Disclaimer: Bioware owns Dragon Age II. I'm just playing in THE Dragon Age Setting.
Waking up was awful. The first thing I noticed was the cold. Even with my whole body curled in the fetal position, I still shivered. Darkness cloaked the whole campsite, except near the small fire someone must have kept going. I could only barely tell the sun would rise soon, judging by the lighter blue I saw between the trees. My nose was clogged, thanks to the chill, and my lips were dried and cracking. The next thing I noticed was my aches. Most were from running and carrying Carver yesterday, but I could tell more had crept in from the hard ground I'd laid on all night. That thought led to my last discovery. I wasn't in the same position I'd fallen asleep in. of course, I had fallen asleep while crying in Hawke's arms. Embarrassing. It would only make sense she would lay me down afterwards, which was why I was confused about the body curled up next to mine.
Sitting up slowly, I turned my head, spotting a large dog curled against me. What was his name? Ah, Calenhad? His own head lifted to look at me, a hopeful, dopey grin on his face.
"Were you keeping me warm?" I turned more to scratch his head, forcing words out of my horse throat. "Thanks sweetie."
He tilted his head into my ministrations before standing up. Shivering, I followed his example.
"Good morning, Sabrina." Hawke nodded at me from across the low burning fire. Though she was wearing her armor again, her sword remained unequipped, and she had less wounds than I remembered seeing.
I nodded back, bleary-eyed, and took in the rest of the small camp.
Mama Hawke was speaking quietly with Aveline, frowns on their faces. Near the fire, Bethany was looking over Carver, seemingly checking for more injuries we may have missed. He was still unconscious. My stomach flipped and I looked away, seeing Calenhad walking over to Hawke to receive more praise.
Aveline joined Hawke, standing tall, though her face was grave. "Alright, it's a three day walk to Gwaren. We've made some progress already, but I expect it may take a little longer than usual... considering the circumstances."
The air was heavy for a while, and I shivered before walking closer to the fire, kneeling in front of it. At least now my hands felt better.
"Well, all things considered, there is some good news," Ha- Marian said, voice sounding stilted after the silent air. "We are going through a good portion of the forest, so there will be plenty of roots, and game if we're lucky. We haven't seen the darkspawn in a while, so it should be safe to take some breaks." I saw her gaze shift to myself and her mother before flicking away.
"And of course, we won't get lost." She pointed up and I noticed yesterday's colorful bird was back, trilling gently. "Funny little thing, but I suppose getting help from a witch brings some... odd occurrences."
Aveline nodded and picked up the thread. "Leandra, Sabrina, are you well enough to keep carrying Carver?"
"Of course," Mama Hawke spoke up quickly from her son's side.
When Aveline turned to me, I managed a small nod. I mean, either carry him or fight, right? And I had no experience hunting or gathering either.
"Well then," Hawke sighed, "We have enough time to eat a bit before we move out."
Breakfast was a subdued affair, since the Hawkes had left their home quickly they didn't have much food with them, and Aveline and I had nothing. Despite the dire circumstances, I found curiosity poking at my mind.
"You didn't live in Lothering?" I asked Aveline. She shook her head.
"No, I'm usually stationed in Denerim. I was part of the army, remember?" I offered a sheepish smile. Honestly, survival had been on my mind more, along with trying to come to terms with this situation. "Right. I never managed to fully escape the horde after Ostagar. I had only arrived at Lothering yesterday, and found... Wesley. The horde arrived right after me."
How awful. "So, you didn't arrive with everyone else...?" I gestured to the two other warriors in our group.
"When the darkspawn broke through our lines, it was chaos. Only small groups managed to escape. Other than..." Her mouth pulled down into the deepest frown I had seen from her. "I suppose that isn't important right now."
She didn't need to explain. If there was one thing I would always remember about Origins, it was Loghain's betrayal of King Cailan. All the troops that pulled out early, leaving their king without support... Feeling heat in my empty stomach, I turned my thoughts to food instead.
Luckily, the early risers had found some hardy berries nearby, and there was enough bread for everyone to break off a handful. Both foods were nothing like what I was used to. The bread was fairly coarse and tasted... odd, not at all like wheat. Despite my initial surprise, the next few bites tasted good enough. The berries... well, I knew I'd need all the energy I could get, but they were so bitter. I found myself with a permanent twist to my face as I stuffed berries in my mouth, trying to chew them just enough to shove down my throat without choking.
Marian was throwing amused glances at me, despite the fact she had yet to actually speak up about it. Thank God. Surprisingly, Bethany was the one who broke the silence.
"Aveline, are you coming with us to Kirkwall?"
The redhead paused, lowering her bread, and sighed.
"I-I'm sorry," she asked, "It's just, I know Gwaren has ships that go elsewhere in the Free Marches, or even..." She stopped as Aveline shook her head, a small smile on her face which didn't reach her eyes.
"I have nothing holding me here anymore. Wesley... And I don't wish to stick around for the darkspawn."
Bethany nodded soberly.
Chatter was sparse afterwards; Bethany did a quick check up for everyone to make sure no one had injuries which needed tending to. Surprisingly, I found out she had healed most of my scrapes last night after I fell asleep, though I was sure I had less than everyone else. Looking around, I noticed Marian and Aveline each had poultices wrapped around their arms, as well as some uncovered bruises. Bethany must have reached her limit for mana reserves last night. I wondered how much she regained by sleeping, and if she was saving it in case of an emergency.
Once the fire was put out and the camp cleaned, Mama Hawke and I lifted Carver to drape over our shoulders.
The walk was harder this time, with no adrenaline fueling me and the previous day's aches coming back full force. Still, having a goal made helped give me something to keep pushing towards. Just get to Gwaren, just get to Gwaren... I refused to think beyond that. There was no need, I was sure. I'd be back home in no time.
Around ten o'clock, or what I assumed based on the sun, Hawke had everyone stop for our first break. I groaned after setting Carver down, and immediately sat.
Bethany plopped down next to me.
"Sabrina," she said, voice serious, "We need to talk."
"...Okay." Jesus, I couldn't even hold her stare. When was she this intense?
"I won't beat around the bush. Have you ever been trained in how to handle your magic?"
Even though the others were relaxing in their own way, I could tell they were all listening to our conversation. Even Calenhad. Dammit.
I heaved a breath. "No."
Bethany's breathing hitched, but she settled into a firm posture right after. "Really... Well, that has to be remedied. Sabrina, until further notice, I will be teaching you the basics of control."
It could only stare. "B-but, I-"
"I cannot compromise on this." Her voice was the most firm I'd ever heard. "It's irresponsible to walk around without knowing how to control your abilities. You could hurt yourself or other people without meaning to."
