There is a reference within this chapter to child soldiers/children's deaths. Figured I'd post that up here as an FYI.
"Well. We made it." Ildri announced. "According to the map, Haven's not too far from where we are right now. Another couple hours, tops." Ildri's abilities with the written word had grown quickly. Once Morrigan had begun teaching her, it was as though the witch couldn't teach her fast enough. I wonder how hard it would be to learn to read, write and speak other languages?
"We don't know what's up there. Perhaps we should make camp for the night." Riordan suggested, stealing the words right out of her mouth. Ever since the older Warden had joined the group, he had been assuming command of their party, and it grated on Ildri's nerves. It was just small things – suggestions here and there, like the one he'd just made. Since they had nearly all been things that she herself had been about to say, Ildri hadn't taken him to task for it yet. She was waiting on him to cross the line, and try to assume direct command. When he did, she'd be ready for him. The other members of their merry little band still looked to her before carrying out any of his such suggestions, which made her feel slightly better about traveling with him. As they set up camp, Ildri studied the others in their party. Nadia and Zevran had grown close – a little too close, had it been herself, but to each their own. Andreina and Alistair had hit it off right away. Until he remembered that this was the woman he was, for all intents and purposes, engaged to, and he would turn scarlet and walk off all awkward-like. Thankfully, Andreina thought it was absolutely adorable how easily flustered he was. Ildri glared over at Alistair, and when he saw her eyes on him he smiled nervously and walked in another direction. While she'd been in Denerim collecting Andreina, Alistair had taken it upon himself to entertain her mabari. While he claimed it had been an accident, Ildri couldn't believe that naming him something so idiotic as 'Barkspawn' had been accidental. Now the dog wouldn't answer to anything else, no matter how hard she tried. Save for that little incident, she and Alistair had come to terms with one another. They would never be friends, but now they could talk to one another without fighting like cats and dogs. Most of the time, anyway. Andreina was actually rather easy to get along with, much to Ildri's surprise. She wasn't at all like the other nobles she'd heard about from others in the Alienage. Ildri shook her head and set up her tent while keeping an eye out for Riordan. She didn't fully trust him. I think I trust Zevran more than I trust Riordan. Part of that, however, might have had something to do with the fact that the elven assassin had saved her life a few days before. One of the new pieces of 'reading material' from Ignacio had told them about a group of Qunari mercenaries. Ildri blanched, remembering Sten's anger at that description.
"They are not Qunari. They are Tal-Vashoth. They have abandoned the Qun." Ildri had quickly apologized for her error, but he hadn't been mad at her, for which she was extremely grateful. He had been upset with whatever 'basra vashedan' had made the mistake. It had been one of their most difficult fights, even with three more bodies fighting with them. The Tal-Vashoth had shared Sten's height, his odd skin and eye coloring as well as his skill in fighting, but that was where the similarities ended. They'd had horns. Well, some of them did. On others, one could see where they'd once been, but had been removed. Ildri had been knocked to the ground by one of the Tal-Vashoth mercenaries, but Zevran had snuck in and finished him off before the merc could deliver the final blow. Ildri shook her head and focused on setting up her tent. When she was finished, she stretched and cracked her back before studying the camp. There was a fire going, and Andreina was working on preparing a meal. At first, she had been astounded by the amount of food the four Grey Wardens consumed, but she had chalked it up to 'just another one of your peculiarities', to use the noblewoman's words. Ildri wandered off to collect more firewood, and found Sten doing the same thing.
"Hey." She greeted him, smiling up at him.
"Shanedan." He replied, nodding.
"I have a question for you." Ildri began cautiously, hoping she wasn't about to offend him.
"I am hardly surprised."
"When we ran into those Tal-Vashoth mercs, I noticed something. Some of them had horns, and others… it looks like they had theirs removed."
"I know what Tal-Vashoth is, but I do not know 'mercs'."
"It's just a shortening of the word 'mercenaries'." Ildri explained. "But why did they have – or used to have – horns, but you don't?"
"There are some Qunari born without horns. The Tal-Vashoth seek to frighten their enemies with their appearance, so they remove their horns."
"I found the ones with their horns intact to be much more intimidating." Ildri confessed. "It's very unnerving." Silence fell between them for a while as the pair of them gathered wood. "Are children – no, that's not the word you used… imekari?" Ildri asked, probably mangling the pronunciation.
"Im-ek-ir-ee." He pronounced the word slowly, drawing out the sounds.
"Yes, thank you. Are they born with horns, or do they come in later?"
"They come in later, as the imekari grow. It would probably kill the female who bore the child if they were born with them." Sten pointed out.
