Hey everyone!
So i forgot to mention that any elven words you find in the story I looked up on a dragon age translator. The one i use is this one. /ElvenDAI Also feel free to leave a comment to tell me how you like the story so far. I hope you enjoy!
In the blink of an eye I awoke in a cottage on a cot next to a roaring fire. I bolted upright into a sitting position and regretted it instantly as I threw up in a bin beside me.
"You are awake sooner than I expected, again might I add." Solas's voice drifted into my ears and I lifted my spinning head to look at him.
"I had a habit of doing that even before all this, I would get used to it if I were you." I said in a scratchy dry voice. He noticed and handed me a glass of water. I started to feel a little better but my head still throbbed. I placed my hand on the back of my head.
"The pride demon hit you pretty hard on the head while you where helping me. I owe you my thanks. I wouldn't try doing anything to it though, it took a lot out of you..." His voice trailed off as I healed my head and let out a sigh. The room had stopped spinning and there was no more pain.
"How did you do that? Your body shouldn't be in any condition to take any more healing" Solas asked, now sounding more curious than I've ever heard him, in person or game. I couldn't just tell him I got my power at home from water so I just said a half-truth.
"There are some things I don't ask because I don't want to know the answers myself. Do you have any food?" The question was to deflect his but I was also famished. He walked to a table in front of the bed and brought over some fruit, bread and cheese. To a king it would be a peasant meal but to me it looked like a banquet. I started slowly eating so I wouldn't puke it back up.
"When was the last time you ate?" I paused before gulping down more of my water.
"I can't remember. One moment me and my brother where walking into the Conclave to look around and the next I was shoved at Cassandra's feet. I haven't eaten anything in that time till now." I ripped off a piece of bread and popped it in my mouth. I turned to look at my brother who was lying in the bed looking like he was at deaths door. I knew he wasn't but it still made it hard to look at him.
"Solas, how long have I been out?" He studied my face before answering.
"It's been only a couple hours, It's almost midnight to be more specific. I suspect your brother will be out for a couple days. He spent a lot of energy and needs rest. He fought like a mad man after you went down." His eyes softened as they fell on me. I kept my mouth shut so I wouldn't say anything strange. I had to be careful not to let the 'Dreadwolf catch my scent'.
"Thank you, for saving me. What you did took more courage than I thought you to have." I didn't know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult.
"Now you know for next time. I will always fight to save people who have been kind to me." He gave me a questioning look as he moved to sit beside my cot.
"I didn't realize you would remember who was tending to you when you woke up." A small smile tugged at my lips while I combed my fingers through my hair to untangle it.
"Your eyes are hard to forget." A blush formed on my cheeks from my boldness and I looked away while I braided my long hair. I could hear him stifle a laugh at my wording but didn't mock me for it. He only took hold of the jug and poured me more water.
"I must ask, where did you learn to use magic? It seems wild yet controlled." I took the glass he poured me and took a couple gulps of it and sighed as I felt it fuel my depleted magic.
"Me and Seb grew up with clan Lavellan until we where around fifteen, then..." I paused as I tried to think up some excuse for leaving but found nothing. "Well that doesn't matter but I was learning magic from our Keeper. After we left clan Lavellan I taught myself." It took everything I had in me to hold back the feelings that came with the foreign memories of this life as they rolled around in my head. Some must have shown on my face because Solas didn't push me for more.
"I hate to ask but are you well enough to watch your brother while I get some rest? It has been a long day." I finally looked at him and found his face unguarded. His exhaustion and sadness written like a book on his face.
"I've slept enough, I have no problem keeping watch while you rest." He thanked me and pointed to the table in the corner with clothes and a wash basin and promised to return in the morning.
I waited till he left and walked over and grabbed the clothes, recognizing them immediately. They were the venture capital clothes. I thanked the gods that they picked out clothes with gloves so I could keep my tattoo covered. I went to take off my clothes when I realized I was still in my school uniform. I groaned realizing it wasn't just our minds that came into this world but our bodies as well. I also realized I was never going to hear the end of it when we got home from my mother. She would torment me to no end about how we shouldn't ruin good clothes. If we ever made it home... No, I couldn't think that way now. I had to look forward to the future. I pulled off my clothes and was just finishing putting on the new ones when the door opened. Instead of Solas or even Varric I watched Cullen as he slowly walked in and looked around.
