“Distasteful. The Templars has a different word for that,” Pol says, hatefully.

He runs to the exit, not sparing her another look.

Henri wraps his arm around Merrill's shoulders, handing her her staff back.

“I- we...um-“ Merrill’s lip trembles. 

"Let's go and deal with this, huh?" Henri says gently.

“Can I have a hug first? Please?”

"Of course!" Henri wraps her in a tight hug.

Cia steps in closer and adds eir arms to the hug.

Merrill cuddles gratefully into both of them. “It wasn’t always like this. The Dalish are good, kind people. You’re not seeing us at our best.”

"They have their reasons. All of this--Everything is hard."

“This is why finding our past is so important. This is why history is important. We have to preserve what little we have left.”

Merrill wipes her eyes, and takes her staff back. “All right. The faster we do this, the quicker the clan is safe.”

Raeli reaches out to squeeze Merrill's shoulder. "This shouldn't take us long."

“No. We have good warriors here.”

Merrill looks at each of her friends, and smiles. 

"Well then. Onwards! Before Talia decides to come and hunt is down!"

“Well, we wouldn’t want that now, would we?” Merrill’s smile is watery, but there. 

She leads the way further down. 

"She'd tell us off. I hate it when she starts scolding me. She inherited Ma's mannerisms that's for sure!"

"Talia is terrifying when upset..."

"She's never cross with me!"

"You haven't done anything to upset her!"

"You- you don't think I could? I mean, she would tell me, if I had?"

Henri wraps his arm around her shoulders again. "Talia's pretty good at letting you know. The worst you're likely to manage is scaring her and she'll tell you off and then hug you within an inch of your life."

"It's just- you matter so much to me, you all have become like my second family. I would've been lost without you all."

"Family argues, you've seen me and Carver. But we don't stop loving each other, and it doesn't mean you don't still have a place with us."

"Hear, hear," Raeli says quietly.

Merrill's smile is a little more confident. "Thank you!"

There is a rumble from the cavern below.