Chapter 8 – The Sleeping and The Conversationalist

After the incident Aisha couldn't go back to sleep. Isabela had turned her back to the mage and by the sound of her faint snoring, had gone back to slumbering. Aisha couldn't believe how easy Isabela could just forget about what had happened. The girl's heart wouldn't stop its frantic beating, and she couldn't stop thinking about how it had felt. How it had felt when Isabela had moved on top of her, moved Aisha's legs apart. The girl had to blush at how wanton Aisha had whimpered Isabela's name. She didn't want to think about it. Aisha had been half asleep for the majority of it, but still, the things she had felt were enough to render it impossible to once again fall asleep. When the sounds from the tavern were getting louder, betraying that it was almost time for breakfast; Aisha got up and got dressed. Leaving Isabela still sleeping, she went out.

She walked around aimlessly for a while, hoping to see something interesting or even finding a dropped coin so she could buy herself some breakfast. She couldn't help but noticing the looks she got, some where from men who either liked what they saw or thought she was Isabela; some where from people who just didn't like foreigners in general and with her dark Rivaini skin, Aisha could not blend in as easily as people from Ferelden.

Eventually she arrived at the docks and sat down on a bridge, enjoying the fresh sea air. Maybe Isabela is right, the girl thought to herself, perhaps there is no feeling in the world like being out on the open sea. Aisha wondered if what Isabela said was true, that they were someday going to leave Kirkwall behind and simply be free. Be pirates.

"Aisha," a voice behind her made her turn around, "what are you doing here? It's really early in the morning."

"Hello Hawke," Aisha said and leapt to her feat, "I could ask you the same thing. I thought you would be with Merrill." The last thing was said with a teasing smile. She had grown up with Isabela after all.

"I love a good walk in the morning," Hawke said, looking at the girl. There was something insecure in her eyes. Hawke occasionally worried that the emotions would one day become too much and Aisha would turn into an abomination. There was no reason to tell Aisha, or even Isabela of these fears however. Isabela may act like she didn't care, but it was clear to everyone that Isabela cared deeply for the mage.

"Hey," Hawke said, "why don't you join me and Merrill for breakfast?"

…

Aisha soon found herself sitting next to Merrill at a table at the Hawke estate. Hawke had been feeling extra hungry and had prepared a huge breakfast for the three women. For Aisha, who had mainly eaten bad food from the Hanged Man, this was an uncommon luxury. She drank tea, ate bread with both cheese and butter and enjoyed every minute of it.

"Mmm, food," Merrill said and giggled to herself. Aisha looked at the elf and had to giggle too. She understood why Isabela called her kitten. She was a kitten.

"So," Aisha said, swallowing her food and trying to converse, "anything exciting going on?"

"We ran into a man," Merrill said before biting into her bread.

"A man?"

"Yes, a man," Hawke continued, "his name was Sebastian Vael, a prince of Starkhaven. We ran into him a few years back… before you joined us. I think he will stick around this time though. He is a good archer. A good asset."

Aisha was quiet for a bit.

"How many years have you known Isabela?" She eventually asked, curious about the years she had missed. Curious about Isabela's past too. The pirate was strangely secretive about her past, even if she was very open about her… present.

Hawke looked at Merrill for a little bit and counted in her head.

"I would say around three years now."

"How did you meet?"

Hawke chuckled.

"I ran into her at the Hanged Man and she asked me for help in a duel."

"That sounds like Isabela, alright," Aisha smiled, "and then she just stuck around or what?"

"Yeah, she needed a new hobby. Something to keep her occupied, and out of trouble."

"She is our friend," Merrill chimed in.

"Aisha, I'm awfully curious," Hawke then continued, "Isabela and you… your relationship, is it…?"

"We are sisters more than anything," Aisha smiled.

"You seem… close?"

The young mage laughed then.

"You know," she said, "I don't think Isabela is capable of being close to anyone."

Merrill wrinkled her nose in confusion.

"I thought Isabela was close with many people, she…"

"Oh sure," Aisha interrupted, "she can be close with people. But she touches them; nobody is allowed to touch her. She has always been like that."

