A/N: Hey there! Another chapter is up. Thanks for all the follows and favorites! I hope you all enjoy it! :D

Portuguese Beta: Rohh Lael

English Beta: wintryone

Chapter artwork: goo .gl /U79pt (without the spaces. Link shortened by google - or if you prefer, you can check the link on my profile)

Dragon Age Universe belongs to Bioware.

"You're angered, so am I

A thousand fires burn

A land of darkness

From which I cannot return

[…]

You're frightened, so am I

A world of demons wait

Watching the movements

And filling my heart with hate."

-Haunted, Disturbed

Chapter 3

The Eagle in the Forest

.

Nobody would believe it if they were told Kallian's first experience with horses was only the previous morning. Obviously she didn't have Duncan's posture nor Noah's elegance, but somehow it was working, and that's all that mattered.

It was their second day of traveling. Duncan explained that it would take about five days to reach Ostagar, but with a shortcut and a little luck they could save a day or two. Except for some brief explanations about the places through whichthey passed, the group traveled in silence. Noah made these creepy sounds in his throat to show he was listening, and Kallian just asked a question or two about what Duncan said, but not enough to maintain a conversation.

On the first night they camped, the silence continued. Duncan knew they were exhausted, both mentally and physically, and decided that the best thing to do was to give them some space. None of them admitted it, but they were grateful for the time alone.

Neither Noah nor Kallian slept that night.

It was past noon when they entered the Brecilian Forest. Duncan pitched camp well before dark, which he had made clear that he would not do on the previous day. Kallian didn't complain. Her muscles ached so much because of the ride and her leg wound swelled with the effort. She was changing the bandages when the Noah's hoarse voice broke the silence.

"Why are we stopping?"

"Something is not right," Duncan said seriously, "I feel an evil presence similar to the Darkspawn, but I don't know exactly what it is, and that's what worries me."

"I believe that your greatest duty is Ostagar." His words were filled with such hate, something that Kallian didn't understand.

"Anything related to Darkspawn is the obligation of a Grey Warden, especially as relevant as this threat is," Duncan calmly said.

"Nonsense," Noah said, "No single group of darkspawn is more important than the Blight itself!"

"Does this mean that the lives of those who are threatened have no value to you?"

"Not when the lives of thousands depend on this decision. As a Warden-Commander you should have that kind of common sense or at least listen to reason!"

"Noah," Duncan called gruffly. "I don't need you to tell me how to do my duty nor need your approval to make my own decisions." Kallian watched their debate in silence. "It's already decided. I will check this anomaly as soon as possible and we shall return to the road in the early hours of tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow?" By Noah's reaction, it seemed that Duncan had punched his face. "Tomorrow?" He repeated. "If that's the case, why do we have to stop? We just have to slay whatever it is and go back to the road!"

"Kallian need some rest," Duncan gave a brief smile towards the little elf. She was too grateful for the pause to let her pride contest him.

"If she can't handle the pressure, who cares?" Noah sneered.

Kallian would have responded but bit her tongue and began to mentally count.

"That's no way to behave in group." A vein in Duncan's forehead began to protrude.

"The Grey Warden's ranks don't need weak people," he said pointing at her with his finger. "If the Elf can't endure it, it's not my problem. To stop because of her weakness is pure stupidity." Noah laughed mockingly, "Grey Warden, what a joke!"

"Why don't you shut your fucking mouth before I use my elvhen feet to kick your noble ass?" Kallian growled irritated, standing up and moving toward him. To the hell with the peace treaty.

"And why don't you keep your Elvhen ass out of subjects that are none of your business before I cut your tongue out?" Noah growled back. Neither would give an inch, their faces close enough to bite each other.

"ENOUGH!" Duncan interjected, his patience at an end. "I did not save both of you to watch you bicker like two children!" He grabbed their shoulders and separated them.

"Once inside our ranks, there are no humans or elves. There will be only Grey Wardens. Brothers and Sisters. "He turned to Noah, "I will not tolerate that kind of disrespect towards Kallian nor any other recruit that we may find, regardless of who it will be." Noah was gritting his teeth so hard that the veins in his neck were visible. "Maker's breath, I don't want to see you both flying at each other's throats again. Do I make myself clear?"

