Aedan Of Highever

by Milton Garby

  "So, I am curious, Warden. Where did you learn how to speak my language? Your accent is apparent, but your command of it is rather impressive."

  "My sister-in-law taught me. She was a merchant's daughter and she used to give me lessons about economics and commerce as well as language."

  "Hmmm, saddling an Antivan woman is a feat all its own, but a merchant's daughter with intelligence to boot? Your brother must have been a very lucky man."

  "Yes, he was."

  "What was her name?"

  "Oriana."

  "Ah, a lovely name indeed. It means 'sunrise' in Antivan. And where is she now, may I ask?"

  "She died…along with her son."

  Zevran abruptly stopped his needle work. "Oh, merde, I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…"

  "It's…fine. It's not like you knew."

  "What…er, what was she like? Oriana and her little one?"

  "Oriana was very proper. A lady through and through, but she had a generous nature and loved being a mother. Oren was his father's son. Full of life and energy, he loved to run and make his mother worry. The day Oren was born was the happiest day in my family's house. I'd never known such joy."

  Zevran couldn't help but feel great sorrow for the Warden. Suddenly he felt terrible about taking up that contract to kill him. The Warden was simply trying to do what was best for his country and the entire world was up against him. It certainly made Zevran's problems seem small.

  "There it is finished." Zevran informed.

  Aedan looked at the back of his hand and took in the design Zevran etched on him. It was a red, bursting sunrise, with the rays almost touching his wrist, behind a small, green pine. Aedan understood the symbolism. Oriana's name meant "sunrise" and her son's name meant "little pine tree". A thoughtful gesture.

  "A little memento for lovely Oriana and her little Oren." Zevran explained

  "Thanks, Zev."

  Zevran stood by himself once more and was washed over by a sense of insignificance. His whole life he'd been nothing more than a blade in the dark guided by the defining word of a contract written by someone he'd never met, to kill for reasons he rarely knew why. But that was all he was, just a highly trained thug, no better than a slave or a dog obeying its master. Aedan on the other hand, had an identity, he had a life until it was taken away by people like Zevran. This revelation really made Zevran want to reevaluate his life and perhaps do more with it. Perhaps by helping the Wardens he could finally have some real purpose to his life.

  As Aedan walked away from Zevran, his freshly tattooed hand stinging slightly, he was approached by Leliana, guilt was laced in her eyes.

  "Is something wrong Leliana?" Aedan asked sincerely.

  Leliana shifted her feet around with a look that look of guilt on her face. "I have something to confess. I lied to you about why I left Orlais."

  "Did you lie to me or did you leave something out?"

  "A little of both I suppose. Please, let me explain. I told you before I was a bard, yes? I did not tell you what I did as a bard. I came to the Chantry in Ferelden because I was being hunted back in Orlais."

  "Are you a criminal then?"

  "No, I was framed! Betrayed by someone I thought I knew and could trust." Leliana's tone was a hurtfult one. "Marjolaine…she was my mentor and…my friend. She was my bard-master, the one who trained me in the bardic arts, and I served her loyally because I loved her and I enjoyed what I did."

  "I take it Marjolaine was an assassin as well."

  "She claimed to have retired. She married a wealthy nobleman and inherited his wealth when he died."

  "A common practice in Orlais, I'm sure. Man marries woman, man dies and suddenly the recently made lovely wife turned recently made grieving widow is made the wealthy bell of the ball."

  "You're right. She probably did kill her own husband or paid someone else to do it, but I didn't care. My devotion to her blinded me to her…less than noble attributes."

  Leliana explained to Aedan about the documents she found on her target. About how Marjolaine was selling state secrets about Orlais to their enemies. And how Marjolaine framed Leliana for high treason. As far as Aedan was concerned Leliana shouldn't have been surprised. After all, bards were treacherous by nature.

  Aedan couldn't believe how naïve Leliana was. "Are you truly that surprised about what happened Leliana? That bitch was willing to sell out her own country!"

  "My life as a bard taught me that I should keep my loyalties fluid." Leliana defended. "But I wasn't concerned that she was a traitor, but that her life was in danger."

