A/N: I know it has been a while since the last update, but here's the thing about this chapter: it's really loooooonnnnng.
Chapter 38: Old Flame
-Denerim-
xxXxx
…
After almost two hours of sitting on a freezing rooftop, Leliana was at the end of her patience.
She was a few minutes away from simply giving up for the evening. Staking out a target's residence had always been her least favorite part of a job. It was an utterly monotonous activity that was made tolerable only because it was so crucial to the larger picture. What made it worse was that Leliana had never had the misfortune of having to stalk a target in the middle of a Ferelden winter. The wind was cutting right through her furs, and the icy slates of the roof below her had slowly leeched the warmth from her body. She was achy and cold, and she wanted nothing more than to meet up with Kallian and Isabela so that they could all get out of here.
The thought made her glance off to the east even though she couldn't see very far in the dim moonlight. Kallian and Captain Isabela were concealed in a tiny alley some 400 yards from where she was perched. As part of their agreement, the pirate was staying with them until Leliana got some sort of confirmation that Marjolaine was actually living where Isabela claimed that she was. Isabela hadn't been happy with this arrangement, but Kallian had been firm in saying that there would be no trade unless Isabela's information was good.
Thus, the only real solution had been to take a seat and wait for some proof to come along.
Collectively, the three of them were able to watch all parts of the street at once. The house was located in the posh Highland district of Denerim, so there wasn't too much foot traffic at this hour. Leliana had seen a few guardsmen walk by, but nothing that would suggest Marjolaine's presence. There was light coming from one of the second-story windows of the house in question, but the curtains were drawn so that Leliana couldn't see inside. At the very least, it suggested the house was inhabited. Unfortunately, it wasn't nearly enough to convince Leliana that Marjolaine was here.
In fact, the only reason Leliana had stuck with it this long was that the house they were watching looked like something Marjolaine would choose.
It was large two-story house made from neat blocks of grey stone. A security gate encircled the house, but it was too small to be anything aside from simply decoration. Unlike many of the houses in Denerim, the architecture was clearly inspired by Orlesian trends. Where Fereldans tended to favor squat and sturdy buildings, Orlesian architecture was far more extravagant when it came to both size and ornamentation. With a carved relief dominating its facade, the building in front of Leliana stood out from the others. That type of thing would appeal to Marjolaine's taste. She had a weakness for opulence that she rarely overcame.
The house was also rather isolated. There was a good 20 yards of space between the outside of the security fence and the next house on the street. Large privacy hedges grew up over the top of the fence to hide the grounds from prying eyes. If some form of discreet business needed to take place here, it was unlikely that neighbors would see or hear anything.
A flash of movement down in the street made her tense up. Her boredom and misery were forgotten as she leaned forward in an attempt to get a better look. Straining her eyes, she was rewarded when she caught sight of a large figure as it moved down the cobblestone path.
The man's face was completely obscured by the deep shadows, but Leliana recognized him in an instant. While there were plenty of big men in Ferelden, there wasn't a single one who could move like Marcel. The eunuch may look a living mountain, but he moved with all the silent grace of a cat. Shrinking back from the edge of the roof just in case Marcel was feeling cautious, Leliana experienced a thrill of anticipation as she watched Marjolaine's manservant slipped across the street like a hulking shadow.
As she had hoped, Marcel moved through the gate and onto the house's small yard. She wished for a brief moment that she had her bow with her. Marcel was a very dangerous man, and Leliana would have preferred to kill him from a long ways away. Unfortunately, she had left her bow with Kallian's sword back at the Arl's Estate. There was no way to be discreet with a hunting bow strapped to one's back, and so they had left their larger weapons behind when they went to visit Ser Couldry.
So, Leliana simply watched as the eunuch vanished into the house. She had all the information she needed now. Where Marjolaine went, Marcel wasn't far behind.
She waited a few more minutes before breaking away from the dormer that she had been using to conceal her presence. Moving carefully upon the slippery slates, Leliana prowled across the rooftop and headed in the direction of the alley where she had left Kallian and Isabela. The buildings on this side of the street were spaced relatively-close together, and she was able to leap from roof-to-roof easily. A jittery rush of excitement coursed through her as she went. She had been preparing for this for far too long.
Even though Kallian wouldn't like it, Leliana wanted to do this tonight.
As she drew close to her destination, she heard the sound of two voices raised in what sounded like an argument. Intrigued in spite of the situation, Leliana slowed down and crept to the edge of the roof to listen in. She couldn't see Kallian or Isabela due to the darkness, but their voices carried well enough.
"Look, all I'm saying is that you probably wouldn't be so cold if you were wearing more clothes. Let's face it: what you're wearing is pretty impractical for the weather."
"It's not about what's practical." Captain Isabela sounded like she was trying to explain something to a young child. "It's about taking hold of your sexuality and letting the world know that you don't give a damn no matter what gets thrown at you. I know exactly what I am, and I won't a little bit of snow keep me from showing it."
"Uh-huh." Kallian sounded profoundly unimpressed. "So that's why you're walking around with all you're naughty bits hanging out?"
"What's the point of having naughty bits if no one ever sees them?
"I guess, but there's a time and place for everything. If we were on a beach or something, your outfit would be completely understandable." There was a shuffling sound as either Kallian or Isabela moved about down below. "Even then, I'd still feel weird about dressing up like that. It has to make you a little uncomfortable to walk into a tavern looking like that."
"Why should it? I like the attention." Isabela made an amused sound before continuing. "Besides, sometimes it's to your advantage to know what a man's mind is focused on. If he's busy staring at your tits, than you know he isn't watching your hands. It comes in handy when you're cheating him at cards or something to the effect."
"There are more effective ways to distract a mark."
"Is that right?" The pirate released a throaty chuckle. "I might find that more convincing if your eyes were on my face right now."
There was a long pause and then Kallian made a flustered sound. "It's not my fault. They're right in front of me!"
"Don't get your panties in a twist. There's nothing wrong with liking the look of something." Isabela's voice dropped into the low tones of suggestion. "I'd even go so far as to encourage the attention."
Kallian mumbled something that was indecipherable. Whatever it was, it made Isabela laugh aloud.
"I don't believe that for a second." The pirate made a soft sound of consideration. "You know, if you're so worried about my health, you could always stop by the ship after this and help me warm up. I just redecorated my cabin and the bed is more comfortable than you would believe."
"What?"
"You know what I said."
Kallian coughed roughly. "Umm…no, no thanks."
"Alright, but the offer's open." Isabela chuckled once more. "Just know that you haven't lived until you've been with a human woman. Give me two hours and I'll have you sworn off pointy-ears for—"
Deciding that now was as good a time as any to make her presence known, Leliana vaulted off the low rooftop and dropped the twelve-feet to street level. Her landing sent a painful jolt up her legs, but the entrance was dramatic enough to make up for the discomfort. Both Kallian and Isabela whirled about at her sudden appearance.
"Blighted arse!" Isabela breathed out in startled irritation. "Anyone ever teach you that it's rude to sneak up on people?"
Leliana ignored the pirate and turned to Kallian. "The information was good. Marjolaine's manservant just entered the house a few minutes ago."
"Yeah?" Kallian edged over to Leliana as though eager to put space between herself and Isabela. "That's good news. What are we going to do now?"
"I'll tell you what you're going to do." Isabela interjected before Leliana could respond to the elf's question. "You're going to give me that satchel Slim promised. I've been patient enough about all of this, but now I'm ready to be on my way. It's cold as a witch's tit out here."
Kallian shifted and then drew a thin, leather satchel out from beneath her cloak. Taking it eagerly, Isabela held it up for inspection and then slipped it into the pocket of her wool coat. The long garment was the pirate's only concession to the cold weather. Even so, she had left it mostly open at the front to avoid concealing her "naughty bits".
"Wonderful. It was a true pleasure doing business with you ladies."
Leliana turned her attention to Isabela. "This is where we part ways then?"
"Sad isn't it?" The pirate captain placed a theatrical hand to her chest. "But you have what you want, and I have what I want. That marks the end for me."
