Chapter 2: Bonding Threads

The next morning, Anders woke to a rather clean clinic, dusted and re-organized with his medical supplies in their proper places. He was only half-awake as he practically watched me dancing around the dimly lit room while I was sweeping. Hey, it was peaceful, and quiet. I couldn't help but have a little fun while I was working. I'd gotten up bright and early to leave, but noticing the state that the clinic was in, I decided to at least clean the place up before I left. I'd already washed the massive shirt he had given me to wear to bed and laid it out to dry. Why not just clean the whole clinic for him? Surely, he was too busy to do it himself, and it was the least I could do. I was hoping to get the work done and be gone before he woke, but there was just so much to do, I lost track of the time.

"…Oh! Morning, Anders!"

"…Did you…? All by yourself?"

"Well, I didn't want to wake you up just to say goodbye… and waiting around doing nothing was going to get boring quickly. Besides, you're not even dressed. You're still half asleep, aren't you?"

A half lie, but a necessary one. I smiled at him sheepishly and shrugged before I turned my attention back to my work. I wasn't leaving until this place was spotless! It would drive me absolutely crazy to work in such conditions. I preferred a tidy workspace, thank you very much. You'd never find anything you needed with a sloppy office.

He simply looked at me incredulously, shaking his head and returning to the back rooms, likely to go change his clothes. His 'morning self' was a lot different than his normal self, and that made me chuckle. Instead of those stiff robes and his tied back hair giving him a neat appearance, he looked a bit ragged with his baggy shirt and trousers he wore to bed as well as his tousled long hair. I suppose most people were like that in the morning, no matter how neat and tidy they usually were. I know I'm definitely a grouchy bear in the morning. I'm a night owl most of the time, though my work keeps me awake at normal hours.

By the time Anders returned, the floor was swept and mopped, leaving it slightly damp. I was busy chuckling at all of the footprints my bare feet had left in the thin layer of water when I heard his footsteps approaching. Now the mage was dressed, his hair combed, and he was trying to hand me half of a fresh bread loaf. The one in his other hand, he had already taken a few bites out of.

"Oh, that's not necessary…"

"Take it, you must be hungry after all of that cleaning, which you didn't have to do. Least I can do is feed you."

I sighed a bit in defeat. Once again, it did not seem like I had much of a choice in the matter. I wiped my dirty hands on my vest, not that it was going to help much, and took the bread with a nod of thanks.

"…If this 'back-and-forth' favor thing keeps up, we're just going to keep doing nice things for each other, aren't we?"

"I don't suppose that's such a bad thing!"

Both of us burst into fits of chuckling. Anders wasn't such a bad human, really, and his lighthearted attitude was more than welcome. He gestured towards one of the cots, and we sat down together to eat our shared breakfast and inspect my finished handiwork. All in all, I didn't do too bad, but I'd only gotten myself even dirtier. I hadn't had a single chance to bathe or wash my clothes since the fiasco yesterday evening. Putting back on my dirty clothes hadn't helped matters, either. The first order of business when I left the clinic was to take a bath…and I still had to deliver the herbs to the market!

…Damn it. They were going to be so late…! I was already hopping to my feet at the realization, stuffing the bread loaf into my mouth and holding it in place with my teeth while I gathered up the basket, making sure everything was in there before I stood up.

"…Well, you're suddenly in a hurry…forget something?"

I nodded, gesturing with my head towards the basket. I was going to have to eat on the road, I was already late by at least an hour, maybe even two!

"…I see. I was hoping we'd have more time to sit and talk. You should come back sometime. Be careful out there…and maybe get some shoes for those feet of yours…?"

I rolled my eyes at him, pausing halfway to the door to take the bread out of my mouth so I could retort right back to the smart mage. Hah! He clearly knew nothing of elves.

"Only the 'domesticated' city elves wear shoes, Anders! Everybody knows that! Fenris only wears those foot wraps, right?"

Anders didn't have much time to say anything else, as I was already bolting for the door, waving at him with my free hand. I'd have to come back to the clinic and formally apologize for leaving so quickly. I felt bad for being rude, but these deliveries HAD to be made, or I wasn't going to get paid!

