The stillness of the woods worried her, for it had been sudden and uncharacteristic. Alys felt even the slightest of breezes now, as it if might help her realign with the forest as it had become. She did not like this change one bit, and her agitation was obvious.
That awful buzz rang in her ears, the sort of thing that she heard when darkspawn were around. It was not an uncommon sound in those woods, at least in recent days. She feared that the darkspawn had somehow influenced the Chasind into attacking the Elves. Women had gone missing, and only a few were found dead in the surrounding area. It made her cringe, and it broke her usual sense of security.
Her worry was doubled by knowledge she had not shared with Duncan. Some of the Elves had dreamed of tunnels beneath the forest, filled with horrible creatures and fellow Dalish Elves. Even she saw these things, and heard whispers in the woods of monsters that simply didn't belong. The spirits knew her magic, communicated with her. Her, and everyone else it seemed.
Each tree they passed brought them closer to the encampment, and the quiet was broken by the noise of movement and the gentle hum of conversation. Alys relaxed slowly, glad that nothing had come to pass on their way. A small group had been waiting for them, and upon seeing them, an ever so familiar bubble of discomfort brewed in her stomach.
Vaylen and Galadria were among the quartet of Elves that took their perch on the outer edge of camp. The Healer was plump with child, bright faced and happy behind red hair. Vaylen was not so happy, clearly more troubled by what was happening to his Clan than the mother of his child. The expression behind his blond hair was grim as he stepped forward to greet them.
He turned his attention to Alys first, "Lethallan, I'm glad you came back safely."
Alys scoffed at him. She didn't believe it, and her attitude seemed abrasive," Don't call me that. We are not friends Vaylen.."
There was undoubtedly a long history there. Not a single person that had gathered there could deny that.
He sighed and stepped toward Duncan and the others," Andaran Ati'shan, travelers. I see that we have distinguished persons here to aid us, and for that I am grateful."
"Introductions are not in order then," Loghain said dryly. This earned a small smirk from the female Grey Warden.
"No, not at all. I am aware of your deeds, Teryn Loghain, and I am aware of King Maric's as well. Duncan is known around here as the one who always comes to gather up Alys…"
"Not always, Keeper Vaylen." Duncan nodded softly as he motioned for them to continue.
"More often than not, it is you that pulls her out," Vaylen sighed.
He moved to the side of the group, and as they all moved forward, Galadria and the other two elves fell into line. The Healer paid a small glance to Alys, which was not returned in a plainly cold rejection. If she had treated them like this the entire time she had been among them, it must not have been a pleasant stay.
"Alys told us that the Chasind have been attacking, and that several are dead. Is there anything else you can tell us?" Maric looked at Vaylen.
"Yes. I'm sure she told you that we travel here regularly at this time of year. There is usually no contest for hunting and gathering, but this Chasind tribe followed us up from the Wilds. Since we set up camp in this place, we have steadily lost members to attacks, or they have simply gone missing. Half the Clan has gone into the woods and never came back because of these people."
"What are you expecting us to do? Defend you, and maybe go slaughter the ones responsible?" Loghain questioned with his usual sardonic humor. He didn't like how things were sounding at all.
"I don't know what to do, or what I want from you. Simply, I knew that I would need help. I cannot let them pick my Clan apart and murder my friends, their children, and the ones they love. There has been so much death, and so much loss, that I wouldn't care how things were solved…"
"They will not be solved peacefully, Vaylen. If you have done nothing to truly provoke this…" Alys did not continue her thought.
"I am aware of that. My concern is still warranted, Alys. I want no more death on this side of things, and each time we move to avoid them, they find us again…"
"Then I suggest we find out why they are so adamantly hunting you, and plan accordingly. If it is something we can combat, then we will do so. If it has something to do with Galadria's dream…. Then Duncan and I will handle it," Alys finally spared a glance to the Dalish healer, and then to her fellow Grey Warden.
"Galadria's Dream?.." Duncan blinked.
"I dreamt of a dark tunnel, and many women I knew were being dragged into it by monstrous creatures with twisted faces and horrible voices. They were all frightened, and some of them died as they were being dragged along. They were forced to eat the flesh of those things, and of the dead. I was afraid to tell Alys at first, because I didn't know if the creatures I saw were darkspawn or not, but she says they must be," The Healer had a timid, shy voice, barely heard of the chatter of the Clan.
"There must be a passage to the Deep Roads nearby, if this was a vision and not just a dream," Duncan eyes Alys suspiciously. She had not mentioned this to him in her letter," If I had been aware of the fact that Darkspawn might be involved, I would have asked for other Grey Wardens to come with me, instead of the King and Teyrn Loghain."
Loghain read the expression on Duncan's face, and was completely aware that the woman had left something up to the imagination when she had relayed the situation to him. He wondered how much Maric had known before he came to Loghain asking- no, ordering- him to come along to the Brecilian Woods. Maric showed no signs of worry that the Teyrn could see, but he believed it to be present. The King had seen more Darkspawn in his life than even some Grey Wardens.
