Chapter 5: Back at Camp
"Hold still."
Lyna sighed and took a deep breath, centering herself the best she could. Royce kneeled beside her by the fire, needle and thread in hand.
She tried not to flinch when the needle entered her skin, the wound on her arm wasn't bad, but it was deep enough that it needed to be stitched closed. She had not realized how much the wound had bled until they got back to their little camp.
The Dalish's eyes narrowed.
This was not the best of start for her mission. She had hoped to maintain at least some small degree of secrecy. She could not keep it hidden forever of course, but she had hoped to do more than remain hidden for only a few weeks.
The attack in that Tavern showed that that desire had been a false hope.
She glanced over at Royce; the warriors eyes were fixed on her wound, the man had the kind of focus that she admired in a fellow warrior.
He glanced up and gave her a reassuring smile.
"This will likely leave a scar," he said.
Lyna smirked.
"Lovely," she replied with a grin, "another for my collection."
The warrior snickered and returned to work.
Arrow lay close by his large brown eyes staring into the fire. Bok had once again pulled out his book, seemingly engrossed in another chapter…
Her eyes fell on their newest addition. Kierhen sat quietly across from her the firelight turning his features a bright orange. He had said little since they had left the Citadelle Corbeau. He idly scratched the head of the large gray wolf that accompanied him.
Lyna's elven ears twitched with curiosity.
The man had chosen to aid them, to aid her, yet he had not yet revealed the reason why. She disliked mysteries as they often hid agendas that likely worked contrary to her own.
She pursed her lips.
The man said she was being hunted, that she had made powerful enemies. The latter was no surprise; the former…should not have come to pass so quickly.
She needed to know what was going on, and the Ranger had the information she required.
She was determined to hear it.
She remained still while Royce finished binding her wound; when it was done he stepped back and nodded. She glanced down at her shoulder using a damp cloth to get a closer look at what he had done.
The Dalish smiled.
"Mas serannas," she purred, "You do that like a seasoned healer."
Royce snorted dismissively.
"I have been in many scraps over the years. After living such a life, the care of small wounds becomes almost second nature."
Bok looked up from his book.
"Surprising," he said, "I would assume that a career guardsman would never have been far from a healer."
Royce gave the dwarf an acidic look.
"Being a guard is not all patrols and chasing off brigands, master dwarf."
Bok chuckled, and looked over at Kierhen.
"In case you were wondering, Master Ranger," he said, "Our former guardsman is referring to me."
The dwarf smirked.
"That one does not like me very much."
Kierhen smirked.
"I cannot imagine why."
Lyna snorted with amusement, as much as she would like to listen to her fellow trade veiled insults, there was still the matter of what had happened to them tonight.
She turned to Kierhen.
"We are grateful for your help, messere," she began, "but part of me is curious to how you knew that we would need it. Our passing through this way was not something that was well known."
The Ranger smiled slightly.
"You want to know how those buggers found you."
"It would be nice," she replied.
Kierhen pulled a piece of dried meat out of a pouch on his belt. The large wolf beside him perked up at the sight.
Arrow noticed it too, and whined slightly.
The wolf turned towards the Mabari and growled, warning him away.
Kierhen touched the beast's head with his free hand.
"None of that now, Lady," he admonished, "These people are friends."
The wolf sniffed, and did not take her eyes off of Arrow, not until the jerky was in her mouth. Only then did the large animal relax.
Kierhen sighed; his eyes met Lyna's. These were not the eyes of a wide eyed young man. There was pain there, pain and a healthy dose of experience. She had heard of Rangers before of course, they had them in the wild places of Ferelden as well. The Dalish chose to avoid them for the most part, warning them off should they drift too near their camps.
Lyna had never had one serving in the vigil as a grey warden, but she had heard enough stories to respect their skills.
Kierhen looked into the fire.
"I first became aware of your presence two days ago," he admitted, "I had been doing a bit of hunting when I found a scout moving through the underbrush."
