Off To Market - Outside Orzammar

"Drake. You will go with Calliara and Durbans to the market outside of Orzammar. Get extra supplies."

There was not much of a nod which could be noticeable but Drake did do so then turned to look towards Calliara and Durbans, "We shall go by horse as it is some distance. You can bring your own horse." He looked at Calliara gently then to Durbans, "And I shall give you use of my steed while I ride Sinjan's horse. Come."

The human started off calmly towards the temporary paddock their own horses were. His horse, a red dappled mare walked to him and he patted her nose while acquiring her tack. A white stallion snorted at him as he pointed to it and came forward as well.

Marcus, under the guise of the name Durbans, blinked at the Dwarf woman's order but shrugged. "But of course, fair shorty. A little hike in the mountains is good for the soul!" He chuckled and then looked to his two companions. The tall human and the slender white-haired beauty. And yet, both of them were Wardens, which made him shudder. "Well, my finely fastidious friends, shall we get on with the shopping and the like?" He turned on his heel and stumbled a bit, his huge axe clanking against the rocky ground. "I'll be walking it, I don't have a horse."

Calliara nodded calmly. '''As you wish, Nygozy''. She followed Drake and Durbans to where the horses were pacing, listening to the elf's words.

''Durbans, please. Do as the gentleman says. Probably we'll need three horses to bring back the supplies''. Calliara smiled gently patting Bowen's shoulder and after receiving a forehead kiss from her 'brother'. ''I'll be back soon, bro, try not to burn the meat again''

Assan sniffed her hair contentedly, and the Dalish gracefully mounted again, re-placing her longbow at her back. ''You are not a ranger, but the horses say they like you. That's interesting''. She stated calmly to Drake, but her eyes focused in the road

He glanced at Durbans, wondering if he knew how to use the words which came from his mouth or if he guessed at meanings. Did he really believe they were hard to please or excessive? "Fastidious? Well now, you have little knowledge of that or have you already gained a knowledge others may not know? A good travel is always nice but I thought you may be tired wandering the woods. Or are you one who is all energy?"

"Do not fret. Your friend will not burn anything. He works with Ny today."

"You do not have a horse but you borrow mine, Durbans. As Calliara says, we need to get quite a few supplies which means we will have to keep up with the mule."

He gave Calliara a slight nod of the head, his eyes thanking her before completing saddling the mare and walking over to the white horse and indicating the dapple mare as he got onto the white one, "That mare is Cosima. She will follow your direction but do be warned, she will not accept any heavy handedness and neither shall I."

Another equine, this one white with big brown spots trotted over to them and he set a pack onto it then hooked it up. It looked like it was some kind of saddle for supplies.

Drake turned back to Calli, "True that I am no ranger. Animals do seem to like me. I wonder why." It oddly sounded like a joke but he kept his face serene as he said it.

Marcus lifted an eyebrow at Drake and grinned, hopping atop the offered horse, after checking the tack and saddle and bit. "My friend, you've found me out. I am indeed a little tired from the hike and wish to be fresh for the frolicking in a foreign land with fanciful dwarves who find me fabulously freakish." He grinned wider at this and clicked his tongue, the horse started moving. He then bowed his head to the white-maned Calliara. "And you, m'dear, would make an excellent sparring partner I think. Have you ever wrestled an Ogre before? He wasn't very bright, mind..." And he went into his strange ramblings once again as they started riding, going into nonsensical babble, but at the same time making perfect sense. It was strange how he could twist words and make them right.

However, as the journey started going, he quieted and started carving a block of wood he had in his pack with a carving knife, and he was eerily different when silent. His eyes watched everything, never missing a movement or a sound.

"True that I am no ranger. Animals do seem to like me. I wonder why."

''I wonder why as well''. She said sweetly, still looking at the road and apparently serious, but she glanced back at him briefly with an amused smirk. Then she turned her head to the elf.

''And you, m'dear, would make an excellent sparring partner I think. Have you ever wrestled an Ogre before? He wasn't very bright, mind...''

''Yes, I have''.She stated calmly. ''I am a ranger and I fight with my bow though, so I use to kill them with distance. Usually piercing their eyes so my arrows pierce their little brain. But I am aware of my own limitations, and although I know how to use my sword and dagger, I am no fighter''

Her voice was still calm and gentle, but know she sounded like apologizing.

"My friend, you've found me out. I am indeed a little tired from the hike and wish to be fresh for the frolicking in a foreign land with fanciful dwarves who find me fabulously freakish."

"I am no Dwarf so I cannot say to those words besides the fact that our leader probably finds you more to be a reasonably good excuse at curious examination." Drake countered as he patted Snow's neck and the horse started off at a peaceful, ambering walk.

''I wonder why as well."

