9:34 – Barracks, Hanged Man, and Wounded Coast

The Long Road

"Don't they-"

"Not yet."

"But they do-"

"Seeker, stop trying to jump in the story. It's less fun."

"Fine."

"Hawke, hey… wait, why are they with you?"

"That's an interesting greeting, Aveline."

"Sorry, I just… expected you to be alone."

"Oh… kay?"

"Right. Sorry. I just… I need a couple of errands done. Not much, but…"

"Yeah, I can do this for you, Aveline."

"Thanks, Hawke."

As Aveline went hunting through something in her drawer, I glanced at my companions for this very strange day, Isabela and Varric. "I've a strange feeling I'm going to get the most hilarious story out of today," Varric noted with a grin.

"I hope so, Varric," Isabela sighed. "It feels wrong being here. Like diddling with a sister."

"Did you have to say that?" I groaned. "Really, Isabela."

"All right, here we are," Aveline mumbled. She thrust a cloth-wrapped package into my hands. "First task. I need you to give this to Guardsman Donnic. No questions, and he's not to know it's from me." What?

"Yeah, sure." Weird. "Isabela, Varric, why don't you two stay here?"

"Works for me," Isabela agreed, flopping to the floor. "Varric, you can help me with this friend fiction I'm working on." Friend-fiction?

"Which one?" Varric asked as he levered himself down. "Oh! No, I remember now. Yeah, sure."

Certain I did not want to know, I left Aveline's office and hunted for Donnic. I asked a couple of the off-duty guards and they easily pointed me in the right direction, so it wasn't long before I found him in one of the side rooms of the barracks, enjoying his break. "Guardsman Donnic," I greeted, catching his attention. "Been a bit."

"Yes, it has, Serah Hawke," he agreed, nodding back politely. "You've been stirring up things in Hightown."

"I promise I try to stay out of trouble." I handed the package to him. "I was asked to deliver this to you."

"Is that so?" He took the package and carefully unwrapped it. I couldn't help but gape at the frankly hideous copper relief of flowers. Marigolds, if the inscription was correct. "I…" Donnic was at a loss for words. "I don't suppose there was a message?"

"No questions asked, just deliver it." Realizing how bad that sounded, I quickly added, "I did a check for traps and the like, but I didn't actually look."

"Right then…" He wrapped it again and tucked it into the back on his belt. "I'm sure we both have things to do. Of varying import. Serah Hawke."

"Like go bother Aveline to make sure she doesn't take herself too seriously? Oh, yes, very important." And this was bloody awkward! "I'll go do that. Terribly sorry!"

I quickly made it to Aveline's office again, ready to ask just why she had me do such an awkward thing. Her response to my arrival, though, stopped me. "Y-you're back!" She stuttered. Stuttered. Aveline never stuttered. "Of course you are. You're efficient. Good or ill." I glanced at Isabela and Varric, but both shrugged in answer to my silent question. So, no hints dropped while they were working on this project of theirs. Damn. "So, how did Donnic react?"

"The same way I did to the thing," I told her bluntly. "Confusion."

Her face fell. "I thought it was clear." What was? "Metal is strong. Copper ages well. Flowers are soft." Uh… "Okay, so, maybe not the right way…" She picked up a paper and handed it to me. "Post this to the roster and just… listen, please."

"Okay?" Deciding that this, at least, couldn't be awkward, I went out to the main room of the Barracks and pinned the patrol sheet up before ducking into a corner to sit and wait.

It wasn't long before I had a reaction. "Hey, Donnic!" one of the guard called. I recognize her. She was the one who Aveline and I saved three years back from that ambush on Sundermont. "Whose pucker have you been greasing to get Hightown?"

"What?" Donnic's reply was equal parts confused and outraged. "You're daft. I'm working dockside on those smugglers."

"Well, it says here you're guarding the square." She even pointed for emphasis. "Always been a make-work job. You someone's pet or something now?"

"Check your eyes. It's a mistake." And Donnic did not look like he'd take kindly to someone telling him it wasn't. Uh oh.

"Nope, right here."

For a second, I thought he was going to punch her. Then he just sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You have got to be kidding me. Who did I piss off to get stuck with that post?"

Deciding that must be enough, I returned to the office to make my report. "He thinks your punishing him," I informed her. Probably too blunt. Ugh.

"He thinks I'm punishing him?" Aveline repeated, sinking into her chair. She looked so baffled. "But it's a safe patrol. A reward for good service."

"Well, looks like he's like you and doesn't like the safe stuff."

