Selena cringed each time a book was added to the pile on the table she sat at. Every large book before her was filled with pages upon pages of purchases, ledgers, and an insurmountable amount of contracts. She had to go through every single page to investigate discrepancies and where Baltier and Brekker - and secretly Athenril - had been able to hide their betrayal. If everyone on Harlan's payroll documented everything - and they had to for posterity and for tax time when the Seneschal came around, then it had to be somewhere within these tomes. There was only so much wiggle room they could hide secret transactions especially with the knowledge of exactly how much certain products were worth. And not necessarily lyrium. The Coterie had their fingers in a lot more than just lyrium and brothels.
Madam Luisine set her own books of the last six months on the table and next to her was Viveka holding out a plate what looked like cookies. Lena squinted, not trusting the cookies one bit from Viveka, especially considering the woman had hired men to try and kill her. Viveka was looking more and more pinched in the face.
After the attempt on her life, and Varric's acceptance of both Happy and Dopey, they took care of the bodies. And by take care of, she meant Varric's people came and handled it. It was a waste of perfectly good fat if you asked her, but Happy made off with one of the corpses into a dark corner down toward Darktown, spinning a web around it.
She'd had nightmares that night again, refreshed with new horrors and worries. Needless to say, she was a little glad Varric knew how to distract her even if she was getting physically worn out. Which was why she found herself here in the Rose, much to the storyteller's chagrin. Nothing quite like distracting yourself with numbers.
"This is just to you off with the highest earners. Then of course there's the smaller ones in Lowtown and Darktown." Harlan grabbed one of the cookies from the plate, whilst perched on the table. Lena scrutinizing his laidback air and seemingly trusting atmosphere for her to work on the books for his highest earners. That certainly wasn't fishy at all.
She had tried to make off with just a few of the books to the Hanged Man but then Harlan had ushered her to the large room where he had his main branches gathered and the business runners. It was better for them to meet in the Rose due to the close proximity of a staircase to Darktown. Some of the main branches worked out of Darktown or rather, in close proximity with it.
"Alright." Lena sighed while counting each book. She was trying to figure out how long this might take to organize and go over. She could only imagine how long it took the last person who held this position to keep track of all the books, if there even was someone. "What happened to the person who did this last? Or is this a new position?" Selena directed her gaze to Harlan who gave a slow grin and pulled a necklace up where a chain of teeth hung.
"They found another position as they aren't in the business of keeping my books anymore." Several of those teeth were still bloody, with chunks of rotting gum flesh on it.
"Right." Lena gulped.
"If you need anything, have Viveka fetch it for you." Harlan with a knowing grin, looked between the two. Viveka sneered.
"With all due respect, Harlan. I don't need her help." Lena muttered, bristling as she glared at Luisine's niece. Dopey was on her shoulder, her hair having finally been tamed into a bun, but she had felt Dopey crawling about, and last she felt, it was like a web covered the bun. She had a silk webbing hat and could feel the trapped flies as Dopey eventually ventured back to wrap them.
"Fair enough. I'll be by in a few hours." He muttered. "Oh, the Seneschal will be by next week. Best to prepare the tax collection as well." he clapped her other shoulder whilst laughing and leaving.
Sighing, her fingers steepled as she was left alone with Luisine and Viveka, the other business runners having left their stacks behind.
"It is good to have you back, Lena." Luisine smiled. "Do let Viveka know if you need anything."
Not likely. But she smiled and watched them leave her alone there.
Suffice to say she was overwhelmed because he first thing she realized was that the numerals were all Roman, or in this case Tevinter. It was at the very least comparable but she wanted to make sure she had it right, so she found Denier and Serendipity to make sure the L like symbol meant 50, C meant 100, D meant 500, and M meant 1000. Once she had that, she went through the long arduous process of converting everything into the new sets of books she dipped out to buy.
And then came the worst that hearkened her to her time back on Earth. The hell and pain that was spreadsheets. She didn't even have the convenience of a digital spreadsheet. It was all done manually and she had to keep a legend of the percentages for each column.
