Alright I had this story idea bouncing around in my head for some time so I had to write it down. I would like to thank dominicgrim for being my beta. Reviews and criticism are welcome.
Ch.1
Vixen watched as the elven slaves maneuvered around the Magisters pouring drinks and clearing plates. Vixen was disgusted at the amount of food that went to waste as the Magisters would try something once and then had something else brought to them. The worst was that the slaves weren't even allowed finish it as most went to her master's hounds. Some plates were barely touched. She barely managed to keep her own stomach in check as a slave brought a plate for her master. Danarius didn't even acknowledge the slave and picked up a fork and began to eat. It looked delicious. It was a steaming roast chicken slathered in orange sauce. She fidgeted slightly and began to walk the around the table to scan the room to look for any threats.
Her lyrium markings flared a bit a she walked. She still wasn't used to the pain yet that the markings brought. The first week she could barely moves without excruciating pain. It had been only a few weeks since the lyrium was etched into her skin. Luckily Danarius wanted to show off his work and her armor around her stomach and left bicep was bare.
The rest of her body was a different story. Her right arm and shoulder had a completely covered and with a shoulder pauldrons with a fox embroidered on it. The gauntlet she wore had clawed fingertips. The left arm only had on a drakeskin fingerless bracer that went up to her elbow with her left bicep bare so she could draw the bow on her back with ease. Her chest piece was gray revealing a small amount of cleavage and around her shoulders was black dyed fox fur. Her stomach was bare, revealing her lyrium tattoos. From the waist down she wore a black belt with a fox head for a buckle, dark leather leggings with knee high boots with silverite tips and knee guards. Atop her head was a black hood that covered the top half of her face in shadow. The only thing that could be seen was her left eye, which glowed dully as it was lined with lyrium. The tattoos were designed after the old barbarian clans of Fereldan from which she was told she hailed from.
Vixen never asked as it wasn't her place, but her master would often give her tidbits of her past when he talked about her to other Magisters. When she finished her round, she returned to Danarius' side. He acknowledged her, "Vixen my dear, would you kindly pour Cracius a goblet of wine." He ordered.
She nodded her head, "Yes Master." She grabbed a pitcher of wine brought to her by an elven slave girl. A brief thought entered her mind. She was the only human slave that her master owned. She dismissed it quickly instead focusing on not dropping the pitcher from the pain. She walked over to Cracius. Cracius was a weasel of an old man as her master called him before he arrived. He was smaller and looked frailer than Danarius and slightly bald. Her Master was tall and lean, with a full head of graying black hair and beard to boot. What they both shared was a gaunt face from the blood magic they used so often.
Cracius eyed her appraising Danarius' work as she poured wine into his goblet. "Marvelous, isn't she?" Danarius said.
Cracius nodded, "It seems that you have perfected the art." He added.
"Yes, I wasn't sure she would survive. I should have known better. She did manage to outfox my little wolf after all." Danarius bragged.
Cracius frowned, "I remember. I lost twenty Imperial sovereigns that day. I was certain that little elf of yours was going to win."
"Perhaps a test of her powers," a female Magister on the other side of Cracius suggested.
Danarius gave everyone an evil smile, "Yes Vixen, show them all what you can do." He motioned and two slaves who walked in, flanked by guards, one male, one female. Cracius' face paled. "You recognize them don't you Cracius?" My little fox found them snooping in my study. When interrogated they mentioned they were inserted into my household by you." He gave the signal. Vixen walked up to the slaves, her markings flared and her arms began to glow white as she reached into their chests and pulled out their hearts. Cracius' face paled even more as the bodies dropped to the floor. "Well done my pet, you are such a marvelous creature. Now rip out Cracius' heart." The old man stood up desperately and tried to cast but within seconds Vixen had broken into a sprint and jumped over the table pinning the old man to the floor. She picked him up by the throat and with her free hand ripped out his heart. Afterwards Danarius began to clap which was soon followed by the uncertain claps of the rest of the Magisters.
