The man was quiet for a long time, seemingly agitated and folding and unfolding his arms. He fell still, closing his eyes for a moment and she wondered if it was something she had said that had seemed to cause him discomfort. She couldn't think of anything offensive though and so turned back to the pot, stirring a moment and staring down at the simmering liquid.
The fire crackled beneath and over the smell of the burning wood was the scent of herbs and meat. When he spoke finally she was almost startled and glanced over her shoulder at him, blinking as her eyes adjusted away from the light of the fire.
"Well I suppose you did not have much of a choice in how your life would play out. Not living in a country where the Chantry is law, at least. I guess I don't always think of mages as fighters though, despite knowing the spells can be quite effective offensively. I wouldn't say you're unsuited, but I think if you had a choice, you might have done something differently with your life? Some people are born to fight, others less so. But still, you came here for a reason. You must want to help." She offered him a smile, uncertain of what to say to the man. She didn't know if she would offend him with her words or questions, but they were going to be working together after all. It seemed only natural that she should try and get to know the man, at least in some fashion. Not that she was looking to be buddy-buddy with all those she found herself in a traveling party with, but trust was necessary when you were putting your life in one another's hands.
She nodded at his comments upon Ferelden's climate, the dampness. But she felt a twinge of sorrow at his words of observing the world from the other side of a window. Mages in this land had so little in the way of rights; to be locked away in a tower and constantly watched. It seemed many around her were affected by this; she had met and seen apostates on her journey, some she only suspected were mages as they had to hide their abilities from the world. Ser Ordhan had lost his sister to the tower years ago and never been allowed to see her again. How unfair that was. Jarred from her thoughts again by his question she nodded again.
"I have become a traveler, in the past two and a half years. Before that I lived my whole life in my little village. It was somewhat a shock when I first found myself out in the world. But now I have become familiar with it. I suppose Ferelden is comfortable to me because it is the most like home. But I haven't traveled very far."