VK - Sinjan, Rakot, Ostef, Leliana, Lithawen, Torture and Garoll

"He is quite impressive yes. I have seen many rogues over the years but that young man is good. Too bad he has gone already, I would not mind looking at him some more."

"Watch out with that, Lel. He's hooked on Nygozy and she on him and you know how Nyggy gets." Sinjan knew exactly how Nygozy got when she was in a relationship. He remembered a militia woman who lived to regret hitting on Alistair one day. The woman never had a chance. He moved closer to whisper, "It seems two are at her heels so be careful. Her temper is frayed enough as it is due to all the problems that have been coming about."

"Sounds like I missed all the fun. How sad."

He chuckled as Leliana left to get the other two back and waited patiently until she was by his side.

"So have any of the noble women trapped you in a loveless marriage yet Sinjan? Or are you still a free man?"

"Not as of yet. They keep chasing and I keep running. Which reminds me. I need new boots. I will have to talk to that new warden Tatsoo about that."

"Take it as a compliment, Ostef. I knew women who could break a man in half for looking at them funny. They'll steal your pants as well as your ability to process oxygen."

Sinjan smirked at Garoll then watched as the Trouble Twins returned but noticed Garoll moving ahead as if to lead the group and he stared at the dwarf in surprise. Nygozy had given him this lead and he was not about to abandon it to anyone else no matter who they were.

"Garoll. You are with Rakot and Ostef in the center." He reminded the dwarf in a commanding voice as he moved ahead to pass the man, "Lithawen is rear guard and Leliana and I are point." He clucked his tongue at Snow and went past the former Legionnaire.

"Oh, Nygozy snapped him up already?" Leliana asked with a raised eyebrow. "Well good for her! She deserves to be happy after what Alistair put her through."

She looked over at Sinjan as he whispered in her ear. "Two? Oh Alistair hasn't gone and changed his mind has he? After the way he treated her! The poor woman. I shall have to have a good talk with her later. I haven't had a chance since I returned."

"Tatsoo? Is she the pretty blond? Why would you ask her for boots? Oh I truely have missed out on so much!"

Leliana watched in silence as Garoll attempted to take the lead from her and Sinjan. She was glad to see Sin standing up to the dwarf. Charming, childish, and simple as he may often act she knew Sinjan was an excellent soldier and knew how to be serious when the situation warrented. It looked like little Sinjan had grown up some in the time she had been away.

Leliana temporarily let her horse fall back to the Trouble Twins. She had heard most of their conversation as she was talking to Sinjan. "The wardens take care of their own, you needn't worry about your family Ostef. Now you boys behave yourselves!"

"Good try," She said to Garoll with a wave as she trotted her horse past him to catch back up to Sinjan. "If the boys missbehave just give them a smack."

"Now Sinjan, are there any other men I should know to steer clear of? I am told I made quite the impression on Drake's girl the other day. I certainly do not wish to cause problems when I've only just returned."

Ostef waited for Leliana to leave.

"Is it just me or is she trying to act motherly towards us?"

"Heh, disappointed?"

"Not the sentiment I was looking for from her, no."

"Well, that's what you get. You didn't all the sudden start trusting the Wardens have you?"

"About time, isn't it? What with us joining their ranks so soon."

"Its a question of motivations, we're all here for different reasons. I am here because I gave my word that I would accept Nygozy's judgement whatever it maybe. I also don't mind never running out of things to kill. I am not here because I had a sudden urge to save the world, and protect the innocent and all that bullshit. I've seen enough of life to know that there are no absolutes, and I've seen enough to not trust blindly in an idea."

"True...I've seen that too, but its hard not to see some good in people if they don't show a clear intention of slitting your throat."

"And that right there is the kind of stupidity that will get you killed. Say you save a beggar on the street from some thugs, and he thanks you. Who is to say that he won't stab you in the back once you turn around? He is a beggar, if he doesn't get some money for food, he will starve to death and you have what he wants. What I am saying is that everyone, including the Warden Order has their own motives, and do not think for one second that a situation can never come up that will have them offering you up as sacrifice to fulfill their own needs. Expect it to come up, prepare for it, that's the only way you will survive."

