MOON SAYS: Last Origins chapter posted; I don't know when I will get time to write more seeng as I should have been doing school work. I'm a little behind.
NOTES: about her name: Mortia. In Latin, which is what Tevene is based off of (so I've heard) Mortis/Mors is the name of Death. So I kind of made both into a name. I figure Hawke's mother doesn't know the language and in this fic, this is where daddy Hawke is from. So that's the language, now for the name…that is because he knows his debt with the Crows, and they show up, so he names his child after her future job.
Pages: 15
Words: 7, 328
Posted: 17 Feb 2015
~The Wolf and the Rave~
~Chapter 1: Dragon Age Origins Part 2~
"So, Hawke, do you know anything about this Urn of Sacred Ashes?" Elissa asked me.
We were in camp trying to figure out what to do next when she called on me. Damn it, she was using that tone again.
"Hawke?" Liliana asked. "You're name is Hawke? I thought it was Mora…or Raven."
I sighed and leaned against the tree I was standing against. "My parents named me Mortia (you say it Mor-ta) Hawke. Hawke is my last name, which means Blondie over there is pissed at me. Is this about not waiting to go castle hunting? There were zombies running around; I had to stop it, and you weren't there."
"No, da'len, it's about the blood magic," my Master answered for his boyfriend. Elissa was more like a guy anyway, so I called her his boyfriend. Even if it was in my mind, I called for payback for calling me that. I'm not a child…but he uses it when he scolds me.
"I already told Alistair my point on this, go talk to him. I won't say it again. Now as for the Urn, why not go ask that guy who writes all those books about the world because he can't sit still…the Brother whatsit."
The Bard knew what I was talking about. She said he lived in Denerim, so we headed there. While there, though, my cousin had a few personal problems on her hand. Alistair wanted to see his sister, and the Bard was being hunted. While she took care of that, I headed off with Sten and Morrigan to find out about the Urn. They couldn't care less about what was going on. My Master though seemed to be attached at her hip. And when I leveled him with a look, he came with me.
"You're ignoring me," I muttered to him as we headed through city.
"Are you jealous?" he replied back just as quietly. "You know that no one can replace you."
"Even a fuck buddy?" I snapped and ignored him for the rest of the walk.
What had happened in the Fade, both times, had hit me hard. It reawakened my fear of being alone. That was someone me and…someone I couldn't remember had in common. We had been alone in the beginning and it was only with each other that we really found someone who would stay. The Guardians had come after we meet. It was…the Wolf would have helped me get them out. He helped me remember.
I shook off those thoughts and continued on with the journey. We had things to do.
~Wolf and Raven~
"Is that a dragon? We are going to sneak around it…right?" my Master questioned his boyfriend.
I looked at the Dragon and at the Temple. "If we could sneak past it to get to the Temple, we still will have to fight it when we leave it. Do you want to fight it while holding an urn? If there is an Urn?"
Elissa agreed with me.
And that at is when I helped take down my first dragon. Sigh, it was glorious.
"We are ridiculously awesome," was all Zev had to say after we fought the thing.
When we got to the Temple, I stopped. Something was making me uneasy. The Warden noticed. "What's wrong?" she asked, instantly on edge.
I tried to find the words. "There is too much magic in there. Besides, what if more of those freaking dragon-lovers come? I'm staying out here to make sure nothing disrupts you."
Elissa nodded, she thought it was a good plan. "Sten, will you stay with her? Zevran, you come with me."
After half an hour, I cracked. "Maybe we should have gone in…it's boring."
Before my Qunari friend could say anything, they came out…looking like someone had just fucked with their head. Boring is okay for me. I don't need any more of problems with my head.
Zev and I guided everyone back to the start of the temple, and the Brother was waiting for us.
"It's real…we need to tell everyone. The Divine must be told first," and then he went on and on and I started to think. After all the shit we went through with fanatics, I don't think anyone should be coming here. So, to prevent mass-panic and more fanatics, I took one of my trusty daggers and threw it at the back of his head.
