Characters and story are by Bioware. I just embellish. There are some spoilers for the game. Be aware.
Ellana stood with her bare feet on the moss. She loved the way it felt on her feet standing in the clearing a little separated from the camp. Her clan, Lavellan, had been camping here for a few weeks and she had found this spot very quickly. She always loved to find a quiet, secluded place she could go while they were camped. It made it feel a little more like she belonged there, to have a place that was her own.
She was the Second of the clan. But that was only because she was a mage. There were only two in the camp besides herself. The keeper and Nethon, who was first. Nethon had become like an older brother to her throughout the past several years. She smiled as she thought about how much she had hated him when she first learned of her magic. He had a sense of superiority about him that drove her crazy. Ellana often called it "Snobbishness." She had grown so much because of the challenge of trying to be better than him even though he was five years older than her and had so much more experience. She couldn't just let him win. Now both of them were strong mages and very good at working as a team. She supposed that's why her keeper had agreed to send both of them to the conclave to monitor the mage and Templar situation. She thought back to the conversation they had about it.
Keeper Istimaethoriel had called them into her aravel and they sat together as they had a hundred times before this. She primarily addressed Nethon.
"I would like to send someone to observe this Chantry conclave we have heard about. I would like to send you, Da'len." She paused, watching his face. He looked confused. But like always he remained silent waiting for her to explain. Ellana was bursting with questions she held back because she knew the look she would get from the Keeper.
"As you know," She continued, "We have been troubled by the mage-Templar war for the past few months. It was why we were forced to move to this area sooner than we normally would have." Her words brought to mind the trouble they had from some shem in the last area. Everyone knew the Dalish had mages in every clan. They had been wary and Nethon and Ellana had to be careful that they didn't reveal their magical abilities otherwise they would be dragged off to a tower or start a local war of their own. Keeper Istimaethoriel had moved them sooner than they should have to avoid bloodshed with the villagers. The Keeper continued.
"We need someone there to watch the proceedings and I want someone who can blend into a crowd of mages. You can observe how things are going and report if you believe it will be an end to this war or if it will continue to cause more problems for the Dalish." She stopped again to let Nethon consider what she said. Ellana watched him think, she was fidgeting restlessly. He was tall and lanky, and his brown hair fell in front of his brown eyes, covering his vallaslin to Dirthamen, as he looked at the floor, thinking about what the Keeper was proposing.
"Am I to go alone?" Nethon asked quietly after a few minutes. He was always so soft spoken and thought about everything he said before saying it. Ellana thought he would be a wonderful keeper when Istimaethoriel stepped down. Plus he was devoted to the Creators and uncovering more of the elvhen history. It was why he had chosen Dirthamen for his vallaslin. He had wanted to pursue the knowledge and secrets of elvhen history. She was a little more skeptical when it came to gods who hadn't interacted with them in over a thousand years.
Keeper Istimaethoriel nodded as she replied, "I have thought about sending one of our hunters with you but I wanted to consult with you first. I do think you will need the support while you travel. Its dangerous to travel alone in these times."
Nethon nodded, still thinking intently. Ellana was a little disappointed. She had wanted to leave the protective circle of the camp for a while now, but the keeper seemed to think it was too dangerous. She sighed slightly and Nethon looked at her, hearing her exasperation, and smiled.
"What about Ellana?" Nethon didn't look at her as he spoke, instead looking straight at the Keeper. She gaped at him in shock. He usually sided Istimaethoriel about keeping her in camp and safe, which usually made her roll her eyes. "She has become a powerful mage and she would be an asset to my travels. Plus two mages at the conclave would be safer. One of our hunters might not be welcome." He watched the keepers face. Ellana was glancing back and forth between both of them. The Keeper had some kind of knowing smile as she looked at Nethon, ignoring the pleading looks from Ellana.
"You think I should send both my First and my Second away from the camp?" She raised her eyebrows at him. Nethon glanced at Ellana and he blushed. Ellana quirked her eyebrow. He had been blushing more and more around her lately, and she wasn't sure why. She was thrilled that he was even suggesting she go with him. She would give him a big hug later if his plan worked. She grinned at him.
