VK - Pendra, Gareth, The Shadow, Takara, Khael and Sophia

Takara looked around nervously at the group she found herself with. She was glad Khael would have another dwarf to talk to, but she was wary of the two humans. She stuck close to Khael as they met up with their travel group. "Hi. I'm Takara. G.. Guess we'll be travelling together." She said hesitantly to the others.

Khael stepped forward to introduce himself to the others. "Khael's the name, glad to meet you all. Shall we get this show on the road?""

Sophia sat on her horse caught up in stories within her mind and hardly even looked at the others. There were stories there as well but for now she was thinking of other things. She would follow but her mind was elsewhere.

----

"Hello Takara, Khael. I'm Pendra the weapons master for the wardens of the grey. It is good to meet you and get to know you as you will be learning from me as well." She smiled at them, "Do not worry. I am not one to bite unless it is warranted. I already know Gareth but ... ah the one in her own world must be Sophia and you are The Shadow. Not just Shadow but 'The' is part of your name. Now that is interesting."

Gareth was pleased to be in Pendra's group. Odd how I'm pining at a single woman now. He mused to himself. The others in the group were unfamiliar to him. The women were all beautiful to him, his gray eyes glinting with that charming twinkle in his eye. He introduced himself to those he would be traveling with for now. "I am Gareth Feres, Arl of Umoja." He said, offering a bow. Meanwhile, The Shadow looked on, until it was mentioned by name from the Dwarf woman with the floral tattoos.

"Yes, this one be called The Shadow." It said behind its featureless white mask, with its low, whispered voice.

"Weapon's master eh? I look forward to training with you." Khael said to the other dwarf with a smile. "Takara here could use some training too. I've tried to teach her what I can but she isn't a very willing student for me. Maybe she'll be more comfortable learning from another woman."

Khael glanced at the silent woman on her horse, but she looked lost in her own world, much the same as Takara was after too much magic. Next he looked to Gareth and didn't much like the way he looked at Takara. He had seen that look on the faces of too many human men, and he moved himself to stand between Takara and the stranger. "Keep your eyes and your hands off my little sister and I think we'll get along just fine Ser."

Takara went slightly pink when she noticed the handsome human man, and even pinker when Khael told him to keep away from her. "It's okay brother, the Wolf will keep us safe." Takara didn't know why she trusted the white haired elf so much, but she knew it was the right thing to do.

The last one in their party was an odd one indeed and Khael didn't know what to make of him. He opted for the safe option of just ignoring him. With the introductions made he helped Takara onto her horse and then mounted his own, ready to get moving.

Pendra nudged Gareth as Khael told him to behave and chuckled, "Don't worry, Khael. He will behave because he's a gentleman. He just likes looking. I will definitely teach you as well, Takara. It is always good to know at least some basic skills and can only help you deal with being a warden much easier. Let's get going group. Gareth, you are up front with me. Khael and Takara are behind us with The Shadow behind them then Sophia will take back."

She got back onto her Percheron horse and waited for them to mount up then started off.

"You have got to behave." She teased Gareth, shaking a finger at him, "Some women get rather nervous about leers. If you need an eyeful just watch my chest and that should make you a happy boy."

"Thank you Miss. I know the basics of how to fight with a dagger but I'm always afraid to hurt someone. We didn't have access to practice gear."

Takara moved her horse to her assigned spot with Khael and they talked amoungst themselves for a few minutes. Suddenly Takara heard a hawk cry and looked into the sky just in time to catch a glimpse of a red dragon. "Wh... what was that?" Takara cried out, pointing up to the sky.

Gareth lifted an eyebrow at the dwarf. "Sister, eh? Relax. She's too young for me." He said and mussed the Dwarf's hair, then winked at Pendra. "I could indeed stare at your chest all day and be contented." He said and grinned at the dwarf. He rode his horse up beside Pendra and made some playful small talk with her.

The Shadow observed those in its group and spoke little. It was busy protecting its keeper, Sophia; the human woman with the ageless eyes and the permanent smile. The Shadow didn't know what Sophia had intended for it, bit she kept staring at it.

Then the dragon came.

