And here is the second one-shot in this collected series of one-shots. Thanks again to Amanda (Amanda Kitswell on here) for all the help on getting Sera's speech patterns right! Please drop a line if you have the time, I'd love to hear any thoughts or concrit you might have!
The bitter liquid burned the back of Sera's throat and she grimaced. "Andraste's ass; shite tastes like piss," she grumbled, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
Jenny laughed and the sound made weird things happen in the pit of Sera's stomach. "That's what they callsit. Dragon's piss. Don't right know what they put in it, but it burns just ta way I likes it."
Sera grimaced again and peered at the liquid in her cup. "Friggin gross is what it is."
A hand clasped her shoulder, and she looked back to see Slim's small, beady eyes shining down at her. "Put's hair on your chest, it does," he said with a smile. Slim Couldry was a half-elf and a friend of Jenny's. His orangey coloured hair fell sort of in his eyes and he almost always had a dopey grin on his face.
"Well, I don't need no friggin hair on my chest, alright?" Sera replied, pushing the mug in his direction. "What're we even doing here?" she asked, peering around the tavern at all the stuffed-shirt noble bastards.
She'd been working for Jenny for about three months now. Mostly little stuff, like stealing from noble shitebags and helping out the little people. It was good work and Sera had fun watching the looks of confusion on their faces when they realized their coin purse had been snatched.
It was easy work though, and sometimes Sera felt a bit restless. Pick-pocketing was easy. And the people were still hungry.
Jenny tsked lightly, her eyes gleaming and smirk in place. "We're here for a job, chicken, don't ya worry," Jenny replied.
Sera giggled. "Chicken, isit? You're a weird one, you."
Jenny's smirk turned into a smile. "Yeah, is that right? That all you think, chicken?"
Sera gulped and laughed awkwardly. "Maybe," she replied.
Jenny laughed and a few heads turned to stare at her, the loud sound disrupting their chatter. "Well, I guess that'll do for now," she said and took another long drink. "Ah, good stuff."
She turned a bit closer to Sera and leaned in close. Sera could smell the alcohol mixed with Jenny's own scent and she admitted to herself that she liked it.
"There's a noble over there, some git from the Bannorn. Lord somefink or another. Anyway, he beats his servants, so they figure it's about time someone beat him," Jenny whispered softly, her breath hot against Sera's ear.
Sera smiled. "So, we get to beat up some arse for brains noble? Oh, I'm in!" she exclaimed and giggled madly.
Slim nudged her shoulder. "He's leavin', you two ready?" he asked.
Jenny winked at Sera and nodded. "C'mon, chicken, you and me should go have a private drink at my place," Jenny said, voice louder than normal.
Sera caught on and grinned. She leaned in and stroked a finger down Jenny's arm and pretended to whisper something in her ear. Jenny chuckled and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the door. Slim stayed behind, he didn't have the skill for stealth. Smart, but not quick or careful enough. But no one in Denerim got information as quick and reliable as Slim Couldry.
As soon as Sera and Jenny left the tavern, they dipped into the shadows and slowly began following their target. They waited until he entered a small side street that was empty of people. Jenny grabbed one of her small throwing daggers and tossed it smoothly at the man's leg. He cried out and fell to one knee, blood seeping out and staining the dirt.
Sera pulled out her bow and nocked an arrow as she followed Jenny. "Well, Mister Richtits finally on the ground, same as us now. How's it feel, bein' on your knees?" she asked, voice laced with more venom than Sera had expected.
She glanced over at Jenny and was surprised to see her brows pinched tightly together and her fists clenched into tiny fists. "Jenny, what izzit?"
The man glanced up, but when he spoke his voice was not Fereldan. "Jenny? Is that what you call yourself now, Ginevra?" he asked, accent thick but not one Sera recognized.
Jenny grabbed the back of his head and rammed her knee into his face; once, twice, a third time. Blood spurted out and covered his mouth and chin. "Don't call me that, I'm not her anymore!" she shouted, hands and voice shaking.
Sera kept her arrow and her eyes trained on the man but spoke to Jenny. "Whats all this? Tell me what the frig is going on!" she demanded.
The man laughed and the sounded sent chills down Sera's spine. He spat blood on the ground. "Why, Ginevra never told you, elf? She is my property but she ran away. I suppose she wants to enact some sort of misplaced revenge fantasy, foolish girl." He glanced at Jenny. "Anything that happened to you, you deserved. You are property, girl, and should learn your place in the-" he stopped mid-sentence and let out a blood-curdling scream as Sera's arrow pierced his shoulder.
"Blah, blah, blah. You talk but no one here wants to listen. Friggin Tevinter shite," Sera said, piecing together his origins from his words. No place other than Tevinter owned slaves. And that meant they were dealing with a bloody mage, Sera realized. Shite. Friggin shite.
Jenny stared down at the man. "I'm surprised ya haven't fought back, Caius. Why 'asn't the all powerful Altus use 'is power against us lowly peasants," she purred, and the way she said altus made it clear she meant it as an insult.
Caius Frontinus growled low in the back of his throat, clutching his shoulder in pain. "Fucking bitch," he spat, the words cold and harsh.
Jenny laughed and the sound echoed in the alleyway. She circled the magister like a wolf circling their prey. Sera cleared her throat. "What the shite is goin' on?"
Jenny paused and looked at Sera, blinking like she had forgotten the other girl was even present. "I paid good coin for some Tevinter magic shite that dampens 'is magic, chicken."
Sera snorted. "Not what I meant," she grumbled but Jenny wasn't listening anymore.
Her gaze was focused back on Caius and she knelt down so that their eyes met. Her fingers gripped his dark blonde hair and yanked back, bending his neck at an odd angle. He cried out in pain.
"You stole me from my home. I wasn't never meant to be in Tevinter. You hurt me, used me. Now it's my turn to hurt you," she said and her voice didn't waver this time. It was cold, and flat, and it scared Sera a little. It was a voice that sounded like it didn't belong to anyone living, a dead voice.
Jenny brought her dagger and placed it gently against his throat, the metal gleaming in the moonlight. She ran it across his skin, dripping tiny droplets onto the blade. "Remember when you used to do this to me? Steal my blood for yer precious magic shite?" She laughed again but the sound held no mirth. "I don't have magic, Caius, but I can still steal your blood."
His eyes were wide with fear and he struggled against her hold. "No! I shall give you anything you desire if you let me live, Ginevra!"
Jenny brought her lips to his ear. "My name is Jenny," she whispered and slit his throat.
He gurgled a moment, blood dripping from his throat and mouth. "I…" he stuttered before falling over.
Jenny stood up and walked over to the nearby wall. She leaned against it and her shoulders shook. Sera took a few tentative steps closer and placed a hand on her wrist. Jenny whipped around and grabbed her fiercely and pulled her close, her mouth crashing down on hers. Jenny's lips were warm against her and Sera kissed her back just with just as much passion.
Tears covered Jenny's cheeks and Sera rubbed them away with her thumbs as they kissed. Jenny made a soft noise in the back of her throat, eagerly tugging on Sera's tunic. They stumbled past the body and into the street before Sera pulled away. "What about the body?" she murmured, body trembling from Jenny's kisses.
Jenny continued pulling her towards the street that would lead them to her place. "Slim will swing by, don't worry, chicken," she replied, kissing the side of Sera's neck.
And with that Sera didn't hesitate. She lept at Jenny, kissing her again, and allowed herself to be pulled into her house, and into her bed.