Chapter Text
Aiden Trevelyan, the bastard of the noble family from Ostwik, rogue, druggy, and thief, awoke with his face pressed against the stone floor of a cell. Where in the fade was he? The pounding in his skull made it almost impossible to think. He lifted his hands and froze. Not because they were bound, sadly that was something he was used to at this point in his life. Aiden stopped because his left hand glowed. It fucking glowed! A sharp pain crawled up his arm as the green flight engulfed his entire hand. What in the hell was going on?
Before the Rogue could put too much thought into it, the door cracked open allowing light to spill into the room, blinding him.
“Get him on his feet.”
Two hands yanked him painfully to his knees. Aiden growled, reaching his bound hands to one on his shoulder, and twisted. The guard yelped in pain while the other slammed the hilt of his sword against Aiden’s head. It took all of the rogue’s willpower to stay conscious and upright.
“Stop!” The commanding voice saved Aiden from another blow. “Leave us.”
Thank the blight for small miracles. Blinking until his vision adjusted, Aiden found him being stared down by two unknown women. The short-haired one with the scarred cheek grasped the end of her sword, her dark and deadly gaze eying him lime a wolf ready to pounce on its prey. Sadly, Aiden thought, it seemed that was him. As the warrior moved behind him, Aiden looked at the redhead woman in the corner. She wore simple hooded robes and wore no weapons, but he had a feeling she was just as deadly.
“Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you?”
Silent, Aiden didn’t acknowledge the woman breathing down his neck. A gauntlet encased hand twisted in his long mane of hair and jerked his head back. Judging by her disgruntle scoff, the woman was displeased by his lack of reaction. Pain wasn’t something he was a stranger to. She would have to do a hell of a lot more to rattle him.
“The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone that attended is dead.”
Conclave? Aiden tried to figure out what the hell she was talking about only to find a dark cloud over his memories. There were some flashes of images, but they didn’t make sense.
“Everyone that is, but you.” She shoved his head forward releasing the grip on his hair. “Explain.”
Aiden set his jaw and kept his gaze focused on the nothingness in front of him.
The woman yanked up his bounded hands. “What is this?”
The green light sparked again. Aiden bit the inside of his cheek to himself from crying out. “I can’t.” Whatever the blasted thing was caused pain like nothing he felt before.
“What do you mean, you can’t?”
“I don’t know what this is!” Aiden yanked his hands free. He didn’t know what in the void was going on outside of the cell he was in.
Snarling, the warrior seized Aiden by the neck, squeezing just hard enough to make breathing difficult. “You’re lying.”
For the love of the Fade. He found himself transfixed on the woman’s face. She had sharp cheekbones and a strong jaw with furry-filled darken eyes. A fierce woman. In that moment, Aiden discovered he had an apparent fascination for the battle maiden type. His gaze flickered to the marred skin running along the curve of her right cheek. His thoughts had him jerking against the chained that held him to the floor. Where had that come from? This wasn’t the time or place to have such thoughts. Something bad happened. Something he supposedly did and this warrior wanted his head on a plate.
“Start talking.”
The corner of Aiden’s scarred mouth lifted. “Need to breathe for that, Sweetheart.” The pressure increased as the woman yanked him up almost effortlessly to his feet. Before he could admire her strength along with her beauty, the pressure on his neck released and he sprawled to the ground with an achy jaw from the warrior’s heavy blow. Smiling, Aiden brushed a thumb over his busted lip.
That seemed to anger the warrior even more.
“Cassandra, stop!” The hooded woman cut Cassandra’s path short to the prisoner.
Cassandra stopped before she could strangle the life out of the mysterious man. How dare he! The sky was torn, demons rained down from the sky, and the man joked? Grunting, she let Leliana take a turn with the prisoner. If left up to her, Cassandra would drag the bastard by the hair to the gallows and let him hang. The most holy was dead. A pang of grief stopped her heart. Then came the guilt. She should have been there with the Divine. As the right hand, the most holy’s shield, she shouldn’t have let the Divine talk her into staying at Haven.
Was it possible Justinia knew something would happen? Did she instruct Cassandra and Leliana to stay behind as a fail-safe? To make sure that her vision of the Conclave and Inquisition didn’t die with her?
