Disclaimer: I do not own anything Bioware.
A/N: So I'm going to apologize for trying to inflict my obsessions on you poor people. I understand there is quite the fandom out there. It amazes me to see all the different reactions to this game and how deeply some people feel about their characters. Wonderful.
Prowess
Chapter 2
Cullen shaded his eyes against the onslaught of the sun's morning rays. Leliana had recieved word by crow two days ago informing the council that the Herald had freed a group of soldiers from Avaar extremists. There was some mention of plague in the brief note but not if any of the party had been struck ill. Nothing helpful.
"Any idea when she's going to pop over that ridge, Commander?" Josephine's harried voice sounded at his back.
"I would say at the latest this afternoon, Ambassador. More good news for the Herald?"
"I am doing my best to squash these horrid rumors being carried about.."
Culled turned and looked at the dusky skinned beauty. "I had heard no such thing. What's being said?"
A dark flush crept up the Antivan woman's neck. "I-I hesitate to repeat them.. They are so scandalous." When Cullen just raised an eyebrow at her and waited, she carried on resolutely looking at the ground. "People are saying she sacrifices children in heinous blood magic rituals with her apostate companions.. to appease her heathen gods." She cleared her throat, "She also apparently is a hedonist in her bedchambers.. Commander, I really cannot go on. It is too much. But she needs to be informed there is an issue and it needs to be dealt with swiftly."
"So then why wait on her? Smooth things over already, isn't that what you're here for?"
She bristled, "Yes, however I am unfamiliar with Dalish customs and peoples."
"Dear Maker, woman, surely you don't believe-"
"Of course I don't," She hissed. "But Commander, if I have heard these rumors-"
"Then the common people are definitely hearing them." Cullen rubbed at the stubble on his chin. "If not repeating them themselves.. bad news travels like a hare, whereas good news is more akin to a tortoise."
"You will send her my way if you see her first?"
Cullen made to reply but saw she had already turned away and was scribbling fiercely in her notes as she meandered back to the keep. He heard his lieutenant sounding the wake up call for the soldiers and sighed as he prepared himself for another grueling day of turning shepards and farmers into a working force to be reckoned with.
I&B&S&V
"Sera, my dear, it is extremely uncouth to be handling dead body parts. Especially, when those dead body parts are potentially hazardous to one's health." Vivienne walked behind the Herald, somehow keeping her robes pristine white in a bog. It was enough to baffle the mind. Her dark skin glistened in the bright sunshine as her eyes narrowed on the other female elf.
Sera giggled to herself. Lavellan could almost hear the wheels churning in her head. She deftly sidestepped a patch of ice just as Sera squealed out, "Catch!"
Gooseflesh crawled up her spine as she felt the wet slap of dead flesh hit the bare skin of her neck and splatter onto her face. Putrid, rotten stench assaulted her sense of smell like a herd of charging druffalo. Her breath caught in her throat as she stifled her gag reflex. She felt lightheaded as the world spun around her before going dark.
Blackwall's deep voice penetrated the void. She felt rough leathers under her cheek and chest as someone carried her on their back. "Never would have thought the Herald would be squemish about dead things, way she was throwing herself into the fray in the bog. Sera, you get way too much pleasure out of tormenting people."
"I can't help it, she has such a great reaction!" Here she made gurgling noises in her throat and pretended to pass out.
Vivienne sniffed delicately. "She's awake, Blackwall."
He crouched down so she could slide easily off his back. "Thank you Warden Blackwall."
"Not a problem, Herald. You're a good woman. I was glad to have had a hand in recovering more information for the Wardens and the Inquisition. I'm sure our Lady Ambassador can make better use of them, but still to handle them.. You could almost feel the generations of great men and women who gave their lives in service to this land." She could have sworn his eyes almost misted over as he looked wistfully towards the sky.
Sera huffed, "Ah ruin all my fun.." Then she got distracted seeing another opportunity to wreak havoc in the ranks.
As she disappeared into the crowd of soldiers, Lavellan couldn't suppress the sigh of relief. "Her energy is something to be admired at least."
"That it most assuredly is my dear," Vivienne replied as they heard terrified squeals coming from behind them. "Just keep walking, ignore it and surely it will resolve itself."
Lavellan laughed then broke into a huge smile as they came upon the next hill and she could see the reassuring walls of Haven rising in the distance. She was looking forward to her next bout with the Commander. She was certain she had learned something from fighting all those disgusting undead. She wrinkled her nose as she remembered the decaying smell of the bog and the bodies that were bloating in the waters she was ever careful to avoid touching. Her stomach gave a delicate lurch and she quickly changed her thinking so as to not be physically ill.
