The carrier ship rugged and bruised docked despite the oceans ill intent for it. It carried four sailors, one captain, six smuggler and three men from Ferelden. Inside the mighty vessels hold was not however, something as understandable to the guardsmen who met face to face with twenty Tevinter slaves who demanded to get into Kirkwall, oh the mighty Kirkwall. It was a home of the brave, home of the steadfast and most importantly, home of their hero. A man who, despite all odds, managed to bring them light in their terrible days of working for magister slaves back in Tevinter. A man who gave them hope and something to believe in.
"Ol'on you lot!" one of the guards ran from their post and stood intimidating like in front of the giant group of people. They looked him over, their smiles dropping.
"We're not letting anyone into Kirkwall at the moment; and we don't need slaves like the magisters in Tevinter do!" he gestured to the carrier ship. "So you move on right back to the boat whot brought you 'ere."
They stared him down like a group of Qunari would to a man that stepped on their feet and ran, unfriendly and confident. They had a purpose.
"We're here to see a hero" one of the elf woman said. She was thin with brown mousey hair and small lips and her deep eyes looked as if they've seen too much of the world. "A true hero, we've heard word that a champion lived in Kirkwall, we must see him."
"Yes a champion!" one of them chimed in.
"A champion of the people, a true hero." said another.
The guard scratched his head, assessing the situation. He was outnumbered and if these slaves decided they wanted to enter, he wouldn't have the power alone to resist them from doing just that.
"Alright, Il tells you wot" he said with little conviction in his voice. "Il goes n'tell the champion that you're looking for him. Bring him to you down at the docks."
The group of elves and men and women cheered at that and exchanged smiles with one another before one of them brought out their lute and they all began to sing;
"He robbed from the rich
And he gave to the poor
Stood up to the man
And gave him what for
Our love for him now
Ain't hard to explain
The hero of Tevinter
Riddles Lyrium's pain
Seldom amiss
The elf named Fenris!"
After they finished their song the leader of the group turned back to the guard who was questioning them again, unsure of everything they just said.
"Fenris?" he said confusedly. "Don't you mean Hawke? He's the real champion around 'ere."
"Not at all" said one of the women. "Fenris is who we want; you promised us you'd find him- the kindest man in the world, so we'll stay here until you do."
The guard left then, running up the stairs to investigate this further and find the so-called hero of the crazy group of people who, in his opinion, were the last thing that Kirkwall needed at that time.
Once he left they turned to one another again and grinning and smiled and hugged.
"There isn't anything Fenris wouldn't do." said a redhead elf.
"Nothing on this planet he wouldn't do for the good of another." Another replied.
The wineglass smashed clear over the man's head. It missing his face, however, was a complete and utter accident that wouldn't be repeated again.
"Get out of my HOUSE." The elf roared, his skin glowing blue as he reached for another empty bottle of wine to chuck. There were a lot of empty bottles.
Anders grimaced and continued running back and forth beside the bookshelf behind him, like a carnival game of 'shoot the duck'.
"I only asked you a simple question; your blatant disregard for people and that hostility of yours will be your downfall!"
"I am NOT hostile." shouted the elf whom was more grumpy and distempered than usual. The markings on his skin hurt more than usual that day, and he wasn't in the mood for antics- especially Anders' antics.
"I told you before and again that I don't wish to read any manifesto that you've written Anders. It's a waste of my time and yours for the matter. No one wishes to listen to your tall tales of rights that should be given to murderers and sadists." He said with hatred imbedded in his tongue.
The mage scoffed.
"It was you who burned the copy that I've given Hawke! How could you? I worked for months on this, it wasn't easy to do!" he grabbed a lonely page of his work from the desk where Fenris left his empty wine bottles. "Fine, be that way." The mage straightened his clothes and went towards the door to leave, holding the remains of his papers.
"I just thought, maybe," he started mockingly and in a superior tone. "You'd like to have some practice learning how to read. No matter I suppose."
He left then, and the next wine bottled the elf threw didn't miss- hitting Anders square in the back of the head.
That gave the elf a much needed serenity watching Anders curse under his breath before running for the mansions front doors, slamming them behind him.
He sat back down and looked at the fire he had just tended to right before that untimely visit. It crackled and spat in front of him as his eyes followed the flames that danced to and fro. He decided to go for a walk soon and visit Isabela and Verric for a game of Diamondback at the Hanged Man. Fenris prepared to leave the mansion by taking his weapon which sat against the wall of the dark room.
Just as he set foot on the foyer to leave the mansion there was a knock at the door. Aveline stood outside with a gentle sternness to her.
"Evening Fenris" she said assertively as a guard should.
"Aveline, is there a reason guards are knocking at my door at this hour? Come to tell me to stay low again perhaps?"