"Good shot, but why did you kill the harmless Chantry fellow?" my Master curiously asked me.
"I hate fanatics," was my only reply before I stepped over the dead man's body, lighted it on fire, and walked down the mountain.
~Wolf and Raven~
I stayed at camp when they took the ashes back to the old man to heal him. It wasn't because I was ashamed of using blood magic or that I felt guilty for what I did, I just didn't feel like listening to Alistair.
When they came back, they said we were to call the Landsmeet and what I heard after that was that we would fuck up people. Fun.
What actually happened was we spent a week gathering support from the Nobles and rescued to Queen of Ferelden—who was only Queen because her dad was a badass and she married into. Her husband had died at Ostagar, and she was until on the throne.
When Morrigan and I heard of the plan to put Alistair on the throne…we keep our faces and veins filled with ice until we left the room and couldn't control ourselves.
"This country is doomed," was all we said before we had to go off and save someone who later turned on us. I couldn't wait till we killed her.
But before she turned on us, we had to go save her. And in the process, I got to kill Howe. I had never taken more pleasure in killing someone before. Maybe that bastard Magister that thought he could use me for his ritual.
~Wolf and Moon~
After the battle with the Archdemon, I was seriously surprised that my cousin was going to be Queen. Wasn't she in love with Zevran? And then Morrigan was gone.
There was shit going on that no one was telling me about. I was kind of upset, but I didn't say anything. I held my tongue. I didn't say anything when he ignored me more and more for her. It was how these things worked. If you weren't sexual involved with someone, they left you for someone who was.
I was okay with it, though. The Blight was over, and I would soon be with my family—as soon as he could separate himself and take me. While Elissa could be understanding about my situation, there were times, when it interfered with what she wanted, that she grew a tad bit angry.
Like how I wanted to go to Kirkwall to find Carver, and she didn't want to go but wouldn't let Zev go. That was how for three more months I was stranded with her in a place I never wanted to return: Amarantine. Not after with happened with….
Sigh.
~Wolf and Raven~
"So, I survived being a Warden and so did you. And you're a mage…or half mage, whatever you want to call it. How about we—" Anders started before I cut him off.
"Do you see that rogue with the two shiny daggers on his back?" I pointed for good measure. "You saw what he did last night, right? He's really good with those." When Anders swallowed, I felt some pleasure in his suffering. "He is overprotective of me. Last time someone flirted with me, that wasn't him, he cut their hands off. Or a hand. I can't remember; there was a lot of blood."
Anders looked torn between him and me before he sighed. "Can I least be friends with you?"
I blinked, shocked at what he asked me. I…did really have friends? Did Cullen even count now that he didn't want to speak to me? "Why not?"
Elissa called me over and asked me to go check on the prisoner. "I've got to see about making this place more fortified. Whatever you think should be done is okay. Take Zev with you, I'm tired of him whining about the Warden thing. It's not like you're a full Warden anyway."
I nodded and headed to the little jail area. When I went inside and saw who was there, my heart stopped. I told the Guard and Zev to leave.
Zev saw who it was, and he knew I needed to do this alone. When he left, I knew he trusted me with the prisoner to the point that if need be, he would be my Arvaarad. We both knew that the man behind the bars had no problem hurting me.
The man didn't even look up as I walked in before he started speaking, but judging from his words I could tell he saw my shadow. "So you're the hero of the Blight. I thought you'd be ten feet tall with Lightning shooting out of your eyes. Somehow I expected my father's murder to be more impressive than a small girl not even of average height. I am Nathanial Howe, and my family owned these lands before you murdered my father and took them. Do you even remember my father?"
So I was barely over five foot tall, big deal. I chuckled darkly from my spot against the shadowed wall. "I imagine the Darkspawn think so, alas I am not the Hero of the Blight, but I am the one who murdered your father. It's tough remembering everyone I've killed, but he holds a special place in the heart of my cousin and I. Elissa beat the shit out of him, and I delivered the final blow. She did get a little angry with me since I killed him, but watching him bleed out and hearing his pitiful rants of how he deserved Highever and everything else he gained through betrayal. I think he said something along the lines of "I deserved it all.'"
