I find Denerim a rather boring place - I mean, you can do the Crows quest and some small things but there's not too much going on. I like adding in extra things while still following the main plotline, so I've kinda put in a bit extra in this chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter 29:
Denerim:
There wasn't much we needed to do in Denerim, but there was enough to keep us busy for a full day. Teagan had told Alistair and I where Brother's Genitivi's house was, so that shouldn't be any issue to find. Not with Alistair, anyway he knew where to go. Leliana discussed how this was going to work before we left camp. She didn't want the others to get involved in her dispute with Marjolaine, but I refused to let her go alone. We ended up compromising – that I would be the only one to accompany her to confront Marjolaine. I asked Alistair to come along with us, I figured he'd want to find his sister while we were there. Wynne has already stated that she was coming, I didn't really have a choice in that. I wasn't going to argue either, I didn't particularly want to bleed out or anything without her around.
I gasped as we walked through the gates and into Denerim. It was larger than I ever could have imagined, and filled with so many people. I could see the markets, and here different conversations happening everywhere. For the first time since being topside, I became acutely aware of my short and stocky stature. I didn't fit in amongst all the humans, not in a big place like Denerim. I couldn't even see any elves around, was only humans everywhere. "Right…" I muttered, trying to shrug of the insecurities I was suddenly feeling. "Alistair… can you… can you help Wynne with her mage shopping?"
Alistair frowned a little. "What are you planning on doing?"
Leliana giggled. "Kaela and I want to a little girls shopping. Find those lacy and revealing dresses that I know she'll look ravishing in."
Every time Leliana enunciated a word, I could see Alistair tense a little more. His face was slightly flushed. He looked at me and he suddenly went bright red and spun away. "Right. Well… ah… right. Wynne, we should… ah… we should…"
Wynne rolled her eyes and smiled at me. "Be careful. And do not take too long or I will come searching for you. Alistair and I will go pick up the supplies I need."
Leliana and I watched as the two disappeared into the markets. "Thank you," murmured Leliana. "I did not want them to be involved in this."
"I understand," I replied. "Do you know where Marjolaine is?"
Leliana nodded towards a house down the end of the street. It was tucked into the corner, as if it was trying to hide from view. "She is in there."
"Right, let's go get her."
We walked to the door quickly and pushed it open. Leliana entered the house, and I quickly followed. We were greeted by a woman, sitting on a chair in the middle of the room. She sat gracefully, and kept her posture strong. She stared at us as we entered, and smiled as her eyes lay on Leliana. "Leliana! So lovely to see you again, my dear."
"Spare me," growled Leliana. "I have no time for your pleasantries. Not you, whom I trusted so much. You framed me, had me caught and tortured. And now you follow me to Ferelden. Why are you here? Why do you want me dead so badly?"
Marjolaine snorted. "You have knowledge that you can use against me. For my own safety, I cannot let you be. You've been planning something. I know you, my dear, you pretend to live a quiet life while plotting for my life."
"You think I still have some plan for… revenge? You are inane. Paranoid!"
Marjolaine's eyes narrowed and she focused on me. "And what of this dwarf? Have you enchanted an innocent one, Leliana? What do you see, dwarf? A friend, trusting and warm? It is an act."
"I am not you, Marjolaine," growled Leliana.
"I trust Leliana," I added. "She told me of her past, she let me know about you. I trust her."
"You will not threaten my friends again, Marjolaine. I want you out of my life, forever. You've caused too much pain for too many, Marjolaine. It ends here."
Marjolaine snorted. "And you think you can kill me, like that? I made you, Leliana. I can destroy you just as easily."
My hands gripped my daggers as Marjolaine stood up. A door flung open from behind her, and armoured men poured out. "Sodding stone," I growled. "Leliana, take care of Marjolaine. I'll take out these gangues."
Leliana nodded and grasped her bow. She backed up a little and shot the first arrow, shooting a man near me. "Hurry and attack, Kaela. Before they swarm you."
I turned my attention to my attackers and thrust my daggers out. I moved as quickly as I could, suddenly regretting my previous insecurities over my stature. A human would not be able to move as I could. I could duck under people's legs, and move quicker than others because I was smaller. I slashed every time I dodged their attacks, making sure I killed them as quickly as possible. If felt like hours of fighting, when all of the men finally dropped.
"Please, don't do this!"
I spun around and saw Leliana with an arrow pointed at Marjolaine's chest. She was hesitating as the older woman begged for her life. Leliana looked up at me and I could see the conflict in her face. "Don't forget what she's done, and will do, Leliana. You know what you have to do."
