Moonpriestess30: Yeah I quite liked that bit as well. I'm not going to lie, this chapter made me laugh and cry, though I think that's because I'm a sappy fool.

Chapter 21

Makatza didn't walk through the portal like she expected and instead found that she woke up from lying on a bed roll, opening her eyes turned out to be very hard. Her limbs felt weighted and it was a struggle to sit up, as she started to move though she found it a little easier. Even more so when her friends realised and moved over to help her sit up, she breathed in deeply and looked around. Makatza raised her hands seeing her slender fingers flex and bend, fingers she recognised more than in the other world. Then the shakes hit and she started to hyperventilate. 'Oh shit!' Isabela said dragging Anders over who was still adjusting from his trip to the fade, Justice had taken a back seat physically but mentally he was still about and clouding the mage's mind. 'Anders!' Isabela snapped as she slapped him, waking him up properly.

'Shit!' Anders repeated as he saw Makatza shaking and struggling to breathe. 'Okay, give her space, Katza...' he says softly as the others move back and she looks at him, tears streaming down her face. 'Easy, easy, you have to sit up straight for me, okay? So you can breathe easily,' he gives her a smile. Makatza nods and does as he asks. Isabela shoos everyone away, even Silas who wanted nothing more than to comfort his daughter. 'What's the matter?' He asks gently as he strokes her arm, not wanting to crowd her but wanting to offer comfort at the same time.

'Demon... then.. I won't see my mama any more,' she almost stutters her words. She gulped in air and clenched her hands. 'It just ….. all hit at once,' she sniffs wiping her nose.

'A demon?' Anders says as he sits next to her. 'I'm sorry, when I'm in the fade... I don't know what happens, the being that shares my body, Justice, he takes over,' he explains. 'Would you like to talk about it?' He asks.

Makatza nods frantically and breathes in deeply, 'do you mind if I have a hug?' She says as she looks at him, he smiles in surprise; an honest smile that made him look five years younger. He doesn't answer, just opens his arms and allows her to fall into his chest. He strokes her hair and holds her tenderly. He can feel her crying but doesn't discourage it at all. 'It was horrible and had all these eyes, it said I was prideful! It wanted me, it targeted me, it fucking crushed Fenris just because he was helping me!' She snaps angrily. 'Who the fuck would allow something like that to inhabit their bodies and give them power?'

Anders shushed her only a little so that she didn't get worked up again, he could feel her hiccuping from the crying. 'Most of the time, for most mages, it's a life and death situation and they can't see a way out. Most mages that live in the Circle go through what they call a 'Harrowing', where they confront a demon to test their mental strength,' he reveals. 'If they can't prove themselves... they have their connection to the fade destroyed and well, they become like golems,' he sighs. 'A fate which unfortunately awaits most of us should we go to the Circle.'

'What's Justice then? If he's not a demon?' Makatza asks curiously.

'He's... what you would call an embodiment,' he says carefully. 'A spirit, but I wouldn't exactly call him a good spirit, he has no concept of right or wrong.'

'The pain in my head when I said no to the demon, it was furious. It wanted me, wanted my powers, my body,' Makatza hissed as she pulled away. 'It would have killed everyone there just to get to me.'

Anders rubbed her arm as he still had a his draped over her shoulder, 'you should be proud of yourself, Katza, it's hard going against a demon. Especially a Pride Demon, they're the hardest of all.' He kisses her temple lightly, in this moment his heart melted for the young woman. She was sweet and fiery, innocent and naive at times, yes, but it didn't detract anything from her character. 'Come on, I'm sure the others all want to see you as well. Are you feeling better?' He stands up and offers his hands to her.

Makatza nods and takes the lift, brushing herself down as she stands up. She wasn't particularly happy to be in leather leggings again but it was only the little things that were bothering her. She smiles at Anders and thanks him as they walk over to the other companions. Barely comprehending what had happened in the last twenty minutes didn't seem to matter to Isabela as she jumped on Makatza as soon as she was clear of the mage. 'KATZA!' Isabela squealed happily. 'Thank fuck you're okay, I'm soo happy you decided to come back!' She said suffocating her best friend under her bosom.

'Get away from her you slattern!' Aveline scolded as she pulled Makatza free from her grip. 'It's wonderful to see you again, Katza, I'm also very glad that you decided to come back to us,' she smiles softly as Makatza gives her a hug. She lead the young woman to the fire where the others had settled down indulging in tea and bread the elves had offered. Silvanus stood up as she came near and walked over to her, not knowing what to do.

