Ithilian and Ashton walked in silence, putting some distance between them and the city walls, heading for the forest. The Dalish hunter had sent Emerion ahead, to pick up on Lia's trail. The situation worked out more or less for the best. The less time Emerion spent walking with Ashton, the better, as far as Ithilian was concerned.
The idea had come on in less than a night, starting with Emerion, not to Ithilian's surprise. He hadn't even considered it before Lia approached him and asked if she might be eligible to receive the vallaslin, the blood writing. At first he wasn't sure why she would ask, as he had no knowledge of how to perform the ritual, nor the supplies needed, but then he remembered that his friend would have been taught just these things. It wasn't hard to make the jump and figure out that Emerion was the one who suggested the idea to Lia.
Ithilian could see no reason not to let her try. He'd gotten his own writing even younger, and Lia was a fine huntress, with two more years of experience than he'd had at the time, experience that did not just include hunting. She'd seen far more of the world than he had as a teenager, in terms of experiences. And if she failed in the process of actually receiving the writing, she could always try again.
So with his blessing, they made plans for the following morning. It was Lia who suggested Ashton should be there as well. Normally Ithilian would have denied the request; it was an elven ritual, Ashton was a human, and Emerion wouldn't like it, but Ashton had become very important to Lia, even if she didn't like to show it lately, with his decision to join the guard. If it was important to her, it was important to him, too.
And thus the hunt was arranged. Lia would need to make a kill on a predator on her own. The three of them would follow her trail, to be near in the event that she required help. After that, they would return to the Alienage and prepare for the ritual. With Emerion in sight up ahead, Ithilian spoke softly to Ashton, at his side.
"He's not happy about you being here. He may hide that well, or he may not. Just... be careful what you say. I've never known how to predict Emerion." The First wasn't one to always say what he felt, unlike Ithilian. It was a skill he'd never been interested in acquiring.
"I'll try not to do anything that'd get me stabbed," Ashton replied in the midst of a flashback to his first meeting with Ithilian. Funnily enough, that too had been in the forest during a hunt with Lia. There was no Snuffy, and only one Dalish then, he thought, glancing down at her loping beside him. Truthfully, he didn't even know why he was there. Lia had asked for him to be there of course, but from what he gathered what he was to be a part of was usually a strictly Dalish thing. Something that a human, or shem as he'd heard the term tossed around before, rarely, if ever, set eyes on. Obviously he was honored that Lia thought of him and that Ithilian allowed it. Still, to say that he felt out of place was an understatement.
He at least thought better of wearing the plate of guardsman mail. The armor wouldn't be welcomed for what they had in mind, and not only that but it wasn't the right thing to wear in a hunt. In comparison the brown leathers he wore felt as light as a feather around his shoulders and he'd almost forgotten the maneuverability they'd offered. He wasn't the only one looking like the part of the hunter. He'd taken the time to prep Snuffy for the outing with a layer of kaddis. Black lines stretched horizontally down the length of her back while a single white line was drawn vertically over them. It served to differentiate her from another animal. One that didn't have such a snuffly nose.
Hell, he'd almost forgotten what it was like to actually go on a hunt that didn't involve the head of a burgler or bandit at the end of it. His uncle would've probably thrown a fit to hear that, but fortunately the old man was on an entirely different continent.
Ithilian was tempted to correct him on the stabbing comment, though he knew it was merely a jest. Emerion would be more the kind to cause roots to spring up from the forest floor and surrounding him, trapping Ashton in a thorny prison for a couple of days. Ithilian had yet to see what magical abilities his friend from youth had picked up in their time apart, but even when they'd known each other he was skilled at handling his magic. He wouldn't do anything while Ithilian was around, but he just wanted to make sure he didn't get any ideas about coming back to pay him a visit later.
"I took the liberty of following her trail in a ways," Emerion called when they came close enough. "If I'm not mistaken, she's tracking down a mountain lion." Ithilian's brow furrowed slightly, but he reminded himself not to worry. Lia was more than capable of bringing down dangerous prey, and he was confident she'd be able to do it without suffering the same kind of serious injury he himself, fool that he'd been, had suffered. Emerion gestured for the two of them to follow.
"Let's do the introductions while we walk, shall we?" He headed off into the forest, walking along the subtle trail that Lia and her prey had both left behind. "My name is Emerion. And you're the important shem?"
