Foolish Girl

The elf watched his hawk sleep, the woman rolling over on her side to face him. He knew it had to be mistake. That they had to be a mistake. But the stubborn woman had somehow entered his thoughts constantly. And one kiss had allowed them to take things too far.

She stretched in her sleep, her arms searching for the place he had occupied moments before, only to grasp at the sheets. The elf almost chuckled as she grumbled, still not waking. It was amazing to him that the woman with such a quick wit and sharp instincts when awake slept so soundly.

The elf finished pulling on his armor silently, wondering if he could just allow himself this amount of happiness. Being with Hawke was the best thing he could ever remember feeling. If he could stay with her, be there until she opened her beautiful brown eyes-

Green.

Beautiful green eyes.

Hawke's eyes weren't green.

The image that had flashed through his eyes were not Hawke's eyes. They were someone else's. Someone… he loved. He heard her laugh.

Pain ripped through his veins, coursing along the lyrium lines etched into his skin like a curse. The elf doubled over, his blood screaming as he swallowed back the need to scream. Her laugh. He could hear it. He could remember it. It set his markings on fire, agony nearly making his vision go dark.

Then it was gone, and he was on his knees, panting as quietly as he could manage. He was shaking as he pushed himself to his feet. This was why he did not allow himself happiness. He was not made for such things. They were for another life. Not the one he lived now. He shouldn't have come to Hawke—shouldn't have let himself be whirled away in a flurry of emotions, forgetting who he was.

He stood, pushing the green eyes out of his mind, as well as the large brown ones that belonged to the woman still sleeping.

Addie had returned home Saturday afternoon to find her mother sitting in their main room. There was broken glass on the floor of their small kitchen, which Addie pretended not to notice as she pulled off her cloak.

"I'm home, Mama." Addie said as she closed the door behind her.

"I see the big banquet took as long as you feared. I didn't think you would actually have to spend the night cleaning." Her mother answered with a small smile. She was untangling a ball of yarn, her fingers searching for knots, eyes staring blankly ahead at Addie.

"It was terrible." Addie commented as she moved as she shuffled over to the kitchen. The broken glass was from one of their mugs, which her mother must have tried to clean up. Only a few shards remained, and Addie quickly picked them up while saying, "Magisters are exactly the people Da always said they were. Frightening." Addie had to suppress a shudder, before glancing over at her mother, who would worry if Addie gave her any more details. "And as a side note, the way they dress is absolutely ridiculous. Would you like any tea?"

"No, thank you." Addie's mother answered.

Addie threw the glass out, checking to make sure she hadn't missed any that could be stepped on. "I'm sorry I wasn't back to help with breakfast."

"It's fine, dear. My vision may be hazy, but I can still feed myself. Honestly."

"I know, Mama." Addie said quickly, putting a kettle on for herself. "But I would've preferred to be home as well."

Addie spent the rest of the day with her mother, enjoying the afternoon off, and celebrating Temdran's health internally. Or rather, celebrated the fact that he survived at all. It hung over her head, knowing that she would have to return the next day and face the magisters again.

Yet Sunday morning came, and Addie made the walk to the mansion slowly, a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had been lucky to get away with shouting, like a complete idiot, about pies to the magisters. But if something happened again, there was no way of knowing whether or not she would be able to do anything. She had gotten away with a scolding from Mister Dayton, but she had a bad feeling about Master Danarius. He must have been far from pleased with her.

Addie entered through the slave's quarters as the traces of dawn faded from the sky. The elves were already hurrying around the hall, going about their business. Addie headed first to Mister Dayton's quarters, where he listed off her duties for the day. She was to make sure food was prepared in time for the magister's lunch in the courtyard, and see to it that the elves attended to the magister's needs in addition to their regular chores.

Master Dayton didn't mention Addie's behavior and subsequent lecture from Friday night, and Addie wasn't inclined to bring the topic up at all.

