Into the Woods (a Dragon Age fanfiction)

Go Your Own Way

Walking to the great library where the maps were kept, Fergus felt torn. While he needed to see the maps for himself, and Leliana would be more comfortable if he were present while the others were looking through the maps, he couldn't help but worry about the Grey Wardens and what they wanted with Anders and Oghren. Would Jennie and Isabela be able to handle the Grey Wardens on their own? At least the lead Warden was Jennie's sister, although he could tell that their family relationship wasn't quite as smooth as it might have been. It made him wonder what it would be like when he finally saw Wulfric again. Would their differences or their family bonds come to the fore? Fergus supposed that would depend on the nature of the trouble Wulfric faced.

Ahead of him, Zevran and Varric were walking close together, speaking in low voices. Fergus hastened his steps to get closer, wondering what they were talking about with such absorption. Fenris brought up the rear more slowly.

"You recognize the need to keep her distracted, then?" Zev was saying.

"Strawberries seems a little too curious about our plans," Varric agreed. "But then, a bard in the hand ..."

"Is more devious than two in the bush?" Both men chuckled.

Fergus was startled. Leliana was a bard? He thought of her soft, soothing voice, of her sparkling conversation, of the attentiveness she had displayed toward him, and he could have kicked himself for being such an easy mark, not to mention Zev for not having told him so earlier. So what did she want, then? Was she hoping Fergus would give her some hint of Wulfric's whereabouts, or was she using her talents on him merely as a reflex?

"How long will you need with each map, in order to commit its contents to memory?"

"Only a few minutes. Then I should be able to reproduce each map in its entirety."

"An impressive skill, my dear little friend. May I ask how you developed such a thing?"

"Memorizing Merchants' Guild bar tabs." Varric chuckled. "Some of those things are as long as my—they're long."

"Indeed." A note of interest had crept into the elf's voice. "Some day perhaps you will demonstrate some of your ... capabilities for me, yes?"

"Dream on, Flash."

They arrived at the great library of the Chantry, an imposing building guarded by several heavily armored templars. Two of them crossed their massive blades in front of the door as Fergus approached. "Business?"

"Teyrn Fergus Cousland. I have an appointment with Sister Leliana to view the maps."

The two bucketed heads swiveled as the men looked at each other through the slits in their visors. After a moment, they nodded, stepping back and returning their swords to their sheaths. "Enter."

Fergus did so, feeling somewhat daunted in spite of himself by the display. He was disgusted at his own reaction, knowing that the encounter had been staged to elicit that very response.

"Large men in armor are only intimidating if they know how to use their weapons," Fenris remarked, not quietly, as he entered behind Fergus.

"Please don't taunt the templars," Fergus said, pitching his voice low. "You wouldn't want them to get the idea that all that lyrium must make you a mage."

Fenris looked at him, startled, then scowled. "Let them try."

"Let's not and say we didn't," Varric put in. "We're here to look at maps, not to make a point that won't do anyone any good."