There's a faint rustle from nearby. Probably just a forest denizen right?

Justice flickers, snarling angry-

“-no! No, we don’t do that. Justice, let me handle this.” Justice rumbles, sparking lightning under his skin. 

Anders looks up, trying to find the noise. If it’s a beast, he’ll have fell it quickly. He unhooks his staff from his pack, twirling it carefully. 

“I mean no harm!” He calls out to whatever it is.

The disbelieving snarl that comes in response to that is almost inhuman.

There's a whisper quiet voice as well, trying to soothe the other?

“Hello? Is anyone there?” Anders calls, and almost subconsciously, sends out a pulse of healing energy. 

There's a shocked moment of silence. And then, just audible:

"He's a mage, he's not going to-"

Then, louder: "Who are you?"

“I am J- Anders. A (Grey Warden? Not any longer) friend!”

That gets a scornful laugh. "Yeah. Because we should just believe that."

“I don’t blame you! I wouldn’t trust a random man’s voice out in the forest either. That’s how you get demons.”

More inaudible whispering. "What do you want?"

"If you're uninjured, to pass. If you're injured, to help. If you don't mind the help of an apostate."

More whispers. Although it seems like the speaker is having an entirely one-sided argument. There's a few growls and snarls, but still.

"...why?" And the question sounds almost hopelessly lost, like the speaker isn't really used to people just helping.

“Because I’m a Spirit Healer. That won’t stop for as long as I’m alive. I heal.”

Silence.

"We can't pay-"

Distressed snarl.

"I don't care. You're hurt. Don't think I haven't noticed." Beat. "We can't pay you."

"I haven't ever healed for money. I know, you hear that from all the guys. But truly, I've never even...it's instinctual. I could never."

There's a pause, and then a young teenager darts into the clearing. Ey looks a little underfed, and has definitely been sleeping rough, but ey's still surprisingly clean.

Ey's followed by an older teen, who's almost skeletally gaunt. He moves with surprising grace for the fact he seems like his skin doesn't fit right, and there seems to be something wrong with his left leg. He's abruptly between Anders and the other teen, a low growl echoing off his lips.

Justice flickers through Anders' skin like blue lightning, ready to defend his from the wild looking boy.

Anders grimaces, and shakes his head. "Sorry about that, real estate problems."

He looks over the two, cataloguing injuries. "All right. You look hungry, I can fix that now." Anders swings his pack off, and removes a bundled up hunk of cheese and bread, a little preserved meat and two apples. He places it on the forest floor, then backs away. "All yours."

The boy very nearly lunges at Anders when Justice flickers through, but pulls himself up. He continues to eye Anders and the food suspiciously.

The other teens rolls eir eyes, steps around the boy and retrieves the food, throwing an apple to him. "Eat."

He catches the apple, and stares at it for a long moment before taking a bite.

"Thank you, Anders."

Anders nods, smiling a little. "Now, I won't have to touch you, but I do need to be a little closer to start healing. If that's allowed." He directs this to them both, but is slightly more deferential to the boy.

He freezes, most of the way through the apple, tension thrumming through his body.

"...please."

It's not clear who that's actually aimed at, but on hearing that, the boy slumps slightly and gives a reluctant nod.

He comes a little closer, hands glowing blue. He sends a small pulse towards the boy, particularly focused on his leg. "Hmm. This might take a few minutes. I'm going to have to move some things around to make it heal right."

Anders kneels, hands raised. "Do I have your permission?"

-something in that question is confusing him, and he clearly doesn't like the fact he doesn't understand it.

"Let me rephrase. I can help you, but only if you're okay with it. I don't want you in pain anymore, but I also don't want to force you into something you don't want or are afraid of."

He shrugs awkwardly.

"That's as close to a 'yes' as you're going to get."

"Just wanted to be sure," he says gently to the other teen. 

He gets to work, sending out pulses of healing magic that coil in the boy's leg, prodding and moving it, and then finally healing it, new skin growing over the wound to leave no scar. "Feel better?"

He flexes his leg, and seems surprised, but nods, still awkward.

The other teen smiles brightly. "Thank you! That's been bothering her for a couple of weeks."

"I'm glad I could be of help," Anders smiles at the teen. "Now, there's not magical cure for starvation, but I can heal the symptoms and give you back some stamina. Should last until you get where you're going."

"I- Yeah. I guess." There's that lost tone again.

"You...live in the forest?"

"We didn't have anywhere else to go."

"You both and I are of a similar state. I must've escaped from the Circle 4 times before I realised running off into the Wilds wasn't working."

He steps a little closer to them. "Have you tried the Chantry? I hear they're sometimes charitable."

Oh. The boy's growling again.

"-It wasn't an option," ey says tersely.

"For me either." Anders voice is gentle, trying to soothe the boy. "So, you must be from Tevinter then. Or...elf blooded?"

Ey looks away, shrugs, which isn't really an answer at all.

"Sorry. Personal space wasn't really a thing in the Circle."

Anders readies a stamina spell. "This should at least make you feel a little better."

Ey nods slowly.

Anders casts a small rune, and it glows beneath both of the others.

Ey's paying very close attention to that, with just a sliver of magic, trying to figure out the how of casting it.

Mage.

"You're a mage?"

The boy's tense and thrumming again.

