The Mabari

Nerissa wiped a tear and looked into the distance. The breeze was steady and cool – it played with her long hair, sometimes covering her face, as she looked upon the ocean. There was something about the horizon that gave her serenity.

The last year had been hard. After Gwyn had been taken away from them, Eleanor had turned to her for comfort, but at the same time, she had become overprotective and watchful. Nerissa did not have a moment for herself: her mother's eyes were on her everywhere she went. The chapel, the dining hall, the social gatherings – she was starting to feel like her mother's lap dog.

She missed her twin brother. She had never thought it would be so difficult to be apart. It was the everyday things she missed the most: his smile, his quietness, his hand in hers when they went into town. Fergus always made them hold hands. He had even tied their hands together once, the first time they tried to run away. For the next visit to the town centre, Fergus had tied his own hand to Nerissa's. He had the suspicion that she was the instigator. He was right.

She felt lonely. Bryce had told her that unless something extraordinary happened, no visitors were allowed in Kinloch Hold. She had stood in the rain during a particularly vicious storm, scantily clad, hoping that she would get so sick that Gwyn would be taken back home to say goodbye before she died. She only caught a cold that left her sniffling for many weeks.

Nerissa took off her boots and walked ahead. The waves kissed her feet, her knees, her hips, her waist… He heard Fergus calling her from afar. She turned towards him and walked out of the water reluctantly. He had come running, holding her robe in his hands.

"What do you think you're doing?" Fergus asked, out of breath. He covered her shoulders with the robe, carefully holding her hair.

"It's not that cold, Fergus. Besides, it's summertime."

"You're wearing your new dress."

"Would you rather I swam naked?"

"Don't be cheeky, monkey. Mother's waiting for you."

"I know. I just… I felt like swimming."

"You don't know how to swim in the sea."

"You never taught me." As they walked side by side, Nerissa's eyes searched for the spot where the Demon had appeared and spat in that direction.

"I didn't teach you that either," Fergus barked. "Don't do that in front of Mum. Or ever again, for that matter."

She did not answer. Most of the face was covered by her hair now. Fergus stopped walking and stood in front of her. And then it hit him. She was just lonely. He knew that his younger siblings were close not only because of their age, but because they were twins. Eleanor had often said that she felt left out when they were together. Fergus had always felt that way.

"Hey…" He put a finger under her chin and made her look at him. "I miss him too, sis." His voice was soft and gentle now, just like their father's. Nerissa's throat tightened. She did not want to cry again. Fergus held her and brought her close to his chest. He was much taller than she was. He kissed the top of her head and rocked her gently. She clung to his sleeves, her right eye still observing the fateful spot.

After a while, she pushed him apart gently. She took the dagger from the waistband and handed it to Fergus.

"Cut my hair," she told him.

"What?" Fergus was puzzled. He hoped she was joking.

"Cut. My. Hair." There was no smile on her face.

"Are you crazy? Mum's going to k-"

"It's my hair, not Mum's. My hair, my decision. Cut it."

Fergus took the sharp dagger awkwardly. "Wh-What length?"

"Chin."

Fergus stood behind her. He gathered a fistful of hair and yanked it enough so that it would be tight. He put the dagger underneath the hair and in a swift movement, he cut it. It took him two or three times, but he managed to give her a decent haircut. Nerissa took a step forward and shook her head.

"Much better," she sighed.

Fergus thought she looked very much like Gwyn now, and wondered if his head would roll when Eleanor saw what Nerissa had done.

Brother and sister spent the summer together, finally getting to know each other. Fergus was not as prudish as Nerissa had always thought. He made terrible jokes. He laughed loudly. He was not afraid of being coarse when he was with her. He taught her how to swim and how to dance, and when winter came, he hired a bard so that she could learn how to play a lute properly. Her fingers worked on the strings in such a beautiful way that the bard suggested she accompany her tunes with lyrics.

"She's a crow," Fergus whimpered, during her first recital.

"Oh? Ah, you don't mean… Oh, shush," Oriana said, slapping his hand. "She's not that bad."

