CHAPTER 12: PARTY LIKE...
Nobles apparently like their parties, any kind for just any random occasion. They ate a good meal earlier, let's throw a party! It didn't matter what the reason, the more parties you had. The more famous and rich you seemed.
Pompous assholes.
But to get in, you need to look the part. As well as have the status. "I'm sure Hawke wouldn't mind if you borrowed his name for a single night. Not if it meant you'd find out something important."
"I guess..." Oh if it was concerning Garrett in any way, he'd find some reason to be pissed about it.
"All you have to do is act the part." He scratched at his chin looking to the table. "I don't think you'd go for it though."
"At this point, I'll do anything." I leaned in closer waiting for him to spill the beans.
"Alright, let's see you act like a noble." He leaned back in his chair crossing his arms over his chest.
"Excuse me? Who are you to speak to me like that." I stood up throwing my nose to the air. "I don't know why I bother coming here." Varric and I snorted as I sat back down.
"I don't see any problems in that department." … Hey...
"I am American, being an obnoxious ass is kind of instilled at birth." He gave a wide shrug of his shoulders not arguing with me on that. "So, what else?"
"Well... having an … ahem... 'servent' or two might help." Oh great don't tell me he expects me to boss around one of my elven friends. "See, I don't like that idea either..."
"Yeah." So we got thrown right back to square one before we even took a step. At this rate I'd never have a clue how to get home. I may as well just give up even trying, but I wasn't raised like that. I can't but at the same time it's all just pointless to continue trying.
"Don't worry Kitten. We'll figure out something." He reached over patting me heavily on my shoulder. I knew he would; he seemed to know anything and everything about the world. If there was a way to get me back home, or at least figure out what was going on. It would be through him.
"Where is this chateau?" He explained it was on the coast a few miles away. At the top of a hill overlooking the ocean. From what he said it was massive. He'd never been there personally, but he knew people that knew people that had been there. The family living there were all supposed to be some of the biggest snots alive, or so he'd heard.
Their relatives built the chateau out far enough from the city to be alone, but still easily accessible to have parties every time someone turned around. Leave it to a noble to be a contradiction to himself.
After Varric gave me all the details he knew about the place, my head was swimming with ideas. None of which ended up being very smart. If I sneaked in I risk the chance of being caught and god only knows what kind of fate they'd give me.
I thought long and hard about it on my way back up to High Town. I needed to go see, I needed to find out if what the man had was genuine, or if he was just being a complete fraud. I had to take the chance though, it was to important to pass up on.
That was it, I'd decided; early tomorrow morning I was going to sneak away from Kirkwall, and go to this chateau. I knew I was risking a lot more than I should on the off chance the item was real. But if it would let me see my family again, it would be worth anything.
I went to bed early that night with hopes of waking long before anyone else in the Estate. They would all stop me, none of them knew the importance of what I had to do. Only Varric knew, and even he wouldn't let me go off and do something so stupidly reckless.
I packed a few things in a bag, and shoved them under my bed until morning. Hoping that I wouldn't be caught before I even got started.
By the time I awoke it was several hours later, and still pitch black outside. I couldn't hear much in the way of daily activity going on outside. With good reason, the smart people were still fast asleep safe in their beds. The first danger of my mission would be just getting out of High Town without getting myself attacked in the process.
It would be easier said than done.
So long as I kept calm and paid attention, I'd be fine. I have to keep telling myself that as I sneak out of the Estate. So far so good, Feng's the only one that's woken up.
I didn't see him at first when I came downstairs. When his massive bulk moved in the dark it scared me into nearly screaming. He opened his mouth letting his tongue lull out as he panted sleepily. He yawned loudly and snapped his mouth shut looking at me curiously. Wondering where I could be going so late.
"Sush." I put my finger to my lips making the dog blink and follow me with his eyes. He lay his head back on his massive paws staring up at me as I left through the front door. I locked it behind me, and let out a heavy breath leaning on it nearly sliding down in relief.
One disaster avoided. Now to just get out of the city.
