"Again."

Acacia, cupped both her hands, whispering the spell under her breath as the warmth surrounded her hands. She slowly opened them as the fire began to surge in her palms, forming a small ball that fit between the palms in front of her. The fire nipped at her finger tips as she flung it forward towards the human like dummy the instructors had placed as practice for the students. The fire hit home, smashing into the dummy's chest and swallowing the straw that formed its body and it raced across the outline.

"Now, contain it."

She placed her hand out in front of her, forming them as if she were sculpting the fire to her will. Her brow furrowed as focused her concentration on the fire, the nervous Templar near moved slightly, the sound of his armor giving away his unease of the situation. With a quick snap of her wrists the fire quickly snuffed out, leaving only the smell of the chard hay in the large training room. Acacia, wiped her forehead with the sleeve of her robe before turning over to her trainer and smiling.

"That was perfect, Acacia."

She quickly turned to join the group of mages behind her.

"Thanks for making us all look bad." A young man elbowed her as she stopped to stand next to him. Jowan, her best friend since he had arrived at the Circle, his black hair slightly falling into his face, making the worried look in his blue eyes even more apparent. She looked over at her friend giving him a cocky smirk and nudge with her own elbow. Her skill surpassed many of her fellow mages, while others were off enjoying their few free hours of free time, she used hers to study and practice with mages who were much higher than her apprentice friend. She watched her fellow mages as they each practiced their skills with straw dummies, the nervous Templar catching her attention each time he would squirm in his armor. Her brow furrowed as a smile pulled at the corner of her lips. She tucked her long light brown hair behind her ear and back over her shoulder before folded her arms and continued watching the very nervous Templar.

"Did we get stuck with the new recruit?" Jowan joked as he caught on to what she had been watching.

"Would seem." She chuckled. The Templar glanced over towards her quickly before looking again when he noticed her staring at him. She gave him a wild smile causing him to adjust his feet in a nervous manner and quickly look away. A few more times he had glanced over at her to find that Acacia was still watching him, she gave him the same vibrant smile each time he looked at her. "It's rather cute." She whispered.

"What is?" Jowan asked, confused.

"How nervous he is."

He raised his eyebrow. "You're still watching him."

"Watch, he will look over here again and I bet I can make him blush." She laughed softly. The Templar looked again, and again she smiled this time adding a wink along with a small wave. He quickly looked away as his cheeks flushed and he began fumbling with the helmet in his hand dropping it to the floor causing the mages to all stare at the embarrassed Templar who quickly pulled his helm onto his head, after scooping it from between his feet, and cleared his throat as he readjusted his stance. Jowan and Acacia both covered their mouths as they began to laugh.

"That's pathetic." Jowan remarked.

"I think it's rather cute." She smiled as she continued to watch the Templar who could now watch her clearly without notice. She turned back to watching her fellow apprentices in their lesson, occasionally being called to help with extinguishing the few fires that would go array. She would help the mage contain the fire while their instructor attempted to calm the student and help walk them through extinguishing it. By the end of the class her robes were sticking to her skin, the long blue sleeves rolled up to her elbows and her hair wrapped tightly in a bun. She was tired, as easy as the training today was for her, helping their instructor with the group who had difficultly had drained her.

"Are you feeling alright?" Jowan hurried to catch up with the girl as they left the training room for the night.

"I am fine, just exhausted." She smiled.

"Seems your friend is accompanying us to dinner." Jowan whispered, as he leaned in closer.

"Is he still nervous?"

Jowan glanced behind them at the two Templars who followed them. "I am not exactly sure which one he is, they all look the same with those damned helmets."

"Shall I try something?" She smirked.

"Does it involve a spell? If yes you should." He chuckled softly.

Acacia stopped and turned around, rushing quickly over to the Templars with a worried look on her face.

"Back in line mage!" One barked as he pointed to the group ahead of them. "Apprentices do not have free run of the tower, you are expected to be at supper."

"Yes, I know Ser Templar. But…" She raised herself on her feet so she was closer to the Templars level, one stirring nervously. "You see." She looked down and fumbled with her hands as she lowered her voice. "I need to relieve myself. I can't very well do that at dinner, and I cannot wait till after unless you and your fellows would like to clean up a mess."

The man sighed and smacked his fellow in the chest with his hand. "Accompany her, do not let her out of your sight these mages are tricky."

