{Sten and Warden Drabbles}
I absolutely adore Sten! (Even though talking to him sometimes gives me a headache) And I believe my Warden does also. Hence I decided to write a world where romancing the stubborn Qunari existed.
These will be simple small pieces of writing on the two of them from origins, then an AU at the end where they meet years later.
That's what I have planned anyway. Fingers crossed.
It'll be rated mature for those later chapters.
{ Part 1 }
"Are you alright, Sten?"
The tiny elf woman looked up at him again. She was light on her feet, and he had almost been so deep in thought that he'd not noticed her until she'd been virtually beneath him.
He allowed her to get close, of course.
He tilted his chin down to meet her gaze. "You are concerned? No need."
Her brows knotted together. He was beginning to learn that she was a very stubborn woman, when the little thing wanted to be.
"You were in that cage for how long? We have healing potions, if you need some."
He recalled how she'd used the key to his cage he'd believed he would rot in. Far away from home, the sands of Seheron and with his soul lost. She'd offered him redemption, had not hesitated to approach him where he might reach through the bars and snap her neck before her companions could so much as blink.
He'd stumbled when he'd first stepped from his prison. The lack of sustenance had taken a strain on even his body towards the end. The elf had not said a word, instead had offered a hand to his elbow, as if she had any chance of keeping him upright.
His eyes had snapped to her, and he had all but yanked his arm away from her touch by the time he had control over himself again. He was angry at his own failures, not her.
Her eyes had widened slightly, and he had seen the pulse at her neck beat wildly, but she had not fled him or ordered the others to attack.
Now she stood before him, asking endless questions and enquiring after his health. She was odd. Even for an elf. And he was not entirely sure she was a woman - after all they did not fight. Yet sure enough there was a dagger, sword and bow attached to her person at one time or another.
Her skill with the weapons was more than he expected from one of her kind.
"I am fine, Warden," he ground out. Any other Qunari would have taken him at his word from the start - he knew himself better than anyone else, how far his body could go.
The tiny elf woman took her leave after looking him over once more. He'd taken to standing some distance from the fire, in his cloth clothes and staring into the forest. Meditations; to keep his mind sharp.
She returned not long later, and a growl escaped his lips. When his gaze landed on her, she was carrying a bundle which was obviously too heavy for her small form.
"These are for you," she said, having ignored his noise of anger.
There was a steel great sword placed over folded armour, and a brown paper bag on top of that. The boots were grasped in her fingers which looked to be struggling under the weight.
"Take them," she offered.
He eyed her a moment, watching her test her strength to hold his borrowed things. Then he reasoned that he needed a weapon to redeem himself, and so he reached over and took the bundle from her arms.
She let out a small sigh. Sten put the armour down, and lifted the sword. It felt wrong in his hand, and he spat out a gruntle curse in Qunlat.
The elf jumped a little. "Is it not right for you?" She asked, looking at his hand on the handle.
He could strike her down where she stood. Strike out in his own in an attempt to retrace his steps. The tiny elf woman stared up at him with little fear, even as the metal gleamed in the fire light, casting shadows over her pale face. He lowered the blade. He had made a promise to her. Foolish of him, maybe, but he did not go back on his word.
"It is sufficient for its use." She seemed even more confused by his out burst at that. Perhaps he'd tell her of his plight...one day.
She pointed to the bag. "There is food in there for you."
It was his turn to be puzzled by her. He placed the blade on the ground, and then retrieved the package. He opened it with clawed fingers and sniffed. It was some type of bread. Then his eyes widened when he recognised it - he'd seen some of the Elven viddathari eat it.
"Travel bread," she told him, noting his expression. "You look like you've seen it before. I had some left from when I left my clan. It will fill you up, and help heal your stomach after not eating for a long period of time."
He didn't know what to make of the gesture, at first. He sniffed the bread again.
The elf's hand came into view as she reached inside and took one of the rolls. He watched her blunt teeth as she took a bite and swallowed before replacing the roll inside the package, a small bite now missing.
"I wouldn't poison you, Sten. Though I know of how you feel. I insisted the humans tasted everything before I even ate a morsel of it."
That was a piece of information about herself, in a way. She was as forth coming with the others, as he was himself. He'd discovered this when he had listened to the others converse with her. They spoke of themselves much, and she asked questions where appropriate - the others rarely asked anything of her, it seemed.
The odd chance that they did, however, the elf answered honestly or refused to answer at all.
He looked down at the contents of the bag again. "It is unnecessary, but welcome."
She nodded, a small smile on her lips. "I will leave you to it."
Sten watched her go. She sat at the fire, and tried not to flinch when the humans sat around her.
He bent down to retrieve the armour, before heading out into the tree line to inspect it. He did not fear nakedness, but did not trust the others while he was pre-occupied with dressing.
Even as he entered the darkened woodland. He kept an eye on the elf with his heightened sight. She was an oddity, and he would do well to keep an eye on her.