The Wolf and the Halla

Inside Haven

She woke in a cell. On a hard metal frame with no mattress. A small blanket full of holes over her body. What? Where am I? What about that.. Woman?

Someone approached. She heard their careful yet meaningful steps headed her way. No time to waste she rolled out of the metal bed and stood. She rushed to the bars. She reached up to grab them and froze. Staring at the green glow of her hand she was terrified.

What is this? What's happening!?
As if to answer her thoughts a young woman with a scar across her cheek and deep honey eyes was standing there. She doesn't say anything at first. Then demands to know what happened at the "Temple of Sacred Ashes".

"Wh-what?" Asks Adani. "What is this? How did it.." referring to her hand. Confused. The woman doesn't answer her. But instead unlocks the door and handcuffs her.

She brings Adani into a large dark room. She throws her down and starts asking questions.

"I don't remember!" She finally said.

"You're lying!" The woman yelled.

Another woman steps in. "Cassandra, we may have use for her yet."

**
The woman, Cassandra, had finally let her have her hands free. However, she was not given a weapon and not spared any trust either. That's fine. I don't trust you either. She had thought. The mark.. It throbbed. The closer they got to "the Breach" the more it hurt.

They had walked a bit and Cassandra was telling her of the breach and the things people had said when Adani felt a sudden surge of pain. She fell down, tears in her eyes and tried to hold back a scream. The mark.. "The breach is growing. And it is killing you." Cassandra stated matter of factly. Great. I'm stuck for sure. I guess I won't be running into the woods the first chance I get.
***
During the battle Cassandra had left her to herself. Luckily a staff lay nearby. Maybe a result of apostate and Templar fighting. No matter, she was thankful. The Seeker was not exactly happy to return and find her with weapon. She demanded she disarm immediately. Outraged Adani stated that she was a mage! She didn't need a weapon to defend herself. The Seeker looked furious and afraid, but finally said "I know. And you are right. But I cannot protect you. You should keep it."

Later down the road Cassandra said they were meeting up with a group ahead. She demanded they rush forward "I hear fighting!" She had said. Adani didn't care. Whatever. Didn't matter to her. The battle was short. And afterwards an Elven man grabbed her hand and forced it towards the rift. It snapped closed. She removed her hand from his quickly. How did he know about the mark?

Quickly they all introduced themselves.

"I am Solas, if there are to be introductions." He said with a smile, tilting his head as if amused "I am pleased to see you still live."

"He means I kept that thing from killing you while you slept" said the dwarf. Solas just smiled softly.

"For that I owe you my thanks" Adani said to the elf. She studied his face. An apostate? Times must be desperate. Can't say I mind having another elf here though. Even if he isn't Dalish. At least he is Elven.

She noticed she was staring , blushing she started to look away. It had not escaped his notice and he instinctively squinted his eyes at her.

Those eyes. So green, beautiful really. What could she be thinking of? Her olive skin marked with the vallaslin of Mythal frames her face so well. White branches reaching across her forehead, down towards her cheeks, her chin had a few branches etched on it. A thin line runs right down the middle of her lips. Beautiful. However, I need no distractions. She is very beautiful, but I can not be distracted. He thought all these thoughts silently while following behind her into a dark cave. He had cared for her and the anchor while she was asleep. He had thought then, wondered really, what this Dalish elf, this beautiful creature, was doing here. No, I can not. His mind made up now. He could not, even if he wanted to, get close to her.