Chapter 4: The bear, the maiden fair, and the beast
Samira had lost track of how long it took to get back to Haven, but she knew they took their time for at least the sake of the horses. As soon as she got back, all she wanted to do was crash into her bed, grateful to sleep on something solid that didn't leave her back aching, but she had business to attend to first.
She first checked in with Master Dennet to make sure Raven was properly cared for.
"I know you're protective of her, but trust me. She's fine. All these horses are bred for these sort of things. If I thought you were pushing her too far, I would say so."
"If you say so. Here, I'd say she's earned this." Samira tossed a bag of sugar cubes to the horsemaster.
"You're going to spoil her!" He called out to her as she looked over her shoulder.
"She's been spoiled since day one, too late for that!" As she turned around, she unexpectedly bumped into the one person she was dreading the most coming back to.
"Cullen! It's been a minute. How are you?" She tried to make it as polite and not awkward as possible, but she wasn't sure it was working. Somehow, she got the feeling he was still in Romeo mode.
"Eagerly awaiting your return, a bit too much I shouldn't admit." He stepped closer to her, and she suddenly became very nervous.
Ugh, how am I going to talk my way out of this one? I guess I'm just going to have to rip the bandage off.
She looked over his shoulder and saw Iron Bull, and then an idea sparked in her mind, but before she really thought it through, she found herself blurbing at the mouth.
"Look, Cullen, we should talk. I'm afraid I have some bad news. For you. Something happened on my trip." Samira nervously fidgeted with the leather straps that were bound across her chest, still stealing glances over at the Iron Bull, who by now had noticed something was up. She continued on with the worst speech ever in the world, speaking a little more loudly.
"It was all so very sudden, but I've met someone!"
Andraste's tits, this is so embarrassing.
"What? I don't understand, I thought we had a good night together! If you don't mind me asking, who is it?" Flustered, Cullen made it even harder on her. She felt totally like a blithering, idiotic cunt for the whole situation and she could feel her cheeks redden to the max as she secretly panicked.
"Hey, what's going on Boss?" Suddenly Iron Bull was next to her side with his arm lightly resting around her hip, claiming what was appeared to be his.
"Iron Bull! Well, this is rather awkward…" Samira shifted her gaze down to the ground but after a moment went with his lead.
"I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met. Who are you?" The Iron Bull took over now, and Cullen wasn't exactly pleased with that.
"I am Commander Cullen, I command the Inquisition's forces. And you are?" Cullen's voice had changed from confusion and hurt to indignation.
"Yeah, I got that from the commander part. And I'm sure you heard this fine piece of ass say Iron Bull. Us Qunari don't have 'regular' people names." Iron Bull said so casually, and yet did not seem to notice or care how much of a turn on it was.
Oh, he knows.
"So this is your-?"
"He's my lover, yes!" Samira spit out, almost wanting to laugh but she had to keep a straight face.
"I just couldn't help myself, Cullen. I am truly sorry for any grievance I have caused you. I hope we can still be friends." Although part of her statement was secretly sarcastic, and had a humorous undertone (Varric would have been laughing his ass off if he could see this, and Samira was glad he wasn't) she still did mean it deep down. She didn't want to lose a friend over her callousness, but she couldn't give him what he wanted regardless of her lover status.
This way is just so much easier. I hate 'breaking up' with someone and trying to explain how I am to them. If I feel the need to break things off, there is a high probability they wouldn't understand who I am deep down.
"If this is what you want, I respect that. Good day to you both, I have training to get back to." And just like that, days and days of impending dread was over.
"Yeah, we've got business in the tavern!" Iron Bull proceeded to slap her on the ass, walking away with her until they were well out of sight of the commander.
"That went rather well, don't you think?" Samira breathed a sigh of relief and laughed.
"I'd usually ask for an explanation, but I don't think I need one this time." He said as they walked to The Singing Maiden and ordered drinks.
"It was just a stupid, drunken mistake I was regretting half way through the whole thing with him! It was literally the night before I left for my trip. I couldn't get away faster!" They laughed over their drinks together, Bull clearly amused but happy to help.
"I hope you don't mind me saying this, but what the hell were you thinking with him?"
"There was a lot of alcohol involved and shame too, can't forget that." She said, drinking heavily. This was one of those times she needed to unwind, and drinking with a man like Bull required a certain amount of alcohol to keep up.
"Seems like you need a real man." Bull quietly said, so no one could hear. Samira was caught off guard, almost coughing up her ale.
