Disclaimer: I don't own A song of Ice and Fire or Dragon Age
Here we are, the introduction of my warden character. Some warning, there will be some changes to the canon of the start of Dragon Age 2
The Phoenix and Griffin
Chapter 2: Unshakable
Westeros-King's Landing
The one thing that blocked out the smell of shit in King's landing, was the garden. It was common for people at court to walk through it. Revka Amell was such a person, she walked through the garden, holding a book with the only hand she had. It was the price she defiantly paid for striking the prince Joffrey. An act that to this day she still didn't regret. And she wouldn't mind paying the price again. As the Queen's companion, she had been gifted with a gold hand, one she often took off when she visited the orphanage she was the patron of. But today, she had time to herself, time to sit on a bench, enjoy the sun and read a good book. She let out a deep breath of satisfaction, this feeling she had was tranquillity, peace.
'Fuck,' Revka thought.
Phantom pain, it was something she often felt. She had taken her own hand, not out of any respect for the law, but to spit in the face of the blood lust she knew Cersei and Joffrey both had. To see her willingly part with her own hand, and to do so unflinchingly, robbed them of any pleasure they may have gained from it. In doing that, she also protected her niece and her friend from Joffrey and Cersei's wrath. It was another reminder that Joffrey was a violent little shit. When the Amells hosted the royal family at the Meadow, Joffrey had mocked the songs of Aristanna and her friend Zayne. He had taken something Zayne had said out of context, at least that was the official excuse for his violent reaction to the elf. When Joffrey drew his sword on Zayne, Aristanna stepped between them and easily held off Joffrey's sword. But Revka wasn't going to risk her niece's safety, and she despised Joffrey's actions. People had to be held to a standard, even royals.
'Maker, royals and nobles especially have to be held to a standard,' was Revka's constant belief.
So she did what Cersei should have done, slapped the little git across the face. Afterwards she cut off her hand and threw it at Cersei's feet. The action had left the usually smirking queen shocked and speechless. Revka didn't deny it wasn't strange that such an action would be the first step in their friendship. But she had not come to the garden to contemplate her life, rather enjoy it. Finally, she had a moment to herself alone.
'Peace,' Revka closed her eyes and sighed.
"Lady Amell!"
"Now what?" she muttered.
She opened her eyes and saw nothing.
"Ahem, down here, don't tell me you have forgotten my lady," the polite and formal voice belonged to one Tyrion Lannister.
Revka looked down at the youngest of Tywin Lannister's children. Many called him imp and dwarf, but Revka had grown up with dwarf children in her household, many of them were taller than Tyrion. He was what some would call a deformity or monster, but Revka believed neither. He was simply born looking the way he looked. And she considered him and Jamie to be the most honourable of the Lannisters.
"Tyrion, what can I do for you?" Revka asked, putting on a polite smile.
She liked Tyrion, she just wanted a moment to herself.
"We looked for you last night, my chambers were quite lonely," he said.
"I assume there was a woman with you though," Revka said.
"Two actually, lovely ladies actually, you would have liked them!"
"For the last time Tyrion, I'm not going to join you in an orgy."
"You insult me Lady Amell," Tyrion put a hand to his heart, though he still smirked in his good natured way. "I would never dream of trying to seduce my beloved sisters best friend!"
Revka laughed, "I'm as much her best friend as she is your 'beloved' sister," she said.
"You underestimate your worth to us my lady, what is it you are reading?" Tyrion asked.
"Something from Kirkwall, my cousinsaid I might appreciate the work of this," Revka paused to read the back of the book. "Varric Tethras, thought I might give it a try," she shrugged.
"May I borrow it after?"
"Of course, is there anything else?" Revka asked.
"I understand you have yet to take on a hand maiden," Tyrion said.
"I don't need a servant to wait on me hand..." Revka raised her eyebrow, then shot Tyrion a warning look as he smirked.
"Well, emphasis on a single hand, I understand you write your own letters, make your own fires, run your own baths and clean your own body...but I believe you can help this girl, perhaps we can discuss more tonight over Dornish wine and Ferelden mead," Tyrion explained and Revka nodded her head.
"Yes of course," she said.
