Author's Note: Sometimes I'll keep to the DAII plot, sometimes I'll step sidewards to a little more AU. The general plots will remain intact (recruit the people, get gold for the Deep Roads, etc) but the dialogue might not always be there. I find reading fics that have word-for-word of long drawn out dialogue from the game, lazy. Isabela-Bethany banter will be quoted through-out the fic, and some of the main dialogue will but all of them will either be extended or added upon. For the most, it's not.
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Bethany had come to realize that it was a running theme with them that plans never went according to plan.
From against the wall, Aveline looked over, shaking her head as Bethany patted down the body. There were a few coins to pull out of his pockets, a potion she kept for herself, but nothing of interest. Isabela, the pirate who'd initiated this job, was scowling as she looked over the body she had, pocketing a few things of interest as well.
"This is not what I had expected," Aveline murmured.
"Would you rather Varric had come?" Anders asked.
"Not a chance. If you blighted fools had brought him along then there would have been only one melee attack. You'd all be dead or running around like headless chickens," she was teasing, but she was right. Bethany smiled up at her and the red-headed guardsmen smiled back as she slung her shield back onto its hook.
"One melee?" Isabela's voice rang. "I'll have you know that I took down six of the twelve men." Aveline snorted, tossing her head. There was no love lost between her and the pirate, but Isabela had been truthful. Bethany had seen her in action. The woman had flown across the battlefield, disappearing one moment only to appear behind them in the next, a blade slicing against the enemies' throat.
Bethany hadn't needed to watch out for her, but she'd been mesmerized. So much so that she almost hadn't seen one the thugs that had lunged at her, missing her by inches. She'd managed to dodge, just barely before stumbling. backwards. Then, as a reflex as he'd come at her again, Bethany had thrown a fireball, burning the thug blind until her brother had heard her cry out and ran over to cut the the thug in half.
After that, he'd thrown her a worried look and awkwardly, she'd pulled her staff closer, moving to freeze her next target.
She didn't make the mistake again.
"It's a bloody shame," Isabela muttered to herself, kneeling over another body, closer to Bethany. "I could be halfway through my next drink if Hayder had the decency to face me himself. Bloody coward. The lot of them." Bethany chuckled at the comment. Isabela sounded so offended that a cheating liar would lie to her.
Smirking pleased, Isabela looked over at her. "It's true. Never trust people who deal in pirates."
"But aren't we dealing with pirates?"
"Pirate. Emphasis on the lack of plural. And I'll have you know that I'm a captain. We have a very specific code to follow."
"A code?" Bethany asked. Her face lit up, stories of dashing pirates with hearts of gold filled her mind from the books she had stuffed under her mattress. Again, Isabela chuckled, noticing the adventurous sparkle in the young mage's eyes.
"I'll tell you what, sweetness. Come by later and I'll tell you all about a captain's code in lengthy detail."
Bethany paused, eyes narrowing before she caught the smirk. "O-oh," she stumbled.
"There we go," Isabela winked.
Bethany felt her cheeks redden harshly under the woman's smirk. Her brother, thankfully, chose that moment to direct Isabela's attention to his findings. A note, Bethany saw, before casting her eyes down to the stone ground. How embarrassing. Isabela must think she was so stupid to have reacted that way.
Unclenching her hands, Bethany shook her head. How had she been so naive? She didn't usually miss blatant innuendo; she was Garret's sister, Carver's too. It was pathetic and made her feel like a child. Lifting her staff, she threaded it back into its holsters before following where the others were. She'd think on it later. Now, she had to focus on the task at hand.
"He's at the chantry?"
Isabela cursed. "I've always hated that blighted place."
"The Chantry? Again?" Bethany asked, worriedly looking from Anders to her brother. "But what of the templars?"
Garret frowned. Bethany watched as his expression hardened in worry at the sound of voice. She hated it when he did that. "Did you want to stay back?" Garret asked. Bethany bit her lip. She did, but not if it sounded like he was coddling her.
"There won't be Templars," Isabela rang in, "Hayder would have taken care of that issue. I promise."
"I thought we weren't supposed to trust you," Bethany said looking over at her.
Isabela smiled mirthfully. "Aren't you a quick learner?" she teased. "No, I suppose not. Take it this way: I'm most certainly leading you into a trap, but I'm certain there won't be Templars. However, if there is, I promise to break you out of the circle."
