Chapter 59: The Long Road pt1
Viscount's Keep
The gang headed for the barracks, last night Aveline came to Hawke estate…she needed a favor, a favor that she could trust to a close friend. Aveline was not the type to ask for favors, so Ericks believed that something big came up. Since the adventure in the Deep Roads, Aveline has settled into life as the captain of the guard. She has removed the stain of Captain Jeven's corruption and turned the guardsmen into effective enforcers of law and order. Becoming captain of the guard title should have brought Aveline stability, but she has instead found herself taxed by having so many people under her care. She is very protective of the people she commands, to the point of training each guardsman herself and personally reinforcing otherwise simple patrols. Injury rates are lower than ever before, but the guards are beginning to feel smothered.
Aveline is utterly dedicated to her job, leaving no time for anything beyond the occasional sidetrack with Hawke—even that is an excuse to watch over people she cares about. She is a guardian in every waking moment, and she doesn't seem to know how to put down the weight she carries. When the gang got to her office, they found the guard captain to be restless. "Okay Avi, we're here"
"Oh, I thought you would never come"
"You're a fidgety one" Ericks said.
"Fidgety? Who's fidgety?" Aveline asked. "I need you to give something to Guardsman Donnic. Here, in the barracks. No questions and he is not to know it's from me" Ericks and Varric looked at each other. Donnic was the guardsman the gang saved from an ambush from the Coterie that was set up by Jeven, the previous guard captain. Stopping his plot and revealing his criminal connections was what elevated Aveline to captain of the guard. But apparently this was a different need of the guard and its captain.
Ericks raised a brow. "You need me for something as simple as this?"
Aveline crossed her arms. "You're doing quite badly at the 'no questions' part" she then sighed. "Look I protect many people…citizens well beyond the men and women I command" she said. "But…who do I really know besides you? I need a friend to do this. It's a short list"
"It must be something important if you're going to all this trouble"
"That's none of your business"
"Hmm, someone's been taking lessons from the Qunari" the rogue said dryly.
"I already regret this. I'm not about to make it worse by…exposing unnecessary facts" the guard captain said. "You can accept that or not, but that's all I can say"
Ericks threw up his hands. "Alright, alight fine, if that's all you need, I'll walk the hundred feet to him"
Aveline gave a sigh of relief. "Thank you and please, hurry back with his reaction" she said. "I appreciate this, Ericks. I really do" Aveline gave Ericks the package…it didn't seem very heavy and it also smelled…sweet somehow like flowers. The gang headed to the barracks where Donnic was alone and busy cleaning his equipment.
"Guardsman Donnic"
"Serah Hawke. It's been some time. You're here in Hightown now, right? I think the captain mentioned it" he said. "I see your uncle now and then on my patrols but…we don't talk"
Ericks snorted. "Something we share" he said. "So how's the wound? No ill effects, I trust?"
"They got me pretty good, I'll admit, but they fared worse, so I can't complain" Donnic said. "Guard is a good career if you're careful. A short one if you're not"
"And the captain makes sure we're careful" Ericks then gave the package to the guardsman. "What's this?"
"I have it on good authority that you are going to enjoy this"
"Am I now?" He opened the package and looked at it blankly. Ericks gave a blank look also; this was going to get very awkward. "It's a copper relief of…marigold? And it helpfully says so. 'Marigolds' he said unsure. "Well, how crafty…is there a meaning to this that I should know?"
"Err…'here, you throw this away?" The two men looked at each other for an uncomfortable amount of time. "Look just keep it, I sure it's more than it seems…maybe"
"It would have to be" he said uncomfortably. "Right. I'm sure we both have things to do. Of vary import. Serah Hawke" The gang couldn't leave the barrack quick enough, the only bright side that no one else was there to witness such an embarrassing display.
"Is there some reason Aveline just made us look like idiots?" Isabela asked.
"I don't know, but it's going to be fun watching her explain this?" The gang was back in the office where Aveline was waiting in anticipation. It was very obvious that the guards captain was serious about this but the question was why?
