Disclaimer: I don't own DA:O or any of its characters.
Back Alley Brawl
The Denerim market district is normally a bustling hub of activity. Today, however, the lucky stalls boast a meagre one to two customers. When I woke up this morning, I was struck with a severe case of cabin fever. After slipping on a flared linen skirt, a cream coloured tunic and leather boots, I decided it was time to take a stroll through the city. I had hoped to stop by the book stall to see if there were any new arrivals. With a bag slung over my shoulder, I head toward the book merchant. He recognizes me as I approach and waves happily.
"Lady Elissa," the merchant smiles. "It's a pleasure to see you again. Are you in need of some new reading material?" He tells me of his most recent arrivals, and after browsing through a few titles I settle on a particularly steamy looking story about a mage and her love affair with a templar. Ooh la la. I'm a sucker for trashy romance. I pay for the book and tuck it away in my shoulder bag. Next to the book stall is a merchant selling various soaps. My girlish side gets the better of me and I can't help but spend a few minutes sniffing away at their selections. The merchant is a lovely woman who isn't much older than I, and she suggests several soaps that she thinks would suit me. I indulge and buy one that smells like a mixture of roses and sandalwood. As the morning hours cross into afternoon I feel the stress melting away. I almost feel like myself again. My stomach begins to growl and I take that as a sign that I should head back to the palace for some lunch. I decide to cut through the back alleys. Much like the market, the alleys are also deserted. It isn't until I reach the midway point that I hear some semblance of activity.
"I said, give me all your money, wench! If you don't, your blood will paint this alleyway," growls a rather angry sounding man.
I hear a woman sniffling. "Please don't hurt me! I don't have any money, I told you!" Great, of all the back alleys in Denerim, I had to walk down the one with criminal activity…oh wait, they're all like that. Suddenly a slap echoes through the air and the woman shrieks. I creep forward and take a peek around the corner. From my vantage point I'm able to discern a scruffy looking man standing over a petite woman with chin length brown hair. She's cowering, and the man has his hand pulled back as though he's about to hit her again. The anger begins to bubble up inside of me.
"Well, isn't this a lovely surprise! Here I am, minding my own business, when I happen upon a lout brutalizing a young woman! I am indeed a lucky girl." The man spins around, momentarily distracted by the sound of my voice. His eyes narrow as he takes me in. I stop a few feet away from him and fold my arms over my chest.
"Mind your own business, sweet cheeks, or you'll wind up just as bruised as this little bitch," the man leers at me.
I tilt my head to one side. "I'm sorry, am I supposed to be frightened of you? You'll excuse me if I'm not overly impressed." The ruffian gives me an angry scowl and starts advancing.
"I'm gonna have to teach you some manners," he bellows. He swings a fist in my direction, which I dodge easily. With lightening fast reflexes I extract a dagger from one of my boots. As he stumbles forward from the momentum of his punch, I spin behind him and kick him in the rear, which sends him sprawling into the dirt face first. I jump onto his back and grab his greasy hair with one hand while I hold the dagger to his throat. He struggles beneath me, and I respond by increasing the pressure of my blade.
"Are you going to be a good boy and leave this woman alone?" I hiss into his ear.
"Yes," he says through gritted teeth. I remove the dagger from his throat and jump off of him. I watch closely as he gets to his feet. I'm almost certain that he's about to run off when he suddenly turns and darts toward me. He doesn't have much distance to cover, but I'm much faster. He probably doesn't even see it coming. One second his features are curled into an ugly sneer, and the next, his mouth hangs open in shock. Even I'm surprised with how easily my blade slices through his flesh. I must remember to thank Alistair again for his generous gift. I feel the man's blood spray into my face, and I watch as he falls to his knees. The front of his shirt is drenched within a matter of moments. I take a step back as he falls to the ground.
"Son of a bitch," I moan. I turn toward the woman, who is staring at me wide eyed. "I just got this shirt, and now it's ruined!" She continues to stare at me while I wipe the blade against my stained tunic. "You okay?" I ask.
