*Gasp* What- what is this? Me? Actually…updating? Yes I am back and hopefully in full swing, well maybe not full because I have a lot of shit coming up but this is an update! Please don't hate me for taking like seven months...

These characters do not and will not ever belong to me.

Sierra looked up from her book. Three months have passed. And it was true what Irving had said. She had received no visitors whatever. It kind of amazed her, and kept her in a state of constant loneliness. There was one templar that seemed to not enjoy her pain as much as others did and spoke to her while he was on duty. He had had children but they had been killed by a maleficar. She was surprised that he didn't hate her more than the others but he said he had realized that not every mage had been responsible for what had happened and learned to accept the god and the bad. And Sierra adored him for it. Jefferson was his name but since he hadn't been around too often she figured that they found out that they were being too chatty. She shook her head and looked down at the book she was reading. Well- book was a long stretch. It was more like a gossip novel. It was talking about the "scandals" involving Marric and how he could have a bastard son or daughter running about who had legitimacy over the thrown and could upset the entire balance of power. Sierra scoffed and put the book to the side. She looked around her setting. They had brought her more pleasant things; she now had a lantern that gave off a warm glow, the bed was now more nicely stuffed, she had a soft rug to sit on instead of that maker awful stool and the chamber pot had been put behind a screen. She rolled her eyes, yes they had finally realized that she was a rule breaker not an animal, kudos to them.

Three months had passed and she still missed Alistair. She had met him and spent a couple of hours with him and she had fallen head over heels for the guy who was four- years older than she was of yeah and had only spent time with him for a couple of hours. She sighed and stood up to flop down on her bed. This was ridiculous. It should not be that hard to forget a man that had been in her life for a total of three hours. But no that could not possibly be happen because that would mean that was the reasonable thing that could happen. She screamed into her pillow frustrated that this topic became one on her mind of everyday. She was about to scream more when she heard footsteps echoing down the hall she jumped up and waited at the door, and sighed in disappointment when she who was at the slot. "Hullo Mr. Tall, dark and boring. Can I help you find your way to fun?"

The templar shot her a look and looked down at his gauntlet and inspected it. "Well I was here to tell you they've decided to let you out early but, since you have not learn to shut your trap I guess I'm not going to do it."

Sierra rolled her eyes. "You know that lie has not worked on me for two months right? Anyway, seriously what do you want can't you tell I'm busy?"

He snorted. "Yeah right. But I have your lunch and the things you requested."

He opened the slot so that it would be able to fit the food and the requested items. Those items being books like usual. She was moving away Ferelden and more towards everywhere else. Except for Tevinter the Chantry didn't really want naughty mages reading about all that freedom business. She looked at the pile of books she had not made any particular requests and looked at what Neros had brought her. She raised the spoon to her mouth, the soup being hot but not so hot that it would burn her tongue. She munched happily on a soft potato and decided that she would read up on the Free Marches, it being one of the bigger books. Why was it so big? She thought to herself and flipped through finding out they were about states and not a country. She shrugged and opened the book hoping to gain some new knowledge that she could use at some point.

After the first page she sighed. This really is going to be a long three months.

Sierra paced back and forth through her cell. She could not sit still. Today was the day that she was being release from Iso. Six months of her life had been pretty much wasted most of the students would be far more advanced than she would be and she could not afford to lose any more time. This was of course if Irving was no longer mad at her, because it had been six months since she had royally messed up. She couldn't wait any longer and banged repeatedly on the door until she heard the foot echoing down the hall, which took quite a long time in the long run. She heard the footsteps reach her door and was delighted when she saw who it was. "Jeff!" Jefferson was the templar who she had not seen for quite some time, she had almost forgotten just how old the man was.

Jeff smiled at her and took the keys from his belt and raised his hand and jingled them while also wiggling his eyebrows. "Darling, I'm here to break you out."

