It's sequel time! I finally have something of a plan for this story. Expect a lot of nostalgia, a lot of humour and a lot of sex (hey, this is Isabela/Lana we're talking about :P) Not to mention a few familiar faces! Hope you all enjoy it. Love hearing your opinions. Let me know what you think :)
Isabela groaned sleepily, tasting the faintest hint of red wine on her tongue. Her head was spinning sickeningly, making her nauseous. A warm arm was wrapped heavily around her midsection as she lay naked on a hard bed, eyes still closed, just having wakened from a drunken slumber. She could feel a woman's body pressed up against her back uncomfortably, her warm breath tickling the back of her neck. Isabela turned over with a grunt and leaned in to kiss her blindly. Her lips made contact with a strange mouth and she pulled back, opening her eyes. An unfamiliar face was resting on the pillow beside her, completely out for the count. Maker's balls, who is she? Groaning and stretching, Isabela sat upright and exhaled rubbing her temples as her hangover fully kicked. She glanced around the unknown bedroom, puzzled. There was a putrid smell in the air. Where am I?
Suddenly something warm brush against her ankle, making her jump.
"What the-?"
The wine-stained bed covers rustled momentarily, sliding down off Isabela's nakedness. A spare hand flailed wildly, trying to get out, and then all of a sudden Lana Hawke's dishevelled head poked out from under it, in between the strange woman and Isabela's legs. She looked up at the pirate groggily as though wondering how in all of Thedas she got there.
"Andraste's tits Hawke, you scared the shit out of me!" Isabela exhaled, relaxing once more after the momentary fright. She began to laugh at the look of confusion on Hawke's beautiful face as the woman's heavy, chocolate-brown eyes adjusted to the light, shining in the bedroom window nearby. Lana glanced around her surroundings blindly, trying to remember what had happened last night.
"Ugh, we didn't, did we?" she asked cringing, leaning her head up a few centimetres and seeing the naked whore passed out on the bed beside Isabela above her. The pirate rubbed her eyes, then glanced down at the passed-out woman. A wave of nausea crept over her. She swivelled round, letting her bare legs hang off the bed, and leaned over her knees, feeling ill.
"We did," she replied, cringing a little herself, "And it was all your bloody idea...I think."
Lana groaned regretfully and allowed her face to smack down onto the bed once more. "Shit," she mumbled, feeling queasy. Her head was cloudy, memories foggy from the amount of alcohol she had consumed a few hours previous. Why do I do this to myself? "What...in The Maker's name... did we drink last night?"
Isabela heaved audibly at her words and covered her mouth with the back of her hand to stop herself from throwing up the contents of her stomach all over the floor. She belched. "I'm not exactly sure, Sweetness."
Lana puffed weakly, tasting an assortment of flavours in her mouth. "It was definitely something mixed with whore," she mumbled drunkenly.
"Hm, I thought I recognised the taste," Isabela joked, getting to her feet unsteadily.
She heard Hawke's muffled laugh. Isabela's eyes searched around the floor for her clothes as a shiver travelled down her spine due to the chill in the air. The entire bedroom was in ruins, broken, discarded wine bottles littering the surface, mixed with numerous items of clothing and many, many empty bottles of ale. The table was overturned nearby and mouldy curtains hung from their rail, blowing gently in the cool breeze that was coming in through the open window. The pirate's mind began to recall certain events of the night before: stripping the whore naked, three bodies moving together, intertwined limbs, numerous sensations and disappointments.
Isabela groaned. "Don't take this the wrong way, Hawke, but somehow I imagined a threesome with you would be...wow," she said, remembering her certain lack of satisfaction afterwards. "But it just felt as though that whore was...I don't know..."
"...In the way?" Hawke ventured drowsily.
The pirate exhaled. "Mmm..." she answered, realising Hawke had hit the nail on the head. I definitely remember trying to reach for Hawke at one point and finding that bitch in my way. She got to her feet unsteadily then and began to pick up her discarded clothes and throw them on, half-assed and hurriedly.
