Leliana wasn't exactly impressed, to say the least.
The stuttering Templar, the one with closely cropped blond hair and brown eyes, kept his distance from her for the first few days. He'd only respond to things his fellow said, and would look down nervously if she tried to ask him a question. A fool, she decided. A fool who would probably have a panic attack if they got into a real fight.
And the other Templar, a man with unkempt black hair and green eyes, made it clear he wasn't happy with her from the beginning. He protested about her company up until the minute they left Lothering, at which point he apparently decided it was time to just pretend she didn't exist. When he didn't blatantly ignore her, he was nice enough, and smarter than she thought any Templar could be (but not straight away). In her experience, the Templars were brutes meant to keep mages in check. Then again, to the Templars, she was the brute meant to keep them in check.
In all, these two were nothing alike, yet they seemed to be friends, and even silently agreed talking to their Orlesian companion was a bad idea. Leliana knows she has no one to blame but herself, as she did get a little drastic with her threats, but men will get over that. It's the fact that she dealt with their mage that has the black-haired one pissed off.
So at camp, when they're a days ride (but two days of walking) from reaching the easternmost tip of Lake Calenhad, Leliana decides to try and change their opinion of her. Not by much, no, that would be foolish. But she could at least attempt to show them she wasn't the ass they thought she was.
They're both sitting by their small fire, eating the remnants of their supper, when Leliana gets up to join them. She had been sitting on a boulder next to her horse, looking over her map for any possible shortcuts they could take to make a three week trek to the Circle shorter, but came up with nothing. She could appreciate that about Fereldans; they liked to have direct routes to everything. Unfortunately, that didn't apply in the wilderness, where every path was made by hunters who knew the area.
Not for the first time, Leliana thinks of just heading north on her own. It would be faster on horseback, but she also is smart enough to realize one bow won't be much between her and a group of bandits. Safety in numbers, though she's not sure who would be brave or foolish enough to attack someone that's blatantly in the Seekers.
As she sits, her armor rustles more than it usually would, and she winces. For the longest of times, her survival hinged on how quiet she could be, how long she could last without being discovered. Even after being free of her former master for so long, Leliana still cringed at any loud noises she made. She didn't think that would ever go away, or not anytime soon. Though, she is glad she doesn't have to wear anything near the massive plate her two companions wear. Or the skirts. Templars are supposed to be intimidating, hardened warriors that mages fear. Yet they wear skirts. Things that could hinder their movement in combat. Things that prevent them from riding a horse to track mages faster.
Leliana will never understand that.
"I think..." She pauses to breathe out a sigh. "I think we got off on the wrong foot."
The black-haired one snorts. "That would be an understatement if we had any foot to get off on."
She resists the urge to roll her eyes. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry I acted the way I did when we first met."
"Oh I knew what you meant," he replies. "But if you're going to make my life difficult, I'm going to do the same for yours."
Leliana sighs, massaging her temples. "Fine, fair enough." The Templar shoveled in another mouthful of the stew his friend had made earlier while she was talking. It wasn't bad, but it was a little too salty for Leliana's taste. "If we're going to be traveling together, I think we should know each other's names. It's nicer than shouting 'Templar!' or 'Seeker!' at each other, don't you think?"
As he chewed, he thought about it. It would be nice to get on a friendlier level with the Orlesian, he decided. If only to keep her from doing anything untoward.
"Aedan," he says. "My name is Aedan."
A distinctly Fereldan name in origin. Leliana already knew his name from the various uses of it on the first day. Truth be told, she already knew both of their names, but she figured it would be polite to have them tell her before she used them.
"Aedan...?" she asks, fishing for a last name.
He shakes his head. "Just Aedan."
She looks to the other Templar, brow raised questioningly. "And your name?"
"Marcus," he says, looking up only to say his name before his eyes dart back down to his bowl of stew.
Aedan's chewing a mouthful when he asks, "And what about you, Seeker? What's your name?"
