Chapter Twenty-Eight

The Arishok withdrew slowly, his eyes glittering as he stared down at Shepard. Abruptly, he released her, turning on his heel and stalking out of the tent without so much as a backward glance.

Shepard's eyes slitted dangerously.

"Like fucking hell," she snarled, and ran after him.

"Arishok!" she yelled at his stiffly retreating form. "Don't you fucking walk away!"

He ignored her.

She caught up to the giant and grabbed at his arm. "Dammit…"

The Arishok brushed her off as if she were no more than an irritating fly.

Shepard was beyond rational thought. Perhaps that was why she resorted to the second oldest schoolyard trick in the book, and kicked his right heel as his foot left the ground, sending it crashing into his left ankle.

Qunari do not have the same kind of schoolyards.

It might have made Shepard happy, had she been able to see the look of utter confusion on the Arishok's face as he tripped over his own foot, stumbled, and fell. She wasn't looking, however. She was too busy kicking him in the side.

With a roar, the Arishok lurched to his feet. Shepard, who had followed up the kick by dropping a knee into his kidney, was flung backwards. She landed on her ass, but scrambled up immediately, fists clenched, as the Arishok rounded on her.

What Shepard threw at him wasn't a punch that could be found in any military hand-to-hand manual. It was part roundhouse, part uppercut, and all frustration. It connected with the corner of the Arishok's chin carrying enough force to stagger the giant.

The Arishok shook his head to clear it, and bared his teeth.

He caught Shepard around the neck, and slammed her into a stack of crates. Immediately, his body was pressed against hers, holding her pinned to the crates with her feet off the ground. The massive qunari's breathing was harsh and ragged, and blood trickled from the cut in his eyebrow and from his lower lip where his teeth had caught it.

Shepard's hands scrabbled at his gauntleted hand and forearm, seeking a point of weakness. His free hand caught one of her wrists, forcing it back against the wooden crates. Methodically, he shifted his body, pushing harder against her, and then released her neck, grabbing instead for her other wrist.

In desperation, Shepard tried to bend one knee and get a foot up against the crates to lever her body away from them. But shoving away from the crates only meant thrusting herself against the Arishok. She howled with anger and frustration.

"Pashaara!"

The voice was like the crack of a whip. Shepard felt the Arishok's body tense.

The voice snapped out another few words. Reluctantly, his grip on her wrists eased and the pressure of his body against hers withdrew enough that the Arishok could lower her to her feet. Shepard could still feel the heat radiating from him, though, and his eyes…

With startling suddenness, he was gone, the torchlight glinting off the golden bands on his horns as he strode away. Shepard looked after him for a moment, and then to Asa, who was glaring at her furiously.

"What. The. Fuck," Shepard breathed.

She shook herself. "What the fuck?!" she repeated, anger creeping into her voice. "Asa?"

"What did you do to him?" demanded the healer.

"Me?!" Shepard advanced on the qunari. "He… he kissed me! What the hell is going on, Asa?"

"He…" Asa gaped at her for a moment. Then he swore, colorfully and at length.

Adrenaline was still humming in Shepard's veins, and she was itching to finish the fight… any fight. "You owe me a fucking explanation, qunari," she growled. "Right now."

Asa stared at her angrily. "Come with me," he said shortly, spinning on his heel and striding off into the compound.

"Where are we going?" Shepard asked warily.

"You and I are going to have a talk," Asa replied, "about what you just did, and about why it was the worst thing possible."


"Do you think we should be worried?" Hawke asked, buying another card and staring thoughtfully at her hand.

Varric shook his head. "Starkiller knows what she's doing." He scratched thoughtfully at his stubbled chin. "I hope."

"But you say that this qunari just came and… and… abducted her."

Anders nodded. "Tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of onions."

"Mmmm. Do any of you think it would be possible to talk Sebastian into doing that to me?" Isabela asked, a dreamy look on her face.

Hawke frowned down at her cards. "Shouldn't we do something?"

"Do not meddle with the qunari," said Fenris sagely, "for the ox-men are huge and quick to anger." He paused, as if pondering his own words, and added, "I call."