"Come on, Hawke," she said, rousing the woman as she lay face down about to fall asleep once more. "Let's get out of here before she wakes up."
Lana groaned in protest. Isabela laughed quietly and yanked the cover off her. She took a moment to stare at the woman's full, perfectly round ass before chucking a bundle of clothes on top of her. "Move it!" she ordered, spanking her hard on the cheeks.
Hawke let out a long moan of reluctance. She turned over, still half asleep, watching the pirate tie her blue bandana. Smiling mischievously, she sat up and grabbed Isabela from behind, pulling her back down onto the bed on top of her. The pirate yelped in surprise as she fell, Lana's breasts cushion her fall. Lana wrapped her arms and legs around her, trapping her, and kissed along the side of her neck.
"You're not going anywhere," she whispered seductively into her ear, her hands sliding along her smooth, tan skin. Isabela exhaled with desire and turned her head, finding Lana's demanding lips upon hers.
"Hawke," she said, in between kissing her, "We have...*kiss*...to go...*kiss*...now..."
"Why?" Hawke breathed, continuing to massage her tongue with her own. "Why can't we just...?" She began to slide her hand down along Isabela's abdomen, feeling her tense in excitement under the loose white shirt as she anticipated her reach.
"Oh, Maker..." the pirate moaned, regretting the timing and desperately wanting to let Lana finish, "I really wish we could...but..."
"But what?" Hawke whispered, smiling as her fingers slipped closer to the pirate's sudden wetness in between her legs.
"But...We haven't any coin left to pay for last night," she replied. "Well, I don't anyway."
Hawke froze. "What?" she asked, "Oh, damn it! Not again!"
Isabela chuckled and reluctantly pried Hawke's arms off her and got to her feet. She smirked down at her and pulled her boots on, full speed once more. Hawke grinned up at her impishly.
"We'll continue this later," she warned, her tongue tracing over her bottom lip seductively still tasting the sweetness of her lover's mouth there. Isabela scanned the perfect nakedness before her in a sweeping glance and felt herself quiver. She chuckled.
"I'm counting on it," she replied, throwing her a wink.
Lana giggled and stretched groggily, trying to clumsily put her clothes on. Isabela searched for the rest of their things and picked up the remaining items of their clothing in her arms. She turned back to Hawke then, seeing if she was ready yet and burst out laughing. Lana, in her hung-over state had pulled her shirt half over her naked torso and was now trying to pull her jacket up over her legs, mistaking it for breeches. Taking pity on her, the pirate helped her into her real pants then dragged the reluctant woman to her feet and ushered her towards the window, both of them only half dressed. She gave Lana a little smack on the ass to hurry her up.
Lana lost her balance and fell face first out over the low ledge. She landed on the pavement painfully, hearing a barking laugh from Isabela who stumbled out behind her noisily with their things in her arms, dropping a few bottles of ale she had stolen.
"Oww!" Hawke cried, holding her forehead, rolling over on the ground. Maker, that's all my hangover needs! Still chuckling, Isabela reached down and pulled her to her feet. She held her cheek in her hand, examining Hawke's dirty temple closely, seeing the woman grimace. There was a little line of blood trickling down her head where a tiny pebble had wedged itself there. The pirate brushed it off with her finger, trying to control her laughter.
"You're fine," she said, giving Lana a quick kiss on the lips. "You're a bloody menace, Hawke."
She reached down and took her hand, leading her far away from The Pearl and through the streets of Denerim before anyone noticed them and gave chase.
"Argh, bugger! My back is killing me," Isabela complained, holding her lower spine and grimacing all of a sudden. They had just finished getting properly dressed in an alleyway, shielded from the early morning sunlight. As soon as they had made it to the Denerim Market District the pirate had doubled over in pain.
"Still?" Hawke asked worriedly, holding her up as she collapsed into her. "That battle against those raiders was months ago, Isabela. You must have done more damage than you thought."
