Judy – Enjoy!
Chapter 10 – Decisions.
Makatza panted heavily, she was running for her life. She could taste the bittersweet iron in her mouth; as her throat and chest tightened and burnt, in a deep ravaging pulse with every breath she took. She stumbled and tripped as she blindly ran, clipping her shoulders against the walls as she felt her ankles betray her. She had screamed previously as her personal situation got worse. Going back to where she was cornered, she'd tried to give her best bravado but the two slavers were backed up by another mage who was an older man. 'You too, old man?' Makatza said baring the dagger.
He looked her over, the calculation clear on his features. 'Hmm. Capture her,' he states bluntly. The two men grin and lunge at her, easily dodging her frantic swipe of her blade. That's when she screamed the first time, it echoed loudly off the walls but it didn't stop each man grabbing her by the arms. She thrashed and kicked, feeling her hot tears fall down her face, her mana went ballistic, erratically releasing pulses powerful enough to make the men holding her stagger. The mage jolted back and then walked forward to grab her by the jaw. He studied her features and his greasy smile grew larger, 'she's a naturalist,' he laughs as the realisation triggered. Makatza smelt the stale sweat that wafted off of his robes, his skin was oily and clogged, the small details she noticed as he was so close to her. She stifled a sob as she was determined to look him in the eyes with not fear, but anger. His hair was almost silver and she would put his age to the top end of his fifties. He turned her face sideways one way then the other, 'Usually we'd kill these as soon as they're discovered,' he murmurs to his men. Makatza couldn't help the fresh wave of dread that ran through her and caused her eyes to well up, he spoke so casually, and that terrified her. 'But, they've become quite a collector's item, the lineage you see. Normally Dalish, but you seem totally human. You wouldn't believe the amount you'd get for a Naturalist, especially a woman. Especially a human one,' he sneers, joy crossing his features. 'Grab her boys, they're worth their weight in gold, but if you have to kill her, do it, we'll get just as much,' he says letting her go and shrugging a shoulder. Makatza inhaled sharply as she felt the pain of a cuff bite into her wrist, it was enough to trigger an onslaught of mana that had been building in the last few minutes. The mana sought the slaver that hurt her, by pinching her skin; the man yelled in agony as it filled him, his skin began to spilt as if invisible razors danced over it. Within a few seconds the man was reduced to his knees, the others helpless to do anything but watch. Makatza jumped as he literally imploded into himself, feeling her mana wash out of him with his blood. Realisation hit her and she screamed again, clapping her now free hand over her mouth. She was covered in this man's blood, it was warm and sticky to the touch. She physically shook, but Aveline's training kicked in and she lashed out with her foot, clipping the mage between the legs with force. He dropped like a sack of bricks and using him as a distraction Makatza swung her elbow up into the surviving slaver's nose, shattering it with a crunch. One wrist still wore the cuffs and the chain dangled, grabbing the cool metal and slipping on the blood she began to run.
….
Sebastian was able to follow the line of blood and destruction as well as the general noise. The streets and alleys seemed to have had a spell of desertion cast upon them. People melted into the background, so's not to be caught up in the fighting or bloodshed. Panic was growing in his mind, she was in serious trouble and if the puddle of bones and flesh was to go by, her powers were becoming unstable. She could seriously injure herself or an innocent bystander, though in Kirkwall that would be rare; but he knew that if she did hurt someone she considered an innocent it would all but break her. Using his knowledge of the city and it's underground he made use of the tunnels, it looked like she was heading towards the docks. Both a smart and incredibly stupid idea, smart as there were lots of hiding places and she was a strong swimmer. Very dumb as these were slavers they were dealing with, which meant that they operated in th docks, it would be easy enough to capture her. He needed to get to her as quickly as possible, he risked a look behind him, he knew the others were on his tail but it was to his surprise that he saw Fenris, only a few hundred metres behind him. He turned a corner and proceeded to pull up a drain cover to drop into it, hearing the elf skid around the corner through a puddle. 'You caught up quickly,' Sebastian said as Fenris dropped into the tunnel after him.
'I abandoned my sword, I can move faster without it,' he states simply.
'I didn't think you'd be so concerned Fenris,' Sebastian says honestly and with a touch of approval. They ran as fast as they possibly could through the weaving tunnel, listening to the pavement above them for distress or fighting.