"Nothing of the sort." The redhead replied crossing her arms. "Though now that you mention it do try to keep a low profile, we wouldn't want you getting into more trouble."
"What do you mean by more?" said Fenris as he closed the door behind him. Looking down at the door he noticed that Anders had written something crude on the wood branding it with his magic, possibly on his way out of the mansion in a fit of rage. That ass.
"There's a commotion for you down at the hanged pub. One of my guards encountered a huge group of Tevinter slaves that had just landed not two hours ago by the docks." She looked him in the eyes. "They're apparently looking for you."
The elf frowned in such a manner that he always did before turning back to Aveline who watched him with curiosity.
"This is...unlikely, I did not make an impression with any other slaves back in Tevinter. It must be some kind of a trap."
"Well trap or not, I'm sorry to say you must find out what it is they want. If it is a trap, why not ask Hawke to accompany you? I will as well if you're so bothered." She smiled warmly. "We don't need any more drama at the moment Fenris, not in Kirkwall."
He nodded in agreement before collecting himself. "Il go get Hawke then I suppose."
"Il fetch Anders and Merril." Aveline said. Fenris turned around to give her a short but stern warning look.
"If you get caught in something bigger then yourself, you'll regret not having everyone there to help you."
With that, she left for Darktown and then Lowtown to get their companions. Fenris stood a moment watching her go before he ran down the stairs that lead down into Hightown from his estate. He stuck to sneaking through the shadows until he reached the Hawke estate, covered in vines and harboring a man who, most likely, wouldn't actually even be there.
He entered the estate freely for everyone inside knew him by name already. Bodine turned from looking through some letters that have arrived for Hawke and smiled cheerfully.
"A guest! Messer Fenris, what a pleasure to see you! Say hello to our friend Sandal."
The young dwarf Sandal stared at Fenris without expression.
"He looks funny!"
The elf pursed his lips.
"Is Hawke here?" he asked with obvious hesitation. "I must speak with him."
"I'm afraid master Hawke isn't home!" replied the dwarf as he tossed some old letters into the fireplace. "He said he was going to talk to some hot headed whore from the brothel." The dwarf paused and then added quickly, "his words Messer, not mine. A mage woman who was causing him some problems, sent him a bucket load of letters she did, he was quite upset when he left."
Fenris thought for a moment, faintly recalling a woman who titled herself 'the exotic wonder from the east' at the blooming rose. She had almost killed Hawke with her confounded blood and lust magic and couldn't possibly be up to any good annoying Hawke like that. He thanked the dwarf and turned on the heel back out the foyer.
"Fenris!"
Hawke's mother Leandra waved his attention over to her as she stood at the top of the stairs rushing down, most likely from her room.
"If my son is at a brothel right now I want you to remove him from there at once."
"Uh-"
"Tell him I'm very upset with him and he must come home this instant."
With that said, she turned back towards the stairs without even a goodbye. And as amusing as that was, Fenris preferred it that way.
Once he was outside everyone was waiting for him, everyone except Hawke. Typical.
"So, I'm in my room at the Hanged Man, and I start hearing singing in one of the rooms" said Verric gruffly smirking up at the elf.
"I think your name was in one of the laments" added Isabela. "Fenris the great or something like that, they weren't very good singers you know."
"He's about as great as the piece of glass sticking out the back of my head."
They ignored Anders while Merril squealed with a peculiar joy only she could demonstrate.
"Singing!" She said. "I really want to see that."
"No one is seeing anything until we find Hawke." Fenris said as he headed towards the blooming rose. The rest followed him into the darkness and towards the red lanterns that lit up the district. Fenris hoped to find Hawke soon, if Denarius had sent some kind of distraction of slaves to Kirkwall just to get Fenris out in the open like that, he wouldn't be happy unless there was bloodshed. If this was a lead, he would walk into it with Hawke at his side.
The Ferelden man stood still, his muscles clenched and feet glued to the spot against his will. Idunna was about as exotic as a boil on your behind in his opinion. Only agreeing to speak with her so she would stop sending him fowl and threatening letters in the mail (which he knew his mother or Sandal would read eventually with their love of snooping) but this, oh this was just stupid.
The whore smiled without meaning it, her magic held him there, bound without ropes.
"I think we should get even for you embarrassing me like that." She said wryly walking around him. He jeered at her confidence.
"I could have spared you the embarrassment and just killed you instead, than everyone would be happy." Hawke said with sarcasm in his voice. Her not replying made him feel uneasy. "What are you going to do to me?"
"I can't kill you." Her voice was sharp and resentful. "Your friends would come looking for me, no sweetheart I'm just here to get even." She said searching his pockets and taking all the money he had along with his weapons. Hawke shook his head.
"You're just-so mean."
Suddenly he could feel his arms and legs coming to, he moved his wrists and took a step forwards. Idunna pointed a dagger at his throat, stopping him in his place.
