Trusing a Shem- Fanfic-prt 1
First post to Swooping_is_bad, also on top of that first fanfic. And new to LiveJournal. Lovely, right? :D
Title: Trusting a Shem, prt 1
Author: Promisetruth
Rating: T
Characters: Fem!Mahariel, Alistair, Tamlen (Erm, the thought of him). Also including small apperances of Morrigan, Sten, Leliana, and Dog.
Pairing: Fem!Mahariel/Tamlen, Fem!Mahariel/Alistair (Slightly)
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. It starts off with the group resting in camp right after Lothering.
Other parts/chapters to this story can be found at: promisetruth or promisefics (Fanfiction journal)
The sun was setting behind the trees and everyone in camp was settling down for the night. Mira watched her companions go to their own areas. It was slightly amusing considering humans were known to band together and form quick relationships. The Dalish shook her head. It just proved to her how much she did not know about these Shems. Not that it matter, it was clear to Mira that the only intent that a human has is their own. Loghain's retreat during the previous disaster at Ostagar was just another example. She watched how Morrigan slowly made her way over to the far side of camp to her tent. Mira respected the apostate, she had a mind of her own and did not foolish fall into anything unlike other Shemlens. Closer to the middle of the camp near the fire, Leliana was packing away the pots from supper which she had cooked. Once again the bard was singing. Sten and Mira's mabari, Alfi, were having some sort of growling competition. And Alistair...her fellow Grey Warden was walking to her with that lopsided grin she had not seen since they left Lothering.
"Mirrrraaaaa!" he chimed out, "Oh Mira, you will not believed what I just did." She winced, thinking about all the sarcastic remarks that could be made towards the naïve Templar's words.
"And what is that Alistair?"
"Listen to what I learned." he grinned, obviously pleased with himself. "If you would allow me please, lethallin, I would like to take first watch tonight." Mira froze. How in the world did that human learn that word? It was Dalish. And rightfully belonged to the Dalish, not to some Shemlen.
And that is what Tamlen used to call you. A voice inside her head ripped into her thoughts and all the memories about the mirror and Tamlen and her old Clan surfaced again. Sorrow turned to guilt which boiled into anger. And the Dalish elf used it against Alistair.
"How dare you! You are human, a Shem!" she sneered at him, "You have no right at all to be using our language! Your tongue speaking our words makes them foul! I am not your lethallin. No..no.." Mira turned her back away from the Templar so he could not see the emotions race their way across her face. In so many ways he reminded her of Tamlen, but in so many ways he was different. Unique....
Tamlen was unique, and he was your friend since childbirth. He was yours. This Shem is just a passing glance. Tamlen died because of you. The voice accused.
"Mira?.." Alistair whispered softly, his voice dripping with disappointment. "I'm sorry, I was just trying to...oh Maker, it was a stupid idea." Without turning her back the elf shrugged her shoulders. By now everyone else had turned in for the night and they were the only ones up.
"Just go to sleep Alistair. I'm taking first watch. I need to walk around." Being just a few days away from Lothering the threat of a Darkspawn attack was high so Mira grabbed her sword and sat near the fire, occasionally adding a log or two. Her thoughts lingered back to the last time she was happy with Tamlen. Hunting in the woods, walking through the forest with only the moon as light, straying just far enough from the Clan so that they could do what they pleased. Everything was right. But now...due to their foolishness he was gone and she had been stripped away from her clan. If only they had just gone to the Keeper first this all could have been avoided. If only she had stopped him from touching the mirror.
She got up and reached for the map that Alistair had gotten somewhere down the road. He had marked all the places where the treaty could be called into effect. And although he suggested that they headed to Redcliffe first, Mira wanted to try the Dalish clan in the Brecilian Forest. The real reason to her choice was that the elf wanted to get away from the confinements of cities and humans. Luckily, no one had argued with her. With Mira's mind caught up in the past she did not notice the almost silent chuckling of the small group of Darkspawn approaching the camp. It wasn't till she heard Alistair's battle cry and the sound of a shield being rammed into armor that the Dalish turned around, picking up her sword, and saw what she had let into the camp. Now she owed a human her life. The sounds of battle woke the rest of the camp up, and already the Darkspawn were becoming nothing more than bodies on the floor. Alistair glanced down at the elf.
"How did you not notice that?"
"I..I.." Mira stumbled over her words, how could she explain this? She was Dalish, she should have been able to foresee this attack and killed them without anyone waking up.
"Oh leave her alone Alistair, no one was hurt. Go to sleep Mira, you must be tired." Leliana said, "Alistair and I will clean this up."
"We will?" the Templar asked. Mira left for her tent before she could listen to the rest of her companions banter. Once inside she shed the chain mail she was wearing and laid down on the bed roll. The elf closed her eyes and welcomed the darkness. What she did not welcome was the dreams that plagued her. It was Tamlen, always ahead of her, never slowing down even when she begged. When he reached the mirror Mira tried to run after him, to stop him from touching it, but something- no someone- was holding her back. And when she turned around, she saw that it was Alistair.