"It's not a bad lesson to learn in the bleaker months: how you view a storm is a question of perspective; provided you find the right rock to watch it from, it could be the most incredible thing you'll ever witness."
― Dan Stevens
P.O.V: Suiadan
I looked down at the rubble that was underneath my bare feet and for once wished I had boots, I guess I didn't think so far ahead as I thought when I sought out the prince and made a deal with him, I didn't really think I would be affected by everything when I joined this mission. Being stuck in wolf form does that to some- makes them forget that their natural forms are not so tough, that you actually no longer have a pelt on. That your not so swift as once was, that you can't really bare your teeth in a snarl- you just end up looking stupid and not intimidating.
"It's gone... it's gone! He just sent us on a fucking goose chase! I'm going to wring that Prince's neck!" Kj shouted and started throwing fire at the crumbled form of the woman that in a different time shadowed the urn.
"No use screaming, we must return." I stated and wondered once again how this mage was the second in command to the army.
"How can you say that?! We have wasted three whole months on this mission to find that the one thing we need the most is gone! Stupid knife ear!" Kj said turning his storming blue eyes on me and I scowled at him.
"Don't call him a knife ear you piece of scum!" The swamp witch's boy said stepping forward to the other mage.
"I can fight my own battles, swamp boy." I said already moving away from this oppressing scene. I would get Kj later when he least expects it, then he would learn his lesson on racial slurs.
"I have a name you know!" The boy called to my back and soon everyone started moving on. It would take us three days to make it to the bottom and another week to get back to Denerim.
The sun started hugging the ground and camp was made. Everyone moved about to collect firewood, set up tents and so on. The sky was dark and swollen with rain as the swamp boy and I loaded up with firewood in our arms to place them into a perfect formation for the fire. You could smell the rain on the spring air and feel it move against your skin. I frowned and stepped back as the swamp boy lit the fire.
I turned to watch the sun set and my mind went to darker places leaving me feeling colder even though the fire reached out to me with it's greedy claws. My mind went to the fall, to that day when lives were lost, when she was lost to me. I could still hear her screams before her lids slid shut from the blow upon her head, I could still smell the scent of blood and panic in my gut as I fought and fought and yet she was still ripped from me and the only thing I could find was these... these red bands of cloth I gave to her.
She used to wear them all the time, weaving them into her beautiful bangs to keep them from flying into her eyes which always seemed to be swollen from the night before of sad dreams that I couldn't stop. I could never save her even though that's what I was sent to do, that was the only order The Grey warden and Fen'Harel asked me to do- watch over her and make sure that no harm would come to her. I... failed.
"Suiadan...? Hello?" The swamp boy asked and touched my shoulder, he seemed to not know about personal space or really anything, but what else could one expect when that dark mage was his mother and teacher. I blinked to rid myself of my dark thoughts and found that my hands were balled into fists and my jaw was clenched. I quickly loosed my jaw and let my hands fall loose at my side before slapping away the swamp boy's hand.
"Leave me be." I said and turned away to the trees encased in darkness leaving behind a forlorn boy.
The days turned into a week and before I knew it the week turned into two before we made it back to Denerim. The days were blurs and meaningless as I walked and hunted and did everything your supposed to do. It seemed to be more like this since that day, before each day had something to be expected from and now... I was getting melancholy. I had to keep reminding myself that the Prince had to keep his promise, that what I searched for would be found...
The swamp boy gasped and looked like a wide eyed bird with his golden eyes as we walked into Denerim. His mother quickly glared at him and muttered something while he looked at everything with amazement; it seemed he never saw big encampments before. I rolled my eyes and lengthened my stride so I could get there faster but it seemed that time wouldn't be still for it felt like forever, and I knew what forever felt like- or at least over four centuries being dead and in the Beyond, to make it to the place that housed the sick King and almost hopeless Prince.
I ignored all the servants and guards along with the rest of my companions and pretty much left them behind after a few turns to make it to the private council room. You'd think that they would be able to keep up with the human's taller legs but that was not the case at all, I always seemed to be ahead of their gaze or reach.
My silver-grey eyes soon met the slumped over form of the red haired Prince and I waited a moment to see if he would turn from the pieces of parchment but he seemed to be oblivious to my presence.
"Human." I said and watched as he jumped in his chair and turned to look at me before waving me over.
"They have already hit Oswick... and every outer encampments. We're losing resources and lots of people and it's hardly even started..." He said sadly and I turned to see maps with X's and other scribbles about on it that I could only assume had to me their encampments and ours. "Have you- do you have them?" He finished looking at me with shadowed eyes.
"They were gone..." I said softly and adverted my eyes to look at the map again so I would not see the sorrow upon his young human face. A sharp intake of breath was the only sound and out of the corner of my eye I watched as the Prince turned his face away and covered his eyes.
"What have-" I was cut off by the door slamming open to reveal the rest of my companions that quickly filed into the room.
"Milord! I am sorry to say that-" Kj started.
"He has been informed." I said dryly and Kj scowled deeply at me with gashing teeth.
"Kj, Morrigan and..." The prince started and looked at the swamp boy who blinked and quickly filled in the gap.
"Oviti milord."
"...Oviti go check on my father. Kj, I will call if I have anything concerning you." He dismissed them and Kj looked like he was going to kill something but left anyway. The Prince's eyes turned to look upon the rest of our group and rubbed his temples.
"Our enemy is gaining more ground, they are even taking other races under their reign... My spies have reported that the other lords have gathered their... personal assassins. There is a place that is holding some important things by Halamshiral, get those documents and anything else that is important. Gather your personal forces and you shall leave at first light." He finished and quickly dismissed us. The rest of the group quickly dispersed but I stayed behind a moment before leaving to my own appointed corridors.
"Wynn has passed to the Beyond." I reported and left the resigned Prince.
P.O.V: Farja
"Malachi," I said and knelt upon the ground as the others did the same. Ziy'ha was beside me and the rest were slightly behind us. The ground was hard packed under my knees and the sun glared onto us in her merciless gaze. After a month of fighting in Oswick I gained status in our group as second in command under Ziy'ha, which of course annoyed her to no end. We went straight to Oswick to the next battle site that need our reinforcements; the Rising Fog in Halamshiral. We have been here for about a week and have been fending off the opposing races. "The enemy has been pushed back -"
"And we are expected to have them crushed underneath us in a few fore-nights." Ziy'ha finished for me and Malachi nodded with a grin.
"You have done well; you may depart." He said resting his large hand on my hair and twining his fingers in it. Everyone got up and dared not look at me with anything other then respect for I have been officially dubbed the Lord's pet. Conner was the only one to look at me at all with those indigo eyes of his before turning away with a face of confusing emotion.
"Come along." He whispered down at me and I met his dark blue and red eyes and rose up onto my feet. My armor moved across my body like water and I rolled my shoulders to remove the stiffness from them and was pulled into an embrace I didn't want, be alas that was what I got for being our lord's favorite pet.