Laying Down the Law Chapter 5, a dragon age fanfic

-==# Sergeant Kylon #==-

"You do realize, don't you, that you owe me a bowstring?"

Kylon turned at the voice to see that the woman from earlier, with the green eyes and the intricate fox tattoo on her cheek, smiling and winking at him with a teasing air. Despite the exhaustion he felt, he returned her smile and said with a little teasing himself, "Well, I'll see what I can do about that."

It looked as though the three were complying with his request, even with some grumbling. The burly city elf obviosuly was looking for someone to tend to his shoulder, and the Dalish looked slightly put out about something he guessed had to do with his treatment back in the tavern. Well, whatever Edwina had against elves was none of Kylon's concern. What was his concern was the fact that they used their abilities in the defense of public safety alongside him, and for that they were able and reliable people in his mind.

Finally coming to his regular post in front of Wade's, Kylon halted and turned to address the three warriors who accompanied him.

"That was a very brave thing you three did. My goose probably would have been cooked and stewed if you hadn't been there to help deal with those brigands. Can't even trust my own men to hold my back, and yet I can readily trust complete strangers. Heh, will wonders never cease..."

He stopped his rambling and continued, "In any case, you performed admirably, and I would like to reward you for your efforts, hopefully to compensate you for injuries, broken equipment and then some." Pulling out his pouch, the sergeant deposited three sovereigns each into their hands.

"Also, if you were interested in doing some freelance work with the guards, if you were thinking of staying in Denerim for a spell, I could sign you on, unofficially, of course, to help with other tasks. You wouldn't be on the official payroll, as that will raise some questions and glares from the head marshal, but after what I saw today, I could use fighters of your skill. Besides, the pay is still good."

He then looked back at the woman with the fox tattoo. "Now, for your bowstring..." Seeing that she used a longbow, Kylon turned to one of his guards and gave a sharp whistle. "Bors, over here for a moment!"

The guard in question looked dully at Kylon and asked, "Me, sir?"

Kylon rolled his eyes and said tiredly, "No, the Bors right next to you... Of COURSE you! On the double!"

Hurrying over as fast as he could, Kylon continued, "Let me see your bow for a moment, Bors."

"Er... m'bow, sir?"

"Yes, yes, your bow, man! You never even use it anyway!"

Grumbling slightly, the guardsman handed the bow on his back over to the sergeant, who examined it slightly before undoing the string and handing the bow back to the guard. Kylon presented the string to the woman in front of him, adding, "Now, if I'm not mistaken, that should be good enough to last you for awhile. Not like my boys ever use theirs very often."

"Now, one last thing. As you probably picked up by now, I am Sergeant Kylon of the Denerim Guard. And your names would be...?"

-==# Raiziv Carvi #==-

Raiziv, clenching his jaw in pain, dutifully followed the guard to wherever he was leading them hoping it wouldn't be very far. The adrenaline that had prevented him from feeling the pain in his shoulder was quickly receding, and the small amount of alcohol he'd had earlier hadn't been enough to affect him in the first place. As such with each step he took the pain slowly intensified until what was once a small trickle of pain turned into a hurricane of pain. Raiziv hoped that whatever the guard wanted to discuss wouldn't take too long as he knew his body, once it truly realized he'd been shot, would start going into shock and that's always so much funhe thought rolling his eyes faintly. Finally after what felt like an eternity to Raiziv, though all they'd done was cross the market square, they came to a stop next to a building labeled Wade's Emporium.

all of is subordinates are that bad? Raiziv shook his head in disgust Why on earth did he recruit them?

"In any case, you performed admirably, and I would like to reward you for your efforts, hopefully to compensate you for injuries, broken equipment and then some." Raiziv whistled faintly as the guard deposited three sovereigns into his hand. "Also, if you were interested in doing some freelance work with the guards, if you were thinking of staying in Denerim for a spell, I could sign you on, unofficially, of course, to help with other tasks. You wouldn't be on the official payroll, as that will raise some questions and glares from the head marshal, but after what I saw today, I could use fighters of your skill. Besides, the pay is still good."

