Fic: A Proper Bath

I was messing around with the DA Prompt/Pairing Generator yesterday and actually got some that piqued my interest.

One of them was Shianni/The Warden – blood in the water, so since I hadn’t done anything much for my Tabris as far as fic or playlists go, I wrote a moment between her and Shianni set after the slaying of the Arch Demon, but before the big coronation-y shindig thing.

The house was a little worse for wear after the battle, but it was still standing. And the tub was still intact.

The rest of the Alienage was quiet. The survivors were busy seeing what could be salvaged, tending to the injured, or retrieving the dead. Now and then someone would pause and look at her, but they seemed to know she wished to be left alone.

Aeren made her way to the well and, after several trips, drew enough water for a bath. It wouldn’t be warm, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was that it was water and that it was home.

She shut the door behind her, carefully, since it seemed it might fall off its hinges at any moment. Slowly, Aeren unbuckled her armor. She tossed the gore-covered pieces to the floor one at a time. She did not relish the idea of cleaning that mess. But a bath? She could handle one of those. Maker, how she needed one.

She stepped into the tub and sank down into the water, sloshing some of it over the side. She splashed her face and rubbed off the soot and blood. She watched the blood swirl away into the water as she washed it off. She wondered how much of it was hers.

It was finally over. Well, the fighting was over. The Alienage needed rebuilding, as did the rest of Denerim. And she had to make an appearance at some shem ceremony because now she was “the Hero of Ferelden” or some shit like that. If she never had to deal with another noble in her life, she could die happy.

“Want me to get your back?”

Aeren jerked her head toward the door to see Shianni standing there, looking just as tired as Aeren felt.

She hadn’t seen Shianni since the battle. There was so much she wanted to say now that they actually had time to talk. So much that she’d been holding inside for a year, things she hadn’t told even Zevran or Morrigan. And now here they were at home again, and it was overwhelming; tears welled up in Aeren’s eyes.

Shianni sat down beside the tub and Aeren wrapped her arms around her tightly, clenching her hands in Shianni’s blouse. Shianni hugged her back and stroked her hair.

“You were amazing out there,” she said. “You’ll be a legend, and every elf in Ferelden can be proud of that.”

Aeren forced a laugh, though it came out as half a sob. “I don’t care what every elf in Ferelden thinks. Just what you think.”

“I think I couldn’t ask for a stronger, braver cousin.” Aeren eases back to look at Shianni, who smiled softly. She stroked Aeren’s face and sighed. “You were my hero before you were theirs. I’ll never forget that.”

“But–”

“Shh. No ‘but’s.” Shianni stood, and Aeren could see where the blood tinged water had stained her cousin’s blouse. “I’m getting soap and a sponge and giving you a proper bath, O mighty hero.”

Somehow, Aeren couldn’t help but smile at that.