Chapter 2
Varric led me around the courtyard in front of the school, showing me the various freaks I'd eventually encounter.
"And those are the nobles... they have their noses stuck up so high in the air that dwarves think they're falling into the sky..."
"Don't dwarves already think that about everybody?"
"Yes, but that's not the point. The nobles are rich assholes and you should avoid them."
Our next stop was with the Templars. That went over like a lead arrow.
"The Templars are chumps, Dahlia. They'll pick on anyone for being a mage, but they're not worth your time."
I wasn't focused on their possible hostility, however, as I noticed a boy in the back of the clique's huddle. He seemed disinterested in the others. He seemed... kind of cute.
"Oh, I see Alistair's piqued your interest, huh? Don't bother, he seems to be different, but deep down, he's a Templar, through and through."
I didn't want to believe him.
I walked up behind one of the Templars and hid behind his massive shoulderguard. There was a teacher standing in the middle of the group, seemingly giving orders to some of the kids. She had a stupid bitch face.
"Alright, you lousy freshman. I'm Ms. Meredith and I'll be instructing you in your Mage-hunting class. I expect full cooperation and complete distaste for mages, or I will personally stab you in the face. Understood?"
"But what if it's a cute mage? What if she has beautiful brown eyes and a flirty smile?" Alistair joked. So he was funny. Score one for me...
"Fuck off, Alistair. There's a reason why mages are held up in towers, and it's because you fuck them all if they left."\
"I can't deny it." The crowd roared.
"I'll give you 5 detentions if you don't shut your stupid trap, young man!"
"Hey, leave him alone, cunthead!" I blurted. Wait, I said that? Andraste's tits! I'm a fucking badass!
"Oh, here we have a mage, sticking up for a Templar? I knew it! Alistair, I'm giving you 10 detentions for being in cahoots with a blood mage!"
"Wait, I'm not a blood mage, nug-licker!"
"Oh shit, you done fucked up good now, Dahlia." Varric said with a grin.
"Don't smile so hard, dwarf, I know you're with her." Ms. Meredith spat. No, seriously, she spat. Say it, don't spray it, asshat.
So here I was, sitting outside the principal's office on the first day of school with a cute Templar and a snarky dwarf. It would've been fine if Varric had just let me talk to Alistair.
"Well, thanks a lot for the 'rescue', whomever you may be." Alistair said with a sexy but humorous tone.
"You're welcome, I guess." Geez, why was I so nervous? It's just a boy. A handsome boy.
"Right now's not the time for flirting, kids. If Principal Mac Tir notices you two making out outside his door, he'll come down on you even harder." Varric was such a cock block.
"Wait, Principal Mac Tir? I thought It was Principal Cailan." I pulled my eyes away from Alistair to say this most intelligent statement.
"Cailan died, under mysterious circumstances and Mac Tir took over. He has a stick up his ass so be careful." Alistair told me. Geez Alistair, stop looking out for me, it's too cute.
Mac Tir's office door opened. "Come in. All three of you."
We walked in to find to angriest looking dude I've ever seen in Thedas. He had a worn, wrinkly face and dark circles under his eyes that suggested he hadn't slept in weeks. This was a beast from the Fade, I thought.
"No, not from the Fade, young mage." I really need to stop thinking out loud. "So I heard that you gave Ms. Meredith a firm talking to after she was allegedly harassing Mr. Alistair over here." He pointed to a devasted-looking but totally handsome Alistair. "Now, you realize that the only reason Ms. Meredith speaks to her students that way is because she wants them to be fine Templars, right?"
"It doesn't give her the right to pick on Alistair for being funny." Oh shit, stop defending Alistair, Dahlia, or the shit'll hit the fan.
"Oh, Alistair, you were being funny, huh? I remember you being funny in my military tactics class when you lit the signal fire and Ser Jory's britches?"
"Ah, Jory was a wuss. And it was totally funny. I mean, the bastard ran like a darkspawn with its head cut off." I honestly want to see that.
"Alistair, you know the drill. Detention with me every Saturday for five weeks. Varric and Dahlia, well, I have something better planned."
Shit.