Ey flinches slightly. "I- y-yes."

"Then I sincerely apologise for telling you to go to the Chantry," Anders says with a grin. "I'm guessing you've never been in a Circle, then."

"I- no. Ilska made sure of that."

"Ilska?" He asks, looking over at the boy.

Who shrugs at him.

"What?" ey sounds defensive.

"I just realised I don't know your names. Not that I needed them, it's just nice."

"Oh- yes. Uh. I'm Cia. This is Ilska."

"Truly a pleasure to meet you both," Anders says with a bow. 

"First time we've heard that."

"I'll bet. It's a feeling I'm very familiar with that too. Most would rather chase me out of town with a pitchfork than welcome me in for a night. Even elves aren't treated like that. And I've stayed in an Alienage."

"Yeah..." Ey shrugs. "We're- doing okay."

Ilska looks away, uncertain and somehow ashamed.

"You're not. And that's not okay. You shouldn't have to starve in a forest for being who you are."

"You got a better idea?" Cia is definitely defensive about this.

"Better than a system that lets children live this way? Certainly."

Anders shakes himself a little bit. "I'm...I'm sorry. I didn't mean- you've both done so well to keep each other alive and out of the Templar's grasp."

"Yeah," Cia agrees, obviously not quite ready to let eir defensiveness go. "We have. And that's all we had."

Ilska makes a low, crooning sound.

"-Sorry. You don't- I know you don't mean-" Ey gestures vaguely, fight gone now.

"I know." Anders can see much of a teenage version of himself in them. Angry, desperate. Alone. "I hate that this was the life forced on you. But it is good to see fellow apostates."

"Apostate. Ilska- well. We don't think she is."

She. Anders corrects that in his head. "How long has it been just you two?"

"Few months. Since not long after we found out I was a mage."

"Your caretakers didn't take it well, then?"

Ilska makes a derisive sound.

"That's putting it mildly."

He doesn't need them to go into detail. His father was much the same, though Anders hadn't the chance to run before the Templars came. 

"Do you have a plan for what to do next?"

"Not really," Cia admits. "We haven't really had time to think ahead."

Anders frowns, cursing the world they lived in. Two kids, with nowhere to go? Just because Cia was a mage? 

He thinks. Maybe they could go to an Alienage? Denerim was only a week back- 

But Karl. He finally had a chance to save the one person he loved and finally tell him that. But these kids...

Anders straightened. “Have you guys thought about an Alienage?”

"Uh, yeah. Too many- Ilska doesn't really do well with too many people to watch. And she won't listen when I tell her it's fine, and safe..."

“I don’t blame her. They’re busy places, crowded too. And, even though I don’t blame them, they’re not too nice toward humans.” 

Anders sighs. He would run a hand through unruly blond hair, were it not covered by a hood. “I know this is a stretch, but do you have family elsewhere? Perhaps in the Free Marches?”

Ilska hisses angrily.

"Uh, if we do, I don't know about them."

Anders curses his good heart. Damn Karl and his good influence.

"All right. You don't have to, if you don't feel it's safe, but would you like to come with me? I'm fleeing to Kirkwall on a refugee boat."

Ilska looks very suspicious of that offer.

Cia pokes her side, and something passes between the two of them. Ilska slumps slightly.

"I- we'd- appreciate that. For- for now at least."

"You are welcome to come along with me once we get there, or go off and do you own thing. North Thedas is vast, and the Templars less vigilant than the ones here or in Orlais. You could slip right through."

"Yeah, it's a better chance," Cia agrees, nodding slowly. Pauses, twists eir fingers together. "I- could you maybe- teach me some? The healing stuff?"

"I...I've never really been a teacher. But I think it would be useful, with your sister being the scrapper. Someone's gotta patch her up afterwards. Sure."

Anders saying 'sister' obviously startles Ilska, but she looks...almost grateful.

The smile Cia gives him is both grateful and relieved. "Yeah, she's kind of a walking disaster like that sometimes."

"I would think she thinks it's worth it, protecting you."

Ilska nods, looking at Cia like ey's the most important thing in the world. (From Ilska's point of view, that's probably true.)

Cia laughs quietly. "Yeah, I guess she does, I'd just appreciate it if she did it with a few less injuries."

"Would you listen to that, you're already talking like a healer! We bemoan the amount of injuries with every breath in our lungs."

Cia grins widely. "Must be in my blood."

"There's one thing I can teach you right now. Stamina spells, nice and easy. Want to try?  If Ilska wouldn't mind being the guinea-nug."

"Ooh-" Pauses looks back to Ilska...

...Who smiles fondly at em and nods.

"Please!"

"All right. Raise one hand towards her, focusing you will on her. Soon you'll be able to sense little things like flagging energy, or blood pumping wrong. For now, hold this rune in your mind-" Anders clears the ground with a quick fire-ice spell, leaving a patch of wet dirt. He draws the rune quickly in it. "-then push the rune towards her, like you're filling her with it."

Cia listens carefully, and follows the instructions. It's not the best stamina spell ever cast, but it does work.

Anders 'reads' her spell. "That's...actually a solid effort for a first time. How do you feel, Ilska?"

Ilska pauses, obviously thinking and then nods, giving them a thumbs up.

Cia smiles and bounces happily. "Yay."

"First success! Congratulations, here's to many more."

