Author's note: I do not own Dragon Age, as EA/ Bioware does. I do however own Emily, as she is my creation in-game and in this and future stories
Chapter 1 Part 2 (Flashback continues) 7 months ago
Emily ran from the study as she knew staying at Eamon's, especially the room she shared with Alistair was out of the question. She and Draco would stay at Bella's inn until morning .She packed all her belongings in her pack, except the now golden rose and her warden amulet. They had the rose preserved back in Orzammarr as it was special for her. Now, she just wanted to forget it as it reminded her of the man who just broke her heart. Em woke up Draco while putting on her cloak .She decided to go through the secret passage as that would lead her to the village, so no one would see her leave. Leliana was worried for Em, as she noticed the change between the two wardens since returning to Redcliffe. The commotion she heard from Eamon's study confirmed her fears when she heard Emily say she wished she'd died at Highever. All of a sudden, Leliana saw Draco running to the dungeon passage. She ran to catch up as Draco wouldn't run off without Em; Leliana startled her fellow rogue, as Em had her daggers drawn. Emily motioned for them to enter the entrance. She told the red-headed bard what she heard and about confronting them. Emily said that Alistair had her fooled since day one, and that he stayed quiet the entire time. Her mabari stood watch allowing his mistress and the bard to talk. Em told Leliana that they'd be staying at Bella's tavern. Leliana detested Alistair at that moment seeing her friend in pain brought up memories of Marjolaine using and betraying her. The bard no longer could stay as if she did Alistair, Eamon, or anyone who insulted Emily in front of her wouldn't live.
She asked Emily if they'd mind if she stayed with them at the inn and in the battle, as she didn't want to be in Alistair's group. Emily said yes about staying with them, but her group was more at risk of critical injury or death. Leliana understood and accepted what maybe their fate. They expected Eamon would try to keep Alistair out of the battle, but Em was forcing him to fight as Sten would be with her. That would leave, Wynne vulnerable, as with her favoritism towards Alistair, Em wanted nothing to do with her. She told Leliana that she was to use archery only and daggers in emergency. She told her to go pack as once they left she wasn't returning. She wanted to leave for Denerim by first light. Leliana ran to her room packing as fast as she could. She entered stealth mode to meet up with Emily. Leliana saw Alistair heading to the room he once shared with Emily. She threw a trap in front of their door without him knowing while running to the exit. As the two rogues met up they heard Alistair yell ow! , as his foot met the trap. They exited the windmill before laughing as Emily realized what Leliana threw at the door. It was raining, but neither seemed to care as it felt revitalizing specially to Emily. They did pick up the pace, so not to get their arms and armor too wet. Draco loved it as he kept splashing them while jumping in the puddles. Bella saw the two soaked rogues and mabari enter the tavern. She knew things were different between the two wardens. They seemed so connected in the beginning that they spoke, acted and fought as one. As Eamon began pushing for Alistair to be king, she could tell he was driving them apart. Bella knew the arl was relentless in his goals, she made a point of saving her best room for Emily, who was the reason she owned the tavern. Em could've an option to camping or staying at Redcliffe castle if Eamon succeeding in making Em's life unbearable.
