Korcari Wilds
Alastair
The trip into the Wilds is fun. The Dalish despise shemlen, and Mahariel's feelings of ill will towards them are worse than most of her clansmen- though these shemlen can't know that, since they have never met another of her kinsman.
Alastair she hates, it is plain from the start. Jory (she refuses to use shemlen titles) she feels is weak and she's said she would 'put him down' (as she terms it) without thought, despite their tenuous bond of common need, if not for Duncan's order to cooperate. Daveth's first reaction to her was that he hadn't expected her to be an elf, and Alastair had groaned when she had reacted exactly as he had expected. But she'd warmed to him, which he hadn't expected, and was less likely to shoot him than the rest of them.
The wounded soldier they encounter, last of his patrol, is the first time Jory properly sees her hatred of humans, and the man is now (rightly) terrified of her.
"We have to help him," Alastair says, kneeling before him. She glares at him.
"We don't have time for this," she snaps.
"We don't have time for this?" he repeats, in incredulity. Blessed Andraste, the man was wounded! Human or not, that had to mean something. "Have you got an urgent appointment?"
"He's a shem," she shrugs, as if this fact negates all others, and stabs him in the heart. He lets out a gurgling cry and Jory takes a step back, swallowing.
"So are we!" the knight protests.
"I haven't completely ruled out shooting you either," she says, and Daveth chuckles.
"You… you heard what he said," Jory begins, voice trembling, gesturing to the now dead soldier. "A whole patrol, killed by the darkspawn."
"Care to join them?" Mahariel asks, calmly, and the knight's eyes widen.
"You wouldn't!"
"Wouldn't I?" She steps towards him, raising her bow. Alastair hastily intervenes.
"I'll know if they're coming," he tells Jory, keeping a wary eye on Mahariel. "Grey Wardens can sense darkspawn. That's why I'm here."
"Hear that, ser knight?" Daveth chuckles good naturedly. "We might die but we'll be warned about it first!"
"Very reassuring," Jory says, casting equally worried looks at Alastair and Mahariel. The bow she still hasn't lowered is also very reassuring, and he is glad when she uses it to kill darkspawn rather than him.