"Isabella would you please stop going through my clothes?" Hawke hissed. Isabella simply grimaced as she held out a pair of long thick undergarments, stretching them a few times to find the tie had completely worn out.

"Hawke, these are men's undergarments…" Her eyes were wide, a mischievous grin forming slowly on her perfect lips. Hawke could feel the dread already forming at the pit of her stomach. What ever thought was making her grin like a Cheshire cat was not good for Hawke's health. It's never good for my health, Hawke added silently. "Kitten, I think it's time we went shopping, don't you?"

Definitely not good for my health.

Aveline sighed from across the room lying across Hawke's double bed with her feet crossed in the air, reading a small book. It was one of the rare times she ever went without armour. Though Hawke suspected, from the way she eyed the rogue up she would be wearing it right now, given the choice. It was no secret Aveline despised the duelist, but she had her back. Even when she found her trying to kiss Donnic when she was very very drunk, she still sliced the slaver that had crept up behind Isabella.

"Actually Hawke," Aveline started, pursing her lips. "A shopping trip wouldn't be so bad tomorrow. We don't have any business trips planned, and the whores right. Even I have women's undergarments." Isabella nodded quickly, even though shock was written all over her face. Hawke sighed; now she really couldn't get out of it. The only one to say nothing was Merrill who was stooped over her fire stirring the cast iron pot which was boiling thick gooey stuff. A girls night in she had squealed. Isabella overheard and planned it all in her sick twisted mind instantly dragging Hawke and Aveline into the soiree.

Hawke sighed.

She hadn't done anything girly since Bethany… and her brother carver wasn't one for elf root facemasks. She had to admit, even though the thought of sticking that thick green vile on her face made her stomach churn, she really couldn't wait. The thought of relaxing, not doing anything for someone else was a like a gift from the maker. And she couldn't imagine spending it with anyone else either, only her weird malfunctioning surrogate family. Her sisters.

A tanned hand waving a dark blue cloth in front of her face brought her out of her memory. Isabella grinned at her before pushing her to sit in a chair. Hawke loved them all equally. Even Isabella. Especially Isabella. The way her and Varric bantered back and forth. The way she could make Hawke's face crimson red with innuendo's galore about a certain elf. Making a certain elf blush even harder when she mentions Hawke alone in the bath.

She could feel her cheeks heat up at the thought of the Brooding elf. Fenris. She saw how most the women she passed with him either swooned over him or glared at her. Oddly. The wondered if it was the tattoos, the thought of danger drawing them in. she knew it drew her in. The way he said her name, deep and sweet. Like a caress. She shivered at the thought. Before the Deep roads, he was dubious of her. Cautious. He always kept his distance and she could understand. She was dangerous, and he hated mages. But after… they were close now. She had saved him countless times from rock wraith, darkspawn… ogres. He trusted her, and she would make damn certain that trust was well earned. Something Anders couldn't quite grasp.

"Hey, lover girl. Get that sex demon of an elf out of your head and put this on. It'll keep your hair out of your face for the mask." Hawke nodded and slipped the stretchy material over her head keeping the strands of hair away from her face. She knew she looked ridiculous from looking at everyone else. Except Isabella, she always had her hair out of her face.

"Aveline, Merrill." She said passing both similar cloths. Merrill lifted the stew pot from the heat and placed it on the floor scooping a thick blue substance from it.

"Remind me Merrill what's in this?" Hawke asked as she prodded the substance catiously. It bubbled and groaned at her. She frowned.

"Oh nothing bad Hawke I swear. Just Elfroot, some seaweed, lavender for the smell and elvhen mineral mud from the wounded coast. It's really hard to find, lucky I found some last time we went hey Hawke?" Hawke grunted in agreement before slapping the goo all over her face. It didn't smell all that bad. Would be the lavender. She thought. Already she could feel it relaxing into her skin, the lavender sending her to sleep. It was nice. Finally. Sinking further into her chair she stretched, feeling all her taught muscles relaxing, she looked over to Aveline, who had abandoned the book all together. She lay across Hawkes bed, her legs now stretched over Isabella as the rogue massaged her feet. Aveline groaned softly as Isabella kneaded out a small knot in one of her muscles.

