Author's note. It's the story of Elisebeth Hawke and her lovable band of misfits, but I have taken a few liberties with the story because I was disappointed with Dragon Age 2, and while I understood why things happened as they did and when they did in the game, I don't have the same goals as Bioware, so I've tweaked a few things. I also have a crush on Orsino and felt that his ending was a little ridiculous. And I was annoyed with everyone else at the same decomposed bodies every time I visited Fenris, even in Act 3, so I felt that was the first order of business. I know where the story is going, but I don't know when it will get there, so I hope you enjoy it enough to keep reading. I do have a tendency towards fluff, but I'll try to keep it believable :).

This isn't my first fanfiction but it's the first one I think I'll actually finish and it's the first one I've ever let see the light of day. Reviews are welcome!

Ch. 1, in which our heroine is given a task.

A heavy scroll dropped onto the table making a heavy "clunking" sound as it hit, followed by a light clinking as it rolled to a stop against a half-empty wine bottle - a thirty-three-year-old Aggregio Pavali.

"Fenris, clean up your damn mansion. And fix it, while you're at it."

The elf looked up, startled, from where he was sitting on his bed, haphazardly shoved against the wall, reading a book. Or, more accurately, attempting to read, as it was an old text and he was still new to his letters.

Hawke smiled at him, shaking her head. "It's a disaster in here. The only good thing I can say is that you had the sense to clear out the bodies. But Maker, Fen. You could have at least gotten rid of their things, too."

He shook his head at his friend, smiling a bit at her tone but with that same baulked mule look that she knew to expect. "My friend," he said, his voice rasping wryly. "You'll just have to put up with it. What am I supposed to do, have a spring cleaning day? Let's show all the neighbours that someone really is living here!"

Elisebeth Hawke smirked. "But someone will be, starting today."

The lyrium-tattooed elf raised an eyebrow, suddenly looking wary. "What did you say? If this is a joke, it isn't funny, Hawke." He reached over and snatched up the scroll, unrolling it hastily. He tried to scan it but as it was a housing deed in legalese, he quickly shook his head. A name, however, caught his eye - "Prince Sebastian Vael." He relaxed slightly, but looked back at Lise. "What is this about?"

Lise laughed. "As you know, Prince Vael will be staying for an extended time in Kirkwall. And while you and I know that he lives at the Chantry for better or for worse, the nobility of Kirkwall need an address to put with the person. So, when he's not here, he'll have his loyal servants taking care of the place."

A light of understanding gleamed in Fenris' eye, but he still looked reserved. "Servants? Am I to pretend I work for His Highness, now? And if I'm in public much more you know word will get back to Danarius."

She snorted. "Come on. You don't even act like you work for me most of the time, yet who buys you dinner six days out of the week?" He grinned in response. "Anyhow, Fen, you know that Danarius already knows, or at least will know eventually. I say let him come. Aren't you tired of skulking? Let him come, so we can finally remove his shadow and get rid of him."

Fenris smiled at her use of the word 'we'. "I suppose you're right, Hawke. After all, with Hadriana dead, he'll know that she found me. And I'm sure he'll come looking." He uncorked the bottle of wine and offered it to her, but she shook her head.

"Actually, speaking of Hadriana, that's the second part of the scheme. It won't be just you, since we will be cleaning this place up, and someone needs to keep it clean. I know you won't."

He grimaced. "I'll be moving if you think I'm going to share with someone else. I like Sebastian well enough, but even that's enough to make me twitch."

Lise smiled again. "I'm not so sure. I didn't think you disliked Orana that much."

A faint blush - which would have been invisible if she hadn't already expected something - dusted his cheek and he said, "Orana? Why would she move in?"

"Honestly, I'm hoping you'll help her out. She's a lovely girl, but she's still got so much of the slave mentality. I'm only her mistress so much in that I pay her for the few things I ask her to do around the manor, but she still watches me, like..."

Fenris grinned. "A hawk?"

Lise groaned. "Indeed. I know you've taken care of her so far, and she is more open with you than with anyone else. You certainly can help her gain some sense of self, since you know exactly what she's gone through. This way you two can help each other with reading when I'm not teaching you. And she's an amazing housekeeper, which will satisfy Sebastian, in case he does have to use the manor for something."

Fenris nodded again, cautiously, and Lise saw the blush back again. Orana was a sweet girl whom they'd rescued from an apprentice of his old master, Danarius. She'd seemed so young when they found her, but it was mostly because she was so naïve, so eager-to-please. She was in her early twenties and Lise could tell that Fenris was interested. Honestly, it'd be a good match - he needed something to protect, and she was quiet enough that she'd understand his moodiness. And neither would have to imagine what the other had experienced, with both having once been slaves. Sebastian would have a housekeeper, Orana would have someone to protect her in the empty manor, and hopefully, eventually, things would progress. Fenris would never be anything other than a gentleman to her, no matter what.

