Chapter 7: Why?
Lyna emerged from the brush, an excited grin on her face.
She paused for a moment, listening to see if anyone was following her, hearing no one, she proceeded on to the group's rendezvous.
She felt little in the way of pity for that shem village. She understood that fear could make people do stupid things, but at the same time, she also understood the value of…correcting someone.
A mischievous glint came to her blue eyes.
With luck, those people would think twice before burning someone alive again.
She picked up the pace; hopefully, everyone else had made their escape as clean as she had. The Orlesian village was in chaos, they would need that as they slipped away in the darkness.
She hoped to be a good league away or more before the shem'alas of that village realized that they at least could try and pursue.
She moved quickly, but adopted her hunter's tread, quick, but not hurrying. She silently moved through the wilderness, a shadow against the trees.
It was not long until she noticed the clearing where they were all to meet up. Arrow sat patiently near their supplies, panting happily, awaiting his mistress' return. The Mabari stood up as she approached; wagging his stubby tail so hard it vibrated his hind quarters.
Lyna smiled, happy to see him again. She had told the pup of the need to be quiet right now. She was pleased to see he had not launched into a storm of barking.
Her big sweet boy.
"Anethera Lethallin," she cooed.
Kierhen's wolf had remained behind as well; the large beast lounging like it did not have a care in the world.
Lyna sneered.
The wolf was as irresponsible as her thin-blood master.
She was grateful for Kierhen's help back in that tavern, but the Ranger still had much to learn about the skills of a Dalish hunter. It pleased her that she was the first to arrive back at their meeting place.
She snorted with amusement.
And the Ranger thought her skills had diminished? This would show him, she…
"You made it!"
"GAAAAH!"
Lyna jumped, perhaps almost a foot, she quickly clamped her hand over her mouth, silencing the cry that had escaped it.
She would not give way their position; just because she had not seen any pursuit did not mean that it was not still out there.
She looked up into the tree to her right. Kierhen sat up there, dangling his legs over a branch with a merry smile on his face.
"Your skills are returning lethallan," he smirked, "I only got here about five minutes before you."
Lyna glared at him.
"Ugh," she spat, "By the creators, do not do that again…"
She took a step towards him, her eyes flashing with anger.
"Ever," she finished.
The Ranger chuckled and flipped agilely down from his perch.
That merry smile never left his lips.
Lyna had never been more tempted to punch someone in all her life, okay, maybe Alistair, but that was a long time ago, and in her defense, he had really, really deserved it at the time.
Creators protect me, she thought.
The Ranger could be a real pain!
Her blue eyes narrowed all the evil things she could do to a man quickly flashed through her mind. Once upon a time, she would have given into at least two of those impulses.
Now she settled only for a frustrated sigh.
There is that maturity again, she thought glumly.
Lucky me.
She turned to her companion, eager for answers.
"You were not honest with us," she spat.
Some of the amusement vanished from the ranger's face.
"Really," he said with a slight frown, "How so?"
Lyna's elven ears lowered slightly.
"You promised us a mage" she reminded him, "that da'len back there was hardly that."
Kierhen snorted at that.
"The boy is young, I will give you that, but he has…potential. I spent a good hour watching him in the woods, he knows at least a few spells that you might find useful, and besides…"
The Ranger pursed his lips.
"I cannot imagine the great Hero of Ferelden leaving a child of her people, abandoned by his clan, to wander the wilderness cold and alone."
Lyna's brow furrowed.
Damn the man, she thought.
He had no right to play that particular card!
It was hitting below the belt!
She found herself thinking of Ashalle, her foster mother, where would she have been had Ashalle not taken her in? The clan was supposed to care for all the children, but…sometimes, sometimes that did not happen…
She sighed, and shook her head.
"I don't suppose you know why the boy was abandoned?"
The Ranger sneered at her question.
"Why do you think he was abandoned warden," he said, "His clan already had a First, and another child that showed potential. You know that the Dalish cannot have too many magic users in their midst. It might draw the attention of the Templars."
Lyna's eyes widened.
"Are you saying the boy was exiled for his magic?"
"That is exactly what I'm saying," Kierhen responded, his face set into a cold frown.
"…The compassion of the Dalish folk at its finest."
She glared at him again. Arrow started to rise growling. Kierhen's wolf also sat up, watching the confrontation between the warden and the ranger far closer than she should have…
The air was pregnant with fury.
Lyna clenched and unclenched her hands.
Now, she really wanted to strike the bastard.
She knew what he was saying happened sometimes; it was not easy for a clan with too many mages. As he had said, it brought the Templars. Still the clans had options. They could have sought out one of the neighboring clans, ones that were in need of a First or one with potential, abandoning a da'len to fend for himself in the wilderness. It…it was not…
She could almost see Marethari's face floating before her, the old keeper's ears lowering slightly.
"Our ways are not always kind, da'len, but we must do what we must to keep the people safe."