By lunch Harlan came and found her sitting here, Dopey was missing from atop her head but the windows were wide open on the fourth floor of the Rose in the sitting room, light filtering in in droves. She had transcribed most of the numbers in the books of the Powder Room, the Blooming Rose, and a few other businesses.
"What is this?" Harlan complained as he went over each line, squinting at the numbers.
"It's my own personal numbering system because Tevinter numerals suck ass." She snapped as her fingers cramped. She was endeavoring to write as neatly as she could but she really needed a scribe for this.
She'd written how to read the new numbers with Bianca and Varric once before so she slid the paper to Harlan, not bothering to explain it. Instead she concentrated on transcription and whilst doing so working out where the kinks were. There were a few places she'd have to point out to Harlan because the numbers did not make any sense at all. She knew roughly how much the Rose's workers made, and she now had an idea how much the Powder Room's workers made. She'd have to find out the same for all the others.
It was looking like once she transcribed the numbers she was going to need to investigate personally and ask questions.
Which is exactly where she found herself the next day if only because she needed a break from the dark room of the Rose she had inhabited.
First up was a business called the Florian Flavouring, next was Malgoth's Herbs and of course the Apothecary of Hightown. Kirkwall was really quite large. Hightown was broken by streets and alcoves with small districts. There was the market district, the Merchant's District - which were two very different districts as some more racist humans would call it the Dwarf's district due to the sheer quantity of dwarves that congregated there, but that wasn't the only place dwarva inhabited. In fact many dwarva were considered noble and lived in estates alongside the nobility, but they weren't granted the same clemency as human nobles. There was a park that was maintained by the Viscount's gardeners. There were other districts but ones she didn't need to go to now.
Instead she eyed Florian's Flavouring. She wasn't quite sure what to expect but when she walked in, seeing humans of very clearly defined Asian heritage was not one of them. Only that's what it would be called on Earth, she wasn't sure what it would be called here in Thedas so she openly stared. The man behind the counter was stirring a large pot and beside him a woman of similar ethnicity pounding away at a mortar and pestle; both looked to her curious. Both wore simple brown threadbare garments and sandals for shoes. The woman however had an assortment of earrings and Lena could swear she saw an intricate black mark along her neck, before the woman shifted her long black hair to hide it.
"Hello." The man pulled away, the woman taking over stirring the pot. "What may I get you, Madame River?"
"Uh...yes. I-" She fumbled unused to people knowing who she was. "I am here to meet with Florian?" The man nodded his head, confirming his identity. "On behalf of-"
"Yes. I know. What may I get you? I do not have the cut ready, will you accept-" The man stepped further toward her, bowing lowly to get on her eye level. She glared at his patronizing stature, bristling. He gasped and took a step back.
"Cut?" Lena questioned.
"I- I apologize. It had not been a good new year. If I could have just another week, I can get your cut of this weeks-"
"Sorry. I think you misunderstand. I'm not here to collect anything. I just want to go over your books." She pulled out the small book that had had less than a hundred purchases in the last three months but also all of them were large purchases and all at rounded numbers in increments of hundred such as one week he made three hundred silver here and then the next two hundred. It certainly rose a brow. No way was any trade that precise in their proceeds.
"The books?" He gulped and sent a look to the woman who disappeared behind the curtain toward what Lena guessed was the back. "Ah yes, yes. I will. One moment. I will sit with you. Co-come, to the back." He gestured to behind the curtain.
Lena squinted but made motion for him to go first, senses and paranoia on high after the attack the other night. The room they entered in had a group of four children huddled around one table, one of which was at least a teenager and was leading the younger ones in reading from a thick book. A book, Lena noted, that was not the Chant of Light but was something else entirely.
The woman from the front was setting a table out with a cup of what smelled like tea. Not just any tea, jasmine tea, and chamomile tea, and there were dried fruits as well in a small bowl besides the cups.
"Exactly what is your business?" She asked as the woman ducked her head and waved over her throat whilst shaking her head.
"My wife, she does not speak common." The man, who Lena suspected was Florian explained but he pulled the chair out for Lena to sit, wringing his hands. "I am a spicer, Madame. Surely you knew that? We provide spices for the nobility, hard to find spices from the north."
