Edited: June 2024
16
Flemeth? The name niggled at Talia's mind. Where had she heard it before?
"Thank you, Flemeth. We appreciate your help." Talia chose her words carefully. "How did you find us?"
"How indeed?" The woman said cryptically, and Talia almost sighed. So she was one of those obscure old ninnies. Still, Talia wasn't blind or stupid. For her to have dragged both a Tevinter and a strange-looking elf to her hut and healed them, Flemeth had to have an ulterior motive. But what was it?
"I'm uncertain how we got here…" Talia probed gently.
Flemeth cackled. "Oh, my dear girl, I have no doubt you know exactly how you got here. After all, nobody enters and exits the Fade without a purpose."
Talia sat up straighter, and the sudden movement caused Felix to stir from his sleep. He covered his mouth as he yawned. He blinked the sleep from his eyes and looked at his surroundings in bemusement. When his eyes rested on Flemeth, he didn't jump, but it was a near thing.
"Well, well, it seems our dear Tevinter mage is finally awake. Feeling better, boy?"
"I—yes. It seems I have you to thank, madam…?"
"Madam!" Flemeth chuckled. "You Tevinters have always been so amusing."
"Flemeth," Talia steered the conversation back to her original concern. "How did you know we came from the Fade?" Felix's looked thoughtful at the mention of mage's name.
Flemeth made a noncommittal noise at the back of her throat as she grabbed some bowls and ladled some kind of broth into it. Talia caught Felix's eyes and shrugged.
The old woman handed the filled bowls to both of them, and Felix studied it for a moment before taking a cautious sip. Talia on the other hand, didn't touch it. Flemeth wouldn't have gone through all the trouble to heal them if she planned to kill them, but that didn't mean there was nothing in the stew.
"The essence of the Fade," Flemeth suddenly said. "Clings to you like a second skin. And it tells a more thorough tale than the words you speak."
Felix froze, staring wide-eyed at the old woman, the bowl still pressed to his lips.
"I see...Felix and I accidentally entered a Fade rift and ended up here," Talia said carefully.
"May we know where we are?" Felix interjected when he regained his composure.
"You are in my home, boy."
"Yes, but—," There was definitely exasperation in his tone. "Where is your home? Are we still in Ferelden?" He asked, he was doing badly at masking his impatience, but Talia figured after the day he had, he was entitled to feel frustrated.
"You are deep in the Korcari Wilds."
Talia frowned. Wasn't the Korcari Wilds the one near Ostagar? The place where most of the Grey Wardens had fallen during the Blight years ago? Then they were close to the Hinterlands, it would only take a few hours to get there.
"We aren't that far away from Redcliffe," Felix muttered, and Talia gave him a warning look at providing Flemeth more information about them.
Talia set her bowl at the bedside table. "We thank you for your hospitality, Flemeth. But I'm afraid Felix is right. Our friends await us elsewhere, and I'm afraid we do not have the time—,"
"Ah yes," Flemeth interrupted. "Such a fickle thing, time."
Talia eyed her warily. "What do you mean?"
"That is for you to discover, Talia Indoril."
Talia frowned, she wasn't sure how Flemeth knew her name. Then again, she was the most famous elf in Ferelden and Orlais.
"I will give you a few moments to collect your things. Then I shall lead you out of the woods." With those words, Flemeth stepped out of the cottage.
"That was...confusing," Felix commented.
Awkward silence fell as Talia was left with the mage.
"So..." Felix started to say something, but he stopped.
"Yes?" Talia prompted.
"This has been a rather strange day."
Talia huffed in amusement. "It has been for me as well."
"Perhaps you can explain a few things?" he suggested. "I am Felix of the House Alexius. Though I suppose you already know that."
"My name is Talia of the Great House Indoril," Talia said absently, and Felix's eyes narrowed slightly as she introduced herself. "Your father got in contact with us through Dorian, to mount a rescue for you before Magister Druella could burn down Redcliffe Castle."
