Off to Denerim - Garoll's Group

Garoll nodded to the leader of the group, then turned to Drake, Calliara and the new face to him, Kyon. "Awrigh', kids." he said after a particularly noisy throat-clearing. He then motioned to their horses. He himself lacked one in his size, so he decided to huff it. "Saddle up or whatever you sodding surfacers call it... We've got the fun job of bringing up the rear, that means eyes open on what's behind us, got it?" He barked to them. When he got some semblance of affirmation from the three, he smirked to Drake. "Like old times, 'cept with a big open sky and whatchacallits... tree? Yeah."

Drake squeezed Calliara's hand then got up on his mare, settling in on the saddle easily and watching Garoll with a slight smirk, "'Saddle up' is the phrase and those things are trees. We get to watch those carefully as well. Some like to hide in them ... like Nygozy's new shadow."

He stretched, "A bit like old times except I'm taller now." He looked to Calliara, "Ready for this? We are stuck with the uppity Dwarf. Are you sure you can handle it, Songbird?" He teased with a straight face.

''She can handle everything'' Bowen said, smiling, and hugged tightly the Dalish to his chest. ''Be careful, little one. Gunnar would kill me if you get hurt''

Calliara laughed and hugged the big Nevarran as well. ''You big oaf, I'll be alright. Just take care of yourself and Caterina. I'll take Fenrir with me''

Bowen nodded, still holding her, and looked directly to Drake and Garoll, as the oldest there; he thought that Kyon was still too young. ''Take care of her, or I'll skin you two alive when you're back with us''

Calliara snickered again and kissed Bowen's cheek, then smiled at Caterina and let the Nevarran lift her to get up her white mare. ''Don't be silly, and stay safe''

''I'll do''

They looked at each other for a moment, smiling, and Bowen raised his hand to hold hers again. Obviously it was difficult for them to be apart from each other after two years of being together all the time, traveling, but soon the Nevarran bowed his head, smiled again at Drake, Garoll and Kyon and walked away without looking back.

Calliara hugged Fenrir to her chest, sighing, and then looked at the rest. Ready. Let's go''

"The Grey Wardens should be nearby." Robert said to himself as rode along. He had been searching for Wardens for a while now, but always found himself a few hours behind them. To make up the difference, Robert rode without rest the day before.

The young Redcliffe militiaman had noticed some people in the distance. He directed his horse towards the group, slowing to a stop within a few feet of a dwarf who seemed to be the one in charge here.

He dismounted from his horse. "Sorry for the intrusion, ser dwarf. I was hoping to ask you, and your party, a question."

"I was wondering if you have seen the Grey Wardens group somewhere nearby. I have been looking for them across Ferelden, but I have always been just a tad too late." He paused. Afraid that he couldn't convince them to answer, he tried giving them a little incentive. "I would be willing to pay your twenty silver for any directions."

Garoll grinned at his old comrade, still he found it quite jarring that Rainard was human now. Still, he talked like the old Rainard, albeit with less of a slur and more refined, but it was still him. Calliara was saying her goodbyes to Bowen, the big surfacer who seemed like a brother bear or papa wolf to the Dalish elf. Garoll couldn't really care less, as he had no one to say his farewells to, but he understood it was similar to the funeral a Legionnaire would attend, in order to say his farewell to his family. Seeing it like that, he nodded understanding then marched on as the others started their horses' trotting.

Keeping the main group within sight, but still a fair ways off (a 10 minute walk at least), Garoll lead his rearguard with stoic precision, but lo! A traveller stumbled upon them. A scrawny lad on a horse. As he inquired where the Grey Warden group was, Garoll grunted. "We're the rearguard of the Warden group, though only a handful of us are actually Wardens. I'm not." He spat into the ground at the end of his sentence, folding his arms across his armored chest. He was suspicious of the lad, but he knew one boy would not be able to take on this group consisting of a Warden, two warriors tempered in the darkness of the Deep Roads, and a veteran.

