9:30 Wintermarch 27th
"Did you sleep well?" Flemeth asked, back to her grandmotherly attire. She was already heating up some delicious smelling food. I nodded mutely, still stuck on Halo's true form.
"You and your friends may wash your clothing and dry them inside. If the Grey Wardens are planning to leave for Ostagar, they will not be back until nightfall." Flemeth said.
"Why are you helping us so much?" I asked. Flemeth smiled.
"The world is being changed little by little. Changes that would send destinies spiraling together and create an opportunity." Flemeth said.
"So you're using us for your benefit." I stated.
"As I said before, everyone has their selfish reasons." Flemeth said. Mythal wanted to destroy those that killed her. Because of that she needs Fen'Harel to blend the fade and the real world together once more, releasing the ones that killed her. I clenched my teeth. There wasn't anything I could do for the future except prepare the others. "The bucket is right next to the table and there is dry firewood next to the hearth." I nodded while I gathered my clothes.
I was washing clothes in one of the enemy's house. How strange is that? Of course washing clothes required water, which was outside, where everyone else was. I had the bucket in one hand and the other hovered over the doorknob. Nervousness was held inside the bottle that was my heart, instead I allowed anger to take hold. I threw open the door. The others were already awake. A few stared but I didn't care.
I walked over to the river that was behind Flemeth's hut and gathered water. It was ice cold and I breathed in the icy air to ready myself. I went back and I saw Wynne smile at me. That made me feel slightly better.
"Flemeth said we can wash clothes and dry them in the house." I said.
"Before that, I would like to speak to the Grey Wardens." Flemeth startled me. I held my hand over my pumping heart. She cackled at my fear. Ugh, I won't be able to be relaxed around this pseudo goddess. Eren, Derek, Alistair, and Talen followed her. Eren gave me a glance but I looked away. They closed the door.
"Well, it seems someone had good fortune last night no?" Zevran piped in. I ignored him and went to Wynne.
"Do you still have some soap Wynne?" I asked.
"Of course. I have two different ones, lavender or rose?" She said. I hummed to decide.
"Are you going to ignore us?" Leliana asked.
"It depends." I said, while getting the lavender smelling one. Wynne came over and placed her hands around the bucket. Soon it was steaming slightly.
"There, it should be warm enough for our hands now." Wynne said.
"Thank you." I said.
"Is what you said true?" Leliana asked. I finally looked and we caught each other's gaze.
"Yes. It's true. I'm from a different world. Though, considering some recent events, I decided not to care what you guys have to say on it." I said coldly.
"And why is that?" Zevran asked.
"Because I'm going home one day." I said. 'And with it goes your memories of me, most likely. Which means that you won't miss me.' I thought. It made me a bit sad. "Then I won't have to worry about blights or anything else. I can go back to my old job of taking care of my family."
"You don't believe you have a responsibility to us?" Wynne asked.
"It's the Grey Wardens job to go against the Blight. Everyone is here because they had nowhere else to go or because they want to help. I came because I made a promise with Eren's mother. I can always choose to go to Orlais or the Free Marches to escape the Blight. I don't need to stay." I explained. "But I swore on Eleanor's deathbed that I would protect Eren. Once that's over, I'm gone." Of course I'm not sure if I'd be here this long. Even then, if I left then Eren…I still don't like to think about that.
Wynne and I took turns using the buckets to wash our clothes. Her mage robes were enchanted to keep away dirt as well as her shoes. Of course her undergarments were different. We took turns in washing our things.
"I must apologize." Leliana said as I tried wringing out my clothes before the water got cold again.
"For what?" I shrugged.
"If what you said is true-"
"Which it is." I stated. Leliana sighed.
"A world beyond the veil is something I can't even fathom. It's hard enough to believe that the Maker has given up hope on this world. If you come from there, then how are you going to go back? Blood magic?" Leliana asked. That caught me off guard so much that I started laughing.
"Ha! Jesus! Does it look like I'm a mage?" I laughed. Leliana got that frustrated blush.
"Then inform us as to how." Zevran leaned it.
"My spirit will send me back." I said.
"Spirit?" Leliana wondered.
"Nia has a guardian spirit that tore open the veil and allowed her to pass through this world. That same spirit will take her back." Wynne explained.
"Wait, you knew?" Zevran wondered.
"She was the one that detected my spirit in the first place. She's a medium, capable of summoning and talking to spirits." I explained. Wynne nodded.
"I did wonder whether or not her spirit is helping her but, rest assured, that he won't harm any of you." Wynne settled everyone down.
"How do you know that?" Zevran asked.
"She came into the fade with me. I can fade walk." I said.
"Are you sure you are not a saarebas?" Sten asked. It surprised me. I nodded. He scowled. Something else that he couldn't explain again.
"That's the reason why things call me the irregularity. By all accounts, I'm not supposed to exist but I do." I explained. Then the others got out of the hut. They were all scowling. Eren gave out a long sigh.
