Ysalwen Surana, Warden-Commander of Ferelden (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
freedom_is_grey) wrote2015-10-09 10:24 pm
freedom_is_grey) wrote2015-10-09 10:24 pm
Hater, I have your diamonds. Still.
A high dragon. The Mother's lair was effectively guarded by a high dragon -- not that the dragon probably knew that is what it was there for. But as dragons do what they do --
It's a bruised, battered, and scorched party that makes its way down the long, long stairway into the Nest.
And it is that same party that is met by the Architect, and Utha, halfway down those stairs.
"Grey Warden," the Architect says, deep resonant voice so very, very calm. "I have a proposition for you."
Sigrun hisses out a curse, Anders makes a terrible joke, and Nathaniel stands rigid and ready, knocked arrow pointing straight at Utha, dwarf and former Grey Warden.
"I'm listening," Ysalwen says, chin tilted up. "Is this a 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' approach? Because I'm familiar with those, and it rarely lasts."
That seems to give the Architect pause. "It's a lasting alliance you want, then? Interesting."
"Isn't it just. But I can't condemn you for protecting your people, not when I would have done the same, and perhaps much worse, to wake them to themselves and grant them freedom. Even knowing the cost."
It is no lie, disquieting as it may also be to think. Because darkspawn.
"But together, in addition to defeating the Mother -- perhaps we can find ways to let your people be people, someday, above as well as below, instead of the monsters in the dark that are to be feared. And slaughtered."
And if they could put an end to the need for Broodmothers, if no woman would ever be taken again and turned into an unholy breeding machine --
Even that, without everything else, would be enough.
The Mother doesn't stand a chance.
And history --
Well. History will be the one to figure out what to make of this alliance. If history ever even learns of it.
Some secrets are better off kept.
It's a bruised, battered, and scorched party that makes its way down the long, long stairway into the Nest.
And it is that same party that is met by the Architect, and Utha, halfway down those stairs.
"Grey Warden," the Architect says, deep resonant voice so very, very calm. "I have a proposition for you."
Sigrun hisses out a curse, Anders makes a terrible joke, and Nathaniel stands rigid and ready, knocked arrow pointing straight at Utha, dwarf and former Grey Warden.
"I'm listening," Ysalwen says, chin tilted up. "Is this a 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' approach? Because I'm familiar with those, and it rarely lasts."
That seems to give the Architect pause. "It's a lasting alliance you want, then? Interesting."
"Isn't it just. But I can't condemn you for protecting your people, not when I would have done the same, and perhaps much worse, to wake them to themselves and grant them freedom. Even knowing the cost."
It is no lie, disquieting as it may also be to think. Because darkspawn.
"But together, in addition to defeating the Mother -- perhaps we can find ways to let your people be people, someday, above as well as below, instead of the monsters in the dark that are to be feared. And slaughtered."
And if they could put an end to the need for Broodmothers, if no woman would ever be taken again and turned into an unholy breeding machine --
Even that, without everything else, would be enough.
The Mother doesn't stand a chance.
And history --
Well. History will be the one to figure out what to make of this alliance. If history ever even learns of it.
Some secrets are better off kept.