  "Really, Leliana? Your loyalties are so fluid you're not concerned about what should happen to those who betray your land? Hey! Zevran!" Aedan called out. "Would you let someone get away with betraying Antiva?!"

  "I'd rather die!" Zevran yelled back.

  "What she was doing was terrible, I know it. That's why I confronted her on what she was doing." Leliana continued.

  "And you didn't seek vengeance?"

  "I was tempted to confront her. I was furious, betrayed! But what could I do against her? If she knew I was moving against she'd just have me caught again."

  "And so you came to Ferelden, to Lothering."

  "Yes. Ferelden protected my person and the Maker saved my soul. And that is the reason I am here, the real reason. No more lies, no more secrets between us. At least in this."

  "You know you're past will catch up with you eventually, Leliana."

  "I do not think so, Aedan. I covered my tracks well, and I don't think Marjolaine would risk leaving the safety of Orlais to come after me."

  "Thank you for trusting me with this, Leliana."

  "It feels good to finally have this off my chest. Thank you for listening and understanding. Have you ever been betrayed like that?"

  Aedan's fist flexed with anger at the memory of his betrayal. "Yes. Before Ostagar, my family was betrayed by our closest ally which resulted in the death of my whole house."

  "Sweet Maker! I-I'm so sorry I didn't mean to…what did you do?"

  "It's not what I did do, it's what I'm going to do." Aedan explained vehemently. "Every night I go to sleep dreaming of my family's killer dying painfully by my bare hands and my teeth! And every day await until my dreams come true." Aedan could see that he was disturbing her. "Traitors deserve only the worst possible death, Leliana, and they deserve to be killed by the ones they betrayed. That is the only punishment that can teach others to be fearful of such action. Not the fear of the Maker, but fear who they wronged."

  "All vengeance must be left to the Maker, Aedan. You only burden yourself with these thoughts of revenge."

  "Fuck the Maker! If he was truly so righteous and loving why didn't he save my seven year old nephew?" Aedan demanded angrily, "Why did he let the darkspawn at Ostagar win? No, Leliana! Your god is too weak to do anything meaninful! The only way to get justice for my family is to take it for myself! And if the Maker couldn't even stop the Tevinter Magisters from breaking into his house, what hope does He have of stopping me?

  Aedan left Leliana visibly disturbed by his reasoning. She had no idea he had suffered this much. Like Zevran she had no real family and couldn't fathom what such a loss feels like. But she did know what it felt like to be betrayed by someone she loved. But the kind of vengeance Aedan wanted she couldn't visit upon anyone, not even Marjolaine. That required a person to be something more or something far less, but it was something she couldn't imagine being.

  Aedan approached Sten, who was once again standing by himself, stonewalled and expressionless like a goddamned statue. Aedan decided to once more, however futile, try to strike a conversation with the Qunari soldier. Aedan decided to start small and ask a question that he was curious about ever since they passed that one village on their way to the tower.

  "Yes?" Sten asked aloofly.

  "I wanted to ask a question."

  "I am hardly surprised."

  Aedan tried to ignore the qunari's aggravatingly avoidant atti
tude. "When we passed that one village, you said something about the children we saw. Something about them being too small?"

  "Yes. They obviously had not completed their training. They should still be with the priests learning, what they did served no purpose."

  Aedan was slightly confused. "What are you talking about? The priests don't raise children."

  Now it was Sten's turn to be confused. "Then who raises them?"

  "Their parents?"

  "Parents? I don't understand this word."

  "The people who give birth to them?"

  "Your temekri raise your young? That would explain much."

  "What's that supposed to mean?" Aedan asked offended. "Who the hell raised you?"

  "The temessrans of course." Sten answered. "They serve as the Ariqun's voice to the rest of the Qunari and teach us our role in life."

  Aedan had forgotten that Qunari do not have families. Everyone born under the Qun was property of the state. "Why would your priests raise your children instead of their parents?"

  "It obviously didn't work for you."

  Aedan's anger suddenly spiked. Sten was treading on thin ice. "Excuse me? Maybe you want to...elaborate on that statement?"

