DA:2 was depressing so I hope this story cheers you guys up. I'll like the thank my amazing beta and co-writer Eb0ny Dragon for having the patience of a saint.
Here's a link to her page: u/4513987/Eb0ny-Dragon
Just to clarify Valkyrie is not a replacement for Bethany. Since this story is set in act 2, Bethany is in the Circle and Hawke and Valkyrie met during the escape from Ferelden under similar circumstances to Aveline. Val is currently living with Hawke.
Disclaimer: Everything is owned by Bioware except for my Hawke character and Valkyrie belongs to Eb0ny Dragon.
Jennifer Hawke entered her mansion to see her friend and permanent houseguest Valkyrie chasing a young blond dwarf around her living room.
"SANDAL! GIVE THOSE BACK RIGHT NOW!" Valkyrie yelled as Sandal, giggling madly, sprinted up the stairs and began to climb on one of the rails, clearly intending to jump on the chandelier-again. Hawke leant comfortably on the doorframe, watching in amusement as Valkyrie grabbed the back of Sandal's tunic just as he was about to leap away.
"It's kinda embarrassing that you're having trouble catching a dwarf, Val. Getting old are we?" Hawke called, smirking as Valkyrie glared at her before tugging Sandal down and pulling something black from his grasp. Sandal, oblivious, hummed happily and trotted back down the stairs to his father Bodahn, who had been watching the entire scene unfold through his fingers. Their new eleven servant Orana was standing with her mouth open, clearly still unused to the antics of her new employers.
"You should be more concerned Jen- he was carrying this." Val flicked the piece of material off the small balcony, and Hawke felt her face flush as she recognized her black satin underwear float gracefully onto the floor. She ran forward and snatched it up, cheeks burning as Valkyrie began to laugh, descending the stairs with a smirk on her face.
"How did he get his hands on this?" she yelped, her voice unnaturally high. Valkyrie shrugged and hopped of the last step before looking at Sandal curiously.
"Enchantment!' he said happily.
"There's your answer." Valkyrie stated lightheartedly. Hawke scowled, and motioned for Val to follow her as she ran up the stairs to her room. Val sighed and climbed the stairs again, watching as Hawke carefully folded the offending piece of clothing before putting it in a drawer.
"I'm going to need to start locking that." She grumbled, before spinning around and launching herself onto her bed. She sunk a few inches before stopping, and she sighed before wriggling back up to a pillow, motioning for Val to sit down. Valkyrie sat on the floor, her back to the wardrobe as Hawke lay on her side, waves of black hair obscuring her tanned face.
"So I was out trying to get everyone down to the Hanged Man for drinks, but Miss I-have-a-husband-now is too busy doing… things with Donnic to come. I managed to con Sebastian into coming though."
"Why is it a con? Sebastian isn't against drinking- at least not excessively." Said Valkyrie, her eyes narrowing suspiciously at Hawke. Hawke huffed and tossed her ringlets, propping herself up on one elbow as she eyed her friend critically.
"You always assume the worst of me Val. It hurts you know?" she placed a hand over her heart, pouting and widening her pale-green eyes imploringly. Valkyrie snorted and settled back into the wardrobe, deliberately ignoring Hawke's pleading gaze.
"Oh please. I've seen you use that exact expression and pose whenyou were conning that poor shopkeeper in the market. And when you were trying to get Anders to hand over the maps! Poor guy didn't stand a chance. But those kitten eyes don't work on me." Hawke sulked for a moment before her expression lightened, a devilish glint appearing in her eyes.
"Maybe mine don't. But I was there when you and Fenris were talking in the lobby after we killed Hadriana, and when he turned 'the eyes' on, you couldn't look away!" Valkyrie jerked up and stared at her friend in shock, her mouth opening and closing a few times.
"But-you-you were in your room! How did you see that?"
"Pfft. I was in my room for like a second. I watched you two from that spot between the wine barrels, and let me tell you there was some tension right there of a se-"
"If you say 'sexual nature' I will hit you." Val snarled, her gaze thunderous. Unfazed, Hawke sat up and flipped her hair over one shoulder.
