The Youth of the Dalish: A Dragon Age Fan-Fiction Story

Doreen

For months, every morning, Juli trained with Doreen and Uncle, tirelessly. Uncle's training was easy at first— sit on your butt for a few weeks, and close your eyes. But then, things got harder rapidly. And on top of all this, Doreen, Juli noticed, wasn't making it any easier. Lately, Uncle had left them both training alone, he said that this was the best way to improve their "dynamic." This morning's exercise was reflexes. One of them will blindfold their eyes, and position oneself beside a target, and will try to catch the arrows before they hit the target. This morning, it was Juli's turn to be blindfolded, he'd missed the last arrow Doreen had shot.

"The only reason you're better than me is because you are bigger in size." Juli said as he sat down to rest, after a long morning of no school and lots of training.

Doreen sat down next to him, she smiled at him. Juli felt dwarfed by the girl, eve if she was only three four taller than him.

"You know, you're not so bad yourself. "

Juli was surprised. Did Doreen just complement me? Juli shook inside, he wasn't falling for this one— he thought Doreen was teasing him again.

"You're just saying that."

Doreen felt bad that she teased the boy so often, that he'd not take anything she said seriously.

"I mean it. I mean, Juli, you're eleven. I am three years older than you. And you hadn't trained with Nick before." Doreen pointed a finger to her chest, "On top of all that, I can barely keep up with you." Doreen hadn't meant for her words to come out as genuine as they had, but she was just being honest.

Juli blushed at the reassured compliment, but he now felt embarrassed he didn't take her seriously at first.

" 'Am sorry. I know you mean it. I was just upset. I miss Father." The words took Doreen by surprise.

Doreen looked at the ground, it seemed that what Juli said triggered something in her. "I know how you feel." Doreen scratched at her left eye, she was trying to cover her tears. Her voice was now...weak.

"I miss mom and dad too." Now, it was Juli who was taken by surprise.

Juli looked at his partner sob. He understood how she felt— just like he did when he lost his own father. Juli tried to smile, trying to embrace what Mother said to him.

"You know, Mother says we must not blame ourselves. She says that those on the Fade are encouraging us to live. To live for yourself. To live for them."

Doreen looked at the eleven year old who was solacing her. How can this kid be so strong? Doreen wondered. Doreen nodded, dabbed her tears off, and got up. She extended a hand to Juli.

"Come on, let's eat."

Juli and Doreen walked towards the round of people that gathered sitting on the ground, near his tent— Mother, Uncle, and Tobias. Mother and Tobias were seating one side of the fire, facing Uncle.They were all eating something that Juli nor Doreen could recognize from canisters.

"You done?" asked Uncle, with a grin.

Juli noticed Doreen stiffened when Uncle asked— she respects Uncle.

"Yeah."

Doreen walked up to Uncle and sat next to him. Juli sat next to Mother.

For some reason Mother just started being ok with Juli practicing archery — as longest as he'll show up to school.

Mother looked at Juli, and smiled. Juli wondered why, was she proud of me for practicing archery? He'd been practicing for almost three years now, and he was only getting better. Juli couldn't tell.

"You want some?" Mother said as she showed Juli the inside of the canister. The blue sluggish filled half of the cylindrical canister.

"What is it?" Juli asked as he winced at Mother— he had the intuition that no good-tasting food will have this light-bluish color.

"It's Dragon Soup"

Juli was astonished by what Mother said. "Is that edible?"

"Yep, and its good for you."

Mother was lying again— protecting her beloved son from reality—as always.

Juli glanced at Doreen, who was just as confused as he was. Juli nodded to Mother. Mother grabbed the pot that was hanging atop the fire. Mother started pouring blue sluggish liquid into a canister. Juli snarled as Mother passed him the canister. He looked at Doreen, she shrugged, she hadn't eaten her Dragon soup either.

Juli looked at Mother, "No meat?"

Mother swayed her eyes towards Uncle, they both looked at each other imploringly, Juli noticed. She turned her gaze toward Juli. "No meat, honey."

No meat? something is up here, Juli thought. He looked at Doreen again with a straight face, who was still undecided whether she should eat her blue sluggish. Juli and Doreen nodded to one another, and they both gulped the "Dragon Soup".

Juli almost threw up— the liquid tasted like dried leafs mixed with water. Doreen and Juli looked at each other, both agreeing on the fact that this was the most disgusting soup they'd ever tasted.

"Now that that's over. How's he doing?"

Uncle asked Doreen as he cocked his head towards Juli.

Doreen looked at Juli, "Good."

Uncle turned his gaze toward Juli, and smiled, "How's she doing?"

Doreen was taken by surprise. She looked at Juli— hoping that Juli wouldn't give her a bad review. Juli noticed the plead in Doreen's eyes, he grinned, "Good."

Uncle nodded— reassuring that he was right— the best way for Juli and Doreen to get alone was to have them training by themselves.

Doreen got up, and glanced at Juli— beckoning him to come. After a moment, Juli got up and started after Doreen.

"Where are you going, honey?" Mother said as Juli wheeled about. Juli felt that he'd been caught doing something wrong. Even if he consciously knew he'd done nothing wrong. He wheeled to confront the three elders who looked at him quizzically.

"'Am gonna... wash myself." He lied.

Juli started for Dooren at a somewhat fast pace— striding. Juli caught a glimpse of Doreen's short brown hair, she was heading towards the river. Juli found Doreen sitting about the hill that led to the river. She was hugging her knees— curled up and looking at the long river that seemed to have no end. The wind was strong and the sun at its peak. Even though Doreen had short hair, it was long enough for the tips of her hair to flop on the wind— showing her true beauty. Juli stared at his partner— he felt weird. 'Am I enjoying looking at her? Juli shook off the bizarre feeling, and walked up to Doreen and sat down next to her.

"When I lost Father, Nick took care of me." Doreen said as she seemed to be talking to the wind rather than Juli.

"He's a good person, you're lucky to have an uncle like him."

Juli nodded, not knowing what to say.

"Mother, Father, and Nick were friends. Best friends. When I was little, younger than you, they'll go hunting. Then on one of those hunting trips, only Nick came back."

Doreen didn't cry, Juli noted. However, her face became rigid— she was angry. Doreen turned her gaze toward Juli, her face was a combination of anger and anguish.

"'Am sorry." Said Juli.

Doreen looked at her friend— knowing that he was one of the few people that understood how she felt— and she was grateful for it. Doreen's eyes were now getting wet, and she fell into Juli's arms.

Juli was flustered by the gesture. He wrapped his hands around Doreen's shoulders, and lowered his head towards Doreen's—trying to comfort his dwarfing pained friend.