Two days after the dwarf found her, the girl finally wakes up alone in the room. She breathes heavily at the terror she had suffered through. The horrible scene that had played before her was unnerving and gruesome. All the blood, her blood, being used to hurt other slaves. Other people. She could only silently watch as innocents were torn mercilessly apart–by her.
She swallows hard and looks around the strange room, shaking. Knowing she had a broken neck restricts her movements to a minimum, which is almost unbearable. Just as she settles herself down, the door bursts opens and a tall human walks through the door angrily as the beardless dwarf, Varric, pesters him from behind.
"Dwarf, you are pushing my buttons. Be cautious. How you find that funny, is beyond me." The man complains, throwing his arms out. Varric laughs and notices her staring at the tall man, throwing his arms up.
"Snowball, you're awake! This is Blondie." Varric announces and sits beside the elven girl, who is glaring at the taller species.
"Anders." Anders furiously cut in as he walks closer to the duo.
"He has been healing that nasty wound of yours." The grin on Varric's face comforts her, but the feel of the human, Anders, in the room was beginning to burn her.
"Why have you helped me, Human?" She chokes out, having had her fill of humans for her life.
"Because I like helping. The Maker gave me this gift, I'm not going to waste it." Anders replies in an annoyed tone. He steps beside her and kneels down. Blue energy encompasses his hands as he reaches toward her neck. That was a mistake, to say the least. The elf girl went from incapacitated to holding a dagger to the mage's throat from behind him.
"What're you planning?" The elf threatens as the Mage calmly stays still, giving the girl time.
"I'm not planning anything. I am simply trying to help, nothing else." Anders states firmly, showing he's not intimidated. Varric only blinks at the situation. He was watching her the whole time. How did she do that?
"Your mouth speaks the truth in your heart. Answer a riddle of mine, if you will." Her temper and voice changed almost immediately after she removes the dagger from his throat. She returns to the bedroll and hums.
"I will attempt it. I'm going to heal you now." Anders is in no mood for small, idle chit-chat, but a riddle might clear his mind a bit.
"Something that you tell but should never be told; something that you keep that never gets old." The elf stoically stares at the human as he crumples his nose.
"I'm at a loss. What is it?" Anders raises an eyebrow as he thinks. Varric smiles at the girl.
"Secrets." She says lowly. Varric and Anders stare at her. Riddles are supposed to be fun, somehow she makes them dark. Anders lets out a small chuckle and pulls his hands away from her neck.
"That was a good riddle. Varric told me about the other one." Anders rubs his neck and sighs, getting up, "Your neck will be completely healed in about three days. Try not to move too much. I'll be going now." Anders gathers his things and waves over his shoulder at the two shorter people.
"Snowball, we need to have a chat. Who is coming after you?" Varric questions as the girl only moves her eyes to him.
"For me to answer that, you would need to know from what I came." She explains, obviously wanting to avoid the topic. Varric sits more comfortably and shrugs.
"Tell me if you want, I have all day." Varric smirks as she frowns at his curiosity.
"I was born to a slave in Antiva, the Human's had sown a seed within her belly: me. While growing up I was forced to ingest red stones, not knowing what they were. The Human's began pitting the slaves against each other. You lose, you die. My mother was a former members if the Crows. She taught me how to stand up for myself, how to fight, how to kill. I was the slave that lived, fought and killed. The more I wanted to live, the more interest the Hunan's took in me. They began using me as one if their guards. The larger elves that stood with me were confused why such a small little girl was there. They soon found out I wasn't a defenseless child." She closes her eyes and sighs, "I'm not talking anymore about this." Varric nods and gets up, deciding he's pestered her enough for one day.
"I'll be out here in the tavern, if you need me just scream. See ya, Snowball." Varric leaves the room as he calls back to her. She remains silent as the door creaks slowly shut. The lanterns go out as she sighs, not wanting to remember the past. She feels her head throbbing and she lays her forearm on her brow.
"Jamais plus..." She mumbles as her consciousness fades slightly.
Three days have passed and the Mage, Anders, has just made his last healing visit to the small elf. Varric nods from his lounging position as the door closes and he looks to the armored elf.
"So what is your name, Snowball?" Varric blurts out, earning a frustrated look from the elf.
"What I was once called is none of your concern. Call me what you will." The elf spits as Varric is taken back by her venom.
"I didn't know it was a touchy subject, Snowball." Varric mumbles in a small undertone of anger. The elf only sighs as she closes her eyes.
"I don't want to talk about what came before our meeting. It is safer you know not of what I had been." She says with a dangerous glint in her eye. Varric stifles out a chuckle and holds his hand up.
"I get it, I get it. If you told me you'd have to kill me. No need for that." He mutters with a yawn as she furrows her brows together, "G'night, Snowball."
"What? I never said I'd have to... Oh, right. T'was but a joke." She speaks low to not disrupt the quietness of his breath, "May you only sleep 'til tomorrow, my friend." She mutters through a content sigh as she snuggles under the cover. Varric's eyes stare to the female in the dim room. The phrase she muttered was a saying he has heard before. That was a 'goodnight' from a slave. Varric figured that she was more than likely a fugitive slave, but she w, so he had his doubts.
"Snowball. Hey, you awake?" Varric's voice is inhaled by the silence in the small room. The dwarf walks into the dark room with only the light of the door showing his path. He steps more into the eerie quiet and the floor creaks only intensify the chills up his spine.
"C'mon, Snowball. You know this 'scare Varric' shit isn't funny." Varric shakily says. More wooden creaks are heard and he calms, thinking it's his elf friend having mercy on him, but the door slams behind him. Varric jumps and gasps, turning around to look at the dark void.
Just as Varric's heartbeat peaks, the lanterns light up one by one, revealing the armored elf in front of the door. She walks to her bedroll in the middle of the room and sits on the neatly rolled blanket.
"What do you want, Varric?" She says boredly as she stares at the man.
"Andraste's tits, Snowball!" Varric yells, the elf only stares at him, "And stop staring." Varric rubs the bridge of his nose between his thumb and finger.
Sighing, he looks at her again, "You ready for Kirkwall life?" The elf looks rather confused as he grabs her wrist with a roll of his eyes. She follows after him when he smirks. Releasing her wrist, they walk into the cloud of sour ale and vomit, both pausing for a moment to adjust.
"Never fails to stop me in my tracks after spending awhile around your pretty smell." Varric says with a laugh. She is sure he's joking; she doesn't even remember the last time she bathed. She rolls her eyes with a frown set upon her face.
This will be a long day...