Any and all grammatical errors are mine and mine alone.
Disclaimer: Hawke and Arishok are property of Bioware and all others affiliated with them. I'm just letting my weird mind run away with them.
Duty Bound
"Honestly Aveline, calm down. This isn't your first speech to your men, you needn't be so nervous Sister." Came the exasperated voice of Bianca. "I know, but… This is so important Bi, you know that better than I myself do." Said the slightly worried voice of the Guardswoman. "Honestly!" interrupted Isabela; "Your being melodramatic Lady Man-Hands, you don't need to worry. Even I know you will do fine. Are myself and Hawke to guard the Viscount while you're in the meeting with your Guards?"
"Yes, you are and you're going to deal with it slattern. Must you continue to joke about my hands?" Aveline said rather exasperatedly at the supposed pirate. "Hmmm.. Yes, yes I must!" Isabella answered rather cheekily. "Ah, not to interrupt Captain, but what exactly is this meeting about?" came the inquiring voice of one of said Captains' guards. "Brennan, you know protocol. You will be informed just as everyone at the meeting. Just know that it is rather important." "Yes Captain. May I enquire as to how long it will be until the Templars arrive at our posts?" Brennan asked, voicing the concerns of her fellow guardsmen.
"Well, Knight-commander Meredith informed me when I gave her Avelines' message that they would be arriving about ten minutes after you and your fellow Guards vacated your posts, starting with the Dock-Guards." Bianca cheerfully informed Brennan and her fellow guardsmen. "Thank you Messer Hawke. Would it be too presumptuous to think that the meeting is to have something to do with the Qunari however?" Guardswoman Brennan asked cautiously.
"Honestly Brennan? No it is not presumptuous at all, and you are indeed correct. It is an incredibly important matter, which would be why Messer's Hawke and Isabela will be guarding the Viscount. I know this seems somewhat.. Treasonous? But lately Meredith seems to be becoming somewhat.. un-hinged and it is obvious to her own Templars. That is to be kept within this group understood? If I hear one word of it anywhere I will know who to talk with." Aveline said with a bit of amusement in her rather stern tone. "Yes Guard-Captain!" the guards chorused perfectly in sync.
By now the group was somewhat large- fifteen guards had followed them and the other twenty-five had been sent to the Keep already with orders to gather those that they find en-route to the keep and to move the nobles already inside of the Keep to the rather large anti-chamber where an innumerable amount of important meetings has been over the centuries since the Keep had been created. As they ascended the final flight of stairs leading into the Keep Aveline fidgeted slightly at the thought of what she was about to do- an action only noticed by her long-time friends and companions. Once they were inside Aveline ordered her Guards to gather those in the keep in the Barracks and to not come out for any reason- just for the fact that if any of her Guards did not attend that meeting, they would not be very happy.
As Aveline, Bianca and Isabela climbed the steps towards the Viscounts' office Hawke laid her hand upon Avelines' shoulder in silent assurance. Bolstered by her friends' support she straightened her back imperceptibly and nodded slightly and moved confidently towards where Seneschal Bran was conversing with the Guards outside the Viscounts' office. "Seneschal Bran, Guards, I hope you are having a well enough day so far? Guards, you are to report to the barracks straight away understood? Your posts will be taken care of by Messer's Hawke and Isabela."
"Excuse me Guard-Captain! The Viscount needs more security than a pirate and a deep-roads explorer! And furthermore-" at that point the Seneschal was cut off by a some-what irked Guard-Captain. "Seneschal Bran! That is quite enough, I trust Hawke and Isabela with my life and that of every single person under my protection! I assure you that they are most assuredly of adequate skill to guard yourself and the Viscount." Aveline said somewhat frostily, secretly enjoying the startled and irritated look on Brans' face at being talked to like he was a child.
