The Hut in the Woods

Torph eyed the carrot dubiously. He had never seen the weird orange, pointy thing before but Morrigan was adamant that it was to go into the soup. That it and it fellow vegetable comrades, the weird, round things called potatoes, needed peeled.

Faren was out cold on the blankets smothering the floor. Him and Cobian were buried in furs, still unconscious even after a day had passed. Narascha was on the bed, feverish from her poison, but still writing notes. The big dog sat by his pet human, guarding him as he slept. The shit stared at Torph intently, wagging his tail. It was kind of intimidating actually. He tossed a bit of the carrot towards the dog who sniffed at it before gulping it down. Torph snorted at the sight and broke another bit of carrot off the end, happy to cause a distraction. Morrigan didn't look so impressed when she came back to check on his work though.

"Stop feeding the mangy mutt and help me with this soup dwarf." Morrigan scowled.

"If the bloody dog would stop staring at me like it's going to eat me then I wouldn't need to feed it," Torph said, rolling his eyes.

Morrigan looked ready to snap once more but a groan disturbed them. Cobian shifted slightly, stirring and Morrigan walked over to him. Torph chucked another bit of carrot the dog's way once she was distracted.

"Ah, your eyes finally open. Mother shall be pleased," Morrigan mused.

Cobian struggled to sit up, his hands shaking. He opened his mouth but only a strangled sort of noise escaped him. He shakily poked at his head and winced, and winced again when Morrigan slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch it! You had a concussion," Morrigan scolded.

"Oh... That's why my head hurts?"

"Your Dalish elf picked some herbs to help with that." Morrigan grabbed some brown, rough looking thing. "Chew on this."

"For a headache?" Cobian blinked slowly, staring at the thing. Looked like a bit of a tree. Torph had no idea. He didn't even know what the carrot was for. He took a bite out of it, and grimaced. It was bloody crunchy.

"Damn that's crunchy."

"Stop eating the ingredients!" Morrigan hissed, then scowled at Narascha. "And you're supposed to be resting."

Narascha looked up from her notes. "I am resting?"

"You're taking notes of your last battle. That is not resting!" Morrigan bristled.

Cobian chewed on the thing, his nose scrunched up though, and he looked disgusted. "I think she might be trying to poison me. Epona does not like humans so poison is highly likely, even if it is not deadly. No, could be merely to make me ill or exhaust me-"

"You're exhausting me." Morrigan glowered. "Chew."

Cobian perked up. "Forgive my manners. I fear this headache has my head scrambled." He bowed his head. "Thank you for helping me."

He wavered after the bowed head, probably blood rushing or something. Morrigan shoved him back down against the pillows, rolling her eyes, cheeks pinkish. "Tis no problem, though Mother did most of the work. I am no healer. However, despite that, I know that you should be resting!" Morrigan then leapt to her feet, hand out to Narascha. "Give me those notes."

Narascha looked appalled. "What? Why?"

"Because, again, you're supposed to be resting. You've been poisoned. You have a fever." Morrigan snatched the notes out of her hand. "So lie down and sleep!"

Morrigan stormed past, snatching up the bowl of potatoes and carrots, then marched outside. Torph winced when the door slammed shut. Cobian whined, clutching his head. Narascha smirked, and why? Why was she smirking-

Oh, she had another notebook.

She slipped it out from beneath the pillows, along with a new piece of charcoal, and began plotting whatever her fever addled brain could come up with.

"We're alive then?" Cobian groaned.

"Yup." Torph nodded. "Apparently that Grey Warden mage, the older one chucked you, Lawrien and Ciara here."

"Yes, I didn't really understand that. I have a lot of questions on the magic that creates such a powerful spell."

"But not right now, yeah?" Torph shook his head. "Because Morrigan looks ready to murder someone."

"Injuries?"

"Alistair was full of arrows, Ciara's fucked up, Lawrien's drained of magic, Narascha's poisoned, Faren got really fucked up by a Vanguard, you got fucked up too, and me, Epona and the dog are all good."

"Epona, Calenhad and I."

Torph groaned. "Go back to sleep, you fucker."

Narascha cackled.

