Breathe. It seemed lately that was something she often forgot to do. She tried to think of the exact moment where her life changed so drastically. She'd almost forgotten what her old life was like. Traveling throughout Ferelden, righting wrongs and evening odds turned into memory. All she could think of now was the Inquisition. She looked at the palm of her hand. The green slit stared back. "Inquisitor?" a battle-ready voice interrupted her thoughts. Zenara blinked softly and shook her head. "Yes, Commander Cullen?" she looked to the blond man beside her. She could see a hint of worry in his eyes. He pursed his brows in a bit of confusion. "You alright, Kiddo?" Varric shared his concerns. She quickly turned to see the rift that stood yards away. "OH!" she stammered. She straightened her posture and cleared her throat, "Commander Cullen, have the men set up a perimeter. We don't need any surprises. You'll be coming with me, Varric, and Solas. The four of us should be enough to seal the rift and handle the monsters. If any should get by have your men on the ready." Cullen nodded and stepped back to command his troops.
Zenara gripped her bow but decided to use her daggers. "I'll be fighting beside the Commander, Varric. It doesn't seem fair to have him be the only one fighting with the creatures face-to-face," she looked to the dwarf for his approval. She had a habit of that. "Bianca and I will be fine, you worry about yourself…Keep your head out of the clouds," he prepared his crossbow. He'd been around the Qunari female long enough to know when something was on her mind. She wasn't one to daze off into a dream world whilst standing before a fade-rift that possibly could aid in the end of the world. He decided not to comment on the fact that she had purposely avoided bringing the Iron Bull with her. As far as he knew, they hadn't engaged in any fights, so he couldn't wrap his mind around this peculiar behavior. He trusted her judgment, everyone did. However, he couldn't but help wonder if the Inquisition wasn't wearing her thin. She smiled less. That light in her eyes was dulling every day. The dwarf wondered if she had even noticed the change, herself. Then again, with the way she was eye-ing her palm she just might have.
She chuckled at the dwarf's bold words, "You eye me any closer dwarf and Bianca might get jealous." "Ready when you are, Inquisitor," the blond returned by her side. She nodded and ran towards the rift with him beside her. Varric aimed his crossbow and Solas charged his first attack. It was like clockwork, almost as if it sensed her. The creatures of the rift pulled themselves from the tear, roaring and screaming. "Here we go," Zenara said sternly. She flexed her wrists in turn, twirling her daggers running towards the creatures. The fight had begun. Lately when she fought, she blacked out. She didn't remember much of what she did. Her instincts took over and she went into defense mode. Perhaps it was because her foes were rarely human, and if so, were soulless killers. She didn't want to know the reason.
The fight went on quite routinely but something was off. There were far more monsters. They poured from the tear like blood did from a deep and angry wound. Luckily everyone was holding their own until the ground began to shake. Everyone turned to look as four giants ripped themselves from the green snag in the fade. She killed the last of the creatures near her and sheathed her daggers. As she equipped her bow she grabbed one of her new arrows and aimed it for one of the creatures' skull. They stood there calmly and quietly. They were sizing up their opponents. "Varric!" she screamed. "Do NOT turn your fire on the giants. You, Solas, AND Cullen continue to focus on the fleet. Leave the giants to me," she sounded far more confident than she actually was. "Are you shitting me, Qunari?!" the dwarf challenged as he slammed the hilt of his cross-brow against a creature's skull. "You heard me," she pulled the bow and arrow until taught. "If you're trying to get yourself killed I can think of several different ways for you to do it!" he was quite sure something was up now. Before she could argue she heard another familiar voice chime in. "You know he's right, boss," the usually gentle but hardy voice was currently icy and menacing. The female Qunari kept her weapon aimed, "Bull, what the HELL are you doing here?!" She tried to keep her eyes on her target. One of the giants let out a roar. She quickly let loose an arrow. It flew at the giant's skull at full speed until the giant plucked it from the air like a butterfly and crushed it like a toothpick. "I could ask you the same damn thing," the giant Qunari male roared at her before the giant could. She set up another arrow and aimed it at a giant's shin. It made direct contact and brought the creature to its un-injured knee, but it also made the other three go berserk. "Me?! I'm SUPPOSED to be here!" she shot back, holstering her bow and equipping her daggers. Bull dropped three creatures in one frustrated swing, "And you don't think my particular talents would be welcomed here for moments such as THIS one?!" She ran towards the downed giant and sank her daggers deep into its brain. She stabbed over and over, ducking its attempts to snatch her off. Once she felled the giant and noticed that Varric and Solas practically obliterated the fleet and were focusing on a giant of their own. She re-sheathed her daggers, "That's not the point, Bull and you know it!" She turned to the rift and saw her chance. She wouldn't let one more fowl monstrosity weasel its way from the fade. Stopping before the angry, green tear she held out her palm and watched as it sucked the rip out of the sky. "Well how about you enlighten me AFTER we take care of the task at hand, boss," Iron Bull held off one of the remaining giants. She grumbled to herself wanting to clout him over the head with one of his own clubs. Once the rift closed she gently rubbed her wrist and ran back towards the battle. Cullen was fine. So was Varric. Solas was hardly challenged. The troops stood their ground and Bull as usual was doing what he did best. She sighed in relief.
