Hawke stood some distance away from Anders while he worked. "See how I use my breath to steady the flow of mana as I scan his body for internal injuries," he called over his shoulder to her as Loretta watched him keenly. "A good mage must be in absolute control of his or her body at all times."
Then how do you do it if Justice is constantly there, too? She wanted to ask, but decided against it. If Anders had found a way to cope with spirit residing in him, then it wasn't for Loretta to bring up the topic.
"You're all done, Serah," he said briskly as the man sat up, "Seems it was just a little bruising, so nothing to be alarmed about." He handed the man some herbs in a glass vial.
"No magic potion? Just elfroot?" The Orlesian said, sounding slightly disappointed.
"Correct. Just get some rest on one of the beds here, stay hydrated, and you're set- - -"
The man scowled, and was about to say something, but just then, another man came through the entrance carrying a small girl in his arms.
"Please, Messere," the man begged as Anders brushed past the man to run over to his newest patient. "My little girl's sick, and the fever just keeps getting higher and higher- - -"
"Papa," the feeble voice said in the man's arms, "don't forget about your horse..."
"Don't worry, I'll see to him," Loretta said as she raced outside to find a blue roan horse fully tacked up and waiting patiently at the junction between Darktown and Lowtown. She quickly tended to the silver beauty, taking off his saddle and bridle and securing him in a back alley that she knew was rarely used by residents. Juggling the equipment in her arms, Hawke headed back to the clinic to help Anders in any way she could.
...｡. o.｡. o.｡. o.｡. o...
Fortunately for the little girl, Anders was able to bring her fever down, and by the time Hawke returned, both patients were sleeping in the makeshift beds in the clinic.
"Looks like they are all stable for now," Anders said as he took a handkerchief out of his pocket to dry his sweat-streaked brow.
"Phew," Loretta said dramatically as she wiped her own hand across her forehead. "All of this magic stuff sure has got me tired."
"Nice try, but the day's not over yet," Anders said as he draped his arm over Loretta's shoulder. "Come to the back, and we can practice what you've just learned."
Loretta scoffed. "You weren't kidding when you said you'd train me, were you?"
"I have a responsibility," Anders answered, his eyes remaining focused intently in front of him, "to aide every mage in Thedas who asks for it- - - and you asked to be trained so..."
Loretta's smile faded, and her heart sank. "That's it, then?"
"Of course, I have my own reasons for wanting to help you..." he added before lowering his voice even further, "Not even Justice can deny me that."
Hawke looked away shyly at his words. Minus the people getting sick and all, this day's turning out to be pretty awesome, Loretta thought happily.
...｡. o.｡. o.｡. o.｡. o...
Going back into Anders' room, the mage shoved the writing desk to the center of the room, opened a small closet door on the adjacent wall, and pulled out a life-sized, practice dummy.
"Eww," Loretta said before she could stop herself. She poked the thing with a finger, and slightly recoiled when it felt like human skin. "What is this thing? It looks gross."
Anders laughed as held his hands over the figure until they began to glow. The thing erupted in abrasions, bruises, and other minor scrapes over its body.
"It's a tool so that we can hone our healing techniques without needing living bodies."
Loretta stared at the lifeless lump in front of her with a look of disgust. "How pleasant for us, then."
"Hold out your hands like I did, and see if you can close these wounds here," Anders began as he moved to the other side of the room to give her some space. "Think about the skin closing, and the muscles knitting themselves back into their original position, and you should be able to feel the mana well up inside you until it exits your hands. That's what I do when I want to heal something, anyways..."
Although Loretta made the same movements and thought processes that Anders told her to, her hands remained glow free. Gritting her teeth, she tried harder, imagining the green light that would spill out of her hands once she was successful, the look of sheer joy on Anders' face once she achieved the ability, and how she would feel knowing that her mage's powers were useful.
The small room remained dim and quiet, much to Loretta's dismay. She blinked several times in a feeble attempt to rid herself of a burning throat and crimson cheeks.
Just then, she felt a presence near her. "Here," Anders said quietly as he stood behind her, "Let me help you."
Anders traced his fingertips slowly down Loretta's arms until he reached her outstretched hands. Releasing some of his own mana sent a tingling sensation over Hawke's palms until they overflowed with his power. "See," he said from his position behind Loretta, "All you have to do is focus."
Loretta tried concentrating just as Anders had instructed, but was having little success.
She inhaled deeply, her senses filling with smells of soap, sandalwood, and a hint of cinnamon that belonged to the man standing dangerously close to her. She took in his smell again as her eyes closed shut on their own accord.
Anders' voice sounded warm, but a little hesitant. "You're trembling..."
