"Hi everyone, my name is Elspeth Tirel. This is my first fan fiction and I would appreciate any reviews both good and bad. If there happens to be any grammar mistakes, please feel free to tell me.
"I love Dragon Age, it happens to be my most beloved video game series, ever. I am also a Fenris fan girl, if you don't already know; there is just something about that broody attitude of his that I absolutely love.
"***DISCLAIMER*** I do not own anything associating Dragon Age, this includes Fenris sadly, all rights go to the great people at Bioware. I do however own the OC and the plot/wording.
"Alright, I'll just let you read now. Enjoy."
That was it, she was completely broke. Christina Da'Artone had spent the last of her coin on a dress and she hoped it was worth it. This dress held her last hope for the life she had always dreamed for herself. After tonight, she would finally have enough money to leave Kirkwall and move to Antiva or maybe Orlais.
She was tired of a life of crime. She had been raised as a thief and that was what she was. All her life, she had been pick-pocketing, breaking into houses and running from the guards, well no more. Tonight, she was going to The Crimson Hawke, a night club that was well-known in Kirkwall. It was said to be had to get into, but that's what she had bought this dress for.
Christina looked at herself in the mirror and she was pleased with her appearance. The dress's bodice was dark-blue satin, strapless and body-hugging. Beneath it was a short, sassy bubble skirt of black satin. She had curled her long dark brown hair and left it to fall around her lightly tanned shoulders. Her big hazel eyes were lined with black eyeliner, her high cheekbones were faintly blushed and her full lips were painted red.
Any doorkeeper, who turned her away at the door, was an idiot.
After she grabbed her purse and checked over her makeup one last time, she left the hotel room and took the next train to the Red Light District.
The streets were full of people, groups of friends all looking for excitement and merchants each selling and announcing their wares to the passerby. The Neon signs flashed showcasing what entertainment each bar or club was hosting that night.
Christina walked through the vast crowd, towards where a large red neon sign read 'The Crimson Hawke'. Upon arriving at the club, she stood back and watched. There was a line of people waiting by door, their way blocked by a red rope and a lone man in a black suit was standing by the door. Fixing her skirt and making sure her breast showed a little over the top of the dress, she walked towards the entrance of the club.
The doorkeeper was a tall pale man with short cropped brown hair and gray eyes. Stepping closer, she flashed the man her sweetest smile and batted her eyes. The man seemed to measure her for a time, his eyes roaming over her. After a moment he opened the door and gestured her in.
The crowd began to complain and the man shot a menacing glare at them, immediately silencing them.
"Thank you," Christina said and made her way into the club.
The place was alive with sound of music and laughter. People were either dancing or sitting at the few tables with each other and at the bar a few patrons sat drinking. Colored lights flashed here and there, but otherwise the establishment dimly lit.
Christina made her way to the bar, as she passed by a drunken man, who was busy flirting with a young girl in a short dress; she reached into his pocket and stole his wallet. She had quickly taken all the money out of it, stuffed into her purse and discarded it onto the floor.
She walked up to the bar and glanced at the barkeep. He was an attractive man with blonde hair pulled into a small ponytail and the lower half of his face was shadowed with stubble.
"I'll take a fruit cocktail, please." She smiled.
"Of course," the man said and began to prepare the cocktail. He looked at her. "I've never seen you here before."
"Do you remember everyone you see here?" She raised an eyebrow.
"I try to keep a profile of everyone," He smiled at her as he passed her the cocktail, "and besides I would never forget a lovely woman such as you."
"I bet that charm of yours gets you many tips, huh?" She sipped her drink.
"It's been known too, my name's Anders."
"Emalia," She lied.
"So, tell me Emalia, why have I never seen you here before?"
"I've just arrived here in town, yesterday."
"And what made you come to The Hawke?"
"I heard it was a great place to go if you were looking for excitement."
"And you're looking for excitement?"
"Among other things," She smiled flirtatiously at him.
