Hey guys! Thank you for choosing muah as your preferred storyteller (Jk). As always thank you for reading! :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story. Bioware does.
"Senior Enchanter Wynne?" a little girl of five spoke as she was tucked into bed one snowy night.
Senior Enchanter Wynne secured the small girl in her bottom bunk while she lit a candle on a small table next to her area to help the child coup with her fear of the dark. She smiled sweetly at the girl before giving her full attention.
"What is it, little one?"
"Did mommy and daddy love me?" she asked.
The question surprised Wynne, and for a moment she wondered what she would say to the girl. Wynne thought about her own son and what he must have thought about her. She understood were this young girl was coming from. To be taken and left all alone in this world without a rational reason as to why is the cruelest punishment for anyone, more so for a child, to endure.
"Of course they loved you, Judith. They must have loved you very much if they saw all the wonderful things you do." Wynne said as she softly squeezed Judith's hands.
"Then why did they leave me, Senior Enchanter Wynne?"
Wynne hesitated. This child had been through a mess, or so she's been told. Judith's mother, Revka Amell, had given birth to multiple children with magical potential. Judith was the youngest and most recent Amell child to come to the Felrelden Circle. Wynne felt pity and empathy for the mother, she understood the pain to have your child torn away in the blink of an eye. Wynne thought about her answer carefully in order to safe the child unnecessary anguish.
"You see Judith,sometime mommies and daddies are forced to certain things that may be wrong, but they do them to protect their children. But, you are never forgotten in their hearts. So Judith, you are always with your parents in the Fade."
"In the Fade?"
"Yes, in the Fade. Whenever you feel sad or alone, all you have do is think about them in your dreams and they will be there."
The small girl smiled and sat up to give Wynne a hug around her neck. Wynne returned the affection and gave the girls a kiss on her head before leaving the apprentice dormitory. A man with a scruffy beard and light green robes waited for Wynne by the stairs with his arms crossed while smirking at Wynne. He walked by her side in silence before finally speaking.
"You are coddling her Wynne. You know that is dangerous, and Judith cannot afford to be weak in this world. Especially when this world views her as an abomination and a mistake in the Maker's eyes." the man said while following the woman.
Wynne turned around and gave the man an accusing look.
"Oh like you don't coddle her as well Irving. I know you gave that stuffed rabbit she keeps under her pillow," Wynne shot back.
Irving mumbled something under his breath before looking back at Wynne. He sighed. "I did give her that rabbit but as something...okay I coddle her as well. I just do not want to see an apprentice of her potential get lost in this world because we did her the injustice of...weakening her. Making her a slave to her emotions and desires."
Wynne smiled at Irving's explanation. "You really do hold all Circle's apprentices' best interest at heart. Iriving, she shouldn't be afraid of her feelings, she should embrace them. She should trust them and in turn she can trust herself to go down the right path. I know this world is cruel and unjust...but there is always room for hope and redemption. She and all the young within these circle walls are our hope for retribution for the mistakes our brothers and sisters have done."
"I know. I know Wynne. It's hard seeing the light at the end of the tunnel when your surrounded by darkness. They are our atonement to correct the mistakes from the past and elevate the image of mages everywhere. Maybe you should have been First Enchanter instead of me." Irving teased.
Wynne laughed. "Oh no. I learned to trust my feelings from a dear friend. What was his name. Ah yes, Irving was his name." she smiled.
Irving stroked his beard in pride. "I must be doing a good job if someone remembers my speeches. But in all seriousness...thank you Wynne for reminding me. Sometimes these old bones need someone to knock some sense into them. I promised the First Enchanter before me that I would lead this Circle to a brighter tomorrow and I intend to uphold our arrangement."
"It is no trouble good friend. The Circle is lucky to have you as its leader. No one else could have taught me some of the greatest lessons of my life."
The two went up to the mages quarters and slept soundly through the night. However, little Judith Amell awoke in the middle of the night and stared at the solemn stone ceiling. She heard the light signs of sleeping apprentices and shifted to lay on her side to see her best friend, Jowan, snoring with drool coming from his mouth. Judith smiled and clutched Lyla, her toy rabbit Irving gave to her, to her chest. She tried to will herself to sleep, but she could not bring herself to do it. Instead, she kneeled down in a praying position. She stared at the ceiling before closing her eyes in prayer.
"Mister Maker, I know I don't always behave during praying time and I don't always follow the rules. I'm sorry, it's just so lonely here. There are people all around but it's like they aren't there. I have Jowan, but it still feels like I'm missing someone. I want a friend but I want you to answer this wish first: Please look over Mama and Papa. I don't want them to get lonely or to miss me like I miss them. Make sure they're safe."
She finished her prayer and felt a weight lifted off her shoulders. In the sky a star shined brightly and brilliantly on Lake Calenhad this night. The Maker heard Judith Amell.
In the mid afternoon a small red headed elven girl came with templars surrounding her on the first floor of the tower. Judith was doing her usual reading when she saw her. She ran up the head templar and smiled at him. The leader opened his eyes in terror at the young and continued moving as if he didn't see her. Judith did not notice his expression and followed along side him.
"Knight Commander Greagoir, is she new?"
Knight Commander Greagoir inwardly cursed at the sound of the little girl's voice. He reluctantly stopped his entourage and faced Judith. The tall man looked down at her and cleared his throat. 'Why did she have to see me' he thought. Judith's soft eyes gleamed in anticipation of his answer.
"yes apprentice Amell she is."
Her face lit and she smiled widely at the little girl who was cowering behind the the Knight Commander. Judith moved her head so she could get a better look at her. She was pale and thin with tattered wool closed. Her bright red hair was dirty and in two messy braids. Her frightened mint green eyes met Judith's hazel ones. Judith gave her a friendly smile to signify she wanted to be friends. The elven girl smiled slightly and tugged at the Knight Commander's sleeve. Greagoir looked down at the elven girl's pale face.
"Can she come mister?"
"Absolutely not. I have to process you, and that will take hours."
"Please" Judith and the girl said together.
"No"
"Please. Pretty please Knight Commander Greagoir. I promise to never talk during mass again. I pinky promise." Judith promised while holding out her small pinky.
The Knight Commander rolled his eyes and sighed in defeat; he knew would regret this decision. He held out his metal clad pinky and hooked it with Judith's. Greagoir tried to recompose his tough man facade, but he made a poor case of it. The young girls squealed in delight, and talked animatedly about little girl things. The two girls exchanged names: Neria Surana was the elf girl's name. Greagoir's templars snickered behind him and he gave them a steely look to silence them. Greagoir was no longer seen as the valiant leader of the templar's to those four templar recruits. Greagoir's reputation as a disciplinarian had officially be shattered in their eyes. He was now just a sweet middle aged man.
Little did Greagoir know that he forged a sisterly bond between these young girls from one act of kindness.
How was it? I felt like Amell and Surana would have been best friends if they would have existed in the same setting. One of them will be recruited to the Wardens, unfortunately :( Anyways, reviews and constructive criticism are always welcomed, but if there aren't any, that's cool beans too. Thank you for reading! See you guys next chapter!