Dragon Age Origins: I Am Cousland

Chapter 16: The Dalish

Chapter 16: The Dalish

 "Shit," I said under my breath.

"Hmm?" Alistair hummed from beside me.

"Are you not sweating?" I asked loudly, the Brecilian was much more tropical than the rest of Ferelden and I was drenched. Alistair smiled at the corner of his mouth and shrugged, Leliana bounced up to me.

"It is such a pleasant change from the how our journey has been." She said happily, skipping ahead of the group. I pulled my hair up in a long ponytail, and pulled off the thick red undershirt, revealing my torso. Alistair was watching me carefully, smiling at me.

"You act as if you've never seen a stomach before." I joked and smiled up at him and threw the shirt into my pack, Cullen cleared his throat and walked past me, I shook my head, giggling slightly. Morrigan strode up beside me.

"Why are we walking all over Ferelden, is there a plan?" She glared at Alistair and I.

"The treaties.." I said slowly, Morrigan scoffed.

"Yes, I realize this. But why must we help every sniveling peasant that has the smallest trouble?" She spat back at me, I rolled my eyes.

"Remind me never to ask you for help," I said under my breath and walked past her. Cullen was looking at Morrigan as if he was trying to figure out the answer to a confusing riddle.

"I have absolutely no idea where we're going." Cullen said quickly, blushing when he noticed I was giggling at his facial expression.

"To find the Dalish," I explained, Cullen walked up to my side.

"Do you really think they will help? They have made it clear they despise humans," Cullen's voice trailed off, many human caravans are ambushed in the forest and on most occasions there aren't any survivors.

"They Blight effects all. Everyone has to stand together." I said quickly. "Their leaders signed a treaty years ago agreeing to assist, they must obey it." I explained and walked back up beside Alistair, who was looking at Cullen carefully, Alistair eyed Cullen all the time but thought I never noticed it. Alistair pulled out a map.

"Let's try not to get lost here, it's easy to get turned around." he said looking the map over.

"The Dalish camp isn't going to be on a map, Alistair.." I said, smiling at the corner of my mouth. We walked for some time until we came to a clearing in the forest.

There are some caravans up ahead." Leliana called as she skipped up to the rest of the group, she had been scouting ahead. I nodded and walked down a barely noticeable path in the grass.

"Your kind is not welcome amongst the Dalish," An elf guard called out, she was walking towards us, hands on her dagger hilts. Alistair was wrapping his hand around his sword. "My kind? You mean humans?" I asked.

"You shemlen are always meddling in lives that you shouldn't be." The elf spat.

"We are Grey Wardens," I explained quickly, holding my hands in the air. "We have come seeking assistance in fighting the blight," I continued, the guard looked me over and nodded slowly. The Dalish camp consisted of caravans.

"How do they move through the forest?" Alistair said, looking around, "Do the trees simply move aside for them?" He asked, smiling over at me. I shook my head and continued following the guard. We walked past several cots which had elves sprawled out on them, groaning.

"What's going on here?" I asked the guard.

"A disease is running rampant through the village," A voice interrupted, a male elf was walking towards us, his head was bald but covered in ornate designs. He had a stern look on his face. "I am Zathrian, the keeper of the people," he explained.