"Not done yet. I assume you've seen a lot of the women and men here naked, it's only fair." Idunna said with an ever widening smile.
It took a second for him to understand what she was saying before scowling.
"Now that's just petty discourteousness, you're just going to lea-"
"NOW"
The man shook his head again and removed his armour and then his boots, shirt and everything else until he stood completely naked in front of her. Continuing to hold her weapon at his throat, she picked up his effects and left for the entrance.
"You're just going to LEAVE ME HERE?" he shouted at her as Idunna ran out the door, using her magic to freeze Hawke to the same spot where he stood. Again.
"PSYCHOTIC WHORE NEXT TIME I WON'T STAY MY HAND YOU-!"
The door was wide open the way she had left it, meanwhile Anders was downstairs asking one of his previous clinic clients if they had seen Hawke.
"MONSTEROUS BITCHING" there was a pause. "ANNOYING-"
Isabela tilted her head as they all looked up the stairs to where the shouting- Hawke's shouting was coming from.
"Sounds like the deary is just upstairs- let's go have a little look see hm?" she said leading them all upstairs into one of the rooms.
The moment they laid eyes on Hawke, each of his friends had a different reaction. Merril gasped and covered her eyes before apologizing, Aveline stared with obvious un-amusement, Verric raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, Anders just, well, looked concerned, Fenris stared and Isabela grinned like a man dog.
Hawke stared back at them, equally shocked.
"...Drinks anyone?"
"Once upon a time there was the champion. Naked and whoring in the brothel, this'll change the entire story Hawke. Did you get a lot of customers today?" asked Verric as if nothing was wrong. "Do any of us get discounts?"
"Save it Verric Idunna did this. She took everything and then ran off, I'm stuck."
"Wait, just a moment" Isabela started giggling. "You've been had? By a whore?" Her laughing escalated into a fit of laughter as she held her stomach. "Oh that's rich!"
"That's horrible," said Merril. "Were you embarrassed?"
Anders walked over to Hawke blushing before doing his best to remove the magic that held the man down.
"Oh nooo, it's actually quite exhilarating." The man said watching Anders use his magic next to him. "I do this almost three times a week Merril. Sometimes, if you stand like this long enough, people will just give you money. Isn't that nice of them?"
Once Anders freed Hawke from the spell Fenris told him what Aveline had said earlier. Hawke had just finished searching the closet for something to wear and as luck would have it, found a pair of trousers that fit, thank the Maker. Isabela finished laughing and wiped her eyes.
"Why not check it out; I'm sure it's nothing more than a mistake on the guards part Fenris" said the Ferelden as he walked out pass them all assuming the role of leader to the entire group. "No offense Aveline."
"Some taken." She replied following them down and out of the Blooming Rose.
"Anders, what happened to your head? A cat fight?" asked Merril as they travelled downwards to Lowtown and the Hanged man. Fenris walked next to Hawke, curiously wanting full details of what happened in the brothel.
"Stray dog actually" replied Anders "Scrawny thing and ugly too."
"Didn't you think it would be smaller Verric? I thought it would be smaller, you know. Tall men and such are always compensating something."
"I can't say that I've thought about it Rivaini" replied Verric as he walked beside Isabela on the cold and dirty roads. "Though small isn't always that bad, you know."
"What are you two talking about?" Hawke asked from the front of the group not really wanting to know despite his questioning.
"Not daggers this time Hawke, never you mind!" Verric laughed deeply.
They reached the Hanged Man in good time and entered it cautiously for Fenris' sake. He entered last and let Verric and Isabela wander through it to the back of the pub where the rooms were found. The rest sat down at one of the tables and waited for the two to return with news of this group of slaves.
"It worries me." The elf said looking down at the drink given to him. "What could they be planning..."
"Taking you back, I hope." The mage said cheerfully as he held out a pack of Wicked Grace cards for Merril to look at.
"Now now, we'll have none of that." Aveline added, waving her hand 'no' to a waiter who offered to bring her something to drink. Everything at that pub tasted like sour ale, she preferred wine, really.
It wasn't long before they heard screaming from the upstairs end of the tavern. They all took up arms and Hawke put his hand on Fenris' shoulder, comfortingly so.
The group of Tevinter slaves rushed down the stairs (running over one of the drunks) in what looked like a bolt of mad fury, until one of them shouted,
"THE HERO IS HERE! DRINKS ALL AROUND!"
The bar patrons raised their glasses without hesitation and moves to the side as the group of men and elves ran up to Fenris, lifted him from where he sat and cheered. Fenris looked as if he was about to have a heart attack.
Verric looked at his glass to make sure there weren't any hallucinates in it as he walked back down the stairs with Isabela. Hawke stared on with disbelief.
