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Vhenan'ara	By : Arcanis_Born Category: +A through F > Dragon Age (all) > Dragon Age (all) Views: 6576 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Age, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from this.

Chapter List
- 15
- 16
- 17
Dragon Age: Origins is owned by Bioware, as with all its characters, the story as it deviates from canon is mine, however, as with the personalities of characters as they deviate from those in the game.
I hope you guys enjoy, and I would appreciate any reviews!
Translations:
Mi bella: Antivan. "My beauty." Endearment Zevran uses for Riel.
Mi dulce: Antivan. "My sweet."
Mi hermoso elfo: Antivan. "My handsome elf."

In a backwards sort of way, the demons and shades running rampant around the Circle Tower made being there easier for Riel. Originally she had dreaded visiting the prison the Chantry lovingly called "The Circle", where mages were brought from all over Ferelden and locked away. Stripped of their family, their rights, and sometimes even their mind in a sadistic ritual known as "Tranquility", the Circle represented everything that Riel feared.
True, there were some good things about the Circle as well. They trained and prepared mages to fight against the demons that were forever drawn to them. The Fade is where all demons came from, and it was also the place of dreams. Unlike normal people, mages had the ability to access the strange and wonderful powers that existed there, using them to change or interact with the real world. This was the source of all magic.
The Fade was also a source of much fear and uncertainty for many as well. Because of a mage's power to access the Fade, demons sought them out like moths to a flame, tempting them and twisting them. Demons craved to access to the real world where they feed on people and their emotions, and mages were the doorway between worlds for the foul creatures.
To protect the people, the Chantry had set up the Circles and placed them all throughout Thedas. Institutions of learning for mages, they were watched over and guarded by Templars, who alone were capable of smiting down a mage and negating their powers. These specially trained men and women acted as both the first and last line of defence for both the people of Thedas and the mages themselves against the demons that threatened them.
However, even the best laid intentions could go wrong. And few could find a better example of that than the Circle itself.
Abuse, treachery, blackmail, and other vile corruptions lived and breathed within the Circles of Thedas. Some were better than others, true. But not one was free from it. And in places where magic was thought of as more of a 'curse' than a 'blessing', the amount of corruption vastly increased.
Mages were sometimes forcibly cut off from the Fade in a barbaric ritual if those around them deemed them too 'dangerous'. A seal was placed on the mage's forehead, severing their link with the Fade permanently, cutting off not just their magic and ability to be possessed, but the ritual also destroyed any semblance of who that person once was. Emotionally dead, empty people existed where the mage once stood. With no ability to dream and no longer able to use magic, these poor 'Tranquil' became little more than slaves that obeyed without thinking.
It was every mage's ultimate fear to be made Tranquil. Even possession was not as frightful to some as Tranquility was. And the Templars who were supposed to watch over the mages knew it, and were not shy about threatening the rite on any mage who stepped out of line.
Although performing the rite on a fully fledged mage was against Chantry law, it was not unheard of. Neither were Templars using their positions of power over the mages to abuse them in other ways. However, any mage who disagreed with being housed in the Circle and tried to escape was branded an 'apostate' and was either recaptured or killed. After all, the Chantry taught that any mage outside of the Circle's 'protection' was at high risk of being corrupted by a demon.
Magic is meant to serve man, not rule over him
According to the Chantry, 'serving' meant constantly watching for any signs whatsoever of blood magic or other forms of corruption. However, even gilded cages were still cages.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They can't take me
Riel forced herself to remember that once thought again and again as she walked the halls of the Circle, searching for survivors and killing any demons or abominations that they came across. Even with Zevran at her side, the reality of where she was wore her already frayed nerves thin.
"I am here, mi bella," Zevran once again whispered to her.
Riel looked beside her and smiled. Not once had he left her side since they crossed over to the small island that housed the tower. Behind her Alistair marched solemnly, and next to him was the mage Wynne, who they had met shortly after entering the tower.
When Riel and the others entered the tower, it was quickly revealed that the very worst had happened. Abominations and demons had somehow managed to take over, killing and possessing mages and Templars as they flooded through the many levels of the tower. The Knight Commander in charge of the tower had sent word to request a complete annulment of the tower and its mages, granting permission for the Templars to kill any all mages in the tower under order of the Crown. According to them, it was the only way to make sure that no abomination escaped.