"Leliana," she says, redirecting her attention to the braver, and more conversational, of the two.
He frowns. "Sounds Fereldan."
She shrugs a shoulder. "I'd hope so, considering it is."
"Really?" Aedan actually seems halfway interested. "Why would an Orlesian give their daughter a Fereldan name?"
"My mother was from Denerim," Leliana replies. "She was a servant for an Orlesian noblewoman during the occupation. When it became too dangerous for her to stay due to the loss the Orlesians faced, she returned to Orlais, and my mother took me, and followed."
"Ah," he says. "Makes sense now." Leliana offers a small smile and, surprisingly, he returns it. "You know, you could've been nicer the other day."
Leliana starts to respond, to agree, when Marcus sputters and shoves Aedan's shoulder. "Don't say things like that! She's a Seeker!"
Aedan frowns and looks between the two of them before saying, "Well, she had to be a human being at one point in her life to become a Seeker. It wasn't rude, Marcus. Calm down."
She laughs, shaking her head, and says, "I could've been nicer, yes. I wasn't exactly happy, though. The mage nearly set my horse on fire and had taken several arrows to shades to finally die. I was in a bad mood, and I apologize." Both Templars stare at her, shocked, and she shrugs. "What? You said I had to be human before to become a Seeker. Well, I'm still human."
"You're a Seeker," Aedan insists.
Leliana arches a red brow. "And a human."
"But you're a Seeker."
"Does that mean I can't be human?"
"Yes."
She blinks, confused. "Why's that?"
"B-because Seekers aren't people," Marcus says nervously. "They're too good for the Templars, so they advance and stare at us from the shadows in the tower."
Aedan scoffs indignantly. "Now you sound like a superstitious house wife. Shut up."
They spend another hour or so talking about whatever comes to mind when Aedan decides its time for him to get some rest. Marcus, after casting a fearful glance in Leliana's direction, agrees, and the two knights return to their bedrolls. Leliana stays up anyway, ignoring her own exhaustion, and goes back to the boulder she was sitting on previously. Her horse has wandered around to the other side in search of fresher grass, but she trusts it to stay in the immediate vicinity of their camp. It has been trained to do so, as have all the horses the Seekers use. This one had been named Onyx, most likely due to the color of his coat. Leliana chose him specifically so he'd be hard to see at night.
She climbs up to the top, swings her legs around, and settles in to keep watch, like she had every night so far. The Templars thought she slept when they did, and yes, she did sleep, but only when there was an hour or so before dawn, and then she'd have Onyx stop doing whatever he was doing to keep watch for her. She had only accumulated six hours of sleep in the last few days, and it was already starting to wear on her. Eventually she would have to give in and get some real sleep, but for now, her training kept her up, and she sat with her thoughts for the next seven hours of boredom.
At first, Leliana thought about her two companions. Aedan was still suspicious of her, but not unbearably so like the other. Marcus, she wondered, somehow became a Templar despite his lack of any courage. Well, that wasn't fair. He could be perfectly brave, but she hadn't known him all that long, and he gave her no reason to suspect he was. After all, the Templars didn't promote idiots. Yes they did. They just promoted the ones with the most brains, which wasn't saying much. She had yet to meet a Templar with one. They were all fools with swords and power, never a good combination. And unfortunately for her companions, the ones she worked around always found themselves dead from their inability to follow her orders. They all have too much swagger, or not enough, and it costs them their lives. It was the main reason for her having gone so deeply into Ferelden on her own. Typically, Leliana would have stopped at the Circle first to get a few Templar idiots' help, and then she would have gone on her little adventure. But, despite their stupidity, Templars were people too, and wasting their lives wasn't fair, or right.
And now she found herself in the company of two more morons. The only thing Marcus had going for him was his brain; he seemed less prone to heroics to Leliana, but capable enough. Aedan, while brave enough to talk to her, had the appeal of a man led by his urges rather than his head, and could be dangerous. Leliana found herself happy with the two she had been given; they were a good combination. Perhaps that was why they were friends.
