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In good times and in bad	By : kruemel Category: +A through F > Dragon Age (all) > Dragon Age (all) Views: 14749 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Dragon Age and the characters of the game do not belong to me. This is a no profit fanfiction

Chapter List
- 74
- 75
- 76
@discord_the_lunatic: Ha! Empty promises! ;) And there I was already looking forward to some flogging....
@Brad: Awww, ty so much! You do make me blush. It's so sweet of you to say this. I am so glad you enjoy reading this.
Chapter 75
To say that Swiftrunner is not delighted to see us when we finally reach the heart of the forest, is quite an understatement. He glowers and snarls at us and flexes his claws. Rori right next to him, bounces around happily - and squeals.
"Alistair!" Rori darts towards me. She's as boisterous and exuberant as a puppy - a quite oversized puppy, mind you. When she pounces me everybody else just jumps backwards, ready to draw their weapons. It certainly looks as if this huge beast is about to bite my head off, but I know it's Rori so I stretch out my arms to embrace her - and totally underestimate her weight and size. She throws me to the ground and I find myself lying on the back with that huge, heavy beast on top of me that is my girlfriend. Slobbering all over me, she licks my face and yelps happily. "I knew you would make it!"
"Ro-rori, I can't breathe!" I gasp, trying to shove her off me. I am more than relieved to see she is fine... well, as fine as she can be, considering she's a savage canine monster.
"Sorry," she mumbles compunctiously and lifts herself off me. Then rolling around on the ground, she allows me to scratch her belly... and then Barkley announces his presence and I scratch his belly, too. Ain't we all just a happy family? It for sure feels like back in the old days when I slept in the kennels with the dogs... oh, that smell of wet dog hair... and still the scent of verbena lingers on Rori like a memory of times long gone... I can't believe she turned into that beast only a few days ago. Maker, how I miss that girl!
"The forest has not been vigilant enough. Still you come. You do not belong here, outsider. Leave this place," Swiftrunner interrupts our display of joy of our reunion.
"Why won't you let us try to settle this dispute?" Rori asks as softly as a werewolf can probably be. To my ears she still sounds terribly aggressive with all her growling and snarling. Standing between us and the other werewolves, she's smart enough to keep her distance. Swiftrunner glares at her as if he considered her to be his second breakfast. "Come on, Swiftrunner, the attacks on the Dalish have gotten you nowhere. How about a different approach?"
"Hrrr... Gingersnaps, you are no human no more. Your place is not with them."
"Gingersnaps?" I can't help it, I laugh out loud.
"You'd think being turned into a huge furry beast is bad enough," Rori sulks. "But in addition you also gain a stupid new name after joining the pack. And there are a whole lot of required group activities. Board and lodging defy description..."
"Sounds much like the Crows," Zevran snickers.
"Or the Chantry," I chuckle.
"The board and lodging is not that bad! And they don't give you stupid names at the Chantry," Leliana points out sullenly.
"Realy? Suddenly it wasn't just Alistair anymore but Brother Alistair. And some of the older boys there used to call me Sister Alice." I have to admit, me crying a lot out of anger, frustration and loneliness didn't do me much good when it came to getting along with the other boys.
"Sister Alice! Hehe," Oghren snickers.
"Thought you'd like that," I sigh.
"Gingersnaps suddenly doesn't sound that bad anymore," Rori mutters. She gently nudges my side with her large head and I scratch her behind her ears.
"You are intruders in our home," Swiftrunner bellows furiously. To hear Rori call Werewolfcity anything but a heaven for all lycanthropes - and fleas - greatly angers him. So much ingratitude after they took her in as a sister and named her Gingersnaps... And then she has the nerve to invite all her friends... "You come to kill as all of your kind do. We have learnt this lesson well."
"He's quite stubborn, isn't he?" I mutter.
"You can't even imagine," Rori sighs.
"Shall I bang its head against that rock? It might help with the thinking process," Shale suggests.
