Somewhat surprised, Garrett found himself having a good time.
It had been mother's idea – not surprising considering the rumours she heard of her children's activities, despite their attempts to hush things up – to hold a dinner for them and all their 'friends'. How she had gotten the invitations out Garrett was unsure, probably by using his siblings and Varric, who Garrett couldn't keep quiet about due to their business.
Garrett hadn't liked it. A dinner for so many people cost money, money better spent elsewhere...but he admitted that with mother's idea of everyone bringing something with them, the cost had been negligible even in his own eyes. Of course, his main problem with it had been the fear of exposing Leandra to the people they were associating with, or rather, making her worried about what they might tell her.
Everything had gone smoothly so far though.
So now he sat at the head of the table, his mother to his left and Varric to his right. By combining the two tables they owned they had enough space for everyone and their food, chairs were in short supply though, and as such the guests had been offered them while Garrett and the rest of the family had to make do with crates that stored what little surplus food they owned.
Aveline was at the first seat to the left of the head of the table, though her gloves were off she was still in her armour since she had come directly from work. The food she had brought was a Ferelden-style gruel that the guards preferred; it was rich, full of meat and more importantly, there was lots of it. Currently she was focused on her food, though biting her lower lip as she patiently endured Carver as the man next to her once more tried to make her accept him into the guard. Garrett understood her reasons for not helping him in, Carver wasn't exactly good at following orders...though Garrett would have preferred it if she'd help him, the boy could use to learn some discipline, and the family could certainly use a stable income as well as being seen as more upstanding than they currently were.
Further to the right Gamlen sat, he had initially been directly at Garrett's side, but switched places with Varric, formally so the dwarf and Garrett could talk easier, but more likely it had something to do with the eagerness he was showing while speaking to a bored looking Isabela. The pirate had, true to form, brought the minimal she could to not be seen as rude, and that was in the form of two bottles of cheap wine, one of which she had drained on her own. As such, Garrett didn't really mind the sight of her laying her chin against her palm while resting her elbow on the table, a bored and somewhat tortured look on her face as she shot in the odd word in Gamlen's general direction to keep the man from being insulted. It was hardly enough to encourage him...not that Garrett's uncle seemed to notice.
Anders was also there, at the far side of the table. Initially, Garrett had refused Bethany's shy question about sending him an invitation, at which point she had pouted and nagged, then gotten the idea into mother's head that as a mage, Anders would be a great mentor for her. So then Garrett had had two women of the family pouting at him, arguing with him, cajoling him...in the end he had simply given in, despite his concerns and his previous determination not to have Anders near his family.
Still, the man had brought with him a whole host of spices to be used in their food, enough to last beyond the dinner, all naturally grown within Darktown. He had even brought tea...though it wasn't really tea, but a weed that Anders had treated with a series of alchemical substances, suffice to say was that if she had been worried at the sight of him, mother now loved Anders. As such she was smiling at the sight of him and Bethany quietly speaking of the different schools of magic.
All along the table, people were eating, smiling, talking, a friendly and relaxed environment...something the family hadn't enjoyed for ages.
Leaning back, relaxing as he sipped Isabela's wine, Garrett let the conversations wash over him.
"But if you know both elemental and healing, why can't I?"
"You know, I think I saw you at the Rose...enjoy pleasure, do you?"
"You know I'm good with a blade, and with all the gangs out there you need quality to best them."
"It's a difficult subject, each mage is born with an innate 'understanding' of a school, making it easier to master it, that you cannot master it is as much in your blood as it is because your father couldn't teach you in it."
"I suppose..."
"Being good with a blade has little to do with being a guard, it's not the army, we're supposed to function in normal society."
"So I could learn it from you?"
"I myself often find myself at the giving side, then again, that's who I am..."
"I function in normal society!"
"To an extent, but if I were you I'd focus on what I'm good at, you could never get truly good at what you don't have a predisposition for. So why not stop injuries to your family entirely by using your power, rather than heal them after they've been inflicted? Best form of healing if you ask me..."
"Sure you are..."