"I like the elf the best right now," Torph said.

Narascha smirked. "He's asleep."

"Exactly."

"Are we the only ones left?" Cobian asked quietly, eyes narrowed, trying to focus on him.

"From the sounds of it, yeah," Torph grimaced. "I have no idea what we're gonna do now to be honest."

"Yes, we have much to discuss... But I feel drowsy and I think Epona has drugged me..."

Torph eyed the thing Cobian ate and winced. Yeah, that sounded about right.

"Have a nice nap?" he offered.

Cobian groaned.

.::.

Epona tried to avoid lingering around Asha'bellanar. Keeper Marethari had told them all when they were little to avoid Asha'bellanar, for she would lure you into bargains and trap you within a deal. But for some reason Epona felt compelled to stay close by to hear Asha'bellanar speak. It was comforting, and Epona didn't know why.

Asha'bellanar was a terrifying woman. All the stories Keeper Marethari had warned them of, the dangers from meeting Asha'bellanar were horrifying. Epona had slept beside the Keeper for a week before she felt brave enough to sleep in her own bed again, and even then, Epona clutched her favourite teddy bear close at night for weeks after that.

But she felt safe and had no idea why.

"You look nervous, girl."

Epona flinched. Asha'bellanar raised a brow at her, then chuckled.

"Marethari must have told you plenty of terrifying tales of me." Asha'bellanar smirked. "She never wanted us to meet again, after all."

Epona frowned. "What?"

"Our families have a long history, Epona Mahariel, but Marethari and Zathrian worked together to make a deal with me, and in the end that deal was for me to never approach you again." Asha'bellanar cackled. "Who knew you'd be the one to approach me in my home?"

"If this was the noble he'd had so many questions to ask you," Epona said, running her hand through her hair. "But I hardly know where to begin."

"Your family is of an old bloodline," Asha'bellanar said, sitting down beside her on the log. "Just like the Amells, and the Trevelyans. In a way similar to the Theirins and Couslands."

"I understand what makes the Amells special," Epona said, eyeing the lake where Lawrien lay, dozing on the grass, her feet in the water. "Her bloodline has a empathy trait quite unlike most people."

"Yes, they can feel others emotions quite clearly," Asha'bellanar agreed. "But her family wasn't the only one to come from such a time. Each race seems to have certain bloodlines that flourish more than others."

Epona frowned. "This sounds like a conversation more for the noble."

Asha'bellanar chuckled. "Little Cousland would love this conversation, but he sleeps, and I wished to speak to you."

"Why?"

"Ah, finally a question," she purred. "Because your bloodline is important to the elves."

Epona felt her brow furrow. "And why did Keeper Marethari want you to stay away from me?"

"She fears I will be the death of you."

"And why is that?"

"She fears your bloodline will awaken when you meet me, but you don't feel any different, do you? It's not me she should fear." Asha'bellanar smiled. "I have been protecting you after all."

"Protecting me?"

She had never met Asha'bellanar before.

"When those bandits managed to separate you and your parents from the clan, who did you think came to save you?"

Epona frowned. "My papae died in that attack. I assumed he held them back while mamae fled with me."

"He tried, but some of the bandits got passed him and chased after you. I just made it in time to save you, but I was too late for your papae."

"And then mamae left us..." Epona touched her mother's necklace, the one and only thing she had been given. "I don't even remember her, and Lyna... Lyna might not even remember me..."

"Your daughter will be fine." Asha'bellanar smiled. "She's surrounded by her own clan after all."

"But I doubt I'd ever see her again." Epona scowled. "And how do you even know about her? I thought you were to stay away."

"I kept an eye out."

Epona scoffed. "Breaking deals?"

"Hardly." Asha'bellanar rolled her eyes. "I look forward to seeing you grow, Epona."

"Epona," Lawrien called. Epona startled, seeing she was sat up at the water's ledge. "Flemeth's being weird. Ignore her and join me by the water."

"Don't be rude," Epona scolded. "And don't order me around!"

"Then come join me and I won't order you around."

"That's ordering me around!"

"Stop being fussy!"

Asha'bellanar cackled.

"Actually, not to put a pin on things," Alistair began. "But Epona has an interesting ability?"

