Freedom's Consequences

Posted on 27 Mar 2021 @ 1:19am by Mage Kalian Winter & Warrior Martin Josceran & Warrior Rhiannon Cadash & Rogue Elinowy Ursulas

4,339 words; about a 22 minute read

Mission: Lore's Labour's Lost
Location: The Mine
Timeline: Cloudreach 17th – late night

OOC: After 'The end is near'

Less than an hour before the cavern had echoed with the sounds of pickaxes banged against stone, the groans of exhausted workers, whips cracking, and the cruel laughter of Roxa's guards. Now, small scattered groups of workers gathered, talking and laughing, though some were still in chains.

The battle had not been easy. More than a dozen bloody corpses littered the cavern floor, along with Gangue and Roxa. Many guards had turned tail and run for the mine exit along with workers. But the lift was at the surface level as usual, and for some reason, the guards' shouts for reinforcements, or rescue, went unanswered. The guards had been cornered. If not for Sofia taking tactical command of the workers, they would have suffered severe casualties.

Near the western tunnel nearest the mine entrance, Sorrel and a tall man with a beard had sequestered Roxa's surviving guards and organized a few workers to guard them. The old man they'd met in the infirmary was unlocking the manacles binding a worker, while his granddaughter called out that they had Theriana's keys.

Sofia and two other workers stood sentry at the mine entrance, keeping an eye out for the lift in case more of Roxa's guards descended, whilst advising workers not to wander into the ravine, where they could be seen from the camp above.

Varvin had hastily set up a new infirmary in what had been a guard lounging area. Whilst Varvin was doing his best to render first aid to Costard and other injured workers, Orla searched through supplies that had previously been under the guards' control. There was enough food there for everyone in the mine to partake of one large meal.

From the furthest reaches of the mine, two voices were calling for someone to free them.

****

Kalian barely contained a wave of nausea. He'd never been in a battle before. So many people were dead. So much blood. He cringed inwardly. One more reason not to have anything to do with blood magic - yuck.

Now that the battle was over, the possible consequences of revealing himself as an apostate to a Chantry sister and a city guardsman began to sink in. And yet, there were more people here in need of healing. With a sheepish half-smile that lacked his usual confidence, Kalian said, "I'd better see what I can do to help the wounded."

Kalian looked quite pale, and quite unlike his usual self. The reality of his being a mage had not fulled sunk in yet but now that the danger had passed it was slowly dawning on Martin that they were going to have a problem. His civic duty was obviously to report Kalian to the nearest Templars, but...

But he saved my life, and Elinowy's, and everyone inside this mine. And, damn him, Kalian was smiling. Even though he must know what position he was in - what position he'd put Martin and Elinowy in. If he hadn't, you'd be dead.

"Huh, right, yes, of course. You should do that," Martin agreed slowly, glancing quickly at Elinowy. He'd expected Kalian to... well, to say something instead of pretending nothing had happened. Ask them to keep his secret, or threaten them, or... anything. But he hadn't - and Martin could see on his face that he wouldn't. Maybe he was just scared to hear their answer.

Kalian opened his mouth to speak, apologizing for the way the Maker made him was pointless and he had no intention of begging for his freedom. People needed his help. Kalian simply nodded and headed toward the injured.

Elinowy was feeling deeply conflicted about Kalian. He was clearly apostate, but everything she had seen him do was out of kindness and compassion. He had even saved her life... with magic. A fact that she felt gratitude for at the same time as feeling infuriated and a bit unclean. Had prayed to the Maker to try to determine what she was supposed to do with this situation but as yet felt no illumination. She did what the Chantry had taught her. She kept a tight lipped serene composure masking her turmoil as effectively as any courtesan in Val Royeaux.

Martin watched as Kalian walked away, shoulders slightly drooping, the tension visible in his stiff demeanour. Once he was out of hearing range, Martin looked at Elinowy, trying to decipher her thoughts ; but her face was as cryptic as any Revered Mother's.

"I thought it was you, you know," he said after a painfully stretched silence. "The mage. Maker, I feel like a fool now." He paused, looking back at Kalian who was kneeling next to an injured miner. "What should we do, do you think ?"

