"So... what now?" Hawke asked Fenris as they continued their way down the hill. "We have to find a place for the night. Do you know an inn where we could stay?"

"I have never stayed in an inn here before, but we should be able to find several near the docks."

"Alright. Then we go back the way we came." Hawke brushed the hair out of his eyes. "How are you holding up, Fenris? I know being here is difficult for you, and I didn't exactly make it easier either."

"It would have helped if you had not acted like a fool in there."

"Huh? Well, thanks."

Fenris scowled. "Threatening a magister. You realize that if you anger one of them, you risk uniting them all against you."

Hawke glanced at Fenris. "You didn't really give me much to go on. I took a gamble, one I admit was wrong, but I saw no other way. That snake was toying with us. And if what you say was true, we should have achieved that with Danarius. Instead Claudius more or less congratulated us."

Fenris kept his eyes on the road. He did not like it all that he had been used as a tool in another magister's political game. His dealings with Danarius had been personal, meant to break his last bond to the Imperium. Killing Danarius had not been as satisfying as he had hoped, and knowing that he had done the dirty work for another magister soured the memory even more. Both he and his sister had been used. Neither of them had been more than a pawn to the magisters. Maker, he hated this place!

Hawke shot another look at Fenris, seemingly trying to guess his thoughts, but he did not say anything else. Fenris sensed a shift, the renewed formation of distance between them. He knew that Hawke was still thinking about Danarius and he did not want to guess at the things Hawke was imagining. Fenris' refusal to reveal any details did visibly not sit well with Hawke. Fenris in return could not so easily get over the fact that Hawke had agreed to Fenris being examined by Claudius without ever asking for Fenris' consent. It was easy for Hawke to say that they would not keep their end of the bargain. Claudius would not be fooled, and then Fenris was the one to suffer the consequences.

All in all the tension between them failed to lessen on their way back to the docks.

They rented a room in a decent inn. It was not so cheap that it was rundown and a meeting place for scum and not so fancy that mages would stay there. The majority of the guests seemed to be traders and merchants.

Hawke ordered two meals and the innkeeper - probably deliberately - directed them to a table in a shadowy corner. Even there Fenris felt the staring eyes of the other guests. The loud conversations had dimmed to a more discrete level after they had entered, and Fenris was surprised to hear not only his own name but Hawke's mentioned as well. It seemed he had underestimated the local interest in the story about Hawke and the Arishok. Years of war with the Qunari had resulted in a deeply ingrained hatred for the horned people. One of the few things ordinary folk and the magisters had in common.

Hawke showed little interest in the gossiping while he ate. Fenris guessed he was used to strangers saying his name and did not consider it noteworthy, although he was now in a different country and a different city than where he had won fame. Only when their plates were almost empty did Hawke break the silence that hung over their table. "I want to visit Danarius' widow tomorrow... Do you want to come with me?"

Fenris looked at the last vegetables on his plate. He did not feel like eating them anymore. Meeting Illythia was something he would rather avoid, but then Hawke would have to go alone. They should stick together...

"I can go alone, if you don't want to."

Fenris raised his head to meet Hawke's gaze. He was about to say that he indeed did not want to go when he saw something that made him swallow back his decision. Curiosity. Besides genuine concern, he could see the subtle glimmer of curiosity in Hawke's eyes. If Hawke went to see Illythia alone, he would ask about Fenris, try to learn more about his life as a slave. Hawke believed that it would help, that he would be able to understand... but the more he would find out, the worse it would get. A free man, a mage, could not grasp the meaning of being a slave. Fenris did not want pity, he did not want Hawke to see him as Danarius' pet. He wanted to be a free man, and be seen as such. He did not want Hawke's judgment clouded by his interpretation of Fenris' past. Illythia despised him. She would probably tell Hawke exactly how many times Danarius had called Fenris to his bed instead of his wife. And Hawke... he would not be able to take it. Danarius already formed an obstacle between them. So far it was relatively small and could be overcome, but Illythia could make it blow up. Fenris could not let that happen. He could not risk losing what he had with Hawke. Facing Danarius' wife was the far better option.

"No need," he replied quietly. "I will accompany you."

Illythia's house was a lot smaller than Fenris had expected. It certainly did not qualify as a mansion, which was pretty atrocious to the standards of Tevinter nobility. It was also located outside of the "rich" district where all the magisters and their families resided. Clearly lllythia had lost much with the demise of her husband. How fortunate for her that slaves barely cost a thing, Fenris thought when a young woman with a slave ring around her neck opened the door for them. He did not recognize her from his time with Danarius.