"Why did that sound like a question?" Ciara frowned.

The pair of them were by the lake, seated up on the small hillside in the grass. Alistair looked concerned about her, and Epona scowled, crossing her arms.

"Interesting now am I? Earlier you said I was weird."

Alistair flushed. "I didn't say that!"

"You implied it."

"She can hear the Archdemon!" Alistair blurted out.

Ciara startled. "Oh, you hear it already?" She nodded. "Yes, it is startling, but you get used to the whispers. The older Wardens can sometimes understand it but-"

"That's the thing-" Alistair began.

"It wasn't a whisper," Epona cut in. "It spoke in King's tongue, at least to my ears it did."

Ciara blanked, and that was a shock. Ciara usually always had something to say. She shared a look with Lawrien who looked astonished.

Ciara shook her head. "That shouldn't be possible. You've just been recruited."

"Then what is my problem? Why have I suffered different effects?" Epona frowned.

"Perhaps it's to do with you being tainted before the Joining?" Ciara mused.

Epona couldn't help but clench her fists nervously. Her palms sweaty. "And does that mean it can hear us? Or me more specifically?"

"We best hope not, but there is no way to clarify that." Ciara frowned.

"Whoa, you really are weird, just like Alistair said!" Lawrien grinned.

"I said no such thing!" Alistair protested.

Epona twitched.

.::.

Faren blinked his eyes open blearily. He felt stiff and a little sore, but it was nothing compared to the beating the Vanguard had given him. Sure, Vaughan had done that kind of damage before, but usually in bits and pieces. Never all at the same time before though.

It sucked so bad.

"Kid's awake," Torph said. "How you feeling?"

"Surprisingly better," Faren croaked out, rubbing his throat at the noise. "How long have I been asleep?"

"A while." Torph handed him a glass of water. "We've been here about a week recovering from Ostagar-"

"I've been asleep for a week!" Faren shot up, but before he could throw off the blankets Calenhad sat on his lap. Faren froze, unsure what to do. "Um?" He looked for Cobian, but he was nowhere in sight.

"Noble told him to stay with you." Torph shrugged.

"I believe Flemeth kept you asleep," Narascha said, chuckling from her bed. "Something about you being 'bothersome' trying to treat your own wounds."

Faren winced. "That sounds about right." He patted Calenhad's head. "So... Are we the only ones who made it? And Cobian too, I guess?"

"All our fellow recruits, Lawrien, Ciara and Alistair survived," Narascha said. "But that was all."

"I guess its better than nothing..." Faren bit his lip. "So does this mean Ferelden's screwed? We didn't stop it at Ostagar."

"Yes, and it was a good choke off point," Narascha said. "If we had controlled it there, that would have been brilliant. The south of Ferelden will suffer badly now, but if we regroup and plan another attack, this time with more allies, we might stop this Blight before it reaches too far up. Right now a lot of farmlands will be destroyed, along with their livestock, which will put heavy pressure on the north."

"Lothering will be the first major village to be hit." Faren grimaced.

"Yes, but the army would have passed through, so they have a good chance to evacuate," Narascha said.

"If those soldiers bother helping them out." Torph crossed his arms.

Narascha frowned. "Why wouldn't they?"

"They will be poor villagers in the way," Torph scoffed. "That's what most soldiers see poor folk like me as, or worse. They'll leave those poor bastards there to get themselves away."

"I'd only see that if they didn't have time to help evacuate, but the darkspawn hoard rarely moves quickly. They won't be actively chasing the army, not when they have all the time in the world to spread the Blight," Narascha argued. "If we have enough time to get there, then the army should have escorted groups of villagers out easily. They at least have to warn them and tell them to flee."

"I doubt it, but hopefully you're right." Torph shrugged.

Faren hoped so too, but he doubted it. He knew better than most how the poor were always left behind, and most of those poor people were elves. But his group hadn't left him behind, in fact Narascha took on a Vanguard when she could have left him to die. She had even refused to leave him behind when he offered to play bait. If only there were more soldiers like her in the world, maybe his people wouldn't fear the guards so much.

But there wasn't and no amount of hope would ever change that.