Anders swings his pack back on. "Ready to move? We've got a while before Gwaren."

"Yeah, we're good," Cia nods, bounding to eir feet.

Ilska nods, pushing herself to her feet a little slower than her sibling.

"Come on, then. I'll keep you safe if anything happens."

Anders leads the way through the forest, well-practised at following the Highway from it.

They follow, although Ilska noticeably keeps herself between Anders and Cia.

Anders doesn't mind that at all, is even happy Cia has such a staunch protector.

Cia can apparently only keep quiet for so long, and starts peppering Anders with questions about healing.

Anders is more than happy to answer, giving her detailed explanations, even pausing their journey a few times to sketch runes and act out a few things. 

He has incredibly long limbs that give him the appearance of an excited octopus.

Cia mirrors his enthusiasm. And is maybe laughing at little at his impression of an excited octopus, but it's definitely not mean-spirited if ey is.

They even manage to get a smile out of Ilska as she watches them.

Anders welcomes the laughter. He knows he's somewhat grown out of his long and lanky stage, only his height making him seem a bit like a wet noodle, but laughs along with Cia. 

If he's not careful, he could become attach- Oh, bugger off Justice!

Cia's probably going to have something to say about the fact that ey's a good foot smaller than both of eir companions, but for now, ey's just going to enjoy actually talking to someone who talks back.

Anders is definitely going to teasingly lean on eir head at some point, which is a nice thought. He's not used to enjoying his height. Templars in the Circle called him a freak for that as well as his magic, but people from the Anderfels are built tall.

After a while, Ilska stumbles. She hides it well, recovers admirably, but anyone paying attention will be able to tell she's exhausted, stamina spell or not.

Cia notices, but doesn't immediately draw attention to it.

Anders feels it, the spirit in him amplifying his healing powers. 

"Woah, woah, Ilska, are you okay?"

Ilska does something that isn't quite a flinch, but it isn't far off. She nods hurriedly, but not very convincingly.

Cia's chewing on eir lip, but doesn't contradict eir sister.

"I'm not saying this to try and freak you out, but I can feel how tired you are. Healer, remember? We can rest now if you need it. Sun will go down soon anyway."

Anders takes off his pack and dumps it by a tree.

She goes still, looks unsettled...

"Ilska," Cia says quietly, and that seems to take any fight straight out of Ilska. "I'm a bit tired as well."

He nods at Cia, recognising an ally when he sees one. "There we are, someone else besides me that's tired. Time to relax, I think."

"I mean, this is a pretty good place to relax. I think I heard a stream just over there," ey points.

"Being close to water is a necessity. Good ears."

Anders pulls a waterskin out of his pouch. "If you ladies will excuse me, I'll just go fill this up."

"Uh-" Cia starts, and then cuts emself off, shrugs a little. "Sure."

Anders smiles cheerily and then heads out, following the sound of the stream.

"Don't," Cia says tiredly to Ilska. "Not worth it right now."

A little while later, there’s a loud, pained groan, and flashes of blue-white light from the forest. 

Ilska jerks back to her feet, darting slightly towards it, but not willing to go too far from Cia.

It doesn’t seem to be coming towards them, and from the crashes, whatever it is is stumbling.

Cia gets to eir feet and heads for the noise.

Ilska makes a sharp sound and follows.

When they get close enough, they see Anders standing in a smoking, charred circle. There is blue lightning cracks in his skin, and his eyes are blazing, bright blue. 

“YOU ARE WASTING MY TIME.”

Cia stops dead.

Ilska flinches back from the anger, but rallies and steps in front of Cia snarling angrily.

“IF I HAD NOT STOPPED, I WOULD BE IN GWAREN BY NOW. BUT HIS SOFT HEART DOES NOT SEE THAT TO SAVE ALL IS TO SAVE ONE.”

"Well fuck you too," Cia snarls. "Humans need rest. His 'soft heart' or not he'd still need that."

Ilska is vibrating and yet... She's expecting something.

“HUMANS PETTY NEEDS ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO THE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE.”

"I think being dead in a ditch might get in your way. Humans are frail. You chose to inhabit one, you need to accept the consequences and requirements."

“HOW DARE YOU QUESTION ME-”

Suddenly there’s a sound like a wave crashing, and the air for Cia floods with a too-sweet taste. 

Anders is suddenly coughing before them, taking deep breaths. The light is gone from his now brown-yellow eyes, and his skin is no longer cracked with lightning. 

“I’m sorry, I thought I could- nothing. I’m sorry, he didn’t do anything, did he?” Anders can’t meet their eyes. Maker, what a mess he’s made already. 

"No, we- we're fine. Are you okay?"

Ilska stops Cia from stepping closer to Anders, eyes narrowed.

“Oh, fine. Just possessed by a furious spirit of Justice who sometimes gets out and yells at people,” Anders jokes weakly, running a hand through blond hair. “Ilska, I swear he won’t...”

Anders trails off, unable to make the promise he wants to. “I’ll stop him, if he tries to hurt either of you.”

Ilska still seems suspicious, but after a moment, nods.

"He seems to not understand how humans work."

“He’s never had to.” Anders sighs. “He’s right, I should’ve made better time. But I couldn’t leave you both, and who knows. Maybe you’ll turn out to be a better healer than I am, Cia.”

