The Fate of the Tainted

"Mistress Danaya isn't expected back until tomorrow, Ser, but My Lady is out on a routine area sweep. She's expected back within the hour" Favian says in his smooth voice. The firelight from the decorative chandeliers and stone carved fireplace are giving his white hair and pale pink complexion a shimmering glow. And in his glistening silver eyes you can almost see the flames reflecting like a mirror. He seems like any other elf in the service of a noble if not for his mahogany coloured leather armour and the daggers he wears on his back.
"She's already back Favian" I say in polite humour as I walk through the open doors my black leather armour shuffling as I step. Amnon, Favian's twin sister, following behind me. If I didn't know she was there I would think she wasn't for her elven grace left her soundless as she moved. I stop in besides Favian and the man he was speaking to.
"Good evening my lady" The tanned skinned man says as he leans forward in a slight bow, his hair, greying at the temples held back out of his face by a small tie. Even through his armoured robes anyone can see he has the strength of a younger man. He has a noble bearing about him and carrying a longsword and a dagger on his back he looks ready to fight whenever the need arises.
"You assume I'm a lady?"
"Lady Chase" Favian starts
"Spoil sport" I say smiling
"My Lady.This is Duncan, Commander of the Grey Wardens here in Ferelden"
"It's an honour to meet you. My mother's a Warden. Could've used the help of a few Wardens earlier if I'm honest, a small group of Darkspawn were sighted not far from here. As you can see, they didn't fair too well" I explain the reason I'm covered in blood "and my party and I returned without a single fatality, a few injuries but who hasn't been injured in battle. Thankfully no one has been tainted."
"It seems you'd make a fine Warden yourself, My Lady"
"Good, you can persuade mother to let me join" I say seriously
"You want to join the wardens? It's not an easy task"
"I understand that, the Wardens sacrifice so much to keep the land safe and with this coming blight things can only get more troublesome. So I would like to help. I've already has two years experience killing the creatures. And before you ask how I know it's a blight my mother told me she can feel it, even without her telling me I know it's a blight."
"How can you be so sure?" He asks with a quizzical look
"I don't know how I can be so sure. But I do know, and there have been a surprising increase in Darkspawn activity lately. So more patrols have had to be made. But I digress I must get changed before I leave a puddle of blood where I stand. Make yourself at home, I'll have someone take you to the guests room and we can talk over dinner. Feel free to wander around if you wish"
"Of course My Lady"
"Oh, no need to be so formal, relax Warden, you're a guest" I say smiling
"As you wish"
"Favian, please can you take Duncan to his room"
"Of course Lady Chase" he replies
"And you also, enough with the formality, you know I don't like it" I say causing smiles from the two Dalish elves and The Warden whilst smiling myself.

I head up to my room, unlacing my elbow length leather gauntlets as I walk, starting at the wrist pulling at the lace to loosen it. Then as I walk into my room I start working on the buckles on the side of my hardened leather chestpiece. That's when Lia comes in and stops me unbuckling to take my gauntlets from me before finishing with the buckles grumble feeling like I'm being treated like a child.
"I can manage myself Valora" I say
"I know, my lady, but I'm only doing my job" she replies. "Twenty years of this you think you would've gotten used to it by now"
I roll my eyes and give up.

After getting out of my armour Valora takes it to get cleaned with my protestation of course. I may have grown up being waited on hand and foot, but it doesn't mean I like it. And I must admit I'd rather clean my armour myself. But the elven maid simply replied saying that there is warm water in the jug in my washroom for me to put in a basin and wash in and that she will get me something clean to wear and that I don't want to keep my guest waiting.
"No dresses" I call after her before rolling my eyes that she had already left the room. I take my undergarments, that protect against chafing, off as I walk to the washroom leaving me in my small clothes as I pour the water out and grabbing a cloth.
"I don't want to be a lady I'm a fighter, mother's a fighter why does she want me to be so proper" I say while looking in the mirror and scrubbing my face clean of blood and mud.
"Because I want you to have a better life than I had when I was your age. Being poor and living on the streets having to fight for survival isn't the life I wanted for you." I hear behind me. I turn to see my mother dressed in a dark green gown.
"You're not suppose to be back until tomorrow" I say surprised
"You know me, I'm either early or on time, but never late. And I see you've been fighting again, like I previously said, this is not what I wanted for you." She says with a sorrowful look.
"I can understand that, but you don't mind me fighting Darkspawn"
She comes over to me and takes the cloth from me, gently washing the gunk from where I can't see or reach.
"I do mind, I always fear that one day the guards will be bringing your lifeless body back. But the only way to stop you is to lock you in a cell, which I will not do."
"Does that mean I can join the Wardens then?" I ask hopefully
"No, I'd need a very good reason to let you join. And I don't have one"
"There's a Grey Warden visiting, I'm sure he can give you a good reason, maybe more than one. Head of Ferelden's Wardens" I say
"Oh, what did this Warden want?"
"I... Don't know... I didn't ask. Looking for you I think"
We stopped talking and just stood in silence cleaning up all the gore.