Growing Up the Hard Way. Again.
Chapter 2
It had been a long night. Leliana of all people had taken the Inquisitor to the kitchen to be fed, and when she had finally come back he was asleep once more. Finally they all agreed that they could do nothing useful hovering around the child and resolved to turn in to bed, Leliana taking the Inquisitor with her. It was a new morning, and unsurprisingly all members of the Inner Circle were hovering anxiously in the hall, waiting for Leliana to return with their Inquisitor. They were not however, expecting a child, approximately five years of age to storm into the room with all the attitude of a god, trying his hardest to look down on them even as he stood not even to their waists. He had light brown hair that glinted blonde when light caught it, bright blue eyes, a pale complexion and the same soft features that the newborn from yesterday bore. He wore only light sleepwear and nothing more. He was chased into the room by a disgruntled looking spymaster who had a distinctly cross look on her face. The child stopped in front of them, arms crossed in front of him as he turned to look at Leliana, a matching expression on his face.
"Well?" He asked, his youthful voice ringing lightly through the air. Leliana sighed as the other looked on in confusion and amusement.
"I'd like to introduce you to Lord Quinton Trevelyan," she said, putting an emphasis on his title as she glared down at him. "Youngest son of the Trevelyan family." She finished. He sniffed daintily, noise turned up into the air.
"Inadequate." Was all he said, before he walked through the crowd of bemused adults in front of him, climbed onto the throne and sat there as if he belonged there. Even though technically he did.
"Also known as the Inquisitor," Leliana added a scornful look on her face as the boy looked around the room with unconcealed distaste. The Inner Circle quickly gathered around her.
"What is going on?" Blackwall asked, eyes still fixed on the child sitting on the Inquisitor's throne.
"It would seem that our cute Inquisitor from yesterday has grown into a selfish, spoiled, entitled brat." Leliana grumbled. At everyone's surprised stares she sighed.
"He woke me up at midnight when he transformed, and the moment he grew into this size he immediately began treating me like a servant." She scowled for a moment. "Less than a servant actually and more like a bug that was stuck to his shoe." She glared over at him sighing again. Iron Bull laughed, earning another sharp glare from Leliana.
"This is definitely a different person than we are used to." He said, grinning and shaking his head.
"Indeed," Dorian mused. "I am curious as to how a child like this turned into the self-sacrificial, kind man we call our leader."
"A lot of effort and hard work it would seem." Solas said with a small smile.
"Servants!" The Inquisitor, no, Quinton called. He would not earn that title until far later in his life. The group turned to him simultaneously, many eyebrows raised. Dorian stepped forward with a grin.
"What is it my lord?" He asked, bowing mockingly. Quinton glared at him.
"I demand to be taken to your leader. If I am to be abducted I demand to know why." He ordered, his young voice slurring the words slightly. The Inner Circle all stared at each other in surprise.
"Abducted?" Cullen asked, eyes wide.
"Yes," Cole said quietly, head tilted to the side. "He went to bed in his home and woke up here. He had been warned about people who might try to steal him so this is what he assumes." He explained. Leliana made a small noise of realisation.
"He did seem rather frightened at first when he woke up. It would make sense if this was why."
"I see," Vivienne mused, hand rising to her chin in thought. "At each age interval he retains the physical form and memories of that age," she said, before looking over at Quinton. "And clothes it would seem, unless you managed to find those in your room?" She asked, laughing at the expression on Leliana's face.
"Should we not tell him that he has not, in fact been abducted?" Cassandra asked, face slightly creased in worry.
"It certainly might change his behaviour," Josephine pointed out. Agreement spread throughout the group and Varric walked up towards the child.
"Ah, Lord Trevelyan," Varric began with a dramatic flourish. Quinton stared at him, face expressionless. "Unfortunately there seems to have been a misunderstanding." He explained. Quinton's head tilted to the side in a movement very familiar to the group before him. The Inquisitor often did that when he was confused.
"You have not been abducted like you thought." Varric continued. "A spell was cast on you somehow, transporting you to this place. Be assured that a letter to the Trevelyan's has been sent detailing your location and an offer to invite you to remain her as a guest until such time that your family can retrieve you." He finished. There was silence in the hall for a moment, Quinton deliberating and the other's somewhat speechless at Varric's ease in lying to a child, and their Inquisitor as young as he may be.
"Very well," Quinton said, slipping down from the chair and walking over to Varric.
"He really is young isn't he?" Sera asked, eyes slightly sad. Cullen made a questioning noise, eyes on Quinton and Varric.
"Only a child would believe only words when their own lives are potentially in danger." She explained. Cullen also began to frown at the thought.
"Then it is a good thing that it is our words he believes." Solas said, walking past them to Varric and Quinton.
"Would you like us to retrieve more appropriate clothes for you?" He asked when he arrived. Quinton looked up at him with scorn.
"How dare you speak to me as such?" Quinton asked disdainfully. Everyone went still with shock.
"Pardon?" Solas asked, surprised.
"Mind your place, knife-ears and do not speak to your betters with such familiarity." Quinton said, before storming towards the exit of the hall. "Come dwarf. You will show me my quarters." He said as he left. Varric slowly followed Quinton, eyes locked onto Solas' with shock. He shrugged helplessly before chasing after the boy. The moment the he turned the corner out in the courtyard, the Inner Circle gathered around Solas this time. There was a large amount of gathering involved in a de-aging spell they began to realise.
"That was…" Sera began, eyes wide.
"Messed up?" Iron Bull provided. Sera nodded slowly, frowning.
"He's a noble," Josephine said sadly. "Unfortunately that particular way of thought is often ingrained in the minds of the young." Cullen sighed, shaking his head.
"I certainly hope he grows out of it tomorrow."
Now before the inevitable complaints of "he's only five, how can he possible have that sort of vocabulary?" Well. He's the youngest child of an extremely wealthy family. A) He's going to be tutored. B) As the youngest, he will have a much higher drive to success as he will be being compared to his older siblings. C) I've always imagined the Inquisitor to be very intelligent, almost a genius. So :) Enjoy. It starts to get darker next chapter.