It isn't the most helpful comment she could have made. Actually, it leads to Swiftrunner attacking us. Not the brightest idea he has ever had, though. But before Shale can bang his head against anything, the great white wolf I've seen before, interrupts the battle that none of us wanted first place. One should believe Swiftrunner has learnt his lesson, but no! We turn around the next corner, and there he is again!
"You don't want another fight, my hairy friend, do you?" Zevran twirls his swords around and grins cheerfully. "You only just got your ass kicked. Can't you see, we... are ridiculously awesome!" the elf adds when the huge wolves growl aggressively, baring their fangs at us.
"Not helpful!" I hiss at him.
"We are invaded! And this is all your fault, Gingersnaps!" Swiftrunner barks at Rori.
"Swiftrunner, you pig headed prick! Don't you see they are here to help us..." Rori rolls her eyes in exasperation.
"There is no us!" He growls menacingly at her, shifting his weight while he blocks her path to stop her from slipping past him. "Go back to the ruins! Protect the lady!" he snaps at the other wolves. "You..." He points a large clawed paw at Rori. "You are no longer welcome here. Return to the treacherous Dalish, Gingersnaps, and tell them that they are doomed - just as you are."
"Oops, seems I just got promoted persona non grata," Rori observes cheerfully as we watch the werewolves flee into the ruins. I know that tone. She's not half as carefree as she appears to be.
"More like lupus non grata," Wynne chuckles.
Only now it dawns on me, that Rori just got declared an outsider by the leader of her pack. If this curse cannot be broken, she'll stand all alone. Rori grants Wynne a full-toothed grin. Still she keeps her distance, just like everybody else keep theirs from her - well, save from Morrigan, Shale and I. I doubt, Rori will be able to count on her human companions - not if she stays the monster she has become. Merciful Andraste, I do hope she knows what she is doing!
"Smell that? Looks like these fellows have marked their territory." Oghren sniffs the air as we approach the entrance of the ruins.
"Werewolves also have to see a man about a dog sometimes," Zevran snickers. "So they live in an old ruin? Hmmm... I wonder if there are other treasures to be found here besides wolf droppings?"
"There's a dragon. So there should be dragon droppings, too," Rori giggles.
"Really? Does it have a treasure?"
"Don't know. Didn't go to its lair." She shudders. "There were spiders. Huge spiders!"
"Now, that of course is a mighty good reason why one shouldn't walk into a dragon lair alone, the spiders one could encounter on the way," Wynne remarks dryly.
"My cute Fereldan fur ball, you are a huge and savage creature now yourself," Zevran points out with a laugh.
"Ewwww!" Rori shakes herself. "The cobwebs stick in my fur... and I'd have to touch the spiders with my hands... paws. Bah! Good thing we don't have to pass through that area. The entrance to the wolves' lair is far from any spider activity." She looks utterly relieved about that...
... until the werewolves slam their door shut in our faces and lock it so thoroughly even Shale cannot break through... that much for our portable ram.
"Is there another way?" I ask.
Rori whines and ducks her head.
"Rori?"
"Can't we try with knocking first?" Rori asks timidly. "Perhaps Swiftrunner changed his mind?"
Okay, I knock. I'd do anything for her. Unfortunately Swiftrunner would do anything for his lady. And he somehow got it into his pig head that he has to defend her against us. Not that farfetched, I admit. So the next ten minutes I keep talking to the door and all I receive is a "Go away!"
"Hehe, aye, bitchy, moody and pig headed," Oghren chuckles. "Much like Branka during her monthlies. Kept locking me out of the house, that's what she did, the sodding crazy nug-tail."
"Maybe you want to talk to him then?" I suggest.
"Nah, sodding waste of time."
Rori pouts. "This way," she grumbles, accepting her fate.
Some big fat spiders and a lot of whining and cringing from Rori later, we pass through another dragon lair with yet another - rather small - dragon and yet another treasure - much to Zevran's delight. Then there follow more spiders, some undead, ghosts and whatnot... after fighting our way through those ruins we could write a bestiary... and once we finally reach the werewolf lair, Swiftrunner has changed his mind about talking to us.
