Author's Note: I wrote a long author's note, but in the end after seeing it be so long, I deleted it. What I wrote was unimportant, just like this little note. :)
Chapter II, Part III: Recollection And The Future.
It was a cool night, and rather than lying in bed with Morrigan and their son, Aedan stood on the balcony in his sleepwear with his hands on the railing and his gaze on the sleeping city below him. The moon, full and bright, hung high above him in the night sky with only a few small clouds covering its lower half.
He was reminiscing, thinking less about the peaceful scene before him and more about his past. The last time he had done this was on the outer wall of Vigil's Keep. Back then he tried recalling pleasant memories, and here he was attempting to do the same thing only for his pleasant memories to turn sour.
He couldn't help it, no matter how hard he tried not to think about the horrors he endured, he could not stop himself from thinking about them.
He thought about his family, and how he met with what he believed at the time to be the ghost of his father at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. He was now uncertain of what it exactly was.
The ghost had greeted him warmly just like how his father used to but was tinged with solemnity and sadness. He spoke about how he was dead and how there was nothing Aedan could do to bring him or anyone else back. He told him that he needed to take his guilt, his pain, his anger, acknowledge it all and then let go.
The ghost said that it was time to do so, and he had tried that. He had managed to find forgiveness in his heart for what Duncan had done and was able to look past Nathaniel being Rendon Howe's son, but that didn't stop his mind from being plagued with terrible thoughts.
They would come to him out of nowhere. One moment, he could be thinking about a time when he and Fergus pulled a prank on Old Nan, and the next he would be thinking about Oren and Orianna's bodies.
When that happened, his mood would shift entirely, and he would say quietly to himself. "Stop it. Thinking about those things brings you nothing but misery, so why subject yourself to it?"
He would never have an answer to his question, for he didn't have one. He didn't know why he would suddenly think about those things, he just did. A small part of him believed it was because he hadn't truly let go of everything, despite telling himself that he was. He believed he was still actually holding onto the guilt and pain.
But how can you let go of things such as that? He inquired in his head. How can you just let go of seeing your brother's butchered son and defiled wife? The corpses of the people you know or called friend?
It was one of the many things he just couldn't understand, no matter how hard he tried.
Sighing, Aedan tried to think of something else, something more pleasant. Instead of thinking about past memories, he started to think about this world he was currently in.
He thought about how similar it was to Thedas and how exactly it came to be. He had expected them to encounter elves, elves similar to the Dalish to be more specific, and yet they did not. The first thing they encountered were humans, his own kind.
It was a shocking sight to say the least and one that he truly did not expect to see. He wasn't a great historian, but he did know a decent bit of history, and knew that before humans ruled the majority of Thedas it was the elves that ruled it. Seeing humans here made him wonder.
Could this be where we originated? Before we came to Thedas?
It was possible, very possible, but Aedan wasn't sure. It could be that or the other way around. It also could be something else entirely, the possibilities were practically endless.
Mother Mallol… He began only to frown after her tortured corpse flashed through his mind. Told us that the Maker turned away from us. She said that after we sinned, he turned from his creations only to return and leave again after Andraste was burned at the stake. Could this have been what he left for?
It made sense to him, the Maker leaving and starting over with a new world, but what didn't make any sense to him was the eluvian. He didn't understand how it got here, or why it would be here if the Maker wanted to start anew with this world. It was the thing that destroyed whatever theories he had formed in his head.
Letting loose another sigh, and rubbing his face with his left hand, Aedan said in his head. I need to shave.
He wouldn't shave all of it off, but he most certainly would trim his facial hair. It was getting too long in his opinion, and he did not like the feel of it when he rubbed his hand against his jaw. It felt unruly.
Glancing down the city beneath him, Aedan wondered about seeing if they could visit it before turning around and leaving the balcony. He knew it wouldn't be easy getting their guards to understand what he was asking, but he believed it would be better than spending another day in this room.
That or a walk around the castle, I honestly don't care what it is so long as it's not spent inside here.
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
Alistair couldn't help but stare at the castle known as Vigil's Keep. It was a sight to behold with its formidable stone walls, closed gate, and looming towers. He didn't know how his friend had done it, but he had made a strong and impressive fortress while he was away at Weisshaupt.
"So, this is to be our new home?" His fellow Grey Warden and friend, Ser Daveth asked from his side as he too gazed upon the Ferelden Grey Wardens' stronghold. "Not going to lie, I was expecting it to be a bit bigger. Don't get me wrong it's bigger than the one old man Avernus lived in but with how everyone talked about it I expected it to be this giant big castle."
"Were you also expecting it to float in the skies and have towers that vaporized any Darkspawn who approached it?" Alistair asked, his voice one of mirth and teasing.
"Would you be surprised if I said yes?" Daveth questioned as he looked at Alistair.
"Not really, with the stories we've heard I wouldn't be surprised if this place actually did do that." Alistair answered as he turned his gaze back to the castle and saw the gate start to be raised as several men and women appeared over the wall and looked down at them. They were all clad in light armor and carried longbows in their hands.
As the gate rose, he expected to see Aedan behind it, but was met by the sight of someone else, one that he did not expect to see here and made him do a large intake of air and say inside his head.
