Preparations Who: All of Group 1 left behind at Redcliffe Where: Redcliffe When: 29 Molioris, late evening Summary: Danger lurks within the shadows. Status: In progress Rating: G so far
It had turned out to be a rather disappointing day. While some of their party had volunteered to go hunt down a darkspawn lead, those who had remained in Redcliffe had been on the lookout, half expecting an attack at any time. Ashya had been busy - mainly with turning the herbs that Lee and herself had gathered on their journey into poultices and potions. Others, she knew, had their own share of duties - some involved helping with watches, and she recalled Noah being asked to take care of some injured. She hadn't seen some of them nearly all day, ever since the volunteers had left for the Kelly Orchards.
The thought of going darkspawn hunting still made her queasy. She had been glad to stay behind, to prepare poultices instead of heading straight into what was probably an entire nest of darkspawn. Ashya wondered how they were faring - she'd thought they would be back before sundown. But no one seemed unduly anxious, not more so than usual. Everyone seemed to have creases of worry etched permanently into their brows, but no one was panicking quite yet. The worry was hardly a surprise, not after the tales she'd heard about the last Blight from the very villagers who had lived through the attacks.
The stories had, rather than terrified her, energised her. But it wasn't lust for battle that made her blood sing, or a thirst for glory - it was a passing mention of Jowan. The tales of monsters streaming from the castle had included vague mentions of a poisoner, someone within Redcliffe castle. She'd pestered the ancient villager who'd recounted the tale until it was obvious that rumours were all that the man remembered. On questioning others, Ashya was unable to obtain any more information, other than a whisper of how it had been thought the old Arlessa had invited the very snake that had almost killed her husband to her bed. Frustrated at being unable to uncover anything else, the girl had resolved to let the matter lie until she managed to get more information from the castle itself. Surely someone was bound to remember. Hopefully Jowan's fate, if nothing else.
And now it was dark, the day nearly over. Ashya had gone to her room, ready to retire, when it occurred to her that she was hardly going to get the chance to go to the castle on her own without raising eyebrows. Questions, at the very least, which might lead to her having to explain herself to her companions which included two templars, even if one of them was a close friend. She didn't want to have to create any more lies - it would be easy to get caught in her own invented stories. So she simply snuck out of the window of her room at the inn.
Her room's other companion, Imenry, had readily volunteered to go hunting, allowing her to do as she pleased. Back in civilisation, Ashya felt no qualms about being alone any more, so she was unfazed by the darkness outside. The blackness was relieved only by torches, lone sentinels casting small pools of light with their flickering flames. It was deserted - everyone was safely holed up inside, excluding those on watch on the fringes of the village and patrolling the streets. But no one was here now. She was completely alone.
The girl found herself skulking down the dark parts of the road, conscious of the emptiness of her surroundings. There was no elder mage to accompany her, no watchful templar guarding her every move. In the darkness, she wasn't even sure anyone would haven been able to tell her robes from a peasant's dress. It reminded her of Desi, how easily he had been able to vanish simply by taking off his robes - but escape was not her goal, not tonight. There was much to do before she could do that - if she even really wanted to.
Shaking her head to dismiss such thoughts, the girl continued down the road. A sudden breeze made her shiver, and she stopped suddenly, her skin prickling with goosebumps. Something didn't feel right, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Was it her imagination? She looked around, once, twice - the shadows flickered but it was just the breeze, making the flames dance wildly.
After all, how could darkspawn have gotten through the net of men on guard? She had to get a hold of herself. Ashya dropped her arms determinedly to her sides, arms that had lifted up protectively of their own volition at the first hint of fear. The castle - and hopefully the information she sought - awaited her.
A short distance away, dark eyes glittered unseen in the shadows.