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Description
Cold dripped through the entrance hall. The high grey stone walls held little comfort and less heat. Having more than keen sense of hearing, Hawke left the warmth of the hearth, she investigated the groaning of the heavy oak door at the entrance to her estate.
A patch of candle light illuminated her guest, white hair glimmering with orange hints from the flame. The warmth showing off the Lyrium markings about his neck and arms. Hawks heart climbed into her throat. The last she had seen of Fenris was in the Slavers Hold. The emotions in capturing and killing one of his former tormentors had put him on edge, he stormed from her as she tried to console him. Knocking her hand from his shoulder scolding her for her kindness. She approached him, booted feet padding softly. He stood, meeting her half way. Forming words before she could think of any.
"I've been thinking about what happened with Hadriana." He hesitated taking another step towards her. "I took out my anger on you, undeservedly so. I was not my self, I'm sorry."
She mirrored his steps. Closing the gap between them one more pace. Her movements where slow, definite, quiet. As if she were approaching a wild animal.
"I had no idea where you went. I was concerned." Her dulcet voice being absorbed into the hall, unlike his deep resonance. Which seamed to caress the stone after it washed over her.
"I needed to be alone" He began, his voice heavy. "When I was a slave Hadriana was a torment, she would ridicule me, deny my meals, hound my sleep. Because of her status I was powerless to respond and she new it. The thought of her slipping from my grasp now. I couldn't let her go, I wanted to, but I couldn't."
"What do you mean?" She asked, again edging closer, he seemed burdened by the events, she longed to reach out to him, to close the distance he kept between them.
"This hate, I thought I had gotten away from it. But it dogs me no matter where I go." He growled "To feel it again, to know it was they who planted it in side me, it was too much to bare." He sighed in aggravation turning as he spoke. "but I didn't come here to burden you further."
"You don't need to leave Fenris." She exclaimed reaching out catching his arm. The Lyrium veins beneath his skin flared, he turned on her like a beast. Locking the hand that touched him to her side. Slamming her back hard against the wall his other hand at her collar bone. In an instant as the cold blue flame had ripped through him, it vanished leaving him with a frightened and guilty look to see what head just done. He was close to her, hardly inches from her face. His body pressed against hers, the armour ridged against the cloth of her home clothes.
She leaned forward a brash reaction, her lips meeting his, her hands as they were freed coming to his face. He was startled at first, though not with out returning her affections. She turned him to the wall, and allowed his gauntleted hands explore her soft body. There was urgency in his actions, as if some desperation or fear fuelled his passion. He pulled her closer with each kiss hungrily. His teeth brushing her flesh as his kisses trailed from her mouth to her neck. She pulled him back for a second. Long enough to grab the door handle and open the door just a crack. Peering into the main hall she looked for signs of her mother. It was all she needed, her mother had given Bethany nothing but grief for any boy she brought home. Hawke had never been caught in the company of a man, and she wasn't about to let her mother catch her red faced and flushed making a dash for more private quarters.
Taking Fenris' hand she looked back to him. "If you'd like we can move this some where more comfortable."
He nodded, struck dumb by the fervour.

Groaning the door shut reluctantly, cutting them off from the rest of the house. She leaned back on the door and looked at the man standing in front of her. For all the rage, and violence she had seen in him, now he seemed nervous, out of his depth. She reached out to touch his face hesitating before her skin made contact with his.
"May I?" She asked softly.
Again he nodded, his eyes closing as her hand gently stroked his cheek, tilting his head towards her. She kissed his bottom lip. So soft at first he almost missed it. For so many years his body had only known pain, he had forgotten what kindness felt like.
He sighed at her kisses, finally allowing the shackles and fears of his past to fall. Hawke stepped back. "Allow me to begin."
Unclasping her belt, She stripped off her top in one fluid motion revealing her fair skin, unmarred by tattoos unlike her face. Undoing her skirt and dropping that, then carefully peeling her boots off, She stood before him naked vulnerable. A gauntleted hand touched her waist, she gasped, he flinched.
"The metal is very cold." She giggled "If you don't mind, we might leave the armour for battle."
He pulled his hand out of his great dark gauntlet. Something that vary infrequently happened, is armour was a second skin, his flesh hadn't touched another, and his hand barely saw the light of day, he slipped out of the last gauntlet, and Hawke placed them aside. She took his now naked hands in her own. He could feel the warmth in her burning through him with a mixed sensation. Raising his hands to her lips she kissed his knuckles, her deep green eyes never leaving his.