"Whatever," Noah huffed and walked away, sitting on a rock as far as possible from them.

He turned to Kallian. "And you, if you want to prove that you are superior, it's not by giving into that kind of provocation that you will achieve it. You have to prove your worth with attitude, with reason. Do not speak, be." Despite the scolding tone, there was a certain gentleness in his words, "There will always be people with that kind of attitude, or worse. If you react this way every time that something like this happens, you are no better than they are."

"You talk like Valendrian," said Kallian.

"What good will it do if you retaliate against very person who provokes you? You can show that you are more skilled, but in fact, you will be just as savage as they are."

Kallian laughed with no humor. "And you think you know anything about this? About what we've been through or what we have to endure? You are nothing more than another human being with authority talking big. Don't tell me about how I should act!"

"I may not know as much as you do about what the Alienage life is like, but I've lived more than you have, child. I know how life works, how things are. And I guarantee you that the kind of person you were today is not the kind of person that goes far in life." He paused. "You and Noah are operating under misconceptions. Brute force can give you power, but only with wisdom will you leave your mark on the world." Kallian listened carefully. "Take a little time to think about what you really want for your life."

She was angry that he presumed to know what would be the best for her life, but deep inside she could feel her natural barriers crumbling. He had defended her and, despite having quarreled with her, he did not look down on her. And a good part of what he had said made sense.

Kallian just nodded in response.

"Get your bandages done," he continued. "I would have resolved this matter on my own, but I don't want to risk having you both kill each other in my absence." He then turned to Noah. "We will leave in ten minutes."

Kallian looked down at her leg - the wound was starting to turn a bad shade of purple - and gave a long sigh. She was starting to hate horses.

"Is she ...?" Kallian asked, looking down at the woman lying on the floor in front of them. Duncan's intuition had led them to an abandoned ruin, where they found an unconscious elf at the entrance. She had long blond hair that went to her waist pulled into a ponytail, and a simple tattoo that resembled a crescent moon in the middle of her forehead and fine lines that spread parallel to her eyebrows. She didn't seem to be older than the other recruits.

"Dead? No, but the Darkspawn taint runs through her veins," Duncan said, lifting her in his arms, "We have to take her back to her clan." Noah snorted behind them, but said nothing.

Duncan was able to track down the Dalish camp, no more than an hour away. Actually, it was more like he knew where they were from the beginning.

The Dalish greeted them with caution and, despite showing a bit more kindness to Kallian, the distrust was obvious.

While Duncan and the Keeper turned their attention towards the woman they called Mahariel, Noah sat isolated from others to sharpen his weapon - a huge two-handed sword with golden ornaments and a strange symbol carved into the blade, which Kallian didn't noticed until that moment. That explained his broad shoulders and his strong arms. He manipulated the object as if it were made of wood. She did not realize that she was staring until his eyes met hers. Although her first reaction was to look away, she didn't do so. His eyes had no trace of the hatred he had been distilling since the first they met. Instead, there was a hint of sadness, and Kallian realized something else that had been there all this time and she hadn't noticed.

He was alone. And unlike her, he had no place to return to.

Noah frowned and she looked away. She didn't need another argument and to keep staring at him would not improve the atmosphere between them. So she decided to move away from him. She did not want to cause trouble or invade the space of the Dalish, but she needed to sit somewhere. The last session of the cavalcade left her limping. The bandages were stained with blood, so she did not have to undo them to know that the wound had opened again.

"Uh ... Hi?" A Dalish girl approached her. She had a brown short hair blowing in the wind, a mixture of fear and curiosity in her bright eyes and a little pot in her hands. "Y-your friend said you were hurt," she said, keeping some distance between them.

"Yes, but your friend needs more help than me. I'll be fine." Kallian smiled. That encouraged the girl to come closer, and sit beside Kallian.

"C-can I take a look?" She asked timidly, as if not wanting to offend. Kallian nodded and began to remove the bandages.

"By the Creators!" she exclaimed, "What happened?"

