A/N: Fenris's perspective on the meeting with Hawke and co.
Also, I fully intend to bring all my "Possibilities" stories into one long chapter story, I'd prefer is to be a linear tale, not episodic. And currently the muses see fit to bounce me around the tale.
Disclaimer: DragonAge is own by Bioware, as is most of the dialogue in this story, with a bit of my own thrown in.
Fenris sat in the small tavern, waiting for his contact Anso to tell him the hand-off was done. He had chosen a small one, close to the Alienage where he could take off once the skittish dwarf arrived. Anso was to meet with someone called Hawke, who had worked their way through the Red Iron before quitting. Fenris wasn't sure if working with a mercenary was the right choice but the praise around Lowtown said Hawke was good, smart, and got the job done which was exactly what he needed.
He hadn't been in Kirkwall long when he found out about the slavers and heard about the trap they planned to set for him. Thankfully he had enough coin to hire help, which was where Hawke came in handy. He was milking the ale in front of him, much to the barkeeps distress but he couldn't afford to be unfocused. Not now, not tonight. Not when his revenge was so close to completion.
Anso stumbled into the tavern, out of breath and trembling. He came up to Fenris and took the ale right out of his hand, guzzling it in a couple drinks.
"It's done. They're on their way." Anso confirmed to Fenris, as he sat in the empty stool next to him. Fenris nodded then placed some silver on the bar close to Anso's hand.
"Much appreciated." Fenris rose from the stool and walked to the door, knowing it was time to see this Hawke in action. It was quiet in this part of Lowtown, since it was away from the foundries, and close to the Alienage. As the door to the tavern closed behind him, Fenris thought he heard a battle.
That's not right. He thought, breaking into a run. It was only supposed to be a small group of slavers, this sounded much bigger and whatever gods there are above curse Anso for taking so long to get to me. As he ran through the twists and turns of the Lowtown streets he began to slow when he neared the Alienage as the sounds of battle seemed to abate. He noticed a slaver guarding the stairs down to where he needed to be. Thankfully, the slaver was facing the wrong way. Fenris moved up behind him, and slit the slaver's throat with one of the razor sharp fingers on his gauntlet. He let the slaver fall down the stairs to crash behind the captain who seemed to be threatening someone in front of him.
Surprised the captain turned to look at Fenris.
"Your men are dead. Your trap has failed. I suggest running back to your master while you can." Fenris threatened while stepping down to the captain.
"You're going no where slave." The captain barked while grabbing Fenris's shoulder. Fenris wasted no time to steel himself against the pain while activating the lyrium in his body, turning to the captain and plunging his hand into the man's chest to crush his heart.
"I am not a slave."
He turned back to the group in front of him and found he wasn't sure who Hawke really was. The description never mentioned any details; just the standard gets the job done. He looked at the group in front of him a dwarf and three humans, two females. He debates between the female guardsman and the tall human male. Finally he looks at the tall human male with the large sword strapped to his back.
"Hawke?" he queries.
"Sort of," he grimaced, and pointed to the petite raven haired beauty beside him.
Fenris managed to still the surprise before it reached his face, the male is pointing at the smallest of the humans. This is Hawke? How can this tiny human, armed with only a quarterstaff be the infamous Hawke who worked their way through a mercenary band? Hawke gave him a cheeky grin and a wave while the dwarf shoved a gloved hand to his mouth to keep from laughing too loudly at the scowling male.
"I apologize," Fenris stated, bowing to her.
"Happens a lot actually," Hawke replied, shrugging one shoulder while smiling at the snickering dwarf.
"When I asked Anso to provide a distraction for the hunters, I had no idea they would be so…numerous."
"We had no trouble," Hawke stated, smirking at him now.
"Impressive. My name is Fenris. These men were imperial bounty hunters seeking to recover a magister's lost property, namely myself. They were trying to lure me into the open. Crude as their methods were, I could not face them alone. Thankfully Anso chose wisely."
"Anso's job did seem a little too easy."
Fenris was flabbergasted; every sentence this woman said belied her small stature. Her short raven hair looked messy, and like his hair strands seemed to hang in her eyes at all times. Her eyes were a startling blue, with just a hint of green. Though she was human, and they were usually taller than elves, Fenris found as he stood in front of her that she was a couple inches shorter than him. She also had confidence, and the rumors about her being good seemed to be true so far. This might work, she could help.
"Perhaps the deception was unnecessary. If so, I am sorry. I have become too accustomed to hiding. If I may ask, what was in the chest? The one they kept in the house?"
"Nothing, it was empty."
"Hmm, I suppose it was too much to hope for, even so I had to know."
"Were you expecting something else?"
"I was, but I shouldn't have. It was bait, nothing more."
"All that for an empty chest?"
"No, there's more." Fenris bent down to the captain's body and started checking his belt pouch. "It's as I thought. My former master accompanied them to the city. I know you have questions, but I must confront him before he flees. I will need your help."
"Looks like we have a long night ahead of us," Hawke stated as she looked to her companions and followed Fenris up the stairs out of the Alienage. Fenris found himself watching this Hawke woman as they made their way from Lowtown to the edge of Hightown. She moved with grace, but not as a warrior. Fenris could not figure out how this woman could work as a mercenary. She was confusing him and he was not one to be easily confused. As they passed the stair to Vigil's Keep, she stopped and had a quick chat with the female guardsman. Aveline, Fenris overheard her name while they talked, made Hawke promise to be careful, and find her at the Keep tomorrow to talk. Even though Fenris didn't know them, he could tell from her tone that "to talk" really meant so I can see you're all right.