The comment of being considered a mage by Martin was amusing and brought a slight smirk to her passive facade. "Seriously, I had concluded the same about you. I was carefully watching to see when you would make your move. And while the two of us were circling each other, while the real mage did his work. You almost have to be impressed. If it wasn't purely wrong."

"Well. I think..." Kalian was talking to the wounded woman, offering her his hand to help her up. During his Templar training Martin had been taught to be wary of mages, to mistrust them, to never let them out of his sight. But before that, when he was much younger, he'd been taught to not fear magic. Either way, Kalian did not look like a raving lunatic. In fact, he looked... surprisingly in control, for someone without formal training. "...I think we should talk to Kalian when we're out of here. But for now, we have more urgent things to take care of. Finding a way out of here, for starters, and getting those people the medical attention and rest they need. Kalian's been fine so far, I don't think one more day unsupervised is going to make much of a difference."

Shooting a glance in the direction of the newly found Apostate she saw him in his element, helping others. Elinowy sighed softly. He seemed to be a good man. Why did he have to be Apostate. She suddenly shivered at the thought of him holding her abdomen and the sensations it had sent through her. "Magic is not to be practiced in this way. He should be in a Circle." she stated factually.

"I don't know," Martin said softly. "I don't know what the right thing to do is. You know the law as well as I do, and the law exists for a reason. But... Kalian revealed himself to save us. It seems like a poor way to show gratitude, to surrender him to the Chantry. And... you know how circles feel about apostates."

The last words were spoken in a very low voice. Apostates raised in the outside world were feared, because many were ill-trained and with poor control, and because they did not submit to the authority of the Templars with the same deference as circle-raised mages. More often than not, when such apostates were caught, they ended up branded within a few weeks, or months, or years. Few adapted well to a lifetime inside what was essentially a golden prison.

The Chantry sister looked again at the apostate making sure to avoid direct eye contact. A small tear slid down her cheek.

**** Kalian: After leaving Elinowy & Martin to help the wounded ****

As Kalian approached the make-shift infirmary that was set up in what had been the guards' break area, he could see that Varvin was already occupied with bandaging injuries, with Orla's help.

Varvin looked up at Kalian, and his voice shook. "I saw what you did… you're a... a-"

The expression on Varvin's face, fear combined with hope, filled Kalian with sadness, but he said, "I won't hurt you, you're safe. I'm here to lend my help as a healer. You can assist by prioritizing your patients. I'll do my best."

Without more hesitation, Varvin pointed to a human woman lying on a pallet, a bandage wrapped around her middle. Kalian went to the woman, opened himself to the fade, and poured healing energy into her wounds.

His next patient was Costard, with a sword-wound to his leg. As soon as he was healed, he hurried, limping, to the mine entrance. Just your friendly everyday apostate healer, thought Kalian as he cast healing spells. Nobody who needs to be reported here.

By the time he'd healed the last injured person, someone had the practical idea to search the Guards' storage area and found supplies. Food rations and blankets were being passed around to the workers.

Now that even more people knew he was an apostate, Kalian wryly decided he should look for Rhiannon. The pretty dwarf had fought Roxa, and whilst Rhiannon had won, he wanted to offer her healing if she needed it.

**** Rhiannon: After the battle ****

Rhi had watched Roxa fall by her hands. In her haste to check on the others she quickly grabbed Roxa's sword and shield then ran to find the others. As she turned the corner she ran into the body of one of her guards. She leaned down and took the ring off his finger to take back to her mother and his family. They will be taken care of. She looked around to see her other guard following the others. She moved to follow.

**** Elinowy: After speaking with Martin ****

The apostate... Kalian.... was healing the injured. Elinowy for all her experience with herbs and potions was of little use compared to a magical healer. She felt like a bit of a fifth wheel in the infirmary. She gave out blessings and said prayers for those that wanted it, but as more and more of the miners marveled at the miraculous powers of the Apostate Mage, the simple sister of the Chantry made her way out into the mine tunnels to look for others that required aid... and the healer.

Toward the back of the cavern Elinowy heard voices calling out for help. Feeling an opportunity to be useful she rushed down and found a large iron door with bars. She could see a couple of rather emaciated dwarves. "I am here to help. Are you alright?" she spoke though the bars.