'Lethalla-' He began before Makatza shook her head stopping him in his tracks.

'No. I don't... I don't want to hear it... I have something I want to say,' she said in a shaky voice. She breathed in deeply and held her hands together. 'I now realise that it must have been,' she sniffed and wiped her eyes, trying to keep herself together, 'one of the hardest decisions of your life leaving me. I understand now, because,' Katza couldn't look at him or she'd cry more, 'because leaving Mama is the hardest thing I've ever had to do.' Katza finally looks up at him, 'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I was rude and horrible to you, I didn't understand how you could leave me. I get it now though, and it hurts, god it hurts so much. I'm so sorry,' she says through her sobbing. 'Will you forgive me?' Makatza asked. Merrill hugged Isabela tightly as she wiped away her own tears.

Silvanus grabbed Makatza's hands and shook his head, 'Lethallan, there is nothin' ta forgive,' he says simply as he uses his fingers to clean her cheeks.

'Thank you,' Makatza hiccuped. 'Mari was... she was perfect.'

Silvanus nodded. 'Aye, that she was, that she was. Imogen would be so proud of you,' he praised as he pulled her closer and held her tightly in an embrace. 'Come Lethallan, no more tears,' he says softly as he kisses her on the head. 'Let us sit by the fire an' jus' enjoy the rest of the evenin'' he says as he leads her to the fire. 'Rejoice!' He shouts to the camp. 'My Lethallan has come home!' He cheers and is soon joined in by a chorus of others.

-x-

'Aren't you going to join the festivities?' Katza asks as she spots Fenris on the edge of the camp sitting against a log awkwardly.

'It is not my idea of enjoyment,' he replies as he shifts over a little. Her body language had made it clear that she was going to sit next to him whether he liked it or not. True to his assumption Makatza sat down and handed him a mug that she had brought over for him.

'It's a little noisy for my tastes but they all seem to have a lot of tension that they want to burn off,' she muses as she flicks her hair over her shoulder. She looked over him noticing the firelight had turned his hair into a pretty gold. 'The music is fun though,' she grinned as she sipped her drink. 'You look uncomfortable,' Makatza commented as she noticed his posture. 'What's the matter?'

'I am... a little... I do not feel great,' he says sipping his drink and almost refusing to look at her. Recently every time he looks at her he can't help but feel something, some sort of elation in his chest when he's near her. It's worse when he looks at her, and so he made up his mind not to catch her eye.

'Have you not been healed yet?' She asked as it clicked and she shifted onto her knees. 'Fenris! Anders is right there, you need to get yourself seen to,' Katza scolds. She sighs as she registers his facial expression, 'let me guess, you'd rather sit and suffer in pain than get healed by the mage,' she says pulling a face at him.

'I will heal in time, I do not need his assistance,' he says gruffly.

'Oh you're an infuriating fool,' Katza says with a pout. 'Come on, take your breastplate off,' she says simply as she leans forward and starts to unbuckle a strap.

'What? What are you doing?' Fenris says panicked.

Katza rolls her eyes and gives him a resting bitch face expression. 'Armour off. You may have a huff about Anders healing you but I would like to try-'

'Try?' He repeats as he grabs her wrist and feels her pulse, his lyrium flickering a little with the beat of her mana. 'I am to be a-'

'Guinea pig, yes,' she says simply. 'Either get healed by me, or by Anders, choice is yours.' Fenris grinds his teeth and makes a mental note to ask what a Guinea pig was; he begins to unbuckle his breastplate grudgingly. 'Don't worry, I've been reading some books and I'm pretty sure that I have a good idea what I'm doing,' she grins as Fenris lets go of her wrist so he can remove his armour.

'I do not like the idea of being a Guinea pig,' he admits as he winces, Katza lifts up his tunic and bites her lip making Fenris mentally sigh. 'It is just a couple of cracked ribs,' he tries to deflect her but it was no use.

