Varric already had Merrill settled in his usual booth, pushing a red tinged potion into her hands. He saw me, then quickly held up two fingers to tell me his drink request, then followed it up with three fingers before patting his chest.

Waving back to show I'd seen him, I picked my way past people who were annoyingly tall before I found Norah at the already packed bar. Anywhere else and I'd have had to wait until all of the Humans around me had ordered. Hell, anywhere else and I would have been shoved away before I could even get close to the bar.

Fortunately for me, Varric's patronage accounted for most of the place's daily profits. Coff had made it a policy to always serve his best customer first, along with anyone that Varric routinely invited into his booth. Pointed ears or not. Anyone who had a problem with that got to talk to the bouncers.

Assuming they didn't learn their lesson, they'd get a follow up visit from Bianca.

"What's his order tonight?" Norah called once I was close enough for her to spot me.

Her shout saw some of the crowd twist around, finally noticing my struggle to get through. An old woman who knew who I worked for stepped back, giving me enough space to finally make it to the bar.

"Thanks." I muttered without looking back. "Three ales, a whiskey, and three of whatever the dinner plate is tonight. All on his tab."

She grunted, glancing Varric's way without spilling a drop of the ale she was pouring. "He adopted another one of you, eh?"

"Something like that. She got jumped right outside, more idiots pretending to be Vints." I jerked my chin toward the door, "Tell Coff he's got bodies to get rid of. I didn't strip them, weapons and armor are all his to fence."

Norah nodded once. "I'll tell him to get the boys on it. Drinks'll be over in a couple, food in a bit."

"Thanks." I said again, already turning around. The crowd parted just enough for me to get out, then promptly swarmed in to try and claim the spot at the bar.

Huffing out a frustrated breath, I ignored the people sitting at the other tables and booths in favor of heading straight for Varric and Merrill. My fellow elf already looked a bit better. The potion had cleaned up most of her bruises; now she just looked tired instead of looking like someone had punched her repeatedly in the face.

"...just not in the woods. The trees get jealous."

Varric grinned, settling back in his seat. "But you do frolic?"

"Of course we do. We wouldn't be elves otherwise."

He barked out a laugh, "You hear that Buzz? As an elf you're required to frolic. When was the last time you got around to doing that?"

"I don't think I've ever frolicked in my life." I replied, tugging my cloak off with a groan. "Maybe when I was a kid, I guess."

He mimed a gasp. "You mean you didn't come into the world swearing, lamenting your awful haircut?"

Merrill giggled, "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. Your hair is very... um, fuzzy?"

It certainly was. Ignoring the chortling dwarf, I eased myself into the booth next to Merrill, stretching out my legs with a groan. "You feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you for your help earlier. I still don't quite know how I ended up over here." Her smile faded, teeth briefly appearing as she nibbled on her lip. There were a little crooked, but not nearly as bad as some I'd seen. "Are, um, things like that common?"

Varric's own amusement drained out quickly, "I wouldn't call them common, Daisy, but it's not all that safe for you to walk around alone."

"Maeve did say something about that this morning." And I had. So had nearly ever member of the Alienage's night watch that I'd introduced her to. "I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to get so lost."

Exhaling, I patted the back of her hand gently, "It's all right. Just wait for me to get back next time, and I can go with you. That or ask someone to find Varric for you."

Blonde eyebrows rose across the table. "Volunteering me already, Buzz? Here I thought I was your employer."

"First of all, I am an independent contractor. You're just my main source of income." I jerked my head toward Merrill, "Second, you already gave her a nickname, which means you're invested. Thirdly, she's adorable and you can't resist cute things."

Merrill blushed while Varric huffed. "I can too."

I grinned viciously. "So I didn't watch you scramble around, trying to find someone to take in that Mabari puppy you found behind the bar?"

"Its whining was keeping me up at night." He defended himself. "I wanted to be able to sleep. It was a case of naked self interest, nothing more."

"Uh huh." I drawled. "For someone who lies as much as you do, you're shockingly bad at it sometimes."

He glared at me.

I stuck my tongue out at him.

Merrill giggled again, "Did you find someone nice?"

"...the Knight-Captain of the Templars barely let me finish my speech before he agreed." Varric said. "Told me to bring any other Mabari I found to him as well."