Later that evening, after explaining to Orana that no, she wasn't going to have to leave until the mansion was ready and no, her services weren't unsatisfactory, Lise finally got a chance to relax in the study. Once the young elf had realized that she was, for all intents and purposes merely being reassigned - and that she'd get to spend more time with Fenris - things had quieted down.

Hawke was in the middle of a book when she heard a knock at the door of her own manor and voices, and then Bodahn showed Aveline into the study. She was in her normal clothing, which meant she was off-duty and that likely nothing was burning down around their ears, but she was also still in "work mode" which told Lise that more than likely, something would be soon.

"Alright, Aveline. You've piqued my interest. What's up?"

The guard-captain nodded towards the door. "It's Thursday, and that means Wicked Grace at the Hanged Man. Varric was just complaining that he hasn't seen you for days. Talk about it over drinks?"

Lise grinned. It wasn't anything too urgent yet if Aveline was willing to relax over the telling. And she hadn't beaten Izzy at her own game for several weeks... why not? "I'd love to. Let me get my wraps - and bow, if we're going into Lowtown - and I'm all yours for the night!"

Aveline laughed. "Careful. If I was Isabela, I'd take you up on that."

"If you were Isabela, I'd have been more careful what innuendo I let pass my lips."

The two women smirked, and Lady Leandra Hawke, Lise's mother, smiled in at them on her way up the stairs. She looked on Aveline quite as another daughter, and at moments like this when she and Lise were laughing together, they almost looked like they could be. Elisebeth's hair was darker than Aveline's, and curly instead of straight; her eyes were bright green instead of blue. But they both had strong faces rather than the brash, indolent beauty of Isabela's, and both had freckles - Lise was just glad that hers weren't as predominant as Aveline's - and wide, generous mouths. Or, as Varric so often teased Hawke, "big." Which was a not-so-subtle joke, since Lise was as willing and apt to talk up a storm as he was.

But, she had to admit it, she was lucky. None of her friends were mean-spirited, and they were all a close little family when it came down to it. Even Merrill fit in as the sometimes-shy and usually clumsy little sister who always managed to fill the quiet moments between conversations with the most riotous non-sequiturs, usually based off yet another misunderstanding of common sense.

Anders was really the only one who didn't always belong. He was the moody outsider who usually sat on the far end of the table and grumbled while everyone else roared with laughter or caroused. But he was their moody little storm cloud, and he was known to tell a joke, or a tale or two when the mood struck him. Or sing, if he was drunk enough and Izzy and Varric were egging him on. It was true, he was getting a bit worse - when they'd first met him he was as raunchy and loud as Isabela on occasion, but he'd been quieter since the deep roads. Lise shook her head, mulling over this on the way to the bar. She was a bit sorry for having taken him, but not sorry enough that she'd have changed anything. If he hadn't been there, Bethy would be dead now, and not just a Grey Warden.

She shook her head, putting such thoughts behind her. She'd just received a letter from her sister that day, and Bethany had said she was settling in nicely, even though she missed home. And the tacit relief at not constantly watching over her shoulders for templars was evident in every word. No, Lise had no reason to be anything other than happy at the moment. "So, who's going to be there?"

Aveline smiled. "Once I told Varric I'd make sure to get you down here, he started sending out letters and I'd assume it'll be the whole gang. I'm not so sure about Vael, but that's probably it."

Hawke laughed. "While I think that Sebastian has it in him to join in on our merry little revels, he's too new, and still too much Chantry. I don't know that he won't go back, you know. After we find out who killed his parents."

Aveline shrugged, eloquently silent for a moment. She pulled up her hood as it started to rain, then spoke. "It's his choice, and he'll do best to make it on his own, eh?"

"Right. Like any of our group would hold back an opinion once it was not asked for." Lise laughed as Aveline snorted. "He'll fit in eventually. And if Isabela has her way, his vows will be gone within the year." She laughed, ruefully. "I'll have to talk to her about that, won't I?"

Her friend nodded, as they got to the door of the Hanged Man, the familiar and yet still-gruesome sign creaking above their heads. "Probably for the best. The poor man deserves to make his own decisions, and Isabela really doesn't deserve a bout of "tempt the pious young man."

"Isabela what?" The dark-skinned pirate laughed as she sauntered over, hugging Hawke tightly and then kissing her square on the mouth, just to make Merrill blush. "I heard my name being taken in vain."

Lise laughed. "Aveline was filling me in on what everyone's been up to this past week. Hullo, Merrill, Fenris. There you are, Varric - and oh, I see Anders, don't I? Anders, come out of the corner and join us at least for one night. I do have it on good authority that you know how to smile."

She hugged the elven mage and nodded at Fenris as Varric grabbed her around the waist. While they were hugging, she beckoned to Anders, who'd actually given her a grin and pulled up a chair to the opposite side of their usual round-table.

