"There's a letter for you"
There was always a letter for me. I had become the beacon of help. Stopping assassins, delivering packages, all the miscellaneous troubles of Kirkwall. I knew it well. When was I not rescuing some damsel, or ending a crisis? There was always unremarkable citizens with just enough coin to send me off on their perils. It was honestly the only constant thing in my life.
Even though coin was hardly the problem anymore.
maker! Being the Champion of Kirkwall was like being a Blooming Rose whore.
Standard.
Everyone wanted their try.
I moved briskly to the writing desk. Already I could make out the fancy Viscount seal decorating the letter.
"Beautiful, I suppose Meredith caught a mage sneezing"
The problems of the city were daunting. Every night, after schlepping around the city fixing people's problems. I'd just come home to find nothing has changed. Mo' letters, mo' problems.
I ripped into the letter and used my new skill; "Hawke-vision". Basically, I skipped to the last sentence.
"...that's why i've come to you great handsome Champion of Kirkwall, these thugs are meeting at the dock tonight near the pier.
yours sincerely,
Senestra, Viscount assistant"
My mind kicks into appraisal mode. These thugs seemed liked a minor threat but it always paid to be prepared. Aveline had mention a small time syndicate, moving into the docks a few months ago. A few months ago they had seemed like a group of thieves looking to annoy the crap out of me but now they were a concern. It was time to solve this concern, permanently. I needed a party that excelled at quick combat. Merrill was still not talking to me and Fenris, well, Fenris was detained for the breaking a Mage's finger in the butterfly incident. He wouldn't be out for several days.
Really, that just left, Varric, Isa-
"no" I halted my thought. I did not want to waste another second on that pirate scum bitch feeder.
"No Isabela"
I crumbled up the letter and threw it into the fire.
My companions were just another set of problems with no end in sight.
Aveline, Varric and Anders all were suppose to wait at the dock for me. I sent out Orana and Bodahn to "Summon the troops" so to speak. They all gathered there waiting, deep in conversation. Being the leader meant I was in charge of all the trivial things, like potions, enchantments and making sure there was no in party fighting. I couldn't help but overhear their conversation as I made my way down the stairs, a few moments before they would be able to spot me.
"I don't suppose he's extending the party to five? " Aveline asked "Isabela is missing."
"I'm quite glad actually, I'm back into the rotation " Anders joined the banter.
Aveline directed her gaze at Varric, who was inspecting Bianca.
"Usually she's here, even if she's half drunk "
Varric laughed "Remember the Demon Cult incident?"
"A thousand hits to my head won't make me forget that incident"
"So, he's been mixing it up lately" Anders concluded. "with good cause, there's only so much euphemisms you can hear in one day"
Aveline ignored Anders. She bent forward trying to close the distance between her short friend.
"I doubt this is just a simple change of configuration" she asked loudly.
Varric continued to play coy "I think someone misses her company."
"It's not that, it-s"
Finally, I breached their vision proximity and all banter ended.
"Here" I tossed a new staff towards Anders.
"Freshly enchanted"
"Great! This staff was starting to feel like a one star if you know what I mean"
"I do" Ah. I missed Anders. Why didn't I use his healing abilities more often? He was a way more suited for battle than other members.
"I got some Health pots as well"
I distributed the new gear as I explained the plan.
"It's about time we did something about them, Hawke. I've been getting reports a man wide about these thugs"
"I understand Aveline, that's why you'll be in charge of the blocking the entrance. I want for once a group of thieves to stay eradicated. No follow up quests."
I checked my equipment, also freshly enchanted, tonight was going to be quite successful.
Anders joined the discussion "Is it possible that they have a base in the docks?"
"I don't know and I don't care" I concluded. "The letter wanted death of a few thugs and that's what I do best."
Before beginning the march towards our destination, I saw Aveline give me a the look.
I allocating the potions strategically. Trying to keep her off my back.
Then we moved swiftly to the pier.
Varric trailing behind had to share one of his cryptic warnings.
