Chapter 4: Beach Adventures
"So, guardsman... it's a real nice night for an evening, isn't it?" Aveline's voice sounded strained and Donnic threw her a confused glance.
Hidden behind some rocks, Isabela and Kit Hawke were squirming with embarrassment. "She's really, really bad at this," the pirate mouthed at Kit.
He nodded, a pained expression on his handsome, bearded face. He was beginning to regret that he had advised Aveline to arrange this patrol with the guardsman. Kit had thought the familiar situation would make her more relaxed, so she would finally confess her attraction to Donnic, but instead it was becoming more and more obvious that it was all for nothing.
They were working their way along the Wounded Coast, clearing out enemies before the "patrol" arrived. Kit had wanted to bring a mage but Aveline had been adamant. She wanted neither Anders nor Merrill involved in her love life. She hadn't been happy about Isabela either, but he had put his foot down on this one. Kit was happy to help the Captain, but he wasn't willing to risk his life for this farce. Fortunately, they didn't run into any trouble. With the help of Toffee, Kit's Mabari, the two of them were easily able to deal with the few smugglers and other assorted riffraff on the Coast.
With a kind of horrified fascination, Kit and his lover were looking on as Aveline butchered one conversation after the other. Donnic seemed increasingly confused by her odd behaviour. After a particularly painful lecture on sword making, Kit decided he'd had enough. With a graceful leap, he got out of his hiding place and confronted the couple, ignoring Aveline's feigned surprise at seeing him.
"Aveline, for Andraste's sake, we don't have all night, you know." Kit rolled his eyes impatiently.
Donnic looked shocked and wary. "Will someone please tell me what's going on?"
Isabela gave a bored yawn, playing with her dagger. "Oh, honestly... Take a hint and bend her over a basin, will you?"
Kit flinched at the expression on Donnic's face. The guardsman beat a quick retreat and Aveline followed him into town, leaving no doubt as to her displeasure.
"Really, Bells." The corners of Kit's mouth were twitching suspiciously as he faced the pirate. "How could you?"
"Well, it was about time someone said it." Isabela was unabashed. "Besides," she purred, throwing him a sultry look, "this means we have the afternoon off to spend at the beach."
Kit grinned. "All right. But first let's check out the cave we passed back there. It shouldn't take long."
The damp cavern didn't look like much from the outside, but it widened considerably after just a few twists and turns. They found themselves in a huge cavern, with curiously large footprints on the sandy floor.
Kit frowned. "Those look like-" He was cut off by the papery sound of large wings. "Dragon!" he shouted.
Isabela cursed. Luckily the dragon was only medium-sized, but even so they were in a tight spot. Two rogues against a fire-breathing lizard, with no mage to back them up, no well-armed fighter to take the brunt of the beast's attack. At least they had the Mabari... To her surprise, she heard Kit laugh out loud with delight.
"Come on, Bells, let's dance!" He was incredibly fast and graceful and she was nearly his equal in skill. Together they twirled around the beast, moving at inhuman speed, disappearing into the shadows and appearing again in unexpected places, while Toffee was barking like mad and snapping at its hamstrings. Over and over their blades found their way between the huge scales, over and over they ducked to avoid fiery breath until finally Kit uttered an ear-piercing cry and jumped right onto the creature's back. Nimbly he ran up its spine and with a satisfied grin sank his daggers deep into its neck. With a huge roar, the dragon came tumbling down. He perfectly timed his graceful jump off its collapsing body.
"We did it!" Giddy with exhilaration Kit pulled the pirate into his arms. "Ewww!" He pulled back. "You're bloody all over. And dragon blood stinks."
Isabela wrinkled her nose. "So it does. Let's wash it off."
They gathered as much treasure as they could from the dragon's hoard, then set off towards a sheltered little cove they had spotted earlier that day. The cool water was a blissful relief. Isabela smiled when she saw Kit splash around in the surf with Toffee. He looked young and happy and carefree.
But her heart almost stopped, when he turned around and walked toward her through the shallow water in all his naked glory, little droplets of water running down his chest, glistening on his muscular arms and legs. The look in his eyes told her he was feeling much the same at the sight of her bare body. He shouted a quick command at Toffee who slunk off to guard them from a place in the shade. Then he was at her side and pulled her into his arms, kissing her passionately, pulling her with him to the beach.
"Not in the sand!" Isabela made a face. "I'll never get clean again."
Kit laughed softly. "Well, then we'll have to keep you away from the sand. You do prefer to be on top anyway, don't you?"
With a mischievous smile, he stretched out on the ground and pulled her down on his wet body. Isabela couldn't help but laugh at his logic. His hands on her skin felt wonderful, and her arousal grew quickly as they wandered all over her, stroking and teasing her. She sat up, straddling him and he cupped her full breasts in both hands, looking up at her with such a beatific expression that she had to smile.
