CHAPTER 23: CRAZY TOWN
Over a little time alone I thought about my situation. I wasn't really sure at first if this was a good idea. I'm not from this place, I don't belong. I have no right to be carrying the child inside of me. I hadn't told anyone else other than Garrett and Leandra. Even then I hid it for as long as I could.
I felt like I was crawling into a hole and hiding from the world because of this. That caused them to watch me closely from behind, and thus they found out. It was bound to happen.
Just looking you really couldn't tell that I had an extra passenger. But after having three kids, Leandra knew better. I didn't want to bother her with it, her family had already done so much, and I hadn't done anything in return.
So, I finally got out looking for a house.
"So you're really wanting to give up living in High Town?" Isabela leaned on a table staring up at the cobwebs on the roof.
"I still have a lot of the money from the Expedition. Why not?" She just shrugged her shoulders. There wasn't anything final yet, I just wanted to look at the house. It had been abandoned for some weeks now, and the owner didn't want it empty. Though by the looks of things, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.
The main room looked ready to have the roof fall in. The back rooms looked alright, but the boarded up windows were an obvious sign of theft.
"You know, on second thought... High Town is looking mighty cozy right now..."
Isabela snorted in a way that said, 'I told you so'.
After that she all but vanished, she and Garrett had things to do around the city. I only could walk around freely if Garrett had left Feng behind with orders to watch me. Other than that I hid myself away again. Anders was the only one to visit, even then it was rare.
Garrett had given him a key to get in through the cellar. It was convenient that he lived somehow right below us. He could get in or out without really being seen. He only stayed long enough to check on my progress, and then he too left.
"Everyone's been asking about you. Especially Solona, she sends her best wishes." He said as his hands floated with that weird blue light above me. It was good to know that Solona had fit into the group just fine. She and Anders ended up bunking together until she could find her own place to stay.
"I'm fine, I think my ass and belly are starting to compete as to which will bloat up the fastest though..." I got a little chuckle from Anders with that.
"Here, take this if you feel anymore back pain." He handed me several packs of crushed herbs. He took one back opening it and dumping it into a cup of hot water he'd reheated with magic.
"Magic certainly has it's advantages."
His smile was gloomy. "Well, you would be the first to think so." He mixed his concoction together and handed it to me. "It's bitter." He said only after I'd taken a large gulp. Why does everything that's supposed to be good for you taste like shit...
"Thanks for the warning." I choked. He took the cup back as he stood.
"I portioned out each dose. Just don't take more than one a day." He scratched at the back of his head nervously. "Otherwise you might be asleep for the rest of the week." He began to leave but turned around fishing something out from a pouch on his side. "I forgot, I was … asked to return this to you."
He grabbed my hand placing some cold metal object in my palm. My grandmother's necklace. He never said where he got it, or rather who gave it to him. I just remember it being broken off nearly four months ago.
Then he too was gone. I only knew he was alright because Garrett would come in complaining about him and Fenris, shocker, getting into another fight. Everyone else seemed to of gotten along, except for the two of them. Fenris even began to only barely tolerate Merrill, but not much more. And don't even get me started on Solona and him, I didn't think anyone could end up pissing so many people off without uttering a single word.
A few months passed without seeing anyone other than Garrett. And by now it was painfully obvious I was pregnant. Back... hurts so much. I think I've gotten the of imitation a penguin down perfectly. My 'I have to pee' dance has unquestionably improved seeing as it looked like that's what I was doing walking around the Estate.
One night I went to bed, and the next I woke up unable to see my feet. I started thinking that they had vanished like my friends, but like them it was just me.
That's when Varric surprised me by visiting. I had just enough time to hide under the covers that barely hid my belly.
"Kitten, you're a sight for sore eyes." He said as he entered my room. I waved to him from my bed as he pulled up a chair to catch up. We, I, had so much to catch up on.
"Varric," He leaned back comfortably in the chair smiling ear to ear. "You remember how I told you I was from another world right?"
"How could I forget." He shrugged casually. "What's on your mind?"
I spilled my guts, thankfully only figuratively this time, about what had been on my mind for the last several weeks. I omitted the major detail, hoping that it wouldn't need to be brought up, but I knew it would in a few minutes.
"You miss your world. That's... well I would like to say it's normal. I'm sure your family misses you as much as you do them." I still didn't regret what happened all those years ago either. I never would. It just, took me awhile to remember that.
