Moonpriestess30: This is a bit of a boring one but I'm trying to get back on track of the other story. So I hope you enjoy, next chapter is DRAMA and GORE, yay!
Chapter 22 - Conflict
Makatza moans as she holds her head in her hands. 'God, why did I drink so much?' She complains as her temples thunder under her fingers. 'Why does the cart have to move so much?' She adds as she slumps sideways and leans on Sebastian's shoulder, using a hand to cover her eyes. She heard Isabela laughing at her from across the seats. 'It's not funny, I feel really rough,' Makatza whines looking for sympathy.
Sebastian moves his arm, 'lay down, you'll feel better,' he says as he pats his lap. Makatza went a little red in the cheeks but selfishly took his offer and happily laid her head down on his thighs. Sebastian rested his hand on her waist and stroked her hair. 'You should have asked Anders to sort out your hangover, he wouldn't have minded,' he chastises lightly.
Makatza pouts and ignores Isabela who was attempting to tickle her toes. 'It's my own fault and I ain't hungover, I just didn't sleep properly,' she says making excuses. 'Woman, I will hoof you in the face if you keep on,' she grins as she looks up at the Pirate who was grinning. Makatza was secretly glad that Fenris wasn't in the cart with them, after her verbal blunder last night she hit the booze hard in an attempt to forget. Plus, without him being here she didn't have to worry about the fact she was lying in Sebastian's lap. Makatza wasn't quite sure what was going on in her head when it came to these two men and she didn't need to complicate things. She sighed and relaxed as she closed her eyes, his legs were quite comfortable and she could feel herself dropping off. Merrill had already fallen asleep on Isabela's shoulder and been wrapped up in a blanket. Garrett and Varric were driving and Fenris, Aveline and Anders were scouting ahead. 'If I fall asleep, I'm sorry,' she mumbled as she began to drop off.
Sebastian shushed her lightly and after about ten minutes her breathing slowed and they were pretty sure that she had gone. Isabela raised a brow as she crossed her leg, 'so. Sebastian,' she said casually. 'You have a little crush on our girl there,' she says simply.
'I am fond of her,' he replies just as bluntly. 'There is nothing wrong with that,' he adds defensively.
The Pirate pulled a face of agreement, 'well you're not the only one,' she grins. 'I mean, that much is obvious.'
Sebastian sighed and nodded, 'yes, I am aware of the attention that she has attracted. I just...' he pinches the bridge of his nose. 'I want her to be safe and... well... I don't know,' he shrugs unable to convey his feelings.
'Aren't you in the service of the Maker? You're not allowed to have a relationship,' Isabela asked as she thought about it. She looked at Makatza, the young woman seemed to be close to Fenris, they spent a bit of time together last night before she practically ran away from him. Isabela wouldn't want to assume anything about that broody bastard but she was pretty sure that he at least had a mild attraction to her.
Sebastian nodded. 'Well, I... I'm not in the service of the Maker just yet, it is a decision I have not been able to make and honestly this has just made it harder. I do not wish to make Makatza choose,' he mumbles.
'Fuck that,' Isabela says simply. 'Hell, Seb, if you want something to happen between you and Katza, fucking fight for it. If she doesn't reciprocate, well there's your answer right there. If she does, then you're laughing. If someone else wants her, then they should fight for her as well. It'll just come down to who Katza wants. But you gotta fight. Fight for what you want,' she says simply. 'Don't be a squib.'
Sebastian laughs. 'That's your advice? Fight and don't be a ...squib?' He repeats not sure if he got the word right. 'Well I don't like the idea of putting Makatza in a tough place of choosing between people-'
'You won't be,' Isabela interrupts. 'If I've learnt anything from watching her and talking to her is that you can have a genuine connection with someone. Whether it becomes more is to be seen. There's no such thing as second choice, if she doesn't choose you just means that you don't have that type of connection. She's new to all this Seb,' Isabela says softly. 'She's not had a relationship before, don't think that she's playing with your feelings or anything, she's just learning who she is and who you are to her.' Isabela felt protective over the young woman and normally she would just sit back and watch the drama unfold but she had taken the unofficial role of big sister. Sebastian looks at Makatza and nods, understanding what her rambling meant. He strokes her hair feeling his heart sink, the real choice was does he want to risk getting hurt or possibly getting everything he desired. 'Think about it, Seb. There's no rush at all,' Isabela says quietly.
'Would you wait around?' He asked simply.