"I won't apologize for not telling you, if that's what you're asking me to do with your eyes, Duncan. I want to avoid going down there to deal with them if we can.. Not that we would be able to find the passage very easily anyway. The fact of the matter is that their entire way of life could be changed if we don't do something about it."
"And you dragged us out here for this? If you were so anxious to get out of Denerim, Maric, then you could had done it some other way than dealing with a problem that isn't yours to handle." Loghain sounded angry. Alys couldn't blame him.
"He's right, but I suppose that all we can do now is swear that we'll keep him from getting harmed. Keeping him out of harm's way is simply impossible, but I'll tell you now that he won't be injured… severely." Alys stopped, and the group formed a sort of circle to continue the conversation.
Duncan and Maric exchanged a glance that brought Alys to watch them. She was wondering what the two of them had planned for the 'visit'. It was unlike Duncan to take such risks, especially when he didn't know the whole story. Then again, he wasn't aware of just how big the problem was in the first place.
She shrugged off the thought, and listened as Maric spoke," I have faith in Duncan, and his friend here. If there should be a confrontation with Chasind or Darkspawn, they can handle it."
"I'm afraid that I cannot say I have the same faith," Loghain sighed.
Again, Alys couldn't blame him.
"It is my understanding that Duncan and Maric have fought together before, and therefore have a better understanding and trust in each other than you and I would have, for example. I'm sure you'll get more than one chance to decide if I'm worthy of your trust in battle or not."
"…As poignant as this is, I'm afraid that we should be addressing the safety of my Clan first," Vaylen spoke up, looking over his shoulder at the people around them.
They had walked into the center of the camp before they had stopped, and while some seemed to be listening in, so many others were busy about their daily activities. Hunters were skinning the day's game, which was small in comparison to their catches before the problem arose. Halla were pulling the caravans to their perspective places for that day.
Galadria abandoned the group to attend to the injured, and she was missed only by her love. Those that were attending the wounded were glad to see her approach. Maric watched her go to her task easily, hands glowing with the power she had surely mastered in order to care for her people.
"I suppose that we should camp the hunters on the outer edge, and bring the women and children around a central bon fire. This way, those that are capable of fighting will be able to defend against attack, should they come at night," Alys suggested.
"And what about us?" Loghain chimed up.
"I suppose we should get ready for a long night… I do hope you're fast in that hulking armor. Good defense will get you nowhere in a place like this, where camouflage is much easier when you're not shinning in the moonlight."
Alys chuckled at him, aiming this jest at Maric as well as Loghain. The King just nodded at her, finding the humor in it. The Teyrn was not so amused.
"And do you plan on fighting Chasind with your bare hands, in a dress?" Loghain fired back.
"I do, actually. I have decided that I shall pull up my dress and flash some leg in case of emergency," Alys mockingly grabbed handfuls of her dress and lifted it, "…In all seriousness though, I can fight without a sword or a staff, and I planned on changing into a good pair of pants before the sun goes down. I can cast spells as well, if you have forgotten that I am a mage."
"Hmm… As entertaining as this conversation might turn out to be, I think that we should prepare a place for you all to rest. Alys has a tent set up on the western edge of the encampment… You could join her in it, or prepare your own nearby." Vaylen suggested softly.
By the time that nightfall came, three more tents were set around a small fire that had been kept going throughout the day. Alys rarely came out to speak with any of them, emerging only for food and water. She was true to her word, and had abandoned the dress beneath her breastplate for a leather tunic beneath the plate and a tight pair of leather leggings. She wore the same sandals that she had beneath the dress, and didn't look as if she would exchange them for anything better suited for combat.
She regarded Loghain each time she came out of her tent with a measure of thought and something on the edge of wonder. She didn't respond with much more than a yes or no when Duncan asked her a question in her brief period in the outside world. Every time that she vanished into her tent, she glanced at him over her shoulder. It was uncomfortable for him.
He saw her as little more than an inconvenience, but he saw plainly that she was troubled. Her discomfort poisoned the air and spread the feeling to everyone around her. He found it hard to believe that she truly wanted to be there, or had ran off without warning to go someplace like this. He wanted answers, even if Duncan and Maric were not concerned.
Inside of the tent, however, Alys had been reading, thinking, and clearing her hair of beads, feathers, and the like. Her eyes skimmed over a text on the Deep Roads as her fingers worked automatically to unravel braids and pull away any trimmings that might have made their way into her hair. She was determined to find out if there was a passage in the area. Even if it was not spoke on in any of the texts she had brought with her, there could still be a passage nearby. She understood that, and without that understanding, caution would have guided her in the direction regardless. She desired more than anything to take a scouting group out into the area, but Vaylen had rejected the idea fully each time she expressed her interests in such an expedition. She could take Duncan, and Maric…
And Loghain.
She shuddered at the thought. It made her uneasy knowing that the Hero of the River Dane was out there, sharpening his sword as if it were a holy ritual. She had never personally known, nor seen him until that day, but she had heard enough to know that he was harsh, and a capable strategist. Perhaps it was needed, and maybe her unease came from how easily conversation came to her when it was between them. The short snippets they exchanged as they briefly planned what to do left her a bit confused. He was not much like she had been lead to believe.
