4. Guard
As days trickled into weeks, seemingly with no visible end to the blight at hand, the band of adventurers thrown together by fate established a series of routines, comforting in their sheer normality.
Routines like setting up camp at the close of each day, and breaking camp at the dawn of each new day. Hunting game for their dinner and trading stories of their lives and adventures prior to their coming together to fight the darkspawn.
Routines like taking turns to stand guard at the edge of the camp as the others slept, ensuring that the camp was as safe a haven from darkspawn, roaming beasts and bands of marauders as it could be.
Leliana lay on her back, unable to sleep and listenend to the crackling of the fire and the soft sounds of the others as they shifted about in their sleep. Or snored, as was the case with Oghren. The young bard sighed, half in annoyance at herself for her inability to sleep after such a tiring day, and half in wistfulness as her thoughts turned to the group's de facto leader - the Grey Warden Kalli.
Leliana admired the elf's courage in the face of adversity and, though the mantle of leadership seemed to not sit well with her, she never shirked from her duties or attempted to bully her companions into falling into line with her views. Instead, Leliana was pleased to learn that Kalli often sought out the advice of the other party members before deciding on a course of action.
The bard sighed again as she admitted to herself that it was not only Kalli's courage she admired...it was her. Her entire being. Kalli all but radiated strength and conviction and, Leliana felt, as long as she travelled with the elf, she would be safe and not just from physical harm. When she was with Kalli, Leliana found she was able to open up about things she could never tell another soul, secure in the knowledge that the elven woman would not judge her harshly.
"By the Maker," Leliana whispered to herself, "she even tolerates my ramblings on such things as shoes!" Knowing that sleep would be some time in coming, Leliana quietly rose from her bedroll, pulled her travelling cloak about her shoulders to ward off the night chill and pulled on her boots.
The party members routinely slept in their clothes or armour, knowing that being able to move quickly to arms in the event of an ambush was more important than a comfortable night's rest. With a final glance around at the camp to ensure she wasn't being watched, Leliana took up her arms and headed away from the camp in the direction Kalli had taken when she'd left to take her turn keeping watch.
---
The night sky was bereft of clouds and, given the full moon and star-studded heavens, Kalli found she had ample light in which to survey the camp's perimeter. So far at least, the night had proven calm and Kalli was grateful for such small mercies. The elf listened to the soft sounds of owls and other nocturnal creatures as they played out the deadly dance of predator and prey bathed in the light of the moon and stars.
The only thing she did not like about the quiet was the fact that it gave her too much time to think about the position she'd been thrust into. She was no leader of men, no saviour of Ferelden and the reasons why the others deferred to her judgement and followed her lead continued to elude her even after much thought during these quiet moments.
Duncan should have been the one to formulate battle strategies and appeal for aid from across Ferelden to combat the blight. But Loghain's actions had killed the last best hope the land had for continued survival, may the old gods curse his house. Duncan's loss should have placed Alistair in charge for was he not the most senior remaining Grey Warden and with greater experience in the ways of battle?
Even Morrigan, with her admitted lack of knowledge of human society, had found it odd that Alistair should defer to the novice Grey Warden and had said as much to him. The senior Grey Warden had seemed to be unable to come up with a clear answer on the subject. Kalli shook her head at the absurdity of it all.
If somebody had told her, prior to this, that she would be leading a diverse band of companions including several humans, a dwarf, a qunari and a dog, she would have laughed in their face before asking what they'd been drinking and whether she could have some.
She smiled fondly at the thought...and froze. Was that the sound of a small twig snapping? Carefully placing each step, Kalli slipped deeper into the shadows cast by the tree she'd taken position beneath.
Concealed beneath the tree, Kalli cocked her head to one side, willing her ears to be more sensitive to the night's sounds. She started slightly as a voice called softly to her. Leliana's.
"Kalli? Are you there?" she called.
Kalli released a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding and allowed herself the luxury of relaxing slightly. Stepping into the light, she observed as the taller human moved swiftly towards her, cloak wrapped around herself. As she drew closer, the moonlight seemed to dance in Leliana's eyes and for a moment, Kalli was struck by the human's grace and beauty.
"Leliana, is something wrong at camp?" Kalli asked, forcing her mind back to the business of keeping watch.
"No," Leliana replied, voice soft, "I was simply unable to sleep and thought...you might like some company?"
Kalli fought a brief internal battle with herself. Yes, she would like some company. Especially Leliana's but could she allow herself to become distracted from keeping watch?
For, she told herself, she would become distracted and she did not think the others would appreciate being ambushed in their sleep by rampaging hordes of darkspawn because she and Leliana were busy making eyes at each other. No, they would not appreciate that at all.
Leliana saw the moment of indecision in her friend's eyes and, feeling downhearted said, "I shall leave if you think it best."
Kalli came to a decision. What was the harm in Leliana remaining? After all, wouldn't two pairs of eyes be better for keeping watch than one? So she rationalised the situation to herself.
"No, Leliana. I would like some company." Especially yours Kalli thought but did not say. To say such would only cheapen things between them, she felt.
Kalli resumed her position beneath the large tree, Leliana beside her and the two trained their gazes on the surrounding landscape, looking for anything that did not fit.
Though they did not speak, each drew comfort and peace from the other's presence. At length, Kalli spoke softly, "Can I tell you something?"
Leliana nodded and Kalli went on, "I...often question myself. I am not cut out for this, I feel. Being a leader, having people relying on me."
Tentatively, Leliana placed her hand on Kalli's shoulder, gently turning her so she could look into her eyes, "Never doubt yourself, Kalli. Whether you believe it or not, fate has placed you here for this purpose."
