For ZevWarden Week Day 4: AU, I’m posting the first chapter of my Denerim University AU!!!
(also, thank you to @tallmansions and @sistercyborg for reading through my chapters and helping me with edits!!! i literally wouldnt have gotten this far without their help!!)
Chapter 1: Friday
Allura Mahariel lay in her bed, ends of her pillow pressed against her ears in frustration. She’d tried to block it out - really, she had - but somehow squeezing her eyes shut just made the moaning and rhythmic thumping from next door twice as bad. With a groan, she turned to her side to check the time - big mistake; it was 2:17am. She groaned even louder; she had a Grey Wardens meeting at 7:30am. She turned to her side to see Fen’or, her chocolate brown mabari hound, sleeping soundly. She’d always thought he could sleep through anything.
Finally giving up on the idea of ignoring this, she threw off the corners and flung her legs over the edge of the bed. Once she located a pair of boxershorts, she pulled them on and stretched a bit. At that, she heard a confused whine behind her and smiled softly at him as he stared her down, concern obvious in his eyes.
“Don’t worry, da’fen, I just need a word with Melody,” she explained, and walked out the door.
The night air nipped at her extremities as she attempted to rub the goosebumps out. She wasn’t wearing a bra, but decided crossing her arms would be fine. She knocked a few times and waited, arms over her chest. As soon as the door opened, she began the speech she had to tell her neighbor last time this happened.
“Melody, please remember our bedrooms - “
“Who?”
That voice was too deep to belong to Melody. Allura had to squint a little - her eyesight wasn’t the best without her contacts - and saw an elf with shoulder length blonde hair, slightly out of breath, with brown skin that glistened in the moonlight. And he was shirtless. Allura watched his muscles tense as he pushed his hair back and leaned against the door frame, flexed and slightly bulging, but not too muscular like Alistair; maybe he was a rogue? She looked at his face to find him smirking, obviously pleased to find her staring at his chest.
“Enjoying the view?” He chuckled amusedly. “Melody speaks of you fondly enough. Perhaps she wouldn’t mind - “
“No, that’s alright, really,” Allura interrupted. “Melody mentioned me?”
“Ah, yes. She said to apologize for forgetting to move her bed. She is otherwise… unable to get to the door and apologize in person.”
Allura rolled her eyes at his self-satisfied smirk but decided not to comment.
“It’s fine,” Allura continued. “We just have a Grey Wardens meeting in a few hours and I have three classes after that - “
“Ah, then, I will accommodate your needs immediately. My apologies; I’d no idea you were such a devoted student.”
She eyed his sly smile suspiciously; it exuded confidence and more than a little arrogance, as if he knew something that she didn’t. There was something she just couldn’t trust behind his alluring Antivan accent; something cunning under his coy smirk. She was just too tired to analyze his phrasing for now.
“Thank you, uh… ?”
“You may call me Zevran, Allura Mahariel,” he answered automatically.
“Right. Zevran. Thank you for cooperating.”
“Of course, of course,” he replied cheerfully. “By the way, you have excellent taste in boxers,” he added with a smirk.
She glanced down at her own plaid grey, white, and purple pattern and then at his plaid black, white, and green pair. She frowned.
“Good night, Allura Mahariel.” He bade her farewell with a chuckle as they both returned to their rooms.
As she crossed her room to her bed, she pondered where she’d heard his name before. After it didn’t come to her right away, she shrugged it off. With a yawn, she settled in besides Fen’or, who was still sleeping peacefully. As charming and charismatic as he was, she doubted she’d have much to do with him outside of tonight.
*~ Friday, 6:28am
Allura stirred awake from a dreamless sleep two minutes before her alarm, as usual, and ran through her mental checklist. Luckily, she had been smart enough to pack her class bag for the day the night before; now she just needed to change, maybe eat breakfast, and prep Fen’or for the kennel. She had to double check to be certain her bag had the notebooks for her proper classes and her wallet had enough sovereigns for lunch. And -
Her alarm clock interrupted her train of thought and she grumbled as she got out of bed.
“Fen’or, it’s time to get up,” she said with a yawn. He ignored her at first; it wasn’t until she called his name a second time after changing into dark jeans and a hoodie that he even whined in response.
“Fen’or,” she said more sternly, putting on her shoes. This time he got up, slowly as possible, and stretched as he made his way off her bed.
“Fen’or, collar.” Allura put her hair in a bun, ignoring the short strands that preferred to hang in her face. The hairstyle showed off her unpierced, elven ears that were straight and tall, even for a Dalish elf. She glanced at her earlobes and imagined herself with earrings; maybe smalls hoops or studs. Something inconspicuous. She pushed the thought out of her mind for now and turned towards Fen’or.
