Dragon Age: Coexist

Prologue Part I: Inferno

Prologue Part I: Inferno

19 Dragon

    Sunrise had summoned them into the Market; many of them - hundreds, it seemed - gathered around the elven families and began to barter with the merchants, despite the fact that we'd arrived long before the coming morn. And the merchants never even bothered to shrug, voice their prejudice amongst us; they simply ignored and sold their merchandise to their shemlen brethren, denying us breakfast. And as they passed us, I saw the taunting in their smirks, the hatred that festered in their eyes; I gripped my mother's hand, silently requesting protection.

"It'll be all right, da'len. Maybe they still have a few more things left," she muttered, caressing the back of my hand in reassurance. "Let's go and see."

So we walked ahead, stopping at the merchant's stand; there were a few handfuls of a strange meat that gave a lovely smell - venison, I'd deemed it - sitting in piles amongst the wooden panel. I licked my lips, yanking my mother's hand.

"Mamae! I know you said venison's too expensive, but....can we please have that? Just this once?" I asked, pointing at the meat.

Her eyes followed my little finger, stopping at the meat I'd pointed to. Her brow had furrowed before she found it, as she had prepared herself to deny me such delicious food - not because she wanted to, but because she couldn't - but when she actually saw the meat I desired, her amber eyes, which had darkened from knowing she would have to disappoint her child, widened, and she gasped, mouth agape, brow raised. Then her eyes began to droop, unshed tears giving them a brilliant shine. Slowly the tears dissolved, failing to stream down her face; the eyes became alive again, and the rare ominous spark that flashed within them whenever she was enraged showed itself.

I let go of her hand, slowly backing away; her lips were curled into a scowl, and her fists were clenched so severely the russet skin of her palm had turned an angry crimson. The eerily brilliant amber irises turned from the venison, casting their glare upon the shem that owned the stand. And my heartbeat eased to its normal pace, relieved that my mother's rage was not directed at me.

Her heel turned sharply in the direction of the merchant, and she marched towards him, her brisk stride still graceful as a rogue's could be despite the hate that fueled it; silken ebony hair, long and loose, swayed as she treaded, and she furiously swiped her side-bangs out of her view as she approached the shemlen.

"You!" She hissed, her tone as vicious as a snake in pursuit. "Do you know what kind of meat that is?"

The man, taken aback by the elven woman's threatening posture and expression, raised an eyebrow mockingly, decayed teeth displayed as he scowled. "What's it to you, knife-ears?"

She clenched her fist harder, the red in her palms growing ever more vivid. "That's halla meat, you shem bastard! They are not to be eaten, especially not by any who aren't Dalish." She pointed a long, callused finger at the remains of the creature she had been taught to think of as sacred.

The merchant tilted his head, face scrunching in anger; his eyes analyzed the numerous gold piercings in her ears, eyebrow and nose, her mocha-colored skin, and the markings upon her face that revealed her origin. "Ahh, a Rivaini, ehh? And a Dalish to boot. What makes you think we'll follow your savage customs?"

My mother stood there, a scowl painted on her face, silent, rage festering. I turned to see that all of the other elves were staring at her, their eyes widened with fear.

The man walked from behind his counter, facing my mother. "Listen here, elf. I know the humans in Rivain treat your kind as if you're equals, but here, and every other sane part of Thedas, you need to learn your place. I'll not warn you again." He stepped over to her, placing dirty hands on her hips, one venturing towards her buttocks. "Do we have an understanding?"