The full force of the blast hits me. Knocking the wind completely out of my lungs, as I fly through the library. I land, skidding across the cold marble floor, hitting the solid boots of a Templar behind me. I lay back, my lungs forcing themselves to work. My eyes close, I hear my name being called out by the one to blame for the ridiculous amounts of pain I'm feeling at that point. I feel a pair of cold steel fingers reach under my arms. I don't look up because I know I'm being picked up. My slipper feet hit the cold floor. His hands leaving me as the other Templar doesn't seem to bother with what had happened. The Templar sighed from behind me as Jowan comes running towards me. His face written with worry, he was completely terrified he had killed me.
I start to laugh. Evidently catching both men off guard when I do so. "I'm fine, you Dobe." My hands reach behind me, brushing against the cold steel of the armored man behind me. I reach down, not thinking and brush my butt off. Jowan sighed coming to a stop before me. "You didn't move for about a minute there. I was worried." I want to tell him it is alright to worry but what was the point? I hear a small cough behind me. I was standing too close to the Templar it seemed. I turn on my heels. I give him my best apologetic smile, "I'm sorry." I say not realizing that Jowan gives me the look. That look of questioning as to why I was apologizing to the Templar in the first place.
"I-It's alright." The Templar stammers. My eyes narrow slightly, I have never met a Templar who stammered. Let alone the fact they never spoke three words to us. I guess I was lucky. Jowan seems to notice my confused look. He takes my attention away from the Templar. "Come on, I need to practice." I roll my eyes, turning my gaze from the Templar to Jowan. "You're telling me." As I turn to walk away I swear I heard him laugh.
Hours seemed to pass for the both of us. Jowan's brows are focused on the spell he is conjuring in the palm of his hands. The veil enters the room. The cold shivers run up and down my spine. He was summoning a cold force and I prepare myself. I brace the shield surrounding me. I will his spell not to work. My eyes closed and I hear the sizzle. The sparks fly as Jowan's body glows from the cold aura around me. Suddenly the storm is sent to me. I brace myself, evidently not well enough.
I feel my shield fail. I feel the cold air hit me in the chest. I fly again through the library. My hair coming undone. My robes turning to ice as they stick to my body, as I land skidding across the floor in a very unladylike fashion. I fall backwards, landing again at the stammering Templar's feet. He looks down to me. I sigh as a smile easing across my lips. "Sorry again." I stammer out as if by will he returns my smile. A small, secret smile that disappears just as I hear the panting breaths of Jowan rushing towards me. "Solona!" I hear my name being shouted.
I sit up as I rub my head, the bobby pins that held my hair once were now frozen around and to my hair. I sigh looking up. Jowan is standing before me, his cheeks a deep shade of red. It takes me a second to realize my legs were spread wide open and my undergarments can be seen from his position. I smirk, closing my legs taking his attention from the obvious to myself. It takes him a second to register. He realizes I'm fine as he lands at my side. His hands reaching up, touching my cheek - healing the bruises there. "Are you alright?" He asks again. I snort, "My arse hurts." It seemed to have brought a laugh from him, something I didn't think was possible. He was always such a worrier.
"Well pain just means you didn't break anything." He is horrid at trying to tell me I'll be alright. "You know, it's easier to just say 'Solona, you'll be okay - I promise.' Instead of disregarding the fact my arse is going to be bruised for weeks now." He sighs, a little chuckle leaving his lips when he moves to stand up. "I'm sorry, Solona." I sigh, I'm a sucker for him… I can't help it.
For nearly ten years now, Jowan and I have been close. He was the first friend I made when I appeared here within the tower as a silent, terrified child. It was on the first night I was here, that I found him sitting beside me. His hands holding a book, his eyes glued to the pages and I wake up. I don't know what to think of him but he looks up. His bright eyes shine when he sees I'm okay. I want to form the right words but nothing comes out. He tells me his name and he asks for mine. My voice squeaks as I speak but he smiles. He reaches for my hand squeezing it as I feel the rush of tears hitting me. I start to cry, he pulls me from the bed I was sleeping in and lets me sit in his lap. Everything coming out of me in droves of tears and pain. He soothes it away, telling me that everyone goes through this. It took me awhile to calm down but I refused to think about it. I was left behind and the pain is always going to be there. It was within Jowan that I found the solace I have always needed. And I know he feels the same. He was five years older than me, no one can really tell. He has the nasty habit of looking so much more younger.