I looked around pulling my jacket hood over my head, and walked quickly but calmly down the street. All the way out I got the feeling someone was watching and following me, but when I turned around no one was there. I even looked up and didn't see anything. But I still felt like someone was behind me.
I shrugged it off, it was just my nerves getting to me. Plus I'd never been out so late, or early, with no one else with me.
My heart pounded in my chest from the excitement of all this. Maybe, just maybe, I could finally go home. I didn't want to get my hopes up like Varric said, but I honestly don't care to be here any longer. I enjoyed my time here, to an extent, but it was time to put this behind me if I could.
I pulled my hood down once I made my way outside the city gates. The guards who stood by tried to make me go back home, but I didn't listen. I should have but I didn't. I'd already come this far, why stop now? It's dangerous, duh.
I'm not stupid, but I'm beginning to wonder about my sanity.
I looked around the area trying to stay on the road, but it was so dark I couldn't tell much. I could hear frogs and crickets; it was kind of peaceful out here. The crashing of the ocean against the rocks soothed my anxiety just a little. It certainly smelled a hundred times better out here than in most of the city.
There weren't many trees out here, I could see a few off in the distance in what light was there, but nothing to distracting from the otherwise boring trip.
A few feet away I saw a torch flare to life, and a man step out from around the rocks. I jerked to a stop releasing the strap of my bag in favor of going into a defensive stance. He wasn't out to ask for directions obviously.
"Lost little girl?" He asked with a menacing curl of his lip.
The muscles in my arms and legs began tightening up from the tension I was exerting to hold my ground. "No, I'm good." I tried to not let him know that I was dismayed by his presence.
"It would be ungentlemanly of me to let such a fine young woman, such as you, walk all alone in the dark." What happened to me being a 'little girl'. Nice try ass hole, not buying it.
"Nor would it us." I turned around sharply to see several more men come out from hiding. Shit, this isn't good. Now I'm out numbered by a bunch of thugs.
"I can handle myself." I tried to keep my voice from quivering, I couldn't let any of them know I was afraid. Then they would just be able to take advantage of me. They all gave chuckles of slight amusement at my lack of care, but weren't about to let me off the hook.
Two of the six behind me began walking toward me, no longer trying to play a little game. Their sneers became more predominate as I took my bag and dropped it to the ground. It would be to heavy to run with, and to cumbersome during the obvious fight coming. I tried to swallow but my throat had long since gone dry, I felt like I was swallowing a mouth full of sand with each breath.
The others stood by watching from the sidelines, what reason would they need to take on a small lone woman?
I took a step back holding my hands out and getting into an obvious stance. Of which made the two men stop for a second trying to figure out why I was waving my hands around and crouching down. The others looked more interested, but didn't move.
The bulkier of the two men reached forward to grab my outstretched wrist, but I twisted my arm around blocking it out of the way, sending my leg into his side. The leather he was wearing deflected most of the blow. It only shocked him and the other guy, but I couldn't let them get over that. I had to strike them both now.
I gave a loud low yell straight from my abdomen as I twisted my hips around kicking the man in the jaw. He stumbled backwards and his friend received several quick kicks in succession. As he stepped backwards with each kick I went forward with the momentum. He grunted a few times before I had enough and aimed for his unarmored knee.
Then he screamed falling to the ground my heel came straight down between his eyes. He was down for the count. The first man grabbed onto my arm after he recovered. He didn't have time to react before I spun around flattening my hand out like a knife and struck at his throat. That got him to release me immediately.
I heard him choke as he grasped at his throat.
He fell over twitching on the ground trying to catch his breath, but it was fading as quickly as his life. His buddies didn't seem the least bit concerned about his life, they just pulled their weapons with a 'skrink' of metal.
It just got from bad to worse.
Now they knew I knew how to fight, and now they pulled their weapons. Absolutely no sense of honor with these men. I didn't want to be backed up against the rocks, but that's where I ended up. I had nowhere to run and hide. No one to back me up. I should have stayed at the Estate.
A lot of 'should have's' for one night.
