WALKING CANVAS
A Fenris/OFC Fanfiction
By
Viperqueen13
Author's Note: Any character apart from my original creations belong and are created by the team at Bioware and EA Games
*CHAPTER THREE: LIFESTONE (I AM SURANNA)*
"So, you are awake. Good to know."
The Black Falcon had a gentle yet firm voice with a touch of iron, and a gaze in her yellow eyes that told of multiple stories and seen many things. She had a mop of short and wavy black hair, as well as a triangular chunk of skin missing near the tip of her right ear, and her cheeks covered with her now-faded-yellow markings instead of her chin.
After a moment of awkward silence, the Elf made a hasty cough.
"As much as I enjoy the gaze of the opposite sex," she calmly spoke, "I must point out to you both that your staring is making me uncomfortable right now."
Varric rescued his jaw from the Deep Roads, whilst Fenris looked away and blushed, feeling very exposed with only blankets to cover him.
"We do apologize, my dear," Varric answered politely, "It's just that, it has been a long time since we saw another Elf that knew how to fight with a proper weapon, and a female is even rarer seen outside the Alienage."
"Which currently works in your favor I'm guessing," Fenris continued whilst making for his flask of water, hoping that the woman did not see him go red in the face. The Black Falcon nodded, pausing a moment to watch her bird clean its feathers before continuing.
"Now then, I suppose you want to know who I am?"
"Amongst other things," Varric chuckled, "But introductions first; my name is Varric of House Tethras, and my naked friend over there is Fenris."
"My name is Suranna, and this is Caligula," the Elf woman replied accompanied by a squawk, before her eyes settled on Fenris, "Wait; that name, Fenris. Why does that sound familiar somehow?"
"You were a slave in Tevinter, the same as I; no doubt our old Masters knew each other and swapped secrets in regards to Blood Magic. Mine went by the name of-"
"-Danarius."
"You knew him, Precious?" Varric raised an eyebrow.
"Aye I did." Suranna voiced with a drenching of venom, "He was the one who performed the ritual to my Mistress's specifications, or so she said."
"Wait," Fenris held up a free hand, "What do you mean 'specifications'?" Varric tried and failed to suppress a snort.
"In case ya hadn't noticed Broody," the Dwarf began, "Messere Suranna has yellow markings, can turn into a giant cloud and has demonstrated super strength, to possibly name some of many great and wondrous talents."
The Elf in question waved her hand as if brushing off Varric's comment, unknown whether she was being modest or dismissing.
"My Mistress was considered a great patron of the arts in Minrathous, and whilst she thought that those without magical blood were 'inferior dogs of the land'-" Suranna spat into the fire as if those harsh words were poisonous, "-she also thought that her guards should not be brainless vessels that just obey commands and attack when their Mistress is threatened or insulted. So, she selected ten of her 'servants' to undertake a ritual initiated by the bastard you know as Danarius, and turn them into 'Sirens'; a deadly soldier that was granted artistic abilities as well as ruthless thirst for killing."
"You weren't the only one, serah?" Varric questioned puzzled. Fenris stayed silent; deep in his gut, he had a hunch why Suranna's Mistress wanted so many, because from what his deceased Master had told him years ago, the reality of his much fought-for 'reward' had a huge price.
"Because," Suranna's voice lowered to an icy whisper, "the ritual is such a complicated process; each body, whether Elf or Human, is unique from any one else's, and because of that, the lyrium substance used in the ritual can react differently, from complete transformation, to absolute disintegration of the blood or brain; as a result, most of the time a 'willing subject' that partakes in the ritual... dies in sheer agony, or takes his life rather than become yet another tool to be used by the Magisters. Apparently, I was the only one 'worthy of the honor' when Danarius completed his work on me, much to his surprise.
