Author's Note-I'm not dead, I promise. I know that you so don't want a new story from me until I finish some of my other ones, but I just got bit with the Dragon Age bug. As I've said on my authors' page, I've thrown myself into my writing lately and I came up with this. If you don't like it, I'll remove it. If you do like it, I'll keep updating. I think though, this time, I'm going to update according to reviews. I'll let you know at the end of the chapter. So...read on. Oh yeah, if anyone is curious on how to say the main character's name, it's Sanile...pronounced San-ee-lay.
Disclaimer : All standard disclaimers apply. Dragon Age and all of its characters belong to Bioware and EA Games. I do own my original characters Sanile and Elissa.
Title: Dragon Age: Dalish Elf Origin
Series: Dragon Age-Origins
Genre: Angst/Action/Romance
Pairings: Sanile(OC)/Alistair, Elissa(OC)/Zevran
The late morning sun shown through the leaves of the high-hanging trees. Spring was fleeting as the vegetation grew in vibrant hues. Animals moved about with their young as the birds sang merrily in the branches. The forest's children had been awake and moving for several hours to start the tasks at hand for the day. The Dalish were a proud people that kept to themselves. Humans did not acknowledge them and when they did, they weren't looked highly upon. Because the Dalish were a wandering people, they paid little mind to the humans, for they were never in the same place for too long.
It happened that on this very morning, two of the young elves from the nearby village were moving silently through the trees. Since they spent most of their time hunting, it was nothing strange to find them walking with sure feet through the forest. The game had been disturbed by another source, meaning that their prey would be a bit bigger; humans.
"You know, this is all their fault." The young man said irritably as he moved along.
The young woman sighed. "Why do you hate the shem so much, Tamlen? It's not that they've done anything to us in recent years."
Tamlen, the young male elf, shook his brunette head. "You clearly don't pay attention to Paivel's stories. Humans were the reason that we don't have a homeland, Sanile."
"I do listen to Paivel's tales. I just don't see how carrying the grudges of our ancestors is benefitting us. We could learn from the humans. They could learn from us."
Tamlen stopped and gazed at his childhood friend. The woman's pale gold hair was pulled back into twin plaited buns that rested on the back of her head. Brilliant blue eyes were studying him curiously as he stared squarely at the butterfly-like tattoo, or the art of blood writing among the Dalish, imprinted on her forehead and trailed down to the tip of her nose. She looked as she always had, but her mindset had changed somewhat recently.
"You talk like you can trust a shem. You're daft is what you are. Why do I even listen to you sometimes?" he snorted.
"Well, you listen to me because I've got more brains than you and you've got just a little more brawn. Do you not recall that time when I suggested that we decided to frighten the halla to worm our way out of chores. " Sanile told him indignantly.
"I recall." Tamlen groaned, shaking his head. "Marin was furious."
Sanile was about to respond when Tamlen held out his arm, indicating her to stop once again. She gave him a curious look as his ears pricked at the sound of rustling brush up ahead. Slowly reaching behind him, he grabbed his bow and notched an arrow against its string. Sanile copied his actions as the two began to creep through the brush. The shuffling got significantly louder as they drew closer to the creature that was disturbing the forest. A low growl sounded from Tamlen as he spotted the cause of the disturbance. Three humans were racing towards them. Tamlen leapt from the brush, Sanile following after him with their bows drawn.
The humans slid to a stop as they encountered the two elves. Fear twisted their features upon seeing weapons drawn at their arrival. The bravest of the three looked to the other two, though he was still shaking, and tried to avoid a conflict. Despite this effort, the young male elf stared them down with disgust.
"What are you doing here, shemlen(1)? Don't you realize that you are trespassing?"
The brave one fought to control his trembling body. "Forgive us! We meant no harm! There was a demon! It chased us!"
Sanile sent a glare to her friend before he had a chance to speak, her arm tense from holding back the bow string. "Demon? Where did you see such a thing?"
"Some ruins nearby! The-there was a cave!"
"I know of no such ruins." Tamlen said flatly. "If you had found such a place, then you'd obviously been there looting. Give me a reason not to kill you."
"Tamlen!" Sanile hissed. "What are you doing?"
The men before them were shaking as they moved closer to one another. They were immobilized by their fear. "Please! D-don't hurt us! The village will turn against you if you kill us!"
The golden-headed elf gave them a pleading look. "Shue shah tauthau toetoi thuet."(2)
"Please!"
"I'm sure that they wouldn't mind just one of you returning." Tamlen mused, picking up on the hint his friend was giving him.
"Tamlen, please let them go. They haven't hurt us and they're unarmed. They've done nothing wrong."
The young male elf sighed as he lowered his bow and rolled his eyes. "Consider yourselves lucky that my clan sister has a bleeding heart. Go now and don't return."
"T-thank you!" the humans stuttered as they took off running through the trees as fast as their legs could carry them. Within a few moments, they could no longer be seen.
The brunette turned to look at Sanile as he lowered his bow. The blonde would not look at him as she replaced her weapon on her back. "Abelas(3), Tamlen. I couldn't let you kill them for no reason."
"Their being here wasn't a good enough one?" he asked with a snap. "Anyway, I wonder what ruins they were talking about. I know where the cave is of which they speak, but there have never been any ruins that I know of."
"Perhaps we should ask the Keeper then. She might know what those shemlen were talking about." She suggested.
Tamlen shook his head. "We wouldn't be allowed to explore them. Didn't you see what they dropped? Some sort pottery. Can you read the script there?"
Sanile's brow furrowed as she attempted to make sense of the writing. After a few seconds of study, she turned to her companion for the answer. "I'm assuming you can since I can't make it out."
"It's elvish writing, but very old. I don't understand some of the words. You see, this is why we should look around the ruins to see if those shem were telling the truth."
After a moment or two of contemplation, Sanile's resolve finally waivered and she let out a sigh. "Fine. If that is what you wish, then we will go investigate. The only way I'll go, however, is if we tell the Keeper what we've discovered once we returned."
"Fine! Let's go!"
The two elves took off through the trees as quickly and quietly as they could. It was a possibility that the humans had angered something in the cave. The Keeper had always told them that spirits could take on physical form when angered or provoked. There was a high chance that something like that had taken place. Sanile kept her ears open and what had her most uneasy was the fact that since they'd moved deeper into the forest, all noise had ceased. Silence hung thick in the trees and even the wind had ceased to blow. Tamlen, however, seemed unperturbed by this and continued on his way.
~*~
Shaking the thick black substance from his blade, he moved to the edge of the ridge and cringed inwardly at the sight that lay before him. Down among the trees , hundreds, perhaps thousands, of them lay in wait for their next move. The horde. All of them just like the creature he just slew. His brow furrowed in thought as he examined their movement. The horde would reach Ostagar in less than a week. That made his task all the more urgent.
Having heard rumors of a strange relic to the North, Duncan had informed his other men of his intentions, mainly his junior officer, and set off in search of it. It was a possibility that the Darkspawn were using the relic as a sort of gateway, which would explain their numbers. That had been several days ago. He had now almost reached the forests of the Southwestern Bannorn that was about two or three days travel from Lake Calenhad. Rumors had drifted to his ears of a Dalish clan who was currently residing there. Perhaps the elves knew of the relic he was seeking.
