Legam seated himself upon the cool log, a warm bowl of stew clutched in his hands. Warmth from the central campfire licked at his face, breaking the dull chill of night. The young mage sighed, staring into his dinner with some trepidation. Most nights, cooking duties fell to Morrigan or Alistair. Sometimes he or Leliana helped, but tonight was all Alistair's work. Legam picked at the gray gunk, contemplating it. His fellow Grey Warden claimed it was lamb and pea stew, but Legam doubted the taste matched his expectations.
Bolstering his courage, the mage dipped his spoon into the muck and quickly brought it to his lips, before his senses made him rethink his action. His face scrunched, bitter, gooey liquid and mushy clumps of meat and vegetable passing through his mouth. He quickly downed the rest of his meal, taking his water pouch and quickly drowning away the taste from his mouth.
Leliana's melodious giggles lifted over the soft cackles of the fire. Legam looked up to see his dear friend, the Orlesian bard, standing nearby. A knowing, sympathizing smile curved her lips. She rolled her eyes, head motioning to their templar comrade across the way, greedily devouring his meal.
I know: Alistair's cooking remains lackluster, though he does not seem to care. Her eyes said wordlessly. Legam snickered lowly, shaking his head in amused agreement. Scooting further downside the log, he patted the empty space next to it, offering his companion a seat. Leliana nodded and took his silent offer, settling down a foot or two away from him.
The bard folded her hands comfortably in her lap, leaning closer towards the heat of the fire. She contemplated the flames for a few moments, a content silence permeating the air around them. Legam knew the quiet would break eventually: Leliana rarely went without talking for long. He didn't mind it so much: Whether the bard regaled him with interesting lore, rambled about shoes, or gushed about something particularly adorable, he enjoyed listening to her. Even Leliana's less engaging tangents carried a subtle sort of melody to them. Perhaps it was her mistral skills, or perhaps it was the foreign aspect of her voice that drew him. Whatever the reason, the mage kept an open ear to Leliana's idle musings.
Leliana leaned back in her perch, her vision turning from the fire towards the night sky. As expected, after a few more moments of reflection, she turned her gaze to him and spoke. "The stars are out."
A rather uncharacteristic curt and obvious statement, Legam paused to ponder the underlying observations. With Leliana, such brief phrases often carried deeper meaning. He turned his emerald eyes to the heavens, inspecting the small stars that scattered the blue-black sky. They glittered in the twilight: delicate, simple yet beautiful. For a moment Legam forgot about the impeding evil of the darkspawn and their Blight; the death, the violence… All faded in the soft glow of the distant stars.
"There is still beauty to be found in this world." He finally replied, the corners of his mouth stretching into a gentle grin.
Leliana returned his smile, tilting her head in agreement. "It comforts me to know that the stars will remain untouched by the Blight—that whatever happens down here, they will shine eternally, their light undimmed." She scanned the skies, pointing to a small constellation in towards the north. "There is a story about that cluster of stars over there. Do you know it? Alindra and her soldier?"
Legam wracked his brain, trying to recall. His instructors and the books back at the Circle taught him much about the arcane, old languages and general history. Unfortunately, fairy tales were something the libraries decidedly lacked. The Rivain spell caster always lamented this, as he greatly enjoyed stories of legend and fancy. He shook his head, unable to come up with a connection – but now curious and eager to listen. "Tell me the story."
Leliana looked back up towards the sky, beginning her tale. "A long time ago, there lived a fair maiden called Alindra. She had many suitors, but spurned them all, for she did not love them."
"One day, Alindra was sitting by her window in her father's castle, singing and dreaming, when her lovely voice caught the attention of a young soldier." Legam leaned forward, already enthralled by her skillful story weaving.
"Entranced by her song, the soldier drew near to Alindra's window. As their eyes met, he fell in love with her, and she with him." She smiled sweetly – the thought of a pure, instant love appealed to her romantic nature. The bard's smile faded, continuing towards the tale's downturn. "When Alindra told her father about the man she had chosen, he was furious, for Alindra was high-born, but her love nothing more than a common soldier."
Legam, fully swept up by her words now, felt distress seep into the corners of his heart. He rested his chin upon his fist, keeping his attention focused on his minstrel friend. She continued, "To keep them apart, he had Alindra imprisoned in the highest tower of his castle and sent her soldier to the wars."
Leliana sighed sorrowfully. "Alas, not a month had passed before news of the soldier's death reached Alindra." Though her vision remained focused on the fires before her, her peripherals indicated her audience remained captive. "Alone in her tower, Alindra wept for her love and beseeched the gods to deliver her from this cruel world."
