Part Seven- Dragon Age Origins; My Version

Carian strolled around camp and looked at the aravels, with their orange and red flags like ships. The familiar sound of the halla was welcome and comforting to hear next to the beautiful birdsong and the ancient Dalish melodies. A smile was spread warmly across her face and she hummed along to a soft tune from a nearby flute. Alistair, Morrigan, Leliana and Grayshaw had all caught up after being escorted through the clearing and to the camp itself. Morrigan frowned at her in discomfort.

"Why do wear such a merry smile? Yesterday you spent an hour weeping by the lake holding that darn amulet of yours and wouldn't tell me what on earth the ruckus was for!" she said plainly. Alistair looked alarmed at Carian and Leliana frowned in concern.

"You-you cried?" he asked nervously.

"I wear a smile because this is the closest thing I'll ever come to home ever again and here, at least, there are no harsh memories. If it bothers you so vividly then perhaps you should go back to camp and act as 'protector' for the two dwarves, hmm?" Carian glared and Morrigan huffed in dismay.

"Fine, but let us conduct our business and be off afore I am overwhelmed by your sense of joy and whimsy. Surely we'll be cast into some fighting which would appease my appetite, I suppose" she grimaced glancing around. Carian's laugh was unsettling and Alistair and Leliana looked at each other uncomfortably. Grayshaw had wandered off and found a group of children dancing in a circle. They giggled as the mutt bounded between their legs tangling them in a mess and collapsing the party of merry children to the soft grass. He lay in their arms and panted happily which made Carian almost burst with glee. For the short time she'd been away it had all been so unhappy but the one day they visit the Dalish and she was just short of singing the songs of old, picking up a bow and headed deep into the Brecillian forest to find Tamlen in their usual spot beneath and old pine tree. Tamlen. They used to sit for hours beneath that ancient tree as the rain fell, softly caressing the mossy ground and springing the smell of wet fern into the brisk but pleasant wind and sprouting the first of the Andraste's Grace; a small flower with orange and white petals that stood out on the forest floor but smelled magnificently of sweetness. The way she's imagined her mother, if she'd ever have found herself lucky or unlucky enough to meet her whether it be deep in the Earth returned as the old Gods' children or somehow in person. Carian shook her head. No, she could not think of such things. Death perhaps, for it was a daily danger in her life now. But not such thoughts of happiness and chance, that she might be so lucky as to have one, just one dream, come true. Her eyes danced to the fire where the elves sat carving and whittling wood into sculptures. She thought back to a time when Master Ilen had sat for hours on end teaching Carian how to carve a dragon. In the end, she succeeded and created a small dragon but, weeks after, she completed her next sculpture; a herd of halla which she placed in the middle of the forest as tribute to the old Gods. Regaling at the memories she smiled and plodded along to the Keeper's aravel .

"Hello," a bald elf spoke bowing slightly, "How may I help you in these dark times? My name is Zathrian and I am the Keeper here"

"My name is Carian Mahariel and I-"

"Mahariel? Is that-it is! Welcome! How may I be of service?" he interrupted but Carian smiled.

"I was conscripted into the Grey Wardens a short while ago after tragedy took my best friend and hunting partner Tamlen. Now, after betrayal at Ostagar against the Darkspawn we are in desperate need of help. I have the treaties to prove that you are sworn to help though I'd rather not invoke them" she spoke fluently in the old tongue. Beside her Alistair, Leliana and Morrigan stared in shock as she spoke quickly. Zathrian nodded but frowned.

"I'm afraid, as much as we want to comply, we're in no position to help," he beckoned them and they walked through the camp. Soon, they came upon a hastily set up infirmary with wounded elves led on the ground; women, children, men; young or old; bloodied and mauled. Carian gasped and whimpered slightly, "Recently, there have been attacks. Deep in the forest are werewolves; half man, half wolf and cursed forever. They've such a burning hatred to man for cursing them so, that they attack us. One strike and the curse spreads to the victim. Everyone here is cursed and, sooner or later, they will turn" Zathrian sighed. He'd changed back to the normal tongue so that Carian's companions could understand.

