Chapter Text
Lanni walked east along the Imperial Highway, the sun approaching the horizon to the west. In the distance she spied a caravan, from which a rider emerged.
The rider came to a stop about ten paces from her. “Good evening!”
“Good evening.” Lanni replied.
“I am Tarzian. My lady Julia zendz me to find out who approachez our camp.” He said.
“I am Lanni.” She replied. “I am not approaching her camp; I merely walk along the road by which she has camped.”
“What iz your occupation?” he asked.
Lanni raised an eyebrow at him. “I don’t have one in particular. I am knowledgeable in healing & can entertain with some sleight-of-hand. When in cities I do that & also take care of other’s children for them.”
“Why are you traveling?” he asked.
“I,” Lanni began, “am going to meet some old friends & family.”
He nodded. “I can underztand that; I look forward to returning home & we have only just left Tevinter. Lady Julia alzo directed me to invite you to our camp, if I think it iz appropriate. Which I do. Would you care to eat with my lady, & zleep in the zafety of our camp?”
Lanni looked at the camp a moment. “Yes, I shall.”
“Well, hop on!” he patted the horse’s back in front of him.
Lanni raised an eyebrow at him. “I’d rather walk, or ride on back.”
“Walking will take too long,” he objected, “& on back you might fall off.”
“Then I would have to hold on tight.” Lanni replied.
“Fine.” He said. “Hop on. I’ll take your ztaff.”
Lanni handed him her staff, then jumped onto the back of the horse. Getting herself situated, she got a firm handle on the back of the saddle.
After a moment Tarsian strained to turn to look at her. “Are you, oh, you have a hold of the zaddle. Feel zecure?”
“Yes.” Lanni replied.
“If you fall off I will come back for you.” He laughed slightly, & prompted the horse to move. It was not as fast as he had approached, so Lanni did not have difficulty staying on.
The wagons were circled & a number of large tents were set up around a large central fire. Tarsian rode them over to where other horses were tethered. Another man took the reins & tied the horse while Lanni & Tarsian dismounted. After he gave her back her staff, she followed him into the camp.
Most people in the camp were moving around, busy with some task or another. One figure, however, was standing over a table. Tarsian approached them, & Lanni followed.
“Lady Julia,” Tarsian said, “I have brought the traveler we zpotted.”
“Who iz he?” Lady Julia turned. “Oh, he iz a zhe, & is Dalizh?”
“Yes, Lady Julia.” Lanni confirmed. “I am Lanni, a Dalish elf.”
“Where is your tribe?” Lady Julia asked.
“I do not know.” Lanni replied. “I left them many years ago.”
“I zee.” Lady Julia said. “We are from Tevinter, az you probably can tell. We are traveling to excavate Tevinter ruinz along the coazt of the Waking Zea.”
“Why?” Lanni asked.
“I zeek the Great Temple of Andoral, build by Magizter Tranquiluz.” Lady Julia replied.
“You had a tranquil magister?” Lanni asked.
“No, he predated the Rite of Tranquility. Alzo, we are zertain that waz not hiz name.” Lady Julia replied.
“Why are you looking outside of Tevinter for this temple?” Lanni asked.
“The Tevinter Imperium covered thiz entire land.”
“I know that; the Imperium had my entire people enslaved?” Lanni asked.
“That waz millenia ago.” Lady Julia replied. “You can’t ztill be angry about that!”
“Oh course not, everything’s better now. Humans treat elves as equals.” Lanni said sarcastically.
“You can’t blame thoze who live now for what waz done in the pazt.” Lady Julia protested.
“Tevinter still enslaves elves.” Lanni countered.
“Not juzt elvez; there are human & dwarven zlevaz as well.” Lady Julia said. “& I treat mine well.”
“& that’s supposed to make everything better? You don’t just enslave elves, & you treat yours well, aside from not allowing them the freedom to make their own choices.” Lanni replied.
“Do you want me to ezcort her away?” Tarsian asked.
