Maker forgive me when did I last update? Let me explain. See I went on a escapade to Las Vegas where my laptop screen sorta melted due to the ... heat. I took it to get fixed but then my hard drive died and had to be replaced, then when I got the new hard drive I killed it by reinstalling everything that was on my previous hard drive onto it in a matter of hours, so it had to be replaced again. And if you mix that with matters of my life (I began dating someone and started college) I've been a bit of a busy bee... But not worry ladies (and some gentleman) I've been writing my story on paper and I have even more then this chapter ready to be typed up and should be up within a few days if not this evening. (And yes I have been on the bioware social forums but that was on the "family" computer so forgive me but I really don't want my parents seeing this ha ha. ^-^')
Anyway Read & Review or my laptop might be die again and the story won't update for another 2 months *innocent whistle*
Shale groaned sarcastically to herself as she saw the warden and the bard lip locked, "Hmm I never saw that in Honnealth." The stone's entertainment was brief though as she saw a raven perch above her on a tree branch. Instantly she gave the bird a threatening glare, who smiled back at her intelligently.
"Witch…" The raven cawed back mockingly and flew down next to the jeweled stone, transforming into a witch of the wilds laughing at Shale who threatened, "You will not be laughing once I crush your thin bones into a dusty paste." Morrigan smiled,
"One must find entertainment to pass the night, yes?"
"Like those two squishy meat bags over there?" Morrigan glanced over at the warden and Leliana, who were removing themselves from each other, flushed from excitement and embarrassment. Leliana giggled at the warden and told her goodnight and went to her tent, while Morrigan and Shale both stared at them disgusted and disturbed. "I'm going back to sleep…" Morrigan stated walked back to her isolated tent while Shale grumbled away and went for a walk. "It's moments like these when I wish I could sleep."
"Dear Maker please tell me we will never have to fight another dragon again." Alistair grumbled on top of Frost Back Mountain. Lenimph chuckled while pulling her dar- missan out of the dead highdragon, "The Archdemon is a dragon of sorts this was just a taste of what's to come." Leliana came down from her archer point, while Morrigan ran to them. "Are you okay?" the bard cooed at the Dalish who had a tiny scratch on her arm and a few bruses.
"Of course she's fine! I'm the one who was literally in that things mouth for who knows how long." Alistair gasped, exhausted in his warden commander armor. Morrigan rolled her eyes at the group, "Should we continue to find these heavenly ashes? Or are we all going to stand here and listen to this buffoon? I would prefer the personal insight to the Maker."
"Very funny Morrigan, it amazes me how you can see all this around you and still be so skeptical." Leliana choked out bitterly."
"There are lots of explanations for what lies around you girl." Morrigan barked.
"Hey!" The elf commanded at both of them, "I could care less about who believes in what, we are here for the ashes, so shut up both of you, and Morrigan would you please heal Alistair if you want him to calm down." Morrigan grumbled and complied, but smiled as she saw the bard frown at the warden. The bard was already mad at the warden for not allowing Genitivi to come with them, even though Lenimph insisted it was for his own good, but she would not let her spoil her mood.
They entered another building on top of the mountain, "What is this place?" Alistair asked, "It's different from the rest of the buildings…" Lenimph saw a figure at the other side of the room and instantly jogged towards it. "Welcome pilgrim." It spoke, and the warden asked who he was, and he replied that he was the guardian of the sacred ashes. He told his tale of his situation, how he carried Andraste to this place and remained to protect her and of the villagers cult. "Can you show me the ashes?" The elf asked.
"You have come to honor Andraste, and you shall, if you prove yourself worthy."
"So I have to fight you?" The elf asked confused.
"It is not my place to decide if you are worthy, the gauntlet does that. If you are worthy you will see the urn and be allowed to take a small pinch of the Ashes if not…"
"All right, let's just get this over with."
"Before you go there is something I must ask. I see the path that led you here was not easy. There is suffering in your past; your suffering, and the suffering of others." The elf nodded.
"Tamlen was one of your tribe… a blood brother." Lenimph frowned, as the Guardian continued, "You left him in the ruins… left him to his fate. Tell me pilgrim, did you fail Tamlen?"
