Poor Kira, she have been running ragged because I can't seem to make up my mind about this chapter. Thanks again, sweetie, for helping me with ideas and beta my work! *hugs*
Bioware/EA owns everything. And they, too, need to make up their mind on Mass Effect 4; the suspension is killing me! I'm way too impatient for my own good =x
P.S. Ellie, I swear you're not just a beta, but a co-writer xD I luff you!
"You two are so stubborn." Hawke retorted, watching Viscount and his son as they glared at each other. "Is there no middle ground to be had?"
"You have to understand my position, Serah." The Viscount looked over at her with a baleful expression. "The city will be in chaos if-"
"You want to keep the balance, I get it, but avoiding the problem will only make it worse." Hawke sighed, waving a hand at the Viscount.
On the way back, Saemus had - enthusiastically - told her the reason he was following Ashaad: he was interested in the Qun. Varric shot her a look that said 'not another one of you', and smirked as the young man went on and on about how his father was limiting his personal freedom. It's a good thing Saemus had his back to Varric, and didn't see the way Varric was miming behind him.
She had thought that delivering the young man to his father would be the end of the job, but Saemus insisted on dragging her into the debate between him and his father. She saw both sides of their argument, and begrudgingly obliged in being the mediator.
Sebastian had told her that there are people in the Chantry who thought the Qunari were trying to convert people to their religion, in which she had informed him that the Qun is not a religion, but a belief in efficiency and self-discovery - part of the reason she was keen on learning it. He had looked at her with surprise, and had asked her to let him see the books Varric gave her. Hawke herself needed to re-read those books, because she had only assumed the meaning of the words she read; now that she had the Arishok's co-operation, she intend to ask about the things she couldn't understand.
"How do you proposed we solve this problem, then?" The Viscount asked.
"Put the people first." She replied, knowing Aveline would give the same answer. "It is their safety that's at stake if the Chantry and the Qunari clash."
"That is true." Viscount Dumar sighed. "But delicacy is needed when dealing with either one of them."
"You're just worrying that the Chantry will withdraw their support if you stands up for the Qunari." Saemus complained. "Do you even care that they're trying to turn you against the Qunari, who have not threatened anything since their arrival?"
"It is not that simple, Saemus." His father responded, a resigned look on his face. "Your interactions with the Qunari have already sparked rumors that they have influence over our family. I can't just convince the Chantry that they are harmless when people are already expressing their desire to join the Qunari."
Hawke wanted to laugh when the Viscount put Qunari and 'harmless' in the same sentence, but she knew better than to do so and put the Viscount off; however, these two needed to come to terms with each other's preferences. "Viscount, perhaps you're worrying about the Chantry too much? I know they're are ones who helped you get your position-"
"You are overstepping your bounds." Seneschal Bran interrupted.
"They wanted my honest opinion." She pointed out.
"She's right." Saemus joined in. "You have been a pawn in their games, Father. You have never thought about anything else but your position as Viscount. You never cared about Mother. You never cared about me!"
"Hey!" Hawke snapped, stopping the boy before he get too far ahead. "That's a family thing; I refuse to get involved." Family disputes were always too dramatic for her, and most of the time they didn't end well for anybody, least of all bystanders.
"At least you know your place." Bran sneered.
"I'm sorry you have to witness this," the Viscount said. "I had heard that you have been dealing with both the Qunari and the Chantry, what do you think of this?"
"Sounds to me like the Chantry is afraid to loose their supporters. Perhaps you should worry about them instead of the Qunari? People who have something to lose tends be aggressive in protecting it, and will probably be trouble. I would keep an eye on them if I was you."
"If only it were that easy, Serah." The Viscount smiled sadly.
Hawke understood what the Viscount was hinting at. How can one fight against a shadow? It's much easier to deal with the Qunari, because they will go at their enemy head-on. The Viscount had her sympathy. "If there's anything else I can help you with...You know where I live."
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"Arishok."
He looked from her unhappy expression to the sword she was holding out. He nodded to the Karasten nearby; the Qunari took the sword from Hawke and left. She stared after the sword, then at the Karasten's back as he turned the corner and disappeared from sight.
"You are upset by the death of the Ashaad." He said, and Hawke looked at him with a nod. "He was not the same Ashaad you worked with."
"I know, but it's a death, all the same."
"It is, but you have taken his killer's life." He leaned forward in his seat, watching Hawke pace back and forth. "You have avenged him, and returned his weapon to his people."
"You're not mad that he was killed?"
"I assumed that he had put up a good fight, so he had died with his honor. There is no reason for anger."
"I don't get it." She stopped her pacing, then walked up to the dais and stood in front of him, looking a bit grumpy. "Your people are willing to throw their lives away so easily? How is that beneficial?"