"I think we would have a better chance of being successful in this endeavor with both of us there. We work very well together and it would be a good opportunity for Ellana to see the outside world, as she has been begging to see for a while." As he said this he glanced at her before his eyes glued back to the keeper and his blush darkened further.
Ellana watched the keeper with held breath. she would love to go with Nethon on this trip. She had just turned twenty one years old and the keeper hadn't really let her leave the camp for anything more than hunting. Of course, she wasn't originally from the clan anyway. She was originally a child of a city elf and a Dalish. She had been six when her father had died and her mother, a city elf with no money or way to support her small child had abandoned her at the nearest Dalish camp she could find. She had cried outside the unfamiliar aravels in the dark, too afraid to move or approach, before someone noticed her. They took her to the Keeper and Istimaethoriel had taken her in and comforted her as she tried to learn from a sobbing elven child why she was alone in the dark in a Dalish camp. Her mother had never returned for her or sent any word to the clan. So, Keeper Istimaethoriel had raised her, and trained her as a hunter until Ellana had discovered her ability with magic at twelve. Nethon had been seventeen at the time and she remembered challenging his intelligence because he was so aloof and snobby. She had just wanted to prove herself against this boy who she thought looked down on her for not being from their clan. They had warmed to each other over time, as they were forced to work together, and come to a happy friendship. Nethon had even taught her some as he became more proficient himself. In the past year, as she had grown and become stronger, he had become a little distant. He stumbled on his words more often and blushed when she smiled at him. She didn't understand him sometimes.
"Very well, I will consider it." The Keeper finally said. "But I don't want you pestering me about it while I decide, Ellana." She said this just as Ellana had opened her mouth to defend her going. She shut her mouth quickly and grinned at the keeper who smiled softly back.
"Now go, both of you." Ellana and Nethon stood and walked out of the aravel. Ellana blinked at the bright sky and grinned again. Even though she didn't know for sure that it would happen, she was thrilled that she might be able to go on this adventure. She turned as Nethon ducked out of the door and she threw her arms around him in a hug. He blushed fiercely again while he gently hugged her back.
"Thank you for doing that, Lethallin!" She leaned back and looked in his face. He still had his hands around her back and he was looking down into her eyes. Something in expression looked different, a deep and confusing expression that Ellana couldn't quite put a finger on. Something that made her blush a little and pull back. Nethon dropped his hands and looked away, his expression normal again, though a little strained.
"I just think the trip would go smoother if we both went." He glanced at her again.
"I agree." She said nodding seriously, and he laughed quietly. "You are only saying that because you want to go so badly." He smirked at her excitement.
She grinned and nodded.
He shook his head at her. "Well, I have things to do to prepare, Lethallan. You should be ready in case you are allowed to go as well. We would have to leave in the next few days to make it in time." Nethon turned and headed toward his family's aravel that he shared with his parents and his sister. She watched him go as her eyes glittered, thinking about the days ahead where she might be leaving to see the world outside of their little Dalish camp.
Ellana stood in the clearing again, her mind on the last few days. They were leaving today as soon as Nethon was up. She had barely been able to sleep last night in anticipation. The morning had come so slowly and she wasn't sleeping, so she had gotten up while it was still dark, packed her small bedroll and supplies, and slung her bow and arrows over her back. She was going to pretend to be a hunter until they got to the conclave. The Keeper had insisted. It was safer to have someone who didn't have to rely on a staff as well. Ellana had become very proficient at using a bow before she found her magic, and even enjoyed the simplicity of the bow and had been loath to give it up, so she had kept at it along with her magic. Nethon would carry a staff and have her staff across his back.
She had been packed and ready in minutes and it was still dark. She had sighed in frustration, dropping her pack outside her door, and went to her favorite place outside the camp. It was a small clearing in the trees where an old stump had created a perfect seat in the center of the area that was carpeted in moss and leaves. During the day, the light filtered through the treetops to make the most beautiful green aura that calmed her mind. Right now though, in the early morning it was a silvery dark blue from the sliver of moon that was fighting the light tickling the horizon as the morning spread its fingers. She sat on the stump, closed her eyes and attempted to calm her mind as she waited for the rest of the camp to stir into wakefulness.
