And we're back. Yay for meeting Sten and Leliana, well Sten more so.
The first thing Atarah thought when she woke was, well ain't this an ugly shack. The second was why she was here instead of in the tower. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes letting out a groan. Her body ached all over but she found no signs of injuries on her, also why was she in her underwear? Atarah sat upright as a door within the shack opened, a woman she didn't know walked in.
"Ah glad to see you are awake. Your associates have been pestering mother and I relentlessly about your condition." She said.
"Who are you? And where am I?"
"That's right you weren't here when the others came to collect their papers, I am Morrigan. As for where you are, you are in mothers hut. She brought you all here from Ostagar, she and I have done our best to heal your wounds but you were still asleep for a two days" Brief flashes of a dragon and being high over above the ground drew to the forefront of Atarah's mind, but that couldn't be right.
"Mother will want to speak with you, it seems your companions have designated you their leader. And I'm sure they will be happy to see you up and moving"
"Thank you, Morrigan. You didn't have to help us and I appreciate it." Morrigan for her part was taken off guard but quickly regained a neutral expression.
"You are welcome. Your clothes are in the chest here, I took the liberty of cleaning the blood off them but I'm afraid it's lost its whiteness" Atarah watched as the woman left the room. She heaved herself to her feet and quickly put her dress on and tightened the straps of her shoes. It didn't matter it wasn't white anymore it seemed more fitting for some reason. With a smile she opened the door out of the shack. Rhiannon Alistair and Digby were standing a short distance away, the humans were standing close together and Rhiannon appeared to be comforting Alistair. Dinah was crouched by the edge of the swamp Reginald at her side, Atarah walked over and knelt beside the small elf.
"Look. I've never seen these kinds of plants before, the water plants at the circle grew in clear water so maybe that's it. What do you think?" she inquired picking flecks of grass off her dress. Atarah made a mental note to buy the girl new shoes first chance they had, the bottom of Dinah's feet were caked in dried mud and blood though she didn't seem fazed nothing seemed to.
"Maybe, the only running water I've seen in the alienage was sewer water. How're you holding up?"
"Fair as fair can be. You kept us waiting silly girl" Dinah giggled tapping Atarah's nose Dinah's eyes seemed to have a strange glow but Atarah decided it was just the low cast sun. Behind the pair someone coughed clearly trying to get their attention, Atarah turned to see an old woman who hadn't aged well standing behind them.
"When someone has invited you into their home it is customary to speak with the owner" the woman said, at that moment Rhiannon jogged over.
"Thank goodness you're alright, we were so worried." She said letting out a sigh of relief.
"King Cailan's army was overrun, they're all dead. Everyone" Alistair looked ready to cry, Rhiannon placed a comforting hand on his arm and he regained some of his composure "If it weren't for Morrigan's mother we'd have suffered the same fate"
"Don't speak of me as though I don't stand right beside you" the woman snapped, clearly annoyed by our blatant, deliberate, ignorance of her presence.
"Terribly sorry, may I ask your name so we may thank you properly?" Rhiannon asked
"Names are fickly pointless things, but if you must. The Chasind call me Flemeth." Dinah's head jerked up in sudden interest to the conversation.
"Flemeth you mean the Witch of the Wilds Flemeth? You're old" she remarked with an mystified look
"You believe such tall tales?" Rhiannon asked sceptically
"Fairy tales are true not because they teach us dragons exist but because they teach us dragons can be beaten" she said defensively turning back to the swamp. Atarah's mouth twitched but she supressed a smile.
"Regardless, thank you for saving us Flemeth. But what do we do now?" Steadily all eyes turned to Atarah.
"Okay, okay how about this for a plan. Step one, find our friends. Mahalath and probably Cadfael are too stubborn to die. Step two builds a massive powerful army, how we do that I'm not sure. Step three kill Loghain cause why not he abandoned us and step four beat the archdemon. Any questions?" Atarah rattled off including hand gestures.
"Those documents we found are treaties obligating the Dalish, Dwarfs and the Circle of Magi to aid the grey wardens during the blight." Alistair added.
"The nearest village to Ostagar is Lothering. If we're going to find anyone it would be there." Rhiannon said, Digby barking in agreement.
"Well then I say we're all set, let us be off" Atarah started to walk off
"One moment if you please, I have something to offer that will be of great assistance" Flemeth said. The shacks door opened and Morrigan walked out, the smell of freshly cooked soup briefly followed her.
"So mother the food is ready will our guests be staying for dinner?" she asked,
"They are leaving now, and you are to accompany them"
"What?" Morrigan, Alistair and Atarah yelped in unison.
