Thank you everyone for your reviews and support.

As always, Bioware owns everything, I just wander with purpose.

Dangerous and Ready

Winter came and we journeyed to the village that Lodan had spoken to me about earlier in the year. It was a two day trek, and other then a grumpy bear who obviously had not been told to go find a den, we had no trouble.

The village was quaint, a very picturesque place on the edge of civilization. Men and women walked in the streets while children ran across yards, screaming in laughter. It was nice to see more humans after so long. I had to restrain myself from running up to some of them and talk to them.

"We need some supplies, so I will leave you with the blacksmith," Lodan said.

"Okay. Lead the way."

The blacksmiths forge was incredibly warm compared to the temperatures I had been sleeping in. Tools were scattered across a table, a pickaxe in the process of being made was forgotten in a fire. The blacksmith himself was talking to a man about plows for the spring.

"They always are looking to the future," the blacksmith smiled as the man left. "Lodan! Long time no see," he shook Lodan's hand roughly. "What can I do for you?"

"Abigail, this is Harlin. Abby knows what she needs. I will be at the inn when you are done." Lodan left and I smiled at Harlin.

"So, you and Lodan?" he said suggestively.

"What? Oh, no. Not at all. He's my mentor and friend." I felt my cheeks burn. "He's, like, fifty," I said wierdly.

Harlin laughed. "I figured. You're not his type. So, what can I do for you Abigail?"

Ignoring his comment, I filled him in on the fact that I needed a sword and a teacher of some sort. He listened carefully and had me try some of the swords just in case. The two-handed swords were much too heavy and the single handed swords came with a shield, which I thought was odd.

"It has to come with the shield?"

"No. It's just preferred." Harlin stroked his beard, deep in thought. "Wait here one moment will you."

I put the weapons down and tried to see myself using them, but it felt wrong.

Harlin came back into the forge, carrying a sheathed sword. "This was made for my second youngest. Last summer he died in the army, but I think he would have wanted it to be but to use again."

I looked at the offered pommel. "I can't do that. It was your son's."

"I insist. He hadn't named it even." He pushed the sword against my chest.

I unsheathed it. It was about forty inches long with a boar engraved at the base. I held it in two hands and slowly brought it on an imaginary enemy. It was definitely heavier then the sticks I was used to using, but I was surprised on how little effort I needed to lift it.

I noticed my reflection on the blade and did a double take. My usual chipmunk cheeks had been replaced with a more slender tone. The eyes that stared back were more open and aware. I was glad to still see the twinkle was still in them.

"It's a little long for you," Harlin remarked. "I can fix that easily though. Tell you what, come back tomorrow and it will be ready to go. Do you have a certain thing you want engraved on the blade?"

"I don't have a family crest, so no," I gave him back the sword.

"Maybe someday right?" he smiled.

I thanked him and left for the inn.

When I walked into the inn, I had trouble finding Lodan at first because the amount of people in it. I saw him stuffed in a corner, and he waved me over. I walked, or pushed my way through to sit with him.

"Is this party night?" I asked.

"The inn doubles as a tavern," he said observing me. "What is the good news?"

I told him about the sword and how we could leave as early as tomorrow. I was about finished when the door opened. It would not have seemed out of the ordinary but the whole room went from laughter and shouting to complete silence in seconds. I looked to see what was going on.

In my vision stood five men and a woman in the front of the door, all in full breastplate armour. They each had their helmets in the crook of their arms. Dark purple robes poked out at the bottom, which to me seemed like that could be in someone's best interest to trip them in a fight. On their chests, an inflamed sword pointed up dangerously. The woman walked up to the barkeep and asked for a room to which the girl smiled ecstatically and nodded.

"Templars!" Lodan hissed. "The Chantry's mage-hunters."

The people in the tavern relaxed and the din grew a little louder than before. Every once in a while a person would look at the group in awe or admiration.

"So that's a templar," I whispered. They looked dangerous and every time I looked at them I got a weird buzzing feeling. I shook my head to try and clear it.

"You hungry?" Lodan's gaze never left the knights as he attempted conversation.

"A little bit. I don't need any, uh, gold. I'll go get something." I almost smacked myself in the head. It's okay to use the term money dope head. I thought.

I was not gone for five minutes, and I came back to find Lodan glaring up at one of the warriors. For some reason, my mind flashed to the knife in my boot.

"Lodan, I don't know if you ate, but this is way too much food for me to be eating at one sitting…" The man's gaze flashed to me and he frowned.

"You know this knife-ear?" he scathed.

I couldn't believe how hateful he was. My eyeballs must have almost popped out of my head because the templar sneered.

"Excuse me?" I asked. I realized I was trembling, and not from fear.

"You heard me!"

I could not contain myself. "How dare you use that horrid term." I put the bowl down and grabbed my knife.

"Abby, it's fine. Do not bother." Despite his tone, I knew he was as livid as I was.

"To hell it is! What right do you think you have talking to him like that?" Adrenaline coursed through my veins, making everything appear sharp.

"Whoa, what is going on over here?" It was the female knight.

"Serrah, I was questioning this knife-ear when the girl defended him," I got the feeling that humans did not usually do that.

"He said it again!" I was ready to tackle him down. That would have been something. He had to be at least six- and-a-half feet tall compared to my five-seven stature.

"Please my good woman," the woman whispered to me, "you're making a scene." But I couldn't have cared less if I was on fire.

"Apologize to him right now," my measly knife jabbed at his face dangerously.

He just laughed cruelly. "Or what? You'll give me a scratch?"

"Ser Ronald, apologize right now. That's an order."

The man looked conflicted, but he did mutter something loosely related to a sorry and left.

"I apologize, but as you know, old habits die hard with my men."

I was not hearing it. "Come on Lodan. Let's go eat in our room."

I got up and Lodan showed me to the room. I hoped dearly we would not see the templars again.