The Dalish weren't usually friendly toward humans, but Duncan knew that he must try. He'd heard that Keeper, Marethari, was currently in possession of several promising young warriors. From the news he'd been able to gather, this particular clan had undergone hardship in the past, including a raid made by humans during a coming of age ceremony. The humans killed all but four of the young elves. In response to this, the clan had become reclusive and hateful toward humans. Mistrust was to be expected. Duncan had also come this far out in hopes of finding new recruits for the Grey Wardens. These four that had escaped death were excellent candidates for the Joining.
He only hoped that Alistair would help with the new recruits. Two were already awaiting his return in Ostagar. King Calen was preparing a battle against the Darkspawn that Ferelden had never seen the likes of in four hundred years. The king had sent word to the other Grey Wardens in Orlais and Highever for aid in the upcoming battle. There was no promise, however, that they would arrive in time. Teryn Logaine was against any help that the Orlesians might offer. Being the king's chief advisor, Logaine was in charge of all strategies. He didn't care to rely on the Grey Wardens in combat, but would not dare disobey the king.
Sighing, Duncan came to the edge of the forest. Staring into its depths, he saw only foliage after a certain point. The Dalish would be well hidden and, perhaps, if he couldn't find them first, he'd search for the relic he'd heard tale of. His options weren't the best ones, but time was running out and there was more to be done at present. Ostagar was about to make the first stand against the Blight.
~*~
Something felt off about this part of the forest. As they drew closer to their destination, her companion picked up his stride a bit more. His eager attitude was going to get him into trouble one day and she knew it. Sanile tried to ignore the inkling of warning that was poking at the back of her mind. Something was not right, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She, instead, focused on the forest around her. The female elf warrior knew that her clan didn't stay in one place for too long, but she'd come to rather like this place. It was quiet and quite abundant in the resources they used, not to mention that there was a safe distance between them and the humans. Not that she didn't like to sneak off to watch them sometimes, because she did. They were interesting.
Her companion stopped suddenly in front of her, causing Sanile to crash into him and smash her nose into the back of his neck. Cursing softly, the fair-haired elf held onto her smarting nose as she sent a glare to Tamlen. The male elf warrior grinned sheepishly at her as she moved to his side. Before them lay the cave's mouth staring back at them like a toothy black maw. The rough gray stone made a swift transition to smooth and carved. Sanile fought her curiosity. She had an ill feeling and it did not bode well with her. Tamlen, on the other hand, didn't seem to have this same feeling and moved to descend the stairs before them. He paused and looked back when she didn't follow him.
"What are you waiting for, Sanile? Let's go. I want to look around this place. There could be a lot of our history in here."
Sanile hesitated. "Don't you have a bad feeling about this, Tamlen? I mean, isn't something in the back of your mind telling you that we shouldn't go in here?"
The brunette turned around fully to face her. "No, I don't. What are you talking about? You can go back and squeal to the Keeper if you wish, you big baby. You're acting like a shem."
The blonde pouted at this response. Sighing, she went against her better judgment and followed him into the cave. "I have a feeling that I'm going to regret this."
Sallow light drifted through holes in the ceiling, dimly lighting the ruins' interior. Piles of rubble and broken stone littered the floor. The structure had begun to decay due to time and erosion. Tree roots and vines had also invaded the place. There was no way that this place was anywhere near being a recent development. Tamlen moved ahead of her, the big brother instinct taking control as he kept his hands poised and ready to draw his weapon. Sanile, being well taught in the skills of detecting and disarming traps, grabbed hold of his tunic and moved ahead of him to disarm a pressure switch. Whoever had built this place, they didn't want anyone entering.
Tamlen nodded to her before continuing on. As they entered a larger chamber, the room was covered in spider web and cocoons. The female elf, quite the adept rogue, set to work disarming several more traps. Sanile barely had time to look up to see an unusually large spider springing toward her. Drawing her dual knives, the creature was quickly slain. Tamlen was also busy with his own creature. Once all of the spiders had been disposed of, Sanile shook the blood from her blades and returned them to their sheathes.
"Do you believe me now?" she asked, sounding slightly edgy. "We should go back now while we still can."
"We're almost there, Lethallin(4). Why turn back now? We're almost to the center of the ruins. I promise that we'll turn around as soon as we reach the center." Tamlen told her, his expression softening when he sensed her unease.
Sanile sighed. "Fine, but just know that I think we should go back. Something feels…wrong."
"You're just jittery. You'll be fine. I'll make sure nothing happens to you."
Tamlen was already moving deeper into the corridors and Sanile had no choice but to follow him. She had no desire to be left alone in this place. The sudden crunch under her foot caused her to look down. Slowly stepping off the thing, she was afraid to look down, suddenly. When her foot had been removed, Sanile felt her blood run cold as she saw the shattered shin bone of a corpse. People had died in this place. The male warrior had moved farther ahead of her, either not seeing the skeletons or not caring. She made a dash for him and spotted a trap a second too late.
"Tamlen! Don't step—"
A poison burst forth from the circular rune beneath the other elf's foot. The both of them were knocked backward. Sanile groaned as she shook her head and picked herself up off of the stone floor, coughing at the green-tinted dust that hung in the air. As she moved to check on Tamlen, she heard a rattling noise. The bones that had been laying on the floor moments ago were pulling themselves together and standing up. Not only that, they had weapons.
"What manner of dark magic is this?" the brunette asked in a hushed, nervous voice.
"I don't know, but we'd better slay them before we're wounded."
Sanile's dual knives flashed in the dim light as she made swiping arcs with her weapons. The skeleton that was pressing her made a sloppy but effective swipe with its sword. She blocked the attack with one of her daggers and made an arc with the other. Once both blades had connected, the skull popped off and rolled across the floor. The blonde stood for a moment trying to calm her racing heart. Most of the things she'd done battle with hadn't been smart enough to formulate battle strategies. They hadn't had weapons either. Tamlen panted as the remaining undead were dispatched. Something seemed to catch his eye as he rushed past her.
A statue with a large wing span stood before him and was under heavy scrutiny. Sanile remembered seeing something of similar make in one of the camps of the other Dalish clans. Her blood brother stopped in front of the large piece of stone, looking over it carefully. A gleam appeared in his eyes as he recognized the thing standing before them.
"Sanile, do you know what this is?" he asked in awe.
"It looks familiar, but, alas brother, I don't recognize it." She replied shaking her head.
Tamlen ran his fingers over the statue in almost a loving manner. "Well, sister, this is a likeness of one of the Dalish elder gods. This had to have been built during the time of Arlathan. What do you know of the tale?"
Sanile cocked her head to the side in thought. Some of her nervousness had dissipated with the change of subject matter. "I don't know an awful lot. I know that even our people are not certain exactly how Arlathan fell."
"That's correct. We had a homeland in those days called Elvhenan and Arlathan was its heart. Our people fled in fear of the Tevinter Empire. Those who were not lucky enough to escape were captured as slaves. That's what the legend of lost immortality claims, anyhow." The young man stated.
"You've been visiting Hahren Paivel again, haven't you?" the young woman asked, her tone less than amused.
"What? Do you not appreciate the history of our people?"
"I appreciate it." Sanile replied. "I just think that we should find what you're looking for and leave. This place is creepy."
