Scars

We need reliable mercenaries to escort Lady Taverline of Alamar and her wedding retinue from Denerim to Dragon's Peak. Only people honorable enough to guard the virtue of a Lady will be accepted. Payment will be given upon the safe delivery of the Lady to her groom, my son.
Signed: Bann Sighard Mallory
(A note in the Merry Mabari Board)

SCARS

The other day I found a note in the Merry Mabari’s board. I took it with wide eyes open and rushed to show it to Kyle

“Kyle, have you seen this? Bann Sighard Mallory! Maybe he has something to do with your family?”

“And what if he does?”, replied Kyle, not very interested.

“Come on? Aren't you even a bit curious? I am!!! Let's sign for this quest!!!”, I said, maybe more excited than I should. Kyle sighed and followed me, because he knows once I have made up my mind, nothing will dissuade me.

“Okey, but I will sign up under a fake name, agreed?”

I jumped of joy like a small child, sure that we would learn forbidden secrets from his past, and joined a group who headed to Denerim to fetch the Lady. On the road, well… we had some troubles, and a beautiful, dark-haired female warrior joined us. Funny thing, the very first impression I had was… seeing her hugging my Kyle as if they were long lost friends…
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Kyle had heard the guards talking about it. Adrienne, the older girl of the Soreils, the Antivan family who had a forge in the human part of the city, had ran away from home, and nobody had been able to find her, even if they had spent the whole day searching. The new shocked him. Adri was only eight years old, and night time was dangerous for a little girl like her. But he also knew little girls were good at hiding, specially when they didn’t want to be found. And if he wasn’t wrong, he may had an idea about where to find her.

The young boy went to the huge gates of the Cousland castle, saluted the guards and walked outside. Near to the gates there was a clear area where Ryan Cousland liked to train him… and he remembered having seen the little girl lurking around most of the times. If his hunch was right, there was a chance that…

Soft sounds of sobbing coming from the near bushes proved his feeling to be right.

“Where are you, Adri? Please, go out", he said aloud. Suddenly the sobs stopped, and he could feel how the child held her breath. “Do you want to be eaten by demons?”, he whispered, teasing.

“NO!”, shouted a voice almost by his side, making him startle. "Leave me alone...."

"I can stand here until you want get out that place", Kyle threatened, in soft voices. Slowly, a dark haired, golden eyed eight years old girl got up and appeared from behind a bush near the castle door. Kyle smiled when he saw her.

"What do you want? I'm not going anywhere!", protested the girl, while kicking the bush. Kyle scratched his head, a bit confused. “I just want to know for sure that you’re safe… It’s not a good idea to be around so late…”. He approached the girl and patted her shoulders. “Don’t be angry. Just tell me what happened”.

Adrienne stared at Kyle with a confused look, then she started crying very hard. Kyle whispered, embarrassed: “I won’t tell anyone. Just say it to me”. The boy found a handkerchief and used it to wipe Adri’s tears from her face. She kept crying, though. "But...but... this is UNFAIR!"

“What is unfair, Adri?", asked Kyle patiently. Adrienne hugged him and kept crying, but more softly.

"Don't tell my mother, she will be more angry at me...she doesn't understand!"
Kyle stoked Adri's hair and said :"Well, I promised not to tell anyone. I always keep my promises. But...”, he added, coughing, “you must tell me slowly what happened”
Adrienne looked at Kyle's eyes with a confused and a bit angry face: "Why can't I be a warrior??" Kyle didn’t reply, confused. “I wanna be like you and Ryan!...”, continued ranting the girl. “It's just...mom..."

Kyle finally could find the words: "Well!! Maybe she loves you too much and she doesn’t want you get hurt!!!" Adrienne looked at her own feet, while Kyle continued, with a smirk: “She loves you so much that’s why she forbid it to you. She just need time to understand your dream”

“But I don't understand it”, protested the girl again, making the bush feel her rage again, “there are lots of female warriors out there!"

“Maybe she thinks you aren’t enough old yet for this?”, Kyle pondered.

"…and then she said that I must be a good girl, become in a nice lady and marry a nice guy...and I do't want it!”

