There and Back Again Ch. 007

We arrived at the edge of the army camp, and Leliana led me through the maze of tents and people with finesse. We found the quartermaster, who started shouting the moment she opened her mouth and said the word food. Backing away as he muttered curses under his breath, we exchanged a look and turned to head toward the command tent.

Eyeing Leliana's Chantry robes, or maybe just eyeing Leliana, one of the guards outside stepped in to see if the lieutenant would see us. We heard a barked "Come!", and she dragged me into the large tent as the guard saluted and went back outside.

The lieutenant was a tall, handsome man with the exception of a large, angry, poorly healing scar across his face from forehead, across the bridge of his nose, and down to his cheek. He seemed uncomfortable with it, one hand straying up to touch the edges that were the most raised and irritated. Leliana immediately exclaimed, bearing down on him like...well, like a priest I suppose, pushing him down to kneel while she inspected the damage. She tsk'd at him for not coming sooner for healing, and pulled out a small vial of red fluid - a health poultice - from a pocket in her robes. She dribbled some of the fluid onto a thin strip of cloth, and proceeded to dab at the length of the cut. He tried to stop her, but she was relentless and I had to admire her no-nonsense attitude. In short order, the laceration was closed, the puckered and reddened skin edges fading as I watched. Soon the scar looked several years old, just a thin white line across his handsome face.

"Now, are there many others with unhealed wounds like this?" She demanded.

The poor lieutenant under scrutiny climbed to his feet, his face red from embarrassment as he shook his head. Leliana stroked his cheek with a smile, and the irritation faded, and suddenly I knew we would get anything she asked for. She's good!

I watched, impressed, as she pled with him to buy rations for me, weaving a much more romantic tale of my flight from my oppressive father and my dashing betrothed than I'd been able to muster. I don't think he heard a word of it, but when he'd determined all she wanted was to pay for some rations, he agreed immediately. He thanked her, of all things, kissed her hand, bowed slightly to me, and asked the guard to take us back to the quartermaster and tell him to sell us the food.

The guard thanked Leliana profusely for taking care of the lieutenant's injury; apparently he'd insisted everyone else get healed, but wouldn't accept it himself deeming his wound cosmetic and therefore unimportant. It seemed the lieutenant was well liked, and I could see why. Leliana took my two remaining silver coins from the small purse in my cloak pocket, and haggled with the quartermaster for rations to feed us for several days, even once Aedan and company caught up to us. I unfolded the second pack I'd bought, and Leliana carried it as we left the army camp.