Bella gave them a key to the room, she told them she'd have food, ale, and a bath brought up. Emily took the key thanking her for her kindness. Em asked Leli if she could have a few moments to herself. The bard agreed as Emily had shown her the same courtesy after Marjolaine's death. Leliana stayed downstairs relaying what Em had told her. Bella told her she figured that Eamon was behind their breakup. Bella, like most villagers had seen Eamon being obsessed with power as he aged. It was said that he was pushing to become the royal advisor for King Cailan before the king's death. Some even questioned if Isolde had made a deal with the desire demon long before Connor's possession. He went from a caring ruler that visited the village often to staying inside the castle. It seemed that he shared many of Isolde's views about position and that she was more important than the people they were sworn to protect. Most in the village, herself included didn't believe that Isolde was the naive victim in what happened, which Arl Eamon was trying to portray her as. He tried convincing others that Emily had become paranoid of nobility and that she murdered Isolde in cold blood. Thankfully Teegan and Ser Perth knew what happened speaking in Emily's defense to where Eamon's claims were proven to be lies. Valena, one of Isolde's most loyal servants even spoke that the arlessa had been acting strange for about six months before the siege at Redcliffe .Bella and Valena had both seen Emily in the chantry after it happened. The woman was most definitely not the cold blooded murderer; the arl was depicting her as. Em was apologizing to the Maker for just about every death human and animal that was associated to her and that if it was his will for her to die so the deaths would end. Bella said it didn't shock the villagers that Isolde would cover up Connor's abilities, but it surprised them that she would sacrifice herself for her son's life. In the eleven years she was arlessa, she had only ventured to the village twice. It didn't help her reputation that she put her needs above the wellbeing of both Redcliffe and Ferelden citizens. As arlessa she had a duty to protect the village and Ferelden instead of sending them on a wild nug hunt for a relic that may or may not have existed.
Many wondered how she kept Connor's magic secret and what or who did she make a deal with in acquiring Jowan's services in keeping it hidden. Bella and Leliana agreed that the whole devoted mother was another ruse of Isolde's as her "sacrifice" was her way of avoiding punishment, as she possibly had more secrets that would come out which could cost her either her title or life. Leliana remembered after it happened, Alistair and Wynne said the cruelest things to Em, Emily and Draco snuck out of Redcliffe the next morning without anyone noticing. None of them knew if she lived until a week later when they found them camping in the Brecilian Forest. She ignored Alistair for three days. Her relationship with Wynne was already tense and they stayed away from each other from that moment on. Meanwhile, upstairs Emily finally let everything from losing her family and now Alistair out. Draco placed his paws on her knees whimpering at times with her. She patted him on the head and regained her self-control Emily knew she couldn't let her father down as she still had a duty to defend Ferelden, but not so much for the nobles. Emily pulled a piece of parchment out of her pack. She already chose Leliana and there was no way in Thedas, she was leaving Draco behind as he was all she had left. Emily knew Sten would prefer to be with her as unlike Alistair she accepted his challenge when he wanted to test their ability for battle. She befriended Morrigan, which Alistair detested as he didn't trust the witch. Morrigan seemed to let her guard down around her, becoming one of Emily's cherished friends She even learned some healing magic once she noticed the tension between Wynne and Em. Emily even sought her advice on mage or magical issues over Wynne.
Alistair's team would have Oghren, Shale, Zevran, and Wynne. She knew Zev would hate being on his team, but she had to even out the teams. There was no way Alistair was going to leave his "substitute mother" on the field without protection, no matter Eamon's protests. Emily recalled that ever since the elder mage joined the group, she seemed to always coddle Alistair. He always got comfort and praise whereas Em got the stern lectures about duty and being selfless. Even with the losses between the two wardens, Wynne seemed to make Alistair's losses greater than hers as he was allowed to grieve while she had to put hers away for the cause. Emily was even theorizing that somehow Wynne played a part in Eamon's plan to split them up and send her off. Emily recalled the last conversation the two women had that ultimately led the two to not speaking. She pulled her aside and questioned Em's intentions as she thought she was not the pure woman she made out to be, and she would hurt Alistair. Emily finally had enough of elders assuming the worst of her and reached her breaking point. She snapped back louder than she thought as she noticed all eyes were on them by telling Wynne to mind her own business. Emily then ran to the stream outside camp, with Draco running behind her. Emily giggled as in the end she was the one hurting not him. She wondered if Wynne had Eamon's ear and that was another reason for them to split, as the wording they both used was similar. Emily decided to write a final letter to Alistair, as Maker willing she would be leaving Ferelden for good. She wasn't about to let Eamon and Wynne have the final say in their breakup as he wasn't even king yet and he had already shown that he valued their opinions over hers. Eamon and apparently Alistair had gotten what they needed from her, now they felt it was time for her to disappear from their presence. Were they afraid she would lead a revolt like her ancestors before her, that's why they had tried to send to Amaranthine
Leliana was worried for her best friend and was on her way up with the food and ale Bella made for them. She saw Teegan walking in; he told her he had searched the entire castle looking for Emily. He said what Eamon and in a way Alistair did was wrong, and they deserved what she said. He wanted to make sure she was alright and say he was sorry for how she was treated and that if Emily needed any aid in getting to Kirkwall or financially he would gladly help. He owed it to her and her family to make sure she would be safe and happy, he knew for that to happen to her that meant leaving her homeland. Leliana said she would let her know about his offer, and in regards to his initial question, she went on the defensive;"Would you be, she did everything for everyone including your family, and all she wished for was a future with Alistair, or to return to Highever. What was planned for her was her own personal Ft. Drakon. She would've died by darkspawn, Howe loyalists, or probably death by her own hand. She feels betrayed mainly by the one who swore to never hurt her."
