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Magic's Slave	By : chibichibi01 Category: +A through F > Dragon Age (all) > Dragon Age (all) Views: 3167 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age. I own my PC Thomais. I don't own any of the NPCs, they all belong to Bioware. I'm also not making any money from this.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
Alistair maneuvered the cart into the courtyard of the Vigil, careful to not jostle any of his riders. Jowan sat up front with him and Helios Amell and Tia Surana cuddled together in the back. The two red heads were content to sit back and ignore the world around them.
Thomais stood somberly in the courtyard and called one of the guards to deliver a message before turning back to Alistair with a simple, "Well?"
"Worse than I thought. Carroll is initiating a sweep now. The Templar that were abusing their power are all being shipped off to Aeonar, and he's replacing them with people he trusts." Alistair rubbed his face. "I'm just glad I got there when I did." He glanced over at Jowan. "He was in a right state when I arrived."
Thomais nodded and then stepped out of the way as Anders came barreling down the steps and skidded to a halt right in front of the carriage. "Jowan!" he cried out with some relief. "Andraste's tits, I'm glad they got you out of there my old friend." Then he grinned at the couple in the cart. "I see that romance has blossomed while I was away. Helios, you sly dog." Anders chuckled.
The human turned around in the cart and gave him a soft smile. "Blame Tia. She was the one that snared me."
The elf girl smiled shyly back. "It's good to see you again, Anders. Don't mind us, though. Jowan needs your help more." Her gaze flicked to the other mage.
Anders nodded and his gaze went back to Jowan, taking in the dirt and cuts that covered the other man's body. "Alright, there's no way I can heal these with all this dirt. Come on, my friend. Let's get you to the tubs."
Jowan didn't speak, but his gaze flicked over as Alistair stepped out of the cart and folded his arms. "I'll take him. He's my charge after all, and my responsibility," the ex-templar stated and before anyone could object, he scooped Jowan up from the seat and headed up the stairs.
Anders raised an eyebrow, but wisely kept his mouth shut, even as he noticed the knowing smirk on Thomais' face.
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Alistair set Jowan down on the edge of the tub. "Alright, hop in. I need to find someone that can get you some decent clothes."
Jowan shivered, pulled off the rags he was wearing, and dumped them on the floor. He'd just managed to ease himself into the hot water when Alistair returned holding a bundle of clothes.
"Ah, good. You're already in." Alistair grinned and started removing his own clothes. "Scoot over. A week on the road and a bath will do me a lot of good as well. I smell like horse."
Jowan retreated to the other side of the tub, pressing his back against the stone and pulling his knees up to his chest. Eyes pinched shut, he could feel himself trembling, waiting for the grabbing of hands that he'd come to expect. When those touches never came, he risked cracking an eye open. Alistair was on the opposite side of the bath, soaping himself up, but the ex-Templar didn't seem inclined to make any move toward him.
Alistair caught him staring though and he quickly lowered his eyes. The water sloshed and he whimpered a little.
"Here. You're going to need help washing your back." Alistair murmured softly. "It's going to hurt though, I'm sorry…" He trailed off and began to gently wash the grime from Jowan's back.
The mage wrapped his arms around his knees and trembled the entire time, lower lip caught between his teeth as he muffled his whimpers of pain. It wouldn't do to cry out. It never helped. In fact, there were times that made it even worse. And part of him wanted to trust Alistair, it really did. He'd never hurt him before. But being like this, there were just too many memories that even the few pleasant ones he had couldn't make the others go away.
Alistair eased off on his tending, feeling the tremors that fluttered beneath his touch. Even as gentle as he was trying to be, there was no true way to rinse Jowan's wounds without causing him pain.
And Maker's breath, listening to him muffling himself. Despite Wynne's sometimes scathing tongue, even he'd been allowed the luxury of complaining about being wounded. Jowan seemed terrified to make so much as a peep.
"It's all right for you to cry," he whispered. "You used to feel safe enough to let your guard down around me before. I hope..." He swallowed. "I hope that hasn't changed. It hasn't for me."
Jowan pressed his head to his knees and took several deep breaths before saying anything. "I can't," He said softly.
Alistair sighed. "Alright." He brought the cloth up once more, now soapless, and used it to carefully rinse Jowan's back. "I'd like to change that one day, though." And then he moved away again, leaving Jowan to finish washing himself.
Back in the other corner of the tub, Alistair finished rinsing, and climbed out. "I'll be waiting outside the door when you're done. After you're dressed in these," he indicated the bundle, "just let me know and we'll get you to the infirmary." Alistair dressed in his old clothes, wrinkling his nose at the smell, before he sighed and stepped out
Jowan frowned. That probably means he wants me to hurry up. Ignoring his stinging wounds, he scrubbed down quickly, finding a measure of comfort in watching all of the filth floating away in the water. After that, he washed his hair twice before he took a few wobbly steps out, dripping water all over the floor as he looked for a towel.
He sat heavily on the edge of the tub and grimaced as he dried himself off, the now opened wounds discoloring the fabric. He grabbed the clothes from the chair they'd been set in and carefully dressed in the breeches, leaving the shirt for after he was healed.
Alistair stared at Jowan as the mage emerged into the hall. "I thought you would have taken longer," he said as he cleared his throat and tried to not blush. I do not like lampposts! "Though I suppose you are eager to be healed. Come on then, watch your step, and if you need help, don't hesitate to let me know."
Jowan nodded and sort of hobbled slowly along behind Alistair for a few minutes, finally not being able to hold back his pained grunts any longer. Instantly Alistair was at his side, supporting him, helping him walk. "There's no need-" He began.
