Let It Snow.
Alexander Hawke, with drink in hand, relaxed into his favourite armchair and savoured the warmth of the fire which crackled and popped gently in the hearth but a few feet away. Outside his window, despite the clear, starry night, snow fell in light fluffy sheets and settled where it lay. It was bitterly cold outside, and Hawk felt a swell of sympathy for the poor souls who inhabited the cities poorer districts. Not a year had passed since Hawke had reclaimed his ancestral home from slavers, and now, with his mother sound asleep and his Mebari drooling into the carpet, he could honestly say the festive spirit was upon him.
It was not yet nine, and since his glass was empty and his evening free, Hawke decided to walk the streets and find some company while the hour was decent. He wrapped himself up in furs and departed his house. His feet took him nowhere in particular for a while, happy as he was to take in the beautiful night, and before long he found himself before a familiar door. This door did not bare a Holly sprig as many did, nor was it at all well painted or looked after. It did not invite, as other houses in the street did, and even the snow seemed to avoid falling at it's stoop. The door was colder than the night air, but Hawke did not hesitate to grasp the frozen knocker and make enough noise to wake the dead.
The door latch slammed open moments later, and the door creaked open to reveal a somewhat sour looking Elf.
"Fenris, there you are!" Hawke exclaimed, throwing his armsd wide and stepping over the threshold to embrace his friend. Fenris stood awkwardly, unaccustomed as he was to such a jovial welcome.
"Hawke...what brings you here?" Fenris asked as Hawke released him.
"It's Wintersday Eve! I thought you might like some company." Hawke said, stuffing his hands deep into his pockets once more. Fenris invited him in, and Hawke was pleased to see the Elf had made at least a little effort with the house. Cobwebs on longer draped across every surface and a warm fire was burning, but even this could not excuse the bottle of wine with only a single glass, or the lack of festive decoration.
"Has anyone else come by?" Hawke asked, brushing snow from his coat.
"No. I have not seen anyone else all day. I believe they are...busy." Fenris replied, sounding his usual, bored self. It irked Hawke a little how dour the man sounded. It took less than a moment to decide on the correct course of action.
"Wrap yourself up Fenris, we're going out." Hawke said with a beaming smile. His little plan had warmed his heart, if he did say so himself.
"And where should we go, at this hour?" Fenris enquired sceptically.
"It's Wintersday Eve, Fenris. We have friends to visit, ale to drink and merry to make. Now stop being a grumpy Elf and get your coat."
The pair walked the streets until their feet brought them before the warmest and most inviting door of all. From within the Hanged Man much music and frivolity could be heard. Moving into the Inn, Hawke could hardly contain his glee; there was singing, dancing, and drinking beyond the counting, and unless his eyes deceived him, Hawk swore he glimpsed a Dwarf in a bright red coat, trimmed with fur.
"Varric Tethras, aren't you just the life and soul!" Hawke roared, pushing his way through the crowd.
"Hawk, m'boy! Welcome, welcome! We're having a little party, wouldn't you know?" Varric slurred, swinging his tankard wildly at the crowd.
"I do believe you're drunk, Master Dwarf." Hawke said with a grin, accepting the flagon passed to him and taking a deep gulp of the finest Winter ale.
"I should hope so!" Varric laughed, throwing his arms wide. Hawke dropped to one knee and embraced his friend before they clashed their drinks together and downed them in one, much to the approval of the crowd.
"Oh-ho! You brought Broody!" Varric exclaimed, having finally noticed Fenris stood at the edge of the gathering. He lurched forward to hug the Elf, but at the last minute noticed their height difference. He shrugged and proceeded to hug Fenris' legs which brought peels of laughter from Hawke.
"What brings such a stoic Elf out on this festive night?!" Varric asked, stepping back and passing out yet more flagons of ale.
"Hawke insisted." Fenris replied, taking a drink and, despite himself, smiling a little.
"I found him home alone! A bottle of wine for one, if you can believe it!" Hawke added with mock disbelief.