She nods at me. I see the beginnings of a nasty bruise starting to form on her cheek. "Th-thank you. I thought he was going to kill me," she stammers. She begins to tremble rather violently. I head toward her hurriedly and kneel down.
"Hey now, it's okay. You're safe," I wrap an arm around her shoulders. "I'm Elissa, what's your name?" I know I have to keep her talking, or at least keep her distracted. Otherwise she's liable to go into a fit.
"Kaitlyn, my name is Kaitlyn," she replies.
I smile warmly. "Pleased to meet you Kaitlyn. Listen, I was just headed to the palace for some lunch. Why don't you come with me and we'll get you cleaned up?"
"Why are you going to the palace?" she asks.
"Because I'm staying there until my home in Highever is ready for me," I reply, my voice steady and calm. It seems to be doing the trick, as I feel her muscles starting to loosen up a bit.
"My brother works at the palace," she says offhandedly. "Maybe you've met him? His name is Bevin."
My face lights up. "I know him! He's very helpful, you know. How about you visit him after you get all of this dirt off of you?"
"Alright, if you're sure…"
"Sure I'm sure! Let's go." I help her to her feet and pull her away from the dead man. She spares one last glance over her shoulder and follows me to the palace.
We're sitting in the kitchen and chatting while I have a large pot of water heating up over a fire. It isn't long before we're caught by one of the servants, who apparently takes issue with the fact that I'm warming our bath water. Something about taking her job away from her. Regardless, we're shooed out of the kitchen and told to wait in my chambers until the bath is prepared for us. I let Kaitlyn borrow one of my robes and we hand our soiled clothes off to yet another servant, who doesn't once question why I have blood all over my tunic. We're both seated on my bed, and Kaitlyn tells me that she's come from Redcliffe and opened a foundry here in Denerim.
"I know you may not believe this, but I owe everything to the Hero," she smiles. I blink several times.
"The Hero? As in…the Hero of Ferelden?"
Kaitlyn nods eagerly. "Yes, he came to Redcliffe, and he bought my grandfather's sword from me for five hundred silvers. I used that money to travel here and I managed to open the foundry. If it weren't for him I'd still be living a life of poverty in Redcliffe. I owe everything to him…Elissa? What's wrong?"
I shake my head and reach out, squeezing her hand. "I was just suddenly struck with how small the world is. Aedan was my twin brother, and it makes me happy to know that he's managed to touch so many lives. Not just by slaying the archdemon, but how he helped people on such a personal level as well…"
"Oh Maker, I'm sorry, I had no idea! But if you're his sister, doesn't that make you a Cousland?" she ventures. I nod by way of reply. "Oh, my lady! Forgive my lack of propriety!" her pretty features are all at once twisted by her embarrassment.
I let out a peal of laughter and squeeze her hand once again. "Don't be silly! Propriety is not at the top of my list of things to be concerned about. Never call me 'my lady' again, especially since we've bathed in a man's blood together," I admonish playfully. She returns my smile and is about to reply when there's a knock at the door. "That must be our bath water. Oh! We can use the new soaps that I bought today!" I squeal with glee. Funny how I can go from bloodlust to girlish imbecile in a matter of seconds. I throw open the door and find Teagan standing on the other side. "Tea-time! To what do we owe the pleasure?" I smile at him. His gaze travels from my eyes and moves slowly downward, taking in my skimpy bath robe.
"Elissa…I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you were busy…wait, did you just say 'we'?" he moves to look over my shoulder, but I block his view.
"Tut tut, Tea-time! No peeking into my private quarters," I place a hand on his chest and gently push him back. "I won't be long," I call over my shoulder to Kaitlyn. I close the door behind me and wiggle my eyebrows at Teagan suggestively. "I have a girl in there." When his eyes widen I can't help but laugh. "You should see the look on your face! Seriously though, she was being attacked by some man, so I killed him and brought her back here to clean up. Her name is Kaitlyn. Perhaps you know her? She's from Redcliffe and she's just opened a foundry here in Denerim."