"...you're still human," Cia points out, a little lost. "I-" Ey shrugs.

"Still human? That's the nicest thing someone's said to me in a while," Anders says, smiling at Cia. Always bloody joking, aren't you Anders? Can't let things be serious for more than a second, even if you just-

No. Stop. 

"Well you are," Cia states firmly. "Unless someone turned you into an elf while I wasn't looking."

"A remarkably tall elf. The tallest elf in history," Anders says, smiling a little wider, a little more confidently.

Cia giggles and grins, a little tentatively back at him.

Anders seems a soothed by Cia's laughter. "Well. Now to find where the bastard put my waterskin." 

He heads back towards the river.

Cia follows him after a moment to see if ey can help.

Ilska huffs, but follows after them.

Anders accepts the help, and looks up and down the riverbank to find where he left it. 

Unfortunately, it seems to be lost to the river.

"Maker's balls. Well, looks like we're just going to have to drink out the river."

Cia shrugs. "Could be worse," ey points out. "At least it seems to be relatively clean."

"The beauty of rivers in the forest, opposed to the city," Anders agrees.

Ilska hums quietly, ducking down to scoop water to her mouth with her hand.

"Quieter too," Cia translates.

Anders scoops water of his own. "She's not wrong. About the only thing redeemable about the Wilds."

"And I mean, it's almost as private as a house when you realise how few people there are out here."

"Yes, though I would not recommend walking around without clothes on. Just as you think it's safe, some bloody bandit will come tearing out of the nearby bushes."

"That's the voice of experience," Cia laughs. "I'll bow to the wisdom of age."

Anders splashes some water at her. "You're going to be trouble, I can tell."

Ey splashes him back. "Ilska used to tease it was my middle name."

Anders makes a noise like a cat when the water hits him in the face. "She's a smart thing, of course she did."

That gets a slightly startled blink from Ilska, and then a tiny smile, like she's not used to being complimented.

Cia goes to retort, but is cut off by a wide yawn. "Mm, 'scuse me."

"Come on, back to the excuse of a camp we made. I think sleep is a grand idea."

Anders leads the way, surprised by his own sense of direction.

"It's not the worst I've ever seen," Cia says as ey follows. "I mean, me and Ilska have slept in trees before. Surprisingly comfortable if you can make sure you're not going to fall out!"

Anders shudders, affectedly. "Nope, no, you cannot get me up there. I refuse. As much as I have roughed it, it's a bedroll at least for me."

"Coward," Cia sing-songs quietly, almost under eir breath.

Ilska pokes eir shoulder, a worried look on her face.

"Proudly!" Anders sing-songs back, grinning.

-That was not the expected response.

Cia giggles. "I think we're sleeping on the ground tonight anyway. None of these trees look right."

The nearby trees do seem to be a little lacking in branches that would let them wedge themselves into place.

"I will also hap- no. Not happily. But I will grudgingly give you my bedroll, if you would like to use it. Gets cold out here in Ferelden."

"It's fine," Cia says hurriedly, shaking eir head. "It's not like we haven't done it before."

Anders knows that tone. 'Yes ser, no ser, please stop hurting me ser.'

He stops. Turns. "I know you think you have to turn things down just so I won't get mad. I can't promise Justice won't, he is an ass, but Anders? Anders is offering. Anders wants to help. Please, let me."

Ey glances away, grasps the top of one arm with eir other hand. "I- you've already done...more than anybody else ever has for us."

(Ilska's a little unsettled, although she's not vocalising anything right now, just watching Anders from the corner of her eyes.)

"I know the feeling," Anders agrees, smiling a little grimly. "I don't expect you to trust me straight away. Or ever, if that's what you choose. What I am going to do, is-" Anders heads to his pack, untying his bedroll. He puts it closer to the girls, and then backs away. "Is give you that. I have a blanket, that'll do me fine."

Cia blinks tiredly at him, before hesitantly taking the bed roll. "If you're- sure?"

"Absolutely. What sort of healer would I be if I didn't help those in need? Besides, you can pay me back by learning my craft."

"-That doesn't really feel like paying you back. I- want that."

Anders seems a little wistful. "A woman taught me my skills, a fellow mage in the Tower. It'd be nice to pass on her teachings to someone else. Plus, it'll give me something nice to focus on."

Something that wasn't the revolution pulsing in his blood.

Cia grins. "I can be a delightful thing to focus on."

"As long as you also delightfully focus up," Anders says with a cheeky wink.

"No fair, picking on me because of my height!"

Ilska smirks and pats Cia's head fondly.

"I've been picked on for my height all my life, little one, welcome to what it's like to be Anders."

Anders grabs a few twigs and other flammables, and gathers them together in a haphazard pile, and then sets them aflame.

Cia sticks eir tongue out at him as ey sets the bed roll out. Ey tugs Ilska until she settles down with em, although she stays sat, propped against the tree behind her.

"Have you thought much more about coming with me?"

Cia bites at eir lip. "It's...a better option than staying here."

"I can't promise it'll be safe. Or easy. I can't even say my motives are to go to the safest place."

"Probably still safer than being two teenage runaways living in a wood..."

Anders nods. "Most likely, yes. I can't imagine nugs make good bed partners."

