Chapter 31 - If at first you don't succeed
They arrived at the base of the mountain just as the fight was starting. Makatza felt a little better than she had earlier though she knew that the sugar boost would wear off soon and she'd crash hard. She had promised Fenris that she wouldn't breathe a word to Isabela though it was tempting beyond belief. Garrett waved his hands at them so they'd stay put, they skidded to a stop wondering what was going on. Makatza just caught sight of a Qunari who had some sort of glowing paint on his chest just as he was swept up in the jaws of the trained Wyvern and tossed around like a chew toy. His cries of pain were quickly silenced with a firm bite of Leopold's strong jaws, before he was thrown aside. 'Oh I fucking knew we'd have to deal with that damn creature,' Makatza said annoyed but relieved that she had had the foresight to hopefully poison the beast.
'Kill them all!' The Baron commanded. Makatza knew she couldn't wait on the side lines this time and she would have to do more than just knock people out. Fenris unsheathed his sword and dove in with no hesitation. Makatza breathed in deeply and looked around at the chaos that her friends and family were creating, Garrett was making heavy headway with the guards and Tallis had taken it upon herself to deal with the Tal Vashoth. The more prominent problem had to be the Mabaris that were running towards her, she grit her teeth not really wanting to kill dogs.
Concentrating she gathered some mana into a ball in her hand and released it at the nearest dog. It shot through the poor creature's head like a bullet. 'Oh shit!' Makatza squealed in horror as she covered her mouth, the Mabari dropped like a stone. She didn't have a chance to reconcile with what she'd done as the other two started to bark and snap at her. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at them, she really didn't want to hurt the others. 'Okay, okay, I can do this,' she says sniffing and trying again, this time she made the ball larger and when she threw the mana it wasn't quite as forceful. It knocked the dog from it's feet and when it fell onto it's side she could see that it was still breathing. Quickly she did the same for the other and then she was free from apparent threat. She started to run to one of the fallen guards when she was shoved aside by Tallis.
'Watch for poison!' The assassin warned as a large glob of eye burning acid landed on the body that Makatza was trying to raid. She had stumbled back and onto her backside, she looks up and sees the Wyvern on the ruins hissing in their direction.
'Blasted thing,' Makatza scowled, getting to her feet she managed to kick one of the blades from the guard without touching the poison. She picked it up, it was light enough. The Baron was shouting at his pet, the creature had started to sway and looked a little green around the frills. It had climbed off the ruins and was in perfect placement for bombardment. Garrett and Fenris were relentless with strikes, Tallis peppered it with throwing knives and got a decent stab in the shoulder before back flipping away out of harm. It seemed to shake off it's illness pretty quickly and roared at them in defiance, damn, Makatza swore in her head as she ran over to Garrett who was sweating heavily and healing the nasty slash he had down the front of his chest. She couldn't get distracted, even when the Wyvern ran past them to where it's master was waiting. The Baron leapt onto it's back and the real battle seemed to begin. More guards swept in and making the young woman roll her eyes in frustration. 'Oh would you just give it a break?!' She snapped. Katza could feel herself get more angry and what that tended to was loosen her inhibitions about hurting people, not the most healthy coping strategy but it kept her alive.
'Don't worry we've got him on the run,' Garrett reassured thanking her for healing before moving in front of her so she wasn't such a target. Makatza used her bullet mana technique at targets she was sure that the others weren't focusing on, she would hate to hit one of her friends by accident. She purposely aimed for the knees so there wouldn't be any accidentally lethal friendly fire, it was working for a while until the Baron started to laugh.
'How do you like my little trap, Ferelden?' He taunted. Makatza looked around them and saw the sparkling flares. She ran to Fenris grabbing him by the arm and then dragged the elf to her cousin who was back to back with Tallis.
'Don't move!' She commanded as she summoned her mana and surrounded them just as the incendiaries blew. Her shield was buffeted from all angles making her feel dizzy and nauseated. Garrett took the time to start casting a wide range spell and as soon as the blasts stopped he released a large comet like projectile onto the Baron and his pet. It knocked them to the side and allowed Makatza and the others to reposition themselves.