A quick grin was the fighter's only reaction which could, or would show that he may have been sarcastic with his comment about wondering why animals liked him but he was not about to inform anyone of anything without due cause.

As the other two spoke he kept his attention on all around himself. Ogre fighting and outlandish tales. It would take some to find out how much of this man's tales were true and what was fanciful as he had no doubt this Elf had done much but to what effect the words actually portrayed. He seemed to use more light hearted commentary than some would expect yet even Nygozy had been known to colour her words. Then again, Nygozy was known to outright tell exceptional tales for reasons he could only gather as reactionary or just to have fun.

Calliara on the other hand was straight and to the point. He liked that.

''Yes, I have. I am a ranger and I fight with my bow though, so I use to kill them with distance. Usually piercing their eyes so my arrows pierce their little brain. But I am aware of my own limitations, and although I know how to use my sword and dagger, I am no fighter"

"Distance fighters are just as important as short range combatants. Never forget that." He stated calmly as they continued on.

"Distance fighters are just as important as short range combatants. Never forget that."

''I don't forget it. I am just saying that I am not that skilled in close combat... I would be a fool if I pretended it to be other way''.She answered calmly, her eyes focused in the road, but sometimes she smiled and looked to the trees, ocasionally chirping and hearing the birds chirping back at her.

Calliara sometimes smirked as well at Durban's ramblings, amused and playing with one of her long white bangs, sighing contentedly feeling the cold air. After a while, a little blue bird chirped happily and fluttered around her, and the Dalish laughed softly and offered her hands to let the bird land in them, petting softly its feathered chest. ''Hello, my little friend. What do you want me to know? Or do you want me to sing with you?''

Marcus quieted down and continued his carving, letting Drake and Calliara talk to each other for a bit. He knew they had tuned him out so he didn't think it necessary to speak to them. His green eyes did keep watch for everything in the woods and rocks around them. Snow was starting to appear as they ascended the path, and Marcus kept carving into the block of wood, from his distance apart of the others, it would be damned hard to see what he was making, but he knew he would be able to show them later.

He combed his fingers through his blonde-brown hair and sighed and went back to carving. His horse snorted a bit at the drop in temperature. "Easy, boy..." He said in a low whisper so that not even the Elven ears of Calliara could pick up that he was in fact quite sane and aware.

''I don't forget it. I am just saying that I am not that skilled in close combat... I would be a fool if I pretended it to be other way''

"True enough. Knowing one's strengths and weaknesses is vital to survival." He looked back to see how Durbans was doing and made a few settling noises to Cosima so she would calm. The horse never cared as much for snow.

''Hello, my little friend. What do you want me to know? Or do you want me to sing with you?''

"Something soothing if you do not mind." Drake said as he looked about. He knew she was not speaking to him but he felt he had a right to request.

Calliara smiled and nodded, turning her head a little to look at him and then at Durbans to make sure both of them were listening. Then, she began to sing with her sweet calm voice, still with the bird in her hands.

''Words of wisdom, prophets and quotes
Wise men talking, tales from the old
I reach for the stars, wherever they are, in darkness
We’re lost, fading away...''

Assan neighed contentedly, waving her head, and Calliara stroked gently her mane. Even if she was singing, her eyes were still focused in the road and her senses in the woods around them, just in case.

''What if we could be free?
Mystify our wisdom in time
and one day we’ll see
What if we found the key?
Throw the dice, unravel our lies
and learn how to be...''

In their path there was some berry bushes, and she stopped to collect some. Then she gently offered some of them to Durbans, with a calm smile.

''All the madness feeding our soul
Take a wild guess out of control
There will be a star, no matter how far, shining
One day we’ll sail away...''

Next, she offered more berries to Drake, the bird now chirping in her shoulder, and more birds trying to get her attention flying around the small group.

''If you don’t know your destination
Who determines your destiny?

What if we could be free?
Mystify our wisdom in time
and one day we’ll see
What if we found the key?
Throw the dice, unravel our lies
and learn how to be...''

As he carved and moved along, the white-maned beauty started to sing a song. Marcus smiled, closing his eyes and putting the carving to rest for now, content to just listen to the beautiful voice of Calliara. It was a quiet, contemplative song and as she sang, Marcus was reminded of his home in West Hills, now gone because of the Blight. He forced those memories away from his mind and just listened.

The woman handed him some berries that they had passed by and he took them with a nod, not wishing to interrupt her song, ans ate them sparingly, after spitting the first one he tried out in case it was poisoned. No, it wasn't, so he just enjoyed the rest. He gave his mare a pat on the shoulder, whispering words of praise for her so far compliant nature, and offered her the rest of the berries, and then set about to work on his carving again.