The Ranger shook his head.
"The scout's weapons and armor practically screamed professional mercenary, not the type we usually find wandering alone out here in the Dirth. Typically, I try to avoid such encounters, but given the fact that he seemed to be shadowing someone, I chose to intervene."
Lyna's eyes narrowed.
"You claim we were being followed?"
Kierhen smiled.
"I claim nothing, you were being followed."
Her elven ears lowered.
"I would have known if we were being followed," she said flatly, "I know the ways of the wilderness."
The Ranger snorted with amusement.
"I mean no disrespect lethallin, but if you are who you say you are. You have been out of the wilderness a long time."
He sighed.
"Do not let your Dalish pride get in the way of the truth. Ignoring a weakness is a quickest route to getting yourself killed."
Lyna's eyes flashed.
If Kierhen was afraid he did not show it.
"What do you know of the Dalish?" she demanded.
"Quite a bit," he admitted, "My father was one of the people. My mother was the daughter of a farmer who lived not far from here."
The young man looked down.
"Every summer when the clan passed near our home, my father came for me. He taught me much about his people."
The Dalish warden's eyes narrowed.
"You said his people?"
"Yes."
"Then you don't consider them your people?"
Kierhen flinched, and looked away.
"No," he said flatly.
"The Dalish will never be my people."
Bok lowered his book.
"I take it the clan would not have been happy to find out that one of their hunter's had a half breed child?"
Kierhen's eyes narrowed, as he glared at the dwarf.
"No, they weren't, and I don't like that word dwarf," he said coldly.
Bok arched an eyebrow.
"Which one? Half breed?"
The Ranger, flinched again, and nodded slightly.
The dwarf shrugged.
"I mean no offense. If I could offer a bit of friendly advice, do not be afraid of names, my friend. Wear them, claim them as your own, they are just words after all."
He smiled slightly.
"What can words do?"
The Ranger relaxed a little.
He returned his attention to Lyna.
"It was not I that turned my back on the Dalish; they chose to turn their backs on me."
The Ranger frowned.
"I will never be one of them."
Lyna tilted her head.
"Do you hate us?"
"I do not trust you," he admitted.
She hissed with frustration.
"Then why come to my aid in the tavern?"
"Because you're not just another Dalish, if the man following you was to be believed."
He sat up straighter.
"Is it true; are you the warden that slew the Archdemon?"
Lyna sighed.
"My blade took the Archdemon's head," she said, "But I was not alone in ending the monster's life. Many brave souls died to bring an end to the Blight."
Kierhen arched an eyebrow.
"Humility? From a Dalish hunter?"
He shook his head.
"That is surprising."
Her eyes narrowed again.
"You seem to enjoy insulting me, Ranger."
He shrugged.
"Merely commenting on your maturity, warden" he said, "Many of the people's hunters seem to think that they and they alone truly understand the ways of the warrior, they behave like arrogant da'len."
He sighed.
"I mean no insult, if anything, I'm impressed."
She sniffed.
"I was not trying to impress you," she said, "And as for maturity, you should be grateful I possess it."
She glared at him.
"Four years ago I would have knocked you on your ass for insulting the people."
Bok cleared his throat loudly.
"Not that I do not enjoy watching a good fight, but there is still a matter of people trying to kill us."
He turned to the ranger.
"Finish your story, friend Kierhen."
The ranger and the warden glared at each other a moment more, but then Kierhen returned to what he had been saying.
"The man following you was a member of the group that tried to ambush you at the tavern. They are apparently a rather large organization…"
He sighed.
"They sent groups to all the surrounding settlements. The fort here was the closest. I gambled that if you were coming out of the wild you would stop there first."
He smiled slightly.
"I was right."
Lyna snorted, she was still feeling a little miffed about being followed. Still, she did not let her temper destroy her reason.
