Chapter 3

2 days later

"The road forks up a head," Ser Thomas pointed to the fork in the road, "that's where we'll set up camp for the night," In the two days they had been traveling Caleb thought that they had made great distance. They had made it over half way to Highever where they intended to stop for any supplies they would need before going to Orlais, which would include crossing the Frostback Mountains.

They set their tents up first, than they started a fire before the sun went all way down. The whole process took about an hour. Eleanor surprised Caleb by having her tent up first and starting the fire. Ser Thomas went out to hunt in the surrounding forest leaving the other two alone. Caleb was staring into the fire, it seemed calming and after all the uncertainty of the past few days it was welcome. He looked over to Eleanor, she was watching the road, "No one's coming, you don't have to worry,"

It took a few moments for her respond, "It's just strange,"

"What is?"

"All the stories my parents told me about their travels they always said how dangerous traveling was, but we haven't run in to anything,"

"Your parents' stories are from the Blight, there are always more bandits and such during them,"

"You're probably right; it's just like being in one of their stories. I don't understand why you aren't excited,"

"I guess I am, this is the first time I've ever really been out of Denerim," Caleb lay back and was looking up at the night's sky, "I'm just glad Ser Thomas is here, Maker knows I wouldn't know what to do out here,"

"Someone's coming," Caleb sat up and looked over and put his hand on his sword. It turned out to be a trader and his wagon.

The wagon came closer it was an average wagon pulled by one horse. A dwarf was at the reigns, he was what Caleb figured an average dwarf looked like: short, fat looking, brown hair and a long brown beard. As he drew closer he stopped the horse, "Mind if I stop here for the night?"

"Not at all, the company's welcome," Caleb got up to help the dwarf set up his tent and tie the horse up to a near by tree. He sat by the fire and introduced himself. His name was Gwaren; he was a trader who was traveling across Thedas and was currently in Ferelden. He told them that he had come to the surface after the Blight with his parents to avoid life in the dust town. He started his own trading a few years ago and had been fairly successful in Southern Ferelden where rebuilding from the last Blight was still taking place.

"So where are you going," Gwaren asked.

"We're on our way to Val Royeaux in Orlais," Caleb was trying to figure out what Gwaren was like. Not many people would just camp out with complete strangers.

"I was in Orlais not too long ago; they were rumors that they were on the verge of revolution, whether it's true or not, I don't know it's just what I heard," He looked around the camp. Caleb noticed he kept staring at Ser Thomas' tent, "Is there someone else camping here?"

"Yeah a templar traveling with us,"

"Interesting,"

Ser Thomas emerged from the forest with a boar over his shoulder and his bow in hand. He walked to the fire and started preparing the animal. He looked up at Gwaren, "Caleb, who's our guest?"

"This is Gwaren; he showed up while you were out hunting and wanted to camp here,"

"I see, well it good to meet you Gwaren," he nodded to Gwaren who nodded back and Ser Thomas went back to the animal beneath him.

As the night passed the group ate the boar and than each person retired to their tent. Caleb was the last one left sitting around the fire. He grabbed his sword and stood up and turned to head towards his tent. Before entering his tent he heard a noise from the bushes. He listened closer but didn't hear anything else and went off into his tent.

Caleb was awoken by a scream from outside his tent. He instinctively grabbed his sword and ran out to see what was happening. He ran out of his tent and found a group of six bandits. Three were coming towards Caleb, two were fighting Ser Thomas, and one fell out of Eleanor's tent.

Caleb made quick work of the bandits. He hit one closest to him in the stomach with the hilt of his sword, than chopped his sword into the bandit's shoulder. He grabbed a dagger from the bandit's back and threw it at the bandit coming at him on the left hitting him in the throat. Caleb turned to face the last of his attackers who had drawn his sword. Caleb dueled with him for a few blows until he saw an opportunity and swung his sword and cut off the bandit's hand. The bandit fell to his knees where Caleb cut off his head.

Caleb looked around at the others and how they were doing. Ser Thomas had dealt easily with the two he had been fighting and Eleanor had killed her intruder which had impressed Caleb. He looked over to where Gwaren's wagon was hooked up, it was gone, "That dirty snake," Caleb looked at his tent and scanned over his things to see if he was missing anything. His eyes feel on his pack, "That dwarf bastard, he took everything,"

The team went through their things and found that most of what was in their packs was missing along with some things they had left outside their tents including their books, maps, and at least three sovereigns, "He took everything, what do we do now?" Caleb was yelling so loud that some birds in a nearby tree flew off.

