Chapter Seven

"Lady Ely, follow me!" Dairren said as he pulled me towards a tree near the edge of town.

We had come into town together. I had come to see if Nathaniel was here; I had my return gift finished for him. I had spent hours sewing a leather pouch for him to wear and carry things in. Nathaniel liked practical things over pretty baubles. I hated sewing but I wanted to make something for him, like he made for me.

We had reached the tree and Dairren held out his other hand to show me something he had been hiding. It was a small dagger with a garnet set in the center of the hilt.

He leaned forward and whispered something in my ear.

"It's a Satinalia gift, for Fergus. Don't tell anyone, okay? If he doesn't like me, I don't want anyone to know. I trust you, Ely," he said before kissing my cheek and darting off. I felt the heat rising in my face; he liked my brother? Did he mean he liked Fergus the same way I liked Nathaniel? I was confused by the notion but if Dairren would make Fergus happy then that was a good thing. Poor Dairren though, if Fergus didn't feel the same.

I shook my head to clear the confusion away and headed back home to prepare for my training session.

"Well, maybe if you try changing your stance, you'll have better balance?" Fergus suggested. Training had been rather uneventful with Nathaniel and Dairren being missing. Fergus and I had just finished up and he was giving me some tips. We had grown closer since he beat up Colbert.

We were taking a walk to the stables when we heard some muffled sounds coming from behind the barn. Fergus put a finger to his lips and started slowly sneaking to see who it was. I followed him quietly, trying not to trip. I wasn't very good at sneaking.

When we got behind the stable I saw a boy with long dark hair kissing a pretty blonde girl. Her eyes were closed as he kissed her neck and I felt my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. The boy turned his head to nuzzle her hair and I felt my heart drop as I caught a glimpse of his face; it was Nathaniel.

I felt a pain tighten in my chest. I could feel tears beginning to well up in my eyes but I blinked them away. I would not cry. It's not like I owned Nathaniel; he was free to be with whoever he wanted. I turned on my heel and walked away. Fergus followed close behind. I was just glad Nathaniel hadn't noticed us spying on him. If he spoke to me right now I didn't know what I would do.

Fergus cleared his throat and touched my shoulder. "Ely? Are you... okay?" he asked, the concern evident in his voice.

I shrugged him off. "I'm fine, Fergus. Why would I be bothered over what that Nathaniel Howe does? Let him kiss a horse, if he wants. I don't care," I insisted. It was a lie, of course, but the only thing I could say.

Fergus looked at a loss for words. "Do you want me to beat him up for you, Sis?"

I chuckled at the thought and almost considered it. "No. I'm fine. I'm not even surprised. Nathaniel probably sees me as a little sister; just because I have a crush on him doesn't mean he isn't allowed to like other girls." I walked away; I just wanted to be alone right now.

I decided to ride Aska into town. Perhaps looking at the weapon stalls would take my mind of Nathaniel and my broken heart.

When I arrived in town there was a commotion going on with some Templars. I couldn't see what was going on so I moved closer, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"Come, mage. We are here to take you to the Circle. Do not resist and you will not be harmed." The Templar who spoke grabbed the arm of a young boy. I peered closely; it was Colbert!

Colbert jerked his arm free of the Templar's grasp. "Mother! Please, don't let them take me! I want to stay at home with you!" His voice was high pitched and desperate; tears rolled down his face in thick drops as he begged his mother to intervene.

His mother looked at him, a mixture of fear and disgust on her face. "I'm sorry Colbert. You should go with the Templars. All mages should be locked away for the safety of us all."

Colbert's eyes widened in shock. "No! Mother, please, don't leave me! I would never hurt you ! Please, don't let them take me, Mother, please!" he shouted, clinging to his mother's dress. I felt tears of my own begin; Colbert may be a bully but the pain was so clear in his voice I couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

The young woman who was his mother tugged her dress out of his hands and looked down on her son with cold eyes. "You don't belong here now. I'm sorry, Colbert, but I just don't know how to love you anymore."

