4
Our female Warden trusts few people and holds no punches with decidedly shitty nobles. As far as I knew her only experience with human mages and how Circles worked came from Wynne and her real life experience saving the tower housing her. She saw abominations galore and death for mages old and young. To say she was pissed about Isolde's attempt to use her status and money to keep her newly awakened mage child turned abomination would be an understatement.
"So, let me get this straight. Your spawn is a mage and because you didn't want him taken away you hired a random apostate to help him better control his power. This random mage happens to be a blood mage who has been poisoning your husband from basically day one of this training. To top it all off, despite Connor being possessed by a demon, mind you, a demon raising the dead in Redcliffe Village through this boy, you think he is better off still in your care? There are people dying everyday because of your utter lack of responsibility to your people. Thanks to your complete fucking idiocy, selfishness, and entitlement-"
"How dare you speak to me that way!" The arlessa's rage was elegant but Wren only grinned back. It was more like a snarl and I anticipated her next words to be delightfully venomous.
"How about you watch how you speak to the person you just begged for help? If this was anyone else's child, you would deem them an abomination and have them killed. What makes you so fucking special, shemlen? Did you know Templars don't bring Dalish mages back to the Circle? They just kill them on sight." Wren seethed and shook her head, turned and walked towards the exit.
"Wren, wait." Alistair came over and began trying to reason with her. I watched as she eyed him incredulously, narrowed them, thought for a moment, and then rolled them. The exasperated sigh at the end was her surrendering to whatever he was asking of her. Rarely have I seen so much emotion expressed from her in so short a time. It was fascinating.
"Okay, I'll help the boy, but he's going to the Circle after this mess is all sorted. We're going to the Circle and we're bringing mages to perform a magic trick that doesn't require a blood sacrifice." I caught her mumbling something about 'even if you deserve to die for this utter bullshit'. It made me want to smile. Her malice stemmed from the unfairness of Connor's situation compared to those everywhere else, but I rather enjoyed seeing her not just go for it because "it was the right thing to do". Not only did she want to punch the arlessa straight in the face, if her fisted hands were anything to go by, she probably wanted to kill her.
The exchange between Wren and Alistair told me something else. She had an interest in him that made her uncomfortable. She didn't blush like many women I've seen, but she made that pensive blank face around him often. I found it to be her equivalent. Maker knew what she saw in him, but she didn't hold back when they left the castle.
"They're going to put the blood mage to death, afterwards. You know that, right?"
"Yeah, for poisoning the Arl."
"He wouldn't have had access to the Arl if it wasn't for Isolde. You know, that woman who treated you like shit for a good portion of your life before the Templar training."
"Can you really blame her for wanting to keep her son?"
"Have you already forgotten the Circle tower?! How many mages do you think were there despite their family not wanting them to go, Alistair? I get that the towers teach better control because I saw first hand how a bad mother can risk the lives of an entire village because she wants to keep her baby abomination instead. You were there for all of it. You fought the undead with us that night. If Isolde hadn't made the choice she did, that situation never would have happened. Now, Arl Eamon might never wake unless we find and bring back the Ashes of a human god. A myth of a thing."
"Would you rather have killed him?"
"You haven't been listening! We should have done the blood ritual and let that stupid shem sacrifice herself, considering the trouble she caused."
"You would condone blood magic in the castle?" The more judgemental he sounded, the more hurt she looked. Finally realizing he was an idiot or just a lost cause, she threw her hands up and began to walk away before remembering something. Wren dug in the pocket of her knapsack and returned to stand in front of Alistair.
"Here! I found this in the study while we were exploring the rest of the castle. It looked like the Arl went through a lot of effort to put it back together." Even though she was almost fuming, she was still gentle when she placed the amulet in Alistair's hand.
"Wren, I-" He was stopped by her raised hand.
"Not right now, Alistair. I need to go and cool down. Telamdys ra. Hellathen* shemlen." Then she was gone. There were times when I tried talking to the others here when they were down but Wren had done her bit and I didn't feel sorry for the man. He was an idiot. For not seeing her interest and for putting so much responsibility on her tiny shoulders only to scold her for her decisions later on. This time it was for something she almost did. He just stood there staring down at the amulet in his hand for a long time before walking over to the dog, Fen'Harel. I had heard mentions of this name before but could not pinpoint why she giggled at the thought of bringing him with her to a Dalish encampment.
While Alistair mourned over his stupidity, I trailed after Wren, who decided to make tonight's fire.
"That was loud." She said when she saw me standing near her.
"I am sure even Morrigan heard your scolding." I agreed but shrugged.