However, Riel wasn't content to just sit back and let these Templars kill the mages that may still be trying to survive beyond the heavy doors that the knights protected. The Circle Tower housed mages of every age, including children, and Riel refused to let them die out of fear and distrust. Thankfully, Riel's stubbornness finally made Knight Commander Greagoir agree to allow Riel and her group to help end the demon menace. However, they only had until the Rite of Annulment arrived, which could come at any time.
Angry, frustrated, and facing her own fears, Riel lifted her chin and agreed to the Knight Commander's terms. Now, it was only a matter of finding the First Enchanter - if he still lived that was. As the most senior mage and leadership counterpart to the Knight Commander, Riel was charged with finding the man and bringing him back to the entrance of the tower. Only then would Greagoir revoke the Rite of Annulment.
And so Riel and her companions entered the tower, faced with yet another near impossible task. However, Riel refused to give up. Far too much counted on her, including not just the innocent mages of the tower that still lived, but the people back in Redcliff and young Connor. And of course beyond that, all of Ferelden. She couldn't give up or allow herself to fall, no matter how heavy the burden on her shoulders got.
"I'm right here, mi bella."
Zevran's words to her were becoming almost as much of a mantra as her own as they wandered the halls, killing demons and possessed Templar abominations. Now if she could only keep herself from going insane from her own fears of being in this place, they might actually have a chance of surviving it.
They can't take me
"Riel dear, are you alright?" Wynne asked from behind her.
Riel tried to smile convincingly as she looked at the older mage. "Just fine Wynne."
"I think perhaps we are in a need of short break, no?" Zevran chimed in from the other side of Riel.
"Getting tired, assassin?" Alister sneered.
"Of course not, my dear Templar friend! However, we must consider the company we are in. I for one would not like to think that I am the cause of any undue stress upon these lovely young ladies," Zevran replied with a wink to Wynne.
"Young man, I may be a lady, but I am hardly young. That doesn't mean though that I am unable to keep up with you young sprites."
"I want to check over my weapons anyway," stated Riel quickly, keeping her eyes ahead of them. Blaming her weapons was after all easier than admitting to the pain that still emanated from her leg that was wounded back in Redcliff. Even though Morrigan's magic healed the deep wound as soon as she was able, it was several hours afterward that the magic was applied. The mage even confided in Riel that there might be some nerve damage that her magic was unable to permanently heal so long after the injury. Which given how badly her leg hurt, Riel guessed probably had happened.
"Of course dear," the other woman said with the strange kindly smile that she always had. "There is a common room up ahead that has many tables and chairs for us to rest in."
Ever since Riel had met the woman, Riel could tell that there was something odd about her. Wynne was actually a veteran of Ostagar, having survived the battle and returned to the Circle in time to watch another Ostagar mage by the name of Uldred begin his take over, causing the damage and death that surrounded them. Wynne had even erected a barrier to protect several children from the demons and abominations when Riel and the others had come across her.
Yet none of that is what bothered Riel most about the mage. Somehow, whenever Wynne looked at her, it was if the old woman saw straight into Riel's soul. That she could tell every secret and hidden thing that Riel kept tightly locked away despite everything Riel had done to protect herself.
They can't take me
Suddenly Zevran pulled Riel to a stop, a gentle hand on her arm.
"Wait, mi bella… Do not move forward…" he whispered, his brow furrowed. Carefully the Antivan elf took a step, then another, his eyes fixed onto the ground below him. He then kneeled down close to the doorway leading into the next room, and took something out of his side pack. Riel was about to ask what he was doing when a loud snap echoed, announcing the presence of a trap. "There, all better," Zevran said with a wide, satisfied smile. "The way is safe again for you, mi bella."
"Well, isn't he handy?" Wynne replied with a grin.
"You have to teach me to do that, Zevran," Riel said as he walked over to him.
"It just takes patience, mi bella…." he paused, looking Riel directly in her eyes and giving her a look filled with pure mischief. "And nimble fingers…" he added with a wink as he wiggled his fingers.
Riel had trouble keeping her laugh to herself, even as her face flushed a bright red. Although the two of them had yet to do anything really intimate during the nights that they spent together, Riel remembered all too well the feel of those fingers on her skin as they lightly caressed her. Her skin seemed to tickle as the memory of his soft touch filled her mind, making her stomach feel as if she had swallowed butterflies instead of the stew she had that morning.