“Or you can reason with her, and convince her that it makes sense to be a warrior, Adri”
"Kyle, I want to fight...keep training with you two...and my brothers when they are older"
Kyle shook his head and sighed. "You can do it everyday, and prove her you can be a good girl, both at the same time"

Adrienne stared at him with a sad look. "But… how could I be a lady and a warrior at the same time?"

Kyle winked "That's why you must train to improve your skills”.

"And...I don't like the idea of marrying anyone...ewww...", the little girl made a disgusting face. "I want to make her happy, but also my father...he likes to train me and teach me about the forge…but when mom told me she wants me to stop training, he didn't say a word...so I ran away..."

"I dont think she will do that" Kyle rubbed her chin, like thinking. "Maybe I can organize it so you can train with us". Adrienne also seemed to think about it. "Secret training, an hour would be enough"

"Would you...WILL YOU?"

Kyle laughed while messing Adri's hair: “Of course. But this is a secret between I and you”. Adrienne looks at Kyle with an astonished look."Don’t say anyone. Can you make a promise?"

“Really?You're not kidding, right?"

"Why should I joke about this?"

"Kyle...I..."

“Can you keep the promise?", he repeated. "A true warrior can’t hesitate, Adri!
Adrienne started crying again and hugged him. "I can! I can, I can, I can!!"
“Good! We have a deal!", said Kyle, while wiping Adri's face carefully with his handkerchief. Then he patted her back and said "Now go home and apologize your mom Adri. They've been looking for you the whole day"

Adrienne smiled at Kyle and stopped crying:"Can you come with me? Maybe mom wont get so angry if you are there..."

“I will go with you. No one can harm you if I still here"

"Mom can scares anyone with her angry look, Kyle, I warn you!", she said while walking towards their home in the outskirts of the city.

Even if Adri hoped otherwise, when they approached the cottage they realized people in there had not gone to bed yet. The lights were still on. They stood in front of door, and Kyle gulped. "Well!! At least I will be prepared for that too, thanks to your warning, Adri"

"Thanks the Maker...", gulped Adrienne too, and finally she knocked the door of her house with a scared look

“Who's there?”, asked a female voice from inside the house. Kyle had to wipe the sweat from his forehead before replying, his natural shyness didn’t deal well with angry mothers, specially after having lost his three years ago.

"It's me”, he said. “Kyle Mallory. And Adri. She's safe now"

Mathilda Soreil, Adri’s mother, opened the door. She was like an older version of her daughter, but with brown eyes, instead of golden. Red-brown in this case. For the looks of her face it was clear she had been crying, and quite for a long time. Adrienne tiptoed and tried to whisper at Kyle: “Be prepared”

“Adri?????”, shouted the woman. “Is that you???”.

"I think I am, mom...", started the girl, but before she could add anything, her mother rushed forward and held her daughter so tight the child started complaining, while mumbling: “Oh Maker oh Maker oh Maker. Don't you ever dare to do that again!!! I was so worried about you!!!!” She stayed like that for a while, then suddenly she stepped back and looked at her face. “Now you little lady. What did you think you were doing out there at this time of the night?”

"Aren't you angry at me?". Adrienne looked at her mother, scared and confused, while Kyle just stood apart, keeping the distance.

“Angry? Angry? I'm so angry I could kill you if I weren't so grateful you're safe back here”, said Mathilda, caressing her daughter’s cheeks. Adrienne started crying

"It's just I don't want you to be angry at me because I do things I like!!"

“What?”, said her mother, shocked. “You like running away from home?”

"No, I don't mean that...", said the girl still crying, looking at her feet. Kyle swallowed, and that drew Mathilda’s attention towards him.

“You found her?”, she said, as if he noticed him for the first time.
Kyle felt a real state of anxious suspense and restlessness. "Yes!!". Adrienne hugged his hand, and he gently fisted hers in exchange, while her mother looked at him with half closed eyes. “Aren't you that boy who grew up in the alienage?”

Kyle scratches his head: “Yes!!”, he repeated again, feeling under military arrest.

“Don't be angry at him too”, interceded young Adri. “He found me and convinced me to return..."

  
Art by Toñi Gil

“You did so, eh?”, the woman looked at Kyle, like pondering if it was worth saying thank you or not. The boy shivered at the look. “Yes, madame Soreil!”

