Your Need Calls Me

Title:  Your Need Calls Me
Author: blackcherryangel
Game:  Dragon Age II
Characters:  Carver Hawke;  Ruvena;  Idunna
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these wonderful characters.  All are the property of © Bioware.  I just have fun playing around in their universe.

Others need it more than me.

The air whisking through the Free Marches was too warm and humid for heavy armor. The sun rays beat down making Carver's armor more uncomfortable than usual.  His wounds were still raw. He knew he should be sweating more. It was becoming more difficult to get his body to react to his thoughts.  Carver smiled knowing his fellow Templars secured this victory after a hard fought battle against the escaped circle mages.

"You waited.  I'm shocked."  Her voice wasn't as commanding as he remembered it. "I was sure you'd take off to get the final apostate yourself."  Ruvena said.  Carver turned to quick.  His eyes strained to focus on her.  As she stood before him, a cramp seized his stomach. Ruvena sheathed her sword again.   His cheek started to spasm as the heat aggravated his touched skin from the first battle.  Worse his craving started again.

In spite of spending her childhood spent meditating on the fact that the Maker abandoned his children,  Ruvena believed the Maker was here still. One night she told him the Maker whispered in the wind.  That she felt the Maker's sorrow in rainstorms.  His fury burned in fire.  If her family hadn't abandoned her to the Chantry, what might her life have been.

"We make a good team." He said.  One apostate was still out there. It was his sister's fault that she was still alive.   His brow hung heavy with worry. He'd gone too many days without lyrium. "Don't want you missing out on the fun." He continued.  "Besides, I've got to protect those soft hands of yours."

Ruvena  changed the topic. "The mages dare challenge the Makers authority,  Our  authority on this. A war is coming. We have been deficient in our duty to protect the mages from themselves. We must do better."

But not all mage are bad.

Carver thought.  There are those who helped stop the blight.  Then there is . . .

"The Champion was given too much freedom."   She stated keeping her voice low.  "Now, most mages want a taste of that freedom as well."

"Maybe."  Carver knew his sister did good.  Knight-Captain Cullen was smitten with her as well.  That first day they met him. She used lightning and crushing prison to destroy Wilmod and his fellow Abominations.  His sister challenged the Knight-Captain's beliefs. Dared him to do something. She made it known to him that her friends were mages.  The Knight-Captain studied her, thanked her, then offered her more work for coin.  Money they desperately needed at the time.

"This challenge to the Templars' authority must be met with the full force of the Maker."  She said.

Carver believed Templars were the physical manifestation of that force.  His was in the unique position of understand why apostates felt the need for freedom.  However, that did not mean he agreed with the methods used to remain free.  The escaped apostates sought shelter in the mountain caves outside Kirkwall.  It was his responsibility to make the Maker's rage felt all their hiding places.

Ruvena wrapped her hand around the pommel of her blade he bought her. The shopkeeper called it, the Vague Blade.  It always found its target.  Some adventurer sold the sword to a shopkeeper in Lowtown saying the blade never missed its mark.  What sane person would part with this sword?  The blade wasn't standard issue, but it had served her well.

"Your father would be proud this day."

"Like you're father would be proud his son is a mage-hunter?" She said.   "Sorry, I would like to think so, but, you didn't know my father."  Carver wasn't mad at her comment.  He couldn't remain mad at her. They had flirted often as they kept watch while the rest of the men slept.

The wind picked up again and he listened.  His growing fascination with Ruvena was a distraction.  Suddenly, his body began to shake from the withdrawals.

"How bad is it?"  Ruvena said. "Maybe you should head back to camp."

"Idunna is still out here.  The roads will open soon. Our supplies restocked." Wielding a maul didn't offer much in protection, but it set him apart from the other Templars.   The Knight-Captain told him how held wielded a two-hander in his youth, but the added protection of a shield eventually won out.  "Those damn dwarfs are squeezing every sovereign out of us."

"Hey,  you're too good at tracking apostates. Finding them with out their phylactery. You have been blessed by the Maker."

His sisters learned every trick on how to hide in the open from Templars their father. So, he knew what to look for.  Ruvena was very attractive.  His mind drifted once more to thoughts of family.  A normal life with a family of his own.

She let go and tried to turn away from him. but he held her firm.  His head followed her movements until she gave up trying to avoid his gaze. He was just concerned nothing more than that.  Reality became difficult the more lyrium sickness set in.  Going a day without lyrium could be managed.  Two days if one's will was strong. On the third day, delusions crept in.

Today was Carver's fifth day.

She placed her hand on his chestplate.  "Are you going to be okay?"

"What kind of leader would I be if I horded our limited lyrium supply for myself? We had no idea it would take more than two weeks to clean out the series of connected caves." His confusion made him bold.  He pulled Ruvena towards him to kiss her. The bang of their armor clashing vibrated a sensuous  rhythm to his ears.  He missed her mouth making contact with her nose. Delighted she didn't pulled away from his this time, he tried once more.  Their mouths connected.  It was just what he needed.

"I can taste the lyrium on your lips." He said truly smiling this time.

"You are delirious.  Otherwise you'd never do this here."

The worry once on his face turned to desire.  "If  you knew how long it's been for me." He pressed himself harder into her body. He kissed her cheek. "You're beautiful."

"In your eyes."  She tossed back.

"When we return, we have much to discuss ."

"So, you don't plan on leaving."

Knight-Captain said when they got the situation under control he would authorize a transfer to Fereldan so he could return home.  Carver thought he wanted to continue meeting up with his sister for their special talks without his disapproving scowl.  If he went back to Ferelden, he would not live under the Champion's shadow.  Actually, she was doing a better job of slaughtering blood mages than the Templars.

