Flight

Part 2

Amalyr glanced worriedly back at her mother, Leandra's lips were set in a grim line as she trudged along determined to keep up. Making a snap decision, she walked back to her mother and Bethany, taking each by the arm. "We will rest here for the night." Her low voice echoing off the high walls as the two women sunk gratefully to the rocky ground.

Glowering at Amalyr, "What do you think you are doing?" Carver tried to reach past her in an attempt to get Bethany to her feet. "We don't have time to rest, we have to keep moving I want to get out of this pass and into Gwaren, as quickly as possible."

Irritably she gestured to Leandra who was resting her back against the rock face, breathing heavily while Bethany wiped sweat away from her brow. "They cannot keep up with the pace you set, and if we go much longer we'll be carrying mother."

Taking Carver by the elbow she led him away from the others. Things are bad enough as it is, mother doesn't need to hear us bicker to. "Look we haven't seen any darkspawn nor have I seen any tracks that would indicate those creatures have been this way; we can setup a cold camp and set watch if that would set your mind at ease."

Carver took in his mother's wearied state then Bethany's," Maker I've been so focused on getting us to safety , he shook off her hand and pushed roughly past Amalyr, shamed at having his failure pointed out. Carver tossed his pack to the side. I hadn't thought what this would be doing to mother. "Fine, you setup camp. I'm going to scout the area."

Frustrated she resisted the impulse to go chasing after Carver to sooth his wounded pride, so Amalyr held her tongue and watched her brother angrily stride away.

Coming up beside her Bethany placed a comforting hand on her sister's shoulder. "He's impossible when he's like this, just give him time," she grinned at her sister, "or you know, you could just tell him to go soak his head, either way he'll come around. Come on Lyr I'll help you setup."

Taking quick stock on what they had managed to bring with them. Amalyr shook her head in disbelief, Mother! We're on the run barely ahead of mindless beasts and all you pack is clothes and nick knacks?At least the cloaks will be useful. She reached for Bethany's pack and began rummaging through its contents, Good, potions, herbs, and food that wont rot while we travel, best not to let Carver see mother's pack he'll have a cat. She watched as Bethany had laid out both bedrolls, she used the clothing and the cloaks their mother had brought and fashioned two additional makeshift beds. It's a good thing Carver and I had not completed unpacking on our return. I still have my traps, time to setup some surprises for the unwanted nasties out there. Amalyr chuckled to herself as she removed the traps from her pack.

-oOo-

By the time Carver returned camp had been set; traps had been set, Leandra was already in an exhausted slumber and both girls were quietly munching on cold hard journey bread and the smoked meat he had picked up from Dane's Refuge. "Hurry up and grab some of this before she eats it all." Bethany playfully bumped shoulders with her sister and grinned when Amalyr hastily tried to swallow her food.

"That's it, he can have your portion." Amalyr just managed to croak out between coughs.

A sweet innocent smile spread on Bethany's face. "Of course dear sister, I would gladly share my food with our brother while you stuff your face."

The scowl that appeared on Amalyr's face would have done their father proud. "Bethy! I would never take food from our brother's mouth, I might lose a finger."

"Oh no? What of mother's honey cakes?" The wicked grin from Bethany and the inadvertent chuckle from Carver's direction ruined the intended effect.

Carver's cheeks bulged, crumbs littering his lap and table unnoticed as he tried to cram another honey cake into his mouth without finishing the first. Amalyr doubled over grabbing her sides at the memory of her brother inhaling cake after cake.

"Okay, okay. Maybe the whole hand!" She waved at them between fits of laughter. "Just not mother's honey cakes. I have no intention on seeing Carver impersonate another damn squirrel." Amalyr tried shushing them between fits, as the others joined in but that just made the laughter harder to control as they snickered and wheezed trying to keep from waking their mother.

"Oh dear sweet Maker we needed that." Amalyr wiped away the tears then held out the food she had set aside. "Here, we did save you something edible." She wrinkled her nose at it. "Although I'm sure neither of us want to know what good old Barlin used."