"The ingredients used in my ritual were different. Usually, the main substance in Danarius' experiment was a concoction of both pure and tainted lyrium crystals crushed into a powder, and then burnt into the vessel's skin with a mixture of both it and it's Master's blood whilst reciting a chant in Ancient, creating a bond that is upheld until one of the partakers die; that same mixture, is what is on your skin Fenris." Suranna pointed at the male Elf's tattooed chest with a slender finger as she referenced the situation, taking a breath before continuing.
"My Mistress requested an added ingredient, one that is said and believed in Ancient texts to give the taker a muse-like power, along with intelligence and a super-enhanced survival instinct, amongst other gifts like the ones you saw; that ingredient was Lifestone. A common ingredient used today by many, but not as a lyrium enhancement meant to come into permanent contact of the skin, because of it's lethality and unpredictability, hence myself being the lone vessel to survive."
Silence erupted through the room in the Hawke Estate, save for the fire crackling amongst the provided logs, and Caligula flying up and into the rafters, possibly to hunt for its own supper. Once again, Varric broke the silence.
"Great Ancestors. You weren't kidding about the intelligence part; you managed to spin more fancy words into sentences quicker than I can on paper." Suranna simply shrugged.
"It just meant that I could read, write and understand multiple cultures and languages without much effort at all, gifts that my Mistress exploited all too often."
"How do you know all this?" Fenris breathed, double-checking that his blankets covered his lower half when reaching for the piece of bread on the further side of his tray, "When I partook in the ritual, the pain took away all my memories, and I had no idea what happened specifically, let alone what was needed to create the formula for the markings."
"I wondered that as well messere," Suranna replied casually, "But all I can say is, that I was like you when my Mistress was alive; no memories of family or my previous life, only anguish and begrudging obedience. Then, for some strange reason, when my Mistress died on one of her travels, many came flooding back as if a dam had burst. After that moment occurred, I began to travel and explore the whole of Thedas, searching for anyone else that had suffered the same fate of Danarius's ritual and possibly free them if I could. But when I heard on the wind that he was last seen in Kirkwall, I decided to come here; I have a distant Cousin that works in Hightown, and is the only family I have that is still alive. Unfortunately, the Great War had me stuck in Orlais fending off the Qunari invasion, finally using my skills for the greater good; arrived here two years ago, and made a name for myself helping the unfortunate ever since.
"And yes," Suranna added with a slight smirk, "I have heard how Danarius was killed, messeres, for it was by your hands that the life of my Mistress ended as well."
A cold silence floated throughout the Hawke Estate, as Fenris and Varric were practically taken aback at this last piece of information; they killed her Mistress? How was that even possible!?
"Uh, exactly where did you hear that, Precious?" Varric asked confused, trying to interpret what the female Elf just said. "The death of your Mistress could've happened by anyone; and it's been almost thirteen sodding years since Fenris killed Danarius, and a lot of people have fallen by our hands after that event; sad as that is, you'll understand." the Dwarf added with a flourish of remorse in his words. Suranna wagged a knowing finger, slyness creeping into her voice.
"Ah, see here is the thing, Varric of House Tethras; like you, I have my informants in various parts of the city, from street urchins in Darktown to a few workers by the Docks. That girl you saved from your first encounter with Scar, Mia? She's one of them, and she is grateful that you came to her rescue, so thank you on her behalf."
Varric could not help but laugh at that last part; it seems that this woman would make a powerful ally in more ways than one, with a lethal combination of both brains and brawn. Fenris, who had been contemplating who the Falcon's Mistress could be, suddenly had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach, a mixture of confusion and the possible knowing of who the dead Magister might be.
"Falcon, I regret that I must ask you another question in regards to Danarius; this 'Mistress' of yours, how did she know him exactly?" Suranna give the other Elf a strange look; was it relief or sorrow on her face that Fenris saw? What she said next practically knocked the wind out of both him and Varric, practically changing what previous thoughts they had of Suranna, change from awe to pity and sadness.
"My Mistress was once Danarius' most prized apprentice, a cruel and vicious bitch towards those she disliked or enjoyed torturing. Her servants knew her by the nickname 'Executioner'; you knew her... as Hadriana."