"Commander, what can I do for you at this hour?" He jumped at my voice and he paled as he seen me taking a cloth and wiping off the dirt from my face and neck.
"I'm sorry to barge in like this m'lady..." I dropped the cloth and started laughing.
"Oh gods, Cullen stop! Please don't call me that. It's just Sybel, no M'lady's or miss." I walked over and grabbed the plate of food off the floor and offered him some.
"I did not expect to see you awake, although Solas left his station so I came to see who took over watching over the Herald." His face was a bit pink from embarrassment but he took a couple grapes.
"Well you found who was watching him, is there anything else I can do for you?" My voice came out like a purr and I started to curse myself silently. I knew Cullen had a weak spot for elves and didn't want to come on to strong. His blush deepened more but he just waved me off.
"I wasn't aware you had any healing abilities or that you would be in any condition to watch him after such a strike like that earlier." His hand went to his neck, trying to work out the stiffness. I'm going to guess he has already started his road to recovery.
"When my brother would get into trouble who do you think would get him out? He wouldn't be alive right now if it weren't for my healing abilities. You have nothing to worry about, Solas patched me up pretty good and he needed to rest. You also look like you could use a rest." I walked up to him and put my hand on the back of his neck and
let my magic pulse through him. To my surprise he didn't move away from me, only flinched when he felt the magic hit him. When I felt the tension leave his neck I backed away.
"Better?" He rolled his neck.
"Yes actually. Thank you." I did a mock bow and gave him a smile.
"Come back if you need some secret healing, I'm very discreet." I said, wiggling my fingers. He paled a bit and said goodbye. When he left I let my smile slip and cursed. I wouldn't know about his lyrium addiction yet. I slipped up again.
I walked over and pulled a chair to my brother's bed and held his hand while he slept. I knew he would wake up but I couldn't help but feel worried as I watched his weak and sickly form. I knew I would be here a while so I took the time to slowly sift through the new memories that had assaulted my mind since I got here. There where memories filled with laughter and images of a forest, but there was also more of pain and suffering. It would seem me and my brother have been through a lot in this life. It would also seem our tattoo's didn't mean what they meant to us in our world. It made me want to rip the beautiful magic filled spot of my skin.
I awoke to Solas's hand on my shoulder lightly shaking it. The morning sun was lighting the room. I wiped the drool from my mouth and sat up in my chair, my hand having never left my brothers.
"You might want to get up and stretch before you get a kink." He walked over to the same table as last night and started arranging food on a plate. I got up and stretched, taking off my gloves, rolling up my sleeves and setting them on the table with a bowl of fresh water to wash my face. After patting it dry and braiding my long white hair back I walked over and grabbed a couple cheese cubes, popping them in my mouth and groaned in pleasure. Why did cheese taste so good? I was just reaching for a glass of water when he spoke again.
"What is that mark on your wrist?" I froze, realizing too late that my gloves where over on the other table and my sleeves where still rolled up. I had never felt more ashamed of my mark than at that moment. I couldn't even tell the happier story that I had to cover up the horror that was on my face. How could you tell a man who freed slaves in his past that you had been branded. A slave in our every day life here in Thedas?
"I am sorry, I did not mean to bring up bad memories. We can talk about something else if you wish." I just silently nodded my head and rolled down my sleeves and grabbed my gloves.
"Why don't you tell me about some of the things you have seen in the fade. I've only went a couple times and each time I had no idea what I was doing." I tried to give him a smile and sat down to listen. We spent the good half of the morning talking until Adan, the local alchemist came to watch over Seb. He yelled after us if we wanted to be of use then we where to find him more elfroot.
After grabbing our staffs and a basket Solas showed me around Haven before leading me outside the town to the small woods. The new recruits and even some of the Templar's sneered at us as we walked by. I tried not to let on that I was uncomfortable with there stares but I felt my body tense all the same.
"Do not mind them, they do not understand us so they hate us instead." Solas said as we made our way through the training yard.
