Elf for Hire
Fenris flung his left arm over his face to block out some of the midmorning sun before he opened his eyes. His mouth tasted sour and his stomach vaguely burned. As if the hangover were not bad enough, he recalled losing horribly at wicked grace the night before. Now he was not merely a squatter and an escaped slave, he was also destitute. Today he would have to look for employment if he wanted to eat.
His friends had offered to help him find work, but he wished to remain free to devote his time to seeking any news of Denarius and verifying Hadrianna's statement that he had a sister. In addition he felt an obligation to assist Hawke whenever she requested it of him. His adventures with her had been a steady source of income, because she insisted that each of her companions get a cut of the money earned from their party's deeds. It had been weeks, however, since she last asked for his help. He had barely spoken with her since the night he had walked out on her. He was simply too ashamed. Fenris shook his head, trying banish any thoughts of that night from his mind.
He got out of bed cursing his aching body in Arcanum. In one corner of the room he had set up a pipe and barrel system to catch water. He picked up the jug from beside the rain barrel and dipped it into the water. He then proceeded to walk jug in hand to the lavatory. Once he had filled the basin he splashed water unto his face and hair. The water was brisk enough to elicit a yelp from him. Looking up at the mirror he attempted to find his face under the mass of wet hair. Fenris had a rather complicated relationship with his hair. It was both a source of pride and frustration to him. He generally thought his hair to be too disheveled for his tastes, but the only way to truly tame the cowlicks would be to cut it short and that he simply would not do. As Denarius' bodyguard he had been forced to keep his hair closely cropped to his scalp. His master had thought that it added to the intimidating nature of Fenris' appearance. One of his first decisions when he escaped had been to let his hair grow out, both to partially disguise him for a time and as an act of freewill. His longer hair also had the added advantage of being attractive. Several women over the years had flirted with him by touching his hair, so the untamed mane stayed.
Fenris quickly scrubbed himself off and began dressing. He donned clean under clothes and then turned to his armor. The grafted spirit hide smelled like the Hanged Man tavern. Just sniffing it caused Fenris' stomach to contract violently. He picked up his cleaning lotion and a rag and went to work conditioning the armor and removing the offending odor. He wondered just how much wine he had consumed and just how much he had doused on himself? Once the armor was reasonably clean Fenris began the somewhat awkward process of pulling it up over his body. He had gotten remarkably efficient at it over the years and could have it on in a matter of moments. There were still many nights when slept with most of its components on, a habit developed while fleeing Denarius' men.
Cleaned and dressed Fenris turned his thoughts to the task of the day. He would take some of what little coin he had left and go to Lowtown to buy food. He'd then have to wait until nighttime to see if Anso knew of any muscle jobs. If the dwarf had nothing to offer him then he would try his luck at the docks first thing tomorrow morning. He hoped that Anso would come through - the last time he worked on the docks for a day it had taken him almost a week to get the fish smell out of his armor.
On almost any given evening, Anso could be found somewhere in Lowtown. Fenris felt that perhaps his luck was changing when he found the dwarf at the first location he tried, by the weapon smith's stall. Anso was fidgeting with one of his boots and completely missed Fenris' approach. The dwarf snapped upright coving his face with his hands when Fenris spoke.
"Anso I am glad to find you here. I doubt that you remember it, but I hired you to locate someworkers for me a few years back"
"If you say so, I think that I remember you." The Dwarf spoke quickly and his brows were tight with worry. "Yes, now I remember, I sent Hawke to help you," he said visibly relaxing. "What do you want? Looking to hire someone?"
"Actually, I was hoping to offer my services for hire. Do you know of anyone who might need a bodyguard for a few hours or perhaps a few days?"
"Now that you mention it, yes I might have a job for you. A man, new in Kirkwall is looking for some men to accompany him to a meeting. If you want I can speak with him and send word of the details."
"That would be most satisfactory Anso. I assume that the employer will be covering your fee?"
"Yes, and it's me they come after if you don't show up."
"Don't worry Anso I'll be there," Fenris replied in his cool voice.
Fenris turned and began to walk away from Anso, confident that the man would come through for him. The bug eyed dwarf might be peculiar and high strung, but he was well connected. Kirkwall was like any other city to which Fenris had travelled. Coin, information, muscle, and connections all made things happen. A man better have some of at least one of these or he was doomed in Fenris' opinion. He resolved that it was time now to go back to the mansion, rest, sharpen his sword and wait.
