Author's Note: No I am not dead and I come back to you with a new chapter. Things have been crazy these last three months. I'll spare you all the gory details, but suffice it to say, there was a family issue that forced me and my family to move out of our house. We have moved in with my sister and her husband for now and are planning on getting a newer, better place to live by the end of Spring. Adjusting has been slow, and the whole ordeal has caused me to seek a better job than my current one, so my writing has suffered. Don't worry though; as long as nothing happens to my hands-God forbid- I will continue to write.
I apologize for any inconsistencies and general sloppiness in this chapter. It has been some time since I've played DAII and I lost all my data when my 360 died for the final time. I've also been investing time in Mass Effect 1 and 2 because I lost all my old save files with the loss of my 360. Plus, Mass Effect 3 comes out in two weeks on my birthday, my 21st birthday to be exact!
DISCLAIMER~ Dragon Age II is the property of Bioware who makes amazing RPGs that if you have not played them yet, you clearly live under a rock.
"Nora, a round for all my friends, here!" Varric called out to the barmaid as the group walked into The Hanged Man.
They all made their way to Varric's suite and sat at his long table. Nora brought in a large tray of ale for each of them. Once everyone had their mug, Garrett stood and raised his.
"I propose a toast to Kirkwall's newest captain of the guard, our very own Aveline Vallen." Everyone let out cheers and Aveline smiled proudly. "May her reign as captain be long and productive and may she let us get away with whatever we want!" Garrett added jokingly.
"Here, here!" Varric said with a laugh.
"Shut up and drink your ale," Aveline said with an eye roll.
"Here, here!" Varric chimed again before drinking from his mug, followed swiftly by everyone else.
"Seriously, Aveline, congratulations," Garrett said when he set his mug down.
"Thank you, Hawke, but it's not like I got here alone."
"Yeah, but you're the only one sitting here without a criminal record, that's got to count for something," Garrett said as a matter-of-factly.
"Actually, I think it would make her more of an outcast," Anders pointed out.
"No, it makes her a misfit like the rest of us," Bethany stated.
"I can't tell if you people are complimenting me or if I should start getting angry," Aveline said.
"It's all in good fun, dear woman," Varric said with a grin.
"So what will your first order as Guard Captain be?" Bethany asked curiously.
"First I'd have to clean up the mess Jeven left," Aveline replied. "After that, I'm not sure. I do have a month or two to think about it."
"So I suppose this means you won't have any time to pal around with us hardened criminals anymore?" Garrett asked mirthfully.
"I may be captain now, but I still know who my friends really are," Aveline said with a smile. "I'll help you in any legal way I can."
"Good to know we have friends in high places, Hawke," Varric said before taking another swig of ale.
"Indeed, now if we could just get the Grand Cleric to drink with us," Garrett said causing laughter at the table.
After three rounds of ale and a couple of humorous stories from Varric, the group decided to call it a night.
"Maker, you people know how to drink," Anders said in amazement. He had a slight buzz after his three mugs of ale, which was more alcohol than he consumed within the last month alone.
"Stick with us long enough and you'll get use to it," Garrett said with a smirk.
"You better hope you don't wake up with a hangover, brother," Bethany said with a smug tone. Unlike Garrett, Bethany knew when enough was enough.
Garrett was about to retort when he noticed something at the bar, something with an exceptional set of legs.
At the other end of the bar was a woman with coffee colored wearing some kind of short- really short- white dress that hugged a very curvaceous figure with a blue cloth wrapped around the waist. Bistre-brown boots covered her legs all the way up to her thighs. She also sported some odd accessories for a woman. On both her hands were fingerless gloves that appeared to be cestuses and two metal elbow bracers, but only on her left arm did she wear a buckled bracer around her wrist and a metal spaulder on her shoulder. On her head she wore a blue bandana that covered her long dark brown hair. From the side Garrett couldn't see very clearly, but he saw enough to know she had a bust that matched the rest of her figure.
"Maybe I'll stick around," he said aloud with a sly smile crossing his features.
"Oh Maker, brother, have you no shame?" Bethany asked in slight discuss after she caught sight of the woman her brother had been staring at.
"I really wouldn't try soliciting her, Hawke," Varric warned.
"I won't hurt her," Garrett said with a dismissive wave.
"Who said anything about you hurting her?" Varric asked.
"Varric, you know her?" Bethany asked curiously.
"All too well I'm afraid," the dwarf answered.