Upstairs, Emily was searching her pack for one of Morrigan's special tonics she made for her the last three months. She didn't want the others to see her weak, so she made Morrigan promise that this was just between them. She found it and drank the purple liquid and hoped her cousin in Kirkwall knew how to make it just in case whatever she had continued there. She got up making her way down to ask for a tub, when she heard Leliana talking to Teegan. Emily hid behind the door and got Bella's attention after several tries. She whispered if she could hand the papers over to Teegan. Bella saw that Em looked paler and vey red eyed from crying. A concerned Bella took the papers giving them to Leliana, but not before whispering something in the bard's ear. A now concerned Leli handed the papers to Teegan saying the folded one was for Alistair only, and not to tell anyone they were there. She wouldn't let anyone to hurt Emily anymore no matter who they were. Teegan excused himself and headed to the castle hoping to catch Alistair alone. He needed to talk some sense into him before he let the best thing walk out of his life. He saw that Eamon had retired for the night leaving Alistair in the kitchen. He handed him both notes and told him that Emily left the castle with Draco and Leliana. Teegan also told him he was being a fool for letting the best thing that ever happened to him go without a fight. He needed to stand up to Eamon or he'll go on manipulating him to get his way. Teegan told him Emily is seen as threat to his influence over you, plus he wants her to pay for Isolde's death. He said "I was there and we only had two options, as I understood that you agreed with her that the Circle needed to be annulled, so you had to know it was either to be Connor or Isolde. Emily thought about killing him, but when she looked at him, she saw her five year old nephew lying in his own blood. She couldn't bring herself to do it, as he was blameless in all that happened. She already hated what she was forced to become, but killing a child was something she swore to never do no matter the circumstances. That's why she agreed with Jowan and Isolde when the ritual was brought up, She felt she'd be no better than Howe if she killed Connor."Let's not also forget that it was Isolde's fault to begin with, she knew and hid what he was, not caring who got hurt in the process. Her sacrifice was the first time I saw her put someone before herself." Teegan began to leave, he said one last thing, "If you ask me Emily should be the one ruling Ferelden, as Anora lacks humanity and you lack leadership skills. You forced her to lead at seventeen, and put her grief aside. She couldn't mourn for people she knew her entire life, as you were grieving for people you knew six months.
He looked at the first note and noticed that each would lead a group; he started to get sad as her and Teegan's words starting playing over in his head. He finally realized Riordan was in the room and was saddened when Riordan spoke how an Archdemon was slain and blight ended. He decided that some way or somehow if Riordan failed to kill it, he would be the one to strike the fatal blow to the dragon. He wouldn't allow Emily to be the one that died. He also said that she was not to be told this as he feared the way she felt, she would be the one to do it so she could rejoin her family and feel no more pain. He made Riordan promise not to breath a word of this to her.