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marquis1305 · 6 years

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A Reflection in Your Eyes Ch 5

Words I Will Not Hear

Summary: Sparks may fly when Damaia and Mesara come to clash. But then again, who exactly expected things to go smoothly?

Damaia had been chatting with Pietro, the young man had a brilliant mind despite his skittish nature. And she had to admit that he was fairly attractive. They were exchanging discourse over the events of Kirkwall, and exactly how accurate a certain Messere Tethras' version of the events were. Throughout the conversation, she had kept an eye out on her men.

Vathras was as protective as Clarrisse as ever, almost to the point of being rude when dismissing other's attempts at conversation with the poor girl. Talon was playing nice and entertaining the youngest of the mages. Trevior, Xavior, and Reen were all minding themselves, Damaia could tell none of them were comfortable with their surroundings. The twins were on either side of the Tranquil, asking about new enchantments for weapons. Vierran, Paka, Nikier, and Harold were answering questions from the mage Carintha, who was supposed to have been their contact, and Tiane, who kept looking as though she were going to interject a thought and held it back instead.

Leon.... She had caught the name of the young woman, the same as the girl's name he has spoken so reverently when they had first met. A name that had passed his lips in a variety of tones (most with inflections of awe or care) while telling stories of his time in Ostwick's circle. Damaia had been slightly shocked by their sudden reunion, but it had seemed to be a good one. Now, however, Leon was staring at the girl's interaction with the Teryn, which seemed more familiar than one might assume of a mage and a noble.

Damaia threw up a quick prayer to whatever god would listen that Leon would keep his mouth shut.

The girl, Mesara, had caught Leon's gaze, and fled. However poised it was, Damaia knew a retreating figure when she saw one.

"Please excuse me," Damaia muttered. Vashta caught her eye and nodded. Then, he too had noticed the behavior.

Damaia swiftly left her seat at the table and followed closely behind the red-head. Not close enough as to alert her, but enough that she wouldn't lose her in this maze of an estate. Seriously, who lays out a home like this?

When the girl rushes into a room, Damaia waits. Counts twice to one hundred. Then lifts her calloused hand to knock at the door.

It opens before she has the chance to complete the motion.

"If you would kindly move your hand, I would very much appreciate it," the voice might be high and melodious, but it carries a stern disposition. As if she was used to having her ever command followed. Damaia smiled at the irony. Then lifts her hand up to her neck to rub away the flush from embarrassment at being caught.

"Sorry about that, ma'am. Was just about to knock." Damaia keeps her voice low, unassuming.

"There is no need to apologize, I would have appreciated the gesture had you managed to complete the action. Now, if I might ask, why were you about to knock on my door?" Damaia watches a small smile cross the other woman's face, and considers how much more attractive she might be with a more genuine grin there instead. After all, full lips that like were made for two things: Laughing and kissing.

"Just wanted to check on you Boss, you ran off in a bit of a hurry. Don't worry, I don't think anyone but me and Vashta noticed. Most of the others accepted that you weren't feeling well. Whispered a few worried statements and then went on eating that excellent quiche the cook whipped up for an appetizer. Can't wait to see what she manages for the next round." Damaia lets her gaze flick over the other's face, trying to get a read on her. Wouldn't really do to upset this woman, who was so obviously in charge, despite their contact being different, right off the bat. Especially for someone who wasn't technically a full member of the crew. "But, if you aren't feeling well enough to manage making it back, perhaps I should just bring a plate back to you.... Or you can let me know why one puppy-eyed look from the Templar kid made you bolt like a rabbit before a fennec?"

Damaia catches the split-second hesitation. The catch in her voice, so soft that it almost hadn't happened. She had to admit that the girl was fairly good. Had very few tells, and most of those were misdirection, made to make her seem innocent. A good way to play off a pretty face.

"I..." The woman gathers herself up, removing all sense of weakness. Green eyes hardening. "I've no idea what you mean. I did notice Leon looking at me, but didn't think anything of it. Certainly nothing I would share with a woman I had just met." The way the inflection of her voice changes makes Damaia think of another. A woman she had only met in passing a handful of years ago. The infamous Madame De Fer. Obviously, this tone was as much practiced as her blank expression. Damaia found herself oddly impressed.

"Now, now, no need to fluff your feathers madam. Was just wondering if I was going to have to have words with him before we all started to the Conclave?" Smiling, Damaia raised an eyebrow, accepting the challenge.

"There is no need, if Leon wishes to speak with me regarding the subject, he is more than welcome to."

"Understood, now, I am sure you have a few questions? I was going to speak to the contact about it, but it took half a minute before realizing that you were the one in power here. And less than that to know that your group was going to need a good few moments to come to terms with the contract."

Damaia found herself being waved into the room. Mesara allowing her by with a few words of acceptance. This was certainly going to be interesting. Smirking, Damaia sits herself on the chair near a nearly unused desk, clear of the usual clutter. Then turns to face the other mage. Waiting.

She catches the sly look that Mesara gives her, and raises an eyebrow in return.

"If I might, I have heard some rumors about your company."

