Val Royeaux never sleeps.
The sun had only just come up - indeed, there were parts of the city still shrouded in darkness -, but even now the long avenues and market squares were bustling with people. Merchants from all over Orlais had already put up their stalls, shouting at the first passersby in the hopes of getting their first customers for the day; beggars had taken to their usual spots, shoes, pots and hats put down in front of their feet, arms in the familiar Could you please position; and the proud Royans, inhabitants of this sleep-deprived metropolis, donning masks and dressed in their most beautiful finery, were already well on their way to whatever activity the day had in store for them.
It was amidst all of this that Leliana, the Left Hand of the Divine, found herself when stepping outside. As she closed the door behind her she breathed in the fresh air, the city's familiar aromas filling her nose. It was a beautiful day, she thought to herself. Then, with her hood pulled up over her head, she made her way to the nearest avenue.
She could feel her heart beating in her chest, the thrill and excitement of her work mixed with that ever-present sense of danger. It wouldn't be long until the Baroness would be found - most likely by a servant -, and the Royan city guard would come running. And, even though Leliana knew she was excellent at covering her tracks, she hoped to be long gone by that time.
The avenue was, as expected, full of people, their minds - and money - focused on the stalls put up there. Most of them looked like they'd come from outside the city, which didn't surprise Leliana at all - this avenue led directly to the Sun Gates. More important for Leliana however, it also led to Grand Cathedral, seat of the Divine.
She moved through the crowd, passing numerous stalls without a glance. The racing of her heart in her chest had slowed down, a calm now having overcome her. Another victory, she thought to herself, another enemy of the Divine-
A tug at her robe pulled her out of her thoughts.
She froze immediately, and instinctively her hand moved to the dagger hidden up her sleeve. She spun to the right, her eyes gliding towards whoever had demanded her attention - only to find a little girl staring up at her with big amber eyes.
A little dwarf girl, to be precise. Her mouth was widened into a grin, revealing a row of yellowed teeth.
"Hello," Leliana said, muscles relaxing. She forced herself to smile, a part of her mind confused and a little in shock as she realized what she could have done. "Who are you?"
The girl pointed with short, stubby fingers at the woman's hair - which of it could be seen under the hood, that is. "Red," she said, in a foreign, but familiar accent. "Just like me." She then pointed at her own hair, messy as it was.
Leliana nodded. "That's right. Are you-" She stopped mid-sentence as she saw what the girl was holding in her other arm. "What do you have there?"
The girl cocked her head slightly, a little confused at the woman's question, when she suddenly realized what it meant. Almost leaping up in excitement she came forward, holding up both arms. "Boulette," she said.
In her hands the girl held a small creature, its little legs curled up around her wrists. It was hairless, a pink and slightly wrinkled skin covering it from head to toe. Between its snout and long ears, two tiny black eyes stared up at Leliana, who felt her heart melt at the sight. "A nug," she whispered. "How cute!" She could almost hear herself squeal, her mind having forgotten about that morning's events completely.
The girl nodded enthusiastically. "Mhm. Boulette," she said again. "Meatball."
Leliana's smile had widened, and now covered her face from ear to ear. With one hand she reached out carefully. "Can I?", she asked, desperate to pet it.
The girl giggled, and then nodded. Leliana smiled thankfully and reached out, fingers stroking the nug's skin. It squealed with delight at the woman's delicate touch, and began to sniff at her fingers. She found herself chuckling in response.
Smiling, the girl brought the nug a little closer to Leliana, and then said: "For you."
That took the woman by surprise. Shocked, she pulled her back her hand, and then felt tears well up in her eyes. For her? The last time she'd been given a nug… it felt like too long ago.
As if worried by the tears, the girl cocked her head again. "Not good?" she asked, the look on her face turning into disappointment.
Immediately, Leliana reached out again. "No no, no," she said, smiling through her tears. "It's just… I- thank you." She took the nugs with both hands and brought it close to her chest, as if cuddling with it. "It's adorable."
The girl grinned, put her arms around Leliana's legs and then darted off, disappearing into the crowd within seconds.
It was not long after that Leliana herself started walking again, cradling the nug in her arms like a baby. "I will take good care of you, Boulette," she whispered.
Val Royeaux is one of the loudest cities in the world, but in that moment, Leliana failed to notice.