"What are you?"
Nero laughed nervously, "What are you?"
He said nothing, clearly waiting for the dark haired man to answer his question.
They were in the Gallows, sitting against a wall near some merchant stands, ready to wait the night out till morning. Luckily it wasn't too cold, and despite the reek of fish and salt water they were relatively comfortable. Before answering Fenris' question Nero set about trying to wipe the dried blood off of his daggers with a rag he pulled from a pocket. He was still trying to recall when they got bloodied, he definitely didn't stab anyone with them.
Nero sighed, stilling his hands and looking up at the stars, regretting the need to have this conversation. "I am...an experiment, other than that I do not truly know what I am. I'm not even biologically elf or human. I'm especially not...natural, by any means." begrudgingly Nero told Fenris how he was made, or what he knew of it anyway. Nero was surprised that he felt...shame in his creation. Wishing that he had been at least born in some natural way. "There are three sources that mages draw on for their powers. The fade, where demons and spirits are, although I'm told magic does not come directly from the spirits or demons unless blood magic is involved. Obviously mages get some of their powers from lyrium, but I don't particularly understand how that works. And then there is the river, this is sort of...a life force, energy that comes from the earth and flows through all living things, it is...also hard to explain. This is where I get my powers, in my creation my life force was drawn directly from the river and when it was put into this body I maintained my connection to it because I did not spend time in a womb where the energy is broken down to form a new essence specific to its growing body."
Fenris said nothing for a few moments, turning it over in his mind. Keeping an eye on him Nero went back to cleaning his blade. Fenris didn't particularly radiate hostility at the moment, but that could change quickly and he was much faster than one would expect of someone wielding a sword almost the same length as them. But then...I suppose he could just shove his hand into me again. Nero stopped cleaning his blade and turned to him.
"Will you tell me what you are?"
Fenris started and looked at him. It was then Nero noticed his eyes had little flecks of dark yellow in the overall deep green. He could see pain fluttering about in them, and a barely concealed anger that Nero did not think was directed at anyone in particular. Fenris quickly directed his gaze to the ground in front of him and after a few moments he furrowed his brow and spoke.
"My...ability, is also the result of an experiment." He extended his arms, the white markings on them glowing softly as his anger rose. "My master cut out chunks of my flesh and replaced them with lyrium. The pain was unbearable, and I lost all my memories of the time before. They still burn, but I have grown used to the pain."
Nero frowned, lyrium imbued into flesh, the idea sounded familiar, but he ignored the thought, he was far too curious about what the elf's markings allowed him to do, so he asked "And the whole putting your hand in my chest thing...the lyrium allows you to do that?"
He nodded, "Yes, I can phase through solid objects and solidify while I'm in them."
Nero choked a little bit, the man more or less almost punched a hole in his chest. Fenris lifted his hand up to his face and growled "I look forward to the day I can use this ability against the one who forced it on me, he will feel at least a portion of the pain he put me through."
Nero nodded and looked away. "He is the only thing standing between you and true freedom." he stated.
Fenris nodded, "to my understanding if a magister kills another magister the first magister is then given the rights to all of the second magisters things. But if I kill him then there will be no one who can claim to own me. So yes, I suppose I will be." he paused and closed his eyes, "I had not taken care to think of what would happen when I killed him, I only ever planned it for revenge purposes...thank you for reminding me."
Nero slowly turned to face the elf, he was leaning back with his eyes closed with a slight pained expression on his face. As though the idea of being free did not exactly comfort him.
"I envy you that at least." Nero sighed and rubbed his face with his hands "Even if I were to kill the Archon there would be another to take his place. I am property of a government. I will always be hunted unless they decide to give up on me."
Fenris' eyes opened and he furrowed his brow, he looked at Nero momentarily but quickly looked away, resting his gaze on the ground in front of him.
"I am sorry." he mumbled.
Nero was momentarily stunned by his apology, he did not seem the type to offer condolences very often.
"It is not your fault." Nero replied.
After a few moments of contemplative silence Nero returned to wiping off his dagger with the rag. Realizing his companion did not appear to have anything to do himself, he took another one out of his pocket and handed it to him, Fenris nodded in response and set about wiping down his sword.
...
Hearing people speak in the courtyard Nero roused himself out of his doze and noticed that Fenris appeared to have fallen asleep. Strange, I do not imagine he usually sleeps so easily around strangers, especially out in the open. Nero looked down at the white-haired elf, his head rested on Nero's shoulder but his body was fairly limp, the only sign he was still alive were the soft sounds of his breathing accompanying the rise and fall of his chest. His curiously white hair almost looked to be glowing in the sunlight.