"Thank you for your help."
"Mmmhmm." Isabela flicked her fingers in a wave as she turned and began walking down the alley. "Oh, and elf girl? My ship's in harbor for another week if you change your mind."
With that, Isabela stepped out of the alley's mouth and disappeared from sight. Leliana waited for a few seconds and then followed after her. Peeking around the edge of the wall, she watched as Isabela made her way down the street. She didn't trust the pirate for a second, and it wouldn't have surprised her to see Isabela turn around and betray them to Marjolaine. However, it looked like Isabela wasn't interested in doing any such thing. After watching the street for a few more seconds, she ducked back into the alley and nearly ran right into Kallian.
"So…uh, you came in at a weird part of the conversation." Kallian was rubbing the side of her head with one hand. "It probably sounded kinda bad, but really it was nothing."
Leliana mentally rolled her eyes. "I know."
"No seriously! She was just being—"
"I know, Kallian." Leliana cut the elf off impatiently. "It was not anything important. Listen, I want to go through with this tonight."
Kallian visibly stiffened. "Tonight? That isn't what we planned on."
"The plan has changed."
"You know that isn't a good idea." Kallian's voice was firm. "If we do this without thinking, then chances are that it will go badly. I get that this is personal for you, but we should ease up for a few days and get some support. I think Zevran would come along at the very least."
Leliana shook her head. There were too many things that could go wrong in that amount of time. "No, I don't want to risk losing this opportunity. Every moment that we delay just increases the chance of Marjolaine catching wind of our presence. While I'm sure that you trust Slim Couldry, I feel as though too many people know about what we are planning. We must act now."
"It's too much of a risk."
"Not for us. We are more than capable of doing this."
"Leliana," Kallian's voice sounded out in a low warning. "People who change the plan end up dead. That's the rule."
Irritation bubbled up in Leliana. She didn't have the time to wait here and try to convince Kallian that she knew what she was doing. Marjolaine was within her reach, and Leliana wanted nothing more than to close this chapter of her life right here and now.
"This is not one of your petty break-ins." Leliana hissed out the words as her patience snapped. "Marjolaine is a bard. There is no guarantee that she will actually use Isabela's ship. She might be gone from the city by tomorrow night. It would not be the first time she's made misleading plans to disguise her real movements."
Kallian drew in an angry breath. Leliana immediately regretted her choice of words, but apologizing would just reinforce Kallian's belief that she was right. When the elf spoke, her voice was husky and full of challenge. "That's all the more reason to approach this carefully. You haven't even seen Marjolaine."
"She's there. I can feel it."
"You aren't thinking straight." Kallian's reflective eyes glinted as they caught a strand of moonlight. "Take a step back and ask yourself what you'd do if it was anyone but Marjolaine."
Leliana ignored the advice. Her mind had been made up the second she had caught sight of Marcel. "Kallian, I'm going to do this tonight. If you do not wish to help me, then I won't ask you to come along."
Her words were purely manipulative. In truth, Leliana doubted that there was any way for her to succeed without Kallian's help. This was going to be a difficult thing even with Kallian at her side, but it would be impossible without the extra support. Silently cursing herself for pushing Kallian into this, Leliana watched as the elf squirmed in discomfort.
"Damn it all, Leliana." Kallian spat out the words bitterly. "This is such a bad idea. Do you even have a plan?"
"We will go in through the back." Leliana kept her tone low and soothing now that Kallian was beginning to cave. "Marjolaine's rooms will be on the second story. It would be best if we dealt with Marcel first. He's not a warrior, but he is very strong and—"
"Whoa, hold up." Kallian cut her off. "How do you know where Marjolaine will be?"
"She'll be on the top floor. No matter where she stays, she always takes the room with the best view."
Kallian scoffed. "What if that's changed since you ran with her?"
"It hasn't."
"You don't know that!" Kallian threw up her hands. "For fuck's sake, Leliana! You're acting like you've never done this before!"
Leliana pressed her lips together and counted to ten slowly. Their discussion was edging dangerously close to an argument, and Leliana could only imagine how much attention they'd attract if they started hissing at one another like feral cats. Finding her composure, she took a deep breath and lowered her voice as she replied.
"I understand your caution. You have every reason to think that I am rushing into this. The only thing I can say in my defense is that I know Marjolaine better than anyone else in Thedas. I spent every waking moment with her for over five years. She is simultaneously the most complicated and the most simplistic person I have ever met. As clever and duplicitous as she might be, she is also a creature of habit. She is arrogant, indulgent, and used to being at an advantage. I can predict her."
Kallian groaned. "I'm going to be a bitch for a second and remind you that you don't have a great history when it comes to predicting her actions."
"Yes, I was deceived." Leliana folded her arms and stared down at Kallian. "Her betrayal dispelled a great number of delusions that I had allowed myself to believe. It let me see her for what she is and nothing more. I no longer fear Marjolaine or what she is capable of."
After a moment of silence, Kallian made a resigned sound. "What about the giant eunuch? Are you afraid of him?"
"Marcel is not to be taken lightly, but he is hardly as threatening as he appears." Leliana sensed that she had won. "We shouldn't have to worry about meeting anyone else inside. Marjolaine has never cared for hired muscle. Even when we employed others, she mostly ignored everyone that she deemed lower than her. I never knew her to invite any of them to stay in the same house as her."
"Except for you."
"I wasn't exactly 'hired muscle'." Leliana looked away from the elf in front of her. "And our relationship was not a typical one."
Kallian didn't respond to that. Instead, the elf folded her hands behind her head and walked back to the mouth of the alley. Peering over at the house across the street, Kallian took a few moments before turning back to face Leliana. "You're sure it will just be the two of them?"
"I'm almost certain." Leliana felt a flutter of excitement rise up in her chest. "It will be a fair fight even if things somehow go wrong."
"Fair, huh?" Kallian chuckled dryly. "That's the problem. I'd much rather have it be a grossly-unfair fight that they have no chance of winning."
Leliana felt her lips curl upwards. "Then we'll just have to make sure that things don't go wrong."
"Exactly," Kallian snapped her fingers. "And the way we do that is by going back to the Arl's estate and formulating a plan that doesn't hinge on crazy."
Cocking her hip, Leliana gave the elf a flat look. "This is coming from the woman who snuck out in the middle of the night in order to fight an ancient witch. I hardly think that you of all people are in the position to lecture me about being impulsive."
"I knew you'd go there." Kallian sighed ruefully. "And I didn't fight her. I tricked her with a carefully-laid trap. I told you about what I did to age that cork, right?"
"Many times."
"So, you see? It's not quite the same thing."
"I'd say that it is still in the same territory." Leliana relaxed her posture and moved to stand next to Kallian. "Would you at least like to hear what I have planned?"
Kallian hesitated for a long time before eventually lifting her shoulders in a shrug. "Sure, why not?"
"The front door is out of the question. It's just too visible to make for a clean entry." Leliana pointed at the front of the building to emphasize her words. "We'll circle around to the back of the house and go in from that direction. While the cellar door is an option, I'd feel more comfortable if we could just go in through the backdoor. The only problem is that the lock on that door looks rather serious."
"There's a cellar?"
"Yes, it can be accessed from the outside."
Kallian made a pensive noise. "How'd you learn about that?"
"I inspected the perimeter while you were busy flirting with that pirate."
"I was not flirting!"
"No, of course you weren't." Leliana held up a placating hand. "As I was saying, the backdoor has a rather impressive lock on it. I would imagine that Marjolaine was the one to have it installed. I didn't want to risk getting too close, but I from what I could see, it will be tricky to get in."
Kallian scoffed. "I can pick it."
"Are you sure? I don't know if I could—"
"Leliana, trust me on this." Kallian cut her off with a wave of her hand. "I've never met a lock I couldn't pick."
Leliana quietly noted that Kallian was beginning to talk as though she had already agreed to help. Keeping her tone confident, she moved on to the next stage of the plan. "Once we are inside, I think it would be best to eliminate Marcel from the entire equation. He will have a separate room. If we can remove him quietly, it will make confronting Marjolaine much easier."
