A/N Eyolf means "lucky wolf" in another language.

Home of Their Own

It was my dream for the people to have a home of their own.

Fenris read the sentence for the twelfth time. It was from the book of Shartan, the infamous leader of elven slaves who rebelled against Tevinter Imperium. Though meaning of his words seemed hollow in comparison to his life.

It had been five months since they ran away together. Five months on the roads. Five months searching for a shelter. Every single day, a new challenge to survive.

He should have been used to these kind of things. He had always been on the run. Now, Danarius was long gone, and Fenris was a free man. He should have been fearless. He should have been strong…yet he wasn't.

Templars had her phylactery.

They could take her away from him anytime they wanted.

And for the first time in his life, he was scared.

Fenris heard her footsteps coming.

A few minutes later, Bethany entered their room, her expression unreadable. She slowly closed the door behind and let out her breath. "The innkeeper refused our offer," she finally said. "He wants us to leave by tomorrow morning."

Fenris closed his book, anger building inside of him.

They had to remain hidden, and they could trust no one. Their only choice was to lie every step of the way. Bethany became Lady Grace, a noblewoman ran from the city of Kirkwall, and Fenris, or Eyolf if asked, was accompanying her as a loyal guard. It could be a good cover story as one could see a runaway Kirkwaller everywhere in Thedas these days… but none of them was guarded by a lyrium-branded elven warrior who did nothing but to intimidate people.

This isn't the life I want for her.

Bethany was strangely calm though, as if nothing happened.

She went to her belongings, changed into her nightgown and climbed to bed. She was pulling the blanket over when he broke the silence.

"He declined because of me."

She slowly turned to him, her hair sprawled over her pillow, eyes shining with something he couldn't dare to place.

"He declined because he is an ass."

Fenris chuckled at that, for a moment forgetting all the thoughts troubling him.

He pulled her close, enfolding her in his arms.

"Do you fear, Bethany?" he asked as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Of what?"

"Of what future may bring?"

She rose her head to look at him as she could read what was troubling his mind. After a few seconds, she turned to her head to rest on his chest.

"I did when I was younger, but not anymore."

Now it was his time to pause, "Why?"

"It's funny I asked the exact same question to my father. They were so young when they ran away together, and Mother was pregnant, can you believe that? Going all the way from Kirkwall to Ferelden. I remember asking how they could go on like that. What made it possible?"

Fenris was all ears now, his fingers still playing with her hair.

"Father said that he was scared, frightened even. He told me he checked on mother every time it was possible, and try to not think about the future yet failing miserably. Though he decided he couldn't continue thinking like that, so every day he reminded himself that they're alive, that they're together, and the future could go suck an egg. I thought it was childish to think like that then, but he must have done something right as our lives were the proof of his success." She must be smiling now, he could feel it in her voice, "Now, every day I tell myself that we're still alive, that we remain together, and the future can go suck an egg."

Fenris slowly lifted her head to face him as their eyes finally met. The look on her face was his undoing. He pulled her even closer and started kissing the breath out of her.

At that moment, he felt content.

At that moment, he knew he had found his home.

"So where do Eyolf and Grace go now?" Bethany asked later in the night.

"Highever," Fenris declared, "It's the nearest place they could go from here, and it has a chantry still in function."

She raised an eyebrow at that.

"Well, Eyolf realized nothing could be worse than the thought of living without her, so he decided to propose to Grace. If he's lucky as he claims, she will be his wife."