Isabela's breathing became harsher. "I'm fine," she replied, brushing off the woman's concerns. "Don't worry about me, Sweetness."
Straightening up slowly and arching her back to stretch out the kinks, Isabela then began to walk again. Lana watched her warily before following. She slipped her arm around the pirate's waist, pulling her in close. Isabela smiled at her and rested her arm around her shoulders as both of them headed towards The Gnawed Noble Tavern together.
"Do you find it weird being back?" she asked, seeing Lana taking in her surroundings, having not got a chance to do so last night seeing as they were already drunk when they docked. Hawke smirked.
"Depends on what you mean by 'back'," she replied, "Back on dry land, or back in Ferelden?"
Leaving Bethany and Charade on the port in Gwaren a few months after leaving Kirkwall, she and Isabela had set sail together, gathering what little remained of the pirate Captain's old crew and recruiting a few new members to the ranks. For the remainder of 9:37 Dragon and much of the following year, they had then toured the open seas together seeking their fortunes (and getting into a lot of trouble as usual).
Isabela chuckled. "Both," she said.
Lana considered it then.
"I must admit," she began, "it is a little odd not being at sea. I miss it already...and as for being back here? Well, I was very rarely ever in Denerim. I grew up in Lothering with an apostate father and sister you remember."
"Hmm, I suppose you didn't get to travel much back then did you?" Isabela asked.
"Not really," Hawke replied, "Though I must say, the Blight has surely changed this place from the last time I was here. Just over eleven years since my family and I fled Ferelden together and still parts of the land are scorched with remnants of the devastation."
"At least The Pearl is still standing," Isabela joked. Lana laughed.
"I know...But I'd really rather it had just been us last night, Bela," she admitted, feeling guilty for her drunken decision to invite a whore along to join in the fun (even though it wasn't like the thought hadn't entered Isabela's mind). "It was the first bloody night we'd had to ourselves in I don't know how long, my love. I swear your crew gets an earful every time we have sex on the ship."
Isabela chuckled, "It keeps their morale up," she teased, "But you're right...Tonight it'll just be us, Sweetness, I promise."
Lana gave her a peck on the lips then pushed open the door to the tavern and guided Isabela inside, pinching her bum as she did so. The pirate sniggered and dropped herself carefully down onto one of the comfortable couches in the corner, still feeling an uncomfortable twinge in her back. Lana approached the barman to get drinks, receiving condescending looks from the Ferelden nobles as she did so. Ah, just like old times!
"Two ales," she said, feeling as though it was all she could manage right now. She passed the man a sovereign and brought the mugs back to their table. Isabela smiled up at her and wrapped her left arm around her as Lana settled down beside her on the chair.
"I thought you had no coin," she replied, chuckling.
"None that I was willing to pay that whore for," Lana joked. "She wasn't at all worth it."
"Did they run out of whiskey or something then?" Isabela teased, seeing the ale spill over the side of the mug. I'd have loved a whiskey right now. Lana turned instantly green at her words.
"Ugh, don't mention it," she groaned, feeling queasy once more. "I'll be lucky if I can keep this down."
Isabela laughed and kissed the side of her head sweetly. She raised her own mug to her lips, taking a sip of the frothy liquid. The pirate always found the day after a hard drinking session that one more drink the next morning worked wonders for her hangover. Hawke was having no such luck however.
"Urghh," she groaned, her face a sickly pale colour. She turned and rested her head on Isabela's shoulder, closing her eyes as the room began to spin once more. The pirate chuckled and ran her fingers through her hair soothingly.
"You'd better not throw up on me, Sweetness," she joked, stretching to place her mug down on the table then lying back a little more, inviting Lana in closer. The woman gave a rattled sigh in response and settled herself more comfortingly across Isabela, trying to concentrate on the slender fingers brushing along her hair rather than the numerous back flips her stomach was doing. They sat in silence for several minutes, both still dying from the night before.
"What time does the caravan to Lothering get here?" Lana asked weakly then, feeling like she didn't want to move at all for the remainder of the day. She could definitely see this trip far enough but the thought of seeing her little sister Bethany again made her heart swell.
