"We have to go. Carver, are you listening to me?"
The voice is distant, empty. Like the void whispering to him amidst the darkness.
"Carver Aristide Hawke we need to go. Now!"
Only three living souls knew that damnable middle name of his. Carver hissed as his attention finally came into focus on his sister. She was tugging on his sword arm, a sensation that barely registered over the din of the battlefield. The screams of the soldiers clashing with the unholy shrieks of the darkspawn. And the blood. It was everywhere. Thick and heavy even in the air. Carver felt like he couldn't breathe as he looked, wide-eyed, upon his sister's determined face.
"We have to stay," he protested, weakly. "To fight."
"Snap out of it, we need to get mother and Bethany!"
A sharp sting to his cheek flared his anger as he whirled on his sister. She puffed out a breath through her nostrils and glared down her nose at him. Carver knew that look. Knew Ashley was daring him to challenge her decision.
"Fine," he snarled.
Taking one last look over his shoulder at the ever failing battle, Carver ran after his sister as she led the charge back toward home.
For the duration of their flight away from the battle, neither sibling said a word to each other. While Carver had eventually strapped his large sword to his back, Ashley had refused to sheath her dagger. Even tossed him her spare so they could stay armed, but light on their feet.
They'd been running, actually running, for longer than Carver could recount. In fact, now that his head was clear enough to consider it, he was quite certain neither of them had run this much in their entire lives. And now they were running for their lives.
"Do you think mother will leave?"
Ashley stopped short, turning to Carver at his question. He bristled, letting out a sigh as he slowed to a halt himself.
"How should I know? Mother's stubborn, there's no getting around that."
Carver snorted out a laugh. "True enough."
Ashley rubbed her forehead in frustration. "But I guess we won't know till we make it, will we?"
He shook his head. "At least Lothering isn't that much further."
"Agreed, come on, then"
"Lead on."