"I think you've gone deaf from hearing Oren's bawling every night," Fergus stated.

"Well, someone has to hear him, right? Especially since your snoring is so loud and sudden that the poor little guy gets startled several times during the night."

"Psst! Fergus got that from his mother," Bryce muttered, smiling at Nerissa while she continued singing.

"Bryce!" Eleanor slapped him twice on the knee.

"Oriana hit Fergus once – why do I get two slaps?" Bryce complained.

"Because your daughter is singing and you're talking, and because I never snore!" Eleanor hissed.

"Fergus should get two slaps, then: he's the one who brought in the bard so that she would learn," Bryce said, reaching out and slapping the back of Fergus's head.

Nerissa finished her song and everyone stood up and clapped. She looked at her family seriously and said, "I sing like shit."

Eleanor and Oriana slapped Fergus.

The year went by, and it was summer again. After Nerissa's fourteenth birthday, she asked for permission to go into town on her own, which caused lengthy discussions between Fergus and Eleanor – Bryce simply refused to meddle into that affair and spent most of the day playing with little Oren.

"What if something happens to her?" Eleanor's voice showed genuine concern.

"Mother, everybody knows her. She's probably safer there than in one of your spring salons, where people get drunk and flirt shamelessly," Fergus shuddered.

"Oh dear; Landra again? I didn't realize…"

"Every single time," Fergus sighed. "Thankfully, Oriana always shows up and leads her away. I owe her two new dresses for the last time."

Eleanor grimaced. "Maybe I should say something to her next time but… Oh, I don't know, darling. I think I'd feel safer if you go with her. What about sending Roderick with her?"

"He's terrified of her," Fergus grumbled, and immediately wished he could unsay the words.

"What?" Eleanor's hearing seemed to be getting better and better every day.

"Er… I mean… He's… He's a very proper boy, and… He'd probably feel uncomfortable if he was to be… alone with her." Fergus crossed his fingers behind his back, hoping that Eleanor would not inquiry further.

(During Roderick Gilmore's first week with the Couslands, Oriana had told Fergus that Nerissa was observing Gilmore with unusual interest.

"She's not very discreet," Oriana murmured, struggling with Oren and his winter clothes.

Fergus raised an eyebrow. "I… don't know how to respond to that, my love. You mean she should hide whatever intentions she has but still carry them out?"

"Mi amor," Oriana said patronizingly, patting his left cheek before returning to Oren and his tantrum.

Fergus started watching Nerissa more closely, and yes, there it was: a chuckle, a smile; she played with her hair and brushed against his arm lightly whenever he was around. Poor Rory Gilmore blushed and giggled nervously. One day, Fergus saw him going towards the stables, and Nerissa sneaking in right behind him. He hurried his steps, but before he got there, Roderick dashed out, bumping into him.

"Is everything okay?" Fergus asked the boy.

"Y-y-yes, m-milord. I-I-I have to g-g-go," the horrified boy stammered.

Fergus went in the stables and found Nerissa fixing her clothes.

"What… Nerissa, what did just happen?" He was not sure he wanted to know.

"I gave Rory some bosom appreciation time," she smiled.

"What? Andraste's ass, why… Why would you do that? Are you crazy?"

"Relax, brother. It took me some time, but I think I've finally managed to scare him." She fixed her hair and kissed her brother on the cheek before going out.

"Nerissa!" Fergus was shocked.

Nerissa stopped at the door and looked at him over her shoulder. "Don't you think I know what our dear mother plans to do with him? Father may have brought him to the castle to give him training, but Mother… I won't have someone spying on me, Fergus. And I don't need an escort either." She turned around to face him. "The more she pushes, the more I'll fight back.")

"… such a nice boy," Eleanor was saying. Fergus nodded distractedly.

For a month, Nerissa travelled around with Eleanor. They visited distant relatives and acquaintances; they bought exotic items in Denerim and met important families. Lady Bryland and her daughter Habren were there for All Soul's Day, as well as Lady Howe and Delilah. Nerissa sat by her mother's side, all prim and proper, and smiled diligently.