Stutters were the only thing I could manage, until I looked intently at Carver. I finally ground out the words, "I know. I... I never had, before I-" I managed to put my thoughts in order when Bethany put a hand on my shoulder. "I don't have magic. I can't."
"Sabrina."
I watched Carver's breathing. That was due to my CPR, right? Ser Wesley just wasn't familiar with the technique. But I remembered the look of disdain. He BELIEVED I used magic. Lightning, even. And Flemeth too...
"Sabrina," Bethany's voice broke through the haze. "Look at me."
Her voice was softer, as were her eyes when I checked.
"I... I know how difficult this can be. Trust me, I understand." Her hand squeezed the junction near my neck. "But, this is something you have to accept. You have magic. But Sabrina-" She plowed on despite how my face dropped, "- I will be here, helping you every step of the way. You are not alone."
Heat curled behind my eyes, and my gaze dropped again, this time to her boots. I wasn't alone. I wasn't sure how true the sentiment was, but just hearing her say so made it feel like something was squeezing my whole chest.
"Okay," I choked out. I spent a few more moments watching my hands twist around each other.
My body stiffened when I felt two arms wrap around my shoulders.
"It's not the end of the world, you know."
I disagreed, as the Blight certainly seemed like an apocalypse of sorts. After my breakdown the night before, I wasn't feeling wrung out enough to relax again, and I stayed uncomfortably tense until Bethany pulled away.
"We'll start during our lunch." With her piece said, she walked off to check in with her sister.
Dammit. She was only trying to help. But she couldn't possibly understand the conflicted thoughts swirling through my head. There was just no way to come to terms with my situation. I lowered my head to rest on my knees and wrapped my arms around them. The warmth of constantly moving was slowly seeping away.
Only a few minutes seemed to pass, dreams of home flitting through my head, before I heard another person settle down next to me. I peeked out to see Mama Hawke settle in next to me.
"I never thanked you. For what you did for my son."
I tried a smile from the comfort of my arms. "It's fine. I-I wasn't really, I mean, I've never had to, um, try it on an actual... person."
She looked surprised. "Really? That was the first time...?"
I nodded self consciously. "Well, I mean, I haven't been certified, er, I haven't actually practiced or... uh been retaught in like, a few years so... I was just doing what I remembered from, the first time, I was... taught." God, I'm so awkward.
She just smiled more at my fumbling. "In that case, I suppose I'm even more grateful. You did seem very confident when you were performing your lifesaving technique. What was it called?"
I stiffened. "Uh, CPR."
"Hmm. An odd word."
I shrugged awkwardly. I didn't feel like explaining it stood for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. I wasn't even sure they used scientific terms.
Thankfully Mama Hawke stayed quiet, seeming to just get her strength back for what was sure to be another grueling few hours through the woods.
When everyone had sufficiently rested, we took off again.
I felt my feet rubbing against my shoes uncomfortably, and my shoulders and back were burning at this point. Could I really make it three more days?
Lunch couldn't come soon enough, and I practically dropped to the ground when we stopped. After putting Carver down, I laid on some grass, hoping no bugs would find me. The cold surely deterred them.
Calenhad came around to sniff me.
"Lucky," I grumped, "Not tired in the least." He whined at me and nudged my face. I grunted and tried to push his face away while also petting it. "Not now."
He huffed and immediately plopped next to me, head on my stomach. I just sighed and scratched his ears.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Hawke loomed over us both.
"Maybe..." I drew out the word, but made no move to get up.
She huffed, a small smile on her face. "Calenhad, you know you're going to help me find something." He huffed himself, standing up and giving her his silly grin.
"C'mon then. Sabrina, Mother has some things to eat now, if you would like."
I gave a small nod, watching her walk behind me to search the trees.
I grunted, closing my eyes instead of getting up. I felt my mind drift until a hand shook my shoulder. "Wake up Sabrina."
I opened my eyes, seeing brown eyes before blinking and stretching.
"We should start now, before my sister returns." Ah, Bethany, then.
I slowly sat up, not enthused about the whole idea. Magic was so cool, but I didn't want any more part of this craziness. I was just passing through. I sighed and watched Bethany sit herself across from me.
"We can eat after this first exercise. It would probably be best to not be sleepy for this..." A wry smile touched her face. "Though that may already be an issue for you."
I hummed. "It's not that kind of tired. I'll be fine."
"Hm. if you say so. Well, don't fall asleep on me. We're going to be practicing a form of meditation."
I perked up a little bit. She smiled wider at my attention.
"It's important to have focus when you cast, so meditation is a useful practice to keep your mind clear."
She continued to explain some of the concepts of the meditation we would be trying, letting me know that there was no real 'right' way to do it, so long as I kept my thoughts clear of distraction and focused on whatever topic I chose.
It sounded kind of like daydreaming, just with more purpose, so I nodded and followed her instruction. Soothing words encouraged me to close my eyes; I thought of just the forest around me, listening to the soft rustling and trying to feel the warmth of the sun through the crisp air.
I did well for a while, until I found myself thinking of my family. What would they do when I didn't show up? Obviously they'd try to contact me, but when they couldn't they would try to reach my roommate. What could she tell them? I had just vanished. I- I was gone and-
"Sabrina?" Bethany's clear voice broke through my musing. I saw sympathy on her face. "You did well for your first time. At least you tried to concentrate, and you were keeping a smooth aura for some time."
I sighed. "Uh, thanks."
"Don't worry." She smiled at me. "It takes some time to keep yourself grounded. Even I have a time limit that I have trouble going past. The key is to separate yourself from your thoughts; to see them, but not be a part of them. " She stood and offered a hand to me.
"Let's get something to eat, and we'll do this exercise again later today."
Hawke came back soon after we joined Mama Hawke, and everyone ate some more bread and berries, with Calenhad munching on some small rodent he was lucky enough to catch.
Once everyone finished, the hardest part of the hike happened. I felt welts and blisters on my feet, and my upper body muscles were on fire. I could hear my breath in my ears, and judging from the worried looks I got from my other companions, they noticed my struggle as well. Leandra herself was looking pretty worn when I glanced at her over Carver's shoulders.
We ended up taking an afternoon break earlier than expected, since the two of us just couldn't keep up the pace anymore.
I felt a rough grumbling and a pinching in my stomach. Great. The new food must not have been agreeing with me. All I wanted was to sleep forever, but breaks were meant for things like this, so I hesitantly made my way into the trees to take care of my business. It was... not as bad as I expected, but still way less sanitary than I wanted. I tried not to think about it and plunged my hands into a cold, clear stream of water, scrubbing briskly before heading back to our temporary stop.
When I got back, Aveline was waiting for me.
"Sit," she said, "I'll help with your muscle cramps."
