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Venna couldn’t breathe. Her mind blanked and she looked at both Alistair and Riordan before she fled the room. The warden who slays the Archdemon dies. Riordan offered to take the blow but if he failed…Alistair can’t die, he needs to take the throne. Venna knew that if Riordan failed it would fall on her to take the final blow. All this time that she spent outside the alienage, the time away from her family, could end in complete tragedy. The though of returning home was one of the things that had kept her going through the blight, and now even that might be lost to her. That and…
Zevran…
Her eyes burned at the thought of the Antivan and she stopped walking to lean against the wall, her forehead pressed against the cool stone. She wanted to scream, to run, anything to take her away from this wretched reality. Venna had never expected to fall in love, especially not with Zevran. It had happened anyway, and despite his reluctance to speak about it she knew he at least cared for her. Now he might lose her too. Just like Rinna…
Venna choked back a sob. Crying wasn’t going to fix anything. She swallowed the lump in her throat and continued down the hall. It would hurt him, it would hurt her to tell him, but Zevran deserved to know the truth of what she was doing.
She knocked on the door to his room and he answered it. “Dear Venna, I had hoped you might come tonight…” Venna’s expression must have betrayed her sorrow because Zevran’s face immediately fell. “What is wrong amor?” He asked quietly letting her into his room and closing the door. He turned towards her and brushed a stray tear from her face. “Venna…”
“I’m sorry.” She blurted suddenly wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. “I’m so sorry.”
“What do you have to be sorry for? As far as I know you have done nothing.” His arms came up to hold her and he could feel Venna shaking.
“I’m sorry for what might happen tomorrow. Zevran I…” Her breath hitched as a sob threatened to tear from her throat. “I’m sorry.” She repeated again.
Zevran knew Venna well enough to pick up on what she was saying. “No…” His grip on her tightened. “You will not die tomorrow amor, I will not allow it.” His voice was stern and if she did not know the truth of her situation she would have believed him.
Instead she shook her head. “The Archdemon, there’s a reason a warden is needed to stop the blight. If someone other than a warden takes the final blow the soul of the god possessing it will merely latch on to a new host. A warden’s strike destroys the soul but…” She took a shaky breath. “The warden dies as well.”
She felt Zevran stiffen. “No…” She heard him whisper.
“Alistair is needed to be king Zevran. Riordan offered to take the blow, but if he fails…” Venna’s voice trailed off and she refused to look at him.
Zevran was overcome with too many emotions. Sorrow, pain, anger, fear…he was drowning in the feelings that washed over him. “You can’t.” He said his eyes flashing up at her.
“I have to.” She dared a glance and the look in his eyes made her flinch. “I have no choice Zevran. We both knew this could happen, that one of us could die.” Venna’s words were barely a whisper. “I don’t want to hurt you…”
“If you do not wish to hurt me then do not go.” Zevran knew it was selfish, but he couldn’t help it. The thought of losing her pained him in ways he had never imagined, especially now.
“I can’t forsake my duties Zevran. You know that.” Her hand touched his face but he pulled away as if burned.
“How long have you know of this?” He asked sharply. “Did you always know you had a very good chance of dying? Were my emotions something you merely wished to toy with or…”
“Zev stop it!” She cried out, tears falling freely now. “I never knew about this, not before tonight. Do you think me so cold hearted that I would hurt you that way?”
Zevran looked away his feelings getting the better of him. “No. You have never been cold amor.” He was still angry and it could be heard in his voice, but his anger wasn’t focused on Venna. No it was focused on the world as a whole, on those who brought about the blights, on the darkspawn, on the Archdemon that could very well take her from him.
“Then why are you…”
“Because I love you foolish girl.” Zevran finally admitted, his eyes burning with emotion and passion.
Venna froze, the words stunning her. He had never even come close to saying those words before, and to hear them now… “Zev,” She approached him but he wouldn’t look at her. “Zevran please.” His eyes met hers and she was shocked to see unshed tears in them. She ran her fingers over the tattoo on his face and felt her chest tighten. Her arms embraced him once more and her eyes clenched shut as she feared for her life, feared for him and what would happen tomorrow.
“I love you.” He repeated again quietly. “I did not believe it to be possible, but I see now that I do. Do not do this Venna, please.”
“Zevran, I love you too, you know that.” She sighed. “You also know this has to be done. I can’t ask Alistair to do it and leave Ferelden without a king.” She pulled back to look at him. “If things work out tomorrow Riordan will take the blow and I will be fine.” Her words held hope in them, but it wasn’t hope she believed in. Deep down she knew Riordan would fail. The fates were cruel. Venna pulled back. “I should go…” Zevran caught her hand.
“Stay, please Venna do not leave me here tonight.” Zevran pleaded with her but she only shook her head.
“If I don’t go now I won’t be able to Zev. Whatever happens tomorrow, do not doubt my feelings.” As she left him there she felt her heart break in two. “I love you Zev…” She whispered to the dark.
When Venna returned to her room she found Morrigan waiting for her. “I have an offer to make you…”