Trusting a Shem- Fanfic- Prt Three
Title: Trusting a Shem, prt 3
Author: Promisetruth
Rating: T
Characters: Fem!Mahariel, Alistair, Tamlen (Erm, the thought of him), Morrigan, Leliana, Dalish elves.
Summary: Female Dalish Elf (Mira Mahariel) and her journey as a Grey Warden. Her conflict with her old life and clan, more importantly with Tamlen, interferes with her choices and with her reactions to a certain Alistair. After forgetting her sword as Mira goes to collect firewood, Alistair runs to her 'rescue' resulting in mixed feelings. (Yes, yes, I know that Zathrian does not let any elves out of the camp but for the sake of ease I twisted that a little bit! Please understand. ^_^ )
Link to other parts/chapters: promisetruth orpromisefics (Fanfiction journal)
Quick note! I'm going to be away from a computer all next week so it might be a bit before part four comes out...anywhooo I'll miss you all my fellow Elvhen! And finally Arlathan and S_I_B are now at the same point in the story. Yay!
He shouldn't be listening to this. Alistair had followed what he had assumed to be Mira's trail and before he could show his presence the Dalish had started to sing. It was a shy tune at first, he could hardly make out the words, but then with a surge of confidence Mira soon sung with passion; her voice had the Templar captivated at once. He would not break this spell.
"Hahren na melana sahlin,
emma ir abelas,
souver'inan isala hamin,
vhenan him dor'felas,
in uthenera na revas.
Vir sulahn'nehn.
Vir dirthera.
Vir samahl la numin.
Vir lath sa'vunin."
"Maker's breath..." he whispered. Mira turned around right as Alistair had spoken, her hand automatically reaching for a sword that was not there. Her eyes glinted with something furious and defiant, like a wild animal trapped but still willing to fight till its death.
"Who is there?" she called out, peering into the trees and bushes where he was concealed. "Show yourself now!" Alistair stepped forward.
"You left your sword at camp. I brought it for you." the Templar reached for Mira's weapon, lamely finding out that he had left the blasted thing there as he ran to find her. Her eyebrow arched in curiosity and amusement.
"Where is it then Alistair?"
"It seems to be still at the camp." he pushed away the bushes as and made his way to Mira with a grin on his face.
"Not much use it has doing there then."
"Well I'm here and I'll protect you. Let those Darkspawn and werewolves come! I'll take them all on, just watch me." Alistair winked at her as he drew his own blade. "See you're far better with me then that old, dull thing." Mira laughed at this, letting her body become less tense and all the hostility in her posture was gone.
"Very well, then come along with me. I thought I saw some good firewood over there." She led the way easily dodging the tree limbs and spider webs that strung along the path they were taking. Alistair on the other hand managed to step on every twig, to snap every branch, and got every cobweb on him. He groaned.
"It's like a bloody maze in this place." Once again his statement was met with Mira's laughter. She turned around sharply to face him, her body was just centimeters away from his. The Templar wondered if she did that on purpose.
"You move like an ogre," she commented. "To travel in a forest you must be respectful. You must take care in placing your step, not to let your foot foolish land on something."
"But I was being careful!" Mira looked up at him, giving Alistair a look of disbelief.
"Then lift up your foot." He did so. "Look at that, can you see what you have trodden upon?" Alistair glanced down at the bottom of his boot, crushed inside the rivets laid a simple, pure, white flower. His fingertips touched the flower, and to much surprise, it crumbled and fell to the leafy floor. The man's disappointment was easy to read on his face.
"Oh it broke...I broke it." Alistair put his foot down, but this time making sure he did not step on anything. Sad, dog like eyes looked into Mira's. "I'm sorry."
She gave him a weak smile. "You'll learn." The companions pressed further into the woods, far from where Leliana, Morrigan, and the camp had been. Surely they had passed decent enough firewood by now?
******
Mira listened to the silence of the forest. It was eerie and stirred on thoughts of when she was searching for Tamlen in the woods where they had found the mirror. And just like before nothing made a noise; not beast, plant, or wind. Well that was not entirely true. The other Grey Warden was trying not to step on anything or make a careless movement but he was still human and his footsteps fell heavy and hard. The Dalish elf shook her head slightly.
