Dragon Age:

Origins

(Book 1 of 7)

Chapter Ten

He was going to die, he was certain enough of that.

It was an odd feeling to come to terms with, to know that your life was to come to an end and there was nothing you could do to stop it, not that he hadn't tried of course but he had long ago exhausted every possibility of escape, of getting as far away from this hole as he could but none of them had panned out in any helpful way.

So, he decided not to waste his energy and instead rested himself back against the cell wall and spent most of his time sleeping. The darkness of sleep had become a sanctuary for him, a place where he could escape to as he waited for for whatever was waiting for him, knowing the boss he doubted that it was going to be a pleasant death.

Still, all he could hope for was that he would not end up in the hands of Jarvia, there were a lot of stories about what she did to those that winded up in her hands, her pretty ones as she liked to call them and each of them had ended up in a worst state than the last if you believed the stories that were told about what Jarvia did to them.

Some of them might have been overblown, after all being a part of the Carta meant that you kind of needed to have a reputation that stopped people from fucking with you and Jarvia certainly had that in spades, everyone knew that crossing her meant that you ended up dead and that was if you were lucky, if you weren't then she would make you pretty.

To say that Jarvia had a twisted definition of what pretty was would be like saying that Darkspawn were slightly disturbing to look at. He would much rather take a horde of Darkspawn than face Jarvia. Darkspawn would just kill him but Jarvia always played with her food and picked the bones clean when she was finally done, making sure that there was nothing left of her toys to fix.

"Let me out, come on! Let me the fuck out of here!" The shouting from the other cell hurt his ears and he wished that Leske would just stop already, his best friend had not taken to just laying back and letting whatever happened next happen as easily as he had done, to put it lightly. He just watched him for a few moments and leaned his head back against the stone wall.

"You done?" Faren asked and Leske let out a snarl and Faren knew that if they had been placed in the same cell then his friend would have broken his nose, wouldn't have been the first time to be sure but it might well be the last time and wasn't that a thought.

"What the fuck are you doing?! We are going to die if you don't help me find a way out of here." Leske's chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath and slide down the stone wall of the cell which put him out of Faren's sight. "They are going to kill us, both of us if we don't. Oh Stone, help me. We did what we were told, didn't we? We did what Beraht told us to do, it wasn't our fault that fucking blighter drank to much."

No, it wasn't their fault at all but Faren knew that would not be enough to save them. The boss wasn't known for being reasonable, even at the best of times. And this was not the best of times. The incident in the proving grounds had brought a great deal of scrutiny down on to Dust Town and on to the Carta and that was just unacceptable, their deaths wouldn't do anything to stop that of course but that was not the point at all.

Indeed, to punish them Beraht had risked even more scrutiny by having his contacts in the guard bring them out of their cells where they had been placed and down into the hideout beneath Dust Town. But the scrutiny that would bring was unlikely to matter to Beraht who when his ire had been raised never acted logically and was more likely to cut their throats and worry about the consequences later.

"I'd prefer not to strain my throat, because I am either going to spend my last few moments calling Beraht everything that I've always wanted to or failing that I am going to save my throat for all the screaming that Jarvia is going to make sure that we do." Faren heaved out a breath and crossed his arms over his chest as he shut his eyes and bite down on his tongue in order to stop himself from cursing.

The taste of blood in his mouth reassured him, it meant he was still alive and the pain that came with it helped him to focus on what to do next and that allowed him to bring himself back to his sense. He rose from where he was sitting, he had not changed his opinion about the fact that the both of them were more than likely to die down here at best.

But that did not mean he was about to make it easy for them, first thing was first. Find out what he had to hand to use in order to get them both out of her, Leske was still in the middle of his break down so he doubted that his friend was going to be of much use at the moment and so he began to look around his cell, hoping that he would find something that could be of use to him.

There wasn't much of anything, they hadn't even given them the smallest decency in giving either of them a chamber pot and so when nature called they both had to go into the corner and the stink of it was getting pretty unbearable, thankfully smelling a lot worse than had made sure that he had a pretty strong stomach so he didn't have to worry about adding vomit into the mix.

Someone had been kind enough to give the both of them a threadbare blanket, it didn't do much to keep out the chill but it was better than nothing. Other than that, there was nothing that he could use. Looking closely at the look of the cell door, Faren could tell that he could get the door open in half a second if he had a pick but of course he didn't.

