Border Crossing

First topic message reminder :

"You're late." Baralai Fairchild despised the rain, almost as much as he despised mages. He was waiting at one of the bridges that crossed the river that in turn divided the two largest kingdoms in their land. It was the same bridge where he had waited countless times. Templar or no, gold was gold, and this gold also got rid of troublesome mages.
"You want the gold or not?" A black clad man snarled as he jumped down gracefully from his equally black steed.
Baralai muttered something rather unbecoming of a Templar, then held a gloved hand out. "Gold first, then the cargo. Try anything..." He words were cut off as the mage he was transporting broke free of his restraints. It all happened so quickly that he didn't see the flash of lightning and the proud Templar was crashing into the raging river below.
Six months. It had been six months and the fallen Templar still woke in a cold sweat after dreaming of that night. The mage had rendered him immobile, though wide awake when he had plunged into the river, his heavy armour weighing him down until a pig farmer had dragged him from the river several miles away. It had taken months to get back to health and pay back the farmer for his kindness. In that time word had gotten out that Fairchild the Templar was a deserter.

Alice Gormanghast was scowling into the mirror. She hated this world she had been born into, even now as her maid pulled tightly on the laces of her dress she thought of nothing but a way to escape. Her brother's were all war heroes, famous to everyone in the kingdom for their brave deeds and triumph in defeating several of the dragons. But Alice... All she was known for was to be the prize her father handed over to the man he deemed brave enough to end the war altogether. She was the proverbial Princess in the tower, useful only for luring in prospective suitors. The young brunette didn't even realise her rose coloured lips were quirked into a slight smile 'if only they knew'. Indeed, her father would have a literal heart attack if he knew his prized daughter had secretly been learning how to shoot a bow and handle a sword. She lost herself for hours at an end in books that told of the thieves guild, and their mysterious leader who was sometimes known to have a higher moral code than the knights of their kingdom.

Alice accepted Garrik's refusal to look at her as an indicator he was angry with her actions. "A destructive force with no thought for those around her... I understand." The Pirate Queen whispered, her own sapphire gaze fixed on the black horizon.

"How does that saying go... To die, would be an awfully big adventure?" Bear chuckled.

"You were going to leave me behind. You professed you love for me and then intended to just leave me with the very people who hurt me the most. What do you want me to say, Alice?"

"It's a stupid saying." Yrna snapped. "I get you back and lose you and then live in hell for a year. Fuck adventure."

"That I would rather you were hurt than killed!" Alice snapped. "I told you I loved you, and it wasn't enough! You're the one who can't forget Anaris, not me!"

"If not for adventure, I would never have found you." Bear pointed out. "Without adventure I would have most likely been a mere priest, or something else rather mundane."

"You're the one who's still seeking revenge for his death. Not me." Garrik said evenly. "I'm just trying to do what will make you happy. I never see you smile."

"A mage hater?" Yena offered, lifting her head to look at him again. "A slave trader?"

"You're still assuming Anaris's death is the only thing I want revenge for." Alice countered, her nails sinking into the wood beside her now.

"Both just as boring." Bear sniffed. "I don't get to keep pets like you." He added with a smirk.

"Is what he did to you worth all this?" When Alice finally saw past the rage she would see Garrik kneeling in front of her. "Besides, your being selfish. As the man who loves you, I think I deserve at least a chance to break a bone or two of his."

It was in that moment that Bear was struck with the memory he was fighting hard to forget. 
He'd woken up from his coma at one point in a blind rage. Yena had been standing closer to the fire, trying to light it without looking at it. 
He stumbled toward her, grabbing her by the throat. His chest was heaving. He had been dreaming of his struggle to breathe in the water. He lifted her off her feet, snarling at her. "I don't keep pets like you, piglet." He'd turned with her and slammed her back against the tree, fumbling with his pants and hers. 
Yena had never once cried out or asked him to stop. She'd just rested her head against his shoulder, and closed her eyes. When it was over he would toss her aside and then make a few drunken steps toward the river. He once again lost conciousness and the little elf continued to heal his wounds. 

"Bear..." Yena thumped her Templar on the forehead. "Where are you?" She called softly, worried by the way he was staring at nothing.

"He's made my life hell since the day my mother disappeared... You think I'm going to leave you any bones to break?" Alice replied with a lopsided grin.

