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"Time heals all wounds. But not this one. Not yet."
― Marie Lu, Champion

Chapter 6:Wounds

Everything had just happened so quickly and unexpectedly. She found it hard to believe that no more than several hours ago, her entire family and everyone else who she cared about were all gone. How could Rendon Howe do this? It was true that she never felt much trust for the man nor did she enjoy being in his presence, but he was still once a friend of her father's, so how was it that someone who the Teryn trusted such a great deal and considered a brother for years could simply attack and betray them like that? Thinking about it probably wasn't the best option, but she couldn't help herself. All it took was the betrayal of one man to ruin everything she once knew.

Valerie sat on the ground in front of a lake next to their camp, putting the weight of her face on her hands as she stared silently ahead of her. After escaping the castle, they put as much distance between themselves and Highever as possible before setting up camp at sunset. Ser Gilmore tried to console her, but she pushed him away, claiming that she wanted to be left alone for now, not even allowing Leonard anywhere near her. Duncan did not say anything; he only nodded in understanding and let her be. The rogue's hazel eyes narrowed as she gave a deep sigh and lowered her gaze to the floor, trying not to continue thinking about the events of that day and failing miserably.

"Ir abelas, ma vhenan."A voice whispered. Valerie twisted around to see Jade standing behind her with a look of pity on her face. The elven woman's blue eyes were narrowed which made her expression more compassionate and her long raven-colored hair was in a ponytail rather than let down like she usually had it. A green cloak hung loosely around her shoulders with the hood lowered so Valerie could see the altruistic meaning behind her words and face. She stared back at the elf with a very somber expression and sighed quietly.

"You want to repeat that in a language I can understand now?" There was no annoyance or ire in her voice, only sadness and a hint of actual curiosity. Sighing, Jade went over and took a seat beside the human woman, pulling her knees to her chest and eventually turning to look somberly back at Valerie. There was silence for a moment until she finally broke it.

"It means; I am filled with sorrow for your loss." The huntress translated."It can't be easy losing so much in such a short time."

"What about your parents?" Valerie asked."What would they think of you going through all of this right now?"

"I don't know." She replied sadly."I never knew either of them. At least your parents were there to raise you."

"I guess you never know how much you really have until you lose it." Valerie stated softly with a sigh."But I should still thank you for saving my mother, even if it was only for a short time to delay the inevitable."

"Do you blame yourself for what happened?" Jade queried, pressing her palms against the ground and leaning back on them. When Valerie didn't answer, she spoke again."You really shouldn't. If you had stayed behind, you would have also been killed by Arl Howe along with your parents and I think we both know he would show no clemency."

"I know." The rogue replied calmly."But that doesn't make it any easier. Maybe I just need time or maybe this is one wound that I can never recover from."

Jade didn't reply, blinking at the blonde's words while cocking her head to the side slightly. It wasn't her place to judge how Valerie would or should handle the plight she'd recently experienced. Another small period of quietude passed with Valerie breaking the silence this time.

"So how exactly did you and Tamlen end up as Grey Warden recruits?" She inquired."I'm curious as to how two Dalish decided to join such an order full of mostly humans."

Jade chuckled lightly."Believe it or not, Tamlen and I had little choice in the matter. It was either become Grey Wardens or die of the darkspawn taint. We were convinced to choose the former. And that's just the short version. The longer version is a bit surreal."

"By all means, I'd love to hear the longer version."

"You sure about that?"

"If it helps give me something else to think about, then yes, please continue."

"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you." The elven woman gave a sigh as she fully straightened out her legs on the ground."I was looking for Tamlen so I could accompany him during his hunt; I was supposed to be helping our clan's craftsman, but he allowed me to go hunting. Anyway, I was just about to give up my search when I heard screaming and tracked it down to Tamlen. He'd found some humans from a nearby village and well, let's just sat he isn't exactly fond of your kind to say the least." She waved a hand in order to cut to the chase."The humans told us they were running from a demon that apparently chased them from some cave with these ancient ruins. We didn't believe a word they said at first, but then one of them showed us a stone with written Elvish on it which they claimed to have gotten from the ruins. Neither of us were sure if we could count their story as credible, so we went to the ruins ourselves and found all these ancient elven statues, all of them beinghuman architecture. It was surprising to put it mildly, but what we certainly didn't expect was to be attacked by some undead skeletons and a darkspawn-tainted bear." The elf gave another sigh and Valerie could tell that recalling the event was becoming difficult for her, but she continued anyway."There was a mirror, a strange old mirror with this unusual writing on it. Tamlen went closer to the mirror and touched it. He said it was showing him...visions of an underground city. The next thing I knew, I was rendered unconscious and everyone was telling me that I had been in a coma for about two days. Duncan found me outside the cave and brought me back. The day I woke up, he went with some of the hunters and found Tamlen. He told the keeper that we were dying of the darkspawn taint because of that blasted mirror and the only way for us to survive would be to become Grey Wardens. We had to leave the clan later that night with him and so here we are now."

