"Okay...this...I don't get."
"Only this?"
"Oh shut it Morrigan, this is confusing."
"I bet."
"You know what? I wasn't talking to you."
Rolling her eyes Lynn chose to ignore her fellow warden as she kissed the little red-headed child on the forehead and closed his fingers around the fifteen silvers she'd given him. Withdrawing she smiled at the boy whose large eyes looked up at her with an almost painful innocence. "Go to the chantry boy, they'll take care of you until..." She managed to hide her grimace. Of course she's without a doubt dead. "...until you're mother comes find you."
"You're a nice lady." The boy replied, his voice high in pitch, lisping...and just adorable. "Father says elves aren't nice, but you're really nice."
Normally she would have frowned at the words, the reminder of her inferiority, but not in this instance, instead she simply smiled and ruffled the boy's hair. "Well you're nice too...now get going scamp."
Watching the kid run away towards the chantry Lynn still managed to keep up the smile as Morrigan snorted. "Great, next we'll help kittens down trees..." Lynn shot the witch a superior smirk, making her roll her eyes in surrender.
Of course he then spoke up again. "So let me get this straight...first you help the cruel merchant...and then you give fifteen percent of the profit you made to a child?" She heard the creak of his heavy mail armour as he shrugged. "Not that I'm complaining about the later part mind you...but it seems a little...inconsistent."
What's a percent? Annoyed Lynn chose to ignore the reminder of her lack of education in favour of turning to glare at Alistair. "Sure, because I'm a heartless elf only concerned with money...right?"
"What? No, nono.." The man raised his hands in to placate her, but they quickly dropped as he cocked his head to the side and shot her an odd look. "And that's actually part of my point, what about those elves with their little daughter that we passed before all this? You just blew those off...and they were both elves and had a kid." He shrugged. "Sorry but...I don't get your thinking here."
"Do I need to explain myself?" Lynn crossed her arms in front of her and raised an eyebrow, daring Alistair to continue his questioning.
To her surprise the man met her eyes. She had seen the way he walked and looked, he was obviously hurting and trying very hard not to let it take effect...but at the moment it was pushed so far back she could barely see it. "Yes, or at least it would make things go smoother." Huh, well aren't you full of surprises...
Shrugging she conceded the point. "It's quite simple. That child is alone, unlike that elven girl he doesn't have parents...no one protecting him, in the alienage we take care of children like that until they've grown up." And I find kids adorable...which I really shouldn't mention. "And if you think that family being elves would affect me you would be wrong, they're not from my alienage, why should I care for them?" The man pulled back a little at the question, frowning, obviously not understanding. What? You think humans feel an obligation to all humans now all of a sudden? "As for the merchant...well that was just good business." She nodded at her own words, smiling a little at the memory. Very good, scaring some people off for a whole sovereign? One can really make money on war apparently...shame I didn't find out about this sooner...
"Good business?" The man grimaced, drawing a smirk from Morrigan and Lynn both. "He's ripping people off! People who barely have anything to begin with!"
"Well then maybe they should be a little clever and find a way to pay him or otherwise get a hold of his stock?" Lynn replied, feeling a little smug at the stunned stare she received. "Who am I to argue with the free market? It's the same thing that keeps the prices of elven services in the dirt after all...or do you disagree with such thinking now that it affects your people?"
"Don't make this about race!" Alistair snapped, clearly annoyed and not at all put off by her reply. Heh, good, I hate working with idiots. "There's barely any elves here! This was about you making a profit and leaving these people to struggle due to the only merchant in town being a greedy swine!"
"Yes...so?" Lynn shrugged. "We get some extra money in the pocket, the people already doomed stay doomed unless they take some initiative of their own...and the man who bought his merchandise honestly gets to continue with honest business...high prices aren't illegal, or did you forget?"
"No but..." The man shook his head furiously before gesturing dismissively at her. "Ah forget it!You're as bad as Morrigan."
