Enter Sandman ~ SHEL (Morrigan's Theme)

We approached the bonfire where the Wardens' tents were. Duncan smiled when he saw Alistair and I. "So you found Alistair, did you? Good. I'll assume you're ready to begin preparations." He turned to Alistair. "Assuming, of course, that you're quite finished riling up Mages, Alistair."

"What can I say?" Alistair responded. "The Revered Mother ambushed me. The way she wields guilt they should stick her in the army."

"She forced you to sass the Mage, did she?" Duncan asked, amused. "We cannot afford to antagonize anyone. We don't need to give anyone more ammunition against us."

"You're right, Duncan. I apologize."

He turned back to Jory, Daveth, and I. "Now then, since you are all here, we can begin. You four will be heading into the Korcari Wilds to perform two tasks. The first is to obtain three vials of Darkspawn blood, one for each recruit."

"What do we need Darkspawn blood for?" I asked.

"For the Joining itself. I'll explain more once you've returned."

"And what's the second task?"

"There was once a Grey Warden archive in the Wilds, abandoned long ago when we could no longer afford to maintain such remote outposts. It has recently come to our attention that some scrolls have been left behind, magically sealed to protect them. Alistair, I want you to retrieve them if you can."

"Is this part of our Joining, too?"

"No, but the effort must be made. I have every confidence you are up to the task." It was simple. Kill some Darkspawn, which wouldn't be easy, collect their blood, and collect some scrolls.

"So find the archive and three vials of blood? Got it."

"The scrolls contain treaties promising support. Treaties that may prove valuable in the days to come. Watch over your charges, Alistair. Return quickly and safely."

"We will," the Warden replied.

"Then the Maker watch over your path. I will see you when you return."

With that, Alistair led us to a nearby gate leading into the Wilds. The guard opened the gate. "I've been told you have business in the Wilds. Be careful. Even a Grey Warden isn't safe tonight."

