"Elissa?" Wynne asked after a moment.
"I... it's just..." Elissa's eyes followed the woman as she made her way through the room in a triumphant strut. "One moment, please."
"Uhm, warden?" Zevran said lowly, but Elissa paid him no heed and approached the woman.
Her amber eyes focused on Elissa for a moment, then she looked past her and frowned.
"And look who we have here. Come to apologize for leaving me bereft of my lord husband and then vanishing without a trace?"
Elissa looked over her shoulder at Zevran, who appeared the slightest bit awkward.
"You know it was just business, Isabela." Then his voice went back to its normal silken smoothness. "Business that turned out well for you, I see. You inherited the ship, I take it?"
"Hm. I suppose I never did like the greasy bastard. And the Siren treats me far better than she ever did him."
Elissa looked from the one to the other.
"You two know each other?" she asked, a little breathlessly.
"Indeed. Elissa Cousland, this is Isabela, Queen of the Eastern Seas, and the sharpest blade in Llomerryn. And Isabela, my dear, you will no doubt be amused to discover that I am travelling with a Grey Warden."
Isabela turned to look at her, a small smile playing around her lips.
"A Grey Warden? Charmed."
"Your fighting skills are impressive!" Elissa said in a rush, feeling utterly silly.
"I assume you saw that little drama. None of these poor brutes has ever proven a match for me. They are too clumsy and predictable. I fight with quickness and wit, rather than with brute force and strength."
"I need to learn how to fight like that! Will you teach me?" Elissa found herself all but begging.
Isabela chuckled.
"An unusual request, coming from a fearsome slayer of darkspawn. I am flattered that you wish to learn from me, sweet thing. It will take you years of practice to achieve true mastery of the style, but I can teach you the basics. I do, however, wish to get to know my potential student better. So we shall call for a drink and you shall honor me with a game."
Elissa wanted to say that she didn't drink, but then faltered. Her mind raced.
"What kind of game?" she asked.
"Wicked Grace."
"I have never played that."
"Oh, it is easy to learn, but difficult to master. You must watch your opponent's moves as carefully as your own."
"Well, alright then," Elissa said meekly, feeling out of her depth.
"Excuse me, warden?"
She turned to Zevran.
"What is it?" she said impatiently, as Isabela went to get the drinks.
"Do you think this is wise? Isabela, she is not the kind of woman you wish to associate yourself with."
"Why not? Look, you go back to camp, I'll follow later. I'll be fine."
Zevran frowned.
"You are still in a brothel, you know that? And you've agreed to drink, even though you usually abstain, yes?"
"Elissa? What's the matter?" Wynne gave her a puzzled look.
"Can we go already? This place is making me want to take a bath," Alistair replied uncomfortably.
Elissa rolled her eyes.
"Look, all of you. That woman can teach me the most amazing fighting style I have ever seen. I'm a grown woman, I can take care of myself, you go back to camp."
"She will be cheating like nothing you've ever seen. If you let me stay, I could..."
"Just go, alright?"
They knew her well enough by now to know that there was no force in Thedas great enough to sway her, once she'd made up her mind.
"Well, alright then."
He followed Wynne and Alistair out, but when he passed Isabela with two tankards of ale in her hands, he stopped and talked to her for a moment. Elissa frowned. She couldn't hear them, couldn't see Zevran's face, but whatever he said, it made Isabela laugh, then nudge him playfully with a swing of her hips, before making her way over to Elissa.
"Whatever he said, please ignore him," she muttered, as they sat down.
Isabela chuckled.
"Well, we'll see, sweet thing."
Elissa took the tankard and sipped the bitter ale, trying not to wrinkle her nose.
Isabela explained the rules briefly, and it was easy enough to understand, but she was nervous, and bluffing had never been her forte. And the way Isabela stared at her made her feel utterly naked. She lost the first two rounds easily enough.
"Oh dear. Such an odd hand. None of your cards seem to match."
Isabela smirked and dealt new cards, then bent forward, head propped up on one hand, and looked at Elissa with an easy, teasing smile, honey-coloured eyes twinkling with mirth. Elissa found herself staring at her, oddly captivated. Then she felt something brushing against her left leg under the table and she jerked back, just to see Isabela's smile widen.
"You're not playing fair."
Isabela laughed out loud.
"Sweetness, if you want someone who's playing fair, you don't come to me. That's just not my style. And my style is what you're interested in, yes?"
"Yes, but I'm no good at this. This place is too distracting. You're too distracting."
Isabela laughed.
"You're quite a charming little thing, aren't you? We could always go somewhere quieter, but I'll still be there."
Elissa sighed deeply. She did want to learn how to duel, badly. And she did not want to make a fool of herself in front of Isabela. No more than she already had, in any case.
"Is there any other way..." she asked lowly.
"Hmmm." Isabela looked at her, raised one eyebrow. "You know, I usually wouldn't let you get away so easily. But I'm in a good mood today, the Pearl is getting a little too familiar, and you are a pretty thing. I'll teach you for a kiss."
Elissa almost fell backwards off the bench.
"A kiss?" she asked, voice too high.
Isabela raised her eyebrows.
"Yes, a kiss. You do know how to kiss, do you?" she asked, in obvious irony, but the look Elissa gave her made her eyes widen.
"Oh dear. You don't?" She looked torn between utter disbelief and fighting the urge to laugh. "Come on, we are in a brothel, and you're telling me you have never even kissed?"
"Well, yeah. I haven't," Elissa said, raising her chin defiantly.
Isabela laughed.
"Oh look at you, all sulky like that. Now that just makes me want to kiss you even more. In any case, that's my offer. A kiss, lips, tongue, everything. You'll never beat me at Wicked Grace, sweet thing."
Elissa closed her eyes briefly.
"Alright, but not here."
"Fair enough. We wouldn't have the space for me to work on your fighting style in here, anyway. My ship?"
Elissa just nodded mutely.