Sadness in Wardens' Home

Sinjan shook his head and then gave her a smile, "Fear is not the problem, sweet rose. The problem is that I have heard such great things of the man that ... let's say it may be a humbling experience."

The real problem was that he was nervous to meet such a famed person, or soul. It was like meeting a famous bard or the leader of some nation, even though he'd been around Alistair but he did not count. They had met before King Theirin became king.

"But Aunt Calli will still love the little bumpkins to death." He chuckled.

''And I will kill with my bare hands any thing that could try to hurt them'' The Wolf said with a low voice, but meaning it. She looked back at him and smiled teasingly, more like herself. ''Quit complaining already, or I'll make you shut up. I don't know why, but I'll think of a way''

Calli brushed his hand with hers, guiding him further into the level.

First he chuckled then he followed, watching as the stairs and flooring went past their feet. He had no idea how far below they were now and was confused as to why Calliara had come down this far in the first place. Maybe Duncan's soul had called out to her, making her come and speak for some strange, unknown reason.

Sinjan considered that. What reason would Duncan want her to come here? Was it to say to be happy and believe in Drake? Was it to say something special they all needed to know? Maybe a warningn or a premonition of something to come.

Then again, what if it was not Duncan? What if it were a demon trying to gain access to the wardens and was going after them with ideas it was planting in their heads. Suddenly he wished he'd brought Torture with him. The dog could sniff out bad stuff easily.

After some time they found some stairs that went down again, but Calliara stopped. That was the spot where she heard Duncan the day before.

''I was standing here when he talked to me'' She whispered, looking around. The ominous presence was still there, but not as strong. There were darkspawn too, but so far that she barely could feel them, which was a good thing. ''But I can't feel the same as yesterday. Let's wait a bit...''

Looking around again, she brushed her hair away from her face absently

Well this was a downer.

Sinjan walked around the area to see if he could sense anything but he was completely dense to the feeling of spirits. Or so he thought. This was going to be difficult if he could not speak directly to Duncan but then again, it probably was better if Calliara spoke to him.

"Well you are probably more likely to catch his attention a lot more than me." He announced to the din of the room then started jumping up and down like a jumping jack, "See ghosts ignore things like this and go straight for the smart ones."

He winked at Calliara then took her hands and pulled her into the room with him, "Whatever. He probably won't be around for a while so try this. See? Try this. Hands up with legs out and hands down to your side with legs in. Now jump, jump, jump." He did what he had shown her while trying to get her to do it to and have some fun.

''You're crazy'' She laughed, trying to keep her dignity and not do this, but Sinjan kept pushing her while she laughed, and she almost lost her balance. ''Stop it, you monkey, I don't want to laugh! I want to keep my broody mood!''

Even saying that, she laughed, and then looked around. The feeling was still far, but somehow, she knew something was changing.

''Sethenera''

"You're not aloud to brood!" He yelped as he tripped and knocked into a wall, still laughing. He went over to her and started to try and tickle her, "No more brooding! Brooding hurts pretty white roses. You must have fun!"

Then she said something strange and he stopped, looking around with confusion, "Is that another way of saying 'monkey'?" He asked almost hoping that was the case.

Calliara looked at him strangely, and then realized that, even if he was a half elf, he never learnt from anybody the elvish language. Smiling, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his chin. ''You're so cute''

She looked around again, feeling the temperature in the room lowering and the air becoming colder, as the day before. ''It's elvish. It means a place where the Veil is weak and the Fade can be somehow reached in this realm. It's closer now''

Sinjan smiled when she called him cute then kissed his chin. He looked down at her and winked bawdily.

When Calliara looked around he noticed that it was getting colder then she explained and he turned his head to stare at her, "Uhm. Isn't this tear bit a bad thing? I thought that those kids and that Kraven fellow closed up a big tear here. Or can there be smaller tears? That's bad isn't it?"

''It is bad'' She nodded calmly. ''I think it's a small tear, but we feel it because we're way too close. It's a lucky thing neither of us are mages, or we could be tempted by demons or other spirits. If there's a tear, it means someone is playing with things that shouldn't be touched. And I fear that means there are problems down there''

She pointed to the ground, meaning the Deep Roads below them.