"I guess, though you're being far too kind. I'm just a friend." There was the word again, shem, but this time it managed to garner Ashton's attention that it would had it been said by Ithilian or Lia. The way that this Emerion said it reminded him of the way Ithilian used to say it. Still, to him it was just another fancy word for human and like many things he let it roll off of his back. "Mine is Ashton Riviera, though my friends call me Ash." He wouldn't bet that Emerion would be calling him Ash any time soon, though, but it was polite to try. Thoughout the exchange, Ashton eyes darted between him and the trail in front of them.
"Ashton Riviera," Emerion repeated, as though testing the way the words tasted on his tongue. "Welcome." It wasn't as though this was his forest, and indeed, Ashton had hunted in it more than either of the elves he was with, but considering the circumstances, it did seem as though he was the outsider here.
Either Ashton was getting rusty or Lia was getting better, (or more like a combination of both) but the trail that she left behind was light with hardly any footprints besides that of the mountain lion. Obviously, there were still enough to follow her. A twig broken, a patch of ruffled grass, but she was coming into her own as a hunter. Fortunately, Snuffy was also there, and she'd already had her scent and had her nose pressed to the ground a foot or so out in front.
Of course, he expected no less when her guardian was none other than a Dalish. Much like Ithilian, though he was unaware of it himself, his brow had hiccuped when he heard that she was tracking a mountain lion. It was dangerous prey, but he reminded himself that that was why they were there... And that she was Lia. She'd be fine. "You've taught her well," Ashton mentioned to Ithilian.
Ithilian was inclined to agree. He wouldn't have consented to this if he had thought Lia wasn't capable of it, and while he was not her father and it was ultimately not his choice, he imagined Lia would probably have accepted his wish, one way or another. Look around, her trail was not uncertain or meandering. She knew where she was going, and she was headed there with a purpose.
"There is one thing that must be cleared up," Emerion said after they'd walked a while in silence. His voice was quieter now, as he didn't want to risk disturbing anything they might come across. "The process of preparing the vallaslin is partially a magical one. There is a reason we can only now perform the ritual, after I arrived here. I trust you can put two and two together."
He paused for a moment, examining a waist-high bush. "I know nothing about you, Ashton Riviera, only that a sixteen-year-old girl asked for you to be here, and my oldest friend allowed it. I'm sure you'll understand the need for caution, on my part. The shemlen don't take kindly to magic walking around unchained." He returned to his full height, and carried on, expecting the two behind him to follow.
"I'll need you to keep this to yourself."
"You're not telling me anything I don't already see," Ashton said quietly with a sigh. A lot, if not most of his friends were magically inclined, including one that used to be. Nos had the privilege of a Warden which allowed her to be free from Templar scrutiny. Sparrow and Aurora were not so fortunate however, but they did manage to slide by. And if they could, so could Emerion.
Still, as a guard he felt the pressure that the Templars were pressing them with. With the Viscount's seat empty, and Sophia moving into Lowtown, there was a power vacuum. Politics had no place in a hunt though so he opted not to bore anyone by mentioning it. He didn't report to the Templars anyway. "I'm not a Templar, so magic isn't part of my duties. You have my word, no one will find out from me."
"I can vouch for him, there," Ithilian added, offering Ashton a nod. "If he were the type to take issue with magic out of Circles, I think I would have noticed by now." Not only was Ashton not against mages, he was quite wrapped up in magic, though it was easy to see it was not Nostariel's magic he was attracted to, but the woman who wielded it. It didn't seem like a necessary detail to add. The First's secret was safe with him, and that was enough.
There was no time to discuss it further, however, as once they crested the next rise they came into sight of their destination. A rocky cliffside rose before them, dotted with hardier looking trees and bushes than the rest of the forest, the ridgeline dotted with caves here and there. Lia sat near the base, leaning back against the mountain lion that she had felled, the arrow already removed from where it had struck the creature in the chest cavity. She looked quite tired, but entirely unharmed. She'd been out in the woods since dawn, so the tiredness was to be expected. Ithilian cracked a small grin at the sight.
"I figured I'd wait for you guys here," Lia explained, a smile etched on her face as well. "Knew you wouldn't be long, and this way, someone else can carry him back with us." She rose to greet them, slapping dirt off her leggings. "What do you say, Ash? Are you jealous yet? How long's it been since you hunted something that didn't have just two legs, and stink like Darktown?"
"What's that? I couldn't hear you over the sound of this bear scar," Ashton said, indicating to the mostly faded slash across the side of his face. There was an embarrassing story behind the scar, one that he declined to tell at the moment. Despite the teasing, there was a purely affectionate tone and a hint of pride danced across his features. Even Snuffy was happy for her, trotting to her wagging her tail enthusiastically and barking.
"She says you did a great job," he translated with a wink. "And I have to agree."
