Vigil for returning to fortifications

Bowen sighed and looked at the sky.

''It's going to rain eventually. I hate rain. In my country rains, but not so often'' Sighing again when he saw another three chickens-SURVIVORS running out the Keep, he motioned to them with his sword to make them come to them. Well, maybe that wasn't a good idea because they came, yes, but terrified and trembling, and he wasn't in the mood of a nanny.

''Alright people, this is what we're going to do. Thislovely lady and myself are going to escort you back to our camp. Caterina will lead the way and I'll protect the rear, so I'll ask you to keep close to each other and don't run. My bones are not what they were and I hate surprises''

Smiling below his helmet, the Nevarran looked at the Antivan lovely rogue. ''Preciosa, could you guide us back to camp and the warmth of our fire. I'd prefer the warmth of our tent, but this is all we're going to get for now... Sinjan would freak out when we arrived with... almost fifteen more people''

She moved over to the Nevarran man wordlessly, placing a hand on his large arm in a comforting gesture as she waved the rest of the survivors on towards the camp. Bowen's intentions were all well and good, but she thought that, just maybe, waving a sword at these traumatized people was not a very good idea, even if it was just to lead them.

Bowen was right, though - the rain would soon fall, it seemed. Bah, but she hated this Ferelden dog-weather. She tugged her cloak around her and watched with grim eyes as the harried and injured walked past them, following her directions. If it rained, they'd be in trouble - they didn't have near enough tents to shelter anyone from the elements, and the nearest town was too far away for them to reach in time before the rain. Maybe the mages could do something about it.

"Si, querido, I will." She smiled up at him through half-lidded eyes, appreciating his suggestion but also understanding the reason why it could not be, just yet. "He will kill us," she muttered sourly, glancing at the nearest of the escapees as they passed. "I understand charity and ensuring the safety of the citizens, but we are not equipped for rescue missions, and certainly not for rescue missions this large."

Leliana was out hunting for dinner for the camp when she heard voices approaching. The bard ducked behind a clump of bushes and waited to see if the approaching voices were friend or foe.

"I understand charity and ensuring the safety of the citizens, but we are not equipped for rescue missions, and certainly not for rescue missions this large."

"I know that voice" the redhead thought to herself, and stepped out from behind the bush and jogged down the path. She wasn't quite sure what she expected, but it certainly wasn't to see Caterina and Bowen marching a group of ragged and terrified strangers.

"Maker preserve us, has Nygozy been picking up strays again?" she asked by way of greeting as she approached the group. "She is going to totally make Jezarine's day." She tried to keep her voice calm and cheerful to sooth the terrified survivors, but curiosity was knawing at her.

The bard slowly dropped to the back of the group as they marched up the road, and took up a place next to Bowen. "Mind filling me in on Nygozy's latest escapades? That woman could make enough work to keep ten bards busy for a lifetime, I swear."

The fortifications were coming together quickly. The people who had been chosen to come with them were well versed in taking orders and tended to work well together. Some were ninnies about the wilderness, just as he was, but they did what they were told and didn't scream too much when they saw a little spider or snake.

The cave had already been checked out, cleared of anything that could bother people and was being set up with a structure over the front to make a larger space for sleeping quarters and for when it rained. No one had any idea how long they would be staying here so Sinjan decided to make it as large as possible.

There was also a stables being made not far from the cave's leanto. It was filled with rushes for comfort of the animals.

Sinjan walked around making sure everything was going well when he came to the entrance to their fortifications. For a moment he stood there stunned then rushed forward, "Holy crud! By the maker what is going on? So many ... how many? Are there more?" The man was concerned as he had no idea that they would be bringing people back to the fortifications. His mind quickly started going over what they had and what needed to be done. If there was anything he learned being born into a prestigious family it was how to run a small keep. This was close enough to one.

[I am sorry for the delay. Shit happens in life. As a gift, real life Bowen ---> http://www.squarehippies.com/images/actors/chris_hemsworth2/chris_hemsworth2.jpg ]


The Nevarran looked at Leliana, highly pissed with her presence but hiding it fairly well with the helmet.