"Now, that is a first. No one's ever made me do that! Anyways, don't you really mean something else?" Samira leaned into Bull's arm, feeling her body become very warm from the alcohol.
"Are you sure you're not Ben-Hassrath? Because you read me almost as well as I can read you, and I've had years of training." She didn't know if that was a compliment or not, but she decided to take it as one.
"Aww. You're sort of sweet in your own Qunari way! No, I mean it! You think I'm joking? You get me, Bull. I like that." Samira cut herself off before she started any more rambling, she was known to do that when she got too drunk.
If it got bad, she would mumble about all sorts of things, the end of the world being on her shoulders, her shitty parents, corny jokes at a bad attempt to lighten her mood, which then would inevitably be followed by some insane attempt to prove she was the best in the world at the things she did. That usually entailed something dare-devilish that actually had nothing to do with the things she was good at. Those were things Samira decided was best to do if at all behind closed doors, not for all the people of Haven to see.
"I like you too." He finished off both of their remaining ales.
"So, tell me Bull, what's your read of me?" She asked, putting her elbow up on the table and cradling her head in her hand.
"If you really want to know that, I don't think I should tell you here with all these people." Bull winked mischievously at her, sobering her up a bit in response.
"I think I know of somewhere, more private where we can share that important information." She whispered the instructions of where to meet her, but this time waited to go there first.
As promised, when she arrived at the small empty cabin down the beaten path (this location was of course outside Haven's walls as well) she saw a candle burning bright from the window. Iron Bull awaited her. She was never so nervous in her life when meeting a man, and this time it was a good thing.
"Good, I'm glad you came. I was worried I might have to come rescue you from Cullen's clutches, or something." He mused, sitting in a chair at a desk to the window.
"Then you must have an active imagination, because I think he got the hint when you grabbed my ass." She leaned against the wall nearest to him, thinking of what may come next.
"I think I got the hint too." He said, his voice lower than usual.
"Oh? Is this the part where you tell me your read of me? Pray tell." Samira walked forward and now rested her behind against the side of the table where he sat.
"You are a little minx. You walk around hiding your flirtations as teases, but I know what you really want deep down." He stood up and faced her, his tall and formidable body looming over hers.
"Tell me what I want." Samira almost quietly said, she could feel her pulse doubled from its usual pace, and the agonizing need started to pull at her body.
"While you're out there kicking ass against people who stand against us or sitting in that tavern listening to Cassandra go on, you're thinking about me and what I'm going to do to you. You secretly want me to bend you over that table and take you, making you scream out my name." Iron Bull deliberately said it slowly, letting it creep through her ears and sink into her skin, giving her chills.
Maker, thank you! I have been delivered!
While Samira was silently celebrating in her mind, she chose her next moves carefully. She beckoned him to lean down so she could whisper next to his ear, placing her hands softly against his bare, broad chest.
"And do you want to know what I think?" She paused and heard a yes.
"You're going to fuck me like you've never fucked a woman before, and then I'm going to ride you until you're ." With that, she took a quick, harmless nip to his ear relishing the feeling he was giving her.
"We might be here all night then." Samira didn't need to reply to that, Iron Bull captured her willing lips to his own, picking her body up and wrapping her legs around his hips.
Bull's tongue fought with hers, and even though it seemed to win against her, she still fought with as much ferocity to meet it. That same agonizing need that started to nag at her body when she arrived was on fire now, Samira felt like she would burst if he didn't have her then. She fought the urge, but just barely.
"When's the last time you've had a good fucking?" Bull asked her in between kissing and nibbling at her neck, rather aggressively.
"Never like this." She panted and started to moan as he sucked at her neck.
"We haven't even started yet." He chuckled as he moved to tearing off her clothes piece by piece.
"Oh, believe me, I just know!" The leather quickly unbuckled and revealed her supple breasts, already ripe for his mouth.
"Apparently so." He rubbed his thumbs over her nipples, enjoying the feel as she writhed under his touch. Samira wanted him to be in control, but she couldn't help herself to touching him and doing her own thing as he grabbed at her tits.
"Your turn." She quickly undid his harness that covered his left shoulder and began to stroke his member through his pants.
"Mhm. How bad do you want that?" He murmured, his hands now undoing her pants.
"More than anything. I want your cock deep inside of me. I don't care how big it is, and I can tell it is." He stripped her pants down off of her and marvelled at her now naked form before him.
