Authors Note:
Chapters won't come this fast, as I already had this one written up, and the holidays are fast approaching! I wish everyone a Happy Holidays and leave a review or what you think :)
*** Dragon Age: The Story Of Lirana And The Ashkost ***
Chapter 2:
Nineteen Years LateSr- Hope Arrives
The young Dalish perches in the tree excitedly. A arrow at the ready, her deep green eyes pierce the darkened forest, waiting for the signal. The Vints still awake peacefully guard the camp while quietly making smalltalk or playing wicked grace.
As always faced with the Venatori she can't help but think of Tyrell... She shakes her head and pushes those troubling thoughts out of her head, I have to concentrate on the mission not on that bastard she tells herself as her eyes harden once again.
Impatiently she adjusts her stance, what are those idiots taking so long for? A squirrel stares at her interested from another tree, unused to seeing humans so high.
To distract herself from her impatient feeling of anticipation, her thoughts turn to the mission at hand.
When we successfully pull this mission off we'll be rich. The Inquisition is offering a ridiculous reward for the successful rescue of their scouts she smirks eagerly rolling on her heels. Then maybe Oz can retire comfortably for a time and be with mother to help her live a more normal life, I can concentrate only on finding a certain someone and getting revenge with Eadric at my side...
The signal appears, two Mabari rush into the camp and start attacking along with a young man shooting fire at the tents and surprised guards. A Qunari barrels through the other side, swinging an axe almost two times the elf woman's height.
She had stood up on her tree branch as soon as the Mabari appeared and started taking out enemies with deadly precision. Her priorities lie with the Venatori her allies cannot see coming from behind, and to make sure they don't go after the prisoners.
"Andraste's ass there a ton." She mutters her eagle eyes spotting every single one. "They are like lurkers! How were so many in that one tent?! Were they sleeping on top of each other?!" A few Vints creep towards the prisoners cages and she shoots them down without hesitation with her trusty bow. Anger rises inside her, going to kill the prisoners shows how despicable these Venatori are. The prisoners are looking around worriedly and whispering to each other wondering if they are saved.
"I'm surprised the Inquisition had such trouble finding these Vints. We didn't have much trouble." The Mage shouts to her and she glances down seeing her companion setting a magic trap for five Venatori who are being chased by the Mabari. She returns her gaze to shooting the enemy but smiles at the horrified screams of the Vints caught in the trap. It is easier than it should've been doing this due to the enemy being caught off guard.
"Cause they don't have my scouting skills fool. No one can outmatch me." The woman says confidently, some of the enemy look her way and notice her perched in the tree and turn their attention to her. Good, she smirks pleased. She rains arrows down upon her enemies with deadly precision. "In their defence, it did take us three days to find them and a half day to hatch and prep our plan." They of course made sure the prisoners were in no immediate danger while preparing a plan.
Despite their far outmatched numbers, they make quick work of the Venatori with their combined skill set and tactics. The Qunari man ties up five Tevinters as prisoners to question, the Mabari sniff around for stragglers and the Mage does some casual stretching and yawns.
"Oi! Lirana! You see any more of em' hiding?" The human man yells.
She peers around before shouting, "There's no more Eadric." She climbs down swiftly and rushes to the cages where the Qunari has already arrived at the first cage after telling one of the Mabari to watch the terrified Tevinter prisoners. Funny how the tables turned for the Vints.
The Mage pats her shoulder on the way and shoots her a smirk she returns.
"I'll go get the supplies for these people." The brown haired man says jogging away to get the food, water, and medic supplies the Mercenaries hid a short ways away.
She swiftly dances around scorched bodies, severed limbs and pools of blood heading to the ox man and the cages. "Took you long enough to give the signal." Lirana gripes.
"Took longer to take out the scouts quietly then we thought Ashaad." He sighs.
"That's why I said I should have done it Oz." She tsks at his struggling to pick the lock. "Oh get out of my way." The prisoners chatter excitedly inside, so relieved to be rescued. Some look like they were beaten brutally, all look badly malnourished.
"You needed to keep watch up in the tree just in case we were heard and if they went after the prisoners." Ozkri says calmly.
"You know my darling honey," the seductive brown haired apostates voice drawls from behind returning quickly with the supplies, "She likes to be where the action is."
She tosses the lock at Eadric and hits his head.
"Oww! You shouldn't abuse your beloved this way! There's better ways to do that, usually in a bedroom alone." He smirks with a wink.
