#briala x female tabris

[anneapocalypse]

WIP Whenever

Tagged by @crackinglamb, thank you!

Tagging: @rosella-writes @nirikeehan @dreadfutures @chocochipbiscuit @warpedlegacy @fivekoboldsinacoat @a-song-in-the-stillness @ineedmyknightcommander and anyone else who wants to share!

My word count has gone to pieces over the past week, but oh well. Here's some Tabriala! Get you a creepy old blood mage uncle. CW: mad sciencey blight experiments. Taint taint taint. Etc.

Talith's voice echoed off the stone walls when she spoke. "Avernus?"

The man did not turn around. "One moment, please. I'm in the middle of something quite precise." They had a rather long wait while the mage finished his task, and Briala took the opportunity to survey the laboratory more thoroughly. She noticed that the walls were lined with maps as well as other notes, and examining one of them more closely she found it to be a very detailed map of a portion of the Deep Roads—not as they were in the height of the empire, but as they were in the present, noting tunnels, cave-ins, and darkspawn-controlled areas.

At last, the old mage left his table and came down the short set of stairs to meet them, gesturing impatiently as he moved to another table. "Twenty-three minutes that mixture needs to rest. Now then. Your Wardens' Calling has been unnaturally induced."

Talith shook her head, cracking a smile as she followed. "Hello, Avernus."

"That is why you've come, isn't it, Commander? I've little patience for pleasantries in my advanced age, so you and your companion will have to forgive me. To the blood—" He flipped through a few pages of the book of notes before him. "Fortuitously, I've studied specimens from Wardens at every stage of the taint's advancement, and that data I have been able to compare with the samples provided by the Senior Warden and several volunteers. Blood and tissue samples…" He waves a hand. "Unimportant. What you must know is that the taint has not advanced naturally."

"What's natural about the darkspawn taint?" Talith said dryly.

"There is a typical progression," the old mage replied impatiently, "which I have observed in many subjects, over two centuries—" Briala raised an eyebrow. "These latest samples are anomalous… inconsistent with reported symptoms… unnatural, in a word."

"Avernus," Talith said urgently, leaning forward on the table, "What does it mean?"

Avernus looked up at last, meeting the Warden-Commander's eyes. "As I told the Senior Warden, without further data I cannot say. The advancement of the corruption is inconsistent with that of a Warden reaching their Calling—in short, they should not be hearing it Therefore, I propose some outside influence. The Senior Warden has been reticent to authorize field tests, and though he suspects the Wardens in Orlais may know more, he declines to make contact with them, thus making it impossible for me to draw any further conclusions." The old man paused, and for a moment Briala thought she saw a flicker of sympathy on his face. "I have abided by Nathaniel's wishes—as I have yours, Commander. Do not think me unconcerned. I would… not wish to see the Order depleted."

Talith cracked a smile. "Don't tell me you're getting attached."

"I am content to work in solitude," Avernus replied stiffly. "However, I shall confess that the recent company has not been… unwelcome."

"The Drydens don't come to the tower much, I suppose."

"They are sociable enough. Nonetheless, it has been… many years since I regularly had the company of fellow Wardens. Do not concern yourself, Commander. As I said, I am quite content."

"As you say, Avernus." Talith's brow furrowed in thought. "So… externally induced or not, is it… a real Calling? Will it… progress as a real Calling would?"

Avernus shook his head. "I lack the information to say. I am sorry, Commander."

[anneapocalypse]

January Writing (+ a little Wednesday WIP)

Word Count: 6250

Thanks to getting sick this month, I did not get as much done this month as I'd hoped, but all things considered, I'm not unhappy with what I did get. I did some work on Harsh Light early in the month, wrote various FFXIV snippets throughout, and as February approaches, I have been writing a bit of Dragon Age again! This is the first week I've been back to my writing routine in earnest, but I'm feeling very energized and ready to do more.

