"So how was it?" he asked.
She looked up, still dazed.
"How was what?" she said, turning over in her bunk, not wanting to listen.
"The Harrowing, the reason they woke you up so early?"
"Oh. That."
"Yes, that. Come on, you have to tell me..."
"Well, it was kind of..."
"What?"
"Fuzzy."
"Hmm?"
"You know how dreams are? Nothings completely crisp. It's like the images are growing mold-"
"Evangeline."
"Lovely, hypotheical mold."
"You're messing with me,"
"Jowan..." she said, standing up and throwing the covers off of her. "You know I can't say anything. And the bit about the fuzziness may have gone a little to far. I might get called aside and smacked around a bit for divulging that information; but it is true, and it might be very important, write it on your hand."
"I don't even know if I'm going to have a Harrowing."
"What are you talking about?" she said, stretching. "Everyone has a Harrowing."
"Not everyone, look at the help, they walk around, without feeling and emotion."
"Probably due to the shit pay."
"Evie!"
"What? Honestly, you're worrying over nothing. It's going to happen."
"I don't want to be made tranquil."
"My lovely, dear, best friend, I promise, that with my almighty power as a new mage who has passed the harrowing Harrowing, I will do all I can to make sure that doesn't happen."
"Fat lot of good that would do. You've moved up. I probably won't see you as much. New classes, new teachers,"
"New people to pick on about their hair..."
"Oh shut up! You can't be serious, for one second?"
"Not when the topic is so ridiculous it requires me to be the exact opposite."
"Whatever your opinion on my suffering-"
"-whining-"
"worrying- the First Enchanter wishes to see you."
"Probably to give the the magic stick to suck all the feeling and love out of you, I suppose."
"EVIE!"
"Or is it already shoved up your arse? Take a joke, Jowan. I'll see you later,"
She quickly exited the dormitories and walked quickly down the hall, day dreaming of the new life that awaited her as she mounted the steps to the office. She thought of her new room, her new lessons, and the new classmates. She had watched the seinor pupils walk around with a sense of entitlement and pride, and more than anything she wished to be like them, with their confidence and snazzy robes. And maybe, finally, she would meet someone who she could at last shove into the dark corners of the library and play 'find the magic staff' with. She had counted the virgins left in the tower, and with the exception of the chantry sisters (and not all of them, mind you) there were maybe five females with intact lady parts and seven males with dry, hungry, cold cocks. She did not like being in the group.
However, while musing over how one could muffle ones groans of pleasure in a shelf of books as not to give her and her hypotheical lover's position away, she tripped.
"FUCK!"
"Evangeline!"
She turned around and saw him, the awkward templar who often played with his fingers too much.
"Ello, Cullen."
"Um, yes! Hello, are you alright?"
"Um, yes, peachy. I love tripping. Good for the joints and heart rate," she said, taking his hand to help her up.
"How are you, since, the, you know..."
"The Harrowing? I think you can say it out loud, Cullen. It's not like that time the Chantry Sister got pregnant and we all just had to pretend she was getting fat as not to offend The Maker."
"Uh...yeah..."
"Oh, you probably don't like those jokes. I'm sorry. Insensitive, barbaric mage-y me. Anyway, I'm on my way to the First Enchanter's office? Want to join? We could talk about swords and other lovely things of that nature."
"Oh... I...I would love to! But I have to man this post."
"Oh yeah, lots- lots of traffic. Many mages hiding small weapons of defience to overthrow you all?"
"Hahaha, thats-that's funny."
"I've been known to make people laugh. At any rate, it was nice seeing you, Cullen," she smiled and curtsied, and continued to excitedly go up to meet her future.
Along the way, she heard people making remarks on her and what she had accomplished. She reveled in it while it lasted, but she soon found herself at the entrance to the office, facing three men in the place she was only expecting one.
"Come in my child," the First Enchanter beckoned.
She enetered catiously. Her bright, crystal blue eyes met the dark ones of the bearded, brunette man and avoided the cold ones of the templer's captain.
"I was told to come here," she said, standing up straight, keeping her bobbed, black hair out of her face and minding her bangs, hoping the red rouge she had put on her eye lids this morning wasn't offensive or offstandish.
"Yes, we all here were very impressed by you. I don't think we've had a student complete the Harrowing in such a short amount of time as you did, it was quite remarkable to watch,"
"Well, thank you sir." she smiled.
