[Dragon Age] Ring

When Karen stepped into the library in the dark, Emily was already sitting in her usual place.

She was still the same as when Karen was still in the library, curled up in an inconspicuous corner, leaning against the wall by the window, stretching out her hand, stroking the cover of the book on her lap with her fingertips.She turned her head when she heard footsteps, and under the moonlight outside the window, Karen saw her evoking a faint smile.

"I used to think a lot," she said, her voice was very soft, but it was so clear in the empty room, "would that Templar standing by the fireplace be boring, he could stand there every day and do nothing?" Do."

He subconsciously looked towards the fireplace, the position Karen was too familiar with.

And Emily stood up, and the robe she was wearing fell to the ground together with the books.The rustling of the clothes made him turn his head and look at her with startled eyes.She was still wearing the white dressing gown that Karen had in her nightmare.

"Later I realized." She put her finger on Karen's temple, and said in a drawn out tone, "You are standing there, but your mind is actually very busy."

"No! I, I'm not..." If it wasn't for the lack of light in the library, and Karen had learned to get used to her deliberate teasing, he would have stammered for a long time because of Emily's words.He sighed, even though he was full of worries, he still couldn't help laughing, "You always like to see me speechless, right?"

Emily snorted noncommittally, and then admitted in a cheerful voice: "You don't know how cute you are like that, Karen."

Like you don't know how beautiful your content expression is right now.Karen took her hand on his forehead and looked down at his lover.So close, he could see the gleam in her eyes, as if he wasn't meeting her privately in the library, but leading her into church.Blessed by the Creator, Karen is willing to use everything he has to preserve Emily's expression at this time.

But he couldn't lead her into church, never could.

Karen kissed her fingers painfully, and said in a low voice, "This morning...I didn't arrive, I'm sorry."

He meant going to the prayer room, and he thought she would understand.

Her smile retracted slightly, but it was still there, very shallow, almost invisible: "Qiao Wan has already told me, I don't blame you."

Emily's tone was still so calm, as if the discussion was not about her life or death, or the future of their love.She was looking into Karen's eyes at first, but now she moved away, and Emily put on a relaxed tone again, allowing him to hold her hand: "On the bright side, at least you... guard me , Don’t you? You will give me strength, and when my consciousness enters the shadow world, I will always remember that you are waiting for me in reality.”

Obviously he should be the one who comforted her. In this case, before she was about to step into danger, it was obviously him who hugged her into his arms and told her not to be afraid.Emmel was always like that, and Karen never understood the seemingly limitless courage of this slender, gentle girl.But he understood that Emily would never confess her thoughts easily, what she was best at was to cover up everything with this kind of gentle, half-smile expression.

Karen sighed again.

His hand stroked Emily's face: "Look at me."

Perhaps it was because she had never spoken to her in such an orderly tone, Emily was a little surprised, and her eyes finally returned to his face.

"You're actually scared, aren't you?" Karen whispered as he rubbed his thumb against her cheek, "You said you wanted to do something for me, and so did I. That's the only thing I can do for you Things...you don't have to bear everything alone, I'm here."

He lifted Emily's chin, kissed her cold lips, then looked into her eyes, and repeated as if making a promise: "I'm still here."

There was a moment's silence in response, and Emily watched him quietly, in the dim light, but they were so close that Karen could see something fading in her eyes.

"Afraid of robbery? No, death won't scare me, Knight Rutherford." Emmel tilted his head, dodging his hand, "Imprisoned to death in the ring, and become an abomination, I can't compare which is more intimidating."

Karen froze in place, not only because he heard her call his last name for the first time, but also because he hadn't expected Emily to be so desperate about life in the Circle of Law.

"Death, or waiting a long, long time before dying, maybe the former is more painful, isn't it?"

He knew she yearned for a life outside the Circle of Law.There are many mages who would rather die than live in the ring for the rest of their lives. Most of them became peaceful people without emotions, a few died, and even fewer gained real freedom.Karen thought that Emily's yearning for freedom was only a yearning, because Emily was different, she was very rational and smart.She understands the meaning of the existence of the ring very well, it is to protect people outside the ring, and it is also to protect the mage.