"Don't worry about me. I'm quite used to people looking at me like that. Back home everyone knew I was... different." Another slip up. I was starting to wonder if my mother was right and I needed more interaction with other people but Solas laughed.
"It would seem we have more in common than I had originally thought. People will always look down on others who are different or show more power than they have. It seems to be a natural part of life to hate predators that are stronger." His wolf jaw necklace swayed around his neck with each step we took through the camp. I payed attention to how he walked, like he was at home in the training grounds of soldiers.
"And you, are you a stronger predator?" His eyes flicked to mine and for a moment he knew he too had said too much.
"It depends on what you mean. I am mage among Templar's who would rather kill me than work with me. If they would rather kill than that means I am a threat and in a way stronger than they want me to be." I pretended to think over his words and instead thought about what his plan must be. If we where in fact in Thedas then he would be calling upon his spy's and changing his plans to work with the inquisition to take down Corypheus.
"Solas, can I ask you a question?" We stopped walking just outside the woods and he turned to me to give me his full attention.
"I will try to answer to the best of my ability?" I bit my lip wondering how to word my question.
"Why is it that you are volunteering to spend time with me? I'm grateful for the company and I'm learning a lot but I'm sure you have more important things to be doing." I kicked some snow on the dirt path and tried not to look at his face. It took longer than I thought for him to answer.
"You have something about you that I have not seen since... since my deepest explorations of the fade. I am at a loss for words to have found someone like you." My face heated. Oh god what have I done. I wasn't trying to make him say something like that! That was like a line he uses later in the games when you are seeing each other and he's trying to understand why you are so open and understanding of the old world and ways of life. Is it really possible to get him to fall in love with you before the first conversation to prompt it?
"We... we should really get the elfroot and head back." I tried my hardest to hide the blush on my cheeks as I walked into the woods and began picking the herbs we needed.
"Yes, yes we should." I would be lying to myself if I didn't hear the bit of sadness in his voice as he followed me in.
We worked in silence, only talking when Solas would bring a bundle back to my basket. We finished late in the afternoon and made our way back through the training grounds when a recruit tripped me. The basket of elfroot bounced a couple feet away and a couple more of the men started to laugh. Solas went to help me up but I waved him off.
"Hello there knife ear, who did you have to fuck to get your own servant?" The men with him howled with laughter. My anger at these men almost boiled over as I seen one walking up behind Solas with a stick about to hit him. My power burst from me without touching my staff. I through a barrier around Solas that caused the man with the stick to bounce off him half-way across the camp.
"You little bitch, I'll show you your place." My green eyes flashed red for just a moment and my ice wrapped around his family jewels. The training yard erupted with recruits and Templar's rushing forward but the man held up his hand to hold them back, hoping to save his manhood. Now that I was able to take a better look at him I wanted to laugh. He was so plain looking with brown hair and eyes, teeth that where crooked and yellow and a hooked nose that did nothing to help his hopelessly boring features.
"Let me go." His eyes bugged as my fingers twitched and the ice began to form on his training clothes.
"Learn some manners and I might." I could hear Solas chuckle in the bubble like barrier I put around him and I could feel my lips form a half smile. I must have looked like a wild little thing because the man began to beg for me to let him go.
"Please! Oh Maker please, anything but this!" I amped up the power on my magic and almost laughed as he squealed.
"Your Maker can't save you from me."
"Move, out of the way. I SAID MOVE!" Cullen and Cassandra shoved aside the last of the circle of people around us with there hands on there swords. It must have been a funny sight. Solas in a light blue bubble and me covered in dirt freezing a man's giblets. Cassandra looked like she was hiding a laugh but Cullen looked like he was going to be sick.
"Sybel please let the man go." Cassandra asked nicely, coming to stand between me and him. I let go of my magic and the man sobbed and dropped to the ground holding his crotch and Solas walked up to grab the discarded basket.
"What happened?" Cullen addressed Solas instead of me but Cassandra held my gaze as Solas told him everything. Cassandra smiled at me and told us we could go get cleaned up while Cullen dealt with the recruit. All we could hear as we left was Cullen yelling that they attacked the Hearlds sister.
"Remind me to stay on your good side." Solas whispered and I flashed him one of my most innocent smiles.
