Dragon Age: King in Exile

Part Twelve

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King Cailan has written Alistair into the succession and is ready to recognize him publicly. Loghain will do almost anything to keep that from happening. The darkspawn give him the perfect opportunity. Alistair/Cousland, featuring F!Tabris.

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Disclaimer: Nothing you recognize from Dragon Age belongs to me.

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Haven was a cold, miserable sort of place in the Frostback Mountains. Or at least Alistair thought so. Technically they hadn't reached it yet, but he could see some buildings in the distance. At least Genitivi's directions were accurate. The Frostbacks were bad enough when you knew where you were going. He could only imagine how wretched this journey might have been if they were lost.

When they finally reached the little village, a guard stood at the gate. "What are you doing in Haven?" the guard asked, already hostile. "There's nothing for you here."

Kallian raised an irritated brow. "I have business here."

"No you don't," the guard said.

Alistair winced. Now Kallian would really be pissed off.

"I'm looking for Brother Genitivi," she said, as if speaking to a small child. "I know he came to Haven and I need to speak with him. I recommend you let me through." Kallian paired this speech with a bit of knife twirling.

The guard eyed the knife. "Perhaps Revered Father Eirik would know of him. Unfortunately he's busy ministering to the villagers at the moment and cannot be disturbed."

"Revered father?" Leliana repeated in surprise. "I have never heard of this."

"It's always been thus in Haven," the guard said firmly. "We do not question tradition. Now I must ask you to leave."

Kallian was silent for a moment. Alistair could feel her seething. "You wouldn't turn us away without letting us purchase a few supplies for the journey, would you? These mountains are treacherous, you know."

"Very well," he said. "But when you have purchased your supplies, I suggest you and your companions leave."

Kallian didn't deign that with a response as the guard stepped aside.

"They are hiding something," Morrigan said quietly. "Tis obvious, is it not?"

They had barely taken a dozen more steps before Sten spoke up. "Interesting strategy. Do you intend to keep going north until it becomes south, and attack the Archdemon from the rear?"

Everyone stopped at his words. Alistair thought it almost sounded like sarcasm. It definitely sounded angry.

Kallian whipped around in irritation. "If you haven't been paying attention, Sten, that's your problem, not mine. To reach the Archdemon we need armies. I get armies through this stupid little thing called politics. Not that I would understand a brutish society like yours to understand that!"

Alistair froze. Elissa gasped beside him and grabbed his arm. The stunned expressions of the others surrounded the arguing pair.

"I will not simply follow in your shadow as you run from battle!" Sten growled.

"I freed you from that prison, Sten. You'd be dead if not for me. So get yourself in order!" Kallian snapped, her eyes like burning embers.

"No," Sten said firmly. "I'm taking command."

"Over my dead body!" Kallian cried.

Sten nodded. "If necessary." And he drew his sword. "Defend yourself, Warden. We will settle this."

She drew her daggers from their sheathes. "If that's how you want to play this, fine."

Alistair began to reach for his own sword, but a hand stopped him. He glanced to his side to see Leliana shaking her head. "We mustn't interfere," she said quietly.

"We can't let him kill the only grey warden we have!" Elissa hissed from his other side.

"It isn't a fight to the death," Leliana said. "And if it starts to go that way, we will stop him."

"Does she know that?" Alistair asked warily. He'd rarely seen Kallian this angry… and she was angry a lot. Sten was angry too, but Alistair's bet was on the warden. Sten would have to get lucky to land a hit on her, she was so small and so fast. By the time his heavy sword had completed its arc, she was nowhere near where it landed. Though it was hard for her to get near him as well. His reach was long. Kallian was small, with only daggers to defend herself. She could avoid being hit, sure. But could she actually defeat him?

The minutes felt like hours as they watched. Leliana's hand still covered his on the pommel of his sword. Elissa clung to his other side, squeezing his arm every time it she feared Kallian would be injured. Each time the elf would dodge out of the way, moving supernaturally fast. If it wasn't their friends—if there wasn't so much at stake—he would have enjoyed watching two skilled fighters in such opposite disciplines. As it was, Alistair's heart was in his throat. Only Leliana's hand kept him from drawing his sword.

