The Dalish and the Halla
A fill for a k!meme prompt that I have been meaning to fill for ages.
Constructive criticism always appreciated.
Master Hawke was very strange. Between insisting on paying her, giving her her own room and taking her shopping - shopping, the only shopping slaves were meant to do was for their Masters - Orana doesn't know what to make of the man.
It's been days since she turned up on the doorstep of the Hawke estate after being told to go there. Kirkwall is big and it very nearly overwhelms her. The streets look the same to her, the people mostly ignore her when she tries to ask for directions and what few that do answer her, only wrinkle their nose and mutter something about Hawke being 'unconventional'. She eventually finds the house, after hours of wandering the streets and finally coming upon a guard who could direct her to it.
She's greeted by a dwarf who doesn't know just what to do, but allows her to stay there at the mention of Master Hawke. He'll be able to tell them what's going on.
The dwarf seems to be another servant, he prepares a meal for her, insists on doing so and while he does that, the lady of the house sets a place at the table for her, something else that takes her completely by surprise. Despite the gnawing hunger, she can't remember when she did last eat, she waits until the lady of the house gives her permission.
Master Hawke returns a day later, blood covered, tired and seemingly having forgotten what he's told her. A few tense moments later in which she's sure she's going to be back on the first boat to Tevinter, Master Hawke remembers that yes, he did tell her to come here and that he'd give her a job. Though the 'job' part is something she can't quite believe. Who gives a slave a job? Nonetheless, she's handed a pouch of coin and the dwarf, Bodahn is told to make up a room for her once she's chosen one. With that, Master Hawke retreats to his own room.
In the first few days, she's up at dawn cleaning the house and doing the cooking when everyone else awakens. She's tired but she keeps working, this is nothing new for her. It takes her mind off the homesickness, the grief and how much she misses her Papa. She can choke back the tears, keep her head down and get on with her work, hoping that no one will notice.
When she sees another elf it comes as a welcome sight. It's something familiar, something she's used to seeing. In Tevinter, there were plenty of elves around, in her Mistress's home, in the slave markets, or in the streets trailing after their own masters. She doesn't realise she's been standing there, watching this elf until the other elf notices her and waves cheerfully, beaming at her.
"Oh, hello. I didn't see you there," she greets her and gets up, brushing the dirt off of her knees. "Hawke said he'd taken on a new servant even if Fenris didn't look very pleased. Not that he ever looks pleased about anything..." She pauses, curses herself quietly. "Sorry, I haven't even introduced myself or asked your name yet. I'm Merrill."
Orana tries not to look as nervous as she feels, her heart hammering against her chest, even if it does strike her as odd that this elf would refer to the Master as simply 'Hawke'. "O-Orana..." she mutters, then diverts her gaze to the ground.
"Nice to meet you." Merrill approaches her, tilts her head curiously. "You can look at me you know." She pauses again. "Oh, stupid me, that's right. Hawke said you used to be a slave."
Orana nods, for the moment still not looking at her.
She briefly risks a glance to Merrill, finds the bright smile she'd been wearing a few moments before has dimmed somewhat.
"Is this...one of your duties?" she asks, looking over to the flowerbed Merrill had been tending to moments before.
"I suppose it is, seems to have fallen to me to do it." Merrill turns back to it, arms folded across her chest. "Hawke's mother, Leandra, likes to tend to them as well, it keeps her busy when Hawke is out doing all sorts. Hawke is just plain useless, when it comes to it. Give him a slaver or something to kill and he's fine, give him a plant, different matter." Merrill faces her once more. "Do you want to help?" The smile is back, bright as ever and undeterred.
She glances to the front door of the estate, her duties are mostly done for the day. She's cleaned the house, made some food for Mistress Hawke and fed the dog, there's nothing else for her to do, not until Hawke returns.
She nods and Merrill leads her to the garden.
She kneels down at the flowerbed, Merrill at her side and watches as the other elf deftly digs holes in the dirt, plants the flowers and finishes off by giving each one some water. While this had never been one of her duties before, really Orana isn't exactly sure just what she's doing, Merrill is patient and shows her how to plant them, how much water to give each one and how to tend to the others. When they're done, the flowerbeds are awash with colour. Merrill stands up, puts her hands on her hips, nodding as she looks the garden over.
"A job well done, I think," Merrill remarks then helps her to her feet. "Do you think it looks all right?"
She nods quickly. "It's...beautiful..." she says.
"Aw that's sweet of you. You helped too remember, not just me who can take the credit for it." She looks down at her hands. "Better go and get cleaned up. Don't want to leave muddy handprints all over Hawke's nice clean house."
Orana nods again and Merrill follows her back into the house through the servants' entrance.
"Elgar'nan...How does Hawke keep this place so clean?" Merrill remarks while Orana fills a basin with water and retrieves some cloth. If nothing else, she's learned quickly where everything is. "Look at this." Merrill runs a finger along one of the tables. "Spotless! Three years I've been in my house and I never get it anywhere near this nice looking." She pouts at the thought of it and Orana finds herself stifling a giggle.