Tamlen chuckled softly as he rested a hand on the younger woman's head, patting it affectionately. "You worry too much, but I agree. Keeper Marethari will be concerned if we aren't back at a reasonable hour."
Both of the young elves continued the last few feet to the central chamber of the ruins. They paused only a moment or two before the closed door to exchange wary gazes. Sanile moved to push it open only to have Tamlen hold his arm out protectively and shake his head. The brunette was about to push open the door when his friend grabbed his arm quickly. He sent her a questioning look.
"Tamlen, I've got a really bad feeling about this. Please, don't open that door. Let's just get out of here." Sanile pleaded, her voice wavering with emotion.
The young male elf's expression practically broke as he turned to look at Sanile. Fear shown in her eyes as they held a glassy look to them; tears. Tamlen sighed as he moved away from the door momentarily. He pulled her into his side, kissing her temple gently. "I do not know what has awoken such fear in you, but I promise we will be safe, sister."
Sanile nodded slowly as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I will believe you, brother. You must promise me that we will both come out of this alive."
"We will, I promise. Now let's get going so we can leave."
Tamlen pushed the door open slowly and moved into the quiet room, Sanile joining him immediately. A loud roar caused both of them to give a startled jump. What came lumbering toward them resembled a bear. There was a madness in his eyes that glowed as he charged at the two elves. Spines protruded from various places in the creature's hide. Tamlen was the first to recover and draw his sword with Sanile not too far behind. Both the elves jumped at the bear with desperate fury. Their blades flew through the air making graceful but deadly arcs as they came into contact with the creature's flesh. Blood and pained cries rose into the silence. The bear made one last cry of death as it fell forward and did not move again. Weapons were sheathed as Tamlen took a step back.
"What in the world was that thing?" he breathed. His eyes then caught something else and locked with it.
"Could this be one of the Darkspawn Keeper Marethari told us about?" Sanile asked before she saw Tamlen moving further into the chamber.
Her question went unanswered as her eyes fell on the large mirror that Tamlen was moving closer to. He stopped momentarily to look at her before his gaze returned to the smooth glass surface. To his eye, a ripple travelled over the mirror's surface, causing him to look closer. Things were going on beneath its surface. There was another world on the other side of that mirror. The darkness that dwelled within it could mean that this place was located somewhere beneath the world.
"Something moved within the mirror. I saw another place. It was deep underground. "
"I think we should leave, Tamlen. There's something…evil about that mirror. Come on, let's go." Sanile urged, grabbing his arm and pulling toward the door.
Tamlen pulled his arm away as he looked back to the mirror. "There it is again!" he professed. "Don't you believe me? It's changing; calling me."
Sanile's face held a look of distress as Tamlen moved toward the mirror, his fingers outstretched toward the glass. "Tamlen, please come away from that thing. Don't touch it." Tamlen didn't seem to hear her as his fingers hovered inches above the glass. "Don't touch it!" she screamed as she made a lunge for her friend.
"It saw me! Help me, sister!"
Her warning came too late as her brother's fingers came in contact with the glass. The mirror released a bright flash of white light. Sanile was flung backward several feet by some unknown force and landed at least ten feet from the mirror. Unimaginable pain wracked her body as she squeezed her eyes closed, gasping for breath. She murmured her blood brother's name as if looking for him. When Sanile managed to pull her eyes open for a moment with great effort, everything seemed to be trapped in blurry haze. A face lingered over hers and she was only able to catch a glimpse of it before her eyes slid closed once again.
"…you all right? Can you hear me? Are you all right?"
~*~
When he found the young woman, he wasn't sure whether it was because of her misfortune or his luck. The young Dalish woman was laying on the ground in front of the cave barely conscious. If there was any hope in finding the Dalish, it would be this woman. Kneeling down to examine her, Duncan could see that this woman was ill. Touching her skin, she was burning up. The woman's eyelids were barely open as he bent over to examine her more closely. This looked like the effects of the Taint. She was barely conscious.
"Are you all right?" Duncan asked. "Can you hear me? Are you all right?"
There was no response, not that he'd expected one. One thing was for certain, however. If he did not get the elf to someone soon, she wouldn't survive. Duncan hoisted the Dalish woman over his shoulder and rose to his feet. It would take some doing, but he had to find the clan. The Grey Warden moved as quickly through the forest as his new burden would allow. She couldn't have travelled too far on her own. Her time was running out.
His efforts proved fruitful as he spotted several aravels on the edge of the camp. Several different signals sounded at his approach, alerting the others to the presence of a human. It was not a minute later that six Dalish archers surrounded him with arrows knocked and bow strings pulled taught. They were staring coldly at him, suspicions aroused.
"Why have you come here, shem?" one of them bit out harshly.
"I have come to speak with Keeper Marethari. I am Duncan of the Grey Wardens. I have found one of your kin in the forest." He explained, motioning to the woman slung over his shoulder.
"How do we know that you were not the one to put her in such a condition?" a young male asked as he took a step forward. "What of her companion?"
"Companion?" Duncan questioned. "When I came upon her, she was alone and burning with fever. She has been made ill by the Taint. Your keeper is the only one who can help her."
"The treacherous words you speak are poison to my ears, shem." The same hunter snapped, preparing to release the bowstring in his fingers.
"That is enough, Fenarel." Came a voice from behind them. "Stand down, hunters. Sanile is indeed alive. Tell me, Grey Warden, what of Tamlen?"
Duncan sighed as he shifted Sanile off of his shoulder into Fenarel's arms, who had approached him carefully to take his burden. "It is as I told your hunters, Keeper. I found the young woman alone and barely conscious in front of a cave in the forest. I believe that she has been Tainted."
Keeper Marethari looked down at the young woman in Fenarel's arms as she looked back to Duncan. "I will trust your word, Duncan. Fenarel, please take Sanile to my tent. I have much work to do. Thank you, Grey Warden, for saving one of our young. You are welcome to stay in our camp and trade with Master Illen if you need supplies."
The Grey Warden nodded as the elves moved away from him and further into their camp. He'd managed to find the Dalish and the relic wasn't far off. Now all that was left for him to do was to send a message to the Alistair and the Grey Wardens in Ostagar.
~*~
Marethari placed a cool wet rag on the young woman's forehead in an attempt to bring down her raging fever. Sanile had yet to regain consciousness and she'd been working through the night with the old magic to subdue the Taint that had crept into her body. The Keeper tried to block out the groans of pain and the expressions of fear that crossed the young elf's face every now and again. The older woman had sent her apprentice, Merrill, in search of Elf Root to make into a poultice so, perhaps, the fever could be battled. Her supply was running a bit low.
Fenarel had not left the outside of her tent in hours. Marethari could understand his worry. One of his friends was fighting for their life and the other was still missing. There was a shadow of doubt in the Keeper's heart that they would not find Tamlen. The Grey Warden had set up his own tent on the edge of the camp. Duncan had visited Sanile while she was in her care, asking about the possibility of Darkspawn be the cause of the illness. Marethari had kindly told him that they'd find out once the young woman awoke. Now was not the time for questions.