His eyes had followed her every step, but he did not stop her approach. "You feel protective of my soldiers, even though you don't know them. Interesting. Not many are capable of caring for strangers. That can be both good and bad."
"You are not concerned for your men's safety?" She asked sourly. "I thought-"
"I am concerned."
"You could've fooled me."
"The Arishok will not suffer mockery." He stood up, glaring down at her. "You humans are too emotional, choosing to act before knowing the whole truth."
"And what is the truth?" She glared back at him. "Could you stop talking in riddles and just tell me? That would make things less complicated."
"It is only complicated if you refuse to connect the facts. Think, Hawke." He growled.
"I am, but I can't understand why you remain coldhearted-"
"We do not view death in battle as a needless death. Ashaad had embraced himself fully in his role, and did as he must. His death was honorable, do not insult him by pitying him."
"I'm not pitying him, I'm angry at the people who killed him."
"They are dead, you are merely wasting your energy." He frowned at her.
"But the reason Ashaad was killed is still circulating around Kirkwall." Hawke sighed. "How can you stand knowing other people think that your people are mindless?"
"Their opinion was made in their own ignorance, and does not concern the Qun." He replied, amused at her defense of his people.
She glowered. "Really? And you're not worrying they will come after you with torches and pitchforks? Not that I really give a fig about what people think, but when they start using weapons-"
"Let them. It will at least shatter this façade of 'peace'." He scoffed. "If they want to pit themselves against the Qun, they will find their skills to be inadequate."
"Given your people's death toll over the years," She rolled her eyes. "I would say it is you who should be more careful."
"Their threat is nothing," he said. "They strike from the shadow, fearing our strength."
"You won't have much strength left if they pick of your people one by one." She sighed. "You said the Qunari always have a purpose, what purpose does it serve if you're not eliminating threats - as small as they might be." She added, humoring his view of the people of Kirkwall. "One or two people won't do a lot of damage, but added with fear, those who deliberately bear false witness, to gossips, and crowd mind...They can amass a whole lot of bravado and do things they wouldn't have been able to do on their own."
"Are you suggesting I should get rid of them?" He said, disapproval in his tone. "And behave like the mindless beasts they think us to be? Killing without reason?"
"No, of course not." Hawke shook her head, realizing she was giving him the wrong impression. "I meant to say-"
"You are implying that we should pacify your people." He finished for her.
"Now that you're the one saying it, that sounds a little wrong." She sighed. "I don't think you would want to go around Kirkwall shaking hands with the people and asking after their families. Although..." She pursed her lips, staring at him with a sly glint in her eyes. The picture of Kirkwall's citizen terrified as they saw the lord of the giants asking about their families… Hawke covered her face to hide the huge grin, and choked back a laugh.
"We are what we are." The Arishok said, scowling at her. "My assignment is not to appease this city."
"I imagine the people would be even more scared to see you try." Hawke smirked, then refocused on the matter at hand. "Giants and smiling faces aside, please consider what I have said. I know you don't care about this city, but the threat is real."
The Arishok returned to his seat, regarding her with probing eyes. They spent a long moment in silence, assessing one another. While the Arishok was contemplating her warning, Hawke's mind was running rampage with ideas; she considered each one and discarded most of them. The Qunari seems to be unwilling to 'mingle', making it a little easier for false rumors to fly about. "What if," she began, "the Qunari established a trade area? I have seen some of your items, and-"
"No."
Right. A single no. He probably is too used to his soldier's obedience. Well, she was not going to give up that easily. "It would help for people to see that there is more to the Qun than war."
"The work of the craftsmen is meant for the Qunari-"
"You don't believe in 'empowering those not of the Qun', I know," she chimed in, quoting what he has said at their earlier encounter.
His face darkened at her interruption.
Hawke grinned inwardly. Now you know how I feel. "But I don't meant items that can be used as a weapon against your people. Something simple." She tapped her foot, trying to think about what can be put up for sale. "You gathered your own resources, I know that, perhaps an exchange of your surplus for something else? It would be beneficial have more supplies, yes? I know some merchants who would love to trade for items from outside Kirkwall." It had been one of the ways she used to get the funds for the expedition: foraging Sundermount and sell it back to the merchants in the city. Not a lot of those merchants are able to get past the monsters, and they was glad to have something new to offer to buyers. She was paid well, and the merchants she traded with had a one-up over the other merchants; a win-win situation.
Seeing his watchful gaze, she smiled sweetly. "Besides, it would give you the opportunity to evaluate the opposition." One of the Viddathari's journals she read had mentioned that the Qunari do set up trading posts to 'scope out' a potential enemy. Hawke wanted to use this as a way for the Arishok to see that most of the people in Kirkwall are simply trying to live their lives. Hopefully, if the Arishok agreed to this, it also would give the people a chance to see that the Qunari are not savage beasts. "I believe it would help you to see if they are a threat or not."