"Aveline, you can't speak or move your face, the mask will crack" Merrill tried to say through closed lips, turning her words into muffled mush. I smiled, only to realise what Merrill meant by crack. The mask had started to dry, and it cracked and crumbled around my mouth.

Isabella rocked softly as she supressed a cackle. Yup, this is my family. And I wouldn't change them for anything.

"Anyone know any good songs? The continuous silence is deafening" Isabella sighed and started to hum to herself an old tune that any Ferelden would know. Hawke sighed and sang along with her as did Aveline. Merrill was the only one to not do so and Hawke felt bad.

Merrill was always left out with them. Whenever they went out on 'business trips' as Aveline called them, she would always doddle in the back, growing random flowers on walls only to frown when they shied away from her and wilted. Blood magic tainting that as well. Fenris despised her. Blood magic was praised in Tevinter. He didn't see her as an elf or a mage. Just a demon to torment him and haunt his very steps, always reminding him of his past.

Anders just couldn't understand her. He admired her, respected her powers until he learnt what she truly did. And then, he never spoke to her. Only answering her when needed. That is until she taught him something that had saved everyone's lives so many times. The Dalish's healing spells.

Aveline, Varric and Isabella were indifferent. They neither questioned nor cared about her blood magic… that much.

Hawke was truly the only one to accept her into their small family. And that worried her.

"We should take them off now…" Merrill said a sad smile on her face. Hawke sighed, and looked to the four bathtubs of ice water. And then an idea struck her. She closed her eyes and huffed, holding her arm out. Concentrate. She chided herself. Thinking of the water she fisted her hand and soon heat rose from her. She could hear Isabella coo and opened her eyes slowly.

Beneath the tubs were four small burning coals heating the water's up nicely. Merrill sighed.

"Whenever I try to do something like that, I usually end up setting something on fire."

"Well Kitten, practise makes perfect. That's why I am the master of bed" Isabella winked kicking off her boots as she sat on the side of one of the tubs. She doesn't give a damn I'll give her that. Hake laughed, but the tightness of the mask hurt too much.

"Any whore should know" Aveline quipped as she pulled her top over her head. Merrill face flushed at the sight of two very naked women and turned away.

"What's wrong kitten? Tell me you're not embarrassed, we're all girls here" Isabella chuckled as she sank into the hot bath, sighing as the heat enveloped her. Aveline dunked under the water, the mask turning the water a light green.

"No it's just… The Dalish don't really, see, others uhm… naked unless their coupled." Merrill coughed uncomfortably. Isabella laughed.

"What a weird lot, you Dalish… the body is beautiful embrace it."

"That being true Issy, I don't want to see Carver naked thank you very much…" From the small dreamish smile that played on her lips at that Hawke could only guess what sick thought were playing through her mind then. "Oh not about my baby brother you don't"

I slipped my shoe off and threw it at her head. But being the rogue she is dodged it with lightning speed.

"I'm sorry. It's just the thought of him in his grey warden armour… my mind can't help wandering to Alistair and Elissa…"

"You knew the king and Queen back when they were grey wardens?" Aveline asked astounded. Isabella nodded simply.

"Met them at the Pearl in Denerim" Aveline went to say a snide remark but Isabella beat her too it. "They rented a room to themselves so the other's couldn't listen in. Could hear them in the town they were that loud."

"I have to admit, King Alistair is rather dreamy" Hawke giggled slipping out of her clothes to join the tubs by Issy and Aveline. She looked back to see Merrill slowly peeling her clothes off with the darkest blush ever playing along her cheeks.

She only heard the water splash in the tub next to her, not looking for the elf's sake.

"Oh Hawke you do know how to make a girl feel special. If you weren't already rooting for Fenris I'd try and nab you myself" Isabella grinned, swirling the water Hawke was in with her middle finger lazily. Hake's cheeks blushed but she smiled none the less.