"Woof," said Griffon, and proved to have the final word on the subject.


The healer's tent was really only partially a tent. That is, it was a tent pitched against the door of a building. Shepard had previously only been in the actual tent portion, but now Asa led her through a wide door and into what, by the unfortunate olfactory history, had once almost certainly been a fish drying facility. The space was now an infirmary and field hospital. Had Shepard been slightly less angry, she might have appreciated how well-ordered and… military… it was

A small room off the main area was set up as both Asa's living quarters and what appeared to be a laboratory. Wordlessly, the healer lit a brazier and set a teapot atop it, and then settled himself on a wooden stool, his arms folded over his chest.

"So," said Shepard, "care to explain why you blame me for the Arishok's actions?"

Asa's eyes were still hard with anger. "The qunari are not like humans. Or elves, or even dwarves," he said tightly. "They do not have… sexual… relationships. Ever."

"That's my fault how? Besides, he doesn't even like me!" Shepard mimicked his pose, folding her arms and leaning her shoulder against the wall. Her hand throbbed from when she'd punched the Arishok. It was an old and familiar pain, and one that meant she'd probably broken at least one of the bones in her hand. She ignored it.

"I wasn't finished," Asa snapped at her.

Sardonically, Shepard gave him a little wave of her hand that said by all means, continue.

The healer took a deep breath. "For qunari, sex is just a physical act, no more important than eating or drinking."

"Based on what I've seen, that sounds about right," Shepard agreed tartly.

Asa flashed her a look of irritation at the interruption. "Normally," he continued, "the tamassrans take care of it. They… fill whatever need is necessary."

Shepard looked puzzled. "I thought they were like priestesses?"

The healer fidgeted, dropping his arms and then folding them again. "I told you it was complicated. The tamassrans are… a part of the matriarchy. They arrange matings, raise the children, and determine what each qunari is best suited for."

"So love and affection don't exist." Shepard's tone was flat.

"On the contrary. Love and affection are common," Asa told her calmly. "They just have nothing to do with sex."

"Oh, come on!" Shepard exclaimed. "What about pair bonding?"

Asa gave her a half-shrug. "For most creatures, a pair bond exists to improve the chances for offspring to survive to maturity. Qunari children are raised communally by the tamassrans. There would be no purpose in pair bonding."

Shepard drummed her fingers against her arm. "Okay then," she said, granting him the point reluctantly, "what about physical attraction?"

Asa exhaled sharply through his nose. "They have access to sex whenever they feel like it," he pointed out. "Physical attraction isn't usually much of a factor."

Shepard shook her head mutely.

Look at it this way, Shepard. It's no different from the salarians. They don't have any interest in sex, just their damned 'reproductive contracts', right?

Her eyes narrowed.

Yeah, but Mordin never pinned me against his lab bench and kissed me, either.

"Fine. I get it," she said, finally. "The qunari have a different outlook on sex. I still fail to see what any of that has to do with me. I'm not one of these tamassrans - hell, I'm not even qunari! So what makes the Arishok think he can just… kiss me… like that?"

Wisps of steam had begun to escape from the teapot. Asa rose and went to a small cupboard set against the wall, opening a door and extracting a jar of loose tea and a long metal hook. He moved the teapot off the brazier and delicately hooked the lid, lifting it free so that he could shake some tea into the simmering water. He replaced the lid and turned back to face Shepard.

"In case you haven't noticed, Shepard," he said acidly, "there are a decided lack of tamassrans here in Kirkwall. Many of the antaam have… taken matters into their own hands."

Shepard groaned and rolled her eyes. "Really? You had to make the joke?"

Asa gave her a puzzled frown that cleared only after a moment's thought. "Ha!" he said, as he caught her meaning. "No. I'm not talking about masturbation, though that happens, too, I'm sure. Just… some of the antaam pair up to… relieve stress. But," he added, meeting Shepard's eyes, "not the Arishok."

"Fraternization, right," sighed Shepard. "You can look the other way when it's the rank and file, but the CO…" she trailed off.

"Exactly," said Asa.

