Sounds of clashing metal resided shortly after, and Jennifer crouched to the ground, looking around. The dwarf had been spooked and huddled under a table filled with metal weapons. Jennifer grinned and dashed to the stand. "Mind if I borrow this? No? Thanks!" Without waiting for an actual answer she grabbed two morning stars and looked around the battle. She made to run at one that had recently decended from the rooftops but fell short when her skirt limited her movement causing her to stumble. As she fell forward onto her hands and knees, another arrow flew passed the shear wind of it brushing her hair. She chuckled. "Heh heh! Lucky me!" She pulled her skirt to her teeth and ripped it around her causing half to come away letting it fall just above her knees.
She peered around once again and found an opening for the fight. She darted to Varric's side as a rogue crept up behind him daggers at the ready. She rotated her wrists as she came closer and lifted one high, bringing the other in defense before bringing the mace down on the shoulder of the assassin. He wailed as one of his daggers dropped from his hands, he peered over his mask at Jennifer and swiped at her with his dagger, she dodged, but barely, it clipped her tunic leaving more of her breast exposed, thankfully not all. She then tilted to the side alternating, as she swung her defensive mace upwards, the other coming to defend slightly to her side. It grazed just under his chin, the spikes of the mace slicing his cheek and ear. Before he could thrust his dagger; however, Varric shot with his crossbow, was it Barbie? Bertha? No…. BIANCA! That's it! The bolt hit the assailant dead in the neck, the man's eyes rolling back as he fell lifelessly to the floor.
Jennifer smiled at Varric, who grinned in return, a small cut on his nose. The battle was over. Slightly disappointed, Jennifer looked around at the massacre of dead bodies, their death already filling the air with a stagnant stench of metal. Bethany ran towards Jennifer, worry in her eyes. "Jennifer, are you alright?"
Jennifer beamed brightly at Bethany and flicked her thumb across her nose. "Nothing to it!" She chuckled embarrassingly and turned towards Hawke who was striding towards her. "Told ya I can take care of myself."
Hawke smirked crookedly. "So it would seem. Well then welcome aboard! Just remind me to get Isabela to teach you a few moves. You were kinda clumbsy. That guy almost cleaved your arm off with a dagger."
"W-what?! He did not! I dodged that swipe with ease!" Jennifer huffed, before Hawke stepped towards her plucking at the cut sleeve of her tunic. "Pfft." Was her only reply as they started walking back towards the dwarf. "Are you Anso?"
"Ahh! " The dwarf nearly jumped out of his skin, causing Jennifer to chuckle. "Sweet mother of Partha, you can't sneak up on someone like that." He scuffed his feet hesitantly along the dirt. "Are you… the human? The one Athenril told me about?"
"Did you think I was going to attack you?" Hawke asked with a smirk.
The dwarf threw up his hands in a defensive gesture. "Oh no! No, I hope not. I'm sorry, I keep thinking I am going to fall up into that sky at any minute." Jennifer blinked. What?
"Heh. Bartrand used to be scared of the same thing." Varric said with a chuckle looking to Jennifer.
"What a bizarre thing to be scared of." Bethany exclaimed eyeing the dwarf with a incredulous look.
"But I digress. I had some property that needed to be delivered but the men who were suppose to deliver it decided not too. If you retrieve it for me I can reward you handsomely." He smiled nervously at Hawke who tapped his chin in response.
"Make it worth my time and I'll help you." He replied.
"Or I will or I'll try to."
After discussing the location and a few of the specifics Hawke explained that he would rather have Anders along for the job and left with Bethany to retrieve him while Varric and Jennifer stayed behind at the Hanged man.
The air smelled of stale ale, piss, and vomit and a number of unsightly things Jennifer never wanted to place a name too. She followed Varric up the rickety stairs to a large suit with a heavy wooden table. "Welcome to my home sweet home, Smiles.