"I said I'd ask for a transfer.  However, that was when I thought you weren't interested.  You should come back to Ferelden with me.  Everything isn't as it is here.  Templars shouldn't live in fear of the Knight-Commander." Carver shook his head to clear his thoughts.  "The Maker is on our side this day. I don't want to spoil that with talk of lustful things."

"You kissed me.  Remember that, Ser."

Carver walked away from Runeva only to retrieve the helm that she left in the cave entrance where she came to ask for the Maker's guidance daily.

He paused inside the opening taking a moment to remember their kiss. Their lips lingered too long.  She did taste like lyrium.  He believed that the lyrium help them get to perfection so they could perform their duty.  There was still one more prey to catch today.  The one who was the real reason he was here.  That apostate wouldn't escape him today.

"Carver!"  Ruvena's voice cracked in tones he never heard from her before.  It would be his fault if something happened to her. All his fault.  He refused to let this successful campaign end this way.

Carver cleansed the area.  It allowed him to get a handle again to the situation.  The apostate, Idunna hurried to cast something.  He used his remaining power to  activate silence before running into battle.

Ruvena wasn't moving.  The apostate had a dagger but it would cause no damage to her.  At that moment she slashed her face. The blood spurting forth didn't hit the ground because Idunna was taking it into herself. Time wasted.

"Did burns I gave you heal."  Idunna said watching Carver approach.  His burn marks tighten at the thought of what she did earlier.  His skin folded and dimpled in some places.  It was pulled tight in others. The lack of lyrium hit hard.  The use of magic left a mist of lyrium dust in the air. Thoughts of Bethany flooded his mind.  Childhood playing by the river.  Being the younger sickly twin.  Not first born. Not a mage. His body felt as if a lightning bolt struck it. The pain wrecked his body. 

"It would be wise of you to let me be." Idunna said.

"I was never the smart one in the family."

"Go."  She continued hitting him with another bolt. "I have what I need. If you take me back, the Knight-Commander will believe this bitch is a mage hiding among them.  An Abomination within the ranks.  Is that what you want me to tell the Knight-Commander, sweetie?"  Only Ruvena's eyes turned to acknowledge their foe. "That Templar,  I know his secret."  Idunna spat in Ruvena's face.  "His sister is the Champion. Why does she get to live free.  When her fellow brothers and sisters are locked away.  We demand justice for all mages."

"Your tongue is making my flesh hurt."  Carver charged Idunna. We should have killed her instead of allow the Templars to take her when they discovered her plot in the Blooming Rose years ago.   "There is a reason we wear this heavy armor."  He backhanded her to the ground.  His boot crushing her hand before she escaped. A broken hand made it more difficult for the mage to hold a staff and focus power although spells could still be cast.  He just needed time to get his weapon free.  Then for the first time, he really saw what she'd done to Ruvena.

Her shield arm weathered the attack, but her sword arm was gone.  Paralysis kept her immobile. She bled out slow. Hemorrhage provide the blood used to fuel her next magic attack.  That must be why the Maleficars refused to kill the Templars.  That gave them an advantage that help will the battle.  But why use Templars blood?  It was easier to use themselves to sustain their fowl magic.  What had they interrupted out here?  Interrogations were needed. A pair of guard must watch the cave in hope that the others returned.

The area cleanse would end soon. Carver sighed. "Maker, guide me."  The wind answered again with a cooling breeze.  "You should have practice some creation healing spells while you're in hiding, Maleficar.  Nothing will save you this day. Taking time to siphon blood like a leech was foolish.  I have seen worse horrors that this."  

Bethany's death still plagued him.  That she was the one to act and not him.  If he'd died that day, he would not be here making a difference.  He understood everything. He knew why he was never good enough. Why he was born into a family of mages. He understood why father spent so much time with his sisters.

Idunna shrieked curses at him as she prepared her next attack.

Carver removed his maul, The Dogs of War, from his back.  He struck the side of Idunna's face so hard her head twisted around.   To her misfortune it didn't dislodge from her neck.  Her face became an unrecognizable mask of wrath as her dying body crumpled to the ground.

His scars constricted sending tingles throughout his body.  Carver collapsed on the ground next to Ruvena.  Her skin would soften as soon as the spell dispersed. She was in that shell aware of all that had happen to her. He planned to clean and bandage her wound. It wouldn't be perfect, but she would not bleed to death.  He said a quick prayer hoping that the shock wouldn't kill her. 

He feared his soul might harden into something unrecognizable.  The mages would win if Templars became void of feelings.  No different than the Tranquils. But the Lyrium made understanding basic truths so difficult. Not all mages were pure evil.

A Templar's blood was used for blood magic. Carver knew his next talk with Ruvena would be quite different. What concerned him most was he still wanted her.  No. The lost of her arm was his main concern. Sweat rolled down his cheeks. It was his duty to inform Knight-Captain Cullen of this, but he wouldn't mentioned it unless asked directly. 

Can I get her back to camp in time?  

He  looked past the hill.  Knight-Commander Meredith might  have her killed just because she let the . . . What did Isabela call her? Yes. He laughed.  Apostitute.  The apostitute got the best of her. Carver's eyes blurred again. He blamed it on the tears that he wouldn't allow to fall.  He could barely make out Idunna's dead body before him. War was coming to Kirkwall.  His sister.  Anders. All circle mages complained endlessly about their need for freedom, but what Templar was truly free?