A few feathers fell to the ground, finally free of the strands that had imprisoned them for a long time. Halfway through her locks, Alys' head felt lighter, and her steadily growing headache had began to dissipate. Sitting on the ground next to the very small fire she lit so that she might read, her eyes left the pages she had been gazing at to wander around.
The pendant she had gotten from Vaylen several years ago glimmered in the firelight, and gathered her attention quickly. A frown suddenly overcame her face, and unease was replaced with remorse. That little object made her feel worse and worse every time she simply looked at it. She thought about 'accidentally' dropping it somewhere and leaving it for someone else to take, but she couldn't ever bring herself to do that.
"I want you to have this, Alys. It was my mother's. You met her before she died, right?… She said you were a good woman. If you weren't shemlen…"
No. She didn't want to remember anymore.
Alys forced herself to look away, focusing on the fire instead. Her eyes never left it after that point as she finished dressing down her hair.
Not long after she had gotten through the majority of her hair, she felt a cool breeze coming from the entrance of her domed tent. It was Loghain.
"Can I help you, Teyrn?" She looked to him very briefly.
"I can't help but wonder why you would come here, and yet be so distant and stand-offish to the people you are here to aid."
Alys dropped her hair onto her shoulder, turning her head to look at him straight on. He was more perceptive than she thought.
"What makes you think that?"
"The Keeper tried to greet you warmly, and you outright denied it. His wife was clearly trying to gather your attention, and you ignored her. There is clearly some bad history here, and I am at a loss as to why you would want to help these people so badly if you treat them like you do."
"Funny, coming from the Hero of the River Dane, known best for heroics, impressive fighting skills, and the mastery of being a total asshole," She shook her head disapprovingly.
He ignored the insult with practiced guile, "Quit dodging the question and answer me."
She glared at him for a moment before a sharp huff left her," It isn't any of your business what's bothering me."
"I've been dragged out here against my will to help with something that doesn't matter to me, or to Ferelden at all. Dalish and Chasind are left to govern themselves and war with each other as they will until the conflict spreads to the villages. I demand to know why you are making this more difficult than it has to be with your attitude."
Her attitude? She bit her lip angrily. It wasn't until she took a long moment to consider his request that she complied.
"Vaylen and I.. We used to be lovers. When his mother, the previous Keeper, died… He had to take her post. He was betrothed to Galadria, you see, and in his position he would have to chose someone to spend his life with. I decided to leave and let him do his duty by being with a proper Dalish woman, that could bare him Dalish children, that didn't have other duties outside of the clans.. That simply belonged there. I'm not an elf, and for a little while he had me fooled that it didn't matter. It did matter. So much more than I wanted to believe."
Truly, she was uncomfortable revealing this to him of all people. It made her skin crawl to think that he might go and tell Maric, that is, if the King didn't know already. Duncan had known for a long time, perhaps as long as it had been going on. He never said a word to her about it after she had ran away from the Woods, but it was all fresh in her blood.
She didn't know if she was getting cold, or if the memories were making her feel ill
Alys stood with a dispassionate sigh, giving him a very stern glance," You happy now?"
Loghain thought the whole story felt painfully familiar, and part of him regretted coming into her tent to press her for information." Were you friends with Galadria?"
"We were like sisters. I knew no one better than I knew her, and vice versa…You were a commoner before Maric made you a Teyrn, right?"
Loghain nodded.
"Then you know what its like, to be somewhere you don't belong, among people that tolerate you because you did something great for them. The other Elves only respect me because I saved Vaylen's life during a werewolf attack. Big deal. Its not like I championed the cause of an entire nation or anything…"
"You saved the life of an important figure head. Loyal subjects will hold you high for that, and be just as willing to tear you down when you falter," he noted.
Alys shook her head with this morbid sort of chuckle," Someone told me once, that when you're a hero, you either die one… Or live long enough to see yourself become the Villain. I think that's going to happen to me soon."
"Why do you think such a thing?"
"I've seen them looking at me with suspicious eyes. Some of them probably think I'm responsible for all of this, but my responsibility is to protect them. I think.. I think I'm going to try and separate my personal feelings and take care of this like I should. I'm a Grey Warden. I'm not a Dalish Elf.. I'm just here to take care of the problem."
She spoke to no one but herself, as if her words were meant to solidify what she meant to do.
It was becoming clear that she was all duty and no emotion, when she could help it. However, she had the same peculiar habit that Maric often turned to. She hid her insecurities behind a sour humor. She might not have even meant her insult to him when he walked in, and maybe her sarcasm was more obvious when she spoke of flashing her flesh to Chasind in order to distract them.
"Before you say anything, its all in the past and it doesn't matter. I'm just not comfortable being here because it seems to matter to everyone else, and it hurt back then. Shit, I don't even know why I'm telling you this," She paced uncomfortably, "… We'll talk on it more later. It.. Uh.. Felt good to talk about it a little… I'm going to check on the Elves."
And she was gone, just like that.