"Your idea of justice is to punch people in the face and you crave recognition and thrill, the guard stands for due process and order."
"So...Hawke, feeling in the mood for some business?" Opening his eyes, Garrett looked over at Varric, finding the dwarf smirking up at him. "Or is the wine too much for you?"
"I'm always ready to talk business." Garrett responded, smiling back, unsure if it was the wine speaking or if he actually found the dwarf genuinely pleasant to speak to. Then again, it could be the fact that Varric had actually brought half of the food on the table, the dwarf had even had paid two men to help him carry it all in. "Is this about the Qunari?"
"Horrible creatures if you ask me, remember the one back in Lothering?" Leandra spoken up, having overheard them. "Slaughters three families and then just stands there in their remains as the guards show up, didn't show a hint of regret...and now we have hundreds of them in our city!" She shook her head. "If my father was alive to see this he'd throw a fit..."
Recognising the melancholy in her voice, Garrett offered a small smile and a hand on her arm, making her smile back. Then he turned back to Varric. "Well?"
"Not really...these Qunari are military, not big on making business..." Varric chuckled. "...much to the frustration of merchants and nobles alike." Hmm...wish we had the money to invest in books, I should read up on these Qunari... "Besides, they're big fish, we're not...in fact, this job I'm thinking of is not really one giving lots of money...but it's an investment."
"An investment, how?" Garrett asked, leaning forward. He had come to appreciate Varric's view on things, the dwarf knew how the city worked, and his opinion was usually worth listening to.
"Well, thing is...Hawke is a name known within Kirkwall as someone who gets the job done, but it's also not really associated with nice company, if you get my drift." The Footpads... "As such the more respectable members in Kirkwall, and that is those with the most money, are hesitant to hire you. It's not so much that they're afraid you can't do their dirty work, it's more that they're afraid that associating with you will dirty their name."
Under his hand, mother twitched, her voice a low murmur. "The Amell's used to be respected..."
He gave her arm a squeeze, but held Varric's gaze. "We can't have that, no, so I assume this job of yours is something...charitable?"
"Don't give me that look." Varric looked exceedingly offended for a moment, making Garrett snort in amusement, then he was grinning as he said. "Sure, it doesn't pay as much as it should, but it shows the Hawkes are more than thieves and mercenaries, someone to trust, which is what you want...and the two sovereigns isn't too shabby for simply escorting an elf out of town, right?"
That made Gamlen stir, though to Garrett's surprise it wasn't the money that made him react, his face crunched up in disgust. "Work for elves? Those cheats never pay their debts."
"That coming from the man who made us work to pay off his debt...to an elf." Apparently having overheard them, Bethany spoke up, her tone frosty, making everyone in the room look a little uncomfortable and drawing a grimace from Garrett. He knew his sister had never quite forgiven Gamlen for the work they had been forced to take up. Carver was okay with it, mostly because he could sympathise with Gamlen being in the shadow of Leandra, but to Garrett all that was secondary, Gamlen was family...you should not harbour ill will to them.
He shot Bethany a disapproving frown, but met a rebellious look that told him it would do no good. Instead he sighed, focusing on the task at hand, he wasn't all that...comfortable with elves any more, he knew it was unfair, Athenril didn't represent her race...yet nowadays their presence made him...edgy. Not that that's relevant, I'm not doing this so I can be comfortable. "What are the details?"
"He's named Mouse, probably named himself, orphans tend to do that." Varric shrugged even as Garrett sensed Leandra shudder in sympathy at such a fate. "And he has a bit of a gambling problem...thing is, he's been unable to pay the Coterie their protection-money...not a smart move." Garrett nodded, the fee wasn't that high for people like them, the Hawkes could easily afford it for one, the Coterie relied on many such incomes to make a profit and didn't want to cause too much protests, but those that did were quickly silenced. "And then he owed them for another month...and another..."
"I get it." Garrett nodded.
"Actually, he then won on a high stake card game...two gold, right there." Varric chuckled. "So he tries to pay the Coterie back, I mean with two gold he will have loads to spare even if they put interest on the fee, right? Sadly they don't care about the money any more, they want to make an example of him, and he barely escaped to the Alienage with his life."
