Fighting for Eden CH3: No Going Back

With a heavy sigh Merlissia shrugged off her armor in her tent, what am I supposed to wear to meet with the King? she thought as she pulled off her blood stained shirt. Slowly she reached down to pick up her spare shirt to put on when she heard someone enter the tent she was given to bathe and change in. Quickly she looked over her shoulder to see Alistair staring dumbly.

"Yes?" Merlissia asked as she weaved her arms into the shirt and pulling it over her head.

Speechless, Alistair stood looking over the contours of her back. His eyes pausing over the deep purple regions that were beginning to form on her shoulders and sides. "I… I uh..." he stammered as he turned around to face the tent. "I was sent to remind you that the King is expecting you, I am to escort you," Alistair finally managed after diverting his gaze. "I'll wait for you outside," he offered as he hurried out of the tent. Maker she's gorgeous… but those bruises… what happened to her? He wondered as he paced around with the image of her soft curves floating around in his head. If that was her back… could she be nearly as perfect… he was trying to think when she walked out of the tent.

"Alright… Let's get this over with," Merlissia said as she emerged from the tent in a loose shirt that sat low on her shoulders and tight black leggings. Alistair couldn't help but to notice how she tried to wear her hair down to hide the bruises on her neck and shoulders, that and the way her leggings clung to her hips.

"If you would, hold on a moment," Alistair said nervously, trying to avoid looking at her. Quickly he walked into Cailan's tent to find him talking to a shirtless woman with shoulder length blond hair. Quickly her sapphire eyes flashed up to him. She didn't flinch, her eyes didn't waver nor did she blush.

Cailan instructed her to turn around to show Alistair what he was looking at. Alistair watched as the woman nodded slowly before she turned and pulled her hair to the side. His eyes narrowed on the on the slight pink lines that rimmed the scars on her back. Breathlessly he listened as Cailan explained that Templars were the ones who inflicted such wounds on her.

"But, your Majesty, they only hunt down—"

"Apostates," the woman said quietly as she looked at him.

"You mean… You're an apostate?" Alistair asked dumbly, "But you joined the King's army? Why?"

"Why not? Both the Chantry as well as the Circle want me dead. I might as well die doing something useful," she said plainly.

Merlissia walked in as the fair-haired woman finished explained how she acquired her scars to Alistair, watching coolly as his eyes widened with disbelief.

"I have given my word to this young woman that if she survives the battle that I will not pursue her, that she will be able to remain in my ranks or flee," Cailan explained quietly as she made a polite bow to those in the tent before she walked out.

"Maker.. how could they do that to her?" Alistair stumbled as her story echoed in his mind.

"Another sad sod joining the recruits?" Merlissia asked coldly.

"Now, I would expect some sympathy from you… your situations aren't all that different," Cailan said calmly as he turned to Alistair. "That'd be all Alistair, thank you,"

After a polite bow Alistair fled the tent and searched for the apostate. He could see her arguing with a dark haired boy. For a while Alistair stood idly by watching the pair. They look similar… a brother maybe? he thought as he watched them fight before the girl stormed off towards some distant tent, only to be stopped when the man grabbed her wrist pulling her towards him.

Quickly Alistair made his way to the pair in time to catch the man's wrist as he had it raised towards the blonde beauty in front of him. "Whoa there!" Alistair said as he pulled the dark haired man back. "What is going on here?" he demanded calmly as he watched how the woman didn't flinch or even try to avoid the man's fist.

For a few minutes the three stood there in silence.

"Are you alright?" Alistair finally said trying to fill the awkward silence.

"I'm fine. This would be my brother, Carver," she said motioning over to the dark haired man that was still caught in Alistair's grasp. "You're the Grey Warden from before?"

"Yes, Alistair," he said introducing himself as he let Carver go.

"You're a… Grey Warden?" Carver said quietly, looking over Alistair as if he were some mural on a wall. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to speak with your sister, so if you wouldn't mind," Alistair said calmly as he watched Carver huff and storm off. "Younger brother?" Alistair finally asked when he was far enough away.

"Yes."

