Standard Disclaimer: Bioware owns all Dragon Age characters and in game content. I own the bits that are left.
Chapter 2 – From Jungle to City
"What is that infernal noise? Can't a girl get a chance to soak in nature peacefully?" Ines, determined to seek out the offending creature that dared come between her and her studying of the luscious plants so deep in the Antivan jungle, wandered into a blood stained meadow. She was startled to see the numerous bodies of men, women and children. Drawing her staff, she regarded the area with a snarl. "Such a waste for life. Don't suppose the perpetrators are anywhere near?" she muttered to herself as her gaze fell on a bundle teetered precariously on a pile of ashes.
The sobs were clearly coming from it. She crept closer to it, a spell at ready to shock any threat only to gape at the little infant wrapped snugly within.
Eyes the colour of those Antivan milk chocolates that Wynne loved so much peered at her the sobbing softened and Ines was absorbed into the depths of them. After seconds of intense staring from the wee bairn, the sobbing ceased and a hand stretched out of the folds of the bundle, seeming to reach out for her.
Ines shook herself out of the thrall cast by the babe, holstered her staff, stepped forward and scooped it up with any conscious thought, almost as if commanded, though by whom she had not the foggiest idea.
The little fist closed around her index finger and she found herself the recipient of a wide, toothless grin.
"What are you doing here alone, you wee bairn? The bastards who murdered your parents left you to rot? What kind of misbegotten fuck ups would leave a babe to die out here in the wild? How long have you been here? Are you hungry?" Shifting the bundle to get a better grip, she winced when her hands came away wet. "Well… Why don't we get you cleaned up first before we discuss this further?"
Glancing around, she went to the largest aravel in the camp and placed the infant on the bedroll that was haphazardly thrown aside as if someone was looking for something. Clothes, toys and rectangular cloths were strewn on the ground without a care. Rooting through the mess, Ines found several sets of clothes and cloths that looked like bottom wrappers. "Is this your home, little one? These look like they would fit you." She cast a simple ice, then fire spell to melt and heat up the resultant water into a wide bowl she had found unbroken.
Unwrapping the foul smelling cloth covering the little one's bottom, she gingerly threw it aside before setting it ablaze without a thought. She wiped the babe's bottom and covered it with a fresh cloth. The wee bairn gurgled, rewarding her with another toothless grin.
"Oh, you like being clean and fresh, don't you? I suppose the smell also left much to be desired."
Holding up the clothes she found against the babe, she surmised that the clothes were indeed hers. Upending a backpack that was lying on its side, she was stuffing all of them in when she started sniffing then hacking.
Whipping around, she discovered the cloth that she has so unwittingly burnt, had landed on some clothes she had discarded as too big for the purpose of cleaning the little one's bottom, was setting the aravel on fire!
I am going to get in trouble for this.
Even as she thought this, she heard the clanging of armour and the crush of heavily booted feet. "Ines! Where are you? I told you to stay close, damn it!"
Cradling the babe, she hurriedly exited the burning aravel even as she heard the sound of a sword being unsheathed.
"Ines, where are you? Answer me, damn it!" The agitation could be clearly heard at the far end of the field.
"Maker! Do you really need to shout so?" She sauntered over to Greagoir and raising an eyebrow. "You seemed so tired. I only wanted you to take a much needed rest. After all, it can't be much fun traipsing around in this hot and humid jungle in that tin can of yours."
Growling in anger, Greagoir pierced her with a glare that would have cowered even the most hardened of the deck hands that were on the ship that brought them here, Ines just smirked.
"You knew that flower would put me to sleep and encouraged me to stop and smell it!"
Ines bit down on her lip to stop herself from laughing. Taking a bracing breath, she smiled innocently at the Knight-Captain. "Now how would I have known that? I am new to Antiva and her many botanical charms."
Greagoir frowned, not knowing what to believe given the innocence that seem to emanate from Ines. Gesturing to the numerous elven bodies scattered across the meadow, he lifted a questioning brow at Ines.
"You can't possibly think I had anything to do with this? You know I am wont to waste and this is just utter wastefulness. This was all here when I arrived."
Greagoir glanced at the aravel that was starting to smoke and lifted his chin in askance.
"THAT was an accident! You won't believe what a foul smell can come from a sweet little thing like her.
The babe chose this moment to raise her fist in the air as if seeking her attention.
"Yes, little one?" Ines cooed.
"What in the Maker's name have you picked up now?" Greagoir peeked at the bundle Ines was holding so protectively.
"This is a baby, Greagoir! Not some stray. She has feelings you know. What if she heard you?" Ines covered the babe's ears with her hands.
"A WHAT?" Greagoir stared disbelieving at her.
"A baby." Ines stated matter-of-factly.
"You can't be serious. You are picking up babies in the jungle? We are here to gather herbs not children!" Greagoir thundered.
The babe started fussing, clearly not accustomed to the level of noise. "Did the big, bad templar scare you? He's a big, old softie, you just see."
Unfazed, Ines levelled her amber eyes at Greagoir's steel grey ones. "So you expect me to leave this recently orphaned babe all alone in the jungle to fend for herself or be eaten by wolves or Maker knows what? It's already the Maker's mercy that she isn't breakfast for some Antivan predator."