"I can't," Loretta breathed as she stared unseeingly at the mannequin in front of her. Her knees seemed to turn to jelly as her eyes watched the contact his hands were making along her body. Her mouth suddenly seemed parched as she tried to address him again. "I can't concentrate with you standing there like that..."
She heard him catch his breath when she tilted back even further, the position now becoming an embrace.
"We really shouldn't..." He whispered in her ear, his breath hot and heavy. Loretta turned her body so that Anders' lips grazed her exposed neck. Shivers shot through her spine when he spoke again. "I'll only hurt you," he said, his voice sounding deep with restrained desire as his mouth brushed against her skin.
Anders still had his hands over Loretta's, but the lightest amount of pressure sent them floating down by her sides. She heard the tense struggle in his usually pleasant voice, and his touch remained reluctant.
Loretta's heart felt like it would beat right out of her chest at any moment, and when she did reply, she was surprised at the amount of heat in her own voice. "Oh I don't know about that..."
Anders drew in a shaky, uneven breath as his fingers found their way around Loretta's small hands once again. His full lips pressed against her neck, and remained there too long to be an innocent gesture any longer. "It's absolutely torturous what you do to me," he began, his voice almost pleading in her ears. "I have no control when I'm around you..."
His hands were now hovering just around her hips as if uncertain of the reaction he'd receive if he were to continue through with the action.
"That's not such a bad thing," she responded as a knot formed in the pit of her stomach. Just when Hawke was about to turn around to face the mage, someone else barreled through the door.
"Well well, look at you, all red faced and flustered," A busty pirate said with glee in her voice. The pair practically jumped away from each other. This only caused the woman to laugh obnoxiously loud. "It's a wonder you two are still fully clothed!"
Sodding, blasted, no-good- - - "Isabela!" Hawke sang as she jogged over to the fellow rogue warrior. "Didn't hear you come in!"
"Clearly," she replied with a raised brow and a smirk that Loretta wished wasn't there.
Sauntering past Hawke, Isabella made a beeline for Anders. His red face and breathless demeanor did not go unnoticed by the foxy vixen, either.
"I bet you forgot all about our little appointment today," Isabella crooned as she toyed with the feathers on Anders' cloak.
Loretta blanched at the blatant flirtation, but was more than a little happy to see that Anders clearly did not appreciate the physical contact as he back away from her abruptly.
"What part of 'Private Quarters' don't you get, Isabela?" He said as he shooed her up the stairs and into the main portion of the clinic. She wiggled an eyebrow at him and glanced over to Loretta while making a meowing noise. Anders cleared his throat loudly and talked over her gestures.
"Ahem, your potion's right over here- - -" Anders eyes widened when he looked around.
He ran into the room where the patients' beds were located only to rush back to Loretta with a look of exasperation on his face.
"The man you warned me about, Loretta...he's gone," Anders said angrily. "And he stole all of them... every potion I had lying out in the front is gone."
Loretta felt as if someone had punched her in the gut. "That sneaky little- - -" she began, but cut herself off as she fumed.
Hawke's mind spun. First Isabela and now this? Bethy always said the Maker had a sense of humor... too bad it's a cruel and horrible sense. Of all the blighted times...he must think it hilarious to keep interrupting us just when we start to get anywhere decent. Wonderful...
"This is bad," Anders said, clearly unsettled by the change of events, "if those potions get into the wrong hands, who knows what could happen."
They exchanged glances with one another.
"Quick, maybe he hasn't gotten that far," Loretta said as she took Anders by the hand to lead him to the exit.
Hawke saw the father of the girl that was just brought in looking wide-eyed when she approached him. "I'm sorry to bother you," she said in a hushed whisper, "but may I borrow your horse? It's very urgent..."
The man nodded numbly at the woman. "Go get the bastard."
She nodded in agreement.
"The clinic- - -" Anders cut in, "I can't just leave it unattended..."
Anders and Hawke both turned to look at Isabela.
"Balls," she said with a huff, "looks like I've gotten stuck with house-sitting duties."
The duo sprinted out of the clinic. "Thanks, girl!" Loretta called behind her.
Bolting outside, Loretta abruptly halted as she looked around. "That's not the only thing he's stolen, apparently," Hawke said miserably. The horse was nowhere to be seen, and the more time passed, the more distance the Orlesian put between him and his pursuers.
"I'll find him," Loretta said darkly, " and he'll be sorry he decided to steal anything with me around."
Anders was taken aback by the chill in her voice. "What am I to do?"
A sly grin split her face in two as she looked at Anders."Follow me, and see why Athenril valued my services for so long."
...｡. o.｡. o.｡. o.｡. o...
