Drinking is Fun

"It's nice to see that I was actually right about that question. I...didn't really know that there was some sort of ritual to it. I've never seen any Wardens before Nygozy, so I don't really know much about them."

Jezarine scratched the back of her head as Robert spoke, a nervous action she sometimes did when things she was not thrilled with came up. She blew out a breath and looked back to him, "I was told that Nygozy and King Therrin were the last two to take the ritual before most of the wardens were wiped out. It is a ritual, yes. Other than that you would have to ask Nygozy."

"Well, you know how I said I have been searching for Nygozy? It turns out I was a day or two behind the group for a while now. Considering how large the group seems to be, I guess it slowed down enough for me to eventually catch up with part of it. I ran into Garoll's group before they had left to take up the rear."

"Oh well that is fortunate. We seem to have grown very quickly and that's good. The King wants Nygozy to rebuild the Grey Wardens here so it should be interesting building the new fortress up and getting new Grey Wardens trained and active." She smiled, "I was once asked if I were here to join as well but I'm afraid not." She looked down then back up shyly, "I'm ... fighting scares me and Grey Wardens fight. That must sound like I'm weak not liking fighting."

"If anything, I think that makes you stronger than most. You stay with them regardless. You could just stay at home, away from all the fighting. Instead, you stick with them through it all, despite knowing that they could die at any moment." Robert replied, trying to cheer her up. It did raise a question as to why exactly she is with the group. On that note, she didn't really seem at all thrilled by his previous statement. Could there be something she knows that she isn't letting on?

"I get that you don't like fighting. Not many people can say they do. I only started fighting out of necessity. Had the blight never happened, I'd probably still be working at Lloyd's tavern back in Redcliffe. Please excuse me for this, but what role do you fill, exactly? I understand that they would need someone for this ritual, but you must have some skills that others are lacking for you to have to follow them."

"Oh of course I could have stayed in Weisshapt in their libraries," Her eyes shone at the thought of all of those wonderful books, the knowledge a fascinating delight she had enjoyed a great deal,

He seemed a nice sort of person and all as well as ambitious. She'd seen many younger people joining in to help protect their lands so it did not surprise her that he was with the group or that he had fought.

"You worked in a tavern then went into fighting? Didn't that take some training to do?" She knew very little about physical fighting except how to avoid and complete basic combat but then he asked her position. For a moment she considered how to answer that.

"Me? I was offered the chance to become part of the new Grey Wardens' group in Fereldan and help with information. Maybe it is because of my Dalish background that I like to explore new opportunities and travel into new lands that made me come. Nygozy has made me her 'information officer' so I help find things out and do research once we are in some place making the new headquarters. I teach languages too. Oh and I'm also a healer so I don't fight much. I don't like to but wardens do need healers too."

She looked towards the tower, "I could go with Nygozy to the Tower but I'm terrified of that place so will gather information once they bring me books."

"Well, when I was younger, I took up archery so I could hunt, and I taught myself how to use a sword, or two, to minimal success. I wanted to make sure I could protect and sustain myself if I'm on my own. A few years back, I became a squire, but...I felt it wasn't exactly right for me. I really only refined my admittingly poor swordsmanship skills during my time there. I began working for Lloyd shortly because I needed the money, but I only stayed there as long as I did for Bella's sake. The only reason I started fighting was because Redcliffe was under seige from the undead and that eventually led to me fighting in the Battle of Denerim."

Jezarine came to help as an advisor, it seems. She probably would be a very busy woman, once the Ferelden Wardens establish their base. But Jezarine's current role definitely filled in for something that was probably missing. A dedicated healer. It probably put more on her, not only does she have to face her fears and watch people fight, their lives are in her hands. She might be the only one who can save them from death.

"I don't think you should have anything to fear about the tower. As long as your with the Wardens, I don't think that they can do anything to you."

Jezarine listened with delight. She so loved hearing about others. It was almost like reading stories about people in the past but this was now, directly from people who were alive at this time. Maybe she should work on writing about people and dedicate some time to that? What was she thinking? There would be not be a lot of time to do much more than work once they were setting up and settled. Would there?

She blinked as she realized that he had fought a lot more than she had. Then again, that was not surprising as she never fought before the last battle.

