Chapter Text
The crowd roared as Safaera stood victorious, her fist raised in the air. The announcer was enthusiastically declaring her win. She had taken on four different contestants. The last two had ganged up on her. The crowd began chanting her stage name as she made her way to her locker room.
"Reaver! Reaver! Reaver!" The name soon drowned out to nothing more than white noise.
When she made it to her locker room, her friend Fenris was waiting outside.
"That was foolish to take on two guys at the same time," Fenris stated bluntly, as he offered her a bottle of water.
"Well, Fen, they didn't allow me to call for help." She took the water and drank heavily until the bottle was empty. "Are you fighting tonight?"
Fenris shook his head, and Safaera gave a light laugh.
"No, you only like to fight Tevinter mages and thugs," Fenris smirked at her. "Too bad those are in short supply."
"Hurry up and change, Hawke. Varric offered to pay for your first round." Fenris tried to hide his smile, but it was too late.
"Well, if Varric is buying, we haven't a minute to waste!" She stepped into the locker room, changed, packed her bag, then came right back out. As she walked out, Safaera checked her phone.
12:36 am
~~ 10 missed calls ~~
~~ 5 unread messages ~~
She dismissed the notifications, tucked her phone into her sports bra, then began to unwrap her hands and place the straps haphazardly into her bag. I'll roll them up properly later, she thought. They stepped out of Darktown and into Lowtown. A cool breeze drifted in the air, and Safaera sighed in appreciation. Fenris began muttering about the cold and quickened his pace.
They got to the Hanged Man after a few minutes of brisk walking. They would have ridden their motorcycles but they had left them at the bar. Fenris pulled open the door and the two went in. It was a normal Tuesday night, the only people there were the regulars that knew to leave them alone. Safaera spotted Varric at their usual table with a round of drinks waiting for them.
"Well, look who it is! My favorite dwarf!" She called out gleefully when they got closer, causing Varric to snicker at the comment. Safaera sat down and grabbed her beer taking a healthy sip.
"Fae, what were you thinking with that last fight?" Safaera took a drink of her beer, deciding that it was best to avoid that question. Fenris just chuckled into his glass of Tevinter red wine.
"Funny, I said the same thing," Fenris added.
"Don't be so smug. It was a good match." She set down her half-empty glass and signaled the waitress for another. "Anyway, how'd I do?"
"I don't know why you want me to deal with Athenriel," he pulled a slightly worn envelope from his pocket and handed it to her.
"I trust that she'll try and screw me over, and I really don't want her against me." Safaera took the envelope and stuffed it into her bag. It was just another task that she had to do before she could sleep.
As she looked at the amber liquid in front of her, her phone began vibrating against her chest. She pulled the phone out to see her mother calling for the eleventh time. Safaera placed it face down on the table to mute it and took a drink of her beer. I'll deal with it later. She'll go to sleep soon. When she was sure the call had stopped, she unlocked her phone to look at the messages.
Just as she suspected, they were all from her mother. Asking where she was if she was at the store, and to get her something to drink. Safaera tried not to blame her mother for the dependency. Carver and Father were both lost to an extremist group that attacked the marketplace. It had been five years, and she was still drowning in her sorrows.
"Hey guys! Sorry, I'm late!" Merrill's voice broke her thoughts, and she smiled at the Dalish girl.
"Merrill's here. I say we have enough for Wicked Grace." Safaera exclaimed mischievously.
Varric pulled out his deck and began shuffling as the conversation between the four of them became livelier.
"Still drinking, Fae?" Varric motioned to her empty glass. A few rounds of cards had passed. Usually, she would have accepted the offer, but the messages from her mother put her off.
"Nah, I don't want to tempt summoning the Captain." Varric nodded and ordered another round for everyone except her and Merrill. Poor girl. Her face is positively flushed. Her phone buzzed against the table.
1:28 am
~~ 1 unread message: Bethy ~~
Safaera unlocked her phone, opening the message.
>When are you coming home? (1:28a)
<After this game. I'm at the Hanged Man with Fenris and Varric. (1:08a)
>Mother wants you to bring some wine home. (1:29a)
<I know. I'm not going to. She had 5 bottles (1:29a)
<That was supposed to last her for a month (1:29a)
<She can't be drinking that much in two weeks (1:30a)
Safaera was now glaring at her phone. Of course, Mother would do this. She ignored the looks that passed between her friends.