Bear dropped to his knees, though he was still holding Yena. His golden eyes were filled with sorrow as they stared ahead, the memory of what he had done to her slamming into him. "Piglet... Why did you hide it?" He breathed, finally looking at her. "Why aren't you punishing me?!"

Garrik reached out and slid his fingers through her hair. "Did my mother say what she plans to do with Blackbeard? What is he going to bring to the table on this?" He asked, truly worried by how pale she looked. 

"Bear...you're scaring me." Yena whispered, her brilliant green eyes searching his face. "What are you talking about? It's not your fault you died. It was those shems. If anything...you should punish me."

"I don't think he is bringing anything, not something that is of benefit to our cause anyway." Alice breathed, leaning her cheek into the cup of Garri's hand as he slid his fingers through her hair. "Why didn't you tell me he was your father?"

"I violated you!" Bear suddenly roared, heartbroken tears in his golden eyes. "I forced myself on you like an animal, and you didn't even try to stop me!"

Garrick actually chuckled at the very idea. "You're kidding right? Can you imagine him as my father?" He shook his head. "My father was some weak little scholarly man who wanted to study elves. My mother taught him more than he asked for. At least...that's the story she told me." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Besides, have I ever shown signs I was unstable like Blackbeard?"

"Baralai..."Yena took his face in her hands, her green eyes sad. "I wanted you. I loved you. I...was afraid to let you go. You should hate me for keeping you asleep for so long."

"You're mother didn't seem to think that." Alice breathed as she watched Garrik from beneath her dark lashes. "She's in love with him, and it sounded a lot like something drove them apart."

"NO!" Bear roared, slapped Yena's hands away. "What I did cannot be forgiven! I used you, Yena! I treated you like some object, then allowed myself to forget what a monster I had been!"

"My mother...in love with a human?" Garrik laughed. "Especially one as psycho as Blackbeard. I just can't see it. And him...can you see him with her?"

"It was building, Bear. I was trying to make you love me. I went around it the wrong way. It's my fault. Please don't be angry." Yena begged, her voice cracking.

Alice smiled slightly at Garrik's response. "Can you see yourself with a Fereldan Princess?" She teased. "Maybe he has a think for cruel, overbearing women?"

Bear continued to shake his head. "Make me love you? Silly child... You never needed to do a thing, least of all let me violate you. I don't know why I did that... What if it's a part of me I can't control?"

"You're right...that does kind of sound like a BlackBeard thing to do." Garrick said, giving her a sheepish grin. "Maybe he is my father. Being controlled by an overbearing princess is kind of hot." 

"You weren't yourself. It was almost as if someone else was pulling strings for you." Yena said softly. "I don't know any other way to describe it. "I trust you. I don't think it's something you'd do again."

"Such a shame I'm a queen now then, huh?" Alice purred as she slid off the railing to stand up with Garrik, even if the top of her head did only come level with his chin.

It killed Bear to hear Yena tell him she trusted him after everything that had happened. "You... don't think it was Kane, even all those months ago, do you?" He asked, now worried that the monster king had been plotting this for much longer than he realised.

Garrick tipped her chin up and pressed his lips to hers. "I see no shame in worshipping my lovely queen. Especially when she is in my bed." He pulled her toward the cabin with him. "I did say six hours didn't I?" 

Yena didn't know what to say. How was she to know the answer was no? There was a much more sinister hand maneuvering things and it had been doing it for many years.

Alice gave Garrik a wolfish grin and unfastened her belt that was quickly pulled down to the decking by the weight of her sword with a loud clang. A moment later she slowly began to unbutton her shirt before she paused. "You did come alone, didn't you?" She asked, though she let her shirt flutter to the ground anyway.

Bear seemed to finally give and simply wrapped his arms around Yena, holding her head to his chest as he buried his nose in her hair to breathe her in. "For now, how about we just worry about keeping away from Kane until you find us a way back?"

Garrik lay in the dark thinking about Blackbeard. The vicious pirate had come to the dalish encampment twice a year until he was five. Until now he'd thought nothing of the offerings the long bearded man had given him. He was sure it was only to impress the queen. Even the black tiger which had seemed a bit much... his mother had rejected this gift for him of course. And the sword...the sword he still carried to this day...
Blackbeard had continued to come until his mother had literally stabbed the man in the back and put a curse on him and his entire crew. But why? That was something he guessed they were soon to find out. 

