Chapter 134: The Alienage

"Why me?"

Alim blinked at the question. He might have asked for volunteers, but that did not mean that there were not few in his party that he wanted along on this little journey.

He sighed slightly.

"It is time for me to evaluate you, Jowan," he informed his old friend, "I told you back in Redcliffe that your recruitment was not simply charity. If you are going to be a warden, you are going to be a warden."

The elven mage shook his head.

"I haven't forgotten what you did to Greagoir and his bully-boys when you fled the circle. I need to see if you can do things like that when you want to, not just because you are being threatened.

Jowan swallowed hard, Alim could see that his old friend was intimidated, well, that was something that he would need to get over real, real quick.

Alim needed to see his old friend perform, he knew that. With the exception of Carver, everyone in their party had fought beside him more than once. They had spilled both wine and blood together as the bards once sang.

Now…it was Jowan's turn.

He was not taking Anora's warnings about the Alienage lightly. He had no idea what they were going to be facing there, so he was coming prepared. Bandit was at his side, the Mabari had refused to leave Alim's side since his return. Jowan was coming of course, as well as Alistair and Theron. After last time, the former Templar was not interested in letting Alim march alone into danger again, and Theron, who had never seen an Alienage before, was curious enough to accompany them as well. Wynne also decided to go, the elder mage suspected that a healer might be needed; the elves of Denerim had been sealed in since the purge, who knew what state they were in now. Kally, who had not been home in almost a year, and was worried about her family, also chose to go. Leliana, who was still concerned about their leaders health volunteered without a second thought. Fergus likely would have come, but Kally cautioned him against it.

The Alienage had endured much, she said, having a human noble walk among them now, might not be good for the noble.

Fergus was about to remind her that Alistair was also a noble of sorts, but she quickly silenced him with a kiss.

"Please, Fergus," she murmured, "Let me do this alone. Do this, for me."

The noble did not look happy, but he respected his new lover's wishes.

He returned with the others to Arl Eamon's estate.

Alim said nothing as he watched the exchange. He recognized the fact that the girl might in fact have two reasons to keeping Fergus out of the Alienage; one was definitely for his protection. Between what Howe and the previous Arl's son had done, a human noble might not be very safe in the Alienage. Her second reason was…perhaps more personal.

The warden sighed.

Perhaps, he thought, Kally did not wish for Fergus to see where she had grown up. She had had a bit of a nervous look in her eyes when they had first discussed this little side mission, a nervousness that grew every time she looked at her lover. They had met as warriors on the road and over the many months together had come to see each other as equals. Perhaps she feared that he would think less of her if he saw where she had come from, or that he might even pity her for what she had endured…

If the elven mage had learned anything about Kallian Tabris along this journey it was that she did not want pity, not from her allies, and certainly not from Fergus, the man she had come to love.

He promised himself to ask Leliana to speak to the girl later. Leli had a way with people, whether that was from her bardic days or her time in the chantry he could not say, but she did seem to know just how to help people deal with unpleasant truths. Maker knew; she had helped him a time or two on this journey.

She might just be able to help Kally as well.

Alim had thought the group ready to move out. He thought that they now had more than enough power to deal with whatever they were facing, and so he was surprised when Carver stepped up as well.

"My life depends on protecting you warden," he reminded them all, "If you all insist on walking into danger, I might as well go along, to protect myself if nothing else.

Alim nodded.

Why not, he thought.

The more the merrier.

The group met up with Kally's cousin Soris before proceeding on. After his time in the dungeons, he was also looking for a chance to get back to the people he knew. Queen Anora had presented them with a letter, using a seal made from her signet ring. It would be more than enough to get them past the guards and into the Alienage, from there, they would be able to find out what exactly it was Howe and Loghain had been up to that had gotten the elves of Denerim in such an uproar.

Carver had approached first; the armor that he had taken from the warden armory gleamed in the sun. He carried himself with the weight of a man who had spent much of the last year serving in the Ferelden army. That experience shown through, it likely would have done so even if he had not been fully armed and armored.

The guard inspected the parchment bearing Anora's seal, between that, and Carver's icy demeanor, the guard did not hesitate to open the gates and grand the wardens and their allies entrance.

Alim and Kally took the lead as they passed through those gates. The wind turned slightly as they passed inside the walls of the Alienage, it carried with it the scent of a fire long burned out, likely the remnant of the purge they had heard about…

…Over a long bridge stood the Denerim Alienage.

Alim and his allies advanced.

It was time to get some answers.

IOI

Alim's nose wrinkled slightly as they made their way down the muddy path. He found it hard to believe that such squalor could exist in the very heart of Ferelden's capital.

The warden sighed.

He knew that he had been born here; his parents had left the Alienage while he was still a baby, his father having being hired to tend to the Bann of Lothering's kennels.

He tried to imagine growing up in the place like this. The servants' quarters at the Bann's estate had been a bit rustic, but nothing like this. In the circle there had been little difference between elf and human in the eyes of the Templars, all were mages and all were dangerous, but they had lived well enough, it had been a cage, but at least it had been a gilded cage.

