Chapter 11- Trust and Truth

Cassandra watched Istaril carefully as they followed the road back down from the hills, her face was pale and slightly drawn and she walked quietly, her shoulders drawn protectively inwards, a large contrast from her usually light step and upbeat attitude. This shift in attitude drew concerned glances from her fellow travelers, though when Enarel had questioned her she had waved it off saying it was nothing. Later that night Cassandra continued her observation and noticed the faint glow around Istaril grew stronger as the moon rose, and her pupils grew far larger than a normal humans in the gathering dark, with a faint reflective quality she associated with cats when the fire light hit them just right.

After dinner Varric thudded the butt of his crossbow on the ground drawing everyone's gaze to him. "Alright Feathers I'm usually not one to pry but you've been down since the fireball incident. So I think you need to talk about it or it'll just fester in you until you go crazy. Take it from me brooding doesn't help." His amber eyes were kind but firm and Cassandra shifted uncomfortably looking between Istaril and Varric in uncertainty.

There was a moment of deep uneasy silence as Istaril stared into the flames like they held the answers of all life's problems. "I don't think I can do that Varric." She whispered, never removing her eyes from the fire "It's just I have a problem with big fires, small fires like this I can take those, but that fireball was a little too much for me." She turned her haunted gaze to Enarel and Cassandra noted the greenish yellow glow that reflected off her eyes again "could you just refrain from lobbing those near me please?" she asked in a small voice, the dumbstruck elf nodded seriously and Istaril gave a tiny smile "thanks, I'll take mid watch" she told them her voice still quiet, before standing and walking over to a pine tree near the edge of their camp where her bedroll was spread out.

As she curled up under the tree Cassandra saw the trees very subtlety bend it's branches over, rustling them and weaving tighter together to keep her dry, the roots also seemed to shift to cradle her bedroll as she settled into it, after removing her armour and sliding beneath the covers and clutching what appeared to be a long length of dark cloth with gold embroidering along the edges. "What happened in the forest Cassandra?" Enarel asked quietly so Istaril couldn't hear.

Cassandra turned her eyes from the grey coloured lump that was Istaril and turned back to the fire. "She is more than she appears, she has experienced things I cannot even begin to imagine, I learned a little of what in beneath her smile, but I cannot tell you. That is for her to decide. I will not reopen old wounds if I can help it" she stated firmly, standing and moving away from the camp to take the first watch.


The camp was silent as Cassandra sat beyond the light of the banked fire, her eyes roving around the camp on the lookout for potential threats. Her mind chewed over everything she had seen and learned, mulling through the revelations. Who was Istaril? What was she? Could she trust the inquisition, the herald and the world to survive the "help" of this woman? A nearly silent whimper drew her eyes to Istaril's form. She was still as a stone, her muscles clenched tightly in a position Cassandra recognized from soldiers who were afraid to cry out in their sleep, another whimper dragged itself out from her clenched teeth and her right hand clenched around the long piece of fabric so hard her knuckles grew white and a small whimper of "no" snuck out with her harsh gasp of breath.

Casandra crept closer, curiosity nudging her forward. "No Please don't" Istaril breathed, so quietly that if Cassandra hadn't been listening she would have missed it. "Karrigan it's a trap, don't. Condor get her out of there!" the last part was a little louder, almost a desperate plea and new tears squeezed passed her shuttering lids. "Beware the grey rider" she muttered bringing her clenched hand closer to her face and curled around it protectively.

Cassandra's heart ached as she watched Istaril twitch and mummer, this was Istaril in her true form; she could feel it in her heart. This broken shell of a woman who tried so hard to smile and laugh, who paid extra attention to the little things in life because those were the only things that made the ugliness of the world bearable. This was who she could trust. Gently she nudged Istaril with the toe of her boot "Istaril it's your turn for watch" she called quietly so as not to wake the others.

