Tattoo's and Reunions
2 weeks before Tevinter Nights
Part1
It was time. The late afternoon sun was hidden behind dark clouds that could pour rain at any moment, but none of that mattered. The now former Warden laid out her outfit for the upcoming events of the day as she changed out of her training clothes. A nice par of black Antivan leather boots that had a decorative chain and frills round the ankles, dark grey pants, and sleeveless shirt to match, and her belt with a few pouches around it. Nothing too shabby but also nothing outstanding, she had business to do with her fellow guardians.
Once Alessa was dressed, adding a few coins to her pouch, folding a small piece of paper, and slipping a stiletto in each boot, she headed out the door to meet Steffen and Ramon downstairs. The sneak thief practically skipped down in her eagerness, only slowing down to not rush around the corner and accidently bump into anyone. She quickly spotted her guardians turning to the sound of her steps from where they waited by the door.
"Nervous?" Steffen asked when she got closer. Unlike from herself, both Master Crows had silver tinted Crow issued daggers strapped to their backs on full display, showing everyone who looked their way exactly who they were.
"Not really." Ramon smirked as he mocked laughed at her words, giving her a pointed look, knowing better. "Ok, ok. Maybe a little bit. But it's nothing to worry about and lose sleep over."
"It's exactly something to lose sleep over." He said as he opened the door for the other two, stepping outside to make their way down the villa's stone path to the front gates. "What your getting is no small thing."
"Yes, I do realize this." The blonde-haired elven woman said as she waved at the guards on her way by. She followed shoulder to shoulder with her guardians down the street of Salle, for they knew where to go. "I was just simply stating that I am ready and nothing to be worried about."
Steffen's facial expression said different but said nothing regardless before going about their way.
Even with the dark clouds announcing upcoming rain or a possible storm, the Antivan people around them continued about their day to day tasks. Some greeted them respectfully as they walked, knowing a Crow by flued strides and weapons, and in extension a nod to her as well. There were even a few children that ran around avoiding their parents or playing a game with each other. This brought a small smile to Alessa's lips; after being around warriors and soldiers for years since the blight, she was happy to see some joy in people's lives again.
After a dozen or so blocks of twisting turns and rounding stone corners, she found herself walking up to a shop that had all sorts of designs on displayed in the window. The shop was a tattoo parlor. Without a sound Ramon slipped into the shadowed corner of the building, more than likely to climb the roof to keep an eye out. Steffen opened the door and gestured for her step in, when she did she was hit with the smell of oils and ink. An L shaped counter a few feet away that extended down like a hallway would with waiting chairs off to the side. A dark-skinned man with a few piercings stood up from behind the desk, having heard them walk in.
"Buon pomeriggio, come posso aiutarla?" (Good afternoon, how can I help you) He greeted smoothly.
"Please, mi amigo, Common or Rivain." Steffen waved. "My ward here doesn't know Antivan very well."
"Ahh, I see. Alessa I take it?" Even though the wording was a question, his tone of voice was not. "My name is Maxi, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." The man reached out to grasp one of her hands.
"Nice to meet you." The rogue nodded, distracted by the tribal like tattoos covering his one arm.
"Nothing to fear my dear." Maxi smiled before addressing Steffen with all professionalism. "She can sit in seat five, I'll make sure all the stuff is ready." When he turned to leave, she could not help but snag her guardian's arm, leaning in close to his ear.
"What did he mean? How does he already know me?"
"Viago had me make an appointment in advance to guarantee you a spot. This is technically House business, so seat number five you go." He explained as he showed her to where she was to be seated.
"He's a Crow too?" Her question was rewarded with nothing more than a grin and nodded for her to continue.
Walking through the small door between the counter, Alessa saw that there were six seats, all in a line with small tables off to the sides for easy access to inks and needles. She tried to relax as she sat down, fiddling with the piece of paper that she brought with her. Well, this will be interesting, she thought. The tattoo she had come up with would easily show that she was an ally to the Crows, at least in her mind it would.
"Any thoughts on your tattoo?" Maxi asked as he sat down on the low stool on her left side, prepping the ink and cleaning supplies.
