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Kaaras Adaar stood on the ridge overlooking the lake outside of Haven and deeply inhaled the chilly air. Moist, too moist given the elevation. Then, he turned his eyes to the horizon to the west, studying the sky where gray began to gather. He’d already observed the nugs and fennec foxes skittering around, and even now they pawed at the ground insistently as they searched for sustenance. More hurried than normal. There was something coming, and he felt it the same as the wildlife. It came from years on the road, he supposed as he knit his brow, that, and the way his old knee injury ached. Storm was coming.
“Herald, what’s troubling you?”
Kaaras snapped out of his meditation as the sound of Cullen’s voice reached him. The Commander had left his training camp to investigate what the Qunari mercenary was doing standing alone and staring off into space. He smiled at the thoughtful gesture, shaking his head. “Oh, it’s nothing, probably. I just…think I should go hunt a few druffalo while the weather holds.”
Cullen gaped. “A few DRUFFALO? Sounds ambitious, but why?”
Adaar’s brown eyes flicked back to the horizon. “I just get the feeling we’ll need the supplies. I mean, more than we already do. There won’t be much time until the storm comes.”
“The…storm?” Cullen felt foolish asking so many questions, but the Herald was usually cryptic in his responses, not realizing those around him couldn’t intuit what he was thinking.
“Yeah.” Kaaras began to stride forward, his long, powerful legs barely struggling against the deep snow off the beaten path. “If I were you, I’d make sure your training camp is mobilized and ready to move within Haven’s walls.” Without another word, he disappeared down the slope, leaving Cullen baffled. He looked to the sky where Kaaras had been looking, and saw nothing out of the ordinary, just a few clouds. Surely he couldn’t know for sure that a storm was coming. Unless…unless he could sense it thanks to his mark! When this dawned on him, Cullen turned back to his camp, planning on how best to pack up and move. If the Herald said so, it must be so.
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
The snow started that evening, though lightly. No one gave it a thought except for Adaar. He beckoned Cullen and his men inside the walls, along with Blackwall and Harrit. The blacksmith grumbled the whole way as he was relocated, complaining about missing his anvil and workbench. Adaar just nodded with sympathy as he led him to the cabin he would be sharing with Adan and the warden. Blackwall didn’t protest at all, though he looked a bit anxious to be sharing living quarters with the other two. He seemed to understand Adaar’s concern for the weather. Man had been on the road a long time, just as he had; he must know.
It was harder to convince the elderly to move to the Chantry, vacating their more private residences. There was no denying that it would provide the most shelter from the wind and cold, even if the stone was uncomfortable. Kaaras was much relieved when Cassandra and Leliana had volunteered to vacate their beds to placate the elderly. Much like Cullen, they seemed convinced he knew what he was talking about. It surprised him, seeing as they barely knew him, and they certainly were unaware of all his leadership roles in the Valo-Kas, second in command to Shokrakar. He wasn’t going to question it.
Perhaps the strangest directions he gave as he reorganized personnel were to the mages in the two main areas. Vivienne, remaining in the chantry, and Solas, in the cluster of cabins on the raised ridge, were both suggested to use their magic to keep the areas around the doors clear of snow as it accumulated. If the people wanted fire for warmth, he recommended they do so sparingly so as not to run out of fuel too quickly. In parting, he’d left them each a druffalo, already skinned and butchered. Kaaras knew he’d have to physically keep the snow from his own cabin with Leliana and Cassandra, but still opted to only take a third of the remaining druffalo. He could stretch the rations pretty far while allowing the two women with him to eat.
All that was left to do was bunker down and wait.
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
“Herald, you really should eat more,” Cassandra chided, refusing the meat he offered her.
“I won’t have any more until you do,” Leliana agreed, crossing her arms.
Adaar just shrugged, packing the sustenance away. “Maybe tonight. We are doing well with our rations, but who knows how much longer this storm will last.”
The women would have looked out the window, except the snow was already piled so high that it blocked the view. It was enough to make a lesser person go mad. “By the Maker, how much longer CAN it last?” Cassandra moaned. Adaar had noticed that by the end of the first day she was already twitching with pent up energy. She was doing admirably in these trying circumstances.
“Well, let’s see…It’s been three days already.” Kaaras would know; he’d opened the door every hour to clear away the snow around the entrance. An escape was mandatory, but the rest he left, insulating the cabin. “These mountain storms can last for over a week sometimes.”
The more Cassandra watched him in action, the more she realized his prediction was perhaps based more on experience than his mark. Nothing phased him, and his insight had already no doubt saved lives. “Ugh, a week…” It was tempting to get up and start doing squats, or any physical activity, really, but she really didn’t want to leave the warmth of the druffalo hide she and Leliana were sharing. As with everything, Kaaras declined to use it for his own personal well-being.