"You'll have to forgive me." He stammered swallowing the lump in his throat "I'm not use to people being this kind."
She smiled, something he had seen many times but this once was different her eyes smiled with her face. "There is nothing to forgive." Her hands moved around him "I will go at your pace."
A wicked smirk played on his lips "Then we go too slow." He turned pushing her back onto the bed. Shedding his chest plate and other garments as he approached her. He climbed naked onto the bed. Over her, catching her hands pulling them over her head and pinning them in place.
She relinquished her self to him. He held both her hands together in one, his grip strong, she tested his resolve, pulling at him playfully, he stayed just out of her reach, his free hand exploring her. Teasing her most sensitive places, she responded to his touch, her hips grinding up to him, moaning when she wasn't able to return his affections any further than that. He enjoyed the power, relished the control she let him have over her. He pressed himself between her legs, opening her to him. Her limbs coiled around him, back arching, a sigh escaping her as he entered her finally after her sensual torment. Releasing her hands to do as they wish. They trailed through his hair, sliding either side of his face, she met his gaze, emerald green meeting peridot, he felt him self fall into her gaze, a technique he had seen her use in battle, a look that stripped a man naked an left his intentions bare before her. In that instant he felt that she knew, or at least understood a silent bond shared between them. She took his mouth and kissed him deeply, a trickle of a memory pulsed through his body. Her teeth closed around his bottom lip nibbling gently, broken by intermittent gasps as he thrust harder and faster. Her breaths became quicker, eyes closed for a moment allowing the thrill to wash over her before Rolling them both. Straddling him she lent back, riding his shaft with the fluid rocking motion of her hips, his hands gripped her thighs so hard she could see her flesh go white, the comparison between the agony and ecstasy, made the latter ten fold greater. He sat up a burst of distant feelings, knowledge from a time before the Lyrium. The closer he was to her the stronger the memories got, ensnaring her in his grasp nails raking down her back he kissed her neck. She could feel her end, the compiled sensations filling her. He seemed to respond pushing further into her, holding her tighter. Her body shuddered falling over the precipice as the wave of ecstasy washed over her. He joined her his body tensing as he came with her, burring his face in her clavicle, as the memories washed away.
A smile graced her lips as she rested her head against his for a moment catching her breath. He began to shift, she rolled to the side to let him move. Watching him As he got up and quickly dressed.
"Was it that bad?" She asked concerned.
"I'm sorry it was fine." he turned from the fire place to her. "No that is insufficient. It was better than any thing I could have dreamed." He caught her eye, a small smile tugged at his lips but his eyes remained sad.
"Your markings, they hurt don't they?" She asked sitting up, it was the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him.
"Its not that, I began to remember my life before, just flashes." He hesitated "It's to much. This is too fast, I cannot do this." He stammered.
"Your life before, what do you mean?"
He sighed "I've never remembered any thing from before the ritual. There were faces words for just a moment I could recall all of it. And then it slipped away."
"Don't you want to get your memory back?"
"Perhaps you don't realise how upsetting this is." He growled "I've never remembered anything, and to have it all comeback in a rush only to loose it. I can't ... I can't..." The words caught in his chest, causing it to tighten around his heart.
"We can work through this, I care about you." She pleaded rising up off the bed, making her way towards him.
"I'm sorry, I feel like such a fool." His voice be came soft. "All I wanted was to be happy, just for a little while." Words hanging in the air as he turned from her and headed for the door "Forgive me." He added with out turning, leaving her alone in the room.

Hawke dressed slowly. Her flesh showed the beginnings of bruises, her back protesting as cloth touched the scratches. Padding softly to the mirror she smoothed out her short dark red hair. Taking a deep breath as she looked her self in the eye.
"Don't blame him." She told her self, choking back the hurt, settling the pleasant smile on her face. "Give, with out expectation. Accept, with out reservation." Her reflective face chanted as a mantra.
Closing her eyes and taking one last breath before heading out into the manor. She glanced at her self momentarily. The mask of civility convincing until you looked into the wells of her deep green eyes.

