Nimh and Dann pulled off the Imperial Highway two hours out of Redcliffe. They hid the horses in a stand of trees and made a camp not far from the road. They did not make a fire or set up tents. They would take turns keeping watch, to see if they were followed. The night was fairly dark and the grass was high. They could listen for horses and plan accordingly.
Not long after they got set up they heard someone coming fast down the Highway. Nimh and Dann both went flat to their bellies. They crawled up to the edge of the road and parted the grass to look out. A person on horseback was coming, the pair both held still and watched. A woman, two horses. Nimh could make out something familiar, that mass of bushy hair looked familiar.
"Dann, she's from the castle," Nimh hissed after she went past.
"Alone?" Dann asked. If she was after them, why was she alone? "Who is she?"
Nimh thought a moment, "The lady's maid."
Dann screwed up his forehead trying to figure out why a lady's maid would be following them on horseback alone. It made no sense.
No one followed behind her.
"She may have seen me talking to the lady," Nimh said.
Dann shrugged. "Does it matter? We've been paid."
"Yes it matters, she knows me. We need to find out what is going on."
Dann sighed, so much for camping. "All right, get the horses, I'll pack all this up again."
Osgar was sweating and his sides were heaving. She had to stop. Why haven't I caught up to them yet? She switched the saddle over to Rosheen. Poor Osgar needs water. She could hear a stream off in the distance. She lead the horses over to it. They both drank thirstily. She bent over to drink too. The night must be half over she thought. She had been riding three or four hours now.
What in Maker's name am I doing? She thought she had well and truly lost her mind. Maybe the people she was following had turned off somewhere and she had ridden past them. What should I do? She considered turning back but she thought of Eamon and even worse how Teagan had cried for him. It tore at her heart. To lose someone you know so well, someone you love, like those two brothers loved each other. In her exhausted state, she cried for them both. Stop it. Just stop it. Figure out what to do. She splashed cold water on her face. She couldn't think of anything better to do, so she mounted Rosheen and they continued on, but much slower.
They clopped down the road, Rosheen was just walking now. Sorcha was asleep, bent forward, her head on Rosheen's mane, her arms dangling beside her neck, somehow she managed to keep her seat. Then Rosheen stopped and the lack of movement woke her. She couldn't go further and neither could the horses. How long have I been riding? She had lost track. She guided them off the road to a copse where she tied up the horses and took the saddle and bit off of Rosheen. She sat down, meaning to rest just a little while, with her back against a tree trunk and her eyes shut and she fell deeply asleep.
The forest light was dim as she waited for the stag to come down the path. Here and there it broke through the foliage and dappled the ground. Where was her bow? How could she kill the stag without it? She heard its hooves striking the path and it came into view, stopping just ahead of her. It looked at her with eyes that seemed almost human. They were warm, brown eyes. The stag came closer, his muzzle moved to her neck. He nuzzled her, she could feel his warm breath on her neck. She stroked his soft coat, he was so gentle and tame. She looked into his eyes again and realized it wasn't a stag, it was Teagan. His arms wrapped around her and his breath tickled her neck.
She awoke with a scream as a booted foot kicked her ribs. A man stood over her grinning. "Good morning, Miss. Rise and shine!"
She tried to scramble to her feet but she found she was tied to the tree she had leaned against. The sun was low in the sky, it must just be past dawn. Maker, why did I sleep so soundly?
Nimh came into view. She was looking at her with something sadistic in her face. "Fancy meeting you out here. Sorcha isn't it?" she said. She had a dagger in her hand that she was playing with. "Were you following us?"
"No," Sorcha said. Think of an excuse! Quickly!
"Then perhaps you'd like to tell us why you were going in the same direction as us at approximately the same time?" the man said.
"I was running away," Sorcha said.
"Um hm," said Nimh, "and why were you running away?"
"Because I hated it there! Isolde was cruel to me. I wanted to go home." At least she wasn't lying entirely.
Nimh shook her head, "I'm not buying it Dann, are you?"