I lowered myself, hesitant as she sat down behind me. She grabbed my shoulders, massaging along the back with her thumbs. I closed my eyes and relaxed as she applied a comfortable pressure around my deltoids and along my upper back, trying to push and relax my muscles there.
"Are you cold?"
I nodded to her question. "Even when we walk," I murmured, "I have poor circulation."
She hummed. "Well, I suppose I won't ask you to take off your robe then. However, when we get to our campsite for the night, I will do this again." She paused. "You'll have to sit near the fire, I suppose. The tunic you were wearing underneath this was thin enough that it won't be a bother."
I stiffened, but managed a nod. Ohhh, I really didn't want anyone to look at my Earth clothes again. It was just too weird, and I couldn't explain it. I tried to force down the lump in my throat, despite the burning it created in my tonsils. I had no time for crying right now, and I could deal with social awkwardness when it happened.
Aveline made larger motions to sooth my quickened breathing. "What's the matter?" She asked.
"Nothing."
She didn't press the issue, yet, and we soon continued on. The next bit wasn't nearly as long, since we had to stop before sundown. Surprisingly, we were able to find a small, worn path near our camp. Everyone seemed heartened at this. The bird simply twittered and flew away, not even waiting for us to stop and set up.
Aveline promised the next session after she scouted for supplies, leaving with Hawke as Calenhad stood watch over Mama Hawke and Carver.
Bethany once again sat down with me and led me through a meditation; This time I was only distracted once my stomach gave a fierce gurgle. Bethany let out a small, strangled laugh.
"I won't make you try to concentrate over that. Besides I..." When she looked past me at her brother, I nodded in understanding. We walked together to check on Carver.
"Mother," Bethany said, waiting until she got acknowledgement to continue, "How is he?"
"Well enough," Leandra answered, watching her daughter kneel down to... scan him with magic or something. "He opened his eyes, but I don't think he heard me, and he went right back to sleep." She smoothed his forehead, even as her own remained tense with wrinkles.
I stayed silent, barely hearing them discuss small things until the two warriors came back. A soft snowfall had started just before they returned. I watched it with both awe and despair. It would certainly make things colder, but I preferred snow to sleet. We didn't see much snow in Texas; It was beautiful. Dinner was subdued, though I did have the... pleasure of watching Hawke skin and slice up a rabbit before sticking the meat at a fire. Lovely.
So long as it cooked through, I probably wouldn't get sick, and I was hungry. The chunks of meat speared around the fire reminded me of kebabs. Aveline did one more session of massaging while it cooked, making sure I took my thick robe off first. The others gave my clothes questioning looks, but my determination to stare at the ground stopped any questions, for now. At least the fire melted the small snowflakes quickly and kept me relatively dry.
Just before dinner, we got our first surprise. Carver grunted, the loudest sound we'd heard from him since his injury, and opened his eyes. He seemed disoriented and unfocused, though he did look at each of us in turn.
"...?" He let out a small sound of confusion and question. Mama Hawke immediately rushed to his side.
"Oh, my darling, can you hear me? Carver?"
He looked up at her and gave a slight nod. She smiled as a few tears ran down her cheeks, then leaned over and held him to her. "My precious boy. I'm so glad you're alright."
Everyone had a small smile on their face at this. Hawke spoke up next. "Good to see you awake brother. Figures you'd sleep away the traveling and hard work." She chuckled. "At this point, you might as well head right back to sleep."
Bethany smacked her sister on the shoulder, and even Carver sent a glare at her, his state of exhaustion and confusion completely undermining it.
"H-... How long...?" Bethany sensed his question and came around the other side of him.
"You slept all through today. Yesterday was when you... got injured." Her breath hitched before she compulsively checked his vitals. "Mother and Sabrina have been carrying you. We've gotten quite far away."
At this he looked to me, his wariness still obvious, but there was an odd shine to his eyes. He opened his mouth, paused, and looked up at his mother. The look they shared seemed familiar to me, like I had seen it in my childhood. After the eldest Hawke loosened her grip on Carver, he cleared his throat and said, "Thank you."
Only when his eyes flickered to me did I realize I was also included in his thanks. Mama Hawke was quick to assure her son she would always help him, of course. I just stared at him for a while, but when I noticed the others waiting I mumbled a "you're welcome" somewhere in between the older woman's soothing words. He shook his head.
"Can't believe you really stuck around."
I wasn't sure what to make of his statement, though I felt a light scoff push past my lips. "What, did you think I'd run off and die?"
I felt my throat clench in retaliation, and his frown made it worse.
"Alright," Mama Hawke interjected, "Let's have Bethany take a look at you."
Carver grunted, but that seemed to be the signal to give the twins some space, so everyone else moved back to their places. He struggled with the blanket draped over him before Bethany placed it aside.
The younger sister began her usual process before pausing and calling me over. I sat opposite her, regardless of my still tensed muscles. "Sabrina," she started, hesitant, "I know you haven't had much time to practice your magic but..."
My eyes flew wide. No, no, I couldn't practice on a real person! Damn, I hadn't even accepted I had done actual magic yet. She noticed and smiled to calm me down.
"Well, you seemed to know a technique for... saving Carver's life, even when I didn't. Do you have any more medical knowledge?"
Carver himself looked baffled. "Wait, she saved my life? What happened?"
Bethany sighed. "Brother-"
"Bethany. I deserve to know what happened. I was out for over a day and apparently almost died?"
"Um." I almost stopped speaking when he glared at me. "It-it wasn't a big- well you got, uh, hit by the ogre. We thought..." I swallowed self-consciously. "We thought you were dead. I- All I did was keep your heart beating." I hurried to clarify at the shocked look on his face. "It wasn't magic or anything! You just, I mean you have to do it right, but you push down on the person's chest to keep their heart beating, and sometimes the heart is capable of regaining it's rhythm..."
Bethany sighed. "That's true, but you did more than that." She shook her head and dropped the subject, which I was glad for. "Regardless, you haven't answered my question."
"No. I mean, I wasn't trained as a, erm, healer or anything. Just, you know. That. It was mainly meant for people who might have suffered drowning just before."
"I see. Thank you anyways." She nodded and resumed checking her brother. I didn't leave yet, just performed my own visual analysis. I cleared my throat. "His back and spine seemed fine to me, when I check before."
Bethany looked up, silently urging me to continue.
"Um, I guess we should check how he is consciously, at this point, since I'm sure you've gone over and healed his physical wounds by now." She nodded in agreement, but didn't say anything, content to see what I would do next.
I swallowed nervously, barely able to look Carver in the eyes. "So, what's your name?"
He raised an incredulous eyebrow at me. "Are you serious?" I nodded. "Carver."
"F-full name?"