"Tell me again why we let him tag along?" She sighs finished with this cage moves onto the next. Ozkri directs the people to the Mage who heals and tends to their wounds and calms them down with his boundless charm. The Mabari wag their tails and snuggle up to the prisoners all hyper after the fighting.
"Cause he's an excellent fighter, we need his skills with our jobs, and we promised his mother we'd take him under our wing if anything happened to her." Ozkri says smoothly. Milla... Her face that night she died haunts the Dalish Elf to this day and the guilt still grips her tightly... She freezes from the memories.
Eadric's face falls for a second and her heart tightens at the sight, but he recovers fast after glancing at the woman unlocking the second cage. "What about my handsome face, charming wit, boundless youth, and sexy body?" He strikes a pose. The prisoners all look confused and/or disgusted at the banter.
"I'd marry a woman over you." Lirana says flatly. "Besides, Oz is more turned on than I am when you take your shirt off."
Ozkri bursts out laughing.
Eadric looks ready to cry. "That's just plain mean! Besides Oz, you're happily married!"
Ozkri's face visibly relaxes and his eyes go dreamy for a second and the elf rolls her eyes, that fool is so stupid when it comes to Mother. "Come Imekari, tend to the prisoners. We need to return these people to the Inquisition as soon as possible, I hear they are quite anxious for their return, enough to offer a ridiculous reward." The leader says still smiling dreamily. Damn hopeless ass she huffs.
"We'll be sittin' pretty for years with this score!" Eadric chuckles perking up."Maybe you can retire old man!"
The elegant Dalish finishes her task and wipes her hands on her pants. Enough playing around, back to business. "Ok who's leading this motley group?"
"That would be me." A young woman with blond hair and violet eyes steps forward from the crowd. "The names Miriam Rutherford. Many of my people are injured, but I implore to you that we must return to Skyhold immediately it's of upmost importance."
"Miriam Rutherford?" Oz says surprised. "I did not know the Inquisitors own daughter was prisoner."
"Now you do." She says crossing her arms. She looks very stern and defensive for the Inquisitor's daughter, who should be diplomatic and soft looking like her mother (not like the leader actually those two things).
From her brief visits to Skyhold, the young elf didn't remember actually seeing much of the actual Inquisition, how it worked, the people etc as Oz has not wanted them to get attached to the organization and it people; despite the Inquisitor and her Advisors nudges to bring the Ask-Kost under her employment permanently and exclusively.
"Where are my manners? My name is Ozkri, these are my associates Lirana and Eadric." He points to each of us in turn. The Mabari bark. "Oh, and Slobber and Arse." Titters go up at the names. "We've taken jobs with the Inquisition before."
"I remember you. The Inquisitor has tried hiring you several times permanently, the famous Ash-Kost mercenary group no one knows much about." Miriam raises an eyebrow. "Some would question who's side you are on..."
"We don't like being held down with anything, and you needn't worry, we know right from wrong." Oz laughs.
"Speak for yourself old man, I on the other hand don't mind being held down if it was with a pretty lady like yourself." Eadric kissing the back of the woman's hand. Her face remains blank to his companions amusement and Ed's disappointment.
"Now I know why she was so desperate to find this group." Lirana snorts. "Not like it has anything to do strategically for the Inquisition just to get her baby back."
"It's actually has a lot to do with the Inquisition madam, no the whole of Ferelden." A mans voice calls from behind the Inquisitors daughter, his tone almost scolding. "The fact that her children are here only makes her slightly more desperate I can assure you, her job means everything to her."
"And who are you to know all this?" Eadric says curiously looking in the crowd for the owner of the voice.
A young man steps forward, his face is covered in wounds and bruises and he holds one arm close to his side, but despite the night light, her sharp eyes sees the resemblance between him and the Inquisitors daughter is apparent. "I'm her son so have a little respect." He smiles widely.
Her back bristles and she jumps to a retort, but the ever calm Qunari speaks first. "Greetings Ser...?"
"Bain Rutherford. Call me just Bain." He smiles extending a friendly hand to Oz. This man he has a mouth that seems to take to smiling and eyes that are bright and friendly.
"Well 'just Bain', we need to get your people back to Skyhold, so prepare yourselves, we leave in ten minutes." With that the Elf glides away.
"She's a grumpy one eh?" Bain asks the Mage Mercenary as his wounds get healed quickly.
