Disclaimer: I do NOT own Dragon Age or anything related to it.


"I don't like to give up on people when they need someone not to give up on them."
― Carroll Bryant

Chapter 8:A Friend In Need


Regina would be lying if she said she wasn't surprised at the realization that Mouse was her true test instead of the demon she'd only taken out with his aid not even a minute ago. She had never heard of any mage attracting the attention of two demons rather than just one during their harrowing and wondered if she should consider herself lucky or unlucky in that regard. Perhaps a bit of both.

As the Pride demon once known as Mouse gave his warning about how true tests never end and vanished from her view, a sudden pain shot through Regina's head. In barely a second, she felt herself hit the ground like a rock, making no effort to fight against the darkness obscuring her vision as she slowly closed her eyes and succumbed to sleep. A brief flash of light covered the darkness for but a moment before everything once again became black.

"Are you alright?"

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of a familiar voice filled with concern. She closed her eyes again, feeling the equally familiar softness of a bed beneath her back and a pillow supporting her head. She opened her eyes, blinking a few times and shaking her head slightly to wake herself up before sluggishly starting to sit up. A hand touched the elf's shoulder and she looked up to see Jowan frowning down at her with a worried look on his face.

"Please say something." His voice sounded similar to a plea, but when she finally spoke, her voice was a little hoarse and so she cleared her throat quickly before trying again.

"Jowan?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

He gave a sigh of relief."I'm glad you're alright. The Templars carried you in this morning and I hadn't even realized you'd been gone all night. I've heard of some apprentices who never come back from their harrowings. Is it really that bad? What was it like?"

Regina fought the urge to sigh and grin at the same time. Jowan had pestered Natasha for details after she'd taken her own harrowing just weeks earlier and the human girl downright refused to tell him or Regina anything, not that Regina even bothered asking despite her own equal curiosity.

"It's a test of ability." She replied as he helped her sit up."That's all."

"There must be something else involved, or they would just tell us. I know I'm not supposed to know, but we're friends and Nat wouldn't tell me anything. Just give me one tiny, little hint and I'll stop asking, I promise."

Sighing, Regina gave a small grin."Well, I'm not exactly Nat now, am I? If you really want to know so badly, then I'll tell you. I had to enter the Fade."

"Really? Is that all?"

"I had to face a demon too." Jowan nodded in understanding at her words, seemingly not disturbed or frightened by such a thing like most apprentice might have been from hearing a revelation like this.

"That makes sense. They probably want to see if you can successfully resist the demon and avoid turning into an abomination." His expression turned rather sulky then."And now you get to see Natasha again in the fancy mage's quarters upstairs while I'm still stuck down here with absolutely no idea as to when they plan to call me down for my harrowing."

"Any day now, I'm sure." She said softly, though he only sighed and shook his head.

"I've been here longer than both you and Natasha combined. Sometimes I feel like they just don't want to test me."

"You're being paranoid Jowan."

"No, I'm afraid of what will happen to me. It's either you do your harrowing, the Rite of Tranquility, or you die. That's just what happens to everyone here."

"Jowan-" Regina started, only to be cut off by his putting up a hand to interrupt whatever she was going to say and shaking his head.

"Never mind. I shouldn't be wasting your time with this. I was supposed to tell you to see Irving as soon as you were awake."

"Best not to keep him waiting then."

"We'll talk later, Regina."


Regina hummed a quiet tune to herself as she trotted through the hallway in the direction of Irving's office, mentally reveling in the blissful success of finally completing her harrowing. She stopped by the door to the office of the First Enchanter, starting to knock when she saw that the door was already open and heard some voices inside of the room, one of those voices belonging to none other than Knight-Commander Greagior. Peeking inside, Regina spotted Greagior involved in an apparently heated conversation with Irving, Natasha, and a dark-skinned man with a beard who Regina didn't recognize. Off to the side of the room were four other unfamiliar people who stood quietly without so much as a care in the world as to what anyone else was saying.