Garrett nodded. "So now he needs to get out of Kirkwall and is willing to part with his entire winnings to do it? We get paid and are recognised as something beyond criminals? Clever Varric...you know how to work the angles."
The dwarf shrugged, casually studying his fingernails. "That's me, making everybody a winner, but especially us."
"Crossing the Coterie? Going to escort someone with assassins chasing him?" Leandra moved, freeing her arm from Garrett's grip and instead putting her hand on his. "Son, I know you do some...dangerous things..." And I thank the Maker that you don't know the half of it. "...but please, this is frightfully dangerous for a few sovereigns."
"It's not so bad, mother." Garrett smiled back, putting his free hand over hers and trapping it between his. "No one said we have to face these assassins...you know I don't take stupid risks, I will think this through and get this done with the least amount of danger."
"O-okay..." His mother took a deep breath and relaxed, though she still looked concerned.
Something Garrett forced himself to ignore as he turned back to Varric. He also ignored Carver's small chuckle...after all, they had taken quite a few dangerous risks as of late. "Very well, I know quite a few paths out of the Alienage, shouldn't be too hard to sneak him out."
"I'm coming with you."
Garrett looked up in surprise. "Aveline?"
The woman had risen from her seat, and now inclined her head at Leandra. "If it's okay with the matron...I do not like you going into danger without an extra shield." Leandra smiled in relief, the woman had really begun to like Aveline, probably because she was so reliable in protecting those she cared for, a trait otherwise rarely found outside the Hawke family, or so it sometimes seemed.
"This...isn't really a guard errand...err...or rather-" Varric exchanged a look with Garrett as the dwarf searched for the proper words.
"I have off duty hours to spend." Aveline shrugged, as if the idea of walking into more danger on your free time wasn't an issue.
"Well...okay then." Varric nodded, then looked down to pick up a piece of a pie he'd been chewing on as he muttered under his breath. "Scary woman..."
"I believe I'll come too." Anders spoke, startling Garrett. What the...? Looking over at the other end of the table he found Anders look out from beneath his hood with calm eyes. "I need the fresh air and...well honestly it can get a bit dull in my hospital."
"Fair enough..." Garrett muttered, somewhat suspicious as his gaze moved to Bethany's hand laying on top of Anders' arm, the sight making him scowl. Looking guilty, Bethany withdrew it, making his scowl deepen. He's dangerous, you will not get too close. His sister averted her gaze. Good enough. Garrett turned his gaze to the last guest. "And you?"
"Wha-?" Isabela looked up from her now empty glass, perfectly ignoring Leandra's scowl at the way her boots were resting on the table, and as such also exposing quite a bit of leg...and now eyed Garrett with what was shifting from surprise to annoyance. "Oh fine...I love finding out more of these clever little hiding places you know of...but you owe me a pint afterwards."
"Wonderful." Garrett sighed. He had simply asked to be polite and not leave her out of the conversation, he hadn't actually wanted her along...though admittedly her blades would come in handy if his plan failed, so he couldn't be too upset with having won her service in exchange for some information and a pint of ale. As long as I don't have to share it with her... "So, Varric, when do we leave?"
"Tonight, yes, sorry about the short notice..." The dwarf offered an apologetic look that Garrett answered with a nod...and then grinned. "But that's no reason not to finish this wonderful dinner, am I right?"
"Finally someone speaks sense." Carver replied, the man digging back into his meal with the hunger only a growing man could summon.
A soft laughter spread across the room.
8
8
8
"Ah...the Alienage in all it's glory."
Garrett couldn't quite agree with Varric's positive tone about the place, then again he had a feeling the man was being facetious. He himself simply eyed the surroundings with a wary eye, gaze automatically wandering over the dark corners and rooftops. His new shield felt uncomfortable on his left arm, it was small and round...too small, a buckler, and while Garrett thought the buy had been good for their finances and his own protection, he still found it strange...not his style Carver had called it...and Garrett was ready to agree.