As his mind began to connect the dots, I moved out of the shadows. Nathanial could not control his thoughts. I saw the horror cross his face along with something I didn't want to name.
"I can't tell. Is it seeing me and knowing what I've done, along with Elissa of course, is so horrifying or is it the thought that your father may have deserved his fate a few times over?" I questioned with a humorous tone in my voice.
I'm a bitch, I know, but he had hurt me so much…I had loved Nathanial and was willing to be a housewife for him. I would have quit being a Crow, an assassin; I'd have abandoned my family and my Master all for him. And when he overheard me one night, he ran like a little bitch.
"Mora," he whispered as he got up and tried to become one with his bars on his cell. "What…I don't understand…"
I sighed as I went to the table near the cell and sat on it. "What part? The part where he invaded, murdered, and took over Highever when there was a call for arms at Ostagar to stop the Blight? Or the part where he hired assassins not only to kill the remaining Couslands but also to kill all Grey Wardens left alive. Or maybe the part where Elissa and I took our blood-vengeance for the pain and blood he has split in our family?"
Nate seemed to lose his strength, rage, and hate the more I spoke. I could see the confliction in his eyes; he knew I would never lie to him, but to hear how far his father had fallen? It must be tearing him in two. I remember how he worshiped his father, even though the man was a bastard. Howe had changed, and Nate was always blind to it. Maybe this pain was enough to let him feel what I felt.
"Elissa is the Warden who defeated the Archdemon. She is now Commander of the Grey and Arlsa of Amarantine. Since this Keep needs to be repaired to stay standing, she has given me the authority, as her second in command, to deal with the prisoner that, from what we heard, a few good men died to protect during the attack." My voice was clearly iced, professional, and clinical. I tried not to take too much pleasure when I saw him wince.
I decided to take pity on him because just seeing him here…was hurting more than I'd like to admit. "Why did you come back, Nat…Nathaniel?"
The dark haired man swallowed hard as he gripped the bars tighter. "I…it's been over a year since I've received any news. Then there was the Blight. I had come to see who was left alive, what damage was done. But when I came and heard…I decided to come kill yo—the Warden, the one they call the Hero of Ferelden. Yet when I got here, I just wanted to have something of my family." Nathaniel paused as struggled with a way to say what he wanted. "I'm glad you're okay. I was worried especially when the letters stopped mentioning you. Mother said even when your family came around with the Couslands, you were never with them—though they had only been by once or twice."
My eyes had to have shown my confusion. "Why do you care? You left. When I came back a few days later and you were gone—Elissa said she saw you, so I know you overheard Zev and I—I was so thankful my Master had interrupted us and we didn't…" I couldn't even say it.
"You thought I left because of you?" Nathaniel's voice carried his disbelief. "I left for you. You had agreed to marry me, and as the Howe heir, you would have been left to be a housewife. After I overheard the two of you, I realized why you were so different from other girls. That is why I knew you wouldn't have liked it as a housewife, that it would kill you. I also knew," his voice lowered, "that I couldn't understand you. You were an assassin, how much had you gone through in only sixteen years? But whatever it was, I could not match it, I couldn't understand you. So I asked father to send me to the Free Marches as an apprentice so I could come back with knowledge to match you or at least compare. I didn't leave because I was disgusted. I left because I loved you and I wanted to be someone you wouldn't regret being tied to."
I couldn't even look at him. Was this true? Had I been wrong all this time? What was I supposed to do or even say to that? For years, I thought…but now it doesn't matter. In that moment, I felt as if all my years had caught up with me, and I was just so damn exhausted.
I hopped off the table and picked the lock. The idiot guard didn't give me the key. After I picked it, it was easy; I realized that that cell hadn't been used in a long time. I opened the door and started to walk toward the exit. My hand was on the door when I said quietly that I almost thought he didn't hear me. "Just go."
