Chapter 2 finally up! Took me some time, but... Hell just read it:D
The moment Dalmatius got out the hut, he was overthrown by his surroundings. Never had he felt , no "sensed" this much all at once.
He could see his own breath due to the cold and yet the sun was shining brightly. It was as if there had been no Battle of Ostagar. Dalmatius seemed simpy to have had a bad dream and had simply woken up.
The natural beauty did not take away that two people were standing in his panorama.
Dalmatius smiled. One of them was easily recognised as Alistair, his fellow Warden who had miraculously escaped the tower of Ishal and seemed to be recovering here too. Despite not knowing eachother for longer than a day, Dalmatius immediately saw him as a friend and trustful ally. He found the man interesting in his way to deal with situations. Alistair could never leave an oppurtunity to joke around.
Dalmatius slightly missed that since he lost his family. He couldn't help but feel relieved.
The woman Alistair was talking to was no less than Morrigan's mother. He met her only shortly after he'd met Morrigan, which was during their joining. Duncan had given them the task to retrieve 3 flaks of Darkspawnblood and the scrolls from an old Warden-outpost. Finding Darkspawnblood wasn't difficult : The woods where they had to find the scrolls were completely filled with Darkspawn. After a tiring day of searching along with Alistair, Jory and Daveth , two apprentices like Dalmatius was, they found the outpost.
It was completely deserted.
And the scrolls were gone.
At that very moment, Morrigan appeared, claiming her mother had taken the scrolls and she would take them at her home, where her mother gave them surprisingly fast. Alistair wasn't too happy knowing witches took care of the scrolls, but left the matter and they left for Ostagar once more.
He recognised her easily, but not by her cloths, but by this... aura she gave.
It made Dalmatius feel sick. He knew he should be gratefull and he was, but he couldn't lose that feeling.
"Dalmatius!" Alistair gasped when he finally saw him coming."Thank the Maker..."
"I thought I told you he would be fine, now have I not?" Morrigan's mother implied, taking pleasure in the state Alistair was in.
"This is so unreal...I mean...Duncan...Cailan...We've...LOST..." Alistair said softly. the "LOST" came out louder than he expected.
"Alistair, I know. I was there, remember?" Dalmatius responded, trying to get Alistair back to his normal self.
"But we should be...dead."
"And isn't it the surprise of the day that you are not?" said Morrigan, who had left the hut and joined the conversation. Alistair paid no attention to her insult and continued ranting.
"How could they lose?! Loghain's army was there!"
"It seems that man left the battle at the time of his attack. He left the battlefield..." said Morrigan's mother.
"WHAT?!"
"Mother, the stew is almost ready..." said Morrigan who sighed whe she heard Alistair's reaction.
"Not now, child..."
"Why would he do that?! He was the king's uncle! He was Cailan's uncle!"
"If they are related is not important. His reasons are what we should find out." Dalmatius said while rubbing his hands. He shivered.
"Now that's a healthy and logical deduction." said Morrigan's mother.
Alistair sighed.
Dalmatius shifted his position, he was freezing."We still need to tha..."
"Let us pass to a matter slightly more important."Morrigan's mother said, interrupting Dalmatius."Like how to deal with the blight."
"Uh...yes,well...It's not like we can deal with the blight with the two of us." Alistair said, looking at Dalmatius.
"Surely the Wardens have some allies left."inquired Morrigan.
"Of course! The treaties! We may ask aid during a blight!"
"Brilliant." Implied Dalmatius "Care to tell who that might be?"
"Dwarves, Elves, The circle of Magi, even Redcliff!"
"Well, it'd be a starter..." Dalmatius grew silent. "Loghain will know this, won't he?"
"Highly likely" muttered Morrigan.
"Then we have to move fast." said Alistair.
"Tis truly regretful you will not be here for dinner..." Morrigan smirked.
"Hush, Morrigan. They have a long journey before them." said her mother." A journey you shall join."
"Oh, and ......WHAT!" said Morrigan, her face as pale as when Dalmatius thanked her. "Mother, surely you are..."
"Go pack."
"But...."
"They can use an extra hand as the make their journey. I expect it to be challenging even for you."
Morrigan groaned and left towards the hut.
Her Mother turned towards the Wardens. " I shall tell you this only once." Dalmatius felt himself get sicker as the aura increased to a point he never thought was possible. " Morrigan is my only daughter and treasure on this earth. I think I don't need to go further."
The aura decreased enormously and wasn't there anymore when Morrigan came out of the hut.
"Farewell, mother..." she said played dramatically."Don't forget the stew. I do not wish to return to a burnt down hut."
"Foolish child... tis far more likely for this hut to be swallowed up by the blight." Dalmatius swore the aura rised again.
"I...all I meant was..."
"I know, do try to have fun, dear."
Morrigan sighed and looked at the wardens. "I think it's time to leave."
Alistair nodded and followed Morrigan, who took the lead.
Dalmatius looked backwards one more time, and then followed Alistair.
Morrigan's mother looked at them with a hint of amusement.
"If you succeed, you can break the circle that has been going around for centuries. Dalmatius David Cousland of the Grey Wardens."
Deep inside, Morrigan's mother felt the need to laugh. ' The dice...are finally rolling.'
