Breaking the Divide (remastered) - Cullen Rutherford

Chapter 19: Unwritten, Unsaid

Kaitlyn stared across the campfire, hearing but not really processing the conversation. Mai and Fenris. Asalla and Alistair. A light giggle escaped her and Kaitlyn coughed in an attempt to cover the sound while her mind screamed in a continuous loop. Questions burned on her tongue until she was squirming, but most of all: how could the Wardens dare turn on their own Commander?

Kaitlyn shifted forward, gathering the will to ask when she realized Alistair and Mai were talking.

"—been a while since Kirkwall," Mai said.

"Not long enough it seems," Alistair returned with a dim smile. His arm was wrapped around Asalla while she slept, her head not quite reaching his shoulder. He tucked her closer against his side and readjusted the blanket draped over her and their Mabari. She murmured in her sleep, deep lines growing in her face when she frowned. His arm tightened around her. Leaning in so that his lips were beside her ear, Alistair whispered something before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. The lines lessened but didn't disappear.

"Is she all right?" Kaitlyn moved closer, hoping she hadn't spoken out of turn. She turned to her pack and began rifling through it. "There's a local tea I bought before we made camp—it's supposed to help with nightmares."

"No need," Alistair said. "It's the Calling. There's no tea that can help with that—believe me, I've looked into it."

"Calling?" Kaitlyn frowned.

"You—" Alistair stared at her a moment before looking to the corner of Caer Bronach where Blackwall had been sitting not ten minutes before. "I'm surprised Ser Blackwall didn't explain."

"He doesn't talk much about the inner workings of the Wardens."

"No, I suppose he wouldn't." Alistair's expression flickered in the firelight—dark and pensive one moment, a light carefree smile the next. "The Calling is part of being a Warden, Inquisitor. We're connected to the Darkspawn, more literally than any of us would like. And, eventually, that connection poisons us. It starts with bad dreams. Then... whispers. It calls to you, quiet at the start, then it grows so loud that you can't bear it another day. This Corypheus you spoke of in your letters, Hawke; the darkspawn you faced, Inquisitor—ever since his return, every Warden has been hearing their Calling. Damned annoying, frankly."

Mai shifted closer until she was at the fire's edge. "Every Warden. Are you sure?"

"Quite sure." Alistair gave her a sympathetic smile. "Has your brother not contacted you?"

"No. Not yet."

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Perhaps the Inquisition could help," Kaitlyn said. "We have agents everywhere and we're growing every day. If anyone could find him, it'd be Leliana."

"Leliana?" Alistair asked before Mai could speak. "Red hair, blue eyes, sings a lot but you suspect she has a dagger pointed at you."

"You know her?"

He chuckled softly and rested his head on top of Asalla's. "I knew her. A long time ago. Forgive me, Hawke: I hadn't meant to interrupt you."

"It's all right," Mai said. Her hands were balled into fists on her knees, face pale.

"We'll find Carver," Kaitlyn told her. "The Warden, the Champion, and the Inquisitor all working together? We'll definitely find him."

"Don't forget me," Varric's voice came from one of the nearby tents.

"And Varric, too, of course," Kaitlyn added, voice louder than necessary. She smiled when he made a grunt of agreement.

Mai laughed, hands slowly relaxing.