The Winter's Queen [Magus AU]

[Helene Dakesh]

"Alright." says Helene, quietly. "This is my fault. I will do whatever you ask." 

[Isabela]

"You must be out of your mind. I'm leaving town, before this gets worse," snaps Isabela. 

[Tethras Clan]

"No, you aren't," Zevran snaps right back. "I doubt Helene is a real combatant, and I might need someone to watch my back while we fix this."

[Isabela]

"Wake up, Zevran! Hawke is some kind of crazed necromancer, Aveline is dead, and oh yeah, Helene tells us the whole of Preacher's Way is overflowing with undead! There's no coming back from this. Nyra is over. Hawke is over. All of this is over!"

[Tethras Clan]

"No," Zevran says softly, turning to look at her. Hawke isn't the only one with frozen eyes. "It is not over. Not ever."

[Isabela]

Isabela reaches out to gently caress his face. "Alright. If that's your choice. But mine is to live." 

[Tethras Clan]

"Isabela... please," he asks softly. "I don't know if I can... do this alone."

[Isabela]

She steps forward, pressing her forehead against his -- a gesture very unlike her, one more suited to himself than her. "Then don't," she whispers. "Come with me. I'll take care of you, protect you. We can find a way to go on." 

[Tethras Clan]

"I can't," Zevran says, just as quietly. "I can't leave them. I can't. Please... Please don't ask me to. Please help."

[Isabela]

"She's dead, Zevran. That's not her. That's-- that's an undead." 

[Tethras Clan]

"Undead can be... brought back." Right? "She just needs to be... purged of the necromantic energy and... healed."

[Isabela]

"I won't let you die for her. You deserve better than that." There's fear, genuine fear, in Isabela's eyes as she studies his face. 

[Tethras Clan]

"I don't care," Zevran whispers. "I can't them leave, ma'Bela. I just can't. Merrill... maybe Merrill is okay. And... even if she's... not, I can''t just... I can't not help them."

[Isabela]

"I'm sorry." She pulls her hand away from his cheek, turning away from him. I should have saved him when I had the chance. I should never have let him meet Hawke, never have let him stay in bondage for so long. I should never have let them break him.

"I can at least get you safely to Wynne." 

[Carver Amell]

The damn dog was growling. Why hasn't Mother let you out? I need to sleep, I'm going back out with the guard before Dawn. But all the protesting wouldn't make the facts not accurate. If anything, Mother was going to start bitching at him before too long that he needed to let the dog out. That Hunter was his responsibility (because...?) and he needed to start taking care of him before--

"alright, alright, stuff it," muttered Carver, rolling over and opening his eyes. 

But Hunter wasn't whining. Hunter was growling. And worse, he was growling at something Carver couldn't see -- something in the corner. Carver jumped to his feet, wishing he'd slept in something more substantial than boxers, and grabbed for his sword off the wall. "Who's there?"