To Leave Peace and Rest Behind

Ciara watched as the black raven turned back into Morrigan, magic energy flickering off of her before disappearing back into her pool of mana inside of her. The door to the hut opened and Lawrien walked out, going straight over to them as Morrigan approached. They had been here a week now, and Morrigan had been out constantly scouting, with Epona for company every so often. Epona had remained here this time though, seated on top of the hut, staring out into the distance.

"Well girl, what did you see?" Flemeth asked, eyebrow arched.

"There are no more survivors. The darkspawn have picked through the dead men and women clean, and are now getting ready to head south." Morrigan crossed her arms, grimacing, glancing at Cobian. "They..." She was surprisingly hesitant. "They strung up the King's body."

Cobian's face went blank. Lawrien grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "You can't do anything right now," she said softly. "But when we can, I want to be there."

Cobian breathed out heavily and squeezed Lawrien's hand back. "One day."

Lawrien nodded.

"Why would Loghain do this?" Alistair hissed out, he was pacing by the fire again. "Why?"

"Well it could be multiple reasons," Ciara offered as the last of the bedridden souls crept out of the hut, Faren sat on the log with Torph while Narascha remained near the doorway.

The blonde dwarf nodded. "Political, tactical-"

"And what does that mean? Tactical!" Alistar snapped.

"Well the beacon was lit late and the darkspawn were endless in number," Narascha mused. "Teyrn Loghain could have quit the field in order to protect the soldiers he had by his side and save them to fight for another day. There are all different kinds of reasoning."

"Yes, beacon lighting was late, but with perfect explanation. Darkspawn slipped through the cracks." Cobian frowned. "Calenhad guarded Alistair well-"

Ciara smiled at Alistair's choked protest. "Calenhad guarded you?" she asked, and he flushed.

"I really don't like the wording of that..." Alistair groaned. "Why does the dog have to protect me?"

"Mabari are good at protecting people." Cobian smiled warmly, but deflated. "Its why many probably wouldn't have made it out of the battlefield. Why I didn't wish for Calenhad to be there."

Calenhad whined, nudging Cobian's hand.

"No, charge would have been better with Uncle Loghain."

Calenhad barked excitedly.

"You still call him your uncle?" Alistair scowled.

"Of course he would," Ciara said. "He is Cobian's uncle."

"He's a traitor!"

"Hardly," Narascha scoffed.

"He kinda fucked us over," Torph grunted. "Some back up or warning would have been nice."

"Speaking of which, what if Loghain's reasons for pulling out were political? What would he have to gain?" Epona asked, eyes narrowed. "I am unsure of how it works in politics."

"Well he could have been trying to get rid of the King," Narascha offered. "But that argument already becomes invalid considering how many times he tried to convince the King not to go on to the battlefield."

Cobian nodded at that, grimacing.

Alistair shook his head. "Most of us wouldn't even be alive if Morrigan's mother hadn't saved us-"

"You speak of me as if I am not here." Said mother raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, yeah..." Alistair squirmed. "Flemeth..."

"Better than Asha whatever that Epona's says." Torph shrugged. "Anyway, we gotta run off now right? Get the hell outta dodge before we all get murdered by the Blight."

"You want us to run?" Alistair bristled. "After Duncan sacrificed his life for us!"

"Not just Duncan," Lawrien snapped. She was by the lake again, staring out towards Ostagar, but her head had whipped round so fast that by all rights her neck should have broke.

Alistair flinched. "Yeah, sorry, everyone else did too..."

Hopefully the Maker would guide and protect them. Ciara frowned at the thought. Did it even matter? What good was he when he allowed all this to happen? It was cruel. Cobian watched his house be destroyed, then his brother and King died in his arms. Faren was almost murdered by a Vanguard, who decided it would be more entertaining to beat him first. Yegrettie had been cut down and Duncan had tried to protect them and everyone was dead-

Ciara breathed in.

Lawrien was staring at her.

She breathed out.

Lawrien frowned, her eyes narrowed, but Ciara merely smiled. That earned a sharp glare. Yes, she was pushing away all her terror again, and yes, it annoyed Lawrien, but at least it wouldn't affect her sister anymore. Ciara's reactions wouldn't cause her trouble.

Narascha coughed. "Right now that doesn't particularly matter. We have a job to do."

"It has always been the duty of the Grey Wardens to untie the lands against the Blight, or did that change while I wasn't looking?" Flemeth chuckled.

"How the hell are we meant to manage that exactly?" Torph groaned. "I say we tried and now we get to pack up and make a break for Orlais' Wardens."

"Uncle Loghain's head might just explode if he heard that," Cobian mumbled.

"You have got to be kidding, Torph!" Alistair snarled. "You're a Grey Warden!"

"For like a week, and I've been most doing chores while the others played dead. Successful Grey Warden career so far eh?"

"Alistair never gave Duncan the treaties," Narascha cut in, and an awkward silence filled the clearing.

