Audrey snatched the letter out of his nail bitten hands, fumbling it slightly in her haste to get to the letter bearing the Grey Warden seal. Eyes frantically darting over the first line she let the breath go she'd been holding and her shoulders relaxed at the simple but all meaning word – 'okay'.
Taking the stairs two at time she called out for her mother, Leandra emerged from the drawing room, "It's a blessed relief I know, but she didn't say when she could come back here, even for visit."
Audrey's smile ignored the use of 'here' instead of 'home', instead it was infectious. Smiling in return Leandra hugged her daughter, and Audrey ignored the fact that the smile didn't quite reach her mother's eyes.
Anders stood with his back to the now quiet clinic, a defeated sigh accompanying his diligent hands as he methodically cleaned up after another day healing, consoling and generally trying not to let the injustice of it all get to him, or was it just Justice. Hot fetid air hung limp around him, the stone city above had been baking for days under a scorching sun, and even the sky was unforgiving, sending not a cloud or breeze to offer sweet relief. If a senior enchanter in The Circle hadn't once shown him with a balloon of sorts that hot air rises he would have sworn its oppressive weight sank it down into the bowls of the earth to where he now stood. And like with all thoughts of The Circle, no matter how fleeting, he was there again, the rage began to curl its fingers around his mind, his being. Anders took a shuddering breath willing him, or was it himself, to be calm.
"And I thought it'd be cooler down here!"
At the sound of Audrey's voice the fingers tried to momentarily hold on then let go in exasperated defeat.
"Boiling in summer, freezing in winter but the stench remains the same" his mouth perked at the corners, a sign of the genuine mirth he'd managed to so immediately swing to merely from her presence.
"Some consistency can be nice"
Dropping her banter, she crossed the clinic beaming "We just received a letter from Bethany, she's alright, a Grey Warden, sketchy on the details, but she's okay... safe."
Anders wished he could be as pleased as she was, but he knew what some of those details were her sister had been so sketchy on, still he smiled "That's good, I'm so glad."
Audrey took a step closer to him her entire countenance changing, softening with a hint of vulnerability, "Anders" oh Maker the way she said his name "I'm so grateful for what you did, if you hadn't been there, found the Wardens, I... I don't..." she looked up into his honey coloured eyes "Thankyou."
Before he could say anything her joviality resumed, it was genuine, not something many had witnessed and all too rare since the Deep Roads, "I'm going to the Hanged Man, tell Varric and Isabella, want to come with?" her brows raised expectantly.
"Sure, ah... give me a minute while I clean up" he gestured to his soiled clothing. Audrey chided herself as warmth flooded her cheeks, for Andraste's sake why was she blushing, purposely taking a casual tone she said "Of course I'll wait outside."
As they walked through the appropriate if not imaginatively named Darkcity, sidestepping all manner of excrements from those who dwelled there- perched precariously on the edge of survival often quite literally, Anders told him he was going so as to escape the hot thick air and nothing more. Disprove.
In an effort to broach the lengthening silence and focus on something, anything, other than the despair she felt clawing out to her as she passed Audrey started giving Anders information, some of which she knew he wanted. "Sebastian won't come of course, Aveline said she might later as long as we don't make her paperwork increase before she gets there, I'll send a messenger to Merrill and Fenris but I doubt he'll want to come."
Anders glanced at Audrey out of the corner of his eyes to see if she really believed that about Fenris, for it was becoming obvious to him that the mage hating elf was looking upon this mage sympathising rogue with something other than mere friendly eyes.
Audrey accepted another drink from the blonde haired waitress; she was already quite tipsy. "Hang on let me get this straight" she laughed "you taught the Hero of Ferelden and King Alistair duelling techniques and had a threesome with them on your pirate ship?"
Aveline had a hard time making herself heard over the roaring laughter of Audrey & Varric, even Fenris had thrown his head back in a throaty laugh "You watch your mouth harlot that's the King and Queen of Ferelden you're slandering."
Isabella gave the ginger captain a sly grin "Considering they're both fairly intimate with my mouth you have nothing to worry about."
"I'll give you something to worry about" Aveline shot back.
Ignoring her Isabella continued to provide scandalous detail "It was the Queens' idea after all, quite the little minx" she directed her attention to Merrill who was blushing into her elderflower pressé "in my experience it's the nobility who often have the most surprising and fun suggestions" adding as an afterthought "not including Sebastian of course" her puzzled brow indicating her utter lack of comprehension at his vow, and such a waste too.