Jennifer smiled at the nickname and looked around. The warm colors of the suite and the wooden floors gave a warm feel to the room. She made her way to the large wooden table and plunked down into a chair. "This is where you live?" She asked brightly. Varric nodded and she swung her legs over the edge of the chair. "It's so homey!"
"I'm glad you like it." A woman stepped in and Varric held up two fingers. The woman nodded and left the room. "So where'd you come from? Hawke was awfully vague." Varric grinned with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
Jennifer blushed. "Well to be honest, you wouldn't know of the place. It's somewhere far away, say… another world." She straightened in her seat and examined her nails closely.
Varric's grin only widened. "Another world huh? How did that happen."
Jennifer shrugged. "Don't know. One minute I was with my mom, the next I was in a bad accident and woke up in Hawke's uncle's home."
Varric mumbled something about a story through a chuckle and shook his head. The lady brought back two large mugs and set them on the table. Varric flicked her a coin and she curtseyed before making her way back down stairs. Varric and Jennifer talked, Jennifer explaining certain things about her world, and Varric catching her up on the latest gossip and news about the city and what they call Thedas. A continent perhaps? Before too long, though, Hawke and Bethany returned with Anders in tow. Jennifer beamed brightly at him and he bowed slightly. "Hello, Anders. It's nice seeing you again." She greeted.
"And to you. Are you feeling any better from this morning?" He asked.
"Very much so!" She nodded enthusiastically and Anders smiled genuinely at her, his eyes crinkling around the corners. Ugh! I want to pinch his cheeks!
They soon found their way towards the alienage, a large oak-like tree dominating the center of the district. Jennifer; however, was appalled. The elves lived in squalor. Dilapidated buildings, torn awnings, conditions nearly unlivable. The district was quiet and Hawke peered around suspiciously. Jennifer checked her maces, her hands starting to dampen from holding them. I need a scabbard…
Just as she finished that thought, ten men and women walked from behind the tree, weapons drawn. They walked up to Hawke with a menacing glare. Hawke shrugged his shoulders, 'Can't we talk about this? No? Suit yourself." He drew his weapon once again as the others did the same. The battle was quick however, and soon the enemies fell at their feet. Anders walked up to Jennifer with a smile. "Do you need any healing?"
Jennifer smiled once again and shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I just haven't had this much excitement in forever! These fights are nothing like the tournaments back at home." Hawke was rummaging through the pockets of one of the assailants and pulled free a letter, scanning the passages he scoffed. "Slavers."
Jennifer tilted her head. "Slavers? There's human trafficking here?! That's horrible!"
"It's worse for the elves." Replied Bethany. "Seems they are an easier target because the guards don't come this way often."
"That's awful! Someone should do something about it." Jennifer slung her maces onto her shoulders with a huff. Anders walked up with something in his hands and held it out to her. Jennifer took it and looked at it a moment. "Ooh! A holster! I needed one of these! Thanks!" She gripped Anders tightly in a hug and dropped her maces to the ground with a loud clank before buckling the holster to her back. She strapped the maces in securely, checking to make sure she could remove them with ease.
Anders smiled awkwardly at her before turning and following Hawke into an entrance tucked away on the other side of the alienage. They looked around the seemingly empty building, looking for the goods. Hawke entered a room and two thugs were waiting. They died quickly after and Jennifer began feeling off. Hawke opened the case and found it empty.
"Waste of bloody time. Who put us up to this?" Varric grumbled.
"I guess we have no choice but to go back to Anso and tell him." Hawke sheathed his sword and walked out the way they had come.
As they opened the door, a line of slavers stepped forth, all heavily armored and all waiting. "That's not the elf! Who is that?" The leader, a woman it seemed, could have fooled me, asked.
"It doesn't matter." Another slaver said, removing his sword. "We were told to kill whoever enters the house!"
"I knew this would happen!" Yelled Hawke. And with a warcry, the battle had begun...