Anders opened his mouth to respond, but at the far end of the bar a man called out to him ordering a whiskey, and he quickly bustled off to get it. Christina took this moment to leave; she tossed back the rest of her cocktail, placed ten silvers onto the counter and merged back into the crowd. She went to the dance floor and mingled with a group of men and was soon caught up in the music and danced along. After sometime, the men offered to buy her a drink but she refused and excused herself to the bathroom.
Once in the restroom, away from noise and the swarm of people, she went to mirror and rummaged through her purse. She found a couple hair pins and placed them in her hair, using them to push her short bangs away from her face. After inspecting to make sure her makeup was still good, she left the room, just as couple of giggling girls entered.
Christina realized it was time to make her move and she weaved her way through the crowd, making her way towards the back of the club. She saw a door that was labeled 'Staff Personal Only' and that it was not being guarded. She neared the door and found that it was locked. After glancing around, making sure that nobody was watching, she took a pin out of her hair and fluently picked the lock.
She swiftly entered the room and shut the door behind her. With her back against it she found herself in a hallway, and she silently crept down it. She made her way to a door and, finding that it was unlocked, went creeping softly down the stairs, so that her heels wouldn't make a sound on the granite floor.
She reached the bottom and noticed two doors. If she remembered the blueprints of the club correctly, the door on the right led to the vault. She was not surprised to find that the door was locked and had already taken out the last pin in her hair, her bangs falling back onto her forehead. She bent at the waist and examined the lock. The lock was very complex and would be very hard pick by just any amateur, but she wasn't an amateur.
With the hairpin and the fingernail of her left hand, she quickly had the door opened. She grinned and stood to enter the room. Just then, a hand grabbed her shoulder and swung her around, smacking her head up against the wall. Her eyes closed from the pain and her heart began pounding. She had been caught.
She opened her eyes to see her captor and her eyes widened. There standing before her was an elf with white hair and emerald green eyes. He was about an inch taller than her, his olive skinned face had pale markings that ran from his chin and down into his tailor-made dark suit. Christina found that he was very handsome, handsome and furious.
"What are you doing here?" He asked in a deep rumbling voice.
"I," she stupidly smiled, "think it's pretty obvious what I'm doing."
"I can see what you are doing," He growled and tightened his grip on her shoulder, making her wince. "What I want to is why?"
"Why? Why does anyone ever steal, because they need the money?"
He narrowed his eyes, gripped her arm and began to drag her behind him up the stairs.
"Hey," She glared at him, "you don't have to be so rough, I'll come quietly." He didn't respond to her, only continued to pull her up the stairs. They ascended up to the third and last floor of the building; the elf opened the door and forcefully pushed her into the room, entering behind her. Christina glared at him, rubbing her arm, and contemplated how long it would be before it began to bruise.
She watched as he went up to a door and knocked. A few seconds later, a voice called out from behind the wooden frame and the elf opened it. He grabbed her and pushed her into the room.
"That is it," She rounded on the elf and fumingly pointed a finger at him. "I have had it with you. Just because you caught me red-handed doesn't give you the right to shove me around."
"Hawke," he said completely ignoring her, and instead addressing the person behind. "I caught this woman breaking into the vault."
Christina turned around to look at Hawke. Sitting at a large desk was a man with black hair and a full beard. He had golden eyes and was wearing a gray tailor-made suit with a red tie. He was watching her, through narrowed eyes.
"You were breaking into the vault?" He asked.
"Broke in actually," She said smugly. "You might want to upgrade your locks. Although, there isn't a lock I can't pick, so your efforts will be futile."
"Hmm," Hawke leaned onto the desk, his hands folded under his chin. "Fenris," He addressed the elf.
"Yes," He answered.
"Why bring her to me?"
"I thought you might want to decide what to do with her."
"I see," Hawke studied her, he eyes roving over her. "What is your name, woman?"
"Emalia," she replied.
His eyes narrowed, "Your real name?"
"Well you certainly are sharp," She smiled. "My real name is Christina."
"And tell me Christina," He stood up and walked around his desk towards her. "Exactly, why is it you were breaking into my vault?"