"Mistress. A letter came for you." Orana chirped her sing song voice so much like a well trained song bird. Hawke turned to her housekeeper. The young elf woman flinched her eyes growing wider in fear.
Hawke took her hands gently "Orana you don't have to call me Mistress." Her words soft and soothing to her startled worker "You're no slave here."
"Thank you Mis... Hawke."
"Miss Hawke." She chuckled "Why, I almost sound like a proper lady."
She walked with Orana down the gently curving staircase towards the study where the mail was kept.
"Your guest left in quite a hurry." Orana noted as they walked together.
"Yes." She said simply.
"He was with you in the Slavers Hold, looking for the Mistress... Hadriana." She stopped "Did you find her."
"We did."
The young elf searched Hawkes face, there was something unsettling in how controlled she was when she spoke about the slaver. "May I ask what happened?"
"She attempted to bargain for her life with information. Told Fenris about a sister he no longer remembers."
"And."
"Fenris was not impressed." Hawke added flatly.
Orana gasped looking at Hawke her hands covering her mouth.
"It was his choice to make." She told the girl. "He had suffered at her hand, so vengeance was his." She placed a hand on her shoulder, "I can't imagine what either of you had to go through, at the hands of those monsters." Her soft voice lowered for a moment "But it will never happen again. Not while I draw breath."
She smiled, another attempt to put the anxious girl at ease. Before leavening her to check what notes she received.
One letter scrawled with a familiar hand lay to one side, another with a firm clear text above it. She lifted them both turning them over in an attempt to ascertain the sender.
Her face lit up seeing the familiar writing to be from her dear friend from Ferelden.
'Faith are you still here?" Her mothers voice called out through the manor.
"Yes in here." She quickly stuffed her friends letter safely in the draw and split the seal on the second. Scanning over it as her mother approached her.
"Good I wanted to talk to you for a moment." Her mother found a spot by the study's hearth to warm herself. Hawke focused on her mother in front of the flames, ever since Fenris had mentioned the large statue above fire place looked like of of the Magisters old gods. The strange Tribal carving lit by fire had made her nervous. Leering down at her, from its vantage point.
"What about?" She asked.
"You seemed frosty at my mention of finding you a good husband." She left the hearth to fuss with her daughters clothes.
"I didn't really think I was in need of a husband. Being that I have my own title now, and more than enough means."
"Faith, I'm not talking about a man to financially support you." Leandra's hands lingered at her collar.
"Then what?" Hawke asked innocently.
"Continuation of the family lineage."
"What?" Hawke's surprise was unmistakable as she pulled away from her mother. "Like children?"
"The Elf you brought home is handsome but volatile..."
"Fenris." She corrected cutting her mother off.
"Are you sure about a relationship?"
Hawke stifled the brewing fury deep with in her, plastering it with another layer of decorum "I'm assuming your saying this out of motherly love, and has nothing to do with the fact he's an Elf."
"A person skilled in the art of killing and not much else isn't much of a person." She reached out to her, attempting to ring home the sad truth to her love blind daughter "You have a habit of adopting broken things."
"Get to know him," Hawke pleaded with her mother catching her hand. "He's a good person, an angry person, but he has a good heart. You just have to take him slowly." She defended the man who had stormed from her room. Perhaps he was broken but that didn't mean he didn't deserve love.
"I just want you to be careful."
"I can handle myself mother." Her tone became clipped and no more than a growl "Not that any of those skills came from your care or tutorage, I can assure you I'm a far more dangerous beast than any man." She turned for the door.
"You are a beast." Her mother affirmed, bringing her to pause "Never as happy as Carver or beautiful as Bethany. What ever monstrous thing in you has kept you alive, Where they couldn't survive. If I hadn't given birth to you myself, I would have wondered what dark pit you had crawled out of."
Faith Hawke swallowed, her mothers words cutting her deeper than any knife. Turning in her gut.
Hanging her head she turned. "I... I didn't mean." She stammered knowing she must have hurt her mother harshly with her words for her to lash out like that. "I'm not ungrateful for your worry." She stepped forward "I'm sorry Mama. I shouldn't have snapped." She caved, apologising to her only living family member attempting to make peace with the only person who still loved her.
Her mother took her in her arms. Lowering her head onto her shoulder.
"My girl. My silly baby girl." She cooed stroking her hair. "I understand your infatuation, but that's all it is. You will see."