"She looks like a whore. I think you'd better look for something a little…cleaner, Hawke," Aveline suggested.
"Your advice is appreciated friends, but I know what I'm doing," Garrett said undeterred. It might have been the alcohol, but he was feeling rather daring.
"Well it looks like someone is about to beat you to it," Anders stated.
Garrett raised a brow at him and looked to see what he meant. Three men walked up to the woman. They all wore leather armor and carried weapons. They looked like simple bandits, but Hawke recognized them.
"It's just Lucky," he said with a light chuckle. "This might work more to my advantage than I thought."
Garrett knew Lucky form his time with the Red Iron. He met the pathetic excuse for a mercenary during a job. Lucky was and always would be an amateur. The man didn't work for any mercenary outfit; he was trying to create his own business. Too bad he was terrible at everything he got paid to do. Lucky wasn't a warrior like Garrett, he was a hustler with a sword and the men he worked with petty thieves and backstreet brawlers.
Fortunately for Garrett, Lucky was also a terrible womanizer. There a couple of times when Garrett had caught Lucky trying to seduce a woman in the Hanged Man and he got rejected every time and when that happened Lucky got physical. It would be at that point, that Garrett would step in and save the poor woman and win her affections. Worked every time.
It appeared that history was going to repeat itself. After Lucky had spoken to the woman and she spoke back, Lucky slammed his hand down on the bar and said something that no doubt was a threat. This would be the point where Garrett would step in and play the heroic savior, but the opportunity was taken from him…by the girl of all people.
She grabbed the back of Lucky's head and slammed it into the bar two times before letting him slump to the floor. One of Lucky's men grabbed her from behind and tried to restrain her while another one grabbed a bottle from a nearby table. Just as he was about crack the bottle over her head, the woman slammed the back of head against the face of the man holding onto her, disorienting him and causing him to let the woman go and duck just as the other man had swung the bottle. The bottle shattered as it collided with the man's head and he fell to the floor. The woman set her sights on the man who swung the bottle and delivered a left and right cross to his face, followed by a knee to the gut and finished him off with a left elbow swing to the temple. When she turned and noticed that Lucky had gotten up from the floor and was reaching for his sword. Just as Lucky had drawn his blade, the woman had drawn a dagger from her back and held it up to his throat. Garrett didn't even notice the twin dagger she had been carrying; his mind was on…other things about her person.
"Tell me, Lucky, is this worth dying for?" she asked Lucky in a threatening tone.
Lucky appeared to be at a loss for words. He slowly back away from the woman and put his sword away. He helped his friends up off the floor and stormed out the Hanged Man. The woman smirked at their retreating backs and went back to the bar to finish the ale she had been drinking.
"Still feeling confident, brother?" Bethany asked teasingly.
"More like excited," Garrett replied with a grin.
"Are you serious?" Bethany asked in shock.
"Hawke, you really shouldn't," Varric warned.
"Why? Is she clean?" Garrett asked curiously.
"Well…yes…somehow, but that's not-"
"Then I've got nothing to worry about," Garrett said confidently before making his way to the woman.
Varric only sighed in defeat. "Sunshine, is it the alcohol that makes your brother oblivious to warnings?"
"No, that stupidity is just natural for him," Bethany replied flatly.
The woman looked up from the bar when she heard someone approach. She had thought Lucky had come back for a second round, but was surprised to see someone different. She examined Garrett up and down and she must have like what she saw because a grin crossed her features. Garrett examined her as well. Before, he only got a view of her side and most of what she had behind her. What she carried with her up front was just as appealing.
"My, and here I thought the only men in this place were besotted fools who couldn't hoist a mainsail."
"When you talk about "hoisting the mainsail", what do you really mean?" Garrett asked with a sly smirk.
"What else could it mean?" she asked. "It requires strength, knowledge of rigging, and a small measure of sobriety."
"Well then, you're in luck; I have all those things," Garrett replied.
"Hmm…and more it seems," she said with a sultry, appraising tone. "I'm Isabella. Previously "Captain" Isabella of the "Siren's Call". Sadly, without my ship the title rings a bit hollow. Per chance might you be a Fereldan?"
"Last time I checked," Garrett answered.
"I knew it; you have that look about you. Maybe you're just what I need to solve a little problem I might have."
"No one in Kirkwall ever has "little" problems," Garrett said matter-of-factly. He was starting to regret talking to this woman.