"Honestly," She sighed. "I was hoping this would be my last heist. I was going to take enough money from your vault, so that I could go somewhere and start a new life for myself."
"Ah, so you're a thief?"
"I prefer the term professional intruder, but that will do."
"You know Christina; I could and should turn you over to the authorities. In fact, I'm close friends with the Captain of the Guard and she will certainly make sure you're locked away for a long time."
"If you're expecting me to gravel and beg for mercy, I should tell I'm not one to do that. It's quite degrading and personally I'd rather keep some of my dignity."
"Oh you I like," He grinned. "No I don't expect you to start begging and I don't plan on calling the guards either."
"What," she cocked her head inquisitively.
"I am a man who believes in second chances," Hawke leaned his hip against the desk. "Instead of having you arrested, I think you should have a chance to redeem yourself."
"And how exactly will I be redeeming myself?"
"You will work for me of course, here in the club."
"What," Fenris exclaimed. "Hawke you can't be serious. This woman just tried to rob you, what's to say she won't do it again?"
"Precisely why she'll be your responsibility," Hawke nodded.
"No, absolutely not," He clenched his hands.
"Wait," Christina spoke up. "So, let me get this straight. You want me to work for you, but what just what will I be doing?"
"Considering your looks, you'd make a great barkeep and Anders will enjoy the company." Hawke smiled at her.
"Alright, but will I be getting paid for this?"
"Your pay is the fact that I don't hand you over to the officials, but you are free to keep any tips you might make."
"Fair enough," She pitched her head towards Fenris. "And what do you mean by I'll be his responsibility?"
"You see Fenris here, is the head of security here and considering this situation, I believe it is best that he keep an eye on you. So, until I say otherwise, you will be living with him."
"I do not agree to this, Hawke." Fenris said through clenched teeth.
"Oh, come on Fenris. There's plenty of room in that mansion of yours."
"And what of your estate," Fenris asked.
"I can't, Isabella wouldn't allow it and besides, I'm putting her in your custody."
"Then perhaps, we can just give her to Aveline and be done with her."
"Oh come now, Fenris." Christina smiled at him. "I promise I won't be any trouble and who knows we might end up being good friends." Fenris responded by starring daggers at her.
"I agree," Hawke laughed deeply and placed a hand on Christina's shoulder. "I can feel you two are going to get along just fine." He walked around his desk and set back down in the big leather chair. "Christina, I assume you don't have much money on you?"
"I may have a few silvers left."
"No doubt stole them." Fenris murmured.
"Well," Hawke reached into the desk drawer and tossed a bag onto desk. "Take this coin and buy yourself a whole new wardrobe, preferably clothes that are suitable for work. Fenris, you will be sure to accompany her."
"And what qualifies as suitable," she asked reaching for coins, only to have them snatched by Fenris, she glanced at him before returning her gaze to Hawke.
"That dress you're wearing now is fine, so get more like it."
"Can do," She smiled.
"Alright, you may leave now." Hawke gestured to the door, and then reached for the phone. "Oh and you might want to buy some bed sheets and a pillow."
Christina walked out the room with Fenris following, closing the door behind him. He continued on through the room and into the stairway, not bothering to hold the door open for her, but she managed to catch the door before it smacked her nose.
"Well," She frowned at him, "seems we'll be spending a lot of time with each other."
Fenris turned to her, his whole posture seething with rage. "Just give me one reason, one reason to turn you into the city guard. If you even begin to step out of line, I will drag you to the barracks myself; do I make myself clear, Christina?"
"Yes sir," she stood at attention, clicking her heels together. "I promise to be well-behaved and do everything you tell me, sir." She smiled at him.
His eyes narrowed, "Let's go," He said turning to move down the stairs.
"Yes sir," She saluted him and followed. "May I ask, where are we going?"
"Hawke said to take you shopping so that's what we're doing."
"Now, but the clubs still open?"
"The boutique I will be taking you to, want be open later. We will go now."