"More likely that there is more meat to be had elsewhere." Ines looked at the bodies Greagoir had gestured towards and felt bile raising when she noticed that they had been gnawed on. Looking away quickly and suppressing the urge to regurgitate the delicious Antivan pastries she had for breakfast, she stiffened and bristled. "All the more reason we cannot leave her here."
"You know we won't be able to keep her." Greagoir sighed resignedly. "Mages are not allowed to have children. Even adopted ones."
"We can find her a good home back in Antiva City. At least she won't be eaten alive there." Ines relaxed when she realised Greagoir would not fight her on this.
"We'll see about that." He muttered as they made their way back to the city, basket only half full for once after Ines had been in an unchartered botanical area.
The sun had scarcely moved in the sky when the babe started fussing again.
"What does she want?" Greagoir grumbled. Irving was not going to be happy with him. The senior enchanter had entrusted Ines to him with the express request to keep her in line and not bring back any stray animals that she was so fond of collecting. A baby may not qualify as a stray but he doubted Irving would look on her with any less ire.
"I think she's hungry. I don't suppose we have any milk?" Ines asked hopefully. Knowing the answer before Greagoir shook his head. They had only brought essentials for the trip, the only luxury being the Antivan pastries Wynne had insistently packed for her so that she would not "miss out" on the "fun" of travelling.
"I don't suppose you know where we can get milk for you?" She smiled at the little one. "We seem to be all out and we probably won't reach the next village till late tonight."
The babe gurgled and raised both hands in the air. Greagoir span so quickly around, he nearly tripped on a protruding root. "Did you feel that?" he gasped.
"Yes… The small tug at the Fade. Someone very near." Ines slung the babe and unholstered her staff. Footsteps could be heard following them.
Greagoir unsheathed his sword glowering menacingly at the apostate he was sure was approaching. "Who's there?" He bellowed.
A pause, then a pure white, exquisite creature emerged from the forest, stopping directly in front of Ines, ignoring the threat Greagoir presented.
Greagoir released the breath he had not realised he was holding. "What in the Maker's name is that?"
"A halla. It doesn't seem frightened of you." Holstering her staff once again, Ines looked over at Greagoir with confused eyes even as she regarded the beautiful creature with unabashed eyes. ''May I…"
"No, you may not. We are not bringing a deer back, Ines. Irving would have a fit." Greagoir declared vehemently. "No, absolutely not!"
Ines drooped in disappointment then a sneaky look crossed her face. "Well, if we don't, the babe will just have to starve. You get to hold her while she's fussing."
"What? What? What do you mean?" Ines could not help chuckling at the incredulous look on Greagoir's face.
"The halla is heavy with milk."
They made quite a sight walking into Antiva City with a halla following them. It was a strange creature who had not wandered from them even when they reached the small village late that night, three days ago. When the babe would not drink the goat's milk that they bought from a small freehold, Greagoir gave in and allowed Ines to bring it, thinking it would bolt once they reached the city.
He was wrong. The creature followed them unwavering, seemingly focused on the bundle in Ines' arms. Irving will blast my ass. No doubt about it. A halla and a baby.
As they made their way to the tavern where rooms were booked for the College of Magi, held this year in Antiva, they received wide eyed stares from the residents, some even dropping items to gawk.
There's something unnatural about this creature.
Ines could not, for the life of her, remember ever encountering a creature that was so unfazed by crowds. Even she was slightly huddled towards Greagoir for protection against the strange people who were unabashedly staring at them.
"How much for the halla?" A deep, resonant and heavily accented voice pierced the mumbles of the crowd surrounding them.
"She's not ours to sell." Ines glared at the well-dressed Antivan man who stood blocking their path towards the tavern.
The babe made a sound of protest and raised both fists in the air. "We need her…" Ines' voice trailed off and shook as the man before her started to blaze in a bright blue flame. "Maker's breath!"
Greagoir attempted to dispel the magic but it seemed to have absolutely no effect. Grabbing a blanket off a nearby stall selling them, he beat them against the man only to have the blanket burst into similar blue flames. Ines cast an ice spell at the man but it only caused the fire to spit and crackle. Seconds later, there was nothing but ash remaining of the man.
"Andraste's flaming tits! What was that? Did you even feel the Fade being drawn?" Ines was in shock. She had never even imagined it was possible to burn a man to ashes like that. Even Rage demons left charred bodies, not bone white ashes.
"I… I didn't feel a thing." Greagoir frowned. "If this is some apostate is using this level of magic here, we will have to inform the Antivan Knight-Commander. I will go once I escort you back."
"I would rather you sent one of the younger templars. I would feel safer with you around." Blushing furiously, Ines hastily added. "Wynne too."
"Yes, Wynne. I'll send Bran then." Greagoir mused, smiling affectionately at some memory, missing the tightening of Ines' mouth.
"Yes, Miss 'my skills are only that of a healer so I didn't even educate myself with enough primal skill to light a candle' would be quite lost with protection. She can't even sustain a flame blast long enough to heat up a tea cup." Ines gritted out in an irritated tone before brushing past Greagoir, hurrying towards the tavern.