Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own Dragon Age, as EA/Bioware do. My char drank Avernus' potion that's why she has visions and other abilities may be added.

True to her word, Emily and Alistair didn't cross paths after that. She was honoring her father by doing her duty; everything else was pushed out of her mind for awhile. Before leaving for Denerim, Riordan mentioned a stash of warden items hidden in a warehouse in Denerim. She was still sick as dawn approached, but Emily just took as anxiety. As sun hit the window, it awoke both rogues. They noticed Sten sleeping next to Draco on a pallet, uncertain when he came in or why he was there. They quietly got into their armor and woke up Sten and Draco. Em saw a raven at the window opening to let Morrigan in. She told them she wanted to head to Denerim within an hour. Emily thought Sten and Morrigan would put up a fuss, but neither did. Leliana brought up the Landsmeet, which Em said she had no intention of going .It was made clear by Eamon that she was only needed to defend Ferelden and no longer a part of Alistair's life. Em told them if she survived, Draco and she would be heading for Kirkwall. After the war, she wanted nothing to do with Ferelden, especially Denerim or the Grey Wardens ever again. Her parents allowed her to make choices about her life, and she wasn't going to let anyone including Eamon or the Wardens dictate who she was or what she did.

Bella brought up some food for the four including cookies for Sten and mabari treats for Draco. Emily asked Sten why he was at the inn instead of the castle with the others. He said he felt uncomfortable there as they treated him like the people in Lothering did. She felt horrible and was angry at Alistair for allowing it to happen. Sten's statement confirmed Em's fears, just like everyone else that year; Alistair had his own agenda. What was worse all the things he told her obviously meant everything to her and nothing to him. In a short, he seemed to turn into every noble suitor who tried to court her. It was all about the power and if you weren't of noble blood you didn't matter. Emily usually saw through it, but was grieving so long could Alistair have used that to his advantage. Draco barked and snapped her back to reality. They left Bella's inn and told her to be safe.

Bella had a note from Teegan which gave them four horses. Which Leliana and Emily were thankful for, Morrigan chose to fly upon the promise that if she got tired she'd ride in Bodhan's cart. She also told Sten and Draco to ride in the cart mostly to save energy. Morrigan and Sten made no mention of the previous night's contact they had with Alistair. Morrigan wanted to make sure Emily survived as she didn't want her to die. She knew Emily would ultimately be the one to kill the Archdemon, inadvertently killing them both. Alistair had told her Em didn't know that killing the Archdemon meant the warden's death, that's why he agreed to Morrigan's offer without reservation. He was unsure if Riordan would keep his pledge about not telling Em about how an Archdemon dies, Em's words would haunt him until he could make things right with the brown haired rogue.

Morrigan knew that if Alistair didn't mess things up by listening to Eamon, he'd be reunited with his true love. They wouldn't only alter warden history, but Ferelden history too. Emily and Leliana were packing the cart and aiding with hitching the horses to it. Sten recalled his own chat with Alistair. Emily was with Leliana and Draco at the inn, Alistair found Sten asking him to watch over her. He knew that Em had chosen Sten to fight beside her and not him. Sten asked he thought humans, unlike quanari had the right to make choices in their lives. Alistair looked sad and lost, replied that," not all the time". Sten continued Em's nobility explanation that an arl was below a king, but to him it seemed the arl is in control. The arl is the equal of his Arishok. He then said that maybe humans and qun aren't so different. The Arishok was the motive he came to Ferelden. The arl was the reason Alistair was to become king, and Alistair and Emily were no longer together. He and Alistair didn't question they just did what they're told. Teegan, who had been listening to the whole talk handed Sten a note for Leliana. Sten took it and left for the inn. Alistair turned to Teegan asking what the note was about. Teegan replied, "We both know what she said in Eamon's study, she feels there's nothing here for her any longer. She's a Cousland, so she'll see to her duty of ending the Blight, but after that your duty to the Wardens ends. She feels hers should end too, as it should. We both know that staying in Ferelden isn't an option for her as the Grey Wardens or Eamon will force her to be warden commander or risk death in doing so. I'd even imagine Eamon making it public at the Landsmeet, where he would force her to choose between death or becoming warden commander. If your king, he'd have you sentence her to death for defying you as there's no way she's going to Amaranthine or staying a warden voluntarily.

