A/N: I'm going to assume that most have played the game, but if you haven't then I need to warn of very spoilerish info within. It follows the course of the game and I've only added my own little twist to it. It does help to be familiar with both the Female City Elf and Male Human Noble origins, though in the future I'll be trying to rewrite it so that it won't be necessary. Please Read and Review. Creative criticism is welcome, but please be civil. This is my first fan fic I've decided to openly post.

A/N: (3/20/2010) Tiny update to correct some wording and spelling. I have some Beta Readers behind me so little updates will happen every now and again through all the chapters.

A/N:(3/29/2010) Sentence phrasing and punctuation marks changed here and there. Much thanks, To_Paraphrase, for being an in depth Beta! ^_^

The Migration

Part 1: The Mockingbird Kills

She was certain she was covered from head to toe in blood. She felt it in her hair, smelled it on the armor she "borrowed", and saw the thick red liquid drip off the end of her blade. Kallian did exactly as she said she would. Vaughan Kendall's body lay prone at her feet, his head had rolled off somewhere under a nearby table.

No better place, her mind crowed. It's where all the other roaches and vermin would hide. Just perfect for His Lordship.

"Maker's Breath," she heard a voice say over labored lungs. "He... he's dead. We killed him... we killed them."

Kallian only half turned to look at him, almost in a daze. His armor wasn't as stained in red as hers. The bow in his hands had seen a bit of use. He looked pale, but no worse for wear. Two other bodies were on the floor between them. Blood spread from a wound in Lord Braden's neck. The arrow embedded there had killed him almost instantly. Lord Jonaley proved more resilient then that. His drunken state had allowed him to ignore a few blows, but no amount of ale in the world would have him live after Soris's third arrow buried deep into his side.

It amazed her a little. Before today neither of them had ever killed anyone. After those first two guards, however, it was somewhat frightening how easy it was to take a life.

The elf before her stepped forward past the bodies, his voice shook as he spoke, "T-tell me we did the right thing, cousin."

The look in his eye was pleading for some reassurance. Kallian said nothing and only looked over in the direction of the bed. They both knew that their respective cousin, Shianni, had rolled off the bed and onto the floor after Lord Vaughan had gotten off of her. It took her out of the line of sight of them all, but with him pulling up his trousers it didn't take much to guess what he had done. The soft sobbing they heard from just beyond the bed was enough to answer Soris's question.

"You take care of Shianni. She needs you," her cousin's voice was more solid, but there was an ashamed look in his eye. "I'll look for the others."

Soris left without another look and Kallian slid the blade into the sheath at her back numbly. She didn't blame him. Kallian was closer to Shianni then he. For anyone, let alone a man and kin, to face someone they were not quick enough to save...

She went around to the far side of the bed, her gut twisting into a knot as she saw the sight before her. Shianni, with her face and arms bruised and battered, shaking like a leaf, was trying desperately to cover her lower body with the rags that once were her skirt. Tear stains, both old and new, streaked her face. Whatever dignity Shianni was trying to reclaim stopped once she looked up at Kallian. Her face twisted and she sobbed.

"Home... take me home, please."

With that Kallian quickly yanked one of the sheets off the bed, knelt down, and started to wrap it about Shianni.

"It's alright," she said the words, but they felt like hollow consolation. "You're safe now."

Kallian wasn't able to look her in the eye. That shame and guilt Soris avoided hit her in the chest. If they'd only been quicker. If they'd never been taken in the first place, then...

"Th-they're gone?" Shianni grabbed her arm and her eyes were wide when Kallian managed to meet her gaze. "You killed them, y-yes?"

Her face was a picture of desperation. Shianni needed something, anything, for her to cling to. Kallian said the first thing that came to mind that summed it all up.

"Like dogs, Shianni."

Her cousin's hand gripped tighter to her arm. Kallian placed her own hand over Shianni's comfortingly.

"Good," though quivering, her voice came through with a determined grit. As if knowing the fact that some vengeance had been exacted then she'd be able to bare up with the pain. "Good."

"Kal," Soris's voice came from behind her. She looked to find both Soris and his bride-to-be watching on. Valora's hand was lightly covering her mouth in shock at the sight of Shianni. Before either could speak Kallian raised a hand. She didn't want them prying on Shianni's condition.

"Where's Nola?"

Valora's small voice spoke with an added quiver in it's tone, "Th-they killed Nola. They took Shianni first and put us in the hall storage room to... to wait our turn. When they came for her she resisted and... they killed her."

"We should get out of here. Now," Soris said glancing at the door that lead back to the hall. Kallian silently agreed with a nod and looked at Shianni once more.

"Can you walk?" she asked, partially rising to help encourage her.

Kallian watched the look in her eye. She felt a small sense of relief as the desperation in Shianni's gaze had started to lift. Shianni was going to eventually be alright. She'd need time to heal, but the elf lass with fiery red hair and just as fiery temperament would survive.

"Y-yes," Shianni gave a shaky nod. "I think so."

With that Kallian helped her up and Soris spoke the words before she could, "Good. Let's get out of here. I can't wait to leave this place."

They made their way out as fast as Shianni's' pace allowed them to. Valora clung to Soris's arm and would shut or shield her eyes away when they'd come upon more of the carnage the two of them had exacted. Kallian felt oddly detached. As if the woman that cut blades into these guards in anger and rage was a completely different person. In part it was true.

Once Vaughan was dead a good deal of that rage had left. It was still there and seemed to fester more with each slow step from Shianni. It was no longer a killing rage, though, and was quietly aimed at the arrogant human nobles.

Nobles that will not let this go unpunished, she surmised in her mind. You just killed the Arl of Denerim's son. It doesn't matter what the reasons were. We're only elves, after all. Not worthy of equal justice.

Quietly she glanced at the others, Shianni won't be touched. Neither will Valora. They don't carry the baring right now of being killers. Soris, however...

Valora sniffled and Soris looked at her with concern, then rubbed her arm reassuringly. That was enough to set Kallian's mind on what she had to do. No matter the cost, she was going to make sure that no more of her kin was harmed.