Sorry, this is such a short chapter, I wanted to make it longer but it didn't feel right.
Aria's neck was inevitably craned upwards as she and Duncan walked swiftly down the cobblestone bridge. Cracks cause many bumps along the way and stones jutted out here and there along their path. The stone-carved railing also crumbled from past attacks where boulders had been thrown across the walkway, only to destroy the railing. However, the fortress before the elf and her mentor was holding strong as she stared in wonder at the arches and glamorous tents she could see through the entrance. One part of Ostagar that clearly stood as stubbornly as the many humans that surrounded her was one lone tower from where the two entered. So tall it was that her good vision saw the vague shapes of crows flying around the tip top. Aria wondered for what purpose the tower stood.
Then, a man adorned in golden armor walked out from around the corner, she didn't know exactly if he was coming to greet them or call her a dirty knife-ear as other human travelers had done to her on their travel here. The golden armor clad man smiled broadly, as he held out his hand to Duncan.
"Ho there, Duncan!"
"King Cailin?" The Grey Warden seemed shocked as he addressed the king. Aria too, stopped her gawking at the architecture to gawk at that man who was her king. Never had she dreamed of something like this, going outside Circle walls was one thing, but meeting the king of all Ferelden…She wanted to faint.
"What, didn't expect a royal welcome? I was beginning to think you would miss all the fun." The man smiled jokingly. Duncan didn't not join in on the kings attempt at marry making, his eyes grim, lips set in a thin line as always.
"Not if I could help it your majesty…"
Cailin seemed to nod in approval. By Duncan's side, Aria stood silently. While she was shocked to see the man before her, she had yet to know if she was just intentionally being ignored or what.
"So, The Grey Wardens told me you have a promising new recruit, I take it this is she?" The king turned the elf's way and she nervously looked up at him. He was taller than her mentor, but he didn't hold himself in a threatening in the least. Her stiff shoulder' lay more at ease.
"Allow me to introduce her your ma—" King Cailin happily interrupted and stepped towards Aria himself. She saw him lean down ever so slightly as if to get a better look at the young woman, not even close to reaching his shoulders without stretching the tips of her short fingers.
"No need to be so formal, we'll be shedding blood here together soon enough. Ho there friend, might I know your name?"
"….Aria, your majesty."
The blond king's face brightened with a charming smile.
"Pleased to meet you, the Grey Warden's are desperate to bolster their numbers and I for one, am happy to help them. I here you hail from the Circle of Magi, I trust you have some spell to help us in the upcoming battle."
Aria's mouth felt dry at her turn to speak and could simply only nod.
"I-I will do my best, your majesty." She murmured quickly. This seemed as good a reply as any, for the king nodded his head and spoke once more.
"Excellent, we have few too many Mage's and another is always welcome." Then the large man held out his hand, tentively she took it and the man grinned once again as he shook it in greetings.
"Allow me to be the first one to welcome you to Ostagar, Aria. The Warden's will benefit greatly with you in their ranks."
The elven woman gulped and hoped this man's' words spoke true, because she had no confidence surrounded with so many humans surrounding her, and a war brewing from right under her nose. Nervously, she looked up to Duncan for some sort of input to free her from this shining man's air of overconfidence.
A sigh brought her attention back to the king as he released her much tinier hand.
"I'm sorry to cut this short, but I must return to my tent. Lohgain waits eagerly to bore me with his strategies." He complained lightly. Finally, Duncan spoke up, his voice that of a lecturing elder towards King Cailin.
"Your Uncle sends his greetings and reminds you that Redcliff forces could be here in less than a week."
"Ha! Eamon just wants in on the glory. We've won three battles against these monsters and tomorrow will be no different." The kings' snide laugh caused Aria to jump, she didn't quite understand who they two men talked about. She could put no thought into a comment and chose to stay silent as she followed the men who began to walk deeper into the Ostagar camp; her frantic, brown eyes past a guard on the way there who also glanced at her with a silent nod
"You…sound confident." She found herself saying out loud, more so to herself than to the man in question. Cailin cast her a glance and chuckled.
"Over confident some may say, right Duncan?" The older man shook his head condescendingly.
"Your Majesty, I'm not sure the Blight can be ended quiet as…quickly as you might wish."
"I'm not even sure this is a true Blight," the shade that once covered the three under barely standing arches gave way to a brighter, yet still overcast sky. Halfway through their journey from Lake Calenhad where the Circle of Magi is located the skies had become the gloomy, sunless wheather it was now. She had waited for the rain, yet it seemed to hold itself back from falling through the clouds as if to wait for the perfect time. Aria remembered back at the Circles library there were many books that depicted sad events with ran. Maybe this was such a sign the King should not ignore.
"There are plenty of Darkspawn, but alas, we see no sign of an Archdemon." Cailin's voice brought the elf away from her mindless thoughts, she glanced up at the ever grim Duncan as he spoke his thoughts of the others disappointment. Then, the man's voice was wistful, clouded with memories she could only assume were years old.
"I had hope for a war like in the stories," He sighed. "You know, with the King ridding with the fabled Grey Warden's against a tainted God." Aria felt the disappointment in this adventure seeking King as he turned towards the two as the halted near a large, burning bonfire.
"But I suppose this will have to do."
Aria looked off to the side as Duncan and the King traded a few more words. And she had to wonder, was such a war really as glamorous and exciting as he thought.