Author's Note: I am going to be moving fast through the origins part of story, if you have played the game you are familiar with the choices, of course I have added a few things of my own for flavor. Enjoy
Part 2: Warden
Chapter 10: Spiders, Qunari, and Wolves
They did not stay in Lothering long, after the encounter with Loghain's men Solona did not think it was wise to stay, plus word that a warden was in the village was spreading, a group of starving refugees even tried to collect Loghain's bounty. They had been forced to kill them. Solona had no desire to harm anymore innocent people who were just trying to survive. Once Sister Leliana had convinced the Revered Mother to release the Qunari warrior they were off.
This giant…this Sten…intrigued the mage. Solona had read much about the Qunari while in the tower. The terrors of the north, an unholy flood of infidels who slaughtered all that resisted, and converted the survivors, if the chantry scholars were to be believed they were one step above the darkspawn.
Of course chantry scholars said that about mages too.
He had been arrested for murder, but would not say why he had done it. He simply accepted his punishment. Solona could understand that, she had been willing to accept tranquility for her role in Jowan's escape. She wondered what could have motivated such a powerful creature to commit such a horrible act.
She would just have to find out, Sten did not seem like the murdering type, it was just one question she had for the Qunari, one of many. Solona was curious; she hoped that curiosity did not kill the mage as quickly as it did the cat.
She wanted to ask him so many things. What was Par Vollen like? How did it feel to ride on a Qunari Dreadnaught? Where were his horns, she thought all qunari had horns?
Okay, maybe she would hold off on the last question, she did not want to insult the large warrior.
From her readings she understood that the qunari respect strength, as a grey warden she should be able to show him that, she had battled darkspawn and prevailed. She would just have to prove to Sten that she was worthy of his respect.
The first battle they were in together did not help.
They were moving east out of Lothering when they were attack again…
By giant spiders.
Solona did not react very well, in fact she shrieked like a little girl and dove behind Leliana, she had been so frightened she could not even summon a cold breeze. Sten and Alistair attacked the spiders mercilessly. Morrigan shape shifted into a bear and tore one of the creatures apart. Even Binder had helped, keeping the arachnids away from the chantry sister and mage.
After the battle Sten turned to Solona who still couldn't stop shrieking.
"Parshara woman," he growled, "stop your screaming."
Solona managed to…just barely.
"Don't like spiders warden," Morrigan taunted, "Tis a strange fear coming from a fearless slayer of darkspawn.
Solona nodded, her face starting to redden, she felt like a foolish child.
"It is okay Lona," Leliana said trying to reassure her, "they are all dead now."
The mage glanced out from behind her companions, the spiders were all dead, but they were still large, hairy and…
She shivered and pushed on ahead, eager to leave the hideous things behind.
Morrigan snickered, enjoying her discomfort.
Alistair stayed close to her, he could see that she was embarrassed and angry with herself, if she needed to talk he would be there.
Not that he had much to say to her mind you, he was still a little uncomfortable talking around women, and he wasn't quite sure how to repair a bruised ego.
He would just try to be there for her that was all he could do.
IOI
Once they had finally stopped for the night, Solona explained her plans to the others, what they were going to do with the Grey Warden treaties.
The three treaties were for the Dalish Elves, the dwarves of Orzammar, and the Circle of Magi, Alistair also suggested going to Arl Eamon of Redcliffe for help, being the late King's Uncle, Eamon had a personal claim in seeing Loghain stopped.
Solona nodded, they had all their cards on the table now, now they had to play the hand they hand been dealt.
She had asked for Alistair's opinion on where they should go first, but he had left the decision to her.
Wonderful, she thought.
The treaties had to come first in her opinion. Starting with the dwarves was out, from her readings of dwarven politics, the King of Orzammar would need more than just a piece of paper before he would commit his forces to the surface. She wanted to have at least one treaty fulfilled before she approached the dwarves. The Circle of Magi was out as well, at least for now. Solona wanted to give Greagoir a little time to cool off, she wanted him to see that they had come with a legitimate mission. Otherwise he might decide to forget her Grey Warden status and give her the right of tranquility that Duncan had saved her from.
Alistair suggested going to see Arl Eamon first, Solona had considered that and overruled him. If the Arl was as dangerous to Loghain as Alistair thought, then it was likely he was being watched. She had no desire to march into a nest of Loghain bounty hunters.
Alistair nodded, seeing the mage's point.
"Stick to jabbing things with your sword fool," Morrigan chuckled at the former Templar, "Let those of us with brains do the thinking."
Alistair glared at the witch but said nothing.
It seemed that they had a course of action now; the Dalish elves would have to be first. Morrigan added that this was a good time to find one of their clans, with winter coming the Dalish would be heading north for warmer climes, between that and the darkspawn threat, they should be able to find at least one of the clans as it headed north out of the Brecillian Forest. Morrigan did advise caution however the Dalish did not like outsiders.