"I knew I would find you here." Ellana jumped in surprise. Keeper Istimaethoriel walked silently into the clearing. Ellana hadnt heard her footsteps at all. Keeper chuckled at her surprise.
"I just wanted to talk to you before you go, Da'len." Ellana nodded and smiled. She gestured for her to join her on her stump, patting the wood beside her. The Keeper smiled and did as she bid. Ellana loved the Keeper. She was the only mother Ellana could really remember.
"First, please be careful Da'len. I know you are very excited to go and I think you are ready but I worry for both of you. If you don't come back safe I would be heartbroken." She smiled in a sad way. Ellana put her arm around the older woman's shoulders in a hug.
"We will be fine. I promise." She smiled back at her as tears pricked her own eyes at the use of the endearment. Keeper had stopped calling her Da'len when Ellana had started demanding that she was an adult. Which of course wasn't true. Now, years later, she realized she had missed it a little.
Keeper smiled at her, eyes misty as she looked tenderly at Ellana.
"The second thing I want to discuss with you is something I'm reluctant to bring up." She looked seriously at Ellana, who raised her eyebrows.
"I hesitate to interfere with affairs of the heart," she sighed heavily, "but I wanted to speak with you because I know you don't see it at all. I want you to be careful with your heart as well as your life Da'len."
Ellana face twisted in a confused look as she stared at the Keeper. Her heart?
"Have you not noticed how Nethon watches you Da'len? How he has changed?" She smirked a little as Ellana considered what she was saying. She had noticed him acting strange but she thought he was just being weird. She never expected that he would have feelings for her.
Istimaethoriel watched her thinking, seeing the red slowly spread across her face.
"He is a very good man. I don't discourage his affection for you. I think you would grow to love each other very deeply over time. But I also know you, Da'len. You protect your heart too fiercely, you don't even see the love in your best friends eyes. You didn't know at all and going on a trip, alone, with a man that has deep feelings for you could be a strain on your relationship. I don't want either of you to be hurt." The keeper touched Ellana's shoulder gently.
Ellana opened her mouth to speak but she was still floundering. Nethon loved her? She had always felt like an outsider to the clan. She didn't think anyone here would ever feel that way about her so she had not considered it. Now she thought about Nethon and his actions. He was handsome and kind. He was like a brother though. She couldn't wrap her head around it. And she didn't know how she felt about it. It was flattering and concerning and embarrassing all at once.
The Keeper continued after her long moments of silence. "Just be careful with his heart, and be careful with yours. Both of you are precious to me, and our clan." Ellana looked away. The Keeper knew that she had never really felt she belonged among the clan. "Even you, Da'len, who is not born of us. That is why we gave you our name. You are Ellana Lavellan now, even if you weren't before." She gently touched her chin and pulled her face back.
"I know you don't feel you belong here, but you do. You are the daughter I never had. My own gift from Mythal" The Keeper traced the vallaslin on Ellana's face that was dedicated to Mythal. Ellana felt tears spill on her cheeks before she leaned into another hug. Keeper Istimaethoriel smelled of pine and elfroot. It was a wonderful, comforting smell. It made her feel safe.
"I love you too, Deshanna." She leaned back to look in her face and Keeper smiled at the use of her first name. She looked up at the trees and saw the light coming down. The sun was up.
"We should head back Da'len. Nethon will be looking for us." She smiled at Ellana gently, who blushed. Now things were going to be awkward.
They walked back to the camp and just as keeper had said, Nethon was waiting by the Keeper's aravel with his pack at his feet, leaning on his staff. Ellana ran to grab her own pack and weapons, and met them back at the Keeper's side. In the few minutes she was gone Nethon had began blushing after a few words from the Keeper. Ellana had already decided that she would attempt to treat him no differently than before. She smiled at him. It was hard not to be shy.
"Aneth ara, Nethon. Are you ready to go?" She greeted him as she always had in the morning.