''We've been to the Vigil's Keep, Nygozy is still there. There were darkspawn, and the Wolf told Caterina and I to take back the ones that could escape the Keep in time. I'll be going back shortly, right after I drink a bit of water''

Bowen shook his head when Sinjan spoke, still hidding it below his helmet, and looked back at the Keep while motioning to the refugees to keep going.

''I don't now, Sin. Maybe there are some still hiding inside the Keep, Nygozy and the rest will find them if they can. Some may have rush into the woods. Maybe Iauron and his marvellous halla could go and check if that happened. Right now, this is all we have...''

The Nevarran took off the helmet and shook his head again, sweating heavily and brushing his forehead with the back of his gloved hand. ''Fucking country...'', he muttered, then looked at Sinjan. ''We need at least water and food for these people, maybe blankets. Some of them could be in shock and they need warmth''

The Shadow was inspecting the bodies of the felled Darkspawn. His expression was impossible to read due to the featureless porcelain mask he wore to put people at ease. These were his brothers, or used to be. They bore the black over their eyes; the mark of The Mother. He frowned in puzzlement behind the mask. Bloodshot gold eyes scanned the carnage, the corpses in forlorn sorrow. He was a representative of the Awakened ones, and now he would be trusted even less by the Wardens.

He knew he was going to die.

He had time to mull it over. This mission as an envoy was always a dangerous one; people were instinctively resentful of his kind. They did not understand. No one did. He had been released from The Song like his brothers and sisters. He had free will. He used that free will to serve his Master, The Architect. The Father. He was a willing prisoner of these Wardens. And he knew his mission would fail now, they would not be able to tell that these were not the master's children.

Accepting his fate, he walked over to the big Navarran and bowed his head in silent greeting. "Be sorry for this. This one's kind be sick and aimless without The Song. Not all follow The Father."

Leliana smiled at Sinjan as they reached him, bjt then frowned at his panicked reaction. "Calm down Sin," she scolded playfully, "We'll find food and blankets for everyone. I'm sure someone can be sent to the village in the morning to fetch help." She said, more to reassure the survivors than Sinjan. She did not yet know of the troubles in the village as the advance parties had not yet returned.

She handed Bowen her waterskin, freshly filled from a nearby stream while hunting, then began herding the survivors into the camp and towards a nearby fire. She spoke gently to the terrified people, trying to calm and reassure them. "Sinjan, would you be a sweetheart and go fetch Jezarine. Some of these people are injured."

Bowen accepted Leliana's waterskin without even realizing who handled it to him, but he drank and then spit to the ground before grabbing his helmet, ready to go again, back to the Keep. Alone this time, he hoped.

That was when the Shadow assaulted him. The enormous Nevarran looked at the hurlock, serious, green eyes glaring at the darkspawn with no emotion till the creature was done. After that, he took some seconds to think what to say, and finally, against all sense, Bowen nodded.

'I guess everyone and everything in this worl is lost without a purpose to fulfill or a guide to keep moving in one direction or another. You shall keep your life, if you thought I was going to take it from you because of this. That's not my choir to do, nor my decision. I can understand that someone is lost without the guidance that had all its existence. I can understand that, now free, same creatures can follow different paths. I can understand you follow one, and those ones''. He motioned with his shield towards the field beyond them, in the Keep's direction. '' follow another one, different. We can't know what will happen with the decissions we make or the path we choose, we can just keep going, or change. There are few choices''

Bowen knew that almost everyone around camp looked at him with sympathy but thought that maybe he was not too bright or smart. He could understand that; he was enormous, tall and strong, prefered action than diplomacy, and always let someone else to talk, if he could avoid it. That didn't mean he was stupid or couldn't have opinion. In fact, before leaving his country, he was educated in the most refined courtesy and knew about phylosophy, history, religion and many, many subjects that anyone could imagine just looking at him, who incarnated the view of a warrior.