The first person she noticed was a female elf with long black hair swirling down her shoulders and unique tattoos on her forehead. Regina could tell she was probably Dalish, though it was almost impossible to see due to the green cloak she wore around her shoulders with the pulled up hood mostly covering her face and head. Next to the dark- haired elf was a blonde Dalish man casually leaning against the wall while keeping his gaze focused on the floor as if in deep thought. A young blonde woman was covering her face with her hands like she was trying to keep the others in the room from seeing her crying silently to herself while a red-haired man had his hand resting on her shoulder in an attempt to console her. Regina felt pity for the blonde woman and wondered what plight she could have possibly been experiencing at the moment.

"Many have already gone to Ostagar!" Regina could tell by the impatient tone in his voice that Greagior was obviously frustrated by whatever he was discussing with the First Enchanter, Natasha, and the bearded man."Including Wynne, Uldred, and most of the senior mages! We have committed more than enough of our own for this pathetic war effort!"

"Your own?" Irving quirked an eyebrow at Greagior, crossing his arms over his chest and giving the Templar a sarcastic smirk mixed with both amusement and disbelief."The Templars I can understand, but since when have you of all people suddenly felt such kinship with the mages, Greagior?"

Natasha wasted no time in joining in on the First Enchanter's amusement. She took a step towards Greagior, smirking in an almost taunting manner at him."Yeah, since when do you care about what happens to us abominations? Or are you just afraid to let my people out from under Chantry supervision where we can actually use these oh-so-threatening powers of ours?"

"How dare you both suggest-" Greagior nearly growled, but was interrupted when the bearded man put a hand in front of him to stop him and tried to sound neutrally calm.

"Everyone please." He spoke diplomatically as Regina hesitantly came inside."Irving, I believe there is someone here to see you."

"Hello." Regina whispered, not really sure of what else to say. Irving and Natasha both turned around to give her separate smiles as Natasha went over and hugged her.

"Congratulations." Natasha whispered in her ear and pulled away with a smile.

"If it isn't our new sister in the Circle." Irving said, beckoning for her to come closer."Come, child."

The bearded man slowly came to stand beside Irving, eyebrow raised."This is...?"

Irving nodded."Yes, this is Regina Surana."

Greagior cleared his throat awkwardly."Seeing as you're obviously busy at the moment Irving, we will continue our discussion later." He sent a small glare to Natasha before he hurriedly exited the room. Natasha just rolled her eyes and ignored him.

Irving nodded again."Of course...now where was I? Ah yes!" He motioned toward the bearded man and then at the four strangers standing on the other side of the room."This is Duncan of the Grey Wardens and these are his recruits: Jade Mahariel, Tamlen, Valerie Cousland, and Ser Roland Gilmore."

Regina's eyes widened as she turned to Natasha for confirmation. The chestnut-haired mage simply smiled and nodded. Quickly getting over the slight shock of the news, she turned back to Duncan and gave a polite nod."I am very pleased to meet you, Duncan."

"I expect you have already heard about the war brewing in the south." Irving said."Duncan has come here to recruit mages for the king's army at Ostagar."

Natasha's lips twisted into a small smirk."I certainly wouldn't mind helping to defend Ferelden."

Duncan glanced at her in apparent approval."With the darkspawn invading, we need all the help we can get, especially from the Circle of Magi."

Regina frowned."Why from the Circle?"

"The power wielded by mages is a great aspect to any army. Your spells are very effective against large groups of mindless darkspawn. I fear if we do not drive them back now, we shall see another blight." Duncan explained grimly.

"Duncan, you worry the poor girl with these ominous talks of blights and darkspawn." Irving cut in."This is a happy day for her."

"We live in troubled times, my friend." Duncan stated.

"Hence why we should always make sure to cease such moments of levity during troubled times." Irving replied in a matter-of-a-factly tone."The harrowing is behind you now, Regina, and your phylactery has been sent to Denerim. You have now officially become a mage within the Circle of Magi."

"Don't you mean her leash?" Natasha retorted bitterly with a scoff.

Irving gave a half-scolding, half-saddened look."Now, now, Natasha, it is not that bad."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that everyday." She muttered sarcastically.