"He was the only person in town to have meat, and no I don't want to know what he used." Carver shrugged and quickly devoured what he had been given, before pulling the dice from his pouch."Two out of three, the winner gets first watch, are you both game?" He smiled challengingly at his sisters.

"Your on." They coursed.

"I won? I never win, Lyr I won! I really won!" Bethany squealed in delight after several intense rounds of dice.

"If you ladies will excuse me, I will take my leave and get some sleep." Feeling smug Carver headed for the nearest bedroll.

Amalyr shook her head ruefully. I would lose at a game of dice to Carver of all people. "Alright dear sister, rub it in, first watch is yours. Wake me when the moon reaches. Oh, right about," she scanned the sky then pointed a quarter mark from its currant position. "there; or sooner should you need me."

She reached for Bethany's hand, "here take this." She wrapped her sister's fingers around a combustion grenade. " If anything gets close, throw this, wake me and Carver, then stay back with mother. None of us thought to bring any lyrium dust with us and I didn't have time before we left to craft any lyrium potions for you so...I want you to hold your magic in reserve; should we really need your skills as a healer." She held her sister's gaze until Bethany nodded, then went seeking her own bed and the Fade.

-oOo-

"Lyr, Lyr wake up something's out there." Amalyr bolted out of sleep, rolling into a defensive crouch, blades ready at her sister's frightened whisper. When no immediate threat appeared she turned her attention to Bethany still clutching the grenade to her chest as her eyes darted wildly about looking for whatever was lurking in the darkness.

Sheathing her daggers Amalyr rubbed her eyes in vexation, then fired off a series of questions. "Did you get a good look at it? Where is it? What did it look like? How many did you see? And for Makers sake why didn't you throw that thing? " She gestured at the grenade.

"I...I...I didn't see anything, there is...was this terrible hissing and growling. It was getting closer then...then...there was this howl that just made my hair stand on end...then some sort of screech and I don't know." Bethany wailed feeling out of her depth.

She swallowed down the irritation she felt at being woken up with no danger in sight. She's never had to face anything more dangerous then the town bully, its no wonder she's frightened.

Amalyr patted her sister on the shoulder, "Bethy, it's okay; you did the right thing. Go, wake Carver have him stand watch, tell him I've gone to take a look at what's out there."

Panicked Bethany reached out to restrain her sister. "You're not really going out there are you?"

"I'll be fine Bethy, nothing will be able to see me if I don't want it to." She smiled reassuringly; squeezing her sister's hand then vanished into the darkness.

Following Amalyr's instructions Bethany scuttled over to wake a loudly snoring Carver.

-oOo-

Amalyr scanned the camp. Her mother was still wrapped in her cloak, Bethany was slumped against one of the passage walls snoring lightly, still clutching the grenade. Carver was propped up with his back to their mother and sister his hands wrapped around the hilt, blade dug into the dirt and chin resting on the pommel of his broadsword, clearly visible from where she was crouched in the shadows. I've been gone a little over an hour and he's sleeping? He's supposed to be standing watch over the other two and keeping them safe, not traveling the Fade.

Scratching behind the dog's ears. "What do you think, should we wake him?" She whispered, nodding toward her brother.

Intelligent eyes watched Carver for a moment, snorted and butted her in the chest with his big head, then more like one of those big cats she heard about than a mabari, the midnight black dog quietly made his way to her brother. He circled him twice before lunging at him.

Carver woke to a nightmare, as monstrous black blur barreled into him knocking him flat on his back. His blade had gone flying, panicking he shoved the creature away, heart pounding in his chest he scrambled madly for his sword. Casting a quick glance over his shoulder he caught site of massive jaws and sharp white slavering teeth, just before the creature barreled into him again pinning him face down, arm out-stretched blade mockingly just out of reach. His eyes winced closed expecting the worst.

"Ah, ah, ugh! That's disgusting!" Carver cried as a very wet slobbering tongue made its way across the side of his face. Followed by a snort and what sounded suspiciously like laughter, as the great weight lifted from his back and padded quietly over to lay at his sister's feet.

