9:29 Cloudreach 18th
After that day at the inn, Rael has been showing me all the sights and sounds of Denerim with a little of the country side added. I think he was trying to cheer me up when I opened up and told him that I killed a man. I've laughed more in these three days than in the year that I've been up in Highever. He showed me where the Royal Castle was, that the big tall tower off in the distance is Fort Drakon, and that the Pearl is actually nice.
No I didn't go in there for too long. They started to talk about us so we left in a hurry. All in all, I've never realized how huge Denerim was! It took hours trying to walk everywhere and it wasn't all just homes. There were various shops that I couldn't even find in game and they sold everything.
There are nice neighborhoods but those are in the noble's district. Everything between the Royal Palace and the Arl of Denerim's estate were all noble estates. We saw all of that on top of a rooftop. Rael wasn't allowed to go there unless he was a servant.
We talked about everything and nothing. There were all random conversations. It was never as heavy as the first day. Rael was extremely curious of my family. I tried to tell him everything. He had a small smile just listening to me.
I was even able to protect him when we couldn't merely run away. We were cornered by one guy behind us and two guys in front of us in a small alley. Rael's smiling face went away and got serious when they took out their daggers.
"We're only asking for a small donation to our funds." The main guy said in front of me. I was worried about Rael since he didn't have any weapon while I still had my medium armor and my daggers. I have only been in a few scuffles and that demon since I killed a man. That anxiety was still there but all I had to focus on was knocking them out. That's why I had these knuckles.
"Nia…" Rael stood closer to me.
"Looks like we can't avoid this." I nodded. I took a breath and went into a dead spring, tackling the leader while the other two looked dumbfounded for a second before readying themselves. Rael had a hard time evading in such a small space.
I pushed the leader against the wall before uppercutting him and he fell to the ground. I turned only to catch the other guy's daggers in my own. There was one place I saw that wasn't protected and I quickly kneed him in the balls. He groaned in pain and automatically keeled over to grab them. I hit him on the back of the head and he fell too. I saw that Rael managed to rob the other attacker's dagger but had no real training and wasn't doing anything other than evading.
He tried to stab but the guy grabbed his arm and head butted Rael. He stumbled back and he went in for the kill. Not on my watch. I tackled him as well and down to the ground we went. I immediately pulled my right arm and put my strength in it. I socked him right across the jaw. He spat out blood before I got up and did a hammer kick on his lower abdomen. Right in the bread basket. He started to violently cough and I grabbed Rael to make a run for it.
We ran all the way to the gates of the Alienage. The guard looked at us with mild annoyance as Rael tried not to throw up from the amount of running and I panted heavily, trying to catch my breath. We both looked at each other and started to laugh before he started to cough again. I rubbed his back until he stopped.
"Wow, Andraste's breeches that was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!" Rael laughed and grabbed my shoulders. "You, my good woman, are my hero." He chuckled sheepishly. I ruffled his hair and laughed.
"I'm no hero Rael, just someone that can fight really good." I shrugged. Rael hugged me before we went into the Alienage and we had dinner. Shianni still had her pouty face but Cyrion and Soris ate up the few stories I had from working the guard.
I kept on repeating Rael's words in my head. I'm not much of a hero. Hell, I'm not even the main character but I can try to do good while I'm here. That, at least, should be worth something.
9:29 Cloudreach 21st
It was only a week but man how time flies. I really loved staying with Rael and his family but I couldn't stay forever. I put up my pack, carried it out of my room, and out of the inn. I gave my final pay to the innkeeper and went out. Rael was waiting for me by the doors. I love how he always wore the deep greens. The color always brought out his eyes.
"Do you really have to go? I hear they have openings in the Denerim guard." Rael looked hopeful, stuffing his hands in his pockets and looking away sheepishly. I sighed, smiled, and shook my head.
"You know I can't. Besides, this was an impromptu vacation. I never wanted to take it but Eren said leave for a week or a month. A month would be too long and I'm running out of the coin that I took with me." I tugged at his sleeve. "Sorry Rael but I have to go." He pouted and nodded.