"But your… tamassrans must have anticipated that the army would sometimes be… left to their own devices, if there are no women serving. Or are there usually tamassrans that accompany the army?"

"Yes, and no," replied Asa. "Our situation is… unusal."

"Because you're stuck here?" Shepard surmised.

"That is part of it, yes," Asa agreed hesitantly.

"But not all of it?" she pressed.

Asa stared into the brazier. "I do not think the Arishok has ever been away from qunari controlled lands for this long. It has been three years." His gaze transferred back to Shepard. "And then you show up."

"Me? What about me?"

Asa smiled grimly. There was no humor in it. "I believe the Arishok is… attracted to you."

"So?"

"I doubt it has ever happened before," Asa replied simply. "It is… a new experience for him."

"You've got to be shitting me!" Shepard argued. "It's not like I"m the first woman he's ever seen!"

Asa sighed. "You are… unique, Shepard. You carry yourself with the self-assurance of a seasoned warrior used to command. You wear your armor like a second skin, and your weapons as if they were an extension of your limbs, like a soldier of the antaam. And yet you are female."

"Most cultures here in Thedas don't seem to have any problem with women being soldiers. You have to have come across female fighters before." Shepard folded her arms again. "I can't be that unusual."

"On the contrary. You show no fear. Most bas fear the qunari. They are… physically imposing."

"I've noticed," said Shepard dryly. "But that still doesn't account for… all this. Hell, the Arishok has dealt with Hawke on numerous occasions, and I don't see her having this problem."

The healer gave her a level stare. "Your friend Hawke is wary of the qunari, as well she should be. You, on the other hand… From the very start you treated the Arishok as an equal."

Shepard's brow rose. "And? He's a soldier. I'm a soldier. But - and here's the important part - I'm not one of his soldiers. Whatever you - or he - might think, he doesn't outrank me."

Asa quirked an eyebrow at her. "I am not one of his soldiers either. I do not answer to his authority, and yet I do not presume to treat him as an equal."

"You do talk back to him though," Shepard pointed out with a faint smile. "I've seen it."

"As I said, I do not answer to his authority. But I am not his equal."

Shepard snorted. "Well, technically, I am the ranking officer from my government's armed forces. He is the ranking officer from his. We're in neutral, non-contested territory. That means we are equals."

The healer exhaled forcefully again. "Shepard, in all of Thedas there are only two people who are the Arishok's equals. And you are not one of them."

Shepard sighed in frustration and ran a hand through her tangled hair. "Look, Asa, it's obvious that this is a case of cultural misunderstanding. Let's move on and try to put it behind us. You can explain to the Arishok that I'm flattered but not interested, and I will apologize for knocking him on his ass and punching him, all right?"

The qunari healer shook his head firmly, taking down two bowl-shaped cups and pouring the tea. "It is not that simple, basra."

"Of course it isn't." Shepard rolled her eyes. "Nothing's ever simple for me."

She sighed again, and scowled at the ground. "Why couldn't you have told me about this sooner, Asa?"

"It was not necessary for you to know the details," the healer replied evenly, handing her one of the cups.

"Not necessary?" Shepard repeated incredulously. "The hell it wasn't! Maybe if I'd have known, I could have done something to stop it."

"Like what?" he asked sharply. "Following my directions so you wouldn't provoke him further?!"

Shepard flushed. "Like maybe talking to him? Explaining that I'm not… I don't know… trying to turn him on?" She pointed an accusatory finger at Asa. "And don't you think it would have been a good idea for you to have a little chat with him, man to man?"

"He would not have believed me," Asa replied flatly. "This is not something that should happen."

"No shit," Shepard agreed. "But why wouldn't he have believed you? You're a doctor, for god's sake."

Asa's jaw set firmly. "I told you before. It is not the role of a healer to deal with this sort of thing. It is a role that belongs to the tamassrans. He would dismiss it out of hand."

"Well, now we all know what's going on," Shepard said with a trace of impatience. "And, if we're aware of the problem, why can't we figure out a solution, hmm?"

Asa gave her a reproachful look. "This isn't something that can just be… shut off."

