Well the poll is very eye opening I will run it for a week I think so then everyone gets a chance to have a go. Thanks for your reviews I couldn't stop yawning myself as I wrote the word yawn, y'know how awkward that is? Bugger I'm doing it now.
Chapter 25 – Unnatural.
The young woman was crouched in the middle of the dusty floor. Makatza shoved someone into the path of Hawke's staff and ran to her, she cried out in fear but Makatza didn't give her a choice in the matter.
'Katza what are you doing!?' Anders shouted.
Makatza pulled her upright and dragged her over to where she should be. She resisted for a moment and then became completely docile. A slaver brandished his weapon slicing it toward Makatza's face, her eyes hardened and she commanded Bubble to strike. The war hound leapt at the man his jaws closing on his throat, their momentum pushed them over. Makatza dragged the young woman to a corner stepping over the now dead slaver's corpse.
Bubble barked happily, having protected his mistress.
Makatza moved the young elf behind her, she clung onto her blouse and whimpered. Makatza surveyed the scene. Several slavers tried getting close to Garrett, he was using some type of field to crush their bodies. Anders was using electricity to kill them. Such power, even Fenris who wasn't a mage used his abilities that were forced upon him by magic.
I didn't even know it was possible to hate what you are even though you have no choice in the matter.. could I get rid of my magic I wonder?
She shook some sense into her head and drew her bow, Garrett was surrounded by quite a few enemies, she let off a few shots, she did manage to kill one by fluke, she was aiming for his shoulder and it hit him below the head. Still he was being hit. She could see that he was favouring his left leg to his right.
'Bubble go help!' She commanded, Bubble disappeared like a shot. An agonizing scream rang out as Bubble sank his teeth into someone's thigh. Makatza felt sick, she didn't want to see this, but she had to be alert in case someone targeted them. She didn't have to wait long, soon they were all walking back towards her, wiping the blood from their faces.
'Makatza are yo-' Fenris began.
Makatza felt the pressure in the air change behind her. She then heard the girl scream and run, Hawke caught her, Varric had sighted down Bianca and the others looked uneasy. Makatza felt a sharp stinging pain as her head was jerked upwards by someone pulling on her braid. She hissed in pain. She was about to try and jerk out his grip when she felt cold steel run past her throat lazily.
A mage had appeared behind her.
'Now you all do what I say or,' he tugged on her hair causing her to whimper, 'she gets her throat cut.'
'What do you want?' Hawke asked, she could see the air crackling around his fingers, the anger on his face was evident. Fenris' markings had lit, and the twitches on Anders' face meant that he was fighting against Justice. Varric held Bianca steady and followed the mage's head. Waiting.
The mage drawled out a long self serving laugh, Makatza smelt his breath, it was putrid. She tried not to gag. Various scenarios ran through her mind, none of them ended well. She looked imploringly at the others, she couldn't see any help there.
'I will bring you alive to mistress Hadriana, drop your weapons and walk in front of me,' he motioned with his dagger. Makatza saw the opening and dropped to the floor like she did in training, she copied the move that she used on Garrett and hooked her leg over his unresisting one, with a sharp tug she forced him to the floor. He fell with a cry his dagger falling out his hand. Makatza snatched the blade and used his momentum to carry herself so that she was straddling him, she felt heat brush past her face, she knew that she would blister, it was sharp and stinging.
'Whore,' he spat into her face.
'Dead man,' she replied whispering and sunk his own dagger into his chest. Shock course through her body as his life force dripped past her fingers. She fell off him still shaking. She felt someone's hands wrap under her arms. She jerked away.
'Makatza,' it was Fenris, 'come on,' he soothed. She let him pick her up, her body was trembling violently.
I-I killed him... I taunted him and then I killed him. I felt justified as well, I think I damn near enjoyed it, I'm sick! I'm a sick, sick, person. I don't want to be here!
'Shh, Makatza look at me,' she dragged her eyes from the corpse and lost herself in Fenris' deep caring, emerald eyes. 'You did the right thing Makatza.'
That comment broke her, she let out a sob and fell into his chest. Fenris looked alarmed and patted her back gently, clearly he had no idea how to handle the situation. Garrett took pity on him, he handed the young woman to Anders who held her gently. He walked over and held Makatza by her shoulders, he turned her around and let her cry into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and made soothing noises. Fenris's hand lingered on her arm but he let her go.
