Duncan and Solaryn
Duncan sat by the fire with a tired look on his face and a certain soreness in his bones. He wasn't as young as he used to be, that was certain. There was a time when killing the darkspawn in those ruins wouldn't have even made him break a sweat. Now... it taxed him far more than he was prepared to admit. He wanted to sleep, but by the same token didn't want the nightmares. They had been worsening, even before the Blight had begun, now they were becoming absolutely unbearable. He knew he would go to his calling soon, and would more likely than not meet it during the Blight, foregoing the tradition of a lonely march into the Deep Roads. Better to die then plunge into the dark rather than the other way around, he supposed.
He sighed and his shoulders slumped noticeably as he looked at the elf sitting alone in the distance. At least there was one potential guaranteed to survive the Joining, which would leave the number of wardens in Ferelden more or less unchanged if he or someone else died. Not the most comforting thought, but good enough for the situation. Of course, it wasn't an absolute guarantee that she would survive, but he would give a darkspawn a flower basket if she didn't. It was near inconceivable for anyone to be nearly killed outright by the taint, only to be up and fighting again in a matter of days, and not survive the joining. That, along with her obvious skills as a warrior and sheer willpower, made her an ideal candidate.
But there were of course problems, not the least of which being that he was absolutely certain that she hated him, and fairly certain she hated her tribe too. He even knew why, though he had been far from forceful in his request, she had somehow instantly perceived that she had absolutely no choice in the matter at all, that she would be taken by force if need be. He understood why she would hate him for that, why she would hate her people as well. It was tragic, but he knew she had to work through that at her own pace. He would try to help, he owed the other wardens a ready recruit, and he owed her some sort of explanation. Something beyond the generic spiel on the duties of a warden and why they were necessary.
He stood up and walked over to where she was sitting, and she pretended not to notice. He was used to that, she hadn't said a word to him or anyone since leaving two days ago. He had told her all the basics of being a warden, but nothing confidential. She hadn't reacted, so he had no real way of knowing whether or not she was even listening. He sat down next to her, and doubted that she did so much as look his way. I know this isn't easy for you.
Well, a barely perceptible nod was better than nothing. They only want what's best for you, and you'll be helping them. Every arm against the darkspawn is needed. She didn't react to that and he sighed. She wasn't likely to understand the necessity regardless of what he said. Had he not observed her in the cavern, seen that fire in her eyes when searching for her clanmate, he would not believe her to be the same woman now. Hopefully she'd find the will to fight again the next time she met darkspawn, else the trip would have been both a waste of time and of a life.
If it means anything to you, this wasn't my choice either, not at first. He paused, unsure why he was telling her this. He thought about the warden he had killed, and the events that had led to his own joining. But again, she didn't even bat an eyelid. He didn't show it, but that made him angry, and prompted him to give up. He stood up and walked away. Moments later he was sitting in front of the fire again. He knew he was pushing the wrong way, considering that she was a woman who had been faced with too much too quickly and wasn't coping well. No, not even a woman, barely more than a girl. Regardless, he needed her to be ready. He sighed, perhaps he had made the wrong choice in going to the Dalish, maybe Orzammar would have been better.
Solaryn looked over her shoulder at Duncan, and saw the way the light played off him, rendering part of him in shadow and another in light. He didn't notice and she looked away slowly. She didn't care about darkspawn, or about her clan, or anything else. She was simply... numb. There was nothing in her, and anything would be better than that.
She looked at the grass at her feet without seeing it as her eyes filmed over with tears that she refused to let fall. She noted her hand and the ring upon her finger, the parting gift from the keeper. She held it up to see it better and studied the carved animals on it. Her gaze lingered on a wolf for a moment, and it stared back at her. At the same time she became painfully aware of the weight of the heirloom necklace upon her neck.
You should have left me. She said in a choked whisper. She wasn't referring to her recruitment.