Disclaimer: I don't own DA.

"Don't judge so quickly."

"I've seen you."

Anastasia frowned and turned around, the skirts of her robes flapping around her legs. On the threshold of her room, looking like hugging her whole library to her chest, Josephine stood with the broadest of smiles on her face. Her green eyes shining mischievously despite the way her arms trembled from the weight of the tomes, she waited to be allowed in.

"Oh, wait!" the mage exclaimed and hurried to help her take some of the tomes. "Maker's breath, how did you manage to carry it all the way from the library?" she huffed as she put the tomes on her bedside table with a thud that sent small clouds of dust flying all around. Then she took the rest from Josephine's arms, piling them up as well. "Thank you so much for these," she smiled, picking up the uppermost book and brushing its cover with her fingertips. It was a fine leather that resisted the ravages of time yet. "We lacked that kind of literature in the Circle. It was all arcane, politics or history back there," she rolled her eyes and sat down on her bed with the heavy tome on her lap.

Josephine, her steps short and delicate befitting a highborn lady, approached the young mage. "I could never imagine you'd be interested in architecture or other forms of art," she smiled and sat down next to Anastasia.

"I love it," the mage mumbled. "It's…something else than what I had to read all my life. It's a way of expressing yourself, but one people admire and long for."

"Unlike magic?" Josephine drawled.

Anastasia dropped her eyes. They slowly focused on the pile and lingered there. "There's no need to be afraid of a painting. Or a temple," she mumbled with the softest of smile. She looked sad as she run her finger across the spine of the book she held.

"Unless it crumbles on top of you," the Antivan mumbled hesitantly.

Anastasia's smile broadened when she turned to face her. "I'd survive even such a disaster," she said self-confidently. She lifted her chin slightly, as she tried to fight her own melancholy. "So...you've seen me?" she asked as she set the book on top of the small mountain on her bedside table.

Encouraged by her question, Josephine smirked. "After you adventurers returned," she started, making strange emphasis on the word adventurers. "You couldn't tear your eyes off him."

The younger women frowned. She caught one of the small braids in her hair and pulled the ribbon off its end. Her fingers started untanngling it nimbly. "I'm nervous around him. And he doesn't appreciate my company any better. He didn't let me heal him after he got shot. The bandages were already soaking red before he donned his armour."

Josephine made a soft uh-uh sound. "I got the impression there was something wrong with him," she replied and reached for the braids on the other side of Anastasia's head. She laughed just as she started working on the first one. "Funny how we can talk about someone without actually saying his name."

"He was rude," Anastasia griped quietly. "Varric thought so, too."

"Well, you can't really blame him. He's been through some…nasty experience," she replied slowly, her eyes tracing Anastasia's strands. They remained curled into gentle waves as she finished the first braid.

"I'd understand his detached behaviour around Dorian. He's too reckless about his magic and cocky and to tell the truth, I am wary around him, too. But I didn't do anything wrong," she said firmly. "Neither did Solas. I don't think I've met kinder person than Solas," Anastasia paused, smiling again. "And Vivienne is Montsimmard's First Enchanter. She is a tiny bit pompous, but knows what she's doing. And he treats them like filth anyway," she finished with another scowl and dropped her hands into her lap. "But I should know better. He's just a templar after all."

Josephine pulled at one of the braids lightly. "Don't judge so quickly, Ana," she whispered gently.

"You're not the first giving me this advice," Anastasia admitted hesitantly. "But I can't help it. He was actually nice to me when he helped me with the horse." Then she giggled. "He even punished his guardsman for laughing at me."

"Did he?" Josephine asked softly, watching the younger women's smiling face.

"He ordered him to tend to our horses. It was..." she hesitated, biting her lip, "the first. No one has ever punished anyone for my sake." The light in her eyes suddenly went out. "But then he realized I was a mage."

"He's not a bad man," Josephine mumbled and her hands stilled for a moment. "Quite the opposite. I am sure when he discovers for himself that you, all of you, pose no threat, he'll warm up."

"I don't think so. As of late, templars seem to believe we're all either blood mages or abominations. Even before the Right of Annulment in Kirkwall's Circle situation was bad, but after the news arrived..." she sighed and her face turned into a sad grimace at the memory.

"What happened?"

"They sent us all to our dormitories, believing splitting us would make us easier to control."

"Would it?"

