second child.

         ❝ Vigil’s  Keep, ❞  she explains,  slowing down now that they’re a decent distance away.  Her place in the city is small,  for someone of her status,  but it’s the best place for them go at the moment.

                   Maker’s breath,  she knows that’s not enough.  But the rest isn’t exactly fun to explain.  ❝ You can call me Nimia.  I’m  –  the Hero of Ferelden.  And the Warden-Commander.  And  the Arlessa of Amaranthine.  It’s a really long story,  but I’m  still  going to be in some shit for this. ❞

oh. oh. yann is used to seeing plenty of important people, most of them orlesian and all of them content to pretend he doesn’t exist, but he’d never expected to meet anybody quite so... grand. and he’d certainly never thought the hero of ferelden would be an elf of all things. ( that part of the truth has been conveniently left out of all the stories flitting around the sauveterre estate. ) 

he almost doesn’t believe her. but he likes the thought of it, and smiles. if it’s a lie, he’ll find out soon enough, but in the meantime? it’s nice to imagine there might be some truth to it.

                 There’s no time to wonder if this was set up  –  Nimia would not be  surprised,  considering she’d  NEVER  planned to kill in her effort to protect another elf.  She’s moving quickly through back alleys,  glancing back to ensure he’s keeping up.  ❝ I don’t  CARE  if someone follows,  they’ll come for me at the keep,  anyway  –  what’s important is getting  you  out of the way. ❞

he doesn’t lag behind. yann’s been in this situation before, with eloi, though that was him leading his brother out of harm’s way instead of the other way around. it’s good to stay together though, good to have someone willing to keep you alive. that’s been sorely lacking since he set foot in ferelden. 

except, she gives him reason to pause when she mentions--

                  ❝ You have  no  idea.  We have to get out of here.  Now. ❞