Suddenly her arms were pinned to her sides. She felt as if she was in a vice grip. She struggled to get loose. The ground left her feet as she was brought before a face that reeked of rotting flesh. One of those damn giants had gotten a hold of her. The impact from its battle cry sent her cloudy locks into a frenzy. She could hear her comrades call out her name as they tried to free themselves of their own distractions. She continued to rustle until she equipped a hand with a dagger and freed it. With all her strength she stabbed the dagger into the creature's hand, coaxing a howl of pain from it. Annoyed, the giant cranked its arm back and tossed her at full strength, aiming for the hard ground. She flew back, several yards past the troops and landed back-first. The impact shook through her, robbing the very air from her lungs. She could feel the ground give way to the monstrous impact. Her body crumpled in agony but the ground cracked at the impact. Her vision blurred and her ears rang deaf until she finally blacked out.
After the last giant was slain the party gathered around the fallen Qunari. "No normal person could survive a fall like that," Cullen cloaked his fear with a look of sorrow. Varric looked up at the blond leader. "Well, Zenara isn't normal if you haven't noticed by now," he cloaked his own fear with humor. "I do not sense an absence of life force. The Qunari lives," the elf, Solas chimed in. Bull parted the crowd and knelled down. "This particular Qunari is too stubborn to die," he quipped as he moved her hair from her eyes. Instantly the female Qunari began to cough. The Chargers' leader helped her to sit up as she continued to drag air into her lungs. "You alright, Kiddo?" the dwarf broke the silence. "Ow," was all the Qunari Inquisitor could rasp. Bull pulled her to her feet. She pressed her green-lit palm against her forehead and almost stumbled as she made a step. Bull smirked and threw her across his shoulders. She was obviously out of it if she didn't have the strength to protest. "You see, boss? This is what happens when you leave me at home," he chuckled arrogantly, happy that she was okay. She groaned, he laughed. They both knew he'd never let her live that day down.
"Aaaah!" she heard a snap and winced. Bull grabbed her bare shoulder and rubbed at the base of her neck. "Ah! Bull!" she tried to move from him but he held her firmly in place, working the stress of the impact from her back. "You were badass enough to try and take on four giants by yourself so you can man up and bite through the pain," he responded to her complaints. The Qunari mercenary was more than happy that his fellow Qunari was okay but he felt that toss was a much needed kick in the ass. Their kind didn't believe in women fighting. Years outside of Saheron changed his views. Part of him still felt it to be true, but when he saw individuals like Cassandra and Sera hold their own and send their opponents fleeing; he could not help but wonder if his people were blind to the possibilities. Zenara herself was a formidable opponent in her own right. Her style was quite odd for her body type, though. He'd never heard of a graceful person of the Qun before. Though his people were not bumbling idiots like cattle in finery shops, they were known for their power and they tapped into it. Even their assassins and rouges opted for strength. Zenara was the first Qunari female he'd seen that fought more like a lithe elf or spry human, than a power-house Qun. He knew the strength was there. He'd seen her snap a man's neck from just the force of her thighs, but it seems that those who trained her didn't train her to tap into her people's abilities. Though it didn't trouble the seasoned Ben-Hassrath warrior, it did nag the back of his mind. If she were to one day encounter an opponent like himself, she might not fair too well. There was finesse in his strength. He knew a way around speed and twinkle-toed rivals, but did she know how to conquer power-houses that had finesse of their own? "I'm much better now," she gritted interrupting the male's thoughts. She grabbed at his wrist trying to wriggle free. He scoffed, "Like hell you are." She gave an exasperated sigh. "If I don't work out all the stress your back might go out the next time you go out there to do more foolish female-things," he looked at the back of her neck. "Until then, keep off your back as much as possible," he pressed into her lower back and heard another snap which coaxed another yelp from her. "We both know which party in this room spends more time on their back," she countered, drawing a smile from him.