"We are hungry and tired, but I suppose we would be alright if we could get out of this cell." one of the dwarves stated back.

"Of course." Elinowy replied trying the latch on the door. It was locked. "How did you become locked in here?" she asked knowing that a criminal would not tell the truth, but since the mine was run by criminal basically it was likely these two were imprisoned just like the rest of them.

"We own this mine. Roxa became greedy and locked us in here." the male dwarf answered in an almost annoyed voice.

"We will get you out as soon as we can." she assured the two. Elinowy spied people moving in the passageway. "Over here!" she called out in a voice far stronger than either of the two prisoners could have managed. The group came closer revealing the one called Geoff with several other miners.

"We need a key or someone to break this lock. These people claim to be the mine owners. Go back to the infirmary and get help!" she asked in a voice that would not be mistaken as a request.

Geoff turned back up the passage as one of the miners came over to look at the door with Elinowy. "Yep. This here is locked up tight. Not a cheap lock like most of the others."

The sister looked back in the cell. "Help is coming. We will have you out shortly."

**** Martin: After speaking with Elinowy ****

Leaving the issue of Kalian's mage-ness to be dealt with at a later time, Martin looked around for Sofia. She was talking to Sorrel next to the fire, waving towards the entrance of the mine then at Costard. Sorrel nodded and took off as Martin was approaching. As he did, he rubbed thoughtlessly the skin of his left arm. His sleeve, crusted with drying blood, hang awkwardly around his arm. Beneath, the skin remained itchy and tender, and scabby where the cut had been the deepest. The muscle and bone underneath still ached but Martin marvelled at Kalian's healing power ; usually, such an injury would have left him unable to use the arm for weeks - perhaps maimed for life if it healed badly. But now thanks to Kalian he should regain full mobility within a couple of days, at most.

"Oh, here you are," Sofia said. "Well. I suppose we ought to thank you. And your friends. Who are you lot, anyway ?"

Martin grimaced, not sure how he could explain it in only a few words. "That's... a bit of a long story. Let's just say we were looking into the disappearance of Fereldan refugees and... stumbled in here. I didn't expect an operation of this scale, to be honest." If he had he'd have brought the whole guard along with him, rather than wing it like this.

"Well, now you know." Sofia snorted. "I'm surprised anyone cared enough to report our disappearance. Or cared enough to investigate."

"It's... fair enough, I suppose. I know Jader has not been... as welcoming to refugees as it could have been."

Sofia shrugged. "That's how it works. If it had been the other way around, you Orlesians would not have been welcome in Ferelden either. Well. Thanks, anyway."

Martin smiled. "I want to say you're welcome, but it seems a little bit inappropriate. How many...?"

"Five." Sofia exhaled a sigh. "It's less than it could have been. Less than it would have been but for your apostate friend."

"About that..." Martin bit his lip, unsure what he was going to ask, but Sofia beat him to the punch.

"No need to ask. I don't know who you are, or what your game is, but we owe you. As far as I'm concerned, I ain't seen no mage today, and no one here will say any different."

"Thanks. I'm Martin, by the way." He held out his hand. "Martin Josceran. Jader Guard."

"Guard ?" Sofia lifted an eyebrow, a mischievous light dancing in her eyes. "What, really ?"

"Believe it or not, it's true. I know I don't look the part, right now..."

"I didn't know the Guard employed..."

"It doesn't."

"Oh. I see." Sofia paused. "Actually I don't, but never mind. Look, officer of the Guard, I just want to get my people out of here as soon as possible. Should I assume you have a plan for that, too ?"

So far improvisation had played a larger part than Martin would have liked, but he wasn't about to admit as much. It would be better to keep the miners' morale high, starting with their leader.

"Sofia !" It was Geoff, ambling quickly towards them. "We found people locked up in the back tunnel !"

Kalian approached Martin and the elvhen leader of the workers, but remained quiet and listened to what the tall man said to her.

"People ?" Sofia looked startled. "Locked up ? Weird. Why would they not make them work ?"

"They say they own this place," Geoff said. "I'm guessing Roxa double-crossed them."