"We are almost out of fish. Care to go hunting with me? I think I caught sight of a deer around here the other day." Hunting animals wasn't really in my list of skills, but it would give us a chance to talk.
"Only if you promise not to shoot me again." I joked and she made an airy sound, an almost laugh.
"I can promise to try."
"Works for me."
Once we were in the forest and far enough from camp, I decided it was a good time to ask her about her loyal hound's name. It was meant to distract her from her negative interaction and she made that sound again.
"Fen'Harel is elvhen for Dread Wolf. Stories from my upbringing claim he tricked the Creators into their allotted realms. He is said to be responsible for the fall of Arlathan and why elves are no longer immortal."
"Why did you name your dog that?"
"Lots of reasons, Zevran. For one, I feel we only know one side to this tale of betrayal. The name is strong and strikes fear into enemies who know. I want them to feel dread the moment they see him on the battlefield. Plus, there is a sort of glee I feel while commanding him during fights. Imagine, for a moment, having control over an Elvhen god. Infamous or no." She was almost giggling again as we followed the deer tracks.
"You know, of course, that I will not be of much help in this?"
"Nonsense, Zevran. You have already helped me by accompanying me on this hunt. Even if you have less training with a bow, you aren't at risk for scaring off dinner."
"May I ask a question?" She smiled; a twitch of her lips.
"Why do you let the other Warden get to you?" Her posture slacked a bit and she faced me with a pained look.
"You like him as more than someone you fight with. You are interested in him."
"Why are those not questions?"
"You seem to like it when I ask you things."
"It's more I like hearing you speak." Wren then ducked low and tugged me down after her. She'd finally caught sight of her before mentioned deer. Its presence was annoying as I wanted to talk to her more and ask her more questions that weren't always questions. Biting her lower lip as she took aim, she grinned when she fired. From my spot on the ground, I heard the arrow sink into the creature, effectively making it fall to the ground.
Her hand reached blindly to me, landing on my chest as she glanced down at me, cheerful in her success.
"Warden, how is it I often wind up on my back when in your company? Not that I am complaining. There are no unflattering angles when you are in view." By this point, I felt I had been behaving pretty well. A bit of teasing should be fine and I tilted my head for maximum effect. I wanted to see her make that face again. She was so much fun.
Her reaction was instantaneous. She gasped and pulled her hand away to stare at me. I grasped her wrist and pulled her down on top of me, following another urge I usually repressed.
Wren stopped herself with her other hand, having set down her crossbow once she saw the shot hit home. After a moment of letting the tension build, I reached up with my free hand and pushed some fallen strands behind her ear, but kept it there. My gaze fell to that line on her bottom lip before moving up to her eyes again. The curious part was my grip wasn't confining. If she wanted to, she could move away from me. How far would she let me go?
"May I kiss you?" As soon as the words left my mouth, I watched her pupils dilate and found myself captivated by the new expression she was allowing me to see. My thumb brushed along her bottom lip to keep me from just kissing her. Wren lowered her head to press her lips to mine and I savored the feel, smell, and taste of her. I sucked and nibbled at that bottom lip like I had been wanting to do since I saw that little black line.
Pulling back, I saw the clouded look fade away like morning fog as shock registered on her face and she slowly moved away from me.
"I should get that deer before something else does." Deflecting away from what happened and she winced as she distanced herself from me. A habit this Warden had when she didn't know how to handle and talk out a situation.
"I will help you but I want to inquire about something. Do you regret it?" She stopped and faced me, listening.
"You watch Alistair and I in similar ways but then you pull away and hold yourself back from what you want. There is always a pained look maring your features before you do so."
"I do not regret kissing you." That was all she said before shuffling over to the fallen deer. As promised, I helped her bring it back to camp where she quickly busied herself with cleaning it.
"Thank you, Zevran."
"Anytime, Wren." I wanted to converse with her more, namely to see if she was aware that she had been trying less and less to disguise her identity as we traveled. Perhaps it was best I not mention it and just take it as her trusting us to protect her while in the villages. Not that she needed it.
Once we made the trip to the Circle and back to Redcliffe Castle, Wren asked Morrigan to go in and get rid of the demon even though she knew the sharp eyed woman was on board with her killing the child.
She was good at hiding her distaste at Isolde's happy mother display.
"You should really thank Alistair for changing my mind." The white haired woman quipped. She didn't do well during the party Teagan Guerrin and Isolde threw. Sometime during it, she disappeared and the cute barmaid from up the hill sidled over to sit next to me.
"Hello, I think I remember you." This situation had a comfortable familiarity and I grinned over at her.
"Your name is Bella, is it not?" I only continued the conversation once I saw Alistair trail after Wren. He should know where she went.