"While my kitten eyes don't work on you, your scary gaze also doesn't work on me. If you had just stopped him from leaving, grabbed his shoulder or something, something could have happened. I know it!"
"Oh shut up. I don't want to talk about it." Valkyrie grumbled, looking at the fire stonily.
"But why? I have experience with this sort of stuff, I can help!" Hawke said imploringly.
"You're a virgin! If anything, I should know more than you." Snapped Val. Hawke snorted, waving a hand flippantly in her friend's direction.
"Your first time was when you were blind drunk, it was an accident. And it was in Fereldan. I mean, who cares what happens there? I, on the other hand, successfully flirt with guys on a daily basis, and I'm good at it too. So believe me when I say you should have grabbed him!"
"I don't feel that way about him anyhow!" she said lamely, failing to fool Hawke. "And I don't want to talk about it!" she repeated stubbornly. Hawke sighed sadly and swung her legs off the bed.
"Then you leave me with no choice. Bodahn!" she called, turning towards the open doorway. "Send an urgent message to Isabela- she's needed here immediately!"
"No-what?-no!" Yelled Valkyrie, leaping up and starting towards the doorway. But Hawke had jumped up to, and she grabbed Valkyrie's wrist in a vice grip before swinging the surprised woman around and catapulting her towards the bed. Val growled and leapt up, and Hawke kicked the door shut behind her, a smug expression on her face.
"Alright fine! We can talk, just please don't bring Isabela over here!" Val yelled, her blond hair sticking up around her head she waited tensely for her friend's reaction. Hawke reached back and opened the door, before calling over her shoulder to Bodahn.
"Scratch that Bodahn! Crisis averted!"
"As you say mistress!" Bodahn hollered back, and Val slumped down onto the bed with a groan, placing her head in her hands. Hawke stalked towards her, a wicked smile on her lips as she sat down next to Valkyrie, who looked at her blearily out of the corner of her eye.
"Ugh. What exactly do you want to know anyway?" she mumbled.
"It's actually not that bad Val, I only have one question- why didn't you stop him from leaving? I saw you reach out to grab him as he was walking away, but you retracted your hand. Why? Whyyyy?" Despite herself Val chuckled, her gaze turning distant.
"You remember when Fenris killed Hadriana, when he found out about his sister? Do you remember what I said?" Hawke frowned, and then her gaze brightened somewhat guiltily.
"Er, I saw him crush her heart, but then Anders had some demon goo on his face, so I was wiping it off."
"Really?" Valkyrie sighed, and Hawke grinned without shame.
"His stubble feels as good as it looks, by the way." They both laughed at that, before Valkyrie settled down again.
"Well, I guess that's why you didn't see it." She said quietly. "Fenris just muttered that we were 'done here' and I don't know, he just looked so sad and angry, I just… well, I said that I was sorry, and maybe we should leave. And I… kinda put my hand on his shoulder."
"You WHAT? How did I miss this?! Oh right, Anders' stubble. Mmm…"
"Jen, be serious!" Valkyrie chided, before continuing. "Anyway, I'm glad you didn't see, because he basically snarled at me and pulled away."
"Oh." Said Hawke softly, her eyes widening. "I'm sorry Val, I didn't know. But he was upset, I'm sure he didn't mean anything personal."
"Yeah, well, that's why I didn't grab him. Happy?" Valkyrie grumbled, staring into her hands sullenly. Hawke jumped up, a righteous look on her face.
"No. And that's what we can do at the Hanged Man! You guys can kiss and make up- and maybe more." She ended the sentence with an evil grin, and Val made a sound that was half laugh, half moan.
"I could use a drink, that's for sure. Shall we head down now?" Hawke put her hands on her hips.
"No, you have you do two things first. You need to change into something nicer, and then you need to come with me to Fenris' mansion, because I haven't invited him yet."
"What? But you were just in Hightown!"
"Yeah, but I wanted you to come with. Now go and get changed into something pretty, not those boring Enasalin-leather garments you usually wear. Feel free to pick anything from my wardrobe." Val rolled her eyes and looked pointedly at Hawke's apparel.