He snorts through his nose with annoyance. 'She will lose control and then we'll have a rogue, powerful mage as a problem,' he replies stoically. It wasn't the real reason but he didn't want to admit it to himself, let alone Sebastian, the other man who Makatza was rather close to. 'The sooner we get her out of trouble the better,' he says rolling his eyes. Sebastian was a little disheartened, but the way that Fenris said it made him believe that the elf was hiding something. They got to the hatch just before the dockside and the prince locked his hands together creating a step for Fenris to open and climb out of, he reached down a hand to help Sebastian out and then they both hurried along the dust to the dock. The closer they got to the stairs that led down the more commotion they could hear. It was mostly shouting and arguing. They reached the top of the ledge and saw Makatza backed against the water, she had grabbed a large broken pike, there was another implosion site of human remains that spread up a wall and if Fenris concentrated he could feel the waves of mana from where even he stood.
'Some one grab her!' Said a mage rather annoyed, 'what the hell do I pay you for?' He added as he pushed one of his men towards the young woman. The paid hand stumbled forward and Makatza swung her sharp stick towards him, keeping him a couple foot at bay. 'Look, I've wasted enough men trying to get this damn runaway elf, at least what you could fucking do is reimburse my losses by grabbing this little whore!' He said giving the man a kick in the back.
'But, look what happened to Arlo,' the man pointed out, unable to take his eyes off of Makatza who was baring her teeth, tears still streamed down her cheeks, but she wasn't going to go easily. She had accepted that she had killed a couple of people, albeit unintentionally, it wasn't a place nor the time to mentally process it.
'I don't give a fuck about Arlo!' The mage hissed. 'He was a stupid prick, use the lyrium chains, they'll dampen her mana and you won't get hurt! Stop being such a woman!' He threw the chains at his hired thug and motioned with his hand to Makatza. If they lost this woman as well he might as well slit his own wrists. Hadriana was going to be pissed enough losing Fenris, but if he could soften the blow and make some money from this Naturalist, he might live. Makatza watched as he stepped closer, her mana creating thick pulses in the air around them; he was getting bolder with every step and it got to the point where he was close enough to her weapon, she swing it forcibly towards him, a panicked grunt leaving her. He ducked under her blow and wrapped the chains over her head and around her throat tightening them. She gasped feeling the saliva in her mouth choke her, as she desperately tried in inhale as much as physically possible. He grabbed her tightly pulling her arms close to her chest and himself closer still, she could smell his rotting teeth and it made her gag, making it harder to breathe. All this happened within seconds, her eyesight was going blurry at the edges, but she recognised Fenris and Sebastian charging towards them, down the stairs fury on their faces. She did the only thing she could think of to buy time and hopefully her life, she threw her head and body back with all her strength. Her skull cracked into the man's nose, shattering it completely and causing Makatza to black out for a moment, the oxygen in her lungs fading. With her last conscious moment she felt her body fall backwards, into the slaver and then the harsh, biting cold of the water. The realisation of the sea forced her back into the light, her mind waking itself in preservation. All she heard was the roar of the water as it surrounded her, the bubbles slipping past her skin and around her face. Salt filled her mouth as her reaction was to open her mouth in shock, the bonds tightened around her throat and trapped her arms. The slaver was out cold and his hands had become locked around the chains, his dead weight increasing the tension. Makatza kicked her legs, thrashing like a netted seal frantic to be free. She broke the surface for but a moment, attempting to breathe and suck in some oxygen, but found it near impossible. She coughed, choking on the salt water as she was dragged under again, the waves and current slopping over her lazily.