"So, you trust no one? And you trust in nothing?"

"I trust in my own strength, and I trust a select few individuals whose character I personally had an opportunity to test. For example I trust you somewhat, because we've been in life or death situations and you were there to cover my back. I do not ignore the possibility that my trust can still prove to be misplaced, but based on my personal experience I am willing to take a risk in your case. I don't trust in ideas, or organizations, their motivations are too fluid, and often change from leader to leader."

"Well thanks for the vote of confidence on my case, at least."

"Don't mention it. Think about what I am saying, you've seen some of this shit I am talking about for yourself already, and I can promise you, you'll see more of it."

"Oh great, now I have backstabbings to look forward to."

"As long as you keep your eyes open, you'll live longer."

Apparently Sinjan was to lead the group, despite the boy's lack of experience compared to the elder dwarf. Garoll shrugged his shoulders anyway. "You slip up, boy, I'll take charge." He said with a low growl, not out of anger, but just the way his voice worked. Once things were rearranged, Leliana said a few words to Garoll. He merely nodded. "Kid deserves a chance to lead I guess, but I aim to not get any of us killed."

Rakot noticed the skies darken in the distance, over there Nygozy's group was to be located.

"Doesn't seem natural...looks like magic is involved. Our Commander might be in trouble, as much as I respect your role of leadership Sinjan, I am going to go check it out. You can't keep a berserker away from battle."

"Yeah, I guess I'll come as well."

Ostef remarked without enthusiasm. The two sped up their horses towards the commotion.

((Gone to: https://dragonageafter.forumotion.com/t301p75-vk-nygozy-kai-wolfram-griffinhart-alistair-and-zevran))

Rakot and Ostef slowed their horses down and rejoined the formation.

"So that was a fun trip, I think I'm still bleeding a bit internally."

"A little internal bleeding never hurt anyone, it builds character."

"So eh....what now? We tried to do what had to be done, but I doubt Nygozy or the others will understand our side of things."

"Sod it, I don't care if they understand. Whatever happens, happens, all I know is that throwing in with the Gray Wardens is starting to look more and more like a wrong decision by the day. They let one of their own get attacked, and then we in the wrong then we try to kill the culprit? That goes against everything that's right. Though to be honest I no longer have any care for Wolfram's general state of well being."

"He was the one who cast the spells on us wasn't he?"

"Yes, he was, and I have no intention of forgetting it. Alright, lets keep riding like nothing happened, maybe Sinjan won't come over and start whining."

"Oh, Nygozy snapped him up already? Well good for her! She deserves to be happy after what Alistair put her through. Two? Oh Alistair hasn't gone and changed his mind has he? After the way he treated her! The poor woman. I shall have to have a good talk with her later. I haven't had a chance since I returned."

Her expressions said it all as did her body language. Leliana had been there for everything that had gone on and had been one of the people who had tried to make Nygozy feel better. They'd all pitched in and Leliana sang wondrous songs that none had heard before, "She certainly did not have much choice. They seemed to be meant for each other from the start, kind of like when she and Alistair traveled together. She's confused but I never know how to deal with that. I'm sure you will be much better at it than I."

"Tatsoo? Is she the pretty blond? Why would you ask her for boots? Oh I truely have missed out on so much!"

"She is and I'm told that she is a very talented leather smith. Nygozy was quite pleased with some pattern work the gal had done with bead work as well."

He waited for her to go over to the others and watched as a storm hit then disappeared. That was very strange indeed. How could a storm just show from nowhere and then be gone in just as quickly a moment.

"You slip up, boy, I'll take charge. Kid deserves a chance to lead I guess, but I aim to not get any of us killed."

Sinjan snorted, "I'm no raw recruit old sorta dead man ... whatever ... the order was given to me so that's that." Well that sure showed him. Not. Why he could never get out good lines like other people and make others respect him for being verbally inventive instead of obtuse was beyond him.

