Acceptance ch26

26. Famous Last Words

"So, explain," Velanna demanded, crossing her arms and not-quite glaring at the blond farm boy who stood before them.

James wedged his torch into a wall crevice. "I..." He hesitated, grimaced, ran his hand through his hair again. "I just wanted to help them."

"Them?" Jerin pressed. "Who do you by 'them'?"

"There's two of them. The... man didn't talk much and kept his face covered. But his friend explained that he has scars he's ashamed of, and his voice... well, it hurts him to talk. An' Ed's pa doesn't talk much on account of gettin' caught in a barn fire a year or so back, so I figured it made sense."

"Why do they need help?" Velanna cut in before he could ramble further.

"The girl had been taking care of gettin' them supplies, since she doesn't look so, y'know, scary. But she got sick, and he's been tryin' to provide for them without scarin' people, which means sneakin' stuff at night-"

"Stealing, in a other words."

James made a face at Velanna's accusation, but didn't deny it. "Only enough to survive."

"And does his... foraging have anything to do with the signs of darkspawn taint in the area?" Jerin asked, not at all surprised when James noticeably hesitated before answering.

"I dunno... maybe?" he mumbled, shoulders hunching defensively. He kicked at a pebble.

"James." 

"Probably, alright? For all I know, his scars are from a darkspawn, an' maybe he has their taint enough to spread it..."

"James, we can't help you if you keep lying to us," Velanna said bluntly.

"Yes, fine, he's a darkspawn!" James blurted in frustration. "But he's different! He's not like the normal ones, the ones that... that killed my pa. And the girl wouldn't've stuck with him so long if he was all bad."

"Why has she stuck with him?" Jerin interjected.

"I dunno, I didn't ask for their life stories or anything," James muttered. "Whatever her reasons, she's very... gentle. With him, with me."

Velanna frowned. "With you?"

He nodded. "Let's just say she's the first Dalish I've met--aside from you two--who didn't try to kill me on sight. Then again, you looked pretty ready just n-"

"What was her name?" Velanna demanded, face white in the torch's glow.

"Huh?"

"Her name, James. Did you ever hear the Dalish girl's name??" She grabbed his arm and stared intently at him.

"Velanna, what-" Jerin began, but she held up one finger in an impatient silencing gesture.

"I didn't..." James sighed and bit his lip in thought. "Senni, Sera, something like that-"

"Seranni?" the mage supplied, fingers digging into his arm.

"Yeah, maybe... You're hurtin' my arm, an' I got work to do later, so maybe you could let go?" He pulled against her grip, and Velanna released him.

She was still pale, but something that looked like excitement colored her eyes. "Can... can you take us to her, do you know where she is?"

James eyed her skeptically. "Yeah, sure, I'll lead two Grey Wardens to the elf girl and the harmless darkspawn I found. I know how that will end."

"She's my sister, you idiot!" Velanna snapped. "I've been looking for her for almost three years and if you know where she is, I need you to show me!"

Jerin rested a hand on her arm, trying to calm her enough she didn't accidentally light James on fire. She shook him off.

"You two don't look like sisters," the blond muttered sulkily, rubbing his arm.

"And you resemble all of your brothers?" she shot back.

"Good point," he conceded. "Describe her... tattoo thing for me-" a vague gesture at her vallaslin- "and I'll take you to her." She did so in short order, and James nodded. "Alright, then. Follow me."

oOo 

It took long enough to get out here that when we don't immediately find Velanna and Jerin, I refuse to turn around and leave without looking for them first. "I mean, you heard Eddin; this is the only cave in the grove. This has to be where they were going."

"Then why aren't they here?" Jowan points out as she stand in the mouth of the cave, a cautious bloom of light emanating from his staff.

"I don't know, that's why I want to look around," I explain. "Maybe they wound up tracking the darkspawn and left a clue so we can follow them."

"Something like that?" He points at the arrow scorched into the wall.

"Yep, that'll do," I confirm, approaching the wall. "Velanna must've done this... Now, where are you pointing..." It doesn't seem to be aiming anywhere, except along the wall. Until we walk closer, the shadows shifting as the angle of Jowan's staff light changes. That's when I see the fissure in the wall, just wide enough to slip through. "Oh, damn."

"What?" One of Jowan's eyebrows arcs in confusion, until he sees the small space. "Ah. Well, if they were following a full-size hurlock darkspawn, you'll definitely fit." I punch his arm. "Ow!"

"Okay, but how well am I gonna fit?  What're the chances we get stuck? What if we can't find them? What-"

"Rahna, Rahna, breathe." He goes down on one knee so we're more eye level, cupping the side of my face with his free hand. "Deep breath, in and out. Just focus on me."

I follow the instructions, pulling in several deep breaths as I concentrate on his face. Girl could get lost in those eyes if she let herself... I let myself, and it helps. Gradually the encroaching claustrophobia fades away. I brush a kiss against his cheek. "Thanks, love."

"Don't mention it." A lopsided grin. "I need you to be the fearless leader."

I laugh weakly. "That may be trickier than usual this time."

His thumb rubs against my cheek. "I have faith in you." He kisses my forehead as he stands and takes my hand. "Besides, you've got me. What could possibly go wrong?"

I giggle, this one sounding more real. "Famous last words, right?"

"I think I'm offended," he teases.

"Don't be," I return, eyeing the narrow gap. "I'd say the same thing to anyone."

"Aw, and here I thought I was special..."

I know exactly what he's doing with this steady stream of banter, and I appreciate the distraction. But we have to go through that hole in the wall sooner or later. Might as well get it over with.

"C'mon. I think you're skinny enough, you shouldn't have a problem," I rib. He just makes a face at me as the two of us inch through the fissure. 

We do both fit without too much trouble, and I'm greatly relieved by two things once we're through: the narrow tunnel doesn't stay narrow for long, and there's a clearly visible furrow trailing down the passage, probably from Velanna's staff.

"Well, at least they'll be easy to follow," Jowan remarks glibly. "No need to worry about getting lost."

"Thank the Maker for small blessings," I snark.

We follow the trail in silence, for the most part, though I can tell Jowan is both fascinated and perturbed by the realization all the caves are probably connected. To our surprise and dismay, the furrow ends abruptly just before the passage veers off in two different directions.

"You want to split up?" Jowan asks, eyes on the ground to look for clues.

"No sodding way," I shoot back. "Let's just... pick one and see where it goes."

The one we pick doesn't go far before emptying into another cave, with a similarly tight squeeze to exit. We backtrack to check the other one, but it splits in three not far past the original Y, and I have no desire to get lost underground. I'm not happy about conceding defeat, but the claustrophobia's coming back with a vengeance so concede we do, and exit through the cave to wait and see if they reappear. Hopefully, unscathed.