"I know, but... things just got really complicated."
"How so, Kitten?" He wanted the truth, so I pulled back the thick comforter and blankets. Somehow though, he didn't look to surprised. It shocked me more that he wasn't. No one had told him, and yet he had figured it out just as he entered the room. "You're glowing, it's obvious." He acted like he was crying and wiped away a nonexistent tear. "My little Kitten's growing up so fast."
"Varric..." My shoulders shook with a silent laugh.
Then all of a sudden something clicked in his mind. I wasn't sure at first what, but then again I didn't impregnate myself. Even if we were from two different worlds, that little fact remained the same. There had to be a father, and he figured that one out fast.
He grunted running a hand down his face slowly. I'll bet he knew who too from that look.
"Elf, I swear you keep making things better and better." Yep he knew, wait how!
"Varric how... how do you know who?!"
He cleared his throat trying to calm himself down, and only mentally beat the living hell out of Fenris. I slumped down into the bed groaning, only slightly hoping he hadn't threatened the information out of him. But he had. Varric, between you and Isabela I'm going to need to go into therapy.
Oh sweet Jesus... With friends like these... ugh.
He opened his mouth to make some silly comment as he stood, but he nearly collapsed to the floor by a sudden earthquake. I sat up myself trying not to roll off the bed as we helped each other to stand. A window downstairs cracked and shattered, a terrified scream came from Leandra and Sandal gave a cry for his father.
"You alright Kitten?" Varric lead me to my door, both of us looking frantically for Leandra and the two other dwarves. Sandal backed away from the shattered glass, while Bodhan pulled Leandra away. The older woman held a hand over her shoulder.
Before any of us could ask what was going on the house was wracked by another quake. Terrified and confused screams sounded from the streets outside the protective walls of the Estate. Whatever was going on out there couldn't be good at all.
"Stay here, I'm going to see what's going on." Varric pulled Bianca from her resting place against his back. The rest of us gathered around the open doorway watching as he leaned his back against the front door, and released Bianca's safety. The weapon gave a quiet pop of gears as he lowered it for just a moment to open the door.
Everyone held their breaths as he peeked around the opening. "That... doesn't look good." He muttered keeping his body pressed against the door.
Leandra gave a moan releasing her shoulder. At the noise we jumped slightly hearing the sounds of explosions not a moment after. "Varric? What is it." She whispered placing a hand on my arm and the other over my stomach. My own hands covered hers over the large swell, the baby inside kicked several times clearly not happy with the turn of events.
"The whole bloody streets on fire." He whispered closing the door again. He went to drag the large bench in the small room across to the door, attempting to block it off. Bodhan jumped into action helping him block off the door. The two men paced back into the main room grabbing anything that they could find useful.
"Sandal let's go my boy." The fair haired dwarf calmly walked to his fathers side, taking a hand full of runes with him. What he was going to do with those I could only guess.
Our small group didn't even make it to the back exit before the front door was abruptly being broken into. Varric gave a loud curse ushering us faster out of the house. We choked loudly on a plum of smoke as soon as we exited our home, suddenly it didn't feel at all safe in Kirkwall. The entire sky was blocked out by a thick cloud of smoke, people yelled and cried for mercy. Panic was running rampant through the streets farther sending the place into confusion.
"Look stay with me, I'll get us out of this mess." Varric leaned Bianca on his shoulder for a moment to give us instructions on what we needed to do. Which wasn't very much other than to keep up with him, and to avoid confrontation. Which we would hopefully get to accomplish.
The only thing we could do was get out of the city, or at least find a location that we could easily defend. But by the looks of things, that wouldn't be possible.
Leandra tried not to cry out that she was once more having to flee her own home. Though she was very agitated about it, don't blame her one bit in this situation. She held onto my hand and started whispering a prayer. "We'll be fine, so long as we stay together." She reassured the both of us. She tried to give a smile to set us both at ease. We couldn't waste anymore time, we needed to run. I just wish that Garrett had been home, or hell even Carver. Then we might stand half a chance. She was right though, and I can't dispare just yet. We're still alive.
All over the streets Templars and guards alike ran about frantically trying to gather people and get them to safety as well.