"Wait a moment, you were attacked and killed a man this afternoon? Maker's breath Elissa, only you can relate such an adventure so calmly," he places his hands on my shoulders. "I never tire of your exuberance." I duck out of his grasp and poke him in the ribs playfully. I refuse to play this game with him after having spent the night dreaming about the king with his full, pouting lips pressed against…I give myself a mental shake. Snap out of it!
"You ought to meet her! After we bathe we should all have lunch together," I suggest. "Say you'll join us?"
Teagan grins. "How can I say no to such a generous offer? Very well, I'll meet you down in the dining hall in…how about an hour? Does that give you enough time?"
"Perfect! We'll see you soon," I give him a little wave and return to my bedroom.
It isn't long before the servant brings up the heated water, and I insist Kaitlyn be first to bathe. I give her a green dress to slip into once she's done and promise her that her clothes will be ready for her by the time lunch is over. She doesn't suspect that a tiny plan has begun to hatch in my mind's eye. She appears out of the bathroom about half an hour later looking squeaky clean. The dress suits her beautifully, though it is a touch too big for her. I inhale deeply and can't help but appreciate the wondrous smell that is wafting from her. Little does she know that I'll be using the boring soap, and she'll be the only one smelling like a rose. She waits for me in my bedroom, and I select the most boring outfit I can find for myself - a pair of brown linen trousers and a cream coloured shapeless tunic. I pat myself on the back and hop into the tub. I give myself a cursory scrub, making sure to wipe away the blood that has dried on my forearms. When I'm finished the bathwater has taken on a rusty hue. Nothing like a little blood to get the appetite going.
"Teagan, allow me to introduce Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn this is Teagan, bann of-"
"Rainesfere!" Kaitlyn gasps slightly. "It's a pleasure to meet you milord," she curtseys. My gaze shifts to Teagan, who I notice is quite taken with Kaitlyn. I resist the urge to pump a fist.
Teagan takes Kaitlyn's hand into his own and kisses it lightly. "The pleasure is all mine, my lady." His eyes are sparkling, and she's smiling widely. We sit at the dining room table and are served lunch. I let Kaitlyn and Teagan take on the majority of the conversation, and only make the odd comment so they know I'm paying attention. Pretty soon they're talking animatedly about life in Redcliffe, their families, and other small talk. I can tell right away that Teagan likes her, and judging by the way she hangs off of his every word, I think it's safe to say she feels the same about him.
"Damn!" I exclaim suddenly. "I just remembered that I have to see…the king about something. I better not keep him waiting," the pair glance up at me as though surprised to realize that I'm still there. "Teagan, would you be able to see Kaitlyn back to her home?"
"Of course," Teagan replies immediately.
"Wonderful," I clasp my hands together. "Well, it was wonderful spending the afternoon with you Kaitlyn. I'm sure I'll be seeing you around." I give her a brief hug. "Stay safe." I stride out of the dining hall with a huge grin plastered on my face. That was too easy. Now with Teagan off my back, I won't have any distractions. After all, Aedan had wanted me to show Alistair the ropes, and thus far I haven't been giving him the proper tutelage. As I walk down the hallway, I go over several points that I think will help him in court, most of which have to do with his disposition and general responses to the nobles. I'm so deep in thought that I nearly run headlong into none other than Bevin, Kaitlyn's younger brother.
"My lady?" he smiles up at me.
"Hey there, Bevin! What can I do for you?"
"The king wishes to speak with you in his study, my lady." he stands proudly as he recites the message. I try hard not to reach out and ruffle his hair, which I'm sure would humiliate him.
"I'd better not keep him waiting then," I reply. "Oh, by the way, your sister is here. I ran into her in the…uh…market. We had lunch together. You may want to stop by the dining hall and say hi."
"Could I? Thank you very much!" He practically races away from me, and I let out a chuckle. Cute kid. While wandering down the hallway I wonder if it might be a good idea to find a woman to set the king up with. My idea to introduce Teagan to Kaitlyn had worked out beautifully, so perhaps if I were to do the same with Alistair he'd be less inclined to pursue me and concentrate on important matters when we're together. I quickly dismiss the idea. He's far too busy to entertain any romantic inclinations, so it's probably best if I not add another woman to his plate…
That's what I tell myself anyway.