Kalli shook her head, feeling helpless. Leliana spoke quietly yet earnestly, "I believe in you, Kalli. I have faith, not just in the Maker but in you.I believe that you will steer us through this," Leliana took Kalli's right hand in both of hers, placed it over her own chest. "I believe it in here."
Kalli's breath caught in her throat; she felt stunned by this admission. Leliana's hands were warm and Kalli felt her heart beat. It seemed to echo the quickening beat of her own heart and Kalli gasped slightly.
A distant voice inside her mind suggested that perhaps now would be a fine time to remove her hand from Leliana's chest and maybe get back to the task at hand?
Another voice suggested that perhaps it would a good idea to not remove her hand and instead-
Both Kalli and Leliana flinched at the sound of beating wings as, startled by something, a bird took flight nearby. A chill that had nothing to do with the coolness of the air stole along Kalli's spine.
"Something's out there," she hissed, hurriedly pulling away from Leliana. "Run back to the camp and alert the others."
"What about you?" Leliana gasped as the unmistakeable sounds of darkspawn on the move were carried to them by the breeze.
Kalli gave Leliana a fierce smile, removed a flask of acid from her pack and gave the contents a gentle shake saying, "I'm going to show them what happens to people who interrupt quiet moments with those closest to me."
Before Kalli could over-think it, she quickly brushed her lips against Leliana's. Afterward, she wouldn't be sure who was the more shocked by her impulse - herself or Leliana. "Go," she urged the bard, voice husky. Leliana nodded jerkily, turned on her heels and sprinted for camp.
As she ran hard for the camp, arms pumping by her sides, heart pounding inside its cage of ribs, Kalli's voice called out in a mocking shout, "Hey! Tall, dark and ugly! Over here!" Maker protect her! Leliana prayed as sounds of battle rang out across the night.
Leliana ran back into the warm, comforting glow of the campfire, and almost collided with Wynne. The elder mage had awoken to find Leliana missing and had been about to seek her out. The look on the girl's face spoke volumes.
"Leliana? What is it, dear?" Wynne asked as Leliana began yelling for the others to wake up. They rose, grumbling irritably.
"Kalli!" Leliana gasped, "Darkspawn!"
No further explanation was needed. Weapons at the ready, the party moved as one to where Leliana had last seen Kalli. She prayed they would get there in time.
---
As Leliana took to her heels and ran for the others, Kalli gleefully tossed aside all her concerns over whether she truly was meant for this and whether or not things between her and Leliana could truly work. Instead, she felt herself come fully alive as her heart pumped adrenaline through her veins.
Whatever else might happen and whatever the future held, there was one thing Kalli was sure of: if she was going to die here, she was going to take as many of the bastards with her as she could.
"Hey!" she shouted at the advancing group of darkspawn, "Tall, dark and ugly! Over here!"
It was a relatively small scouting party - a pair of hurlocks leading three genlocks but the odds were in their favour.
Or they would have been if Kalli was the type to fight fair. She hurled the acid flask at the foremost darkspawn. The flask shattered, spraying the beasts with corrosive acid. They roared and bellowed in pain as the acid melted their flesh. Kalli nocked an arrow to her bow and loosed a shot that took the leftmost hurlock in the eye. The arrow bore deep into the creature's head, killing it instantly.
The surviving hurlock and the three genlocks closed in to surround her as Kalli dropped the bow and drew her blades. She parried an axe blow from the hurlock with one weapon, ducked low beneath another swing and lashed out with the dagger in her other hand, opening a wound in the closer of the three genlocks. The darkspawn fell back howling and tried to push its insides back inside.
The hurlock punched out with its shield, catching Kalli in the head with a dull thud. The edge of the metal shield opened a cut above her right eye and she reeled backward, dazed. Confident of its imminent victory, the hurlock growled out an order to the rest - this one was his alone to slay. Reluctantly, the genlocks acquiesced.
The hurlock tipped its head back and gave a triumphant roar, raising the axe to deliver the death blow. The blow didn't land.
Only half-aware of her surroundings, Kalli was distantly cognizant of the fact that a number of arrow shafts seemed to have suddenly sprouted from the hurlock's chest. More arrows arced overhead to find new homes in the bodies of the genlocks. They slumped to the ground, breathing their last. The elf stood, reeling back and forth, barely staying on her feet; the blow from the hurlock's shield had very nearly fractured her skull.
Her companions soon arrived, some staying by her side to deliver aid, some sliding blades through the darkspawn, making sure they were all dead. Hands, gentle but firm lowered her to the ground and Kalli's eyes looked past Wynne as she drew upon healing magics and instead focused on Leliana. The young woman's eyes glimmered with unshed tears as she knelt alongside Kalli and stroked her face.
For Leliana and Kalli, the entire world seemed to disappear in that moment - their companions standing over them, the acrid smell of spilled darkspawn blood, Wynne's ministrations - until all that was left was Leliana's lightly calloused fingers as they stroked Kalli's face and the expression in her eyes. Kalli raised her hand and with it, caressed the back of Leliana's.
In that moment, no words were spoken by either of them, for words were unnecessary.
Everything that needed to be said was there, in their eyes. It was love.
---
A/N: I don't usually 'do' romancey-type stuff but I had this idea in my head and it felt right, so I went with it. Also, I hope people aren't too weirded out by the girl/girl pairing. I figure, it's in the game already, so why not write about it?
I may add more to this later, as I keep playing Dragon Age but, for now, I think I'll leave things as they stand, before I end up writing something stupid and ruining it.
As usual, reviews are appreciated. Rock on, peoples.