"It's not a very detailed plan."
"Plans do not have to be complicated in order to work properly." Leliana glanced down at the elf at her side. "We have the element of surprise on our side and I promise that the priority will be on escaping if things turn out poorly. Involving the others isn't necessary and it only risks losing this window of opportunity. Staying at an Arl's estate places us in the public eye. Every moment we are there increases the chance of Marjolaine catching wind of our presence."
Kallian dragged a hand down her face. "We don't have our weapons."
"I have a knife, and I'm certain you do as well." Leliana dismissed the concern with a shrug. "I would say that makes us plenty formidable."
"This is one of those times when I wish I was smarter than I am." Kallian sighed heavily and then tilted her head up to look at Leliana. "Alright, I'm with you. If we end up dead, just remember that I said that this was a bad idea."
Leliana released a breath that she didn't realize that she had been holding. "Thank you, Kallian."
"Uh-huh."
"Let's give it a few minutes just make sure that everything has settled before we move." Leliana lowered herself into a crouch and began to mentally prepare herself for what was to come. "It's a lucky thing that it is so dark out tonight. It will make us harder to spot."
"Yeah, there is that."
The two of them knelt quietly for a few minutes and watched the house together. Leliana's body felt tingly and light from the adrenaline that was already beginning to build in her system. She couldn't say whether she was frightened or simply eager to get this over with, but the nervous energy was a liability when she needed to think clearly. Taking a few calming breaths, she lifted a hand and touched Kallian's shoulder.
"Are you ready?"
"Nope, but let's do it anyway."
…
xxXxx
It was almost midnight by the time they reached the backdoor.
Even with the thin sliver of the moon directly overhead, it was difficult for Leliana to see more than a few feet in front of her face. Circumnavigating the house had taken longer than she had anticipated, but Leliana didn't mind the precaution. If they were able to take Marjolaine unawares, the short delay would be worth it.
As soon as they reached the door, Kallian sank to her knees to study the heavy lock that had been fixed above the handle. After a few beats, the elf harrumphed softly before reaching down to slide something off of her belt. A moment later, Leliana heard the tell-tale click of metal picks as Kallian slid them into the lock's chamber.
Crouching beside her, Leliana moved so that her lips were almost touching Kallian's ear and spoke up in a whisper that was barely audible. "Is it going to be a problem?"
The elf shook her head in denial and then turned her focus to the task before her. As there was nothing she could do to help without getting in Kallian's way, Leliana settled back onto the balls of her feet and kept her eyes on the house's windows. All of them were dark on the eastern side of the house, but that just made it easier for someone to see out of them at night. Even so, she doubted that Marjolaine spent her nights peeking out from a dark room.
For a time, the only sound Leliana could hear was the faint scratching noise of Kallian's picks. The wind had died down considerably, and this part of Denerim was very quiet in comparison to the rougher districts. Wincing as Kallian let out a faint curse, Leliana peered over the elf's shoulder in a pointless attempt to see how things were going.
Kallian was going about her task with the measured patience of a profession. Using a slender blade to manipulate the tumbler, the elf slid an even thinner pick around the lock's inner workings as she attempted to set the various pins. In Leliana's experience, lock-picking had always seemed like more of an art than a science. There were some basic guidelines that were true for all locks, but beyond that it was a matter of trial and error.
Shifting her weight from one side to the other, Leliana leaned in close to whisper in Kallian's ear once more. "We can try the cellar if this is too difficult."
"Shhh!"
Kallian hissed at her before cocking her head to one side. Realizing that the elf was trying to listen for the tell-tale sound of a set pin, Leliana closed her mouth and forced herself to relax. Kallian would have the lock open in due time, and rushing her would only be counterproductive.
As if to prove that patience was indeed a virtue, Kallian soon released a soft exclamation of triumph. Turning the tumbler with a satisfying click, she withdrew her tools from the lock's cylinder and glanced back at Leliana.
"You gotta have faith, Sister."
"I'm terribly impressed." Leliana gave her a dry nod. "Before you open it, check for any surprises. Marjolaine is fond of traps."
Kallian eased out of her crouch and slid her fingers along the seams of the door. Apparently satisfied that there was nothing suspicious about the frame, the elf then grasped the handle of the door and inched it open. The well-oiled hinges didn't release the slightest of sounds, and Kallian spent a few long moments checking for anything out of the ordinary.
She eventually shrugged and turned back to Leliana. "Nothing."
"Go slowly just in case."
"Right."
The elf pushed the door open just wide enough for them to slip through. Following Kallian into the house, Leliana let her hand drop to the dagger at her side. As dark as it had been outside, it was even harder to see once they were in the house. Peering into the inky blackness for a second, Leliana turned back to the door and took care to close it quietly.
"It's the kitchen." Kallian's hushed whisper drifted from somewhere out in the darkness. "I can smell the spices."
Leliana took two tentative steps forward and nearly bumped into the other woman. Patting Kallian's left shoulder to let the elf know where she was, Leliana moved past Kallian and tried to get a feel of the room they were in. Even though she could only barely make out the shape of a large stove in one corner, it was enough to confirm Kallian's assessment. There was a door-less threshold set into the opposite wall, and through it Leliana could see a warm glow of light from some distant part of the house.
"Alright, let's be ready as we move in." Leliana slid her knife out of her sheath. "I'll take the lead."
"Gotcha."
Leliana waited until Kallian drew her own dagger before beginning to move towards the doorway that led into the rest of the house. Thankfully, the floor was made of stone tiles instead of wooden floorboards. Even so, she took the time to distribute her weight incrementally with each step. Navigating around the cold fire-pit that had been sunk into the center of the room, Leliana moved to the side of the threshold and peaked around the corner of the threshold.
The kitchen opened into the house's landing. At the end of a hallway to their left, Leliana could see the double-doors of the main entrance. The staircase leading up to the second floor was to her right, and the light that she had seen earlier was emanating from up above.
Kallian tapped her shoulder. "I can hear someone moving around up there."
Leliana pulled her head back around the corner and faced the elf. "You sure?"
"Mostly."
"Then we'll check upstairs first."
"Right."
Gripping her knife so that the blade was jutting out from the bottom of her fist, Leliana carefully edged her way into the landing. Even though there were plenty of shadows to conceal their movements, Leliana still felt uncomfortably exposed as the two of them crossed over to the base of the staircase. The steps were made of wood, so she took care to tread on the outside edge of each step to keep them from creaking.
Leliana paused midway up the staircase when an indistinct noise reached her ears. Craning her head around, she gave Kallian a questioning look. It was just bright enough for her to make out the uncertain look on the elf face. Shaking her head, Kallian pointed up to the landing above them.
Not quite sure what to make of that, Leliana kept her eyes open and resumed her slow climb. Soon enough, she crested the final step and found herself on the second floor of the house.
The mysterious sound was coming from a single door off to their right. It was cracked open to release a narrow shaft of vibrant orange light onto the landing. Straining her ears in an attempt to discern what the sound was, Leliana thought for a moment that it was someone speaking.
Kallian touched her shoulder and leaned in to whisper a single word. "Singing."
Cold realization washed over Leliana. All at once, she knew exactly who was in that room. Raising her knife in preparation, she crossed over to the doorway with three quick strides. Kallian released a startled hiss as the sudden motion, but Leliana was past listening. Without waiting for the elf to catch up, Leliana placed a hand on the door and listened to the sound coming from within.
The woman's voice was like fine velvet and so hushed that Leliana couldn't make out the words of the song. That didn't matter; she recognized the melody instantly. It was so familiar that she could have sang along if she had been so inclined. Any final doubt was dispelled the moment she heard that voice.
Without a second thought, she pushed the door open and stepped into the room.
Marjolaine was sitting in front of a vanity mirror with her back to the door. Humming softly as she drew an ivory comb through her long brown hair, the bard gave no sign that she noticed Leliana's presence. Unless Marcel was hiding underneath the bed, it appeared as though she was along in the room.