"Speaking of me, are we?" Isabela said and entered the room. She had easily picked the lock on Hawke's front door rather than just knocking.

"Isabela," Aisha said and turned red, "no, we were just…"

"Relax sweet thing," Isabela said, "Hawke, you should tell me before you kidnap Aisha. I was worried."

Aisha almost smiled when Isabela said that she had been worried, but the casual way Isabela said it portrayed no emotional connection. Maybe she was just worried that I was turning into an abomination, Aisha thought to herself, considering how full of lust I was last night. This made Aisha remember what had happened last night and she felt herself blush and was grateful that none of the others commented on it.

"Um, Serah Hawke?" Bodahn peeked through the door of the room where they were eating.

"What is it Bodahn?" Hawke asked.

"There is a man looking for you. He says his name is Sebastian Vael."

"Show him in, Bodahn."

The dwarf nodded and went back to the hallway. The companions chuckled in unison when they heard a man's voice saying hello and Sandal's enthusiastic "enchantment", the little dwarf's standard answer for practically everything.

"Can he say anything else?" Aisha whispered to Merrill.

"Of course he can," Merrill replied, "but why would he want to? I wish I had a word that explained in such detail what I was feeling that I didn't need any other. Perhaps elf would do? No, it is too short." Then a man entered the room. He smiled a chivalrous smile and nodded at Hawke.

"Sebastian," Hawke said and went to shake his hand, "would you care for some breakfast?"

"Thank you that would be lovely," Sebastian replied and went to take a seat opposite of Aisha and Merrill.

"What about vhenadahl? No, I have never liked words with a v-sound." Merrill muttered to herself, still trying to find that one perfect word.

Sebastian looked puzzled at her but didn't mention it, instead he smiled at Isabela and then Aisha.

"You I know," he said, "but you… I haven't met you before, have I?"

"Oh of course," Hawke offered, "this is Aisha. Aisha, this is Sebastian Vael, the prince who I was telling you about earlier?"

"Prince?" Aisha asked curiously and returned Sebastian's warm smile.

"Yes," he said, "it is rather a long story that I do not wish to bother you with right now. Or a title I am happy to claim."

"Elgar'nan, yeah, that might work. But surely it is not as beautiful as flower, or simply river… or."

"So have you been in Kirkwall long?" Sebastian asked Aisha as Hawke handed him a cup, "thank you."

"Perhaps Arlathan would be more suitable."

"A couple of months," Aisha replied. They continued talking for a few minutes. In the beginning Aisha had been worried that Sebastian was going to ask why she carried the mark of tranquility on her forehead when she clearly wasn't one, but talking with him was easy and she soon found herself relaxing. Isabela, on the other hand, was looking more and more uncomfortable.

"I've never understood something," the pirate eventually said wanting to break up the too- comfortable- conversation between Aisha and Sebastian.

"What is it?" Sebastian said, turning his eyes away from Aisha, who he had been eyeing quite intently.

"I've never understood why the Chantry says that if you're good, you'll be taken up to the Maker's side."

Sebastian sighed. He hadn't spent much time with Hawke and the others but he had already understood what kind of person the pirate was. He used to be like her, before he had found the Maker and realized how empty his life had been.

"Those who die with the sins cleansed from their souls will walk beside the Maker in eternity."

"That doesn't sound fun! If they really want people to be good, shouldn't they offer an afterlife with… lakes of wine and a dozen naked virgins?"

A giggle escaped Aisha, causing Isabela to look pleased.

"Anyone who wants that will be going to the Void," Sebastian replied and sighed again.

"Well," Isabela said, "it sounds like that is where all the good parties will be."

"Well," Hawke interjected, "perhaps we should get going. Sebastian, you said there was… umm, something that needed my attention," she scratched the back of her head awkwardly; "sorry, there has been a lot lately."

"No worries, Hawke," Sebastian replied, "I learned who hired the company who murdered my family. It was a noble family here in Kirkwall. They were supposed to be allies to my parents, it is hard to believe that they betrayed us. I want to speak with Lady Harimann, she is the current head of the family, I must find out what happened. I would like you to accompany me, if you please, you never know what might happen."