The next day near noon someone was pounding on Fenris' front door. The noise echoed terribly throughout the mansion and hurt the elf's sensitive ears.
"Alright, I will be with you in a moment," Fenris bellowed over the sound. He hurried down the stairs. Pulling open the door Fenris discovered a prepubescent male dwarf in worn clothes clutching a note. The dwarf thrust the note at Fenris with one hand, while extending his other hand open palm up towards Fenris. The child's expression was impatient. Fenris took the note and then pressed a small coin into the awaiting hand then immediately to closed the door. As the dwarf left, Fenris could heard him complaining, "Stinking elves!" The message as Fenris had hoped proved to be from Anso. He was to meet Anso in Lowtown that night to discuss the details of the job.
Fenris arrived promptly at the appointed place and Anso gave him the particulars. The meeting was to take place in the early afternoon of the next day and Fenris was to meet his employer by the docks an hour beforehand.
"It's a simple job, really," Anso told Fenris. "All you have to do is stand around and look menacing, that should be easy for you."
"Yes, I have had some experience in intimidation," Fenris allowed a slight smile to surface.
"Uh, well, then nice doing business with you," Anso's eyes nervously darted around. Fenris tilted his head to the dwarf and then departed.
It was a sweltering hot day and no breeze stirred the air, as Fenris made his way to the docks. When he arrived at the rendezvous point on the docks, two muscular men eyed him silently. Fenris steadily returned their gaze until both men had averted their eyes. From their silence and dress, he assumed that they too were hired locals. The size of the men indicated that they regularly engaged in physical labor, but the state of their armor and weapons told him that if they relied upon their swords, they either did so infrequently or without much success. Most likely their employer wished to give the appearance of strength, without necessarily expecting them to actually use force. That sat well with the elf, as he disliked fighting in the heat and was in no mood to be injured for a temporary employer.
Finally, a small group of men in linen tunics, dark pants and low boots approached the three sullen men. The slightly older man in the front, a middle aged human of average build with a fair complexion spoke to them.
"Anso sent you?" he inquired. The three indicated yes. "Good. I just need you to follow us and obey my orders. It's just a delivery. If there is any trouble, not that I'm 'specting any, you'll attack when I say, 'If that's your choice.' Clear?" Fenris and the others nodded. Although his demeanor did not show it, Fenris felt uneasy, something about this man was unsettling.
"Hey what about our pay?" one of the other hired men asked.
"I'll give you half when we're in the meeting place and the rest when we've finished. Any other questions?" he asked tersely.
"No, that seems fair." The other slightly older of the two answered, glaring at the younger man. Fenris wondered at their employer's distrust, in his experience the most distrusting individuals were the most dishonest. If he did not need the coin, he would have walked away at that moment. As it was he resolved that he would remain as close to the exit as possible during the meeting.
"Alright then, let's go," their employer stated and turned to led them through the narrow twisting allies that made up Kirkwall's docks. From his vantage point behind his employer and the men that he had brought with him, Fenris studied the group's weaponry and movements. Most had daggers and throwing knives, the preferred weapons of sailors and raiders alike. He listened to snippets of their conversation trying to place their accents. He placed them as Ferelden, but their dialect differed from Hawke's and Aveline's, either they came from a different area or had spent much of their time abroad. It did not matter to him where they came from, but his time as a fugitive had trained him to pay attention to details, never knowing when they might reveal hidden threats. He noted that they were in an older less used area of the docks, any business transacted here usually involved smuggling which seemed fitting given that Anso was involved.
The group entered an old warehouse and arrived in a room with high ceiling lit by two narrow windows a story and half up the wall. Dominating the space was a large wooden table and chairs. Fenris' employer pulled out the center seat from the near side of the table and gestured for two of his men to sit on either side of him as the rest of the group spread out along the wall. As he had planned Fenris stood close to the door through which they had entered and almost directly across from the entrance located on the other side of the table. The room was quiet enough that they heard the voices of a second party before they entered the room.
The door across from Fenris opened and a vaguely familiar dwarf stepped through the entryway surveyed the scene and quickly leaned back through the door and said,"Varric, Petar is not here. There are men, but none I know as Petar's."
"Really, let me see," a voice all too familiar to Fenris answered.