Glaring at his sister. Carver gathered what was left of his battered dignity, fetched his sword and returned it to his scabbard. "Ha! Ha! Very funny!" He stomped over to where his infuriating sister was standing with that smirk. "What kind of sick joke was that?"

While he shouted into her face, Amalyr stood with her arms crossed and calmly looked into her brother's eyes. "You. Were. On. Watch. You are supposed to be looking out for mother and Bethany. Instead you were sleeping, knowing that I had gone to check on the disturbance that had frightened our sister. What if it had been something else? What if it had gone for Bethany or mother first? Maker forbid if we should run into anything dangerous. Bethy should be able to hold her own, but mother is not cut out for this,she could get hurt or worse if we are not careful." She gestured to the dog at her feet. "At least it was just him going bump in the night." She tilted her head to the side an amused glint in her eye. "What do you think Commander Walduk would have done if he caught you sleeping on watch?"

Carver groaned. "Worse, much worse." Holding his hands out in defeat. "Your right, I'm wrong, I'm sorry, satisfied? Happy?"

"No, but it's a start." Playfully she punched Carver in the shoulder. "Come on since everyone is awake now we need to break camp and go. Quickly." Suiting action to words she started for her pack.

"It's the middle of the bloody night, we can leave at first light." He glowered at his sister. Not quite ready to forgive her.

Amalyr gestured over her shoulder back the way they had come. "Darkspawn were within hearing distance of camp." The dog snorted, she rolled her eyes in amusement.

Interest peeked, Carver studied the dog following at his sister's heels. He is impressive. The dog's broad-shoulders reached his sister's waist. "Is that the same mabari we helped at Ostagar? The one we were going to try to imprint on me?"

"I...Yes...Yes. I think it is. I found him facing down five of those genlocks; he had taken down two of the filthy things before I could help. He's quite the war dog." The dog in question nudged Amalyr. Startled she looked at the large mabari as a big doggy grin spread across his face, tongue lolling to the side. He nudged her again until her hand rested on his big fuzzy head. She chuckled and scratched behind his ears, his choice clearly made.

Sighing in defeat. The dog would choose her. "Fine. You can keep him. It looks like he likes you better anyway." Carver's glare melted into a rueful grin. "Just remember he's your responsibility, you get to take care of him and if he makes a mess, you get to clean up after him." That's a lot of dog to take care of, and I've cleaned out enough of those kennels to last a life time.

"Oh, my, but he is gorgeous, Lyr." Bethany ruffled the dog's ears.

Carver snorted in disgust. "Don't you dare start with the baby talk. It's a mabari, a war dog, not some pampered lap dog."

Bethany shot him a playful scowl then began cooing at the dog until Carver stalked over to help their mother. "So what are you going to name him?"

Amalyr watched the mabari as he snuffled her sister's hair. "I don't know. I wasn't expecting to have a pet, definitely not a full grown war dog."

"Oh come on Lyr. He's got to have a name. We can't run around calling him 'hey you' or just plain 'dog' can we?" Bethany was trying very hard not to giggle at the playful creatures antics.

"I think we should call him Rufus!" Carver piped in.

Bethany scrunched her face at his suggestion. "Rufus?"

"Yes. Rufus." Carver pretended to duck an imaginary blow from the growling mabari. "What? Rufus is a good dog type name."

"Uh-huh, no way am I calling any animal Rufus. Besides he looks much to intelligent to be saddled with something like that." Amalyr studied the war dog. "He's quick, I've never heard anything move with such silence and look at that coat: black as night, he can just disappear when you aren't watching. He's death on four legs."

"So?" Bethany, Carver coursed.

Amalyr smirked at her family. "So? So what?"

"So what are you going to name him?" Leandra finally chimed in, her face alive with curiosity.

Amalyr crooked her finger at the dog calling him close then whispered in his ear. When he started wagging his stump of a tail she finally stood. "Mother, brother, sister, I'd like to introduce you to Knight-Blade the newest addition to our happy little family." Knight-Blade barked happily and spun in a circle chasing his non-existent tail before coming to heel.