Dann frowned and shook his head. "Naw, I think she was following us."
Nimh smiled sweetly at Sorcha, "I guess we'll have to work a little harder to get the truth."
Dann smiled. "Oh good, I like this part. Especially with a pretty one like this." He squatted down and put his hand under her chin turning her to look him directly in the face. "Now, would you like to talk first? Then I promise I'll be gentle with you. Otherwise... well, Delicate Dann tends to forget how to treat a lady."
Sorcha cringed, trying to yank her face away. Dann laughed at her and kissed her, mashing his mouth to hers. He bit her lip savagely and she cried out in pain.
He laughed. "Okay, the time to talk is now, Miss."
"Okay! I'll talk," Sorcha said, "I murdered Isolde. I had to flee before they found her body."
Dan laughed. "What do you think, Nimh? It would be kind of funny if it were true."
"Yeah, right," she looked at the girl, "you're a real cold blood killer, are ya?" She laughed. "So how did you do it?"
"I cut her throat and left her bleeding," she said.
"Hm, and not a drop on you. Pretty neatly done." Nimh shook her head. "She's lying." She handed the dagger to Dann.
"Nimh, you might want to go somewhere else. I know you don't like to watch," Dann said.
"I changed clothes!" Sorcha said.
"Oh this gets better and better. You leave the lady bleeding somewhere and take the time to change your clothes?" Nimh tipped back her head and laughed. She walked off, leaving Dann alone with Sorcha.
Dann played with the dagger, testing its sharpness. He put the tip of it against her throat and very lightly traced a path down, not enough to actually cut her. He stopped when he reached the top of her shirt. He watched the panic rising in her eyes. A virgin? Even more fun. He used the knife to cut a button off her shirt. He paused to look at her, cocking his head as if waiting for her to speak. He shrugged and cut off another button. He gave her an opportunity to speak after each one.
"Got nothing for me, sweetheart?" He kissed her again, his hand parted her buttonless shirt and grasped her breast. His big fingers squeezed it gently, then pinched the nipple viciously. She gasped and shrank away from him.
"I'm not lying!" she protested.
Dann frowned at her. "I have a sense for when women are lying to me. And when they're lying underneath me too." He laughed at his joke. "Maker, I crack me up." He brightened. "This is your first time isn't it?"
Sorcha nodded.
"See, I can tell you're not lying now," Dann smiled. "Aw, so sad it has to be like this." He grinned then slapped her viciously.
She shut her eyes and tried to think of something else. A forest. Leaves, sun shining. The smells of bark and decay. The teeth biting her nipples brought forth a small shriek despite her attempt to make her mind go elsewhere.
Dann could see what she was doing. She was trying to escape into her mind. He wasn't going to let her. He cut the bonds that tied her hands together behind the tree. He lifted her up by the hair and forced her to walk to where her cloak lay on the ground then he shoved her roughly and she fell. He started to unlace his breeches. She looked around, Rosheen was nearby. She had to at least try. She got to her feet quickly while he was fumbling with his laces and ran to Rosheen. She wasn't saddled but Rosheen knew her, she would obey. She leapt on her back and grabbed her mane and kicked her to a gallop. "Go girl!" she urged her.
Dann and Nimh were yelling behind her. She felt a sudden impact in her right arm and it nearly knocked her from the saddle. Then the pain. An arrow had hit her. She crouched lower on Rosheen and clung to her, heading back towards Redcliffe. She could feel the warmth of her own blood soaking into her shirt, which flapped open in the wind. She looked back and saw the pair running for their own mounts.
She grasped Rosheen's mane fiercely and rode. The loss of blood was starting to make her dizzy and cold. Her right arm was going numb. "Go Rosheen!" The horse pounded down the road. They wouldn't catch her if she could just hang on and if Rosheen could keep it up. She prayed to the Maker they could do it.