"We go back to sleep and in the morning continue on our way to Highever," Ser Thomas, Caleb felt, was very calm for what had just happened. Ser Thomas turned and went back into his tent. Caleb checked the bodies of the dead bandits for what ever he could find. It added up to about 12 silvers, a couple daggers, and a note from Gwaren saying that he would steal from any travelers and would let the bandits kill them and take whatever they found.

Eleanor was still standing outside her tent looking down at the man that she had killed. She was standing there with a sheet wrapped around her to cover herself up. Her face and hands were covered with blood and she looked on at the corpse in shock of what she had done, "Are you alright?" Caleb walked up beside her and looked down at the body.

"I just killed a man, do you thing I'm alright,"

"The first kill is always is always scary, that's what Ser Thomas always said,"

"Does it get easier?"

"Does what get easier?"

"Killing,"

"I'd guess it does in time, I wouldn't worry about if I were you,"

"Why is that?"

"You're not a killer Eleanor," he put his arms around her.

"Than what am I?"

"You are the strongest most beautiful woman I know,"

"And how many strong and beautiful women do you know?" her voice had recaptured the more playful tone she had so often.

"Well, there's you," she laughed which made Caleb grin.

"Thank you for talking to me Caleb, it really helped,"

"That's why I'm here, to help,"

She kissed him on the cheek, "Good night," she walked back into her tent and Caleb was once again the only person outside. Before going back to his tent he looked around the trees for anyone hiding near them. After not finding anything he went back to his tent.

The next day of travel didn't go as well as the previous one. The sun had set a few hours ago by the time they got to Highever. The teyrn had sent guards to wait for them who were waiting at the gate. As they walked up to the gate one of the guards addressed them, "Welcome to Highever Princess, your uncle has instructed us to take you and your companions up to the castle,"

The guard led them through the city to the teyrn's estate. As Caleb looked around the city he noticed that the age of some buildings were different than others that others around them, "It was about 20 years ago when Arl Howe attacked the city," the guard said looking at Caleb.

"What?"

"You were looking at the buildings, that's why they look different because they were built after the city was attacked,"

"Does your mother ever talk about it Eleanor?"

"Not really, she says that she sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night with the thought of what happened,"

They arrived at the teyrn's estate and were walked to the main hall where Teyrn Fergus Cousland was waiting, "Well if it isn't my favorite niece and her companions, I must say I expected you here earlier you three missed the meal," from old portraits of his father Caleb knew that Teyrn Cousland looked a lot like his father with his graying hair and aging face.

"It's nice to see you too uncle Fergus," Eleanor hugged the teyrn, "How are Aunt Audrey and Elizabeth?"

"I tried to get to get them to wait with me for you but they went off to bed not to long ago," he looked over at Ser Thomas and than at Caleb, "You're Caleb aren't you?"

"Yes sir," Caleb stood with his arms crossed looking at the teyrn.

"The letter I received from my sister, you are a very interesting individual,"

"Am I?"

"Trained by Templars and raised by elves, I would say that's quite interesting wouldn't you?"

"You maybe but that's the only life I know,"

"And this must be your templar trainer on his way to Val Royeaux,"

"Ser Thomas, your lordship," Ser Thomas bowed shortly.

"I have had the servants prepare some of the rooms for you; I do hope that you can stay through tomorrow,"

"It would be our pleasure," Caleb looked over at Ser Thomas and mouthed 'What'.

"Wonderful, my servants will lead you to your room,"

The three were led through the interior of the estate. Caleb walked beside Ser Thomas and whispered to him, "I thought we were staying the night, getting what we need for the trip and leaving,"

"We were offered to spend tomorrow here the only real bed we will get to sleep in until we arrive in Jader in Orlais, this is also the last time Eleanor will see anyone from her family for a long time so we owe her this since she didn't have to come with us,"

"I guess so,"

"Let's just stay here tonight, tomorrow we can get what we need for the trip, spend the rest of the day seeing the city, and than we can leave early the next day,"

The three were led to their rooms. As Caleb walked into his room he looked around, it was decorated and looked nothing short of royal. Everything looked so elegant Caleb thought that this must be how all nobles live. He set his backpack at the end of the bed and stripped out of his armor. He lay down in his bed thinking about how long it would take to get to Orlais.