Chapter 51: Pressure
Fenris leaves with Hawke and Aveline. Varric stays, and tries to help me up. I'm pretty short for a human, but the height difference still makes it awkward. Thankfully dwarves are strong and sturdy.
"Shit, Cookie, you do know how to make an entrance, I'll give you that," he comments.
"Hey Varric. I guess I kind of made a mess of things, huh?"
"Things were already a mess. But your timing could use some work," he adds. "You should probably give Broody a while to cool off."
"Yeah, I'd probably just make an even bigger mess if I tried right now," I respond with a sigh. I don't regret stopping him. Killing his sister would have eaten away at Fenris, I know it. I had made a promise to him, and I feel good about keeping it, but the look on his face before he left reminded me of my reaction to the tight corridor of the mage underground tunnel. I know panic when I see it. I'll need to talk to him at some point, but Varric's right, probably best to give him a little time. At least he has Aveline with him.
I make it to my staff. Picking it up, I cast Heal, and am rewarded with the cool sensation of energy. I sustain the spell for a few seconds until I start to feel the fatigue, and let it go. I'll still probably have a headache later, but my head and shoulder feel much better. My hand, however, hasn't healed at all. I look at it, and see the all-too-familiar pattern of vines burned into my skin. I remember touching Fenris's arm right as he tried to attack his sister. The lyrium tattoos. I feel like there's something I'm missing. I may have had a tutor from Tevinter, but the magic involved in those markings is beyond me.
"Come on, Cookie, I have some bandages back in my room," he says, looking at my hand.
The comment strikes me as funny. "Trying to get me alone? What will Bianca think?" I ask.
"You're right, she's usually the jealous type," he says, shrugging. "I think she'll make an exception for this." He gestures for me to follow. "We shouldn't be out here, anyway. We'll let them...er, clean up." The room is full of bodies from the fight, and Varric and I have to move our way around them.
"By the Dread Wolf!" I hear Merrill call by the doorway. She's arrived along with Isabela. "What in the world happened here?"
Isabela gives me a look. "Always starting without me! I can't believe it," she says, exasperated. I can't help but grin.
"Not all my doing. We're going in the back," I tell her. "I think you're the only ones who will probably show up now. Unless you got in touch with Sebastian?"
"I sent word, but I think he was meeting with the Grand Cleric about something."
We settle in to Varric's suite. I fill Merrill and Varric in on what happened with my aunt, and the connection with Ser Aron and Talon. It doesn't take long.
"But Talon and his men lost their way to track you now, right?" Merrill asks.
"As far as I know," I acknowledge. "Colette could have been lying. She was a master at it; I might not have been able to tell. I looked around her place a bit before we left, and I didn't see any signs of more vials. If Talon knew about them, though, he probably has at least one. I'm also back in Kirkwall, one of the last places his people found me. I'm not going to be hard to find as it is."
"Are you thinking of leaving town again?" Varric asks.
"I have thought about it, but with or without me here, you are all in danger," I admit. "I hate the thought that he would try something after I left. I'd rather be able to be here to fight him with you."
"Yeah, I'm kind of on his shit list at the moment, too," says Isabela. "But I do have a ship now," she adds, flashing her teeth in a wide smile.
"That's fantastic!" I exclaim. "I'm really happy for you, Captain Isabela."
"I think I'll stick around for a bit longer, too. I'm not used to having friends like you and Hawke; it's kind of nice."
"Why are you lumping me together with Hawke?" I ask, not happy at the thought.
"I'd trust both of you to watch my back, and that's saying something," she says. I'm surprised when she doesn't make some kind of dirty comment about it, but she seems to be sincere without joking for once.
"Thanks," I say, acknowledging the compliment. "I don't think my life would be as much fun without you either."
"Merrill, I'm glad to see you too," I say, remembering how we'd parted. I need to apologize. "I'm sorry things went the way they did with our trip to your clan. I know it's no excuse, but I was desperate to find a way to help Anders."
"No, I think I knew that, Norah," she says, her face sullen. "But none of it matters now."
"Why? What happened?" I ask.
"My clan is gone," she says, and chokes back a sob. "I tried to help them, and they couldn't believe in me. Keeper Marethari...she allowed herself to be possessed by the spirit that had helped me. She thought she was saving me, and they're all dead now. If only we had never found that mirror..."
"Oh Merrill...I'm so sorry. I should have been here for you," I say. I sit next to her, and throw an arm over her shoulders in comfort. She's a bit startled, but doesn't break away. I pat her arm with my good hand.
"Varric?" I ask after a bit.
"Yes?" he asks.
"How's your brother?" I ask. Might as well get all of the news.
"About the same. Sometimes I wonder if we really did the right thing, bringing him back. But I still think I'd make the same choice if faced with it again. They may be nug-shit crazy and homicidal, but you only get one chance at family."
"Isn't that the truth," I remark. "I thought I was going to kill my aunt. I never thought I'd pity her."
"Can we all go back to being happy about my ship?" asks Isabela.
"Yes. Thank the Maker for some good news for once."
Leaving Varric's suite, I see Corff overseeing the removal of the bodies from the main room of the bar. I give him a small wave. "Somehow I knew you'd be involved in this," he says, shaking his head.
"Not all her doing," Isabela yells over my shoulder. "What? That's what you said before."
"You back for long?" he asks.
"Not really sure yet. I just got back," I say.
"Let me know if you want your job back. It's tough finding help that will stay when things like this keep happening," he says, motioning to the blood stains left on the floor.
"Thanks, but I think my days of serving tables may be over."
"That's good, you were awful at it," quips Varric from behind me. "Got my drinks wrong for months," he says in a low conspiratorial tone.
"Seriously guys?" I say, but laugh, regardless. "And that was intentional, I'll have you know. I was an excellent barmaid."
"I don't really have much to compare it to," says Merrill, ending that line of conversation. "I need to get back to the Alienage. I can usually find my way around now, but it's harder after dark."
"I'll walk you," says Isabela.
I watch the two of them walk out. Turning to Varric I ask, "You don't suppose the two of them..."
"Oh yeah, for a while now. I think it started after the thing with her clan."
"Oh, didn't see that one coming. It makes sense, though, they've always been close."
"Yeah. Speaking of, you and Blondie are back together again? Did I hear that right?" he asks.
"Seems I can't stay away," I answer, shrugging.
"Just be careful. He's not been himself lately."
"So I've heard," I respond, nodding. "Thanks for worrying about me. You're a good friend, Varric."
