Forbidden Love (Dragon Age Fanfic)

Chapter 5- Careless Trust

Neria sat there and sat, until the templars and Solona woke. They looked around in confusion, eventually turning their angry gazes on Neria. Gregoir stood and walked over to Solona, helping her up- and she helped Cullen up. Irving slowly sauntered over to Neria, looking down on her.

"How could you do this? You....should have told me about this. Then maybe I could have saved you from this....." He trailed off, and Neria glared defiantly at him.

"You don't care about the apprentices. You were ready to have Jowan made tranquil." She spat out at him, and Irving glared right back.

"He was a blood mage." He retorted slowly, every word cutting into Neria like a knife to her heart.

Neria looked down at the floor, then to where the templars where dragging a despondent Lily away- to Aenor. Neria flinched. Lily had become a friend, of sorts. She deserved better for her loyalty. That was when Duncan, the Grey Warden, showed up.

"Neria, correct?" He asked. Neria nodded.

"I can....make you a Grey Warden, too- it will spare you the consequences." He offered, and Neria looked up at him in disgust.

"I fear not the consequences of my actions, nor do I regret my actions. I stood by my friend, however unworthy he may have been. I would do it again and again, and again. I do not, however, wish to be a part of your order." She spat, and Duncan nodded.

"Understood." He said, squinting at her, then walked away, headed for the exit of the tower. Gregoir moved over to her.

"You...are brave. I admire your courage- though I do not envy your fate. Templars- take her to the harrowing chamber. Give her the Rite Of Tranquility." He ordered, a twitch of regret in his voice. Neria looked at Solona, and met her eyes. Solona was giving her the saddest look, and Neria hated it for it.

       The last thing she wanted from her is pity.

          

~~~***~~~

    

Solona sat alone in her room, holding her head in her hands, crying her heart out. One of the bonuses of getting her own room rewarded to her for aiding the Circle so much was that she could cry as much as she wanted without getting told to hush so others could sleep.

Neria....Neria, how could you? You knew it was against the rules, what you were doing. You knew!

Solona thought, sobbing uncontrollably, when she heard a knock at her door.

"Sol? Solona..are you..." Cullen asked from outside the door. Solona wiped her face off furiously.

"I...I'm not crying!" She yelled, lying yet again.
Oh...I said that to Neria, too..right before..

She thought, her throat tightening again, tears threatening to flow over.

"Solona, can I come in? Please?" Cullen called through the door, and Solona swallowed her tears.

"I-I'm sorry...Cullen....but, can I be alone?" She responded, her voice thickening again with tears, and she couldn't hold it back anymore.

      She started sobbing again, and Cullen came in anyway, sitting beside her and rubbing her back. She leaned back onto his shoulder, sobs racking her body until it hurt to even to even breathe.

~*~
Six Weeks Later

Neria was dead. She resisted agaist the rite...and the templars were ordered to kill her. Cullen..was forced to kill her. He had come back to her different that night, cold and despondant. He had snapped at her, said he wasn't in the mood- they hadn't spoken since.