The Keeper absentmindedly dipped the cloth back into the bowl of water she had present. How had it come to this? The four fledglings that had survived the human raid had grown to adulthood. One was now fighting a battle against the Taint of the Darkspawn and the other was missing with little hope of being found. She had watched these children grow up. She had watched them learn all that they knew. She'd even had a hand in teaching them. Marethari bowed her head in contemplation, or maybe it was prayer, to beg the Creator to watch over her fledglings in the days to come. She had a feeling deep inside of her that this one would be leaving the clan soon.
Ashalle was at her wits' end. The woman's surrogate daughter was now laying unconscious with little or no chance of ever awakening. Since Sanile's mother had disappeared into the forest, Ashalle was the only mother that she'd known. Sanile's father had once been the Keeper of their clan, but had been killed before she was born. The poor thing now whimpered and groaned, no doubt dreaming. Marethari was sure that she did not wish to see what pictures the poison spun in her mind. There was nothing good about them. A head popped into the tent before the rest of the person followed.
"Ah, Merrill. You've returned. Thank the Creator, I was thinking that you might've encountered some trouble."
The dark-haired elf shook her head as she deposited the Elf Root by the Keeper. "No, Keeper. I was having a little trouble finding the Elf Root. The hunters still haven't found a trace of Tamlen. They've spread out far and wide, but it's as if he just vanished."
"It pains my heart to think that one of you children has come to ill fortune. You, Tamlen, Sanile, and Fenarel were the only ones to survive that raid six years ago at the coming of age ceremony. I could not bear it if I lost one of you. You four have become quite dear to me." Marethari said in dismay.
The night had slipped off into the wee hours of the morning, resulting in the hunting parties to stop their search for the night. Merrill had agreed to keep watch at the edge of the camp in case Tamlen were to venture back on his own. It was then that the Keeper touched Sanile's skin and did not retract her hand at the heated sensation that came in contact with her fingertips. Sanile's fever had broken. Marethari gave a sigh of relief. The worst was over and she would awaken. Now was the time to go inform Ashalle of the young woman's condition. She knew that the other woman would be awake.
As the Keeper took leave of her tent, she practically ran into Fenarel. He must have come straight here upon his return from the hunters' search. The grim look on his face showed her that he must've been expecting the worse of Sanile's condition. Marethari gave him a weary smile.
"How is she, Keeper?" Fenarel asked, his tone stating that his hopes weren't high.
"I believe that the worst is over, Da'len(5). Sanile's fever has broken and now she's sleeping. I think it best that we let her do so."
Fenarel nodded. "Is there anything that I can do, Keeper Marethari?"
After a moment or two of thought, the older woman nodded. "If you would, Fenarel, please move Sanile to her tent. That way she won't be disturbed."
The hunter nodded and entered the Keeper's tent as she moved off into the camp. The interior was dimly lit by several candles. The flickering of the flames lit the pallid complexion of his friend as she lay there asleep among the layers of blankets. Sanile's chest rose and fell gently as she breathed. Fenarel gave a sigh of relief as he moved to push a strand of hair out of her closed eyes.
"You're horrible to give us all such a scare, Lethallin. I couldn't bear it if I were to lose another friend." He murmured to the sleeping woman.
Leaning over, Fenarel scooped the smaller elf into his arms. He paused for a moment or two at the tent's exit. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. There was the slightest inking in the back of his mind that Sanile wouldn't be with them for very much longer. The Grey Warden's coming had been a sign from the Creator that something much bigger was yet to come. Fenarel gently brushed his lips against the tattooed skin of his friend's forehead, his cheeks burning in the process. He then exited the Keeper's tent to take her to her own.
"I wish you pleasant dreams, my friend. The Taint will no doubt try to give you nightmares. I only hope that you awaken soon."
~*~
The first sensation that came to her was pain. There was great pain in her head and fire flew through every muscle and tendon in her body as she attempted to move. An odd sensation began behind her eyes as she pulled her lids open to see if she had, in fact, passed into the Beyond. Strangely enough, the Beyond looked like her own tent. Groaning, Sanile forced herself to sit up, seeing that she was no longer in her tanned leather Dalish armor, but a mid-thigh length cloth gown that her peoples' women wore to bed. The Dalish woman ran her fingers through her loosed hair before moving to replace the gown she wore with her light armor.
Sounds filtered into her tent. It was an ordinary day in her camp. Perhaps the dream of the mirror and Tamlen were all but a nightmare. She stared a one of the tent poles as she absentmindedly pulled her other glove on. If it had been a nightmare, why did her body feel pain? Why had she been permitted to sleep so late into the morning? Pondering on these questions but a moment, Sanile reached up to return her hair to their normal plaited buns. After she'd finished, the elf made her way outside only to be assaulted by Fenarel immediately.
"Thank the Creator! It's good to see you up, Lethallin. For a while, we didn't think you were ever going to wake."
Sanile gave him a puzzled look as she returned the tight embrace. "What do you mean, Fenarel? What has happened?"
The young hunter shook his head. "We were hoping you could tell us. The Grey Warden came to our village with you slung over his shoulder. You were very ill and we were afraid that you wouldn't survive. The Keeper used the old magic and was able to break the sickness. You've been asleep for two days."
"Two days!" Sanile shrieked. "I've been asleep for two days?"
Fenarel winced as he uncovered his ears. "Yes, you have. How do you feel?"
The expression on Sanile's face turned into a serious one. "Worried. Where is Tamlen?"
"We know not, Sanile. We've had search parties looking for him, but haven't found a trace of Tamlen since you were brought back two days ago. I'm sure the Keeper could tell you more. She wished to speak with you when you awoke."
Sanile shook her head slowly, trying to take in all of this information at once. "Keeper Marethari wishes to speak with me? I don't know why. I doubt I could tell her anything she doesn't already know. How long has Tamlen been missing?"
Fenarel shook his head. "Tamlen has been gone since the Grey Warden returned you two days ago."
"A shem brought me back?" the blonde asked.
"Aye, Duncan I believe his name was. You were very sick when he brought you back. You were lucky, Lethallin." The hunter told her. "You may want to go speak with Ashalle. She's been very worried about you. I don't think she's slept in days."
"I'll go see her right away. I know where I can find her."
Nodding farewell to her friend, she made her way to the far side of the camp. Descending the sloped path, Sanile made her way toward the large fire at the bottom. Several hunters were posted there. Sanile scanned the area around the fire for the figure that she was looking for. She very quickly found her wearing a yellow dress. Ashalle was staring deeply into the flames, not paying attention to what was occurring around her. Never before had she noticed how deep the lines on Ashalle's face had become.
She approached her surrogate mother slowly, almost afraid of her reaction. When Ashalle caught sight of her, the older woman's face softened. Her dark brown eyes filled with tears as she watched the younger woman come to stand in front of her. Without saying a word, Ashalle pulled Sanile into her arms and hugged her fiercely. The younger of the two humored her and allowed such an act.
"Thank the Creator that you still live, Da'len. I have not slept well on your account. Why must you always worried me so?" Ashalle asked, her voice holding a mild scolding tone.
"Abelas, Ashalle. I should've talked Tamlen out of wanting to explore those ruins. Then this would've never happened." Sanile said, looking away. "Abelas."