The slave led Hawke and Fenris into the modest foyer, where she told them to wait while she would fetch her mistress.

Illythia made them wait for almost half an hour. Hawke had gotten up from his bench after five minutes and circled the room impatiently. "She's not home," he said after about twenty minutes.

Fenris scoffed. "Oh, she is here. She just enjoys making us wait."

Hawke eyed him from across the other side of the foyer. "How can you be so sure of that?"

"Because that is the only little bit of power she has left, and Tevinter nobles will always use all the power available to them."

"That sounds like all the nobles, not just the Tevinters," Hawke remarked. He made another round through the foyer. "Is she a mage?"

"Naturally."

"A powerful one?"

"To Tevinter standards mediocre, I believe. Magisters usually don't like having a wife as powerful as themselves. Of course having magic is a requirement, due to the greater chance of producing a mage heir."

"Are there no female magisters?"

"There are, although they form a minority. But they are not married to another magister. That would make for too great a weakness. You never know if your spouse will suddenly decide to give you a political backstab."

"I see..." Hawke looked a bit stunned at the possibility of the person you were married to betraying you in such a way. "So the woman we're about to meet - when she's done fooling around - has no political role whatsoever? Then she probably can't tell us anything."

Can't or won't. Makes no difference either way. "Apart from stemming from the old families that rule the Imperium, she is of no true political importance. Danarius likely married her because her dowry made him one of the wealthiest magisters."

"Why are you in my house?!" Hawke quickly turned around at the accusing words, but they were not directed at him. Fenris rose to his feet in a swift movement, hoping that it did not look like he jumped. Illythia strode into the room, her dark brown eyes on Fenris. She completely ignored Hawke as she marched past him to the subject her anger was focused on. To Tevinter standards she was quite tall, nearly the same height as Fenris. Her hair fell in perfect curls over her shoulders. The dark red of henna hid every possible grey strand, but the same tactic could not be used for her face. Though she was at least ten years younger than Danarius, her age was starting to show. The passing of time had etched fine lines around her eyes and mouth, which she had tried to hide underneath a mask of makeup. The red used for her lips was too bright and only drew attention to her thinning mouth and the ageing skin around it. The paint on her eyes and eyebrows could have veiled part of her thoughts and emotions if her fury had not burned right through it.

"How dare you show your face here, you ungrateful dog!" Illythia hissed when she came to a halt in front of Fenris. "I did not believe my slave when she described my guest. You murder my husband - your rightful master - and now you come knocking at my door? After everything he has done for you! How come they haven't arrested you yet? A slave who kills his own master should be executed! The guards will hear of this, I'll make sure of that! You will spend every minute of the rest of your miserable life regretting that you ever set foot in the Imperium again." Her hand shot out like a claw. Fenris, anticipating that she might try to scratch at his eyes quickly bent his head to the side to evade her, but Illythia had aimed lower and got a firm hold on his neck.

Her fury burned like a red-hot iron. The markings eagerly absorbed what was given to them, conducting the fire despite the pain. It left Fenris unable to move. For a moment the agony numbed even the voices of the demons in his head, then her hand was suddenly gone.

He stumbled backwards against the wooden bench he had been sitting on and fell on top of it. Only when the darkness had retreated to the edges of his field of vision did Fenris see Illythia hovering a few inches above the ground. Her shoulders were forced back, her arms pressed against her sides. Her head hung back and her mouth was opened in a soundless shout. The crushing prison of kinetic energy held her helplessly trapped.

It was never a good idea to ignore Hawke.

"That's quite enough," Hawke said from his side of the foyer. With his staff in his right hand he approached Illythia. When he stood in front of her he spoke again. "Fenris is here as a free man. You will not hurt him. I am sorry for your loss, but to be honest I think you're better off without Danarius. He was a sick son of a bitch and we are here to try to undo the mess he created. If you tell us what we need to know we will never bother you again." With a simple movement of his staff he undid the spell. Illythia slumped to the ground now that her muscles were allowed to relax. Hawke stretched out a hand to help her get up, but she looked at it as if it was the most disgusting thing she had ever seen and got to her feet without aid.

"So you've found yourself a barbarian as your new master," she spat. "Typical. Vermin will seek out other vermin. To the void with you both!" Fire erupted from her fingertips, but before it could reach its target Hawke had erected a massive wall of ice between them. All the fireball's energy was used up by the time it had burned through the ice and disappeared without doing damage. The ice spikes, which were pointing in Illythia's direction, melted and came down on her head in a single cold wave. Illythia stared in bewilderment at the lack of burned flesh, her perfect hair and dress soaked.