"…She's right, he does…come to think of it, so does Merrill…why didn't I notice that before…?"

…..

After a quick bath, a change out of those bloody clothes and the late deliveries finished up, I found myself wandering the Lowtown market. I did need fresh food supplies, after all. While I'm at it, it's probably a good idea for me to find more fabric to get started on sewing some new clothes after I had an entire outfit destroyed by Fenris and a dead man's blood. Sewing was something I picked up at a young age, and for good reason. Digging around in large herb gardens usually left you with filthy and ripped clothing. It also helped when clothes were too damn expensive to buy, so you only had two outfits.

Yesterday had been…something. I couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh while I was browsing over the fresh fruit stand. Death wasn't something that bothered me anymore, not one bit. That level of brutality, though, that came from sheer hate. Clearly, Hawke's friend had a serious problem with slavers. She had interesting friends, but he stuck out to me the most. Don't get me wrong, those bastards deserve whatever is coming to them. I just…I don't know. He kind of reminds me of myself. The rage he had built up…and his strange power had definitely caught my attention. What form of magic WAS that? I'm no expert, but I've seen my fair share of strange things. This…was something new to me, and it had me absolutely fascinated. The power to phase through solid objects? You know a lot of mages would give an arm to do something like that.

I shook my head, refocusing on the task at hand. Thanks to the deliveries coming late, I had to take a heavy dock on the pay I usually got. I'd have to shop smart for food, and seeing the prices on fabric this month? I'd have to put off that replacement outfit until I could get some extra work. I grumbled in annoyance, setting an apple back down onto the cart at the fruit stand. What I wouldn't give for a nice big steak…! Sadly, it was just too risky for me to go out hunting. Too many eyes. I'd take my safety over my personal comfort, thank you very much. I'd just have to settle for what was cheap. Maybe I could make a hearty stew? A potato soup, maybe, with some other choice vegetables thrown in. Ugh… without meat, it would still be a poor excuse for a meal. It just wasn't right without some nice pork chunks…or cuts of bacon…

I was starting to lose my appetite and I was just about ready to give up on market shopping when I spotted a familiar shape out of the corner of my eye. It looked like Hawke was busy shopping too, this time with a young lady that appeared to look very similar to her. A younger Hawke with longer hair, dressed in robes? Perhaps a sister, then. That was the only explanation. They were laughing and carrying on as women do while they were browsing the stalls. I was just about to duck behind a pillar, but Hawke caught sight of me rather quickly and waved before she headed in my direction. The girl who I assumed was her sister followed along right behind her with an inquisitive look about her. God damn it, Hawke! I plastered a grin on my face as the two girls approached, nodding in a friendly manner.

"I didn't expect to see you roaming about the markets today with that injury. Feeling any better?"

"Oh! Hello, Hawke. Yes, I'm all healed, no need to worry. I was just shopping around for food for the week. What about you?"

"We are just checking the local wares, see if we can find anything else useful for our expedition. My sister Bethany will be staying home to watch over our mother while I'm gone, but she still insists on helping me with the supplies at the very least."

"I'm still not happy about it…"

Clearly, she wasn't happy whatsoever, with the look that she was giving Hawke. There was definitely a smidge of animosity there for being left behind. Poor Bethany!

"But do you REALLY want to leave Mother alone with Uncle Gamlen while we're away?"

"…Point taken…he is absolutely horrid...Mother can handle him, it's his safety I'm worried about at this point."

Sounds like Hawke had quite a bit of family problems, but that usually happens with large families…right? I slightly shrugged at them as I adjusted the empty wicker basket on my elbow, glancing between the two girls while things were cooling down. Well, I couldn't avoid having a normal conversation with them any longer, so might as well just go with it.

"…So, your expedition…when are you all leaving for the Deep Roads?"

"At the end of the week, bright and early in the morning. Preparations went a lot faster thanks to your help with the herbs, so we can get on with things sooner than we expected."

"Oh, so THIS is the elf you were telling me about last night! Naela, was it? I was just suggesting to Hawke this morning that I think she ought to invite you to go along with her and her group. The expedition has a good supply of herbs now, as well as an alchemist…but I don't think they have someone among them that knows a considerable amount about herbs. I'm sure you could identify a few plants for them along the way, right?"