Sleepy but obedient, the mabari strolled to the stool Allura turned into his nightstand and brought his collar and leash to her. Then he sat, tail wagging slowly, expecting a treat to be pulled from her dresser and thrown to him.
Allura couldn’t hold back her smile but couldn’t praise him yet.
“Fen’or, jacket.”
He whined loudly, but retrieved the vest from his nightstand. All the Grey Warden mabari had to wear their blue and grey vests with the Grey Warden symbol on the back. And he hated it with a passion. She tried everything to get him used to it - different fabric, bigger vest, treats whenever he wore it - but she just couldn’t change his mind.
She sighed somewhat affectionately. “I know you hate it, da’fen. Bear with it, please?”
She fastened him into the vest and attached the leash as he whined again. Taking the bait, she tossed him a piece of nug hide from her dresser, which he chewed on triumphantly.
Allura shrugged her shoulder bag on; sovereigns for lunch, notebooks for class, throwing knives, pens and pencils. She opened the door and was met with a round, freckled face and full figure leaning against the railing, with an equally nonchalant tan and brown mabari at her feet.
“Melody?” Allura called out. Her neighbor’s head shot up as she was startled out of sleep. The mabari - Bandit - looked up and wagged her tail. Allura smiled affectionately.
“Allura!” Melody pushed herself off the railing and threw herself onto her neighbor. Allura caught her out of habit, despite being a few inches shorter. She patted her sleepy friend’s back as she yawned into her shoulder.
“You’re up much earlier than normal,” Allura teased. It was 7:15am, which was routine for her; Melody, however, rarely made it out of bed before 9am.
“Don’t we have a Grey Warden meeting or whatever?” Melody yawned again, back on her own two feet, and stretched. Allura rolled her eyes and knelt to scratch Bandit behind her ears. Fen’or bumped his head against her hand as he nuzzled Bandit.
“Yes, I’m sure your dozens of absences and tardies prove you care so much about our meetings,” Allura replied. “You don’t even have a bag with you.”
It was true; Melody was wearing a pink tank top and a yellow and blue plaid skirt, but no backpack or shoulder bag in sight. Actually, Allura thought suddenly, why is she wearing a skirt in this weather? We went shopping before the summer ended, and she should have jeans to wear. Melody pouted.
“I don’t have class until 11! I’m not gonna carry a bag with me to the meeting. I’m just gonna go back to sleep afterwards.”
With a small shake of her head, Allura grabbed Fen’or’s lead and began walking to the Grey Wardens building in the center of campus. Melody scrambled to grab Bandit’s lead as her mabari followed and skipped to catch up to Allura, linking arms when she did.
“So anyway, Allura, about last night -”
“Oh, that’s right,” Allura interrupted. “What happened to him? Shouldn’t he be in your room or something?”
“Zevran? No, he left maybe half an hour after you talked. You didn’t hear him leave? But really, I wanted to apologize about keeping you up,” Melody continued in a small voice.
Allura squeezed her friend’s arm. Melody Cousland was the teyrn’s only daughter - and the youngest at that - spoiled and impulsive. Allura’d had no idea if they’d get along when they first met, but thanks to Melody’s persistence, became fast, if somewhat unbelievable, friends.
“You’re fine, Melody,” Allura told her. “Maybe I overreacted. Is that normal though? Leaving right after…”
“For Zevran, sure. He’s not the cuddling type. Unlike myself, who needs soo much affection!” Melody leaned down to place her head on Allura’s shoulder.
“Why don’t you tell Alistair that? I’m sure he’d really appreciate the info.” Allura smirked as Melody straightened, face reddening.
Looking away, she mumbled, “He’s not the only one who should, you know…”
Allura never understood why she mumbled around her so often; She was an elf, of course she heard-
Her brows furrowed as she paused and looked at Melody’s pouting face. “What do you mean -”
“Allura, Melody, hey!”
They turned at the sound of their names and were greeted by a giant of a human, Ezekiel Amell, holding the door of the Grey Warden Mabari kennel open, likely after dropping off his mabari, Joker. At 6’4’’, Ezekiel towered over the 5’3’’ elf and her 5’7’’ friend, but neither were ever intimidated or afraid of the long haired giant. Dark skin, long dread locs, a dazzlingly white smile, and cheekbones that could cut through armor made Ezekiel one of the most popular people on campus. With his easy smiles and friendly attitude, he made friends and acquaintances easily, and they became friends days after meeting during the first Grey Warden meeting.