Tyrion bowed his head in thanks and walked away, whistling 'All men must die'. He had a sense of humour and a fondness for his life not many had. Putting the encounter to one side, and making a note of the subject, Revka continued with what she was about to do. She traced her gold hand across the cover, read the title.
'Hard in Hightown!'
She opened the book and...
"My lady!"
"Oh for fucks sake!" Revka snarled, slamming the book shut.
Varys raised his eyebrows at Revka's attitude. He then rolled his eyes, she had a personality unique to most people in king's landing. The spy master of the king though did like the Amell woman.
"Ah hard in Hightown, good writer Varric, though his subject matter is somewhat tawdry for my tastes," he said.
"What is it Varys?" Revka asked, annoyance in her voice.
"You recall that very special request you had of me?"
"Ah, that request," Revka said, standing up. "Hey, you hiding in the shrubbery, go back to Baelish and tell him to mind his business."
A young man poked his head out of the bush, holding a pair of sheers.
"I'm just trimming the..."
"Oh please, those hedges clearly don't need it, now get out of here," Revka said.
The young man yelped as Revka took a step towards him. He quickly ran the other way, Revka's temper was infamous, as was her fearlessness and willingness to get her hand dirty. She was not abusive to servants or small folk, even when they were spying for people. But she always knew when people where spying on her. She linked her arm with Varys and began walking down the path.
"The rumours of Amell observation skills do not do the truth justice, you truly have the eyes of hawks," Varys said.
"Thank you, but you didn't come here to bombard me with praise did you? So tell me, what news from Ferelden?" Revka asked.
Varys remained silent for a moment, obviously checking himself to see if anyone was watching. Revka trusted Varys's skill as a spy, she also trusted that he may tell a version of the story to the king or queen if they demanded it. Even the kindest of people in King's landing, such as Varys, would betray another to keep themselves alive. And to advance further in the game.
'The very thing that holds this country back, just like in Orlais,' Revka thought.
"You have a certain overestimation of my resources my lady, though I do have a few birds in Thedas, you would only need your one hand to count them," Varys explained.
"Prick," Revka muttered.
"It took time, but I was able to acquire certain information, it confirms what your letter said that King Cailan's royal army was decimated at Ostagar, the king himself and all Grey Wardens slaughtered, with the exception of two," Varys continued and Revka focused on him, her eyes wide in anticipation. "At a place called Lothering, a bird saw them at an inn, a group of Loghain's men recognised and attacked them. With the aid of a Chantry sister, they managed to beat the group, not kill them but make them submit. The leader gave them a message!"
"Which was?" Revka asked.
"That they knew what Loghain had done, that Loghain himself knew, and to tell him they were coming for him," Varys said.
"What did the two wardens look like?"
"One was a Ferelden clearly, blonde haired and somewhat rugged. The other, the apparent leader well, his skin had a tan to it though my bird couldn't tell if he was Rivaini or not, as it was lighter than their skin. His hair was wild and untamed, spiky they eventually settled at. He had burns on part of his face, running to the bridge of his nose as if fire had marked him," Varys paused as Revka gasped. "His eyes though, were a deep red!"
Revka stepped away from Varys and smiled. Her hopes had been rewarded, she knew without shred of doubt that the man Varys spoke of was the one whose safety she had been praying for. Her son, Daylen Amell.
Outskirts of Lothering
(Dragon Age Origins OST-Battle of Lothering Village)
Far across the sea, was the region of Thedas, where magic and monsters had endured. It was in the land of Ferelden where a force dedicated to destruction and corruption spread across the land. From Ostagar it began, destroying what had believed to have been the only army capable of destroying it. And from Ostagar, it marched through the Kokari wilds, towards the village of Lothering. A village abandoned by its lord, leaving the civilians to scatter across the hills with the minute things they had managed to gather. They used pitchforks, shovels and kitchen knives as weapons to defend themselves, or at least go down fighting. For their enemies were truly monsters, the darkspawn.
"MOVE!" yelled a survivor of Ostagar.
