A/N: I was on my second play-through as a rogue, and I found out what happens if you don't take her on the expedition. So, I got to thinking (SPOILER!) What exactly happened to Bethany in the Circle of Magi? What if she found something, or someone? Then I thought of a base story line, added twists, and realized… this is going to take a while. So please enjoy this… Interesting story. Remember to review!
DA2 belongs to BioWare.
Not one day was Bethany at the circle tower, and they make her go through The Harrowing. Sir Cedric saw no point to this, if she had never been in any circle of magi, and had not succumb to the influence of demons, she should not have to perform the horrendous task. He didn't always agree with the knight-commander, but after what he saw as a boy he knew that magic was as good as it was evil, as amazing as it was horrifying, as beautiful as it was deadly. He waited for the task to be done with.
"I still see no point to this, Knight-Commander." Sir Cedric finally said.
"Sir Cedric," she said in her usually stern voice, "you know as well as I do that all mages must pass the Harrowing."
"Apprentices, who have little to no knowledge of the fade, but she is of age, she has not succumb to demonic influences, she-"
"SHE is still a mage, and you no not if she is harboring a demon or not."
"If she were harboring a demon she would have tried to kill us when we went to get her."
"Need I remind you who your superior is?"
"No, Knight-Commander." He said through gritted teeth.
The next day…
Sir Cedric was sent to check on Bethany, she should be awake by now. He brought her a descent breakfast, An Omelet, bacon, cinnamon bread, and some fancy drink from Antiva called "Coffee" . He personally didn't care for the stuff but maybe she would. He knocked on the door and then entered the chamber. She was still out cold, but she was snoring softly, which made him chuckle a bit.
"At least she's not stuck in the fade" He thought.
As he set the tray down he heard a yawn behind him, he turned to see Bethany, her long hair a mess her eyes shot open. This confused Cedric than the answer hit him like a ton of bricks.
"Oh, sorry," Cedric started being as friendly as he could be, "I'm Sir Cedric; I was just sent to bring you your breakfast."
He handed her the tray, which she looked at suspiciously.
"There's nothing wrong with it. I know for you it's hard to trust a Templar, Maker, it's difficult for any mage, but I'm not like my so called brothers."
Bethany rolled her eyes at him. He couldn't blame her.
"I swear on the chant of light I am not lying about that."
"I'll need more proof than that." Bethany told him
Sir Cedric rolled his eyes and smiled. Than he looked her straight in the eyes and told her:
"My mother was a mage, she felled Tivinter, but was killed by the Kirkwall Templars, before Meredith took power. I hoped to have the same magic, but I didn't so I joined the Templar, still get to learn about magic, by watching the magi train, I'm not big on the punishments most enforce, but it's not like she ever listens to me."
Bethany was stunned, he had looked her straight in the eyes, and either lied right to her face, or more likely, he told the truth. She took a sip of the coffee and her face looked at it curiously.
"This, needs something, sugar, maybe some cream."
"I don't really care for it, but I might need to try that." He said ,than realized he had patrols to do, "I'm sorry but I really, should get going, a pleasure to meet you…um,…um"
"Bethany" she giggled.
"Right, sorry, I'm not good with names, give it time, I'll get it."
He left her room, and walked to the First Enchanters office. He knocked and entered the small office.
"Good day Orsino." Cedric said bowing his head.
"Ah, Sir Cedric, my favorite Templar, what do want?" The elven head mage asked.
"Just needed to know if you needed anything, since I'll be doing the day patrol in the market."
"No, but I appreciate your concern. I'm glad that there's at least one decent Templar in the bunch."
Cedric bowed his head again and walked out. Before, he walked to Lowtown Market, watching for any sign of blood magic, Bethany stopped him and asked him to give a letter to a friend of hers named "Varric" in the Hanged Man. He humbly agreed and left on his usual rounds. He made a detour into the Hanged man and asked where to find, Varric. He walked to the room where a well groomed dwarf sat in a throne like chair.
"You must be Varric, I presume?" He asked.
"That depends on who's asking." He said not even looking over his shoulder.
"Sir Cedric, Bethany sent me."
The dwarf looked up at him, and smiled.