"Not for a while yet," Isabela replied gently, observing the tavern around them as she stroked her head soothingly. "Get some rest, Hawke. Sleep it off. I'll wake you when it comes."
"Don't drink my ale," Lana joked drowsily.
She felt Isabela shake with laughter under her and tighten her warm arm around her. Lana sighed and nestled her face into Isabela's neck, smelling the woman's scent and feeling safe in her arms as she always did. It had been so long since they'd had any time alone together, without the prying eyes of sex-deprived pirates and vagrants. Maker, I missed this...Isabela kissed her head and rested her cheek against it, resuming running her fingers through the woman's soft brown hair, sending her off into a deep, peaceful sleep.
The two women played a game of diamondback as their caravan trotted along the main road towards Lothering in the south. They had been on the road for some time now and were due to arrive at their destination soon.
"Argh! Bitch!" Hawke exclaimed, getting beaten for the fifth time in a row. "How is it still fun to cheat even if I know you're doing it and we're not even playing for coin?"
Isabela chuckled. "It's always fun to win no matter what the stakes, Hawke. I always prefer being on top...you of all people should know that."
Lana scowled at her. "Yes, and we need to talk about that actually," she said, "I think that until your back gets better I should take over, lest you do yourself a mischief."
Isabela gave her cheeky smirk. "You don't think I'm going to give up my rightful place just like that do you?" she joked.
"If you don't I'll make sure you receive a boot up the wrongful place instead," Hawke replied, making her laugh. She took the cards the pirate handed her and cursed loudly again. "Andraste's Ass! I swear you're still stacking that bloody deck!"
"What are you going to do about it?" Isabela teased, her eyes twinkling dangerously from across the carriage. Lana rolled her eyes and glanced down at the cards on the floor, involving herself in their game once more.
"Oh, please," she answered, sniggering, "I'm not falling for that one again. I know all your tricks of seduction by now, Bela. Your powers are useless against me."
Suddenly the pirate grabbed her lower back and grimaced in pain.
"Argh! Andraste's tits!" she cursed, sliding onto the floor, off her chair as the carriage got steadily more bumpy, taking them over a gravel road.
"Isabela!"
Lana chucked her cards away and jumped off her seat, crouching down beside her where she lay in a heap. "Maker, are you alright?" she asked, her voice full of concern.
Taking her by surprise the pirate reached up and tackled her, putting her flat on her back in the middle of the carriage floor and pinning her down roughly. Their faces hovered inches apart. Lana was breathing heavily, having had the wind knocked out of her.
"Bet you didn't see that one coming," Isabela teased seductively, before leaning down and kissing her deeply. After a few seconds of the adventurous tongue massaging hers hungrily, Lana pulled back and looked at her.
"Do you mean...Oh, you bitch! You were faking it?"
The Rivaini chuckled unashamedly, seeing Hawke shake her head in disbelief below her. She looked up at her, furious.
"Ugh Maker, I'm such an idiot. You'll bloody pay for that one!" she said, groaning, trying to shake out from under her. Isabela laughed.
"Well, if I hurt your feelings in any way I just want you to know from that the bottom of my heart... I don't give a shit, Sweetness," she said jokingly, leaning down and claiming Hawke's mouth with her own.
Instantly Hawke was distracted. The wetness of Isabela's mouth stalled any thought she'd had of trying to get up now. The pirate pinned her lover's hands down over her head and traced the woman's full lips with her own, their tongues intertwined. Hawke moaned softly as the hard wooden planks of the carriage dug into her back with each shake the caravan took. She heard the pirate giggle above her and knew she was doing it on purpose, lying her full weight down upon her (even though her breasts alone would have been more than enough). Hmm, I suppose the day Isabela's dominance comes to an end would be a real shame, Hawke thought, enjoying how rough the pirate played, Maybe I'll let her away with it for a little while longer.
