8. Meet the Wardens
Tasha eyed the Dalish elf in front of her thoughtfully. Even with her shields up, she could still sense the amount of pain Medb was in quite acutely and she hadn't been lying when she mentioned the fever. She looked ill. There was a strong spirit in the elf, but whatever was wrong with her was killing it, or at the very least muting it. Tasha would have put a sovereign (despite her lack of any actual money) on it being the former.
She also hadn't been lying when she said she was fascinated by the Dalish but she wanted some sort of response to come up past whatever was blocking Medb. She'd gotten it and now she was mulling over the similarities between her and Duncan. Both were difficult to read, among the hardest she'd ever encountered - and that included Jowan with his weird block. Although when she stopped to think about it, his was probably blood magic related. But neither Duncan nor Medb were mages and even though their emotional barriers were similar, whatever the difference was between the two was killing Medb. Most likely.
She shifted her thoughts to the back of her mind to be mulled over at a later time when Medb stopped in front of a rather handsome man.
"And who might you be?" he asked, roguish brown eyes twinkling. He was attracted to her, possibly Medb as well, and she didn't even need her gift to know that.
"My name is Tasha. Tasha Amell. I'm the newest recruit, I suppose." She smiled as the interest in his eyes grew even as a pang shook her chest.
"You're the newest recruit then? Not what I thought you'd be."
"And what did you think I'd be?"
"Not a woman. Yet, here you are." At Tasha's raised eyebrow and Medb's snort of disgust, he hastened to explain himself. "Me and ser knight took bets." Tasha glanced at Medb, who mouthed 'Jory'. "The name's Daveth and I'm glad you're finally here. I was beginning to wonder if they'd cooked up this ritual for our benefit."
Tasha perked up visibly, the interest flaring brightly in her eyes. "Ritual? What ritual?"
"Dunno. But whatever it is, the other Wardens won't say a word about it. And believe me, I tried."
"You've met the other Wardens then?"
"Only briefly. But I was sneaking around camp last night and I overheard two of them talking. I think they intend to send us into the Wilds." Daveth couldn't hide the fear that crept into his eyes. Tasha mentally nibbled on the information while Medb scoffed.
"The Wilds? No wilderness is worth that fear." Daveth turned his attention to the Dalish and Tasha was surprised by the flare of wariness from him. He didn't trust her. One glance at Medb told the mage that the feeling was mutual.
"There are monsters and witches in the Wilds. Not to mention darkspawn too," Daveth countered.
Smiling with a confidence she didn't feel at the word "darkspawn," Tasha simply cooled the air around them and let snow fall. Daveth paled, suddenly understanding. Medb cocked an eyebrow - though why, Tasha couldn't tell. "Let me worry about any witches," she said, letting herself sound more confident than she was feeling. She wasn't entirely sure that she could use her magic on a person for combat but let him think what he wanted.
"You're a…" Daveth cut off, seemingly unable to voice the word. She sighed.
"Daveth, I've spent most of my life as a mage. I haven't attacked anyone with my magic without excellent reason and I've never been possessed by a demon. I've passed my Harrowing, which I'm not actually allowed to talk about so don't ask for any details. You can trust me to be safe to be around." She smiled, trying to ease his fears, although if his reaction was normal, she should probably learn some sort of hand to hand combat to disguise her magic if she had to. "Besides, you've met Templars, haven't you?" He cautiously nodded, the fear softening a little though it was still dagger sharp. "There were loads in the tower. Do you honestly think they'd have let me out if I was that much of a danger?" She chose to leave out certain details of her recruitment. Amusement. The emotion was soft and vague but definitely present in the Dalish hunter at her side.
"I suppose not."
Tasha linked arms with him and beamed at him, though she was startled to realize that he was almost the same height she was. The man had seemed taller. "I'm glad. I'll watch your back if you watch mine. Mages make excellent pincushions and I'd rather not be turned into one," she quipped, unable to help herself.
"Oh, I'll watch your back," Daveth chuckled. Tasha relaxed as the tension eased.
"Charmer, aren't you?"
"At your service." He bowed almost mockingly but she was certain that was not the intention. "I suppose if you're here I should probably head over to Duncan." As he walked off, Tasha's shoulders slumped.
"You handled him well," Medb commented quietly.
"I know his type," the mage replied dryly. Then she closed her eyes. "I knew, at least in theory, that mages were hated. But I thought that everything inside the tower was exaggerated." She opened her eyes and there was a brief vulnerability that vanished quickly. "I suppose I shouldn't be showing off what I can do unless I know they'll react well, huh?"
Medb shrugged, hissing in a breath as a jolt of pain went through her. "At least you can hide. If you wanted to. Everyone makes assumptions about me because of the shape of my ears and the tattoos on my face. It's not right." There was a deep bitterness in her voice, strong enough that it startled Tasha by how clearly she could feel it.
"It's not fair," Tasha agreed softly, looking at her companion with new eyes. "We shouldn't have to hide who we are just because other people might disapprove."