"...Carver Hawke."
"How old are you?"
"Eighteen. Look what's the point of this?"
"Just to make sure, um, that your brain is working properly. I mean-! Just that you can access information and stuff..." I let out a shaky breath. "Can you please count backwards from ten?"
He was scowling now, but did as instructed.
"Well," I said, "I honestly don't know what else we can do. Like I said, I'm not a healer."
Bethany nodded. "I'll take over from here then. Thank you."
I agreed, leaving my spot open for Leandra as she began cooing over her son again. At the campfire, I found Aveline and Hawke already in a discussion about the rest of the trip towards Gwaren.
"We've been keeping a good pace, all things considered," Aveline said, "So I expect we could arrive late tomorrow."
"Let's hope so. I don't think we have nearly the supplies we need." Hawke sounded weary, like the world was weighing her down. I wondered if having to deal with the horde twice was too much for a person. "We should run into some farms now that we're closer. Maybe- ah, Sabrina."
I dipped my head in acknowledgement and settled down near them, reaching my hands towards the fire.
"How is Carver doing?"
"Pretty good," I answered, staring into the orange flames, "I don't know how to help, but he's talking fine, so." I shrugged.
I heard a snicker. "Well, if baby brother is well enough to be talking," and she emphasized the word, "Then he must be alright." She stood and stretched.
"I think all he needs now is a visit from his loving older sister." The mischievousness written all over her made me laugh. It felt just like the sort of thing I might do to my younger brother...
I watched wistfully as Marian walked over to pester Carver, getting a loud reaction with everything she said.
A shuffling sound had me glance over at Aveline. Now that I actually paid attention, I noticed her armor was off. She looked different without it, especially since the shirt beneath was actually thicker and long sleeved, not like what she wore in the game.
"How are you holding up?" Her eyes were piercing, not wavering even when I said the usual "I'm fine" complacencies.
"You're not used to this sort of thing, I can tell," she stated bluntly. "You haven't ever fought, have you?"
"I never needed to."
She hummed. I felt a hand on my shoulder. "We're the fighters. I know this must be difficult, but it's our job to keep people like yourself and Leandra safe. Trust us on this."
I felt heat behind my eyes and nodded.
"Good. Now, I think some sleep will do you good. Here." She offered my robe. Seeing the two side by side, I concluded her shirt must be made of the same material as my robe.
"Thank you," I said, shivering. Wow, I must have been distracted to not notice how cold I was. I quickly pulled it on, dragging it over my curled legs, and shuffled towards the fire.
Falling asleep was already going to be much more difficult than the first night, I could tell. For one, I had nothing to hold onto. I always slept with at least one stuffed animal, and the lack of anything to hold was making me feel infinitely more alone. The cold was also more acute than the night before, the drifting snow making soft hissing sounds when it encountered the fire. If it didn't stop soon, we would end up wet, and thus, even more cold.
My mind was also spinning, trying to come to terms with my current situation since I had nothing to distract it. I was tired physically, but thoughts about home and the darkspawn horde chased each other back and forth.
Finally, listening to the Hawkes murmur back and forth as I stared at the red flames, I dozed off.
0-o-0
I was still feeling numb, last night not having restored as much energy as I wanted. I had woken up after everyone else, Bethany giving me gentle shakes. Even with the fire and my new thick robe, I had woken up cold. I figured the light layer of frost settled over everything might have had something to do with it. The others said we got lucky. I just dreaded the possibility of heavier snow and sleet. If I was this cold now, anything more might kill me.
Lucky for me, Carver was deemed well enough by his family to walk on his own, even with his odd pace. Mama Hawke was still hovering, to Carver's irritation and Marian's amusement. I was just glad I wouldn't have to carry him any longer. My muscles were still aching, and I wouldn't have been capable of another day.
Our pace was slower, thank god, and it gave me time to think. I ran through what I remembered of Bethany's sessions on minding my focus, stubbornly ignored the memories of darkspawn, and prayed for Gwaren to be closer.
We filled our breaks with more mediation exercises and Bethany showing me how she summoned magic into a useful form, fire. She said I couldn't practice yet, but I wasn't especially eager, since I was still coming to terms with my magic.
Carver was the one to bring up the issue.
"So, you never knew you were a mage?" His narrowed eyes made me nervous, despite the awkward shuffle he had to do.
"No."
"...Really. " He crossed his arms. "How is that even possible? What, you just ignored when things randomly caught fire?"
I had to force myself to breathe. What an asshole. How dare he. I didn't grow up in this world.
"Nothing ever caught fire," I bit out. "And how would you know what the signs are? Nothing weird ever happened to me, and I hadn't even seen any mages before."
I heard him make an wordless sound of anger. "How would I know? My twin is a mage; My father was a mage. And you're telling me, that no one, not even you, suspected you had magic until now? For that many years?"
"Carver," Leandra put a calming hand on his shoulder. "We don't know what her family was like. Perhaps the signs were small and easily dismissed."
"Well..." Bethany spoke up from behind us, "I was actually wondering that myself." She caught my eye as I peered back. "You're safe with us, you know. I can understand being afraid of showing any signs of magic, but you don't have to fear anyone here."
A quick glance showed even Aveline agreeing with her statement.
"It's not that," I sighed. "I... I really just didn't know." I put a hand over half of my face. "I don't want to talk about it," I whispered.
"If you didn't know about your abilities," Aveline started hesitantly, "Then how did you know of the darkspawn we would face."
Carver's head jerked to me again. "Yes, exactly! You pointed straight at me-" Carver demonstrated the motion, "-and declared there was an ogre. How would you know that?"
"I-!" I had no answer for them. Carver seemed to take this as affirmation of my skill and looked unnecessarily smug, if slightly pained because of how he'd jostled his healing ribs. Hawke however, she was looking over her shoulder, analyzing me. Uh-oh.
"Well, whatever the case, I think we should apologize." Bethany's guilty expression surprised me. "When we left you with mother and... Ser Wesley-" We all snuck a glance at Aveline, who looked sad, but accepting. "We assumed you had some control over your abilities, and you had just been hiding them."
Aveline herself nodded. "Yes, we shouldn't have assumed you could protect yourself with them, let alone two others."
Calenhad barked and butted into Bethany's leg.
"Ah, of course. We didn't forget about you, boy." She rubbed his ears. "But we thought you had backup."
I waved my hands as if to dispel theirs worries. "Don't worry about it. I know you were all fighting your hardest. I-it's not like I knew either."
I was stopped by Carver's snort.
"You had better pay attention to my sister. I won't have someone untrained around my family."
Bethany looked like she was torn between thanking him and scolding him, so I just agreed and fled towards Mama Hawke, Calenhad following behind. At least the dog was happy to see me.