"I just… I just wanted to apologize.. I am not a templar but what happened to you… I'm so sorry," Alistair said quickly, "I can't believe that you would come to fight here," he admitted softly.

"Why not? I'm going to die one way or another,"

"But to defend a nation that would see you dead?" Alistair pushed.

"Better to wait for death then? I don't know… It gave me money to send to my family," she said with a soft smile.

"Would you join the Grey Wardens?" Alistair asked plainly.

"I… I don't see why they would want me…" she said quietly as she looked to the ground.

"I could see if there is time… maybe after the battle… you would be able to stop running at the very least," Alistair explained as he watched her nod. "Very well, I'll find you after the battle is over," Alistair said as he gave her a quick nod and made his way to Duncan's tent.

***meanwhile***

"She has lost so much in one day, as you have. Forced to take her lover's life so he wouldn't suffer, watched as templars toyed with her father before killing him… her own brother stabbed her in the back… It's a miracle she's even still alive." Cailan said quietly as he offered Merlissia a seat. Briefly, he explained what Merlissia had told him before he switched over to how to deal with Howe.

He sat quietly listening to the gritty details of what she saw, what had happened. He watched as she turned away, angry, ashamed of fleeing her home and family. As she turned he could see the bruises that were growing on her neck, making him frown.

"I am truly sorry that all this has happened… but I promise you, I will turn my army north and you will have your lands back," Cailan said softly.

Merlissia wanted to believe him. Wanted to believe that justice would be done and everything would be made right, but how could they. Her family had been slaughtered, their blood stained the walls of her home.

It wasn't much longer when Alistair came back into the tent, requesting Merlissia. That it was time for the joining. Silently they walked towards the old temple to wait for Duncan with the other recruits.

"The more I hear about this joining, the less I like it." Jory said nervously.

"Are you blubbering again?" Daveth asked.

"Why all these damned tests? Have I not earned my place?" Jory asked with a heavy dose of annoyance in his voice.

"Maybe it's tradition. Maybe they're just trying to annoy you," Daveth snapped with a smirk as he looked over to Merlissia.

"Calm down. There's nothing we can do about it now," she said coolly as she looked over to Jory. How anyone allowed you to be a knight is astounding she thought bitterly.

"I only know that my wife is in Highever with a child on the way. If they warned me… it just doesn't seem fair," Jory complained.

And we're back to his wife again… does he ever shut up?

"Would you have come if they'd warned you? Maybe that's why they don't. The Wardens do what they must right?" Daveth asked quickly.

He really is a brave man… for a cutpurse he really is a man she thought as she watched Daveth argue with Jory.

"Including sacrificing us?" Jory pushed on as he stared the shorter man down.

"I'd sacrifice a lot more if I knew it would end the Blight," Daveth said solemnly.

He really is what the Grey Wardens are looking for… willing to do it all… maybe I shouldn't be here… but… but it is my duty she thought before she decided to speak up. "You make a good point Daveth."

"You saw those darkspawn, ser knight. Wouldn't you die to protect your pretty wife from them?" Daveth asked directly.

"I…"

Coward.

"Maybe you'll die. Maybe we'll all die. If nobody stops the darkspawn, we'll die for sure." Daveth encouraged

I've just never faced a foe I could not engage with my blade," Jory admitted as Duncan walked in to the old temple.

"At last we come to the Joining," he said as he walked over to the small table that had been set up with a small goblet on it. "The Grey Wardens were founded during the first Blight, when humanity stood on the verge of annihilation. So it was that the first Grey Wardens drank of darkspawn blood and mastered their taint," Duncan explained as he stood beside the table looking over the three recruits when Jory spoke up.

"We're… going to drink the blood of those… those creatures?" He stumbled nervously.

"As the first Grey Wardens did before us, as we did before you. This is the source of our power and our victory," Duncan explained as he slowly approached the group.

"Those who survive the Joining become immune to the taint. We can sense it in the darkspawn and use it to slay the archdemon," Alistair chimed in as he looked towards Jory.