Still, it felt good to have it, he didn't intend for another confrontation, but if their latest adventures had taught him anything it was that plans had a tendency to crumple in the face of surprises.
The Alienage was as dirty and poor as the rest of Lowtown, maybe even worse, yet was still nicer then Darktown...Garrett was unsure if the fact that the elven slum of Kirkwall wasn't the worst place to live in was a good or a bad sign.
Still, there was something depressing about the Alienage that Darktown didn't have, something in the way all the buildings sloped, as if ready to fall apart, or simply sink into Darktown the moment a supportive beam gave way. Perhaps it was due to it representing a poverty unlike Lowtown, where there could actually exist hope for a better tomorrow...in the Alienage you didn't get that feeling, it offered the feeling that once you were born there, you would end up dying there.
Yet in a way...that offered hope, a hope of community, of belonging. Garrett had been in Denerim, he knew of the elves' Vhenadahl, the tree representing their people. Craning his neck Garrett eyed the high top of the massive trunk, surprised at the lack of destruction inflicted upon the bark and branches, despite the cost of firewood, even the poorest of elves left their tree alone. Maker knows what they'd do if someone cut it down...
"Where are all the people?" Bethany muttered the question, tone worried.
Garrett did indeed see that no one was out, but was not surprised. "A group of armed humans have just appeared in the Alienage at night-time." He paused, making his point sink in. "You're really asking why they hide?"
Varric chuckled softly. "Good one."
Arching an eyebrow at the dwarf, Garrett replied. "I...was not making a joke."
"Oh, well that just means you're a natural..." Varric smiled somewhat awkwardly, hesitated, and then pointed over at a distant house. "Oh look, there's our destination." With that, the dwarf begun marching towards the chosen house in large strides, momentarily making the others hurry before they could catch up. The door was on its hinges...and that was as far as it went to quality, there was gaps between the planks it consisted of, a few holes, not to mention a crudely carved picture of a cat eating what Garrett hoped was its own tail.
The owner really has two sovereigns? Garrett exchanged a look with Varric, who simply shrugged, after all, if the elf had recently won the money he wouldn't have had time to spend it on a decent door. So he knocked, hearing a distinct whimper as an answer even before he spoke. "Mouse? It's Garrett Hawke, I bring with me Varric Tethras and others, we are here to get you out of the city as per our agreement."
"Thank the Maker." Came a reply, quiet and trembling, then there was a scratching sound of a beam being pulled aside. "Hurry, come in!" The door opened as the elf hissed the words, something in his tone telling Garrett it was no use arguing, the boy would not be much use until he felt safe behind his flimsy door.
Stopping in the middle of the room and turning to face the elf, Garrett ignored the others as they stumbled in and shut the door, with them all there it was cramped, but then again, there were precious little furniture save a cot and a barrel that seemed to both act as table and storage for whatever food the elf owned.
It was indeed a boy, even though it was a bit harder to tell with elves, his skin still looked somewhat unblemished, which meant he hadn't suffered the hardships of working for too long, and the way his untidy blond hair shot out in all directions spoke of great stress. Looking up at Garrett with the unnaturally large and blue eyes that so many elves sported, the boy didn't even seem to notice Garrett shifting uncomfortable as he spoke. "Really, r-really glad you're here...I...I need to leave, now..." The elf glanced back at the door, as if expecting it to explode inwards at any moment.
"Yes, of course." Garrett raised a hand. "However, that being said, we should discuss payment." Behind him, he could feel Aveline scowl at him, but he ignored it, he might be out to improve his name, but he still wanted to be paid.
"P-payment? Y-yes, yes of course..." The elf was trembling, gaze darting between Garrett and the door. "...anything you want...b-but pl-please...he said...I mean they'll get me."
"Two sovereigns was the deal, I want to see them, then I'll take you out." Garrett frowned in confusion. "Wait...he?"