The first thing she asked the morning after they got back to the castle was, "Am I allowed to go into town tomorrow?"

"Darling," Eleanor sighed, "Lady Landra and Lady Myrtle are coming next week. We have a lot of preparations to see to, and-"

"But mother!"

"And I need you to help me. We'll have fun together, you'll see." Eleanor stroked her daughter's cheek.

Nerissa lowered her head. "Yes, mother. I'll go swimming with Fergus, if that's alright with you?"

"Certainly, dear. Have a good time."

"I will," Nerissa smiled.

"I brought Nerissa the laces she needed," Fergus said, poking his head into the women's room, right before lunch. "Where is she?"

Eleanor put down her sewing. "I thought she had gone swimming with you."

"What? No. She said she couldn't go into town, and she needed some laces to fix some torn part of her red dress."

Eleanor and Oriana stared into each other's eyes, sharing a look of realization.

Bryce and Fergus ran to the beach, where they found Nerissa's boots and clothes. Nerissa was nowhere to be seen.

"Maker, what was she thinking?" Fergus started removing his clothes, ready to dive in and search for her.

Bryce observed the landscape silently. There was a set of footprints leading into the water. By now they had been practically washed off the sand. His daughter was not as impulsive as his wife thought – that much he knew. After all, sending Fergus away –so that Eleanor would not see him in the castle– had been a clever idea. He wondered how long she had been planning to escape, and felt sorry for her. Fergus was a man now – he had his own family, and even though Eleanor loved little Oren, she still considered Nerissa to be the baby of the house. Bryce knew that Nerissa was not as happy as she appeared to be, and regretted having let Eleanor handle her as if she was a doll. For a moment he had thought that his daughter was genuinely content. But he should have known better. He should have known what her silences meant. He should have recognized the veiled look of disappointment in her face every time a messenger came to the castle and brought nothing for her. She had never stopped writing to Gwyn, even though none of her letters ever received a reply.

"She's going to the Circle," Bryce said to himself.

A half-naked Fergus raised his head. "What?"

"She's going to the tower to see Gwyn." Bryce looked around once more, and walked away.

Fergus cocked his head to the right, trying to make sense of his father's words. Surely she knew that it was not possible to swim to Lake Calenhad from there…? Suddenly he heard Bryce's laughter and went over to see what had been so funny.

Bryce was standing on a rock formation, holding a wet robe.

"Sneaky little thing," he smiled to himself.

"What's that?" Fergus asked.

"No wonder there wasn't a second pair of footsteps coming out of the sea. She climbed the rocks. And this here," he took a little bundle of wet undergarments, "this is what she was wearing when she came out of the water."

"So… What now? Is she stark naked?"

"No. She brought some clothes with her, left them here, took off her clothes and got in the sea. She swam to these rocks and got changed. And now she's gone."

"The Circle's half a day away," Fergus noted. "The night might find her in the middle of the forest."

"Yes… Unless she's in the town. Let's get the horses. And listen: if you come across your mother… Maker help us. What will we tell her?"

"That she went into town on her own. She'll probably be there, anyway."

"Let's hope so."

Nerissa was confident about her plan. She walked into town with a smile painted on her face. She greeted the apothecary's daughters, Ava and Alice, and pointed discreetly to the back of their house.

"We were expecting you tomorrow," Alice said. "Plans change, apparently."

"It's a good thing papa got the mare ready this morning – hopefully he will not use it again today," Ava said. "You know, for a moment, I didn't think you'd make it this far."

"Neither did I," Nerissa confessed. "But I feel lucky today. Are you sure this won't get you in trouble?"

Ava sighed. "It probably will, and I still don't completely approve of your idea. But I think that if I really wanted to see my sisters," she nodded towards Alice, "I'd do the same. Of course, Helena's less irritating than Alice, so I'd definitely do it for her."

"Here," Alice said, giving Ava a nasty look and Nerissa a small bundle. "Two apples and some walnuts, in case you're hungry."

Nerissa remembered that was Gwyn's favourite snack and felt a twitch in the pit of her stomach. "What will you tell Fergus if he comes asking for me?"

