Day 202, Kirkwall Day 106

It's weird having a roommate again. Not really in a bad way though, it's kind of nice having company in the evening. Someone I can come close to telling the truth to, even if I have to constantly leave out plenty of the details.

I did eventually find a way to bring up Mythal by way of Asha-bella-whatever, when we were talking about spirits this week. Merrill told me a few rather unpleasant stories about people who'd apparently crossed her and regretted it, but claimed to have never met her in person. So yeah. The amulet never arrived in her Clan.

I don't know what that means. I don't know where Hawke is.

Right now I'm assuming I'm stuck here until Solas wakes up, and then some time after. So I'm doing my best to tone down the bitchiness around Varric. He's definitely noticed, and knows I'm up to something, but as usual he seems more intrigued than anything else.

He's still convinced I'm lying about my origins, but apparently he thinks I was being trained as a Bard in Orlais, and bolted when I fucked up and revealed I was a mage. Apart from the fact that I don't speak French, I guess I can see where he's coming from. Sneaking around is my only real skill, and my only sword style is 'the most Orlesian crap ever'. It makes for fun stories when he starts giving me ever more dramatic origins at least.

No word on Bartrand's planned expedition yet, so I'm still just investing most of my coin in Varric's different business interests. I'm making good progress there, though my new practice time with Merrill is cutting into my working hours a bit.

More updates on that to come. Time for bed.

Day 210, Kirkwall Day 114

Merrill is a great roommate, but she's not a very good magic teacher. That or I'm just not a very good magic student. We're both good at blaming ourselves for problems at least. We had a good laugh over wine when I pointed that out tonight.

Long story short, she was able to help me fix my barrier. I can actually cast and maintain one over myself now, though putting one over her is a bit rougher. Apparently I have shitty magical 'hearing', so I'm really struggling to keep the spell going once she gets out of my line of sight.

My flamethrower spell is a whole different problem. She legitimately has no idea how I even came up with it; apparently I'm combining a grease spell, an ignition spell, a wind spell, and putting a barrier over my hand all at the same time. Which, you know, all makes sense to me. That's how a flamethrower should work.

Apparently it isn't how normal people would cast a cone of fire or whatever.

The good news is that my spell burns hot as hell, literally, and the grease makes it cling to whatever I point it at. In her words, 'It's, um, a very nasty spell. Bad people only please?'

The bad news? Combining so many effects means it sucks my mana dry in a hurry. She's been helping with the efficiency, but even when I'm practically meditating I could only hold it for ten or eleven seconds. When we got jumped by giant spiders on the way home I only managed three or four seconds of it.

Did roast those creepy bastards pretty good though.

She's going to try and start me on Stone-Fist tomorrow.

Time for bed.

Day 213, Kirkwall Day 117

Still no sign of Hawke, or anyone else from her crew. Rumors from the docks say that the Darkspawn horde is nearly to Denerim, and that the Orlesians are massing an army on their eastern border. Guess that means the first game is nearly over.

In more less than fun news, got to deal with Bartrand today. He came to down to harass Varric about something, saw me, and started snarling about how much Varric pays me. He calmed down when he found out I was the one who got them the latest routes the Coterie are using to smuggle in crap from Nevarra.

Of course his 'compliment' included his opinion that 'you still pay that bitch too much', so yeah. I'm seriously considering arranging an accident for him in the Deep Roads.

Time for wine and venting to Merrill.

Day 217, Kirkwall Day 121

Had a lovely wedding at the Alieanage today. At least it was lovely until I remembered that city-Elves do the whole arranged marriage thing. Without, you know, even letting them meet each other first.

Bride was local, husband wasn't. I told her to tell me if he abused or tried to force her, and that he wouldn't live the night if he did. She appreciated that a lot. The Elder, who heard me, really didn't. He followed me, and heard me give the same speech to her new husband, who looked like he was about to faint when I finished. Elder really didn't like that.

We had a bit of a row after the ceremony, off to the side. He told me I needed to understand tradition and set a better example as an Elven leader. Especially as a woman, and that I better not have been serious with my threats to the boy.

I told him to fuck the hell off, and to not even think of trying to arrange anything for me or Merrill. And that I absolutely was serious.

Someone must have heard us because all of the women in the Night's Watch ran around waiting on me hand and foot after that, and they roped the men into it too. One of them finally admitted that Fiolya, one of our best archers despite the fact that's only sixteen or something, was supposed to go to Ostwick to marry someone next month, arranged by the Elder and her family.

I asked her if she wanted to go there, she said no, and I tracked down her parents and told her she didn't want to, and so she wasn't going. They said something back, I didn't really listen because it wasn't 'Ok, then she won't go'. So I told them she wasn't going. Just with more swearing. And a few threats if they kept acting like primitive assholes.

They ran off to the Elder, the Nights Watch all came to see what was going on, and we only really calmed down when the Bride came over and smacked everyone both for interrupting the wedding that she'd actually been enjoying.

So yeah.

I guess I'm making a power play against the Elder now, or something.

And I need to ask Varric for help in expanding my apartment. Or building an inn or barracks or something to fit anyone who doesn't want to live at home anymore.

Day 224, Kirkwall Day 128

The Wedding crisis is on hold, we've got a new one. Brennan came by just after dawn to tell us that the City Guard was going to pull her unit off the Alienage any day now. Once that happened we'd be entirely on our own when it came to protecting ourselves.

I woke up Merrill, and ran out to grab Thrask and Varric. We spent a day chasing down a group of bandits outside of town, and brought all their arms back once we killed them. Suddenly I'm popular with the Elders and everyone who likes arranged marriages again.

We've got enough spears and bows to arm close to two dozen people, plenty of daggers as well. Not many proper swords though. Armor is another problem; what we've got is mostly beat up old leather, not much metal at all. Varric is looking into cheap options for us. Not thrilled at losing money like that, but I'd rather lose a gold or two than wake up in chains.

Elders called everyone together at sunrise and sunset, telling them to listen for anyone talking about attacking us. To report anything they heard to me, because apparently I'm a Leader now.

I am so very not thrilled about that. Merrill is giving me a pat on the head as I bitch about it. She doesn't look at all sympathetic.

...she isn't. She's relieved no one's remembered she was a First, and that they aren't trying to give her any authority.

I told her I'd just conscripted her as my second in command, and she's giving me her best pout.

...she has a very deadly pout, but I'm not backing down.

...maybe Zatris would be a better second in command. He's basically already doing most of the work.

She's smug now.

Off to the Hanged Man to see if Varric's heard anything.