As they sat on her bed she looked into the flickering lights of her candles. "Don't do that again," she ordered. He arched an eye-brow, "Do what? Save your ass?" He could hear the irritation in her voice. "I'm serious, Bull. If I needed you there, you would have been there," she looked down at the patterns of the blanket on her bed. He thought for a moment and it hit him. "Look, Zenara," he inhaled. "I appreciate the fact that you call yourself protecting me, but what you're doing is an insult to me as well as my abilities. I don't need any protection. I do the protecting. I'm not going to collect your coin and sit back on my ass. I offered my services because I wanted in on the action. This is what I do for a living. This is the life I enjoy leading. I won't let anyone take that from me, even you," he threatened. He awaited her response. All he was met with was the drooping of her shoulders. He had hit the nail on the head. He stopped his massage and rested his hands on his knees, silently demanding a response. Finally he was met with one. "I'm sorry," she murmured sadly, "You're right." Those were definitely four words he was never expecting. "I care about you. More than you probably know, more than you would care to know," she kept her gaze away from him. "I never doubted your abilities, but I do doubt my ability to live with myself should anything happen to you," she looked up at the club he gave her. It was displayed on a weapon rack. He often complained that she must not have liked the gift if she never used it, but it was quite the contrary. She treasured it too much to mar it in the throes of battle. She treated it like a piece of jewelry and of course he was none too pleased. "Please don't hate me for wanting the assurance that when I walk away from a battle I won't be walking away from your dead corpse as well," she closed her eyes and exhaled.
The Iron Bull turned the Qunari female to face him. He gently cupped her face in his massive hands. "Nothing in this life is guaranteed," he made sure she looked him in the eyes. "That does not mean we should go through life with no purpose, but it does mean we should treasure the gifts it brings before us. Come here," he almost purred, pulling her on top of him as he lay on his back. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his, exhaling slowly. She hated him for being right. She hated the Qun for being right. He could no more guarantee his victory than she could her own. She softly sucked his bottom lip, enjoying the faint taste of candy and the tingle of his potent liquor. He grunted and ran his hands along her form. He never thought gentle touches could turn him on as much as they did. She handled him as if he was fragile and that only inclined him to want to show her how rough he could be. One day he would, but for now he enjoyed talking it slow. There was something primal in her that with proper coaxing would one day awaken and explode within her and he planned on being there to enjoy every second of it all. Zenara found herself growing more forward with the Qunari every-time they shared an intimate moment. They hadn't slept together yet, but with Bull's imagination they might as well have done that and more. She coaxed his lips apart seeking that experienced tongue of his that always left her hot and shivering. She bit softly on his lower lip and clenched her womanhood instantly as she felt a grunt rumble in his chest. "Bull," she sighed and softly placed kisses along his jaw-line, while she rested her hands over his shoulders, on the bed. Being on top was always like scaling a mountain; she felt like a small child trying to climb a mountain of man. The Charger's leader took her wrists and pinned her arms behind her back. She continued to press quick kisses along the lower half of his face. He rolled her onto her back and rested both knees on either side of her hips. "You know, boss," he started speaking as he moved her hands to pin them above her head. "I, of course, accept your apology. However…" he trailed off as he removed the long, thin, leather strap from her breeches that she used to them, and tied her hands together to the head of the bed, "there's a lesson to be learned from your foolishness." He looked into her expressive, brown eyes. She was definitely not of the Ben-Hassrath. Her eyes told him everything. He knew when she was hungry, when she was in horrible pain, when she was lying, when she was being genuine; he could read her like a book from her eyes alone. At that moment he could see them dance with excitement and apprehension. She trusted him but she never knew what was ahead. She was a woman usually in control, quickly handing that power over to him. "What did you have in mind?" her voice was soft and breathy. He lifted her thin white tank up just enough to expose her large, heaving