A/N Hi there all, its been a long time since i wrote anythng so forgive my mistakes and I hope you enjoy it all the same
The night was seasonally warm as Rook sat atop the high clock tower in Treviso. She looked out at the the lit city feeling calm as she took this rare moment. It had been months since they had slain Elgar'nan letting Solas make his choice to seal the veil to his life, the inquisitor following to who knows where. Rook could hear the bustle of the marketplace from her vantage, her purple/blue armour hiding her from view as the feathers of her clans name sake fluttered in the warm breeze. Smells of rich food assailed her nose now and then, accompanied by the distinct aroma of coffee, which made her smile and think of a certain someone.
No doubt the First Talon was stuck in casa Dellamorte going through endless contracts and other documents that held his time at the moment as they strived to rebuild Treviso. Some Antaam still remained to be cleared out. The crows had to be strategic about it, due to to everyone's losses, though minor, still impacted everyone even now. Some of the Antaam were dug in, mostly in buildings that had been damaged when the dragon had attacked the city. They were more brutal without any sort of leadership or code like the Qun. At the moment the Antaam were playing hit and run for supplies they need. Which were often the supplies that the crows had collected to aid in the rebuilding of Minrathous. Rook had actually just returned from Minrathous, Tarquin had requested the crows to take some supplies and check some of their safehouses. The Venatori were rabid, not only were they loosing control of a city they had held for generations. But now the god they had all followed proved to be anything to what was foretold...and an elf to boot. Venatori had always been vindictive but now it was beyond control. They had nothing more to loose and everything to gain.
Rook sighed and stretched her aching muscles, she had been away for about a week and had a few more scrapes for her troubles but nothing a hot bath and some sleep wouldn't cure. The moon was high tonight making the streets clearer than a Crow would like but when you are not out to assassinate a target the view was breath taking. The moonlight reflected off the many canals, making them look like liquid light. In its centre was the Cantori Diamond, Teia's pride and joy. It was like a glowing beacon in the centre of the liquid light, drawing all to its promises of won riches if you dare put gold down. To the west of the casino was Casa Di Riva, her childhood home. One she had been reacquainting herself with after she was asked to leave. Her choice with the Antaam had made he life go in a direction she had never imagined. Had it only been just over a year? It felt a lifetime ago since she had freed those slaves, met Varric and her cousin Viago telling her to leave with that disdainful look.
That was in the past now, she was the hero of the Veil, the protector of Treviso, the redemption of the wardens, the first Talons Whore (that one hadn't lasted more than 5 second, as Spite and Lucanis ended that morons life when that had left his lips) The list of names continued, Rook missed when she was just a Crow to house De Riva. But she wouldn't give her choices up, especially her choice concerning Lucanis Dellamorte and his demon spite. She was theirs forever as she knew they were hers. Spites speech has grown more fluid now he was no longer fighting Lucanis for control to speak. Though it sometimes still gets disjointed when he was angry. Lucanis's Role as First Talon kept him very busy much to spites annoyance, often spite would take over when boring meetings were done and seek Rook out. She had been teaching him chess recently, though he favoured his rooks too much, when she would try to get him to try other plays it was always the same reply " I Like Rook!"
Rook was drawn from her thoughts by a quick movement from her right, she watched as a very clear young man ran across the rooftop towards the right end of the supplies dock. The breeze pushed her raven hue hair from her face as she watch this young crow move. He was very green, giving away his movement highlighted by the moonlight. She sighed as she saw him knock a rooftile and hearing it crash to the lower roof below it
" Well you're gonna get yourself killed" she mumbled to herself, searching to see if any trainer like Heir as following on training mission. Rook resigned herself as she jumped down to a connecting roof and trailed him from the shadows.
The young Crow sped up and leapt from the roof just as the sound of Antaam voices began to speak. Rook swore a colourful Varric trademark expletive as she ran to the edge of the roof he had just leapt from. She watched in shock a moment, by this time the Antaam were pissed as this young one held on for dear life on the back of one of the Antaam, his blade stuck not in the large warriors flesh but in the armour and getting stuck there. Rook jumped , drawing her twin blades as she did so dispatching the Antaam the young crow was still attached to. She didn't stop to think, her movements deadly and fluid as she moved to her next enemy. There were a lot of them and Rook snarled as she twisted low, blades biting the kneecaps of the Antaam charging her. He fell and drew his last when Rook followed the knees with twin blades in the spine.