His words bring me back to reality. "I'm pretty sure the Templar doesn't want you sitting on his boots for the next few hours." I didn't realize where I was. I'm shocked the Templar hasn't said anything about it. "Fine, fine. Help me up." He takes my hand gently gripping my wrist. "Come on, I'm sure Wynne will want to take a look at you - after that fall." I sigh, wanting to kick him in the kneecaps for being an idiot. "Don't worry about it, Dobe." He sighs at his nickname. I don't really remember when I gave it to him. But when it first left my lips he asked me what it meant. I told him it means 'idiot'. He gasped, feeling offended but I kiss his cheek stating that he is 'my idiot'. Is what it really means. He laughs and shoves me away. I sigh and let him, knowing that what we feel is love but none of the fluffy kind.
"Let's go see Wynne after," He gives me that infamous wicked smile of his. "We get some food. I'm starving." I smirk realizing that the time must have gone by. We missed dinner and well, the kitchens were normally closed at this time. I also realized he said this in front of the Stammering Templar. "Good job, Dobe. You have officially released our wicked plans." Jowan didn't seem to understand until he looked over the top of my head. "Oh…" leaves his lips and I burst into laughter. His brow knits, frustrated by my obviousness. I turn around, I smile to the Stammering Templar and he doesn't seem to care about our plans. "Is it alright if we get something to eat?" The Templar seems to think it over. He wasn't the only guard stationed in the room. There was another next to him. "Brann?" He says the others name. There came a yawn and the other looked to him. "I'll stay here. But you two can't go together." I look to Jowan. He wants to protest but I hold my finger to his lips. "It's fine. I'll go with this nice Templar and I'll meet you at the dorms." Jowan seemed to contemplate it for a second. "Alright," he says looking between the two of us. He points to the Templar. "No funny business. And after we're going to see Wynne." I sigh, realizing just how big of an idiot he really was. "Come on." I lead the way through the very doors they were standing before.
The halls were quiet, the candle light barely touching the floors at my feet. The silent figure behind me doesn't speak. I sigh, my hand drifts to my butt. The pain was still there from the amount of times I have been flung that very night. I start to rubbing, wincing when I feel a few bruises. "Stupid Dobe," I curse under my breath. The Templar covers a cough. He was one of the few who didn't wear helms around. I didn't understand but he didn't seem to care either. "He just has no regard for how much force he uses." I sigh as we take the steps up to the third floor. My foot reaches for the step just ahead. I set it down, not realizing the patch of ice at the bottom of my shoe. My foot slips, my hands reach for the railing but instead they end up flailing in the air.
I hear a grunt from behind as I collide with the silent figure. My body hits his with such a force that we fly backwards off the steps. His arms go around me. I didn't realize how strange it was to be grabbed like such. But what was the point of thinking right then. Panic hits me as he lands at the bottom of the stairs. His armor cushioning the blow, only to cause the hall to light up with the ringing sound of metal colliding with marble. We roll, he rolls under me as I roll above him. Over and over again it never seems to end. Until we come to a stop colliding with the wall. Hitting my elbow in the process, I wince. He is on top of me, his golden eyes hadn't seem to register what was going on because I gasp again. "You weigh a ton, by the way." When the words leave my lips he seems to catch on. "O-o-oh I'm s-s-sorry." I want to call it cute when he stammered out those words.
He moves off of me, getting to his feet gracefully in all that armor. Before I realize it, he is holding his hand out to me. For as long as I could remember Templars never offered help to a Mage. I look to his hand, he looks down to me. Sympathetic for squishing me seemed to be there. I give him a small smile taking his hand. He pulls me up to my feet. My toes slip, I start to fall but a pair of strong hands catch me. I look up, he was close again. My lips part to say 'sorry' but everything seems to leave my mind. We hear the pitter patter of feet coming down the hall. I knew we wouldn't be the only ones out and about at this time. He lets go of me, I lean against the wall. My hands reach down to my feet. My ass hurting more so than usual after that last fall. He doesn't stand too close as I pull my shoes off. "Bloody Ice spells." I curse again as we are passed by a pair of Mages. They didn't seem to notice us too much. I don't mind but I hear a sigh of relief coming from the Templar.
I stand up straight, gripping my shoes in one hand I look to him. "Shall we try this again?" I offer. He looks to me for the first time in a long time I never truly noticed just how handsome he really was. His finely curved lips, the way his eyes glow when he is thinking and most of all was when he gave me that smile. The secret smile it seemed was only meant for me. Without a word we make our way up the stairs, without problems.