"Too true," she agreed. "But you look like you could handle yourself better than Lucky. That pathetic excuse of a man isn't worth the money he asks for."
"Wait a minute; you hired Lucky to do a job for you?" Garrett asked incredulously. "You haven't been in Kirkwall long have you?"
"No, I was in Denerim not too long ago. I've only been in Kirkwall for a couple of months. Why?"
"Miss, there's only one rule that you really need to know here in Kirkwall: don't hire Lucky."
"That's true, it's written on a sign when you enter the city. 'Welcome to Kirkwall! Don't hire Lucky!'" Varric said mirthfully.
"Oh, well I entered through the port and missed that," Isabella said with a chuckle. "Who should I hire then?"
"Well my associates and I run a jack-of-all-trades kind of business. Any problem you have, we can do…for the right price."
"The low cost of your dignity and a night at the Blooming Rose," Bethany whispered to Aveline causing the two women to giggle.
"What did you hire Lucky to do?" Garrett asked curiously.
"I asked Lucky to track down something I lost, but I'm sure you can guess how that turned out. It's nothing to worry about now; I'll handle it on my own, but I need help with a more immediate problem."
"Which is?"
"Someone from my past has been pestering me." Isabella began. "I've arranged for a duel. If I win, he leaves me alone. But I don't trust him to play fair so I need someone to watch my back."
"Who is this person?"
"His name is Hayder. We use to work together in Antiva and he's never like me," Isabella responded. "He's been asking questions about me ever since he came to Kirkwall. I'd figure it'd be best to meet him face-to-face and put an end to it."
"Why a duel? Why not just kill him outright?" Garrett asked.
"Duels are my thing," Isabella replied with a chuckle.
"Well I think I can manage watching your back," Garrett said.
"I'll bet," Isabella said playfully. "I'm meeting Hayder in Hightown tonight. I'll meet you there." Then she left, giving Garrett a nice view of her swaying hips.
"So everyone, how about we-" Garrett began before Bethany cut him off.
"Did you suddenly turn into a pig over night?" she asked irately.
"What are you talking about?" Garrett asked, surprise by his sister's anger.
"You want us to do potentially life risking work just so you can tumble around with some girl you just met in a tavern?"
"I agree, Hawke," Aveline said with a nod. "This seems more like us doing you a favor."
"If you get a disease from her, I'm not healing you," Anders said with a light glare.
"Wait a minute, did I miss something or were we not in need of work?" Garrett rebutted. "Okay, I admit, my intentions with that woman might have been less than valiant when I first saw her, but that was before she became a potential client."
"Hawke, could I have a word," Varric asked.
Garrett looked at him questioningly, but followed Varric to the corner of the room by the fireplace away from the other.
"You may regret doing business with her, Hawke," Varric stated.
"How much do you know about her anyway, Varric?" Garrett asked.
"Isabella's a well-known pirate from Rialto Bay to the Waking Sea. She hasn't been in Kirkwall very long, but when someone with her kind of reputation just shows up here, I find it best to put my sources to work."
"And?"
"Word is she's looking for something; she's hired a lot of people to search for it, whatever it is."
"How's that bad?"
"I'm very good a reading people, Hawke," Varric boasted. "Isabella is nice enough as a person, but she's still a famous criminal and that always warrants mistrust. Whatever she's looking for, there's a big chance it's something bad."
"So I shouldn't do business with her then?"
"I'm not saying turn away her money," Varric clarified, "I'm just saying to be careful around her. She's a pirate and there are two things you need to know about pirates. One: there loyal only to the highest bidder. Two: when things get hot, they run."
"I understand, Varric, but if her money's good, I think it's a chance we have to take. We have to make the trip to Sundermount in the very near future and we'll unfortunately need to spend money on supplies. My point is we need money and we need it fast. If Isabella turns on us…then she's just another obstacle we need to break through."
"I'll trust your judgment here, Hawke. Just remember what I said."
"Will do, Varric," Garrett said before he and his dwarven companion rejoined the others.
"Well, Varric and I are going to help Isabella," he stated. "If you guys want to sit this one out, then feel free to head on home."
"Like I'd let you go alone," Bethany said with a snort. "This is my venture too you know."
"I'd go with you, but with the amount of spinning the room seems to be doing, as a healer I think I should lie down," Anders said.
"I don't think it's best for me to get involved. I'm Kirkwall's new captain of the Guard; I can't just go killing people for a few coins," Aveline said.