Leliana slid in through the door and scanned the room with a quick glance. A canopied bed was set upon a raised dais against the far wall of the large room. In addition to the vanity and a massive armoire, the room was richly furnished with exotic Antivan rugs and embroidered drapes. Inside the small, marble fireplace, a few burning logs were provided a welcome wave of heat.
Marjolaine's song died off as Leliana stepped further into the room. Pausing for a beat with her ivory brush still held aloft, the other woman slowly pulled the comb free of her hair and set it aside. In the mirror's reflection, Leliana locked eyes with the woman she had once loved.
She had not changed much since the last time Leliana had seen her. The years had added a few lines to her face, but they did nothing to diminish her regal beauty. Her hair was longer than Leliana remembered. It fell down to the middle of her back in a glossy curtain that glowed in the firelight. She was dressed in a light gown that had been slit along the sides to reveal glimpses of her white thighs. Marjolaine was still beautiful. That didn't surprise Leliana in the slightest.
After a moment of silently contemplating one another, Marjolaine smiled broadly.
"Hello, pretty thing."
The old endearment hit Leliana harder then she would have thought possible. After everything that had passed between them, Leliana didn't know how Marjolaine could possibly say it with the same warmth and intonation she had always used. Forcing her face into a rigid mask to keep the other woman from seeing how it had affected her, Leliana nodded in response.
"Marjolaine, you're looking well."
Marjolaine rose from of the chair with a graceful movement and turned to face Leliana. "That is so sweet of you to say. It is dreadfully hard to keep up one's appearance in this barbaric country."
There was a small shuffling sound behind Leliana as Kallian stepped into the room and shut the door behind her. Glancing between Marjolaine and Leliana with a displeased expression, she crossed over to stand next to Leliana with her knife hanging loosely in her hand.
"Who is this then?" Marjolaine smiled at Kallian as though the elf was a welcome guest in her house. "My invitation was only extended to you, Leliana."
Leliana ignored her question. "Sending men to kill me is hardly an invitation."
"And yet, here you are." Marjolaine released a cheerful laugh and moved to sit on the edge of the bed with one leg dangling over the side. "May I just say that it is so good to see you again? I was afraid that pretending at being a Sister would have made you frumpy. Yet, you look even more radiant than I remember."
"Perhaps the Chantry agreed with me."
"Oh, I doubt that." Marjolaine tilted her head to one side. "You enjoyed the Game too much to settle for prayers and piety. It must have been stifling."
Leliana stared back at her. "Some might say it was a welcome change of pace."
"Not so welcome, I would think. After all, you did join up with the first group of adventurers to cross your path." Marjolaine gave Kallian a significant look. "I do not believe that there are many Chantry Sisters who go around slaying monsters and collecting elven toys."
Kallian grunted. "Toys?"
"Believe whatever you want, Marjolaine." Leliana gave the other bard a flat look. "I did not come here to justify myself to you."
Marjolaine pushed herself off the bed and took a step towards them. "So why did you come, my pretty thing? I was beginning to think that you would just keep hiding until I found you."
"I came to put an end to this."
"An end?" The other woman studied her with a pensive look. "Does that mean that you intend to kill me? It seems a shame to do that. The two of us worked wonderfully together."
Leliana realized that she was gripping her knife so tightly that it hurt. Willing her fingers to relax, she nodded slowly in response to Marjolaine's state. "Yes, we did work well together. Right up until the point where you framed me for treason and left me to die in a Chevalier's dungeon."
Marjolaine seemed to pout. "You are not still upset with me over that, are you? I told you that it was nothing personal."
"Nothing personal?" Leliana felt an old anger rise up in her chest. "I loved you, Marjolaine. I trusted you with my life and you betrayed me for no reason at all. That is about as personal as a thing can get."
"Don't be so dramatic." Marjolaine dismissed her words with a casual wave. "There was a very good reason for what I did. You had left me with no other choice, Leliana. I had to protect myself even if it meant hurting you. It killed me to do it, but you would have done the same in my position."
Leliana shook her head in fierce denial. "No, Marjolaine! That's where you are wrong. I would never have done that."
"Never say never, pretty thing. I saw the ambition inside of you. How long do you think it would have been before you decided that you would rather give the orders than follow them? I had to act first or else our positions would have been reversed."
The words made Leliana feel cold. Though she had long accepted that this was Marjolaine's true face, it was still hard to hear these things aloud. There had been time when Leliana would have done anything Marjolaine wanted. She had allowed herself to believe that the affection wasn't one-sided. Clearly, she had never been more mistaken about anything in her life.
Releasing a breath, she met Marjolaine's gaze. "I actually pity you for what you are."
"Not enough to stay your hand though, hmm?" Marjolaine gave Leliana a knowing smirk before turning her attention to Kallian. "And what of you, little one? What is your stake in all of this?"
Leliana took a step forward. "Don't talk to her."
"Our Leliana is such a sweet creature, isn't she?" The bard stared at Kallian as though Leliana hadn't even spoken. "It's so easy to forget that she's not quite as innocent as her smile would suggest. Tell me something: did she do anything special to wrap a Grey Warden around her finger? You don't seem like the type to be fooled by a few pretty words."
Kallian gave her a bored look. "You sure like to talk."
"It's what I'm best at."
"That's nice for you."
Marjolaine laughed. "Oh, she's just precious, Leliana! Wherever did you find her?"
Noting with some discomfort that Marjolaine knew that Kallian was a Warden, Leliana loosely folded her arms in front of her. "That is none of your concern, Marjolaine. Tonight is about you and me."
"I beg to differ. You chose to involve her, and that entitles me to some curiosity." Marjolaine beamed at Kallian. "Allow me to ask you something: do you love her? Most of her other marks were head-over-heels by the time our Leliana was done with them. The remarkable thing was watching how they would react once they realized what she was. Some of them cried, some of them yelled, and a few of them simply refused to accept that it had all been a ruse. How do you think that you'll respond?"
Kallian raised her brows. "Wow, I'm really starting to look forward to killing you."
"Ooh, so fierce!" Marjolaine clasped her hands over her heart in a mocking gesture. "It's like having a little doggy snarl at you."
Leliana interjected before Kallian could respond. "I think that is enough games. It is time that we talk about the reason we are all here."
"By all means."
Taking her eyes of Marjolaine for a brief moment, Leliana risked a quick glance over at Kallian. The elf seemed entirely at ease, and in Leliana's experience that meant that Kallian was upset. Wishing that she could offer Kallian some comfort without Marjolaine noticing, Leliana took a breath and focused on the bard in front of her.
"Why did you have to come after me? You could have just stayed in Orlais."
Marjolaine clucked her tongue. "And leave you alone? With all of those nasty secrets that you know? No my dear, I'm afraid that was not an option."
"I don't want revenge, Marjolaine. I just wanted to leave that part of my life behind me."
"Ah, but maybe that part of your life does not want to be left behind. Maybe it wants the exact opposite." Marjolaine's smile took on a predatory edge. "I need you back, my pretty thing. I want our lives to return to the way they were before all of that unpleasantness."
Leliana furrowed her brow. "You're insane."
"Oh come now, I know that you must miss me. I certainly miss you." Marjolaine waved a careless hand at Kallian. "You can keep your little elf if that makes you happy. I'm not as jealous as I once was. All I want is for you to come back home. It has not been the same since you left."
Leliana could feel Kallian's eyes on her even though she kept her own gaze firmly locked on Marjolaine. She didn't believe that Marjolaine was lying. The other bard might be treacherous and self-centered, but she did like to own things. It was a genuine offer, and knowing that made it all the more repulsive.
"That will never happen, Marjolaine."
"What did we say about the word 'never'?" Marjolaine smiled thinly. "You know that I always get what I want. If you won't come willing, then I'll have to make you see reason."
Leliana glared at her. "There's nothing you could ever say or do that would convince me to go with you. I'm a different person now."