Leliana nodded and her eyes filled with determination. She let the arrow go and it pierced straight through Marjolaine's heart.
Leliana sighed. "It… it's over. She's dead. She's dead because of me." She backed up a little. "Please, we need to return to camp soon. I… need some time by myself."
"Of course," I said. "You can take the supplies back to camp if you like? I'll finish up here with Wynne and Alistair."
Leliana weakly smiled at me. "Thank you, Kaela. I… appreciate that."
We walked outside and towards the marketplace, quickly spotting Wynne and Alistair waiting nearby. They were loaded with supplies, and looked like they'd been waiting a while. They eyed us up and down as we approached, but something about Leliana's expression stopped them from uttering a single word.
"Wynne, can you and Leliana take the supplies back to camp?" I asked as we drew closer. "Leliana isn't feeling well."
Wynne eyed Leliana in concern and nodded. "Yes, I will accompany her. What are you and Alistair planning to do?"
"I was going to find this Genitivi's house," I replied. "See if we can figure out where to go to find these ashes."
"Be careful," murmured Wynne. "Your wounds are still not fully healed. Alistair, I'm counting on you to take care of her."
"Y-yes ma'am," stuttered Alistair.
Wynne nodded and Alistair gave the supplies he was holding to Leliana. Then I stood beside Alistair and watched as Wynne and Leliana silently left the city. "What was that all about?" asked Alistair once the two were out of site.
"Leliana and I got into a little bit of trouble," I replied.
"Little bit of trouble? Is she okay? Are you okay!?"
"Was no big deal. She just wanted to go back to camp."
Alistair looked me in the eyes and frowned. "Are you okay, Kaela?"
I shrugged. I could feel the wounds in my side pulling, as if they were tearing slightly, but they weren't hurting much. Just a little. "I'm fine," I replied. "Don't worry. Did you want to find your sister before or after going to Genitivi's house?"
He shuffled a little on the spot and his eyes gazed around the vast marketplace. He skimmed over a lot before his eyes settled on a door nearby. "I… ah. I believe… that is my sister's house. I think, I'm sure it's the right address."
"I'm guessing that means sister first?"
Alistair nodded. "I wonder… if she even knows I exist?"
"Let's go find out."
I marched towards the door Alistair was staring at and knocked loudly. Alistair hurried after me and stood awkwardly behind me.
"Yes, yes? Come in," called a stern female voice from inside.
Alistair took a step back and I rolled my eyes as I opened the door. I stepped behind him and pushed him through first, closing the door behind me.
A tall, red-headed woman stood in front of us. She had lines over her face and looked exhausted. I could hear children in the rooms behind her. "You have linens to wash?" asked the woman, looking us up and down. "I charge three bits on the bundle, you don't find better. And don't trust what that Natalia woman tells you either, she's foreign and she'll rob you blind."
Alistair was gaping at the woman and I kicked him in the shin. He grunted at the impact, and then seemed to remember who he was talking to. "I'm not… I'm not here to have any wash done. My name's Alistair. I'm… well, this may sound sort of strange, but are you Goldanna? If so, I suppose I'm your brother."
The woman dropped the basket she was holding. "I am Goldanna, yes. You're my brother? What in Andraste's name are you going on about?"
Alistair took a deep breath. "Look, our mother… she worked as a servent in Redcliffe castle a long time ago, before she died. Do you know about that? She-"
"You!" interrupted Goldanna, a snarl appearing on her face. "I knew it! They told me you was dead. They told me the babe was dead along with mother, but I knew they was lying!"
"They told you I was dead? Who? Who told you that?"
"Them's at the castle! I told them the babe was the king's, and they said he was dead. Gave me a coin to shut my mouth and sent me on my way! I knew it!"
"I'm sorry, I… didn't know that. The babe didn't die. I'm him; I'm… your brother."
Goldanna scoffed and rolled her eyes. "For all the good it does me," she growled. "You killed mother and I got left with nothing."
I felt anger build up inside me. Alistair had no say in how he was born. He didn't choose to kill his mother. This woman was ridiculous. "That's not Alistair's fault," I growled, trying to keep the anger reigned it. It wouldn't help this situation.
Goldanna's eyes turned to me and she looked me up and down in disgust. "And who in the Maker's name are you? Some tart, following after his riches, I expect?"
Alistair threw an arm in front of me, as if trying to protect me. "Hey! Don't speak to her that way!" he said, "She's my friend, and a Grey Warden! Just like me!"