"…And I was telling Bethany that I couldn't just ask you such a thing out of the blue…thank you, dear sister. I know it's a dangerous trip and you could be gone for weeks, if not months…but obviously everyone is getting paid well. I'm helping to fund the expedition as a partner, and I plan on sharing anything I make on the trip with the companions I bring along. Varric is Bartrand's brother, so he has to come along, and Anders knows the Deep Roads well. Fenris will be coming with us three for some added protection, as he's one of our best fighters, and Aveline will be busy with her new role as Guard Captain once all of the paperwork is done. Merrill is still moving into her place in the Alienage, so she needs time to settle down."

"…I still think Isabela would be a better idea instead of Fenris…"

"There's nothing wrong with Fenris, in fact he is the best candidate. Isabela is knowledgeable about rare treasures, that much is obvious, but she has her work cut out for her holding down the fort by watching Gamlen and making sure he's keeping his fingers clean. I know you don't trust him because he has issues with mages…but he's very reliable."

"…Hawke, he gives me the creeps."

While the two descended into their banter, my thoughts went to the offer. The Deep Roads? I'd never braved such a dangerous place. Not that I can't handle myself or anything, but staying out of trouble was my top priority. In Kirkwall, I'm struggling just to stay afloat with the sparse coin I make. This expedition, if we found something even remotely fascinating, could lead to enough coin to set me up for a year or two. It was something I had to seriously consider. There would be many able-bodied warriors, I'd be safe. Plus, I'd be doing a service to these people, making sure they stayed stocked on herbal supplies and avoided any dangerous plants.

"…I'll have to seriously think about it, Hawke. It's a tempting offer, I'm not going to lie. As you said though, it would be a very dangerous trip. Give me a day or two to think about it, all right?"

The two girls paused their conversation and turned me, like they had forgotten I was here in the first place. Their own conversation about their choice in travel companions ceased, and Hawke gave me a nod in agreement once they had recovered from the minor surprise.

"…Right, I can understand that. Bartrand has assured us the darkspawn population will be at it's lowest, and you'll be traveling close by with either us or the caravan when we have to scout ahead and clear the way for everyone else. We're taking every precaution, so the expedition will be the safest that it can possibly be. I'm really hoping you'll come with us. I can give you instructions to my house, you can leave a letter for me with your response if you don't see me around Kirkwall."

"That will work perfectly for me, thanks Hawke."

Already, Hawke was grabbing a scrap piece of paper from her pocket that had her address neatly written on it. Apparently, she was used to having people delivering her letters or having them come by her house. Then again, with someone doing dangerous expeditions like this, she likely needed to make as many useful contacts as she could. I took the paper from her with a nod, settling it in one of my skirt's pockets. I'd sleep on it before I fully decided if I was going to tag along on this expedition or not. It was a great risk for me personally to take…I just had to decide if the risk was worth the extra coin.

"…Well, we're just about done here, so we're going to let you get back to your shopping, Naela. I apologize for interrupting you while you're in the middle of hunting down groceries."

"It's no trouble at all, Hawke, really. You can use all the help you can get for that kind of expedition. I'll see you soon, I suppose?"

"I'm hoping so!"

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Naela. Come on, sister, Mother's waiting for us."

Bethany had to practically drag Hawke towards the residential district of Lowtown while I was returning my attention to the market stalls. Despite the protests of my appetite, I had to find something to eat for dinner tonight, even if I didn't feel up to it. Besides, a few stray children in Darktown were likely going to show up at my spot once they smelled the food cooking, and I'd hate to disappoint them. Maybe I'd go for the potato soup after all…at least it was easy to share, right?

…..

My shabby little grey tent was feeling a lot lonelier with the kids gone. The soup didn't last very long with so many orphaned children down here with empty bellies and no parents to feed them. I skipped supper myself, as I figured I would. My appetite was rather lacking, and there was a new child in the group that had just lost his father to a fishing boat's shipwreck. Poor boy. Me skipping out meant that there was more food to go around for the others.