Istaril's eyes snapped open, their pupil's vertical like a cat's but they slowly reverted back to a more normal round shape. The change startled Cassandra but she held back her shock realising that she was seeing Istaril in a whole new context, without the veil that had sat over her before. Istaril nodded and without saying a word slid out of her blankets, quickly pulling on her light armour and slinging her weapons onto her body.

She smiled slightly at Cassandra and walked out beyond the edge of the camp to situate herself on a small outcropping or the cliffs they were surrounded by and settled down, hood up and her bow resting in her lap with an arrow resting loosely on the string. Cassandra stared at her and blinked before steeling herself and walked over to the other woman and sat down next to her. "Will you tell me a story?" she asked quietly and held Istaril's eyes when they turned to her in shock "a true one" she added.

"All my stories have been true Cassandra, my time with the fellowship, the Balrog in Moria, everything. So be specific, what do you want? Adventure? Horror? Romance? Drama? Tragedy? Comedy? Fantastical or down to earth?" she replied quietly.

Cassandra turned her face to the moons and pondered "comedy" she replied after a few moments. "I feel like we could both use a laugh after today." She elaborated and she felt Istaril snort lightly and nodded.

There was a pause before she began speaking. "I used to travel with this absolutely insane adventure." She smiled fondly her eyes still scanning the surrounding area as she spoke. "Severus Snow-born was his name. Half Nord, half imperial, all badass as he used to say." She continued her tale and Cassandra could almost see it happening, like a memory playing before her eyes.


"Ready! And PULL!" a woman's voice cried in the still mountain air.

"FUS RO DA!" a deep voice bellowed, unnaturally loud, shattering the midnight stillness. A goat, bleating in terror went flying off a cliff. There was the sound of a twanging bow string and a black arrow hit the goat and exploded the thunderous boom echoing in the mountain valleys bellow them. A laughing man walked over to the archer and clapped her shoulder, both of them struggling to breath as their mirth shook their frames.

"Divines! The two of you are like a pair of toddlers!" another woman chastised from where she leaned against a boulder, watching the pair's antics with exasperated glowing orange eyes.

"Oh come on Serana! We deserve a break!" the tall, dark haired man told her good naturedly walking over and slinging his arm around Serana's shoulders.

"True we've been going non-stop since hearthfire" the other woman said skipping over to them.

They formed an unlikely looking trio. Serana was an aristocratic woman with snow white skin and glowing orange eyes, dressed in black and red clothes that looked like those of a noble with a nasty looking dagger swinging at her hip. Long black hair fell down her back and gleamed like a raven's wing in the light of the two moons. The man was tall and broad shouldered with dark stubble covering his firm jaw though his nose was rather Aquiline and his bright green eyes sparkled with laughter, he was dressed in heavy black and red plate armour with a truly massive sword resting on his back. The third woman had long golden brown hair had four braids decorated with beads and a sole feather that spun in the cold wind and blushing a deep crimson as she laughed, her dark blue eyes were bright with amusement and happiness as she observed her friends, her large black and silver bow resting over her shoulder and dressed in a set of dark short robes over chainmail with a pair of black gauntlets and metal boots.

"You do remember that all the time we waste here just means that Alduin has more time to build his army right?" Serana asked them both, causing the man's shoulders to slump.

"You're right Serana" he murmured turning to the other woman "I guess we should wrap it up Brianna" he said dejectedly only for Brianna's eyes to ignite with outrage.

"No, we have been working too hard, if you continue you'll just burn out. Trust me I've seen that happen and it's not pretty." She turned to Serana and pointed a finger at the pale young woman "sorry 'bout this Serana" she said, a smirk growing on her lips.

"What are you...?" Serana began but was interrupted by Brianna.

"Weise ofrǫlvi" [be intoxicated] the brunette incanted.

Serana's eyes lost focus and she began to giggle before slinging herself onto the man's arm "What did you do?" asked the man uncertainly as the vampire began to whisper something in his ear that caused his eyes to go wide.