"Oh thank you!" She smiled as she hurried past the Templar towards the dorms of the apprentices. She glanced over her shoulder to see her companion chasing after her. She hurried down the stairs, the sound of her feet as they touched the stone echoed in the large rooms. She stopped at the open door to the dorms, waiting as the Templar caught up. "Oh please hurry!" She whined as she crossed her legs and acted uncomfortable. She hurried into the dorm as the Templar approached. "I will only be a minute." She hurried behind the wall, waiting until the loud sound of his armor became silent. She slowly peeked around the corner to see the man standing in front of the opening. She smirked as she whispered a slight heat spell used to start fire pits without alerting people. The Templar moved, Acacia quickly ducking back behind the wall and smiling to herself. She stepped out and smoothed her robes. "I am ready now, thank you for accompanying me." She smiled as she turned and walked out of the dorms, the Templar following. "Do you get warm in that armor? I mean my robes are not the same and yet there are times I find myself uncomfortable. Times when I want to ask for a pass just to go to the shores outside and sit next to that cooling lake. Or when it rains I wish I could just sit in it until I am covered in chills." The Templar sighed behind her. "Are you okay, Ser Templar?" She stopped and turned around to look at him. He quickly pulled his helm from his head, his forehead covered in sweat that dripped down his face. "I imagine you just answered my question." She chuckled as she walked back over to him.

He looked down at her. "It's rather warm, are you warm?"

She shook her head. "Perhaps you have come down with something?" She grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards the chair. "Come, sit, and let me have a look. I have been studying with Wynne and I can help you." She pulled at her sleeve till it was back to her hands and wiped it across the Templar's head. She rested her hand against his forehead as she began to whisper a spell.

He quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away forcefully. "What are you doing, mage?"

"Do you want help? Or would you rather melt away in that armor? You think I would risk myself to bring you harm? Please none of you Templars are worth my life, but if you do not wish my help then I shall leave you here and continue on my way to supper."

He slowly let go of her hand.

"That's what I thought." She glared at him before laying her hand across his forehead and whispering a cooling spell. "And my name is not mage, it is Acacia Amell. I would prefer you call me by my name."

"I… I apologize."

She sighed. "It is alright, you all are taught to fear us. How could we expect anything less than being treated like a misbehaved animal?" She touched his face with her other hand. "See you are already cooling down. Do you have a name Ser Templar?"

"Cullen." He swallowed hard as he began to relax in the chair.

She smiled. "See not all us mages are evil, some of us are just like anyone else." She knelt down and slowly removed her hand. "Only we have magic." She whispered as she picked his helm from the floor and placed it on his lap. "I think we should head for the dining room, lest we be missed and they call for the Right of Annulment."


The Circle was always silent in the mornings of no training, the other mages usually drained from the weeks activities took the chance to sleep later than the morning sun. Acacia took it as a chance to study and practice without having to wait on the older mages who had seniority over her, but on this morning she had offered to run small tasks for the Senior Enchanters. One being for First Enchanter Irving who was having her assist a tranquil with pulling a group of books from the library, she thought nothing of it. Often books were pulled from the library when a Templar found them too dangerous and were then sent to the Knight-Commander for review. She enjoyed the tranquils, they were quiet unlike most of her fellow mages who she felt never shut their mouths, she thought their life easy. Never feeling regret or questioning your choices, never falling in love, being frightened, betrayal and sadness. And yet she felt sorry for them, every time she looked at their blank faces she wondered if anything of their former selves were left behind after the procedure. Did it hurt? Were they scared? Could they perhaps ever regain who they once were? She looked over at the young girl next to her, only a few years older than herself and this girl's life had been cut short, her magic judged as inadequate, and her mind weak to temptation. She could only guess as to what had made them decide to make her tranquil or had it been her choice in fear that she would not be able to stand up to the temptations of the demons. Acacia had never encountered a demon, though she had never entered the Fade while awake only in her dreams. She sighed as she turned back to gathering the books into her arms. "Can you handle gathering the rest?" She asked the girl with a smile.

"Yes."

She turned on her heel, her arms overflowing with books whose covers cut into her arms leaving. She hurried through the halls towards Irving's office, only the padding of her feet and the shuffling of the Templar's armor echoing through the empty halls. "First Enchanter, I have the books you ask for. Melina is gathering the others."

"Here she is now, Greagoir." Irving smiled as the girl entered the office.

"Cullen, take those from her."

She smiled as the Templar walked towards her. "Good morning, Cullen." She helped him adjust the books in his arms before walking towards Irving's desk, Cullen walking out of the room likely taking the books to other side of the tower where the Templars made their home. "Knight-Commander." She slightly bowed her head. "I hope your morning is well."

"The Knight-Commander and I were just discussing you."

