Lost Youth

The sight of two people with dotted X's was a welcome one. Maybe. As he was unaware of their situation, they could either be the true threat or slaves. When he saw one with a staff, referring to a 'Miss Wolf, referencing a name he still has no understanding of why Calliara has it, he figured that they just saved them. He sighed a sigh of relief. It looks like Jezarine can sleep in, if she chooses to.

This other man, however, just kept glaring at him. He also looked ready to attack if need be. As a sign of good faith, he took his sword and dagger and tossed them a few feet to the side. "I'm with Calliara. I have no intention of harming you."

When the healer finished her work, she collapsed, prompting the other person to come to her aid. When he asked for water, he immediately thought about the West Hill brandy he found. While not water, it should hold her over until they do...whatever they planned to do with them. He knelt down next to the man and held out the flask. "It may not be water, but it should do for now."

Marcus' vision was blurry fro his light-headedness. The big elf seemed disoriented by the time the two slaves arrived to him and the mage woman healed his wounds. He could feel the knitting of flesh and the setting of bones and he grunted from the pain of healing magic. His good arm reached for the handle of Durbans, as if to make sure it was still there to reassure him. "Jezarine...? Damnit girl... you have to be so hamfisted at healing?" He muttered in his delirium. To him, Takara appeared as his friend the dark skinned healer. But Jezarine's technique was more experienced than this. Bleary eyed he peered at the two newcomers. "Who are you?" He asked them, trying to get up by leaning his weight on his axe.

"My name is Khael and this is Takara. We were being held as slaves by the men you fought. Thank you for coming to our aid."

Khael accepted the flask from the human and gave it a sniff before handing it gently to Takara. He had seen this before, she had pushed herself too hard and would be out of it until she could get a decent meal and some sleep. Takara took a sip of the offered flask and shuddered as the alchohol burned on the way down. She took a second sip and then handed it back to Khael who handed it back to the man with a word of thanks.

Khael turned and looked to the other seven prisoners standing nervously in a group near the building they had just escaped from. "Now if your friend is able to travel we really should get out of here. More men will be arriving soon. A lot more and as much as I'd love to make these nug humpers eat my axe I don't think any of us are in peak fighting shape."

Drake came out of the building with a slight grimace at the sight of Marcus and shook his head as he was being healed. He had not been at his best today as he should have noticed that Marcus was in dire need of help but he was headstrong in making sure that Calliara would not be hurt and did not even check on the other two. He had figured that Robert would take care of the elf but what if the young man did not have the ability to do so?

He took a deep breath then went over to Marcus, "Here, I will help you to walk. Let's get going. If there are as many as you say then we will need to bring a larger force to clean it out."

He got ready to go and waited for the others to come as well.

Khael took Takara by the hand and lead her along as he followed the Wolf and her companions through town. The other freed slaves followed as well, nervous and alert, but silent. None of the freed slaves really knew what to expect now. Some, like Takara, had spent their whole lives as slaves and simply couldn't imagine what freedom would be like. Others, like Khael, had been captured and made slaves later, and were wondering what to do now. Some had families they could go back to and some did not.

The group made their way up from the docks back up to the palace. The Wolf lead them to to the door of the meeting rooms Nygozy had been using within the palace and left the freed slaves outside the door as she entered to speak with the Warden Commander.

Calliara knocked the door once, and then entered the room without waiting for answer.

''Commander, there's something you should know, but I think it should be Drake, Marcus and Robert's right to give you their report. I just followed them, they were the ones who started it''

Nygozy looked up from her work and sighed. Not another catastrophe. She was going to have to hire someone else if this kept up. There was so much to deal with as it was.

The small woman drank some water then wiped her hand across her chin, delaying the inevitable while she got her senses back in order to be able to deal with people again. Too much paperwork had been taken care of in the last few hours that she almost forgot there were such a thing as real people. If it hadn't been for Kai's presence she would have thrown the mess into the fireplace instead.

"Ok. Let them in and we can discuss whatever is going on."

She watched as the group came in and went over to Marcus as soon as she saw the state he was in. The others were not in as bad a situation so she didn't worry so much about them, "Sit down, Marcus. How are you doing? Wolf, get Jezarine. Someone explain this all to me."

Drake looked at Robert, "Go ahead, lad. This will be your first report."