"Two...?" The elf's eyes widened in surprise, then he trembled even more. "D-did I say he? Th-that...I...I..." Garrett glared down at the boy, his mood souring, after all he'd been through with Athenril he had precious little patience with elven trickery. Dammit, if Gamlen is proved right I'm going to beat this elf senseless...I will not be cheated.
"Easy Hawke...come now, son, you can talk to us." Varric spoke, tone soothing.
"I...I..." The elf's gaze moved between Varric's friendly smile and Garrett's scowl, his already big eyes somehow getting even larger and larger. "W-we really should leave quickly...it's...it's supposed to..." Outside, a sound of moving gravel reached them, making the boy's eyes bulge in terror. "We have to move!"
Garrett cursed and lunged for the elf, but the boy was too quick and caught those closer to the door by surprise.
He threw the door open.
Behind it humans in foreign armour stood, the scaly plates covering them giving them a lizard-like appearance, the front of their full helmets creating a dark parody of real faces.
A thud...and the elf stumbled back and fell onto his back, a crossbow-bolt buried in his chest, his still large eyes staring straight ahead in panic, but seeing nothing.
The next moment the door slammed shut, Aveline putting her weight on it before Carver too joined her.
No one tried to open it though.
Stepping closer, Garret scowled, his eyes momentarily moving to the dead elf, then to the door ahead. Ahead, Aveline gave voice to his thought. "Those were not Coterie..." Something is wrong, this is not about the Coterie...
Next to the guardswoman, Carver was glaring back at Varric. "How come every job you find involves us getting into mortal danger?"
The dwarf offered a shrug and a chuckle. "Doesn't usually happen, I think you guys are just natural magnets for trouble."
"Well that's great..." Carver snorted, then looked over at Garrett with an expectant look on his face even as he drew his sword. "Well, brother? You have a plan?"
Garrett simply raised a hand to usher silence, just in time to hear a rough voice outside growl. "Come out, Fenris, don't make this hard for us. Danarius wants your skin, and if you cooperate I'll make sure you'll still be wearing it."
Varric scoffed. "Charming fellow, isn't he?"
Outside the voice continued. "You think those inside will be of any help? Your second-hand mercenaries have never been a problem before, they'll die the usual way; maybe we'll take the women as slaves this time, it's be a long way home after all..."
Garrett's eyes narrowed. "I'm guessing that this..." He prodded the dead elf's head with his boot, there was nothing about the poorly-dressed corpse that told him he was something anyone would want. "...is not Fenris...and that we have just been tricked, as have they."
"Well then we just tell them that." Bethany replied, the woman standing close to him, holding her staff close to her chest.
Behind her, Anders thin lips moved into a smirk. "Yes, you stick your head out and tell them that, I'll be right behind you."
Garrett shot the mage an angry look, but then turned back to Bethany. "Anders is right, they have no reason to believe us, and even if they do I have a feeling they wouldn't spare us." He grimaced, looking around, but as he expected, there was nothing but that small room and their flimsy door. "I'm afraid we have to fight our way out."
"Slavery is illegal in Kirkwall." Aveline growled even as she readied sword and shield. "That means they're criminals." The growl got a decidedly decisive tone. "We can kill criminals."
"I...suppose that's one way to earn money and prestige..." Varric chimed in, understandably not sounding eager.
"Well are we going to get on with it, or are we going to discuss it?" Isabela spoke up, the woman casually leaning on a wall and looking bored...though smirking when she noticed the approving look Carver shot her at her words.
"Right." Garrett sighed. "Aveline, with me up front. Carver, Isabela, flank the door and be ready. Anders, Bethany, behind me and Aveline, be ready with those fireballs. Varric, take the rear." Taking a step forward even as Aveline took one backwards, he placed his own shield next to hers as they faced the door, wood, steel and determination ready for whatever was ahead of them. "When Isabela opens the door they will shoot at us, we take the volley with shield and armour, then the mages open up, then we charge in before they have a time to recover." Garrett nodded, approving of his own plan, then remembered the fight back in the Chantry. "Remember, they expect poor mercenaries, not magic, if we can surprise them and keep them on the back foot, we can rout them."
