Chapter 2 Cookies and Cake

Having downed the last cookie, despite Laurie telling her not to eat them all in one day. Tempest looked down sadly at the crumb filled box. "Maker already gone." She tossed it away in a nearby can and decided to head back to the library. Cullen had returned to his post and glared angrily at her as she passed him by while she gave him a big grin.

Spying the girl who told on her Tempest stuck out her tongue causing the mage to huff loudly and begin complaining to the nearest ear willing to listen to her rant. Rolling her eyes she flopped back on the chair she had been sitting in previously and smiled when she saw her book still sat on the table. Opening it up she began to read when two people rushed over to sit next to her.

"Hi I'm Jowan this Solona welcome to the tower!" Looking up at Jowan the first thing she notices are his intent brown eyes watching her. His black hair was cut short with long sideburns chiseled face and high cheekbones. He was rather handsome she thought to herself and then there was Solona. Golden hair hung in silken strands around her shoulders the blue of her apprentice robes making her already beautiful blue eyes glitter. Her pert nose and full lips pulled back in a smile.

"Hello I'm Tempest." She said holding her hand out. They shook hands and Jowan leaned forward "Wow you really got Angelina and Cullen upset with you it was amazing!"

She laughed "Oh that little harpy was trying to impress Cullen; I caught her staring at him when I walked in here. I knew she would rat on me to look good to him."

"You are sly."

"Nah just bored." She turns her head just in time to see man approach, his long black hair tied behind him, light blue eyes on an attractive face and body he was beautiful to look at.

"Who in the Maker's name is that?" she says trying to keep her voice low.

Solona laughs "That my friend is Ayden."

"Did all the good looking mages and Templers in Fereldan just land here?"

The both of them laugh. "I don't know we have nothing to compare it to."

"Well trust in comparison to where I came from this is like a walk in a candy store."

She ran her fingers through her red hair; she often reminded people it was not ginger hair but a dark red almost mahogany color. Freckles were found on her nose and a single freckle right above her cupids bow; her lips were full and pulled in a smirk. Her dark green eyes held golden bolts running through them which some found unnerving to look at.

The two were talking when Tempest saw Ayden turn his head and their eyes locked. His smile was slow and she thought almost sensual. He winked at her before turning back to his task. "Okay I've got to get moving all this sitting around is going to drive me nuts. Coming?"

"Wish we could this is our study time." They frowned sadly at her.

"Ah okay well another time then." She smiled. When she walked by Cullen he still glared at her. Giving him another grin she walked past him and made her way to the kitchen. Her stomach rumbled and she held it tightly and glanced around, no one was in sight. Placing her hand gently on the silver handle Tempest pushed down and peeked inside. The cook was gone. With another quick glance around she made her way into the kitchen. Along the walls ran various counters and stoves, a massive table in the center where she had eaten with Mason.

Tiptoeing in, she finds the larder and started rummaging through the shelves.

"Where in the maker do they keep…"

"Looking for something?" Tempest jolted and spun around to see Ayden smiling at her.

"Maker you almost scared me out of my robe."

"Now that is a trick I would love to have."

"I'm sure until you find yourself scaring the robe off of some old woman with sagging skin and breasts."

"Oh that's not a pretty picture."

"Indeed glad to ruin it for you." He growled and she chuckled.

"Do you know where they keep cookies or cake or something?"

"Try the third shelf to the back there is usually a jar there; I'll keep an eye out."

She snagged some cookies "Do you want any?"

"No I'm good."

After biting into on her face screws up in disgusts "Andraste's tits these are awful."

"Probably cause their old I mean really old I hid those about four months back. Payback is a bitch isn't it."

She spit the cookies out. "Well played ser well played."

He bowed and then froze "Templar."

"Shit."

They dove behind some bags of flour and wait. The door opens and footsteps walked in and looked around then left.

"Well that was close." Tempest breathed and stood up. "Let's get out of here someone else comes." he nodded following her out.

"I'm headed to the mages quarters coming?" Ayden looked her up and down making her cheeks a rosy pink.

"Well I'm in the apprentice quarters want to come with me and have all the young girls squeal when they see you?"

He flashed a sexy smile "Don't need them swooning left and right now do we?"

"Seems such a burden for you."

He chuckled" It is. Well lovely mage whose name I do not know I will see again I am sure."

"It's Tempest." his eyebrow arched "Tempest…I like it…I am Ayden my good lady."

He disappeared and she turned around to see Cullen right behind her.

"Oh well hello Ser Cullen."

"Were you with that mage in the kitchen?"

"Why would you ever think that?" He dusted the flour off her shoulder and moved closer.

"Okay okay I was looking for more cookies and when you came I hid."

"What is your obsession with cookies it's bizarre."

