My Warden (COMPLETED)

Face Me

Only the glow from the towering windows highlighted the silent courtyard. Shafts of light reflected upon the gilded visage of Hessarian's regretful face bent into his hand. Lana glanced back at the bodies of the guards tossed to the ground, cold blood pooling off their throats into the grout of the marble tiles. Whoever did it made the cut clean and quick but judging from how they fell, the attack wasn't from behind. The guards didn't bat at eye at the person who walked up to them and slit their throats. This party got a lot more complicated.

Slipping the door closed, Lana stepped into the courtyard. Three levels of the Winter Palace circled above her, each balcony walled off by white railing. Ivy clung between them making climbing impossible, not that she was going to manage to shimmy up a trellis in her dress. It'd also cause a horrific amount of noise. Sticking to the shadows, she tried the handle of the first door to her right but it stuck fast, the second beside it the same. Out of all the times she didn't think to bring a rogue... Lana tapped her foot, trying to decide if she should risk the time finding Leliana when a scream broke through the frozen night air. Snapping her hands up and calling forth the fade energy, Lana traced the cry to the story above her.

A shadow flapped against the cloudy night, its silhouette darker than the grey sky. The creature landed upon Hessarian's head and screamed again, the crest of feathers upon its head vibrating from the call. Great, she was sent here to find a bloody peacock that was now shitting all over the tevinter magister. Lana smiled at the fitting image wishing she could frame it for Corypheus. This is what we think of your rise to power. The bird gave the mage who almost roasted it alive no heed as it extended its wings and again cried into the night.

Another scream answered it. Not a mate returning the call, this one was low and tucked into the chest - like someone struggling against a gag - and very human. Gathering up her damn skirts, Lana dashed towards the sound emanating from the opposite side of the courtyard. The handle to the door was melted clean through, re-solidified drips of metal dangling through the hole as if someone used a rod of fire on it. Pushing softly on the door, Lana risked peering only an eye inside. Blackness was all that afforded her on either end. Placing both hands against the door, Lana opened it slowly while trying to minimize the noise. She stepped across the threshold when that cursed bird took wing and flew/plummeted almost into her face. Ducking to avoid her eyes getting scratched out, the peacock didn't care a whit. Its body crashed to the floor with a wallop, but the thing rolled back onto its feet and it waddled away.

"What was that?" a voice called out from the darkness of the hall. Lana dashed to the wall where her fingers found the lip of a table. Cursing her dress and her wound, she shrunk low. The leather corset was having none of her bending over, so she dropped to her knees and scurried under.

"It was nothing." The first man spoke Orlesian but the second was Tevinter. She'd only managed to pick up the tourist version of the language from her quick travels, which was rather pathetic as she read the damn thing fluently. No one ran towards her from the inky darkness, so Lana slipped out from under the table and inched towards the voices.

"No, I heard something, I swear," the Orlesian insisted. Lana froze as the clip of boots echoed across a marble floor. To the left of her down a long hall, the only slip of light peeked out from under a door. She focused upon it while sliding forwards, stifling all noise as best she could. Zevran was good for learning a few tricks. "I'm gonna check."

"Be my visitor," the Tevinter said, or something close to it.

The light under the door broke open revealing a burning fireplace which framed the shadow of a fully armed and armored man. He glared into dark night before him. "I think I see...AH!" the Orlesian shrieked. Lana reached into the fade, tugging at her mana and driving for her trusty ice spells. More boots clattered upon the floor as the Tevinter dashed to the Orlesian's side, a staff in his hands.