The men rounding up her entourage gave up an excited cheer as they saw the walls of home for themselves. A distant but echoing roar reached their ears a few minutes later.
People were flooding out of Haven coming to greet the rescued soldiers. Loved ones and family hurrying to meet the injured and lost. Lavellan hurried her step as she started hearing "herald" tossed around behind her like so much confetti. "You'd have thought I did all that single-handedly," she grumbled to herself.
"Ah bask in the glow of a job well done," Vivienne smiled at her. "Not every commoner gets to experience the romance these people just did. Spirited away by foreigners only to have the representative of their holy icon come swooping in and save the day. I must have a chat with that charming dwarf fellow."
"Say what you will, Viv, but this is embarrassing. I just want a nap."
"I'd say that's a ways off, unfortunately," Blackwall nodded to the group of people craning their necks to see around the throng of people. "I would bet my small clothes they're all angling for a glance at you."
Taking a steeling breath and straightening her spine, she schooled her features into something resembling serious thought and marched directly to the gates looking neither to the left nor right. She could hear the whispers as she passed and was ever grateful to slink into the chantry to find out what had been going on while she was away.
Fury radiated through her entire being, souring her stomach, as she marched to her rooms. She nodded to people who greeted her on her way to her rooms confident they could not see the raging tornado of anger simmering just below the surface. Her people could be in imminent danger with these blasphemous rumors flitting about from mouth to mouth.
"Out!" She shouted at the servant not at all prepared to deal with the female's presence in her rooms while she was so high on these emotions.
"The Commander-"
"OUT! I SAID!" The door banged shut as the elf ran like demons were at her heels.
The mark on her hand was pulsing with her rapid heartbeat. It throbbed uncomfortably in her palm. Her eyes narrowed on it as she watched licks of green lightning start to spring from her hand. Picking up the nearest thing to her, she heaved a vase against the wall and found she liked the sound it made as it shattered into thousands of pieces. She picked up clothes human nobles had sent her and tore them to pieces throwing the scraps to the ground. Papers flew in all directions as she cleared the tops of her dresser and threw the drawers across the room. Upending tables and chairs, she didn't hear Cullen in the room til she dropped to the wooden floor in exhaustion.
He cleared his throat awkwardly, "I uhm, heard banging around in here.." He looked around at the mess the Herald had made. It appeared a small tornado had had it's way with every single thing she owned besides the armor and weaponry she was wearing. Pictures were askew on the walls, papers littered the floor, clothing was barely recognizable. "Wanted to make sure you were okay."
She sat in the middle of her mess like a toddler caught having a tantrum. "Okay? I come here with the intent of representing my clan as my Keeper told me to. I get caught in the middle of whatever mess these mages and templars have created for themselves. Accused of killing the Divine.." She realized she was yelling and stopped. "Gods, I'm sorry, this isn't your fault."
Cullen picked his way through the debris and sat on her bare bed frame. The mattress was laying in the floor in a spread of sheets. "Josephine talk with you?"
She pulled a hand through her hair before standing. "Yeah," she started straightening up the mess she had made. She righted dressers and chairs as she told him what the ambassador had informed her of. "Anyway, I'm sorry you had to see me like this. I was.. well upset just doesn't quite cover it."
"At least you did it behind closed doors. I couldn't imagine how it would help the Inquisition if you had had your little outburst where the public could see you. But this isn't why I was wanting to speak to you."
She smiled ruefully as she regaurded his fair features. "Couldn't be refering to handing me my ass again, could you?"
He feigned insult, clutching his chest. "Herald, you wound me. What kind of example would I be setting for the men if I didn't treat you all equally?" His white teeth showed through his smile when he heard her laugh. Satisfied with having distracted her temporarily from her troubles, he led her out to the practice field. He couldn't get the image of the green lightning licking up her right arm all the way to the elbow as she worked her way through the frothing rage she had on. It was intimidating, awe-inspiring. Childish impetuousness aside, it had affected his own emotions watching her work through her anger.
Lavellan strapped her own shield on her arm this time. Once she was satisfied it was fitted properly, she swung her sword around in an arc by her side. She went through the paces again, circling one way then another, looking for the obvious opening he was going to give her to strike. When it finally came, she feinted as if she were going for it. Just as he was moving to block her, she shifted to the left and attempted to swat his sword arm. He was too quick for her, expecting it, he had turned on his back foot and his shield was now right in the way.
