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The Mage and the Templars	By : Nyghtlei17 Category: +A through F > Dragon Age (all) > Dragon Age (all) Views: 8458 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age or any of its characters. I do not make any money off of this fanfiction.

Chapter List
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She grew up in the large tower that sat isolated from the rest of Ferelden, right in the middle of Lake Calenhad. Though she was not alone in the Circle, she most certainly felt isolated. She had no idea who she was or where she came from. She had no idea who her parents were and she didn’t know if she was born of the Dalish Elves or if she was born in an alienage to Elven refugee parents. The Dalish used tattoos as a means of preserving their Elven heritage but they did not have them until adulthood. In the Circle of Magi most everyone knew where they came from. They knew their origins and who they were, Kitsune on the other hand was lost.
Apart from being very bad at Creation spells save for a not-so-helpful Heal spell, she was a natural when it came to her Primal spells. She was especially accurate with her Winter’s Grasp and Earthquake, however from time to time she would ‘slip up’ and freeze one of the Templars standing at a near by doorway. That’s where they always were, the Templars, somewhere they could see everything and be seen by everyone, lest you forget they were there. No mage ever forgot. The Templars weren’t nasty towards them, well not always. They were just intimidating, overbearing, and ready to strike you down as soon as you did something out of line, or became an Abomination. They were mage hunters and none of them in the Circle Tower, isolated from the rest of the world, ever forgot that.



   She quickly threw on her robes, combed her silver hair to cover the tips of her pointed ears, and grabbed her staff, never checking the vanity next to her bunk bed. No one had ever slept in the bunk above her but she never touched it just in case a new mage found themselves sleeping there. She walked briskly through the corridors of the tower, past mages and Templars a like. She was late for her Primal studies. Today a Senior Enchanter would be working with her to improve her Fireball spell which was strong but not very accurate. She hoped to skip the warm ups but now that she was late she was sure she would have to do double the warm ups.

   She sprinted into the library, her chest heaving and her brow sweating. She stood between the shelves waiting to be scolded by the enchanter but to her delight she too was late. Thank the Maker she is not here yet, she thought to herself. She adjusted her robes and pushed her hair out of her face. She heard footsteps behind her as she wiped sweat from her brow. It was not a Senior Enchanter but the First Enchanter, Irving, himself. “First Enchanter”, she bowed deeply.

   “Rise, child”, he said. “I will be overseeing your Primal training today, Wynne is not feeling well.”

   “Yes, First Enchanter.” This is not going to go well, she thought.

   “Well,” he said from several feet away “Let’s see it.”

   She nodded, unaware if he could see her acknowledgement from that far away, he was not as young as he once was.

   Kitsune and the First Enchanter’s relationship was different than the relationship he had with the other mages in the Circle. Many years ago when Kitsune was about 2 years old, the ferryman at the docks of Lake Calenhad, Kester, found her wrapped in a tattered blanket. He said the best thing he could do with the babe was to take her to the First Enchanter. He was after all a kind and gentle man despite his extreme abilities as a mage. That was the day that Irving decided he would care for this child, regardless if she were to be a mage. It just so happened that she was one. Their relationship was one of many reasons the other mages kept their distance. However, her being an elf didn’t help either.

   Kitsune gripped her staff with both hands. They were shaking a bit, she was afraid she might hit him. She inhaled deeply and let the familiar heat gather in her stomach first and then make its way to her hands, then through the center of her staff where it pooled at the top. She exhaled and the enormous fire ball went howling through the air but it lost momentum and fell short of her target.

   “Again, Kitsune,” Irving shouted from across the library.