"As you know, you'll be moving up a flight. You'll have your own room, new teachers, and new equipment. Also, I have a modest proposal for you,"
"What would that be sir?"
"A student with your talent shan't be ignored, my dear. It has been decided that you shall be made a new member of the Circle of Mages, if you so choose to accept."
"I- I would be honored," she stammered.
"Very well then," he handed her an assortment of items, which she looked over with childlike excitement, grinning inspite of herself.
"Thank you sir," she smiled, and turned to walk away.
"Wait my dear! We have another matter of business to attend to,"
She turned around and walked back to her spot she had held.
"This is Sir Duncan, a Grey Warden,"
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Evangeline,"
She extended her hand and shook his.
"I've read about you," she smiled. "Ever since I was a little girl, my mother used to tell me tales."
He smiled. "You're not making me feel any younger,"
She laughed. "Do not concern yourself with your flattery, I would have remembered the name if she had mentioned you in the century old tales, and it might have made me even more in awe of your presence. Excuse me for asking, but what are you doing here, sir?"
"Duncan is here on business for the King,"
"Growing reports from various bases throughout Ferelden have given us evidence to believe that a Blight may be occuring."
"But I thought the Blight 400 years ago ended all threat of another?"
"She reads too much," The captain said for the first time in the meeting.
"Last time I checked frequenting the library was not a crime, unless the Chantry has added 'reading' onto the list of things that people are but mages aren't allowed to do," she glared.
"She's fiesty." Duncan commented.
"She has been, ever since she was brought here ten years ago,"
"How old were you then child?"
"Nine," she answered.
"Well, as much as I would like for us to stand around talking about the day the mage found out she had a gift from hell, I have business to attend to. First Enchanter?"
"Why don't you show Duncan to his quarters, my dear? The commander seems that he has something he wishes to speak to me about."
Evangeline nodded, picked up her belongings, and smiled at the older gentleman.
As they walked down the hallways, she tried to keep a conversation alive.
"So, a blight," she said. "Are you sure?"
"As sure as thousands of lives lost will make us. I know that living here in this tower has made the outside world a mystery to you, but trust me in saying it might have been a blessing over the past five years,"
"A blessing. Huh. I'm not too sure, sir. With all respect you begin to long for the new and mysterious when you find yourself seated at supper with boys trying to convince you that they can make their oatmeal into shit,"
He laughed.
"This is it," she announced, and held her arm out to the lavish room. "Your quarters, very lovely if I might add, I hope my new room is like this, I could get used to fire place."
"Thank you for your companionship, now if you'll exucse me-"
"Sir?"
"Yes?"
"One more question, if you'll oblige,"
"Of course."
"Do...do you think I could be one? A Grey Warden?"
He smiled. "Dreams bigger than this tower, child?"
"Dreams bigger than the Fade, Sir."
He chuckled. "To be young, and full of life. Looking for adventure and exictement, sucking every bit you find out of the world."
"A caged bird dreams nothing more of flying," she said. "whistling sad songs and watching the world go by without you can only drive you to try to break the lock that holds you."
"Profound."
She smiled.
"I am looking for mages to join our cause. I'll speak to the First Enchanter in the morning."
"Really?" she exclaimed.
"Truely," he answered sincierly.
"Thank you, thank you so much sir!" she smiled, and prancing out of the room, almost floating.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
"Evie!" she heard a voice.
"Jowan?"
"Evie!" she looked into the Chantry, and saw him beckoning her over to behind a bookcase.
"Yes?" she smiled, and walked in.
"Keep your voice down, will you?"
"YES?"
"Evie, I'm serious!"
"Alright- oh, hello," she said, looking up at a red headed, beautiful girl.
"Evie, this is Lily. She the girl I've been telling you about, I've wanted you two to meet for so long but-"
"So this is Lily!" she said, happily.
"So nice to meet you, I've heard so much about you," she said politely.
"Nice to finally meet the reason Jowan has waded tissues under his bunk!"
"EVIE!"
Lily giggled.
"So, while this meeting is lovely, why is it taking place behind a bookshelf, in small whispers?"
"Because Lily and I want to run away together."
"HELLO!"
"and we need your help, destroying my philactory."
"We've found an entrance, but we lack a key. We thinka fire rod could help us get through,"
"Please, Evie. You're my best friend and I have to leave now before they make me tranquil! I don't want to end up like Owain."