"Have you got anything in your cell?" He asked Leske, he couldn't get a good look at Leske's cell from where he was standing but considering the smell that was coming from that direction and the cursing that Leske had been letting out ever since he had been shoved in there it was more than likely his cell was just as bare as his own, they had nothing they could use in order to get out of there.

Fuck.

It was at that moment the door to the holding area opened and footsteps filled the air and Faren leaned in close to the bars of his cell so he could see who it was who had come to them, the Carta wasn't exactly the place for you to go if you wanted to make friends but he was still on pretty decent terms with most everyone, decent of course meaning he was pretty sure he only needed to sleep with one eye open around them of course.

But Jarvia was something different, she was the most vicious bitch that Faren had ever had the misfortune of meeting. You wouldn't think it to look at her, you would see a normal plain featured female dwarf and the only reason that anyone might avoid her would be from the brand on her cheek but Faren had seen what she was really like and it took all he had not to curl into a ball and cry.

"Jarvia." His voice was as solid as stone as he looked at her, rising to his feet and meeting her eyes. "How does it feel to know that Beraht is always going to see you as nothing more than a glorified messanger girl?" If he couldn't get away from here then the best thing he could do was get her angry enough to kill him quickly before she had time to get more creative.

Jarvia grinned at his words and Faren felt a cold squirm in his belly, like he had just made a terrible mistake, as the monster in a woman's skin stepped closer to the bars of his cell. "I do like it when my toys have a bit of spirit of them, Beraht did promise me that I could take my pick from the both of you and well done, you've just put yourself in the leading."

Faren couldn't help it, he swallowed and took a step back and he tripped over the chamber pot that was just behind him, falling down on to his side with a cry that was soon drowned out by Jarvia's mad cackling and if it was anyone else then he would have called her everything single name that he could think off.

"Oh, that was good." Jarvia said with a sigh and shook her head. "No, sadly Beraht has decided that he wants the both of you for himself." She sighed then. "Pity that, we could have had so much fun together and if he really wanted to punish you he should have given you to me but you men do have your pride after all." Jarvia blew them both a kiss and then turned on her heel and marched out of the cells, humming as she went.

Once he was certain that Jarvia was out of earshot Faren slammed his fist into the wall of the cell and didn't even care when the pain shot through him, it's not like he would have to worry about it for very much longer after all, he took in a breath and then he screamed out his rage for a few moments, sadly it didn't do much to make him feel better as when he was done he was still stuck in the cell only now with a sore throat and a possibly broken hand.

It was at least another hour before someone came to get them, he couldn't tell who either guard was under their helmets but he doubted that it would matter either way as while Faren was always good at talking people into doing what he wanted them to do this was not going to be one of those times considering he doubted that either of the guards wanted to be in his place instead.

They went into Leske's cell first and there was a struggle for a few moments before the guards came back out with Leske, his friend's hands tied behind his back. When one of the guards opened his cell door he briefly considered rushing him but he decided against it, he wouldn't be able to get past him and he doubted he would be able to escape the hideout on his own and there was a chance, a tiny insignificant chance but still a chance, that he could convince Beraht to spare their lives.

And so he kept silent as his wrists were bound behind his back and he was brought out of his cell before both he and Leske were marched through the hideout so all of the others that belonged to the carta could take a good look at them and it seemed like Beraht had ordered the guards to take them to his chambers via the long way, a message to everyone about the price of failing him, it seemed.

Soon enough they were there and once they stepped inside of Beraht's chambers both Faren and Leske were pushed down on to their knees in front of Beraht's desk, the man was sitting at it and was writing something and if he wasn't in such a bad situation in the moment Faren probably would have snorted, he had seen this been done far to many times so he knew Beraht wasn't actually writting anything important, it was just a tactic he used to make people nervous while they waited.

After a few moments of waiting on their knees Beraht finally put his quill down and rose from his chair, walking around his desk to stand in front of them while crossing his arms in front of his chest. "You know, I am more disappointed then I am angry to be honest with the both of you. And considering I am really fucking angry at the moment I am sure that can make you both appreciate how very, very disappointed I am at the moment."

"Beraht, man-I mean come on, it wasn't our fault!" Leske cried out, the panic was already obvious in his voice. "Your fighter was the one who got drunk and passed out! We had to do something to try and make it work for you, and Faren won the fight for you! It's not our fault that he had to take his mask off, we did the best we could with what we had man come on, can't you just let this one go!?"