Then her thoughts drifted to how they met. Yes, she was a little standoffish, and that always brought her more trouble than help, but it was in her personality ever since...since she had to flee to the Chantry. She didn't trust very many people after what Marjolaine did to her. The priestesses in Val Royeaux, the few she actually did explain her past to, were far more understanding than they had any right to be. But they also told her that her past would be more helpful to everyone if she put her talents elsewhere. And then she ended up a Seeker of Truth, and by default, Ferelden. As a Seeker, Leliana was protecting mages being tortured and raped by abusive Templars, and protecting other Templars from being punished when they did nothing wrong. Of course, she could only go somewhere if the First Enchanter had called for assistance, or if the Chantry thought something was worth investigating. And with rumors coming in from Ferelden of what could possibly be the biggest blood mage ring Thedas has ever seen, she was dispatched with nine others to come get to the bottom of it. They had split up at the border, going off on their own to gather leads and return them to their fellows once a few months had passed. It was a strangely solitary lifestyle that Leliana found herself leading.
And the main reason for her scrambling to get back to the Circle. She was running out of time to meet their deadline. Sadly, she hadn't gathered much anyway, and she got the feeling her allies hadn't had any luck either. The most Leliana had gotten was the strange signet ring tucked into her pocket.
She pulled it out now, turning it over and over in her hands in a vain attempt to recognize the crest. For all her Fereldan blood, she didn't know anything about this country, or the people inside of it.
Well...that wasn't a fair statement. She knew they didn't trust Orlesians, and were prone to throwing rocks when one showed up. Damn villagers. She still had a bruise on her arm from that.
Leliana gave a frustrated sigh as she ran her thumb over the laurel stamped into the metal. It was dirty and covered in dried blood, probably from the mage when he'd casted spells that few would approve of. Or from when she killed him. That was also possible. But aside from its crest, there were no identifying marks or words, and she had no choice but to shove it back in her pocket, where it was safe.
The Seeker remained awake for her allotted time, keeping her eyes moving over every shadow and dark place. And when it was time for her to get what little rest she could, she gave two sharp whistles that Onyx would understand before sliding down to a more comfortable place to sleep.
Unfortunately for her, sleep didn't come so easily despite her exhaustion, and what little she managed to grab was filled with memories, that although good, reminded her of her past, and of a woman she really didn't want to think about. So when Aedan went to rouse her, she nearly kicked him in the face, and didn't bother apologizing. The lack of rest was starting to wear on her temper and her mood, and thinking of her former lover didn't help. She broke down the fire pit while the Templars packed up their equipment, then they were off without so much as a 'good morning.'
Leliana's mood remained sour throughout the morning. When Marcus got up the courage to ask her if she wanted some of their jerky, she snapped at him, and didn't even bother regretting it. That was probably the last time he was ever going to talk to her. Not that she caught herself caring at that moment. She was far more concerned with their lack of speed, and she was halfway through telling herself why getting on Onyx and riding ahead was a good idea when Aedan sidled up next to her.
"What do you want?" she snaps.
He shrugs nonchalantly, rustling his armor loudly enough that she winces. "Oh, nothing," he says. She scowls as soon as the words leave his mouth; she knows that tone. He's teasing her. "You just looked extra sulk-y today and I thought I'd come up and try my luck at making it better."
"I'd sulk less if you weren't pestering me with inane questions."
"It wasn't a question."
"No, but you were going to ask me one, and I figured I'd get the snapping out of the way early."
Aedan sighs and puts up his hands. "Fine, Seeker. I'll just go back and talk with Marcus, then. Let me know if you get hungry."
After he fell back to rejoin his Templar counterpart, Leliana let out her own sigh. She wasn't giving them much cause to like her, and if she was going to check the mages to see who was helping this supposed ring of blood mages, she was going to need all the allies in the Templars she could get. This just wasn't going to be a good day for her.