Act One

Chapter Ten

Ambush

Paden dragged herself out of bed at dawn the next morning. She hadn't got a lot of sleep last night and she was exhausted. But they had an appointment to keep, so she couldn't sleep in.

Varric had once again offered his help, and Paden started to get the impression that he really had nothing else to do. Not that she minded at all. She enjoyed the dwarf's company, and Maker knew they could use the help.

They met Aveline on the road just outside the city, and then began the long hike up Sundermount. The mountain loomed over Kirkwall, its snowy peak ever dominating the horizon. Its paths were rough and steep, and often dangerous. Most folk never went up there if they didn't have to. Paden and Carver had braved those slopes a few times when in Athenril's employ.

Once they reached the base of the mountain the hike to the ambush spot took about an hour. Varric entertained them all with wild tales he had picked up in his travels, and no doubt embellished liberally. Paden was thoroughly enthralled by them though. Varric had a way of telling stories that just captured the imagination, and even though it was obvious, by how outlandish some of it was, that a lot of what he told couldn't possibly be true, she liked to think it was.

"You know, Hawke," Varric said, after she had commented on the story he had just wrapped up, "One day I'm going to tell your story. And it will be one of my grander ones."

Paden laughed lightly. "My story? I don't have a story, Varric."

"On the contrary," Varric said. "You're already off to a good start. Vanquisher of Darkspawn, Escaper of the Blight, Smuggler of the Underworld. And soon you'll be able to add Deep Roads Explorer to that list."

"You make me sound like a regular hero, Varric," Paden said with some amusement.

"I just tell it like it is, Hawke. You make your own stories."

"As long as I'm not ten feet tall and shoot lightening bolts from my eyes."

Varric laughed. "I'll make sure they only shoot from your hands then."

About ten minutes later, Aveline put out a cautionary hand. "We're getting close to the ambush site, Hawke. Be ready."

They had just come into an area where cliffs and steep hills pressed in on both sides of the path, making retreat in any direction but back difficult. The perfect place for an ambush.

Paden brandished her staff and continued forward cautiously. The way widened out a bit into a large clearing, but was still surrounded by cliffs. As they came around a bend they could see a group of five men waiting by the road ahead.

"Here we go," Aveline said, drawing her sword.

The men spotted them and drew their weapons. Paden headed them off by sending a few fireballs their way, but some of them still got through. Aveline and Carver charged ahead with their swords, while Paden and Varric held back to deal damage from a distance.

These bandits were well trained fighters, not your average thugs, and Carver and Aveline had to keep on their toes in order to keep their necks. Paden and Varric had to be careful about where they sent their ranged attacks in order to not deal friendly fire to their companions.

Just as Carver finally felled the last of the bandits, two more came charging down a steep slope, right atop him and Aveline. Paden was about to shoot a fireball at them when she noticed even more men.

"Varric, archers on the cliff up there," she said, pointing to two bowmen who were covering their sword wielding fellows down below.

"I got them," Varric said. "You help your brother."

Paden trusted Varric to take care of that threat. So she spun her staff and sent a bolt of electricity into the bandit that was attacking Carver. Electricity was much better than a fireball for close combat situations, because she could control the extent of its damage and didn't have to worry about hitting her brother—another reason why she preferred lightening over the other elements.

Just as that bandit went down three more attacked from the cliff just above Paden's left shoulder. They surprised her, but she threw a deflection spell at them just in time, sending them flying back into the rock face. Carver hurried over to finish them off before they could get back on their feet.

And suddenly the fighting was over. Varric and Bianca had taken care of the archers, and the bodies of the swordsmen were scattered all over the path. They waited a minute, making sure all was clear and that no more would come charging over the hill.

Finally Aveline sheathed her sword and then crouched to examine the body of one of the attackers.

"Well equipped for bandits," she said. "But dead is dead and the way is clear."

Paden picked up one of the fallen bandit's swords. "Well equipped indeed," she said. "How much do you think I could get for this, Carver?"

He took the weapon from her and examined it. "A good few silver anyway," he said. "Get the rest. We'll tie them together with one of their belts. Be easier to carry that way."

Paden grinned at her brother and then began gathering up the bandits' weapons while Carver removed a belt from one of the bodies. Paden also searched the bodies for other valuables, and by the time she was done she had found eight swords, two shields, two bows, six large fighting daggers and five smaller daggers, as well as a total of seventy-eight silver in coin.

