Her arms, legs and especially her head were heavy like a bag of bricks. Sluggishly she pried open her eyelids only to have to lean forward and blink several times to get rid of the crusted dry blood from Denarius's finger painting. She cursed mentally as she found her arms and legs bound tightly with rope. Looking around she couldn't make out much, it was a small dirty room or maybe a hut. Wherever she was it was definitely dark and windowless with no furnishings besides a fireplace and a broken table set. She was not gagged, since she felt nothing in or tied around her mouth but found that no matter how hard she tried her lips could not be forced apart.
Probably filthy blood magic, She thought while attempting to loosen the ropes around her wrists. The constraints were too tight however and she only accomplished a hurt pride.
I was so close...
The bottle lay heavily in his lap, lying sideways with its contents spilt over his legs and on the floor. He woke like this often, on and off throughout the night never really gaining any rest. He carefully picked up the ugly bottle of vintage wine and tossed it across the room where it shattered next to the door.
"Angst-y today are we? Sexy..." Isabela purred as she slinked into the room barely taking notice of the glass covered floor around him.
He groaned inwardly, "What do you want Isabela?"
Her eyes sparkled deviously, "I can't come check up on my favorite elf?"
"Leave." The word was dripping with malice but Isabela continued her way toward him.
"Hawke sent me." She dropped her eyes taking in the lanky elf lazily sitting in the high backed chair meant for the noble who probably once lived in the mansion.
"Oh in that case," still in his best menacing tone he leaned sideways, propping his head up with one of his hands, "leave."
She only half-heartedly laughed and returned her stare to his face and sat on one of the arms of the chair. He watched her in his periphery, tensing slightly at her close proximity.
"Hawke thinks you need to loosen up. Have some fun."
Absent mindedly or perhaps on purpose, she toyed with the dagger strapped against her thigh. His eyes wandered in that direction for a moment before scoffing uncomfortably and shifting away from her.
"Look around you, fun everyday around here." He swept an arm in an arc and let sarcasm seep into his voice, bringing attention to multiple broken bottles in the ruined room and the equally wrecked furniture. "Though there are a few dead beats around somewhere." He chuckled darkly referring to a few dead bodies still around the house, "now leave Isabela and tell Hawke to mind his own business."
She leaned toward him despite his attitude, practically shoving her busty chest in his face and traced a line down his neck with her forefinger. It made him shudder and he tried not to break her hand as he snatched it away with a growl. His mind was already clouded from the wine and he hated the fact that his body responded to her.
"I don't mind it rough," she purred against his ear before teasing the lobe with her teeth, "in fact, I prefer it."
He tried to stand but she pulled him back into the seat with a harsh tug and she straddled him. She was quick already working her fingers around the bindings of his armor.
Heaving her off of him was proving to be no easy feat, and he found himself tiring, half of him still responding to her touch. Finally he managed to create enough space between them to toss her off just as the door slammed open. She landed on her feet and winked at him, Hawke and his little group were just as out of breath as he was but not enough to let the situation go unnoticed.
"Now normally I would make an awesome joke here," he panted between words and straightened his back with a lopsided smirk, "but a rain check is in order. Two people of interest to you have found their way into town."
Fenris's eyes narrowed, "Denarius and Hadriana."
"Clues point to Denarius yes but Hadriana no. Though I am sure she is not far behind." Sebastian piped up a few strands of hair strewn across his eyes from the run.
"We are wasting time; Denarius is escaping with her as we speak." Carver seemed to be the only one not panting at all, his serious demeanor putting his smirking older brother to shame... If Hawke even knows what shame means.
Hawke wasn't so winded anymore and stood straight and cocked a brow at Fenris, "The other one I refer to is quite the catch."
Ignoring the awful pun Fenris's ears perked up and it was Isabela's turn to narrow her eyes at Hawke.
"She is alive?" He quickly grabbed hold of his blade his heart pounding noisily against his chest in hope.
"Complete with a hot temper and threatening companion." Anders said almost with a smile, which was rare for the mage.
Deciding to agree with the surly templar Fenris felt himself sober up and his dark brows knit together in determination. A wordless exchange passed between Garrett and the elf as they hurried out the door and into the dead of night.
She had almost dozed off again when the door creaked quietly and multiple shadows passed through into the small room.
"Good morning," Denarius chirped enthusiastically "did you not sleep well?"
Sera glared at him only causing the old man to let out an amused chortle. It was sickening how happy he seemed in the presence of her misery; one man's despair is another's faith. Being unable to verbalize her hatred she simply sulked morosely and averted her gaze to the floor.
"Do not fret my doll; soon you will be living in luxury back in Tevinter where you belong." He bent down to her level and almost looked harmless as he took her chin in his hand, bringing her face towards his. "Of course that is not until you help me reclaim my lost pet."
She would have spit on him if enabled to do so, instead she settled for a quirked brow as if to say you have got to be kidding me.
"Master!" the voice startled Sera and her body jolted momentarily.
It was a young man in full armor that barrelled into the room now kneeling in front of Denarius. The magister quickly looked annoyed but inclined his head toward the soldier.
"Has the bait been taken?" Denarius stated still annoyed.
"Well yes..."
"Then what, pray tell, is the problem?"
The young man seemed to choke on his next words, "The shadow cat sir, he got out of his cage."
This only angered Denarius further.
"So? I do not plan on taking that wild beast with me back to Tevinter; if it decides to come back, kill it."
The man nodded and nearly tripped as he stood to leave. Denarius turned back to Sera then and inspected her sudden change of expression, tense muscles and reddened face.
"Actually," the magister continued with a smirk, "take a small group and hunt it down. My room could use a new throw rug in front of the hearth."
Again the man just nodded and clumsily made his way to the door.
"Did you really think I would allow you to bring a pet home?" Denarius brought his attention back to Sera. "I am sure Fenris has almost stepped into my trap, if he has not already, and we will go home."
He leaned in close to her face, turning it from side to side with a long nailed hand.
"We will discuss your punishments later."
Short I know, and took a long time I know. I decided to just post it since I am going to be too busy to make this chapter much longer.
Sorry, but I hope it is at least good. Don't know about you but the awkward-makes-jokes-all-the-time Hawke makes me laugh :)