A swift smile was allowed to flit across the man's features as Calliara began to sing but it disappeared fairly quickly. It was a pleasing song and stirred a person's senses making Drake a bit less stiff as he continued before the other two. He took the berries the woman had picked, sniffed them then ate each one at a time, apparently savouring the taste and enjoying the sensation. He was a man of senses and it was clear that he enjoyed taking advantage of each one.

As the song ended, a voice rang through the breeze, "Ah see we have some travelers to pay the toll to get into Orzammar."

It came from ahead where seven people stood between the path towards the Dwarven lands. They had chosen a good spot as this was a section where the mountain was at one's right and cliff to the right.

Drake got off Sinjan's horse and patted it's neck. Snow moved back as the human went forward, drawing two swords and grinning evilly from ear to ear. He turned the blades in his hands, continuing to walk until he got within ten feet of the group and could see what they were up against.

A mage and bowman stood in the back as five fighters, including a Qunari were in front.

The long tails of Drake's jacket hardly moved in the strong breeze before the man took action. The straight longsword moved forward and the mage froze in spot then Drake rushed the Qunari, both blades swinging in unison.

One arrow flew straight to the frozen mage's head, but Calliara didn't wait to see if it hit him or not. Getting off Assan, she ran to a side of the road to have a better view, firing another two arrows to the bowman now, and tried to climb up one of the trees to fire from there over the fighters.

Durbans had started babbling again as they neared Orzammar, but when the gang of thugs ahead appeared he stopped. Sliding off his horse, he patted her flank gently, and pulled Durbans off of his shoulder. The big axe looked fitted to his hands alone, as it seemed to complete him. He suddenly changed from a babbling idiot to someone with all the clarity in the world bent on the kill. "Allo, lads. Time for a bit of a blood sport then." He grinned towards the brigands. Calliara had opened with firing an arrow towards the mage, and Marcus didn't wait long before he started charging towards the Qunari, a man several times his size. The Qunari used a greatsword and Durbans clashed with it, the giant blades swinging.

Although the Qunari couldn't count on "Durbans"' tactics. He smashed the counterweight pommel of the axe into the Qunari's groin, the pointed pommel having dug quite deep and the man's gonads spilled out onto the ground. He howled in pain and Durbans silenced him by slicing his head off. He then charged towards the archer, although he did take an arrow to the rib, and it throbbed painfully as he was not wearing armor. He grit his teeth and let his rage dull his pain.

Drake heard Durbans coming up behind him as he was going to slice the Qunari up then turned at the last moment, leaving the much larger man to the axe weilder.

With his spin he chopped into the next man, rushing the warrior's side to try to get him with a longsword, but Drake sidestepped the sword bringing down both of his in a clean double slice through the collarbone to the hip on the other side. He then put a foot on the man's torso and pushed him back as he grinned evilly and attacked the next, skewering his throat and dropping him.

From the side of his eyes he noticed the mage falling, Calliara's arrow having hit dead center of his skull right through the ice. Drake grinned as her next two arrows hit the bowman in the chest, slowing him down while Durbans went directly for him.

Three warriors and a bowman left. Not bad for less than the first minute of fighting and now he was charging his next opponent.

Calliara grinned deviously when she saw the mage falling, pleased, and moved to another branch to fire two more arrows to one of the warriors that was trying to attack Durbans. She noticed the elf was wounded and frowned, worried for him.

Just after firing the two arrows she changed her target and fired another one to the warrior Drake was not attacking yet, trusting in slowing him down as well as she did with the bowman before. She also began singing with a loud, powerful voice which made the human and the elf feel braver.

''Come away with us brother in arms
Through the seas of silver, fields of gold
Join us as we battle those who harm
And fight with valour as in days of old!''

Pain was dulled by intense emotion. And Marcus was surrendering himself to intense rage right now, his training as a Berserker allowed him to focus on surrendering to his inner beast when combat struck, and strike it did. He found the archer causing him problems (who had also shot him once in the arm while Marcus was running towards him), and grinned down savagely at the man. The archer whimpered apologies but Marcus cut him cleanly in half, right through the torso.

He then turned around, watching the other two and looking for other tricks or surprises. His chest and arm were throbbing with the shafts of wood still stuck in them, but he pressed on. He smacked into a Dwarven bandit there, who was using two short swords as weapons. Marcus grinned savagely down at the Dwarf and the two's blades clashed. Although Marcus was losing blood (slowly though, as he still had the arrows in his body being used as plugs), and the Dwarf was relatively fresh. Still, he could not stand up to the strength of the Elven lumberjack, and was soon seperated from his bearded half. After that, Marcus noted that Calli and Drake were finishing off the last of them, and he sagged to his knees, the pain starting to come in droves now.