His pants quickly followed suit, allowing his member to spring forward in all its glory before her. He proudly stood there for a moment, letting her look at all of him as he did the same to her. Before she could say or do anything, he pushed her up against the desk for support and immediately dropped down at an angle to settle his face in between her legs.
Maker, what is he doing to me? No one's ever done that before!
Samira almost became light headed at the foreign sensation of Iron Bull's tongue darting back and forth against her clit, bringing her the most pleasure a man has ever brought her.
"Oh, sweet Maker!" She panted as the pleasure rolled through her core to her feet in waves, making her want to curl her toes. When he dared dart his tongue in and out of her, her knees threatened to buckle beneath her. Only the table kept her from collapsing as climax rolled off her multiple times at once.
"What is it that you just did?" She asked, breathless as he finished, wiping her off his chin.
"That was a tongue fucking. Gets you loosened up for the real thing. And I just really like doing that. You taste good." He bent down to kiss her, she tasted herself and wondered what that fuss was all about. This time around it Samira's turn to return the favor. She bit his lip and bent down, face to head, so to speak and took him in her mouth.
"Oh, Kadaan. Oooh yeah, oh I am going to fuck you so hard. Starting with that pretty little mouth." She teased his head with just her tongue, moving it in circles and lapped up the precum that dripped from the tip, until he couldn't take the lack of control any more.
He took her by the face and started to guide her mouth up and down his shaft, hearing her muffled moans just turning him on all the more. His guiding hands transitioned to thrusts of the hips and by then he was full on fucking her mouth, but she didn't protest. Bull knew this was all she wanted and more. He kept thrusting savagely until he finally ejaculated into her mouth, slightly surprised she took all of it and even swallowed!
Samira felt like she never had before, it was a cross between barbaric and erotic for her. That was enough to get her off, but she wanted more. She needed more of him.
"I think you know what comes next." He said as he pulled her back up to him and laid her on top of the desk.
"Oh, yes, please continue Chief." She adjusted herself right at the edge of the desk and prepared herself. Bull stroked himself as he drunk in her perfect naked body before him, then without any more delay, positioned himself at her entrance.
"I don't think your tight cunt is going to be ready for me, Samira." He rubbed his head around her entrance, probing and causing her walls to ooze wetness.
"Bull, I'd rather take all of your cock, ready or not, than wait any longer for you to be inside me." She decided not to use her magic to prepare herself, as crazy as that probably was going to be, she wanted all of him naturally.
Pain or pleasure, I want to feel all of him!
"Can't say I didn't warn you. Here goes." He slowly but surely pushed his member just inside her entrance at first, and when that part was in, he harshly slammed into her. It was like she saw stars, but she didn't care. Samira wanted that feeling mixed with pain and pleasure, regardless of how sore she knew she would be later.
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" She screamed out in ecstasy as he pounded into the deepest part of her.
"Mmmm, yeah what's my name?" He grunted as he continued to thrust fast and hard into her.
"Iron Bull! Iron Bull, fuck me Iron Bull!" She moaned so loudly she was glad she picked the cabin she did.
"IRON FUCKING BULL! That's right you sexy little minx!" He yelled out in triumph as he felt her walls clenching around him when her climax hit again and again.
Samira tossed her head from side to side, not knowing what to do with herself. Her body trembled from all of the sensation, and her natural magic ability only intensified it. It didn't help that regardless of all of that, Bull continued to thrust into her repeatedly, even after his climax came. He poured himself into her, his seed even more than last time.
"Whew, let me guess: there's more?" She mischievously asked him as he pulled out of her.
"Mmm, you read my mind." He pulled the chair up and sat in it, beckoning her over to him. When she got off the table, he could tell her legs were pretty wobbly, so he drew her over without much effort on her part. Sitting her astride him, with her back touching his chest, he once again settled back into her. This time was a little bit easier for Samira to take, her walls still open.
"Is that what you want, for me to ride you, Bull?" Her voice sounded like velvet now. She had regained some of her composure to speak more coherently and she used her voice as seduction to keep him hard.
"You know how to keep me rock hard. Go ahead and ride the Bull!" This time he relaxed back a bit and let her do what she wanted. Moving her hips in circles, she used the muscles within her to clench onto him, knowing that would drive him wild.
"I don't know how you do that, but it's working!" He buried his face into her neck when she leaned backwards, still gyrating her hips at a perfect motion.
"Your cock feels so good inside me…" Samira murmured as he started to move his hips back to meet hers in perfect rhythm.