“No.” Lady Julia shook her head. “Leaving the Imperium I knew there could be converzationz like thiz; though thiz might be the worzt one I will have. Bezidez, the Dalizh have knowledge of the land & might know where other ruinz lie, & thiz one alzo appearz to have knowledge of hiztory az well.”
Lanni raised an eyebrow.
“If zhe iz willing.” Lady Julia added.
Lanni sighed. “Yes, I suppose food & a night of safety is worth that.”
“Thank you.” Lady Julia rolled up the map that had been on the table, handing it off to someone. “It looks like food iz ready. Zhall we talk after eating? I never eat very much in the evening; I can never get uzed to not eating much around midday.”
“I usually eat small amounts throughout the day, when I have food.” Lanni replied.
Lady Julia sat down at one of the chairs at the table, & gestured for Lanni to sit opposite her. “You don’t alwayz have food?”
“No.” Lanni replied.
“What do you do when you don’t have food?” Lady Julia asked. Someone put plates in front of them, along with utensils & cups.
“I don’t eat?” Lanni answered.
“I mean, how do you get food?” Lady Julia asked. Someone poured drink into their cups, leaving the bottle behind.
“In Alienages I usually ask any of my neighbors if they are willing to feed me. When traveling I know of various roots & berries that are edible.” Lanni replied. “Though if I have money I can usually buy something.”
“I zee.” Lady Julia said. Some small rolls were put on their plates, & some stew as well. “Have you encountered many of my countrymen?”
“One,” Lanni replied, “two. You wouldn’t, or might have heard of them. They both ran afoul of nobles.”
“Oh?” Lady Julia picked up a spoon. “There are many noblez in Tevinter, but perhapz I do know them or of them.”
“One was a slave & bodyguard, I don’t remember his name or that of his mistress. They were going home after a party when a group attacked them. He managed to drive them off, but his mistress was killed. Hearing the city guard approaching, he realized that they would assume he had killed her so he ran.” Lanni explained.
Lady Julia frowned. “I do not remember hearing anything like that, though I would believe it. Uprizingz are not unknown but newz of them iz zuprezzed. Do the elvez here ever rize up?”
“When the Dalish meet humans, it can become a fight, but often we just trade. The Alienages are at times the target of riots, & I’ve heard of but not seen the elves riot. It’s kind of difficult to attack when you’re not allowed to own weapons.” Lanni explained, taking a sip of her drink.
“Our zlavez are not allowed weaponz & they ztill rebel.” Lady Julia replied, taking a bite.
“The one riot I saw resulted in the city guard coming in to search for illegal weapons & arrest elves.” Lanni replied.
“Why wouldn’t they do that?” Lady Julia asked, swallowing. “If the elvez rebelled, of courze the city guard would make arreztz & zearch the place.”
“It wasn’t the elves rioting, it was the humans.” Lanni replied. “A mob gathered, broke down the gates to the Alienage, killed some elves, ransacked our homes, & not a one of them was punished for it.”
“Oh, I am zorry, I did not underztand. That iz unfair.” Lady Julia dipped her roll in the stew. “I would like to zay that would not happen in Tevinter, but I am not zo naïve az to believe it.”
They ate for a bit, with the sounds of others talking quietly in the camp & the crackling of the fire.
“Did you zay there waz another?” Lady Julia asked.
“Yes,” Lanni said, taking a bite of stew. “He was, is, was apparently a Templar in Tevinter but accidentally tripped a nobleman’s son. The son cracked his head open & died, so the Templar ran, pursued by other Templars at the behest of the nobleman, who wanted to punish him for it. He ran into a Grey Warden, got drunk, & told him his story. When the Templar caught up with him the next day, the Grey Warden announced that he was conscripting him, making him beyond the Templar’s reach.”
Lady Julia finished chewing & swallowed. “Also haven’t heard of that. Tevinter is a big place. Where did you meet thiz Templar-turned-Grey Warden?”
“In the vicinity of Picharde.” Lanni replied.
