Getting to the Dalish camp at the bottom of Sundermount was a six day trip. Four days in and Fenris was still not talking to me because I had agreed to bring Feynriel to the Dalish, rather than to send him to the Circle. But how do you tell an angry glowing elf that you can feel the boy possesses an ancient magic? Night was closing in, so we decided to stop and make camp in the little clearing in the forest close to a small river.
Carver left to find kindling for a fire as Anders started to prepare food and Varric set up the tents while Beth was instructing Feynriel in basic forms of healing magic. I dropped my pack to the floor and began to route around. Before setting off for the river, I grabbed a dry cloth, clothes, and the one luxury item I allowed myself, my vanilla soap. I stopped a few paces from the river bed before I sat down to unlace my boots. I felt his presence more than heard it.
"He is a danger. You should have brought him to the Circle or killed him."
I sighed and placed the boots next to my little pile before I turned, "I will not kill Feynriel. He is only a danger if he does not have the right teacher. He will not get that in the Circle."
He crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back against a tree, "And you know this for certain?"
"No Fenris, I don't" I said as I loosened my hair from its binding and allowing it to flow around me "But the Dalish would be our best bet for teaching him. If he's here I can at least keep an eye on him. I cannot do that if he's in the Circle."
"You think the Dalish will be willing to let a human do that?"
I gave him a knowing smile, "I do."
"Very well." He pushed himself from the tree and turned to walk back into the camp but stopped when he heard my annoyed exclamation, "Merd!" He watched in amusement as I struggled with my leather cuirass.
"Well instead of just watching, mind helping me with this thing?" I huffed and blew a tendril of hair from my face.
Fenris silently walked over and examined the clasp of the armour. "It seems the mage's fireball from earlier slightly melted the buckle." He then grabbed my hands and placed them on his shoulders.
His firm.. muscled.. shoulders..
I turned my face to keep him from seeing my blush. "Keep yourself steady while I tear it apart."The words were said into my ear, his breath tickled my exposed neck and I had to bite my lip to stifle my moan as my body trembled slightly in response.
He grabbed the strap with both hands and snapped it with a twist. I tried to hold steady but the motion pulled me against him. I inhaled sharply as he settled his hands on my hips. I turned to thank him but was caught by an enchanting pair of green eyes and the words stuck in my mouth. I felt my body temperature rise. My tongue darted out to wet my suddenly dry lips as I stole a quick glance at his before looking back up into his eyes.
Shock ran through me as his mouth captured mine. His lips were hard and demanding against mine, as if pouring all his anger and frustration into the kiss. This was completely different from the gentle kiss shared in Darktown. This was primal and animalistic. My hands ran up his shoulders to catch in his hair as I pulled his face closer to mine and pressed my body flush against his. He growled. I opened my mouth willingly when his tongue darted teasingly along my bottom lip. His hands travelled lower to cup my ass as his tongue explored my mouth. His teeth gently scratched my lower lip, eliciting a moan from me. I suddenly wished that we were both wearing less clothing.
We quickly broke away from each other at the not so subtle sound of a cough behind Fenris. I watched as Anders approached, a knowing smile on his face as he continued towards the river. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt" he bent down to fill the canteen before he turned and started walking back to camp "you can go back to what you were doing.." before disappearing into the trees.
I stole a quick glance at Fenris to see him grabbing the hair at the back of this head. It was something he did on the rare occasion that he was flustered or embarrassed. "I.. should let you finish.." he glanced in my direction and our eyes met. As much as he tried to hide it; his eyes revealed the lust he still felt, "I shall see you back at camp." His long strides quickly carried him back to camp.
I released the breath I hadn't realised I was holding in. I undressed quickly, jumping into the cold water wishing that it would cool down my body and help stop the longing ache I felt.
Fenris sat on the log beside his tent. He was further away from the others but he could still see the fire and stared at it while he tried to control his train of thought. He placed his head in his hands, trying to calm his body's response to kissing Safera. And Maker he wanted to do it again.. It had been filling his dreams for weeks, and now that he knew what she tasted like he was barely able to control himself.
Carver had tried to make conversation, making comments that he too had a tattoo and therefore they should "bond". Fenris's lips twitched in a smile as he imagined Safera's reaction to that, most likely she'd be telling that the "tattoos" were completely different while trying not to laugh as he flexed the mabari's face on his arm.
