"You owe me," Isabela said with a wicked grin on her face, "Oh, that's fun to say. Especially to you. Is this how you get to feel whenever you say that? If you weren't married to that chastity belt, I'd kiss you right now." The Rivaini pirate stood with her arms at her sides, still wearing the two blades that Hawke had given her six years ago.

"This would just make us even," Hawke corrected and the smile on Isabela's face faltered, "Balls."

"Don't frown, Isabela, you're not the one married to the chastity belt," Hawke spoke lightheartedly which did bring something of a smile back to the woman's face, "Yes, I think you have it worse off than I do. I'd rather be wrong all the time and getting some sort of action as opposed to…nothing." Hawke shrugged, not bothering to argue back. Not because she didn't agree with Isabela, but because there was little she could do.

"Chaste marriage," she scoffed, "Why would anyone want that?"

"Right, well, my decision, not yours," Hawke said quickly, though perhaps a little too quickly. She should have known better than to say it like that because Isabela got that look in her eyes. "Oh, now you're going to sit with me for a pint and explain, because it sounds like it there's more to this story than meets the eye."

Hawke shook her head, "No, I can't."

"Considering you're asking me to set up a boat to take you to Antiva, well, I can decide when you're leaving. Deal with it. Now take a seat," Isabela directed and Hawke knew that it was likely Isabela really would hold this over her head and refuse to get her out of the Free Marches until she told. Hawke seated herself at the table with a heavy sigh and knew that she'd have to tell someone, someday. Aveline actually knew, and Aveline wasn't the type to indulge Isabela with the details of Hawke's personal life. This is why Hawke confided in Aveline.

A bottle was placed on the table at Isabela's request, the class filled and the spot chosen for sitting was quiet and private. At least Isabela respected her enough to give her the privacy.

"So, what are you not telling me?" Isabela said after Hawke finished her second glass. Hawke tapped the rim and Isabela served her some more, "Oh, you want to get drunk. This ought to be good. So what are you not telling me? Have you to actually been breaking headboards or what? I bet underneath all that choir boy propriety he's a devil in the sack."

"No, it's not like that," Hawke admitted, "More like…we never did get married."

"What?" Isabela looked genuinely surprised, "But everyone thought—"

"I know what everyone thought," Hawke interrupted, "And I'm sure that this will be quite the scandal. I can already see Varric's reaction to this and I'm sure whatever story he tells, it will be exaggerated and full of Antivan drama."

"Oh, but of course, but…what happened?" Isabela was obviously taken in by this revelation and Hawke was intoxicated enough not to care who she told, "Aveline talked some sense into me."

"Good on her," mused Isabela. Hawke continued, "She made a point that a marriage isn't just caring for each other in a friendly way. It's intimacy."

"I bet she talked about Wesley and Donnic. In bloody detail too, the saucy minx," came some more commentary from Isabela and Hawke let out a laugh, "Nothing explicit but enough to make me realize that I couldn't live my life without being able to consummate our relationship."

"Oh, just say sex, it's far less prudish."

"Fine, I didn't want to be married to someone and never have sex in my life."

"I can't believe it took Aveline to tell you this. I could have told you that much, and yes, I have been married before, so don't think that I couldn't have given you equally sound advice."

"She was married twice."

"Oh, so we're counting now?"

"Isabela…"

"Go on then, keep going. You need to explain what is going on then. Because you did tell me that you needed a trip for you and Sebastian to Antiva."

"It's complicated."

"Hawke, I live for complicated. Besides, think of Varric, maybe if it's too complicated he won't bother with trying to tell it to others."

"Varric would find a way to make it worse."

"Ha, that is true. So, out with it."

"I think he's waiting for me to give in."

"You're joking."

"I wish I was," Hawke allowed her head to drop on the table; "He says he wants to stay by my side and that he understands why I didn't marry him."

"Okay, so that is a bit complicated, but not as much as I expected."

"It feels like a battlefield a lot of the time. Him trying to tug me into a chaste life and other times I swear he's ready to toss the Chantry to the side and say to hell with it. It's a bloody tug-of-war all the time."