Bethany uncomfortably felt her hands clench, as she swallowed back any comments she might have had. It was a bold statement from Isabela, but an empty one.
"Come on, Kitten. Didn't you ever want to do something naughty inside of a Chantry?" Her cheeks flushed at the words, watching Isabela's lips curve suggestively.
"Bethany is a good girl. If she wants to leave, she can," Aveline said defensively. Bethany's head duck in embarrassment. Maker's breath, she wasn't a baby and this wasn't her first job up against mercenaries.
"No. It's okay, I'll come."
"Are you sure?" Aveline asked. "Don't feel you have to, just because your brother's here."
"Hey-!" Garret's voice rang, falling when Aveline shot him a dark look. "She's right though," he said to his sister, "you don't have to come. Nor you, Anders. If either you feel unsafe, you're free to leave."
Anders waved dismissively. "I'll be fine. I can look out for myself."
"Bethany?"
"You know," Isabela broke in, "She can handle herself fine from what I saw. I don't see what you are all fretting about. She's not some child to be coddled, and to be honest, we could do with two mages. I have no idea how many we'll be facing in there." She paused, tilting her head to smirk, "well, I have some idea."
Aveline scowled, "that doesn't mean she has to involve herself in a place where there might be templars."
"Can't she just...magic them away?"
"No!"
"Well that's no fun. Fine, if she really wants to go, she can go," Isabela rolled her eyes. "I won't be the one to force her left or right."
"I'll be fine!" Bethany snapped as Aveline went to say something else. "Honestly. I shouldn't have said anything," she muttered the last past, clenching her staff to steady herself.
"Are you sure?" Garret stepped closer, looking at her like she was the six year old who cried when she was pushed down, not the nineteen year old who'd ran from the blight, holding her own just as he had. It made her furious when he looked at her like that, even if she knew it came from the best intentions.
"It's alright," she replied defensively. "Besides, you will all need me if Anders falls. Who will heal you then?" Aveline laughed, stepping closer to lay a hand on her shoulder. Bethany wondered if she felt how tense she was. She didn't like been patronized; Garret was only a few years older than herself, they shouldn't all direct their attention to her like she was the child.
"Well. Now that's settled," Isabela broke in, smiling at everyone., "How about we all come this way and get Hayder?" Turning, she swung her hips, walking towards the Chantry courtyard. Bethany took a breath, waiting for everyones eyes to move from her, before she followed.
As the quiet thankfully settled over them, Bethany breathed out in relief. She hadn't expected Isabela to stand up for her, if anything she'd expected the exact opposite. Someone as skilled and powerful as Isabela? Bethany had thought she would belittle her, especially at how easy it'd been to make her blush.
However, at first glance, she hadn't exactly expected Isabela to be so brazen either. She should have, the woman was a pirate after all, and a captain at that. There was also no denying that she certainly dressed for attention, but...it was difficult to say. The moment Isabela turned away from them, towards the Chantry, she was back to being all business. Even if her hips swayed for Garret's benefit.
"Stop it," Bethany hissed, slapping her brother's arm plating. Anders was standing beside him, a look of hurt across his features. "Garret."
Garret looked away from the blue sash, and smiled down at her. "Jealous?"
"Hilarious," she replied deadpan. Garret smirked pleased. "Just...be polite, okay?" Bethany nodded towards Anders, where the young man walked quietly, head bowed in thought. Garret took a moment to blink before turning back to his sister.
"What?" he asked confused, looking between her and the mage. Bethany folded her arms, glaring. But before she had a chance to subtly hint towards Anders again, Isabela's battle cry was heard from the Chantry Courtyard.
As Bethany froze, Garret and Aveline rushed in, crashing through the fight until all that was heard was a cacophony of sounds. Swords clanging together, bashing against shields or swiping the air. Bethany could hear Isabela's taunts, while Aveline threatened. Garret, however, remained quiet, grunting in effort.
Swallowing, Bethany ran up to where Anders stood, seeing the twelve or so thugs. She could get in the middle, alight the grounds and blast out others, but instead she opted to stay behind, side-by-side with Anders to attack from across the battlefield. It would be safer, she nodded. Though a part of her was afraid that one of the thugs would corner her again.
She wouldn't let it happen.