  "You are a Grey Warden, yet you know little of your own order. It was cruel of your people to leave you in such a state."

  "The same could be said of your people, Sten." Aedan retorted sternly. "You say that I'm blind, but I know how to walk these lands. It was cruel of your people to send you to this land and know nothing of us and our ways, like a stranger walking blind into another man's house. I was born to Bryce and Eleanor Cousland, and they taught me how to be a Fereldan and that is the knowledge that will help me save my country. You qunari say that all must seek wisdom, but you do nothing to escape ingnorance."Aedan turned his back and left the qunari to himself again.

  Once more Sten stood by himself and tried to make sense of what was going on around him and what the Warden had just said to him. He didn't think highly of this land. The air was unbearably cold and reeked of wet dog. The baas here were stubborn and unyielding. And their attitude towards magic was completely uncivilized. If they had kept the mages in pens and sewed their mouths shut, like the Qun demands, their actions in Circle tower would have been unnecessary. However….he couldn't deny what the Warden did at the tower was impressive, no one else could have defeated such creatures all in a single night. And while he would never admit it, the cold of this land inured its people to it and made them ready for hardship. It took every ounce of his willpower to not shiver at the constant cold in the air, but the Wardens and even that scantily clothed witch didn't seem to be bothered by the weather. Perhaps the Warden had a point. Perhaps if he knew more about this country instead of only what he thought of it he would never have disgraced himself.

  Morrigan sat by herself once more, next to her little fire arranging her herbs and potions. Once more Aedan took the time to make his way to her far from everyone else. "Yes, Aedan?" She asked.

  "Morrigan…thank you. For saving my life." Aedan said sincerely.

  Morrigan didn't know how to react; no one had ever thanked her for anything before. And the way he looked at her with those beautiful blue eyes…it stole her breath away. "Y-your thanks is…unnecessary. You'd have…done the same, no?"

  "No, Morrigan, my thanks is necessary." Aedan insisted. "If it hadn't been for you I' have been trapped in that dream and would probably be dead right now. You saved me, I will never forget it."

  Morrigan felt her cheeks turn bright red. Damn it all! This wasn't supposed to happen! No man had ever woken such feelings in her. But how could she deny his thanks? She saw what he had given up at her urging. Perhaps his gratitude was no small thing.

  "You are…welcome." She finally responded.

  "Perhaps I can yet show you my gratitude."

  Aedan produced a black leather tome from his pack, a tome adorned with the image of a lifeless tree. Morrigan could scarcely believe her eyes.

  "You…you found Flemeth's Grimoire? When I spoke of it to you, I did not truly hope…ah, but this is a most fortuitous event! You have my thanks! Truly." She had no intention of squandering this opportunity to learn more than Flemeth wished her to know.

  Aedan gave her a warm smile that made her feel warm inside.

  "You're welcome, Morrigan. I hope its contents bring you happiness." And he truly did.

  Damn it all! Once more that warm smile of his melted her. Why did she feel this away around him? What was so special about him? She couldn't deny that he was…unique. It was more than just how incredibly handsome he was, she had been with handsome men before. Aedan was defiant, independent; he rejected the very idea of the Maker in his life, and yet he was loyal to a fault. By his own deed and admission he was a barbarian and yet he held to an unshakable sense of honor. He was very powerful and violent, perhaps that's what sparked her initial infatuation with him. But…he was also capable of great compassion. He had shown her nothing but patience and even…tenderness.

  Aedan turned to leave her. No! She couldn't let him leave now. Not after what he'd awoken in her.

  "Aedan, please wait." She approached him from behind and gently placed her hand on his shoulder and turned him to face her. Morrigan placed her soft hand on his tattooed face, Aedan in turn placed his hand on top of her and affectionately pressed it to his face, as if her hand could heal all his wounds. Her golden eyes met his deep blue ones. "I…I've still yet to thank you for your efforts." She whispered, barely audible.