"Hey Mira?"
"Yes Alistair?"
"That song you were singing before, what was it?" Her shoulders tensed. He had heard her? "I'm sorry, if you don't want to talk about it. I understand." Should she tell him? What harm would it do? You know what harm it would do. He would learn things and that would make that Shem ask questions and questions lead to trickery. The recently quiet voiced answered her. Mira scoffed. I will tell him! If it was Tamlen I would have told him. Yes well, Tamlen was one of us. Watch, this human will just ask more and more questions.
"It is a poem." she waited to see if the voice would be right about Alistair.
"What does it mean? Can you translate?" Mira could almost feel the smugness of the voice. See? It said. Go on, tell him that. Tell the Shemlen what it means. Spill your secrets.
"It roughly translate into:
'Elder your time is come,
now I am filled with sorrow,
weary eyes need resting,
heart has become grey and slow,
in waking sleep is freedom.
We sing, rejoice.
We tell the tales.
We laugh and cry.
We love one more day.' "
"Oh, did you loose someone?" he asked. "I know you left your clan but other then that I don't know anything about you; you're a mystery Mira."
And so it should be. As I said before Mira, the moment you open up to this Shemlen is the moment you forget Tamlen. Who loved you? Who was your bond mate?
"I lost no one." Mira stiffly replied. They had reached a wooded area and trees towered above the both of them. Alistair stepped closer to her. His aroma that she had smelt before made her feel lightheaded. "I lost no one..." she repeated.
"I know I haven't known you for long, but Mira, I can tell you are lying to me," the elf saw something flash in the Templar's eyes. "I'm not going to take this secrecy anymore! We may as well be the last two Grey Wardens in all of Ferelden. I need to know you trust me!" Alistair's body had forced Mira's back to rest on a trunk of a tree, his hands rested on either side of the trunk, trapping her in. "So tell me Mira, please, please, I am asking you to trust me. Who did you loose?" His head hung down and the brim of Mira's nose was touching his forehead.
"I..I can not." she stammered.
"Let me show you that you can trust me..." his lips hovered above Mira's and she inhaled his breath. Tamlen. The voice called. This should be Tamlen. Do not give in Lethallin.
"I..." Mira trailed off again. "Oh Tamlen..." Alistair jerked back.
"Who?-"
"Human step away from her!" a male voice commanded. The Grey Wardens looked to where it had come from, a small group of Dalish elves had their bows out and arrows aimed right at Alistair. "Get. Back. Now." The Templar limply dropped his hands to his side and backed away from Mira. "Good, thank you." The hunter turned to Mira. "I am sorry we took so long, Keeper Zathrian said that only three of us could help the Grey Warden and her quest for Witherfang's heart."
"We did not even notice you were one of the Dalish till that Shemlen got out of the way. You dress like one of them. In mail and chains, it would better if you stuck to leather and used a bow Sister. Here come with me, I have some extra equipment at your camp. We have already found the two other humans that travel with you and their camp, we have placed most of our supplies there." a female elf added. Mira nodded.
"What do you want us to do with that one?" the first Dalish said as he motioned to Alistair.
"He is a Grey Warden. He will come with us." Mira instructed, she could still feel the heat from the Templar on her body. She avoided his eyesight.
"Come with us then." The Dalish motioned them back towards the camp Morrigan and Leliana had started to set up.
It is sad. The voice mused. Even your own kind can not recognize you now. You dress as a human warrior. You carry a sword as a human warrior. You even start to fall for a human. Embrace these Dalish and let them take you back to your roots. For that is how you will reconnect to Tamlen. I speak the truth. Do not trust a Shem.
Alistair followed behind the group his feet stepping on every branch he came to. The Templar look off to the side of the path, were the moonlight lit a small patch of white flowers. It was the same kind as he had stepped on before. Without the notice of the other he carefully plucked one from the ground and marveled at its beauty. As Alistair looked at the small frail thing he had a rash idea not to throw the plant away but rather to keep it.
"I will protect you. Even if you do not want it. I promise." he whispered to the flower. As they continued to walk he held the frail thing close to him. And this time it did not crumble away.