Chapter 2 – The Tempest

"Good timing, Leliana," Wynne was the first to recover. "Now I beg of you, please move out of my way. I need to inspect our leader to ensure she is not even more damaged than I first imagined."

"I'm not leaving her again," Leliana spat as she sat on the floor beside her lover. Lyla couldn't help the smile that grew upon her face, feeling the warmth in her chest as Leliana took her hand.

"Mas serannas, vhenan," Lyla whispered. "No mercy for traitors, he deserved to die."

"No one hurts you and lives," Leliana growled. "I would not lose you."

"Ahem," Wynne coughed. The rest of the clan were busy around the cave, busy pretending to be busy. "As nice as it is to see young love blossom, I need to inspect your wounds, Lyla, and I need to give you bad news."

"My eye?" Lyla whimpered.

"Yes," Wynne acknowledged, "your eye. I'm sorry, Lyla, I truly am, but I could not save it. Magic is powerful, but the eyes are the windows to the souls and that is too much for even me to handle. I put more of my magic than was sensible into you, and it was not enough."

"I…" Lyla spoke softly, as though she was dreaming. "I understand. Anything else?"

"It will be a few days until you feel completely recovered, I'm afraid. And you have a scar across your left cheek. I'm sorry, my friend, but your dagger tattoo is gone."

"Elgar'nan, forgive me. Do you have a mirror? I would like to see the damage myself," Lyla chose every word carefully. She could feel her old friend rage trying to escape the prison she kept it in, but she refused to allow it even a taste of freedom. They had just lost a member of the clan to treachery, she would not explode and risk losing another.

"There is more," Wynne murmured. "Though this isn't relating to you. For once, you aren't the most careless member of this ragtag group. We need to talk about Neria."

"Wynne, she needs rest," Leliana warned," this can wait."

"No it cannot," the elder mage spat. "She was possessed. She foolishly made a deal with that demon, the one that nearly destroyed Redcliffe. It had taken her body from her and would have killed her if it wasn't for the Guardian of the Ashes."

"I don't understand," Lyla groaned. "Morrigan assured me Neria was free of the spirit."

"She did what? Why was I not informed!" Wynne gasped.

"I assumed you had been, lethallan, abelas. The Templars in Redcliffe knew and I thought you had heard." Lyla explained. "Leave me, and send my first. I would prefer to hear her account."

Wynne looked as though she was about to speak once more but a glare from Leliana made her think twice. She escaped the couple and spoke under her breath to Neria. Lyla took the chance to turn her head completely to look at her Leliana.

"I love you," she said as a tear fell from her eye. "The Creators took my eye but I am glad they did not take you."

"Our Gods are cruel, love, but they love us all the same. We retrieved the ashes whilst you slept, my darling, we are ready to leave this accursed village whenever you are up to it."

"Soon then," Lyla smiled. "I want to be back in Redcliffe before the worst of winter hits us. The Arl will owe us enough to grant us warm beds and food, I am sure."

"A good plan, Lyla," Leliana grinned. "And a master bedroom for us, no? I long to be cuddled up to you in a soft bed again."

Lyla felt her cheeks burn and her stomach felt light with butterflies, but she was happy. All in all, losing an eye was a small price to pay for keeping her clan safe. She remembered charging that dragon, remembered her folly as her roots as a hunter took control. But she had saved them, she assumed, or perhaps they had saved her. Either way, Leliana was safe, and Lyla hadn't needed to experience more Andrastrian preaching than she had needed to. That was almost as good.

"Hahren," Neria whispered as she looked at the ground. She stood before her Keeper with more shame than Lyla had ever seen. "Abelas, lethallan, abelas."

"Da'len, look at me," Lyla gently prodded, and Neria complied. Tears stained her cheeks and her bottom lip wobbled as she made eye contact with Lyla. "What happened?"

"Enamour, the demon was gone. I swear it!" Neria squeaked. "When you admonished me in Redcliffe, I swear the demon was gone. I swear." She collapsed to her knees and tears fell freely.

Lyla leant forward, with a little help from her love, and took Neria's hands in her own. "I believe you, Neria Surana."

"Ma serannas, keeper," Neria spoke after collected herself. "It wasn't until we got to the ruins in the Brecillian Forest that she spoke to me. She was so loving at first, so kind, and sweet, and just wonderful to me. She listened and taught me more than any one had ever attempted to. She cared for me, and my future, and the future of our people! And it was all a LIE!" Neria screamed. Magic sparked around her body, bounced and dancing across her shoulders. "I trusted her and she took, and she took, and she took! She gave me more magic and I gave her more freedom, though I didn't know it.

"When I used my magic to take down that evil shemlen Father here, she took control of me. Caged me away in a gilded prison inside my own mind. I had to watch as she spoke to you all, watch as she lived my life and none of you noticed. I was powerless to stop her, breaking free for brief ecstatic but utterly useless moments," Neria sobbed.

"I knew there was something wrong, lethallan," Lyla comforted. "I told Natalie to keep an eye on you, though I truly had no idea what I was looking for."

"It wasn't until we reached that glorious man in the cave ahead. He saved me, and I could never repay that debt. I am such a fool," Neria finished, not hearing Lyla.

"Lethallan," Lyla squeezed her first's hands. "There is nothing I could say that you haven't already said to yourself, is there? You won't make that mistake again. I know what it is like to have someone else take control of your body and do things to it that you don't want. I used the experience to make myself stronger, though it scarred me. I hope you can do the same, with time. I need you in this blight, and you are my first. I rely on you."

"You still trust me?" Neria gasped. "After all I have done."

"You are punishing yourself more than I ever could, and no doubt Wynne will be as cruel as an old woman can be. I know you regret this and won't let it happen again," Lyla replied before prompting her first. "We are the Dalish, keepers of the lost lore, walkers of the lonely path."

"We are the last of the Elvhenan, and never again shall we submit," Neria finished with renewed vigour. "You are right, Keeper, I will never submit again." She stood and nodded her head at her friends before walking back to Wynne.

"Help me stand, Vhenan," Lyla whispered. "I need to talk to the clan."

Leliana kissed her on the cheek and Lyla ignored the blush she could feel forming. Together, they helped Lyla stand and as she leant upon her heart, she felt stronger than she ever had.

"Abelas," She shouted above the small murmuring the clan was producing amongst themselves. They stood to attention and one by one they stood before her.

Lyla looked at them, smiling as she felt Leliana leave her and take her place next to Alistair. Her gaze drifted over the rest of the group. Over Shale, Natalie, Zevran, Wynne, Neria, Morrigan, and the two dogs. They were a strange bunch but Lyla wouldn't change her clan for anything.

"Abelas, my friends. I am sorry. I have once again risked myself needlessly. I like to think I saved you all from that dragon, but I know better than to assume that. Ma serannas, thank you. What happened to Sten was a shame, but he was a traitor and I will not stand a traitor to live. My people believe in no mercy for those who betray the clan, those who put themselves or their own ideals before the Keeper and the clan. None who threaten us will live to regret their decision, trust me.

"We leave as soon as our equipment is packed. The Arl is waiting for us, and I am eager to receive his generosity. And save him of course," She winked at Alistair and received what was no doubt a rude gesture in return. "Sten was wrong when he said we were hiding. We are biding our time and waiting. The Archdemon is scared of us, I assure you. He talks to Alistair and me in our dreams, makes empty threats and boring horrors. He is hiding away deep down in his lair and we will burn him out before the war is done, I promise you. They call me the Tempest, and the Archdemon will not live to regret pissing me off."