As we hit a high traffic area, people ran everywhere at once knocking each other over and slamming into one another. Guards yelled for people to keep calm, but as soon as an ounce of peace came it was taken away. Nearly ten huge horned men with axes and swords nearly as long as them charged through. The makeshift barricades flew into the air with the few guards posted behind them.
The Qunari sliced through the defenses with little to no effort before the rest of the guards rushed to stop them.
Varric tried to yell for all of us to stay together, but in the chaos we all got separated. I only managed to hold onto Leandra for a moment before we were pulled apart by a wave of people rushing our direction. I could hear her calling my name, but soon her voice was lost with the shouting of the rest of the people.
I was shoved, pushed and pulled more times than I care to count trying to fight my way through the crowd.
I don't know how long before it thinned out into a larger area, it wasn't empty not by a long shot, but fewer people were rushing about. Off in the distance I could still see the giants continued fighting with the guards, it wasn't going to well in favor of the guards. Even though they outnumbered the devils by at least two to one now.
"Varric!" I shouted hoping that he was still in the area, but I couldn't see him or hear anything other than screaming.
Someone shoved into me from behind, knocking me to my knees. I clutched at my stomach making sure first and foremost I hadn't landed wrong. The man slowed to a stop as I looked up, he started back toward me noticing my condition.
"Here come with me." He reached down, but pulled his hand back. He stumbled backwards only faintly able to keep on his feet. "I'm so sorry, dear Maker forgive me!" He cried and continued running away in a frantic attempt to live.
Obviously the saying 'run faster than the person behind you' applies here.
I turned my head as I knelt trying to pick myself up. I tried to move but my movements were sluggish from the start. I only fell onto my side and curled into a ball trying to protect myself. My eyes locked onto the bull charging me down. His axe held out to the side as he neared. The beast of a man gave a loud yell as his feet thundered closer.
This time my life did flash before my eyes, and oh God was it quick.
My own scream was drown out into the vacuum of other noiseless sounds. My ears rang loudly and my heart all but stopped as I shivered on the debris covered ground.
The Qunari grunted as his axe clanged against something that wasn't me. Words were exchanged between the two faster than I can keep up with, and the sound of weapons striking each other replaces all talk. After what felt like hours a weapon was dropped to the ground, it clanked clamorously and a body fell to the ground in a lifeless thud.
It was quiet, sort of, for a moment after that. I could hear a pair of feet walking toward me and felt hands reach down to pick me up. My arms latched around my savior as his armor bit into my side. I didn't realize I was crying until he spoke up.
"I'm here, you're safe now."
"Fenris!" It was to good to be true. Just a moment ago everything had been so hopeless, but now that he was here, I knew everything would be fine. His arms pulled me closer to him as he took off to find a safer place to be. He tried not to jar me around to much, but given the fact he had to jump over fallen pieces of stone and wood couldn't have been avoided.
He skid to a stop turning to the side as a beam came crashing to the ground.
"Keep your head down." He spoke breathlessly as he flung the two of us around one corner after another. The screams began to lessen as we ran, and then it came to shouts from guards. We both panted heavily as he came to a stop.
Not five minutes later I was standing on my own, trying not to rip Fenris' head off despite the fact that he had pulled me from certain death. I wanted to scream and shout, to use someone namely him as a punching bag, and that's just what I did. I could still hear screams from others trapped outside of the blockade Fenris had taken us and I felt like I was in a contest to see who could out scream the other.
This whole place is a nightmare! "I'm sick of this, I'm so tired of wondering when some homicidal maniac is going to be trying to kill me! Ever since I got here I've been chased down, had people try to eat me, attacked by fucking creatures from the pits of hell and kidnapped by a psychopathic bimbo!" Was it to much to ask to tone it down a little for Christ sake! "But most of all I'm sick of you!" I grit out nearly ready to tare my own hair out.
At this point I began hyperventilating, my nerves and temper were shot, and now all I want is to have a good cry.
Everyone around us backed away staring in confusion at me and the entire situation that had uprooted them from their daily lives.
No matter how much I try to tell myself otherwise, I don't belong here. I never did and I shouldn't be in this situation in the first place. But there's nothing I can do about it. If I could just wake up and this be a bad dream would be such a blessing. All my life I've been taught to have faith in the Lord, that everything happens for a reason, but is this all really necessary. What would anyone gain from sending someone here. There's no way of that being logical.