"Yes, that makes sense. I can't believe I didn't think of that myself." Ildri scoffed. That was a dumb question. Idiot. The two of them made their way back to the camp and placed their loads near the fire. Andreina smiled up at her, and Ildri gave her a small smile in return. She then sought out Morrigan, and the two of them worked on Ildri's writing skills until the meal was ready. After they had eaten, Ildri was going to spar with Sten, but Riordan called for a 'Warden meeting'.
"I need to know how much the three of you actually know about being Grey Wardens." The four of them had retreated from the main campsite so they could speak freely.
"Why don't you just start from the beginning?" Nadia suggested. "If you assume that we know nothing, then you'll know that when you're finished we'll know everything."
"Very well." Riordan nodded. "Grey Wardens live far shorter lives than they would have otherwise. The average is thirty years before the taint consumes us, but that is not always the case. Some Wardens last longer, while others have less time. One's Calling begins with a marked increase in nightmares, and if the Warden does not…expire soon enough, the taint will turn you. You will become a ghoul. While tradition has us travelling to the Deep Roads to meet our ends, I would not suggest that for the two of you." He gestured to Ildri and Nadia.
"Why not?" Ildri asked, and Riordan sighed.
"The darkspawn breeding process requires females from other races. We don't know whether or not Grey Wardens can become broodmothers, but I suspect that neither of you wish to find out for yourselves."
"So, all of the female soldiers from Ostagar…" Nadia murmured.
"Are most likely broodmothers at this time." Riordan finished for her. "That is why we try not to recruit female Grey Wardens. There are usually no more than a handful of them at each Warden outpost across Thedas."
"That's… disgusting." Ildri glanced over at Nadia. "I'll watch your back if you watch mine." She offered, and the dwarven woman nodded, her face pale.
"The nightmares of the Archdemon are true dreams – what you see in them is actually happening somewhere. This is one of the ways that the Archdemon communicates with the horde. Some of the older Grey Wardens – myself included – can understand some of what is being said. Some younger Wardens can, usually elves."
"Why is that?" Ildri asked, remembering her own discussions with Urthemiel.
"No one knows for sure. Some think that because your ancestors all possessed magic at one point, it makes you far more receptive to the Fade and magic. The Archdemon is inarguably one of the most magical creatures ever to have existed." Riordan paused a moment before continuing. "The taint renders us almost entirely infertile – two Grey Wardens together, without assistance, will never bear a child. It is slightly easier with a Warden and a non-Warden couple, but it is not without its own difficulties." Riordan turned to Alistair. "If you do become the king, I would recommend that you keep a mage on at all times: one that is skilled in healing. A Spirit Healer, if you can manage it. There is a small chance, with a Warden as the father, that the child might be tainted. A healer can dispel the taint while the child is in the womb."
"What if the mother is a Warden?" Nadia asked.
"The chances of a child being tainted are far higher. You will not be able to nurse your child. But again, having a skilled healer on hand can prevent the child from being tainted. With a non-Warden mother the taint will only need to be cleansed from the womb once, but with a Warden mother, the taint can resurface, again and again."
"So that means lots of contraceptive tea for you." Ildri teased the dwarf, who sighed dramatically.
"You have all likely seen the benefits of the taint already." Riordan continued. "The increased stamina, and with it, the increased appetite, as well as sensing both each other and the darkspawn."
"I'm still too new for sensing Wardens, apparently." Ildri confessed. "Nadia led us back to the camp from Denerim."
"That will come in time." Riordan reassured her. "As you saw at Ostagar, the darkspawn can sense us as well. During a Blight, they will come after us relentlessly, but during the Thaw, and other non-Blight times, they treat us much the same as others. But if a Warden enters the Deep Roads outside of a Blight, they will be drawn to you out of curiosity. They might not attack you, if you are not a female. They will always attempt to capture females, Blight or no."
"What's a Thaw?" Ildri asked. "I haven't heard that term before."
"That is the period after the end of a Blight, when the 'spawn are still on the surface. Even without the Archdemon to guide and lead them, they will continue to wreak havoc upon the surface. The longer a Blight lasts, the longer its Thaw will last. You will still see blighted land, animals, and food for some time afterwards, and it will all need to be cleansed with fire. Perhaps the snow and cold will help as well."
"What do you mean 'perhaps'?" Alistair asked.
"Ferelden is the southernmost lands ever effected by a Blight. We do not know what will happen after winter comes."
"How do we cleanse the land with fire? Wouldn't that be difficult?" Ildri pointed out.
