The Blood that Binds

The Circle Asunder

After a short debate, Solona decided to leave with only two others. Bringing Morrigan to the tower was a terrible idea, and Sten was grumbling about the delay in fighting the Darkspawn, even if they were going to the tower to kill two birds with one stone. They were going there to simply speak with Irving and gain aid. They shouldn't need him or Barkspawn.

That was how Solona found herself in a small two man rowboat, floating across lake Calenhad as the day flitted away into darkness. She stared off into nothing as her tired mind attempted to keep awake on the rocking surface of the water. Leliana's boat sped ahead, only carrying her. She and Alistair lagged behind. As she attempted to keep awake, she could feel his eyes on her. Suddenly, her head jerked up from where it had been lolling when he spoke. "You know, this might not be the best time to be thinking about this, but I had a favor to ask you."

"Hmm?" she asked softly, blinking slowly and focusing on his face.

"Chances are, we'll be heading to Denerim soon and there's someone I'd like to look up," he said, his face flushing.

"A former lover?" she asked mockingly at the reddening of his cheeks.

He gasped and snorted at the same time, the noise miraculous in it's making as he sputtered. "A former what? No! Do you honestly think I would suggest we go see... together? No!" The reddening deepened. He took a deep breath and with his face and the tips of his ears still flushed he said, "The thing is, I have a sister. A half sister. I told you about my mother, right? She was a serving girl at Redcliffe castle and she had a daughter... only I never knew about her. I don't think she knew about me, either. They kept my birth a secret, after all. But after I became a Grey Warden, I did some checking and... well, I found out she's still alive. In Denerim."

"Have you contacted her?" Solona asked, no longer sleepy, but interested in the new revelation.

"No," he sighed. "I thought about writing her, but I never did. And then we were called down to Ostagar, and I never got the chance... She's the only real family I have left. The only family not also mixed up in the whole 'royal thing'. I've just been thinking... that maybe it's time I went to see her. With the Blight coming and everything, I don't know if I'll ever get another chance to see her. Maybe I can help her, warn her about the danger, I don't know."

Solona called a small trace of mana as the moon refused to peek out from behind the clouds hovering in the sky. She slipped the magic into her staff to light the small crystal at the top to allow her to see better. He watched her closely, waiting patiently for her answer. "I'm sure we'll have time to pay her a short visit."

"Could we?" He asked, a smile creeping onto his face. The shadow from the magelight casting a sharpness to his features that was not present in the daylight. "I'd appreciate that. If something happened to her and I never went to at least see her, I don't know if I could forgive myself." He paused and glanced out over the lake. "Her name is Goldanna. I think she remarried, but still lives just out side the Alienage. If we're in the area, well then... It's worth a look."

Solona agreed, storing the information for later. His reaction to her question about it being a former lover had her curious though. Her tone slipped to a curious tease. "So, being raised in the Chantry, have you never...?" She bit her lip, unable to broach the subject by actually saying the words out loud.

He glanced back at her, his own tone lightening "Never...? Never what? Had a good pair of shoes?"

"You know what I mean," she sighed.

"I'm not sure I do. Have I never seen a basilisk? Ate jellied ham? Have I never licked a lamppost in winter?" he taunted, making her own cheeks flush.