"We both know that she's strong-minded and will have her say even if it means butting heads with Eamon and other nobility, and that's something my brother can't and won't have". That's why he suggested Amaranthine; he wants to punish her and what better way than by sending her to the one place Howe and Loghain loyalists will be. I could tell that day in Eamon's study, Em's spirit is broken again and if she's has no will to fight, She'd be dead by their or even her own hand within a matter of days. I've been in touch with some contacts I have here and in the Free Marches; we'll keep an eye on her as I owe it to her family to make sure she's happy and safe. She's mentioned an aunt and cousins living in Kirkwall, so my guess if she lives that's where they'll be heading. I've also written the viscount, the reverend mother, and others who'll grant her entrance, so she can be reunited with her aunt and cousins.

Alistair remembered her talking to a woman back in Lothering. They seemed happy yet sad to see one another. He recalled Emily taking valuables out of her pack and handing them to the older woman. She then kissed her on the cheek and to get the others and head through the Kocari Wilds to reach the coast. Emily watched her leave and returned to Alistair and the others. He asked who she was and she replied that she was her aunt, on her mother's side, who married an apostate. Emily wanted to leave Lothering quickly, so they could make way to the Dalish elves camps before sunset the next day. Teegan looked at Alistair as he seemed in a daze. Alistair's heart filled with regret for ever yelling at her over Isolde's death and more importantly allowing Eamon to come between them. He knew then he may become king, but he would not marry no matter how much Eamon pushed as the one woman, who he wanted for his wife and make the perfect queen to rule beside him; wanted nothing to do with him right now. He vowed to rectify that one day if it meant going to Kirkwall to beg her forgiveness, he would have her by his side no matter what Eamon or anyone else said. Alistair thought being away from Ferelden for awhile would be best, so he could deal with Eamon and whatever threats to her life would pop up. It would hurt to be apart from her, as it already was, but he planned not to make it a long separation. Alistair vowed to never hurt or allow anyone to hurt her again.

As they were walking back, Alistair mentioned to Teegan about the locket, to his surprise Teegan had it repaired as Eamon wanted it thrown out. They returned to their rooms to prepare for the trip to Denerim. Meanwhile Emily and her party were already on the road to Denerim. Leliana had Emily laughing which was good, as she was becoming herself again. Zev had joined them, not happy that he would be with Alistair, but glad he was going to Denerim with them instead of the others. Zev wondered if she regretted reviving the arl and with the actions he took, why the arl was even still alive to begin with.

(Zev flashback)

They had done it all three treaties were obtained, all that was left was either to revive the arl or if the ashes were a myth, Bann Teegan would become the new arl. Emily had never heard of Haven and she was knowledgeable on all the different areas of Ferelden. Through news at the Lake Calanhad tavern, she knew there were cultists there. She decided they would stay a few days as she wasn't sure if the ashes existed and had no information on the cultists. She confided in Zevran and Sten that she should've never agreed to this as they have the armies needed. This task seemed more for Alistair's benefit, as Teegan was capable of running Redcliffe. Emily felt she owed it to Alistair to at least try.

In Haven, they dealt with the cult leader and several cultists. On the body of the cult leader she found a strange medallion. Meanwhile, Alistair had found a secret room, where they found the missing scholar injured. Emily persuaded him to show her how to open the temple door using the medallion, and to go back to Denerim. She split them up in groups of two to try to find the urn. Her group consisted of Zevran, Sten, and Draco; His was Leliana, Wynne, and Oghen. Alistair was nervous, as when she didn't take him or Leliana she did something that they would find morally wrong. He hoped she'd at least take Wynne, but things had been on edge, since he witnessed a fiery argument between the two. Emily even persuaded Morrigan to learn some healing magic, so she wouldn't have to be healed by the elder mage. Everyone agreed to meet at this spot no matter what, before sunset that night. She gave Alistair a kiss and the two groups went their separate ways to search.