The Wolf and the Lion (a Dragon Age Inquisition fanfic)

One

Talila cried in a corner of her 'cell' things where not looking good from her perspective at the moment. Fresh wounds showed on her bare skin, she shivered not from just fear but also from the lack of warmth in her prison-like cell. She wasn't sure how long she had been huddling in the corner but it was the same thing every day since she had arrived. She would be huddled in the corner of her cell, trying to ignore her pain that only seemed to disappear after they "treated" her with something called lyrium, which she was now craving. what little she could remember since being here was that they would come at dawn to force her to work the lyrium mine, then finally at dusk, they would reopen her scabbed over wounds to remind her that she was theirs to do with as they pleased. Eventually, she would fall asleep and sleep for about an hour before they would come and the process would be the repeat of the previous day. By now the lyrium they were forcing upon her was a staple of her daily routine and was probably the only thing she looked forward to having given to her. What have I done to deserve this? To earn this torture? She thought as she heard the first of the cell doors open. Please just let this day end swiftly. She begged to whatever god or gods existed as the two men who had stolen her away from her home ripped open her cell door.

"Let's go you little bitch. Today is not a mine day for you since your little outburst yesterday. Its time for my Brother and I to have our fun with you." The first man, a man who she would hate for the rest of her life, cackled at her as he flicked the whip, that was ever present at his side, towards her, once more cutting open her exposed arm. She held back a whimper as the other strode towards her and yanked her up onto her feet by her hair.

"Ya, today is a special day for you, not only do you get thirty lashings but we get to enjoy your body as well." The second man sneered as Talila whimpered. With a swing of his arm, he released her hair and all but threw her out the door causing her to land heavily on another prisoner's cell door. She felt the fires of rage starting to burn in her heart and felt it spread throughout her veins and without warning, she lashed out at the second man now thankful that she had bitten her nails down just enough to cut open a long scar on his right eye. "You little cunt!" the man roared at her as he slammed her against the closest wall. "Just for that, I say give her fifty lashings and screw the fun part; until she is broken there will be no fun with her." After they gave her the lashings, the men threw her back into her cell where she lay on the frigid ground relishing in the coolness it proved to her heated and now bloodied body.

As she lay there on her side, she felt completely hopeless and barely managed to lift her head up to the only barred window and saw the rising crescent moon, which was something she had once considered a welcoming sight that had now turned into a dark omen. What did I do? Why are the gods so mad at me? She questioned as she laid her head back down, resting her cheek against the stone floor, where she eventually, yet painfully, managed to curl into a ball and fall asleep.

Weeks, months even five years passed, and a now twenty-five-year-old Talila still could not understand why the gods were being so merciless to her. She fought against everything, but the lyrium dosages where only constant and her pain was evolving tenfold as the days went on. Eventually, Talila was ready to give up all hope, but as she lay curled up in the same familiar corner drifting in and out of sleep, sudden and loud sharp noises, almost like steel ramming against steel, awoke her and caused her heart to pause in its beats as an all too familiar voice shouted to kill the other prisoners. It sounded close as if right outside her cell door and when the heavy metal thing opened, the man she had marked with her bitten nails appeared before her in the doorway, seeing where she was he rushed right over to her and gripping her by the throat he pinned her against the stone wall causing her already aching back to hurt even more. "Everyone but you." He growled low, "I am going to leave you with a little present Bitch. A reminder that you belong to me." With that the man drew a dagger and with a flick of his left hand he left a long bleeding red line over her left eye. As he dropped her onto the ground he did not get the chance to leave as suddenly he became something akin to a limp noodle on the end of a sword that had pierced right through his chest.

"Over here! There's one survivor but she's greatly wounded!" the person that came into her view as the body of the former man dropped to the ground was heavily armored and Talila could only watch as another approached to gently and carefully lift her up. "Don't worry ma'am, the healers will tend to your wounds and see that they close properly." The first person promised as Talila closed her eyes, allowing the safety she felt in the arms of the second person to lull her to a sleep that absent of any and all dreams.

*******

A month later would find Talila standing over the lyrium mine that had once been her prison, which was now being mined by volunteer dwarves. She had come to learn that she was truly in the world of the Dragon Age series, that she was in Thedas, but as she looked over the mine she so hated she did not hear someone walking up to her. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything." The masculine voice asked as she lifted her head to turn her gaze towards the owner of the voice, realizing only now the person had come up to her.

"You not interrupting anything at all Commander," Talila spoke as she studied the blonde haired man with rather handsome amber colored eyes. This man was the Commander of the Inquisition's forces, and the Inquisition itself was the reason she was still alive and now able to walk around freely. Studying him, she could tell from the way his hair was styled back that he was trying a little too hard to hide the fact that he had curls, hell she had curly hair herself and had tried to hide the curls once as well but had eventually given up.

"I hate to ask, but what draws you here?" he asked of her as she looked away, the memories of the two evil men burned forever into her mind cropped up.

"Guess it's just that... well for five whole years of my life I spent my time here trying and somehow managing to barely survive." Talila spoke as her blood boiled with rage, a silent rage he could sense rolling off of her like a waiting tempest. "I spent those five years with hatred burning in my heart at the two men who harmed me. One of them I saw die with my own eyes, but the other is still out there and I will not rest until he has suffered for the pain he has caused me. Coming here... it helps to renew that flame." Talila informed him as he thought that over.

"It also helps your lyrium addiction doesn't it?" at what the Commander said Talila froze in place, her eyes wide in surprise. "I know. We investigated the mine and discovered another survivor who explained what they were doing to you all." Talila turned to the Commander, seemingly lost in disbelief at his words.

"Commander Cullen, but..." At that, he held up a hand and she grew silent. She respected him enough to allow herself to be commanded by him, but she would sometimes give him hell which often led to him trying to keep his temper when it came to lecturing her.

"Let me finish," At the nod she gave, he continued. "The other survivor died before the healers could help him." At that Talila turned away, with this death of the only other survivor, it truly meant that she was the singular survivor of the hell she had been put through. "Your struggling aren't you? You can tell me," he told her in a gentle tone.

Talila closed her eyes with an almost defeated sigh. "Its more then a struggle, Commander."

"Talila," Cullen walked up to her side and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Please call me Cullen. I can't claim to know how bad you have it without lyrium but I know that it is a real struggle to go through. The agony you are going through, you don't have to face that alone." He tried to reason as Talila thought it over. She turned away and he let his hand fall back to his side.

"Yes I do, that's one thing about me that will never change," Talila said as she began walking away. "I am always alone in everything I do, Ceannard*." She whispered as she walked back towards her horse who she planned on riding on before returning to the fortress that everyone called Skyhold. She could feel Cullen's eyes on her back but she just kept walking. He understands only a fraction of what I'm going through, but he could never understand the path I chose to walk. Talila hopped into the saddle and let her stallion begin to walk away from there. No one will ever understand...

Cullen sighed heavily as he watched her disappear from his sight but then walking over to his own horse, he hopped up into the saddle and looked back towards the direction she had gone. As much as he wanted to chase after her, he had to meet with the Inquisitor and the other advisors soon, but the thought of Talila would remain on his mind for a while. She is on a dangerous path, one that she doesn't fully understand. If only there was a way I could help her understand that I just want to help her. He thought as he steered his mare towards the path back to Skyhold. For now, he would give her some time to herself and allow her to calm her warring emotions and thoughts.

(*=Commander)