"From the north?" Lena perked up. "Spices from Par Vollen?"
"Not quite." Florian explained. "Please, have some tea. It is our newest sampling." He served the tea for himself but Lena covered the second cup.
"I'm not overly fond of tea." She dismissed his offer. "I'm not here to sample your teas, I'm here for the books."
"Ye-yes of course." He muttered and sent a look to the four children. The eldest of which walked over. "This is my son, Taolin."
He was young, Lena would have to guess no older than thirteen and he too was also dressed in brown threadbare but he was barefoot. Lena also noted his hands were calloused. It was a shock to her as she's never seen kids with callouses before, not of that magnitude. Having avoided developing callouses for much of her life, she was now paying the price with each day of hard labour.
"I handle the books." The boy muttered, steely eyed as he took his father's place at the table. Florian hovered behind him.
"Alright, then can you explain why the entries are so….rounded?"
"Rounded?" He furrowed his brows as she opened the book and pointed to each entry. The boy's eyes following her as the hundreds were marked. He chewed his lip, worried as he glanced up at her.
"Rounded. Whole sovereign amounts. Surely you can't tell me your Father makes exactly two hundred silvers every week? That's just not how supply and demand works - that's not how commerce of any kind works." Selena looked from the book to the boy.
The father, having spent much of his time examining the book and then looking at his son said something low, but not too low Lena didn't hear it. The problem was, it didn't sound like any language she'd ever heard from Thedas. If anything it sounded like Chinese. She snapped her head up to Florian, squinting at him and then Taolin as well. The older man seemed to break and said something again in that language low to his son who responded in kind.
Each word they exchanged, Lena could not decipher, but she didn't need to. She watched their bodies. The stiff way the father's posture loomed over the boy, his brows knitted tight, a vein bulging and his face turning red as he spoke quickly and admonishing. The boy on the other hand was slouching, cringing every time his name was used. The father was chewing the boy out.
"Messere Florian. Please don't take it out on your son. I'm sure there is a perfectly good explanation for this." She intervened.
That made the man and the boy stop talking in their language, pale faced and staring at her suspiciously. "You- you understood?"
"Well not everything, but enough." She waved her hand in the air. "Now, can you explain why the books were kept like this, or do I need to tell Harlan of the suspicious nature of these records?"
The mention of Harlan's name couldn't not have made them any paler. Fear and apprehension in their gazes and postures. The boy cracked.
"That's just how she told me to do the books. Said it would sway Harlan from wanting to close us." He confessed, his father quick to smack the back of his head and hissing.
"Hey!" Lena seethed, nostrils flared as the act reminded her of Nika. Her haunches raised and teeth grit. "There will be no hitting children in my line of sight. Understand?" She growled.
"He is not a child. He is a young man, a young man who has- " The man broke off into that language again.
"HEY!" She smacked the table whilst growling, Dopey - lured by her tone of voice - crawled up and out of her shirt where he had hidden, perched on her shoulder hissing. "Is he under eighteen years of age?"
Both father and son had taken a step back. The woman - Florian's wife - had stepped around, her mouth dropped open when she met Lena's lyrium blue eyes. She paled when catching sight of the spider on her shoulder, which Lena absently pet.
"If he is under eighteen, then he is a child. You do not hit your children unless they have done something wrong, and even then only if appropriate. But there are other methods of punishment that do not harm physically." Lena explained, feeling her stomach twist with guilt. She really needed to get Nika out of there. "Understand?" She accentuated the word with a swipe of her finger.
"Y-yes." Florian gulped, pulling his son in front of him.
"Good. I'm glad we're in agreement. If I come back here next week and find any bumps and bruises on him, I will personally be very disappointed." Selena sighed, closed her eyes and breathed a calming breath. "Now then, Taolin was it? Did I pronounce that right?"
Taolin nodded, shakily and confused as her tone took on a gentle demeanor
"Who told you to do the books like this?"
"Blasted arsebiscuit piece of crap elf." Lena growled as she stalked out of Florian's Flavoring, book tucked under her as she veered right heading toward the nearest exit to go to Lowtown to visit a certain female elf in the alienage. Only she would have if she didn't nearly run right into something very bright white and shiny - or rather someone. Her head smacking against something metallic as she stumbled backwards.
