Chapter 28: Witches of the Wilds (Daylen)
The young mage glanced at astranger in the black and red robe. Daylen, of course, had plenty of experience with the opposite sex, but all the female apprentices and young mages of the Circle were similar to each other. This girl, on the contrary, seemed special to him. He was fascinated by her green, even yellowish eyes, as well as her confident gait. There were six warriors and one mage in front of her, but she was clearly not afraid of any of them.
- Perhaps you are vultures? The ones who fancy digging into gnawed bones? - she asked, going down the stairs to the detachment. - Or are you just intruders that roam my domain in search of prey?
- Apostate! You will come with us! You belong in the Circle of Magi! - Graham said in an authoritative tone, drawing his sword.
- Stand down, Graham! - Alistair stopped him. - You are no longer a templar, and neither am I. Let's listen to her.
The templar listened to Alistair and put away his sword. Daveth also lowered his bow.
- What say you, huh? - the girl asked. - Scavengers or intruders?
- We are neither, - Elissa replied. - This tower belonged to the Grey Wardens.
- There's no tower anymore. It's rotten. I have been following your progress for a long time. I'm interested in your path, and motives too. And I see you began to disturb this place. For what?
- Don't talk to her. She appears to be a Chasind. So there's an ambush nearby, - Alistair said.
- Are you afraid of the barbarians that they can swoop you? - the stranger asked contemptuously, waving her hands.
- Yes. Swooping is bad.
- It's a witch from the Wilds! She will turn us all into toads! - shouted Daveth.
- Calm down, friend, we, mage, do not know how to do it. I'm sorry I scared you, - Daylen reassured him.
- I see that you were not afraid of me, - the witch turned to him. - Tell me your name and I'll tell you my name too.
- My name is Daylen. Nice to meet you.
- That's how to do it, even in the Wilds you can have some manners, as it should be. My name is Morrigan. I need to guess the purpose of your visit. You were looking for something in the chest, but you did not find it. There is nothing out there.
- How do you know about the contents of the chest? Did you empty it? Did you steal the treaties? - Kallian asked.
- How can you steal something from those who are already dead?
- These documents belong to the Grey Wardens. You must return them! - Alistair shouted.
- I won't, because I didn't take them.
- Then who did? - Daylen asked.
- It was my mother.
- Can you take us to her?
Morrigan smiled for the first time in this conversation.
- Your request is reasonable. I like you.
Daylen didn't think she'd agree.
- I wouldn't be so happy if I were you, - Elissa told him. - First she will say "I like you", then you blink and get bitten in half.
- Don't be afraid, Elissa, I'm in control, - the mage assured her.
- We'll get into her pot and boil, you'll see, - added Daveth.
- If it's warmer there than in this swamp, then I agree, - answered Jory, who had been silent before.
- Follow me if you like, - Morrigan said.
Alistair and the recruits followed the witch, making their way through the dense forests of the Wilds.
- Why are we even following this apostate? - Graham asked irritably.
- Calm down, - Alistair replied. - We need these treaties, so let's play along with her. If anything goes wrong, do what you must as a templar.
Morrigan came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the woods after half an hour of walking.
- Leave the templar here. The six of you will go further.
- And why is that? - Alistair asked.
- My mother doesn't like templars. Leave him for his own good.
- Graham, stay here. If there is trouble, we will scream loudly.
They continued without Graham until they reached a cabin hidden in the woods, where a wrinkled old woman with disheveled grey hair, dressed in a simple dress of rough fabric, was waiting for them.
Morrigan started the conversation:
- Mother, I greet you! There are six Gray Wardens, they...
- I see them, girl, - said the old woman. - That's pretty much what I expected to see.
- Were you waiting for us? Are we supposed to believe it? - Alistair asked.
- You are required to do nothing, least of all believe. Shut one's eyes tight or open one's arms wide, either way, one's a fool.
Daylen has seen a lot of strange people while both living with Uncle Malcolm and studying in the Circle, but this old woman outdid them all.
- Since we are here and still alive, you need us for something. And it's better for us not to make you angry, - Daveth said.
- Smart boy, - the old woman answered him. – At first, it seemed that his role in the bigger picture is insignificant, but now the future is in motion. Nevertheless, believe what you want.
She spotted Kallian and walked close to her.
- What about you? Does the elven mind allow you to look at things differently? Or do you see everything the same as these humans?
- I'm not a fool, if that's what you mean, - the elf replied, looking intently into the old woman's eyes.
The witch laughed, she obviously liked this answer.
- If you instantly begin to defend yourself, then you don't have to ask. There is so much uncertainty in each of you. And yet I believe! Yes, I believe you!
She said the last phrase looking at Daylen. He felt uneasy at her gaze.
- They didn't come here to hear your opinion about them, mother, - Morrigan intervened.
- That's right, you came for the treaties? Before you start barking at me, please note: your precious seal has long decayed. I've protected the papers.
Morrigan's mother went to the box, pulled out a bundle of papers and gave it to Alistair.
- Did you guard them? - asked the Grey Warden in bewilderment.
- Why not? Take them to yours and tell them that the threat of the Blight is stronger than they think.
- Whoever you are, thanks for bringing them back, - Daylen said.
- Such manners! It's like with socks. You find them in the most unexpected places. You got what you were looking for.
- Then it's time for you to leave, - Morrigan said.
- Don't make me laugh, girl. These are our guests, and they must be seen off.
- Well, so be it. I will show you the way to the fortress. Follow me.
Along the way, the squad took Graham with them and reached Ostagar. As soon as the gates of the fortress and the guards appeared on the horizon, Morrigan silently went back, disappearing into the swamps of the Wilds.
By the time they returned, it was already dark. The fortress was illuminated by a thousand torches. Daylen and the others quickly found Duncan's tent and met up with Franco's squad and Theron. Nearby, Roger and some black mabari were playing catch-up with each other.
- Wait. Where are Franco and Rahta? - Alistair asked, taking the vials of blood from all the recruits and handing them over to the elf messenger.
- Franco was killed by the darkspawn, - Sereda replied. - And Rahta… her family is dead, and she gave up. She asked us to kill her, and we did it.
- It's a pity that not all of you returned from the Wilds, - said Duncan, who approached the recruits. - But we need to start. The mages of the Circle have already begun working with the blood you have brought.
- I have to report two apostates hiding in the Wilds, - Graham said.
- In that tower we met a girl, and her mother had kept the treaties. They looked strange, - Alistair added. - Perhaps they are apostates hiding from the Chantry.
- Alistair, Graham, I know you used to be templars, but the Chantry has its own business, and we have ours. Now we have the treaties, let's move on to the Joining ritual, - the Warden-Commander answered. - I will not lie, we Grey Wardens pay a heavy price to become what we are. Perhaps you will pay that price today, perhaps later.
- Since we have started this path, we must go through it to the end, - said Faren.
- I agree, - Jory added uncertainly. - Let's get down to business.
- Alistair, Theron, take them to the old temple.
The guards brought in the recruits. Daylen was alarmed by Duncan's words about the price the Wardens were paying. But no matter what happens, he definitely won't die today.