I had been tossing around the idea of working on A Hero Sleeps in Gwaren in February (I may not end up with anything ready to post for Femslash February, but I can at least work on some femslash!) and as January comes to an end I've found myself excited to get back into that fic, and to work on an established project in general, so I think that's what's happening.

Here's a little snippet from this week!

Context: While Teyrn Tabris and Briala were in Denerim getting married, her human vassals have attempted a coup, and Castle Gwaren is currently under seige. With the help of an already-organized elven resistance, our heroines must find a way back to the castle to take command and put down the coup.

The first hitch was that the wagon would be inspected upon entering the town. There was no way around this. Bribery was not an option; if the guards were humans in the service of the banns, there was a strong chance they would simply pocket the gold and turn the elves in anyway. The resistance had a handful of people on the inside—elven knights sworn to the nobles' service, hired by necessity, Talith had explained, as the population of Gwaren had shifted more and more toward elves. They were trusted, reluctantly, to wield the sword for their liege, but they would not be trusted to guard the gates during a coup against the elven ruler. Unless there were an unexpected change of guard rotation, perhaps due to sudden illness. Talith had visibly perked up, to Briala's amusement, at the mention of poisons. "What will you be using? Not deathroot, I assume." "Nay, too bitter, easily detected," Alys had replied, briskly taking down phials and jars from a high cabinet she had unlocked with a large steel key. "I prefer a strain of deep mushroom for such applications… a moderate solution, we don't want them dead immediately, just taken ill, which is going to arouse suspicion as it is, so our agents will be administering the poison at the last possible minute, and your timing will be narrow, as it's likely to be discovered quickly. Our scheduled guards will sit down to lunch, fall ill within the hour, and our people will step in to replace them, just long enough to get your wagon inside. As soon as the commander discovers them, their cover will be burned, so Farron's got someone to extract them… hopefully." She had removed several strips of dried mushroom gingerly with a pair of tongs, crushing them to a powder with her mortar and pestle, then looked up to regard Talith and Briala gravely. "That spends two of our agents, and there's a chance they may not make it out. So, with all due respect, my ladies, do make this one count." Talith had swallowed. "Thank you, Alys. This means everything to me." "To us as well, my lady. It's our future hangs in the balance here, and we'll do what we can to restore you as our rightful ruler. There will be casualties, and I know you won't spend those lives lightly." Her eyes had dropped to the floor. "Still, I know nearly every elf in the resistance by name… I'd be remiss if I didn't say it. I pray the Maker give you swift and decisive victory… for us, as well as for you."

[anneapocalypse]

WIP Wednesday

@v-arbellanaris tagged me this week and @nirikeehan tagged me uhhh three weeks ago 😂 so thank you both! I've been on a writing hiatus but I'm working back up to it so here's a snippet.