"You heard me."
"We thank you for your help, but if Morrigan is not willing…." Rhiannon started to say
"Nonsense Morrigan is very skilled in a large assortment of spells and she can get you out of the wilds without encountering the horde."
"Do I get no choice in this?" Morrigan sputtered
"You have wanted to leave the wilds for years, here is your chance. And wardens consider this repayment for your lives" it was clear they weren't getting a choice in this matter.
"Well if that's settled, Morrigan we'll give you time to get your stuff but we can't delay long" Atarah said. Morrigan let out an annoyed sigh throwing her hands in the air for good measure. After an awkward goodbye with Flemeth the group set off.
"And so the band ventured forth, new ally by their side and hope in their hearts. They eagerly went to meet their destiny" Dinah said before she started singing, to Morrigan's chargin.
"I see Lothering" Atarah called out. They had been walking along a path which ran by clean water when Atarah decided to run ahead. She turned back to her troop slowly approaching, Dinah looked up suddenly horrified
"LOOK OUT" she yelled pointing behind Atarah, Atarah did a front flip twisting mid-air she just missed a Hurlock's blade as it tried to slice through her middle. As she was about to launch a counter attack a white Mabari leapt from the bushes smacking into the darkspawn ripping its flesh off. Pleased with its work the Mabari trotted over to Atarah looking at her expectantly, she recognised it as the Mabari she helped heal.
"Isn't that…? How did she get here?" Rhiannon asked, having caught up with Atarah. Digby walked up sniffing at the other Mabari.
"I don't know." Atarah knelt down and instantly the Mabari came over and sniffed Atarah licking her face "I think she may have imprinted on me, have you Adaia?" she asked, the Mabari wagged her tail in response
"Great another dog" Morrigan complained.
"So considering Lothering is now visible, who fancies a race?" Dinah suggested Reginald nodded in support of the idea from his perch on her shoulder.
"That is a stupid idea" Morrigan said
"Just because you know you'll lose" Dinah turned and sprinted away Adaia and Digby close behind. Atarah shrugged before to setting off, from the clinking behind her she guessed Rhiannon and Alistair had also joined the race. Atarah won.
Times of chaos are the perfect opportunity for thugs to set up 'toll points' where ever they want. Atarah was of course referring to the bandits that had set up a barricade blocking access to the bridge except by going past them. She had seen enough of her neighbours pulling these stunts on the humans in Denerim to recognise a scam. The men stood up weapons behind their backs. However they froze when Atarah and her group approached.
"May we help you?" Dinah asked putting on a very good innocent naïve expression
"Boss look at the eyes, we should just let them pass. We were lucky with the last ones" one of the men said
"Um yeah, yeah sorry to bother you we'll just" then he and his men ran off like scared puppies, Atarah half expected tails tucked between their legs. Lothering wasn't the best looking of places but certainly cleaner then the alienage, the ground was dry and dusty and the whole area smelled like livestock. Many families were sitting huddled together clothes dirty faces tired and scared, others were begging and some trying to trade but no one seemed very willing to part with coin. Near the stairs leading off the bridge was an elven family being given coin from a familiar elf.
"Mahalath" Atarah shouted out waving, Mahalath ran over and hugged her tightly. "Good to see you too" Mahalath stepped back and slapped her.
"It's been two days, I was thinking the worst. Never do that again" Mahalath threatened. "Come on, everyone's in the tavern. Though I should warn you we've got a delusional lay sister convinced she has received a vision from the Maker instructing her to join us" she seemed put off by the idea leading to Atarah wondering who let the lay sister accompany them. "Also Brynja and Sigurd challenged most of the men to a drinking contest so it's a little rowdy in there" she warned them as they made their way across to the tavern. It was a small place but well lit and full of life, and of course drunk people. The dwarf were sitting at the bar, it appeared they had drunken two men under the table, looking like they were having a blast a young woman was with them, she had pink robes and short red hair. Cadfael was sitting at a table with a plate of food ignoring most of what was going on around him, Dinah skipped over taking a seat beside him and stole some of his chicken. He just tugged her braids and passed over the whole plate. Morrigan also joined him, apparently she found him more interesting than them strange it almost seemed like they were flirting. Atarah felt her insides shudder at that thought. The rest joined the dwarfs at the bar, Rhiannon took the mug out of Brynja's hand.
"Hey if you were wanting a drink you just needed to ask" Brynja said swaying slightly in her seat.
"How did you guys get away? What happened?" Rhiannon asked, having a drink from the cringe Atarah guessed she didn't like it.
