In Search of a Wolf - The Elves of Fen'Harel Book 1 (Dragon Age)

The Assignment

To give her friends credit, not a single one asked her what Solas had wanted. They saw the rose in her hands, saw her disappear to her room, and then appear later to wolf down a meal. The change was for the better, and she was smiling again, though that smile was bittersweet. It was well into the evening when Diranni finally came to see them. Her face was carefully blank, but they could all see her looking at Laisa with wary curiosity. "Lemrian, you're joining the mansion staff as a guard and hunter. You'll live here and help provide for those here and those passing through. It's a quiet posting, but in an emergency, you'll be the last line of defense."

"I'm happy with that." Lemrian smiled around at them all. Laisa grinned to herself, and sent a silent thought of gratitude to Solas. He had promised to keep her brother safe, and so he had.

"Nanin and Alaran," Diranni continued, "The Agent has requested that the two of you be sent together to the ruins in the Exalted Plains: the place we call Dirthavaren. Our agents there have requested more help, and you will be briefed privately by me and leave at dawn."

"So soon?" Alaran sucked in a breath.

"Arill will be staying here. There are mages here who can train her. Laisa," Diranni gave her yet another odd look. "The Agent has requested that you stay here a while until you're well. He'll be leaving on business in the morning."

"I understand." Laisa nodded.

"I just wanted to say before we split up," Diranni said awkwardly, "I've recruited a lot of elves, but you lot are the weirdest and most brilliant." She laughed, and suddenly seemed so much less intimidating.

Saying goodbye to Nanin was hard. She rose before dawn with her brother, hugging her friend and Alaran over and over. They had been through so much together. It seemed so wrong to be saying goodbye. She steeled herself. Her life had been an endless series of goodbyes. This was just another. "You take care, da'len." He insisted, "Wherever they send you. And one day, when elves rule the world, maybe we'll be together again." He laughed.

"Maybe we will." She smiled, "And we'll find Arana again."

"She won't believe any of this." He shook his head. She had not told any of the others what she knew: that they were working towards their own deaths in the name of glory.

*

It seemed so quiet in the mansion without her friends. Lemrian was gone most of the time with his duties, though they would eat together on an evening. Arill was happier than Laisa had ever seen her, learning with gifted elven mages. Diranni had disappeared again, and so had Solas. The other elves spoke of him in awestruck voices, and Laisa smiled to herself when they did.

Alone, she rested, haunting the hallways like a ghost, until she put on weight and grew stronger. Solas's rose never died, which terrified and thrilled her simultaneously. His power was beyond anything she had ever known, and he had created it purely on a whim for her.

Eventually Diranni reappeared and summoned her with orders. "It's not a long trip." She told Laisa in private, "It's still in the Emerald Graves. You'll be joining a team of three who will meet you at the drop point. Your orders have been sent ahead, but your role within the team is to compile reports and evidence, and send them back to me via one of our couriers, and be the general organizer of the other three agents. Are you well enough to leave in the morning?"

"Yes." Laisa nodded, "I'm looking forward to it."

"You'll need a code name but you can sort it out with the others."