Chapter Text
Goodnight, Sweet Prince
Aedan woke before the morning sun even dared to peak over the city walls. Yet even in the darkness before the dawn, he could still make out the sleeping form of his beloved wife and Queen. Anora lay still beneath the sheets, her bare form silhouetted by the covers, rising and falling as she breathed deep and slow.
It was seductive, it was enticing, and Aedan would have given all his riches and all the world to stay right where he was and just simply admire her. Maybe he’d even wake her with a kiss, maybe that kiss would quickly turn into something more, like it had done so many times throughout the years.
But Aedan knew he couldn’t stay.
The Prince-Consort withdrew himself from the bed, his gaze easily falling onto the back of his hands, onto the patches of skin that had hardened and blackened into scaly scabs. Had they been that way last night before sleep had taken him? He couldn’t be sure anymore, either he’d given up the count or his mind had become too shrouded to take notice.
Aedan dressed himself quickly, covering the marks of the taint so as not to dwell on them any further.
He looked back to his wife. Still she slept soundly. There was a slight smile on her face as she dreamt sweet dreams. He wondered if she was dreaming of him at all, of the last joys of the last night they shared perhaps, or maybe of every other moment of joy and of love they had revelled in together over the years.
Aedan quickly turned his gaze away again. He felt his resolve crumbling further to dust the longer he looked at her. Still, he could never forgive himself if he hadn’t, if he didn’t commit the sight of her and this moment to memory.
Aedan glanced up and out of the window. The sun was still struggling to reach the sky. Deciding he still had time, Aedan quietly left the room and padded over towards the study across the hall.
He returned to the bedroom a short while later, just as the sun’s rays began to peek in through the windows. The Prince-Consort eased over towards the nightstand by Anora’s side of the bed, and placed a sealed envelope there by her book.
He chanced one last look at his wife, almost regretting it as soon as he had. She still looked so beautiful. A few strands of grey had crept into her hair, lines of worry had folded themselves into her brow and face, but she was still the most beautiful of all the Maker’s creations.
Aedan gently leaned down and pressed the softest of kisses to Anora’s temple.
The Queen breathed a slight sigh, and Aedan froze for a moment, but she merely shuffled her head about the pillow a bit and leaned deeper into sleep, her smile edging further up her cheek.
Aedan eased himself back and – struggling to tear his eyes away from her beautiful face – slowly left the Queen to her dreams.
He next went down the hall, to his daughter’s room. He eased the door open carefully, so as not to cause a creak. Aedan smiled fondly to see Eleanor splayed out half under, half over the sheets in a slumber hardly becoming of a Princess. He knew he should just leave his second envelope by the door and leave now, but he had to have one last look.
He padded his way gently over towards the bed and took one last look at his daughter. There was a thin line of drool emanating from her open mouth, and her hair was bunched up on the side of her head on the pillow which he knew she’d be fighting to tame come morning, but she was still so precious. Aedan leaned in to press a soft kiss to her temple as well. Eleanor only responded with a wordless murmur.
Again he was torn. A part of him so dearly wanted to wake her, to say goodbye properly, to allow her the chance to say goodbye, but he knew that if he did, then he might never be able to leave.
He resolved to stay silent, and prayed that she would forgive him, and one day understand.
Smiling sadly, Aedan left the room and eased the door closed with a quiet click.
xxx
Journeying the familiar road northwards, Aedan quickly found himself reaching his lands of Amaranthine. Though he did not venture to the city itself, instead, his first destination was the home of his fellow wardens.
Vigil’s Keep had only grown more impressive as a fortress over the years. Under Aedan and the warden’s leadership, they had fostered new life into the bastion, bringing talented individuals together from all across the kingdom and beyond to make the keep a thriving little city all of its own.
And there were no individuals more talented of course, than Aedan’s fellow wardens.
“Work those chicken legs! You soft bellied nug humpers!” Oghren growled, shaking his head at about a dozen young men and women as they ran circles around the Keep’s courtyard.
Aedan slowed his horse to a walk as he approached. The dwarf was clearly giving instruction to new recruits, and he was surprisingly good at it. The grizzled old berserker was just the thing to simulate a darkspawn attack and terrify the would-be wardens to the core.
The recruits were presumably training to become new wardens themselves, though most of them – if not all – would never actually take the Joining. After the Blight had ended, and the crisis with the Architect resolved, the threat of the darkspawn to Ferelden had dwindled considerably. Aedan had decided to only attempt to take new recruits if the wardens deemed them strong enough to feasibly survive the Joining. There was no point in putting dozens of Ferelden’s best and brightest through the ritual on the slim chance they might survive it after all. Even those they deemed to be strong enough weren’t guaranteed to survive of course, but it was still better than a more reckless approach.
“Keeping them in line?” Aedan asked with a smile as he approached, dismounting his horse.
Oghren turned to face him. “Ah, Commander. Sure am, someone’s gotta teach these whelps the first thing about running.”
“I’ll bet.” Aedan murmured. He stifled a cough he suddenly felt brewing.
Oghren turned to him with a curious look. Then he sighed. “It’s finally come for you, hasn’t it?”
There was no point denying it, Aedan knew that Oghren could sense it in him. Every Grey Warden could sense the Blight, be that in the darkspawn or in their fellow wardens themselves. Oghren and the others had been around each other for so long, that they could all recognise each other’s individual corruption, like a signature of sorts. That also meant that they could tell when things changed in each of them, and when the Calling had finally come for one of their own.
Aedan considered for a moment. He nodded. “Seems so.”
“Damn it.” The dwarf chewed on his lip for a moment, then jerked his head towards the Keep. “The others are inside. I’ll be … I’ll be in in a little while.” Then, he turned back to watch his charges.
Aedan nodded. He patted the berserker on the shoulder as he passed him by.
Entering the Keep, Aedan felt a sudden pang of sadness. He would never again rest in those ancient halls, would never train with the others. The conversations, the banter and bickering, were soon to be gone forever – No, that wasn’t right, they would still be here, his warden comrades, it was merely him who was moving on.
“I told Wade that it wasn’t what I wanted,” Sigrun’s voice suddenly rounded the next corner before the woman herself appeared, “but he just smiled at me and said- Ah, Commander!” She smiled when she caught sight of Aedan.
