This place had far to many shemlen here for her taste. It had been two weeks since she had “saved” her careless nephew from the humans who he was certain were going to kill, or kidnap him. And that had meant it had been a week since she had found herself urging her Halla across the long bridge to the main archway. A wicked smirk came to her face as the memory of the guards faces came to the forefront of her mind. Chuckling softly she recalled the perplexed look they shot one another as they stared up at the elf who was all but demanding entrance into the keep.
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One of the guards had stuttered out something about going to fetch the Commander and took off like his trousers had been lit aflame. The guard who had been left thrummed his fingers over the hilt of his sheathed sword with jerky, nervous movements. “You had best keep your hand still, least you want my friend here to take one of your fingers off.” She had said coolly, a chirping bark following her words as her ever present hunting companion made its presence know from where it sat perched in her lap. The soldiers face paled and he quickly threaded his hands together to rest across his stomach.
“What is the meaning of this?” Came a oh so familiar voice, and a small smile came to her tattooed face at the sound of it. Coming into view in the same armor he had been wearing the last time she saw him was the handsome blonde. The Commander stopped short once his eyes landed on the Halla, and the elf atop it. “You.” He breathed out, looking very much like he had just seen a ghost. Olwén raised a slim brow at the Commander, because okay that was certainly a way to greet someone. “What..” he started softly, clearing his throat before speaking once more with a more authoritative air about him. “What are you doing here?”
A series of loud chirping barks filled the silence as the odd canine looking creature wriggled its way from Olwéns lap to bound over to the Commander to rub happily against his legs. The elf sighed heavily at the unneeded open display of affection. “Athras.” She said with a snap in her voice. The small creature yipped, giving the Commanders leg one more rub before bouncing off to dance between the Hallas legs. “We are here because we feel the Dalish could use an inside ear. If you are a peace keeping group now as you told me before.” Gracefully she lowered herself to the ground with a gentle thump of her bare feet hitting the stone. “Or is that something your lot doesn't do, or think they need?”
The Commander only stared at her in silence before turning on his heel and walking away. “I'll have someone get to finding you a room, and a spot in the stable for you Halla,” He called over his shoulder.
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That had been the last time she had seen any sign of the handsome Commander. It had also taken this past week for her to realize that the itching at the back of her mind indicated something was wrong. It had slowly started to piece itself together as each day passed by. The looks the guards would give her, the whispers that would prick against her ears as she passed, or while she would tend to her Halla in the yard by the stables. There weren't any elves. She knew that most humans hired elves from the city to work for them as servants, but there was not a single trace of any other elves inside the hold. After the fifth day of being started at like she had been walking around the hold in nothing but the skin she was born with, Olwén had taken it upon her person to stick strictly to her room, the stables, and a far corner of the battlements. There was only so much gawking one woman could take before her fingers itched for her bow and quiver. What had this damn Inquisition done to elves to make everyone walk around acting like she was going to pull a knife and slit throats just for looking at her?
Growling softly to herself Olwén lifted a hand to rub the sides, and back of her sheered head. She had always kept a good portion of it shaved down close to her skull. 'No point in having it be long enough to get snagged on something.' She had told Dalinev when he had asked her after the first time she had done it. Alaors had made a crude remark asking what someone was supposed to pull now if she ever decided to bond. Both she and Dalinev had snapped at him for it, and since then she had decided to keep it this length. It had been a good idea while the clan wandered the warm area of the Free Marshes and the Dales. At least that was until she had to trek through three feet of snow across the fucking Frostback Mountains to get to this so called Skyhold, almost freezing her ears off in the process. All of that for what?! To be the only elf in the entire place and have all of it's inhabitants stare at her like they had never seen any of her kind in their life. Not to mention that the shem who had caught her attention back in the forest was no where to be found, and that was not helping her ordeal at all. Sure, she had been sent by the Keeper to help keep an eye on things and send reports back to the clan, but she wasn't going to lie that yes, she did indeed have ulterior motives to see more of the face that plagued her thoughts and haunted her dreams.
It was one of the reasons she was currently sitting atop one of the large square merlons atop one of the towers that over looked the courtyard. She watched people come and go with the eyes of a hunter taking in the unsuspecting people below. If they were going to treat her like some kind of wild animal what would bite if scared, then she was going to give them a taste of their own medicine. If only she had her bow and quiver; then she'd give them all a real run for their money. Alas, she was going to have to do without; at least until she was able to sneak them from the armory. Moving her eyes from the people moving around below she glanced at the ball of fur curled up tightly into her side. Smiling softly she ran her hand over its back with a small hum. “Athras,” she cooed out “Ma'falon you are supposed to be keeping me company not slacking off.” The little devil cracked open an eye to peer over at her with a chirp before wriggling around into a different position. Huffing out a breath of annoyance Olwén brought her hand down on the stripped rump with a semi gentle smack, jerking the canine awake with a snort. “I'm talking to you.” She hissed out with a slight bite of disdain to her words. Athras uncurled himself with a whine, complaining about being awoken so rudely. “Don't take that tone of voice with me.” She sneered, “if all you are going to do is lay around the least you can do is find us something to do.” Her voice slowly dropped in volume as her eyes picked up on the sight of a guard trying to sneak their way past her.
Smacking the marble with her hand, Olwén laughed to herself as the guard jumped a few inches off the ground, and picked up the pace of his hurried walking. She watched with glee as he cast a few quick looks back at her over his shoulder. Athras perked his ears in interest at the guard, and stood up with a small stretch. “Why not bring me back something nice?” She murmured as her eyes continued to track the guard to a tower she had noticed quite a few people coming and going from. Athras barked in agreement, nipping at the underside of her wrist before scurrying off the rock and across the battlement. Olwén watched as the door opened to let a guard out, unknowingly letting the small animal inside in their stead. After watching the door for a little while longer to see if anyone was going to kick the trespasser out, the elf turned her attention back to the people milling around on the ground below. There were still too many shemlen here for her tastes.
