Disclaimer: I do own Dragon Age or anything related to it.
"People who travel are always fugitives."
— Daphne du Maurier (Frenchman's Creek)
Chapter 15:Fugitives
"...and I expect each of you to supply these men." Teryn Loghain was saying as he addressed the landsmeet with his daughter, the now widowed Queen Anora, and Rendon Howe by his side."We must quickly rebuild what was lost at Ostagar, for there are those who would wish to take advantage of our weakened state if we are foolish enough to let them. Therefore, we must defeat this darkspawn incursion, but we must do so sensibly and without hesitation."
Bann Teagan stepped forward."Your lordship, may I speak?" He asked calmly, though his eyes glinted with something akin to anger. When Loghain nodded curtly in response, he crossed his arms and bravely glared up at the Teryn."It has come to my attention that you have declared yourself Queen Anora's regent and claim we must all unite under your banner for our own good." He raised an eyebrow."But what of the army lost at Ostagar? I believe your withdrawal was most...fortuitous to say the least."
The nobles almost immediately exploded into protests and panic, speaking in such loud voices that Loghain had to nearly shout at the top of his lungs so his next words would be heard."Everything I have done has been for the sole purpose of securing Ferelden's independence! I have never shirked my duty to the throne and neither will any of you!"
"The Bannorn will not bow down to you simply because you demand it!" Teagan yelled back with a scowl. Loghain put up a hand to interrupt the man, waiting until all was quiet before speaking to everyone present, though his eyes remained locked on Teagan as he spoke.
"Understand this: I shall brook no threat to this nation from you or anyone!" With the wave of his hand, he adjourned the landsmeet and calmly exited the room with Howe following closely behind him. Just as Teagan was turning to leave as well, Anora leaned against the balcony, looking desperate as she shouted his name.
"Bann Teagan, please-" Teagan abruptly spun around on his heel, holding up a hand tostop whatever she wished to say and telling her exactly what was on his mind instead.
"Your Majesty, your father is risking civil war! If Eamon were here-" It was Anora's turn to cut him off now. The Queen shook her head vigorously, though she didn't seem to believe even herself when she spoke softly and hesitantly.
"Bann Teagan, my father is doing what is best." Teagan scoffed at her words, eyebrow raised.
"Did he also do what was best for your husband, Your Majesty?" He retorted icily before turning around and stomping out of the room. Anora gasped at his harsh words and immediately turned and fled from the room so no one would be able to see the single tear that ran down her cheek as she fought not to think about Cailan and failed miserably to avoid doing so.
"Well, here it is; Lothering" Alistair sighed, leaning against marble balcony to get a good view of the village they'd just entered."Pretty as a painting."
"Ah, I see you have finally decided to rejoin us, have you?" Morrigan asked teasingly."Did falling on your blade in dole sound like too much trouble?" The witch's comment brought a half-snort of amusement and agreement out of Natasha, who exchanged smirks with the other mage. It had become clear to everyone over the past few days of traveling together that the two women would be able to get along just fine, and that they both found a lot of mirth from vexing an unfortunate Alistair.
"Is my being upset so hard for you to understand?!" Alistair demanded, throwing his hands up in vexation."Have you never lost someone important to you? Just what would you do if your mother died?"
Morrigan quirked an eyebrow."Before or after I stopped laughing?" Natasha burst out into half-snorts of mirth as she fought to hold back laughter though she only succeeded in sounding a lot like an undignified pig. Alistair stared at the two women in something resembling shock and horror before simply shaking his head and letting out a sigh.
"Right. Very creepy. Forget I ask." He muttered under his breath, causing Zoë and Regina to both giggle in unison.
Jade and Valerie both exchanged mutual looks of exasperation as they finished looting the stiffs of the highwaymen their little group had just killed right before entering the village. It had been decided already after they left Flemeth's hut that although Alistair was the junior Grey Warden, he was, in his own exact words, completely unfit for the role of leadership, and so everyone agreed to make Jade their leader while Valerie was given the role of second-in-command by the huntress. For a majority of their trek so far, Alistair had been as silent as a shadow, but now that he was finally talking, it made a bitter feeling of resentment rise up in the two women's chests at him for acting like he was the only one grieving right now. Not only was it extremely selfish, but it was also completely despicable in even Morrigan's opinion.
Leonard sniffed around the highwaymen stiffs to see if there was anything else they could take from them. Seeing this, Jade smiled softly and gave him a small pat on the head, evoking a bark from the canine.
"You have been very quiet, Alistair." Regina pointed out with a slight frown.
"Yes, I know." Alistair nodded sadly."I was just thinking..."
Morrigan snorted, rolling her eyes."No wonder it took so long then."