The laughter still bubbled in Audrey's voice "Forgive me if I don't believe you Bells but even Varric couldn't make that story sound credible, it sounds more like one of your trashy novels." she was starting to slur her s' "speaking of which you left your copy of 'Innocent Virgin, Wild Surrender' in the library, next time at least put it on one of the top shelves far from innocent short arms".
"Did you like it honey?" she inquired knowingly, Aveline scoffed and left the table no longer able to avoid having to use the subpar facilities of the tavern, Audrey just rolled her eyes.
Beside her Anders' eyes were alight this time with humour and his face showing his enjoyment, Audrey's insides swelled with pleasure, "As strange as it may sound I happen to have firsthand knowledge that our lovely pirate here speaks the truth" he said taking a swig of his drink.
"Well now that is interesting Blondie" Varric leaned forward "who'd have thought you had sources in high places, very high places it seems."
Anders shrugged the twinkle in his eyes receding somewhat; it was in a tavern so much like this one, reeking of stale ale and vomit, in such a group not so dissimilar although more drunk perhaps, he had definitely been different, the familiar wretchedness infiltrated his tone "Ava did tell a story once, well it was more of a confession, during a serious bout of drinking, but I didn't know it was you Bells" he managed to grin at her "although I should have guessed."
Audrey knew he had met Ava Cousland when he was a Grey Warden but she had no idea he was on a first name basis with her, let alone her drinking buddy and privy to such personal information on the rulers of Ferelden. Mildly astonished she studied him, there was so much about him that she still didn't know, and for some reason wanted to know. He never really spoke about before. He'd offered her rare insights, like this one, but it was like pulling misshapen pieces of a patchwork quilt together. Mostly it formed a vague picture of a confident easygoing man with a playful tendency to make the ladies, and men for that matter, smile. She'd seen a few hints of him and she wondered whether it was his guilt or Justice that had buried him so deep, probably a bit of both.
Merrill had found her voice, "What's it like... to kiss a woman?" her question so full of serious inquiry.
"Just say the word kitten and I'll show you" Isabella teased.
Merrill flushed, she looked to Ava who was chuckling into her chipped earthenware mug, "Have you ever kissed a woman Audrey?" who proceeded to choke on her ale, at least what passed for ale at The Hanged Man.
Recovering, all eyes around the table upon her; Isabella looking intrigued, Varric amused, Merrill the picture of naivety, Fenris positively smouldering opposite her, and Anders with that mischievous smile again, she pulled her eyes away from it "No I have not."
Isabella's lip curved at one corner "Would you like to?"
"What! Here, now?" Audrey looked around the crowded tavern, her lack of denial speaking volumes "I'm not near drunk enough yet."
Fenris stopped the waitress as she was walking past; gesturing to Audrey he said "We're going to need more drinks here" he kept his eyes studied on her as he raised his glass to his lips hiding the slightest of smirks. Audrey felt the heat rising across her chest and up her neck under his intense gaze, and unobserved by anyone Anders' eyes narrowed.
"Huh well he is a hot blooded creature, who would've guessed" Varric joked. A short glass of amber coloured liquid was placed before Audrey, Varric raised his own tumbler saluting her "Go on Hawke, I dare you to, as long as I'm the one to tell choir boy all about it" he chortled.
"No fair Varric" Isabella pouted "at least wait til I'm there too."
Not one to ever back down from a dare, in one fluid movement Audrey threw back the liquor cringing slightly as it burned the back of her throat "Alight Bells" she pushed back her wooden chair "let's have it."
Isabella rose and sauntered the couple of steps to where Audrey was sitting hands on her knees, bending at the waist she stopped a hair's breathe from her, she knew how to put on a good show, "As long as your sure honey" she said. Ava answered her by closing the distance between them pressing her lips to Isabella's, then Isabella took over; slowly parting her lips against Audrey's who followed suit, gently brushing her tongue against the other woman's, the kiss was unhurried and much more sensual than Audrey expected and only ended when the drunken hollering of the other male patrons broke the spell.
Anders watched the women kiss right next to him his jaw dropping a little, arousal shot through his groin and he shifted slightly in his chair. Maker's breathe she's going to be the death of me.
As Isabella resumed her seat Varric declared "Now that was a damn sight better than what you can see at The Blooming Rose!"
Audrey was saved from being drawn too far into the gaze that Fenris was giving her by Merrill in pure innocence asking "So what's it like then?" Audrey laughed catching Anders' eye, for a fleeting second she could have sworn a look naked desire flitted across his face.
"It was nice Merrill but I'm pretty sure I'm still a pike girl."
'Innocent Virgin, Wild Surrender' is a real Mills & Boon book by Anne Mather - I haven't read it (yet ) but that title was just too good to ignore