My hand had barely turned the handle when he snorted at me. "And where would I go? I only came back to Ferelden a month ago. What would I do? Who would take me in? I have nothing. My name means nothing thanks to whatever went on with my father."
"The King would take you in," I suggested weakly.
"Yeah, I'm sure King Alistair the husband of the woman my father tried to have killed on a least three separate occasions would give a Howe a second chance," was Nate's sarcastic reply. Ah, I've missed that.
"If I asked him, he would. Alistair is a friend."
"A friend?" Nathaniel's tone suggested he thought otherwise.
"I'll make him an offer he can't refuse like…me not calling him adorable for a while. He used to beg me to not call him that," I smiled and gave a small giggle at that.
"A friend that's adorable? Does the Queen know?" the Howe bitterly asked.
I turned and really looked at him. He was right; he was a Howe, where would he go? The only places he could go to make a life for himself would be one where names don't matter, or at least, one where either his name didn't matter or they didn't know it. But what would happen when the people around him found out?
I had three choices: let him go, kill him, or conscript him. The one best for him would be one where he didn't have to hide.
I opened the door and saw the guard running to me with two following hot on his trail. "My lady, the Warden Commander is here to hear your judgment."
I moved aside and let the three through. Elissa made the guard stay outside. For both their credit, Elissa and Nathaniel didn't say anything as they stared the other down.
"What is your judgment, Warden Captain?" Elissa asked. I blinked at the title. It seemed she was going by how the Templars did their ranks. As she locked eyes with me, I knew she was going to go by whatever decision I made. But I could tell she was warning me not to let emotion rule me. Fool. All my decisions were made because of emotion.
I only hesitated for a second. "We're going to conscript him."
Neither of my childhood friends said a word, though I could practically feel his surprise and her approval. My Master just watched with a blank face taking it all in. They kept their silence all the way back to the throne room where Elissa repeated my judgment.
The old man we saved on the battlements appraised Nathaniel. I didn't really care to remember his title or his name. His job was to interact with Elissa not me. "So, I hear it took at least three Grey Wardens to capture you."
"My time abroad wasn't just spent chasing skirts and drinking wine. I am not without my skills."
"Just chasing skirts," I repeated with snort and shook my head.
The Howe Heir (or former considering the name is no better than shit right now) groaned, and tried to pled with me. "A poor choice of words, I didn't mean "just." Mora, I—"
"No. She isn't Mora or Mortia. She is your Commander…when I'm not being your Commander. You are to be a Warden now." Elissa quickly interrupted. She remembered and knew me well enough to know that sparing him, let alone having him join the ranks, was going to hurt me deeply. I was to see the man who broke my heart every day. And now he says that he was fucking other girls just after he said he left not because of but for me, and that he still loved me.
I saw Anders' head snap back and forth between looking at me and the Howe. I could already see the wheels turning in his head. It was obvious that we knew each other and something had happened between us.
"Oohh, I can see it now. Such sexual tension in the room. Underling Warden helps Baby Warden Commander master her taint. Or does Underling Warden take control and not help Baby Warden Commander do the mastering but doing the mastering of her taint himself," the drunk dwarf chuckled. He just made my head spin.
"That's not fair! You said the elf wouldn't let anyone near you…I want to help master her taint," The blonde mage muttered the last bit. At least his brain could tell what the fuck the dwarf said because it took until my Mater replied to understand.
Said elf blinked for a second before going back to sharpening his daggers. "Does the mage or archer wish to help me test the sharpness of my blades, hmm? If not, I will be more than happy to help you master your taint. After all, my room isn't too far from either of yours nor is it far from here actually."
I took a deep breath. "Do you have to hit on everyone? Can't you keep it in your pants or at least keep your mouth shut, Master? Besides, what would your boyfriend think if you started jumping bed partners?"
Zev was too used to my scolding and just waved me aside, of course sometimes I find myself guilty of egging him on...like I was about to do. "You weren't saying that last night when you crawled into my bed. Ah, I remember how soft and warm your skin was when you laid next to me. Our bodies were so close. I must say, it was quite warm in the bed last night. Maybe being a Warden heats up your body. We should test it again to make sure."
