CHAPTER 19: THE BEST ADVISE

Merrill left that night with a whole new view on life. I swear Isabela had to divulge on a bit more than necessary. After that night though I was completely wiped. I slept nearly until after noon, I probably would have slept longer, but Leandra woke me up saying that I shouldn't be sleeping so late. Something about it wasn't lady like.

I don't know I didn't really pay attention.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Varric entered Fenris' borrowed mansion as though he owned the place. He found Fenris leaning against the fire place watching the charred embers of an already long extinguished flame.

"Elf what's wrong, you seem broodier than usual." He took a seat in the chair resting Bianca in his lap. Fenris turned slightly staring at the shorter but hearty dwarf. "You and Kitten seem to have fallen on hard times. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I do not want to talk about it!" Fenris whorled around quick enough to give him whiplash. Varric though was not at all phased by his sudden mood swing. He just sat there with a neutral expression waiting on the elf to break. Soon the lanky elf began pacing running a hand through his hair.

"She's hiding it well, but it's obvious something happened after..." He let the incident of her capture trail off before he cleared his throat. "But that isn't what's wrong. Did something happen?" Fenris crossed his arms coming to a complete stop in the center of his room.

"Elf come on, that girl thought the world of you. Now she won't so much as look at you."

"Drop it." Fenris turned around pointing a menacing finger at the dwarf, of whom continued to be unphased by the elf's anger.

"I don't think you're getting off that easily. That's my girl out there, and if you've so much as said one word to her." He stood from the chair leaning Bianca against the arm. "You think you're the only one who's been hurt here? Elf, I like you, but this is where I draw the line."

Fenris clenched his fists nearly digging the metal claws into his already scared palms.

"She's not like us, and you know this." Varric's tone dropped to a deathly whisper. "What have you done."

Suddenly Fenris was unable to continue holding his anger toward Varric. All of his energy seemed to have drained from his body as he collapsed in the lounge chair. Varric waited impatiently for the answers to come from the other man who seemed to hide deeper into his own little world. "We...made..." He scratched absentmindedly at the back of his gauntleted hand, the action useless but seemed necessary.

It only took a second for the dwarf to put two and two together. Why the elf and human seemed to just completely stopped acknowledging the other. He was ready to kill the elf for hurting the woman, he only wanted them to be friends. He never meant for it to go that far, but apparently it had. He was now in no mood to make jokes, or try and lighten the mood.

"I ended things after that. It was to much to quickly." He glanced up at the dwarf, his eyes sad and regretful. "It was the hardest thing I've ever done." With those quiet words said even Varric's anger was swept from him, and he fell back into his chair with a huff. Now only slightly irritated with Fenris he pinched the bridge of his nose shaking his head.

What a fine mess the elf had made.

"Elf you can't just do that." He took a deep breath. "She may not seem it, but she's still a woman, she's fragile."

"I know that." He defended slowly regaining the edge to his voice before it faded back to uncertainty. "It is better this way. She isn't in danger so long as she isn't attached to me."

"If this is about that Danarius mage, if he knows about her. He could still target her to get to you." Fenris looked back to Varric, he had obviously thought that through. Her being in danger because of him was only half of the problem though. He had already placed his personal issues above her. His memories haunted him, taunted being dangled before his eyes and no matter how he tried he couldn't remember.

"It would be less likely. I am through talking, leave." He stood from his chair and pointed Varric to the door. Adding to himself a 'and don't let the door hit you on the way out' type comment.

Varric stood from the chair taking Bianca with him. He turned before he left the room to give the elf one last bit of information. "You think you're lost and alone? Compared to her, you've got it easy." He began walking out and called over his shoulder. "You clean up your own mess. I'm through."

x-x-x-x-x-x

Girls night out. More like, how much trouble could Isabela get us into before Aveline called the entire city guard down on us. I swear that woman can do some of the most reckless things, all for the simple thrill of it.

Even if it was as simple a task as buying a single apple. She wouldn't pay for it, she would rather steal the thing and run off with it, and a half dozen people chasing after her. It was probably a good thing she stayed in the Hanged Man for a majority of the time. Better that than let a loose unsupervised Isabela out on the streets.

Well at first I suggested to Aveline to come with us, but as soon as the older woman found out Isabela was going... things got ugly.

Ugly wasn't the half of it. Names were thrown, as was a half empty mug, and she left.

Isabela was just as smug as can be after too. Merrill and I just sat at our seats looked at each other and were glad we weren't Aveline.

Late into the night she decided it was a smart idea to take us to the Blooming Rose. If anything just to laugh at the craziness going on inside.

"Look at that one." She leaned over not bothering to lower her voice as she pointed to a really creepy looking guy. She snorted causing Merrill to laugh with her. "See kittens, this is what I mean by dark and handsome. When it's dark, he's handsome."

She snorted on her own joke and slapped the table laughing loudly. The guy had heard her mocking him for the last twenty minutes, how he lasted so long I'll never know, and walked up to our table.

"Would you care to repeat that?" He asked with this oddly french sounding accent. Although it sounded more so like he was having trouble breathing through his nose than anything.

"What, are your ears as broken as your voice? Poor dear." She shrugged her shoulders rocking in her seat with that smirk.

"Why you!"

"Hey, doll mind letting me borrow your face for a few days? My ass is going on holiday."

Oh was he mad. I wish we had known that he had several heavily armed men standing by just outside, and within ear shot. Then maybe Isabela wouldn't have... no she still would have. Even though we're being chased by a bunch of men with several pointy objects we're all laughing hysterically.

Not a one of them could keep up in their heavy armor. We easily lost them into the city through narrow back streets. We made it back to the Hanged Man gasping and laughing trying to catch our breath all at once. Not a one of could stop laughing long enough to breathe, talk or even think coherently.

Most ordinary people would have lived and learned long ago not to do stupid shit like that.

Isabela just lived.

And that was one thing she was damned proud of, and would never change for anyone. Life's to short to watch it pass from behind a desk. Or even from the passenger side window. You let life run you.

Or you could get out and run it yourself.

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass after all, it's learning to dance in the rain. It took a crazy, insane pirate queen to teach me that.