She sighed and jumped up to start pacing. "Okay. Okay, I can fix this. I need… I need three goats and a sheaf of wheat." At this point, I just sat down with Isabela and Varric because this was far too weird. "You'll take them to his mother." I just stared. "It's… it's a dowry tradition." What. "Maybe it'll smooth the process."

Okay, okay, so was this all… "Aveline, are you trying to ask Donnic out?" She groaned and hid her face in her hands. "By the Maker, you are!" And emasculating Donnic in the process by accident. Dowries were to go to the family of the female.

"I think my jaw landed somewhere in the Deep Roads," Varric noted after a moment of silence. "Wow."

"Not a word, dwarf."

"Oh, Aveline, I wouldn't dream of mocking your… highly unconventional courtship."

"That I'm really confused as to how it would work," I muttered, not checking the response in time. "No offense, Aveline."

"I… I know," she sighed heavily. "I've been a Captain so long, it's all I know."

"I'm confused," Isabela began lightly. "Weren't you married before, Lady Man-hands?

"That… that was a long time ago. And it was different."

"And… you haven't tried anyone in four years."

"Yes?"

"So you've been four years without sex?" Oh, Maker, Isabela! "You must creak like a rusty hinge!"

"Many people have their lives because of me," Aveline growled. Uh oh.

"But poor you, no life of your own."

"We both place people above ourselves. I just happen to do it clothed."

Isabela jumped onto her feet. "You're splitting hairs, when you wish someone would split yours."

And Aveline answered the challenge by squaring her shoulders and raising her chin. "I've enough of your loose lips! Like many others, I'm sure."

"Oh, touché." Isabela stepped in close. "Prig."

"Slattern!" Aveline spat, stepping in closer.

"If I can get us back on track?" I sighed, stepping between them. Hard to do. They'd been close enough to kiss. "Thanks so much Varric for watching."

"I have sense, Hawke," Varric laughed. "That's why I'm alive."

Then why was I, when I obviously didn't have that sense he was talking about? "Step away from each other like big girls." They glared at each other for a moment longer, before doing what I asked. "Thank you." I sighed heavily. "So, do I need to drag Donnic here?"

"And how would that look with the Captain ordering… demanding…" Aveline flushed as she trailed off. "It won't help!"

"Then go out," Isabela sighed. "Get him drunk. Shame is an equalizer."

"What, just… just go out somewhere?" Aveline groaned. "Like it's that easy?"

"It is that easy," Varric 'kindly' pointed out. "You're just making it complicated."

"I don't think I've been hit nearly enough times in the head for that to sound like a good idea," she groaned, burying her face in hands again.

"You got a better plan?" I demanded. She shook her head. "Then let's try it, okay?"

So, good news was that Donnic showed up to the Hanged Man like planned. Bad news? Aveline, for some reason, didn't. It would've been horribly awkward if I hadn't the foresight of making sure Varric and Isabela would be there that night. At least I had backup. And, you know, it was fun to learn Wicked Grace. Even if I was absolutely rubbish at it.

"Look on the bright side, Hawke," Varric laughed as he won another hand. "You're already better than Anders."

"Somehow, I doubt that's a compliment, Varric," I complained, sighing dramatically. "Thank Andraste we aren't gambling. You might've gotten the estate at this point!"

"Oh, now that sounds fun!" Isabela cackled. "Donnic, deal you in for another round?"

"No, I've work tomorrow," Donnic refused. "I'm confused as to why you invited me out, though, Serah Hawke."

Time to lie to save Aveline face. "Apologies for the strange errand I had to subject you to," I told him. "And for me mixing up names for the duty roster. That'll get fixed by tomorrow."

"So that's why I had the light duty. Good, I don't want it." He stood up and tried to pay for his drinks. "Good night to you."

"I'm paying," I told him, pushing the coins back at him. "And safe trip back for you."

"I… thank you." He nodded a goodbye and made his way out of the Hanged Man.

As soon as he was out, I groaned, hiding my face in my arms. "Thank the Maker you two live here," I grumbled. "Can you imagine if it was just me and him? He would've thought something awkwardly wrong."

"Where is the Lady Manhands?" Isabela asked, casually shuffling the cards. "She owes you big."

"Oh, she knows," Varric noted. "She's been hiding there in the corner. Has been since we started the card game, actually." Oh, you have got to be kidding me.

I couldn't help but glare as Aveline slowly slinked up to the table. Thankfully, she wasn't looking at me, but the ground. "I… I couldn't do it," she mumbled. "What… did he say anything?"