Behind Seneschal Bran where he couldn't see it was quite clear that the Guards posted outside the Viscounts' study were trying to keep from making too much noise with their armor while laughing silently at the talking-down he had gotten. After they had gotten their humor well in-hand they saluted their Captain and walked towards the barracks ignoring Brans' indignant sputtering that they 'Damned well better get back here or be charged with insubordination and sentenced two weeks in the dungeon'- a comment that did Not name their Captain happy at all.
"Seneschal Bran! If you dare threaten any of my Guards like that again for following my orders I will string you up by your toes from the Gallows for a day and I Will do it with permission from the Viscount and Knight-Commander!" Aveline said angrily with a glare that would melt steel and if possible burn down the Gallows if glares could do such a thing. "Ah-Um-Err… I didn't mean it like that?" Bran managed to squeak out hunching in on himself like it could possibly help at all.
"Excuse me, Guard-Captain, Seneschal? Perhaps you two could continue this in the Barracks and Aveline could start the debriefing? The Templars should be here as extra back-up within minutes, I assure you Seneschal that both myself and Isabela are more than adequate protection until they arrive." Hawke interjected before things could get too far and Aveline actually decided to kill Bran then and there damning any consequences. "I will step inside to inform the Viscount of this change after you are gone- no need to bother him with petty squabbles hmm?" Hawke said somewhat exasperatedly as she found that Aveline was taking her role a little Too seriously.
After that the Seneschal nodded and Aveline rolled her eyes behind his back since he left for the barracks a moment before she too followed him out the door and down to the barracks. "Honestly Isa, you would think Aveline a child with the way those two act sometimes" Bianca murmured to Isabela getting a nod in return. Sighing quietly Bianca turned around and opened the Viscounts' door and walked in.
"Excuse me Ser? Guard-Captain Aveline needed to pull all the Guards back to the Barracks for an extremely important meeting, and myself and my companion Isabela" at that she pointed behind her where Isabela could be seen facing the door to the entrance hall " are to guard you until the Templars arrive. All I know about the meeting is that it is about the Qunari and that everyone is to be told immediately. Also I was told to tell you that Aveline requests you stay in your study until the meeting is over, for security reasons of course." She managed to get out all in one breath after bowing slightly to the Viscount and internally hoping that the Arishok would not take much longer to arrive- it had taken them a little over an hour to reach the keep because of having to search for the out-of the way patrols on the way there.
"Hello, Messer Hawke. I thank you for the information and I agree to staying in my study- mostly because I have too much work to be wandering around the Keep at this moment. Did the meeting with the Arishok go well or is that the reason Aveline is in the meeting with her Guards? Also I wish to thank you both for taking time out of your day to guard an old man like myself when you both likely have much better things to be doing." The Viscount managed a smile towards her with that last sentence but it was easy to see that he was worried about the meeting that Aveline was having- and from the lack of out-cry coming from the Barracks it was easy to conclude that it was going well so far in the mind of the effervescent Hawke.
"Ah, well Messer I believe the meeting went well, and in a round-about way yes it is the cause of the meeting but I assure you it is nothing bad. You are very welcome however and we do not mind at all, after all we hadn't planned on the meeting going so well… Truthfully both myself, Aveline and out companion Isabela had expected a fight out of the meeting to be truthful, and we are extremely glad that there isn't one. However it was brought to Avelines' attention by the Arishok that some of her Guards were acting rather… inappropriately towards the Qunari and that is part of the reason why she is having this meeting. Also, Aveline will be having a meeting with Knight-Commander Meredith later on tonight about any misconduct of her Templars and we are quite sure that the Knight-Commander was unaware of these happenings. However, the Arishok was willing to let the matter go as long as those responsible are punished accordingly and truthfully both myself and Aveline are glad for that." Bianca said somewhat cheerily in hopes of putting the Viscount at ease with her speech she made up on the spot.
