CHAPTER 9: THE LONG WAY DOWN
The Deep Roads, more like giant ass hole in the ground. After walking down for hours and hours, nothing changed. Just big dark and damp. I think a few hours ago I sweated out just about half of my body weight in sweat. And now I'm about to freeze my ass off. Isabela was just as miserable as I was, what with the way she looked at the walls like they were going to slam down on her.
Anders had taken up the front, unwillingly, as the resident Darkspawn radar. Apparently he could sense them, but they could also sense him as well. Or at least that's what I gathered from broken conversations.
Merrill had taken to running around looking at all the various shiny gems stones sticking out of the rock. I've never heard so much ooing and awing from one person. For someone supposed to be 'dangerous' she sure didn't seem it. Anders' has such a bad habit of coloring people before he gets to know them. She was a mage too, and yet he hated her for what magic she chose to use.
I'll never understand any of it. If I do, it'll be to soon.
Varric and his brother argued for the longest time before they were finally told to shut up by Garrett. Who as of now, is busy chasing down Merrill and trying to get her to stay with the group. He turns his head for a second and she's already seen something else to catch her eye, and running off after it.
I really don't see why Anders' was so afraid in the first place. About the most dangerous thing I've seen now is the threat to Merrill and Fenris' feet. Elves are so weird.
I'm sure there are some kind of bats down here, what kind hell if I know. If they look anything like Feng I'll be sure to run in circles screaming.
I miss that big loveable pooch. To bad he had to stay behind, to keep Carver in order. Or Gamlen, I'm not really sure on that one. Poor dog has his work cut out for him either way. Espacially with the way those two go, I am so glad I'm not the one that gets the pleasure of that job. Woah boy that would suck major balls.
Varric had at one point started narrating on some random structures that we passed. This entire thing was built by dwarves long ago. After the first 'day' of travelling, he ran out of stuff to talk about.
Once we finally were able to stop camp was set up immediately. We'd rest for awhile before taking off again, and have another twelve hour long hike downward. Already by the second day, I began to regret even asking to tag along. I even considered that staying with Garrett's uncle a better decision, but only for a sliver of a moment. At least Merrill was here, she was actually the only one willing to help cook. Although she didn't know much, she wanted to learn more, and what better way to learn than on a mind numbing exploration.
At least the choice in food was fair. It wasn't five star restaurant quality, but it was better than eating dried meat the entire trip. And boy could these people eat. I've never seen so much food disapear from a plate in the blink of an eye. I can almost swear that Isabella just tilted up her plate and ate that too. It wasn't long after that she hit the bottle. She probably ate that too.
By the time I'd finished eating, I started reading the story Varric had already began writing. Its at least a hundred pages long, and from what he said, it's still no where near finished. Flipping around through the pages I saw that the prologue was at least a good quarter of the thing.
I'm a little worried what he might be scheming. At the same time though, I want to read more. Somehow he had me hooked, I have to hand it to him. One part though has me a little confused. Something mentioning that my character has yet to meet 'the one that will change my life forever'.
"What is that?" I looked up to see Fenris squat down to get a better look at the unfinished book.
I flipped back to the front and gave him a better view of the words on the page. "Varric's been writing this." I rolled my eyes, but I can't hide my smile. No one's ever done something for me like this. "Wanna read it? I'm pretty much done now." He started to take it from me, but pushed it back. He looked uneasy shifting around on the balls of his feet. "Hey, I know Varric's a bit... eccentric, but he's a good writer. I promise you'll want to read the rest when he's done." The man really did have a way with words. He liked to hear himself talk enough so I guess that talent would come in handy.
Shit I hope I didn't just say that outloud. I cleared my throat awkwardly and remembered that Fenris was still there. He didn't seem to notice my inner tangent though thankfully. He was to busy glaring down at some weird looking beetle thing like it owed him a debt.
He broke his stare to give a huff. "It's... not that. I just."
"What is it?" Suddenly things didn't seem as easy around him. Almost like he was walking on egg shells. I don't think I've ever seen someone so tense. "Hey come on, can't be that bad." I joked swatting a hand toward his armored knee giving a light laugh. It though wasn't returned by anything more than a blank and controlled gaze. Again all I could do was clear my throat and bite the inside of my cheek, feeling like a complete asshole.
"As a slave, I was... I don't know how to read." To be honest his statement wasn't unexpected, but to actually hear something like that, out of a grown mans mouth that he can't read. "Why must you look so surprised."
"Sorry, I've just never met anyone who couldn't. Then again, I don't get out much." I sat the book down picking at the pages. "I could teach you. If you wanted." At first he didn't look like he even heard me, when his eyes softened up and a look of confusion spread over his face I knew he had heard me loud and clear.
"You would do that for me?"
"Now who seems so surprised." He gave a little chuckle and slowly sat down fidgeting with a buckle on his gauntlet.
"I apologize, I must seem ungrateful for your offer." Well, it's something to do down here. Why not, besides I like talking to Fenris.
"Wait right here, I'll be back in a second." I picked up Varric's book and took off to find the dwarf. The camp had spread out a good distance, but just enough to give everyone space. So it wasn't hard to find him.
