Calliara Enslaved

The night was cool and quiet, only the gently sounds of a crackling fire could be heard.

Calliara slept soundly, yet alone, as her lover Drake had been sent on a mission of great importance.

A shadow crept into her tent, making no sounds to hear. Or was it just a shadow? Any who even looked upon it would see nothing but a shape moving across the canvas of the tent. It was as if the shadows themselves were alive.

A dark shape hovered over her for a moment. But what kind of shape was it? Even it had no real shape, just a collection of shadows that seemed to be just slightly out of place.

It drifted over her, gently caressing her; she stirred a little, yet the touch was not enough to alarm her.

The shade rose up over her, as high as it could go and came slamming down into her.

Burning pain erupted all over her body, it was as if the nerves them selves were aflame. The shade covered her, holding her down.

Then without notice, the shade merged with the tattoos upon her body. They flared up; burning into her skin. Black veins seemed to spread out from her tattoos, following her veins as it soon enveloped her body and then they were gone.

As suddenly as it had begun it was over; the shade had vanished, yet it left behind its mark. The skin around her tattoos were scarred from whatever had been burned into her body. They felt more solid, as if something had imprinted itself on them.

In her dreams, Calliara had been fighting.

Terrified, sad, scared to the bone. Hiding in the shadows, praying to not be seen, not be hunted, killing one by one the darkspawn that were looking for her. In the Deep Roads you had to survive in every way you could manage.

Praying not be caught. Broodmother

It had always been the same dream since she had memory after becoming a Grey Warden. Maybe before her Joining, when she was already tainted and dying, she had the very same nightmare. Lost in the Deep Roads, with her bow and her swords, making her own arrows when she ran out of them, surviving with underground water drops falling down the enormous rocks, eating mushrooms, trying to avoid the smell and the rotten flesh that meant more taint.

The nightmare always finished the same way. She survived for some time, avoiding darkspawn and killing them when she could, just to finish ambushed and dragged along the way to their lair, and...

PAIN

Calliara woke up suddenly, feeling the burning pain everywhere, in every hair, nail, eyelid, inch of skin, blood drop. She couldn't see what was happening, an ominous shade was covering everything, and the pain was so much that for a rational second (just a second) she feared that her eyes might had burned as well.

The Wolf was used to deal with pain, and never complained about it, but... it was too much. She couldn't even think, even breath, even understand what was happening. Before she could realize what she was doing, a howl of agony left her throat, strangled and full of pained, a howl that sounded terrible and agonyzing, like a wounded beast not ready yet to die.

And it was terrible indeed, as the Wolf never screamed for anything.

Bowen had been on watch for the last few hours, chewing a piece of cheese absently while keeping his eyes focused in the surroundings. Now he was in his tent, sleeping beside Caterina, trying to not crush her with his massive weight.

Amazing enough for someone that tall and muscled, the Nevarran barely snored. Well, at least not in the way Gunnar and Garoll did. Those two could wake the dead in their worst nights.

But feeling Caterina's soft skin close, her sweet scent, made him comfortable. He feared that sometimes he would pester her, for he usually held her close while sleeping, his nose into her hair. Even sleeping, sometimes, he had tried to kiss her, or did it. Or so she told him, laughing the day after.

He was feeling comfy, and wasn't having a dream that was particularly bad, when an agony howl woke him up without mercy.

The Nevarran almost jumped out the cot, looking for his sword, but then realization came into his mind. That howl, as terrible as it was, was recognizable. The voice was Calliara's.

''Cat! Caterina!'' He called, shaking her shoulder not so carefully, but he was terrified. ''I have to go, did you hear that??''

Caterina had been having a rather pleasant dream (for once) with Bowen sleeping (or standing guard - it was the same difference most of the time, with him) at her side, when she was shaken awake.

She fumbled abruptly, her hand reaching instinctively under her pillow for the dagger she always kept there, when her mind finally caught up with her body, and she realized that it was Bowen shaking her awake, not some bandit or darkspawn.

