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I was tapping my pencil rapidly against the metal binding of my sketchbook. I had to think of a song, any song really. Emeric was expecting me to sing while they ate, it was the deal.

I had lit a lantern in the tent to give me light while I sat on the cot to write. Let me tell you, learning how to use a flint and steel the first time is not fun. Lots of accidental brushing and striking against my fingers and palms. But it was lit and it was providing a bit more warmth with the scout jacket I wore. It was a nice jacket made of leather. I don't know what kind but if I had to guess, either canine or ram leather.

I could sing another nursery rhyme but I had a sinking feeling Emeric would want something more substantial. The few songs I remember being sung in the tavern from the game were small short songs with a lot of repeatable chorus. I'd have to pick something that wouldn't be too out there, as much as I wanted to blow their minds with a shoddy rendition of Shake It Off, I knew I had to be conscious.

You never know how filled with music your life is until it's taken away. There's music in the shows you watch. You play tunes while working, reading, or jogging. Your alarm goes off and there's the radio, or well it is for me. Your phone goes off and there's a beep to a tune. There is elevator music, hold music, little tunes to let you know when an announcement is going to be made in the grocery store. Music surrounds us on Earth.

So when it's gone, there is this void. When it's gone you crave it and miss it. I had missed it, which is why I wasn't completely opposed to singing. I just don't do too well singing in front of others. In the shower, I am the best damn singer on earth, but in front of people? No. My voice cracks, I forget lyrics, and I don't lift my voice high enough for them to hear and I get nervous. So what if I have a little stage fright, it's normal.

The sun had set and the only light was what filtered in from the fire and lanterns. I could hear them gathering for supper. So I walked out there. Last night I had skipped supper but today I could smell a hearty stew. It was made in a large pot in the fire where everything was thrown in together.

You know I distinctly recall a certain Warden turned King saying Fereldans took their ingredients and threw them in the largest pot they could find and cooked them until everything was a uniform grey color, completely unappetizing and bland. This stew did not look uniform grey nor unappetizing or bland. It was a meaty brown and red and had beans as well as chunks of potatoes. Perhaps Alistair was having Leliana on about that.

Either way, I ate the stew and drank ale. Ale is a lot like if a can of beer was emptied into a barrel and the rest was filled with water and served as is. Essentially it was really watered down alcohol that was more like a juice for me. I was trying to ingest slowly but I could see Emeric turning to look at me every now and then, or was I imagining it?

About halfway through my plate, Alon and five others came into the encampment. There was a tense look between Alon and Emeric and the two left into one of the tents.

"Lo' lass," A deep voice to my left said. I turned to see a rather robust man with the most impressive beard I had ever seen. It was russet brown with varying sizes of braids and a piece of bone tied at the end of it. "Name's Bob, I hear ye the new recruit." His hand was on my shoulder and he leaned forward. Bob was one of the men that walked in with Alon.

"Er yeah…" He looked completely drunk, his cheeks were rosy and I saw he was gesturing for his goblet to be refilled already. He just sat down! How fast can he even drink?

"I also hear, Emeric's taken a shine ta'ya,"

"A bit, why." This was weird.

"Curious, never took 'im for a blonde man. Last lass he took to his bed was…" The man grumbled softly to himself for a bit. I was left leaning toward him after a minute to see if he remembered he was talking to me. "Brunette and pretty that she was." His eyes widened as he looked at me. Leaning uncomfortably close again. "Yer not too bad, bit tall for my taste."

"Okay…thank you… I think?" I figured the conversation was over after that and was going back to my drink when a loud burp sounded from my right.

"Don't mind Bob, he's a drunk. Never without a flask of ale. Just came back from our South Camp." It was the mage that iced the Giant that nearly crushed me. Human, as far as I could tell but the shape of her eyes were slightly elfish. "I'm Alise." She was quite pretty with her ginger red hair and big bright golden amber eyes. She wore the typical brown trousers, a darker brown suede robe with a blue sash around the middle.

"Mercy. Thank you for the …"

"No trouble, you're lucky you weren't hit, else we'd have already had this discussion in my tent."

"Why in your tent?"

"I'm the only mage at this camp, so o'course healer." That made sense and it was very good to know if I ever get injured or something. Alise took a moment to drain her goblet and had another poured. "You don't seem all that bothered by magic…it's weird. You're weird too."

"I'm sorry? I don't know how to change that."

"No no… not like that. Just… your clothes, they're weird, and the way you talk, as though you got some sap stuck in there." She pointed to my throat and I understood.

"Oh, yeah my accent is a bit funny, so people tell me. It's what I was raised aro-"

"So whats yer weapon?" Bob interrupted me and was leaning on me, his arm around my shoulder and face pressed to my cheek. Alise had the gall to burst into laughter, her body shaking and hand slamming the table.

