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From the moment Persephone jolted into consciousness, she knew something was wrong.
She scrambled out of bed, Cerberus nowhere in sight. Not to mention the room… No. No, the room was fine; it was her room after all, but something in the back of her mind nagged at her. Shaking herself, Persephone picked out a tunic and a pair of trousers. She braided up her hair, pulling a few dark strands loose to become delicate curls around her face. Now for Cerberus. Where was he? That wasn’t right; she always knew where he was. That was… fine. Cerberus was likely terrorising Cook again; she would be called to collect him later.
There was a knock at her door, and Persephone swung it open to be met with Fergus carrying Oren on his hip. Oren held a little wooden sword, which he struggled to keep aloft as he pointed it at Persephone. “Draw your sword foul creature! We’re here to slay you!”
“Ah!” Persephone cried, hand flying to her heart. “Please, my lord, show mercy!”
“Uhhhh.” Oren looked to his father, who shook his head. “Never!”
He stabbed Persephone, and she tucked the toy under her arm, reeling back. It was a dramatic death. Staggering around the room and groaning before she collapsed onto her bed, tongue stuck out. Faint whispers and giggles came from the doorway before Oren’s soft footsteps crossed the room. Persephone’s bed sank, and soon Oren’s face filled her vision.
“Aunt Percy, we’re supposed to come get you for breakfast!”
“Sorry, I can’t. I’m dead.”
“Nuh-uh!”
“Yeah-huh! There’s only one thing that can bring me back.”
“What’s that.”
“Gobbling up silly little boys,” she said, grabbing Oren so she could tickle him as she made exaggerated eating sounds. Oren shrieked and giggled, squirming away and climbing off the bed.
“Come on! Grandpa said that if we didn’t get there on time he’d eat all the bacon!”
“Well, we can’t have that!” Persephone scooped up Oren, slinging him over her shoulder. He laughed, flopping around behind Persephone as she marched to the door.
“I swear, it’s like having two children in the house,” Fergus said, feigning exasperation.
The trio made their way downstairs to eat. Laughing and messing around the entire way. As they entered the room, Persephone hesitated a moment. She felt like something was missing. Her parents, Fergus, Oriana, Oren, and herself, Persephone ticked each off the list as she sat down. Still, something scratched at the back of her mind. Oren shoved some bacon onto Persephone’s plate and beamed up at her.
“He didn’t get to eat it all.”
“Nice save, little man,” Persephone said, giving Oren a tight smile.
“Are you well, Pup? You seem distracted,” her father asked. Persephone jolted, still trying to figure out what was eating at her.
“Yes. I was just thinking… thinking…” she trailed off, grasping at her memory. She caught something, turning it over with a frown. “I thought you and Fergus were supposed to go to Ostagar yesterday.”
For a moment, the world stuttered. Everyone at the table stilled, the lights dimmed, and the table emptied for a split second. Persephone blinked, and everything smoothed back over, back to normal.
“I remember you two leaving,” she finished, reaching for toast and eggs.
“We did leave! It was a stroke of luck, we met the King’s men on the road and they told us the darkspawn had launched an attack sooner than anticipated. Fortunately the King and Loghain managed to fight them off with the help of the Wardens. They ended the Blight, all before it truly began!” Fergus said. “We turned back and met Father halfway here.”
“Thank the Maker it all is over and that neither one of you had to go fight,” Oriana said, looking to her husband. Persephone barely heard them, something still scratching at her mind. She was missing something, someone, someones, and Teryn Loghain’s name pulled at her mind.
“I have to agree, fretting over you both the entire time might have killed me,” her mother added.
“What about Arl Howe? Did he leave with you last night, Father?”
“The Arl? Yes, he and his men returned to Amaranthine after Fergus met us on the road.”
“Why do you ask, dear?” her mother asked, frowning a little.
“I… just wanted to make sure he returned to his family safely. Like Father and Fergus did to us,” she said, waving for a servant to fill her cup with tea. She jumped, blinking in surprise when a red bob appeared in her periphery.
Leliana.