Aveline Vallen was a soldier, and a skilled one at that. She had never been afraid of a fight. But even she wavered in the face of the twisted versions of men that attacked her and the refugee caravan. Their brutal weapons tore through flesh, and their ripped out throats with their teeth. Aveline had trained fighting human opponents, overconfident men or fearful lads, not monsters. She looked to her husband, a Templar whom abandoned his post to find her. A romantic gesture, and though Wesley helped gather a few people, he wasn't the fighter Aveline was. He was slashed from behind by a Hurlock, his sword and shield clattering to the ground.
"No," Aveline snarled.
She tackled the Hurlock, punching it across the face before bringing her sword down on its neck. She put Wesley's arm over her shoulder and helped him up.
"They will not have you, not while I breath," she whispered to her love.
People ran across the plains, Hurlocks and the smaller and bulkier genlocks behind them. Arrows flew into the monster's faces and they diverted their course. On top of a grouping of rocks, the archer pulled back her bow and fired. She wore a red shirt, beige trousers and boots. Marian Hawke had abandoned her armour at Ostagar, she arrived at her home of Lothering with Wesley and a handful of other soldiers whom survived the trek through the wilds. Amongst them was her younger brother Carver. The taller and muscular lad was using a club to batter a Genlock until his face was smashed in. Behind him was their mother Leandra. Seeing that her mother was safe, Marian focused on the darkspawn running towards her. She fired one arrow after another, until her quiver was empty.
"Why can't you all just give us a rest?" she huffed, drawing her dagger.
She slashed the throat of one Hurlock, and hit another with her quiver before stabbing it in the throat. A Hurlock then came towards her, shoving her to the ground and raising its axe. Suddenly, flames threw the Hurlock back.
"Having trouble sister," Marian recognised the voice and shook her head.
Her mother had either been gifted or cursed to have two sets of twins. A mage amongst each set, Garret was the first. Marian took her twin's hand and he lifted her off the ground. He had earned muscle equal to Carver's from years of labouring. After their father passed, Garret had to provide some help for their mother. The dark haired man had a scruffy beard, was wearing a short sleeve grey top and a leather belt with fur underneath it. He was holding his oak staff, his hand on the red grip on it, the small dragon head on the tip glowing with magic.
"There's another wave approaching, we need to move quickly," Garret said.
"What do you think we've been doing, admiring the scenery?" Marian asked.
She yanked a few arrows out of the Darkspawn corpses, checking her mother again. Carver's twin was aiming her staff at a group of the Darkspawn. Bethany was a beauty, her hair not like Marian or their mother's. She wore a white top that exposed her midriff, grey sleeves and trousers and a red scarf around her delicate neck. Two belts were wrapped around the chainmail skirt on her waist. Her staff had a ring on the end of it, which glowed as she used her ice magic, creating a flurry of spikes that struck the darkspawn.
"They've been chasing us since Ostagar," Carver said, his yellow shirt drenched in his sweat.
"Our home, everything your father and I built," Leandra whispered, still in shock from having to leave.
"If you had seen that man at the Chantry mother, you'd have realised like I had how important is was to leave," Bethany said.
"We get it Bethany, you liked that man, but where is he now?" Garret asked, shrugging his shoulders and rolling his eyes.
The people of Lothering looked at the Hawkes in shock. Some had known that two of the siblings were mages, and had kept quiet. Others weren't sure whether to be more afraid of them than the darkspawn. But so far, they had been the best protection for them. Even Wesley, part of an organisation dedicated to containing mages, had accepted their help. He coughed weakly, and Aveline and Marian both realised that he may already be infected with the Blight. The sickness carried by the darkspawn blood, the sickness that would seep into the plains of Lothering, ruining it for years. They weren't just destroying the chantry or the houses, but the very land itself.
"We need to move now," Marian said.
They joined the group of refugees, not even half of the village. The rest were either dead or scattered.
"That man said we should go to Redcliffe," Bethany said.
"We should go to Kirkwall, doesn't uncle Gamlen have an estate?" Garret asked.
"Too many Templars, besides cousin Revka sent us a letter telling us the bastard lost the estate," Marian said.
"Let's just try to get out of here alive," Carver said.
"And then what? We can't just wander aimlessly."
"I'm not suggesting that!"
"Enough you two," Marian snapped at her bickering siblings.
