Mahariel always knew that a farewell would come sooner or later. Being a Grey Warden she knew the calling would kill her and Alistair after twenty years or so. She didn't want that. She was sure no Grey Warden did. So she searched endlessly for a cure. So far, no luck, it was disheartening to her. She wanted to grow old with Alistair, have children, do whatever humans did. Alistair had told her one night while they lied together in her tent that humans had a ceremony whether big or small depending on class and wealth. Mahariel hadn't seen much love in her clan though she knew there was a small ceremony with the clan nothing like what Alistair said though. He said there was a dress the bride would wear, and cake, and sometimes people would bring gifts. It sounded wonderful, maybe Alistair would let her wear flowers in her hair like the Dalish do during their ceremonies. She may have never gone back to them but she would always be Dalish, no matter what happened. Never in her life did she think that this would never happen.
Only once had Mahariel gotten a letter from the Inquisitor, asking for help, which Mahariel declined. As much as she would have liked to help them, she had her own mission. One to be normal again. This time when one of the black ravens Leliana sent to deliver messages swooped down and landed on her desk, Mahariel didn't think much of it. She had been in a shack in the woods of Ferelden, near where her clan had once camped. She had written in the letter she sent back to the Inquisitor where she would be unless something happened. She gently let the raven hop into her hand and untied the message around his neck. "There you go little one, stay if I need to reply." she cooed to it. She unwrapped the letter and something fell to the floor, a ring, with Dalish carvings in it, it was something Mahariel had spent all her free time during the Fifth Blight carving the symbols into the silver ring and once the Blight was over she gave it to Alistair and he swore never to take it off. Something was wrong. With a trembling hand, Mahariel unwrapped the letter and took a look at it.
Dear Mahariel,
I regret to inform you of some unpleasant news. Your significant other, Alistair, was investigating what he and the Champion of Kirkwall believed to be a darkspawn by the name of Corypheus. Upon a mission with the Inquisitor, in the fade, the only way to get out was for someone to stay behind and distract an enemy for the rest of the party to leave. Alistair offered himself as the sacrifice to atone for all the harm the Grey Wardens have done and to get the others out of there safely, he died a hero. We sadly cannot bring back Alistair's body from the Fade but Alistair handed the Inquisitor the ring that was inside this letter and instructed to send it to you with an explanation. We are truly sorry for your loss. I know how much you'll miss him.
My regards, Leliana
It hit Mahariel like a ton of bricks, she never thought of the possibility of Alistair dying before the calling. She wasn't sure why she didn't think of it, she just thought he would live. He had lived through the blight, the ten years after it, she didn't think after so long he would die. It still killed her inside. She wanted to lie down and die. But she would not give up so easily. Now she was just sobbing into her hands, her Mabari hound who had been sleeping in the corner came up to her and rested by her side, almost like he knew what was wrong. All that she could think about was how she should have been there, died with him in the Fade at his side, at least then she would be with him.
After what seemed like hours Mahariel dried her eyes and stood up, the little black raven still standing in the window sill, his beady eyes intent on her. She grabbed a quill and ink bottle and sat down with a piece of parchment writing a short letter back to Leliana, the sadness had left her now and all that was there was anger.
Leliana,
Tell the Inquisitor to make sure to kill Corypheus in the most painful way possible, and that I wish all of you luck in doing so. I will also continue my research for a cure for the calling, I want to make sure no Warden will have to give their lives up before they have a chance to truly live them.
Best Wishes, Mahariel
She tied the message to the ravens neck. "Take this back to Leliana." she told it before sending it away and turning to her hound. "Let us go, boy, there is no point in waiting in one place for Alistair any more." she told him, grabbing her things and walking with him into the woods. The hound gave a small whine and Mahariel, who would usually reply back to the dog, said only nothing and just looked forward as she disappeared into the undergrowth of the woods.