"I understand, Aveline. I'll try to keep some blood off the streets," he said with a smirk.
"How thoughtful of you," Aveline said sarcastically.
"And Anders, are you sure you'd be okay walking back to the clinic like this?"
"I'm not sure," Anders said with a shrug. "I'd rather not fall face first into some piss filled gutter in Darktown."
"You can crash in my suite for the night, Blondie. The last thing I'd want to hear is that some Carta thugs mounted you while you were passed out in the middle of Darktown," Varric said with a chuckle while pointing in the direction of his room.
"Thanks…?" Anders said with a raised eyebrow and sense of horror at Varric's choice of scenario.
"Looks like it's just the three of us tonight, Hawke," Varric said. "Four if you decide to bring your hound."
"That might be a good idea actually," Garrett replied. "Bethany, could you pick up Fang from Gamlen's place and meet us at the stairs to Hightown?"
"Sure. I'll be there in twenty minutes," she said before heading to fetch Fang.
Garrett and Varric bid goodnight to Aveline and helped Anders up to Varric's suite. After dropping the drunken mage on the bed, they left the tavern.
Bethany met them near the stairs to Hightown with Fang in tow. Fang barked excitedly upon seeing his master and appeared very happy to be out of Gamlen's stuffy hut.
"I told mother we were taking him out for a walk," Bethany stated.
"You think she'd be curious to find blood on him when you get back?" Varric asked.
"We'll just tell her he mauled another Lowtown rat; those things are big enough to cover him in blood just as well as any human," Garrett said.
"I'd buy that," Varric said with a nod. "Now let's hurry up and get to Hightown before Isabella's friends do."
They found Isabella pacing in the middle of Hightown Square. When she noticed the group coming towards her, stopped pacing and let out a sigh of relief.
"They you are! I was worried you wouldn't get her in time. Where's the red-head and the blonde?" she asked curiously.
"They couldn't make it, so we brought in a reserve," Garrett said gesturing towards Fang, who barked happily.
"A mabari? Well, you are full of surprises," Isabella said with a grin.
"So where's your man?" Garrett asked. He looked around and saw no one nearby. Were they early?
"He hasn't show up yet. No one has," Isabella said her tone serious. "He should have been here be now, though. I don't like this."
"'I don't like this'? That's usually up there with 'what could possibly go wrong?'" Varric said with a chuckle.
As if on cue the sound of multiple footsteps could be heard approaching. The group turned to see six people approaching them. Two with bows, three with swords and their leader, a brunette female, carried a large great axe.
"That's the wench we're looking for! Gut her!" the woman ordered as she drew her axe.
"What could possibly go wrong?" Garrett mimicked Varric mockingly.
"I didn't actually mean it!" Varric defended as he drew Bianca.
"Less talking, more stabbing!" Isabella said as she drew her twin daggers.
She engaged one of the swordsmen while Varric dove behind the giant monument in the circle for cover and tried to get a clear shot at the archers.
Bethany used her staff to block a downward strike from a sword. Even though it was night, they were still in Hightown and there was always a chance someone could walk by or look out their window and spot her casting spells. Luckily, her father had taught her how to use her staff as more than a just a channel for magic. She deflected the sword to the side and brought the rounded metal end of staff up against her opponents jaw. The man howled in pain as his jaw broke from the impact.
Garrett used one dagger to block a strike aimed at his right side and the other dagger to deflect a blow that sough tot cut into his shoulder. He quickly wrapped his arm around the sword arm of his opponent and twisted upwards, effectively snapping the man's arm at the elbow. With one of his enemies crippled, Garrett was able to focus on one opponent. The second thug gripped his sword with both hands and swung down at Garrett as hard as he could. Garrett sidestepped the attack and slammed the pommel of his dagger into the man's throat. The man gagged and coughed up blood and Garrett ended his misery by slashing his throat. He turned to see the thug whose arm he had broken was reaching for his sword with his good arm. He was about to stop when he heard shouting behind him. He turned back around to see the brunette with the great axe raise her blade to cleave him in half. He dove to the side and the axe missed him by hair. Unfortunately, the thug on the ground was not so lucky. The exe chop that had been meant to kill Garrett had connected with his neck and severed his head. Garrett didn't have time to be thankful for narrowly avoiding death because the woman lifted her axe and engaged him.