"Look, I like shopping as much as the next girl, but we can always go tomorrow."
"We will go now," He sternly stated.
"Alright, sorry I even suggested anything."
Fenris led her to a door that led to an alley on the outside of the club. Weaving their way through the still crowded streets, they entered a large boutique and she spent the next two hours going through outfit upon outfit, with Fenris growing more irritated as time passed. When they left, she had four new t-shirts, two pairs of pants, a couple pair of converses, two dresses and heels to match each one; along with bed linens and a pillow.
They returned to the club with the bags in tow. Fenris told her to leave the bags in the employee lounge and he told to go and get acquainted with the club and its staff. She had spent the rest of night doing just that; she had explained the situation to Anders, who had forgiven her and even stated he liked her real name better, which they had laughed over. She met Merrill, the clubs cook, who she found to be very sweet and a bit naïve. She had learned about Varric, who was Hawke's business partner but who was currently away on business. She found out that the woman, Isabella, was Hawke's wife and also that nobody ever seemed to refer to Hawke by his first name which was Garrett.
It was well after midnight when the club had finally closed; Fenris had cleared the building and made sure that the wealthiest clients had rides home, while the less fortunate were thrown out into the street. Christina was with Anders, helping him clean up the bar.
"Anders, where does this go?" She held up a bottle of whiskey.
"That goes under the counter there," He answered while cleaning out a mug.
She placed the bottle under the counter and stood up, "I think I'll really enjoy working here." She said glancing around at the club as the employees busied themselves with cleaning up.
"I think I'll enjoy having you work here."
She laughed, "I bet."
"Christina," Fenris said walking up to her, "go change we're leaving."
She noticed that Fenris had changed out of the suit in favor of a black leather jacket, white vee-necked t-shirt, black jeans and white converses.
"Alright," Christina rounded the bar heading for the lounge. When she returned, she was wearing a red shirt, blue jeans, and black converses with her hair pulled back into a high ponytail. She was carrying her few bags with her as she made her way to Fenris, who was waiting by the door. The club was now empty except for them two and Anders who was making his way to the exit.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Christina?" Anders said smiling as she neared him.
"Yep," She smiled at him as he walked out. Fenris watched him out of narrowed eyes.
"Outside," he growled at her. She did as she was told and he soon followed her, locking the door behind him. Fenris led her trough the parking lot of the club and came to stop beside a sleek red motorcycle.
"Is this yours?" she asked.
"Yes," he said matter-of-factly.
"Nice, I owned one myself once, but I lost it during a bet."
He ignored her and climbed on, "Come," he said.
She obeyed and climbed on behind him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. He started the machine, drove out of the parking lot and onto the main street of the Red Light District.
Fenris drove fast but safely. She found herself leaning into him and was soon enjoying the ride. She felt no worries, no doubts; the only thing that mattered was the road, the rumble of the engine and the wind blowing through her hair. Fenris and she made a good team: She leaned with him into every curve, trusting his ability to bring them safely to his home.
They exited off the highway, headed for the high part of town. Fenris turned down a side road that lead to an old, abandoned manor. Ivy covered the walls and the stairs leading up to the door of building. Several windows had been destroyed and the walls were damaged and broken in places, but it still stood strong.
"Whoa," she gasped. "Don't tell me you live here?"
"Yes," he answered as he stopped the motorbike in front of the estate. "Do you have a problem with it?"
"No," She climbed off the bike. "It's just I wasn't expecting it to be so big and you live here all by yourself?"
"Yes," He replied as he approached the main entrance. The door opened with a groan when he pushed it.
The place was massive, with corridors and rooms galore. Dilapidated possessions reminded of a time when the mansion was once filled with life. Unfortunately it was now practically uninhabitable. Weather and time had taken their toll on the stone floors, leaving them cracked and chipped, the walls mirroring them.
Fenris stayed in a room on the first floor. It contained a bed, a desk and a bench placed in front of a fireplace. The bed was unmade, the desk was littered with papers and books, and she noticed that in the corner of the room set tiny TV monitors, although she couldn't make out what was on them.