I smirked. "You wish my skin was bare enough for you to get a feel of it."
"Alas, poor Zevran will die without getting a feel of that lovely, soft, delicate—"
"Enough! I don't want to hear you lamenting about the baby assassin's skin! Disgusting." Oghren spat.
Anders and Nate were so fucking confused I couldn't help but do soft coughing laughs. "You know, old man, it's your fault for bringing up me and sex near each other in the first place with him in earshot," I jerked my thumb at my Master, "besides, if you thought of me as a baby sister, you really shouldn't be putting my name anywhere near sex unless it's "She's a virgin.'"
"If you die a virgin, such a horrible crime, I will find a Necromancer to raise you from the dead, so as to correct it," Zev assured me. "Or if you decide at any time that you would prefer to lose it, I will put aside my feelings for you as a sister and take on the terrible burden."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh please, Master, like you would touch me even if I begged."
"Begging is fun and so are chains when the two are paired together," he responded. "Are you still taking notes? You should be able to write a book by now."
I continued on like he didn't interrupt me. "Besides, who said I'm a virgin? You have left me alone with Cullen for more than enough time on quite a few occasions."
Zev dropped the dagger he was holding and narrowed his eyes at me. "If he touched you, he will find that abominations and mages are nothing compared to this rogue."
Elissa cleared her throat. "Are you done egging them on? I'd like to make him do the ritual before we head out to Amarantine. There are supplies that the keep needs…"
~Wolf and Raven~
"So, are you really a virgin? You must be of age by now…you are of age, right?" Anders poked at me as we were on our way to the city nearby. We had waited a day because so Nathaniel could recover because, as Elissa saw it, he was more familiar with this place than we were—even if he hadn't been here for a few years.
As I considered his question, I saw a flash of my fingers digging into a head of silver hair as the body attached to it slammed into me with enough force for me to cry out, only for that to be cut off my a harsh kiss. I blinked and the image and everything with it was gone.
I peaked over at Anders, who was walking beside me, and saw Nathaniel out of the corner of my eye looking like he wasn't listening but he was. "Does it matter?"
"Of course it does! If you haven't, it is a crime as the elf said and I would be eager to help. As a Healer, I can say without a doubt it is healthy for adults to engage in such behavior. Physical benefits as well as emotional. If you have, then I must insist that you do any and everything to stay healthy. Either way, as a Healer, I have your best interests at heart and wish to help in any way I can," the blonde winked at me, and I saw his earring flash. Huh. I hadn't noticed it.
I just laughed and turned around in a circle, my arms twirling with me. "You are quite adorable, but alas I think I'd like you whole." I titled my head toward my Master would wasn't that far and was definitely in hearing range.
The elf whistled while he put his arms behind his head, not so subtly touches his daggers. "Ah, my dear Warden, is it not a good day for bloodshed?"
Elissa laughed and peaked at Anders who looked slightly scared. "It is always a good day for bloodshed, dear elf. Speaking of which," Anders went to hide behind me at that, "I think some fun is heading our way."
When she said that, I knew it was code. She had spotted something. I looked without making it known and stretched out my senses.
"What do you think, my lovely Raven?" Zev asked me.
I felt at least two mages and four other humans approaching us from the right. I laughed as I grabbed a knife from my left boot, twisted and threw it where it hit a mage about to attack as it peaked around a tree it was using for protection.
"I think the fun has only just begun."
~Wolf and Raven~
"You can't have both of them and not me as well!" I growled, tried of this conversation.
Elissa said it would be better to split up like we did before. It would make things faster. She'd take the Woods, thank the Maker (poor Zev if he followed her again, he hates forests), and the swamp area where the other Warden had gone missing. I was to finish up Amarantine as well as go into the Deep Roads. Even though I didn't like the Deep Roads, a part of me wished I had gone down with her in Orzammar…it sounded so much bloody fun.