"Do you really think he'll ask me anything?" Ava laughed. "You managed to scare him off with that tale of how my poor heart broke when he got married. Every time he's in town, he lowers his head as if he felt sorry about it and avoids me like the plague."

"How else could I have kept him away from our plotting?" Nerissa smirked.

"And there's a little truth in that, Ava," Alice said. "It's obvious you like him."

"Who doesn't?" Ava replied, rolling her eyes, as if liking Fergus was the most natural thing in the world.

"Don't worry, Nerissa; we won't tell him anything," Alice said.

"I don't want you to lie for me. Just… delay him. If he's on his own, it'll work. However, if my father's with him…"

"We can't lie to the Teyrn," Ava said firmly.

"I wasn't going to suggest that. If my father's with him, he'll know where he can find me."

"Why do this, then?"

"I only want a chance to try," Nerissa replied.

Once she had made it across West Hill, Nerissa gave a sigh of relief and allowed herself to relax a bit. The area was said to be haunted, but her ride had not got upset, and Nerissa thought that animals had a special sensitivity for those things. The mare was slightly slower than Nerissa would have wanted, but she had made good progress and was confident she would reach the inn before nightfall. How the people there would react to her presence, she had no idea. She could always sleep by the inn instead. It would still be safer than the woods.

And in the morning, she would ask the ferryman to take her to Kinloch Hold. What was the name of the Knight-Commander? Grigor? Gregor? Greagoir. Knight-Commander Greagoir. She would ask him to see her brother. No. Apprentice Gwyn, formerly Gwyn Cousland. She had to get her speech right.

So absorbed was she in trying to find the right words that she missed to see that her ride had taken her right into Bann Loren's lands.

Yes, Helena had said, Lady Cousland had been there, and her younger sisters had given her a horse so that she would go to Lake Calenhad. Alice's teary eyes confirmed that Helena had managed to extract the information from her sisters using painfully persuasive resources.

Bryce and Fergus rode on, southwards.

"Melcha, good girl," Leonard Loren said, patting the head of the mabari before getting on his horse. The animal barked appreciatively and panted. Her puppies were around her, wagging their tails and hopping playfully.

"Where are we taking them today?" his brother Dairren asked, riding his horse.

"They need some exercise. We should take them to the low hills near the northern border. It should take us an hour."

"Don't you think the puppies are too young for that?" Dairren said apprehensively.

"Are you talking about the puppies or yourself?" Leonard mocked his younger brother. "Come on, let's go."

He was trying hard to keep up, but his legs were short and not as strong as his mother's. She encouraged him and his brothers to keep going, because this was part of their training. The men rode and they followed. He was not sure how far they would have to go, but there was a butterfly flying in front of him, and the movement of the wings was swift and pretty. Flitting away, flitting closer. The fluttering of its wings was so pretty to look at.

So absorbed was he in the fluttering of the butterfly's wings that he failed to see that his pack had taken a sharp turn, and down the hill he rolled, his whole world turning and turning until he hit a tree, and the world went black.

Nerissa heard the bump against the tree against which she was resting while she was eating her snack. She stood up quickly and took her dagger. Silence. She walked around the tree and saw it. A mabari puppy. It was not moving. She knelt down and took it in her arms, looking around for his pack. A mabari puppy surely meant that some nobleman was around.

She felt a spine-tingling chill running down her body. What a weird feeling, she thought. And then she looked down. The puppy was staring at her.

The young woman was looking around for his family. He knew it. She had held him in her arms and taken care of him. He suddenly looked into her eyes and felt happy to be with her, because she was protecting him. He sniffed once, and then twice.

He wondered who would protect her –no, them now– from the wolves.

Nerissa heard the howling. "There's your mama!" Her voice was cheerful and completely oblivious to the fact that whatever was making that noise, it was not the mabari pack. She felt the puppy tensing and growling. She had heard that mabari hounds were particularly perceptive. Its ears switched from laidback to upright. The mare snorted and her legs got restless.