"No one ever changes. You're still the same little minx that you always were. If you can't see that, then I'm afraid I may have to remind you." Marjolaine slowly stepped closer to them and gestured at Kallian. "Maybe you'll change your mind after I've taken a knife to this one. If not, then I suppose we could always get creative."
Kallian's shoulders went tense at the threat. "Seriously, you just don't shut up, do you?"
"If you were trying to make me jealous with this one, then you really could have done better." Marjolaine's eyes flitted over to Leliana. "Rudeness aside, taking an elven lover has been out of fashion for years now. I'm surprised to see that your standards have dropped so sharply."
Kallian huffed a short laugh. "Do all Orlesian women turn into complete bitches when they get old?"
Marjolaine eyes narrowed into slits. For a crazy moment, Leliana felt the perverse urge to laugh. Although Marjolaine was the most manipulative person she had ever met, there was no one in the world who was better at getting under someone's skin than Kallian.
"We'll return to that remark later." Marjolaine gave Kallian a smile that was heavy with promise. "For now, I think we should—"
The bard was cut off by a commotion outside of the door. A loud scuffle suddenly sounded from somewhere close by and then a woman's voice called out in surprise. A bare instant later, the door exploded inwards as a slender figure was hurled into the room to land in a graceless heap near Kallian's feet.
Groaning as she rolled onto her back, Isabela propped herself up on one elbow and peered up at Kallian and Leliana. Her face immediately brightened. "Hey now, fancy meeting you two here!"
Kallian frowned at her. "What the hell?"
Before Isabela could answer, another newcomer stepped into the room. Tall and thickly muscled, Marcel dwarfed the rest of them as he prowled through the doorway. In the warm firelight, his sable-colored skin shone like polished jet. Leliana had to repress the urge to shiver as she met his cold, reptilian eyes. Marcel had always made her feel profoundly uneasy. Coming to a halt a few feet from the door, the massive eunuch flexed his powerful hands in preparation.
Marjolaine made a pleased exclamation. "Marcel, how good of you to finally join us. I see that you've brought another uninvited guest along as well. Is that Captain Isabela I spy?"
"In the flesh." Isabela got to her feet and shot a wary look in Marcel's direction before turning to Marjolaine. "Now, I would imagine that this looks like I've betrayed you, and that's because that is exactly what happened."
"Yes," Marjolaine drew in a heavy sigh. "I must say that I am a touch disappointed with you. I had hoped that the two of us would have a profitable business arrangement. I was clearly mistaken when I decided to trust a woman in your line of work."
"Heh, that was pretty stupid of you." Isabela gave an agreeable shrug. "Most people are savvy enough to not expect much loyalty from a pirate. We're pretty big on the whole 'backstabbing' thing."
Marjolaine gave her a dangerous smile. "As am I."
Leliana wasn't entirely sure what to make of this development. She had not expected to see Isabela again, but it looked as though the pirate was on their side in this exchange. Now that Marcel had entered the picture, Isabela's help might prove crucial.
"What are you doing here?" Kallian muttered the words to Isabela out of the corner of her mouth. "I thought you were buggering off to your ship or something."
Isabela cracked her neck loudly and reached down to slide a long, thin dagger out of her right boot. "I realized that I didn't have any plans tonight. This seemed like a lot more fun than sitting around a tavern and drinking cheap rum. So, I thought it might be nice to sneak in after you and see how things were going. I ran into the big guy just as I was getting up the staircase. He's quiet for someone his size."
Leliana jerked reflexively when Marcel stared moving. Circling around the perimeter of the room, the eunuch made his way over to the fireplace and plucked an iron poker out from the embers. Holding the smoldering tip out in front of him, Marcel turned back to regard them with the same empty stare. Marjolaine nodded her approval.
"I think the time for conversation has past." She turned to her manservant with a smile. "Let's try to keep sweet Leliana alive. The pirate and the elf do not matter so much."
Lowering herself into a combat stance, Leliana moved so that she was level with both Kallian and Isabela. "The two of you should try to deal with Marcel. I'll handle Marjolaine."
Kallian's lips curled up. "Thanks, I was just about to call the giant with the burning poker."
"C'mon elf girl, you're worrying too much." Isabela appeared entirely unconcerned. In fact, Leliana was struck with the sudden suspicion that the pirate was enjoying herself. "It won't be that hard. You'll stab him a few times, I'll stab him a few times, and then everything will fall into place from there. It'll be a good way to get our blood moving."
A tense silence filled the bedroom as the five of them squared off. Across from Leliana, Marjolaine was smirking at her in challenge. Slowly moving to the left, Leliana raised her knife and took several calming breaths as she felt her heart rate pick up. Now that it came down to it, she was not sure if she was ready for what would come next.
She decided to move first. Stepping to her left, she advanced in a way that isolated Marjolaine from Marcel. Kallian and Isabela followed her lead with gratifying speed. Working together, they hemmed Marcel in so that he was forced to deal with the two of them. Hoping that they wouldn't underestimate his strength, Leliana stepped forward to engage Marjolaine.
She wasn't surprised to see that Marjolaine had a knife in her hand by the time that she had closed the distance between them. With a cheerful smile, Marjolaine dropped into a stance that closely mirrored Leliana's own. Circling around each other like hungry wolves, they both watched for any possible openings.
"You're looking a little stiff, pretty thing." Marjolaine mused aloud. "Out of practice, perhaps?"
Leliana felt a sharp smile tug at her lips as her nerves gave way to anticipation. "The Chantry didn't take up all of my time. In between all the prayers and piety, there was room for a little practice. I wanted to be ready."
Marjolaine raised her brows in amusement. "Why? Just in case one of those farmers became too forward with his drunken advances?"
"No," Leliana watched as Marjolaine shifted her grip on her weapon. "I wanted to be ready for you."
"I'm flattered."
"You really shouldn't be."
Leliana flinched when Marjolaine made an abrupt feint with her knife. Ignoring the mocking smile the other bard sent her way, she focused on keeping her eyes on Marjolaine's blade. The feint had been to test the distance between them, and Marjolaine would be getting serious soon.
In Leliana's opinion, there were two different schools of thought when it came to fighting with a knife. One approach was to focus on containing the opponent's knife long enough to do something nasty in return. It made for fights that were composed of short bursts of brutal grappling. Both Zevran and Kallian favored this form, and Leliana sometimes found it hard to watch their nightly sparring sessions. Typically, their bouts ended with both elves rolling on the floor while slamming elbows into each other's faces. Neither one of them was adverse to underhanded tactics.
On the other hand, Marjolaine had taught Leliana a more refined style. It was based on quick and fluid motions that blended offense with defense. In the hands of a master, the knife became a barely-visible blur that presented a constant danger. One could say that Kallian and Zevran's style was more efficient, but Marjolaine's was far more elegant. When she killed a man, it was with a certain appreciation for aesthetics.
That appreciation didn't make her any less dangerous. Marjolaine was a ruthless killer who was very good at what she did.
Their dance began when Marjolaine abruptly pivoted and thrust forward with a sinuous motion. Rather than attempt to dodge, Leliana batted the other woman's arm away with her free hand and brought her own knife up to slash at Marjolaine's ribs. Twisting out of the way, Marjolaine kicked out with her right leg and landed a blow against Leliana's hip.
It staggered her for the barest of moments, but that brief stumble nearly cost Leliana her life.
She saw Marjolaine's arm fly forward just in time to raise her guard. Rather than open her throat, the deflected knife simply sliced a narrow groove along the side of her throat. A burning pain immediately flared up from the cut. In an effort to buy herself some space, Leliana cut blindly at Marjolaine's face as she lunged backwards.
The desperate ploy accomplished what she had hoped. Marjolaine backed off long enough for Leliana to gather her bearings. Keeping a wary eye on the woman in front of her, Leliana lifted her free hand to her neck to check on the damage. It stung, but she had gotten off lightly. If she had been even a tiny bit slower, a superficial cut would have been the least of her worries.
Marjolaine chuckled throatily. "Come now, let's be done with this before I have to harm that lovely face. This night can still end pleasurably. Give me a chance and I'll show you how much I missed you."
