Chapter 2.

In the tavern Sam sat at the same table from the night before where she sat thinking, and ordered a drink. "And keep them coming... please!" She was so hasty she had almost forgot her manners. She had downed two full tankards when The Iron Bull walked up to her table and began taking a seat saying in his jolly voice, "Finally! Something we have in common!" He waved his hand at the bar maid and she began preparing drinks. "I say we have a drink off!" The woman walked back with a few tankards on a tray and left them on the table, Bull lifted one and gestured it towards Sam for a cheers. Sam complied and they both threw the drinks back and chugged. Bull slammed the cup down, "Another!" Sam reached for the second tankard. 'Wow, these bloody things are strong. Gunna be a real struggle to maintain my friggin talkin.' Sam made the raised tankard gesture first. Bull laughed and slammed his glass into hers, sending her arm reeling back as she caught it with her lips and threw it back. She definitely felt it. Her cheeks were pink and warm and her eyes drew droopy. Bull spoke.
"Now that you're loosened up, tell me about you?"
"Not much to tell." Words seemed harder to speak. "Want to help Thedas."
"What about where you're from."
Sam heard footsteps approaching, followed by Sera's loud voice. "Drinkin' without me, aye?" She plopped herself in the cair next to Sam with a careless leg up on the table, grabbing a glass and drinking its contents without another word. "Gotta catch up, yeah?" She ushered for the bar maid and she brought over more drinks. Sera immediately grabbed a new glass and chugged it.
"Still haven't answered my question." Bull chorted.
"Ya know... Here an' there." She felt awkward, talking about her life was a way to set her up for ridicule, on top of that her composure was failing and keeping her accent under control was getting harder. She decided to keep sentences short to be safe. "Traveled a lot. Not much to tell, yeah?" She menatlly sighed knowing she let it slip again.
"Stories then!"
Most of the night went on in this fashion. Bull would tell a story, then Sera, and Sam would gladly give input. "Then that poor bastard had to strip his armor off just to get the damn thing out! Looked like a tiny peasant girl with how hastily he threw the armor off!" Bull laughed heartily at his own story, Sera and Sam joining in.
"You didn't even help him get the fish?!" Sam kept laughing.
"Probably too busy on the ground havin a good chuckle at him to help." Sera chuckled.
"Bingo!" Bull chimed. Sam couldn't control her laughter anymore and let out a small snort, causing the other two to laugh harder and she had to join.
"Any other stories, nub?"
"Hmm... There was this one time I was with my second in Orlais. It was just the two of us, and it was starting to get dark. We sat across the river and he told me he was starting to get hungry, so I cave him the last of my food. He was so busy thanking me that he didn't notice the crow that was swooping down. He went to take a bite, but the crow flew by and grabbed it right out of his hands! The look on his face was priceless!" She chuckled and the other two laughed.
"I can only imagine!"
"Wow, nub, all your stories are real good, yeah?"
Sam smiled.
After some time, Bull had managed to move over and passed out in front of the fireplace and Sam was singing along to old songs with the bard of the Tavern. Sera sat on the edge of the table they had claimed with their drinks, watching on, thinking to herself.
'Total loon, yeah? Kinda cute, innit? When she let's go like that. What the piss am I saying? Drinks are going everywhere fast.' Sam walking towards her brought her back to reality. Sam staggered a bit, hat tilted, buckle on the strap itting her on the cheek and she swayed trying to keep control. 'Can't even stand, this one. Adorable.' Sam stopped infront of her and said in a singsong voice, "Helloooo." Sera laughed. "What'cha want, nubby?" "You-" Sera felt heat rise to her cheeks as Sam pointed at her. "...have been sitting here quiet for almost an hour." Sera's smile returned slightly more mischevious. "Didn't feel like makin' an arse of myself like some of us, yeah?" She stared at Sam then looked to Bull. Sam laughed in an unorganized manner. "Can't feel mah hands."
"You're absolutely piss-faced, oh mysterious one."
"I never learned about you either."
"Like?" Sera smiled.
"Where are you from?"
"Like you. Around."
"Seems we have a lot in common."
"It's all good, innit?"