Teagan took a cue from Sorcha and took two horses. He waited for the guards at the gate impatiently. They finally arrived and he gave them their orders. They were to ride as fast as possible towards Denerim. Rest and water the horses when they had to, but keep going all night if necessary. He was going to ride ahead and switch horses when he exhausted one. He rode hard for hours and saw no sign of her. He stopped to water his horse, coincidentally very close to where Sorcha had stopped. He saw muddy hoof prints and found it encouraging.
He pressed on riding for several hours more. The guards were well behind him, they only had one horse apiece, they had to go a lot slower. He started getting very tired but he pressed on. He had plenty of time to think. Was Eamon murdered? If so who would kill Eamon? Teagan couldn't think of any political enemies that would be so motivated, at least not since Dulan died and the Queen had been declawed. Maybe Sorcha knew something more.
Sorcha. He had felt a panic rising when he realized what she had done and why. He didn't know if he should be angry with her or grateful. She had put things together and tried to tell him. He hoped she was all right. He couldn't bear to think of what could happen to her out here alone. Even if she didn't catch up to those possible murderers, there were always bandits and other rough folk on these roads.
He thought of her that day in the forest. She had looked like a dryad, some feminine embodiment of the spirit of the woods. He could visualize that as a painting. The spirit of the forest taking the life of a magnificent stag. It was the first time he had thought of painting since...
His horses were so exhausted he was going to have to stop. He found them water again and let them rest until the sun came up. He splashed his own face with water trying to stay awake. He stayed right next to the road so he could see anyone that came by. When they had had some time to recover he mounted again and they went on, just at a walk, that was all the horses could manage.
He didn't go far before heard the sound of hooves. He got his bow and nocked an arrow. The horse was coming fast. At first he thought there was no rider but then he saw one bent low, clinging to the horses mane, red hair streaming behind her.
"Sorcha!" he yelled, as she galloped past on Rosheen. He saw her turn her face to look at him, she looked horribly pale. He was about to wheel his horse around to chase after her but he heard more hooves coming and saw two more horses in the distance. His horses could never catch up to her. He looked around for cover and found a boulder. He set up for a shot at the approaching riders.
Andraste, guide my arrow, he prayed, not that he was the praying sort but this seemed like a good time to start.
A man and a woman rode into view. The man was closest to him. The woman looked like Nimh. Sorcha must have been right about her. He let loose his arrow and hit the man in the shoulder. He grunted and fell off his horse. The woman dismounted and grabbed a sword off her horse.
"Dann! Get your butt up and help me here," Nimh shouted.
The man cursed and yelled as he drew the arrow out of his shoulder. Teagan saw a gratifying amount of blood.
Nimh ran at Teagan. He parried her attack. She slashed at him again. She was good. Teagan knew he was only a mediocre swordsman at best. He held his own against her though. He was also exhausted from an entire night of riding, although she looked weary too.
Dann recovered from pulling the arrow out and grabbed his own sword.
Shit! Teagan knew he couldn't defend himself from two people, even if one was heavily injured. He backed up trying to increase the distance between himself and the man.
Then he heard hooves again. He saw Sorcha coming back, she was sitting up this time, her shirt flapping behind her. She looked as pale as a ghost but she clung to her horses mane with one hand, in the other hand she held... an arrow? She rode directly at the man yelling and she stabbed at him in the neck. He reacted too slowly and she plunged it into the side of his neck. He grabbed his neck in response and she kicked him viciously. He fell. She rode past, her horse slowing. Teagan saw her weaving and finally she fell off the horse.
He nearly missed parrying an attack from Nimh. She hadn't been distracted by the things going on behind her. She attacked again and this time sliced into his leg. He fell back, trying to put some distance between them. She nearly lost her footing on a stone that she caught with her toe. He attacked and he cut her on her wrist. It was just a matter of time before one of them made a fatal error, he hoped it wasn't him. They fought and he kept giving up ground hoping to find some advantage.
