Now that the Kirkwall Tourney had officially begun, there was less decadence at night. The posh secluded environment within the inner keep was still closed off to the general public but the outer keep was a bustle with activity. Lena and the Blooming Roses were no longer restricted in where they could do business.
They had a tent, a rather nice tent. There were other tents, stalls, and even bazaars. They offered activities, games, and gambling. They sold fruits, vegetables, bread, cheese, wine, ale, baubles, and trinkets. There was even a representative from the Circle there selling enchantments.
All these amazing things to see and buy and Lena couldn't go check any of them out. She had ten gold to burn and no way to sneak off.
She plopped her head down on the makeshift desk in the tent they inhabited. Their tent was in the "red tent" section of the tourney activities even though their tent was pink. Blooming Rose pink to be specific It was large, with sectioned off "rooms" with lavish cots and pillows. She'd had to help set it up with the others. Each sectioned off cot was decorated with a special enchanted fabric to keep sounds in and none to leak out. They didn't always work on account of how old these were and as evidenced by the occasional half-broken moan that filtered through, but it certainly toned down the sex noises. It did little for the smell of sex and sweat.
Every other stall began operating either during the archery tourney or right after Sebastian had tied with that other archer. She hadn't expected them to tie. And from the look on Sebastian's face at the time, he hadn't expected it either. He did however relinquished the privilege to represent Kirkwall in the Grand Tourney to the other archer. He was a man of the cloth and couldn't represent Kirkwall on account of him more than likely representing the Chantry or his family if he went. Incredibly noble, humble, and kind of him to do that given he did take certain pride in his skill. But it would not overshadow how he spat out such horrible language not a few hours ago.
Selena grumbled, teeth gritting as she glared at some of the men who walked by and oogled Faith who sat up front with her blouse open to attract customers. It was just the barest hint of the tops of her bosom with a peak every now and then of her nipples. Serendipity, when she wasn't servicing also joined Faith, singing gently and batting her eyelashes at whomever looked her way. Denier lingered around outside of the tent, drawing in women and men from further off. They were less than pleasant to look at but held no less amount of coin.
It was enough to draw customers in like moths to a flame until they saw the price. Usually they came back around after doing a bit of gambling, drunker than ever. Sometimes they forgot who was actually for sale and would give Lena a smile and smack a handful of coins down expecting her to be their whore for the few minutes they wanted. A lay was a lay to them. It usually wasn't even enough money to buy even their cheapest gal at the Rose. Barely a few silvers.
"Not for sale." Lena grit but snatched the coin anyway. "But thank you for your generous donation to the IDGAF fund."
"What fund?" They'd ask bleary eyed.
"The IDGAF fund is to help…" Lena would trail off and think up some bullshit reason why she was simply taking the idiot's money. In her mind she called it the Gratuity Fee for having to deal with them.
"...the Blooming Rose Career Enhancement School." That one went to an enterprising young man who though he could charm his way into her knickers.
"...restore our witherstalk sap stores." Lena rolled her eyes as if it was obvious. "What? You didn't think the complimentary ale was because we liked you?"
"...provide education, lodging, and food to all the little bastards you lot tend to leave behind at brothels without so much as howdy-do." She said once to a minor nobleman who did a doubletake and backed away.
"...our chaffing fee. It's called lubricant. You know, oils and lotions. And no, saliva and cum don't count."
"...the chamberpot cleaner bureau. We pay our champerbot cleaners very well for keeping them clean and pristine. We need them after every foray in the sheets. Remember to piss after sex be it masturbatory, oral, vaginal and especially anal. It will prevent infection."
"...Cleaner Sheets. Sometimes customers make a mess. Be it sweat, saliva, ejaculant, piss, shit or even blood. Now I should note if our workers are bleeding, you will be found out and banned. That aside, please help keep our sheets clean!"
"...the apothecary fee. Sometimes our customers think it's a great idea to double dip." She'd explain. At their confused expression she would go into a lengthy discussion of the hazards of sticking it in the ass and then the vagina. "Remember PINK TO STINK! Not STINK TO PINK. THINK OF IT LIKE PAINT! YOU'LL TURN IT BROWN IF YOU DO IT WRONG!" She would yell as they ran off.
Slumping back into her chair, Lena laughed at the curious looks passersby sent her. The Coppermaidens, Madame Giselle hollered with glee from across the way at her shenanigans along with her ladies of the evening.
She'd long since added on the slab of black slate stone that she was using as a board with calcium sulfate sticks (the one purchase she'd made on her way in). "Erotic Education" with the price listed as "Whatever you feel like paying" that way if they came back sober she could point to it. She even had pulled out parchment and deftly sliced them into pamphlets with some quick facts written down. It was mostly so she'd have something to do besides take the coin, their name, and direct them to the table where she served them ale.