"I don't think this will be easy, Hawke"
"worry not my dwarvy friend" I responded confidently. Less chatty, more fighty.
As we walked quietly to the pier, I took in the sights of the dock. It really hadn't changed since the Arishok died. Same low lives trying to peddle their crud, same boats docking and always the distant cry of battle swimming in the air. Isabela once told me that the Docks could be best summarized as "Fluid". The dock was always alive.
Fortunately when we did stumble on the thugs, we kind of discreetly crept up on them.
It always amused me, how a group of tough dastardly thieves had their meetings outside where anyone could stumble upon them and well.. overhear their plans. I wanted to end the meeting short, but Varric, the constant Info whore wanted to listen in. So we hid there, between some crates and listened.
"we take the egg, place it at Dragon's nest. Let the big roster do the rest"
"Negative, new hen wants the egg scrambled"
"New hen can suck a big one!"
"quiet!"
"Great, their talking in code" Varric whispered.
"lovely" my patience was peaking, we've been waiting out between these crates for what felt like hours and really, we hadn't learned anything. What was there to learn anyways? The only thing I needed to know was how quick could my sword penetrate their skulls and what's the fastest route back. "This is getting us nowhere, Varric!"
"whats got up your ass, Hawke? you've been testy all day"
The guard captain added her useless personal tidbit "I have the reports to prove it. Is something wrong, Hawke?"
"These are the directions, follow them or you'll be terminated"
"new hen wants the nest eggs to hatch quickly"
"Well, old roster didn't hear anything about that"
"Old roster will hear it now"
"Nothing is wrong! " Here they go. They've been grilling me since yesterday, coming to the estate, inviting me out to a drink. Too bad I didn't want to go to that dusty old Hanged Man just to drink myself stupid so we could talk about feelings. bleh.
"you complain when i'm not keeping the peace and now you have a problem when I am?"
"Shh guys, I think they hear us" our mage cautiously warned.
"NO! enough" I jumped out of our hiding spot, sword raised high and a feral look in my eyes.
"ITS AN AMBUSH!" one of the bandits yelled.
Yeah, it is.
"Positions people" Aveline yelled though I definitely wasn't paying attention. I had launched a surprise attack against twenty or so bandits and chaos was beginning to set in both parties. Even though my charge was uncharacteristic, especially since I left the party without orders. My body hungered for violence. These past few days have been hard. It was like my body was full of energy with no on switch. I spotted the loudest bandit and dashed towards her.
Before her weapon left its sheath, her head was flying off. I dug my heals into the ground to slow down the arc of my swing as I reared my leg back. Two of the closest bandits tried to flank me, but my boot caught one of them in mid-air and my sword finished off the other. Underneath my helmet, a grin broke out.
This was why I still accepted these missions. Though this week had been hectic, most of the missions were talk-missions. All walk and no play. I couldn't explain how it felt but my body had this unyielding thirst for battle. The sounds, sights and smell of death. invigorating. Like waking up after 8 hours of sleep. I breathed in before stabbing a archer, trying to take in as much as the feeling as possible.
The archer's body fell, revealing red hair tucked behind a giant shield in the distance.
Aveline was near by.
A bolt whipped past me and through some poor soul's throat.
Varric.
I adjusted my grip, the bandits were regrouping and trying to focus their assault on the me. fools. I pushed forward, and swung with the might of 3 men and took out just as many.
The party was in full motion. We were just missing Isabela.
damn. I didn't like this, even on the battlefield I wasn't able to concentrate because of her.
I heard the landing of several bandits. Probably jumping from the roofs, I never understood how men wearing fifty pounds of armour could hop and jump gracefully from the roofs like some sort of well trained ballerina.
I began to give orders to fend off the second wave, when pain bit me from the behind. An assassin had materialized from the shadows and introduced their daggers to my glorious back.
"SONOFA-" I tried to swivel into a counter attack, but the sharpness of the turn and the pain eating at my flesh made twisting only half successful before I found the ground. The assassin would of continued his assault if Aveline wasn't a swift guard. She had rushed to my side before my body could bounce twice. Saving me a second taste of his daggers.