"Yes, lethallan." He glanced at the keeper who just nodded at them both.
"You both should get going. It's going to take a couple days to get there, and the conclave starts in three days." She looked at both of them, her eyes going misty again, and she hugged them both in turn.
"Please take care of each other. Be safe." She looked right at Ellana. "Be strong."
It was something that Keeper used to say to Ellana when she was a little girl first come to this clan. She used to cry all the time at everything. Whether from feeling alone or missing her parents, or the looks the Dalish children gave this strange city elf who had been abandoned. Keeper used to look her right in the eyes and say "Be strong." It had become a mantra for Ellana. She said it to herself whenever she was struggling or afraid. And she had stopped crying so much.
She nodded at Istimaethoriel and smiled.
"Now go. You are wasting too much daylight. Dareth shiral." She saw the Keeper wipe her eyes before they set out into the woods. Ellana could see Nethon's parents and sister waiving to him as they watched him leave. His sister, who was just a few years younger than Ellana, shouted "See you in a few days!" and Nethon grinned back at her and waived one last time. It would be at least a week that they were gone, if not longer. Seeing him with his family always made her heart squeeze. It was something she couldn't remember knowing. She was smiling softly when Nethon turned back to her.
"Ready?" He smiled lightly.
She grinned. "Yes!"
He grinned back at her, just like he used to before there were any weird feelings between them, and they set off into the woods side by side.
The first day of travel had been very uneventful. They had walked in amicable silence while they traveled northwest in the direction of the Temple where the conclave was to be held. That night they had camped under the trees. They would reach the edge of the forest tomorrow and would have to deal with crossing the plains, which provided much less cover. Sitting at the camp fire after cooking and eating a couple hares she had hunted as they walked. They were now just resting from the long day of walking. They hadn't talked much but when they had it was just normal conversation as they always had, talking of magic or speculating on lore. Now they were comfortably silent. Ellana glanced at Nethon and he looked like he was thinking about something intently.
"What are you thinking about?" she asked him, curious what could have his face so focused.
He glanced up at her, smoothing his expression and blushing, and said a little too quickly, "Nothing. Just our route to the conclave."
She smirked a little. It was kind of cute that he had a crush on her. "Right."
She hadn't meant it to sound like it did. A little disbelieving and sarcastic. He looked at her confused from her response, and she tried to pretend she was not thinking about it, busy cleaning her arrows she had used on the hares. He studied her for a moment before he groaned and put his face in his hands in mortification.
"She told you didn't she?"
Ellana, awkward now, blushed and tried to pretend she had no clue what he was talking about. But the blush was a dead give away. "Who told me what?"
He scowled. "You are a terrible liar."
She blushed. "I..." She didn't know what to say. He obviously figured out that she knew and she respected him too much to keep lying. She looked at him and swallowed, feeling a little mortification herself, before nodding. He grimaced and his face reddened even further. He looked away into the forest.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want this to be awkward." He said it quietly like he was defeated.
She stood and walked over to sit by him, brushing her shoulder to his in a friendly manner. He cautiously looked her direction, glancing at her in his peripheral, but couldn't bring himself to look directly her in the face.
"Don't apologize, Lethallin." She said softly, "You are my best friend. Honestly, I'm flattered." She smiled at him shyly.
He glanced out of the corner of his eye at her. She blushed at the question in his eyes and leaned a little away from him instinctively. She wasn't afraid of him, but she was nervous and hadn't had time to really reflect if she had feelings for him as well. The flash of hurt she saw in his eyes, as she had pulled away, made her put her hand on his shoulder.
"I don't know." Ellana said, answering his first silent question. "I only found out this morning. I haven't even thought about how I feel. Can we just be friends for a while?"
Nethon smiled at her but the pain didn't fully leave his eyes. "Of course, lethallan. I would never push you." He hesitated. "I'll take the first watch. I don't think I could sleep for a while anyways." He smiled hesitantly at her, making an effort to go back to their friendly banter before emotions got all involved.