Persephone turned as the woman retreated, but the face wasn’t right. It wasn’t Leliana, but she should be there. Leliana…
Blood pooled on the sheets. Oriana and Oren crumpled, dead. Her father was bleeding out on the floor. Her mother stayed behind…
Persephone shoved back from the table, toppling her chair.
“Persephone!” Fergus said, jumping up in surprise with the others. Oriana scooped up Oren, holding him close to her.
“No this isn’t right. You’re all dead.”
“Pup, what are you talking about?”
“Stop it!” She ran her hands over her face, digging the heels of her palms into her eyes.
“Dear?”
She felt her mother’s hand on her arm and jerked away.
“You all died! Howe killed you! Fergus you—” she choked on a sob as she looked at her brother. Everything stopped. Her family froze, the torch and candle flames froze, and all the servants.
“You just couldn’t be satisfied, could you?” they all said in unison. The servants vanished, leaving Persephone with her family. They continued, voices overlapping in a horrid chorus. “I could have given you everything, happiness, but you couldn’t accept it.”
“What.. What’s going on?” Persephone groaned, rubbing at her temples. Her head felt split open with pain; nothing made sense, with only pieces and parts of a story rattling around her skull.
“All you desire is blood and death. I will give it to you,” her family’s chorus of voices continued. Persephone felt the weight of her sword at her hip and unsheathed it, frantic. When she looked up, all her family held blades, even little Oren. She forced back a sob, trying to set her face as she lunged at Fergus.
The fight went on for too long. The sight of their blood soaking into the floor felt burned into her eyes, bodies broken beneath her feet. She wanted to block the image of cutting them down from her memory. It stuck out in her mind like a flame against the dark. Her knees gave out, and Persephone collapsed to the floor, sobbing.
Time was strange here. Had she been crying for minutes, or years? Yet when she looked up, everything was exactly the same. That wasn’t right; the room had changed. A pedestal stood a few feet away, a white sigil glowing beneath it. It took a few attempts, but Persephone staggered to her feet, stumbling towards it. She needed to get out of here, wherever here was. This was her best option. Wiping her eyes, Persephone touched the pedestal and vanished.
The rest of the camp was asleep, camping on the road between the Circle and Redcliffe. Persephone and Leliana were the only ones left awake, keeping watch together.
“I have a question for you, Persephone. If you’ll allow me to ask.”
“For you? I’m an open book,” Persephone said, trying to keep her tone light.
“In the Fade, when the demon trapped us, how did you escape?” Leliana asked, fidgeting with her finger a little. “I’ve been trying to figure it out.”
Silence stretched between the two for a moment as Persephone stared into the fire. Leliana shifted in her seat the longer the silence stretched out, but remained silent to allow Persephone to think.
“I trusted my gut. I knew something was wrong and didn’t let that go. I only really broke out of it though when I… Well. I thought I saw you. I remembered you,” she said.
“Why me?”
Persephone hesitated, her emotions all roiling in her mind and making it feel like her skull was full of tar. Admitting Leliana never left her mind, that over the past few days she’s never had a dream without her, that when she saw the red hair, she knew Leliana was missing, that she needed her there, would sound unhinged. It was the truth, but it might frighten Leliana away. She could lie a little.
“Your hair. Someone in my dream had red hair. It’s so vibrant and beautiful, I can’t see hair like it without thinking of you,” she said with a small shrug.
“That’s— that’s sweet of you to say, thank you,” Leliana said, her smile clear in her voice.
“You don’t need to thank me for the truth. I have no dreams without you,” she said and then added hastily. “And our allies in general, of course. About when all of this is over.”
Leliana giggled, and Persephone met her gaze. A more comfortable silence blanketed the two, wrapping them up in a warm embrace. Persephone swore she saw pink dusting Leliana’s cheeks, despite the dying firelight. She cleared her throat, standing up abruptly.
“I’m going to go collect more firewood. I’ll be back shortly.”
“Stay safe,” Leliana said, her brow slightly furrowed. Persephone moved towards her, bowing as she gently picked up one of Leliana’s hands and pressed a kiss to the back.
“If that’s what you desire, it shall be done.” She gave Leliana a nod goodbye before slipping away into the encroaching darkness.