What did you do today in DA? [Spoilers]

In Awakenings, I was maximizing points in every chracter, so Anders was not 100% in my company. Honesly, other than being an apostate that liked cats, I don't remember much about Awakening Anders. The drawbacks of metagaming points is that you never really spend enough time with any one character. Origins had presents galore to make up for not dragging people about, but Awakening was very very low on gifts. So, if I wanted to "win" as everyone's friend, I had to switch out party members often based on mission.

My first PT of DA2, I flirted with all of the LIs. I was a rogue. And I self insert quite a bit my first PTs and I value freedom for all, darn the consequences....which led to strong friend points with Anders. Anyway, so I had Bethany. Bethany had already maxed out friendhship points, wasn't very interesting, and wasn't an LI to boot, so I switched her out for Anders as my mage healer. I didn't fall for Anders right off the bat. I slept with Isabella and agreed it was a one night stand. I slept with Merril, and sent her crying from the room as I felt nothing for her. Fenris never came to my bed cuz DUH, I'm obviously Isabella 2.0.... then Anders. 

Anders kissed me. Then told me he would come to me that night. So that, if I still wanted him after I'd had the day to think, we would be together. Then he asked if I was sure when he got there. Cleared the air about my prior relationships. And then, and only then, could I say, "Let's do this."  He was the only LI of 3 I'd tried who'd gone through all that effort to make sure I didn't feel pressure to go to bed with him. Isabella jumps you after one flirt. Merril makes your first kiss into sex. (technically, so does Fenris, but I didn't bang him my first PT.) It was just so... It was just different, and sweet, and romantic and gentlemanly. His concern for my Hawke's welfare superceded his aching burning desire to have me. And he had wanted me so badly for 3 years, according to him, whereas Isabella considered me a fling, and Merril jumped into my bed out of NOWHERE; she went from being oblivious to my flirts to crying in my arms right before sexing me in my bed. 

And in my first PT, I ALWAYS used the Star option when it came up (the equivalent of persuade I guess.) So, when we got to Mage Ella, I starred Anders, he calmed down. I hadn't even known killing Ella was even an option! In my world, Anders was losing control but he never killed anyone. So, unlike you, my perception never changed. Well... my Hawke was very hurt by Anders twisting her emotionally into helping her...But everything that was going on in Kirkwall kept distracting her, and by the time Meredith and Orsino were screaming and running to Elthina I had totally forgotten about the argument and Anders weirdness in the Church. It was that weird thing I did for my lover that one time, whatevs....Then Explosion and Shock and @_@ Damn it, Anders!

AS a player, I was yelling and pacing the room. ASking my family members their opinions. My MIL sealed it for me. "If your husband of 3 years turned into a Terrorist for something he believed in, what would you do?" And MIL said, "Absolutely, I would stay with him. Our marriage before God blah blah." 

The only thing I kinda regret is that not killing him AND not exiling him seems to mean our relationship stayed intact. I may choose not to kill my terrorist husband, but that doesn't mean he should get love and kisses a couple of hours later either. Or that I would go on the run with him. I think I would have not killed him but expected him to help stay and defend the Circle he'd put in Jepardy. THEN exile him. At least away from my Hawke.

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5




Sitting on the wagon as it rolled along, Eliana removed herself from her thoughts to speak to the nimble elf walking along behind her wagon.

"What is it, Zevran?" Eliana finally asked him.

"It occurs to me, my dear Warden, that you have not taken advantage of my specialty, as of late."

Eliana refused to blush. "Assassination? I suppose I could send you after Loghain. Would serve him right to have paid the person who would kill him."

Zevran smiled at the idea,"Interesting idea, my dear Warden. I do wonder if the luck of my last two assignments wouldn't continue, and you wouldn't just end up short one elf for our troubles."

He'd meant it as a joke, but she flinched nonetheless at the reminder of Rinna. Zevran realized from his expression that his joking had gone off poorly. He followed behind the wagon nimbly enough as she became quiet once more. It was nearing sundown; they were a day west of Denerim at this point. They’d probably pass the path that would need to Solider’s Peak first thing tomorrow.

Ever patient, it was again Eliana who broke the silence. "So when this is over, you said you'd go into business for yourself. You can't go back to Antiva, I assume. Even if doing these...tasks for Ignacio," her eyes darted away from Zevran's face as she continued,"would stop them from crossing the border after you, I can't imagine returning home would receive the same respect of the deal." She feigned heavy interest in the trees at the roadside while she waited for his response.

"What I do depends in large part upon you, my dear Grey Warden. I have mentioned before, I am not a free man, as it were." His easy charm and perpetual smile continued un phased at her serious questioning.

Impatient, Eliana’s eyes met with the sparkling amber version of his own. “Yes, yes, but you’ve already mentioned leaving.” Eliana ignored the small tightness in her chest at that idea. Damned emotions.

Zevran’s only reaction to her tone was the barest tightness in his eyes but his smile and tone never wavered. “I said no such thing. You Grey Wardens are the epitome of charm and hospitality. I think I should stay where I am. Ferelden is a marvelous country. I think it’s the cool temperatures and the mud. Or maybe it’s the dogs.“

Revas, listening at her side, happily barked.

