Siris (OC), Chapter 1.

Dragon age (Bioware) Alternate Univers

Music: "Umbrella" J2 ft Jazelle

The situation was quite embarrassing.

After a night-long and a whole morning of travel, Siris finely arrived in a small town with a watchtower, a Chantry and many merchants. No one was in the fields: did the wardens tell the people about the darkspawns in the region? It was possible. But what put Siris in a delicate position were not the darkspawns. Indeed, since the beginning she assumed she was still in Tevinter. The things is: she was not. It wasn't like her master would tell any of his slaves about their exact location; but that was really embarrassing. At a point, Siris thought her Master had no freaking idea where he was.

The guard at the city's gate smiles awkwardly as he broke the news. Was she on lyrium or something? At any case, she told him she was looking for supplies and information about the Wardens. Since these reasons were no cause of concern, the human let her in; not before telling her: "don't cause trouble, elf."

So, Siris made her first steps in a city as a free elf. She to admit it felt nice. Although she was in a Free Marches' town, without a master to decide for her what to do. She never expected being free to be so… confusing. But nature took the decision for her when her stomach grumbled like there was no tomorrow. Food. The girl needed food. But what to eat? The merchants were selling many different things that Siris had no idea what they tasted like. But first things first: she need money. She had the gold and the jewels from her dead master and his family. But all of that was from Tevinter. No Marcher would want that. Besides, from the suspicious looks she was receiving, maybe an elf, woman, stranger, with so much fortune on herself was a bit too obvious. People might get the wrong ideas, and Siris wanted to avoid problems as much as possible.

Also, she needed to get information about the Wardens. They had more than a day ahead of her… And now she knew she was already in the Free Marches, the Wardens could have go in any directions.

The question for now was how to get money to buy what kind of food? And who would sell her things? The answer was quick to come.

"Knife-ears to the alienage!" A man shouted, although not to Siris.

"But I work here!" The elf replied. "The alienage is far away and I don't have time to go there, buy my meal and come back!"

"Your problem: not mine!"

"Humans! All the same!"

Siris hasted her steps to meet up with the elven man.

"This man doesn't want you to buy things at his store?" She asked.

"Of course not, I'm a "knife-ear". And he won't sell you anything either." He said. "Wait. Your accent… are you… tevinter?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"In these parts, yes. We watch out for slavers. Come! I'll show you around. Elves must help each other."

The man's name was Geron and used to live in Denerim, Ferelden, in the South. But the last Blight made him seek out a new home for his family. Turns out to be another alienage in a small Marcher town. Not really an improvement according to the elf. But it was better than getting crushed by an Archdemon.

As he said to the merchant, the alienage was really, really, far from the city-centre. It took them thirty minutes to reach the elven settlement with Geron's shortcuts. And these shortcuts involved trespassing in humans in-properties gardens. Once in the elven sanctuary, Siris discovered a city in the city. Although, smaller, poorer and with much less merchants. A giant tree was growing in the middle of the market place and the local elves apparently worship it. Paintings have been drawing on the trunk, and candles were lit all around the roots. The tree was magnificent. And if Siris had it right, it was an attempt to reconnect with the elven culture; now crushed by the southern and northern chantry. The Master had Siris studied ancient elven language and culture; so he wouldn't have to do the effort. Although did the young elf believed in the old Gods? She did not know. However, she liked the idea of Mythal watching other her.

"So you are an ex-slave." Geron repeated after Siris told him a little about herself. "And I thought my life was tough… Tell me: why exactly are you looking for Grey Wardens? The Blight is no more, and I heard the last group of Darkspawns around here have been dealt with."

Siris could not decently say "because I think I might be sick of the Blight." Especially to someone who escaped the last great Blight the South had to fight. And about the whole "the last of the darkspawns have been dealt with" … She wasn't convinced. Then again, her reasons were unknown to her new elven friend.

"It's the only way for me to never become a slave again." Siris said.

It wasn't completely a lie. Tevinter slavers avoided Grey Wardens. The first reason was because the Wardens did not treat kindly people enslaving others for a living. The second was because according to the slavers, Grey Wardens had "bodies of poor quality". Only the spirits knew what that meant. However, Siris had no intention joining the cause. She just wanted answers, so she could start building her quiet life.

"I hear you." Geron said, agreeing with her. "Well, in my book, Grey Wardens are Heroes. I'll go ask some friends if they know any Wardens in the area. But for now, we need to fill our empty bellies."

Geron was living in a tiny house with his wife, Shala, and their daughter, Kala. They did not have much, but were happy to share. Once Geron told his family about Siris, Shala became a friend.

"My mother was a slave." She said with extreme sadness, and a strange accent Siris never heard before. But it was Southern alright. "For the money, I know someone. But it's best if you don't trade all the jewelleries at once. It will raise attention."

After what could have been the best lunch Siris ever had in her entire life: vegetable soup with bread; Shala brought her to another part of the alienage. The woman was not, unlike her husband, Ferelden: she was born in a small village in Orlais; and worked as a maid in Val Royeaux all her life, before meeting Geron.

The "someone she knew" was a shifty extremely nervous elf who despit is ligne of work, were terrible in business. Siris was pretty sure the neckless she exchanged was worth less than two hundred gold. But Shala whispered to just go with it. There was no point of being honest in her current situation.

Then, they went to the market. They bought Siris a better bag and filled it with supplies. Siris also bought a coat, a set of extra clothes, traveling boots and a map of the Free Marches. Siris couldn't read modern language: her master taught her only old Teveene and elven. But Shala was kind enough to put markers where the main cities were.

Then, Geron came back home with news.

"The Grey Wardens have a keep in Ansburg, but it's too far from here. Besides, no Wardens have been spotted there for months. My friends told me you'll have better luck in Kirkwall or Ostwick."

"If you stop at Kirkwall, be careful. We heard the Templars there are dangerous. And so are the mages they are guarding."

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure to know what you are talking about." Siris awkwardly said.

Geron and Shala looked at each other, surprised. Then remembered Siris was not from the south.

"The Chantry does not rule the countries of the South, but it controls the mages and the Templars." Shala explained. "These protect mages and normal people from the effects of wrong magic by locking the mages in Circles of Magi. But if mages aren't in a Circle, that means they are apostates. And these guys are dangerous. It is said they use blood magic on travellers!"

Siris knew blood magic alright. Her clothing and armour hid the scars on her wrist. If the templars were suspicious and dangerous about it, it was maybe best to never revealed these dreadful marks; publicly at the very least.

It was time for Siris to leave. She promised to come back to Marel visit Geron and Shala when her search for the Grey Warden will be done. But Maker have mercy! She will wish she never said that. She will wish she never ask help from these wonderful people. However, when she left Marel for the first time, she had no idea what future she was heading to.

As Geron suggested, Siris took a shuttle to Kirkwall. Her objective was Ostwick. If by any chance a Grey Warden was lingering in the first City, then she will know for sure if she sick. During her day with Geron and Shala, she made sure to touch no one, to share nothing she had eaten, not even the glass she drank in.

Her spirit was a little rested. Even if she was far from her comfort zone, even if freedom was scary, she knew she could do this. There was no other way.

"Chapter 2: The Path to Kirkwall" coming soon!