Heh. Cullen was a big softy too. Or, well, he would be. Eventually. Toward everyone but the mages.

Ugh. That story was less amusing when I realized that there might be Mabari trained to hunt down mages in the near future. Now there was an unpleasant thought...

"Yer drinks are here." All three of us turned when Norah arrived, easily carrying a wooden tray on one hand. Getting my cloak off the table, I settled it between Merrill and I so that she could pass out the mugs. "An ale each, and who wants the stronger stuff?"

I took the smaller cup before she could finish speaking, doing my best to ignore Varric's sudden frown. I wasn't quite quick enough to dodge his curious lean, spotting what I'd added to the order.

"Andraste's ass, Buzz! Not the whiskey!"

"I need it." I replied, taking deep breaths to prepare myself.

"I thought you learned your lesson after the last time!" He went to grab it, scowling when I yanked the cup back against my chest before he could. "Daisy, don't let her drink that!"

Merrill shook her head, clearly confused. "Is something wrong with it?"

"It's-"

The cup came up before he could finish, my eyes squeezed shut to brace myself. The tepid liquid running down my throat wasn't bad at first. It never was. I made it about halfway before my tongue managed to report the flavor to my brain, and my entire body convulsed in horror at what I was forcing into it.

Words cannot describe how bad The Hanged Man's whiskey was. It wasn't that it was pure alcohol, it wasn't moonshine. No. It was somehow worse than that. It was the boozy equivalent of spoiled eggs, like it had been stored in barrels made of rotting wood, and then maybe flushed through a sewer a couple of times just to make sure every drop was as vile as the first.

I managed one more gulp before I couldn't take it anymore, slamming the cup down onto the table. A bit of the last of it went down the wrong tube, promptly compounding my misery. The hacking coughs made tears run down my cheeks, the alcoholic fumes filling my nose as I struggled to breathe.

"Maker's balls!" Someone grabbed the cup, tossing it away from the booth before I could even think about drinking whatever was left. "Get her cloak in her lap in case she throws it up."

Merrill's hands appeared for a moment, quickly getting the ratty cloth over my legs. I settled for trying to get air into my lungs, letting my head fall onto the table as I gasped. The world's most awkward pats on the back followed; like she couldn't figure out if she was meant to actually pat me or if she was supposed to rub my shoulders.

She ended up just tapping her fingers against my back repeatedly.

After a minute or two of that I managed to push myself back upright with a groan. "...well that fucking sucked."

"No shit, Buzz." Varric growled. "I thought I told Norah to never give you that again after the last time."

"Guess she forgot." I rasped back, hands fumbling for my ale. I paced myself there; one sip soothed the burning in my throat, and I quickly set it down. "Ugh. That was even worse than I remembered."

"Probably because you downed three of them last time. Said you couldn't taste anything after the first."

That sounded about right. My tongue was already a little numb. "Wasn't that the time I woke up on top of your desk the morning after?"

"Yes." His voice was flat. "You drooled all over the first draft of Swords and Shields. I had to rewrite six pages."

Heh. I remembered that. Vaguely. Couldn't really remember what had made me want to go on a bender, but that had been the entire point.

"Just the one tonight." I glanced over at the spilled whiskey on the floor. "Less than one, actually."

Only because Varric was actually here, and apparently in one of his protective moods. Otherwise that one would have been the first of at least two.

There was a bit more grumbling, but his eyes had started to light up again. I wondered what that was about for a few seconds before I realized that Merrill was still stroking my back.

"Merrill?"

"Yes?" She didn't stop.

"I feel better now." I tried.

"Oh! So I should stop?"

"Maybe you should try your ale?" I suggested instead. "It's not very good, but it's safe to drink. Usually."

She withdrew her hand, tilting her head in an oddly bird-like way as she peered down into the mug. "It looks like ale at least. That's got to count for something, right?"

Varric chuckled, still looking far too interested. "Don't let her scare you, it's not that bad. There's worse in those dives down by the docks, trust me."

Merrill hummed thoughtfully, carefully picking up her drink and taking a cautious sip. She did her little scrunched-up-nose-thing again, but after a moment she took a second, longer drink. "...it's not that bad really."

"Told you." He grinned, "So. Give me all the details. How did a Dalish girl like you end up living with the least elfy elf I've ever seen elf?"

