"What's happened?" Varrik said setting aside his beer and facing George. He staggered into the inn and flopped into a chair. It was then Zindrafel noticed the blood at his temple. It was a small gash but had bled freely none the less.
"We were walking here when we got jumped. They dragged Alistair off and whacked me on the head." His voice came in puffs, "They only clipped me, I came here. You got to come help."
"Why?" It was Corff. "You've all heard how he's pissed off the King of Ferelden. It's no surprise he's been jumped." He snorted. "You go if you want Varrik but I won't be caught helping a traitor."
"That's true, what if they go for you too?" Mitch said with a shrug.
"Well, I don't care about you two, Alistair is my friend and I'll not leave him in the hands of ruffians." Varrik managed to make his tone so contemptuous the two Shemlin's blushed and looked at the floor. Zindrafel swallowed the sudden dryness in her throat and wiped her sweating palms on her dress.
"I'll go." She said.
"And walk out on me? If you do that, don't even think about coming back." Corff snorted behind her. She shot a look of apology at Varrik and sighed.
"It's alright girl, I know you'd do your share if others with better hearts let you. As it is, I shall go with George. We'll bring him back here at any rate." Varrik said, "Whether you like it or not Corff, I will bring him back here." The look Varrik gave the owner of The Hanged Man brokered no argument. With that, he led George back out the door and slammed it shut behind him. Corff gave Zindrafel a look that would have killed a lesser elf before stomping back into the kitchens.
Her mind raced. Did it mean the rumours were true? Was he a traitor after all? Why was she so worried about it anyway? Still, she tried to occupy her mind with the little custom that was in the inn and clean when they didn't need anything. Her heart was pounding inside her chest, so loud she was sure they'd hear it on the other side of the bar. She tried polishing the bar but threw the rag aside after no more than a minute. Instead she paced back and forth along behind the bar, the door opened and she looked up hopefully, her face fell when it was only Norah coming in for her shift. She didn't even notice when she waved at her.
She took a mug down and began polishing it with the rag, keeping her eyes on the door as she did so. How long did it take? Alistair was only one Shemlin, how important could he be? There were three of them to fight off the attackers. It was likely because he was drunk again. She knew it was too much to ask for him to keep sober. She sighed and put the mug back on the shelf. The minutes dragged on into what seemed like an eternity. Norah hadn't reappeared and she could only assume her and Corff were off upstairs together, as was often their way. She paused to wonder how he could even think about such things when he was hung-over. Then her thoughts returned to Varrik, George and Alistair. Gods she hoped they were going to be OK.
"Service over here!" It was Mitch, dead drunk and still wanting more. She poured him another and set it on the bar with a thump. He slid her a coin and flinched away from the cold look she gave him. Good. How could she work with people who refused to aid one of their own? There were some things about Shemlin's she would never understand. Never.
Just as she was deciding to quit on them, assume they were all face down in a slums gutter, the door banged open. They all walked in as casual as a summer breeze, as though nothing of note had happened. George was laughing at something Varrik said and they plonked themselves down in their usual seat without so much as a word in her direction. Zindrafel was tempted to rush over and make sure they were all right but it would only confirm what her eyes could already see. Heat flushed to her cheeks and she turned away from them all. Had she really been worried about them? Was her concern all for nothing then? It appeared it meant precious little. She swallowed the lump in her throat and turned around again.
"Nothing to worry about Zin." It was Varrik again, "No evil from Ferelden come to murder Alistair in an alley. Just a pair of cutthroats trying to do what they do best. No match for ol' Varrik here." She just nodded. "Just give us three ales will ya." He said. She did as he asked without making a sound and placed the mugs on the bar. Alistair joined him at the bar but she refused to look him in the face. Varrik took two of the mugs with him as he left, leaving them alone for a moment.
"Everything all right Zin?" he asked, trying to make eye contact with her. She avoided him but didn't walk away, "Come on, don't be like that."
Heat flooded to her cheeks and she narrowed her eyes as she looked up into his golden eyes. They widened as they met hers. "You could have been killed Alistair." She snapped.
"Hardly. George panicked and ran off here. I had it all in hand and then Varrik showed up and helped me finish them off. It was nothing to worry about." He said, a smile had crept onto his face, it made a lump in her throat and her breath caught. "You were worried?" he asked. It was more a statement than a question.
"Of course I was you dolt." She said, struggling to keep her voice low.
"Really? You were really worried about a stupid Shemlin like me?" he said. She scanned his face for trace of mockery but there was nothing but earnestness in his features.
"I'm surprised at you." She said shaking her head.
"Why? Why did a lovely thing such as you worry about a drunk like me?"
"Look, don't take this too seriously or anything but you're the best of a bad bunch in this place and you're the one who raised a hand to help me the other night when everyone else would have let that beast touch me. Is it wrong that I consider you my friend?" she said, "Friends worry for each other, or Dalish ones do at any rate."
"No, that's not wrong at all."
"OI!" Corff's voice yelled through the bar, "Get back to work! I can hear you gabbering out here." She rolled her eyes and picked up a rag. Norah appeared, only slightly dishevelled and sighed. It was demeaning but Zindrafel ignored her.
"Look, I'll hang about until you finish then we can talk ok?" he said. She nodded and he returned to his friends, she to her work.
It was half the night before she was allowed to leave, and by then Alistair was so far in his cups that he barely seemed to notice her passing through the door. She glanced back once before shaking her head and swallowing the bitterness in her mouth. She guessed their talk could wait a few days. She turned off and headed for home in the cool night air.
Zindrafel didn't notice the figure in the shadow of the Alienage Archway, didn't notice until she's nearly walked into it. "Hey! Watch it!" she cried, dodging around at the last moment.
"Zin. It's me."Alistair.
"Did you follow me? You better not be drunk else I won't listen to you."
"I'm not drunk. I didn't follow you, I raced ahead after I saw you leave. I wasn't as drunk as you thought. I wanted them to think I was asleep so they wouldn't keep buying me more." He said. It might have made sense to him but she just sighed.
"I'm not sure if this is appropriate for friends Alistair." She said.
"I know I just hadn't said everything I wanted to in The Hanged Man and I wanted to finish, if you'll let me of course. If not I'll just go back home and we can do this another time." He said, he was waffling but his stammering was sort of cute, in a dorky way, so she stopped walking and waved her hand. He stood there in silence for a moment that dragged on into what seems like minutes.
"What was it Alistair?" she asked with a yawn.
"I can't seem to find the words." He said, a boyish laugh escaped him and she couldn't keep her smile away, "Are you working tomorrow?"
"No. I'm off all day," she replied. His face brightened under the torchlight.
"Can I meet you then?" he asked. His face, open and boyish, was so hopeful she just couldn't dash them. She nodded her head. "Great."
"I'll meet you under this arch at midday tomorrow and we can go walking somewhere." She said, "But now, I have to go, I'm about to sleep on my feet. It's not a date though. Just two friends walking, so long as that's clear." She said, unsure why she felt she had to make that distinction.
"Of course." Alistair nodded, "You'll be safe?"
"You know I will. Until tomorrow then?" she said, raising her hand in farewell.
"Tomorrow it is." He said. She turned away first this time and although she didn't look back, she knew his eyes followed her until she rounded the corner to her little house.