Chapter 11: Witch of the Wilds

Three battles and thirty darkspawn later we finally stumble into the warden ruins. I stopped just outside to take a drink from my water skin. Noticing a lovely bunch of white flowers with a red center growing out of a tree log, I touched the petals gently with my fingertips enjoying the softness caress my skin. Flowers had been rare in the Alienage except on special occasions or for herbal remedies. I had never seen this type of flower before but then again my knowledge of herbalism was limited at best. Yet that didn't mean I couldn't just enjoy a flower for its beauty.

"The kennel master was looking for some of those flowers," Daveth said startling me.

"Oh? What for?" I inquired retracting my hand from the petals.

"I guess it is used in a salve to help cure mabari hounds that were injured by darkspawn. I heard that he was offering a cash reward to anyone that brought him some of them." I watched as Daveth grabbed a fistful and throw them into his pack leaving behind a single bloom. "He also said that one of the hounds lost his master in the last battle, wonder if that means they'll be looking for someone new for the dog to imprint with."

"Maybe," I murmured as he wandered away. I wondered if an elf could own a mabari hound, imprinting with one was an honor. Usually only the rich could afford the hounds, they were powerful and brilliant creatures, the breed had originally been created by mages. The most special part was that the hound chose if the person was the right match for them, you could own one and never have it imprint with you. It is said that once imprinted the animal would give their life for their partner. I had always wanted a pet, non service animals were rare in the Alienage. What few animals we had were chickens and goats used for eggs and milk, they were not meant as pets for anyone. When I was younger there had been a mangy black and white stray cat, which must have come from Denerim, and just showed up one day. It killed mice and small rats, the children had loved to play chase with him. I would sit on the step outside my home and watch them. When he would get tired, he would climb onto my lap and listen to me hum softly while I brushed his fur. Then one day the gate to the city was opened, and we never saw the cat again.

Smiling at the memory, I enclosed my fingers around the remaining flower and stowed it in my pouch for safe keeping. Even if they wouldn't let a mabari imprint with me, they still needed the flowers and I was not the kind of person to not help out where I could. I turned into the ruins a small smile playing on my face; it felt good to have a chance to do something nice. I joined Alistair in searching for the treaties but the place was so decayed that it was impossible to think that they had survived all this time somehow.

"Well, well, what have we here?" a sultry, musical voice called from a collapsed wall above us. My head snapped up, my eyes narrowing in on a tall lithe human female jump from the wall to land beside us. "Are you vultures I wonder? Scavengers poking amidst a corpse whose bones have long since been cleaned." Her eyes traveled over our group one by one until they came to rest on me. "Or are you merely intruders, come into these darkspawn filled wilds of mine in search of… easy prey? What say you, hmm? Scavenger or intruder?"

I took a moment to study her before replying. She was tall for a human woman, her dark black hair was tied up into a messy up do to keep her hair out of her face. Long sweeping bangs were pushed to the side so her large bright amber eyes could watch us intently. Plump full lips pursed together while she waited for an answer. By human standards she was an exotic beauty that should have drawn us to her but her tone, almost condescending, kept us at bay. Her clothing was unlike anything I had ever seen before; her top was two small pieces of lavender cloth covering her breasts and held into place by small gold chains. Over the top was a dark purple sleeveless hooded shirt that cut to her navel. Separate black sleeves covered her arms the right one went to her elbow, while her left sleeve covered to her shoulder. The top of which was covered with beautiful black and dark stripped feathers. The purple coat was connected together by a sting of white pearls. While a gold choker around her neck was connected to the tiny cloths covering her breasts finished the top half of her ensemble. She wore a ripped black skirt over tight black leggings and black boots that went to her knees. In her hand she carried a beautiful yet simple mage staff. She was so unlike anything I had ever seen before I had to stop myself from reaching out to touch her.

"We are neither," I replied as she quirked an eyebrow. "The grey wardens once own this tower; we came seeking something that was left behind."

She laughed snidely, "'Tis a tower no longer. The wilds have obviously claimed this desecrated corpse." She walked along the stone wall waving her arms at what remained. "I have followed your progress through these wilds. Where do they go, I wondered. Why are they here? And now you disturb ashes none have touched for so long."

"Don't answer her," Alistair whispered. "She looks like a Chasind and that means others maybe nearby."

"Oh," she mocked, "you fear barbarians will swoop down upon you."

"Yes… swooping is bad," he drawled.

"She's a witch of the wilds, she is!" Daveth exclaimed. "She'll turn us all into toads!"

"Witch of the wilds?" she purred, "such idle fancies those legends. Have you no minds of you own? You there, Women do not frighten like little boys. Tell me your name and I shall tell you mine."

"Promise us you mean us no harm first," I asked of her.

She cocked her head and stopped walking her attention focus solely on us. "Very well. You have stirred my curiosity, so you have my promise."

"I am Fìera. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Now that is a proper civil greeting, even here in the wilds. You may call me Morrigan." She said sweetly. "You seek something that is here no longer?"

"Here no longer," Alistair echoed. "You stole them, didn't you? You're some kind of sneaky witch thief!"

"How very eloquent. How does one steal for dead men?" Morrigan sneered.

"Quite easily, it seems. Those documents are grey warden property, and I suggest you return them." He demanded.

"I will not, for 'twas not I who removed them, invoke a name that means nothing her any longer if you wish; I am not threatened." Morrigan crossed her arms across her chest and leaned against the wall.

"Who has them then?" I asked politely, trying not to grind my teeth in frustration at the woman.

"T'was my mother," she stated simply.

"Lovely, there are more of you then," Alistair grumbled. "Here's a thought why don't we wait here and you go and fetch them from your mother for us."

"I do not "fetch."" She growled at him.

"Could you take us to her?" I asked nicely.

She laughed. "Now there is a sensible request. I like you."

"I'd be careful." Alistair cautioned, "First it's, "I like you..." but then "zap!" frog time."

"Alistair," I hissed, "you are not helping."

"Sorry," he apologized running his fingers through his hair. "But I dislike this… The disappearance of the treaties, Morrigan's sudden appearance. It's too convenient."

"Perhaps, but she is the only other being out here that is not darkspawn." His templar training bread distrust towards non-circle mages, I wondered if he would ever overcome it.

"If you two are done whispering, you can follow me if you like; it is not far from here." She stared intently her amber eyes, curious for our response.

"Why are you interested in helping us?" I asked curiously.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Why not? I do not meet many people here. Are all outsiders so mistrustful?"

I looked at the others and shook my braid loose from my armor. "I'm going with her, Duncan needs those treaties and we really don't have that much of a choice."

"I hate that you're right," Alistair grumbled in agreement as we followed Morrigan deeper into the wilds.