Just as they started getting busy, the carriage stopped and the side opened up, showering them both with scorching beams of sunlight.
"Here we are, Serahs! The village of Loth-"
The driver's words caught in his throat and his eyes grew wide at the sight of two beautiful women lying on the floor inappropriately. The pirate's ass was in the air and Lana's clothes had been torn in certain, revealing places. Isabela laughed loudly.
"Do us a favour and close the door, would you? I don't want my ass to get sunburnt," she joked.
"Oh Maker's Breath, just get off me, Bela," Hawke said, rolling her eyes. She would need more than two hands to count the number of times they had been interrupted mid-sex. In fact to be perfectly honest sometimes I feel like I need more than two hands for the sex itself. Reluctantly the pirate slid off her body and dismounted from the carriage, holding her hand out for Lana.
"We're so very sorry," Isabela said, smirking at the driver of the carriage as Lana climbed out awkwardly, readjusting her clothes and falling into the pirate's arms. They stood together, waiting for him to get their things but he simply stared, dumbstruck. After several seconds he cleared his throat.
"Oh...No, eh...Yeah, that's quite all right, Serahs," he stammered. Both women giggled as he retrieved their things and handed them over with shaking hands, his face bright red.
"Thank you," Hawke said, smiling at him embarrassedly.
"And you're welcome!" Isabela added.
Hawke slapped her and took her by the arm, walking her away before she could do anything else to humiliate her. The Rivaini laughed and threw her arm around Lana's shoulder as they made their way into the village of Lothering. They continued joking, flirting and messing around until suddenly Lana's words caught in her throat. A familiar sight stole her gaze. Lothering...Not as pretty as a painting anymore it seems.
Upon seeing the place where she had grown up, Hawke felt a massive tug on her heartstrings. Eleven years. Eleven years since she had last set eyes on it. The ten years that followed in Kirkwall had been difficult to say the least. Only now, with Isabela on the open seas, did Hawke feel truly alive. As they walked over what remained of the white stone bridge, Isabela realised Lana had stopped suddenly. Her mind instantly flashed back to everything that had come before, overcome by memories. Just over a decade and she remembered leaving as though it was only yesterday, seeing the village burn in the distance from the mountainside as she and her family escaped the Blight along with Aveline on the back of a dragon. She had lost so much that day.
"So..." Isabela began gently, looking around them, knowing Hawke was having a bit of a hard time taking it all in. "This is where you lived?"
Lana nodded silently, seeing what remained of the little village that her mother and father had fled to almost thirty four years ago. It had obviously been refurbished and reconstructed since the Blight, but the terrain still bore signs of the Darkspawn taint, and while numerous, iconic buildings such as the Chantry still remained, Lothering looked like a shadow of its former self.
"I...I never thought I'd ever be back here," Hawke said truthfully, swallowing hard. "This is...strange, Bela."
Isabela gave her a smile. "I'll bet," she replied, tightening her arm around her. "Come on, Sweetness. There's no good standing here waiting for the ground to open up and swallow us."
Hawke nodded and braced herself. She took the pirate's hand and allowed her to lead them towards her hometown for the first time in over a decade. She was sure that everyone she had ever known would be long gone by now. Numerous letters she had received in Kirkwall proved that. Many of the town folk had moved up north away from the Darkspawn horde like her own family, some of them even moving west into Orlais. Lana and her little brother had barely made it on time from Ostagar to save their family that day, and of course he ended up not even surviving the fight to get to Gwaren in the end. Carver, Lana thought to herself, I still can't believe he's gone sometimes.
Isabela cast her eyes around at the tiny village seeing only one tavern and a Chantry. "Maker's Breath," she said, surprised. "You really did live in the arse end of nowhere, Hawke."
Hawke snorted. "Well, you would know all about arse ends."
The pirate chuckled. "Touché," she replied, grinning at her. "But you're a close second."
"You mean a 'number two'?" Lana joked.
Both of them burst out laughing and Hawke felt her heart lighten even though the sight around her was a grim one. Isabela had always been very good with distractions. That was one of the reasons she loved her.