Ashalle continued to hold her by her thin but sturdy shoulders. Gazing at the blonde, she knew that she was blaming herself. The older woman gave her a light shake as if to wake her up from whatever trance she was entering. "Don't you dare say that, Sanile. In all of your four and twenty years, I have never blamed you for anything significant that has happened. You know this. Do you think others will blame you?"
Sanile nodded her head as she turned to gaze at the fire, escaping her surrogate mother's grip for a bit. "I know they will, because I do. I blame myself for what happened to him, Ashalle. Tamlen would've been back here and safe had it not been for me giving into his desires. I failed Tamlen he will forever curse me from his place in the Beyond, if he is even there. He could be hurt somewhere in the forest because of me."
"Da'len, sometimes things happen for a reason. Sometimes things make you stronger. I know that there's not much else that could make you stronger. Your life has been shrouded, you see. You do not know what became of your parents. I will not go into great detail, but I will tell you that your father died before you were born. He used to be the Keeper of our clan. Your mother died shortly after you were born. She was heartbroken by your father's death. You were then left in my care. Paivel helped at bit."
The younger Dalish woman nodded slowly, taking in this new information. A smirk slowly curled her lips. "So this little secret romance between you and Hahren Paivel has gone on for more than twenty years?"
The older Dalish woman's mouth dropped open and her cheeks turned red. "There is no romance between Paivel and I!" she protested loudly. "Where would get such an idea, girl?"
"I've seen the way you look at him, Ashalle. The two of you may not be as young as you once were, but that does not mean that you have to squander this chance. You may not notice it, but he looks at you as well."
Ashalle laughed lightly. "Get you gone, Da'len. I'm sure you have other, more important things to worry about that talking to a love-struck old woman. Here take this. It will unlock the chest in the Northern part of our camp. In it contains some things of your parents that were left to you a long time ago."
Sanile grinned as she took the key. "So you placed it near Paivel for a reason?"
The younger elf sprung away from her surrogate mother laughing as the other woman shouted behind her. Heading back up the slope, Sanile was a little uneasy about seeing things that belonged to her parents. The most she'd ever known about them was tales and Ashalle had told her as much now as she ever had. Perhaps it was best that she didn't know the truth. Sighing, she knelt down and unlocked the chest. A faded wooden shield stared up at her. Her Dalish leather gloves allowed her fingertips to be free and, therefore, her dexterity was much better. In this case, her freed fingertips were used to slowly move along the aged ironbark of the shield. This had been her father's. There were several dents and dings in the object's surface, indicating that the object had been put to its intended use. Sanile lifted it from the chest and hung it on her back with her other weapons. She was no Warrior, but that didn't mean she wouldn't be able to use it for protection.
Giving one last look to the chest, the sun's rays sparkled off of something that had been undisturbed for years. Sanile reached in one last time. The cool thin metal of a chain met her fingers as she pulled an amulet from the chest. It was of simple Dalish design and made of tarnished silver. Her mother's name was written on the back in Elvish. Sanile hugged the amulet to her chest before drawing it away to examine it further. The charm was decorated in moons and stars as well as thinly-carved vines that wove around the edges. The thought that her father must've given this to her mother made her smile a bit.
"So Ashalle has decided to give you the key to your parents' chest. I think it is for the best. They would both be so proud of you."
Sanile turned and blinked in surprise to find Paivel standing behind her. "Abelas, Hahren. I didn't hear you approach. How do you stand?"
Paivel gave a bemused chuckled. "I should be asking you that very same question, Da'len. You had a very close brush with death and now you stand before me. Are you certain that you are well?"
The blonde smiled as she fastened the clasp of her mother's amulet around her neck. Once that had been done, she straightened it a bit. "I am well, Paivel. Thank you. I must go speak with the Keeper soon. Tamlen is still missing and I must join in the search. It is my fault that is missing to begin with."
"Do not say that, Da'len. You are not to blame. Things happen for a reason and this certainly will have a good reason. It may not be clear what that reason may be, Sanile, but you will know it in time. It only saddens me that it has come to this. You young ones have been put in danger. When we lost all the other fledglings, we were sure that the Creator had another purpose for you four that had survived. I will not keep you further. You have much to do and no time to listen to an old man's stories."
Sanile bid Paivel farewell as she made her way to Marethari's tent. Almost as if she had sensed her presence, the Keeper moved the door flap aside and motioned her in. The blonde nodded to Keeper Marethari as she paced a bit nervously about the tent. Marethari watched her carefully, as though she were giving her a thorough examination. The older woman could see that there was still sickness in Sanile's body. Her skin was still pale and her eyes were glazed. Her movements were a little more rigid than the normal fluid graceful ones. She'd yet to tell the young one, but she'd only been able to subdue the Taint, not cure it. That would be a point to bring up during their conversation. Shaking her head, Marethari finally spoke.
"It is a relief to finally see you up, Da'len. We were all very worried about you."
"Thank you for your concern, Keeper. I'm very sorry for worrying anyone." Sanile apologized, lowering her eyes. "Thank you for healing me."
The Keeper shook her head. "I am sorry, Da'len, but I could not heal you. I used the old magics as much as I could. Even with my abilities, I was only able to subdue the illness. If a cure is not found, your condition will only worsen. The strain will eventually kill you."
Sanile jerked her head toward the older woman, shocked. "Then what am I still doing here, Keeper? I must leave and search for Tamlen. He may be sick as well."
"There are a few questions that I must ask before I release you to the hunting party, Sanile. I also want to tell you that if Tamlen was exposed to the same thing you were, there may be little hope of finding him alive. The longer it takes us to find him, the wick of his life flame burns shorter. Tell me, Da'len, what is the last thing you remember?"
The blonde bit her bottom lip to try and subdue the tears of dismay that threatened to fall. After a moment of breathing, she swallowed the lump in her throat and contemplated her answer. "We were exploring some ruins that the shem had told us about."
"I see. That would explain things. Those humans you and Tamlen threatened returned to their village and are returning with reinforcements. We must move our clan North. Continue."
"We went deep into the ruins and found a mirror there. Tamlen claimed to have seen another place on the other side of the glass. He said that there was something calling him. He touched the glass, Keeper Marethari. I remember him crying out that something had seen him, to help him. I remember a great flash of light and then I woke up here." Sanile said, choking a bit on her tears.
Marethari rubbed her back in a comforting manner. "Were there any Darkspawn that you saw?"
The blonde choked back another sob, attempting to wipe her eyes. She felt her heart breaking at the sound of Tamlen calling to her for help that echoed in the back of her mind. "I don't know, Keeper. There were walking corpses and giant spiders. There was a creature in the chamber with the mirror that resembled a bear, but was terribly disfigured."
The Keeper sighed as she turned away from the younger woman. "I was hoping that I could get some answers when you awoke, but it seems there are only more questions. As soon as you are ready, take Fenarel and Merrill and return to the ruins. Only you know where they are. Perhaps Tamlen is still there. If you need supplies and weapons, talk to Master Illen. Please be careful, Sanile. I don't want to lose any more children."
"I will be careful, Keeper. Thank you. I will find Tamlen. I can at least do that much for him if I could not help him."
Sanile left the tent with a heavy heart. She had to find her two companions and begin their search. It didn't take long to find Merrill, for she was waiting by the Keeper's tent. Once telling her the plan of action, she joined in the search for Fenarel. The young hunter was standing by one of the aravels. He caught sight of them and started making his way toward the two women.