"I'm sorry." Valerie said with a sincere frown."I know that couldn't have been easy for you."

"I'm sure the same can be said in your case as well." Jade answered, a soft smile crossing her lips."You did tell your father that you rather liked the idea of becoming a Grey Warden, but obviously not like this."

"Yeah." She said quietly, lowering her head then looking back up at the elf."Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead." Jade said with a curt nod.

"You and Tamlen seem close. Is there something between you two?"

Jade looked away to hide her rapidly flushing face. She hadn't expected to be asked that of all things, but she really had no choice but to tell the truth."Well, not...technically if that's what you mean, but back at the cave, he asked me why I was there and I said it was because I wanted to be with him. He said he was glad and then he, um, he kissed me. We really haven't talked about it since." She quickly turned defensive."And what about you and Ser Gilmore? You two certainly seem close."

Now it was Valerie's turn to try hiding her own rapidly flushing face, the blonde rogue nearly choking on her own breath as Jade gave her an evil grin, clearly satisfied at having gotten her revenge on the human girl for asking her about Tamlen."Rory has been a loyal knight in service to my father for several years. He's a good friend of mine and pretty much the only person who I could ever really confide in without fear of being chided for expressing my distaste and irritation for the life of a noble."

Jade quirked an eyebrow, seemingly amused."So he's Rory now?"

"I, um, oh Maker's breath!" Valerie groaned into her hands as Jade snickered.

Jade twiddled her thumbs nervously as she stood outside of his tent, giving a small groan of vexation at all of the thoughts that were going through her head at the moment. She knew she needed to talk with Tamlen eventually about the kiss they'd shared back at the cave almost a week ago. Things were quiet between them since they left the clan with Duncan, neither of them really feeling comfortable recalling the events that lead them to where they were now. She would be lying though if she said she didn't feel a little better after telling Valerie about their circumstances for being recruited, but that still didn't change the fact that she had to speak with Tamlen at some point. And what better a time then now, she asked herself.

The raven-haired elf let out a sigh and nodded to herself, mentally prepared to go into his tent and talk to him about the kiss whether he like it or not. She slowly knelt down on the ground and made her way inside of his tent, reaching out a tentative hand to touch his shoulder lightly in order to wake him up. He stirred slightly, a quiet yawn escaping his lips as he blinked a couple of times before noticing her sitting in front of him. One of his eyebrows raised questioningly and he sat up slowly to look at her suspiciously.

"Did you need something, lethallan?" She bit her lip and gave a hesitant nod in response to his query.

"I wanted to talk to you about something." Her voice was barley above a whisper.

"Well, don't leave me guessing. What's on your mind?"

"Do you remember what happened back at the ruins?"

"When I touched the mirror? How could I possibly forget?" She sighed and shook her head.

"No, not that. I meant, right before we found the mirror." He stared at her in confusion for a brief moment until his eyes suddenly widened in obvious realization as his face flushed slightly and he looked down.

"Ah, I see." He muttered quietly."You mean that."

"Yes, that." She said in a rather cold tone at the apparently disinterested tone his voice took when he realized what she was talking about."That as in when you kissed me."The female elf crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a rather impatient look."We haven't talk about it since we left the clan and I...I need to know what means...what means for us." Her voice and expression visibly softened as she spoke and slowly uncrossed her arms. Tamlen stared at her for a moment, lowering his head before heaving a sigh and giving her his answer, thought it was definitely not what she wanted to hear.

"I...it meant nothing." His words hit her like a stack of bricks and crushed her soul as well as tore her vhenan into two. It took her a full five seconds to comprehend what she'd just heard and instantly her expression turned into one of obvious hurt and shock.

"W-What?" She stammered, trying to reach out a hand to him only to feel even more hurt when he moved away from her and averted his gaze to the floor to avoid looking her in the eye. The female elf stared at him for what felt like Bellanaris for both of them before practically fleeing his tent and hurrying back into her own so he wouldn't be able to see or hear her cry all night long.

As usual, please remember to review, leave constructive criticism, but no flames!

Elven Translations:

Ir abelas, ma vhenan I am filled with sorrow for your loss, my heart

Lethallan - Friend/Kinswoman (Female)

Vhenan - Heart

Bellanaris - Eternity

Next up: Chapter 7:True Tests