"Woah, where's the fire Kitten?" Varric chuckled taking the book back. When I explained to him what I wanted, he just shrugged and didn't ask questions. I took the blank paper, quill and ink back to my little partial tent. He must think I'd gone completely bat shit crazy down here.
I ducked under, pulling the flap down closing the makeshift door behind me. Lit a match and had a lantern going. It didn't give off much light, but it was better than nothing. Fenris didn't look to sure that he wanted to start learning from me after that.
"Take those off if you can. It'll make writing easier I'm sure." He looked extremely uncomfortable after I'd suggest that. It wasn't like I was telling him to strip down nude... oh god but with this blush I may as well have. "Its just a suggestion..." I looked down at the paper trying to distract myself with that. It wasn't working to well because we're sitting right beside each other. A few seconds later and I could hear the clipping of the buckles and him sitting the gauntlets down beside him in the small space.
"I thought we were reading not writing?"
"It's better to know both. Besides learning how letters are formed will make it easier for you to read them." I started writing out a few letters, but noticed something strange I hadn't noticed earlier.
I wasn't writing or even reading in English.
"What is wrong?" I couldn't make it look like I didn't know what was going on. I could read this, but it looked weird.
"This is A, B, C, and D." I pointed to each letter, keeping a side glance on him watching his eyes flick to each. I let it sink in for a few minutes before covering up the already written letters with a blank sheet of paper. "Remember C? Write it for me."
For someone who can't waste a moment's hesitation in their normal life. He sure did now.
"It's just me, Fenris. Here." As soon as I touched his hand he snatched it back and began glowing eerily. Wait, isn't that what he does when he's going … oh shit. I guess he must have noticed when I dropped the quill that he had scared the ever living shit out of me with that and he stopped glowing. I gulped trying not to slide as far away as I could. "It still hurts... doesn't it?"
"I'm sorry." Was all he said and grabbed his gauntlets before leaving in a hurry. Boy do I feel like a complete asshole and idiot all rolled into one. Good going Val, smooth.
"Ohhh what's going on in here." Isabela's head suddenly appeared in my tent. Here we go again. God I hope she doesn't make things even worse right now, I already feel awful.
"Nothing." She didn't buy it at all, having gotten something in her head already planned out. "Isabela, nothing's going on between us. Okay..." Wow why did it feel like I just punched myself in the gut with that.
"Well if you don't want him..." She purred, I mean literally purred like I did when I was a cat, and looked out from the tent. I took off my boot and threw it at her. She blocked it easily and the last I could see of her was her sauntering away off somewhere before the flap closed again. At least that was enough to make me forget that I ever felt so bad. At least for just a moment.
I didn't sleep much that 'night'. I was kept awake by unnecessarily vivid dreams, ones I sorely blame on being around Isabela to long. But by the time we stopped again, I couldn't remember them at all, but when Fenris was around I felt all kinds of flustered. And being in a giant hole in the middle of nowhere meant he was always right there.
I half figured he wouldn't want to bother with reading anymore, but when I looked up he was patiently waiting at my 'door'. I'm not sure when he got there, he could have been there for ages and I'm just now noticing him.
"Sorry didn't see you there. You can speak up you know." I sat up and scooted over patting the space in front of me.
"I did not wish to interrupt." What me staring at the top of my tent blankly? Nice way to look like a complete space case.
"So, what do you thinks down here anyway?"
"As far as I can see. Nothing." The silence that passed between the two of us felt awkward, at least to me it did. Fenris didn't look like he really knew what to do or say.
"Do you want to try reading and writing again." He nodded his head slowly and looked around the little space.
"'scuse me." I muttered leaning over him closing the flap again. I made damn sure I didn't touch him this time. "Do you remember the letters from yesterday?"
Again he just nodded his head as I pulled out the stack of papers. I pointed to the four in a random order asking for him to name them. He remembered every single one correctly.
I looked at the paper again, and smiled. "Wow, nice." He learned the letters easily enough, but putting them together in words was an entirely different task. The next thing I taught him, was his own name.
After another few sessions, he could read a few words, and write them.
"How about this..." I tapped the quill on my chin before taking the pad of papers and writing down a random sentence.
"You... have pretty..." He paused and gave a chuckle. "Again with my eyes?" I stuck my tongue out at him childishly trying to avoid blushing. I didn't respond to him and took the pad back.
"You're a quick learner. I don't think you're going to need my help soon enough."
"I've only learned quickly because I have an excellent instructor."
"Thanks. Glad I could help." I reached over to give him a pat on the shoulder, or a hug. Something to show some kind of normal affection, but then remembered.
He doesn't like to be touched.
I cleared my throat and shuffled the papers around. I felt a hand touch my back and come to rest on my shoulder, but before I could turn to look at Fenris I felt his lips press against the side of my forehead. His hand traveled away from my shoulder to rest on my cheek
"You are unlike any human I have ever met." And with that said, he stood and left. It would be easy enough to go after him, but I didn't. I'm not sure what he meant by that, or why he suddenly felt the need to be so spontaneous with his actions.