He took another step back and his foot caught on something and he fell backwards. Nimh grinned at him, readying herself to plunge her sword straight down into his chest. He watched her grin fade as an arrow suddenly sprouted out of her sword arm. Teagan rolled away as she dropped her sword. He looked, Sorcha was standing, barely, holding a bow. Teagan grabbed the woman's sword and slammed it against her head, hoping to knock her out without killing her. She fell to the ground unconscious.
He ran to Sorcha and caught her just as she was falling. He looked at her shirt, there were no buttons on it. Oh Maker, are those bite marks? He felt sick and pulled her shirt closed. Her skin was so cold to his touch. She was freezing. He looked at the wound in her arm. It was bleeding and had been for awhile judging by how cold she was and how pale. Her shirt sleeve was sodden with her blood. Somehow she had pulled the arrow out to use as a weapon. Maker, how did she do that?
He sat down with her, pulling her close to him and wrapping his arms around her. Then he wrapped his cloak around them both and hoped his body heat could warm her. He tucked her head against his chest. She stirred weakly against him.
"Teagan," she said, "I..."
"Shush," he told her. "Don't talk. Save your strength."
They remained like that for what seemed like a long time. Finally he heard hooves again, this time coming slowly. He looked up and saw the three guards coming. He ordered one to secure Nimh, who still lived. He had them make a fire and boil some water. They moved her next to the fire and wrapped her in blankets. He poured the hot water into a cup and woke her, making her take some sips. Then he cleaned out her arrow wound. It was bad. It definitely needed the attention of a healer. He bound it with bandages. The guards and horses were too exhausted to send off anywhere. So was he for that matter. They set up short watches so everyone could get some rest. He laid down next to Sorcha to give her more warmth. Before he fell asleep he whispered to her.
"Don't leave me, Sorcha. Be strong. Please, be strong." He kissed her pale face and prayed once again. Then he fell asleep next to her.
When he awoke it was around noon and he was perspiring. He looked at Sorcha. Her skin color looked better and she felt warm again. He smoothed her hair back from her face and her eyes opened halfway.
Teagan smiled at her. "How are you feeling?"
"Thirsty," she croaked.
He got her some water, sat her up, propping her against him and she drank. She leaned back against him and sighed.
"Are you warm enough?" he asked.
She nodded weakly.
"I'm going to change your bandage." He unwrapped the dressing on her wound. It was beginning to look infected. The skin around it was getting hot. They couldn't afford to wait. She had to get to a healer.
It was a little further to the Circle Tower than Redcliffe, still he knew there would be healers at the Circle Tower, it was the safest bet. It might take them two days to get there if they pushed, although not as hard as they did last night. He roused the sleeping guards and had them pack everything up. He put Sorcha in front of him on his horse, wrapping her up in a cloak. They set out slowly for the Circle Tower. They couldn't go any faster than a walk, it was too painful for her and he wasn't sure he could hold onto her at a faster speed.
When they stopped for the night a couple guards shot some rabbits and brought them back for dinner. Sorcha was feverish now. She wouldn't eat anything but she drank a lot of water. Teagan woke up in the night, she was thrashing in her sleep, raving. He touched her forehead, she was burning up. He picked her up and walked with her down to the shoreline of the lake. He walked into the water with her. It was so cold. He got her body under the water and splashed some on her face and into her hair. Then he returned to the camp. They were both dripping wet but she had stopped raving and she seemed cooler. He dried her off and put a blanket over her. She rested easily after that.
He sat by the fire trying to get warm again. He prayed yet again. Maker, let her live. He was so overwhelmed by emotion and exhaustion he felt tears stinging at his eyes. Too much loss. He fell asleep next to the fire.
The next day was a repeat of the first. She was looking worse though. She was never conscious during the day at all. Be strong. He whispered it to her over and over.
Finally they reached the dock of Lake Calenhad and he ferried over to the Circle Tower with her. The guards stayed behind at the Inn. Teagan carried the unconscious girl into the Tower. She was taken from him immediately. He staggered and nearly fell, he was so exhausted himself. One of the mages noticed his wound and poor condition. They put him in a guest room and tended to the cut on his leg. Afterward Teagan fell into a deep sleep.