"We're getting ready to go to Ostagar. We don't know when we'll be back." Eren said.
"I am coming with you." Wynne stood up.
"Senior if you come with us, you might get Blight sickness." Derek said.
"If it comes to that, I'm sure you'll take the right steps to prevent me from turning into a ghoul. I have to go back. I need to confront the ghosts that follow me." Wynne said. Eren rubbed his face.
"Fine. It would be better if we had two healers instead of one. We'll try to come back soon." Eren said, giving me a side glance. I looked away. They followed a trail that led deeper into the woods. Wynne asked me if I could dry her clothes and I nodded.
"Things are going to get quiet without them here." Leliana sighed.
"Then I'm going to put these clothes inside so they can dry properly. Go ahead and wash up guys. We don't know when we're going to get another opportunity like this. In my opinion, I don't like to be caked in filth." I said.
"Filth is a great way to describe Ferelden, brown mud, brown landscapes, brown and smelly dogs." Zevran laughed.
"Then you have only experienced one side to Ferelden. It becomes beautiful in autumn." I mentioned. I put the clothes back inside above the hearth so they can fully dry. I went back out and found a relatively dry stump. I took off my boots and also cleaned them.
"You take great precedence in being clean. It's something that I haven't seen in this country." Zevran said.
"Back where I used to live, it was all about being clean. You wash yourself once a day, brush your teeth, wash your hair, the works." I said.
"I do not believe you are from another world. An idea such as that is preposterous." Sten scoffed, also doing maintenance on his armor.
"Some things can't be explained." I said.
"Everything can be explained, everything has a place and purpose. Everyone has a nature that they must rise up and accept." Sten replied.
"In a sense, you're right. The world and nature has a sense that humans don't have. Birds fly north to escape the cold of the south. Then migrate back. They flock, they reproduce, they live by their instincts. Everything in nature has a place. Every little thing from the insects to the beasts in the wild has a place. Humans, elves, qunari, and dwarves are different though. We are saddled with free will. We have choices." I said.
"Choices do not matter in the Qun. You are or you aren't. A baker will live as a baker, a priest will live as a priest, a warrior as a warrior. There is no straying from your path. Those that do will either be killed or fixed." Sten said.
"Oh you mean your secret police?" I mentioned. Sten glared at me. "I know about the Ben-Hassrath, the re-educators."
"Did your Tal'Vashoth tell you this as well?" Sten grumbled.
"You could say that. Truthfully the Qun is beautiful, that everything has a place but in the end it can also be a shackle. Indoctrination can make people happy but there are those that break from that. If the Qun was as powerful as you say it is Sten, then why do all these other nations exist?" I asked.
"The Ashkaari are still trying to find an answer to that." Sten scowled. I laughed.
"I don't understand anything they were talking about." Leliana said.
"I did. There were Qunari in the crows as well. We do not shy from any races so long as they get the job done. It's how I learned that there are no names in the Qunari lands, only jobs, isn't that right my grey friend?" Zevran asked.
"We are not friend's elf." Sten glared.
"We might as well be. How long do you think we'll be together for? It will not take merely a week to gather all the allies we can." Zevran waved his hand. Sten grunted.
"If we are timely then this Blight will end before the new year." Sten grumbled.
"And if we fail, then a good decade awaits us before the Blight is over and we'll lose Ferelden, most of Orlais and maybe some of the Free Marches." I commented.
"Your optimism becomes you." Leliana said sarcastically.
"You're welcome." I laughed. "But seriously, I believe in the Grey Wardens. I know that they'll have the means to assemble everyone." Avengers, assemble! No wait, wrong franchise.
"You place much trust on callow leaders." Sten stated.
"Well excuse me for not having a veteran of the Fourth Blight here for not being able to lead them." I snapped.
"You should be getting angry with them, not me." Sten replied.
"You can't expect them to get everyone together in a month's time, especially with Loghain breathing down our necks." I sighed.
"It seems this whole country is entirely against you." Zevran chuckled.
"As long as its leaders want the Grey Wardens dead, then it really does seem like it." Leliana frowned.
"Now who's the optimist?" I chuckled.
"Is Loghain such a threat? I overheard some of their conversation of how the country is on the edge of a civil war." Zevran added.
"Of course it would be. Their heroic king is killed by dubious means, his father-in-law was declared regent, and he made the killer of the Cousland family his confidant and arl of Denerim. All in all, it is not fooling anyone." Leliana explained.
"The only thing keeping Loghain on the throne, for now, is because he's a war hero that saved them from Orlais. Once we show everyone his true colors, then they'll ally against him. First things first though, we need leverage against him." I said.
"Your people and its politics are confounding." Sten grumbled.
"You can say that again." I mumbled. After that, we all did our own thing. I cleaned up as many clothes as I could, Leliana seemed to be writing something, Zevran was taking it easy, and Sten was meditating. I went to check on the clothes when Flemeth appeared behind me. It startled me again.