One thing Merrill says has her confused however. "You have a house?"
Merrill nods. "Hawke helped me find it and get started when I first left the clan three years ago. Well, more than that now." She offers another a smile. "He's very kind, he'll treat you well I'm sure."
Everything Merrill says only serves to confuse her more. A clan? Of course she'd heard of the Dalish elves from her Papa, yet for the most part she thought they were myth, didn't exist. Yet here was Merrill, telling her she was one of them and not only that, but that she'd left them to come and work for Hawke. She almost wishes she was back in Tevinter. Almost.
She sets the basin down, hands Merrill some of the cloth and scrubs the dirt from her own hands. She glances to Merrill again, then swallows, determined to strike up a conversation with the other elf. "Do you like it here?" she says. It's the first thing that can think of to ask and it's something that's been on her mind too.
Merrill gives a slight shrug. "For the most part. It was strange at first, I'd lived in Ferelden all my life then Sundermount after we left during the Blight." She takes her hands out of the basin, finds another cloth and starts to dry them off. "I miss it sometimes, the trees, the fresh air, the sounds of the rest of the clan. It took a while to get used to Kirkwall's sounds, everything seemed so busy and crowded, especially in the Alienage." She puts the cloth down and faces Orana once more. "Do you find that?"
She nods. "It's so quiet, I thought there would be more slaves...servants around the house." She takes the cloth Merrill has just discarded and puts it into a basket. "Everything is...different here, I just hope I don't disappoint Master Hawke."
"I'm sure you won't." Merrill pats her shoulder lightly. "The only other ones here are Bodahn and his son, even then that was Hawke's mother's idea to have them stay here." She heads for the door and looks back to her. "Are you coming up?"
Orana nods and follows Merrill.
They head back into main hall of the house where Bodahn is already there. He nods in greeting to her. "Ah, I thought I saw you outside. Messere Hawke is out at the moment, nothing the matter is there?" Bodahn says.
Merrill shakes her head. "Oh no, just dealing with the garden and getting to know Orana here."
"Very good. Mistress Leandra does enjoy tending to it." Bodahn looks up at one of the windows for a moment. "Speaking of whom, she should be back soon and I'd better get started on dinner."
"I should probably get back home too, don't want to get in the way after all." Merrill turns to leave, waving over her shoulder and calling out a goodbye to Bodahn and to her. That takes her by surprise.
"She's a lovely girl Merrill, yet for some reason Master Hawke worries for her," Bodahn remarks, beginning to make his way to the kitchen. Orana follows him, ready to help out where needed.
"Does he always worry about his servants?" she asks. Bodahn is one of the few she feels something like comfortable talking to.
"Hm? Servants?" Bodahn raises an eyebrow. "Merrill isn't one of the servants. From what I understand, Master Hawke has known her since he came to Kirkwall."
Oh Maker...Merrill was a guest in the house and wasn't treated properly? Orana feels a cold pit grow in her stomach. No matter how good Master Hawke has been to her, he surely won't forgive this.
She says nothing more and merely follows Bodahn into the kitchen.
~
Master Hawke returns that night and Orana heats some of the dinner Bodahn has left for him. She doesn't dare meet his eye, she knows Bodahn has told him of her mistake or at the very least mentioned it. Sooner or later he's going to speak to her about it, punish her somehow, if anything she'd rather he got it over with. Papa always said the same thing, that waiting was sometimes worse, though she never believed him, few and far between times he ever was punished by the Magister for anything.
"Orana," Master Hawke says.
She jumps, lost in her own thoughts and drops the plate she's been clearing away. It smashes on the floor and she curses herself. Something else for him to be annoyed at. A fine start this is.
It's Master Hawke who apologises then gets up and leaves, returning a moment later with a brush and a box to put the remainders of the plate in it. "Well I can't say I was ever fond of that plate anyway," Master Hawke jokes. He looks up to her, sees the expression on her face, the plain dread and he sighs, getting up from the floor.
He sits back down and gestures to the chair next to him. "Bodahn says Merrill was here earlier," he begins. She sits on the chair, still doesn't meet his eye, her gaze set firmly on the wood of the table. "Orana, look at me, please." She obeys. "You're not in trouble, really."
She blinks then stares at him. "But...she was a guest and I didn't..."
He holds a hand up to stop her. "Merrill knows where everything is in the house, probably better than what I do. You don't need to wait on her, or anyone that comes into the house hand and foot."
"I...Yes, Master." Again, she drops her head.
He groans slightly. "Something else we still need to work on." He pushes the chair out, gets up from the table. "You're doing fine so far, try not to worry so much. Bodahn or Mother will keep you right."
She simply nods, taken aback that she's not in trouble and he's being so good about it.
Master Hawke leaves, telling her she has the rest of the night off and can get to bed early, make up for the early start she had. It seems nothing escapes his notice within the house. Again, she does as she's told, settling down in her room for the night.