Oh no.
"Shave my back and call me an elf, is that you Alistair!?" The redheaded dwarf roared joyously as he approached him and Daveth.
"And me, I'm here as well." Said Daveth as he held up a hand and waved it.
"What? Ah, thought you'd kick the bucket by now." Oghren said as he looked at Daveth.
"Came close a couple times," Daveth answered with a shrug of his shoulders, a grin forming on his face. "An Orlesian noblewoman's father was the closest."
At this, Oghren grinned. "Hah, I met an Orlesian girl once, and boy was she something. The tits on her were the ones you just wanted to bury your face in and her ass? Her ass-"
"Oghren!" Alistair yelled, his face a small shade of red. "Why are you here?"
Oghren looked at him and sniffed the air before saying, "you still smell of purity. You telling me after all this time you still haven't found a woman to bake some pancakes with? To polish the footstones?"
"That is unimportant, what is important is what you are doing here!" Alistair said, his ears feeling slightly warmer.
"Ah, haven't heard have ya? I'm a Warden now," Oghren declared as he pointed at himself with a thumb. "Just like you."
He pointed at Alistair at the end there, and Alistair couldn't help but say dumbfoundly. "You… you're a Grey Warden now?"
"Yep, Oghren the Ogre Slayer is what they call me. Took out two Ogres by myself with nothing but my axe here." Oghren stated proudly with a snicker.
"Do people actually call you that, or did you give yourself that title?" Daveth inquired, his voice tinged with curiosity and amusement.
"Some here do," said Oghren.
"I see, but what about Felsi and your son? And your position in the Ferelden Army?" Alistair asked with furrowed brows.
"That's not something to talk about here. If you want to play catch up then we need some food and some drinks, maybe some girls even." Oghren answered, a grin dawning on his face at that last part.
"Uh-huh," was Alistair's response as he glanced past the redheaded dwarf. He had expected to see Aedan by now, but there was still no sign of him. All he saw standing in the gateway were guards, a few Grey Wardens, and those that worked at the keep.
"He's not here," Oghren suddenly said after a moment of him gazing at the crowd of onlookers.
"What?" Said Alistair as he averted his attention back down to Oghren.
"The boss ain't here." Oghren declared. "Left some time ago to look for that witch. You know the one with a pretty face, small tits, and considers you to be dumber than a rock?"
"Morrigan?" Alistair asked.
"Aye, that's the one." Oghren affirmed, before chuckling. "Never saw what he saw in her. Oh sure she's beautiful, but that tongue of hers is sharper than those swords he carries. Honestly, I don't know how he can put up with her, she reminds me of Branka. Just taller and lacking in tits and rump."
"Neither did I…" Alistair confessed quietly, his lips curling into that of a small frown.
"I'm more surprised he's gone off to look for her." Daveth announced. "Considering the last time we saw them two together…"
Daveth trailed off, leaving the rest of what happened unspoken.
It was something Alistair had found surprising too. He didn't know what exactly happened between them, but he remembered their last interaction after the defeat of the Archdemon. It wasn't a pleasant one and ended with Morrigan silently turning into a raven and flying away, never to be seen or heard of again.
"What? What happened?" Oghren inquired as he looked between the two of them. "You can't just start saying something like that and suddenly go quiet, you'll make me all curious."
It had slipped Alistair's mind that Oghren hadn't been there at the top of Fort Drakon. The only ones that had been up there to witness what had transpired between Aedan and Morrigan were himself, Daveth, Wynne, and Sten.
When Morrigan was long gone, Wynne had approached him and tried to speak about what happened between them, but all she got was a long look followed by three words.
You were right.
He then turned and walked to the door, and never spoke about Morrigan again, even when asked.
"It's not our place to say what happened between the two of them." Alistair stated as he looked at Oghren who looked back at him.
Seeing the serious look he sent him, Oghren didn't make any jokes. Instead, he said to them, "well shouldn't have to wait too long for him to return. He left nearly three weeks ago, so I'm sure he's bound to return soon."
"I see," Alistair acknowledged.
"Yep, now come on, let's go see Captain Buzzkill, and then we can play catch up. I got some stuff that'll put some hair on your chest. Been saving it for some time now."
At this, neither Alistair nor Daveth said anything, they simply followed after Oghren.
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
"You're trimming your beard." Morrigan declared, breaking the almost silent atmosphere and causing Aedan to stop what he was doing and look at Morrigan through the mirror's reflection.
"I am." Aedan affirmed with a nod. "It's gotten a little too long."
He then resumed cutting his beard, tilting his head this way and that way until he took notice of Morrigan's reflection still being there. She had her arms crossed in front of her and was looking at him with a look he could not place while leaning on the corner of the wall.
"Is there something wrong?" Aedan inquired as he stopped once more.
"No, I am just disappointed." She told him, causing him to frown. "I quite liked your beard."
"Really?" He questioned, surprise in his voice.
"No, not really. I am actually quite glad you finally decided to shave it." She answered with a smile he found to be quite charming.
"Well, I am happy that you are happy with my decision." He said as he continued again.