He smiled tiredly at Caterina, Sinjan, the Shadow and Leliana, and put his helmet back on before turning his back on them. ''I'm going back to escort them. You stay here''

Caterina kept the ill feelings that she held for the red-headed Orlesian at bay as she went about reassuring Sinjan while also reassuring the survivors in the same breath. Past experiences aside, the woman was at least doing a good job of calming the panicked and uncertain mass around them. It was only that small courtesy that kept her from glaring daggers at the woman as she offered Bowen water.

The strange darkspawn made its plea, and Caterina found herself taking a step back from it. Intelligent and - apparently - philosophically minded as it was, it would take more than that for her to trust such a creature. Bowen, at least, seemed willing to indulge it, and the relatively passive reactions that the others had towards it calmed her mind, at least partially. Some part of her did feel bad for it, in a way. A deep, deep, hidden part, but a part nonetheless.

Her eyes scanned over the troubled faces around her, and she was glad that Leliana and Sinjan (and Jazarine, if Sinjan was going to fetch her) were going to deal with them. Caterina was, aside from a trained Warden and assassin, a somewhat motherly person, but dealing with this much confusion and pain? She didn't know if she was ready to be responsible for them just yet. It left her a moment to separate herself from the group as Bowen moved away, hefting his mighty helmet back onto his blonde head to return to the fighting at the Keep.

In a few light steps she caught him up, hurrying to his side before he got too far and stood on her tip-toes, steadying her hands on his forearm to press a quick kiss to his helmet, just over where his cheek would be. "I am not going to say 'take me with you'," she said, eyes warm as she looked up at him. "I have work to do here, as you said. But be careful. The fighting was fierce in there."

The enormous Nevarran looked down when Caterina caught his forearm, making him stop. He listened to her, and smiled fondly, knowing she couldn't see him, see the stupid grin that surely he was showing right then.

Bowen bent a bit his back to press lightly his forehead against Caterina's, even with the helmet between them.

''No matter what happens, preciosa, and even if the Maker doesn't help me, I will always return to you'' He whispered, his husky voice even huskier due to the metal. He wanted to kiss her so bad, but he couldn't wait no more, Calliara, Nygozy, Kai and Griffinhart were alone this time. He was sure that Griffinhart and Kai could very well protect both - that, if those two hellcats needed protection from anyone - but he guessed that another warrior could be welcomed.

He bowed his head to Sinjan and the others once again, and then left, Griffinhart's cloak still hanging from his shoulder, his own green cloak flowing with the breeze, shield and sword in hand.

The Shadow was ready to be executed, and had accepted that it would happen. But then it didn't, which left it perplexed. It saw Caterina draw back from its presence in mild fear, it was used to such looks. It still felt shamed that it was viewed as a monster just because of how it was born. It turned its head, leaving Bowen and Caterina alone for the moment. Then it turned to Caterina, arms spread in front of it. "If you be wanting to take this one in bindings, this one not be stopping you. It be ashamed at the behavior of its kin." It stated, rather nonchalantly in that hissing, hoarse voice.

With Bowen's retreating back ahead of her, the Antivan turned and rejoined the ragtag group of nobleman, Orlesian, and darkspawn. The refugees around them looked about like lost sheep, wondering where it was they were supposed to go, and she offered them a wan smile as she addressed them.

"My dear people, do not fret. We are here to help you in any way we can." She looked over to Leliana, where the bard had busied herself with looking over some of the younger members of the downtrodden group, As little as Caterina could claim to like the woman, now was not the time for animosity - this was a time for healing wounds, not making them. "Leliana, stoke the fire higher in the pit, will you? These men in the back are shivering." It wasn't an order or demand - she was still unsure of the rank she held in their party, and doubted that she had the authority to make such commands even if she wanted to - but she hoped that the red-headed woman would at least understand that this was a charitable request.

While Sinjan went to fetch Jezarine for proper healing, Caterina took a few of the more seriously wounded aside and checked them for the gravest injury of all - taint. She'd seen it once or twice before, and a Warden could sense it well enough, though it was difficult with the darkspawn so close by. If any of these people had been infected, though, it needed to be caught as quickly as possible - less for their sake and more in an effort to separate them from everyone else immediately. Once tainted, the kindest balm would be a swift death.