Rook sparred a glance to the young crow, he couldn't be more than fourteen. "Stay There!" she shouted as she met the next Antaam. Her blades blocked the blow but it jarred her arm, tired muscles angry at being used so soon again. Rook rolled and got some distance between them, before using a flash of blades and fast movement that many had dubbed "a murder of crows". When her breath evened, five of the Antaam were down.
"FOR MY FAMILY!" Rooks head snapped right at the shout, the Crow was running into the fray and managed to get flesh this time. But the blade heading towards him would end him for his rash attack. Rook moved, pushing the young one back as her blade went for the Antaam's throat. Her aim was true and the Antaam gargled blood as it fell. Sadly her tired body had not quite moved fast enough, she bit back a yell as the falling Antaam's blade bit into her shoulder, spalshing blood behind and over the young crows face.
"Rook!" The voice was young and known to Rook but she didn't have time to move her gaze the voice. "Jacobus! Get this Idiot out of here!"
Rook took another down, left arm now feeling like a dead weight. There were only three left, she could deal with this. She had killed gods. She wondered when that excuse would run out for her.
Rook whipped her blade across a hidden seam in her armour, coating the blade in a De Riva trade mark poison before slicing it across the side of one Antaam then switching direction in almost a pirouette to hit another. They screamed as the poison burned, spreading necrosis. One left, she smirked, then Rooks vison blurred. she moved on instinct as she went down to one knee hitting the stomach of the remaining Antaam with her poison blade, but she wouldn't be able to stop the blow heading to her. Her mind raged but she blinked as Antaam gasped. Rook looked up to see a blade sticking out from the Antaams throat before with a hissing death rattle it fell beside her.
Blinking she looked into the face of Jacobus.
"Rook! you're hurt" he put his hand into a pouch at his waist and handed her a potion. She drank most of it then moved her armour off her shoulder, the wound was deep. She poured the rest of the potion in with a grimace. The bleeding stopped, but she would have to tend to it when she was safely at home. Potions helped in battle, stopping bleeding and removed pain, but the they weren't magic. To be fair even magic needed time to heal something this deep.
"Jacobus, what in the name of Treviso is going on? Is this one of your new house?" Rook indicated the young crow in the background covered in her blood.
"Rook I'm so sorry. This is Iker. Get over here" he snapped the last part at the now named crow. He walked over eyes defiant as Rook slowly stood up.
"I didn't need your help!" He spat out like a spoiled brat the next think he knew, he had been whacked so hard around the head he saw stars. Rook was in his face as he looked on wide eyed.
"Is that how you talk to one of your seniors at House De Riva? especially when said crow saved your life while you didn't even manage to kill one of them" she grabbed the front of his fledgling leathers and tossed him at Jacobus. "I suggest you take this un-hatched egg of House Egrativi back to the Cantori Diamond and to Heir to start his training from scratch."
"Yes mistress De Riva" Jacobus pulled himself up straight, addressing a superior crow.
"If you call me that again Jacobus, you will get the same treatment as him" Rook raised her hand as if to whack Jacobus about the head. " your house is going to be very short lived if you let your fledgelings run off like this."
"I know, this will not happen again Rook. Come with us you need treatment" he grabbed Ikers collar.
"No, I'm returning home to House De Riva, mainly as it is the closest and I have no more energy. Go, I will catch up with you about this debacle later" Rook turned stiffly, heading towards Casa Di Riva.
As she left the bloodshed she could hear Jacobus reading Iker the riot act. "you little idiot, you just stared training. You were in no way ready for this contract that you stole. You will be lucky if Viago only poisons you. If Rook hadn't been here.."
"Rook? As in" she faintly heard Iker gasp.
"Yes as in the God slayer and the protector of Treviso..."
"Shit" that was the last she heard as she walked out of earshot.