“I have heard that the Templarz here are a bit different.” Lady Julia commented.
“That is what the two Vints I met said.” Lanni agreed. “Well, the elf was surprised to hear that Templars here were anything more than an honor guard. I think he might have been intending to try to join them once he heard. The former Templar seemed surprised that what the Templars here can do is even possible.”
“Zo, it iz true?” Lady Julia asked. “Have you zeen it?
“I have not actually seen them counteract magic.” Lanni replied. “I have seen them come & take a child from a home, attack a fleeing mage, take someone captive, & interrogating someone they thought was a mage.”
“Even when attacking a fleeing mage they didn’t uze their powerz?” Lady Julia asked. “Do they do thiz to the Dalizh az well?”
“No, that is odd that they didn’t.” Lanni replied. “We Dalish do not let them take our mages. A small group could not force us & a large group could not catch us.”
“How many mages does a tribe have?” Lady Julia asked.
“I think the largest have three. Most have two.” Lanni answered.
“Probably not worth their while, then.” Lady Julia said to herself, & took a drink. “But I think I zhall avoid them if I can, lezt they think that every noble from Tevinter iz a mage. Traveling through Navarra I had conzidered azking about drake gonadz, az an alchemizt friend of mine talked about an old recipe which uzed them, but I think it iz too rizky. He zhall have to collect them himzelf if he wantz them.”
“That is probably wise.” Lanni agreed. “Given my work as a healer & my staff, I have occasionally had Templars interested in me.”
“I had meant to azk about that.” Lady Julia replied. “The ztaff, I mean.”
“It is a quarterstaff. I have carved Dalish prayers into it.” Lanni replied. “It is useful as a walking stick & a weapon. I have had several over the years.”
“Magez are hardly the only onez to uze ztaffz.” Lady Julia mused. “What iz a zpear but a ztaff with a zharp end?”
“They are used differently.” Lanni replied. “&, from what I remember of my clan’s keeper, normal people use staves differently from mages.”
“More directing magical forcez that juzt ztriking an opponent.” Lady Julia took a bite of bread.
“Are no nobles here trying to stop you from traveling through their lands?” Lanni asked.
Lady Julia shook her head & finished chewing. “No, though they might think we are juzt merchantz. Do you want more?”
Lanni was soaking up the last of the stew with her roll. “I don’t think so. I’m rather full, though I am still thirsty.”
“Az you will.” Lady Julia replied, waving to a servant. “There zhall be zome candied datez if you feel like eating zome more later.”
“Candied dates?” Lanni said questioningly.
“Yez.” Lady Julia replied. “Do you not know what thoze are?”
“I have never heard of them.” Lanni replied.
“It iz a zort of candied dried fruit.” Lady Julia explained. “You zhould try one, they are quite good.”
The servant refilled their cups & then took away their plates & utensils. A small bowl filled with little lumps appeared.
“I hear you zouthernz believe the Fade & zpiritz are all dangerouz.” Lady Julia stated, gesturing to the bowl.
“The humans do.” Lanni confirmed, reaching for the bowl.
“But the Dalizh do not agree?” Lady Julia asked.
“We call it the ‘Beyond’, & though spirits are not all to be trusted, they are not innately hostile.” Lanni replied, looking at the lump she had retrieved from the bowl in the low light.
“A much more zivilized view.” Lady Julia plucked a lump from the bowl. “Do you also keep them az zervantz?”
“No.” Lanni replied, & carefully bit into the fruit, finding a pit in it.
“We,” Lady Julia started, “zome of my mage friendz, find them quite uzeful, both for their knowledge & their ability to fight.”
Lanni managed to remove the flesh of the date from around the pit. “We aren’t in the habit of forcing spirits to fight for us.”
“Who zaid anything about forcing?” Lady Julia said, popping the date in her mouth. “Many zpirits need no coaxing to fight. Of course, zome do force zpiritz to fight which aren’t inclined to it. That zeemz like a wazte to me. Why deztroy a rare zpirit of wizdom or faith in a fight when there are zo many zpiritz of rage & hunger?”
