Deep Down
Five years after the events of DA2, Fenris and Hawke have settled down happily out in the country. But are their adventuring days really over?
Chapter 1: Market Day
Caitlin Hawke woke when the first rays of sunshine fell through the window of their bedchamber. It was still early morning and the late summer sun had barely succeeded in warming the crisp night air. For a moment she basked in the feeling of peace that living here had brought her. She had never regretted moving out to the old manor house on the slopes of Sundermount almost five years ago, after everything fell to pieces in Kirkwall. The peaceful country life suited her, and Fenris was happy too, kept busy with looking after the horses they were keeping.
Fenris. She smiled when she looked at him. He was lying stretched out on his stomach on the bed next to her, his silver-blond hair tousled, fast asleep. Gently she pulled up a blanket to cover his lean naked body, just barely resisting the impulse to trace his tattoos with her fingers, to let them run over his well-muscled back and further down... But she refrained, not wanting to wake him yet. It was rare for her to be up before him, but he had come to bed late last night, wanting to finish a book on famous Dalish warriors that she had found for him in a hidden corner of the library. Quietly, she slid out of bed, slipped on a simple dress and went down to the kitchen.
Orana was already there, of course, and the smell of freshly baked rolls filled the kitchen. Caitlin smiled at the shy elf and wished her a good morning. She pulled out a tray from one of the shelves and quickly started assembling a luscious breakfast. She set water to boiling for a fresh pot of tea, while she raided the pantry. A jar of strawberry jam, left over from last summer, caught her eye. She added some yellow butter and three of the crispy golden rolls, fresh from the oven. Rummaging further, she found some eggs and a basket of mushrooms that Merrill had brought yesterday. Hmmm, mushroom omelette. Caitlin hummed contentedly as she chopped the mushrooms, cut a few slices of bacon and cracked five eggs into a pretty blue bowl. She wasn't much of a cook, but she enjoyed the simple task and the peaceful homely atmosphere of the huge old kitchen. The bacon sizzled in the pan and her stomach growled at the enticing smell. Quickly she added the mushrooms and the eggs and a generous amount of grated cheese. When the omelette was done, she arranged it on a warmed plate together with the bacon, added the teapot to her tray, and grabbed two fresh peaches from a bowl near the door. The peach tree growing in a sheltered courtyard near the southern wall of the old house had been the previous owner's pride and joy, its fruits a rare delicacy in the cool mountain climate.
Caitlin lifted up the heavy tray and walked up the stairs to their room. Fenris was still asleep. She left the tray on a table and climbed onto the bed, kissing him softly, tickling his cheek with strands of her long hair. He opened his eyes with a lazy smile.
"Do I smell breakfast?" His face lit up further when she brought over the tray, and he happily tucked in. She joined him, and together they finished off the omelette in no time. Caitlin settled back into the cushions and watched him eat, enjoying his appetite and the appreciative noises he made. When he had finished the last roll, he cut up one of the peaches, handing her a slice. Fenris chuckled when the juice ran down her chin and he bent over, catching it with his lips, his touch making her shiver with pleasure. With a happy sigh, he finally put the tray aside and leaned back against the bed's headboard.
"That was delicious, my love. Now, tell me, what have I done to deserve this?"
Caitlin grinned and began to crawl towards him across the bed. "Nothing yet," she purred. "But I can think of a few things."
He laughed and pulled her into a long, deep kiss, his tongue plundering her mouth, leaving her breathless.
"Hmmm, you taste of peaches," he murmured, pulling her closer, his hands wandering up under her loose dress.
"And you have strawberry jam on your face." Her tongue moved over his cheek, licking off the sweet sticky substance, and he gasped. She proceeded to nibble along his jawbone until she reached his sensitive ear and took the lobe carefully between her teeth. He hissed in pleasure and drew back, pulling her dress over her head in one fluid motion.
Caitlin moaned at the feel of his hard chest against her breasts, his hands on her back, pulling her close, his lips and teeth grazing her neck. She could feel him through the thin blanket, hard and eager, and she arched her hips into his groin to let him feel her heat, her readiness. His hands wandered down to her buttocks, kneading them firmly and he was about to lift her when suddenly they heard the patter of tiny feet out in the corridor.
"Mummy! Daddy!" Rhi's bright little voice was full of excitement.
"Venhedis!" Fenris quickly pushed Caitlin aside. "Cait, can you... I'm hardly in a state..." He gave her a pleading look, and she sighed deeply, grabbing her dress. With a last heated look at him, she slipped it on and went out, catching the little one in her arms before she could come in.
When she returned a while later, he had already put on his pants and was pulling his tunic over his head. She walked over to him and embraced him with another sigh of regret. "What a pity! This was such a nice start to the day."
He chuckled. "Trust me, I will make it up to you tonight." He let his finger travel over her lips in a gentle caress before he tore himself away. "So, what are our plans for today?"