She was looking over a panicking but thankfully taint-free woman when a shadow fell over her, and she looked up to see the darkspawn of the same name. Her mouth thinned into a line, and she tried to keep the bile in her stomach down as she looked up into his warped face and resisted the urge to reach for her dagger. "Have we said that we mean to condemn you for the actions of your kind, Shadow?" The only reason she refrained from calling him 'darkspawn' outright was for the sake of the trembling woman before her, who was still too weak to notice anything strange about the hooded figure. "Please, I ask you to go. You will frighten the refugees. Such decisions are left for Nygozy's return, I think." Her voice struggled for some measure of kindness, and she was confident that she at least managed civility. Perhaps the was the best she could do in these circumstances.

Sinjan listened and considered all that was being said. He could run a small keep but unlike his father he was not adept at quickly adapting so it took the words of the others to bring everything into perspective. Bowen informed him of the situation with the Knight-Captain, the darkspawn invasion thereof then there was Caterina, Leliana and the shadow darkspawn Nygozy had contended to keep with them.

"Take any fighters you require Bowen and bring the others back safely." He turned to the Shadow, "Caterina is correct. We do not judge those upon the actions of their ilk but you need to leave these people for their sake and yours. Come with me. Caterina and Leliana, take care of our guests. I will be getting others to bring supplies for them."

He walked off and started pointing at people as he went, making them do chores then he stopped near the cart Wolfram had been transported and looked at the man for a moment before gazing at Sophia with a stunned expression then noticed where she was looking. Jezarine was working on Fremelda and he was not about to butt into that but it did mean that Jezarine would be too busy to help with the simpler ills of those who had just been brought in. The worst of those had been a badly broken leg. Darkspawn usually did not leave one alive and escape was a balance of being able to outrun and out-trick them. The one with the broken leg must have been hurt just as the wardens had arrived.

"Well that's not a choice." He stated as he walked away and found a couple people Jezarine had trained in basic medical procedures in the evenings while on the road and sent them to help, "Now I know that Nygozy has deemed to keep you with our group and most of us have been unsteady with that choice but I hope none have treated you badly." He said to the creature beside him as he continued on towards the horses, not knowing that Lithawen was over there. He just wanted to hear someone else's voice even if it was a raspy one like The Shadow's.

The elf had been with her horse the entirety of the night. It was strange, usually she was able to fit in with others, regardless of whether or not "fitting in" meant that she was love or despised. But she had grown tired of these humans, and the other Dalish in the group had mad her home sick. She missed her kin dearly. More dearly than she thought possible. Her lovely Kalera, how she missed her in particular.

Arlathan was laying down next to his master. Munching away at a few flowers Lithawen kept feeding him. The horse was smart, but not nearly as smart as the Halla the Elf had grown up with. Iaron being in the group helped a little with the home sickness. But not nearly enough. And seeing what was going on in the Alienage in Denerium and in the Tower of Magi, Lithawen couldn't help but feel that the Wardens were trapping her with the taint. Sure she could run, but only for as long as she could keep her sanity with the constant strain of nightmares.

There was rustling off over by the group. They were making a fuss about something or another. Something she really didn't care about. Someone was dying or something. Nothing that concerned her, in her own opinion. Sure she knew a few tricks of healing, mostly with creating potions though, nothing of the spells. She was no healer. It something that had been a slight interest to her in her younger age. But once she felt the call of Arcane Warrior, the whisper of the soul who wrote the book she spent countless hours pouring over.

But now it was coming closer to her. The rustling sound. The sound of voices and urgency. And the first face to come out of the shadows from between the trees, and the soft glow of the campfires they had set up and that she had set up, was the Half-Elf. This man intrigued her at first, annoyed her after their thrash in the woods, and scared her after appearing in her demon driven dream. "You look rushed." she stated and cocked an eyebrow. "The Orlesian try and brush your hair?"