Sierra smiled. "Oh Jeff, I had been hoping that you were going to be the one to give me my beloved freedom." She giggled when he reached in and pinched her nose. He unlocked it and offered his arm and she gladly took it. He started to lead her down the hall and she was vibrating with excitement.

Jeff could feel and chuckled. "Relax Sierra, I'm not going to turn around and place you back in there." She shuddered and paused before stopping before one of the cells. She could have sworn that she had heard something… her thoughts were confirmed when there was a knock on the door. She looked up at Jeff and he gestured toward the door.

She slid open the slot to reveal a bay. "Ugh, finally! Do you know how long I have been in here waiting for one of you sodding- wait a minute. You, are not a templar." He looked her up and down. "And I am glad to meet you, hello beautiful, I am Anders."

Sierra giggled. To be very truthful she probably looked terrible, all things considered. "Now I know you are just saying that. Well Anders, I've been cooped up in here for the past six months so as much as I'd love to stay and chat, I just can't." She winked and walked away from the cell placing her arm back to linking with Jeff's. She could hear the shouting that Anders was doing but looked up at Jeff who looked down and winked at her, and she giggled. She had seen Anders around the Circle for the past couple years now but had never bother to talked to him. They got to the end of the hall and she stood in front of the door and took a deep breath.

Jeff looked down at her with concern. "Are you alright me dear?"

She smiled up at him before replying. "Better than I have been in a long long time, friend." And with that he opened the door to see Jowan with a big grin and Irving with a soft smile waiting for her. She saw them and smiled and quickly ran to Jowan and ran straight into him gripping him into a tight hug. The Jowan she knew six months ago would have complained about her hugging him and squeezing too tight but not now.

Jowan hugged her back equally as tight as she was. He buried his face in her hair. "I've missed you."

She smiled into his shoulder. "I've missed you too, bro." She released her death grip on him and he did the same and she turned to Irving who was still smiling at her. She looked down sheepishly. "Hullo Irving."

He chuckled lightly. "Come now child, give me a hug I have not seen you in quite some time." She smiled and rushed over to give him a hug. She immediately froze and looked over to Jowan who adopted a look of surprise on his face.

"What?"

She squinted at him. "Is that? By the Maker it is. That on your face is stubble isn't it?"

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Honestly? Sierra you do remember that I am a year older than you right?"

She smiled nostalgically at the ceiling. "Yeah… Remember when I used to boss you around? Fun times."

He shook his head. "Not really. Just to let you know, I've had to grow a backbone since you left and it is actually very sturdy, thank you very much." He nodded adding some sort of effect to his statement.

Sierra laughed and put her hands up in defense. "Alright you're a man now I get it. I won't bully you anymore." She winked at him and turned to smiled up at Irving. "I'm- I'm glad you're no longer angry with me Irving. I was really, really upset at how we left things."

Irving raised his eyebrows with concern. "I know child. I hadn't meant for things to turn out like that but, I felt that if I treated you with the usual kindness that I usually do, you wouldn't get that I was really upset with you at the time."

She nodded her head. "Yeah, no. I get it. But shall we move on, because that was so six months ago." Irving chuckled and Jowan shook his head. They started idle chatter as they walked down the hall into the hall that led to the stairs that would bring them to the main floor of the Circle. "So any new mages come in recently?"

Jowan shook his head. "No. Well- there was one but she came in a couple days after you went to Iso so I guess she doesn't feel new to me anymore. She's a real cutie."

Sierra nodded at all of his comments and froze before the door that would open to the main floor. She took a deep breath and closed her eye.

Irving looked at her with concern. "What is the matter child?"

She looked up at him. "Everyone is going to stare at me."

Jowan cocked an eyebrow. "So? When has that every unnerved you?"

She snorted. "Well that was when I was in the good books. Now I'm in the bad ones." She wiggled her eyebrows at him and he laughed.

"I think you being alone all that time has made you a tad loopy my friend." She shrugged at his comment and adopted a determined look on her face.

"Alright. Time to face the music."

