The Phoenix whose coming has been foretold to us will rise from its ashes once again. The Hold must prepare.
The fire bird will herald in prosperity and fertility to whichever Hold can capture and keep it. It will not be an easy task. Its spirit is strong-willed having been returned many times by the Lady of the Skies.
"How are we to prepare for such a creature?" The Augur asked the Hold Spirits in disbelief. A blessing from the Gods was being sent when the clan needed it most. No children had been born for over a year and no woman could hold one within her womb for long. The winter had been harsher, killing off many of their winter crops. War between the clans loomed in the near future as each desperately sought more territory for hunting due to the failing of the winter harvest. Even their Hold Beast had not been seen in some time.
You must prepare in your hearts, for it is a test as well as a blessing. Many will want to cast out the outsider.
"Cast out a blessin' from the Gods? Who would dare commit such blasphemy!" His young apprentice, Dhara, spoke up. The Spirits hissed and hummed about the Augur's hut. Their sounds made a symphony of masculine and feminine notes and ranges.
If the Hold cannot keep the Phoenix, it will go to another and make them powerful. The balance of power will shift out of our favor. If it comes against us many will die in the flames.
"Can you tell us anything else about the firebird that would aid us in our search to identify it?" He needed more information for the hunters to aid their search. This was not a situation where things could be left to chance.
You will know the human female by the great magic she commands. A primal rage dwells in her and sets her spirit a fire. When you lay eyes on her wings there will no doubt of her identity.
She's a Lowlander of the old blood. The fire in her veins cannot be concealed.
Others seek her. The other Holds have already begun to prepare for her. Their hunters stand ready for their Spirits to send them on the hunt.
The Augur stood and turned for the door, but not before a spirit blocked his path.
A final warning, you must not tell her of her destiny. If she is told too much too soon, she has the power to change the path the gods have laid out for her. The blessing of the gods would be lost.
Time is short, the hunters must be ready to depart at a moment's notice. The Hold cannot afford to let her join with another clan!
With that, the Augur flew from his hut with Dhara in tow. No one stopped him and all moved out of his way as the husky man was all but in a full sprint to find the Thane. When at last he reached the Great Hall, he was relieved to find him meeting with his advisors. At his sudden appearance, the meeting came to a halt. All eyes turned to him waiting with baited breath to hear his next words.
"Gather the hunters. Summon the scouts. Have the women prepare the offerings. The Phoenix is coming."
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Evelyn stood in anticipation at the site that was to be their base camp for the next few weeks in the Frostback Basin. She had traveled all over Thedas, but the Basin was somewhere she hadn't been yet. When the opportunity to assist the University in Ostwick in a study of the Basin overlapped with a mission into Ferelden's Hinterlands to assist with a particularly nasty maleificar coven, she was as giddy as a novice. She lived for adventure, something which was not a common occurrence living in a Circle. It was one of the many reasons for choosing the path of a Knight-Enchanter.
Lady Evelyn Trevelyan Knight-Enchanter of Ostwick was her title. She hailed from a long noble line of Trevelyans dedicated to serving the Chantry. She had over a dozen cousins in the Chantry and for a long time she was to follow them into its service - that is until she came into her magic. She was an oddity, only knowing of one other Trevelyan in their long history to have been born with magic. Growing up in a family that boasted often how rare magic was in their line, did not make Evelyn's decent into family history glamorous. She was now a second oddity. The youngest of five children, destined to inherit nothing, she was expected to either be married off or join the Chantry, none of which she found appealing. After not rising to the expectations of her mother, who tried in vain to make Evelyn into a proper lady, it was decided a life dedicated in the service of the Chantry would hopefully tame her. Evelyn was neither mischievous nor ill-mannered, she just preferred to spar with her brothers and ruin her dresses playing out in the rain rather than practice her needlepoint. She begged her father to allow her to join the Templar Order at the least if she was to enter the Chantry's service. Before anything was decided, on one fateful day, Evelyn came into her magic at the young age of ten.
Nineteen years later, she was now known to many as "The Phoenix," and a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Her mastery of pyromancy magic and tales of her exploits had even made it to the courts of the Orlesian Empire. She was the pride of the Ostwick Circle, even gaining some clout back home among her family. Having gained some respect among even the Templars, she was called away frequently to assist them on missions - beasts, apostates, darkspawn and bandits, she had experience dealing with them all. She worked hard to create the best life for herself under the watchful eyes of her wardens.
Having dealt with the maleificar coven on the way to the Basin, she looked forward to assisting the scholars with their tests and writing while offering protection, of course. That was the primary reason for her being there after all. The Templars were none too happy about the assignment, however. It was not as exciting as battling blood mages and the prospect of poisoning from the wildlife and native fauna was not the way Templars wanted to die. Thankfully the chances of dying from poisoning was much lower than being killed by the native beasts and peoples of the Frostbacks.