Around the room, the others nodded, even Isabela wasn't about to argue with the plan, much to Garrett's relief. They trusted his judgement. Garrett himself didn't voice his own doubts. Yet I don't know the enemy numbers, nor their training or motivation...for all we know there could be a hundred of them out there, all willing to fight and die.
He took a deep breath.
Dammit.
His face grim, Garrett gave the word. "Open it."
Isabela carefully reached out and gave the door a shove before pulling her hand back.
Beyond was the darkness of the night, made all the darker by the shadow of the Vhenadahl...and the men beneath were covered in scale armour and wore their cruel face-masks, making them resemble demons. Garrett spotted four of them right ahead with levelled crossbows...and a man in robes. Mage!
Garrett didn't have time enough to shout a warning.
Four bolts whipped forth, one punching through Garrett's shield before it came to a stop inches from his chest, another whipping past his ear. Next to him Aveline grunted in pain even as another bolt slammed into her shield, though Garrett didn't have time to see if she'd been hurt as he saw the mage ahead thrust his staff forth.
It was by pure luck that a fireball didn't shoot forth. Instead a beam of pure frost arched forward and crashed into Garrett's shield. He stumbled backwards, then straightened, staring in shock at the shimmer of ice covering his shield, even the bolt buried within it was covered with a thick layer of ice.
There was no time to count his luck however, stepping to the side he shouted out. "Now!"
Instantly two fireballs hurled past his face, turning the area just outside the door into a raging inferno and making screams wail up at the sky.
Carver and Isabela were out the door a moment later. The former jumped forward to deliver a fearsome swing at a man charging from the left with a raised shield, the blow knocked the man onto his face as it struck his shield, but Carver barely noticed as he rushed onwards, his swinging blade forcing another foe to fall flat on his back as he stumbled on one of the Vhenadahl's roots. The later leapt atop one of the men scrambling to reload his crossbow, her daggers quickly entering and exiting his body before she jumped away from a swinging sword by a man coming in from the right.
Garrett and Aveline charged forth as one, though Garrett was unsure if his shout about charging the mage was heard over the din of battle. Aveline was charging at the robed man, so she had probably realised the biggest threat as well.
A threat that would not let himself simply be killed.
Noticing the the guardswoman charging at him, the mage put a hand and shoved one of the crossbowmen before him at her. Aveline simply sidestepped the stumbling enemy while slashing his gut open, eyes on the prize...and was then hurled backwards as the mage's outstretched hand threw a lightning bolt that struck her shield in a explosion of dazzling light.
A wordless growl escaped Garrett...and he crashed into the two remaining crossbowmen, knocking them aside with his sheer bulk and the force of his charge. His sword slashed at the mage, striking a raised staff and splintering the wood with a satisfying crack. The mage gasped as he stumbled backwards until his back hit the Vhenadal, one hand dropping the broken wood as the other quickly shot forth.
Pain!
Cursing, Garrett found his right foot encased in ice, freezing it to the ground when his blade was but an inch from his foe. Just...a bit...more... Grunting, he leant forward, feeling his foot bend within its prison as the mage ahead, stuck between the tree and the point of Garrett's blade, drew a deep breath and pulled himself back as far he could, his voice strained. "Help me, men! Now!"
Behind Garrett there was the explosion of another fireball, the clash of steel against steel, screams...but no help.
The mage gasped, tried to wriggle away...and screamed as Garrett slowly, inexorably, forced the blade into contact and then through the man's robes and into his flesh.
Before him, the mage thrashed and gasped, hands clutching at the blade as it buried itself deeper even as the ice around Garrett's foot began to break apart.
The man went still...and silence descended.
Turning, Garrett felt relief as the cold seeped away from his foot, his gaze was however on the battlefield. There the ground was scorched and sizzling from magic, a near dozen corpses lay badly burnt, showing just how many of their foes had been caught in the initial blasts, they had clearly not expected to face magic. A few more corpses lay with those caught in the blasts, spread out, felled before they had time to recover and regroup. Just as planned.
