You Can't Save the Spider *and* the Butterfly

The final results of tonight’s word sprint, plus about 5-10 extra minutes. If you’ve read, or at least are familiar with the end of, Warden’s Duty this will be a lot more feels-inducing. Otherwise, it’s just kind of meh.

He fidgeted outside the door to her rooms early that morning, debating whether or not he should bother her. She was quite possibly the most important person in the whole of the country at the moment, and he didn’t want to be a burden. She’d be leaving in a few hours—they all would, she and her fellow Grey Wardens, as well as all the armies that had gathered at Redcliffe in the past months.

“Enchantment?”

Bodahn nodded absently at Sandal’s plea; he knew the boy wanted to go along with them all, to help them, but it was too dangerous. Squaring his shoulders, the dwarven merchant finally rapped on the heavy oak of the door. There was an excited barking from the other side, and a moment later the male Warden—the one the humans had chosen to be their king, should they all survive—opened up with an excited mabari at his heel. The hound leapt passed them both and into Sandal’s arms, and Bodahn smiled at the sight. Perhaps once this was all over, once they were safe, he’d find a pup for the boy as a companion.

“Did you need something, ser dwarf?”

“I, er, well, you see, milord,” he stammered, “I just wanted to say goodbye to both you and to her ladyship. You’ve shown a great kindness to me and my boy, and I just wanted to be certain you knew how much it was appreciated.”

“Enchantment!”

Glancing back at his son, Bodahn smiled sadly. “Sandal’s awful fond of both her ladyship and of that hound, so you make certain to bring them both back safe for me, aye?”

The man’s face darkened with worry, but the look was gone almost as soon as Bodahn noticed it. “Don’t worry. If anyone’s going to come away safely from this, it’ll be Elissa. She’s too stubborn for any other outcome.”

“Aye, from what I’ve heard of her ladyship, she is at that,” Bodahn laughed softly. “Make sure you’re plenty stubborn back sometimes, ay?”

There was the sound of movement somewhere within the apartments, and Lady Cousland appeared behind her Warden prince. She was already dressed half in armor and half in riding clothes, and was buckling her sword belt on as she approached.

“Alistair, what’s going on?”

Stepping aside for her to see, he indicated the two dwarves. “Master Bodahn and Sandal wanted to say goodbye before we left. I was about to head downstairs; did you need anything before I go?”

“No, love, I’m fine,” she smiled, giving him a quick kiss before he left. “I’ll be down in just a bit.”

Suddenly Sandal’s arms were wrapped around Elissa’s waist, his face pressed into her belly. After a moment he released her, but held both her hands. “Enchantment!” he demanded, staring her in the eye, and she nodded.

“Yes, Sandal, I know,” she agreed.

Satisfied, the boy returned to Elissa’s mabari, Moira, and hugged the dog just as fiercely as he had the Warden. Scratching both the hound’s ears, he placed a kiss between its eyes. “Enchantment,” he whispered sadly, hugging the dog once more and then turning to leave his father and the Warden staring in confusion.

“Well, erm, right then, milady.” Bodahn coughed, suddenly uncomfortable. “We just wanted to wish you the best before you left for Denerim. Be safe, and all that, for Sandal’s sake, if nothing else, aye?”

Dragon Age II: Hawke/Champion of Kirkwall (the original meme:)

12. Your Hawke’s opinion of the following characters: First Enchanter Orsino, Knight-Commander Meredith, the Arishok, Saemus Dumar, Feynriel, Keeper Marethari. [Extra Credit: Sandal.]

• *First Enchanter Orsino and Knight-Commander Meredith: After three years as Champion, Ria wishes these two would just leave her alone. Alternately, that they’d get a room and vent their frustrations with each other in other ways, but considering how tense each of them still are—and they just get worse and worse—she assumes that’s never going to happen.
• the Arishok: She’s not going to pretend for a moment that she has any idea what he’s talking about half the time. Whether she understands him or not, he’s normally consistent, though, which is better than some in Kirkwall. She was definitely not expecting him to attack the city, though she wasn’t terribly surprised that he tried to insist on taking Isabela and the relic back to Par Vollen. Ria couldn’t allow that, of course, but she also wasn’t a fool. Everyone fought together, and everything was over before Meredith made her way to the Keep’s throne room.
• Saemus Dumar: Ria was equally annoyed by and jealous of Saemus’s idealism. While she had no problem with his choice to convert to the Qun, he couldn’t have done so at a worse time. It probably would have caused less problems if he’d converted sooner rather than when he did or later.
• Feynriel: She really doesn’t know what to make of Feynriel, since she barely understands Bethany’s magic beyond the basic concepts. She does what it takes to keep him out of the Gallows, though, including sending him to Tevinter eventually.
• Keeper Marethari: Ria likes Marethari, but like most elves she doesn’t really know how to act around her. Luckily (?) the Dalish are just as unfamiliar with her, so they don’t notice when she says something too outlandish (which happens far too often back in the city where people understand her).
• Sandal: She used to give him salamanders whenever she could find them, since he always seemed so happy to get them, but after nearly losing the servants’ quarters to a fire Bodahn explained that they were somehow involved in his “booms” and Ria had to find new gifts to bring back from odd jobs instead.