The Magister from before spoke up as she clapped, a delighted smile on her face. "You really know how to keep your guests entertained Danarius. Bravo." Danarius nodded soaking in the accolades for such a great achievement. The dinner ended with many of the Magisters calling it a night and returned to their perspective homes. It was easy to see that Danarius' new bodyguard had unnerved them a bit. Danarius retired for the night as well and Vixen made her way to her room. It wasn't the biggest room as it only had enough room for a bed and armor rack. It sure as hell beat what the other slaves slept in. The room had been designed for a bodyguard, it was close enough to the master bedroom should Danarius be attacked for her to act quickly.
Slowly she began taking off her armor. She flinched slightly as the pain from her markings only increased when the armor rubbed on her skin. She slowly laid down; her shoulder length white hair sprawled out on her old lumpy pillow as she did so. She didn't go to sleep, she knew better. She slowly counted down until like clockwork she heard her. Vixen closed her eyes, pretending to be sound asleep when she heard the door creak open. A woman about her age stood in the door way. She had black hair and milky blue eyes. Her slender form leaned on the door.
"What's this? Already sound asleep are we?" a shrill voice came from her maw. "We can't have you sleeping on the job now. Danarius must be protected throughout the night." Hadriana said walked over to Vixen who stood up from the bed. Hadriana pulled off Vixen worn shirt and ran her fingers along Vixen's chest tracing the lines around her breasts and stomach. "I hope he teaches me the art one day, then I can make own pet." Vixen flinched as Hadriana's fingers continued run along her markings for some time admiring her Master's work perhaps a little too much if the look in her eyes was anything to go on. Vixen wore a neutral look trying not to seem agitated at all. Hadriana then began to dress her roughly to purposely cause more pain as she roughly dressed Vixen.
Hadriana's hand traced along the intricate tattoos around Vixen's left eye and when her finger grazed along her lyrium covered eye. Vixen couldn't take anymore, "Please stop," it was barely a whisper but Danarius' apprentice heard it all the same.
"Stop what? This?" she traced finger harder along hard surface of the eye. Vixen turned her head away as it the pain became too much. The motion earned her a hard slap across her cheek and the shock of magic. She let out a whimper as she collapsed to her knees. "Pathetic," was all Hadriana said before leaving Vixen's room. She found that she was weeping from her regular emerald colored eye. She cursed herself for letting the bitch get to her. She got up and began taking off her armor once again. Before finally getting some sleep.
…
She dreamed of a farm somewhere she didn't recognize. She looked around the small hills. It was summer. She found herself running toward one. She dropped to a crouch and snuck up the hill. She got down and crawled on her belly the rest of the way. She peaked over the hill to see man with ginger hair and emerald eyes like her own in this dream. He was showing a little girl how to produce a fireball. Vixen watched in awe. She then heard a clanking sound and looked to see two boys plop down on either side of her. Both were clad in rusty chainmail.
"Shhh, you knitwits, they'll hear." She hissed. One boy on her right who was around twelve smirked. He had the same ginger hair and emerald eyes as herself and the man. The younger boy had black hair and brown eyes like the girl.
"We were quiet," the ginger haired boy said.
Vixen scowled and muttered, "'bout as quite as cat with a bell around its neck."
"Shut up you two, he's showing her the ice spells," the younger one said a little annoyed.
They watched for about another five minutes before the man stopped, "You kids should know not to sneak up on me."
"Told you, you were too loud," Vixen hissed.
The ginger haired boy rolled his eyes and that is when the dream began to fade.
Vixen awoke to a new day of following her master around while he did what he considered to be useful. Vixen really wished the dream wouldn't have ended. She felt happy like it was real. Perhaps it was of her old life. The thought excited her as she got up early to prepare. Danarius slept till noon most days especially because of last night's dinner party, but Vixen always got up at dawn to get ready and make herself presentable. She went down to the kitchen's to grab something to eat and then went to stand at her master's door to wait until he was ready to begin his day.
A/N: Sorry Fenris fans, it is just how the story played out. I was originally going to have Danarius be impressed by both their skill and take them both, but i figured that Lyrium is expensive and he pry only has enough of it for one warrior. Keep in mind I don't hate Fenris, he is pry the coolest follower after Varric in DAII (in my opinion).