She smiled shyly back at him, and stood and went over to her bedroll. She crawled into it and got comfortable. She closed her eyes so she couldn't see his face and the emotions turning there, trying to give him some privacy. Ellana didn't know he studied her face for a long time, watching her face relax in slumber, and then kept watch listening to her even breathing.
The feeling of warmth on her face woke her first, and then the sound of Nethon moving about the camp. Ellana opened her eyes and looked around. He was cleaning up the site and preparing his pack. It took her a moment to realize the warmth on her face was light and she shot up in her bedroll.
"You didn't wake me? You watched all night?"
He laughed at the look on her face and her hair going everywhere after sleeping.
"Yes, lethallan, I couldn't sleep anyway so I just stayed up. Maybe we can trade tonight."
She grumbled, tying her hair back again in its usual braid. "You are going to be useless today. That's why we take turns. so we are equally useless and tired." He chuckled and she stood up and packed her things. Nethon handed her a cloth with a small pile of berries he had found near their small campsite. She ate them for breakfast as they began their walking again.
If they made good time today they would be at the conclave by tonight, in time for it to start tomorrow. The day went smoothly, and they made it to the edge of the forest and set out in the plains. It was a beautiful area, but so different from the forest the clan had mostly stayed in. Ellana loved the open rolling hills and the yellow grass that moved like a cloth in the wind. Nethon was telling her that the plains could be dangerous in their own way because there was no where to hide. Everything was visible.
And speaking of visible they both saw a pillar of smoke on the horizon, directly where they were going. It was too big to be a campfire, and too small to be a wildfire so they moved more carefully towards the hill that was blocking their view to the source of the flames. As they crested the top they saw what they were looking for and both stopped. It was a house, a shem house, probably a farmer or something, and it was burning to the ground. It looked like it had been going already for a while so most of the house was already gone. Recently, burning houses usually meant that mages and Templars were fighting nearby. They backed down the hill a little so they wouldn't be so in sight. Nethon looked at her with a worried expression on his face.
"We should go around. We don't want to run into any Templars that may be in that area. Or angry mages for that matter."
She nodded at him and they began to move around the house, giving it a very wide berth, always on alert. Ellana had drawn her bow and had an arrow relaxing against the string in case she needed to move very quickly. They crept towards a rock that was tall and pointing at the sky that would afford them a little more cover as they moved around. She would have loved to climb it, and she would have if they had not been cautious of the danger. The wind was pushing their hair around and she pushed the strands out of her face, looking to the top of the rock and saw a small tree at the very top that looked lopsided and a little pathetic. She smiled and waved at Nethon to attract his attention silently, the only sounds around them the whispering grass as the wind pushed it around in its lovely dance. He saw her pointing and looked up at the rock. He rolled his eyes and smiled at her.
Nethon's eyes suddenly shifted past her shoulder and widened in shock and horror as he instinctively reached a hand out to grab her. She went to flip around, pulling her arrow back as she moved, but large grasping hands were already on her and a knife at her throat. She fought the urge to fight and scream, loosening her bow in her hands as she was forced to surrender to the blade. The blade was very sharp and she could feel its edge pressing against her. The man pressed against her back snarled and said, "Drop the staff, mage, or I swear, by the Maker, I will slice open your pretty friend here." He was a Templar.
Nethon slowly put his staff on the ground, never taking his eyes away from her face, and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. He was panicking. She could see it in his eyes as they flashed between her face, the knife at her throat, and the Templar holding it. She heard another voice, uncertain and trembling, behind the man who held her. "These are Dalish, Garrick. He isn't from a circle."
He sounded like he was a little more reasonable for a Templar, but his companion, who was now smelling her hair which she cringed away from, cut him off sharply. "It doesn't matter. Mages are all the same. All abominations waiting to happen. You will learn that soon, Tate. If we can control him by holding onto his pretty little friend here," as he said this his hand around her stomach groped upwards and she whimpered in disgust and fear, "then we won't have any trouble bringing him in. Dont fight us and we wont hurt her." He said to Nethon, grinning a little at the pain on his face, who was looking tortured as he saw the mans hands grope at her body. Her disgust was making her try to pull away but the knife at her throat was threatening death.
