"Hey, Hawke, I think you've got a little...elf on you."
"Oh, sorry." Garrett didn't look sorry, he looked a little embarrassed perhaps, but not sorry.
Merrill, sitting in his lap, looked even more embarrassed with her peach-coloured face, yet apparently she wasn't embarrassed enough to get off, her thin arms instead just winding tighter around the man's neck. "Yes, sorry, I...it's comfyyyy...I'd hate to make you awkward though."
Isabela snickered, waving her hand in front of her as she took a little sip from her glass. "No-no, no awkwardness here, it's just...well bloody funny, to be honest."
Garrett eyebrows narrowed in a momentary scowl. "Are you making fun of us?"
Isabela, unsure how much she could prod the man already disliking her, but right now likely in a very good mood, looked around herself for support.
The table held the whole old gang and more, even Fenris and Anders had shown up...so had Gamlen, but Isabela knew to take the good with the bad. With all seated around the table, there was a general sense of humour in the room, a light-heartedness that was usually more difficult to get when at a dinner with Garrett right from the start, but this time it had come as natural as water. Merrill's doing that, I bet, she's got Garrett disarmed and unable to keep us serious...hehe...
Anders and Fenris were, of course, disapproving of the signs of affection, the mage apparently set on ignoring it as he ate and spoke to a surprisingly healthy-looking Samson in quiet voices. Fenris, sitting next to Isabela, had instead elected to only shoot the odd scowl at the couple and otherwise resigned himself to brood into his glass, as if the red content somehow held some great answer for him. Silly, but Maker, it does make him look all mysterious and handsome...
Varric, leaning back in his chair as always, was smiling, something soft in his eyes, a look mimicked in Aveline's eyes, even Donnic looked somewhat taken with the picture of the couple at the head of the dinning table. Gamlen, of course, mostly kept his gaze on Isabela's chest, but even he shot the elf and human the odd glance, the look on his face a strange mixture of disgust and amusement.
Next to the couple, hands in her lap, Leandra sat...and the old woman's face was practically glowing with a proud smile. Well I'll be...didn't think the bat liked Merrill all that much, but now that she's her son's baby-maker, the old woman loves her? I suppose that after that Cecei mess, she'll gladly take whatever she can get, huh?
It was Varric who finally stepped in to rescue Isabela. "Doubt it, Garrett, it's just...nice to see, I think she means."
The human blinked, puzzled. "What do you mean, nice?"
Merrill's face split into a grin as she leant closer, voice hushed, but loud enough to carry across the table as she slid a hand into Garrett's hair. "Nice to see you smile, for one..."
The words and actions of the elf instantly made the human grin, his protest lacking heat. "Well, I have been known to-" Merrill kissed him, stopping his words mid-flow, and the man wasn't slow to kiss her back, the arms around her waist pulling her closer, as if fearing she'd fall off. New lovers are always the worst...they get so ridiculously affectionate. Isabela rolled her eyes, grateful she'd never have to deal with such things, as did most across the table besides Leandra who just grinned a little wider, mind no doubt already full of imaginary new Hawkes running around.
Finally, the pair separated, Merrill's eyes sparkling with mischievousness. "Also, it's nice when-" She never finished, Garrett's lips finding hers again as the man did the thing most contrary to his personality, the impulsive.
"Awwww!" The sound exploded from Isabela – much to her shame – and Aveline both, the former looking to the later and surprisingly finding the guardswoman shooting her something close to a friendly look. Wow, I've been here too long. Isabela shifted uncomfortably at that, knowing what she would have to do, to try, despite Varric and whoever he might bring with him. I'm fast, I can make it, I can...leave them – I mean this place. The thought was a relief, exciting, yet...Isabela didn't much care for the undercurrent of doubt in the back of her mind. Bloody hell, I'm getting soft, need a hard deck under my feet again.
"Oh for goodness sake, boy, are you eating her alive or something?" Gamlen groused, though with an almost friendly glint in his eyes. "The rest of us here are trying to have a meal."
Garrett and Merrill pulled apart once more, Garrett looking away with a uncharacteristic soft smile as Merrill shot the man's uncle a surprisingly scathing look that was somewhat ruined by her heavy breathing and red face. I know those two are just a bad situation waiting to happen...but damn they're cute, puppy love. Wonder if they've fucked yet? I bet they have and I bet it was awkward. I have to ask Merrill about that, I know she'll ache to spill all the details after two big cups of cider.