Bethany twirled her around and swung her staff hard again the thug's blade. Despite his broken jaw, he kept on coming after the young apostate. She had been worried about the archers at first, but Varric had successfully taken one down with Bianca and was managing to keep the other at bay while taking cover behind the statue in the middle of the square. All he needed was that one split second.
"Come on, darling," he said as he stroked his beloved crossbow. "There's nothing you can hit."
He waited for several moments, ignoring the sounds of battle going on around him and focusing solely on his target. Then he saw it. His target had poked his head behind the corner about two inches, but it was all Varric needed. He pulled the trigger and the bolt went flying through the archer's left eye. His entire body went limp and he fell to the ground dead. With the archer dead, he assisted Bethany by shooting her opponent in the stomach and giving her an opening. She didn't need it, however, because the surprised thug was brought down by Fang who proceeded to tear out the man's throat.
Garrett found himself deadlocked with axe wielding woman. She didn't look it, but she actually quite strong. Garrett knew few men who could use such a cumbersome weapon so expertly, but this was the first woman he ever met that used such a weapon. He had to use both daggers just to keep the sharp blade away from his face. If he didn't do something quick, she would overpower him.
Luckily, he didn't have to.
The woman's eyes went wide and her mouth gaped open. Garrett felt the strength that had been pushing the axe down on him disappear and stood to the side as the brunette fell forward. Garrett saw why. In the back of her head was dagger with a golden handle. Garrett immediately recognized it as one of Isabella's daggers.
"Well that certainly quite a rumble," Isabella said nonchalantly as she sauntered her way over to the woman's lifeless body and wrenched the dagger from the woman's head.
"That was an impressive kill," Garrett commented. The blade had hit the woman square in the back of the head; not an easy target by any means, but Isabella's throw was dead accurate. "Where did you learn to do that?"
"Oh here and there," Isabella said with a shrug.
"Could you be more specific about the 'here' and 'there' parts?" Garrett asked.
"I could…but I won't," Isabella said teasingly.
"Fine, keep your secrets then," Garrett said with a light chuckle.
"These are Hayder's men," Isabella stated getting back on task. "I knew he wouldn't play fair."
"We should search the bodies. There might be a clue to his location," Garrett suggested.
"Along with a few other valuable objects of monetary value," Isabella said with a smirk and a twinkle in her eye. "I'll take their stuff, you look for clues."
"Why do you get their stuff?"
"How else am I to pay you?" Isabella asked.
"You mean you hired us without having the money to so?" Garrett asked incredulously.
"I was hoping we could work out a…arrangement," she replied with a playful smirk.
"Oh…well fantastic then," Garrett said happily causing Bethany to palm her face and Varric to snicker in amusement.
Garrett searched the body of the brunette since she appeared to be the apparent leader while Isabella riffled through the pockets of the others. He found a small note in her pouch and read it over.
"The girl will be in Hightown Square tonight. Kill her. Once she's dead meet us in the Chantry. It'll be safe. We got the Grand Cleric and her Chantry sisters secured.
-Hayder
Garrett's eyes widened as he read the note.
"They've in the Chantry! They've the Grand Cleric hostage!" he informed the group.
"They what?" Bethany asked in shock.
"That's very ballsy," Varric said. "A hostage like that would ensure safe passage from Kirkwall if things went wrong."
"But taking the Grand Cleric hostage? That's taking it way too far!" Bethany exclaimed.
"You don't know Hayder," Isabella stated. "He'd take Empress Celine hostage if thought he could."
"We have to stop him," Garrett said. "Let's get to the Chantry."
The Chantry doors burst open and Garrett and his group came running into the grand hall. He spotted Grand Cleric Elthina and several of the sisters tied up to chairs at the base of the Grand Cleric's altar. Luckily, they were unharmed.
"I should have known you'd find me here, Isabella," a voice called out. Garrett saw someone round the corner. He wore a suit of chainmail armor, had brown ponytail and carried a greatsword on his back. Behind him came five other men and women wearing similar armor.
"Next time tell your men to burn the letters, Hayder," Isabella said with a scowl.
"Release the Grand Cleric and the sisters," Garrett ordered, reaching for his daggers.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Hayder said with a smirk.
With a snap of his fingers, two of Hayder's men had crossbows aimed at Elthina's head. Garrett stiffened and shot Hayder a death glare before dropping his arms at his side.
"There's a good man," Hayder said, his tone condescending. "Castillion was heartbroken was heartbroken when he heard about the shipwreck, Isabella. You should have let him know you survived."