He stretches one hand over the fire. With his wrist exposed, the girls can see the multitude of scars going further up. "I just want to make sure that you know that it will be dangerous. I don't want you agreeing to something just because some magical man came by and promised things he couldn't keep."

Ilska stares at Anders wrist, one of her hands twitching slightly.

"We're not doing this because you're promising things. We're doing this because we know what the bad option looks like, and you're not it."

"Well. Thank you very much," Anders says with a little bow. Saying that after they met Justice? They were in a truly bad situation before, then. 

"All right. I'll keep set some wards so we've got some warning if people decide we look like easy targets. Which, they will be truly wrong." Anders walks around the camp, casting. He feels amazingly free doing it, like he did with the Wardens. Casting in plain view, that's the future he wanted for all mages. Mages like Cia.

Cia pays close attention to what Anders is doing, clearly looking to learn.

"Did you wanna come help, Cia?"

"-C-can I? Please?" Ey bounds back to eir feet.

Anders laughs. "Yes, of course, come here, I'll show you what to do."

That eagerness, Maker, it reminds him of a younger man, desperate to learn from Wynne everything he could. That boy couldn't feel the chains about his neck yet, or had forgotten how they felt.

Ey actually comes properly within arm's reach of him now, which he might realise ey's been avoiding before. Quiet and eager.

"So, there are a few different kinds of wards. The ones I'm using here are spirit energy, so they're the least visible..." Anders keeps explaining how to go through the casting, different wards for different purposes. 

Cia's a sharp, attentive student, eager to learn.

Ilska watches them, but mostly Cia.

Anders surprises himself by being a patient, even eager, teacher. He never had an apprentice of his own (who'd give the constant runaway another mind to poison?) but here, free in the world it was...almost easy. Or maybe that was just Cia.

Maker, Anders, don't get fond now, there'll be no living with you.

Cia bounces happily when ey gets things right.

Anders is quick to praise to her when she does, because he's just as excited as she is.

"Okay, last one here. Focus."

Ey breathes in and does exactly that.

"And...perfect. Look at that. No one's waking us up without you knowing," Anders says, very approvingly. 

"That's- really cool," Cia decides - and does ey seem a bit more relaxed knowing ey'll be the one woken up? Yes ey does.

That's good. That's really good, to see her more settled.

And then something occurs to Anders, as he looks over at Ilska. 

"You know, Cia, I've been calling you she/her in my head. Is that okay?"

-ey goes still, takes a breath in, closes eir eyes and breathes out.

"Um. N-not really. I just- if it's- easier-"

Ilska's nearly vibrating with tension again.

"Okay, that's okay. It's not, and I sincerely apologise. What makes it easier for you?" Anders heart nearly breaks seeing her so upset, just after she did so well with her magic.

"Ilska found...a book once. That had...um, ey/em/eir. I- she used those for me. After I told her that it felt...wrong. With gender."

"I'm so sorry, Cia. I'll remember that. I promise."

Don't hug em, don't hug em, don't hug em-

"It's fine," ey says with a slight shrug, pauses, gives him a shy smile. "I- no-one else ever- cared before."

Yep. Heart? Broken.

"Us three are peas in a pod, Cia," Anders says with a smile he doesn't quite feel. What a shitty world to have these two beautiful people torn down so much.

Eir smile softens. "Something like that, yeah."

Ey curls up against Ilska, head in eir sister's lap.

Anders grabs the blanket he was going to use, and spreads it over the pair. "Here. I've got a comfy jacket on."

They might see the glimpse of dark blue/silver robes underneath.

Ilska frowns, and looks almost like she wants to push it away. But after a moment, she twitches it tighter around Cia's shoulders and shushes Cia when ey tries to object.

"You're sister's right, no arguing," Anders says with a grin. 

He heads back to his pack and leans against it, closing his eyes.

Cia curls tigher against Ilska. "We're gonna be fine," ey murmurs, before sliding into sleep emself.

The next morning, despite wanting to stay asleep himself, he rouses his strays, banks the fire and then shepherds them through the forest. He teaches Cia how to heal small cuts and bruises, and makes sure they both eat. 

Just after midday, they get to the outskirts of town, and Anders can feel a bit of panic rising. "All right. Now to find someone going to Kirkwall for free. Knew I kept these on for a reason," Anders says, and removes his non-descript brown jacket. Underneath is blue and silver robes, one shoulder emblazoned with a silver griffon. 

Ilska's on edge, eyes not staying still, not sure where to place herself to keep Cia safe.

Cia eyes the uniform with an flicker of familiarity.

"Here." Anders hands Ilska his jacket. "Pop this on so we don't lose it. All right. Stay close."

He leads the way into the town, heading for the docks.

Ilska takes the jacket and puts it on, in a way that suggests she's used to taking orders, and her response is automatic.

She shepherds Cia after Anders, keeping them close.

Anders adopts a serious, purposeful walk, making sure to go slow enough for Cia and Ilska to keep up. People parted in front of him, a few with thankful smiles, like he’d been a part of the Hero of Ferelden’s team that ended the Blight. 

He nodded back seriously, heading towards the docks.

Yup. Cia's keeping a close eye on that. And makes a note to ask about it later.

A group of harried and tired people are queuing to get on a boat, so Anders hurries Cia and Ilska towards it. The man watching over it goes to stop Anders and the two teens, but upon seeing the uniform, nods solemnly and lets him on. 

