Dragon Age Origins: The Tale of Solana

Chapter 29: The Beginning

The young woman sorted through her books she kept on the shelves. She never had many, her mother always said reading was nothing without experience. So whatever books Morrigan did have, her mother already had taught her. So reading was a bore. No, she looked for another. Her mother's grimoire. A tome her mother kept close and hidden. It was the very book Morrigan had learned out of many times over. She knew it wasn't here, or if it was it was hidden very well. If only she could find it and read it more closely...

The stirring from behind her caught the young mage's attention. It seemed the elven woman who claimed to be a Grey Warden had survived. How intriguing, but utterly unimportant to the whole picture of Ostagar. She pondered what her mother saw so important about the two Wardens she saved.

Solana felt her head ached, her bones ached, and most of all her mind ached. It seemed that the music that had plagued her had been ripped completely out in one section! She felt the corner tingle and moan at the separation of whatever had made its' home there.

The groan escaped Solana in reality as she sat up in the bed. The hay mattress was itchy and uncomfortable, but better than being dead. Where was she?

"Ah," came Morrigan's familiar voice. Solana found it hard to forget a strange, half naked woman in the woods. Solana made the blurred vison calm, and that's when she saw the crisp sight of Morrigan before her. She strolled over to Solana's bed. "Your eyes finally open. Mother shall be pleased."

"I remember you: the girl from the Wilds."

"I am Morrigan," the Witch began, "lest you have forgotten. And we are in the Wilds, where I am bandaging your wounds." She cocked a smirk Solana's way as if the thought amused her. "You are welcome, by the way."

Solana looked down at her body. The wounds had almost completely healed. A nasty scar remained on her neck, and Morrigan pointed out several others. A simple bandaged was wrapped around her upper part to hold back any bleeding that escaped the healer's touch. Solana felt shy when she realized she was almost completely naked. A slight pink edged into her features.

"How does your memory fare? Do you remember Mother's rescue?"

Solana's head ached with vengeance untold. The singing trying to begin again and even the voices creaked. It seemed everything was thrown astray. She remembered the tower... Darkspawn everywhere so suddenly. Solana could go no further without it hurting. It seemed the voices wanted her to remember, but it was too painful. Or perhaps, Solana did not want to remember. Her eyes held the floor in a long stare as she was overcome with guilt.

"I remember being overrun by darkspawn..."

"Mother managed to save you and your friend, though 'twas a close call," Morrigan explained. She saw the Grey Warden's saddened expression. She marched back and forth on both feet before crossing her arms. "What is important is that you both live."

Friend? Alistair or... Solana felt uneasy by the answer. She would be overwhelmed by joy seeing either man alive.

"The man," Morrigan went on as she plucked an imaginary hair off. She gave a sideways glance as she continued, "who was to respond to your signal quite the field. The darkspawn won your battle."

Solana felt the shock hit her like a hammer. She was breathless as she remembers all those people she had met. The king... Duncan... What about them? What about the ash warriors, the knights, the mages, the Templars? Are any of them alive? "Those he abandoned," Morrigan said as if reading her thoughts, "were massacred. Your friend... He is not taking it well."

Alistair... Something in Solana knew it was him and she felt his pain like her own. Duncan... Gone. "Neither am I!" Solana looked up into the bright, yellow eyes of Morrigan. "This is horrible!"

Morrigan nodded and her voice lowered. "Of that I have no doubt," she said kindly. "Your friend has been inconsolable since Mother told him the news. He is outside by the fire. Mother asked to see you when you awoke."

"Why does your mother want to see me?"

"I do not know," the Witch shook her head. "She rarely tells me her plans."

Solana grimaced at the pain around her neck. The blister there still burning from the fire ball that crashed near her. She glanced down at her abdomen and bit her lower lip. "Were my injuries severe?"

"Yes," the simple answer slapped Solana in the face. Her jaw dropped into a frown and she was taken aback. Morrigan continued on though, "But, I expect you shall be fine. The darkspawn did nothing Mother could not heal."

"What about Alistair? Is..." Solana hesitated, "Is he all right?"

Morrigan rolled her eyes at the thought of the whiney man outside. "He is... As you are. I suppose it would be unkind to say he is being childish."

"Very unkind," Solana reprimanded. "Those were his friends, and my..."

Morrigan's eyes widened. She shook her head with a scowl. "And you think they would encourage his blubbering? If so, they are not the sort of Grey Wardens the legends note."

Solana had to agree slightly. It was unprofessional, she was sure, to expose ones' weaknesses to unfamiliar people. No matter the pain. Solana stood and went over to stand next to the fire glowing within the one roomed hut. She stared into the fireplace before turning towards the other woman. "Thank you for helping me, Morrigan."

"I..." Morrigan didn't know what to say. She had never been thanked before, not even by her own mother. Was this kindness? Morrigan blinked unknowingly for a second before raising a hand. "You are welcome, though Mother did most of the work. I am no healer."

She said this with a shrug, but Solana knew the woman meant it as best she could. Solana strolled over to her armor nearby and began dressing. She ignored the aches, remembering what her mother said about pain being a lesson tool for life. She began to put on the leather pants. "How did she manage to rescue us, exactly? Your mother I mean."

Morrigan smirked and snorted unladylike. "She turned into a giant bird and plucked the two of you from atop the tower, one in each talon." Solana gave a baffled look that made Morrigan grin. "If you do not believe that tale, then I suggest you ask Mother yourself. She may even tell you."

Solana laughed at the ridiculousness of how lightly Morrigan took the situation. She pulled on the leather upper before putting on her mother's boots. They were now stained in black blood. "Are we safe here? Where are the darkspawn."

"We are safe for the moment. Mother's magic keeps the darkspawn away. Once you leave, 'tis uncertain what will happen. The horde has moved on, so you might avoid it."

"Are there any survivors beside us?" Her thoughts on Kip.

"Only stragglers that are long gone," Morrigan noted. She came over and handed Solana her arm pieces. "You would not want to see what is happening in that valley now."

Solana slide on the gloves, trying not to think too hard on what Morrigan said. Solana knew the woman was right, and that there were probably unspeakable things happening there. "Your right, I wouldn't," she mumbled under her breath.

She didn't want to think about it. Instead, her thoughts went to Loghain. Why had he just left them to die? He even let some of his own men perish! What kind of shem does that? She tightened her belt up around her waist.

"Why did Teryn Loghain abandon the king?" The thought was more to herself than to Morrigan. Morrigan shrugged and suggested her mother to be Solana's answer. "I'm ready."

"Good. 'Tis time for you to speak to Mother and be on your way."