"Relax Severus I just bypassed her natural defence to alcohol and got her drunk, here" she said handing him a large bottle "let's go tear up Skyrim" she said.

Severus looked at her uncertainly then grabbed the bottle and began to chug. Brianna grinned and secretly congratulated herself as the enchanted liquor did its work before using the same spell that had affected Serana on herself, giggling as the tingling feeling spread along her limbs.

"Onward!" she cried and Severus grabbed her and Serana around the waists and pulled them close before throwing them off the top of the throat of the world with a shout of "WULD NA KEST!" Serana screamed as the plummeted and Brianna began to laugh hysterically as the wind dragged past her.

"FEIM ZII GRON!" Severus bellowed and the world turned blue. Their landing left a crater behind at the base of the mountain as they staggered away to find mischief to make.


They fell upon the giant camp with wild whoops, the giants themselves never stood a chance, nor did the mammoths who rose to their master's defence, except for the three that Sylvain used the bend will shout on, resulting in the three of them riding mammoths across the plains towards the glowing buildings of Whiterun.

Serana whooped with glee as she shot lightning bolts at the twin moons and Severus would bellow random shouts at the sky and passing wildlife. Brianna was standing on her mammoth like it was a surf board and snipping at the elk and deer with a spectral bow, laughing manically as she did so, often landing the arrows in obscene spots and yelling lewd advice to travellers they passed.

A group of unfortunate Thalmor were walking along the path they were taking and didn't make it out of the way of the several tons of out of control mammal that currently owned the road. "Did you hear something?" Serana shouted to her friends as they barreled along the path.

"No" Severus yelled back and Brianna merely laughed loudly before urging her mammoth onward faster aiming for another Thalmor patrol she sensed ahead.

They raced each other across the plains running down Thalmor patrols and occasionally throwing wildlife into the air for the others to take pot shots with magic, arrows and Thu'um. Their laughter and calls of "PUUL!" echoing across the hills nd waking the residents of the province.

By the time the sun had risen they had left a trail of destruction in their wake and three exhausted mammoths that they set loose and walked the last kilometre to Markarth. "Never again" Serana muttered, glaring daggers at Brianna. She had sobered up several time during the ride, the last one about two hours ago whilst in the middle of blasting an unfortunate goat with a chain lightning spell and had spent twenty minutes trying to get off whilst screaming at the cackling Brianna.

Needless to say Brianna had learned several very interesting and creative swear words that night, some that hadn't been in use for several millennia, but ones she fully intended to return to use. Brianna simply smiled brightly at the hungover Vampire and skipped ahead to the gates and then through to the inn for the day.


When the story was finished Cassandra retired to her tent, a small smile on her face. Varric, sitting in his tent smiled and blew on the ink of the story he had just overheard and recorded. He had woken up when Cassandra had asked Istaril for a story and he had scrambled to get his notebook open. Ruefully he shook out his hand to try and ease his writer's cramp before he lay back down in his bedroll and turned over, just in time to hear Istaril softly begin singing:

"To the Sea, to the Sea! The white gulls are crying,

The wind is blowing, and the white foam is flying.

West, west away, the round sun is falling.

Grey ship, grey ship, do you hear them calling,

The voices of my people that have gone before me?

I will leave, I will leave the woods that bore me;

For our days are ending and our years failing.

I will pass the wide waters lonely sailing.

Long are the waves on the Last Shore falling,

Sweet are the voices in the Lost Isle calling,

In Eressëaut, in Elvenhome that no man can discover,

Where the leaves fall not: land of my people for ever!

To the Sea, to the Sea! The white gulls are crying,

The wind is blowing, and the white foam is flying.

West, west away, the round sun is falling.

Grey ship, grey ship, do you hear them calling."

His eyes began to drift closed to the sound of her lilting accent that longingly crooned the haunting melody and he could almost hear the sound of instruments joining her. "She's so lonely" was his last thought before sleep took him.