The younger rogue quickly glanced to where Steffen had perched himself on the corner of the counter, leaning slightly on the pillar with mid curiosity. He raised an eyebrow at her when she accidently caught his eye but did not say anything. She turned back to the tattoo artist and gave him the slip of paper she was holding.
"This, I want this design." Alessa said firmly, meeting the man's sharp look when he stared back up at her.
"You're sure about this?" At her nod he shrugged and soon got to work.
The first few minutes were nerve racking; the smell of alcohol that was wiped on her shoulder to mid arm stung her nose as she watched Maxi. She knew that she had nothing to fear, her guardian was only a few steps away, and this nicely lit place was a far cry from Ceaser's prison. She knew that she may be a bit tense, but if the artist noticed he did not show it, briefly pausing to say encouraging words or a question to make small talk. All the while sketching the design on her arm.
When it came time to start the tattoo, he tested her pain tolerance with a small line on the bottom part, watching to see her reaction.
"All good?" Maxi asked.
"Yeah, it feels kind of like a sunburn it one concentrated spot." In all truthfulness that's all it was, not the horrible tear or stabbing pain she heard people complain about.
"Alright, we start from here and work our way up. By the time we get to the crescents the sharp sting won't be anything you can't handle. Sound good?
"Yes."
She smiled as she watched him work on her arm. It was a strange curiosity watching one's skin get repeatedly poked by tiny needles that had ink drops on the top. There may have been some pain, but it did not seem like it was anything that caused for major concern. That or she had grown used to being stabbed and hit over the years that this seemed to pale in comparison.
Every so often Maxi would ask how the elf was holding up and made small talk to pass the time, Steffen would occasionally walk the length of the high-top counter checking out the art on the wall. But once the tattoo was three quarters of the way done and he made his way back, walking around to her left side to actually see the tattoo, she could see her guardian's face grow stony. Steffen did not agree with what she got, and she knew it.
From start to finish, the whole process took about an hour and forty minutes, something Alessa never thought she would do let a lone go through with it. But here she was, standing up after the artist cleaned up the excess ink and pointed to the mirror in the corner to go see it. As she passed by, the master assassin having returned to his perched spot, gave her quite the frown. She paid him no mind.
She grinned when she got a good look at her now freshly inked skin, all red and slightly puffy, but her tribal tattoo stood out beautifully. A black ink open-winged flying crow, it was sideways so it could fit on her small arm, but amongst the waves and swirls of the tribal design were three perfect crescents in a line.
She could tell Steffen was going to have a field day once they stepped out. Oh well, too late.
When she turned back around she saw Maxi speaking quietly with said man, both looked serious, but the former seemed to be defensive given the stance he was making. But before anything could happen, the newly inked elf walked over.
"Thankyou Maxi, it's perfect." Alessa said with a beaming smile, her mood lighting up the situation if only for a minute. "How much for it? I'll pay."
He shook his head lightly. "It's covered by the House."
"Maxi." The woman said slowly, standing firm to her words. "I wanted this; I will pay for it."
"Alessa." Steffen's warning tone made her look at him, but she was not going to be deterred.
"Steffen." The young rogue started. "This is my tattoo. How. Much?" she directed the last two words to Maxi.
The artist sighed but reluctantly gave in, it was her problem after all, she wanted it and she would pay for it. Probably in more ways than one too. "Alright. It will be one gold and fifty silvers. And Alessa?" He waited till she met his eyes. "You did good, a natural for your first tattoo."
"Thankyou. I'll definitely come back here for any future ones." The elf smiled as she handed the coins to him plus a good tip. She turned to follow Steffen out the door an on to the next step of today's errands.
It was when they were a few steps away and down a mostly empty ally when her guardian rounded on her, furious.
"What the hell was that?" Brown eyes ablaze to match his tense stance. "What in the Maker's right mind gave you the idea to take on that design?!"
Alessa never once seen him this mad before, not in all the past six months of her living in the villa or him training her. The calm tempered and logical man was now hissing out words, making her pause. And she had no clue what to do or how to fix it. When Ramon's shadow cascaded down the stone wall towards them, she could not help but wince at how he might react.