"If we get paid like this every time, count me in" Raiziv said pocketing the coin, doing his best to not smirk at the thought of all the money he'd be making from this in addition to what he'd make with his normal occupations.

Raiziv, turning his attention back to the conversation going on around him, sneered at the younger guard's idiotic remarks. He had no problem working for the older guard but he hoped he wouldn't have to deal with any of those idiots while doing it.

"Now, one last thing. As you probably picked up by now, I am Sergeant Kylon of the Denerim Guard. And your names would be...?"

"Well met Sergeant, I am Raiziv Carvi" he said with a nod

-==# Kaytaryn Desmarais #==-

Kayt quietly accepted the money the Sergeant placed in her hand. Three sovereigns would go a long way to replacing her bowstring. If he pays this well, perhaps there's more of an opportunity here than I first thought.

"If we get paid like this every time, count me in." Kayt noticed the elf, the latecomer to the incident in the tavern, speak up. She could not argue with his comment as it more or less echoed her own thoughts.

As Kayt opened her mouth a moment later to respond in kind when she found the Sergeant suddenly looking at her. "Now, for your bowstring... Bors, over here for a moment!"

Flabbergasted, Kayt could only watch at the exchange between Kylon and his man. Normally, she might have laughed, well at least bit back a grin if nothing else, but his actions had truly caught her off guard at this point.

But when the soldier questioned the Sergeant, and Kylon responded with an irritated, "No, the Bors right next to you... Of COURSE you! On the double!" Kayt found herself choking over the laughter that had finally decided to show up. I knew the guards were less than useless, but this …. She sighed. This is ineptitude at its best! She found her thoughts drifting back several weeks for the briefest of moments. Ah, Leli, all the ribbons in the city wouldn't help these lazy oafs!

Moments later, Kayt looked up to find Kylon standing before her again, placing a bowstring into her hand. "Now, if I'm not mistaken, that should be good enough to last you for awhile. Not like my boys ever use theirs very often."

Kayt knew the amusement was clear in her green eyes as she held his gaze for a moment. Somehow, she managed to choke out, "It will do nicely, I'm certain," without losing control. It took concentrated effort, but she managed it.

"Now, one last thing," Kylon continued, his attention turning to include the other two as well. "As you probably picked up by now, I am Sergeant Kylon of the Denerim Guard. And your names would be...?"

Kayt replied immediately and with a slight smile. "Kaytaryn Desmarais, but most call me Kayt." Nodding at him in respect, she added, "I would be happy to ... assist."

-==# Lairentes #==-

Lairentes kept quiet as he observed the Market District, letting his gaze wander from the guard post as they stood there. Kylon's words were getting across to him, but he only focused on the man when three gold sovereigns collapsed into his hand. Almost as a reflex, his hand tightened around them and slipped them into his pouch. That was when the elf really started to pay attention.

The bystanders in the Market District didn't help. These people were mostly middle class humans, and most of them had never even seen a Dalish elf, or an elf so heavily armed. The fact that he was in the presence of the guards with another burly elf made people stare, and stare they did. He glanced over to his side and saw a small family of humans watching him warily as they crossed the marketplace, suspicion in their eyes and caution in their movements.

Were these the people that Kylon defended on a regular basis? These shemlen that regarded him with scorn? And these were the people of Denerim that recieved the guard's watch? Lairentes tried to imagine working with the guard, only to recieve more prejudice from hateful humans. Was it really worth some coin every now and again?

Then again, coin was coin.

The Dalish elf nodded slowly, and offered a tilt of the head to Kylon. "I'll think about the extra work. If I decide to work with you, then I'll find you. If you need to find me, then search around for Lairentes. Or Knife Eyes. Ask around for both." The man shrugged off his pain, and bowed to the guards and the company gathered around him.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to take my leave and have a nice rest." He winced as he turned to step away, his side bursting out in pain. Some wounds weren't going to heal that well. Lairentes closed his eyes and made his way away from the guard post, his head held high and his body aching from exhaustion. What an interesting turn of events.