They ran up a desolate hill, that overlooked the paths to many of the places in Ferelden. A few people stopped to catch their breath. Then they felt it, the ground shake. For a moment, Marian thought 'damn the dragon has come for us'. But there was no flap of wings, no great gust of wind that would have signalled the arrival of a dragon. There was however a thudding sound, something crashing to the ground repeatedly. Looking over the hill, the people gasped when they saw what it was. Marian realised too late that the thudding was footsteps. They saw the horns of the towering creature, the plates of armour on its scaled skin.
"OGRE!" Marian yelled.
It stampeded through a group of people, throwing them aside like dolls or squashing them. Marian, Garret and Carver dived to the right, and Aveline and Wesley to the left. The ogre slid across the ground, roaring as it turned to Bethany and Leandra. Bethany stood in front of her mother, her staff raised to protect her.
"Maker give me strength," she prayed, knowing she didn't have a chance.
With a thrust of her staff, she launched a fireball at the Ogre. But the monster blocked the flames with its arm and approached Bethany.
"BETHANY NO!" Leandra screamed as the Ogre grabbed her daughter.
(Attack on Titan OST-Reluctant Heroes)
Suddenly, there was a flash of lighting and a bolt slammed into the Ogre's eye. It dropped Bethany to the floor and she quickly rolled to her mother. There was another bolt and a man suddenly appeared in front of the two women. He was wearing grey clothing, including a hooded jacket, baggy grey trousers and a pair of gloves. Boots with wooden armour on his heels covered his feet, and a boiled leather belt across his waist. On his exposed sleeve, Bethany noticed that one of his arms was scarred by burns, to the point that made Bethany wonder how he could move his arm. A small round shield was covering his wrist and strapped to his belt was a dagger.
"Who?" Bethany looked at the new arrival curiously.
The ogre roared and swung its arm towards the hooded man. With a shimmer of red, he side stepped the fist. Lighting crackled around his arm and shield and he dragged it across the Ogre's arm. The creature roared in pain, clutching its bleeding wound and recoiling from the wound. With his other hand he gripped a ball of ice. Then he thrust it forward, throwing it into the Ogre's mouth. The ball exploded, icicles piercing through the Ogre's eyes and ears. It slammed back first into the ground and the warrior braced himself as more Darkspawn ran towards him.
"Ten Hurlocks, eight Genlocks, two Alphas, an Emissary, and four Shriek's...WHO THINK THEY CAN HIDE!" the mage raised his hand, and bolts of lightning crashed down around him.
In an explosion of smoke, four Shriek's were revealed and electrocuted. Two however were still alive, lashing their claws at the man. He stepped back, barely dodging and blocking their blows. Suddenly, a dagger pierced through the eye of one Shriek. Then, a blonde haired man rushed past the other Shriek, splitting its head with a pick axe. The blonde haired man had short hair and stubble on his chin. Grey and brown Templar armour covered his body, the kind that offered limited protection for recruits. In his other hand he held a knife.
"I thought you said you weren't going to risk your life at close range," the blonde haired man said.
"Not unless it's for someone," the hooded man said.
"That voice, it's him mother, the man from the Chantry, who calmed the Chasind," Bethany said.
She got off the floor, just as a fireball slammed into a Hurlock Alpha, burning its armour. A red haired woman ran past Bethany, picking up the dagger from the dead Shriek and stabbing through the Alpha's mouth. Strangely, the red haired woman was in the red, yellow and black robes of the Chantry. Bethany recognised her as Leliana, one of the lay sisters, she had Orlesian heritage and had a good singing voice. She however held the dual daggers like a true master of them.
"Take out the emissary first, Alistair!" the hooded man said.
"On it," the blonde haired man began running forward.
He threw his hand forward, releasing a spark of light that cast aside the poisonous vapours the Darkspawn mage generated.
'So he is a templar,' Bethany thought.
The young man smashed the Emissary across the face, then gutted it with his knife. Leliana ran a Genlock through with her dagger, throwing the other one into an archer's chest. She rolled to the corpse, picking up the bow and shooting another Hurlock in the face. She ran back, knocking another arrow as two Genlocks approached. There was a sudden growl, before a brown haired Mabari jumped over the Lay sister. He sunk his teeth into the Genlock's shoulder, and using the momentum from his pounce threw the little monster into a pile of rocks. The Mabari ran around the other Genlock, giving Leliana time to shoot both dazed Genlocks.
