"Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that can not be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten. And that one day we shall join you." Traven said. Zeriah stared quietly at the floor, mouthing out the words that had been seared into her brain when she had first heard them. Like Traven, she knew that they were words she would never forget. She looked up at the four recruits that stood in a semi-circle before her.
Mhairi, so young and eager to see the world. Her blue eyes held no fear at what was to come. Zeriah found it admirable, and she hoped the girl would survive. Anders, always full of good humor even in the darkest of times. His eyes darted around the room as though trying to seek escape. Zeriah knew that from this, there was no escape. She was prepared to wield the sword that would end his life if he tried to run. Nathaniel, her old friend, hardened by years of experiences too dark for most to handle. He stood stoically as always, ready for what was to come. And Oghren, mostly drunk but always prepared for battle. Zeriah squinted at him. He was drunk already. She sighed and shook her head, wondering if the amount of alcohol he drank would give him a tolerance to what was in the Joining chalice.
"Oghren, from this point forward, you are a Grey Warden." Varel said, passing the chalice to the ginger dwarf. Oghren took a huge swig of the mixture, causing Zeriah to wince. After he swallowed, he belched loudly and giggled. His eyes turned a milky white color, but he did not fall over. He laughed again and pulled out his own flask, taking a swig of the alcohol within. Zeriah rolled her eyes. That dwarf would be the death of her. "Err...he lives, Commander." Varel said.
"Of course I do, you duster." Oghren grunted. Zeriah chuckled softly. Varel took the chalice and turned to Nathaniel.
"Nathaniel, from this point forward, you are a Grey Warden." he said. Nathaniel gently took the chalice and drank its contents. He immediately gagged and he fell to his knees as his eyes turned the same milk-white that Oghren's had. He fell to the floor, twitching for a moment and was still. Zeriah released the breath she had been holding when she saw that his chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. He was still alive.
"Maker's breath." Anders whispered.
"Anders, from this point forward, you are a Grey Warden." Varel repeated. Anders took the chalice and studied the liquid within for a long time.
"Here goes nothing, I suppose." he joked weakly, taking a drink. The mage choked immediately, and Zeriah had to stop Traven from going forward. He fell forward onto his face before flipping over to his back. He was still breathing.
"He's alive, Trav." Zeriah whispered. Traven nodded and relaxed slightly. Varel turned to the final recruit, Mhairi. Zeriah could see the fear in her eyes, and a tremble in her hands. If Mhairi let the fear take over she wouldn't survive.
"Stay strong, Mhairi. You cannot let the fear win. Remember what you're fighting for." Traven said urgently. Mhairi looked at him for a long time before the fear in her eyes turned to determination.
"Mhairi, from this point forward, you are a Grey Warden." Varel said, handing her the chalice. Mhairi took a drink and quickly lowered herself to the ground to avoid falling. Her eyes turned white, and she began to thrash on the floor.
"Come on, Mhairi." Zeriah muttered. Beads of sweat broke out across the girl's forehead as she fought the corruption that spread through her veins. Suddenly she was still and the entire room held their breath. Varel crouched down beside her and felt for a pulse. A small smile crossed his features.
"She lives, Commander. Congratulations." he said. Everyone let out a sigh of relief at the news. Four new recruits and no deaths. Zeriah thought it must be a record.
"Let's get everyone to their rooms. They will need rest." she ordered.
Traven stared into the fire in the center of the hall. In less than an hour nobles would begin to file into the chamber to swear fealty to Zeriah, but for now the room was empty. He watched the flames dance for a time before thrusting his bare hand into the center. He heard a gasp and he glanced into his peripheral vision. Mhairi stood there, no longer wearing her armor, her short brown hair curling slightly just above her shoulders. He pulled his hand out, keeping the flames licking lightly against his skin.
"I apologize, messere, I do not have much experience around magic." Mhairi said quietly. He glanced at her again, and she seemed as fascinated by the flames as he was. He looked back down at his hand as the fire swirled about. There was something about the fire that seemed so elegant. It always reminded him of...he let the flames disappear from his hand more quickly than he ever had before. "You did not have to stop." Mhairi said. He had almost forgotten about her.
"It's not...That's not why I stopped. I should go." he said, quickly standing and brushing past her. She stopped him with a hand on his arm.
"Wait, serah, I wished to thank you." she said hurriedly. He looked down at her plain features. Her eyes were too large and her nose was slightly too big. She had a small, thin-lipped mouth that didn't smile enough. Her skin was pale and creamy with her youth, and a rosy blush gave her cheeks color. She wasn't unattractive, but he didn't see anything special about her.
"Thank me? For what?" he asked. She looked down at the floor shyly, her long lashes touching her cheeks.
"You pulled me away from my fear. I don't think I would have survived the Joining if it weren't for your encouragement. Thank you." she admitted. He was surprised, but he gave her a short nod.
"It is no trouble, child." he muttered in his best "senior enchanter" voice, shoving past her again. He could feel her eyes on him as he left the hall, but she said nothing. Traven had seen the hurt on her face when he called her "child" but he didn't care. She needed to learn that falling for him would only bring heartbreak.
