Chapter 21

As the four of them headed into Lothering, Sylina smiled. It looked like a peaceful village. "Here is Lothering. Now, I suggest we resupply and move on lest the humans start begging us for food." Sylina looked confused by Morrigan's reaction and then she saw the refugees. There were tents everywhere outside the village with people and children running around. Most of them looked hungry, dirty, and tired. Sylina's heart broke as she saw the desperation and fear in their eyes.

When they finally walked between all the tents and reached what she assumed was the actual beginning of the town, Alistair turned to her. "I suggest that we decide what our course of action should be before heading into town."

"Ah. I see you have decided to join the land of the living? Falling on your blade in grief seemed like too much trouble I take it?" Morrigan said, sneering at Alistair.

Alistair rounded on her his voice rising, "Can you not understand why I might be upset!? Have you never lost someone important to you? What would you do if your mother died?"

Morrigan started laughing. "Oh, you are serious? Before or after I stopped laughing?"

Alistair shook his head and turned back to Sylina. "Creepy. I don't want to know."

Sylina stepped forward and looked up at Alistair. She had tried to let him grieve since leaving the hut. She had let him follow quietly, and had not asked him any questions. He looked down at her. She saw sadness in his eyes, but there was also determination. "You have been quiet," she said, watching him.

He sighed and nodded,,"I know." He looked out at the rows of tents. "I was...thinking."

Morrigan scoffed. "Tis no wonder it took so long then."

Alistair turned back to glare at her and Sylina put her hand on his arm. "What is it, Alistair?" she asked softly. His gaze fell back to her and softened. He shook his head.

"We need to decide where to head to after Lothering. We have three treaties that we can fulfill: the Dalish elves, the dwarves of Orzammar...and," he glanced at her, "and the Circle of Magi."

Sylina took her hand off his arm and looked up at him. "So what? We just go to these places and ask for their help?"

"Essentially, yes. It shouldn't be too difficult. And perhaps we should even seek out Arl Eamon first."

"You mentioned him before, at Flemeth's hut. Who is he?" Sylina asked him.

"He is the Arl of Redcliffe. A good man. He would be an ally against Teyrn Loghain, and something tells me we are going to need one. But, I don't know. Perhaps we should try to fill one of the treaties first. It is up to you."

Sylina's eyes widened. "Me? Alistair why are you leaving it up to me? I-I can't lead."

"Well I certainly don't want to," Alistair said, taking a small step back, "Wherever you decide to go I will follow."

"Great. The world is doomed," Morrigan said. She made off for the village without another word. Sylina had to admit that she was starting to agree.

"Alistair," she looked up at him. "I know next to nothing about this world. I know magic, some magic - I would not even say I am an expert in that area. And you want me to lead us to stop a Blight...you do realize that is insane?" Sylina couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had no experience leading. In fact, all she had ever done her whole life was what she had been told to do. And now Alistair just wanted her to decide where they would go, which treaties they would fulfill first…he had to be mental.

"Sylina. I know you can do this. And I will help. I just...I just don't want to lead is all. I'll follow your lead, and give you advice when you ask. Just...trust me. Bad things happen when I lead...like we get lost...or people get hurt...or I lose my pants...it's just bad, believe me." Sylina blinked at him and shook her head.

"You are mental," she said, turning and heading into the town.

Alistair hurried to catch up to her. "So...where are we going to go?" he asked casually.

She glared up at him, a little angry that he would throw this responsibility on her shoulders, which still hurt slightly. She huffed. "I will decide later."

Alistair looked worriedly down at her, but stayed silent as they walked into town. Lothering itself was not so exciting. Morrigan had found a trader who had an excellent deal for them specifically. When Sylina asked how Morrigan had gotten it, she had merely shrugged. Alistair had some money and they bought supplies- tents in particular, since they had none, and food. Alistair told her that they would run out of money quickly and Sylina bit her lip. She asked if there were any jobs around town and the trader told them to check the Chanter's board and the tavern. They headed for the tavern first.

They entered the tavern and Sylina almost covered her ears again. It wasn't as loud as the first time, but she still winced. She looked down and saw that Hesper was whining up at her. "Shh, it's okay. We'll just stay and hear the news then leave." She saw Alistair giving her a small smile and she glared up at him and began looking around the tavern. They took several steps inside when a group of men stood up from their table and came walking toward them. Sylina stopped and could feel the tension. The men were leering at her and she wondered if she shouldn't get out her staff.