She chuckled as she carried the last of the swords to the pile they were creating. "Maybe we need another belt," she said. "Else this will be quite a bundle."

Varric chuckled. "You're becoming quite frugal, Hawke. You could open up your own store at this rate."

"Maybe I will," Paden said with a wink to the dwarf. "Maybe I'll settle down and retire from adventuring."

"Hawke's Secondhand Goods," Varric said, holding his hands up as if framing a sign on a building. Then he shook his head. "Nah, you'd get bored.".

"Hawke, Captain Jevan needs to know of this ambush," Aveline said. "Let's get back to the barracks for your reward."

"Yes, that's right, we're hopefully going to be paid handsomely for this," Paden said. "But even if not, at least it wasn't all a waste."

She flashed Aveline a smile and hefted one of the shields over her shoulder with one hand, and picked up a bundle of swords with the other. "All right, let's go. Still got quite a hike back down."

By the time they made it back to Kirkwall Paden was ready to drop everything they had collected. But they needed the money, so she forced herself to make it all the way to the Hightown market—which was the closest market they came to after entering the city from the main road. There was no sense in carting the stuff around any longer, so they made a quick side trip to a weapons dealer and spent a little bit of time haggling over a good sell price. They finally walked away with over a sovereign's worth in gold. Paden was quite pleased.

Then they went with Aveline to the Viscount's Keep to report the success of their mission to Guard Captain Jevan. Paden was reluctant to enter the Keep again, but she was with Aveline this time as they walked past the guards in the main hall. They seemed to not pay as much attention to her as before, which calmed Paden's nerves only a little. They stopped outside a closed door in the Guard barracks.

"There's Jevan's office," Aveline said. "Wait here while I explain our initiative."

Aveline went into the office and closed the door behind her. Paden leaned against the wall to wait. Carver wandered over to the duty roster to see what sorts of work the guards were assigned, and Varric began chatting up a couple female guards on the other side of the room.

After a moment Paden could hear Jevan's raised voice through the door.

"I don't know how they do it where you're from, guardswoman, but I decide the patrols. Not you and your whims! You may have been put up for lieutenant in your first year, but I will have no show-offs in my command! Have I made myself clear? Report to your post before I have you and your Fereldan accomplice jailed."

A second later the door burst open and Aveline stormed out. Paden glanced in at Captain Jevan. An older man with graying hair and a smoldering expression.

Aveline closed the door hard and Paden looked at her. "Well, what a charming fellow," she said, wrinkling her nose.

"I don't have to like him," Aveline said. "But he could at least listen. Bandits are dead, that's all that should matter." She sighed softly. "It's not the first time he's made me wonder like this. Something is very wrong."

"This is probably a bad time to discuss my bill with him," Paden joked.

"He'll jail you," Aveline said. "I don't doubt that. The rest though…" She sighed and shook her head, glancing back at the door. "Threatening my friends was a bad move."

"Well, it wasn't all a bust, Aveline," Paden said with a wave of her hand. "At least you weren't suspended. But next time you offer me a job, make sure it's all right with the boss, won't you?"

"Will do," Aveline said. "Thank you, Hawke."

Paden inclined her head and then called to the others. "Carver, Varric, we still have an appointment with a Gray Warden. We shouldn't dilly dally."

Carver joined them. "Aveline, could I join the City Guard?"

"You'd have to turn in an application," Aveline said.

"Where could I get one of those?"

"From the recruitment office," Aveline said, pointing to a closed door just down the way."

"Thanks," Carver said. "Go on ahead, Sister, I'll catch up."

"Well, hurry," Paden said. "We don't want to wait for you."

"I'll be right behind you," Carver assured, and hurried to the recruitment office.

Paden glanced at Aveline. "Since when does he want to join the Guard?"

Aveline shrugged. "Don't look at me. But if you're worried about him joining, don't. He's unlikely to qualify."

"Really?" Paden said suspiciously. "And why is that?"

"Different reasons," Aveline said evasively. "Now, didn't I hear you have an appointment to keep? I'll see you around, Hawke."

Paden frowned at her friend's back as Aveline headed to the women's barracks. Now what was that about?

—

A/N: Sorry it's such a short chapter. I'll have a longer one posted sometime this weekend hopefully.