'That's still got to hurt, besides if it's only a couple of cracked ribs it shouldn't be so hard to heal,' she points out. 'Okay, I'm gonna put my hands on your skin so I'm sorry if you feel uncomfortable or any pain.' She gently places her fingers on the heavily bruised side and mentally screams at her hormones, I do not need to be thinking any particular thoughts right now! She hissed at herself but her mind treacherously slipped, whispering about how firm his stomach was and the way his tattoos seemed to tantalisingly weave into his leggings. Biting her lip hard she forced herself to concentrate. Fenris allowed himself a half smile as he felt her mana pick up, her heart seemed to be beating faster than usual which amused him. It was like that time at the Hanged Man when it crossed his mind that she might be almost aroused by him, it was a terrible thought but it stuck about and refused to leave. He was quickly distracted from it as pain shot through his ribs as she pressed.

'Venhedis, woman!' He snapped, making her wince in apology.

'Sorry! Sorry! Okay, I'm gonna start,' she closes her eyes and uses her mana to feel out, it was a strange experience; she could feel the pulse of his blood travelling through his veins, as she searched she located the source of his pain, Makatza could almost feel the fracture of his ribs, the sharp splinters that dug and bit the nerves and muscles. Okay, so, in theory all I have to do is speed up the cells that are already trying to fix the issue, she thought as she directed her mana towards them. Fenris could only watch in almost awe, her hands pressed against his ribs caused his markings around her fingers light up. Her mana became nearly visible, a light pale glittering aura that emanated from her in beautiful waves. He didn't think that magic could look so enticing. 'There!' She said as she gasped feeling his body respond to her healing and commence. It took only a minute or so but when she removed her hands the skin around his injury had even lightened in bruising. 'I think I did it!' Makatza said happily as she clapped her hands. She leant back and looked at Fenris. 'How do you feel?'

Fenris sat up straight in relative comfort and nodded. 'Yes, I only feel an ache from the bruising,' he says as he gingerly presses down on his chest. '….Thank you, Makatza,' he adds as he looks at the young woman who was positively beaming in delight.

She clapped her hands, clearly pleased with herself. 'Yay! Well now you won't have to worry about getting healed and not to jinx it but if you get hurt and the more I heal you the better I'll be,' she says thinking about it. 'Maybe I can get lessons from Anders-'

'There will be no need for that I feel,' Fenris cuts in. He didn't want to admit that he didn't like the way that Anders comforted her earlier. She went to ask about why but he jumped in with another question instead, change of topic. 'What is a Guinea pig?'

Makatza snorted in laughter and grinned as she sat back off her knees and picked up her drink, Fenris was able to sit in a more comfortable position and waited her her answer as he sipped his own. 'It's a small, very cute, very fluffy rodent,' she revealed. 'They have these little noses and they squeak to talk to each other and I just love them, they're so fluffy and sweet.'

'And you see me as a Guinea pig?' He asks in wonder. 'Sweet, cute and fluffy?'

Makatza spat a little of her drink back into her cup as she giggled, she wiped her mouth and laughed as she shook her head. 'No! No! It's not that, it's just that in the other world people did experiments on them, so it's like when you call someone an Guinea pig you're saying you're going to try something you've never tried before, you know an experiment,' she explains. 'Not that I don't think you're cute, sweet or fluffy,' she said without thinking.

This time is was Fenris' time to choke on his drink. 'You think that I am cute-'

'I mean... you're sweet at times to me. Well, it's obvious that you're handsome and I think your hair is fluffy! I just... Well that's just stating the obvious!' Makatza babbled as she blushed. 'God, I think this beer is strong, do you think it's strong? Maybe I've had too much,' she chatters as she prays for something to shut her up. 'I um, I'm glad you're feeling better but I had probably go and see Silvanus or Isabela for something,' she said as she went to stand. Fenris smirked as his markings lit up in a rhythmic beat, she really did think that he was attractive, any other situation and the thought that mana was affecting him against his will would be horrifying. 'I'll um talk to you later,' She says.

'Yes, thank you again... Guinea pig,' Fenris teases lightly as he tips his mug to her making her face flush as she practically ran away from him. He chuckles into his cup as he takes a mouthful, 'that...is a novelty,' he says to himself. Reaching into his pocket he took out something that he had stolen from Makatza's room back in her mother's world. He couldn't help himself, it reminded him of her and he didn't really know why he had picked it up. He was too embarrassed to give it back he didn't want to deal with the repercussions. It was a flowery hair pin, it glittered nicely in the light and looked hand painted. She was always brushing her fringe out her eyes, it looked like it had been used regularly. There would be a chance to give it back, at some point. But not tonight, he held it tightly as he put it back into his pocket. Not tonight.