#ma harding

"Are you my very best friend?" a small tinny voice had asked, at odds with the rough plastic 'stone' and shiny jewels rendered in plastic with a degree of detail she had never seen in a toy. The replica golem's eyes, collar and armor gems always flashed red in time with her voice. "Of course, silly," Lace had answered, smiling and hugging the doll tight. She had always felt a connection to the doll, even when her mother had told her it gave her the willies something fierce. "We'll always be best friends!"

"Well, that promise didn't last," Lace looked down into the box she'd pulled out from under her childhood bed, wrapped up in string, packing tape, and for some reason, a very length of red ribbon. She supposed that even if she didn't want any chance of anyone opening the box, she had still wanked Rinka to look nice while she slept.

If Rinka did ever sleep. There was no world where Lace could think of her as a mere toy, when she had been so much more. Even now, she could hear that voice in her mind. Encouraging. Loving. Supportive.

Filled with rage.

"I just need you to help me understand, sweet pea," Lace had looked up into her Ma's big eyes and had just withered. Instead, she had looked down at her shoes, splattered with blood that had just started to dry. She hadn't known how to answer, how could she? Rinka had always done the talking. "Tell me what happened, Lace," she had felt her Ma's gentle touch under her chin and had looked up again too fast. Too defiant. But Ma had just frowned, and kept her gentle hold in place. "I have to explain things to Murdoch. He's waitin' on your words before judging." "Rinka said—" "Lace, no," Ma's eyes had hardened as they shifted to the small golem held in her arms, and had gone back to her own. Softer, but with a stone behind them that Lace had learned meant no funny business. "I thought that Rinka would be a good friend for you when I was busy, honey. But even I can't keep Redcliffe Estates in tip top shape when you break the nose of the building supervisor's son for no reason. You did have a reason, sweetheart?" "He's just so mean," Lace had remembered wailing, but her voice had been strange in her throat. Almost like two voices. "He pushed me and— then.. and my dress at school. The pencils! And he was going to burn Rinka!"

Staring back at her was the doll. It had the smell of old plastic now, like slightly sweet melted rubber. The jeweled armor and eyes, once glittering rubies in her imagination, were dull with ages, and small scratches on the surface. The glow from inside long since burned away. The telltale dust of corroded batteries splattered along the bottom of the box, staining the cardboard the deep reddish brown of dried blood.

But they'd removed the batteries from the doll. And the controller.

Lace almost reached forward to be sure as her stomach clenched as her own blood ran cold, but pulled her hand back as footsteps approached.

"Did you find it?"

Ma looked at her from the door, a bit more gray and a lot more relaxed than she remembered her from when she was little. Her eyes fell on the box, and Lace could see her sigh, and just the smallest bit of tension clinging to the corners.

"She isn't good for you, Lace," her Ma had said gently as she sat her down on her bead. Murdoch had been firm, but forgiving. He was going to have a word with his son Alec, and they had both agreed that some apologies were due from the boy once his face wasn't quite so swollen. She had remembered feeling bad when Ma told her he couldn't even go to his birthday party at Nug E Cheese next week. "It wasn't wrong to fight back, I want you to know that. But when someone is down, you need to fight your own anger next." "Rinka said we needed to make sure he stayed down," Lace had looked down into Rinka's eyes, pulsing red, their glow barely visible in the bright room. "And it just made me so mad." "I know," Ma had given her a kiss on her forehead, and then slipped her arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. Her voice had been thick like the closed feeling Lace had felt any time she cried. "You must have been pretty scared."

"Yeah, right where I remembered her," Lace gave her a smile, the tug of something worrying at the back of her mind. "I'd almost forgotten. What made you remember?"

"Oh, Murdoch asked about her," Ma took the box from her hands, and put the lid back on, firmly enough that the edge of one corner tore a bit. "I guess Alec asked about it the last time he was home, said he wouldn't set foot back in the place, remodel or not, if she was anywhere nearby."

"Really? Not me? I'm the one who broke his nose in three places."

"No," Ma said, waving the box with a laugh as they moved into the hallway. All around, the place was either stripped clean, or furniture swathed in protective tarps, waiting for the workmen to come through for the big remodel starting tomorrow.

"Alec still swears it was Rinka. Said your eyes both started glowing weird and then she beat the Maker out of him with her tiny fists."

They do not know. The children of dust cannot know. We are stone. We protect. We are rage. WE ARE.

"What was that, Lace?" she shook her head against the ringing in her ears, the feeling of her braids swinging against her neck and shoulders like a pat on the back. Her Ma was at the door of the apartment giving her a quizzical look.

"Oh, nothing, Ma," Lace smiled, that cold place in her stomach just a distant itch. "Just looking forward to having you both at my place for a bit. I'm glad Redcliffe is finally getting spruced up."

"Both of us?"

"You and Rinka, of course!"

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Harding shifted in her seat on the couch again, moving the laptop with her as she tucked her feet under her with a sigh. 

"Ma, I promise I'm doing good. I'm helping out Varric right now but I'm still looking for a better job. I have another interview tomorrow." She tried to sound patient, a much harder feat when her Ma could furrow her brows on the video call screen and try to stare into her soul instead of their usual weekly chat on the phone. That's what she got for not just rescheduling the talk when her Ma mentioned wanting to work on her quilt and needed her hands to be free. 

