For The Love Of Magic
By: TracyCook
Disclaimer: I own nothing. These characters belong to the creator of Dragon Age 2.
Couple: Merrill/Bethany
Rating: M
Chapter 2
The Morning After
That morning Bethany awakened to a feeling that she had not awakened to on many prior occasions, there was warmth covering her body. It did not feel like the humidity and heat of the mountain air on a summer's day, but instead it was a comfortable and inviting warmth.
Slowly she allowed her hazel eyes to open just enough to find the source of the heat, cracking her eyes open just a sliver she caught sight of what was transmitting the strange sensation, and her eyes immediately widened in shock as she recalled the night before. She could remember leaving the campgrounds and finding Merrill crying, and then talking with her, before agreeing to stay with her in her sleeping bag until she fell asleep.
Only, it appeared that she had never left.
It was not that she had stayed with Merrill that alarmed her, but it was more so how close the two of them currently were. The young elf was nuzzling against her breasts, her thin arms wrapped tightly around her body, and her legs were twisted up in her own. A bright blush rose along Bethany's cheeks as she watched the other sleep.
Bethany smiled softly as she realized just how nice that it was to have someone holding her again. She had spent so many years alone, not being courted by anyone, she had missed it. This caused her to entertain the thought of savoring the contact just a moment longer. Just as she was closing her eyes to get comfortable in Merrill's arms, she felt something and her eyes snapped open.
'What was that?' She thought to herself. Bethany had felt something brush up against her womanhood, causing a pleasurable feeling to travel through her body. Quickly, she caught her breath, not wanting to make any sounds. 'Is that—is that her leg!?'
Merrill moved once more in her sleep and pressed her knee firmly against the other woman's heated center. 'Yes, that is most definitely her leg… okay, now I have to get up.' Despite the way that her mind was screaming at her to move, to push the elf away, to do anything, Bethany could feel desire building up inside of her, and with another brush of her leg against her center she felt the need to stay where she was and enjoy it.
The responsible side of her mind nagged at her though, reminding her that this was wrong. 'You cannot take advantage of her while she is sleeping… Wake her up. Wake her—ahh gods that feels so good.'
"Mmm…" She moaned out softly, biting down on her bottom lip to stifle the unwanted sound.
"What is this?" A voice drew her attention away from the pleasure and away from Merrill, she recognized the voice, it belonged to her sister. She glanced up and saw the angry and serious look in her sister's eyes and immediately moved the female elf off of her before climbing to her feet.
"Nothing, it—it is nothing." Bethany affirmed as she dusted off her clothing nervously and tried to suppress the blush that painted her cheeks.
"Didn't look like nothin' to me, looked more like the little Daisy over here received a bit more Sunshine than we're used to seein'." Varric stated, laughing a little at his own joke, of course he would find the situation humorous. The irony of their nicknames only served to further agitate the mage as well.
"Oh will you both please be quiet, nothing happened between the two of us. She was simply worried last night and I held her that is all." Her voice shook as she informed them of what had happened. She did not care for what they were insinuating.
All of them were interrupted as they heard a certain sleepy accented voice. Turning they watched as Merrill rubbed the sleep out of her large green eyes before opening them and peering up at the group. "Bethany?" Sitting up, a pout formed on her lips as she continued to stare up at them, at Bethany in particular. "Why did you leave? I was so comfortable lying against those soft shoulders of yours." Her voice appeared completely innocent.
"Shoulders?" Varric teased with a devious smirk. "Is that what they're calling them these days? Guess I need to catch up with the times." He winked at Bethany whose face turned a brighter shade of red. Both of them knew exactly which soft part of her body the elf had been snuggling up against in her sleep, and it was not her shoulders.
"Can we just go? We have someone to save, remember?" Hawke asked, although her tone was demanding more than questioning.
"Of course." Bethany agreed, nodding her head and moving to collect her belongings and readying herself for the battles that they would encounter once they entered the caves.
Merrill made no haste in getting prepared to enter the caves. Taking a moment to stretch out her long thin arms, she let out a loud yawn, her ears twitching. It had been ages since she had slept as well as she had last night. The only other time that she could really think of was when the Keeper would sing to her. If Bethany would allow her to, she may have to bunk with her more often.
Finally, when everyone else was impatiently waiting on her to get ready, she stood to her feet and acquired her weapon.
The four of them started toward the mountaintop where the caves were located, their mission was to go into the caves and save a young elf child who had gotten kidnapped. Bethany found that a certain elven woman seemed to be following her around like a puppy after what had happened last night. She did not really mind, although the suggestive looks from Varric and her sister were starting to get on her nerves.
Still, she did not mind.
Feeling her body being bumped from the side, hazel eyes caught hold of excited green. It had of course been Merrill who had bumped into her.
"Last night was so amazing, wasn't it?" Merrill questioned with a bright smile. "I haven't slept so well in ages. Hopefully I am not being too forward, but I would really love to sleep with you again sometime." Of course she said whatever popped into her mind, despite how it might sound to others. Bethany wondered if she were even remotely aware of how suggestive what she had said sounded.
Nervously, she glanced away. "Merrill…"
"Oh no, did I say something wrong? I am terribly sorry. I always say the wrong thing. It is just that I thought that maybe you enjoyed sleeping with me as much as I enjoyed sleeping with you. I won't bring it up again." Once again she rambled out an apology, feeling that her actions had been inappropriate, and once again Bethany found it utterly adorable.