"ALPHA!" the hooded man yelled, blocking the sword of a Hurlock.
The Mabari responded to what was clearly his name. He ran and sunk his teeth into the Hurlock's heels, distracting it enough for the hooded man to stab the Hurlock in the neck.
"STEN!" the mage formed a flame in his hand.
He let loose a cloud of fire on the Hurlocks and Genlocks in front of him. Leandra gripped Bethany's arm, seeing a giant of a man rush through the flames. He was in simple clothes, the kind they gave prisoners. In fact, Bethany recognised the man's dark skin, and his cornrows of white hair. The Sten, not a name but a title, people in Lothering knew him either as the Qunari, or the murderer. He was holding a club, and used the same strength he had used to crush a farmer and his family, to bash in the heads of the Darkspawn.
"Such a bloody sight isn't it?" a voice asked behind Bethany.
She turned to a strikingly beautiful woman. But there was a wildness to her, a simple red rage barely covered her chest, dirty pearls and a necklace covered her delicate neck. But her exposed arms were toned from exercise, fingerless gloves covered her hand and a black armour was on her shoulder. The dark haired woman held a staff made of wood, the end of it resembling a branch. But it was a mage staff, as evidence when the woman twirled it and shoot two Hurlocks with mana bolts. She tripped another, savagely stabbing it through the mouth with the tip of the staff.
"If you are unused to such sights, then you should run!" the woman said.
"FALL BACK TO THE HILL!" the hooded man ran, with his companions. "MORRIGAN!"
(Dynasty Warriors 6 OST-Rock and Roll Over)
"Don't get used to giving me orders," the wild woman said.
Fire glowed on the head of her staff. She thrust it forward, just as the other mage threw his arms forward. Then were drawing a line of fire between them and the Darkspawn. Noticing this, Bethany ran away from her mother and thrust her staff forward. Garret quickly did the same thing, grinning as he looked over at the wild woman, desire already filling his head. The draft from the flames threw off the grey mage's hood, revealing his wild brown hair, his tanned and partially burnt skin.
"You," Bethany whispered.
Once the line of fire had been drawn, the grey mage ran to the hill.
"EVERYONE! DO NOT SEPERATE! FOLLOW THE PATH TO REDCLIFFE!" he yelled.
"He's right, come with us to Redcliffe, you will found shelter with Arl Eamon there," Alistair said.
"You all know me, I trust this man with my life, move as one and you will be safe I promise you," Leliana explained.
"Sister, they were from Ostagar, the Grey Wardens," Carver said, grabbing Marian's shoulder.
"Everyone, listen to me, you've known me for years, please trust my brother and I when I tell you these men are Grey Wardens," Marian said.
"Grey Wardens," the villagers began to mutter amongst themselves, looking at the grey mages group with apprehension.
They saw someone whom Loghain had accused of betraying the king. Someone whom was collaborating with the Orlesians, the nation that enslaved the Ferelden people many years ago. A man who had released a murderer, the Sten. A mage, a man part disfigured from burns. Marian walked to the mages side and looked at the villagers.
(Dynasty Warriors 8 OST-Seventh Journey)
"I can tell you without shred of doubt that this man...is the best hope you all have!" Marian said.
"WARDEN!" Sten yelled.
The Grey Warden moved to the Qunari's side. A gap in the flame wall had formed, and rows of blighted wolves began running through it. A Hurlock Emmissary walked behind them, cackling with a Dozen other Hurlocks behind him.
"Listen to me carefully, if you want to survive this, do exactly as I tell you," the mage said, walking to the villagers. "Any man holding a spear or rake, step forward and form a line. You two mages," he referred to Garret and Bethany, drawing them towards him. "Do you both know Earth and ice magic?" he asked and they nodded. "Good, raise the ground to this height," he held his hand up to his waist. "You," he pointed at Aveline, "Leave your husband in the care of one of the Lay sisters, I need people who know how to use swords, if he can't lift his then give it to someone else!"