Tagging @chocochipbiscuit @rosella-writes @delicatefade @ammoniteflesh @ziskandra @dreadfutures @inquisimer @ell-vellan @kiastirling @skyeventide @crackinglamb @ir0n-angel and anyone else who'd like to share!

~~~

"How… does this work, exactly?" Briala asked, with curiosity as well as some trepidation. They had retired early and arisen before dawn, eating quickly and packing up their things into the wagon for the journey. Lanaya's aravel was one of the larger ones Briala had seen, all painted wood with intricate carvings and designs. It appeared much too wide to pass through even much of the outskirts, never mind the dense forest into which they ventured. The back, which featured long covered benches that could function as seats or as beds, was entirely covered. The front was open to the air; a wooden frame allowed draperies to be hung over this part as well, but Lanaya had pulled them down so they could see all around them as they traveled. "I have heard about Dalish magic, but…"

"It's simple, really." Lanaya had taken the front seat in the wagon, with Briala and Talith seated behind her. "You've seen that the trees often move of their own accord. The forest lives and breathes, and as Keepers we learn its rhythms, until it moves for us as well."

"But the trees are possessed by spirits. Is that how…"

"We do not use spirits, no. Spirits have a will of their own, and can present a danger to us even if they do not intend to. Keepers study the natural world as well as the power of the Beyond, and the how the one can be reshaped by the other. It is the manipulation of primal forces, not possession or blood magic."

Gheyna and Cammen had finished hitching up the halla, now and they tossed their elegantly-horned heads, eager to get on the move. There were only three, which seemed insufficient to Briala; a carriage of this size in Val Royeaux would have been drawn by at least two large draft horses, and the halla were considerably smaller. Perhaps this too involved magic. Briala climbed into the open front, and Talith sat beside her. Still feeling a bit nervous, Briala welcomed the comfort of her wife's hand in hers. She wondered if Talith felt the same.

Lanaya stood before them at the head of the aravel, and spoke some words in Elvish to the halla. Briala could not make them out, but the creatures seemed to understand, quieting their restless movements and standing ready and attentive.

Gheyna and Cammen, having finished tending to the halla, stood aside, hand in hand, and Gheyna waved. "Dareth shiral, Keeper. Talith, Briala, dareth shiral. Sylaise ma ghilana vhenas."

Cammen added solemnly, "Dareth shiral, Talith. Elgar'nan ma ghilana, lasa mala enasalin."

At that, Talith's expression grew solemn as well. "Ma serannas, lethallen. Dareth shiral."

Briala recognized a few words. Dareth shiral, "Safe journey." Vhenas, enasalin. And the names of the elven gods. Gheyna had bid the Hearthkeeper guide them safely home. Cammen had wished them victory—in the name of Elgar’nan, the god of vengeance.

She was still unsure whether she believed in the elven gods—if she believed in any gods at all—but Briala sent up a silent prayer of her own anyway.

Lanaya raised her staff only slightly. Her back was to Briala and Talith as she began to weave the magic that would aid their journey, and Briala could see only a soft green glow emanating from the crystal set unto her wooden staff. With her off hand, she seemed to weave the magic into form; the glow grew before her, and then dispersed like a cloud, sinking low to the ground and seeming to disappear into the earth.

The halla moved, and the wagon with them, and where they ventured east into the trees… the trees parted.

They did not walk, as the angry sylvans had. Their roots did not tear from the ground, not did their branches take the form of reaching arms. They hardly seemed to move at all—Briala truly could not tell whether the trees were sliding aside, or the ground itself had swelled beneath them, forming a path between them.

Lanaya took a set on the bench in front of them, though it was clear she was maintaining the spell through concentration, and Briala kept quiet to avoid disturbing her, instead looking in wonder as the trees slipped past on either side. The halla picked up speed, and the aravel glided smoothly through the forest where it parted for them. Its movement was incredibly, impossibly smooth, smoother than a carriage over packed dirt.

She was awestruck. It was the closest thing to her childhood dreams of a magical elven paradise that she had ever experienced in real life. From in front of them came Lanaya's voice, gently amused. "What do you think, my friends?"

"I've never seen anything like this," Briala said, finding her voice. "I've never… in truth I had thought much of the legend of Dalish magic to be just that."

~~~

[anneapocalypse]

I NEED to know your answers for 🔥18 and 19🔥

For the 🔥choose violence 🔥 ask game!

Disclaimer: provocative name aside, I am not actually trying to be mean here, these are just my opinions offered for Entertainment Purposes™️, and I’m not mad at anyone who has a different opinion.

18. it’s absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on…

BRIALA/F!TABRIS!!! Briala ships generally!!! The Masked Empire and Inquisition came out in the year of our lord TWENTY-FOURTEEN!! And in all that time not one work on AO3 shipping Ferelden's potential first elven noble/Orlais's potential first elven noble??? IT PRACTICALLY WRITES ITSELF??? I'm not asking for a juggernaut here but NOTHING, FANDOM, YOU GIVE ME NOTHING? There is ONE now and it's an exchange gift to ME and I am showering its creator in flower petals. You know how many works there are for Briala/F!Warden? One. It's that one. Briala/F!Inquisitor? 11. There might be more wank about Briala/Celene being toxic than fic about Briala getting politically-savvy pussy. CRIMINAL. APPALLING. A DISGRACE. GET THIS WOMAN LAID, AND POSSIBLY POLITICALLY MARRIED. I'm working on it. I'm being the change. I have 89,000 words of being the change. It's coming.