Fortunately for Gamlen, Merrill didn't get time to respond as Varric spoke up. "If you'd like, I can get my violin, play some romantic music, sing...?"
Garrett and Merrill exchanged a look at that, Garrett's doubtful, Merrill's giddy...and it was the human who first looked away and over to Varric, an exasperated sigh escaping him even as there was a smile in his eyes. "Maybe later." The answer made Merrill practically jump in the man's lap in badly concealed excitement. "And thank you." Maker, be careful Garrett, or Merrill will wrap you around her little finger without even knowing it. The thought nearly made Isabela snicker aloud.
"Well...here's to new love." Aveline raised her glass.
"And to older ones." Donnic agreed, raising his own and giving Aveline a look, his hand finding her free one and squeezing it, making her smile back and give him a little peck on the lips.
Watching Merrill and Garrett smile at that, a lump suddenly in her throat, Isabela raised her own. "I'll drink to that." Going to miss you all.
There was a mutter of agreements as the rest raised their glasses as well before moving to drink.
Ah well, if I'm going to leave, I better get this over with or I'll end up regretting it, and I hate regret... As laughter and talking once more began to drift across the table, Isabela moved a hand down, brazenly putting it on Fenris' thigh and letting it slide up high. The elf, true to form, didn't react at first, and when he did it was merely by looking at her with an arched eyebrow and a smirk, a look Isabela eagerly returned in kind.
Might as well go out with a bang, eh?
8
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8
Eugh, I shouldn't be here. Garrett grumbled, marching down the street in Lowtown with long strides, dressed in his leather armour and wanting to get the latest crisis over and done with so he could take it off. I should be in bed, with Merrill... The thought sent a warm tingle down his spine, Garrett was still unfamiliar with how such relationships worked, as was Merrill, but so far they had had a very good time finding out.
It was...exciting.
But instead I'm here...bloody hell, I take it a little easier for a mere week and people get at each other's throats...how did they survive without me? Next to him, Maric was marching with head held high, the dog cautionary, sniffing at the air, strangely on edge. Meanwhile Merrill's waiting at home, and if she kept her promise, naked in bed...Maker, let this be over quick! Garrett's strides lengthened as the torture his imagination played on him egged him on. Around him, his six chosen guards glanced at him in confusion, then exchanged knowing smirks, making him scowl at them. One word and you'll get only night shifts for a bloody month...
Still, he couldn't be angry with them, he couldn't even be angry with having been dragged from his home for yet another thankless job in making Petrice and her cronies move along. In fact, anger and irritation was hard to hold on to, his body wanting him to have a spring in his step, a smile on his lips. It was silly, intoxicating and amazing, all at the same time. Maker, miss her already.
As he marched on in the permanent stench of Lowtown, all Garrett smelled was sap and grass and Merrill's skin. His steps automatically took him towards the Qunari enclave, allowing his mind to drift to more pleasant places.
I miss the taste of her lips, of her skin, of her nectar...
I miss the feel of her touch, of her skin, of her muscles playing under me...
Maker, I want to feel her writhe under me as I-
A snicker made Garrett blink and shake his head, shooting Jeannie and Darren an annoyed glance as they brazenly made fun of whatever look had been on their lord's face. Oh you think I'm funny, do you? Well I'll...oh dear. Garrett instantly forgot about his annoyance and even the memories of his latest carnal activities as his gaze swept the scene before him, the sound of Maric growling reverberating through him.
The Qunari compound was under siege. What had to be hundreds of people were holding up various weapons, tools and even torches as they bayed at the empty walls towering over them. At the head of the throng, more brazen than ever, Petrice stood, holding up a copy of the 'Chant of Light' and shouting the verses. "Let the blade pass through the flesh! Let my blood touch the ground! Let my cries touch their hearts! Let mine be the last sacrifice!"
Garrett, having approached from the dockside due to having run another errand first, was now glad for that since the crowd was held back from that side of the street by a painfully thin line of guardsmen. More importantly, given the danger posed by the crowd, this held the fanatics away from the gate to the compound. The guardsmen are carrying spears, they only do that when things are serious...
Garrett looked for Aveline, and easily spotted her just behind the thin line of guardsmen. She had seen him as well and was coming towards him, a grim look on her face, sword drawn and her steps visibly tense. Even as she came closer, Petrice's voice rang over the street, the baying crowd at her back reinforcing every syllable. "Blessed are they who stand before the wicked and corrupt and do not falter! Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just!" Well aren't you being delightfully ironic?