-oOo-

Bethany whispered under her breath. "Well doesn't the Maker have a since of humor."

Catching her sister's unease, Amalyr studied the couple they had just help save. The woman had orange hair, blue eyes and strong features. She looks like she could wipe the floor with half the soldiers at Ostagar. She turned her attention to the man with her. He had black hair, pail blue eyes, and square features. His right arm had been wounded and he clutched it close to his chest. They both had well fitted armor and other then being covered in gore it was well maintained. She had close-fitting leather armor; his was full plate. Amalyr's eyes came to rest on the familiar sword of mercy etched in loving detail on the chest plate.

"Templar." She hissed taking up a defensive position between her sister and the new possible threat. Great, we've spent the last few days in one skirmish after another, just barely managing to keep one step ahead of the darkspawn and now this? Did we just step out of the frying pan and into the fire?

"Apostate." The templar pointed his sword at Bethany. Whether in threat or to keep her at bay she couldn't tell.

"Wesley." The woman spoke up.

Wesley sword point was beginning to waiver. "Keep...Keep your distance.."

Still trying to diffuse the situation the woman tried again. " Wesley, please."

"A Mage's mind, their thoughts are always unknown, you can't know what one will do." Ignoring the rest of the group his sole attention on Bethany. "The order..."

Amalyr walked up to the templar daggers drawn nose to nose with him. "Stay away from my sister." she growled. Taking his cue from his mistress, Knight-Blade started to growl just as threateningly.

Wesley flinched at the small woman facing him, the threat evident in her green eyes, clearing his throat he tried again. "My duty is clear. The order... The order dictates..."

The orange-haired woman placed herself between her templar and Amalyr. She cupped his face bringing his attention to her. "Wesley, please. They saved us. The Maker understands."

"Of course." He nodded, letting her take charge.

The woman turned her attention back to the others. "I'm Aveline Vallen, this is my husband Ser Wesley. We can hate each other later when we are safe from the hoard. Until then I would suggest we work together." She folded her arms across her chest.

"Another blade between us and the darkspawn. Yes, please." Carver piped up desperate to avoid a battle with the templar and his wife.

Amalyr studied Wesley and Aveline carefully before sheathing her blades. "Very well, we'll travel with you. There is safety in numbers." She turned her attention to the warrior woman's husband. "Ser Wesley I expect you to stay away from my sister. If you smite her or harm her in any way I will send you to the Maker in small bits." She tilted her head to the side waiting for a reply.

Wesley nodded. "Understood."

Not wanting to startle the Templar unnecessarily Bethany cleared her throat and spoke hesitantly. "Ser Wesley?" He watched the girl waiting for her to speak her mind. "How bad is it?" She nodded to his arm.

He watched her for a moment then looked to Amalyr before answering. "It's my shield arm."

Bethany rolled her eyes, I can see that. "If you would let me I could tend that for you?"

Amalyr's voice was tightly controlled. "Bethy is an accomplished healer."

Bethany was beginning to feel like a bug in a box with the way the templar was studying her, before he replied. "That would be appreciated. Thank you." Amalyr passed her sister bottles from her pack choosing to sit nearby and watch as her sister worked.

After carefully examining Wesley's arm she spoke. "Your shoulder has been dislocated and you have a torn tendon. I can tend to this if you will let me."

Aveline who had been soothingly running her fingers through her husband's hair finally asked. "Your a mage, and a skillful one at that according to your sister. Couldn't you use your magic to heal this?"

Bethany nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I could heal this and quickly. Mana can take awhile to regenerate and we have no lyrium to replace what I use. We have a few days yet before we can reach Gwaren and since the injuries sustained to his arm though painful are not life threatening." She considered Aveline for a moment. "Father once told me templars need the stuff. Do you have any on you?"

Aveline looked at her husband. "No, Wesley took his last dose this morning. We were hoping to pickup lyrium at the Chantry in Gwaren."

Bethany placed a comforting hand on the woman's arm. "I'm truly sorry Aveline, I will need to conserve what mana I have for when it is truly needed."

