Chapter 10: The Queen of Antiva
"Is that normal for humans, scavenging through the remains of the dead like that?" Enid asked as they approached Kinloch Hold from the surrounding farm land.
"It would not surprise me," Sten grunted.
"Yeah," Rayne said sadly, pulling his fur cloak over his old yellow mage robes. "I spent the first few years of my life in the Highever Alienage, and that sort of thing was common."
"It's so sad," Enid said. "Are you okay, Sten?"
"Yes. Why would I not be?"
"I just… I know that if I found my clanmates like that, I don't know what I'd do. Even now, I can't stop worrying about Merrill."
"That does nobody any good, neither does dwelling on the past. There is nothing to be done for the shells we found. I survived, and I have learned from the experience. I will honor them by ensuring that it never happens again."
"There… is wisdom in that, Sten. Thank you."
"We're here," Rayne said, nodding at the tower in the distance. Garahel barked in agreement.
Sten regarded it for a moment before saying: "Humans over-compensating as always". Enid couldn't help but laugh at that. Before approaching the docks, Rayne approached an old man in front of the Spoiled Princess Inn.
After a brief chat with the man, Rayne explained to Enid and Sten that they had apparently sealed the Tower, and that the Knight-Commander (whatever that was) wasn't letting anyone in or out. Rayne looked concerned, and annoyed about the prospect of talking to Carroll, the human on the docks.
"Just, wait for a sec, though," Rayne commanded, walking over to a human in purple wearing a stupid-looking hat. After a few minutes of whispered conversation, Rayne took a slip of paper from him and walked away smiling.
"What was that?" Enid asked as they started towards the docks.
"Something I didn't think actually existed until now. That… is good to know."
Enid and Sten followed Garahel and his master to the dock. Rayne looked the templar up and down as his wisp danced excitedly around his head. Enid wondered if the wisp had a mind of its own, or if it just reacted to Rayne's emotions. She had never really understood that much about magic, anyways. That was the Keeper's job.
"Alright, Carroll, I don't really have time for you right now, so here's what's happening: I'm a Grey Warden now, and I need to get to the Tower. You're going to let us across."
"What? I don't know you," Carroll said.
Putting his hand on his forehead, Rayne sighed heavily. "I left the Tower, like, a month ago, Carroll. You know what, never mind. Look at this treaty."
"Yes? Oh, a Grey Warden seal. A-ha. So you're claiming to be one of those! You know, I have some documents, too. They say I'm the Queen of Antiva. What do you think of that?"
"Andraste's heaving bosom! We do not have time for this. That's it. Sten, tear his arms off."
Rayne wasn't usually like this. He was quiet, contemplative, curious, but generally upbeat. But Enid could tell the uncertainty of the state of his home was really getting to him, and she couldn't blame him. She slid closer to him in the boat and put his bare hand in her armored one, smiling at him sympathetically.
"It will be okay, lethallin. Whatever we find, we will face it together, and we will get through it."
"Ma serannas, lethallan," he responded, surprising Enid with his newly-acquired elvish and squeezing her hand. "But you don't have to do this; comfort me. We only just met, and I think I'm supposed to be your commanding officer or something. Don't worry about me."
"It is nothing. We are both part of the same clan now, the Grey Wardens. And as a clanmate, protecting and reassuring you is my duty."
"Parshaara, we have arrived," Sten said, apparently annoyed by all of the feelings happening.
"Alright," Rayne said, taking a deep breath. "Let's do this."