Chapter 7

My business for the night was, interesting to say the least. I didn't have to deal with dog slobber, thank whatever god existed for that at least, but like all good things, they must come to an end. I found myself with a rather nasty injury. One that I failed to notice. Now healing magic is by far not my area of expertise. Clutching my side, that refused to stop bleeding, most likely the stupid blade that got me was laced to keep it bleeding. Dropped into the garden with a grunt and far less grace than I normally would. Noami stood in the doorway with her arms crossed. She looked far less than impressed. She came over and handed me some clean cloth. I grunted and tore some strips from the cloth and started basic first aid. Once I was done, without a word, I climbed back out. Granted moving right now was not the wisest decision, but I knew where to find a healer that could fix me.

Dark town was disgusting to look at, hell even disgusting to walk around, but I didn't entirely blame the people that lived in the piss hole. They probably felt like they had no other choice. At this point I could feel my pants, shirt, and armor sticking to my skin, I was in even worse shape than I thought. My vision swam and I could barely walk. I could feel a fever, I also needed water. I grunted and trudged on.

I got the door open to a place lit with lanterns outside the door, but I didn't even get two steps in the door before I fell flat on my face.

"Merde" I grunted and attempted to get myself back on my feet, I failed and rolled myself onto my back. My vision swam with the recent effort I put into rolling over. I grunted out another curse. A blond man now stood in my vision. He had blue eyes, but other than that his face was far too blurry. I laughed a little. Probably sounded a little hysterical. Probably because I had just came to the conclusion that I was in fact dying.

"What is your name?" I could feel poking and prodding around in my side. Someone probably took to treating my injuries.

"L'orage," I mumbled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you, perhaps if I..." Someone touched my mask, and on reflex, I grabbed their hand.

"You remove the mask and I will fry you till you are charcoal." I managed to get my voice on a pitch they could hear. "My name is L'orage."

"Now that isn't something you should say to the man trying to heal you."

I huffed as I came to conciseness, I had passed out shortly after. I now felt like a truck hit me. Also like I had the largest hangover of my life. I did not like the feeling. I peeled my eyes open to look at the damage. Both my armor and shirt had been peeled off somehow. My mask and hood left in place. My pants felt clean and free of blood, in fact probably even cleaner than when I cleaned them that morning. My injury was gone, well not completely gone but gone. A fine white scar was now left in its place. Like it had been there for years. Magic had healed it. No potion could do that. I sat up slowly to look around. Men and women alike even children were sleeping in cots or huddled together with their families. All looked sick, dying or grateful, or a combination of the three. Most however looked to be sleeping.

"Oh good your awake." I looked over to the voice that spoke to me. A blond man, in robes, and with a staff walked over. He had his hair, or what he could get off his hair, in a ponytail on the top of his head. Blond locks framed his face and fell to his shoulders, almost. He had blue eyes and looked to need a shave. Slowly I connected the dots. This was the man I saw last night. However, he looked tired, very tired.

"My apologize for my rudeness, I had just come to the conclusion that I was going to die. A good reason to become grumpy, non?" This brought just a little bit of a smile to his face. Looked better on him then grumpy tired face.

"You Orlesian sure do know how to talk. How are you feeling?"

"Like I drank too much, but that is easily fixed with water."

An awkward pause later I gestured to my torso. "Thank you for fixing me really, but might I have my shirt back? As well as my armor. I would hate having to buy more." The mage shook his head. Gaining my attention to his blond hair. He gestured to under the cot. I took the liberty to lean over. And low and behold my shirt and armor sat almost good as new. "Well if they had teeth, they would have jumped out and bitten me." The mage gave me a confused look.

"What and odd turn of phrase." I shrugged at his comment but bit my tongue. That was a close one. I pulled on my shirt and started the complex system of buckles and straps for my armor.

"Well, Monsieur, we all have our own little quirks, non?" Dressed I jumped off the cot and made my way for the door.

"You're not from Orlais." It wasn't a question it was a statement. I looked around the room. All were asleep now, I sighed and walked back over to mister mage.

"What makes you think that?" I asked. This one was quickly becoming dangerous. I fought to keep my posture open and un-threatening. I knew very little about this healer other than that he was a gray warden.

"Your accent, you're forcing it. Granted your Orlesian is spot on, but the more I've thought about it, the less it seems Orlesian ." I was cursing myself on the inside and was so glad for the mask. I wasn't the best liar but the masked helped with my confidence in this case. He was spot on. I didn't learn Orlesian, I learned French. Though very similar, they weren't quite the same. The little time I spent in Val Firmin was beneficial, I learned more about their slaying but not enough to consider my accent the same as theirs.

"Well Monsieur, everyone has their secrets. I happened to actually be from Orlais." I gave sir mage a pat on the shoulder. "I will be taking my leave now, I don't intend on coming back."

"That is what they all say."

Sitting on the steps outside Naomi's house again I sipped my tea, my side was still tender, phantom pains most likely. I had failed to get the name of the mage, though It couldn't be too hard to get his name. Many people in dark town would go to him for healing. Even the more shady folk. Seemed like everyone in the slums had an unspoken rule to leave him alone. I watched as the sun started to rise over the city.

Work at the docks was laboring and didn't pay well, but it did it worked great for hiding in public. I joked with many of the men I worked with, most had families that they were trying to feed. They complained about normal things and joked about vulgar things. It seemed so normal, not something that I was used to. I was sorely tempted to just quit and be L'orage full time, but that was too dangerous in this city. I would rather not have templars at my door. Nor would I want Naomi to be charged for harboring an apostate. I walked with my younger coworkers. I supposed they would be closer to my age... Though I haven't aged much in my time in Thedas. I suspected that had something to do with the blood magic the brought me here in the first place... created this body. That made my stomach turn a little.

"Have you been paying attention? Tanner?" one of my coworkers wrapped his arm around my neck and pulled me down into a headlock. "got your attention now!" He laughed, I scoffed and huffed. And made a meek attempt to get out of the hold. I had to remember most people didn't want to kill me.

"All right you big brute! Get off!" With my coworker let go and pat me on the back a little too hard.

"We got paid today! We should all celebrate with a drink!" Tomas stated the brute stated. I smirked and shook my head no. Robert and William booed at me. Well if I ever felt peer pressure before it certainly didn't match this.

"All right! All right, one drink, but it Naomi finds out about this I am blaming the three of you and then you will have to face her wrath not me, you all hear?" They ignored my threats and whooped dragging me off to The Hanged man. I for one was not looking forward to the swill they served there.

We sat down at a table and they all ordered their drinks. After a little while in they started to get handsy with the waitress. I quickly pushed them out of the pub and on their way home, but not before they paid for my one drink and their own. I made my way back inside, I had full intention of paying the waitress a large tip for having to deal with my coworkers. I found her just as she was leaving the upstairs.

"Um, I wanted to apologize for my coworker's behavior to you." She was rather shocked at this. It seemed that he didn't get men coming back to apologize for their "friends". She quickly got over her shock and straightened her spine.

"Well, this is certainly a new experience. Certainly noble of ye. Well if you want to make it up to me come around tomorrow night, might have a rough crowd to kick out in the evening."

"I can do that. I will be here at 7?" It was a quick exchange, but one that hopefully would work out in my favor in the end. Getting in good with the waitress at the local pub was always a good thing.