A Love Like No Other

Chapter 3. An Urgent Goodbye

Many months passed and most of my companions went their seperate ways. I remained Viscount of Kirkwall for a time, but even that was something I was forced to give up. The Templars had started using Red Lyrium while under Meredith's command and eventually turned on me. I decided to leave Kirkwall in order to find out more, so I disappeared. The only one's who knew where to find or contact me were Varric, Fenris, Aveline, and Isabella. I was able to get Gamlen and Bethany out of Kirkwall, and Aveline sent Donnic with Blair and Merrill to find a safe haven for those who were left. I decided it best to have my family stay with them as well. Goodbyes had never been easy for me, and although I knew Bethany wouldn't take too kindly to the fact that I left without saying one, I felt as though she'd understand. She knows me, almost better than even I know myself. Goodbyes mean an end, and I was determined to make it back in order to see my family again, and help Kirkwall regain order. I intend to make Kirkwall a safe place once again. That is a promise.

Before I left, I contacted a Grey Warden. I had previously met him while on my way to fight the Arishok. His name was Stroud. I sent him an urgent message, asking that he meet up with me as soon as possible. I asked for his aid in finding out more about the deadly Red Lyrium which had suddenly become quite popular in Kirkwall. However, although I was in urgent need of his assistance, Stroud had feared about the recent corruption in the Grey Warden ranks and had gone into hiding. I was able to keep in contact with him, but our messages back and forth were to be burned after being read. Grey Wardens had suddenly started to go missing. Stroud explained to me that there was something calling, almost as if beckoning him. He said that something was triggering a false signal to Wardens, and causing them to believe that their end was near. Many of them sought to the deep roads, in order to face their final battle, but did so, much before their time.

Every day I searched for more answers, but few seemed to show up. I needed to figure out what was triggering this 'false serenade' to the Wardens, and also find out more about the corruption of red lyrium. My research had shown little use, and that was terrifying. As I continued my search, I recieved an urgent notice from Varric. I had made it clear to my former companions to only contact me under imediate circumstances. It seemed Varric was the first to need me again. It made me happy. Varric had been one of my closest friends, and I longed to fight alongside him again. So I set out to meet him, along with a 'special friend', as he phrased it. I wasn't quite sure what he meant by 'special friend' but I assumed I'd find out upon my arrival.

"Psh. What other special friends would he need? I'm a pretty great catch right?" I thought aloud to myself. I still carried large amounts of sarcasm on my journeys, and I feel as though that was one thing that kept me in tact for so long. Without sarcasm, or at least a dry sense of humor, my adventures would have been far duller than I care to remember. Many of my friends were also full of sarcasm, and that was something that helped us all get along quite well. Anders had often thought of us as idiodic and immature at times, but I knew that deep down he enjoyed our sassy remarks and comments. I missed him. Although he may have been a slight lunatic, he was still a great companion and even friend of mine. I hated having to see him end like that. If I could turn back time, maybe things would have been different. Maybe I could have spared his life. Sometimes I feel as though I should have, but even then, he had already proven to me that our friendship would not have kept him from taking my life if I had chosen to side with the Templars.

Thinking about it now, I missed all of my companions. In fact, my life had been quite boring since departing with them. I had no one to laugh at my jokes anymore. How depressing. It was always quite rewarding to think of a witty reply and then hear someone hold in the urge to laugh. I hoped to have a reunion with them in the future.

"Maybe one day we can all sit around the camp fire and laugh about how odd it would have been to see Meredith and Orsino romantically involved," I said aloud, smirking to myself. It honestly was very dull to not have them with me. After all, they were a major part of my life for many years.