"Thankfully, we turned it into a game of cards, so he didn't yell or anything. And I told him this was apologizing for me making a mistake on the roster, so he doesn't know you tried to give him it."

She sighed heavily. "I'm an idiot."

At the moment, I couldn't disagree. "If you were that far gone, you'd never have gotten me involved." I shot looks at Varric and Isabela before they could snark. "Have a bit of faith."

"Hiding sounds so much better at the moment."

"Oh, don't start talking like that, Lady Manhahnds," Isabela dismissed. "I don't know how to handle you if you suddenly start acting like a coward."

"You need to just talk to him," Varric informed Aveline, cutting through what likely would've been another argument. "Start there."

"But I'm a mess unless I'm on patrol," Aveline protested. "I'm only good at that!"

"And cooking," I pointed out. She glowered at me and I shrugged. "You are! But anyway, just take him on a patrol."

"Killing highwaymen doesn't exactly proving an intimate setting, Hawke."

"Sure it does!" Varric cackled. "Just got to use the right words. Which, admittedly, is not your strong point." Aveline grumbled something under her breath. "But if it's that worrisome, why not do a light patrol?"

"Donnic hated the one I tried to give him. Not that I can fight and talk." She sighed. "I can barely talk."

"So, I'll clear the way for a normally 'rough' patrol," I offered. "You two get an unexpectedly light patrol to chat in."

"…No wonder you've all but taken Hightown, Hawke," Aveline mumbled. What. "You're too good at this." What. "You… you clear Wounded Coast for me? And I'll think of something to say?"

"Sure." Looked like an early morning tomorrow. Yay.

"Bird, why did you wake me up this early?" Isabela complained as the four of us trudged to a good lookout spot on the Wounded Coast.

"Because we're in this for the long haul," I sighed. "Varric isn't complaining."

"Varric is getting story material."

"You know it!" Varric snickered. "I'll change names, of course."

"And I'm not getting anything," Isabela sighed.

"You're suffering with me," I informed her. "Now, hush. They're passing by."

"This had better be worth getting blood on my shirt. Those bandits were piss easy."

"Hush," Varric hissed. "They're here!"

We all huddled together as Donnic and Aveline came into view. Aveline looked both content and nervous, while Donnic just looked confused. "This route's pretty quiet," he noted awkwardly.

"Yes," Aveline agreed. "And… it's a nice night for an evening?" Oh, really?

"Um… as you say, Captain."

"Yes." Aveline chuckled awkwardly. "As I say."

"Maker, she's bad at this," I moaned, dropping my head to avoid looking at the awkwardness.

Besides me, though, Isabela giggled madly. "This is so worth it, bird," she managed through them. "Oh my stars and garters."

"What garters?"

"Hush," Varric growled, shooting us wounded looks. "She's trying again."

Indeed, Aveline was. And her first sentence told me that this would be even worse than the first try. "If it isn't done right, the blade can be too soft. Quenching the steel is a vital step that can make or break a sword."

"Right…" Donnic answered, obviously thrown for a loop.

"A blade for every purpose. What do you think? About blades?"

Donnic just stared a moment before replying. "I'm sorry, Captain. I drifted off a bit."

"Right, of course."

"Ugh, painful," I groaned, hiding my face in my hands.

"But look at him, staring at her ass as she walks away," Isabela cackled. "Oh, this is too priceless!"

"Wait, he's not checking out-"

"Would you two keep it down?" Varric shushed. "I'm trying to get golden material here."

"I think you're getting all you're going to get," I sighed. "The patrol only goes to there."

"Wait, seriously?" I nodded. "Uncle of a nug, this is bad, Hawke."

"Let's see if we can talk her into some sense." I jumped down from the perch and used my extensive knowledge of the area, due to using this as a practice place and getting los here a lot, to prepare for an interception.

'Well, Guardsman, good patrol," I heard Aveline say right as I hit the main path. I peeked to double check that she was heading this way. With Donnic, of course, but I was just focused on Aveline. "I think we're done and I…" I stepped out from around a rock to block their way. "Hawke!" Well, she sounded startled. "What a surprise." Because she hadn't expected me to show myself. "W-what are you doing here?" And here's where Aveline's bad lying skills showed. "Did you… fight the bandits for me?"

"Yeah, I did," I answered. I planted my feet, hoping I looked suitably intimidating. "Aveline."

"Hawke, don't."