19. you’re mad/ashamed/horrified you actually kind of like…

Bold of you to assume that I have shame.

[anneapocalypse]

WIP Wthursday

Thank you for the tag, @theluckywizard! I'm a day late and a dollar short but in the past week I managed to actually finish a chapter, so I'm here to share!

Tagging: @warpedlegacy @ar-lath-ma-cully @rosella-writes @nirikeehan @crackinglamb @doomhippy83 @rakshadow and anyone else who'd like to share.

Context: While our heroines were in Denerim getting hitched, the banns of Gwaren have rebelled. Briala and Talith have just made it out of the Brecilian Forest. Now they need a plan to take Gwaren back.

~~~

"So…" Talith said with a great sigh as they reached the edge of the outskirts, where the trees thinned and gave way to farmland as far as the eye could see. She trailed off, but Briala felt the implicit Now what?

"Allies," Briala said. "Lanaya was right about that. And we will need information. If the castle holds, if it has been taken. How many soldiers guard the town. We will need a plan to get inside."

Talith brightened just a little. "I know how we can get inside the castle. You read the biography of King Maric, didn't you? The Stolen Throne? You know about the Deep Roads entrance?"

In all the concern for how they would get out of the forest, Briala had admittedly forgotten. With Talith's words, the story came back to her. "Maric Theirin used the Deep Roads to reach Gwaren after the battle of West Hill. But that entrance opened into the town, if I recall." She did remember that part. The rebel King, believed killed at West Hill, emerging like a sign from the Maker himself to greet his loyal followers and lead them to victory, avenging his mother's murder and driving the Orlesians from Ferelden. Briala wondered how many details had been altered or embellished to place Maric in the light of legend, like his forebear King Calenhad. Fereldans, like Orlesians, were fond of their bloodlines. Still, it was a compelling story.

"Right. But the old outpost extends under all of Gwaren. It runs under the castle itself. I don't know if Maric could have gotten that far in his time—the passages might have been blocked off. But they're cleared now. We went down there—the Grey Wardens—to clear out the darkspawn and reclaim the salt mines. It's all sealed off from the Deep Roads proper now, to keep the darkspawn away. But you can still get to the castle from the town entrance."

"Then we need to get into town without being seen."

Talith sighed. "That's going to be the hard part. There will be guards everywhere, and they'll be looking at elves harder than anyone." She grimaced. "I hate to admit this, but some things were easier when I could still be invisible."

"No doubt it was," Briala agreed. "But were that still the case, you would not have a castle reclaim."

"Sometimes I wonder if that would really be worse."

Briala decided to let that remark pass. "Are there any vassals you can trust? Anyone you can be sure would aid you in reclaiming Gwaren?"

Talith looked dejected at that. "No. Not all of them have actively risen against me, but… I can't be sure they'd help, either."

Briala nodded. It was, in truth, the answer she had expected. "Then it is too risky to contact any of them directly. We will simply have to turn elsewhere for help." She paused, considering. "Do you know where the herbalist lives?" She had not spent days and weeks traveling into town and speaking to the elven townspeople for nothing.

"Alys? Outside of town, I believe. She grows her own stock there."

Briala nodded. "Precisely. I have an idea."

If no nobles would take their side, Briala knew who would.

[anneapocalypse]

WIP Whenever!

Tagged back by @chocochipbiscuit 💖

Tagging: @rakshadow @rosella-writes @liza011 @warpedlegacy @crackinglamb @kiastirling @ir0n-angel and anyone else who'd like to share.

~~~

"How should we expect to be received by Teyrn Fergus?"