"Isabella, when the day arrives I… fight for the other team? As they put it… I swear on my heart you shall be the first to know"
"Oo goody"

Hawke smiled too herself, loving the ease of their conversation. She dipped her head under the water, coating her hair was toasty warm water and wiped at her face, getting the light green goo off. At that moment the door decided to knock and a small, slightly embarrassed Bohdan walked in shielding his eyes from view.

"Messere Hawke? Serah Fenris has come. I tried to tell him you were busy but he wouldn't listen. He seems to want to talk to you urgently Messere." He coughed awkwardly. Isabella cat called and stood clapping her hands together wildly. Aveline had to grab her by the forearm and drag her back down to sit in the tub.

"Tell Fenris I shall be with him shortly."
"Of course Messere." And he was gone.

"You're lucky you haven't got the face mask still on, he'd think you'd gone nuts. Probably run you in with his big sword thinking you turned into an abomination or something" Giggled Merrill, sliding further into the tub. Hawke ignored Isabella's snickers at the words "Run you in with his big sword". Aveline was the only one to caution her yet smile.

"Be weary of him Hawke. I do not fully trust him yet."

"Oh shwsh. Your no fun" Isabella pouted as the guardswoman kept a firm hold on the rogue's upper arm.

Hawke pushed her weary arms against the rim of the tub and stepped out reaching for a towel and wrapping it around her as she did. It only just reached the middle of her thigh but she hadn't exactly planned on meet and greets had she?

She could hear Fenris arguing with Bohdan as she reached the door. Always demanding that elf, she sighed she opened the door.

What she didn't expect to see though was demanding elf staring wide eyed at her from the balcony rail. His eyes travelled down her body and back up again, only flickering once at her bare wet legs and her chest.

"Hawke I..." He stuttered. "Hawke"

She leaned against the door frame, her arms crossed, making her breast rise slightly. She didn't miss his eyes flicker down for a second.

"What do you want Fenris? I was rather enjoying my bath with the girls" Oh how she enjoyed watching him gulp like that.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do Kitten!" came Isabella's holler from behind the closed door.

"Which is nothing, whore" was Aveline's response.

"Shut it prude."

"Hawke I… I wanted to, apologise for my behaviour the other night. I did not mean any of what I said." His eyes cast down, looking at the floor. Her heart tugged. He looked so much like one of the lost puppies she would find scattered about from the refugees in Lothering. She wanted so desperately to reach out and brush away his snow white hair just to see those green eyes she adored so much. But she restrained and wrapped her fingers around her upper arms to stop her from doing so.

"Fenris, I… it's okay. No harm done. You were drunk; Anders has done much worse, sober."

Fenris stiffened at the mention of the mage's name but didn't say anything. Hawke shook her head. "Hey, want to play some Diamond back when I get rid of these sorry losers?" She grinned. His head lifted slightly at that, and his small smirk was clear to see.

"Does she really think were losers?" Merrill asked.
"No kitten. She just wants alone time with that gorgeous specimen of an elf."

Hawke elbowed the door. Fenris coughed slightly as his warm earthy chuckle shook the ground she walked on. He stopped then, and Hawke could see something play across his mind. As if something was fighting inside him. His eyes flickered from side to side slightly and then he looked up. His moss green eyes so intent on hers that she hardly noticed his raised hand nearing her face.

"You're a beautiful woman Hawke. When shall I drop by?" he asked softly, caressing her face.

"Uhm… seven?" she stammered.

He chuckled. "Seven it is then" And then he leaned in, his lips ghosting over the corner of hers. She sucked in a breath, her eyes wide with shock. He had kissed her. His lips had actually touched hers. "Was that too soon?" He asked shyly. All she could do in reply was shake her head and grin like a fool.

"Good, so you wouldn't mind another?" His devilish grin taking hold of her.

"Not at all" She sighed when she found her voice box again.

"I shall see you at seven Hawke …" And then he was gone. Like a ghost.


Review my pretties *cackle!* no seriously.. please review ... please