"You can't run me around for help and then not do anything. Look, let's go back here and talk and-"

"Would someone please tell me what's going on?" Donnic pleaded. He looked exasperated.

"Well…"

"Here, I'll settle this," Varric offered, jumping down next to me. "I'm going to draw a picture of where she wants to touch you." Wait, whoa, whoa, whoa! We were not supposed to imply anything when Donnic was around! "Now, let me find some paper and-"

I put my hand over his mouth. "Not another word," I whispered. He nodded vigorously, and I turned my attention to Isabela, whose grin faltered. "Same to you. Okay?" She nodded. "Good."

Not that it really mattered. The damage was done. "Captain?" Donnic called softly, confusion written all over his face. Aveline just laughed awkwardly. "I… should get back to the barracks." And he all but fled the area.

When he was out of sight, I sighed in aggravation. "Well, I know who I'm going to make practice with me within the next couple of days." I leveled a look at the two rascals, who at least had the sense to look sheepish. "Why?"

"Friends sometimes push," Varric justified slowly. "And, trust me, there was a push needed."

"Preferably on her back," Isabela joked. Her smile fell again at my glower. "Um… sorry, Bird?"

"Sorry, Hawke?" Aveline repeated, growling. "You two just… oh, I have to fix this!" And she went straight into pacing. "He'll file a complaint or… or ask for a transfer or…!" She whirled and leveled a glare at all three of us. "March. Double-time to the Barracks, or so help me…!" I should've waited to confront her. This was all my fault. I had to fix this, somehow.

"Aveline, stop treating it like it's the end of the world," I tried to reassure as she paced in her office. "I didn't expect those two to blab like that. I really didn't. But the world doesn't end because of it."

"I know," she sighed. "I know it. But I'm so embarrassed and-"

"Here, let me help with damage control." I set a hand on her shoulder. "You know I can talk bullshit if needed."

"Maybe I should just give up and accept it."

"Oh no, you don't." I pinched her cheek to give her something to focus on. "Nope. No giving up. That's not the Aveline I know."

"Would the Aveline you know muck up this much?"

"Well…"

"No, don't answer that." She slumped and I moved to pat her shoulder again. "I have to head this off before it goes to the Viscount. Like… like a formal apology? Something that shows the guards they can still trust me?"

Oh, for crying out. "Aveline, seriously, calm the dramatics."

"Dramatics?"

"You're their captain. You're a human, not a golem." I stepped back, squared my shoulders and planted my feet to let her know I wasn't going to back down. "They expect you to have feelings."

"Not if they get in the way of the job!"

"They aren't, and you know it. You're just making it complicated because you're scared and paralyzed."

"I am not!"

"You so are. And I'm going to prove it by dragging him here."

"Huh?" I turned away. "Hawke! You can't just-"

"You were pushed," I reminded her. "Now you're falling." I glanced over my shoulder at her. "Now I'm going to catch you. So, sit there, and don't run." I closed the door and leaned against it. Ugh, this was a long day, and I probably just made it longer.

"Serah Hawke?" Or maybe not, since Donnic was just down the hall. "Might I have a word?" he requested.

"Yeah, sure," I answered, pushing myself up. "What do you need?"

"So, you and the Captain-"

"Sorry for the Wounded Coast. I'm being the very exasperated younger sister."

He blinked slowly. "Sisters?" he repeated.

"Yeah?" Okay, now I was confused. "She's basically been my older sister since we left Lothering."

"I see…" He smiled slightly. Okay, what? "Now, was all of this some sort of… strange joke?"

"While admittedly I'm finding parts of this painfully hilarious, it's not actually. It's just Aveline being Aveline, and I adore her, so-"

"I do too." Oh. "That's why I… wanted to check." Well then. "Is she in her office?"

I opened the door for him. "Word of advice? Be blunt. She's going to launch into a story and apologies." I closed the door behind him and put my ear to the keyhole. When I heard laughter, I grinned brightly and skipped away, giggling all the while.

Oh, Mother was going to laugh when she heard about this!

Author's note: And here's Aveline's companion quest! God, I love this quest. It's so much fun to play through~ Yet still took forever to get out. Guess I'm focused on Inquisition. Oops. Sorry it's short!

Yes, I changed it to Varric and Isabela doing the revealing and pushing (instead of Hawke hinting she was going to and then a companion revealing what was going on). This is because it would be out of character for Althea to do something like that to Aveline in public. (When we reach DA2 in the Saga series, you'll see something different, I promise.)

Next Chapter – oh, well look at that, we're back to plot stuff. Offered and Lost.