Turning back towards the group, a frown tugs at the corners of Nate's mouth as his eyes scan the faces of his companions. "Where's Ana?"
Shouts emit from the nearby palisade walls enclosing the small chantry. Exchanging a glance, Nate and Alistair take off toward the sounds with their bewildered companions in tow.
Within the small courtyard in front of the chantry, there is another small group of people surrounding a crazed man shouting at the top of his lungs. Nate's eyes search the crowd until he finds Ana, tucked away behind a nearby post watching the ranting man.
"The legions of evil are on your doorstep!" The man shouts, his eyes wild. Ana notices the barely distinguishable emblem Theirin emblem on the man's soiled armor.
Was he in the battle, driven mad by the scenes he witnessed or was he a deserter, shouting about horrors to keep anybody else from joining the cause?
Her thoughts are cut short as the man continues. "They will feast upon our hearts! There is nowhere to run! The evil will cover this world, like a plague of locusts!"
A woman nearby covers her child's ears and shields him as the man standing beside her steps forward. "Please! You're scaring the children!"
The crazed man looks over at the child and for a split second, it looked like a flicker of realization had come over him. He steps forward, a sorrowful expression on his dirty and tired face. "Better to slit their throats now than let them suffer at darkspawn hands!"
Gasps ripple through the crowd as the crazed man turns and prepares to shout once more but halts. His eyes widen as his gaze lands on Alistair. "There!" He shouts, pointing a shaking hand at the young Warden. "One of their minions is already amongst us!"
The man steps toward Alistair, whose hand quickly goes to the hilt of his sword, only to be blocked by Nate who sidesteps between them.
"This man bears their evil stench!" The man juts a finger over in Alistair's direction as he looks up at Nate, who stands a whole foot taller than him. " Can you not see the vile blackness that fills him?!"
Worried glances shift toward Alistair. Nate, hearing the buzz of suspicious whispers around them, frowns. "Why don't you keep your voice down?" He says, his voice calm yet Ana sees his hands ball up at his sides.
"I watched the black horde descend on my people! I will not be silent!"
"Please!" A woman cries nearby. "Stop! Somebody shut his mouth!"
Nate motions to her yet another man nearby speaks up.
"But isn't he right?" He asks, solemnly. "The Bann left us! We're going to die!"
More worried whispers. The crazed man shakes his head. "This minion is but the first of who will destroy us!"
Ana's stomach knots up as a wave of irritability begins to bubble up inside her. "Don't be a fool." She snaps and all eyes turn toward her. For a moment she wants to shrink away from their stares but instead straightens and raises her chin. "Darkspawn can be defeated. Look at the past four Blights-"
"No!" The man cuts her off, shaking his head violently. The fear in the man's eyes and the certainty of his words is almost unnerving. "I have seen them, girl! You cannot run! You cannot fight!"
"What about the Grey Wardens?" Somebody pipes up. "Isn't this what they do?"
"Even if there were any left, who's to say they would help us?" An older man with greying hair nearby spits. "You all heard what the Teyrn said. They left King Cailan to die at the hands of those monsters; What makes you think they'll do anything to help us common folk?"
"That isn't-" Alistair starts to argue but Nate nudges him and gives him a slight shake of his head before turning his attention back to the crazed soldier.
"Standing around and shouting won't save you." He says firmly, like a father chiding a child. "All it does is spread fear and suspicion which is of no help to anybody, noble and common folk alike."
"There is nothing to do!" The man frowns. "No hope is left!"
"Nonsense! We Fereldens have fought off far worse in our past." Ana says stepping forward. Nate holds out an arm to stop her from getting too close. "Have you forgotten the wars fought on this very soil, be it between us and Orlais or brother versus brother?" Her eyes move to survey the crowd, who she knows is hanging on her every word, nodding at the truth she speaks. She turns her gaze back to the man before her. "Every true Ferleden knows that no matter how much blood is spilled and how many lives are lost, we continue to fight against oppression, no matter what form it takes. Be it human or darkspawn, we will prevail."
Both Alistair and Nate exchange a surprised glance before turning their admiring glances to an unaware Ana once more. The corners of her lips turn upwards in a smirk as she's met with shouts of agreement. She turns her attention back to the soldier. "Unlike you, I know things are bleak right now but I can definitely say that I have the blood of a true Ferelden running through my veins. Can you say the same?"
The man looks taken back as more shouts in agreement emerge from the crowd. "Are you…calling me a coward?!"
"I'm calling you a coward and an idiot." She snips. "Listen to yourself for a moment!"
The man tries to move closer but Nate stops him. His lip trembles. "What would you know, girl? Hm? Who are you to call me a coward? Unless you've seen the things I've seen…"
"I have seen it." Ana sneers. "I was there at Ostagar during the battle. I saw the horrors of war and the darkspawn firsthand…." She pauses as a couple gasps are heard nearby. "I've also seen plenty of deserters to know one when I see one."