Ice and fire flew from her staff, igniting the battlefield. Her other hand directed the flow, fingers entwining strands of magic, pulling from within her as her staff punched through the air. Only sparks flying from the wood, a damaged spell. By the Maker, it wasn't as strong as she'd hope but still, the guard she'd hit flew backwards, stunned from the attack.
Besides her, Anders worked faster, stronger as he used one hand to weave hexes and jinxes. She watched as thugs became caught in the hexes, their energy depleted or otherwise stumbling immobile into the traps.
'I'll have to learn that,' she thought, feeling fire heat her fingers until she cast it out. The blasted, hitting the desired target, stunned back Aveline. Bethany was thankful that the shield had been raised in time to stop majority of the heat and light. But still she saw the guardsman glanced at her sharply, grunting as she struck the burning thug.
Her brother, however, sliced through the battlefield in a large arc, his great sword swinging wildly in an attack that threw the thugs backwards into a pillar. Isabela's laugh called across from the courtyard and before Bethany could spot her, she was suddenly there, back-to-back with her brother, smirking as she attacked with her twin daggers.
Bethany watched, throwing an attack to a group of thugs, as Isabela plunged a dagger into the leader's shoulder before she swung over him, spinning when she landed to drive her other dagger into his back. As he fell to his knees, she ripped free one of her daggers, throwing it into another man's heart.
Only a few thugs remained, her brother locked in battle with one, and Aveline with another. Stragglers watched from afar, aiming arrows that didn't hit. Bethany's own attack diminished into the air when, instead of hitting the target, it flew over his head as the thug dropped to his knees, Isabela only seen for a flash before she disappeared back into the shadows to attack the next one.
Furiously, an ice blast took down three men before a final battle cry was heard as the last thug died by Aveline's hand. Bethany panted, weakened from the attacks as she felt her body relax from the battle poise.
Bethany shook her head, feeling dizzy as Anders hit her with a rejuvenation spell. "That one you'll teach me," she murmured, watching him smile.
"It's an easy one. Come by sometime in the week and I'll show you."
Bethany nodded, smiling. "Thank you."
"I take it none of those were Hayder?" her brother asked, already midway through looting the bodies as Isabela began climbing the Chantry steps.
"Common thugs, hired to take us down." She tossed a smile at him, watching him bend over to pick up a few silvers from the pockets. "I think I might join you on these kinds of jobs if you keep that up."
"Looting?" he asked, not looking back as he threw a potion Anders' way.
"That too."
Bethany felt queasy at the flirtatious exchange, her eyes looking to Anders, only to see him somewhat oblivious to what was happening. Aveline, however, just rolled her eyes. Stomping over, Bethany glared down at her brother. By then, Isabela was already halfway up the Chantry's steps, waiting for them. "Could you not?" she asked her brother.
"Loot? We need all the stuff we can get, look, here's a belt. I think it's enchanted or something, my attacks didn't seem to do hit as well."
Bethany rolled her eyes, snatching the belt from his grip before tying it around her waist. "Could you not flirt. With her?"
"Why? It's just harmless flirting," he smiled. "You should try it. Better yet, try it on Anders. He's nice enough to appreciate it."
Bethany glared. "You're impossible sometimes!"
"I know. But you love me."
"Only when you're nice."
"Hey! I got you a new belt."
"Looted me a new belt," she corrected sharply.
Aveline coughed besides them, drawing attention away from the petty fight. "Come on, the sooner we get this done, the sooner I can go back to my night off."
"You're right, sorry." She sighed, looking down at her brother. He was confused at her anger, he wasn't acting different to any other night. He was just his usual pigheaded, flirty self. Smiling down at him defeated, she held out a hand to help him up, "Come on, I'm sure the good loot's inside."
Taking her hand, Garret rose grinning. "I know. I look forward to collecting it."
"Of course you do," she rolled her eyes, following him up the stairs. She looked back at Anders, smiling when he caught her eye. She just hoped he didn't mind Garret's nature. It was harmless, he'd never intentionally hurt anyone, but there were times when he was too oblivious to see what was happening right in front of him.
At the Chantry door, Isabela stood poised against the archway, frowning unhappily.
"Something wrong?" Garret asked
"No," she shook her head, smiling. "Come on, let's get Hayder. This has been a long time coming."