They hiked down towards the small town of Redcliff in comfortable silence. Enarel watched Istaril from the corner of his eye as she smiled and hummed to herself quietly as if yesterday had never happened. Cassandra had a pensive expression and Varric was watching Istaril with curious eyes.

Enarel wondered what had happened to cause them to look at Istaril like that. He himself was still slightly wary of her after the incident with the fire ball, but she seemed to be in control once more. The sun was warm and the birds were singing happily in the surrounding forest as they strode up the path, passing banners signaling their approach to the Arl's lands.

"What do you think we will find?" Istaril asked curiously "in Redcliff I mean" she clarified when everyone turned to look at her.

Cassandra shrugged "Maker only knows, the Hinterlands have become a hotspot for the mage rebellion. I fear that the villagers may not take kindly to the influx of mages or that the mages have abused their host's hospitality." Her face could have been carved in granite and Istaril nodded, turning her eyes forward again.

"Turn Back We cannot open the gate until the rift is closed!" one of their scouts called to them.

"Rift?" Varric asked.

"Don't worry closing rifts is our specialty" Istaril joked to the woman as she followed Enarel onward before she stopped abruptly, causing Varric to walk into her.

"What's wrong Feathers?" he asked as her face contorted into a feral snarl.

"Shooth breh ahvehtee!" [Death to the errors] she screamed jumping forward drawing her sword sprinting to the rift.


Istaril could feel her dragon instincts roaring at her to end this perversion of nature, she dodged a swirling whirlpool of temporal energy and pounced on the terror demon that emerged from the corrupted rift. "Maker what's happening?!" cried Cassandra as they joined Istaril who held a long dagger in a reverse grip in one hand and her sword in the other. "Dunno but whatever it is It's pissed off Feathers!" cried Varric before she heard the distinctive twang and thunk of Bianca firing.

Istaril spun to the side dodging the demon's talon's as they slashed through the air where she had been standing and bringing her knife down on its hand, penetrating and using it as a grappling hook to yank the demon onto her sword. She didn't even wait for it to dissolve before she flipped away, pulling her weapons with her. She landed and almost vomited, she had landed in one of the temporal distortions, her already lightning fast reflexes sped up to be almost painful and she rolled out, dodging the swipe of a shade as she did.

As she rose to her feet Silivegil lashed out and bit deep into the shade's leathery hide. It shrieked in pain and she withdrew her blade, bringing it up and around to parry a swipe from a demon behind her, spinning and snapping out her leg to hit the shade she had just impaled. The force of the blow sent it flying as it dissolved from its wounds. With her blade engaged she jabbed at her enemy's throat with her wrist, flicking her hand out so the hidden blade slid out and embedded its length deep.

With a shout she jerked her left arm to the side, partially severing its head from its body and using the move to bisect a smaller whisp that had been sneaking up on her. "Time distortion!" she roared to her companions, catching a glimpse of Varric trapped in a slow well she sprinted over and reaching in grabbed him by the back of his tunic and hauled, dragging the dwarf back into the regular time stream.

"Thanks" he grunted before aiming his crossbow up and releasing a bolt that struck a shade. She nodded before joining Cassandra as she battled with a terror demon.

"Why is this rift acting like this?" the Seeker asked her in confusion and Istaril shrugged, dodging a swipe of the demon's tail.

"Kill it now ask questions later!" she yelled removing the offending limb with a grunt as she severed the hard bone. The rift closed with a bone jarring thud and Istaril braced her hands on her knees, taking a moment to recover from her moment in the time dilation.

"Oh thank the maker! Open the Gate!" came from beyond the wall. She pushed herself upright and sheathed her blades after wiping them off using the rag she carried for that purpose, sighing as she followed Enarel.

"The mages aren't expecting us?! Not even Grand enchanter Fiona?" Enarel asked the harried looking scout. The poor man shook his head and gratefully ran off when dismissed.

"It's a trap" Istaril told the elf confidently striding beside him and scanning their surroundings warily.

Enarel nodded "probably, but we won't know what kind it is until we spring it" he replied and Istaril made a sound reminiscent of an angry cat.