"Im guessing you won't be changing then?"
Hawke's usual outfit was a white short-sleeved off the shoulder blouse, a short blood red corset with hood and black laces, leather arm guards and tight black leather pants with knee-high boots. Valkyrie only approved because what leather Hawke did wear was very tough and sturdy- otherwise, Val wouldn't have let her leave the house. Hawke cocked a hip and grinned slyly at her friend.
"Actually, I'm wearing just the corset but a different version. Now go get changed into something that shows a little skin and meet me at the front door in ten!" Valkyrie snorted but walked out without complaint, heading to her own smaller room down the staircase under Hawke's.
When Valkyrie finally came out of her room, Hawke was already waiting at the door, tapping a booted foot impatiently. Hawke had put special consideration into her appearance, knowing that a combination of Anders + alcohol had to equal something good. Her long black hair curled down her back to her waist, and she had outlined her already stunning green eyes with kohl to make them stand out. The scarlet backless corset, tightly bound by Orana to make her waist look as tiny as possible, was the exact shade of red as her velvet hood and the low dip at the front would give Anders something to look at alright. Her lips were painted a matching red and she had changed into long boots with heels- heels!
'Anders doesn't stand a chance.' She thought smugly. But the smug look slipped off her when Valkyrie emerged, to be replaced by one of annoyance.
"Val, I said something pretty!"
"It is pretty!" Val whined, a wounded expression gracing her usually taciturn face. Valkyrie had changed into her so-called 'Black Fox's Jerkin', which Hawke doubted came from the actual Black Fox. It was nice enough, she supposed- a black tunic with silver embroidery and a silver-gray belt- but it didn't show off anything. Val had also put on dove-gray pants, knee high dark gray boots and long, black leather gauntlets. Her hair was pulled back onto its usual low ponytail, and her expression was looking more sheepish by the second.
Hawke stomped up to her and dragged Valkyrie back through the mansion to her private bathroom. Valkyrie sighed, but quickly shut up when Hawke, dual wielding a hairbrush and some eye shadow, shoved Val onto the edge of the bath tub and proceeded to 'fix' her.
Several shouts, punches and glares later, both Hawke and a sulky Valkyrie emerged from the Hawke mansion before making their way to the upper Hightown estates. Valkyrie's hair was now in a soft braid over her right shoulder, waves of it framing her cheeks and the tattoos curling down them. Hawke had smeared some black eye shadow over her eyelids, making her dark green eyes 'smolder', to use her exact words- much to Valkyrie's mortification.
They walked with purpose- Hawke strutting, Valkyrie strolling- and when they reached the front door of Fenris' mansion, more than a few interested glances had been passed their way.
"Remind why you couldn't do this yourself?" Valkyrie muttered as she pushed open the door. Hawke winked slyly, but said nothing as they ascended the staircase into the room where Fenris spent most of his time. Sure enough the elf was sitting in front of a crackling fire, the heat counteracting the fresh breeze that came through the gaping holes in the roof. He looked up as the two women walked in, and his eyes widened briefly as he saw them before he returned to his usual neutral expression.
"Hawke, Valkyrie. What brings you here?"
"Everyone's going to the Hanged Man for drinks! You'll come right?" pleaded Hawke.
"This sound suspiciously like the time you tried to set Aveline and Donnic up there…" he said warily.
"Oh no! Everyone's coming honestly. Well, not Aveline, because she's with said husband. But everyone else is." Hawke blabbed. Fenris looked at her dryly before moving his gaze to Valkyrie.
"Is she telling the truth?" he asked. Valkyrie shrugged.
"As far as I know. I've only been told the same as you have." She replied. Fenris seemed to be contemplating whether to go or not, and that was when Hawke spied the two wine bottles next to him.
"Ooh! Pre drinks!' she said happily, and she flounced over, grabbing a bottle and uncorking it with her teeth in one smooth motion.
"That's-" Fenris began, but Hawke placed a finger to his lips and grinned before taking a gulp.