I writhed on the floor. I was usually the main target in our skirmishes, but lately everything from bumblebees, crazy bitch pirates to killer assassins had a personal vendetta against me.
As I waited for the healing magic to kick in. I scanned the battle field and noticed my party was running around like headless chickens. Only Anders seemed to have control of his wits and he was being chased around the field.
Four or so thugs had grouped and were overwhelming Aveline. Varric was caught in a dagger fight with another archer and my back was killing me.
" Haste now!"
"Varric, take care of the thug chasing Anders."
"Aveline, stonewall!"
"Dont worry the assassin is mine!"
I wanted to be the one to finish the asshole who stabbed me. Without confirmation I jumped into the confrontation. Aveline was mainly using her shield to battle and Varric slowly began to pick off at the thug bothering Anders.
I made a beeline for our guard, hacking away at the mob trying to flank her. My injury was slowing me down considerably and bandits just continued to pour from above.
"HASTE!"
Finally, I felt the icy prick of the magic spell, it crawled up my body before settling on my heart. It kicked into overdrive as the spell flooded me. I then spun on my boot with my two handed sword ready for blood. I started hacking anything that was foolish enough to engage with me.
That feeling came back again, the adrenaline was taking over. Whenever there was a combination of blood, magic and death. My entire body started to shake in excitement.
FIGHT ME! I yelled.
The assassin disengaged Aveline and returned to his original target. I was ready. I threw out my sword in a quick stab but only caught the assassin's sleeve. The assassin tried to pierce through my defence by staying close to the ground but I wasn't some second rate swordsman. Using the pommel of my blade I smacked him back in his place.
And outside close proximity. I knew better than anyone. Dual wielders knew how to get right inside you and gut you like a fish.
"tsh" I sneered. Not tonight though, no rogue was pulling anything over me. As we clashed, our weapons screamed as they met each other. again and again. The others could all be dead for all I cared at that moment. I was in a toe to toe fight and I was enjoying every second. Each time I swung, my blade nicked at his health. Each strike bit into his skin. Each blow testing our endurance. The opponent obviously didn't know who I was.
The champion of Kirkwall, baby.
I announced my victory when I moved into my grand manuver. I didn't come up with a name for it yet, but it sure needed one. My feet danced and the blade swung around erratically, showing off my speed. The assassin was blind sighted, my foot work was bloody perfect, each step moving into his defence, shredding at his confidence. Then just when the assassin thought I slipped up, my body surged upward, my blade ran vertical and I framed the sky for a second before my blade sunk into his skull.
The blood that gushed from the assassins head was surprisingly gratifying.
"Mission successful" I heard Varric cheer, my party stood a few paces behind, watching me as I finished the last bandit. The look I got from Aveline, reminded me of my mother. Concern, worry, disappointment all mixed together in a giant emotional stew.
Was there really anything wrong with enjoying violence? She moved towards me, I could tell there was a lecture on her lips but Varric postponed it.
"Anders can you look at Aveline's wound. An arrow seemed to have pierced her Guard armour"
I released a breath I didn't know I was holding. Moving slowly, my trusty dwarf helped me scrounge through the corpses. He found a belt and offered it up for a few silvers
I tried it on, it did look rather dashing.
"It's a little showoffy, don't you think?" the story teller asked.
The belt was filled with embroidery and a strange symbol as the buckle. "looks fine to me"
"you didn't usually use to like that sort of stuff"
"people change."
Author Note: Hello everyone who just finished Dragon Age 2. Feeling a little unfulfilled? wanted the characters to develop just a bit more? Yes. this is the solution; Wicked Grace.
For people wanting to know more about this story. Well, let me just say. It's not gonna be one of those sissy romance crap fluff balls of wordy word stuff. There will be romance but the story will focus more on a solid plot, character development and all the stuff that make a good read. My grammar is not spectacular but I think its good enough that it shouldn't be a problem. As always, reviews about characterization, flowery-writing bullshit and anything else will be much appreciated.
expect chapter 2 in a few days!