''Yes, Commander'' Calliara nodded and turned to go out, but first she brushed Marcus' cheek with the back of her hand and then Robert's before whispering to the young warrior

''Ask Drake later''

With a flashing smile, she turned to the Changeling and tiptoed to kiss his chin, then walked out Nygozy's office to look for Jezarine

Marcus was escorted back to the Warden base with the others, still weakened from the battle. Durbans was being used as a crutch while Drake helped him walk. He was seated in front of the Warden-Commander and through his blurred vision he thought he saw her move up to him. He also felt something on his cheek for a brief moment but then it was gone. "Well, Commander." He started, his head starting to clear. "If you think I look bad, you should see the other guys." He chuckled painfully. "I think I'll need to see Jezarine for some finishing touches on the healing... The person who healed me was inexperienced. Also I think I'll have a limp for life." He said, motioning down to the half healed chunk of flesh missing from his thigh.

"No pressure, right? Let's see...Drake, Marcus and I left a while ago. All left seperate reasons. Drake noticed blood, Marcus claimed he smelled blood, and I was just following them. A few minutes later we came upon the source of the blood. A boy, maybe a couple years younger than me, branded and tattooed with dotted X's. His neck had been cut open and his body ravaged by feral dogs. We concluded that it was connected with a similiar body that was found near the water and followed the path to the docks. There we found the mabari who were probably responsible for dragging the corpse into the city and we were forced to slay them. That was when Calliara shown up and helped finish off the mabari. Our fighting seemed to alert some men in the nearby buildings, who came to tell us to leave, claiming that there was a 'private function' going on," Robert said, signaling quotations when he mentioned the private function.

"Considering the time, it was easy to tell that it wasn't legal. After Marcus advised them not to mess with us, they did the obviously idiotic move and messed with us. We managed to kill all the men that came out to fight us. Marcus had succumbed to the injuries he sustained during his berserker rage, which included some bites into his leg and a arrow in his foot. At the same time, a group of slaves inside decided to take advantage of our attack and took care of the guards inside. They all had the same brands and tattoos that the boy had. Apparently they were being forced to fight each other. One of the fighters said that there were going to be more men sent there for further 'private functions'. One of the slaves with them is an apostate who tried healing Marcus' wounds. She seems rather adamant about not going to the circle."

He looked over at Drake for a second, as if to say 'Did I forget anything?' then looked back. "I think that covers all of it. I'm sure the slave can go into more detail about the entire operation."

Nygozy patted Marcus's uninjured knee, "Don't worry. Jezarine will fix you right up, my friend. These bindings should do until she arrives."

She stood beside him and looked about at all the former fighting slaves standing there waiting and breathed out in concern. They were all rather young looking and she could not tell but most did not seem to be even more than sixteen. That wasn't a surprise but it still made her blood boil but she tried not to show anything of her feelings for it.

Robert was pretty good at his report and she noticed a slight smile on Drake's lips which disappeared as soon as she saw it. He had been telling her that he thought the young man would be able to learn quickly and she had known he was right. It was good to see Robert not making liars out of them.

"I see." The small woman commented as Robert concluded his report, "Very good, Ser Schwarzer. The healer will not be sent to the Circle as will no one else within this group if they have any magical capabilities. If anyone is leader of this group then please step forward and tell me what is known about these people who enslaved you."

Khael and the other prisoners looked around in awe as they were lead through the palace. Most had been poor even before being slaves and had trouble imagining that people lived like this. Takara was still exhausted and dazed from the fight and the healing and still held Khael's hand, following where he lead. She barely even seemed aware of where they were.

When they were brought in front of the Warden Commander they were all silent until she asked to speak to the leader. Khael looked around him but no one else seemed willing to stop forward. He was a bit shocked still that the Warden Commander was a fellow dwarf. They had little news in the ring and what they heard was mostly rumors and hearsay.

Khael attempted to remove Takara's hand from his but she wimpered and gripped his hand stronger, so he slowly stepped forward with her in tow. He made a small bow to the Commander, took a deep breath and began.

"First I would like to thank you and your people for rescuing us. My name is Khael Khorief, formerly of Lothering. After Lothering was destroyed by the darkspawn my little sister and I were captured by slavers. I was sold into the fighting ring. I still don't know what happened to my sister." Realizing he was getting off track thinking of Draxy he cleared his throat and began again.