"It must have slipped my mind," Isabella replied with a shrug.
Hayder let out a dry laugh in response.
"Where's the relic?" he asked.
"I lost it. You can tell Castillion that he's just going to have to do without," Isabella replied.
"Lost it?" Hayder asked unconvinced. "Just like you 'lost' a ship full of valuable cargo?"
"They weren't cargo, Hayder, they were people!" Isabella said angrily.
"Those slaves were worth a hundred sovereigns ahead and you let the scurry off into the wilds because you decided to grow a conscience! And now the relics gone? Castillion won't be pleased, I promise you."
"Slaves? What's he talking about?" Garrett asked Isabella with suspicious look.
"Isabella's been a very bad girl," Hayder said mockingly. "Ruined a perfect business deal and then ran away. She didn't tell you?"
"I told him enough," Isabella replied angrily. "I told him I arranged for a duel, which I did! I also told him you wouldn't play fair, which you didn't." She turned to Garrett and gave him an apologetic look. "We can talk more about this later. Right now we have more important things to worry about."
Garrett nodded in agreement. He definitely had some questions for her, but at the moment the lives of the Grand Cleric and the Sisters were more important.
"You don't have to take them hostage," Garrett began calmly. "You can walk out of here without any trouble and not have to tell Castillion about Isabella.
Hayder scoffed.
"If I cross him, he'll kill me and my life is worth more than hers," he said with a glare.
"Then there's only one thing left for us to do," Isabella said with a smirk.
Before anyone knew what had happened, Isabella had grabbed one of her daggers and threw it with perfect aim into the neck of female warrior standing beside Hayder. She gurgled and spat up blood before collapsing to the ground.
Thinking fast, Varric and Garrett drew their crossbows and quickly shot the two archers that had their bows trained on the Grand Cleric. Both men fell dead as bolts pierced their skulls. Hayder and his last man looked at them in fear. They were outmanned and had both of Garrett's and Varric's reloaded crossbows aimed at them.
"Now wait a minute! Let's talk about this," he said nervously.
"Funny how they always want to talk after they get the shit kicked out of them," Varric commented.
"Come on, Isabella," Hayder said with a nervous chuckle. "We can work this out. We've known each for a long time. I'll leave Kirkwall tonight! I won't tell Castillion anything, I swear!"
Isabella smirked and casually sauntered her way over to Hayder.
"I believe you, you sweet thing…" she said as she cupped Hayder's cheek and leaned in closer to his face.
Just when it looked like she was about to kiss him, she thrust her dagger into his stomach and twisted it roughly. Hayder's face was one of pain and shock.
"I just don't like you," Isabella said scathingly before wrenching the dagger from Hayder's body and letting him slump face-first to the floor.
His remaining man watched in horror as his leader's blood began pooling around him on the Chantry floor. He looked towards a smirking Isabella who casually twirled her blade around her finger.
"Get lost," she said with a smirk.
He nodded frantically and took off running out the doors, leaving a trail of urine behind him. Garrett, Bethany and Varric watched the grunt run off before turning back to Isabella.
"She's frightening," Garrett muttered to Varric.
"Told you so," Varric replied smugly.
With the Hayder and his thugs taken care of, Garrett turned his attention to the Grand Cleric. He rushed towards the bound servants of the Maker and cut the ropes that kept them tied to the chairs.
"Thank the Maker! We're saved!" one of them shouted as she fell out of her chair.
"I thank you for what you have done, young man," the Grand Cleric said to Garret with an appreciative smile. "The Maker chose wisely when he sent you to save us."
"I don't know about that, your grace," Garrett replied politely. "I'm just glad we managed to get here in time."
"A shame it had to end like this," Elthina said sadly as she looked towards the dead bodies.
"It always is," Garrett replied in agreement.
"This marks the second night in the last week that blood was spilt in this holy place."
Garrett paled somewhat when he realized what she was referring to, but said nothing.
"What did they want with us?" one of the sister's asked fearfully.
"You were their 'get-out-Kirkwall-free-card'," Varric explained. "Perhaps you should consider not opening your doors to everyone."
"I am afraid I cannot do that, Ser Dwarf," Elthina said with a kind smile. "I must be willing to let in anyone seeking the grace of the Maker."
"Well perhaps you should consider asking your visitors to remove their weapons before they enter the Chantry then," Garrett suggested.
"In light of tonight's events, I may be inclined to agree with that," Elthina conceded with a sigh. "Still why did they need hostages?"
