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Chapter 4 – The Bewildered and The Distraught

Hawke didn't have a chance to react. Aisha kept screaming. Isabela had jumped on to the bed and was trying to hold down the distraught girl. Anders was still clutching his head, muttering something meaningless. Clearly, the former grey warden could offer no help. Isabela looked at Hawke, her gaze both bewildered and desperate in the same time. Hawke didn't know what to do, she looked around helplessly for anything or anyone to help her, the warrior's gaze landed on Merrill who had been standing some distance away. When the elf noticed the frantic situation she was not slow to act, she lifted her staff shouted some words and pushed her arms forward; the room turned a few degrees colder and Aisha became limp underneath Isabela who had been straddling her twitching friend in order to keep her still.

"She is just sleeping," Merrill said to Isabela's and Hawke's questioning eyes. Isabela didn't dare to breathe. Anders had told her about the consequences but Isabela hadn't cared, she had been so focused on getting her friend back. Now, after seeing how Anders had been affected and how Aisha hurt, Isabela almost regretted her decision. She got off Aisha, but stayed by her side barely noticing as Hawke leaned down by Anders.

"I'm… I'm fine," Anders said after a little while and attempted to stand by the help of Hawke's strong arm, "I… Justice didn't tell me that I would feel what Aisha was feeling," the mage looked at Isabela, keeping her gaze for several minutes, "what she is feeling is… it is horrible, Isabela. You better be there for her when she wakes up again."

"It should be in a few hours," Merrill chimed in from the back.

Anders nodded and took a few deep breaths.

"Okay, I would like to go back to my clinic now."

Hawke nodded and turned to look at the girl who was still lying on her bed.

"And what about you, Isabela?" Hawke asked, wanting to help but still eager to get the former tranquil out of her bed.

"Where do you suppose I should take her?" Isabela asked, "to the Hanged Man?"

"No…" Hawke started but Isabela interrupted her.

"You know what, Hawke. I think I do want to return to low town. It's where I belong and it is where Aisha will belong as soon as she comes to it."

Hawke remained quiet for a few seconds before speaking again.

"Isabela, you promised that you would tell us what is going on…"

…

How Isabela managed to worm her way out of Hawke's questioning and also carry Aisha back to the Hanged Man without any help the pirate would never know. She just knew that she didn't feel like answering any questions and she wanted Aisha and herself to be safely behind their own door before the girl woke up again.

Aisha was now safe on a bed, the pirate sitting next to it one a chair. Isabela's skin was crawling, she wanted to leave, wanted to find herself a good lay to take her mind off things but she couldn't leave. Not now. Not now when she was so close to having her friend back again. So Isabela waited, trying to keep calm and occupying her mind with what she would do once Aisha was back to normal. How Aisha would one day look at her, smile and laugh. How Isabela, when she got a boat, would take Aisha with her and show her how wonderful life on the sea could be, and how free you could feel without any men holding you down.

The girl on the bed stirred and for the first time Aisha opened her mouth but didn't scream. Her eyes wouldn't focus and instead kept moving, but then fell on Isabela. She sat up slowly. Isabela didn't dare to say a word, didn't want Aisha to lose control again.

"Naishe?" Aisha said, her eyes filling up with tears, "Naishe, why did you leave me?"

Isabela swallowed a couple of times. This was not a question she was ready to answer.

"I came back," she tried but it sounded feeble even to her own ears, "I came back but then you were already gone."

Naishe seemed to contemplate her words and Isabela hoped and prayed that the girl would leave it at that. There was one thing that Isabela was sure of and that was that she would never forgive herself for leaving Aisha behind.

"I'm hungry," the girl eventually said and Isabela sprang to her feet; happy at being able to do something practical.

"My friend Varric said we can use his quarters," Isabela said and extended her hand to Aisha, "come on."

Aisha nodded and took Isabela's head. Stood up. The pirate felt that girl's hand was trembling.

As they were leaving their room, Isabela had a sudden thought.

"My name isn't Naishe anymore," she said without even turning around, "call me Isabela."

Varric was in his quarters and accepted the offer to have some dinner with the women and Isabela left Aisha with him there as she went to the bar to procure some food. Behind her, Aisha sat down awkwardly on one of the chairs. The girl didn't look up but she could tell that the dwarf was looking at her.

"My name is Varric Tethras," Varric said, the story-teller in him desperately wanting to know what it was like being a tranquil.

"You are a dwarf," Aisha said quietly and Varric chuckled.

"That I am," he said, "what's it to you?"

Aisha looked up at him, her yellow eyes burning into him. Varric wanting to joke as always was held back by the raw emotion that shone in those eyes. Her eyes were almost the same shade as Isabela's but lighter, more yellow than gold or amber.

"You don't have a beard," Aisha eventually said and turned down her gaze again.

Varric threw his head back and laughed; now sure that the girl would be fun to be around once she was normal again.

Suddenly there was a rattle from the bar area, somebody cursed and there was a sound of a struggle. Varric was used to these sounds but Aisha looked terrified; she sprang to her feet, her arms twitching. She looked ready to bolt so Varric tried to put his hand on her arm, ready to hold onto her if she decided to run.

"You hit like my grandmother!"

Aisha looked up at the sound of Isabela's voice.

"Naishe," she gasped and suddenly she bolted forward, not giving Varric a chance to react. She ran through the door and down the stairs to the main room. She didn't know what she was doing, she just knew that her friend was in trouble and the thought of something happening to Isabela scared her.

Of course her help wasn't needed. Isabela was more than competent in handling herself in a battle; even when one of her hands was occupied by a bundle of bread and cheese. She didn't even need to bloody her blade, two kicks and the drunken patron who had started the whole thing was on the ground and anyone who had had the foolish inclination to come to his aid were threatened by just a look at her knife.

"Ha," Isabela said rolling her eyes, turned around and had almost the air knocked out of her when Aisha ran forward and threw her arms around Isabela's waist and burying her face in the pirate's bosom. When the pirate noticed who it was and noticed how the girl was shaking she carefully stroked Aisha's hair.

"Sweetness," she said softly, "it is okay. I'm not hurt."

Aisha let go of Isabela, and wiped her face quickly as if brushing away tears.

"Let's go and eat," Isabela said lightly, "I know it isn't much but it will feed us. And I'm so hungry I could eat a darkspawn."

Aisha took a step back and nodded. Together the women went back to Varric.