"And your cunt is the wettest I've ever been with." He murmured back, both lost in their own words that in itself kept each other going. As she continued to rock back and forth on him, he reached his fingers down to play with and stroke her clit, causing her orgasms to come back in full power like before.
"Oh, Bull, I don't know if I can keep going. I just want you to come inside of me!" She protested, not wanting it all to end but knowing her limit was close.
"Your wish is my command." He grabbed her by the hips and took the reigns, thrusting upwards into her, making her practically bounce off of him. They both kept going until Bull perfectly timed it right for them to both orgasm at once, both yelling out in sweet agony.
Maker, how long has it been already? It feels like we've been here the whole night…
"Maybe next time I'll turn you around so I can watch those perfect tits bounce!" Bull joked as they sat together in the chair, catching their breath.
"I bet you'd like to see that. They are rather nice, I suppose." She looked down at herself appreciatively, always confident.
"Now you're just bragging." He tightened his arm around her waist and kept her drawn to him, not quite ready to part yet.
"Like you don't? I'm just following your lead, Chief." She teased right back, suddenly feeling all of her exhaustion finally hit her. Samira found it incredibly easy to start dozing off laying her head against his broad, muscled chest.
"Falling asleep on me, are you? That's a first for me." Bull teased, instantly getting her attention back.
"I haven't had a decent place to sleep in at least a week, I am definitely exhausted." She blew out an exasperated sigh before getting up to gather her clothes.
"I'll take that as a compliment. We better get back, I'm sure you're missing your bed." He rose and the the pair finished up before going their separate ways at the main gate of Haven.
"This was, certainly an education, Bull. One I don't plan on forgetting." She winked at him as they parted ways, Samira trying to hide a limp she was feeling. It was late at night at least, so most of Haven was asleep by now.
I need a bath!
As she slipped into the hot, relaxing water, she thought of the last week of her life. She recruited two valuable new companions to join her on her quest to close the Breach, and finally got her wish.
A sorely needed one at that.
If she was going to take this 'Herald of Andraste' business seriously, it would be tomorrow. While she was often preoccupied by her own consuming needs, the needs of the world did not escape her notice. The mark on her hand weighed on her, but it was becoming easier each day to deal with it, she just needed practice.
When she awoke the next morning, that was exactly what she planned on doing. She had closed the Fade Rifts in the Hinterlands, but there was a report of one appearing not far off from Haven now. As she stepped out of her room, she stretched her arms up and outward and was ready to start her day anew.
"What's up your knickers, lady bits?" Sera asked her as Samira arrived at the tavern for breakfast.
"Oh, nothing. Just ready to start my day, you know me." She absentmindedly said into her mug of cider, careful to avoid her accusing gaze.
"Riiiight. I saw you hanging out with that Bull fellow quite a bit last night, and are did I see you walking funny?" The crazy elf prodded an elbow into her side, then cackled her ridiculous laugh.
"Sera, I can't possibly know what you're talking about…" She casually said, but leaned in to add, "But if those loose lips of yours go off, you'll never get that jar of bees I promised you." Samira winked, a smile on her face as she mock threatened her friend.
"Oooh, vicious this one is! Alright then, but you better get me that jar of bees! I need em for Red Jenny stuff, that is." They laughed, Samira knowing Sera knew her limits (a shocker really, as she didn't seem to usually have any) and knowing neither of them would do that to each other.
"So, you taking me out with you today? My hand's been itching to practice with my bow!"
"If you don't mind closing a Fade Rift with me today. I know how you are with those awful demons." Samira teased, knowing that would make her uncomfortable.
"Sheesh, I'm no pansy! I'll just, be at the back of the group...shooting my arrows, like I usually do!" She said in defense, not wanting to show she was afraid.
"Sure, Sera. I know you've got my back. I'm gonna go see if any one else wants to join." Samira rose from her spot, finishing her plate then paying Flissa.
"Don't take too long, my hand's got an itch something terrible!" She called back as the Herald left and sought out who she wanted.
"That ankle healed yet?" Samira asked as she walked up to Varric at his usual spot where he sat in a chair.
"Just about. Did you miss Bianca?" Varric jested, bringing a smile to the woman's face.
"Why, of course! Without you, Sera's my only archer and her bow is no Bianca." She patted him on the shoulder, moving onto the next friend. She walked out the gate and saw Cullen in his usual spot with his trainees, leaving Samira to carefully veer off to the left where Cassandra practiced her sword against a training dummy.