"How now, Sanile? What are we to do?"
"We go search for Tamlen in the ruins." She replied matter-of-factly.
"I am to study the artifacts while we're there, just in case there was something you missed." Merrill told her reassuringly. "The Keeper thinks that perhaps she can study the mirror you found and find a cure for your illness."
"Are you well enough to go back there?" Fenarel asked, his expression one of concern. "You've barely been awake for an hour now. I don't want you hurting yourself."
The blonde smiled as she rested her hand on his forearm. "I'm fine, Fenarel. I will let you know if I am not feeling well. Now, let's go."
"I agree." Merrill nodded. "Our search will be much more difficult if the sun sets while we're in the forest."
~*~
"Ser Grey Warden!" cried a voice that seemed to be approaching quickly.
The brunette looked up from his current task to stare at the man who was fast approaching him. In his hands was a role of parchment. "I hate it when people call me that. I wish they'd call me by my name. I'm guessing that you bring some sort of news?"
"Aye, Ser! I bring a message from Ser Duncan. Came all the way from the Wilds to the South of Lake Calenhad, it did." The messenger said, handing the young man the parchment.
"How long ago did he send this, do you know?"
"Naught two days ago, Ser Alistair. He said it was urgent and that I was to deliver it with all haste." The messenger relayed. "Should I wait for a reply?"
Alistair's eyes scoured the piece of parchment, reading the message that the words spelled out. "No, there's no need. Rest and have a meal. These are the findings of his."
So, Duncan had located the relic he'd heard tale of. He'd also managed to find the tribe of Dalish that were in that area. They hadn't known as much about it as he'd hoped, but they were able to share with him some lore they had collected. The last part of the message surprised him a bit. He'd found an acceptable candidate for the Grey Warden recruits. It was a young Dalish woman by the name of Sanile. Woman? There was already a young woman in the camp from Highever named Elissa Cousland who was also here for the joining. Why was Duncan taking interest in women recruits all of a sudden? Alistair rolled his shoulders. Duncan wouldn't have taken interest in them if they had not proven themselves worthy. There was an invasion of Darkspawn coming and it really didn't matter the gender of the recruits so long as they were able to help the Grey Wardens.
"What troubles you, Alistair? Is the message from Duncan not good?"
The brunette jumped in surprise. "Oh, Maker's breath, Wynne. I'll do no good to Duncan if you cause my heart to fail."
The seasoned mage smiled gently at him. "My apologies. I simply wanted to know how his search was going."
"Apparently, Duncan's found another new recruit for the Wardens." Alistair said, rerolling the parchment. "A Dalish woman."
"Dalish?" Wynne asked. "I don't know much about the Dalish. They're very subdued and wary of humans. Apparently, they've been this way since the fall of their homeland, the Dales. I've also heard tale of the fall of their first country's city, Arlathan. They fled from the humans and those who did not escape were taken as slaves."
"That's awful. Because they were dominated, we took them as slaves? I can see why they don't trust us." Alistair mused. "Duncan mentioned that this particular clan was especially hard to find because most of their…fledglings I suppose they call them…were killed by humans. The woman he's bringing back was one of the four that survived."
Wynne shook her head in disgust. "That has always been our nature, has it not? Destroy what we fear and do not understand. I feel sorry for the Dalish. I only hope that you treat her as you would any other human. She's probably never been away from her people or the forest, for that matter. It will be inevitable that she will meet Elissa. Her sharp tongue may get her into trouble. What is this young woman's name? Did Duncan tell you?"
The brunette wracked his brain for several seconds before remembering the name he'd read on the paper. "Sanile Mahariel. They'll be here in a few days. Duncan said they'd be coming through the hinterlands. That's the only logical way. I'm hoping that she'll have some experience with the Darkspawn. Lady Cousland has had no such experience."
"It is hard to say." Wynne commented. "You will be there to guide her, no doubt. I have faith that she'll be safe in your capable hands."
Alistair cleared his throat, his cheeks taking on a pink tint. "I'm a capable warrior. I'll make sure nothing happens to the new recruits."
"Are you swooning over the green horn already and she's not even here yet?" came one of the new recruits.
Wynne giggled a little as she patted Alistair's shoulder. "We were discussing the new recruit that Duncan found in the Wilds near Lake Calenhad. She's Dalish, so you'll have to watch your mouth Elissa."
The ebony-haired noble snorted. "How is she different than any of the other elves that I've known or met? The last elf I got to know, well, Iona was very sweet. We got to know each other very well." Elissa said with a smirk on her face. "I saw every inch of her. Literally."
"You? You did…with an elf? A woman?" Alistair stuttered. "I really didn't see that coming. Maybe we should worry about you swooning over the new recruit."
"Not unless she's blonde and beautiful." Elissa said with a wink as she wandered off to join another recruit named Daveth. "Otherwise, she's all yours, Alistair."
The old mage couldn't help but laugh at the expression on Alistair's face. The young woman from Highever was only twenty, but was a spitfire. The junior Grey Warden wasn't quite sure how to take her. Nevertheless, Alistair had taken up a genuine interest in the new recruit that had yet to join them. War, however, was not the time to be focused on romance. Shaking her head, Wynne bid the brunette farewell and returned to the mages' quarter. There was much to be done before the upcoming battle.
~*~
No sooner had the three elves entered the forest that they were attacked. It had not started out with battle, however. The eerie quiet that permeated through the trees was enough to stand the hairs on the backs of their necks on end. Sanile had taken the lead, for she knew where they were going. Merrill and Fenarel weren't far behind. The blonde's ears had pricked for any little sound that may have been made. Then there was suddenly a snapping of twigs a short distance ahead of them.
"There's something up ahead." Merrill whispered, pulling to a stop and pulling her mage's staff from her back. "We should proceed with caution."
Sanile drew her daggers as she continued to move out in front. Fenarel had already strung an arrow and pulled the string back as he moved with caution to Sanile's left. Being a mage, Merrill hung back behind the two warriors as they headed deeper into the forest. The snapping twigs led way to growls and snarls from within the greenery. It was only a matter of seconds before the creatures making those sounds made their way into the clearing. The female warrior rushed ahead of her companions to attack the creatures that had moved to ambush them.
"Are these Darkspawn?" Merrill asked frantically, casting a spell.
"They bloody well look like it." Sanile growled, slashing one of the archers that had stumbled into her path.
"How in the Creator's name did they get here?" Fenarel asked, releasing his bow string and knocking another arrow.
"I think I know." Sanile said as she stabbed her opponent through the chest with one of her daggers while swinging the other in a smooth arc that lopped off its head.
"You can explain when we've dispatched them all." Merrill cried as she scorched her archer foe with blast of fire.
When all of the Darkspawn lay slain, the three companions sheathed their weapons and gathered together. They studied their fallen foes while glancing further into the trees. Were there more of these creatures out there? No doubt there were. Merrill studied her friend's face after the exertion they had put into the battle. Having just recovered from her illness, Sanile looked a bit weary.
"Are you feeling all right?" the Keeper's assistant asked.
Sanile nodded. "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
"You do look very pale." Fenarel pointed out. "Are you sure that you're up to continuing?"
