Okay, so this could be viewed as a bit of an AU. It still takes place in the Dragon age world, however Hawke's circumstances are a bit different and instead of going to Kirkwall she went to Tervinter.

Enjoy.

Chapter 1

Hawke ran a hand through her dark hair as the barely restrained the glare at the over eager face of the man who not five minutes ago had sneered at her for being the "undisciplined barbarian" who had the nerve to challenge a magister. How in the makers name had she ended up in this mess?

'Oh wait, that's right, I can never keep my blighted temper in check. that's why.' what was possibly the most unhelpful part of her brain answered her as she attempted to drive away the pounding pain from inside her head.

She had come to Tervinter in order to escape the bounty that had been placed on her by the circle in Ferelden and somehow, only ten minutes off the ship, she had ended up in a duel to the death with an esteemed magister over a threat and an insult. She had won the duel after, what she was told by the magister's who had witnessed it, was "an epic struggle for honour". Despite this, however , before the corpse even had time to cool, she had been dragged into the over-complicated politics that the blasted country was drenched in and now suddenly she was the "proud owner" of all of the former magisters belongings and had been fully instated as a magister of the Imperium.

Hawke shook herself from her thoughts and once again focused on the magister in front of her.

"I thank you greatly for escorting me to my new housing, however I think I shall be fine from here"

The man simply bowed and replied with a "yes milady" before leavening Hawke alone at the doors of the huge mansion that was now hers.

"Definitely beats sleeping on a ship or in a forest camp" she thought as she walked toward the door only to have the doors open and be greeted by an elderly man who seemed to be doing a poor job of hiding his shock at the sight of his new "mistress".

"That's right. I'm still covered in blood." Hawke vaguely thought as she watched the man hurriedly open the doors wider for her, still staring at her with shock before dropping down to his knee's.

"Mistress, please forgive my staring, I was out of line." the man spoke quickly as if waiting for her to cut him off.

"Oh right. Slavery." Hawke frowned at the answer that her mind had supplied her with. She had never stood for slavery and had taken down her fair share of slaver rings in her travels. The mere though of owning someone made her stomach turn. However that was a problem for another day, right now she was completely drained and her brain seemed to be trying to claw its way out her skull.

"That's fine, I'm sure that I must be quite the sight compared to all the prim-and-proper that seems to go on here." She joked, indicating for the man to stand.

"Thank you, milady." the man said, the hurriedly added, "Shall I have the household assemble to that you may inspect your property?"

Hawke tried her best to keep her distaste at the idea of what her "property" really was out of her voice when she answered.

"I will have to speak with everyone at some point, however right now I'm about to fall over. Could you please show me to… well anywhere that I can sleep."

This time the man did a better job of suppressing his surprise at how easily a magister had admitted to feeling week, however it still showed. "I really have to have a talk with these people soon… tomorrow maybe" Hawke thought as she followed the old slave to what was probably the most lavish bedchamber that she had ever seen.

"Will there be anything else, mistress?"

"No thank you, I should be fine. Good night…um?"

"Obren, at your service my mistress." The man replied with a deep bow before taking his leave, closing the heavy oak doors behind him.

Hawke sighed as she made her way towards what has quite likely the biggest bed that she had ever seen, sitting on the side to take off her boots. Her headache made itself worse as she struggled with the last of the laces, grumbling to herself when it refused to come free.

Suddenly she felt another presence in the room with her and she shot up from the bed, reaching for her staff as she stood and willing her head to stop protesting at the sudden movement. Hawke scanned the room when she heard a slight noise behind her. She span around, her staff raised however in the poor light she could only just make out the vague figure of a man.

"You are the new Master?"

Hawke could feel the mans piercing gaze on her and opened her moth to reply when suddenly a new wave of exhaustion took her. Swaying on her feet and using her staff to steady herself she said all what could come to mind;

"Hi."

Then she finally gave in and collapsed, catching a glimpse of brilliant green before the darkness overcame her.