Timeless Tower

Alistair closed his eyes sadly then opened them to look over Hikaru's head at the books, "It isn't fighting qualities you should look for. Zevran can find that. It is personality and looks. Someone who is challenging and devoted to their cause. We want a person who will protect her to the death."

Zevran nodded, "It is always good to have a man around who is not hard on the eyes." He rubbed the back of his hand across Hikaru's cheek, "Is that not so?"

Ahgain Hikaru saw a sadness in the king. She could not explain why but she desired to talk with him about it, she felt as though she were a friend to him despite having just met. She thought on asking but before she decided the king spoke to her. It isn't fighting qualities you should look for. Zevran can find that. It is personality and looks. Someone who is challenging and devoted to their cause. We want a person who will protect her to the death."

"I see...I think that I understand what you mean." Hikaru gave Alistair a cheerful smile "I will do the best that I can to assist in finding the right person then"

Then she looked over as Zevran nodded "It is always good to have a man around who is not hard on the eyes." He rubbed the back of his hand across Hikaru's cheek, "Is that not so?"

The mage blushed and hoped that the two men would not notice, though she was sure that they did anyway. "Well yes I suppose that would be a nice quality to have."

"Thank you, Hikaru. For now, you two must need baths and rest. I will escort you to your rooms as they will be close to mine." He smiled at her and put out a hand.

"Of course it is my lovely." Zevran grinned, "One room or two?" He teased.

Hikaru smiled and took the hand that Alistair held out to her, she was happy that the king seemed to be such a kind person "Thank you Ali" she stopped for a moment, realizing that she'd accidently called the king by a nickname. She hoped he would not mind it but just incase she corrected herself. "Er I..I mean Alistair, I'm sorry" she smiled to him nervously as Zevran started to tease her.

"One room or two?" Again the mage girl blushed as she glanced to the assassin. She looked at him quietly, he'd left her mot knowing what to say

Alistair chuckled, "Ali is just fine as long as you allow me to call you 'Hiku.' Think that is possible? And Zevran, quit making the girl faint of embarrassment. By the Maker no woman can come ten feet of you without that ... ah."

"You've always been jealous of me, King." Zevran teased, "Just wait until I tell on you for giving more girls nicknames."

"Ali is just fine as long as you allow me to call you 'Hiku.' Think that is possible? And Zevran, quit making the girl faint of embarrassment. By the Maker no woman can come ten feet of you without that ... ah."

Hikaru gave the man a smile "Hiku is just fine, I don't mind if you call me by that. Though I do have to say it's a nickname I can't say I've been given very often." She glanced over to Zevran briefly "I...I do not mind his teasing so much, I rather like having him around to be honest"

Alistair chuckled, "Zevran can give a good laugh or two if you are not competing with him for anything." He stared at the man for a moment then smiled back at Hikaru, "Here we are, Hiku. This will be your room and there is a tub inside. Once you are clean you can either rest or come visit in my rooms across the way here."

"I will be about my duties as soon as I've washed so will not be back for a while." He touched Hikaru's cheek tenderly, "Unless you wish for me to wash your back."

"Here we are, Hiku. This will be your room and there is a tub inside. Once you are clean you can either rest or come visit in my rooms across the way here."

"Okay Thank you very much" The mage smiled. Then she hid her face with embarrassment as she listened to Zevran


"I will be about my duties as soon as I've washed so will not be back for a while. Unless you wish for me to wash your back."

Dispite her attempts to hide her newest blush, the mage was sure they knew she was red again. Zevran, could probably feel the heat in her face when he touched her. "I-I'm quite sure that I can handle that all on my own..."

"Quit teasing the poor girl, Zevran. Get going or I'll sell you to Qunari soldiers as a toy." He pushed the other man towards his room.

"If they are women ..."

Alistair rolled his eyes as Zevran went into his room, "Just go, assassin. Have a good bath, Hiku." He opened her door for her then went to his room.

The first room was a sitting room, the next a bedroom with a huge bed and there was a lovely bathroom with running water supplied through magic. The tub looked like it could fit three people.

Hikaru was in shock as she entered her room. She could not believe the amount of space each room was. It's true that she expected a nice room considering that it WAS the palace but this was far more than she ever thought of. It was quite asy for the elven girl to say that she'd never seen such a nice bed or bathing area before.

As the girl ran the water into her large tub she was a little surprised to find magic suppyling the water. Once the tub was full the mage stepped into the water and relaxed, the warm tempurature was refreshing on her skin as she washed up.

Finally Hikaru stepped out then got herself dried and dressed again. Shes smiled and wandered around the spacious room as she considered the king's offer to visit him.

There was a knock on Hikaru's door. It was a polite knocking where the person did not knock really hard and gave time between knocks for an answer.