Athenril, appearing far more refreshed and awake, shook her head from her position further in the tent sat at a table with a mug of ale. "One of them will get mad you know." She said as she swapped out cards with Denier. There was a lull between customers.
"Ah, that's what you're for." Denier scratched his beard. Athenril sent him a glare.
"I'd rather not have to put down a drunk." Athenril slapped a card down with a grunt.
"But you're so good at it." Denier cooed. "Just love watching you-" He stopped talking when Athenril glared.
"Eh… if they have a problem, they can fucking deal with it." Lena shrugged as she swiveled her pen on the makeshift pamphlets and made three crude drawings of a penis entering a mouth, vagina, and an ass. "The customer is NOT always right. And we do not haggle."
"Shame, I thought I might barter you down." A rumbling Prinzely voice spoke to her left.
Lena snapped her gaze up at the Iron Bull who was examining her makeshift chalkboard. Conversation halted behind her at his appearance. Tapping her finger, Lena's guard was raised at the presence of the Ben Hassrath.
"Unless you've got at least three gold, you're not going to be able to afford anyone here. So move along, Tal-vashoth." Denier spat from his spot, glaring at the Iron Bull with as much vitriol he could manage.
Lena turned on her chair to look at him with surprise. "Tal-vashoth?"
"You know. A failed Qunari." Denier grumbled. Even Athenril was giving the Iron Bull a glare.
Serendipity wandered out of her sectioned off cot. Her last customer pulling his trousers up with a pleased grin as he walked out. She stopped at who was now waiting.
"Madame Giselle and the Coppermaidens might be more your style." Serendipity hissed and sat at the table with Denier.
"What has gotten into ya'll?" Lena squinted at all three of them. She turned around not waiting for an answer and faced Bull, surprised by the smirk and intense look he set on her.
He hadn't let any of them phase him. His complete attention was on Lena directly. He reached into his trousers and pulled out a small handful of coin. "Three gold minimum right? Four should do it?" He asked.
"Listen, if none of them want to take you on as a customer," Lena looked back at them. Their bodies tense as they glowered. "I'm not going to force them. I'm not that kind of Madame."
"That's fine. Don't want them." Bull licked his lips. "Want you."
"Uh…" Lena wasn't sure she heard right. "Wha...what? Sorry I'm running on almost no sleep, what?"
"I would like to purchase a bit of your time and services, Madame River." Bull picked up one of the pamphlets, his eyes roving over the list of facts and sex advice she'd written down. "Be fair and prepare?" He looked up with a raised brow at her. "When it comes to anal sex, preparation and lots of lubricant are key." The baritone of his voice rumbled.
"Some of our customers are a little ignorant in matters of sexual activity." Lena huffed as he read through the rest of the pamphlet.
"And you offer advice?"
"I know my craft." She shrugged and he kept reading.
"At least one Divine is rumored to have died while having sex." He read out. "Is that true?"
"Purely speculation." Lena grinned. It had to have happened, right? At least once . She was willing to bet on it. If several Popes have done it from her world, then one of the Divines must have done it here.
"What if I doubled the price?" Iron Bull pulled out another four gold.
"Okay first off, I would like to offer my apologies but my services are not for sale at the moment. I don't have the energy and I'm worn out from last night." She tried to explain. She was sure she'd regret this later. The chance to ride the Bull? When would she ever get that chance again?
"Worn out?" He grinned.
"Grey Wardens are insatiable." She sighed.
"Hmm."
"Might I suggest maybe the Seamstresses or the Coppermaidens, as my…" Lena looked back at Serendipity and Denier with a question in her eyes. But they didn't answer, just stand there stiff shouldered and glowering. "...colleagues did earlier."
"Alright." He picked up his coin and then pointed at the pamphlets. "Better not let any Chantric folk see these." Iron Bull sauntered away to across the way to the Coppermaidens as suggested.
If she wasn't exhausted and cranky, Lena might have thought the entire exchange odd, but she was more preoccupied with the Roses reaction to his presence.
"What the fuck guys? Is everyone here racist against Qunari or something?" She directed to the group. Faith had joined them from her sectioned off room.
"It's not that he's a qunari." Serendipity began as she joined the card game.
"He ruined one of our own years ago." Denier explained.
"And he refused to drink the ale before hand. Poor Vivieka had to give birth to an ox-child." Faith sighed.
"Wait…" Lena's thought process short-circuited. "Wait...what?!"