Thankfully the room they entered was empty of enemies, granting a small reprieve from the seemingly endless amounts demons and other horrors that filled the tower. With a heavy sigh Riel lowered herself down into one of the chairs, leaning back and closing her eyes as she silently prayed for the pain in her leg to subside.
"Are you sure there isn't something I can help you with, Riel?" Wynne asked as she approached Riel and placed a tender hand on Riel's arm. Riel quickly sat forward at the touch, still not comfortable with the touch of others upon her. Even coming from a fellow woman, feeling the touch of others still greatly bothered her. Only Zevran seemed to have bypassed her defences and didn't cause her body to recoil in fear at even the thought of the touching someone else.
"Ah, my dear Wynne, I think I may have sprained my knee when that last demon knocked me down. Perhaps you could lend me some of your magic, yes?" Zevran interrupted before Riel reacted poorly to the woman's concern. Smiling, Riel mouthed a 'thank you' to him while she absently rubbed her arm where the older mage had touched her.
"Why didn't you say something earlier, Zevran?" Wynne asked as she went over to inspect his leg. Zevran sat on the edge of the table and lifted his left leg for the mage, smiling his usual flirtatious smile.
"Oh, it was really not that bad until I just stood up you see. Besides, this way I get to look down on your glorious bosom, and imagine snuggling my head there."
Wynne stopped her magic on his leg and stood up abruptly, a scowl on her face. "My what-?"
"Don't mind him, Wynne. He... takes some getting used to." Alistair replied, casting a glance over to Riel.
Since that day at Redcliff when Riel had Morrigan cast her spell on him, Alistair had refused to speak to her. And this was worse than his normal silent treatments that he usually gave to her when he was angry. Even being explained the plan later by Leliana didn't seem to calm his temper, and Riel silently wondered if she had pushed the ex-Templar too far this time.
It wasn't as if she didn't understand his concerns over what was happening in Redcliff. These people were his family, afterall. Although estranged, Eamon was still his uncle which meant that the boy Conner was his nephew. And while Riel had no real family of her own, Riel still carried the loss of Tamlen in her chest everyday. She couldn't even fathom the possibility of losing someone as close as a family member to something as horrible to a demon.
And while Riel harbored some regret over her actions during that day, her pride and and previous dislike for the human interfered with her ability to even broach the subject with him, let alone apologize. So instead Riel consoled herself by just remembering how much of an ass he was being at the time.
"That is exactly it! I am like a fine wine. Time must pass before I can be truly appreciated, isn't that right, mi bella?" Zevran replied with flourish, winking at Riel playfully.
"I don't know. I am still waiting," replied Riel, her eyes carrying the same look of mischief that his normally had. Catching her playfulness, Zevran added to his acting and pretended to be genuinely hurt by her words.
"Oh! My dear Riel! How your words wound me! However shall I recover?" Zevran placed his hands over his heart and tried to look sorrowful at Riel even as the edges of lips were turned up in a repressed smile.
"Well, this is certainly not what I expected when I heard the tales of the famous Grey Wardens," Wynne chuckled softly, a small smile gracing her lips.
"My lovely Wynne, I may not be as talented a Grey Warden, however I must say that I was quite good at my job before I was thoroughly defeated at the hands of our beautiful Warden here. You indeed have made me so very sad," Zevran stated as stepped closer to the elder mage. "Perhaps you will let me cry on your lovely bosom until I feel better, no?"
"No." Wynne leveled a perturbed glare at the elf as she crossed her arms across her chest. For a moment, the mage truly did look upset before she could no longer hide the slight smile that appeared as Zevran continued to pout like a spoiled child at her.
"Riel, I think you may wish to rein in our resident assassin before our new mage friend here lights the back of his trousers on fire," joked Alistair, surprising Riel with his levity. It was the first time since they arrived at Redcliff that he actually made a joke about something. Looking over at the elf and mage, Riel couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Zevran pouting with his bottom lip jutting out from his mouth and Wynne looking half mad, half amused.
"Alright, alright. Let's leave poor Wynne alone now. Come on Zevran."
