Dragon Age Inquisition: Nelora's Tale

The First Meeting

You will never get a second chance to make first impressions

The bitter wind blew in Nelora's face, whipping back her long white strands of hair. Haven, a bitter cold place with determined people with fires burning in their hearts. They all seemed kind enough, especially since Nelora closed the breach, and gave them some time to sort out the chaos that never seemed to falter. Taking a deep breath, the little elf looked up at the sky, the sickly green pulsing light stretched across the sky like a hideous scar that still bled.

"How did I ever survive that?" she mused to herself, blue eyes narrowed. Lifting up her hand, Nelora looked at the green mark that the Breach had bestowed to her somehow. "I never asked for this..." clenching her hand into a fits, Nelora turned her back to the breach, and looked out at the snow covered training fields. The wind whipped up the snow, and brought it towards Nelora, the tiny flakes stinging her face.

None of the soldiers or recruits were out at the moment, hiding in the tents from the snow. Funny that, they had all that fur in their armor, but they still mewled pitifully when the snow even touched them. Humans... let them live a nomadic life, and maybe they wouldn't take the fur for granted so much. Nelora thought, conjuring a small flame ball in her hands, and warming her freezing finger tips. Too bad the Chantry and humans feared magic so much, the mage fire is useful when in cold weather like this. She thought, and closed her eyes as the heat moved from her hands throughout her body.

A tentative cough caught her attention, and Nelora opened her eyes to look over. She blinked as she noticed familiar red and black pauldrons. It was the Commander, and instantly her guards went up. She never trusted Templars before, and didn't plan on starting anytime soon. Sure, he was their Commander now, not a Templar, but that still didn't make things better. Nelora tilted her head, waiting for what the Commander had to say.

"Are you cold? Do you- uh want to come into one of the tents?" he asked, and Nelora bristled slightly, gripping her cloak closer to her

"No." she said gruffly at first, before a bitter gust of wind blew between her and the Commander, and she rethought her answer as she shivered. The mage fire in her hands flickered out, and Nelora glared at her hands. "I mean, yes. Thank you for the offer." The Commander blinked, before nodding and heading to one of the tents, and opening the flap for Nelora. The elven mage grudgingly nodded her thanks and disappeared inside.

Nelora blinked in surprise as she saw a table filled with reports and random papers. Messily organized. This was the Commander's quarters when training the recruits. Turning her head as he came in, she tilted her head.

"So, the Commander invites the Inquisitor, an elf and a mage, into his quarters. What will the recruits think?" Nelora said with an innocent smirk, which sent Cullen's face into a blaze of red. Nelora looked back down at the papers, a small smile on her face. Ah, never gets old. She thought, picking up one of the papers. Cullen coughed.

"Well... ah, I just figured you were cold. And your place by the chantry is... a long way away."

"What did you want to talk about?" Nelora suddenly asked, laying the paper down and looking right at Cullen.

"Wha-"

"You obviously wouldn't have me come in here, if you didn't want to talk." Nelora said, and it was Cullen's turn to bristle.

"I was doing something kind. I know your people are mistrustful of humans, but I'm nothing like the people in the cities. I figured you'd just want to get out of the cold after standing there for almost an hour!" the Commander snapped, glaring at Nelora. The elven mage narrowed her eyes, her blue eyes flashing coldly.