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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
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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.
Please do tell me what you think so far of the story! I would love to know your opinions!
Thank you all so much for your continued readership! It means so much!
Translations:
Mi bella: Antivan. "My beauty." Endearment Zevran uses for Riel.
Mi amor: Antivan. "My love."
Qalaba: Qunlat. A type of cow that the Qunari breed known for its stupidity.
Basra: Qunlat. Rude term for non-Qunari people.
Absolutamente hermosa: Antivan. "Absolutely beautiful."
Emma lath: Elvhen. "My love."

The pain in Riel's upper leg continued to build as the day wore on, intensifying her foul mood. With each step, a sharp stab of pain ricocheted through her body, sending waves of nausea that more than once had her nearly emptying her stomach. Yet each time Zevran or anyone else asked if she was alright, Riel dismissed their questions with growing irritation.
The one good piece of news is that the wound seemed to be draining her magic as her body instinctively tried to heal itself. Well, perhaps not entirely good news, as the drain also made her lethargia worse and her mood even more sour. However, it kept it her from accidentally frying one of her companions with magic whenever they asked yet again if she was actually alright.
By the time they retrieved a magical acorn for an ancient, rhyme speaking sylvan, Riel felt sure she was on the verge of a complete breakdown. True, the pain she suffered in was intense. However, pain was something Riel was used to. Even the bitter anger that boiled inside of her was something that she was familiar with. However, it was something else that twisted those two defining things into something else inside of her. A deep carnal savagery brewed and churned under her skin, clawing even further away at her sanity with every hour that passed.
"Now I know why dwarves stay underground! I feel like a nug wrapped in coal and placed in an oven!" groused Oghren.
"And now I understand why my people have avoided yours, dwarf," Sten angrily grumbled from beside Oghren. "You basra whine more than a qalaba in heat."
"Are we sure that the talking tree was right? We've been walking for hours inside this blasted forest!" huffed Alistair, sweat glistening off his brow as he trudged alongside of Leliana near the rear of the group. "I mean, I'm quite sure we passed this turn off before…"
"The whiny knight is correct. Over there is even the bodies of those loathsome Darkspawn that I crushed earlier." Shale lumbered over the bodies she motioned to and purposefully stepped on the skull of an already dead genlock. "Hmm… Still squishy too…"
Wynne coughed and covered her nose with the sleeve of her robe. "Oh my… I do believe the smell gets worse over time as well…"
"Oh was that really necessary?" Alistair cursed, his face turning a mildly shade of green. "By the Maker, that is foul!"
"Come now, Alistair. 'Tis no worse than the odor coming from your tent at night," Morrigan quipped snidely.
Riel stopped in her march, lifting her hand to her forehead. The constant bantering of her companions was either something she usually ignored, or could even find amusing at times. However today, it seemed as if all their voices acted as if knife points on glass to her sensitive ears.
"Riel, are you-"
"I swear Zevran, if you ask me if I am alright one more time, I will flay you alive and use your body for werewolf bait!" Riel angrily seethed as she pinned the other elf with a deadly glare. She then turned her focus to the others behind her, her barely controlled fury causing the air around her to snap with magical energy. "And for the love of the Creators, will the rest of you just shut up?!" she half growled, half shouted.
Instantly her companions quieted, a look of shock on their collective faces. All except for Zevran, whose eyes narrowed and lips pursed together. It wasn't the first time that she had raised her voice to them that day. In fact, it wasn't even the first time that hour. However, there a particular gravelly nature to Riel's voice then as she shouted that had Zevran's mind reeling.
Before he could comment on it, however, Fen'harel began growling and barking, alerting them all to enemies. Just then the heavy fog that blanketed the surrounding area pulled back, revealing a half dozen werewolves blocking the path forwards. And at the front of the pack was Swiftrunner, the one who had spoken to them before.
"It seems as if the forest is not as diligent as we had hoped," Swiftrunner growled out. His yellow eyes then narrowed on Riel, his features turning in an almost wolfish sneer. "You are stronger than I thought for fighting the change as long as you have. However, your strength will not aid you now. Too far have you travelled inside of our territory, yet you will go no further! However, I will see you dead before you continue to threaten our Lady!"
The werewolves at Swift Runner's side roared out then attacked, their sharpened claws acting as small daggers as they slashed at Riel and the others. The pain emanating from Riel's leg grew hotter as she fought, bringing forth an almost feralness to her attacks as she fought back. A quick slice of her blade cut through a darkly coated werewolf's neck, spraying her face with its blood. The sensation of the blood hitting her tongue brought forth a madness inside of Riel, causing her to drop her blades and swing out with her bare hands. Hands that now sported long claws instead of fingers.
Three more of the werewolves fell lifeless to the ground before Riel's feral eyes dropped onto Swiftrunner. With a frenzied growl she launched herself at the creature, yet was knocked back at the last moment by a hard body check to her left side. The force of the attack sent Riel rolling to the ground, yet she immediately was on her feet again, growling and snapping a jaw that held oversized incisors instead of her regular teeth.
In front of Swiftrunner was a pure white wolf with emerald green eyes. It's sparkling fur was without blemish or speck of dirt, and seemed almost impossibly white for an animal's coat. For a moment the wolf stared at Riel, relaxed and non threatening. In fact, it's eyes almost seemed to convey regret and even…. sadness. The wolf then lifted its head and let out a deep howl, the sound sending chills down Riel's spine. The sound carried an eerie quality to it, almost as if the Fade itself lived within the creature's voice. And for some reason, the sound of it soothed the raging fury inside of Riel, pulling back the crashing waves of insanity that had gripped her tightly.