"B-Bowen?" she murmured worriedly, her voice still hazy with sleep. "Q-qué está mal . . . What's wrong, Bowen?" She sat up more, placing a hand on his arm as her eyes fought to fully open. Were they being attacked? Was someone hurt? . . . Yes, she'd heard Bowen asking her if she'd heard something. "I was sleeping, I - what did you hear?"


[Once again, Calli has the right to hit me for my atrocious Spanish.]

(((OOC: Shade should not post in this thread as it is happening while he is in Moon 2. I just wanted to put that in here. I will post later to continue the thread with ACTUAL IC stuff.)))

A voice echoed inside the white wolf's mind; each word was like fire, "You will be a valuable tool for us Elf. You WILL do as we ask, or you will pay for your defiance. We can see and hear everything you do, so if you decided to tell anyone what has happened we will know. "

"When anyone asks you why you screamed, you will tell them that it was just a bad dream. UNDERSTAND?"

[Your spanish is just fine Livi you're a good student xD ]

Calliara's eyes snapped open, still feeling the burning pain, but now... what...? Voices...?

Who are you?? What have you done to me??

Hr mind tried to think quickly, trying to ignore the pain, trying to ignore the insane thought of voices inside her head. Maybe it had happened already, and she was crazy. But that... that voice...

If you think I'm going to surrender, you're wrong! I prefer dying that obey!




Bowen stood up, shirtless and his sword in hand. ''I don't know, Cat, but I heard Calliara screaming. No, screaming it's not the word. It sounded like she was dying''. The Nevarran looked horrified. Almost terrified. ''Go get Jezarine, and if you happen to find Sinjan, or Kraven, or... or anyone! I don't mind! Find someone!''

He rushed out the tent

A painful jolt run up and down her tattoos, "You will obey elf. Or we will make you SUFFER!!"

"Again, tell ANYONE and we will see to it that your friends pay the price!"

Suddenly, violent images of blood, violence and the sudden smell of burning flesh overwhelmed her senses. The rest of the world was blocked out as she saw her friends cut down and burned alive; she was unable to move or react, just stand there and watch.

Caterina may have been tired, but she was a Warden and an assassin first, and when something happened that made Bowen looked that frightened, she'd get going and worry about being a little sleepy and dressed only in her nightclothes later.

She nodded once, short and curt, and was out of the tent right on Bowen's heels. While he went in the direction of Calliara's tent - if something had happened to her, she was going to kill who ever had done it - and she went off in the direction of Jezarine's tent, looking for anyone else who could help on the way.

Khael had been sleeping fitfully, worry about Takara roaring through his head, when he was awoken by a woman's scream. The scream was full of pain and fury and he was out of his tent, weapons in hand before he was even awake.

He looked around and saw a white haired woman racing toward him. "What the sod is going on?" He called out to her and he stopped to tug his boots on.

Caterina barely stopped as she heard the younger man's voice. She slowed just enough to motion to him with a hand, to stay where he was.

"Nothing to concern you yet, brother. I could not tell you, even if I wanted to, for I do not even know the situation myself. Stay put - I will retrieve you if you are needed." She moved to go off again, and then stopped, and looked back at Khael. "Actually, Sir Dwarf, if you could do something - I need to fine Jezarine, but please, go and find Sinjan for me, and have him meet me at Calliara's tent as soon as possible. Tell him it is an emergency - he will come quickly."

Without waiting another moment, she took off for Jezarine's tent again, using all of her speed. She was there in a moment, and she nearly shouted the elf's name from outside of the tent. "Jezarine! Wake up. Calliara needs you." She hoped that the elf would hear, or she'd have to scare the poor thing awake.

Khael nodded as the white haired woman dashed off. He had met Sinjan briefly at the party after the joining, but he didn't really know where to look for the man. The dwarf figured the best he could do was search the main area of the camp and question anyone he saw. Remembering some mention of horses he decided to check near the horse lines first.

By the moment Bowen reached Calliara's tent and opened the flap, the Wolf was sitting on her cot. Thinking.

She had to tell the Commander. Her own life was unimportant.

Bowen looked at her and touched her shoulder, terrified and worried. ''Calli? Sister? I heard you screaming, what...?'' His fingers touched lightly one of her tattoos, and noticed the scarred touch. He lifted an eyebrow, and was about to ask when Calliara shook her head.