As the night drew on and there were less customers drawn toward the tents and instead were either asleep or congregating toward small bonfires of celebration. There were minstrels taking to their lutes and some drums sounding. It wasn't too loud but enough that stalls and tents were closing up, intending on joining in the festivities.
Prudence appeared with a basket of apples. Apples that were rosy ripe red. Completely perfectly shaped apples too. Lena went to snatch one but looked up at Prudence for permission.
"Go ahead."
"Thanks." She bit into it having not had a decent full meal all day. Her stomach hadn't grumbled once but she knew she should eat something. Finished one, she grabbed another much to Prudence's amusement.
"My, you're hungry."
"I haven't eaten anything all day. And oh man, these are juicey. How'd you get them to be so perfect?" Lena asked but looked up at the double rows of teeth in Prudence's smile and pushed it aside. "Nevermind, I have an idea."
Prudence giggled delighted and sat down.
"I would kill for a roasted chicken right now." Lena mumbled.
"Perhaps you can find one?" Prudence suggested.
"Right, go out there when I have to stay in here and man the business." Lena grumbled.
"The night isn't exactly young anymore. I believe operations can be closed." Prudence drummed her perfectly manicured fingers on the table.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Won't Harlan be displeased if he finds out?" Lena prodded.
"What Harlan doesn't know, won't displease him." Prudence hummed as bit into one of her own apples. The motion of both rows of teeth, upper and lower, was difficult. Yet the noblewoman-skin-wearing-creature pulled it off.
Again Lena wondered why no one else could see what she was but left it alone.
"Guys!" Lena went to tell the Roses the good news but Faith was already gone, Denier and Serendipity were pulling on their cloaks ready to join the festivities. Athenril was the only one left sitting at her post. She was nursing a mug of ale and sent Lena shrug.
"Oh."
"We were sitting right here."
"Where's Faith?"
"Off to find Adriano." Athenril grumbled.
"Isn't he bought out for the week with uh-"
"Yes." Athenril grit her teeth. Her fingers tense.
"Oookay." Lena looked down at the pamphlets that remained and the lockbox. "Right then, I guess if we're done for the night..." Lena packed up the box and set the board behind the table. Prudence bid her a good night, taking her apples with her. Lena gave Athenril a look as she hefted her lockbox up. She gave her a sigh but rose up as they closed the tent. There was no locking it up but there was nothing of value in there except the enchanted fabric.
They walked through some of the festivities. Lena catching sight of people dancing by the fire. Their shadows long and dark. Music swooned over the ruckus. It was a jaunty tune that they did a stomping dance to with a jump before they switched partners.
"A toast to Kirkwall's best archer!" Came a shout. There was agreements and people laughing as an actual drunk figure stumbled forward. Their cloak and hood pulled back to reveal a young face with a wicked sharp smile. But what was most surprising was the tuft of blonde hair and face covered in tattoos. On their back was the gnarled wooden bow. At the top of it was a crystal that gleamed.
Lena's steps slowed as she caught sight of the winning archer who's face was laid bare to all. Some people sent her glares, others didn't care. She stumbled toward a company of mercenaries with one single large horned figure who caught Lena's gaze. She sent Bull a forced smile and shuffled away as quick as she could.
There were more bonfires and more dances, none of which Lena knew or even the tunes played. Not that she paid much attention to them. Her mind was dead set on her bed. Passing out to sleep for a full night of uninterrupted sleep.
Unfortunately, the cosmos had other plans.
"Mama!" Sebastian's voice slurred as Lena and Athenril turned the corner. He was leaning against the door to their quarters with a wine bottle in one hand.
"Ah shit." Nathaniel was there as well, trying to pull Sebastian away.
"Fu-...really?" Lena swore. "I am too tired to deal with this shit." She sighed.
"I can get rid of them, if you wish." Athenril offered. An unusual charitable offer but given the way Athenril gave Sebastian a lazy look, it wouldn't be too much trouble.
"No...I've got it." Lena yawned as she rubbed her eyes. The slight slump to her posture straightened and she sauntered forward transformed to her persona. Nathaniel saw the look in her eyes and pulled away, still trying to drag the inebriated brother of the chantry. "Really, Bassy? You're drunk? What does our contract say about over consumption?"
Sebastian gave a shit-eating grin at her and went to drink more wine. "Dunno...what does it say, Mama?"
Narrowing her eyes, Lena clicked her tongue against her teeth. "It says over-consumption is a punishable offence-"
"D'ya want me to drop trou?" Sebastian slurred, his burr came out stronger than ever.
