Family Ties
Chapter One: Autumn Effect
Sera's leg hung swung softly over the side of the cabin as she stared drowsily at the road and tree line behind, sun partially covered by the passing clouds. Her head resting on her crossed arms as she hummed softly to herself, that damn song stuck in her head again.
"Birdy must hav' a lot of stuff is she's got us lugging this carriage with us to the city" She whined, lounging atop the aforementioned carriage, as she looked down towards Dorian who had control of the horses, pulling them along the road.
"Indeed, but do you really think we're bringing a carriage to get her stuff?" Dorian was less inclined to believe that they were needed for this kind of job" he chuckled slightly "surly someone as connected as you would know what we are really here to do" a teasing grin crossed his face.
"Well yeah but, only rumours about our little spymaster are floating around these days, I've got nothing' solid"
"Rumours?" Dorian heard the ruffling of paper behind him "do tell"
"You heard 'bout that one with the nickers yeah?"
"Yes" he had once overheard the ambassador and Inquisitor talking about it on one of their evening walks.
"How 'bout the one sayin' she was bedding the hero of Ferelden" she liked that one.
"Of course, who hasn't?" Dorian pretended to be offended; everyone has heard that one "Has anyone even asked her?" it seemed simple enough to get an answer, he just had enough sense not to go sticking his nose into Leliana's business.
"No idea, I'm not taking the chance that I'll wake up with a knife in my back 'cos I asked her who she has sex with, not that I don't wanna' know" the scribbling Dorian had been hearing stoped. "Hey, look at this" Sera passed Dorian a torn out piece of paper.
It was a crude drawing of himself and Bull locked mouth to mouth, he turned back to the woman "Please, I'm much better looking than that" he passed it back to Sera, who promptly shoved it into her journal sticking her tongue out back at him.
"Anyway, what 'bout the one that she had a brat with one of the others"
"What like King Alistair? Or that assassin?"
"Yeah"
"Now that one I've not heard!"
"Really, Ok it goes like this right…." Sera said, both of them grinning.
-Dragon Age-
Four days later…
Herra could hear her two companions chatting away behind them in the distance, herself and Leliana riding slightly ahead. Val Royeaux was still a day and a half away at their current pace. It was much nicer weather this far away from Skyhold, the warm (at least compared to Skyhold) autumn breeze in the pair's faces, the fallen leaves creating a natural warning of any want-to-be attackers. Looking down towards her steed, the surprisingly tame war Nugg 'Garna', a gift from her advisers in celebration for her new position, trotted along happily.
Turning towards Leliana, as always her expression was schooled. "So, Leliana…" the Qunari stoped, she wasn't always good at starting conversations, but once they got going she was golden "do you...like the weather?"
Leliana turned towards her in amusement, knowing full well the inquisitors awkwardness when trying to break the ice.
"Very much so Inquisitor, I've always loved autumn ever since I was a little girl, and the seasons fashion is to die for" the two chuckled "My fondest memory of the season though has to be just after the blight, Valentine and I travelled for about five months, visiting the cities she could never have seen if she was still locked in that circle tower" a slight frown graced the red heads features, she shook herself out of it quickly enough "So how about you Inquisitor?"
She tilted her head slightly thinking the question over "I remember once when I was a child when I lived with my mother, she I would always take the path up near our home, it lead to a lake we would often visit every autumn"
"What would you do?" despite her vast connections and agents Leliana knew very little of the Qunari's past or childhood, it was more than a little concerning to the spymaster.
"She would teach me about nature, she was from a Dalish clan after all"
Leliana turned towards her confused "your mother was a Dalish Elf?" that was not what she had expected to hear, she was literally flabbergasted.
"I was adopted of course, and she moved to a small village when she came of age"
"I would hope so; I wouldn't want to imagine an Elf trying to birth a Qunari child" Leliana looked slightly concerned and entirely horrified.
"Yes, we're not exactly small, even as children, don't worry Leliana, she found me"
"Well, uhh…good?"
"Do not worry Leliana, Bull and I discussed it and we think it was likely do to my birth parents smuggling me out of the Qun after my birth and to The Free Marches, before returning themselves"
"And you're ok with that?"
"Of course, it was a life they were happy with, they likely just wanted something else for me, and I find no fault in that" she smiled at Leliana "plus I love my mother, she Is more than I could ever ask for" Leliana softly returned the smile.
-Dragon Age-
Day and a half later…
The group were making their way out of Val Royeaux, new modifications, weaponry, armour, schematics and potions in their position. As per Leliana's new instructions, insisting she said her 'items' were in the city to trick and spies, they were traveling an hour west of the Orlesian city, to a small building complex in the country side.
As they travelled, close now to their destination, Leliana fondly remembered why she had chosen this location, it was beautiful.
"Can anyone else smell that?" Sera said concern clearly on her face. "It's smoke!" her eyes darted back and forth.
"What!" Leliana practically yelled in question.
"Look, around that hill!"