"You seem so easily scared of me." Flemeth chuckled.
"You just like sneaking up on people." I mumbled. She cackled before opening her hand. It was the size of a large marble, black with what looked like to be a flame inside. "What is this?"
"Your payment for allowing me to see your spirit's true form. With this, everything is settled." Flemeth said.
"But what exactly is it?" I took it and looked at it.
"Perhaps it's a silly little trinket that looks pretty, perhaps it is a part of me that I have gifted you, or perhaps it's a choice, a destiny, a link. It should serve you well." Flemeth explained ambiguously. I'll eventually figure it out, maybe.
"Thank you." I said. Flemeth smiled at me and went to making food. I was able to take down my clothes as well as Wynne's clothes. Leliana came in to get her own. I left the guy's clothes alone. I was their team mate not their mother. After that, Leliana and I went to the river to get some fish. She tried teaching me to catch fish with my own hands. I was not talented at all.
"Urgh!" I rubbed my hands quickly to get them warm. Leliana was laughing at me. She had already snagged three fish. "How in the hell are you doing that?"
"Technique. You must have quick hands as well as predict the fish's next move. You must follow these fast movements and know when to strike." Leliana said, getting another fish.
"Easy for you to say, you've been fighting a lot longer than I have." I said, looking at the fish.
"One day you will reach that threshold." Leliana said. I didn't want to say no. I knew that my time to go home would eventually come. Then I won't be needing these skills. In the end, Leliana caught 10 while I barely caught one. I nearly fell in too.
We made our camp fire and prepared the fish. I put in some herbs inside the fish to at least make them tastier. The sky was getting that orange and pink tint in the sky. The good thing was that there were no clouds in the sky. It was still really cold though.
I was off in my own little world looking at the marble like item that Flemeth gave me. It was warm to the touch and the fire waned on and off. Oddly enough it didn't seem to make any sort of light. I made sure to memorize every single part of it. I wanted to ask Halo about it once I went back into the fade. That reminded me of Halo's true form. Something so powerful and big…no wonder that one spirit called him a behemoth. He certainly looked like one.
A fallen angel was my guardian and has now turned into a spirit because of this world's law. A being that can rend the very fade, a being that has power enough to contest against the blood magic of the ancient magisters. I'm not sure if I should feel blessed or cursed. It's because of Halo that spirits are attracted to me but shouldn't they be trying to catch Halo in the fade instead of me? My body is normal. I don't see any reason why they would like to possess me. I'll have to ask Halo that too.
Maybe I should have people come into the fade with me. At least then, Halo would actually give me answers instead of giving me the run around. I put the marble like item inside the pouch of coins I still had. It wasn't much but I did like to save money. You never know.
Eventually we all ate our share of fish and took the others from the fire so they wouldn't get burned. The night fell and I was humming a song as I went through my old entries. I needed another one. This one was able to become full.
"Do you think Bodahn might have empty journals like this one?" I asked.
"Perhaps, is that one almost full?" Leliana asked.
"Yeah. I've had this thing for a few years now. I'll need a new one soon." I said.
"Why do you write?" Zevran asked.
"To vent mostly. I didn't have friends in Highever. Never had time to. Eren kept me busy most of the time. When I went on rounds with other guards, it was just that, work." I explained.
"And you don't consider us friends?" Zevran had a mock hurt face going on.
"Acquaintances." I said.
"Even after our life and death scenarios?" Zevran asked.
"You're the cause of one of them." I said flatly.
"Then why did you tell us about yourself if you don't consider us friends?" Leliana asked.
"Well you guys asked an honest question you got an honest answer." I responded.
"That is because she is leaving soon." Sten stated. I did a side glance at him. "You would not lay your arms down unless it is because of that." I have to hand it to the big guy, he's perceptive when he wants to be.
"I don't know when I'll be going home. All I know is that I'll go home one day." I said. It wasn't technically a lie but it wasn't the complete truth either. A part of me felt bad that I was keeping this from them. The bigger part of me just wanted to go home. I heard rustling and crept near where I kept my daggers. The others did the same to their weapons. Then I heard a yell and a splash.
"Argh! Why does this forest have so many holes!?" I heard Derek yell.
"You need to really check where you're stepping!" Talen came out of the woods. His robes were full of blood. Everyone else came through too. They were the same as well minus Wynne. I took a look on their faces and everyone had a feeling of anguish. Eren rubbed his face and came toward us.
"Oh Thank the Maker that you had food ready." Talen went over.
"Ugh, I don't think I can even eat after what we've been through." Alistair sat down unceremoniously. Derek grumbled about being wet and cold while Wynne followed him. Eren laid his head on my shoulder. I felt awkward before he gave out a long sigh. He was shivering. I patted his head.
"I'm back." He said quietly. I sighed and shook my head.
"Welcome back."
Beta'd by FearaNightmare and Syutaku!
And so the little Flemeth marble makes a return. Of course this time it's not going disappear anytime soon. I have plans for it, muhahah!
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