"Insurance," Isabella answered. "Just in case they couldn't keep killing me quiet."
Elthina regarded Isabella. She seemed to be examining her clothes, or lack thereof, and then Hayder's dead body laying at her feet. Garrett could tell that Elthina was already forming some pretty poor opinions about Isabella.
"And what is that you do, young lady?" she asked with a scrutinizing stare.
"Well, I formerly captained a ship, but these days I'm up for just about anything," Isabella answered.
"I can see that," Elthina replied taking another look at Isabella's attire before turning her attention back to Garrett. "Thank you again for your aid, serah…"
"Hawke, Garrett Hawke," the rogue answered before gesturing to his sibling. "This is my sister, Bethany."
"Hawke…that is a familiar name," Elthina said, appearing to be in deep thought. "Was your father Malcolm Hawke perchance?"
Garrett and Bethany's eyes widened.
"You knew our father?" Bethany asked in surprise.
Elthina nodded, but her eyes widened slightly in realization.
"Wait…"knew"?" she asked.
Both Hawke children nodded sadly.
"Our father died four years ago," Garrett stated.
"I'm so sorry," Elthina replied forlornly. "He was a good man. May the Maker bless his soul."
"How did you know him?" Bethany asked curiously.
"We met only once when he visited the Chantry. I was a Mother at the time," Elthina explained. "Your father washed away whatever doubts I had of mages. In this city, every mage who sought or desired freedom used violent means to acquire it. Your father desired freedom as well, but did not believe in achieving it through force. Truly, a model for all mages to follow."
"Mages were allowed in the Chantry?" Garrett asked in surprise. He was under the impression that every mage in Kirkwall was confined to the Gallows until the day they died.
"This was before Meredith became Knight Commander," Elthina clarified. "The former Knight Commander was a bit more lenient towards the mages."
"What was he doing here?"
"I believe he was seeking advice," Elthina recalled. "He said the woman he had been secretly courting revealed that she was pregnant and he seemed quite panicked by the news."
Both Hawkes' eyes went as wide as saucers and their faces as red a tomatoes. Varric and Isabella were unable to contain their laughter.
Truth be told, Leandra didn't tell her children much about her relationship with Malcolm, only that they fell madly in love with each other and eloped to Fereldan shortly before Garrett was born. She never mentioned the Garrett's conception was an unplanned accident.
The look on the siblings' faces told Elthina she may have revealed something she shouldn't have.
"Forgive me, I…thought you knew," she said apologetically.
"It's alright," Garrett spoke up once he managed to remove the embarrassment from his face.
"Permit me, this may seem like an unfriendly question, but…your sister, she is a mage, no?" Elthina asked while looking at the staff on Bethany's back.
Bethany's eyes widened in horror. Garrett tensed up a bit, but managed to keep his face neutral. With Elthina's knowledge of their father and the common knowledge that the Amell's were a family blessed-or cursed- with magic, he supposed logically it would only make sense for her to arrive at her conclusion.
"If she was a mage, Grand Cleric, would there be a way to persuade you to keep that information secret?" Garrett.
"Well…if she were a mage, given that she played a hand in saving not only my life, but the lives of the sisters as well, I may be inclined to ignore any magical power she may possess," Elthina replied with a light grin causing Garrett to grin as well.
"In that case…no, she's not a mage," he responded with a sly smirk.
"Ah, my mistake then," Elthina said with a knowing smile.
Bethany let out a sigh of relief. Her secret was safe with the third most powerful person in Kirkwall and for that she was glad. Now all she needed was to do was hope Meredith would be as forthcoming.
'As if,' she thought.
Outside, the group made their way down the Chantry steps. Elthina didn't have much to reward Garrett with other than a blessing, but Garrett assured her that he didn't need a reward mostly because their rescue was coincidental, despite Elthina's insistence that it was divine intervention.
Now came the matter of their payment. Isabella's bodyguard job had become something much more and warranted a pay raise regardless of whatever "arrangement" she wanted to work out with Garrett.
"Look," Isabella began when they reached the Chantry Square, "I'm sorry about all this. I didn't know it would come this far."
"You didn't tell us you were a slave trader," Garrett said disdainfully.
"I'm not!" Isabella insisted. "It's not what you think."
"Then start talking."
Isabella sighed before beginning her explanation.
"I used to work for the man Hayder mentioned, Castillion. He's a powerful merchant based in Antiva with ties to the Felicisima Armada."