"Lands with standing crops will be easiest. Set fire to the crops, and hope it does not rain too soon. Do not, under any circumstances, allow blighted food to be eaten – any who consume it will become a ghoul. Hope and pray that the darkspawn stay away from your forests, because any wood that has been blighted will be worthless. Burn it, and do not cook anything over the flames. When a non-Warden comes into contact with enough of the taint, they will become a ghoul. You need to warn your companions of this. They must not touch any of the darkspawn corpses with bare hands, and wash off any blood as soon as they possibly can. A wound made with a darkspawn weapon, if not treated properly, will turn them. The only way to 'save' a ghoul is with the Joining potion or a merciful death. Any female ghouls will eventually make their way to the darkspawn."
"What about lands that don't have crops? Like the Imperial Highway?" Alistair asked.
"That is where the Circle of Magi will be incredibly helpful. While the stones themselves cannot be tainted, they will still need to be gone over carefully with fire. Any speck of grass or moss growing will carry the taint." Riordan paused, perhaps waiting for more questions. "Last but not least, there is the issue of the Archdemon. You will all have heard how the Wardens are the only ones who can defeat the Archdemon, but perhaps not why."
"Something to do with the taint. It must be." Nadia said, and Riordan nodded.
"Yes, that is exactly what it is. If any but a Grey Warden kills the Archdemon, its essence will travel to the closest tainted body – typically a darkspawn – and it is born anew."
"So if a Warden, someone who bears the taint, kills the Archdemon, they will be closest." Ildri pointed out. "The Archdemon's essence will be drawn into the Warden."
"Yes. But the difference being that Grey Wardens have souls. The Archdemon's essence and the Warden's soul cannot exist within the same body. Their struggle destroys them both."
"The Grey Warden that kills the Archdemon… dies?" Alistair asked quietly.
"That is the only way to kill the Archdemon, I'm afraid." Riordan replied. "During times of Blight, the most Senior Wardens, the ones closest to their Calling, decide amongst themselves who will strike the final blow. As I am the most senior here, that duty falls to me."
"And if you can't?" Ildri asked. "There are so many variables here. What if you die before then? What if you're not where the Archdemon is? It's not like we can postpone a fight with a dragon if you're not around."
"It is true that we cannot plan for every contingency. That is why I am telling you this now, and not later. You must be cautious."
"Can't we make more Wardens?" Nadia asked.
"Do we really want to?" Ildri asked in turn. "Do we really want to make a bunch of new Wardens, only to tell them that they were asked to join so they could die?"
"These are both fair points." Riordan broke in. "But I do not know. The supplies for creating the Joining potion are in the Warden compound in Denerim –"
"Alistair, Nadia." Ildri interrupted, looking at the pair of them. "Why didn't you point out that there is a Warden compound while we were in Denerim?"
"Because it's attached to the palace." Alistair informed her. "It would have been suicidal for us to try and go anywhere near it. Loghain's going to have his best people watching the place, especially since he knows that there are still Wardens in Ferelden."
"He's right, Ildri." Nadia said softly.
"Damn it all to the fucking void." Ildri growled. "I understand why you didn't tell me, but I'd have appreciated knowing anyway." She tried to take the bite out of her words, so that they would see she wasn't mad at them. Considering the dirty look she got from Alistair, Ildri suspected that she'd failed in that regard. She sighed before turning back to Riordan. "Is there anything else that you think we've missed?"
"No, I think not." He shook his head. "The three of you have a lot to take in. If you have any more questions, I'd ask that you talk to me privately about them." They made their way back to camp in silence, the Wardens absorbed in their own thoughts.
By midmorning the next day, the group reached Haven. There was a guard posted at the top of the hill leading into the village, and he stopped them.
"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" He demanded.
"My name is Ildri Tabris, and these are my companions."
"What are you doing here? There is nothing for you in Haven." The guard pressed.
"We are looking into the disappearance of one Brother Genitivi. He was researching Andraste's Urn of Sacred Ashes." Riordan cut in, and Ildri shot a glare his way.
"I do not know this Brother Genitivi, and everyone knows that the Ashes are nothing more than a legend." The guard informed them. "You may trade for supplies at the general goods store, but then you must leave." Ildri nodded to the guard, then led the group into the village. Haven itself was part of the Frostback Mountain range, and had a few hills. There were a few houses on each hill, and the slopes had a couple stone steps wedged into them. The store was located on the second hill.
"Who are you? You're not from Haven." The man behind the shop's counter informed her.
"I know." Ildri said tightly. "What can you tell me about the village?"
"Haven is Haven." He replied with a shrug. "How would you describe the place you only know as home?"
"Do you have anything to trade?" She asked.
"There are a few things, but I can't sell you any food. Winter's long in the mountains." They picked up a few things before heading back out to the village.
"There's something off about this place." Ildri confided to the others.
"On that we can agree." Riordan said, nodding.
