Atish'an's Story (DA:O Fanfiction)

Ch:Two

A Mother's Loss

Many had come to her door and begged for her to open, pounding their fists and pleading with her and yet Atish'an's mother refused keeping it locked while she cradled her son. They would not take her child, the one thing she cared for, and the one thing she had left in this world from her grasp. Atish'an cried into his mother's chest as she held onto him, at this point he didn't know why he was weeping only that the shaking of his mother's arms and the tight grip she held on him meant that she was scared, and if she were scared he should be to. 

'I'm sorry mama! I didn't meant to.' Atish'an sobbed pressing his snot covered face into his mother's chest. 

She ran her fingers through his hair and hushed him, for a while now the door had been left alone but she knew that wouldn't last long. 'It's all right my love, I won't let them take you.' She whispered, although her voice trembled with every word. And they sat like that for hours as the sounds outside died down and the sun began to set, Atisha'an fell asleep with dry red eyes in his mother's arms while she stared almost frozen at the door, just waiting for the templars to bash it down and take everything she had left in life away from her. 

Long before daybreak a soft knock came from the splintered wooden door. 'Kylia, I am here alone. We need to speak child.' The words of the Hahren sent a soothing warmth through her chilled bones and Kylia for the first time since that afternoon stood, clutching her sleeping son in her arms as she opened the door to Valendrian, a elven man only in his late thirties and already considered the Alienage elder by both the residents and the humans. Valendrian looked between mother and child and offered a pained smile before placing his palm against Kylia's cheek. 'Put the boy to bed and let us talk.' Kylia held the boy tighter in her arms her eyes welling up. 

'Oh Elder, I'm afraid if I put him down I may never pick him up again!' She sobbed all by collapsing in Valendrian's arms, the elder embraced the both of them rubbing circles on Kylia's back as he guided her back inside. At this point he could not bear to separate the two of them and so instead he sat them down at the table while he took to the stove to boil tea. Kylia watched him while stroking her sons back as he slept, her eyes still wet and her hair stuck to her face. 'I knew you know, I knew he was different.... he talked about strange dreams, sometimes I swear light came out of his hands and... and a few times he spoke to people who weren't there.' She stated chocking her words out. 'I wanted to pretend, pretend it wasn't happening, it couldn't. Not to me, not my son... he's so small... he needs me Elder, he needs his mother I can't bare it if they take him, I'll die.' Another sob escaped her as Valendrian poured them both a cup of tea, the water almost overflowing from the chipped china. 

Valendrian let her rant as he sat across from her, the chair creaking under his weight. Before long he reached out a hand and placed it over hers. 'Kylia, Atish'an is a mage, word already spread to the humans and the templars will be coming to take him to the circle at first light.' his words were firm and he kept his eyes locked on hers. 'I know this is painful be you cannot fight them on this, it will hurt to have him taken but if you die fighting to keep him then worse will only come for him.' Valendrian paused watching as Kylia as her eyes darted around and her mouth opened and closed over and over, as though she were trying to come up with a way, anyway the two could stay together. 

'I...The Dalish! we could escape the city tonight and find the Dalish, they don't turn away mages they-' Valendrian rose his hand to stop her shaking his head. 

'Finding a wondering Dalish clan is a 1 in 100 chance, we have no way of knowing if any are passing by and what will you do if you can't find them? will you  take your child into the wilds and try to raise him? with no food, shelter or help? don't be foolish Kylia, even if you manage by some Mirical to find the Dalish there is no guarantee they will take you in.' Kylia was silent and Valendrian took a sip of his tea as Kylia sunk down in her chair pressing her face into the shoulder of her son. 

'I can't live without him Elder, I won't!' Kylia snapped the rise in her voice making Atish'an stir in her arms and curl deeper into her. 

Valendrian sighed and stood up. 'You can, for if you die Atish'an will be left without anyone in the world who cares for him. Even from afar a boy needs his mother.' He stated walking around to Kylia's side and holding his hand out to her. 'Come now, let us prepare his things, we should make sure he has a little something to remind him of home.' Valendrian smiled at Kylia and although she considered slapping his hand away and running with her son Kylia couldn't pretend he wasn't right, running away with the boy would get them both killed and if she died stopping them from taking him he would have to live with that for the rest of his life. No, she wouldn't force those hardships on her baby. After a long moment Kylia took his hand and nodded. 

'I have a memento from his father, he carved it when Atish'an was born.... I will need to pack it so he has a memory of him.' She muttered and Valendrian agreed smiling sweetly as he took her to the bed to place Atish'an down and begin packing. 

***

True to their word at first light the Templars approached, their armor glittering in the morning light as all moved from their path either hiding in doorways or peering through windows. There were only two of them, both men completely covered and towering over all those in the Alienage. The men were escorted by city guards who lead their way through the filth ridden winding street to the small hovel that was Kylia and Atish'an's house. When they knocked it was Valendrian who opened the door offering the men some tea before they departed but they declared it was better to do it quickly. Atish'an was barely awake holding tightly to his mother's hand as she walked him out the door, at some point in the night she had managed to dress in her best and tidy her hair however the redness of her eyes and the puffiness under them were proof of her hardships. In one hand she gripped tightly to her son while in the other she held a canvas bag, barely full but briming with what love she could give him. 

No words were exchanged as the boy was passed off, for Kylia knew that if she spoke she would be unable to stop herself from crying. Atish'an looked up at through the small gap in the templars helmet trying to meet his eyes but all he saw was darkness. 'Mama don't make me go.' He whimpered looking back her hair, his wrist gripped tightly by the templar. 'Please mama! I don't want to leave you!' Kylia trembled at his pleas and Valendrian took her hand to keep her steady, if she moved for her son now chaos would erupt and she knew well that the templars wouldn't flinch from cutting her down right there in the street. With no response Atish'an only cried louder, pulling and tugging away from the templars that were leading him away. 'No! Mama! I'm sorry! I'll be good mama! I won't be a mage! I won't use magic! please mama! please don't let them take me.' He sobbed being pulled along to a kart that wait just outside the gates of the Alienage. As his cries echoed through the Alienage Kylia crumbled to the ground, unable to stop herself now she sobbed and curled into herself as Valendrian placed a hand on her back, from a distance Atish'an could see his mother bent over, sobbing into herself and that was the last image he ever saw of her.