Promises: Chapter Twenty-One
Disclaimer: Dragon Age and all assorted characters/places/etc belong to Bioware, not me.
Though Hawke spoke little for the rest of the day, she remained by Fenris' side thus erasing any his fears that he had been too hard on his mageling and that she was planning on leaving him behind. The assassin, however, did not fare so well. Hawke practically remained glued to Fenris and made sure to always keep the elven warrior between her and the other elf. For his part, Fenris did not complain. He had never trusted the assassin, and after Zevran's revelation about the Crows, he could not wait until they saw the last of the blond elf.
The small group made good time and reached Rialto in a couple of days. Hawke made a beeline for the market as their supplies were running shockingly low since she had been in such a rush to leave the slavers' hideout that they didn't have a chance to replenish their supplies from its larder. Fenris noticed that the assassin disappeared when it came time to pay for the foodstuffs Hawke picked out. With a muttered curse, he reached for his coin pouch, nearly emptying it.
"How much do we have left?" Hawke asked as they walked away from the market.
"Enough for an inn tonight," Fenris replied.
"Just as well we're not planning on staying long in the city," Hawke remarked. "Just like old times," she added with a grin. That lifted his spirits for he had not seen Hawke look so happy since they had left the slavers' holding caves.
"Indeed. It will be nice for it to be just the two of us again," he said. He was rewarded by Hawke's grin turning into a full-fledged smile. His mageling practically glowed with happiness upon hearing that remark.
It took them some time but eventually they found an inn that they could afford to both eat and stay at for the night. The inn's special for the evening was purportedly a stew but neither Hawke nor Fenris could identify the mystery meat within it. Fenris had laid down his spoon, having finished his dinner, and was watching Hawke as she picked at the stew for the parts she liked when all of a sudden there was a heavy thud as a large coin pouch landed beside him on the table.
Fenris looked up to see that the assassin had rejoined him and was wearing that annoying grin of his. "There!" he said grandly. "Half of my take, just like I promised. Don't look so shocked, my friends. Zevran Arainai always keeps his promises…well except when I don't."
"Like that makes any sense." Hawke rolled her eyes before blowing on her stew to cool it down.
The assassin actually winced at Hawke's tone. "Ah I wish you wouldn't hate me so, little one. I did not make this cruel world of ours. I am only trying to survive in it, the same as you," he told her.
Hawke sighed and then put down her spoon. "I don't hate you, Zev. You're far too likeable for that." The assassin beamed at her admission. "I just…I guess you can I say I pity you. You accept your chains for what they are, and so you'll never be free of them. That's no way to live."
"Maybe it's not living as you define it but it works for me," Zevran replied. "At least this way I get to keep breathing. Now I must be off. Taliesin is undoubtedly is waiting for me. I wish you well, little one. And as for you, my friend," he said, turning towards Fenris, "I wish you much luck in keeping her out of trouble. You're going to need it."
Regretfully the assassin was probably right, Fenris reflected after the other elf left. He lifted the coin pouch off of the table, raising one eyebrow as he felt its weight. They had never asked Zevran just how much his take was but evidently it was a very significant award. It made sense that the reward would be significant, seeing how Brax had been the most feared slaver in all of Antiva. Fenris poured what little coin he had into the pouch Zevran had left and then placed it inside of his armor for safe-keeping. He would count it later in the privacy of their room and away from prying eyes.
Hawke pulled a face as she watched him put the pouch away. "So we did get paid for our trouble," she mumbled. "It feels wrong taking it though."
Fenris frowned. Now was not the time for Hawke to stick to that pesky moral code of hers. "Hawke," he said warningly.
"Don't worry, don't worry. I've not taken complete leave of my senses. I know we need the money. I'm not about to tell you to throw it back in Zev's face or anything like that. It just would be…it would be nice if we could make that gesture, that's all." She sighed heavily but then offered him a wry grin. "At least this way we can get out of Antiva without having to take on any more side jobs. I'm tired of this country. Any ideas about where to go to next?"
"Away from here is all I'm thinking," Fenris said.
"That sounds like a plan to me. I think we should—"
Hawke was interrupted by a pair of hands gripping the end of their table as a shadow settled over them. "Hello loves," drawled a husky voice. Fenris looked up to see the dusky skin and brown eyes of a rather angry lady pirate. "Thought you saw the last of me back in Antiva City, I bet."
Isabela grinned wickedly at them and then took a seat next to Hawke, boxing the mageling in. Fenris mentally cursed himself. First the assassin and now the pirate had snuck up on them. He silently vowed to start paying better attention to their surroundings, especially when he was separated from Hawke by any distance at all, no matter how small.
"Now, now, there's no need to scowl like that, darling," Isabela told him. "I'm not after you. All you have to do is tell me where Zevran is hiding, and then I'll be on my merry way."
"We don't know, Isabela. We've parted company with Zevran," Hawke told her. She squirmed in her seat and scooted closer to the wall so she wasn't so close to the pirate.
"Please, kitten, don't lie. You can't fool me. My men saw that blasted elf enter this dive not ten minutes ago."