"I wanted to show that while I am an ally of House De'Riva, the Crows as a whole, it also shares that of my relationship… as small as it may be." She muttered the last part.
"Do you think this is a game Alessa?" Steffen did not let up, only increasing his disapproval by crossing his arms like one would to an unruly child. It made her frown and oddly defensive, no longer caught off guard.
"No. I knew the moment I decided to help a Crow that it was not going to be a small thing. Nor was anything after going to be. I just want something to remember him by, something to match."
The silence that followed was deafening. The only thing not making it unbearable was the Ravain's curious and question looking being thrown from her tattoo to the still furious fellow Crow in front of her. If anything the younger man looked a tad amused, which confused her even more.
"Good luck explaining that to our Talon." The Master Crow stepped back with an irritated huff. "Now let's go, we have other places to be and wasted enough time." Without a second to give he turned to head back down the ally, dropping the matter entirely.
Alessa followed behind him, not saying a word along the way, she knew better than to try at small talk or to attempt to lighten the mood. She understood that her guardian was only trying to look out for her, more so as a friend then a trainer and colleague. But the last part of what he said bothered her. What does he mean our Talon?, she thought to herself as she kept up with Steffen's fast pace. She truly did not know why she did what she did, only that it felt right mixing where her loyalties lay with that of the commitment or remembrance to the person she loves. Yeah, doubtful that Viago will let this one slide. She grimaced at the thought, for if her guardian was this mad then she really does not want to know the temper of the dark-haired Talon.
Funnily enough, Ramon had stayed quiet throughout the exchange, his signature grin that told of a joke only he knew was all but permeant on his face. When she tried to motion a questioning looking, he only shook his head as he chuckled, ignoring the glare Steffen sent their way.
The three walked in silence as they made their way down to the docks, Salle may not be as big and grand as Antiva City, but it was still quite busy. The docks here could harbor at least a dozen or so cargo and merchant ships along with an equal amount of small boats for the local fishermen. It was not uncommon to spot a Raider's ship from the Felicisima Armada, therefor making some of the taverns close by rowdy and unruly. Good thing that the ship these rouges were to meet on was from a country known for its warrior like behavior.
By the time they stepped foot on the wooden board a light rain had started, making everyone hurry up their pace. This did not affect the trio one bit, for they had already been waved down by the captain on the ship they were looking for, their Ferelden flag flying proudly even amongst the dark clouds and rain. They scaled the ramp and followed the captain indoors.
"Good timing I say, we just arrived and settled in the harbor not a few minutes ago." The woman said with a wide smile when they settled inside the decent size room, her thick Ferelden accent prominent. "But I'm sure you lot are wanting to talk to the Warden here. Let me go get him for you."
As she walked out Alessa stayed standing, there was plenty of seats around a table that looked specifically for a meeting of sorts but she did not feel like sitting. They were not going to be there long anyways. Ramon however had no such problems making himself at home, winking at her as he lounged in one of the uncomfortable and stiff looking chairs. All the while Steffen prowled around the room, taking note of all that he saw.
Before anyone could say a word, she heard the rapid pitter patter of fast approaching steps. That was all the warning she got before the wooden door burst open, a blonde hair blur tackling her side, she caught them as their small arms wrapping around her as much as they could.
"MOM!" The little boy shouted in excitement. Alessa hugged him as she kneeled to his level.
"Darren, mi pequeno nino. I missed you." The young rogue said softly as she nosed and kissed his tiny pointed ears, closing her eyes as tears began to shed unbiddenly. The tightening in her chest that she did not know was there lifted as she held her little boy. "I missed you so much."
"Promise you won't leave again! I don't want you to go." He snuffled as he tried to wiggle in her grasp, clearly upset by the whole separation and how long it had been. "I thought I wouldn't see you again. I thought you were gone like Mama."
"No Darren," Alessa wasn't shocked but she was still affected by his words, her chest tightening for she knew the full weight of what he stated. "I wouldn't leave you. Not like that."