Calli's arrow shot true again, this time to the throat, and it took little to take this man out with a quick cut to the jugular. The next man nicked Drake's shoulder but the warrior was too quick. Swirling he caught the bandit under the chest with his curved sword and gave it a twist.

He pulled his sword out of the man and walked over to Durbans, taking a look at the arrows, "Hmm. Those must hurt a fair deal. Let me work on them." His head turned a bit, "Calliara. We need to check these men out to see if they have anything useful on them and to see if we can find out where they are from."

Drake turned back to Durbans and got to work on the arrows to remove them and bandage the wounds.

Calliara just nodded, but first she handed Drake and Durbans a little packet from her bag. ''Herbs. They won't heal his wounds completely, but they'll stop infection''

Without more words, the Dalish began checking the corpses for weapons, coins or whatever useful she could find, such as poultices, ammo, jewelry... Also, she studied their clothes or possible tattoss and facial features to guess where they came from.

He didn't know how long he was alone there with the pain but he soon felt a firm hand on his shoulder, looking up he saw Drake. "Hmm. Those must hurt a fair deal. Let me work on them." the human said and Marcus nodded. "Quite right, they do hurt. Lucky for me, nothing vital was hit and the arrow in my arm went through, so it'll be easier to remove." He offered a weak smile, and wiped the sweat from his brow with his good hand. "Herbs. They won't heal his wounds completely, but they'll stop infection" the fair-haired Dalish said. Marcus welcomed the help but could not resist keeping up his cover as a blathering idiot. "My, to have the attentions of a beauty like you, I suspect I'll be right as rain in days instead of weeks. And you, Ser Drake. Brilliant swordplay, if I may say so." He grinned through his pain, doing the opposite of rage, joy instead.

A Berserker must always block pain out and Marcus was experienced at it. He combed his fingers through his sandy-brown hair. "You two may be wondering 'how does a fool like Durbans know how to fight?' to which I must reply 'Sorry, can't tell you just yet. Got to keep up the dream of wrestling with an Archdemon alive and winning, heya.'" And his rambling continued till he was patched up. Then he pulled his carving from his pack, it looked like two carvings actually. One was an eagle in flight, the other was a woman bent over near a stream, running her hand in the water. Both looked about ready to jump to life and move. He smiled and handed one to both. "Gifts. Thanks for patching me up."

Calliara found weapons and shields they could easily sell at a fair price, then there was their armor and packs. She also noticed strange tatoos on each of the men. They were no longer than the first two digits of a finger under the ears just behind the jawline. The black one was under the left ear looking out whereas the red was under the right facing out.

"Quite right, they do hurt. Lucky for me, nothing vital was hit and the arrow in my arm went through, so it'll be easier to remove."

"Herbs. They won't heal his wounds completely, but they'll stop infection"

"My, to have the attentions of a beauty like you, I suspect I'll be right as rain in days instead of weeks. And you, Ser Drake. Brilliant swordplay, if I may say so."

"Yes this is of little matter comparatively but we do still want to make sure nothing untowards happens. These herbs should do just fine, Calliara. My thanks for that and for the Kudos, Durbans."

He cut the shaft of the arrow expertly to make sure it would not splinter inside Durbans and worked it through. The herbs were worked into the wound before bandaging then he did something strange. Lifting his curved sword to Durbans' wound with the blade out away from Durbans, he placed the pommel to the wound and the man could feel his injury healing. Once Drake took it away, the pain had subsided and it seemed almost completely healed, "That should be clear in a day or so."

Drake took the eagle carving and gave it a thorough looking over. He smiled, nodding at the other man, "This is of great skill. Thank you for such a present. It is appreciated."

He stood and started removing armor and clothes from the bandits, "Find anything of interest besides ill gotten gain and weapons, Calliara?"

Calliara was returning, frowning with concern and her ice blue eyes worried.

''All of them have the same tattoos, even the qunari''. She raised the qunari's head by his hair, and showed the marks. ''Small ones, just two digits under the ears and behind the jawline. Black the left one, red the right one. The left looks out, the right faces out. Perhaps a sect...?''

She blinked with surprise when Durbans handed her the carving of the woman, and her eyes lit up a bit as a smile curved her lips, genuinely delighted while examining it like a child with a new toy.

''Oh, Durbans! You shouldn't have... It's really beautiful, thank you so much...''

Strange. A dagger that could mend his wounds? That was definately odd. "Or mere moments evidently." He smiled weakly and then watched as the others admired their gifts. "This is of great skill. Thank you for such a present. It is appreciated." said Drake and Marcus nodded. Calliara seemed to enjoy her gift greatly. "Oh, Durbans! You shouldn't have... It's really beautiful, thank you so much..."

He grinned. "Pleasure's all mine, fair one. I carve as a hobby. I've gotten quite good over the years." He responded, scratching the back of his head, and winked at the two of them.