And so is the Golden City blackened
With each step you take in my Hall.
Marvel at perfection, for it is fleeting.
You have brought Sin to Heaven
And doom upon all the world.
-Threnodies 8:13
Chapter One
I could already sense it. It was one of those days again. Erhatwas complaining again to Rica about something I didn't know or really care about at the moment. I was resting peacefully in the small shared room, laying on the cheap bed, which felt akin to cloth strapped to sticks. But this was one of the many things I have to deal with. When you're casteless. I can't join the army or work in any stores. I could count on my fingers what was legal. So what do you do when you have nowhere to run? Well, the answer is pretty simple. You join the Carta.
Now the Carta is basically a large group of goons who work under one man, Beraht. And Beraht knows people, people who can get him money and I'm talking sovereigns. For Beraht, I'm just another piece of scum in duster town. A person to do his dirty work. I'm needed to 'talk' to the people who owe Beraht coins.
The conversation outside my room was getting louder, and I swear if Beraht was yelling at my sister again, I'm gonna' knock him one good. Getting off the worthless bed, and stumbling a little when my foot got caught in one of the many holes in the floor, I finally made to the door and out of the room.
"You got a sweet look, something to light a man on fire. But you got to make it count." You couldn't miss Beraht's loud voice wherever you went. My sister's eyes looked pleading as I came into the room. I walked up to where he and my sister were standing. Practically right of Beraht in front of him, and he didn't even acknowledge me! My sister's eyes looked desperate at me ,asking me not to fight with him.
"Please, Beraht. I don't want to do this in front of my sister-" But she was cut off. Beraht chuckled and turned to me.
"Why not? She knows the slopes of the land, don't you girl?" His eyes were practically begging - no daring me to answer.
"Didn't I tell you not to talk that way to my sister?" I said while gritting my teeth. He had no right to treat her like he does. His eyes turned hard at my answer.
"You've told me a lot of things. Not even one of which meant more than a fart in the middens." I tried to ignore the sting the comment left in me.
Beraht continued his worthless sentence. "Before me, your sister is just another duster. Now check her out!"
He boasted and I saw Rica's face heat up in shame. It only fuelled my anger. And still he continued with his rambling.
"Braids down to here, gold capped teeth. She can even recite elf poetry and play the string harp. Every man's dream!" He continued, a disgusting smirk playing on his face. "All she's gotta' do is find a lord, squeeze out some kid that looks like him and we're all living the easy life in the Diamond Quarter." I noticed that whilst he talked about Rica, it was sickening how he perceived her to be an object. I was about to say something when Rica intervened.
"Please don't get involved. You know that never goes well." She stared into my eyes and they looked so doleful...and empty. I relaxed my stance, loosening my folded my arms - all my usual signs of regrettably backing down.
"How much more does he think you can do?" My voice cracked at the end of my sentence, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Beraht's mouth curve up into a smile, making my blood boil.
"She can do whatever I tell her, even if that means walking into the kings own palace and naked," he answered my question before my sister could even open up her mouth. "You keep your head down and say 'Aye'' to any job I decide is low enough for scum like you."
His face screwed up into a nasty sneer. He turned to look at Rica, gaze still hard as stone. "In you, I put out coin so you can doll yourself up and get a bellyful of some nobleman's brat. Then you can both go free. And I get the chance to join the family and be call "my lord" for the rest of the little prince's life."
"And her son'll call you uncle and come visit on name-days?" Even with my mood, I could still make a joke. Rica cracked a small smile. But Beraht was not as pleased.
"That's what everyone likes - a casteless with a big mouth." Is he still really taking? "But that's not what I came here for the joy of your company. I've been looking at my investments, and this one hasn't borne much gold. I'm giving you a week, precious. If you haven't found a patron, you're sweeping streets." I turned to look at my sister panic in my eyes. We have nowhere left to go, no family, but my mother and she aren't good for anything. Rica looked and my face and shot me a reassuring glance that calmed my nerves, but not for long.
Rica walked over to the other side of the room, no doubt to get away from smell of ale and nug shit that was coming Beraht like he was made of the stuff.
"But...I have." Beraht and I both looked up at her, shocked at her answer. "I've met someone...that is, I didn't want to promise, but he seemed interested." I saw a small blush appear on her face as she finished her sentence. Both Barhat and I walked over to where Rica was standing, she turned around from the small fireplace and looked at us.
I turned to Beraht with a smirk on my face. "So get off her back and tell me my job for today," I said trying to get the attention off of Rica.
"Your buddy Leske's waiting outside. He knows what I'll need from you today. Don't even think about bungling this job. Your whole family is on loose gravel with me right now." I rolled my eyes at him, and he caught my gaze when I stopped. "And I know you don't have anywhere else to turn." Fear crept up my spine. He walked leaving my small little house that I couldn't even call mine.
If you liked the first chapter, please leave a comment telling what you think. I would also like my beta Jazz for helping out. Also I don't own Dragon Age, it's Bioware's.