01x04 - Those Who Falsely Dream

[bunniefuu]

Stay back!

It's okay, Miriam.

The guards, the theft...

None of it matters.

No one's going to hurt you.
You're with me now.

With your family.

You k*lled my family,
Tevinter snake!

Come on!

Focus on Miriam.
I'll handle these parasites.

No!

Go!

Oh, boy.

Surrender.

I'd prefer not to k*ll you,

but I will.

Wait.

Another corpse to puppet, huh?

Miriam, don't!

Neb, it's me.

It's me.

What have you done to my brother?

- You bastard!
- Wait.

I didn't want you to find out this way.
I'm trying to fix your mistake.

I'm trying to bring him back.

No!

Neb!

Protect the Magister!

Come on, let's go!

Fire.

Let's get to safety first.

She's right. We have to move.

Fan out, cut off every exit.
I want these thieves found now.

I ordered you
to stay in The Divine's apartments.

I had everything under control.

Does this look like under control to you?

Thieves are getting away
with a dangerous artifact,

and I can't pursue them

because the palace is still under siege
by its own asinine security system.

And you, you were supposed
to keep him out of danger.

He did, until I ordered him not to.

Commander?

The Circulum is gone.

We surmised that already.

Also, the dragon's awake,
but its chains are holding,

and we recovered a prisoner.

The thieves left one of their own behind.

Get the thief in a cell

and redirect anyone
not fighting the dead down to the vault.

- We'll take care of...
- I can handle the dragon.

Uh, we've, uh, cornered the corpses
in the west wing of the palace.

Then get some damned mages over there.

Leave the dragon to the Magister.

Yes, ma'am.

Who were they, the thieves?

- How should I know?
- Don't play stupid.

That elf had your name on her cheek.

Rezaren, people d*ed tonight
because you didn't tell me everything.

I was responsible for their security.

Do you understand what that means?

Her name is Miriam.

She's my sister.

My mother owned her.

She was to be my personal... spy, assassin.
Whatever was needed.

My left hand, as it were.

But she raised us as siblings.
Now Miriam's the only family I have left.

Then why was she trying to k*ll you?

We didn't part on good terms.

There are rules about runaway slaves.

She didn't run.

It's complicated.

But now... Now I can finally explain things.

No. Blood magic is not the answer.

I'm not slaughtering the innocent.
I just need to contact Miriam.

Once I do, she'll come back,
return the Circulum, and everyone wins.

But that's not your job.
I'm Knight Commander. I will find them.

Even if a few drops of blood
can do it faster and with less v*olence?

It always starts
with a few drops, Rez,

but it never stays that way.

Oh, please. Now is not the time
for great moral stances.

I'm trying to help, Tassia.

You were right.

I caused this.

So let me end it.

Please.

She's my sister.

I am the Knight Commander of this palace.

As such, I am going to order
the town guard to lock down the city

and once the palace is secure,
I'm going to hunt down those criminals.

You are going to contain that dragon,
you're gonna stay here and...

If I find any evidence of blood magic,
any at all,

I will report you to The Divine.

Understand?

I won't disappoint you.

You already have.

Okay.

How are you holding up?

The arrow's not helping, but I'm fine.

I'll scout ahead. Make sure
the way to the safe house is clear.

Roland. I'm telling you,
there's gotta be a traitor.

Look, I saw what I saw, Rolls.

Miriam standing over Fairbanks.
Hira's failed rescue.

Oh, and the Magister
that says she's his f*cking family.

He owned her, for Maker's sake!

Fine, that was a step too far,

but you can't tell me
this doesn't feel weird.

Then, what's your theory?

That Miriam lured us into stealing
an artifact she didn't know existed

to help a man
she spent her life running from

and got herself sh*t in the back
to sell it?

Well, of course it doesn't make sense
when you say it like that.

I don't know what's going on,

but my gut says
we're missing something here.

A "get us k*lled" kind of something.

This might be our last chance to get out
before we learn what that is the hard way.

You know, it's funny
you keep insisting there's a traitor,

because you're the only one
who wants to screw over everyone else.

Ouch.

Ah! You were supposed to wait.

Yeah, I know,

but your extremely loud betrayal
was wasting too much time.

Whatever you decide, I won't blame you.

All I ask is that you don't leave yet.

The city's on lockdown, and you'll never
get past the guards in broad daylight.

They'll k*ll us all for this, Roland.

Please. You're my best friend. I...

I can't lose you too.

You won't. Qwydion.

Mm.

If you don't trust her, Lacklon, I get it.

Trust me instead.

Leave us.

Now!

I guess we've both
been through the wars today, brother.