Wesley grimaced. "Do it then."

Bethany removed a pair of leather gloves from her pack, handing them to Wesley. "When I pull I want you to bite on these." She placed her knee on his chest, holding his arm by his wrist and waited. Biting into the leather, Wesley nodded. With a quick pull and twist Bethany popped his shoulder loudly back into place. "The injury kit I'm using will help with the swelling." She handed him a small bottle. "Drink this it will help the tendon nit properly, it's a weak health potion so it will be a few days before you will be able to hold a shield again." Bethany stated as she finished the make shift sling.

"Then you shall have mine, I will be your shield." Aveline spoke up.

-oOo-

In the bowls of the ship, Bethany was curled up with her head in her sister's lap and her mother was sleeping somewhere nearby, Aveline was lost in her own thoughts. Amalyr stared up through the latticework, watching the night sky pass overhead. We made it to Gwaren, we even booked passage, that Captain took every last copper we had and we will reach Kirkwall soon, but at what cost? Lost to her memories, Amalyr's silent tears falling as the events replayed themselves over and over, wondering what she could have done differently. If she could have changed something, could have made things right, but no matter how much she thought about it, it always boiled down to one thing. She failed and again, someone else paid the price.

Having not seen any darkspawn in the past two days the party had begun to let its guard down. Bethany and Leandra were deep in conversation with Aveline. Amalyr was laughing at Knight-Blade as he chased a random butterfly with the playfulness of a puppy. Carver was speaking with Ser Wesley; he had told Amalyr earlier that he wanted some of the Templar's secrets. He believed it would be an asset against the darkspawn if he could convince the older man to part with some of his training. No one had noticed the Ogre until it was almost upon them.

Everything had happened so fast, the first anyone had known of danger, Carver had pulled his broadsword and with a mighty roar. "You soulless bastard, you shall not have them." He charged the beast. The Ogre had Carver in its grip before anyone could move, and, in the blink of an eye, the foul creature smashed her brother to the ground, not once but three times, each accompanied by a sickening crunch. With the final crushing blow, Carver's blade fell from his lifeless fingers. The creature's rheumy eyes spotted her mother and Bethany who stood away from the group, it let out an earsplitting roar as it prepared to charge the two women.

She needed to protect her family, Amalyr flew into motion. She sped toward the creature, as the Ogre reached for her she slid between his legs severing its hamstring, as it toppled forward she clambered up onto its back sinking her blades into its neck, not wanting to wait for the creature to bleed out, Amalyr chose to end its life quickly.

Leandra raced to her son's side crying, Bethany and Amalyr joined her. She wanted Bethany to heal his lifeless battered body. Bethany had shaken her head and began crying helplessly into Amalyr's shoulder.

She had tried to sooth her mother with the only thing that would come to mind. "I'm sorry mother, he died to save us."

Leandra lashed out. "I don't want hero. I don't want a dead son. You, this is your fault, how could you let him charge off like that. why couldn't you be faster, why couldn't you save him. Why did he have to die. My son, my baby boy."

Amalyr had closed her eyes at the pain her mothers words invoked.

Ser Wesley solemnly spoke. "Mistress Hawke, I would be honored if you would allow me to commend your son's soul to the Maker." Those gathered round bowed their heads as Wesley began his prayers, his words lost, in their sorrow.

When he finished Amalyr spoke huskily, suppressing her tears for a time when they were safe and she was free to grieve. "We need to keep moving, if we stay here long we risk joining Carver."

She had been helping her mother to her feet when Aveline cried out. "There coming, more of them, they're coming from everywhere."

Amalyr had scanned the area. Sure enough they were surrounded, darkspawn were pouring in from all over. Wesley had fallen no longer able to stand, Aveline rushed to his side. She pushed her mother behind her, glanced worriedly at her sister, and sent a wordless prayer to the Maker that she would see her family safely to Kirkwall.

