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There was nothing that Kasha couldn't get through without bread. It was all, sometimes even more, than she could afford to eat. But it was enough; somehow, no matter the size of the piece she consumed, she felt satisfied after every "meal" and didn't go hungry until the following day. She also ate bread for comfort. She'd scrounge up the quarter pieces she hid under her bed, often stale, after being beaten by Kalah, after getting into a fight with Rica, after having to carry out a particularly dastardly job for Beraht; it was the security blanket she never had. It being practically the only thing she consumed, she was chubbier than the other dwarves in Dust Town despite her exercise. Not that she cared; she needed all the insulation she could get.
However, if she ended up having to go back to Orzammar after all this Grey Warden business was over (she had yet to fully grasp the concept that she was a part of the order forever and was never going back), she didn't know how she would survive down there now. She had been spoiled; she was currently feasting on a whole loaf of bread so fresh, so fluffy, and so tasty that she doubted she would be able to get past the diminished taste and dastardly quality of the only bread casteless could afford. Duncan had procured the loaf for her for a surprising pittance, making him even more of a hero to her. He had no qualms about giving all the bread to her; they were currently taking a detour at the inn on the Lake Calenhad dock so he could have a bowl of soup.
They didn't speak while they ate, and after a few minutes of silence Kasha grew antsy. Not exactly fond of the idea of striking up a conversation with anyone else inside the establishment – not even the red-headed dwarf waitress who reminded her of Rica – she decided to go outside. They had been travelling through Ferelden for nearly the whole day, right under the bright, open sky, but the sight of it still filled her with dread. She needed to condition herself, and what better time to do it when they weren't moving?
She cautiously stepped out of the inn, keeping her hands on the door frame. She hadn't been under a rood since she left Orzammar; who was to say she wouldn't be the most prone to falling up in the sky right after being under a ceiling?
The sky was different from bright blue of the daytime; it was dark now, speckled with bright spots of light. In the distance was a large white orb with a yellow tinge, arching over a foreboding black spire on the lake. The sun hadn't looked like that when they finally came down from the Frostback Mountains (although she couldn't say what the sun looked like anyway, as one glance at it had all but blinded her for a good few moments). Did it change as the sky did as the hours went by? Hesitantly, she tore herself away from the doorway, walked forward a few steps, and lowered herself onto the grass, taking a big bite of her bread and forcing herself to look up. An hour or so went by before she heard footsteps.
"Ready to continue, I see?" said Duncan as he came to stand next to her.
She shrugged slightly. "I, um... the guys who'd been here didn't really say what it was really like." She took another bite and chewed thoughtfully. "It's kinda surprising. They made it sound like it was bright all the time. And that the sun always blinded ya."
He chuckled. "It's nighttime now. The moon rises as the sun falls, and it won't rise again until morning."
"Oh. I know about morning. The sky at night, right now, kinda reminds me of ho- Orzammar and being deep underground and all. But I like those little lights; are they little bits of the day sky poking through? They're pretty."
"Those are stars."
"That word has a nice sound to it. Star." She smirked, then motioned to the spire. "Is that part of the sky?"
"Ah, that's the Circle Tower of Ferelden, where mages live and practice their magical talents." He had a far-off look on his face, as if remembering an experience there. "It's built on the lake." He motioned to the small island on the water that served as the foundation for the structure.
"You don't hear much about magic down where I was, unless someone needed lyrium or runes for something illegal topside." She focused on the reflection of the sky on the water for a moment, but even though the sight was rather fascinating, she preferred to focus her attention on him. "I don't think I've thanked you enough for what you did for me. I mean, you saved me from getting tortured and all, but you took me far away from Dust Town, farther than I thought I'd ever get to go, and I'm getting to do more than just a crime lord's dirty work because you believe I can, and I just... thank you." She had torn the bread into several little pieces in a fit of emotion.
He simply smiled in response. "My pleasure."
She shook herself; feelings were never easy to express. "So where do you come from, Duncan?"
He looked almost surprised by the question. "I was born in Highever, but I lived a good part of my life in Orlais. As a thief, in fact."
Kasha blinked repeatedly. "The only part I understood was you being a thief. … Actually, no, I don't even understand that. You, a thief? Really? You don't seem like the kind."
"Oh? And what do I seem like instead?"
"I dunno. You're so... calm and wise. You're like a guard, but you're not an ass. No, you're like one of the Shapers. Maybe... you've got a pretty solid... moral..." She grit her teeth. "You just seem like a better class of people than a guy who steals." Dust Town came to mind before she could stop it.
"People evolve. I thought there was no other way I could survive after the death of my parents, at the time." He gave her a knowing look, and she fidgeted uncomfortably. "But it led to me joining the Grey Wardens – if somewhat inadvertently."
"That sucks. About your parents, I mean." She stopped herself from saying anything more. In a way, I have no parents. There was no other way I could survive myself. "So what'd ya do? Win a knife-fight? Save a princess?"
"Actually, I was conscripted myself. I broke into a hotel room to rob it and I... unintentionally killed the occupant. A Grey Warden, in fact. The morning of my execution, the Warden-Commander of Orlais conscripted me."
Kasha couldn't speak, and looked back at the water as a lump formed in her throat. They weren't exactly the same, of course not, but she couldn't deny the similarities in his background and how they struck her. It gave her even more hope that she could achieve some level of greatness if Duncan had managed to. "I didn't think I could have any more respect for you." She rubbed her uncovered thighs and chuckled. "I mean, that sounds bad and all, but by the Stone, that's where you came from and look at you now."
"Oh that's not all it took, I assure you. There's far more to the story – another time, perhaps. We should really be on our way while there's still a chance we can reach the halfway point by tomorrow night."
Only halfway? And she thought the few parts of Orzammar she had seen were huge. "Ahh... okay. Couldn't you tell me more on the way?"
"There is still a lot I have yet to tell you about our order and the upcoming battle that takes precedence. But if we find the time... yes."
Kasha grinned. "Are you sure you've never seen a dwarf fall into the sky? Never heard any stories about it?"
He chuckled again – it was nice that he found humor in her concern, she supposed. "If there is one thing I can promise you about our journey and the coming battle, it is that you will not fall into the sky."
"Okay. Good. S'all I needed to know." She hoisted herself up, letting the remaining bread crumbs (she didn't even remember finishing the loaf) fall off the skirt of her armor and into the grass. "I just... one more question. Were your parents good people?"
It took him a few seconds to consider his response. "From what I remember, yes."
She nodded. "Sometimes I wonder if just mine were bad or if that's just how parents are. Good to know. Okay, I'm ready, let's go."
Unfortunately, she would forever be left wondering what Duncan was going to tell her about his past; but she knew that it would have been an extraordinary story.