"Stop! Be at ease!" the huge werewolf barks. "We do not wish more of our people hurt. I ask you this now: Are you willing to parley?"
"Hehe, aye," Oghren chuckles. "That's just like Branka opening the front door once I got stuck trying to climb in through the sodding window."
Rori looks indeed much like a ginger about to snap. "What!?" she growls. "Now you want to talk!? You... you bloody base-born jackal..."
"Language!" Wynne sighs. "I do wonder wherefrom you get such foul vocabulary, young lady."
"From you," Rori retorts sweetly. "And from Mama. She could swear like a sailor."
"If you only had listened for once, you'd already know the answer, Swiftrunner. It is yes," I point out. I'm as hopping mad as Rori but I very much doubt hurling obscenities at my interlocutor is the best way to start negotiations. So I leave that part to Gingersnaps. "But really... if you're willing to talk, why didn't you say so earlier? Those ruins you got here, real nice, sure, but we could have done without the sightseeing, you know."
"Swiftrunner did not think it would matter. The lady disagrees. Obnoxious Gingersnaps has been trying to convince the lady ever since she came to join us. And the lady has been listening." Swiftrunner clearly dislikes this. I guess, that's a good sign. His lady really does want to talk or he wouldn't be so uneasy about it. He seems more the type for final solutions when faced with a problem. "Since you have forced your way this far, we must acquiesce to the lady's wishes."
"Fine, then let's parley," I sigh. "Do you serve hors d'oeuvre and tea? I'd kill for some cheese right now."
Swiftrunner whirls around and snarls at me. Maker, relax, this was a joke! "I warn you if you break your promise and harm the lady I will come back from the Fade itself to see you pay."
"My dear furry friend, you so should find yourself a bitch and have some fun. It would help you to relax," Zevran comments.
Swiftrunner's not the only one. All these wolves do need some relaxation. All this growling, snarling and howling when we enter... yep, scary! They certainly do make their point... but, you know, after the Deep Roads, and after the Circle of Magi, after all the darkspawn, the abominations and bloodmages, demons and undead and giant spiders and so on, after seeing the archdemon and fighting a broodmother... and with Rori being a werewolf herself... this is certainly not a situation where I feel like wetting my pants anytime soon.
Rori warned me about the lady not being a werewolf but a spirit of the forest. I somewhat thought she'd look like... oh, I don't know... some kind of plant or somewhat like a will-o'-wisp... I most certainly didn't expect her to be... a very very naked woman - with branches or roots for hands and eyes as bitch black and shiny as two large beetles.
"O-là-là!" Zevran exclaims.
"Aye, hehe, the things I could do to her," Oghren grunts.
Oh Maker! How am I supposed to parley when I am all flustered and blushing from head to toe? I don't know what to do with my eyes... I try strictly looking at her face but she moves around and my eyes keep getting drawn to... all those parts that are so not covered. Even Morrigan is decently clothed compared to that spirit! Finally I decide, talking to the lady's feet will have to do.
"Err... hello?" I stammer, shifting my weight uncomfortably. "So, here we are, and here you are and... what are we going to talk about?"
"Zathrian and the curse," Rori prompts.
"Do not listen to them, lady, they will betray you. We must attack them now," Swiftrunner growls menacingly.
That much for him promising this not to be an ambush!
Rori immediately moves from her place at my side to stand between me and the werewolves. Baring her teeth, she growls at the other wolves, tense and ready to defend me. Cute.
"Hush, Swiftrunner, your urge for battle has only seen the deaths of the very ones you've been trying to save," the lady gently scolds the huge wolf. "Is that what you want?"
"No, my lady. Anything but that."
"Okay, so can finally somebody explain to me what this is all about?" I sigh. I want my woman back. Preferably now.
"It was Zathrian who created the curse that these creatures suffer," the lady explains.