But now, when she met Emily's eyes again, the calmness that always lingered in her eyes disappeared, shocking despair and anger burst out, her breath hit Karen's face, almost Burning his skin, his soul.He looked into her eyes without daring to move.He had never seen Emily like this before, maybe no one had seen it before. Karen couldn't imagine how much effort she had used before to hide so many emotions in her heart.

Such Emily is scary, but also very beautiful.Karen could feel her normally cold, dead skin heat up, and he could see her pale cheeks turning red, her anger bringing a life force that couldn't be ignored.

There is still hope.

"It's you I'm afraid of." Her voice trembled. "My death won't change anything in my life, but it will change you."

"Emiel, I—"

"—You know, I never cared about them, the eyes and hostility of those apprentices like Fayella, because it was ridiculous."

She didn't give Karen a chance to speak, and her words made it impossible for Karen to continue. He knew what she said, what she said and what she was going to say next, had never been said to others, and she would never say it to others .Only myself, who is standing here now, is fortunate to be able to hear her, and fortunately to be close to her heart.

So he chose to continue listening, even though every word she said made Karen, both as a lover and as a Templar, tremble with fear.

"Isn't it ridiculous that a group of prisoners with no future are hurting each other in a gorgeous prison." As he spoke, Emily laughed, and the desolation and self-mockery in that laughter were concealed by tenderness and kindness. But her words were no longer calm, and Karen couldn't help shivering from the cold realization, "Then you stood up, and a jailer stood up."

Crystal tears rolled down her face, and she stared closely at Karen's face, as if he would disappear in the blink of an eye.

"You're so fragile, Karen. Timid, shy, you didn't even dare to talk to me at first." She looked at him almost obsessively, and Karen only now realized that she didn't care about her. No shallower than what I have for her, "But you are so strong, you have unshakable beliefs, your...your love."

Her voice was full of happiness: "Your love has given you strength. You can stand up for me and cross the barrier between Templars and mages for me. I believe that if my robbery fails, you He will also cut off my head with his own hands, for me."

"You will, won't you?"

Karen didn't know.

He didn't even dare to think about that scene, the scene where he would have to raise his saber if Emily's body was occupied by the abomination.He didn't know why Emily had so much confidence in him, thinking that he could act as the executioner and kill her with his own hands.

"I have no idea."

In the end Karen chose to tell the truth, even under her expectant eyes.His voice was almost hoarse when he said this, and he almost forgot how to speak.

"I can not lose you."

"Then stay tonight."

It took Karen a few seconds to understand what Emily said just now, and he felt her fingers return to her neckline, God, no!

"No..." Karen looked at her with almost fearful eyes, "No, Emily, I can't..."

"Why not?" she asked softly. "You love me, Karen."

Creator, why not?Both he and she knew the answer, obviously.

"You are a mage." He spat out the words with difficulty, "I am a Templar, this is a sin, the Creator will not forgive us—"

Emily laughed, she took off her dressing gown, and her soft curves were presented in front of Karen without hindrance.

"You're going to stay, aren't you?"

The brisk and happy laughter lingered in the quiet library, her eyes were narrowed because of the smile, how many nights Karen had dreamed of such a scene, he felt that he was about to collapse, no, maybe he It may have collapsed now.He should have stopped Emmel, the Templars could have easily forced her to stop before the mage could do it, but he didn't; he could turn around and leave now, a man wants to go, as a woman she can't stop herself at all, but Neither did he.

No, he cannot stay.Karen told himself that he was a Templar, and his duty was to protect the mage, kill the mage, and absolutely, absolutely not fall in love with the mage.He'd done it, he'd kissed her, he'd hugged her, it was a mistake, it couldn't be allowed to continue.He should go, at least let himself and Emily calm down, at least let him consider their future—even if they both know that there will be no future between them.

"...Emiel."

But all Karen did was spit out her last name in a trembling voice.He didn't go, not until Emily's kiss fell on his cheek.

Creator above.

"Call me by my name," she whispered in his ear, "Karen, call me by my name."

please forgive me.

He embraced her, held her tightly in his arms, and called out her name in despair: "Sorona."

Solona, ​​Solona.The name stayed in his mind for too long, too long, long enough for Karen to ignore the responsibility in his heart that kept clamoring to stop.She has been forcing him to choose between duty and love, but she has never forced herself, Karen knows it very well.

It's always been his choice.

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