"Oh, Father." Felix's expression turned sad, and Talia resisted the urge to pat him on the back. "And you helped even if you knew he was with the Venatori?"
"Alexius offered us information about Corypheus and the Venatori."
Felix frowned. "He might not want to give it up. Did Dorian tell you why he joined them?"
"Yes. I heard that you were Tainted. And he believed Corypheus could provide the cure."
"I've already accepted the fact that I will die." There was no sadness in him as he said this, only resignation. "But father…"
"How long do you have?" Talia asked quietly.
"Around six months?" Felix shrugged. "If I'm lucky."
They did not think to seek the Grey Wardens for help? Talia did not voice her thoughts. Perhaps it was something she could use to bargain with Alexius.
"Do you have any other concerns?" She changed the topic.
"I heard that you allied with the templars." He shifted in his seat.
"What of it?" Talia's shoulders tightened.
"Are you aware that they're also working with the Elder One?"
Talia relaxed. "Yes. It's part of the reason we went to Redcliffe. We wanted to ally with the mages instead. If we didn't at least agree to meet with the templars, I was afraid they'd burn Haven to the ground."
"Quite a smart move."
"Don't sound too surprised," Talia said dryly.
Felix blinked, then laughed shyly. "I meant no disrespect of course."
Talia looked towards the door Flemeth had exited earlier. "Well, we should get going. There will be much time to talk on the road."
She stood, eager to get away from Flemeth and her disconcerting smile. Shrugging into her armor, she pondered on what Flemeth had said. The old woman was more than she appeared, the dunmer already knew that the moment she saw her. And what was that about time being fickle?
She strapped both of her daggers to her belt and looked over at Felix, who had forgone his tattered robes and instead wore a tunic over his breeches. At first glance, he did not appear ill at all. But when she looked closer him, Talia could see he looked tired. It must be strange knowing when you'll die and accepting it with open arms. It would be best to seek the Wardens' help soon, if only to secure Dorian's and Alexius' loyalty.
After checking that they had all their equipment with them, Talia exited the cottage. She glanced around her and saw nothing but foliage. Flemeth wasn't kidding when she said they were in deep in the Korcari Wilds.
Flemeth had her back to them and was observing the Breach. Talia and Felix made their way over, and both also glanced at the large tear. The Breach was no longer unstable, and her mark was no longer flaring. Talia suspected that Flemeth knew the reason for this, but the dunmer was certain her question would only be met with riddles and vague nonsense.
"Strange is it not?" Flemeth asked, still looking at the Breach. "What a tear in the Veil could unleash on the world?"
Talia looked over at the old woman. "I suppose so."
Flemeth tore her eyes away from the Breach and faced them. From the palms of her hand, a glowing orb formed and floated lazily in front of them. "Follow this orb, and it will lead you out of the woods."
Talia inclined her head. "I thank you for your help, Flemeth."
"Before you leave, a word of caution." Flemeth looked her in the eye, and Talia felt strangely vulnerable as she did. "There are forces at work here, forces not even the Elder One fully understands."
It was strangely the most straightforward thing Flemeth had told her. "What do you mean? Surely you're not speaking of the Maker?" Talia asked skeptically.
Flemeth laughed coldly. "The Maker? What is the Maker, but a silly superstition created by humans to give meaning to that which they never understood. No, I speak of chaos and destruction, of darkness and madness, of the sweet temptation of forbidden knowledge."
She turned her gaze back to the Breach.
"In the horizon, I see a great darkness falling upon the land. The very foundations of this plane are crumbling. And you," she turned to them slowly, her yellow eyes piercing through Talia. "Are instrumental in its salvation."
"And what—pray tell, do I have to do with this?" Talia asked warily.
"You are destiny's child and fate's favorite, as you always have been, Champion of Cyrodiil."
Talia's inhaled sharply as her title left Flemeth's lips.
"Cyrodiil?" Felix asked from behind her, confusion evident in his voice.
"How do you know that?" Talia asked dangerously.