No reaction registered upon Fenris' face but a Tevinter oath crossed his mind as a red headed beardless dwarf sauntered into the room. Varric Tethras was arguably the best friend Fenris had; and now Fenris was quite literally on the wrong side of Varric's crossbow, Bianca. Fenris watched as Varric's eyes swept the room and the dwarf allowed himself to do no more than squint as he spotted Fenris.
"Pardon me, I must have the wrong place or time," Varric addressed the room in a somber tone.
"You Tethras? The name's Jaspar, captain of the Last Ember, Petar sent me with your shipment. He told me to send you his apologies, something about family business. He said that you would understand." Jaspar appeared relaxed as he related the tale to Varric.
"So Petar sent you, did he? Well, I'm surprised that he failed to mention to you how much I hate good-for-nothing elves! And here you bring this with you!" Varric spun his finger, pointing straight at Fenris. Fenris immediately recognized the voice tone which the dwarf used to talk his way out of something.
"Yes, yes of course he did now that you mention it. You have my apologies. Shall I remove him?" Jaspar's voice was slightly higher from the tension in his throat.
"No," Varric replied slowly, "I'd rather have him right here in front of me where I could keep an eye on him." He pointed to an empty chair directly across the table from where he stood.
"You heard him, elf," Jaspar barked at Fenris. Fenris walked over and eased into the chair. He had to admire how smoothly Varric had taken charge of the situation. He sat looking up at Varric waiting for his friend to indicate when and how Fenris was to take action.
"That's it pretty boy you just sit tight," Varric smugly told Fenris. The glint in the dwarf's eye told Fenris that his friend was starting to enjoy the situation. Varric lowered himself into the chair opposite Fenris, but angled his body to face Jaspar. "So Jaspar, or should I say Captain Jaspar, where's my merchandise?"
Jaspar nudged the man next to him, who then bent down and produced a small wooden box, laid it on the table, and slid it to Jaspar. Tilting the box up so that Varric might have a better view, Jaspar slid the lid back to reveal neatly wrapped packets. He withdrew one of the packets and extended it to Varric. The two men locked eyes for a moment neither one looking away. Jaspar finally looked away first, but not until Fenris was convinced that the man had found his nerve, if he had ever truly lacked it at all. Carefully Varric removed the layers of the packet revealing the glowing blue dust contained within it. Lyrium, it had to be, thought Fenris. He had never thought Varric foolish enough to engage in lyrium smuggling, but the proof lay in the dwarf's hands.
"Where's the rest of it?" Varric inquired his voice hard.
"Lloyd, show him the box," Jaspar ordered the man on his left. The man reached done and picked up a somewhat larger wooden box. The room was briefly filled with the noise of the container landing with a thump upon the table. Varric looked at the box and began to reach over the table for it. Jaspar's hands pulled the box back towards his side of the table. "Not so fast Tethras, there's the matter of payment. You give me my coin and you can have your shipment. I believe that 30 sovereigns was the agreed upon price."
Varric stood up and a visible wave of tension went through both sides of the room, both Varric's and Jasper's contingents fingered their weapons. "You want me to hand you over the payment before I have even seen half the goods? I'm not numb in the head like your elf pet here."
Varric's use of the word pet alerted Fenris that the dwarf expected him to act in a hostile manner. Fenris let out what could only be perceived as a warning growl, hoping that this it was generally what Varric had in mind.
"You want to get a piece of me elf, well too bad because your master here hasn't released you," the dwarf's voice was filled with menace and condescension, to emphasize his point Varric lifted his jaw forward in Fenris' direction. For Fenris , there could only be one reaction to the insult that Varric had just hurled at him. The elf released an ear piercing battle cry and ignited his lyrim tattoos. While everyone else's attention was focused on Fenris, Varric loosed Bianca from behind his back cocked the crossbow and yelled, "The elf toy is mine!" Varric and Jaspar's men went for their weapons. A split second before Fenris leapt over the table sword in hand, Varric took a step to his right, fired Bianca and gave the retreat signalto his men.
The howling elf warrior landed next to Varric just after a voluminously smoking arrow hit the wall directly behind where Fenris had been seated. Varric's men were attempting to strategically exit the room, while Jaspar's men were still hacking and choking. Varric's hands flew over Bianca's workings as he recocked. Fenris turned to defend against Jaspar's men.