Cassandra’s attention focused back on the man kneeling in the middle of the cell. The mark. Their only hope at closing the breach. And the Maker chose to give it to such a man? He may be thin, his cheeks gaunt, and just a little over a hundred pounds soaking wet, But he was dangerous. Cassandra could see it in the man’s eyes. They were so blue they glowed. His face, once possibly handsome at some point, was marred by dozens of scars. Some were thin, others jagged, long, short, and thick. Cassandra found that she couldn’t track them all and she had to figure that his thick black beard covered even more.
Was this the man to save them? Cassandra rubbed her tired brow.
“Guess lucky for me then.” Aiden spat blood. Cassandra groaned again found himself becoming quite fond of it. “Though I didn’t do whatever you think I did. I’m innocent-er well…. In this instance anyway.” Or he thinks he is.
The redhead glanced at the prisoner, “Do you remember what happened? Why you came here?”
The kind-hearted one. Aiden looked back to the aggressive one who didn’t all too pleased about being leashed. Why did he find that snarl so damn alluring? “I’m telling you I don’t remember.” Aiden braced for a blow, but it never came only because Leliana pined the warrior with a look. “I just remember running.”
“From what?” Cassandra demanded. “Speak!”
His scarred lips peeled back into a snarl. “I don’t know. I don’t remember so tell me what the fuck happened!”
“Leliana go to the forward camp,” Cassandra ordered never breaking the man’s gaze. “I’ll bring the prisoner there.”
“I have a name,” Aiden kindly reminded.
Ignoring him, Cassandra took hold of the underside of the man’s arms and lifted him back to his feet.
“No fair, I know yours, but you don’t know mine.”
The woman’s heated gaze locked with his. “You joke with all that’s going on?”
“For one, I’m an ass hole, but in this case, I’m trying to figure out what in the fuck is going on.”
“Why were you sent to the conclave?”
Aidan dragged a hand through his overgrown hair. “For the last time, Sweetheart.”
Cassandra wrapped her left hand firmly around the prisoner’s neck. “Call me Sweetheart…” She pressed her face so close she could feel the whisker of his beard. His glowing blue eyes tracked every little movement. “One more time and you’ll be picking up your teeth off the ground.”
He promptly shut his mouth, he perfectly like where his teeth were at the moment. Slowly, the pressure on his windpipe eased off. “It’s Aiden, by the way. Aiden Trevelyan. Also referred to as bastard, Son of a Bitch, and Ass Hole.” His attempt at humor fell flat. “You may continue to refer to me as prisoner if it suits you.”
“You shall address me as Seeker. Now come on.”
Aiden’s attention peeked. “Where are we going?” He expected, now that Red left, that the Seeker would turn to torture to get answers out of him. Not help him to his feet. Now at full height, Aiden realized he had about two maybe three inches on her. He cocked his head trying to size her up. Maybe he could take her or at least put up a hell of a fight. Cassandra did outmuscle him by a lot.
“It will be easier to show you.” Cassandra didn’t let his height affect her. She lifted her jaw in a challenging gesture, her dark eyes daring him to try. He stepped back at her penetrating gaze and she nearly smile before turning to lead him out of the cell.
Left with no other choice, Aiden stepped out, lifting his bound hands to block out the harsh sunlight. He froze in the snow. Mouth agape, Aiden stared at what Cassandra referred to as ‘The Rift’. There was a jagged tear, an exact copy to the mark on his hand, cutting through the sky. A spark of green shot from its center, hitting the ground somewhere in the mountains.
“We call it the breach.” Cassandra tore her gaze away to look at Aiden. The man’s heavily scarred face gave her nothing beyond his astonishment. No guilt. No pride. Nothing to indicate he’d been involved in creating it. “It appeared after the explosion that killed the most holy.”
“The Divine is dead?”
She scowled. “Demons have been spewing from it as it continues to grow.”
Aiden felt a burning sensation start to creep up his arm just as the mark flared. Knees buckling he fell to the snow at Cassandra’s Feet. When the pain subsided, he fell onto his hands fighting the urge to get sick.
“Each time the breach expands your mark spreads.” Cassandra knelt, waiting until his sharp blue eyes fixed on her. “It’s killing you.”
His lips twitched. “Almost sounds like you’re concerned for my wellbeing, Seeker.” His snarky comment involved the reaction he hoped for. Her top lip peeled back in a disgruntle snarl. “Can I close it?”
The Seeker glanced at the green light dancing around his closed fist. Just like the man’s face, the skin was deeply scarred. “You claim you’re innocent.”