The alienage was something else.

The ramshackle buildings were so close together that they almost seemed to blend into a single structure, thread bare curtains blew in the late summer breeze. The air stank of both garbage and elven waste, considering this place had been isolated for months, it was surprising that it did not smell worse. Several of the buildings were sealed off or boarded up, the scars of fires that had likely gutted them, remained despite the months that had passed.

The pained expression on Kally's face grew the deeper they went into the Alienage. Alim had no way of guessing seeing her home like this would affect her.

A lot of bad shit had happened here, he thought, the fact this place had been sealed right after did nothing to help.

He hoped they would be able to change that, and get to the bottom of whatever it was that Howe and Loghain had been doing.

At first, they saw no elves, the sight of so many armed individuals entering their home likely kept the frightened citizens at bay. In the shadows up ahead, they saw what might have been a scuffle going on, four or five figures had been attacking fifth, Alim had drawn his sword, and the attackers fled.

The elf walked up to the figure groaning on the ground, a human man in rags looked up at him. The man had likely been a thief or a scavenger that had snuck in looking for some easy prey or loot.

He had now come to regret that choice.

"STAY AWAY!" he gasped.

Alim sheathed his blade.

"I can heal you," he said, "Don't be…"

"GET AWAY," the man gasped as he bolted down one of the ruined side streets, disappearing into the shadows.

Alim shook his head.

The fool was scared, he understood that, but by running he would likely find himself right back in the grasp of the elves who had been assaulting him.

The warden sighed,

Not much of an escape.

Kally shook her head as she looked at the damage around her. She had never said much about her time here, but still…this had been the place where she had been raised. How could she not be sickened by its ruination?

"Home," she said weakly, her elven ears drooping in despair.

Alim put his hand on her shoulder.

"We will do what we can for these people," he told her, "I promise you."

The elven woman sighed, her good eye suddenly turning flinty with barely contained rage.

"If Howe wasn't already dead, I would kill his ass again. He deserves no less for what he did here."

Alim smirked.

"You got him for what he did; he did not die easy, take some solace in that."

She growled, a low feral thing, emerging from the back of her throat.

"May he rot in the void," she growled.

Alim nodded.

Amen to that.

Theron and Soris came up beside them; the humans were wisely staying back.

"Is…is this really how the city elves live?" Theron asked.

Kally glared at him.

"We do the best we can, Dalish," she spat, "Some of us weren't lucky enough to be born in the woods."

The Dalish warden raised his hands.

"I mean no disrespect, Kally," he said, "It…it is just…just Elgar'nan!"

The elven warrior shook his head.

"I never imagined that the shemlen cities could be like this. My Merrill would be sick if she could see this place."

Kally looked like she was about snarl some insult at the Dalish when Soris stepped in.

"We…we should try to find your father, Kally," he suggested, "Or Shianni, maybe they can tell us what is going on."

Kally worried her lower lip with her teeth, her elven ears twitched nervously.

Finally, she nodded.

"Soris is right," she said, "There is something going on here Alim, the Alienage is too empty, I can't believe that the guards…that they…they killed so many of us."

The warden nodded. He might not have lived in an Alienage, but he knew cities, the streets of the Alienage were far too quiet for midday.

Where was everybody?

It made no sense.

He gestured to the two elven cousins to lead the way.

"Let us see if we can find your family," he said.

"Maybe they will know more."

The group pushed on.

Alim paused at every alley way and side street they passed; he could just make out a few sets of elven eyes watching them from the shadows. He doubted they were in any danger, considering how well armed they were…but still.

The warden drew his sword.

Why take chances?

Alistair came up beside him. While the others walked past.

"We're not going to get mobbed are we?" his fellow warden asked.

"Elves don't do that do they?"

Alim glared at him.

"Only if a human is foolish enough to fall behind," he said.

He moved on ahead.

Alistair realized then that Carver had just passed him, that the group was moving on without him.

He looked down a dark alley, and could see several pairs of glowing elven eyes.

They were staring at him, balefully.

Alistair ran to catch up.

"Heeeey," he called out.

"Wait for me!"

IOI

They found the home of Cyrion Tabris, Kally's father abandoned. Both she and Soris entered, they searched the small hovel high and low. There was no sign of any of their family, which was either a really good thing, or a bad one.

Alim tried not to think about the fact that he had thought that he had seen a body or two slumped over in several of the alleys on the way here. The fact that the dead were left to rot in the street did not bode well for the Alienage and its people.

The warden did a cursory glance of the room. No tables over turned, no bloodstains that he could see. The beds were made, the crockery left stacked neatly on the shelf, and if he was not mistaken, he thought he could smell the fading odor of food, likely cooked that morning.

His elven ears twitched.

This did not look like someone had died here, if anything, he guessed that the occupant or occupants were out somewhere. If he had to hazard a guess, someone had been living here, and would likely return.

Kally, in her near panic did not see those things.

"Where are they," she asked, "Papa and Shianni, they could not have simply disappeared!"

"We will find them, cousin," Soris said, trying to sooth her, "If they still live we will find them."

