Chapter 4

The next day was filled with whisperings and gossip, almost all the Templars knew who Carroll had been looking for the previous night, he had been shouting about her all the way back from the Spoiled Princess right up until Cullen's fist silenced him, the apprentices all had some idea, but no actual confirmation, Neve said nothing about it, carrying on with her studies as if the incident hadn't even occurred, the last thing she wanted was to be the centre of attention, she hated it, she was fussed over so much when they brought her to the tower that attention from more than a handful of people at a time makes her feel surrounded, enclosed, it often makes her feel like the scared little girl too afraid to leave the cupboard all those years ago.

As the days passed a new rumour surfaced, a Harrowing, word had got out that one of the young apprentices were due to be called, there were a number of apprentices who had proved themselves ready, Neve included.

"It's bound to be you, let's be honest, who else do we really know that is ready" Jowen argued having heard Neves name mentioned in passing,

"Anders is very capable, ok he's a pain, and a dreadful flirt but you can't deny that he's very capable with his magic"

"I suppose your right, I just can't help but feel it's your time" his voice went quiet, saying that last sentence almost as a whisper

"What's bothering you Jowen"

"Well, it's just, when you go for your Harrowing, I'll be stuck here, on my own, your my best friend, who else can I go to"

"You make it sound like you'll never see me again, I feel confidant, I will pass my harrowing, and your time will come soon, it will be just a matter a weeks and you'll be joining me, just imagine how much more we'll learn, the extra libraries, it will all be fine, you'll see" Neve gave her friend a warm smile, she hated seeing him so dejected, she could see the worry on his face, he wasn't the most gifted of apprentices, in fact he often struggled, she knew deep down that he was terrified of being made tranquil, if he couldn't learn to master his gifts then that would be his fate, that or they would call him for his Harrowing and he would fail, the thought saddened her, but she had to stay positive, maybe if just one person believed in Jowen he'd make it.

"Well, I should go to bed, it's nearly curfew, I swear since that idiot shouted his mouth off the Templars are extra techy, I'll see you in the morning" Jowen got up and left, just as the rest of the girls who shared Neve's Dorm returned.

Neve settled herself under her covers, blew out the candle next to her bed and closed her eyes.

It was about an hour later when Neve was woken by someone lightly shaking her, she opened her eyes and saw a blurred figure crouched beside her bed,

"Wake up my dear, it's time" the figure whispered

Neve rubbed her eyes and allowed them to adjust to the darkness allowing the figure to come into focus,

"Wynne, what's going on is everyth…."

"Shush my dear, you don't want to wake the others, get changed, the Templars are waiting for you just outside the door"

Neve sat upright in bed, confused at first, it then sunk in, Jowen was right it was her, she was about to face her Harrowing.

"Come on now dear you need to get a move on"

"Wynne, will you be there, will you be coming with me"

"I'm afraid not my dear, I felt it more appropriate that I wake you as opposed to one of the Templars, what with everything that's gone on over the last few days" Wynne replied, handing Neve her robes.

"Oh, right, Wynne what if I don't, I mean what if I fail" Neve asked, taking her robes and rising from her bed, moving towards the changing screen.

"Have faith, we wouldn't ask you to go through this if we didn't feel you were ready" Wynne smiled, for all her strictness she had a certain maternal warmth that put Neves mind at rest, for the time being anyway.

She removed her bed garments, and dressed in the breast band and robes Wynne had passed to her, smoothing down the wrinkles in her robes as she made her way towards the door where Wynne was waiting for her, she took a deep breath and stepped into the cool corridor.

Waiting for her were two Templars, She didn't recognise one, he must have been Carrolls replacement, the other was Cullen, she stopped for a moment, Cullen was going to be at her Harrowing, a moment of panic washed over her, she couldn't do it, not with him there, she couldn't fail in front of Cullen, then, just as quickly as the feeling of panic had set in it was gone, replaced by a wave of calm, she looked up at him and smiled, his expression remained neutral, he simply nodded, and turned, she looked at Wynne who simply nodded and smiled, it was her queue to follow.

The walk to the Harrowing chamber seemed to take hours, Neve followed Cullen, hands clasped in front of her, her breathing steady, spells and enchantments swimming round her head, this was it, she had no idea what she would face once in the chamber, all she knew was some who had gone before her, had not returned.

They reached the bottom of the stairs leading up into Harrowing chamber at the very top of the tower, Neve looked up after Cullen as he ascended the stairs towards the solid oak door at the top, she stood, frozen to the spot, self-doubt taking over her thoughts, she could hear the blood pumping through her body at a much faster pace than usual, Cullen turned and looked down upon the young apprentice, her Amber eyes filled with worry, he walked down the stairs towards her place a hand on her shoulder, looked into her eyes, gave her the smallest of smiles, and whispered

"You can do this" he reassured, giving her shoulder a squeeze before turning and making his way back up the stairs.

That moment gave her the push she needed, he had faith in her, he believed she could do it, she took a deep breath and followed him up the stairs.