"I promise the both of you that I'm fine. If I feel otherwise, I'll be the first to say so." The blonde told them, smiling gently to reassure them.
Merrill nodded. "Only if you're sure. Let's continue, shall we?"
Sanile moved away from the others, leading them to the ruins that had caused this mess. "I think the Darkspawn came throught the mirror that Tamlen and I found. He said that he saw something on the other side. There was another place he saw. It was underground."
"The Darkspawn hide in the Deep Roads of the Dwarf kingdoms, or so I'm told." Merrill said. "That's where they were chased after the last Blight. I'm sure the city of Orzammar has been pushing them back."
"If they're coming to the surface, then it's possible that there's something bigger going on." Fenarel commented.
"You mean an Archedemon?" Sanile asked. "You're suggesting that this could be a Blight, then?"
"Quite possibly." Fenarel nodded. "Why else would the Darkspawn be this far from the Deep Roads?"
Sanile chose not to answer this as she stopped in front of the cave. She suddenly felt daunted to stand once again at its mouth. The last time she'd stood here, Tamlen had been with her. Now he was missing. How many more would she lose? Shaking her head, she took the first uncertain steps into the ruins. They looked the same as they had before. This time, however, she knew of the dangers that existed within them. Merrill looked about her in wonder.
"Everything is as you left it before, yes?"
"Exactly like we left it." Sanile nodded.
"I'll take a look around as move further in. Just in case you missed something." Merrill said.
The twenty-four-year-old blonde woman didn't answer for the growls the emanated from further inside the stone corridors. Leaving the other two behind, Sanile attacked the nearest Darkspawn with a flurry of her daggers. When the thing fell backward, she moved on to the next one. She made a swipe with her weapons, nearly cutting the genlock in half. It fell backward onto the floor, its entrails hanging out, exposed. By the time her two companions reached her, the stone floor was covered in the dark blood of the Darkspawn. Sanile turned to look back at them, covered in it. Fenarel swallowed nervously as Merrill moved forward to catch up. Never before had he seen his friend fight with such ferocity. It was as if she were replaced by a demon.
"We're nearly there." Sanile panted, not even bothering to sheath her weapons.
They moved down the hallway and Sanile paused but a moment. She ran her fingers over the statue in the very same manner Tamlen had two days prior. She held the hilt of her dagger between her forefinger and her thumb as her fingertips moved over the smooth stone. The other hung loosely at her side. Somewhere in her heart, she knew that they weren't going to find Tamlen. Her brother was gone. He wouldn't return. Shaking her head, Sanile looked to her friends and nodded to the center chamber. Her weapons were raised when she saw that the door was open.
Once they entered the chamber, Sanile froze, causing Merrill to run into her. The mirror stood before her yet again and she couldn't help but feel resentment toward it. This time, there was a figure standing before the mirror, gazing into it. Merrill peeped out from behind the slightly taller blonde and recognized the man standing in front of them. The Keeper's apprentice moved into the open, no longer wary. Sanile watched her move forward, still rooted in her spot. Fenarel rested a hand on her shoulder as he stood very close behind her.
"Andaran atish'an (6), Duncan. You must be the Grey Warden who's been staying in the camp the past several days."
The dark-haired man turned to study the three that had recently joined him. "You three must have encountered Darkspawn. I thought I'd heard fighting. I would've joined you, but, as you can see, I've been fighting them as well."
"Have you seen any sign of anyone else here? Another elf?" Sanile asked quickly, her throat constricting in panic.
Duncan's gaze shifted to her carefully. "And you are Sanile. You're the one I found outside the cave. Can you tell what happened before I found you?"
The blonde licked her lips nervously before answering. "Tamlen and I came to investigate the ruins. We came across the mirror and he insisted that he saw something on the other side. I tried to stop him, but he touched the glass and there was a bright flash. Then I remember waking up."
"I've seen other relics like this." Duncan said, turning away. "If they have been tainted, they can act as a gateway for the Darkspawn to move through. It is best if the mirror is destroyed."
"I agree." Sanile said. "Destroy that thing."
"But, Keeper Marethari…" Merrill began.
"You can't help me with an evil gateway, Merril. I'll find another way to rid myself of this illness." The blonde said with a smile. "Destroy it, Ser Duncan."
With a small nod, the Grey Warden drew his sword and moved menacingly toward the mirror. The glass rippled only once as he raised the weapon over his head. In one swift, powerful strike, Duncan connected the sword with the glass. In a rain that looked like stardust, the glass flew into a thousand pieces. Sanile released the breath she had been holding as Duncan turned to face her once again. His face held a weary expression.
"Now, if there's nothing further, we should return to camp. This area is dangerous and there is no telling how many of the Darkspawn managed to cross over before the mirror was destroyed."
"What of Tamlen? Are we supposed to forget him?" Sanile asked, a bitter chord to her voice.
"You will not find him here. He has been Tainted for two days. You were near death when I found you. There is no way that you will find him now. The three of you should return with me to camp."
A knot seemed to form in Sanile's chest. She'd been expecting this. She fought the urge to crumble on the spot and merely nodded, tears blurring her vision. This would not be an easy thing to tell Keeper Marethari. Fenarel seemed to sense her emotions and reached around her back to turn her around, guiding her after the Grey Warden with a gentle force. The man that was her brother was gone.
~*~
The camp seemed absolutely silent as the four entered it. Merrill quickly left, retiring to her tent in grief. Fenarel remained at the Southern edge of the camp to relay events to Ashalle. Duncan accompanied Sanile to the tent of Keeper Marethari, who was waiting outside. The Keeper's expression was unreadable as the young woman stood before her, attempting to swallow her grief.
"Any news on the whereabouts of Tamlen?"
Sanile shook her head. "He is gone, Keeper."
A saddened look passed over her features as she looked away. "I was afraid it would come to this. I feel great sadness for the loss of one of our young. It pains me to return Tamlen to the earth. What of the mirror, Da'len?"
"I can answer that for you." Duncan offered, seeing the trembling of the blonde's shoulders. "I destroyed it. The Darkspawn were using it as a gateway from the Deep Roads. They are moving to the surface."
"Then things are worse than I feared. Sanile, please go inform Hahren Paivel that a ceremony for Tamlen must be arranged. Duncan and I must speak. We will send for you when we are finished."
"Yes, Keeper Marethari."
Sanile could no longer hide her tears as she strode quickly to the Northern end of the camp. Paivel always stayed there with the children. It would pain him to learn of their loss, but she could not allow her clan to leave without giving her brother a proper farewell. Sure enough, the older man was waiting by the fire. Taking a deep breath, the young woman made her way to him and began to think up the words she would say to him.
Fenarel had remained silent for quite some time. He was now sitting by the fire opposite where Sanile and Paivel were talking. He'd ventured past the Keeper's tent and knew very well what they were discussing. The Grey Warden was going to take her away. He was going to invoke the Right of Conscription and take Sanile to a place called Ostagar where they were preparing a large battle against the Darkspawn. He was taking her into the heart of danger. Knowing this, the hunter doubted that they'd ever see her again. That thought in mind, he made his decision. He would sit Sanile down and tell her his exact feelings for her, because it wouldn't make a difference whether she rejected him or not. She was leaving. He'd always been afraid to say anything because Tamlen was always so protective of the blonde elf. Fenarel hated to see her suffer like this.