They smiled at eachother. Sam's smile faded on one side and she walked towards Sera. Sera could feel the heat return to her cheeks. Sam seperated her knees quickly and fell between them, slipping slightly and letting her lips land on Sera's. She had tried to speak before but was cut off by the feeling of lips on hers. She felt confusion, yet arousal. She arched her back in surprise, forcing her hips to press against Sam's. 'What's all this? What'm I doin'?' She reached her left arm up and wrapped it around grasping the back of Sam's neck. 'Piss. Can't control my body.' She felt Sam's tongue beg for entrance into her mouth and she inaudibly gasped and allowed it, reaching her right hand up to cradle her cheek. 'Piss, fuck, shite, listen body... Oh, good snog though.' She ran her hand further under the hat and it fell to the ground. She caressed her hair and felt a poking on the side of her thumb and something smooth and cold, Something was on her ear... She pulled away and turned Sam's head with her hand grasping her chin. There before her Sam's pointy ear sat, with a large metal loop at the tip, an X tattooed in the space between ear and eye. "You're a bloody elf, thought you were human, nub." Sam's eyes widened as she broke free of her grasp, diving for the hat. Things seemed to move in slow motion for Sera as she stared at Sam's other ear, the pointy tip clearly cut off at an angle. Her heart sank slightly that someone had hurt this woman. Sam's leg brushed Sera's knee as she bent down, further embarassment filled her core when she realized her head was still between Sera's legs. She fell backwards landing on her rear. She shoved the hat back on her head and and shuffed frantically with all four limbs to run to and up the stairs. 'That was odd. Good snog though.' She smiled as she hopped off the table.
Sam reached her level and slammed herself onto the cot clutching the hat with both hands, afraid of losing it again. She breathed in deeply, and upon exhale she shivered trying to surpress her tears. She heard a creak behind her and shot up, Sera walked into the dim candle light with a glass. "Ran off so fast couldn't offer you water, yeah?" "Why are you here, Sera? I wish to be alone." "Oh, your posh accent is back again." Sam growled under her breath. "I mean, we were just snogging up a storm, then I questioned your elfy bits and you ran off." "I don't wish to speak of it now." "Well I wish to speak of it, why's one missin', nub? Lose a bet?" Sera had moved closer and knelt before Sam, handing her the glass. Sam roughly grabbed the glass and threw it at the wall. Sera jumped at the loud sound of the collision. "Dont. Don't ever speak of them again. Especially to anyone else." Sam stood and stared down at Sera, eyes strained into slits. "Do I make myself clear, Sera?"
"What's yer bloody problem, gettin' heated with me? I'm not yer bloody elfy slave you can just boss around, nub."
"I told you I don't wish to speak of it." She hissed, glaring at Sera. "Especially not with you, or any elf for that matter."
"How dare you lump me together with the rest of those elfy bastards!"
"Don't be a fool. Elves only look kindly on their own kind. Humans throw pity around like it's a disease but elves would rather I be dead than taint their 'rich culture' with my tainted breeding." Sam closed her eyes and looked away in anger, clutching her fist. Sera fell silent absent of any good comebacks. "You have no idea what it's like to be rejected from two sides of who you are. To carry the blood of two seperate things and be rejected by both."
Sera's face softened, she knew rejection. What Sam said was true. It hurt to be rejected by everyone because of your upbringing. She tried to speak.
"Nub..."
"No, Sera. Go." Sam looked at her with pain. "Go away."
The words hit Sera like a gust of wind and carried her to the stairs and guided her down. She felt kind of out of her body over everything that had just happened, and she closed her door behind her. Sam flopped back on her cot.
'Sera is bound to tell the others.' She pulled her blanket up and attempted to sleep on the cot. 'Looks like I tell everyone tomorrow.'
When she woke the next morning she barely felt like time had passed. Sun didnt shine very brightly this high on the building, just a sliver from a high window in the corner. Which Sam was under, facing the cot. What really gave morning away was the chatter in the tavern of all the early rising soldiers. Sam stumbled down the starirs, staring at Sera's closed door her entire journey down the steps. When she reached the main floor she let out a sigh. "Morning, champ!" Bull yelled. Apparently while deep in her staring she didn't realize she had walked down the stairs to be directly infront of Bull and Cassandra. She jumped and stared wide eyed at the Quinari. "What the p- Maker..." She put a hand to her chest. "Scared me so bad I swear I was talking to him." Bull chuckled, Sam smiled weakly. "Andraste's breath, You smell like you've bathed in ale and you look like a walking corpse. What happened to you?" Cassandra asked. "Drink off..." She mumbled. Bull laughed louder and Cassandra shook her head, fighting her urge to smile. Sam sent a playful glare then grew serious.