She took the furthest place away from the fight by the edge of the ravine and waited for an opportunity to help the others. Leopold roared in anger and focused on Garrett who was running to Makatza's side to make sure she was okay. 'You'll pay for this you insufferable peasant!' The Orlesian bellowed as he urged his Wyvern to leap at his prey.
'Garrett watch out!' Katza shouted throwing her arms at him and pushing him away with a large blast of her already spiking mana. Leopold caught her with his claws on her shoulder, her pulses having thrown off his projected angle. All three of them toppled over the side of the cliff, the Wyvern crashing into the rocks below. Makatza screamed as she frantically grabbed the ground for some purchase luckily she caught a large rock that was protruding. The Baron was a foot or two away from her shouting obscenities. Tallis had skidded over and grabbed Makatza by the wrist.
'I've got you, don't worry,' she said but the strain was showing on her face. 'I won't let go,' she reiterated. Makatza tried to find purchase with her feet but she only succeeded in brushing away pebbles and dirt.
'Ah!' Katza moaned in pain as her shoulder burned deeply. 'Did I ever tell you I'm terrified of heights?!' She said quickly feeling herself hyperventilate. Hawke ignored the Baron and arrived at Tallis' side the same time as Fenris. He took over and grabbed Makatza's hand as Fenris took hold of the other and together they quickly lifted her onto solid ground. Garrett left her in Fenris' grip as he walked over to deal with the disgraced nobility. Makatza buried her head into Fenris' shoulder not caring that he might not want to deal with her moment of panic, he took it well and happily let her cry and steady her breathing while holding her reassuringly.
The Baron fell to his death the whole time cursing Fereldens and Garrett Hawke, Tallis was speaking death rites over the fallen Tal Vashoth. 'Looks like the Baron had fallen from grace,' Garrett said with a grin making Makatza groan as she turned her head to glare at him. 'What?' He laughs as he shrugs a shoulder. 'I couldn't resist.'
'You didn't try very hard,' Makatza said quietly, Fenris realised that Hawke was looking at him in a funny way, like he was going to very quickly become the bottom of a joke and so he stepped away from Makatza as tactfully as possible. Makatza wiped her eyes and breathed in deeply, 'what now?' She asked in general, she walked over to where Garrett was discussing the scroll that Salit had given to the Baron with Tallis. Apparently it held the name for every Qunari agent in Thedas, a powerful and dangerous item indeed; Garrett thought about asking for it but decided it would just cause more trouble for himself. Tallis revealed that Salit had been the one to train her and wished that she could have given him a better death.
'So what now?' Hawke asked as he crossed his arms. 'Are you just going to leave?'
Tallis grinned and rested her weight on one foot as she dropped a hip in relaxation, 'you'd think I would fit into your merry entourage?'
'You do have a penchant for sharp things,' Makatza says smiling a little as she threw the useless dagger that she had sheathed away from her. 'You'd fit right in.'
She chuckles and shakes her head, 'maybe some other time, Katza. I still have some other things to do... I am grateful for the help, I want you know that,' she reached into her pouch and smiled. 'Before I forget,' she says throwing a large jewel at Makatza who caught it with barely a fumble. 'That was going to be the Heart of the Many. You'd be off finding the jewel and I was going to find Salit and be back before anyone was the wiser.'
Makatza knew this was probably going to be the last time she saw Tallis so she gently passed the stone to Fenris before walking over and hugging the elf tightly. 'I'm annoyed that you lied to us but I'm happy you're okay and that this day is finally over,' she said to Tallis with humour.
'You are an amazing woman, Katza and I am truly terrified of you,' Tallis laughs. She leaned forward and whispered in her ear, 'I don't know if you can see it but it's pretty clear that Fenris is head over heels for you,' she said in almost an inaudible tone. Makatza's face went blank and a deep, damning red blossomed over her cheeks. 'Take care of yourself, Hawke. Maybe we'll meet again someday,' she grinned giving Makatza one last squeeze and waving goodbye to Garrett before walking away.
Makatza took the jewel back from Fenris and turned it over in her hands, 'at least it's pretty,' she says looking at the red colour and hoping it would reflect on her face so that she could blame her blush on it. 'So, how are we going home now?' She asked as she handed it to Garrett.