"So lots of sexual tension and…nothing," Isabela cooed, "Oh, that is complicated. So, who's winning?"

"I have no idea. I think we're at a stalemate," Hawke finally lifted her head from the table, "I'm not budging and neither is he. It's a mess, Isabela, and I hate it."

"And yet still not Antivan enough," the pirate sat back in her seat.

"There's still more," Hawke groaned and Isabela laughed, "This should be good!"

"Fenris," was all that Hawke had to say and both eyebrows raised, "That bastard finally tried to make his move, huh? You know he's fancied you ever since you helped him raid that old mansion he ended up squatting in. What did he say? Oh right, that you were 'proud, beautiful and ferocious'."

"How does the word 'ferocious' constitute as a compliment?" Hawke scoffed. It took a look from Isabela to explain everything and then prompt her to continue, "He was the second to last to leave, you know."

"Yes, I do know that," Isabela shrugged, "What of it?"

"I think he suspected that I was…unhappy," Hawke clarified, "So he took me aside and told me how he felt."

"Oh, the poor dear…you let him off easy, I hope," Isabela frowned and Hawke nodded, "I lied and told him I was happily married."

"You are rather cruel sometimes, you know that? You had a perfectly handsome elf confessing his love for you and you turned it away for a sexless marriage. No, you're not cruel, you're insane," Isabela shook her head, "What is it about that choir boy you like so much?"

"I have no idea," Hawke admitted freely, "He listens, I guess. Yes, he gets wrapped up in talking about the bloody Chantry but…he listens to me. We both know what happened at the tower was the right thing to do and he's actually rather good about taking all my teasing. And…I don't know what it is about it, I just…I care for him. I guess in the end, love never makes sense."

"You're telling me," Isabela scoffed, "Poor dear though. I suppose I'll have to have a chat with him…"

"You'll have a hell of a time finding him. He's gone off and joined the Grey Wardens last I heard. Doing a damn good job fighting Darkspawn too."

"You're joking."

"I wish I was. He sent me a note telling me what happened. When he left for Seheron he happened upon the Warden Commander. Turns out he saved her life and she was impressed, offered him a chance to become a Grey Warden. And he took it. They said he handled the Joining almost as well as some dwarf named Oghren."

"I heard about him. He was there with the Warden Commander when I first met her."

"That's right. You knew the Warden Commander."

"Well, the Queen. "

"Not anymore."

"Yeah, I heard about that too. Disappeared, just like you. You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?"

"No, I wouldn't, no doubt that the Chantry is under the assumption that the two are related," Hawke replied absently, which gave Isabela the impression that Hawke was lying. But it was hard to tell, because sometimes, the way Hawke spoke, she told the absolute truth the same way. Damn it.

"So…what exactly are you and Sebastian going to be doing in Antiva anyway?" Isabela questioned, "You said your relationship was a bit Antivan, is you what…want to make it so Antivan it takes place in Antiva?"

"No," Hawke replied, "And it's complicated. Complicated and also none of your business."

"What aren't you telling me, Hawke?" Isabela frowned deeply. Hawke shook her head, "I can't tell you, Isabela, it's such a mess and I don't want to involve you anymore than you already are. I'm going to be doing something insane and I don't…"

"Alright, alright, I get it," Isabela said, "We'll leave in the morning then. I'm waiting for some cargo to arrive and I'll have loaded by the time we're ready to sail."

"Thanks again, Isabela," Hawke finished off her glass, "I should go get Sebastian and tell him we'll be leaving then."

Isabela was going to make some sort of snide comment but Hawke's entire body language changed then. She seemed to be burdened by something heavy and Isabela suspected it had something to do with whatever was taking Hawke and Sebastian to Antiva. It worried her but she knew that if she pressed Hawke about it anymore, her friend was going to shut down completely. She let Hawke stand up and make her way out of the tavern, leaving Isabela at the table on her own.

"Bloody hell, Hawke," Isabela whispered taking a drink directly from the bottle, "what have you gotten yourself into this time?"