[Rosekitten]

It was strange really, some simple like a weapon could cause him to question a lot of things. As much as he hated to admit it the way out he had been looking for all of these years was right in front of him. A mage, something he had pretty much drilled into his head to hate, had provided one of the only means of leaving the templars next to death. The bow was just a cruel joke. A reminder of a past he had tried to forget and leave behind that seemed to find various ways to creep back up on him.

The answer wasn't one he expected from her, yet it was at the same time. Volke accepted what her tale was as the truth, but it really was more due to the fact that he really didn't want to think about how she came about the means or funds to get this. Her own staff being added to the mix, now he knew that she didn't just do a few magic tricks as payment for both objects. Granted from all of the years he was in the templars service his mind right away jumped to the thought of how much stronger her magic was with a well equipped staff in hand.

A dreaded thought that he silenced for now, if she had wanted him dead then she would have tried already. Right? Well that question wasn't going to help him sleep tonight. Promptly after putting the staff away again Melissa seemed to state he wasn't the only useful one. Well no he knew that. She wouldn't still have her freedom if she didn't have connections or skills. Though it was more of what she stated she had brought back. Why did she even bother getting supplies for him as well as herself? It wasn't like they were traveling together now or anything.. plus he had tried to turn her in multiple times during the previous day.

Ok so on the same note he saved her as well...let alone maybe the same reasoning he had for bothering to find enough food for the pair of them. There wasn't a good reason but there wasn't a point in trying to shun out company when you were surrounded by darkspawn either. Heck she had went far enough to even bring back lyrium, something he knew he'd be running into problems with sooner or later. The stuff was hardly commonplace in the markets, let alone cheap. He could have blown her off or said something else about how she managed to afford this but he didn't not instead he thanked her. He actually meant it to be completely honest. Eve though his ears seemed to lower back slightly like he regretted being in debt to her or something.

Though what was really odd was that Melissa seemed to all but shut up. This caused Volke to look at her only getting a slight hint of the deep shade of red her face seemed to be. Times like this he was glad that he was elven, even if it wasn't perfect night vision it still allowed for some things to be seen. Though he could have guessed the shade of her face by her voice. She seemed to almost stumble and fall upon her own words. Like she was lying but not at the same time or finding a excuse for her own actions to prove them to herself more then him. Though it was only a short lived stumble it seemed as Volke spoke up finally to kill the silence.

She seemed displeased with him saying he owed her, even if he never really said pay back. He merely mentioned food, something that would be needed during travels anyway. Though her actions to follow were hardly expected ones and honestly he couldn't remember the last time anyone had gotten that close. "Listen here pointy ears." She started as he barely got a chance to think on how many times he heard that insult. No the sudden tug on the ear that she grabbed made him flinch, though she seemed to release it just as quickly as he rubbed it with a bit of a glare towards her.

"Alright alright! Don't 'ave ta go pulling on someone's ear like that... tsk .. as bad as a shem I swear.." Though that last bit about the shem might have been more mumbled then anything. Apparently his accent really came into play when he wasn't in his usual calm state. Lack of thinking over each word probably did it. Though that voice was more fitting of him then the forced one he had grown use to over the years. Forcing himself to act as 'normal' as possible to keep from drawing attention to himself over the years. Lot of good that did.

Either way the food was done by now and he handed one off to her. Though she started eating it like it was some dainty candy or like she was trying to avoid getting messy. "Oh come off it... I doubt you've eaten from the last time we parted ways." More or less saying he knew she was hungry and to stop trying to act like she wasn't. This seemed to give her all the permission she needed as right away she started chowing down on the cooked meat. Well, that wasn't quite what he was expecting to be honest. Maybe he should have, she did state she was a foxkin after all.

He didn't give her too many looks, he had seen some of the temaplrs eat with worse manners. It was funny in a way at how she devoured it. Anyone who said that all women were proper or what not had never met this one. Maybe in a way he liked that about her, speaking her mind freely. What was he even going on about in his thoughts? Sooner or later silence seemed to be too much for Melissa as she asked a question, one he saw coming but he didn't want to answer. He had glanced at her as she stated asking it. All the way till the end when he seemed to glance back towards the fire instantly.

The new found silence was almost deafening to him. His company seemed to take that hint as she finished eating and started to get ready for bed. It wasn't a harmful question, just a simple honest one. After a moment or two she spoke good night and see him in the morning. Though it didn't stop there as he never replied right away. She asked if she would be seeing him in the morning. Well.. that was a odd question to ask, where was he going with the darkspawn about? Her little trick was the best bet to get away from here.

He breathed out finally before moving to lean his back against the cave wall. "Yeah.. see you in the morning." Glancing he noticed that this seemed to make Melissa smile. What was with her... he couldn't place his finger on her just yet. Normally he could guess people but not her. She started to turn to face the other way again but he spoke up about then. "To answer your question, no I don't." A answer to her family question. He could have added details.

Like the fact he didn't even remember his father, other then he was a city elf and was from here. His mother died when he was still young, old enough to fend for himself on the streets and to get a job in manual labor but still young. He shook his head finally before trying to settle enough to get some form of rest. "Good night." Though he wasn't sure what was good about it other then they both still had their breath.

morning seemed to come on swift wings. She had fallen asleep almost without a care in the world. Though why not? Full stomach, she had company, let alone company that wasn't going to try to kill her. Volke found himself waking up throughout the night. Like he expected her to be at his neck to do him in or something. Though by morning he was a little bit of a wreck. without waking her he had moved to the far end of the cave and was near about pacing it back and forth.

It probably finally did sink in over the night what situation he was in and it was bad. Here he was a city elf no less and now he was going to have his face plastered all across the city with the words dead or alive under it. Probably some bounty reward attached to it as well. Heck maybe even just the words dead on the poster. The mage he was with at the moment seemed tight on funds, she could easily turn him in if he didn't watch himself. On that note why was he still hanging round here?!

"Why .. why did I do that.. damn it all." He hissed under his breath before slamming a fist against the wall he was near and half leaning against the same wall afterwards with his head lowered a bit. He had given them all the reason the needed to find him guilty. He ran! Of all the stupid things to do he ran form the templar and the city guard! He tried to reason with himself to say they were going to kill him, he had no proof of it but surely he knew better then to think they were going to hear him out.