"I well; I have to eat a lot or a pass out. It's this thing I do. Thus the cookies rolls etc. it's not curable so don't ask and cookies are well …delicious."

"Do you need something now?"

Nodding slowly at him he sighs. "All right come with me."

She follows him to the kitchen where he shows her where the real snacks are kept.

"Thank you Ser Cullen." He looks her over "Stay away from that mage Ayden he's a womanizer and trouble."

Tempest almost choked on the roll as he turned abruptly and walked away. "What in the maker was that?" She asked out loud just as the cook walked in.

"Aha stealing rolls are we?" the plump woman's grey hair seemed slightly electrified as strands flew all over. Pale blue eyes glared at her and her thin wrinkled lips were pursed angrily.

"What no Ser Cullen gave them to me." Tempest tried explaining to no avail.

"Right a Templar giving mage rolls…I will tell Irving about this."

Fortunately Irving and Gregoire new of her condition and told the cook who felt so guilty she actually began making extra food for her to filch anytime she needed.

After a few day passed Tempest had settled into her class schedule and study times when she was given a list of daily chores and things she needed to do. At one point Solona and her were tasked with creating a birthday cake for Ulna an old mage whose birthday was the following day. The two quickly began to get to work when one accidental flick of flower turned into an all out war. The two girls ended up covered in flour rolling on the ground covered in broken eggs they had thrown at one another. Laughing hysterically they never heard the door open.

Cullen stormed in. "What in the Maker's name is going on here!" his amber eyes were on fire as he glared at Tempest.

"Umm, we are baking a cake." She said and his face heated up "Are you calling me stupid Mage Tempest?"

"No, we are baking a cake Ser Cullen it's in the oven we, we just got… sidetracked."

"Who started it?" he growled. Knowing Solona had plans she spoke up "I did."

"Solona go get cleaned up YOU, get this mess taken care of NOW!"

Solona darted out the kitchen so fast she was just a blur. Tempest looked around and groaned as she grabbed a bucket and rag. A ring reminded her that the cake needed coming out. She grabbed the paddle and shoved it in and pulled it out and set it on the freshly clean table. As it cooled she scrubbed the floor until it was spotless. Cullen had returned to his post but warned he would be back.

With the floor clean and everything else spotless she washed up and began decorating the cake. Ulna loved making potions so Tempest began creating a small lab and potion bottles out of almond paste. With it were little piles of ingredients labeled and a small version of Ulna working on them. She had forgotten what the time had been but she could feel herself getting tired. Pushing the cake to the center of the table she laid her head down.

The door opened "Maker do you see that?" It was Ayden and Solona "Hey Tempest that looks great." Solona said grabbing hold of her shoulder only to have Tempest slide of the chair and collapse onto the floor.

"Get a Templar!" She told Ayden who took off running. He grabbed Cullen who came rushing in. He checked her eyes "Tempest..." he shakes her "Tempest, have you eaten lately?"

"Hmm…I don't…" everything was blurry when she felt her mouth being opened and sugary water being poured down her throat.

"Ugh what the...what happened?" her voice faint.

"You scared the shit out of us that's what happened." Solona's voice raised several octaves.

Grabbing her head she glanced up to see cookies in front of her held by Cullen "Eat this Mage Tempest and try to remember to eat."

He walked out of the room with Tempest mimicking him silently and Solona laughed. Getting up off the floor Tempest looks at them "What are you two doing here?"

"Well I bumped into Ayden on the way looking for you so he came along." Solona shrugged then smiled and pointed at the cake. "How did you make this cake?"

Tempest laughed "Spend enough time in the kitchen you learn all sorts of things."

The cake became a hit. The old woman nearly had a heart attack when she saw it. It was sad to see it get cut apart but she was happy it tasted as good as it looked. Cullen was on guard again poor Templar always got the crappy shifts. She snuck a piece of cake out of the mages quarters and went down the stairs to where he was standing watch. Her eyes darted around looking for anyone else when she walked quickly towards him.

He watched her coming with suspicion "What do you want Mage Tempest."

"I smuggled cake for you Ser Cullen." A look of surprise passed his face.

"Oh well that was thoughtful…" he swallowed. "I shouldn't …"

"Maker's breath Cullen you're not going to get zapped with lightening for eating cake on your watch." She said trying to muffle her laugh.

He glanced around and then took a few bites he had one piece left when voices came he wiped his mouth and Tempest grabbed it. "Poor Templar so sad that you didn't get any cake isn't it?'"

The two Templers stopped and stared at her angrily. She grabbed the piece "None for you two either." and shoved it into her mouth, chewed and swallowed. "Tasty."

The two growled and walked past as she gave a Cullen a sly look and took off.