A/N: This story is in response to a prompt on the Dragon Age!Kink Meme. Hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: Dragon Age 2 and its characters are not mine... unfortunately.
"Hamartia: Traditionally described as the hero's fatal flaw. The word is rooted in the notions of being mistaken, ignorant, missing the mark and accidental wrong doing. Additionally, it can also describe a deliberate iniquity, error and sin"
Chapter One
"You have a letter waiting for you Messere Hawke"
Bodahan told the Champion of Kirkwall as she clanked into her home. Marian was weary and couldn't wait to shed her armor and relax. She mustered her strength to smile at the dwarf, who helped run the estate now, especially after...
Shaking her head Hawke headed for the stairs and clanked her way into her room; she could almost feel the trail of dirt that she was leaving behind embedded on the plush carpeting. But she didn't care. Slowly she shed her armour, leaving it beside the hearth to clean and polish later on and sank gratefully into a waiting, steaming bath.
When she emerged, she dressed and headed downstairs to address business awaiting for her accompanied by a overly filled bowl of meat stew. Scooping a large mouthful, Hawke tore open the letter and swallowed hastily. It was from the First Enchanter, asking for her aid. She quickly read the letter, liking what the First Enchanter was asking her to do less and less. Marian knew that the issue of a rogue templars was a big one; one that she was a lot more acquainted with than one would think. She also knew that this had to be addressed immediately.
But not before she finished her stew.
When she had finished the small tasks that came with caring for an estate and reading the reports from the spies she had keeping tabs on her dear uncle Gamlen, she pulled on pants, boots and light but sturdy cured leather armour, sheathed her long sword and set out into the night for Lowtown. As she walked her hound, Max walking by her side- tongue out and tail wagging at a new adventure, she tried to process what exactly was required of her by the senior enchanter; his message was vague but held clear instructions on where to go, it seemed to an estate in Hightown.
Not that she was stupid enough to go by herself, at night. No, she would see who was at the Hanged Man this evening and then make her decision on who to take, depending on the number of empty pints sitting in front of them. It always depended on the number of empty glasses when it came to night time runs through Kirkwall. As discord spread through Kirkwall, walking around at night wasn't an ideal place to be...unless you knew how to defend yourself and had a sword at your disposal to prove it.
As if to prove this thought, a youngster with more balls than brains approached Hawke with two daggers that she was sure he couldn't even throw a yard. A well planted fist to the gut and reclaiming the contents of her purse that he had snatched from her waist didn't even make Hawke break a sweat as she continued on her way.. She heard the soft gasps of the grunt's companions as Dog went sniffing up to their hiding spot and growled at the barrels, where they hid. Smiling she called Max away giving his hip a loving pat. With a happy whine, he trotted on ahead of Hawke as they rounded a corner and the faint sounds of glass breaking, yells and drunken singing emerged from a lone door in the middle of a building. Pulling the heavy door open, Hawke entered and her senses were overcome with the smells of human sick, the disgusting ale that the Hanged Man served and now, the cheers of 'Hawke'.
"Stay"
She ordered Max who grudgingly laid on the floor besides the door jam, head resting on his paws and looking sorely disappointed. Hawke could almost guess the thoughts that were going through his head as she turned around and approached the table that housed a generous amount of pint glasses, a small pile of gold, cards and Varric, Isabela and Merrill.
"Hawke, I thought you were too high and mighty to join us for Diamondback tonight?"
Varric slurred as he moved his chair around and clumsily pulled an extra chair over for Hawke to sit on. As soon as Hawke had sat down, Isabela pushed a pint across the table and rested her feet on Hawke's lap. Merrill touched Hawke's shoulder in greeting, smiling widely.
"Not tonight, Varric. The First Enchanter needs some help tonight; I was wondering if two of you would be available to help me?"
Hawke directed her question towards Merrill and Isabela. Merrill was interested in what the First Enchanter could possibly want. Isabela had already disappeared upstairs somewhere.
"Oh c'mon Hawke don't you believe in having a night off? We need to
talk about the next novellia that I'm writing."
Varric slurred once more, pulling the small pile of gold towards him and fumbling with the buckles on his purse. Hawke leaned forward, pushing the pint of beer that had been proffered to her out of the way so she could unbuckle Varric's bag.