“I sure do hope that’s not what he said.” Nathaniel, who had been walking alongside the dwarf, murmured with a smile.
Sigrun elbowed him in the ribs with a laugh. “Hey! Screw you, Howe. I’d make a great Commander.”
“I’m sure you’d be the very best.” Aedan smiled.
Sigrun and Nathaniel looked at him curiously for a moment. Their expressions changed at the same time.
“Aww shit!” Sigrun swore. “It’s finally got you, for real this time?”
“I’m afraid so.” Aedan murmured.
“Shit!” The dwarf swore again.
Nathaniel looked Aedan up and down for a moment. His expression was carefully guarded, but he shook his head. “I can’t believe it.”
“I wish it wasn’t so,” Aedan smiled sadly, “but … well, here I am.”
Nathaniel shook his head again. Then he sighed. “I’ll gather the others.”
It wasn’t long before all five Grey Wardens of Ferelden were gathered in the great hall. None of the regular soldiers had been allowed to be present, for this was a meeting for the wardens alone.
Aedan stood before them and looked at them each in turn. They were loosely clustered about on the tables and chairs in the hall. None of them could quite meet Aedan’s eyes. Even so, Aedan was filled with hope for the future as he regarded his valiant wardens. He had been afraid that they too would soon follow him on the final journey to the end of the Calling. Looking at them now though, Aedan was relieved to see that they each had many years ahead.
Though Nathaniel, Velanna, Sigrun and Oghren had all been joined to the wardens only a short while after Aedan had – only a couple of years at most – they had not joined during the Blight itself, nor had they suffered through it as he had. Perhaps the old stories were right, and that was all it had taken for Aedan’s time to be cut shorter than the others. It was a brutal distinction, one that hardly seemed fair, but there it was.
“Well …” Aedan began, suddenly regretting that he didn’t have a speech prepared, “I suppose this is it.”
“We’ll miss you, Commander.” Sigrun assured him.
“And I’ll miss you all too.” Aedan smiled back.
“How will you … you know, do it?” Oghren asked, euphemistically jerking his head.
“Orzammar.” Aedan said simply. “That was always the way it used to be for the wardens of old, might as well keep with the tradition.”
Oghren nodded a few times. Aedan was surprised to see tears rimming in his eyes a little. “Good man.”
“We’ll come with you.” Nathaniel said.
“You will not.” Aedan shook his head. He raised both hands when the objections started flooding back at him. “I know. I know, you all want to be there for me, but this … this is something I have to do alone.”
“We don’t have to come into the Deep Roads with you,” Sigrun began with a meagre smile, “we just want to see you off, and-”
“Sigrun.” Nathaniel spoke softly, but with clear steel in his voice. “He’s made his decision.”
Sigrun gave up with a sigh.
“Make them hurt.” Velanna murmured, the first time she’d spoken since the news broke. She looked up into Aedan’s eyes with a fierce fire in her own. “Make them pay for every life they’ve ruined.”
Aedan nodded. “Of course. You can count on that.”
The elf nodded back, and then she looked back down at her staff as she toyed with it idly.
“Right, then I suppose there’s only one more thing that needs to be arranged.” Aedan murmured. “Nathaniel?”
“Yes, Commander?” The archer stood quickly.
Aedan paced over towards him, and put a hand on his old friend’s shoulder. “I name you as my successor, as Warden-Commander of the Grey of Ferelden.”
Nathaniel’s eyes widened. “Aedan, I- I couldn’t possibly accept-”
“Don’t be daft, lad!” Oghren growled. “Just take the damn promotion and shut up!”
“Exactly!” Sigrun laughed. “We all knew it would be you anyway. You’ve been the deputy for all these years anyhow.”
“Are there any objections?” Aedan asked the room at large.
Silence.
Velanna shifted back in her seat a little as she gazed at Nathaniel with a small smile.
Aedan smiled at Nathaniel. “Then I’d say that settles it, wouldn’t you agree, Commander?”
Nathaniel didn’t seem at all sure what to say. Then he shook his head before smiling. “Aye, Commander.”
Then there was nothing more that really needed to be said. Aedan then left the hall and the Keep proper. His wardens joined him, so they could see their former commander off one last time.
“Well, here you are.” Aedan smiled, he looked up at the old Keep. “She’s all yours now, Commander.”
Nathaniel smiled right back. “I promise to take good care of her.”
“You already have been.” Aedan held out his hand with a sly smirk, which Nathaniel took without hesitation. “Commander of the Grey Nathaniel Howe. It’s a promotion long overdue.”
“Thank you, Aedan.”
“Or should I say: Arl Nathaniel Howe of Amaranthine?” Aedan smiled.
The look on Nathaniel’s face was a delightful mixture of joy and disbelief, as if he hadn’t realised until that very moment that his ancestral homeland now belonged to him, just as it should. The new Arl soon recovered from his shock and smiled gratefully back. Aedan could see in his wet eyes that he was far too overcome with emotion to respond with words.
Even Velanna, one who was always scornful of human traditions and titles, recognised just what this moment meant for him. She rubbed the back of Nathaniel’s neck with a warm smile and leant in to kiss him on the cheek.
“Look after him, will you?” Aedan asked the elf with a coy smile.
“Of course.” Velanna half scowled as though the question was ludicrous, though Aedan saw the affection in her eyes. Then, she smiled at Aedan for what might have been the first time in her life. “Ma serannas, Aedan, dareth shiral.”
“Ancestors watch over you.” Sigrun intoned.
“Go give those bastards hell!” Oghren smirked.
Aedan chuckled. Then, not trusting his words not to fail him, he waved one final goodbye to some of the dearest friends he had ever known, and then he turned to leave and carry on with his last journey.
xxx
Aedan then paid one last visit to Amaranthine. As the former Arl of the city, he felt it was only right that he walk those streets one final time. He had spent much less time in and around the city than he had with his Grey Wardens over the years truth be told, so he supposed that he wouldn’t be missed too much by the local populace, if at all.
As he walked through the city streets however, Aedan felt a familiar sensation and realised that he was being watched.
With a surreptitious glance over his shoulder, he soon spied a hooded figure lingering in the shadows across the market square. The figure was assuredly watching him.