She smiled for her mother the same learned response she gave to every one. So they felt assured in their message. The same soft, peaceable smile, with the sad, mournful eyes.
"There's a good girl." She stroked her hair. "Now didn't you have work to do?"

Hawke donned her armour ceremoniously. Shedding her comfortable clothes for the padded undergarments and plate mail. Her mind regurgitated all the words from the day.
The accusation of Fenris being no more than an infatuation placed seeds of doubt in her heart. Clouding her own intentions, though the events of the day had escalated very quickly it was not something that hadn't been on the cards. From the moment they met. That night in the elven alienage masses of dead hunters at her feet. He sauntered in dark armour, darker mood, hair shining in the crescent moon. There had been something between them something That could only be described as a healthy distrust. They had eyed each other silently each trying to size up the other, ware them down. Neither giving in both stubborn and proud.
She hadn't liked the deception, the bait and switch to get them there, but after travelling to Danerius' mansion, fighting off shades and rage demons. Hawke began to understand.
She had sat with him that night. As he claimed the mansion for his own. Lighting a fire in the great hearth, they sat on broken chairs and half torn cushions, in amongst the ruin. She had gotten to know him, realised he wore his heart on his sleeve and would talk candidly with her. She had never had feelings for man like that before. He took a swig of his former owners best wine, and smashed the bottle against the far wall.
Hawke hadn't flinched, she had in her own way understood the need for violent expression. She never forgot that beneath her own surface anger lurked. A vile temper that hurt those she cared for and scared off many more. She knew how it felt to be that raw nerve, sensitive to every look, and word. Some how she felt that quiet knowledge helped.
Was that the only reason why she had taken interest in him? Because they were underneath it all the same beast.
She let her self out of the manor and into the afternoon sun. There was no point in mulling over these things. Unless Fenris decided he was ready, the relationship was dead in the water.

Clanking across the Nobel streets of Hightown her usual team of misfits came to join her, as she gathered supplies for their new quest. Her next stop was the bone pit looking for Darkstone to help Anders rid himself of his "Justice", she wasn't a fan of the Mage, perhaps it was his greasy demeanour, or the way he and Fenris always fought, but she wasn't about to let any one walk around possessed when they had a chance to be free. Work could be just the thing to take her mind off everything else
As she tread through the market her friends at her back, she saw a familiar head of brunette hair. A more than familiar set of Ferelden armour, with a great sword slung over one shoulder. Suddenly the letter made sense it was Arianne hand she had read, she had left Ferelden. Her best friend had come to join her in the free marches. Excitedly she ran across the markets loosing her Hammer as she went. Bringing the weapon over her head and down with force. The Warrior woman stepped back freeing her own great sword as she dodged the attack, Hawkes hammer shattering the cobbles stones. Arianne swung her sword across her body, before Hawke could lift the head of her weapon. She swung around the Handle leaving the head on the stones using the pommel to block the strike. From that position she kicked wide landing it on her friends well armoured well ready shoulder. She stumbled back, Hawke placed her feet and lifted the Hammer, swinging to towards the woman's left shoulder. Her own broadsword careering at breakneck speed towards Hawke.
A hairs breath from contact each woman stopped.
"Arianne!" Hawke exclaimed the excitement cracking her voice. She embraced the taller woman, their armour ringing
"Hawke, you never did watch you left side."
"I never had to, you were always there." She laughed. "And now here you are again."
"Did you not get my letter? I explained everything there."
"I must confess I saw the letter today, but I have had a few things on my mind." She apologised.
"Did lover boy come back after his temper tantrum at the shavers hold." Isabella quipped
Hawke shot her a dark look, a joke it may have been there was nothing funny about it.
"Lover boy?" Arianne raised an eye brow. "Look at you getting all friendly with the locals."
"He's not... I mean we're not." Hawke fumbled through the words.
Her friend interrupted giving her the vocabulary she needed "it's complicated?"
As if on cue Fenris quietly joined the team. He drew no attention himself and said nothing about their new addition.
"Not that I don't love your gossip Hawke, but we have a job to do." Anders whinged.
"All right." Hawke sighed she looked up into the brown eyes of her friend a smile playing on her lips. "We go into the belly of the bone pit. Feel like a little fun?"
"Just like old times?" Her Friend asked
"Just like."

