bethen avilla ; the circle mage (bethe) wrote in thedas,
The story had drawn tension into Bethen, even though the ending was obviously known. Maybe it was in the masterful way that the sister told her tale, which was much more personal than the levity in the woman's tone seemed to imply, but Deidre had her full attention, and for a moment she was even in suspense over how the young woman had survived. The mention of a Chasind shaman was a curiosity -- that Alderic had put Dee's life ahead of his duty was not entirely unexpected of his character, but he was one of the favored examples of the brotherhood. The Knight-Commander hadn't chosen the weakest representatives of his order to undergo the Joining. That Alderic had risked seeking the aid of an apostate before was something she had been unaware of, and she wondered briefly if there had been consequences for it.
But it was a detail that was swept away in light of Dee's final remark. The mage hesitated at the open door, uncertain just how much she was allowed to say, but comfortable enough that she could trust Dee. She nodded in affirmation, "We are now, after the-- Yes. We carry the Taint now, and in conquering that, we have immunity to their toxins...at least, for now." The latter reflection slipped out as an afterthought; Beth realized quickly that she probably shouldn't have said it, though did not make any physical indication of her regret. It was better to simply let the comment pass, and hope that Dee wouldn't notice. The mortality of the recruits had already been contemplated enough by their friends recently that it didn't seem worth it to bring up new worries, no matter their validity.
After the Joining, the Warden-Commander had said something very important, and while others might have glossed over it in the flow of the rest of his inspiring speech, Beth had a habit of latching on to the details. Your lives...they may have been shortened, he'd said. At the time, she didn't know what he meant precisely, only that it made sense because they had just swallowed poison and that couldn't possibly have done any good to their health. But in the day following, Beth had done her research. The information wasn't in some Grey Warden handbook, but tucked away in old journals and logs kept by past Warden-Commanders. In those dusty, fragile tomes, likely unread by anyone in years, were repeated references to an event known as the Calling. Some accounts were more detailed than others, but by the time she had gotten tired of sifting through the entries, a fairly clear portrait of their future had been painted for her.
While they sat through their briefing, Bethen had pondered why none of their leaders mentioned this, but she could answer her own question. It was the same as why they kept the Joining a secret; if they fully understood their commitment, would that have helped their already fatigued morale? Perhaps the truth should have troubled her more, but she found herself indifferent. Death was inevitable. It could happen in thirty years, or the next day. She didn't fear it, but she understood that not everyone shared her perspective.
In that thought, Beth turned to her companion with a sudden grin, "You are, and I mean this in the best way possible, insanely brave, Dee Aisli." The admiration and appreciation was evident in her voice and bright expression. "To have crossed paths and blade with them once, and to come with us on this mission to face them again... Not many people have that kind of courage." She paused, waiting for Dee to follow inside, "Quite selfishly, I was very glad to find out that you would be traveling with us. I would've been disappointed if we parted ways so soon, having finally met you after years of wondering...well, I told you about that already." Her smile had turned sheepish at that point, though she could hardly believe that she once thought Dee to be imaginary in any way.
"Ladies! Welcome, welcome. How can I help you today?" came the loud voice of the proprietor, perhaps the Jaswont of the shop's sign, easily catching the mage's attention. The store itself was unoccupied by any other clients, though it was certainly crowded with many other objects and one other employee. Beth glanced to Dee, allowing her to take the lead in this situation.