Slowly, Lyna's temper began to cool. She did not like how flippantly the ranger dismissed the ways of her people, but…
There was at least a grain of truth in what he had said, she might not like it, but it was there.
The truth was often complicated.
Though now she found herself growing curious, the man had no love for the Dalish, yet he went out of his way to help the boy…
She wanted to know why.
"What was this boy to you?" she asked.
"A Da'len in danger," he replied, "Isn't that enough."
Her eyes narrowed, normally it would be, but today was far from normal.
"Was he of your clan?"
Kierhen's reaction was immediate, his eyes flared, his expression became a cold mask of anger.
"I have no clan warden," he reminded her.
"Your father's clan then?"
Kierhen snorted at that.
"If he was, I likely would have left him to his fate. No, the boy is not of my father's clan, but his clan did trade with them. I was just passing through when I found his small camp. I recognized the symbols on his cloak. I'm guessing he had only been away from his clan a few days before I found him, not long enough for him to start to starve, but enough to strip away any warm feelings he might have for his clan.
The Ranger shook his head.
I know what it is like to be cast aside warden," he said, "I would not leave anyone to face that. I was about to approach him, offering him my help when a pair of human's from that village found him. He burned one and sent the other running. The boy was scared but he did not panic. I thought he could take care of himself so I continued on, which is when I bumped into one of the mercenaries hunting you."
Kierhen sighed.
"The rest you know."
Lyna pursed her lips.
"So you left him, when you could have offered aid?"
As I said, he seemed like he could take care of himself. When you said you needed a mage, I thought he might be useful to you. I hoped that he would be ok until we reached him."
The ranger shrugged.
"I was wrong."
Lyna's ears lowered slightly, as she digested what Kierhen had told her.
He had made a call, not one she would have made, but it wasn't her place to look down on his decisions now.
She would be able to make a more informed decision once Bok got back with the boy, she could then…
The trees parted.
Royce stepped into the clearing and behind him…
Lyna's eyes narrowed.
What was this now?
The Ranger's brow furrowed.
"Looks like are warrior brought a friend," he said dryly.
The Warden blinked not really sure of what to make of what she was seeing.
The chantry sister remained close to Royce. Lyna would guess she was around her age, but could not tell for certain, she had never had a talent for guessing shemlen ages, the old had gray hair, that was the best she could do. The girl's red and white robes stood out starkly amongst the green foliage. Her long black hair had come loose during the run, and now she was trying to clear twigs and leaves out of it.
In her left hand she carried a quarter staff, using it for a walking stick. The Dalish noticed the girl was limping.
Lyn walked up to her companion, she glanced from the sister to the warrior and back again.
Her blue eyes became flinty.
"Explain?" she said.
"Warden," Royce began, "This is Sister Esme."
She turned to the girl.
"Anethera, Esme," she said before returning her attention to Royce.
"I said: explain."
Royce withered slightly under her gaze, but did not back down completely.
"She saved that elven boy from an arrow," he informed her, "Had I left her behind she might have been arrested, or killed by that mob back there."
Lyna tilted her head slightly.
The girl…tried to help the boy?
Wasn't that surprising?!
"Why?" she asked the girl.
"Pardon?" the sister said.
"Why did you help the boy?"
The sister looked away from her.
"I thought the boy deserved better than to be killed so ignobly," she responded, "That…and…"
She paused.
Lyna waited, still not quite sure what to make of all this.
The sister gave her a weak smile.
"Besides," she said, "It was the right thing to do."
Behind them Kierhen laughed and shook his head.
"I doubt the people of your village would agree," he said with a smirk.
The Sister shrugged.
"True," she said, the people of Port de Armasse are not the most charitable people I've met, but at least they do not have that boy's blood on their hands."
Esme sighed.
"It is my duty to look out for the souls of my flock."
Kierhen sneered.
"And because you did that, it is safe to say that you will never be welcomed back to your flock, sister."
She winced and looked away.
"That is true, messere, but if I had to do it again…"
She looked up into Lyna's eyes, cold determination burned in them.
"If I had to do it again," she said, "I would."
Again the Ranger laughed.
"Woman, you are mad."
Lyna snorted with amusement.
"She is not the first mad chantry sister I have met," the warden admitted, "And that one has become one of my best friends."
She held out her hand to Esme.
"Mas serranas," she told the girl, "thank you for trying to help."
The sister blushed and took the warden's hand.
"You…you are…um…welcome," she said looking around quickly, "Now if you will pardon me, may I ask who exactly you people are?"
Lyna was just about to answer when an angry snarl emerged from the greenwood.
It was at that moment that the bushes parted with a crash dumping a tangle of arms and legs into the clearing. Swear words both in the king's tongue, dwarvish, and elvish emerged from the ball.
Lyna shook her head.
Bok had finally made it back, with the boy in tow.
Neither of them looked happy about it.
This was how the group first became introduced to the Dalish boy they would come to know as Findel.
Maker help them all.