9:29 DRAGON

The Circle's library was Isra's favourite place in the Tower. It was her little oasis of peace and quiet, when she felt like escaping from the confines of her life in the Circle, loosing herself in whatever world a good book could conjure up for her.

Today, she chose a tale, based on the legend of the Black Fox. Engrossed in her book she did not hear her friend Silani approach her, until the little elf sat down next to her.

"Have you heard?"

"Well, Hello to you too Sili." She seemed excited which was nothing unusual. Silani always had a more child-like approach to life, which resulted in endless optimism and abundance of excitement.

"Yes, yes. Hello. Long time, no see. So on and so forth. Have you heard?"

Isra was contemplating whether she should be annoyed at the interruption. Considering the fact that she already read this particular book once before, she decided to go along with the excitement. "Ok. What is it?"

"Mica managed to get us a bottle of Chasind Mead." Sili whispered, a huge grin plastered on her face.

"What?! How?" Alcoholic beverages were usually hard to come by in the Tower, especially if you were an apprentice, so few ever tried. However Sili's eighteenth birthday was soon approaching and she wanted something special - a real party, or at least as real as it could be within the limits of their situation.

"He didn't want to say."

"Really?"

Silani nodded. "Although he was very smug about it. I'm guessing he charmed his way through."

Isra gave out a short laugh. "Oh, most definitely. Knowing him, he probably seduced some Templar with his willy ways."

"We could ask him for the truth after he drinks copious amounts of alcohol."

"Not too copious. We need him only slightly inebriated." Isra said with a wink.

Silani grinned deviously. "Should be fun either way. So it's a deal? Two days from now you get your sneaky ass to the Cove, prepared for drinking and whatever kind of other mayhem we come up with."

"Deal." Isra closed her book. She had some preparations to attend to.

- o . O . o -

The Cove was the name of their secret hide-out. Isra discovered it with Mica while playing when they were very young. Their favourite game they often played as children, consisted of them pretending to be dashing rogues (or pirates, if the inspiration struck) on secret missions, sneaking about the Tower. On one such occasion, they discovered a hidden passage behind one of the statues, placed behind the ornamental fence dividing parts of the Tower's halls. It led to a small cave underneath the tower that was flooded most of the time. It was also apparent that this passage was unknown to the Templars, or else they would have closed it off more permanently. Right before the cave, a level higher, was a small room with one wall clearly added later and thrumming with magic. It was apparent that it served as a protection for whatever was behind it, most likely the Circle's depository.

A few nights later, just as they agreed, Isra carefully snuck out of her dormitories. She was running a bit late, which meant the night shift guard rotation was already in motion and which left her with only a brief window of time to get to her destination. It was a tricky situation, so she made sure she packed along a few books, which could serve as cover if need be. After all an apprentice returning late from her studies, wouldn't arouse that much suspicion. The book also served another purpose, as a camouflage for a bag in which she carried a few cakes and snacks she managed to procure from a tranquil who works in the kitchen.

Carrying the books in her arms and a bag of more "books" on her shoulder, presented a serious challenge when it came to sneaking about, but she managed it. Arriving at the ornamental fence, with the opening just large enough for her to squeeze through, she carefully placed the books on a nearby bookshelf – the entrance to the cove was luckily located just next to the library – freeing herself of a part of her burden.

After making sure she was alone and unnoticed, she quickly and quietly squeezed the bag through the opening and then followed after it. It proved to be just in time, for she suddenly heard voices approaching from the library. Grabbing her bag she quickly crossed the last few steps to the statue and dove into the small opening behind it.

It was a tight fit which proved to be no serious obstacle for children, but as she grew, it started to pose a problem. So long as she could maintain her slender build, she could squeeze through it without too much trouble, but her breasts were starting to show, with no regards to the wishes of their owner. Mica and Sili were both elves, so it meant they could still pass through narrower obstacles without problems, being willowy and small. Isra on the other hand, had no such luxury. With puberty came changes and those changes were prone to cause problems one way or another.

The fact that she had to bind her breasts very tight in order to still visit their childhood hideout seemed to amuse her elven friends to no end. But to her, it also posed a new set of problems in regards to the Templars. The great majority of them were male and some of them had a tendency to stare to the point of indecency. To those few, the rule which proposed that mages must be watched constantly, served only as a convenient excuse.

Isra found it appalling and dangerous. It was never good to be remembered by the Templars, since a few could take offence (usually imagined) or even develop untoward interest and act on it. Those cases usually ended with the mage drawing the shorter end of the straw. Because of that fact of life of a Circle's mage, she took great care to appear as plain as possible, to deter any possible interest. She was also very careful not to stand out in any way shape or form, be it during the lessons or examinations of their magical prowess. Being ordinary was something Isra managed to develop into an art form.

"Oh good. You're finally here." The relief in Silani's eyes was palpable, when she noticed her entering the little room.

"There were minor complications. But! I am here. And I've brought some tasty loot." Isra opened the bag with a flourish.

"Oh! Strawberry cakes!" Mica was already rummaging around the bag, taking out cakes one by one.

"And Chocolate. And a few with Caramel filling." Isra continued counting. "I also threw in a few salty snacks, just in case. Oh and a bit of ham. And bread of course."

Mica was grinning from ear to ear, admiring all the food gathered on the table. "You're just too good to be true!"

"I agree. How did you get all of this?" Silani asked through a mouthful. She was already enthusiastically stuffing her face with one of the chocolate cakes.

"I have my ways." Isra answered in her best imitation of Mica's mysterious smile.

He burst out laughing. "Close. But not close enough. You lack the charm."

