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Wintermarch 9:19 Dragon- A lake near Honnelath

She stared at the beautiful blue sky. Counting each and every fluffy cloud, and wondered what it felt like to lay on one. From the lake she was currently submerged in, the sky reminded her of a painting she had seen in Val Royeaux. Swirls upon swirls of blue and white. Intermixing parts creating a whole amazing scene.

It was midday, when the sun's warmth was just right, and left a heavenly sensation on the girl's skin. All around the earth sung to the small girl, and she swam deeper into the lake until she was in the middle of it, floating upwards. She felt at peace.

Adrianne Chantelle Calligaris was the happiest girl in Thedas at this moment. Away from the sister she had been avoiding for the several hours. Isabel would never know to look here. The prissy pampered girl hated water, much to Adrianne's delight, and wouldn't dare come anywhere near here. Isabel wouldn't want to ruin her silks, of all things. Adrianne enjoyed torturing her dear older sister with unladylike hobbies.

The day would have been heavenly, no, it would have the best day of her life had it not been for HIM. The boy who ruined her peace.

Adrianne heard a splash in the water,and several rugged breaths heading her way. She lifted her head slightly and saw a blonde haired boy swimming rapidly toward her. It was an interesting sight to her, to say the least. However, he took her by her foot and began swimming her toward shore. Alarmed, Adrianne splashed water at his head. He turned around and Adrianne made a face at him.

"What are you doing?!" she shouted.

"I'm saving you! You were drowning!" the boy argued.

"No wasn't! I was floating! I was awake.""

"No you weren't!"

"Yes, I was!"

"No you weren't"

"Was too!"

"Were not!"

Adrianne splashed water at him, and the boy returned the gesture by splashing more in her face.

"Stop splashing water at me!"

"You started it!"

She began splashing water at him, and the boy the same, until they heard the shrill of a young girl and the giggles of others from the shoreline.

Oh no...she found me.

"ADRIANNE. CHANTELLE. CALLIGARIS. Get over here now!" Isabel screeched from the docks, avoiding any water as possible.

One of the giggling girls spoke afterwards, "Awww! Cully Wully found a little wife! This is so cute!"

Adrianne and the boy both groaned, and glared at each other the whole way back to the shore. Isabel quickly wrapped Adrianne with a towel before gathering her discarded clothing from the ground. Isabel's hands shook with anxiety at the sight of dirt stains on Adrianne's dress.

"This is chiffon Adrianne! You can't get chiffon dirty! Do you know how ill mannered it is to be dirty. Also, you know it is unladylike to be unchaperoned with a boy! Much less in a lake with him!" Isabel chastised her. The girl was horrified at the breaking of so many lady rules.

"I was!" Adrianne shouted and then pointed the boy dubbed "Cully Wully", "He came along and ruined it!"

Isabel shook her and whispered to herself," No,noooonnooon, no. Non! Lavender oils and a nice warm bath should take out the lake smell and whatever this is in your hair," she cried as she grimaced and searched through Adrianne's black hair for more lake debris.

Adrianne groaned once more, "How did you even find me? We just moved here,"

"Mia and Klara Rutherford were looking for their brother, Cullen. And I asked them if by chance, there was a lake or any water around here. And they said..."

"That our Cully Wully is probably where your sister is. Come with us," Mia laughed as she ruffled Cullen's wet hair. He muttered something under his breath.

"So I followed them here. And I was right: you must think I'm stupid if you thought I would not know where you would be. Father told you to stay in the village with Adeline and me. I should not have been surprised when you got out," Isabel and turned them both to the direction of the village," Now, we go, and scrub," she said while escorting Adrianne home.

"You ladies have the Calligaris thanks," Isabel curtisied before jabbing Adrianne in the side to remind her of her manners. Adrianne bowed.

Mia waved her off, "No problem! We're going to be living next to each other, after all,"

Adrianne and Cullen looked at each other horrified, "WHAT!" they shouted in unison.

Isabel, for one small second, gave Adrianne a smug look, "Oh yes. So you will act like you like him whether you want to or not. Manners and all," she emphasized.

Adrianne complained the entire way home, and only stopped when Isabel threatened her with more etiquette lessons. After that, she was quiet as a night.

"Ow, that hurt!" Adrianne grimaced as Isabel tugged at her long hair.

"If you stopped moving, it wouldn't hurt. Anyways, this is an Orlesian braid, it requires a certain amount of precision and elegance. Hair style is beauty. And beauty is pain," Isabel reasoned while pulling another strand of dark hair.

Several hair pulls and ten complaints later, Isabel took a step back to admire her work, "This is my best work yet. You have such thick beautiful hair, Adrianne. You're blessed,"

Adrianne made a face, "I guess," she muttered.

Isabel placed her hands on her hips, "You guess?"

"I suppose," Adrianne corrected herself.

"Much better. Alright, you can go and play now, Adrianne. No lake, though," she specified.

Adrianne groaned.

"No lake. It took me a week to get the lake smell out of your hair, and three days to get the dirt stains out of your dress. No lake, Adrianne. At least not until Father returns," Isabel repeated.

"Alright," Adrianne lied, trying to sound as disappointed as possible.

"Now that you understand, run along. Adeline, come here. You're next,"

Once she was out the door, Adrianne made sure Isabel wasn't looking out the window. As soon as the coast was clear, she ran to the lake. It was tempting to go for a swim. The cool blue water was tantalizing. Knowing Isabel would sense if she even dipped a toe into the water, Adrianne settled for staring at the sparkling water from the docks instead. She hung her feet her the edge and smiled at the midday sun. The sun felt nice, as it did that day. She began humming softly.

"What are you doing here?" Cullen asked.

Adrianne eyed him suspiciously, "What are you doing here?"

"Running from my sisters,"

"Why?"

"They tried putting pigtails and ribbons in my hair. What about you?"

Adrianne laughed at the thought of ribbon's in his golden hair, "My sister finally lifted my punishment. Sort of,"

"Isn't your Father or Mother supposed to be the one giving punishments?" he asked.

She shrugged, "That's how it's always been. Papa usually has work that takes him away for a week, so he usually leaves Isabel in charge,"

"What about your mother?"

Adrianne grew sad at the word mother, "I don't know. She died when I was very little, I don't remember her. I only remember Isabel taking care of me,"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know about that. I'm sorry if it made you sad," Cullen said softly.

"It's okay. It's not your fault. Wherever Mamae is, she's at peace now,"

The two sat by each other and stared at the water in silence. When Cullen wasn't looking, Adrianne glanced his way, and smiled. He was nicer than the first time they met. He wasn't so bad. He was very sweet in fact.

"You're aren't as...annoying as I thought you were," Cullen explained.

She took compliments were she can get them,"Same to you," Adrianne replied.

"Maybe we can be friends,if you want,"

This made Adrianne happy. A friend...something she never had before.

"I'd like that,"

Cullen smiled, "Uh...how exactly do say your name. I heard it,but...I didn't exactly catch on,"

A reasonable question for Fereldens to ask. Antivan names were tricky to foreigners, Adrianne soon realized.

"Adrianne,"

"A-Adriane,"

"Adrianne,"

"Ahdrianna,"

"Adrianne,"

After several butcherings of Adrianne's name, the small girl's hand covered his mouth, "Just call me Adri,"

Cullen nodded in agreement, "I can handle that,"

That day, Adrianne reflected later in life, became the most important and precious moment in her life.