The object of his affection was slowly making her way back toward the Keepers tent. She would be passing by him in a matter of seconds. It was now or not at all. Taking a deep breath and screwing up all of his courage, he called out to her. Sanile jerked her head toward her name being called and quickly made her way over to him. Taking a seat beside Fenarel, she gazed upon him with curiosity.
"What's on your mind, Lethallin?"
His heart began to beat faster as he tried to form the words in his mind, but nothing sounded right. "I know that now is probably not the best time to speak about matters of the heart, but I thought it best not to wait any longer."
She seemed to get nervous at this statement and shifted as such. "What do you mean, Fenarel?"
"I will not lie to you. I have cared deeply for you for quite some time." Fenarel let out a sad chuckle. "I probably didn't say anything until now because I was afraid Tamlen would hang me by my bow string."
"Fenarel—"
"Please, Sanile. Let me speak. Care is not even the correct word. I've fallen in love with you. When you were ill, there was not a day that passed that I did not sit with you or at least outside your tent. I was afraid I would lose you or the Creator would take you back. I couldn't have stood that."
The blonde wasn't sure what to say in response to this. She knew that she probably shouldn't have touched him either, but she pulled him into a embrace anyway. Sanile wasn't sure what would happen from now on, but she was sure that what the Keeper and the Grey Warden were cooking up wasn't good. So, with one arm looped around his shoulders and her other hand resting gently on the back of his head, the blonde pulled him closer to her.
"Abelas, Fenarel. I'm touched by your confession. I truly am." Sanile said pulling him back to an arm's length, gazing into his eyes. "However sweet your sentiments though, I simply cannot return them. I have a feeling that Keeper Marethari and Ser Duncan are in her tent now discussing my fate. In my eyes, Fenarel, you are one of my dearest friends and you always will be. I can't think of you as a mate and I'm sorry for that. I certainly don't want to break your heart, Fenarel, but I don't wish to lead you on, either."
Fenarel nodded stiffly collecting her face in his hands as she stared at him in wide-eyed shock. What surprised her even more was when he lowered his face to hers and covered her lips with his own. Sanile allowed the kiss for several seconds before pulling away, a saddened expression filling her eyes. Rising to her feet, she shook her head as she rested a hand on his shoulder. Sanile only remained in her place for a moment before she headed off toward the Keeper's tent. They were probably done discussing whatever was so important. In fact, Duncan and Keeper Marethari had just come out of the tent as she came to a stop in front of them.
"Ah, there you are, Da'len. I don't have to send someone to fetch you."
"I await the decision of your talk, Keeper." The blonde said, bowing slightly to her elder.
"Your Keeper and I have been talking and we have come to a plan that will save you from your illness. It is the only way to save you." Duncan said.
Sanile looked from her Keeper, to Duncan, and back to her Keeper. "Does he speak the truth? There is a cure for my illness?"
"Yes, Sanile, there is." Keeper Marethari confirmed. "The way will not be easy, but I have faith that you can do this. We will be moving the clan North very soon."
"Then I will have to perform this task quickly. Where must I go?" The blonde asked, a stern expression on her face.
Keeper Marethari shook her head. "I think you have been mistaken, my child. You will be accompanying Duncan back to Ostagar. You are to become a Grey Warden, Sanile. You won't be coming back."
"If you don't mind my urgency, I'd like to leave as soon as possible."
Sanile was shocked into silence. She was leaving the only family, the only home she'd ever known. Now she was being told to leave it and all of her friends. The Keeper said that it was only way to cure her illness and save her. She could agree to this or she could choose to die slowly. In a way, she felt betrayed. The expression that Keeper Marethari held let her know that she had little choice in the matter and would be going to Ostagar. Nodding slowly, Sanile swallowed the lump in her throat.
"I will accompany the Grey Warden to Ostagar."
Keeper Marethari let out a sigh of relief and she embraced the young woman. "I'm glad that you have decided this, Da'len. I would hate to sit by and watch as you die slowly."
"Very well." Duncan said. "We will leave immediately."
"The only thing I ask is that I be allowed to stay for Tamlen's funeral." Sanile said, feeling the emotion rising in her chest once again.
"I ask haste, but I cannot deny you that. We will leave when the ceremony is over."
~*~
The ceremony had been fairly short and Paivel had given Tamlen the respect he deserved. Sanile now stood by the small tree that they had planted over the place where her brother's body should've been. Not bothering to dry her tears she turned to look at Keeper Marethari as she approached her. The older woman embraced her tightly as she kissed her forehead. This was the final goodbye.
"I'm so sorry that I couldn't find him." Sanile sobbed. "I failed Tamlen."
"You did not fail him, child. Tamlen would not want you to feel as such. Now, your time with us is growing short. You will have your blood writing to remind you of us. Now come. Let your clan embrace you one last time."
Sanile was led away from the tree and toward the edge of the camp. Duncan was waiting on them and fell into step beside the blonde as they began to move out of the camp. All of her clan members were there to see her off on her long journey. She could see Fenarel and Merrill. Ashalle was there as well. Fenarel grabbed her hand as she passed him. A pained look inhabited his eyes.
"Abelas, Sanile…for everything. If we don't meet again, please stay safe."
The blonde nodded. "It's up to you to make sure Merrill stays safe. There won't be a day that goes by when I don't think about my clan."
Merrill took a step toward her as she passed. Keeper Marethari prevented her from stepping into her path to stop her. Instead, the dark-haired mage choked a sob and called out to her as she and Duncan were making their way out of the village. "Don't you dare die, Sanile! I will find you in the Beyond and flog the living daylights out of you!"
The young blonde woman broke into a smile to fight her tears as she and Duncan finally stepped beyond the camp. "I never imaged that I would be leaving them." She said, brushing away a few stray tears.
"I understand that this must be hard for you, my dear. You must be strong. We will be heading south through the hinterlands to the ruins of an old Tevinter fortress called Ostagar. It was used in the old days to keep the Wilds in check. It will take us about three days to reach it from here. We have a long way ahead of us so we should make haste."
~*~
End Chapter.
(1) Shemlen- literally means "quick children." This is the world used in reference to humans by the elves.
(2) Shue shah tauthau toetoi thuet- means "I don't want to kill you" in elvish
(3) Abelas- elvish for "sorrow" also used for an appology.
(4) Lethallin- "friend of mine" used as a casual reference to a friend
(5) Da'len- child; my child
(6) Andaran atish'an- a formal elvish greeting that literally means "enter this place in peace"
So, how did you enjoy the first chapter. I know you didn't get a very good enough glimpse at Elissa, but this story is focused on Sanile. I had so much fun writing this chapter, especially the little interlude with Alistair and Wynne at Ostagar (yes, Wynne was at Ostagar in the game. I've decided that I'm going update this story based on reviews. Ten reviews for chapter one and I'll post chapter two. I haven't gotten very far into chapter two yet, but I'm looking forward to it. Sanile and Alistair come face to face!
Next Chapter:
Introduction of Alistair
Sanile meets the other Grey Warden recruits
Duncan assigns the trials
Morrigan makes the scene
Flemeth returns the Grey Warden treaties
The Joining