The conversation died a little after that, and I continued to look forward to Gwaren.
0-o-0
Gwaren was small, compared to what I was used to, but seemed clean enough. Even the older houses look expertly patched, meant to withstand time through sheer human tenacity. The midday sun shown overhead, bringing some much needed warmth. As it was the fourth day of my little romp through Thedas, convincing myself that the things around me weren't happening became difficult.
Feeling my heart rate pick up, I breathed in and out slowly, trying to hold the calm detachment Bethany had been teaching me.
The smell hit me hard. I enjoyed the salty scent in the air, relating it to all my good memories of the beaches in Texas and California. However, the strong smell of fish was incredibly overwhelming. Jesus, it was worse than walking through the seafood section of a food market.
"Alright, we don't have much time, so I think we can split up here," Hawke announced. "Mother, Sabrina and I will attempt to barter a boat trip. Aveline, Bethany, and Carver, please pick up some supplies for the trip. Anything we can afford at this point."
Calenhad barked.
"Of course, you can go with Carver, you strong boy."
He woofed assent.
Everyone agreed to meet up in about an hour, regardless of success.
The docks were more crowded than I had expected, so many people must have realized the actual danger a Blight posed. Or even believed there was a Blight. A couple farm holds we passed on our way into town didn't seem to think there was a threat. I pitied them.
Despite our searching, most of the ships at the port were not taking passengers. The few that were had reached the maximum capacity they were willing to carry.
When I heard a woman complaining about the prices to get aboard a ship nearby, I pointed it out to Marian. It seemed like our best bet. We found the vessel, and managed to locate the first mate, a scruffy middle-aged man chewing on what looked like tobacco.
"How much to get passage to Kirkwall?"
"Kirkwall, huh? That's pretty far for three ladies to travel." We all tensed.
"Please Ser, this is important," Mama Hawke said.
He grunted. "For you three? Five sovereigns."
"That's exorbitant pricing!" Hawke exclaimed. The man just shrugged.
"Don't like it? Don't get on the ship. You aren't the only people wanting to leave the country." He spit into the water near the boat. "So if you're not paying, you're not travelin'." He took our silence as his answer and walked away to yell at some of the dock workers.
"What do we do?" Mama Hawke lamented. "Try another ship?"
Marian sighed. "I'm not sure we'll find one today. We may have to wait." She trailed off. No one liked the idea of sticking around any longer than we had to. Sure, the darkspawn had gotten progressively less as we neared Gwaren, but it wouldn't stay that way. Even I wasn't sure how many darkspawn stragglers would attack this city before the threat was neutralized. It was never mentioned in the first game.
Feeling lost, we started to make our way back to the agreed upon meeting point. With hopelessness creeping up, we almost didn't notice the person waiting for us. A young woman came walking up hesitantly to our group, glancing over at me before asking, "Are you Hawke?"
Stepping forward, Marian said, "I am. Why are you asking?"
"Here." She shoved a small coin purse at the taller woman before disappearing back into the crowd.
"What was that about?" Leandra wondered.
"Perhaps she simply doesn't know how stealing works," her daughter joked. She shook her head and opened the bag.
A sharp inhale had me leaning closer to look inside. I watched as Marian counted out several golden coins. Unlike the currency I was used to, these coins were larger and thicker, making a deeper clink than my change might have.
"Ten..."
"Ten?" Mama Hawke whispered harshly. "But who would have...?"
"Seems that witch was more generous than she let on. Or desperate."
Hawke cinched the purse shut and jerked her head back the way we had come. As we walked, I tried to recall how much ten sovereigns was worth. I found myself drawing a blank. The gold coins were the best ones, this I knew, but I couldn't remember how much they would buy. Judging by the expressions I saw on their faces, their worth was substantial.
"So, is that enough to get all of us on a ship or...?"
"It's quite enough for that," Mama Hawke assured.
"Assuming we can talk down the price to something reasonable." Marian had an odd expression on her face when she turned to me. "Where are you from again?" My face fell. "Ah, yes, it's all some big secret. Are you certain going to Kirkwall is the best option, then?"
"Yes," I blurted.
"Really."
Mama Hawke turned to me, a gentle hand touching my shoulder. "I know this situation is frightening, but if Kirkwall is not where you need to be, please, tell us." She smiled. "I know my daughter promised to help get you home, and that hasn't changed, for any of us. Please, allow us to help you. It's the least we could do after what you did for my son."
Her voice turned watery at the end, causing sympathy wetness to spring up behind my own eyes. "Thank you," I whispered, for some reason unable to speak any louder. She simply looked at me, the same soft smile on her face, and I realized she was expecting more of an answer. I swiped at my nose and took a deep breath.
"I... I do want to get home-" I paused to wipe my eyes. "But, I'm not sure how. I wasn't even living at home, and last I remember before I met you, I was just on the road..."
Hawke shifted as we all came to a stop, the soft clinking in her hand reminding me of our deadline. Looking up at Mama Hawke's face, finally, I managed to continue. "I was traveling anyway, and if I die here, I'll never get home." A squeezing in my chest strangled the next words I meant to say. 'Please let me come with you.'
"That is true," Hawke said, "But I'm certain some of these ships are stopping elsewhere. They could drop you closer. If you remember where that is."
I tittered nervously. "Yeah, I... I have no idea how I ended up in Ferelden in the first place..." Both women's eyes widened.
"Ferelden?" Mama Hawke said, hand tightening on my arm. "You weren't even in the country? Oh you poor dear." Sidling closer, she wrapped her arm completely around my shoulders. "Don't you worry, we wouldn't dream of leaving you behind in a foreign country, would we Marian?"
Said daughter sighed. "No, we wouldn't. What would help is if you told us what country you're trying to get back to. Would a map help?" She asked sarcastically.
I managed a weak chuckle. "Maybe? How big would the map be?"
She just shook her head. "And you don't remember how you got here?" Her eyes sharpened at my conspicuous silence. "Sabrina."
"Well," I said, wrapping my arms across my stomach, "At one point, the road it... wavered." I furrowed my brows and closed my eyes. "It was like, a heat mirage. Then I fell, I think, and when I hit the ground... I was just outside Lothering."
I looked up at Marian when all I heard was silence. I shifted from foot to foot, but stayed within Mama Hawke's side hug.
"You don't think your sudden journey here had something to do with your... talents, do you?" Marian asked.
I frowned. I wanted to say no, but could I be sure?
Hawke continued in a quieter volume, "That witch, Flemeth, did call you something. A 'voyager.' Perhaps that has something to do with it?"
"I'm not sure," I said slowly, "I've never heard of anyone calling themselves that. It's just, a term that means people who explore, I guess." Now that I considered who said it, it probably had some significance. ...Besides the fact someone who sounded like Captain Janeway said it. Wasn't that an odd thought.
