Chapter 3

Test of Strength | Revised

Dread. It was pure undeniable dread that made her voice go up several octives.

"But! But you said - oh Maker don't drag me to the others! Just let me go, I wont follow her anymore. Just let me go, and I'll -"

He almost let her slip too, until Sten looked up and saw them approaching. The Qunari looked as if he was frowning but then again, he always looked like he was frowning.

"What. Is that."

Her muscles tensed even further under his grip as the massive man walked closer, but she did the last thing he expected. Instead of taking a step away from the tower coming at them, she stepped forward as she glared up at him, clearly angered at what he'd said.

"I am not a 'that' Qunari."

The giant blinked as if he was put back by the venom in the small girls words but she went on.

"I am a warrior, like you. My name is Madeia."

All Sten did was stare down at her with a scowl that looked a tad bit more threatening than it usually did.

"Women cannot be warriors. I've had this discussion with the Warden."

Zevran quickly released her arm to take a step away from her as she almost seemed to poof up in anger. Looking between the two of them, Madeia and Sten was a lot like looking at a kitten looking up at a lion. He almost wanted to hop in and put some space between the two of them, but his curiousity over what was going to happen out weighed his concern about her.

Her silver blue eyes met the Qunari's head on without a single sign of wavering.

"Well I'm sorry that you think that, but I am a warrior."

Now, Sten leaned down, bending over her slightly and Zevran knew it was to intimidate her, but the look on Madeias face let him know she wasn't going to stand down simply because Sten was larger than her.

"I could kill you with one swing of my Asala."

He watched her lips twitch before they curved ever so slightly in a small smirk, and Zevran wondered if fear had caused it, or if she was actually excited by the threat.

"I have no desire to fight you. I only wish to help the Warden," she cast him a sidelong glance "from a distance of course, but don't let my appearance mislead you. It would take a lot more than just one swing of your Asala to put me down."

Sten straightened then and Zevran swore he saw a hint of interest in the mans eyes as he continued to stare down at her.

"You do not back down to someone who is clearly stronger than you." he crossed his arms and nodded as though he almost approved of her "Though it's unwise, I will advise the Warden that you might be useful to her."

Stens lip twitched then, which sent an almost instinctive surge of apprehension through Zevran's body.

"But I will have to test your will first."

Even though Sten was large, he still moved with lightning quick reflexes when he drew his weapon, but Madeia moved just a bit faster than him, blocking his blow with two daggers that she slipped out from her leather bracers.

"I told you I didn't want to fight!"

Sten only moved back, readying his sword for another strike.

With an almost feral sounding growl she flung her arms out, releasing the daggers from her hands, sending them into the trunk of the trees to her sides.

"You throw away your weapons? That is a foolish thing to do."

Zevran watched as she smiled up at the giant, licking the corner of her lips.

"Only getting rid of needless distraction."

With that her hands moved back to her waist and she pulled out matching twin blades. With a flick of her wrists, she twirled the weapons around with a deadly grace that had him watching her more closely than he ought as she made her move. She went for Sten then, but he dodged, bringing his sword down towards her in a sure movement that had Zevran thinking she was a goner. But the blade sliced through air and a second later she was coming in on his other side. The Qunari blocked the attack with the side of his sword with a grunt and she tumbled away from him with a graceful roll that came to a stop at the balls of her feet, hunched down towards the ground in a fashion that had him instantly comparing her to a cat waiting to pounce. Maybe he'd been wrong in comparing her to a kitten, a panther maybe but she was nothing but graceful sure footed movements and bite. He watched with bated breath as they continued to move around one another. Every strike Sten threw at her she either skillfully evaded or blocked with an alarming amount of ease.

"Do we really need to continue this?!" she smirked up at Sten's face, her expression one of arrogant triumph. "I really wouldn't want to risk injuring one of the Wardens companions"

Zevran almost wanted to applaud her for her bravery in taunting a Qunari but it also left him questioning her sanity.

Sten only frowned at her comment before moving advancing on her again but she danced around him. Ducking under his attacks and blocking the ones she couldn't seem to avoid. She moved with a lethal grace that caused her hair to fan out around her like a blizzard.

"You are light on your feet."

Zevran grimaced at Stens obvious comment but he noted how she tried to hide the smile that tugged at her lips. She was definitely enjoying this far more than any sane person should.

"And you are relentless in your attempts to smash me into the ground."

He only glanced behind him as he heard Lelianas laugh coming closer.

"I chose the right moment to join you it seems, who is the quick footed girl?"

Before he could respond, Sten was charging at her again but she ducked and twisted around him, running a blade across his arm, slicing down the length of his arm as it went.

"Have I not proven myself to you enough already?"

He grunted at her, looking down at his arm.

"You hold back in battle."

Zevran watched as she frowned, returning her blades to their scabbards and moved towards Sten.

"You take things too seriously."

He went to raise his weapon again but she moved, knocking it from his hands with a force that he couldn't fathom her having. With a scowl, she reached up and placed the palm of her hand over the cut she'd made and like the insane person that Zevran now thought her to be, she closed her eyes.

In an instant, Leliana's hand was suddenly on his forearm in a death like grip.

"She's going to get herself killed!"

But they watched as Sten stared down at her, confusion evident on his face before a small white light flared from under her hand and he quickly stumbled away from her, leaving both Zevran and Leliana in a stunned silence.

"There, I healed my handy work. No need to thank me though, I'll just be taking my leave now."

As she took a step away from them, Zevran was about to head her off but the familiar voice of the Warden rose up from behind them, drawing him up short.

"Did you guys make a friend while we were away?"