"It's very nice! Tastes like that expensive crap Val likes to buy from the Hightown market." Valkyrie missed the insult, as her eyes were glued to her finger on his lips and Fenris leaned back, embarrassed by Hawke's lack of boundaries. It was then that Val realized the bottles were ones she bought for Fenris as gifts after their expedition. Oblivious, Hawke warmed herself by the fire and pointed imperiously to Valkyrie.
"Val, get us some glasses! We still have an hour before we have to get to Varric's suite." Valkyrie exchanged an exasperated look with Fenris, who rose his eyebrows in a 'what can you do?' look. She sighed and grabbed three glasses from the table near the door, and Hawke eagerly poured wine into them until they were almost full.
"To a fun and eventful night!" she crowed, toasting them with a wicked grin. After giving her nearly identically suspicious looks, both Fenris and Valkyrie drank their own glasses.
They had no idea what Hawke had in store for them.
Hawke stood up and brushed herself off. "As much as we enjoy your hospitality Fenris, we should start making our way to the Hanged Man - I don't want to be late to my own party."
"You drank all of Fenris' wine and now you want to drink to Hanged Man dry too?" Valkyrie rubbed her temples with displeasure.
Fenris chuckled lightly at the two bickering but Valkyrie noticed.
"What's so funny Fenris?"
"You scolding our fearless leader as if she was a child." Fenris gave a rare smile and Valkyrie returned it warmly.
Hawke stood at the threshold of the door, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited. "If you two are done making out, can we please go?"
Fenris coughed uncomfortably and shifted his gaze, finding the empty bottle of wine suddenly interesting whilst Valkyrie fought to keep the heat rising to her cheeks. Have you any subtlety outside battle? she thought.
"Try not to take anything Jen says seriously when she's drunk." Valkyrie quickly said as calmly as she could muster.
"Awww, you wound me Val." Hawke pouted
Valkyrie sighed, knowing it was going to be a long night she thought as she pushed Hawke through the door whilst she followed suit.
As usually Hawke took the lead as they exited Fenris' mansion, quickly deciding that the side passageways around the corner would be the fastest route into Lowtown. But when they rounded the corner, they soon found out that their path was blocked by a young elf crouching by the side of the road.
"Hey, is that Merill picking..." Valkyrie started.
"Shit." Hawke muttered and hooked each arm around Valkyrie and Fenris' neck and steered them around in the opposite direction. Valkyrie tensed under her grip, effectively shutting her up. There weren't many people on the street to blend with, it was around dusk and the sky illuminated warm hues of orange and pink as the sun set. Most people were leaving to the comfort of their homes by this hour to escape the drunks and the few bandits that haven't been completely wiped out by Hawke's gang of merry misfits that roam the street after dark.
"On second thought let's take the scenic route and be fashionably late." Murmured Hawke, her voice lower than usual and her laugh was filled with nervousness. Hawke picked up her pace, eager to disappear into the still fairly crowded marketplace.
"What's going on Hawke, isn't that mage a friend of yours?" Fenris questioned with raised eyebrows but continued to follow nonetheless.
Hawke ignored Fenris' dark tone with his use of the word 'mage' and put a lone finger to her lips. "Sssshhhh...Merill wasn't invited for reasons you will find out soon enough."
"Hawke, Val, Fenris I thought that was you!"
Hawke jumped a little at the sound of her name and turned around slowly whilst acting surprised to see her.
"Merill, what a happy coincidence!" Hawke clapped her hands together with enthusiasm.
"Where are you guys going? Are you going on an adventure?" Merill asked, her doe eyes sparkling in excitement and her nimble fingers wrapped around a bunch of wild flowers.
"Actually Merill..." Hawke began to spout a white lie but Valkyrie could tell and she rolled her eyes. Shame on you Hawke, she thought.
"We're going to the Hanged Man for drinks; do you want to come, Merill?" Valkyrie interrupted bluntly not bothering to cover for Hawke. She was much closer to Merill than Hawke was and didn't feel like lying to someone that screams the definition of innocent.
"Oh that sounds like fun!" said Merill as she skipped along happily beside them.
Valyrie gave Hawke a secret glare but she just shrugged it off and mouthed- this is on you.