Addie shuffled her way through the halls and back to the kitchen, where she greeted Mara. The elf looked at her tiredly. "Good morning, Miss."

"Morning, Mara." Addie offered, reveling in the fact she could be pleasant at this early hour after a week of working. "I really do wish you'd call me Addie when Mister Dayton isn't around." She added as she rolled up her sleeves and began helping the older elf knead the bread she was making.

Mara sighed and shook her head. "Begging your pardon, Miss, but I'd rather keep my tongue in the case of Mister overhearing."

Addie sighed with equal gusto. "Just wait until he moves out," Addie whispered, though the kitchen was empty except for the two of them. "Once he goes to Kirkwall, I'll have us dancing around the kitchen every night and doing all sorts of things Mister Dayton would gripe about."

Mara cracked a smile. "You shouldn't say such things, Miss," Mara said, but Addie could see the way her eyes twinkled.

"I could bring in ingredients for meat pies, and have a party. I'm sure Ren and Nerat would try to grab half of the food, so we'd have to let everyone else eat first." Addie described, and Mara chuckled. "Is Temdran still doing well?"

"Yes. Thanks to you, Miss," Mara answered as Indri walked through the door with a dead chicken in each hand.

Addie nodded to the elf, and Indri answered with a bow. The stern man rarely spoke, but now he said, "Good morning to you, Miss."

Blinking in surprise, Addie felt a grin spread across her face. "Morning." She said, taking it as another victory that it seemed another elf had decided she wasn't as terrible as they thought all humans were.

"Miss, I have an impertinent question. One that oversteps my bounds." Indri said in a low voice, and Addie felt Mara stiffen beside her.

"Don't worry. Just ask away," Addie answered curiously.

"Leto was… injured yesterday. He is trying to go about his duties, but I am afraid he is only doing more damage to himself." Indri kept his eyes on the floor in front of him.

Mara sucked in a sharp breath. "He is faring no better?"

"Wait. How was Leto hurt?" Addie asked quickly, taking in Mara's concern as Indri raised his head.

"The Master was demonstrating for the other magisters. Leto was then forced to fight with the guards after the Master had proven his pain tolerance." Indri's voice was barely above a low rumble.

Addie felt her eyes narrow. "How bad was it?"

"He should not be walking, Miss. Slaves are not allowed days off, I know, Miss. We are already covering from Temdran, but Leto-"

"He should rest. If Mister Dayton notices, I will speak to him. I can cover Leto's chores for the day." Addie replied quickly. How much brutality was Master Danarius willing to allow in his own house? Why would he torture his own slave in some sick demonstration? Addie's hands curled into angry fists.

Indri bowed deeply. "I would not ask that of you, Miss. We will take care of Leto's duties. However, he will need to be ordered to rest. I'm sorry for making such requests, Miss-"

"I'll tell him to get his ass back into bed," Addie said grimly, washing her hands off in the bucket of water.

"Leto is more stubborn than a mule, Miss." Mara put in, returning to working the dough between her fingers.

Addie gave a small smile. "I was a nanny to a family of obstinate children who never listened to anyone. I'm practically an unstoppable force of parental authority. Where is he now, Indri?"

"He was sweeping the south hallway last I saw him." Indri supplied.

Addie nodded and hurried out of the kitchen, wondering whether or not Leto would be as difficult as the youngest, and brattiest, child of the family she used to take care of. Leto seemed to distrust her even more than the other elves. She almost wished she'd just sent Indri back to argue with Leto, but she set her jaw as she marched to the south hall. If Leto was injured as badly as Indri had claimed, he shouldn't be up and moving.

She found him leaning on the broom he was using, his distinct tall frame hunched over, his arms pushing the broom in jerky, pained, movements.

"Leto," she called, and realized it was the first time she'd said his name directly to him.

He stiffened, slowly turning to her. His black hair fell limply into his face, but it couldn't hide the bruise that stretched across his cheek and his swollen lower lip, cracked and bloody. "Miss," he answered hoarsely as he straightened, though he kept his head down.