"Well done," Emerion said, nodding at her. "Consider the first test passed. Let's return to the city, shall we?" No one objected, and Ithilian volunteered to sling the carcass over his back, though not before he gave Lia a squeeze on the shoulder. He said nothing, for there was nothing really that needed to be said. He was proud of her, and she knew it.
After making their way out of the forest and back to Kirkwall's Alienage, they gathered at Ithilian's house, though Emerion departed briefly to prepare the vallaslin for application. After stringing up the carcass, and glancing to where Lia sat somewhat nervously awaiting Emerion's return, Ithilian turned to Ashton.
"I'm afraid this is where you'll have to leave us. This part is for Lia and Emerion alone, and whether he says it or not, he doesn't want you near this. No Keeper would, I don't think." He offered his hand for a shake. "I appreciate you coming out to the forest for this, though. It meant a lot to Lia."
"Just trying to make you all wistful for the good old days when you didn't have to lug that ugly plate around," the elven girl called from her chair, grinning. "But yeah, thanks."
"Ah, don't even worry about it, it was nothing. If she wanted me there, then I'd be there." He didn't mention that he had swapped out to a night patrol with the guard in order to be there today, but truthfully it was an easy choice. He'd always try to find the time for his most favorite people in the world, Lia included. Ashton gripped the offered hand, gave it a firm shake and a grinning nod.
He then moved to shoulder his bow and quiver, but before leaving he offered a parting shot. "If you keep hunting like you did today, I might actually start to miss it all," he said to Lia. "Who knows, you might even get as good as I am one day. Maybe."
With a laugh, he beckoned to Snuffy and with a wave and a farewell bark, they departed.
Emerion returned not long after, carrying a bucket of water, several smaller bowls in his other hand, a clean cloth draped over one shoulder. After these items, and more beneath his cloak, were set upon the table next to Lia, he took a long breath through his nose. "First we will clean and purify the skin as best we are able, then you must meditate on our gods, to determine which will watch over you in the years to come. Applying the vallaslin will be painful. You must not cry out if you can avoid it. Are you ready?"
"Yes," she answered, nodding. Emerion then turned to Ithilian.
"This will take some time, but I expect she'll do quite well. I'll come find you when it's done." Ithilian nodded, clapping his old friend on the shoulder as thanks before taking his leave. This was not an opportunity Lia would have had if Emerion had not chosen to come to Kirkwall. He was glad for it.
The idea had come on in less than a night, starting with Emerion, not to Ithilian's surprise. He hadn't even considered it before Lia approached him and asked if she might be eligible to receive the vallaslin, the blood writing. At first he wasn't sure why she would ask, as he had no knowledge of how to perform the ritual, nor the supplies needed, but then he remembered that his friend would have been taught just these things. It wasn't hard to make the jump and figure out that Emerion was the one who suggested the idea to Lia.
Ithilian could see no reason not to let her try. He'd gotten his own writing even younger, and Lia was a fine huntress, with two more years of experience than he'd had at the time, experience that did not just include hunting. She'd seen far more of the world than he had as a teenager, in terms of experiences. And if she failed in the process of actually receiving the writing, she could always try again.
So with his blessing, they made plans for the following morning. It was Lia who suggested Ashton should be there as well. Normally Ithilian would have denied the request; it was an elven ritual, Ashton was a human, and Emerion wouldn't like it, but Ashton had become very important to Lia, even if she didn't like to show it lately, with his decision to join the guard. If it was important to her, it was important to him, too.
And thus the hunt was arranged. Lia would need to make a kill on a predator on her own. The three of them would follow her trail, to be near in the event that she required help. After that, they would return to the Alienage and prepare for the ritual. With Emerion in sight up ahead, Ithilian spoke softly to Ashton, at his side.
"He's not happy about you being here. He may hide that well, or he may not. Just... be careful what you say. I've never known how to predict Emerion." The First wasn't one to always say what he felt, unlike Ithilian. It was a skill he'd never been interested in acquiring.
"I'll try not to do anything that'd get me stabbed," Ashton replied in the midst of a flashback to his first meeting with Ithilian. Funnily enough, that too had been in the forest during a hunt with Lia. There was no Snuffy, and only one Dalish then, he thought, glancing down at her loping beside him. Truthfully, he didn't even know why he was there. Lia had asked for him to be there of course, but from what he gathered what he was to be a part of was usually a strictly Dalish thing. Something that a human, or shem as he'd heard the term tossed around before, rarely, if ever, set eyes on. Obviously he was honored that Lia thought of him and that Ithilian allowed it. Still, to say that he felt out of place was an understatement.