I tried to kick him under the table, but my legs didn't quite reach far enough. Dammit. I hadn't been a tall woman back on Earth, but I swore I'd lost at least two inches of height.

"She invited me to stay in her spare room." Merrill replied, apparently oblivious to my flailing legs and Varric's open amusement. "She was really rather nice about it. Showed me all around the Alienage, let me see the other homes so I had a choice about staying with her."

Varric glanced at me. I mouthed the word 'shacks', which made him wince and nod.

"And her home is quite homey really! It's, um, not very colorful, but I've got plenty of room. I haven't quite figured out what her enchanted string and feathers is for yet. It's pretty though. Really the only pretty thing there. Oh. I'm rambling, aren't I?"

"Ramble away, Daisy." He replied smoothly, pointing an accusing finger at me in the process. "I'm lucky to get twenty words out of this one all night, and half of those will just be cussing. Maybe you can help find all of her little secrets."

To my surprise Merrill stuck out her lip a little. "That would be rather rude, don't you think? She's very nice. A little odd, but quite nice!"

It was my turn to blink. Merrill thought I was odd? Merrill?

"It'll be fun! We can-"

I cut him off, "No! No, no, no! Merrill! How am I odd?"

"Well... um," She poked her mug with a finger, "You did kind of just stare at me when we first met. With your mouth open, and everything. The Elder nearly tipped you over before you realized he needed your help."

Heat rose across my face, not helped by Varric's delighted grin. "I didn't stare that long!"

"You really did." Her own cheeks reddened a little. "Um, did you really get hit in the head when you were training?"

"Yes." I paused, then sighed and glanced to Varric. "Thrask was by this morning for another sparring session. He had me at it all morning. I was exhausted and maybe concussed when she showed up."

Which was only half true, and from the way he was still grinning he knew which one I was lying about.

Fortunately his reply was cut off when Edwina bustled out of the kitchens, striding right for us. He and I quickly pulled our mugs back to give her room, Merrill copying us a second later. The waitress gave Varric a hesitant smile as she slid a plate of fish, bread, and apple slices in front of him. She did her best to avoid looking at me as she gave us identical meals, slipping away as quickly as she could after.

"She's still blaming you for chasing off that Templar." Varric confided once she was gone.

I let out a frustrated breath, picking up my own ale and taking a second mouthful. "...ugh, that's unpleasant after whiskey. And the girl should thank me. She didn't hear him bragging to his friends that he was going to have her play Templar and Tranquil for him, whether she liked it or not."

"...Templar and Tranquil?" Merrill asked.

"A game." I replied. When she didn't look any more informed, I added, "A dirty game that's seriously disgusting."

Her lips parted in understanding, "Ohhhh. He was going to force her?"

"Sounded like it."

"And she's mad at you for saving her from... that?"

Varric shook his head, already tearing his bread apart with thick fingers. "Most people don't trust elves at their words, Daisy. Poor Edwina is convinced that Buzz was sweet on the same Templar, and that she ran him off out of jealousy."

Merrill shook her head, "Elgar'non... didn't you tell her what happened?"

"We both did," He shrugged, giving me a chance to start eating. "She's a teenager in love. Or in lust. Either way, she didn't want to hear a word of it."

There was another baffled shake of her head, then she seemed to realize that there was half a fish in front of her. The three of us quickly fell into a companionable silence, eating the best meal that two of us would get all week. Hell, probably all month.

My ale helped me get close to a pleasant buzz by the time I finished eating, pushing my plate away with a sigh. "Thanks, Varric."

"Don't worry about it. Wasn't about to send you and Daisy home after that." His trademark smile appeared once more, "Besides, dealing with idiots from Tevinter always requires a celebratory dinner after."

"Were they really from Tevinter?" Merrill asked.

I took her plate for her, shifting the bones of her fish onto mine before stacking the plates. "Probably not. Just local bastards looking to make money selling to them. We just call them that because it's easier than saying 'More idiots who forgot Kirkwall's not in the Imperium anymore'."

"Especially in a fight." Varric nodded sagely. "You'd never know to duck in time."

Merrill's lips tugged into a little smile, but her eyes were a bit downcast. "I've never been comfortable around Humans. Not since Ferelden. What if... if they'd taken me, what-"

I grabbed her hand instantly, squeezing. "Stop. Stop thinking about that."