"I think that we should explore the village some more. They've got to have a mayor or something, maybe we can get some answers from them." Ildri reasoned. They continued to explore the village, making their way up the last set of stone steps, which led to a Chantry.
"Does anyone else hear that?" Andreina asked. "It sounds like people are singing in there." She gestured towards the building.
"I wonder if that's where we'll find our village-leader-person-thingy." Ildri murmured.
"Only one way to find out." Riordan stepped forward and opened the doors.
"…we are blessed beyond measure; we are chosen by the Holy and Beloved to be Her guardians." There was an older man on the far side of the building, leading the villagers in some sort of prayer.
"It looks like we're interrupting their services." Ildri said.
"At least let them finish." Andreina implored her, and the elf rolled her eyes, but didn't step further into the building.
"This sacred duty is given to us alone; rejoice, my brethren, and prepare your hearts to receive Her." The man lifted his head and raised his hand. "Lift up your voices and despair not, for She will raise Her faithful servants to glory when Her –" He stopped speaking and glared across the room at the newcomers.
"Does that count as a 'finish'?" Ildri asked the noblewoman.
"I understand that you are new here, but common courtesy dictates that one shouldn't interrupt." The man called out to them. The other villagers hadn't noticed them yet, and now turned around to look at them.
"There was no need to end the sermon." Andreina told him. "We didn't want to interrupt, we were waiting."
"It is better this way." The man shook his head. "Many of us are uncomfortable in the presence of strangers."
"We were looking for the village leader." Ildri said. "We need to speak with whoever is in charge."
"Whomever." Morrigan hissed from behind her.
"You have found him." The man gestured for them to come forward. "I am Revered Father Eirik. What did you wish to speak of?"
"Revered Father?" Andreina asked incredulously. "Only female priests are supposed to be ordained."
"Haven has always had Revered Fathers." One of the villagers said. "It has always been this way."
"We are not here to tell you how to run your village," Ildri said quickly, shooting a glare Andreina's way, "we are merely here searching for someone. Has a Brother Ferdinand Genitivi passed through the village at all?"
"You will not find what you seek here." Eirik said. "Outsiders do not linger here."
"I asked if he had been here, not if he still was." Ildri pointed out. "He was researching Andraste's Urn of Sacred Ashes, and that somehow led him here. I need to find him."
"This, my friends, is why we do not suffer outsiders." Eirik gestured towards Ildri. "I told you that others would come, did I not? Outsiders bring change in their wake, and we cannot have that, can we?" A quick glance around the room showed Ildri that the villagers were pressing closer to their group. "You understand a man's need to protect his family, don't you?" He asked her. "My children! You know what must be done." Eirik took a step back and picked up a staff that had been leaning against a bookshelf. Ildri had assumed it was nothing more than a walking stick, so she was surprised to see him readying a spell.
"Alistair! Smite his ass!" Ildri shouted, drawing her weapons. As Alistair prepared his Smite, the villagers around them leapt into motion. They were armed with crude weapons, but attacked with gusto. Some of the others seemed a bit leery of cutting down barely-armed villagers, but Ildri showed no such compunction, striking down any that raised a weapon against her. She had let her guard down, and was rewarded for it when something clamped down on her arm from behind her. She looked over her shoulder to find herself looking nearly eye-to-eye with a serpentine creature. What the fuck…?
"Dragons!" Morrigan shouted.
"A little late for that!" Alistair shouted back. The dragon had grabbed her sword arm, and Ildri didn't think she'd be able to yank her arm from its mouth without seriously injuring herself. She swung at it with her dagger, but it was awkward as well as too far out of her reach. Just as she was about to call for help, the creature yanked, and Ildri fell, a shriek torn from her lips. She landed on her left side and was being held up by her arm that was still in the dragon's mouth. The dragon began to pull her away, but Sten ran over and swung his sword. Ildri's arm fell to the floor, dragon head still attached.
"Thanks. A little longer, and I would've been dragon food." She smirked up at him. Sten shook his head and knelt beside her, inspecting her arm.
"The beasts have large teeth, and there are many… I do not know the word in your tongue. The tubes in your body that deliver blood. There are many of these in your arm. I will not be able to remove the head alone, and someone will need to bandage your arm quickly." He explained, and Ildri nodded.
"I don't know that I'll be able to bandage it left-handed." She lifted her head and inspected her other companions. It looked as though she'd been the most wounded in their scuffle, but they'd not managed it completely unscathed. Zevran was bandaging a wound on Nadia's upper arm, and Andreina was tending to Alistair. "Riordan! Morrigan!" Ildri called out. "Sten can't do this one alone." The two of them walked over, and Sten explained the situation to them.