Ciara pounced on Alistair's bag, earning a squawk. She tossed bits and pieces out, which Alistair scrambled to pick up, before pulling out three scrolls. Lawrien threw her head back and laughed.

"Alistair, you beautiful, forgetful man!" Ciara cheered. "You might have just saved Ferelden with your goldfish brain."

"Goldfish brain?" Alistair blinked, then choked, then flushed. "Wait, beautiful? You think I'm beautiful?"

Lawrien cackled.

"Good job, Narascha." Cobian smiled. "I actually forgot about those treaties with everything else that had happened."

"I gave them to you for a reason." Flemeth glowered.

Cobian sheepishly rubbed his head. "Ah, my mistake? I thought junior Warden in command of our quest would have handed over the scrolls to Duncan."

"The blonde really is an idiot," Morrigan scoffed.

"He's our idiot." Lawrien grinned.

Alistair paused. "I'm... You know, that's really sweet, I think?"

"We have the Dalish, Dwarves of Orzammar, and Circle of Magi treaties," Ciara said, laying them down carefully.

"My people would be if great help, many of us are hunters and warriors," Epona pointed out. "But most clans would be wary of us."

"Urgh, Orzammar," Narascha groaned. "I must admit I can't be bothered dealing with anyone from there right now, but we have skilled warriors who are more than capable and experienced in handling the darkspawn."

"And we can visit Myra and Anders at the Circle." Lawrien beamed.

"If Anders hadn't run away again," Ciara said dryly.

"Eh, he's probably gotten caught by now." Lawrien shrugged. "He's weird like that. Sometimes he can hide for ages, and then others he does something crazy and gets captured."

"I wonder who that reminds me of," Ciara hummed.

"Yeah, but I'm a Grey Warden. I can get away with that."

"I might be able to speak to Anora and Uncle Loghain," Cobian offered.

"Or," Alistair cut in, grinning. "There is Arl Eamon! He still has all his men."

Flemeth's chuckle quietened them all down. "Well, it looks like you're all set."

"I would have been happy just staying alive," Torph groaned.

"We can't just abandoned Ferelden. We're Grey Wardens," Alistair scolded.

"Why not? I've not been in Ferelden for that long. I'm not attached."

"You would be bored if we quit now," Faren chuckled.

"Boredom suits me rather well. I hate working."

"Well first you shall all eat, then I'll check on your injuries," Flemeth said, glancing over at Torph and Alistair. "Since you two are no longer injured perhaps you can go and help Morrigan prepare supper?"

"Me again?" Torph whined.

Faren began to sit back up. "I can help too."

"No you stay there, young man." Flemeth waved him off. "You're still recovering."

"Come on, Torph, we can talk more about the Grey Wardens while we cook," Alistair said firmly, only earning a groan from the very reluctant dwarf.

.::.

It was another day before Flemeth saw fit that they were allowed to leave. Narascha was going slowly insane, sitting in bed for so long, so she was glad to put on her armour again and lift up her axe and finally leave the hut. Torph was the complete opposite, he had been a struggle to get out of bed, so she literally dragging him by his ankle with him grumbling behind her.

"Is he not getting up?" Alistair raised an eyebrow.

His armour was badly damaged, most of their equipment was. Narascha had to remind herself that they would need to find a way to get more once they stopped in a decent town.

"No. I'll drag him by his ankle until he gets fed up. I've had to do it before," Narascha chuckled.

She did that halfway down the mountains in Orzammar before threatening to roll him down the cliff. That had made him get up rather quickly.

"Now before you go," Flemeth said as Morrigan approached. "There is one more thing I can offer you."

"Mother dear, the stew is bubbling, are our guests staying for dinner or will they be finally leaving?" Morrigan looked so delighted to get rid of them.

"The Wardens will be leaving shortly, girl." Flemeth smirked. "And you will be joining them."

Narascha blinked.

"Such a shame-" Morrigan's smile froze, and she whirled around to face her mother. "What?!"

Flemeth laughed. "You heard me, girl."

"Have I no say in this?" Morrigan growled.

"You've been itching to get out of the Wilds for years. Here's your chance." Flemeth's tone had a warning bite to it. "As for you Wardens, consider this repayment for saving your lives."

"If she doesn't wish to come with us she doesn't have to." Lawrien frowned, tilting her head as she crossed her arms.

"You will need her. I am giving you that which I value above all else in this world. I do this because you must succeed in uniting the world against this threat."

"Are you sure this is a good idea? Outside of the wilds, she is an apostate." Alistair looked very uncomfortable with this. He was shifting awkwardly and eyeing everyone else, hopeful for someone to agree.

"If you don't wish help from us apostates, maybe I should have left you in that tower," Flemeth chided.

"Point taken..." Very reluctantly, in Alistair's case.

"We'll do our best to keep her safe," Ciara said. "Though we cannot guarantee it."

"Welcome aboard then, Morrigan!" Lawrien waved, enthusiastic.

"Let me get my things ready," Morrigan sighed in exasperation.

This was certainly going to be an interesting experience.