Disclaimer: Dragon Age characters, settings, and all in-game dialogue property of Bioware. I only own my Hawke, Roxanne, and my wonderful Inquisitor, Mhyrra.^^
"Ugh! Remind us once again why we ourselves where required to go fetch the Champion's Warden Friend?" Vivienne groused as drizzle poured on their heads.
"Oh stop your whining, Madame de Fer." Mhyrra tossed back at her.
The trek towards Crestwood had started out simple enough. After exiting the Frostbacks, Ferelden's primarily flat terrain had made the trip quite smooth. But, as before, as they got farther north, the terrain got rockier and more uneven, coupled with the rain that had indeed began pelting them as soon as they entered the region. Moods were beginning to foul, though thankfully most of them where already used to such conditions in one way or another. Most of them.
"Might you at least explain why it would not have been quicker to take horses, at the very least?" Dorian queried, hood drawn up to shield his head.
"One, the weather and terrain would have made horses both impractical and slower than us going on foot. Two, call me insane, but with the typical sort of fare we often end up running into, the horses would be spooked useless and run off right quick. Three, I prefer to leave any fast horses for use by Leliana's agents or Josephine's envoys.
And four, us going on foot while boosted by your Haste magic, Dorian, is even faster than if we'd taken the horses, and from what you told me yourself, it's easier to cast on people than animals."
"Oh fine, flatter me all you like, but let it be known that I am thoroughly exhausted right know, maintaining for so long and on so many!" Dorian huffed.
"Which I imagine is precisely why you're still currently wasting breath complaining instead of saving it." Mhyrra shot back curtly. Let it never be said that she was exempt from the lowered mood of the group. She might not have grown up on Par Vollen or Seheron, but rain coupled with dreary weather, dismal landscape and chilly temperatures we're still very much NOT some of her favourite things. Behind her she could practically hear Bull huffing as if in telepathic agreement.
Nobody else offered anything more, silent as graves as they trekked on. By their estimates, they would reach Harding's forward camp in not too much longer. But even for such a short amount of time, the tenseness in the air was grating on Sera's nerves. So, being herself, she cut it as per her usual: by asking the first question that popped into her mind.
"How come it's not melting?"
Some elected to ignore her, though clearly all had heard her. Roxanne, not having yet learned from past experiences, or perhaps simply not minding so much, took the bite.
"What isn't melting? There's no ice or snow."
"No not that sort of melting, Roxxy." Since the moment she'd heard it, Sera became the only other person than Varric who called her that. She didn't seem to mind. "I mean why isn't Myrri's Vy-tary stuff comin' off in the rain?"
Many blinked, realising that for such a simple question, it was nonetheless a valid one as they looked at the markings on Mhyrra's face, unchanging.
Bull however was the first to respond, the answer preceded by a short laugh.
"Sera, Par Vollen and Seheron are islands. We get storms along the coasts regularly. We'd feel pretty damn stupid if the stuff we use to armour our skin came off from water, fresh or salt."
"Oh."
"Plus," Mhyrra added with a small quirk of the lips, "my mother taught me how to make these recipes particularly water-proof."
"Ah, so while most mothers teach their daughters how to bake biscuits and sew, yours taught you how to make poisonous, skin-hardening war-paint. Suddenly so much about you makes more sense, my dear." Vivienne quipped wryly.
"A slightly more practical thing I'd wager." Solas provided. "And more than many others do."
"That's gotta be the first time you say somethin' I can understand and agree with Baldy." Sera pondered aloud, the bitter taste of raisins rising in her mouth for a moment.
"Well I find the notion and the image it conjures positively adorable." Dorian proclaimed jovially. "Does she still send you some homemade batches for your anniversaries and for Feastday?"
The quirk on Mhyrra's lips dropped entirely.
"No."
That cut the conversation quite short. Many in the group realized that, barring Mhyrra and Bull's initial conversations back when they'd first met, this was actually one of the first times anyone of them had asked her anything more personal about her family.
And judging from her reaction, either she'd last parted with her parents on bad terms, or…
Slowing back from the front and motioning Sera nearer, Dorian and Bull leaned in closer to her.
"Hey Sera, did we just strike a sore point?" Bull whispered.
"Well shite, what do you two smarty-pantses think?" Sera hissed back.
"We mean, what exactly occurred between our illustrious Inquisitor and her progenitors, so that we may avoid stepping in it once more in the future?" Dorian pressed.
"If what you're askin' is what the deal is with Myrri and her old folks, why don't you just try askin' her?"