“I am.”
“Then come with me.”
Aiden let out a huff of breath. “Doesn’t sound like I have much of a choice.”
His answer further displeased the woman and a small part of him didn’t like it. Yes, He was a crude and sarcastic ass hole, that didn't mean he lacked compassion for the current situation. Hundreds of people were dead. The Templar and Mages meeting up in smoke. And to top it off the explosion destroyed the temple of Sacred Ashes that killed the Divine. They held him accountable. Aiden was many things, but murderer of the divine and innocents wasn’t one of them.
Grabbing him roughly by the collar, Cassandra jacked him to his feet. “Look around you. They all think you are guilty. They need you to be guilty. The only thing stopping them from hauling you to Val Royeaux is me. I’m giving you a chance to prove you’re innocent.”
Flexing his marked hand, the burning sensation constant all the way to his elbow. If the breach expanded every hour, Aiden would surely be dead by nightfall. At least that way he wouldn’t have to set foot back in the hell hole that was Val Royeaux. “Take me to it.”
“Open the gates,” Cassandra shouted to the men posted by the big oak doors. “We’re going out.”
Aiden recoiled the moment she saw the small blade in the woman’s hand. He fought every instinct not to charge at the Seeker. “The cell was a good place as any to kill me, you know.”
Cassandra slid the edge of the blade across the strands of his bindings. As they fell to the ground, her gaze latched onto the rogue’s badly scarred wrist. Obviously, he was no stranger to restraints. Just who in Thedas was this man? “Follow,” She commanded.
Aiden didn’t take it as a great sign that the two soldiers ran from the direction they were going. Completely terrified and screaming for the Maker. Yep, not a good sign at all. Jogging to keep up with the Seeker’s long strides, he tried to remember anything before waking up in the cell. The last thing he remembered, truly remembered, was making camp at least a day if not two from the temple.
In the distance, a tendril of green light shot down from the breach, hitting close by. Aiden’s hand pulsated, the pain bringing him down. The electric shock coursed through his entire body. He fought tooth and nail not to pass out.
This time, Cassandra was a bit gentler when she grasped Aiden’s shoulder. “The pulses are coming faster.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” Though he rather lay face down against the cool snow until the spasms stopped, Aiden’s captor had other plans. He stumbled to stay upright. “I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”
“We must move quickly.”
Counting to ten, Aiden begrudgingly followed Cassandra to another bridge. Men, soldiers wearing a crest he didn’t recognize, had barracked themselves on the cobblestone bridge with over-turn carts and sandbags.
“Seeker.” A soldier turned to her with a small bow of the head. “The way is not clear. Our men are being overrun by demons. They just keep coming.”
Aiden felt the pressure building in his hand and roughly yanked Cassandra back just as the breach pulsed. Shit! Not enough time. A meteor hurled from the tear in the sky crashed into the bridge in a few feet in front of them, hurling him and Cassandra to the frozen river below.
The impact knocked the breath out of Aiden. Hearing the ice splinter, he scrambled to his feet. Cassandra charged shield and sword at the ready, leaving him defenseless. Not a bad thing if there was only one demon, but the green swirl coiled at his feet. Frantic, he looked back to see the body of an archer, bow still intact and quiver decently full. Aiden wasted no time arming himself.
Cassandra plunged her blade, vanquishing the shade into nothingness. Hearing the sound of a bow snapping, the Seeker swirled to see the prisoner let an arrow loose in a shade’s face. The damaged shaft clattered to the ice.
Aiden notched another arrow looking behind to make sure all that was clear. “That’s the-. What the fuck are you doing?”
She pressed the tip of her sword closer to his face. “Drop the bow.”
To her shock, instead of complying the rogue brought the bow up and released it.
The arrow sailed so close to her face, Cassandra could feel the tip scrap ever so slightly against her cheek before it found purchase in the undetected shade behind her. She didn’t flinch though her heart was hammering in her throat. Looking back at the rogue, she saw that the man seemed impressed, and the urge to run him through increased.
“I could have killed you,” Aiden’s stated, breath coming in pants. “But I didn’t.”
“Only to save your own skin.”
“Well yes, but you can’t expect me to face a horde of demons with my bare hands.”
“True.” She eased the blade back still watching for any sudden movements. The man had such a dangerous aura around him.
To ease the tension, Aiden shouldered the bow, “Listen, Cassandra-.”
