Dragon Age: Awakening

Chapter 5: Nathaniel

Chapter 5: Nathaniel

I nodded at Varel and yawned, stretching my arms in the air as I worked out the kinks in my back. "I'm heading to my room Varel." I said as I waved at him and walked towards the door, heading to my bedroom.

I began pulling my armor off as I opened the door and threw in in the corner, I pulled my hair out of the high braided bun I had put it in earlier, the burning red waves cascaded down my back. 

I pulled off the already tattered cream undershirt, revealing my tan scarred skin that was hidden beneath the soft material. I frowned as I looked in the mirror, the wounds from the journey before all this had close up and large scars scattered my body. Each scar had a painful memory with it, I shook my head and pushed out the thoughts and turned quickly, grabbing a soft golden dress that was laying on the large chair in the center of the room.

I pulled my boots of and sighed and the freedom my feet felt, I puffed out air and walked back through my door. One of the maids had told me there was a library in the Keep, I moved quickly through the corridors and slipped past the rooms of my companions.

Large doors lay at the end of the hallway, flowing designs etched the edges of the doors, I smiled and pushed the heavy doors open.

The library was enormous, I knew I would spend most of my off time here. I plopped down in a plush couch and leaned back, letting the material suck me in. 

"This is the what's become of the mighty Cousland." A voice snaked from the dark threshold, I jumped up off the couch and narrowed my eyes. "I guess it is." I glared at where the voice came from, a man stepped out of the shadows. Black hair dripped onto his shoulders and pale grey eyes glared at me.

"Nathaniel?" I said slowly, I could hardly believe the words that were coming out of my mouth. My face scrunched up in disgust, he was well armed and I had nothing. 

He grabbed his bow off his back and loosed an arrow at me, I flung a book at him and dodged the arrow quickly, hiding myself in the shadows. I could hear the guards rushing down the hallway, I just had to hold him off for a few moments.

"I actually wasn't going to try to kill you.. But I ran into you and I just can't help my anger." Nathaniel's voice echoed through the library, sweat dripped down my forehead, he really could kill me and I couldn't stop him. 

I put my hand over my mouth to hide my breath, a large hand wrapped around the arm and yanked my out of my hiding place, throwing me into a pile of books. 

I stood up and glared at Nathaniel, "Do you even know what your father did!" I spat as the guards rounded the corner, "My father is not the criminal here!" He growled as the guards grabbed his arms and his daggers fell onto the floor, Anders barged into the room and looked at me worriedly.

I waved my hand at him, "Take him to the dungeons, I'll be there later." I turned away from Nathaniel and straightened my dress, flopping back into the couch and sighing deeply. Anders glared as the guards drug Nathaniel out of the room and sat down beside me and then sat down beside me, arching his eyebrows.

I puffed out air and smiled at him, "What was all that?" He gestured towards the door, "You know about the Howes right?" I asked, Anders nodded. "Wait, was that-" he began, "Yes," I sighed, "I knew him before all that happened with his father and he was never like this.. I still don't believe he had the evil in him that his father did." I said quickly, Anders leaned back in the couch. 

"I need to go deal with him," I pushed off the couch, Anders yawned and nodded but didn't move from the couch. I burst through the doors and charged through the hallways, down a steep set of stairs and into the cold, dark corridors of the dungeon.

"Here he is Commander." A guard gestured to a cell, Nathaniel was sitting on the floor and frowned when he saw me. "Are you here to tell them to kill me?" He laughed and stood up, I narrowed my eyes. Varel walked up beside me and glared at Nathaniel, "What do you wish to do with him, Commander?" Varel looked over at me, I took in a deep breath and broke the eye contact between Nathaniel and I.

"He will be a Grey Warden, prepare the ceremony." I turned on my heel, "What! No, kill me first!" Nathaniel gripped the bars of the cell tight in his hands, "That is what I have decided." I looked over my shoulder, "I'm not sure if this is trust or a punishment," Nathaniel peeled his hands from the bars as guards unlocked the door. 

"I'm not either," I whispered as they escorted him past me and towards the main hall, he arched his eyebrows at me as they walked him up the stairs. I puffed out air and followed Varel up to the hall where the ceremony would take place.

Varel recited the joining words and Nathaniel took a swig from the cup, falling down on the stone ground heavily. "He will be awake soon, for better or worse Commander." Varel sighed and motioned for the guards to take him to a room.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and walked to my bedroom, flopping down heavily into my bed and shutting my eyes tight, easily drifting off to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Katria's dream~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Where are you going?" I laughed as I ran through the dark corridors of the estate in Highever, "Don't ask questions." Nathaniel smiled at me and grabbed my hand as we rounded a corner.

We charged around the corner and the narrow corridor opened into a large garden, I gasped and cupped my hand over my mouth. "This is your mother's gardens," Nathaniel sighed and lay down on the plush grass, I smiled and lay down beside him, looking up in the bright blue sky and the fluffy clouds above us.

"I've heard stories about darkspawn in the wilds," Nathaniel said after some silence, I turned my head to him, arching my eyebrows. "They are only stories." I snorted, Nathaniel grimaced and shrugged. "Perhaps." He sighed and looked over at me. 

"Father is pressing me about the relationship we have." He groaned, I laughed. "He wants us to marry already?" I giggled and tangled my fingers in his, "I fear he has other plans," Nathaniel frowned, "He has talked about Highever for some time with bitterness lacing his voice." He said quietly, "I do not know what he has planned, I worry for you and your family. My father is not the same man he used to be." Nathaniel's voice faded.

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My eyes popped open, I rubbed my eyes and pushed off the bed. Grabbing the bue robe and walking out of the bedroom, Anders was sitting on the couch in the common room. 

"Good morning!" He smiled at me and gestured to a plate of eggs resting of the end table, I giggled and sat down beside him and grabbed the plate.

"I have a question." Anders broke the silence between us after I finished my breakfast, I gulped down the last bite of eggs and set the plate down, raising an eyebrow.

"Alistair.." He said slowly, I frowned. "You were talking to him, or about him, outside yesterday." Anders sighed, rubbing his forehead nervously. "I probably should explain this to someone." I sighed and closed the gap between Anders and I, "Alistair was another Grey Warden that was with me from pretty much the beginning of my journey through the blight," I explained, sorrow was threatening to overtake me, I didn't get the time to greave that I needed. "I loved him and he sacrificed himself to end the blight." I said quickly and covered my eyes with my hands as tears well in my eyes. "I was going to kill myself to keep from losing him." I sighed and sniffed, meeting Anders eyes, a pained expression was etched in his features.

"I'm sorry, I didn't me to-" Anders fumbled, "Don't worry," I puffed out air and smiled weakly at him, Anders ran his fingers through my hair and smiled, "What?" I looked at my hair, Anders laughed. "Nothing!" He raised his hands up in innocence, I glared at him jokingly and pushed off the couch.

"We're heading to the Blackmarsh today!" I called as I headed back to my room to get ready.

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