"FENRIS IS HERE!" they shouted gleefully. They hugged and cried and kissed him in the commotion before one of them took out their lute and began another song.
"Our elf saw the slave backs breakin'
He saw the slaves lament
And he saw the magisters takin'
Every sovereign and leavin' five silver
So he said "you can't do that to my people"
He said "you can't crush them under your hell"
So Fenris strapped on his hat
And in 5 seconds flat
Stole everythin' the Magisters had to steal!"
Hawke and the others stared on as the slave sang and then they looked to Fenris, and then looked back to the group worshiping him. Hawke compared Fenris to a puppy being run over by Qunari, his face really did fit that description.
"...This must be what it's like to be crazy." Anders said without averting his eyes. "Heh, look how uncomfortable he looks right now."
"It's alright, we can...um" Aveline tried to find the rest of her sentence but couldn't seem to do it.
"Shouldn't we help him?" asked the dwarf joining the others at the table with Isabela. "He's making that 'I'm going to fist you with lyrium' face again. I don't like that face."
"I need a distraction" Hawke stood up and walked towards the commotion. Isabela smiled, stood on the table and hit a glass right over Anders' head.
"YOU BASTARD. You think you can take advantage of me?" she said deciding she liked playing 'distraction'. "If you want a fight then you'll have one."
Anders groaned angrily and held his head before looking up at Isabela.
"That's right; HIT THE DOCTOR, that's the best thing to do! Who cares about the doctor, not anyone obviously, this isn't the first bottle lodged in my head today!"
Verric chuckled and kept his distance from the two who now were engaged in a bar brawl, Isabela holding Anders in a headlock seemed to get the group of slaves attention. For the split second they looked away, Hawke grabbed Fenris and brought him to the room behind the bar counter.
"Excuse us, we need a quick word."
The bartender shrugged. Wasn't his business anyway.
"What was that all about? The singing I mean." Hawke finally said as he let go of the elf's arm. "You stole from a Magister back in Tevinter?"
"It wasn't-" the elf paused and then sighed loudly. He looked weary and his gaze was fixed onto the floor. "It isn't as they suspect. I did steal money from some magisters and left it in one of the slave holding areas...I-" he fidgeted. "I must have...forgotten it there. They found it and-"
"And think you did it on purpose, why, you little hero."
Fenris slapped Hawke's pinching hand away from his face.
"Fine! Mock me, but these people should not be here! Denarius and the other Magisters would have noticed that they've gone missing, it's not hard to trace back to missing slaves."
"Probably all that singing"
"Yes. Must be." His voice was cold, cold enough for Hawke to stop being a sarcastic ass for once and listen.
"Don't worry, we'll get rid of them without bloodshed or song, I promise." The man left Fenris there with his word and went back into the open area of the tavern.
"Listen up, I need you all to leave immediately" he said turning his gaze to Anders, who was on the ground unconscious. Isabela shrugged and waved at Hawke.
"Um, this city isn't the place for this kind of nonsense. If you continue your parade here a magister will find out. You don't wish to endanger the very man you're praising do you?"
The slaves looked at one another as they seemed to do and felt a nervousness course over them.
"What would you have us do serrah?" said one of the taller ones. "We cannot return back to that place."
Merril picked up Anders and then dropped him again.
"Haha...mm..heavy." she squeaked.
Hawke gestured for her to stop and turned back to the slaves.
"Head to the viscount" Aveline stood up from the table and walked over Anders to get to them. "Go there and I'll be able to find you some work in the city, no promises though, and no mention of this to anyone. Is that understood?"
"No one here will remember it anyway" added Verric "Drunkards, the lot of um."
One by one they bowed and waved back to Fenris (who hid behind Hawke in their parting) before leaving the pub and heading to the Viscount and to the barracks where Aveline would speak with them.
"I owe you one." Fenris said with honest sincerity as Aveline left, smiling at him as she did.
Hawke grinned as he picked Anders up and set him next to the table to sit.
"Well, that was fun." He said as he grabbed for the drink he had forgotten to down.
"That was really nice of Aveline."
Isabela turned to Merril. "Why can't she be that nice to me kitten?" Merril didn't have an answer for her.
"Hero or not, we can't let Fenris get hurt, right?" the elf girl continued. "I mean, he's one of the company; a friend."
"S'not my friend. Hit me'witha bottle.." Anders drawled, waking up slowly, and painfully.
"No Merril's right" said the Ferelden as he turned to Fenris. "We need you on our team, myself especially."
His silver hair covered his eyes as Fenris looked down at the table. They all continued to talk and laugh into the night bringing up stories, encounters and adventure and all different matters found in the city of Kirkwall. He stayed silent and thought upon what Hawke had said. The lyrium in his body dwelled and so did the pain. He found that it usually stopped hurting once his friends were close by, and he wouldn't forget that.