The Avvar. Her grandmother had always said they had an ancestor in their ancient bloodline who was an Alamarri, though she doubted the usefulness of that fact if they ran into any. She couldn't help but feel a connection to the untamed wilderness. Her romantic feelings for the Basin could also be due to the rubbish she and her roommate from the Circle had been reading in anticipation of her trip. She had told Solona to help her find scholarly works on the Avvar, but what she came back with were smutty romance novels. There were at least half a dozen books filled with bride stealing, ritualistic orgies, perfectly sculpted bodies, heathenistic gods and scantily clad warriors in fur. She would've liked to say she learned a thing or two about their culture, some of the books having some strong similarities, but applying that knowledge in the field would be as bad as learning swordplay from Swords & Shields.
She and the only other female in their party, a Templar named Thalia, quietly joked about being stolen by one of the wild men. It was all in good fun joking about it. They weren't going deep enough into the Basin to see any substantial groups of Avvar, maybe just a few small hunting parties in passing. The scholars were interested in the native fauna more so than the native peoples. They'd be out in the field collecting samples to bring back to camp for preservation and study. Any exploration outside of that was done at their own risk as it was known that Avvar were hostile to Templars. Viewing them as warriors of their God, they believed fighting them was pleasing to their own gods. It was not unlike a test of who had the stronger gods.
About a week into the trip, Evelyn was preparing for a day of laundry and other camp chores. She dressed comfortably wrapping a heavy wool wrap around her and belting it as winter began to set in. It probably wasn't the most convenient time for studying in the Basin, but when funding for projects comes into the University's possession no time is lost in attempting to stay competitive with the work coming out of the University of Orlais. She made two braids in her hair and tied them up in a messy bun. Her brown natural color faded beautifully to blonde tips. Her hair had been doing that since she came into her magic. No matter how she cut it, the blonde always came back. It was one of the three mutations her magic caused.
Gathering her laundry in her arms and stepping from her tent, the early morning chill made her shiver. Ser Aeron was also awake and it sent a second shiver through her. With no one else awake, he took advantage of their privacy. As he made his way over, she clenched her jaw so hard she heard her jaw crack. He didn't stop until he was brushing up against her placing a hand on the small of her back. His breath puffed against her face and she turned her cheek away from him.
"You look ravishing as usual," he purred at her, "where are you off to so early?" His eyes slithered down to the clothes in her arms as if he really needed to ask.
"Laundry at the river. Alone." He scoffed at her.
"It could be dangerous. I'd be glad to watch your back, and more." His eyes made their way back up to hers but lingered on her lips.
"And leave no one here on watch? Piss off Aeron." He growled knowing he couldn't in fact leave for another hour. The man was a wolf in sheep's clothing. Everyone liked him, but that was because few knew him as she did. Even her superiors whom she had reported him to many times had yet to believe her or find evidence of any transgressions. He had been abusing her for years, as have been happening often in Circles between Templars and their charges. When it first began she was a young woman and his attentions scared her. As a woman of twenty-nine years now and unafraid, she vowed that she'd make sure he got what was coming to him. She stomped off down to the river wondering if she could somehow kill him and stage it as an animal attack or poison him with one of the plants the scholars collected. So deep was her hate for him. Perhaps if she spoke with some of the scholars later she could find out plants would do the job.
She ceased her plotting once she reached the river wanting to instead enjoy the beauty of the morning. A delicate frost covered the grass and trees, and the mist was heavy as she watched it drift about. She bent over the shallow riverbank to get to work washing her clothes before Aeron was relieved and would come looking for her. Not long into her work, she thought she started seeing movement in the forest all around her. The sun was trying to peak out of heavy clouds, so she attributed it to the changing shadows in an unfamiliar land and got back to work. Finished with the linen undershirt she was rinsing, she reachd back to the pile of clothing to fetch the next garment. Upon turning and dunking it into the cold water, she suddenly noticed a large man standing at the opposite bank. She froze and watched as a few more emerged from the foliage to join him.
He was tall and extremely muscular with long brown hair that fell past his shoulders. Black-painted tattoos covered his tanned chest which was bare despite the cold. The symbols were rough with vertical jagged lines that cut through his muscles. He wore a mantle of a gray-black wolf draped over his shoulders. She had never seen a man such as him, and she clamped her jaw shut when she realized she was gaping at him. He seemed pleased by her reaction, puffing out his chest as his eyes studied her. Evelyn was tall by standards at 5'10" but this man she estimated was well over 6-feet tall, making her feel inadequately small.
From upstream walked a proud-looking woman warrior. Though their furs were all worn in similar styles, their painted tattoos were blue. The symbols and flourishes painted on them did not look as fearsome as the black ones, but they still had an uneasy ritualistic air about them. The woman looked to be in her 40s, at least a decade older than the brawny wolf-man. She wore a mantle of Great Bear, which made her look considerably larger than she actually was. She looked over to the wolf-man and gave a curt nod.
"Where is Thane Rutherford?" The woman's voice was deep and rich with her thick accent.