"But, I guess, until I figure this out, I'd like to, come with you." The last part came out as more of a question, but both women did smile.
"Of course," Mama Hawke assured. Her daughter relaxed her stance.
"Well, we should probably secure that ship then." As we started following Marian, she looked at me again. "What's a heat mirage?"
Several minutes after attempting to explain a natural phenomenon I didn't fully understand, we made it back to the shipyard.
Weaving around distraught families, we saw the captain of our potential passenger ship was finally available. Hopefully he would be more helpful than the first mate.
"Excuse me, Ser," Marian called. "Do you still have room for your journey to Kirkwall?"
He responded in a gruff voice, "Depends. I got some room, but I can't take anyone unless they pay. No exceptions. Just you three?"
"No, we have three other companions, and my hound as well."
"We can't have untrained dogs on board."
"He's a mabari, and well trained."
The captain grunted, but seemed pleased enough. "Alright, well if you've got nine sovereigns on ya, feel free," he said gesturing to his ship.
Hawke pulled the pouch into plain sight, but instead of reaching in, she cocked her hip. "Six sovereigns."
The captain scoffed. "Do you know how many sods want to leave Ferelden right now? And it'll only get worse as news spreads about what happened at Ostagar. Nine sovereigns, and you should be grateful I'm still accepting passengers on a cargo vessel."
Hawke stood her ground. "Seven sovereigns, and Aveline and I will do work for you as we sail." At his unimpressed expression, she continued, "We've both trained for combat, we can handle manual labor."
"Hmm." He rubbed at his beard, stroking the coarse grey hairs. "What about your mabari? Any special skills?"
Seeing Hawke hesitate, I quickly thought of anything ships might need. Sailing problems, come on, you've read plenty of fantasy... A memory from several nights ago flashed through my head, and I found myself blurting out an answer.
"Cal- the mabari, he's good at catching rats." With the older man's attention, I swallowed and tried to appeal to both his honor and needs. "If any rodents do actually manage to sneak aboard, he'd get rid of them quick."
"...Very well." I breathed out when he finally stopped scrutinizing me. "Seven sovereigns, plus the work you've promised."
Hawke presented him with the proper amount, letting him test the coins. "Welcome aboard. Ship leaves in about thirty minutes, at the four bells."
"Thank you, good Ser," Mama Hawke said. He just waved her off.
We went to the agreed meeting place, an area with particularly nice flowerbeds, to meet up with the rest of our party. It was done. My new companions were leaving their homeland, likely never to return.
But all I could think of was how I could get back to mine.
0-o-0
I found out very quickly I was not used to sea travel. Ferries and small lake boats had not prepared me for the levels of turbulence on the open sea. Though I didn't feel seasick, at least not the way I'd heard it described, my head would occasionally throb or swirl like a dizzying amusement park teacup ride.
There was nothing much to do besides rest and talk, since the sailors didn't want us spending too much time up on deck. Apparently we would have gotten in their way as they tended to the ship's sails and various other tasks, though I was also sure I had heard superstitious whispers.
The gentle rocking threw me off sometimes, but the down time gave me plenty of opportunities to think about what I was going to do now. The ship would reach Kirkwall, and then... I follow the story?
Home was the only thing constantly on my mind. I knew I needed to find a way there, or at the very least, a plan on where and how to get pertinent information. Inter-dimensional travel wasn't a likely gossip subject.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and focused on breathing. The smell of unwashed human flooded my senses, reminding me of the other families who managed to garner passage. Gross. I surreptitiously leaned to smell my own armpits. Okay, so they weren't the only ones.
"What are you thinking about?" I turned, surprised to see Carver talking to me of his own free will. I figured he'd be too upset with me to strike up a conversation. Maybe he was bored.
"Do you think sea water is sanitary?" I asked. "I mean, it's salty, sure, but can it get you clean?"
His eyebrows climbed his forehead. "What, are you thinking of jumping in?" I felt acid in my stomach and sent him a deadpan look. What was his goddamn problem?
A large, insincere smile spread across my face as my confusion immediately turned to burning irritation. "I was thinking of throwing some people in. Are you volunteering?"
"Of course not," he huffed.
"Too bad," I said in mock disappointment.
"She's only looking out for your best interests, brother." Marian scooted closer to our part of the group. "How will you ever bring home a lovely lady if you smell like halibut?"
"Will you stop with that?" he demanded, ears turning red, "That's not how it was with, her, before."
I titled my head further when no answers were forthcoming. He had a love interest? Then again, in the two playthroughs I sat through with my roommate, Carver had always died. What did I actually know about him?
"Really? Well, Ellen was rather secretive, wasn't she." She turned to me. "Something the two of you have in common."
Her chipper declaration of my hidden background was pushed to the back of my mind as the name Ellen hit me. My roommate's name. I wondered how she was doing, relaxing back at our apartment.
"Hello? You don't have to ignore me in order to avoid your past."
I grimaced as Marian tried to capture my attention. "S-sorry." Avoiding every single question she threw at me, or her jabs at my lack of info, was not the best plan. I mean, so long as I didn't go saying anything crazy, like I was from another dimension or planet or whatever, it was fine, right?
"Ellen, the name, it reminded me of my roommate. So I was just thinking."
"Hmm..." Her eyes looked more sympathetic. "Your home, you said you left? You were traveling?"
"Um, yeah, I mean, I didn't expect to end up so far though. Or in a Blight," I ended up mumbling.
"I don't think anyone expected that," Carver scoffed, "Even the army."
"Your... room mate," Hawke said, low but clear, "Did you have to leave her behind?"
My eyes widened as I caught her drift. Marian and her mother were the only ones I had told about the fact I was from another country. She probably thought the 'Ellen's we were discussing were the same. My stomach rolled with the next pitch of the ship as I shook my hands back and forth. "No no," I assured, "Of course not. She's, back at our shared place, uh, in the city."
"Denerim?" Carver asked.
Sure, I thought. But I knew if I actually tried to speak the lie it would fall right through. I changed the subject.
"She'll be fine, I'm sure." Hawke immediately focused on me, and I felt my stomach flip.
"And you're alright leaving her behind?" Hawke questioned, "You don't think she'll wonder what happened to you when you don't come back?"
I flinched. God, that's what my family and roommate would actually have to deal with. Dammit. "They'll be fine," I whispered.
Neither sibling looked like they believed me.
Carver finally spoke up saying, "Why did you get on a ship to Kirkwall then? I mean, it's stopping at a town near Denerim for supplies, right? Why don't you just get off there?"
Oh. Oh shit. Shit shit, I didn't think my story through at all. We were stopping near Denerim? I had no reason to say no, especially if I just implied my roommate was there.