"I will assist Sten in removing the head." Riordan volunteered, and Ildri nodded.
"This will be not be pleasant, Ildri." Morrigan warned her.
"I figured that." Ildri replied. "I'd just appreciate it if we could get this thing off me as soon as we can."
"You will need to remain still." Morrigan informed her.
"Morrigan…." Ildri looked up into the woman's eyes, hoping the witch could read the plea written in them. Get this damn thing off me! Apparently she did, because she turned to talk to Sten and Riordan.
"I will begin above the wound. As I bind it, lift carefully. These are only dragonlings, but they will still have serrated teeth."
"Can you not heal it as we lift it?" Riordan asked.
"I will heal what I can once the wound is bound. We cannot have her bleeding out as I heal that which I can."
"Wait, these fuckers have serrated teeth?" Ildri groaned. "Maker's balls." They ignored her remark as they set to work. Morrigan asked Sten to carry Ildri to a chair, and Riordan dragged a table over so she could rest her arm. Sten then lifted Ildri as though she didn't weigh a thing. She rested her head on his chest for a moment, forgetting that he was covered in blood. Sten cautiously lowered her into the chair then took a step back. I didn't know he could be so…gentle. Ha, the gentle giant. Riordan stepped around to take the weight of the head still attached to her arm.
"Hold a moment." Morrigan said, stepping forward. She placed a hand on Ildri's right shoulder, and the elf hissed in pain. "'Tis as I thought. The shoulder is dislocated." Morrigan clicked her tongue in vexation. Ildri went to lift her arm to rest it on the table, but the pain in her shoulder stopped her.
"Foolish elf!" Morrigan snapped. "It must be relocated before you can move it!"
"Then let's get it fixed, so we can get this piece of shit off my arm." Ildri gestured towards her arm. When Morrigan didn't move, Sten growled something at her and stepped forward. He knelt in front of her and put one hand on either arm.
"One, two," he quickly jerked her right arm up and forward, and Ildri cried out.
"What the fuck happened to 'three'?" Ildri groaned.
"That was when you expected it, so I did it earlier." Ildri glared up at him. Is he smirking at me? Well, his version of a smirk, maybe… Sten stood and moved to the front side of the table, across from Riordan, and Morrigan stood in front of her.
"Begin." Morrigan commanded. The two men placed their hands on the dragon's head – Sten's on the top, and Riordan's underneath – and they pulled. Ildri's eyes closed and her body tensed, and her left hand wrapped around the lip of the chair and squeezed for all she was worth.
"You're not going to clean it first?" She heard Riordan ask.
"Keep your mind on your task!" Morrigan snapped. The bandage was wrapped around Ildri's arm and Morrigan tugged to make it bind tighter. Ildri jumped a little, and a moment after found that she couldn't move from the shoulders down.
"Morrigan?" She asked, a slight waver in her voice.
"Paralysis spell." The witch explained quickly. "I cannot have you leaping about as I attempt to bandage the wound. Again." The last word was directed towards her assistants, and Ildri was unable to stifle a small cry of pain as the dragonling's elongated front teeth came out of her arm.
"I guess that means the end of this jacket." Ildri quipped, trying for humor.
"'Tis a good thing, then, that there will be plenty about to replace this with." Morrigan replied. "Again." The bandage was wound tightly to her arm, and Ildri sagged against the chair as Morrigan's spell ended. Ildri opened her eyes and glared balefully at the dragonling's head.
"I want that bastard's teeth." She grumbled, and Morrigan chuckled.
"You want a second souvenir of your encounter?" She asked, and Ildri raised a brow. "This will scar. I will heal what I can of the torn flesh within your arm. That is the most important, is it not?"
"I don't care how many scars it leaves, as long as my arm works later." Ildri replied. Morrigan's hands filled with a blue light as she ran them down Ildri's arm.
"I do not think that 'later' would be in your best interests." Morrigan began cautiously. "The dislocation combined with the removal of the teeth has inflicted a great deal of damage to your body. I am doing what I can for your injuries, but sleep would be the best remedy."
"How injured is everyone else?" Ildri asked.
"You were the most grievously injured." Riordan informed her.
"Any sign of Genitivi?" She pressed.
"Nothing yet." Zevran said as he sauntered over. "However, I suspect that will not be the case for long."
"Have you found anything?"
"I think that there may be a hidden chamber. The outside of the building does not match up with the inside." The assassin informed her.
"How's Nadia?" She asked quietly.
"A flesh wound." Zevran replied. "Barely a scratch."
"All right. You two go work on that hidden room." Zevran nodded and walked back over to the dwarf.