"Still don't like it" she told him firmly her hand on her sword as she flexed her left hand a little. The walk through the people caused Istaril to become even jumpier, there was a lot of evil in this town and castle, it coated the energy of the place like a thick cloying oil slick. It left a bitter taste in her mouth and a persistent nausea that led to her clenching her sword so hard her knuckles were white beneath her gloves.

"You alright Feathers?" Varric asked her quietly as Enarel spoke with a young man near the docks.

"This place is steeped in evil, both old and new" she forced out through gritted teeth, catching Cassandra's attention.

"What kind of evil?" she asked warily, gripping her sword and turning her head to scan around the village "it looks normal" she reported turning back to Istaril and Varric.

"It's not the people, they are just scared, but there is someone here who is covered in a malignant presence. It's even affecting the plants here, they are sickly and beginning to twist" she reported before she stopped and swallowed thickly as her stomach rolled again. "It's very unpleasant. Let's just get out of here quickly." She muttered looking at Enarel who was returning.

"are you alright?" he asked her "you look a little pale."

She shook her head "no I'm not alright, just finish up here quickly and let us be gone from this accursed place" she told him, looking out over the waters of the inlet and repressing a shiver at the feeling that permeated the air.


The gull and lantern was dark and nearly empty, only the half-hearted attempts of a minstrel in the corner doing anything to permeate the depressed air within the building. "Welcome agents of the Inquisition" a female elf in the corner greeted them.

Istaril focused on the elf and winced in sympathy for her. Grand Enchanter Fiona was haggard, dark circles sat beneath her eyes and her once fine tailored robes hung of her thin frame. Her expression was harried and her posture slightly stooped as if the weight of her choices were a millstone around her neck. Cautiously Istaril sent out a tendril to gauge the enchanter's mental state, her mind was steeped in regret and worry. Worry for her charges and fear for their new situation.

"What has brought you to Redcliff?" she asked uncertainly and Enarel frowned.

"You invited us here" he told her, confusion showing in his voice. Istaril watched as they conversed and shuddered at the feeling of approaching evil.

"The free mages have already…pledged themselves to Tevinter." Fiona said resignedly.

"An alliance with Tevinter? Do you not fear all of Thedas turning against you?" demanded Cassandra, shocked and appalled.

"Andraste's ass I'm trying to think of a single worse thing you could have done and I've got nothing." Varric muttered, Istaril looked at the mage with a sad expression.

"I know why you did it and I know you regret it. But what is done is done." She said sorrowfully before melting into the shadows clenching her sword.

"I have no authority to negotiate with you, this... bargin may not have been my first choice but it was the only choice. I had to save as many of my people as I could. We are losing this war." Fiona said sadly.

The door opened and an oil voice spoke "welcome my friends! I apologise for not being here earlier." Istaril almost threw up at the evil rolling off the magister, the voices faded out as she struggled to keep herself from lunging forward and relieving the magister of the burden of his head.

It was moments that she hated the restrictions she held on herself. The story had to happen, certain fixed points had to happen and this was one of them, never did she sympathize with the Doctor then moments like this, She continued to ignore the conversation, focusing instead on their surroundings, several Tevinter mages watched them with hard eyes that belied their fear and greed, southern mages stared on with hopeless expressions, little hope remained in many of them. They knew what they had done could doom them, but they truly saw no alternative.

She sighed internally as she isolated her mind amidst the sea of fear and despair, wishing she would let herself cast a Patronus to ease the atmosphere. Felix stumbled forward and she focused on him, shivering at the feeling of the taint corrupting him, but also a deep grief at the light and goodness she could feel being smothered in his soul as the poison of the darkspawn ravaged his body.

As the mages hurried out Istaril focused on Enarel as he examined the note Felix had slipped him. "Come to the Chantry you are in danger" he read and Istaril coughed, drawing his gaze at her "yes, yes, I know it's a trap" he answered for her in exasperation. Istaril sniffed and turned to the door, holding it open as everyone filed though before she followed.