"There's this wonderful thing called tact, Sera. Perhaps you should read up on it?" Dorian drawled.
"Well, me an' Myrri don't have a lot of wha'ever this 'tacky' stuff is, and we're just great, thank you very much!"
"So are you going to tell us or not?"
"Even if I did know, why would I tell you instead of her?" Sera huffed in exasperation.
The two stared.
"You're serious? You and she have been…amorous for all this time, and you never thought to ask such things?"
"Hey, Myrri never gives me shite over me not wantin' to talk about stupid stuff from ages ago that nobody can change, so why should I? What she does and who she is now is all that matters to me, so I don't ask."
"Really? You of all people, not prying?"
"HEY, this matters! You don't talk piss or screw around with shite that matters!" Sera shouted in their faces, the two men backing up and the others turning to stare.
"You tell them, love." Mhyrra tossed back, smiling. Sera smirked back.
"Ooh, so it matters then? Good to know." Bull touted good-naturedly.
"So glad to hear you approve, Bull." Mhyrra ribbed, while Sera literally slapped him in what little of his ribs she could reach, not that he felt anything.
Mercifully, they spotted the tents of Harding's party as they crested the hill.
"Good to see you all safe, Inquisitor." Harding greeted without her usual glibness. "We've got trouble ahead."
Mhyrra raised an eyebrow.
"If you're on edge, we should alert the entire Inquisition."
Harding cracked a smirk. "Or increase my hazard pay. That's an option."
"Harding, if it comes to it, I'll pay you and your squad out of my own pocket. But are things really that bad?"
Harding motioned for them to follow her to the edge of the cliff-face they were on. From here, it was much easier to gaze over the entire vista of the surrounding lake. Smack dab in the middle of which was an unearthly, ghostly glow emanating from the choppy waters.
"Oh…of course it is." Mhyrra mumbled.
"Crestwood was the site of a flood ten years ago, during the Blight."
"Heh, gotta hand it to 'em Sparky, that kind of luck is almost as great as yours." Varric quipped. Both women ignored him.
"It's not the only rift in the area, but after it appeared, corpses started walking out of the lake."
"Of course they did." Hawke drawled.
"Terrific." Sera groaned, same as almost everyone else. "More walky-dead things." She already started drifting her hand over Zinger.
"Sorry everyone." Harding piped. "But it does look as though you'll all have to fight through them to get to the caves where we suspect serah Hawke's Grey Warden friend is hiding."
"Of course we do!" Mhyrra and Roxanne shouted simultaneously.
"Because absolutely nothing can ever be simple, can it!" Mhyrra yelled.
"You're telling me!" Roxanne exclaimed "I went into the Deep Roads trying to find fortune, ended up discovering a thaig older than the Blights and having my brother turned into a Warden!"
"I helped close a hole in the sky with a glowy mark on my hand, only to have A Darkspawn Magister and an Archdemon show up and try to munch me!" Mhyrra retorted.
"One time all I'd been asked to do was return a Saarebas to his people, and the next thing I knew I was in the middle of a three-year conflict between Chantry extremists and the Qunari!"
"I went from a mercenary to leader of the currently most important force in Thedas!"
"I signed up to help a zany elf rob a duke's vault, turned out she was a former Ben-Hassrath trying to get a hold of a list of names of all Qunari agents in Thedas!"
"Ha! You think that's wacky?! I went to secure the Rebel Mages to help close the Breach, and wound up gallivanting through time for my trouble!"
"A-hey!"
Both women turned from each other to see Scout Harding completely flummoxed and the others staring at them amused, even Sera who was the one who'd interrupted, hands cupped in front of her mouth and smirking.
"You two darlings are just so precious together." Vivienne teased.
"If only we could get some snacks and sell seats, you two would make a killing." Varric chuckled.
"I'd see it. Be like watching two high dragons going at it over which one ate the most brainless hunters." Bull piped.
"I don't doubt it." Sera added with her own smirk to the two women. "But if you two nutters are done comparin' the size of each other's tits, we got people to save and a Warden to find!"
Both blinked, suddenly abashed.
"Ah, right."
"Yes, of course."
Everyone else tried to contain their mirth. Not all succeeded.
"At any rate." Harding managed as she reigned in her humour. "Maybe someone in Crestwood can tell you how to get to the rift in the lake. Maker knows they'll want help."
"Right then." Mhyrra pointed towards the rough direction the road led towards. "Onward, towards undead, panicked townsfolk, and wayward Wardens!"
"You just had to taunt fate, didn't you? You had to practically invite the undead to come over and play!" Dorian shouted as he roasted another shambling corpse before cleaving a blazing fault between a throng of others, warding even more away from his friends.