"Nug humping whores!" She swore, rubbing her temple. "Watch where you're going-" She spat but paused when she got a look at the person she bumped into. "Sebastian?!" She gaped at the armor, the armor she knew him from.
"Lena?" His voice whispered once he gained his footing again, staring down at her in awe. He blinked and rubbed his watering eyes. Then in a small, barely perceptible voice he muttered, "Mama?"
She hadn't actually gone out to find Sebastian to let him know she was alive, only because he hadn't been seen. Even Nika had said she hadn't seen him for awhile, once Lena learned what Sebastian and Varric had done for her. The girl came by the Hanged Man every morning to make sure she wasn't dreaming - that Lena was in fact alive every day. It was cute, frustrating those first few days when Varric had been insatiable but now she was used to the girl's presence while they ate breakfast. She'd gotten used to once again curbing her cursing and likewise Varric had as well. She really hated kids, making her be responsible and considerate. The nerve of them.
"Sebastian, your armor...It's so..white and shiny." She blinked. "I think I can even see my reflection in them. Hold still. It's catching the light just right." She joked with a grin, if only to break the tension. That seemed to break the stupor he was in and a few tears dripped down his cheeks. They weren't in private and she couldn't wipe them, so she kept her distance. Except that wasn't what Sebastian wanted because he knelt down and pulled her into a hug.
"I'm sorry, mama. I know I'm not supposed to but I thought, I was sure you had-"
"Died? Yeah yeah. Get the hug over with now." She sighed, resigned to it. They weren't inside the confines of the bedroom so she couldn't exactly force him to adhere to her rules - public displays of their roles wasn't what they had agreed on. "I should really blame Varric for not sending you a letter or word or something but he said you weren't able to be reached." Lena sighed.
"I-" Sebastian pulled back, standing with a bright smile. "I was gone to Starkhaven to visit my family."
"You-" Lena did double-take. "You visited your family?" They were alive, she had to remember that. Or rather, she had to find a way to save them if she could.
"Yes my father gifted me this armor in commemoration of my taking my vows." Sebastian explained.
"Vows?" Lena stared at him and then really looked at his armor, including the Andraste's chastity belt buckle.
"Yes. I would like you to meet someone, if you have time that is." Sebastian chewed his bottom lip. "I know you do not have fond memories of the Chantry…" He gulped as they both remembered the murder they had taken part in. "But there is someone who greatly wished to meet the person responsible for helping me."
"Helping you?" Lena stared. She really hoped she wasn't about to go meet who she thought she was - she really did not want to meet her. She would like to avoid any more Chantry folk if possible, but given her association with Sebastian - who was now a fully pledged brother - she doubted he could dodge Elthina for very long. "How did I help you?" The only help she gave him was aiding his relief by guiding his untraditional kinks.
"You showed me acceptance where so many did not." Sebastian spoke and held his arm out to her.
Acceptance? She could see that. In her world their particular interests were still considered deviant, she could only imagine what they are viewed as here. Perish the thought of Iron Bull one day openly discussing his bedroom preferences involving leather straps, whips, and gags without a spirit of compassion prompting it.
She took Sebastian's arm. "Alright. I'll admit I did do that. But that's just normal." Lena shrugged. "Plus it would have been hypocritical of me to not accept you considering my own proclivities. I do apologize Sebastian, I would have found you sooner but I've a new occupation, it's...trying."
"You need not apologize. I am simply enthused you are well. I- Oh, the child. Little Nika, she will be so pleased - or is she. Was she told?" Sebastian directed them toward the Chantry in slow even steps, not in a rush and if anything it was almost leisurely. Lena liked it, if only because she felt dread every time she spotted the Chantry. Memories of Petrice's bashed face crept behind her eyelids, reminding her of her sins.
She might very well need to confess, if only to ease her conscious. Hopefully the confessional will be open.
Any other time before, this would not have been advised. Especially so openly and because Lena had to wear the sash on her shoulder to mark her as a Red Lantern District worker. But now, now she wore a dress that varric had bought her and looked- well she looked like an upper Lowtowner on the arms of a known Brother of the Chantry who just took his vows.