"Well, I guess...shit, Jowan. I'm part of the Circle now,"
"What?"
"Just happened. I wish I had a badge."
"Evie. Please. We've been friends since I found you crying that day in the library ten years ago. I've asked you for nothing else-"
"hoo boy I beg to differ. Stealing you dessert on my kitchen days, to copy my homework, to ask the nurse about that spell where you can, ahem, tell your seed not to fall from the tree while plowing the curly field - I assume that one was for you, Lily, and by the look of it you're not swelling in the mid section, so I guess it worked - "
"OKAY. But nothing as important as this. Please. Evie. I need your help."
"Jowan. You're my best friend. Of course I'll help you,"
A smile spread across his lips.
"Thank you, Evie."
"So, fire rod. I suppose that not something that we can go see if anyone has under their robes from an incident with a wild woman..."
"You'll have to get it from Owain."
"Got it."
0o0o0o0oo0o
"What? Just give me one!"
"You need a reason."
"How about me learning about fire and rods? And the combination of both."
"I need a pass and signed document from a pro-"
"OWAIN. I WILL SHOW YOU MY-"
"I need a pass and "
"UGH."
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Hey, can you sign this?"
"What is it?"
"Pass for a fire rod."
"What are you going to do with it?"
"Blow on the tip and pretend I'm a dragon to entertain the children?"
"What?"
"Alright, I just want to pretend I'm a dragon. But I'm a Circle mage now!"
"Get lost."
o0o0o0o0o
"Sign here?"
"What is it?"
"Permisson for a Fire Rod?"
"The fumes from the potions aren't meant to be inhaled, kid."
o0o0o0o0o
"Sign this?"
"What?"
Evangeline looked at thr frazzled elf.
"Please, I need a seinor enchanter to-"
"Is this for a fire rod? Are you insane?"
"Why are you so twitchy? Whatever. Is there one behind that door? I can-"
"NO. YOU CAN'T GO IN THERE."
"WOAH..."
"Ugh. Fine. Look, I might have had...a pest problem occur. There's spider everywhere in that corridor, and the Templers..."
"If I get rid of the spiders, will you sign the damn paper?"
"Deal."
0o0o0o0o0o
"Spiders. I'm killing spiders for a friend." she told herself as she entered the menacing chamber. She looked on the floor, staff as the ready to crush any offending arachnid.
"Come on you stupid things. Am I really going to have to walk down this entire hallway and freeze all of you?"
She kicked over a chest, and looked for them.
"That woman is crazy, there isn't any spiders."
THUMP.
She turned around and saw what she thought was a large dog.
"WHAT THE HELL?" She said, as quickly froze it.
"ARE YOU FUCKING JOKING?"
Upon further examination, she learned that they were not fucking joking.
0o0o0o0o0o0o
She opened the door, the elf smiled.
"Did you kill them?"
"They were the size of my bed."
"Excellent! Wheres the paper?"
"WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME THAT THEY WERE EIGHT LEGGED TABLES RUNNING ABOUT?"
"Is a signature fine?"
"I have multiple bites. There's one the size of a cauldron. It's green. I dont-I don't really know what to do about it. Cream?"
"Here you are my dear."
"There...there is no reason to make spiders that big."
"We're not telling anyone about this?"
"If you haven't noticed, I've got THREE MASSIVE OOZING LUMPS from BITES on me. MY ROBES ARE IN SHREDS. I'M BLEEDING FROM EVERY HOLE ON MY FACE. WHAT WILL I TELL THE PASSER BY, I GOT IN A BAR FIGHT?"
"Tell them you fell,"
"I fell. Of course. What brilliant logic. Why are even in charge? Besides the spiders just mucking about down there and trying to kill anything with less than eight eyes out of what I believe is pure jealousy, there is no organization. Just chests, filled with shit."
"Goodbye, dear!"
"This is my life. Giant spiders."
o0o0o0o0
"Here's the signature, Owain."
"Heres the fire rod."
"WAS THAT SO HARD?"
0o0o0o00o0
"Evie, you look like hell."
"I went through it for your fire rod. You better name a kid after me."
)(*&^%$##$%^&*(*&^%$#$%T^Y&*(*&^%$#$%^(*&^%$#$%^&
:) new chapter up soon!