Hopefully formatting is better from here out. Apologies for any hard to read spots earlier!
Lethallin followed his mistress through the halls of the palace. He was worried, he knew these feelings, or rather this lack of feeling. This is what happened after the bad men that smelled like friends had hurt her. And the kind quiet man had taken them away. This is how she was for a long time, until the other humans made her better. This was bad.
Kash calmly snuck along the shadows in the palace. She had spent the first few months here finding escape routes, not to escape her husband of course, but after Highever...she took no chances. Today however, they did serve to escape him. She stopped in the armory, and changed into her trademark black armor. It was comforting, and soft from years of wear. A gift from her brother when he'd returned from his honeymoon in Antiva. She knew she could count on her staff to have all of her battle gear stowed neatly away within minutes of her return.
She quickly grabbed her daggers, "Dragon's Fire" and "Peacekeeper" from the rack, and the Orlesian bow "Far Song", gifts from her parents. Dragons fire to symbolize her temper, which had earned her the pet name "my fierce girl" from her father. Peackeeper as a reminder from her mother that she should keep said temper under control. Both were finely S curved blades, one of dragonbone red, the other a gleaming silver. Both had delicate jewels set in the pommel and golden trim. The pommels were custom made to be small and light in her tiny hands, nd when she used them, they were like an extension of herself. The bow, beautifully crafted wood, her father had found in Orlais, collecting dust in a shop, was to remind her sometimes distance was best. How right that was.
The there was Lethallin. When she'd finished her training, her family had presented him to her. He was just a pup then. Gleaming black, with brown around his muzzle and paws. He reminded Fergus of Kasha in her black armor with it's brown straps. As a joke he had told Bryce they should get him for her. On a whim, and much to Eleanor's dismay, he had agreed. Kasha had named him Lethallin, a Dalish word that meant "Friend of mine". And now, more than ever she was grateful that she had him.
She could here the activity in the palace picking up, if she was going to get out unseen she had to go now. She threw her black hooded cloak over her shoulders and made her escape. She made it to the stables unseen, and thanked the maker for her luck. Her horse was still saddled. She took the reigns and lept into the saddle in one fluid movement and rode away, slowly at first, then faster, as she approached the gates. As soon as she reached the road she kicked Shadow into a gallop and rode south like hell wouldn't have her.
She hadn't planned to make this trip alone. She wanted them to do this together. Ever since she'd found Elric Maraigne, mortally wounded on the borders of Bann Lorens lands as she headed home. Before he died, he told her he'd left a key buried, that would open a chest with some of Cailans important belongings in it. Maric's blade being one of them. The key, and the chest were both in Ostagar.
She thought it was time. Time to close the door on that time of their lives. Time tom rid Ostagar of any remaining darkspawn, and finish Rioradan's work to document the events. She never expected to be doing it alone.
"Woof!"
Well, not completely alone. She still had at least one that had faith in her, unconditionally. She wouldn't think of him now. She'd think about that tomorrow. She slowed her pace as she neared Dragon's peak and saw a wagon approaching on the road. Turning her head slightly away, so as not to be recognized, she was startled when Lethallin bounded joyfully over to it.
She called and called and he would not return.
"Blast and damnation" she muttered as she rode behind him and up to the wagon, where she recognized the source of his happiness. It was Wynne, and of all people Anders.
"What in Andraste's name are you doing our here unescorted young lady?" scolded the elder mage
Kasha didn't feel like explaining, and was relieved when a commotion behind the wagon erupted. All she heard was Anders yelping, Lethallin barking in playful tones and...hissing...oh no...
"Lethallin, HEEL!" she demanded. Reluctantly the Mabari obeyed.
She ran to check on what she knew had to be Ser Punce a lot. Anders never went anywhere without the cat since they'd found him at the Vigil.
"Oh poor kitty, are you ok" she murmered, melting a little off of the icy facade she'd assumed as she fled the castle.
"Poor kitty? What about poor Anders? " the mage complained.
"Seven tower escapes, and two close calls with a rogue Templar, not to mention the Architect and The Mother, and a cat scratch has you whimpering?" She raised an eyebrow at him.
Wynne approached, waved a finger over the wound casually and continued staring at Kasha in that way that screamed "I demand an answer right now young lady". Bloody Oath how that woman reminded her of her mother.
"I'm going...south" Kasha answered, knowing it wouldn't be enough, and continued with a question of her own. "What are the two of you doing out here?"
"There was a conference at the tower, we were both in attendance. I was heading back to Denerim to the palace, to resume my duties as advisor, and it seems young Anders here is going back to Amaranthine to remain a warden. Kudos to you by the way for inspiring him to stay anywhere." Wynne replied.
"I won't sk again, what are you doing, and where are you going, and why isn't Alistair with you..." Wynne saw it before Kasha could hide it. "What has he done child? Surely it can't be that bad. "
Kasha told her what had happened. She knew it was useless trying to hide anything from Wynne. She was the first to pick up on what was happening between the young couple during the blight. She had strongly disapproved for quite a while, but later apologized and supported them wholeheartedly.
Much to Kasha's embarassment, everything she'd turned off as she'd left crumbled, as she turned into a blubbering mess on Wynn's shoulder. "I love him Wynne, I do, but he...he...doubted me, he ambushed me, I was so excited to see him, and he..." the sobs took over again. "He thinks I was unfaithful..." she wailed.
"Well that's just ridiculous! If you were going to be unfaithful, it would have been with me, certainly not Mr Broodybritches Howe!" Snorted Anders, causing Wynne to shoot daggers from her eyes almost as well as Kasha could with her hands. But it made Kasha smile.
"Oh Maker, some Commander of the Gray I am blubbering like this" Kasha said, embarassed.
Pulling herself together she assured Wynne she'd be ok, and that they should continue before it got dark.
"I have Lethallin, I have my weapons, the darkspawn are gone for the moment" except at Ostagar of course, but she kept that to herself "I'll be fine, I just need to do this. Alone. I need to think, and work, and...remember"
Wynne wasn't convinced, but she new she'd never win this argument. Anders knew the same. But maker help the king when she got back to Denerim. Anders wouldn't miss this for the world, there would be other ships.
