A/N: This story got a bit long, but it was so exciting I couldn't find a way to easily break it up without breaking the rhythm of this tale.
Disclaimer: Dragon Age is owned by Bioware, I just like to write.
Isabela couldn't believe she was heading back to Kirkwall. She knew that Hawke promised to help her with Castillon and had even said she could take the relic to give to Castillon. But over-whelming guilt had tracked her like a bad stalker, and now she found her steps leading her back to Hawke.
As she entered the city, she couldn't believe the mess. Buildings burning, looters going crazy, and bodies everywhere, Isabela stepped up to a Qunari corpse, and smiled at the tell-tale burns and sword marks on the body. Hawke and Fenris' work, she knew it well. She began to track the trail of bodies through the city, and smiled at one body that was only frozen feet and millions of pink, fleshy ice cubes around it from the body being shattered by Aveline's shield.
As she entered the Hightown market she came across the body of a headless Saarebas, but she didn't recognize the sword work. I hope they're on our side, who ever this person was. Isabela could vaguely make out the sounds of battle in the direction of the keep, so she took off in that direction keeping to the shadows, her stealth ability an asset to avoid a few of the qunari still patrolling the city. As she neared the keep, she saw templars and the Knight-Commander engaging a fairly large group of qunari.
"We need to finish them off so they can not head back into the keep and kill off Hawke and her group from behind," she heard a mage yell as he threw a fireball at a couple qunari spear throwers.
"I know, First Enchanter," Knight-Commander Meredith yelled back at him. "They will be dealt with for threatening my city."
They're in the keep? Why? And why am I doing this? She said I could have the relic, but then I might lose the greatest friend I've ever made...Oh! She huffed to herself before sneaking up the stairs to the keep. Isabela knew she should try and help the Knight-Commander, it's what Hawke would have done in her place, but she had to find Hawke before it was too late, even though she regretted each step that brought her closer to Viscount's Keep.
Entering the keep, Isabela felt the over-powering quiet that pervaded the place. It felt creepy being this quiet and solemn, the place was normally filled with guardsmen keeping the nobles at bay and nobles bickering and demanding to see the viscount. As her eyes swept over the room she noticed guardsmen and qunari corpses littering the floor, and at the very back of the long hall leading to the throne room, the normally closed doors were wide open.
Isabela crept up the stairs and could see Hawke, Aveline, Fenris and Varric standing in front of the Arishok. They were surrounded by nobles, and seemed to be having a discussion as the Arishok kept motioning to them and looking as disgusted as his normally stoic face could look. Fear began to worm its way into her heart as she looked down the long hallway.
Isabela, you stupid trollop, this could backfire. She could send you away after everything, and your bloody sacrifice will all be for nothing! Grr, but I still have to try, I know she would help me with Castillon, she's said as much in the past. Giving her head a shake, and trying to pretend the fear didn't exist, Isabela began to saunter down the hall. She was concentrating so much on Hawke, even though her back was to her, that Isabela almost missed the qunari guard who stepped out to block her path.
"You know we cannot leave until the relic is returned to us, what do you propose we do?" Isabela heard the Arishok ask Hawke.
With a quick jab to the guard's face with the tome, Isabela walked over the now passed out guard as she said: "I believe I can answer that."
Hawke had turned to look at Isabela as she walked into the throne room and watched as confusion, relief and happiness all played across her features in turn. I knew I should have trusted her, she's happy to see me.
"I believe you'll find it mostly undamaged," Isabela continued handing the tome to the Arishok.
"Heroic acts of sacrifice, what will people say?" Hawke quipped with a smile on her face.
"This is your damned influence Hawke!" Isabela stated, trying to sound angry. "I was halfway to Ostwick before I knew I had to come back."
"The Tome of Koslun," the Arishok whispered, looking at the tome with something that almost looked like reverence. He quickly collected himself and glared before continuing: "I am free to return to Par Vollen, with the thief."
"Oh no, no, no," Aveline stated. "If anyone's going to punish her, it's going to be me."
"You have your relic, why don't you just leave?"
"You know we do not abide thievery, Serah Hawke. She will come with us," the Arishok stated simply.
"You cannot have her, she stays with us. We will punish her," Hawke stated with so much finality that it surprised Isabela.
"Then you leave me no choice," the Arishok replied. "I challenge you Hawke, a fight to the death with the thief as the prize."