"Oh? Good things one can hope." She chuckled.

"There are new recruits, and an apostate. Anders, I hear you know him."

"Maker, don't all the females here know him." She sighed rubbing her forehead.

Irving chuckled. "Don't worry, we want you to tour the tower with the children. They are young and frightened in a new place, seeing a fellow mage who has studied and become great at her talent would ease them."

"It would be a pleasure, First Enchanter."

"Our newest Templar to the Circle, Cullen will be joining you." Greagoir added.

"I will make sure nothing happens while they are all in my care." She smiled with her hands folded behind her back.

"Meet Cullen in the entrance hall, he will be waiting." Irving motioned for her to take her leave.

She quickly turned around and hurried through the halls, practically running down the stairs past the Templars. Cullen looked over as he saw the girl hurrying towards him, her robes clutched in both hands pulling them far enough up so her feet would not catch them. He pushed the door open as the mage showed no intent on stopping. "Well come on!" She joked as she passed him. "Or does that heavy armor weigh you down so?" She did not slow as they reached the spiral stone stair case that would lead them to the docks within the tower, the Templar trying his best to keep up with quick girl. "I'm guessing we are early." She laughed as they finally reached the bottom and saw no boat. "We wait then?" She looked back at Cullen as he walked up behind her. She sat at the edge of the dock, pulling her shoes from her feet and setting them aside. She sighed as she slowly put her feet into the water, the cool feeling washing over her entire body. "Mmm… it has been so long since I have felt this water." She closed her eyes as she moved her feet back and forth. "Did you grow up in the chantry, Cullen?"

"I… I did."

She opened her eyes at the strain in his voice. "Do I make you nervous, Cullen?"

He looked away, searching for the boat.

Her brow furrowed. "You are all alike you know? You have nothing to fear from me, I am not going to suddenly be turned into an abomination right in front of you. I do not think I deserve to be treated that way."

"No!" He waved his hands in front of him. "I… That is not what I think!"

"That's what all Templars think." She growled as she pulled her feet from the water and pushed them back into her shoes. "Here comes the boat now, to save you from speaking with a mage." She stood up and kept her back to him.

He sighed and rubbed his forehead, cursing himself in the safety of his mind.

"At least try to be happy to see these children, even if you do think that they are just abominations waiting to attack you at any moment." She pushed her anger aside and smiled as widely as she could as the boat approached them. "Welcome!" She waved. "My name is Acacia, I am an apprentice here at this beautiful tower that I call home."

"It looks like a dump!" One of the older children who sat in the back called, causing the rest of the older children to chuckle nervously.

"Oh but it is your home now too, so you live in this dump right along with me." She smiled and held her hand out to the younger children who would be going with her. "The young ones will be coming with me to tour the tower, the older will be welcomed soon by a Senior Enchanter." She ruffled the hair of a little girl who still had tears flowing down her face. "Don't cry little bird." She knelt down giving the girl a hug. "You have no reason to cry here."

"I don't want to be here, I want my mum."

"I know, I cried too. It's scary at first but this is where you belong, with other people just like you and soon we will become your family."

The little girl looked up at the Templar towering over her.

Acacia looked up at Cullen who returned her look. "Say something." She whispered.

"Oh… I… Umm… Well…" He rubbed the back of his neck as Acacia glared at him. "Do you want to hold my hand?" He looked back down to the little girl. She nodded and held her hand out to the Templar. He smiled and took it in his hand.

"Well then." Acacia clapped her hands together. "Shall we get moving then?" She motioned with her head for the children to follow her up the large stair case.

"She's very pretty." The little girl spoke to Cullen after not speaking the entire tour. "I like her, very much." She smiled. "Do you?"

"I'm starting to, but let us keep that between us." He looked down at the little girl.

"I like secrets." She cooed, up at him.

He smiled.

"First Enchanter and Knight-Commander, it's nice of you to join us. We were just finishing." Acacia smiled.

"We have a meal set up for the children so that Knight-Commander and I may explain further of the tower. Follow us children."

She smiled as each child passed her, giving a wink to the little girl who had clung to Cullen through the whole tour. "I have to say I am shocked you have such compassion for us mages."

"Like mages, us Templars are not all the same."

She raised her eyebrow and looked over at him. "Oh? You had me fooled."

"It's not you being a mage that strikes my nervous." He commented and made his way into the hall.

"What is it then?" She hurried after him.

He ignored her as he hurried down the halls.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"I have to get to my post." He replied as he walked up the stairs.

"That is quiet rude!" She called after him before turning around.