Leliana frowned at her. "You missed owning me. That's all."
"It hurts me when you say such things."
A furious curse made Leliana glance away from Marjolaine for a moment. While she had been dancing around with the other bard, Kallian and Isabela had clearly been busy. Somehow, the elf had latched onto Marcel's back and was doing her absolute best to lock in a choke-hold. Her knife lay forgotten several yards from the commotion, but Isabela was still holding hers. For his part, Marcel was using one hand to prevent Kallian from throttling him while simultaneously fending Isabela off with his iron poker.
Leliana supposed that the scene would be amusing if it weren't for the fact that they were trying to kill one another.
Marjolaine used Leliana's momentary distraction to launch her next attack. Leliana had been half-expecting the move, and so she was quick to respond. Weaving away from Marjolaine's swipe, she chose to weaken her opponent rather than go for a lethal counterattack. Lashing out with her boot, she landed a vicious kick to Marjolaine's inside leg. It would hardly win her fight, but getting kicked in the shin was agonizing. Pain would slow Marjolaine down.
Following through as Marjolaine released a surprised breath, Leliana caught hold of the other bard's knife arm and yanked towards herself. The motion unbalanced Marjolaine, and Leliana brought her knife up in a side-arm thrust.
Marjolaine recovered smoothly. Blocking the wide blow with her forearm, Marjolaine then broke free of Leliana's grip with a neat twist of her wrist. Leliana wanted to press the attack, but she had to be more cautious now that Marjolaine's knife was free. Stepping back to avoid a cursory slash, Leliana flipped her knife around so that the blade was extending from the top of her fist. Held in this way, it would give her some extra reach.
"I made you what you are, Leliana." Marjolaine brushed the errant strands of her hair out of her eyes. "You can pretend to be a Sister or an adventurer, but you will always be a bard."
"Shut up, Marjolaine."
For a brief instant, Marjolaine dropped her guard as she prepared to say something else. Seizing the opportunity, Leliana pushed off her back foot and thrust at Marjolaine's chest. It was meant to force the other woman back, but she realized too late that Marjolaine had lured her in. Easily stepping away from Leliana's attack, Marjolaine swung her open hand against the side of Leliana's head.
It was a chastising blow; the type that Marjolaine had given her during their training sessions. Had she wanted, Marjolaine could have used her knife.
Her left ear ringing from the slap, Leliana stumbled backwards. Marjolaine gave her a patronizing smile and lowered her knife. "Really Leliana, this is pathetic. I'd hate to think that I wasted all those years I spent making you into a weapon. This "new you" is a little weak for my tastes."
Leliana tried not to show how much the casual hit had shaken her. She had thought that she was holding her own, but now she had the unsettling notion that Marjolaine was just toying with her. Drawing a steadying breath, she breathed out slowly and did her best to set her mind straight.
Marjolaine might just have been trying to taunt her, but Leliana couldn't help but think that she might be right. Leliana the Chantry Sister didn't stand much chance against someone like Marjolaine. Her former teacher was one of the most dangerous people in Thedas. So long as Leliana was standing with a foot in both worlds, Marjolaine would tear her apart.
The old Leliana could have done this. That vicious little girl had never worried about morality or the consequences of her actions. She had killed because she was good at it. There had been a certain satisfaction to doing the one thing she was perfectly suited to do. She had been a weapon. She had been unstoppable.
And Leliana had done everything in her power to leave that person behind.
From somewhere in the room, the sound of breaking glass tore through the underlying chorus of three people fighting. Leliana didn't turn around this time. Kallian and Isabela would have to handle themselves. Leliana couldn't afford the distraction anymore.
Silently asking for forgiveness, she gave in and embraced that old, fierce joy that had never quite gone away.
She moved forward with renewed purpose. Marjolaine lifted her knife in preparation, but the other bard was unaware of the fact that things had changed. Her blood singing with anticipation, Leliana closed in and began to kill.
Her first attack was a feint. Going in low, she pulled back quickly as Marjolaine moved to defend. Lifting her free arm, Leliana blocked Marjolaine's riposte and thrust with her knife. There was very little space between them, and their exchange became frenetic. Reacting solely from muscle memory, Leliana felt her lips curl into a smile as the two of them began their dance.
It suddenly seemed easy. Marjolaine's slashes and thrusts were familiar and predictable. Leliana had gone through these same motions a thousand times before: Block. Attack. Intercept the counter-maneuver. Reposition your feet. Attack. Push the guard. Force the opponent back. Watch the knife. Attack.
Take the advantage.
Warmth welled-up inside her chest as she delighted in the adrenaline rush. It seemed as though time had slowed to crawl as she exchanged blows with Marjolaine. Then, just as things were becoming interesting, she saw her opening. Swatting Marjolaine's knife down after the bard made a hasty thrust, Leliana reversed her grip on her knife once more and swept it across the other woman's chest.
The strike hit home, and Marjolaine released a startled cry of pain. Smirking in satisfaction, Leliana used the opening she had created to force Marjolaine back. She had the advantage now and needed to establish a dominate position. It was the key to winning, and winning was all that mattered. That was the only rule of the Game.
She drove Marjolaine back until the other bard was forced against her bedroom wall. Marjolaine tried to bring her knife up to slash Leliana's face, but Leliana blocked the strike with her own blade. Metal skittered against metal as they tried to force each other's weapons back. It left Leliana's other hand free, so she formed it into a fist and slammed it against Marjolaine's lower ribs in the hope of breaking something.
Marjolaine grunted in pain and pushed against Leliana's knife hard enough to break their struggle. Pulling the weapon back, Marjolaine tried to bring it down. It was a panicked reaction, and Leliana was ready for it. Catching hold of Marjolaine's wrist, she pinned the bard's knife hand to the wall. Quickly bringing her own knife to bear, Leliana hammered it downwards. Marjolaine's free hand wrapped around her wrist just before the blow could land. It left them on relatively even ground.
Only Leliana had leverage.
Keeping Marjolaine's dagger firmly pressed against the wall, Leliana focused on forcing her knife closer to the bard's unprotected chest. Neither of them spoke as they strained against each other in this oddly intimate embrace. From somewhere behind her, Leliana could hear Kallian shouting at Isabela. She didn't let it distract her.
Marjolaine's strength gave out in slow increments. Leliana lifted her eyes from the blade in between them and met the other woman's gaze. The other bard's jaw was clenched in effort, but her eyes were wide and full of something that looked a great deal like fear. All the while, the blade continued its inexorable descent.
The woman that Leliana had once loved made a soft sound of denial when the point touched her chest. She gasped when the blade pierced her skin and choked as it began to dig in. Her knife dropped from her hand soon after to clatter against the stone floor. Even then, she kept trying to force Leliana back.
Leliana never looked away from Marjolaine's big, brown eyes as she killed her. She just leaned her weight against the knife until something gave inside Marjolaine's chest and the blade sunk in deep. Marjolaine coughed violently and her hand dropped from Leliana's wrist as her strength finally failed her. It was only then that Leliana released her.
Stepping back as Marjolaine slowly slid down to the floor, Leliana took a deep breath that made her feel like a new person. Her body was still humming with the excitement of battle, but she couldn't seem to move as she stared down at the other woman.
Marjolaine lifted a hand to touch the dagger that was buried just to the right of her heart. Trembling with whatever it was that a dying woman feels, she lifted her eyes and stared up at Leliana. "…L-Like…this?"
Her eyes went empty a few seconds later. Leliana stared down at the corpse for what felt a hundred years. The adrenaline had faded all at once to leave her tired and shaken. It was over, but she was surprised to find that it didn't feel much like a victory.
A warm hand settled on her shoulder. Turning, she found herself looking into Kallian's concerned eyes.
"Hey, you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine." Leliana shook herself and tried to focus on the elf. "You?"
"Good enough." Kallian jerked a thumb over her shoulder and smirked. "I gotta admit though, that Marcel guy sure gave us a hard time. It turns out that he gets pretty upset when you stab him a bunch of times."