breasts. He looked into her eyes, again. His expression was stern and serious, "I'm going to make you scream my name until you learn it. I will give your body no peace until you acknowledge that I am the Iron Bull, and not some damsel that needs protection. Tonight, I'll give you a small taste of my wrath, Inquisitor." Zenara gave a nervous swallow. Whenever he called her by her title he meant business; in the bed and out of it. She merely bit her lower lip. She was just as stubborn as him and hoped he wouldn't easily break her resolve like he usually did. The Ben-Hassrath spy dipped his head down and took a violet nipple in his mouth, coaxing a sigh from the Qunari Inquisitor. Every time she pulled against her bindings they cut into her wrists. He took his hand, flicked a thumb against her free nipple and felt both peaks stiffen quickly. The female anatomy was quite an exquisite one indeed. Zenara's was no exception. He often wondered how large-breasted women fared well in battle, but would soon after retract such thoughts as his dick never got in his way. He left the violet peak with a slight nibble and then moved in for a sloppy kiss. His lips tingled as he felt her moan into the kiss. His mouth was relentless. He darted his tongue into hers the same way he planned on plowing his cock into her one day. During the kiss he slowly slipped off her breeches and continued his assault on her mouth. Once her womanhood was exposed he broke the kiss. He watched her carefully. She panted softly, catching her breath. She licked her lips as if trying to savor traces of his mouth. He smirked at the sexual act. So she enjoyed the taste of him as much as he did her… He began to place a trail of kisses down her body. He started with a peck at her lips, against her throat, between her breasts, against her belly button… until he ended up between her legs. He placed a wet kiss at the left juncture of her thigh. She gasped and tried to close her legs. "W-what are you doing?" her voice trembled. "Teaching you a lesson," he glibly remarked as he lay on his stomach and forced her legs to straddle his shoulders. "I missed a good meal coming to save your ass, and I intend on at least partaking in dessert," he practically snarled before burying his face between her legs.
Zenara let out a howl of pleasure as ecstasy danced along her body. She jerked her body and stiffened her frame. Bull only sped up his onslaught. He suckled softly against her orchid pearl, feeling the heat radiate from her honey core. "Bull!" she gasped, unable to handle such intense and direct waves of pleasure. Her nipples hardened to the point of pain as the chilled night air grazed them. "What's my name?" he lifted his head to ask before pressing his tongue against her pleasure nub. "Bull!" she arched her back, mewling in pleasure. "What is it?" he demanded before smacking the bottom of his tongue against the nub again. She groaned and pulled tightly against her restraints, the pain oddly increasing her levels of pleasure, "Iron Bull!" He sucked on her pleasure nub a bit more before slipping his tongue into her molten cavern, careful not to harm the virgin barrier. "Ah, I'm coming," she pleaded with him, unsure of what she was begging for. "Who are you coming for?" his words were slightly muffled by the woman-dew in his mouth. Her hips began to buck involuntarily as he moved a hand to squeeze her right breast. "Bull!" she screamed, crying his name as he pushed her to the edge of her climax. "Don't ever fucking forget it," he growled between her legs as he darted his tongue in and out of her. Once he felt her shudder he suckled on her nub once again and she went wild. Instinct took over and she bucked her hips wildly, her abs squeeze taught. She moaned his name over and over as if worshiping an idol. As the aftershock surged through her, she sobbed softly, her body still jerking involuntarily. Bull kissed his way back up her now sensitive flesh. Strands of white hair clung to her damp flesh. He untied her and witnessed the purple welts her resistance gifted her. He gently kissed against her always-sensitive neck. He never got tired of her sounds of whimpering. Those were sounds of her surrendering to his skills. Once she was coherent and calm he looked down at her with a kind smile. "I think I've learned my lesson," she said softly. He chuckled, "Good, but I look forward to disciplining you for other reasons as well." Her chest heaved gently as she giggled. He looked down between her legs and gave a grin. "Serious though, I missed dinner once I found out you'd left to seal a rift without me. Let me finish my meal and I'll let you get some rest," he spoke as he moved back down between her legs and lapped at every drop of her essence of passion. She mewled very softly. "You're going to be the end of me," she gasped.