It had been two days and so far the Warden's were still occupying the camp. Keo perched up in her tree, arms crossed as she stared up at the sky trying to figure out why this was all happening. She still hadn't apologized, in fact she had been avoiding the Warden's entirely. Right now her head wouldn't let her forget that things face. It was so.. Visibly she shuddered before letting herself go limp in defeat. Nothing she thought of made sense, darkspawn were supposed to be back under ground. 

 

A whistle caught the mages attention to find Lyonna standing there with a bag. "I know I said not to but I need you to go gather herbs. I've run out and you're smaller so can hide better."

 

Keo turned her gaze back to the sky for a moment, "Everyone's smaller than you." She joked before side-rolling out the tree. She feared the wilds now but this was her chance to find out more. Lyonna was right as well, she was small enough to hide and not get noticed. Even by a monster. "M'kay."

 

"Don't stray too far." Lyonna warned sternly, handing her the satchel.

 

Keo flashed a dopey grin and slipped the bag around her shoulder, "Mm!" She nodded cheerfully, skipping towards the entrance to the wilds. Normally she would have been given an especially after recent events but she didn't wait around to be appointed one. Once far enough from the camp her grin vanished into a frown. It was starting to get dark which made her a bit anxious. She wasn't like the other elves, she was hardly the bravest or strongest so it was another bad idea to be ignoring the herbs she was passing. 

 

The cold Ferelden wind at her cheeks as she ventured through the woods occasionally ducking behind a tree or bush at even the slightest hint of movement. She forgot the wildlife got more alive when nightfall came. Animals only really occupied the areas closer to Ostagar, it was odd. At a certain point they just refused to go further, like an unknown force was warning them away. A  twig in the distance snapped which caused the small elf to drop into the fetal position, hands over to silence any noises of surprise from escaping. The brush hid her well, she just prayed it had only been a rabbit or something.

 

"Come out." A familiar voice came from her left. 

 

Ironically she had dropped down in front of one of the herbs she needed so picked it and stood slowly to see a sword pointing in her direction. She raised her hands to show she was unarmed except for the herbs.

 

Jongup's glare vanished instantly and he lowered his sword, moving over to the mage. "What are you doing out here? It's dangerous."

 

Keo waved the herb in front of him and placed it in her satchel. "The herbs are more potent here.." An obvious lie but he seemed to believe it. Then again she doubted a warrior would care much about how potions were made and what herbs from what areas made them better. He just needed them to work.

 

"I wouldn't suggest going further than this.. They've moved up a bit since last time." He frowned growing troubled. Jongup lifted his free hand and rubbed at his temples in irritation.

 

"You..Alright?" She asked hesitantly, he didn't seem the type to get irritated easily.

 

Jongup snapped his attention back to the mage and faked that he had zoned out, "Hm? Sorry, what?"

 

Keo crossed her arms and pulled a face. "Mhm. I zone out all the time, sir. I know when someone fakes it to get out of things. Tell me your feels." She grinned, "I won't tell a soul."

 

He let out a small laugh and nodded, "Alright, well.. I don't know what to do. I don't get why they've surfaced now and it's starting to piss me off. They've gotten smarter as well which.. Is disturbing.."

 

"Hm. So this is all about the darkspawn?" Keo enquired, arms dropping back to her sides. She hopped out the bush to stand beside him and clasped her hands behind her back. "Nothing else?"

 

Jongup furrowed his brows and sighed. "...No. But.."

 

Keo tilted her head, waiting. She'd understand if he didn't continue, she was a stranger after all but sometimes spilling problems to strangers helped.

 

He remained silent for a good few minutes simply staring down at the sword in his hand. "I wanted to be a blacksmith." He admitted reluctantly. "I prefer making blades to using them. But I'm a Warden. I have a great responsibility.. But I still feel like a kid. Like my childhood was ripped away from me and instead of getting to have a dream I need to fight monsters everyday. I didn't want any of this..I didn't even get a choice."