For the first time since Nero had met him his facial features were relaxed, not drawn into a scowl as Nero had become used to seeing. With the calmness affecting him now Nero could tell that the elf was a lot younger than he had thought he was. Nero had assumed that Fenris was older than him, if not the same age. But he appeared to be quite a bit younger than Nero's body was. Nero found out not long before he escaped that he was residing in a body that was 24 years old. Now he was 28 but it looked as though Fenris was in his early 20's. What a shame, I thought, the life of a slave is no easy one, mine wasn't as bad as it could have been but I do not get the impression Fenris had an easy time of it. The elf was a lot sterner than Nero was, by far.
Nero sighed and watched the people milling about the stalls before glancing back down at the man sleeping on his shoulder. He was stunned by how beautiful Fenris was without anger or sadness marring his features. Shaking his head Nero turned his thoughts to more pressing matters, namely, how he was going to wake the elf up without putting his life in imminent danger. He settled on a simple method and mumbled his name, shaking his shoulder a little bit.
Fenris grumbled and slowly opened his eyes, then he seemed to realize where he was and what position he was in and jumped up, looking about suspiciously. Inwardly groaning at the loss of warmth at his side Nero also stood up.
"What are the chances you happen to know who actually sells the silks around here?" Nero asked, dusting himself off.
"Poor, but I am assuming we might find who we are looking for by asking around that cart that is currently being loaded with crates." was Fenris' deadpan reply, apparently he woke up quickly.
Nero rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed, "smart-ass."
When he opened his eyes again he saw a slight curling at the corner of Fenris' mouth before he turned away. Nero would almost call it a smile...almost.
After Nero explained his plan Fenris strode across the courtyard carrying his daggers, turning left into a large alley that he had informed Nero was there and would still be rather shadowed at this time of day. As he did that Nero turned around a similar corner on the side of the courtyard that they had waited, he was pleased to find a corner of shrubbery and a large dirty puddle in which he did what he could to wash any blood off of his face and neck. Done with that he hid his leather armor behind the bushes and thanked the maker that his shirt was black and therefore any blood on it wasn't visible.
Feeling far too exposed Nero strode across the courtyard, hoping that no one would look to closely at the color of his eyes. Not for the first time he caught himself wishing that he was able to change their color.
Trying to relax his shoulders and arms to appear non-threatening, he approached the cart where there were two men loading crates and being directed by a third one. Walking up to the third man, Nero tried not to eye the locket hanging from his neck. he asked "Are you Daveth, the one who trades in silks?"
He turned towards Nero with a scowl on his face, "aye, I'm busy in case you haven't noticed, go away."
He looked away when he was done speaking and Nero looked again at the locket, noting that it appeared to be made of gold and its chain didn't look very strong. How convenient.
"Well, this is a message from you know who." Nero said before quickly pulling the locket from Daveth's neck and jogging away around the corner.
Nero tried not to laugh as he heard a yell and Daveth running after him. Before Nero turned the corner he spared a glance back and was pleased to see that the merchant was running after him alone, his men laughing and watching from their spot near the cart. Taking into account Nero was being chased he had to fight down the strong urge to full-out run, but he knew the man wouldn't even have a hope of catching up to him if he did. And he wanted Daveth to think he would catch me, otherwise Nero was sure the merchant wouldn't have bothered with the chase.
After turning the corner Nero headed left down the only alley in the smaller courtyard. As he made his way into the shadows he saw Fenris waiting and their eyes met for a moment before Nero jogged past him. When Nero heard the grunt of a man being thrown against the wall he turned back around.
Fenris was holding the pudgy man to the wall with one arm across his chest and his hand across the mans mouth to stop him from screaming, trickles of blood were trailing down his face where the fingertips of Fenris' gauntlets dug into his skin.
When Nero approached Fenris nodded to him and he told the man "You will only be able to nod or shake your head no. Do you understand?" A nod. "Good, you were given letters to give to people along your journey, were you not?" another nod. "Are they on you?" I saw fear in his eyes before he shook his head. I tsk'd "I thought it was a given that you weren't to lie to me. I'll ask again, and if you lie this time I assure you you will regret it. Are the letters on you?" the man paused before he nodded.
Nero smiled before he reached under Fenris' arm and felt papers in the breast pocket of the mans vest. Pulling his vest open, he grabbed the letters and rifled through them. He had to go through at least seventeen envelopes before he found one with a Tevinter seal.
"They might have given this man one that didn't appear to be meant for the Imperium in the circumstance that something like this would happen." said Fenris, the man began shaking his head and mumbling loudly from behind Fenris' hand before his grip tightened, effectively subduing the trader.
"This is a valid point...I guess I will just have to take them all." Nero pulled his dagger from its scabbard that Fenris had tied around his waist and raised it to the mans throat before he looked at the elf, "I apologize in advance if I get blood on you."