Obligatory Chapter Heading:
Chapter 28:
A man stood right outside Goldanna's house, whistling a jaunty tune. I approached, staring up at the stars, Morrigan following behind me disguised as what I could only describe as a Chihuahua-shiatsu mix.
"The sky is really pretty this time of night. I never noticed before." I murmured with a friendly tone.
He looked down at me, nodding wisely. He reminded me of Sten, the way he did that.
"You think it's pretty now, you should wait until around eleven. All the stars are out, and you can see every constellation clearly." He sighed wistfully, "It's beautiful."
I sat on the ground, pulling my knees up to my chest and gazed upward. The pup curled up beside me, and together, we waited.
After what seemed like only minutes, the man parked himself on my other side, putting his hands behind his head, "What brings you out here, lass?"
"A friend told me about the stars." I replied.
He nodded again, "Name's Slim. Slim Couldry."
"I'm Ana. Anastasia Snow." Morrigan lifted her head and gave a whimper. I patted her head.
"You interested in work?"
"For a friend?" I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, "Of course."
"Good, good. I hear there's something for locksmiths and wallflowers."
"That sounds interesting. Could I hear more?"
He chuckled, reaching out and ruffling my hair with familiarity, "There's two jobs that are available right now, but they cost a little upfront. You get your money back, though, keeping what you're given by the clients."
I nodded, tilting my head in thought, "How much?"
"One gold and fifty silver, respectively." He rubbed his hands together, blowing on them gently. The temperature had dropped while we were chatting, "So, are you interested?"
The pup yipped, nudging my ankle. I put my hand on her back, pushing on her until she was lying down.
"I'm more than interested." I dug in my coin purse, pulling out the exact amount, "I'm in."
"Good, good." He repeated, taking the money, "Lady Sophie, coincidentally the lover of Arl Rendon Howe, in the Gnawed Noble Tavern is in need of a locksmith. Her door is locked, and she's lost the key. The barkeep hasn't clue as to its whereabouts. Her personal guard is there, but she's been run so ragged, she's not been of much help to the Lady. It's a shame, really."
I tucked the information away, nodding for him to go on.
"The wallflower one, well, you need to just not be seen. It's simple, really." His tone was sage-like, as if he was giving the secret to peace, "There's a maid who is going to be visiting the marketplace later today. Around noon, or shortly after, I should think. She'll be carrying a purse on her. Not a coin purse, mind you. Though, if both somehow turn up missing, that would be something." He laughed quietly.
I grinned. I had no idea why I was going to help this man, who was obviously a criminal, but something about him told me I would be better off if I did.
"Alright." I stood and stretched, "Do you want to look at the stars again tonight?"
"That would be great. I'd love to have your company again, little vixen."
My smile faded. He winked, having gotten up with me, and walked off. Whistling again. Morrigan bit my ankle.
The walk back to the Pearl was tense. I was not happy with how Morrigan had acted.
"Damn ankle-biter." I muttered under my breath.
"What was that?" her voice came from just behind me. She had changed back to her human form.
"You heard me! I called you an ankle-biter!" I hissed as I opened the door to my room, "We'll talk after I get some sleep, you ANKLE-BITER!"
With that, I slammed the door. Morrigan could fill Zevran in. I was going to bed, and that was that.
"Wake up!" a very male voice yelled, jolting me in to awareness.
I glanced around and groaned. Not again. Where was I, this time?
I was in a cell of some sort, with a soldier glaring at me.
"Get up." He barked.
I stood, uncertain of what else to do. My head was pounding, my vision slightly blurry, and my hands were tied with rope. I narrowed my eyes at the man.
He rolled his eyes and smirked, his lips curling in a snarl-like way, "What? Had to get you to wake up somehow." Walked around to stand behind me, "Now, get."
Large hands shoved me forward and out of the cell.
"Where are you taking me?" I frowned, putting as much innocence in to my tone as I could.
"Shut up." he prodded me.
Cells lined either side of the hall he forced me down, a few of them occupied by... elves? A knot formed in my stomach. Wherever I was, it wasn't going to be a fun time.
He grabbed my arm, jerking me to a stop outside of a wooden door, "Wait here. Don't you dare move." a glare directed at me as he opened the door and went in to the next room.
Looking around, trying to figure things out, I noticed something move. Someone had ducked around a corner, hiding from sight.
"Hello? Can you help me?" I lifted my bound wrists in front of me, whispering just loud enough for the other person to hear.
Red hair slowly came in to view, followed by a face. An elf.
"Why are you here?" he hissed, eyes darting every which way.
"I don't know. Where even am I? Can you tell me?"
His eyes widened, locking on me, "Denerim."
I bit my lip. The door started creaking behind me. I waved my hands at him to hide again.
"Come on." the guard reappeared, pulling me through the doorway.
More silence. More holds. Whoever owned this place needed a decorator.
A shove in the middle of my back sent me tumbling in to another alcove, the sound of metal clanging telling me he had locked me in. I inched toward the bars, peeking out.
Movement signaled his approach before he came in to view. The elf had come to investigate.
"Who are you?" he asked softly.
"I'm Anastasia." I tested the rope by tugging my wrists apart. Or rather, trying to. There was no give at all.
"I'm Soris. What brings you to the Arl's dungeons?" he raised an eyebrow, glancing at my bindings.
I shook my head, reaching in to my boot and slipping a knife free. Used it to cut the rope. The fool guard didn't bother to check me, I realized afterward.
"He never checked." I muttered, shaking my head again, "What a bad guard."
The elf blinked at me, his mouth hanging open, as I pulled out a hair pin. The door swung open after only two tries of picking the lock.
"What are you doing here? You weren't locked up like I was."
"The Arl's son kidnapped a group of elves. I'm here to break them out."