"Ooooh, I see. A prince and a Grey Warden, too. Well, who am I to think poorly of someone so high and mighty compared to me? I don't know you, boy. Your royal father forced himself on my mother and took her away from me, and what do I got to show for it? Nothing. They tricked me good! I should have told everyone! I got five mouths to feed, and unless you can help with that, I got less than no use for you."
I growled. I could feel my temper on the verge of snapping. Who was she to assume she knew who Alistair was? Assume that he was this rich person that never thought of her? A stepped back slightly and clasped my hands behind my back, trying to stop myself from lunging at her. "Let's go," I snarled. "She only wants money."
Alistair's shoulders drooped and he stepped back. "I… I know," he said softly. "Let's go."
We quickly left the house, and I slammed the door shut as loudly as I could. Who did she think she was!? What an absolute nug-humper. How dare she assume things about Alistair. Such cruel and untrue things! He was so desperate and excited to meet her and she crushed him. What a sodding bitch.
"I can't believe it," murmured Alistair, staring into the sky in despair. "That's the sister I've always wondered about? I thought family accepted you. I thought… I thought she'd accept me."
I gently grasped his hand in both of mine and raised it to my forehead. "I'm so sorry," I murmured. "Stone, family should accept you. Always. I'm so sorry Alistair."
He pulled his hand free and combed through his hair with it. "Yes… I'm sorry, too," he breathed. "Let's just… go. I don't want to talk about this."
He marched away from me, headed towards Brother Genitivi's house. I silently followed behind him. I knew he wouldn't want to speak for a while. The quicker we finished this, the quicker we could move on and away from Denerim. It wasn't a pleasant place for anyone.
"You, brand, what are you doing here?"
I jumped in surprised and stopped in my tracks, making eye contact with an aggressive dwarf standing nearby. He was selling weapons and armour, evidently a smith. "I'm no brand," I retorted. "Up here I'm just a dwarf."
He snorted. "You'll always be a brand," he replied. "Once a casteless, always a casteless."
My eyes narrowed. "You are topside, now. There are no castes."
He grunted and shook his head. "I was born in Orzammar, in the smith caste," he said. "Smithing is my life. I will always be part of the smith caste. Just as you will always be casteless."
I laughed. "Kalna, you are full of sod," I growled. The dwarf flinched at my words… good. I was trying to hurt him. He was arrogant, and a dwarf on the surface shouldn't have his arrogance. "You're not in Orzammar anymore. You are sun-touched. You have no caste."
"You sodding nug-humper," he growled at me.
I shrugged. "You're casteless up here, just like me."
I could see him shaking with anger. I grinned and ran away. I was never able to insult the dwarves in Orzammar like this, they didn't care what a duster had to say. But up here, it was so much easier. All dwarves were equal topside, and some didn't want to accept that.
I skidded to a stop when I was out of the dwarf's sight and looked around me in terror. I had no idea where Alistair was. I gazed around in every direction but I couldn't spot him anywhere. He had kept walking and didn't notice me stopping behind him. I felt the terror rise within me and my breathing hitched in my throat. Tall strangers surrounded me, and I felt like they were suffocating me. I hurried away from the marketplace and drew back into a dark alleyway. I couldn't handle this world. My eyes snapped upwards and fear engulfed me again at the blue expanse above. It didn't look natural, it looked like it was going to swallow me up. The noise in the marketplace seemed to get louder and I my breathing hitched again. I sunk to the ground and buried my head in my knees, covering my ears with my hands. I couldn't do this. I couldn't. There were too many humans, too much going on.
I shrieked as I felt hands on my shoulders and I looked up in terror, only to be met with Alistair's concerned eyes. "Kaela? Can you hear me?"
I stared back at him and slowly started to regain my senses. I was acutely aware of the tears falling down my cheeks, and the violent shuddering in my body. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I stiffly nodded.
"Come on, I'm going to get you back to camp. Where did you go? You disappeared. I was really worried. Are you okay?"
I shook my head. "W-we n-need to… to find…" my voice hitched in my throat as my eyes fixed on the sky beyond Alistair. I was started to get used to it but right now… it looked so foreboding.
"I found his assistant," said Alistair. "He was dead, killed by some cultist. I took a map that marked Genitivi's location. I have what we need – we need to get you back to camp now."
I nodded, but my body felt so weak. I tried to clamber to my feet, but fell straight back down. Alistair's eyes flashed with fright. He bent down and carefully lifted me up, carrying me out of Denerim as quickly as he could. Stone, this place was terrifying. So many humans in one place. So much noise. So much… sky. My eyes focused on the blue openness above us again and I buried my head into Alistair's chest. I don't know why, but I couldn't handle it today. I was so scared.