There was a slight pause, punctuated by the clop of hooves on city cobblestone, before Talith answered. "Cordially, I think. He's never directly opposed me, but he's never done anything in particular to help my cause either. He's temperate, like his father, and that makes him popular. They're not cruel, but they don't seek change. And Fergus is if anything more cautious than his father."

"I recall him having a certain reputation in his youth," Briala remarked. "It was rumored his younger sister might have been named the heir, were it not for…"

"Arl Howe, yes. The murder of his family changed Fergus. He remarried the year after the Blight, and they had a child within the year. I think he was very concerned with preserving the Cousland line… and that means he favors stability. For Highever, for Ferelden."

"Ah, yes," Briala said. "Stability."

They shared a knowing look.

"Truth is, most of the Landsmeet are like him," Talith said, shaking her head. "The ones who want me dead… well, there's a bunch, but they're still in the minority. The rest just don't want 'trouble.' They give the elves just enough to keep them quiet, but never so much that their vassals would revolt."

Briala thought of Celene. Of the elven merchants in the upper markets, the hope of elven scholars admitted to the university. Celene had promised her more. Would she have kept those promises? Or would more radical changes have been deferred and deferred again, in the name of order and stability and the good of the Empire?

She would never know, now.

[anneapocalypse]

WIP WThursday

Tagged yesterday by @delicatefade and I didn't get to post before I went to bed.

Tagging @dreadfutures @rosella-writes @imakemywings @rakshadow @warpedlegacy

I am getting back to work on A Hero Sleeps in Gwaren, so here's a snippet of that.

Context: Briala and Tabris are having breakfast with King Alistair, and the conversation is moving on from the false Calling to lighter subjects, like Alistair's love life. (Background Zevistair!)

Briala interjected, "Does Lord Eamon know?"

"He doesn't. I’ve been dreading telling him, if I'm being honest. He's been after me to marry for years."

Talith raised an eyebrow. "Did you… tell him about Grey Wardens and children?"

"I did tell him that, yes. He says its my duty to try.” Alistair ran a hand through his hair, and sighed. “And to answer your next question, no, he doesn’t know about… the ritual.” Before Briala could ask what a blood magic ritual had to do with the line of succession, he went on, “And he won’t. Not so long as I have anything to say about it. I made a promise to Morrigan, and I mean to keep it.”

Talith smiled. “You’ve softened on her over the years.”

“Well, she did save our lives. More importantly, she was very clear on the point that she never wanted the child involved in politics. I respect that. I of all people understand that.”

Briala sat, quietly coming to grips with the fact that the King of Ferelden had had a secret child with Celene’s arcane advisor, in what had supposedly been a blood magic ritual to prevent the death of a Grey Warden to whom she was now married. Despite all her years of collecting noble gossip and intrigue for the empress and later for herself, she doubted she could have imagined such a thing had she tried.

“I do, too. I wouldn’t go back on that.” Talith gave her friend and king a sidelong look. “So… no marriage on the horizon I understand, but there wouldn’t be anyone… special for you, would there?”

King Alistair blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Well, I mean—”

“I knew it!” Talith cried with startling enthusiasm. “You’re sleeping with Zevran, aren’t you?”

The king’s face went a deep red. “How on earth did you figure that out?”

“Very easily. You never told me he was in Denerim, but you asked him to come to the wedding and keep an eye out. Which means that you knew he was here, therefore he was probably here for you, and you were embarrassed to tell me because you knew I’d figure it out.” Talith crossed her arms triumphantly. “Do I have it?”

“Maker’s breath,” King Alistair muttered.

Talith laughed and patted his arm. “You’ll never be a rogue, Your Majesty. Don’t worry, I’ll keep it quiet. Honestly, I’m happy for you both. Truly.”

The king was still red-faced, but smiled. “Thank you. I—he does make me happy. I hope I do the same for him.”

[anneapocalypse]

Briala and Talith 💞

[anneapocalypse]

WIP Wednesday!

