CHAPTER 8: DANGEROUS EXPEDITION
"Kitten, you don't look so well." Varric's hand came to sit on my shoulder while I let my head rest on the wooden table and my arms hang limply between my legs.
"Have a rough night?" Isabela's voice held a musical like note of laughter. I just groaned out loudly wishing that the hangover would just go away already. I lifted my head up just enough to prop my chin up and glare at the pirate woman across from me. She leaned forward giving me a wonderful eye stabbing view of her cleavage.
"Go away..." I groaned irritably, but she just laughed raising the pitch in her voice to an ear stabbing, head pounding level. The urge to grab that damned stud in her lip and pin both of them together looked so tempting. Far to tempting to pass up. But then again she's on the other side of the table, and it would require me to get up off my ass.
What I wouldn't give for telekinesis, just for a few seconds.
"So tell me, what did you do to get so drunk with our broody elf friend." She propped both elbows on the table resting her head in her hands waiting on me to spill some non-existent juicy details.
I mumbled something even I have no idea what it was, and slammed my head back onto the table. I shouldn't have drunk so much at once. It'd been months since I'd had any kind of alcohol, that was just plain stupid of me.
"Let her be Rivaini." Varric only paused for a split second. "So did anything happen while the two of you were roaring drunk?" Seriously, Varric... seriously. And here I thought you were the voice of reason.
Varric, meet the international peace sign.
"Haha, well that is what we're asking pet. Did you fuck him?"
My arm thumped down onto the table and I brought my head slowly up to glare at the other woman. "Is that the only thing you can think about Isabela?"
She tapped a finger against her chin, looking as though she were in deep thought. "Well there was this..." She gave a shutter giving a grin that would put the Cheshire cat to shame." no wait it was sex."
"Why did I even bother..."
"You love me dear. Don't deny it."
"How did I not see it before, you're right. I'm so very madly in love with you Isabela."
From his seat Varric snapped his fingers. "And the two lovely warrior women gazed haughtily at the other. Both unsure of the others affection. Our young heroine anxiously bit at her lip before throw-"
"Varric!"
"Oh hush it was just starting to get good." Isabela threw a rolled up napkin at me, her grin widening. "Continue that one, getting me all ho-"
"Oh for the love of..." I jammed my fingers in my ears. "La la la, not listening, lalalalala!"
"Have I missed something?" Anders! Oh thank God, someone with an ounce of sense.
Save me please! "Anders! How are you, it's been to long. How's the clinic?" I grabbed the sleeve of his robe yanking him down into the seat next to me. His eyes went wide at my abruptness, and he looked nervously to the others at the table.
"Um... I'm fine. Things at the clinic aren't any different." He shifted around uncomfortably gently prying my fingers from his robe. "Is something wrong?"
"Oh just learning our little girl here is a vir-"
"Shut up! Don't listen to anything she says Anders." My hands covered his ears as I practically jumped out of the seat and grabbed his head. Isabela once again let out that monstrous laugh, and I swear I could hear her saying 'this is to much fun'. Between my head already pounding and her making it even worse my morning was already shot.
At least Varric by this point had settled for covering his mouth and snickering under his breath with Isabela's each attempt, success, at flustering me. Anders might have a concussion by the end of the morning if this keeps up. And I think that might be Isabela's plot all along. Drive me insane and take Anders down with me. Bitch.
As soon as Merrill, Garrett and Carver came in the pirate queen finally began slowing down her teasing. By the time Fenris came in behind them a few minutes later, she just sat there with the most evil grin ever. Plotting my untimely demise. I could already tell it was going to be one of 'those' days.
"Oh you look terrible this morning. Did you not sleep well? I can't imagine trying to sleep here, with all the drinking going on. Not to mention the smell. I hope the beds are at least comfortable..."
"Just a hang over Merrill, that's all." I grit out looking at Isabela. Isabela had the nerve to look innocent and shrug her hands. Those are two words in the same sentence that should never be said in one breath, Isabela and innocent...
Varric's voice rose above everyone else in the building as he called out for drinks. Thank God it's so early, they don't start drinking at ungodly hours in the morning. I don't even want to look at any form of alcohol for the next week at least.
"Alright, so lets get down to business." Varric leaned forward putting a bunch of papers down on the table. Everyone leaned forward to see what was on the parchment, well except Fenris he just stared at the bar. Don't tell me he wants to start drinking already?
"So we've gotten all the coin for the Expedition. All that's left is to get it to my idiot brother, and get inside. If you have any kind of business here, you might want to consider getting it done now. Garrett and I are going to meet with Bartrand after we leave here."
"Oh how exciting, an adventure!" Merrill cooed shaking my arm. She grinned childishly at me and I smiled shaking my head at her. "Please tell me you're coming. I would feel absolutely silly otherwise. No one else likes to talk very much."
In all honesty I hadn't given it much thought. I'd heard them talking about it over the past few months, but that was when I stood at ankle level with everyone. "If they'll let me. I guess." Merrill bounced around in the seat like an overgrown kid clapping her hands together giggling all the while.