"So, what news do you have from her?"
"She sent me to give you this letter, to give to her brother, I think?"
The dwarf gave him 5 sovereigns and Sir Cedric left.
When he returned, playing with the new knife he bought from the 5 sovereigns, Meredith halted him. Judging by the look on her face she wasn't happy, then again she was never happy.
"You're late." She said with a stern tone.
"Am I?" He said sarcastically, "I didn't realize the time."
"I want an explanation, Sir Cedric."
"Why Knight-Commander, I had no idea you cared about me this much."
That comment made Meredith's face redden, whether it was embarrassment or anger was unknown. Sir Cedric laughed to himself and walked to watch the new apprentices train for the first time. What amazed Sir Cedric was that Bethany was the one teaching them. She was very talented that was for certain, making the fire follow her fingers as it moved as gracefully as the birds in the sky. The children were in awe at this site, as was Sir Cedric. After that lesson Bethany began to walk away, followed by to recruits. He felt something bad was about to happen, so he followed. He was well enough away that he couldn't be seen, and he could hear what was happening.
"You, know there is a certain, initiation, that we Templars give female magi, correct Alexander?" The first one asked.
"Too right, Ronald, so you'll need to come with us." Alexander replied.
Alexander placed a hand on her shoulder, and threw her up against a wall, making her fall. Ronald grabbed her by her long, black hair, and dragged her into him. Then, he grabbed her by the throat. Bethany smacked him acrossed the face breaking his grip. She made a run for it, running into Sir Cedric, who was running to stop them. Sir Cedric stepped in front of Bethany. The two recruits stopped and realized who he was.
"What in Andraste's name are you recruits doing to this poor woman?" He said, like a drill sergeant.
"We… we weren't doing nothing, sir." Alex told him, "Good day!"
Before they could run away he grabbed them by the collar of their plate.
"Looks to me like it was an attempt at rape, to me, and I saw and herd everything." He said with a violent smile.
He knew they were afraid of him. Then from the opposite direction came Meredith, and two guards.
"What the hell is going on, Sir Cedric."
"Knight-Commander," He said, "I watched the "first-time" apprentices train, and when Ms. Bethany, here, left these two recruits followed, I followed them. I saw them and heard them in their attempt to rape her. I apprehended them when she ran away from them."
"You left out the part where she assaulted us." Ronald said coyly.
"Wasn't that after you grabbed her by the throat?" Alex asked aloud.
"Shut up, Alex!"
The Knight-Commander clenched her fists, and she became so enraged, that you could feel the heat in the long hallway. She punched one in the face with her armored hand, and kicked the other in the jaw, they both were unconscious.
"Guards," she ordered, "take these two to the cell house, and strip them of their status as Templars."
They bowed their heads and dragged the unconscious ex-recruits.
"Sir Cedric," She said, as he snapped to attention, "from now on this mage is under your superior-vision. Make sure this incident never happens again."
"Yes, Knight-Commander." He replied.
Than he escorted Bethany to her chambers. She laid down on the bed, her face to the wall, so he couldn't see her tears. Sir Cedric walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, which she shrugged off. He couldn't blame her, that would scare him shitless in her shoes too.
"Bethany," He said calmly, "Is there anything I can get for you? Is there anybody you want to see?"
After a moment of silence she spoke.
"Stay here, please, don't leave me alone. Could you bring my brother here? I would like to see him."
"As you wish, I'll get Messier Hawke tomorrow." He said.
"Thank you. You're rather kind, for a Templar."
"Like I said I'm not like my so called "brothers", I am a good man."
The night passed by as Sir Cedric slept on the floor, in his tunic, since he had removed the bulky plate as it is rather uncomfortable to sleep in. He put it back on when he left to fetch her breakfast. He managed to sneak out of the room, without so much as a tap, as Bethany slept soundly. He retrieved his daily rations and brought her some ham, cooked potatoes, and some coffee, made with her suggestions. He was going to have fun trying to convince Meredith that he wasn't disobeying orders later today.
A/N: So, what do you think? I know that it's unlikely for a Templar to be kind to a mage in anyway, but it's not impossible. Remember to review. Chapter 2 is under way.