A/N: This is my fist attempt at writing fanfiction. It is supposed to be a collection of small stories with Alistair and F! Cousland as main protagonists, written from her perspective. The story starts after the Battle at Ostagard. Two Grey Wardens, Alistair and Elissa Cousland set upon a mission to fight the Blight after their lives had just been saved by Flemeth, the Witch of the Wilds. Flemeth's daughter Morrigan had joined them.
Disclaimer: This story is based on the game Dragon Age:Origins, and I use their ideas for entertainment purposes only.
They had been walking in silence for several hours now. Elissa has asked the witch a few questions at the beginning of their journey, but her short tempered replies did not invite for further conversation. Alistair was following in her steps at a short distance and he remained silent. Her mabari hound was the noisiest in their small party, moving back and forth and sniffing everything around him. She could tell that the sun was reaching below the horizon. The forest around them was getting gloomier. Twisted trees were casting long cool shadows and the mist in the small valleys was rising.
Elissa felt weary and her mood was low. With nothing else to distract her, gloomy thoughts were haunting her. Everything had happened too fast. Over night she had been cast into a tumult sea, all her anchors cut off, and since that fated moment her world has been spinning madly out of control. Now she had to face the tidal wave which was the Blight, and the task seemed insurmountable. She was still trying to get all that happened to sink in, but she felt numb and unable to get a grip of herself. She was still waiting to wake up from a nightmare.
She followed blindly.
First Duncan. After her parents have been treacherously murdered in their own house while she watched powerless, she followed the man that dragged her out from her burning home against her own will. She wasn't given a choice about becoming a Grey Warden, nor about anything else the job entitled. She followed orders.
And now she followed Alistair. He was all that was left of the Grey Wardens. And he wished to carry on with the impossible task of stopping the Blight. Alistair's heartbreaking plea and his pained and anguished look which mirrored the way she felt affected her deeply. He asked for her help. With no place to go, with no hope and no goal in sight, she decided to help him. It was easier to make his pain go away than hers. That's how she found herself here. But no matter how hard she tried to suppress the horrid memories of the last couple of weeks, they surfaced at short intervals, and all she wished now was to sink into a blissful sleep.
"We should find a place to rest for the night." she said. "Do you know of any good place for that around here, Morrigan?"
"No. There's nothing around here for miles. If we keep walking though the night, we'll reach out of the Wilds by morning." the witch answered, without stopping or turning.
"I don't feel safe in this place, especially at night. I think it would be easier to continue our journey after some rest and in day light. Alistair, what do you think?" Elissa said allowing him to catch up to her before she continued walking.
"I think we should find higher ground. It'll be easier to defend." he answered, falling behind her again when the narrow path no longer allowed them to walk side by side.
"Have it your way." Morrigan scoffed. "Follow me."
By the time they reached the place Morrigan was leading them to, it was almost entirely dark. They climbed up a low hill covered by only few trees. The one growing at the top was very large, its branches reaching long in every direction. Elissa thought it would have provided better shelter if it had leaves, but it was too early in the spring. The leaves were not even sprouting yet. She had never before slept directly under the sky, and she had nothing else but the cloths and armor she was wearing. Alistair had been foresighted when he told her to bring her backpack, but she didn't think she needed to pack a blanket before heading to the Tower of Ishal in Ostagar.
"This place looks fine. Thank you, Morrigan." Elissa said, dropping her backpack. The witch scolded, but said nothing. She walked a bit further away from where they stopped and she dropped her bag.
"I'll gather some wood for a fire." Alistair said.
Elissa nodded, but he was already walking away. Fenris was sniffing around and scratching the roots and leaves on the ground. She looked around and started to gather everything that could be burned. The temperature had dropped considerably after the sunset, so they would have to keep the fire up all night. They had nothing to eat. Elissa thought that her hunting skills were too modest for the task. They had no bow, and she didn't think she would be able to hunt in the dark anyhow. Not to mention the lack of any other necessities to prepare a meal.
When Alistair returned he dropped the pile of dry wood and searched his backpack for flint. Elissa piled the wood and helped him make the fire in silence.
"I guess we need to arrange some sort of watch for the night." Elissa said looking up from the stick she was pocking the dry grass with to keep the flame alive. "I know you said you have some kind of darkspawn repellent, Morrigan, and it seems to be working, but we better be prepared."
"Yes, I should think so." she answered.
"Then would you mind taking the first shift for a couple of hours? Alistair can replace you, and I will take second part of the night, if that is acceptable."
She took the silence as an approval. She removed her weapons and lay by the fire on the cold and damp ground, placing her head on her bag. It was hard and uncomfortable, but she was grateful to be able to close her eyes and rest.
Elissa found herself on a shore. The place was peaceful. Her parents were there, smiling at her, and Oriana and little Oren were there as well. She felt happy. They walked and talked and sat down at a table together. Then Elissa saw them go towards the water without looking back. Big gates closed behind them. Elissa turned around, her back clinging to the gate. Black smoke was rising from several places in the horizon. A white fog was starting to obstruct her view, was approaching her, surrounding her, pressing closer and closer against her. She felt afraid. There was something in the fog, something that was terrifying her. She turned to the gate trying to open it, but the gate did not move. She tried desperately to cry for help, to call her parents, but no sound came out. She turned her back to the gate again to face the invisible terror which was now only feet away. She was trapped, paralyzed with fear; she was suffocating and could do nothing but await the inevitable. She felt herself yanked up.
"Elissa." she heard. "Wake up."
Her body was stiff and unresponsive. She blinked. She saw Alistair crouched besides her, holding her arms in a tight grip. She shuddered and let her forehead fall on his shoulder. His cool armor was refreshing.
"It was only a bad dream." he said softly in her hair. "You're safe."
She breathed relieved. "It felt so real." she said lifting her head to look at him.
"I know. I should have told you earlier about the dreams. I'm sorry." he said, brushing her hair from her face, and letting his hands slide down her shoulders back on her arms.
"The dreams?" she asked distracted. His face was inches away from hers. She felt his sweet warm breath on her face when he spoke.
"Grey Wardens can sense and hear darkspawn also in their dreams. It takes a bit, but eventually you will learn to block the dreams out."
"Oh…" she said in a whisper. "Thank you, Alistair."
"Well, I heard you trashing in your sleep and I thought I should tell you. It was scary for me at first too." He let go of her and raised himself suddenly. When he talked again, his tone had changed as well. "Now that you're awake we should get a move on."
"But don't you need more rest?" she asked bewildered.
"I'm fine." he said, and strapped his sword and shield on his back.
His firm tone left no place for an argument. She raised herself, gathered her stuff and called Morrigan who was lying further away, in the same spot she had picked earlier.
"You have changed your mind, I see?" Morrigan asked, and Elissa guessed she was referring to the fact that it was still dark.
"Yes. We are ready to continue our journey now." Elissa answered. She wondered what Alistair was thinking or if he only agreed to camp for her sake.
