your destined one is strong and you must heed it before it is too late. Before the end.