I've edited this chapter a few times, and I think I'm happy with it now? not sure let me know what you think?
"No!" Alistair hissed out.
"The ritual I know... it requires life energy - a lot of it. All of it, in fact... I can send another mage in to the fade while I perform the ritual." Jowan stammered out, "It is not much of an option, the power has to come from somewhere, and that means either lyrium or... blood."
"I will do it!" Isolde claimed, "Either my son dies or I give my life so my son can live. To me, the answer is clear"
"NO! There has been enough damage done by blood magic." Alistair bit out again, "There has to be another option. We could go to the tower and asked the Circle for help, there have lyrium and mages."
"Yes but we would be leaving the castle with a still possessed Connor, how do we know the demon will not take over again and start attacking the village while we travel to the tower?" Ruari added.
"Alistair!" Neria exclaimed.
"What?" he question and he look towards her.
"No, Alistair is how we will know." Each of her company gave her a confused look before she continued, "You can stay and stand vigil!"
Realisation flashed across Alistair's face, before a slight look of horror took it over, "How long is the trip to the tower from here?"
"The quickest way would be by boat, if you left now you would be there before sunset but you wouldn't be able to able to set sail again till tomorrow, we would have to wait keep this vigil until tomorrow afternoon." Teagan stated still looking confused by the discussion.
"That's a long time to have a vigil." Alistair said in disbelief.
"I'm not saying it would be easy! But it would work! And it's either this or blood magic."
Alistair sighed heavily, his shoulders slumped in resignation, "Very well… but try and get back early… Please!"
"I'm sorry but what is happening?" Neria turned to see the still confused face of Kallian and the other still waiting for an explanation.
"Alistair is going to use his templar training to help suppress Connors connection to the fade and stop the demon from taking over, while a few of us make the trip to the tower to get help."
"What if you are unable to return on time?" Isolde asked.
"Morrigan and Jowan will stay, if we don't get back on time you can perform the ritual." She continued.
"I will send some of my men down to get her." Ser Perth said moving away towards the group of knights.
"I wish to stay at the castle." Elissa stated, she could not bring herself to leave Connor, haunted by the ghost of her nephew. Neria simply nodded.
After much discussion it was decided, Lyna, Neria, Kallian, and Ruari would go to the tower, while Jarvis, Brian and Leliana stayed to protect the village, and Sten and Morrigan came to the castle with Elissa.
As they readied themselves to leave, Alistair called Neria over to speak with him, "Neria," he took a deep breath "I- I'll need some of your lyrium, normally I don't need to take it to use my templar abilities, but- a two day vigil?"
"I- I understand Alistair, and I know this is asking a lot of you." She reached in to her bag and pulled out two small vials of the glowing blue liquid "Here."
Alistair took the small vials with shaky hands, observing them with fear and disgust "I know this is something that I need to do, I had just hoped I would never need too." He placed the vials in his pack "I'm going to go get ready, need to eat as much food now as I can, I hope they have cheese." He joked lightly with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
She watched him go with a frown, looking around her eyes landed on Elissa, she stood talking to Ruari and Kallian and they readied themselves to go.
"Lady Cousland, can I talk to you for a moment."
Elissa turned to see Neria beckon her towards her. "Warden, of course." She excused herself as she walked over to speak with her.
"Please call me Neria, I can't get used to people calling me warden." She joked.
"Very well Neria, please call me Elissa then." Elissa said, "What did you want to talk to me about?"
"You are staying here at the castle?" when Elissa nodded yes, she continued, "I want to ask you a favour."
"Yes?"
"Alistair has agreed to stand vigil but, it is not something that will be easy, he'llhave to stay awake and alert until we return."
Elissa nodded in understanding "What do you wish me to do?"
"I need you to help him."
"But what can I do to help?"
"Talking to him a little to help him stay awake would help enough."
"I will do my best." Elissa promised.
She thanked her before she went to join the other as they made their way back down in to the village. The docks that stood over lake Calenhad where small, and only used for fishing boats, as they reached the dock they where meet with a knight and a fisherman that had agreed to give the wardens his boat to travel.
The boat was small, the wood stained by the exposure to the water. It rocked from side to side as each one climbed in. Neria could not help noticing the look of trepidation on Lyna's face as she sat in the small boat.
"Lyna are you alright?" she asked.