She jerked in surprise, "But-"

"Nothing good comes of that." I leaned in, forcing her to make eye contact. "Merrill. Trust me. Nothing good comes of thinking about that kind of what-if. They didn't take you, and we'll make sure they never do. All right?"

"I... yes. Ir abelas."

"It's all right." I gave her wrist a single pat before leaning back, "Varric, give us a good story."

"Oh? Is that all I am to you Buzz? Gold and tall tales?"

"Considering that your chest hair doesn't do anything for me? Yup." I popped the last letter, waving an imperious hand his way. "Hurry along with the merriment, oh Lord of Tales."

He barked out a laugh, hefting his ale in salute. "As the Orlesian lady commands."

"Still not Orlesian."

"Well I still don't buy your 'I'm an innocent Northern Elf from lands unknown' story, so you're Orlesian now." Hands waved for me to be quiet. "Still working on that story. Tonight's though... yeah. Tonight's tale is about a dwarf with a heart of gold."

I groaned, downing more ale while Merrill looked politely interested.

"No shit, there I was in the middle of Darktown, with noting but my wits and a knife to protect me. There were.."

The next couple of hours passed in one of Varric's epic tales. One of the many that I was sure was only barely related to reality, but was amusing to listen to all the same. I let him get an hour in before my second mug of ale had me start calling him out on the bullshit. He promptly inserted me into the story in some rather unflattering ways, drawing more complaints out of me in the process.

Sadly Merrill didn't let me keep that up for very long. She grew more and more invested as the tale went on, and found her backbone about halfway into her own second mug. Every time I tried to interrupt after that she shushed me, once even irritably waving a hand in my face, clearly hanging on the dwarf's every word. That made him puff up even more than usual. Especially when she gasped at all the right moments, nearly teared up when the Hero was badly wounded, and clapped when he emerged triumphant in the end.

Varric was pleased enough to finally have a new, appreciative audience that he deigned to escort us home after that.

For her part, Merrill had managed most of three ales, and was a little unsteady on her feet. I don't think she was actually drunk, the ale wasn't that strong, but she was on the deeper side of buzzed. We didn't even make it a block before I had to get one of her arms over my shoulders, guiding her along.

Not because she couldn't stay standing, but because she kept trying to veer off whenever she saw something interesting.

I, sadly, had only managed two that I'd drank slowly. Worse, the whiskey apparently hadn't hit me as hard this time around. By the time Varric's story wound down I was already sobering up, which I didn't really appreciate. It left me returning to thoughts I'd really hoped to purge from my brain tonight.

"No time for that, Daisy." Varric hadn't had nearly as much as either of us drink, and could hold his liquor better anyway. "They'll be closing the Alienage up at the next bell. We can explore another time."

She grumbled something in Elvish, but stopped trying to tug herself away from me every couple of steps.

We made it back to the Alienage pretty quickly, and without incident for once.

Well, at least until we were at the gate.

I'd just started to relax, already planning a late night with a bottle of wine, when Varric tossed a silver to the guardsman on duty. Not Brennan herself, one of her subordinates: a freckled kid who didn't even look like he needed to shave just yet.

"Keep it open for me, won't be long."

The teen caught the coin, slid it into a pocket, and proved himself wiser than his years when he gave a casual salute. "Whatever you need, Messere Tethras."

Between us we got Merrill down the stairs with a minimal amount of stumbling. I didn't need his Significant Look to know that he wanted to talk in private. I'd gotten that message as soon as he'd pull the coin of out his pocket to bribe the guard with.

Giving him a sour look of my own, I unlocked the door with one hand, keeping Merrill steady with the other.

"Go on, get settled in." I told her. "I still have to give Varric my report for the week."

"Oh, of course. I'll get the fire started."

I tried not to wince as she slipped inside, pulling the door closed behind her. "...please let her not set the place on fire."

Varric snorted, waving for me to follow as he walked a few paces away. I followed, the pair of us stopping halfway between the door and the great tree. Even then he lowered his voice when he finally spoke. "All right Buzz. What's she actually doing here?"

My voice lowered as well. "She started to introduce herself as her clan's First, then stopped herself. Sounds like her Keeper gave her the boot without much warning a couple of days ago, and she wandered around starving until she found her way into the Alienage."

