Judy thank you for taking the time and reviewing. My spanish speaking guest .. I am glad you like it. Btw can I get your name so I can call you by it?
Four days ago, we met Bodahn and his son Sandal. He was a chatty sort. And the first time I had ever met a dwarf. Cailan gave me a patronizing look as I could barely contain my excitement at meting them. Until I reminded him that I grew up in the tower never getting outside until I was conscripted.
Bodahn offered to buy the looted items and for a discount sold us items, we needed. Cailan was able to trade out of his Templar robes and armor for a plain set of iron plate armor. Closer to what he had before the battle. Unfortunately, the dwarf had nothing in stock could replace the chasiend robes.
Although I wasn't minding them as much anymore. Movement was easy. I still blushed deeply when I caught Cailan starring, but even that caused me to giggle. Sometimes I even forgot he was married and flirted back. But eventually something would remind both of us and we go back to being as formal as two people sharing a tent could be.
We bought a tent from a vendor in the last village designed for one person. It became even more crowded when Teyrn joined us. Cailan wanted him out of the tent and grumbled about our chaperone as the hound laid between us. But I asked him if he didn't want to sleep out in the cold and snow, why would he banish Teyrn.
The hound lover that Cailan was he reluctantly conceded but demanded a bigger tent. I agreed. None of us had taken a bath recently and we stunk.
As we sat down that night back on the King's Highway to the meal that Cailan and Sandal made Bodahn started telling about the gossip he'd heard in the towns including how the Grey Wardens killed the king and a bounty was being offered.
He said he didn't believe such nonsense since he met the Grey Wardens outside of Lothering and they had saved his and his boys life and asked for nothing in return. He was on his way to join them in their camp.
That was when we officially joined them.
At first, the dwarf wasn't interested in our company until I explained I was also a Grey Warden separated by the battle trying to return to our friends.
Cailan told them the story we agreed on keeping most of the details from what I told him up to Flemeth's hut. He only changed whom we protected to Duncan and that Warden Commander did not survive.
I hadn't been happy about that part but after he explained, his reasoning almost made sense. I needed to get Flemeth to heal someone important. We wouldn't have left the battle for just anyone.
Traveling the kings Highway, we had our share of skirmishes with thieves, darkspawn and animals. We fought them together with several mishaps and friendly fire along the way as the King and I got used to fighting as a team. Only having Teyrn there kept us from being completely inept and the prey animals laughing at us. The hunter Cailan was made short work of their hides skinning them for later and putting meat in the stew pot.
We passed four towns before making it to the Warden's camp. Two of them the Darkspawn had completely gutted. We protected Bodahn and Sandal as they salvaged items from the deserted buildings. Neither of us particularly liked him looting the villages but agree with his point. While they looted Cailan and I burned what bodies were left before starting for the next village.
At the third village we were able to help the soldiers fight back and survive the party of darkspawn. That night, hailed as heroes we slept indoors, had plenty to eat that we didn't kill, and we bathed, even the dog.
There were several things in the store Cailan, and I took advantage of while we had the opportunity. Extra set of clothes so we had something to wear after taking off the armor. A tent large enough to fit a family. Some soaps and spell components that I couldn't get by foraging. As well as walnut oil to touch up the golden growth of Cailan's hair.
When we left the town a day later, we were welcomed back by the villagers and told that they didn't believe the Warden's guilty of killing King Cailan.
Which is how we arrived at the Warden's empty camp two days ago. Bodahn and Sandal were gone before the sun had risen but they had left their cart so I assumed they would be back. Cailan was in his smalls, arms and legs akimbo softly snoring.
I climbed out of the tent careful not to disturb dog or the king. I wanted to find a moment to practice. Cailan had been serious about teaching me weapons as he started that night.
Most of the knowledge had been general. But he had given me several long branches and was to practice over downward strikes and sideways strikes. My opponents had been boulders and trees up to this point.
The first fifty to sixty times I hit something I knocked my branch out of my own hands. Then there were the times I accidently set the branch on fire when I got so frustrated.
He had to help me apply the healing potion… clicking his tongue and explaining only berserkers fought with anger. That was the last time he got to watch me practice. I hated looking like a fool.
I spent an hour working with the branch and a rock. I've gotten decent against the rocks and trees. I had even added and underhand swing I had seen used during the battle. Whether I liked it or not it might be time to ask Cailan for another lesson.
I had also started practicing healing. I started with the tree I had been beating on for the last hour and healed the cuts and abrasions to the bark and flesh. I was sure I could heal a cut on a person without a potion, but I wasn't willing to harm Cailan or Teyrn to see if I could.
But the next time one of us got injured I was. I was about sixty pages into the healing tome.
But just in case I still gathered plants every morning to brew more potions. I was never going to be in the same situation I was at in Ostagar and the retreat.
Plus, Bodahn had sold a good share of them and coin was always good. That was how I got the metal washing tub I talked Bodahn into transporting for me.
Morrigan's wards were as good as her mothers. If not better. As it was only by feeling the vacancy of energy that the wards create that I found their camp. The dwarves, Teyrn and Cailan all walked by.
The magic was slight enough that I might have missed it too if I hadn't felt and relied on Flemeth's before. So, for the last two days we were here I walked them twice a day to make sure the magic hadn't faded. The first day Cailan had walked with me but left when he realized I needed to concentrate to feel the subtle shift in magic.