"My what?"

"He means, which weapon you fight with. I'm quite curious as well, as we should get you outfitted soon." Alon peeled Bob off me and sat between us.

"Bet she can't lift a sword to save her life… look at her arms, so thin. No muscles at all." It was shouted from across the fire at another table. Frail was looking smug sitting next to Brig who smirked at me.

"Oh… I… I don't know how to fight with weapons." Aside from a gun, but I don't have a gun here and I'm probably not getting one soon.

The silence that spread through the table and the others as they all looked to me with a variety of emotions. Emeric moved into my field of vision and gave me a smirk, one eyebrow raised.

"We'll have to teach her." He said and sat at his table, eating the rest of his own stew. Conversation picked up and Alon gave me a reassuring smile.

"What weapon would you want to learn anyway? Not to offend but you aren't quite stealthy. We were able to track you easily." Alon questioned as he drank.

I wasn't sure I wanted to learn how to fight. Those creatures out there were massive, powerful and incredibly terrifying. And I hadn't even seen a giant spider but I knew they were out there. Just knowing that gave me shivers. But I couldn't very well stay here in the camp, behind the flimsy wooden walls and hope that I'd stay safe. Plus there was the matter of the looming Breach threat that would spread rifts all over Fereldan and Orlais and spill hordes of demons. I'd mostly likely would be caught alone, unarmed, and completely vulnerable to bandits, Venatori and demons. Not to mention the Darkspawn that I knew would appear on the coast.

I really didn't have a choice in the matter with those reasons.

"I don't know what I'm good at." I muttered.

"You'll just have to try your hand at them all. "

"I can teach ya how to shield proper," Bob said and downed his goblet and slamming it down burping.

"Bob couldn't teach ya to shield proper, he wears the most armor out of all of us and can barely move…" Someone stated and laughter spilled around us. I couldn't help myself and laugh as well. These people were not what I imagined. I remembered them being described as religious and in one instance referred to as cult. This was anything but cult like.

"Settle down." Emeric said as he stood tapping his goblet against another calling attention to him. "Now, Lady Mercy has decided to delight us with a song."

The happy light and laughter filled feeling fell away as I remembered I had agreed to sing. The chosen song disappearing from my head as easy as me turning nauseous. There were about twenty three people here, a whole crowd of people to watch me as I flounder my way through my song.

"Lady Mercy…" Emeric bowed his head and gestured to the center where the fire was. Did he expect me to stand there and sing? Right in front of everyone? Couldn't I just do it here while sitting and being able to hide.

Alon nudged me and I rose slowly. People were still chatting softly but the moment I stood, they all focused on me. I watched as Bob continued to drink and Alise whispering to a dwarf next to her. I moved slowly toward the center when Emeric gestured for me to go to him. I realized Emeric wanted me to sing where the gap in the tables were, so everyone could see me. Dick.

"Uh…" I turned around and faced the group. Licking my lips I caught Alon's eyes and he made a gesture with his hands over his eyes.

Of course! I could close my eyes. When I did, I felt slightly better but I knew they were there. But a new song came to mind. Originally I was going to do a Beatles song, because who wouldn't love the Beatles even in this alternate world.

"I was left to my own devices…" I started off but was cut off.

"A little louder dear, can't hear you over here." I peeked and saw a rather portly man who sat next to Jany playing cards. I nodded and began again.

"I was left to my own devices./ Many days fell away with nothing to show…" I paused then and now with my eyes open I could tell they weren't used to the style. Those that hadn't been paying attention, were now. All twenty three sets of eyes were focused on me.

"And the walls kept tumbling down/ In the city that we love/ Great clouds roll over the hills/ Bringing darkness from above." I took a leap and paused for effect and smiled. I looked down to take a breath before continuing.

"But if you close your eyes,/Does it almost feel like/Nothing's changed at all?/ And if you close your eyes,/Does it almost feel like/You've been here before?" Pause, breathe, and wait. I skipped the next two lines in the song, not because I thought they were useless but I wasn't sure it'd fit with the way I was presenting the song.

"We were caught up and lost in all of our vices/In your pose as the dust settled around us." Then I went into the chorus, slightly louder and more enthusiastically. I was twirling my fingers along to the music in my head but tried to keep it smoother, gentler. I decided to end it on this next verse. "Oh where do we begin?/The rubble or our sins? Oh oh where do we begin?/ The rubble or our sins?" I drew out the final word and let out a huff of breath just as an applause and some whistling sounded.

"Now that… was a song worthy of more drinks." Emeric said next to me. I smiled despite the fact he'd essentially forced me into this.


Song: Pompeii by Bastille