"Stop that." The one named Tate seemed to try to work up his courage. "You're disgracing our position. We are called by the Maker to care for mages. To protect them and others from magic. That's why we joined the order, Garrick." The Templar named Garrick turned toward Tate, bringing her with him, but not quite turning his back on Nethon. Ellana finally got to see Tate. He was very young, maybe twenty. He had his sword and shield drawn in case Nethon tried anything, but his eyes were on his companion and he kept shifting uncomfortably as he watched Garrick's hands on her. Ellana felt her heart go out to Tate a little as he tried to protect her from Garrick. But she had a plan already in motion.
Ellana took advantage of both of the Templars distractions. Mages need a staff to really focus their magic into a deadly weapon, but they can do some without. Which she was sure these Templars knew, but they didn't know she was a mage too. She had shifted her hand as the Templars argued. She grabbed his arm, the one holding the knife, grasping at it weakly and gasped, feigning panic. It made him glance at her and tighten his grip a little, but he continued arguing with his younger friend. When she was sure they were both distracted enough- she didn't want to accidentally let him cut her throat- she gave Nethon a look a sharp and he gave an almost imperceptible nod. She closed her eyes and felt her magic coil around her and she thought of heat and flames. Her magic followed her thoughts and the air around her burst into a fiery ball that died quickly. It gave her the surprise she needed.
The Templar cursed and instinctively backed away trying to slash her but she had shoved her hand up and he sliced her palm open instead of her neck. it hurt- a lot- but she could handle it. As she twisted away from him she drew her bow with her hand, dripping blood, in a very fast movement and had the arrow pulled back and pointed at the man with the knife. He froze and she let him draw a breath before she fired the arrow from so close, into his neck. His eyes bulged and he fell to his knees blood spilling between his fingers as he grasped at the intrusion to his body. She had another arrow on the string and pointed at Tate before he had even registered his friends injury. He stared at her in shock and fear, too startled to even move. She held that position, holding his life in her hands for just a moment, staring into his eyes. "Don't follow us, or try anything or I will kill you." She bit out. She was shaking and furious and her adrenaline was rushing her veins. She turned abruptly and grabbed Nethon's arm, and he immediately threw up a barrier around them both in case Tate tried anything as they ran. They sprinted away as fast as they could to escape the area and the Templar they had left alive.
Gasping for breath, they ran until they both were going to collapse. Then they saw a cave in a rocky hillside. They sprinted for it in one last stretch and collapsed against the rocks in the opening. Ellana closed her eyes and leaned her head against the rock. Her hand was throbbing and there was a prickling sensation at her throat. She reached up and brushed her fingers against it and it came away a little sticky and red. She cursed. It wasn't bad but apparently the knife had caught her neck just a little. Her heart thumped at how close she had come to dying.
She looked up at Nethon who was panting on the other side of the cave entrance. He stared at her. She looked back but he didn't break his gaze. She eventually blushed and looked away. She could still feel Garrick's hands groping her and bruising her. Nethon stood up and moved closer crouching in front of her knees.
"We need to wrap your hand. And your neck is bleeding a little... Are you okay?"
Her breath caught in her lungs at the question. He sounded so sincere, and she wasn't okay. Her hand was aching and her fingers were tingling from the blood loss, she was ashamed from having Nethon watch Garrick hold her, and exhausted from their sprint. And that was the first time she had ever taken someones life. Garrick had been right in front of her face and she had seen the life drain from his eyes. Admittedly he was a Templar who was not a good person but she still hated it. Tears spilled from her eyes even as she tried to stop them. She buried her face in her good hand and couldn't stop the gasping sobs that spilled from her throat. She felt him gingerly pull her into an embrace and he smoothed her hair back and let her cry. He didn't say anything, just held her.
After several minutes her sobbing turned into a gentle hiccuping as she tried to control herself.