Gareth sighed, prying his eyes away from Pendra's ample bossum. "Just great. Dragons." he said, and drew his sword. "And she looks angry."

There was the sound of one dragon, hawks and then another. Pendra watched the sky and snorted, displeased with that little display, "No it is not a she. That is a youth who has decided to be silly so close to civilization. Stay mounted and move out. We will move out once there is the call for it."

"A D... D... Dragon? I thought those were extinct!" The small human mage stammered, nearly falling off her horse in her fright. Luckily Khael was riding close and managed to catch her and help her get steady. She watched in fear and wonder as the dragons became hawks and began to descend.

"I... I heard stories that mages can become animals. Is it true? Is that what... what that was?" She looked at the others around her, knowing that her education was woefully lacking. Slowly she shook her head. "I really don't want to go to the... to the circle, but I need to find a real teacher. I should know these things!"

Khael reached over and patted her shoulder to reassure her but remained silent.

Gareth rolled his eyes at Takara's overreacting. "Not extinct, no. Why do you think this age is called the Dragon Age? It's because of the reappearance of Dragons a little over 30 years ago. Even so, if he's a friendly dragon, you shouldn't worry, kiddo." He tried to reassure her. Then she got excited at the prospect of being able to transform into a dragon, which made the young Arl arch an eyebrow. "Ehh... I think that Jezarine lady could teach you some magic stuff. Dunno if she does shapeshifting. Magic makes me uneasy." He said.

Gareth was a pious man, but even he knew that the Chantry was wrong about mages. Not all were evil or needed controlling.

Takara began to blush at Gareth's reaction to her questions. When she was surrounded by other slaves her ignorance didn't mean much, but out here with Wardens, Heroes, Arls, even the King himself she'd heard, well she felt like a small dumb child.

"I.. I didn't know Ser. I never went to school, I can only read a little. Khael has been trying to teach me." As she spoke she turned even redder and looked down at the ground. "I was only ever taught whoring and healing. Not much call for an educated whore."

His reaction to magic was fairly common, but still bothered her. She had hoped the members of the Commander's group would be more open. "I won't do any magic if it makes you uncomfortable Ser. I only know healing anyway."

Khael laid a comforting hand on her shoulder as he spoke."Now now little sister, I'm sure these people have plenty of books. We can keep working on your reading at writing when we camp at nights. And I'm sure there are plenty of mages around here to help you out. Remember you don't have to take nug-dung from no one you don't want to anymore."

Takara looked over at the young dwarf and gave him a brief smile, before focusing her attention back on where they were going. The dragons and hawks were gone and the lines seemed to be moving again.

Tears in the Fade.

The very notion made Sophia's stomach twist. To travel by it was one thing, to mould it was another. But uncontrolled tears running wild were like stories without storytellers. They could slip into unseen cracks, warp the world, change dreams and the people who dreamed them. And the spirits and demons who might cluster at the gaps, hungering for mortal warmth...
Sophia's fingers brushed against her ribbons, smile quirking. Beautiful. The stage was set for a dance unlike any other. Everything else had been a prelude, a gathering of the players. Even now, understudies and bit-parts were flowing forth to heed the Mistress's call, Nygozy's little army swelling with emotions, hopes, ideas. A tapestry of crystal threads, weaving a tapestry all of their own. Some shone brighter then others. Others...
A faint scream scratched a fleck from her contemplation, letting reality in. The delicate sculpture of threads was sent billowing away into nothingness. The bath-house, all over again. Still... it was about time she started to listen to her companions: the new faces outweighed the old. There were new stories to hear.

And there was one in particular who attracted her attention.

Drawing on the Fade only took a moment. A warp, a pop, a faint chime as Aria shimmered, and a tiny ball of fire soared from Sophia's fingertips to bob just next to Takara's head, trailing Sophia's laughter behind it.

"Are you sure that's all you know? You're a dreamer, like me. You probably know more then you think you do." A balletic flick of the ribbon-wrapped fingers sent the little spark dancing, a softly pulsing light-show of friendly warmth. The willowy mage tilted her head to one side. "And many mages can become animals... Bears, Spiders, Dogs... and yes, Dragons. Though I only know of one who managed it." Sophia's smile softened. "Could you tell me? What would you be, if you could be anything you wanted? Not 'only' a healer, or a whore... what do you want to be?"