"I'm sorry." Duncan said with a frown."But what is this phylactery you speak of?"

"When an apprentice first comes to the tower, some of their blood is taken and preserved into special vials." Irving explained.

"So they can be hunted if they becomes apostates." The Grey Warden stated calmly.

"We have very few choices, Duncan." Irving replied as he crossed his arms over his chest and gave the Grey Warden a stern look."The gift of magic is often looked upon with great fear as well as suspicion. We must prove ourselves strong enough to handle our powers responsibly." He turned back to Regina."You have done this, Regina, and so I present you with your robes, your staff, and a ring bearing the Circle's insignia. Wear them proudly, for you have truly earned them."

"What now?" Irving chuckled lightly at the question.

"Patience, young one. You have just been through an ordeal. Let us not rush into anything for the moment." He uncrossed his arms."It also goes without saying that you shall not discuss the harrowing with those who have not yet undergone the rite. Now then, you may take your time to rest, study in the library, or catch up with Natasha. The day is yours."

"I believe my recruits and I will return to our quarters now." Duncan said. Hearing this, the four recruits simply turned and exited the room without so much as a word of acknowledgement to anyone. Irving turned to Natasha and Regina.

"Would you two both be so kind as to escort Duncan back to his quarters?" He heaved a sigh as they both nodded."In the meantime, I have some important matters to discuss with Greagior."


Having just escorted Duncan back to his quarters, Natasha and Regina were busy chatting along about how each of them felt about going through their own particular harrowings when Jowan suddenly ran up to them, panting slightly from his run.

"I'm glad I caught up with you two." He said in relief."Are you done talking with Irving?"

"Ahhh, are you going through another personal crisis, Jowan?" Natasha asked sweetly.

"Very funny." Jowan replied sarcastically."I need to talk to you two. Regina, do you remember what we discussed this morning?"

"Yeah, why?" Regina asked.

"Jowan, why are you whispering?" Natasha questioned rather loudly.

He shushed her fiercely."I just want to make sure no one overhears us. Let's go somewhere else. I don't feel safe talking here."

"You're worrying me, Jowan." Regina said with a frown.

He lowered his head."I've been troubled lately. If you two would just please come with me, I'll explain everything."

The two girls looked at each other worriedly, but did as he asked and followed him into the chapel where a red-haired woman seemed to be waiting for them.

"We should be safe here." Jowan nodded, coming to stand beside the woman.

"You do realize the chapel is the Templars' favorite hangout, right?" Natasha asked dryly.

"We can see the door from here." The woman replied."If anyone comes, then we'll just change the subject."

"Have we met before?" Natasha raised an eyebrow."You look familiar."

"I often attend to my duties in this chapel." She answered."Perhaps that is why I seem familiar to you."

"Makes sense." Natasha nodded."But I still want to know why you brought us here, Jowan."

"A few months ago, I told you both that I met a girl." Jowan rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and motioned toward the woman."This is Lily."

At this revelation, Natasha gave a feigned shocked gasp and took Regina by the arm."Oh look, Regina, she's real!" She snorted loudly to hold back a laugh.

Regina and Lily both giggled as Jowan glowered at Natasha.

"Ha, ha, very funny, Nat." He said sarcastically."You might even give Anders a run for his money if he were here with all those wonderful jokes you make about me." He put heavy sarcasm on the word 'wonderful'.

Natasha smirked brazenly."Yes well, as mirthful as all of this is, I doubt you brought us here just to talk about forbidden love."

Jowan sighed loudly."Oh, I wish that was the only thing I had to tell you. Remember when I said that I didn't think they wanted to let me go through my harrowing?" He didn't wait for an answer."Well, I know why..." He swallowed hard."...they're going to make me Tranquil."

"What?!" Regina and Natasha exclaimed together, aghast by his words. Jowan gave a sad nod and put his face in his hands.

"They're going to take away everything that I am from me - my dreams, hopes, fears, and my love for Lily! All of it will be gone!"

"No." Regina choked out, holding her head in her hands to keep from crying."No, they can't do that!"

"They'll extinguish my humanity! I'll be nothing but a walking husk, breathing and existing, but not truly living!" Jowan nearly sobbed.

