Well I am back with another chapter, and I just realized how slow this fic. is moving. Sorry about that, I will try to speed up the action.
Thanks
PREVIOUSLY…ON DEALS WE MAKE…
Fayne opened her mouth to respond, but closed it and squinted through some dark trees," do you see that, I think it is a hut." She pointed through the spruces about a yard away, "yes it is a hut, come on we need to go there" still pointing Fayne looked to Alistair.
He nodded his head once and the boyish lines of his face were cast into a thoughtful frown, "alright, but this could be dangerous, no sane person lives in the Kacarni wilds"
Fayne hoisted Leric a little more up her shoulder, "well, Alistair, if it makes you feel any better I can just kill them if they show any sign of craziness" her words had the desired effect, the annoying boy-man had kept his mouth shut. And it stayed shut all the way to the hut.
Once Fayne had found a reasonable path through the shrubbery, it did not take long for the group to make it to the front entrance of the shack. For that was what is was; with old broken walls and rickety construction, the place seemed fit indeed for the mentally incapable.
Before either one of them could knock, the door swung open and an extremely old women stepped out, "Hello wardens, I have been expecting you."
The woman, who was covered in an old tattered shawl that only showed her eyes, motioned for both her and Alistair to move into the shack. Rain dripped from her nose as Fayne stared at the woman, trying –in vain-to deduce whether or not it was the best course of action to listen to the woman. However a pained moan from Leric reminded her that the group had little choice but to get aid from a mysterious individual.
While moving Leric onto the only bed in the front room, Fayne caught a glimpse of Alistair's face, it looked like he had eaten something rather foul. Once the elf was placed on the bed, Fayne found herself roughly pushed out of the way while the woman hovered over the elf. Jerking her head to the left Fayne motioned for Alistair to follow her to the furthest most corner of the room.
"What is wrong, are you injured as well?" even to her ears her voiced sounded tired and uncaring.
His answer was said through tight lips, "No-I am not alright, we have just put ourselves into a dangerous situation." He looked back at the woman who was now applying a damp cloth to Leric's head.
With a sigh Fayne rested her head against the wooden wall, "Alistair I am in no mood for riddles or half formed fragments of thought. What are you implying exactly?"
Alistair was still ridged and Fayne noticed his thumb was caressing his giant two handed sword, "That woman, she is an apostate" he said the word like it was a curse.
Fayne had forgotten that Duncan had once mentioned a fellow warden about her age was a former templar. She had rarely listened to the man and she began to wonder what else her grief stricken mental state had caused her to oversee.
"Well, Alistair, there is not much we can do; Leric would have died if we had not sought help, and really that woman could have hurt us by now if she really wanted to." Fayne drawled as she closed her eyes, she was starting to feel the physical ramifications of there previous fight with the darkspawn.
"Wise words for one so young, it seems a woman's mind is not so fearful that it falls prey to idle fancies" the biting tone of the woman came from across the room as she straightened and turned to regard Fayne. The woman's yellow eyes lingered on her and then flashed to Alistair poised hand on his sword. "You can put your toy away young man; this woman was right when she said I mean no harm."
"Was she also right about the fact that you could have killed us if you wanted to?" came Alistair's cautious words-the words of a templar.
"Believe what you want boy, open yours eyes wide or keep them closed shut." Cackling the woman removed the shawl that covered her face and put it around her shoulders.
Fayne would have laughed out loud at the look on Alistair's face when he beheld the "old" woman's visage if it was not for her extreme exertion. Instead of finding an old wrinkled woman staring back at them, the pair looked upon the face of a woman in her mid-twenties, who could not possibly be more than two maybe three years older than herself. Midnight black hair was fastened in a strange fashion behind her head and her top barely covered her ample breasts. She looked like the wild Chasind beauties that knights would rescue in the stories Nan would tell her. A pang stabbed her heart when she thought of her old nurse-maid, but she quickly pushed it down.
Pushing up from the wall, Fayne yawned, "Well ma'm I must say you are not what I was expecting to see under that shawl of yours."
Fayne received a raised eye brow and a twisted lip in a wry smile, "My dear, people are rarely who we think they are, but enough of this banter I will leave you and your fellow warden to rest.
"Wait, why do you refer to us as if we are younger than you, we are almost the same age." That question had been bugging her ever since the woman had removed her shawl and reveiled her youth.