Allura thanked him for holding the door and she and Melody walked their dogs to the counter. The lobby was was small, with a few Mabari-friendly flowers here and there, and the building itself wasn’t all that impressive. Allura knew from experience though, that the real attraction to this place was the 5 acres used to train and house the Mabari while their Wardens were in class or off campus.
The student working the kennel this week was a dwarven girl, maybe a year or two older than Allura, and greeted the pair with a smile. As she reached for Fen’or and Bandit’s leads, Allura noted that her small stature would make it very easy for the Mabari to lead her around instead; luckily, she didn’t know of a Mabari ill-behaved enough to do it. The girl walked the Mabari to the back, and Melody and Allura met up with Ezekiel, who was talking with some students.
“Oh, I’ll catch up with you later,” Ezekiel told the students as he saw Allura and Melody exit the building. “We’ve gotta get going. Text me later though, yeah?” He grinned, and the two students smiled back and waved to the three of them as they continued to class.
“Joker misses you two, you know,” Ezekiel began as the three of them walked to the Warden’s training grounds. He shoved his hands into his black jeans. “We should go for a run or something this weekend.”
“Unassigned running? On the weekend? Count me out,” Melody declined.
“What, you got a hot date?” Ezekiel joked.
“Yeah, with my bed.”
“I’ll go running with you, Ezekiel,” Allura chimed in over his laughter.
“Cool,” he responded. “Let’s meet up at the entrance around 8am.”
Allura nodded in agreement as she held the training gate open for her friends. The Warden’s Training Grounds were split into three sections: dense forest, flatlands, and hills. Dual wielding rogues, warriors, and archers preferred their respective areas, but they often rotated so the environment would never be a disadvantage. Mages trained at Fort Draken usually, but the Grey Warden mages trained with the other Grey Wardens. Allura’s personal favorite section was the dense forest; she hated the flatlands.
“Hey guys, over here!”
Allura, Melody, and Ezekiel were waved down by Alistair Theirin, a fellow Grey Warden in training. He was in the middle of the training grounds, chatting with a few other Wardens. Allura nodded to them as they approached Alistair.
“Good morning, Allura, Zeke. Melody, you’re up early.” Alistair grinned at his pouty friend. “Did Allura finally drag you out of bed?”
“I’ll have you know, Alistair,” Melody began, hand on hip, “I was awake bright and early on my own.”
Alistair gasped. “Maker, the Blight is coming.”
Melody smacked his arm as he laughed. “I can’t believe I dragged myself out of bed and walked through the cold to get mocked by you, of all people.” She rubbed her arms vigorously.
“Yes, yes, woe is the Warden who has to walk through the cold.” Alistair unzipped his hoodie, shrugged it off, and handed it to her.
Melody was taken aback by his gesture. “What about you?”
“I am not the one in a skirt this early in the morning.” He draped his hoodie around her shoulders.
Melody’s cheeks puffed - Allura knew her friend was trying not to show that she was blushing - and muttered thank you. Alistair grinned in response.
“GREY WARDENS, STAND READY!”
All the students on the field looked up and saw Duncan Highever, striding towards them from the main building. Hurriedly, they all lined up on the field’s designated spaces.
Duncan flipped through the papers on his clipboard and paced as he began roll call. As he began calling out names, Allura caught someone creeping into the lineup from the corner of her eye while Duncan’s back was to the both of them.
Sierra Tabris, a city elf with droopy ears, had been coming uncharacteristically late to meetings for a few weeks. She was short, only up to Allura’s shoulders, and unusually stocky for an elf. Allura met her during a university tour over the summer, and it was her first time meeting an elf that was uninterested in learning Elven. Sierra was a warrior, sword and shield, and Allura was always impressed how she could stand her own against others twice her size. She was brash and a little reckless, but also punctual.
“Tabris! Late again?” Duncan hadn’t turned around, but must have noticed her somehow.
“Yes, sir.” Sierra’s voice was low and clear.
“See me after the meeting,” was Duncan’s response. Sierra nodded curtly and that was it.
“Grey Wardens,” Duncan began, addressing everyone in attendance. “You may remember last week’s tournament victory against the Orlesian Bards.” He paused to allow a short cheer from the more enthusiastic Wardens. “Our wardens, Allura Mahariel, Melody Cousland, Sierra Tabris, and Ezekiel Amell secured the Team Win against Orlais.”
The Wardens cheered again, a few nudging the aforementioned wardens on their backs. Allura forced a smile as Carver Hawke grinned and lightly patted her back.