I shook my head, busying myself with washing my single cooking pot. Of course, I was using clean water from Lowtown. I usually kept a waterskin on me when I went up there and filled it every chance I got. The water down here was either scarce, or water you really shouldn't have been drinking or washing with. Half the time that was why the refugees down here got sick, because of desperation. I was lucky enough to have basic cookware and a tent over my head. Some of the folks down here didn't even have that. I'd often find my foodstuffs or my cookware missing. Once, I even found the whole tent missing. I couldn't blame them, most of the folks down here couldn't find work and had to resort to stealing to care for themselves and their families. When it happened, I'd just buy new supplies without a fuss. I had work, and I could buy new things. They couldn't.

The day was starting to wind down…kind of. Who am I kidding? Not really. It was never quiet in Darktown. Too many thugs, bandits and slavers came down here to harass the beaten and broken when the sun went down. Too many times my sleep was disturbed by a commotion, a brawl, or even worse. The guard patrols barely swept through here once a day, if they were 'feeling up to it'. Crime was a normal occurrence here, because nobody cared about the refugees. It was everybody for themselves in Kirkwall. And tonight? Well, it was going to be no exception to the rule.

I was just about done cleaning things up and preparing my tent for the night when I spotted the oncoming trouble: a bunch of well-dressed Free Marchers had a scraggly-looking kid by the ear and they were practically dragging him along the rough pavement of Darktown. Sadly, the kid was familiar. It was the same orphan boy that had joined the usual group of kids that came to me for food on occasion. He'd only been at my tent eating about an hour ago! The poor boy was screaming and crying, these cruel men scratching up his skin while they laughed at his torment. I didn't know where they were going, but it was likely not a pleasant place for a child.

Damn my soft nature. I had to intervene. I stood, making my way over to the men, cutting them off from their path and barring their way with my arms crossed over my chest. Yes, I'm small and not very intimidating, but I can at least attempt to be a little physically threatening. Maybe it would work this time? Maybe?

Clearly, it wasn't working since they broke out into guffaws at the elf girl that was glowering at them. They weren't intimidated in the slightest. I should have known that was going to be their reaction. Oh well, so much for that plan. Once their laughter had died down, the one grabbing the boy's ear spoke up towards me.

"Move it, knife ear! You're in our way!"

"I don't plan on moving until you tell me why you're dragging a child around by his ear. He's clearly not even your child, so what gives you the right to discipline him like this? Hmmm? Picking on a child… I hope you big strong men are proud of yourselves for overpowering someone so much smaller than you."

"This little runt nicked my coin purse, he did! The boys and I were just about to teach him what happens to Ferelden brats with sticky fingers. If his parents aren't going to teach him right from wrong, clearly it is our civic duty to teach him a lesson! Maybe we should teach this knife ear to keep her mouth shut and respect her betters while we're at it!"

"Would this issue be resolved if he were to return the coin purse and apologize? There's no need for any of this bullshit."

"He already got rid of it, he said." Another one of the men pitched in, snorting. "I'm sure his little buddies have gone and spent it all on candy already. Miserable little wretches. All these refugees, bringing their dirty little children into our city and letting them run amok, do as they please."

Or they were buying food, because they're starving, you moron. Bloody Free Marchers.

It couldn't be helped. I sighed, digging around for my own coin purse and tossing it to the nearest one of the humans.

"Will that cover what he stole? If that'll do, let him go. He's just a hungry child, you're the ones making asses of yourselves picking on him. If that was a Free Marcher boy right there, you would have fed him without a second thought."

The coin purse was passed around to the 'gentleman' while he carelessly tossed the boy aside, the homeless child scurrying off as fast as his thin legs could take him. Now I was facing three grown men alone while the coin was being counted. It was all I had, but it was going to be worth it to make sure that child was safe.

"Hah! Five silvers? The kid stole at least three sovereigns! This won't be enough. You're going to have to pay off the rest somehow, now that he's run off…I'm sure we can think of something that you can do for us, can't we, boys?"

I'm not a mage, but I don't need any form of magic to guess what the hell was likely going through their minds right now. Humans are absolutely disgusting creatures. Andraste would be rolling over in her grave if she knew what had become of the people that she gave her life for so long ago.