"Oh, I get it." Alistair said with a scowl."This is the part where we're shocked to discover how you've never had a friend your entire life."
"I can be friendly when I desire to." She retorted with a scoff, arms crossed."But alas, a desire to be more intelligent does not make it so."
"Anyway," Alistair rolled his eyes and then turned his attention back to Jade and Valerie, failing to notice the way they were glowering coldly at him.", I thought we should talk about where we intend to go first."
"You have some thoughts on the matter, Alistair?" Jade inquired icily, eyebrow raised and arms folded over her chest.
Alistair hesitated, but nodded."I still think Arl Eamon is our best bet for help. We might even want to go to him first."
Valerie scoffed."Going to that miserable old prune of a man might as well be the last thing on our list."
"Agreed." Natasha muttered darkly, eyes narrowed.
Jade flicked her head at Morrigan."What do you think we should do, Morrigan? I'd like to hear your opinion for once instead of this cowardly shemlen's." Alistair frowned at her words, but was ignored. Shrugging slightly, Morrigan did not hesitate to reply.
"Go after your enemy directly." She responded as if it were obvious."Find Loghain and kill him. The rest of this business with the treaties can then be done in safety." Natasha nodded her head in agreement, but Alistair shook his head at the two mages, throwing his hands up in a very exaggerated manner as he spoke loudly and sarcastically.
"Yes, he certainly wouldn't see that coming! After all, it's not like he has the advantage of an army and experience and-"
Morrigan threw him a scowl to silence him, glaring at the man with narrowed eyes."I was asked for my opinion by our leader and so I gave it. If your wish, however, is to come up with reasons as to why something cannot be done, then let us simply stand here like statues until the darkspawn are upon us!"
"Enough!" Jade snapped then sighed."Val and I will figure it out ourselves. For now, let's just head into the village and get what we need before getting the heck out of here."
As they started walking again, Tamlen cut his way past the others so he could walk right next to Jade. The blonde elf placed a hand on his clan mate's shoulder.
"Are you okay?" He asked quietly.
She scoffed, crossing her arms."What do you care?"
Tamlen frowned."Jade-"
Sighing, she put up a hand to stop him."Ir abelas, it's just that Emma ir souveri. It's been a long few days since Ostagar."
Tamlen nodded, eyes lowering as he heaved a sigh."Ir abelas."
Jade raised an eyebrow at him."What for?"
"You know why."
"Oh, right!" She exclaimed sarcastically, slapping her forehead in mock seriousness before her sweet smile quickly became a sneer."You mean that!" The very last word of that sentence was said with so much venom and cold sarcasm that it caused Tamlen to wince. Jade rarely ever showed anger like this, but when she did, everyone knew it was best not to do anything to aggravate her any further unless they suddenly had a death wish. Tamlen wondered if it was something she had inherited from her father and was suddenly glad for the fact that the man was dead as he could only imagine what Magnus Mahariel might say or do to him if he saw what Tamlen had done with his daughter. It was not a pleasant thought at all, so unpleasant that Tamlen barely managed to suppress a shudder.
He cleared his throat, trying again."Lethallan-"
"Nae." She interrupted firmly, roughly shrugging his hand off her shoulder."Ar'din nuvenin dirth'in'ma sahlin. Ven ar u."
"Excuse me." The two elves froze in place as they looked down to see a little red-haired human boy standing right in front of them and looking up at them with wide eyes."Have you seen my mother?"
"Uh-oh." Natasha muttered, all signs of amusement on her face turning into a grimace. A frown crossed Valerie's face as the little boy reminded her slightly of Oren.
Jade smiled kindly at the boy, kneeling down so she was at eye level with him."What does your mamae look like, da'seldo?"
"She's really tall and she has red hair like me. We live on a big farmhold, all of us." The boy explained."Some mean men with swords came. Mama told me to run to the village as fast as I could, so I did!" He frowned."She said she would be right behind me, but I've been waiting here for a very long time, and I still can't see her."
"What about your father?" Natasha questioned."Do you know where he is?"
The boy shook his head."He went with William to the neighbor's yesterday, but he never came back. And I'm really hungry now!"
Reaching into a pouch on her belt, Jade pulled out one whole silver and gently placed it into the little boy's hands."Take this silver, da'seldo, and buy yourself something to eat."
"A whole silver!" The boy cried."Thank you!" He paused, looking up at her for a moment then raising an eyebrow."Are you really an elf?"
Jade grinned from ear to ear."Did my ears give me away?" She asked teasingly.
The boy giggled, but nodded."Papa says that elves are really mean, but you're actually really nicer than everybody else here. Thank you again for helping me!" He then turned and ran as fast as his little legs could carry him.
"Poor thing." Natasha said softly once the little boy was out of earshot.