Something about the way he said her name rubbed Cassandra in a way she wasn’t sure she liked. “You address me as Seeker.”
An emotion, she couldn’t place, streaked across Aiden’s scarred face.
“Seeker,” He purred. “I want to prove my innocence just as much as you want to get rid of me. If we both are armed we can cover more ground.”
Letting out a grunt, Cassandra sheathed her sword, “I should take into consideration you did not run.” She had a feeling if there had been enough time the rogue would have.
“Lead the way, Seeker.”
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o00o
They made their way forward through the snow and over the slick ice. Aiden’s teeth chattered. He didn’t have the right clothes for this type of weather. His so-called armor consisted of a pair of leathers, boots, a scaled vest, and a suede coat. One good blow and lights out. To make sure that he made it to the breach alive, Aiden felt no shame in letting Cassandra be his shield. Made it easier for him to pick off demons.
Cassandra turned as the last demon fell, completely enamored by the prisoner’s precision and skill with his weapon of choice. “I can hear voices.”
“Whose?”
Of course, she didn’t take time to answer and charged up the path towards the sound of battle. Battling with frustration, Aiden sprinted after her. He skirted to a halt across the hard snow. “What in the void is that?”
“A rift!” Someone yelled over the sound of battle.
“And that is?”
“Shoot now,” Cassandra ordered. “Ask questions later.
Right. Aiden shook himself out of his trance the swirling green mass caught him in and focused on the battle. This was not his thing. Neither a soldier nor an experienced fighter, Aiden struggled to keep up.
Since his chance to prove his innocence rested on Cassandra’s shoulders, Aiden tracked her with his bow. The woman was truly a force of nature, hacking her way almost effortlessly through the never-ending wave of demons. Before he could notch his second arrow, the Seeker took out four opponents.
“You must seal the rift!”
The bow fell to the ground as someone yanked his left hand up to the mass of glowing like suspended in midair. Aiden braced for the pain as the green light shot from his palm to the rift. It stole the breath from his body and caused his arm to burn as if it might fall off. The green tendril wrapped around the mass trying to contain it. Aiden could hear the rift moan, fighting him and the mark.
I’m going to die.
Aiden brought his right hand to support his left and just when his vision was turning gray, a bright light flashed and then there was nothing. The strong grip on his wrist loosened and Aiden crumbled to the snow. If it felt like this to close a rift then how in the fade was he supposed to close the fucking tear in the sky?
“Well done.”
Aiden glanced up, noting the elf, and scrambled up to his feet, backing away. “Keep your hands off me.”
The bald elf held up his hands. “I meant no offense.”
A cold sweat, nothing to do with the snowy terrain, broke out across his brow. No! Not now.! Aiden pressed the heel of his palm to his tightly shut eyes. The urge to get sick overwhelmed him to the point he dashed to the tree line. This couldn’t be happening. Memories, horrible images of torture, pain, and misery had him spilling what little he had in his stomach.
“I’m sorry.” The elf lingered near the rogue.
“Don’t-.” Eyes blazing, Aiden jerked his head around. “Touch me or talk to me.”
“Hey there, sunshine.” The crossbow-wielding dwarf readied himself to attack. “Solas is the only thing that kept that thing on your hand from killing you.”
“Seeing how everyone thinks I caused all this, you should have let it.” Aidan snatched up his bow. “Could have saved you the trouble of hauling me off to Val Royeaux.”
“I promised a trail.”
He let out a bark of laughter, silencing the Seeker. “Can you promise me a fair one?”
Well no, she couldn’t. Cassandra tightened her grip on her sword when the rogue’s glowing eyes turned to her. The hair on the back of her neck stood to attention. Upon first glance by the untrained eye, Aiden didn’t seem even remotely close to dangerous. He was tall but thin, almost sickly. Beside his marred face, he gave the appearance he could barely take on a fly. But this man. This Aiden Trevelyan, staring down at her with rage-filled eyes, Cassandra realized that first glances could be truly deceiving.
Aiden set his jaw. “Which way now?”
“East.” Cassandra pointed and he talked off.
“Where’d you find that one, Seeker?” Varric wondered. “He defiantly puts the gloom in doom and gloom.”
“I didn’t find him anywhere,” Cassandra corrected. “Let us hope the mark will close the breach so we can be rid of him.”