“Next Wednesday, the doubles fight will be against the Tevinter Magisters, and we’ll be relying on Ezekiel Amell and Sierra Tabris to take us to the finals.” Duncan looked at them both meaningfully, perhaps with pride, and continued. “Make sure you all stay ahead of the curve. We have training days all weekend and next week, so attend if you’re feeling… sluggish. And don’t forget,” he added, “we have four exchange students from the Antivan Crow Program joining us for the remainder of the semester. Although they’ve already missed the first match, they will be observing our team to prepare to join the tournament next year. I expect all of you to be courteous and welcoming to our guests, and to show you’ve earned your title of Ferelden Grey Warden.”
Duncan nodded, the Wardens sounded off, and Duncan dismissed them and left. Ezekiel, Melody, Sierra, and Allura met up as the rest of their group dispersed. Some people were still congratulating them for their win.
“Sucks you got caught again, Sierra,” Melody began, stifling a yawn. Alistair’s jacket was still draped around her shoulders. “What’re you even doing all the time?”
“Yeah, Tabris, talk to us,” Ezekiel joined in.
Sierra’s eyebrows furrowed together and she looked at the grass. Allura knew she was feeling nervous and conflicted, not nearly as angry as she looked.
“I… was…,” Sierra began, crease lines deepening, “I was birdwatching.”
Allura exchanged a look between Melody and Ezekiel.
“Birdwatching?” she repeated.
“Yeah,” she responded slowly, as if wondering to herself whether it checked out. “I like to watch… songbirds.”
“Songbirds?,” Ezekiel echoed.
“Yes. Nightingales. They… only come out at night. Which is why… they’re called nightingales.”
Sierra avoided eye contact while the other three looked confused and bewildered.
Before any of them could continue questioning her, Duncan’s voice called out for Sierra to follow him to his office. Sierra sighed, relieved.
“Thank the Maker,” she muttered under her breath. “I’ve - I gotta go.”
She grinned somewhat sheepishly as she raced off to follow Duncan.
“I think that’s the first time she’s ever lied in her life,” Melody stated, only somewhat jokingly.
“Yeah. She’s not good at it.” Ezekiel chuckled.
“She’ll tell us when she’s ready,” Allura said. She didn’t see the need to speculate about what her friend is doing every night. As long as she wasn’t getting injured.
“True,” Ezekiel began with a grin. “But will I tease her mercilessly until she confesses? Probably.”
“Don’t go overboard,” Allura retorted with a quirked eyebrow. “I’ve got to get to class. I’ll see you both later.”
“I’m going back to sleep,” Melody said, gripping Alistair’s jacket.
“You should definitely wear jeans when it’s this cold, Melody.” Ezekiel smirked at her. She stuck out her tongue in response.
“See you later, Allura. Text me after class!” Melody waved as Allura turned to leave. Allura waved back and walked to the main building for her first class of the day: engineering.
*~ Friday, 3:34pm
Allura, finished with classes for the day, sauntered out of the building back towards her room. She breathed in the air; she hated being in the building for so long. There were so many people, so many things happening at once; it was hard to find a quiet place to sit and think. But outdoors, even with the same number of people, she felt less trapped. It was easy to see who’s nearby and what they’re doing; like the couple sitting in the grass across the way, the person standing behind the tree, the group of students exiting the building -
“Allura Mahariel! How nice to see you again.”
She turned to the person behind the tree - and frowned. Zevran Arainai. She should have recognized the drawl.
“... Zevran Arainai.”
“How was class? I hope you weren’t too tired.”
He was smiling, maybe sincerely, but she didn’t smile back. If anything, her frown deepened. He seemed amused.
“I was fine. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.”
“Good, good! I’m glad.”
The smile continued.
“Did you… need something?,” she asked, not hiding her confusion.
“Oh, nothing at all! Wanted to check in.”
“Right then.”
She turned to walk away but then another question popped into her head. She turned back to him.
“Oh? Are we not finished talking?”
She ignored the bait. “How do you know Melody?”
Zevran’s eyebrows raised briefly, but then he crossed his arms and laughed it off.
“I met her yesterday, after I landed on campus. I am here through the Antivan Exchange program,” he explained. “I arrived earlier than my peers, and she was kind enough to… keep me company.”
That would check out, Allura thought. Melody has always loved meeting new people. But why would he be here earlier than everyone else?
“I see. In that case, I wish you luck during your stay with us.”
She nodded curtly, which made him chuckle, and continued her stroll back to her dorm room.
Disregarding that interaction, she could continue her day normally; study, train, pick up Fen’or, make dinner, sleep. She should invite Melody over for dinner, see if she can find out what happened to her jeans. It was more than a little suspicious that this happened right after Zevran stayed the night. It was something to look into.
