Fenris walked out of the Captain's Cabin like he'd seen a ghost, well the kind of ghost that couldn't be gotten rid of with a well placed spell or enchanted weaponry, nevertheless his blank face and near-sickly pallor spoke of man changed by whatever goings on recently transpired. Varric eyed the elven warrior suspiciously, the history between Daisy and the Elf wasn't particularly violent just more of a case of clashing ideals, but then again to Fenris it seemed marriage was just another form of slavery that happened to be socially acceptable across most of Thedas.

"How's the Bride doing, Elf?"

Fenris was silent, just staring at the floor as he slowly marched by. The Dwarven rogue couldn't help but notice that he appeared to be blushing. Varric laughed to himself once he realized the red flush was localized to just one cheek of the elf's face, and it was vaguely in the same shape of a set of puckered lips. He made a mental note to give the guy shit about it later if he so happened to forget to thoroughly wipe it off.

"Alright then, see you in a bit", Varric said to Fenris over his shoulder as he made his way towards the doorway of Isabela's Cabin.

"Dai- Merrill? You in there, sweetie?", he recieved no response.

He quickly stepped into the room and found the Mage whispering to herself while staring out of the porthole that served as one of the secondary sources of light within the cabin. In the pouring sunlight she was radiant: the jewelry, the dress, even her hair and skin shone brilliantly under the Sun's rays. Hawke seemd to be a lucky bastard, even in love.

"I'm sorry I didn't answer you right away, Varric. I was- I was just asking the Creators to watch out for my parents, wherever they are right now."

It never really crossed the dwarf's mind to inquire too much about Merrill's true family. She had always offered up quaint stories about her Clan, but hardly ever brought up her birth parents. Then again she had only known them for handful of years before she was passed on to Marethari as the Keeper's apprentice.

Varric tried to clear his tightening throat as his thoughts wandered to his own parents, specifically his Mother, "I - I'm sure they'd be very proud of you."

"No they wouldn't. With this bonding, this marriage I'd be betraying them, every one of my kind."

"Oh c'mon, Daisy, they're your parents. Parents are automatically trained to love their kids, its why they're able to change their diaper rags and think its cutest thing a living thing could ever accomplish and to everyone else diaper changing a real bitch. Besides its not like this is the end of the world."

"Varric, to my people it IS just another step to the end. Joining with Hawke is the end of my line. Last I heard I am their only child and by now they'd probably be too old to consider having anymore. Even if Hawke and I had children they'd be shemlen. Elven by blood alone, but never pure. Just- just look at Feynriel."

"That... was different. Demons and Templars aren't going to be hounding your kids."

"You don't know that - anyway, I'm not going to let it bring me down. I've already gone down that path, regretting - almost every decision I've made on my own. Loving Hawke was one of those. Its one of the best ones I ever made, and I'm sticking with it - him", the last word she said with a beaming smile.

"I'm serious, there just has to be some kinda special, I don't know, enchanted halla horn spoon out there that'll let me just eat you up", he punctuated this by punching his fist into his palm.

"You are always saying that, Varric. I'll have you know Hawke is the only person who is allowed to eat me in anyway. Besides he makes my toes curl."

Immediately the smile on her face dropped and somehow the rouge on her cheeks turned a deeper shade of crimson, to which Varric heartily laughed.

"Varric, please don't-"

"My dear, we'll just make sure that detail stays between just me, you, and your future husband."

Varric offered his good friend his arm which she hooked with her own, just like they'd practiced at the Hanged Man the night before. As they strode out the door Merrill paused for a moment, a pensive look crossed her face.

"I'm pretty sure I told Isabela about that... detail, last night. Alcohol always did make me chatty."

"She is well aware of that little correlation, Merrill."

"I'm just glad she is our friend."

The dwarf nodded in agreement before pulling her along down the small passage and up the stairs.


Hawke scratched at his chin, his nails rasping onto nothing since he was convinced by Bethany to finally rid himself of the last vestiges of his beard. The scruff's absence reminded him of Carver, the sole reason he even grew it in the first place. Mother had hoped that the contrast between the brothers would be enough that they'd turn Carver and his grumpy, baby-face away leaving him the only option to remain safely at home with her and Bethany. Instead it seemed the reluctance of the Bannorn to send King Cailan their abled-bodied men to fight the Darkspawn hordes had made the recruiters desperate for anyone that could at least hold a sword properly. So every morning during their march to Ostagar he'd awaken to find Carver had littered his facial hair with new and disturbing objects: ant eggs, random tufts of fur, and once what he really hoped was bits of a broken up pine cone. It wasn't until Gamlen had leased Bethany and himself to Athrenil's smuggling crew that he was able to shave it down to a respectable jaw-darkening level.

The activity on the deck had quieted down as the sailors retired to their quarters for the Ceremony to begin. The Groom found himself standing before Captain Isabela, whom was actually appropriately dressed for the occassion, as she sported a delicate looking, long red velvety coat. The open coat perfectly framed her black buttoned up shirt that was tucked into a set of dark brown leather pants which were cinched shut with a silverite chain. She even went out of her way to wash the kerchief she normally wore upon her head. His eyes trailed down from her hair to face only to find a solemn expression upon it.

He'd been a right bastard with her and Merrill. It was true he loved them both dearly and had taken them as lovers. It was easy enough to keep his romps with Isabela sequestered to the both The Hanged Man and later her ship while Merrill took up residence at the estate in Hightown, but he always felt it wasn't right, not that he ever planned for either woman to find out. But all it took was a massive Anders caused explosion of Kirkwall's Chantry for the truth to come out, then a brief moment of levity amongst the Templar-Mage chaos, and a few innocent words from the little elf put Isabela onto his ploy. Dammit Anders.

When the time came long after facing an army of abominations and Templars, and one incredibly freaked out First Enchanter, he shared a seperate moment of peace with each of his loves. Merrill was blissfully unaware of his treachery, but Isabela knew better and simply turned to living for the moment if only to savor their possible last moments in each other's company. Weeks later once the dust from the rioting and the grand battle with Meredith had settled, he found the two of them sharing a drink laughing at one of Isabela's bawdy stories. All it took was a single look from the infamous Pirate Captain and he knew then and there it was over.

The crazy thing was Varric seemed entirely unaware of his dual relationships, all the dwarf ever talked of was Hawke and Daisy, nothing of his time with the Rivaini. Isabela had seemingly chosen to keep quiet and not even share this with the consumate storyteller. Some Champion he turned out to be.

"Hawke?"

His name broke his train of thought.

"What?" he asked back to Isabela whom was staring right back at him.

"You've been staring at me, its off putting. Either stop it or - out with it."

"You sound like Aveline."

She simply returned his gaze.

"Alright, I'll say what I'm thinking."

"This'll be good", Isabela teased.

"If I had a chance to do it all again. I would... do exactly the same things all over again."

"You are aware I have a plank. People who displease disembark from it, dock or not."

"What I mean is, you're something special and... I'm something else. You've this magnetism about you, I'd do almost anyth-"

"Just shut up already", she cut him off. "I've already forgiven you. You've looked out for me, got me a ship, and you've been a relatively good friend. So just, balls- get married, have lots of smelly rugrats, and don't you ever pull that shit with Kitten again. I swear'll cut you in ways that would impress Qunari butchers."

"Ouch", he cupped himself and leaned away from Isabela.

"Damn right. Now hush up, here comes the Bride."