Chapter 40: The Hawkes (Daylen)
Meanwhile, Sereda, Daylen and Morrigan wandered around the village asking if anyone knew a man named Malcolm and his family. Several passers-by asked Daylen for blessings, mistaking the young mage for a Chantry brother.
- Get away! Away! Get away, all of you! - Morrigan drove away the locals.
- You don't like crowds of people, do you? - Daylen asked. - You must have been lonely in the Wilds.
- At times, perhaps, - the witch replied. - A world full of buildings and objects and people was foreign to me. If I needed company, then I ran with animals, with wolves, with birds. And if I needed to talk, then I spoke with the trees.
- Yeah, and I thought Orzammar was dull, - Sereda said. – We dwarves are quite bored underground, but at least we don't talk to stones.
- These trees, did they answer you? - Daylen asked, not believing his own words. He really was interested in it.
- Sometimes, - Morrigan replied. - I remember the first time I left my home in the form of a beast. I hid in the shade and watched the locals. And they seemed strange to me. I noticed a noble lady in bright clothes, the likeness of which I had not seen before. She seemed to be the embodiment of wealth. And I was blinded. I slipped into her house and found a mirror there in a gold frame. Pressing it to my chest, I rushed home to the Wilds.
- It is unlikely that Flemeth was happy. She does not look like a fan of luxury.
- She got angry. I was a child, I could be caught. And all for the sake of some mirror. And Flemeth taught me a lesson. Taking the mirror away, she broke it. And my heart broke with it.
- You know, it's hard for me to imagine you with a broken heart.
- It's because that lesson was learned by me. Mother was right that she saved me from delusion. Love and beauty are always gone. There is no meaning in them. It is in power. These lessons were difficult, but I am alive only thanks to them.
- You don't have to live like this all the time. Love can be in your life.
- Is that so? You are naive. Why are you doing this, Daylen? Hasn't love doomed you? Were I in your place, I would give up my cousin, not myself.
- No matter what happens to me, I don't regret anything. And I'll prove you wrong.
- We shall see.
A dark-haired girl in a white robe and a red scarf around her neck approached the Wardens and Morrigan cautiously.
- D-Daylen? Is that you? - she asked.
- Bethany! You've grown a lot!
Daylen immediately recognized and hugged his cousin.
- I… I didn't know they took magicians into the Chantry, - Bethany said. - Besides, I didn't think you were going there. You are the only one in our family who did not believe in the Maker.
- It's a long story. Where are Uncle Malcolm and Aunt Leandra? I have to tell them something.
- Of course, let's go home. Mom and dad are there.
- Can Sereda and Morrigan come with us? I trust them.
- Your friends are our friends. Let's go!
Bethany led the others to one of the houses. Daylen let the ladies go first and was the last one inside.
- Bethany! Are you back from your walk so early? - Daylen heard a familiar female voice. - Who is that with you? A dwarf, an unusually pale Chasind and… Daylen? Malcolm, get over here! Daylen is here!
Daylen immediately recognized the woman running around the kitchen in a simple dress as his aunt Leandra, who had raised him as her own son. From another room came Uncle Malcolm, a tall, white-haired man in a cheap medium armor. He immediately hugged his long-lost nephew.
- I doubted we'd see you again, - Malcolm said. - Leandra, it looks like we need to have the table for eight.
- Wait, eight? - Daylen asked. - Who are the other two?
- You didn't think that some darkspawn would defeat me and my brother, did you? - he heard Carver's voice from another room.
From there, limping out, came two brothers, Harold and Carver. They both looked very tired.
Leandra invited everyone to the table. Seven humans and a dwarf could hardly fit at the small table.
- I have to introduce my friends to you, - Daylen began. - This is Sereda, and this is Morrigan.
- Nice to meet you, - Malcolm said. - Daylen may have been told you about us, but I hope he didn't. My name is Malcolm Hawke and this is my wife Leandra and my children Harold, Carver and Bethany. So what happened to you, Daylen? Why are you here and not in the Circle?
- I spent four years in the tower, became a student of Irving himself. He immediately understood how I knew so much about magic, but promised not to tell anyone that you were alive. About a week ago I was taken into the Grey Wardens, and that's how I ended up in Ostagar. I think you already know what happened there. I, like Sereda and several other Wardens, managed to escape. We were rescued by Morrigan and her mother, and Morrigan went with us.
Malcolm ran a hand through his beard thoughtfully.