"Well, well. Look here men. I do believe we were asking about a woman of this description earlier today. Everyone said they hadn't seen her." The man who spoke was obviously a soldier and Sylina felt nervous. Alistair stepped closer to her and she felt Morrigan reach for her staff.

"Loghain's men," Alistair whispered to her. Sylina stiffened and Alistair put his hand on his blade.

"Gentlemen please." A chantry sister appeared next to the soldiers. "These are likely more refugees fleeing the Blight."

"Stay out of this, sister!" one of the men spat. "She's a Grey Warden – a traitor. We are taking her into custody. Loghain will see you pay for your crimes against the king!" Sylina was shocked. She stood, frozen in place, and stared at the men. She didn't see the man grab his blade and unsheathe it. Alistair jumped in front of Sylina, grabbing his blade and meeting the other man's blade as he swung it. The sound of blade meeting blade snapped Sylina out of her shock and, taking a step back, she pulled her hands up and began casting. Hesper threw himself into the fray and she saw him take down one of the soldiers. Sylina saw the Chantry sister stab a man in the back and make quick work of another. Between her and Morrigan's spells, the rest of the men went down quickly.

Finally the leader threw down his blade. "Please don't!" he shouted as Alistair brought up his blade. "I surrender."

"Ah good," the Chantry sister said, walking up to them. There was blood spattered on her robes and she put away her dagger. "He learned his lesson. We can all stop fighting."

Alistair looked at Sylina and she motioned for him to put down his blade. She walked up to the man and kneeled down, looking him in the eye. "Now, explain yourself," she said. "Why does Loghain want my head?" What Sylina had been most shocked about when the man said he was taking her into custody was that he had wanted only her and not Alistair. Alistair had been a Grey Warden far longer than she had – shouldn't they have been after him instead?

The man looked wildly about. "He's put a bounty on any surviving Grey Wardens. Says they are traitors and the reason the king died. I-I saw you at Ostagar, knew you became a Grey Warden. Loghain asked me to stay behind and make sure that if you survived you were brought to him." Sylina shook her head. "P-please. Please don't kill me!" She looked at the man and saw the fear in his eyes. So Loghain remembered her? Or at least this man did. And Loghain would have known that she and Alistair were not in the fray with the rest of the Grey Wardens. Perhaps he thought that if he took her and Alistair out his secret would be safe. She felt her anger rising and she took a deep breath to calm herself.

She got up, "Go." She said pointing her finger at the door, "Go and tell Loghain the Grey Wardens know what really happened at Ostagar." The man stared at her. Then he stumbled to his feet and ran out of the door.

Alistair was looking at her with an amused grin and Morrigan looked annoyed. The Chantry sister walked up to her. "I am glad that you spared him. I am Leliana, a lay sister of the chantry here in Lothering – or, I was."

Sylina nodded. "I am Sylina. Thank you for your help, sister."

Leliana smiled at her. "It was my pleasure. He said you were a Grey Warden? Good. I know you could use help, so I will come along."

Sylina blinked at her. "Um...sister, I'm sorry but I need...um...well more than just prayers to help me defeat the Blight."

Leliana continued to smile at her. "The Maker told me to join you. He came to me in a dream...a vision!"

Sylina almost laughed, but seeing that the woman was clearly serious, she started to step back and ran into Alistair. She looked up at him, her head resting slightly on his armor. He stared at the Chantry lay sister. "I thought we were done with crazy." He looked down at Sylina and a small smile tugged at his mouth. She suspected her face said what she thought of Leliana's vision.

"I-I know that sounds insane...but it's true!" Leliana walked toward them. "You have seen the people in Lothering, their hurt and despair. The Maker does not want this. What you will do, it is the Maker's work. Let me help you!" Sylina stared up at the red-headed sister. She saw sadness in her eyes, but determination as well. She sighed.

"Okay." She felt Alistair stare down at her and realized she was still leaning against him. She straightened and took a step toward the sister. "If you are offering to help, I will take it. I am not in a position to turn anybody away."

"Your brain must have been more addled than Mother originally thought," Morrigan said, staring at her with a disapproving frown.

"Oh thank you so much! I will not let you down," Leliana said, smiling at Sylina. Sylina couldn't help but smile a little back at the woman.