   She repeated the spell, over and over. At about her seventh inhale she was beginning to feel lightheaded and she could feel the urge for Lyrium building in her. She shot the fireball but this one was way off. She watched, terrified, as it hurled right out of the doorway, a second later she heard the clattering of metal on the floor. Suddenly she was no longer lightheaded she was, however, embarrassed and fearful that she had hit a Templar. She bolted for the door Irving attempted to call out to her but she couldn’t hear him over the thumping of her own heart. She slid across the stone floor when she tried to stop herself in the hall. The Templar lie there, a clump of metal armour lying sprawled out on the floor. She rushed to his side, “I am so sorry”, she stammered. “I was practicing and I-

   The Templar raised a hand “No…”, he choked “Wrong place, wrong time.” He looked up at her and she could see he was young. Younger than most of the Templars and unfamiliar to her. He had blonde hair and honey eyes, definitely unfamiliar to her.

   “Here,” she held out a hand, “Let me help you up.”

   Hesitantly, he took her hand. “Thank you”, he dusted himself off only to notice the big black circle in the middle of his chest. “So much for my new shiny armour”

   “I really am sorry. I can polish it if you like.” She was embarrassed at how careless she had been. “I truly am sorry”

   “It’s quite alright. I’ll get this cleaned, don’t worry about it.” He looked down at her and she looked away. “What is your name?”

   “Kitsune”, she whispered. Irving had been merciful to her before when one of the mages was upset with her, but she had never done anything like this.

   “I’m Cullen”, he extended his gloved hand.

   She wasn’t sure if she should shake it. It was not particularly common for Templars and mages to even communicate beyond ‘Move along, Mage’ and ‘Yes ser’ let alone shake hands. But she was not about to be even more rude than she had already been. She forced herself to look him in the eyes, suddenly very aware of how much taller he was than her. She was an elf and she was very used to human men (and woman) being taller than her but he was excruciatingly taller than her. She put her small hand in his much larger one and he shook it so firmly she wanted to snatch her hand back.

   “See?”, he smiled a very intriguing smile. “No harm done.” Their eyes met for the first time and he immediately released her hand. “I-I should be-”

   “Kitsune?”, she jumped at the sound of the First Enchanter.

   “First Enchanter”, they both said in unison. Cullen bowed. Kitsune bowed even deeper.

   “Is everything alright?”, Irving asked.

   Cullen snapped up first, Kitsune quickly followed. “Yes, First Enchanter.” Cullen spoke in a low voice that was very different from the tone he just had.. “Everything is fine. The elven mage was just making sure I was not hurt.”
She cringed at the words ‘elven mage’.

   “And are you?” Irving questioned.

   “No, ser”

   “Very well, carry on Templar. Come, Kitsune.” It was not a question. She found it hard to will her feet to follow him back into the library.

   She looked behind her to see Cullen still standing there. “I am sorry”, she said one final time.

   He didn’t look at her face. “I told you, I am fine”, there was no trace of that smile. He turned from her and walked down the hall. She started to walk into the library but stopped to watch him walk the length of the hall. Toward the end, she could barely see him hunch over and clutch at his chest.

   She returned to Irving. She did not look him in the face. She was sure she was going to be scolded for her carelessness. She knew better than to try to cast so low on mana. She was very lucky that Cullen had been nice to her. Had it been any other Templar like Knight-Commander Greagoir she would have been lucky to still have both her hands.

   “Pay a visit to Owain at the storage room. I want you to gather some items.” Irving seemed uninterested in her misfire. “Return here immediately.”

   A smile twitched at the corner of her mouth, “Yes, First Enchanter” As she grabbed the paper from him she had a strange thought as she exited the library. If I hurry maybe I can see him. To thank him for being so kind and understanding. She ran down the hall, hoping his chest hurt enough for him to have to walk slowly. She realized that was a terrible thought but she hoped it nonetheless. She ran down the stairs and through the mage’s quarters, the opposite way to the storage room but she promised herself just a quick thank you and one quick look at him. She saw him as she exited the quarters, he was at the end of the hall. If she could run a little faster she could reach him.

