Arcane Warrior

They continued down the old, long hallways of the ruins. Lawrien seemed to grow more confused, muttering beneath her breath, and Epona's brow kept furrowing whenever she did. Faren simply looked confused. Cobian glanced over at Leliana and Morrigan, but neither of them seemed bothered by it.

"Okay!" Epona threw her hands up. "What are you doing, Lawrien?"

Lawrien tilted her head. "Someone's scared, but it's none of you."

"One of the werewolves?" Cobian suggested.

"I don't think so..." Lawrien shook her head. "They're usually just angry and protective." She walked away from them, past another hall and towards a doorway. "It's coming from in here..."

"Next thing we know we're going to find some other unworldly creatures waiting to ambush us," Faren complained.

"Maybe they'll finally put you out of your misery," Morrigan teased.

"Maybe," Faren grumbled.

Leliana smiled. "Just think of it as an adventure, Faren!"

"I'm too old for adventuring."

"You're the youngest one here," Cobian said, blinking.

Yes, Faren, then Lawrien. He wasn't sure of Leliana or Morrigan's age, but they looked older than Faren and Lawrien. They were still in their teenager years after all.

"Oh!" Leliana paused. "What age are you, Faren?"

"Seventeen-"

"I'm seventeen too." Lawrien grinned. "We're like twins!"

Faren laughed. "Twins indeed, with my brown hair, and your blonde hair-"

"And you're an elf and Lawrien is a human-" Morrigan added in.

"And you have brown eyes, and I've got green," Faren continued. "And you've got magic. I don't."

Lawrien rolled her eyes. "Apart from that we're like twins then."

"You can say that about every other seventeen year old then," Faren teased.

"Well..." Lawrien's brow furrowed, then suddenly she sprinted off, down the last of the hallway and into the room she had pointed out earlier. Faren and Epona were on her heels, and Cobian rushed after them. Leliana easily passing by him.

"Lawrien, wait!" Leliana yelled. "You don't know what's in there-"

They found Lawrien knelt on the floor, carefully cradling an amulet in her hands. Lawrien's face hardened and she stood up.

"How do you recognise me?" she asked sharply.

Cobian tilted his head. "Strange, I wonder if it is the magical energy or the Amell blood-"

"Not now, noble," Epona huffed.

There was a moment of silence, as if whatever was inside was speaking with Lawrien telepathically. Cobian inched closer, raised a finger to poke the amulet, but Epona slapped his hand away.

"Um, you're not chatting with a demon, right?" Faren asked. "Because we have enough problems as it is."

"Figures she'd find something demonic," Morrigan sighed.

"Nope," Lawrien said. "He was an Emerald Knight."

Epona choked.

Cobian beamed. "Ah, the elven warriors-"

"And an arcane warrior-" Lawrien added.

"Arcane warrior?" Cobian blinked. That wasn't something he recognised.

"Yeah, dunno what it is exactly, but sounds cool." Lawrien shrugged.

"They used to protect the ancient elves from what we understand," Epona said. "Just as the Emerald Knights did."

Leliana smiled. "They sound so romantic, protecting their people with all their might."

"And died for it," Morrigan snorted. "I don't understand how that sounds at all romantic to you."

"They died protecting those they loved and cherished," Leliana sighed blissfully.

Faren groaned. "I'd rather live."

Lawrien tilted her head. "It's weird, he knows me and Epona."

"I wouldn't listen to the voice inside the creepy amulet, Lawrien," Faren said nervously.

"Your bloodlines are supposed to have interesting origins," Cobian said cheerfully. "Perhaps the spirit that resides in there can recognise it through time itself?"

Lawrien stepped up to an altar. "You want to go on this altar?"

Morrigan stiffened. "Wait, this might be a trap-"

Lawrien had already sat the amulet on the altar and laughed sheepishly. "Oops?"

Epona screeched. "That could have been a demon, you fool!"

"Well it wasn't, and it showed me how to become an arcane warrior!" Lawrien scowled.

Cobian gasped. "It did? That is fantastic! Do you just have the knowledge or has it embedded some kind of strength inside you that would react to the ability or-"

"Noble!" Epona snapped.

Cobian snapped his mouth shut. Epona looked ready to punch him. Calenhad whined and sat down by his feet, so Cobian petted him soothingly.

"You've trusted whatever that thing was to train you to become an arcane warrior?" Epona scolded. "Don't be so reckless! What would have happened if it had been a demon trying to possess you?"

"I would have kicked its ass?" Lawrien offered.

"You'd be possessed!"

Lawrien crossed her arms. "I could feel him."