He tries to stop Cia and Ilska getting on. “Boat’s full.”

Anders steps in front of him. “They’re conscripts. They’re coming with me.”

Ilska is somehow further on edge when the man tries to stop them, hissing quietly.

Cia shrinks into Ilska's side, although draws emself and eir sister closer to Anders at his words.

"Conscripts or not, I'm pushing it with you. They'll have to stay," the man says, flinching a little at Ilska's hiss.

Anders looks at them, young and clearly mistreated, and bristles at the man's words. "You would separate us? Separate two clearly mistreated kids away from their only caretaker?"

The man looks suspicious. "Thought they were conscripts."

Anders mentally kicks himself. "They are. And if you let them on, I'll share the healing salves I have. From the Wardens, top of the line stuff."

"-Anders," Cia says quietly, and it's obvious ey's going to say it's fine, that Ilska and em will be fine staying.

“They’re not staying here,” Anders says firmly. 

The man sighs, and looks at the hold. “Your kids better keep quiet and don’t bother anyone else.”

Cia nods rapidly. "Yes, ser," ey promises, tugging on the hem of the jacket Ilska is wearing.

Ilska stops hissing, and does, in fact, fold herself down into a remarkably small appearance.

“Come on,” Anders says, gesturing into the boat. He grips whatever’s nearby to try and steady himself. 

“I’ve never been on a boat before,” he whispers to Cia. 

"Us neither," Cia whispers. "-well. Ilska used to go out on Grandpa's fishing boat, but that was...a long time ago."

Ilska stays close behind them.

“I heard it’s two weeks across to Kirkwall.” Anders seems to pale at that a little, though he keeps his serious expression as they descend further in the hold of the boat. 

"Know any ways to ward off seasickness?" Cia asks.

“I heard prayer helps,” Anders says grimly. 

Ilska snorts derisively.

"-here's hoping we don't suffer from it then. I was never very good at praying..."

“Neither was I, Maker never seemed to listen.”

"Yeah..." Cia shrugs. "Guess we'll find out."

Ey's trying to sound more nonchalant than ey actually is.

“Hey,” Anders says, leaning in a little closer. “No matter how scared you are, remember. I’m twice as scared. Let’s go find a comfy bit of floor, hmm?”

That gets a quiet giggle out of Cia, and ey leans close enough to brush their shoulders together. "Yeah. Good idea."

Anders smiles at Cia, feeling very fond from that little touch. 

He leads them over to a small free area, near a few gatherings of families, and settles down there. 

Ilska settles down as well, propped against the wall, watching everyone else in the room warily.

Cia curls up between them, leaning against Ilska's side.

Anders keeps an eye on them both, and makes sure no one else gets too close. 

Ilska probably appreciates that, but she's trying not to show it.

Anders nods, catching Ilska's hidden look, but keeps himself vigilant.

...or maybe Justice is doing that. Anders doesn't know anymore.

Cia isn't as vigilant as them, but ey does, on occasion, keep glancing out. And it's clear that ey's put of practise being around this many people as well.

The boat starts to sway not long after, as it’s pushed out to sea. 

Anders turns a little bit pale, and hangs onto the wall.

Cia buries eir face in Ilska's shoulder.

Ilska starts humming quietly.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Statiscally more people are killed by nugs than drowning,” Anders says. If he sounds weaker than usual, he doesn’t draw attention to it. 

Would he recognise the tune Ilska is humming?

It's a Ferelden folk song. Does he know many of those?

"Are that many people really killed by nugs?"

A few of the Vigil’s Keep guards taught him some, so he could annoy the Orlesian Warden-Commander. He knows a fair few, and so will happily hum along with Ilska. 

“I mean, I could be blatantly making that statistic up. You have no way of proving it otherwise.”

Cia turns eir head enough to stick eir tongue out at him. "I'll find a way," ey threatens playfully.

"Oh, I dare you. I read many books and never went outside so I have to be right."

"I mean. I read a lot as well. Probably not as much as you. I kept getting dragged to family things." Ey grimaces.

"Family things. Ugh. Heard of them, glad I missed them. Never one to compromise who I am to keep others happy."

"We never really got a chance to really figure out who we were..."

Anders sobers at that. 

“I can’t promise you much, but I can promise you that. You’ll have all the time and help you need for that.”

Ey smiles over at him, a tad sad, and a little watery. "Thank you."

“You might be starving and homeless, but you’ll be very sure of yourself,” Anders says, somewhat self-deprecatingly. 

That gets a laugh. "I'm pretty sure someone once said something horrendously sappy about home not being a building, but the people in it. Imagine I said something witty along those lines here."

“There’s enough of me I could probably arch over the top of you. Makeshift house and home!”

Ilska smirks and clicks her tongue.

"Just because someone stood you two in manure. Guess I can at least use you to shelter from the weather."

“There we go, you’ve found a use for me!” Anders laughs. 

Ey reaches over and pokes his side playfully. "Lessons as well," ey reminds him.

“Oh, I’m going to make a healer of you yet,” Anders laughs. 

"Promises, promises-"

A sudden swell makes the ship jolt, and Cia gives a brief groan.

“Oh, here,” Anders tugs some dried elfroot from his belt, and hands it to Cia. “Hold this under your tongue. I have some embrium too, but that’s just if you actually start throwing up.”

