When they come to the gate to Lowtown, a guardsman stops them.
"Where do you children think you're going at this hour?" He asks. "Do your families know where you are?"
"Allow me, sir. These children's families are friends of mine. They're helping me take my last shipment of preserved foods to the docks for transport. It's been a crazy day at the shop today, and I haven't had time to make the last delivery." Varric bows before him.
"Well, it looks to me like you aren't having any trouble carrying those sacks and your crossbow. What do you need the children for?" He folds his arms.
"Well, as it happens, I also have a shipment coming in tonight that may require extra hands to get up all those stairs. I'm not as young as I used to be!" He chuckles. "Plus, if we're ambushed, these kids can scream loud enough to wake the dead. Gives me a great opening for a couple shots from the crossbow."
The guardsman clearly doesn't believe a word Varric says.
"Maybe this'll help ease your mind." Varric eases a small coin pouch into the guard's hands. "I promise nothing will happen to the kids. And no, their parents will not come looking for you on account of what you see here tonight."
"Another thirty silver and I never saw a thing." The guard says.
"Sure pal, sure." Varric counts out the change.
"Wow, I wish I had that much money. Must be great to just hand somebody a couple coins and they leave you alone." Jack sighs.
"Don't you get any bad habits from me!" Varric scolds gently. "We need a guard captain who won't take bribes to look the other way! And you shouldn't be getting too excited about the idea of paying people off."
"Why not? It seems like it works pretty well." Farill grins.
Varric sighs. "I'm not a good lead-by-example kind of guy. The world's a pretty rough place. You have to do what you can. But, try to be honest people. I don't need your parents accusing me of making liars out of you kids."
"Sure thing, sir." Kelly grins.
When they get to Lowtown, they stop outside the Hanged Man. They take off the fancy clothes, and Melian sighs at the ragged look of her normal everyday ones underneath.
It was fun being noble for a day.
Varric takes their Hightown clothes inside and returns with another sack. They divide up the day's spoils between the four of them and then Varric walks them home.
"I'll check the coast. Wait here." Farill disappears into the shadows of the Alienage, while Varric and Melian wait outside.
"What would Mama do if she found out where we went?" She asks.
"Probably skin me alive." He mutters.
"But what could she do to us? Other than ground us, I mean? We can still just sneak out."
"It's not exactly safe. Your parents are right to worry. Here in the Alienage, or in the Lowtown market during the day, there are people and guards around who keep an eye on things. At night, you could be kidnapped and sold to slavers, just like if you went down to the docks. And the Red Lantern District is known for conscripting kids into service in the local...uh, nevermind. They'd only make you janitors until you were an adult anyway. But still. Your brother's been at this for two years now. He knows who to trust and who not to. And clearly, you wouldn't have enough to eat if he didn't. But your mom's thinking about the thugs and the slavers. Like I said before: the world's a rough place."
He pulls her close in a one armed hug. "Just don't go wandering off alone, alright? Stay with your brother and his friends. And listen when he tells you how things work!"
She nods.
"All clear!" Farill says, bounding back to them. "Quick, get the food into the pantry. Not all of it, mind! Just enough until Market Day."
"Where do we put the rest?"
"I'll show you."
They wave goodbye to Varric and dash inside.
"I wonder if Mama is out looking for us?" Melian asks.
"Nah, she's visiting with the neighbors again. She can't wait to see the new baby when it arrives."
"Mama and babies." She shakes her head.
"Hey, it worked out well for you, didn't it? You were a baby once. And Golden City knows you weren't easy to keep. Do you know how much it cost to feed you for the first two years?!" He slides a panel back in the wall next to his bed, behind and under the only writing desk in the cramped house.
"How do you know how much it costed?" She stomps. "You were only four. You couldn't even read yet."
"I know because I heard Mama speak to Daddy about it once. Before he left." His gaze lingers in the direction of the food stacked in the little space in the wall.
"Oh." She glances at the floor, ashamed.
Their father had perished at sea on fishing boat during a storm. Melian has no memory of him.
"Anyway, you're still expensive to feed. Fish is cheap, because it's caught locally, but fruits and vegetables aren't."
He's right. They do eat mostly bread, cheese, and fish.
The fruits and vegetables are largely for her. Just as she can't eat bread, or cookies and cupcakes, he had to give up fruits and most of his vegetables for her. There just wasn't enough to go around.
Melian realizes that without her brother's frequent secret trips to Darktown and Hightown, she'd have starved long ago. Or maybe Mama would have, trying to keep her alive.
Why couldn't I have just been born normal?!
"It's not your fault." Farill says, closing up the space and sliding desk back in front of it. "You didn't ask to be born. I asked for it. I prayed every night to the Maker and every Elven god I know the name of. I asked Mama and Papa every day. And then you came along and Mama almost died." He looks away again. "And then you were so small, and you get so sick. And sometimes I wonder if I made a mistake."
Silence echoes in her ears.
"I don't mean that you were a mistake. Just my asking for you. I guess it doesn't make any sense. My point was just that it wasn't your fault you were born this way." He hugs her. "I'm really glad to have you. I don't go hungry, and neither do you or Mama. And I'll look out for you always, Sister."
"Alright."
But it continues to ricochet in her mind.
Am I a mistake?
(o0o)
"Farill, are you awake?" Melian whispers, trying not to wake Mama across the room.
"I am now." He mutters, rolling over to face her. "What do you need?"
"We didn't go to a new place in Hightown today. You already knew Bartrand and Varric. And Varric said he showed you all the park before. Where were we going to go?" She asks, sitting beside him.
"Can't this wait until morning? Mama might hear."
"No. I have to do your chores tomorrow, and by the time you get home, we'll both have forgotten about it."
"Fine. Come on." He rolls out of bed and they tip toe to the kitchen area. "Alright, you can't tell anyone. Not a soul."
"I promise!"
"There's an abandoned mansion up there near the top of Hightown. Apparently, it's owned by some Tevinter magister. And he's not been around for a while. Rumor has it that the place is haunted." He lights a candle and holds it under his face. The light makes creepy shadows under his eyes.
"I'll bet it might be." She shrugs. "Magisters are all mages. Mages bring demons. It fits."
"Or, maybe that's just what they say to keep people away from it. Even with the guard, looters could sneak in at night and take everything."
"We're not going to steal anything, are we?" She asks. "I'm not helping you steal anything."
"Says the one who stole my cupcakes."
"I said sorry!"
"Sh! Keep it down."
They turned to the doorway, where Mama is standing.
"What are you doing up?" She asks them.
Farill blows out the candle and makes for his bed.
"Not so fast! What were you up to?" Mama's hand on her shoulder stops her from burrowing into her bedroll.
"I couldn't sleep, Mama. Farill was telling me a story to help me relax." She says, quickly.
"And what story were you telling her?" Mama casts a suspicious eye at Farill.
"Just about Andraste's Exalted March. There's a cool story I heard Varric tell the other day outside the Hanged Man. There was an elf and a smith that couldn't get along, and Andraste..."
"Alright, Farill. I believe you. Go to bed children."
They hop to.
"Good night, Mama." They call to her.
"Good night, children. Sleep well." She replies.