"Oh, Kit. It's so easy to make you happy." She was surprised at the sound of her own voice, so warm and mellow, so full of genuine affection. Well, she did like him. She had never met a man like him, sensual without being possessive, free-thinking but not heartless, witty but never malicious. Not to mention an absolute tiger between the sheets, she thought with a pleasant shiver as he began to play with her nipples. He pushed himself up on his elbows so his lips could reach her breasts, causing her to slide back against his impressive erection. She could feel him at her back and she moaned as his tongue danced over her warm skin.
Kit's hands were moving up her thighs now, his touch light but assured. When he reached her core and she could feel his nimble fingers begin their exploration she leaned back a little, granting him easier access and his breathing quickened at the sight of her. He took his time with her, his touch growing slowly more insistent, until Isabela finally took the initiative, pushing herself up on her arms before sinking down on his hard member, taking him in as deeply as she could.
He closed his eyes, his hands stilling for a moment, his expression open and relaxed. Then his hips began to move under her, in a gentle rolling motion that caused her to moan out loud with pleasure. Somehow he was stroking her insides in all the right places and she gave herself up to the perfection of the moment, the sun on her skin, his warm body beneath hers, the sounds of the waves and of their increasingly ragged breathing. She could smell the sea, feel the soft breeze on her face, could almost imagine she was on a ship again, sailing out over the ocean. Sailing and sex. The two best things she knew in life.
Kit's hand on her cheek pulled her back to reality and she realized he was watching her, fascinated by her rapt expression, turned on by her visible arousal. She focussed on him now, her hips beginning their own slow dance in counterpoint to his movements. The new intensity created by this soon brought them both to the edge. Kit's hands were on her back, holding her tight as she arched up high with a single, almost jubilant cry, her whole body awash with joy. He tensed against her immediately afterwards as he found his own release, pulling her down into his arms for a lingering kiss.
Satisfied and relaxed Isabela snuggled up to her lover, enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun. They lay quiet for a while until she lifted her head, looking into his eyes.
"I still can't believe we took out that dragon... You know, Kit, I wonder. I have known plenty of men who fought in King Cailan's army, but none of them fought like you. Where did you learn this?"
Kit grinned and stretched his long, lean body. "You know I grew up in Lothering? I learned to fight dirty as a kid, because I was so small and scrawny."
She looked at him in disbelief, letting her eyes wander over his powerful physique. "It seems you've grown."
He chuckled. "Well, back then I was a puny kid and the peasant boys used to beat me up until I learnt to defend myself. Carver, he was always the brawny one, but I had to be quick and nimble. Anyway, when I turned eighteen I joined Cailan's army. On my first night in camp, I got into a scuffle with another recruit, a big strong oaf who thought I'd be easily intimidated. I... sliced him a bit. My sergeant came over and I expected to be sent home immediately." He smiled fondly at the memory.
"But instead he took me aside and told me about a new special unit they were forming, asked me if I wanted to join." Kit's hands were playing with Isabela's hair, wrapping the soft strands around his fingers. "The unit was special alright. Our sergeants were a motley bunch: a bard from Orlais, an Antivan Crow, several thieves from Denerim, a night-elf or two... Rumour had it that the whole set-up was Loghain's idea. They trained us in archery and dual weapon fighting, but there were also... other lessons. Stealth, disarming traps, poisoning, picking locks, you name it."
Isabela raised an eyebrow. "What were they training you for?"
Kit shrugged. "It was all very secret. Spying out noblemen probably, maybe assassinating enemy leaders, recovering stolen property of the Crown."
She snorted. "And what use would that have been against darkspawn?"
His grin was wolfish. "Well, you of all people should know what a skilled rogue can do to an ogre. Carver used to think I wasn't a proper fighter, but-" He stopped dead, his face sombre as he remembered his brother's death on the flight to Kirkwall, but he rallied quickly. "Anyway, the training was tough, but it was also a lot of fun. Our teachers... they were amazing. Armand, the bard, he taught me so much about music and conversation and women, and then, of course, there was Margarita..."
Isabela immediately noticed the change in his tone. "Margarita?"
"The Crow assassin. She... took a fancy to me, picked me as her lover." Kit's tone was slightly smug. "That was extremely educational."
The pirate was intrigued. "And what exactly did this Margarita teach you?"
"You mean apart from checking my goblet for poison?" Kit smiled at the memory of the fiery assassin, her sparkling dark eyes and her silky black hair, her luscious lips and her trim, taut body. There had certainly been never a dull moment with her. He leant down to kiss Isabela, his tongue tracing her lips teasingly. "Among other things she taught me to appreciate women who aren't innocent, blushing roses..."
Isabela sighed happily as she settled back into his arms, enjoying his renewed caresses. Yes, that explained his skill, the way he could make her feel. She had been wondering where he had learned his more refined techniques. Well, she certainly wasn't about to complain...
Thank you for the edits, zevgirl! I always feel much better knowing you've had a look at my stories.