Lynn couldn't help it,smiling sweetly she cocked her head to the side and used the most adorable voice she was capable of. "Aww...thank you!" Turning on her heel as the ex-templar stared at her in shock and confusion Lynn barely heard Morrigan's chuckle and follow-up insult, drawing a groan from Alistair, as she strode across the bridge and towards where she recognised an inn to be...judging by the barely legible sign hanging over the door.
Maker I'm parched...
Making a mental note to listen in on the gossip outside the tavern later...especially the muttering about circle tower being under attack or whatever...Lynn pushed through the door and frowned at the smell assaulting her.
Sure, an inn like this one naturally smelled of cheap beer, smoke and the odd vomit...not to mention that of many smelly bodies. But here something had gone wrong, the smell of alcohol and smoke was secondary to the utter stench of unwashed bodies...judging by the pressing heat and the sight of the many dirty humans packed together it wasn't hard to guess what was going on.
Sighing she felt her shoulders drop. Every single one wants to drown their sorrows...and no one's willing to leave to the depressed sight outside...and I can't even get to the bar! "By all the spirits, this is repugnant!" Ignoring Morrigan's snort and Alistair's chuckle Lynn craned her neck, trying to spot some sort of way to get through. All she found was a red-headed chantry sister staring at her for some reason, a bald man grinning at the many customers, lots of dirty tunics with their backs to her...and an grim looking human in full armour striding up to her.
Oh for the love of...gritting her teeth Lynn met the eyes of the glaring man as he pushed past a customer and came to a stop in front of her, another armoured human was instantly at his side, and at the corners of her eyes she could spot two more...I haven't even done anything yet!
"Well-well, look at this men." The man's voice was rough and crude, used to shouting orders, placing a hand on his sheathed sword the man squared his shoulders, making himself look larger then he was. Yes, I who've faced darkspawn am really intimidated...Lynn forced herself not to roll her eyes as she met the stare of her opponent. "Did we not pass around a description of these very wardens? And did people not claim they hadn't seen them?"
The atmosphere instantly changed, from a depressed cramped feeling it turned to sudden fear and a feeling of being cornered, the sounds of the customers dying out.
"Seems we were lied to." The man to his superior's left replied with a nod.
Instantly the people in the inn began pulling back, as far towards the bar as possible. Ignoring the herd of cattle Lynn cocked her head to the side, too tired to do the whole 'seductive-smile' thing she instead settled for a weary look, which was anything but difficult to assume. "Look, I don't know who you think I am, but I assure you I'm simply another defeated soldier here to get a drink before I continue my retreat."
"Sure you are, elf." The soldier snorted and raised a rolled up scroll for her to see. "I have your picture drawn here, you and that friend of yours are wardens."
Knowing the game was up Lynn simply shrugged, looking as disinterested as possible. "And what if we are? You want to join us or something?"
"Ha!" The man laughed and shot the men with him a look, drawing chuckles from them. "Not quite woman, Loghain has marked you wardens as traitors of the crown and put quite a price on your heads, and I intend to collect."
Ignoring Alistair's gasp of disbelief Lynn nodded to herself. Ah, of course, clever man... "How very political of him...though you realise that he's the traitor I assume?" It was more out of a sense of duty then any real hope of stopping the brewing fight she asked the question. Maker, I'm still tired...can't I get a rest...is it too much to ask for!?
"Lies will not save you, warden!" The man spat the title at her as if it was a curse, the grip on his sword tightening.
Then a hand was suddenly clasping his shoulder. Startled both he and Lynn turned their heads, finding themselves confronted by the red-headed chantry girl Lynn had only noticed in passing...though she had somehow missed the very unchantrylike knife strapped to the woman's hip. The woman was all smiles though, lips gently curved, grey eyes the epitome of kindness. "Gentlemen, surely this need not happen, I am sure we can stop this silliness." The Orlesian accent was heavy, yet not as bothersome as Lynn usually found it, melodic, as if the woman was trying to sing while she talked.
"No sister, this woman dies now."