On land the fight was over and Sebastian was tearing off his armour, knowing that the weight would hinder him. He wasn't fast enough, Fenris barrelled past him and dove into the water. His reasoning was that he was only wearing a breastplate and that he could fight at close quarters, even under the water. At least, that's what he'd be telling everyone else. He swam deeper, searching left and right until he saw a stream of bubbles and heard even the light clink of chains in this murky water. Makatza's captor had woken up and was set on taking Makatza to the depths with him, he was pulling her bonds tighter and tighter and even Fenris could see that she was losing strength and air. He wasted no time fighting his way through the current to her, the slaver spotted him and pulled out a blade, dropping the chains for survival. Makatza drifted, even though her bonds were loose, she wasn't conscious any more. Fenris drew upon his markings, creating a dimmed light in the murk. He swam closer to the man, dodging his clumsy and dulled swing and thrust his own glowing hand around his neck. Squeezing the air from his throat, Fenris' markings lit the fear in the slaver's eyes before it was extinguished, Fenris tore out his ability to breathe, blood blossoming into the water like ink. Wasting no time he dropped the body and grabbed Makatza around the waist, he had to get to the surface as soon as physically possible. When he broke free from the water he saw Isabela and Hawke on the shore with Sebastian, who had stripped to his tunic and leggings. Isabela and Hawke were arguing with the hooded stranger that had helped them earlier, before disappearing onto the rooftops. He swam awkwardly, Makatza may have been slim in stature, but in weight comparison to his sword she was like a stone. He got close enough for Sebastian to pull her from his shoulder and begin to try to wake her.
The prince ignored everyone else as he waded into the water and took Makatza from Fenris, she wasn't breathing and he hastily got her onto dry land and began to unwind the chains. He removed the metal and placed his head on her chest. Her heart was beating, just. He inhaled deeply and without thinking of the repercussions of his actions in an emotional way, he leant down and kissed her, forcing oxygen into her lungs. He felt everyone freeze around him as they realised that she was out the water, no longer breathing. Hawke was suddenly by his side, checking her pulse with his fingers. 'Again,' he commanded the Prince, who repeated his actions. There was silence for a moment before Makatza's back and chest bucked and twisted her onto her side as she coughed and threw up all the sea water she had inhaled. She gulped in huge belts of air and subsequently convulsed as her body rejected it. Everyone else breathe a little easier though, knowing she was alive.
The hooded man moved closer to her, watching as she lay in a puddle, surrounded by the others. He found his path blocked by a rather furiously wet elf, 'out of my way boy,' he said dismissively. Fenris bared his teeth and his markings lit up in response, 'do not be foolish, boy, do I look like someone who you could intimidate?' He snorts.
'You look like a stranger. We have enough of those,' Fenris states.
'You are the stranger, boy. You aren't even supposed to be here. This happened because of you,' the man snarled. 'I know who you are. The escaped Elven slave, Lyrium pet who hid with the fog warriors and slaughtered them all, ma banal las halamshir var vhen,' he hissed, getting closer to Fenris with every statement. 'Do you really think I would trust you to protect my daughter?' He said pulling down his hood. Fenris stared, the man was an elf. But it was his eyes that screamed truth, as dazzling blue and bronze irises glared at him. 'An escaped slave, a prince who dishonours his title. A pirate and an Apostate who regularly pisses off the Knight Commander,' he swears, his accent becoming heaver as his anger grows. The others stood in shock, Makatza being supported to the nearest barrel so she could sit down. She was blissfully unaware of what was going on and concentrating on breathing. 'She almost died because you can't take responsibility for your past!' He roared, his hood fell down further still, his long braided hair fell around his shoulders, the light showing his facial tattoos that wove around his eyes and down the length of his nose. He had a scarred lip and pierced ears, his accent now clearly from the Ferelden Dalish, Irish Makatza would call it. 'Step aside, let me see my daughter,' he demanded. 'It had been too long and I need to protect her from fools like you, dirthara-ma,' he spat as he barged past and moved closer to Makatza. Isabela and Hawke stood nearby but allowed the elf to get closer, the family resemblance was striking. Makatza was still shuddering and giving the occasional cough, her throat sore from the chains. Sebastian stood by her shoulder as the man came closer. He knelt infront of her, his voice soft as he spoke. 'Ma vhenan, lethallan,' he said as his voice broke, her eyes meeting his as he greeted her. 'It has been too long, ma vhenan,' he whispered taking her hands. Makatza sat in shock, her whole body shivering, she looked at the others who simply stood around her.
'I don't- I don't know you?' She said confused, refusing to believe that she felt she was looking at her own eyes in a mirror.
He smiles with a small exhale, 'I know you don't. That will change. I'm here to take you home, lethallan. I'm your father,' he says quietly, pressing his lips to her fingers as he looks at her, his eyes welling up with her mother's beauty. Makatza pulled her hands away from him sharply and stood up.
'I... I have to go. Now,' she said stumbling away.