"Well ya see, after we brought down an ogre" Brynja started
"Which was brilliant" Sigurd added draining another mug.
"Then Mahalath found us saying that Cadfael had gone off the find Dinah with Marion and Carver, and that we needed to get out of there. So we ran, and ended up here." She finished.
"Whose Marion and Carver?" Rhiannon asked
"Haven't the foggiest, there around here somewhere. Went to find their mother and sister when we got here" Sigurd said. Dinah walked over cheeks slightly red,
"They're being weird" Dinah said pointing in the direction of Cadfael and Morrigan.
"Well as nice as this place is, we can't stay here. That filthy Shem Loghain has blamed the grey wardens for what happened at Ostagar thus his men and bounty hunters are looking for us. Did you know are eyes glow? Would have been nice to be told that since everyone can recognise us as wardens." Mahalath said shooting a dark look at Alistair
"Where do you suggest we go?" the red head asked she had an accent Atarah had never heard before
"Everyone this is Leliana, Leliana these are Atarah, Rhiannon, Alistair and Dinah. And I suggest we find somewhere off the main road and set up camp. Is that okay?" Mahalath asked looking straight at Atarah.
"Cadfael, Morrigan. Time to go" Atarah lead the group out of the tavern. She found it bizarre to have nine people and two Mabari's following her at one time stranger still five were humans. As they were exiting the village they walked past a man in a cage. No it wasn't a man, Atarah realised, he had dark tough looking skin grey hair in braids against his scalp and a goatee. He looked tired and hungry but otherwise unresponsive.
"You are not my captors. Leave I will not provide you with entertainment." He said in a gruff voice
"What are you? I've never seen anything like you before" Atarah remarked
"I am a prisoner as you can see I am in a cage" He said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I heard about this guy, he killed an entire family." Cadfael informed them
"It is as he says. I am Sten of the Barisad, vanguard of the qunari people" it was not so much a greeting as a statement of fact
"My names Atarah, it's nice to meet you"
"Interesting. Do you mock me or do you demonstrate manners that I have not witnessed in these lands. Which it is matters no longer, I will die soon enough"
"Left to starve to death or be taken by darkspawn no one deserves such a fate" Leliana said
"Wouldn't you rather atone for your crime as opposed to dying in a cage?" Atarah asked the qunari
"And what task do you see as equal to my crime?"
"You can help us defeat the Blight?" Dinah suggested eagerly
"You are grey wardens? I should have guessed. Yes that seems a worthy goal, if you can convince the Revered mother to release me into your custody then I shall aid you"
(Skipping discussion with reverend mother as it is boring)
"We have the key" Atarah announced triumphantly holding up said key
"Are you sure you want him accompanying us?" Alistair said casting a nervous look at the still caged qunari
"As long as he is willing to fight with us then yes" Atarah said unlocking Sten's cage
"And so it is done" he said stretching up to his full height, first person taller the Cadfael that was for certain. With a nod Atarah lead them on, up ahead on the bridge she heard a strange commotion before a cry for help. They ran up to find two dwarfs being attacked by darkspawn, the darkspawn were quickly brought down by the sheer number of Atarah's troop. The older of the two dwarfs came over.
"Mighty good timing you and your friends have, I owe you a debt. My name is Bodhan Feddic merchant and traveller this is my son Sandal, say hello to the nice people" he said
"Hello" his son replied
"Say what brings you lot to these places, perhaps we're going the same way"
"Our situations is a bit complicated, you would be welcome to journey with us if you wish" Rhiannon told the dwarf
"No no that's fine sounds like you lot will encounter more excitement then me and my boy can handle, but I wish you good fortunes. Come on my boy lets clean this lot up" Atarah looked over the pair one last time before they set of once more. They kept walking until the sun started to go down by which point Mahalath lead them to a secluded surprisingly large patch of flat land. They quickly set up a few tents and lit a fire, everyone gathered around the fire as Rhiannon cooked some rabbits Mahalath had killed on their way here.
"So obviously Morrigan is being unsociable and set up her tent over there" Atarah said in between mouthfuls "But that leaves us with six tents and ten people, who wants to share with who?"
"I'll share with Sigurd" Brynja volunteered
"I'll go with Cadfael, Reginald can keep watch at night if that would help" Dinah said
"Mahalath and I can share, Alistair Rhiannon you can share. Sten you alright with having one to yourself" Sten nodded. "Alright well now that we have that settled, I think we could all do with getting some sleep" They bid each other goodnight and Atarah settled down for a restless sleep.