Hawke didn't understand why he felt like he knew the small, beautiful, dark haired woman who walked a few paces in front of him. He'd let her walk ahead of him as soon as they entered the gates of Kirkwall, giving her the space she wanted after hours of squirming in his arms. I can't help it if she looks so fragile and her whole persona is screaming 'protect me'.
"Thoughts, Hawke?" Varric asked nodded his head towards the newest member of their merry band of misfits.
Hawke checked to see if Anya was out of earshot before he smirked at his friend.
"I was thinking of how nice her hips sway."
"Nah. You're better than that Hawke. I'm not saying that princess over there is not attractive, I mean look at those curves. She's sexy enough to make Bianca jealous." At that the dwarf patted the crossbow on his back.
Hawke looked at Anya again. Maker, she is beautiful. Look at how those leather pants are hugging her legs and how that thin blue backless top makes her shape even more flattering. Oh and those sinful boots. Wait. I'm pretty sure I didn't have a thing for boots the last time I checked.
Hawke cleared his throat and then laughed.
"Now that you mentioned it. Doesn't she look like sex on boots?"
"Maker Hawke, I can't know these things about you!" Varric exclaimed.
"Why not? It might be a nice addition to your story. It'll give it more spice, Varric." Hawke winked.
"Damn Hawke. Stop making Bianca blush."
Hawke just laughed.
"Anyway. Thoughts of princess aside. You still in with Wicked Grace night?"
"Oh yeah. Very wicked."
Varric shook his head and decided to have a chat with their pretty princess who was looking at everything with wide eyes.
Anya was following the elf quietly until the dwarf named Varric caught up with her and cleared his throat to get her attention.
"Yes?" Anya raised one eyebrow while the griffon in her arms purred in his sleep.
"So what's your story Princess?"
"I'm hardly a princess ser dwarf." Anya said and winked. Varric chuckled.
"Haha. The name's Varric. Varric Tethras, at your service milady and everyone here has a nickname, well except for Hawke cos' he's well, Hawke."
"So what are theirs?" Anya pointed at Carver and the elf.
"That one's Hawke's younger brother so we call him Junior and the other one's Broody." Varric pointed at the elf.
"Why Broody?"
"Well look at him, Princess. He broods like it's no one's business."
"I do not brood and my name is Fenris." The white haired elf retorted.
Anya giggled and looked at Varric.
"Shame on you Varric. He's right. He wasn't brooding."
Fenris raised an eyebrow. Where is this woman going with this conversation?
Varric looked mockingly. "Oh?"
"He's simply trying to convince the floor not to swallow us."
"I am not."
"Oh, you weren't? Sorry about that. Correction. He is simply admiring the filth and shit on the floor."
"Venhedis."
"Tsk. Tsk. It's not polite to curse in words I can't understand Fenris. Look I'm sorry I didn't notice."
"Notice what woman?"
"That you have a foot fetish the size of Kirkwall." Anya said and laughed.
Fenris just stared at her.
What an odd woman.
Anya's tone was serious when she turned to the dwarf. "I have a question for you too, Varric."
Varric raised one eyebrow.
"Yeah?"
"Have you. . ." Anya trailed off; fixing the cloak that Hawke lent her to cover Rhakkaro.
"Have I what, Princess?" Varric was now curious about what the mischievous little Princess was up to.
"Have you ever licked a lamppost in winter?" She asked and then laughed out loud.
Hawke heard the whole banter and smiled at his friend's look of utter disbelief.
Varric recovered then pointed at Hawke.
"I think you and Hawke are meant to be, Princess. Meant to be." He rolled his eyes.
"Hey Anya." Hawke suddenly called out to her.
"Yeah?" Anya looked at Hawke with a smile on her lips. Hawke didn't say anything. "What? Do you think we're meant to be as well?"
"Oh now that's a good idea." He smiled back at her.
"Now this is the best place in Kirkwall." He gestured towards the Hanged Man's doors.
"Uh-huh. Nice decor." Anya pointed at the upside down figure of a hanged man.
"They have the best, Princess. Now let's go in and have some fun and drinks." Varric pulled Anya with him.
Isabela was sitting in the bar when she saw Varric walking in with a small woman in tow. Oh. She stood up and made her way towards them.
"My, my Varric. How did Bianca react? The poor girl must be heartbroken. Worry not though. Isabela is here to comfort her."
"Not a chance Rivaini." Varric paused then continued. "Oh right. Princess, this is Rivaini and Rivaini, this is princess."
Isabela grabbed Anya's chin and tilted it up to inspect her face.
"You're a pretty little thing aren't you?" Isabela smiled.
Rhakkaro chose that moment to yawn and open his eyes. He looked at Anya then at the stranger and hissed.
"Woah. What is that?" Isabela took a step back.
"The monster of your dreams." Anya held Rhakkaro closer.
"Shh. They won't hurt us little cub. They're Hawke's friends which mean they're also our friends." The griffon looked at Isabela suspiciously.
Rhakkaro huffed and sniffed Isabela. He tilted his eagle-like head to one side and then the other.