"Most of us in the ring were captured and sold into slavery to be bought by the ring. Some like Takara here," he gestured to the human attached to his hand, "were born into slavery. We are only one of several travelling fighting rings owned by the group. We are the Fereldan ring but I know of several others in other parts of Thedas. When we are bought we are given basic training and then forced to fight each other for the amusement of nobles and anyone else with enough money to gamble on the fights. Each ring has a healer like Takara to fix us up after the battle. Sometimes the fights get out of control though and a fighter is injured beyond her skill, or is killed in the ring. Occationally fighters are killed trying to escape. Most do not last more than three or four years in the ring. Takara has been with them for five years and would know more, but she is exhausted fromthe fight and the healing. Until she has proper food and a good sleep she is... well, you can see."

"Some of these men have families they can return to but some of us do not. What do you plan to do with us?"

Khael seemed like a trusty source, very straight forward and well spoken showing that he was not the usual burly type she was mostly used to from Orzammar. However, he said he had come from Lothering which interested her greatly. There were few dwarves in that area before the Darkspawn took over but she had not gone to all the farms as there were too many to check with limited time and resources.

She noted that he was taller than she was and that amused her that a teen dwarf was larger. Runt of the litter alright but she had never grown like many runts do. It didn't matter. She pulled her thoughts back to his words. They had been heard but she had begun to reminisce which was bad, a sure sign that she was getting tired.

"My people are known to do more than fight Darkspawn and I am glad of it as this must be dealt with. You will be able to stay in a barracks for now, receive nourishment and help to find your way to where you wish to be. Those with homes will be helped to find their families. Those without will be given choices including the ability to work as employees for the crown. You and your healer friend also have the choice of becoming a Grey Warden if you wish. You have qualities which are in great demand by our order."

Khael stared at the smaller dwarf in shock for a moment. Him? A grey warden? Well why not? He didn't have anything left in his life but Takara and a hope of finding Draxy. Perhaps these wardens would help him find her.

Finally he regained his composure and cleared his throat. "Thank you very much. We would all be extremely grateful for a good meal and a good night's sleep. I would be honoured if the grey wardens would have me. The darkspawn took my family and my home from me and I would love the chance to pay them back. I'm sure Takara would love to as well, but we'll have to wait until she comes out of this state. The others mentioned you have a healer here, maybe Takara can be given proper training? And..." Khael hesitated for a moment, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer to his question. "Do you think the wardens could help me locate my sister?"

It seemed that Khael liked the idea of being a warden, his expression indicated that he was surprised and pleased with the suggestion so it was not unlikely for him to agree to it. She heard him out and nodded at some points then pointed to a chair for Takara.

"If she were that far you should have had her sit. Yes, we will train her if she comes with us. We have a well versed healer who is coming to do some healing on my friend here." Nygozy looked Khael in the eyes, "And we will do what we can to find your sister. I cannot guarantee anything but we will look and it is likely to take some time to find her. The slavers are many and not as easy to route out as we would like."

There was a knock at the door and one person missing and Nygozy just grinned, "It seems that the search crew is already out to deal with your slavers. Come in."

When Calliara had come to get Jezarine the Dalish woman moved quickly and almost silently, contrary to her normal chattiness that followed most conversations. Hearing that one of their own was hurt and that youths were used in fighting rings only made her upset.

The hero answered her knocks when she got to the door and she was in within moments, "Nygozy! Where ... oh. Oh Marcus!" She rushed to his side and immediately started healing him, "What in the world were you doing? Playing with nasty mabaris? Really now you knew better than going out after everything and fighting like that. I keep having to heal you up and hope you heal the rest of the way but ... oh my that's quite the chunk out isn't it well that teaches you for not staying at rest with Guremi and now she's gone of somewhere too. You are so stubborn. I will just have to fully heal you because you don't know how to let things heal up naturally. It is a good thing that there are not many to heal around here and I can spend my energy on you today. You silly silly woodsman! I swear that if you don't stop this I will tie you up in a barred room with my brother. Then you will learn to rest when I tell you to REST."

Jezarine pouted but as usual she looked more cute than upset.

As the debriefing went down, Marcus was accosted by Jezarine, who went into a torrent of rebukes and remarks at his wounds. He soon found his head buzzing. "Well I-. But I-. Bu-. Dam-. Je-. She-. You-!" He couldn't get a word in through her tirade as her healing magics worked on his wounds. The chunk missing of his leg would be the hardest to heal completely, and Marcus just eventually gave up and let Jezarine rant and heal, looking helplessly at Nygozy.

Calliara followed calmly the healer, and tried to hide a chuckle hearing Jezarine going on and on while healing Marcus. The Wolf smile and then handed the youths a bag with sweet buns.