"If you're going to duel anyone, duel me," Isabela interjected, not liking where this was going. Duels are my thing, and Hawke wouldn't last five minutes with the Arishok.
"You are not Basalit-an, you are not worthy," the Arishok replied, not even deigning to look in her direction.
"I…" Hawke began.
"Wait!" Isabela interrupted, pulling on Hawke's arm.
"I'll be right back," Hawke told the Arishok as Isabela pulled her away. "What Isabela?"
"You can't be thinking of doing this?" Isabela asked a touch of fear in her eyes.
"I have to Isabela," Hawke replied firmly, pulling her into a hug to try to comfort the rogue. "If I don't, I'll lose one of my friends, and that's not something I want to happen."
"But what if you lose?" Isabela asked, surprised at the tears blurring her eyesight. "You'll be dead, and I'll never forgive myself."
"I hate to admit this," Aveline started, looking upset at the admission, "But she's right, if you lose, you'll be dead and he gets her anyway."
"Just let him take me," Isabela said, fear clutching at her heart again. "I…"
"No!" Hawke practically shouted in her ear. "I will not lose anymore of my family!"
"She can do this," Fenris finally spoke up, surprising everyone with his simple statement.
"Okay," Hawke breathed, finally letting go of Isabela. "Any last words of advice?"
"Your speed is you ally," Fenris answered stepping up to her. "He will be faster than the qunari and Tal-Vashoth we have encountered before, but he will still be slower than you. He will also be very strong, try and keep your distance. Here, take these."
Hawke looked at the potions as he handed them to her, restoration potions, to help restore her mana and health should they both flag in the fight.
"Fenris…" Hawke whispered, Isabela could tell there were so many things Hawke wanted to say to Fenris in case she didn't survive but didn't dare in case she did.
"Just…" Fenris started before reaching up to touch her face, causing Hawke to bite her lower lip. Suddenly he was pulling her into a hug, which surprised them all, knowing it was the first time he had shown her any kind of affection since they had been together. "Be careful," was all he was able to choke out before he let her go. Hawke took a few steadying breaths, before turning back to the Arishok.
"Alright," she smirked at him. "Let's dance."
"So shall it be," the Arishok stated with a small smile on his lips. The qunari started to clear the lower area where the duel was to take place, herding the nobles up next to the throne so they could watch the coming battle and the contenders did not have to worry about killing one of them needlessly.
"If you win my men will take the tome and leave the city. If I win we take the tome and the thief," the Arishok explained as the lower throne room was cleared.
"What happens to you, if I win?" Hawke asked, making sure she understood.
"Then I will be dead. My men have their orders, they will return to Par Vollen."
"I should tell you that I take no joy from this. It is what needs to be done to save this city."
"Indeed," the Arishok replied. "Why should I believe that?"
"Believe what you will," Hawke stated, giving him a one shoulder shrug. "But I have stood up for your people as well as my own."
"This is true," the Arishok reasoned. "This is why you have been named Basalit-an. You are worthy of respect, not even your Viscount was worthy of any respect."
"And if you win?"
"Then you will be dead," the Arishok replied simply. "Though like you, I take no joy from it. It simply needs to be done."
"Understood."
"Then let it begin."
Isabela watched from the stairs in trepidation as tiny, mage Hawke faced off with the imposing Arishok. She found herself worrying her lower lip, something she would never have done if she didn't want Hawke to survive so bad.
"She shouldn't be doing this," Isabela found herself whispering out loud. "I'm not worth it."
"To Hawke, you are," Fenris whispered back. "Do not make light of her possible sacrifice, she would do the same for all of us. She is a strong mage, quick on her feet and smart, if any mage could survive, she could."
"Do you believe that?"
"I am trying to convince myself," Fenris confessed.
Hawke and the Arishok circled each other, their weapons drawn as they sized each other up. Thankful for once that she was a mage, she could tell the Arishok was already dismissing her small stature. He thought she would be an easy win and a small part of her couldn't deny this would be a tough fight to live through, even if she could survive. Squashing the fear before it took over and she froze from it, Hawke to a deep breath and watched the Arishok. He was strong, you could tell from the way his muscles rippled when he moved, but then, so were most qunari. He duel wielded, which was a surprise, since most qunari wielded a single blade or spears. And with those horns, he would most likely use them to charge at her, trying to catch her off guard. The two opponents finally stopped circling one another, and Hawke tensed and waited for the Arishok to make his move.