"So, where's your house?" Isabela asked, curious against her will now. She didn't know much about a normal life, having been raised Rivain by her mother. We not 'raised' exactly. I was taught well though. The bitch had skills worth learning at least. If this was where Hawke had came from then she dreaded the day when their travels would finally land them in Llomeryn. Maker, I can already imagine her face when she eventually see's where I grew up, she thought to herself, suppressing a laugh.
"We didn't live in the village exactly," Lana informed her, "With two apostates in the family we settled on the outskirts of the Korkari Wilds to the south, but our home was burnt down when we fled the Blight."
"Balls," Isabela sighed, "I'm sorry, Sweetness."
Lana smiled at her. "We both ended up in Kirkwall with nothing but the clothes on our backs, Bela. I don't need sympathy. From what I remember you had it worse."
"Ah yes," the pirate chuckled, "I did make a rather fashionable entrance: a Qunari theft, a shipwreck and a bar brawl and then I somehow landed in your life and-"
"-Flipped it on its head," Hawke finished jokingly.
"Well, you can't beat a good old bit of head," Isabela teased, smirking at her cheekily.
They both laughed and continued through the small village reaching the other side.
"So Bethany's got a home here with Charade?" Isabela asked. Lana nodded.
"Apparently Leliana sent word to King Alistair on Bethany's behalf after what happened back in Kirkwall and she got the land back that our family owned before the Blight," Hawke said. Thinking of Sister Leliana her mind flashed back to great times they had shared here. She smiled, remembering the sex they had in that infamous windmill, which was long since burnt to the ground under a siege of Darkspawn unfortunately. What a shame. I'm sure Isabela would have loved to re-enact that little scene.
"You're imaging her naked again, aren't you?" Isabela asked wryly.
"What?" Hawke exclaimed, her thoughts disturbed momentarily, "I...No!"
To her surprise Isabela chuckled. "Oh, don't lie to me, Hawke! You have a certain look on your face when you imagine naked women. I saw you expression when that woman passed us a few days back in Highever."
"What woman?" Hawke asked, not remembering.
"You know, the one with the long blonde hair, great ass, perky breasts...?"
At last it came to her. "Ah yes!" she said smiling, her mind drifting off once more. Maker, the things I would do to her...
"There it is again!" Isabela said, pointing at her face. She laughed as Lana's cheeks turned pink. "See! I can always tell when you're undressing people in your head. You don't have a very good poker face, Hawke."
"It's not like I need one is it? All you do is cheat anyway when we play!" Hawke replied sourly, making her laugh.
They began to travel through the mountainside on the other side of the village towards where Bethany had made a new home for herself, above the remains of the old family one. Hawke remembered the way as though she had never left. Although the dusty terrain looked different under the scorching sun and had aged with the years, she had walked this path so many times in her life that she knew it like the back of her hand. Isabela grabbed the stitch in her side and puffed loudly beside her.
"Is it any...wonder...you're body is so...toned," she gasped, "walking this...bloody path...everyday."
Lana chuckled. "I think you just smoked too much tobacco last night, sweet thing," she teased.
Isabela laughed. "Ugh...tell me we're almost there," she groaned, leaning on Hawke's shoulder for support and taking off her blue bandana to wipe her sweating forehead.
"Almost," Hawke replied, "It's all downhill from here, don't worry."
The pirate followed her down the tight, rocky path, stumbling every so often on the uneven surface. Lana took a look at their surroundings and stopped suddenly, a hand covering her mouth. Maker... To Isabela's surprise she bent down on one knee and began muttering something under her breath, her head bowed.
"What are you doing?" the Rivaini asked curiously. "I hope you're not proposing to me."
Hawke didn't laugh at the joke. She exhaled and ran her hand along the dusty terrain, remembering. Her heart felt very heavy all of a sudden. She could feel the pirate's eyes on her.
"Hawke?"
Isabela bent down beside her and placed a hand on her back. Lana turned to her.