Seems Zathrian lost his son and daughter to some really nasty humans centuries ago. I do get why he would want revenge. I have my own vendetta with Loghain... Rori has a bone to pick with Howe... but Zathrian, he quite exaggerated it. Summoned that spirit, bound it into the body of a great wolf, that way created Witherfang and set it on the humans. I bet there were a whole lot of innocent amongst those who died or turned into werewolves. And then they lived in the forest, no more than mindless, savage beasts until the lady came along.
"So you ambush the Dalish why? For revenge?" I wonder. This is just... wrong. It's a vicious cycle with far too many deaths on both sides.
"In part," the lady admits. "We seek to end the curse. The crimes committed against Zathrian's children were grave but they were committed centuries ago by those who are long dead. Word was sent to Zathrian every time the landships passed this way, asking him to come but he has always ignored us. We will no longer be denied."
"We spread this curse to his people," Swiftrunner explains. "So he must end the curse to save them."
"Just he does not end it. Instead he has found himself some fools to do his dirty job," I mutter.
"Please, mortal, you must go to him. Bring him here. If he sees these creatures, surely he will agree to end the curse," the lady begs me.
"Wow, you are quite an optimist, aren't you?"
"Don't you want this curse to end and have the woman you love return to you?" Much to Swiftrunner's dismay, the lady leaves her place with the werewolves and comes forward to lay her hand on Rori's head.
"Of course I do! Just... what makes you think I could persuade him to come here when the suffering of his people hasn't yet brought him here? He rather watches them die or kills them than to undo that terrible curse."
"Gingersnaps has trust in you," the lady replies softly. "She believes you to be a great man, a man with a heart of gold who strives to do what is right."
"The transformation must have done something to her brain," Morrigan mutters under her breath. I am tempted to agree.
"When she speaks of you, her words come from the heart. She has convinced me to believe you could be the man who can end the suffering of these miserable creatures."
Huh? What? Who? I?
Doom!
DOOM!
I laugh uneasily, sounding as foolish as I feel. Then I glare at Rori... I mean, her confidence in me, that's real sweet, but she must have lost all sense of reality! She just grins wolfishly at me, then licks my hand and presses her head to my side. Maker have mercy! I have to be strong for her. But I am scared. What if I fail? Andraste help me, what if I fail?
"If Zathrian comes, I will summon Witherfang," the lady says matter-of-factly. "I possess that power. I also have the power to ensure that Witherfang is never found. Tell Zathrian this."
Okay... seems I got no choice... oh how delightful!
"Gingersnaps can stay with us while you talk to Zathrian," the lady adds, beckoning Rori to join her and the other werewolves. "Her presence could make you appear biased."
I try not to but I snort. Of course! And Rori staying here with the werewolves makes sure I will not turn against them. I'm not an idiot, you know... well, not all the time.
I open my mouth to protest. There are thousand other places where Rori could stay while I talk to the keeper and where she would not be considered a hostage. It's Rori shaking her head slightly that silences me before I can even begin with spelling out to the lady what I think about her plan.
"Fine, I will talk to the keeper," I groan, not happy at all with the task and with leaving Rori back with the werewolves. "Just one more thing..." I turn to the huge alpha wolf, lock eyes with him and point my finger at him. "I do care as much about my lady as you do care about yours, Swiftrunner," I say in a voice that I tell myself is dangerously calm. "And believe me when I say: you will absolutely regret it should you as much as lay a finger... err... talon on her... anyway... I want her to be safe and sound when I return..."
Swiftrunner's answer is a low deep menacing growl.
Yeah, you're such a big bad wolf!
I just growl back at him.
Here, take that you flea bag!
I'm not as good as Sten when it comes to growling, but good enough it seems. Oh, that look on Swiftrunner's face! Priceless! Not that he has much of a facial expression... but he certainly didn't expect that from me.
Rather pleased with myself, I gather my companions for the new task... and find Zathrian already awaits us in the entrance hall of the ruins. Good, saves me from walking back all the way to the Dalish camp to seek him out. At the same time it proves the lady's story right. I really can't stand being manipulated!
