Fated Destinies
CH 4
Fleeing Highever/The Trek to Ostagar
Duncan looked at Marabeth who was sitting by the fire with her Mabari curled up protectively against her. They had fled through the woods and once Duncan saw that it was safe, made camp in a cave he discovered. Except for the occasional 'thank you' or 'yes Duncan'; Marabeth remained quiet, her once vibrant green eyes now dull and lifeless conveyed a haunted look to the likes he has never seen.
Marabeth cowered and shied away when he approached her to see to her wounds.
"Marabeth." He said gently. "I may be a Grey Warden but I also happen to be a gentleman. If you do not let me tend to your wounds, they could become infected and we do not need to be dealing with that while on the journey to Ostagar."
Slowly Marabeth undid the torn leather armor and slid it down and covered her breasts with her arms. She was covered in cuts and bruises but there was one nasty looking gash on the back of her right shoulder which needed stitches.
Duncan got his first aid kit and knelt beside her holding a needle and thread. He had sewn himself up many times as well as his fellow Wardens but this was the first time he has tended to a woman.
"This is going to hurt." Duncan warned as he gave her an elfroot to bite on. "Brace yourself."
Marabeth winced and stiffened when she felt the needle go through her skin. The pain was unbearable and she squeezed her fists until her fingernails dug into them. Except for the tears that flowed, she did not yell or cry out. Duncan didn't know if he should be concerned or impressed.
"It's done." He said. "I will have to check it periodically to see if any infection sets in but you should be fine. "
"Thank you." She said as she pulled her armor back on.
"When we get to the nearest town, I'll get you some armor and a pack."
"I only have a few coppers."
"Do not worry about it." Duncan told her.
"I looted some of the soldiers I killed." She said.
"That is a survival instinct." He told her. "You need not feel guilty for doing that."
"Why did Howe do this to my family Duncan?" Marabeth asked.
Duncan sighed and tried to think of the safest way possible to explain it to her.
"Unbeknownst to your father, I think Howe harbored a great deal of jealousy and resentment for many years because of your father's popularity. Killing your family was his way to make it so you all never existed to begin with and the upcoming battle in the south gave him the opportunity to strike."
"They didn't have to kill my nephew. He was just a little boy."
Duncan handed her his canteen and she took a drink from it and then gave it back.
"How long will it take to get to Ostagar?" She asked.
"I was hoping a week if we found a wagon and some horses, but given the fact that Howe's soldiers could still be after us, it might be a bit longer I am afraid."
"Thank you for letting me keep my dog Duncan." Marabeth said quietly. "My father gave him to me when I turned seventeen. I cannot bear to think what could have happened to Max had we left him behind."
"I would have never considered leaving your dog behind." Duncan said. "He will be a great companion and protector for you."
"I wish I had my journal with me."
"You kept a journal?" Duncan asked.
"I've kept one since I was twelve years old."
Try to get some rest; it will be a long trek tomorrow." Duncan told her as he watched her snuggle against her dog.
Duncan watched her as she drifted off to sleep.
Duncan opened his eyes. Marabeth was sitting by the fire and beside her lay two dead rabbits.
She turned to him just as he was sitting up. "I know I probably should not have left the cave but I was getting hungry." She said. "I killed these but I …don't know how to skin them. Will you show me how?"
"Yes I'll show you." Duncan said.
"Max already ate, so he won't be bothering us."
Duncan knew he probably should have told her to not stray too far but he admired the fact she was willing to learn so he didn't say anything.
"I have to warn you, this won't be pleasant."
"Duncan, I killed for the first time in my life last night, I was forced to leave my parents to unspeakable fate and you stitched up the back of my shoulder. I think I can handle it."
"Very well then."
He removed his dagger and picked one of the rabbits up and motioned for her to come closer to him so he could demonstrate.
They reached the small town by noon. Duncan handed Marabeth one sovereign and instructed her to purchase anything a woman… might need while traveling and to meet him back at the leather smith afterwards. He watched her enter the shop and remembered the dream he had that morning.
In the dream, he saw Marabeth step forward to accept the chalice as an anxious Alistair looked on. She passed out and opened her eyes; the dream suddenly changes though. He sees Alistair and Marabeth sitting near a fire. Alistair is staring off to space as
Marabeth puts an arm around him and tells him. "Crying does not make you less than a man; it makes you more of one." Unfortunately, that was all he remembered, but hearing her say those words vexed him.
"Maker what are you trying to tell me?" He whispered.
"Duncan?"
He turned to see Marabeth looking at him. He saw her carrying a hairbrush, a bar of soap, and other unmentionables.
"Here is your pack." He said. "The smith is waiting for you to get your armor fitted."
"Here is what is left over of the sovereign you gave me." Marabeth said as held out her hand.
"That's alright. You keep it." He told her. "Go get your armor. I'll be getting supplies."
"Thank you." She said in a surprised tone.
Marabeth was outside waiting for him when he came out of the shop. Her new armor wasn't cured but given the rush they were in, it would have to do.