"It doesn't surprise me. There are plenty of ways information could leak about the Frostblades. Witnesses, people we have saved, servants whose ears catch words that our contacts whisper. We do our best not to have people talk about us outright, but nothing in the world could stop every rumor." Damaia shrugs. A hazard of the trade. "Now, what rumor in particular caught your attention?"

Mesara pursed her lips, eyes roving over Damaia's face. "The ones about your methods. In particular, about apostates in your ranks. I will have you know that I do not approve of any apostate, as the Chantry has declared them crim-"

"Yes," Damaia interjects. "We use apostates. You would be hard-pressed to find any mercenary band who wasn't eager to have them among their number. Mages have multiple uses, from healing to crowd control, and even major damage if properly trained."

"I see, and yet you also welcome a templar into your rank. For Leon is still a Templar is he not?" The haughty voice makes a comeback. Damaia is beginning to feel like she won't walk away from this conversation without losing her temper.

"I will accept whomever chooses to follow under me. Whatever their past. Leon almost lost his life to my company, to me specifically, and had he not yielded, he would have been slain. As was every other Templar that had accompanied him. Templar's who attacked us due to one of our mages performing a healing spell upon another." Voice rumbling deep in her chest, Damaia grits out the words. Sapphire eyes trained upon Mesara with a keen edge.

"Then they were performing their duty, as the mage was obviously not within Circle guidance, and therefore an apostate." The woman across from her lifts her chin, and Damaia growls.

"I will not hear speak of duty again. I refuse to have this argument with a child who chooses to follow her master's leash. " Damaia breaths deeply. "The Circle's chose to disband. The infighting between you mages and your templar counterpoints is the reason that this Conclave has been called in the first place."

"You will not speak to me in this way," Mesara scoffs. "We hold your contract, which means-"

"Which means we made an accord to give you protection, not to listen to your lectures. If you had read the contract, you would know that written within it are two important points. The first of which is the nondisclosure, stating that you cannot outright discuss our methods or actions with anyone outside of those named by the contract. IE your superiors and my company. The second of which is that you accept that we have our own methods, and that includes the use of apostates."

"I-"

"No, you listen. I will not have you or your companions endanger my men. And I will not risk their freedom, or my own," Damaia's voice darkens. Scowling, she turns away.

"If I may now speak," chiding, the green-eyed woman stands," I have read your contract. And understand fully the limits of which you speak. I too, will not risk my fellows to this war. Which is why having apostates around can be more dangerous during this time."

"Then you would need to find another Captain, as I have been an Apostate longer than I have been a mercenary." Damaia somehow manages to balance her voice between condescending and bored. Then glances towards the other.

"I see. And I suppose your men will not follow another.... Of course, then I suppose we have come to an impasse."

"Something of the sort, or you can trust us to do our job," interjecting, Damaia stands. "You would not be the first group of mages that we have escorted, nor will it have been the first war we have fought in. You keep your fellows out of our way during any fights that pop up, and we take care of the rest. As for magic, it isn't exactly like we do this openly. There are more than a few braincells between us to realize that contract or not, openly using our talents outside of battle is a risk we cannot afford."

Also rising, Mesara moves towards Damaia, "Then we have come to an agreement. I will not judge you for your lifestyle, nor endanger your freedom. Per the contract. And you do whatever you can from keeping my companions out of the crossfire."

"And here I thought that was all accepted when your superiors signed. But I am glad that there need not be any variables on either of our behalf's." Damaia pauses, "I do apologize for my earlier tone. It has been a sore subject of late. Especially with Leon's arrival. Took a bit for him to come to terms with it. But he also has the option of walking away whenever we next run into templars."

"I- I am surprised that he has not rejoined the order already. He was- devout in his belief in the order, and the Chantry's laws."

"So devout that he wouldn't fall in love with a mage?" Despite her teasing tone, Damaia watches Mesara closely for her reaction. Rewarded when she again notices the same face that Mesara had had when she had caught Leon watching her.

"It wasn't like that. We had been close. Something akin to childhood friends. We both grew up in the Circle.... There were rumors that Leon's mother had been a mage, and the Templars had taken him in from the orphanage to start his training." Mesara's voice had grown soft, thick with the memories. "I was nine when I manifested. He was eleven when he first starting visiting the circle. The Templars all trained in the Chantry, but they would often have recruits shadow the older members of the order. Watch them as they went about their duties, to allow them to familiarize themselves with both the Order and the dangers of days surrounded by mages learning their craft."

Damaia listens, allowing the younger woman to go through her story without pause.

"And we would often go to the sermons as one, those of us who were younger. They didn't want to overwhelm us with older ideals and lessons. So, they held a separate service. I would often find his eyes on me during those times. And as we grew older, we managed to find time to talk. After he took his vows, I would find ways to study in the library during his guard duty. Or to walk with him to meals. I knew that his presence had protected me more than once from some of the surlier Templars. Those who would visit trouble upon the mages. I took comfort in his company, as I hoped he took comfort in mine."

"And then he left?"

#Damaia Adaar #Mesara Trevelyan #circle mages #dragon age inquisition #dragon age oc #templar leon #Clashing ideals #dragon age fanfic #fan fiction #fanfic

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