"You're back. Of course you are. You're efficient. Get things done. Good or ill" she said stiffly. "So, how did Donnic react?"
"Well…he reacted" Ericks said dryly. "Tell me, was giving him garbage part of the plan or…?"
Aveline frowned. "I thought it was clear. Metal is strong, copper ages well, and flowers are soft" Ericks gave her a disbelieving look, and then the guard captain paled. "O-Oh no…I've gone about this the wrong way. D-don't talk to him again" She then gave him a piece of paper.
"These are patrols for next week, post it to the roster and just…listen"
"Er, won't it look weird for me to post the roster and not…you know, the captain?"
"I want his honest reaction without the captain present"
"You could just have him hauled off" Varric said.
"This isn't about accusation I can put in a report and explain. I need someone…unofficial"
Ericks just rubbed his eyes. "Ugh, fine"
"I need to know exactly how he reacts, that's key" she said. "Thank you" The gang walked out.
"This is weird, right?" Merrill asked.
"You don't know the half of it, Daisy" The gang posted the roster on the boards and waited for the guards to take a look. Donnic came out of the barracks finished with his equipment. A young guardswoman spoke up.
"Hey, Donnic, whose pucker have you been greasing to get Hightown?" Donnic walked over.
"What? You're daft. I'm working the docks for those smugglers"
"Says here you're guarding the square. Always been a make-work job, that one. You someone's pet?"
The guardsman scoffed. "Check your eyes, it's a mistake"
"Says the pet"
Donnic shook his head. "You have got to be kidding me. What did I do to get that post?" he asked. "I don't know why anyone would embarrass me with a patrol like this"
"Well, that went well…" Isabela said. "Not only is Donnic pissed but now the rest of the guards are pissed at him"
"Avi's not going to like this…" The gang went back to Aveline who was waiting for answers, when they told her what happened the captain went paler.
"Donnic thinks I'm punishing him? But Hightown is a safe patrol. A reward"
"If you think your fellow guards sneering and glaring at you is a reward, then Donnic is fucking rolling in a pile of gold coins right now" Aveline sighed in frustrations as she started pacing back and forth.
"All right, I can fix this. I need…I need three goats and a sheaf of wheat. You'll take them to his mother" Ericks crossed his arms and raised a brow…this was just getting ridiculous. "It's a dowry tradition. Maybe it will smooth the process" Ericks, Varric, and Isabela's eyes went wide.
"Don't be silly. A dowry would only matter if you were courting him"
Aveline sighed and shook her head. "Merrill…"
The elf then gasped. "You're courting him!"
Isabela could barely hold in her laughter. "Oh, this is glorious. All this flailing is her idea of courtship"
"I think my jaw just landed in the Deep Roads somewhere" Varric said incredulously.
Aveline frowned as her face turned a bright red. "Whore, dwarf…so help me…"
"How, exactly, did you think this mess would work?" Ericks asked.
"I don't know what I thought. I've been focused on being captain for so long, that's all I know"
"I'm confused. Wasn't lady man-hands married already?"
"That was…a long time ago. It was easier…or seemed to be" Aveline said.
"Sounds like you're ready to move on"
"It's been four years since Wesley. Stop trying to protect me, Ericks"
"Ha! As if you would let me"
Aveline's never been one to have trouble speaking her mind especially when the matter of her guards came up. When they hurt, she hurt but Donnic…he was different. She hasn't felt this way since her late husband and she wanted Donnic to know how she felt. "If something happened to him…"
"Something did happen to him, Avi and he's just fine"
"I know, but if it made sense I wouldn't need you" Aveline said. "I feel paralyzed and I hate it"
"Wait, you've gone four years without? You must creak like a rusty hinge" Isabela said in slight horror.
Aveline crossed her arms. "Many people have their lives because of me"
"But poor you no life of your own"
"We both place others above ourselves. I happen to do it clothed"
The pirate walked towards the guard captain with a smug smirk. "You're splitting hairs, but wishing someone would split yours"
Aveline frowned. "I've had enough of your loose lips. Like many, I'm sure"
"Oh, touché. Prig!"