And then, faster than any of them could track, Kallian was on Sten's back, her knife at his throat. "Yield," she growled. The tip pressed slightly, and a drop of blood rolled down his neck.

The world seemed to stop. Then… "I yield," came Sten's low grumble.

When Kallian came to face him he said, "You are strong enough. What is your command?"

She stared at him for a long moment, blood shining on her dagger as she considered him. "I don't want to hear any more dissent, Sten," she spat out. "Is that clear?"

"Understood," he said, and the party breathed a sigh of relief as he sheathed his sword.

Kallian looked at the gathered group as she wiped the blood away. "I'm heading to the shop, like I told that idiot guard. Leliana, Morrigan, do some exploring. Find out what they're hiding."

The two broke off from the group and ducked behind a building while the rest of them headed towards the shop.

…

Leliana didn't mind using her bardic skills for a good cause, and while breaking and entering didn't usually fall in that category, this seemed an adequate exception. How could they find out what the villagers were hiding if they didn't actually look around?

The first house they broke into seemed normal enough, until they went into the back room. Leliana stopped and stared at an altar covered in blood.

"That is human blood," Morrigan interjected.

Leliana turned to her, frowning. "How do you know?"

Morrigan tossed her head. "I just do. I also know that one cannot lose that much blood and still survive."

Leliana shuddered as Morrigan swept away.

When they'd stopped off in Denerim, Leliana had offered to give Morrigan a quick makeover so she wouldn't stand out so much. Morrigan had become offended at the thought, though Leliana didn't quite understand why. She was a beautiful woman, and would be more so if she didn't dress herself in crow feathers. Now she was starting to think Morrigan preferred being feared.

Shortly after leaving the first home, they ran into a child who showed them a human finger bone. Again, creepy. He refused to talk much to them, just told them that all the adults were up at the chantry. Leliana wondered if their idea of church involved more altars and human blood. They certainly weren't a part of the official chantry—the chantry would never approve a revered father!

Catching sight of Kallian up ahead, they moved quickly to join her and the others.

"Well?" Kallian asked.

"Something strange is definitely going on," Leliana said. "We found an altar covered with human blood in one of the houses. Enough blood that the person shouldn't have survived. And outside, a child playing with a finger bone."

Morrigan stepped in. "The villagers are all at the chantry. I believe we should interrupt their service should we wish to know the truth."

"And you?" Leliana asked. "Did you learn anything at the shop?"

Kallian shrugged. "The shopkeeper attacked us when I tried to peek in his back room. So we didn't get to ask a lot of questions."

"He had good reason to keep us out," Alistair said, looking angry. "We found the body of one of Eamon's knights. I only hope that Brother Genitivi has survived."

Kallian nodded. "Let's check out that church."

…

They stepped inside the chantry as the revered father was speaking. Wynne's eyes widened at the sight of him. "He's a mage," she whispered to Kallian, who gave a slight nod.

"We are blessed beyond measure, chosen of the holy," the revered father said. "We are beloved to be her guardians. This sacred duty is given to us alone. Rejoice, my brethren, and prepare your hearts to see her. Lift up your voices and despair not, for she will raise her faithful servants to glory." At this, he noticed the movement at the back of the room and frowned.

"Ah, welcome," he said as Kallian strode forward, the others following behind. "I heard we had visitors in the village. I trust you've enjoyed your time in Haven so far?" he asked.

"Don't bother pretending this place is normal," Kallian spat. "We know you killed Arl Eamon's knights. What do you have to say for yourselves?"

Father Eirik looked at the villages. "This is what happens when you let outsiders into the village. They have no respect for our privacy." He looked at Kallian. "You, stranger, do not understand our ways. You would bring war to Haven in your ignorance!"

"What is there to respect?" she asked. "Your fake chantry? Your ritual sacrifices? Or your murdering of outsiders?" she demanded. "What have you done with Brother Genitivi?"