"I'm here." Evelyn eyes widened as yet another group of Avvar strode out to the riverbank. It was clearly not a coincidence. Their tattoos were red consisting of bold lines and curves full of flowing movement. The man who answered was tall and well-built as well. He wore a helm made to look like a lion which even sported a mane made of some kind of long fur. He was not as tall as the wolf-man, but even through his open visor, she could see the intensity of his expression which made him look fiercer. Once settled in place, the wolf-man, bear-woman and lion-man - as she referred to them as - narrowed their eyes on her.
Evelyn made a break in the direction back to camp, but more Avvar with black painted tattoos blocked her path. She backed up into the shallow water where she had dropped her clothes. The cool flow of the water barely crested overtop of her boots which ground the small river pebbles beneath them. Her staff lay on the ground with her clothes, but the cold Everite hilt of her spirit blade bit into her side. She really didn't want a fight for a number of reasons. First, she didn't want to start some armed conflict with the Avvar. The second is that she wasn't technically allowed to use her magic without a Templar when out of the Circle. Though she felt if she did, it would be justifiable enough. Lastly, there were many Avvar and only one of her.
"Stay back," she barked at the men, holding her hand out. Fire ignited in her palm in warning. She turned her head to look at the three groups of Avvar and held up another hand at them. "Touch me and I'll turn you to ash!"
"That's her all right," the wolf-man looked at her with a hunger. "Phoenix," she was shocked at hearing her name sake. Her jaw dropped slightly, causing her lips to part as she stared at him dumbfounded. Seeing her recognition of the name, he smiled at her. "I am here to claim you. As are they."
"Claim me?" she scoffed, "No one will be claiming me." Suddenly the attractiveness of being stolen by the Avvar had lost its romantic appeal. She sincerley hoped she'd have the chance to tell that to Solona and Thalia in person. The three fur-clad leaders looked to each other nodding with smirks. Clearly, she was missing some key piece of knowledge as to what was actually happening here.
"We come to you with offerings, unless you would rather we claim you by way of the hunt?" The hunger in his eyes intensified clearly favoring the latter option.
"How about a third option, where I scream and wake my entire camp. I don't think you'll want to face Templars… or me." She wasn't actually sure they'd hear her, but she had to stall to try and think her way out of this. The barbarians didn't seem at all fazed by her threat, some even laughed at her. Another man swiftly stepped through the bushes behind her giving a nod to the wolf-man.
"I think your friends will have a hard time hearing you from wherever it is you Lowlanders go after you die." He gave a wolfish grin, igniting her rage thinking that they had all just been slain for no reason. Forgetting the men behind her, she squared to face the brute. With a quick toe-kick to her staff, she lifted it off the ground and caught it in her hands. She stared down the staff pointed directly at him when her mana ignited. Ethereal wings of fire blazed forth from her, spread wide and proud. The dazzling display frightened some as the rest looked on in awe.
"How dare you slaughter them without provocation! Some of them were unarmed civilians!"
"That isn't something we agreed to, Wolfsbane," the lion-man growled. "You risk bringing war to us all. The Lowlanders won't care which clan killed their people, they'll come for all of us."
"They were Templars!" He spat at the ground. "Scared of a few Lowlanders now, blondie. Is Redhold so weak that the Gods have abandoned you?" He and his posse laughed. "Perhaps we will pay you a visit soon, steal some of your women. I'm sure they would come willingly to a stronger Hold. How is your pretty sister? Rosalie, was it?" Wolfsbane's grin was met with seething anger from the other, though he held it in check.
"Phoenix, I am Thane Svarah," the bear-woman now addressed her, "you'd be wise to ignore these two boys and come with us back to Stone-Bear Hold. My people know how to treat a woman of your greatness." She held out a hand to her beckoning her over to them. An argument between the three broke out and the others around them began to join in as to who she should chose. From the bits she heard, they were more upset with this 'Wolfsbane' not honoring the terms of their agreement. Though they began to revert back to their native tongue, she could tell the warriors were slinging insults at each other by their tone. With everyone distracted, Evelyn shielded herself in a fade cloak and teleported herself into the tree line. She thought about running back to the camp, but knew that was the first place they'd look for her. Instead, she'd find somewhere to lay low and head back to camp after dark.
It wasn't long before all the arguing stopped and chaos erupted from behind her as the leaders barked at their men getting them organized to search for her. They had the advantage of knowing the terrain, but she had magic. Yet even so, she had to be smart about expending her mana. She had no lyrium on her, so when she could she'd reserve it. Fade cloaking and stepping taxed her mana heavily, but fire magic not so much as it was part of her very being. To try and throw them off her trail, she set fire mines in odd places hoping an animal or even one of the Avvar would trip it distracting them. With the heavy canopy obscuring most of the sky, she lobbed fireballs all about as well.
