Chapter 10 - Settling In
Nathaniel let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, when the heavy gates of Vigil's Keep closed behind him and Cass. She was here with him, at his side. No more travelling to Kirkwall and back, just for a few precious hours in her arms. Home. Finally.
Cass' injury had healed well, hardly slowing them down at all, but even so, it had been a tedious journey through the hills. It had taken them several days to get to the small village on the coast where Isabela had been waiting for them. Once they were aboard her ship, however, Amaranthine was within easy reach.
The once-proud town was hardly more than a fishing port now, the docks being the only part that had been properly rebuilt after the darkspawn attack five years ago. Nathaniel had been at the Warden Commander's side when she'd ordered the town burnt down, and he knew Morena had agonized over the decision. Whole districts had been overrun by darkspawn, and he had been among the first to agree it was a hopeless cause. Going back to save Vigil's Keep instead had seemed reasonable at the time. Still, he sometimes wondered. Maybe Morena would have decided otherwise if Anders hadn't stayed behind at the Keep.
But now Anders was dead, by Cass' own hand. Varric and Aveline had opted to travel on to Highever, to see if they could build a new life there. Merrill had chosen to stay with Isabela, and Carver was still with the Templars in Kirkwall. All of her trusted companions had left her side. Cass had said goodbye to them with outward calm, her emotions betrayed by nothing more than a slight trembling of her hands.
Nathaniel looked over at her pale face. They had hardly touched on the way here, even though they had shared a tent on the last leg of the journey. They hadn't talked about that last night outside Kirkwall either. He didn't know what had happened between her and Fenris, and if he was completely honest he didn't want to know. The elf was gone and Cass was here with him. Here to stay, she had said. That was all that counted. Yet all the way to the Keep, some small part of him feared she'd disappear into the night, leaving him alone again.
But here she was, looking as proud and determined as ever, as they were entering the Warden Commander's suite of rooms. Leonie was waiting for them, a wary look on her fine, aristocratic features. Nathaniel had to stifle a smile as he watched the two of them assess each other, like fighters in a ring.
Leonie Caron, Warden Commander of Ferelden, Arlessa of Amaranthine, born into a noble Orlesian family, a fierce warrior and a cool strategist. And Cassandra Hawke, Champion of Kirkwall, an apostate mage of such power that even the mighty Knight-Commander Meredith had fallen to her spells. Icy blue eyes met sparkling black ones, and the tension in the room was palpable for a moment.
Then Cass bowed her head in greeting. "Commander Caron. I thank you for your hospitality. You are most generous."
It was obvious the gracious words didn't come naturally to her, and for a moment the corners of Leonie's mouth were twitching. "Hawke. I'd say I am honoured to meet the Champion of Kirkwall, but it seems you can no longer lay claim to that title."
She fixed Nathaniel with a cool stare. "I expect a full report on the events in Kirkwall from you. It was good that you were there, Howe, even though we need to talk about your latest little act of defiance. I don't appreciate my Wardens leaving without my permission."
Cass' eyebrow rose the merest fraction of an inch. Nathaniel hadn't told her he'd left without Leonie's authorization when his contacts had warned him that the situation in Kirkwall was coming to a head. Of course none of them had expected Anders' mad attack against the Chantry.
Leonie must have thought along the same lines, for she turned back to Cass. "I heard you executed the deranged mage for his insane deed. You did us quite a favour there. The man was a serious liability for the Wardens."
Nathaniel flinched when he saw Cass' eyes narrow. Killing Anders had to have been one of the hardest things she'd ever done, despite his earlier betrayal. To have Leonie refer to him in such an impersonal manner... He had to admire the way Cass restrained her legendary temper.
"He won't bother you any more." Cass' tone was flat, and there was a clear warning in her eyes. "Kirkwall is in turmoil, though, and Nathaniel assured me my talents would be of use here."
Leonie smiled, a wide cat-like smile, and her Orlesian accent became even more pronounced than usual. "So, Howe, do you think I should make her a Warden?"
Nathaniel kept calm. "I don't think that will be necessary, Commander. Cass will be a valuable asset in any fight, whether she's a Warden or not. She doesn't need to go into the Deep Roads with us. There are enough threats to deal with that don't involve darkspawn." Leonie nodded, and he went on, encouraged by her expression. "I don't think we'll have to invoke the Right of Conscription to save her from persecution either. She's been a free mage all her life, so no one will be able to trace her with a phylactery. And her face is not all that well-known outside of Kirkwall. If we introduce her as my... wife, I don't think there will be a problem."
Cass' head flew up at his words, and she fixed him with a penetrating stare. Not unfriendly, just intense. Leonie's sharp eyes missed nothing, and she chuckled softly.
"So be it then, Howe. At your own risk. One more thing, though." She faced Cass again. "In this Keep, my word is law. If you intend to stay, you'll have to bow to my command, Warden or no. You won't be the Champion here."
Cass nodded, her face stony. "I understand. I'll submit to your authority or leave. You have my word."