Cobian and Faren both let out surprised noises. Cobian had to admit, he sometimes forgot how effective Lawrien's empathy was.

Epona groaned. "You're such a pain."

Lawrien laughed. "Jealous?"

"Not of whatever weird gift you've been given." Epona shook her head. "How is Ciara not grey yet?"

"Because she finds it amusing." Lawrien grinned, but then frowned. "Epona... He also told me something else..."

Epona sighed. "What is it?"

"Your armour is here."

.::.

"I don't wear armour! As you can see I wear Dalish leathers."

"Well you did once!"

"I never have!"

Faren quietly followed Epona and Lawrien as they marched down the hallways. Any skeletons that shambled their way were promptly murdered as the pair yelled at each other. The rest of them decided to keep a fair pace back just in case the two started throwing punches or something.

"This is really interesting, but I have to admit I have no idea what is going on," Cobian said sheepishly.

Morrigan sighed. "I don't believe any of us do."

"Look, just help me break into your grave!"

"I'm not dead, you fool! Nor would I help you break into my grave if I was."

Lawrien crossed her arms and huffed. "I knew you couldn't do it."

Epona twitched. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I'll just have to take the armour myself," Lawrien said smugly. "I could use some knew armour as an arcane mage."

"You are not stealing an ancient elf's armour."

"Dead you doesn't need it and apparently neither does alive you."

Faren blanked out the pair. "I think I'm about to steal it just to stop them arguing."

"Please do," Morrigan said, behind clenched teeth.

"I would like to see Epona's magical armour-" Cobian admitted.

"It's not magical nor is it mine!"

"I don't know how I can put all this into a song about the Grey Warden's valiant adventures..." Leliana mused.

"Leave the tomb alone!"

They all paused. Swiftrunner was hunched over in the doorway. He sounded more tired and annoyed than angry, and Faren couldn't blame him. If he had to listen to Lawrien and Epona argue for hours too, then yeah, completely understandable.

"What do you want, wolf?" Epona didn't even have her bow notched and aimed. No, she just looked fed up as she scowled down at Swiftrunner as if everything was his fault.

Which kinda? If he and his friends hadn't decided to chew on the Dalish elves they could have avoided all this weird stuff about bloodlines and armour and talking necklaces and been on their merry way to Redcliffe by now.

"The Lady asks if you would parley," Swiftrunner growled. He sounded frustrated with the decision.

"You do not?" Cobian tilted his head. "Why? Anger directed at Dalish, yes, but you have been civil to the rest of us. Fear we will cause her distress or harm?" Swiftrunner stared at Cobian, almost blankly, because by the Maker he was talking too fast again. "The Lady is like a leader, like Witherfang, but Zathrian never mentioned anything about a lady. No, and she wishes to see Epona. Lawrien said she wishes to see Epona. Is that the she? Or another? Witherfang bowed his head at Epona. Both have respect for Epona. Why Epona? Is it the old bloodlines?"

Faren winced. Everyone was looking a bit vague now. Lawrien was inching towards the tomb, but Epona yanked her back by her hair, earning a hiss. Cobian's muttering grew quieter and quieter, before he gasped, then frowned, crossed his arms and tapped his foot.

"No, perhaps, but if that was the case..." Cobian muttered.

Morrigan sighed. "Perhaps we just let him get on with it?"

"Yes," Epona grunted.

Leliana laughed sheepishly. "He does tend to think deeply."

Faren glanced back at Cobian again, only now he had his notebook out. Witherfang and the Lady were the title of the page heading. Faren shook his head. Nope, he had no idea why they had been placed together. He'd let Cobian work that one out.

"Parley was it?" Epona groaned, massaging her head.

Swiftrunner grumbled.

"Yes." Lawrien grinned. "She really wants to see Epona too!"

"The dead one or the alive one?" Faren asked teasingly.

Epona threw him a withering glare. "Don't you dare start that up too, da'len."

Faren laughed nervously. "Ah, sorry, sorry."

He did not want to be shot by a stray arrow.

"Are we about to be led into a trap?" Leliana asked Lawrien quietly.

Lawrien smiled. "Nah. Swiftrunner's a nice guy. He's not happy about it. Worried, yeah. But not so badly that its affecting me."

Leliana grimaced. "You do realise he ambushed us on the way to the Dalish, right? He was rather insistent on attacking Epona. You also tried to choke him with your staff."

Lawrien shrugged. "He started it."

"I really, really don't want to do this," Epona said through gritted teeth. "But we shall accept your parley, Swiftrunner, before I lose my mind down here."

Faren could see that happening to be fair. He was really relieved that he didn't have some special bloodline like the Amells and Mahariel's. He managed to avoid all that crap at least.