"No, I don't-"
"Oh maker." Nathaniel facepalmed.
"I-I can do it, Mama." Sebastian grinned, setting aside the wine bottle and beginning to unlace his trousers. Lena smacked his hand.
"Stop that." She used her voice, causing Sebastian's cheeks to redden further and his mouth to gape.
"Say that again, please." Sebastian moaned.
Sighing, she gave Nathaniel a questioning look. "What happened?"
"We were drinking and had a bit too much."
"No shit."
"Yer not angry, are ya, Mama?" Sebastian bat his eyelashes up at her. Little shit.
"He kept going on and on about…" Nathaniel explained.
"Mama, I need ya." Sebastian huffed his hands now inside his trousers.
"Sebastian." She hissed as she watched him work himself hard.
"...how disappointed you were in him." Nathaniel continued.
"I'm not… ugh. I'm not disappointed." She pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Really?" Sebastian perked up, his hand stilled. Nathaniel even stared at her.
"Well I will be if you continue to sit there and wank off where anyone can see you." Lena snapped and frowned.
Sebastian's movements stilled. "Oh."
"Yeah… oh. We may be at the pleasure palace, but that doesn't give you an excuse to be obscene- SEBASTIAN!" She hollered when he continued to rub himself off with a shit-eating grin. "Oh you little shit!" Lena roared and opened the door to her room, letting Sebastian fall backward. "Get him inside." She barked at Nathaniel and he jumped at her command, doing as she said.
Nathaniel hefted Sebastian to the couch as Lena stomped through to her room. Athenril closed the door, positioning herself where she could easily react to anything the two humans did.
Grumbling, Lena opened her lockbox and made sure the coin was accounted for and tucked it all away neatly. She consciously breathed to calm herself. She couldn't injure Sebastian despite her fatigue-induced frustration. Between all the louts trying to purchase her for far less than she deserved, to Bull, and now this - she was almost done with it all and was about to tell Sebastian to just sleep it off. Instead, her gaze fell on her ipad.
She hovered her finger over the startup process, watching the little apple logo light up and waited. She was worried the same strange wifi pop up would happen again. If it did, she'd shut it down. Thankfully, it didn't.
Navigating to her music app, she plugged one earbud in and quickly hit randomize. She didn't care what song, just anything would help calm her down just then. Besides one song wouldn't hurt right?
It did.
Roughly four minutes later, she walked out of her room with a scowl. She was out of the pink dress required of her to wear when running the Blooming Rose and was now wearing the same dress she'd worn to the archery tourney. It had magically been completely dry in her wardrobe.
"Alright, let's do this."
"Mama…" Sebastian sat up where he'd layed with his head in Nathaniel's lap who petted his hair.
"Shut up." Lena snapped at Sebastian and then sighed. "Let's go. Clearly you want to spend time with Mama, so time with Mama you will get."
"Yess." Sebastian stood up, swaying. His trousers fell revealing he wasn't wearing any smalls.
"You said you tied your trousers." Nathaniel pulled them back up.
"I lied."
"Clearly."
For the umpteenth time, Lena let out a sigh.
"I thought you were too tired?" Athenril asked.
"Yeah, so did I. But apparently there ain't no rest for the wicked."
"You know, I feel bad for you Nathaniel." Lena chewed her bottom lip.
"Oh? Why is that?" They walked the halls of the keep. They were nowhere near the inner keep, and instead passed the doors to the library and were well on their way to the Southernmost wing.
"You had to deal with this for… how many years?" She asked.
"Felt like a lifetime." He corrected.
"Yeah, my sympathies. Drunk Sebastian is not fun Sebastian."
"Agreed." Nathaniel hefted the arm that draped over his shoulders, readjusting where the almost dead weight of Sebastian lay.
"You know, I can still hear you both." Sebastian drawled.
"We know." Lena and Nate grumbled.
"And, I would like to say I am most definitely fun when drunk." Sebastian insisted.
"Uh-huh." Lena patted his arm.
"I mean it." Choir-boy frowned.
"Of course you are." Nathaniel added with a patronizing pat as well. Sebastian grunted and pulled off him. His sway was less but still too dangerous to leave him on his own.
"Mama knows I'm fun."
"You're fun in the bedroom, dear." She deadpanned. Nate snickered at the affronted look on Sebastian's face.
"You harlot!" Sebastian gasped.
"Excuse me?" Lena turned on him.
"You offend my Chantric ears with your salaciousness." Sebastian drew back.
"Excuse you?!"
"You tempt men into your slatternous sheets, where they slather my Selena with their silken tongues. Staining you vile with purple welts." Sebastian hissed with a point. "Where is my Selena, my Mama."