"What's your take Feathers?" Varric asked and Istaril shrugged.

"Time is being violated here Varric. Any sane person would want to stop it. My guess is someone with either knowledge or a theory of why and how to stop it." She told him quietly to keep the other two from hearing.

Varric looked up at her and snorted "you're probably right." He muttered morosely as they trudged along the path to the Chantry.

As they approached she felt her instincts rear up and snarl but now she was prepared for hit and simply let the feral reaction pass her lips, drawing the attention of the party. "There is another Gor ahveh, time perversion in the Chantry" she told them, her eyes glowing with rage, Cassandra looking at her without the veil saw that her pupils had become vertical like those of a cat again and they were glowing blue silver like a jewel being held up to a light and her bared teeth revealed her elongated canines, a silver glow had begun to grow around her and the blood had rushed to her cheeks, flushing her complexion to a heavy olive.

The heavy doors swung open under Istaril and Cassandra's efforts and they were treated to a view of an olive skinned man in white mage robes and a rather dashing mustache beating a shade into the floor with a staff. As the Shade faded he looked up "Good you're finally here! Now help me close this would you" he called jovially. Istaril snickered at the expression on Cassandra and Enarel's faces before she pulled her bow over her shoulder and began to snipe the creatures leaking from the rupture.

Her movements were swift and precise, even Varric and Bianca were hard pressed to keep up with her rate of fire. Shades and whisps fell to her arrows, a Terror demon fell back with a shriek as her grey arrow pierced its eye and pinned it to the alter. With a wail it dissolved, leaving the arrow still quivering in the wood. More were driven back through the rift as her companions joined in, hacking and blasting at the demons with practiced movements.

There was a flash of green and a terror demon leapt out of the ground at her feet, throwing her back and forcing her bow from her hands. The tail whipped around and struck her shoulder, halted by her mithrill hauberk by still hitting with enough force to drive her back and snap her clavicle. She screamed in pain while it roared in victory and lunged at her, long skeletal green arms grasping her shoulders and heaving her up only to slam her to the flags again, the force of the impact leaving a small crater.

Istaril screamed as a several ribs cracked she right shoulder flaming in pain under its merciless grip. It lifted her up again to repeat the process but she twisted her legs up and around ignoring the pain and tearing her body from its grip. She swung up around its shoulders and grasped its head in both hands, crying out in pain as she pulled it up and to the right in a quick, practiced move, snapping its neck. It vanished and dropped her to the ground, where she knelt, wheezing as she wrapped her left arm around her chest and other arm in an attempt to stop the pain.

A shade swept towards her and she growled, once it was within range she used one of her last lines of defence. She lunged forward, her jaws opening wide before they clamped her now viciously sharp teeth around its throat. A foul taste filled her mouth and she gagged, but not before she initiated an adaptation she wished she did not have, glands just below her sinuses began to inject the highly toxic and corrosive Zerg venom into her victim. Job done she thrust the shade away from herself, spitting the foul ichor from her mouth as she rolled away from its thrashing form, whipping her sleeve over her face to remove the evidence.

The others had finished and had caught the tail end of her fight, just in time to see the shade leap at her and the fall away writhing. Istaril stood slowly, still cradling her injury and looked at the suffering shade impassively, Zerg venom was that nastiest thing evolution could come up with, able to eat through the hulls of starships, and she had just injected several drops into the shade. Its death was horrendous and messy as the venom ate through its veins, bones and hide before dripping onto the stone flags, sizzling and hissing as it did its work slowly the cleaning agents employed on the floor neutralized the diluted but still acidic venom, ceasing its onslaught and causing it to turn into a dry white powder on the ravaged stone.

"What the hell was that?" Varric demanded, staring in horror at the pockmarked floor where the shade had just dissolved into smoke.

"A poison from Zerus, very nasty, don't touch it" she croaked, her voice thick with pain, wincing as her cracked ribs and clavicle protested her movement.