  In that instant that instant their lips met, gently at first, and then that small spark that was inside one another turned into a burning fire. Morrigan locked her arms around Aedan's neck and deepened their kiss, while Aedan's hands traveled down Morrigan's slender back, unlacing the measly strap that tied her top together. Her breasts free from their constriction, Morrigan locked her arms tighter around Aedan, crushing her breasts against his shirt.

  Feeling his lover's passion rise, Aedan pulled her closer to him, his hands aggressively exploring her beautiful back, and feeling her perfect breasts on his clothed chest. Becoming more daring, Aedan coaxed her tongue out with his own, Morrigan happily obliged. Their tongues wrestled aggressively with one another, each one want surpass the other, while letting their owners familiarize themselves with each other's taste. Morrigan was amazed and further aroused when she felt Aedan's tongue coil around hers like a snake and constricted it like it was prey. Aedan's hand traveled further south to Morrigan's firm ass and gave it a slow, loving but powerful squeeze.

  The feeling of Aedan's strong hand on her backside caused Morrigan to stand on her tiptoes and her eyes to open with wild shock. His aggressiveness was most welcome, but she wasn't one to be out done, especially on the grounds of sex. She hungrily bit and sucked on his lower lip, grunting in furious passion as her lover's grip on her body became more vice-like. His lips still held between her teeth, Morrigan forced her physically more powerful partner to go to the ground with her on top of him; all the while savoring the taste of his saliva in her mouth. Finally she was in a position where she was in control! She threw off her top and hood and felt her bare nipples harden in the cold Ferelden air. Using her hands, Morrigan ripped Aedan's shirt from his chest and clawed her fingernails down his well-formed pectorals, leaving claw marks behind as she went. Morrigan finally caressed her hands in reckless abandon on his rock-hard abdomen enjoying the feeling of them beneath her hands. Then she crushed her lips once more against Aedan's, locking her arms around him once more, and greedily feasted on his mouth.

  Aedan had never felt so much passion from a woman before. Whenever he was with a woman, even with Iona, he had to hold back all his passion for fear of what damage he might do to his lover. But not only was Morrigan capable of meeting his passion, she was capable of surpassing it! Aedan had to step up his game to keep up with her. As Morrigan assaulted his oral cavity, Aedan secretly snaked his hands up to her chest and found her firm, supple breasts. His hands
skillfully kneaded his lover's perfect breasts while his fingers aggressively pinched and twisted her erect nipples, causing her to moan loudly into his mouth. While she was distracted by the sudden jolt of pleasure coursing through her being, Aedan took this opportunity to roll her over on to her back and placed himself in the dominant position, his hands still firmly gripped to her bosom.

  Never. Never had this happen to her before. Whenever Morrigan slept with another man she was the one who maintained dominance, she was the one who remained in control. Yet this man, unlike her other lovers, not only fought for control, he actually managed to take it! Aedan separated his mouth from hers, causing her to feel acute disappointment. That is, until he quickly started planting kisses along her lovely neck.

  Morrigan could feel the pleasure he gave her shoot through every nerve in her body, how could he possibly do better than this? Her answer quickly came to her as she felt him passionately, yet gently bite her soft flesh. That was it, it was official; he was the best lover she ever had! Morrigan locked her legs around Aedan's waist while he continued his oral assault on her body, eliciting from her restrained screams of ecstasy, as he made his way to her soft breasts. Morrigan finally let loose her screams of erotic joy as she felt his teeth bite down on her nipples.

  Ever since Aedan first laid eyes on Morrigan back in the Wilds he wanted so badly to taste and bite her creamy white skin and voluptuous breasts. And now he was finally getting his fill of her; and what's more he was becoming addicted to her. While he assaulted her feminine assets he could feel his "canine" was trying to break out of the "kennel", so to speak. He was about to lose all control he had. He had to take her! Aedan took his mouth away from her ample breast, much to her disappointment.

  "Morrigan." He growled into her ear as he gently nibbled on it.

  Morrigan wrapped her arms around his head and held him to her, her breath so ragged she could scarcely speak. They both wanted this now, and she knew it. She needed it right now. Morrigan bit into his neck passionately. "Finish what you started!"