 

Keo frowned as she listened to the boy, she knew what it was like to have something against her will. The situations were different however. "I won't give you an old granny lecture telling you that you can't afford to be selfish or anything. I think Warden's deserve to be selfish sometimes. Everyone does. I don't have the answer either as I'm sure you weren't looking for one but.. Thanks. Truly, it might seem stupid to hear it but.. You're a hero. Maybe unwillingly but.. Still. Ever thought of telling that to the Warden's though? Warden's need blades. You could be a Grey Warden blacksmith?"

 

Jongup lifted his gaze moving it to the elf, "A hero?" A small chuckle came from him and he sheathed the sword. "I never thought of that. It's a good idea but... I can't. Not any more. I can't give up the fight..Besides, Zelo needs someone there to protect him while he casts spells."

 

A smile formed on the elf, "Can't give up the fight? Well this elf thanks you for that. I was face to face with one of those things, they're uuugly." 

 

Jongup smiled then, nodding. "You should see an ogre. Offt. I would." He joked.

 

Keo attempted to keep a straight face as she nodded sagely but a laugh escaped. "Oh god..That's gross. He'd break you."

 

He would have been fine if it wasn't for that comment, he doubled over and burst into laughter. He'd faced ogres countless times, just the thought of an ogre in that way was unbearably disgusting. When he eventually calmed down he bowed to the girl, "Thanks. I needed that. I was starting to forget I can have a laugh from time to time."

 

"That's so sad!" Keo gasped, "Of course you need to have a good laugh. Can't have you growing up too fast. Nothing wrong with it but theirs no joy in that." She then remembered the herbs she was supposed to gather. "! I need to gather more of these, keep up the good work." She beamed, turning to actually do what she was asked. Technically she had investigated the darkspawn. She just learned it from a human.

 

Jongup frowned and looked around at the trees, quickly following behind her. "You..Probably could just freeze them if they came near you but just in case..I'll be your guard."

 

Glancing over her shoulder Keo ended up smiling again. "You just don't want to be left alone in the dark do you? Don't blame you. It's creepy. I have no problem with a tank following me around." She mumbled as she began collecting the needed plants.

 

A smile replaced the frown and he nodded, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword just in case anything jumped out. He noticed the girl had a habit of zoning off like he did, hers seemed against her will however. Majority of the time he just observed his surroundings. People assumed because of this he was a slow thinker. In reality he actually noticed everything. "Hey, spacey." He laughed, waving a hand in front of her face.

 

Keo's attention snapped back to reality when she felt the air of something waving in front of her. "Eh? Sorry.." Standing she looked down at the herbs in the bag and pulled a face. This was going to take awhile. "You sure you still want to follow me around? I need to get five different herbs.. I've only got the one kind."

 

Jongup gave a shrug and looked into the bag, "What type you looking for? I might have passed them when I was looking for the darkspawn."

 

"Uh.. Well there's a flower, people here call it a flower of the wilds.. It's good for healing certain stuff. Grows near water. White with a reddish centre?" She asked, she knew where the rest were, this was the first time they'd had to gather this flower though. 

 

Raising his hand, Jongup ruffled up his hair, spiking it so it stayed out his eyes. "..I saw a flower like that. I think it was further this way." He waited until she motioned him to lead the way until he did. He couldn't help but smile when she would do a little jog to catch up with his footsteps every time she fell behind. "Okay, how old are you?" He laughed as he slowed his pace for her.

 

"Nineteen." Keo grumbled, arms crossing as she pulled a face. "Don't look at me like that, you're just tall."

 

"Tell you what.." Shifting his shield from his back he knelt in front of her, back facing her. "We'd get there quicker this way."

 

dropped at his comment, "I'm actually offended."

 

"Be offended on my back." He muttered as he tugged at her arm, pulling her into the piggy back before she could protest. "You're heavier than you look.." He grunted.

 

"Hey!" She scrunched up her nose. "And the insults continue. Lemme get this straight, not only am I too short my flab weighs you down?"

 

Jongup's eyes widened at that as he walked, "Well when you say it like that.. I didn't mean it like-"

 

"No, no. I know what you meant. I'm fat and short. I wouldn't want to inconvenience the great warrior with my spare tires." She snapped, if he could see her face though he'd see she was struggling to contain the laughter.