The next couple days went by in a flash. I would spend some time with Solas in the mornings while in my cabin and visit Varric in the evenings, listening to him tell stories about Hawk. It was the fourth day that I started to get worried. Solas found me where I always slept, in the chair next to Seb's bed.
"Do not worry so much, he will wake." He tried to give me a reassuring smile but it didn't work. I squeezed Seb's hand harder.
"What happens if he dies? What happens if he never wakes up! I can't live without my brother there to pester me for the rest of my life!" I yelped when I felt my hand get squeezed back. My eyes went to Seb's and our matching dark green eyes met for the first time in almost a week. I lunged for him wrapping my arms around his neck and cried.
"Sybel I know you missed me but could you keep it down, I'm trying to rest over here and you are squeezing me to death." I squeezed him hard and he squeaked.
"You do something like that again and I'll be the reason you're almost dead in a bed, you hear me!?" He laughed and peeled me off him and I sat on the corner and waited for him to get up.
"Don't make stupid moves in battle and I won't be reckless." he laughed again and my chest tightened, I had missed him terribly.
"So what did I miss?" His eyes scanned the room and finally spotted Solas who was standing over the bed, covering his mouth and trying not to laugh at us.
"Solas? Can you give us a second?" He just nodded his head and walked out. Probably off to write his letters about the herald being awake. Seb waited till he knew he was out of ear shot before turning to me.
"Syb, why are you hanging out with THE DREADWOLF!?" I flinched at the volume of his voice and hopped off the bed to grab him a glass of water.
"You ever hear the saying 'keep your friends close and your enemy's closer?' I decided to make him my friend and he was keeping me company while you where asleep." I gave him the glass and he chugged it. I didn't bother telling him about the little conversation in the woods.
"So what DID I miss?" I filled him in on what happened the past couple days and how everyone was now calling him the Herald of Andraste. He got up and washed his face and neck taking everything I said in.
"Seb we are in Thedas! We really are here. Its not some fever dream or illusion. We are living our lives like we would in the game!" He turned to me with a huge smile before walking over and swinging me into a big hug, laughing. When he set me down the smile fell from his face.
"Why did I have to be the Herald? Why didn't you get the Anchor?" I gave him a knowing look and threw his outfit at him, he lifted it up and looked at it. It was the 'nights watch' outfit.
"You know we don't have the memory's of that day but I would guess it's because you ran ahead without thinking." I said sarcastically and turned to give him some privacy.
"So we have to go to the chantry right? That's how we keep the ball rolling?" I gnawed at my raw lip and thought back to my play throughs.
"Yes, we need to go to the Chantry, or you need to go to the Chantry so they can send us to the Hinterlands." He tapped my shoulder and I turned to face him. Even with the pointed ears, tall slim body and new clothes I could still tell it was him. I could only imagine what I looked like. I didn't get a moment to look in a mirror yet.
"Alright, I better get going before that feeble looking servant elf comes in dropping a box." I laughed as he gave me a hug and we heard a crash coming from the door. Like clockwork the word stumbling elf girl bowed and began rambling about telling the Seeker he was awake.
"No need, I was just heading there now. Take a break." Seb said walking past her and out the door.
"Well since you're on a break you can share a drink with me at the tavern!" I chirped and linked my arm with hers. She kept saying how she needed to clean up our cabin but I wouldn't have a word of it. I grabbed Varric on the way and we made our way into the relatively quiet bar.
"Hey Varric, could you grab me something that's not going to leave a bad taste in my mouth?" He waved to tell me he heard me and we took a booth in the back.
"So what's your name, or am I to call you humble servant?" Her eyes bugged again and she stared stuttering. I held up my hand to stop her.
"Take a deep breath and start again." She did and seemed to grasp some confidence to speak.
"My name in Lana M'lady. I was hired by the ambassador to look after your cabin." I flinched and grabbed my drink from Varric as he came back.
"Did I just hear her call you a lady? HA have you met this elf? Did you hear what she did to that poor royal boy a couple days ago? She's no lady!" I hid my smile behind my glass as I took a sip. It was the best wine I had ever tasted, sweet and bitter all at once. Lana seemed to be pleased as well but quickly put down her glass.