"A jerk hit me," She grimaced and looked at the cut. The purple shade was darker and more swollen than before. While her other two wounds were recovering fast, this one had taken the opposite path.

"When was that?" She asked, opening the pot. Kallian saw a green paste inside, probably a poultice of herbs or something.

"Two days ago. It wasn't so bad, but after hours of riding, it got worse. I can barely stand without pain," she admitted. Since she had awakened, she'd decided to focus only on keeping going, one step at a time. Literally.

"Can I?" She asked, still unsure, with a portion of plaster in her hand.

"Sure," Kallian said, but regretted it as soon as she felt the green paste touching her skin. "Oh ... Andraste's Flaming ... Holy ... OUCH! It burns!" She moaned, biting her own hand to keep from screaming.

"Easy now, it will pass soon." Really? My leg has a different opinion. Stepping on the flaming carbon should burn less, she thought. "Your friend told us that the situation was not good, but I hoped it was not so bad! You got lucky the infection is in a early stage, otherwise the things would be more complicated." She started rattling in such a way that Kallian didn't dare interrupt her. "Luckily we had this remedy in the stock, because I am a lost cause with healing magic and the Keeper and the others are busy treating Mahariel, so it would take a long time until someone would be able to look into it and ... " She stopped when noticed the amused expression on Kallian's face. She was captivated by the little Dalish. "I-I did it again, didn't I?" She said embarrassed. "I'm going to shut up"

Kallian laughed for the first time since she'd left Denerim. "Let's start over. You can call me Kallian." She smiled sincerely.

"I-I'm M-Merrill." The little elf looked at the ground. "Ma'serannas *. For saving Mahariel." Merrill lifted her head, her eyes full of gratitude and hope. "Did you seen another where you found her? Tamlen is his name."

"Sorry Merrill, she was alone when we found her."

"I see..." Kallian saw Merrill's face crumple. "Tamlen went out after Mahariel yesterday, but he has not come back."

"I hope they find him soon," Kallian said while she was bandaging her leg. Merrill was right - the burn was being replaced by a nice refreshing feeling.

"Me too," she said weakly. Kallian could see her eyes shining with the unwanted tears.

Duncan left the Keeper's tent with a serious look in his face, signaling for Noah to follow him. Kallian threatened to stand up, but he raised his hand in protest.

"You will stay here and rest," he said, making clear that it was his last word.

Once they left for the woods, Merrill stood. "You can rest in my tent if you want."

Kallian almost declined the offer, but the current circumstances made her think twice about it. She was exhausted and all those nights that she spent awake were weighing on her more and more each minute. In the end she nodded, concluding that a few hours of sleep would not do any harm.

Noah

We're back at the ruins, where we found the other elf. I can sum up our little expedition in two words: Darkspawn and spiders. A complete waste of time. Apparently the source of the whole discussion we had earlier was because of a mirror. A stupid mirror!

Duncan said it was corrupted by the taint and that it should be destroyed. That's the great and noble duty of a Warden. What a joke...

He also said we should keep an eye out for another Dalish who supposedly was lost here. We looked everywhere, but we could not find anything other than a hunting bow and more Darkspawn. By then, he'd probably been swallowed by the Earth. Duncan himself said his chances aren't good.

As we walked back - Yes, walking. We left the horses at camp to save them for tomorrow - I've been collecting some plants. In the castle we had a servant who was a great Herbalist and taught me everything he knew about herbs and their effects. Many of the plants around here I knew.

"You're feeling something, Noah?" Duncan asked.

"No," I replied, knowing where this was going.

"Why do you get these herbs, then? If I remember correctly, this combination makes a strong painkiller." He pointed to the bundle in my hands.

"If you know the answer, why do you ask?" I growled. Do not play with me like that, old man. I'm not stupid.

"Noah, this is not you," He said. "Your attitude, all this anger. I know you. You're a good man, but so much hate can end up consuming who you really are."

I laughed coldly, "And who am I?" Tell me - because I would love to hear that answer.

I expected a sermon like the ones my father gave me when I was younger, but to my surprise, he said nothing, only pointed to the bundle in my hands and resumed his walking in silence.