"Considering the entire noble caste is asking questions as to just how a casteless managed to enter the provings, no I don't think I can just let this one go you stupid worthless piece of shit." Beraht grabbed Leske by the back of his head and slammed his knee into his mouth, there was already blood and some of Leske's teeth were knocked out as he fell to the ground wailing.

"Worthless piece of nug shit." Beraht said before spitting down on Leske and then his attention was turned on to Faren, as he walked over to him he reached out to grab a dagger from the top of his desk and once he was standing in front of Faren he jammed the tip of it against his neck. Faren could feel the skin break and a drip of blood starting to roll down his neck.

"What do you think kid? Do you think I should give you another chance? Do you think I should just let go?" He twisted the dagged for half a moment before he pulled it away, the tip of the blade stained red. "You know what? You always were one of my favourites so I'll make a deal with you, you crawl over here and kiss my boots and I'll consider forgiving you."

Faren stared up at him, stared deep into his eyes and grinned. "You're going to kill me anyway, who do you thinking you are talking to you stupid piece of shit? Just get on with it, at least I won't have to see your ugly fucking face ever again."

Beraht grabbed him by the back of his head and tilted it back, the blade pressed up against his throat. So, a slit throat was how he was to die. He had slit enough by himself to know that it was hardly a pleasent way to die but there were a lot of worse ways to go and he wasn't going to show Beraht his fear, he would not let himself be afraid. He wasn't.

"Oh, there was no question of me killing you but if you had done it you would have earned my forgiveness, and that would have kept that worthless sister of yours safe for at least a time."

Rica!

He was about to open his mouth, beg Beraht to leave her alone and tell him that he could do anything he wanted to him and he would not fight back at all if he would just leave his sister alone, when a very strange thing happened. A bit of dust feel down from the froom and landed on his shoulder, Beraht had noticed it to and while he kept the blade presssed to Faren's throat he did look up at the roof.

For a few moments there was only silence until the door to the chambers burst open and one of the other members of the carta rushed in, he was in a panic and there was an arrow sticking out of his shoulder, face pale and a slow river of blood flowing from the wound. "Beraht! We're under attack!"

The crime boss cursed and pushed Faren to the side. "Is it the guard?"

"No, it's the Grey Wardens!"

Honestly, if the man had said that it was an army of golems under the command of a giant nug that was attacking them then Faren was certain that the silence would only be slightly less thick. Form his angle Faren could see that his boss was utterly lost and had no idea what to do and if Faren wasn't in such a bad position at the moment then he probably would have laughed about it.

"Fuck me, what the actual fuck is happening." Beraht paced for a few moments before he nodded and turned back to adress the one who had burst into his chambers. "How many are there?"

"I don't know man, five? six? But they've got a mage Beraht! She was throwing actual fireballs, and lightening!"

"Oh, it just gets better and better doesn't it?" Beraht muttered to himself. "Fuck it, I don't care if they have a dozen mages we still out number them and magic isn't meant to work that great on us anyway, go and find whoever you can and we'll make our stand here, and get Jarvia as well! This is not how I am going to go out, dying in this bloody hole."

It was such a small thing, he had so many things to worry about that he could almost be forgiven for doing it but when the one who had burst in went back out to find others and Beraht went to go and change into his armor and the two guards that had brought them set to set up barricades, Beraht dropped the knife on to the ground and Faren rolled over to pick it up.

Once he had done so he shuffled back on his knees to the wall where Leske had propped himself up. "I saw that, can you get these ropes cut? Maybe we can sneak out of here while the Carta is busy with the Wardens."

"Maybe, just hang on." It was trick to cut ropes like this, but he knew he had to dry.

Soon there were a dozen men in the chambers, all armed and armoured and the sound of fighting, and dying, was getting closer and closer to them and Beraht did not look happy at all. "Is this it? And where the actual fuck is Jarvia! I need her here and I need her here right now!"

"Boss, we couldn't find her!"

"Oh fuck me!" Beraht groaned. "Forget it, everyone get ready for the attack. And Jarvia had better hope she's fucking dead already because if I get my hands on her then I am going to kill her!"

Everyone had taken their positions and once they had done so it was really just a matter of waiting as the fighting got closer and closer to where they were, Faren nearly had the ropes cut when all of a sudden there was a thick silence that fell as all sound of the fighting stopped and everyone just stared at the door, even Faren and Leske.

There was nothing for a long time, then there was a woosh sound and a sudden rush of heat as the door was blasted into splinters and fire gushed through the now empty doorway. Everyone was so shocked that none of them moved, not till an arrow flew through the empty doorway and pierced one of Beraht's men's throats, he gurgled as he went down.