Aedan turned back to face forward, and carried on walking. He travelled a fair way, checking with the occasional glance to see that his follower was still on his tail. Eventually, he grew tired of waiting, so he turned down a dark alley way and found an enclose space, isolated from the rest of the city and the people on the streets.
It didn’t take long for his shadow to follow.
Aedan was stood there waiting for them, one hand on his sword hilt beneath his cloak.
“Who are you?” Aedan asked with a scowl.
“Don’t you recognise an old friend?” The figure asked, accent thick and familiar.
The figure lifted their arms to pull the hood of their cloak back, and revealed a head of familiar bright red hair.
Leliana rushed forward and embraced Aedan tight in a crushing hug. “I could never forgive myself if I didn’t come to see you now.”
“Leliana?” Aedan blinked away his surprise and sniffed a chuckle. “What’s with all the cloak and dagger? You could have just approached me, you know?”
“Oh Aedan, where’s the fun in that?” Leliana chuckled.
When she moved back, Aedan finally got a good look at her. So much about her was familiar to him: The red hair and the beautifully crafted features. But she had aged since he had last laid eyes on her. The once vibrant eyes that looked at the world in hope were now darker and full of burden, and the lines of her face had only gotten sharper. Yet the smile that adorned her lips was just as he remembered.
“It’s so good to see you again, though don’t you have somewhere more important to be right now?” Aedan asked with a raised eyebrow.
Leliana sniffed a snort. “You really think I’d miss this chance to see you? To say …” Her gaze fell.
Aedan breathed a small chuckle. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that you know.”
“I’m so sorry, Aedan.” Leliana shook her head sadly. “Maker, I prayed that this day would never come.”
“Well, I certainly wished He could have done something to stop it.” Aedan smirked a little. Then he remembered who he was speaking to and smiled bashfully. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Leliana shook her head. “I didn’t come to you today as a servant of the Maker. I came to you as a friend, and you’ve more than earned the right to rage against this fate.”
Aedan lowered his gaze, unsure what to say.
Then Leliana reached out and took his hand in hers. She lifted it towards her and pulled on the glove’s fingers.
Aedan’s instinct was to pull away, but he stilled himself and let her continue.
Leliana gasped a little when she saw his hand revealed, the fingers blackened and almost skeletal in the places that had been touched by the curse of the Blight.
“Maker preserve us, I didn’t want to believe it.” Leliana breathed.
“I’m sorry,” Aedan murmured, “but I’m afraid I don’t have much time left.”
Leliana looked back up at him. There were tears in her eyes as she smiled. “Your time has always been precious, and I’ve wasted enough of it already.”
“Leliana …” Aedan murmured in gentle reproach.
“I know, I know. You don’t need to say it.” Leliana smiled sadly.
She redressed his hand in the glove, but didn’t let go.
Then, she leaned in to press a gentle kiss to his cheek.
“Know that you will always be loved, Aedan Cousland.” Leliana murmured against him before pulling away. “By the Maker, but more importantly, by everyone you have ever saved.”
Aedan sniffed a chuckle, scrunching his eyes up as he rubbed at the light moisture there. “You saved yourself, Leliana, you never needed me.”
But when Aedan opened his eyes once more, she was gone.
xxx
The weather turned fouler as he made his way towards Highever. The winding country paths turned to mud and mulch, but still he carried on.
Aedan had a strange feeling in his chest as he approached the high walls of Castle Cousland. The fortress had been his home for so much of his life, yet it was also the site of his darkest day. It was the place he had first fallen in love, yet it was the place he had lost everything. He had become a Grey Warden inside those very walls, but it had come at too great a cost.
Banishing such thoughts, Aedan entered the castle to the familiar sound of soldiers standing to attention. He ventured up towards the main hall, but found the man he sought before he reached it.
“Aedan!” Fergus rushed forward to sweep his brother up into a tight hug as he spotted him across the courtyard. “Maker’s breath, what a nice surprise to find you here, brother.”
“It’s good to see you too.” Aedan attempted to chuckle even as his body was being crushed. His lungs in particular protested against his brother’s affection and soon enough he was hacking unpleasantly.
Fergus dropped him immediately at the sound. “Maker, sorry brother.” Then, a shadow crossed the Teyrn’s features with his understanding. “Don’t say … Don’t say it’s finally …”
Aedan straightened up as best he could, his coughs subsided finally. “I’m afraid my time has come.” He smiled, perhaps more of a grimace really. “I’m sorry Fergus.”
“What? Don’t be stupid brother!” Fergus scowled. “Whatever do you have to be sorry about?”
The Prince-Consort sighed, he licked his dry lips. “Well, I’m sorry that I’ve come to you like this.” He held his arms out slightly, gesturing to himself.
“You’re my brother!” Fergus repeated with something of a scoff. “You can always come to me however you like!”
Aedan chuckled. “I … I don’t think there’ll be much more of that at any rate.”
Fergus let out a heavy sigh. “Damn it all!” He swung an arm around Aedan’s shoulders and ushered him up towards the private quarters of the castle. “Come, come. Let’s get you out of this damn rain.”
Soon enough, Aedan found himself and his brother sat in one of the private lounges, away from any prying eyes. It was the same room their father had always sequestered himself away in whenever he wanted to get away from the troubles and trials of being Teyrn. Aedan wondered if Fergus now did the same.
Looking at his brother in that moment, Aedan could very much see how alike Fergus was to their father. He was certain that he would be proud of his eldest son, and he hoped that he would be proud of the younger son too.
“Matilda’s pregnant, you know.” Fergus revealed almost casually.
“She is?” Aedan’s smile was wide. “Congratulations!”
Fergus smiled in return, though there was something clouding the expression. “I think … I think maybe it’s been long enough.”
He didn’t have to say what had been long enough. Aedan knew all too well. “They’ll always be with you brother, nothing will ever change that.”
Fergus breathed a chuckle through his nose. “I know.” He took a deep swig from his flagon. “I think she’d have liked Matilda you know, her and Oren both. Oriana would have loved to have had someone to talk about fashion and dresses and things with, Maker knows mother was never all that interested.”
Aedan chuckled. “No, she wasn’t.”
