To The Tower

Nygozy stood at the doors, eyeing them suspiciously and with a bit of trepidation. There would be a good possibility of trouble. She expected to be watched carefully by Templars and mages. That was not her problem though. Her problem was to make sure there was no trouble and if there was to deal with it.

The door opened and a young Templar looked at her with astonishment. He looked like he would fall over with shock at the group in front of him but he did try to look imposing for those he could see were mages.

"I am here to speak with Irving." She said simply then walked past the young man, "You can tell him Nygozy is here."

Right behind the dwarf, Calliara stared blankly to the Templar when he opened the door. Without a blink, just like a wolf, her cold ice-blue eyes studied the man and then the place when she followed the Warden Commander.

She said nothing. She wasn't suppossed to. She was just there to watch over Nygozy, to see, study, and act if needed.

Towering above the two women was the newest addition to the group, the enigmatic Tamassran, a Qunari teacher who's motives for coming to Fereldan were currently only known to Nygozy during their talk on the beach by the lake prior to taking the ferry to the tower. He stood tall in his plain, unassuming robes, white hair worn long and hooked around his small horns. He crossed his arms over his massive chest as he looked about the mage tower. His golden eyes reflected a sense of disgust at the lax security of the Templars over the mages. He didn't comment though, wary of the mages that travelled with the group but he still could not hide his utter contempt for them.

I'll sing you one-oh... hark how the winds do blow! What is your one-oh...?

It was hard to know whether the misty-eyed girl knew where she was, let alone if she was paying attention. To an outside observer... say, the nervously steaming mound of Templar posing as a doorman... she could just have stumbled onto the ferry by mistake: a curious third wheel, letting her fingers skip across the intricate carvings woven around the doorframe. Sophia didn't even spare the exchange at the doorway a second glance.

From one to now... nothing much has changed, has it?

The roaming fingers paused, hovering over a tiny chip in the stonework. Removed with surgical precision, as if by a knife... but a knife that could cut stone with such finesse? Dwell on it, Sophia. Dwell on the details, not the location. Not the tower...

Too late.

Too quick to notice, the perpetual smile flickered. Back here again, this time in the company of the woman she had chosen to follow. One story flowing into another, inseparable, but all stemming from the same source. At least she and that Qunari had one thing in common... neither of them had any love for the Circle.

For every day, an opportunity. Every step another note in the song.

She followed Nygozy inside. What more could she do? Tonight the song was simple. Accompany the Mistress, protect her against any trouble, and most importantly of all... the cloudy eyes flicked over to settled on the Qunari. The conversation between the priest and the dwarf by the lakeside had not escaped Sophia's notice. Just what did he want, the Qunari with such hatred in his eyes? Sophia sighed. Honestly. She felt herself obliged to keep Nygozy away from such... influences, but still... the Warden-Commander was no longer a child. She should know better then to talk to strangers.

Then again... The smile widened. ... if that were the case, she would never have spoken to me, would she?

How true. Falling into step besides Calliara, the willowy mage let her head droop, folding her hands before her in the demure stance of a novice. She had no other choice. The atmosphere of the tower bore down on her, whispering admonitions in her ears. She strove to ignore them For now, silence was the key. Silence, not memories.

"Uhmmm ... ma'am? The First Enchanter does not see just anyone." The young man looked to the older Templars waiting inside watching the door, "You cannot ..."

"Leave it be, Aran. The Hero is not about to let anyone get in her way." An older man with an air of distinction walked into the entry hall and stood in the group's way.

Nygozy smirked as the young man named Aran moved back, astonished, "Hello Greagoir. It has not been as long as you wished has it?"

"It is Knight-Commander but you never care for that, do you Hero?" Greagoir stared down at the little lady, "And whom has been brought with you to visit today?"

"You know me well enough, Knight-Commander. I shall be civil. For once." She grinned at the large man at which he shook his head but there was a slight smile on his face, "These are some of my newest initiates and they do have voices of their own.

"These are some of my newest initiates and they do have voices of their own''

Calliara studied the tall human with her cold stare, but suddenly her coldness slightly changed to a warmer attitude, finding that she liked the human and that Nygozy liked him as well, and bowed her head a little, always looking at him right in the eye, but said nothing.

She didn't like being called an initiate when she was not, but as always, the Dalish never complained and waited.

Nygozy could feel Calliara's coldness and looked at the other woman for a moment, her mind suddenly working around some things, "Except for Calliara, I should have said." She turned her attention back to Greagoir, "She is a full Warden, sorry Calliara. Let's just go see the First Enchanter, shall we? I believe that we should do our best to keep this stay to a minimal time frame."

Greagoir nodded and led them through the hallway, "For those who do not know, this is the apprentice dorms where those who have not gone through their full training stay. Their rooms are to the side here." He pointed out calmly.