'We'll go back to the Chateau and grab some horses,' he says simply while rolling his shoulders. Makatza sighed and nodded and then realised the pain in her back was due to the lacerations she hadn't healed yet. Pulling her braid over her shoulder to clear her hair from the blood she reached back with a hand and began the slow process of healing. 'Well looks like we did great today huh?' Garrett smirks as he looks at Fenris. 'Good job on keeping her safe,' he says simply.
'You did not help,' Fenris mutters as he wipes down his blade. Garrett let the barb wash off his back knowing that he had hit a sore spot. It was true, he didn't think that today was going to be quite so strenuous and if he had known he wouldn't have brought Makatza within a mile of this place. They begin to walk back to the mansion and Fenris could feel that Makatza was stiff, 'are you still in pain?' He asks.
She shakes her head. 'No, I'm tired and I just want to sleep really. Today has been exhausting. I don't know how you all manage to do it,' she mumbles looking at her feet.
'Practice,' Fenris says softly. 'What did Tallis say to you?' He asked unable to withhold his curiosity.
Makatza grinned and shook her head again, 'nope, that's between women. Maybe one day I'll tell you. If you're lucky,' she said as she looks at him with a smile. He wasn't satisfied with her answer but made no effort to try and pry more out of her, Garrett distracted Katza with the offer of a piggy back and she literally leapt on him, happy to rest. She was half asleep when they got back to where the horses were waiting, she was gently bounced awake and moaned. 'Oh really?' She complained.
''Fraid so,' Garrett said apologetically as she slid off his back and he took his staff from Fenris. 'Choose your mount,' he smiles as he walks over to a sweet looking chestnut stallion stroking his nose fondly. Makatza kept a fair distance away from them feeling fear in her stomach. 'What's up?' Garrett asked noticing her reluctance.
'They're very large aren't they,' she said quietly before a squeak escaped as one hoofed the ground near her in impatience. 'Fucking hell,' she whispered. 'Do I really have to ride one? I've never ridden a horse before,' she adds.
'You can ride with one of us if you like,' Garrett reassures.
'Okay but that doesn't dispel the fact that they're quite large,' she points out. 'I'll just wait, there's bound to be someone else returning to Kirkwall and I can hitch a ride back with them-'
'Do not be absurd,' Fenris says, not unkindly.
'Fenris, you deal with Katza and I'll let the master know that we're taking two horses,' Garrett says simply as he leaves the two elves to it. Makatza pouts as she doesn't feel she's being unreasonable.
'Come,' Fenris motions her over to where he was holding the halter to another male, she looked the horse up and down. It had feathered ankles and was a lovely dappled grey, she gingerly stepped forward and jumped when it jolted it's head to the side.
'Fenris, I can't,' Makatza said simply.
'Come,' he insisted and after a brief pause held out his hand for her to take. Makatza seemed to be a very physical orientated person and responded well to touch, this much he had learnt though it bothered his scarring. 'Come,' he repeated, Makatza was hesitant but after a minute she took his hand and allowed herself to be pulled closer to the beast. 'He can sense your reluctance and fear, you need to try to relax,' he says softly as he holds the reins tightly so it can't jerk it's head around. He took her hand and pressed it against the stallion's neck motioning for her to stroke him. A little of her tension left as she gently brushed his hair.
'He is lovely,' she said with a slight jump as he snorted. 'I don't think I would be a very good rider,' she giggles a little placing her hand back on his neck and continuing to stroke him.
'You are welcome to ride with me if you wish,' Fenris says without thinking. Makatza smiles softly and nods.
'I would like that,' she admits. 'I'll um, I'll go let Garrett know and then we'll attempt to get me on this horse,' she smiles needing room to breathe from the intense feelings that had surfaced inside her. Fenris nods and begins to sort out the saddle while berating himself mentally. So much for staying away from her, all day he had done nothing but be by her side and allow himself to even flirt with the young woman. The fact that she was a mage didn't even seem to bother him any more which was frustrating. Tomorrow was another day, he could always try again.
