TWO: Newcomer

(A/N: Hey there! I just wanted to leave a little note saying that I'm trying a new form of writing and I'm sort of experiencing with this story. It's not much different, but in all of my other stories I mainly focus on the protagonist's thoughts and feeling and this is sort of just reaching into the other character's midns as well. I would love reviews to tell me anything; if you hate it, love it, whatever. I just want to know my reader's thoughts ^_^)

Hawke didn't venture out into Hightown that often. Perhaps she saw eye-to-eye with Isabela's theory that it was snooty and if you couldn't hear a whore in a back alleyway, then it wasn't worth staying in.

But she wasn't the only one to have second thoughts about entering the villa at night. Fenris, though determined as he was, felt the strong pang of initial hesitance strong with him as they traveled further into the night and closer to Danarius's mansion.

This woman, Sera—or Hawke, as she preferred—he barely knew. But he wasn't about to pass a chance of help if someone was offering it willingly. He presumed the only reason she would be helping him was the assumption that she would get something in return, even if he hadn't made any such offer. He would give up his gold willingly; what use did he have for it? Whatever ever happened this night, whether Danarius would be to enslave him again(Fenris reeled with anger at the thought)or Fenris would be to win over him, gold wouldn't serve much to him in the end.

"How much farther?" inquired Hawke. Her neck was beginning to ache after so many timse of glancing over her shoulder for any potential threat hiding in the shadows of the higher estate buildings.

"Not far," murmured Fenris. No sooner had he spoken when Fenris indicated them all to stop in front of what looked like a run down mansion.

"I'm nor sure how I feel about this, Hawke," muttered Varric, quiet enough so only Hawke would be able to hear him. "We only just met this elf; who's to say this isn't a carefully laid out trap?"

"And who would be trying to trap us?" Hawke uttered back. "I know we're a no good lot but we're not that bad. Not yet, anyway."

Amidst Varric's concern, he chuckled and felt slightly more reassured. Also, if the brooding elf did try anything, he was certain Hawke and the gang could easily win a duel over him, just like they always do.

"It doesn't appear anyone has left the mansion, but I hear nothing within," said Fenris, apparently oblivious to the whispers Varric and Hawke were casting back and forth. "Danarius may know we're here. I wouldn't put it past him."

"What's the worst that could happen?" said Hawke in her general airy attitude. Varric chuckled under his breath again. Fenris was slightly annoyed at her foolhardy demeanor.

"I do not fear death. That does not mean we should be reckless," he said with a glance towards her. He had met overconfident people before, but then again, this woman did not know Danarius. He pushed his feelings aside. "If we have no more reason for delay, I would like to find my former master."

Hawke opened her mouth to say another snarky comment, but judged against it. She nodded her head.

"You first."

Fenris studied Hawke's face for a few more moments before obliging to her words. Though slightly uneasy by her joking manner, he had to force himself to be grateful considering this woman knew nothing of him or what potential danger he could be leading her into.

Nevertheless, he took the lead and led the group into the house. Almost immediately without planning it, he felt his blood boil as if he could sense the past presence of Danarius. Hawke entered warily behind the elf, glancing around at the mansion which could've have been beautiful except for the fact that it appeared to be abandoned.

"Come out and fight me, Danarius!" shouted Fenris unexpectedly, running forward into the mansion and drawing his large sword from the sash on his back. Hawke proceeded forward, drawing her own blade with Isabela and Varric close behind.

"What profession did you say Danarius was again?" Hawke inquired of Fenris, but the words barely left her lips when there was a sudden explosion of fire and three large, purple Shades appeared. They were hunched over slightly with no visible legs, moving like snails except much quicker. One of their claw-like hands shot forward towards the group.

Hawke acted without thinking. Abandoning the blade in her hand, she closed her eyes and envisioned fire sprawling from the palms of her hands. And the fire complied, shooting like a fountain of flames towards the Shades and knocking them flat to the ground.

Hawke was triumphant until she caught sight of Fenris staring at her. His gaze was no longer calculating or touched with a hint of confusion. His stare held—anger.

"You're a mage . . ." he said, so quietly that Hawke almost didn't hear him. But neither of them had any time to share anymore words. More demons were being summoned by an unseen foe, and they launched themselves into battle once more.

Hawke, though realizing her mistake, didn't think it necessary to try and hide her 'mage-ness' any further. From her hands emitted a vein-like explosion of lightning and almost dealt with the demons immediately. Hawke released a breath of relief; using her magic was something like cracking her bones after hours of sitting in a very uncomfortable position.

She looked towards Fenris with some confusion of his sudden coldness towards her, but he merely looked away with his scowling expression still planted firmly on his face. Leave it to his luck to discover that the only person in reach for help happened to be a mage. He should have known better.

However, Fenris decided the matter to be unimportant at the moment and to finish what they had come to do. Avoiding Hawke's gaze which still held some disarray, he called out instead.

"Danarius! Your pets cannot stop us!"

They entered the main room. It had high ceilings and largely spaced walls with torches decorating the stone walls. Most of the furniture was wrecked and some of the stones on the ground were missing, revealing patches of dirt.

"Well," said Hawke lightly, delivering a side-smile to Fenris. "Your former master really knows how to decorate."

Fenris ignored this comment and continued forward.