Riel felt the energy leaving her, dropping her down to her knees. With a gasping breath she cursed, her body fighting against itself as the madness of a few moments ago left her. Only when the howl ceased did Riel lift her head and look upon the wolf once more. Again she saw a glimmer of sadness in its ethereal green eyes. And then the wolf was gone, bounding away and disappearing into the forest beyond. And following swiftly behind it were the remaining werewolves, leaving Riel and her companions once more alone.
Beside her, Riel could feel a familiar presence, however the words being spoken to her were muffled and distant in her ears, preventing her from understanding what was being said. However, the arms that encircled her she knew. The scent of Antivan spices and sunshine a soothing balm and steady anchor that pulled her steadily back to reality.
When her eyes could again focus, Riel found herself lying face up and looking into the worried stare of the only man she ever loved. Grief and a consuming sadness overtook her, knowing without words that her secret was out. If her earlier behavior was not clue enough to the dire curse she now carried, then the battle just then was loud and clear in its message and intent.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Zevran whispered down to her.
"What would it solve?" she answered back dejectedly. "We have to get the heart either way. And if I…. If I couldn't, I knew you would."
Zevran cradled Riel's body to his own, tears pricking at his eyes. Yet he would not shame her or himself by crying now. After all, tears would do nothing to aid them now. Stifling his own emotions, Zevran fixed a smile to his face and instead called upon his humor as always did in moments such as this.
"I know you have become more adventurous in bed, mi amor. However if you wanted to test a more wide side to our lovemaking, there are far easier ways…" Zevran chuckled darkly.
"Well, you know me. Always doing everything the hard way…" Riel replied, a sad smile on her lips.
"Indeed…" Zevran smirked, sadly pushing a lock of her hair away from her face.
They stayed like that for several moments, each staring wordlessly at the other. The heavy silence speaking far clearer than either of them could. Eventually Zevran leaned down and lightly kissed Riel's forehead, speaking a soft prayer to the gods against her skin. He then stood, taking Riel carefully with him. When they were both on their feet, Zevran placed his arm around Riel's waist and hugged her close to him before addressing the others.
"We have a wolf to hunt, no? Perhaps if we hurry, I can have a new white fur to adorn our bed by this evening!" Zevran remarked jovially. He then turned to Riel, his eyes carrying a sadness in them despite the easy smile on his face. "Would you like that, mi bella? Or would you like Leliana to help you create something more fashionable? Maybe a lovely shawl out of white fur? Beaded, yes? And I am sure a necklace made out of wolf teeth would look absolutamente hermosa on your delectable neck…" he purred, lifting his hands to gently caress the nape of Riel's neck.
"That sounds wonderful, emma lath," Riel answered back with a sad smile.
"And here I yet again prove my usefulness to you. 'Tis truly a wonder what you do without my aid," Morrigan quipped dryly as she approached Zevran and Riel. In her hand was a small vial filled with what looked like a thick black liquid. "Take it. 'Twill not stop the change, but it will bide us much needed time."
"What is it?" Riel asked, eying the liquid carefully.
"'Tis far better that you do not know that, my friend. Take comfort only in knowing that it will aid you."
Riel popped the cork of the vial and immediately her eyes began to water from the foul stench emanating from it. Coughing, she gagged painfully before staring at the witch. "Oh by the Creators, Morrigan! It smells worse than smushed Darkspawn!"
"Yes well, I had thought that only the fool Alistair would be idiot enough to get himself bitten. So I may have added a tad few things extra to make it worse than it should have been." At Riel's increased look of skepticism, Morrigan groaned, raising her hands in the air in frustration before pinning Riel with a glare. "'Tis not poison! If I hadn't killed off the sorry excuse for reused swamp slime by now, I 'twould not do so now! Just hold your nose if you must as you drink it down. You will need several more before this mission is over and the curse is lifted. So you might as well get this one over with now. Or have I misjudged you all this time and you would actually prefer to turn into a slobbering mindless beast? After all, I am sure that Alistair would highly enjoy finally having someone to speak with who has the same level of intelligence as he does."
"You know, one of these days Morrigan…" Alistair muttered, the rest of his sentence trailing off into a string of curses.
"Yes yes, you will smite me with your abilities and take me to a Tower, where I am sure they will attempt their wretched Tranquil barbarism on me. Now whether this is before or after you purposely fail to defend me against attacks, I am sure will depend on the moment. Not that it would be the first time I have suffered due to your lack of guardsman skills…" Morrigan bit back annoyed. She again turned her focus to Riel, her eyes softening slightly even if her voice didn't. "Now what shall it be? Ravenous beast? Or suffer horribly I am sure through the potions that I have brewed for just such an occasion?"
Riel felt her ire raise, her temperament which was already precarious due to her unstable magic, now bordered on volcanic levels of instability. Yet she stamped down her rising anger, and fixed a heated glare on the witch. Then without removing her silver eyes from the other woman's own brilliant yellow, Riel downed the wretched vial of liquid. Immediately her gag reflex tried to reject the vile concoction, yet Riel forced it stay down by sheer force of will alone.
"Good. Now we may continue our hunt," Morrigan replied with a smirk. She almost turned to walk off before once more meeting Riel's eyes. "And the assassin is correct. A white fur shawl would look… pleasing… on you. It would also be warm, and rather practical."
Riel shook her head and sighed. "Alright people," she stated, addressing the others. "Time to go fetch us a heart."
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Vhenan'ara