So they were to meet the leader of these creatures. The Tamassran looked more and more bitter with each step. He looked towards Knight-Commander Greagoir and growled. "Why are these Saarebas not leashed and attended to by an Arvaarad? Your security here is negligible at best." He then scoffed. "And you let a Saarebas watch over them?" He was clearly enjoying deconstructing the flaws in the Circle's running of the mages. To him, this place was ripe for being taken over by abominations with the Templars' haphazard security.

The Apprentice Dorms.

Oh, she shouldn't... Really, she shouldn't. Not while she was with the Mistress and her friends, but... she couldn't help herself. Just a minute? One minute? Okay. But we'll have to be careful, won't we?
It wasn't so much a matter of sneaking away as it was of... detaching herself, a simple step back around the doorframe as everyone else moved forward. So far no-one had paid her any significant attention, not even her companions: their perceptions, physical and emotion, swarmed around the Mistress so absolutely that Sophia could almost see them shimmering in the gloomy air. And the Qunari was actually being helpful in his own abrasive way... though, if he hadn't been able to mock the gaping flaws in the Circle's containment, Sophia would have been insulted. She could only hope that he remained focused on that: talking to the Mistress while she was away would be an unforgivable breach of the rules of engagement. At least, as she saw them.

But that wasn't the task at hand, was it...?

The dorms were relatively quiet. Perhaps the apprentices were sleeping, or... no. Soft whispers drifted past, tickling her nose. Discussing... the Mistress? Of course. Soft pride tinged Sophia's everlasting smile. No matter where or when, Apprentices never lost their talent for gossip. More then ever, she wanted to slip into those sleepy shadows, catch up on the latest rumours, gossip about lessons and teachers alike, swap stories about what lurked deep in the Tower's shadows-

- memories.

Sophia caught herself. The others weren't that far away yet. They might even have seen her move without her knowing it. Wait, until you know. If they call you out, if they see you, then keep moving. Otherwise... the sleepy eyes sharpened. Why not indulge in a little exploration?

"Except for Calliara, I should have said. She is a full Warden, sorry Calliara. Let's just go see the First Enchanter, shall we? I believe that we should do our best to keep this stay to a minimal time frame."


The Dalish just bowed her head again to Greagoir and followed them, keeping a bit of distace so she could have space to defend Nygozy if needed. She was looking at the large Qunari too, still amazed with him but trying to not show her fascination. And then she saw the other mage/bard/she didn't know what-girl stopping by the apprentice's dorms.

Curious, Calliara looked at her and stopped as well, watching with the corner of her eye Nygozy, Greagoir and the Qunari keep going, and finally, when they were about to turn a corner, she quietly called Sophia.

''Please keep going. We are guests here''

"Why are these Saarebas not leashed and attended to by an Arvaarad? Your security here is negligible at best." He then scoffed. "And you let a Saarebas watch over them?"

Well the calm was short lived, that was for sure. It was interesting to see the grin on the Templar master's face until the reference towards security came up at which point Greagoir's demeanor changed to one of a hard exterior. It was difficult to know whether the Qunari knew of the situation not too long before in which the Tower had been taken over by abominations but if he did he likely would have mentioned it. Either way the discussion could be interesting.

"You have not seen the defenses as they are hidden but be well aware that they are capable of removing disturbances."

Apparently the smaller man was not going to go on about these "hidden" defenses but Nygozy knew he was only distracting the Tamassran so that he did not have to go into details and to shut the man up.

Just then they turned another corner and were in front of the door they wished to go through and Nygozy looked back towards where the other two had gone. She glanced to the shadows to see her silent guard give her a nod then indicate with his chin that the other two were still behind them. It was interesting how well Kai hid making her wonder if the others realized he had come with them.

"Thank you, Greagoir. We will convene with Irving. I am sure that you have other duties in which to administer." She smiled at him as the man turned.

"Call when you are ready to leave." Greagoir stated as he left.

The Tamassran's arms folded over his barrel chest again, scowling at Greagoir. "You have not seen the defenses as they are hidden but be well aware that they are capable of removing disturbances." said the Templar Commander, the Qunari just laughed. "A hastily constructed answer because you know that I am right, Templar. You are too soft on these Saarebas." He chided.

He had noticed the short human woman with the dark hair was trying to wander off, but was quickly reeled in by the even shorter Elf woman. The Qunari followed until they reached the First Enchanter's chamber. "So this is the Saarebas leader. I was thinking he was more... short and slumped over than he truly is. Why is he not broken?" He asked, his lips twisting into a scowl.