"Trav." a voice called. He spun around to see Zeriah sitting near a window. She reeked of oil and he saw that she had been cleaning and polishing the pure black armor that she had worn while killing the archdemon, and for her arrival to Vigil's Keep, and she was now putting everything away.
"Yes?" he asked. She arched an eyebrow at him.
"I heard that." she pointed out. He shrugged.
"What's your point?" he questioned. She continued staring at him with those piercing emerald eyes of hers.
"There was no need for that." she pointed out. He groaned.
"What else was I supposed to do? I can't deal with...She just needs to leave me be." he admitted. She nodded slowly.
"There is no harm in her having a crush on you, Traven. You are a strong, attractive, mysterious man. You can't blame her for being interested." she reminded him. He closed his eyes.
"She's too young." he argued. She laughed merrily and he glared at her. "It's true!" he said. She rolled her eyes.
"Trav, she's no younger than Kierrai." she retorted. He frowned. Kierrai was only four years younger than himself. Something about Mhairi just made her look so young.
"Well she's significantly more naïve." he grumbled. Zeriah shrugged.
"Not many women have seen as much as Kierrai has at nineteen, you know. Mhairi has probably seen about as much as most people." she explained. Traven groaned.
"And what is so wonderful about that? She is average, nothing more. There is nothing exotic or intriguing about her, she is plain and boring. Why would I want someone like that?" he shouted. Zeriah blanched, and Traven did not have to turn around to know who stood behind him. Mhairi sprinted past him, not making a sound.
"Mhairi!" Zeriah called worriedly. The small commander directed a glare to Traven. "That was unnecessary. You should apologize." she scolded. Traven felt his stubbornness kicking in.
"I will not. Maybe now she'll get the picture." he grunted before heading toward his rooms.
Zeriah watched Traven stalk away in a huff. She sighed and picked up her things before following after the tearful Mhairi that had rushed by. The poor woman had heard every word Traven said about her. It was completely unlike him to be so blatantly cruel, but, he hadn't really been himself since Morrigan left. Losing her had broken something inside him, and Zeriah hoped that someday he would let himself heal. She knocked quietly on the door to Mhairi's room.
"Go away, please." a voice cried. Zeriah smiled sadly.
"Mhairi, it's Zeriah, may I come in?" she asked. Mhairi gasped.
"No...well...I suppose." she whimpered. Zeriah heard the door unlock and she walked through. The young warden was wiping her eyes as she sat on the bed. "Yes, Commander?" she asked, acting as though nothing was wrong.
"I want to discuss what happened back there." she said, sitting beside the younger woman. Mhairi laughed bitterly.
"What is there to discuss? He was right, I am nothing special." she spat. Zeriah touched her shoulder.
"Mhairi-" she began.
"No, Commander, it's true. I'm no exotic beauty like you. There is nothing exciting about my face or body. I haven't seen much of the world. I thought I would when I joined the army but I mostly just stayed in and around Denerim. I'm completely unremarkable. Serah Traven is right to think me plain and naïve. It...it just hurts to hear, I suppose." she admitted. Zeriah shook her head.
"That is a lie, Mhairi. No one that I recruit is anything less than extraordinary. You wouldn't have survived the Joining if you were unremarkable. And you can see the world now, Mhairi. You're young, and there is plenty of time. I, myself, have never been outside of Ferelden. Yet you seem to think I am worldly. You are anything but ordinary." she promised. Mhairi smiled softly.
"Then why would he say what he did?" she breathed. Zeriah sighed.
"Traven is...he's been through a lot the last few years. If he were in his normal state of mind, he would never be harsh like that. He's truly a kind soul." she explained. Mhairi nodded slowly.
"What happened to him to cause him to be like this?" she asked. Zeriah shook her head.
"It is not my place to say. But I will say that a friend broke his heart." she admitted. Mhairi nodded.
"Thank you for taking the time to see me, Commander." she said. Zeriah smiled.
"Call me Zeriah. You're a Grey Warden now, and we will be friends. You can always come to me." she said. Mhairi grinned.
"Thank you, Zeriah." she said.
"When did you join the army?" the commander asked. Mhairi shook her head ruefully.
"I was sixteen. My parents had arranged a marriage for me with a man in our town. He was a good man, but I was not made to be a trophy. I left them a note telling them that I loved them and I was gone." she explained. Zeriah raised an eyebrow.
"Have you seen them since you left?" she asked. Mhairi nodded.
"I've gone back a few times to see them and my sisters. When I left, my next sister married the man instead. She was a much better fit." she said. Mhairi glanced out the window at the setting sun. "I appreciate that you're trying to get to know me, Zeriah, but you should probably ready yourself for the nobles." she pointed out. Zeriah leaped to her feet. She had completely forgotten about the nobles.
"Thank you, Mhairi! Don't be afraid to come to me when you want to talk!" she called as she ran out the door. There was still much for her to do.