"She knows. You said you just took your vows? Does this mean I won't be seeing you every Tuesday?" She prodded his side, teasing. His cheeks flushed but there was a wicked look to his gaze as he smiled.
"Nay, I dare say I may even be visiting you more often." Sebastian grinned, cheeky and exuberant.
"But you took your vows. Doesn't joining the Chantry mean a vow of chastity?"
"Not always. Many do but it isn't frowned upon to forego those vows." Sebastian explained, impressed by her knowledge. "I was not aware you knew so much about the Chantry. I always thought you were…"
"A blasphemous heathen?" She offered.
"Not in so many words but..." Sebastian chuckled. "Yes."
"I know a bit about the Chantry, you watch you read. Experience. It comes to you. So… if you didn't take a vow of Chastity, what vows did you take?" Selena asked, curious. Without a vow of chastity, that means if Hawke wanted to they could have a marriage and not just a chaste one.
"Charity and Justice." He spoke with reverence, head raised toward the sky.
"Sorry, charity and justice?" Lena smiled wide. Charity she understood but justice? 'Oh, when he meets Anders…' Snorting. "Why Justice?"
"I vowed, to the maker I would find the one responsible for well your death." Sebastian opened up. "But I thank the Maker was watching over you."
"Aw. That's so sweet."
"What did happen? Messere Tethras would not speak of it, but he had seemed so-"
Lena frowned. "Not today. Another time." She sighed. She was just beginning to get to some kind of normal again, she didn't want to think about it - especially not so soon. She'd even managed to continually dodge questions about it from Varric. Though she was sure he was getting wise to it.
"I will not pry. I'm just pleased you did not perish. Madame Lena." He whispered, looking down at her with such warming relief and care, Lena couldn't help but flush. She blamed his good looks. She really did. No one should be that good looking and wholesome, the Maker should forbid it especially given his proclivities. He could smile that sweet smile and ask for anything and just as quickly turn that grin devilish and dirty. It was the sort of smile that you'd sell your soul to without a second thought. Dangerous but sweet.
They came upon the Chantry's great golden doors but instead they bypassed it.
"Er Sebastian?"
"She'll be in the gardens now."
Right. Lena frowned but kept up with him as they walked to a side entrance via the Chantry courtyard. The garden was a lush place, surrounded by five walls of the Chantry hall, the chantry dormitories for the sisters and brothers, the mess hall, the Reverred Mother's manor that the Grand Cleric had taken residence in. The last wall was actually open up to the cliff face Kirkwall's Hightown saw atop on and looking down at Lowtown. But they were so high up you had to stand at the railing to actually see down into Lowtown. Instead it looked more like a view out into the ocean and the shore. The garden was another hexe like in Lowtown allowing everyone to view the gardens, but there were only so many entry points. One of which was from the Chantry Hall specifically and the other from the manor.
The was a stone pathway with iron fences and gates allowing you to enter the rather large garden where some higher ranked sisters sat. Most of them ignored her, but did shoot Sebastian a look or two. It was a look Lena knew all too well, and one Sebastian knew as well but he ignored them instead directing their steady steps toward where an elderly woman was knelt in her chantry robes, her sleeves rolled up and a brown smock over the front with large pockets.
Elthina was working to weed what looked like a bed of flowers. They looked perennial because it was still too cold for flowers to bloom even if they were heading toward spring. The ones Elthina was working with looked like daisies, bright yellow and warm. But they had stripes of orange on each petal.
Sebastian left her by the gate to this section of the garden. He strolled toward where Elthina was who looked up at him with a warm smile. Lena watched them exchange greetings and words.
That's when the panic spiked through her. Lena felt like running. It oddly felt like meeting the parents of your significant other after dating them for awhile and she had never done well with that. She gulped and reached into the off white bell sleeved shirt where Dopey was hidden. The small acid spitting spider sensing her nervousness purred. She then directed her hand to her bun and brushed the spider webs away.
