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“I had often wondered what they would want with a coward like me. What did I ever have to offer them? At best I was graced with a little quick wit and half-hearted charm. I learned early on how useful the right kind of smile could be. That’s the only reason I practiced those skills; to get what I wanted be it a shiny new dagger or a fine cup of brandy. My swordsmanship was average at best. There was no road to glory in my fate; I would never be some hero so I began to wonder: why? Why did I join them? How could my lies help them?” he asked in a sordid confession as he tried to prop himself up against the thick trunk of an old tree.

“In truth, I joined out of des-peration,” he admitted with a choked laugh. “I thought, ‘what do I have to lose?’ I was hungry, cold and had nowhere to go so why not?” he said with a pause as he struggled to catch his breath. “I was a bloody fool…Still am…” added through gritted teeth. “Was,” he corrected.

“Now, now don’t talk like that,” Riordan insisted as he pulled out his flask of water. Carefully, he tilted the man’s head back and poured some of the water into his fellow Warden’s mouth. “Why, why would you do this?” he asked curiously unable to turn away from the saddened eyes that stared back up at him.

“Do you know what I never understood?” he asked, ignoring Riordan’s questions as he looked up to him. “They invited me in!” he said with a laugh. “Me! The mighty Grey Wardens, the glorious warriors who road on the backs of griffons wanted me. The bloody Wardens, bolstered by story after story of glory and heroism wanted a coward for their ranks!” he continued with a pained laugh as he looked up to the darkening sky. “At first, I thought it was a joke but they were serious. In truth, I never thought much of the Wardens before,” he admitted blankly as he watched the clouds shift through the sky. “Their stories were fetching, but I never believed them. Yet still, I agreed to join. I didn’t really think much of it besides a few free meals. Figured I’d skip out before anything too serious,” he confided with a sigh.

“It wasn’t until the joining that I realized that perhaps the stories weren’t so hallow,” he said as he looked down to Riordan sadly. “What we do… what we are supposed to do. How do you do it?” he asked. “I have watched you for some time now Riordan. Every day you suit up. Every day you look at the possibility of dying,” he continued as he looked up to Riordan as if trying to figure out the enigma before him.
“We are the Wardens, my friend, we took an oath,” Riordan said calmly as he looked over the Warden’s withering complexion. He knew the Wardens time was nearing as his skin became clammy and pale.

“Still, I thought of running every day. That’s the kind of coward that I am. But you, Riordan, your knees never shake. Your fingers never tremble,” he said as he reached out and took hold of Riordan’s wrist.

“You didn’t have to jump in,” Riordan insisted as he looked over the blood gushing from the wound in the Warden’s gut. “I could have-“

“The Blight… it’s coming…” he interrupted as he tightened his grip on Riordan’s wrist. “I am no hero, I can’t promise that I still wouldn’t run,” he admitted as he looked into Riordan’s tired eyes. “If anyone was capable of finishing it… to make that sacrifice…it’s you,” he confessed as he let his head fall back against the tree.

“No, my friend,” Riordan paused as he looked down to the blood sullied hand that was covering his wrist. “If you stood before the beast, you too would see past your fear. You know what is at stake just as well as I,” he said softly as he covered the man’s hand with his own. “You are far more courageous than-“ he stopped as he looked up to the blank stare in the Warden’s eyes.

With a sharp breath, Riordan jerked forward opening his eyes. Leaning forward he rested his elbows on his knees as the weariness of battle and the weight of his burdens shackled him down. He took a few deep breaths before shaking his head as if trying to shake the memories from his mind. He knew his choices well and he wouldn’t let those who have sacrificed so much be in vain. After a moment Riordan reached over, stopping as he looked down to his hand. For a second, he saw his fingers tremble and his heart began to ache.

”…That’s the kind of coward that I am. But you, Riordan, your knees never shake. Your fingers never tremble,”

Silently he clinched his hand into a fist and took a deep breath trying to collect himself. With a deep breath, Riordan reached out for his armor and began to suit up once again.