"I hear you got a letter from Sunshine." Varric grinned at Lise, and she returned it. The dwarf had been quite fond of the younger Hawke - although Lise hadn't determined how fond and wasn't sure she really wanted to know - and she spent the next few minutes detailing what Bethy had written while Isabela spirited her wraps away somewhere (something Hawke was sure she'd regret allowing, since that usually meant there were plans for drunken Wicked Grace later and Izzy didn't want her leaving too early.) Corff brought a round of drinks, and everyone settled in for a warm evening while the autumn rain drummed on the roof.

Hawke and Aveline played a few hands and then drew off a little to the side so that they could talk business. Fenris joined them after a few; of the group, he liked Wicked Grace probably the least. He was no big gambler and usually the evenings culminated in Isabela trying to get him to play Strip-Grace with her. Lise smiled at him and moved over so that he could join the conversation, then turned back to the guard-captain.

"Do you remember that retired templar we worked with last year, before the deep roads? The one we met while looking into that young Orlesian woman's..." Aveline paused for a moment trying to remember the name, then shook her head. "Well, her death."

Hawke frowned briefly, remembering the charred corpse, likely done in by blood mages, and their inability to catch the culprit. "Ninette. And Emeric," she said, nodding quietly. "I remember him."

Aveline sighed, and massaged the bridge of her nose. "Well, he's back. He's still trying to trace those missing women, and others he claims are connected."

Tilting her head, Lise looked at her questioningly. "If I recall, he was quite polite. And he had some good leads."

"Yes, but he's a retired templar." Aveline looked at Lise with a raised eyebrow, and after a moment, Fenris sighed.

"Lyrium poisoning?"

She nodded. "It's been growing rapidly over the year. If he has a point I can't usually tell thanks to the ramblings, and he's started to focus more and more on that mage who disappeared first - Mharen, was it? I think there was a connection there, between him and her, although I don't think there was anything inappropriate going on."

Hawke winced. Yet another reason she was glad Bethy had gotten Away. Not that being a Grey Warden made her any easier for suitors to approach, but at least in the order she wouldn't have the Chantry telling her she wasn't ever allowed to love, or lead a normal life. Again, not that Grey Wardens were exactly normal... but she would at least be given some choices.

Elisebeth Hawke was one of those 'enlightened' individuals who knew quite a bit about magic - her father had been an apostate and a good man who had taught her much. She knew it was dangerous. After all, any mage could become an abomination, host to one of those spirits who haunted the fade - her eyes drifted to Anders, and she sighed. And she knew that all mages faced the temptation of blood magic at some time or other - and here she looked towards Merrill, then glanced up at the ceiling with a wry grimacing smile. She also knew that both of them were good people, just misguided in their intentions. And mages could be sane, normal people... so why didn't she seem to know any, now that Bethy was gone? Still, she did not fear mages as most of the populace did and saw no reason to treat them any differently until they proved otherwise.

She looked back to Aveline. "So, I take it that you need me to look into Emeric's information for you?"

Her friend smiled, gratefully, and shrugged. "If you can. I don't have the time or manpower to sit through his speeches - I won't even be able to come with you on this."

Fenris frowned. "Are they keeping you that busy?"

Aveline nodded, but then flushed slightly as Lise said, nonchalantly, "Oh, I'll bet that Guardsman Donnic's patrols are in quite the wrong part of town."

"Hawke," Aveline protested.

"Aveline," Lise grinned back. "It's alright, you know I can't take too many people with me anyhow, especially since I'll probably need to start in the Gallows. Will you give me a letter, though, so that people don't think I'm in there to conspire?"

As Aveline nodded, Isabela's voice rose over the din. "And with another dagger, I win!" Merrill grumbled as Izzy laughed, then turned her attention to Hawke's side of the table. "Oh, come on, love. What are you and Aveline talking about? You're keeping Fenris all to yourself!"

Fenris rolled his eyes as the three rejoined the group. Anders leaned forward. "I heard something about "investigation", which means I'll probably need to boil up some more potions and look for a recipe for arrow repellent." He looked at Isabela with a smirk, and Isabela stuck her tongue out at him.

"Oh, come on. It's not like I knew that Hawke had been aiming for that particular bandit! Anyway, you got a nice look at my ass when you removed the arrow and don't tell me you didn't enjoy it." She twitched a hip in Anders' direction and smacked herself with a wink and a blown kiss.

Anders grimaced and Varric guffawed. "Oh, come on, Rivaini. Who hasn't gotten a look at your ass?" The table roared, and then harder as Merrill raised her hand, looking confused.

"Sadly, I won't be able to take you or Merrill, Anders." Hawke leaned forward, taking a drink of wine, as Anders raised an eyebrow. "We're going to the Gallows. I'll need you if we end up chasing down any leads, but I don't want to risk either of you."

Merrill nodded. "Sensible, I'm sure. Although I do love those statues they have in the courtyard."

Fenris spluttered on his wine. "Merrill, those are statues of slaves, slavers, and demons!"

She shrugged. "But they sparkle quite nicely, don't they?"

He just rolled his eyes as Hawke hid a smile in her cup.

Also, all characters belong to Bioware, I just have fun with them.