There was a war cry as the largest man that Faren had ever seen came rushing the door, he was wearing the heaviest armour and he had a two handed battle axe in both his hands and the head of it was on fire, he lunged at the nearest group off men near to him and cut through one of them like it was nothing at all.

He wasn't alone, following right behind him was a man who looked familar to Faren with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other and it was with an almost effortless grace that he bashed his shield into the face of one of the men who charged him and then buried the blade deep into his gut to make an end to him. Following after him was a beautiful woman, her skin was as dark as the man who came in before her but she had a pair of long swords and she did dance a dance of death for any who came near her. Both their weapons were aflame as well.

The last one to enter was a tall but narrrow man with a bow and he let loose his arrows, and already the numbers were more even then they had been a few moments ago and Beraht lunged at the dark skined man and clanged his blade against his, again and again and again. "Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you! This is my goddamn place, you don't have any right!"

The man did not respond to him, only kept blocking his blows. Faren had his hands free and he knew he should have to started to cut Leske's hands free, his friend was already telling him to do so, but he wasn't going to risk even the slight chance that Beraht could walk away from this, he wasn't going to risk Rica. Not for anything or anyone.

So, Faren stood up and threw the knife and it went into Beraht's neck almost to easily, the boss went down to his knees with a gurgle and with nerveless fingers he tried to pull the knife out but it was clear that it was too deeply wedged in and the man he had been fighting made an end to it as with a simple swing of his blade he parted Beraht's head from his neck.

The rest were dealt with very easily and the man with the bow called back out through the door that the room was clear and two more joined in the room, one a stout human man with a mace and a shield and the other an elf woman who, going by the robes and the staff, had to be the mage of the group

The dark skinned man sheathed his sword and walked over to him and held out his hand. "I thank you for helping me, my name is Duncan."

"You were the human who spoke for me at the proving, weren't you.

"Yes, I am."

"Hey, you know this is a really nice talk and all but could someone untie me before I lose all feeling in my hands?" Leske asked.

Faren sighed and knelt behind Leske to start to untie his hands, looking at Duncan as he did so. "Growing up in Dust Town doesn't lead to being knowledgeable about the outside or the surface but even I know that the Grey Wardens are meant to be fighting Darkspawn, since when did you change your order's mission to taking out local crime cartels?"

"We do whatever is needed to stop the Blight, and this may have helped us in that." Duncan crossed his arms over his chest. "Your skill in the battlefield was show in the proving, you bet warriors who were better trained and yet you still proved to be victorious in the end, we might have need for a man of your skills, I want you to join the Grey Wardens."

"You want me to join the Grey Wardens?"

"Yes."

"Me?"

"Yes."

"Me, a duster?"

"Yes."

"You do know I'm a criminal right? Casteless, a duster? Literally the scum of Orzammar?"

"Can I please get my hands untied or what?"

"I'm doing it. I'm doing it." He was nearly done anyway, pulling the ropes loose and helping Leske get to his feet.

"Many Grey Wardens have pasts that...we are not proud to think on in the light of day, but when you join the order your past is forgotten and you can move on with a new life, the past is wiped clean."

"And you came for me? How did you even know where to find this hideout?"

"A letter was sent to us, well, to be frank it was sent to King Endrin and the letter also suggested sending a full team of guards in to kill everyone here, he was tempted to do so even more when it was clear that you and your friend were not in your cells but I convinced him to let us come instead, it saved the lives of some of his guards and this city needs every soul to stand against the Darkspawn."

Jarvia, he knew it as certain as anything. She had been the one to send the letter and then she had slipped out, he almost approved.

"So, a Grey Warden, huh?" He glanced over the men and women afore him, his future before he spared a thought to his past and jerked his head towards Leske. "What about him? I mean, he smells weird and he shireks bloody murder at anything that's not a nug but he could be of some use, is he going to be a Grey Warden as well."

Duncan shook his head. "No, it is only you that we need."

"Feeling the love in this room." Leske muttered.

Faren turned to him and patted his shoulder, he wondered if this would be the last time he would ever see him. "Lesk...you'll take care of Rica for me, right? And my Mother as well, and no I don't mean take care as in drown her in a vat of wine."

"You know I will man, go, go be a hero for the surfacers."

"I'll see you soon."

"Not if I see you first." Leske smiled.

End of Chapter Ten