"Slattern!"
Ericks cleared his throat and got between them. "If I might put this back on track" The two women separated. "This little dance of yours is obviously not working, Avi. So what will?"
Aveline sighs. "I'm the captain, he's my guardsman. I can't get past that"
"Being in the barracks doesn't help. Go somewhere you talk" Merrill said.
"Possibly somewhere you can get him drunk. Shame is a great equalizer" Isabela said.
"What, just…go out somewhere? Like it's that easy?"
Ericks shrugged. "Why not? You didn't have problem with this when you were just a guardswoman" Aveline was silent for a while.
"Tell Donnic…invite him to the Hanged Man" she said. "Don't tell him about me, make something up. It's a surprise, or just you, or a group. Anything to get him there" Aveline's face started to light up. "He's not like the others. I don't want him to think he's meeting the captain"
Ericks sighed. "Very well, this is about to get awkward…again" The gang headed out where they spotted Donnic reading in the commons. "Guardsman Donnic! How are you?"
"Good…I suppose?"
"Doesn't matter. Free for an evening?"
Donnic tilted his head. "I have no immediate patrols. Why?"
"I'm feeling festive!" he said. "A night at the Hanged Man for all the guard. You'll come? Of course, you'll come"
"Uh, should I have heard of this? Very well, Serah Hawke, I guess I'll be there" The gang walked away leaving a very confused guardsman.
The Hanged Man-Night
That night gang joined up with Donnic where they just sat in silence. They didn't have anything to talk about, it was all very uncomfortable. Ericks looked around the Hanged Man for Aveline, but she hadn't showed. "I swear by Andraste's tits if you chicken out, Avi…"
"There were supposed to be others coming, right?"
"Plans change, apparently"
"Right. Look, I should really…" Donnic was about to get up.
"What? No, sit, drink" The group continued sitting around waiting for Aveline to finally show up. Ericks had buy drinks to keep Donnic interested enough to stay around; he was going to get an earful from the bank keepers. "Another round?"
"Maker, yes!" The night dragged on and on until finally Aveline made her appearance.
Ericks lets out a small sigh "Finally…the guest of honor shows up" When Aveline sees Donnic, instead of approaching she goes into the nearest corner to hide. "Dah! No, son of a bitch…" The guardsman looked with a raised brow. It was obvious that Aveline was not going to take the initiative, so Ericks was going to have to force the issue. "So, Aveline is great!"
Look, if this was just a plan to get closer to the captain, maybe you should just talk to her" Ericks looked at the guardsman blankly; this had taken a very wrong turn. Aveline was a wonderful woman, no doubt but having a romantic interest with her was a lot like courting an older sister. "I mean, how sad would it be if you needed a go-between? Have some backbone" he said. "I have to go, thanks for the drinks" He got up and left the tavern.
"Well, that took a turn…" Aveline showed up looked a bit shameful. "Nice for you to finally show, Avi"
"I…I couldn't do it. What did he say?"
"Oh nothing big…except for the fact he thinks this was all ruse for me to court you" Ericks said annoyed.
Aveline groaned. "I'm an idiot"
"Admitting it is a good step. Where are you heading next?"
"The barracks. Ferelden? The deepest hole I can find?" she said bashfully.
Ericks crossed his arms. "You've never been the hiding type"
"I know, all right, but I freeze up. The only place I'm not a mess is on patrol" the guard captain. "And killing highwaymen doesn't afford much opportunity for banter"
"It's ringing a little hollow, girl" Varric said.
"Come on, you want this!" Merrill said.
"I will not risk…"
"That's the problem. Risk, or so help me, I will bed the man myself!" Isabela said.
Ericks smirked. "You have to do it, now"
"But I can't fight and talk"
"Then we'll clear the way and you can see if he's the one"
"You're too good at this. Is it any wonder you've all but taken Hightown?" Aveline asked. "You clear the route up the Wounded Coast, and I…will think of something to say"
Operation Guard and Woo has begun! Next Time! As always Review and Comment!