"Then let's go over to the carriages." Rael said defeated.
"Oh come on, don't hang your ears low. You know I'll keep writing letters." I assured him.
"It's not the same as having you here…" He mumbled. I sighed. There was nothing I could say to make him happy so we spent our final walk filled with silence. There were a few times when I saw him look at me but whenever I caught his eyes, he'd look away. The smell hit me sooner than the sight. Too bad I couldn't ride a horse.
"Where you riding to?" One of the riders asked.
"I was wondering if I can take a carriage up to Highever." I asked.
"3 sovs for the both of you." He gruffily said.
"Oh. I'm not going with her." Rael shook his head. The guy huffed.
"A sov and 15 silvers." He replied. I gave him the money and Rael wilted.
"So you'll come back one day right?" He asked softly.
"I will." I nodded. Rael wiped a few stray tears before giving me a bear hug. I patted his back. I slipped in a letter into his pocket. He looked at me confused but I put a finger to my lips. "Don't read it until you get home and don't show anyone the contents." I whispered. Rael nodded. I threw my pack in the seat and Rael grabbed my wrist.
"I…" He bit his lip, wanting to say something before letting me go. "Have a safe trip and don't let that bastard push you around anymore." He smiled. It was forced. I ruffled his hair once more and his smile dropped.
"I won't. Stay safe Rael." I said and he nodded. I went into the back seat and closed it. I looked out the window and saw, surprisingly, a dwarf handling the horse. You didn't see that every day. Eventually the carriage started to move and I saw Rael stand there watching me leave just like the first time. He waved goodbye until we were out and toward Highever. I sat back in my seat.
This was good. It really brightened up my mood. I almost considered staying but I said I was going to make sure Eren survives. I can't do that unless I'm there with him. I hope that his sour mood finally went away.
9:29 Cloudreach 22nd
The ride was managed in one day thanks to clear roads and a really good horse. Not only that, having only one passenger made the horse go longer without wearing out. We only have to stop for the night and keep on going until I saw the outskirts of the city. I paid the man something extra and went on toward where Eren would be at the time of day.
I could breathe easy in this city. It wasn't like Denerim where I had to keep an eye on nearly every corner. I walked past the marketplace, still keeping an eye on my pack. Thieves would try anything and I still have to keep being careful.
I walked past toward the guard barracks. Of course Eren doesn't stay there but he would be gathering his paperwork around mid-afternoon. I said hi to a few guards I recognized before going in and going past the barracks toward the captain's room. It was unexpectedly messy with Eren at his never used desk. He was mumbling to himself until I knocked the door. He looked up and then did a double take before rising up, the chair falling to the ground. I imagined the cricket chirping.
"Uh, hey." I started off. Eren gave me a deep scowl before grabbing me and pushing me into the room. He slammed the door and locked it. He turned around and glared at me. I pushed down my inner fear and got ready for the shout.
"Where. Were. You?" His deep voice reverberated throughout the room. I got caught by surprise that he didn't start yelling at me.
"Well…you said to take a week or a month off. You pushed me away so I decided to take that and go to Denerim for a change of pace." I shrugged. Eren put his hand to his face and let out a deep sigh. He then started to laugh until it got louder.
"Denerim…" He calmed down and cleared his throat. Now that I noticed it, he was also very scruffy. "Denerim!? You went away for more than a week!" He snapped, going to his desk and gathering his papers in a crazed frenzy. I stood at the wall just watching him.
"Well I can't really trust the carriages to get me here so fast." I said. And this is why I wished I had a car, I thought. Eren slammed his fist on the table.
"And who told you to go away for such a time!?" He shouted. That was what I was expecting.
"You did! Don't you remember when you told me to just go? Even when I said I needed to stay and be your bodyguard you told me, 'Not anymore' and told me to leave!" I shouted back. Eren growled and slammed both of his hands on the wall. I was in between them. Truthfully, I was really scared at this moment but I wasn't going to show that to Eren.