Once outside of Darktown, Loretta asked a local shopkeeper if he had seen a man on a horse. When the shopkeeper pointed in the direction of the woods near Sundermount, Loretta broke out into a run so fast that Anders found it hard to keep up with her. What's more, once Loretta knew the trail pattern made by the Orlesian, the astonishment on Anders' face was priceless when he saw Loretta take to the trees, climbing effortlessly and nearly soundless as she used the foliage for cover.
Anders couldn't believe his eyes: here was a girl who seemed to trip over her own feet normally, and now she was practically flying through the trees as if it was a second-nature to her. He came to the conclusion that, when pushed into a corner and forced to act, Hawke's potential was limitless. The thought filled him with admiration as he did his best to follow the archeress.
Hawke startled Anders from his reverie when she swung from a tree branch and landed in front of him. With her eyes glued to the ground, she jogged forward. "See the spacing here," Loretta said excitedly as she kept her fingers trailing the ground, "The horse's speed decreased because he's limping. Most likely that Orlesian had to stash the animal somewhere so he wouldn't draw attention to himself." Her eyes lit up with adrenaline as she walked around the prints in a grid-like fashion. "Hah, trying to throw me off course, were you?" she laughed at the ease of her apparent accomplishment. "I don't think so...Let's go, Anders!"
Soon Loretta stopped near a clearing in the trees. She held up her hand for Anders to remain still, and began to creep forward. Crouching so low to the ground she nearly disappeared in the grass, Hawke readied an arrow, and drew it back until the bowstring dug against the side of her face.
Seeing that the horse was abandoned and alone, Hawke slowly rose to her feet while walking towards the animal.
She could see the poor beast was drenched in sweat and looked frightened out of its mind as it wheezed in exhaustion. "Hey," Loretta cooed in a gentle voice, "there there, big man, I gotcha'."
Her right hand grasped a rope that was hooked onto one of her belt loops and formed an "O" by connecting the ends together. Slow so as not to startle the animal, Hawke placed the lasso loosely over the horse's neck. She then noticed Anders coming closer, and shook her head. "Idiot rode him so hard he's come up lame," she explained. "Ugh, people like that who just use animals without any regard for their health really sets my blood boiling."
The silence was a long one.
"An interesting expression..."
Loretta's eyes flicked over to Anders, but she did not make any sudden movements. There was no mistaking the raspy notes in a voice normally described as medium ranged for a man.
"What a beautiful boy you are," she continued, feigning ignorance at the comment as she looked the animal over. "Come here, and let me see if I can help." She felt an afflicted area in one smooth, long stroke down the animal's leg."Heaty," she whispered to herself.
Her hands glided over the horse's body with a confidence that came from many years of experience. Her eyes were sharp and discerning, not missing any change that passed over the steel colored animal. "Muscles seem to be responding well, though...lungs are mostly clear," She said as if ticking off items from a list.
Anders watched in awe as the woman worked skillfully before him. She's just like me with my own patients...
Anders' thoughts were interrupted shortly by Hawke herself. "Damnit," she hissed as she rubbed her hands together. "I need something cold to help with the swelling..." Loretta's mind reeled as she tried to think of a solution to the dilemma. "Something cold, something cold," she repeated to herself in contemplation, wringing her hands together in frustration. Perhaps it was the adrenaline wearing off, but Hawke began to feel a strangeness seeping through her body down to the very core of her heart. Instinctively, she brought her hands up to her mouth to breath hot air in them before she froze and stared at her hands.
Anders eyes widened as Hawke gasped: her palms began spilling chunks of ice all over the ground.
"Hurry," she hissed as Anders leaped to her side, "Look in my bag, I have a wrap I can use for this."
Anders leaned over and retrieved a long white cloth from her belt-purse. Why she was even carrying such a thing was unknown to the mage, but whatever the reason, he was glad she was so prepared in a time like this.
Loretta dumped the ice chips into her wrap before proceeding to apply it to the horse's leg. Although he stomped around and fidgeted with a snort, the animal made no attempt to escape Loretta's caring touch.
Within minutes, Hawke had the animal prepped and ready to take back to its owner. She rubbed the animal's neck, and he responded by lipping her hair in gratitude. "I bet you'll be happy to see your owner, won't you?" Her happiness dimmed when she looked over to the mage standing next to her quietly. "We got the horse back, but we still need to find the dirtbag that stole your stuff, Anders."
His eyes softened at her concern for his well-being."If I have you with me, I have no doubt we'll find him."
Loretta clucked her tongue to get the horse to walk forward so that Anders wouldn't catch her blushing for the umpteenth time that day.