"Why?!" Natasha demanded, angry tears running down her cheeks.

Jowan hesitated."There's a rumor about me."

"What kind of rumor?" She questioned.

"People think I'm a blood mage and that making me a Circle mage will endanger everyone else."

"Please tell me they aren't true." Natasha moaned pleadingly.

"Of course not!" He almost shouted."But it isn't safe for me here anymore!"

"What are you going to do?" Regina asked quietly.

"I have to escape, but to do that I need to destroy my phylactery first. They won't be able to track me down without it. Please help us, Lily and I can't do this on our own."

"Give us your word that you shall help and we will tell you what we intend to do." Lily said, placing a hand on Jowan's shoulder and looking at the two female mages with a pleading expression on her face.

"You have my word." Regina replied without a hint of hesitation.

Natasha clapped a hand on Jowan's shoulder."And mine."

"Thank you." Lily said with a nod."We will never forget this."

"You wanna tell us that plan of yours now?" Natasha inquired."Because I hope for both of your sakes that it's a good one."


"We did it!" Jowan nearly cried out in joy as the four of them exited the repository, still full of excitement and agitation from what they'd just done. He turned to Natasha and Regina, his expression that of obvious relief and gratefulness."I can't believe it! Thank you both! Without you, we could never have-"

"So what you said as true, Irving." All four of them twisted around in surprise at the sudden sound of Greagior's cold, calm voice as he and Irving slowly approached the group with several Templars behind them. At the look on the Knight-Commander's face, it almost instantly became abundantly clear to Regina that their secret plan had never been a secret at all.

'They knew we were coming.' She thought to herself in shocked realization.

"G-Greagior." Lily stammered, shaking like a leaf and sweating with fear. The Knight-Commander turned his cold gaze on the redhead, eyes narrowing as he sighed and shook his head in disgust.

"An initiate conspiring with a blood mage. You disappoint me, Lily." He studied her for a moment."She appears to be generally shocked, but more than fully in control of her own mind. Not a thrall of the blood mage then, it seems. You were right, Irving, Lily has betrayed us and her actions shall not go unpunished by the Chantry." It was then that he turned his attention to both Regina and Natasha with a contemptuous sneer as he waved a hand in their direction."And these two, both newly mages and already flouting the rules of the Circle."

"I am disappointed in you two." The First Enchanter shook his head."You could have told me what you knew of this plan but you did nothing of the sort."

"You don't care for the mages!" Jowan shouted angrily."You just bow to the Chantry's every whim!"

"Jowan's right." Natasha crossed her arms over her chest defiantly."You don't give a damn about the apprentices."

"Jowan, Natasha, please don't make this any worse." Regina implored.

"Enough!" Greagior put his hands up with a sigh and pointed at Jowan."As Knight-Commander of the Templars here assembled, I hereby sentence this blood mage to death." He pointed at Lily."As for the initiate, she has scorned both the Chantry and her vows. Take her to Aeonar."

"The mage's prison?!" Lily gasped in horror."No please! Anywhere but there!"

"No!" Jowan yelled."I won't let you touch her!" In a flash, he suddenly drew a knife and stabbed it into his wrist before using the magical force of his own blood to throw Greagior, Irving and the Templars to the floor. Natasha felt herself recoil in horror while Regina cried out Irving's name and rushed to his side. Jowan really was a blood mage after all. He lied to them. How could he just lie to them like that after everything they'd done for him? Lily backed away from him, covering her mouth with her hands as she muffled a gasp of horror.

"By the Maker! Blood magic!" She exclaimed."How could you, Jowan? You told me you never-"

"I only dabbled!" Jowan defended."I thought it would make me a better mage!"

"Blood magic is evil, Jowan." Lily said, shaking her head."It corrupts people, changes them!"

"I'm going to give it up!" He promised."All magic, I promise! I just want to be with you, Lily! Please come with me!"

"I trusted you, they trusted you!" She hissed, pointing at a horrified Natasha and sobbing Regina who was still trying to wake up an unconscious Irving."All of us were more than ready to give up everything for you, but I don't know you anymore, blood mage. Stay away from me!" She pointed toward the door and backed away from him some more.