Lynn shot the woman a smile. "Don't worry sister, you get to tend to their funeral in a moment."
"Now stand aside!" The man moved to draw his sword...
Only to suddenly fall to his back as the sister pulled his shoulder back so that he tripped on the foot she had casually placed behind his leg. "Oh well, I tried." The woman shot Lynn a smile...before whirling about and placing a heavy kick in the dropped man's face, using this as a launching pad the woman was suddenly hurtling towards the guard to Lynn's far left.
Then Lynn acted, as the others stood around, confounded by the surprising attack of the sister. The man who had stood next to his superior saw her move towards him and began to draw his sword, but before he could get the long blade out of its sheath Lynn had grabbed his shoulder with her right hand as the left punched her drawn dagger into his abdomen, knocking the air out of him.
Wrenching her blade sideways she barely heard the screams of the patrons as the guts of the already dead man poured over the floor. Instead she focused on the man to the far right...and noted how the man was knocked into the wall by Marby as the mabari sunk his teeth into the man's leg. The man's cry of pain was short-lived though as Morrigan struck him with a bolt of crackling lightning, turning the stench of the room to that of cooked flesh....and drawing more screams from the assembled patrons as they crawled over one another in an attempt to escape.
Whirling about she moved to face the man the sister had hurled herself at...and found the man on his knees, clutching a wound across his throat as he gasped for breath. The sister next to him didn't even looked shaken at the sight, despite his blood having splattered all over her formerly pristine robes. What strangeness...
Then she noticed the leader of the warriors about to get up, only to crash back to the floor as Alistair placed a heavy boot on the man's chest. "There's no need to get up my good man."
At least people aren't screaming anymore...Lynn glanced at the people staring at them as she smirked and moved to straddle the man's stomach as she added to Alistair's quip: "At all actually." She moved her dagger towards the man's throat...only to stop as she heard the sister gasp at her.
"No! Don't kill him!" The woman crouched down next to them, her face concerned.
"Why..." Lynn shot a meaning glance over at the soldier the sister had killed. "...not?"
Ignoring the look the woman shook her head. "No, he's at your mercy, and he's surrendered...haven't you?" She tapped the soldier on the shoulder with her foot.
"Yes, yes oh Maker yes..." The soldier nodded furiously, eyes screwed shut in fright.
"See?" The woman's smile was so wide and sparkling that Lynn felt an urge to punch her. "No need for further killing."
"He'll report to Loghain." Lynn snapped in irritation. Who does this woman think she is? "I cannot afford that risk."
"Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just." The woman said, speaking it as if it was some sort of quote. Oh, chanting, right... "He has surrendered, justice demands you leave him in peace." She met Lynns eyes, held her gaze, showing her conviction better then any words could.
Lynn actually hesitated.
Then there was a gurgle and a spurt of blood as the man's throat was cut. The sister looked down at him and winced, a look of sadness on her face. Wiping her dagger off on the suddenly limp soldier Lynn glared back at the sister, the eyes glancing back at her were hesitant, almost looking...hurt...as if Lynn had personally insulted her. What a strange human...
Shrugging she got to her feet and sheathed her dagger. "Necessity knows no justice sister." She shot the staring patrons a glance and shrugged again as she turned and addressed the rest of her group. "I have a feeling we're not welcome here...lets go."
*
*
*
"So I heard these people talking..." Lynn started as she slowed down to walk next to Alistair, the man meeting her eyes with a somewhat weary look. They were already at the outskirts to Lothering, about to get past the last fence. "About the circle tower, apparently the mages are..." She blinked as she sensed something...or rather someone. Turning she found a smirking Morrigan glancing back at the woman trailing them. "Oh for the love of...what do you want!?"
"I never not get a chance to properly introduce myself." The woman replied, her voice still softly melodic, kind despite the end of their last encounter, a hand came up to brush her hair out of her face as she quickly caught up with them. "I'm a lay sister of the chantry...or I was." The woman glanced down at her bloodstained robes, but when she looked up she surprised Lynn with a smile. "I'm Leliana."