Ever since I can remember, I've never questioned my faith. Just followed blindly with everyone else. But not anymore, how can I after all of this.
"Valerie..." Once again I turned my anger back to someone I could physically blame. "Calm down."
"Calm, you expect me to be calm?! How can I be calm when I'm so furious!" I push myself right into his face, he doesn't back down and stands his ground. As soon as I scream out the last word though I double over in pain. His arms come around me pulling me in close as he eases me to the ground. "I'm sorry..." I began sobbing. In all my anger I forgot that it isn't just myself I need to protect now. And the small body inside of me gave me a sharp reminder.
I manage to lift my head up to see all the frightened faces around me. Although none of them paid me the time of day anymore. They were to busy making sure their families were safe. It wasn't just me alone in this, there were so many others suffering as well. There was nothing anyone could do about it, other than to wait and hope the guard could bring everything under control.
Faces of people who I passed by everyday, people from the markets, from Anders' clinic and the Hanged Man. All full of terror and grief. All of us looked the same. Wondering if we would make it another ten minutes. Wondering why this happened.
"We should move, this place isn't safe." Fenris whispered into my ear. He was right out in the open wasn't such a good idea, but where would we even go. Just about everything was on fire by this point.
He helped me up to my feet keeping close to me as I stumble along behind him. He took me to a small ally-way and had me sit down on one of several over turned crates. He pulled an old sack from between two of the crates and shook it free of dust and ash. He ripped it then and pulled it around my shoulders. It was then that he seemed to take notice of something about me.
His hands stopped what they were doing and his eyes lingered for longer than necessary. His look was full of question when he finally tore his eyes away. He knew now, it was only a matter of time. But he didn't say anything, he just took his hands away ripping a piece of cloth from the bottom of his shirt. Like an overbearing mother he began scrubbing grime from my cheeks. I still found I couldn't bring myself to say 'that' to him.
"I'm sorry." Was all I could whisper instead. Hopefully it was a start. "I shouldn't have blamed you. None of this was your fault. I just needed someone to blame everything on. You were just convenient."
"I understand your reasoning. To not have control. You must find someone to blame." It was still wrong of me to do that to him. He didn't truly deserve that kind of torment. "What I have done, no amount of apologizing will ever condone."
"Fenris-"
He placed his hand on my cheek and I saw something in his eyes that I hadn't in months. "This is neither the time, nor place for this conversation." He was right this wasn't a good time to be having any kind of personal conversation. Although we could die at any minute so I guess now's as good of a time as any.
"We'll talk when we get out of this mess." I began twiddling my thumbs together trying to avoid all eye contact. "I have a lot to explain."
"Valerie? Fenris?" Someone broke our awkward moment, letting the matter be saved for another time.
"Solona..." Fenris ground out through clenched teeth. "What do you want." He moved to stand stiffly just an arms reach away.
"Fenris, get over yourself. We have a problem."
"Really now?"
I glanced between the two as they argued. Following one voice to the other each time they bantered.
Solona placed her hands on her hips tossing her head to the side giving Fenris an attitude. "Yes really, what did you need someone to write it out for you?"
Fenris began to retort, but I cut him off. "Enough, what's going on Solona. Besides the obvious."
The silver haired woman's stance relaxed once she remembered that I was there as well, and she looked up toward the Viscounts Keep. "It's Garrett, he and the others are about to storm the Keep." She began looking worried as her eyebrows drew close together. As though she already knew what was happening from here. "He needs more help."
Fenris took a look around the area. "Valerie, stay here where it is safe. Listen to the guards, do as they say."
"Fenris what are you doing?"
"Helping Garrett, the fool will get himself killed."
I gasp as he and Solona turned to leave. "I'm coming with you." I realized as soon as it left my mouth how stupid it sounded. Considering my condition.
Fenris stopped and pushed me lightly back. "No it is far to dangerous." I was defeated before he could even open his mouth. He won without even trying.
"You better come back. I'm not done yelling at you yet." I smiled to let him know I was only joking with him.
He attempted to give a smile back but it faded before it even appeared. "Then I shall bare all your anger." Solona behind him made a sound of impatience, but he ignored her completely.
"Come on, we don't have time for sentimental nonsense." With that Fenris and Solona ran off to meet up with Garrett and who ever else he had gathered with him. I could only pray that everyone would be alright.