Warden's quarters, Denerim

As he hugged his cousin, he felt relief wash over him that it really was her and not someone pretending to be her. She seemed like a different person, but being a Gray Warden would change someone, he supposed. Still, he was glad that it wasn't just him and Fergus left. Macha was still alive and that's what mattered. He had been heartbroken hearing the news of the slaughter at Highever Castle, and buried his dead relatives himself. Including his mother. That was the most painful of all.

Macha requested to speak to Calliara, the woman who was crying. Gareth nodded his head, offering a small smile. "Yeah. I'll see you at the Gnawed Noble later then." he said and then pivoted on his heel and walked out, feeling a little older and more tired now.

It wasn't easy being the one to cheer everyone up.

Macha watched her cousin walk away, her shoulders slumping slightly as he turned a corner and was gone. She stood there, staring after nothing, for a little longer than she needed to, composing herself. Family. It was the most important thing to her - it always had been. Fergus and Gareth - they were alive. Argos, too, who had always been her family. And now, the Wardens were joining them in her heart - had already joined them there. Macha regretted everything - everything - that had happened to her since Howe, but she wouldn't have given her new family up for anything. And maybe, just maybe, they would make things alright. In time.

And with one cousin from her past gone to meet later, Macha turned to go back into the room, where a future sister sat, possibly needing her. And if she was needed, then Macha would always be ready, because it was the least she could do for the people she loved.

"I'm sorry about him," she said shyly as she entered the room. "I think he gets carried away when he's trying to cheer people up. He really is an idiot, but he's a sincere one." It seemed like a lame apology, but it was the truth, and she hoped Calliara wouldn't be too angry with him, or with her. "Um," she started, finally stopping to stand back in the place she'd been standing earlier, when Gareth had first come in. She brought her hand up to the back of her neck in a nervous gesture, and then lowered it as she seemed to realize what she was doing. "You have my apologies for letting him barge in on you like that."

Calliara was sitting again in the same spot as before, but now it was evident that she was furious. Furious icy eyes stared at Macha, still red for crying, but her voice was calm

''I am not angry with you. To be honest, I am not angry with him either, but it was... Creators, I can't even explain it'' The Dalish sighed ''This was my room, my little haven in this filthy city. In this place I could hide from everything and everyone, in this place I was happy with the one I loved. This is... a sanctuary for me, and I felt his... babbling as an intruder. I am sorry I yelled at him''

Macha quickly shook her head, sitting down next to Calliara. She didn't put her hand on her knee or shoulder, like she would have wanted, to show the comfort she was so trying to give the distraught elf, because the flashing in her ice-blue eyes warned that she was upset, and Macha didn't want to intrude any more than she obviously already had.

"No, you don't have to be sorry for that brute. He can take it - this is your sanctuary. I'm sorry I didn't know, or I wouldn't have just come in like that, earlier." She turned her head to look all around the room, appraising the old-but-new furniture. She had never seen the original rooms in this building, but she did know that almost everything had had to be rebuilt after the attack on Denerim. This room must have seemed hauntingly familiar to Calliara, but, at the same time, dreadfully different. "Maybe . . . maybe it just needs a human touch, again." She looked back at Calliara, a slight look of hope on her face. "This room - it used to be his, and yours. If you make it yours again, you'll bring a little of him with it. And then the ghosts in here will be good ones, instead of haunting memories." She wondered, briefly, if that had made any sort of sense. It would be perfectly reasonable for Calliara to retake the room - in all of the Warden's quarters, this was among the few high-ranking rooms, and no current or future recruits would be allowed to stay in it, anyway. "It might never be that haven ever again, but you can make it into a new one."

Calliara sighed and shook her head slowly

''I don't think Drake would want to stay here knowing this was Duncan's room. Maybe it should be Nygozy who stay here, after all she is the Commander, and this is one of the biggest rooms''

Suddenly she realized that Macha didn't have to know that Drake and her were starting a relationship. The Dalish almost blushed with that thought, but looked at the woman

''And you came here with respect, unlike him. It's not the same, and I'm glad you came''

Macha couldn't help raising her eyebrows as the elven woman mentioned Drake, but she didn't pursue the topic. The noble doubted very much that Calliara would appreciate thinking about her new boyfriend (lover? partner?) while in the room she used to share with her deceased one. She would, however, grill Calliara about it later, with all of the intent of a teenage girl at a slumber party.

Instead, she hummed her assent. It made sense, to not want to share the room with him - it would be all old memories, and no new memories could be made without the ghost of the past hovering over them. "Maybe that would be best," she agreed aloud. Her face reddened a little, but she smiled nonetheless as Calliara thanked her. "Please - I only wanted to cheer you up, if even just a little. I'm only glad that I was able to do so, it seemed, though I'm still sorry for that interruption. He couldn't have known, but it was still unfair, considering how you were feeling."

''No, he couldn't have known, and I feel bad about yelling at him'' The Dalish sighed again and shrugged ''It doesn't matter...''