We stepped through the gate and into the Wilds.

~~~

As we searched for Darkspawn to kill, Jory decided now was the time to try to get to know me better. "You are Dalish, correct?"

"Yes." Obviously.

"How did Duncan find you?"

"Randomly? I'm not sure what he was doing in the Brecilian Forest, but he decided that I would make an excellent Warden." I wasn't going to go into detail. They didn't need to know that they were talking to a tainted Dalish. "How did the Grey Wardens find you?"

"Last month, Duncan visited Highever, and the Bann held a tournament in his honor. I won the grand melee. It was hard to leave my wife. We married only a year ago, and she is heavy with child now. But, Ferelden needs my blade and I shall not falter."

Daveth joined the conversation. "Speaking of how we came about to being recruits?"

"Yes, how did the Wardens find you?"

"I found them. I cut Duncan's purse while he was standing in a crowd. He grabs my wrist, but I squirm out and bolt. The old bugger can run, but the garrison caught me first. I'm a wanted man in Denerim, you see, so they were going to string me up right there. But Duncan stopped them. Invoked the Right of Conscription. I gave the garrison the finger while I was walking away." He gave a laugh. "Don't know why Duncan wants someone like me. But he says finesse is important, and that I'm fast with a blade. You bet your boots I am. Besides, it beats getting strung up."

"I'm sure," Jory said.

"What is that?" I asked slowly.

"What?"

"Strung up. I've never heard it used before."

"It means they were going to hang him," Alistair explained. I gave him a questioning look. "He was going to be a dead man."

"Oh," I looked back at Daveth. "They were going to kill you for stealing Duncan's purse?"

"Among other things."

We soon came upon a soldier dragging himself. When we approached, he stopped. "Who...is that?" He looked up. "Grey... Wardens?"

"Well," Alistair said. "He's not half as dead as he looks, is he?"

I gave him an odd look. My first opinion of him returned; he was a strange human.

"My scouting band was attacked by Darkspawn! They came out of the ground... Please, help me. I've got to... return to camp."

"Let's try to bandage him up at least," I said.

"I have bandages in my pack," Alistair said as he knelt down to tend to the scout's wounds.

"Thank you!" He groaned as Alistair helped him to his feet. "I... I've got to get out of here."

Alistair and I stepped aside to allow him to pass and he staggered off in the direction we'd come from.

"Did you hear?" Jory asked. "An entire patrol of seasoned men killed by Darkspawn!"

"Calm down, Ser Jory," Alistair said. "We'll be fine if we're careful."

"Those soldiers were careful and they were still overwhelmed."

My opinion of Jory turned south. He was sounding like a coward. And he had been saying earlier that he would not falter?

"How many Darkspawn can the four of us slay? A dozen? A hundred? There's an entire army in these forests!" Or he was just doubting himself and our skills.

"There are Darkspawn about but we are in no danger of walking into the bulk of the horde."

"How do you know? I'm not a coward, but this is foolish and reckless. We should go back."

I wanted to point out that he was sounding like a coward, but decided to say something else. "Overcoming these dangers is part of our test."

Jory looked at me. "That's... true," he said hesitantly.

"Know this," Alistair said reassuringly. "All Grey Wardens can sense Darkspawn. Whatever their cunning, I guarantee they won't take us by surprise. That's why I'm here."

"You see, Ser Knight," Daveth chimed in. "We might die, but we'll be warned about it first."

I couldn't help but smile at that and somehow managed not to laugh.

"That is... reassuring?" Jory said.

"That doesn't mean I'm here to make this easy, however. So let's get a move on," Alistair said, motioning for us to continue.

We continued on and as we passed by a piece of ruined wall, I caught a glance of a lone flower. It was white with a blood-red center. Then I remembered that the kennel master had described that very flower when we spoke about the cure for the mabari. I picked it and carefully put it in my pouch. Then we found some Darkspawn. I charged headlong into them, surprising both the Darkspawn and the men with me. Aside from killing me, what more could they do to me? I was already tainted by them. I threw all of my rage at them for stealing my best friend from me. We killed them and collected their blood.

"Are all you Dalish like that?" Daveth asked.

I ignored his question.

"Now we need to find those scrolls," Alistair said as he wiped his blade.

We continued on down a well-worn path. As we passed under a dead log being used as a bridge we found the first of the dead scouts hanging under it.

"Look there! Poor slobs. That's a bit excessive don't you think?"

The fact that their bodies were bloodied with the fatal wounds they'd received, the Grey Warden made a valid point. We continued on and as we passed over a flimsy bridge I spotted a few leg traps.

"Watch where you step," I said as I began to disengage them.

"Be wary," Alistair said. "There are a few Darkspawn about."

Daveth helped disengage the traps, which impressed me.

"Realin! Daveth!" Jory cried.

I looked up as something hit my chest. I screamed in surprise and fell back. The blast seemed to intensify the pain of the taint that I had been managing not to show. I'm not sure how with the excruciating pain I managed to roll out of the way of a large Darkspawn Alpha's axe and kick him behind the knee. I staggered upright and stabbed him in the back. My whole body was pain-wracked. I still do not know how I managed to fight and kill. Then it was all over. I was on one knee, taking deep breaths and trying not to scream from the pain. Daveth said something to me, but I didn't hear what it was. Slowly, my mind cleared and the pain ebbed, although it was more painful than before the Mage's spell. Alistair was kneeling next to me on my right side, Daveth was bent over on my left, concern in his eyes. Jory's eyes also held concern.

"Give me room. I'm alright," I said.

"That Darkspawn Mage hit her right in the chest," Daveth said. Big mouthed bastard.

"I can see why Duncan spoke so highly of you," Alistair said. I could hear the respect in his voice. "Their spells can put a man out of the fighting but once you regained your footing, the Darkspawn were no match. Are you sure you can continue?"

I stood and sheathed my swords. I didn't remember drawing them. And I was growing tired of that question. "We need to find those scrolls. I'm fine."

Alistair nodded and stood but didn't look convinced. "Very well, Realin. Let's go."

~~~

Finally, we reached where the archives once stood. I knelt next to a broken chest. An empty broken chest.

Before I could say anything, a female voice suddenly spoke. "Well, well, what have we here?"

I looked over my shoulder to see a woman in a maroon top that was cut low and black pants and shoes. She had black hair pulled back and secured at the crown of her head, the ends standing up and about in various places. Her bangs were swept to one side. She was carrying a staff.

I stood as the others turned to her and she walked towards us.

"Are you vultures I wonder?"

I walked past the men as she spoke.

"A scavenger poking amidst a corpse whose bones were long since cleaned?" The woman stopped before us. "Or merely an intruder come into these Darkspawn-filled Wilds of mine in search of easy prey? What say you, hmm? Scavenger or intruder?" Her yellow eyes were on me as she spoke and since none of the men offered to say anything, it was I who answered her.

"We are neither. The Grey Wardens once owned this tower."

"'Tis a tower no longer. The Wilds have obviously claimed this desiccated corpse." She walked forward and past us. "I have watched your progress for some time. 'Where do they go?' I wondered. 'Why are they here?' And now you disturb ashes none have touched for so long. Why is that?"

"Don't answer her," Alistair said, finally deciding to speak. "She looks Chasind, and that means others may be nearby." The Chasind were the peoples of the Kolcari Wilds, the barbarians Daveth spoke of in our first conversation. Of course, many humans thought that we Dalish were barbarians, also.