"Hang on there, broody," Varric suddenly said, walking in front of Hawke and stopping Fenris in his tracks. Fenris glanced down at the dwarf with some distaste. He didn't appreciate someone he just met calling him 'broody'. Or anyone for that matter. He didn't brood.

"What is it, dwarf?"

"There are traps rigged all over this place. If you took one more step—" Varric bent down to a tile that Hawke wouldn't have noticed if he hadn't pointed it out. It was conspicuously lighter than the others and was raised slightly. The dwarf pressed lightly down on it.

A sudden noise like 'fwing' sounded through the empty room and a flaming arrow just barely missed Fenris's head. He cursed in Arcanum under his breath. He noticed Hawke was watching him steadily and averted his eyes to the top of the staircase. His eyebrows narrowed.

"Danarius! Reveal yourself!" he spat.

"Don't make any sudden movements," Hawke uttered. Fenris glanced at her with questioning anger.

Hawke just closed her eyes and focused on every trap she could locate in the room. This was a trick she had learned not too long ago, with the enthusiastic prodding from Varric of course. She released something in her mind and there was a sudden clicking noise from all around.

"What have you done?" questioned Fenris abruptly. Hawke arched an eyebrow.

"Disabled all the traps, using magic of course. Would you like me to turn them on again?"

Fenris merely scowled. In truth, he was grateful. But he wasn't about to admit that to a mage. He ran up the stone steps followed closely by the others. He left off an angry, dangerous fume with every step that he took. If behind that door lay his previous master, the one who preferred to think of him as a wolf on a leash, he wasn't sure how out of control his anger would get.

He burst through the door, his blade raised high above his head. At first his brain didn't register what he saw inside. Nothing. Nothing but a bed, a few chests, bookcase, and a fireplace.

Hawke was slightly bemused. There was indeed demons back there, so where was the perpetrator who had summoned them? She bent beside one of the open chests. Valuable-looking items were tossed carelessly inside, as though someone had left in a rush.

"Gone," said Fenris, lowering his sword in a kind of defeat. Hawke couldn't even comprehend the look in his eyes. It was a sort of strangled horror that was suppressed deep within him. Hawke even managed to feel pity for the elf. "I had hoped . . . no, it doesn't matter any longer."

Hawke glanced away awkwardly, peering towards Isabela and Varric who were also looking away.

"I assume Danarius left valuables behind. Take them if you wish. I . . . I need some air."

He strode past Hawke and the others without meeting any of their eyes. Hawke watched his figure climb down the stone staircase and eventually out of the mansion. There was a sort of confused silence as they hung around ungainly in the unfamiliar room.

"Well, that was—interesting," said Isabela, breaking the ice.

Hawke glanced towards the chests, then turned her back on them and followed Fenris out of the mansion. When she walked out into the night, she found him leaning on the wall with one foot up and staring out into the distance. Though he didn't look at any of them, Hawke knew he registered their presence.

"It never ends," he said finally, almost as soon as they exited the manor. "I escaped a land of dark magic only to have it hunt me at every turn. It is a plague burned into my flesh and soul. And now I find myself in the company of yet another mage."

He looked at Hawke, then left the wall and walked in front of her with an almost demanding stance.

"I saw you casting spells inside. I should have realized sooner what you really were. Tell me: what manner of mage are you? What is it that you seek?"

Hawke almost considered this an offensive question. Why only ask a mage this inquiry?

"What does the next person in line seek?" she said with an air of irritation. "Why would I specifically seek out anything? I have magic, I use it, but I don't want it to gain anything."

Fenris was slightly put off by this answer, for he had never heard one like it before from any mage. Secretly, he was impressed.

"A tone of wiseness, but I have seen the wisest of mages fall to the power of their own corruption," he said darkly.

"Not all mages are alike, I can be the first to tell you," Hawke retorted.

Fenris found this woman unpredictable and slightly disconcerting, but he was no fool.

"I imagine I appear ungrateful. If so, I apologize, for nothing could be further from the truth. I did not find Danarius, but I still owe you a debt. Here is all the coin I have, as Anso promised."

Fenris handed Hawke a heavy leather pouch, almost deliberately making sure they made no contact. Hawke pocketed it. Fenris gave a mental sigh and realized what he had to do.

"Should you find yourself in need of assistance, I would gladly render it," he said quietly.

Hawke was extremely taken aback by this sudden offer, and also slightly suspicious.

"You didn't seem all that thrilled with me a moment ago," she said leisurely, cocking her head slightly to one side and gazing at the elf curiously.

"You are not Danarius. Whether you are anything like him remains to be seen," Fenris said shortly.

"Your old master must want more than just a runaway slave," Hawke commented.

"He doesn't want me at all, just the markings on my skin," Fenris snarled. "They are lyrium, burned into my flesh to provide that Danarius required of his pet. And now he wishes his precious investment returned, even if he must rip it from my corpse."

Suddenly, Hawke was grinning. She had met only a few like Fenris before with their dark pasts and brooding demeanor, and she had always had fun playing with them.

"Seems like a waste of a perfectly handsome elf," Hawke joked, going back to her general cocky mannerism.

Fenris emitted an extremely awkward laugh, before coughing and glancing away.

"Should you—ever have need of me, I will be here. If Danarius wants his mansion back, he is free to return and claim it. Beyond that, I am at your disposal."

He gave a short bow of the head and Hawke found the corners of her mouth inevitably stretching into a large grin.

She knew she was going to enjoy this new companionship.