Medb watched her for a few moments before she nodded. "You're all right for a shem. You seem to understand what most don't and you seem honorable."
That description made Tasha flinch as the memory of what had happened to Jowan slammed back into her mind. Medb didn't notice. "Yeah, well, you'll probably want to throw me off the top of a tower by the time you actually get to know me."
Medb shook her head. "Nonsense." Then her green eyes darkened and she scowled. "You should go meet Jory. He's not nearly as," she searched for the word, "friendly as Daveth is."
Tasha lifted an eyebrow. "Not friendly as in how exactly?"
"You'll see," came the cryptic reply.
Sure enough, within moments of meeting, Tasha wanted to set the man on fire never mind that she couldn't actually do that with her magic or strangle him, which was much more likely. He managed to insult her intelligence, insult Medb (who was visibly restraining herself and speaking as little as she possibly could), and prove himself to be completely magic phobic. All in almost the same breath.
"Duncan," she growled, finally unable to hold her temper anymore. "You're supposed to go find him." Jory didn't notice the frost at her feet. If he had, he probably would have gone crying to the Templars, and that would have just been a bloody mess. Instead, he nodded and walked off, gait and bearing screaming soldier. She waited until he was out of earshot before turning to Medb incredulously.
"I know," Medb said in answer to the expression on the mage's face. "He was far worse to me. Actually told me to bring his armor to the blacksmith for repairs. When I told him that would never happen and I was a recruit same as him and he could carry his own armor, he told me he was surprised that elves were allowed to join."
Anger flared in Tasha's eyes and the frost at her feet thickened. Small icicles formed. "How did you respond?"
"I put an arrow into the tree next to his head and walked off. I've avoided him since."
"I'm sorry that you had to see him again."
"I'm used to it. Shems aren't known for their kind treatment of elves, especially those of us who refuse to submit." She lifted her chin, faint defiance gleaming in her eyes.
"If it makes you feel any better, I think the Chantry's a load of horseshit." Medb's slender ears twitched in surprise, the first response that wasn't slow building. "I'm serious. A religion like that should inspire people to be better than they are and shouldn't be used as an excuse for violence, subjugation, or abuse."
"You mean to mages."
Tasha looked her dead in the eyes, stung a little by the other recruit's lack of faith in her, though she didn't blame her for it. "And elves. And anyone who has ever faced persecution by the Chantry just because of something that they couldn't control."
Medb blinked slowly. "Didn't you need to go find Alistair?"
Tasha sighed. "I suppose so. Well, lead the way, O Dangerous One." Medb paused and turned to the other recruit, who watched her stoically before cracking a grin. "Too soon?" she asked.
"Let's just go." As it was, Alistair - or at least who Tasha assumed was Alistair since that was where Medb had led her - was currently arguing with a mage. Senior Enchanter Brennlan, to be exact. His grumpiness hadn't improved upon being able to leave the tower, however temporarily, but the Warden (and Tasha knew that as surely as she knew her own name because he had a remarkably similar barrier up around to the one that Duncan did) handled him better than she'd ever been able to.
"Get out of my way," he snarled as he stalked past. Medb bristled, possibly seeing his behavior as a response to her ears. Tasha, on the other hand, sensed the exact moment that the Warden noticed them because even through that shield, she caught a flutter of interest and curiosity, though neither were necessarily sexual. Which was a bit refreshing for Tasha after the king and Daveth. She turned her head just as he realized Medb was there too. His reaction fascinated Tasha; it had been years since she'd dealt with anyone who didn't guard their emotions as fiercely as dragons were said to guard their treasure.
"One good thing about the Blight is how it brings people together," he said, smiling though it looked a bit forced and his hazel eyes were wary.
Tasha blinked at him. "You are a very strange man," she said without thinking, then clapped a hand over her mouth. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment as did the backs of her shoulders under her robes.
He looked at her for just a moment before bursting into laughter. It was loud and honest and Maker strike her down if it wasn't the loveliest sound she'd ever heard. The heat increased in her cheeks as soon as she had that thought. "You're not the first person to tell me that, although you're certainly the prettiest." The tips of his ears pinked as he realized what he said but otherwise didn't retract the comment, possibly hoping that she'd ignore it.
"Hmmm," she coughed, trying to get herself back under control. "So, uh, what was that about?" she asked, jerking her head toward where Brennlan had left, though part of her attention was still on trying to figure out why Alistair felt familiar. There was something about him that was distinct and separate from the shield.
"With the mage? Oh, the Grand Cleric wanted me to deliver a message and the mage picked up on the intended insult. As I'm sure he was supposed to." Alistair shook his head, looking distinctly uncomfortable. Tasha blinked, wondering why.
"Why would delivering a message be an insult?" Medb asked curiously.
"Because I received training as a Templar before I joined the Wardens," he answered with a careless shrug, as though the answer didn't particularly matter. To Medb, a Dalish elf outside of the Chantry who did not have magic, it wouldn't have. To the other recruit there, it did. Tasha physically recoiled, the blood draining from her face and the breath hissing out between her teeth. Her magic flared, poised, ready to strike if he so much as twitched in her direction. "Why, are you a mage?" he asked, brow pinching together, not quite understanding the reaction from the black-haired woman with the stormy grey eyes. The whiteness of her face only served to make her eyes look darker, half wild.
