Alaina sat on the back of a horse for the first time since she was 12 and had quit the horse club she had been in. Though the creature was an impeccably trained mustang, the ride was just as uncomfortable as she remembered. Every bump caused her back to seize up, and her thighs ached from gripping the saddle. The trip was a lot harder when you couldn't just click a button and jump from one camp to another.
One arm was wrapped around the Inquisitor's waist, and the other was behind her, braced against the cantle of the saddle. It would have been too close to hugging to hold him with both of her arms. Though she was a fairly affectionate woman, it typically took her a while to warm up to others. Past experiences taught her to keep others at arm's length to protect herself.
The redhead was currently wearing a soft green tunic and teal leggings, both borrowed from Sera after Christopher promised her a hefty amount of gold for it. It was almost the right size, but the colors were a little too vibrant for her taste. She hoped that the merchant in Skyhold would have some more basic clothing in her size, or perhaps she could purchase some fabric and make her own. Though without a sewing machine it would be quite the task.
"How old are you?" The Iron Bull looked over at her from atop his massive striped hart, the Qunari had offered to let her ride with him. He had pointed right at his lap actually, but his buck did not agree with her presence. It had taken the better half of an hour to convince the black stallion she was currently a passenger on that she meant it no harm. Never in her life had she had this much difficulty with animals.
"I'm twenty-one I believe," Her birthday had just recently passed and it had been a lackluster event with the pandemic still in full swing. She guessed that she could appreciate not needing to wear a mask in this world.
"I would have said younger if your honkers weren't so big!" Sera was even cruder in person than she had been in the game, and seemed to be attracted to the redhead even with her 'creepy' eyes.
"Thanks," Her tone was dry in response to the elven woman's flirting. She had chosen to romance her once in one of her partial playthroughs and had almost immediately regretted it. The rogue had quickly announced their love life, in detail, to everyone. Though she did have fun playing pranks on the other companions with the woman.
"Well, how about we celebrate your birthday properly?" The Iron Bull had a flirty tone in his voice. "A little bit of wine, some fruit, and perhaps a variety of meat and cheese? The view of the stars from my chambers is breathtaking."
"That sounds like a date," She deadpanned, her green eyes flat. From what she knew about him sex was a very casual affair and he was willing to sleep with most people, but he especially preferred women with red hair.
The Qunari laughed, "Yes, exactly."
Alaina half expected Cole to comment with some of the raunchy imagery radiating from the horned man's mind, but he was silent. His white steed was trotting softly behind the group, trailing up behind them. She remembered his story being an incredibly sad one, though many of the details of his past had been lost to her memory with time. The young woman wondered if the Inquisitor had chosen to look for the spirit's past companions.
"Will the ride be much longer?" Alaina eyed the darkening sky with distrust, she didn't really want to sleep in a tent with any of these people. The redhead greatly valued her privacy, but she knew that was a privileged concept in these times. Not to mention that two of them seemed quite interested in her. Their whispered comments about her rack had been less than discreet.
At least the weather had changed from snowy and cold, to not as snowy and cold. However, she knew that would change as they approached Skyhold. It was quite a bit higher into the mountains after all. The changing biomes were similar to the game at least, though she imagined that it would take a lot longer to get from one place to another. She couldn't believe the game creators truly thought the events took place within a couple of years with a map this big.
"I think we'll have to make camp for tonight," The man in front of her answered, looking over his shoulder at the petite woman. "Is there anyone you'd prefer to share a tent with?"
"We can't continue on?" She was surprisingly eager to get to Skyhold. Though she had no idea where they were in the construction on it, she wanted to get a view of the massive fortress. It had been absolutely stunning in the game and she was eager to view it with her own eyes.
"Traveling at night would make us a target for bandits and thieves." The man shook his head and she sighed, looking around the group as they trotted toward a nearby clearing a ways off the path. He swung his legs off the mustang and offered her a gloved hand to help her down.
"Fine, then I choose Cole." Did he even sleep at this point? She had no idea where exactly she had been dropped into the plot of the story.
"What's wrong Ginger?" The snarky elf jumped from her steed's back before it had stopped and jogged alongside the chestnut mare. "Can't hold yourself back from touching me?"
"I just feel like he's going to be the least annoying, you know being a spirit and all." She nodded to the young man who had begun setting up the tent they would be sharing. "I'm going to wash myself off, I smell like horses."
"Yeah you do," The blonde pinched her nose and waved her hand in front of her face, "Pee Yew!"
Rolling her eyes, the redhead hurried in the direction she had seen the small lake in before they had come over the crest of the hill. Alaina had also wanted a moment to herself to get grounded and find a way to look at her reflection. She desperately needed to see her face. It was a pity that Dorian had not joined them, the vain mage definitely would have carried a mirror.