She continued to hold him close as he let out all his emotions, rubbing his back as she gently rocked him from side to side in an attempt to calm him. All was quiet as the two reconnected, Steffen having watched the whole scene play out, silently moved to lean back against the table where Ramon sat at. At the sound of heavy boots, both turned sharply towards the door to see who would dare intrude. They could smell them before the person said anything.
"By the Stone, Warden. Give everyone a heart attack will ya."
Alessa's face brightened up at the sound of her old companion's voice, the dwarf 's stocky build taking up the door space despite his height. She didn't bother to correct him. "Oghren."
"Yeah yeah, I'm here." His gruff voice sounding the same the day she left. "Bloody miracle considering you couldn't get me across Lake Calenhad. Somehow they managed to ship me here."
"I thank you my friend." The relief in her voice was auditable. "I cannot tell you how much this means to me."
"Nahh, as one of the Blighters, I got your back, little squirt was excited the whole time to see you again. It got interesting back at the keep though." The warrior made a face as he sat the little boy's pack down. "But I assume we can get off this sodding boat now. I'd kill for a bloody drink."
"Ship! This is a ship, not a boat." The captain shouted from somewhere down the hall.
"Ehh, same difference to me."
"Sure, but I'll have to catch you later. I have to take Darren home, sooner the better." Alessa said as she stood, picking up the little elf as she did.
"We're going home? But we just got here." His wide hazel gold eyes met hers briefly, taking her breath away at how much they looked like Zevran's.
"No, not that home. We're going to where I'm staying, and meet new friends, si?"
"Ok." He said in a soft tone, only hugging her as she adjusted her hold on him, her left arm warping around him. It was at that moment she noticed Oghren's stare and his pointed looked told it, he saw her tattoo. He subtly shook his head but did not comment on it, a blessing that the young rogue took happily.
"Alright, Alessa. I'll see you later, but you take care of yourself. Ya hear?"
"I will."
"Humph. You better."
And with that Steffen and Ramon, who had still not made a sound throughout the entire exchange, lead the way through the door without even glancing at the disapproving dwarf. The Ravain grabbing Darren's little pack without even thinking.
By now the rain had lessen to a light sprinkle. However, both humans and elf seemed to be in silent agreement to keep moving at a good pace, Steffen directly in front of her acting like a shield of sorts while Ramon stayed behind her. There was not much to worry for since the streets where mostly empty once the rain started but there was clearly something bothering both the Master Crows, she herself vaguely felt wary. There seemed to be more shadows on this dreary day.
Alessa sighed in relief, as soon as the villa's gates were in sight, Darren had fallen asleep sometime during their trip back.
"Home sweet villa, yeah?" Ramon tried to joke but when the weapons trainer shot him a look it quickly fell flat. "Fine, be a killjoy. I didn't want you to laugh too hard anyways, stiffy."
"Ramon." Steffen bit out grumpily, not really caring for the nick name.
"No worries, I'm stopping." He waved his hands up in surrender as they walked up the villa's path, he made a small show of twirling around before disappearing yet again.
Alessa, on the other hand, wished she could do so to sneak up to the room without waking up Darren. She planned on staying put till the next morning to properly introduce him to the household herself. But it seemed as if that wasn't going to happen.
"You go get him settled, I'll report to Viago and come get you when he is ready to see you. Only Maker knows what the flirter is up to." Steffen said quickly as they entered, closing the door behind them before he parted, not once looking back at her. The young rogue winced. He's definitely still mad at me.
She silently made her way up the stairs, missing all the creaky boards, and down the hall to where her room was, unlocking the door and setting the travel pack down by the desk chair. Darren only stirred once when she went to lay him down but otherwise he stayed asleep. Alessa could not help the wave of love that hit her as she ran her fingers through the little boy's soft blonde hair. The color almost matching Zevran's unlike her light brown, not quite blonde, hair. She may not have been the blood related mother to him, but what she felt for him was something just as strong and caring.
It was moments later when she was going through the little elf's pack that she heard the knock on her door. Seems that the report went quickly.
"Vigao wants you. You can get dinner after if you're still hungry." The man was halfway turned around to leave when Alessa said his name. Stopping a few steps away in the hall for her to shut the door.