Garrett turned to Aveline as she brushed past his guards. "What's going on here, Captain?"
"What does it look like? It's a sermon at the Chantry gone terribly wrong..." Aveline glanced back at Petrice and her cohort.
"Blessed are the righteous! The light in the shadows! In their blood, the Maker's will is written!"
"...or right, depending on who you ask." Aveline looked back to Garrett with a grimace, her head tilting closer as she muttered. "There's been a lot of public disorder this last hour, so the guards I have here are all that were available...funny how that coincided with Petrice's little sermon, huh?" She shook her head, frustrated. "I'm pulling guards back from those zones though, Donnic is gathering them down at the docks and will bring a good thousand up here, the sight of them ought to disperse those fanatics."
"Good, will be needed." Garrett nodded, brow furrowed. "I don't think engaging Petrice or any of the crowd with debate is wise right now, let's wait for those guards to show up so they're more open to..." Huh? There was seething with rage, crying out curses and hate even louder than before, as Garrett spotted a figure coming out of the Qunari compounds gate and confidently head for Garrett and his entourage. "...negotiations?"
The Qunari moved with steady and calm steps, stoic face ignoring the insults raining over him, muscled chest stained but not slowed as someone managed to hit it with a rotten fruit. In fact, the Qunari didn't even seem to notice the crowd as he headed for Garrett and Aveline, his hand away from the sword strapped to his waist, as if he was just out on a simple walk.
Qunari, however, never simply walked, the Kossith oozed purpose, as all of his kin did.
He stopped a few feet away from the noble and Captain, eyes on them, ignoring the guards warily eyeing him and the people shouting out to murder him just a stone's throw away. At Garrett's feet, Maric first gave voice to a low growl, then fell silent, head cocked to the side in confusion. "I have been chosen to speak for the Arishok, given the importance of his station, he has judged it too much of a risk to come out in person." There was a sneer in the speech, somewhere under it, a judgement of Kirkwall's ability to keep the peace...and Garrett sensed Aveline silently bristling. "He wishes answers to several questions, Basalit-an."
Garrett felt everyone glance at him and drew himself up, straightening, steeling himself for what's to come. Remember, they're Qunari, be straight. "Then ask." Next to him, Maric voiced a low whine. I know, I'll be careful.
Further away, Petrice had turned to her crowd, hands raised and crying out. "In the absence of light, shadows thrive!"
"Do you have the Tome of Koslun with you?"
Garrett frowned, the direct question was the Qunari way, but there was something dangerous about this specific one he couldn't quite pin down. "My associates are currently hot on a track, they might bring it in today." The Qunari waited, obviously not satisfied, making Garrett grimace. "But no, not at this moment."
"Maker, my enemies are abundant! Many are those who rise up against me! But my faith sustains me! I shall not fear the legion, should they set themselves against me!"
"A Sten discovered a woman fitting the description of the thief of the tome, but it is claimed she is under your protection, is this true?"
Moment of truth... Garrett gritted his teeth, glancing at the horde Petrice was commanding, then to the steady eyes of the Qunari, knowing he was walking a very fine line. "The woman is a Kirkwall citizen, she may not be judged by the Qunari." Again, the Qunari waited, making Garrett clench his hands in frustration, the leather of his armour creaking as he shifted where he stood. At his feet, Maric pressed close, calming him. "So yes, she is." Maker, I hate her...
The Qunari's eyes remained still, yet there was the slightest of tension rippling through his arms. "Is she the one who stole the Tome of Koslun?"
Shit.
"Maker, though the darkness comes upon me, I shall embrace the light! I shall weather the storm! I shall endure!" Petrice turned back, eyes wild and grin wide as she looked over to Garrett, caught up in her own frenzy. "What you have created, none can tear asunder!"
Garrett swallowed when he turned his eyes back to the Qunari's steady ones. I could lie...no, they'll see right through that and then I'll really be in trouble. "Yes."
"I see." The Qunari turned to leave.
"Wait!" Garrett lunged, grabbing the Kossith's arm, making the giant turn to look at him, face neutral, yet disgust somewhere deep in his eyes. "She's helping us! She's right now finding the tome for you! You'll get it in days, maybe hours! Isn't that what's important?!"
"Let all repeat the Chant of Light! Only the Word dispels the darkness upon us!"
The Qunari looked to Garrett's hand holding his arm...and the noble let go before the giant turned back to face him, ignoring the way Maric had suddenly started growling. "The main objective is the tome, yes. But words are not-" The Qunari halted mid-sentence, his eyes drifting past Garrett and down the street, making both him and Aveline turn to watch...and Garrett's blood turned to ice.