"Ooooh." Lena squinted at him. "You're jealous."
"Yes!" Sebastian pouted and regretted it. "No! I am merely wishing to protect your modesty."
"My modesty?" Lena cackled. "What have you been smoking?!"
"You came to me covered in another man's bruises." Sebastian huffed, stooped to brush his hands over the said marks on her neck and collarbone. "These should be mine, not his."
"Sebastian… I'm a prostitute. Remember. There will be- heck there are other men. You should be used to me sleeping with other men. Heck I sleep with Varric too." Lena pushed his hands away but he grabbed their wrists.
"Is Varric a customer too?" Sebastian asked as he hovered close.
"Sebastian." Nathaniel warned, not understanding the situation but knowing his friend. "Leave Selena alone."
Sebastian ignored Nathaniel and pushed Lena against a wall, her hands on either side of her.
"Is Varric a customer?" He reiterated with a look of desperation. His mouth hovered close to Lena's. They were almost breathing each other's breath. Lena caught the panicked look from Nathaniel as Athenril stepped out of the shadows with her dagger present. Lena waved to stop her.
"No…" Lena answered between grit teeth. "He's…"
"Your lover?" Sebastian's wide bright eyes begged for confirmation, already preparing himself for the inevitable.
"Fuck buddy." Lena corrected. "He does something for me, that my customers don't. If anything, I should be paying him." A crass way to describe it but hopefully one that would get through to Sebastian.
"Do you kiss Varric?" Sebastian's lips brushed over hers.
Lena froze, eyes wide and she stopped breathing. Red alerts screaming in her head.
"Yes…." She seethed between teeth, not opening her mouth. Sebastian tried to kiss her, but only got a peck. Her lips remained pressed tight as she glared at him. When he knew he would get no further, he pulled away, letting her go.
He wasn't fast enough as she gripped his hair by the roots and dragged him down so he was now kneeling on the floor to look up at her.
"You will never do that again." She snarled and pulled harder.
"Yes…" He breathed hard with a smile. "Yes, mama."
He tossed him away and stalked a fair distance. She intended on just leaving him there, but Sebastian had the nerve to add one more thing.
"You kissed Nathaniel."
Damnit. Damn male ego.
"Is that what you want? You want a kiss?" She turned on him. "Is that what this is about Sebastian?"
"You told me it was off limits."
"It's called boundaries. You remember what those are, right? I remember spending near three sessions on that."
"Yes…"
"Right, and one of my hard boundaries was kissing. Because you're a regular, I needed a boundary." She explained.
"But why kissing when we do so much more than that?"
"Familiarity breeds attraction, Sebastian. The more you see someone, the more you find them attractive." Lena explained slowly. He seemed to get it by the way he nodded. Of course he could be nodded just to get her to hurry up. It was anybody's guess. "Familiarity also breeds emotional attachment. The more you're around someone, the more you'll care about them whether you want to or not. I was seeing you every week. I needed to keep distance. But Nathaniel, I will likely only see him here. Same as Warden Duncan. Understand?"
"So...you're saying." Sebastian pieced.
"She's saying she finds you attractive and she cares about you." Nathaniel put it simply. "And that she's worried she might fall for you." Nathaniel looked at Lena with understanding and a shared connection. It was the same situation he found himself in all those years ago, one he revisited every time he was around Sebastian as he felt old feelings rise up again.
"You love me?" Sebastian smiled.
NOTES: Back by popular demand, another Iron Bull interaction. Also drunk Sebastian was weird to write. But no less fun than usual. Prudence's apples make another appearance. Those are... well more for symbolic purposes. And we learn who won the Archery Tourney. I hope you caught that. Someone special~
REVIEWS:
coduss: Well... the plot armor won't last forever. Bull will likely feature again. Just saying. Dorian will DEFINITELY feature when/IF Lena takes a trip to Tevinter. (Spoilers)
whrr. trudya: La'Vish isn't like our vampires. It's just the way I imagine they could exist. He's just used up all of his own blood for magic and now needs to consume more to stay alive.
DarkDust27: I've been planning for Bull's appearance for some time now. I think probably since chapter... 15 I started showing the signs.
Tsukikageshi: Aww it's okay. Most people are terrified of spiders. Sebastian is just normal. But it is funny considering he's been seeing her treat them basically like a cat or dog. He should know they are practically harmless.
Jemstone6259: I hope this chapter tides you over for Bull interactions. Originally wasn't going to have it until I saw your review. But sadly we might not see much of Bull for some time now.
As always, Thanks for the reviews guys! I really appreciate it!