"That's my girl, she's strong hearted and foul mouthed." He extends a hand. "Names Eadric. Pleased to meet the Inquisitors esteemed son."
"Bain. Pleased to meet a... Apostate like yourself." The young man says shrugging his shirt back on.
The Mage packs his supplies into his backpack swiftly and efficiently and swings it on. "I prefer Mercenary over that title. Or sex God. Whichever one the ladies prefer." He winks at the Inquisitors other child who makes a disgusted noise.
Bain chuckles. His sister has been spending too much time around Aunt Cassandra.
A person flashes past him without a sound. "If you two are done flirting, we need to get going." Lirana says helping an injured soldier up. The Mercenary leader had gone and brought the horse pulled cart they prepared for those who can't walk, and also to carry supplies. It appears the Elf had picked through the Venatori's supplies to get whatever money and valuables to be had as well as gathering up any horses and livestock they had.
"Aww love, you know I only flirt with woman, and especially you. But I can't help the fact men flirt with me as I am irresistible." Eadric walks over to her as she han the soldier to Oz to lift up. The Mage wraps his arms around her shoulder and snuggles his face in her neck.
The Inquisitor's son notices a small movement before she pulls away violently from the Mage; she gently touches his hands with hers in a familiar way.
"Ass." She snaps. No matter what they try to say, these two have history Bain muses thoughtfully. They would make a handsome couple. The Mage is tall and muscular and easy on the eyes, he would have even gave Father and Ali a run for their money when they were that age. Lirana herself had a very pretty heart shaped face and she has the right curves in the right places, and the way her hips moved was mesmerizing. Bull would lover her with that head of red hair.
He shakes his head. This is neither the time nor place for such thoughts.
"Bain." He turns to see his older sister standing right beside him. She whispers to him while pretending to help him put his weapons back on. They look around to see no one near before she continues. "We must urge these people to move as fast as possible without telling about Tyrell's plans-" she breaks off at a rustle beside them.
"What is this interesting conversation about?" The red headed Elf pipes up directly beside the two blonds. The siblings jump and look to see her leaning forward a curious look on her face.
"You know it's kind of rude to whisper around your saviours..." The Mage walks forward smirking to stand beside her, he leans and arm on her shoulder relaxed.
His companion leans back and pulls a knife out to look at it face blank. Instantly the young man feels his whole body tense and hand rests on his sword. His Mage sister tenses as well, and the men still able to fight notice the tension and ready themselves despite there wounds and weaponless hands.
"Woah woah woah! Wait, calm down everyone." The Mercenary leader places his large body in between." We aren't looking for a fight or any trouble! Lirana! Stop playing around with these peoples minds!" He snaps.
She throws her head back a bursts out laughing. "That was fun! Don't worry little one. I mean no harm." She smiles at Bain in a mocking way despite the friendliness.
That Mage walks over chuckling. "Haven't heard you laugh that much in a long while Li. Almost thought you lost that ability."
"Vocal chords hurt now." She muses clearing her throat brow furrowed.
"I demand to know the meaning of this! You know you defy the Divine by being disrespectful to her Inquisition!" Miriam snaps.
"Calm your britches. You need a drink or ten to wind down. Or a night with a man. I don't recommend that one," The Elf points to the muscular Mage. "He's terrible in bed trust me."
"Oi!" Said Mage snaps.
"You know it's true! Thats why they never come back!" She sticks her tongue out.
"Enough you two!" The Qunari booms and all quiet and freeze as his usual calm even voice raises. "Eadric, help the people prepare. Lirana go and scout ahead and Maker help me if I see you two anywhere near each other causing trouble!" The two nod looking like disobedient children being scolded by their father.
"Sorry Oz, we'll get to work right away." Eadric apologizes. "We didn't mean any harm." He bows his head at the Inquisitor's children and moves quickly away.
"As long as you sort out what Golden boy and girl were talking about I'm good." The Elven woman jogs away.
"I apologize for my companions behaviour. Lirana gets anxious at the mention of Tyrell." The ox man says apologetically. Bain looks to see Lirana's back as she rushes away. Her back looks tense. "We all do. The Ash-Kost have a score to settle with him."
"The Inquisitor has told us as much." Miriam says slowly. "She also said she trusts you lot, but I don't."
"It's up to the Inquisitor if this news of Tyrell is for you to know." Bain firmly tells the mercenaries.
"That's all I can ask for." The leader nods his great head, "But for us the thought you have solid information on Tyrell is a beacon of hope for us after years of searching."