Sinjan took in a larger breath than normal then blew it out, "Ok so this probably is not a good thing then. Maybe it is actually a demon trying to temp us into something and not Duncan. That would be really bad."

He touched her arm, "You are sure it was definitely Duncan?"

''At first I wasn't sure'' Calliara sighed, blushing lightly with shame and looking at the floor. ''I thought that I went mad at last, and then I thought it was some kind of trickery, some magic trap, a demon... But he called me the way he used to, and he only called me that when we were alone...''

It hurt just thinking about it. It hurt so much. Without thinking she grabbed Sinjan's hand, almost sobbing again, but somehow she composed herself.

''But I can't guarantee that what will come now won't be a demon. We should be ready just in case''

Oh great he'd started an emotional overload and now she may cry. Quick, quick ... what do you do when a woman cries when you are not expecting it and you may have actually blundered into making her cry? Oh right yes.

He pulled her to him and gave her a hug, whispering into her hair, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I'd hold you longer so you could let it out but I agree." He moved so they were now side to side so they could protect each other, "We should be ready in case."

''I won't cry'' She promised, smiling weakly ''I've cried for the rest six months I think. It's enough''

The feeling was stronger now, something like a mist was covering the floor and made the scene look blurry and surreal. Calliara looked around, trying to stay calm but with her bow ready just in case. Suddenly she thought about something. Duncan talked to her maybe because he felt she was close and went to find her. What if he wasn't 'looking' now? She should warn him of their presence...

Softly, the Dalish started singing a Rivaini song with her sweet voice, one of the songs she learnt to please and surprise Duncan, years ago

The bardic voice caught Sinjan unawares but the beauty in the song soothed that surprise into a tremulous feeling of calm. He smiled as the words caught in him like a sponge soaking up water. He had not heard her sing in so long, or had he heard her? Not like this. Not with this much soul put into it.

He noticed that it must be a song that Duncan liked a lot and felt touched that he was able to hear it as well as a bit embarrassed as it was such a personal song to the two of them. But he stood, watched and waited, not wanting to get caught unawares but not wanting to ward off the true Duncan spirit if he were actually there.

The stone walls felt cold and enclosing. Claustrophobic even. To Lithawen, who revels in the open sky above her head and endless stretch of lands around her, this was a prison. A prison who contained people who annoyed the little elf, and then those with whom the mage would love to fry to a crisp.

Lithawen had been successful in her attempts to avoid her elder brother. Her body shook in his presence and she wasn't sure that she could keep herself from out right attacking him. And that was a fight she knew she had a very slim chance of winning. And he was ever lurking, and thus the little mage hadn't really stopped to stand by for vary long since the group took up their new home.

It was her every intention to go to the gardens and use her magic too grown the flowers, maybe spark a tree's roots to dig deep and flourish. Perhaps just burn everything that was there before and start anew. What she had not expected was while walking through the vigil, a bundle of seeds in her arms, and see Sinjan and Calliara embracing.

It was something that Lithawen had never thought would take her breath away, so literally. All she could think about was in the woods, where she had her way with Sinjan, but then she was the one who threw him away so easily. And the nightmare of desire she saw while they were alone was never, NEVER her plan.

As her heart pounded in her ears, her mana control wavered. And for the first time since she was a child her emotions got the better of her, and the air crackled with the sparks of lightning.

Quick to regain herself though, the mage coughed and turned her face to her usual frown. "Sorry too interrupt," she said rolling her eyes and turning on the balls of her feet. Her the walls around her heart once again and she felt numbness with only tingles of anger and bitterness nipping at the edges of her heart.

[They are not in the garden but in the lowest level of the Keep now, but it's awesome you entered This is going to be interesting]

The song met its end, and Calliara stared into the nothing, waiting, expecting something, his voice, something... and nothing happened. Her face should have shown her grief, because Sinjan felt it was needed another hug, and she almost started sobbing again... until they both heard Lithawen's voice.

''Sorry to interrupt''

The Wolf looked at the Keeper, truly surprised. Why hadn't she felt her coming? Maybe the mist was affecting her senses? Or was it something else? At first she didn't realize Lithawen's jealousy, and answered with absolute innocence.