"You fear barbarians will swoop down upon you?" the woman said.

"Yes, swooping is bad."

"She's a Witch of the Wilds, she is!" Daveth exclaimed. "She'll turn us into toads!"

I turned and gave him a look. Really?

The woman looked amused. "Witch of the Wilds? Such idle fancies, those legends. Have you no minds of your own?" She looked at me again. "You there. Women do not frighten like little boys." They were acting like little boys. "Tell me your name and I shall tell you mine."

"You can call me Realin." I could feel three pairs of eyes boring into my back.

"And you may call me Morrigan, if you wish. Shall I guess your purpose? You sought something in that chest. Something that is here no longer?"

"'Here no longer?'" Alistair said. "You stole them, didn't you? You're... some kind of... sneaky... witch-thief!"

I looked at Alistair this time. "That was smooth."

"How very eloquent. How does one steal from dead men?"

"Quite easily, it seems. Those documents are Grey Warden property, and I suggest you return them."

"I will not, for 'twas not I who removed them. Invoke a name that means nothing here any longer if you wish; I am not threatened."

"Then who removed them?" I asked.

"'Twas my mother, in fact."

"Your mother?" Alistair asked.

"Yes, my mother! Did you think I was sprung from a log?"

I shook my head. "Could you take us to her?" I asked.

"Now there is a sensible request. I like you."

Alistair leaned close to me. "Be careful, first it's 'I like you...' then 'Zap!' Frog time."

"You do realize how foolish you are sounding?"

Daveth continued with his being cooked belief. "She'll put us all in the pot, she will! Just you watch!"

I was ready to slap Daveth.

"If the pot's warmer than this forest, it'd be a nice change," Jory said.

"Follow me, then. If it pleases you."

As Morrigan walked away, Alistair grabbed my arm. "What are you doing?"

"If her mother has the scrolls, perhaps we can ask nicely for her to return them."

"And if it's a trap?"

"We can defend ourselves and if she's a witch as everyone seems to think, well, aren't Templars supposed to be resistant to magic?"

"So you weren't raised by wolves, then?"

"You make it sound like the Dalish are oblivious to the outside world." I mentally thanked Duncan for his crash course. I followed Morrigan. "You boys coming?"

~~~

Morrigan led us to a simple hut where an old woman was standing outside. She wore a moss green and brown dress and had shoulder-length grey hair. She seemed to be waiting for us.

"Greetings, Mother," Morrigan said when we reached earshot of the woman. "I bring before you four Grey Wardens who..."

"I see them, girl." She looked us over. "Mmm. Much as I expected."

We shared glances, but it was Alistair that spoke, finally deciding to be the Grey Warden he was. "Are we supposed to believe you were expecting us?"

"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!"

"She's a witch, I tell you!" Daveth said. "We shouldn't be talking to her!"

"Quiet, Daveth!" Jory said. "If she's really a witch, do you want to make her mad?"

"There is a smart lad. Sadly irrelevant to the larger scheme of things but it is not I who decides. Believe what you will." Her attention fell on me. "And what of you? Does your Elven mind give you a different viewpoint? What do you believe?"

"I'm not sure what to believe," I said.

"A statement that possesses more wisdom than it applies. Be always aware... or is it oblivious? I can never remember. So much about you is uncertain... and yet I believe. Do I? Why, it seems I do!"

I wondered if she could tell I was tainted. The way she was speaking, it was almost as if she was hiding knowledge from the others.

Alistair looked at me. "So this is a dreaded Witch of the Wilds?"

"Witch of the Wilds, eh? Morrigan must have told you that. She fancies such tales, though she would never admit it! Oh, how she dances under the moon!" She laughed.

Morrigan rubbed her forehead. "They did not come to listen to your wild tales, Mother."

"True. They came for their treaties, yes?" She turned and went into the hut and returned a moment later. "And before you begin barking, your precious seal wore off long ago." She walked up and handed the scrolls to me. "I have protected these."

I took the scrolls.

"You... oh. You protected them?" I was glad Alistair actually used his brain before blurting something stupid out. I didn't really want to have to defend myself against a powerful Mage or two.

"And why not? Take them to your Grey Wardens and tell them this Blight's threat is greater than they realize."

"Thank you for returning them," I said.

"Such manners! Always in the last place you look. Like stockings! Oh, do not mind me." She laughed. "You have what you came for."

"Time for you to go, then," Morrigan said.

Her mother turned to her. "Don't be ridiculous, girl. These are your guests."

"Oh. Very well. I will show you out of the woods. Follow me."