"I used to be a Warden. But before that, I hunted monsters."
Sylvie looked up at him in surprise. "Me too."
"Really?" Davrin cocked his head, just as taken aback.
"Yeah." She tried not to smirk when he raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed.
"How long for?"
"A couple of years," she said, shrugging. "I finally killed the last one on my list. And I tried to go back home but…" Sylvie trailed off, embarrassed at how much she'd overshared.
He gave her a knowing smile. "Didn't feel the same?"
"Yeah—exactly." Sylvie couldn't stop her face from brightening. "How'd you know?"
"It's why I joined the Wardens," he explained.
Huh. "That makes sense. Killing darkspawn's a good job for a monster hunter, I guess; those things are bloody everywhere." She paused to wait for Davrin to empty one of Tal's snares, his giant fingers making surprisingly quick work of setting up a new one.
"Why'd you leave?" she asked as they started to walk again.
Davrin smiled for some reason and then pointed down to his right knee with a grimace. Sylvie had noticed it seemed stiff at times. He walked with an awkward gait on occasion. Especially at the end of a long day at the saloon.
…How the hell did she know that?
"One of the damn things hunted me. Forced me into early retirement," he said with a good-natured chuckle.
"Shit. Abelas." / Sorry. /
"Ma nuvenin." / As you wish. /
He smirked along with his reply, and Sylvie returned it. She definitely knew what it was like not wanting people to feel sorry for you. So she graciously switched topics.
"So how did you end up with sweetie pie Assan?"
Davrin laughed. "Sylvie. That griffon's a damn menace," he said, rolling his eyes.
"How dare you! I'll not hear another bad word about my sweet baby boy." She put her hands on her hips, and he just scoffed, so she added, "And from his father no less."
"He came along with the retirement. Sort of a rehabilitation thing. For both of us." He gave her a suspicious glance when she remained silent. "What? No teasing? No snide remark?"
She rolled her eyes. "Davrin, that's wayyyyy too bloody cute to tease even you about." He laughed and used his shirt to wipe the sweat off his brow again, and then snickered when he caught her staring.
Great.
But when Sylvie looked up after taking another swig from her canteen, she could have sworn she caught him doing the same bloody thing to her.
He even blushed.
Davrin's tromping around was at least good for flushing out the hares, and she added three more to her belt before he decided to yap again.
"What's the worst monster you've ever killed?" he asked.
"The man who owned me."
Sylvie winced when the words came out of her before she could stop them, and she regretted it instantly. Bracing herself for the awkward, stilted silence that was sure to follow. Davrin appeared at a loss for words, and she couldn't bear to look at his face. Not when he must either think she was insane, or even worse…
…something to pity.
🐍 Read the full story on AO3
My cowboy-in-crime @sunny374940 & I have a special offering for today's @datvcompanionweeks Davrin Week prompt: Monsters!
We've posted 2 new minisodes for our unhinged Cowboy AU, featuring:
READ ON AO3 | Minisode: Sylvie Comes to Town
Directed by Sunny ☀️
🦊 Sylvie's arrival to town/reunion with her long-lost cousin, Tal.
READ ON AO3 | Minisode: Sylvie Goes Hunting With Dav
Directed by Fern 🌿
🐍 The first-ever fic I've written for Sylvie, where she goes hunting with retired Warden (and current saloon-owner) Dav. AKA 'that bloody hulking giant of an elf' (Sylvie's words).
Looking to catch up on the latest Yeehaw Peepaw? 👀