She entered the dormitory and the entire room went silent immediately. "Really?" She murmured to Jowan who just shrugged in response. She raised her eyebrows and shook her head and looked back towards everyone. "Hello everyone. Yes I am back, you may all kiss the ground I walk on as I walk by." She rolled her eyes as she followed Jowan to her new bed. Funnily enough though she had the same bunk partner who had taken a wall bunk and had chosen the bottom bunk.

Darcy walked over with a huge grin on her face. Her front teeth had finally grown in making her smiles a lot less goofy looking. "Sierra! I am so happy to have you back, we all missed you sooo much. We all couldn't believe it! One day you were like the perfect angel of the Circle and then the next you were in Iso for six whole months! I never even got to say goodbye to you and then when I asked if I was allowed to see you they straight up said no! I couldn't believe it! It was ridiculous. Oh! I guess you've noticed that we've all changed dorms, did you know that they are now co-ed like we all could not believe it when they told us! We thought it was a joke but it wasn't! They only told us no canoodling." She stopped to giggle. "Anyway how are you?" She gave Sierra a very intense and pointed look. Sierra however was still processing the amount of words that had been thrown at her and her mind was kind of reeling from the speed.

So she replied with a simple phrase. "I'm good." She nodded her head and Darcy's intense look went back to the sweet squinted eyes that she usually wore because she was permanently smiling.

Jowan looked at the two girls in shock. "Right. I'm going to go now so you should catch up or something…" He quickly scurried away before Sierra could manage to convince him into staying.

"So you are back then?" Sierra paused and rolled her eyes at the voice coming from her side. Ellie. How could someone with such a nice sounding name be a complete and udder bitch?

Sierra smoothly turned to look at her and her usual gang of leeches. "Ellie and company, it's so good to see you again! And no I'm not I just came back to socialize a bit before going back to Isolation because you know my punishment is still going even though it has been six months." She smiled sweetly. She was attempting to piss Ellie off and just get her to leave but it looks like someone wanted to pick a fight today.

Ellie chuckled. "Ah it is so good to have you back. I missed your sparkling personality so much you have no idea."

Sierra rolled her eyes and sighed. "What do you want, Ellie?"

Ellie shrugged. "I'm actually here to make amends, believe it or not. And I'm guessing you're not."

Sierra squinted suspiciously at her and shook her head. "No, I'm not. You always have an end game to your plans and that is what ticks me off the most. You tried to use me and then run me over but I'm not going to make the mistake of letting walk all over me happen again, that, you can count on. Now if you could please leave I would greatly appreciate it because I am tired." Ellie shook her head and rolled her eyes and turned around and started to leave before Sierra called out to her. "But! I am willing to be civil towards one another. If we can manage that for a while I may be inclined to make amends." Ellie cocked her head in thought and finally nodded before leaving. Sierra let out a deep breath. "It was so quiet in Iso and none of this political bull-shit." She mumbled to herself as her hoisted herself onto the bed. At this point Addison had walked over to join Darcy.

"Oh you really are going to bed?" Asked Darcy.

Sierra was about to answer but Addy did for her. "Of course she is. She even looks exhausted." She started to lead Darcy away from the bunk bed and turned her head to talk to her. "Hey Sierra! It'll be nice having you back!"

Sierra smiled. Addison (Addy) had always been a deadpan, very dry person and Sierra had missed her. She had missed all of her friends and even her rival. But only a little for her. She smiled to herself and mumbled to herself before going to sleep. "I have no idea why anyone likes all the noise."

A/N:

Tada! Me, writing this is so much better than doing other things! And I know it has been so, soooo long since I had put out a chapter. I had had like twelve written but I didn't like where it was going so I almost scrapped this entire fic. Good thing I didn't because I am starting to enjoy writing it more! Sorry to say but Alistair probably won't come into the next couple chapters, I want Sierra to be all growed up before they meet each other again (so like when she is 18 and he is 22).