DAI: Tale of the Bog Unicorn

by: Shadow Chaser

Author's Notes:

I happen to really like the Bog Unicorn. And messing with Cullen (with great affection). Inquisitor is a human female mage, therefore Lady Trevelyan. She has a first name, but for purposes of fellow readers wanting to insert their own Trevelyans in this story, I will not be naming her.

Story:

It had been Leliana acting on a tip from her contacts in Denerim that started the whole thing. Trevelyan had her suspicions it was probably King Alistair discreetly aiding the Inquisition without being outright about it. Reports of headless horsemen and horses with eyes like the damned in the Kocari Wilds, near the ruins of Ostagar. Many of the locals said it was the former King Cailan's army come back to haunt the living, while others said it was the numerous darkspawn that had overrun Ostagar and nearby Lothering that were causing these rumors.

Whatever it was, it had gotten the attention of the Inquisition. Josephine had suggested that they use the local populace and Bann of the area to see what truth were to the rumors. Leliana had suggested she send her spies in, adept in hiding in the shadows and avoiding the worst parts of the ruined wilds. But in the end, Trevelyan had taken Cullen's suggestion to send a contingent of soldiers and a few of First Enchanter Vivienne's mages who were trained to deal with the Fade. She had also suggested Solas, Dorian, and Ser Blackwall accompany the men; Blackwall able to sense whether or not darkspawn were there, Dorian in case there were numerous undead to deal with, and Solas for his vast Fade experience. Vivienne had scoffed at the three and disapproved of her suggestion, but she did concede her point that the three would be able to keep Cullen's men alive than if they did not go.

So the small group left for the outskirts of Ostagar.

Location: Haven

Trevelyan was helping Threnn in the requisition tents when she heard the slightly hurried booted feet of someone in the rush. She was about to ignore the sound when out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Threnn stiffening to attention. Turning slightly, she felt a smile pull at the corner of her lips at the sight of Commander Cullen, before she registered the disconcerted look on his face, and her smile morphed into a frown.

"Commander?" she asked politely and with some concern.

"The others returned from Ostagar-"

"Was anyone injured?"

"Well, yes...but-" Cullen looked like he had both seen a ghost and swallowed something sour at the same time as he clasped his hands together. Trevelyan knew from the very short time she had known the Commander that he only did that when he was nervous or unsure and it was also very rare. "They brought back some...thing..."

"Some...thing?" she tilted her head before putting down the list and walked towards the Commander before he nodded quickly and gestured once for her to follow him.

They walked past the gates and turned the corner before Trevelyan stopped short at what must have unnerved the Commander. At first glance, it looked like something dead and by all rights, should not even be standing. But upon a second look, Trevelyan saw that it was dead, but still standing with its tail swishing, nostrils, or whatever skin-folds were left on it, still flaring as if it was breathing.

"I swear, I didn't call it," Dorian's voice spoke up behind her and she turned slightly to see him stepping up, a mild expression on his face.

"We found it among the bogs, being attacked by a pack of wolves that had been raiding the towns near the ruins of the wilds. Seems like it had died a long time ago, but had been ghosting around, so to speak, trying to warn and protect the villagers. However, the villagers were too frightened of it and ran away from it before the wolves could attack – same difference I suppose," Blackwall said following Dorian, Solas moving past the two towards the horse, "wolves have been dealt with as was the source."

"It followed us here," Trevelyan turned to stare at the undead horse as Solas reached out and held onto the reigns, "the Commander wanted to know what would we do with it."

"I could try to lower it, but I'm not too sure how my magic would work this close to the Breach," Dorian suggested before gesturing to the horse's head, "and you see how well a sword would be against it."

"Looks like a unicorn," Trevelyan tilted her head a little as the bog horse tossed his head, jerking away from Solas a bit before settling. Cullen twitched a little next to her and she wondered if his Templar senses were getting anything untoward from it. Even though he had discarded his title of Knight-Captain, she knew from experience that once a Templar was always a Templar, even without the titles. Their abilities and knowledge stayed with them for life; including the lyrium addiction. "Commander?"

"I don't feel any hostility from it, I just...I haven't seen anything quite like it before," Cullen replied, "not too sure if I want to touch it or move to the far end of camp because it creeps me out looking at it."

"I think it's cute, in an ugly way of course," Trevelyan shrugged, ignoring the slightly incredulous look the Commander shot at her. "The First Enchanter at Ostwick could have told you about how I collected pets around Circle, practicing my healing on them before releasing them. Sometimes I wasn't too successful, healing crooked bones and that sort of thing, so I kept them as pets."

"Your parents must have loved your menageries when you went home at times," Dorian said dryly and Trevelyan grinned back before stepping forward and lifted her left hand, the hand with the power to seal the Breach, towards the undead creature.

"Trevelyan-"

Though she was a little touched at the concern in Cullen's voice, she ignored it and smiled widely as the horse-unicorn-undead-thing suddenly buried its nose into her outstretched hand, nearly pulling the reigns from Solas' grip. It also whickered of all things and she could not help the small pleased laugh that emerged from her lips.

"And now I have seen everything," she barely heard Blackwall murmur behind her.

"You and me both," Cullen agreed.

"Boys," she threw back at them before she reached out with her other hand and stroked the bony face, feeling the oddly smooth-pulled dead skin that did not flake or even dissolve under her touch. "Hey...hey..." she murmured quietly towards the...ah, that was it, bog unicorn. "It's a bog unicorn," she said loudly and saw in its black, beady eyes, at least eyes and not just an eye-socket that glistened like eyes, and saw Solas raise an eyebrow before shrugging in agreement. She could see that he was the only one not scared or disturbed by the creature – more than likely having encountered some in the Fade or in his dreams.

"I think I'll name you Soggy, the Bog Unicorn," she grinned mostly to herself as she gently rubbed its nose, feeling the smooth bone underneath the taunt black-blue skin. She let her eyes roam on the tack and bridle of the horse before she saw what looked like an emblem on the bridle and leaned a little closer.

"Um...Lady Trevelyan-"

"Ser Blackwall?" she interrupted whatever he was going to say, "do you recognize this emblem?"

"Milady?" she heard Blackwall's boots stomp closer before she stepped back and let him peer at the emblem as close as he dared. She knew it was important judging by the minute widening of his eyes before he stepped back, surprised.

"That's...this..." he gestured to the bog unicorn, "I think this is King Cailan's charger, Lady Trevelyan."

She could only blink and stare. Well...that was interesting...

~END~