"I got blood on your shirt." she said it so dryly and without emotion plucking at where her injured hand had pressed against his chest, but it was such a small concern that Nethon chuckled a little. He turned her chin up to look at him, studying her face that was red and swollen from crying. "I don't care about that. You were so brave out there. You saved us both." He was staring at her so tenderly she blushed and glanced away. He moved forward and kissed her so lightly it might not have happened. She stared at him in shock for a moment and he chuckled and shrugged at her bewilderment, red starting to stain his cheeks. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and then stood. He grabbed his pack and pulled out some supplies for bandaging her hand.
As his back was turned she lightly touched her lips. It had been nice. Short, but nice. Her stomach was fluttering and her hands shaking in response. She didn't know how to handle it so she would pretend it didn't happen until he brought it up. Nethon walked back to her and she could see a little bit of pink still brushing his cheeks. She smiled at that. He gently cleaned her palm with a cloth and then slathered some elfroot on the cut. Ellana winced at the tingly feeling that was moving up her arm from the medicine. He wrapped it with a bandage and tied off the ends. After her hand was done, he lifted her jaw and inspected the little cut on her neck. It was very shallow but still bleeding sluggishly.
She sighed as he cleaned up her jaw, touching her skin tenderly and applying more elfroot ointment. It made her shiver and not just from the coolness of the elfroot. "You will probably have two more scars." He said lightly as he worked.
"What? I know the one on my hand will but this one?" she gingerly touched her neck. Nethon pushed her hand away. "It will be a small scar but yes it will scar." He smirked at her annoyance.
"Ugh."
His eyes twinkled in silent laughter at her. "I always knew you were vain."
She glared at him slightly. Grumbling about vanity and scars on her neck.
They sat in silence as he finished his healing ministrations and started to pack up the elfroot and the bandages. She looked back at the cave. "We should check this cave before we sleep here. I don't want to be woken up by a bear eating my leg." Nethon laughed out loud at that. Both of them were still a little high from the adrenaline of the run and then the kiss.
"You stay here." Nethon said when she tried to get up to join him he lightly pushed on her shoulder to get her to stay down. "I can check this alone. I'll yell if there is a bear." His eyes glittering in humor.
She sighed. "Fine. But you better yell loud. I want a head start."
She sat and waited as he went back into the cave. He came back after just a few minutes smiling.
"It's a pretty small cave. But it has a turn near the back. We can make camp out of sight and set up some wards and then we can both sleep tonight."
She studied him seeing the dark circles under his eyes. She had forgotten that he hadn't slept last night. She grabbed her pack and they went further in finding the spot he was talking about. They didn't light a fire to avoid filling their camp with smoke and attracting attention. For dinner they used their rations of dried meat and fruits they had packed for nights just such as this. The cave was small, and while the walls provided some safety it meant they would be sleeping right next to each other on the floor. She blushed at the thought. The kiss was so sudden she didn't know how she felt about it still.
They cast their wards at several intervals into the cave, giving them protection against any intruders. Nethon was sprawling in his bedroll on the ground when she turned to lay out hers next to him. He blushed a little but she ignored it. she crawled into her bedroll quickly, laying on her back and staring at the ceiling trying to avoid the uncomfortable closeness.
She twitched when she felt his fingers brush her cheek, moving her hair away. She turned, looking at his face which held sorrow.
"I'm sorry about today, Lethallan... I should have done more to protect you."
She snatched his fingers and held his hand.
"No, lethallin. There was no way you could have known. And everything worked out fine." She smiled gently at him and squeezed his fingers.
She saw his eyes drop to their connection and he started rubbing his thumb in a circle on the back of her hand. "You need to sleep Ellana. The conclave is tomorrow and we still have a few miles to travel to get there in the morning. Sleep."
She smiled and closed her eyes. He didn't let go of her hand though. She found she didn't mind. She drifted into sleep feeling the circles being traced slowly on her skin.
Ellana woke with a gasp, sitting up quickly.
She had dreams about it. The arrow piercing flesh, and blood spilling over grasping fingers as the life left his eyes. In her dream Garrick was begging her to spare him, speaking of a wife and children back home. And she had shot him anyway, unable to control her fingers on the string of her bow. The dream had been out of her control. She breathed slowly to calm herself and glanced down at Nethon. He was still sleeping peacefully and still holding her hand. It was still dark. She sighed. She would let him sleep a little longer. She carefully extracted her hand from his gentle grip and stood up, stretching out her sore muscles.