"That's right. Zev came, he annoyed us, and then he left. Not five minutes ago by my count. If you hurry, you might even catch up with him," Hawke said.
Isabela gave her a look. "Oh now, isn't that convenient. Zev left right before I got here, hmm?" The pirate rolled her eyes. "Kitten, I wasn't born yesterday and even if I was, I wouldn't fall for such a weak tale. Let's be sensible now. He's the one I want to hurt, not you, but if I have to…."
Fenris curled his lip and growled. He didn't like anyone threatening Hawke. "Touch her, and you're dead."
His threat had little effect. Isabela merely rolled her eyes again before reaching over to lightly trail her fingers along Hawke's shoulder. "There. I touched her. What are you going to do?" she asked mockingly. "Nothing, that's what. Because you can't do anything to me before I can get to her. Don't make threats you have no intention of carrying out, love. You lose all sorts of credibility that way."
Fenris hated it that the bloody raider was right. There wasn't much he could do while his Hawke was closer to Isabela than him. "You do realize that every second you waste with us is one that the assassin is using to get further away," he pointed out.
"That's the thing. He can't get away. I have this place surrounded. I'm going to find Zevran sooner or later so why don't you make things easier on you and just tell me where he's hiding? I won't hurt him…much."
"We already told you that he's gone. Honestly! Chances are Zevran knew that he was being followed—he's cagey like that—and so he knew his escape route before he even entered this place. Not that he shared any of that with us," Hawke added. She wrinkled her nose. "He likes to keep important details like that to himself, I've noticed."
"Funny that. So have I," Isabela agreed pleasantly, as if she hadn't been threatening Hawke the second before. She leaned towards the mageling. "Kitten, you're too young to get caught up in the sort of trouble Zevran likes to get up to. And don't feed me that line again about how he just left right before I got here. Even one as young as you has to understand how weak a story that is."
"Which is why I wouldn't even try it if it weren't true!" Hawke grumbled. "Besides it's not like you really want those maps of yours back anyway."
"That's where you're wrong, love. It took me years to draw those maps—and even more to accumulate all the little treasures I've hidden away. Believe you me, I want them back. Badly."
"Oh? And it never occurred to you where Zev must have hid them?" Hawke asked. "In case you didn't notice, seeing how you were a little preoccupied at the time, he didn't take any packs with him. He even left his coin pouch with Fenris, you must remember that."
Isabela's jaw dropped open and her eyes widened as her face first turned pale before darkening into red. "That blasted…stupid…lying sack of shit!" She gnashed her teeth in rage. "I thought…shit! I should've known something was wrong when he ran out on me despite claiming to be up for more."
Fenris raised an eyebrow. "And you bought that story?" he asked.
"I wasn't at my best. I had too much to drink the night before otherwise I would've noticed my maps were missing sooner," the pirate said. She pounded the table with one fist. "I still want those maps back though. If only to stick them up his stupid fucking ass."
"The assassin would probably enjoy that," Fenris noted dryly.
"Oh no, he won't enjoy it, not one bit, not once I'm through with him." Isabela let out an impressive string of curses, flitting from one language to the next. Then she shook her head viciously before demanding of them once more, "So where is he?"
"He's not here," said Fenris.
"I told you he already fled," Hawke said at the same time.
"Isn't it about time you move on to a better story?" Isabela asked in exasperation. Then she paused before pounding the table again and launching into another tirade of curses. "You aren't lying, are you?" she finally managed to get out when she had finished turning the air blue.
Hawke shook her head. "Sorry," she said.
"Damn and blast! The stupid blighter pulled one over on me again." Isabela signaled with one hand for a server and ordered a tankard of ale. "I wonder which of my men he managed to sneak by this time. If they had caught him, they would have already dragged him back in here." The tankard arrived, and Isabela wasted no time in quaffing it.
Fenris and Hawke exchanged glances. The raider's anger did seem to be focused on their former companion, and she had even said several times that she held no grudge against them. That being said, Fenris still felt it was best to proceed with caution, especially as her position at their table kept Hawke from being able to freely leave, and he tried to communicate as much with Hawke. His mageling rolled her eyes, all but shouting at him that she knew as much already, thank you very much.
"So," Isabela drawled, interrupting their silent conversation and wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, "I don't suppose either of you know where Zev's headed next."
"Not really," Hawke said with a shake of her head. "Though before he left, he mentioned having to meet with someone called Taliesin."
The scowl on the pirate's face only grew fiercer and she finished her ale in a single swig. "He told you that for my benefit, I'm sure," she grumbled. She waved down the server again and ordered more ale. "Letting me know that if I want to continue chasing after him, I'll have to deal with his usual partners as well."
"Oh. I take it they're not as nice as us," Hawke ventured.
Isabela let out a short laugh. "Oh, kitten, nice is never a word I would use in connection with Taliesin. Rinna isn't that bad for a Crow but as for the other…I'd trust a viper more. I would rather sleep with one too. I'd be more likely to wake up the next morning in one piece that way." She shrugged her shoulders and continued working her way through her ale. Fenris raised an eyebrow. The raider was going to have a monster of a hangover tomorrow morning, but he saw no reason to point that out
Hawke looked uncomfortable, pressed up almost against the wall the way she was. Fenris decided that it was time for them to go. "If you have no further questions of us, then we will take our leave," he said stiffly.