Lanni chewed the date meat in her mouth.
“What do you think of the date?” Lady Julia asked, working her jaw around a pit.
“It is too sweet.” Lanni replied, peering at the pit in the dark.
“But you like it?” Lady Julia spat & resumed chewing.
“No.” Lanni answered, dropping the pit on the ground.
“Why did you eat all of it?” Lady Julia asked.
“I should finish what I start.” Lanni replied. “Why is this temple so important to you?”
“It iz a wonder, or at leazt the ztoriez make it out to be. Magizter Tranquiliz zupposedly bound a thouzand demonz to build it.” Lady Julia replied.
“That’s horrible!” Lanni exclaimed.
“Why? Demonz don’t feel pain.” Lady Julia said.
“They do, & that’s a thousand spirits forced into this world against their will!” Lanni replied.
“I will not attempt to defend what he did;” Lady Julia said, “but you have to admit, binding that many demonz iz imprezzive.”
“I suppose a Vint would be impressed by that level of enslavement.” Lanni replied.
“Right,” Lady Julia sat back with a shrug, “would you tell me what you know of Tevinter hiztory?”
Lanni raised an eyebrow at her. “You want that?”
“Yez,” Lady Julia answered, “though I know it certainly won’t cazt uz in a good light, you may know valuable partz of our hiztory, partz that may have been forgotten, perhapz intentionally.”
“If you will not get angry at that, & are sure that none of your servants will get angry,” Lanni swallowed, “I will share what I know of Tevinter.”
“I doubt they will get angry,” Lady Julia replied, “ & I warned them that they may hear many people zpeak ill of Tevinter on thiz expedition. I forbade them to act upon zuch anger, & you are a guezt, zo it would be highly improper for them to do anything againzt you.”
“& they would never do anything improper?” Lanni asked. “I shall tell you. Though I should set up my tent.”
Lady Julia waved her hand dismissively. “I have had my zervantz clear out a tent for you. Pleaze, begin.”
Lanni sighed. “Very well. I doubt it will be anything new, & some of what I know I will not share as they are the secrets of my people.”
“Perhapz it will not be anything new,” Lady Julia shrugged, “& I accept that there are thingz you would not tell a human, or a Vint in particular.”
Lanni nodded. “When your people first came to our shores, we pitied them & let them stay. But soon we learned that they carried a terrible disease which led to them dying young. Though we first thought that we could not suffer from their plague ourselves, we soon began dying ourselves, & our people withdrew from your people’s settlements. Of course, as we retreated, your people expanded. Eventually it came to war; even in our weakened state your people could not defeat us, so they resorted to a foul magic which they had invented & was probably the source of their disease. This was blood magic, through which they destroyed Elvhenan & enslaved my people, subjecting them to foul magical experiments. These experiments resulted in the creation of the Darkspawn & caused the first Blight. This weakened the Tevinter Imperium, which then was further weakened by drought, wildfires, landslides, & famine. There were widespread rebellions, & in one Andraste rose. Shartan, the leader of the elven rebellion chose to ally with her, & together they drove the Imperium back until Maferath, who had always opposed her alliance with Shartan, betrayed her to the Imperium. Shartan attempted to save his ally, but died attempting to free her. Fearful of my people’s wrath, Maferath offered them the Dales as a new homeland to placate them.”
Lanni paused. “I think that is all our history which specifically relates to the Tevinter Imperium.”
Lady Julia pursed her lips. “What waz thiz dizeaze you zay the firzt humanz had?”
“I do not believe your language has a name for it;” Lanni replied, “you seem to think it normal.”
“What were the zymptomz?” Lady Julia inquired.
“Death.” Lanni answered.
“How early were they dying?” Lady Julia asked.
“After less than a hundred years.” Lanni took a drink.
“How much less?” Lady Julia’s brow was pinched.
“A few decades less.” Lanni replied.
“That’z a normal lifezpan.” Lady Julia stated.