"Looks good." He smiled. "I assume you're ready to go? I would like us to get a few more hours of traveling done before we make camp."
"Yes Duncan." She said. "Thank you."
Noticing a unit of troops marching, Duncan told Marabeth to wait where she was while he ran to them.
A few minutes he came back to where she was standing.
"They are heading to Ostagar." He explained. "I asked their sergeant to give a note to the other Gray Wardens to tell them we will be arriving soon."
They turned and slowly made their way out of the town.
"Marabeth!" Duncan pulled her away from the dead bandit. "He's dead. You killed him."
The bandits came out of nowhere. There were four of them and it did not take long to dispatch them. He was impressed with Marabeth's skills but that quickly changed to alarm when she would not stop plunging her sword in and out of the man's chest.
She struggled in his grasp but calmed down enough for Duncan to loosen his grip on her.
Marabeth let out a wail and he realized she was finally grieving for what she lost. Duncan put an arm around her and let her bury her head against his shoulder and closed his eyes as she unleashed her grief.
That evening Marabeth sat by the fire. She had barely spoken since he led her away from the road where they were accosted. Duncan could tell by her expression that she was mortified by her behavior. He could understand, she grew up in nobility and it was considered undignified to act out in that manner.
"I'm sorry for what happened this afternoon." Miranda broke her silence.
"There is no need to apologize. I lost my parents at an early age as well; I understand what you are going through."
"Then why do I feel so guilty?" She asked.
"You shouldn't be." He told her. "It is not your fault for what happened. Your mother and father wanted you to survive."
"Duncan, you don't understand. I wanted to be a Gray Warden. Had Howe's men not overtaken the castle, I was prepared to ask you the next day to consider me. I just never wanted it…to end up this way."
"What happened to your family was not your fault." Duncan repeated. "Howe will get the justice he deserves and you will make your family proud because they wanted you to survive. Now please just put that thought out of your mind."
"I'll try." Marabeth promised. "I think it will be a long time before I get those images out of my mind."
"You will." Duncan guaranteed. "It takes time to heal."
"Duncan; at the larder that night, you told me I was always your first choice, if you don't mind me asking, why?"
"Marabeth, just by you asking me this shows me why you were my first choice."
There was no way he could tell her the truth; that he has seen snippets of her future in dreams and visions brought on by Maker knows what. Feeling relieved that she did not press the issue; he decided to ask her question.
"So why would do you want to become a Gray Warden?" He asked.
"I did not want to live a life of complacency and convention." Marabeth said. "Mother wanted me to marry, preferably to one of the more prominent banns in Ferelden, or their sons at least. I did not want to be part of an arranged marriage. Now my mother was lucky, she and father loved each other but their type of union is rare among nobles. All of my mother's friends always looked so miserable. I did not want that."
"You do have a point about the nobility in Ferelden." Duncan agreed. "It's rare to see unions that are not arranged."
"I loved my Mother very much but her mindset was mired in tradition. I told her that I would only marry if I found love or I would not marry at all. There are other ways to be fulfilled without being married. "
"And the one man I did care for…well lets just say it went unrequited." Marabeth sighed.
Duncan knew she was referring to Ser Gilmore, for he saw them walking together in the castle and her affection for him was quite evident yet the poor boy didn't seem to notice.
"Scribe Aldous taught some history of the Wardens and what interested me the most is the fact that anybody who were the best skilled could be a Warden, whether they are human, elf, or dwarf. There is no prejudice. You are all dedicated to a single purpose."
"Its not as idyllic as you make it out to be and there are also certain… sacrifices we have to make."
"It would not bother me." Marabeth said. "When you think about it, we all have to make sacrifices everyday of our lives."
Duncan was uncertain on how to answer her.
******************
For the next week, they continued their trek to Ostagar, only stopping when they were too tired to walk any further. Duncan showed Marabeth how to make a simple health poultice when he discovered she didn't know how.
"Any rogue who can craft poisons to coat their blades should have a basic knowledge of herbalism." He told her.
When they walked he talked about the darkspawn, the Grey Wardens, and many other subjects. Marabeth proved to be good listener and she would open up and share things about her life. She was a lot stronger than she gave herself credit for and he hoped she would see that one day.
As for the dreams and visions; they still occurred leaving Duncan frustrated and on one occasion embarrassed, for there was one time where he saw Alistair and Marabeth sharing a kiss. Two Grey Wardens kissing; now that would be something for the history books.
"Duncan have we ever met before?" Marabeth asked one evening. "I can't explain it but there is something about you that seems quite familiar."
"Perhaps you are mistaking me for someone else." Duncan tried to hide his discomfort.
He could not believe it. Did she actually remember him when he was Mathias the scribe at Redcliffe all those years ago? Surely he could not have made that much of an impression on a six year old little girl.
"You are probably right." She said.
He watched Marabeth cut an apple with her dagger and wondered if seeing Alistair again would stir her memories as well.