"Thanks for that m'dear"
Varric began shovelling the gold into the bag by handfuls, occasionally pausing to take a long draught of the Hanged Man's prized ale. Hawke shook her head at her favourite dwarf's antics and Merril touched Hawke's shoulder again.
"What does the First Enchanter want us to do?"
Merrill asked Hawke, still quiet and timid as they headed towards the exit, where Max was waiting, tail wagging and panting excitedly. Merrill scratched Max's ears as they waited for Isabela.
"I'm ready to go, kittens"
Isabela announced as she approached them. Hawke whistled to Max and opened the door, letting in the sharp wind that blew through Kirkwall in the night. Despite the accompanying chill, it was a clear evening, the moon high in the sky with no cloud cover hindering the light.
"The First Enchanter wants us to investigate the possibility of rogue Templars. I have an address in the Hightown Estates, where we shall begin. If it comes to a fight, I want you on the offensive Merril, I will protect you which leaves you to do what you do best in a fight Isabela"
Hawke told her two companions. It was nice to have girls with her on a night jaunt, not that spending time hunting down templars or apostates with Fenris, Anders or Varric wasn't fun- not at all.
"Doing what I do best in a fight, Hawke will always involve my unmentionables and scented oils."
Isabela told her coyly. Hawke chuckled as she unsheathed her long sword, the runes that Sandal had enchanted onto the heavy metal piece gleaming in the moonlight. Glancing down at Max, she saw that he was alert and ready to attack; not a good sign.
"Its the Champion!"
Hawke saw the flare of magic being cast in their direction before she saw the culprit that had cried out her identity. Getting a surer grip on her trusty long-sword, Hawke glanced back at her companions, grinned and with a loud cry Hawke charged for the nearest templars and immediately brought one to the ground with a well placed slash to the soft flesh behind the knee caps; followed by a blow to the head. Merril was taunting three of the five mages with a petrifying spell that had their hands and feet turned to stone. Letting out a loose laugh, Hawke turned her attention to the templar directly in front of her.
"You fight like my mother!"
Isabela called and Hawke whipped around in time to bring up her sword in defense the force clamouring through her arms. With an angry grunt, she kicked the templar in the gut and followed with a blow to the helmet that sent the templar reeling. Looking around her, Hawke saw that the fight was over. Without a second thought, she stooped down and emptied out the unconcious templar's belongings- taking coin, vials of lyrium and health potions.
"Hawke, I've found something!"
Merrill called and she went to her friend who was holding a piece of parchment in one hand and scooping three vials of lyrium into her pocket with the other. Taking the grubby and torn note from Merril, she read quickly before determining where they next had to go.
"There's recruitment for this group at Gardibali's Warehouse. Do you know where that is, Isabela?"
Hawke asked as she carefully folded the note and pocketed it safetly away from potential carnage. Satisfied now that the danger had passed, she quickly wiped her sword clean before sheathing it safetly onto her back.
"The docks, Hawke? So we're definitely going to see tell of my unmentionables this evening?"
Isabela asked as she tucked some silvers that she had skillfully thieved from a apostate down her left boot. Hawke couldn't help but chuckle as she clapped the pirate on the back and whistled Max away from the Elfroot that was growing in a garden.
"The warehouse district? I was pretty certain that apart from sinister meetings that people actually stored objects there."
Merrill giggled to herself as she walked by Hawke's side as they ducked through numerous back alleyways, passing quickly from Hightown to Lowtown and then the acrid smell of rotting fish that told one that they were in the docks of Kirkwall; it occured to Hawke that it was now quiet...a bit to quiet.
"Gardibali's Warehouse. It's quite the mouthful"
Merrill observed, coming to a stop in front of a door that had previously been chained shut. With a grin, the young elf pushed the unlocked door open. It gave, opening silently and the group entered the warehouse; weapons drawn and in the case of Max, looking for a fight. As they approached a flimsy looking door that was closed and they heard muffled voices on the other side. Hawke was distracted by the large, padlocked chests.
"I've got this in the bag, Hawke"
Isabela whispered into Hawke's ear as Hawke ran a yearning hand over one of them. Within seconds, Isabela had the chests unlocked and seeing no items of interest, abandoned the open crates. Nudging the door open with the tip of her staff; Merrill crept in ahead of the others with Hawke close on her heels. Where Isabela and Max had disappeared to- she didn't know but it would be to their advantage of; that she was sure of.