For the first time ever Josephine didn't like the smile that formed on Anastasia's lips. "No," she said without hesitation. "Their powers did render us defenceless and vulnerable, but the distance couldn't. We had...ways...to communicate," she said evasively and then hurried to continue her story. "Our youngest didn't understand what was going on or why. They sensed and saw our fear however. And their reaction was much stronger." She frowned. "Children are sensitive. And innocent. Easily deceived. Or susceptible."

"To...what?" Josephine asked. When Anastasia's brown orbs met hers, she realized the truth.

"We were afraid of that," Anastasia went on slowly. "Together with a few senior mages, we asked one of the templars to be let into their rooms to calm them down. We asked to be escorted, to be precise. We wanted them to know we respected their decision – there wasn't any other option anyway," she shrugged casually. Then her hand touched her cheek just under her right eye. The motion drew Josephine's eye and she studied her hand as the mage remained quiet for a few fleeting moments. There was dirt stuck beneath her nails and her skin had darker shade than when the mage had arrived to Skyhold. Her tan brought out a light scar Anastasia traced with her fingertips. Josephine blinked; she hadn't noticed it before.

Anastasia turned her head slightly to look at Josephine. The Antivan watched her with her lips slightly parted, her eyes intent and lingering just an inch under her eyes. "Demons pray easily on those who are, simply put, miserable, and children are even more prone to this temptation," she elaborated her earlier thought. "I tried to explain that to support our idea. The templar grew tired of us and he hit me to silence me."

"With the metal gauntlets on," Josephine closed her eyes for a moment. Anastasia had dropped her hand when she opened them again, allowing her to examine the scar freely. "Did they let you see to the children?" she asked. She realized she was completely still the whole time and her fingers started slowly working on her hair again.

Anastasia's features hardened in a way that almost looked scary on the otherwise lovely young woman. "A few days later we heard they had killed two of them. I don't know what happened. Only that whatever it was, it could have been prevented. The little ones have been just scared. And not a single of those templars did anything. Because they were mages first and foremost after all," she hissed and dark fires of fury lit her eyes. Her voice was icy cold as she went on. "Maybe it would be better if they slit our throats right after we leave our mothers' wombs and save us all the suffering."

"Isn't this a little harsh, Ana?" Josephine asked quietly.

"No. It is not," Anastasia opposed gently. All at once, she looked very tired. "I spent over twenty years in the Circle and have never seen a kind or understanding templar. They were there, waiting and some of them even desiring to strike us down as soon as we as much as looked at them the wrong way." She fisted her hands. "Maybe I was hoping things outside the Towers weren't so bad. Maybe I just wanted to be treated like a human being for once. Instead, all I got was Ser Cullen's fiery gaze burning into my back throughout the whole journey."

A silence stretched for a few long moments. Finally, Josephine cleared her throat. "Here, all done," she let go the last strand of hair. "Why didn't you braid all of your hair?"

"I like it that way," Anastasia replied, trying to sound cheerful. She knew the question was aimed to lift her spirit, but she still felt blue anyway. "Thank you."

"Anytime," Josephine smiled and rose to her feet. "I...well, this was very educational," she drawled, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm sorry for complaining," Anastasia made a face. "I shouldn't be allowed to speak at all when I'm exhausted."

"Why don't you rest for now then? I'll make sure they bring your food in here for you."

Anastasia shook her head. "No need. I have legs and know where the kitchen is. Only right now, I feel like cleaning up first. We've ridden all day, to and fro, doing business. You can imagine I spent more time rolling on the ground than in the saddle. I'm so clumsy with horses," she gave a lop-sided smiled and rolled her eyes. If Josephine hadn't seen her troubled face a minute ago for herself, she would have never guessed what great sorrow this petite human concealed inside.

"As you wish," she said, curling up her lips into a smile that aimed to warm hearts and soften up everyone Josephine negotiated with.

Anastasia nodded, mumbling her goodbyes as she rose. Her fingers had started working on the lace of her robes as Josephine left her room. She stopped right outside and closed the door carefully and without a single sound. Only after making sure they were shut properly, she lifted her eyebrows meaningfully, focusing on the person waiting outside. "Do you finally understand?" she asked quietly. "Or is Leliana's meaning still unclear to you? Incidentally," she continued as she already begun striding down the corridor, the clatter of her heels echoing off the marble floor, "thank you for your generous help with the books, Cullen. Shall we continue to the great hall for dinner? I'm starving."

Hey everyone! Thanks for reading this piece. I hope you enjoyed it.