''I've ordered the cooks to prepare a good meal for you all, and also the baths are being prepared at the moment. While you're at it, I'll make sure to prepare rooms for you all as well so you could rest properly''

Fenrir trotted happily here and there, sniffing at the new people and the known ones, specially Nygozy who he liked very much, but then he went to snuggle against Torture

Khael led Takara over to the chair the commander had pointed to and gently sat her down in it. She still would not release her grip on his hand, so he simply stood beside her. "She gets like this sometimes after she has been forced to do too much magic. She is like a docile child when she's like this. She'll do what I tell her, but she won't let go of me if we're somewhere unfamiliar, and she's pretty much unaware of her surroundings."

"A chance to look for my sister is all I ask. I know you cannot promise anything, she may be far away or even dead for all I know. It has been over two years since I saw her last. she would be twelve now. All I know is she was sold to a man that ran a brothel."

Khael watched with a bit of a stunned look on his face as the dark elf came in and started talking a mile a minute while tending to the injured elf. He accepted the bag of buns from Calliara and handed one to Takara, putting it in her free hand and telling her to eat. She did so slowly, one small bite at a time, not really seeming to notice what she was eating. Khael took a bun for himself and passed the bag to the others.

"Excuse me miss," Khael said to the dark elf healer when she appeared to be done with the injured man, "could you please take a look at my friend. She's in a bit of a state after the fighting and trying to heal your friend. Maybe as another healer there is something you can do to help her?"

Jezarine finished healing Marcus then looked at the newly healed flesh in his leg, "There we go. All better for another chomping but not yet." She waved a finger at him, "If I find you getting hurt again right away I will put you to sleep for a week!"

She turned her head and looked at Khael then over to his friend, "Oh my that's what I felt. You sure outdid yourself, my friend. Here. Let me see." She got up and went over to Takara to look into her eyes, "You will be fine." Energy was soothed into the other woman as Jezarine worked her magic to take away the magic loss then she got out a small vial of lyrium, "Now drink this and your magic will revive."

With that she stood and sighed at all the wounds on the group, "At least all of you didn't get too hurt. I can do a basic group heal on all of you to get rid of those wounds." Jezarine did as she said, removing the minor wounds from all of the people in the room without even thinking hard on it.

"Well, if you don't need me I will get back to Ianto."

Calliara hid her smile when Jezarine asked if she could go back with Ianto. Those two seemed to be glued lately. How cute. And how envious was she.

That made her look at Drake, they still had to talk, but seeing him well and not hurt was good. Without even realizing it, she smiled brightly at him, not an usual thing in her, and then moved to let Nygozy continue the talk with the young people. But the tired, little mage girl and her dwarven friend that was the leader of their little group caught her sight and the Wolf crouched beside them.

''Everything is alright now, cubs. No one is going to abuse you again. What's your sister's name?''

Fenrir was still snuggling against Torture, whinning for some atention from the bigger dog.

Marcus clapped a hand on Jezarine's shoulder before she could leave. Something she had said in her rant troubled him but now he could get a word in. "You said Guremi had disappeared. Where did she go? Why did she leave the room?" He asked, his gray eyes narrowed in concern for the woman who occupied his heart.

Khael watched carefully as the healer looked at Takara. She did something that made Takara's hand twitch and jump in hers and slowly Takara's eyes began to clear a bit. He watched as Takara slowly drank the vial and began to wake up even more. He was glad she was going to be ok.

Khael turned his attention to the Wolf who had come up to him and Takara. "My sister's name is Draxy Khorief. She has red hair like me and will be twelve now. She was always a fierce little thing so I have hopes she has survived the last two years."

Calliara just nodded, and then looked back at Nygozy, serious as always, but there was a hint of light in her icy blue eyes, the light of the hunt.

''May I ask permission, Commander?''

"Huh?" Jezarine turned to Marcus, "Oh she went out of the city so she can relax. I don't know where though. You can't go after her. You need to rest, Marcus."

She looked to Calliara, "Calli? Do you think you can go looking about outside of the city? I'm sure you can find her pretty quick if you need to but I don't think she is in any danger. Oh. Wait sorry. I'm ... well ... Nygozy? Can ... I mean I'm sorry if I stepped on any feet but ... oh no I stepped in it didn't I? Sorry I ran right over what you wanted to do to find that girl didn't I, Calli? I'm sorry."