"But...it's Wintersday Eve!" Varric gasped, sounding truly horrified.
"That...has never meant anything to me." Fenris explained. For a moment Hawke thought the spirits of the night might be dampened by the rememberer of Fenris' past, but Varric saved the day, in fine style.
"Then this year..." he said, raising his drink high, "...we will make this night mean everything for you. Roll out the ale! Bring forth the pies! Merry Wintersday, everyone!"
The roar of the crowd almost shook the roof from the building. While Hawk and Fenris found themselves some seats, Varric grabbed the attention of a group of young lads, and after a quick exchange the lads dashed out the door and into the night. Varric returned to the pair with a plate of Mince pies and yet another trio of ales.
"So, how's the Hawke family?" Varric asked, passing out the drinks.
"Mother's well, asleep, bless her. Bethany was allowed to come by for lunch, she's doing okay. The Circle here is, at least, receptive to the idea of the festive season. A Templar accompanied her but he was a nice sort." Hawke replied from half-way down his drink. He'd have to pace himself at this rate...
"And the mut?" Varric pressed.
"Drooling into the carpet." Hawke laughed.
Varric boomed with laughter and helped himself to a mince pie. The door of the Inn slammed open, which was not out of place in such an establishment, but it was the person who walked in from the cold that caused a hush to fall on the merry gathering. Avaline, Captain of the Guard, stood in all her law-abiding glory, with her shield still at her side. For a moment it appeared that the fun was over, but when her face cracked into a smile Hawk kicked himself for almost doubting his friend. She brought from behind her shield a rather large bottle of brandy and held it aloft.
"Where's the party?!" she asked of the crowd.
"The Hanged Man!" the crowd erupted with cheers.
After much hand-shaking and back-slapping, Avaline made her way to the table and greeted her friends warmly.
"By the Stone, here comes the Law." Varric chuckled. Avaline smirked and popped the cork on her brandy.
"Not tonight, Varric. Tonight I'm off duty...and on the town!" she said, taking along draught from her bottle before passing it around.
"We can help you with that! Hawke, get some glasses!" Varric said as the bottle came to him.
While Hawke made his way to the bar, Avaline turned to the silent Elf.
"It's good to see you out and about, Fenris. Frivolity suits you." she said with a kind smile.
"Thank you. Hawk was insistent that I come out. I was perfectly content at home but...the man's mirth is infectious." Fenris said, glancing at the jolly rogue at the bar and feeling a tingle in the pit of his stomach.
"I can't imagine Wintersday has ever...well, I mean..." Avaline grasped for delicate words but found none. Luckily, Fenris was receptive to what went unsaid.
"You are right. While this is not my first Wintersday Eve as a free man, it is the first time I've ever...celebrated it. You know...with company." Fenris said, finishing off the rest of his ale. Another had presented itself to him before his empty had even touched the table.
"I'll be happy to provide all the company you can stand..."
The offer came from Isabella, who took a seat with the group. Her sudden appearance startled Avaline, but it was in the flirtatious womans nature to appear and disappear as it suited her.
"Wrong kind of company, Isabella." Fenris smirked into his ale. The frothy drink was taking effect, apparently.
"You break my heart, you handsome thing you!" Isabella laughed.
"Rather your heart than your hips, I say!" Hawke added, sidling in with ale and glasses for the brandy, oddly balanced on his shoulders.
"Is that an invitation, Hawke?"
"To what? Break your hips with my manly prowess? Ew, Varric, look...it's a girl!" Hawk said with a childish tone and a grin on his lips.
"I'm looking, I'm looking..." Varric said, now apparently fighting to keep his head up. The clock struck eleven...the night was drawing ever onwards.
"Bloody pillow biting cabin boy!" Isabella laughed.
"Love you, darling!" Hawke called, raising his flagon to her.
"You too!" came the response, and suddenly two more drinks were quaffed.