Takara was contemplating whether joining the wardens was the right path when suddenly a ball of fire appeared by her side and the silent mage spoke up. She watched the flame and listening in facination. The question startled her. What did she want? She let her horse fall back a bit to make talking to the other mage easier.

"I... don't know what I want. It has never been a choice before. I never... never believe freedom... was possible. I guess I just want to remain free. To learn to be a better healer so I can help others. I would like... to prevent others from suffering as I have."

Kai ghosted down the travel line, observing all for his report back to Nygozy. Next up was Pendra's group and he appeared quietly beside her horse.

"Greetings weapons master, I come with a message from the Hero. The dragon situation is under control and everyone is moving out. Also a pack of wolves is travelling with us and they are to be considered allies. They are not to be harmed and are to be protected if necessary. The are the family of a shifter mage in the group. Safe travels."

The end was in site and Kai dissapeared once more.

Pendra kept her peace for some time, letting the others sort out what they were saying and listening in to figure out what kinds of people she was traveling with. There were many things going on with this and Takara did not seem to know what she wanted or where to go with herself. After being kept captive for so long it was not unusual for one to be confused but the dwarven woman was not sure if a warden would be the right direction for this girl.

Kai's arrival made Pendra look over at the man, startled but not showing that the assassin caught her unawares, "Greetings Kai. Thank you for the news. I shall be sure to take note of it. Send my regards to the Warden Commander."

"It is nothing to be ashamed of for never having been schooled. There are many books to read and Jezarine is an accomplished teacher as well as healer. I am sure that you will do well in her tutelage, Takara. Let's move out before any more diversions are set upon our path." She got her horse moving.

Gareth was content with letting the others discuss things but he frowned when he heard Takara wasn't educated. "They didn't teach you how to read? How would you learn new spells then?" He asked her, tilting his head. Then Pendra had a thoughtful look in her eyes and Gareth let her sort out the problem here. Turning his roan back forward he rode beside Pendra, thankful the dragon situation was nothing to be afraid of. It still made him uneasy, mages being able to turn into creatures that could gobble you up...

He sighed. He had to let his prejudices go if he was to travel with the Warden's group. He thought about writing to his father again, the news that he and Pendra had sent a maid to go take care of him... in more ways than one. Father deserved a little happiness.

Takara watched as the one eyed blond elf appeared and dissapeared once more. She was glad to hear everything was ok with the dragons, though she didn't understand exactly how.

"Jezarine? She is the dark elf healer right? I hope I can speak with her soon, I have so much to learn. The mage who taught me was another slave and she could not read either. We just spoke. And a lot if it I just figured out on my own." With the thought of there being others to teach her Takara cheered up quite a bit. She nodded to Khael's questioning look and let her horse fall back so she could ride beside the other mage. She rode in silence, concentration on riding and on the thoughts swirling in her head.

Seeing that Takara was doing all right Khael moved his horse up to ride beside Pendra.

"May I ask how a dwarf became weapons master for the Grey Wardens. Are you a warden too? I heard the warden commander killed the arch demon. Is that really true? Sorry I have so many questions, I've been out of the loop since I was captured when Lothering fell. Takara and I were only freed a few days ago and I haven't had much chance to talk to anyone since then." Khael was trying to keep his voice level and sound mature, but his young age shone through in his curiosity and excitement.

"Jezarine? She is the dark elf healer right? I hope I can speak with her soon, I have so much to learn. The mage who taught me was another slave and she could not read either. We just spoke. And a lot if it I just figured out on my own."

"Yes, Jezarine is the dark healer. She is a Dalish elf and I think she will enjoy teaching you. The woman is quite gentle and often timid but when she gets to know you she's really good. Except in fighting training."

The dwarf looked to Gareth to see how he was doing, smiled at him, winked then turned to Khael.

"May I ask how a dwarf became weapons master for the Grey Wardens. Are you a warden too? I heard the warden commander killed the arch demon. Is that really true? Sorry I have so many questions, I've been out of the loop since I was captured when Lothering fell. Takara and I were only freed a few days ago and I haven't had much chance to talk to anyone since then."