“Then I guess I owe you one”

“What do you owe me, madame Soreil?", asked Kyle confused.

“A reward, of course”, Mathilda laughed “And what do you want as a worthy prize, then, you my daughter's saviour?”, she added. Adrienne stared at her mother weirdly, and suddenly blushed. “…because she's still too young to give you her hand, you know”. The girl blushed more and more, hiding her face behind her hands and wishing the earth would swallow her.

"No no! I didn’t mean it, madame Soreil", replied Kyle, obviously embarrassed too. "I just want her safe. Nothing more. Please, don’t misunderstand"

Mathilda chuckled. She seemed too glad to see her daughter back to be angry anymore.

“Then a cup of hot chocolate will do, I think”

"Thanks, madame Soreil!!”, said Kyle, relieved. “But it's late. I must go home". He bowed his head to say goodbye, obviously trying to run away, but Adrienne hugged his hand harder and made her cutest face to look at her mother.

“Can WE have hot chocolate then?", she said, innocently.

Mathilda laughed again, seeing the teenager’s embarrassment, and took her daughter’s hand to force her leave her prey. “Then come back when you want, boy”, she said, and then turned to Adri. “And you, young one, you will explain a lot of things to me before you go to bed”

Before leaving, Kyle whispered “Well. First training lesson. Prepare your mind, and be strong, Adri"

Adrienne smiled at Kyle. "I will!"
Kyle winked and added, while waving goodbye: “We can have that hot chocolate later"
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Meeting Adrianne has been a revolution in my life.

 At first I couldn’t but feel jealous. How would you feel if you saw such an amazing, beautiful, stunning human woman hugging your fiancé and talking to him as if she had known him forever? The idea of him thinking about her like a little sister wasn’t very believable… considering she’s even older than me… and definitely not childish-looking.

The feeling didn’t last long, however. Adri’s sympathy soon ran over it, and made me forget my concerns. She was truly happy for us, and as all Highever’s Kyle’s friends, she didn’t even blink at the idea of me, a filthy street elf, marrying him. As if it was the most natural thing in the world. Her joy was contagious, her accent terribly funny and her endurance to alcohol something I soon felt tempted to test.

That was my ruin, of course…

Adri offered me to continue speaking (and drinking) in her bedroom, and I accepted all excited, hoping to learn more about Kyle’s childhood, and… maybe about Lindy… But somehow I ended up completely drunk and …sleeping with Adri.

 

Art by Toñi Gil

That seemed a good idea at first. Like the old times, when my sweet Eve was still by my side. And I must admit I slept like a log all the night. Oh well, I was too drunk to even notice otherwise…

The hangover, of course, was epic, and I’d be still feeling drums in my head if Lauren had not provided us some strange herbs, bitter as hell, that made Adri and me feel so much better.

But we didn’t learn the lesson, I guess. Kyle told me I should go to bed early, and he led me to my bedroom at the same time he did… and left me there. I laid awaken in my bed alone, as usual, and when I got tired of trying to sleep without success, I decided to go downstairs and see if the others were still drinking. I could sneak into Kyle’s room later, or maybe try to sleep with Adri again. The idea looked definitely appealing to me.

 

 10. First meeting of Adri and the group in Denerim . The boys find Adri and Mari peacefully sleeping together. Håkan approves. Kyle disapproves. Darn offers a blanket.
Dancing night at Denerim tavern (crazy free RP session): 11. Håkan is no fun. 12. Adri is warm and soft 

 

Art by Toñi Gil

And that was my mistake. Because dancing with Adri was… disturbing. I liked laying my head on her soft breasts too much to be safe. I had strange thoughts. And I found myself wishing to sleep with her again… naked… but not as drunk as the night before. I think I even said she had beautiful eyes for a human…

So I’ve run away from my own mind and seeked shelter on Kyle’s room again. I don’t mind if he wakes up. I don’t mind if he sends me back to my room and ties me to the bed like that time. I just want to take out of my mind the images of soft round breasts and warm female flesh hugging me… and me liking it…
He’s awaken.