"I heard there was an issue with you and Cullen yesterday. Is everything alright?" She asked, planting her sword into the ground.
"Oh, that. Just a misunderstanding, I'm afraid. It's all taken care of, no need to worry." Samira gestured out in goodwill, hoping that satisfied the Seeker.
"If you say so. I just hope you are staying focused on the task at hand." Cassandra lightly warned, all business per usual.
"You have no complaints from me! I'm actually about to head out to seal that Rift Leliana's scouts reported. Was looking to see if any one wanted to join me." Samira offered, hoping that would show her commitment.
"That's good. I will join you when you're ready. Maybe you should ask the Warden if he'd like to join us. I haven't seen him in battle yet." Cassandra suggested as she went back to her training.
Warden Blackwall.
She looked off down the path where Blackwall was stationed next to the forge. He sat on top of a hay stack, whittling at a piece of wood.
"What's that you have there?" She asked him, leaning against the building.
"Oh, this is nothing." He threw it back to the ground and stood up to greet her.
"Cassandra and I were hoping you'd go with us to seal a Rift nearby." She asked him, absentmindedly picking at her fingernails.
"Of course. I've been sitting around too much since I got here." Blackwall picked up his gear from off the ground.
"But you've only just gotten here, silly. Has it even been twenty-four hours?" She snorted, her tone playful.
"Ah, my lady, but I'm used to being on my feet."
"Well, a darker time of my life I was used to the opposite, and it just made me want to get out all the more." Samira commented, not meaning to give much of herself away.
"Oh?" He turned to her, as if in understanding.
Well, besides all that messy darkspawn mess, what's a typical Warden life like? I wouldn't think it would be very dark besides the obvious. But he's looking at me like he's gone through some shit.
"I'd rather not talk about it." Blackwall accepted that after hesitating for a moment, then turned to look at the chaotic Breach in the sky.
"Maker...look at it. So much easier to ignore when it's far away. And to actually walk out of it, to be that close?" Blackwall said sympathetically.
"We could go right up to it now, if you're that curious."
"I'm going to have to decline...at least until I learn more about it."
"Can't say I blame you there, it worries me too." Samira felt a chill run down her spine as she talked about it. The mark on her hand pulled at her whenever she thought too much into it.
This mark is powerful, but being held accountable for something so big like this, is a lot to swallow on one mage.
Samira hoped that with each new Rift encounter, she would become more confident in her ability to shoulder it all, and for the most part, it was becoming easier each time.
"Just one question, then. How do you think you fit into all of this?" Blackwall asked the big question, one that everyone asked with scrutiny, whether they meant to or not.
"I...I'm still working on that, but I know I want to help fix things. This crazy war needs to be put back into order." She not only said to him, but also to herself.
Before all this mess had happened, Samira was so ready to live her life finally, and when the conclave was destroyed, that had put a stop to all of her plans. She was a hesitant participant with her role in stopping the Breach from growing, but once she had been around the Inquisition, she found herself slowly falling in love with the idea of being a part of something greater.
"A worthy goal, one I'm happy to support. For me, I'll be satisfied so long we find the bastards that killed the Divine. They owe us some answers." Blackwall's voice turned almost vengeful, full of the promise of justice which Samira admired.
"I hope that's not the only reason you stay here with us. You're strangely charming for a man I found wandering the forest."
"I always thought myself more odd than charming, but I'll take a compliment from a lady. They're hard to come by these days." The warden said with his arms crossed.
"Compliments or ladies? I didn't think either were in short supply." Samira thought to point him in the direction of the tavern, but a voice in her head instinctively shot that idea down, which Samira thought was odd of herself to think.
"Both." Blackwall chuckled before continuing, "Maybe I wasn't looking hard enough."
"You were in the middle of the forest, I suppose."
"So, is there something large and heavy you need moved?"
"That would be a waste of your particular talents." Samira watched Blackwall perk up slightly and grinned at him.
"Oh, really?" His voice dipped as he said it, making Samira giggle on the inside at the silliness of it all.
"You're much better suited to standing in front of dragons while they try to eat you." She quipped, always knowing the right thing to say.
"I have to say, my lady, you're unlike any woman I've ever met. Your wit and charm is beyond your years. I'm flattered you'd spend any time with me. I...enjoy your company."
"Thank you, I actually appreciate hearing that from a respectable man like you. So, ready to head out?" She picked up her staff and brought him with her to collect Sera and Cassandra.