“And Oren …” Fergus sighed heavily. “Oren would have seen her as something of a big sister I think. He’d have loved that mischievousness in her.”
Aedan leaned back a little to gaze up and out the window to the starry night sky beyond. “I’m sure they do love her.”
Fergus followed his brother’s gaze for a quiet moment. “Ah! I’m sorry Aedan. I’m supposed to be giving you one last night of carefree fun, and here I am, bringing the mood down.”
“I don’t mind at all.” Aedan smiled. “In truth, it’s nice to just talk for once. We haven’t had many chances to do this over the years, have we?”
“Not nearly as many as we should have.” Fergus smiled a little sadly. “Though, I suppose that’s the burden we’ve had to suffer through, being the Teyrn and the damn Prince-Consort of all things.” He took a long swig of his drink. Then he chuckled. “Remember when we were boys? When we didn’t have to worry about a damn thing? Save chasing after the local girls, of course.”
Aedan smiled and nodded. “Aye. Though I seem to remember you did most of the chasing, brother.”
“Hey now! Don’t sell yourself short!” Fergus laughed. “You had your fair share too.”
“Not as much as the heir to the throne though.” Aedan smirked behind his goblet.
“Well, that goes without saying.” Fergus winked at him. Then he rubbed at his eyes as he tried to remember something. “There was that one girl though, that one you were absolutely besotted with. Elven she was, a lady in waiting or some such. Beautiful girl … Argh! what was her name again?”
“Iona.” Aedan murmured with a vague smile.
Fergus clicked his fingers. “That was the one! Yes, she was … oh.” The Teyrn broke off, likely remembering just what he was dredging up. “I’m sorry, brother”
“It’s fine.”
“Maker’s breath. I don’t half put my foot in it, don’t I?” Fergus chuckled a little.
Aedan chuckled in kind. “Well, at least you’re doing it with me and not with Matilda, or Anora even.”
“Maker be praised for small mercies.” Fergus shook his head. He turned to gaze into the fire. “How did Anora take the news?”
Aedan considered for a moment. “About as well as I could have hoped for, I suppose.”
“Well, she hasn’t started any wars at least, I’ve not heard of a great crusade against the darkspawn being planned or anything.”
“Don’t tempt fate now.” Aedan smirked.
Fergus chuckled. He ran a finger around the rim of his goblet as he thought on something. The seconds stretched into minutes of silence.
“Look after them, will you?” Aedan asked quietly. “Anora and Eleanor both.”
“Of course.” Fergus spun a look to his brother that was almost accusing, as if offended that Aedan felt it needed to be asked. “I’ll look after them as if they were my very own. Hell, they are my own. Have no fear of that.”
Aedan smiled. “Thank you.”
Fergus nodded once, then turned back to face the fire once more.
Aedan followed his gaze, and the two brothers just sat there in mostly silence as the evening drew on. Nothing more needed to be said after all.
xxx
Aedan left Castle Cousland early in the morning, before much of the fortress had risen for the day. He wondered if he was being fair to his brother, by not waiting for him to wake to say goodbye, but he knew that Fergus would understand.
The Prince-Consort travelled onward from Highever, further West towards the mountains. The roads grew quieter and less travelled as they wound higher and higher.
When the sun had fled the sky and the winds had grown cold, Aedan looked to settle down for the night. He found himself upon a clearing out of the way of the roadside, and opted to stay there instead of pushing onto the next town or village to find an inn.
He chuckled to himself at the thought that he was paying one final homage to his days of hard travel during the Blight.
It was even entirely possible that Aedan and his companions had once used that very same clearing at some point or another during his travels. They had used so many during the Blight, venturing back and forth across the kingdom as they had, that they had all blended into one in his mind. He could barely tell the difference between one clearing and the next now.
Aedan started a fire – pleasantly surprised that he still remembered how to – and settled in for the night. It was awfully quiet, by his estimations. It didn’t feel right somehow, not without the sound of weapons being sharpened, nor the general conversation or bickering of his companions, nor even Leliana’s singing. He missed Bodahn and Sandal’s amiable chatter, Wynne’s wise words and Zevran’s often farfetched stories. He even missed Sten’s quiet surliness. The qunari had always been so difficult to engage with the others after all.
Aedan leaned back, and smiled up towards the stars as he remembered those days. Though at the time they were most definitely horrid, he couldn’t help but look back on them with fondness and longing.
“So, did you live well?” A voice suddenly asked. It was ethereal and strange, yet Aedan somehow knew that it posed no threat. “Did you live gloriously?”
Aedan smiled, bringing his gaze back down to look into the fire. He somehow knew that there was no point in turning around.
“I did.” He nodded with a smile.
“I am glad to hear it.”
“And you?”
“It’s been … interesting, to say the least.”
Aedan chuckled. “I’ll bet.”
A slight pause. “You know I’m not accustomed to long goodbyes …”
“Few people are these days.” Aedan murmured with a slip of a smirk. “I’ll miss you too.”
Another pause, this one longer. Then, Aedan felt a sudden, subtle warmth envelope him from behind. Then, in a rush of the wind, the feeling was gone.
A crow cawed from up on high. Aedan looked up towards it, but it was already gone, lost against the inky black skies.
xxx
The grand doors to the fabled home of the dwarves moved with a slow, grinding rumble. Orzammar opened for Aedan without a single word being said. The soldiers that guarded the way stood smartly to attention as Aedan walked up towards the grand entrance to the underground city.
He had not sent word of his arrival ahead, but he supposed that the dwarves had always respected the wardens to a fault for their shared hatred and lifelong campaign fighting against the darkspawn. Perhaps they already knew that this would be his final visit somehow, perhaps they could sense it in the air. The soldiers that stood guard of his approach were silent and solemn, as though they knew of the Prince-Consort’s final destination.
Soon enough, Aedan understood why the dwarves were ready for him – and perhaps it shouldn’t have been a surprise at all – when he was greeted by an entourage of familiar faces just inside the city gates.
He swallowed the heavy lump in his throat, regarding each of them one by one, and he wondered if he wasn’t dreaming already.
Aedan approached the central figure, and was bitterly torn between smiling wide and crying rivers.
“Anora, I-”
“I’m not angry with you.” Anora murmured as she moved in to crush her husband into a desperate hug. “I’m just so glad I could see you again.”