"I was wondering if I could... talk to everyone. In private. Your inner party. I just wanna get something off my chest about something and I want the higher ups to know from me."
"Whatever about?"
"I'll explain then."
"Alright. I'll inform everyone, meet in Josephine's office when you are ready. Bull, help me spread word, will you?"
"You got it, boss."
They both left the tavern. Sam followed soon after and went into the castle to find a wash room. She removed her hat and splashed water on her face. She stared at her reflection in the dim water. 'My own family couldn't accept this, why should they?' She smoothed her hair back and returned the hat to her head walking to the Ambassador's office. She stood outside briefly, staring at the handle. 'What am I doing?' She abruptly turned the handle forcing herself into a position she couldn't back out of. She scanned the room. Everyone but Sera had shown up. She felt slight relief. 'I got here first.' She moved her body to the front of the group and felt a small panick rise. It caused her to jump a little at the sound of Sera barging in. 'Great.' Even the voice in her head sounded annoyed. She felt her face showing that wmotion but couldn't fight it. "Now that everyone is here, let's get started." She sighed slightly.
"I know I'm new here and I've yet to do anything note worthy..."
"Last night was note worthy to me, champ! You've got the drinking tolerance of a Quanari!"
Sam couldn't help but smile, but it soon faded.
"I know I haven't proven myself, but I want to get something out of the way. Me. Who I am. I'm hoping that by hearing it from me will make it easier to accept. I've been keeping one secret through my adolescence and trying to hide it best I could."
She surveyed. Everyone looked intent on listening, except for the worried faces on both Leliana and Sera.
"Nub..." Sera spoke.
Leliana tried too, "Sam, you dont hav-"
"No. I do."
'Nubby, I can help you hide this if you're scared.'
Sam reached for her head. 'Nub...' She pulled the hat away and turned to reveal her good ear.
"My mother was born into a noble clan in the Free Marches. As time grew on she felt fondness for one of the humans she came across. Once her first husband passed, she fled with him and they had me. And my brother. Father being a human, mother being an elf, it was a shock my brother was born with full elf blood. I on the other hand was left with taint as I teetered on the fence of never quite being either." Everyone was quiet, giving sympathy with their body language. "I've received much ridicule, exile, and punishment for my mixed blood." She straightened her head to show her cut ear. "This is why I ran from home at a young age. All through Ferelden. Lothing. Denerim. Even Orlais."
Leliana chimed in, "Lothering."
"Lothering, yes. Sorry. This is why I've hidden it. But... I'm tired now." Sam sighed and she felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She looked up to be eye to eye with Cassandra. "This matters not. You wish to help Thedas. That is reason enough to accept you." Sam smiled. "Even though my blood is mixed? You realize running from home makes you turn to theivery."
Varric chimed in, "Sera was a theif and we tolerate her as best we can."
"Oh, shove off, shorty." She yelled shoving his shoulder, leaving abruptly.
"What's with the tattoo though? If you left the clan why do you have one?" Varric spoke.
"It's actually something my entire company has. My little band of thieves." Sam chuckled. "It wasn't voluntary, this is how a man in Denerim marked us as thieves, guards were actually pissed he was doing this to children." She just smirked. "Makes me look like a pirate, huh?"
Sam couldn't help but bask in the acceptance as they chuckled. Everyone began to exit and head towards the courtyard. Sam lingered a bit and exited after everyone had gone. She stepped out of the door and saw Sera leaning against the wall across from her. She walked over to her and began to speak.
"Look, Sera..."
"Shut it." Sam was taken back. "You look, yeah? All yer life, pain? Sadness? Joke? Fun, innit? Me? Same. Orphaned, Patron was a bitch. Left. Traveled. Stole. Looked down on. Not like other elves, yeah? We're not so diff'rent, nub."
Sam sank. "I'm... I'm sorry. I've just kept a lot of feelings about this topic inside for so long and... I really shouldn't have been so cross with you."
"Too late, nub. Tried to talk, yeah? Rejected. By someone who gets it. Pain? This is pain."
She pushed herself off the wall and brushed past Sam bumping their shoulders together. Sam accepted it and let her pass, looking at the ground. She looked up to watch Sera exit the castle. 'Fuck...' She walked the same direction and noticed a two soldiers walk past, women. She followed them and put her arms on their shoulders, introducing herself and flirting. Sera watched from her window, clearly irritated. 'What the bloody hell, nub...'