"Hate to break it to you ladies, this isn't going to be like prancing through a meadow. The Deep Roads are filled with Darkspawn..." Anders said giving a sigh. He obviously didn't want to go, but was going to suck it up anyway. "I need to take care of a few things at the clinic. I'll meet up with you later." He leaned down. They waved him off without really looking up or paying attention to the healer. "Promise me, that you will not go." He squeezed my shoulder lightly before he turned and walked through the crowd.
No one else other than Merrill and myself seemed to even hear the exchange. I do want to go with them, I feel bad about ignoring Anders' request though. Maybe I can find out why I'm here if I go. There has to be some connection between our two worlds. I've just not really seen it yet. And I'll never see it if I don't get out of this city.
Garrett and Varric left the table once the meeting was over between the group. Carver followed after the two, muttering under his breath the entire time. I didn't quite catch what he had gone on about, but it wasn't anything useful to go on at any rate. Not with the way he usually rants.
"Lets go kitten, got to get ready for our little trip." Isabela sauntered over to the elf girl beside me, who jumped from the seat excitedly and practically skipped after the scantly clad pirate. "Oh, and pet. Stick those things out a bit more!"
She said and a pair of hands suddenly cupped my chest from behind. She was gone before I could knock her silly. I turned around holding one arm over my chest, that was totally uncalled for! What was that crazy lady thinking!?
I shouted after her but she was already long gone.
"What is wrong with her!" I muttered feeling my ears begin to burn.
Fenris gave an almost silent chuckle. He was still here! Didn't he leave with the others?! "You might not wish to know the answer to that question." He smiled lightly as he shook his head.
He was most likely right about that one... "God I feel so dirty now... You can't catch stuff just by touching someone, can you?"
"One would hope not. You might want to bathe just to be sure." He posed a good point. I might need to burn this shirt just to be safe. Bleh, I'll have to figure a way out to get her back later. A way that wouldn't involve any kind of physical contact from my end.
I snorted. "Bathe in what, acid?" As much as I like Isabela, she can be such a pain in the ass.
And by the time we all met up outside again a few hours later, she was there putting her hands where they shouldn't have any right to go, I desperately wanted to flip her over my shoulder. When she put her arms around my shoulders and bit down lightly on my ear giggling, that's where I drew the line. Over the shoulder you go, you creepy perverted lady.
If everyone wasn't quiet before; they were when Isabela, of all people, squawked loudly and hit the ground.
Only one person spoke up as soon after. "Oh that looks like it hurt..." Ah Merrill, this is why you're my favourite out of the bunch.
As soon as the little gawk session started it was over. Isabela stood up quietly brushing herself off, all the while giving me the stink eye. I mimicked her earlier, shrugging innocently.
"Garrett, please don't let your brother go!" Both of us turned around to see Leandra placing her hands on her eldest son's shoulders. Begging him to make Carver stay here in Kirkwall.
"Mother, calm down." He whispered to her taking her hands in his giving her a smile. He seems like such an asshole with no self control, but when it comes down to it and matters he is very different. He doesn't speak with his mother the way he does with random people on the street, or even his friends.
He's a lot gentler with women in general. But get on his bad side, cough Isabela cough, and you face the scariest man ever to cross your path.
"Carver, you heard mother. Stay here, with her." Carver wasn't at all happy about that little bit of information.
"What! There's no way I'm staying here while you go!" Carver waved his hands around, doing a perfect imitation of an immature brat. "Even she's going!" He pointed straight at me practically growling like Feng when he sees a thief.
"Yes, she's going as a cook. And she is not my sister, she can do as she pleases." It didn't settle well with Carver, if anything it made him even angrier. When he opened his mouth to yell at Garrett he was shut up almost immediately. "This is why you're staying! You can't take orders from anyone!" Garrett barked continuing before Carver could even hope to get a word in edge wise. "You're staying with mother, and that's it!"
"Fine, have it your way then brother..." Leandra sighed heavily, her worries about her youngest son leaving her all alone vanished. She still looked worried. Garrett was still leaving after all. She didn't want anything to happen to her two children, not after what happened to her daughter. No one would want to ever have to go through what the poor lady had. First her husband and then her little girl.
She didn't have an easy life at all.
Carver stalked off heading back toward Low Town. Most likely plotting how he could piss his brother off the most.
"Take care of him mother."
"Come back safe Garrett." He held her hands one last time touching her fingers to his forehead, and that's when I finally decided to look away. That was a family matter, and not one I should be watching so closely. Isabela though obviously didn't care and continued to look in the other direction. Along with several others that still hadn't decided to mind their own business.
After what seemed like ages Bartrand decided it was time to get a move on.
"Why must you ignore me?" Anders pulled me to the side, stopping me from following after the group.
"I'm not?"
He shook his head rubbing at his eyes forcefully. "Dear Maker... I asked you not to come. It's not safe."
"Far as I've seen, nothing here is." I started walking again, Anders grabbed at my arm holding tightly to it as we walked. "It's not like I'm going to be fighting. And besides, you need actual food and not just whatever's easily on hand."
"You don't understand, this is far more dangerous than bandits and thugs. You won't be so lucky down there."
It was nice of him to worry. "I'll be fine, besides I've got a big tough mage to protect me." I pat his hand that still clutched my arm like a vice.