- Why did we lose? - Harold asked. - The plan was perfect. We should have won!
- Loghain fled the battlefield. My friends lit the beacon on the tower of Ishal, but for some reason nothing happened. How did you get out of there?
- It was hard. We had to retreat and abandon lots of good men. But there was no point in further fighting. We ran north to Lothering for a whole day without a break. That's why we are so tired. Daylen, I swear I would go with you and your friends and help you expose Loghain. But I can't do anything right now, not even raise my sword.
- There are ten Wardens including me, plus the charming Morrigan and two mabari hounds. And your family needs you, Harold. I would refuse to take you with us even if you were completely healthy.
- However, can our family help you in any way? - Bethany asked.
- We thank you, but no, - said Sereda. - You need all the resources you can, and we can handle it somehow.
- Please, run away from the village as soon as possible, - Daylen told his relatives. - The darkspawn will be here soon. And there will be as many of them as there were under Ostagar. Gather what you need and run as soon as Harold and Carver can walk.
- Morrigan and I should probably follow the others, - Sereda said. - You should spend some time with your family. Leave the village in an hour.
- Okay, - Daylen replied.
Sereda and Morrigan left Daylen and his relatives alone. They spent the entire hour reminiscing about old stories and times before Daylen's capture. The young mage was very pleased to return to those carefree times. No templars. No Blight. Only four children, aunt and uncle.
- This girl, Morrigan. Is she also a mage? - Bethany asked.
- Looks like it's too obvious, - Daylen replied. - Yes, she is an apostate, but she is not like the three of us. She is too selfish and cold.
- And what are you going to do about it? - Harold asked.
- I'll try to change her. Uncle, you said that magic should serve that which is best in me, and not that which is most base. I want to teach Morrigan the same, make her, I don't know, more human. I see that there is good deep inside Morrigan, that she can become different.
- Or you just want to see what's under her skirt, - Carver said with a laugh.
- Carver! You can't talk about this at the table, - Bethany stopped her brother.
- Daylen, let's speak privately, - Malcolm said.
Uncle and nephew moved away from the table and stood in the corner.
- Are you sure being with the Grey Wardens is a good idea?
- Uncle, they are doing an important job, saving Thedas from the Blight. What do not you like?
- I once dealt with the Wardens. They are very dangerous.
- The Wardens you worked with may be dangerous, but I trust my friends. None of them had been in the Wardens for more than a couple of months. You could say we are all newbies.
Daylen's attention was drawn to a gold-framed mirror on one of the shelves. The mage came up and took it in his hands.
- That mirror belonged to your mother, - Leandra said. - It was with her when she…when she brought you to us. If you want, you can take it with you.
- Thank you, Aunt Leandra.
Daylen said goodbye to all the relatives, wished the brothers recovery and reminded them to quickly flee the village. When he found the others, he was surprised, as their group had expanded greatly.
- There you are, - Sereda said. - Five more have decided to join us.
The dwarf pointed to a red-haired girl in church robes chatting with the Couslands, as well as to two unarmed dwarves, a young man carrying the tents along with Theron, Daveth and Faren a giant from the Qunari.
- That priestess is Leliana, she just approached Faren and Kallian and said she wanted to come with us, - Sereda explained. - Theron and Alistair rescued two merchants, the elder one is Bodahn, the younger one is Sandal. The big man's name is Sten, Theron released him out of pity, but he seems to be an excellent warrior. And the young lad's name is Roderick. Elissa and Aedan vouched for him. How are you, Daylen?
- I'm happy. Too bad we can't take my family with us. But they've been warned, and this will help them.
Neria approached the speakers.
- Did you find your family? I'm very happy for you. Too bad I didn't get to know them. But I helped you by holding up our group.
- What, you wanted to leave without me?
- For some reason, Alistair insisted that we move on. He said that he felt the approaching horde. Sten, Daveth and Morrigan supported him. But I found a way to persuade him to wait.
- Thank you, Neria. It was important for me to spend more time with my family.
- Well, is everyone ready? - Sereda shouted. - Then let's go! Aedan and I will be in the front. Kallian and Elissa, take your left flank. Leliana and Alistair, you'll be with the dogs on the right. The rest will carry the tents. Mages, you are in the rear.
A group of Grey Wardens and their allies moved out. As the last one to leave, Daylen glanced at the doomed village before stepping onto the Imperial Highway and fading into the setting sun.