"Can we please stop?" Elissa groaned. It was dark and the only light they had to go by was the blue glow in Morrigan's hand. But she was so far ahead of Alistair and Elissa that they kept tripping over tree roots and rocks and Maker knows what else.
"We must keep moving," Morrigan sighed. "Darkspawn do not just give up because you are tired Warden."
"My name is Elissa," Elissa glared at Morrigan.
"As you say Warden," Morrigan smirked but kept moving.
Elissa tripped over another tree and Alistair caught her before she face planted it into some murky water. "Thanks," Elissa mumbled. She was shivering and pulled her damp cloak tightly around her.
Alistair sighed he wanted to stop as well but the walking and moving kept his mind off of Duncan.
They continued to walk for hours until dawn was on the horizon. They finally cleared the Wilds and as soon as Elissa saw the fields she fell to the ground and sighed thankful to be out of the damn swamp.
Morrigan looked back at her and frowned. Alistair bent over and put his palms on his knees and took deep breaths.
"We must keep moving," Morrigan said.
"You have got to be kidding me?" Elissa looked up and forced herself to sit on her knees.
"No, I am not kidding you," Morrigan glared.
"You haven't been injured. We, might I remind you were injured. I'm exhausted I hurt and I want to sleep!" Elissa frowned.
"Lothering is close," Morrigan said.
"No one is awake at this hour in Lothering! We can afford to find a place to sleep," Elissa growled.
Morrigan sighed she looked at Alistair. He was worn out as well but he wasn't complaining out loud like the little noble girl. Oh yes, Morrigan could tell Elissa was a noble. It was the way she walked and talked.
"Fine," Morrigan said. "I have done my duty anyway and escorted you out of the Wilds you lead from here."
"Then I'm leading us to sleep," Elissa forced herself up. She started walking towards a cliff in the distance. It would give them shelter. As soon as she was there she lay down and didn't care about the others. She had pushed herself almost all night just to get out of the swamp.
Lucky curled up in front of Elissa helping her keep warm. Within minutes she was sleeping.
Alistair stared at her from where he had taken a seat. He wondered how she could go to sleep so fast. Every time he closed his eyes he remembered Ostagar. He saw Duncan. He thought about all the ways he could have saved Duncan, saved them all.
"Do you not share your fellow Warden's exhaustion?" Morrigan asked. She was going about making a fire.
Alistair looked up at the witch. He didn't feel like answering her but forced himself to speak. "So you can kill both of us in our sleep? No I think I'll stay awake."
"I will not kill either of you fool. How else will we end this Blight?" Morrigan sighed.
Alistair sighed he felt he was being ridiculous but he didn't trust her or her mother. He finally forced himself to remove his shield and the sword Elissa gave him and then used his pack as a pillow. He closed his eyes and thought he'd be haunted by his thoughts but he only found peace in sleeping.
Elissa slowly woke up she felt groggy and still exhausted. She had a feeling she'd feel that way for weeks and possibly months to come. She sat up and saw that Morrigan was still asleep. Alistair was snoring away and mumbling in his sleep. She smiled at that. "Stay and guard," Elissa whispered to Lucky.
She went into the field and looked for some rabbits to kill for breakfast. She found three and brought them back. When she reached the camp Alistair came awake and grabbed his sword and held it out towards Elissa ready to strike.
Elissa froze and raised an eyebrow. "Is this how you say good morning?"
"Shit, I'm sorry Elissa," Alistair set the blade down and ran his hand through his hair. He looked down at the ground and frowned. He was starting to feel the taint within Elissa. He looked at her and wondered if she had the nightmares yet.
Elissa went about cleaning the rabbits and then cooked them over the fire with herbs she found bound inside of them. Fergus had insisted she learn how to cook while out on the move. She didn't relish the task especially cleaning the rabbits but it was necessary now.
Morrigan awoke and gracefully stood up and walked away from the camp without a word. Elissa found herself wishing she wouldn't come back but she knew she would.