"I just worry about you honey, you've been there awhile and still haven't found a steady job. What happens if you can't pay rent?" Her Ma was looking behind her and Harding was immensely glad she'd come over to Zalan's apartment for the call. His place was nicer than her cheap ancient postage stamp home. There were lots of windows letting in light, it was a bigger space with new furniture and even a plant or two that she'd brought over. 

"Don't worry I've got it covered. Now enough about me what about you? Didn't you say Lucy was about ready to pop last time? Are you expecting another big litter?" Lace hoped that would be enough to distract her Ma.

"Oh yes the ol girl's doing great. She had her litter of pups right after that. They're getting along with the others well. And soon they'll all be old enough to go to new homes." She smiled warmly, all talk of apartments momentarily forgotten as she chatted about her plans. Her smile was infectious and Lace mimicked it, basking in her warmth. 

Zalan chose that moment to wander through the room behind the couch, setting down a mug of coffee on the table and watering Harding's plants. He was being quiet- any time she was over and ended up talking with her Ma he grew nearly silent. Usually sticking around doing chores or sitting near her but giving her the space to talk to her Ma in relative privacy. 

But usually she wasn't on video with her Ma. It didn't register at first that he'd even walked through the background but her Ma stopped mid sentence, mid word even, to gape. Lace glanced over her shoulder, not realizing what her Ma had noticed at first but seeing Zalan watering plants she flushed and tried to twist away but it was too late. 

"Lace Harding! Who is that! And why are you not introducing your friend to me?" She was practically giggling in delight and Lace sunk deeper into the couch with a groan. She heard Zalan stop watering and heard a very faint whispered 'sorry' from his direction. 

Feeling guilty she shot him an apologetic look before sighing and pressing a hand to her forehead. "His name is Zalan." She automatically thought about fibbing and telling her that he was just the building's maintenance tech but couldn't do that to him. 

"Is he your boyfriend?" She teased, she had put down her sewing things and scooted closer to the screen, trying to peer over her shoulder. 

Fight back her bush Harding nodded, "Yes I'm seeing Zalan." 

"Oh my gravy really?! I was only teasing!" Her Ma lurched forward grabbing for her phone. "Lace when were you going to tell me you were dating someone? Are you bringing him this weekend? When do I get to meet him?" 

Harding gave a little noncommittal shrug, she couldn't answer the question, she couldn't reasonably tell her Ma she was dating someone who was almost certainly a wanted criminal. "I'm sure he has work and…" She stalled, eyes flickering to Zalan as he leaned on the back of the couch to join her conversation, 

"Oh pish posh, I'm sure he can take off. Doesn't your mother deserve to meet the man you love?" She gushed, waving away the concern of her daughter while Lace prayed that the couch would swallow her whole.

There was a soft chuckle from Zalan and the moment she paused he nodded, "Of course, I'd be honored." 

Beaming at the two of them the older woman nodded enthusiastically, "Oh I'll have to get things ready, Lace the guest room is appalling and I'll have to cook dinner and dessert for you. There's so much to do!" 

She quickly said her goodbyes to Lace and as soon as her Ma had hung up the call Lace shook her head, "Sorry about that, she can get carried away sometimes. Will it actually be ok for you to come? Won't Viago have some big corporation you'll need to hack or some smuggler to murder?" 

"The Crows will be fine without me for a weekend." He stooped down, pressing a kiss to her cheek with a smile, "She's your family, she's important to you. Besides, how bad could it be?" 

//

When Lace got out of the car, stretching her arms over her head she did not warn Zalan and instead watched with great amusement as what felt like a herd of puppies all rushed the car. 

The de Riva made a noise of surprise as multiple large Mabari puppies jumped on him and drug him to the ground. They saw their opportunity and begun climbing all over him, one sitting on his chest to try and nibble his nose while he managed to wheeze out between laughs, "Harding a little help here?" 

"I thought you were some fancy assassin and you let a few puppies beat you?" She asked as she made her way over to him, patting puppy heads as she walked. 

"They're not playing fair." He complained, pushing one dog off him only to have another tugging on his mustache. She picked up the puppy attacking his face and was working on extracting one trying to chew on his hair when her Ma came to the door, wiping her hands on an apron. 

One strong whistle from her and the puppies were all barking and running back, the one in her arms squirming until she set it down. 

"You're lucky, it must be dinner time." She teased as the mass of fur went back inside the house. 

"So sorry about that, they just get so excited to see new people!" Her Ma called. The only dog remaining was one large old Mabari and Harding stooped down to give her a hug and scratch her neck fluff. 

"Zalan this is Contessa, she's old but she's seen me through a lot." She introduced while Contessa panted, her big tongue lolling out of her mouth. Wiping off some of the dog spit from his face he crouched down next to her, letting the dog smell his hand before giving her a scratch behind her ear.

"Thank you for taking such good care of Harding, Contessa." The Mabari seemed proud of his statement and gave a happy little woof.

Harding rolled her eyes at him, pushing away the warmth blooming in her chest. "Come on you boob, let's get inside before my Ma sics the puppies on you again." 

Thanks @datvcompanionweeks for hosting the weeks ❤️

Gently booping some people who might be interested in reading (no pressure if you don’t) ::