She knew somehow that she was going to be interrogated lately, but instead of feeling 'hunted', she felt amused. Well maybe it could be nice having a lady friend. Maybe she should invite Jez, Caterina, Nygozy and the other girls to a girl's party. She could even imagine the men's face and managed to hide a grin

''Well I've told you about my messy love life, now is your turn''

"Me?" Macha mimicked, for a moment looking utterly dumbstruck. Then her face reddened, and she smiled sheepishly. "Actually, I never had time for such things. I haven't, not in a long time. I don't know . . . I was never interested, when I was in Highever, in looking for a husband, or anything like that. There's was a friend of mine, Ser Gilmore . . . I could thrash him in any fight, but he never got mad at me for it, like the other boys. He was funny, too. I liked him. I don't know if he survived the attack on Highever, though," she trailed off, a misty look coming over her eyes. She shook her head quickly, though, to get it out of her mind.

"Um, anyway. After that, I was so busy fighting, that I never really considered it. Drake's probably told you about Sten, the Qunari who was in our party to defeat the Blight. I had a crush on him - a big one - but we were more friends, than anything. Good friends, though, and I think I ended up liking it better that way. Qunari are complicated, and he ended up leaving. Once, I even thought about going with him to Seheron, but I'd never have survived there." She made a face, and smiled again, looking slightly wistful. "I suppose I've sort of resigned myself to being single forever. I don't mind, though - as long as I have my family, I'll never be lonely." She shrugged, but still smiled. It wasn't something Calliara should worry about, considering her own pain with love.

''We are a pack'' Calliara nodded with a little smile, and patted Macha's shoulder after hesitating a moment. Then she lifted an eyebrow with a grin ''Is that the gesture? I am not used to your human costumes even if I was forced to live here. I find you all so weird...''

Macha laughed, lifting her own hand to pat Calliara's shoulder. "Yes, that's it. Morrigan used to think it was strange, too - she always said that we 'civilized' folk touched each other a lot. I'd never thought about it too much, before, but after that, I kind of know what she meant." She shrugged, putting her hand back in her lap. "I can see how it would appear strange, though. You'd think every one of us was sleeping together, for how much friends touch friends, and such. I've never seen anything wrong with it, myself, but," she grinned lopsidedly, "I'm also very fond of the elven greetings, myself, though I'm equally poorly versed in their use."

''I don't mind touching... I just don't understand why you have to touch other when greeting him or talking to him. Why, don't you know him or her already? Then why all the touching? Is for getting his or her attention so they would listen to you?''

Calliara looked really confused with that, but shrugged. ''Well I don't mind it if it has a reason''

Macha couldn't help a laugh. Calliara's words really did remind her of Morrigan, when she'd complained of just this exact thing - Maker, it felt like ages ago. The elf was more personable than the Witch, of course, but Macha had always liked Morrigan, anyway.

"When it has a reason, I don't see anything wrong with it, either. Some people are more adamant about it than others, though." She made another face. "I have nothing against Orlais, but in the half a year I spent with the Wardens there, I learned that they loved touch very much. Hugging and hand-shaking and kissess on the cheek - and that was all just for a greeting. Goodbyes could last five minutes or more. I don't think everyone wanted to be the last person to say goodbye, and we went through rounds of it, every time. 'Goodbye, Macha,' 'Oh, goodbye so-and-so,' 'And, Macha, I do so hope you have a good day,' and 'Yes, thank you,' and then 'And make sure to keep well.' It just went on and on and on. Sometimes I just walked away from people without saying anything, because I preferred being seen as rude to spending half my day saying hello and goodbye to everyone I met." Macha rolled her eyes, as if simply remembering that time made her tired and exasperated. "It was really too much. I liked Orzammar, better. There, it was a simple, 'Hello friend' or 'Hello stranger' and you could get down to business."

''Us Dalish just nod. We don't need words between us if they are useless'' Calliara shrugged tiredly ''I think that maybe we should go back with the others and see if there's something we can do. I have to dispose rooms to everyone yet...''

She massaged her forehead, thinking about it. Luckily enough, there was enough room for everyone without having to share rooms. Of course rooms could be shared if wanted, but there was plenty of space

"Yes," the noblewoman said, nodding her head. "Perhaps that would be best. I'm sure everyone will want to know where they're to spend the night at least a little bit before they actually go to bed." She placed a hand on the floor and rose to her feet, looking down at Calliara with a smile. "It was . . . nice, talking to you Calliara. I hope we can do so again. Again, I offer my apologies - I fear I was more hindrance than help, but I enjoyed speaking with you, all the same." It seemed strange to say, but it was true - though Calliara had seemed so sad, Macha had been glad that she could have offered a willing ear to listen. It was the job of friend and family to be there for them, and Macha liked to be useful.

Calliara rose as well, without using her hands though, and bowed her head a bit

''I enjoyed speaking with you as well, in spite of your cousin. Now I think I should resume my duties before people start to fight for the rooms''

She imagined certain ones yelling in the corridors while trying to step into the rooms of their chosing, and grinned

''Maybe I'll just let them argue a bit before asigning them''

Macha couldn't help but grin at the idea of that. Sinjan definitely would have argued with someone or another about what room he wanted, that this one was better than that for some reason. "That sounds like fun," she agreed, nodding her head. "You might have to get someone to referee the fights, though," she added with a wink, laughing slightly at the idea of Sten or someone keeping all of the little kids in line. It certainly made for an amusing picture.