By the time the sun was beginning to set, she had made it a good distance without any sightings of them and it was now time to look for shelter for the night. She thanked the Maker when she stumbled across a cave nestled into the rockface. It was well hidden and abandoned as far as she could tell. Knowing that a fire was not going to be a possibility without risking being found, it would at least keep her out of the frigid wind and wintery elements. Before hunkering down for the evening, she collected some of the large leaves and softer brush from the forest floor for bedding. The cave wasn't too deep, but if she situated herself as far back in it as she could no one would see her.
As darkness fell, she reclined in silence listening for any signs of her pursuers. She heard many sounds echoing to the back of the cave, but they could have been anything. When the moon reached its apex, Evelyn decided to begin the trek back to camp. Sure, it wasn't the best or smartest plan, but she had few options. If anyone was still alive or needed help she didn't have any time to lose. If they had survived or the attack was fabricated, they would think she fled making her an apostate to be hunted. She couldn't allow them to think that for she had a reputation to live up to. No one would think I fled, she thought, they know me better than that. How many mages have I hunted down for them? Surely, they'd not think she fled, right? She knew doubt would eat at her until she reached camp. What if they all died and she somehow made it back to a Circle to report in? Would they think she did it? How could I prove my innocence? Her head hurt from the whole situation. Would her superiors really believe her to be the only survivor of an Avvar attack? Or that three clans tried to claim her - whatever that meant?
A sense of complete loss overwhelmed her as she thought back to the way the lion-man and wolf-man argued after learning he had wiped out the Templars. It didn't sound like it was an idle boast the more she thought back to his words. She wondered now if it'd even be possible for her to go back to the Circle without being arrested. Maker forbid they make her Tranquil! Her heart raced in panic as she played through each scenario in her mind. Cold dread washed through her as most did not end well for her.
A low rumble echoed through the cave jolting her out of her despairing thoughts. She had yet to hear a sound as loud as that indicating that whatever it was had to be close. She slowly turned her head towards the entrance careful not to make any sudden movements. A pair of reflective eyes flickered in the darkness. She could just make out the creature's shadowy form against the moonlight streaking through the cave entrance. When it stopped its approach suddenly, Evelyn lit a small flame in her palm to see what she was up against. The soft glow illuminated a pelt of short gold and red coarse hair. The reflective eyes now glowed a bold yellow that could only be achieved by one of the feline species. She had never seen a lion before, but had seen images in tomes she had thumb through back in the Circle - though none looked like this one. It was a female, as it had no mane, but if she remembered correctly from her readings, it was the females who did the hunting for their pride. Oh.
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The lioness' growling became louder as she crouched poised to pounce on her cornered prey. Even crouched, the feline was nearly up to her shoulder. Its red stripes and spots along her back made her look wildly fierce, and she thought she saw painted markings as well. With a flash of her teeth, Evelyn's magic exploded in her defense as her wings curled up against the stone walls. The cat dipped her head in fright watching the flames as they licked close to her body, yet stood her ground. When the flames dissipated into the darkness, an uneasy stand-off began. Neither predator nor prey made a move to attack first. As to why the lioness had yet to lunge at her she did not know, but for Evelyn, she could not bring herself to destroy such a beautiful creature. In her head, she prayed that by some miracle she'd just turn around and walk away. Maker, please do not make me kill one of your beautiful creations.
As if her prayer was answered, the lioness stood at ease, no longer on the attack. Evelyn lowered her staff slowly as a show of good faith, but kept the small flame lit in her palm. She didn't know what to think once the cat began cautiously approaching her. Evelyn had always been good with animals, able to bond with them quickly. She attributed it to growing up with so many different types when she was still living on their family's estate - her father was a horse breeder after all. As she would do with stray cats who'd find shelter in her father's stables, she softened her expression and allowed the lioness to approach at her own pace. Though why this large feline would be afraid of her was beyond her when she could've just as easily mauled her in seconds.
When her cold nose touched Evelyn's free hand, she couldn't help but smile. The connection between them was instant. She had never felt the like before, as this wild and beautiful creature pushed her head up against her. She let her hand gently caress the feline's large head the way she knew cats liked, eliciting gentle looks from her. When the lioness turned and walked to the cave's entrance she looked back, as if to say, 'are you coming?' Evelyn didn't know why but she did, not wanting to be left alone in the cold cave. The thought of finding an ally in an unknown wilderness gave her some comfort. Keeping a hand upon the cat's muscular shoulders the two strode out into the night to an unknown destination.
Before dawn, she could see the faint glow of fires in the distance. Through their bond, the lioness had led her through the wilderness safely. They had avoided a number of other ghastly-looking creatures and even some unknown dangers she couldn't see as she followed the cat's lead keeping quiet and still when the situation called for it. Wherever the feline had led her, she was inclined to trust that it was somewhere safe. She had always believed that animals were purer of heart than people - another reason she trusted her fate to the lioness. As they cleared the dense forest she saw the lights were torches set at intervals along a tall defensive wall. Several silhouettes walked along atop the wall against the dawn's light.
