Lost and Found
Part One
The storm grew heavier, rain drenching the world in water as the small elf ran blindly, her arms around her tiny frame as her feet carried her tiredly through the mud and stone of the earth. Merrill felt the wind cut sharply into her as the breeze dulled her hearing a bit, her eyes barely open thanks to the pelting rain.
Why didn't she listen? "Do not wander out of the camp" her keeper said, that one order and she couldn't follow it.
And now she was paying for her disobedience by blindly running through the woods in the vain hopes to find shelter from the storm. Ferelden was so cold and wet she lamented, missing her own clan in Nevarra. Yes the weather wasn't much better but at least it wasn't near as heavy as the storms Ferelden had, she could at least keep her eyes opened during her search.
Her teeth chattered and her body shook with the cold, her eyes opening as she lifted her small arm to block the rain to see a small village ahead, beacons of small torches alit. She gulped fearfully, knowing it was human lands she'd be venturing to, yet the storm was growing worse as thunder boomed in the sea of clouds above her head. Cautiously, the elf ran into the village, staying on the outskirts as opposed to running into the village.
As she ran, she eventually found a large barn. Behind the barn, she spotted a loose board and after some tugging, she managed to lift it enough to slip through. Inside, she let out a deep sigh of relief from the reprieve of the storm, her body soaked with water. The barn was large as she expected, several tools finely cared for hung upon the walls, piles of hay high above like small mountains and other large tools humans used for their lands.
She bit her lip, the torches were alit which meant humans would be returning possibly, but she remembered her friend's words, Lyna. Stay out of sight and you'll be out of their minds. She climbed the ladder slowly, until she reached the second floor of the barn to find more bundles of hay, along with a mat on the ground. The elf quietly approached the hay and after some adjustments, she managed to make a small comfortable makeshift bed for herself.
Hungry but not cold, the elf let out a shaky and scared breath as she closed her eyes…
A door opening quickly jolted the elf awake with a short gasp. Merrill quickly dove into the hay, allowing herself to be buried with straw. She heard footsteps shuffling on the floor, accompanied by some grumbles here and there about something to do with chores. Her breath became short when she heard the ladder being shifted slightly and quickly averted her eyes when she saw the top of the head of the human.
She shook in her hiding spot, breathing became shallower and quicker as her heart raced. Then suddenly something poked her in her side. She jumped and accidentally fell out of the hay and onto the floor on her side, quickly scrambling away from the human in fear.
She looked up to see no one, but upon lowering her gaze, she spotted a child. A boy, two years older she guessed, with messy unkempt black hair but with the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen. He wore a dark tunic that had several patches around it, brown trousers with patches of dirt and straw stuck to it. In his hand was a stick, no doubt the object that poked and spooked the poor girl.
Merrill had never seen a human before, and already her heart was beating like a drum as she looked at the boy fearfully. The boy seemed to be frozen on the spot too she saw, his eyes wide with surprise but also, fear? He slowly dropped his stick and looked at her. 'Hi', he greeted softly. His voice so young she noted but there was that Ferelden accent in it, strong. She refused to reply, her voice was lost and all her options were on just staring at him with fear.
The boy frowned at this. 'Hello? Greetings?', he tried. She wasn't an idiot as much as her clan mates tease her for it, Merrill was fluent in the human tongue as much as the next dalish elf. The boy folded his arms. He gave her a friendly smile. 'I'm Garret, Garret Hawke. What's your name?', he asked. Once more she refused, biting her inner cheek.
'Bunny!'.
She blinked. He was grinning stupidly at her. 'I'm calling you Bunny until you say otherwise!', he proclaimed. At this, she pouted and glared at him as he childishly announced her name to no one. 'Nice to meet you, Bunny! How are you today Bunny? Where did you come from Bunny?', he persisted. 'My name is not "Bunny"!', shouted Merrill angrily. Garret then grinned as she suddenly clasped her mouth in fear, her eyes wide like an actual bunny caught by humans.
'Then what's your name?', he asked. '…Merrill', she mumbled, shyly. Garret then took her hand and shook it. 'Nice to meet you Merrill!', he said. The elf looked at the human, confused and absolutely lost for words. All her lessons about humans had warned her to avoid them like the plagues, that they were cruel and heartless, and they despised elves. But this one…
Garret then looked at her, realizing she was soaked to the bone. 'Why are you all wet?', he asked, pointing at her. Before she could answer, the door opened up again. 'Garret! Where are you?', called a much deeper voice. Merrill jumped in fear but before she could do anything, Hawke turned to wave at his searcher. 'Andraste's blood Garret, what are you doing out in the barn so late?'. Climbing up the ladder and then standing before him was no doubt his father. Merrill felt her blood freeze when she saw how tall her was, taller than even the elders of her clan.
Wearing a pair of grey trousers with a large coat around his body, soaked by the rain and wearing a cloak. He removed it to show his blackish hair and soft blue eyes, a dark beard around his face. He turned to the elf, surprised. 'Whose this?', he asked. 'Merrill!', Hawke said. Merrill gulped fearfully, keeping her distance from the humans. The man knelt down and looked at her, taking in her smaller frame and soaked clothing. He gave her a warm smile.
'Ane'thra Da'len', he greeted. The elf looked at him with shock, she never heard a human could speak elvish. 'Ah, based on that reaction, I'd say you are a dalish elf, are you not?', he asked. She shyly nodded. He rubbed his chin in thought before he stood up. 'Did you get separated from your clan child?'. She again nodded. His eyes grew softer as he turned to his son. He patted him on the head, ruffling his hair. 'You and your sense of finding people never ceases to amaze me', he said. Garret laughed happily as he placed both hands on his father's hand. The father turned to Merrill.
'Follow me child'.
'How many times have I said not to go out in the storms Garret?', Leandra chastised, drying off the boy's head with a cloth, making the boy laugh. 'You could've gotten sick or lost in that! You're so careless sometimes', she said. Merrill giggled at the boy as she wrapped herself in the blanket tightly watching Garret make stupid faces as his mother dried him off.
'But mama, I made a new friend!', he said. Leandra rolled her eyes. 'I'm certain you were attempting to play in the hay than try to make a new friend child', she said. Garret just grinned at his mother after she finished off drying him. 'Now then, to bed with you two', she said. She turned to Merrill and knelt down. 'You'll be sharing a room with Garret tonight, his sister will stay with her brother', she said warmly. Merrill nodded.
The bed room was spacious with two beds face each other across the room, windows pelted by rain, several wooden toys scattered around the floor, wardrobes and dressers here and there. 'You can have Bethany's bed, she has the softest one', Garret offered. Merrill climbed into the bed dressed in smaller clothes that belonged to Bethany when she was a smaller child, sighing happily from the softness of the sheets and bed itself.
She looked at Garret as he climbed into his own bed, yawning. 'Goodnight Merrill', he said. '…Goodnight…Garret…', she said shyly but still had that little smile on her face. As she closed her eyes and allowed herself to be lured off to sleep, a comforting feel surrounded her.
She was safe…
A/N: So this was a story I've been pondering for awhile now and since it's a new idea, I'd figure I'd try and get this out there.
So for this week there won't be an update for CAD, sorry but a few things came up and I've got a project to do. I'll be doing this story to make up for it along with if anyone wants to request a short with these two, message me and I'll get on it!
Also in regards to a guest's request about CAD, namely the Legacy and Mark of the Assassin DLC story, I won't be doing it. I'm sorry for those of you who want, but I just don't have much drive to do it. Maybe in the future but until then.
Thanks for reading, stay safe and stay awesome!