I was not sure why I was gathering the herbs. But the truth is that I did not know much. After what happened to my family ... Everything lost its meaning. I knew that since we left Highever I had been unfair to Duncan. He saved my life and all I could do was complain over and over again. But I had to find my brother in Ostagar. Warn him of the betrayal we had suffered. Tell him about his wife and child...I will not let the same thing to happen to him, no matter what.

Fergus is my only family now and I needed to find him.

We were supposed to be at Ostagar by the next night, but because of that redhead whose name I couldn't remember, our pace slowed a lot. I don't like the way she looks at me, always challenging me, testing me, unafraid to provoke me. But today, for the first time, I saw something different in her eyes. There was always the usual presumption, but also a dash of curiosity. As if her golden eyes were trying to read me.

But it didn't mattered.

Upon arriving at camp, something finally clicked in my brain and I had no more doubts that the Maker was committed to provoking me in all his deeds. Duncan planned to recruit the blond elf and we wouldn't leave this place until she woke up.

I huffed, defeated. Anything I could say would only generate further discussion, and I honestly was exhausted. I didn't sleep well for almost a week and I was starting to feel my muscles failing.

But I still had one last thing to do before I could call it a day.

Kallian

I woke in the middle of the night covered in a cold sweat because of a nightmare. A normal one, with the incident at the Arl's dungeon.

Just because I said it was normal, it didn't mean that it wasn't a crap.

I knew I would not be able to sleep again, so I got up and went to see how Mahariel was doing. I found Noah sitting on a rock with his head in his hands on my way to the Keeper's tent. He was visibly upset, like always. Probably his night was no better than mine. However, it was not my problem and since he didn't seem to have seen me, I ignored him and went back to my walking.

Mahariel was delirious with a fever, calling Tamlen over and over again. After a little talk, Merrill said she was in love with him, but had never confessed her feelings to him. She also said that the Keeper was using old magic to slow the taint, but even with her incredible natural resistance, which had allowed her to survive for so long alone – she would not live much longer.

Poor girl.

I decided to stay with them and help in any way I could. Keeping my mind busy was the best thing I could do to keep my ghosts away. Meanwhile, despite my protests, the Keeper took a look at my wounds. With her magic, she was able to heal my shoulder and my ear – Which, by the way, had a thick, long white scar. However, unless my leg's infection was contained, she could not close the wound without compromise it. Wonderful!

I must confess that I have my reservations about magic users, especially apostates. I'm not a magician, nor do I understand these things, but the few apostates who I have met throughout my life have had a dark power, an evil ingrained in the flesh that made me feel sick. However, I did not feel threatened by the Keeper, quite the opposite. She had a strong presence and her magic emanated tranquility rather than hostility. It felt good, actually.

In the morning, Mahariel's fever almost vanished and she awoke, disoriented. Her green eyes expressed confusion and despair.

"Where am I?" She asked in a weak voice, "Where's Tamlen?"

"Abelas, Da'len *" The keeper said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You'll have to be strong."

"No!" She screamed, sitting up. "No. .." She was gasping, holding back the tears the best she could and failing miserably, "He can't be dead!" she said sharply, rising and falling again right after. The abrupt effort was too much for her weak body. I held her before she fell.

"Slow down," I said, helping her back to bed.

"Who are you?" She asked, looking at me suspiciously.

"She and two humans found you, Mahariel," Merrill said, holding the hand of her friend, a sad expression in her eyes.

"Shemlen? What are they doing here?"

"I'll leave you alone," I said. It was a lot of information to be processing, and the presence of a stranger would only make it worse.

"No, you…" Mahariel said, "Explain what happened. Now."

I explained everything I could. Who we were, how we found her and why we were there. Duncan entered the tent in the middle of my explanation and gave the rest of the details: The poisoned mirror, the fact that Tamlen could not had survived and that she would die in a few days unless she join the Grey Wardens. I did not understand how exactly the joining would give her immunity to the taint. It don't have much logic, but if Duncan said so, who am I to question his words? The Keeper also said that the clan would travel to the north, because that place was no longer safe, and ordered Mahariel to join us.