I have managed to keep pretty well on track for NaNo so far! I'm at 17886 so far for the month, with the total draft at 39,624. (And we have... a long way to go. This is gonna be a long one, and I doubt it will actually be finished this month, but if I get 50K on it I will be thrilled, and if I can finish the draft in December and revising by New Year's... maybe even be able to post for Femslash February? That would be exciting. But let's not get ahead of myself. ;)

Here's a snippet for today. There's an assassin in the woods.

The dwarf had a bow. Also what appeared to be half a mutton and cheese sandwich, held in one hand.

Briala nocked an arrow and pulled it into a half-draw.

"Move, and you are dead," she said evenly, and the dwarf jumped, flinging the sandwich into the underbrush.

"All right, all right! Don't shoot, or whatever it is you're going to do! Bloody—there goes my lunch. I don't get paid enough for this."

"Turn around," Briala ordered. "Slowly."

The dwarven woman shuffled around to face her. "Are you going to kill me?"

"That depends. Are you going to tell me who hired you to assassinate the teyrn?"

The dwarf's eyes widened. "And if I tell you… you'll let me go?"

"That depends on whether I like what you have to say."

"Well, good. I'll give you whatever you want. Like I said, I am not being paid enough to die for my silence."

"Your employer."

"The banns. Group of 'em. They don't like her—her ladyship. Say the teyrnir's gone to elves, and Ferelden's next. No offense to present company, of course," she added quickly, eyeing Briala's ears. "I've got no quarrel with elves. Just go where I'm paid to."

"Names, please."

"Right. Of course. Uhh. Void take me, it's been some time since I spoke with him. I get my pay from a dead drop. Malvin, Bann Malvin, that's the one. Thought it was funny. Because 'Mal,' bad, in Tevene—right, never mind. That's the only one I know, I swear. He's the one who hired me."

"How long have you been staked out here?"

"Six, seven months? I come and go, of course—gotta eat, you know, and collect my pay. Which I can kiss goodbye after today, I supposed. Hope there's a ship leaving. …You are going to let me go, right?"

"I didn't get your name."

"That'd be Hezda Danric. I'm a simple sword for hire. Got no quarrel with anyone personally, your lady included."

"Pleased to hear it," Briala said. "I don't expect to see you in Gwaren again."

"You won't!"

"Then go and find that ship. And in the future, consider your allegiances more carefully."

Hezda scrambled to her feet, collecting her things. Aside from the weapons, there was also a dog-eared copy of The Tale of the Champion by Varric Tethras. The dwarven woman cast a sorrowful look at her half a sandwich where it had fallen, but did not retrieve it from the underbrush. "That I will do. Thank you for your mercy."

[anneapocalypse]

Anne's Dragon Age Femslash!

Happy Femslash February! Have a list of all the F/F fics I've written for Dragon Age so far. Listed from shortest to longest. Ratings are noted here; please check AO3 tags for full list of warnings/content notes.

Herald's Rest. Female Trevelyan/Sera, 370 words, rated M. The Inquisitor finds a respite.

In Darkness Enveloped. Cassandra/Leliana, 1800 words, rated E. The Conclave is destroyed. The Divine is dead. The Left Hand and Right Hand are at odds, and at loose ends. It's the worst of times. It's certainly the worst possible time for this.

What We Can Do Together. Shianni/Briala, 2000 words, rated T. Briala has never called her away from Denerim before, so Shianni can only assume this is important.

Gifts of the Hunt. Female Mahariel/Morrigan, 13000 words, rated M. Lyna Mahariel follows Morrigan through the eluvian, leaving behind her life with the Wardens and with her Dalish clan. With only each other, Morrigan's child, and the magic of a long-forgotten past, what kind of future will the two of them have together?

No Woman Rules Alone. Anora Mac Tir/Female Tabris, 34000 words, rated E. Warden Tabris convinced Anora and Alistair to marry for the good of Ferelden, to unite the lands against the darkspawn. They have settled into a functional partnership and even friendship, but there is no love between them and they both know it. Over time, Anora finds that it is the Warden-Commander and Arl of Amaranthine who has won not only her respect, but her heart.