At that moment, she sees it in his eyes as tears begin to form. "I….I have shamed my ancestors." He says, choking out a sob. He looks around at the judging gazes of the crowd. "But the blackness will come…" He quickly runs off, sobbing.
The crowd buzzes with conversation of what just transpired. As Nate turns to say something to Ana, they hear a nearby priest, whose face is drawn into an unsure expression.
"He was right, wasn't he? There's no hope for us…" He asks, looking at Ana. "You talk of true Fereldens always willing to fight but what of those who can't physically defend ourselves. What of them? Are they less Ferelden than those who can?"
"Of course not." Nate replies for her. "There's always hope. Muster your courage!"
Ana nods, stepping up onto a nearby stone bench to look over the people. "We must be brave in times like these. Just as Andraste did when she was set ablaze at the stake. As she was tied to the stake, she did not weep nor scream of her misfortune. She suffered in silence and had faith in the Maker and so must we."
The priest nods. "You're right and very well said, my child. We can't give up!"
"But…what of those who can't fight?" Somebody nearby asks. "What are we supposed to do?"
"Well we can't just lie down and die." The woman beside him says with a shrug. She meets Ana's gaze as though the answer is written there. "We must go north, to Denerim!"
Part of the group splits off and heads outside the chantry enclosure while the other half huddle together to speak in hushed tones.
"That was amazing, Ana!" Bethany comments with a grin as their little group gathers together.
"It really was." Nate smiles, helping her down from her perch. His eyes flick down to her lips before returning to meet her gaze. She feels the heat rise to her cheeks as she offers him a demure smile.
"Thank you…"
Watching their interaction, Alistair feels a flicker of jealousy but it disappears as soon as it appears. He clears his throat which earns him an annoyed look from his fellow Warden. He blushes.
"We should probably finish getting supplies before heading out soon." He says quickly, "The merchant said supplies were limited and the way that crowd was looking, I imagine he won't have goods for much longer."
"You can go ahead then." Ana says with a dismissive shrug. "While you do that, I'll be at the chantry."
"But Ana-" Alistair begins to argue, receiving a glare in return. He clears his throat. "We're supposed to stick together, remember?"
Sensing the tension between them, Nate quickly speaks up. "How about the three of us go to the Chantry together? While Ana is doing what she needs to do, Alistair, you and I can maybe ask around for information that will help you decide your next move; Perhaps we can find out what roads or areas to avoid and the like. By then, the crowd should have thinned out and we can get what we need." He turns away to face Bethany. "Head home and ask Carver to meet me in the square here in a bit. We'll need his help to carry some of the supplies."
As Bethany nods, with Ana's permission, she leaves with Much happily trotting alongside her.
As the trio climbs the stone steps of the chantry, the Templar standing guard turns to look at them. Ana's eyes move to look at Nate nervously.
"Good to see you again, Hawke." The man greets with a warm smile.
"You as well, Ser Maron." Nate returns his smile. "How's guard duty?"
"It's going." Ser Maron sighs, running a gauntleted hand over his hair. He motions with his chin toward the courtyard where the crazed soldier had been only moments ago. "Thanks for clearing out that rabble, by the way. He wasn't the only soldier who was driven mad by the things he saw at Ostagar. He also isn't the first to turn up here and started causing a panic, nor will he be the last. I'm just glad you were able to talk him down enough and get him to leave on his own."
"Actually, it wasn't really me that did that." Nate grins, motioning to Ana who stands quietly beside him. "That was actually my friend, Ana."
The man's brows shoot up. "Oh, that was you? You were the woman who stood on the bench, right?"
Ana's cheeks burn as she nods. "Yes."
He beams at her. "Well, whatever you did, Miss, I'm grateful."
"Can you tell me anything about the caged Qunari out outside the northern gate? I saw him on my way into town this morning." Nate asks.
At the very mention of a Qunari, Ana's eyes widen. While she had heard of the relentless, militant people of the far north of Thedas, she had never met one. What could one be doing so far south?
"Is he still alive?" Ser Maron asks, his brows jumping up. "The Revered Mother put him there a few weeks back."
"He's definitely still there and alive." Nate replies.
The templar's brows draw together for a brief moment before he shrugs. "Given all that's been happening, he'll be dead soon enough."
"Have you heard any news?" Alistair asks.
Ser Maron shakes his head, shrugging. "Not since Teyrn Loghain passed by with his army." He frowns. "It's a shame about the king, but with the darkspawn coming, few can think of anything else."
"Rightfully so." Nate nods, placing a hand on Ana's lower back. "Well, take care, Ser Maron. Stay safe."
"You as well, Hawke." Ser Maron bows his head. "Maker watch over all of you."