"What are those for?" She asked pointing into the room at the TVs.
"Those are for the cameras."
"Cameras?" she looked at him. "You have cameras in the house? What for, are you afraid someone's going to break in? Even if they did, what would they take? It seems everything in this house has is either rotten or destroyed." She gestured around to the broken tables and molded chairs.
"They're for protection, so that nobody will enter or leave without me knowing." He looked at her firmly. "Your room is the one next to mine; we leave tomorrow at three o'clock in the afternoon. I expect you to be dressed and ready to go by that time. Until then, I expect you to behave and don't even think about leaving."
"Wouldn't dream of it," She smiled. "By the way, do you have one of those cameras in my room?"
He didn't answer her, instead just walked into his room and shut the door.
"Hmm," She stared at the door. "Good night to you, too," she called out, before turning on her heel and walking into her room.
The windows were dirty but still intact. As she looked at the bed, she was happy Hawke had suggested those bed sheets; the mattress was dusty and dirty but otherwise, useable. There was a clouded full-body mirror that stood in the corner of the room and an aged dressing table with a fireplace located across from the windows.
Christina sat her bags down in the room and began to clean the room. She dragged the mattress out of the room and beat as much of the dust out of it as she could, before putting it back in the bed frame. After making the bed up in the new sheets and pillow, she went downstairs.
She found the kitchen and filled a small bucket up with water and soap. She returned to her room and one hour later, she cleaned the floor, cleared out the cobwebs and washed the dust off the dresser, mirror and the window. Glancing out it she saw she had a view of a courtyard, it was over-grown with weeds and untrimmed bushes with a large tree in the center.
As she began to change out of her clothes, she glanced around the room. Wondering, if he did have a camera hidden the room somewhere, but she shrugged it off and changed into a large-oversized t-shirt. She had remembered Fenris asking her why she was buying this shirt at the boutique.
"Why are you buying this?" Fenris had asked holding up the bulky green shirt.
"I'm going to sleep in it," she called out, while she had browsed through the dresses.
"You're going to sleep in it?"
"Well, I would prefer to sleep naked but," she had looked at him over a red dress, she was observing. "Considering we'll be living together, I think this better."
Fenris had grunted and folded the shirt and added to the pile of her other ones.
She looked at herself in the mirror and saw that it fell mid-thigh. Grabbing the toiletries she had bought, she made her way through the house in search of the bathroom. She found it downstairs located near the kitchen, a big area with several washbasins and showers. Stripping out of her clothes, and setting them on a nearby crate, she stepped into the shower. Her muscles relaxing as the warm water sprayed onto her skin.
Fifteen minutes later found her dressed and back in her room. She had lit a small fire using some debris, that she figured once was a table. Sitting in front of the hearth, she was brushing her hair, letting the heat dry it.
She allowed her mind to wonder as she stared into the fire. She thought of her future and she thought of Fenris. She wondered what he was doing right now. He was certainly attractive, if a bit broody, and she wondered how he would look if he was to smile. He seemed to think of her as a burden but she was thankful of this chance Hawke had given.
That's right; she had forgotten to thank him. She made a note to thank Hawke the next time she saw him. She thought maybe she should thank Fenris for allowing her to stay, and then she remembered how mad he had been about it, and decided against it.
With her hair dried, Christina crawled into bed and watched the flames dance and listened as the rubble popped from the heat of the fire. As she drifted off to sleep, she considered what events awaited her tomorrow.
*POV CHANGE*
Fenris didn't know what to make of his present situation. The day had started off like any other, he had wakened up, trained then went to work. He had opened up the club with Hawke and gone over the normal security procedures, while all employees had arrived on time and the club had opened up on schedule.
The business was filled to max capacity and everything seemed to be in order. He was going upstairs to inform Hawke, when he suddenly felt something was amiss. All his sense came to full alert, his elven ears listened into the dead silence of the stairway and that's when he heard it, a small scraping noise. He raced quickly yet stealthy down the stairs towards the sound.