"I do not understand how it is possible that someone is capable of being so cute…' She thought to herself as she smiled and corrected the other. "Do not apologize, I did enjoy it."
"Ooh, I just knew that you enjoyed it as much as I did!" Merrill announced with a bright smile and a glimmer in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Bethany's waist, pulling her body closer to her own.
As much as she wanted to be annoyed with the contact between herself and the green eyed elf, she found herself leaning against her body and laughing. Honestly, it was nice to see the other mage with happiness and hope shimmering behind her eyes, opposed to the natural worry and sorrow that filled them. It was even nicer knowing that she had been the one to put it there. This realization made Bethany feel oddly special.
The happiness drained from her body and the smile fell from her face as she witnessed what was waiting for them at the top of the mountain. There was a group of armor clad male Templars arguing with an elf.
"He took my daughter!"
"We don't care about your daughter, elf!" The Templar spat back.
Bethany found herself growing angry for a multitude of reasons. Naturally, she always hated the Templars because of what they had done to her and her family and how they had made her life a living hell, but now she was also growing upset with how they were treating the elven kind. She found herself growing even more protective of their race because of Merrill.
The Templar glanced over at the group, his eyes shining with excitement as he spoke to the approaching travelers. "Lookie, Lookie, what we have here, two apostates."
"Lookie, Lookie, what we have here, a group of brainwashed Templars." Bethany taunted the men in return.
Hawke quickly moved between the two of them, standing in front of her sister in a defensive stance, staring the Templar down. It seemed that she was constantly sticking her neck out to protect the mage, and it almost made her sister feel guilty. As if she were a burden to the other woman. She was fully capable of taking care of herself.
"Leave my sister alone. We have business here." Hawke said looking toward the male elf. "Is it your daughter that we are to save?" She questioned assertively.
"Yes, yes, she was dragged away by a large man. He has killed many of our children in the past and I fear for her safety."
"That "large man" is very important and I recommend that you do not get in his way." The leading Templar half advised and half threatened the group.
Before Hawke had a chance to speak, her sister had stepped in front of her taking control of the situation. She was surprised by this bold move on Bethany's part. "You want us to just ignore the young elf he is about to kill and go on our merry way, simply to appease you?"
"That would be preferred." He sneered.
"Out of our way, Templar." She spat the last word as if it were a curse.
He laughed right in her face before gripping ahold of her arm tightly, practically lifting her off of the ground with one hand. "Did you hear what this apostate just said to me?"
"Leave her alone!" Hawke shouted out as she moved toward him, but she was held back by one of the Templars.
Merrill looked from one sister to the other, her green eyes filled with anger and worry as she watched the way that the man spit in Bethany's face and the way that he held her arm. It was likely that he would leave bruises on her perfect flesh. There was no way that she was going to allow that to happen. Even though she knew that she was rather thin and did not have much to offer in the strength department, she walked toward them practically growling out. "Let her go."
It shocked everyone hearing the usually carefree elf speak in such a manner.
"What is this we have here? Do you really think that you can protect her?" As he asked this, another Templar wrapped the female elf in his arms holding her tightly, trapping her in place.
The leader continued moving closer to the woman that he was holding, sniffing along her long neck as his free hand fondled her breasts. "I think that I will have some fun with this dirty mage whilst you watch, that is what I think."
Bethany was squirming and thrashing in an attempt to get away from the man, she was disgusted and hated the way that it felt having him touch her in such a way. She had rarely allowed anyone to do so and he was imposing himself on her, it made her stomach twist and nearly induced vomit.
Merrill found herself growing so upset with what he was saying, that he was touching the woman that she wanted and had grown fond of overnight, that she dug her nails deep into the palms of her hands. She could feel blood filling her palms, dripping down her fingertips, and she knew that it was enough to cast a spell of the darkest kind. Her eyes grew red and blood shot as she focused all of her anger toward the man and started chanting.
With no control over his body the Templar found himself releasing the mage, his limbs all straightening out. He watched as his arms and legs moved of their own free-will and he glared over at Merrill.
"Let me go, mage, or I swear to you—"
He did not get a chance to finish the sentence as he was thrown from the mountaintop. It was not a stumble nor was it a trip; he was literally thrown through the air slamming against the rocks at the bottom of the mountain. If he were dead, the elf would have laughed, because as far as she was concerned he deserved so much worse with how he had treated Bethany and all mages alike.
Now terrified, both of the other Templars let go of their hostages and started backing away from the mage.
"Never touch her again or I swear to you both I will make you regret it." It was almost frightening how such an innocent woman could change into something so horrifying, all to protect Bethany, and as she was enveloped in thin protective arms she could not help but once again feel special.
Still, there was blood magic involved, and that terrified her.
D
Authors Note: Actually got 4 reviews which was a little shocking, in a great way! So, I decided I would add another chapter soon. :) Hopefully this one will not be a disappointment, and y'all will tell me what you think. I know it's an odd couple but I love hearing feedback even negative and ideas in order to make my stories what people enjoy reading. So please feel free to tell me whatever y'all think about it!
I am telling you now I have about 20 multi-chapters going so reviews will be necessary to continue adding. I hate bribing because it is mean, but I have to do it sometimes when things aren't all too popular. Sorry. :/
-Tracy Cook