"Yes," she said with pause "I've just never been on a boat before."
"It can be a bit bumpy, but don't worry you'll be fine." Neria said with a smile.
A few minutes later Lyna was cursing the other Elf's words as her head hung over the edge of the boat, her stomach muscles contracting and heaving as the boat swayed and jumped in the water. Neria, despite her concern, couldn't help but find the image of the proud Dale hanging over the boat amusing, she had refused any healing that Neria had offered, stating that her magic could be needed and shouldn't be wasted when it wasn't vital.
Neria took the time to learn more about their new companions, Kallian and Ruari told they of how they had meet and escaped to Redcliffe, Lyna cursed loudly and extensively when Kallian told them of the Arl's son. Neria made a mental note to get Lyna to tell her what they had meant later.
The sun was slowly beginning to die in the sky when they reached the tower came in to view, the fisherman sailing the boat began to bring it in to shore.
"There are rocks surround the tower, the only way to reach the tower from here is to go ashore and walk a little while to the docks." Neria explained to the groups questioning looks at the boat got closer to the shore. They fisherman agreed to wait on them, saying they could meet him in the tavern 'The Spoiled Princess'. A short walk later they found themselves at the docks of the tower a disgruntled looking templar standing at the edge of the docks.
"That's weird…." Neria whispered as they got closer, "There's not usually a templar stationed here, and the ferryman's gone."
"You! You're not looking to get across to the tower, are you? Because I have strict orders not to let anyone pass" the templar called as he looked over the strange group, three female Elves, a male guard, a Mabari and, was that a wolf?
"We are Grey Wardens and have to get to the tower to speak with the First Enchanter right away." Neria stepped forward as she spoke to the templar.
"Oh, you're a Grey Warden, are you? Prove it!" the templar said crossing his arms and giving the group a disbelieving and expectant look.
"Prove it?" Neria repeated with a flat voice as she raised her eyebrows at the man.
"Kill some darkspawn. Come on! Let's see some righteous Grey Wardening," he continued gesturing with his hands as though to demonstrate.
"There's no Darkspawn to kill…" she relayed as she made a show of looking around "Carroll? Is that you?" Neria question and she took a closer look at the man. "Carroll you watched me leave on the boat with Duncan a few months ago!"
"I've never seen you before in my life." He retorted indignantly.
"Yes you have! I used to live in this tower and I saw you every day for nearly two years!" she shouted out.
"Can't say I remember you," He sniffed "it was nice chatting with you. Now, on your way. Right now. Go." He said making a shooing motion with his hands.
"Halam sahlin!" was voiced behind her as Lyna stepped forward in front of the templar. Quicker than anyone could follow she raise her foot high and kicked the templar in the centre of his chest with the heel of her foot, knocking the man completely off balance and in to the lake. As he spluttered and struggled to stay afloat, she grabbed him by the material of his armour padding that stuck up out of his chest plated and pulled his face towards her.
"Now Shem'len you will get us across to that place, or I shall see how quick you sink." She threatened.
"Yes, yes of course, I'll-I'll tell the ferryman to bring you across right away!" he stammered out as he looked fearfully at the Dalish woman. Ruari helped the lift the man out of the lake, trying hard not to laugh at how quickly he ran to fetch them a boat.
"A bit extreme" Kallian commented when they were all seated in the boat.
"Got us across didn't I?" Lyna commented back, the remained silent, and the other noticed as Lyna got tenser and tenser the closer they got to the tower
"Lyna, are you alright?" Neria asked when they had finally landed at the tower.
"Yes, I am fine." Neria gave her a look that expressed her disbelief and expectancy for a better answer. "I just never thought I would be at this place, templar would think nothing of hunting down our enansal'len, they would think even less of destroying a clan or torturing others to get them."
Neria gave the other Elf a blank look, not quite believing what she had heard, she knew the Templars would hunt mages, but what Lyna was describing seemed extreme at best. The Dalish clans probably exaggerated the measure a templar would take in order to make them extra careful about their magic. She kept this thought to herself for the moment, simply nodding at her before they stepped forward in to the halls of the tower.
So! I've had a bit of a block with a chapter but I've gotten past it now, (hopefully) so we are now at the tower! YaY! lol don't forget to review! it's a nice push for me to get the next chapter written :D