When he arrived at the bottom of the staircase, he had found a woman in a blue-black satin dress, picking the lock of the vault. When the door opened he found himself momentarily impressed, but he did his duty as head of security and stopped her just a she was walking into the room.
As he swung her around and pressed her into the wall, he stunned by her beauty. She had light olive skin, an oval-shaped face, high cheek bones, long brown hair, hazel eyes, and Fenris found her pouty red lips incredibly enticing.
He had shaken off his distraction and demanded she explain herself. The woman seemed unfazed at the fact that she had been caught in the act and had smiled at him, this only annoyed him further.
Fenris had taken the girl up too see Hawke, dragging her the whole way. He had expected that she would be given to Aveline to handle, but he should have known better. If it had been up to him, he would've took her to the gallows and thrown away the key, but it was Hawke's decision and he had suggested that she redeem herself by working in the club.
It was because of Hawke, that the woman was now leaving with him is his house; and she was staying in the very next room. Christina was her name he had found out, and he didn't trust her as far as he could throw her.
She was trouble but he found himself curious about her. What could have caused her to turn to a life of crime? He would ask her, but he preferred to pretend that she didn't exist, that was pretty hard when she had her breast pressed up against him as he drove them to his estate.
He had noticed that her body was quite appealing. She had nice tits-big but not too big. Her body showed a petite waist with wide hips. It certainly wasn't today's fashionable figure, but it was striking none the less. It irritated him to see that he found himself, attracted to her.
He glanced at the now blank television. It was the monitor to the camera he had in her room. He had turned it off, as not to pry into her business, and so that he wouldn't think about her more than he already was.
Fenris ran a hand though his hair, as he heard noise come from her room. He was organizing the papers on his desk, when movement on one of the monitors caught his eye. It was Christina dressed in an over-sized shirt and she seemed to be looking for something. Her search came to a halt, as she came to the bathroom.
He watched as she stepped up to one of the many showers, he knew he should turn off the TV but he continued to stare at her. She lifted the shirt above her head, his eyes honed in on her body which was now completely bare. Fenris felt his body reacting to her and he quickly averted his gaze back to the papers in front of him.
All the while he had stared at the documents, every so often lifting his eyes back to the monitor, claiming it was to make sure she didn't step out of line and not to gawk at her figure.
When he had glanced at the monitor to see that she had left the bathroom and saw that she was making her way back to her room, he decided that now would be the time for him to take his bath. He grabbed the bar of soap he kept on his nightstand and made his way to the bathroom.
Twenty minutes later he was back in his room with a towel wrapped around his narrow waist and running another one through his hair. He flipped on Christina's room monitor and saw that she sitting in front of a fire brushing her hair, after observing that she wasn't up to anything he flipped it back off.
He changed into a pair of black boxer-brief and loose white t-shirt. Sitting in front of the fire, he tossed a few weathered books into the flames. Afterwards he grabbed a book and began to read, although his mind barely registered any of the word his focus still centered on the woman in the next room.
What was it about this woman that seemed to attract him? She was good-looking but he'd seen prettier woman before. He admired the fact that when she smiled it reached her eyes and that even when he was glaring daggers at her; she was smiling brightly at him.
Fenris had left his hair to air dry and after taking his shirt off, crawled into bed. Stacking his hands beneath his head, he stared up at the ceiling and thought about other aspects of his life, namely Denarius.
It had been almost ten years since he had left the Imperium. Ten years, since he had killed those fog warriors and fled the clutches of his former master. He had arrived in Kirkwall over six years ago and met Hawke, who had helped him by helping him claim this mansion and giving him a position in his club. He owed Hawke his freedom but until Denarius was dead, Fenris could never feel truly free.
Now that Christina was living here, she would be in danger too. It was this small fact that made him want to protect her, and it aggravated him. Why should he want to protect a woman who was now an inconvenience in his life? A woman who he had only known for less than twelve hours?
With these thoughts goading around in his brain, he drifted off to sleep.
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