Jowan turned to his friends, guilt and sorrow filling him as he felt a single tear run down his cheek before he fled the room with a broken heart. Regina stared after him as Natasha knelt down beside her when Irving stirred and slowly awoke, looking at them both with an expression full of concern.

"Are you both alright?" He asked as they helped him up."Where is Greagior?"

"I knew it!" Greagior practically jumped to his feet in rage."Blood magic! But to overcome so many, I never would have thought him to be capable of such power."

"He lied to us." Natasha whispered, trying hard not to cry.

"None of us expected this." Irving said sadly."Are you alright, Greagior?"

Greagior scoffed."As good as one could expect given the circumstances! If you had just allowed me to act sooner, then none of this would have happened! Now we have a blood mage on the loose with absolutely no way to track him down!"

"He destroyed his phylactery." Regina murmured.

"Where is she?" Greagior demanded, ignoring Regina."Where is that treacherous initiate?!"

"I am here, sir." Lily took a tentative step forward.

"You helped a blood mage!" He yelled furiously."Look at everything he's hurt!"

"You forced his hand, just like you forced my brother's!" Natasha screamed in rage.

"Lily didn't know Jowan was a blood mage!" Regina defended."She did it for love!"

Lily gave them both a sad smile."You've both been good friends, but neither of you need to defend me anymore. Knight-Commander, I was wrong. I helped a blood mage and I shall take whatever punishment you see fit, even...even Aeonar."

"Get her out of my sight!" Greagior scowled as two Templars grabbed Lily and quickly ushered her out of the room. He then turned his anger towards Natasha and Regina."And you two! You both know why the repository exists! Some artifacts - some magics - are locked away for a reason!"

"Did you take anything from the repository?" Irving questioned.

"No." Regina answered honestly.

"Very well." He said with a nod."I believe you."

"But your antics have made a complete mockery of this Circle!" Greagior shook his head in vexation."Ugh, what are we going to do with you?!"

"Do what you will." Natasha replied, crossing her arms again and lifting her chin calmly as she eyed the man who murdered her little brother right in front of her all those years ago."I stand by my decision to help Jowan."

"So do I." Regina nodded.

"You helped a blood mage escape!" He shouted."All of our prevention measure are now for naught - because of you two brats!"

"Knight-Commander, if I may." All eyes turned to see Duncan as he came to stand behind Regina and Natasha and placed hands on both of their shoulders."I am here not only looking for more mages to join the king's army, but I am also recruiting for the Grey Wardens. Irving spoke very highly of these two mages and I would like for them to join my order."

"Duncan, these mages have assisted a maleficar and shown a complete lack of regard for the Circle's rules." Irving protested.

"They are a danger to us all." Greagior added, exchanging glares with Natasha.

"It is a very rare person who risks all for a friend in need." Duncan said softly."I am sorry, but I stand by my decision. I will recruit these mages and I hereby invoke the Rite of Conscription on them and Ser Cullen."

"No!" Greagior screamed."I refuse to let Amell and Surana's actions go unpunished! Nor will I allow you to take away one of my best knights!"

"Yes well, it's bad you can't do anything about it." Natasha said with a smirk, prompting a scowl from the enraged Templar.

"Greagior, mages are needed." Duncan said."These mages are needed. You already know full well that far worse things currently this world than blood mages. I take these young mages under my wing as well as your Templar and take responsibility for all of their actions."

"A blood mage has escaped and not only are his accomplices both left unpunished, but are rewarded by becoming Grey Wardens!" Greagior scoffed in disbelief."Not to mention one of my most faithful Templars is also taken away against my will!"

"Enough, Greagior!" Irving snapped then sighed."There is nothing else we can do or say in this matter."

"Get your things and prepare to leave by the end of the day." Duncan whispered to his two new recruits."I will go inform Ser Cullen as well."

They both nodded, more than eager to finally be rid of this prison they were once forced to call home.


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Next up: Chapter 9:Betrothed