"We don't owe you any explanation, outsider. We have a sacred duty. Failure to protect her would be a greater sin." He smiled beatifically as he looked at his followers. "All will be… forgiven." And he pulled a staff from behind the chantry's altar.

It was all-out chaos as the villagers attacked. They were beset on all sides by the clumsy attempts of the villagers. The greater danger was Father Eirik, matching Morrigan spell for spell.

Alistair hated fighting people so untrained, so helpless in the face of actual warriors. But they just wouldn't stop! He was grateful for his armor as their knives scraped against it. At the end of the battle, some villagers were dead, but others were merely knocked out. Alistair was glad not to kill them all.

Father Eirik was the last to go down, but the combined work of Wynne and Morrigan had silenced him forever. Upon seeing him lying still on the chantry floor, Sten swung and struck Eirik's head from his shoulders. When the others looked at him oddly, he simply said, "It is the only way to ensure a mage stays dead."

"Explore the chantry," Kallian ordered afterwards. "Look for any other rooms or passages."

After a few short minutes, they heard Leliana yelling. "Genitivi is here! Wynne, we need healing!"

They all rushed to the room where Leliana kneeled above a man on the ground, his leg looking twisted and mangled.

"Who are you?" the man was asking. "They sent you to finish it?"

"No," Leliana said, finding his hand and squeezing it. "We are here to help. You are Brother Genitivi, are you not?

"I am," he said. "Who sent you?"

During this exchange, Wynne had arrive, and was kneeling by his leg. Kallian strode up beside Leliana. "Arl Eamon's brother sent us to find you, and to find the ashes if we can," the warden said. "I take it you haven't found them yet?"

"Not yet," he said. "But with your help…" He groaned as Wynne examined his leg. "The leg's not doing so well. I can't feel my foot anymore."

Wynne looked grim. "It will most likely need to be amputated. I can help with the pain, but healing your foot is beyond my skills."

Genitivi sighed. "That is no worse than what I expected. But there are more important things than an old man's feet." He took a deep breath. "There is no time to rest—I'm so close! The urn is just up the mountain! I'm sure of it."

"How can you be sure?" Elissa asked from above him, where the others huddled worriedly.

"My research led me to Haven, and once here I heard the villagers speak enough to be certain. At the top of the mountain there is an old temple built to protect it. The door is kept locked, but I know what the key is. The revered father wears an unusual necklace. That pendant is the key to the temple door."

Kallian raised a brow and reached into her pack. "This necklace? I took it off his body moments ago."

"Yes! That is the key. Take me up the mountainside and I will show you how to unlock the temple."

Kallian crossed her arms. "Climbing the mountain is no small feat for a man who can't walk."

"I… will need help," he admitted. "But there are many of you, and strong. And you need me to unlock the temple! For the urn, any pain is worth enduring."

"That's not necessary," Kallian said. "Sten," she barked, turning. "You're going to carry the brother up the mountain."

Sten glared and grumbled, but wouldn't dispute her now, not after she'd defeated him in single combat. Genitivi's eyes widened at the sight of the qunari, but he didn't protest as he was lifted into the large man's arms.

As they climbed the mountain, they discussed Haven, its people, and the ashes. The strangest part was what Genitivi said about the villagers and their fanaticism towards Andraste. That they believed themselves her protectors, but spoke about her as if she were still living, not simply an urn of ashes.

When they reached the temple at the mountain's peak, Sten was instructed to set Genitivi down. He took Father Eirik's amulet and manipulated it to fit the temple door. It swung open to reveal a great hall, filled with ice and snow, barren and devoid of signs of life.

After a quick examination of the area, they determined that it seemed safe enough. Brother Genitivi seemed eager to study the statues and carvings in the room, and Kallian was glad not to have to drag him onward. She decided to leave Wynne with him, in case she could heal him some more, and Sten, as both protection and punishment for his mutiny earlier. Elissa decided to leave her dog as well. There was something magical about the temple that the animal didn't seem to like, and she wouldn't force him to go any further.

Kallian stepped forward into the ancient temple, her friends and followers behind her.

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