She is Beauty
She is Grace
She'll set fire to your face
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age, because if I did, I wouldn't be driving a 2003 Ford
I recognized the Red Templar Captain that had taken him from me. So I did what any normal girl would do. Shot a bolt of fire at the sod. Brilliant, I know. Especially because I did it out of blind rage and totally missed. The group of them rose panicked, and tried to find a source of the fire. My companion swore and shook her head.
"We are here to scout. Not shoot fireballs at the blighted Templars!" The dwarf was seething. I heard the sound of displaced air as an arrow whizzed past us. I looked over at it sticking out of a trunk, shocked by not only at how close it had come to my face, but also the depth which it had embedded itself in the tree. Whoever shot the thing was wicked strong. Adna did the fancy little thing where she disappears in a dark cloud, leaving me for the wolves. This is why you shouldn't leave Skyhold. I thought. I heard her voice up in the trees but couldn't see her. "And if you do, don't sodding miss!" She reappeared as she sent an explosive arrow flying towards the marksman, successfully taking him down.
I saw a few Templars approaching my position and so I Fade Stepped behind a rock. Holy Andraste, fighting is hard enough without my added complications. Realizing that I had no other option than to stand my ground, I grabbed my staff. I stared at it, trying to remember how to use it. I hoped that the harder I stared, the more I would remember. I looked up when I heard another disgusted grunt.
"I'm a healer dammit!" I shouted to the trees, cursing as I realized I had just given away my position. Maker, I was really bad at this whole 'combat' thing. She fired another arrow, hitting a knight in the leg. I shrugged and twirled the staff, little pathetic bits of fire came spitting out. Oh forget it. I abandoned the idea of attacking with it as I put the closest attacker in a stasis. I came up to him and a thought came to me. I shrugged and went with it. Unlatching my staff, I wound up and smacked the Templar as hard as I could with the blunt steel edge.
To my luck, It only successfully made him more angry and my paralysis glyph was wearing off. Makers balls.Thankfully a few well-placed arrows from my companion killed the man. I latched my staff back into place. I would have to figure out how to use it later. I saw more of them coming towards Adna's tree. I went to help, but the dwarf had disappeared from sight, and had thrown a flask of metal corroding acid toward the bunch of them. Andraste she was good, what in the Fade did she need me for? Knock on wood, don't leave me alone, my capable dwarf friend.
I decided that slowing the Templars down or freezing them was the best I could do at the moment. So I kept running about, putting Templars in stasis while my companion shot them down. Not paying too much attention, I almost tripped on a tree root, like the graceful lady that I was. The roots are huge in the Emerald Graves, everyone would have a hard time. I convinced myself. It wasn't long until I got annoyed jumping and frolicking over the foliage like an idiot and I decided that Fade Stepping couldn't hurt. And the fact that I was starting to feel dizzy did not help my stamina. And so I Stepped. Through one of them, freezing him in place.
"You're welcome Adna." I remarked smugly as I Stepped past her tree. Looking up I saw as she glared at me and flipped me off. Awww dwarves are so cute when they're filled with murderous rage.
"Ugh!" Came her reply. I guess I kinda deserved it, I had gotten us into this mess. I stopped abruptly as I realized I had Stepped too far, almost off a small cliff. I probably looked like a fool standing on the tips of my toes, wobbling, trying to regain my balance. Once I was relatively sure of my footing, I dared to take a deep breath.
Soon after, I heard footsteps approaching and so I turned and Stepped to the side in a curve. I cocked my head back as I sprinted forward to see that I had in fact evaded an abomination. Yes! Deal with it, Spikey. I focused again to see where I was going to see a large reddish silver shape and BAM! Slammed into one of the Templars, knocking us both off our feet. I rose up onto my elbows and rubbed my head, cursing myself. The Templar rose in a swift motion, and advanced toward me, scowling. My breath hitched.
I knew that face.
His narrowed eyes were a ghastly red instead of green but it was him. He was coming towards me with his sword drawn, no sign of recognition.
"Ryaden?" His name slipped out of my mouth. He hesitated for a moment, looking down, but then kept on advancing. Maker, he was alive, and not a monstrosity! My eyes widened as I realized Adna had a clear shot to his unprotected face. I was right, I looked up to see her aiming straight for his forehead. The blighted idiot forgot his helmet, again. He turned to look, just as she released the arrow, realizing his mistake.