"Wasn't about to" he told her, shuddering as he remembered the Shade's death throes.

"Enarel, shouldn't you close the rift before it begins to spew demons again?" she reminded the elf wearily raising her eyebrow at him.

"Oh right" he said, tearing his eyes from the sport and running over to the rift. The boom of its closing was not comfortable to her abused bones but she found herself snickering at the new mage's next words as they all joined Enarel at the front of the chantry.

"Fascinating, how does that work exactly?" he asked, Enarel shrugged helplessly and the mage chuckled "you don't know do you? You just wiggle your fingers and boom! The rift closes" he exclaimed and Istaril smirked.

"But then again, I have found that wiggling one's fingers always has a certain… magical reaction, wouldn't you agree?" she told the mage, winking saucily and grinning at his startled expression that quickly morphed to one of enthusiasm.

"Oh most certainly… you I like" he laughed grinning cheekily at her.

"Who are you?" Enarel demanded hurriedly, his face a brilliant red as he blushed at their statements and trying to change the subject.

"Oh where are my manners!" the man cried in mock consternation before performing a sweeping and overly dramatic bow. "Dorian of House Parvus, formerly of Minrathos. How do you do?" he introduced himself mockingly and Istaril smiled, stepping forward.

"Istaril of House Islingr, formerly of Corus!" she proclaimed in the same mocking tone as him, performing a wonderfully executed curtsey that despite the lack of skirts still looked very courtly and because of the same reason looked rather ridiculous as she held in her wince.

Dorian laughed heartily "oh I definitely like you, you have the same irreverence for propriety as I do. We'll get along beautifully" he told her with a wink which she returned, before turning to Enarel.

Istaril eased back to lean against a pillar and drew her mind inwards to assess the damage, three cracked ribs, a broken clavicle and a muscle pull in her right shoulder, wonderful. She sighed and was about to heal herself when Cassandra walked over.

"What's wrong?" she asked concerned and Istaril sighed .

"Three cracked ribs and a muscle pull and a broken clavicle, it kinda stings." She said a little sarcastic towards the end.

Cassandra huffed in shock "come I'll bandage you up so you can ride. We are heading back to Haven." She commanded taking Istaril's elbow and leading deeper into the chantry, calling to the others that they would follow soon.

Istaril let herself be led and resigned herself to having to let her wounds be handled by someone else. It would have let Cassandra be less suspicious of her and since she was unable to lie she had no choice but to let the Seeker have her way. The reached a room near the back with a window and a chair where Istaril was placed and Cassandra began to work on removing her various weapons and pieces of armour, carefully easing the mail shirt over her head and arms as Istaril winced and hissed in pain.

Istaril helped as best she could but her arms hurt to lift and her ribs were now aching so she let herself be taken care of. When her pale blue shirt and bra were peeled off her back Cassandra gave a small gasp at her vast collection of scars.

"Maker have mercy" she murmured as she picked up the roll of bandages "what happened to you?" she blurted out before adding "you don't have to tell me."

Istaril tried to shrug but ended up hissing as the move jostled her ribs and arm. "You know how I got the lash marks, that was the dream you felt." She said quietly as the Seeker began to wrap her torso tightly in the linen bandages that Istaril kept on her and after positioning her arm close to her body began to wrap and immobilize it and her torso, eventually tying the neat wrappings off near her navel.

"The bite was from when I was fighting Thorn, a dragon. He got me while we were falling, luckily I was able to pry his jaws off of me before he could begin to shake me. The rest is just the usual wear and tear on a warrior's body." She recounted, her mind reaching back to the battle with Thorn.

The dragon had, had a truly sorrowful look in his eyes as his jaws had clamped down onto her shoulder just before her wing and Arya had blasted him with a spell before Istaril had brought her free front claw down on his head, stunning him and making him open his jaws. They had spiraled down to the ground to the far east of the Burning planes and watched as Eragon and Saphira had finished knocking out the stunned dragon and his rider.