"So soon? But we've hardly had any time to catch up," Isabela protested. She sent a knowing glance over at Hawke. "Anything new pop up between the two of you?" she asked with a salacious wink.
"No," Hawke said quickly, a blush rising in her cheeks, while Fenris choked on any response he might have. "We've not done much. We toured the countryside with a lying, thieving assassin and managed to put an end to a slaving ring, that's all."
"Huh. So Zev managed to complete his assignment after all? Just as well I know better than to bet against that man. He's always been able to pull his ass out of the fire just when you'd think all hope was lost." There was a note of admiration in Isabela's voice.
The mageling gave a soft sigh, centering herself, before turning on the charm. "So how have you been?" she asked the lady pirate brightly.
"You mean aside from plotting my revenge all hours of the day?" Isabela asked dryly.
"Oh please." Hawke waved her hand carelessly. "Not that I doubt you've spent plenty of time thinking of what you'd do to Zev if you catch him—"
"Once I catch him, not if," Isabela corrected.
"Fine, fine. Once you catch him then. That being said, plotting revenge gets boring after awhile so you must have done something else to entertain yourself."
"Oh. That. If that's what you're asking, I've been—"
Fenris could see where this conversation was headed and he did not like the direction one bit. "What are you doing here?" he asked abruptly.
Isabela gave him a puzzled look. "What am I doing here? You know that. I've been tracking down the most annoying person I know," she replied.
"Yes, but how did you get here? Without your ship—"
"I have my ship. If Zev stole that, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you. No, I'd be storming Antiva City right about now," the pirate proclaimed.
Hawke perked up at that. She leaned towards the pirate, a gleam of excitement in her eyes. "You would go up against the Crows at their home base?"
"Maker no!" Isabela looked at Hawke as though the mageling had lost her head. "I'm not stupid or suicidal. No, I would be visiting all of Zev's favorite brothels, spreading rumor after rumor about him being beset by all sorts of nasty diseases. By the time I was done, there wouldn't be a single whore in the entire city willing to touch him, much less bed him."
"That's a rather mundane revenge, I think," noted Hawke.
"That would be just the start," Isabela said. "But Zev didn't steal my ship—and he should know better not to even try—so why did you think I didn't have my ship?" she asked, her attention focused on Fenris once more. "If you know something that I don't…." she added threateningly.
"I don't," Fenris said. "I simply thought that without your maps, you would be unable to safely navigate the waters."
Isabela snorted. "Any good captain knows her regular routes like the back of her hand. I don't need those maps to sail the sea lanes I've been on for years. But it is true that I do need them for alternate routes that I'm not too familiar with." She sighed loudly. "Though to tell the truth, what I'm really upset about is that those maps marked out where I keep my stashes. I have this one stash, you see, where I've hoarded the finest of Antivan brandies." She grimaced at the ale before her. "Nothing like this slop, I assure you."
Fenris and Hawke exchanged another glance at the mention of that particular stash. This one, however, was intercepted by the lady pirate and she quickly divined its meaning.
"Balls! That stupid assassin stumbled over it, didn't he?" she cried. "He probably helped himself to the best bottles too."
Isabela buried her face in her hands as Hawke awkwardly patted her on the back. "You know, it's not the fact that he stole my maps or helped himself to my priceless brandy that hurts the most," the pirate said. "What really gets me is that he managed to pull one over on me so easily. Blast! He must think that I'm such an easy mark."
Fenris couldn't help but think that Isabela had been an easy mark if Zevran had been able to walk away with her maps so easily. Hawke, however, tried her best to comfort the raider. "There, there," said the mageling. "I doubt Zev thinks that. He probably thinks that he's so awesome that he is able to actually steal from you and get away with it."
"Temporarily," Isabela said.
"Yes, of course," Hawke agreed readily, earning a smile from the pirate.
"You really are a sweet thing," Isabela said. "Much too good to be hanging around the likes of Zevran. Though you're probably right. Zev has always had a big head. He's probably congratulating himself for being skilled enough to steal from me without my noticing. The next time I sleep with him, I won't let him leave without a strip search."
"The next time you sleep with him?" Hawke asked dubiously.
"I would have thought that you wouldn't touch the assassin ever again much less sleep with him," Fenris added.
Isabela shrugged. "It depends on the circumstances. If there's no one else more suitable around and I was really desperate to get laid, then let's face it, I probably would sleep with him again. He's not the best I've ever had, but he's not half bad either. But if I did, I wouldn't let him leave without making sure he's not stealing anything from me."
"Burn his clothes while he's sleeping," Hawke suggested. "If he's starkers, he can't hide anything."
"Oh that's a way to fit in a bit of revenge. I like the way you think, kitten." Isabela tilted her head to one side and looked at the mageling through half-closed eyes. "In fact, I think I like you very much. Enough to offer you passage out of Antiva on my ship, if you've not found any other transportation already."
Author's note: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this latest part. And to everyone who reviewed-you guys really know how to make my day. :D Thanks so much for reviewing.