"Don't you realize when you take a joke too far?" Eren stared down with those icy blue eyes. I got heated.
"Really!? That was a frigging joke!? 'Oh hey I don't need you anymore so get out of here?' That's your idea of a joke!" I yelled to his face. His glare only got worse. "I should say the same thing Eren, don't take your jokes so far." I spat back with a dark smirk.
"I didn't…!" Eren gritted his teeth and looked down. His bangs were hanging low. He really was scruffy besides his mustache and goatee. Not only that, taking a look around the room, I noticed that his usual meticulous room was all over the place. "I didn't mean to drive you away…" He whispered harshly. "I just…needed time."
"Time for what Eren?" I wondered. He didn't say anything. Just hung his head low and his hands slipped down from the sides of my head and to my shoulders. He didn't look at me and it made me really uncomfortable seeing him this defeated. He was always so cocky, so sure, so…bright. Now, he looked like a regular person suffering defeat. It…didn't seem right. He looked up and stared at me. His glare was gone and instead there was an indecipherable look to his eyes. It looked almost hungry. I looked away.
"You were gone and I didn't even know what to do with myself." Eren confessed and slipped away from me. His feet banged the floor as if they weighed so heavy before he pulled his chair up from the ground and dumped his body on it. He stared at the ceiling. He sighed and rubbed his face. "For some odd reason, I expected the worse. I thought something had happened to you but I soon learned that a rider took you away. I thought that I had finally driven you off…and I realized that I made the worst mistake of my life." My eyes went bug eyed.
"You aren't feeling that well are you?" I snorted. He sat up straight and stared at me again.
"As much as I wish I was joking…" He looked away and rubbed his neck. "I'm not. I have never realized how much I devoted my time to you. I woke up and immediately went to your room only to find you not there. After the third day and hearing the news that you had left Highever there was…nothing but regret." He sighed. I gulped as I accepted his confession. I got up from where I was leaning and walked toward him. He looked up at my face and I hesitantly patted his head. His eyes closed as I ran my fingers through his hair.
It was oily like he hasn't washed it and the circles under his eyes were more pronounced. I didn't want to think that he was worried about me all this time but he just said that. He sighed in relief and relaxed to my touch. I ran both of my hands through his head and he hung his head low.
"I'm sorry…" I mumbled. "I should have left you a note." I sighed. He shook his head.
"I should not have lashed out at you. I was…confused." He said while I scratched his scalp. He let a small moan. "But I have reviewed my…well…I know now and I won't let it get passed me." He took my hands off his head and stood up. Sometimes I forget how tall Eren was. He put his entire hand on my face.
"Hey!" I struggled before I felt something soft press against my temple before I threw off his hand. Eren smirked at me.
"Still this only means that you cannot resist me." Eren laughed haughtily. I gave him a deadpanned look before laughing. This was familiar to me. This I can handle. Eren smirked at me.
"Yeah sure Eren. I want you all to myself." I rolled my eyes in sarcasm.
"I knew it." Eren flicked my forehead. I stuck my tongue at him. "But since you are back now…I want you to collect all these papers into their right bins and this floor to be flawless by the time I get back from my rotation." Eren demanded. My pack fell on the floor.
"Oh come on! Give me a break!" I groaned.
"I have! You should be well rested by now, ha!" Eren laughed before strutting out of the door and shutting it. I growled and kicked the desk. "And don't break anything!" I heard through the door. I pouted before shrugging and accepting it. I rubbed the place where I felt something soft.
I thought it could have been…No. Eren didn't see me that way. I laughed at the possibility of it before starting to clean. The vacation was done. It was time to work again.
Beta'd by the stunning FearaNightmare, love ya!
I love Rael. I kinda wished this was third POV if only to write him sulking in his home after Nia went back and Shianni kicking his ass. Truthfully I love him so much I was thinking of making him into a Grey Warden in a separate fic though that would be up to you guys.
Thank you Chimera Spyke and Syutaku for reviewing! Please Review!