"Alistair, Andreina, and Riordan." The three of them were among the least injured. "I want the three of you to go outside and see if the other villagers are as psycho as these ones. If you can talk them down and get them to leave us alone, then fine. If you can't, then they need to be dealt with. Take the dogs with you, they should be able to sniff out anyone that you might miss." Barkspawn and Amber were more than happy to leave the Chantry. "If you do end up having to slaughter the entire village, bring up whatever foodstuffs you can find." Andreina blanched at Ildri's choice of words, but she nodded and led Alistair out of the Chantry. Riordan paused, his gaze lingering on Ildri for a moment, but he, too, left the Chantry.
"That one may be more trouble than he is worth." Morrigan murmured.
"I agree. But until then, it doesn't hurt to have another body fighting with us." Ildri replied.
"If you do not object, I will keep an eye out for him." She offered, and Ildri nodded.
"Sounds good. I can't keep an eye on him all the time anyway." Ildri rose from the chair and stretched her arm, wincing slightly. "Thank you. Both of you." Ildri said, looking from Sten to Morrigan.
"No thanks for your fellow Grey Warden?" Morrigan asked, a smirk on her lips.
"I don't trust him." Ildri murmured, shaking her head. "He just fell into our laps back there at Denerim. There's something suspicious about the whole damn thing."
"I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so." Nadia piped up.
"Andraste's fucking tits, Nadia." Ildri swore. "Make some bleeding noise when you walk, please." The dwarf laughed.
"Zevran and I found something. It looks like a secret panel, but there's a big shelf in front of it." She smiled up at Sten. "You wanna lend a hand, big boy?" Sten gestured for the dwarf to lead the way, and the four of them crossed the room. Nadia pointed out the shelf, and Sten quickly moved it. Zevran and Nadia then moved in, poking at certain spots on the wall and muttering back and forth to each other before the door finally opened. The air exiting the room was stale, and stank of human waste.
"Maker, that stinks." Ildri pinched her nose.
"Smells like home." Nadia said airily before stepping into the room. Morrigan summoned a pair of wisps, then the others followed her in.
"Who are you? You don't look like residents of Haven." Ildri spun towards the source of the voice. A human man was lying on the floor near one of the corners of the room.
"Are you Brother Ferdinand Genitivi?" Ildri asked.
"Yes, but you haven't answered my question."
"Morrigan, some more light?" Ildri looked over her shoulder at the witch, who nodded. She located a hearth and threw a handful of flames into it, brightening the room considerably. Ildri turned back to Genitivi. "My name is Ildri Tabris. Right here, we have Nadia Brosca, Zevran Arainai, Morrigan of the Wilds, and Sten of the Beresaad." She pointed out each of her companions in turn. "I've been looking for you, and for the Urn."
"Thank the Maker. I thought I was going to die in here." Genitivi groaned as he sat up.
"Are you injured?" Ildri pressed.
"My leg's not doing very well, and…and I can't feel my foot." The man sighed. Ildri looked over at Morrigan, who rolled her eyes before checking on Genitivi.
"There is nothing I can do for him at the moment, not 'til my mana replenishes." Morrigan began prodding his leg and foot. "The foot will have to go. There is nothing that I could do, even if I did not need to wait. 'Tis gangrenous."
"Won't lyrium help you replenish your mana?" Nadia asked. "I heard that's why the Chantry guys were the only ones allowed to buy it."
"'Twould indeed. However, our own stores of lyrium are dreadfully low. The man Eirik was a mage, perhaps he had some on hand."
"The two of you go work on that. Look around, see if there's anything else useful." Ildri nodded at Zevran and Nadia. "If you find lyrium, one of you bring it back immediately."
"While they do that," Morrigan said, rising from the floor, "we shall take a look at your wound."
"Hang on a moment." Ildri waved her off. "I'll get something for Genitivi to eat. Looks like he hasn't had a decent meal in ages."
"That would be much appreciated." Genitivi said, a smile on his face.
"Then I've got some questions for you. I want to know what the fuck is going on around here." After Ildri had given him something to eat, Morrigan waved her over.
"I do not have a saw," the witch murmured, "and if we were to use a battle axe, 'twould possibly shatter the bone nearest the foot into miniscule pieces. They would be difficult, to say the least, to remove."
"Let's pretend, for a moment, that you actually did have a saw. What would you do?" Ildri asked. Morrigan didn't reply right away; she gestured for Ildri to extend her arm, and she did.
"I would first use a spell to put him to sleep." Morrigan said, unwrapping Ildri's bandage. "I would then put flames upon the edge of the hypothetical saw."
"That would cauterize it as you cut." Ildri murmured. "Smart."
"Indeed. Without a saw, however, 'tis merely conjecture."