But the problem here is that she wanted Zev and Nate. In the week it took to handle busy in Amarantine and get back to Vigil's Keep, I had come to terms with Nate and what happened, so much so that I told him about the whole being a mage and not being a mage thing. He had agreed to help me anyway he could, at first he thought it was to keep me calm and not let the magic overwhelm me, but I had asked him to be my makeshift Arvaarad.
This was one of those very few, rare, times that she got pissed at me for needing this.
"I don't see what the problem is! You don't even need a watcher, and neither does Anders. You don't see Anders asking for a Templar. It's been years since it happened to you, and I have seen you cast magic less than the number of fingers on one hand! Just take Oghren and do the tasks I assigned."
I glared at her. "Before you sent me with a whole freaking team and now you just send me one? What if something happens?" then I paused, laughed, and straightened. "And you don't give a fuck. We may be blood, but I guess certain liquids are thicker than blood." I snarled at her, trying to keep my temper under control. I could feel my jealousy rise back up. I wasn't blind. Ever since we had first met Nathaniel, she had had her eye on him. The only reason she never pursued him was because of the fight she didn't want to be housewife. She may have been married to Alistair but that didn't stop her from fucking Zev. And her jealousy had reared during the Blight quite a few times when she saw that Alistair was having a good time with me or that Zev wanted to stay with me instead of going with her.
And now it was happening again. Did she really want to risk me dying just because she didn't want to keep her legs closed?
My Master walked straight up to me, grabbed my chin and jerked it up. "Da'len, now." Zev said it calmly and even with no change from his teasing and fun tone he usually spoke with but I could see his eyes. He knew. He knew what I was feeling. He knew that it would only be just a little more before I probably snapped.
I could handle death, torture, and murder quite well, but betrayal? Never. And that is what it was feeling like to me. She wanted to keep them to herself, and, on an off chance, she would rather have me die than give them up.
Was it my fault that I was possessive? I have had very little in my life and the few things I have had, I held onto like the world would end if it left my hands. I may not have done anything to that whore after she stole Ma'Lath, but that didn't mean—
My thoughts were cut off when my Master repeated himself.
Zev wasn't blind; he could see the buildup in my eyes and no doubt feel it. As I turned from him and walked off, I saw that Nathaniel and Ander's eyes were wide. I understood that Anders could feel it, he was a mage after all, but if the other rogue could feel my magic as well…that meant I was getting out of control. And now Master was going to beat it out of me. Or try to at any rate.
~Wolf and Raven~
So I decided that maybe asking for Anders instead of Nate might have been the better option, especially when we went into the Deep Roads. My blades didn't do much against the golem. Now they did wonderfully well against the chains that held a giant crate thing that squashed a bunch of broodmothers.
Well, I guess that was the Maker's way of making up to me for me not going into the Deep Roads before. Instead of one broodmother, I got to kill four of them. And a giant golem instead of a group of medium sized ones.
I ended up using a lot of Ice magic on it, but I think that was a good thing. Flemeth once told me that a mage shouldn't suppress their magic for a long period of time. She said something about the build up and possible explosion. Either way it felt good; one might imagine it felt like sex.
The memory flashes again…not quite like sex then, but somewhat close.
After finishing errands in that stupid city, we headed back to Vigil's Keep, and my cousin hadn't returned. So I end up initiating the dwarf girl, one that Oghren cannot stop flirting with, and then we head down into the crypts below the keep to waste time…and keep the Darkspawn out. Apparently, there were Deep Roads tunnels beneath the keep. We sealed those up, but first, to get down there, we had to desecrate some Howe tombs.
That was not partially fun, at least with a Howe present. Although he understood.
"Keeping the keep safe is more important that a few dead bodies."
Either way, robbing the dead kind of took on a whole new meaning when they fought back. That was an awkward conversation with Nate. He said a few bodies didn't matter, that they wouldn't care—they were dead. No wonder his mother told him not to go down there and play in the Crypts.
~Wolf and Raven~
Elissa was having a really shitty day. She had been told Amarantine was under attack but she was afraid that it was a trap. And it was. It was a good thing she sent me to the city and stayed at the keep.
