"Ostagar was impressive, younglings," Maly smiled as she looked down at their eager faces, "It gleamed white in the sunlight. That only made King Cailen all the more striking as he greeted me and Duncan. His golden armour was like the sun and gleamed without a single fingerprint," Maly paused and sipped her tea.
"What was the king like?"
"Oh, full of old tales and stories about even older honour and adventures," Maly chuckled softly, "I thought him so young and excited. But, he was kind and took time to greet the young mage that stood before him."
"I heard that he died at Ostagar and so did Duncan the Warden."
The old mage sighed sadly, "Indeed. It was hard to realize that. Duncan was a good man, a noble man and Cailen, he was so young in spirit."
The mage paused and adjusted her lap blanket, taking the time to compose herself. It would not do for the boys to see her come undone during her tale. No, she would reveal the horrors of the story, but without falling prey to her own emotions.
"Duncan had sent myself and Alistair to the Tower of Ishtal at the king's request. That was the only reason two Grey Wardens survived when Loghain pulled his men out. Well, that and Flemeth's magical rescue."
"The Witch of the Wilds," one boy exclaimed, "How did she rescue you?"
"I am told that she swooped down in the shape of a giant bird and plucked Alistair and me right off the top of the tower," Maly chuckled at the amazement on each boy's face, "I was told that by Flemeth's daughter, but she had an odd sense of humour. I do not know if that really happened. I had been badly wounded and only Flemeth's magic kept me alive."
Maly cleared her throat and reached once more for her tea. How could she explain to these young boys who had grown up in a world of peace the terrors that she had seen? Did she even want to?
"What happened then?"
"Hush, she and Prince Alistair started gathering armies, you nug," the older of the two lightly punched his friend in the shoulder.
"Boys," Maly's voice reminded her a moment of Wynne's. She paused. Wynne… It had been ages since she had thought of the older mage, now long gone into the Maker's embrace. Ages since she had heard Wynne's voice take on the exact exasperated tone with Alistair. Even now, his name brought a bittersweet pain to the mage's heart. It no longer felt as though she was ripping in two, rather, it was a pang for what might have been.
"And yes, Alistair and I started gathering allies. We started with Flemeth's daughter, Morrigan."
"And you ended up with an Antivan Crow, a dwarf, a mabari, a qunari, and a golem," the older boy interrupted, his voice taunt with excitement.
"And do not forget an Orlesian bard," Maly laughed. They were charming scamps, truth be told and it had been a long time since anyone had diverted her thoughts so. The nightmares had started, shaking her to the very marrow in her bones. She needed something to keep her mind off what that meant.
The youngest boy moved to rest his head on her knee and she absently stroked his hair. It was blond, rather like Alistair's. How silly she was being today, seeing her old lover everywhere she turned.
"So, you have heard of Ostagar, what other tales can I tell you?"
"What of the Deep Roads," asked the older boy.
"I do not think that is a tale you should hear. The Deep Roads are too horrifying, even for brave lads such as yourselves." Maly could feel the tension slip out of the younger boy. He would have listened to her tale to prove his bravery, but regretted later that night. Far better to spare him the nightmares.
"Did you know how I came about my faithful Mabari, Etzian," Maly asked, deftly changing the subject. At the shaking of their heads, she continued, "I was wandering through Ostagar before the battle. I had not even been made a Grey Warden at this point. The kennel master asked for my help in muzzling the great, slobbery beast," Maly paused, smiling fondly, "He had bitten a darkspawn and tasted the tainted blood even as his owner had perished. The kennel master asked me to find a herb in the forest when I went out for medicine."
"I didn't see the beast again because that night I became a Grey Warden and the battle began. All I knew at that point was surviving. The dog never crossed my mind, I'm afraid. And yet, one day, while walking towards Lothering form the Wilds, I heard a bark," Maly cleared her throat and reached for her tea, "And there he was, racing towards me, his stump of a tail wagging as though it would fly from his rear end," Maly paused as the boys laughed.
"Of course, he brought me quite the gift. A warband of darkspawn were following him. They were quickly dispatched and Etzian became a member of our little group. He was good dog, faithful and strong. He would talk to me, just as I am talking to you, it seemed."
"But, mabari are fierce warhounds," the littlest apprentice spoke up, his voice soft with shyness.
"Yes, they are. Etzian was no different. He would charge into battle with a ferocious bark, chomping and biting everything he could get his mouth on. But, he was also kind and loving, a truly faithful friend. I miss him dearly."
"I want a mabari too!"
"Me too!"
Maly laughed, "I don't know, children, I think the First Enchanter would have something to say about that."