"This...this was where my little brother died," she said sadly, heaving a sigh. The pirate gave her a sympathetic smile.
"I'm so sorry, Sweetness," she said softly, rubbing her back. She kissed her on the head and pulled her to her feet, dusting down her knees. "Chin up, alright? This was supposed to be a fun trip, remember? Not a bloody trip down memory lane." Lana smiled.
"I know...My memory lane's a bit grimmer than most peoples," she joked. "I just never realised how hard it would be coming back here. I'm glad I've got you with me at least to keep me from wallowing too hard."
Isabela laughed. "Just wait until we get to Rivain," she joked, "I'll be shitting myself so much that I'll need you to buy me some pants."
They both chuckled and began to walk again.
"I can't believe you still go bare," Hawke replied, shaking her head and glancing down at the white shirt Isabela was wearing. At least she had purchased a new, long blue pirate coat, giving her a bit of cover and leaving a little more to the imagination for her crew (much to Hawke's delight and their dismay). Yesterday though, she had left it on the ship when they docked in Denerim as the sun burned brightly in the sky, sweltering the entire crew. Despite this clothing adjustment however, Isabela had been pants-less ever since she had known her.
"I never hear you complain," the Rivaini teased, "Easier access and all that."
Lana giggled. "I didn't think you could get any easier, Bela. Sometimes all I have to do is look at you and you pounce and have your way with me."
The pirate laughed. "Cheeky bastard! And you don't entice me at all do you?"
"It's all in the eyes," Lana joked, winking at her, "And I know you can't resist my big brown ones."
Isabela giggled and gave her a quick kiss. "I never could, Sweetness."
"Sister!"
Bethany had been busying herself around a fire outside her new home when she jumped, hearing a familiar voice call out towards her. Her heart swelled. She turned and smiled widely, seeing her elder sister for the first time in almost a year.
"Lana!"
Isabela chuckled as the two women ran towards each other comically and almost fell over with the force of their hug. She knew Lana had missed Bethany when they were at sea, especially having just made up with her after years of not speaking in Kirkwall. It had been difficult to leave her again so soon. Hawke hugged her little sister tightly and swung her around in the air several times, her eyes closed.
"Oh, I've missed you, pretty thing!" she cooed in her ear. Bethany laughed excitedly.
"I've missed you too, Lana! Maker, it's so good to see you again!" she exclaimed, the happiest she had been in a long time.
"Where's Charade?" Lana asked, looking around for her cousin. The land had changed a lot since they had left, but there were still a few familiar trees and things which made it feel like home still.
"She's in the village getting supplies for you coming. I'm surprised you didn't run into her actually," Bethany replied.
"We just passed through quickly," Lana said sadly, "It's still a little weird to be back here."
Bethany gave her a knowing smile. "I understand, Sister. It's only for a few days though. Try to have a good time while you're here. Maker knows we're had enough drama in our lives. We deserve a bit of peace," she said, rubbing her arm comfortingly.
Isabela caught up then and accepted Bethany's kisses on either cheek.
"It's great to see you, Bela!" she greeted her with a smile.
"Likewise, Bethany," the pirate replied, winking at her. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Just about," the youngest Hawke said with a giggle. "Come on in! You both must be tired!"
"We might put a bed to good use you know...but I doubt it will be for sleep," Isabela joked. Lana nudged her in the ribs.
"Maker's Breath!" she sighed, "In front of my little sister?"
"What? She's heard worse things than that come out of my mouth...and yours coming to think about it! Don't pretend to be such a prude...Maker, remember Aveline? A prude if I ever saw one."
"Don't be cruel, Bela...I'm not so little anymore, Lana," Bethany said chuckling, glancing back at her with a smile. Isabela wolf- whistled.
"Ooooo," she swooned, "I'm sensing a story here!"