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After the Arishok dismissed her, saying that he would think about what she had suggested, she left and went to the the Hanged Man to look for Varric; the dwarf was not there, but she found Isabella standing at the bar with a drink in hand.
The tavern was starting to get crowded, so Hawke sidled next to her with a smile on her face, claiming the place before there were none. "The sun just set, and you're getting drunk already?"
"It's never too early to get drunk, Hawke." Isabella said with a small smile.
"I haven't seen you around for a while, where did you go?" She inquired casually. "Found a good ship?"
"Yep." Isabella laugh, pulling a rolled of paper from the nearby corner. "Look at this design, isn't it beautiful?"
"Lemme guess, you're going to 'borrow' it?" Hawke snickered, looking at the blueprint of what appeared to be a rather large ship. "Where did you get this anyway?" The design laid out many rooms - spacious ones at that, about a dozen cannons on each side - not counting the ones on the deck, and several large masts. "Is this supposed to be a pun?" She asked, pointing at the big columns where the masts were. There were scribbles next to each section, detailing the area, and Hawke had read enough of the pirate's work to recognize the handwriting. "Why so many cannons? Are you about to go to war?"
"The more guns a ship has, the better they take over other ships." Isabella explained with a wink. "Don't worry, I'm not leaving you. Yet."
Hawke leaned against the bar, looking at Isabella's expression. For some reason, she seemed a little more withdrawn than usual.
The pirate spared a glance at Hawke, then took the scroll back. "Don't look at me like that, you know my stay here is only temporary."
"Until you found a ship to replace yours." Hawke nodded. "Curious, isn't it? That you've had so many opportunities so far, but you didn't leave. Yet. Like me that much?" She grinned.
"Of course, you're so cute! How can I leave?" Isabella laughed again, reaching over to pinch Hawke's cheek. "Beside, it's not as much fun if the shipowners gives up their ship too easily."
"I thought as much." Hawke grinned, shaking her head at the pirate. "That drawing, you've been observing this ship. Whose ship is it?"
"It's not built yet." Isabella said.
"Wait, you're actually going to build a ship?" Hawke raised an eyebrow. "That's not like you."
"The design is good, and I've been spending a lot of time making improvement on it. It will be hard to find a better one." Isabella sighed.
"It will take awhile to build a ship, especially one like that."
"It just means more girl talks for us."
Hawke laughed, conceding to the point. "And more dirty novels."
"Precisely."
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Hawke left Isabella, and the pirate went back to mulling over the design. Hawke wondered why her friend was being so quiet - Isabella was almost never quiet.
Remembering the Arishok's word about the trustworthiness of her friends, Hawke sighed, her steps slowing down as she walk the familiar road back to her estate. She trusted in her friends, and nothing would change that; though she wondered why the Arishok had made that comment.
She went into her room and dropped sideways onto the bed, contented with the moonlight streaming in, her mind kept thinking about what the Arishok's words could possibly have meant. If it had been anyone else, she would have ignored it, but the Arishok was not the type to spread falsehoods-
Wait, when did I left the window open?
Instantly alert, Hawke slowed her breathing and pretended to start falling asleep, as she listened. After a long while, Hawke became aware of someone's shadow passing over her; she kept her even breathing - a difficult feat when her fingers were itching to reach towards her weapons that were under her pillow- and continued to wait.
Her patience paid off when a hand reached over, intending to cover her face; in the blink of an eye, she grabbed the wrist and sat up, pulling with all her weight while her other hand clutched the handle of her left blade. With the advantage of stance, Hawke dragged the person - a man - off her bed and used the momentum to twist his arm behind him, earning a surprised yelp.
"Oh look, we have someone who doesn't belong here." Hawke snickered, pressing her blade hard against his throat and positioned her left knee onto the back of his neck to keep him down. "Thought you'd have an easy time because I wasn't home? Well, surprise!"
"The surprise's on you!" The intruder snarled.
Out of the corner of her eye, Hawke saw another shadow; she ducked, barely missing the bolt of lightning sent her way. "A mage? Now that's just playing dirty." She rolled her eyes, and grabbed the hair at his neck to pull him up, using his body as a barrier between her and the mage. Instead of pausing, as she had hoped, the mage quickly sent another blast of lightning towards her, setting his own partner on fire and forcing Hawke to release him. With a muttered curse, Hawke pushed the screaming man toward the mage. She jumped out of the way and kept moving as she tried to closed in on the mage, and, at the same time, keep clear of the stumbling man-on-fire running around her room.
Dammit! She focused on taking down the mage before her room caught on fire, too.
It was her last thought before the room started spinning and the ground came up to meet her.
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Every time Hawke tried to open her eyes, her head protested with the force of a giant hammer, and Hawke kept seeing different settings, different shadows announcing the time of the day. Blindly, she clenched her fists and struck at the area around her, somewhat satisfied at the pained yelps and angry curses from the people she couldn't see.