She couldn't help but feel the Maker's plan at work for her as they neared the gate to wherever this was. Back in the cave, she had silently prayed not to have to kill her new feline friend who ended up leading her to safety - not to mention didn't eat her either. That paired with the dawning sun behind their destination made her believe it must be His will. Wherever this was, she was meant to be here and offered up another silent prayer of thanks.
When they were spotted, a great horn sounded three loud blasts. If the residents weren't awake yet they were now. The lioness stopped several yards in front of the gate. Nervous and yet overjoyed to have finally made it to safety, she waited for her saviors to open the gates. Once parted, her jaw dropped after recognizing the people gathering on the other side of the gate. She seized the scruff of the lioness a bit harder, who turned to Evelyn with eyes full of reassurance. There was nothing she could do now even if she wanted to. She would just trust in the Maker's plan and that of her new guardian.
The crowd amassing by the gate parted as the lion- man from earlier came to a halt under the gateway. His eyes were wide looking at the two unlikely friends before him. Flanking him was a large older man with rich dark skin. The red markings painted on his body stood out brilliantly against the contrast of his skin. He wore the hooded pelt of a lion and looked at her through the lion's eye sockets. The man whispered to the other excitedly and his reaction seemed to rile up the onlookers. Two other warriors whom she recognized from earlier by the river hurried to his side. The first was a female with short black hair and the other a brunette man with a tattoo on his chin. One would've thought she was Andraste resurrected by the looks they gave her accompanied by the shouted prayers of thanks to their gods. She was tired, hungry and cold and thought she may try move whatever this was along, but she didn't quite know what to say.
"Um, hello again, is this your… lion?" Really Trevelyan? All conversation stopped as they focused now on her. She stood tall, but the muscles in her back were stiffening from the long trek. She fought off a yawn that came upon her suddenly, not wanting to seem rude as these people clearly revered her for some reason.
"Phoenix, please," the older man gestured with his hand, "come, welcome to Redhold." As the sun's first light broke over the horizon, it touched the large mountain beside the hold. A great lioness was carved crudely into the stone ridge that hung over part of the hold. She stared up in awe as she absently walked forward. "I'm Augur Dusan. And this," the large lion-man stepped forward, "is Thane Rutherford, leader of the Hold." He stepped forward nodding once, but all the while scrutinizing her.
"We are honored to have you among us, Phoenix. You have nothing to fear, we will see to your safety and needs." She didn't like the implications of his words, but she had few options. "The Gods have blessed us truly if they sent Kitsa to guide you here." He turned to his people, "We will prepare a feast to celebrate and honor the Gods wisdom tonight in delivering us this blessing!" Cheers and shouts of praise ripped through the crowd before they dispersed.
"Kitsa!" A young red-haired woman who was hidden behind the two large men strode forth. At her call, the lioness approached her, affectionately greeting her. "I've been so worried! Phoenix, ye've only just arrived and yet ye already bring us good fortune!"
"Kitsa," she said finally knowing the name of her animal guide. "Thank you Kitsa." She held out her hand and the cat pressed her head up into it.
"She likes ye, Phoenix. Aye, she must see somethin' of herself in yer spirit to act so." A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, but it was all she could manage in her state of exhaustion. "Come, ye must eat and rest." She turned to the men with a genuine smile, "I will take her to my hut and prepare her for introduction at the feast." The men nodded and with that, she was guided away again at the mercy of what the Maker had in store for her - again.
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She awoke to the smell of incense and chimes dancing in the wind. Their soft dings were relaxing coupled with the crackling fire. Daylight was waning casting everything in an orange glow. The woman who had taken charge of her had introduced herself as Dhara, apprentice to the Augur - a mage. She was several years younger than Evelyn and had a youthful luster to her features. Her face seemed to have a perpetual smile on it as her large brown eyes studied everything with unabashed curiosity. She looked at Evelyn with wonder, as she handed her a cup of herbal tea, this time focused on the moles scattered all over her arms. Her eyes seemed to note each one, making her feel self-conscious as she sat wrapped in furs wearing nothing but her smalls.
"What kind of tea is this? It's very good." She took a sip of the earthy tea savoring its earthy-caramel flavor. The heat from the cup warmed her hands.
"Embrium, elfroot, dandelion, mushroom and some spices. It'll restore yer vitality. You'll need it for the feast tonight. I trust ye feel well rested Phoenix?"
"I do, but I'm not sure what's going on? How do you know I'm called The Phoenix?"
"It's not for me to say, the Spirits ask that we do not interfere with yer destiny." Evelyn tried to make sense of what she was talking about. Spirits? Destiny? "We are glad yer path led ye to us and Kitsa. Truly the Lady must've had a hand in leadin' ye here! There was not one hunter in all of the Holds who wasn't out looking for ye, ye ken."
"But why? What do you people want from me?"
"Again, it's not for me to say, Phoenix."
"Evelyn. My Maker-given name is Evelyn Althea Trevelyan."