"Oh, does that mean I can get a kiss as compensation for the cruelties against me, mi bella?" Zevran purred as he drew up close to Riel, his eyes sparking their usual fire whenever he looked at her. Which was truly the only reason that Riel had begun to no longer mind his flirtations with others so much anymore. Only when he looked at her did his eyes sparkle and his smile reach up to his warm amber eyes.
"Okay, that's enough mushy stuff for me. Wynne and I will be up ahead for whenever you two are are done," Alistair replied, barely hiding a small look of pain in his eyes.
"See? We are getting some privacy, mi bella. I am sure if we clear off the table here-"
"Zevran! No!" Riel laughed as she lightly pushed him away.
"Yes, you are right, mi dulce," Zevran stated as he looked around with a frown, his brow furrowed in thought. "There are far too many enemies around here. Plus, have you seen the mess that this place is in? It is no place to fulfill our rampant desires in, don't you agree?"
Zevran knew he was pushing Riel, yet he also knew how much she needed the distraction of his playful taunts. While she may like to imagine that she had managed to keep the stress of coming to this place to herself, Zevran had come to know his Warden fairly well since he first decided to follow her all those weeks ago. Every move she made and every expression on her face called out to him, drawing his attention to where it was almost as if he was able to hear her very thoughts.
From her distress at being at the Circle Tower, to the guilt she had for her reactions back in Redcliff, to the way she mildly limped with each step she took because of the pain that still existed in her leg. Every aspect of her called out to him, and Zevran was determined to ease her as much he could. Even if it meant causing her to blush so deeply, her whole face turned a vibrant yet beautiful pink.
"Zevran, if you don't stop, when we finally get out of this blasted tower I will see to it that Morrigan tells you of all the men that her mother led to their demise within the wilds - with great detail, I might add."
"Okay, you win... For now, mi bella," Zevran replied with a wink before grabbing his daggers off the table and sheathing them at his back.
"Are they always like this?" Wynne asked to Alistair as she watched the looks Riel and Zevran continued to taunt each other with.
"Unfortunately, yes," replied Alistair, his voice sad yet distant. "Riel used to be… different… before the assassin." Wynne watched with experienced eyes as Alistair focused on the female elf. "She does seem happy now, so I guess… Yeah…"
"Okay, that's enough!" Riel exclaimed in false exasperation. "Let's go kill some more demons before Zevran here starts undressing us in his mind."
"Too late, mi bella," Zevran laughed, his brows wiggling.
"At least I can be thankful it's not me," Alistair replied in a low grumble.
"Who says it is not, my dear Templar? I think you would look rather handsome without all the cumbersome armor. Hmmm... Yes..." Zevran said with a look of lust in his eyes as he stared at Alistair in ways the assassin usually reserved for Riel.
Both Riel and Wynne couldn't help but laugh hysterically at the blush that rose in Alistair's face, going from his neck all the way to his ears. Frowning deeply, Alistair just turned and walked away, mumbling curses under his breath.
"Your backside looks just as tasty, Alistair. Oh, how you tempt me with that sultry walk of yours!" Zevran continued, barely being able to hold back his own raucous laughter that threatened to burst forth at Alistair's reaction.
"Enough Zevran!" Alistair angrily shouted back over his shoulder as he tried - and failed - to move his shield around to his backside in order to hide it from Zevran's lurid gaze.
"Oh, you are so bad, mi hermoso elfo." Riel replied with a laugh, using one of the phrases she had learned from Zevran over the past few days.
"Ah, you're Antivan is getting better every day, mi dulce. But alas, I am sure there are more demons for us to kill, is there not? How about a bet as to who kills the most? Winner gets to tell the other of one of their more dirtier fantasies?"
"Oh, and how is that fair? You know I don't-"
"Tsk, tsk mi bella. You assume you will win? Not against me, I am afraid. You must accept the truth of it; that when we are done here, I will finally be able to tell you of some more interesting positions I think of you in..." Zevran replied with a playful wink.
"Alright, that's enough. I am joining Alistair. I will play no part in your game," Wynne stated with a semi-serious face as she walked off towards where Alistair was waiting by the door to the next floor.
"Oh, but my dear Wynne... If you don't play, how I am supposed to tell you about the many things I wish to do to your glorious bosom?"
- 15
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- 17
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Vhenan'ara