"That's not your mama, right?" She put the puppy on the horse and mounted quickly.

"What's wrong with her?" Dairren asked.

"I have no idea. Melcha! Melcha, come back!" Leonard rode after his mabari. The dog had rounded up her puppies and once they were secured, she had sprinted away. "Dairren, look after the pups. Father will kill me if we lose them!"

Dairren got off his horse and petted the dogs, who were now whimpering. Suddenly he saw them lay back their ears and they started barking. The biggest puppy dashed after his mother and the rest followed.

"Oh no, no, no, why me?" Dairren said, before getting back on the horse and riding after the puppies.

Nerissa did not dare go down the road she had been following, so she turned the horse around and rode northwards again. At least she knew the way. The puppy had started snarling and she hoped that she would succeed in escaping from whatever pack was chasing after her. And then she heard the barking and the hooves. The puppy had heard them as well, because it was now barking back. She pressed the heels against the mare's sides and leaned forward. She began to feel unsteady. One of her hands was on the reins and the other on the mabari. She looked back and saw three, no, four wolves behind her.

The mare dashed through the low trees and one of the branches caught Nerissa's cloak, throwing her off her ride. She fell on her back and for a matter of seconds, she felt dazed. The mabari pup was licking her face. She got on her feet and her fingers found the hilt of the dagger. The wolves were near.

An arrow whirred past her and struck the first wolf. She turned around and saw a young man on horseback, and his formidable hound running so fast that it felt like a blur. The dog caught the injured wolf by the neck and threw it against a group of rocks. The other three wolves snarled and lowered their back menacingly, sizing the hound. They were about to jump over the mabari when they heard the group growling. Nerissa thought it was certainly impressive to see the pack, even if they were mostly puppies. Puppies that were baring their teeth and growling deeply. A second man dashed forward, short sword in hand, and the wolves ran away.

He trotted back to where Nerissa was and got off his horse.

"Are you alright?" He offered her his hand. She took it and nodded, still overwhelmed. She had been so close and yet so far. Maybe it was not meant to be. Maybe she should not have disobeyed. Someday, she thought.

"You were lucky we were around, girl," the older one said. "Is that one of ours, Melcha?"

"Maybe that's what she was looking for," the younger one said. The mabari hound barked and reunited with her puppy, licking it all over.

"It seems to have taken a bit of a tumble," Nerissa said. "Thank you for helping me out. It appears that my journey to the lake will have to be postponed."

"Lake Calenhad? You've taken a wrong turn. These are our lands," the older one said and dismounted. "My name's Leonard Loren."

"You're Bann Loren's son?"

"Indeed I am. This is my brother, Dairren. And you are…?"

"Nerissa Cousland."

Dairren gave his brother a quick look. "The Teyrn's daughter?"

"I don't recall seeing you in the last gathering," Leonard frowned.

"I've just turned fourteen," Nerissa said defensively.

"Ah, that explains a lot. These are our dogs."

Nerissa nodded. "I seem to remember my mother saying that the Lorens breed them."

"We do. If I may ask, milady…" Leonard started.

"I was going to Lake Calenhad," Nerissa spoke quickly.

"But… It's highly unusual to see the daughter of the Teyrn of Highever without an escort."

"It's not our business, is it, Leonard?" Dairren spoke softly. He had a kind face. "Maybe we should escort her back to Highever."

"That's quite the journey," Leonard said, looking up. "And it's getting pretty late."

"Maybe you can escort me to the crossroads? I'm sure… I'm sure I'll find my family there."

The puppy that she had held was prancing around her, yapping happily. "Hey, little fellow," she knelt and scratched behind his ears, "You were very brave. You'll be a great dog one day."

The puppy licked her hand and wagged his tail broadly, from left to right. Dairren noticed it and pointed it out to his brother.

"The dog has imprinted, milady."

When Nerissa raised her eyebrows, Dairren explained, "He has chosen you as his master. From now on, he'll respond to you."

"Oh, but I… I didn't mean to… It's – He's yours," Nerissa babbled.