Description
“I had often wondered what they would want with a coward like me. What did I ever have to offer them? At best I was graced with a little quick wit and half-hearted charm. I learned early on how useful the right kind of smile could be. That’s the only reason I practiced those skills; to get what I wanted be it a shiny new dagger or a fine cup of brandy. My swordsmanship was average at best. There was no road to glory in my fate; I would never be some hero so I began to wonder: why? Why did I join them? How could my lies help them?” he asked in a sordid confession as he tried to prop himself up against the thick trunk of an old tree.

“In truth, I joined out of des-peration,” he admitted with a choked laugh. “I thought, ‘what do I have to lose?’ I was hungry, cold and had nowhere to go so why not?” he said with a pause as he struggled to catch his breath. “I was a bloody fool…Still am…” added through gritted teeth. “Was,” he corrected.

“Now, now don’t talk like that,” Riordan insisted as he pulled out his flask of water. Carefully, he tilted the man’s head back and poured some of the water into his fellow Warden’s mouth. “Why, why would you do this?” he asked curiously unable to turn away from the saddened eyes that stared back up at him.

“Do you know what I never understood?” he asked, ignoring Riordan’s questions as he looked up to him. “They invited me in!” he said with a laugh. “Me! The mighty Grey Wardens, the glorious warriors who road on the backs of griffons wanted me. The bloody Wardens, bolstered by story after story of glory and heroism wanted a coward for their ranks!” he continued with a pained laugh as he looked up to the darkening sky. “At first, I thought it was a joke but they were serious. In truth, I never thought much of the Wardens before,” he admitted blankly as he watched the clouds shift through the sky. “Their stories were fetching, but I never believed them. Yet still, I agreed to join. I didn’t really think much of it besides a few free meals. Figured I’d skip out before anything too serious,” he confided with a sigh.

“It wasn’t until the joining that I realized that perhaps the stories weren’t so hallow,” he said as he looked down to Riordan sadly. “What we do… what we are supposed to do. How do you do it?” he asked. “I have watched you for some time now Riordan. Every day you suit up. Every day you look at the possibility of dying,” he continued as he looked up to Riordan as if trying to figure out the enigma before him.
“We are the Wardens, my friend, we took an oath,” Riordan said calmly as he looked over the Warden’s withering complexion. He knew the Wardens time was nearing as his skin became clammy and pale.

“Still, I thought of running every day. That’s the kind of coward that I am. But you, Riordan, your knees never shake. Your fingers never tremble,” he said as he reached out and took hold of Riordan’s wrist.

“You didn’t have to jump in,” Riordan insisted as he looked over the blood gushing from the wound in the Warden’s gut. “I could have-“

“The Blight… it’s coming…” he interrupted as he tightened his grip on Riordan’s wrist. “I am no hero, I can’t promise that I still wouldn’t run,” he admitted as he looked into Riordan’s tired eyes. “If anyone was capable of finishing it… to make that sacrifice…it’s you,” he confessed as he let his head fall back against the tree.

“No, my friend,” Riordan paused as he looked down to the blood sullied hand that was covering his wrist. “If you stood before the beast, you too would see past your fear. You know what is at stake just as well as I,” he said softly as he covered the man’s hand with his own. “You are far more courageous than-“ he stopped as he looked up to the blank stare in the Warden’s eyes.

With a sharp breath, Riordan jerked forward opening his eyes. Leaning forward he rested his elbows on his knees as the weariness of battle and the weight of his burdens shackled him down. He took a few deep breaths before shaking his head as if trying to shake the memories from his mind. He knew his choices well and he wouldn’t let those who have sacrificed so much be in vain. After a moment Riordan reached over, stopping as he looked down to his hand. For a second, he saw his fingers tremble and his heart began to ache.

”…That’s the kind of coward that I am. But you, Riordan, your knees never shake. Your fingers never tremble,”

Silently he clinched his hand into a fist and took a deep breath trying to collect himself. With a deep breath, Riordan reached out for his armor and began to suit up once again.