Chapter Text
Leannah is fourteen and is packing her horse’s saddle bags. Denerim is more chaotic than normal, everyone is outside, packing up and getting ready to leave. The royal order had come only a few days ago; that the crisis in the north was spilling into Ferelden and the city had to be evacuated. Flyers littered the market district as people bought whatever the merchants had left at this late stage. Guards were knocking on doors, making sure everyone was packing and had somewhere to go. Leannah scrunched up her face as she tried to make everything fit in her bags. She could hear people shouting and crying. A lot of people were going to Redcliffe, to hole up in the castle and chantry. She’d heard a few adults say that ‘Redcliffe was taking the leftovers.’ Anyone who wasn’t going to Soldier’s Peak or Skyhold was heading there, unless they had family somewhere else. Leannah picked up a flyer off the ground, it was an official notice from the castle, telling people their options and how much time they had. There wasn’t much left. Soldier’s Peak didn’t have much room, they were only taking people who had relatives in the Wardens. Skyhold was taking more, ‘anyone who could help- be it fighting, crafting or farming.’ the flyer said. Last she had asked Aunt Bethany and Uncle Fenris still weren’t sure where they were going, Redcliffe or Skyhold.
“Carter, you have to leave some things behind!” Aunt Bethany shouted inside the house.
“I’m not letting darkspawn take my books!” Carter shouted back. Leannah snorted a laugh as she tied up her bag and strapped it to the horse. She walked inside to grab her sword, strapping it to her back.
“The darkspawn won’t take your books, I don’t think they can read.” She said to Carter. Carter stuck out his tongue.
“They’ll use them to light fires! And it’s such a long ride to Redcliffe! I need something to read.” He countered. Leannah looked over at Bethany.
“Is that where we’re going, Redcliffe?” She asked. Bethany sighed,
“If you can fit them in your bag you can take them.” She said to Carter before turning to Leannah, “That was the plan, but I think your Uncle has changed his mind after talking to Zevran. We’re going to ride to Skyhold.”
Leannah nodded, dodging Carter as he ran into his room. “The flyer says they only want people who can help, what do we do about Carter?” She asked. Aunt Bethany glared,
“That’s not very nice. Your Uncle and I can both fight and I know some healing magic. You and Carter are both children, they’ll take you in for us.” Leannah made a face,
“I’m not a child, I’m fourteen.” She said, Aunt Bethany smiled,
“Ah yes, I was never quite as grown up as when I was fourteen.” She chuckled, “Are you all packed then?” She asked. Leannah nodded,
“I got everything. And I can fight darkspawn, or demons. Or heal people, if you don’t think I can fight.” She challenged.
“Leannah, I don’t want you in danger. I’m sure Skyhold will have enough people to fight, enough adults.” She sighed when she saw Leannah’s determined glare, “You can always ask what you can help with when we get there.” She conceded. Leannah smiled, she was sure the Inquisitor would see that she could help.
Skyhold was cold and snowy when they arrived. Carter leapt off his horse and started throwing snowballs at Leannah and Fenris.
“Carter, stop it. You can play after we get settled.” Fenris grumbled. Leannah waved her hand and sent a pile of snow flying at Carter almost burying him.
“Leannah!” Bethany snapped, “Apologize to your cousin.” Carter dug his way out of the snow and stuck his tongue out.
“Sorry, Carter.” Leannah said like she didn’t mean it. Bethany sighed,
“We have to go register and find out where we’re staying. Can you two behave that long?” She asked. Leannah rolled her eyes but nodded, Carter shrugged,
“I dunno.” He said. Bethany pinched the bridge of her nose and led the cousins into the fortress.
Skyhold was chaotic, there were people everywhere, from all over southern Thedas. Carter’s eyes darted from person to person; Leannah focused on something else. The Veil was thin here, really thin and there were spirits everywhere. She watched them drift from place to place, floating through the crowd. She kept herself hidden- or not hidden entirely but kept her spirit part inside her human body, not letting it out where the spirits could see it.