 

"No! Oh maker.. Just apologize Jongup. You're the slimmest girl I know! I never.." He attempted to cover or he would have if he hadn't felt her shoulders shaking from silent laughter. "I mean eat a sandwich. Jeez, woman!" He continued, glancing back at her. The second they made eye contact though they both broke down in a giggle fit.

 

Once they both managed to calm Jongup continued to carry the elf to the river where he last saw the flower. Upon arrival he set her down and pointed at the floral which decorated a fallen tree that was half submerged in the water. Keo smiled and hopped over to it, stopping at the river side. For a brief second she faltered, staring at the water. Jongup just saw a simple river, she saw the currents rushing down stream. It wasn't even a big enough river yet her heart started pounding and her stomach churned. Shaking her head she used one of the rocks as a stepping stone and picked the flower, balancing on one foot. 

 

Jongup set down his shield and sat at the riverside, waiting patiently, yet she never moved from that stone. "You alright?" He asked, starting to grow concerned.

 

"Y-yeah." Keo stuttered, voice betraying her. She had a tight grip on the bark of the tree, fear freezing her to the spot as the water splashed at her heels. It had to be by water. This was why she let the boy come with her, she knew this flower would be trouble. The one thing which terrified her the most was water and not just because she couldn't swim. She just had a bad case of hydrophobia. Gulping she shakenly tried to manoeuvre herself around to jump back to land, her trembling stopped any decent effort though. "Get a grip." She cursed herself under her breath. She couldn't have just told the tank to go get it, no she had to be an idiot.

 

Standing he moved closer and raised an eyebrow. "Are you-" One look at her made it obvious she wasn't alright, she was trembling like a leaf. Stepping into the river he scooped her up into his arms and walked back onto land. "So.. Scared of water? I could've got it, y'know." He would have put her down if she hadn't clamped her arms around his neck and clung tightly. Even with armour on he could feel the trembling. "And I'm the younger one." Smiling he lowered into a sitting position and simply hugged her until the fear subsided.

 

Eventually Keo lifted her head and slowly released him, bowing her head. "Sorry..I thought I'd be alright. It isn't that deep so.."

 

Jongup leant back on his hands and shrugged, "A fears still a fear. It's alright though, I don't owe you any more. You helped me, I helped you. Win/win." She still hadn't left his lap but he could tell she was still jumpy from the water so left her to her own devices. He was use to acting as the pillow. 

 

"That's one way to look at it. And here I thought you were being nice." She mumbled.

 

Shaking his head he sat forward and wrapped his arms around her again for comfort. "I was. That was a bonus though." He had a sudden protective urge, to him she just seemed fragile. Like an egg. Eggs always broke easy despite the shell meant to protect them. He got the feeling her humour was her shell. He now just had to make sure nothing broke that shell.

 

Keo stared down at the flower she had been clutching the entire time, all of that for this. She hated being so weak. Even when she tried to be strong fear still managed to track her down. She twirled the stem in-between her fingers as he hugged her, normally she would have leapt a mile but she needed the comfort. Another reason to be annoyed with herself. Wallowing wouldn't do much good though, she still had herbs to gather. "Thanks." She muttered. 

 

Jongup seemed pleased with himself. He was content to just sit there for awhile, it was surprisingly comfortable but he could see the cogs turning in her head so he snatched the flower from her and stuck it behind her ear. "Welcome." He hooked his arm under her and stood, flashing her that dopey smile.

 

The elf clung onto his shoulders and blinked looking down at him. She was sitting on his arm and he was acting like it was nothing. "Surprised the sheer intensity of my flab isn't crushing you." 

 

The Antivan laughed and adjusted her so she could at least hold onto his neck if she got scared. Somehow though he figured she'd be alright. Yet he remained her guard just in case, going where ever she pointed. They had developed a little game trying to get the herbs without her touching the ground. Surprisingly more difficult than he'd anticipated. At least he got a decent work out.