"I'm guessing that's bad?" Garrett asked looking to Varric.
"Incredibly," the dwarf answered.
"Anyway, the jobs mostly consisted of smuggling lyrium, jewels, or the occasional criminal acquaintance. He paid well," Isabella said as if it were noteworthy.
"So how did this 'lucrative' relationship of yours sour?" Garrett asked the word "lucrative" laced with sarcasm.
"Do you remember Hayder saying that I let a group of slaves run off into the wilds?" she asked. When Garrett nodded she continued. "I was asked to escort Castillion's cargo ship, but I got a bad feeling about the job halfway through. I boarded the ships to find slaves. Nearly two hundred- elves, humans, children even. It was sickening," she said with sincere sadness in her voice. "They paid Castillion to help them escape from the Blight, but he took their money and sold them into slavery. Even I know that's wrong."
Garrett regarded her for a moment. He wondered if he could really trust her. She did keep quiet a bit from them regarding the job, and while she never outright lied to them, she was an admitted criminal and that in and of itself warranted mistrust. Still, even Garrett could see she had some small sense of honor. Honor among thieves perhaps."
"Well…the Grand Cleric's safe and we all made it out of this one alive, but I'm afraid the fee for this job has to go up some," Garret said using his best business tone.
Isabella sighed in annoyance.
"That's fair I guess," she said as she reached for the pouch strapped to her waist and pulled out a golden sovereign. "I told Lucky this was his if he provided me with the information I needed. Take it. I know it's not much, but I will find some way to repay you, I promise."
Garrett accepted the sovereign and placed it securely in his own money pouch.
"What will you do know?" Bethany asked the dark woman curiously.
"For now I'm sure, but I'm not too worried; Hayder is dead and won't be able to tell Castillion where I am," Isabella answered. "He'll find me eventually though; I have no doubt about that. My only hope is to find the relic I guess. Simple as that."
"What exactly is the relic?" Garrett asked curiously. He heard Hayder mention a relic as well. Garrett assumed whatever this thing was has to be some kind of rare treasure if Isabella's life depended on it so.
"I don't know what is exactly except that it's ancient and worth my weight and gold," Isabella responded.
"So you're basically looking for something you know nothing about," Varric surmised.
"Yeah, that's basically it" Isabella replied with a sigh. "Castillion has me tracking it down as payment for freeing his slaves. To be honest, I think he just wants me dead, but that would be letting me off easy."
Garrett thought for a moment. Isabella was clearly a capable warrior and was obviously very street-wise. Having someone like her in his employ could be a potentially great boon. He looked back at Varric and the dwarf sighed in exasperation as if he knew what his partner wanted, but nodded his head anyway.
"I'll tell you what," Garrett said turning back to Isabella. "We'll help you keep Castillion off your back and in exchange you pay us back by working for us."
"Hmm…" Isabella hummed in thought while staring at Garrett with a raised brow. "Why would you need me?"
"You look like a girl that can clearly take care of yourself," Garrett replied with a shrug.
"I know there's more to it than that," Isabella said with a wry smile. "You just want to know what the Captain's curves feel like, don't you?"
"There's that," Garrett responded with a smirk while Bethany gagged behind him, "and the fact that Varric and I are planning something big and we could really use the extra help."
"Varric? Is your brother that loud mouth dwarf that's been standing around Hightown for the last week shouting about his expedition?"
"One in the same," Varric nodded.
"Oh, so you must really need my help then."
"You help us, we help you. Everyone gets their dues. Deal?" Garrett asked.
It didn't take Isabella long to think it over. They needed each other and in the end, working with Garrett was definitely better than working alone or through idiots like Lucky and it would keep her alive much longer.
"Alright then, you got a deal," Isabella finally said.
"Great to have you with us," Garrett said with a satisfied smile.
"I'm sure it is," Bethany muttered to herself.
"Your brother never struck me as the 'lady's man'," Varric whispered to Bethany.
"Sometimes he's just more of a dog than Fang," she replied causing Fang to hang his head and whine.
"So that's it then," Garrett said with a shrug. "If you know about any work, come find Varric or me."
"Before we get straight down to business, I think I should compensate you for everything," Isabella stated.
"But you already paid me," Garrett said in confusion.
"I was thinking of a more 'personal' reward," the dark woman added with a smirk.
"Oh…well fantastic then," Garrett responded with a grin.
