Kin - Before Ostagar

It had been perhaps the longest day of the young elf's life. Fleeing the tower of Magi had been the easy part. Dodging Templars was nerve wracking, and left her so on edge she allowed herself only an hour each night. It wasn't enough to even consider her day over.

This continued through the whole journey to the Brecillian Forest. If she just stayed there a clan would come to set up camp, and she could be reunited with her clan in due time. Only if she could get to a clan.

The problem was the forest was near empty. Except for the wolves, giant wolves who stood on their hind legs. Running from the wolves got her trapped between them and a squad of darkspawn. Tired, hungry, and alone, Lithawen seemed to have forgotten how frightening a true battle was. The tower dulled her senses, slowed her reflexes, her cage was also her protection.

Overwhelmed, Lithawen thought she was going to meet the Creators. But she was saved by a company of Gray Wardens. The Wardens seemed to cut through the darkspawn like butter. With their aid, Lithawen was able to drive back the wolves and help slaughter the darkspawn. Grabbing a long sword from a Gray Warden, she shrouded herself in the fade and directed her magic into her sword and going berserk on the enemy. The rage that had built up from years of oppression bubbled to the surface and pushed her forward.

When the fighting was done, the Warden commander, Duncan, approached Lithawen, and offered her a place with the order. The Gray Wardens were respected across all races and countries. They were the protectors, separate from the political mind games of a realm, they stood between the world and total destruction.

The offer was good. And Lithawen found herself following these Wardens to the shemlen capitol. They had lost some men, so the scavenged and armored and armed herself. The company was at the end of their own adventure, so they over all left her alone during the journey.

Lithawen had been unsure if she had ever seen anything like it. Denerim. Walls high and encapsulating the whole city. Another prison. The girl thought. She would never be free again, she realized in that moment. Her nomadic life was long over, and she would never be able to return. Duncan had said something big was brewing. He alluded to the name, but Lithawen knew it from the stories. He thinks a Blight is coming.

The compound was a ways in the city, settled off to the side of a market. So many people around it was making Lithawen's head spin. The Dalish did not visit cities, and when they did, their traders would be the ones to go off. It was all a blur, the walk through the shemlen city. The market was the only place where a colorful group of people was gathered. Dwarves, elves, qunari alike, all forming to trade and sell their goods.

The girls eyes were wide when they entered the Warden compound. The group moved to the main hall and there was a bit of commotion, she was approached by a man almost immediately. At first the man was just making small talk, Lithawen tried to ignore him, but he was persistent so she gave short answers. And then “Are you a fire mage? Because you make me hot.” he whispered when he stepped close.

Lithawen gave him a deadpan look, focusing into her mailed fist just before shoving it into his side. The man dropped to the ground in pain. She tsked and stepped over the man. The wardens were largely male and human. This was not much of a surprise really, the whole world was mostly shem at this point.

Lithawen nodded to Bowen when they were introduced. She wasn't feeling very talkative, the other Wardens had tried to question her during the ride. Duncan had called a stop to it when it appeared she was not in the mood for the chit-chat.

He asked if she was a mage, and she replied with a simple nod. The Templars and Chantry were not a worry here. The Wardens were above the religions, they weren't there to be thought provoking theologists, Wardens were warriors and fighters.

The elf was left alone, as the crowd dispersed she weighed her options. It wasn't like she had much place to run, the city was foreign to her, her clan was probably on the other side of the world, and the mage's tower wasn't home. So she decided to do as she was bid and followed the path into the garden.

The greenier was nice, the flowers were in bloom. It was a strange thing to see nature in such cold walls. The dalish armor was a sight for sore eyes. Her clothes would be far too small for her now, but she would have loved to still be in the attire, all she had now was robes given to her after she succeeded in her Harrowing. The marked her for a tower mage, at first glance that is what she looked like. No sign of her Dalish culture could be found on her face, she had been captured before she could receive her vallaslin, though she had been excited to show her devotion to the knowledge of her people.

“Aneth ara, Sister.” Lithawen said bowing her head in greeting.

The woman move towards the other elf, assessing her. “Questions...yes. Perhaps another time though. I am weary from everything that has happened of late. You may have read Duncan's letter, his party saved me from a group of Darkspawn and giant wolves. I am feeling the journey weigh heavily on my shoulders. If it is all the same to you I would first like to join the men in the dinning hall for a late supper.”

“I am Lithawen Surana, formally the first of the Bein'Nor clan, now merely a mage from the Circle.” she said sitting in front of the other Dalish. Her mismatched eyes were level with Calliara's as she listened to the explanation of what was now expected of her. Lithawen didn't take her place in the world lightly, and knew she would be right at home applying her devotion. She could not say in her life ever desired to be a Gray Warden, but she believed the Creators lead her on a path.

“This Shemlen city holds no interest for me. I can assure you of that.” Lithawen said with distain. “I will only go where I am needed or ordered to.” she assured. “And more than likely in the armor I am given here. I make no mistake about knowing of the small love people have for our kind.”

She sat in silence for a moment, weighing her options. “I wish to eat and then sleep. All else can come after a good night sleep without fearing Templars descending upon you in the small hours.”

Lithawen stood up, her joints and muscles sore and screaming at her with every move. Her belly was bent on the kitchens first.