"Did you free them ?" Martin asked.

"Don't have the key. I suppose we can smash the lock. Or the key's probably somewhere in there." Geoff waved at the bodies of Roxa and her men, who were being piled together by some of the miners.

Geoff guided them toward the back of the cave, where Sister Elinowy and his people had found the two prisoners.

"Thank the maker you came. These two claim to be the mine owners. They say Roxa locked them in hoping to have control of the mine for herself. The lock is heavy. We need a key or if Martin can smash it open." Elinowy stated.

Kalian said, "Uh, Rhiannon?" He pointed to her forearm, where Roxa's blade had cut her. "I can heal your arm, if you would allow."

Rhiannon had moved up to the others and had told her guard to find the other two and make ready. She listened as the Elinowy commented that the two dwarves claimed that they were the owners and that Roxa had double crossed them. Rhi leans over a little to look at the two dwarves. "They look like the ones from the portrait." Her attention shifted when Kalian pointed out the gash in her arm. "Oh, I didn't notice. Ye...yes please. If you don't mind."

Kalian gently touched her arm, opened himself to the fade, and healed her injury. "My real name is Kalian. Sorry about deceiving you. We didn't know what we were getting into down here, not really."

Rhiannon grinned. Her eyes sparkled a little as she watched Kalian worked the magic. He was quite a handsome young man. "It is alright. I had a feeling that you were all hiding your names." Her tone was warm. She looked up at Kalian and grinned. "Interesting. I and my mother could always use someone with your talents. If you would be interested."

"I was the only one with a fake name, because it's a little unusual and my family owns a tavern in Jader… well really my sister runs it," said Kalian, sincerely grateful for Rhiannon's upfront acceptance of his abilities. "Always a pleasure to be of use to a pretty dwarf." He winked.

Martin watched while Kalian healed Rhiannon. She wasn't one of Sofia's people ; he hoped she could keep her mouth shut about Kalian's powers, at least for the time being.

The uncharitable, unbidden thought crossed briefly his mind that if Rhiannon reported Kalian, he wouldn't have to decide who to betray between his friend and the Guard. He wasn't sure why he found that this idea sat so uneasily with him. Perhaps because it would be taking the easy way out ; or, maybe, if he gave himself some credit, because Kalian deserved better from him. Either way he found himself watching the young dwarf, eyes lidded in concern.

"Let's look for the key first," he said finally, tearing his eyes away from the mage and his patient. "I'll smash the lock if I must but it might be tricky if the lock is heavy."

Kalian regarded the dead, and shuddered. "I guess we'll have to search the bodies." A task that was only going to be more gruesome with time. A funeral pyre would be needed soon, but not inside the mine where the air barely circulated as it was.

Rhiannon looked to the bodies and shook her head slightly. She had searched enough dead bodies in her life time. "Roxa might carry some keys. I didn't search her very well when she fell. I just grabbed her sword and shield."

Searching corpses was not something particularly enjoyable, and it probably said something of Martin's job that it wasn't the first time he did something like that. Searching people, dead or alive, was part of a guard's life. The key at least was not likely to be hidden in someone's boot or underclothes, thank the Maker, so he decided to search only the guards' belts and pockets, starting with their captain. The search yielded only a comfortably hefty purse, which Martin set aside. He'd give it to Sofia to share among the refugees, it seemed like the right thing to do. He moved on to Gangue's corpse, which took little time as the Qunari carried nothing of interest. Finally he started searching Roxa's body, finding another purse that he put with the other one at his belt.

Roxa carried several keys ; a small brass one that looked like it must open something smaller, like a chest ; a large black iron key, and a larger one with a distinctive pattern of grooves on the tip. One of those might be it ; Martin got the feeling Roxa hadn't liked to delegate. She certainly hadn't seemed the trusting type.

"I think I got it," Martin called to the others.

Whilst Martin searched the corpses of guards looking for keys to Roxa's jail in the back, Kalian checked the bodies to make sure none of them were still alive and in need of help, while also checking for signs of demon possession. The last thing he wanted to fight just now was an animated corpse.