Pendra chuckled in good natured spirits, "It took years to become a weapons master then I started my actual career training youth in Redcliff. After that I went to Denerim and became weapons master for the king's men. Since Nygozy showed up and I was released from being kidnapped I was asked to work for and become a warden." She shrugged, "The Grey Warden Commander did kill the arch demon. You should have seen the piles of Darkspawn after she went through. It was quite the day. So you too were captured by others. Question: did you notice if they had stylized tattoos under both ears of a bird. One black and the other red?"

Khael listened silently as Pendra spoke. It seemed he really had missed out on a lot in the last two years. He hoped once this fade business was dealt with he could hunt down and deal with every last person responsible for taking those years from him. And of course find his sister.

"Redcliffe? So are you a surface dwarf then as I am? Or did you leave Orzammar for some reason? You don't have to tell me the reason if you left, I know many dwarves don't like to talk about it. My own parents never would say why they left. Guess I'll never know now." Khael fell silent for a moment as he mind wandered back to his parents. He had never really had the chance to mourn them properly and still missed them a great deal.

Khael shook his head and then grinned. "Us dwarves are often underestimated due to our size but we can be a mighty terror on the battlefield. I would love to see the Commander in action, it must really be a sight. I sure wouldn't want to be her enemy!"

"Yes I believe the men that kidnapped my sister and I did have tattooes of some sort under their ears. I don't remember clearly what of though. I hadn't slept or ate in days so my mind was not very clear. They took us to a market and sold us very quickly." Darkness once more reigned on the young dwarf's face. "The men who bought me did not have tattooes, but men fitting that description did often attend the fights. Are they the ones that captured you?"

Khael shook is head once more, trying to clear the dark memories away. He concentrated on the feel of the horse moving underneath him and the wind in his hair and on his face. Soon the look of youthful curiosity was back on his face.

"And what about you Ser Gareth? What brings you out on this fine day to march against evil?"

Gareth was trying to think of something to say to start a conversation but it seemed Pendra and Khael were already in deep discussion. Suddenly Khael addressed the young Arl and he blinked. "Eh? Oh... Uh, I'm just following the Warden-Commander around for a bit before I return back to Umoja. Also, Pendra's got a great ass." He winked to the dwarf. "Among other things."

[Poking Sere in, Nygozy said I could pop her in here. Sorry that I have to work her in~]

Serethiel was glad - truly - that the humans hadn't noticed her yet. She'd been told by her white-haired sister that she would be welcomed by the Wardens, but she found that she couldn't find that same confidence just yet. Nygozy had set her in with this particular group of humans but it was strange to be around them, and so, even though she felt bad about . . . 'sneaking,' she did so anyway. Luckily for her, the forests that lined the road welcomed her as a child welcomes a mother after a long time spent apart, and then comforted her and her anxiety as she flitted among the trees, keeping up with the group as she watched from the safety and cover they provided.

She didn't know what to make of the group, in all honesty. 'Dwarves' were almost unknown to her - the Commander had been a particularly shocking specimen to her - because they rarely frequented her forests, and they held so little commune with the trees. She couldn't hear them at all. She decided instantly that she liked elves better, but she wouldn't write dwarves off just yet. At the very least, the commander had seemed to respect the elves and forests. She watched the female and male dwarves of this group fleetingly, and had quickly turned her attention to focusing on the others.

The darkspawn among them made her skin shudder with goosbumps (which was a new sensation in and of itself). Were she still what she had once been, the leaves of her branches would have rustled with apprehension, quaking without wind at the sight of the vile thing. She had no reason to love his kind - they destroyed more mercilessly than the humans and had no reason in them. If something like her had been treated with apprehension by the Commander, then she, in all of her mind, could not fathom why such a loathsome creature would be tolerated.

The humans were . . . well, they were humans. The male was typical of his kind, she decided right away, and one of the human women was only slightly more interesting - the feeling of magic pulsing around her felt more welcoming than the hollowness of the human male, but many a mage had passed through her forests over the years, and she had been greatly enough familiarized with them to consider them odd. The last human woman, though . . . Serethiel smiled a little at the feeling. She wasn't . . . human feelings were still too strange for her to know what the feeling was, but it reminded her of home. Neither good nor bad, like the Fade and trees and ancient things. The magic was very strong around that one.