Fenris appreciated that she was able to deal with his silence comfortably, as if just his presence alone was enough. Although she did enjoy idle banter and she was always able to elicit a response from him. He moved his hands to grab the hair at the back of his neck and then groaned as it reminded him of her actions moments ago.
"You know elf, you didn't have to let Anders ruin the mood" said the dwarf as he took a seat beside him.
"It should never have happened."
"What?" Varric chuckled "You kissing our fearless leader or Anders ruining the mood?"
"Both" Fenris said half smiling.
The cold water had done nothing to ease the tension of my lower abdomen. Dressing quickly I didn't bother to tie my hair back as I walked back to camp. I entered the little clearing to be met by dead silence and everyone looking at me. Turning towards Anders I could see him smirking.
"Oh shut up" sticking my tongue out as I threw the dirty shirt at him.
The group burst into laughter as I entered my tent, and to my dismay I even heard Fenris chuckle. I sighed as I grabbed my earlier purchase for Feynriel and exited the tent. I walked over to sit beside him and place the wrapped gift on his lap.
Raising his eyebrow he turned to look at me "What is this?"
"Just because you have magic doesn't mean you should solely rely on it. There will come a time when something will prevent you from using it, so I got you these."
He looked back at the package and slowly unwrapped them. He gasped as he stared at the twin blades. "They're amazing.." he lifted his hand slowly to gently stroke them.
"They're of elven make, light and easy to hide on your possession. I also got them to inscribe Dalish designs. After dinner I'll start to train you."
As promised, after dinner I began to train Feynriel in the basics of dual weapons; ways to hold the weapons, the proper stance and so on. The entire time his beaming smile was contagious. Taken by surprise he hugged me in thanks before ducking into his tent for the night.
The others had already turned in for the night so I doused the fire and sat back to stare up at the stars.
"You're good with the kid"
Startled I turned to see Varric sitting on the same log as earlier, tenderly wiping down Bianca.
"He just needs guidance. I know Fenris thinks he should have been sent to the Circle, but it's his life. He should be the one to choose how he lives it."
"That's what I mean. Anyone else would have just sent him to the Circle without bothering to ask him. So why did you?" Varric looked at me with such intensity I knew that he had been slowly putting the pieces together and that I was more than meets the eye.
"If it was me or Beth.. I'd want someone to ask was it what we wanted.
My breath was coming in short, shallow bursts. The sound alone was almost deafening. That's when the chanting began. It started as one voice than two. Soon it seemed as though a hundred voices were surrounding my body in the darkness of my dream.
The pain was unbearable and I screamed for it to stop, that I wanted it to end. I covered my ears and just cried and screamed as the voices grew louder. None of it made any sense, I didn't know why this was happening, all I knew was that I wanted it to stop.
Fenris had always been a light sleeper, a necessity with being Denarius's pet. He'd been turning in his sleep when he first heard her whimper. Putting it down to a bad dream he closed his eyes and tried to get back to sleep. That's when she began screaming.
He grabbed his great sword as he jumped and ran out the tent to see what was happening. To his bewilderment there was no one attacking. Beth climbed into Safera's tent and Fenris could hear her use soothing words as she tried to calm her.
"Sorry.." Carver muttered tiredly, "Sometimes she can get awful nightmares that has her screaming in them. Hopefully she won't remember it in the morning."
"How often would this happen Little Hawke?" Varric was emerging from his tent, sleep still very evident in his features.
Carver opened his mouth to answer when Bethany interrupted, "Dammit! Carver we're going to need to restrain her!"
That seemed to wake Carver from his stupor as he rushed to join his sister in attempt to calm Safera down. Whatever they were doing wasn't working as her screams only increased.
Fenris couldn't bear to hear her scream, and although he knew she wasn't in pain the thoughts going around in his head were enough to sent him stalking into the forest and away from the camp. He walked long enough so that Safera's screams had quietened. That's when he felt the incredible powerful surge of mana. It was so powerful his tattoos came to life on their own and Fenris felt physically sick. He had never felt magical power as strong as this before, not even from Denarius. And then silence.
Without thinking Fenris ran back to camp. Not knowing what he'd find all he knew was that he had to make sure Safera was safe. He arrived back just in time to see Anders walk out of her tent pale and with a sheen of sweat covering his forehead.
"Damn abomination..."