But don't worry.
There's just a little bit more.

No!

What have you done to my brother?
You bastard!

I know. I know. I just...
I gotta take it out first, okay? Guys.

Sorry! I'm so sorry.
I'm nearly there, and...

Got it.

Okay.

Now the easy part.

Anytime, Qwydion.

Someone's using blood magic to keep her
from healing, to keep her under.

- Then counter it!
- I'm trying!

There's more than one way
to close a wound.

Get a cloth.

Nobody's dying today.

At least not until I get
some damn answers.

Just stunning.

And, you know, the sunset's fine too.

Mm.

Hira,

you came back.

What do you mean?

I'd never leave you, Miri.

You're everything to me.

Hira.

Hira!

No one can save you
from what you are, Miriam.

In the end, you'll only ever be a tool.

No!

Sh, sh, sh, sh, sh.

A woman like that
doesn't deserve your tears.

- Get away from me!
- Miriam, wait.

That won't... Miriam.

Stop.

You can't harm me here,
because we're inside your mind.

Nothing here is real, except for us.

How?

Blood magic
can make a lot of things possible.

I needed to speak with you,
and this was the only way.

I have nothing to say to you.

I need to wake up.

We don't have time for this.

You've been hurt, Miriam,
but I can save you.

You just need to hear me out first.

You know,

there was a time when you trusted me.

Weren't we both happier then?

You were happy. I was trapped.

We were all trapped.

But at least we were together.

We could be like this again,
the three of us,

after I restore Neb.

That really is impossible.

- It's not him in there. It's some demon.
- For now.

I needed to keep his body going.

Binding a demon to it
was the only option I had.

But I don't want Neb
to be like this either.

The Circulum can bring people
back from the dead, Miriam,

just as they were in life.

But I can't use it without you.

You're Neb's twin.

His blood runs through your veins,

and without it,
I can't perform the ritual.

Don't you want things
to be like they were?

You mean like this?

Oh!

A sl*ve
should never harm her betters!

That isn't fair and you know it.

I was a child.
I couldn't even protect myself.

Were you helpless here too?

This is a waste of time.
You're dying, Miriam.

You're the one
who wanted to r*fle through old memories.

Don't you want to see how well
you protected us at your Harrowing?

No!

Fight it, boy! No Ammosine
has failed a Harrowing in 300 years!

And none ever will.

No!

A bodyguard must serve their purpose.

Even to the end.

She sacrificed my brother,
and you did nothing!

Miriam.

What did you do?

You k*lled them both.

I had to.

I know.

Run.

Run!

I lied for you, Miriam.

Made it so the Templars
would never find you,

because you were right.

I couldn't protect you.

But things have changed.

Ever since you left, I've been rebuilding,
trying to make things right again.

I've become the mage
Mother never thought I could be.

I have risen through the ranks
of the Imperial Chantry. Don't you see?

You don't have to keep running, Miriam.

Not from the past, not from Mother,

not from yourself.

By the grace of the Maker,
I will become the next Divine.

And together, the three of us can
make Tevinter a better place for everyone.

No.

What?

This... This is the role you were born for.

I don't care what others call it,
to me, we will always be family.

I'm offering you a life where you matter,
a... a home where you'll be safe.

I'm promising to take care of you.

I said no.

Whatever your intentions,

I will never be a sl*ve again.

Have you really ever been anything else?

You've been free for years now
and what do you have to show for it?

Nothing! You were a petty thief,
bound to a string of petty tyrants

who cared less about you
than the most indifferent owner.

You had no home, no family.

Without direction,
you wander the world completely lost.

You have contributed nothing but misery
and achieved nothing at all.

You are less than a sl*ve, Miriam.

I've made mistakes.

But they were mine.

I chose them.

Don't you understand that?

You let me go once, Rezaren.

I'm asking you to do it again.

I'm offering you purpose.

A chance to change the world.

And all you can think about
are your own petty desires.

I'd rather die than be a thing again.

Are you sure about that, Miriam?

Oh, sh*t.

You live because I will it.

I don't want to hurt you.

But if you won't listen to reason,

I will speak in a language
you can understand.

Hira is alive, and she's in my custody.

You're lying.

I don't have to.

Give me the Circulum and I will give you
the woman you so irrationally desire.

- Run, and I will have her k*lled.
- Bastard!

Oh, Miriam.

I did promise
to take care of you, didn't I?

Bring me the Circulum

and I will prove
how wrong you are about everything.

Oh, sh*t.

It's okay, I've got you, Miriam.

It's okay. Breathe.

Breathe with me.

Miriam.

What happened?

Hira's alive.

And we're going to save her.