For a moment it was just him trimming his hair with Morrigan watching him, but that moment came to an end when Morrigan said in a serious-filled voice. "Do you not have questions for me?"
"What do you mean?" He inquired before shortening the hair on his left jawline.
"It has been some time since we have came here and not once have you asked me anything. you haven't asked about this world, nor have you asked about Kieran and what I have planned for him." She explained as she stared at him.
She wasn't wrong. Despite it being four days since they came here, Aedan has not asked anything of that sort. They spoke of similarities between this world and Thedas, but never has he gone and said to her. "What are your thoughts of this world?" Or, "do you have any idea how this world came to be?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Aedan said, "I figured you would be the one to ask me that and then after I answered that you would go on to tell me what you know. As for Kieran, should I be worried about what you have planned for him?"
Aedan knew that she planned on doing something with their son, he knew that before Kieran was even conceived because she had told him she had plans for him, but to ask him that bothered him. He felt like she was testing him, trying to figure out how deep his care for their son is.
"Considering you do not have the slightest clue what I have planned, I would like to believe so." Morrigan declared after a few seconds of staring at him. "For all you know I plan to do what my mother planned to do with me."
"You telling me that makes me certain that is not what you have planned for him." Said Aedan as he set down the small pair of shears and turned to face her.
"Do you really believe that?" Morrigan questioned with sharp eyes. "Do you not think I said that to deceive you and make you think that will not be his fate?"
"... I trust you Morrigan," Aedan confessed after a moment of looking at her. "I trust that you would not do that to our son, the child you carried within you for nine months and fed at your breasts."
Morrigan stared at him with catlike eyes. She didn't say anything, at least not for several seconds.
"That was uncomfortable to hear." She declared with a sigh, her cheeks a slight shade of red. "Do me a favor, my love, and never do that again. Just say that you trust me and leave it at that."
"Why? Did hearing that make you all flustered?" Aedan inquired in a teasing manner.
"If anything it almost made me throw up." Morrigan answered with an annoyed huff, earning a chuckle from him. "I'm being serious! Hearing you say that was more nauseating than it was charming."
"Well, my apologies to that, but does that answer things? Or do you still wish to inquire about my concerns for Kieran?"
"That does answer things, yes." Morrigan affirmed with a nod. "We can talk more about this after you're done shaving. I'm sorry, but it is hard to look you in the eyes and have a proper conversation with how ridiculous you look right now."
And with that said, she left the room, leaving Aedan alone in it and thinking after turning back to the mirror.
I do look quite ridiculous right now.
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
Rhaegar didn't not show it, but seeing Ser Barristan stand guard over Aedan and Morrigan's room made a ghost frown appear on his face. It was unnecessary to have him or any other member of the Kingsguard to guard their door. It was also unnecessary to have thirty other men guarding it, but it was his father's will, and his father was King.
"With how many men here you'd think they would be watching the world's greatest criminal. Either that or some great nobleman, but nope. They're just standing here watching over a family and a dog."
While Rhaegar didn't say anything, he was mentally inclined to agree with his white shadow, Ser Oswell Whent. The number of guards was truly ridiculous.
"My father is concerned and rightfully so." Said Rhaegar in a low tone that was laced with somberness. "How many people do you know can walk through a mirror? I know none at all."
"You have me there, my prince." Ser Oswell conceded with a wry chuckle. "Still, there are many that believe thirty-one men watching over them is more than necessary."
"Are you one of those many people, Ser Oswell?" Rhaegar inquired.
"I am a Knight of a Kingsguard, it is not my place to wonder and question. If His Grace truly believes this to be necessary, then I will not complain." His white shadow declared sternly.
Rhaegar did not need to look around to see the guards straighten themselves. He could tell by the shifting of their stances.
Well said, Ser Oswell. Thought Rhaegar as they approached Ser Barristan.
"My prince," Ser Barristan greeted with a tip of his head.
"Ser Barristan," Rhaegar greeted back. "How do you fare?"
"I fare well, my prince." Ser Barristan answered.
"That is good to hear," Rhaegar said with a nod. "And those you watch over? Has there been any trouble with them?"
"None so far, my prince. " Ser Barristan answered. "So far they have remained inside their room, only opening the door when they need assistance or have finished eating."
"I see," said Rhaegar, who was already aware of these things. "Will it be okay if I go in there? I have several questions for them."
"You may, my prince, but I'm afraid you may be disappointed. They do not know the common tongue, and what they have learned is very little." Ser Barristan stated in an almost sympathetic tone.
"That is fine," Rhaegar declared with a wave of his hand. "I still would like to speak with them."
Author's note: Originally, I planned on this being the last Part of Chapter II, but after seeing how it's been seven days and I still have around seven-nine thousand more words to write? I decided to split that up. Chapter II will probably have a total of six parts.
Also, in case you are not aware I should mention that there have been some changes in my Dragon Age Universe. Since this isn't canon, I decided that there will be a few differences from it.
Thank you for reading and apologies if you find my story frustrating to read or anything of that sort. I had to drop out of school at the age of fourteen and had to work since then. I didn't go back, and I haven't gotten my GED for the work I do does not require that stuff. With that said, toodles.