   A fellow mage stepped in front of her just as she was about to take off again. “Whoa! Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

   She tried to dart around him but he put his hand on her shoulder. “Jowan,” she protested. “I have to go, I am sorry.” She hated being rude to her only friend in the Tower, she had to get to Cullen. She took off down the hall unaware that she still had Irving’s paper crumpled in her fist. She was within feet of him, she could smell the burning scent that was lingering on him. She wanted to call out to him but thought better of it, she didn’t need to draw attention to herself. She ran past him and stopped directly in front of him. He almost bumped into her.

   “K-Kitsune?”

   She bent over, put a hand on each knee and gasped for air. “I…. wanted…” she said between breaths, “to… thank… you” She huffed and huffed but she did not feel her lungs filling. “You… were… so…” She didn’t feel right. The lightheadedness was coming back. She looked up at him but she couldn’t make out his face. Her vision was blurring and she couldn’t get any air. She thought she heard him say something like ‘Are you alright?’ but maybe that was just her hoping he would catch her as she fell.

   The tower was desolate. All of the candles were out and it seemed to be very late. Yet no one was in the quarters. She got out of bed slowly but she felt nothing out of the normal. Maybe she had fainted and Irving had sent her to bed. But she was not with Irving when she fainted. The sudden and familiar sound of clinking armour was echoing down the hall. Templar armour. She went to the doorway so she could ask where everyone was. Cullen was waiting for her in the doorway.

   “Ser Cullen” she hung her head.

   “Kitsune” he said in the tone he had used when he was reassuring her that he was alright. “I’m glad you’re awake.”

   “Where-Where is everyone?” she looked around the empty quarters..

   “Everyone?”, he asked, puzzled.

   She studied his face. She was beginning to feel uneasy. "The other mages and Templars.”

   “Oh, them.” He smiled a very odd smile. “They’re all gone. Its just us.”

   She furrowed her brow. How was this possible? Where would they have all gone? He must be confused. “They cannot be all gone. They were just here”

   Cullen sighed impatiently, “Look, we are alone. What was it that you wanted to say to me?”

   Kitsune began to feel the lightheadedness come back. There was definitely something wrong. “I wanted…” What did she want to tell him again? “I wanted to thank you… I think”

   “Thank me for…?” he pressed impatiently.

   “I do not know…” Maker’s breath what is wrong with me?

   “Kitsune, now that we’re alone why don’t we talk about what’s really going on?”

   She raised an eyebrow at him, “What is going on?”

   He smirked, “Don’t think the way you looked at me went unnoticed.”

   “What?” she was shocked. Looked at him how?

   “I’ve peaked your interest and you want to know more about me.” He said so sure of himself.

   She shook her head. What was going on? Where was everyone? “No I only wanted to thank you. I did not-”

   “Liar!”, he hissed.

   “I am not lying. Maybe… Maybe I wanted to look at you… but I swear I never-”

   “Liar!”, he shouted this time.

   “I am not!”

   He grabbed both of her wrists and began to shake her violently. “You want me! You want me to want you! You are a mage! An elven mage!” He was screaming now. She realized that they really were alone. She knew no one, Templar or mage, was coming to rescue her. She was helpless without her staff.

   A thought came to her while she was being shaken and screamed at repeatedly. This cannot be real. This is a dream. I am in the Fade. I have to wake up. Wake up! WAKE UP!

   “Wake up!”, she screamed into Cullen’s face. But it was no longer his face. It was a Desire Demon. With her grey skin, yellow eyes, and dark, sickly twisted horns.

   She sat up immediately and gasped for air. Her head was pounding and she could feel something dripping from her mouth. She wiped at it nervously and studied her hand. Blue liquid smeared across her fingers when she wiped the corner of her mouth. Lyrium potion. She was still panting when she heard footsteps drawing closer. She looked around for her staff, it was no where to be found. The chamber doors opened slowly and to her relief it was First Enchanter Irving.

   “You are alright, child” He said in his baritone voice.