"Well, no," Shepard blinked. "I wasn't suggesting that it was. But if he realizes what's going on, it shouldn't be a problem, right? I mean, there is a brothel in this town."

"I doubt he would be interested."

"But you just said that the qunari basically have sex workers for this sort of thing. Why wouldn't he be?"

"They are bas." Asa's voice was matter-of-fact.

"Well," retorted Shepard. "So am I."

"I already told you… you're… different."

"Shit. Why couldn't I have just died in the explosion?" Shepard muttered sourly.

This was a sufficient non sequitur to completely confuse the qunari healer. "What explosion?" he asked.

"The one that stranded me here," Shepard said. "Things probably would have been easier for me if I'd just died the way I was supposed to."

"Probably?" Asa's confusion deepened. "But you would have been dead."

"You'd be surprised how hard it is for me to stay that way…"


The night was far advanced, but there were some things that couldn't wait for morning.

The qunari's eyes burned with desire as his raven-haired captive stared up at him defiantly, her sleekly muscled body taut against the soft ropes which bound her.

"You will submit, Shepard," he growled.

"Never," the warrior declared, her soft, full lips pulled into a scowl.

"You are wrong," breathed the qunari, as he lowered his head to plunder those lips. "It is a demand of the qun, and I will satisfy it."

"Mmmm," hummed Isabela in appreciation, as she brushed the end of the quill over her own lips. "Lucky qunari bastard."

She dipped the quill in the inkpot again and set the tip against the cheap paper.


"So… what about getting him drunk first, and then getting him laid?" Shepard sipped at the tea Asa had poured her gingerly. "It works for the males of most other species."

The healer frowned. "I don't think that would work," he said doubtfully. "First, it would be nearly impossible to get the Arishok intoxicated. And second, I don't think anybody really wants an intoxicated Arishok in the streets of Kirkwall, myself most definitely included."

Asa sipped at his tea. "No, I'm afraid it's all about you, Shepard."

"What about masturbation?" she grumbled. "Oh, wait… I bet it's one of the things you people claim has no purpose."

"You would be wrong," replied Asa smugly.

"Okay, then. There you go. Have the Arishok…ease his tension… a couple times a day for a week or so, and see if that helps."

The look the healer gave her was icy. "No."

"You aren't being helpful, Asa."

"I wasn't the one who seduced the Arishok," he growled.

"I didn't do it on purpose!"

"If it didn't go against everything I believe in, I'd tell you to finish what you started," Asa admitted.

"What?" asked Shepard, aghast.

"Have sex with him."

Shepard's face froze. "That's not an option, qunari," she growled.

"I didn't say it was," Asa replied sharply.

"I'll just stay away from him," Shepard suggested. "Hide out in the Chantry, or something."

"Won't work," Asa said. "He will come find you. Probably personally, at this point."

Shepard thought about the look in the Arishok's eyes, and the heat of his body against hers, and felt a shiver run up her spine. "Okay. Bad idea. But what if I was just… gone… for a while?"

Asa lifted an eyebrow inquiringly.

Shepard took a gulp of still-too-hot tea and winced. "There are," she croaked, her vocal cords protesting the burning deluge, "two sites outside of Kirkwall I wanted to check out."

At the healer's still questioning expression, Shepard continued. "They're old ruins. I'm hoping that they might be storing…information…that could help me get home, or at least help me understand how…uh, I came to be here," she edited herself at the last minute, remembering that Asa knew nothing about her search for prothean artifacts.

"A trip away from Kirkwall?" Asa asked, his eyes thoughtful.

"I was planning on doing it at some point, yeah. I'll probably be gone for a few weeks, at least." She shot Asa a questioning look. "Do you think it would work? If he didn't know where I was, apart from the fact that I wasn't in Kirkwall?"

"I… am not sure."

Shepard fidgeted. "Isn't it worth a try?" she asked.

The healer rubbed his chin absently. "Yes," he said finally, "I think it would be."

All the breath left Shepard in a rush. She hadn't realized she'd been holding it.

"Good," she said with satisfaction. "I'll start the preparations tomorrow morning."