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Treviso Will Be Free

A thick fog of qamek blanketed the ground of the garrison, and all Lucanis could think about was what would happen should they fail to defeat Governor Ivenci. Rook had uncovered the truth of their betrayal; Ivenci had handed Treviso to the Butcher on a silver platter. This discovery had proven Viago's suspicions had been right all along, and they both knew that he would never let any of them forget it.

The revelation of the governor's treason hadn't been much of a surprise to Lucanis, especially when he considered how dirty the game of politics could be. They had proven themselves a skilled politician, keeping the truth hidden for so long as everyone around them searched for the culprit. Even more unforgivable than betraying Treviso, was the unnecessary loss of life due to the Antaam's occupation of their beloved city. The Crows ruled Antiva, and Treviso would be free. But those lives could never be recovered.

The sound of blades striking blades ringing out, accompanied by the grunts of combat, brought Lucanis back to the present. He pushed further into the battlefield which Ivenci had chosen for this fight. He could feel the qamek burning through his lungs with each breath, making it more difficult to maintain control of himself as the poison's effects made themselves known.

His head began to swim as the qamek reached his bloodstream. In his peripheral, he could see Rook fighting an Antaam soldier. He turned his head to watch as she danced gracefully around the bulky Qunari that towered over her. She was a whirlwind of fiery red hair, Crow blue leather, and steel daggers. Her small and agile frame held the advantage against the larger soldier. She could maneuver around them much faster than they could swing their two-handed weapons.

Lucanis panted heavily as the silhouette of another Antaam soldier materialized behind Rook, rushing forward to help her as she was preoccupied with the first. The two Crows worked in perfect synchrony to take down the pair of enemies. As they fell to the ground, surrounded by dark red puddles of their own making, the voice of Ivenci rang out around them like thunder.

"You're such a fool, Rook! I'm the one trying to save Treviso! I'm the leader Treviso deserves to have!"

Rook stood tall, her shoulders held back in a defiant pose as her eyes swept across the area in search of the governor. "Time to face us, Ivenci! No more hiding!"

The challenge itself was simple, and effective. Ivenci emerged from the green mist, but they were no match for Rook and the team she'd carefully assembled. The fight was over almost as soon as it started, and soon the governor was being escorted out of the garrison by Jacobus and the Crows that had accompanied him. Lucanis watched solemnly as the manacles were fastened around their wrists and they were taken away, surrounded by a full complement of the Antivan Crows they loathed so entirely.

"Well, glad that's over with," a familiar voice said as an even more familiar gait came to a halt beside him. The edges of his lips lifted in a smile as she leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder and intertwining her fingers with his as she let out a heavy sigh. "Viago's gonna be insufferable after this. You know that, right?"

Lucanis chuckled softly as he let his head fall to the side, resting it lightly against hers. He was comforted by her aroma which somehow managed to pierce the sickly sweet scent of the qamek as it still burned through his lungs. They had been careful to keep it contained in the garrison, and would trust Viago to find a way to disperse the poison carefully. For now, it would be left locked away and guarded by the Crows.

Rook had saved Treviso in more ways than one with the defeat of Ivenci. Lucanis' mind wandered back to the ill effects known to result from prolonged exposure to qamek and shuddered. The entire city of Treviso could have been transformed into drooling, mindless puppets for the Gods to use however they wanted. Even worse was the thought that he could have lost Rook in the same way, and nothing made his stomach turn worse than that.

She felt the movement and lifted her head from his shoulder, looking up at him with a concerned expression. He studied the way the hazel coloring of her eyes blended into the violet that lined the outer edge of her irises, and the way her pupils were dilated from her exposure to the qamek. His own head still swam as they stood together and he turned to face her, fingers still intertwined with hers.

"Everything okay, Lucanis?" she asked as she gently squeezed against his hand.

He raised her hand to his lips, pressing them together gently. "Sí, mi amor," he answered with a grin. He leaned in closer and kissed her forehead affectionately. "You are safe. Treviso is safe. Today is a good day."