the promise of more tomorrows
Lavellan had not been paying attention.
Sera was in the lead, kicking small rocks along as she went and humming a song that Lavellan was sure had bawdy lyrics. She and Cassandra were several feet behind and Solas was bringing up the rear. Lavellan was admiring the stone formations, naturally occurring pillars of dark stone all tight together and forming a sort of shallow cave. It was beautiful and she had to tamp down and urge to climb all over it. They had a goal to reach and she knew that her companions would not look kindly on her stopping their forward motion just so she could climb over some rocks.
She ran her fingers over the smooth stone as they exited the short tunnel it had made and stepped, blinking, into the sun. Maybe on the way back they could stop for a break in the shade of the tunnel and she could get some climbing in. It wasn't far from the nearest camp at all so she might even be able to sneak off that night.
Planning for her marvelous climbing adventure clouding her mind, Lavellan didn't pay much attention to the rest of her surroundings. Like the very large open space ahead of them that was dotted with several grass fires.
"Dragon!" Sera's shout startled Lavellan into looking up even as she shrank back instinctively. The dragon's silhouette was quickly approaching from straight ahead. Sera had darted forward quickly, taking shelter behind a large bolder but there was no nearby cover for the others. Solas went left, loping to a stand of rocks near a shady pool of water.
"This way," Cassandra called, taking off to their right even as she pulled her shield from her back.
Lavellan stood frozen for another few seconds, like a startled halla, before leaping after Cassandra with her eyes closed in fear. The roar of the dragon's wings beating the air drowned out all other sound and Lavellan felt sure that she wasn't going to get out of the way in time.
All of the air left Lavellan's lungs as she was suddenly snatched by the arm and her feet left the ground. Her heart flew into her throat with fear, but then her feet hit the ground again and her hands smacked sharply on Cassandra's breastplate, leaving her palms stinging. She gulped in a painful breath of air just as searing air washed over the pair of them. She looked over her shoulder and saw only smoldering earth where she had once stood. She had been saved from certain death.
Cassandra's arm was tight around her waist, crushing Lavellan to her side. She was shaking and breathing heavily but Cassandra kept her tight hold. She crouched, bringing Lavellan with her, and raised her shield up over their heads just in time for another ball of fire to crash into it. Cassandra grunted with the effort of keeping them both upright, her eyes closed tightly as she grimaced. Lavellan's gaze was fixed firmly on her face, glowing from the flow of fire over them, and she had the sudden epiphany that she never wanted to be anywhere else ever again, dragon breathing fire on them and all. She wanted to be closer, even, and wished that she wasn't wearing armor.
Cassandra opened her eyes after several tense seconds and looked around her shield, Lavellan took the time to try and rearrange her expression so that she didn't look love struck. "I don't see it," Cassandra muttered darkly, her handsome brow furrowed in concentration. Lavellan swooned a little.
"It's coming around for another go!" Sera called out from further afield.
Cassandra turned her serious gaze back to Lavellan. "Are we fighting this battle?"
Lavellan's eyes widened and she frantically shook her head. They were in no way prepared to fight a dragon and she was pretty sure that The Iron Bull would pout at her if they tried without him.
Cassandra huffed out a quiet laugh and looked back to the sky. "Here she comes."
Lavellan squeaked and huddled closer to Cassandra, grabbing her around the waist. Cassandra brought her free hand up and held Lavellan's head close to her chest so that one ear was pressed tight to the cool metal of her breastplate.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you." Her voice held no teasing, and Lavellan had a sudden vision of Cassandra speaking those words just before claiming Lavellan's mouth with her own. She shivered at the thought and held all the tighter to Cassandra.
Another blast of fire hit Cassandra's shield and this time they nearly toppled over. "She ignored the others completely. I think she can see the reflection of my shield and that's why she continues to target us."
"We need to retreat," Lavellan said quietly. Cassandra grunted in agreement. "We need to retreat," Lavellan yelled this time so that Sera and Solas could hear her. She looked across the thirty feet that separated them from where Solas was tucked safely behind some large rocks and he waved to show he'd heard.
Sera's response came with the sound of a smoke bomb as she tore past them up the path to the overhang with a mad cackle that had Lavellan grinning
"We'll meet you at camp," Lavellan called after her. She looked up at Cassandra and saw that she was making every effort not to smile as well.
"The dragon is making her turn. I'm going to go now." Solas cast a barrier around himself and then darted from cover, trying to cover the open ground as quickly as possible. His long robes made it harder for him to run as swiftly as Sera had, but he made his best effort.
Overhead, the dragon shrieked out a violent roar that had all of them clutching for their ears. Solas stumbled but continued to run, until a fireball hit him square in the back and sent him sprawling.
"Solas!" Lavellan clasped her hands over her mouth in horror but sagged in relief with Solas struggled to his feet again. His barrier had done its job.
"I'm alright," he called back to them.
"Get to cover before she comes back."
Cassandra's hand on her shoulder drew her attention back. "Now would be the best time for us to make a break for it. Stay close directly in front of me and we should be fine."
Lavellan nodded and swallowed hard. Cassandra's face was strong and calm and that helped her nerves more than anything else could have. "Hold on to the back of my armor so I don't get too far ahead."
Cassandra did as she was bid and strapped her shield to her back again. Lavellan looked out into the sky and saw that the dragon was making her slow circle back around, and she made a break for it. Lavellan was very fast but Cassandra's weight slowed her a little. She focused on the path ahead of them, taking care to be sure footed, and listened carefully over the sound of Cassandra's heavy bootfalls behind her.
The air shrieked as the dragon sliced through it, approaching again and readying another fire ball. They were only feet from the shelter of the rock tunnel when the ground shook and heat washed over her and she found herself airborne for the second time that day. She hit the ground hard and rolled. Cassandra no longer had a hold of her and she tried to scramble to her feet. Her vision was hazy from the pain of her landing and she was quite dizzy open standing up.
She was suddenly grabbed around the middle and, in her fright, fought the hold, assuming the dragon had snatched her up. She screamed shrilly as she was dragged suddenly to the left and then held tightly.
She stopped fighting quickly, realizing with relief that Cassandra had taken her and dragged them the last few feet to safety. They were now well into the tunnel and out of sight of the dragon.
"It's alright," Cassandra panted into her ear. "I've got you. You're alright."
She could vaguely feel Cassandra's gauntleted hands running up and down her back in an attempt to comfort her. Lavellan shook like a leaf, sagging against Cassandra's front. She pressed her head under Cassandra's chin and took a few additional moments to breathe in the dark earthy sent of the other woman. "Thank you. I'm sorry. I got really scared. I've never seen a dragon before," she said between deep breaths.
Cassandra relaxed and allowed her chin to rest more heavily on Lavellan's head. "It's alright. I was scared when I saw my first dragon too."
Lavellan huffed unhappily. "I bet you didn't completely freeze though."
Cassandra laughed a little. "No, but I didn't have friends watching out for me either."
"A fair trade, I suppose." Lavellan shrugged and finally pulled away.
Cassandra clucked her under the chin playfully, like one would a child, and Lavellan felt her heart drop a little. "Come, let's get to camp before the others assume we've been eaten."
Lavellan laughed despite her discouragement and held out her arm to link with Cassandra's. Cassandra rolled her eyes at the pout Lavellan gave her when she didn't immediately accept the invitation, but then sighed and took Lavellan's arm. Lavellan grinned widely and Cassandra fought her own smile. They started trudging up the hill back to camp and didn't let go until they got there.
A/N: Please review.