Lynn shot Alistair a look, her fellow warden simply shrugged, an amused look on his face. Great, nice help there...jerk. "Okay...hello Leliana...and goodbye." She made a move to leave...only to find the sister moving to follow. "What? What do you want?"
"As I said I was a lay sister of the chantry...I left because of you."
Lynn frowned. "I...that doesn't make sense...you don't even know us, hadn't met us before the inn..." Is she a spy or something? Seems like an odd way of Loghain to keep tabs on us though...judging by what I saw she would have been better chosen to simply try and assassinate us instead.
"You'll be battling the darkspawn yes?" The woman queried, not the least bothered by Lynn's confusion. "I'm sure you'll need all the help you can get, I'm here...offering it."
"Well at least she's less creepy than Morrigan..." Alistair noted, earning him a glare from Lynn. "What? Grey wardens take their allies where they can find them, or did things change?"
"You're not helping..." Lynn muttered, then turned back to the woman. "Listen lady, there'll be a bunch of killing in our future, and we won't kill only darkspawn, but people. It's no place for a sister of the chantry."
"I held my own back at the inn, did I not?" The woman queried, apparently unfazed by Lynn's attempts to dissuade her. "I'm sure you will find me more then useful."
She's got a point...dammit. Still, Lynn wasn't about to have free help offered without some sort of explanation. She could understand Morrigan's reason, though it was still hidden it was obvious the witch had some sort of agenda...most likely something tied in with her mother. Though that was dangerous it was at least a motivation, which Lynn could work with. "Yes perhaps...but that doesn't explain why you want to join us, is it some sort of nationalistic thing?" Maker please don't make it that... "Or perhaps...you want money...? Because if that's the case you really ought to ally with someone who won't keep all the money for herself to spend on what's necessary. I don't do salaries."
The woman laughed, voice soft. "No, not at all...I wish to join you because of a dream of mine."
"Ah...what?" Lynn blinked, then felt her face twitch. "That doesn't even make sense! How in...you can't base such a decision on a dream!" To her fury the woman looked back at her with an oddly serene expression on her face. "What happens when you dream of killing us in our sleep? Will you do that too!?"
"It was not a simple dream." The woman answered, voice annoyingly calm. "It was an epiphany sent by the Maker himself."
"I...that..." Lynn stared at the woman in shock and glanced over at the softly laughing Morrigan, then at Alistair who had settled for an arched eyebrow and a small smirk....neither helped. "...have you completely lost it!? You think I'm going to...why would the Maker...I mean...what is wrong with you!?"
"Do you not wish help?" The woman actually smirked, smirked as she said it!
"Of course! I'll take any help I can get!" Lynn snapped. "But this is crazy! You can't just up and leave your entire life based on a dream! You have a duty here don't you!? I swear you humans drive me crazy! Not to mention that you're supposed to become a priestess or whatever! And then there's the fact that we can't have some religious idea of what's right stop us from doing what is needed at an inopportune moment!"
"I will of course follow your lead if you accept me."
"Oh that's for sure! But that's not the point!" Lynn pointed an accusing finger at the woman. "This is not some light excursion full of tale-worthy heroics! This will be brutal and you will very likely end with a blade in your gut! You don't even know the entire story of why we're here and why Loghain wants us dead and...and what are you looking at!?" Whipping her head around she turned to glare at the man standing in the cage to her right.
Wow, that's a big one...Lynn felt some of her anger seep away at the steady purple eyes so calmly looking down at her. She was used to being smaller then people...but this man was just ridiculously large, making her feel tiny...or rather...the steadiness in those strangely coloured eyes did it. "I'm observing." The voice was equally steady, uncaring.
"Well observe something else!" She crossed her arms in front of her and narrowed her eyes. Why am I hassled by all these idiots? Can't I get going instead? I...Maker I'm going to get a headache. "Who...or rather whatever you are...I don't care! Attend to your own business and let me do mine!"