The two humans and horse ventured on in silence for several minutes.
"You're amazing, Loretta," Anders said matter-a-factly as they continued to walk back from Sundermount.
The look of utter shock made Anders grin. "Hah," Loretta laughed awkwardly, "Alert the Chantry...no, alert my mother! Someone thinks I'm all that and a loaf of rye bread."
"You really are..." he contended as his eyes sparkled in her direction. "All that stuff you did to ease the horse's tension, the attention to detail while hunting... it was something out of legend."
The horse nickered as if in agreement which caused Hawke to run her fingers through her hair, "It...it was nothing, really. It was just something I picked up after so many years dealing with..." Her voice faltered. "It doesn't matter where I learned it," she said in a whisper.
The crunch of the grass beneath their feet seemed to be exceptionally loud at that moment as everyone trudged forward in silence once more.
A voice cut through the thick atmosphere with a crystal clearness Hawke felt down in her very bones. "What was its name?"
"His name was Sunburst," Loretta said, willing herself to keep her voice steady as she talked. "I raised him after I found him abandoned and nearly starved to death when I was thirteen. It was Father who taught me to ride, and we became inseparable, Sunburst and me."
"And what happened?"
Anders saw the grip holding the rope around the horse's neck loosen until it almost slipped out of the woman's fingers. "He died, I guess..."
Loretta watched her feet as they placed themselves one in front of the other. She couldn't bring herself to look Anders in the face. It was easier to talk about her best friend when she wasn't looking at anything in particular. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat before continuing. "When darkspawn attacked Lothering, Sunburst distracted them...reared up at them, and those blighters chased him instead of attacking my family."
The two of them stopped walking to give the horse a much needed break before continuing on to Lowtown. Loretta tied him to a tree so he wouldn't escape, but still had access to the fresh grass warmed by the sun.
Anders' heart moved with pity and empathy as he watched the woman, and he placed a hand on her shoulder. He heard her add quietly, "Sunburst would have flown to the end of the world if he knew it'd make me happy. I...I feel like I've let him down- - -"
"You've never let anyone down, Loretta," Anders said as he wiped his eyes along his sleeve. "You are the kindest, most loyal person I know...Sunburst would have been happy to see you doing so well for yourself."
"Yeah, you're right," she replied and offered Anders a small smile in return.
A loud, gurgling sound filled the air, and Hawke laughed in spite of herself. "Looks like my stomach isn't too crazy about where this conversation is going," she said as she patted her midsection. "Fancy going to the Hanged Man for some food after this?"
Anders nodded with a chuckle. "Sure, I could use a hearty meal after all this excitement. Oh, speaking of excitement," he added as he scratched the horse behind the ears while they relaxed, "where would you like to start your lessons tomorrow?"
Lessons. Hawke had completely forgotten about the horrid time she experienced this morning when trying to learn magic. And while she didn't want to disappoint Anders, she certainly was apprehensive about going through the same humiliation again tomorrow.
"I um...well, I haven't really given it much thought- - -"
"Ah," Anders sighed as he looked at his feet. "Sodded shoelace always coming undone..."
Anders bent down on one knee to retie his boots, and Loretta suddenly found it hard to swallow. Her eyes darted around the area- - - the place hummed of the sounds of nature, but little else. There was no way in Thedas anyone could interrupt them now, and Hawke knew it.
Her mother's voice rang in her ears. Do not initiate the first contact. Do not- - - she shook her head in defiance, to the Void with this- - -
Loretta placed her thumb and forefinger underneath Anders' chin and lifted it up gently. She only saw the perplexed look on his face for a moment before her lips were on his. She felt a large hand caress her cheek with a feather soft touch as he leaned in to kiss her back. Although Loretta had been kissed before by boys in her town, this was nothing in comparison: the lips that moved over hers now were supple, smooth, and moved with a tentative gentleness that left her breathless. Loretta broke away slowly with a satisfied exhale. (Best to leave him wishing for more, right?)
"Wow," Anders whispered, "Let's definitely start there tomorrow."
The mage stood up, and gazed at the woman grinning back at him. Her face looked bright and her eyes danced with delight.
"I bet you thought that was pretty clever, waiting until I was at your level before you planted one on me, huh?"
Anders offered his arm to Loretta which she gladly linked with her own. She snickered in response.
"Maybe..." she said coyly.
They pair walked back with horse in tow and elation driving their steps.
"Just you wait," Anders replied, "I have many, many tricks up these mage's sleeves..."
Loretta couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her mouth. After all of the emotional ups and downs of the day, she couldn't help but to feel happy at a time like this. She smiled at Anders and he smiled back.
Best. Day. EVER.