Hikaru was a bit surprised by the knocking at the door, she thought though that it would probably be Zevran. If not him then she thought it could be Alistair, after all those were the only two could say that she knew even if she really didnt know them all to well. There was a pause in the soft tapping, "Yes?" she called as she opened the door

A man dressed really well looked down at her then spoke with an accustomed air as if he were some butler or some such.

"Would you like to take your meal in your room or with the King, ma'am? He has requested your audience."

Some sort of butler or servant? Hikaru smiled a little, she should have thought of that. Of course there would be servants. "Would you like to take your meal in your room or with the King, ma'am? He has requested your audience."

Hikaru was a bit nervous, she was not used to someone asking her where she wanted to be or serving a meal. She was not used to any of this in fact, "Well, if the king has requested me then it may be better to go there, it would be wrong to keep him waiting"

"Very well." He turned and led her across the hallway, opened the door for her and announced, "The lady Hikaru to join you for supper, your highness."

Alistair rose from the chair he was in and bowed to Hikaru, "Thank you for joining me. You may send for our meal, Berin."

"As you wish, you highness." Berin answered, closing the door.

Hikaru blushed feelin embarrassed, first at being called a lady then at Alistair's bow. She smiled to him as he stood. "I'm happy to have been asked to join you" again the young mage girl smiled to him, she was unsure what to do in situations like this and it felt a little awkward for her.

"Come. Sit and regale me with stories of the Tower." Alistair smiled at her as he poured them both drinks, "It has been some time since I've been around anyone who has been adventuring and I miss it greatly. Actually, it hasn't been that long but it feels like it. Some months only."

He waited for her to sit then sat himself, taking and nibbling on a piece of cheese.

Hikaru sat down beside the king, she was starting to feel a little more comfortable. "I'll bet you must have had plenty of advntures yourself, you speak fondly of it." The mage started to relax as they spoke. "I cannot yet say I've really been adventuring as I only just left the tower. However I do have a few stories from the tower to be sure, is there anythimg you'd like to know more about? "

He smiled, remembering his time with the group fondly, "You could say that I've had some adventures. I'd like to hear yours first. I believe I would like to hear about your time at the Tower itself first."

Alistair pushed a cheese and bread tray towards her, "Try some. The bread is great and the cheese..." His smile lit up his face, "Exquisite."

Hikaru laughed a bit as she took some bread and cheese from the plate"From the look of that smile it seems like it's safe for me to assume that you like cheese." The mage took a bit of the food she'd gotten and taken a bite, smiling as she did. "It is quite good though, I'll admit."

Hikaru ate a little more before she continued speaking "My time in the tower? I fear that may bore you, if you're sure though...I spent most of my life in the tower. A lot of that time I spent studying though, mostly I work with healing spells." She stopped for a moment to think "I'm not very sure what kind of story would intrest you, the story of the blood mage maybe? Or is there something else?"

Alistair smiled at Hikaru as she took some cheese and ate it, "Yes I do have a strong liking for cheese. Just ask any of my friends: they'll say I'm cheese mad." He chuckled.

The King nodded as she said that the cheese was good as he was munching away. Then she mentioned about the Tower and that she had been there since she was a child and he listened carefully. He'd heard much about the Tower and knew much as well, "I was actually trained as a Templar so I know a fair amount others do not. Maybe tell me about the blood mage and how you got out of that fix. How'd it happen in the first place?"

"I got into that situation because of a poor judgement and because of some misfortune. I made friends upon with a mage boy my arrival to the tower, I trusted him and he used that. He had been using blood magic, I witnessed him drain the life from a templar and he left me to take the blame for the act. That was when I met both Zevran and Nygozy. They managed to find me in the tower before my punishment and the inevitable execution and save me."

Hikaru absentmindedly rubbed her wrist as she spoke, the bruise was still visable even if most of the pain had faded

Alistair steepled his fingers, placing them under his chin as he listened to the young mage. He shook his head, "Too many times you don't know who to trust. Sometimes people can be extremely nice and you would never know that they are interested in using or abusing you. It is difficult to tell. Do not beat yourself up about it. I have made that mistake as well."

He sighed and seemed to be a bit saddened, "That sounds like Josie alright. Coming to the aid of anyone who needs it and not taking any crap when someone tries to stop her from doing so."

"Too many times you don't know who to trust. Sometimes people can be extremely nice and you would never know that they are interested in using or abusing you. It is difficult to tell. Do not beat yourself up about it. I have made that mistake as well."

Hikaru nodded "You are very right." she noted his sadness. Before the young girl realized it she had reached over and pat the kings shoulder gently and made an attempt at comforting him. "Do not look so sad Ali, she is fine. There are those in her little group that can protect her, and soon I'll be joining them. I'll not only try to keep her safe but I will try to be a friend for her as well." The mage was surprised by her own actions and how, almost natural it was for her to try and comfort the human king.