He watched curiously as Lalin approached them, her attention obviously focused on Falina. He tried to ignore them, reluctant to appear as if he was eavesdropping, but it was impossible not to hear Falina's stuttered reply to Lalin's request. His heart sank and he tightened his grip on the helmet in his hand, knuckles white with the pressure. He slid his eyes back to meet Falina's and saw the desperate shame that burned in her gaze. She couldn't read...what was Lalin thinking, asking her? He reined in his temper, narrowing his eyes down at the grass that poked up between his feet. It was her secret to share or hide, and not his place to draw attention to her inability, no matter how much her flaming face was like a fist to the gut.
When she moved off his gaze tracked her, watching as she trailed behind Lalin towards the crumpled body of an elf lying near Ordhan and the others, the last of its lifeblood having pumped out long before. He lingered at his tree, fighting back the urge to follow her. He was determined to let her stand on her own, to not undermine her in front of this group of people that were obviously looking to her for assistance, for guidance. Lalin had been smart in coming to Falina, he could see how volatile this situation had quickly become, and if Lalin's mutterings about Tevinter and slavery held even an ounce of truth things could get ugly indeed. The tension was split cleanly down racial lines at the moment, and there were precious few neutral players in this scene. A dwarf was an excellent option.
His resolution fell apart though when he saw her rise from the body some time later, a small scrap of paper rustling in her fingers as her hand shook and she plodded over towards Ordhan. Her shoulders were slumped and every step was slowly measured, as if her shame was a physical weight that bore down upon her. He couldn't stand by and watch her mortification be put on public display, for others to ridicule. It may not be an big deal to any of them, but it was to her - he could tell, by the intent way she had studied the words he carefully spelled out for her, the evenings they had spent by the campfire watching her laboriously copy the letters of the alphabet in the dirt at their feet, concentration furrowing her brows as she studied the lines of each character. Literacy was something that had taken on a meaning far more important that just the ability to read, for her.
Shoving away from the tree with a sigh, Cormac stalked across the space that separated them, making it to Falina's side just as she came close to Ordhan and Lalin. Let the rest of the group bitch him out later for interfering - he couldn't witness this without acting.
Leaning over, he plucked the letter from her loose grasp, making sure to keep his hand away from his body and visible. He didn't want to give anyone the opportunity to accuse him of sleight of hand and so he held the paper by one corner, far from his gauntlets or other hand. He cast about desperately for another solution to this problem, some other neutral party that seemed educated enough to read. He'd do it himself, if he thought the elves present would believe him, but he knew that was a fuse he didn't want to light.
The Qunari caught his eye, and he strode over towards Karashok, holding the letter out in one hand. "You should read it, Karashok...out loud for us all. Your voice is much stronger than Falina's, and this way we will all hear." He came to a stop before the tall man, the paper before him like a peace offering. He had never even so much as exchanged a word with the Qunari warrior, and Cormac had no idea how the man would react to his request. But he was willing to focus the attention and ire on himself if it meant that Falina would never, ever again wear that crumpled scarlet look on her face again. He put as much entreaty into his eyes as he was capable of and hissed soft words, below his breath, almost too quiet to hear. He hoped the Qunari picked them up. "She cannot read. Please, Karashok." A defiant pride lifted his chin as he stared up at the man, daring the giant to refuse his request. Perhaps Karashok would swat his plea aside...perhaps he would ignore it. But for her sake, Cormac was willing to risk it.