Kally almost whimpered the thought that her father might be dead…

Alim's eyes narrowed.

"You should stay here, Soris," he said, "In case anyone comes back. The rest of us will try and find the elder. He may know more."

The young elf nodded, Kally had said that he had helped free her when she had been captured by the previous Arl's son, he was not a coward, but months in Howe's dungeon had made the boy…cautious.

It was better that he stay here, in case any of his family came back.

Alim led them back out into the street, making for the square of the Alienage, even with the high number of rickety buildings, he could still make out the high branches of the Vhenadahl, the tree of the people.

He had read about such things in the Circle, most Alienages kept a single strong tree growing in the center of their community it was a sign that even though they had accepted life here in the Alienage, they had not completely given up their elven heritage.

The sight gave the warden some hope, if the people had fallen into chaos; it is likely that the Vhenadahl would not still be standing, that some over eager pillager might have chopped it into firewood during the winter.

As they made their way towards the square, they heard the sound of many voices, not angry per se, but sounding…nervous, desperate even.

The wardens picked up the pace, they arrived to find at least twenty or thirty elves crowding the square, they stood before a large building, a warehouse perhaps…?

In front of the warehouse stood two men in fancy robes, even from this distance Alim could sense the magic on them. Yet, he had never seen any circle mage dressed so, the chantry tended to allow only the most sensible of robes for its charges, these men looked like they could have been on their way to some grand ball, certainly not the type of men who would be sent to tend to the needs of an Alienage.

The warden's eyes narrowed.

He had also noticed several armed guards standing nearby; not Templars he realized, but they carried themselves with the cool competence of more than a common thug.

Like the mages, they had slightly darker skin than the average Ferelden, and when they spoke he noticed the lilt of a strange accent.

"Good People," the leader called out, "Stay back please, we will see to all your needs, I promise."

The voices of the crowd of elves rose sharply.

"You can't expect us to just wait out here!"

"We have children at home, we can't afford to wait here another day!"

"Please Milord, help us, we can't wait anymore!"

"GO HOME!"

The voice that rose over the din was loud, it belonged to a petite red haired elf with large dark eyes; she stood upon an old scaffold not far from the Vhenadahl.

She was glaring at the two mages.

"Do not trust these charlatans," she shouted, "Too many of our people have gone missing already, and these…men…won't even let us see them, won't let us see that our people are fine! Do not let them take any more of your children!"

The lead mage chuckled.

"You have nothing to fear girl," he said as if speaking to a misbehaving child. "Your people are currently under quarantine, we can't let them out until we are sure they are safe."

The man shook his head.

"We can't have those poor souls spreading plague to the rest of the Alienage."

Alim's eyes narrowed.

Plague?

That would explain the presence of the mages, but why wasn't the chantry here? Where were the priests keeping the people calm, offering alms and prayers to the desperate, and why were the mages running things themselves, a knight-lieutenant of the Templars would have made a lot more sense.

Leliana came up beside him, her brow furrowed cutely.

He tried not to be amused.

"This is not right," she murmured.

"I agree," he replied.

"No priests, no Templars," he shook his head, "If there is a pestilence in the Alienage, then why isn't the chantry here trying to calm its followers."

Theron's ears twitched.

"Perhaps the plague is really bad," he offered, "Maybe the shemlen chantry does not wish to risk their people."

Alim shook his head.

"If it was that bad, the streets would be empty, and there would be no help, the chantry would wait for the plague to burn itself out."

"Along with the bulk of the elves living here," Leliana said flatly.

Alim shuddered.

He had read reports of Alienages being almost emptied by plague, it had happened in the past, the chantry only came in after, burning bodies, and preparing alienage to receive a fresh influx of elves from elsewhere.

The cities of Thedas needed their elven population, they had come to depend on the labor of the elves, work that no human would do, no matter how desperate.

Alim shook his head.

It was not the best system in the world, but it was there.

"There is more, dearest," Leliana murmured.

Alim turned.

"Eh?"

She frowned.

"These mages and their men, I recognize their weapons, their armor."

The bard shook her head.

"I think these men are from Tevinter."

That got Alim's attention.

Tevinter mages? in Denerim?"

Wasn't that interesting?

The Tevinter Imperium was not known for its charity. The mage lords of the north had remained isolated from the rest of Thedas for hundreds of years. The Imperium had never fully embraced chantry law, they believed in the Maker, but did not keep circles like the rest of the world.

The warden's brow furrowed.

"It was unlikely that the Tevinters would send mages to Denerim simply to help the Alienage deal with a plague, and then there was the matter of how they had gotten in. The Denerim Alienage had been sealed for months.

The warden shook his head.

Too many questions, he thought.

He looked at the red haired elven firebrand, the one trying to rally the crowd.

Kally pushed her way to the front.

"That is Shianni," she said, "Thank Andraste she survived!"

Alim smiled slightly.

Kally's other cousin that was good.

He ordered their most heavily armed members to stay back, not wishing to spook the elven crowd.

He made his way forward.

He had too many questions about all this.

It was time to get some answers.