The frivolity of the evening did not seem to slow, despite the advancing hour. After much drinking, Fenris felt warm, and comfortable, and as content as he had ever been. Music filled his ears and soon he was pulled to his feet to dance by Hawke, who revelled in prancing up and down the long tables laid out for the evening, dancing with any and all who would get up to join him. Before long Merril showed up, looking like a lost lamb but soon finding her feet and festive spirit after a dram of Avaline's fine brandy.
Conversation was rich and humerus, the company was fine and welcoming, and it seemed there was no ending to the evening. Sebastian arrived and declared the Maker's blessings on all, bringing with him several bottles of wine taken from the Chantry. Anders popped his head in, and thought normally he and Fenris would be at each other's throats, ale and music found them, astonishingly, dancing together and laughing the evening away.
For his part, Hawke sat back and watched his friends come in from the cold one by one. He wished sorely that Carver were with them, and he remembered many a Wintersday Eve with his family in the days of his youth. Even Carver, serious and stern as he had always been, managed to warm up and be a kind and loving brother on this, their most beloved night of the year. A tear sprang to Hawk's eye in remembrance of him, but a soft touch took that drop away as swiftly as it had appeared.
"Not tonight, Alex. He wouldn't want you brought down on his account." Merril said, placing a swift kiss on his cheek. Merril had been Hawk's confidant for some time now, and he had found in her a dear, caring friend. She understood his sorrow better than most, and knew he would be suffering, if only a little, on this night.
"I miss him." Hawke said simply.
"And I'm sure, wherever he is, he knows it and misses you too. Now go dance with that gorgeous Elf before someone else takes him home!" Merril insisted, handing him a drink and pushing him from his chair. She watched him go and slip his arm round the silver haired Elf and spin him round and round with a happy smile on her face. The smile turned to a yelp as someone took her own hand and spun her round, bringing her face to face with Sebastian.
"May I have this dance, my Lady?" the Prince asked, his face flushed with intoxication. Merril herself blushed from top to toe.
"Oh! Certainly..."
The early hours rolled round, and the Hanged Man found itself emptying as the revellers went home. Fenris, having been dancing for over an hour, collapsed intro his chair and observed his empty flagon.
"I...am for my bed." The Elf decided, rubbing his eyes wearily.
"I'll walk you home, it's on my way." Hawke said, deciding that sleep might be a good idea.
Hawke bid his friends a good night, and Fenris thanked them all for a wonderful evening, and the pair set off into the early morning. Snow was still falling, laying thick upon the ground.
"I have had a wonderful evening, Hawk. Thank you." Fenris said, glancing at his companion. Hawke was apparently having problems walking in a straight line, which was to be expected, given the amount of ale he had drunk throughout the night.
"You're very welcome! You need to get out more, Fen'. There's more to life that moping about a dusty old house...oh, and speaking if which..." Hawke said, looking sullenly at the cold, uninviting door. He banged his head against it in dismay, and the vibration had the effect of disturbing the thick sheet of snow perched precariously above the door. It came crashing about his ears, sending him into an odd state of paralysis and Fenris into fresh peels of laughter. The now jolly Elf opened the door and pulled Hawke inside.
"Come inside, idiot man." He said, shutting out the cold behind them.
"Did I mention how much I hate snow?" Hawke asked with a shy smirk, dusting the freezing powder from his hair and shoulders.
"Come...I have a gift for you." Fenris said, leading him by the hand.
"Oh wow...Fenris, you shouldn't have." Hawke said, still preoccupied with removing the snow from his person, until Fenris took his hands and placed them on the clasps of his own jerkin.
"You'll have to unwrap it first, I'm afraid..." he said softly, meeting Hawk's somewhat confused gaze. Hawk looked from him, then to the room in which they stood and, noticing it was in fact the bedroom, snapped his gaze back to Fenris.
"Oh..." he said, as the realisation dawned upon him.
"Happy Wintersday, Hawke." Fenris said.
"Happy Wintersday, Fenris." Hawke said, as his fingers went to work.
"Mmm...I'm sure it will be."
A draught must have blown in from an open window, since the bedroom door chose this moment to swing itself shut.
AN: Merry Christmas, from me to you ;)