Across Worlds

Ch 6 - Demons, dragons, and moonlight

The gray light of dawn had just started to break through the tent as Wren stretched and woke up with a yawn. She could hear the sounds of camp stirring around her as she quickly threw her hair into a high ponytail, slid on her borrowed boots and grabbed her backpack before slipping outside to see what she could do to help.

She found Evan, once again in his armor and with two dangerously curved daggers strapped to his back that she hadn't noticed before, saddling his horse, a tall and stocky dark bay gelding with a white star on his forehead. Cassandra, Varric, Solas and several soldiers were doing the same nearby.

"Good morning," she said as she approached.

"Morning, Wren. Did you sleep well?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you," she said, fibbing just a bit.

"Excellent! We're almost ready to go. I'm afraid we don't have a spare horse for you, so you'll be riding with me until we reach our outpost at Crestwood tomorrow afternoon. We should be able to procure another mount there." He took her backpack and secured it behind the saddle with his own pack. "Would you prefer to ride in front of me, or behind?"

She tried to ignore the heat rushing to her face at the thought of either option. Having her in front of him would no doubt be more comfortable for Evan, but it was a more intimate position, whereas if she were behind him, she wouldn't feel as embarrassed, but would feel bad about making him uncomfortable. "In front is fine," she said with a forced smile, deciding that she'd rather live with some embarrassment on her part than make him ride in discomfort.

He was about to offer her his hand for a leg up, but she stepped forward and put her foot into the stirrup with practiced ease, swinging into the saddle and scooting forward to give him room to mount behind her. She looked back down at his bemused expression. "What?"

"You know your way around a horse?" he asked in surprise, mounting up behind her and taking up the reins, his arms coming around either side of her, but keeping a respectful distance. She gathered some of the horse's mane into her hands as she explained to him that she worked at a stable back home. She sat as upright and far forward as she could, afraid it would bother Evan if she leaned back against him. I have no idea about the rules of propriety here, she thought to herself.

"I don't bite, Wren," he said teasingly, noting her posture and moving the horse forward at a walk in a southwesterly direction. "Unless you ask nicely, that is."

She laughed, appreciating his effort to relieve the tension. She relaxed some, not fully leaning against him, but not trying so hard to keep away from him either. "Sorry. Just wasn't sure what was appropriate with...nobility." She was fairly certain he was, even though he hadn't come out and said it.

He let out a sharp whistle, bringing a large mastiff-like dog with dark brindle fur running out of the woods and to the feet of the horse, saying "Good boy, Seamus." He turned his attention back to her and smiled ruefully, "House Trevelyan is a well-known noble house in the Free Marches and the leading house of Ostwick, but by Orlesian standards, we're positively country bumpkins."

"So, what you're saying is that you're not minor nobility and not major nobility, you're just average nobility?" she teased with a smile.

His warm chuckle made her smile wider, "Yes, I suppose that's accurate."

"And average noble house means I'm guessing...what, five siblings? Six?"

"Close," he replied, sounding amused. "Four. Two older brothers, Aaron and Simon, an older sister, Cecily, and my twin sister Emily."

"They're back in Ostwick I assume?"

"Aaron and Emily are. Simon is at the university in Markham. And Cecily married a nobleman in Starkhaven, so she's there. I'm hoping that with the mage-Templar war being somewhat quelled by us that they'll be able to come visit Skyhold soon."