“I just hope the others are doing okay.” The women saw the first flicker of doubt cross his face since the whole ordeal started. “Have they rationed appropriately? Are they keeping the snow cleared around the door? Have they burned through the fuel too quickly? Perhaps we should have all been together in the Chantry despite how cramped it would have been…”
“They will be fine, Herald. Cullen will be keeping things in line in the Chantry, and the other cabins have Solas and Blackwall to guide them.” Leliana reassured. “You have prepared everyone well.”
“Yes. I can’t imagine a more capable leader.” Cassandra’s eyes met him, filled with admiration. He blushed, grateful for once in his life that his skin was gray.
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
The snow subsided by the fifth day, but the challenge was far from over. Bit by bit, allowing their magic and stamina to replenish over time, the mages and Kaaras chipped away at the huge quantities of snow to form paths connecting the three sites. Travel outside the gates was another matter entirely. It might be another week before paths from Haven were reestablished and trade restored.
As Kaaras had feared, the other two sites had run out of food despite being stocked with the tavern’s resources as well as the druffalo, though from the sound of things it hadn’t been by much. Their cabin still had some druffalo left to give, and he figured they weren’t too terribly hungry when the grumbled about more druffalo meat… Soon, though, there would be nothing. Kaaras sent Sera with her light, lithe frame to see what she could hunt after setting her up with some snowshoes. She returned with a few birds and little else. It would have to do.
People were able to move about a bit more freely, though he warned them not to be too active with the food situation being so precarious. At this point he figured Cassandra would rather move and be hungry... A fierce cold settled in, and no one wanted to be outside for long anyhow. The fuel had nearly been burned out. He saw how the people huddled together for warmth, with the most vulnerable claiming the few blankets and hides. Ironically, the snow insulation was probably what was saving them from outright freezing to death; a small fire could go a long way.
There really wasn’t much else that could be done. Kaaras hoped that this Andraste, whose Chantry they were sheltering in and whose blessing everyone associated him with, would have mercy and keep them safe.
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
Another five days went by, and Kaaras had stopped eating three days ago. He knew a healthy person could survive for a decent amount of time without food if they at least had water, and they certainly had enough of that. He’d initially felt dismay when Cassandra and Leliana swore to do the same, but he’d quickly shook it off. No, this was no time to be caught up in being a gentleman; they were admirable, strong women, and they were following his lead. He would not try to change their minds.
At this point, several other also followed his example, including most of the inner circle. They looked tired despite having ample time to do nothing but sleep. Now, Kaaras was not only worried about food and fuel, but also that someone was going to snap under the duress.
They’d cleared most of the area inside the walls by now, and even a bit outside the gate, so when a voice announced the arrival of a trade caravan, there was a veritable stampede. Even Cassandra would admit that those words rivaled the holy scriptures in their beauty. Maker bless those brave souls for making the trek up here now that a narrow path had been carved out! Bless them further for offering their goods on credit. It was all Kaaras could do to stop the people from mobbing the cart of supplies, sternly reminding them that they had endured so much, and what was a few minutes more? The merchants looked up at his towering form with gratefulness as he herded them back a ways.
“And don’t forget, you shouldn’t eat too quickly; give your stomach time to adjust!” Adaar instructed as he began handing out loaves of bread and chunks of cheese. Who knew if anyone was actually paying attention to his words; their eyes were glued on the provisions being distributed by his divine hand.
Once the cart was emptied and a few token chunks of ore were handed over with promises of repayment, Kaaras finally find a moment of peace to indulge. With an entire loaf of bread tucked under his arm and a pair of apples clutched in one giant hand, he snuck off to his cabin. Ah, solitude at last. He was used to living with an entire band of mercenaries, it was true, but he’d always at least had some time to go off by himself. This entire eleven days had been exhausting despite doing nothing but sit around.
A quiet moment was not to be. When he opened the door, Cassandra was still there waiting for him, and he found it amusing that her mouth was already full of something, finding it impossible to wait. Upon seeing him enter, she pressed a hand to her mouth as she attempted to chew faster. “Herald.”
“I thought you’d be out there running laps,” he grinned, settling into his chair by the fire.
“Well, yes, probably later. But first, I just wanted to thank you.”
Adaar blinked. “Thank me? Why? I was just doing my job…”
“You saved all of us.”
“You can’t know that,” he dismissed with a wave. “Pure speculation.”
“Do you truly think how you handled the emergency didn’t save a single person?”
To be honest, even with his modest nature, he recognized that this was probably the case. “I mean…”
“We are lucky to have you as our Herald. Andraste blessed us with you.” Now blushing, Cassandra fairly lunged for the door. “Meeting in an hour. We’ll talk future plans.” Then, she was gone.
Kaaras scratched the base of his horns before eyeing up his food. Taking charge was easy enough, but being acknowledge as a leader… That was going to take some getting used to.