Leonie dismissed them with a quick wave of her hand, and they made their way up to Nathaniel's room in silence. When the door had closed behind them, Cass was quiet for a while, walking around the room, letting her hand run over the aged, heavy furniture, taking it all in. It was a large enough room, with a nice view of the orchards outside. Plenty of room for the two of them to live in. Nathaniel knew Cass well enough to know she didn't mind the sparse, almost ascetic furnishing. She was hardly the type to indulge in frilly femininity.
Her eyes wandered over to the large, four-poster bed, and Nathaniel was suddenly glad he'd never lain with Morena there. She'd always made him come up to her suite, refusing to set foot into his room. There were no memories of her attached to this place, no ghosts they would have to chase.
Cass seemed to have finished her inspection and turned to face him, a half-smile on her full lips. "Your wife, eh?"
"If that's what you want." He walked over and drew her into his arms, almost shyly. "No Chantry ceremony for us, obviously, but if you want me, I am yours, Cass."
A shiver went through her body and she finally relaxed against him, allowing him to pull her closer. Her lips met his and she kissed him, softly at first, then with more insistence.
"I do. I want. Make me yours, Nathaniel. Now." Her voice was brittle, almost feverish, and his body responded with a surge of raw desire that brooked no delay. Without another word, he pulled her over to the bed.
Cass settled in well at the Keep. Within the week, Leonie took her out on a patrol against smugglers at the coast.
When Nathaniel asked Sigrun how it had gone, the dwarf shook her head, an awed expression on her face. "Maker, Nate, she didn't leave us anything to do. By the time we got down to the cove, she had already taken out most of them with her lightning spells."
Nathaniel was glad when he saw Leonie and Cass sit together that night over dinner, discussing the events of the day. Leonie was gesturing, a smile on her expressive face, and Cass was nodding at her words, looking happy and relaxed. He smiled to himself. If the two women learned to respect each other, things would be a lot easier.
A few weeks after their arrival at the Keep, Nathaniel took Cass to Denerim. For the longest time, he had wanted to introduce her to Loghain Mac Tir. He rarely saw the older man nowadays, and he missed him. When Leonie had taken command at Vigil's Keep, Loghain had been dispatched to the city as a liaison between the Wardens and Queen Anora, much to his relief. Taking orders from an Orlesian would have pained him more than anything.
The Hero of the River Dane had finally grown grizzled, his face heavily lined, but his icy blue eyes were as clear and sharp as ever. Loghain looked Cass over, from head to foot. Nathaniel knew that he was looking for a resemblance to Morena, just like he himself had at first, a flash of the woman who had held them both captive back then. He noted with amusement that Loghain's gaze lingered for a moment on the firm, high curves of Cass' breasts. Still not impervious to a woman's charms, are you, old man?
He couldn't blame Loghain, though. Cass looked especially lovely today, in a dark blue tunic that clung tight to her slim, willowy body. She had pulled her luscious black hair back in an artful braid, with a few loose strands arranged tantalizingly around her face.
Loghain took his time assessing her before he spoke, but Cass didn't seem to mind. She was obviously thrilled to meet a living legend like him, a man who had featured heavily in the heroic tales of the rebellion she'd grown up with. She wasn't afraid to meet his gaze, though, her dark eyes as clear and open and honest as they had ever been.
"Another Amell woman then." Loghain sounded gruff, but there was respect, even admiration in his eyes. "I'd ask why you seem so drawn to them, Nate, if the answer wasn't so obvious."
Cass almost blushed at the compliment, but when Loghain asked for her version of the events in Kirkwall, she immediately became her usual, focussed self. Clearly and precisely, she outlined what had happened, without glossing over her own role. Loghain snorted contemptuously when she mentioned how Anders had deceived her, but he didn't interrupt. When she told him about the final battle, about the harvester and Meredith, his eyes flashed with excitement, though.
"Ah, to have been there!" He sounded wistful. "How I miss a proper fight, cooped up here in the city with the diplomats and politicians."
Cass smiled at his words, and Nathaniel felt his heart warm. It was good to see the two people he cared most about get on so well with each other.
When their visit drew to an end, Loghain rose and extended his hand to Cass. "It was good to finally meet you, Hawke. Your reputation is impressive, but it doesn't even begin to do you justice. Nate is a lucky man."
The early morning sun shone through their window at the Keep. Nathaniel stretched and reached for Cass who was squinting sleepily at him.
"Morning, love." He pulled her into a long, deep kiss, the first of many for today.
"Morning." She smiled back at him. "Everything all right?"
He laughed. "Why wouldn't it be? I'm right where I want to be." Growing serious, he rolled over, pulling her on top of him. "Cass, my life has never been as good as it is now. Waking up with you every morning, making love to you practically every night..." Without apparent reason, she froze in his arms. "What is it, Cass? Something I said?"
Cass was trembling. "Practically every night... Nathaniel, how long have I been here with you?"
He frowned, unable to comprehend what had her so agitated. "Seven weeks, almost eight. Why?"
She closed her eyes, a troubled expression crossing her face as she slid off the bed and grabbed her dress. "I need to see Wynne, Nathaniel." She turned to face him. "I think I may be pregnant."
Many thanks to zevgirl for betaing this for me.