Ey does as instructed. "Hopefully we can avoid that," ey agrees.

“We won’t make any friends among our fellow passengers,” Anders teases gently. 

If all was well, he will settle himself against the wall and maybe sleep. If Justice lets him. 

Cia follows his example.

Ilska looks around them, and stays awake, not quite ready to trust this just yet.

A couple of days later, while Anders and Cia are sleeping, Ilska slips away, intent on getting water for them.

Suddenly a woman starts screaming. “No, no, it wasn’t supposed to happen now!” She sounds devastated, and terrified. 

Her husband tries to soothe her. “Darling, it’s all right, isallright, just breathe.” He calls out to the hold around them. “Is anyone a healer?!”

Anders had been awake from the first scream. He scrambles across the hold towards the woman. “Cia! I’ll need help!” 

He gets to the couple. “I’m a healer. Lie back,” he instructs the woman.

Cia glances around, briefly, wildly for Ilska, but is already scrambling after Anders. "What do you need?"

"My pack. There's brown vial and a green one. I need both."

To the woman: "What's your name?"
"Lirene," she sobs.
"Okay, Lirene, it's going to be fine. I need you to prop your knees up. I have to take a look at how close your baby is."

The woman does so, and her husband stands between her and the rest of the hold. "Privacy, please!" He calls. A few passengers grab blankets, and erect a screen around the woman. 

Anders takes a look, and then looks back to the woman. "I need you to stay calm and breathe. The baby's coming, and you're going to need to push soon."

Cia immediately scrambles to find them, and returns quickly with both.

"Cia, gently give her the green vial. That's elfroot, to help with the pain."

Cia nods and slides around so ey can cradle the woman's head and shoulders in eir lap, gently helping her drink the vial in question.

The woman drinks slowly inbetween sobs, looking up at Cia gratefully as she does.

With her distracted, Anders sends a pulse of healing magic through her. The baby is healthy, and in a good position to be born. Anders prods carefully, but can't find anything needing to be healed. That's a very good sign.

He looks up, making sure Cia caught the quick bits of magic.

Ey gives him a slight nod.

"All right, Lirene, are you ready? Baby's coming soon. How's your pain? Are you comfortable?"

A couple of hours go by before Anders senses the beginning. "All right. They're coming, Lirene. I'm going to need you to push. Cia? Brown vial. Embrium, for stamina."

Cia nods, and helps Lirene drink.

(They're probably distracted, but there's a faint sound, in Ilska's familiar voice, of distress at not being able to find them.)

Anders is fully distracted, lost in his work, unable to hear Ilska. This is where he thrives, helping people. 

It's time. "Lirene, I need you to push. Hard as you can." He places a gentle hand on her ankle, ready to heal any pain.

Lirene grits her teeth, and pushes, a small scream coming through her teeth. "Good! Good, keep going," Anders encourages, keeping one hand healing her, the other on her stomach, checking the baby.

Cia is unusually distracted, normally so attuned to eir sister's wellbeing, right now, every sense ey has is focused on Lirene and Anders.

Lirene's voice is strangled as she pushes again. Anders can't sense anything out of place, so he sends Cia back for another elfroot draught. "Keep pushing, Lirene, they're on the way."

And off ey goes. Ey spots Ilska, and flags her down, explaining what's going on while finding the other elfroot vial. When ey returns, eir sister is a silent shadow, carrying a waterskin.

"Ilska! Perfect timing. Take a rag, wet it, then lay it over Lirene's forehead. It'll keep her cool."

"Lirene, have the potion then keep going. We want to get the little one out."

Ilska nods, and obeys. (Again, in a way that suggests she's far too used to obeying orders.)

Cia resituates emself, and once again helps Lirene drink the potion. "You're nearly there," ey soothes.

"Yes, you are," Anders agrees with his apprentice. "Your baby is going to be healthy and strong, I can feel it."

Lirene sobs. "You promise?"
"Absolutely," Anders swears, and sends another healing pulse through her to ensure just that. "Come on now, keep trying. Let's get the little one out into the world."

Lirene pushes, but after the potion, it doesn't seem to be as hard. Sweat beads along her forehead, and she leans into Cia's touch.

Cia does eir best to provide comfort, hums the songs Ilska would always hum for em.

Lirene seems to tear up at that. "I love that song," she says.

Cia smiles. "Ilska sang it for me all the time," ey nods to eir sister. "And you're gonna sing it to your baby, right?"

-Ilska can take a cue, and takes over the humming.

"Yes, of course. Like my mam sang it to me," Lirene says, and there's a determined look in her eye.

"Come on, Lirene, you're so close. You can do it," Anders encourages.

Lirene nods, and grits her teeth. 

The next minutes (or hours, Anders can't tell, lost in his job) go by with the soft groans from Lirene, and the humming from Ilska. Anders keep encouraging Lirene, healing her where she needs it, while her husband grips her hand tightly. 

Soon, or maybe it was days, the baby's head emerges. With a bit of encouragement, soon the rest follows, and Anders gathers the child into a spare blanket. "Congratulations," he says, smiling, handing the child to Lirene.

Lirene's tears begin in earnest now, sobbing as she holds her new baby. "Maker, Maker, so beautiful," she says, then shows her husband, Cia and Ilska in quick succession. "Thank you, thank you so much!"

