Circles within Circles
Chapter 7
By Of Quirky Excellence aka LyriumGhost18
A/N: Direct continuation of the last chapter.
"The two of you," began the Knight Commander, staring critically at Jowan and Caroline. "Will have to sweep the corridors and the apprentice's quarters for one hour each day for two weeks once Jowan is well of his wound. And you, Jonathan, will be sentenced to the dungeon for one month. Fighting with other apprentices is inexcusable, but using magic to settle a minor dispute is unspeakable! Downright shameful."
Jonathan looked angrily from the Knight Commander over to Jowan, and sneered when the younger apprentice squirmed at his eye-contact before he was led away.
"Knight Commander, First Enchanter, a word, if you may?" Jowan asked nervously.
Irving and Greagoir glanced at each other and Greagoir shrugged. Irving nodded. "Go ahead, Jowan."
"Caroline shouldn't be punished, ser. She was only trying to stop me from doing something I would regret, but I did it anyway. If you'll allow it, I'd like to take her punishment for her. She doesn't deserve it. I'll sweep for four weeks instead of two."
"Jowan, it's fine," Caroline said softly, but her friend shushed her and Irving and Greagoir went off into the corner of the room and discussed the matter in private.
"Are you sure about it, Jowan? I don't mind sweeping. Maker knows the corridors need all the help they can get." Caroline whispered.
Chuckling, Jowan nodded. "True, but it's a shameful job and everyone knows it's a punishment. You, for one, should not be punished for my mischief."
"Alright, you two." Greagoir spoke up as he and the First Enchanter walked back towards the two apprentices.
"Jowan, we have agreed your terms are acceptable. Both of you are dismissed. Caroline, will you take him to the infirmatory?" Irving requested.
"Of course I will, First Enchanter, thank you." Caroline smiled meekly and she and Jowan walked slowly out, closing the large door behind them and headed down the corridor towards the infirmatory.
"I really hope Wynne's not on duty." Jowan mumbled.
Caroline laughed. "Right? As nice as she can be, she'll preach to you about how 'violence is frowned upon in the eyes of the Maker.'"
"I bet she's giving Jonathan the speech about magic serving man and not ruling over him in the dungeon as we speak!" Jowan said.
"You jest!" Caroline giggled. "But if it were true, then maybe we wouldn't have to see her now!"
"How long would that put it off, I wonder?" Jowan said with a smirk. As they approached the door, Caroline opened it and gestured for Jowan to go in first.
Jowan nodded his thanks and walked in. Caroline shut the door behind them and followed him into the wing.
"Maker's breath!" said the healer as she saw Jowan's wound. "What happened?" She stood up from the crying six-year-old boy with a skinned knee she was tending to.
"I…" Jowan paused as the child looked up at him. He blushed, feeling like a fool. "I am hurt."
"Well I can see that, dear!" the healer said, chuckling at his bluntness. "Ah, Caroline! What a surprise!" Caroline stepped out from behind Jowan.
"Good day, Hilda! Congratulations on passing your Harrowing!" she greeted the newly Harrowed Spirit Healer.
"Thanks Caroline! Now, Jowan, tell me what happened." Hilda inquired.
"Jonathan cast an icicle at me…" he mumbled, blushing again.
"Oh, my!" She cooed as she got a closer look at the wound on his shoulder. "Looks like he got you good. I hope they smited him down, the fiend!"
The three mages chuckled. "He's in the dungeons now, but Jowan threw in a few good punches before the Templars could do anything." Caroline said when the laughing ceased.
"Good. Jonathan's nothing but trouble. Ought to get the Brand." Whispered Hilda so the young child on the cot could not hear.
"That's not funny!" Caroline interjected. For what little she did know of the Rite of Tranquility, she knew the slang word for it was used by mages because the Tranquil had slightly visible Chantry symbols tattooed…or something, onto their foreheads.
"Anyway, sit down, Jowan, this should only take a moment." Hilda broke the awkward silence after Caroline's interruption of Hilda's joke.
Jowan sat down on the cot closest to the door and Hilda healed him quickly, her spell making a low buzzing noise, then disappearing into Jowan's broken flesh and mending it.
"There now." Hilda said, patting Jowan on the back. "Try not to get into any more fights." She winked and added in a whisper, "Until Jonathan gets out, at least."
As the two apprentices said their thanks to Hilda and walked out of the clinic, Caroline was not prepared for what Jowan said to her on their way back to the apprentices' quarters.
"Caroline, I met a girl earlier today." He said softly to his friend so no passerby would overhear.
"Oh?" She said, a little bit surprised. "Who is she?"
"Let's…just say it's not a normal relationship. Not at all." He told her, blushing.
"The idea of her thinking I was weak motivated me to defend my pride." Jowan said sheepishly.
"Oh. I see how it is."
But how little Caroline knew of how things really were.