She did feel a little bad so she let me have Anders. I took him, Nate, and Oghren and we saved the city! For a little bit anyway. It'll probably destroy itself soon enough.
She stayed at the keep with my Master, the female dwarf—who was glad to be away from Oghren—a crazy Dalish mage, I wasn't sure if I liked her or not, and a Sprit that she should have let me send back to the Fade.
I had a nice little ritual floating in the back of my brain one that I was prepared to use, even if I didn't know where it came from, but I knew it would work. It was either that or destroy the body, but she wouldn't let me do either. When she said, the ritual disappeared from my brain to not return for like more than eight years. By then it was too late and, well, the world burned.
I warned her that it was a mistake to let a Spirit leave the Fade like this.
"There is an order that needs to be kept," I hissed at her. "Certain Spirits cannot handle this side, and they will be perverted! He will become a demon, mark my words. This kind of Spirit cannot handle this world, especially one of Justice. He will go insane because he can't really make a difference." I looked her straight in the eyes. "When this goes to hell, because it will, it will be your fault. Are you ready to shoulder the blame for whatever he does in the name of Justice?"
She shrugged me off, and said, "I'll keep an eye on him. He'll be fine. We need him right now. Besides, if we wait a bit nature will fix the problem for us."
Nature was going to but people are fuck ups.
We got back to Vigil's Keep before dawn broke out and Elissa was relieved to find us safe and okay.
"Apparently, the "Father" has sent us an invitation." Elissa greeted me as we came into the walls. Bodies were everywhere. As we passed, I light them on fire. I still had enough magic left to make sure nothing else happened—like the Blight spreading.
I nodded. "We will be going underground I take it. If we are fighting more Darkspawn, Oghren would be handy as well as Nate. You never know when you need an Archer."
Elissa raised an eyebrow. "You can shoot."
"This is why I will be taking a bow as well as my daggers."
"What about a mage? What if we need healing? Anders would be best—"
"Anders needs to rest, and probably tend to the wounded here," I cut her off. "You know this is the better choice. If you want a mage, then take the crazy elf lady."
Crazy elf lady started cursing at me, and I responded right back. In her own language of course. That shut her right up. When she got her wind back, she started insulting me saying I was destroying her race by daring to speak their tongue. She seemed to blame me for everything bad that had happened to the Dalish. Then she ended with telling me she hopes that the "Dread Wolf take you!"
I smirked showing my teeth. "I welcome him, I do so like wolves."
The silver-head lover flashed through my mind again. I wonder if he was wolf-like and that's what reminded me of Fen'Harel.
Elissa rolled her eyes. "We should be good with two assassins. And if we need a mage, you have magic. One less person means we travel faster."
She may not have said it, but mages were shit when it came to running. First off, those robes were a problem. Second, they had little in the way of physical stamina.
So we run off and clean house when it came to the talking Darkspawn that were running around.
Really, the Maker must be rewarding me for missing ancient ruins, broodmothers, and such.
When we came back, I thought Anders was acting funny, but I didn't say anything. We were too focused on cleaning up. A week later another Grey Warden came, two of them really. One was going to take over here and the other was collecting for a team he was going to take to the Free Marches. Elissa went back to her King, and she expected Zev to drop me on in Kirkwall, which a letter finally got through but it took forever because Alistair was an asshole and forgot to send it, to finally be with my family again.
When I told Anders goodbye, I gave him a hug and told him to take care of Sir Pounce-A-Lot. That cat was badass. If I repeated what earned him that name, no one would believe me.
I gave Nate a kiss and told him maybe if we had more time together, I could have come to terms with a few things.
He chuckled. "I waited years for you. I think I can wait a couple more. Besides, who knows if I'll be transferred to the Free Marches. I know the area well. We will see each other again, I promise."
Then he kissed me for real, not a peck like I gave him.
Strong but lean arms pulled me away. "Say goodbye with words not tongue, have I taught you nothing? I'm going to pretend I didn't see that. Goodbye Raven's girlfriend."