"I'll finish up here," Christopher took the tent straps from Cole, gesturing after the young woman. "She seems the most comfortable with you, can you keep an eye on her?"
"I'm not supposed to look at women who take their clothes off," The spirit looked distrustful of Christopher's intentions. The Iron Bull scoffed at the boy's innocent response, thinking about his last failed attempt to encourage the young man to meet with Candy.
"I'd look at that woman all day if I could." The Qunari male laughed and clapped the blond on the back. "Don't question it and just go do what the boss says."
Cole looked confused by this statement but disappeared to follow after her, his thoughts concerned that the new addition to their group would get angry at his presence. The emotions that managed to seep through the young woman's mental barrier showed that she was already incredibly overwhelmed.
"Good going! Now he's just gonna scare her shitless!" Sera laughed, clutching her middle tightly. "I might sneak off to see her reaction to Creepy watching her bathe."
"Sera," The Inquisitor replied coolly, "Go catch us some dinner, and pick some Embrium for a healing mist on your way back."
"It doesn't even grow here!" She complained but picked up her bow and quiver on her way out of their camp regardless. "You'll get Elfroot and like it."
The walk had been surprisingly far from their camp, but Alaina appreciated the privacy as she stripped off her borrowed clothing. Folding the clothes neatly on a fallen log, she gave a soft groan as her feverish skin touched the cool air. Has it ever felt so good to be naked? As she took a deep breath, she readied herself to look at her reflection.
A young woman looked back at her from the glasslike surface of the undisturbed lake. Her heart-shaped face hadn't changed much, full lips and a pert nose she had long since grown accustomed to. It was her eyes that had changed drastically. Just as the others had described, her almond-shaped eyes were deep green with a strange slit pupil down the center. It gave her an untamed look that was off-putting, even to herself. Her hair was thicker and fuller than it had been when she had gone to bed the night before. As she lifted her top lip to get a look at her teeth she found that her canines were even longer than they had felt, nearly mashing against the smaller bottom set as they rested in her mouth.
What was she? The redhead had read fanfiction and game descriptions, but couldn't remember any mention of a creature like her. Perhaps it was because she crossed into this world from another? She wasn't sure she would be able to find any answers. Perhaps Solas could look through some ancient texts, or Leliana would be able to find some answers, provided the spymaster didn't try to torture her.
Alaina dipped a foot into the frigid water, her body shuddering in relief. The low temperature would have put her into shock back in her own world, but here against this body, it was pure ecstasy. Ever since she had woken she had felt overheated and overwhelmed, her thoughts scattered and hard to collect.
The lake's surface touched her hips, and the sound of the animals exploring at dusk entered her ears. A twig snapping; a bird settling in its nest; a small creature digging into the dirt for its buried dinner. When had she ever been able to hear this well? Her hearing was normally average at best. Alaina ventured deeper into the lake, allowing the water to lap at her breasts. This had to be a weird dream right? Had she fallen into a coma overnight?
As she pushed herself under the dark surface of the water, she felt the gentle reaching tendrils probe against her consciousness. Cole must be nearby. She wondered if it was a lack of trust or fear for her safety that prompted the spirit to follow her.
Should she be worried? Did he even feel arousal? She briefly remembered reading spoilers about the expansion and seeing his character end up with the pretty bard. Either way, there was a young man nearby, and she was very naked.
"Cole?" She called out, red hair sticking to her wet skin. "Are you there?"
"Yes," His reply was muffled, a slight rustle in a nearby bush, signaling his approach. A dark-clad figure approached as the last of the light bled from the sky. His footsteps barely made a sound as he strode toward the bank. He wrung his hands nervously, looking intensely at his feet. "I didn't want to come, but he worries."
"It's fine Cole, just turn around please." Wrapping her hands around her breasts, she sighed and dipped back into the water. Her ears picked up on the subtle sound of his feet shuffling as he obeyed her instructions.
"Your pain is softer," His voice was quiet in comparison to the loud wood around them, "Dull, deep, different directions but no derivation."
"You don't need to fix me," All of her past pain and emotions were probably digging into his flesh like hooks, drawing him to her battered psyche. She had plenty to be sad about in her short life after all.
"I want to help." Ache had radiated from her form when he first saw her. So many different strings to pull, so many knots to untangle. Her mind was exhausted, even at her young age. "I heard the voices before. The ones who took without giving, the ones who screamed and ripped, but now I can just feel the pain, not the source."
