Chapter 3

"Well thank you for the boat ride."

"No problem." He said and started to get back in the boat. And I realized I didn't even know his name.

"hey," I said and he looked back. I don't want to know his name I like it better that way and Hopefully he doesn't know my name either. "Thanks for being my friend" He smiled and nodded and was off back to the docks. It must be so lonely just standing there to ferry people across the lake. That must be why we are good friends because we both share the loneliness.

I pushed open the large tower doors and instantly everything stopped as people gawked at me. I tried to ignore the attention as I made my way to Irving's office.

He saw me and stood up instantly and I shut the door behind me. When he saw it was shut he ran towards me and wrapped me in a hug which I gratefully returned.

"Lenobia!"

"Irving!" I pulled back and gave him one more quick hug.

"Oh I have missed you Lenobia!"

"I missed you too Irving! How have things been with you?"

"Ah I am less busy now that the tower is back into working order and we are receiving recruits again." He leaned closer and whispered "and that there are less templar's around." We both laughed then.

"Yes, I am sure that is a relief." I replied. I remembered how the templar's watched everything.

"Speaking of templar's…" Irving said moving back to his desk. "I know one that will be particularly excited to see your back."

"Really?" I asked curious now to hear about a templar excited to see a mage.

"yes, he was quite sad the last time you came and he didn't get to see you."

"Oh? And do I know this templar well?" I asked thinking of one particular templar.

"He was stationed here around the time of your eighth birthday."

"Ah, well Irving, enough of this love talk"

"But it is my job as your care taker, my daughter!"

I laughed "Well then Dad I am going to run away from this lecture and for doing so as punishment I will send myself to my room!" I said laughing as I dashed out the door and down the circular hall to my room. I lay on my bed thinking about how Irving and I became so close.

"Some ones here to see you Lenobia." Irving said.

"Okay! Bye Jowan, Elise, and Petra! Thanks for the birthday party!" I said cheerfully.

"Happy 6th birthday!" they all cheered and Jowan gave me a hug and I followed Irving into his office. What waited there for me was expected but still completely shocking!

"MOTHER! FATHER! YOU CAME!" I shouted running into their waiting arms.

My mother kissed my hair "of course we came! We couldn't miss your birthday!"

"And we brought presents!" My father said pulling two items from the First Enchanters desk. "we bought you this one first and then thought it might not be allowed so we bought you the second one."

"But the First Enchanter assured us it was okay for us to buy you this." My mother said handing me some cloth. I unfolded it and it was a pretty robe belt made just for a mage, it was prettier than any belt I had ever seen!

"Oh thank you thank you thank you! This will make my robe so much prettier I Love it!" I shouted with joy giving them both hugs.

"And here is your second one." My father said handing me what looked like a small book, I opened it and the pages were blank.

"it's a diary we thought every six year old should have one, to talk about friends and," My mother paused and put a sly smile on her face and stage whispered "Boys." We all laughed and we ate cake my mother had brought me and had a great time telling each other stories of what had happened over the last year. Then they had to leave and I said my goodbyes and watched them leave me again. The first enchanter walked me to the apprentice dorm wished me a happy birthday and left.

The next year I was turning seven and Jowan, Elise, and Petra were throwing me my seventh birthday by each giving me a present. Elise gave me a necklace and Petra gave me a bracelet. Jowan was my best friend and he gave me a picture he made of us. He was a very talented artist, he drew my head down to my shoulders, and his too with our arms around each other and across it said Best Friends! I was so happy. Then Irving came and got me to go to his office, I walked in and saw only my mother.

"Mother? Where is Father?"

"He had a trade market to go to that he could not miss; if he did he would have lost a lot of money."

"Oh I understand"

"So I couldn't bring a cake but I did bring you a very special gift this time." She said as a smile crept across her face.

"Oooh! Let me see!" She pulled out a ring. "Oh its beautiful! Thank you!" I said giving her a hug.

"Now this ring is very special do you know why?"

"Um…no." I said studying the ring.

"Look inside it." My mother said smiling brightly.