'I waited years, mate. It was only because of her that I went for it,' she laughed lightly. 'She has that influence on people.'
'Yes, doesn't she,' he laughs with her as he nods. The rest of the trip to Kirkwall was uneventful and pretty silent, after their heart to heart they tried to take a leaf out of Merrill's and Katza's book and take a nap. It was only the harsh jolt of the city outskirts that shook Isabela out of her reverie. She peeked out the cart's hangings and yawned as she gently nudged Merrill awake.
'Come on sleepy, it's time to wake up,' she said pulling on a plait in a playful manner. The cart rumbled to a stop and Garrett stepped down cheekily offering Varric a hand and getting a punch in the arm for his teasing. Fenris and Aveline were waiting by the stables, Anders had already vanished to the under city the moment they got into the gates. Isabela jumped out the cart and hugged Hawke tightly. 'That was a terrible journey, you should be ashamed of yourself,' she commented.
'I thought you liked being thrown around and all that rough stuff,' he smirks making her giggle dirtily.
'Ugh, if you two are quite finished,' Aveline says simply as she walks over. 'There was very little trouble on the way back, so if you don't need me I'm going to check on my men,' she says to Hawke who nods and thanks her for her help. Fenris pulls himself from the beam of wood that he had been leaning on.
'Do you require my assistance any longer?' He asks simply. He wondered where Makatza was but didn't want to bring it up. Aveline said her goodbyes and wandered off towards the Keep and her duties.
'Yeah, hold on, where's Katza? She not out the cart yet?' Hawke asked Isabela who was grinning. Merrill sniggered behind her hand as the Pirate shot her a look in amusement. 'I thought she would have bounced out-'
'She's still hanging from yesterday,' Isabela said as she blatantly looked at Fenris. 'She drank faaaar too much,' she added as the elf did his impression of a wall. She motioned for Hawke to follow her as she went around the back of the cart and pulled back the cloth. Katza was still asleep across Sebastian's lap, he too was gone, head against the wood, his hand still on her waist. Hawke stifled a snerk as he tried not to laugh, Fenris curious as to what was going on followed and wished he hadn't. Isabela got in and gently shook Sebastian by the shoulder. 'Oi, Prince, time to get ya royal ass out the wagon, we get charged by the hour,' she teases. Sebastian jolted awake and blinked tiredly, it wasn't exactly the most comfortable of naps but it was a nap. 'Katza,' Izzy said a lot more kindly as she softly pulled on her plait. 'Come on sweetness, time to get up,' Katza opened her eyes and yawned before sitting up and rubbing her eyes.
'Eh?' She said as she looked at her friend who was beaming in happiness. 'Oh right, sure,' she mumbled. She looked at Sebastian and smiles, 'thanks Seb, I didn't mean to use you as a bed for so long,' she said suppressing another yawn. She wasn't able to stick around and hear the reply from her glorified pillow as Isabela dragged her towards the end of the cart. Hawke held out his arms and lifted the pirate from the back, Fenris looked at Katza and saw how dozy she looked, mentally sighing he held up his hands offering to help her down. He was only reluctant as there were other people about and Isabela had already been teasing him. Katza seemed to register that he was trying to help and smiled brightly at him, her eyes lighting up in thanks as she placed her hands in his. He gripped her slender fingers and replied with a half smile, she stepped down and began to wobble clearly not a hundred percent awake. To stabilise her and reduce the risk of injury he simply shifted and moved her by her waist making her squeak as he easily lifted her up, she grabbed his shoulders in surprise and fear. He put her down on the cobbles and smugly noticed the blush that had blossomed over her cheeks, he still had his hands on her waist and she still held him by the shoulders when Sebastian jumped down from the cart making her bounce in fright and move. 'Oh, Seb,' she said with her hand on her chest. 'You made me jump,' she laughed lightly. 'I am so not awake enough for this,' she smiles. Isabela drapes an arm over her shoulders and begins to steer her away. 'Thanks Fenris,' she says as she's dragged, lingering for just a moment to give him a cheeky expression before allowing her friend to win. 'So where are we going?' She said through a yawn to Isabela.
'The pub of course!' The pirate laughs as he friend moans. 'Remember,' she called over her shoulder to those who remained, 'you've got till tonight!'
Katza pulled a face, 'till tonight, what? What's going on tonight?' She asked.
'Ah, that's for me to know and you to find out,' Isabela grinned.
