The Iron Dragon

Chapter 45. Sympathy

The evening was more than relaxing. Varric told some of his incredible stories, while Cassandra had started to read a book further away from us in which she seemed to be very absorbed. After a certain moment, the bull had only fallen backwards and was snoring there in all peace of mind, while muttering something completely incomprehensible here and there, which we all didn't pay much attention to. The patrols for the night had already taken their posts, while others from the camp had already gone to their tents. The sky was clear except for a few clouds, and was streaked with wonderfully sparkling stars that surrounded a brightly shining moon. I could not help but look at this beautiful picture. I was just lost in my thoughts when I noticed Freya nudging me from the side.

"What is it like up there? I mean what is it like to be able to fly? ". I shook my head with a smile and looked up at the sky again and she followed my gaze.

"It is by far the most beautiful feeling in the world. Many people often wonder at what point in their lives they are really free. What you have to do for it and when it is really time. Or also...what freedom really is, and I have noticed that I have often asked myself this question and that already at a very young age. I always had the feeling that I could get more out of life and that it could simply offer me more than others say. But when I am up there and the world suddenly looks so small beneath me, everything just feels completely different. I can forget time and everything else that goes through my mind up there, and I can do so with a frightening ease. Up there-". I pointed to the stars.

"There I am free. I even presume to say that I was allowed to get to know freedom in a way that few people are allowed to do. It is a feeling that cannot be put into words, and I would give it up for absolutely nothing in this world. It is a big part of my life and something I could not do without". I could see how her gaze had something dreamy, and I could well imagine that she was imagining pictures of herself flying in the sky and that these were more than satisfying. I watched as she pondered for a while as she brought the fingertips of her two index fingers together on both hands and then separated them again, and this in flying alternation. She looked at me from the side and down to her lip while she looked at me curiously.

"You would also like to fly, wouldn't you? ". It was more than obvious that she wanted to, and I had to admit that I found it quite enchanting when she turned away and nodded. I couldn't help but shake my head with a grin while Freya blushed with charm.

"I should probably lie down now, I wish you a pleasant night, the tent to your left is free". My smile grew wider as I slowly nodded.

"Thank you Inquisitor I wish you a pleasant bed rest". I saw her nodding and then disappearing into one of the tents as most of the camp had done before. Cassandra had also left, but her eyes had not moved from the pages of her book. Varric had also apologized and had gone to bed and the iron bull now...we had decided to let him sleep where he had more or less fallen over. I, on the other hand, decided to stay awake a little longer, since the whole thing was a little bit very new to me and I was convinced that sleep was out of the question. I looked around the camp a little and took in the smells of all the new people in the camp. Even my footsteps didn't make the slightest sound and so some of the guards protecting the camp were a little surprised when I suddenly stood in front of them, but after they saw that it was only me, they seemed to calm down again, even though some of them looked at me strangely but said nothing more about it.

As I passed one of the female guards of the Inquisition, I could hear her heartbeat beat faster by a few beats and then seemed to continue racing. When I looked into her eyes, which were filled with deep fear, I could be sure that her heart was not beating faster because she found me quite handsome, but because she was simply afraid of me. I stopped in front of her with a little distance and looked at her with my head tilted to the side while she tried to soften me with her gaze, which she could not do for long.