"You must have learned a lot since then. Fighting isn't easy. I've watched many training sessions and did some myself but that's all before that last fight. That would have been terrifying fighting undead!" She shivered at the thought. Being a healer considerations such as the undead made her queasy and unnerved more so than she possibly would have been without being a healer. She'd seen more than enough dead to be terrified by the concept of undead.

She shrugged about the tower, "Maybe not but ... well, I just don't like it. I've been free my whole life. I don't like the thought of being chained or forced into a home which is little more than rooms with no sunlight. No. I can't bear the feeling and going inside would be worse even though I know they can't keep me. I'd feel for the others who are there and not being able to heal that would be too difficult to bear."

"It wasn't so bad. I was surrounded by friends and we knew that if failed, everyone would die. I admit, it was easier to kill undead than darkspawn. Undead, at least, are incapable of using strategy, while darkspawn, while not much more intelligent, have at least a basic grasp on it, moreso during a blight."

Jezarine did bring up some points, some that made him happy not to be a mage. He can't imagine what it would be like being confined like that. Having spent his whole life free and then having it taken from him, that would probably scare a lot of people. Unlike Jezarine, he was a human who has no magical ability. There would be no reason for confining him except for a crime. Jezarine is a mage. She would be stuck in the tower, surrounded by the water's of Lake Calenhad with Templars and the risk of death should she manage to flee.

"I never thought about it like that. I think I'd rather try dealing with the undead back in Redcliffe then deal with something like that. I would think that almost any mage in the tower would be jumping at the chance to gain their freedom in the Grey Wardens."

I suppose it would make a big difference when you are fighting with those you have lived near and grown up around especially when it comes to fighting undead. Scary but at least you are fighting non-sentients that don't think, as you said. The closest to that which I got was fighting a plague to save my clan."

She nodded as he mentioned the Tower, "Yes it is not easy to accept especially when you hqve been free all your life." She slugged back some ale and shrugged, "At least we get to have a rest while they go to the Tower. I have been travelling for a while and appreciate having my rear out of the saddle."

"HEY! I have an idea." Jez said as her eyes were glossing over. She was getting drunk and giddy now, having had a couple mugs of ale, "Singing time. I heard this one from ... oh I ferget now .... let me see ... no bards so I'll have to try my best."

She chuckled then began to sing. Her voice wasn't the best but at least she could almost completely hold a tune and even in the sections she wasn't that good she was admirably sweet sounding.

((you can sing along here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ65UNG-FQs))

I've got a unicorn's horn
In the middle of my forehead
And the antlers of a stag
On either side

I've got pointed ears
That are something like a deer's
Or something like an elf's
I can't decide

I've got long green hair
To match my flowing emerald mane
That turns red with the oak trees
Every fall

With my goat like eyes
It comes as no surprise
That I've got feathered eyebrows
And that isn't all

My mother never talks about that orgy
And I can't really blame her, much although
I'd love to read the guest list for that party
And if there's another one like it, let me know

Well my vampire's fangs make kissing kind of awkward
Like the set of gills implanted in my neck
But my chest and arms, aren't the least of all my charms
They somehow came out human, what the heck

I've got phoenix wings well rooted in my shoulders
And I hope you like legs, 'cause I got four
The furry forward pair, would make a lion stare
Because they end in dragon claws that wreck the flour

My mother never talks about that orgy
And I can't really blame her, much although
I'd love to read the guest list for that party
And if there's another one like it, let me know

I suspect my body's mostly like a centaur's
Though my fur is somewhat tiger like you'll find
And if you'd fear that my legs in front were weird
You should only see the pair that walk behind

'Cause they start off looking something like a horse's
But they're covered up with feathers not with hair
And they end in hoofs like an antelope's which proves
That there's nothing that the traffic will not bear

My mother never talks about that orgy
And I can't really blame her, much although
I'd love to read the guest list for that party
And if there's another one like it, let me know

Now my tail is really something very special
Though you wouldn't think so seeing it at all
For it's long and green, like my hair and mane you've seen
And like them it turns red with every fall

But beneath that hair, which is really quite attractive
The stinger of a mantacore is hid
So you surly see, when you look at all of me
That I really wish I knew, what mother did!

My mother never talks about that orgy
And I can't really blame her, much although
I'd love to read the guest list for that party
And if there's another one like it, let me know, 'cause I wanna go
If there's another one like it, let me know