Caitlin shrugged and reached for her clothes. "It's market day down in the village. The farmers are taking some of our things to sell, fruit and vegetables and cheeses. Orana said the travelling merchant from Orlais would be there, so I thought I'd go and see what I can get. Some fancy cloth, or maybe some sweets, or..."
Fenris took a comb and ran it through his tangled hair. "Sounds good. Don't forget to check if he has some good wine, will you? We are almost out of Nevarran red."
She kissed him briefly as she tied up her corset. "Don't worry. What will you be doing?"
"Some of the horses need shoeing, and the smith agreed to come by before noon." They smiled at each other as they left the room, ready for another long and busy day.
Caitlin wandered across the village market, taking in the atmosphere. On market days, the sleepy little village square turned into a bustling hub of activity. It reminded her of Lothering, back before the Blight, when it had still been a busy trading post. Various stands displayed fresh fruit and vegetables and she revelled in the sight and scent of fresh apples and pears, shiny peppers and bright green beans, plump grapes and colourful cabbages. With a radiant smile, she responded to the greetings of the farmers' wives going about their business. Finally, she found the travelling merchant from Orlais. He came to the village about once a year and offered fine silks and embroideries, rare delicacies and wines, as well as gossip from other places.
She was listening to the merchant tout the virtues of a dark red silk cloth in his heavily accented voice, trying to ignore the obvious flatteries he felt obliged to add, when she suddenly felt a pair of hands on her hips. Someone leaned in from behind and kissed her on the cheek with a merry laugh. Too stunned to react, she froze in place, but then she recognized the voice and a wide smile formed on her lips as she turned around.
"Anders! What in Andraste's name are you doing here?"
She hadn't seen him in more than two years. He and Bethany were kept busy at Vigil's Keep and only rarely found time to come for a visit. To see him here was a pleasant surprise indeed.
"Are you alone? Where's Beth? When did you arrive? Why didn't you write?"
Anders grinned at this barrage of questions.
"No, I'm not alone. Beth and a few Wardens are already heading to your place, but I was entrusted with the task of buying presents for our gracious hosts. I have to admit I didn't think I'd run into you here."
Caitlin looked him over. He was wearing a dark blue robe with a matching cowl, decorated with silver thread, and a shimmering silverite chain mail shirt. She had to admit he looked good in it. The blue went well with his red-gold hair and the fine cut of the robes set off his slim build to advantage.
She briefly traced the fine embroidery on his shoulders. "Whatever happened to your feathered pauldrons? I hardly recognized you in this get-up."
Anders made a face. "Commander's idea. We all have uniforms now. They call us the Silver Army."
Caitlin laughed. "Well, you do look dashing!" Maker, but he did. She hadn't seen him look so well in years: sun-tanned, fine laugh-lines around his eyes, his hair neatly pulled back in a braid.
He smiled at the playful tone of her voice. "Where's your broody elf, Cait? Everything going well?"
She nodded. "He's at home. The horses, as usual. He's really taken with them, but you know that. And he's watching Rhi, of course."
Anders took her arm. "You haven't finished shopping, my dear. Let's walk together and I can help you choose."
"And your presents?" She raised a questioning eyebrow at him, curious to find out what he had bought her, but he refused to let himself be baited.
With a satisfied smile, he patted the satchel on his back. "I already have what I need, thank you."
Together they worked off her shopping list, haggling over prices, bantering about the wares on display, reminiscing about the market stalls in Kirkwall's Hightown. Jean Luc's Robes and Hubert's Fine Goods... all the valuable items they'd never been able to afford back then. Anders' hand rested on her hip as they walked along, and it gave her a pleasant shiver.
Caitlin couldn't help but marvel at the change in Anders when she compared his present self to the time when he was joined with Justice. This new Anders was all flippant remarks, humour and flirtatiousness, and she found herself enjoying his company a lot.
As they left the market and approached the stables to fetch their mounts for the way back, Anders noticed her looking at him, a curious expression on her face.
"What's the matter, Cait?"
She sighed. "Just you. You are so... different now. Funny, relaxed, silly even. Not like the Anders I knew back in Kirkwall." She turned away to hide the pain showing on her face. "Why did you have to do it, Anders? What in the Maker's name were you thinking when you made that deal with Justice?"
He grew serious, taking her hand. "Cait, I... Look, I know it was a mistake, probably the biggest mistake I ever made. But Justice was good, he was a true friend. He once told me he didn't know what made demons evil. He truly did not understand evil, not before he joined with me. It was I who corrupted him, not the other way round."
She shook her head, unwilling to meet his eyes. "I just wish I had met you before. Things might have been different."
Anders laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "Ah, no. You wouldn't have liked me back then. I was an incurable flirt, terribly full of myself, always coming up with smart comments."
"So, not that much different after all," Caitlin said dryly.
He put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer and placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. "Let's head home, shall we? Beth will be waiting."
Zevgirl worked her beta magic on this and made it a much better read. Thank you so much!