"Grab the box, Fenris," Varric ordered his friend. With all the smoke, all Fenris could do was close his eyes, hold his breath and sweep his hands across the table top. He touched and grabbed a heavy wooden box, pulling it in and clutching it to his side. Varric released a volley of arrows to slow down Jaspar's men. The remaining dwarves who had accompanied Varric to the meeting closed around him and Fenris. They fought off Jaspar's men, allowing Varric and Fenris to make their way out of the room.
"This way," Varric told Fenris as they raced through the twisty and narrow passages of the old warehouse towards the docks. "There up ahead that's our way out of here!"
When they reached the door, it was shut tight. Fenris backed up and shouldered the door, not once but twice. The door gave way on Fenris' second attempt and the elf went tumbling through the exit out into the street and onto the ground. As he turned his face to look up, Fenris was lifted up by his arm. Fenris turned to see who had him and found himself staring straight into a pair of bright green eyes.
"Aveline," Fenris nodded his head towards her, then began to dust himself off and pick up the box.
"We really should move. As you might have guessed from the smoke the building seems to be on fire. Perhaps you might want to investigate," Varric added.
"Not so fast you two, I've had word that there was smuggling activity taking place in this very building. I hate to do this, but give me the box Fenris." Slowly Fenis began to reach the box out to Aveline.
"The box, it's not what it appears Aveline. If you could just let me explain," Varric smiled charmingly at the Guard Captain while she waited on Fenris to give her the box.
"Spare me Varric, before I decide if I can help you, I have to see how much trouble you two have gotten into first." Aveline took the box from Fenris and struggled to open it for a moment. She slid back the lid, next she tapped and shook the box, until finally she turned it upside down. "I don't what you're up to Varric, but I can happily say that there is no law against fleeing a burning building with an empty box. Don't go anywhere until I've sorted out what's going on in that building. That includes you Fenris!" Aveline turned and told two of her guards to watch Varric and Fenris, she then turned gathered her other men and entered the smoking building.
"Phew, did you see that, she was so angry that her freckles went white," Varric half sighed - half chuckled.
"And people say that I'm intimidating," Fenris replied. "I guess that Aveline does not relish the prospect of arresting her companions after all." The two relaxed and waited for Aveline to finish her inspection. It was not long before she made her way back to them.
"So there was no fire, just a lot of smoke and some arrows. You might be interested to know that a local street urchin tipped off my guardsmen about a suspicious group of strangers seen fleeing the building from the other side. I will track them down. Count on it," Aveline warned Varric and Fenris. "I just hope that it has nothing to do with either one of you."
"There's nothing to worry about Aveline," Varric replied. "If you're off duty perhaps you would care to join us at the Hanged Man?"
Her face softened.
"I don't think that's such a good idea. Stay out of trouble."
Later at the Hanged Man, Fenris and Varric sat at the table in Varric's suite.
"Thank you Fenris, I am not sure what I would have done without you there today," Varric told the elf.
"You would have handled the situation, of that I am certain. Perhaps you would have even managed to come out of the building with at least part of your shipment." Fenris waved his hand through the air as he spoke.
"Oh yes and right into Aveline's waiting arms. No, things could not have worked out better. All I lost was the coin that I paid my men and I can chalk that up to training expenses." Varric chuckled. He turned to Fenris and asked, "What about you, you get paid?"
"Oh, half," Fenris responded.
"Well here, I'll pay you one of my men's shares." Varric reached for his coin purse.
"Varric, we're friends, you owe me nothing."
"Ah, but you owe half of Lowtown money, which reminds me, I'll subtract the other night's wicked grace debts from this."
"Spoken like a true dwarf," Fenris shook his head.
"And don't you forget it."
There was a knock at the door.
"Come in," Varric called. A dark haired athletically built woman with bright blue eyes stepped into the room. A broad smile graced her face and she spread her arms out wide.
"Varric, Fenris the two people that I was most hoping to find. I've got a business proposition that I think might interest both of you. Mind if I sit down?" Hawke did not wait for an answer but sat down and launched into the details of the offer. Fenris relaxed and leaned back in his chair a little more throwing one arm over the back of the chair next to him. He thought how good this was to here with Varric and Hawke. Perhaps his life in Kirkwall would eventually settle back into a workable routine. At least now he knew that whatever happened, Varric would not abandon him, nor, it seemed, would Hawke.