Fic: Disquiet 17/? M overall
Title: Disquiet 17/?: The Price
Author: Briala
Rating: M overall
Summary: Five Guardians: The Sten, The Assassin, The Kinslayer, The Old Warden, and The Dog. Each playing their part in the Dalish Warden’s life, which in turn adds to the greater wheel of Thedas.
Disclaimer: All Dragon Age characters and places belong to BioWare. I aim to make no profit off of this, so please keep those lawyers (including my own) in check.
WARNING! This story contains: Too many spoilers to count, Sex, Rape, and Abuse.
AN: Ma serannas Rhiononon, who remains nearly tireless...until we both fall over from lack of sleep or beer. Mmmmmm, beer.
*~*~*~*~*
Chapter Seventeen: The Price
*~*~*~*~*
Shakespeare, Hamlet Act 3, scene 1, lines 55-87
At the City Gates, the Old Warden discusses his plans of splitting up the Wardens.
Adamantly she shakes her head, NO!
"Lass, I believe it is for the best," and proceeds to re-explain his reasoning.
Again, NO!
The Old Warden looks to Kinslayer and Sten for support.
Sten shrugs and steps back to let the Wardens work it out.
Kinslayer tries to explain the logic of the Old Warden's plan to her.
Grabbing Kinslayer's and the Old Warden's hands, she drags them into a link. They see Kinslayer's map of Denerim lit with groups of darkspawn and the Archdemon. They feel her urgency to stay together; she pictures them on Fort Drakon fighting the Archdemon, together. She send them warmth and healing, reminding them that she cannot heal them if they separate.
Kinslayer nods, "She has an excellent point," and releases her hand.
She holds the link longer with the Old Warden before he too agrees, as she knew he would.
It is decided that Wardens, Sten, and the Dog will go to Fort Drakon, the rest of the companions consisting of the Dwarf, the Bard, the Assassin, Golem, and the Old Mage will defend the gates from the incoming horde. The Dwarf is put in charge and the Warden's party departs amidst hugs, kisses, and wishes of good luck.
Together they enter the gates. Together they climb the heights of Fort Drakon. Together they battle the Archdemon.
Sten strikes a massive blow to the dragon and is thrown back. As the Archdemon falls, she sends a light paralyze through the link in their amulets holding the Wardens in place. Grabbing Asala from Sten's back as he struggles to his feet, racing past Kinslayer and the Old Warden, she vaults to the dragon's head. Just as they are able to move again, she finds a weak spot in the scales and slams Asala through the dragon's spine. The melding of the tiny life in her womb with the Old God is agony. A price is paid, the price will be paid; she bears it for them gladly today and prays to the Creators that she will be able to bear it bravely in the future.
Together they live.
They wake to the memory of her scream seared with the explosion. Disoriented and buried in the rubble, they call out to each other, blinded by the dust and blood. Kinslayer reports his leg was badly broken when he was thrown back. Riordan, who had been slammed into a parapet, groans clutching his broken shoulder for a few minutes until he is restored. Sten, only badly bruised, is the first to crawl through the wreckage following retreating tendrils of her healing. Healing that never reached out before.
They search for her in the rubble. Bit by bit they shift the stones of the fallen tower. The Senior Enchanter, using his staff to keep himself upright, helps lessen the weight of the largest stones. He feels himself grow stronger as her healing reaches him still carried on the waves of the explosion. The Arl is found nearby battered and bruised; he is carried closer to the activity so he can be healed as well. After a few minutes he is able to get to his feet and assist.
They find a green shield and a cheer goes up when they hear the Dog bark from inside it. The Senior Enchanter urges them to hurry, but carefully, as her shield is weakening. He comments that the weight of the stones on her shield, as well as its larger size to protect Dog, in addition to the healing she has shared with them must be rapidly draining her reserves.
The dwarves who raced up the tower after the explosion arrive and with their skill and knowledge of stone, replace the less skilled. Riordan takes the opportunity to fill as many empty vials he can find with the Archdemon's blood for future Joining Ceremonies.
When the hole is finally large enough, the Dog bolts out, whining. The stones shift dangerously as her now brown shield begins to collapse in on itself. Warily, so they don't crush her, the dwarves move the tonnage as quickly as they can shift the stones. They lift her out unconscious, a burnt and blackened Asala clutched in one hand and her staff made from Duncan's sword in the other. The last of her healing, which was directed inward, is the only thing that sustains her. Irving opens a lyrium potion, dips his fingers in the liquid, touching them to her lips and tongue until she responds, and then helps her swallow the remainder of the large potion, and her self-healing strengthens.
Sten loosens her grip on Asala and wiping it off, returns the damaged sword to its scabbard on his back. He takes the Warden from the Senior Enchanter,and carries her, with the staff clutched in her hand, down the tower. The soldiers escort them to the palace. Despite the Dog dancing and barking and the continuous cheers along the entire way, she does not wake up.
She lies unconscious, not moving, just healing her body. Her staff, still in her hand, rests across her body. He meditates beside her. Syncing his breathing and heartbeat to hers, he feels her and he knows she feels him. He waits and watches, lending any strength he can.
The Old Mage approaches her and attempts to heal her. She yelps and remarks to the Senior Enchanter, "I swear Dulsanaya just slapped my hand away." So instead of assisting with the healing, the Old Mage prescribes that the Warden be given one large potent elfroot potion in the morning and a lyrium potion at night to build up her reserves.
The Senior Enchanter, takes a great interest in the Warden's staff. "It that Duncan's sword?"
"Yes," answers the Old Mage, "she found it at Ostagar in the body of the Ogre that killed King Cailan. I put his dagger over there. Dulsanaya kept and carried that too."
The Senior Enchanter examines the dagger. "This has not been altered like the sword; that is fascinating. I should like to speak with her about that when she wakes up.
One week to the very hour of the Archdemon's death, as he meditates, her hand lifts and rests lightly on his thigh, five fingers spread, and the warmth of his homeland envelopes him from head to toes. Opening his eyes, he stares into her jungle green ones and smiles. She has returned.
She smiles back wearily and closes her eyes, already asleep.