Aveline knew the voice of a commander, though there was youth on the man's face, he had the pose and voice of a leader. The villagers had no idea what kind of plan he was making, only Aveline had a vague idea of what it could be. And she had faith in that plan, she obeyed his orders and left Wesley in the care of Leandra a few other non-combatant woman. She caressed his face a final time and drew her sword, joining a few villagers who had their own swords. Sten picked up Wesley's sword, tested its weight and nodded in approval.
"Morrigan, help me empower their blades," the Grey Warden put his hands together, both his index and middle fingers were held up and pushed together.
He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. Morrigan rolled her eyes and raised her hand. The villagers gasped in awe as steam of ice spread across their blades. The mage separated his hands, drawing his dagger from his belt, ice spread across it as well.
"Leliana, you and the other archer stay behind us, as soon as you see the Hurlocks, you hit them with arrows, but make sure you kill the Emissary first. Alistair, take up a spear and get to the front," again the mage gave commands, and his companions followed.
His Mabari snarled as the Blighted wolves ran faster and faster towards the rocks and the villagers.
"Hold steady," Alistair said, reassuring the men beside him.
"Men in front, thrust your spears only when I yell snake, men at the back, thrust your spears upwards when I say dragon!" looks of confusion crossed the faces of the people he led.
The wolves drew closer, and closer, Sten frowned at a man whose legs shook. The fact that the giant was behind him was the only thing stopping him from running.
"Create ice spikes on our flanks, now!" the warden commanded Garrett and Bethany.
They did just that, and the mage closed his eyes again. Much to the wonder of both Lothering mages, their ice spikes crackled with electricity. The wolves ran towards the rocks, and pounced.
"SNAKE!" the mage yelled.
Alistair and the men thrust their spears, skewering the wolves that pounced over the rocks. A second line of wolves however jumped over the front spear men.
"DRAGON!"
But the spearmen behind them thrust their spears upwards, hitting the bellies of the wolves. They slammed them to the ground, and the swordsmen led by Sten and Aveline finished the wounded creatures off. Marian and Leliana knocked back their bows, seeing through the gaps in the rock and ice. They released, hitting two Hurlocks that the Emissary commanded to rush forward. More of the Hurlocks ran, taking hits from arrows.
"Conserve your arrows and aim for the Emissary," the mage commanded.
Leliana and Marian took deep breaths, focusing their aim. Their arrows flew true, both skewering the eyes of the Emissary. But to their shock, that didn't stop the Darkspawn mage. It threw its arms forward, commanding the other Hurlocks to charge. They climbed over the rocks, and were impaled by spears and rakes. Alistair shoved his spear through a Hurlock's mouth and shoved one that was about to attack an old farm hand. He drew his knife and stuck it through the monster's eye.
"Swords, get ready to shove your blades through their heads when I say thrust," the mage held his burnt and shielded arm up.
A red blur of energy appeared in front of the spear men, the Hurlock's blades clanged against the faded wall.
"A mana wall, a perfectly shaped wall," Morrigan gasped, looking at the mage with an intrigued expression.
He moved forward, raising his dagger, the other swordsmen kept their blades raised. They moved towards the wall, the glow in the mage's arm becoming more intense the closer he got. He glared at the darkspawn through the wall and readied his dagger.
"THRUST!" he roared.
They did just that as the field disappeared, impaling the feral darkspawn in front of them. The mage raised another field just in time, blocking the fireballs of the emissary. His arm shook and he slouched, falling to one knee. The Emissary continued to cackle and bombard his field with flames. When the field passed, Leliana and Marian were at the mage's side, they had their bows drawn back.
"Let's see if you can survive this you tough bastard," Marian said.
She and Leliana released their arrows, hitting the Emissary in the throat and chest. The Emissary fell back, slamming to the floor.
(End OST)
The Grey Warden let out a sigh of relief, wiping his hand across his mouth.
"Everyone, we need to start moving to Redcliffe, now!" he said.
"WESLEY!" Aveline yelled, running to her husband's side.
"We don't have time for this," Sten said.
"Alistair, get everyone moving, I will stay with them," the warden motioned to Wesley and Aveline.
He helped Aveline rest Wesley against a group of rocks. The young man nodded to Alistair, who sighed and led the group away. Aveline looked at the warden as he crouched beside Wesley.
"The taint, I can feel it," Wesley said.