“Fenris and Bethany! You made it!” Zevran called, running up to greet his friends.
“Uncle Zev!” Carter yelled, tackling the assassin in a hug.
“Carter! The pequeno asesino is not so pequeno anymore.” Bethany sighed as Zevran took Carter’s hand and took him on a tour of Skyhold.
“Do you want to go with Zevran and Carter?” Fenris prodded Leannah. She sighed,
“Can I just wander?” She asked. Fenris looked around the fortress full of people he didn’t know.
“Be careful. Take your sword.” He relented. Leannah nodded, slinging her sword over her back and leaving the great hall. She pushed open a door into a round room covered with paintings, she couldn’t tell what they were about. Leannah looked around, the round room had a few spirits in it, watching her. She reached out just a little, the spirit equivalent of a wave. The spirits immediately turned to look at her; she had gotten better at identifying them. With her now was Wisdom, Hope, Truth, Compassion and in the corner a Regret demon. Leannah glared at the demon first,
“What brings you to this place?” She asked. The demon turned, it almost looked like an elf, but its ears were much too long, and its form was skeletal with long boney claws instead of fingers.
“One who was once here. Who felt too much, cared too much. Regrets much.” The demon floated closer to her, blinking eyes too large for its face.
“But that person isn’t here anymore. Everyone here… we’re here to fight, to survive. We don’t need you.” Leannah stated. She drew her sword and slashed it through the demon as it screeched- colourful swirls of magic wrapped around it, pulling it back into the Fade. Leannah sighed in relief, at least it had been a weak demon- feeding off of old emotions while new ones took their place. She looked at the other spirits,
“What are these paintings about?” She asked.
“The Inquisition.” Wisdom answered, "Each event as it happened, chronicled by the one who set things in motion.”
“One who cared, more than he expected.” Compassion added,
“One who saw it for what it was.” Truth finished. Leannah nodded,
“My family and I are staying here, my Aunt and Uncle are going to fight I think. My other Uncle- he’s not really my Uncle, is going to fight too. I want to help.” She explained to the spirits. Compassion drifted closer.
“Help. Help us. So many here, so many people. Other demons, most weak, some not. This place is old.” It said, Leannah nodded,
“I can do that. I can’t kill strong demons though, not yet, not alone.” No, she was going to need help.
Leannah walked back into the great hall, looking for her family. She found them downstairs in a place called the Undercroft, setting up cots.
“Leannah, good.” Bethany said when she saw her, “Carter is playing with some of the other children. You should join them. Your uncle and I are both going to help defend this place if the darkspawn get here.”
“When they get here.” Fenris corrected, he was sharpening his sword on a large grindstone.
“Where is Carter?” Leannah asked.
“Oh, I think he and the others are outside. You can probably leave your sword here.” Bethany suggested. Leannah glared. Fenris put a hand on her shoulder,
“Keep it with you. But if I hear of any injuries I’m taking it.” He said. Leannah nodded enthusiastically and went to find Carter.
Carter pouted as Leannah dragged him away from the snowfort he was building with the other boys in the courtyard.
“Stop whining. I need your help with something. And you can’t tell anybody. Not even Uncle Zevran.” Leannah said. Carter looked up at her,
“This better be good. We were about to go to war.” He said. Leannah rolled her eyes.
“This place is full of spirits. Lots of them. And a few demons, we can’t let the demons ruin everything. So we have to take them out.” She explained in a whisper. Carter’s eyes went as big as dinner plates.
“How did you get that job?” He asked.
“A spirit asked me. I don’t think any of the grown ups know the demons are here. They’re not very strong. But still, demons are bad.” She answered. Carter nodded, “You should bring your daggers. Uncle Fenris said I can have my sword, so we don’t need to worry about that part.” Carter pulled his new, very sharp daggers out of his pockets.
“I’ve had them since we left home. I packed the blunt ones so Mom wouldn’t notice.” He explained. Leannah grinned,
“Uncle Zev is right. You are a little killer.” She said as the Hawke cousins set off to help the hidden residents of Skyhold.