Chapter 13
~Scars~

Alistair

We left the Tower after about six days. Morriana's arm and leg were healed, but Wynne had said to take it easy. Morriana and I didn't really discuss what happened between us, but I didn't know whether that was good or bad. Morriana agreed to let Wynne come, since we couldn't just have Morrigan healing everyone and even Morrigan was grateful. For once.

We were currently walking down the road and I had told Morriana that we'd be there in about a day or two. She nodded at me with a small smile. I couldn't help but think back to what Wynne told me about her. I just couldn't believe it. But when I started watching more closely I saw that she winced when a gust of cold wind hit her arm or her leg. Not only that but, she constantly wore long sleeved shirts under her armor.

We made camp near Lake Calenhad, since we were following the coast of it to Redcliff, and set up camp. I was enormously grateful we now had tents but I dreaded the thought of bedrolls. The beds at the Tower were comfortable and I started missing them when the doors to the Tower closed behind us. Wynne lite the fire for us with her magic and I was relieved I didn't have to do it. Morrigan went off to her own camp and we set up our tents.

"I think we should try and have fish for dinner, tonight." Leliana chimed up as she finished her tent and helped Morriana with hers. I laughed.

"How? We don't have a net or a fishing pole." I stated. I finished mine fairly quickly and help with Wynne's. Leliana bit her lip, as if to decide what we could do.

"I can do it." Morriana offered. Leliana and Morriana finished with the tent the same time I finished mine. Sten's was up even before ours were, however.

"And how do you plan to do that?" I asked. Morriana looked up at me and proudly smiled.

"I have a bit of magic of my own." I scoffed, playfully.

"Really?" She knelt down and picked up a bucket we were able to get from the tower.

"Follow." She commanded and I did. It took us only a minute to reach the lake. I watched as she took off her boots and socks then rolled up her sleeves. She picked the bucket back up and told me to stay. She walked gently and slowly into the water so that it barely rippled. She settled in a spot and turned to face me. She retched in the water and picked up the rock, placing it in the bucket to make it stay in place. Then she lowered both of her hands in the water and waited.

She remained still and I wondered in some mage had decided to come up and freeze her. However, I nearly jumped in a tree when she moved. Her hands snapped at something in the water and when she lifted then there was a fish in her hands. She held it up and waited as it squirmed in her hands to be back in the water. When it stopped she threw it in the bucket and looked up at me, a smirk on her face. I smiled, impressed.

"How did you learn to do that?" I called out to her. She lowered her hands back in the water to repeat what she did.

"Helped at the Alienage. I was able to leave a few times to do this. Really helped with speed." She caught another fish and I was surprised at how fast she moved. She was about on her fourth fish when she looked up at me. "Want to try?" she asked. I shrugged but took off my boots and socks like she had done and walked slowly in the water to where she was. She showed me what to do and when to snatch at the fish. I failed the first time… and the second. She laughed and showed me one last time, this time catching a fish.

"See?" she said holding the fish in one hand. Her wrist was exposed to me and I saw the scars there clearly. I gently touched one and she quickly pulled away, dropping the fish.

Morriana

My heart began pounding. He had seen the cuts; the things I had tried so desperately to hide from everyone.

"How did you get those?" he asked hesitantly. I quickly lowered my sleeves and picked up the bucket now full of fish and begin walking off.

"It doesn't matter."

"Did you get them because of what happened before you became a Warden?" I instantly stop, pondering what he asked.

"It's none of your business." I snap at him. I walk out of the water and shoved my boots back on, not even caring to put back on my socks. I just picked them up and put them in my pocket. I walked back without waiting for Alistair and set the bucket of fish down next to her. She was obviously impressed and so was everyone else. Alistair came back a minute after me, and I ignored him.

I wasn't angry at him. I was just. . . well, I didn't exactly know how to feel. I was sure I overreacted when he saw them but I was more. . . ashamed and angry than anything else. Alistair and I avoided eye contact as we cooked the fish. Orrick settled behind me, sensing my distress. We ate in silence and Morrigan decided to join us as we ate.

When we finished and Leliana and Sten decided to clean. Morrigan went back to her camp and Wynne announced she would be going to sleep. I stood and told everyone the watch schedule. Fist Leliana, then Alistair, Sten after him, then me. They nodded and I ducked in my tent with Orrick at my heels and he laid next to me. I removed my armor and laid down on my bedroll pulling the covers over me. After a few minutes I finally fell asleep.

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I woke in cold sweat from the nightmare. I saw the archdemon in my dream, and the darkspawn ripping through the Alienage. I could still see the dead faces of the people there I knew, including Soris, Shianni, and father. The archdemon spoke to me, saying all that I was working for to save would fail and he would kill everyone I cared about. I shook my head. Orrick was still asleep, so I climbed out of my tent for air. I saw Sten outside, sitting by the fire. I walked to him and sat next to him.

"I don't believe it is time for your watch." He says to me. I sigh, my heart finally resuming its steady pace.

"I know. I just had a nightmare about the archdemon so I decided to get some air." He nodded. "Sten?" I asked after a silence. "What were you doing in that cage?"

"Sitting, as you observed." I huffed.

"Very funny."

"Thank you." I looked at him, my eyes playfully narrowing.

"So, are you going to tell me?"

"I did." He looked at me with his violet eyes. I shook my head and decided to drop it.

"So, what do you think of Ferelden?" I asked, trying to keep a conversation.

"I find it… strange. No one has a place here. If a farmer buys a shop he is not a merchant. He is only a farmer-turned-merchant." Well. . . aren't they the same thing? "And then you have these things that we did not have at home. Like crumbly pieces of bread, only sweeter." I thought about it.

"You mean cookies?"

"'Cookies.'" He repeated. "We do not have this word where I'm from. And then Ferelden smells like dogs." I chuckled.

"You forgot trash." He sighed, but I think it could have been a slight laugh.

"I was trying to forget that part." I chuckled.

"You and that other warden," he says. "Did you two fight?" He must have seen us ignoring each other.

"It's complicated."

"How so?"

"I. . ." When no excuse came to mind, I sighed. "It's nothing. Perhaps something we should talk about, but not now." He nods and does not push further. "Sten, I think I'll take my shift now." He nods and stands, heading back to his tent. I look at the dancing flames as the first sighs of morning shin between the trees.