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Alistair read over the letter he’d received from Leliana for what felt like the hundredth time. It probably was, given that the letter was at least 10 years old at this point. But it was the last time he’d corresponded with her, she was much busier now, and didn’t have time to be talking to a washed up warden like him.
As of that letter, Leliana hadn’t heard from Kallian in years, she’d disappeared while trying to find a cure for the blight. A noble cause, he thought, albeit a pointless one. She wasn’t the first warden to go off searching for a cure, and likely wouldn’t be the last.
He folded the letter back up, putting it in his pocket as he pulled out a map he’d purchased when he’d arrived in the Anderfels. A map of the Hossberg Wetlands he’d purchased with the town of Lavendel circled. He’d never felt so surrounded by the blight, not even at Ostagar, he was doing his best to ignore the eerie song that pulled at the back of his mind. Admitedly, he was out of practice.
He was also doing his best to avoid fighting any darkspawn. Sneaking wasn’t exactly his strong suit, but luckily he wasn’t wearing full plate armor. Leather and cloth made a lot less noise. Yes, he had a sword and shield with him, but he hadn’t done much fighting since the last blight, at least not with a sword. Being a drunken mess, he wasn’t unaccustomed to the occasional fist fight, but he doubted he could punch a hurlock into submission.
He finally reached Lavendel by the time the sun had began to set, and followed the pull of the taint to the closest grey warden, asking who it was who was in charge. ‘Wardens Evka and Antoine’ he was told, and they were pointed out to him. He thanked the warden and made his way over towards the pair, shoving the map into his bag as he did.
“Evka and Antoine I presume? I’m warden Alistair.” He introduced himself to them, hand coming to rest on the pommel of his sword.
Evka, the dwarven woman, looked up at him, giving him a wry smile.
“Warden Alistair? You weren’t at Weisshaupt.” she stated, arms crossed as she watched him for a reaction.
He couldn’t help but flinch slightly at her tone; suspicious, almost judgemental.
“No, I wasn’t. I was in Kirkwall until recently.”
“And why didn’t you return to Weisshaupt when the First Warden called us all back?” the man, Antoine, asked this time.
“I ah… I never received a summons. I defected, after the last blight… But I’m here now, to help.” Alistair responded, trying to change the subject away from his failing as a warden.
“So you are. Well, you can start with asking the villagers if they have everything they need. Rook promised to get us some supplies if we provided them with a list.” Evka responded, before pointing towards one of the houses.
“Bunks are in that building, should be a couple empty beds left, you can put your things there. Come find us when you’re done and we’ll see if there’s anything else for you to do.” she continued.
Alistair nodded, first heading towards the bunkhouse and putting his bag down on one of the beds, then making his way around the village, asking the non blighted locals if they needed anything, writing down any requests he got on the back of the map he’d purchased.
Eventually, he came to a woman, elven he assumed, based on her height, though she had her back to him so he couldn’t exactly tell.
“Excuse me, I’m with the wardens, I’m getting a list together of supplies we need. Is there anything you’d like to request?” he asked, getting ready to write anything town.
“No, I think I have everything I need,” she began, and he froze. That voice, that cant be…
“IThank you though.” she finished, turning around to look at him.
“Kallian?” he asks before he can stop himself. He’s not sure how to feel, angry? Happy? Relieved that she’s alive? Before he can process anything, he realizes he’s stepped into her space, pulling her into a hug.
“Well, that certainly wasn’t the response I was expecting.” she jokes, but he can feel her trying to pull away from him.
Alistair quickly lets her go and steps back.
“I’m so sorry, you just…” he trails off, she’s visibly confused and obviously uncomfortable.
“Do I know you?” she asks, and he feels his heart drop.
Laughing nervously, he responds.
“Kallian, it’s me, its Alistair.” he starts, a little indignant.
“I know I look different with the beard, but come on…” he continues. The woman, no, Kallian, feigns thinking for a moment.
“No, sorry, doesn’t ring a bell.”
Alistair is about to continue, to say something else when he realizes. He approached her because he couldn’t sense the blight in her. He focuses for a moment and sure enough, she’s not tainted.
So…she succeded? She cured the blight?
“You… you did it? You cured yourself?” he asked excitedly, but she just looks confused at his question.
“Cured myself of what…exactly?” she asks.
“The taint! The blight, what makes us wardens! Come on Kallian.” he exclaims, grabbing her shoulder.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, how do you know my name?” she asks, clearly starting to get irritated with him.
“I… I’m sorry, I’ll leave.” he says, turning and walking away from her. He needs a drink.
He continues to make the rounds with the remaining villagers, but his attention is elsewhere as he talks to them.
He can’t keep his mind off of Kallian. How did she cure herself? Why doesn’t she remember him?
Wait.
If she doesn’t remember him, does she remember anything?
He decides to ask around Lavendel about her, and is eventually led to Flynn, the one in charge of keeping everyone healed.
Flynn tells him that Kallian was found wandering the wetlands outside of Lavendel, mildly injured but unblighted and was taken in. She’s been helping around the village ever since they cleared her for manual labour.
A couple hours later, Alistair approaches her again, this time with two bowls of something hot and brown they’d handed out for supper.
“Hey… can I um… can we talk?” he asks, and she seems hesitant but nods, sitting down on one of the nearby crates.
Alistair sits down beside her, handing her the bowl he’d taken for her.
“I wanted to apologize, for earlier.” he says, looking down at the bowl in his lap before looking over at her.
”Do you… do you have any memories of what happened before you came to Lavendel?” he asks.
Kallian is staring down at the bowl he brought her, pushing the food around with her spoon.
“Its… complicated. I don’t have any clear memories, just a lot of…feelings.” she says, looking up at him.
“Do the names Leliana, Shianni…. Loghain… do they mean anything to you?” he asks, and she shakes her head.
“I’m sorry, no.”
Alistiar sighs, disappointed. Though, a little relieved?
“Let’s restart. I’m Alistair, I’m a grey warden.” he says, putting out one of his hands for her to shake.
Kallian smiles, shaking his hand. Maker he’d missed that smile.
”I’m Kallian Tabris,” she starts.
“It’s nice to meet you, Alistair.”