"He's a qunari." Leliana volunteered, apparently thinking her input was needed. "This one in particular was condemned for slaughtering an entire family of villagers."
"I don't care! And if you think I'm going to forget about you wanting to...to..." Lynn blinked and forgot about what she was going to yell at the annoying sister as she turned to look back at the man in the cage. "Slaughtered? You're a fighter?"
"I am Sten of the Beresaad." The man replied, as if it was supposed to have a meaning.
"And you killed an entire family of villagers?"
"With my bare hands." The man nodded ever so slightly, apparently thinking it was enough information.
And to her surprise...so did Lynn. There's something in those eyes...strength."If I get you out...will you swear me an oath to aid me against the blight?" At her back she heard Alistair gasp in surprise, but considering he was surprised at the sight of a horse Lynn ignored it... Wardens take allies wherever they can find them...you yourself said it a few moments ago.
There was a moment's pause in the man, not surprise, only consideration of the offer. "If you release me I will seek atonement...fighting the blight would be as good a way as any."
"To leave any man locked up like this to be killed by the darkspawn is wrong...but I wonder if the revered mother will see things that way, she will not be easily persuaded..." Leliana spoke up, her tone light, but Lynn easily heard the hook in her words, the bait...
Fine...I don't care enough to protest anymore. Turning Lynn managed a weak smile, enough to be of some encouragement to the earnest chantry sister. "Well then I guess we have to be persuasive..."
*
*
*
"Okay, so we got the area here..." Lynn pointed at the map she'd roughly sketched out in the dirt before the assembled. Only Morrigan remained standing, arms crossed as she looked down at the proceedings. "..and these tasks..." She placed the scroll where she had jotted down the jobs they had unto the ground ground. "So...Leliana...besides jumping around...what can you do?"
The woman had now discarded her chantry robes for a some cheap leather armour Lynn had seen fit to outfit her with, the bow in her hand seemingly moulded to her, making her answer obvious: "I'm quite the archer, and also a good tracker when the mood strikes me."
When does a sister ever...never mind, I'll deal with that later. "Good, then you'll search for that child's mother..." Shaking aside the sinking feeling she got at her own words Lynn quickly turned to Sten. "Sten, I know what you're good at..." It was unmistakable with the heavy mail armour and the great maul strapped to his back. "...so you're with me, Alistair and Marby on bandit hunting." The warrior met her eyes and nodded once.
Heh, I can get used to that...
"And what of me? Am I to do nothing?" Morrigan quizzed with a sceptical look on her face, though she didn't look thrilled at the prospect of work either...
"You can change into a bear right?" The woman nodded at that and pointedly ignored the quick look Sten shot her. "Can you change into a bear and...lead those other bears away? We can just claim we killed them, and since they're gone the chantry will believe us."
Morrigan flashed her a grin at that. "A fine plan, I agree."
"Yeah...lets just skip me protesting against cheating on our job....though I guess leading the animals away is as good as killing them." Alistair spoke up, making Lynn frown. Did he just agree to my plan being sound? Or was that a protest? "Why are we doing this? Shouldn't we be hurrying away from the blight and go for the bigger picture?"
"Oh how wonderfully callous of you." Morrigan taunted. "Agreeing with me about these sheep now do you?"
Sighing the former templar shook his head and shot Morrigan a glare. "I'm thinking about Ferelden as a whole you annoying har..." Sighing again her looked back at Lynn. "Seriously, why?"
"What can I say?" Lynn shrugged. "Money sits well with me."
The man blinked, eyes widening. "That's... it?" Behind him Morrigan chuckled. "That's why we do this?"
Offering him a coy smile Lynn said: "You can always view it as us just helping people if it helps..."
"I..." Alistair hesitated....then surprised Lynn with a lopsided grin. "...will actually."
"We are wasting time." Sten rose to his feet, the Qunari's steady eyes brooking no argument. "We should get going."
"Quite right." Lynn agreed and got to her feet, Marby instantly at her side, she grinned down at the dog. "Come Marby...let's go play fetch."