Glancing in the direction Kallian had indicated, Leliana quickly discovered what had become of Marcel. The giant manservant had been thrown face-first into the room's window. Though most of his body was still inside, his head and neck had gone straight through the glass pane. Isabela was standing a few feet away from the motionless eunuch with her arms crossed over her chest. Cheerfully nodding at Leliana, the pirate nudged Marcel with the toe of her boot.
"You know, I don't even think it was the stabbing that killed him." Isabela clucked her tongue and began to swagger over towards them. "While I'm sure that wasn't good for him, I think he actually tore his throat open when we did the whole 'window thing'. No mistake, he was a tough nut to crack."
Kallian shrugged. "Either way, we murdered the shit out of him."
"I see." Leliana slowly dragged her hand down her face. It felt like she was disconnected from everything around her. "Well done."
Leliana turned back to Marjolaine in order to reassure herself that this was actually over. The other bard's eyes were still staring sightlessly upwards, and Leliana was quick to avert her gaze. Steeling herself, she knelt down and closed Marjolaine's eyelids with a brush of her fingers. With that done, she stood up and released a shuddering breath.
"We should leave." Her voice sounded shaky to her own ears. "The commotion might have frightened the neighbors. It would be best if we were gone before any guardsman show up to investigate."
Kallian nodded in agreement. "That's smart thinking. There's going to be a lot of uncomfortable questions and we don't have any good answers."
"What are we waiting for then?" Isabela took a silver necklace off of Marjolaine's vanity and expected it with a critical eye. Winking at Leliana, the pirate slipped the necklace down the front of her corset. "I've always hated cleaning up after a party. I like to leave before I outstay my welcome."
Leliana followed Kallian as the elf led the way out of Marjolaine's bedroom. Pausing at the doorway, Leliana waited until Isabela had exited before turning back to give the room one final look. There were so many emotions churning inside her that she felt physically ill. Placing a hand on the doorframe to support herself, she fought the urge to sit down and catch her breath.
"Leliana," Kallian appeared at her elbow. "We really should get moving."
"I know. I'm sorry."
Closing her eyes for a long moment, she took a deep breath and found the strength to turn around. Motioning for Kallian to lead, Leliana stepped out of the room and left her past behind.
…
xxXxx
…
"So this is where you two are staying?" Isabela whistled in appreciation. "Sailors and shipwrecks, that is a sodding big house."
Kallian barked out a short laugh. "If you think that's bad, you should see some of the other estates around Denerim. When you put it up against those, Arl Eamon's house seems pretty low-key."
"Is that right?"
"No kidding, this is what nobles consider 'modest'."
"I bet these places are just full of nifty treasures." Isabela rubbed her chin and studied the outside of the estate with a judicious eye. "At the same time, I'd be willing to bet that they are also full of guards. The damn thing is built like a fortress."
Kallian nodded. "Most of these nobles have small armies guarding their stuff."
"See, that's why I prefer crime on the high seas. Even a good-sized merchant vessel can only have a handful of trained guards on board. It makes for easy pickings. You should give it a shot."
"I'd need a ship to be a pirate."
"Not if you join my crew." Isabela glanced at Kallian and then at Leliana. "I saw the way you two handled yourselves. I could put your skills to good use. Besides that, Ferelden is about to become all different kinds of nasty. Why not catch a free ride out before you're up to your tits in monsters?"
Kallian ran a hand through her hair and gave Isabela a lazy shrug. "We've got a few commitments that we can't really walk out on."
"As a woman who has walked out on hundreds of commitments, I can tell you that it's easier than you'd think." Isabela smiled at them both and then waved a hand. "Still, I'm not one to push. At least, not in this particular context."
Leliana smiled faintly. "Thank you for the help, Captain. I think we needed it more than I realized."
"Don't mention it. All that sneaking around and fighting was a blast." Isabela smirked at her. "I'll say this much about you Orlesian girls: you sure know how to make a night into something interesting. Are you sure that you wouldn't like to try your hand at a little pirating?"
"I'm sure."
"More the pity," Isabela flashed Leliana a bright smile before turning to Kallian. "I'll be casting off in the next few days, but there's still plenty of time for you to take a tour of the ship. I've got a wonderful bottle of spiced rum in my cabin that's just begging to be opened."
Leliana stepped forward and slid an arm around Kallian's waist. "She'll pass."
"Oh, so the two of you are…?" Isabela's eyes lit up with suggestion. "Well now, that's just sweetening the pot. I'm sure that the three of us could get into all sorts of trouble. I mean, my cabin's a bit cozy for a crowd, but I wouldn't mind—"
"As lovely as the offer is, I fear that we may have to decline for now." Leliana interjected as she glanced down at Kallian. "Right?"
Kallian quickly nodded. "Right."
"That's a damn shame. I guess I'll just have to find a couple of lucky sods to keep me company." Isabela gave Leliana an amused look. "You ladies take care of yourselves, alright?"
"You do the same."
Turning on her heel, Isabela began to stroll away. Tossing them a wave over her shoulder, the pirate started whistling some kind of sea-shanty as she vanished into the night. Watching her go for a moment, Leliana looked down when Kallian pulled away from her embrace.
"Can we get inside? It's so damn cold out here."
Leliana had barely even noticed the frigid temperature until Kallian mentioned it. Pulling her fur cloak tighter, she followed Kallian as the elf moved to enter the Arl's estate. In spite of the late hour, two armed guards were standing at attention in front of the main doors. It seemed as though Arl Eamon was unwilling to take any chances when it came to security.
Thankfully, the guards recognized her and Kallian. Opening the door for them, the soldier on the right gave them a congenial nod as they passed by. Leliana returned it out of reflex, and then she was greeted by the blissful warmth of the main hall.
In accordance with the late hour, the hall was completely empty. The only light came from a few slow-burning candles that had been fitted into several sconces that were mounted along the walls. Considering that the hall was usually full of servants or the Arl's knights, it was a bit odd to see it like this.
The two of them veered off to where the guestrooms were located. The Arl had been generous enough to offer the party an entire wing of his estate. Everyone had their own rooms, and the luxury was more than appreciated.
Kallian drew up short as soon as they entered the hallway that connected all of their rooms. Peering over her shoulder, Leliana immediately saw what had caused the elf to pause. Situated directly in the middle of the hallway, Oghren was laying face-down and motionless on the floor.
A horrible possibility arose in her mind. "Is he dead?"
Kallian stepped forward and nudged the dwarf with her boot. Oghren snorted in discomfort but gave no sign of waking up. Turning back to Leliana, Kallian lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "Just drunk."
"Should we help him to his room?" Leliana noted with some distance that the dwarf was drooling. "It's just over there."
"I dunno, that would involve touching him." Kallian stepped over Oghren's body and resumed walking. "Besides, this will be a good lesson for him. If you get shitfaced, then you sleep in the hallway."
"I suppose."
Shooting a guilty look down at the unconscious dwarf, Leliana trailed after the elf. Kallian led her down the hallway before finally stopping in front of Leliana's door. Coughing to clear her throat, Kallian ducked her head at Leliana and began backing away in the direction of her own room.
"I'm glad that went well. I guess I'll see you tomorrow."
Before Kallian could get more than a few steps, Leliana reached out and caught hold of her arm. The thought of being alone right now terrified her. Their argument early tonight seemed distant and unimportant. She could put it behind her if Kallian could.
"Wait," She shifted her grip so that she was holding Kallian's hand. "Stay with me tonight…please."
For a horrible moment, it looked like Kallian was going to turn her down. Then, Kallian gave her a shy smile and nodded. "Yeah, okay."
Releasing a breath that she didn't realize she had been holding, Leliana let go of Kallian's hand and opened her door. She allowed the elf to enter first, and then shut the door behind them. Drawing a taper from the fireplace that the servants had evidently kept lit, Leliana used the smoldering tip to light a candle by the bedside. Retuning the taper to the fire, she turned and faced Kallian.