Selena quickly straightened the dark forest green skirts with the lace trim and ensure the lacing in the front was in a perfect bow. She reminded herself to thank Varric profusely for buying her dresses - even if she hated how innocent they looked. Her fingers were stained with some ink splotches but she couldn't really do much about that could she? She could. Spitting into her hands, she rubbed the ink away on the inside of her skirt quick and vigorous and then stood up straight and smiled as Sebastian looked back at her.
"Madame Lena, I would like you to meet -" Sebastian and Elthina walked up to the gate - supposedly lena wasn't allowed on the gate. Or maybe because was wearing a dress that actually covered her feet and dragged on the stone.
"I know who she is, Bassy." Lena cooed, sweet and innocent like - eyes wide to drive the point home. He knew the look. She'd used it once on him in the bedroom. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Grand Cleric Elthina." Lena purred out with an emphasis on pleasure that made Sebastian laugh with a smile, the tips of his ears turning a delightful pink. Lena held her hand out and up to the elder human - manners dictating her to do so. "I am Madame Selena River."
Elthina was impassive but her eyes did widen as she looked to Sebastian, surprise. But she took Lena's offered hand and shook it lightly. Selena squeezed a tad harder than necessary, feeling exactly how old she really was. The wrinkles at her joints and the jutting bones of her wrist telling tale of her exceedly skinny frame. It boiled down to one fact. Lena could take her - physically. All she would have to is knock her over and sit on her chest. Her lips curled up.
"I understand you and Sebastian met at - "
"The Blooming Rose, yes." Lena interrupted with all the honesty in the world. A passing Sister gasped but kept her head down. Lena wasn't about to lie to the Grand Cleric. Though Sebastian's sharp intake of breath and stiff posture let her know he hadn't been fully honest with her - at least not in such a blunt manner. Elthina's brows rose. "Pardon my bluntness."
"It's refreshing actually. So many believe me to be too sensitive to understand the common desires." Elthina sent an amused look Sebastian's way, admonishing him but opened the gate - gesturing for Lena to walk into the garden. Lena accepted the invitation. "I was young once as well." She joked with a sly grin toward Sebastian who looked affronted. "If you believed I did not know where exactly you were disappearing off to every Tuesday morning, then you you are far more naive than I believed, my boy."
Lena snorted at the way Sebastian was blushing and smiling. She liked Elthina, or this side of her but Lena wouldn't forget the lack of reaction she would one day exercise.
"Well, he certainly wasn't saying the chant early Tuesday mornings that's for sure." Lena quirked a smirk. Elthina released a laugh, the corners of her eyes crinkling.
"Selena!" Sebastian gasped and looked to Elthina, embarrassment and shame coloring his cheeks.
"No I dare say he wasn't." She covered her mouth with another laugh and smile, directing Selena further into the garden.
"So, Grand Cleric-" Lena followed after her, careful to raise her skirts a bit so it didn't get too dirty. She found it was exceedingly expensive to have to wash her clothes every week and instead just wore the same garment at least twice before switching out.
"I'm sure the formality can be dropped now, Madame Lena?" Elthina offered with kind eyes. This really wasn't who she expected to meet.
"Certainly." Lena conceded but steely spoke her name, old memories and feelings coming up. "Elthina."
"Selena." Elthina spoke in turn. "Sebastian, be a dear and fetch us some tea. I'm feeling a tad parched."
"Of course. Lena?"
"None for me, thank you." Selena waved, despite Elthina's raised brow. "Some water would be lovely however."
"Boiled?" Sebastian asked obediently.
"If you please." if she ever drank water it was always boiled water to ensure ti was clean, purified at least. Though it would be purified for sure if she had iodine tablets, but sadly she didn't so she made due. It had been some time since she'd gotten explosively sick from the well water from Kirkwall - hopefully the Chantry's water supply was significantly better. Elthina didn't seem to judge but at Sebastian's departure she directed their steps to a small stone table and ornately carved wooden seats.
"I had not known you were a dwarfess." Elthina
Dwarfess? That's a new one.
"Haven't you ever seen a dwarva prostitute?" Lena countered with narrowed gaze. Again her bluntness had Elthina pause and stare at her, this time her nose wrinkled as though disgusted before it smoothed - a pleasant placating smile stretched. That ticked Lena off.