"You doing alright, Fae?" Fenris inquired.
They knew about the situation, and each had offered help to Leandra, but her mother denied it. Her friends were thankfully compassionate to offer their help, it meant a lot to Safaera.
<Are you safe? I can come home now if you need me to. (1:32a)
>I'm ok. I'm in my room. Door locked. (1:32a)
<OMW (1:33a)
"How much Varric?"
"I got it, Fae." She shook her head and placed two silvers on the table.
"I'll catch you guys later." She stood up, bag in tow, and jogged out of the bar.
Safaera walked over to her bike and strapped down her bag after pulling the helmet out. She got on and started the bike without a problem. Safaera took her time driving back. She was just buying time for her mother to be in bed and, hopefully, asleep.
Safaera pulled into the driveway much too soon for her liking. She walked in to find her mabari, Duke waiting patiently by the door. After affectionately rubbing his face she opened the door and followed him out to allow him to do his business. She pulled out her hand wraps and began rolling them as she waited for Duke to patrol his kingdom. As she did that, Bethany came outside, talking on the phone, looking exasperated.
"Everything okay?" She mouthed to Bethany.
Bethany shrugged and mouthed back, "Troubled classmate. Again." Safaera nodded and looked back at Duke.
"Mom asleep?" Bethany responded with a nod, then returned her attention to the caller.
"Look, Anders, I get that you're frustrated. But dropping out or taking a break isn't going to fix anything. It’s been four months now, you’re already so far behind."
“They are making you change your major, Bethany. How is that fair?” It was a quiet enough night that Safaera could hear both ends of the conversation.
“It’s not, but what else can I do?”
“You could stand against the injustice that the templars and Chantry are forcing onto the university! This is not a Circle-doctrine university, yet they are enforcing rules as if it were!”
From what Safaera heard about Anders, and now from this conversation, he was very pro-mage rights and anti-Chantry involvement. It sounded familiar, mirroring her own opinions. She grew up near magic and if practiced properly and selflessly then there was no need to involve a religious institution. My magic will serve that which is best in me, not that which is most base. It was a phrase her father would say often. She used to joke that was his motto. Safaera smiled fondly at the memory.
“Goodnight, Anders.” Bethany hung up and sighed heavily.
“Riveting conversation.” Duke passed the girls, and they turned to follow.
“Sorry, he gets so single-minded, that it can be overwhelming.” They made their way into the study and sat in their favorite spots. “You had a match today, didn’t you?”
“I did, and we aren’t done with that conversation. What’s this about them making you change your major?”
Bethany cursed under her breath. “I was hoping you didn’t hear that. It seems that the Chantry took control of the University over the summer and are starting to make these changes. We have a new president: Knight-Captain Meredith. Fae, they’ve added more templars on campus and most of the administration has changed. It makes me uncomfortable.”
“Well, it explains the bullshit price spike.” Bethany gave her an annoyed look. “What do you want to do?”
“What can I do? I’m all but forced to go into nursing.”
“There’s the Grey Wardens.” Their mother would have a heart attack if she heard the conversation now.
“I don’t know.” Bethany looked at the fireplace.
“From what I understand, if you prove yourself, you would have the freedom to apply yourself however you want, Bethy.” Bethany’s brow furrowed.
“I’ll have to think about it.” She said after a while.
“Bethy, the choice is yours. I just gave another option. If I can help you, I will.” Safaera stood up and looked at her phone. It was almost three in the morning. “I’ve got to get to sleep. Goodnight.” She and Duke left Bethany in the study and went into her bedroom.
Safaera set her bag at the foot of her bed and pulled out the envelope she had gotten from Varric. The sovereigns slid out, creating a small pile of coins. I’m like a dragon with her hoard. She giggled to herself as she began counting the coin. Overall it came out to sixty sovereigns and fifty silver. Not bad given that the fights barely took any effort. She began dividing up the money into their necessary piles: Bethany’s tuition, utilities and bills, savings, and day to day expenses. Safaera only put a tenth of the money into the day to day expenses. The rest went into separate coin pouches that she had hidden around her room.
After she made sure that was taken care of, Safaera changed into a tank top and pajama shorts and climbed into bed. Duke had beaten her to the middle and she had to wrestle with him to get more space. She turned to her nightstand, plugged in her phone, double-checked the alarm and turned off the light. Finally, some time to myself. She laid still and listened to Duke's even breathing as she drifted off to sleep.