"Need me to do anything?" Alistair asked.
"Nope," Elissa smiled at him.
"I'm glad you can cook if it were up to me we'd be having charred rabbit," Alistair smiled back.
"Another reason I choose the bow instead of a sword, I can hunt," Elissa winked at him.
They sat in silence and when the rabbits were done Elissa and Alistair went about cutting the meat into chunks. They'd take some of it along to eat when they couldn't build a fire or hunt. Morrigan came back just in time and Elissa handed her a leaf full of rabbit. Morrigan took it without saying thank you and walked to her corner of the camp.
"Ungrateful wench," Alistair muttered.
"Aye," Elissa nodded. They ate quietly then put out the fire. They continued to walk towards Lothering. They came to the Imperial Highway and traveled on that the rest of the way.
Elissa saw in the distance about five men lounging around on abandoned wagons. She paused and looked at Alistair. "Great," he whispered.
They continued walking and the men stood up when they approached. "Greetings travelers," the leader said.
Elissa studied him. He was a shady sort, with scars across his face to prove it. He had greed in his eyes and weapons and men to back him up. That was a dangerous combination. She looked behind them and noticed the body of a man. Elissa wondered how long the man had been dead. She turned her gaze back to the leader.
"Uh these people don't look like refugees," a second man said. Elissa didn't look at him she kept her eyes on the leader.
"Highwaymen," Alistair whispered.
"They are fools to get in our way, I say we teach them a lesson," Morrigan tsked.
"Now is that anyway to greet someone? A simple ten silvers and you are free to move on," the leader smiled.
"So you're toll collectors then?" Elissa asked crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"Indeed, for the upkeep of the Imperial Highway. It's a bit of a mess as you can see," he smiled.
Elissa looked around, "Perhaps you should charge more then."
"Oh you want to pay more do you? We'll gladly take donations," he smiled at Elissa and took a step forward. Lucky growled and the man looked down then took a step back.
"I'm just saying it's a small pittance for such a rough job," Elissa sighed.
"I don't know about you but that sounded like a threat," the leader laughed. The second man behind him agreed. "I don't know if you noticed miss but you are outnumbered."
Elissa looked at each of the bandits. She smirked, "It's hard to be out numbered by common thugs."
"Well that's just sad," the leader pulled his sword. "Kill the man and the dog subdue the women we'll have a bit of fun with them before we kill them."
Alistair was quick and had his weapons drawn and stepped in front of Elissa before they could attack. Elissa grabbed two throwing weapons from her belt and with a flick of her wrists threw them at two of the five men. They both went down. Morrigan took out a third man saying a spell underneath her breath as a bolt of lightning flung from her hand and into the man's chest. Alistair knocked down the leader and Lucky was mauling the fifth guy. Elissa winced watching Lucky latch onto his neck she did not envy that guy at all.
"I surrender!" the leader shouted.
"Surrender?" Alistair scoffed.
"You threatened to rape me and my friend," Elissa growled. "We're turning you in."
"There's no one here to turn me in to. Just the Templar's and they'll just execute me," the leader panicked.
"They'll do what they must," Alistair said.
"I'm not going without a fight," the man lunged for Elissa but Alistair's sword plunged into the man's stomach.
Elissa watched as the light faded from the man's eyes. She looked at Alistair and knew he didn't like taking a human's life. She had grown immune to it since Highever. She had a feeling it would be like this until the Blight ended. Bandits, thieves and even those who were desperate.
Elissa retrieved her blades and cleaned them off and walked down the ramp that led into the town. "Ah Lothering," Alistair sighed. "Pretty as a painting."
"Oh you've finally decided to rejoin us have you? Falling on your blade in grief was too much trouble I take it?" Morrigan scoffed.
"Is my being upset too hard for you to understand? Have you ever lost anyone important to you? Just what would you do if your mother died?" Alistair growled.
"Before or after I stopped laughing?" Morrigan asked.