Jade nodded sadly in agreement."He doesn't even realize his mamae and papae are never coming home."
'Just like my parents are never coming home either.'
"I still can't believe you threatened a Revered Mother!" Valerie exclaimed, throwing her hands up as she sat on one of the beds of the inn they were staying at for the night.
Shortly after encountering the orphaned little boy, the group of Grey Wardens had found a qunari man named Sten locked in a cage for killing an entire family. Seeing as Sten was clearly an excellent warrior who could have been of great use to them, Jade had promised they would free him by convincing the Revered Mother to give them the key. It was a task much easier said then done, however.
As one could expect, the stubborn woman refused to give them the key, which forced Jade to try talking some sense into her, and by talking, she meant threatening the priestess with violence if she did not do as they asked. Valerie had been aghast by the elf's behavior and immediately taken control of the situation. After some more calm persuasion from the former noblewoman, the Revered Mother finally agreed to their request and with a sigh, handed Valerie the key.
Afterwards, they'd bought a couple of rooms at a nearby inn for the night and planned to leave first thing in the morning. Valerie had remained silent for most of the day, but now that they were finally alone, she was done staying quiet and was now ready to chide the huntress in a way that she knew would make her sound a lot like her deceased mother.
Looking up from the arrow she was examining while she sat on the divan settee, Jade rolled her eyes."The asha was asking for it. I tried to be patient with her as I always do with everyone, but she refused, so I changed tactics."
Zoë snorted from where she right next to the huntress."That's one way to put it."
At the elven rogue's words, both Regina and Natasha looked up from the book they were reading together as they were seated on the bed across from Valerie's and exchanged a look before nodding together in agreement. A wry smirk formed on Natasha's face as she placed a ribbon inside the book to mark hers and Regina's place before closing it and putting it away into her pack.
"I agree." The human mage said, undoing her hair from the loose ponytail she usually had it in and running a hand through her chestnut-colored tresses."After how stubbornly she acted, that pathetic priestess is lucky we didn't bring Sten with us back into the Chantry just to spite or scare her like she deserves. One can only imagine her reaction to that."
Regina giggled."The look on her face was priceless when Jade threatened to put an arrow up her-"
As if on cue, a rather firm knock on the door abruptly interrupted the elven mage's sentence and surprised the five women. As far as they knew, Morrigan, who had been the only one with her own room at the inn, and their male companions, had all already settled in for the night. So who was at the door, then?
"Who could that be?" Zoë asked, eyebrow raised.
Shrugging, Jade stood up and walked over to the door, hesitating for a moment before slowly turning the knob and swinging it open. Immediately, she was met with a sword to the neck, which caused the other four women to jump up in surprise and draw their weapons. Jade raised her chin defiantly, eyes narrowing icily as she stared back at the human man who was still pointing a sword directly at her neck. Next to him was another human man and both of them sneered when they appeared to recognize all five of the women.
Looking at his companion, the first human flicked his head at Jade while still keeping his sword at her neck."Didn't we spend all day asking for some people which included five women by these descriptions?" He raised an eyebrow."And everyone said they hadn't seen any?"
The second human nodded, the sneer still on his face."It seems we were lied to."
Jade scowled at them both."Get that sword out of my face now, shem, or Ar tu na'din."
"You five are Grey Wardens." The first man scowled back."And you traitors are all coming with us."
"Traitors?!" Valerie exclaimed."What in Andraste's name are you talking about?!"
"You killed our king!" The second man shouted lividly."I was there!"
"So was I!" Valerie shouted back angrily."You abandoned us!"
"Teryn Loghain left us all to die out there, you dolts!" Natasha shouted just as angrily.
"Lies!" Both men yelled in unison.
That was when someone cleared their throat and both men twisted around to see a beautiful red-haired female dressed in what Natasha and Regina thought greatly resembled the robes Lily had worn during her time as an initiate. There was one thing that was obvious about the unknown woman, however: she was definitely Orlesian. This fact was only proven when she opened her mouth to speak and the Orlesian accent was unmistakeable.
"Gentlemen, please. These five are obviously nothing more than a few poor souls seeking refuge for the night." The woman smiled pleasantly as she spoke, but the two men merely scowled at her in response. The second drew a dagger and pointed it right at her face, though the woman didn't even blink at him.
"They're more than that!" He hissed."No get out of here and mind your own bussines, sister, or you'll suffer the same fate as these traitors."
The first man briefly turned his attention away from Jade and nodded at his companion's words, giving Jade the momentary distraction she needed to knock the sword out of his hands and punch him in the face, a smirk crossing her lips when she heard his nose break from the blow. This caused the second man to turn away from the red-haired woman and as a result, have Jade's foot connect with his stomach. He cried out, the dagger falling from his hands as the red-haired woman suddenly grabbed his arm and flipped him over her shoulder to the floor.