"Would freezing the foot help? I've seen people's limbs fall off after too much exposure to the cold."
"The limb merely falling off would not be of any help." Morrigan shook her head.
"But would that make it easier to remove it?" Ildri pressed.
"Perhaps." The bandage was removed, and Ildri stood to take off her jacket. Her shoulder was still slightly tender, so it took her a bit longer than usual. She then rolled up the sleeve of her tunic, and got her first look at the wound. The wound was located on her upper arm, and started just below the shoulder, getting narrower down her arm and stopping just above her elbow.
"Damn." Ildri breathed, and Morrigan chuckled.
"They nearly pierced the width of your arm." The witch informed her. Thanks to Morrigan's healing, however, the wounds appeared to be at least a week old instead of an hour.
"I am definitely grabbing that shit head's teeth before we leave."
"Maker's breath." Ildri looked over at Genitivi. "What in Thedas did that?"
"Dragonling." Ildri replied. "Eat up. Here." Ildri tossed him a water skin. "We're waiting on a couple others to come back, and I don't want to go over the same information again and again because they missed it."
"That's understandable." He picked up the skin and drank hungrily.
"There is simply not enough light in here, Ildri. We need to return to the central chamber." Morrigan said loudly. With the look Morrigan was directing at her, Ildri knew that there was something else she wanted to say, but didn't want to in their current company.
"Lead on, my friend." Ildri gestured towards the door. The pair of them left the small side room and retreated to the table where the dragonling's head was sitting. "What's up?" Ildri asked once they'd both sat down.
"Is it truly… necessary, for him to survive this encounter?" Morrigan asked, softly and slowly. "There is no way to ensure that he will survive our tender care, even if we were to locate the required equipment. I also do not believe that performing the surgery would be a wise use for our grossly depleted supplies of lyrium."
"I understand what you're saying." Ildri replied immediately. "I actually agree with you, in part. But we won't be able to sell that to Andreina." She pointed out, and Morrigan scowled. "We need her. We can't afford to have her run off. I'll compromise with you. If they can't locate a saw, we won't do it. Not unless she or Alistair wants to try wielding a battle axe to get it done. If they can, or will, then we'll do the best we can."
"That is… acceptable." Morrigan allowed. "Then we shall do this your way."
"But we won't be trying anything until he's answered all of our questions. That's non-negotiable. We can't sit around with our thumbs up our asses waiting for him to recover from a surgery. That could take days." Ildri's lips curled into a small smirk. "And if he should… expire… from his injuries, or even the trauma of the surgery, if it comes to that, we can't be blamed for it."
"You can explain that part to them." Morrigan informed her, smirking. "She may see through it, I do not know the woman well enough to be sure. 'Tis highly unlikely, however, that the bastard will know without someone guiding him through it. I do not believe that the others much care, one way or the other."
"I'm thinking the same thing." Ildri agreed. Movement in the corner of her eye caught Ildri's attention, and she looked over her shoulder to see Zevran and Nadia approaching.
"We found lyrium, as well as loads of books. I think that most of them are about Andraste, history, and dragons." Nadia said as she approached the table.
"I shall need a pot, a wooden bowl, clean linen, and new bandages." Morrigan informed them. Zevran inclined his head and went to procure the items for her, and Nadia grabbed a chair and dragged it over to their table.
"What's going on with Chantry man?" She asked.
"He's eating at the moment. We're waiting on the others to get here before we start asking him anything." Ildri explained. The words had scarcely left her mouth before the Chantry doors flung open, and a pair of mabari ran inside to greet them all, followed by Andreina and the other two Wardens. Judging by the amount of supplies the three of them were carrying, Ildri assumed that they'd needed to slaughter the entire village.
"How'd it go?" Nadia asked.
"They refused to allow us safe passage." Riordan answered softly.
"Even the children." Andreina nearly sobbed. "Maker's breath, even the children attacked us." Ildri glanced at Riordan. Considering the dirty glares he received from time to time from either Alistair or Andreina, she guessed that he'd been the one to… take care of the children.
"That must have been horrible." Nadia breathed. Ildri remained silent, knowing that the pair wouldn't appreciate her sentiments. It sucks that it had to happen, but I would've done it too.
"Your arm appears to be better." Riordan commented, gesturing towards Ildri's arm.
"Very much so, thanks to Morrigan." She replied, eager to change the subject. "We found Genitivi," she nodded towards the small door, "but there's something we should talk about before you see him." Ildri allowed Morrigan to explain his condition.
"…without a saw, however, the only way to amputate the limb 'twould be with a battle axe."
"What happens if it doesn't come off?" Alistair asked.
"'Tis fatal if left untreated." Morrigan replied. "Furthermore, amputation does not, and will not, fully ensure recovery."
