I hadn't really looked at the ivory haired elven Warden until I woke up to see them standing in front of me. They and the other Warden had been in the exact spot the tree fell and managed to dodge it.
This one had even spotted the ambush and had been in the middle of climbing it. Somehow, they had maneuvered off of it and into another nearby tree.
I pretended to not see them as I fought. I thought I had kept up with them just fine...only to be later wounded by a shot in my leg. Was this finally it? I was losing blood quickly. Too quickly.
As planned, we had lost. Waking up, however, had not been in the cards. Poised before me was the elven archer, aiming a particularly hefty looking crossbow at me. There was a pain in my right thigh and, from its sharpness, I assumed the crossbow was to blame.
It was then that I got a look at their face as they were no longer hidden and found myself newly curious. Poorly fitting leather armor suggested a rogue style fighting, their legs were wrapped to the knee in white fabric akin to gauze, but their face was hard to add a gender to. Elves were naturally slight of frame no matter the sex and this person was either a very lovely woman or a man who had been gifted with many feminine traits.
"Are you going to leave him in suspense, Wren?" Words from a well aging mage behind the Warden gave away her impatience..
I couldn't see Dalish markings on their forehead. Were they a city elf? Maybe they were hidden under the thick black band of kohl covering their eyes and the bridge of their nose like a mask at an Orlesian ball.
This Warden's hair reminded me of the snow I rarely ran into on some other jobs but it was their wide eyes that enthralled me the most. Just moments ago they had glowed with such curiosity only to return to a look that gave away their origins.
Definitely a Dalish hunter.
"Wren?" The blonde at their side had inquired when they still hadn't spoken. Turquoise eyes were still fixed on me and, for the first time in years, I couldn't guess what someone was thinking.
"That battle was very easy, ser assassin." They finally addressed and my eyes glided to the thick line of black occupying the center of their bottom lip. They hadn't responded to my words.
"You knock out a man only to insult his skills in battle? You wound me." I said with mocked hurt and there was a giggle this time. The sound and sight caught me off guard. It was lilting and matched their features.
They asked questions and would tilt their head when they heard me speak. Wren began to smile a little and I couldn't tell why. I found this to be both refreshing and frustrating.
"Wren, what do we do with him?"
"Yes, this is something I would like to know too." I agreed with the blond Warden and Wren was complacent. Before narrowing their eyes at me and pursing painted lips.
"You want to join us?"
"As I said before, I would much prefer to join you than die, yes." I nodded and they smiled again.
"You are lucky I didn't have time to dip those arrows in Fleshrot before this battle." Wren muttered, putting her crossbow on her back like it was made of air before kneeling and snapping the arrow from my leg.
Digging into her pack, she silently wrapped the gauze around the spot on my leg, careful to not brush the arrow still lodged; to stop the bleeding.
"Wynne, would you please take a look and see what you can do here? We are almost to a clearing for camp."
"Alright." She backed away and asked Alistair to help me up after Wynne deftly removed the arrow and closed the wound as much as she could.
"I hereby pledge my oath of loyalty to you, until such a time as you choose to release me from it. I am your man, without reservation….this I swear." It was only for a moment but I said it while my eyes were level with theirs and I was standing.
"Well met. I swear to make your end swift should you forget your words."
"Are you insane?"
Wren didn't show any sign of hearing his complaining until a certain point.
"Alistair," His whining stopped at the sound of his name.
"Try not to move his leg and consider the company we keep. I'm not saying we should take in everyone we come across, but he claims to be useful…"
"Name your need." I grunted out, still trying to retain a smile as Alistair set me down none too gently.
Wren glared at him from next to me, silently accusing him of doing it on purpose.
"Heal first." Then they walked away. Only women were able to walk like that so fluidly. Yet she seemed to care little of how people referred to her.