Calliara studied carefully the young boy that was asking for the Grey Wardens with her bright blue eyes, curious. Who in the world would want to look for something or someone in the middle of the Frostback Mountains?

''I am a Grey Warden'' She said calmly, making Assan go near the boy and his horse and pointed to the Warden's crest on her armor. ''I am the sargeant Grey Warden Calliara Mahariel. What can I do for you?''

"Lucky me, then." Robert replied as he looked over the group. He really couldn't say if they looked like they were Grey Wardens, but they take all kinds. If the dwarf, who seemed to be in charge wasn't one of the Grey Wardens, which one of them was?

It didn't take long to find out as an elf, presumably a Dalish, approached him and told him that she was a Grey Warden. She was definitely not the Grey Warden Robert fought alongside in Redcliffe. But he had no reason to doubt it.

"I came to offer any help I can give. I may not look like I have much to offer, but I fought to protect Redcliffe, twice, and fought in the battle for Denerim."

Calliara stared at him in silence, without blinking, just like an animal and completely serious. She looked like she was trying to read him, his clothes, his attitude and even the way he was riding his horse.

Finally, the Dalish nodded briefly and looked at Garoll.

''Captain Stonebrach, I am fully responsible of this lad until we reunite again with Commander Nygozy. Then she'll decide''

Looking again at the boy, Calliara lifted a white eyebrow. ''How old are you, boy?''

Drake had just brought his horse up beside Calliara's when the youth arrived and asked about the wardens. He brushed his hand along her closest arm and watched, listening to both the young man and Garoll then Calliara when she spoke.

This youth seemed genuine in his wish to help and pleasant enough. He lifted his air to take in the breeze then watched the happenings once more. The lad had no idea who they were or what to do. It was his words that caught his attention.

"How old are you lad?"

"If it were for me to guess it would be around seventeen or eighteen." He smiled at Calliara then looked back at the lad without expression, "You wouldn't be the lad helped a Dwarven female warden at the waterfront when she was surrounded by the undead?"

Robert felt a tad relieved that Calliara didn't believe he was a threat. She even decided to watch over him until they regrouped the Commander Nygozy. He couldn't place the name, but it did sound very familiar. Could Nygozy be the Warden Commander and the Hero of Fereldan? He would have to wait until he can find out for sure.

As Robert was about to reply to the Grey Warden's question, a man came up to them and guessed his age, based on appearance. He wasn't very far off. He then questioned if he had helped a female Dwarven Grey Warden at the waterfront. Presuming he meant the waterfront at Redcliffe, he was right on the money. But Robert can't exactly say he had seen him before. Well, he felt that he had, but not that night. He felt he had seen him in his adolescence.

"That...would be me, I guess. Your only half right, I was eighteen at the time. But I'm nineteen now. I also protected Castle Redcliffe when the Darkspawn attacked and marched on to Denerim with the rest of Redcliffe's forces." He paused a bit. Why did they need to know his age? Did they want to know why someone so young was seeking out the Grey Wardens? "If your wondering if I had consent from my parents to do this, then I'll just get it out of the way. They were unable to make it to the safety of the castle and were killed by Darkspawn. They burnt down the house and everything. I don't have a home to go back to."

Garoll watched as Calliara started to interrogate the youth. The boy was barely off the teat, and wanted to join the Grey Wardens? Brave lad. Stupid, but brave. When the Dalish announced that the boy was her charge, Garoll nodded. "Jus' don't give him any o' the ale." he muttered, still fascinated with how amazingly good surfacer ale was in comparison to the lichen-brewed stuff back home. There was talk of a battle that happened during the Blight, Garoll cackled. "Boy, that night for you was my every day back in the Deep Roads. It's amazing how you surfacers panic whenever Darkspawn are abroad, when you can stand and sodding fight. The Legion takes all sorts, from Casteless to Deshyrs, but every one of them commits to the fight." He lectured. Garoll hated how weak minded the surfacers were; they panic or flee whenever hard times fall on them, and only take up arms when it suits them. With that attitude in Orzammar, there would be no Dwarves left.