Well…too bad for these boys. I'm pretty damn fast. Like a halla, I was gone in a flash, taking off on bare feet down the crumbling streets of Darktown. They likely hadn't expected me to bolt so fast, because they stood there, dumbfounded, while I left them in the dust. Looks like I wasn't going to be sleeping in my tent tonight…just in case they decided to stick around and wait for me to come back. No way in hell was I going to be THAT stupid. Humans are so predictable sometimes. It's kind of amusing, really.

The weather definitely wasn't. One second, I'm running through the exits of Darktown to escape in the Lowtown evening crowds. The next, it's pouring down rain. The rain didn't bother me, it was just making the roads slippery against my bare feet. By now, I hadn't seen hide nor hair of the humans. If they had even tried to make chase, they weren't keeping up with me. Once I hit the market's crowd of folks, I slowed down and slipped into an easy fast walk, blending in with the folks rushing around and trying to get out of the rain. Most people were just flooding into the Hanged Man while the rest were scurrying about to head into their homes. I just kind of followed the traffic, enjoying my little game of hide and seek.

My game wasn't going to be fun for long. I could see the group of men searching around when I passed through the market for maybe the sixth time. They were just as rain-drenched as I was, and not looking too pleased about it. I had to duck behind a rather tall gentleman to my left so they didn't catch sight of me. The crowds were starting to thin. I needed a plan of escape or they were going to be on my tail in a flash. Definitely not back to Darktown, and Lowtown would be the next obvious choice. It was why they were looking here after all. Hightown would be the best bet, though the crowds would be practically nonexistent with the rich folk at home or in the brothel. There would be very few places to hide. Still, it was my best option. I knew a few shortcuts that would get me into Hightown without being seen. Already I was slipping down a familiar alleyway to go up towards the top sector of the city.

As I figured, the place was rather deserted. My feet slapped against the wet pavement as I scurried through the Hightown market, zipping through back streets and alleys to make sure I could lose them. Even through the pounding rain, I could still hear what I thought were footsteps in the distance. I hate these days. The days that I just have to keep running and never look back. No time to stand still, or settle down. Never staying in one city for too long. New places, new faces…

My thoughts apparently had distracted me from the predicament at hand. I was running on instinct while my mind wandered. Eventually, something caught my attention, and that something was an arm reaching out of a nearby alleyway and dragging me into the shadows, one arm latching around my middle and another clamping over my mouth, just when I was about ready to scream. I was nearly slipping into a state of panic, but no more than ten seconds later, the Free Marcher men that had been in hot pursuit of me whizzed right on by the alley and down the street. I can't believe that actually worked and they hadn't seen us! They were closer to my trail than I had thought they'd been. Curse my wandering mind.

A minute ticked by, two minutes, and I stood still like that for a long time. Things were starting to become painfully apparent to me that this was a friend, not a foe. Being pressed up against a solid armored body with exposed skin along the arms showing off rather familiar white markings made it obvious that Fenris had somehow come to my aid. Finally, he released me and I stumbled back a bit so we could both straighten ourselves up. He seemed rather unamused, while I was downright flustered at him. How had this turn of events come about?!

"What in the Maker's name are you doing here?!"

"I was about to ask you the same thing. I live in this part of the city. Why are you in Hightown?"

"…I was…uhm…! I-it's none of your business!"

"…You seem to have a talent for getting yourself into trouble."

"I assure you, this is not normal for me. You're probably rubbing some bad luck onto me or something. I thank you for your assistance, Ser Fenris, but now that my pursuers have run off, I can return home."

"You're going to walk all the way back to Darktown in this weather? You're absolutely drenched already. You're going to catch your death out here."

"Well, it's late and it's not like I sleep anywhere else- hey wait a minute! How in the Maker's name did you know that I -?"

"That you lied to Hawke when you said you lived in the Alienage?"

"I was actually just telling Fenris about your little predicament. It was kind of cute how he immediately came to your rescue. Let's just say I have a lot of eyes in this city, darling. It's hard to miss an elf as noticeable as you running through the streets of Lowtown. I got the report rather quickly."