   “First Enchanter” she sighed. “I… what happened?”

   “You collapsed in the mage quarters. In front of Templar Cullen.”

   She closed her eyes and thought better then to ask of Cullen. “I am sorry, First Enchanter. I disobeyed your orders. I just…” she let her sentence drag hoping he would interject.

   He smiled a very familiar smile. “It’s alright Kitsune. I know you better than to think you’d do something you didn’t believe was necessary.”

   “Shall I go back to the Apprentice quarters now?”

   “I think it best you stay here tonight.” His words were final.

   She nodded and laid her head back on the pillows. “Thank you, First Enchanter.” Whether he said something or not she did not know, she fell back into the Fade but this time there was just her and the Fireball spell.

   Days past and Kitsune was improving her Fireball spell. Her accuracy was next to perfect. She still thought of Cullen. In fact she thought of him lying flat on his back every time she cast the spell. At night she rubbed the palm of the hand he shook before she fell asleep and drifted into the Fade. During meals she would watch him. The Templars sat a few banquet tables away but she could see him perfectly. She would watch him laugh and smile along with his fellow Templars. Once or twice she could’ve sworn he was looking at her but when their eyes met for a brief second he was always looking at something else.

   One night at dinner, Jowan noticed her staring at the Templar’s table intently. “What’s got your fancy, Kitsune?” he chided her. “You’ve been staring at the Templar table all evening. You haven’t even touched your food.”

   “Oh,” she looked down at her plate. It still had everything in place. “I am not hungry.”

   He sighed. “Look, you can’t be worried about your Harrowing every day. I mean if it bothers you that much you could always ask to be made Tranquil.”

   She was hardly listening to her friend until the last word, “Tranquil?” She wasn’t even thinking about her Harrowing let alone being made Tranquil. “I am no coward, Jowan” She was frustrated now. She grabbed her plate and tossed it in the bin they put all of their dirty dishes in. She could feel eyes watching her back as she left the hall. She knew it was Jowan but she hopped it to be the Templar. She walked down the hall, her intentions were to go to her quarters but she found herself standing in the hall that led to the library. What is wrong with me? Do I actually desire him? She remembered how strong his leather handshake had been and she sighed. This cannot be happening to me. Maybe that demon was right. She shook the thought away, No! That is not true. He was just nice to me, that is all. Nothing more.

   She hadn’t heard the clinking of his armour but she felt it when she turned to leave and ran into the wall that was his steel breastplate. She stumbled back, he grabbed her hand before she fell. “Careful”, he chuckled. She looked at the hand that was holding hers, the familiar hand. “Ar-Are you alright?”

   She looked up to see honey eyes staring into her grey ones. She immediately looked away. “I-I am fine, thank you.” She could feel her cheeks begin to blush. “Excuse me.” She went to leave but he still had her hand.

   “I never got the ch-chance to see if you were okay” He was stuttering and tripping over his words. “You know when you f-fainted”

   On the inside she smiled but on the surface she kept her face as solid as possible. “Yes, I am just fine.” She winced at how cold her words sounded.

   “That’s good t-to hear” He sounded unsure of what to say next. “You were completely spent” he laughed nervously. “You needed Mana badly. I caught you be-before you fell.”

   “Thank you”, she whispered to his breastplate but she didn’t know if he heard her.

   “Luckily us Templars always carry Lyrium.” He turned his head to clear his throat. “But I’m sure you already knew that.”

   She forced herself to study his face. She made up her mind this would be the last time she spoke to him. She didn’t want the demons to come after her again. “Ser Cullen” he jumped at her words. “My hand.”

   He looked puzzled at first then he quickly dropped her hand. “Oh, apologies”

She stared at his honey eyes, drinking in every last bit of them. “Thank you for helping me the other day.” She bowed to him and made her way down the hall. This time she knew it was his eyes that she felt on her back.
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The Mage and the Templars