"I guess I'm more than mediocre to Tevinter standards," Hawke said cheerfully. "Now, because you don't appear to be in the mood to entertain guests, I'll come straight to business. Has Danarius left you anything that is related to the ritual that created Fenris' markings?"

"Left me?" She started shaking, from cold or anger, or both. Goosebumps covered her bare arms. "Do you think that Danarius has "left" me anything? That I am here of my own volition and for my own pleasure? You believe it my choice to live here? As soon as message of my husband's death reached us, the senate reclaimed ownership of the mansion and everything inside it. This was accommodation meant for a magister, they said, and with that it became Gaius' property. I could have inherited personal belonging if my husband had left a will, but he did not anticipate falling by the hands of a slave, so I'm left with nothing."

Hawke looked around the room. "I would hardly call this nothing."

He only received an angry stare in return. Illythia then turned her attention back to Fenris. "Why did you do it?" she asked, her voice suddenly soft. "How could you? Danarius gave you so much... His eyes sought you more often than me. What gave you the right to murder him?" Her voice rose. "I despise you. Would that I had what you seek so I could turn it to ashes before your very eyes! Now get out of my sight!"

Fenris pushed himself back up from the bench. His markings were still throbbing painfully from Illythia's treatment. He did not have to look to know the lyrium was spreading its blue light. He took one slow step forward, his gaze pinning the woman in front of him on her spot. Another step; his toes came in contact with cold water. Hawke's hand touched his arm to stop him, but Fenris shrugged him off.

"Kill her."

"Tear her head off."

"That will be fun!"

Oh, it would.

Illythia's anger wavered and disappeared as she realized how near death was to her now. With the loss of anger, her pride died as well. She was no longer the impressive woman she had tried to be, with her delicate curls turned into wet strands, her layer of makeup dripping off of her face and her dress sticking to her body to reveal the shape of breasts and hips. Her eyes were round while she watched Fenris taking a third step, which brought him very close to her, closer than she would ever allow a slave to be. He heard her breath hitch.

For a few seconds he did nothing, enjoying the buildup of tension, the power he held now that he was free. He would not bow his head and crawl out of sight like she wanted him to. Not anymore.

"He deserved it." He was so close to her that the words brushed against her face. Then he abruptly turned around and left the house.

Hawke caught up with him before he had reached the end of the street.

"That didn't go very well," he said, audibly disappointed. "I thought you were going to kill her."

"So did I."

"Such a pity."

"Coward."

"Would you have tried to stop me?"

"I hadn't quite decided yet."

Then you were already too late.

"At least we know she has no information."

"Unless she was lying."

"You heard her. She would have liked to burn it in front of us."

"Couldn't she be a very good liar?"

"She isn't."

"If you say so." Hawke sighed. "I don't know if I should be relieved or disappointed that she doesn't know anything. Now Gaius' permission to investigate his mansion seems our only chance."

"If he indeed gives permission."

"He will likely profit from it too if we find anything. He has nothing to lose, only a little bit of privacy. Hey, Fenris, slow down! Are you alright? Did she hurt you badly?"

"I've endured worse."

"You're still glowing."

"I know," he said through gritted teeth. "I can't stop it."

"Then hold on a moment. Running is not likely to help." Hawke managed to get a hold on Fenris' arm, which powered up the markings even more, and pulled him to a halt. Fenris tried to calm himself, calm the markings, but they ignored his will.

"You can still go back to kill her."

"Or you can kill him. He's annoying."

Hawke's voice cut through the ongoing voices in his head. "Fenris. Fenris, look at me." The hand moved from Fenris' arm to the side of his head and was joined by the second hand on the other side. Together they forced his head to turn towards Hawke's face. His eyes still tried to flee, darting away from the piercing blue eyes that attempted to meet them. "Are you hearing the demons?"

"Kill them all."

"Fenris!" Reluctantly he forced himself to look at Hawke. It took even more effort to formulate a reply.

"Yes."

"It's okay. Try to relax. You're doing well. You didn't kill her. You're in control. Breathe." Fenris felt magic flow from Hawke's hands through the lyrium. The healing spell eased the burning of his markings and helped calming them. After a few breaths he managed to deactivate them. With it the demons became less loud as well. Now that he could relax a bit he noticed how stiff with tension he had been. His muscles felt strained, as if he had wielded his sword for hours.

I'm tired. Why am I so tired?

Hawke still had not let him go, holding Fenris' face firmly with both hands. Only when Fenris tried to pull free did Hawke release him. "Better?"

Fenris nodded weakly.

"Just give in."

"This is getting tedious."

"Don't worry," Hawke said firmly. "We will have the solution soon."