"Can you bring me some soap and something to dry off with?" Something about her tone of voice nearly caused him to turn to her, but he stopped himself. Her hurt flared and he itched to fix it, even if it meant just helping with the simple task she assigned him.
Alaina felt the shift in the air as he disappeared to look for the things that fit her description. Her brain seemed to draw a blank whenever she tried to remember the ending of the game, she had restarted it several times as she had to borrow a friend's console to play on it. Did she actually even play it to the end? She had watched playthroughs and read spoilers but couldn't remember the choices made or battles fought to get there.
"That was fast." Soft footsteps approached, barely audible over the noises of the night. The gravel crunched under leather boots, the sound a little more prominent than it had just been. "Who did you borrow it from?"
As she turned around to look for the young rogue she instead found a trio of very unfamiliar men on the shoreline. Their clothing was in bad shape, desperately needing to be washed, and their weapons were dull and dented. Bandits. They were watching her with heated eyes.
"Look what we have here boys," The man leading the group spoke, a ball of blue fire floating just above his extended hand, providing visibility to the area. "A little lady all alone," He glanced at her pile of clothes, "And she's already undressed for us. Isn't that thoughtful?"
"Real thoughtful." A second man picked up her pink pair of panties, holding them to his face to inhale. "And look at how small these knickers are, looks like we've found ourselves a lady of the night."
"Too bad she's not a virgin," The third scoffed, making a disgusted face. "I'll keep watch first, you two hurry up so I can have my turn."
"I don't mind," The first spoke, grinning, his chipped teeth were yellow and rotting. "Come on out from there, maybe I'll give you a few coppers after. If you are especially nice to us." He reached a gloved hand down to grab at his crotch suggestively.
"I'm okay in the water," Her voice was unsure, shaking. She ducked under the water until it brushed her chin.
"Come out now," The second pulled a blunt dagger from his belt, "If I have to ask again I won't be as lenient."
Her mind was racing, the water would slow her down if she tried to run. She needed to get to the shore but even then she would have no weapons. Her body had been fast against the demon, but she still hadn't managed to land a hit on it. Had she even tried? She couldn't remember.
"If you don't get out of the water now, I'll give you a nice little shock." He knelt by the shore, the fire in his hand turning into a small ball of lighting. "It'll hurt like a bitch, but you won't be able to fight back after."
Her mind went blank as she slowly walked forward, this couldn't happen again! One arm clasped around her breasts to cover them from sight and the other hand cupped her mound. She could feel herself starting to dissociate, separate her mind from her body as she went numb. After what felt like an eternity, she stood before them, her eyes flat and distant. If she couldn't protect her body at least she could shield her sanity.
"What a good girl," The mage whispered into her ear as he leaned in, his foul breath brushing her face. His gloved hand tried to yank her own from her breasts but was unable. Tugging at her thin forearm, he gave a low growl of displeasure. "Oh come now, this is no time to be chaste."
As he pulled at his belt and the light went dark, she pictured pushing him off and running towards camp. Her mind was desperately attempting to distance herself from the situation to protect herself. By the time she realized that the man had been shoved away from her, she was floating above the horrific scene.
"Oh, a tough guy huh?" A cotton towel and a bar of soap lay discarded nearby as Cole placed himself between her and the bandits. The blond's face was twisted into a snarl as he held his daggers tightly in his fists. "Come here to protect your little lover?"
"You wanted to hurt her, break her." His smooth voice was incredulous as he stared at the two men. "Touch without tact, take to tame not tantalize."
"We just wanted to have a little fun with the girl, she didn't refuse." The mage taunted, his lighting building in his palm. The electricity building in the air, she watched as he shot a blast towards the young rogue. Cole dodged expertly, his movements so quick he had disappeared into a blur.
Appearing behind the second bandit, he buried his dagger into the man's neck, blood gushing over his hand and down his elbow. The action was fast and calculated, the young rogue's face stiff and emotionless. The cold look in his eyes was that of a mercenary who had been trained to kill. The man desperately grasped at his gaping throat, trying to stem the bleeding. His eyes bulged from his skull as he struggled to breathe.
Alaina had never seen a human die before, and though her mind screamed in terror, her face stayed oddly apathetic. She mentally willed her body to move, to run from the mage and the rogue who battled nearby, but her limbs wouldn't answer. Her clothes lay nearby, she knew needed to dress, to cover herself. The shame of what almost happened, what she almost LET happen, filled her eyes with tears. But still, she couldn't convince her form to function.
The mage suddenly disappeared from her vision and as she felt a pinprick at her throat she realized that her own inability to fight had caused this. A dagger now rested against her collarbone as the man who stood behind her pressed his body against her back. A sudden revulsion filled her form and she struggled not to vomit.