She did not have to wait long before the Arishok charged her, like she already expected he would. She dodged out of his way, clearing his charge before sending up a cone of cold behind her, stabbing him in the back with the icicles her magic created. Thankfully, the icicles froze him in place for a short time, allowing her to back up a bit towards a column as she fired at him with her staff. Hawke was never one to rely on her staff, except when her mana ran low, she always was one to use as much of her mana as possible to end the fight quickly. This fight, with the Arishok, she would not be so lucky, she could tell this would be a long grueling battle and as such, she needed to conserve her mana, using it wisely.
Standing near the column, Hawke continued to fire her staff until the Arishok unfroze and turned to her. He did not charge her this time, not wanting to barrel into the column and knock himself out so he stalked towards her. She noticed the dangerous gleam in his eyes; he had dismissed her too readily before the battle and would not make that same mistake again. She danced back behind the column when he got too close to her, and as he rounded the column, she swung the bottom half of her father's staff up and hit him in the jaw with the heavy blunt end. Hawke was not strong, she knew, but even so the blow dazed him for a moment and caused him to grunt in surprise and pain. This allowed Hawke to flit to the other side of the throne room, the Arishok surprised by her speed, not knowing she had boosted herself with haste. She turned back and shot off her staff several more times before the magical haste left her.
Hawke shot off a fireball, but the Arishok was already charging at her, so the flaming ball missed her target and hit the wall near the column in a cloud of spreading fire. Hawke dodged behind the other pillar as the Arishok's charge grew near. Hawke noticed the flames from her fireball began to lick up the wall so Hawke dismissed the magic. The last thing she needed was a blazing keep around her while she battled the Arishok. The Arishok turned towards her with what could be deemed a sneer.
"I had not thought to battle an unleashed Saarebas," he told her, again stalking towards her. "I had forgotten you had magic in your blood."
"You forgot a very important detail," Hawke quipped, smirking at him.
"Indeed," the Arishok growled, swiping at her with his twin blades.
Hawke easily dodge the blades, but had to backpedal as his swipe turned into a whirlwind of death as his blades whipped and whirled around his body as he stepped towards her. Hawke blasted him with another cold spell freezing him in place again as she backed up once again to the other side of the room continuing to fire her staff at him.
That could have been bad, she thought to herself as she fired at him. Don't really want to be a filleted Hawke.
She took the chance on the long duration this freeze spell would give her and began casting a firestorm around the Arishok's frozen figure. She didn't like using this spell because of how defenseless she was in the casting. Once it began, you couldn't stop casting, which unless the Arishok was frozen would mean her instant death by his blades. Hawke watched while she cast as some of the balls of fire fell around the Arishok, some hitting him, while other's missed but all the while she could hear his howls of pain as the flames licked at his painted, bronze skin.
Before her casting was complete, her cold spell's freezing duration ended, and the Arishok wasted no time in charging at her diminutive figure still in the throws of her spell. He watched the fear fill her eyes as he barreled into her, knocking her prone to the floor. Hawke was half-way to her feet on her knees when the Arishok skewered her with one of his blades causing her to scream in agony and raised her as if she weighed nothing above his head, still stuck around his sword. Hawke's blood began to run down around his hand and arm as he held her in the air. He bounced his arm a few times causing her to scream in refreshed pain each time before he let her fall from his blade as he dropped her towards the floor.
Isabela and Fenris both jerked towards Hawke, wanting to run down to help their friend, but Aveline held them back with one arm. "If you go," she warned. "All of Hawke's efforts will be for nothing. She knew what she was getting into, and the price she may have to pay."
Hawke stumbled to her feet, grimacing in pain as her life blood poured out from the wounds in her stomach and back. Feeling weak, but unable to give up just yet, she noticed the Arishok raise his other blade to take off her head. Without thinking she unleashed a torrent of mental energy that dazed the Arishok and allowed her to use the skills Anders had taught her. Her hands glowed with blue light as she pressed one to each side of her body front and back and temporarily closing the wounds and allowing the flow of blood to ebb. Before the Arishok could recover, Hawke lurched away while quaffing a lyrium potion.