“I’m afraid it might not be that simple, Cassandra,” Solas interjected. “This was one of possible many rifts caused by the breach. And that human proved that I was right, that the mark is the only thing able to close them.”
Not what Cassandra wanted to hear. “Will they seal on their own if we seal the breach?” She looked at the massive tear in the sky. Maker! It was getting bigger by the minute.
The elf frowned. “I’m uncertain.”
Andraste preserve them. Cassandra looked to where the prisoner took off in. If he truly was the only means to stop all of this, they were in trouble.
“I have a feeling we shouldn’t let him go too far,” Varric suggested with a smile. “Shall we go fetch him?”
“Absolutely not.” Cassandra started, “Your help is appreciated Varric, but…”
Varric cut her off by laughing and earned a scowl. “Have you been in the valley, Seeker? Your soldiers aren’t in control anymore. Curly is barely holding it together. You need me.”
Ugh! He was right, she had no choice and she hated him for it. “Screw up Varric and I’ll-.”
“Throw me into the pit of the nearest demon.”
“You could only be so lucky.”
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Aidan didn’t speak another word until the argument with Chancellor Rodrick on whether or not to drag him to Val Royeaux or let him attempt to close the breach.
“I’m standing right here!”He slammed his marked hand down on the table, the skin of his knuckles splitting under the force. His outburst did the job and everyone went silent. “If you haven’t noticed, Chancellor, but there’s a hole in the sky spewing demons. Hang me if you feel so inclined, but if there is a chance this thing on my hand can stop it, at least let me try. As a man of the cloth, it’s your duty to help those you can.”
Silence.
“Plus,” Aiden added with a careless shrug of the shoulder. “If it kills me it saves you the headache of a trail.”
Rodrick went red in the face. “Our forces are overrun, prisoner. Just how do you suggest we get you there?”
Leliana seemed to have an answer, “Thought the mountains. What’s left of our forces can charge in distraction to cover out movements.”
“Too risky.” Cassandra shook her head. “We lost contact with our scouts.”
“If there is a path away from the main battle we should take it,” Aiden stated, not allowing room for debate. He wasn’t built for battle. He was more of the stick to the shadows and slink around the dark type. To stop Cassandra from jumping down his throat, Aiden was quick to throw in, “And maybe we can find out what happened to your scouts.”
Cassandra seemed like she wanted to challenge him for a moment. “Fine.” She glanced at Leliana, “Varric, Solas, and myself will accompany the prisoner.”
“Trevelyan,” Aiden snapped, no longer in control of his anger. “Aiden Trevelyan. That’s my name. Use it.”
Unfazed, Cassandra pushed on, “To the mountain pass. Bring everyone left in the valley to back up Cullen.”
Life would be easier for Aiden if he stayed on the Seeker’s good side or even at least tried to. The woman wasn’t the type to back down. No, she was the type who pushed back and speak her mind. Most would think twice before crossing swords with her.
Aiden wasn’t the type to think too much. “Say it.”
Her brows drew up. “Excuse me.”
Ignoring the others, Aiden shifted closer. “Say my name.” Seeing her sword arm twitch, he seized it, his fingers digging hard into her flesh. “I’m no Chantry sister, Lass. I won’t bend to our will or the Maker’s. You want the damn breach closed, you’ll say my name.”
She wanted to kill him. Torn between her sense of duty and her stubbornness, Cassandra held the prisoner’s gaze. His calloused hand, surprisingly warm, gripped her wrist hard enough to leave a mark. A reminder that this man was dangerous. She could see it in the way he held himself like, so taunt that he could snap at any moment. The fact he didn’t back down when most men intrigued her. “Let. Me. Go. Trevelyan. Before I break your hand.”
His scarred lips turned upwards as he complied.
Varric let out a lower whistle when Cassandra stalked away. “You must have a death wish, Prisoner. Cassandra eats men like you for breakfast.”
Aiden huffed out a small laugh. “I’ll make her fight for her meal.”
“You know, I decided I might like you.” Varric grinned at the baffled man. “Whoever can ruffle the Seeker is a friend in my books.”
“How did you get tangled up in this?”
“You can say, the Seeker dragged me along and now can’t rid herself of me.”
“Varric!” Cassandra shouted. “Move it.”
“See charming woman.”
Aiden had a few choice words in mind when it came to the Seeker and charming wasn’t one of them. “Shall we?”
Aiden Trevelyan
Fanart was done by the awesome crownleys