Mythal's Favour: A Dragon Age Origins Fan Fiction

Chapter 18

 Chapter 18 – Between a Rock and a Hard Place

 Leliana squealed in delight, racing toward the Warden. She suddenly stopped short, realizing that her friend was completely covered in filth. Leliana smiled warmly and giggled as she reached up to wave instead. “How ever did you survive?” Leliana asked, wiping a tear from her cheek. “I thought – surely, you must have . .”

 Ayu pushed a slick lock of hair back off her face. Her blue eyes sparkled with adrenaline amidst the gore that covered her. “When the Broodmother pitched forward, I managed to wedge myself under one of her . . breasts and I lay between two of them. When the body hit the ground, the wind was knocked from me, but I was – well cushioned.” Ayu gave a wry smile, loosely crossing her arms under her chest. She had been hanging around Zevran and Oghren too much. “It was pitch dark under there, and I no way to orient myself. Well, at least until I heard Leliana's wailing.” She gestured to the other rogue with one arm. “I used my dagger to help pull myself along. I slipped into the cleavage line and worked my way out. I am surprised myself.” Ayu gave a short, exhausted laugh. “I honestly did not expect this outcome. I am never taking breasts for granted again.”

 The party laughed as a whole, relieving built up tension and fear. It was a sweet, joyful sound among the smell of death and carnage.

 Ayu looked at the blade of her dagger. It still dripped with thick black blood, a puddle forming at her feet. She moved the blade to her thigh to wipe it clean, but realized that her breeches were filthier than her dagger. Smirking to herself, Ayu put the blade through her belt. She would clean it and put it away when they were gone from this place.

 “There is a passage in the rock over there, Ayu. Perhaps that will lead to the Anvil?” Wynne offered, pointing a finger to the other side of the chamber from where they stood.

 “And Branka.” Oghren growled, hefting his axe over his shoulder.

 Ayu nodded once. “Hopefully we come across another spring, or something, so I can clean up. Let's be off. The smell of this place is making me ill.”

The group picked their way over to the opening in the rock and began to walk down the passage. Leliana had fetched Ayu's bow from where the elf had dropped it, and returned it to her as she passed. Ayu thanked her friend and slung it around her torso to keep her hands free. The tunnel curved through the stone, finally opening into a high-ceilinged chamber. Once the whole party was though the archway, a crumble of stone caused them to whirl in place. Huge slabs of rock collapsed from the ceiling and covered the path where they had come from moments before.

 “What was that?!” Oghren shouted, grabbing his axe.

 A woman's voice made the party turn once more.

 “I shall be blunt with you. My time here in the Deep Roads has weakened my social graces. I am sure, however, that you will be undeterred.” The dwarven woman stood above them on a wide rocky ledge. Her dark hair hung in limp, low pigtails to the tops of her shoulders, and her black eyes narrowed at the group before her. Her heavy armour had definitely seen battle here in the deep.

 “Branka!” Oghren cried happily, “shave my back and call me an elf! By the Stone, it's you! I hardly recognized you!”

 The woman all but sneered at him. “Oghren, I see you finally found your way down here. I hope you can find your way back more easily. As for you,” Branka turned her attention to Ayu standing among the others, “what do I call you? Hired sword to the latest lordling to sit his ass on the throne? Or are you merely the only one able to stand Oghren's ale-breath?”

 “You watch what you say to her, woman. She here is a Grey Warden, and you will give her some respect.” Oghren spat.

 “Oh, so an important errand boy then? I assume something has happened that would send you to find me. Is Endrin finally dead? Seems the most likely, he was on the old and wheezy side.”