"I shouldn't! It would take me a week to pay off even that sip." Me and Varric shared a look.
"It's on us, a show of appreciation for being my new friend." I said, pushing the glass toward her. "And also I'm going to talk to Josephine about your wages. I can't have someone serving me and my brother on a dirt poor wage." I gave her a wink and shushed her when she tried to fight it.
"There is no point fighting her on this kid, just accept that your life is about to get a hell of a lot better. And don't tell anyone what you make, might make some of the other servants jealous." She just nodded her head and took another small sip from her glass.
We talked and had more wine until Seb came in looking flustered and I waved my hand to the bartender to bring him two drinks. She came over quickly with a glass of hard liquor and a pint of what ever Varric was drinking. He downed the first glass in one gulp and took a sip of the ale.
"Hey aren't you that servant girl that walked in when I was leaving?" Lana blushed and was about to speak when I interrupted her.
"This is Lana, and she's my new best friend so you have to be nice." Lana raised a brow at me and looked a little scared.
"Any friend of my twins is a friend of mine. It's nice to meet you Lana. You can call me Sebastian instead of Herald, I'm not one for titles." He took another drink and turned to Varric. "You want to come to the Hinterlands with us?" I laughed when Varric choked on his drink.
"You want me to come? Who else is going?" He looked to me then back at Seb.
"Me, Syb, Solas and Cassandra but Cassandra pissed me off during the meeting so I wanted to invite you to help pester her. Also, Solas was surprisingly happy to come along once I told him you where coming." He turned to look at me then back to Varric. Varric didn't miss the look.
"Oh I'm so writing a book about this adventure. I was in the moment you mentioned pissing off the Seeker." I didn't bother taking the bate into this conversation and downed my last drink, motioning for Lana to do the same.
"Well we best be going, we have some things to do before we leave." They waved a goodbye as we walked out the Tavern and Lana grew quiet. I passed her an Elfroot leaf to chew on to cover the smell of the wine and popped one in my mouth.
"Now let me do all the talking and what ever you do don't react to anything said. I may have to say some things about me that may shock you but it's worth it." She nodded and followed me to the Chantry and into Josephine's office.
"Ambassador I think me and you have a problem." She looked up from her desk with the most serious face I had ever seen. It took everything in me not to laugh.
"What seems to be the problem ms Lavellan?" She gave Lana a questioning look before looking at me again.
"You hired a servant to clean mine and the Heralds cabin." She looked a little confused but continued.
"Yes... Is there a problem with her service? We could hire you another if you like?" Lana made a quiet squeak behind me but said nothing.
"No, her work is impeccable but I must ask what you are paying her?" Jose walked over to her desk and found a paper in the corner filled with names and numbers.
"She is getting paid the regular rate of fifty gold every two weeks."
"FIFTY GOLD?!" I tried not to snap "That's practically slavery for those prices! I would dare ask that you raise her pay." She looked at me like I had two heads.
"I assure you we do not keep slaves here and would ask why you think she deserves a raise?" I could see I was loosing her interest as she kept looking back to her clip board on her hip.
"She is not only cleaning up after me but also the Herald. I think it would send a bad message if an Elf servant was underpaid for such amazing work for her own kind. If you think the amount of work she does isn't enough then I could also recommend her cleaning Solas's cabin." Josephine's eye twitched and I watched as she tried to calm herself from this irritating conversation.
"Solas has refused a servant, we also don't pay based on amount of work. There are many servants who do much more work and get paid the same." It was my turn to try and calm myself down. How dare she inadequately pay to her workers!
"So the Herald and I get the pleasure of watching another elf slave away, cleaning our mess, bringing us food, fueling our fire for shit pay that can't even pay for some new clothes? Do you realize she pays for lodging? That may slide in your fancy castles while you clothe them and feed them and offer them board but that isn't enough to live off here."
"Sybel, why do you keep saying slave when she is a paid employee?" I knew there was only one way to get her to give Lana a raise, I just hoped Seb would forgive me for saying it. I swallowed my pride and reminded myself that at some point this little detail would come to light regardless and was better to come from one of us instead of a spy or a passing person.