Garrett grimaced when he caught sight of Aveline however. The woman was alive, but sitting with her back against the wall and glowering at her left arm as she nursed it with her other, the shield she had held nothing but splinters, a crossbow bolt had pushed itself into her right leg as well, though due to her armour it was a minor wound from whence only a trickle of blood came. "Anders, help her."
The mage dully obeyed even as Bethany looked over Garrett's shoulder, eyes wide. "Uhh...brother?"
Realising she was not the only one staring, Garrett turned, hearing Isabela whistle low in appreciation behind him as he did so. "Impressive..."
Six more corpses lay over by the entrance to the Alienage square, too far away to have been killed by any of Garrett's group...which was made all the more obvious by the elf standing atop one corpse as he pulled a two-handed warhammer out of the smashed face-plate of another. Six men...? Garrett's grip firmed on his sword even as he turned, Garrett eyed the elf more carefully.
The man was tall for an elf, practically Garrett's height, that coupled with the normal elven thinness gave him a gangly look, as if his limbs were too long for his body. His white hair almost seemed to shine in the darkness and was swept over to one side, nearly covering his face, but not his teal eyes, eyes smaller than those of a usual elf, smaller and stronger...lacking the usual submissive look Alienage elves had, instead there was defiance in them.
Only a moment later Garrett noticed the tattoos. They traced an intricate pattern over what skin was exposed, and Garrett got the definitive impression they continued underneath the leather clothing the elf wore...and considering the way they shimmered like silver reflecting fire Garrett found his eyes widen as realisation dawned on him. "You are Fenris!"
"Funny." Varric muttered as he stepped up next to Garrett, his tone suggesting he didn't find it the least funny. "When the guy said he wanted the elf's skin I didn't figure he meant literally."
The elf ignored him, his eyes moving to regard Bethany and Anders, in particular the later as he bent over Aveline and let his healing magic do its work...the eyes narrowed, the defiance in them seemingly growing. Then he looked over at Garrett, his eyes losing some of its anger in favour of a more neutral look. His voice had an odd timbre to it, as if he was supposed to have several accents, but had gotten caught between them all. "I am Fenris, yes, and I do believe I owe you thanks. You made my work dealing with these mercenaries far easier...who knew this city contained people who could actually fight?"
Garrett glared back. "I do not appreciate being tricked, and considering you're surprised we helped more than you anticipated I'm guessing you expected us to die."
"I expected you to distract these slavers." The elf replied neutrally, cocking his head to the side. "That way I had time to raid their base of operations and get back here in time to ambush them between myself and the bait...I'm guessing Mouse died? A shame." He shrugged. "Did I expect you to survive? Maybe not all of you, but I am pleased none the less, it is hard paying back debts to dead men."
Garrett paused, scrutinising the elf with hostility, but also wariness. He didn't feel like fighting any more people, especially not someone who could kill six men on his own...and that the elf recognised a debt...well Garrett was not one who'd let his pride get in the way of what was needed. "I say you do owe a great debt...this was not what we signed on for."
"True." The elf inclined his head in agreement and reached for his pouch. "However, this..." He threw the pouch forward, making Garrett's hand dart out and catch it. "...is all I have."
Garrett opened the pouch...and his face dropped, anger swelling deep in his gut. "This is...five silvers and two coppers." Should have known...
Behind him Carver exploded into a small laugh, mirthless and irritated.
"Yes." The elf stoically replied. "My apologies, these slavers didn't have much in the way of money on them, or perhaps they did but hid it too well for me to find." He shrugged. "However, I do not intend to leave this town for a while, I have grown weary of...well to be honest, of running away." Another shrug. "So seeing as I'll be staying here, and that I don't like being in anyone's debt, I'm willing to offer you some sort of deal to clear it; is that to your satisfaction?"
"A deal!" Garrett spluttered, wanting to smash the calm elf's face in. Gamlen's right! I should never have...no...calm... He took a deep breath...then blinked as an idea came to mind, he smiled...and something in the smile made the elf cock an eyebrow at him. "Yes...actually...me and my friend Varric here are planning an expedition into the Deep Roads, but that is dangerous and requires many guards...say that you accompany us on this expedition free of charge...and I will consider the debt paid."