“I …” Words failed Aedan as he clung to her, as though his very life depended on it. He supposed in so many ways, it already had.
He lifted his face from Anora’s shoulder to see his daughter. The Princess was on the verge of tears herself, and couldn’t hold them in any longer when she was beckoned in to join the embrace.
“I’m sorry, Pup.” Aedan murmured.
“Do you … Do you have to go?” Eleanor asked. Her voice was weak as though she already knew it to be a false hope.
“I wish I didn’t.” Aedan murmured, his ragged voice breaking a little. “Maker, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be!” Eleanor shook her head. “Don’t. It’s- It’s not your fault.”
He held onto his family for a little while longer, though it would never be enough to truly satisfy him.
Eventually, they somehow pulled themselves away and Aedan looked up to see the other faces gathered there.
“Maker’s breath, I should have known you would all be here.” Aedan smiled a little, feeling his eyes water up even more.
“You didn’t expect us to just wave you off and let that be that, did you Commander?” Sigrun smirked.
“That was most rude of you.” Velanna scowled, but Aedan saw no malice in it. “We had to come here and do things properly.”
“Had to bust our guts to get here before you mind,” Oghren huffed with a smirk of his own, “but it was worth it.”
“Indeed. What kind of wardens would we be if we didn’t see our Commander off one final time?” Nathaniel smiled.
Aedan shook his head with a chuckle. “It’s been such a privilege to serve alongside you all, truly …” He might have said more, and wanted to, but then the tears threatened to overwhelm him.
Sigrun moved forward and wrapped her arms around his waist in a warm hug. “The privilege has been all ours, Aedan.” She glanced over to the others and jerked her head a little.
“Oh, fuck it!” Oghren grumbled, then rushed in to join the hug. Aedan could feel the old berserker shake a little with silent sobs.
“Urgh, fine.” Velanna muttered, but likewise moved in without hesitation.
Nathaniel joined them as well with a chuckle.
Aedan embraced his wardens one final time. In many ways they were just as much his family as his wife and child were. He had fought alongside them, bled with them, struggled and bickered and laughed with them for so, so long, he could hardly remember a time when he didn’t have them to rely on.
“Alright, I think that’s quite enough of that.” Velanna muttered as she broke from the hug abruptly and turned away.
Aedan could have been imagining it, but he could have sworn that he saw tears in the taciturn elf’s eyes.
The rest of the wardens ended the embrace with a general chuckle. Nathaniel moved over to put an arm around Velanna.
Then Aedan looked to the next figure who had come to see him off.
“Can Highever cope without its Teyrn for a few days?” Aedan smirked a little as he moved in to hug his brother. “I sure hope it doesn’t fall into the sea in your absence.”
“Oh shut up.” Fergus chuckled as he accepted the embrace. “You say that as though you’ve ever actually been to Amaranthine over the years.”
Aedan chuckled in kind. “Fair point.”
“Though I suppose it can’t be helped, after all, we all know who wears the trousers in the palace, eh?” Fergus quipped.
There were a few chuckles from those nearby.
“He’s got you there, Commander.” Sigrun snickered.
Aedan angled his head over Fergus’ shoulder to eye his Queen with a smirk.
Anora rolled her eyes a little, shaking her head with a smile.
“Maker, I’m going to miss you brother.” Fergus murmured in a quiet breath so that only Aedan could hear, his voice shaking just a little.
“And I you.” Aedan clung back to him all the tighter. “I love you.”
“And I love you, you … you soppy, sanctimonious git.”
Aedan chuckled. Then he moved back and clapped his brother on the shoulder one final time.
Neither brother had any more words that they could say, so Aedan looked to the next person.
“Adahlen.” Aedan approached the elf.
The stable hand stepped up. He had become much less nervous in Aedan’s presence over the years, and even he looked emotional. “Yes sir?”
“Look after her, will you?” Aedan asked.
The elf nodded resolutely. “With my life.”
“Good man.” Aedan smiled, clapping him on the shoulder. “I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, but I’d be proud to have a man such as you as my son-in-law.”
“Father!” Eleanor muttered, cheeks flushing a little.
Adahlen blinked a couple of times, stunned. “I- Thank you, sir. I- I hope to be worthy of that one day- of her.”
Aedan smiled back. He already knew that Adahlen was worthy, but if he needed time to accept it himself, then so be it.
The Prince-Consort turned to the final person stood patiently waiting.
“I can still remember when we were enemies, you know.” Aedan murmured with a smile.
Ser Cauthrien breathed a faint chuckle. “Maker, that feels like a lifetime ago now.”
“Still want to kill me?” Aedan teased.
“Never.” Cauthrien frowned a little. “You’ve more than proven yourself since those days.”
“Are you sure? This looks like your last chance, you know.”
“I think I’ll let the darkspawn have that honour.” Cauthrien smirked just a little.
Aedan chuckled, and nodded a few times with a smile of his own. Then he moved forward and swept the knight and bodyguard into a hug.
Cauthrien stiffened, not expecting the contact. They’d never been so intimate after all.
“Thank you,” Aedan murmured, “for … well, everything.”
“I- It has been my honour.” Cauthrien murmured back. Her arms slowly relaxed to accept the embrace.
“Will you keep them all safe for me, please?” Aedan asked.
“Of course.” Cauthrien swore. “It would be the privilege of my life.”
Aedan moved back, allowing her space again and nodding his thanks.
Then there was a long moment of silence that clung to the air. Everyone gathered looked to Aedan almost expectantly.
“Well then, I think it’s time.” Aedan murmured.
They walked through the city in silence, both among themselves and surrounded by it. More guards lined the streets in solemnity. Though there were hardly any crowds to speak of, those who did walk the streets seemed to understand the occasion somehow. Whether they had been made aware by some sort of proclamation or whether they’d just picked up on the mournful mood in the air, Aedan couldn’t say. They paused as Aedan and his family passed by, bowing their heads almost as if in thanks. Aedan wondered if they had done the same for every warden who had passed through on their final journey throughout the ages.
Soon, they reached the huge, grand gate that led directly to the Deep Roads. It was a wide structure of stone that marked the end of Orzammar – and indeed, the limits of all civilisation – and the start of Aedan’s final journey. The dwarves had already formed a guard of honour for the Warden-Commander.