''You're not interrupting nothing, lethallan. In fact, we could use some help, if you're willing to. There's a Sethenera down there and Sinjan and I are helpless if some demon or spirit comes to us. We're trying to communicate with a spirit I talked to yesterday. Please, stay''

[Ah, looks like I skimmed a little too quickly, anyway I fixed the post slightly]

Lithawen snorted and looked over her shoulder slightly to reply, her advance halted for the moment. "I'm off to avoid my brother and burn down the garden. Busy busy as you see. I was just down here to gather the reserves of seeds they had about. A very herbs and all that." her voice was very matter-of-fact, devoid of her emotions.

"I'm surprised you even stopped to speak." Sinjan teased as Lithawen seemed to have been avoiding him as well as her brother. He was not saddened by it, really he wasn't, but he was offended that she would be avoiding him that much. Ok so it bothered him. The strange woman made his emotions burn and freeze and he didn't like it, "I'm also surprised that you didn't feel the fade tear considering how good of a mage you say you are. Or were you too busy looking for seeds to notice anything else?"

It wasn't fair but he didn't care so much. She had not right walking through when he was consoling his friend and seem to react like he was doing something horrible. Hopefully she would just leave. That is what he wanted. Really!

[This is lithawen on livis phone]

Lithawn looked back to Sinjan, glare full force. "Well excuse me for not finding a small abnoramilty in the veil too worrysome when I share a roof with a templar who wants my head on a platter." She snapped.

The mage scowled, frown lines forming. "What is it to you, little boy?" She had the respect and love for Calliara that she held for any of the Dalish clans, but the half human stood as everything she hated. The very same mix of culture and blood flowed in his body that powered the hatred in Kestral. And she had suffered at the rasisit hand of her brother for years, and she held no love for him.

"If you don't wish for my help, then I will not waste my energies on a lost cause."

Calliara sighed, but she was trying to hide a little smile. Maybe those two didn't realize yet, but that bickering was clearly a sign of something.

''If you two don't mind, I'd prefer if you had your angry sex somewhere else and now focus on the task at hand'' The Wolf said, keeping her voice serious and calm. ''Of course it's not an order, Lithawen, it's your choice staying or not. I already told you your help is welcomed''

"We are not going to have sex again!" Sinjan yelled a little too loud then looked at Lithawen and blushed, "Not that it was bad mind you. It was extaordinary ... I mean I enjoyed it ... it was. Oh forget it! Stay or go, I care less than seeing Androste's sweet rear end. Just well do whatever. I care not" He huffed in embarrassment.

Lithawen was about to reply when Sinjan had his own little out burst. As he looked at her she could feel herself straining to hold back from laughing, and he was blushing about it no less. "You say you care not, but I think you just wish me to turn away so you can watch my rear." she said with a chuckle.

"I will come with you too help Calliara. That and I would like to blow something up. And I'm not sure Nygozy will like looking out a window and seeing the whole garden on fire."

Calliara tried hard not to laugh, for Sinjan's sake, but her muffled chuckle betrayed her.

''Alright then, you two that won't have sex. I think it's a waste'' The Wolf shook her head, with a fake sad face. ''Angry sex is one of the best things. I swear I'll piss Drake off once he is...''

She looked elsewhere, her good mood going down the sewer again, eyes focused on the stone stairs that led down, to the last level before the Deep Roads, and checked the barricades that were set there to stop the darkspawn in the case they tried to assault the Keep again.

''... back. Once he is back'' She finally said, serious again. ''We are waiting for the spirit to contact us, Lithawen. I think it won't be long. I hope there won't be any need to blow anything up, but if that's the case, be welcomed, just don't aim at me''

The women were teasing him but Sinjan was used to this form of joking around. He got it a lot because he could be so incredibly pouty and tongue tied when it came to the feminine sex. It amused others on how he was able to be tough with men and in fighting but such a klutz around women and the woods. It seemed to amuse the women though, as it was doing for these two right now.

Sinjan sighed a long suffering sigh then smiled, "And why wouldn't I want to look at your rear. It's just the right size and I do care enough that if your brother tried to go after you, well ... I'd just kill him again and this time I'd make it stick."

He looked to Calliara, "Hopefully he'll come quick so we can get this done before I lose my nerve. I hope we don't have to make an appointment."