The elf was fidgeting; a sure sign that she was uncomfortable. At a loss for how to set Kallian at ease, Leliana simply sat down on the edge of her bed and began to loosen the ties of her cloak. Shrugging the heavy garment off, she looked up when Kallian padded over.
"You're hurt." Kallian lifted a hand to gently explore the cut along Leliana's neck. "Take your shirt off, I'll get something to clean this."
If it had been any other night, Leliana might have made a quip about how Kallian was just looking for an excuse to get her out of her clothes. Tonight however, she just removed her outer layer and peeled off her wool shirt to leave her in her brazier. Just as she finished undressing, Kallian returned with a ceramic basin that Leliana kept by her door. Filled with water and flower petals, the basin was meant for washing one's hands and face. Taking a hand towel, the elf dipped the cloth in the water and began to lightly dab it against at Leliana's neck.
"I didn't get the chance to ask back there." Kallian voice was too casual. "How are you holding up?"
Leliana sighed. "Not very well."
"Oh," Kallian hesitated for a moment before resuming her motions. "Do you…uh, do you want to talk about it?"
The query made Leliana smile in spite of how she was feeling. There was nothing in the world that she wanted more than to talk about what had just happened. She had been waiting for Kallian to ask that very question since they had left Marjolaine's house. Wincing as Kallian brushed the wet cloth over her cut, Leliana tried to explain her confused thoughts.
"Marjolaine was not a good woman. She caused me more pain than anyone else I have ever met." Leliana closed her eyes as she spoke. "Our relationship was built entirely around lies, and I doubt very much that she ever cared for anyone aside from herself. In spite of this, I stilled loved her once."
Kallian made a neutral sound. "Alright."
"I thought it would be easier. I thought that I would be so angry that it wouldn't even bother me." She opened her eyes slowly. "But, when it was all over, I just felt horrible. It's absurd, but I feel as though I betrayed her in some way."
"Do you regret killing her?"
"No, it had to happen. She would never have stopped hunting me otherwise."
Kallian was silent for a long moment. When she spoke, her voice was curiously blank. "You could have gone with her."
"I did not want to ever follow Marjolaine again." Leliana turned her head so that she could face Kallian. "And if I had gone with her, then she would have killed you. I couldn't let that happen."
"Good, because that would have sucked."
Leliana smiled at the attempt at humor. Tilting her head to give Kallian better access to her neck, she worked up the nerve to tell the elf what was truly bothering her. "I realized something tonight."
"Yeah?"
"I realized that I haven't changed at all. I'm still the same person I always was." Leliana clenched her right hand and stared at it like it was something unfamiliar. "I had hoped that all this time away from Marjolaine might have made me a better woman. Perhaps I was a fool to think that such a thing was possible."
"What are you talking about?" Kallian pulled the cloth away from Leliana's neck and gave her a puzzled look. "You're great."
Leliana shook her head. "I don't think you understand. When I fought Marjolaine, I felt just like I used to whenever I made a kill. It was exciting and I…well, I enjoyed it."
"C'mon, that just happens sometimes. Lots of people feel weird when they are in a fight."
"No, it's not the same thing. It was like surfacing after holding your breath underwater." Leliana waved a hand in a futile attempt to punctuate her point. "It made me feel alive. What kind of person enjoys fighting someone else to the death?"
Kallian didn't say anything for a moment. The elf took the cloth and the basin in hand and brought them back to the small stand by Leliana's door. When she came back, she was holding another towel. Using it to dry Leliana's neck and shoulder, she spoke up in a measured tone.
"You know, when I was a little kid, I used to want to be human." Kallian chuckled in a self-disparaging way. "I guess I thought that if I was a shem, then everything would turn out alright. My family could've moved out of the Alienage, and merchants would've stop chasing me away from their stalls. I think I even tried to get people to call me Karen for a while."
Leliana looked at her. "And?"
"Well, as you might notice, my ears are still pointy." Kallian's tone became wry. "After a few months of that shit, I realized that there was no point trying to be something I'm not."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
"Look, I'm just saying that there are some things you can't change about yourself." Kallian tossed the towel to the side and moved to set next to Leliana on the bed. "You said that you didn't want to be a bard any longer. That doesn't mean that you're suddenly going to be a different person."
Leliana raised a brow. "So, you're saying that I'm just naturally like this? I don't really see how that's any better."
"You can't help that you enjoy a bit of danger and excitement. Trying to force yourself to live in a Chantry was like me trying to be human." Kallian reached out and placed a hand on Leliana's knee. "It's no use fighting what you are. What you can change is how you choose to live your life. There's no harm in enjoying a fight if you're fighting for the right reasons."
"Let me see if I understand this." Leliana covered Kallian's hand with her own. "Are you telling me that you believe that I could never live a life of peace?"
"I'm just saying that maybe you should try to find some middle ground. I think that what you need to do is find a way to work at something positive that is also not completely boring." Kallian gave a careless shrug. "You've been doing a lot of good since you joined up with us."
Leliana considered what she had heard for a moment. Kallian was not the most eloquent of speakers, but the point had come across. She was surprised to find that the elf's words had made her feel better. It was still difficult for her to accept that she had killed Marjolaine, but the comfort was appreciated.
"It's an interesting idea." She mused aloud. "I'm just worried that lines would blur. I might start out doing things for the right reasons, but what if that changes down the line?"
Kallian smirked. "Then I'll be there to slap some sense into you."
"Is that a promise?"
"Sure."
The two of them shared a smile that lasted until Kallian broke out into a yawn. Well aware of how tired the elf must be, Leliana stood up from the bed and gestured at it meaningfully. "Maybe we should continue this conversation in the morning."
"Sorry," Kallian gave her a sheepish grin. "It all sort of caught up to me at once."
"I understand, I'm tired as well. Let's go to sleep."
Kallian nodded in gratitude and began to strip off her bulky furs. Shedding her own pants and underclothes, Leliana slipped under the covers and watched as Kallian undressed. The sight made her feel better. Kallian wasn't exactly trying to be sexy about it, but watching a slender elf wiggle out of tight pants was enough to rouse anyone's spirits.
Once Kallian had scrambled underneath the covers, Leliana leaned over and blew out the candle. The sheets were cold, but Leliana found that she didn't mind once a soft and warm body pressed against her. Turn to face Kallian in the darkness, she lifted a hand and cast about until she found the side of Kallian's face.
"Thank you so much for what did for me tonight. I could not have done this without you."
Kallian leaned into her touch. "Don't mention it, I owed you one."
"Hardly."
There was a small pause, and then Kallian spoke up in a quiet voice. "I know I said it before, but I'm so sorry for everything. What happened at Redcliffe and how I acted afterwards…"
"Hush," Leliana leaned forward and pressed her lips against Kallian's. Kissing her for a few heartbeats, Leliana drew back and moved her arm down to pull the elf closer. "I don't want an apology. I just want things to be right between us."
Kallian made an agreeable noise. "Okay then: things are alright."
"Yes, they are."
They stopped talking after that. For several minutes, Leliana simply listened to Kallian breathing as the elf began to drift off to sleep. Leliana knew that she wouldn't be joining Kallian anytime soon. Her thoughts were too twisted and frayed to allow her to relax.
"Hey, Leliana?"
Kallian's voice was somewhat muddled by sleep. Stroking a hand along the elf's side, Leliana opened her eyes. "Yes?"
"Would it help if I told you that of all the Chantry Sisters I've met, you were the only one who looked good in those god-awful robes?"
A smile tore its way across Leliana's lips. Chuckling softly under her breath, she closed her eyes and tightened her grip around Kallian's middle. The elf rubbed her cheek against Leliana's collarbone before moving to rest her head against the pillow.
Leliana took a breath and whispered softly in the ensuing silence. "Je t'aime."
"What's that mean?"
"Nothing." Leliana smiled to herself. "Go to sleep."
...
xxXxx
This chapter was a doozy to write. It took forever. Thanks so much to my beta Gorg for offer some wonderful perspective on this one. Also thanks to everyone for reading!
Next Time On Thorns: A trip back home!