She was still in pain, but she did not feel quite so tired anymore, turning towards the Arishok she fired off her staff, until her mental attack allowed him to move again. Growling at his missed chance of victory, the Arishok charged her again, lowering his head this time like a bull. Hawke wasn't able to miss the full charge, the pain her injury caused her slowed her down, and she was sent spinning as the Arishok clipped her in the side during his charge. Her head reeling from spinning, and still in pain, Hawke's vision finally cleared and the Arishok loomed above her.
"I was hoping for more of a challenge from you," he said, as he raised both blades to strike her down. "Still you fought with more honor than most would from this city."
"I'm not done yet," she promised, surrounding the Arishok in a force prison, which slowly began to crush him.
The Arishok howled in pain as the prison crushed him, and he heard bones break as the spell continued and could do nothing to stop it. The Arishok watched the fire in Hawke's eyes, and the sudden flit of sadness at having to kill him in this duel. She is worthy, he thought as he knew his life was ending. Too bad this city is not worthy of her. As the prison continued to crush the life from him she unleashed one more fireball at him, and charged him, her staff held high as she jumped and brought the staff crashing onto the top of his head. He heard and felt his thick skull plate crack under the surprising force of her last blow.
Finally he was released from the crushing prison, and through the stars he stumbled back and tripped when the stairs met his feet. He fell backwards, and promised with his last dying breath: "One day, we shall return."
Hawke looked down at the Arishok's body as she strapped her staff to her back, and to the crowds surprise she crossed her arms over her chest before she bowed to him, in a traditional Fereldan sign of respect. When she straightened, she looked to the qunari closest to her and they nodded to each other before all the qunari walked out of the throne room. The qunari who acknowledged Hawke's triumph over the Arishok took his swords before following his comrades out into the burning night.
The nobles started to descend from the stairs, staring at Hawke with shock, awe, and a little fear as they surrounded her. Isabela could tell that Hawke was exhausted, and needed to go rest, but the crowd would not let her depart. Finally the Knight-Commander and First Enchanter entered the keep, running as if they expected to see quite the battle still in progress. Instead they were greeted with Hawke, standing over the body of the dead Arishok. Isabela noticed a flash of annoyance cross Meredith's features, and she knew her friend would have some problems with her in the future for taking away her chance of victory.
"Is it over?" Meredith asked Hawke, with a little disbelief coloring her question.
"It's over." Hawke replied grimly, with a slight grimace of pain.
"It looks like Kirkwall has a new champion," Meredith stated, sheathing her blade and moved to shake Hawke's hand.
Hawke grimly took Meredith's arm and the two women stared into each other's eyes. Ice blue versus turquoise, one set filled with anger that a mage had defeated an opponent without her, the other resigned determination for the future the other would try to block. Meanwhile the crowd of nobles erupted into cheers at Hawke's crowning, not noticing the animosity between the two women still holding each other's arms.
"Thank you Knight-Commander," Hawke finally spoke, breaking the other's grasp. "If you'll excuse me, it has been a long night."
"Of course Champion," Orsino replied, coming up to her side to clap her on the shoulder in congratulations. "Go celebrate, rest, do whatever you need to do."
"Thank you First Enchanter," Hawke smiled at the mage, before nodding and turning to exit the keep, the cheers from the nobles following her out of the throne room.
Isabela fell into step behind her, and Fenris on her other side. As they neared the entrance out of the keep, Isabela noticed the blood stain on the back of Hawke's robes grow suddenly. As Hawke reached for the door handle her step faltered, and she fell back into Fenris's waiting arms. He picked her up without thought, and motioned towards the door.
"Isabela, go get Anders," Aveline started giving out orders. "Use the cellar entrance in Hawke's house, it's faster. Get the key from Bodahn. We'll meet you both at Hawke's estate. Varric, I'm sure Anders will want a little assistance and Merrill has a great knowledge of herbs."
Isabela took off for the estate without arguing with the guard captain for once. There was no time for a debate, Hawke was injured and needed help. She knew Varric was right behind her, but while she made for the door of the Amell Estate, he headed towards Lowtown for Kitten.
Isabela pounded on the front door of the estate, after finding the door was locked and in her haste not having the patience to pick the lock. After a few moments, Bodahn peeked out but that was enough time for Fenris and Aveline to catch up and he could see Fenris carrying an unconscious Hawke in his arms. She asked for the key, and he gave it to her without a second thought. Barreling through the house, Isabela ran as fast as she dared around all the corners finally climbing down the ladder just outside the entrance to Anders' clinic.
