snarky_tabris | AU: The Prince and the Pauper (for alistair

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AU: The Prince and the Pauper (for alistair_theirin)

It had been several months now since Bianca Tabris had become involved with the King of Ferelden, Alistair Theirin, and they were some of the best months of her life. They'd been practically inseparable, with Alistair coming over for dinner practically every night, and Bianca visiting him just as frequently.

It was becoming very obvious that this was a serious relationship, and it was becoming a cause for concern among the nobility of Ferelden. Having a tryst with an elf was one thing, but an actual relationship...that was something very different.

Combine that with the number of changes that Alistair was trying to implement, to make lives better for all the people of Ferelden, which included his plans to give the elves representation in the Landsmeet...

Alistair was going away for a while. There were tensions with Orlais, and he needed to go deal with them personally. Bianca was staying behind, as her family needed her.

"When do you think you'll be back? Promise me you'll stay safe, and not let those Orlesians go to your head..."

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Bianca's tried to escape 5 times now since she was kidnapped. So far, despite her best efforts, it hasn't worked. The people who kidnapped her had tired the Crows to make sure she stayed there...

She hated this. She hated feeling so helpless, being used as a tool against the people she cares about.
She didn't know who exactly was holding her here...but she knew why she was here. The nobility didn't want the changes Alistair had been trying to bring to Ferelden, so they were going to use her against him.

Bianca refuses to let that happen. she's going to get out of here or die trying, dammit...so she tries to escape again.

Another two weeks has gone by, and no progress with the Orlesians has been made. None.

"Go."

Alistair looks up at Teagan. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Go."

He doesn't need to be told again. He gathers up his belongings and hits the road, heading back to Denerim.

She was no closer to escaping than she was two weeks ago. She hated it.

She still didn't know who had her, or why exactly...all she knew is that every so often, one of the hired Crows would come in, ask her questions, and when she refused to answer...

She shuddered. She didn't like to think about it.

All Bianca wanted to do now was go home....

The alienage hadn't stopped looking for her since she'd gone missing. Shianni had led the search personally, blaming herself for her cousin's disappearance, trying desperately to find her...but there was nothing so far. Nothing.

Finally back in Denerim, he doesn't even bother to go see Eamon yet. He knows full well that Eamon will have done nothing to look for her. He heads to Bianca's house, hoping that her father or Shianni will have any sort of lead... but they don't. He doesn't even know where to begin.

Her last escape attempt was the one that worked the best...granted, she didn't manage to get out, but she made more progress than ever before. She got to the nearest window before they got her back. She'd managed to toss her hair ribbon out the window, but that was it.

She was still in the city...but that was all she knew. It gave her hope that her family might be able to find her soon...

"Maker, what do you want with me..."

"You? Nothing. You're nothing but a means to an end to us."

As predicted, Eamon knew nothing - and had done nothing. Noone at the palace cared, and their lack of compassion ate at him like acid.

He rounded up the elven guards and organized them in a search. They got as much help as they could from the alienage, and Alistair was very surprised when the kitchen staff all pledged their help. Bianca was popular among them, since she treated them so politely.

Alistair was standing out on a balcony when Mara, one of the kitchen servants, came running in calling his name. She handed him Bianca's hair ribbon, and his face fell.

"Take me to where you found this." She nods and leads him off.

"A means to what? Alistair isn't stupid, he's not going to do what you want because you've got me..."

She winced as she was slapped hard.

"You give him too much credit. He was foolish enough to mess with the way things are, what makes you think he won't do what we want the minute he knows where you are?"

She glares, struggling against the bonds they put her in since her last escape attempt. One of her captors pulls out a knife, and she pales a little at seeing that.

"And of course, we need to show him that we mean business..."

Bianca bites her lip, trying to to cry out as they run the knife across her palm, drawing blood.

"This is just a preview, of course..."

Alistair and Mara had donned black cloaks with hoods, and she showed him the area. He'd thanked her and they'd returned to the palace, he wanted to do some research first.

He could find nothing about the owners of the building. He did station undercover guards to watch the building from a distance, and keep track of who entered and left.

He debated bringing a few guards with him when he went back, but, he decided against it... since more people meant the more chances for mistakes to be made. So he went back alone, after nightfall, in his dark cloak and hood.

Her captors had left a few hours ago, going to one of the other parts of the building, leaving her alone, chained up in the room. She just wanted to go home now...she couldn't even escape like this...

He's been working his way around the outside of the building, looking for loose windows... finally he finds one, and manages to slide it away and lower himself in.

Bianca freezes as she hears something coming from one of the windows. Her captors must've heard it too, because as soon as they do, one of them comes back to her room, glaring at her.

"What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything! You've got me locked up, remember?"

Alistair tucks into a corner, behind some boxes. He's got a view of the room she's in, and watches silently. He doesn't want to risk getting caught...

"You're lying, you did something! We've got an intruder!"

"I told you, I didn't do anything!"

One of her captors swears, and she cries out in pain as they smack her again, slashing her with the knife...

It takes all the self-control in the world for Alistair to hold himself back. But he knows that barging in there at the wrong time will do no good.

"Look, I've told you, I don't know anything, and Alistair isn't stupid, he won't do anything you want just because you've got me!"

"We know you're lying, and until we get what we want from the king, you're not going anywhere!"

Alistair is getting impatient... he grabs a rock and chucks it to his left, down a very long hallway.

Her captor swears and stalks out of the room, going to find out where the sound came from.

"You even think of moving, we'll cut your throat."

Alistair rushes in, keeping his movements slow and his footsteps silent, and gets to work on untying her.

Bianca's eyes widen, seeing him, and she goes very quiet.

Her bonds undone, he hoists her over his shoulders and brings her over to the window, pushing her up towards it.

She's grabbing at the window when they hear a noise. Somebody's coming back, and from the sound of it, they're not along.

"We need to hurry...!"

He knows this might hurt but... he pushes her with a force and shoves her on through, pulling himself up through it next. He hoists her onto his shoulders again and runs like hell.

"Where is safe?" he whispers up to her.

"Anywhere away from here..."

She frowns, looking around.

"We just need to get away. Where's the closest place to hide?"

"The palace will be obvious, but guarded. The alienage will be obvious, but unguarded... shit, your family."

He runs for the palace, planning to send guards to fetch Bianca's family and bring them there as well.

She follows behind him, keeping up as best as possible. It's been at least a month since she's moved properly, and it shows.

AU: The Prince and the Pauper (for alistair_theirin)

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