"I can't make you a grey warden, I don't have what I need to do it," the mage said. "That is the only way to treat it!"
Wesley looked to Aveline, his skin had gone pale and black veins spread across his face.
"The taint is a slow death, please Aveline, I can't..."
"You cannot ask this of me, please don't!" the warden saw the tears well up in the woman's eyes.
(Kingdom Hearts OST-Xion Theme)
Gone was the strong woman he had met at Ostagar, gone was the warrior. Here was the woman laid bare, her true feelings, her true self. There was a gentleness in her touch, but a strength in the grip as well. She clung to her husband, denied the truth, as anyone whom truly loved would.
"He will only suffer more, but he is your husband, the two of you...this decision must be in your hands...I will end his suffering only if you both permit it, the choice is in your hands," the warden drew his dagger and held it to Wesley's heart.
Wesley coughed, looking at Aveline with love before he looked to the warden.
"I know your eyes, I have heard tales spread through the order. The eyes of a man marked by demons, a man destined to be taken by them...but now I see, what you did today, those were not the actions of a monster," the templar explained.
"Wesley," Aveline whispered.
"Live on my love, I will see you again one day," Wesley said.
Aveline let out a cry of anguish, resting her hand on the pommel of the Warden's dagger. He took her other hand and put it to Wesley's hand. They locked fingers tightly.
"Close your eyes Wesley," the warden said and Wesley did that.
"Think back to the moment you realised that you loved your wife, that this was the woman you wanted to be with, this is not the end...it is not the end. Now picture what lies beyond, what a man of the chant deserves...the white shores and the far green country, under a swift sunrise," he lowered his head as he spoke.
Wesley let out a sigh, and he gasped as Aveline pushed the blade through his heart. She let out a scream, pulling Wesley's lifeless form into an embrace. The mage stood and looked down at Aveline.
"I am sorry, but we cannot stay long, if you do not wish to follow then I will not try to talk you into it. But if you run now, I will see to his body, the way the Chantry would," the mage raised his hand, fire flashing in it.
Aveline crossed her husband's hands together, placing a kiss on his forehead. She picked up his shield and ran, that same strength she had at Ostagar returned. The mage unleashed the flames on his arm on the templar corpse. A funeral pyre, and a means to prevent demonic possession of the soulless body, to also keep the darkspawn from ruining him. He turned and ran.
(End OST)
The group joined with a caravan of refugees from Lothering, those whom had heeded the wardens warning. In addition, a Dwarven merchant also joined the refugees. Bodahn and his seemingly simple minded son had no food to trade, only trinkets. They had some poultices, which they gave out to the sick. The warden kept his hood up as he interacted with the dwarf. He sold his dagger and a few materials for traps he wasn't going to use. Then he brought a bowl and mortar for herbs he had gathered on the road, and a set of shoulder armour. One of his companions needed some form of protection, the Sten had removed the clothes he was put in as a prisoner, he accepted the Wardens gift with a simple nod and began sharpening Wesley's sword, his sword for now.
"What are you attempting to do?" Morrigan asked the warden, seeing him try to use the mortar to crush some Elfroot.
"We'll need poultices of our own, this is a cheaper way to make them," he said.
"Are you attempting to meld herbs or butcher meat?" the wild witch scoffed.
"He was doing quite well for a beginner," Leliana said, using a knife to sharpen and shape a stick she had found.
"You my dear know as much about the wilds as this circle raised buffoon, leave it to me," Morrigan said.
"Can you show me?" the warden asked. "I wish to learn."
Morrigan huffed, though gently took the bowl and mortar from the warden and began to show him the proper procedure. The caravan had stopped to rest, to take in bread and water, and to give thanks to the Maker and one another that they were alive. Some set up tents, others huddled together by fires. But a watch was set up, Lothering may have been far behind them, but there were still threats. Leliana had fashioned the stick she had taken into a bow, selling the Darkspawn bow to Bodahn for some coin. Alistair and the warden sat side by side together at the fire, the Mabari Alpha resting against his master's arm.
"You did a good thing today, Morrigan and Sten were right in that it would have been easier," Alistair said.
"But I couldn't leave those people, especially to the darkspawn," the warden said.
"I told you Leliana would be useful too, she certainly proved her skill."