"Steffen I'm sorry, ok? I know you are upset at -"
"Stop." He held up a hand. "You should save your breath for convincing the Talon, who I'll remind you, to not keep waiting outside on the patio."
"Steffen, please. Please."
"Alessa." The master weaponist gave a tired sigh. "I am not mad at you, just… concerned and you don't make it easy. I'll stay here for Darren, just go report to Viago."
She stared at him a second or two for what felt like hours, till she reluctantly nodded and thanked him.
When the elf reached the fancy sliding glass doors, she suddenly felt reluctant to step out in the night air, with the only source of lighting being the candles and few lanterns. The rain may have stopped and caused the city around them to have a faint fog, a sight to have with the glowing lights. But she had a sinking feeling that was not the reason why the Talon wanted to speak with her outside.
Even as she closed the door and walked up to the patio table, stopping a few feet away, Viago hadn't acknowledge that he heard her, instead he kept his hands behind his back as he faced the city. She took a deep breath before addressing him.
"I am here to report as per your request, Talon." The young rogue carefully kept her tone neutral and polite. It was a long moment of silence before he slowly turned around to face her, frowning as his gaze fell on her new tattoo.
"Steffen had no reason to lie to me, yet here I thought I had heard wrong. The fool I." His tone had a bored edge to it, but his words took on a challenging meaning. Almost daring her to snip back. She could tell, right then he was not going to go easy on her.
"No, ser, I can explain." She dropped her eyes as she slightly bowed her head.
"And just what, pray tell, is there to explain, Alessa?" Viago hissed, stepping closer to the table. "From where I stand I see Arainai crescents on your arm."
The words shocked her, for she did not know this tid bit of information.
"Damnit!" The Talon snarled, his fist slamming on the table, startling her. "What the hell where you thinking?"
"I was thinking of my loyalties to the House, but my relationship with Zevran. I thought of the tribal on his face and the sharp swirls of his other ones, I wanted something similar."
"And you thought it a good idea to mix the two?! Without informing me. Who do you think you are?"
"I thought, while I am allied to the House of Crows as a whole, Arainai would not view me as an enemy too. I can be an ally to them as well."
"You should have run it by me."
"I didn't think you would not have approved." Alessa stared back at him.
"With good reasons. But better the ask for forgiveness then permission, si?" The Talon sneered. "Foolish woman, you just painted a target on yourself."
"I always had a target on me!" The elf yelled in frustration. "Since that contract was made during the Blight I have always had one. And now being the very few, let alone a former Warden, to be accepted by the Crows? To work alongside of them as an equal. This tattoo should pale in comparison."
"No it does not, Alessa." The dark sounding tone of Viago's voice stopping her protest in its wake. "Your contract was that of a Warden, which was voided when you helped the Denerim cell, then continued to do so. Once you were cured it was nulled. The tattoo of my House would have solidified it and proved you were no longer a mark but an assassin worthy as an equal to my own. But now you've gone out and broke a rule, a House of Crows rule. Such crimes could be punishable by death if deemed serious enough."
The young rouge bulked.
"Do you get it now? If you want to deal with the consequences of your actions, fine. But you still have not learned that this is no longer just you. Or did you just now realize that you have your boy here too?"
"Wait. Don't -"
"What?" The dark-haired man snapped; about to drop her low to prove how serious the situation was. "Don't include him? Sorry, he was involved the moment he was born due to having potential because of his parent. Don't threaten him? Sorry, but he is already going to be threatened, most Houses by now know you are here, it won't be long till they find out about him."
"Please Viago." By now one could see just how defeated Alessa looked, and it wasn't a flattering thing on her. Her shoulders slightly slumped, head bent down, and her eyes switching between being closed and looking sideways for answers. The master poisoner did not truly intend to bring the child into anything, but he needed Alessa to feel the weight of her actions. A tattoo itself was no big deal, until what it represented by Crow standards had a play in it. For which she unconsciously made a great future move… but it was too soon and could cause more problems. Problems that she was not ready for. He quietly made his way around the table towards the distressed elf, stopping a foot away from her left side, tattoo in full view.