"If your wondering if I had consent from my parents to do this, then I'll just get it out of the way. They were unable to make it to the safety of the castle and were killed by Darkspawn. They burnt down the house and everything''

Calliara lifted an eyebrow, truly surprised. ''Consent from your parents? What's that? The very moment you're old enough to draw a sword it's enough'' She looked at Drake and then at Garoll, confused. ''That's the way among humans? The parents must give their consent to become a warrior? We Dalish become warriors when we can use a bow or a sword. I killed my first human when I was ten''

''I don't have a home to go back to."

Calliara's eyes looked sad for a moment, and she nodded briefly. ''It seems that we all have the same problem, da'len. I am sorry for your loss. Now let's go. Ride close to Kyon, right behind Garoll, if you please''

"Jus' don't give him any o' the ale."

The Dalish laughed briefly. ''We have ale and I didn't know? What a pity... When we stop for a rest then''

"Uh...no. I was referring to actually trying to join the Grey Wardens and spend my life fighting darkspawn. I don't know how many people would let their sons or daughters do that for a living."

Robert was a bit thrown off by the behavior of the Dalish and the dwarf. He didn't expect to hear that Calliara killed her first human at half his age. Why would she need to? And Captain Stonebrach spent his life fighting darkspawn in the Dwarven lands. What exactly was this legion he was refering to though? He'd have to inquire about it later.

"And captain, I didn't mention anywhere that I panicked. I stood and protected my land from Darkspawn when they came to threaten it." He took a good look at the dwarf and decided he'd try to cool things over with him. "You know, dwarf. I used to work at the tavern in Redcliffe. Maybe if we ever head there, I can convince Bella to treat you to free ale."

The Dalish noticed the look Robert was giving her and smiled at him calmly. ''I see in your face that you're wondering something. Ask away, boy''

"Hmm...well...why exactly would you have needed to kill a human at such a young age? Was it some rite of passage or did you find yourself threatened?" Robert replied.

Calliara smiled gently

''Dalish rites of passage consists of hunting a prey, and so I did when I was fifteen or sixteen, to become a full hunter for my people. No, when I was ten, our camp was attacked by a band of soldiers, I dont even remember if they were Fereldan, Orlesian... They killed only a few of us because we were ready, and I killed that human because he was trying to rape me''

Fenrir barked suddenly, and the Dalish pet his head tenderly. ''Sssshhh, my dear. And if your question, Robert, is if I am a human hater Dalish, I am not. I don't hate anybody, and I would have reacted the same way if that man had been an elf or a dwarf, a qunari or a Fade's demon. Is my answer satisfying enough for you?''

"That...would be me, I guess. Your only half right, I was eighteen at the time. But I'm nineteen now. I also protected Castle Redcliffe when the Darkspawn attacked and marched on to Denerim with the rest of Redcliffe's forces. If your wondering if I had consent from my parents to do this, then I'll just get it out of the way. They were unable to make it to the safety of the castle and were killed by Darkspawn. They burnt down the house and everything. I don't have a home to go back to."

"Then my memory serves me well in this instance." He said without inflection, "Your age matters not as long as you know the stakes and that you do. Nygozy was impressed with your bravery to go help her in those circumstances."

"Boy, that night for you was my every day back in the Deep Roads. It's amazing how you surfacers panic whenever Darkspawn are abroad, when you can stand and sodding fight. The Legion takes all sorts, from Casteless to Deshyrs, but every one of them commits to the fight."

"That isn't quite a fair assessment. Surfacers do not have to deal with Darkspawn every day but they do take up arms when they have to. Dwarves are just tough sodding buggers because the heat from the furnace fries the brain." Drake gave Garoll a look which said he was joking around then turned his attention back to the other two.

