"Swing. Lunge. Back step. Now shield. Good!" The Inquisitor praised stepping back from his attack. He circled around the harpy, watching as it's pointed ears turned to where he was, blindfolded and relying solely on hearing. He remained silent as he continued to circle around it waiting for a moment to strike.
He was training it. Taming the beast to do as he says and making sure it can withstand any battle. Honestly he was impressed by its ability to defend. The harpy's wings were very strong and durable when used as a shield and the claws were sharp and strong enough to damage through his own armor.
The tests from the University arrived a few days ago they say that the harpy dreams like humans and elves. They said it spoke to them explained what it was and nothing more. It refused to say anything else of its kind, only answered a few of their questions.
The Inquisitor could care less, so long as it could kill any enemy he pointed at, he was pleased. Which begged the question. It cried for him to stop when they handled the dragon in Crestwood. Why?
He stopped on the harpy's flank, it froze, feathered ears twitching to catch the sound of any movement. The harpy straightened its stance, head turning almost towards him even though it was blindfolded. It took a moment before it charged up and launched up, pouncing on top of him.
The Inquisitor grinned, lifting his shield up blocking those sharp talons from piercing him, but the harpy gripped the shield and began flapping its wings rapidly yanking it from his grasp. He let go of the shield and prepared for the harpy's next attack. The harpy let out a high pitched screech and the Inquisitor roared his own battle cry.
"Inquisitor! A word, if you will."
They both stopped in the middle, the blinded harpy landing and the Inquisitor dropping his sword arm down with a grunt.
"What is it now?" He growled, turning to see Dorian and Cassandra both standing at the edge of the sparring grounds, Cassandra held a large book and Dorian just looked happy to see him waving with fluttering fingers. His eyes remained on Dorian for a moment before turning to Cassandra and her book.
He sighed sheathed his sword, the harpy's head turned curious on what was going on. With a soft whistle from the Inquisitor, the harpy began to follow him.
"Here, you handle this," the Inquisitor ordered, guiding the harpy to Dorian, "What is it you want?" He asked the Seeker following her to the blacksmith's.
"Well, that didn't go as planned." Dorian frowned watching as the Inquisitor and Cassandra walked off. He sighed and untied the blindfold.
"What had you planned?" The harpy asked now able to see her mustached friend stare longingly at the Inquisitor's back. Her ears perked up and she gave a toothy grin, "You have care in your eyes."
"What? Oh!" He chuckled and held back a blush, "I guess I am an open book. Yes, I find our dear Inquisitor attractive, I don't, however, believe the feelings are mutual. He is such a tease." Dorian pouted leading the harpy back to her cage.
"Have you spoken your feelings to the leader?"
"How can I? The man is either busy killing things or busy planning to kill things. He is never available for a chat."
The harpy nodded almost as if she understood, "The leader is very...harsh." She concluded.
"That he is, my dear. But the heart wants what it wants."
The harpy was in the middle of her evening meal when Solas had come down to see her. Her face was a mess, as she devoured the leftovers from this evenings inner circle meals. She gnawed a bone and gave soft chirps not noticing her amec approaching.
"Were you that hungry, falon?"
She perked up, bone still in her mouth, "Amec!" She mumbled over the bone as she got to her feet to greet her friend.
"My apologies for my late presence. I was catching up on some work from the Inquisitor. How was your day, my friend?" Solas asked greeting back and joining her by the tree.
"I sparred with the leader. Varry read to me and Dori took me to get cleaned."
"Eventful then."
She nodded and continued with her meals before piping up, "Dori has care for the Leader."
Solas raised a curious brow before he chuckled and nodded, "That much is obvious. Though I do not see the appeal."
"Do you have care for someone, Amec?" she looked up with genuine curiosity.
Solas tilted his head unsure of her meaning of 'care', "Perhaps not in the way Dorian cares for the Inquisitor. I do, however, care for my friends."
She nodded her feathered crest perking up, "That is friendly care. We have a word for it, Amecor. There is care for family. Care for colleagues. Care for lovers. Care for our environment. Each is strong and beautiful in their own way. The most strongest care though is that of ourselves." She claimed humbly her clawed hand placed above her heart.
Solas's eyes widen in interest and he scooted closer to hear more. She explained more in detail. Her people's practice of self care, before care of others. Her point, or rather her People's point, was that one must be able to care for themselves before they should be allowed to care for anyone else, be it a child, a friend, a lover, or so on.
"People are precious. To care for someone is considered a great responsibility. A blessing and a burden at times."
She had a point he noted. He cared for things without even realizing it and it was a responsibility to care for people. Such a huge responsibility for him to care for his People. However, he found he cared for the elves and the humans. He cared for people that weren't his People. He even cared about the Inquisitor despite their differences. Care for colleagues. He thought.
He was so fascinated to learn about her People's ideology. It managed to make small notes in his journal, only he would be able to cherish this knowledge, he thought, "What of you, falon? What or whom do you have care for?"
She looked up at him and then her eyes drifted to the distance sky above them. The cage bars obscuring the view of a clear cloudless evening, "I would say I have care for my People, but I have made friends here. I have come to care for them as well." her red eyes seemed to glaze over as she watched the messenger crows fly off to who knows where. Free. There was a glint of yearning in her eyes. One he knew all too well.
Solas tried to lighten the mood a bit his lips pulling into a slight smirk, "Have you never had care for someone the way Dorian does the Inquisitor?"
That got her mind to wander back. She turned to him, her head tilting as her thoughts concentrated on the question. Finally she shook her head in honesty, "No. I have not held that kind of care for anyone. I do not think I will be able to." She admitted, it seemed to herself.
Solas began to wonder now. He admitted he expected a blushing mess of his friend. Something like the hopelessly romantic Seeker. She had told him her earliest memory, being that during the time of Arlathan. It was difficult to pinpoint what age she is mentally.
Mature. He concluded. She understood many things. The way she explained her culture and the habits of her people, she understood the significance of it all, how and why it was done. He still had so many questions.