Armour

by Rose Tinted Contact Lenses

Series of linked shorts. Morgana Amell and her companions all have their own personal battles - whether it's finding your family, betrayal, or learning to trust. What you don't see in the game, or a different perspective on what you do.

33. Gifts

Gifts

Leliana

She is humming an old tune she learned in Orlais - one about a knight who embarks on an affair with his queen, and the war that ensues.

There is the sound of armour clanking and a loud knocking thud - wood? She looks to her side to see Morgana sitting down with a lute. "I... er... here." She passes it to her, and she instantly tries out the strings, tuning each one.

"What have I done to deserve this?"

"Well." Morgana stops - she seems to have to think about it for a moment. "You've been good. To me. And..." She looks at the flames. "I know you enjoy playing. I used to."

Leliana looks to her in surprise. "I didn't know."

"The templars hated it, but we had hobbies in the Tower; stopped us from going insane, I suppose. Or we were possessed, and they didn't. Mine was lute, and... reading."

"Reading?"

"There's more than one kind of escape." Morgana looks her in the eye, swiftly looking away again to the fire.

"Thank you. I will treasure it."

Morgana smiles, nods. "I better go." Alistair is waiting impatiently by the trees - Leliana heard the conversation they had earlier, and knows that tonight Morgana is having another of her lessons.

After she is gone, Leliana turns the lute over, checking it for damage - sylvanwood, she thinks. Her fingers brush something that scrapes, and she moves it to look. Someone has scratched tiny initials onto it: M.A.