"Do you get it now?" His spoke lowly, like one would in a crowded room whose words were meant for her to hear alone.
When the elf hesitantly nodded he continued, eyes staring at her for any hint of a lie.
"And? What do you plan to do about it?"
"Deal with the consequences, as you said. But if it is punishable by death, then this was all for nothing. And… I'm more the fool." The words tasted bitter in her mouth, but she steeled her nerves to finally look Viago in the eye.
After a few tense filled moments, the Talon looked with approval of her answer, finally having the point driven home; he stepped back to give her space.
The last bit of the conversation was said with a softness in his voice that was rarely heard, in fact, she only ever heard it once when she first met him all those months ago.
"Alessa," he started out, "I did not intend to bring your boy, Darren, into this. I was not going to punish him. But you need to know the weight of your actions, just how much harm you could cause without consulting me first. So, I will ask only one more time; do you get it?"
"Yes, I understand." She sighed. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to cause a mess." She tried to gesture to her inked arm and around herself.
"Good." Viago crossed his arms. "I suggest you grab something to eat and spend the rest of the night with your little one. We'll discuss this more tomorrow."
His dismissal was clear.
Alessa nodded as she quickly said a "goodnight" before turning to leave and do just as he said. The long day had her wary, hungry, and worn out. All she wanted to do now was eat something and go to sleep knowing her little one was here and safe with her. She quietly shut the same sliding glass door behind her and made her way to the kitchen to see what she could dig up, but it was already pass dinner time and knew the maids were cleaning everything up.
The thief stayed out of the staff's way as she made her way to the ice enchanted meat and cheese box. It was a smart and beautifully crafted storage compartment that kept all foods cold and last longer then if they were left to set out. However, it was still a work in progress that needed fixing every now and again, but for the most part it did work. Which in this case was a blessing for her as she grabbed a bit of thin sliced turkey and cheese before she nabbed a few crackers from the cabinets up top.
Once Alessa had her goods she quickly exited as fast as she had entered, making her way back up the stairs towards her room. She only half attempted to sneak her way there, not really in the mood to tempt any more trouble to bite her. When she reached the top step she saw Steffen sitting in a small wooden chair by the flower table, he must have gotten from somewhere. At the sound of her slowed steps, he only took the time to glance at her before continued to clean his leather weapons holster, the lack of light from the widow remedied by the lamp.
The elf stopped a respectful distance before she timidly said anything.
"I'm guessing you heard some of that."
"Hard not to when the widow is not far from the patio." The tanner skinned man scuffed. "Did you honestly think he was not going to be upset?"
"I said I would -"
"Stop." Steffen sheathed his weapons as he stood up to wrapped the belt back around his waist. "What is done is done and I have no interest in rehearsing what others have already stated."
He took a moment to glance at what she had before looking her fully in the eyes.
"He's been asleep the whole time. I'll let you get back to settling his stuff in." He turned to take the chair with him.
"Thankyou Steffen. You and Ramon both, for everything." Almost lost in thought, she casted her eyes to the door of her room, missing the Master Crow's nod.
"Alessa," he gained her attention once more, "no matter what was said and what other will say. You are worthy of that tattoo. Just try not to keep popping up surprises on us." With that said, he started towards his own room to retire for the night.
Standing there in a dazed like stance. Alessa sighed as she gave up on how to feel, she only hoped that one day she would understand his statement. For now, she merrily turned to open the door and call it a night, after she ate, because she was hungry and not about to be told no to food.
Author's Note
Ok, no lies, I was so pumped to post this chapter! The tattoo scene was based off of my own experience just recently. I gave my character the same design I have on my arm because if you look at it, it could pass as a Crow's tattoo. This is the first of a few I have planned for but in all getting it done was not that bad like many people told me it would, and my artist was awesome to work with.
And... I couldn't wait any longer to introduce little Darren! XD now I can't decide to have a chapter where it is just his point of view or many one with how Viago and him interact without Alessa being there as a buffer. Choices choices. What you do guys think?
Anyways, my college finals are this week so I've have been busy and studying. Wish me luck and I shall post soon!