She didn't love her own son? I didn't understand; my own mother would travel to the Fade itself to protect me if she needed to. Colbert fell to the ground and hung his head. "Fine. If there is no place for me, in this world, then I will make one of my own!" He shouted the last few words and fire bloomed in his hands. His eyes turned red as he shot fireballs at the Templars. Soon he skin began to twist in upon itself; turning him into an ugly misshapen form.

"Wonderful. Another abomination to be slain and this one a child," I heard a Templar say. I watched as the abomination that was once Colbert was slain by the Templars. Blood was everywhere and I was close enough that specks covered my face.

It felt like my whole world was spinning out of control. I'd never seen an abomination before and to see one killed so quickly was shocking. Colbert was dead. I could scarcely believe it; this boy I had known was a mage and now he lay dead with no one to mourn him.

Tears ran down my cheeks and I felt nauseous. I wanted to run and hide but my feet felt nailed to the ground. I could feel myself shaking and I didn't know what to do. Suddenly someone grabbed me from behind and pulled me into a tight hug; it was Nathaniel.

He whispered comforting words into my ear as he stroked my hair and held me. I gripped him tightly, forgetting my earlier hurt and anger at him. After a few moments I pulled back from his embrace. He reached forward and wiped the tears from my face.

"Why? Why did his mother abandon him like that?" I asked, my voice shaky.

Nathaniel sighed. "People fear mages, Ely. They have so much power at their fingertips and demons flock to them."

I shook my head fiercely; it still didn't make sense to me. "But that was her son! Even if I was a mage I know my mother would still love me! If that woman hadn't been so cruel to her own flesh maybe he wouldn't have had to die! He shouldn't have been forced from his home that way!" It suddenly seemed terribly unfair to me, the way the mages were ripped from their homes. Why couldn't their families visit? Why couldn't they be allowed out for holidays once they had learned to control their powers? Everyone in Thedas knew the fate of any mage born child. They were to be torn from their families and locked away in a Tower of Magi. They were never allowed out. Never free. Not even allowed to marry or pursue their dreams.

Nathaniel reached his hand out, as if to touch my face again, before he dropped it back to his side. "You should be careful where you say such things. Mage freedom is not a popular opinion and the Templars are still nearby." He sighed again and shook his head. "What were you doing in town, anyway?"

I couldn't possibly tell him I caught him with that girl. "I was, uh, looking for you! I have your return gift for Satinalia," I said as I pulled the leather pouch out of my pocket. I had been carrying it around since I made it in hopes of running into Nathaniel.

His eyes widen. Was he shocked I had made him something? He reached out and took the pouch from me, a slight smile on his face. I loved his smile; it always did funny things to my heart.

"Hmm, what's this, Nate? A leather purse?" It was the blonde girl I had caught him with earlier.

"It's a pouch, Caroline. For men," Nathaniel replied as she clung to his arm, pressing herself as close to him as she could get.

Caroline laughed, her voice sounding like the tinkling of bells. "Yes, well, look at the stitching! What a horrible job. You should get your money back from whichever merchant you bought that from, Lady Eilonwy," she replied.

I felt my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. "I-I didn't buy it at a merchant stall. I made it."

"Ah. Well, I'm sure you tried very hard." I could hear the laughter in her voice and Nathaniel wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Yes, of course! I'm sorry my gift wasn't very good, Nathaniel. I... I should go, let the two of you be alone."

Nathaniel looked over at me just then, a strange expression on his face, but it was Caroline who spoke. "Yes, Nate is being an absolute darling and taking me on a romantic date. Isn't he just the sweetest thing you ever saw, Lady Eilonwy?" She purred, leaning her head against Nathaniel's shoulder.

I could feel the hurt well up inside again. Nathaniel must like her, if he was taking her on a date. "Yes, Nathaniel is a very noble gentleman," I replied, trying to keep the sadness from my voice. "Please, don't let me keep you any longer." I turned and walked back toward Aska. I just wanted to go home and lock myself in my room before this day got any worse.