“It,” Lanni paused, “is now.”
“How long did your people live before mine came?” Lady Julia asked.
“Longer.” Lanni replied. “Much longer.”
“& you’re zaying that the elvez did not know blood magic?” Lady Julia asked.
“No, we did not.” Lanni confirmed. “Your people brought that & the Blight down upon us all.”
“How did we do that, exactly?” Lady Julia asked.
“Through your experiments in blood magic.” Lanni replied. “We were slaves at the time; I doubt any that saw the experiments survived it.”
Lady Julia frowned. “Thiz iz very different from what I waz taught & the hiztoriez I’ve read.”
“I’m sure there’s a lot which your Imperium tries to forget.” Lanni replied.
“Well, the zun iz zetting, & I need to get an early ztart tomorrow. I do have one more thing to azk you, but that will have to wait for the morning.” Lady Julia said, rising.
“Very well.” Lanni finished her cup as Lady Julia left. Lanni went to the tent they had prepared for her & laid out her own bedroll to sleep.
Lanni stood upon the deck of the ship, filled with elves, Tehel & Ashalla at her sides. The other two ships were nearby, lined with the rest of the clan. Zathrian was carefully sewing up the sailcloth over Teytor’s head. Ashalla began to chant a prayer to Falon’din, & Lanni joined her followed quickly by others in the clan. When Zathrian was done, Teytor’s family came & picked him up, & solemnly slipped him over the ship’s railing into the sea. As he sunk beneath the waves, Ashalla turned to Lanni.
“Teytor has passet into the Peyont; he was crushet py a falling spar. We thank you for telling us of the Meeting. We cannot make it, please tell them of how we fair, & we hope that it is koot for you. May the Treat Wolf never fint your trail.” Ashalla said.
The scene faded away, replaced by figures around a fire pit, telling stories.
The next morning Lanni awoke early enough to watch the dawn. As the sky brightened, she quietly prayed to the Evanuris.
When she was close to finishing one of the sentries blew a horn, & people started moving around in the camp.
After a while Lady Julia emerged from her tent with a large, rolled scroll in her hand & walked over to the tent where Lanni had been sleeping. Lanni started walking over to her as she appeared to speak, then opened the tent flap & stuck her head inside.
“Where did that elf go?” Lady Julia asked as she reemerged from the tent & looked around before spotting her. “Ah, there you are!”
“Did you need something?” Lanni asked.
“Yez, it waz too dark lazt night for thiz.” Lady Julia said. “Come, have a little bread & zome wine.”
Lady Julia went to the table, on which two cups, a bottle, & two rolls sat. As Lanni walked up, she cleared a large space by moving things to the edge of the table.
“Would you pour uz both cupz?” She asked, spreading the scroll out.
Lanni did so, handing one cup to Lady Julia.
“Now, could you point out where any Tevinter ruinz are?” Lady Julia asked, taking a sip.
Lanni glanced at the horizon. “You can’t see them from here.”
“On the map.” Lady Julia pointed. “& help yourzelf to a roll.”
Lanni looked down at the scroll on the table as she handed a roll to Lady Julia & took one for herself. “I can’t tell where anything is on that.”
“Oh!” Lady Julia exclaimed, & pointed to one spot. “Thiz iz where we are. Thiz iz Val Royeaux, the Waking Zea, & the Frostback Mountainz.”
“I think I remember there being some near Aubusson, along with some near Royan. I admit I never paid much attention to where they were. I was much more interested in the Elven ruins.” Lanni replied.
“Where are theze placez?” Lady Julia asked.
“I don’t know where they would be on this map.” Lanni replied.
Lady Julia frowned. “I’ll note the names in a notebook. Thank you anyway. It will probably be a bit before we head out for the day. But you are free to go whenever you want. Aubuzzon & Royan?”
“Yes, thank you.” Lanni replied. Lady Julia rolled up the map & disappeared into the tent. Lanni ate the roll & finished her cup as the camp bustled around her, before she continued on her way on the Imperial Highway