He is reading something. I didn’t know he had interest in reading, but I don’t mind. He raises his head and looks up at me. I guess my aspect talks by itself… messy hair, sweaty face, blushed cheeks…

“Mari…” he starts, with that daddy tone I hate. “You’ve been drinking again?”

I sit by his side and hug him. I’m glad to have him here. My heart still beats faster when I see him, so everything is all right. Everything.
He looks at me suspiciously.
“What happens?”

I rub my head against his chest and whisper, relieved: “Nothing, nothing, my love...”
But maybe I act more affectionate than usual, because he’s still suspicious. Even a bit nervous.

“Ehh… that's for what?”
“Nothing”, I insist, trying to make puppy eyes at him. “Can't I be in cuddling mood?”
I kiss his neck and purr.

Kyle sighs and leaves his book on the bed, and hugs me tightly in a comforting way. No need to say anything, that makes me feel much better. He softly caresses my back and kisses me softly… first my lips, then the cheeks, the temples and finally my eyes. I feel relieved. I hug him back, as tight as I can, and look for his lips again to kiss him myself. 

I suddenly realize the depth of my feelings towards him. Like a knife in my heart, painful but sweet at the same time. And I feel happy and sad at the same time too, and a tear falls from my eyes. I can't talk, I just smile and nod, and after that I hug him tight, so tight he chokes. I manage to say "Just never, never leave me, my love".
He holds his breath for a moment and looks at me. He grins “Why do you ask that? I will never leave you”. When he sees my silly tears he kisses them softly, wiping them away with his lips. And he rubs my back gently, to make me feel better. I sniff and smile back at him.

"I was just afraid I could ever loose you". I don't know why that thought crossed my mind, but it hurts more than all the wounds I've ever suffered, both in my flesh and in my soul. I hug him again and kiss his lips, tenderly. 

Click here for the NSFW part

I wake up. This time I think I earned the right to stay by his side for once. He is stubborn, but I’m even more. No hangover, by the way. I smile, remembering the last night. Seems our passionate activity burned the alcohol in my veins before it went to my head.
I turn and look at him. He’s peacefully asleep, laying over his left side, showing his naked back to me. The morning light gets through the window and makes his skin clearly visible.
I look at the scars which cross his shoulders, his spine, his sides. He told me once he was whiped by some bandits when he was a small child. I wonder what kind of men can do that, to hurt a helpless little child so deeply, so painfuly. I follow the twisted drawing with my finger, trying not to touch the lines, trying not to disturb his sleep…

My eyes go down to his waist, where a wider scar covers most of the skin, reaching part of his belly. This scar is wider and brighter than the others, which are like white lines, and there are also some spots in his elbows and his shoulders. This is a burn scar, and seems to have been even more painful than the others. He also told me once. Again, as a child, he was playing at the alienage forge when a pot with melted iron fell over his back. He fainted because of the pain, and if Sariel, the smith, had not seen him just in time, Maker knows what could have happened. I resist the urge to kiss the old wound. That would wake him up.

I get up a litte so I can follow the scars over his chest. He’s got two deep scars, one over his left chest muscle, and the other over his right collarbone. Fighting scars, he said. “I can’t recall where and when did I get all of these, Mari”, he complained once. But I bet he does. He just wants to spare me the bloody details.

Finaly I reach his face. His right side is up, and his hair doesn’t cover it completely. It’s his scarred side. Apart from an innocent scar on the forehead, from a street fight or so he said, there is his missing eye. He never wears an eyepatch, even if I offered him to make one, and the eyesocket is always closed as if he still had two eyes, as if he were always winking, but an ugly scar crosses all the face from the eyebrow to the cheek, telling everybody what happened that terrible, that bloody night. The sight isn’t exactly disgusting, but it would catch everybody’s eyes if he wouldn’t usually cover it with his black hair.

For me, this is the most painful one, because it is not only a scar in the flesh. It is also as scar in the heart, in the soul. It makes me feel guilty because if it wasn’t for what led to that scar, he wouldn’t be mine. It makes me feel jealous because sometimes I think I only own half of what he has been. It makes me feel selfish, because I’m grateful for that. 

Against my will, I weep a silent tear, which falls over the scar. 

He wakes up. “Mari? What are you doing?”

Each scar, a story, I think.

“Hush… sleep again, my love. I was just reading…”



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