Description
Cold dripped through the entrance hall. The high grey stone walls held little comfort and less heat. Having more than keen sense of hearing, Hawke left the warmth of the hearth, she investigated the groaning of the heavy oak door at the entrance to her estate.
A patch of candle light illuminated her guest, white hair glimmering with orange hints from the flame. The warmth showing off the Lyrium markings about his neck and arms. Hawks heart climbed into her throat. The last she had seen of Fenris was in the Slavers Hold. The emotions in capturing and killing one of his former tormentors had put him on edge, he stormed from her as she tried to console him. Knocking her hand from his shoulder scolding her for her kindness. She approached him, booted feet padding softly. He stood, meeting her half way. Forming words before she could think of any.
"I've been thinking about what happened with Hadriana." He hesitated taking another step towards her. "I took out my anger on you, undeservedly so. I was not my self, I'm sorry."
She mirrored his steps. Closing the gap between them one more pace. Her movements where slow, definite, quiet. As if she were approaching a wild animal.
"I had no idea where you went. I was concerned." Her dulcet voice being absorbed into the hall, unlike his deep resonance. Which seamed to caress the stone after it washed over her.
"I needed to be alone" He began, his voice heavy. "When I was a slave Hadriana was a torment, she would ridicule me, deny my meals, hound my sleep. Because of her status I was powerless to respond and she new it. The thought of her slipping from my grasp now. I couldn't let her go, I wanted to, but I couldn't."
"What do you mean?" She asked, again edging closer, he seemed burdened by the events, she longed to reach out to him, to close the distance he kept between them.
"This hate, I thought I had gotten away from it. But it dogs me no matter where I go." He growled "To feel it again, to know it was they who planted it in side me, it was too much to bare." He sighed in aggravation turning as he spoke. "but I didn't come here to burden you further."
"You don't need to leave Fenris." She exclaimed reaching out catching his arm. The Lyrium veins beneath his skin flared, he turned on her like a beast. Locking the hand that touched him to her side. Slamming her back hard against the wall his other hand at her collar bone. In an instant as the cold blue flame had ripped through him, it vanished leaving him with a frightened and guilty look to see what head just done. He was close to her, hardly inches from her face. His body pressed against hers, the armour ridged against the cloth of her home clothes.
She leaned forward a brash reaction, her lips meeting his, her hands as they were freed coming to his face. He was startled at first, though not with out returning her affections. She turned him to the wall, and allowed his gauntleted hands explore her soft body. There was urgency in his actions, as if some desperation or fear fuelled his passion. He pulled her closer with each kiss hungrily. His teeth brushing her flesh as his kisses trailed from her mouth to her neck. She pulled him back for a second. Long enough to grab the door handle and open the door just a crack. Peering into the main hall she looked for signs of her mother. It was all she needed, her mother had given Bethany nothing but grief for any boy she brought home. Hawke had never been caught in the company of a man, and she wasn't about to let her mother catch her red faced and flushed making a dash for more private quarters.
Taking Fenris' hand she looked back to him. "If you'd like we can move this some where more comfortable."
He nodded, struck dumb by the fervour.

Groaning the door shut reluctantly, cutting them off from the rest of the house. She leaned back on the door and looked at the man standing in front of her. For all the rage, and violence she had seen in him, now he seemed nervous, out of his depth. She reached out to touch his face hesitating before her skin made contact with his.
"May I?" She asked softly.
Again he nodded, his eyes closing as her hand gently stroked his cheek, tilting his head towards her. She kissed his bottom lip. So soft at first he almost missed it. For so many years his body had only known pain, he had forgotten what kindness felt like.
He sighed at her kisses, finally allowing the shackles and fears of his past to fall. Hawke stepped back. "Allow me to begin."
Unclasping her belt, She stripped off her top in one fluid motion revealing her fair skin, unmarred by tattoos unlike her face. Undoing her skirt and dropping that, then carefully peeling her boots off, She stood before him naked vulnerable. A gauntleted hand touched her waist, she gasped, he flinched.
"The metal is very cold." She giggled "If you don't mind, we might leave the armour for battle."
He pulled his hand out of his great dark gauntlet. Something that vary infrequently happened, is armour was a second skin, his flesh hadn't touched another, and his hand barely saw the light of day, he slipped out of the last gauntlet, and Hawke placed them aside. She took his now naked hands in her own. He could feel the warmth in her burning through him with a mixed sensation. Raising his hands to her lips she kissed his knuckles, her deep green eyes never leaving his.