"Not anymore," Leonard said. "Even if we took it from you, he'd find a way to go back to where you are. He'll serve you well, milady. And when he's older, he'll be that extra protection you seem to need. I assure you, you won't need an escort if he's around."

Nerissa looked at the dog – he was standing on his hind legs, and his lips were curved in a funny way, as if he was smiling. "I'll tell my father to pay you for him, don't worry."

"That's not a problem, milady," Dairren said, trying to ignore his brother's piercing look.

They escorted her to the crossroads, where the mare had taken the wrong turn. Nerissa was holding the puppy in her arms, in spite of Leonard's protests.

"You shouldn't pamper him, milady. He's not a lap dog," he warned her.

"Ooh, we're more alike than I thought," she said, nuzzling the puppy. Dairren laughed, much to his brother's dismay. Leonard was about to say something when he heard something in the distance. He raised his hand and signaled them to hide behind some trees. Two horses were drawing closer to their location. Nerissa and the two boys retreated to the side of the road, and that's when she saw her father and brother zooming by, in direction to Lake Calenhad.

"Father!" Nerissa shouted, and the puppy howled.

She heard the horses neighing and Nerissa's mare nickered in return. Bryce and Fergus caught up with the group of three in a matter of seconds.

"Nerissa…" Bryce said, getting off the horse and reaching out for his daughter. Nerissa dismounted and hugged her father. He kissed her forehead but said nothing. His daughter knew that he had understood why she had run away. The puppy got caught between them and whimpered softly.

Fergus nodded at the two Lorens. "Thank you for taking care of my sister. Now, if only you could protect her when she meets our mother again..."

"She already has a protector, milord. That mabari has imprinted on her."

Bryce looked at the puppy. He poked his snout and the puppy nibbled on his finger.

"I'm afraid I can't pay for it now. But your mother is coming to Highever next week, right? Perhaps one of you can accompany her and collect the coin."

"That would be pleasant, Your Lordship," Leonard said.

"I'll give you something extra for having escorted my daughter," Bryce said.

"That's not necessary," Dairren protested, but Bryce raised his right hand.

"Nonsense. I'll expect you next week, then."

Leonard bowed and got back on his horse. He and his brother nodded at the Couslands and rode away.

The impressive mabari, however, remained behind. Nerissa left the puppy on the floor and stepped back. The hound sniffed at her puppy and licked him a couple of times, and then she trotted away, followed by the rest of the litter. The puppy looked at them until they had disappeared, and then looked back at Nerissa. She held him again and mounted back.

"What shall I name you, little one? You're a boy… It would be inappropriate to call you Maric, wouldn't it?"

"Very," Bryce chuckled.

"What about Calenhad?" The puppy snorted. "Hm, I'll take that as a no, then. Matthew?" Snort. "Qunari?" Snort.

"It could be a long ride home," Fergus murmured to his father.

The puppy started munching on Nerissa's cloak until his teeth pierced through the fabric. "Stop it, Robert! Tamlen! Maferath! Virgil!" The puppy stopped and barked. "Virgil?" Bark. "You like Virgil?" Bark bark.

"It's a good name. Goodness, resilience, success. Everything you can wish for in a mabari," Bryce smiled.

"And everything he'll need to have to face Mother Dragon," Fergus joked.

"Maybe we should get some mabari dogs for ourselves, son," Bryce said.

"If this one can protect Nerissa from Mum successfully, I'll get a whole pack to deal with Oriana," Fergus chuckled. "You don't want to know how we found you, monkey?"

"No need. I knew Dad would know," Nerissa said, looking at her father proudly. "Although I wasn't expecting the wolves – otherwise, I would have succeeded."

"Wolves?" Fergus asked.

"Let's… Let's leave that part out of the story when we tell your mother, shall we?" Bryce reached out to pat his daughter's head. "Come on, we should speed up if we want to get back to Highever by midnight."

"It'll be a long night," Fergus sighed. "And the riding's not even the worst bit."

Nerissa secured the puppy and dug her heels into her ride's flank. The mare leapt forward and the three horses rode away, together.

Next chapter: Nathaniel