"W-well, I really don't want to get caught up in the Blight..." But I knew it was a weak excuse. I mean, a responsible person would go get her friends out of danger right? If I truly thought the Blight would reach Denerim, and my best friend was actually there, I'd try to save her.
"So, you won't try to get the person who you've been living with to safety?" Carver demanded.
"I-it's not that simple, I just-"
"She's not there, Carver. She's not in Ferelden," Hawke stated.
"What?" Carver's eyebrows slanted dangerously towards his eyes. "Where is she then? Have you been lying?"
My breath caught. "No, I mean, that's not-!"
"Sabrina," Hawke said, staring straight at me, "We've already promised you a safe passage to Kirkwall. So if you still want to come, well, there's no reason or way for me to really stop you. However, I do not want whatever you're hiding to harm my family. So if you have something you need to say, do it now."
I shook my head, panicking when she made to turn away.
"Wait! Wait. I just meant, I'm not in trouble or anything..." I winced at my exaggeration. I was in trouble, but only because I wasn't on Earth. "I really am, alone, here."
A moment passed where they both examined me, two shades of blue staring me down, and I tried to look a truthful as possible. Surprisingly, Carver spoke up first.
"We did meet an Ellen after our initial run in with the darkspawn." His brow furrowed, looking more confused than angry. "She wouldn't tell us what she was doing there, only that she had some business with the Circle."
And they were both staring me down again. What they wanted from me, I wasn't sure. I was lucky to remember all of the main characters, much less someone who might not even be in the game. Hm. Was he talking about the Circle towers where mages were kept under strict watch?
"Okay...?"
Carver's brows somehow pushed even closer together. How was he doing that? "She probably wouldn't tell us because her business was about you." He finished with a finger pointing right at me.
I managed a pitiful smile. "Not likely. No one knows where I am. I don't know anyone in Ferelden." My voice got softer and softer, until I whispered, "I told you that."
"No, you didn't. You only just told us you weren't from Ferelden." Carver lowered his voice as he leaned in. "I think that Ellen was going to the Circle, looking for you. Maybe you knew you were a mage after all."
"Carver, that's bordering on paranoid," Marian pointed out, though even she had questions in her eyes.
"Marian-" The siblings had a brief, but silent, conversation. When the younger brother looked away, Marian sighed and turned back to me.
"We'll take you at your word, for now. But I do hope you'll share with us, eventually. I can't stand not knowing things. One of my more annoying personality traits." Her mouth pulled into a lopsided grin, and I chuckled. She and Carver shared some expressions after all.
Not that they looked so similar now, considering Carver's scowl had, inexplicably, grown in the time his sister was speaking. "Well I'd like an explanation, now."
"Of course you would," Marian sighed.
"I-I can explain a little?" I squeaked. I hated when people got angry. It caused me to clam up more than usual. Carver leaned back against the mizzenmast and glared at me. His foot started a slow rhythm on the floor as I waited for confirmation.
"Well?" he barked, "I'm listening."
My heart jumped up my throat. Honestly, he could stand to calm down. I looked all over the hold, taking note of the other refugees. None of them looked like they were listening, all in various states of sleep or depression.
"Okay. I told Marian. I'm, not from Ferelden," I started, "I was... well I don't know what I was doing there. I just sort of, fell, and ended up near Lothering."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Carver demanded, though he did follow my example and lower his voice. "You fell? You don't remember why you were in Ferelden? That doesn't make any sense!"
"I-I know," I placated, "But I'm confused, too. So... I don't really have any better answers."
Marian placed a calming hand on her brother's shoulder. "Carver," she said, lowering her voice even more than we were, "We believe it may have been some... magical accident."
Carver stopped seething at me, but his eye roll was so violent I was surprised the orbs didn't fall out of his skull. "Oh, of course it was. Why not?" He started muttering to himself about witches and darkspawn and crazy researchers with no eyesight.
I didn't hear most of it, but it got Marian to raise an eyebrow. Deciding that was enough interrogation for one day, I laid down on the creaking wood and turned onto my side, ready for some sleep.
0-o-0
The days on the boat went by slowly, and I spent most of the time I wasn't sleeping doing some undercover training with Bethany. There were no Templars or members of the Chantry aboard, but we were cautious regardless, disguising the training sessions as methods for honing the mind in battle.
I was getting more comfortable with the exercises, and I found myself able to enter a calm state faster each time.
Of course, about three days in, I had the oddest dream. It was surprisingly clear, even for one of my usual dreams; The dream haze which normally covered everything and told me where to go was thinned. I felt it around, but far away, like the dream focused elsewhere. It was an odd sensation, mist I could feel but not see.
Nothing much was happening in the dream, the area around me shifting from beach dunes to a cityscape, with the two oddly intertwined.
I shrugged and walked towards the thickest impression of mist. Maybe that's where my dream was supposed to take place. As I got closer, I felt something, wrong. Like a heavy pressure trying to dissuade me from moving onward.
Normally I would follow the directions of a dream, but this just seemed so out of place. Was this a horror dream? Usually I could ignore those until they changed into something else, but this one wanted me to leave. I wasn't putting up with bullshit tonight, so I continued forward to confront it.
A house suddenly appeared before me, so I knocked before walking through the open door. "Hello? What's going on and why is everything weird?" I called.
The main room made me stop in my tracks. Before me was my roommate, Ellen, and two people I assumed to be her family.
"Oh. Hi."
I only vaguely recalled her family from the one time they visited during her graduation. Regardless, I waved, hoping they were nice in this dream.
"Sabrina?" Ellen asked as she stood from the comfortable-looking couch, "What are you doing here?"
I couldn't help the relieved smile on my face. My roommate seemed the same as usual. However, the more willowy woman on the couch, whom I recognized as her sister, stood up as well.
The younger sister-what was her name again? Bethany?-immediately turned her back on me. I tensed up. It was one of those dreams, huh? Maybe I should try to get rid of the not-Bethany.
"She's visiting," the young woman stated, clamping a hand down on my roommate's shoulder. "She said she would, how could you forget?"
"Yeah, of course." Ellen smiled, then looked at me. "I'm glad you could make it here. Was the flight okay?"
I felt some information trying to express itself to me, but it kept coming with a suffocating feeling of the mist. I shook it off and hoped I'd interpreted it right. "Of course, I love taking planes, you know that."
"Right. I also know you love the beach. You came just in time. We were just about to go. You up for it?"
"Ellen," her sister interrupted, "Go upstairs and pack up whatever we might need. I want to get to know your... roommate, better."
"Wait, what about you, Bekah?" Ellen questioned. Ah, that was her name! "Shouldn't you get ready?"