Eliana frowned at him. “What would you even do here in this country?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Alistair may become king, let’s ask him.” Alistari was riding in front with the driver of the wagon following Eliana’s, so Zevran merely slowed his pace until he walked along side him. Loudly enough so she could hear. “Good Alistair. You may become King, if if so, maybe you will need some people killed, yes?”

Alistair looked perturbed, slanting his gaze at the Fereldan seated next to him. It wasn’t exactly common knowledge that he was King Marric’s son. “Uh... “ He coughed.” Is there any reason why, in this very unlikely situation, that I wouldn’t just kill them myself?”

“You wound me. It's that sort of talk that is bad for business. Have you no thought to supporting the employment of your potential subjects?”

Alistair grinned cheekily. “That would be assuming I’d hire you. But I won’t need to. Ever.”

Zevran chuckled heartily as he came back towards her, drawing even more closely than before. It seemed intimate , as if they were sitting next each other. Chuckling finally coming to an end, Zevran remarked in a offhand manner to just her. “That’s the lovely thing about kings. They make for good business. AS the client, or the target.”

Her reaction was too swift and unexpected for even Zevran, as she slipped off of the wagon. They were very intimate then, just enough space between them for her hands to be shaped around the ball of seething energy that pressed against his abdomen. Zeran stilled, knowing danger and death was very near, as his smile froze and lost it’s ease.

Eliana’s voice was quiet, but deadly clear. “I will tell you only once, Crow, and listen well. You will not touch a single hair on Alistair’s head or I will hunt you down and make the rack you were tested and trained on seem a warm up to the sort of pain I would do to your mind and body. I am not so restricted as the Crows, for in my magic, I can make you feel the maddening fear and horror your nightmares could only hope to give you. I don’t care what happened in my tent that night, rest assured those moments will not keep me from you.”

Zevran’s amber eyes cooled, even as his expression resumed it’s usual appearance of charm. “ I see, warden. I was very right when I said I was attracted to dangerous things.”

Angrily, Eliana spat. “So help me, Zevran, I will see your body turned to ashes. I swear it.”

Two heartbeats, and the sound of the clopping of the wagon's horse catching up to them reached both their ears again; they’d been so focused, they’d forgotten where they were. Eliana let the energy dissapate, intentionally relaxed her shoulders, pasted on a smile, and stepped back into view of Alistair. Let Alistair think she’d jumped off to kiss Zevran, why not? The two elves resumed walking forward, side by side, as if she hadn't just threatened to torture him to death. Eliana spoke only loud enough for him to hear, sadness tingeing her words.

“Please. Don’t make me regret the desire to see you have your freedom.”

Only silence was his response. They walked onwards, as Eliana waited. But when the moment seemed to pass, she made as if to speed up her step and leave him behind. AS she did so, his words reached her. “I…. hope not to.”

His tone seemed pained, and Eliana frowned and turned back to look at him. She opened her mouth to say, something…. but then her eyes darted towards the south and she took two steps in that direction, bringing up her hands to cast. Zevran tensed, his hands already drawing his blades from his sheathes. Her cry was harsh and loud. “Darkspawn Approach!” Electricity sparked from her hands as she cast a tight cone of lightning at what she sense. It lit up the night, and one gemlock fell to the ground twitching in it’s death throws. The horses pulling the wagons screamed as their animal senses finally caught the Darkspawn. The wagon drivers shouted and tried to calm them.

Zevran melted into the shadows, and the large bulk of the Qunari, having never taken off his armor, barreled through the underbrush, some of it still aflame from the lightning Eliana had just cast. Alistair had removed his armor, but even he grabbed his sword and shield and rushed into the fray, Revas the mabari one step ahead of him. Arrows flew from what she suspected was Leliana’s bow, and Eliana could feel Morrigan cast at a Hurlock in the distance, it suddenly becoming trapped in place twitching in pain as the bars of the spirit cage compressed in to crush it.

Eliana again felt, more than saw, an emissary casting it’s dirtied laceration attacks at her. Her being a mage giving her advantage in that respect even more so than Alistair. She reinforced her ever present arcane barrier; what it did not absorb scraped loudly over Varathorn’s armor. The feeling of a mage within the Darkspawn suddenly ended; Zevran had completed his task of killing all enemy mages well.

Eliana reached for the fade once more; she did not wish to harm her companions or the wagoners who had given them a restful journey thus far by casting her habitual storm of fire and lightning. She enhanced the weapons of her comrades, and the iciness that marked them chilled the air. Alistair took a glancing blow from a tainted axe, worse due to his lack of armor, but Wynne was there, casting healing magic upon him nearly as quickly as he’d taken the wound.

And then, very quickly, it was over; It was not often that the 8 of them fought together and they were quite experienced at this point. A small band of Darkspawn could not best them. The wagoners were grateful, refunding the cost of their tickets aboard. “Knowing we’ll be safe on this trip is payment enough!” The man assured Eliana. He needn’t bother; Eliana would rather keep the coin and readily accepted it back.

The wagons stopped for the night, but after that attack, everyone kept close to the wagons when laying their bed rolls. Considering the conversation they'd had before battle, Eliana intentionally lay her bed roll closer to Alistair than usual, looking at Zevran in a warning reminder. Oddly enough, Zevran looked pained at her implication. She had let herself forget he had been paid to kill them. AS she placed small paralysis glyphs around them, she assured herself she would not let herself forget again.