They began moving their steeds at full pace, moving around the hill that obscured their view, a view that they would regret laying their eyes upon. The complex, made of five connecting buildings and a large centre courtyard, was in disarray. Doors kicked in, supply carts and one of the buildings ablaze, windows broken and even a few bodies could be seen in the buildings. Leliana rushed forward first, quickly followed by the others.
Making her way into one of the buildings with Sera, Dorian and Herra began putting out the quickly spreading fires with their magic, Leliana came across the body of a Dwarven man she knew to be Damson, one of the tutors. "Quickly, we must find her" Leliana forced herself to calm down; panicking would only derail the situation further.
"Her?" Sera was so confused but she continued to follow the older woman as she ran purposely through the complex. "What, you got a secret lover hidden away here or somethin'?"
"My daughter!" Sera really needed to get her priorities straight.
"Wait what?" as they rounded the last corner Leliana stoped, the temperature had dropped dramatically compared to when they had entered. What she saw silenced Sera. Around the corner they stood at was a small hall that led to a single set of double doors, totally encased in ice that spread along the walls and floor, nearly reaching where the two women stood.
The snow that covered the floorboards crunched as Leliana quickly made her way towards the wall. She pressed her hands against the freezing ice, judging its thickness and strength. "It's too thick to try to smash; it'll take much too long and no sound can get through it"
"Think the other two could melt it?" Sera asked as she heard the tell tail sounds of fighting down the hall behind them; the two of them drew their bows.
"Good thinking Sera" the two began to retrace their steps. Deciding to split up, Sera continued to follow the way they came in whilst Leliana went the longer path that lacked any sound of fighting hoping to find the others still outside.
Sera soon came across the two mages in combat with what appeared to be mercenaries, definitely responsible for the destruction. Dorian stood back attacking at a distance while Herra sliced at her enemies with her spirit blade. Sera released an arrow into the last enemy archer as Herra trapped the last three mobile enemies in a static cage while Dorian set them alight.
"Quickly, this way" following Sera, Herra questioned "Where's Leliana?" as they ran through the hall where she and Leliana split up Sera pointed towards the hall the spymaster had run down "she went that way looking for you guys too"
Once they reached the frosted hall the two quickly began to carefully melt the thick ice as to not light the building on fire. Slowly the ice began to melt until the doors were accessible to the trio. Herra turned to the hall behind, Leliana still not in sight but Herra had faith in Leliana's flighting abilities so she turned back to the doors and pressed her hands against them, pushing inwards.
A large solid mass burst through the doors and crashed against the Qunari woman, the surprise of it all knocking her onto her back. Herra was being looked directly in the face by a particularly large Marbari; it pressed its weight down on her further and growled. "By the maker" Dorian could be heard alongside sera, afraid that if they made any movements they'd need a new Inquisitor.
"Who are you?"
-Dragon Age-
"Who are you?"
Leliana could hear a familiar voice as she sprinted around a corner nearing her destination. When she finally reached the formally frosty hall she nearly tripped in panic at the scene. Herra was trapped under a Marbari as a Elven woman, stood above them with a small dagger in hand.
"Arcus no!" the second the hound heard her voice his head snapped up and he climbed back off the woman underneath. "Lady Leliana, you're here?" she looked down at Herra "they are with you?"
"Yes Rana, they are" she called Arcus to her; hugging him fondly "take me to her" he let out a bark in agreement.
Herra got up off the ground as Leliana and the hound past her; she turned towards her companions who still stood amazingly still "so that just happened" they could only nod in agreement.
Leliana followed Arcus through the damp doorway to a locked door as Rana stayed with the confused trio. The hound began scratching his claws against the door, she sound of shuffling could be heard just before the door opened, revealing a young girl.
"Mother" the girls unfocused eyes crinkled in a smile that graced her face as she moved forward towards her mother, hugging her "I've missed you so much"
"Oh how I've missed you too my little one, I'm so glad your safe" as they separated Leliana took her daughters hand "come, I want you to meet some of my companions" Arcus trotted alongside the girl, her hand resting on a harness he wore.
-Dragon Age-
"So you're a mage then?" Herra asked the woman who stood awkwardly at the doors.
"Me? Oh no, I'm not a mage" she looked nervously back at the room behind her. Herra glanced at the ice that littered the area.
"Then who-?" just as she spoke Leliana emerged from the dark room with a young girl. The girl had features similar to Leliana, the same nose, cheek bones and her skin was only a shade or two darker. However her hair was longer, reaching just past her shoulders. Even more strange was the exact colour of her hair; it was perfectly white, a great contrast to Leliana's own.
Though the most prominent thing the three noticed about the girl was the paleness of her eyes, they were unfocused; looking at no one. She was blind.
Leliana spoke, breaking the silence that had befell the room "I wold like you all to meet my daughter" she gestured to the girl at her side "Morrin"
So yeah, its been a little while since the original post. Got busy, got lazy, got exams and got dumped. great way to start off. Anyway i hope you enjoy, if you've got any suggestions i'd love to hear them and any constructive criticism is welcome.