"As am I my dear, it makes me glad that the Arishok is willing to forgive those actions and not damn the whole for the actions of a few. It was because of you things ended so well, wasn't it? The Arishok seems to respect you, which astonishes' me because I wasn't aware that women who fight were capable of earning his respect, something that I am quite glad that it is you as I believe many of those in this city would do horrible things with that respect. Would it be possible for us to talk at a later time my dear? As much as I would love to not do this paper work, it must be done… Truthfully I'm almost ready to believe that it is able to breed like rabbits…" the Viscount seemed to mutter the last sentence to himself with a small twitch of his eye.
"Certainly Messer, I would be glad to speak with you at another time. I shall leave you to your paper work, however if I may suggest? Possibly get an assistant to deal with the petty matters from the nobles such as idiotic requests and such? It would likely cut down a great deal on your stress and could be amusing to see your assistant going through them marking negatives for the truly idiotic requests." Bianca managed to get out without a laugh though there was a perpetual smile on her lips. "Hmm.. I never actually thought of that before! My thanks my dear, I do believe that would be the perfect thing.. however I do believe I will have to do that at a later date then seeing as the Seneschal is in Avelines' meeting. Goodbye Messer Hawke." The Viscount said seeming much happier at her suggestion as she nodded her goodbye and backed out the door before closing it behind her.
With a nod of her head Bianca pointed out to Isabela to walk with her towards the door to the Entrance Hall to keep an eye out for the Arishok and so they could talk without the cowardly old man known as the Viscount wouldn't overhear them talking. "Honestly Isabela! I could FEEL his dirty old eyes raking up and down my form and now I wish to take a hot bath… Bah, how Can you take that Isa? If I went around dressed as you do the population of Kirkwall would be halved within days." Bianca said with a shiver wishing whole-heartedly that her armor was as bulky as Avelines' seeing as they were both warriors- though Bianca preferred two-handed swords quite happily.
Chuckling quietly Isabela gave Bianca a small hug "It's not that bad after a while, you learn to picture their deaths slowly and painfully in your mind and put on a smile when its important people. When its morons on the street or in a bar? Just hit them over the head with the flat of your blade. Anyway, I am just glad that my name is Isabelle not Isabela…Though it is not much of a difference is it?" the newly revealed Isabelle said cheerily.
With a shake of her head and a small laugh Bianca grinned at the sister of her heart. "I hope Arishok gets here soon… I do not relish that old lecher peeking at our asses if it takes much longer.. I can hear him moving towards the door shh!" and with that, they were instantly in either side of the door mere moments before the Viscount opened it. "Messer?" Hawke said curiously.
"Ah, ladies could I trouble you with a request? The Guard-Captain needs to come to my study right away, would one of you be able to fetch her immediately?" the annoying old man asked. "Yes Messer, would you please go back into your study now Messer? You are making it somewhat nervous for me Ser, the Templars have not yet arrived and while we are skilled, we would not be able to guard you very well from a persistent assassin that might be in the Entrance Hall if they have a bow and arrow and you are sticking your head out the door." Bianca said some-what exasperatedly and watched as the flustered Viscount retreated back into the study and listened to him walk away from the door to his desk after the door was closed. "You heard him Isa dear, do go get Aveline yes? The meeting should be over by now and any of those with mal-content should have been locked in rooms." Bianca managed to get out without a laugh at what she just said.
"Yes, I guess I will. Just so you know, I will laugh if the old lecher comes back out to stare at your arse." Isabelle said sarcastically. "You wound me sister! Off you go girlie, no stopping to tease the peons if they are back to their stations." Came the amused reply from the effervescent one as Isabelle walked away pouting slightly towards the Barracks. After a minute Bianca hear the sound of the great Entrance Hall doors opening and perked up slightly when she looked out the doorway and saw her Arishok and the accompanying Kossith as well as Fenris and Varric.
An: I feel slightly evil for the cliffy.. don't kill me? I'm so sorry that I didn't get this out sooner but between school and helping baby-sit my baby sister, I'm going nuts with no free time. Anyway I hope to have the next chapter out in a week or so, I'm already working on it just be warned, things will get somewhat.. crazy next chappie. Bai baii! Please R&R , Truth out. (insert silly face and peace symbol lol)