“Josephine, she…” Leliana stopped talking to shield the crack waiting to break free from her voice. She clasped a shaky hand over her mouth, and a tear fell from her eye breaking her stoic face.
Josephine didn’t hear a word Leliana said. Her voice was just a muffle in the background. Josephine only stared at Dezi’s lifeless body in The Iron Bull’s arms. She took one step forward away from the throne, and let the clipboard clatter to the ground and it echoed through the hall.
Dezi’s once lustrous umber skin, now was a dull brown with blackened lines like veins over her body. Her right arm, and the mark, were gone. With her eyes closed and her lips slightly open she looked like she were sleeping.
“Oh…” Josephine’s voice but a wavered whisper from her lips, “Oh…”
Dorian walked forward and caught Josephine just as she collapsed onto the ground, and everyone who tried to hold back their tears broke down as Josephine’s wails carried them through sorrow.
Sera crouched on the floor and buried her head in Varric’s shoulder, and he caressed her hair while his lips quivered and his chest heaved.
First Hawke, and now Dezi.
Iron Bull gently laid Dezi’s body onto the ground before the Andrastrian throne, and Josephine pushed away from Dorian to crawl towards her. Josephine’s whole body trembled and she couldn’t control her hands when they touched Dezi’s cold face.
“My Desireé…my love!” She choked out, “no no no no, please! Creatorsplease!” She repeated the words in a string of incoherent babble and clawed at Dezi’s battered armor. Her pleads grew louder and she grew more disheveled. Dust dirtied her skirts, sweat stained the material of her dress, her makeup ran, and her hair in disarray, only Leliana had seen Josephine like this.
Iron Bull nodded to Cullen, and the Commander took off his cape and draped it over Dezi’s body. With the help of Blackwall, he and Iron Bull helped Josephine to her feet, and held onto her as she began to fall again. She didn’t fight when they lead her away from the body.
“Wait!” She yelled, “please…wait.”
Josephine whimpered as she slowly walked back to Dezi. She tried to look at her lover, her girlfriend, her future wife but squeezed her eyes shut. Vivienne came to Josephine’s side and held her hand, tears stained her usually perfect face as well. Vivienne looked at Cole who was leaning against the door to the Undercroft. She pleaded with her wet eyes, and he gave her a small tilt of his head.
Cole took a breath and opened his mouth, “She hurts. She hurts, and hurts, and the green haze spreads across her body. ‘It’s too late’ the Wolf says before he departs. She cries and opens her arms to the Bride and welcomes the Light. She thinks of you - citrus and roses, and then it doesn’t hurt any longer.”
Cole appeared before Dezi’s body and kneeled by her, “She helped me, and I helped her.” He looked into Josephine’s eyes and brought forth a scrap of cloth in his hand.
It was the cloth Josephine gave to Dezi. She doused it in a citrus and rose oil for Dezi to wrap around her staff. Dezi carried it everywhere. Josephine’s hands covered her face, and her sorrowful moans yet again filled the hall.
Blackwall and the Iron Bull half-walked, half-dragged Josephine away, and almost everyone left the area leaving Cassandra, Leliana, and Cullen alone with Dezi.
It was quiet. Tense, and quiet and the small fires adorning the throne crackled.
They took a knee and bowed their heads to pray for the first, of many, times.
O Maker, hear my cry:
Guide me through the blackest nights
Steel my heart against the temptations of the wicked
Make me to rest in the warmest places.
O Creator, see me kneel:
For I walk only where You would bid me
Stand only in places You have blessed
Sing only the words You place in my throat
My Maker, know my heart
Take from me a life of sorrow
Lift me from a world of pain
Judge me worthy of Your endless pride
My Creator, judge me whole:
Find me well within Your grace
Touch me with fire that I be cleansed
Tell me I have sung to Your approval
O Maker, hear my cry:
Seat me by Your side in death
Make me one within Your glory
And let the world once more see Your favor
For You are the fire at the heart of the world
And comfort is only Yours to give.
-Transfigurations 12:1-12:6