Nate and I just shared a smile and laugh as I was dragged away.
~Wolf and Raven~
I ran through the streets as my Master took the roofs. He was better at being stealthy on roofs than I was. Although I was pretty good, just not as good as him.
For some odd reason, we were being chased by some stupid bounty hunters. Although, I wasn't sure who sent them.
After a few quick turns I ended up in a narrow alley. As I sped down it, I thought I hit something, but it was so dark I couldn't see anything, at least in that spot. I twisted and backed up, but was distracted with noise from behind me that signaled that the hunters had found me.
With a second though or passing moment, I killed every one of them except their leader. I left him alive so he could tell me what the fuck was going on.
"Who is hunting me?" I asked as my heel dug into his throat. He was leaning up against the narrow alley wall in front of me, and with the angle I had tilted my body so I could have my foot on his throat, I was almost touching the wall behind me.
"The Archon. He has been searching for you for like four years. Apparently you killed some Magister and have enough of a family history in Tevinter that he has named you the inheritor to the dead Magister. But you weren't the only one I was hunting tonight. I know of you and your partner's reputation. Join me and I will give you half of the bounty on this runaway slave. I have no doubt that if you catch this slave and return him to his Master, and then you will have a great Magister ally."
I heard a shift to my right and almost a growl…that was where I bumped into something. Was it the wall or was it a person? It didn't really matter as long as, if it was a person, if they stayed over there and left me alone.
My Master jumped down. "So…I kill a Crow and get nothing, you kill a Magister and get an inheritance. I don't know if I'm jealous or not."
I rolled my eyes at him, though I know he can barely see it.
"Please," the hunter said. "Magister Danarius will be a great ally, and I will offer my services wherever I can. I won't' take any of the bounty. Please—" I cut them hunter off by using my foot to snap his neck.
"I didn't teach you that," Zev commented as he knelt down to rob the four dead bodies I had just killed.
"Sten did. Although this is the first time I've been able to do it. His foot…leg is so much stronger than mine." I replied as I leaned against the wall behind me. "Fuck, the Archon wants me? Shit, why does my life have to be complicated?"
Zev chuckled as he straightened up. "Honestly? You shouldn't offend the man. I happen to like certain parts of the Imperium—"
"The whore-houses," I inserted with a smile.
"-and would prefer not to be barred from them because you can't be polite to someone." Master continued as if I hadn't interrupted him.
I sighed. "I guess I can write a letter to the bastard, and not call him that of course in the letter, but tell him I am a little busy and will come claim that shit later." I paused for a second. "Is it legal to free slaves over there? And make them servants? Maybe we should stop over there and claim it before someone takes over the house and uses them all for blood magic."
Zev groaned. "Not everyone uses blood magic. I know a few Magisters that don't."
"And let me guess. You had a contract, did it, fucked them, and somehow found out their preference on blood magic."
"It's a gift, what can I say?"
"Seriously, though, I don't want to go over there. Next city we get to I will write the man a letter—"
"Do you know how to write?" cheeky bastard.
"—and tell him to give me a year, I don't know. Till then, do you know anyone or trust anyone to watch over the estate?"
I saw him nod. "Tomorrow then. Now that we've solved the hunter problem, we can go to an inn, and I can write the letter. Not too much longer till we get to Kirkwall."
Before we left, he asked me a serious question. "Do you remember the name the hunter said was hunting for a slave?"
I paused. "I heard it before…wasn't it from that Magister who ritualed me? I know it isn't a word, but I didn't want to say he used a blood magic ritual on me. I have a funny feeling this Magister is on my shit list. Can I kill him if I see him, Master? Maybe there's a contract on him we could collect. Don't Magisters try and kill each other all the time?"
Zev laughed. "That's my girl. I'd figure out the laws of the Imperium first. What good will you be to those slaves or the gold if you lose it because you killed him unlawfully?"
I giggled. "You never change Master. You just want coin to go to a Tevinter whore house. I'll find a way to kill that bastard, even if I lose that estate."
~Wolf and Raven~