"Before you ask: No. I don't have the heart," I skip past a greeting or expressing my surprise to find Zathrian here - because I am so not surprised. It's hard not to just punch him in the face... He had his reasons... like centuries ago! But right now... all I can see is the man who could end this suffering if the lady is right. And it takes me a whole lot self-control not to knock him out with my Templar skills and drag him to the werewolves by the hem of his silly robes. This guy so reminds me why the templars do such an important job. "I have heard the story you didn't think necessary to tell us. Where the curse came from and such. So let's get straight to the point: The werewolves are no mindless beasts anymore and they wish to talk."
"They deserve to be wiped out and not defended," the keeper snarls, his face contorted with hatred. "Even if they have regained their minds, they are still the same worthless creatures that their ancestors were. They deserve nothing more than the misery they possess."
Merciful Andraste! Rori is completely innocent and yet she is condemned to pay for a crime she never committed! The werewolves down there... they have done nothing at all but what was in their nature that got twisted centuries ago by a heartbroken, vengeful man. And he just stands here, all self-righteously talking about his pain and his suffering...
"Shall I crush the nasty mage's head?" Shale whispers to me eagerly. "Please? Maybe I could crush it just a little bit? Or tear its arms out?"
It's a pity I have to tell her no.
"This is not your battle, Grey Warden. Let us just take the heart and be done with it," Zathrian says unnervedly.
"Wrong. This is my battle. It became my battle when my love got infected with your curse," I say as calmly as I can possibly manage. I admit, I'm not very good at it. I wish Rori was here to do the talking. My Templar training keeps getting in my way. It offers a pretty simple solution to this and Cullen would really approve of it. "No!" I snap when Zathrian opens his mouth to feed me some more... pigeon crap for sure. "The hatred in you has condemned innocent to suffer, it has condemned your own people. It is time to end this now."
"I will not help the descendants of savages who deserved the curse they received," Zathrian hisses back at me.
"What about Danyla?" I shout, kicking a stone forcefully to get rid of some of the tension that comes from fighting down the urge to throttle him. "What about Rori? What about all the others... they weren't even born when your children were murdered!"
"It was the werewolves who condemned your woman, not I! When you bring me the heart..." Zathrian begins anew.
Yeah. Sure. Cut a heart form some beast's chest to perform some ritual... Does he really believe me to be such a fool as to help him perform blood magic?
"Talk to them!" I insist. "If you deny this... your curse, your hatred, your mercilessness... you might not be a savage creature by your looks... but you are in your heart."
"How dare you!" Zathrian bellows and for a moment I believe I have pushed him too far but the anger fades from his face, making room for the contemptuous mask he wears most of the time.. "Fine. There's no point in it, but let's see what the spirit has to say... And if it's only to prove to you that beasts will be beasts. You have to promise, though, to defend me in case they should attack me."
That's the very last promise I want to make... but I do get that much: Zathrian can end the curse. Having him come along willingly is certainly better than having Shale break his arms and legs - although the prospect is rather tempting. "Alright, I will protect you. Just don't you try and fool me. I was a Templar before I became a Grey Warden, just so you know, mage."
"That's what you call diplomacy, son?" Wynne mutters from behind when we all march back to meet the werewolves.
"Considering this is a crazy mage and I have been raised to become a Templar... yes?"
Wynne pats my shoulder compassionately. "Try more to think like a Grey Warden. Rein in your temper. Control your fear. With a lip like yours, son, this is not going to end in peace."
Whoa, thanks a lot for the advice! Now, if she had a manual coming with it, that would be helpful indeed.
When we enter the hall with Zathrian, the werewolves do everything to appear just like the savage beasts the keeper says they are. The greetings exchanged between Zathrian and the spirit is far from cordial. The greeting I receive from Rori is... rather wet. Disgusted Zathrian steps away from me. Hey! She drools a lot and she's not exactly pretty. But if he was looking for something human in the beasts he created, then Rori is the best example he can get. To see that beautiful, brave and caring young woman in the shape of a monster... it's heart-breaking! I cannot understand how this cannot touch Zathrian deep inside, how his hatred can be so much stronger than his mercy.