Addie felt anger build in her chest. Judging from the way moved, he had taken no small beating yesterday. "You have the day off, Leto. Go to bed," she said in the calmest voice she could muster. She felt sick just thinking about what Indri had said about Master Danarius proving Leto's pain tolerance. If it was anything like she had witnessed from Magister Sera, Leto would be in agony even without having to fight off the guards.

What kind of twisted, disgusting person would do that?

"Slaves do not have days off, Miss. With all due respect, I will continue." Leto told her, his voice raw.

"With all due respect, you are not to continue. You are to give the broom to me and go to your room." Addie answered in her best nanny voice, only to have Leto raise his head and glare at her with his overlarge green eyes. She thought for a split second about how lovely they were. Her eyes were a much lighter shade. His were mossy, or like a dark forest. The pleasant thoughts were ruined by the sheer animosity of his stare, however, and Addie tried not to shrink back. "I, uh." Addie blinked at him. "You're going to your room now." She was aware of how much she sounded like she was speaking to a small child.

"Is that an order?" Leto growled back.

Addie pushed her chin forward stubbornly. "Does it need to be? I think common sense suggests that you aren't fit to work today."

Leto gave her a look that made her swallow uncomfortably before trying to resume sweeping. He took a step and barely caught himself from falling, his hand grasping the broom handle so tightly his knuckles turned white underneath his tanned skin.

"Is something broken?" Addie asked quickly, all anger fading as her eyes roved over Leto, trying to assess how much damage Master Danarius and the guards had done yesterday.

"It is none of your concern, Miss." Leto said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, yes, it is." She snapped, losing all of her patience. She moved to Leto's side, slipping her arm gently around his waist. His entire body tensed, either from the pain or her closeness, or maybe both. "We're going to your room, and then you're going to go to sleep, understand?"

Leto didn't pull away, but Addie could feel his dislike of being touched by her.

"I know you don't like me, but you're hurt and it looks like you can barely stay on your feet. So let's just get to your room, alright?" Addie muttered, trying to ignore the heat she felt rushing to her cheeks. She wanted to cry. What had she done to have him hate her so much? But she quickly pushed the sentiment away, knowing his health was more important than her pride at the moment.

Leto remained silent and allowed Addie to help him out of the south hall, though he mostly leaned on the broom, using it for a crutch.

Leto gestured toward a door in the slave quarters, and Addie pushed it open for him, letting go of her light hold around his waist. She'd never been inside a slave's personal quarters before.

It was incredibly small, with only one cot crammed up against the back wall, and a tiny trunk by the door. Leto hobbled inside, and Addie watched as the broom caught on the trunk and he crumpled to the ground.

Addie hurried to help him up, and caught his expression as she managed to get him sitting on the bed. He was furious. Humiliated.

Of course, Addie. He didn't want your help in the first place. He wouldn't want someone he hates to see him like this.

"I…" Addie shifted her weight from one foot to the other, knowing she should leave. But she could see the way he was holding his sides. "I'll be right back." She said, closing the door behind her as she hurried away.

She poked her head into the kitchens first, asking Mara to boil some water, then ran to get rags. She grabbed the water on her way back, heading to Leto's room. She knocked on the door once, and when there was no answer, she knocked again.

There was a mumble from the other side, so Addie opened the door, careful not to let water slosh out of the bucket she carried it in. "I thought that… um… you'd like- you'd want-" why was she so bad with words sometimes?- "you should at least get cleaned up. I noticed your lip was still bleeding, and I figured that wasn't close to the worst of it."

Leto was staring at her, sitting on his cot with his back against the wall. Addie waited for him to nod, or to say something, but when he didn't, she shuffled over to him, setting down the bucket and holding out a rag.

His eyes moved to it, but he didn't take it. "I do not need-" he began.