"Right, very creepy. Forget I said anything," Alistair grumbled.
It was the first time Alistair made a cheerful comment she noticed. Morrigan must have noticed it as well. Anyone could see the grief written all over Alistair's face. It had been written on her face as well but she knew how to hide her feelings when she must. "Leave him alone Morrigan," Elissa sighed. She felt the headache coming back.
"How can I? He's right there, speaking, eyes wide like those of a brainless calf," Morrigan smirked.
Elissa felt like screaming. "Right, what's on your mind Alistair?"
"Oh this should be good," Morrigan crossed her arms.
Alistair glared at Morrigan then looked at Elissa. "I thought we should talk about what we plan on doing."
"I assume we start with the treaties and Eamon?" Elissa asked.
"I agree," Alistair said. "I think we should go to Eamon first."
Elissa felt panic, they'd find out who she was sooner or later. Going to Eamon was going to be like ripping her wounds open again. Anything that reminded her of her parents was going to hurt.
"Okay," Elissa nodded. "We'll do that. First we'll get supplies here see if we can find jobs to get money since I'm sure we're cut off from Grey Warden funds."
"Great," Morrigan mumbled.
"You can wait outside of town Morrigan," Elissa glared at the woman.
"No, I'll tag along. I like playing with fire underneath the stupid Templar's noses," Morrigan smiled at Alistair and started to walk into town.
Elissa and Alistair stayed where they were and watched her go. "Do we have to keep her with us?" Alistair asked.
"If she makes me mad anymore I'm kicking her ass back to the Wilds. But Flemeth is right we need help," Elissa sighed.
"All right," Alistair sighed as well. He went over to the side of the ramp and placed his hands on the ledge.
"Do you want to talk about Duncan?" Elissa asked. She hated seeing Alistair in pain and knew what he was going through.
Alistair shook his head and looked at her, "You don't have to do that. You didn't know him as well as I did."
"I just figured you needed someone to talk to," Elissa sighed and went over and stood by him. "And he was like a father to you."
"I just wish there was something I could have done," Alistair whispered. "I feel like I failed him. I know that may sound stupid but I wish I could have been there. To protect him, I don't know to have taken the blow that ended his life."
Elissa knew what he was saying. It was something she lived with daily since leaving her parents behind. "That doesn't sound stupid at all Alistair," Elissa whispered. "I know what you mean."
"But then I'd be dead and that wouldn't make him any happier would it," Alistair sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He looked down at Elissa who was studying the stones. "Have you lost anyone close to you?"
Elissa sucked in a deep breath. "I've lost enough to know what you are going through," Elissa swallowed the lump in her throat.
Alistair nodded, "What a wonderful pair we make don't you think? Two Grey Wardens who are lost in their grief."
Elissa laughed, "At least neither of us have anything to lose at this point."
"Very good point," Alistair smiled. "Thank you for listening to me. I should be handling this better. There's so much riding on us what with the Blight and everything."
Elissa turned towards Alistair and placed her hand on his. "Hey," Elissa smiled. "Don't beat yourself up. Duncan was family to you. Maker knows I've done nothing but mourn since I left Highever."
"Is that where you lost people close to you?" Alistair asked.
"Yes," Elissa nodded. "And at Ostagar."
"Who?" Alistair frowned. He didn't know she had anyone at Ostagar.
"My brother," Elissa looked away. "He was out scouting."
"He could still be alive," Alistair looked around. "There's a lot of refugees here we can look."
Elissa sighed then nodded. She would look but she lost her ability to hope he was alive.
"What do you say we go get supplies and see if there's anything we can do to help these people?" Alistair asked.
"How long until the horde takes this place?" Elissa asked looking at Lothering. Tents were set up outside the wooden walls. She frowned wishing there was more that they could do.
"A couple of weeks I would say," Alistair sighed. "The horde is moving at a slow pace. Duncan thought it was because the archdemon is still gathering his army in the Deep Roads."
Elissa frowned, "Let's go we have work to do."