With Me Always: A Dragon Age Tale (Dragon Age Inquisition)

Chapter 17

Haylie Lavellan made her way to the main hall of Castle Skyhold, a fresh sense of hope forming in her broken heart. Her thoughts suddenly interrupted by a loud "Surprise!" She was greeted by all of her friends, gathered around a large table of pink coloured pastries and boxes wrapped in decorative Orlesian parchment. "I-I don't know what to say. It's lovely." Haylie said. Josephine blushed, "I'm so happy to hear it Inquisitor." She said with a grin. "I made the little cakes!" Sera announced "I even added little cheeky butts on top!" Sera giggled. "I'd say that's hardly appropriate..." Vivienne muttered as Iron Bull popped one in his mouth, suddenly beginning to choke. "Damn girl! What'd you put in these?!" Iron bull gasped. "...Whiskey." Sera answered matter-of-factly. "Hmm." He shrugged as he picked up another. "You didn't put it in anything else did you?!" Josephine gasped. Vivienne looked suspiciously amused at this turn of events. "Relax darlings, I had my caterers bring in some extra in case of...emergencies." She said looking towards Sera. Lavellan laughed as Sera stuck out her tongue, making a long rude sound in Vivienne's direction. Suddenly a party hat was squashed onto Haylie's head by a rather inebriated Iron Bull. "Congratulations boss." He chuckled. Josephine and Leiliana (Who was acting strangely girlish and giddy) pulled Lavellan by the arm into a large chair. Sera let out a long cackle at the sight of Haylie in the squished hat and a trail of pink icing on her lip. (Haylie had a weakness for tiny cakes) "Present time!" Leiliana sang as Haylie wiped her face with embarrassment. The Inquisitor laughed and chatted with her friends as she unboxed several pairs of fancy Orlesian baby shoes from Leiliana, A book of children's stories from Varric (Written by none other than Varric himself), A wooden cradle made by Blackwall, and a plush bee from Sera. Josephine and Vivienne had the finest Orlesian tailors send over a box full of baby dresses and bonnets, Haylie was particularly fond of one of the yellow bonnets decorated with tiny Halla per Josephine's request. Several gifts later, Josephine announced there was one last present. Haylie was swiftly blindfolded by an even drunker Iron Bull. "Whoa now, what kind of party is this?" Lavellan joked. "Believe me, this is not my first time blindfolding a woman, but it's not that kind of present." Iron Bull teased. Josephine blushed, "Follow me Inquisitor." She said hastily "Doesn't seem I have much choice." Haylie sighed with a smirk. The elf was lead down a long hallway and up a small flight of steps, she heard the sound of a large door being pushed open. When the blindfold was removed from over her honey coloured eyes, Haylie was standing in the middle of a large round room. It was the completed baby's nursery. Haylie stood stunned, in the middle of the room lay an intricately carved crib and a mobile of crystal moons and suns. Above the crib was a window of stained glass in the ceiling depicting symbols of the Inquisition. Haylie could see how every one of her friends played a part. Each tiny detail was meaningful, from the books Dorian imported that lined the walls to the tiny toy aravels Blackwall made by hand. "I made the crib. But the young one, Mirianna, she made the mobile." Blackwell said proudly. "Oh truly it's...wonderful. I-I don't know what to say..." Lavellan finally managed. Suddenly the touching moment was broken by Cole's swift appearance."She's gone!" He breathed. "Who? Who's gone?" Haylie asked worriedly. "Mirianna. A man took her, a blood mage. Light magic twisted into dark tendrils. In the name of sacrifice but wrong. It's all wrong. I can't sense anything right, everything is fuzzy." Cole exclaimed  "We have to go after her!" The Inquisitor demanded. "Nonsense!...your condition is hardly suitable!" Cassandra argued. "I won't sit idly by while she is dragged away by some crazy scholars. I'm going after her, and I'm going to kill the son of a bitches who took her." Haylie declared.