Varric!?
The dwarf was limping, his crossbow being used as a crutch, his face bruised and swollen, even his coat sported the odd gash and stain of blood. "Garrett..." The man's voice was a whisper, jerking Garrett into action and making him gesture to two of his men to help the dwarf closer. Supported by them, Varric was there in an instant, gaze lowered. "She...Maker damn her..."
No. No, no,no, no! "Varric, don't tell me that.." Garrett put a hand on his friend's shoulder and felt it shaking under his grip even as the dwarf, tired, moved a hand down to pet Maric's head, the dog licking it with an uncertain look of worry in his eyes.
"The one who repents, who has faith, unshaken by the darkness of the world, she shall know true peace!"
"She's got it, she ran away...I tried to stop her, my men..." The dwarf shook his head. "I...I knew desperation make people fight like mad, but Maker..." He looked up at Garrett all of a sudden, making both him and Aveline blink in surprise at seeing the dwarf's tears. "She nearly killed me. I stood up for her, helped her, saved her life and she just...just...had I not let go of Bianca, she would have..." Something dark appeared in Varric's eyes, the man not fast enough to turn his head away to hide it. "...when I get my hands on her..."
Garrett, unable to answer, just stared at the dwarf in a mixture of horror and anger. I should have bloody locked her up in my basement...
"Garrett..." Aveline's hand landed on his shoulder, and Garrett, reluctant to let go or look away from his hurt friend, only slowly turned his head.
Bloody hell.
The Qunari was leaving, again the man was ignoring the insults and odd piece of garbage hurled at him as he strode back towards the gate...and he'd gotten too far to chase down unless Garrett wanted to try his luck with antagonizing the crowd. This is bad, this is really bad. "We need to calm down the situation." Garrett straightened, trying to calculate the implications of the Arishok choosing to not treat with him anymore and sending his demands directly to the viscount, or with Petrice's people reacting when the Viscount undoubtedly agreed to hunt down Isabela and the chaos that could create. This won't be pretty. Maybe the Qunari will simply leave to hunt her down, but I doubt I'll be that lucky...yeah, we have to do some damage control, and fast. "Aveline, we need to disperse this crowd, how soon can Donnic get here with the guard?"
"Those who bear false witness and work to deceive others, know this! There is but one truth!" Garrett shot Petrice an irritated look, but the woman simply grinned back before continuing, glaring daggers at the Kossith disappearing through the closing gate. "All things are known to our Maker! And He shall judge their lies!"
Aveline, cocking her head closer to hear over the shouting of Petrice and the following cries of her followers, grimaced. "Half an hour, a little less, but then what? I don't think the Qunari will listen to you anymore, we're in some deep shit here."
"You could always seal the gate with bricks." Varric grunted in a vain attempt at humour, the man wincing as he touched a bruise nearly sealing his left eye shut. "Out of sight, out of mind."
"For You are the fire at the heart of the world! And comfort is only Yours to give!"
Doesn't she ever shut up? Garrett shook his head at Aveline, taking a deep breath as he tried to focus through the clamour. "I'm still Basalit-an, that must count for something. The situation is dire, but if we can just make the tension subside a little so I can speak to the Arishok in person, I believe I can smooth things over. He has to listen or he'll never-"
With a boom, the gates to the compound swung wide open.
Garrett turned to look, his eyes growing wide as he felt Aveline, Varric and all his guards go deathly still. Only Maric let loose a sound, a worried whine.
"Behold! The monsters of darkness appears! Their treachery revealed!" Petrice called out, making her people roar in rage.
All Garrett saw was the Qunari though.
Those coming out were not the refugees escaping a storm that had once entered with barely a thread on them. Dressed in dark suits of scale armour, the Kossith looked even larger than they were, the helmets they wore were open-faced and allowed their horns to protrude out, the smooth surface of them betraying the work of a fine smith's work. Those at the front were carrying triangular shields of blackened steel and wood, large enough to cover most of their bodies from sight. At the back, Garrett also saw a forest of what could only be the Qunari halberds...and at the centre of the large group coming out...the Arishok stood.
"Our time is now! The Maker remembers his martyrs!"
The mighty Qunari leader was not armoured in scale, but black plate, the helmet he wore sporting a visor of vertical bars, the eyes behind them were glowing with an inner fire, of the power of command, of being in his element.