Hawke, the dwarf, and human male continued to follow Fenris to Danarius's mansion. Fenris stopped outside the mansion and looked at the black windows with a hint of dismay.
"Danarius may know we're here. I wouldn't put it past him."
"I could stand to know a little more about this Danarius."
"He is a magister of the Tevinter Imperium."
"Oh is that all? Nothing to worry about then," the dwarf piped in from Hawke's side.
"There he is a wealthy mage with great influence. Here, is but a man who sweats like any other when death comes for him."
"Let's get this over with." Hawke replied, starting towards the door of the mansion Fenris pointed towards.
"Agreed," Fenris said catching up to her quickly and getting to the door first. He drew his sword and took point in the entryway. He felt the other's fell in behind him, as he moved to the next door. He started to open the door, when the dwarf stopped him. He was about to glare at the dwarf, when the dwarf mouthed trap. Fenris glanced at the door surprised but stepped back and let the dwarf disable the trap before proceeding through the door.
Inside the room, shades emerged from the floor. Fenris began a charge when the lyrium in his skin began to tingle as it never had before. Suddenly a light streaked by him, and the group he was charging to attack burst into flames, killing all save one. Fenris was so surprised that someone in the group was a mage that he almost missed hitting the shade with his sword. As he turned to attack the second group, out of the corner of his eye he saw Hawke begin casting another spell, targeting a shade about to hit the other human in the back. The shade froze solid, which gave Fenris the chance to cut off its head before the freezing ended.
Fenris had felt magic before, but this was different. He could not explain how he knew but it felt cleaner than Danarius' magic ever had. Her magic also felt controlled, disciplined, not wild and frenzied like all the blood magic he had felt before. That's also when he realized it was not a quarterstaff, but a very simple mage staff. She had skill, but she was still a mage. Even in his head "mage" was a swear word. They continued to battle shades and demons throughout the mansion, but when they entered the final room, anguish hit Fenris.
"Gone. I had hoped...No, it doesn't matter any longer. I assume Danarius left valuables behind. Take them if you wish. I...need some air." Fenris hurried from her as fast as her could. Hawke was an enigma to him, but still a mage, she should not be here. He reached the door they had come in, and he flew out into the night. Fenris began pacing in his frustration. Venhedis! How can she be a mage? Why another one? Would he never be free of their touch, their poison? He owed this one now, for helping him when she didn't have any obligation. He had an obligation to a mage and it sickened him. He also understood why he had never really heard anything else about Hawke. It was most likely the Red Iron protecting one of their own, keeping her mage status secret from public scrutiny, especially the Circle and the templars.
Fenris's sharp hearing heard the group get closer to the door so he leaned against the wall for support and took a couple deep breaths, trying to calm a little. Hawke exited first, and he found himself glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
"It never ends. I escaped a world of dark magic, only to have it hunt me at every turn. It is a plague burned into my flesh and soul. And now I find myself in the company of yet another mage." He pushed off the wall to stand in front of her. "Tell me, then: What manner of mage are you? What is it you seek?"
Hawke's mouth opened and closed, and the face that seemed to be used to smiling looked shocked. "Is that a problem? Do you have an issue with mages?"
"I have an issue with magic and those who are careless with it."
The human male stepped up next to her in a defensive stance. He pointed at the elf and with anger in his voice proclaimed: "If you have a problem with my sister, you have a problem with me."
"Carver…" Hawke trailed off, smiling at her brother. She reached over and gave his arm an affectionate squeeze.
Sister. That is unexpected. Now that Fenris studied them he could see a resemblance between the two humans that he hadn't notice before.
"I imagine I appear ungrateful. If so, I apologize, for nothing could be further from the truth. I did not find Danarius but I still owe you a debt. Here is all the coin I have, as Anso promised. Should you find yourself in need of my assistance, I would gladly render it."
"You didn't seem all that thrilled with me a moment ago." Hawke smirked, the defensive way she began to cross her arms belied the humor in her tone.
"You are not Danarius. Whether you are anything like him remains to be seen."
"Why is Danarius after you? He must want something more than just a runaway slave."
"He doesn't want me at all, just the markings on my skin. They are lyrium, burned into my flesh to provide the power that Danarius needed of his pet." Fenris spat out the word pet, glaring at the Hawke mage, wanting her to understand his rage. For some reason he could not fathom yet, he needed her to understand. "And now he wishes his precious investment returned, even if he must rip it from my corpse."
"Perhaps you could find a way to pay him back?" Hawke supplied.
"I will pay him back, in blood. You have no idea what he's done to me, what I went through just to get away."
"I...I was just trying to help."
"I'm sorry, that was unworthy of me. The truth is I know nothing about the ritual that placed these markings on me. It was Danarius's choice, one he now regrets."
"I'm planning an expedition to the Deep Roads that I might need help with."
"Fair enough. Should you have need of me, I will be here. If Danarius wishes his mansion back, he is free to return and claim it. Beyond that I am at your disposal." Fenris stepped through the trio back into the house, closing the door behind them. He leaned his head on the cool wood of the door, letting it try to cool his fevered forehead. Why did those haunting eyes have to belong to a mage? He growled in frustration pushing away from the door, moving deeper into the mansion to begin pacing.