Chapter Three – Adjusting Part Two
"Put her on my account for tonight." Fenris said. He immediately got reactions from the group, but eased their mind by saying this was my first time here and I had no money. I met Isabela and Varric and looked at their card game. I refused to play as I did not want to burden them further apart from the drinks they got for me.
The evening itself was a lot of fun and it made me forget about my sorrows. When people started to leave to get some sleep it got quiet very fast though. Isabela, Hawke, Fenris and I were the only ones left and I decided to leave as well. I felt my mood change and I did not want to let it out to them. I excused myself and thanked Fenris for the drinks with the promise I'd pay him back. I quickly left and headed to the mansion.
I did not look back and was grateful when I reached it as fast as I hoped. The moment I closed the door I couldn't hold back anymore. I screamed and cursed and knew it must have been my fault. If I had not ran away, they wouldn't have to see Sebastian his parents and they wouldn't have died as well. I should have warned them straight away and risk them not believing me instead of finding Sebastian.
I sat like that for ten minutes with my hands in my hair and my elbows resting on my knees. Eventually I got up and went to my room. I sat in a chair in front of the fire and stared at it. Here I thought I was doing the right thing and now everything is casted back in my face. I embraced the warmth of the fire. My back seemed to absorb it and cast it out through my body. It wasn't very pleasant, but my thoughts overruled all so far. I lifted my legs and cropped myself to a ball on the chair. Maybe if I close my eyes everything will just go away.
The next morning I got up early and heard noises from within the mansion. It seemed to come from Fenris his room. When I walked towards the room, Hawke walked out with Aveline and Fenris.
"Good morning." Hawke said. I greeted him and he walked towards me.
"Are you all right?"
"Couldn't be better." Hawke nodded. He did not seem to believe me, but he nodded. "All right, my neck hurts like hell, but that's what you get from sleeping in a chair." Before he could continue, Sebastian walked in.
"Maker, are you all in need for Fenris his help?" I asked. Garrett laughed and shook his head.
"Actually, I wanted to check if you and Fenris want to help with a mission we're on."
"Oh, enlighten me?"
"There appears to be a group of people in Darktown. I think they have captured a mage which the Templars are searching. If we get there in time, maybe we can save him from that. Don't know much apart from that honestly." I frowned. So now my help to save a mage is asked? Nevertheless, I agreed to come. Sebastian did not seem to agree and walked towards me.
"Lia, can't you stay so we can talk?" I raised my eyebrows.
"No. I... can't. The sooner I earn some money the sooner I can repay people. Maybe I should leave once I manage. There is nothing left for me here now. Right?" I blurred out. As I walked to the door everyone stayed silent and looked at Sebastian. I could softly hear Hawke say something.
"Well done Sebastian." The group quickly followed me outside however and we set pace towards Darktown. There were two groups who wanted to stop us and I finally got to see how this group would work together.
Fenris and Aveline ran straight forward to fight them closely with their weapons while Garrett stayed behind and used his staff to enhance is magical abilities. I tried to stick next to him, despite my distrust and shot those I could with my arrows. When the second group died we were nearly where we needed to be. I pulled out my arrows out of the dead bodies and cleaned them a little.
"You're a good archer." a voice said behind me. I smiled and turned around.
"Thank you." Hawke quickly moved in between us and leaded the way to the group at the bottom of the stairs. One looked like some sort of magister and I noticed hate boiling up in me. I glanced at Fenris and noticed he seemed to disguise his feelings quite well. When the man started laughing and wanted to bind us in irons I felt myself even getting more mad. I closed my eyes and soon opened them again to focus on the man. I walked forward and grabbed the man by his throat. I was so mad that he did not have issues with selling people and let them become slaves. When two of his men grabbed me I could see how much force was in my hands as I saw a trace on the mage his throat.
In response to their actions of taking me of the mage, the elf walked forward and I saw him flare up. Blue light covered his body and soon his hand reached inside the man his chest. I gasped and looked at what situation developed right in front of my eyes with confusion and a bit of fright. Fenris pulled his hand out and the man fell on the ground gasping for air. I looked at Fenris and he just stared at the mage. I felt my heart beating loudly in my chest and when Hawke stated he could not let the man go free because he would condemn thousands of lives into slavery the battle started. I freed myself and other men came from several corners of the room and started fighting us. Garrett made sure they wouldn't come near us while Fenris and Aveline made sure they had the most of the men's attention on them. When they were dead Hawke and Aveline started looting the corpses.
"How did you do that?" I whispered to Fenris.
"We'll talk later. Something happened to you as well." he simply whispered back. Garrett came towards me and grinned.
"Come! Shall we go to the Hanged Man? We can check the map as well and think of some sort of strategy. If we can't, we'll just go there and kill everyone on sight." Garrett grinned. Aveline shook her head and told she would get back to the barracks. She had an actual job to do. Garrett would get the others and asked us to meet them there.
As they played their usual came of cards with the few who wanted to, I went up to talk to Varric. He was the so called story teller of them all and was always asking questions so he could get his facts straight.
"So shining star, want a drink?"
"No thanks Varric."
"How is living with broody? Not too brooding I hope?" I grinned and shook my head.
"Not too brooding no." I laughed.
"So you came to Kirkwall for your beloved Sebastian, eh? Are you two a pair?"
"No we're not, Varric. Maybe I will take you up on that offer for a drink." As he called for two drinks I sat down uncomfortably.
"So you used to be right? That must be strange to see him, but not be a pair. So who have you got your eyes on? I mean, you have met the whole little group of ours? Or is it an outsider?"
"Let's not discuss this right now shall we? Talk about cards or killing methods or anything else, but not that."
"Hmm. Maybe you should rethink living with broody. It seems to affect you." he laughed. I chuckled and casted my eyes at the table where the drinks were put down. I drank up everything in one go and joined the card game. The afternoon and evening went by fast and I briefly wondered if the so called jobs were so rare. If so, it was going to take a while to earn enough money.
