Chapter 8
"Listen, we heard that you're going into the Deep Roads, so that means that you'll need the best, and we're—"
"No!" said the dwarf, Bartrand, as he interrupted me. "Andraste's tits human, do you know how many people want to sign up for this expedition?"
"But we've fought darkspawn before," I said, "how many of your hired men can say the same?" It sounded as if I was a child, making excuses for her parents. "It's pathetic that I have to be reduced to this. If he wasn't the chance we needed to get out of the slums and to have something to hide behind in case the templars came I would have killed him on the spot for making me humiliate myself like this."
"I don't care if you've torn the horns off an Ogre just to get here," Bartrand said. "I said no!"
"You talk to him! After all it's your templars we're running from."
"My sister has a point," Garrett said, "it's on her head but it's still valid."
"Love you too, Garrett." I made those words as insulting as I possibly could, glaring at him as I did. He couldn't look me in the eyes; nobody could, or ever has been able to. I think they can't because my eyes are bright white and they find them unsettling, or perhaps they don't have the will to keep on looking. Something tells me it's the first one though.
"Get to know us Bartrand. I'm sure that if just found out who we are and how—"
"Listen pal, everyone in Kirkwall wants to be my best friend right now," Bartrand paused and took in another breath. "You're looking for a quick way out of the slums right? You and every other Fereldan in this dump," he said while ignoring the question he just asked us. "Find another meal ticket." And with that he walked away from us.
"Damn!" I said, "We needed this job badly too. Especially since our year with the Red Iron ended."
"Yeah, they were the only thing that kept people from selling me out." Garrett looked at me and finally added, "Why do you care? After all templars hounding us are mine."
"Helping apostates is a hanging offense here, brother." Then I smiled and laughed. "Shit! I'm starting to sound like Gamlen aren't I?"
"Well I wasn't going to say anything but..."
"Shut up Garrett, I never asked you!" I said with a laugh.
"Hey I just had an idea," said Garrett.
"Alert the Chantry! They need to put this on the calendar!" I said jokingly.
"Shut up and listen will you," he said angrily. "Gamlen might be able to talk to Bartrand, or even get us some jobs. He has a nose out for this sort of garbage."
I sighed. "Well it's said that you catch more flies with honey...but I guess Gamlen's bullshit could work to."
"Hey he got us into the city didn't he?" replied Garrett.
"Barely," I said as we walked back towards Hightown's market.
We were almost at the market when some stupid red head bumped into me. People always bumped into you in Kirkwall so it was nothing new. But when I felt my belt my coin purse was gone.
"Son of a—Hey!" I called as I spun around and ran after him. Now I was the fastest runner in all of Ferelden and that didn't change when I got to Kirkwall, but the red haired punk had a bit of a head start so it would take me a minute to catch up to him, but when I turned the corner I saw the punk pinned to the wall with a crossbow bolt protruding from his shoulder and a blond haired dwarf talking to him.
I couldn't hear what the dwarf was saying to him, but I saw the punk give him my coin purse. The dwarf just smiled, hit him hard in the jaw, and pull out his bolt.
"Off you go." I heard the dwarf say as the punk slid to the ground and the dwarf walked towards me (and Garrett who had finally managed to catch up).
When the dwarf finally was in front of me he tossed me my coin purse and said, "How do you do? Varric Tethras, at your service," as he did some fancy little spinny thing with the crossbow bolt before he tucked it into his pocket.
"I apologize for Bartrand," Varric said, "he wouldn't know an opportunity if it hit him square in the jaw."
I crossed my arms, shifted my weight onto one foot, and smiled at him, "But you would?" I said with amusement.
"I would," he replied with a smile. "What my brother doesn't realize is that we need someone like you." He paused for a moment. "My brother would never admit it. He's too proud; I, however, am quite practical."
"You seem to be going awfully far out of your way just to hire another guard," I said analyzing what he was saying. I was making sure there wasn't a trick or a catch that would screw us over in the end.
"We don't need another hireling," said Varric. "We need a partner. The truth is Bartrand has been pulling out his beard out trying to fund this on his own, but he can't do it. Invest in the expedition. Fifty sovereigns and he can't refuse, not with me there to vouch for you."
"I hope there's more to this plan of yours than that," I said. "Like how I'm supposed to get all that coin." He proposition was solid, and he was a good businessman that's for sure. "If he can come up with a response to what I just threw out there, I might just agree."
"You need to think big," he said. "There's only a brief window after a Blight when the Deep Roads won't be crawling with darkspawn. The treasure you find down there could set you and your family up for life." He added with a smile.
"You started this Luna," Garrett said to me. "We might as well finish it. It is still a chance after all."
"We work together, you and I, and before you know it you'll have all the capital you'll need. What do ya say?" asked Varric in that charming voice of his.
"Why not?" I said with a smile. "It's not like I had anything better planned anyways."
"Perfect!" he said with a smile and a laugh. "Kirkwall's crawling with work. You set aside some coin from every job and you'll have the money in no time."
"Alright Garrett, that's your job seeing as you need something to hide behind more than me."
"Hey your helping too, ya here!" Garrett replied angrily.
"Down boy! I was just joking. No need to bite!" I said with a sarcastic tone and my killer smirk. "Perhaps I should have added 'or growling' to list the list," I added after I caught his angry stare. "Garrett perhaps you should go see if Aveline's got some work. She has a position in the guard now so she may have something."
"Why? Where are you going?" He asked clearly still mad at me for my last comments.
"I'm going to go check the Chanter's board."
"Fine!" he said in an angry tone and left for the Viscount's Keep.
When he was out of earshot I looked at Varric and said "Don't worry, he's always been like that."
"And you live with him? Hah! You have my sympathies then," he said with a snort. "By the way, we should talk privately when we get the chance, in the Hanged Man, maybe. I'll be there when I'm not with you or being chewed out by Bartrand. Now," he said with a pause, "let's go see what trouble we can stir up."
"Ah yes! Onward to the incredible adventure of getting to the Chanter's board!" I said, smiling. "You don't have to tag along Varric. I'll meet you at the Hanged Man after I've checked the Chanter's for any jobs, caught up with Garrett, and checked on my family back...at the hovel my uncle calls a home."
Varric laughed, "Thanks. Just don't forget to meet me alright?"
"You seem awfully eager to get me alone," I smirked and winked at him.
"Sorry, sweetheart, but I'm already spoken for." With that he pulled out his crossbow and kissed it.
"Your crossbow?"
"No, Bianca," said Varric as he returned her to his shoulder.
"Right," I dragged that word out a little then giggled. "See you later Varric."
"Try not to strain yourself as you walk all the way to the Chanter's board, Luna," with that he smiled, gave me a nod, and headed towards Lowtown.
I laughed aloud to myself when he had left. "I already have more friends than I did in Lothering and I've only been here a year. That's quite sad actually, and incredibly funny. Something tells me this is going to be quite the adventure." I kept smiling to myself with that thought in my head as I made my way to the Chanter's board.