They followed the young woman inside her house, catching up on a years worth of laughing and joking. The three of them settled themselves around the fire in the cosy living area. It was a lovely little home that Bethany and Charade had made for themselves in secret, well away from any Templar-Mage wars thankfully. Maker knows we've seen enough of that scenario, Hawke thought to herself. How long the peace would last for though would be another question.
"Possibly, Bela," Bethany teased, "But first I have some news for you. I received something the other day."
"What's going on?" Lana asked, resting her arm around the back of Isabela's chair. Her sister got to her feet and took a letter from the fireplace, handing it to Isabela. The two women stared at each other surprised. They had been sailing for almost a year and no one knew the location of this house save for a few people, let alone that they would be coming to visit. Who would be writing to me? Isabela wondered. She unfolded it, beginning to read, with Hawke breathing over her shoulder:
Captain Isabela,
Due to the cautious nature of my position here in Ferelden let me just begin by saying that we met many years ago at The Pearl in Denerim. I am unsure if you will remember it, but if I do, then I have no doubt that you will too, considering we have a few mutual friends (an Orlesian, an Antivan and no less than the late Hero of Ferelden herself to be more precise).
Your reputation as a pirate raider was great even then. I am writing now as I require your aid with a personal matter. It has been difficult to get in contact with you after events in Kirkwall, your last known whereabouts. Despite this I ran into one of your 'old friends' who said you would be visiting this residence soon. I send this letter as a request to meet in The Gnawed Noble Tavern in Denerim, if you ever do find yourself in Ferelden and in need of some paid work. I am usually there in the evenings at around eight.
Sincerely,
The Blushing Grey Warden.
Isabela looked up and saw the confusion on Hawke's face. Well, the message certainly did well at being cryptic, she thought. A smile appeared on her face then as she recalled one of her finer memories.
"What was all that shit about?" Lana asked curiously, "And since when are you friends with Grey Wardens or...what was it? 'The Blushing Grey Warden'?"
Isabela chuckled. "Oh, he's not a Grey Warden anymore, Sweetness...And no, he's not a whore either," she added, before Lana could open her mouth to ask. "He's the King of Ferelden."
Bethany and Lana's jaws dropped in shock.
"You seduced a King?" Hawke asked in disbelief.
"Never mind that! Since when are you friends with royalty?" Bethany asked interestedly. For as long as she had known Isabela she had never seemed like the person who would associate herself with Kings or Queens, unless they were of the Eastern Seas like herself.
"I'm not actually," the pirate replied, "He seems to have gone to great lengths to look me up...And no Hawke, I didn't sleep with him. In fact..." A wicked grin appeared on her face, "he was rather left out the first night we met if I remember correctly."
Suddenly Hawke recalled a conversation the two of them had shared back at The Hanged Man in Kirkwall one night. "OH!" she blurted, wide-eyed, "Was this when you...you know...?"
Isabela chuckled, "It was indeed."
Bethany looked from one woman to the other and decided then that she didn't want to know what they were talking about. When it came to Isabela and her sister some things were better left in the dark. Past experience had taught her that.
"Anyway, are you going to meet him?" she asked, trying to bring the conversation back to a plane that she understood. "He and Leliana are the only ones who know of this location. It must be important if he tried to contact you here."
"Wouldn't hurt, I guess," Isabela said shrugging, "What do you think, Sweetness?"
Lana nodded, "If you want to, Bela. We haven't got much on the go at the minute. I quite fancy another adventure actually. I don't think I've had enough near-death experiences quite yet to be thinking about settling down soon."
The pirate grinned at her proudly.
"You'll be the death of me, Hawke," she joked.
"And that's why you love me," Lana replied, winking at her.
Bethany smiled as her sister kissed her lover on the lips unashamedly. It was still a strange sight for her to see, but she knew how Isabela made Lana feel. They had been through so much together. Almost two years gone and their relationship was still surprisingly strong, considering both of them were not the monogamous types. She sighed and got to her feet, deciding to make tea for the two lovebirds, happy to have her family around her once more without there being a threat of Templars or Mages trying to kill them. The peace was a nice change. Maker, it had been far too long.