"He'll never go along with that Hawke..." Varric whispered, but Garrett ignored him as he eyed Fenris for a reaction.
Bartrand pays ten gold for each guard, I bring in one for free and he'll be more inclined to treat me as an equal. Besides, it's good if I can bring along at least one guard obeying my orders, and one as capable as this elf is even better...
The elf inclined his head. "A steep price, but very well." Yes! Garrett held his face in check. "I have precious little else to offer, and to be freed like this...it is worth it."
"Why were these slavers after you, anyway?" Bethany asked, the girl inching closer and her head cocked to the side in curiosity.
Fenris' eyes narrowed at her. "Because their master is a Tevinter Magister, the foulest kind of mage who won't rest until he has skinned me alive." Bethany whimpered as she moved behind Garrett...who by now was glaring at the elf. "But now his hunters are dead, and so will the fate of any other hunter be, and when he himself comes..." Fenris voice darkened. "...I'll rip his heart out and watch its final beats."
"What a cheerful fellow." Anders remarked, the mage now supporting a still limping Aveline, the eyes under his hood flashing blue as he eyed the elf, then looked back to Garrett. "You meet the strangest of people, Hawke."
"That comes from you?" Isabela asked with a chuckle. "You are one of the strange people."
Garrett ignored the bickering, his eyes on Fenris, watching the elf glare at Anders, as if the mage having dared to speak was enough to be viewed as an insult. "I do not recall speaking to you, mage." He turned his gaze back to Garrett, his tone once more neutral. "Now, with that settled, can I perhaps offer you another deal?"
"I'm listening..." Garrett warily replied, more and more aware that they were speaking on what was battlefield, and that the guard would probably not be happy if they found it like this. Sure, the dead were slavers and they had Aveline with them, but Garrett wasn't too keen on his family being in the spotlight of an investigation.
It didn't seem to bother Fenris though. "As you see I am now quite poor, and while my needs are small I do need to eat...and since you seem to be a capable mercenary-"
"We're more like adventurers...being paid...for odd jobs." Varric chimed in, drawing a giggle from Bethany.
Fenris simply ignored him, as did Garrett. "As such I offer myself to assist you in any of the jobs you deem me to be needed, for a reasonable fee, of course."
Garrett frowned, he didn't like the elf...he hated elven trickery, and also to have his family put into harm's way by someone else like Fenris had just done...but the deal was...good. It had no strings to it, either Garrett needed the man on a job, or he didn't, and if he did, the fee was negotiable each time...
He swallowed his anger and pride. Damn elf makes sense. "Very well, you have yourself a deal." The elf inclined his head, smiling so weakly it was barely there, and Garrett forced himself to offer the same courtesy.
"Good, though keep those mages away from me."
Garrett's polite nod froze. A moment later he stepped in front of Bethany, tone sharp and cold. "You have a problem with my sister?"
"No." The elf replied. "I have a problem with mages, it stems from something called common sense." He shook his head, not looking the least intimidated by Garrett's glare. "She and that man there are two untended fires, the moment you turn your back, they will consume us all. You have been warned, and I will do the courtesy of only watching the fire, and not acting...unless I have to."
Garrett grit his teeth, muscles tensing under his armour as he considered the distance between himself and the elf that didn't look like he'd even realised how insulting it was to imply he was ready to kill Garrett's sister. Instead of roaring out, which he really wanted, Garrett spoke tersely. "I see...and now I suggest that you leave...if I want your services I will ask for them...but I want you to leave...now."
The elf took pause at that, his gaze taking in Garrett's tense pose...then nodded. "Very well, I will leave, and thank you, I...look forward to working with you in the future."
With that the elf turned and left...and Garrett's shoulders sagged as he forced himself to relax, forced his anger with the audacity of the elf to recede
Anders dry mutter summed up his thoughts perfectly. "What an arse..."
8
8
8
Thanks to Abydos Jackson for putting up with me.