Flemeth did not answer, and instead, stepped to the side of the hut and grabbed something from behind a pile of timber. As she turned to face them, another shock rippled through Talia.
In her hands was a staff that she was certain she'd left back at her house in Anvil.
The old woman wordlessly handed over the staff to Talia and the dunmer automatically grabbed it, sweeping her eyes over the length of it and eventually settled on the screaming faces at its end.
"What is that?" Felix asked over her shoulder. "I've never seen a staff like that."
Wabbajack. How did it get here? Why was it here? Was this a sign telling her it actually was the Prince of Madness who had sent her here?
Her eyes flashed as she glared at Flemeth. "Where did you get this?"
When Flemeth met Talia's eyes, there was mystery in them. But in their depths, Talia could also sense a great amount of magic. It reminded her of the silent power that resided in the Tribunal. Though her own aura felt cowed at Flemeth's, Talia refused to take a step back, and continued to glare at the old woman.
Flemeth cackled, and it shattered her mysterious image. "I do believe it is now time for you to leave. You have a date with destiny, after all. Farewell, Talia Indoril. You have my sympathies." With those parting words, Flemeth turned and walked back to her hut.
Talia wanted to grab her; hold her at knifepoint until she told her what she needed. But she was not a fool. She did not know what Flemeth was, but she was no human. The dunmer was certain that if she attacked Flemeth now, she would not survive the fight. One day, she would have her answers. But right now, there were more pressing issues.
Felix looked absolutely baffled at what was happening, and he kept on looking at the door to Flemeth's hut and back to the Wabbajack in Talia's hands.
"Why is it the more answers we get from her, the more confused things become?" Felix said helplessly, and Talia's lips twitched in amusement.
"I have no idea what all that was about. What I do know is that we have to get back to the Inquisition. Our absence will have probably caused panic. I can explain…this," she gestured to the Wabbajack. "—when we find the others."
"I would appreciate some answers." He nodded. "Lead on."
Flemeth's glowing orb started floating away, and the two followed it. The Korcari Wilds was a dense jungle, reminding Talia of those found in Cyrodiil. She kept on batting away leaves from her face until a shimmering barrier appeared a few inches from her, shielding her from the offending foliage. Talia glanced at Felix in surprise.
He looked confused for a moment before coming to some sort of conclusion. "Ah, my apologies. I forgot that Southerners don't like casual use of magic. I had thought with you being a mage—" He made a gesture as if to dispel it, and Talia stopped him with a raised hand.
"You just caught me off-guard." If anything, Talia was more surprised at his thoughtfulness rather than his casual use of magic. "I honestly don't mind." She carefully did not acknowledge what he said about her being a mage.
Felix looked hesitant, but he lowered his hand and kept the barrier on both of them. "I've heard stories. Is magic in the South so feared that they'd really try to beat the magic out of their children?"
Talia gave him a sidelong glance. She was probably the wrong person to ask about it, since she hadn't been in Thedas long enough to know. "I believe so. I suppose it's fairly different in Tevinter?"
He hummed, though Talia wasn't sure if he was answering her question. "What is it like?" she prompted. The road was long, and they'd be walking around the forest for hours; she might as well satisfy her curiosity.
The man raised his eyebrow at her. "Oh you know, ritual killings, blood sacrifices, and abundant slavery."
Talia rolled her eyes; she could definitely see why he and Dorian got along so well. "Anything that I won't find in biased accounts of the Southerners?"
The other mage looked surprised at her question. "Are you really that interested in knowing more about Tevinter? Most would only look for confirmation on what they've read about us."
Talia shook her head. "Most people don't take cultural differences into account when looking at another country's practices. I'd like to learn more about Tevinter from someone who's actually lived there their entire lives than in a book written by a Chantry official with a holier-than-thou attitude."
The look Felix was directing at her was nothing short of stunned and Talia raised her eyebrow in amusement. "Is it that odd? Somebody asking what Tevinter is really about?"