"Doesn't seem natural...looks like magic is involved. Our Commander might be in trouble, as much as I respect your role of leadership Sinjan, I am going to go check it out. You can't keep a berserker away from battle."

"That's a good idea, Rakot. Just make sure to come back in one piece." It was a good idea for someone to go ahead and check it out so he made no gripe about the two men leaving.

"Now Sinjan, are there any other men I should know to steer clear of? I am told I made quite the impression on Drake's girl the other day. I certainly do not wish to cause problems when I've only just returned."

He turned back to Leliana, happy to oblige her questions, "Now that you mention it..." He started out and then got into a lively discussion with her about the men who were now in the group, indicating who was not taken and who was or likely was and by whom. He was enjoying himself until he saw the other two return, bloodied and looking like they should be meat instead of riding, breathing humans, "I will be right back."

Sinjan went to the men and looked them over, "What in the world happened? I'm guessing that whatever did this is worse off than you are."

"Eh...not exactly worse off...more like radiating health, running around with all his limbs still attached and what not."

"We lost, Sinjan....but its nothing for you to worry about, I'll brief you once we get to camp...that is if the Commander won't have me report to her first. I honestly do not understand what she is thinking."

She's confused but I never know how to deal with that. I'm sure you will be much better at it than I."

"Of course I'm better at it than you silly man. Men have about as much emotional sense as a nug." She said with a wicked laugh.

"We have a talented leather smith with us? Does Zevran know? You know how much he loves good leather! I really must see her work sometime. I didn't have nearly enough time for shoping in Orlais."

After the two twins rode off to investigate the ... whatever it was, Leliana listened intently to all the gossip Sinjan had to offer. She was enjoying the conversation immensly when the two returned looking like roadkill. Leliana's words died on her lips as Sinjan went to talk to the warriors.

Leliana let out a low whistle as she listened to the conversation. "Must be bad if she sent you back looking like that." She commented with a shake of her head. "It is not really our place to question the commander's thinking. That is why she is the commander after all."

With a shrug Leliana turned her horse and continued down the road. She still wasn't sure what to make of the two human warriors. She could certainly see now though why the commander had dubbed them the Trouble Twins. They didn't seem to be able to go an hour without finding a fight, resorting to fighting with each other when nothing else presented. Oh well, as she had said, it wasn't her place to question the commander.

"So ummm... " Leliana began, trying to get her conversation with Sinjan back on track. "What about the ladies? You have filled me in on all the new men Nygozy has aquired, but what of the women?" She asked, fishing for a topic to take their minds off whatever had just happened.

"Well, I don't know about you, I'm still pissed off."

"Same here...they turned on us, because we attacked an enemy. It makes no sense."

"And apparently we're not supposed to question."

"Sod that, I'm not a dog, I don't have a collar on my neck, nor a leash, I am a warrior and I will choose then it is my place to question."

"But honestly, what are we going to do? We could not beat that...thing."

"We will train, I don't believe in limits, its all a matter of preparation. We will be stronger and faster the next time, and sure as hell there will be a next time."

"And Wolfram?"

"That won't be forgiven either. He attacked us, and I considered him a comrade, that calls for blood."

"Doesn't seem like we'll be finding our place in the ranks of the Wardens after all."

"No, it doesn't, but only if they make a decision to expel us. We both gave our word to follow through with Nygozy's judgement on that day. I will not go back on that."

Sinjan did not move from the men's sides and he wondered if they even noticed him as they talked to each other. A brow rose at their words and he wondered what in the world had happened but decided that Nygozy would tell him when she was ready.

"It sounds like it was not a situation that could not be won. I won't ask what happened because it seems that it was too much of a painful exploit but I can tell you that Nygozy will not expel you unless you do something incredibly stupid and cannot justify why you did it." He sniggered, "She was tempted with me once because I ran headlong into this one ... well, I guess you don't want to hear about past exploits. Let's just say we all have had our periods of doing things she has not agreed with at the time."

He winked at Leliana to tell her he wasn't ignoring her but dealing with this first then waited to see if either man would answer him.