"You're the Necromancer here, Dorian! Can't you banish them or something?" Mhyrra retorted as her luminescent blade carved a swath of them in twain.
"What's the matter Inquisitor? A few sacks of dead meat to much for you?" Hawke piped as she jabbed one through the skull before blasting another in the face with fire.
"Of course not! I'm handling you just fine aren't I?" A swarm of flares from her staff, incinerating another three firing at them with rotting bows from the roadside.
"Ouch." Varric muttered as Bianca put a few new holes in some of said unfortunate sacks of meat. "Hey Seeker, think you should break them up? You speak angry woman."
"Indeed I do. Would you care for a demonstration, Dwarf?" Cassandra grunted as she basked in the empty skull of one foe before spinning and slashing two others.
"Ah no, that's fine. I'm just saying if we let this little pissing match get out of hand, we might end up spooking the townsfolk worse than the undead."
"Oh I don't know." Bull supplied, a whirlwind of blood, blade and death as he laid into the fray. "I always find my spirits raised whenever I'm about to witness a cat-fight. Always the chance for lost clothes."
"WE CAN HEAR YOU!" both shouted as Mhyrra swung over Roxanne's head as she stabbed behind her, literally getting enemies of each other's backs.
"Woof." Sera giggled as Zinger fried one two, three foes, falling one after the other into sizzling heaps of charred flesh.
Cole locked positively befuddled, even as he spun over Blackwall to plant to knives into approaching targets. "Anger, but hollow and without hurt. I don't understand. Do they need help?"
"I think help is the last thing they need. Particularly not yours, demon." Vivienne answered as she iced over a Rage demon and those corpses surrounding her in a circle, shattering moments later.
"Ignore her Cole. And do not mind the Champion and the Inquisitor, they are…what is the term? Bonding, I believe." Solas assured as he rendered scores of corpses into putrid paste with but waves of his staff.
Blackwall for his part decided to stay out of the banter this time, ploughing on ahead, until he saw something that finally raised his spirits.
Wardens. Wardens were defending the outskirts of Crestwood from the stragglers that'd slipped through or come from another direction, even the handful of demons among them. They were currently even shielding a young woman from the ghastly mob, making short work.
"Over here!" He shouted back to his group just as they finished mopping up.
Everyone gathered up and approached the Wardens. Five or so, all in full armour, including griffon helms. "I'd get straight home if I were you, miss." One of them told the young elf. "The roads aren't safe."
She nodded her head vividly, scampering off.
That same Warden approached Mhyrra.
"Well met Inquisitor. The Grey Wardens thank you for your aid."
Seizing the opportunity, Mhyrra extended her hand.
"Then perhaps you might provide us with the chance to supply you with more of it? Where have the rest of your order gone? We searched for Wardens all throughout southern Thedas, but could only find Sir Blackwall here."
The Warden, shook her hand, then looked at the said man. "Well met, ser."
"Well met, friends. Tell us, what has happened?" Blackwall pleaded.
"No need for alarm, Sir Blackwall. By order of Warden-Commander Clarel and the council of a trusted advisor, the Order is merely consolidating its strength so as to better prepare and respond to the chaos. For the safety of all, I'm afraid we're not at liberty to say where or how."
Mhyrra and Blackwall exchanged glances. They knew an evasive response when they heard one. Still, no sense in tipping their hand just yet.
"Then might you at least, pray tell, say what it is you are all doing here, in the middle of an undead onslaught?"
"Ah well, it was actually mere fortune that we arrived during this troubled time. We actually came to this region looking for a fugitive from the Order by the name of Stroud."
"Truly?" Roxanne feigned masterfully. "And here I thought they said no one ever left the Wardens."
"He is a dangerous traitor, serah. Please, if you happen to discover him, do not hesitate. Attack on sight!" The man proclaimed.
"We shall keep that in mind. But then why does it appear you are leaving? Can't you see these people need help?!" Mhyrra demanded, waving her staff all around them.
"I'm truly sorry, serah. But we've tarried long enough. Now that the road behind you is cleared, we'll be returning to aid our brothers and sisters with a matter far more grave. Besides…" He glanced about at the large group before him. "It appears the Inquisition now has things well in hand."
"Are we certain, sir?" A younger sounding recruit piped up tentatively behind his leader. "I don' think I could sit right knowing we just up and…left."
"Orders are orders."
Fists tightened, but nothing was said. It would be pointless to confront these grunts here and now, and if they were about to leave thinking Stroud was elsewhere, they could not complain.