((Sophie = tall, Draggy. ... though I suppose compared to Tamassran she'd be kinda titchy. ^^)

Discovered. Oh well. Calliara was right, of course. They were guests here, and as such had to show every courtesy... which included no wandering off. Bowing her head as if chastened, Sophia drifted away from the door, matching her pace with the Dalish. Out of all her companions, why had she been the one to notice...?

"Forgive me." Sophia whispered, taking full advantage of Calliara's sharp hearing. "Memories can be hard to shake." Her smile twitched. "If you had left me any longer, I might have drifted inside and tried to find my old bunk... I probably would have given the poor apprentices quite a shock. But I couldn't help but wonder...
Even when i was learning here, I would wonder what my peers wished to do with their power. What they dreamed, what they hoped. Would those dreams change over the years? Are the mages of today more or less bound in what they are allowed to think and feel? Perhaps it is just the tower whispering to me, but still..." Sophia's elbow brushed against her companions: an innocent, questioning intimacy.
"... what do you think? You have the power to change the world. What do you dream of?"
The sentence was no sooner out of her mouth then Sophia realised her mistake. Her smile shrank, hiding behind a curtain of blushing hair.
"... Abelas. I am sorry. We barely know each other, and this is no place to talk of dreams. Perhaps this is a conversation for another time..."

While she talked, the willowy mage couldn't help but notice the departure of Greagoir. How odd. The Mistress's presence obviously produced a much greater effect then she had previously anticipated, that or the paranoia of the Templars had eased somewhat since Sophia had last encountered them: if she were Greagoir, she would have had at least two Templars waiting in the shadows at all times, just in case. Or were these 'hidden defenses' actually up to scratch? Watching, watching, always watching, the Templars and their games. It was always safest to assume the worst, when it came to the jailors of dreams.

''Forgive me. Memories can be hard to shake. If you had left me any longer, I might have drifted inside and tried to find my old bunk... I probably would have given the poor apprentices quite a shock. But I couldn't help but wonder...

Even when i was learning here, I would wonder what my peers wished to do with their power. What they dreamed, what they hoped. Would those dreams change over the years? Are the mages of today more or less bound in what they are allowed to think and feel? Perhaps it is just the tower whispering to me, but still..."

Calliara listened politely to the mage's words, looking at Nygozy and the qunari's enormous back while walking, but nodding from time to time to show Sophia she was listening. Although she still didn't know what to think about ther, the Dalish found her chatting soothing somehow. Like Ashalle.

What now, White Wolf? Melancholy?

An elbow brushing against hers.

"... what do you think? You have the power to change the world. What do you dream of?... Abelas. I am sorry. We barely know each other, and this is no place to talk of dreams. Perhaps this is a conversation for another time..."

Calliara turned her head to look at Sophia right in the eye with her own iced blue eyes, not blinking, staring just like a wolf with her usual calm, stoic and serious face. After a moment, her lips twitched with an amused smirk.

''I think apprentices and students feel the same and think the same every time, everywhere, no matter what they are studying or learning. The wonders of knowledge, the amazing secret revealed with every new lesson, deception, illusion, curiosity... When I became a huntress and entered the hunter ranks of my people and put in charge of some younglings, I found myself amazed: they felt the same I did so many years ago. They felt the same fear of failing, the illusion of learning, the curiosity of the misteries and wonders that they could learn from the wise people. The hawk that falls of its nest while peeking the world outside, the kitten that climbs a tree, the student that sets on fire an aravel trying to figure out how to make a firepit'' Calliara laughed softly, talking with her usual calm tone, but not whispering so Nygozy and the Tamassran could hear as well if they wanted. She had nothing to hide after all.

''And what do I dream of? I dream with something that is denied to me. I dream of living a long, happy life with lots of children and die old and wise with my love'' The Dalish shrugged with a sad but resigned smile and continued walking

Lithawen stood at the doors, not wishing to venture into the tower too far. She didn't want to the Templars to have any reason to trap her here. And she knew they could care less that she was a warden, and they would only care she was a mage. And Mages should be caged and controlled. The Keeper had encountered Templars in the past, and they wanted her either dead or in the tower.

With a sigh she moved in from the nippy lake air. She was, as usual, cold. It seemed that no matter where she went in this damned country she would always be chilled to the bones. Shivering though was not only caused by the temperature, but from the gazes of the helmed Templars. The Dalish could feel the eyes, cold, hard and hidden under the coat of metal.

Lithawen stood, glaring at the Templar who were shifting and taking turns to guard the doors, keeping the mages in. She did not try and speak to them, as they did not try to speak to her. She knew they were all to pompous to remember one strange little elf girl who escaped ten years ago, or they were to young to have been present. Either way she was thankful that there was no reason for her to show her magic, and they would have no reason to believe she was so inclined to the awareness of the fade.