A fireball erupted from Regina's hands, striking the first man in the chest and while his armor protected him from any serious harm, it was enough to make him give a small yelp of pain before Jade kicked him in the shin and flipped him over her shoulder next to the other man on the floor. The huntress quickly kicked away both of the men's weapons from their reach and drew her bow, nocking two arrows at once at both of them.
"Time to die, idiots." Natasha sneered as she came up beside the huntress, a large ball of fire forming in her hands. The two men immediately held up their hands in surrender and fear.
"No, wait! We surrender!" They cried in unison. In an instant, the red-haired woman had jumped in between the wardens and the men with her hands up and eyes begging for them to show the two men clemency.
"They have learned their lesson!" She cried."Please do not kill them!"
"They aim to butcher us!" Natasha growled."They don't deserve mercy!"
"No, please!" The two men shouted, looking close to tears.
"There is no way in hell I am showing any mercy to these bastards!" Natasha said through grit teeth as she readied her fireball to throw at the men. She stopped, however, when Jade lowered her bow and put up a hand to stop her. The mage raised an eyebrow at the elf, and at Jade's small shake of the head, she nodded curtly and the fireball in her hands vanished. Jade nodded back at her and then looked at the terrified men with narrowed eyes.
"I will let you go." She said calmly."But only if you do something for us and take a message back to Loghain."
"Yes, of course!" The second man nodded vigorously."What do you want to tell him?"
Reaching out, Natasha grabbed both men by their collars and roughly yanked them up to their feet."He'll have to do better than this!" She hissed then threw them to the floor like rocks and watched as they nodded vigorously before jumping up and fleeing like a pair of frightened little boys.
The red-haired woman smiled in relief."I'm glad you could find it in your hearts to show those men mercy and I apologize for interfering, but I could not simply stand idly by and watch."
Jade nodded curtly."It's alright. I suppose we should thank you for helping us, miss...?" She trailed off, raising an eyebrow and flicking her head questioningly at the woman.
The woman smiled pleasantly."I am Leliana, one of the Lay Sisters of the Chantry here in Lothering. Or I was at least."
"Was?" Natasha asked skeptically, arms crossed and eyebrow raised.
"I joined the Chantry to live a life of religious contemplation, but I am no priest, nor am I even an initiate." Leliana explained.
"I see." Jade said quietly."Well, was there something you wanted from us then, sister?"
She nodded."Those men said you were a Grey Warden and that means you will be battling the darkspawn, yes? Is that not what Grey Wardens do?"
"Yes, it is." Zoë replied nonchalantly, leaning against the door with an uninterested look on her face.
Leliana nodded again."And I know after what happened, you will need all the help you can get. That's why I'm coming along."
Natasha let out a humorless laugh."Why so eager to join us, sister?" She asked with venom practically dripping from her voice, though it did nothing to offend Leliana in the slightest. Instead, she smiled at the mage and gave an answer that no one expected to hear.
"The Maker told me to." Jade scoffed harshly at her words, arms crossing as she scowled at Leliana.
"Why should I care what your pathetic human god wants?" She questioned icily.
Leliana frowned."He is not just my god! The Maker has love for everyone, and I...I know you may not believe in him, but I had a dream, a vision!"
"Can we just back away slowly and slam the door in her face now?" Zoë whispered to Jade, who looked at Leliana with narrowed eyes before nodding at the elven rogue.
"We don't need your help, shem." She said coldly to the redhead."Now get out of here before I kick you out."
Leliana shook her head desperately, folding her hands together as she gave the huntress a pleading look."But the Maker doesn't want this! Please, just let me-"
Jade held up a firm hand to interrupt the redhead. When Leliana shut her mouth and waited, she slowly lowered her hand and sneered at the sister."I'm going to say this very slowly. You. Not. Coming!" She hissed then took a few steps back along with Natasha and Zoë into the room. Valerie and Regina came up beside their fellow wardens with crossed arms and icy gazes as Jade ignored Leliana's shocked visage and without a single care in the world for the pious woman, slammed the door right in her face.
"And that's why I hate zealots." Natasha muttered under her breath and everyone else immediately agreed with the mage.
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Elven Translations:
Shems/Shemlen - Humans
Ir abelas - I'm sorry
Emma ir souveri - I'm very tired
Lethallan - (Female) Friend/Kinswoman
Nae. Ar'din nuvenin dirth'in'ma sahlin. Ven ar u. - No. I don't want to speak with you now. Leave me alone.
Ar tu na'din - I will kill you
Da'seldo - Little boy
Mamae - Mother
Papae - Father
Asha - Woman
Next up: Chapter 17:Assassins