"Thank you, sir. Safe travels then. In peace, vigilance." Mhyrra saluted, crossing her arms.
"In war, victory." Blackwall did the same.
"In death, sacrifice." The man returned the salute.
The group passed by the Wardens, advancing further towards the heart of the village.
Along the way, they saw the young woman from earlier, stood outside on the porch of her small home, still glancing behind them towards the Wardens.
"Are you alright miss?" Blackwall asked.
"W-what? Oh, yes! I-I mean…" Clearly she was still frazzled. "Did you see how the Grey Wardens saved me from those corpses? They're amazing." She spouted.
"Some of them." Mhyrra mused, glancing at Blackwall. He smiled at the praise.
The woman didn't seem to hear her. "I'm going to see if they're looking for recruits."
That sounded a few alarms in their minds. But no reason to knee-jerk.
"Why exactly would you just up and decide to join the Wardens now?"
The question seemed to bring her back down to ground, her eyes roving up and down Mhyrra's great frame until her eyes sparked in recognition.
"Oh Maker…You're the Inquisitor!"
"In the flesh." She smirked.
"All tall, well-fit oodles of flesh…" Sera sighed wistfully to herself.
The woman recovered. "Um, but yes, the Wardens are heroes, your Worship! They saved me from those demons!" She seemed to focus, setting in determination. "And with all that's happening, here and everywhere, I'd like to help other people the same way."
"Grey Warden or no, the world needs more people with your courage." Blackwall praised.
She beamed. "Thank you sir. That means much to me coming from you." She said, eyeing the griffon embossed on his chest-plate.
Mhyrra thought. She thought fully and carefully.
"What is your name?"
"Jana, your Worship."
"Well Jana, the group that saved you is still here, but they're leaving shortly. If you run to catch them and tell them the Inquisitor herself recommended you for the Order, I'm certain they would take you in."
Shock. Everyone in her group looked at her as if she'd grown a second head. Janna seemed oblivious to this.
"You…you mean it?" She sputtered.
"Jana, let it always be said that neither I nor anyone in the Inquisition ever say things which we do not mean fully. I only ask that you send a letter to the Inquisition once things settle down, if you can. We look after our own, common folk, Wardens and all." Mhyrra smiled at her.
She stayed stunned in place for a moment longer, before lunging forward and hugging Mhyrra as best she could. A commendable effort really, considering she was roughly the same stature as Sera but lacked any of her practice or experience.
"Thank you! Thank you your Worship! I'll live up to your faith in me I promise!" She gushed.
"I've no doubt you will. We'll be waiting for word from you. Now hurry, before they leave and the roads become too dangerous for you to traverse alone."
Jana nodded again, seemed to swoop into her home and divest it of everything she needed with the swiftness of wind, before dashing back out, rucksack slung over her shoulder, shouting her thanks once again as she raced off towards the Wardens.
Dead silence.
"Inquisitor. What. Was that?" Roxanne snarled. "You just sent that girl to her death!"
"Did I?" Mhyrra quipped back. "Certainly, there's the chance that she doesn't make it past recruit, but what would ever make her chances better if she stayed?"
"We know that the Wardens aren't right at the moment!"
"Do we? We are here after all precisely to discover what exactly is happening from your friend Stroud."
"You-"
"Hawke." Mhyrra cut off. "And also anyone else who thinks I've spontaneously lost my mind." She turned to them all. "Think for a moment. Either she actually manages to send us word, however vague, as to where the Wardens are and what they are doing, or we get an ally within an organization that we are currently unsure where we stand towards.
At the very least…" Mhyrra added softly. "If they are indeed not entirely too far gone, perhaps having a soul such as hers join their ranks, especially in these troubled times, will remind the Wardens of what they stand for and who they truly are to people like her and many others: heroes."
Quiet contemplation.
"Are you truly willing to risk her life on it?" Solas questioned firmly, both hands gripping his staff.
"I don't want to." Mhyrra admitted. "But once again, the world is hardly shaped, nor will it ever be, by what I alone am willing to risk, however much that may or may not be. People like her wish to be heroes, and are willing to fight for it? I am merely providing them the chance to try." She reminded.
"And if she were to perish?" Vivienne chimed in, sweeping her arm out. "We are not all so strong as you, my dear. Or as stubborn. If that girl dies, is she then to be considered the only one at fault?"