"You'll have to forgive me." He stammered swallowing the lump in his throat "I'm not use to people being this kind."
She smiled, something he had seen many times but this once was different her eyes smiled with her face. "There is nothing to forgive." Her hands moved around him "I will go at your pace."
A wicked smirk played on his lips "Then we go too slow." He turned pushing her back onto the bed. Shedding his chest plate and other garments as he approached her. He climbed naked onto the bed. Over her, catching her hands pulling them over her head and pinning them in place.
She relinquished her self to him. He held both her hands together in one, his grip strong, she tested his resolve, pulling at him playfully, he stayed just out of her reach, his free hand exploring her. Teasing her most sensitive places, she responded to his touch, her hips grinding up to him, moaning when she wasn't able to return his affections any further than that. He enjoyed the power, relished the control she let him have over her. He pressed himself between her legs, opening her to him. Her limbs coiled around him, back arching, a sigh escaping her as he entered her finally after her sensual torment. Releasing her hands to do as they wish. They trailed through his hair, sliding either side of his face, she met his gaze, emerald green meeting peridot, he felt him self fall into her gaze, a technique he had seen her use in battle, a look that stripped a man naked an left his intentions bare before her. In that instant he felt that she knew, or at least understood a silent bond shared between them. She took his mouth and kissed him deeply, a trickle of a memory pulsed through his body. Her teeth closed around his bottom lip nibbling gently, broken by intermittent gasps as he thrust harder and faster. Her breaths became quicker, eyes closed for a moment allowing the thrill to wash over her before Rolling them both. Straddling him she lent back, riding his shaft with the fluid rocking motion of her hips, his hands gripped her thighs so hard she could see her flesh go white, the comparison between the agony and ecstasy, made the latter ten fold greater. He sat up a burst of distant feelings, knowledge from a time before the Lyrium. The closer he was to her the stronger the memories got, ensnaring her in his grasp nails raking down her back he kissed her neck. She could feel her end, the compiled sensations filling her. He seemed to respond pushing further into her, holding her tighter. Her body shuddered falling over the precipice as the wave of ecstasy washed over her. He joined her his body tensing as he came with her, burring his face in her clavicle, as the memories washed away.
A smile graced her lips as she rested her head against his for a moment catching her breath. He began to shift, she rolled to the side to let him move. Watching him As he got up and quickly dressed.
"Was it that bad?" She asked concerned.
"I'm sorry it was fine." he turned from the fire place to her. "No that is insufficient. It was better than any thing I could have dreamed." He caught her eye, a small smile tugged at his lips but his eyes remained sad.
"Your markings, they hurt don't they?" She asked sitting up, it was the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him.
"Its not that, I began to remember my life before, just flashes." He hesitated "It's to much. This is too fast, I cannot do this." He stammered.
"Your life before, what do you mean?"
He sighed "I've never remembered any thing from before the ritual. There were faces words for just a moment I could recall all of it. And then it slipped away."
"Don't you want to get your memory back?"
"Perhaps you don't realise how upsetting this is." He growled "I've never remembered anything, and to have it all comeback in a rush only to loose it. I can't ... I can't..." The words caught in his chest, causing it to tighten around his heart.
"We can work through this, I care about you." She pleaded rising up off the bed, making her way towards him.
"I'm sorry, I feel like such a fool." His voice be came soft. "All I wanted was to be happy, just for a little while." Words hanging in the air as he turned from her and headed for the door "Forgive me." He added with out turning, leaving her alone in the room.

Hawke dressed slowly. Her flesh showed the beginnings of bruises, her back protesting as cloth touched the scratches. Padding softly to the mirror she smoothed out her short dark red hair. Taking a deep breath as she looked her self in the eye.
"Don't blame him." She told her self, choking back the hurt, settling the pleasant smile on her face. "Give, with out expectation. Accept, with out reservation." Her reflective face chanted as a mantra.
Closing her eyes and taking one last breath before heading out into the manor. She glanced at her self momentarily. The mask of civility convincing until you looked into the wells of her deep green eyes.