With a smile as charming as a used-car salesman, the blonde said, "Don't worry about me." Her saccharine words got a hesitant nod from Ellen.
"You girls play nice," their father said, ushering my friend away from me.
"Ah, hold on," I called out, "I definitely want to come with you. Specifically, Ellen, you." I gestured to her.
Her smile spread across her face while her arms bobbed up in happy motions.
"Sure, sure," she agreed. "I'll be right back!" With that, she rushed up a set of stairs, her father following sedately after her.
"Whoa, whoa! I said I want to be with you," I insisted, moving after my best friend.
The taller body stepping between us stopped me in my tracks. Her sister had at least six inches on me, damn. Not like something as trivial as height would stop me in a dream. I had control here. I tried to shove Bekah out of the way and get to my roommate, but the towering blonde pushed me back.
"Move!" I demanded. "I don't care who you are to her, I'll obliterate you!"
"Will you?" She cocked a brow at me. "You would certainly try. You have a power here..." Both of our eyes narrowed, mine in suspicion and hers in what seemed like contemplation.
"I will offer you a deal," Bekah said, crossing her arms and lifting her nose in the air, "You may stay here, with your roommate."
"And in exchange, what, I have to deal with you? Absolutely not."
Her lips pulled back from her teeth. "I will suffer no renegades in my territory. Speak nothing to her of what you know, and live a life of peace, unburdened by your troubles. Sleep here, happy, surrounded by your desires. That is my offer."
"No deal," I bit out. "Ellen!"
I stumbled back as Bekah's form began to melt, revealing horns and a tail. A demon? Oh, shit, that's right! I was dreaming about Thedas, so of course there are demons.
I stumbled backwards a few steps, watching the purple creature floating a couple inches above the floor. She sneered. "You should have taken my offer. Now you will perish."
She lunged at me, and I ran out of the way, leaping over the couch. Okay, I had to fight. No big deal. At least, I thought so until I got hit with some of the purple fire around her hand. I screamed as pain flared up my arm.
What the hell? I grabbed my joint and looked to see red dripping from it. I was bleeding? I never got injured in my dreams! Not like this, anyway. I was usually so good at changing my bad dreams to good ones, I never saw any blood or gore. What was this then?
I flinched as she flung herself at me again, only to watch her bounce off a pale, glowing wall. Staff swinging, a man in griffon embroidered armor came charging through the wall.
"Not today demon!" he shouted.
Dark flames consumed the demon as she screeched and sank into the floor.
Still tense, the man turned to me, eyeing my injury. "Let me heal that."
"...Okay." I walked over to him, sucking in a breath as he laid a hand on me, only to breathe out when the burning feeling around my wound faded. "Thanks." Energy like warmth bath water rippled from his hand, and the pain ebbed completely.
He gave me the sweetest smile I had seen for a while. "It's not a problem. Are you trapped here too?"
"Trapped here?" I questioned, "Like, in this dream with heavy fog? I don't think so." I wrinkled my nose. "You actually feel... off as well. Like, you're covered in it."
The mage looked down and waved his hands about as though trying to dispel a cloud of insects. "It does feel rather sticky in here, doesn't it? Like honey."
My eyes brightened. "So you noticed it too!"
"Of course," he said, "I'm glad you did. Only one other person has noticed the trouble we're in, and-" His eyes widened. "Are you... a mage? From the tower?"
I blinked rapidly. "Um, yes and no. I am a mage, apparently," I grumbled while rolling my eyes, "But I'm not from any tower or whatever."
Again with people thinking I was from a mage tower. ...Wait, again? I was forgetting something. Regardless, the man's shoulders drooped.
"That's odd. Then I don't suppose you've seen any other people here? Who aren't demons?"
"I'm pretty sure my roommate isn't a demon?" I pondered aloud, "She had that same... cloud around her. But thicker than yours." I let out a long breath and slumped. "So weird... Why do you ask?"
Before he could answer me, a screech echoed through the room, heralding the desire demon that popped back up where she had left, three rage demons with her. I immediately tensed at their arrival, watching their lava-like bodies sway as they decided on a target.
The desire demon herself molded back into the form of Bekah, making a break for the staircase Ellen and her father had disappeared on.
Beside me, the mage sprung into action, flinging a spell of pure energy to try and distract her, and managing to catch one rage demon in the side. His response, however, left two of the rage demons looking at me. They both moved forward, splitting up as they tried to surround me.
I quickly backed up towards a large window, pressure from the air bearing down even harder now. The man turned to see my predicament and let the fake Bekah leave as he ran towards me, swiping at the third rage demon in his way.
"Ellen," I heard the desire demon snarl, "Go back to Dad."
A brief glance told me my roommate was back, watching the scene with confusion and concern in her dark eyes, the fake Bekah blocking the entrance from the stairs.
"Ellen?" I heard the man gasp out, still dodging attacks from the rage demon attacking him and responding with ice. "No! Ellen don't. Don't listen to that demon!"
I kept inching back as the other two fiery demons closed in on me. All I thought was that maybe I could change the dream. "Ellen!" I called, "This is a dream. I-! I think it's centered on you!"
Both demons growled at me and began moving forward in earnest just as the mage finished with the other demon. Even so, I knew he couldn't reach me in time. My back hit the glass, and I inhaled sharply, desperately imagining myself in a different place, begging to wake up.
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice shouted, "Move!"
Just as the lava creatures would have attacked me, I felt two strong hands grab me from behind before flinging me out the window.
As I twisted around and looked back up, time seemed to slow. Both of the rage demons that had been after me were breaking through thick layers of ice. The mage was swinging his glowing staff at a thick shadow that had taken my place, causing it to dissipate. And I saw the mage try to yell something at me just as I hit the fake ocean below.
I woke with a startled gasp, feeling my body jerk as it tried to catch itself from a fall which never happened. Hands shaking, I wiped sea water from the side of my face. I wasn't sure what my dream meant, but it sure messed with my heart rate.
I took in the forms still sleeping around me, making sure everyone in our group was accounted for. Yep, Good. Calenhad lifted his head and tilted it at me in question.
"It's nothing," I whispered, leaning over Marian to scratch at his shoulder. "Let's both get some sleep."
He licked my hand before settling back down next to his partner. I tried to do the same, ignoring the rocking of the ship and the wind outside.
If my dream was important, I'd remember it tomorrow.
A/N: Soooo... It hasn't been a year, yet. Aha. I won't bore you with my life details, but I'm in a better place now, and I COMPLETED NaNoWriMo. Editing may take time, but at least I have the material written for a few chapters.
I could complain about all the research I did, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. So I hope all of you get the same happiness reading it as I do writing it! (Just, you know, with less life crises in the middle.)