He at least thought better of wearing the plate of guardsman mail. The armor wouldn't be welcomed for what they had in mind, and not only that but it wasn't the right thing to wear in a hunt. In comparison the brown leathers he wore felt as light as a feather around his shoulders and he'd almost forgotten the maneuverability they'd offered. He wasn't the only one looking like the part of the hunter. He'd taken the time to prep Snuffy for the outing with a layer of kaddis. Black lines stretched horizontally down the length of her back while a single white line was drawn vertically over them. It served to differentiate her from another animal. One that didn't have such a snuffly nose.
Hell, he'd almost forgotten what it was like to actually go on a hunt that didn't involve the head of a burgler or bandit at the end of it. His uncle would've probably thrown a fit to hear that, but fortunately the old man was on an entirely different continent.
Ithilian was tempted to correct him on the stabbing comment, though he knew it was merely a jest. Emerion would be more the kind to cause roots to spring up from the forest floor and surrounding him, trapping Ashton in a thorny prison for a couple of days. Ithilian had yet to see what magical abilities his friend from youth had picked up in their time apart, but even when they'd known each other he was skilled at handling his magic. He wouldn't do anything while Ithilian was around, but he just wanted to make sure he didn't get any ideas about coming back to pay him a visit later.
"I took the liberty of following her trail in a ways," Emerion called when they came close enough. "If I'm not mistaken, she's tracking down a mountain lion." Ithilian's brow furrowed slightly, but he reminded himself not to worry. Lia was more than capable of bringing down dangerous prey, and he was confident she'd be able to do it without suffering the same kind of serious injury he himself, fool that he'd been, had suffered. Emerion gestured for the two of them to follow.
"Let's do the introductions while we walk, shall we?" He headed off into the forest, walking along the subtle trail that Lia and her prey had both left behind. "My name is Emerion. And you're the important shem?"
"I guess, though you're being far too kind. I'm just a friend." There was the word again, shem, but this time it managed to garner Ashton's attention that it would had it been said by Ithilian or Lia. The way that this Emerion said it reminded him of the way Ithilian used to say it. Still, to him it was just another fancy word for human and like many things he let it roll off of his back. "Mine is Ashton Riviera, though my friends call me Ash." He wouldn't bet that Emerion would be calling him Ash any time soon, though, but it was polite to try. Thoughout the exchange, Ashton eyes darted between him and the trail in front of them.
"Ashton Riviera," Emerion repeated, as though testing the way the words tasted on his tongue. "Welcome." It wasn't as though this was his forest, and indeed, Ashton had hunted in it more than either of the elves he was with, but considering the circumstances, it did seem as though he was the outsider here.
Either Ashton was getting rusty or Lia was getting better, (or more like a combination of both) but the trail that she left behind was light with hardly any footprints besides that of the mountain lion. Obviously, there were still enough to follow her. A twig broken, a patch of ruffled grass, but she was coming into her own as a hunter. Fortunately, Snuffy was also there, and she'd already had her scent and had her nose pressed to the ground a foot or so out in front.
Of course, he expected no less when her guardian was none other than a Dalish. Much like Ithilian, though he was unaware of it himself, his brow had hiccuped when he heard that she was tracking a mountain lion. It was dangerous prey, but he reminded himself that that was why they were there... And that she was Lia. She'd be fine. "You've taught her well," Ashton mentioned to Ithilian.
Ithilian was inclined to agree. He wouldn't have consented to this if he had thought Lia wasn't capable of it, and while he was not her father and it was ultimately not his choice, he imagined Lia would probably have accepted his wish, one way or another. Look around, her trail was not uncertain or meandering. She knew where she was going, and she was headed there with a purpose.
"There is one thing that must be cleared up," Emerion said after they'd walked a while in silence. His voice was quieter now, as he didn't want to risk disturbing anything they might come across. "The process of preparing the vallaslin is partially a magical one. There is a reason we can only now perform the ritual, after I arrived here. I trust you can put two and two together."
He paused for a moment, examining a waist-high bush. "I know nothing about you, Ashton Riviera, only that a sixteen-year-old girl asked for you to be here, and my oldest friend allowed it. I'm sure you'll understand the need for caution, on my part. The shemlen don't take kindly to magic walking around unchained." He returned to his full height, and carried on, expecting the two behind him to follow.
"I'll need you to keep this to yourself."