"It was never her skill I questioned Alistair, just her motives."
"I admit the whole 'the Maker told me to help you' is a bit strange," Alistair muttered.
"Alistair, she's an Archdemon short of a blight!"
"Yeah but she's more 'oooh, pretty colours' than 'mwahaha, I'm princess stabbity, stab, stab, kill,' though she certain seemed that way with the darkspawn earlier," Alistair explained.
Both he and the Warden laughed. Since they had met at Ostagar, they had begun to become friends. Surviving Ostagar, the wilds and Lothering only solidified that friendship. They stopped laughing however when the warden looked into the flames, his expression going sombre.
"If I were to tell you that I don't believe in the Maker, in any form of it, would that bother you Alistair?"
"I've known people who don't have faith, that doesn't bother me in the slightest," Alistair shrugged his shoulders.
"I told a lie today, to make someone else felt better. That templar, I told him all about the beyond, about life after death and heave. Came out with some crap about green fields and skies...but it isn't true," the warden explained.
"Day, you don't have to believe something, you said it to make his passing easier, to make his last memory something good," Alistair said.
"But I know it isn't true," the warden shook his head. "I died once, and there was nothing, I saw nothing but darkness!"
"Maybe that's the price of coming back, not remembering," Alistair smirked.
"No, the price of coming back was losing a girl I loved, Surana, she would have gone to Ostagar instead of me, she was a better mage after all and a better person, she deserved to live and she gave her life up for me," the warden slammed his fist into the ground.
He stood up, Alpha whining as his master stroked him.
"I'm sorry, I said something depressing," he said before walking away.
"Daylen," Alistair called out, making his fellow warden look over his shoulder. "You are a good man, you did something worth doing today, your friend's life, it wasn't wasted!"
The warden didn't nod his head, he still wasn't completely convinced. But he did appreciate the words of his new friend. He walked to his bed roll, removing his shield and keeping it close by. Removing a whetstone from his pack, he began dragging it over the edge of his shield. In the absence of a sword, he would use the shield as a weapon.
"Excuse me?"
He looked up, seeing Marian Hawke and her family.
"We wanted to say thank you for earlier," Bethany said.
"No thanks is necessary," Daylen continued sharpening his shield.
"That man called you Daylen," Marian said.
"Did he mean Daylen Amell?" Garrett asked.
The Warden stopped sharpening the shield and looked the ground. Amell, a name that belonged to a noble house. But he was a mage of the circle, raised on books of magic and harsh lessons from his teachers and templar guards. Now he was a warden, a tainted man, a man whose life was dedicated only to fighting the darkspawn, no matter who had to die.
'Daveth, Jory,' Daylen remembered the thief who died in the joining, and the knight who was murdered by the warden commander to protect the order.
"I'm just Daylen," he said.
Leandra walked past Marian, stepping over Daylen. She cupped his cheeks, tilting his head up so she could look into his red eyes. Daylen's eyes widened as he looked at Leandra's face. He always thought Marian looked familiar, now he knew why.
"No, it can't be," Daylen whispered.
"Daylen," Leandra said.
He stood up and backed away from Leandra.
"You can't see me like this," he traced a finger across his burns.
"You are him, my cousin Revka's oldest son," Leandra said, touching Daylen's face. "Look at you, you've grown into the man uncle Fausten and Revka always knew you could be," she explained.
She pulled Daylen into a hug, one that made Bethany and Garret cry.
"Weak," Carver shook his head.
"I see a tear in your eye too brother," Marian smirked.
"I'm not crying, there's just something in my eye," Carver huffed, looking away from the scene.
Garret grabbed Carver by his shirt and pulled him with their other siblings to Daylen and Leandra. He looked at them, and saw in each the eyes of the Amell family. Then he let the tears of joy fall.
After so long, he had finally found his family.
Next Chapter 3: Lionheart
Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, I wanted to capture the struggles of the characters, but also Daylen's tactical skills as this is a war story in at least two aspects of it. Also, I love Amell reunions. The Hawkes will play roles in the story, but they will eventually end up in Kirkwall.
The canon character looks I would say are based on the first tier models from the Heroes of Dragon Age game, with the characters tier/armour changing as the story progresses.