And Garrett found his legs turn to water. Oh no.
The Arishok raised his right arm, a long sword in it, gesturing forward, his voice booming. "Vinek Kathas!"
The front ranks of shield-armed warriors of the Qunari rushed forth, free hands drawing back and revealing the great spears the Qunari used as javelins...and hurled the missiles straight into the backs of the guardsmen holding the crowd back.
Maker, no...
With cries of agony, crunches of metal and bone breaking and the gasps of hundreds being caught by surprise by the sudden violence, the small number of guardsmen all fell to the javelins digging into their backs, slaughtered in a single volley from the surprise attack.
NO!
Petrice was the first to recover from the shock, the woman shooting Garrett a foolishly confident grin as she once more raised her book high. "The Qunari show their true colours! For the Maker, destroy them!"
Before anyone could either choose to run or obey though, the Arishok raised his blade high. "Viddathari!" As if springing out of the air, the battlements on the Qunari compound's walls were suddenly bristling with elven converts, each armoured in finely made leather armour, each holding a bow, arrows notched and faces alight with grins of those about to have vengeance. "Vinek Kathas!" As one, the elves drew back their bows and loosed a volley into the densely packed crowd.
Garret caught a glimpse of Petrice, her eyes wide and face turning pale as she realised the danger and what battle truly meant...and then she was on her back, pinned to another two corpses by half a dozen arrows lodged through her body, blind eyes staring at the book in her hand, now with an arrow nailing it to her palm.
A scream, as if from a single giant creature, arose from the crowd as panic gripped them. They turned to run, only for those at the back to block the way, the tightly packed mass impossible to move fast. Even as Garrett watched with a strange feeling of detachment, people began to fall and tumble over one another, only to be crushed under foot by others too panicked to even notice them.
The elves didn't stop shooting though, their arrows first slamming into the rear ranks in powerful straight shots, then raining over the crowd, killing and wounding with every shot as none could cover themselves or duck.
Stop...please...this is...this isn't how it's supposed to go...it doesn't make sense...
"Sten, Vinek Kathas!"
The Arishok was pointing at Garrett now, eyes calm...and twelve of the Qunari were rushing towards him, shields raised and a second volley of javelins held ready.
Why...? I was trying to-
A gauntleted hand gripped Garrett by the shoulder, roughly pulling him backwards, Jeannie's voice a bark. "Captain, take our lord to safety! Fereldians, charge!"
Another gauntleted hand gripped his shoulder, this time it being Aveline's firm grip as she roughly jerked him backwards and into a stumbling retreat. Garrett was staring after Jeannie though, her and the other five of his guards. "What are you...? Why...?"
Jeannie's answer was a mere roar, the woman hurling herself forward with her shield raised, at the head of the charging guards. A dozen javelins hurtled at her though, five missed while three others forced her shield back step by step with the force of their punch before a ninth punched through and slammed into her chest. One punched into her left thigh and another reduced her right knee to a gory mess...and then the twelfth speared its way through her skull.
The woman fell without a word, the cry instead coming from Darren as the man rushed into a Qunari, ducked under a thrust of his foe and drove his own blade into the chest of his assailant. A second later he too died though as two Qunari blades hacked into him, one making his intestines spill out over the ground as the other sent his head flying through the air.
And then Garrett was running, Aveline pulling him along as Varric kept up with the support of a whining Maric.
Behind them, the clash and cries of combat echoed as Garrett's outnumbered humans met the Qunari for a losing rearguard battle.
He couldn't help himself, still shocked and confused by the sudden change of what had occurred, Garrett glanced back.
His guards were now reduced to two, the Qunari, unharmed save for Darren's kill, having formed a wall of shields and now advancing on the roaring men who desperately tried to hold them back with futile hacks and slashes, knowing their deaths to be imminent.
Beyond that, more Qunari were pouring out of the compound, halberdiers and men with shields and javelins forming regiments with the precision of a machine. Behind them, hordes of elves in leather armour, masks over their mouths and carrying arrows also began to form units, Kossith officers among them gesturing and barking orders. Ahead of them all, a carpet of dead already lay, the remains of the crowd lying thick.
Beyond that...screams were rising, as was an all too familiar green mist.
And at the centre of it all, the Arishok stood, black plate armour shining in the setting sun, calm gaze locking with Garrett's, his eyes aglow with determination that no argument would stop.
Only then did fear truly grip Garrett.
8
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Thanks to Abydos Jackson for her feather quill.