"That's good to know, but not what I meant." One of his fingers stabbed me in the gut. "I meant doing with you. I know you pretty well, despite all the lies. You're not the type to just invite someone to live with you on the first day."

I opened my mouth, then closed it awkwardly. He was... right about that. Fuck.

"So?" He pushed. "What is it? Love at first sight? Did you get closer to the Dalish than you told me? She knows where buried treasure is?"

"None of those." I muttered, reaching up to rub at my forehead. I needed an excuse and I needed one fast.

"She better not be a mark, or we're seriously going to have words about what kind of side-jobs you're taking."

"Fuck no! She's... she's a First, Varric."

When he gave me a flat look, I sighed and lowered my voice all the way to a whisper as I dove into the excuse. One that actually had the benefit of being mostly true.

"All Dalish Firsts are mages, I knew that before I met her, and you saw her using magic in the fighting. She's a lot stronger than me, more in control. I need training, Varric. Training she can give me."

A look of comprehension flickered across his face. "I thought you said you had that Fade crap under control."

"I mostly do. Emphasis on the mostly." I shook my head. "I need to be better, and Thrask hasn't been able to smuggle out any books. He hasn't even been able to find any on the subjects I need. She can help me, and now I won't have to ask him to take risks asking stupid questions in the Circle."

He hummed. "And the fact that she's so cute that you drooled on seeing her?"

Dammit. I was never going to live that down. "I did not drool."

"Mmhmm." His arms crossed his chest, his distant in thought. "You're still lying to me, but for once I think you put some truth in there. I'll drop it if you give me an honest answer to a question."

I tried to stop my grimace, but I didn't have his level of control. "...so long as it's not about my past."

Varric shrugged. "I've pretty sure I've got that nailed down now. Took me a bit, but I think I've got it. I don't mind, which is why I'm still paying your criminal rates for jobs. What I want to know is what news your little spies gave you today. What was so bad about it that you tried to get blackout drunk?"

Well... shit. I didn't want to know how he already knew I'd paid runners to take a look around for me. "I think I'd rather hear about my supposed past. And I don't charge you that much!"

Another shrug, arms still crossed... and for once he said absolutely nothing.

I struggled for a moment, then tried to go with another mix of the truth and not-truth. "Two bits of bad news taken together. Remember that guard I was complaining about? The one who admitted I didn't get any say in my own defense when that fat bastard tried to rape me?"

"Sergeant Aveline Vallen." He replied at once. Of course he already knew who she was. "Supposed to be a real hard-ass."

"You have no idea. She's also married to a Templar, and pals around with Knight-Captain Rutherford." I told him. "That's really not the kind of attention I want to draw if she decides to tell him stories about the mouthy elf she ran into. Thrask can't cover for me if I draw eyes from someone at that level."

He grunted. "True. And the other?"

"I... found a lead," It was one of the few side-quests I remembered, "on where some Vints are living in the city, in Hightown. They're in the old Amell estate. I was trying to track down the last member of that family in the city. Get him to tell me about any hidden ways in or out, but the bastard's vanished into thin air."

Varric peered at me in the dusk. After a long moment he nodded slowly, "All right, but why? You don't usually go seeking out trouble like that."

I jerked my chin toward the Alienage's entryway. "They're already down to one man at the gate, and Brennan said it's a matter of time before the Guard stops guarding us at night. I was hoping to try and cut down on the number of slavers in the city before that happened. And yes, I was going to invite Bianca with. Probably Thrask and Brennan too, maybe anyone here who wanted to come with."

That got me a quiet chuckle. He always liked it when I treated Bianca like a person rather than a crossbow. "And you know Bianca can't resist tangling with slavers."

"She's a lady of fine tastes." I agreed. "But without Gamlen Amell, I don't know how to get into that quarter of Hightown. Not with how many Guard patrols are running around up there."

"...fair. All right, I'll see what I can do on the Vints. But you and me? We're gonna have another conversation about what you're really up to in Kirkwall, and just how Daisy fits into whatever you're really doing."

Another grimace from me. "We'll see."

"We will." He paused, then added, "And don't try and seduce her on the first night. I mean, you're probably going to scare her off anyway, but that'd do it even faster."

I rolled my eyes, spinning on a heel so that I could stalk back home, Varric's quiet laughter following me the entire way.