"Mistress. A letter came for you." Orana chirped her sing song voice so much like a well trained song bird. Hawke turned to her housekeeper. The young elf woman flinched her eyes growing wider in fear.
Hawke took her hands gently "Orana you don't have to call me Mistress." Her words soft and soothing to her startled worker "You're no slave here."
"Thank you Mis... Hawke."
"Miss Hawke." She chuckled "Why, I almost sound like a proper lady."
She walked with Orana down the gently curving staircase towards the study where the mail was kept.
"Your guest left in quite a hurry." Orana noted as they walked together.
"Yes." She said simply.
"He was with you in the Slavers Hold, looking for the Mistress... Hadriana." She stopped "Did you find her."
"We did."
The young elf searched Hawkes face, there was something unsettling in how controlled she was when she spoke about the slaver. "May I ask what happened?"
"She attempted to bargain for her life with information. Told Fenris about a sister he no longer remembers."
"And."
"Fenris was not impressed." Hawke added flatly.
Orana gasped looking at Hawke her hands covering her mouth.
"It was his choice to make." She told the girl. "He had suffered at her hand, so vengeance was his." She placed a hand on her shoulder, "I can't imagine what either of you had to go through, at the hands of those monsters." Her soft voice lowered for a moment "But it will never happen again. Not while I draw breath."
She smiled, another attempt to put the anxious girl at ease. Before leavening her to check what notes she received.
One letter scrawled with a familiar hand lay to one side, another with a firm clear text above it. She lifted them both turning them over in an attempt to ascertain the sender.
Her face lit up seeing the familiar writing to be from her dear friend from Ferelden.
'Faith are you still here?" Her mothers voice called out through the manor.
"Yes in here." She quickly stuffed her friends letter safely in the draw and split the seal on the second. Scanning over it as her mother approached her.
"Good I wanted to talk to you for a moment." Her mother found a spot by the study's hearth to warm herself. Hawke focused on her mother in front of the flames, ever since Fenris had mentioned the large statue above fire place looked like of of the Magisters old gods. The strange Tribal carving lit by fire had made her nervous. Leering down at her, from its vantage point.
"What about?" She asked.
"You seemed frosty at my mention of finding you a good husband." She left the hearth to fuss with her daughters clothes.
"I didn't really think I was in need of a husband. Being that I have my own title now, and more than enough means."
"Faith, I'm not talking about a man to financially support you." Leandra's hands lingered at her collar.
"Then what?" Hawke asked innocently.
"Continuation of the family lineage."
"What?" Hawke's surprise was unmistakable as she pulled away from her mother. "Like children?"
"The Elf you brought home is handsome but volatile..."
"Fenris." She corrected cutting her mother off.
"Are you sure about a relationship?"
Hawke stifled the brewing fury deep with in her, plastering it with another layer of decorum "I'm assuming your saying this out of motherly love, and has nothing to do with the fact he's an Elf."
"A person skilled in the art of killing and not much else isn't much of a person." She reached out to her, attempting to ring home the sad truth to her love blind daughter "You have a habit of adopting broken things."
"Get to know him," Hawke pleaded with her mother catching her hand. "He's a good person, an angry person, but he has a good heart. You just have to take him slowly." She defended the man who had stormed from her room. Perhaps he was broken but that didn't mean he didn't deserve love.
"I just want you to be careful."
"I can handle myself mother." Her tone became clipped and no more than a growl "Not that any of those skills came from your care or tutorage, I can assure you I'm a far more dangerous beast than any man." She turned for the door.
"You are a beast." Her mother affirmed, bringing her to pause "Never as happy as Carver or beautiful as Bethany. What ever monstrous thing in you has kept you alive, Where they couldn't survive. If I hadn't given birth to you myself, I would have wondered what dark pit you had crawled out of."
Faith Hawke swallowed, her mothers words cutting her deeper than any knife. Turning in her gut.
Hanging her head she turned. "I... I didn't mean." She stammered knowing she must have hurt her mother harshly with her words for her to lash out like that. "I'm not ungrateful for your worry." She stepped forward "I'm sorry Mama. I shouldn't have snapped." She caved, apologising to her only living family member attempting to make peace with the only person who still loved her.
Her mother took her in her arms. Lowering her head onto her shoulder.
"My girl. My silly baby girl." She cooed stroking her hair. "I understand your infatuation, but that's all it is. You will see."