Aedan paused before he reached the gate. He looked to his family and friends.
“I don’t really know what to say.” Aedan chuckled faintly. “I feel like I should have prepared a speech or something.”
There were a few chuckles back.
“No matter, you were never all that good at public speaking anyway, brother.” Fergus smirked.
“Thank you, Fergus.” Aedan nodded back with a roll of his eyes.
“We know anyway. No need to say it.” Oghren murmured.
The berserker moved forward to pat Aedan on the arm. Then, he moved on to file in alongside the honour guard, his great axe in hand ready to salute. The other wardens moved in as well to join the dwarves.
“Make sure you kill a couple of them for us, eh Commander?” Sigrun smirked as she passed him.
“More than a couple.” Aedan laughed.
“Indeed, don’t sell your life too cheaply now.” Velanna advised him. “I expect at least a hundred to die tonight.”
“I’ll do my best.” Aedan nodded.
“Maybe see if you can kill another Archdemon while you’re at it?” Nathaniel suggested with a bit of a shrug. “Would save us a bit of trouble in future.”
Aedan let out a whistle. “Tall order, but I’ll see what I can do.”
When the wardens had all filed in to join the honour guard, Fergus and Cauthrien joined them. Neither said another word, only smiled and nodded at Aedan once more.
Then there were fast footsteps and Aedan was knocked back a few steps as Eleanor crashed into him.
“I’m sorry for all the times I was bad.” Eleanor murmured as she hugged him tight.
“It’s alright, Pup.” Aedan murmured with a chuckle as he hugged her back. “None of that matters now.”
“Do you really have to go?” The Princess’ voice held onto the slimmest hope.
“Eleanor …”
“I know, I know.” She sighed. “I’m sorry, I just- I really don’t want you to leave!”
“I’m sorry. I wish I didn’t have to.” Aedan had to scrunch his eyes up a little. “But … this is just how it has to be.”
“I know …” Eleanor murmured.
“Now you see why I never wanted you to be a Grey Warden.” Aedan smirked a little.
Eleanor picked her head up from his chest to glare at him. “Father.”
“I know, I know, sorry.” Aedan smiled. He pressed a kiss to his daughter’s head. “I love you Eleanor. Look after your mother for me, alright?”
Eleanor swallowed thickly. “I will.”
“I know you’ll be a great queen someday.” Aedan smiled.
“I’ll … I’ll try to make you proud, father.”
“You already have, Pup.” Aedan chuckled.
They stayed that way for a few moments longer. Then Eleanor pulled back, wiping at her eyes. She turned herself away, perhaps somewhat self-conscious of her tears. Adahlen reached out to her and pulled her into a hug, letting her weep softly against him. Aedan was grateful for that, and gave the elf a thankful nod.
Then, Aedan turned to his wife.
“I still can’t believe this is it.” Anora murmured as she stepped up towards him. “This all feels like a bad dream.”
“I’m sorry that it has to be this way.” Aedan sighed.
“Don’t apologise, my love.” Anora smiled, though her eyes were watery. “None of this is your fault.”
She took his hands in his and gazed at them. They were still gloved. Aedan knew the flesh beneath had almost blackened completely.
Anora looked back up into his eyes. “I love you, Aedan.”
“And I love you, Anora.” Aedan smiled.
“Whatever happens down there, don’t forget that.”
“I won’t.”
“Because I’ll never forget you.”
“I know.” Aedan smiled. “And I’ll never forget you. I couldn’t do it even if I wanted to.”
Anora chuckled, then took a breath, closing her eyes as the tears threatened to break free. “Maker, I wish- I wish we had more time-” Her voice broke, and she put a hand to her mouth, scrunching her eyes up as the first tears fell.
Aedan put his arms around her immediately. “I’ll always be with you, Anora.” Aedan swore, pressing a kiss to her temple. “But please don’t wait for me. If you meet someone good, marry them.”
“Don’t be absurd!” Anora half snapped, half chuckled. “I could never marry anyone else, not after you.”
A part of Aedan wanted to argue the point further. He didn’t want his wife to have to struggle at all, or to never find happiness again. Yet looking into her eyes in that moment, he somehow knew that even if she never took another husband again, that she would be fine and happy regardless.
“Do you remember our first kiss?” Anora smiled up at him. “Not the one we wed with, our first true kiss?”
“I do.” Aedan nodded, smiling in kind at the memory.
“I never expected to fall for you, even then, but you’ve proven me wrong in so many ways since.” Anora chuckled. “I’ve never been happier for that.”
“Happy to oblige.” Aedan smirked a little.
Anora chuckled. She gazed up at him so lovingly. “Would you let me kiss you again? Just like we did back then?”
“Of course,” Aedan murmured with a smile, “you never need to ask.”
Anora smiled back in gratitude. She reached up to rake a hand through her golden hair. Then, she leaned in ever so slowly, her lips parting just at the last second. They came together so simply, so modestly, that it was almost as though it was nothing at all.
They had kissed each other in so many ways throughout the years: Silly little pecks to make each other smile; Heady bites with strong urges in the heat of passion; Slow and soft brushes on a morning or when tiredness crept in at the end of day. Aedan could hardly begin to even count them all, yet he remembered each and every one of them still. He didn’t rank them at all. Every single kiss he shared with his wife was just as special as the last. This new kiss though – the last one they ever would share – though simple and plain, was just about the most loving, most passionate and most tender touch he had ever felt.
When they parted, it was a lifetime too soon.
Anora looked up to him once more. She smiled, even though a tear rolled down her cheek.
“I will always love you, Anora.” Aedan swore as he wiped away that fresh tear. His voice was ragged, perhaps more from the emotion than from the Blight eating away at him from within.
“And I will always love you.” Anora swore. Her breath hitched. “Please wait for me, Aedan, when you get to the Maker’s side. I will see you again. I promise.”
“I promise I’ll be there.” Aedan smiled. “Don’t be in too much of a hurry to join me though. I’ll wait till the end of time if needs be.”
“You’d better.” Anora sniffed a chuckle. She reached up to rub at the moisture on her face. Then she nodded.
Then, there were no more words to be said.