"They are just like their ancestors," Zathrian spits with contempt. "Wild savages. Worthless dogs. Their twisted shape only mirrors their monstrous hearts. Where's the sense in talking when we all know where this will lead?"
"It does not have to be that way. There is room in your heart for compassion Zathrian. Surely your retribution is spent," the lady beseechs the unwavering elf.
"My retribution is eternal, spirit. As is my pain. This is justice. No more."
"You are... such a self-righteous asshole," Rori barks.
"The redheaded woman that was travelling with you, I take it?" Zathrian remarks coolly, ignoring Rori but addressing me instead. "What does she know about my pain?"
"What do you know about hers?" I retort, putting my hand on Rori's head as she crouches at my feet.
"Are you certain your pain is the only reason you will not end this curse?" the lady of the forest asks calmly. "Have you told the mortal how it was created?"
"Nope. He has not. Nobody ever tells me the important stuff."
"This is an old forest, mortal. And I am it's spirit, it's heart. I was not summoned from across the veil but pulled from the trees, the rock and soil. Such powerful magic however could not be accomplished without Zathrian's blood."
I knew it! Call it instinct; blame it on the Templar training... A blood mage! A filthy... treacherous... lying blood mage!
"The curse and his life are intertwined. As long as the curse exists, so does he."
"So would Zathrian's death end the curse?" Come on, say yes! If not for Rori being inflicted with that blasted curse, I'd have gladly bashed the keeper's head in already. I can feel it inside of me, making my nerves tingle as I summon it instinctly, the spell breaking energy that Templars possess...
"No." The lady of the forest says.
Oh blast it! Why does everything have to be so damn complicated?
"The curse has a life of its own, though Zathrian's life depends on it. His death plays a part in its ending, however."
"Then we kill him! We tear him apart now!" Swiftrunner barks. My sentiments exactly. It's the very first time the alpha and I agree.
"For all your powers of speech, you are beasts still," Zathrian triumphantly exclaims. I swear, he's the only beast I see. "What do you gain from killing me? Only I know how the ritual ends. And I will never do it."
"You see, we must kill them all!" Swiftrunner howls even as the lady lays her hand on his shoulder soothingly.
"See, they turn on you as quickly," Zathrian speaks to me. "Do what you have come here to do, Grey Warden! Or get out of my way."
Oh Maker have mercy! I exchange a look with Rori, lying at my feet. Her dark blue eyes are the only things that have not changed. I can see the human girl she used to be in them - and the sadness when she inclines her head.
Only Zathrian knows the ritual to end the curse... A knowledge that will be lost with his death... All he wants is to wipe out the werewolves... Only with the spirit's help do the werewolves realize they are more than just mindless savage animals...
There are no words that need to be spoken between my love and me. We both know what we have to do. We both know there's only one way to decide... and it breaks my heart...
Rori nuzzles my hand with her cool moist snout and whines lowly. I kneel down to take her head into my hands, gently stroking the soft fur with my thumbs. Then I bend to place a kiss to her forehead.
"We're standing for what's right here, no matter what," I say, my voice choked and broken as I move to stand in between Zathrian and Witherfang. Rori is at my side... like she has always been. But this time it is different... it's like saying goodbye... I raise my sword, gripping it firmly as to stop it from trembling in my hands.
"So it has decided to fight the nasty mage? Good, I have wanted to crush its head for some time now," Shale drones. I guess, if anybody understands how Rori has to feel, it's the golem.
"But...," Zevran stutters. He's so shocked; he can hardly unsheathe his swords. His eyes dart from me to Rori as if he was hoping we'd start laughing and go "Gotcha!"
"Nothing is lost yet," Rori growls when Morrigan joins her.
"Kadan." Sten inclines his head towards me. Whoa... awkward... "I am honoured to fight at your side." Huh? Something has to be wrong with my hearing... Or this is the Fade and some demon has a very strange sense of humour...
"That is your decision?" Zathrian snorts. "Then you die with them." Raising his staff as he summons his magical power around him. "All of you will suffer as you deserve."
Maker have mercy, as this man knows none!
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In good times and in bad