Chapter 42
~Some Assassins . . . ~
Morriana
Three days away from Orzammar, our vision returned once again and our moods were a bit lifted. We were currently on our way towards the Brecilian Forest to seek aid from the elves we hope are still there. Oghren was making quite the addition to the group now. He is so quite now and at first I thought he was depressed from Branka, until I turned to him and he was staring at the sky as we walked, not even caring about tripping on roots and running into trees. Zevran walks beside him, keeping him from accidently killing himself. I lead in the front with Alistair, Orrick, and Bodahns cart.
Alistair has been staring at the ground and I cannot figure out why. He seems to be concentrating, though on what I cannot guess. Perhaps he is thinking of the events in Orzammar. Perhaps he is thinking of our next mission. I don't know. I love the man more than anything, but not even I can understand the things going through that man's head. Instead of prying, I reach for his hand, and when he breaks from his thoughts to look at me I smile. He smiles back, pulled me to him so he can kiss me on the cheek.
"Is something wrong?" I ask quietly. He drops the smile and nods. He pulls me aside, off-road. I say nothing, waiting for him to speak.
"I think . . . something is going to happen." I say, whispering to me.
"What do you mean? Like what?" He shakes his head.
"I don't know. I feel the darkspawn nearby, but I can't tell if it's from the Deep Roads or . . . something else. I just feel like something bad is going to happen. And soon." He sighs a brushes his hand through his hair. "I'm not . . . being too dramatic, am I?" I shake my head and grab his hand.
"No. Trust your gut Alistair. I will tell the other's to be careful." He smiles, bringing my hand to his lips and pressing a kiss there.
"Thank you. It's better to be safe than sorry." I nod and pull him along to catch back up with the group.
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Fire burning everywhere I look.
Death surrounds me.
My body aches.
Blood covers my body.
The corpse of my lover, a broken and mangled mess on the ground.
Tears pour from my face and then a deafening roar sounds above me.
And I feel exposed.
Seen.
Noticed.
And afraid.
I fling awake, hyperventilating as tears pour down my cheeks. Alistair wakes up too, doing the same. I press my hand to his chest, feeling his rapid heartbeat.
"Ali—" I break off, unable to speak.
"It was like the Archdemon saw us." He gasps at me.
"W-what does that mean?" I mutter out.
"I don't—wait, did you hear that?" I listen from where we lie. We are on our sleeping bags in front of the fire place, it being too cold for the tent. I hear rustling, and screeching.
Darkspawn.
"Everyone awake! Darkspawn!" I shout as loud as I can, fear and adrenaline shoots through me like lightening. Alistair and I move from out sleeping place to quickly grab our weapons sitting next to us; Leliana jumps up from where she had been sleeping nearby; Zevran stands quickly with daggers already in his hands; Wynn, though slow getting up, sets up protection for us as quick as she can; Sten stands close, great sword drawn and ready for blood; Shale stomps into fighting stance, already pounding one shrieks head into the rough ground; Morrigan rushes over with her staff in hand, magic already flowing from her fingers; Orrick snarls and barks and the trees near us; Oghren rolls over onto his back, mumbling drunken words in dwarven.
No sooner after everyone is ready we are surrounded by shrieks. Their high pitched voices make my ears rings, so I quickly run the closest one through with my dagger, then chop the head off with my sword. Alistair is pushed another off his blade with his sword, then quickly turning to slice into one coming behind him. The others are fighting just as much, with Oghren finally getting to his feet with his battleaxe and swinging it, flinging away the now dead bodies of three shrieks that had attempted to surround him.
The battle ended as quickly as it had begun. Shrieks lay dead around us, covering the ground in tainted blood. I was breathing heavily at this point, my adrenaline rush slowing. I glanced at Alistair, and feeling relieved at seeing he was okay.
"Is everyone alright? Anyone wounded?" I watched as they all checked themselves, thankful to see no one was hurt.
"What will they send next? Darkspawn tax collectors?" Morrigan grumbles, angrily, attempting to wipe the blood off her clothes.
"Bodahn?" I shouted over to where their cart was.
"We're alright Warden." He responded, his head poking from around the cart.
" What? No trap? No ambush? Some assassins." I hear Zevran mutter from where he is poking at the corpses of the shrieks.
"How unnerving," Leliana shudders.
"Hah! We showed those asschaps!" Oghren shouted before falling back onto the ground. Leliana gasped and ran to him, checking him over.
"Is he hurt?" I asked, concerned. Leliana then giggled.
"He is alright. Just . . . drunk. I doubt he'll even remember this." I laughed as well, shaking my head.
"Everyone, pack up. Camp is no longer safe. Be quick but efficient. And keep an eye out for anything else. Sten, please load Oghren into the cart. Shale, pile the bodies. We'll need to burn them." Sten sighed, but did as I asked, heaving Oghren up onto his shoulder then marching over to Bodahns cart and mumbling something about building fortifications around the camp. Shale picks up one of the bodies, groaning in disgust. I blow breath and turn to Alistair.
"Are you alright?" he asks me. I nod.
"Shaken up a bit, but I'm good." He huffs, running his hand through his hair.
"I guess it's like Duncan once said: we can sense them, and they can sense us. We best be more careful from now on."
"Agreed." I looked worriedly to the others. Everyone is either shaken or annoyed. Was this our fault? Could we have prevented this?
"Hey," Alistair cups my cheek with his hand, turning me to him.
"Even we couldn't have seen this coming. We just need to take from this and be more careful. Let's move camp now. We should keep moving too. It'd be best to put some distance between us and darkspawn. More could be near." I don't even bother to nod, moving over to begin picking up my things off the ground to we can get away from here as fast as possible.