Aedan turned around to face the gate. He started walking towards it. The honour guard – his wardens, his brother and Cauthrien amongst them – all saluted as he passed.
The gate groaned as it was slowly pulled open before him. A wide open chasm extended beyond. The walls and floor shifted from the neat, ordered architecture of the dwarven city to misshapen, chaotic wilderness just mere feet from the other side of the gate.
Reaching the threshold, Aedan succumbed to the urge to turn around one final time. His family, Anora, Eleanor and Adahlen stood there watching him, with Fergus, Cauthrien, and each of his wardens; Nathaniel, Velanna, Sigrun and Oghren too. Aedan gave them all one last smile, one last nod.
Then he turned and stepped into the Deep Roads. The grand gates slowly shut behind him as he walked on.
When they finally ground to a halt, Aedan looked back once more to find himself alone, and in darkness.
xxx
The darkness surrounded him like a veil. Though there were still lights that lined the walls in places, they were irregular and offered only meagre respite from the smothering gloom.
It didn’t take long for Aedan to find the first darkspawn. A small patrol wandered across his path, six or seven of them in total. He cut them down with ease, and then moved on without a word.
He walked in silence. The near suffocating isolation only seemed to heighten the thrum and whisper of the Calling however. It taunted him, beckoned him and shamed him in equal measure, yet Aedan carried on regardless.
Aedan tapped into the Blight that was slowly consuming him, reaching out to feel where the darkspawn were at their thickest. He remembered doing much the same on his first visit to the Deep Roads, when they had been searching for that blasted anvil during the Blight. He couldn’t recall exactly, the roads that wove under the earth seemed maze-like to him after all, but it was entirely possible that he was walking the exact same path as he had back then.
Only small clusters of darkspawn called out to his blighted senses – Other patrols perhaps or small outposts, no large hordes at all – He knew that they were there though, somewhere in the darkness. He would just have to go farther and deeper in order to reach them. Until he did, he resolved to vanquish the smaller clusters as he went.
So he set about destroying them one by one.
It was easy really, and they fell before his blade as though they were but feathers trying to stand tall against a hurricane. Even in spite of his Calling-weakened state, he seemed to cut through the hordes with such ferocity as though he were a man possessed. Perhaps his newfound strength stemmed from that anger deep within him that had been unshackled – that rage he felt against the darkspawn for everything they had ever taken from him and the people he loved. The future with his wife and daughter he had lost.
Not at any point did the darkspawn truly threaten him, and he wondered how long it might take for that to change. He received some cuts and damage, sure, but nothing that could slow him down at all. He realised that if he really was to end it, then he would have to search for where the horde was at its thickest.
He might have travelled for days if not weeks. He couldn’t really perceive the passage of time, not under all that rock and stone. He ate at his ever dwindling rations when he was hungry, and he laid his head down in a quiet corner when he was tired.
Even during sleep he was hardly ever disturbed, and when he was awoken by the encroaching presence of the Blight, he always had enough time to get his sword up to strike first.
Eventually, his senses led him deeper into the Deep Roads than he ever thought was possible. He followed a thick trail of darkspawn until they led him to a great mass of Blight, a heaving horde of evil. They had taken up residence in what was presumably a long forgotten Thaig – one of the former cities the dwarves had lost in eons past.
There were hundreds, nay, thousands of darkspawn there, all writhing and climbing all over each other in a disgusting heap. As Aedan crept up towards them for a closer look, he spied at least two Broodmothers at the centre of the horde – a darkspawn breeding ground surely.
Clenching his weapon and shield tight, Aedan let out a battle cry to the heavens and charged.
What ensued was surely a battle for the ages: One man against an uncountable horde of monsters. Though of course, no other soul was around to document or tell word of it. Aedan cut scores of darkspawn down before the bulk of the horde had fully reacted to his presence. When they did though, they surged against him like a tidal wave.
Aedan used every trick in the book, and every bit of battlefield know-how he had to survive for as long as possible. He used the Thaig against them, jumping through crumbled windows and hiding in ancient storerooms to confuse them, only to reappear elsewhere to cut the head off a genlock commander. Then he’d disappear once more.
The darkspawn managed to deal more damage to their attacker than they had before, even if only by their sheer numbers alone. Aedan was cut and bludgeoned from all sides as he gradually thinned the horde down. For the first time since he had stepped into those tunnels, he felt his strength waver.
He made a dash for the Broodmothers, determined to at least cut down their most evil of vile creations before he fell. He managed to slit the throat of one of the monsters before he was forced to retreat, only to loop back around and pierce the second through the side of the head a little while later.
It was relentless, exhausting work, but Aedan ploughed on regardless. He made sure the darkspawn knew exactly why he was the Hero of Ferelden. He didn’t know if the darkspawn could truly feel fear, but he gave them plenty of opportunity for it.
Eventually, the fatigue and the sustained damage he received became too much to maintain his onslaught. Aedan stumbled under the blow of an ogre’s club, the force of it hammering Aedan to his knees.
He threw his sword arm out to cut back, slicing the ogre’s leg and causing it to stumble aside, allowing the Grey Warden time to shuffle himself away. His back met a stone wall however, and Aedan realised that the battle was finally at an end.
Aedan closed his eyes. He closed his mind off to the grim darkness surrounding him. He closed his senses to the encroaching evil of the darkspawn as they queued up to take their shot at the fabled Hero of Ferelden. He even shut himself off to the incessant hum and drone of the Calling itself.
Aedan closed his eyes, and dreamed of better days.
xxx
Aedan opened his eyes slowly.
The room was familiar, comforting and safe. He knew all that instinctively, he knew he never needed to question it. The radiant moonlight crept in softly through the delicately carved windows, illuminating the room in a pale, silvery glow. The stars twinkled lazily far off in the night sky.
“There, that better?”
Aedan angled his head back a little. The familiar sight of long, golden hair spilling over shoulder in a loose ponytail was always welcome to see. Sharp, intelligent blue eyes peered at him above a sly smile.
The Prince-Consort smiled as he picked his head up. “Always. I don’t know how you do it.” He breathed in deeply, his mind and body somehow feeling clearer than they had in many a year.
“I have my ways.” Queen Anora smirked a little. Then, her expression fell a little more. “Still, you haven’t asked me to do that for you for a while now. What’s wrong, dear?”