"Because me and Seb where slaves and I know mistreatment when I see it. I will not have someone of my own kind working away for me and barely be able to by food each week let alone fire wood to keep warm and new clothes. I know if you take her from my services you will just pass her off to some other person who will give her poor treatment because she is a knife ear! And do not look at me like someone would never because I had to nearly freeze off a royal flouncy ass's penis to get some goddamn respect and not be beaten half to death before Cullen showed up." I was out of breath when I finished my rant. Josephine's eyes where as big a saucers and her hand was over her heart.
"I had no idea, Sybel I'm so sorry. I should have known better to assume. I'll see about her wage while you go to the Hinterlands with everyone. And don't worry about Lana, I will make sure she is kept safe and well until you return." I could hear the sincerity in her voice and knew she meant it. I thanked her for her time and walked with Lana out the door. We didn't say a word until we closed the door to my cabin.
"Sybel I don't know what to say." Lana was near tears as she came up and hugged me. Our celebration was short-lived when we heard a cough behind us. When we turned and walked more into the room we found Seb sitting on his bed getting a check over by Solas and Varric sitting down at one of the tables.
"Went well I'm guessing?" Seb smiled and showed Solas the Anchor to inspect. I looked around nervously not knowing what to say and unknowingly started rubbing over my mark on my right arm. Seb saw it and his smile fell. "What's wrong?"
"I may have accidently told Josephine how we were... slaves once..." Seb and Varric froze and looked at me. Only Solas was staring wide-eyed down at Seb's hand and at the blue crescent moon marked on his wrist. Seb instinctively pulled his sleeve down to cover it. Only then did Solas look over at me, to my covered right wrist and then to my eyes.
"Well that's one way to bring that up Syb. Lana I think we are going to need more alcohol to tell this story. You want to grab a create of wine from the tavern and put it on our tab?" She nodded and left right away. Seb patted the spot next to him and I rushed over and sat on the bed to his left, thankful to be by his side again.
I took off my glove and rolling up my right sleeve to show my red tattoo, Seb rolled up his left again to show the blue one. It was hard to look at them side by side now that we had different memories of how we got them and why they where there. Judging from the look Seb was giving me I could only guess he was thinking the same.
"There is nothing to be ashamed of you two." Varric said as he walked over to look at there brands and gasped when he saw them.
"You two where slaves to the crescent moon bandits? How did you survive?" He directed the last question to me and I just shrugged. I didn't want to tell them any more than I had too
"By being there play thing." Seb answered for me, his voice steeped in anger.
"I am sorry but could someone fill me in on who these bandits are?" Solas asked as he got a better look at the marks. My face was a contortion of shame and guilt, my voice gone as he held my wrist in his slender callused hands. I could only watch as he took a moment to look at my face as my hands began to shake. His silver eyes swirling like a storm.
"They were a gang of ex-Templar's that where kicked out of there order for committing unimaginable crimes. They jumped from place to place picking up slaves any time to many of theirs died. We where 15 when the group ripped through the clan Lavellan camp and took us." Lana came in with a crate of wine bottles and set it on the table, opened one and handed it to me. I downed half the bottle before I found my voice again and handed it to Seb.
"They took me first as I was running back from hiding a bunch of kids, Seb killed a couple of them trying to get me back. They would normally kill a boy without a thought but they saw how crazy he went when I was taken and took him for... entertainment purposes." Lana handed me another bottle and I took a mouthful. It was a miracle I was still holding the bottle with how bad my hands were shaking.
"It took ten long years for us to be free." I looked down at the bottle and chugged it again, slowly the warmth started to build in my stomach and the sting of a not closed over wound in my heart grew numb. I snapped my eyes shut for a moment to block out the screams that always drifted into my head when I was thinking about it.
"What did you mean they were a gang? What happened to them?" Solas asked, taking the empty bottles from us and grabbing another for Varric to drink. Seb and I shared a look, his eyes never left mine as he spoke. His voice was the most soothing yet dangerous voice I had ever heard.
"Me and Syb tore them to shreds." I felt my eyes flash a blood-red from the foreign memories for just a moment, but it was long enough for Solas to see. I locked eyes with him long enough for him to understand my thoughts.
A silent plea for him not to mention it. He only smile and dipped his chin once to show he understood.