"Whichever god named ye such, to us ye are The Phoenix and we will give thanks tonight. Come, I have a bath over here for ye. Ye have to look your best tonight before the entire Hold!" She guided her from the bed over to the wooden bath. Touching the water's surface she heated the water using magic. Steam rose from the bath filling the hut with the scent of flowers. She poured some oil in the bath, then helped Evelyn out of her smallclothes. When she hesitated to allow her to help her, Dhara just laughed and shook her head, "Lowlanders and your modesty even with the same sex. I'll never understand it." Making her feel silly, she submitted to her ministrations.
"You're not planning on sacrificing me or anything like that, right?" she said as she scrubbed at her limbs and fingernails. Dhara laughed cheerfully shaking her head as she poured water carefully over her hair.
"No, no, not ye at least. There is much to be thankful for, the first being the return of our Hold Beast."
"Hold Beast?"
"Aye, Kitsa! Ye've no idea how worried we've been about her." She must've seen the confused look on Evelyn's face, "I'll have to remember ye have no notion about our ways, my apologies, Phoenix. A Hold Beast is the animal liaison between the Hold and the gods. If our beast is sick, so will our people become sick, ye ken? Kitsa had been missin' for a long time and we feared she had forsaken us."
"If she had, what would that have meant for your people?" For the first time since they'd met, Dhara's smile was gone. She stopped her pampering to look her in the eyes. Her look of fear and solemn sadness took Evelyn by surprise.
"It would've meant the fall of the Hold in one form or another: plague, war, famine. The gods would've abandoned us to our fate." Like the rising of the sun, her smile came back in full, "But then ye arrived with Kitsa! Ye've saved us!"
"Well, actually Kitsa found me and led me here."
"Truly?! The Augur must hear this, but it can wait for now, we must finish gettin' ye ready." The significance of her omission was lost on her, but her head was already spinning with everything that was happening. After drying off by the fire wrapped in a heavy cotton robe, she went to dress in her clothes, but was stopped by Dhara. "You're not in the Lowlands anymore Phoenix, ye will dress as one of us tonight." Evelyn cringed at the thought until Dhara began rummaging through a large chest full of normal-looking dresses. She had been afraid the girl was going to dress her in a fur loincloth. The chest was dusty and seemed out of place among Dhara's belongings.
"Are these all yours?" she asked leaning over her shoulder to look.
"No, they belonged to… well, I keep them in case they can be of use." She continued to look through it as if looking for something in particular. "Hmm," she pulled out a vivid burnt orange cotton dress and held it up to her. "You're taller than its former owner and less endowed in the breasts, but it'll have to do." Evelyn had an athletic build with curvy hips and small perky breasts. When she was younger she wished she had been blessed a bit more up top, but later found she liked herself the way she was. Her lower half was more sensual with her long toned legs and curvy hips. Even with wide hips, her profile was slim and trim from years of training and battle. The scarring she had sustained through the years was becoming on her, most notably on her left lower cheek and a small nick across the bridge of her nose.
Dhara found a shift which Evelyn slipped on immediately, disliking sitting around naked in a stranger's home. She threw the long-sleeved dress over her head and looked her over wondering what else she could add to the look. It was a plain dress with two embroidered lines running down the dress accentuating her curves. The neckline was modest only dipping down to the top of her breasts. Evelyn wasn't used to wearing dresses without a bodice or a corset, but then again she was not in civilized territory. Dhara pulled from her chest of curiosities an ornamental leather chest covering paired with a fox-fur mantle. She was a autumn vision in rich oranges and browns.
Surprisingly, Dhara let her style her own hair. She went with a formal multi-coiled braid that was pulled back into a bun. She was a rather proficient braider since she wore her hair in braids daily, so it took her not time at all to do it. Paint for her face was then offered to her which she declined, not seeing why she'd wear it after they just worked so hard to clean her up. Dhara just shrugged and began applying it to her own face. While Evelyn finished styling her hair, Dhara was layering herself in the animal kingdom. None of the many pelts she wore were of the same animal, even going so far as wearing a snakeskin. Her wild copper hair poked out from under the lion pelt she wore on her head as the Augur had on earlier when they met. Yet, it suited her.
"I don't think anyone could pull that off but you Dhara."
"I'd like to see them try!" She said giggling with a large grin pleased that her revered Phoenix approved. Evelyn couldn't help but laugh at her spunky new friend. "We should head over to the Great Hall and take our places. The people will want to see ye as they gather." Evelyn sighed heavily not really knowing what to expect, but also not liking the idea of being put on display. She thought perhaps for one night she could indulge them before she left for home; whether that was the Circle or her actual home she couldn't say quite yet.
Darkness had settled amongst the Hold making it difficult to make out its layout, but the Great Hall was easily the largest building. Fires and tables of food had been set up inside to accommodate the entirety of the Hold. Dhara explained she didn't have to do anything but drink and eat with the Thane while they gave offerings to the gods. Seemed simple enough, especially since her stomach began to rumble.