I Looked on the inside and inscribed in it was "We love you Lenny, We always will." My eyes started to well up with tears as I hugged her "Thank you mom Thank you so much!"

"Your welcome Lenny, I love you, your Father and I both Love you," She hugged me tighter, "So so much"

"I love you too."

I showed her all my new jewelry and took her to my room to see the picture Jowan drew me and then she had to leave. I never took that ring off.

A year later, it was my eighth birthday and Jowan and I celebrated since Elise and Petra were sick. We had fun and we sat by my bed as he taught me how to draw with the pencils and paper he gave to me for my birthday. Then like the years before Irving came and got me. I was so excited to see my parents again; I rushed into the office and stopped dead in my tracks when they weren't there. I looked up at Irving with tears in my eyes.

"They have not showed up child, I had a templar look for them to be sure they were all right and he said they were at home…tending to a newborn child."

"Oh, well I guess they couldn't take a baby on a long trip to see me. Maybe next year." I said sadly and started to walk out of his office.

"Lenobia?"

"Yes First enchanter?"

"Maybe Next year." He hurried me out then and I felt shut out. I went into my bed under the mattress and took the small painted picture my mother had given me when I first came here. Remembering when she said 'Here take this. Keep it close when you are afraid, look at it and remember us when you are sad and read the back when you can't wait another minute to see us.' I read the back 'Our little Lenny, you are so grown up now, we miss you and we can't wait to see you for your birthday!' We love you Lenobia and we always will.'

"No you don't" I said to myself and I ripped up the picture and threw it away.

I gave my belt to Petra and Elise to share and I lay on my bed and cry until the First Enchanter came in and said "Come with me child." He took me to his office.

He had his back turned to me digging for something and I took my ring off and stuck it right between the books 'The History of the Chantry' and 'The History of the Circle of Magi'. Then turned back around willing myself to forget the ring and my parents all together.

"Ah Here we are." He handed me a box shaped item with paper around it. "Well go on and open it!" I did as I was told and it was a beautiful box. It was wooden and the size of a hand. It had flowers carved around the top and bottom and on the top a large flower was carved in. All the flowers around the top and bottom were painted white and pink with green vines connecting them. But the Flower on top was painted purple, My favorite color. And when I opened the box, It was wooden with three compartments.

"A jewelry box?" I asked

"Yes you seem to always have jewelry and no where to put it I thought it would be perfect for you."

"Oh it is! Thank you so much! Did you do this yourself?"

"I only painted it."

"Oh Irving its amazing!" I exclaimed giving him a hug. I started to cry then. And he held me there until the tears were gone.

"Okay lets get you off to bed then." He said and took me to my bed and tucked me in since the other apprentice's were all asleep. "Happy eighth birthday Lenobia" He whispered and started to leave.

"Irving! Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Will you be my new dad?"

He pondered that. "If it is what you want than I will be."

"its all I want." I said.

"Alright then but it will be our little secret" He smiled and walked away.

The next day he gave me a new friend, his name was Cullen, he was to be a templar Cullen became one of my best friends quickly, and I was thankful to have met him.

The next years continued the same way him tucking me in and us meeting at night until I was 12. At 10, I stopped expecting my parents to be there. At 13 and older he celebrated my birthday with me by pulling me out of my dreadful classes and we always had such fun, each year he would give me a new piece of jewelry for my jewelry box. Irving took great care of me and loved me dearly. He truly was like a second father to me.

I snapped out of my day dreaming to find tears rolling down my face. I sat up and wiped them away just as I did there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" I called.

"Hi Lenobia."

"Cullen! Come in come in!" he started to come in but I stopped him. "wait shut the door." he did as I said but looked puzzled, so I felt like it needed an explanation. "If the younger ones see my door open the girls will come with questions of styles and gossip and the boys will come looking to hear tales of darkspawn."

"Oh, I see. Your quite popular then."

"Yes I am." I said remembering just then how Cullen always seemed to be a bit nervous around me. "Come sit, Its been too long, you must fill me in on what you've been up to!"

"Um, okay." Cullen said as he sat down and we started to fill each other in on our lives.