Aedan rubbed at his temples, where his wife had just finished massaging. “I don’t know really.” He murmured. “I just felt … troubled, as though there was something dreadful pressing upon me. It was almost as though I was back in the Blight again.”
Anora wore a worried expression for a few moments before blinking it away. “Well, we’re not in the Blight anymore. The Archdemon’s been dead for a long, long time. You know that, you killed it yourself after all.”
“I know.” Aedan smiled, banishing the troubles from his mind. “Just … a lingering bad dream I suppose. Nothing to be worried about.”
“I should hope so.” Anora smiled before she smirked a little again. “I’ve enough to worry about with Eleanor running amok.” The Queen shook her head with an exasperated sigh, but still she smiled. “You know she nearly freed all the horses in the stables the other day?”
Aedan couldn’t help but laugh. “She didn’t?”
Anora sighed with a nod. “She did. It took the stable hands a good few hours to catch them all again, although I suspect she must have charmed one of them into helping her. They were chasing them around the palace grounds for hours before they caught them all. Thank the Maker none of the poor beasts managed to get out of the palace grounds and into the city.”
Aedan chuckled again. “Maker, I wish I’d seen that.”
He received a solid poke to the side and a regal glare for his amusement. “If you had have been there, I’d have expected you to have put a stop to it all immediately.”
“Of course, of course.” Aedan held his hands up in surrender, though his smile held. “You’ve got to admit though, that is pretty cute.”
Anora rolled her eyes but there was a fond smile on her lips. “She is adorable.”
“She’s our daughter after all, how could she be anything less?” Aedan smirked.
Anora chuckled. “I certainly won’t disagree with you there, love.”
Then, the Queen leaned in to press a soft, sweet kiss to her Prince-Consort’s cheek.
“Is that all?” Aedan playfully pouted when she pulled back. He sat up to sit beside her and smirk at her properly.
“Hmm?” Anora blinked slowly. Then she smiled with a shake of her head. “Well, the stories weren’t lying when they spoke of a Grey Warden’s insatiable appetite, were they?”
“Can you blame me? When my wife and Queen is as beautiful as you?” Aedan murmured, already leaning in to press the first kisses to her cheek and neck.
“Flatterer.” Anora chuckled, letting out a contented sigh as he kissed her over and over. “Maker, you’re making it very hard to refuse you, you know?”
“That was my plan.” Aedan smirked against her.
Anora breathed another chuckle. Then she started to return his kisses with some of her own. Their lips soon found each other, and they gradually moved back under the covers as they carried on.
They just lay beside each other for a while, kissing and whispering sweet nothings in each other’s ear. Aedan couldn’t decide which he preferred: when they took it slow and steady, or when they let passionate lust take over in frenzied haste. Whatever the case, he revelled in his wife and in their love, and his hands slowly drifted down her body to start things in earnest when-
“Mother?” A small voice called out in the dark. “Father?”
“Eleanor?” Anora broke off from her husband and her gaze was up in an instant towards the door. “What’s wrong, dear?”
With a sigh, Aedan rolled his gaze over to see as well – glad that he and Anora were both covered by the sheets, and that they hadn’t escalated their kissing too far beyond that before the interruption – Their infant daughter was holding onto the door, just over the threshold as she rubbed her eyes sleepily. In one arm, she clung to that old blue and gold lion toy the Empress of Orlais had gifted her.
“Would it … Could I sleep in your bed tonight?” Eleanor asked quietly, almost hiding behind her toy.
Aedan sighed slightly with a smile, knowing full well that his most primal plans for his wife were now firmly dead in the water.
“Of course you can, dear.” Anora smiled warmly, moving aside slightly and patting the newfound space between Queen and Prince-Consort. “Come here.”
Eleanor took a moment to close the bedroom door behind her before hurrying over to the bed. She climbed up at the foot of the bed and crawled up under the covers in between her parents.
“Hello, Pup.” Aedan murmured with a smile as Eleanor reached them. “Can’t sleep?”
The Princess shook her head a little bashfully as she eased herself in. Anora quickly got her tucked in beneath the covers.
“Did you have a nightmare?” Anora asked softly, brushing her fingers through Eleanor’s dusty blonde hair.
Eleanor’s head seemed to shrink into her shoulders a little, hiding the lower half of her face behind her lion. “… Maybe.”
Anora and Aedan glanced at each other above their daughter’s head with identical smiles. Eleanor was at that age where she was determined to be as grown up as possible, even if it wasn’t always easy. At least she was still happy running to her parents for help whenever she had bad dreams.
“Well, it’s alright, Pup. We’ll chase any terrors away.” Aedan murmured with a comforting smile as he stroked her cheek.
Eleanor seemed comforted by the contact. She began to ease her eyes shut. “Ok.”
“That’s right.” Anora soothed with her voice as Eleanor curled up closer to her mother. “Your father’s good at scaring monsters away. Now go to sleep, darling. You won’t have any nightmares anymore, you’ll see.”
It didn’t take much longer for Eleanor to finally drift off into sleep once more, her head curled up to Anora’s chest as her mother held her Princess protectively. Aedan would have chuckled at those few strands of dusty blonde that had wormed their way into Anora’s mouth, were it not likely to wake their daughter. Anora threw him a warning glare as she quietly spat the locks out of her mouth, but she didn’t complain at all when Aedan edged himself closer, enveloping Queen and Princess in his arms.
Anora gave him a smile, and leaned her head up to kiss her husband ever so tenderly on the lips before she too began drifting off to sleep.
As fatigue finally began creeping upon the Prince-Consort too, Aedan couldn’t help but smile at the slumbering forms of his wife and child. They both looked so relaxed and so at peace just lying there in his arms. His heart was near aching, he was so in love with them both: Anora, his stunning, intelligent wife, and Eleanor, his brilliant, wonderful daughter.
However did he get so lucky?
That moment, that feeling of just sheer love in his heart and warmth in his soul, he somehow knew he’d remember forever. He’d look back on that moment when he just felt the urge to revel in the love he felt for his beautiful family. He knew that he’d cling onto it when times were hard and things looked grim. He knew it would drive him onwards, through any challenge and any obstacle.
Even into the next life.
The End