The first thing that Hawke noticed was the young Templar recruit that she had saved all those years ago- Keran. She wouldn't forget how the boy had pleaded with her to help him, too plead his case with the Knight-Captain and Hawke, seeing something of herself in the situation had relented; much to Fenris' wraith and exposing herself to Varric as a 'big nug loving softy'.
"I can't do it...I won't!"
Keran yelled as he ran away just as apostates all but surrounded them. With a furious yell, Merrill summoned lightning into the warehouse, the bolts crackling as they darted through the apostates with the shock of the spell knocking them out as Hawke struck down one Templar after another as they emerged from a side room. Merrill relentlessly cast spell after spell, incarcerating each templar in stone when they dared to attempt to try and stop her. Striking down a Templar Hawke tried to catch her breath- she felt herself losing energy and fast and still wondered where her dog and Isabela had gotten too when she heard the angry growls of Max and the fast, harsh sound of metal hitting metal.
"I can't do this for much longer!"
Merrill cried out to Hawke desperately since the elf mage was tiring. Littered on the ground around her where she stood were empty vials of lyrium and fallen opponants. A limber Templar was continuously attacking the now only standing mage in the room and through his efforts Hawke saw that Merrill was tiring quicker and quicker. Hawke darted forward and blocked a stab directed to Merril's back whilst she was turned and immediately changed tact from defense to offence.
"I thought the Chantry taught its soldiers honour and chivalry in a fight"
Hawke growled at her adversary. In the background, she could hear Isabela's triumphant calls and immediately closer to herself, Merril's harsh and weary breathing as she struggled to gather more strength. When the Templar struck out at Hawke with a fist, pushing her backwards and leaving her slightly winded, did she spot Isabela and Max come leaping off of a overhead balcony of sorts. The combined heavy weight of both a woman and a fully grown mabari hound falling a few feet on top of the Templar succeeded in knocking their foe silly and immovable.
Merrill was the first to make a noise, a peal of laughter that echoed throughout the entire room as a lone figure approached them. Keran who was no longer the young templar recruit that Hawke remembered began to stammer an explanation of what had happened. Hawke was barely listening, that is until she heard mentions of Thrask- one of the few rare templars that had mercy for the plight of mages.
"Thrask? He's involved?"
Hawke asked, Keran now motivated by Marian's response began to talk with earnest detailing what he knew about what Thrask's thoughts were on the matter. Things took a turn for the worse when he mentioned hostages.
"Hostages are involved? Where are they being kept?"
Hawke demanded, renewing her grip on her sword. From the information that Keran had told her, it was that the core conspirators thought that Hawke was at the root of the spy ring which could only mean that there was the chance that her mother or even, Bethany had become involved.
"A place on the Wounded Coast. I will draw you a map and explain their location"
Keran told her, crossing over to the door that lead back outside, stepping over unconscious and deceased bodies. Hawke followed, struggling to staunch the nerves that were welling up inside of her and as Keran explained the location on his badly drawn map, she could hear the clinks of armor being moved as Isabela searched the pockets, purses and pouches for coin, medicinal items and other items that would help them and hoped there was some lyrium for Merrill.
"Thank you Keran, where will you go now?"
Hawke asked the young Templar as he looked around the devastation in the warehouse. Merrill was standing now, no longer panting for breath keeping a firm hold on her staff which she lent on as she walked.
"Back to my sister Macha. You won't tell her what happened will you? Or the Knight-Captain?"
A flash of the boy she remembered appeared in his eyes and face at his question. She smiled at the young templar and patted his shoulder after sheathing her bloodied longsword.
"Of course not, Keran. Of course not."
Keran smiled at her as Marian turned and headed for the door, an energetic Mabari close on her heels and held the door open for her recovering mage. Isabela grinned at her friends as the first rays of sunrise and the coldness that accompanied the beginning of a new day hit them.
"The Wounded Coast, again? I think we need to rename it. Something along the lines of 'Hawke's Girdle'? What do you think?"
Isabela asked her companions, Merrill chuckled her posture straightening after ingesting a healing paste. Hawke punched the pirate on the shoulder good humouredly.
"Isabela, shut up."