LOST, AND FOUND

Chapter 1

A Ferelden drunk was not an unusual sight in the Hanged Man of an evening and this night was certainly no exception. Why the blond loser in the corner had caught her attention, Hawke was never quite sure. Perhaps it was the muttering about the hero Loghain. Or the strange ramblings about grey wardens. Or maybe just that he was handsome and his clothing was a tad finer than the usual patrons.

It had been a raucous evening of debauchery and laughter with Isabella and Varric. An unusual one where little brother Carver's glowering presence hadn't dampened the shenanigans and so things had escalated. Three sheets to the wind and without said sheet to cover her flushed nakedness (having lost a drinking game and her clothing to Isabella), Kirkwall's newest scion found herself dizzily demanding a rematch to the laughter and appreciative whistles of the tipsy crowd surrounding their table.

"Darlin' I think you've had enough alcohol tonight to sink an armada." Varric laughed at her while surreptitiously sliding the nearly empty bottle near her elbow off the table and out of sight.

"Well, clearly not enough to convince her to sink MY armada." Isabella pouted.

"She can sink my ship anytime." The slurred words from some random stranger near the back of the crowd prompted Hawke to glower fuzzily at them all.

"No...sinking armadas while I'm naked."

"Honey, when you're naked is the best time to sink an armada." To the laughter of the crowd Isabella leaned back in her chair with a saucy flourish.

"Damn, I wish I'd thought of that one!" Varric shook his head as he pulled out a battered deck of cards. "Okay my fiery Hawke, I think it's time to allow you to try to win your clothing...and your dignity back."

"Ooooo Wicked Grace! I love that game." With a glint of card-shark shining through her intoxication, Isabella took a last swig and leaned forward. "So, the wager is Hawke's robe vs what?"

"You just drank the last of my money." The red-headed apostate pointed out in a helpful and rather slurred voice.

"True, true, but perhaps there is something else? You could indenture your little brother to me. He's not bad looking and he'd probably like the life of a sailor."

"Hawke's mother would have your head on a pole. Hell, Hawke's mother would have MY head on a pole for allowing it." Varric's nimble fingers dealt out two hands while he spoke.

"But I need my...my robe back. Mother will kill me if I come home without it." The plaintive note to her drunken voice made both her friends laugh and then Isabella slapped her hand on the table.

"I know. If you win, you get your robe back. If I win, you have to sink the armada of someone in this bar tonight." The dusky pirate smirked. "You have a beautiful pirate, a surly barkeep, a sexy dwarf," Varric interrupted "Oh no, keep me out of this!" Isabella shrugged and continued. "A rather nasty barmaid and all these...interesting men...to choose from. Personally I think the beautiful pirate is the best bet though."

"Alright...I'll take that bet. I'm reeeeaaaalllly good at Wick...ur Wicked Grace." Hawke plomped her naked bottom down in the chair and squinted at her cards.

…..

"You cheated!" Hawke didn't know how she'd done it, but of the three out of five, Isabella had lost the first two and easily won the last three when Hawke had agreed to keep going.

"Of course I did. Why you ever thought gambling with a pirate was a good idea isn't my concern."

Varric gathered the cards, shaking his head and snickering. "Chalk it up to lessons learned my friend." Hawke grumbled. "I should never trust a dwarf or a pirate. What was I thinking. If I ever do it again, stop me Varric." The dwarven rogue laughed out loud. "You mean, before tomorrow night?"

"Oh, don't be a spoil-sport." Isabella chided, then gestured grandly at the room before bouncing her own amply bosom at the naked woman across the table. "Time to make a choice. Whose armada is getting sunk tonight by our beautiful, if dangerous loser?

Standing with all the dignity she could muster naked and drunk, Hawke turned her nose into the air and began a slow and saucy saunter around the room, peering at each of the patrons in turn. Some flushed at her perusal. Some reached for her with greedy hands, but even drunk she easily evaded their touch. Until she found herself in front of the strange blond Ferelden in the corner. He seemed lost in his own world, paying little attention to his surroundings.

Funny, she thought to herself as she paused to study him. His own world was one of bitterness and sorrow and loss if his expression was any indication.

She knew about bitterness and sorrow and loss.

Without even realizing she'd made the decision, she moved closer and struck an inviting pose. "Hey stranger, if you let me "sink your armada", I'll let you sink mine."

"Wha? What are you talking about?" His blurred gaze moved to follow her voice and his eyes widened in surprise at the flagrant nakedness before him.

"Seriously? You don't know? Well… I think it means do you want to have sex with me." Her voice faltered in uncertainty. Sleeping with strangers was not something she'd ever done before. Honestly, she'd kind of intended to make Isabella happy if she'd lost (and she hadn't intended to lose at all).

"Have sex? With you?" His voice rose to a shocked wail and he nearly dropped the cup he'd been bringing to his mouth when she spoke.

"Yes, with me. Are you daft man? Never mind. My dignity is worth more than this. Not much more, but..." She turned away, then whirled as a questing hand caressed her bottom.

The man sat with wide eyes, holding his hand up as though it had been burned. "You, you're a real woman...talking to me and...everything."

"What? You thought I wasn't real?" She gawked back at him in surprise and they stared at each other for a moment. A moment that slowly faded from outrage to ridiculousness and then they both began to laugh.

As the laughter faded his eyes dropped to the pale skin on display and he flushed but didn't look away.

"Do you still want to...uh...sink my armada?"

"Yes, yes I think I do."

He stood, and with a clumsy but somehow noble bow, he took her arm in his and they staggered down the hallway together.