"Let's go right now," Hawke replied and they set of.

Aisha went with them even though it made her slightly uncomfortable. Next to mages such as Merrill and Hawke, the girl was not sure if she could be of any help. She did like having an eye out for her comrades though, staying back and simply healing them if it was needed.

Hawke was talking with Isabela, so Aisha stayed back with Sebastian as they were walking.

"I'm sorry Serah," Sebastian said, "that you have been dragged into this as well."

"What do you mean?"

"Merrill and Hawke are both battle mages, Isabela is very well versed in battle. You on the other hand, you carry yourself like a lady. I have a feeling that you have been placed in the middle of this against your will."

"Oh, I…" Aisha was lost for words, "I… I'm Isabela's friend. She used to be married to my father."

"I did not know that," Sebastian continued, "I wouldn't have thought a woman like her would have been married. Tell me, lady, where is your father now? Why are you here, instead of with him?"

"He wasn't a nice man, and he is dead now."

Sebastian remained quiet for a while after that.

"Sorry, ser, I have to ask," Aisha then pleaded, "why is it that you have not asked me why I am carrying the mark of tranquility?"

Sebastian gave her a quick look.

"It is not my place to ask, serah. Your secrets are your own, and after speaking to you it is clear that you are an honorable woman. It is not my place to judge you based on any injustice that has been forced upon you in the past, or how you managed to escape it. I was forced into the Chantry when I was young, Hawke was forced to Kirkwall because of dark spawn, none of us a truly free."

Aisha smiled at him and to her surprise Sebastian returned her smile with a warm one of his own. They looked at each other and continued smiling until a not-so-subtle cough made them force their attention towards a certain pirate.

"You two look really cute ogling one another," Isabela said, "but Hawke wants to know which house it is."

…

Later that evening, Isabela and Aisha said good bye to Merrill, Hawke and Sebastian and starting walking back to low town.

"Has Merrill moved in with Hawke?" Aisha asked as they were walking down the long, long stairs that led to their home part of town. Isabela's chuckle was low and throaty and Aisha cursed how the sound caused the fine hairs on her neck stand up.

"Oh I think kitten has our hero wrapped around her little finger. It is good for them though. What about you and Choir boy?"

"Choir boy?" Aisha asked confused but then it dawned on her, "oh, you mean Sebastian? We were just talking."

"Sure you were, sweetness, sure you were," Isabela said teasingly but inside she was aching just a little bit, "I sincerely hope he hasn't taken any vows, because…"

"Oh shut up," Aisha said tiredly, "I'm not you. I don't sleep with every cute person who…"

Isabelle laughed out loud.

"Oh, so you do think he is cute!"

Aisha turned silent. They had now reached the Hanged Man and they went inside.

"Mmm," Isabela purred, "speaking of yummy looking men." Aisha rolled her eyes as Isabela apparently had found a victim and strutted in his direction.

The girl shook her head and went to the room instead. She took of most of her clothes, her necklace and earrings. She also took of her green bandana and then washed her face with the water from a small pot that they had in their room. She lay down on her bed, hugging herself and hoping once again that she would get to sleep without any night terrors. A sudden noise made her sit up.

"Mmmm, just like that." It was Isabela's voice. She had apparently managed to get whoever she had targeted into bed. And apparently he was good because the pirate soon voiced her pleasure again.

At first it simply made Aisha embarrassed to hear her friend but soon these feelings changed into something else. She reached down with a hand, stroking herself and almost pretending it was Isabela's hand. The mage didn't remember many things from her time before tranquility but there was one thing she remembered like it was yesterday and that was the feeling of Isabela's touch.

The pirate's moans grew louder; Aisha's hand movements faster.

"Naishe," she moaned and wished that Isabela was there, with her rather than with whoever she was now. The girl forced herself to stop. There was no use moaning or wanting Isabela; all it did was making Aisha sad and frustrated. She removed her hand and wiped it on the sheet next to her, it was already dirty anyway.

"Naishe," she let herself whimper one last time; then she turned to her side and fell asleep.