He smiled at Calliara as she spoke with the youth and shrugged when she spoke of killing a human. Those kinds of things happened a lot between Human and Elf. There was a wish within that things could change but that would take something spectacular to happen. That kind of circumstance would probably only happen with some form of divine intervention.

Deep brown eyes turned to the young man, "My name is Drake, by the by." He said calmly then watched the road ahead.

"Uh....y-yeah. That'll do." Robert replied, a bit astonished that some people actually choose to mess with the Dalish elves. Couldn't have been too bright.

"Then my memory serves me well in this instance.Your age matters not as long as you know the stakes and that you do. Nygozy was impressed with your bravery to go help her in those circumstances."

Robert's memory was still vague on who this man was. He recalls seeing him, but at the same time, doesn't quite remember where, or rather when. It was probably Redcliffe, but beyond that he draws a blank.

"My name is Drake, by the by."

The name still sounds familiar. Robert paused, realizing that none of them knows his name. In his eagerness to join up with them, he forgot to introduce himself. "Oh, sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Robert Schwarzer."

''Well met, Robert Schwarzer'' Calliara smiled calmly again, and lifted lightly the excited puppy that was waving his tail and trying to get the boy's attention. ''And this little fellow that is trying to be noticed by you is Fenrir. If you have food in your pockets I suggest you to hide it well''

She chuckled, and looked at Garoll. ''We can continue, Captain Stonebrach''

When the group was moving again she sighed, looking around pleased seeing the woods and the tiny bits of snow covering the road, and then at Drake from the corner of her eye

Garoll nodded as the boy introduced himself as Robert. Garoll really couldn't care less but he decided to humor his companions by letting them talk. Meanwhile he scratched his chin and waited. When Calliara said that it was alright to go now, Garoll nodded and started marching off once again. "The others have quite a lead on us now. And I have no idea where the Circle Tower is so someone here will have to guide me. Shall we?" He offered and then crossed his arms as he walked along. His armor, all cracked and gashed and scratched, his shield all dented and scratched as well, Garoll exuded experience but his never having been on the surface since his fall in the Deep Roads lessened his mystique somewhat.

Drake looked down at Garoll and shook his head just before hopping off his horse, "Captain. You may ride Cosima and I will double ride with Calliara if she pleases." He bowed his head to the white haired woman, quirked the left edge of his lips and winked at her, "Do not fret. Cosima is a war mare and has borne heavier than you."

The fighter waited to see what Garoll would say. He was sure of what Calliara would say.

Garoll shook his head at Drake. "Naw, Rainard. I've got no experience riddin' nothin', plus yer hoorses jus' don't come in my size. I'll walk, like a true Legionnaire! You of all people should know we go for months of walking." Garoll bristled. He was furious that someone he'd known for years would fully know well that Dwarves had no mounts and preferred hiking.

"Don't give me that Dwarven cranking about walking everywhere." He stated evenly to the man, "We need to keep up to those ahead of us or did you not remember our duties? Walking will not give your old sodding nug fucking bones the speed to keep up with horses."

He patted Cosima's shoulder knowing that he was acting much different than normal for the way he acted above ground. It was easier to do his Dwarven snappiness with Garoll so he contined on, "Not to mention Cosima follows me or stays beside me at all times unless directed otherwise. She is a warhorse."

Drake snorted, "So get over yourself and get on the damn mount or we'll lose the Hero."

"Captain. You may ride Cosima and I will double ride with Calliara if she pleases."

Calliara chuckled, even with a shy blush on her cheeks. ''She pleases'' She joked. She liked the way Drake acted around her, and she also liked the way Drake acted and talked with the dwarf. It was obvious that they had known each other and trusted each other, and it warmed her heart that Garoll accepted Drake's real nature that fast, without questions.

Fenrir barked excitedly and she smiled down at him, petting his belly while listening to the men's banter, pleased and waiting for their decission