The doors were closed and the lanterns were out, but Isabela knew he never left the place, so she found herself again pounding on another set of doors.
"Anders!" she yelled at the door. "Hawke was injured, she's passed out, and she needs your help."
Isabela could hear noises from inside the clinic, and after a few minutes Anders emerged with a stuffed shoulder bag before nodding to Isabela and saying a quick "let's go." She led the way back through the cellar and up into Hawke's bedroom. Isabela couldn't help but gasp at all the blood on her bed. Fenris and Aveline had her on her side so they could hold bandages to her injury to try to keep her from bleeding out while they had waited for the healer's arrival.
"She was speared with one of the Arishok's swords," Fenris began to explain, grimly looking on as Anders moved to his side. "She was able to heal herself enough to keep from continuing to bleed out, but she must have ripped the wound open again when she took the final killing blow to the Arishok's head with her staff."
"She killed the Arishok?" Anders questioned, as he began his methodical work on their unconscious leader. Varric and Merrill arrived at the point, breathless from having run all the way here.
"Yes," Aveline replied. "It was a duel to keep him from taking Isabela since she's the one who stole the tome."
At this point the entire group looked at Isabela in disbelief and a little disgust. "What?" she asked, trying to defend herself. "I took the relic before I met any of you. Besides, I told her she should just let him take me."
"You should know Hawke would never let that happen," Anders replied, looking back on her still form. "We've become her family, and she loves her family. She would defend all of us with her dying breath."
"As we would her," Fenris agreed, which caused Anders to look at Fenris in disbelief. "I may not always agree with you mage, but I will not deny your statement about Hawke is truth."
"I've sealed the wound so she will not continue to bleed out, but the blade did damage to her internal organs, which will take more time for me to heal," Anders explained to the group. "I'm sure Bodahn can find rooms for all of us here in the mansion, but I'm going to have to ask all of you, except Merrill, to leave."
"I will not leave her," Fenris stated firmly, looking on Hawke with compassion and concern in his eyes.
"Fine," Anders agreed, not wanting to argue. "Everyone else: out!"
Fenris retreated to Hawke's desk chair as Isabela, Aveline, and Varric filed out of the room, and he sat anxiously while the two mages went to work. Anders did most of the healing, while Merrill busied herself with poultices and tonics to aide in Hawke's recovery. He couldn't help but feel he had failed her yet again, even knowing she could easily have turned Isabela over to the Arishok. But she continued to keep her word when it came to aiding her friends. She was the one thing he cared about in this town, and he found himself praying during his silent vigil that she wouldn't leave him alone.
Isabela watched Aveline go down the stairs to locate Bodahn and make sleeping arrangements as she walked to the balcony rail and leaned on it.
"If she dies because of me she's going to haunt me the rest of my life," Isabela admitted to Varric.
"Ravaini, if she dies she won't have to haunt you," he began, walking up to stand beside her. "The elf will kill you himself."
Isabela snorted at his statement, knowing it to be the truth.
"So why did you come back?" Varric asked her.
"Hawke's bad morals are rubbing off on me, I guess," Isabela replied with a smirk and a shrug.
"I don't think Hawke would consider them bad," Varric chuckled, turning to lean his back against the railing and also allowing himself a better look at Isabela.
"They have to be bad if they cause me to come back of my own free will and return the one bloody thing that would have kept Castillon from killing me," Isabela ranted, staring at the entryway on the floor below her. "And now she lies back there on her deathbed, all because she wouldn't consider the possibility of turning me over to the Arishok."
"That's what friends do Ravaini, take care of each other," Varric replied solemnly.
"No wonder all I've had is sleeping partners," Isabela stated, snorting again. "This feeling stuff…"
"It's heady stuff," Varric agreed. "So what now?"
"I think I might have to leave Kirkwall," Isabela sighed. "It's the only way to avoid Castillon, I'm sure he already knows I'm here."
"Are you going to wait for Hawke to wake up?" Varric queried, knowing not to talk her out of this decision.
"I think it would be best to leave before she wakes up," Isabela sighed. "Otherwise she might try to convince me to stay and I might just let her. I can't let her take anymore chances for me. I've done enough already."
Varric only nodded, and watched as Isabela made her way to the front door of the estate and disappeared into the night.
"Good luck, Ravaini," Varric whispered into the now empty hall.