See? It's a lot to process. I was feeling unwanted in that place. I didn't want to stay but I couldn't leave either. You wish to know why?

Well, because I saw myself in that girl.

I listened to her saying that she did not want charity from a human, how she begged the Keeper to allow her to stay, because she didn't want to be away from her family, and how everything sounded so strange and disturbing. It was like reading a book for the second time, and it was so damn wrong.

For her, leaving meant that she had a great chance of never seeing the clan again. She had the expression of someone who had just been slapped in the face, at least a dozen times. Watching it all was agonizing, because I knew what she was feeling and there was nothing I could do to change anything.

She was reluctant, but eventually accepted the offer, frowning and giving long sighs. She had no choice, just like me.

I could see her emotions written all over her face. She did her best to not fall apart, but her sorrow was there for anyone to see.

Merrill on the other hand was devastated. She didn't stop holding the hand of her friend the whole time, and didn't look at us while we spoke. When she did, before we left the tent, her brown eyes were full of resentment, with tears rolling down her face.

I felt terrible. Even knowing that I was not the one to blame for it, I was one of those who would steal her best friend.

I probably don't need to mention that none of them spoke to me after that.

Anyway, it was agreed that we would allow a few hours for Mahariel to recover and we would leave at noon, to the delight - or something near that - of Noah.

Suddenly, all the hours I slept last night evaporated like they were nothing. The mental exhaustion of that moment - all the memories that came back to my mind as I saw history repeat itself - made me feel worse than when I slept.

As I limped back to where our stuff was, Duncan came to me.

"She'll be fine," He said and I hope he was right. "She is a great hunter or so the rumors said. She will be a great Grey Warden one day," he said gently, "How is your leg?"

"It'll get better," At least the wound didn't opened again, and thanks to Merrill I had enough of that green poultice to treat me for the trip. I just hoped she wouldn't ask for it back.

"I know this is hard for you," he continued, "I know it seems that none of this is fair, but believe me when I say that you'll be fine."

I did not say anything, just nodded. He understood that I did not want to talk and walked away, leaving me alone with my own thoughts.

I went to where my things were, and sat down to change the bandages again. Noah was there too, doing pushups. To my surprise, I found a pack of plants tied to the handle of my bag. In the Alienage, we had no money to buy medicines from the market, so whenever we fled into the forest we stored plants to treat the sick later. Valendrian tried to teach me, but I never learned more than two or three types of herbs. Maybe Merrill had left them there yesterday when I went to sleep.

"Staring will not make them talk to you," Noah said impatiently.

"Maybe you can find a better answer somewhere deep inside your ignorance? Or am I asking too much?"

"It's Medicinal Herbs," he said. Oh, really?

"Something else to add beyond the obvious?"

"Really?" Hey, that's my line, I thought. He stood and stared at me with his arms crossed and a look of disbelief on his face. "You're an elf and you don't know what this is?"

I snorted. Yeah I did not know, but just because I'm an elf it doesn't mean that I need to know everything, right? He sighed, rubbing his hair.

"These are for pain," he continued, "Chew a leaf of each one twice a day and your leg will not hurt so much." He turned his back and walked away, back to where his things were.

I thought for a moment. "You know who put this here?" I asked.

"Do you think I care?" He said without turning around.

I looked at the bundle one last time before obeying. It was bitter and a little citric, but I would make the sacrifice if it meant that the pain would stop.

Something wasn't right. If Merrill did that, she would have told me. Well, at least explained how to use it.

At that moment, I had a brief insight. Was it possible?

"Noah!" I yelled, not thinking about exactly what I was doing. However, I had only one way to find out. He stopped. "Thank you," I said, giving him a half smile.

Noah looked at me, and even as far as he was now I could see his eyes slowly widening as he was assimilating my words, the surprise written all over his face. I could even risk to say that I had seen him blushing before he put the mask of "I don't care" back on his face and disappear into the forest.

Notes:

* Ma'serannas: Thank you.

* Abelas, Da'len: Sorry, child.