"Yes, there is," Alistair said quietly, absently petting Jowan's hair. "You need the help, and it's my responsibility to help you now."
Jowan shook his head and sighed. I can only imagine what the price is going to be for this later.
Alistair helped Jowan hobble his way to the infirmary. However, upon arriving, the door was closed. Alistair raised an eyebrow and knocked. There was a small scuffling noise and some muffled curses heard and then Anders opened the door, looking flushed. "Finally! Where have you two been? What took you so long?" The blonde ushered them both inside.
Alistair took a good look around the room, noting the stacks of beds and blankets, before his eyes settled on Nate, who stood in the corner, nonchalantly cleaning his fingernails with a knife. Alistair's eyes widened as he realized what the scuffling noises must have been and a light blush infused his cheeks.
Needing to focus his thoughts elsewhere, Alistair helped Jowan over to the bed, where he immediately began hovering behind the blonde mage.
Anders shot him an annoyed glance as he started to work on the worst of Jowan's wounds. "Could you please not stand so close?"
Alistair smiled sheepishly and stepped back for a few moments, though he was soon inching his way closer again. The first time Jowan truly hissed in pain, he nearly shoved Anders out of the way.
Anders let out an exasperated sigh. "Nathaniel? Can you please get our king out of here before I'm guilty of regicide?"
Nate chuckled and laid a hand on Alistair's shoulder. "Come on, Your Majesty. He's in good hands."
Alistair's face contorted into a worried frown before he allowed himself to be led from the room. After Nathaniel left him at the doorway though, he paced back and forth, jumping at every sound. A particularly loud whimper had him trying the door, only to find it locked. Alistair took a deep breath and then kicked the door, splitting it down the middle right before he dashed into the room.
]
Jowan froze at the sound of the door breaking, immediately tensing, even under Anders' careful touch. Eyes wide, he shrank back against his fellow mage, barely catching the startled whimper that passed his lips.
Anders, on the other hand, gave Alistair an irritated look, one arm circled protectively around the brunette beside him. "While I understand your need to protect, my king, don't you think this is taking it a little far? He's fine. See? You should know there's a little pain that comes with healing."
Alistair opened his mouth before realizing he was right. Jowan looked completely healed. Clacking his jaw shut, he flashed them a sheepish grin and ran out of the room.
Jowan turned his wide-eyed stare on Anders. "How can you talk to him like that? He's the king and you just sassed him! He could have you executed for no reason! Don't you remember what the Tower was like?"
Anders snorted. "Everything I've heard about him says otherwise. What were you just saying about how he treated you on the trip back?"
Jowan flushed and mumbled, "He did his best to treat my wounds, with what he had. Wouldn't even let me walk anywhere."
Anders grinned. "See? That's not the type to execute for no reason. And that makes me all the more certain he's not going to do anything to you, either." Anders took to studying his fellow mage again.
"What?" Jowan asked with a soft chuckle, noticing the scrutiny.
"There's something different about you. I just... can't place it."
Jowan stole a glance at the doorway and then lowered his voice. "While you were in solitary that last time, I discovered a new type of magic." There was excitement in his hushed whisper. "It… bypasses mana."
Anders furrowed his brow. "It...what? That would mean you could use whatever this is without being restricted."
Jowan nodded. "It still has a cost, though. Life energy. Blood. And how much depends on the spell that you want to use. I discovered it after the Templar had us study the Entropic arts. After using life drain on the twentieth rat, it seemed logical that there should be a next step. And there was! I spent some time playing with the technique, but I think I have it down now." Jowan grinned nervously at his friend but there was no denying his excitement at the discovery.
As he listened to Jowan speak of the spells he'd managed to discover through this new magic, Anders realized something about the nature of the spells. He bit his lower lip and glanced through the doorway, where the splintered remains of the door still clung to the frame. "You could have used what you learned to escape. Why didn't you?"
"Because you weren't there anymore." Jowan gave him a half smile. "You… protected us and watched over the rest of us by keeping their attention on you. I couldn't do any less. If I escaped, who would have protected Helios and Tia? I had to stay, if not to protect them, then to protect the little ones. You remember how the Templar's… appetites were."
Anders embraced his friend, knowing full well what he would have had to have done to take his place. Not wanting to keep the conversation heavy, he chuckled. "It's too bad Mr. Wiggums wasn't there to help. Or at the very least, keep you company."
Jowan blinked. "Mr. what?"
"Mr. Wiggums!" Anders grinned. "He was my cat. Well, sort of. He kept me company in solitary a lot, and would sometimes bring back mice. I miss that cat…" Ander sighed fondly and sniffed.
"What… happened to him?" Jowan asked cautiously.
"Turned into a rage demon. Took out three Templar, though. Dear old Mr. Wiggums." Anders sighed again. "I've thought about getting a cat while I'm here. One that's truly mine. But I haven't had the time to see if there's any about the Keep that I could take in."
Completely invisible to the mages, Nate slipped away down the corridor. Anders likes cats, does he? He's right. There's bound to be one somewhere here in the Keep. I'm sure I can find him one...
Not long after Nate departed on his search, Alistair was back in the doorway, clearing his throat to get their attention. "Anders, a word?"
Anders hurried over to the doorway. "Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Hold still." He put his fingers on Anders' collar, muttering quietly to himself. A few seconds later, there was a soft "pffft!" noise and the collar broke into pieces. At the mage's shocked look, he found himself unable to keep from grinning. "Congratulations, Anders. You're a free man."
- 10
- 11
- 12
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Magic's Slave