Arya had passed out trying to heal the wound and Istaril had been nearly unconscious from the amount of energy she had fed the elf for the healing and from the battle. The wound had only been half healed after that and Istaril had been forced to curl around the elf in a small cave on the riverbank for almost two days before they had been able to make it back to the Varden.

When she had left, the scar had come with her showing the first time she had nearly died. "You truly have some astonishing tales" Cassandra muttered before helping Istaril into a loose shirt she carried in one of the enlarged belt pouches on her bounty hunter belt.

Istaril smiled and stood with a winced trying to pick up her gear, only to be forced back in to her chair by a firm glare from Cassandra "what did you do to that shade?" The seeker asked firmly as she folded and wrapped Istaril's equipment into a neat bundle and wrapping her cloak around her shoulders. Istaril's smile dropped and she suddenly felt exhausted.

"There is a race called the Zerg… they are… a nightmare made flesh. They consume all they come into contact with… and if you are worth it they will assimilate you into the hive. I escaped but with a souvenir." She bared her teeth and let her long fangs out of their sheathes, Cassandra watched as her top incisors grew longer, sliding out of her gums like those of a snake, a dark glowing purple liquid gathered at the points before they retreated, the liquid dropping into her mouth where it fizzled but turned clear. "My saliva neutralizes it, but it is a method of last resort. I can kill someone with a mere kiss, but it is no longer the rule, I learned how to control it." Her voice faded as her eyes took on a haunted look as she spoke.

"Judge me if you want Cassandra, I no longer care." She said quietly, refusing to look at the Seeker. Cassandra looked at Istaril hard and thought over what she had just heard and at the expression in Istaril's eyes.

She made her choice and placed her hand on Istaril's uninjured shoulder. "I do not judge you for that which you cannot help. It is what you do with your abilities that makes you who you are. I see that now." She replied seriously. Istaril looked up at her, her ancient gaze softening in gratitude at the Seekers acceptance and Cassandra wondered how many people had accepted Istaril as she was, the look in her eyes said very few.

In that moment Casandra understood that Istaril had the capabilities to destroy the inquisition with very little effort. Yet she chose to remain and help them. Cassandra knew that Istaril would most likely be the greatest Allie and friend one could ever make and she resolved to make a friend of the ancient woman. "Come, let us join the others, they will most likely have the horses ready for our ride back." Thee Seeker said picking up Istaril's bundle of armour, clothes, knives, bow and quiver.

The Wanderer nodded and stood shakily, wincing at the pain and following Cassandra out of the building. The others did indeed have their horses saddled, burdened and waiting, Enarel looking nervously at the halterless and bridleless Mithronar who seemed to be giving Istaril a concerned look.

Cassandra fastened Istaril's bundle behind her saddle and Istaril thanked her before she gathered her cloak in her left hand before she spoke to Mithronar in Sindarin "kneel so I may mount, I am injured" the mare nickered in concern, walking over to a patch of grass where she kneeled. Istaril got into the saddle and arranged her cloak around herself before giving the order. "Stand, I am ready" and gripping the cantle of her saddle tightly.

The others of her group watched in amazement as the mare heaved herself to her feet as gently as she could and walk smoothly over to the others, Istaril sitting through it easily and guiding the mare with her legs. "Onward to Haven and Healers?" she asked, smiling slightly at their faces and her alliteration. Enarel shook his head at her antics and turned to look at Cassandra, who shrugged and swung her heavily armoured frame up onto her large bay gelding.

Once they were all mounted they set from Redcliff at an easy jog, Istaril subtly casting a stasis and pain-relieving spell to keep her arm and ribs from jostling on the two day ride to Haven.


A/N Hello All my lovely readers! Hope you had a wonderful Easter break. The Easter Plot bunny dropped this off and I had to share. As always hope you enjoy and leave me your reviews about what you think her next story/dream should be about.

Cheers, Mystborn!