"What do you mean?" Andreina queried.
"'Tis an affliction of the blood. Whilst removing the offending appendage would grant him greater prospects for recovery, there is no way to prove that he has healed other than a lack of relapse. If it did, in fact, return, and were left untreated, 'twould be a ghastly way to expire."
"I did see a few saws down there, but they're bow saws, for cutting down trees and sawing logs. Using one of those would require two people." Alistair explained.
"We could always ask his opinion." Andreina suggested. "Let it be his choice. It's his foot, after all, and his life that will be impacted by the loss of it." Zevran had returned with Morrigan's requested items, but had waited for a lull in conversation before approaching. He put the pot and the bowl on the table, but handed Morrigan the linen and bandage.
"I need water." Morrigan extended her hand, waiting for someone to hand her a skin. Andreina offered hers, and the witch emptied it into the pot before handing it back. She held the pot in one hand and summoned a handful of fire in the other.
"I thought your mana needed to restore itself?" Alistair accused.
"The Brother will not miss the amount necessary to heat a pot of water, Alistair." She snapped. "And there is more lyrium on hand than I'd first thought. Do not concern yourself; should he choose to undergo surgery, I will be more than able to do it." She poured the warmed water into the bowl and handed Ildri the piece of linen. "While you need not worry for infection, 'twould still be best if you cleaned the wound before 'tis wrapped once more."
"I think Andreina has a good point." Ildri said as she cleaned her wound. "It's not really our choice."
"I think we're missing an option. What about the Urn?" Alistair asked.
"What about the Urn?" Ildri asked in turn.
"Couldn't we hold off doing the surgery until we return and heal him with some of the Ashes?" Alistair looked around at their companions.
"And what happens if the Urn turns out to be nothing more than a legend, and the infection has advanced to the point where everything below the knee has to go?" Ildri pointed out. "Or if we come back with the Ashes and he's died of his wounds?"
"I just think that we should tell him about that option, too." Alistair replied.
"He's been searching for the bloody thing for Maker knows how long. He's probably thought of that himself by now." Ildri wiped the last of the sweat and grime from her arm and deposited the linen in the bowl.
"Fair point." Alistair sighed. "Well, now that we're all here, should we go talk to him?"
"I don't know that there's enough room in there for all of us at once." Ildri replied. "Maybe we should try and bring him out here. He'd probably enjoy not being cooped up in there anymore." Morrigan beckoned towards Ildri, and she offered the woman her arm.
"Well, while I try and wrangle Sten or Riordan into helping me get Genitivi out here, does someone want to work on getting some food together?" Alistair pushed himself off the wall he'd been leaning against, and glanced over at Riordan.
"You and I would have a much easier time than either of us and Sten." Riordan said, smirking. "The height difference would throw us off."
"Whose turn is it to cook?" Nadia asked.
"Yours!" Ildri replied. One of Morrigan's fingers brushed the underside of her arm, and she pulled away from it. "That tickled!" She explained to Morrigan's raised brow.
"It was my turn last night." Nadia groused.
"You know the rule – if you ask, you cook." Ildri smiled at the diminutive woman.
"It's a stupid rule." Nadia shot back.
"You only think it's stupid because you're always getting caught up by it. Thanks." Ildri directed the last word to Morrigan, who'd finished tying off Ildri's bandage.
"'Twould appear that you will be receiving a night's rest after all, Ildri." Morrigan smirked.
"Yeah, yeah, rub it in." She scoffed. "Your bedside manner is appalling."
"'Tis true." The witch allowed, and Ildri smirked back. The two women looked over at the small door as the two male Wardens carried the Brother out into the main room and sat him down in a rather comfortable-looking chair that Zevran had scrounged up.
"Thank you kindly." Genitivi sighed as he relaxed in the chair. "I was rather tired of staring at the same four walls, day in and day out."
"You met two of the people we were waiting on." Ildri informed him. "Blonde is Alistair, dark is Riordan, and the pair of them are Wardens as well. That's Andy," Ildri had remembered at the last moment that she'd asked to not be referred to as Andreina, "and that's Amber and Barkspawn."
"I am quite glad to see that so many people came to find me." Genitivi smiled.
"Sorry, but I can't honestly tell you that we came here just to find you. We need the Urn for Arl Eamon Guerrin." Ildri admitted. "But now that we're all here, I'd like you to tell us everything you know about the Urn, the village of Haven, and these stupid, Maker-forsaken dragons."
Basra vashedan – lit. 'foreign trash'
Shanedan – lit. 'I'll hear you'. Respectful greeting.
With help from both simison and Kal-El Fornia, I'm re-writing my chapters. Thanks for reading!