"Of course not." Mhyrra's eyes softened just a fraction. "The fault would lie with me for pushing her too far before she was ready." Instantly, she hardened once more. "But while I might be willing to wait, the rest of the world is seldom so clement. I acknowledge that my decisions sometimes fail or else end up gravely costing others. I accept that and carry that with me so as to never forget. Could everyone claim to do the same?" Her tone was strong, the question heavy.
"But…doesn't it hurt?" Cole fumbled out in confusion as he wrung his hands, tilting side to side.
"It does." Mhyrra nodded. "And what did I tell you that evening, Cole?"
Cole said nothing more, nor did anyone.
"Enough of this." Mhyrra spun on her heel, pressing forward. "We have a scourge to quell and Wardens to find."
Everyone gathered themselves for a moment, before filing after her. Hawke mulled for second more
"You would all truly follow a woman ready to just charge on ahead and expect you all to follow to the death?" She asked to whomever cared to hear.
"Hey, we all knew more or less what we were joining up for when we hopped aboard the Hero Bandwagon." Bull responded as he stomped past her. "You ask me, way better to swing it alongside your friends while fighting for something worthwhile."
"Speak fer yourself." Sera piped. "This shite is waayy over wha' I signed on for!" She turned to Roxanne as she sauntered forward. "But I'm still here because I want to be. And if Inky's way of fixing the world is 'Keep hammerin' it until it either bends or breaks', I just ask:" She hefted Zinger up, the Silverite gleaming. "Ass or head? Sides, at least she tries her hardest to make sure everyone can stand up to fix our own shite, Miss Always-Taking-Care-of-Other-People's-Shite."
Roxanne nearly winced, but said nothing. They all passed her by until Solas turned to her, face set in a sort of sagely sternness.
"They path of change is often brutal and full of loss and sacrifice, serah Hawke. But the truly brave souls who would see it through nonetheless, whatever their reasons? They are the ones who will carve their names into eternity." A thin smile as he pushed on. "And I would like to have a say in how our future unfolds. Happily, the Inquisition has granted me that chance, and seeks to grant it to countless others. I can ask for nothing more."
Soon she stood there alone in the rain, until a tug at her hand had her notice Varric at side, smiling up at her.
"Not our jolly little gang from Kirkwall, but they sure leave an impression don't they?"
"Better than ours." She quipped.
Varric brightened. "Hey! You said 'ours' instead of 'mine'! Glad to see it's finally sinking in that we were, are, and forever will be, in this shit together."
He began urging her forward. "Come on Roxxy, can't let those guys hog all the spotlight. "The Champion stayed standing in the rain like a valiant flag-pole, her trusty and charming Dwarf companion by her side, whilst the Inquisition raced to save Crestwood from a sodden, rotting grave." Ack, please don't make have to write that!"
She allowed herself a small smile as they both hastily trailed after the group, staff clutched tightly in one hand and the other on Varric's shoulder.
"Oh, you'd just take some of your famous "creative liberties" and say I held off a horde of swooping High Dragons while the others ran around whacking skeletons on the head."
"They would return to see you sitting atop their smouldering carcasses, slouching against their spines, legs swinging, hands behind your head as you smirked down at them and said "What took you guys so long?"!"
The Champion and the Dwarven Bard shared the kind of laugh only the oldest of friends could.
Author's Notes: Whew! Sorry for the Delay everyone!^^'
However, there are infact two reasons for it!
1) I'm striving to try and post each piece in a slightly more 'robust' state, after noticing the more recent ones, even though they were mostly cut to maintain scene synergy, where hoveringg at lower word count than at the start. So I'm trying to experiment. If you wish to have your opinion on this known, please, do not hesitate.^^
2) Much more poignantly, as you might imagine, with the Holiday period winding down and all the new year stuff that always needs to be sorted out before it gets into full swing, as well as this little thing that I'm sure many of you can concur with called "Life", which for me will VERY soon mean exams, I just don't have as much spare time to write it all up, and sadly, even when I do, it's not ALWAYS the absolute first thing I think to do. A close second, but not always first.
But DO NOT despair. I promised to myself, and I promise to you, this Story and it's derivatives shall be seen to the very end!
It definitely won't be by the end of the month. It probably won't even be by the next time I have off time towards the tail-end of February.
But abandoning my first real and honest try at sharing my Stories with all of you is NOT and NEVER WILL BE an Option!
And I can only be supremely grateful for all the support and appreciation you've all shown towards me with your reviews, favs and follows of all my works. I can only hope that I continue to live up to the faith you've all shown towards me!^^
So Cheers, Warm Tidings and Happy New Year to You All and All Your Kin, Everyone! Y'All Are Awesome and Wonderful!
See you soon!