Then the dragon had swooped down out of no-where, and charred every darkspawn in sight. The creature landed and with a mighty roar sending a bolt of flame into the air. It was like something out of a tale her father told her as a little girl. If he had told her that one day a dragon would save her, she'd have laughed. She wasn't laughing now. Dragons don't save people, they eat people. She could take on darkspawn, even an ogre, but a dragon; no one could take down a dragon that size and live. But she would fight that thing with everything she had if it meant her family could get safely away.

The dragon disappeared into a blinding flash of light. In its place an older woman, with amber eyes and cat-like grace, sauntered over to them, dropping the darkspawn corpse she carried. "Child put those things away, if I had wanted you dead. You would be."

Uncertain Amalyr ignored the woman's suggestion and asked instead. "Who, or what are you?"

She assessed the group before she spoke again in her gravely voice. "That is an Interesting question. But not one easily answered."

"I know what she is, she is the Witch of the Wilds." Aveline spoke from her husband's side.

The old woman threw back her head with a hearty chuckle. "Yes, some call me that, the people call me Asha'bellanar, and still others call me Flemeth." Flemeth's yellow eyes snapped to Amalyr boring into her. "I suppose one is as good as another, it's your choice."

Bethany spoke up from behind her. "Can you help us? We're trying to get to..."

Flemeth waved her hand cutting off the rest of her question. "I was board, I looked down from my vantage point and what should I see, but this small slip of a thing taking down a mighty ogre. "But my curiosity has been sated." She turned her back to the party and started to walk away.

"Wait." Bethany called out, "You can't just leave us here. Can you?"

Flemeth stopped. "Can I not? Perhaps, perhaps not." She spun around pinning everyone with a stare. She walked with purpose back to Amalyr, pulling a small amulet from around her neck. "A favor for a favor child. I will help you get to Gwaren, but you, you must do something for me in return." She held up a warning finger before Amalyr could speak. "Think carefully, child before you accept. Know this; you will be ever bound by what choices you make, even those you don't make."

"Wesley will never make it without help. I say we take the witch's offer."Aveline advised as she wiped the sweat from her husbands brow.

Bethany nodded her agreement; her mother just stared off listlessly. Amalyr nodded and turned back to the witch. "If I agree to your terms. What will I be taking and where will it be going?"

Flemeth grinned. "I have a very important appointment that I must keep. This trinket." She held up the amulet. "Must make it to the Dalish living at the foot of Sundermount. Take it and give it to their Keeper. That is all I ask."

Amalyr's jaw dropped. "You want me to take that, thing to Sundermount," she gestured to the trinket in Flemeth's hand. "And you will take us to Gwaren. That's it? Wouldn't it be easier to just fly there?"

The old witch laughed clearly enjoying herself. "Ahh now where would the fun be in that, it would be much more fun to see what you do with your life. Now that you have it." She waggled her finger at Amalyr. "And I never said I would take you to Gwaren, I said I would help you get there. Quickly child do we have an agreement?"

Amalyr reluctantly agreed to Flemeth's term's. She was turning back to her family when the witch spoke again. "That one." the witch gestured toward Wesley, "has been corrupted by the darkspawn, their taint now courses through his body, he will not make the journey. I would suggest you decide what must be done. Will you be merciful or will you not, it's your choice.

Amalyr looked to Wesley and Aveline. Black veins stood out against pallid flesh, his pail blue eyes clouded with a grayish substance. "Is there nothing we could do for him? Is there no cure for him?"

Flemeth shook her head regretfully. "He is too far along for me to help and the only cure I know of is for him to become a Grey Warden."

"They all died at Ostagar." Came Aveline's broken voice.

With greater compassion then expected from the feared witch of the wilds, Flemeth spoke. "Not all died, sadly they are beyond our reach."

Wesley turned Aveline to look at him. "She's right I can feel the corruption in me. Please my love, end it quickly."

"I'm sorry Aveline I cannot make this decision for you." Amalyr placed a comforting hand on her shoulder then turned away to give the couple some privacy before Aveline gave her husband mercy.

The bellow and sudden bustle above announcing Kirkwall startled Amalyr out of her thoughts. She quickly pocketed the Amulet she had been given and went about waking the others.