A Different Perspective

Sixteen

"Of course I'm fucking pissed off! Read what it fucking says!" I snarled as I paced, clenching my fists as Varric watched me, Herah reading the rewritings that Varric had done of the book.

"Apparently, according to that motherfucking book, I am this reincarnated queen and he's-"

"Stop it, Adaline, we don't know that!" Herah yelled, but I shook my head and growled.

"Don't know that?! Do you fucking hear yourself?! The queen was a fucking redhead with fair skin, green eyes, and apparently a chest worth fucking mentioning! Not to be vain, but have you looked at me?! And a man with blonde hair, a crooked nose, and hazel eyes?! We all fucking know that isn't Cullen!" I snarled and growled as I held my hips, taking deep breaths as I kept pacing.

"Adaline, we don't know anything-"

"Are we going to the fucking caves or not?!" I snarled at Bull, but he sighed.

"Fine, change the subject-"

"That'd be ideal, before I break something!" I snapped and Herah nodded.

"Solas, do more research into this kingdom, Cecelia, please. The five of you, go below and see what you can find." Herah ordered then I turned, storming out and going to the room to grab my bow and quiver. Since I wanted to get this over with, I grabbed Bianca and the bolt quiver. As I went to the dungeon where the entrance to the caves were, I shoved Bianca at Varric and he groaned.

"Let's fucking go!" I spit, leading the way below the fortress.

####

"Where are we even at?" Dorian asked as I held a torch, looking around the room with three separate directions to go.

"I don't know. Maybe we die down here." Krem said and I sighed, closing my eyes.

"Firefly-"

"Shut up, Varric!" I snarled and grit my teeth, trying to figure out what I needed to focus on to guide us correctly.

"Adaline, please listen to me!" Varric tried again and I growled, turning on him.

"What?!" I snapped and he sighed.

"First, calm the fuck down! I am only trying to help you!" He snapped and I sighed, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.

"You-you're right. I'm sorry." I said and shook my head, reaching up and holding it.

"Second, when we were down here looking for those two before, you were desperately searching for them. You desired to find them alive, right?" He asked and I looked at him then scoffed.

"Sure-"

"So, focus on whatever is down here. You desire to find it, right?" I nodded then he smirked.

"Then take us to it." He said and I nodded, closing my eyes and trying to focus. The Queen of Fire and King of Courage must find me. I opened my eyes then turned to look at Varric.

"What?" He asked, but I held my hand out and he frowned.

"Seriously?"

"Trust me." I breathed and Varric sighed, reaching up and grabbing my hand.

"Could have just said you... wanted..." He trailed off as the cave to our right lit up.

"Okay, that's freaky." Bull said and I took a deep breath, going down the lit cave with Varric gripping my hand tighter. As we walked, I handed the torch off to Krem then slid my fingers between Varric's, needing the comfort as he walked right beside me. When the tunnel narrowed, he stepped in front of me and I heard Bull grumbling, but he said nothing further as we got through and the tunnel opened back up.

"We're almost there." I breathed and Varric looked back at me as we waited for Krem to help Bull through the narrow tunnel.

"How can you tell?" Varric asked, but I shook my head and stepped closer to him.

"I-I don't know, I just can." I said and frowned, feeling a pull in my gut.

"Well, perhaps we can save the romance for later?" I glared at Dorian then Varric sighed, reaching up and grasping my hip with his other hand.

"Hey, you just focus on leading us. Alright? Ignore the Sparkler and his dick breath." I softly giggled then gasped as I felt a whisper of ghost fingers on my neck. I closed my eyes then tilted my head, feeling the fingers brush my hair away.

"This way, my queen!" I heard in my ear and, keeping my eyes shut, led the way further into the cave. After a few minutes, I was tugged to a stop as Varric grabbed my waist and I opened my eyes, realizing I almost walked off a cliff.

"What the hell, Adaline?!" Varric snarled, but I shook my head and looked around.

"There-there was a walkway here before!" I explained myself and looked down, seeing the ruins of a walkway far below.

"There was maybe centuries before, darling, but not now!" Dorian said and I nodded, looking around the room for a different route.

"Dorian, can you fix it?" I asked and he stepped forward, spelling the ruins below and reforming the bridge.

"Thanks." I said and went across the walkway with the others. As we got to the center, I slowed as I saw two throne backs, but I noticed a skeleton hand laying over the arm of one.

"Varric." I whispered and he gripped my hand tighter.

"I know. I feel it too." He said and I slowly let his hand go, stepping towards the thrones. As I rounded them, my breath caught when I saw the skeleton of a woman, based on her dress and feminine crown. In the other throne sat a skeleton in armor, a king's crown on his head.

"Is it possible-"

"The original Queen of Fire and King of Courage." I cut off Krem, staring at the skeleton of the woman.

"So, they were real people?" Bull asked and I nodded, stepping closer and grabbing the locket off the skeleton's neck. As I opened it, I saw a withered flower inside and looked at the king.

"He courted her, gave her this flower." I whispered, looking at the queen again.

"The mage wasn't just jealous of their love, he wanted the queen for himself. The king was his real target." I explained, not sure how I knew that.

"Firefly, we need to get back to the fortress-"

"We haven't woken anything though." Krem said, but I smiled softly as I looked down at the locket.

"Yes we have." I breathed and gripped the locket tightly in my hand.

"What did we wake?" Dorian asked and I looked at them.

"The curse."