"Never mind." Addie said decisively. His voice was barely audible, and he was probably too weak to do much on his own. She soaked a rag in the water, then carefully and determinedly, reached out to Leto's face.

He didn't pull away, but watched Addie with a sense of hardness. She gently pressed the rag against his mouth, then dabbed at a scratch she found along his chin. She could see a large cut now, at least the tip of it, at the neckline of his shirt. She felt another blush as she tried to return to the nanny mentality.

Don't you dare start blushing over him, Addie. He hates you. Just get him cleaned up, already.

"I'll need to get to that," Addie told him.

Leto sat motionless for a moment before nodding, his hands reaching for the hem of his shirt. Pain flashed across his face as he winced at the movement. "Oh, I'm sorry," Addie said quickly, wincing with him. She helped pull the fabric over his head, his movements stiff.

Once his shirt was off, Addie immediately felt another stab of anger toward Master Danarius. The guards had been brutal. In addition to bruises turning most of his chest blue, the cut on Leto's lower neck trailed down to the bottom of his rib cage. He was too thin, and his lanky muscles did little to cover his bones.

Realizing Leto was still watching her, Addie quickly went back to trying to clean off the blood that was smeared around the gash. "You need a healing salve," Addie informed him. Was her voice too high?

She noticed another nasty cut on his upper arm, and used a fresh rag to wash it out. "These might get infected."

Leto remained silent, and Addie used a dry rag as a makeshift bandage for Leto's arm. She could feel his eyes on her, calculating, sizing her up.

She finished tying the rag and met his gaze. The anger and humiliation seemed to have been numbed by exhaustion and pain. He looked almost more vulnerable now. It made Addie furious all over again. Master Danarius was nothing short of despicable.

"I'm sorry." Addie said suddenly, not intending to speak those words out loud.

"What?"

Addie realized how close she was to Leto, sitting next to him on the cot with her hands still holding onto the ugly bow she'd made to tie the rag. "That this happened. That Master Danarius did this to you."

Leto flinched when Addie said 'Danarius', and his expression clouded. "Why are you sorry?" He asked roughly. "Why are you bothering to help us?"

Addie stared at him, her eyebrows pulling together in confusion. "I just-"

"You have nothing to gain. We are nothing but slaves, Miss. We have nothing to offer you, and yet you still foolishly get involved in our affairs." Leto's voice was low, mouth turned down in the corners.

Addie felt it like a slap across the face. "Foolishly? So you'd rather I… what? Let Magister Sera torture Temdran? Let Ren become an orphan? Or let you work today until you collapsed?"

"Why do you interfere? What are you trying to do?" Leto hissed, his eyes searching Addie's face.

"Why?" Addie answered angrily, though she realized she hadn't thought about why before. "Because it's the decent thing to do! Because it's what I should do. Because I know what it's like not to have anyone look out for you." The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Leto frowned at her, his hair falling in his eyes as he tilted his chin down. "You're going to get yourself hurt."

"Well I'll deal with that when the time comes," Addie was seething now, and knew that she must be red from her chest to the tips of her ears. She threw the remaining rags into the bucket and stormed to the door, which was really only a step away in the tiny room. She forced herself to pause after she flung the door open. She took a small breath. "Hate me as you will, but please just rest today. I'll see if I can bring a salve by tomorrow," she said, closing the door quietly behind her.

In the hall, she quietly struggled to reign in her self-control. But their conversation still fresh in her mind. Why did he seem to hate her so much?

And what kind of monster was she working for?

Just what had she gotten herself into?

Maybe she was foolish, as Leto had accused. Maybe she should've quit working in the mansion and found a job somewhere else. But there was something, that despite her fear and anger towards Master Danarius, that told her she should stay. She wanted to help, to be there for the elves who had known nothing but human mistreatment.

Yes, it's foolishness. But I choose it. Addie thought to herself as she rolled her shoulders back and headed to the kitchens. She would have to see if she could scrounge up a healing salve from her house later. There was an ill-tempered elf who needed it.