Anger is good, she can work with anger. Anger made people careless.
"You bitch!" A male voice snarled nearby.
Hawke would grin if she could, unfortunately, she didn't know how long she would be able to hold out. Sleeping spells are so bothersome. She thought, then blacked out, again.
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The next time Hawke succeeded in opening her eyes, she was bound and gagged. The lack of tightness in the bindings told her that whoever tied her up had done a bad job at it, but it does restricted her movement. So did the rough cloth surrounding her. A sack, right.
Bound, gagged, and stuffed into a rucksack. Varric would probably find it amusing.
"Where do you want to take her?" She heard a voice from outside and decided to stay still, not wanting to be put under again.
"As far as possible." Someone else replied. "Did you make sure the witnesses will go to the Viscount?"
"They better, I paid them well."
Someone snorted, and Hawke almost yelped as she was dragged to another location. 'I am not that heavy!' She groused silently.
They were strong enough to have withstood her attack, they should have been strong enough to at least pick her up off the ground! Then again, they probably doesn't want to get that close to me; but damn, this is embarrassing Hawke fumed, promising herself that once she managed to free herself, they would pay.
Hawke laid on her side, feeling her arms falling asleep and wanting nothing more than to burst out of her confinement. She had waited until it was quiet before slipping her ankles out - she had not trained all these years for nothing - and was in the process of freeing her hands when voices approached her again.
"Let's move her," an unfamiliar voice said.
Hawke fought down the temptation to roll over and get it over with. She could probably take their feet out under them, and…...And probably nothing, Hawke sighed. Without seeing her target, tied up, without her weapons, plus hampered by this blasted rucksack, there was not a lot she could do until she was able to free herself from the sack.
The moment I'm out, Hawke planned, ignoring the twinge she felt at the thought of attacking mages, the mages are the first to go.
Those guilty notion disappeared when they began to drag her somewhere else with less finesse than the first time. 'They're asking for it,' Hawke growled inwardly.
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"Are you sure about this?" Varric asked. "Hawke was kidnapped in her own room?"
Isabella would have laughed at the priceless look on his face if the situation were less serious.
"Yes, Serah." Bodahn wiped the sweat off his brow. He had run all the way from Hawke's Estate to the Hanged Man, looking for help from Hawke's friends. "The Mistress is beside herself, and the house is in ruin!"
"Son of a nug!" Varric swore, as he strapped Bianca to his back and ran out of the tavern, Isabella fast on his heels.
"Go home," the pirate called back to Bodahn. "We'll take care of this."
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"It can't be possible." The Viscount told Bran once Lady Caser had left the room. "I thought Hawke was a friend of the Arishok? It doesn't make any sense." Ever since this morning, people have been running amok around the Keep and almost overran his office in their attempt to alert him that Hawke had been kidnapped. By the Qunari, no less. It's only noon now, though it felt like days, and probably there will be more people wanting to know what he is planning to do about it.
"No, it doesn't." Bran agreed, staring at the cold wall, his thought process going into overdrive. "But there are witnesses that say they saw the Qunari carry Hawke out of her estate in the middle of the night."
"She had been going in and out of the compound almost daily, why would they bother to kidnap her when they could have just taken her anytime they wanted?" The Viscount wondered aloud, but the troubled look he sent Bran said that he already knew the reason.
The Seneschal sighed, as perturbed as the Viscount. They had been trying to avoid conflicts like this, but it seemed trouble wouldn't leave them alone. Or rather, troubles tend to find Hawke; things are simple and peaceful until Hawke is involved. This is one of the reason he had tried to limit the Viscount's interaction with the woman as much as he could. Emphasis on the word 'tried'.
He was trying to think of what to say to the Viscount, when a knock on the door interrupted him. He went to open the door to see Lord Tarren with an indignant expression on his face.
"My Lord, what do you need?" He asked, placing himself between the Viscount and whatever the man was going to say.
"We can't just leave it like this!" Lord Tarren said, his pudgy face seemed to shake with every word. "One of our own was kidnapped right out of her house! This is unheard of!"
Bran wanted nothing more than to shut the door in Lord Tarren's face, but he refrained himself. He doubted that any of these noblemen even knew who Hawke was, let alone care for her much - not to mention that a few years ago they were grouching about how a commoner dared to move to High Town. But now they complained and whined and gotten angry that 'one of their own' had been taken. Nobles are only happy when they're complaining about something.
"We have to rescue her!" Lord Tarren declared. "Who knows what those beasts would do to such a gentle soul!"
Bran covered his laughter with a cough. Hawke? Gentle? Goes to show what they know about 'one of their own'. He cleared his throat, resigned himself to mollifying the noble. "We are planning on it." He told Lord Tarren. "Be assured she will be rescued as soon as possible."