Medb glanced between the two of them, assessing. "Do you have a problem with magic?" she growled, taking a step forward so the taller human woman could scuttle behind her if she chose; she did. His eyes flicked to the mage who was staring at him coldly, warily. But underneath, he could see the fear that was only ever in mages surrounded by Templars, and in ones who had been mistreated. Then he understood the strange slide across his skin. Her magic. Yet he didn't feel threatened. Duncan knew about him and Duncan had sent her to him. So he was most likely safe. Hopefully.
"No, not at all. I just like knowing my chances of being turned into a frog. Nervous mages make me nervous and my background tends to make mages nervous. I don't really want to be turned into a frog." Tasha watched him as he smiled, trying to put her at ease. The attempt was not lost on her and she tentatively returned it, though the expression felt stiff, unnatural.
"You do realize that most mages can't turn people into frogs, right?" The look of complete astonishment on his face would have concerned her had she not felt a flicker of bright laugher from him.
"You mean the Chantry's been lying to me? Next thing I know, you'll be telling me that mages aren't just going to spontaneously turn into abominations." That startled laughter out of Tasha and the Warden looked entirely too pleased with himself. Then his eyes widened. "Wait, I do know who you are. If you're a mage, and not being followed by a helpful Templar bodyguard, that means you're the mage that Duncan recruited from the Circle. Plus, you're with Medb." He turned to the Dalish. "I'm surprised you're talking to her. I didn't get the impression you liked humans."
Medb stiffened. "I shouldn't have spoken to you that way. I wasn't thinking," she told him quietly. Tasha twitched in her direction as pain spiked down the elf's back, but she didn't react. There was a strange emotion akin to pity in his eyes, though the emotion didn't seem strong enough to break through so she could actually feel it.
"You're forgiven," he said, voice just as soft.
Medb slowly blinked, then looked over at her mage friend. "This is Tasha Amell."
"Right, that was the name. You know, it just occurred to me there aren't many women in the Wardens. I wonder why that is." He actually had a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Oh, you want more women in the Wardens, do you?" Tasha asked with an arched eyebrow.
"Would that be so terrible?" he mused. He refocused only when Tasha made a strangled sound as she choked back her laughter. "Not that I'm some drooling lecher or anything. Please stop looking at me like that." That did it. Tasha, unable to control her laughter anymore, doubled over. It took a few moments before she finally quieted. He stared at her.
"And you were a Templar? Andraste's flaming knickers, shame there wasn't one like you in the tower. I'd have been a model citizen between you and Cul-" she choked on the name, laughter dying instantly.
"Well, I wasn't a full Templar. Never took the vows. But at the risk of sounding even more like an idiot than I usually do, have either of you ever seen darkspawn before?" The Warden shuffled his feet with the sound of chinking armor.
The mage shook her head mutely, wanting to just curl up and cry. Until a slippery flash of anger, darker than anything she'd ever felt before had her jerking her head around to Medb, who was staring at the (former) Templar with undisguised venom. "Yes," she hissed.
Alistair froze briefly. "Oh, all-all right. Sorry." He smiled again, sheepishly.
There was silence for a few moments. Then "So, we should probably get back to Duncan," Tasha said. Her voice was calm, but one of her hands had tightened on her robes to hide the mild shaking. There was too much pressing against her shields, more than she'd felt in a long time.
"Right. Have any questions, feel free to ask." There was a hesitation from Alistair that had Tasha narrowing her eyes at him before heading off. The two recruits fell into line behind him.
As they passed a Tranquil, Medb's head turned to study him. "Huh."
Tasha followed her eyes, muscles tensing as her empathy brushed against him. Emptiness. "What?"
"Nothing." Tasha lifted an eyebrow and gently nudged Medb's shoulder, not realizing until after she did it that she didn't know how the other recruit would react. The elf only sighed. "I got a key that I think opens that chest."
"Where'd you get the key?"
Medb was quiet before giving a weak sounding snicker. "You don't want to know. Trust me."
Tasha smiled, pleased that she could feel a little of the disgust. People that weren't pressing their emotions into her felt unnatural after so many years of having emotions constantly there. Then they reached Duncan, and she curiously glanced between the two Wardens and Medb. There was something distinctly similar about their lack of touchable emotions and the shields around them. She completely forgot to actually listen to Duncan as she started to puzzle it out.
AN: Aaaaaaaaand there's Tasha back. And Alistair. And the other recruits. Which is cool. Plus, I just need Tasha to let me know why she's so wiggy about Templars. I mean, other than the usual. Anyway... Next week, we get to take our first wander into the Wilds. And Tasha gets a little emotional.
As always, a huge thank you to my beta, asteracea.
And I'd like to give a shout out to LadyAliera. You're cool and thank you for that, by the way.