"Do you want some help?" I offered, putting my tools back in place.
"You're a little girl." he declared.
"Thank you, Captain Obvious." I rolled my eyes, "Do you want help or not? I'm more than a child."
He nodded slowly, "Will you help me?"
"Of course. Do you know where they are?"
"In the dungeons, somewhere. I haven't found them yet."
"They might have moved them." I frowned, "What do they look like? I'll need to know, if I'm to search."
"They're all women." he gritted his teeth, "Two of them are wearing wedding dresses, two others are in regular dresses, and there's a Chantry Sister among them, too."
All women? Who would kidnap- Oh. Oh.
"Do you know the layout of this building, perchance?" I asked.
"No. I wish I did. It would make everything so much easier."
"Did you come here alone?"
"No. There's another elf, Kallian's groom-to-be."
"She's one of the women here?"
He swallowed hard, his head bobbing rapidly.
I averted my eyes, stepping free of my prison, "Let's get looking."
"You there, what are you doing?" one of the men dressed in armor called out, making me wince. Had Soris been spotted?
I ran out in to the hall, just in time to watch as another elf fell. Blood splattered everywhere as he stared up at the ceiling, unseeing.
A howl of rage filled the air, a blur of white flying past me and tackling one of the guards.
"Nelaros!" Soris hollered from one of the rooms, coming in to view as I realized the blur of white was a person.
And she dispatched the humans with ease.
I held up my hands as she rounded on me, her eyes flashing.
"Kallian, no! She's helping me! She's the girl I told you about!" he cried, jumping between us.
She dropped her weapons, the ringing steel from the daggers harsh in the silence, and crouched by the downed elf.
"Nelaros... Why did you have to come? Why?" she keened, her voice breaking my heart, "The humans will pay for this... I swear it."
I flexed my right hand, trying to distract myself from her pain, "Where are the others?"
Her eyes darted to me, narrowing, "The Chantry Sister is dead, and the others were taken to Vaughan's private rooms." she spat the words.
The left a bad feeling in my stomach, the knot growing bigger. We had to hurry.
"Let's go. We need to get to your friends as soon as possible." I glanced back the way I'd come.
"You're right." she touched her fiance's cheek, then gathered herself and stood, "All we have to do is find where the guards are more heavily posted."
Soris and I nodded, following after her.
A red haired elf sat huddled in the middle of the room, hugging herself.
"My, my. What have we here?" One of the men standing around her turned toward the sound of the door opening. Vaughan.
"Don't worry; we'll make short work of the two elves. Are you lost, little girl?" the one to the right was extremely condescending.
"Quiet, you idiot! They're covered in enough blood to fill a tub. What do you think that means?" the first one scolded.
"It means your guards are dead." Kallian snarled, stepping forward.
"All right, let's not be too hasty here. Surely we can talk this over..."
"If you have something to say, say it." her tone demanding, she crossed her arms. The picture of impatience.
"Here's out situation. You are skilled, obviously. We fight here, perhaps you could even manage to kill us... My father won't let that go. Your pigsty of an alienage will be burned to the ground. Or you turn and walk away... with forty sovereigns added to your purses. You take that money and leave Denerim tonight. No repercussions, and you can go wherever you like."
"What about the women? Will you let them go?" I chimed in.
"The women stay. They'll go home tomorrow, slightly worse for wear, and you'll be long gone. That's the deal. Take it or leave it."
Soris and Kallian exchanged looks. I waited in silence for their verdict.
"I'll enjoy killing you." she laughed gleefully, knocking her daggers against each other.
"Bah! I always regret talking to knife-ears! Now I'll just gut your ignorant carcasses, instead!"
Soris and I went to either side of the room, me on the right and him on the left, leaving Kallian to deal with Vaughan. The fight was over nearly before it had begun; the lackeys stood no chance against us, and Kallian destroyed the Arl's son.
"He... he's dead." Soris ran over to her, breathing heavily, "Tell me we did the right thing, Cousin."
Cousins. They didn't really look alike, but okay.
"What's important is that Shianni is safe." she replied, her attention drifting to the elf still hugging herself.
"I... I'll check the back room for the others. Shianni needs you." with that, he walked away.
Kallian knelt by Shianni.
"D-don't leave me alone... please... please, take me home." the smaller elf managed to get out around her sobs.
"Everything will be alright, now."
"So much blood. I... I can't stand to look at it. It's... everywhere." she grabbed her savior's arm, urgency taking over, "You killed them, didn't you? You killed them all."
"Like dogs, Shianni. Like dogs."
"Good. Good..."
Soris walked back in with one other elf. I bit my lip, hoping she wasn't the only other survivor.
"Is... she going to be all right?" the new elf sounded hesitant, her voice going up an octave or two.
"Let's hope so." Kallian murmured.
"Shianni's strong. She'll recover." it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself.
"Er... we should go. Soon. As in, now." Soris interrupted.
"Good thought." the dual-wielder helped Shianni to her feet.
"I'll take the rear guard. I can't wait to leave this place." he shuddered.
"Who is that?" Shianni whispered, staring at me with wide eyes.
My eyes dropped to the floor, "Your friend found me. He helped me get free, so I helped him find you all."
She walked over to me, "You don't seem like the other humans I've met."
I snorted derisively, "I've never met humans like them before. They shouldn't even be labeled as human. They were disgusting."
She laughed quietly, her voice trembling. Everything about her trembled, actually.
"Will you be returning to the alienage, now?" I asked.
They all nodded.
"I have to get these weapons back to Duncan." Soris sighed, looking at them.
"Duncan? Grey Warden Duncan?"
"Yeah. Do you know him?"
"...In passing." I muttered, unsure of if he knew me yet.