"I'll get there. Eventually." Isra answered with a wink. "Just be ready when I do. You'll be out of business in no time."

"We'll see about that." He replied, mirroring her wink.

"Oh stop it you two already. I'd swear this was a dick-measuring contest, if I didn't know for a fact that Isra is a woman."

"You know that for a fact, do you?" Mica's grin widened "Tell me about it."

The only response he received was a cupcake flying into his general direction. He dogged it effortlessly.

"Mind in the gutter." Silani murmured quietly.

"Well it's your fault for giving me ideas. You started it! Dirty woman." He continued laughing. It was clear that he was just teasing, yet it was also apparent to Isra that he enjoyed it nonetheless.

"How many drinks have you two had already?" Apparently she arrived even later than she thought.

"A few."

"Enough. Apparently." Sili replied with a deadly stare intended for Mica. His laughter only intensified at her response.

"Right. Pour me a glass then. Apparently I have some catching up to do."

- o . O . o –

An hour later the celebration was well underway. Isra felt a little bit tipsy and she took it as a sign to slowly stop with the drinking. She would, after all, have to make a return journey. Letting her hair out of her bun, she laid back. "Oh, I'm stuffed."

"Tell me about it." Mica was next to her, holding his tummy.

The cakes were all gone, she noticed with satisfaction. At least she wouldn't have to drag a bag full of sweets back. The only one still drinking was Sili, a huge smile on her face, retelling a story when Jowan, who lacked any decent spatial orientation, accidently walked straight into a Templar meeting.

"It took him forever to remember the way to the dining hall!"

Isra giggled at the memory. "The Knight-Commander was so angry. I was terrified he'd lock up the silly fool."

"Pfft. The Knight-Commander is always angry." interjected Mica "I used to wonder if something terrible happened to his facial muscles. I had even developed a theory. It involved Fen'Harel and a couple of dwarfs, but alas I do not think it held up to any kind of rational examination."

Isra was laughing hard by now. He explained the theory once to her, when they were younger and it was still funny. Mica originally came from a Dalish clan, before the Templars captured him as a young boy. It was a sad tale, which he never fully shared with her, but he told her enough of the stories their Hahren shared with the youngest of the clan.

"Poor Fen'Harel. He's always guilty of something."

"According to few elves, he is guilty of everything." He answered with a grin.

"Of course he is. Back to the really important subject of the Knight-Commander's face. Do you think he trains his facial expressions in front of a mirror?" Sili seemed genially serious, which caused Isra to succumb to a new laughing fit.

"Right! The important subject! The real question one should ask themselves when faced with this predicament, is do all Templars do that?" Mica said, visibly straining with keeping a straight face.

"Perhaps it's a requirement? Only the recruits with the mightiest frown get the job?" Isra managed to calm down enough to say this, but her efforts were short lived as all three burst out laughing at the idea.

Silani was the first to calm down, staring pensively at the bottle in front of her. She filled their glasses with the last of the mead, lifting her own. "To friends who make this life bearable!"

"Cheers! To your health! May you have the world at your feet!" Mica cheered, draining his glass.

Silani giggled in response "I'd like that!"

"To all of the above! And to a bright future with us beside you! Cheers Sili!" Isra added with a wink and a smile, emptying her own glass.

- o . O . o -

They returned to their dormitories an hour later. Mica and Silani departed first. Silani had her fair share of alcohol and Mica offered to help her back, if only to prevent her from crashing into noisy objects.

If worse came to pass they could pretend to be carless lovers, Mica explained to Isra with a wry smile, causing Silani to burst out in a fit of giggles. Isra knew that Silani had a crush on Mica when she was younger. That was actually how they met. When it turned out later that Mica was not interested in the female attention of that sort, the inflation slowly dissipated and only friendship remained. But it was apparent to Isra that the thought still amused Silani. Isra decided to wait for a bit, so they could avoid being caught together. The explaining would be awkward as it is.

While waiting for the appropriate amount of time to pass, since the departure of her two friends, she went to the partly flooded cave and made her best effort to refresh herself. She had to prepare for the journey back to her dormitory and the last thing she needed to be was tipsy, while sneaking about Templar filled corridors.

Sitting idly near the water she began thinking of Jowan. He used to hang out with them a lot – especially with Mica – but in the last year he had distanced himself from their company. He was still friendly, but he refused almost every invitation to hang out with them. His explanations and excuses varied, but most based around the fact that he needed to study. It made her wonder about the true reason behind his absence. She knew he was hiding something – she knew him enough, to know that he was bad at lying – and it made her wonder what it was. Only recently she heard a few rumours regarding blood magic and apprentices. She sincerely hoped Jowan didn't manage to get himself involved. Still, his behaviour was weird enough to make her wonder.

Deciding enough time has passed Isra stood up and made ready to leave. She made her way back slowly and carefully, taking extra care to keep to the shadows. The last thing she expected was to see another shadow sneak about, yet she saw it.

Isra froze in mid step. She was still hidden in the deep shadows behind the ornamental divider, invisible to anyone on the hallway. The shadow apparently didn't notice her, but what intrigued Isra the most was its identity. She could swear it was Jowan. It was a suspicious coincidence that he shows up, sneaking about, moments after she was contemplating his strange behaviour.

Isra stood still, deliberating. Inside her raged a battle of wills between curiosity and her rational mind, which screamed at her to return to the dormitories while the coast was still clear. And yet the possibility of finally finding out what Jowan was up to, was simply too appealing for her own good.

In the end the curiosity won and she peeled herself from the wall, quietly following in Jowan's footsteps. She knew she would probably regret this decision later, she only prayed that the consequences would not be disastrous in the end.