-x-
Isabela had refused to tell her what was going on and insisted that she have a bath. Katza couldn't figure out why she had to bathe at the pub instead of just going back to the estate where her clothing was. While she washed Isabela was investigating her backpack that Mari had given them. Makatza wandered into the room with a towel wrapped around her and laughed lightly. 'What on earth happened in here?' She said as she looked around, there was mess everywhere she could see. Clothes, bottles, food, anything you could think of. Isabela sat in the middle of it holding a pair of boots.
'This stuff is frigging amazing, is this all from your world, I mean we have to go back, there was some like sweet stuff in cubes in a box that I'm pretty sure that your mother gave you, don't worry I saved some, but I did eat like half, they're soo good,' she babbled as she pointed to a tupper ware box filled with fudge. 'There's a bottle over there with some like creamy stuff in it, smells divine,' she adds. 'And these boots! Oh Maker, where did you find these boots? They're so cute!'
'Okay, okay, firstly, that's fudge, I can make it anytime, secondly that's moisturiser from Germany keeps your skin soft, you're welcome to keep it. Lastly, those are my boots, keep your mittens off,' she teases lightly. 'Seriously though, the only thing I want out of this backpack is a bra,' she said as she goes rooting through the clothing. 'This world does have good underwear but they haven't quite mastered a wonderbra,' she says triumphantly as she finds one. 'Clearly all the clothing here is designed by men,' she added with a laugh. Isabela gets up and takes it out her hands.
'Ooh this is nice,' she says appreciatively. 'There were a couple others,' she says motioning to a pile on the bed.
'Try it on,' Makatza said simply as she found another. 'We're about the same in cup size and I can always tighten the straps if you need to-' She turned to see Isabela fighting with the clasp at the back.
'How the hell?'
'Here,' Makatza laughs as she clips her up. 'Takes some getting used to. You'll either be able to do it or not, some women do it up at the front and then swivel it around to the back,' she smiles as she puts her own on. Isabela jumps up and down a couple times, then leans forward and does a little shimmy.
'Ooooh I like it. I like it a lot, it just sorta smushes everything up and together and you're like very supported,' she grins. 'Oh I think Hawke will like this,' she adds.
Makatza rolls her eyes as she stands in her underwear and dries her hair. 'Y'know what, just keep that one, I do not want it back if you and Garrett are gonna be all gross with it,' she says in amusement. 'So what is happening tonight?' She asks.
'Oh that's simple, it's your nameday celebration,' the Pirate says casually.
Makazta frowns, 'can't be, that's not for months,' she says.
'Ah, time moves differently remember, you've been here for months,' she reminds her friend. 'So tonight everyone is coming, we're gonna have a party and get drunk and play games,' she grins. 'They all know, Silvanus told us last ngiht and we've spent most the morning getting it ready while I distracted you,' she smiles.
'Oh you cheeky tart,' Makatza said throwing a brush at her lightly. 'That's why you wanted me to get ready here so I'd have to wear some of your clothing,' she says as she realises. 'Because... Fenris, Anders and Sebastian are going to be here and you can't help but want me to dress provocatively,' she says as she figures out why her friend wore a grin that threatened to burst. 'You're such a cow!'
'Maybe...' Isabela laughs. 'But you love me. Also...Anders...that's a new one!' She teases.
Katza rolled her eyes. 'I'm just saying he's attractive and kinda sweet, he did look after me when I came back and panicked about the demon,' she explained. 'I mean, oh I don't know...'
'Face it sweetness, ya be horny. Horny for some di-'
'Oookay!' Makatza said slapping her hand over her friend's mouth. 'There's enough of that one. I get it, I'm... fuck it. Yes, I'm horny.' She laughs as she rolls her eyers. 'I want to experience things. I like how I feel when I'm around them and getting attention, is that bad?' She asks as she moves her hand.
'Hell no! Enjoy it! Fucking hell you deserve some attention. You want attention? I'll give you a good seeing to right now! I'll dust the cobwebs away,' Isabela grins making Makatza laugh and shove her away playfully. 'Seriously though, Katza, you don't owe anyone anything. Fuck them, fuck them all. If they want ya they'll fight for you,' she says simply.
'I don't really like the idea of that,' she says thinking about it. 'But then again I don't really know what I want, so fuck it. I'll just go with the flow and see what happens,' she shrugs her shoulders.
'That's my girl. Suck all that di-' the Pirate became muffled as she was muted again for the second time that afternoon.