"How do you know of my past?" The elf asked hostile.
"Your path is laid out before me, in the lines in your face, and the scars in your heart."
"My answer is my own, Guardian."The elf let out bitterly looking at the floor holding in tears.
"Very well you know your own heart," the guardian concluded. Alistair budded in on this, "Now you have me curious." The warden gave him a scowl. Leliana commented seeing the hurt face on her love, "What's past is past; there's no need to open up old wounds." Morrigan simply stated, "A wise decision warden, do not fall for this spirits tricks."
"And what about those who follow you… Alistair you wonder if things would have been different if you were there to protect Duncan from the final blow?" the guardian asked. Alistair hung his head, "I… yes if Duncan had been saved and not me everything would be better…"
"And you," The guardian stared at Leliana, "Why do you say the Maker speaks to you when everyone knows he is gone. He spoke only to Andraste, do you believe herself her equal?"
"I never said that! I…"
"In Orlay you were someone, in Lothering you feared you would lose yourself, become a drab sister, and disappear. When your brothers and sister of the cloister criticized you for what you professed, you were hurt, but you also reveled in it. It made you special; you enjoyed the attention, even if it was negative."
Leliana scowled, "Your saying that I made it up for… for the attention? I did not. I know what I believe." Lenimph and Morrigan smiled at this, but for entirely different reasons.
"And you Morrigan, Flemeth's daughter… what-" Morrigan hastily cut him off, "Be gone spirit I will not play your games."
"I will respect your wishes. The way is open, good luck, and may you find what you seek." And with that the guardian left them to continue and reflect. They were all quiet; there was no bickering as the dalish tried her best to answer the spirits' questions. In the next room they encountered doubles of themselves, which they found easy to defeat. Upon reaching the floor puzzle Leliana esteemed, "Ooh, this looks fun! I'll bet we'll have to work together, join hands, and sing a happy song to get across." Morrigan gave her glare, while Lenimph and Alistair giggled. Once they made one piece of the bridge solid they figured out the pattern necessary to solidify the complete bridge. Lenimph still, however, was not certain about the hovering stones enough to lead them across.
"Alistair you go first…" Lenimph commanded still on her step switch.
"Isn't the term, 'Ladies first?' " Alistair squeaked from the other side of the bottomless pit
"Today we'll make you an honorary woman." Leliana joked
"We'll even stab you in the gut to make you bleed like one as well." Morrigan mocked. The girls looked at the witch mortified, while Alistair quickly ran across the bridge terrified. "Eww, Morrigan you don't think that was… a bit much?" Leliana asked concerned. Morrigan shrugged her shoulders, "What? You act as if you don't know I hate him." The warden sighed and they caught up with Alistair, where they were stopped by a wall of flames.
"The plaque says we have to remove our… clothing." Lenimph announced.
"What!" Alistair gasped. Morrigan laughed at him and gave him a greedy smile, "The virgin boy is nervous…"
"Hey! I am not a-"
"Then stop acting like one then." Morrigan snickered. The warden simply ignored the rest of them and was distracted by a smile on Leliana's face. Morrigan looked over at the two women carrying unchaste smiles and shook her head pondering if she should just turn around and wait outside. But the nakedness lasted no longer then a second as they crossed the fire and quickly redressed. "Never again…" Alistair groaned.
The elf wasted no time she ran to the ashes and quickly took a bit… "Well that was anti-climatic." Morrigan muttered. What surrounded the elf confused and perplexed her. She was raised on pagan gods and enjored the pagan tales but to her they were never truly more than tales. She never really embraced it, religion to her felt more like folklore and a way to express culture but not an actual fate. In fact, if anything, she felt that all religion clouded the views of others. Even her people excluded themselves from the world largely because of it. And now in her hand lay pouch of a woman who united dozens, even Lenimph's people, against a single cause, because she was the "betrothed of the Maker".
This powerful woman, whether she was really blessed by the maker, freed the warden's people, yet when she was gone, her words were morphed, Andraste's followers and the elves lost, and the fighting insured.
Andraste united an army that only started another war.
By the way I apologize for the lame period joke to make for up I'll give the hint that someones going to show up in camp next chapter and their name starts with a T