She moved out to the mouth of the cave and sat in the growing light that was moving over the hills. She tenderly unwrapped her hand, wincing as the bandage snagged on the edges of the cut. She put more elfroot on it and re-wrapped it with new bandages. She gently prodded her neck as well. The cut had scabbed over neatly but was still tender. She unraveled her braid and ran her fingers through the tangles, enjoying the sun on her face as she brushed it out. She heard shuffling behind her and turned to see Nethon moving out of the back of the cave. He had paused in his movements and was now staring at her.
"What?" she asked a little defensively. She never wore her hair down where anyone could see it. She blushed and quickly pulled it into a fast bun.
He blushed and turned away. "You are beautiful." He mumbled it so she almost didn't catch it. She blushed almost as red as he had.
"We need to get going if we are going to make the conclave." She said, trying to change the subject. He nodded turning back to moving through the cave. They quickly packed and moved out. It only took an hour or so to get to the forested area around the Temple, and they were soon walking on an incline toward the top. They were closer than they thought. As they moved up the mountain people began to appear out of the trees moving in the same direction. She saw many who were obviously mages and some clusters of Templars who moved together as though they would be attacked by vicious mages at any moment.
Ellana walked close to Nethon. She was worried about the tension in the air all around them. And seeing all the Templars so near was putting Ellana's teeth on edge, thinking about Garrick and her dream. The silence that was only broken by footsteps was uncomfortable. Nethon, sensing her anxiety, smiled down at her comfortingly. She grimaced back.
The two of them finally made it into the temple following the masses of mages and Templars that were moving forward. The vaulted ceiling was so high, Ellana gaped at it with her mouth open, the tension momentarily forgotten. Nethon chuckled at her.
"You should close your mouth. You don't look very dignified, Lethallan."
She punched him lightly in the arm, and he made a small show of wincing and rubbing the spot. She rolled her eyes at his antics. People were beginning to crowd her, pressing against them in the growing attendance. Claustrophobia was starting to make her breath come a little quicker. Nethon suddenly grabbed her hand. He smirked at her surprise as he turned and dragged her through the crowd toward the front of the room where some stairs were going up and the more important people seemed to be gathered there. As they got closer she could see a ton of people in chantry garb. She had seen that once before when a chantry sister had visited their clan to bring supplies and try to minister to the Dalish. They had been surprised that she was willing to try at all, but she was kind and Keeper Istimaethoriel enjoyed their friendly debates of religion.
These people were so much more though. Their clothes were brighter and prettier, and hats were progressively taller as they got closer to the steps. There were designs of the swirling sun everywhere and it was beautiful. Suddenly Ellana's eyes were caught by a much older woman whose robes were white with red and gold spilling over her shoulders and down her front in elaborate designs. She also had the biggest hat. The woman smiled at her very kindly, obviously the wonder was shining through Ellana's eyes at all that was around her. Nethon saw who she was staring at and leaned in to whisper, "That's the Divine."
Ellana broke her gaze with the woman and turned startled eyes on Nethon. "Really?"
She turned back to Divine Justinia but she had turned to someone else and was speaking. Nethon chuckled. "Leave it to the humans to make the Divine the one with the biggest hat." Ellana nodded.
The crowd hushed as things finally started. The Divine had walked to a podium at the top of the stairs. She began by raising her hands and praying to the Maker.
Ellana would have listened but she was staring at the people around her. So many different people in one place. She had never seen so many people in one place, elves, humans, she even saw one or two Qunari. But they looked like guards. It made her feel so small and insignificant that so many people existed in the world. Ellana looked up to the divine again as her prayer ended and she began to speak about the mage Templar fighting. She didn't have a chance to get very far though.
Ellana looked around with everyone else when there was a high pitched shriek that sounded otherworldly. Nethon stared in her eyes for a brief second before she felt the whole world explode.
So sad for Nethon. We all know what happens there. Sigh :'( Please review so I can write more chapters! Thanks!