"Oh I've heard of them." Elthina smoothed her smock. "Though seeing one is certainly quite new. You're not what I expected given…" Elthina glanced back toward where Sebastian had went and then toward Lena.
"You expected a human woman to have taken care of his particular needs?" Lena danced around it. There was being blunt and then there was being obscene. Plus she did still have the contract with Sebastian in place. She'd honor that above all else. Being known to using a prostitute is one thing, but using one with her facet of skills? Not exactly daytime conversation.
"Not necessarily. But I have heard your name spoken, as of late." Elthina offered, dodging Lena's insinuations of calling her a racist.
"Oh? And just where have you heard my name? Here I thought you were young once, but clearly are not now." It wasn't a stab at her age, and judging by the almost too pleasant expression, she knew.
"Actually I heard it from a friend of mine, Destan de Launcet." She answered. Lena squinted. "I understand congratulations are in order. Your new employment certainly seems…" Elthina paused, a faint fake vapid look to her eyes as she pretended to weigh her words. It wasn't too easy but Lena had dealt with liars before, even sneaky ones like Elthina and Varric. "...influential."
"That it is. But I have qualms with using said influence for my benefit only. I'm an honest businesswoman. Make no mistake." Lena raised her chin, staring Elthina down - or up as the human was taller than her even whilst seated. The sun was high and Lena was working up a sweat on the back of her neck.
"It certainly is relieving to find honest young folk in this day and age." Elthina looked up, squinting as she took in the morning sun. "Especially with regard to Sebastian. It would pain me to know he was once again taken in by the wrong sorts, especially as he has turned to the Maker and Andraste." The Grand Cleric sent a sideways look to Lena, implying that Lena was the "wrong sorts."
"I share your sentiments, actually. It's why I encouraged him to take his vows." Lena's rebuttal threw Elthina off, her eyes widened.
"You encouraged him to take his vows?"
"Oh he didn't tell you about that, did he?" Lena stretched, her back cracking as her grin went from apprehensive to shit-eating. Some months back Sebastian had interrupted one of their sessions with a firmly spoken yellow. He needed a break and instead of them continuing he spoke his concerns, his guilt over continuing to see her whilst also contemplating on the vows he would be taking.
"Yellow." Sebastian moaned with a cry as he knelt on the bed, his arse up in the air as Lena thrust into him slow and steady.
"What is it?" Lena removed the makeshift strap-on she wore. The contraption of belts, loops, and cut leather harness contained the polished wooden smooth dildo was wet with the oils. It was something she had carved in the spare time she was granted thanks to her client that was below her. The first time she brought it out, he has been apprehensive until she taught him how to take it - slowly and with the right preparations. Now it was his and her favorite toy, but she wouldn't use it with anyone else. Not that she had any other client.
"I am..." Sebastian sighed as he turned on the bed, bright eyes staring at her - brows furrowed.
"Sebastian, yellow is for a break." She admonished but let Sebastian turn over. "But, I'll forgive it this once." She didn't remove the harness but did sit next to Sebastian, pulling the mug of ale she had set on the bedside table and drank. She offered it to Sebastian who took a sip. "Tell me, what troubles you?"
The royal archer dropped his head into his hands, legs crossed cock brandished high between them as he breathed. "I am to take my vows soon." He muttered.
"Your vows?" She nodded, unsure. "That's cool."
"Cool?" He was getting used to her vernacular.
"Excellent? I mean you chose to become a Chantry initiate. This must be an exciting time for you?" Lena asked.
"I wish it were but I only feel mortal guilt." Sebastian rubbed his face.
"Guilt? Shouldn't you be feeling proud?" Lena leant forward, nudging his shoulder. "All your hard work is culminating to the vigil - you take a vigil right?" She frowned pondering if she was confusing the procedure with the Seeker vigil.
"Yes, for a week." Sebastian frowned. "I will have to terminate our arrangement."
"Oh." Lena's brows rose. "Well...shit." She'd have to find another way to make coin now.