"The whole world is in danger from him, Bear. But...I feel so ashamed. After what happen to you...I'm scared to lose you and I...I don't care what happens to them. They didn't care about me." Yena confessed.

It was as she lay with her legs tangled within Garrik's, their clothing strewn about the deck, that Alice thought of her own childhood too. Ever since she could remember her brothers had disliked her. They didn't like her and her mother taking any of their father's attention. But the Queen had always been there to protect her daughter until the day she simply... disappeared. The king cruelly told the little princess that it was because her mother could not stand to be around her any more, that the little six year old had torn their family apart. Alice had never found the truth, and it had haunted her every time Kane had made his advances. The pirate Queen tried to push it from her mind as she lay with her head against her lover's chest, using the steady pound of his heart to calm her melancholy thoughts.

"Kane isn't your problem." Bear insisted firmly. "He has abused you, and now the whole world thinks you should lift even a goddamn finger to stop him!" The large man was clearly rather angry. "He's got family, let them be the one to end their mistake!"

"We need to get up." Garrik sighed deeply. His lover was arm. They were happy here. He wasn't sure after this moment they would be again. "We are almost there."

"He has my heart. Well... the largest portion of it." Yena reminded him. "I'm not sure we can...I can just walk away from that."

"I know." Alice breathed, but she still didn't move. She didn't know why, but something was screaming to her that finding Blackbeard was going to affect more than just Garrik's past, but her own too.

"That doesn't mean you have to be the one to sacrifice what you have left to kill him." Bear pointed out gently, a rough thumb brushing Yena's cheek as he spoke.

Garrik got up and began turning down the sails. He was deep in thought, wondering how soon they were going to run into Blackbeard. He also wondered what the man would look like. 

"I remember how I got in here. You think it's enough to go back the same way?" Yena asked him?"

Alice was guiding them carefully through the sharp rocks that protects the island where Blackbeard made port. It was a welcome task in keeping her free from her thoughts.

"We can try." Bear assured her gently. "Then we pass on Kane's location to his Pirate sister and run for the hills. Got it?"

Garrik could see the ship ahead but frowned. It looked to be abandoned. Even though they'd seen him a few short years ago, the ship looked as of it hadn't moved in decades. 

""What about the ocean? I've already been to the hills." Yena said, making a face.

"What's wrong?" Alice has come to stand beside her lover when she saw him staring at the ship. Their own ship was anchored down now, access to the island only possible by first boarding the ancient looking ship.

Bear laughed and ruffled Yena's hair affectionately. "Alright, the ocean, the sky, anywhere you want to go... Piglet."

"You sure revenge is worth this?" Garrik asked. "You know this is a trap. It just screams stupidity to waltz in there and yet...there's no other way...." 

"We will never escape this place. I don't know how to save us. I fail at everything."  Tena sighed softly, unable to look at him.

"You could always take the ship back to your mother." Alice replied with a shrug. "Kane is a cancer on this world, who am I to expect somebody else to put him down?"

"Hey..." Bear gently tipped Yena's chin up to look at him. "Kane has a lot of enemies, all you need to worry about is opening a portal. If someone out there can locate it, that's good enough."

"Fair enough." Garrik said solemnly. "But Alice...in your rage, you're forgetting me again. Don't do that."


Yena didn't know that she was the magic, but not the portal itself. Both of them were needed. Not even Kane knew this. 

"Garrik, I'm really not." Alice breathed. "You have to understand that my whole life it's always been just... me. I'm not even certain I know how to be a par of someone's life anymore..."

"As long as we keep one step ahead of Kane, that's all that matters, for now." Bear assured Yena. "How do you feel? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"We've been side by side for over a year without the love part." Garrik reminded her. "It can't be that hard. Love on your part anyway. I fell for you the moment I laid eyes on you." 
The walk through the derilict ship was odd. There was nothing but strangely placed skeletons. In the Captain's cabin, Blackbeard's remains lay with what seemed to be two women. Outside the door was a skeleton crouched down, covering it's ears. 
"Well fuck!" Garrik shouted, nearly kicking over the skeleton outside the door. "Damn it! What do we do now? My mother didn't want bones!"

Yena shook her head. "He knew better. Advancing on me would have angered the spirits that are here but... I don't know how he woke them up. I wasn't myself for that..." she whispered.