I panicked and put up a barrier in front of him, the arrow exploding against it. The force from the blast shot me backwards and a tree broke my momentum. Falling to my knees, I tried to shove down the wave of nausea that was rising. A quick look over at where my companion had been awarded me the result I was hoping for; a big empty tree branch. I thanked the Maker that she disappeared again, probably out of arrows. Or she had fled, knowing that I was a lost cause. I turned my head back towards Ryaden. He stood in the same spot looking over at me in confusion. He knew that I had just saved his life, a Red Templar. I sighed in relief but only got half of it out as something blunt hit me in the back of my head.
*Before*
I knew they were wary to have a mage treat him, but his injuries were not of the normal sort. I looked down at the Templar, a nasty gash on his cheek. He was unconscious thankfully, because he no doubt would have protested a mage healing him. They had removed his armor, which had been burned by the Rage demon. I started working, letting myself get into a healing mode. I started on the worst of them, the gash on his face. It was bleeding profusely and had been for too long. I cleaned the blood the best I could before putting my hands on it. I focused my energy on mending the cut and a blue light shone from my hands. I started to breathe harder at the effort. But I was successful as it began to close. Once the bleeding had stopped, I washed the wound carefully before bandaging it. I decided to let it scar, a reminder for him.
I slumped onto the floor next to the cot exhausted. Treating the burns had been no fun as I tried to make it so they wouldn't scar. Maker, he better be grateful for it. I looked over at the Templar resting peacefully. I noticed dark hair that perfectly complemented his olive tan skin. He had a strong jawline, stubble just beginning to show. As I looked at him I wondered what color his eyes were. Brown probably, matching his hair. He sucked in a breath as his eyes opened in surprise. I startled, jumping up a bit. He looked around in confusion, taking an inventory. He tried to lift his head up but I came over and gently placed it back down on the pillow.
"Whoa there, stay still," I ordered. His eyes met mine and I saw that they were an emerald green.
"You're definitely not the usual old witch." He blurted. Uh, thanks? I think he meant it as a compliment?
"Come here often?" I smirked as I went to dress the smaller cuts on his arm.
"I will now, seeing that a pretty girl will be taking care of me." I stopped for a moment as I smiled. He panicked a little. "Maker's breath I said that out loud."
"Hush, I need you still while I dress this," I laughed as l gently undid another bandage on his head. It was new enough, but I needed something to distract myself. It was good I did, because the wound had begun to bleed. I cleaned it again carefully, but he winced at the contact.
"So, was it an exceptional fight, did my amazing Templar skills scare the demon right back into the Fade?" He raised an eyebrow and I suppressed a smile.
"Stop moving dammit," I scolded, but my tone was light.
"Yes pretty healer lady." I couldn't help but grin as I saw his reaction. He closed his eyes in embarrassment as he realized he did it again. I placed my hand on the gash and decided to give it another go. His staring made it more difficult to focus. But I was partially successful as the wound looked a week old instead of only hours. I wrapped his head up again,
"If you would count rushing in without a helmet and tackling the beast," I smirked. "Then yes it was exceptional." He gave a mock frown.
"You wound me," he joked, eyes lighting up when he saw me smile. I felt a wave of tiredness come over me and I yawned. Looking out the window I realized just how late it was. I gathered my supplies and decided that I would clean and put everything away later. "Wait," he called, causing me to look back. "Will the pretty healer lady tell me her name?"
"Only if the demon-tackling Templar tells me his first." I shot back, and he gave me a lopsided grin.
"Ryaden Durante, my lady." He tried to look suave when he said it. Which he completely failed at, due to matted hair and a bandage across his face. Oh Maker, his failing miserably was so endearing.
"I'm Solana Surelle, Ser Templar."
So yeah, first fanfic. These are my characters, set in the world of Thedas. I thought it would be fun to explore a love story between an Apostate mage and a Templar in the height of conflict, especially after he was forced to take Red Lyrium. Most of the characters are of my own making, with mention of some of the main ones in the game. We got the perspective of the people in charge, but I wanted to shed light on maybe what it was like for the "little people."
Also, I remember reading that some Red Templars kept their humanity for a while before they went all crystally and such. That even some of them regretted taking it, so that's what I'm going off of (and the fact that it probably affects the memory).
Tell me what you think :) reviews and followers are always greatly appreciated and what keeps us fanfic writers going. Ma serannas my friends!