About ten feet away Cole had frozen in place, his eyes staring at the bandit who was now holding the redhead hostage. He had failed in his duty to protect her. Cole had heard another man approach from behind and, in a momentary distraction, lost sight of the attacking mage. The redhead who had stilled in her shaking gave him a petrified look. Her mind was open and he could feel everything flowing through her. The shame, the regret, the fear. Her body wasn't working.
"You're going to let us leave," He nodded to the third man who rested the blade of a sword on the spirit's shoulder, it's sharp edge cutting into his leather armor. "We'll have our fun and leave your little girl nearby for you to find. Although since you decided to kill Henry there, I probably won't leave much of her."
Cole's mind was overwhelmed by the onslaught of disgusting images that flowed through the bandit's brain. He wanted to throw up, he had only left for a moment and he had placed her in danger. The others sat at the campsite nearby, no idea any of this was happening. If he shouted for their help the man across from him would not hesitate to slit the woman's throat.
He felt the sudden shift in the air as Alaina's brain flared red, her anger and resentment overwhelming every other thought from the men. It was bright, broken, blaring. For a moment her blinding thoughts were the only thing he could hear.
Her body tensed and her hand covering her breasts shifted so quickly he barely saw it. A loud animalistic growl ripped through her lips as she used her claws to slice off the man's wrist. The offending limb fell with a wet squelch to the dirt, blood spraying from his butchered forearm.
"Fuck!" His yell was too loud on her fried senses and she clawed at the air between them, barely missing his eyes by a few inches. Alaina found herself wanting to rip them from their sockets, but he had ducked away from her.
No matter. Her green eyes flared as she heard Cole turn to attack the third party. Her senses extended but before she could respond, she felt a ball of fire hit her side with a loud thump. The fire seemed to crackle across her ribs, before dying without incident. The apostate's triumphant expression faltered as the naked woman stalked toward him, no injuries visible.
His mana struggled to gather a second wave of fire when her sharp talons cut through his other wrist, his remaining hand falling to the ground between them. His cries were tinder to the inferno in her chest as she imagined all the things he had thought to do to her. All the things he had done to women before her. Before she realized what was happening she found her fingers wrapped tightly around his throat.
The young woman lifted him until the toes of his boots brushed the dirt below them, his handless limbs trying desperately to pry her fingers from his airway. She squeezed tighter, her palm crushing the bandit's windpipe. Her teeth bared at him, she had fully intended to bury her teeth into his jugular when she came back to her body. Her grip weakened and he fell to the ground gasping, trying unsuccessfully to bring air into his lungs.
Alaina turned to the side and dry heaved, nearly collapsing in the rocky dirt. Her arms were covered in the man's blood, and her heart was thrumming. Stepping back, she felt ill as she observed the macabre damage she had caused. The dying man had his mouth opened in a dying wail, strangled sounds escaping his battered throat. Crimson tears had built in his eyes and spilled down his cheeks, as he stared at the redhead with hate and fear.
The dark scene that she created caused nausea to bubble in her throat as she began to shake vigorously. Why didn't she just kill him? Why had she wanted him to suffer so greatly? Her blood-soaked claws had been a deadly weapon in the fight but she had chosen nonlethal attacks instead.
The young woman watched as the spirit of compassion approached the dying bandit, kneeling down beside him in the dirt. He stared at the bloody mess for a moment before bringing his blade to the man's throat and swiping. Though the man didn't deserve the show of respect, he closed the bandits' eyes regardless.
"They wanted to hurt you, it's okay to protect yourself." His blue eyes were barely visible in the soft light of the moon and suddenly he appeared by her side, wrapping the soft wrap that had been forgotten nearby around her bloody form. His hands brushed her breasts as he tightened the cotton around her body. She gave him a confused look as he glanced distractedly into the trees.
"Cole!" The Inquisitor shouted as he ran toward them, The Iron Bull and Solas only a few steps behind. His dark eyes took in the bodies lying on the ground between them and the pair. He glanced between the two, focusing momentarily on the almost naked blood-covered woman. "What happened? Is she hurt?"
"They wanted to touch her," Cole stepped in front of her, shielding her barely clothed body from the others. Alaina had enough people see her in this weakened state and did not wish to be a spectacle. "Debilitating disgust dripping down, please don't touch me. Not again please."
Tears flowed as Alaina slumped against the rogue's back, her brain going blank. Suddenly the exhaustion of what had happened hit her, gravity tugging her toward the dirt beneath them. The blond man turned to gather the small woman in his arms, her body limp. She could feel his hands gently cradling her form as she lost consciousness, the darkness a welcome comfort.