The men laughed sadistically creeping up slowly with weapons shining in the dim light of the moon. If they didn't kill me first, I could only imagine what they would do, and pray that they would kill me and leave me for the vultures.
When they were within a few feet one gave a loud yell of pain dropping his sword. The other men looked back to him wondering what had happened, hell even I wonder. He fell to his knees and face down on the ground, a bolt sticking out of the back of his head.
"Back away from the Kitten, and no one gets hurt... Well no one else that is."
Wow, I've died and started imagining my rescue. There is no way, but either way am I glad to hear that voice.
"What!" The leader of the group stuttered finally regaining his own voice. "Forget the girl, kill him!" They turned and charged in the direction that Varric's voice had came from. Then they were stopped by a bright blue-white glow, a massive sword, and a very pissed off elf.
They weren't only stopped by that, but a massive ball of fire throwing two of them over the cliffs. I heard the swooshing of a staff as it was spun around, but I already knew it was a mage.
Fenris charged forward leaping toward one guy, and the glow from where he had phased through the man vanished up to his elbow, and returned from out the mans back. He gave a loud scream as he thrashed around when he fell to the ground. Fenris stopped glowing in favor of taking his sword in hand, thoroughly ending the threat of the last man.
I couldn't help it when I fell to the ground. My knees gave out on me as relief washed over me. I was saved, but how did they know? I never left a note and I certainly never told anyone my plans.
"I thought you might be out here." Varric said heaving a sigh and covered it up with a chuckle. I opened my mouth to ask how, but was interrupted by Anders.
"Varric thought you might be up to something, and called for us." My apostate friend came to kneel beside me, checking for injuries. I just stared up at him, and turned my eyes to Varric in amazement. I blew loudly out from my lips as Anders finished his check up.
Fenris didn't even wait for Anders to give the 'ok' for me to stand, and he hauled me to my feet by my arms. It hurt a whole hell of a lot. "Ow, Fenris! That hurts!" I was ready to start yelling in his ear if he didn't let go and soon. Anything else I could have said vanished from all thought when I looked up at his eyes.
For a moment they were wide and fearful. It made my heart give a lurch seeing his eyes like that. I didn't know how he could give such an expression, but soon they hardened into narrow slits. I instantly felt like an ass, and fool all at once. As though I had been the one to wrong and hurt him.
"Can't you see you're hurting her! Let go!" Anders went to give Fenris a shove, but his hand was knocked away when the elf released me.
The two backed off quickly there after when I passed between the two trying to avoid eye contact, and seeing at the dead bodies of my attackers. I reached down picking up my bag dusting the sand off the bottom, thankful that it hadn't gotten any tares or blood on it.
"Come on Kitten, lets get a move on." Varric came over patting me on the shoulder much more gently than earlier. I couldn't look at him in the eyes either. I didn't want to face them. I'd gone and made such an idiot of myself. If they hadn't came out of thin air, I'd be the one laying on the ground for someone to find.
"Valerie, are you alright?" Anders asked coming to stand beside Varric and I. I nodded my head taking a deep breath. I just want to go back to the Estate and face Garrett's wrath and get this day over with. Maybe if I'm lucky he'll kill me and get it all over with.
I turned to head back in the direction of Kirkwall.
"Where you going? I thought you wanted to find answers?" Varric asked me as I turned to face the three men.
"You... want to help me?" The mere idea of it all sounded so foreign. Why would they want to bother.
"Why must you ask. We wouldn't be here otherwise." Fenris crossed his arms looking miffed that I'd doubted the reason he had came out so early in the morning.
Anders gave a little groan rolling his eyes. "What he means is, of course we want to help." He smiled kindly and went back to ignoring his ally-enemy.
I couldn't understand why they'd do something like this for me, I don't think I ever could or will. But neither could I question their help. I broke out into a grin and resisted the urge to jump around and hug all three of them. "Thanks guys."
Varric winked at me giving me a thumbs-up. "Come on, we have a party we don't want to miss."
Yes, lets go crash us a party.