She grunted with the force of her blade ricocheting off the rim of his shield harmlessly. She just managed to jump back far enough to avoid his returning swing at her open flank. Crouching low over her blade, just as she had last time, she rushed forward. He prepared himself the same way he had before, bringing his shield to bear confident from his prior success. Just before she reached him, she let loose a bellow packed with all the power she possessed. She let loose all the frustration and pent up hatred that had been the driving force behind her destruction in her room. She felt the wave leave her body and watched exultant when it blew Cullen back on his heels leaving him open for the split second she needed to tap him on the head. "Dead," she crowed happily.
"Good. Again." Cullen beat his sword on his shield.
"Hold. I need to catch my breath."
"Enemy isn't going to give you a second to catch your breath. I said again." Cullen matched words to action and strode forward bringing his sword around. She barely got her shield up in time before it was hammered down on her arm. She grunted as she timed his blows. When she could predict his next swing, she thrust upwards with her shield just as he was bringing his blow raining down. It threw his sword arm wide, not wasting a second, she brought her weapon up and under his arm just as he deftly twisted out of the way knocking her blade wide with his shield.
An elbow swung to the back of her head causing her to take a face full of dirt. "Sore loser, Commander?" she asked as she spit out mud.
"Must not be trying hard enough if you've got breath to get smart with me," Cullen came at her again. She rolled towards him at the last second as his blade was singing through the air to hit her while she was temporarily downed. Lightning fast, her feet were under her body and she sprung upwards cracking the top of her head into the commander's jaw. She heard the sharp snap as his teeth closed shut forcibly. While he was dazed, she hurried to knock him on his ass with her shield. When she heard the air whoosh out of his lungs, she raised her sword high into the air and whooped.
Applause came from behind her and she noticed they had drawn another crowd. Cullen laughed loudly and hard from the dirt. She extended her hand to help him to his feet. "I can't say what this will do to my reputation with the men."
"Want to get a drink with me? I have a few questions I want to go over."
Surprise lit his features as he considered it. "I don't see why not."
They went together, putting the practice equipment away, before heading to the pub. Lilting music drifted out of the open doors along with loud drunken voices. She chose a seat as far away from the crowd as possible while she waited for Cullen to get their drinks. The warm atmosphere was bright and cheerful. People were laughing over hard at some joke Sera had just told. Probably something ribbald, she thought to herself. A game of wicked grace was being played close to the bar, some of the chargers were talking to each other by the main entrance. The smoke drifting up to the rafters was extremely pungent. Some one was smoking something fruity, she could barely make out the scent over the burning smell assaulting her senses along with the musky aroma of ale being poured just yards from her.
When Cullen set her drink in front of her, she suddenly felt nervous. He took the seat opposite her and took a deep gulp of the frothy concoction. "Alright, so your questions were?"
"Okay, so the shout I used right?"
"Right? What about it? It's a useful tool in a warrior's arsenal."
"Well, yes," she waved her hand dismissively. "I know it's useful. I figured it out while we were fighting the Avaar. But I think I could hone it up some and make it more powerful. I was hoping you could maybe.. Well you must be really too busy for such indulgences?" Somehow before she knew it her hands had been fidgeting nervously in front of her. Placing them flat upon the tabletop, she looked up hopefully.
He laced his hands behind his head and looked up at the smoke-filled rafters. "You are right, I am quite busy.."
"I see." Disappointment colored her tone. He turned his head and watched her take a sip of her brew. Disgust wrinkled her delicate features. Somehow, he found it pleased him.
"Herald, you are looking for answers to who or what killed the Divine. Could I live with myself if I sent you out there without doing my best to prepare you for the worst?"
"So, you'll work with me on this?" Her eager expression softened his heart.
"You are quite talented as it is, but yes, I will help you find some discipline to further your skills. With the mages rebelling in Redcliffe and the templars withdrawing to their stronghold. It's shaping up like a rough job ahead of you." He sat upright and laid his hand on the back of hers. "If I can somehow lighten your load or ease your worries about situations you may find yourself in, consider me your man."
He watched a flush creep up her neck and inflame her cheeks. He frowned slightly wondering what the problem could be, when he noticed his hand was still holding hers. He coughed and quickly grabbed his mug downing another large drink. "Are you with anyone?" He choked on his drink. She was quickly up and thumping his back. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
A/N: And that's where we stop for today. Okay, so I realize the last question is something you really can ask on the game.. I just thought this was too funny a situation to pass it up entirely.