Felix smiled. "It is. Dorian, though, would probably be a better person to ask about our country; he's very passionate about wanting to reform it. But I'll tell you what I can."
As they trudged through the forest, Talia learned about Tevinter's structure. As she guessed, Tevinters took pride in the richness of their traditions and culture. They used to cover the majority of Thedas, but wars and rebellions had reduced them into what they were now. Still, they stubbornly clung to their former glory, and tried hard to recapture it. Mages were the ruling class, and there were very clear social classes that divided their people. Felix, like Dorian, was an Altus, a noble. Their fathers were part of the Magisterium, which acted as the ruling body of Tevinter.
Felix looked abashed when he started talking about slavery and trafficking, and Talia was familiar with the feeling. Slavery was still legal on Morrowind, and House Indoril had their own share of slaves. There were many who supported the abolitionist's movements, but her family was not one of them.
"I don't like slavery, I never have," she said grimly. "But I understand why Tevinter still does it. Their society would crumble without it." She looked over at Felix, who still looked rather ashamed. "We can understand it, but still condemn it. It's difficult, disagreeing with slavery but being forced to live with it. I'm sure you treat them well."
"What makes you say that?" he asked in shock. Talia was certain he expected her to persecute him for having owned slaves.
Talia observed him, his kind eyes and soft features. Dorian was right when he said Felix was more likely to hug you than hurt you. He had a benevolent aura that had no business existing in such a ruthless place like Thedas. She looked away and shrugged. "Just a feeling."
They came across a large bear as they were passing through a gully, and while Talia was a master sneak, Felix practically announced his presence with every step.
"If we're going to take on a bear, I might need to borrow your staff." He looked apologetic, but also determined.
Talia opened her mouth to tell him it wouldn't work for him, but curiosity stopped her. Would the Wabbajack work for mortals that didn't exist on Nirn? She grabbed it from her back and held it out to Felix.
As he grabbed it, he twirled it experimentally, catching the bear's attention. The man didn't seem to notice as he frowned and said, "This staff can't channel my magic."
Talia eyed the bear slowly advancing. She wasn't too worried about it, a few well-placed spells could kill it easily. "Better think fast, because that bear seems to want you for dinner," she said calmly.
Felix spun quickly to face it, but he'd lost his balance. As he flailed, he accidentally pointed the Wabbajack in the direction of the predator. A beam of red light escaped the screaming mouth, and hit the bear, turning it into a chicken.
Talia disguised her laugh into a cough. Well, at least that answered her question.
Felix gaped at the chicken, then at Wabbajack. The dunmer coughed again as she helped the man up.
He glanced at the staff in disbelief and dropped it quickly, making Talia huff in amusement. She grabbed the Wabbajack from the ground and started walking, Felix followed after a few seconds of staring at the chicken incredulously.
"What—what was that? That magic didn't come from me!" He still looked rather dazed.
Talia wasn't sure how to explain it. "The staff has its own magic...so to speak."
"Is that what it does? Turn anything into chickens?"
Talia tried very hard not to grin. "No. Each beam of light has an unpredictable effect. Sometimes it just gives them an annoying itch, or paralyzes them." One time, she'd tried it on a group of Necromancers, and they exploded, showering her with viscera.
"Where did you get it then? It doesn't look ancient elven, or any kind of artifact I've ever seen."
"It was...passed down to me," she said haltingly. How would she explain the Aedra and Daedra to them? They might end up believing that she was consorting with Fade demons, which, to their credit, wouldn't seem too farfetched.
Felix must have sensed her hesitation, as he dropped the subject. Talia could tell he'd be asking about it again, eventually.
They arrived in the Hinterlands fairly early, but the waxing moon was already high up in the sky when Talia finally found something familiar.
"I know where we are," Talia said when she spotted the two distinct rock formations that were the landmarks for one of the Inquisition camps. Perhaps they could rest there and have someone send a letter or a scout to the Crossroads to inform Cassandra of what happened. "One of our camps should be just around the corner."