People had already begun to gather when they entered. There was a hushed silence among those who stopped to stare at the Lowlander. With all grace she could summon forth from her years of tutelage from Lady Bann Trevelyan, Evelyn glided to her assigned seat at the head of the room. The Thane's table was smaller than the other large banquet tables, but still looked like it could seat at least ten or more. It was raised up a few steps from ground-level. Two high-backed chairs blanketed in furs for comfort sat in the center of the table.
"That will be your seat there, to the left of the Thane." She wasn't at all unfamiliar with social situations such as this, though she didn't know anything about Avvar customs. Her plan was to watch them as much as they did her to try and pick up on a few of their colloquialisms.
"Where will you be? I'm afraid to admit I'm nervous to part from my only friend here." She touched her heart with a heartfelt smile and guided Evelyn to her seat.
"I will be assisting the Augur, but you'll have plenty of company with the Thane's family soon enough!" With that, she left her at the mercy of the curious onlookers. She sat up straight and wore a mask of serene fortitude against the eyes that stared at her. Her focus was entirely on maintaining her calm appearance that she didn't notice she had company. The Thane's family had arrived. There were six of them in total: two sisters, one brother, one brother-in-law, two nieces and a nephew. The girls all inherited curls and waves of silky blonde hair, while the boys were a touch darker. Their eye color ranged from light brown to a striking amber hue.
"Hello," said a melodic voice from behind, "you are The Phoenix, yes?" She nodded looking to the younger sister who was breathtakingly beautiful. "I'm Rosalie, welcome to Redhold!" Her smile lit up her face causing Evelyn to mimic her absently. She couldn't help but not to. Her name was familiar though, where had she heard it before? Ah, the wolf-man had made a comment about her. Taking her hands in hers, Rosalie sat beside her and began introductions to the rest of the family. Branson was charming and engaging while Mia, the eldest, and her family kindly greeted her but were busy on their own side of the table to the right of the Thane's seat. No one sat directly in front of her or the Thane, but there were still two unclaimed chairs to her left.
As they chatted, the hall was full to bursting and quite lively. The fires cast a warm glow on the wooden bones of the simple structure. Furs and trophies decorated the walls as did wooden carvings and statues of various sizes. In the center of the room was a long rectangular fire pit built up a few feet by large stones. There was a spit that span the length of it roasting various beasts as women tended to them. The smell of the meat being basted in ale did nothing to silence her rumbling stomach. She surmised they'd be cooking all night to feed this crowd. Simple plates and tankards were placed before them in anticipation of the feast to come. Her cup was filled with mead but she waited until she saw Branson drink before allowing herself to partake, worried she'd commit some kind of breach of etiquette.
"Thane Rutherford!" A voice rang out through the hall. At the arrival of their leader the whole crowd cheered and roared. He stood in front of his chair beside her and raised a hand for silence before sitting. He gave her a nod in greeting then cast a hand out towards Augur Dusan to begin.
The Augur spoke in their native tongue, but scattered throughout his sermon was her name, Phoenix. He spoke largely with his hands for emphasis and even if she couldn't understand, she was completely taken up in his performance. Dhara was beside him holding what she could only assume was the offering of food. When his grand gesturing stopped and he took on a more reserved look and tone, the offerings were made - loudly. He was quite literally shouting to the gods as if they were somewhere listening. She mused for a moment what a Chantry Mother would look like attempting to call out to the Maker during a sermon and had to hold back a smile. At the end, the Thane rose up yelling a toast rising his mug and everyone again cheered and roared, though he remained standing his time. His voice was loud and commanding as he addressed the hall.
He seemed to be a man of few words, but the words he spoke carried meaning. When he turned to her and offered a hand to stand, she took the queue and did as he bid. Her gaze went from him to the crowd alternating trying to see if either would give a clue to what it was he was saying, then he paused and everyone looked at her. Her eyes widened at the realization that they were clearly waiting for her to do or say something.
"They would like to see your wings, Phoenix." She cleared her throat before uttering an almost inaudible 'no.' His facial muscles scrunched down to a slight frown.
"I, um, don't have control of them," she whispered, "it's a mutation of my mana," he now just stared at her blankly, she quickly tried to think of a simpler way of putting it, "it only happens before a fight." That he understood and turned to his people saying something with a smirk on his face. They laughed with nodding heads, so she gave a half-hearted smile seemingly going along with whatever his explanation had been. With a final word, the feast began in full.
Food was immediately placed on their plates, music drifted through the lively chatter and to her surprise, a fistfight broke out eliciting cheers. She probably would've cared more if there wasn't a selection of various meats and bread in front of her bombarding her senses with delightful scents. A bowl of hearty stew was placed beside her. The steam from it tickled her face and pulled her in with its aroma. She absently reached for a spoon or utensil of any kind and found none. She looked about the table realizing no one had utensils. A bit out of her element, she watched her hosts as they began to eat. It wasn't uncommon to use bread as an utensil, but they used it for everything from the meat to the stew. It was rather noisy listening to them slurp and sop up the juices. Even Rosalie beside her had tied her long locks back to eat as Evelyn watched a drip of something drop from her lush lips. Evelyn opted to start by sipping the soup, bringing the bowl to her mouth. She was still ravenous and drank deeply, when Branson spoke up.