"So earnest was her pleas that the gods themselves were moved. They gathered Alindra into heir arms and lifted her high into the heavens, where she became a star." The redheaded woman turned back towards the sky above, gesturing at Alindra's cluster.
"The gods also raised up the soul of Alindra's soldier love and there he dwells, across the horizon from her. The band of stars between them is a river of Alindra's tears, cried for her lost love." She moved her finger, drawing an invisible line to connect Alindra's star with her soldier's.
"They say that when Alindra has cried enough, she will be able to cross the river to be reunited with her soldier." Leliana finished her tale, turning her bright eyes back to the man seated beside her. Awestruck, he looked back up at the constellation, mouth slightly agape.
"That's a beautiful story." He murmured.
Pleased by his reaction, Leliana grinned and nodded amiably. "This story is one of my favorites, a tale of a love so great and so enduring that it defies death, and moves the gods to action." She followed Legam's gaze back to Alindra's star, contemplative. "Sometimes I ask myself, does such a love exist? Can it exist?" The bard shrugged, her question's intent double-sided. Though she did indeed often wonder such, she voiced these ponderings to probe Legam's thoughts on the same subjects… Without actually asking him outright.
He sated her curiosity, shaking his head and running a swarthy hand through his short hair. "If we lose hope in love, then we are truly lost."
His reply took Leliana by surprise. "I never expected you to say that." Though anyone needed only a few minutes to note the mage's good natured temperament and kindness, Legam never struck her as a fellow romantic. "It is… a pleasant surprise."
The Grey Warden cocked an eyebrow at her. Usually, people wrote him off as rather sentimental due to his kindhearted nature. "Why is it a surprise?"
Leliana pursed her lips, tapping her chin as she searched for clarification. "I have to say there is a certain severity to you. Finding a person behind that all is nice." She winked at him, both mirthful and sincere. "Maybe you should let your softer side show more often. Sometimes following your heart, not your head, leads you to remarkable places."
He laughed, "Softer side? My dear friend, pay more attention and you'll find I don't have much more to me than that. Morrigan and Oghren already tease me relentlessly about my apparent sappiness."
Leliana giggled. "Well, it is true that you prefer talking your way out of trouble than fighting, and you frequently help those in need, even when it is not related to darkspawn. Still…" She turned back to the fire, "I have seen you use your magic to burn, electrocute, freeze, sometimes even explode darkspawn and other enemies in combat. That's not exactly 'soft,' now is it?"
Legam scratched his beard thoughtfully, "Perhaps not… Though I do it because I hate combat. I wish to end any threat to my friends and innocents quickly." He shrugged, frowning. "I suppose it can be rather ruthless in technique, regardless, hm? Sometimes I envy Wynne's healing capabilities. I would much rather use my magic to aid others, not hurt them. Alas, the Maker deigned to gift me with control over the elements."
"True, elemental spells can be quite destructive… But at least you reserve them for when there is no alternative, and you do not seek to make others suffer. It is just tactics, no?"
He sighed, slightly sullen when he thought of the pain his arcane abilities probably put others through in battle. "Yes, it is tactical, but does that make it right to—"
"Ah, and there's that somberness seeping in!" She shouldered him teasingly. "And you wonder why I say there's some severity to you." Leliana chuckled. "Do not let such things burden you – were you not the one who said I strive to do good, and that's what counts? I can say the same of you."
Legam laughed, his spirits lifting once more. "Ha! Caught in my own words, hm? You speak truly. I much prefer laughter to sulking, in any case." He shouldered her back, smirking. "Thank you for the tale and discussion, Leliana."
"Any time, my friend. You are ever the captive audience, no matter what I speak of."
"Well, you are a joy to listen to." Legam smiled warmly, his words and grin sending a small rush of warmth and appreciation through Leliana. "In any case," The mage rose from his perch on the log, stretching. "I believe our turn for watch approaches. Shall we continue this later?" He offered his hand.
"Of course." She clasped her hand in his, pulling herself up to stand beside the mage. "Let's just hope Alistair's cooking doesn't force us to abandon our post prematurely."
"Indeed! Last time I spent the night thinking my bowels would tear apart the rest of my insides!" Legam smirked at the memory, despite the unpleasant experience.
"Hey!" Alistair's undignified protest chirped from beyond the bonfire.
Legam and Leliana shared a good laugh at the ex-templar's expense, walking off into the dark, their evening duty awaiting.