If what this man was saying was true, any shemlen settlement was likely too dangerous to risk entering.
Her eyes narrowed.
It was like running from Teyrn Loghain all over again.
She did not intend to live that way again.
"I don't suppose the scout you found told you who was hunting me?" she asked.
"He did not know," the ranger said with a shrug, "apparently there are two bounties posted on your head right now warden. One wants you alive, the other wants you dead. The men you faced wanted to try and capture you so that they could auction you off to the competing parties."
"They would have found me less than cooperative," she sneered.
"I don't doubt it," the ranger replied with a slight smile.
Bok frowned.
"How much coin is being offered?" he asked.
All of his companions gave him a dirty look.
"I'm merely curious," he said raising his hands, "The amount of coin being offered might give us an idea of who wants you dead. An extremely high number might suggest a high noble, maybe even a member of the Empress' court."
Royce sneered at that.
"If someone with that kind of power wanted the Arlessa dead, we never would have made it out of that fort alive."
"Perhaps," Bok agreed, "of course, maybe those that posted the bounty do not wish to be known, perhaps they desire to see this handled…quietly."
Lyna considered that.
The dwarf made a good point.
Still, it did not explain how someone with power had learned of her journey. Only Nathaniel had known in Vigil's Keep, and he, would not have betrayed her.
Perhaps, she had been recognized at the border. Maybe whoever was behind this already had agents in the keep. Perhaps someone had been watching the Vigil for quite some time, someone with both coin and a grudge.
She frowned.
Not a pleasant thought.
She shook her head.
If what the thin blood was saying was true, her mission was likely over before it had even begun. She did not possess the necessary power to hold off so many armed enemies. It was just the four of them after all.
She looked down at her stitched up arm.
They had been lucky; they had come through that fight with little injury…
Next time, they might not be so lucky.
She hissed angrily.
She did not have the necessary power to continue her quest!
She needed more than men and blades.
She needed power…magical power!
"We need a mage," said under her breath.
She looked up at her companions.
"We need a mage," she repeated.
None of them answered her.
Royce frowned and looked down at the ground.
Bok gave her a sly smile.
"Not an easy thing to come by warden," he said, "Perhaps we should pay a visit to one of the circles here."
His smile widened.
"You could always recruit a mage."
She frowned.
She could do that, yes, but that meant going into a city, a city full of possible hostiles.
She cursed under her breath.
She did not see an easy answer here.
Kierhen frowned.
"I might be able to help you," he said.
All their eyes fell on the ranger."
"Which part?" Bok asked.
"Finding a mage," the ranger said.
"I might be able to help you."
He looked at Lyna.
"I've been hearing rumors the last few weeks about a mage wandering the woods a few days journey from here. The local villagers have not been pleased."
The ranger looked into the fire.
"The chantry dispatched a full company of Templars to run down the apostate. If they find this mage before we do…"
Lyna gave him an arched look, her elven ears rose.
"We?" she asked.
He gave her a wan smile.
"You saved us all when you ended the Blight, warden, myself included." he said, "My personal feelings aside, I feel that I owe you."
He leaned back and patted the head of his wolf.
"No one knows these woods better than me. I will help you find the mage, if you desire. After that, if you are willing, I will accompany you for a time."
His eyes twinkled with mischief.
"I don't like owing anyone. I would like the chance to pay my debt."
Lyna pursed her lips.
The Ranger had done nothing to warrant any ill feelings, regardless of his history. Any grudge he held against her people did not seem to affect his desire to help her, and if he could lead her to a mage…?
Wasn't that worth the risk?
She sighed.
"I ask that you travel only as far as you are willing," she told the ranger.
"This will be a long journey."
The ranger sighed.
"There is nothing for me here now, warden" he said with a grim look, his silence speaking more than any words.
He bowed his head and placed his hand over his heart.
"You have my sword, Lethallin."
He glanced up at her.
"I am yours."
A/N: Next chapter: The Mage.