Out to find ma sa'lath

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age.

"A mirror," repeated the Keeper, disbelief in her voice, "And it caused all this? I have never heard of such a thing in all the lore we have collected"

The Keeper turned away from Kallian, looking to the sky as she sighed heavily.

"I was hoping for answers when you woke, but there are only more questions" the Keeper lamented, "And Tamlen remains missing. He is more important than any lore in those ruins. If he is as sick as you were his condition is grave"

Turning back to Kallian the Keeper put her hand to Kallian's chin, lifting her up to her feet.

"Duncan returned to the cave to search for darkspawn, but we cannot rely on him to look for Tamlen as well. We must go, and quickly" The Keeper said with determination in her eyes, "Do you feel well enough to show us the way da'len? Without you we will not find it"

Kallian swallowed hard, her emotions and thoughts roiling within her.

The Keeper was worried about Tamlen, the clan was not going to abandon her love to the wilds after he had been exposed to whatever illness she had been exposed to.

"I can Keeper," Kallian replied, "I am feeling well enough to show the way to the cave"

"I am glad to hear that. I am ordering the clan to pack the camp so we can go north," the Keeper explained with a smile in her eyes, "Take Merrill with you to the cave. Find Tamlen if you can, but do it swiftly"

"Is the clan leaving?" Kallian asked cautiously.

"If there is any truth to what Duncan said, then darkspawn may show up in these parts soon. We must get away from the horde" The Keeper answered, "But that is not our only concern. Did you encounter any other humans in the forest?"

"Three of them," Kallian admitted sheepishly, "Tamlen and I… We killed them all"

"So I feared. You have stirred up a hornet's nest da'len" the Keeper sighed deeply, "Their village blames us for your actions. As everywhere, our people are not welcome here. We have stayed too long, and we must move on – quickly"

"You're going to let those damned shemlen drive us off!?" Kallian snarled out, unable to cause the fuss she wished to due to her exhaustion.

"Our clan could slaughter their entire village if we cared to… but at the cost of bringing their king's rage down on our heads" the Keeper explained easily, "These people are simple and have simple fears. This is their land, so we will go peacefully"

Kallian sighed, nodding her understanding to the Keeper, but one more question gnawed at her mind.

"But doesn't Merrill risk getting the same illness as myself?"

"You recovered, and Merrill will too" the Keeper stated simply, "Still, be careful… should you come upon this strange mirror again, do not touch it"

"Yes Keeper," Kallian said, her voice laced with guilt "I understand and will endeavour to find Tamlen unharmed"

The Keeper gave her a sad smile and left to her Araval.

Before Kallian could move Fenarel had approached her again.

"I know the Keeper is sending you back to that cave to look for Tamlen" Fenarel confronted Kallian, "I want to go with you! Keeper Marethari probably won't approve, but I can help find Tamlen"

"No" Kallian spat out.

"Tamlen is my friend too" Fenarel tried softer, "I want to help find him. If Merrill can risk it, so can I"

"No" Kallian said again and walked away.

As much as she loved her clan and she was really touched by Fenarel's sentiment she knew that she couldn't risk anyone else from the clan, it was already too much that she was risking Merrill's health, she couldn't do that to Fenarel as well.

Picking up her dar'misu and her longbow, Kallian made sure that she was presentable before heading to the outskirts of the camp.

Translations:

Ma Sa'lath = My one love

Da'len = Child

Dar'misu = A dagger used by Dalish Elves

Shemlen = literal; quick children. Used as a derogatory term for humans.