But would any of them accept her - that was the question. Perhaps it had not been wise to simply . . . stalk them as if she were a wolf hunting deer, but she hadn't known what else to do. Now, though, as they were already into their journey, should couldn't hold back the desire to go up to them, to greet them and introduce herself. But how to do it? She couldn't just . . . go up to them, could she? All of her existence, people had come and gone to her, and now that the action was left to her, she found herself mired in doubt. Human creatures were very unforgiving, and they were as likely to attack her as soon as see her.

Ah! But what had the elven brother said to the dwarven leader of this group? That a pack of wolves would be traveling with them, and that they were not to be harmed? She smiled to herself, proud of this new bit of quick thinking - 'thinking,' after all, was very new to her. With a quick expression of pleasure, she let her magic flow out of her. It was as natural as feeling the trees and plants around her, and soon, her strange new human shape was replaced with that of a wolf of the forest, of such a deep green color that it almost looked black. A leaf fell from her fur and she shook it out fully, and after a moment of getting used to this new new body, she leapt from the woods and began to run along side the horses being ridden by the group. She hoped this would work . . .

Sophia almost frowned. Again, those tattooed birds flitted into her precious story... unfathomable, untraceable. They could be pursued: she had spent hour after hour searching for them in Denerim's libraries, piecing together threads of fact, but even with all her knowledge, the birds flew ever out of reach, brightly-inked feathers teasing her as they dipped through the landscapes of her mind. Who were they? Who did they fly for, and where did they fly from? At first, Sophia had entertained the idea that the birds had been agents of the Tevinter Mage who had so callously kidnapped Jezarine, but the conjurer had been nothing but a doll, dancing on strings held in perfectly-inked claws. Even if he had not known it... Sophia was almost certain, so certain that the conversation of her companions washed away, lost in the rustling breath of the nearby forest. The willowy mage allowed the threads of her musings to tangle on the trees, silver nets to catch inspiration, insight. So far, the birds had made every move in their game involving the Mistress and her little army: all they had been able to do was react. Sighing, Sophia stretched out on her horse's back, lounging as easily as if the beast had been a silk divan somewhere in an Orlesian palace. Maybe she should take her Thief of Hearts on a trip to steal some facts, somewhere where they could make a move in the game of their own...

... and then the Fade twisted, and Sophia almost fell of her horse in amazement. Heedless of her rapidly dissolving plans she reined in her mount, eyes wide, smile abandoned in favour of a whispered "Oh..." of surprise. Never before had she felt magic flow so... easily before, so unlike the uneasy coaxing of the Circle-Mages... too soft for blood magic... too wild to be anything sung through human or elf... too wild to be called a song. This was something deeper, something so pure as to be... as to be...

... natural. The dreams of nature. Of the forest. Someone, or something, had touched those dreams: the echoes were still sighing down Sophia's spine, stirring the ribbons on her arms to chime sleepily. And when the great wolf fell into step beside the horses, she knew that, somehow it was connected.

A wolf... protector of the trees... protector of a god-tree, felled by a Templar who knew only the pride of his maker...

The shivers increased, flipping her off her horse, forcing her forward to meet the wolf as it galloped towards them.

Have I told this story before? Or is this something new? Something that I've never seen, never heard?

"... who are you?"

Takara watched silently as the wolf came out of the forest toward them. She didn't have any experiance with animals but something about this wolf struck her as odd. After the recent discussion of mages that could shift she thought the wolf might really be a mage. She could understand wanting to approach strangers in a safer form and so remained silent, watching fascinated as the silent mage beside her went to the wolf.

Takara felt an urge to go to the wolf too, but didn't know how to control her horse, or more importantly, how to get off of it. After a few minutes of talking gently to her horse Takara was able to steer it in the direction of the wolf. She should have been terrified, but found herself oddly calm. Her horse came to a stop a dozen feet from the wolf and Takara waited to see what would happen next.