"Shit? Shit?! Lena, it means I cannot see you once I am a brother of the cloth. I-I do not think I will be able to-" He worried his bottom lip, torn - gaze glistening with unshed tears. She would have admonished him for using her name but the conversation clearly had moved past the roles of domme and submissive - they were speaking as friends now.
"If being a brother is something you've been working toward diligently, then you keep working toward it. Don't let anything stop you - not even our arrangement." She shrugged, thinking of how much debt she owed and what she could do to clear it.
"Being a brother is something I want." Sebastian muttered but his brows furrowed. "But I need our arrangement." He whispered, ashamed.
One brow quirked up. "Need? Sebastian, you don't need this. This is something you do because you want."
"No. Lena...I need it."
"I know it may seem like you need it when you're cock is half cocked." She smirked.
"No!" Sebastian seethed. "I need it." He insisted.
"Sebastian, don't be-" Lena cut off when he gripped her arms, pleading - desperate gaze making her gulp. "That hurts." She lowered her voice, commanding and assuming the role of domme. Sebastien froze and averted his gaze.
"I'm sorry, Mama." His own voice was complacent and apologetic but he only loosened his grip.
"It is alright." She cooed, hand raised to brush his hair back, fingers sliding close to his scalp and then she gripped tight and drew him closer. "Tell me why you need this?"
Vael gulped, slow but met her gaze and nodded. "I cannot go more than a week without your touch, your mouth, your fingers." He spoke soft and delicious in that voice he knew tempted her. "Bringing me to release in so many ways - repeatedly."
"Sebastian." Lena gulped, legs squirming. He knew her buttons were his voice. "You're a little shit." She seethed - yanking his head back and attacked his neck with a harsh bite and suck. He cried out, her unoccupied hand reaching down to give his manhood a teasing pump. Her eyes flitted closed as she feasted on his skin, licking and sucking her way down to his nipples.
If this would be the last couple of times she got to cause him pleasure then she'd make sure it was the best. She'll pull out all the stops, make it so he wouldn't "need" any of this anymore. The Chantry was terrible to deprive it's flock of sexual pleasures, especially this for Sebastian. It's not like it would interfere with any of his duties. It'd just be another bureaucratic hypocrisy to add to the pile of the Chantry's own practices.
"Sebastian!" She gasped and sat upright and pulled away.
"Mama…" he groaned. "Please."
"Sebastian! What's stopping you from continuing our arrangement anyway?" She questioned suddenly and releasing his hair.
"He told me, that all Chantry personnel from Brothers and Sisters all the way to Divine are not allowed to engage in romantic relationships." She grinned at Elthina as her explanation finished, though with less than vulgar details. "As their love is reserved for the Maker as Andraste had done."
"So then you understand why it is prudent for you to discontinue your services with him?" Elthina spoke.
"Why? What Sebastian and I have is not romantic." Selena grinned. "I'm not getting in between his love for the Maker. So he is neither breaking his vows nor Chantry law. What he and I have, is a business transaction." Selena smiled sweetly.
Elthina reaction was not what she expected, in fact she looked almost smug. Lena squinted at her up until Elthina's gaze traveled up and behind Lena.
"I told you Sebastian, the girl is using you." Elthina spoke to Sebastian who stood behind Lena's seat with a tray of tea. His gaze forlorn and down as he eyed Selena, placing her cup of clean water in front of her.
DarkDust27: Bianca getting interested in a female dwarf? Perish the thought - it'd be completely against Dwarva culture of procreation first! ;) But yes it catches her off and embarrasses her because she's never been attracted to another female before let alone seen it happen in Dwarva society. So it's definitely something new for her. Especially because she's already got it in her mind that Lena is Varric's. So interesting stuff to happen there.
debatable-cerealkiller: I'm glad the technical stuff is fun to read. I always feel like it's super dry because I do research for it and then have to find a way to incorporate it without it being too much like an info-dump and is a bit fun. Also! I sent you a private message regarding if you could draw Lena, but the answer is yes! I would love it! I would link where you can find the reference images but it's on my tumblr but fanfictiondotnet doesn't allowing linking so I can only say it's under my tags of "by the tits of my ancestors" or "my-fanfics."
Thank you for the feedback guys! I always appreciate it!