''It's nothing, Bowen. I am alright. I apologize if I made you fear for me. It was just a bad dream, as always''

Bowen looked confused, but silently nodded. He felt the brief touch of Calli's fingers on his hand. ''It's... alright, sis. I'm glad you're alright. I'll go and tell everyone that they can climb down the trees, your scream scared the crap out of me''

Calliara smiled and nodded. She wanted to cry. Desperately. But she restrained herself. Don't be stupid

Bowen stood and ruffled her hair with a smile. ''We'll talk later, Wolf''

''Sure''

Calliara frowned when Bowen walked out the tent.

''I am one of the last of the Elvhenan. And never again shall we submit'' The Wolf whispered. And if you, whoever you are, think you can enslave me, you're wrong



Once Bowen was out the tent, he shook his head, confused. Something was wrong. Not only Calliara's tattoos felt... different when touching them, but her behaviour. And then, the message. He had to tell Nygozy about this.

Nevarran hunters were well known in all Thedas. What wasn't known were their very own signs language, for the situations where someone couldn't speak. Duncan insisted that Bowen taught the language to the Wardens, long ago, really, really long ago...

Calliara's message had been: I am lying. Danger

"Good girl. For now, you will be our eyes and ears. When we fully require your services we will contact you, but for now, we will watch and listen."

The voice trailed off and grew silent, but the Wolf could still feel it's presence; she could feel them watching and listening to everything she saw and heard.

Someone was talking to her and she answered in sleepy jibberish then heard the words, finally. She jumped up and grabbed her bag before rushing out of the tent, "What what?" She looked back and forth trying to figure things out, sleepy eyes half open, "Caterina? What's going on? Let's go. Where is Calliara?"

Sleeping against Snowflake's shoulder was not an unusual thing for the fighter. He tended to get away from people that way. It was easier to do so in a smelly place as most women who were noble tended to shy away from stables and that's just what he wanted.

The horses started to move a bit and Snow's head came up quickly as the dwarf came into the area, "Is there something else mistress snow hair wants now or is someone trying to feed the herd?" He asked tiredly and sarcastically.

Khael wandered to the horse lines and was glad when he heard a voice call out. It was hard to find someone you didn't know very well in a large camp in the dark.

"This involves two snow haired ladies actually. The one with the accent sent me to find you and bring you to the Wolf's tent. Said it was an emergency. There was a bunch of very frightful screaming. I think it may have been the Wolf. Rather amazed you didn't hear it from here." Khael talked quite quickly, but clearly. He was anxious to get back and find out what was going on.

"Screaming?" Sinjan was up in a moment and moving towards the youth, "No I didn't hear screaming but that copse of wood and the fact that the horses are on lower ground does cut out sound quite well, especially when one is unconscious." And having very nice dreams but he wasn't adding that part.

He started to run, "Was it Calliara who was screaming? How in the world ... in the middle of camp?"

It did not take him long to get to camp right behind Jezarine and his heart dropped to see the healer there.

Khael was struggling to keep up to Sinjan as he ran. Sometimes being a dwarf had dissadvantages.

The dwarf arrived in camp a short ways behind Sinjan. " I brought Sinjan. Now will someone please tell me what the stone is going on?"

Bowen stepped out the tent in that moment, serious and still thinking about what happened. When he saw Jezarine, Caterina, Khael and Sinjan there he sighed

''Calliara screamed as if she was being tortured, that's what the ones that were closer to her tent heard. I would be surprised if nobody in Denerim heard her'' His voice cracked a bit. Just remembering that howl... The Nevarran shook his head. ''I must speak with Nygozy once she is back. But I can tell you there is something that it's not right''

He walked closer to them and a bit apart from the tent, and motioned to them to make them go even closer to him so he could talk in a very low voice. ''Her tattoos now look like scars. And they were hot when I touched them. She looked like someone that had fire inside, hurting her, but said everything was alright''

He looked back to the tent, and then back to them. ''She tried to tell me, but for some reason she couldn't. I don't know if you know anything about this or it happens in other places, but in Nevarra hunters often use signal language to 'talk' when using the voice is not a wise thing. While she was telling me with her tongue that she was alright and that it was just a nightmare, her fingers were telling me she was lying and that there was danger. What 'danger' she was meaning, that I wonder, but I need to inform Nygozy about this. I'm telling you this because I want you all to act as usually around her. I don't know what's going on, but if she was trying to act as if nothing had happened, there must be a reason''

Caterina had no words for the elven mage - with only a grave look for a greeting, she reached for Jezarine's arm and led the dark elf a little forcefully out of the tent, letting go when they were on their way. She hadn't meant to be rough, but she was worried . . .