Solona sighed; it seemed that being a grey warden and easy did not go together.
IOI
"Sten?"
The qunari barely noticed Solona as he walked the perimeter of their camp.
"Sten?" she repeated.
The large man stopped, and turned to face the mage.
"Yes," he growled.
She tensed a little, but remained true to her goal, she had questions.
"I was wondering if you could discuss your people with me."
"No."
That surprised her, "really why not?"
The qunari sighed, "Bas Saarebas, people cannot be categorized for easy reference. One cannot simply say the elves are a lithe pointy eared people who excel at poverty. We simply are."
Solona winced, Sten could give Enchanter Wynne a run for her money on putting someone in their place for asking a question, though she likely did deserved that.
Wait what did he call her?
"I am guessing Bas…what was that again?"
"Bas Saarebas."
"I'm guessing that that does not mean cute little mage does it?"
"No," the qunari said blandly, returning to his rounds.
Solona narrowed her eyes, "You are a wonderful conversationalist you know that Sten?" she called after him.
The qunari paused and turned, "thank you." He responded, and returned to his patrol.
Solona rolled her eyes; she guessed they did not have sarcasm in Par Vollen.
At least she knew that now at least.
IOI
Finding the Dalish elves had not been as hard as the group had expected, they came across a group of hunters defending one of their small camps. After a few tense moments Solona had managed to convince the Dalish huntress, an elf name Mithra to grand them an audience with their Keeper, the leader of the clan. Zathrian was his name.
Solona had never met a dalish mage before she was intrigued.
Zathrian however was not interested in meeting them, his clan had come under attack by werewolves and many had been sickened with the creatures' curse.
Werewolves! The name bounced through the young mage's mind like a ball, she couldn't wait to see one.
Zathrian tried to dismiss the warden and her companions, saying they were unable to live up to their obligation under the treaty.
Solona would hear none of that, they needed the elves help, she would have it. Finally she got the Keeper to tell her what needed to be done.
He told her of Witherfang, the great wolf who had spawned the curse, with the creature's heart he could save his people, and provide the wardens with the help they needed.
Solona sighed, it was never easy, but she had no choice but to agree to help.
The fate of Ferelden might depend on it, on her.
Such a comforting thought, maybe she could go behind one of the trees and have a nice panic attack.
That would be great thanks.
IOI
Alistair watched the exchange between the two mages with great interest. It seemed that Solona was full of surprises, one moment she stared at the world with almost childlike wonder and awe, and the next she stood before him a cold calculating young warden with a spine of steel, determined to do her duty.
Hard.
Powerful.
Unyielding.
She was a wonderfully complex woman.
Uh oh, he thought, don't go there Alistair bad idea, very baaaaaad idea.
She was his fellow warden he needed to focus on that.
She was just his fellow warden.
IOI
Solona led them deeper into the Brecillian Forest; she had never seen a place like this one before. Sylvans, demon possessed trees attacked them. Solona and Morrigan met them with fire. Wolves tainted by the darkspawn corruption fell on them, not the wolves they were looking for perhaps, but perhaps they were on the right track.
When they did come across the werewolves they were in for a bit of a shock…the creatures could talk.
Solona tried to keep her inner scholar under control, these were the monsters she was sent to stop. She had to stay focused on that, besides it was not like they could sit down and talk over tea and cakes after all.
Now what an amusing sight that would be, she thought with a slight smile.
Their leader Swiftrunner tried to warn the mage off. She refused.
The creatures attacked.
IOI
"Owww!"
Alistair turned, his blade covered with blood and fur, they had managed to drive the beast off but…
"Solona you alright?" he asked.
The mage rose, one of the werewolves had grabbed her, tried to pull her into the bushes, she had fought it off but…
She was now injured.
"One of them grabbed me," she hissed in pain, "just give me a moment."
He felt healing magic flow as the mage healed her wounded shoulder.
It didn't work; she screamed and fell to the ground.
Alistair was there in a heartbeat.
Leliana was there now too, Binder whimpered, worried about his mistress.
"Lona, what is wrong?" Leliana asked her voice thick with worry.
"Burns," the mage hissed, it felt like the magic had set her on fire, it took all her strength not to pass out, she pulled down her robe to get a look at where the werewolf had grabbed her.
That is when she saw it.
That is when she saw the teeth marks, and saliva.
The werewolf had bitten her.
Oh Maker Alistair thought.
"Lona, oh…oh no!" Leliana covered her hand with her mouth.
Solona gasped, no, oh no!
Morrigan approached cautiously, her normally cruel eyes held…concern or perhaps contempt.
"You do not have much time," she said coldly.
Solona did her best to suppress a whimper; she remembered Zathrian's warning about the curse.
If you are bitten, your mission will become a great bit more personal.
She needed to find Witherfang, and soon.
If she did not, well…then she would have first-hand experience on how it felt to turn into a werewolf.
She was not looking forward to that, not at all.