Tall Tales (Through a Glass Darkly - Much Later)

Yes, yes, I could do with a bit of alcohol after that nest and patching you all up. Thank you. As long as this isn't from Oghren's secret stash, alright?

Ah. This is much better quality than I ever smelled downwind of him. Have some, Brana. These biscuits are almost tolerable if you soak them in rum...

I'm just as glad that wasn't the reported Broodmother down here. Not that emissaries and ogres are any fun, but they don't make me want to say say farewell to everything I ate since breakfast, or since last month. Shrieks are mostly irritating, like someone from Val Royeaux.

No, I haven't traveled much further than the borders of Orlais, I've mostly served through the Marches and Ferelden, though Brana is a newer Warden.

Well, that is a story and a half, Warden Howe... yes, that Warden Howe. He of the snort of disgust when he's unhappy with you. Yes, just like that!

I'm not worried about him getting angry with me. I'm senior to him, even if it isn't by that long. I think you realize by now how important Weisshaupt considers seniority. You live long enough and you might make First Warden.

My Joining wasn't that exciting. I fell on my face and got dust up my nose. It was just after the Archdemon died, and the Warden was recruiting. The Architect was more than enough excitement for me.

Oh. I understand. I've seen enough like you who Joined because of the taint.

… And I've had to give a mercy stroke to too many because of their taint. No, magic can't stop it.

Brana? Now her Joining is much more exciting, if not for the usual reasons. Now she was a refugee from the Blight, like most everyone was for a time, and fought off darkspawn with some others while fleeing for a port. They only lost two, which was lucky for that wave of spawn after Ostagar, if there weren't any Wardens with them.

But you see that left Brana a little... how should I put it? Casual about the fighting ability of some Wardens.

Not that it wasn't justified, love. It was quite amusing that Howe's sister asked you to rescue him, with you not even a Warden at the time. That was that section of the Deep Roads in the Marches with the shrieks wailing like banshees, making concentration difficult for some of us. Howe had been cut off from the remaining people of his team when we found him.

You really cannot quite imagine the look on Howe's face when he realized his sister wanted him rescued and escorted back home like he was a nine-year old. He thought he was a leader of men and not due for a scolding. He couldn't protest too much, because he needed my bandages and healing before we secured the rest of his group and got him to the surface.

Well, do you think the noble Warden would stoop to showing his ire to his rescuer?

No, you're right. He didn't. However, I did say Brana was a little too casual about Wardens' skill, didn't I? You see, she decided that she would sneak into his quarters and surprise him, without her...

Ouch, love! Well to make a long story short, she was conscripted because she was deemed to have 'useful skills.' I think I might be killed if I tell anyone the details, but I'm sure you've got the idea.

No, I can't feel any remaining Darkspawn, either. Glad to be of help, but we'll be moving on. Our Commander gave us our orders.

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A/N: Thanks to my beta reader who has been kind enough to read this. Any typos that remain are not intentional... Reviews or a PM to let me know what you think would be very appreciated.

This story was written as a flash challenge response for the words: banshee, biscuit, and band-aid; the latter was changed to bandage as band-aid only fits modern-setting stories.