He nodded at Hawke who blinked in reply. Makatza was almost howling, she felt so horrible. She sobbed into Garrett's robe her arms wrapped tightly around his waist.
'Oh Katza, shhhh. I'm here.'
'I... I' she didn't even know how to explain it, her cries quietened. She sniffled and pressed her uninjured cheek into the soft material, Garrett's clothing was nicer then Fenris' his cold chest plate, she had to admit. Garrett kissed the top of her head and muttered soothing nothings into her hair. It was only a few minutes later but her cries stopped, she was still shaking but the initial shock had worn off.
'Feeling better?' He whispered.
'I killed him, I -I know I've done it before but, I think, I think I enjoyed that...' she admitted. She expected Hawke to throw her away from him but he didn't.
'Oh Katza, my Katza... There's nothing wrong with that, he threatened to take your life and you survived. It's your natural endorphins, it's not that you're twisted in the head,' he said reassuringly. She nodded feeling a little better. He let her go and she turned back to her friends.
'Sorry Fenris,' she said blushing. 'Does it get easier?'
'Yes and no. Also do not be sorry,' he replied. He only wished that he could have comforted her more instead having to rely on Hawke. Anders let go of the elf and immediately began to heal the burn on Makatza's cheek. His hand pressed against her jaw, he looked incredibly concerned. His thumb stroked her skin she could feel her hormones bouncing in their ropes. This is so not the time! First Broody now Blondie, her mind took on the sarcastic tone of Varric to try and mentally diffuse the situation. Once she was healed he began to heal the rest of the party.
The elven woman who had been quiet and docile started to panic. Fenris focused on her.
'Are you hurt? Did they touch you?' He asked gently.
'They've been killing everyone, they... cut my papa, they bled him,' she sounded so distraught, Makatza's own sadness disappeared and she went over to comfort the young girl, she flinched at her touch but didn't push her away.
Fenris ran his hand through hair, 'why? Why would they do this?' He asked Hawke who merely shrugged.
'You poor thing,' Makatza whispered stroking her hair. The young woman told them that Hadriana was scared and was killing everyone for power, she began to panic.
'Please don't hurt her she'll be so angry!' She pleaded. Anders and Varric exchanged looks, Hawke took control and asked if Hadriana was still in the building. The young girl said that she thought she was, and that the Magister was was frightened. Fenris replied but Makatza didn't hear, she was too busy trying to calm the girl down.
'Everything was fine until today!' She cried.
Silence rang out through the room, Makatza looked around at all the dead bodies that littered the floor, she could see how this sudden change would cause this reaction. Bubble slinked up to her and licked her palm, Makatza let the girl go, she seemed to have flicked like a switch and was much more calm. Patting Bubble on the head she watched. She could feel the stickiness of the mage's blood gluing her fingers together.
'It wasn't.' Fenris stated looking at the floor, 'you just didn't know any better.'
Suddenly Makatza understood Fenris a little more, she heard the regret in his voice. The young woman spoke to him, she sounded hopeful.
'Are you my master now?'
Fenris took a step back, 'What? No!'
Then young woman then began to promote herself much to everyone's horror. They all looked unsure on what to do, Makatza made a decision she stepped forward she called to Bubble softly who sat up.
'Bubble will take you to Kirkwall, we can help you,' she said confidently daring Garrett to disagree with her.
'You will? Oh thank you!' She bounced.
'Bubble look after her,' she told the hound he barked and led the young girl to the entrance.
'I didn't know you wanted a slave,' Fenris remarked bitterly.
'You must think very little of me then Fenris,' she snapped, 'I've just given her a paid job, a new life,' she clarified.
'Oh, well then I apologise, I over reacted,' he said.
She sighed and smiled at him, 'it's ok, I know how we all jump to conclusions.'
'Well done little sister, I had the same idea,' Garrett praised.
'Oh good I was worried for a second then,' she said, 'didn't want to step over any boundaries.'
'There aren't any lines to step on,' he grinned, 'come on let's go get a Magister. '
And get out of this hell hole, I'm starting to realise that having magic is more of a problem then I initially thought Makatza thought grumpily, she picked at the blood on her fingers while stepping behind her friends. The sooner we leave the better.
YAY for artistic licence! I skipped over Orana's convo really, but I thought I highlighted the important bits. I thought the reality of actually killing someone hadn't really sunk in to Makatza till now. Anyway enough from me, let me know what you think and whether I've mucked up this chapter terribly lol oh and the poll! Don't forget! xx