The Chasind mage stopped at the door way and turned so that Fayne could make out the smile she now wore, "Are we? Well…silly me I had quiet forgotten how young I was" with that the woman moved into the other room and shut the door behind her.
"I do not trust that woman." Alistair had taken position beside her allowing Fayne to see his tired state.
"I know you don't but we are where we are, there is no point in regrets. Here take the floor and sleep for a while" said Fayne as she made her way to were Leric was lying and she sat on the bed.
"Alright I will sleep for a couple of ours, and then we will switch, I don't trust that witchy-wild woman as far as I can throw her" mumbled Alistair as sleep gripped him. Fayne smirked at his eloquent use of words and his absurdly loud snoring.
She turned and looked at Leric, who now wore a content expression. The woman had done very good work because it did not even look like the elf had suffered a great wound and infection. Still Fayne found herself needlessly worried and it bugged her, the feeling causing her to frown in annoyance. With a huff and a shake of the head, Fayne untied her long red hair and let it fall in waves around her, it was nice to let her scalp relax. I'll just rest my eyes for awhile; we are safe here, for now.
A flash of white and then a streak of purple. That was the only warning Fayne received before her mind was assaulted with images after images of people fighting and dying. She thought for a moment that she was remembering, but when the scenes froze and she overheard conversations that she could not remember, she knew that they were visions.
A man with medium length hair turned and looked at her, "Are they all gone grey Warden?" and then her mind pulsed and the man turned into a swirl of colour and she found herself in a forest surrounded by armed elves who were yelling at her in a strange tongue. And then the sun shown bright in her face and she was in a large hall, sitting in a soft chair. She looked and saw a man who closely resembled Alistair sitting opposite to her drinking wine and looking pale. He looked up then-the man who looked like Alistair -and then asked her, "Was it right to place me as king, maybe I should have said no and let Anor-,"
Fayne jerked upright and gasped, her erratic breathing the only noise in the small hovel. Placing her hand to her throat she could feel her heart beating like a stallion running. She stood up and turned completely around surveying the room, I am back, she thought with shaking hands, but…what WAS that? Never before had such clarity come into her future seeing dreams, and that last image it was so sharp that she could still feel the heat of the fire place.
Eager to shake the creepy feeling that had overtaken her senses, Fayne wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and opened the outside door. Night was still strong and the stars were clear and bright, the rain had long ceased. She could see that the woman from earlier was sitting in front of a fire and mustering her courage Fayne sat across from the woman.
"I… didn't get a chance to thank you earlier for your hospitality. My name is Fayne and it is a pleasure to meet you." She inclined her head and stared at the woman with raven hair and yellow eyes.
"My that is a civil greeting, even out here in the wilds. You may call me Morrigan" her brow lifted, "And may I ask, young warden, why you are up at this hour?"
Fayne brought the covers up higher frowning at the 'young' part, "I could not sleep." She starred at the flames and refused to elaborate.
"Ahh I see, or do you see, yes it seems you do." another pause, "Does the future worry you warden? Are the dreams too heavy of a burden?" Morrigan's voice edged on mocking as she looked Fayne in the eyes.
No longer distant, Fayne was sure her eye betrayed the shock she felt, how does she know what I can see?
As if answering her unsaid question Morrigan leaned back, "I saw you sleeping and watched your body movements. 'What does she see' I asked myself, 'what could she possibly be doing'" she chuckled, "You are no mage, girl, but your connection to the fade realm is strong"
With every word the woman muttered, Fayne felt her body tighten, ready to pounce, to rid the world of the only person who knew her secret. As her hand went for the dagger at her waist, Morrigan raised her hand.
"Enough Warden, perhaps I went the wrong way of offering help to you."
"And what could you possibly do?"
"I am a witch or apostate if you will, and over the years of my existence I have heard of others who were afflicted by such visions. I wish to help you see clearer, or if you want, end them."
She watched the fire as it carved shadows against the high check bones on the young woman. Should she take the help and why was this woman willing to give it?
"I will wait for your response in the morning warden, until then" with feline movements Morrigan stood up and started for the hut.
As she was about to enter, Fayne shouted, "wait!" she got up and walked over to the witch, "why do you want to help me?"
For a moment Morrigan seemed to be considering her words, "Because warden, in the end it helps me. You stop the blight and I live; for I dislike the prospect of dying."
Fayne stepped back as the woman entered the hut and closed the door behind her. Resuming her position in front of the fire, Fayne roughly pulled her hands through her hair. Where was she to start?