When they finally reached Calliara's tent, Bowen was standing there. Her eyebrows drew together in confusion as she, Jezarine, Sinjan, and Khael approached to come up next to the Nevarran man. That wasn't right . . . if Calliara was hurt, Bowen would be by her side. Perhaps it had only been a nightmare that had woken the white-haired elf. But, no, that couldn't be it either. Calliara was very good at hiding her nightmares, and was an expert at keeping them quiet.

Bowen spoke lowly and cautiously, casting glances behind him to his elven sister's tent. Caterina felt a pit of dread bubble up in her stomach, and she placed a hand on Bowen's arm unconsciously. Scars, fever, warnings of danger . . . what could be wrong with Calliara? Whatever it was, it couldn't be good, and that made Bowen's order of "act normal" seem all the more odd.

"Bowen?" she asked silently, looking up at him. Her questions were voiced in the name, and in her eyes - she didn't need to ask them aloud. Would Calliara be alright? What could be happening? Was Bowen alright?

Bowen lowered his green gaze to Caterina, and tried to smile. But his smile came up a bit weaker than it was usual in him.

''I need to speak with Nygozy and Macha about this. If you could be with Jezarine when our lovely healer checks Calliara, I'll be grateful, my love''

Trying to smile reassuringly, he looked up again, his hand on Caterina's and brushing her skin with his calloused thumb absently, as if he were seeking for her comfort.

''Sinjan, Khael. I think it could be wise if you both go and say hello to her. You both know her fairly well, so you'll see that there's something wrong and that will help me speaking with the Commander. Sinjan, as you're one of her seconds, I'll need your opinion as well''

Khael was speechless for a moment as he took in all that had been said. Finally he gathered his thoughts together, looked at the others, and then nodded.

"Calliara helped save me and Takara. I'll do anything I can to help her, even if that means pretending everything is fine when it's not. I've had plenty of practice at that." He said the last with a bit of an ironic grin.

With a deep breath Khael put on the face of a concerned friend and went into the Wolf's tent. "Hey there Wolf. You gave us all quite a start. Bowen says you're alright, but I know how bad the nightmares can be. Is there anything I can do?"

This was all something that Drake would be much better at than he was but Sinjan put on his normal, silly grin and slipped into the tent behind Khael then sat on the cot beside Calliara. He put a hand at the side of her head then pulled her in against him in a cuddle before ruffling her bangs with his other hand.

"Feeling not too well are you? Maybe I can help you with Drake not here." He gave her room to look at him so she could see him wink teasingly. His eyes said that he knew there was more going on than she could say but he wanted to cheer her up a bit while hinting at ideas, "Maybe I should ask Nyggy if Macha could be her second while I take you away for a rendezvous ... I mean, Drake can't keep this beautiful wolf all to himself now can he?"

Jezarine waited for the other two to go into the tent then put a hand on Bowen's arm and gently urged him to go with her to the side where Calliara would not be able to hear them. She nodded at Caterina to tell her that she was welcome in on the conversation.

"Does this look like a medical concern or something else?" The dark healer tried to investigate, wondering what exactly it could be, "Whatever this is she is keeping secrets, or that is what you got from the sign language. If this is so ... I wonder if she could have something ... she's not a mage but ... oh, I am going to have to check her over and see if she has any signs of something else. She's not the type to scream at nothing and this is very strange. Do you think you can get more information from her using sign language while I poke and prod?"

She didn't go into any rambling like she normally would in a nervous reaction. This was different as it was work and she seldom rambled while working unless she was talking to herself out loud.