Well that sounds pleasant… But there's no going back… nothing to go back to Merlissia thought as she listened to their words. Maybe if I'm lucky it ends here…

"Not all who drink the blood will survive and those who do are forever changed. This is why the Joining is a secret. It is the price we pay," Duncan said as he looked over Jory's nervous expression. "We speak only a few words prior to the Joining, but these words have been said since the first. Alistair, if you would?" Duncan asked as he turned to get the goblet from the table.

"Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand, vigilant. Join as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten and that one day we shall join you," Alistair recited the words slowly, quietly. It felt like the calm before the storm.

Merlissia watched as Jory eyed the goblet. She could see it… he would refuse the ritual… but there is no turning back, even she knew that.

"Daveth, step forward," Duncan said as he held out the silver goblet.

Merlissia watched as the goblet seemed to glow in the moonlight. It was a sad sight in itself. She watched as Daveth stepped forward and drank from the sad glass and handed it back to Duncan. It was like she could feel it, the taint that swept through him. He wasn't going to master it, and it hurt. It hurt her to watch Daveth fail even though he was willing to give it all. Slowly her eyes left Daveth's limp form to see Jory slowly backing away.

I'm sorry Daveth…

His eyes were wide with fear as Duncan addressed him. She listened as he brought up his excuses of having a wife and child. That if he knew he wouldn't have come. He was answered by the clear fact that there was no going back. He was a fool for not knowing, and a coward. She watched as Duncan set the chalice down and easily deflected Jory's sword as he thrust his blade into the knight's side.

Her eyes… they don't falter. She is not afraid, nor is she eager… She watches all this without so much as a flinch Alistair noticed as she watched Duncan approach her with the goblet.

"You were called upon to submit yourself to the taint for the greater good," Duncan explained coolly as he watched Merlissia huff before she drank from the chalice. The blood burned as he made it's way down her throat. Slowly she gave the goblet back as she felt the taint spread within her. It's like she could hear it challenging her. Mocking her… or was it cooing her to death.

Know that we love you… and know you'll do us proud pup.

She heard it, it was her father's voice. No… I will not die here… my duty is not done! she thought as saw images of the archdemon before her eyes. I will not fear you she thought to herself as she felt her body respond. Moments later she woke up with Alistair and Duncan hovering over her.

"It is finished… Welcome," Duncan said quietly.

"Two more deaths.. In my Joining only one of died… but it was horrible. I'm glad at least one of you made it though," Alistair said as he watched Merlissia pull herself from the ground rubbing the back of her head.

"How do you feel?" Duncan asked as she stood.

"Fine," she lied.

"Did you have dreams? I had terrible dreams after my Joining," Alistair added.

He talks a lot…

"Such dreams come when you begin to sense the darkspawn as we all do. That and many other things can be explained in the moths to come," Duncan explained.

"Before I forget, there is one last part to your joining," he said calmly, his face was quiet as he looked into her eyes to see the small grey cracks that now surged through them. "We take some of that blood and put it in a pendant. Something to remind us of those who didn't make it this far.

"Take some time, when you're ready I'd like you to accompany to a meeting with the king," Duncan said calmly before he turned and walked down the stairs to the meeting.

"I'm sorry Daveth," she whispered softly before she turned to Alistair with a feigned smile and followed after Duncan.

Slowly she walked up to a table lit up by candles. She could see Duncan standing on the far side of the table as she approached and took her spot beside Duncan. Quietly she listened to the strategy they had planned. The King and his forces would hit the horde straight on while Loghain and his men would flank them when they receive the signal from the Tower of Ishal. It seemed logical enough, and really the only way plausible for a large battle to be prosperous… but something still seemed off. Something in his eyes sent a chill down her spine.

"I understand congratulations are in order," Cailan said as he turned to Merlissia.

"Thank you, your Majesty." Why does he care?

"every grey warden is needed now, you should be honored to join their ranks," Cailan

"Who is shall light this beacon?

It is not a difficult task but it is vital

Then we should send our best." Cailan said as he looked up to Merlissia. "Send Alistair and Merlissia to make sure it's done," the King commanded as he watched her for her response.

"I'll do my best, your Majesty,"  she said respectfully. Why can I not fight alongside the others… a chance to…