Rhi moved to follow Kalian and help him. Giving the guards a quick stabby stab to make sure that none were playing opossum. As she helped she leaned in close to Kalian. "Well think about my offer. (small sigh, eyes sparkled) Regardless of your answer. I will make sure that my operations will keep you safe. You will have a safe house when ever you are in need of one."

Kalian noticed, just a little too late, that Rhiannon was engaged in accomplishing the exact opposite goal to his. Killing a person to end their suffering had not occurred to him, but he understood the compassion behind the act. Kalian enjoyed flirting with Rhiannon, though he'd heard most dwarves only bedded other dwarves. Still, he gave her a flirtatious grin. "Thank you, Rhiannon. I… well, I'm not sure if I need to worry about my safety, yet. But I'd be a fool not to consider any offer you made me."

The tunnel in the back was quite dark and cramped. A claustrophobic place to be locked up, let alone for weeks, although perhaps less so for dwarves. They definitely looked weak and hungry, Martin thought as he approached the cell. He couldn't see much in the flickering light of the torches but for the large, dark eyes of the prisoners, a glint of white in the otherwise pitch dark cell.

"Thank the Stone," one of them said - male, judging by his voice. "We've been locked in here for... I'm not sure, but a long time. Please let us out !"

"What are your names ?" Martin asked as he checked the lock to see if it matched any of his keys.

"I'm Pyrtin, and this is my daughter Lirta."

"We're the owners of this mine," Lirta added. "We bought the land, we have the deed... well, Roxa has it now," she finished bitterly.

"Roxa's dead," Martin said soberly.

"Good," Lirta said, eyes flashing fiercely.

Martin inserted the bigger iron key in the lock ; it turned with a sharp clicking sound. The lock opened and he pulled the door open, allowing the two dwarves to exit the tiny cell they had been locked in. A terrible smell wafted after them as they came out.

"Thank you so much," Pyrtin said. He stumbled and Martin caught him, ignoring the smell.

"Here, take it easy. You've been through an ordeal."

Elinowy did her best to remain busy, praying for the dead, praying for the injured, praying for her own soul as her life had been extended through Magic. In fairness she was not ready to surrender her life to the maker. There was so much left to be done. She had just embarked on her discernment journey and had thus far accomplished nothing that apparently couldn't be done through magical intervention. The maker had not chosen to spare her of the guard's fatal cut, but Kalian had. This was not right. Only the maker should choose who lived or died. Kind as it was, Kalian acted of his own desire to keep her alive, not that of the maker. She felt numb. She felt lost. As she passed by the arrangements of the dead she couldn't help but see her own flayed body laying in their midst. She had no song of thanksgiving. How did one correct for such errors? What did her life mean at this point? Her existential crisis kept her mostly oblivious to the work her companions were doing.

They helped the two dwarves back to the main cave where they were given food and water. While they were being tended to, Martin gestured to Kalian and Elinowy to come closer. There was a distinct awkwardness between them now, in the way Sister Elinowy's eyes refused to meet Kalian's, and in the way Kalian stayed silent rather than chatting amicably. That couldn't be addressed now, though, and definitely not here of all places.

"I think we've done what could reasonably be done," Martin said. "Now our priority is to find a way out. What say you we head back to the entrance of the mine and see what can be done ? Maybe we can bribe the guards, or I can climb out somehow." He grimaced a bit as he said the last words. Climbing was not a particular skill of his, though it beat starving slowly at the bottom of a mine.

"We'll figure out something," said Kalian confidently. Worst case, Kalian could shapeshift into an owl and fly up there. But, that was an ability he intended to keep secret. "There were more guards on the surface level. Strange they didn't send reinforcements."

The Chantry sister seemed distant. "I am certain the maker will provide a way out." she answered in an emotionless recitement of a phrase she had used thousands of times in her life as a sister. Undoubtedly the maker had provided a means for their escape form the mine, but her thoughts were too distracted to discern them. There was the rickety lift and there was the sea.

A loud commotion at the mine's entrance echoed through the cavern. Shouts and cheering could be heard coming from the ravine. The lift was being lowered. Kalian followed the crowd out to see Cainan riding the lift down with one of Rhiannon's guards. Which must mean the mining camp at the surface was secure. Kalian joined the rest in raising a cheer.

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