Within a few minutes we find the Kitchen. He comes into the room with me as I start to move about. My feet turning into icicles. "I really should have worn stockings." I say aloud. I never had the decency of most women in the circle. Jowan always said that was what made me special. I snorted and said I'm special because of my mouth. He sighed and let me win that one.
The Templar seemed to have heard me, I don't look up but I hear the shuffle of his armor as he shifts where he stands. I want to look up. To see if he smiles or worse yet, turned a scarlet color. Food, I start to think as I move with such ease around the Kitchen.
Doesn't take me long to find the food. Well enough to satisfy two Mages who have been tossed around like rag dolls by their spells. I pile it down on the counter before the Templar. He looks down, those Golden eyes seem to register just how much food I planned on consuming. He starts to chuckle. I stare blankly at him while he is laughing, utterly at a loss for words. "I can't help it," I make up my excuse but I fail. His laughter is contagious. I start to laugh with him. After a few minutes we catch our breaths. "I'm sorry," He doesn't stammer out this time. "'Tis alright." I remark with a shrug. "I just need to find a basket to carry all of this in and we can go."
A worried look crossing his features. I don't seem to catch this when I turn around. "You were supposed to Senior Enchanter Wynne for those bruises." I turn around quickly on my heels to look at him. He was genuinely worried. "Why should that matter to you?" I regret the words when they leave my lips. He seems startled by them. The silence between us was defining and I open my mouth to apologize. He lifts a gloved hand, "I understand why you would say such a thing." Now it's my turn to turn completely red. I turn my gaze, my eyes averted as I leave my spot to look for something to carry everything. I find a nice crate and move back to the counter.
I pile the food in as neatly as possible. Taking an apple from the top and placing it between my teeth. I pick up the crate, realizing just how heavy it was. He doesn't move at first but I spit out the apple. "Help?" I managed to get out before the crate falls back on to the counter and I feel myself falling to the floor from having the worse balance with the crate, the counter and the floor. Before I hit the floor he is there, his arms wrapped around my waist and I look up to him. He doesn't move, I don't move but apart of me realizes this was the fourth time this night he had caught me. I want to reach up, run my fingers through his red curly hair. I fail, of course. Because the quiet moment between doesn't last long enough. He realizes just how close we were and he quickly lifts me to my feet. "I am just a pain the arse today," I laugh nervously as he picks up the crate and lets me lead the way back to the dorms.
We find our way back to the first floor. Jowan is there, standing outside the doors, his hands wringing together before him. I get up on my tip toes and wave with the hand that has the shoes in them. Jowan seems surprised and looks down to my feet. Realizing that I took my shoes off. "What took you so long?" He closes the distance between us. His hands reach out, gripping me by my shoulders he starts shaking me. I stare at him, my eyes narrowing from the pain of his finger tips biting into my arms. "I was finding us something to eat. It was going to take longer than usual." He shoots his glare from me to the Templar. It doesn't relax and I realize he was scared to leave me alone with the Golden Eyed Templar.
I free one arm from his grip, bringing his attention back to me. I give him an apologetic smile. My free hand reaches up to brush away the strand against his forehead. "I'm in one piece." I say. He let's go of me. I step away and spin on my tip toes for him. "See?" Jowan seems to relax. I'm glad that he does at least. "I'm sorry I scared you, it just took me awhile to find something to put the food in." My stomach growls, I make an innocent face and Jowan seems to laugh a little. "Let's eat and then you have to go see Wynne." I nod watching as Jowan takes the box of food. He disappears into the large room. I move to go after him and the Templar turns to leave. I stop in my steps, I turn around and sigh. He seems to hear. He stops a few feet away. "I'm Solona Amell, by the by." He nods hearing my name. Not that I wasn't surprised that he knew it already. "Cullen," he says. I didn't hear it at first but he says his name. I suddenly realized he was giving me that smile. "G'night, Cullen." I say leaving through the doors. I close them behind me. I hear the hesitation in his steps. The rattling of the heavy armor before he turns to leave down the hall.
A/N: I figured it would be fun to do an A/U version of the Mage Origins from DOA. One where they get conscripted but the only way Greagoir agrees with Irving is if a Templar is conscripted as well - so that Cullen! I adore him immensely and I know many others do as well. I just wish he had more of a part, some of the time. And well I was very misty-eyed during the whole cage thing. Sadly that just made me weep like a little baby. BUT this is going to be all from Solona's POV. If I feel like I might do a sequel based on Cullen's POV. Idk, but this should be exciting, no! Anyways, enjoy and I'm very excited to get this going.
Oh and I do not own any of these characters they belong to Bioware since they are amazingly awesome. YEP!