"Oh, thank heavens." Felix sighed in relief.
However, as the two passed the landmark, Talia paused in her steps and took in the empty land. Where was the camp?
"Are you certain there was a camp here?" Felix asked as he knelt and examined the ground.
"Yes." Talia frowned. She was sure there was a camp, since she and Varric had been the ones to scout the area and add it to the map. But the ground was undisturbed; there were no signs that anybody had even walked around the area.
"Perhaps we should look for one of the other camps. Do you know where the next closest one is?"
"I think we're fairly close to the Crossroads anyway. Our main camp should be there. If not, Corporal Vale could probably help us send a letter to Haven."
They reached the hill overlooking the valley, and Talia narrowed her eyes as she saw flashes of light. When she strained her ears, she could hear the clashing of swords. What was that fighting?
The two slid down the hill and Talia ordered Felix to keep to the shadows as they approached the fighting group. There were a handful of mages and templars fighting, and a group of Inquisition scouts caught in the middle. She was certain they'd eliminated the templar-mage fighting in the area, where did these come from? Scout Harding was perched on a rock a few feet away and was shooting arrows at both sides.
When Talia and Felix joined the fray, all of them were too surprised to react. The dunmer sliced the throat of the first mage she saw and threw his staff in Felix's direction. To his credit, the mage caught it and swiftly parried a blow by an incoming templar, and with another twirl, set him on fire. With their combined attacks, the mages were eliminated, and the templars called a retreat.
As they ran off, Talia surveyed the area for any other hostiles, and when she was certain there was none, she sheathed her daggers. Harding was a bit pale as she slid from the rock, but apart from that, she looked fine as she approached Talia.
"Scout Harding," Talia greeted, and the dwarf visibly started. Did Harding think Talia wouldn't remember her?
"Your Worship." She bowed with a fist to her chest. "Not that I—uh—don't appreciate it, but we didn't know you were coming."
Talia nodded, she hadn't known Harding would be in the area too. But Leliana probably dispatched her when she and Felix went missing. "How long has it been since the siege on Redcliffe? Did Cassandra and the others head back to Haven already?"
The confusion in Harding was obvious to anyone with eyes. "I'm...not sure what you mean, ma'am."
Talia frowned. "Why did Leliana send you out here if not to look for us?" She gestured to Felix.
Harding glanced at Felix warily. "She ordered us to scout the Hinterlands, looking for places to camp and such. We sent her word that Mother Giselle is at the Crossroads, tending to the wounded. The mage and templar fighting is at its peak right now, and the people of the Hinterlands are suffering for it."
"What?" Talia's frown deepened. "That's not possible. We eliminated the mage-templar threat months ago, on my first visit to the Hinterlands. When we met Mother Giselle."
Harding shuffled uncomfortably. "That's...I don't think that's possible, ma'am."
"Why not?"
"Because..." she said slowly. "When we left, you were still unconscious, ma'am. Stabilizing the Breach took a lot out of you."
Talia's thought process halted at those words, and she stared at Harding in shock.
"What?" she asked incredulously.
"How long has it been since she stepped out of the Fade?" Felix demanded.
Harding glanced at the other two scouts with a sort of bemused and helpless air. "A week and a few days, maybe."
"Dear Maker," Felix breathed. "That's what father did. It actually worked."
Talia turned her disbelieving eyes to him, and he confirmed what she'd already guessed.
"We've gone back in time."
A/N:
Wow, this was a really late update. Work is a bitch. Writing Flemeth was pretty hard, but I think I did okay.
You guys are amazing. When I started writing this, I didn't think it would get much attention, since I was sure more people would prefer stories about the Dragonborn. But we've reached 221 follows and 150 favorites. This just blows my mind. Thank you so much for your support!
Response to reviews:
Guest: Thanks so much!
ForgottenGrimoire: Yep, Flemeth is somehow always there when something important's happening.
PolarPwnage: lol true, Flemeth is kinda crazy.
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