"You're not telling me anything I don't already see," Ashton said quietly with a sigh. A lot, if not most of his friends were magically inclined, including one that used to be. Nos had the privilege of a Warden which allowed her to be free from Templar scrutiny. Sparrow and Aurora were not so fortunate however, but they did manage to slide by. And if they could, so could Emerion.
Still, as a guard he felt the pressure that the Templars were pressing them with. With the Viscount's seat empty, and Sophia moving into Lowtown, there was a power vacuum. Politics had no place in a hunt though so he opted not to bore anyone by mentioning it. He didn't report to the Templars anyway. "I'm not a Templar, so magic isn't part of my duties. You have my word, no one will find out from me."
"I can vouch for him, there," Ithilian added, offering Ashton a nod. "If he were the type to take issue with magic out of Circles, I think I would have noticed by now." Not only was Ashton not against mages, he was quite wrapped up in magic, though it was easy to see it was not Nostariel's magic he was attracted to, but the woman who wielded it. It didn't seem like a necessary detail to add. The First's secret was safe with him, and that was enough.
There was no time to discuss it further, however, as once they crested the next rise they came into sight of their destination. A rocky cliffside rose before them, dotted with hardier looking trees and bushes than the rest of the forest, the ridgeline dotted with caves here and there. Lia sat near the base, leaning back against the mountain lion that she had felled, the arrow already removed from where it had struck the creature in the chest cavity. She looked quite tired, but entirely unharmed. She'd been out in the woods since dawn, so the tiredness was to be expected. Ithilian cracked a small grin at the sight.
"I figured I'd wait for you guys here," Lia explained, a smile etched on her face as well. "Knew you wouldn't be long, and this way, someone else can carry him back with us." She rose to greet them, slapping dirt off her leggings. "What do you say, Ash? Are you jealous yet? How long's it been since you hunted something that didn't have just two legs, and stink like Darktown?"
"What's that? I couldn't hear you over the sound of this bear scar," Ashton said, indicating to the mostly faded slash across the side of his face. There was an embarrassing story behind the scar, one that he declined to tell at the moment. Despite the teasing, there was a purely affectionate tone and a hint of pride danced across his features. Even Snuffy was happy for her, trotting to her wagging her tail enthusiastically and barking.
"She says you did a great job," he translated with a wink. "And I have to agree."
"Well done," Emerion said, nodding at her. "Consider the first test passed. Let's return to the city, shall we?" No one objected, and Ithilian volunteered to sling the carcass over his back, though not before he gave Lia a squeeze on the shoulder. He said nothing, for there was nothing really that needed to be said. He was proud of her, and she knew it.
After making their way out of the forest and back to Kirkwall's Alienage, they gathered at Ithilian's house, though Emerion departed briefly to prepare the vallaslin for application. After stringing up the carcass, and glancing to where Lia sat somewhat nervously awaiting Emerion's return, Ithilian turned to Ashton.
"I'm afraid this is where you'll have to leave us. This part is for Lia and Emerion alone, and whether he says it or not, he doesn't want you near this. No Keeper would, I don't think." He offered his hand for a shake. "I appreciate you coming out to the forest for this, though. It meant a lot to Lia."
"Just trying to make you all wistful for the good old days when you didn't have to lug that ugly plate around," the elven girl called from her chair, grinning. "But yeah, thanks."
"Ah, don't even worry about it, it was nothing. If she wanted me there, then I'd be there." He didn't mention that he had swapped out to a night patrol with the guard in order to be there today, but truthfully it was an easy choice. He'd always try to find the time for his most favorite people in the world, Lia included. Ashton gripped the offered hand, gave it a firm shake and a grinning nod.
He then moved to shoulder his bow and quiver, but before leaving he offered a parting shot. "If you keep hunting like you did today, I might actually start to miss it all," he said to Lia. "Who knows, you might even get as good as I am one day. Maybe."
With a laugh, he beckoned to Snuffy and with a wave and a farewell bark, they departed.
Emerion returned not long after, carrying a bucket of water, several smaller bowls in his other hand, a clean cloth draped over one shoulder. After these items, and more beneath his cloak, were set upon the table next to Lia, he took a long breath through his nose. "First we will clean and purify the skin as best we are able, then you must meditate on our gods, to determine which will watch over you in the years to come. Applying the vallaslin will be painful. You must not cry out if you can avoid it. Are you ready?"
"Yes," she answered, nodding. Emerion then turned to Ithilian.
"This will take some time, but I expect she'll do quite well. I'll come find you when it's done." Ithilian nodded, clapping his old friend on the shoulder as thanks before taking his leave. This was not an opportunity Lia would have had if Emerion had not chosen to come to Kirkwall. He was glad for it.