Kaitlyn and Wendell were forced to leave their horses tied up just outside the Dalish camp. While she wasn’t thrilled at the idea, their two escorts, lithe male elves who appeared to be much more muscular and healthier that their city dwelling brethren, insisted that the large animals might upset the halla. 

Kaitlyn wasn’t sure what she had expected a Dalish camp to look like. She’d never seen one first hand and only had heard rumors, most convoluted by racism. The camp itself was clean and seemed to be well organized. Beautiful, intricately carved aravels created an outer ring around several camp fires. Everyone was moving about, working on a task, although most paused to shoot her and Wendell angry looks as they passed by. It was clear that their escorts where leading them to a centralized tent that more than likely was owned by the Keeper.

Kaitlyn’s scanned around the area as her eyes adjusted to the dimmer light. An older male elf looked to be consoling a young woman. [i]”Wait, no,”[/i] Kaitlyn’s mind raced, [i]”That can’t be too her! She’s much too old.”[/i] She had been expected the mage the Dalish had been harboring to be a young child, ten at the most, but the person in front of her was clearly an adult. 

“Andaran atish’an”, the Keeper said when he noticed the Templar and her companion.

“Ma serannas,” Kaitlyn said and placed a fist over her heart. Although she had practiced the words many times on the ride over, she knew she had mangled them significantly. “I am Knight-Corporal McKarth. This is my companion Wendell Ethengaurd.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Wendell pronounced and bowed low at the waist. As always his voice was flat and lifeless. Those words were only words, a simple habit of his previous life.

“I must say I expected someone much younger,” Kaitlyn said, still fully focused on the Keeper. “Had we know she was so old…” Kaitlyn struggled with how to express her immense irritation at the situation. Didn’t the Keeper know he was putting everyone’s lives in danger? Maybe the elves had some sort of secret ritual to keep the daemons away. Still, they were days away from the Circle with hordes dark spawn lurking in between. Kaitlyn had expected to escort a placid child, not a ticking time bomb.