My Warden (COMPLETED)

Betrayal

Leliana opened the door to the apartments, perhaps her first time turning a knob since she became the Divine but Cullen had his hands full helping Lana. Not balking for a moment at having to perform a moment of manual labor, Leliana ran her fingers across Honor's scruffy head. She'd driven the carriage as well, nudging over the patient driver and often glancing back as if to make certain Lana was still alive.

Taking her time, Lana filled Leliana in on what she could remember of the attack, how both organized and sporadic it was. For her part, the once spymaster only nodded grimly and said little beyond asking for clarification. No doubt, she intended to keep her findings away from Lana for fear of endangering her friend or causing a relapse. That idea caused Lana to smile internally to herself while she clung tight to Cullen's hand. They both held each other without letting go, as if they shared the same fear that either could vanish in smoke at a moment's notice.

With the use of Honor's stick, Lana hobbled into their room, her eyes upon the divan. Cullen kept a hand softly smoothing up and down her back as he guided her. She tried to ask about the wadding of bandage around his other arm, but he dodged the question, barely pausing to take account of his pain in favor of hers. Leliana entered first, widening her arms and smiling. "I don't know about you, Lanny, but after the events of the day I could use a stiff drink."

Lana snorted, "Tempting, believe me, but with my mana so low it'll not end well." She felt her friend's eyes watching her limping across the floor, trying to gauge how deep the scars reached this time. It was exhausting at times to have her friends know the price the full fury of her magic could cost, but Lana wouldn't trade their love for anything, even if it did reach beyond overbearing.

"As you say..." Leliana said watching Lana and Cullen slide together deeper into the sitting room. "But I happen to have a bottle of Tevinter gin that might change your mind." She smiled wide at her friend, that old bard wickedness drifting across her face when a soft cough drew both their attention.

Detan stepped out of the bathroom, her sleeves rolled up to her elbows. She bowed once to the Divine before speaking, "I drew the bath as you requested, and I left as many ointments and salves on hand as I could find upon the counter."

"Thank you," Leliana said, tipping her head to the assistant as well.

"Do you..." Detan's murky gaze drifted over the pair of people who scraped by with their lives before focusing back on the Divine, "require anything else?"

"I'm not certain," Leliana turned back towards the pair of them. "Lanny? Cullen?"

"A long rest is all I intend, perhaps for a few days," he grumbled. His hand slipped away from Lana's back to dig into his eyes, mashing the mud stains nearer to his waterline.

"Hm..." Lana wrapped both hands around her stick turned cane, and in an exaggerated fashion she limped towards Detan. "Let me think..." hobbling closer, Lana smiled at the elf nearly her same height. She leaned back upon her heels and glanced heavenward, as if contemplating before snapping her fingers, "Ah yes, I know."

Swiping her stick fast, she smashed into the back of Detan's knees causing the elf to buckle. Cullen and Leliana both shouted a moment in surprise, while Lana grabbed onto the back of Detan's hair and yanked. Shrieking, the elf tried to claw herself free, but Lana gritted against any attack. With a force aided by both magic and seething hatred, Lana jammed Detan's face against the counter. She did it twice more until a crack reverberated through the suddenly still air only to be replaced by the elf's whimpering cry.

"Lana!" Cullen shouted. "What are you...what's going on?" He tried to reach out to free the elf from her grasp, but Leliana waved him back, her lips twisted up in thought.