-Ilska doesn't know what to do with that.

Cia coos happily at the baby.

Anders can't help it, he sends a final sweep of healing magic over the baby, unable to stop himself.

Lirene looks up, and it's clear in her gaze that she knows.

Cia goes tense at that, but waits for Anders' cue.

Lirene nods. "My man's a merchant. Hope you don't mind if we send other unfortunates your way, once we reach Kirkwall."

Anders laughs, nodding. "My good lady, it would be my honour. Please come see me with the little one, should anything happen."

"He's good like that," Cia agrees.

"Cia's overly complimentary, of course." Anders smile is impossibly fond.

Lirene nods. "Children are like that," she agrees.

Anders goes to correct her, and stops himself, his smile widening.

Cia grins self-consciously. "Tell me I'm wrong."

"Wouldn't dare," Anders says, and has to stop himself from hugging em.

Cia leans into Ilska instead, and Ilska steers them both away to give the mother and newborn some space.

Anders spends a little more time with mother and newborn, making sure they're both settled, before heading back to their corner of the hold.

"Cia, you did fantastically. I'm so proud. And Ilska! Coming in like that, Maker, we'll make healers out of the both of you." Anders can't seem to stop grinning.

Cia grins. "It was- really nice to be able to help."

Ilska just looks confused, and then thrusts the waterskin at Anders insistently.

"You just wait, that'll be your every day soon," Anders says confidentially, but he doesn't sound afraid of it.

Anders takes the waterskin gratefully, smiling at Ilska. "Thank you, you don't realise how parched you are until you solve it."

Anders is three gulps in before he stops, regarding Ilska curiously, once he remembers he no longer has a waterskin. "...how did you get this?" He looks to Cia, as if ey can answer for her.

Ilska shrugs.

Cia narrows eir eyes. "Bargaining? Maybe gambling. Ilska's not easy to translate sometimes."

Not wanting to upset the girl, Anders keeps a smile on his face. "Thank you, whatever way, Ilska. Cia and I definitely needed something fresh after that."

Does Anders slight healing pulse reveal anything untoward?

Hard to tell. Ilska picks up and ignores injuries so easily. Maybe though. She seems a little more out of place in her own skin than usual.

Anders can't tell the mental part so well, but there are certain things that make him feel uneasy.

"Ilska? Do you need healing?"

She shakes her head sharply, makes a motion with her hand.

(-Something about Anders being exhausted from helping Lirene?)

"Don't you worry about that. That's Justice's job," Anders says gently. "If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask me. We're in this together now. Boat ride proves it."

She shrugs awkwardly again, not sure how to respond to that.

Anders manages to stop himself healing Ilska without permission. "Ilska, I want you well. You well keeps Cia safe. Is there anything I can do to help that?"

She looks away, obviously isn't used to other people helping her. And then nods, fast and cautious, permission to heal, but still looking for a price.

"All right. I'm just gonna get a little bit closer," Anders says, shuffling closer as he says so. Then, with a careful look about the hold (most people focused on the new baby), Anders lets his hands glow blue, and gets to work. 

Is there any injuries more suspect than others?

Her throat's raw, and there's bruises around her throat, but other than that, not really.

It's not usual to have those injuries. They usually mean something. But Anders won't push. He knows how much trust must mean to Ilska and Cia. He won't betray that unless he's sure.

"Here, let me fix those," he says, fury building in him at whoever caused them, and heals them, carefully keeping his hands off her.

Ilska makes a quiet sound, low, confused, but grateful.

"You will never have to worry about me hurting you. Or asking you for payment. I know I have a lot to prove, Ilska, but if you ever need someone to heal your injuries, I'm here," Anders says, trying to keep himself unemotional, but his fury seeps in. How dare anyone take advantage of her. How dare anyone not see the brave, fierce soul she was.

-She can hear his fury, and it scares and confuses her in equal measure, but she nods. (It's the nod of someone who's trying to appease, trying to reassure, trying not to be a target. There isn't much belief in it.)

Anders sees that, and hates himself for it. "Cia? Please, I'm not- I wouldn't-"

Anders can't even find the words. He would never be like the evil souls in the Circle.

Cia reaches for eir sister, and after a moment, reaches for Anders as well. "I-I know." Can't say 'we', won't lie and pretend Ilska doesn't know how to trust anyone but Cia. "Ilska-" Ey looks heartbroken, like ey knows something got broken, and ey doesn't know how to repair it. "I know you won't."

"I won't," Anders says fiercely. "I'll protect you. I'll heal your wounds, kill any Templars that come near. But I will never hurt you. And if Justice ever does? Kill me. Without hesitation, Ilska. Cia."

Cia gives a mirthless smile. "I don't think that'll be a problem."

"Good."

Ilska still seems uncertain, but curls around Cia.

Cia snuggles up to eir sister. "But- I don't think we need to worry?"

"Not about healing, if today is any indication. You were magnificent, Cia."

Ey ducks eir head, shy in the face of his praise. "I mean- you told me what was needed."

"But I could feel you listening to my magic. You knew what I was doing and you learned. My mentor would've been as proud of you as I am."

Cia's smile widens. "I- I'm glad. You- make it easy?"

Ilska is smiling proudly at Cia at this, her own discomfort long forgotten.