"Oh isn't that just the most adorable thing!" Isabela squeeled making Rhakkaro twitch his ears.
Hawke noticed that the customers of hanged man started to look their way and quickly covered Anya and her griffon, fixing her cloak to cover her odd pet.
"I think we should go to Varric's suite before we attract more attention. We wouldn't want people to see the myth of their lives" He pointed at Rhakkaro as he herded Anya upstairs to Varric's suite where Anders was already sitting with a drink in his hand.
"You guys are late for Wi-" He stopped when he spotted Anya.
Hawke noticed his friend's look of male appreciation and rolled his eyes.
"Anya this is Anders. Do forgive his ogling I think the last time he saw a beautiful woman was before the golden city was corrupted."
"What? That's just mean Hawke." Anders glared at his friend before turning his gave back to Anya.
"I'm Anders. Pleased to meet you my lady." He offered his hand.
"I would suggest that you keep your distance from this abomination." Fenris came in through the door behind her.
"Oh?" Anya looked at the elf.
"I wasn't the one putting a fist through someone's chests the last time I checked." Anders growled at the elf.
Fenris glared at Anders and readied another retort. Filthy abomination.
"Uhm. Putting a fist to someone's chest?" Anya interupted, making the two men look at her.
"Do you have something to say woman?" Fenris glared and she shrugged.
Varric saw that same mischievous twinkle in her and waited for what would come out of Anya's mouth again.
"First you have feet fetish, now putting a fist on someone's chest? That's it. You have the biggest kink in all Thedas." Anya said innocently and laughed.
Now that's what I call priceless. Varric thought.
"What?" Fenris asked as he felt all anger and malice flee from his body. What in the Makers- Ugh. She says the most inappropriate thing at the worst possible moment.
"Well you heard me. You have the biggest kink in all Thedas!" Anya said a little louder, causing Isabela to turn her head towards the bickering two.
"You're a very weird woman." Fenris stated dumbly, a wry smile forming in the corner of his mouth.
"And you're a very kinky man." Anya retorted making Fenris chuckle. Did I just? Ha. What an odd woman indeed.
"Can we get Wicked Grace started before the cards shrivel up and die? Bianca's getting bored." Varric said, taking a seat. Everyone started to sit around the long table in the middle of the room.
"Wicked Grace?" Anya asked. I've never heard of that before.
"You never heard of Wicked Grace?" Hawke raised an eyebrow.
"Nuh-uh."
"It's a card game. More like gambling really." Hawke laughed, taking the seat closest to where he was standing.
"Really? Can I watch?" Anya's voice was filled with excitement.
"Sure thing." Hawke said as he offered the chair beside him to Anya. She must've lived under a rock for her not to know Wicked Grace.
Three rounds of Wicked Grace later and everyone was losing their coin to Hawke.
"That's it. I'm done." Anders stood up from his chair and straightened his robes.
"I'm done too. I have that sexy young guard to meet at the docks tonight." Isabela winked at Anya who stared at her as if she grew a pair of horns.
Fenris also stood up and nodded his goodbye to the table.
"Well we should get home as well then." Carver turned to walk out the door.
Hawke stood up and offered an arm to Anya who was still baffled about what Isabela said. He poked her in her cheek.
"Hey."
"Huh?"
"Thought you got lost inside there." Hawke said, flicking Anya's forehead.
"Evil man." Anya grinned then stood up to take Hawke's offered arm.
"Look how much coin I've got. You must be my lucky charm." Hawke wagged his eyebrows at Anya as they walked out of the Hanged Man.
"Really now?"
"Yes. I must be extremely lucky to get this much coin."
"Or you must be extremely good at cheating." Anya deadpanned and Hawke stopped walking.
"How did you- ah well never mind. That too."
"Not that anyone in the whole table wasn't trying to cheat." Anya had a wry smile on her lips.
"You know what, sometimes you remind me of my sister, Bethany. She always lectured me every time I cheated in a game of cards back when we were still in Lothering. Back when she was still-" Hawke stopped then continued. "By the way, how did you know that she died?"
"I can see people's past if I try hard enough."
"Ha. So that's how." Hawke looked away and then smiled. A smile that Anya was quickly recognizing to be his way of masking his true emotions.
Anya suddenly had a bright idea and looked down to hide her smile. I shouldn't, I really shouldn't. Wait. Maybe I should. She looked up and smiled.
"So you call your sister 'Sex in Boots' then?" Hawke's jaw dropped. He looked at Anya and saw the sparkle of mischief in her eyes.
"Ha. Thought you couldn't hear us." Hawke gave her a real smile this time.
"Oh I couldn't. But Rhakkaro could." She laughed.
"Alright Boots, I'll bite. So how does that thing with your pet work?" He nudged her with his elbow.
She nudged him back. "I'll tell you, but I'll have to kill you since I already told you one secret too many for one night."
"Fine. Fine. Keep your secrets." Hawke rolled his eyes and laughed.
"Don't worry. I'll keep yours too." Anya winked.
Oh yeah, that's mischief twinkling in her eyes just now. Hawke thought as they climbed the stairs to Gamlen's humble home.