"I see you like the stew." She nodded smiling politely continuing her sipping. "I didn’t think Lowlanders cared for Bronto cock stew." She choked and sputtered her current sip down.
"Bran," both Rosalie and the Thane simultaneously scolded him while he laughed at her reaction. Rosalie passed a linen to her so she could wipe her mouth while adding, "he does that every time we have a guest. Though I'm a bit surprised he used it on you of all people. It's really getting old Bran." Bran just continued to smirk and eat laughing quietly.
"It's alright, I'm the youngest of five so I'm used to being picked on."
"I'm the youngest as well," she shot a look to Bran, "though you'd never know it by the way he acts." She leaned in to whisper in her ear, "we like to joke that that's why his wife left him." She backed away slightly a bit taken back.
"That's a… joking matter here? Where I come from it would be scandalous."
"As all things in nature are temporary, like the seasons, so too is marriage. Love is as fleeting as the spring rains and youth at times." She had never thought about love that way before, but it saddened her.
As they went back to eating, the black-haired woman and man with the tattooed chin sat with them. They were introduced simply as Cassandra and Rylen. Cassandra was in charge of the warriors, which she assumed ranked as something like a Captain, while Rylen was Master of the Hunt. From what he explained, not only did he lead hunts but he assisted in the preparation of offerings. For the two of them to have joined them at the Thane's table she assumed they were important to him beyond their roles.
"I trust Dhara has been seeing to your needs?" The sound of his voice had her spinning around. He leaned on his elbow over the arm of the chair. His comfortable style of dress surprised her for this being her formal introduction. He still wore his maroon mantle with the bear fur, as she could see it better now, and a deep cut cotton shirt beneath it. The leather of his pants creaked as he shifted to cross his legs. She couldn't help but marvel at the difference between this Thane sat beside her and the warrior-man she encountered at the stream.
"Yes, thank you. She's quite… energetic." He hummed in approval and gave her a quick look up and down.
"You can relax, your duty tonight is just to be seen." It took a moment to catch his meaning until she realized he was speaking of her posture. Her back was straight and did not touch the back of the chair, as her mother had drilled into her. While it was harder to keep a proper posture without a structured bodice of any kind, it was a habit her muscles were used to.
"And what of my duty after tonight?" He stopped mid-swig of his drink and put it down slowly as if buying himself time to answer. Her eyes narrowed on him and she cocked an eyebrow as if to say 'I'm waiting.'
"It's not for me to say. Our Spirits will guide us when the time comes." She clenched her jaw and felt the raising heat of anger within her. Sitting around waiting for their 'spirits' to decide her fate was not happening. She also refused to believe they were as clueless as they were trying to come off as.
"It is imperative I report in to my superiors." She tried to put it in terms he'd understand without having to explain too much, "I'm a Knight-Enchanter, like a warrior, and I need to tell the Templars what happened. If I don't they'll come looking for me, and they will find me. That will be trouble for everyone."
"The Templars would be foolish to enter our territory. We've defeated them and their God many times before." A smug smirk twitched at his scared lip. She sighed heavily getting more annoyed at his bullheaded comments.
"You don't understand, this could ruin my life! I may never be able to go back home if I can't report back," she pleaded turning to face him in her seat.
"So let it. Your home is here now. We will protect you." That did it. Her rage boiled under a carefully controlled façade. His brows drew together as he watched the liquid fire pulse up the veins in her neck. The fire in the center of the room and the torches around them flared up, causing a few gasps from those who noticed. Her stare was like wildfire, yet he suddenly seemed pleased about it. He sat back in his chair, "Phoenix, the gods have brought you here for a reason, of that I can assure you. But I cannot let you go, for Templars are not the only ones who will hunt you. The other Holds will, and you may find yourself with less freedoms and choices than I offer you."
"You're telling me I'm your prisoner! You've offered me no choice in the matter." He leaned forward suddenly and kept his voice low, but the intensity of his words was not lost.
"You are an honored guest sent by the gods and under our protection. You are free to move about the Hold, but you may not leave. By now the other Holds know you are here and are no doubt trying to find a way to capture you from us."
"Why? Perhaps if I knew why I could understand!"
"No," he shot back, "I will not interfere with the Gods' plan for you."
"Then I tell you this now," the two glowered at each other, "I will not cooperate, I will try to escape and I won't give up until I'm free."
"So be it. The Spirits had warned us that you would." He leaned over her, "Cassandra, the Phoenix will require a guard at all times for her safety. See to it."
"Yes, my Thane." Evelyn snarled and shook her head. She felt the left side of the table looking at her wondering what was said to have stoked that reaction from her. She didn't speak the rest of the evening but thought about her escape. She wasn't going anywhere tonight, but there was always tomorrow and every day after that. She was a woman of her word, and she would be free one way or another.