"Hmmph- now this is more like it!" Morrigan beamed. Carian turned slowly and scowled at her. Of course, no-one expected that the next thing Carian would do was plant her fist against Morrigan's cheek so hard that she hit the ground with a thud. But still Carian kept calm and collected.

"Is there some way we can help?" Leliana asked pulling Morrigan up off the floor but Morrigan, being stubborn, pushed her away when she saw Alistair in a fit on the floor laughing. She grunted and walked away as Zathrian explained.

"If you can defeat the leader of the pack, Witherfang, and return here with his heart then it will break the curse. Please, do this with all haste! But, before you head out, seek out Varathorn. I believe he can resupply you with all the things you will need" Zathrian replied and walked away slowly to tend to a child whose eyes were wild and scared but the exhaustion sagged the skin below the eyes distorting the fear. Carian had to tear herself away and stared back at the group. A tear began to form.

"Carian, I-" Alistair started.

"Leliana, I know there's not much you can do but can you help these people as much as you can? We're going to head into the forest and track this seth'lin down. But first, let's look around. Others may need our help" Carian said and then, as quickly as it came, all the happiness drained from her as she walked to the aravel where Varthorn stood. His apprentice was stood shakily training a blade badly and Varathorn began to shout at him.

"Urgh! How embarrassing! You drive off the customers with your incompetence!" Varathorn yelled as Carian stood smiling.

"Don't worry; I struggled at first, too. But, here's a trick taught myself…" she stepped around the counter and took the handle of the blade from the apprentice. She bended and trained it perfectly before dipping it into the water and holding it up to the sky so that it shone beautifully. The apprentice, Varathorn and the others stood behind her gasped in amazement. She smiled, put the sword carefully down and turned to Varathorn.

"Now," she laughed slightly as he stared at her in surprise, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Um…" he gulped racking his brain, "Yes! My apprentice used the last of our ironbark in a failed attempt at a sword. If you could, I would gladly repay you for as much ironbark as you can find"

"Ok! No problem" Carian smiled. Behind her quite a group had gathered, "Anyone else need help?" Morrigan groaned and Alistair laughed as hands flew up with requests for help.

An hour flew by of scribing requests and completing menial tasks for the elves. But now, only two stood out. A boy, Cammen, confessed of his love for a girl named Gheyna but she refused to marry him unless he became a full-fledged hunter. He was in need of a wolf pelt to show her but the Keeper Zathrian had forbid him from venturing into the woods to hunt. Carian looked at him carefully weighing out his traits and reasons. With a sparkle in her eye she simply handed him a wolf pelt from her bag and winked before headed to the pen of halla. Elora, the shepherd of the halla, had told her of a distressed halla.

"I believe it to be stricken with lycanthropy but the halla is far too distressed for me to examine it properly" Elora explained with sad sigh. Carian simply smiled and walked up to the halla. She put a hand on its side and stroked the fur gently. She sang an ancient elven song that Tamlen had taught her one day when they found a wounded halla in the forest. They calmed it and brought it back to be healed by their clan. Carian continued singing as Elora carefully checked the skin of the halla in search of teeth or claw marks. She looked discerned.

"Elora, has it struck you that perhaps it might not be this halla?" Carian asked gently.

"What do you mean?" Elora asked confusedly.

"Well, this cry is similar to that of its mating call…"

"It's mate! Perhaps you're right! Let me check," she examined a nearby halla and found the large tooth marks deep in it the flesh. She sighed in a mixture of relief and worry at the same time, "Thank you, I'll do what I can". Carian smiled and turned to Alistair.

"I didn't know you could do all that" he grinned. Carian sighed.

"I'm a Dalish elf. In my heart I can do many things but not amongst shemlen. It took all of my strength not to perform such deeds in Ostagar and Lothering because they are unappreciative. Now," she smiled contently pulling the bow from her shoulder, "Shall we?"