She smiled for her mother the same learned response she gave to every one. So they felt assured in their message. The same soft, peaceable smile, with the sad, mournful eyes.
"There's a good girl." She stroked her hair. "Now didn't you have work to do?"

Hawke donned her armour ceremoniously. Shedding her comfortable clothes for the padded undergarments and plate mail. Her mind regurgitated all the words from the day.
The accusation of Fenris being no more than an infatuation placed seeds of doubt in her heart. Clouding her own intentions, though the events of the day had escalated very quickly it was not something that hadn't been on the cards. From the moment they met. That night in the elven alienage masses of dead hunters at her feet. He sauntered in dark armour, darker mood, hair shining in the crescent moon. There had been something between them something That could only be described as a healthy distrust. They had eyed each other silently each trying to size up the other, ware them down. Neither giving in both stubborn and proud.
She hadn't liked the deception, the bait and switch to get them there, but after travelling to Danerius' mansion, fighting off shades and rage demons. Hawke began to understand.
She had sat with him that night. As he claimed the mansion for his own. Lighting a fire in the great hearth, they sat on broken chairs and half torn cushions, in amongst the ruin. She had gotten to know him, realised he wore his heart on his sleeve and would talk candidly with her. She had never had feelings for man like that before. He took a swig of his former owners best wine, and smashed the bottle against the far wall.
Hawke hadn't flinched, she had in her own way understood the need for violent expression. She never forgot that beneath her own surface anger lurked. A vile temper that hurt those she cared for and scared off many more. She knew how it felt to be that raw nerve, sensitive to every look, and word. Some how she felt that quiet knowledge helped.
Was that the only reason why she had taken interest in him? Because they were underneath it all the same beast.
She let her self out of the manor and into the afternoon sun. There was no point in mulling over these things. Unless Fenris decided he was ready, the relationship was dead in the water.

Clanking across the Nobel streets of Hightown her usual team of misfits came to join her, as she gathered supplies for their new quest. Her next stop was the bone pit looking for Darkstone to help Anders rid himself of his "Justice", she wasn't a fan of the Mage, perhaps it was his greasy demeanour, or the way he and Fenris always fought, but she wasn't about to let any one walk around possessed when they had a chance to be free. Work could be just the thing to take her mind off everything else
As she tread through the market her friends at her back, she saw a familiar head of brunette hair. A more than familiar set of Ferelden armour, with a great sword slung over one shoulder. Suddenly the letter made sense it was Arianne hand she had read, she had left Ferelden. Her best friend had come to join her in the free marches. Excitedly she ran across the markets loosing her Hammer as she went. Bringing the weapon over her head and down with force. The Warrior woman stepped back freeing her own great sword as she dodged the attack, Hawkes hammer shattering the cobbles stones. Arianne swung her sword across her body, before Hawke could lift the head of her weapon. She swung around the Handle leaving the head on the stones using the pommel to block the strike. From that position she kicked wide landing it on her friends well armoured well ready shoulder. She stumbled back, Hawke placed her feet and lifted the Hammer, swinging to towards the woman's left shoulder. Her own broadsword careering at breakneck speed towards Hawke.
A hairs breath from contact each woman stopped.
"Arianne!" Hawke exclaimed the excitement cracking her voice. She embraced the taller woman, their armour ringing
"Hawke, you never did watch you left side."
"I never had to, you were always there." She laughed. "And now here you are again."
"Did you not get my letter? I explained everything there."
"I must confess I saw the letter today, but I have had a few things on my mind." She apologised.
"Did lover boy come back after his temper tantrum at the shavers hold." Isabella quipped
Hawke shot her a dark look, a joke it may have been there was nothing funny about it.
"Lover boy?" Arianne raised an eye brow. "Look at you getting all friendly with the locals."
"He's not... I mean we're not." Hawke fumbled through the words.
Her friend interrupted giving her the vocabulary she needed "it's complicated?"
As if on cue Fenris quietly joined the team. He drew no attention himself and said nothing about their new addition.
"Not that I don't love your gossip Hawke, but we have a job to do." Anders whinged.
"All right." Hawke sighed she looked up into the brown eyes of her friend a smile playing on her lips. "We go into the belly of the bone pit. Feel like a little fun?"
"Just like old times?" Her Friend asked
"Just like."