A voice echoed from somewhere above us before a well-tanned Rivaini woman hopped down from a rooftop, landing in the street close to us. I practically jumped out of my skin in surprise while she just laughed. Not only was she the most gorgeous dark-haired beauty I had ever seen, she had her own intimidating aura about herself. Sure, her white corset mini-dress and thigh high boots paired with the blue bandana over her head was a bit revealing and she had a lot of beautiful gold piercings and jewelry to keep her looking feminine, but those knives she had on her person would make anyone nervous. Still, she had a smile as pleasant as any sunny day, which she directed at Fenris. The male elf, however, was not impressed with her words.

"…I am not cute. I was providing a favor to Hawke, since Hawke seems to like her for some strange reason."

"Sure, you were, Fenris…sure you were. In any case, I've given those boys a few good knocks on the head. They'll be out for hours, and you're safe for the moment. You're welcome for doing the dirty work, by the way, Fenris."

I swear, I was going to get a whiplash from spinning my head back and forth listening to them banter. It was starting to make me dizzy.

"…The help was…unnecessary, both of you, but I appreciate it. It's not the first time I've had to weasel out of a sticky situation. I had everything under control."

"Aww, she reminds me of... well, me at that age. Nice taste in piercings, too. I think we'll get along nicely, sweet little thing. Anyways, Fenris, this one is all yours. I need to head back to the Hanged Man, I've got some clients to deal with before I enjoy a nice drink."

"Excuse me, I am a lot older than I look, thank you very much!"

"You have got to be kidding me, Isabela…you're going to leave me here with her?"

"Later! Don't have too much fun without me!"

Isabela practically pranced away, swinging those hips of hers teasingly while she headed for the closest Hightown exit. Meanwhile, Fenris and I were exchanging looks. I wasn't too happy with him right now, all things considered. He wasn't very happy either, since Isabela had ditched him. It's like he had no social skills whatsoever!

"…You had her spy on me?! That is a complete invasion of my privacy, you creep!"

"…Hawke has a problem with being…too trusting. She's a kind-hearted person to a fault. I owe her a debt, one that I intend to repay, and I can't repay her if she takes a dagger in the back from someone she's helped."

"Like I would do that. I'm completely harmless. I don't even carry around a weapon! Now…Is your paranoia satisfied? If it is, then I'm going home…"

"…Why do you live in Darktown? With your talents, you could easily make coin enough to live in the Alienage comfortably…at least more comfortably than down in an abandoned sewer system. I don't understand it."

"Thanks, but I'll pass. I'm quite happy where I am, thank you very much, and where I choose to rest my head is none of your business. Now, if you don't mind…"

I couldn't tell him. I couldn't tell him that a permanent residency was just…not in the cards. I never stay anywhere long enough to put down roots. It just had to be this way. He would never understand. I sighed, brushing my damp bangs out of my face and glaring up at the other elf for a few brief moments before I turned on my heel. I was soaked from head to foot and it was starting to get cold. I just wanted to go home, but he opened his mouth again.

"…Hawke tells me she invited you to come on the expedition with us."

At that, I paused. So, Hawke had already talked to him about the offer? Damn, was he going to tell her about me lying?!

"…Don't tell Hawke I'm living in a tent in Darktown. She already feels the need to help me beyond what is necessary. I don't want her feeling any more pity for me than she already does. I'm just fine where I'm at. Really."

"…I haven't told her, and I don't plan to. Maybe if you went on the expedition, she wouldn't worry about your wellbeing. Like I said, Hawke is too kind-hearted. She looks out for everyone, whether they are friends or total strangers, especially those who have done her a service."

"Is this some weird form of blackmail, Fenris? Because if it is, you're doing a piss poor job at it."

"…I'm saying the expedition could really use you, and you clearly need the money. I highly suggest you take the job."

"…As I told Hawke, I'm going to think about it. Now, it's getting late, so I'm going to head back."

"…If you insist on going back to that tent, at least move it in case those thugs come back."

"That was the plan in the first place! I'm not stupid!"

"…Could have fooled me."

"Fuck off!"