Chapter Ten

A game

It was done.

Finally after all those months of scraping, saving and killing, Hawke had FINALLY got the coin for the expedition.

Once he counted the money twice…alright three times…four maybe? Regardless, after ensuring he had the amount needed, the mage and dwarf approached Bartrand, who was still being the usual grumpy brother that Varric…liked. Of course he was upset that his devious(and charming) brother had hired Hawke as a partner without his consent, but after the younger dwarf cheerfully reminded him that unless they had the coin, he relented once Hawke delivered.

With both coin and the maps from Anders, the expedition was paid for and needed a few more weeks in order to get a move on. So it was a perfect excuse to celebrate this long bloody journey of the Hawke.

Merrill was happy that he managed to save up that much for the expedition, he was already organising a few things before they'd get going. However, Isabela being the fun queen they all know, dragged both him and his mopey little brother to the Hanged Man for drinks.

So there the group was, by the large table in Varric's room, awaiting for Isabela's game to be explained while also waiting for Hawke to grab the first round. Merrill was severely uncertain about this though when Isabela made sure she was getting a drink too, claiming it'd be a sign and very rude if there's a member of this small group sitting there without booze.

She was apprehensive as well, namely because she never had a sip of alcohol before, not once even among the clan. The closest thing to such was a grape wine, even then she barely had a sip because she was supposed to be studying. She also knows how dangerous a drunk can be, if the brutes in the alienage were any indication.

Hawke eventually returned with a tray carrying tankards of various drinks for everyone. Merrill looked at hers, nervously looking at the strange liquid, do they bubble as well?

'So this game you've been dying to have with us?', Varric asked as he placed the deck of cards he hoped they'd use tonight. 'Its an old game but a good one too!', Isabela chimed. 'Does it involve removing clothes?', Aveline asked, regretting participating already. 'No Man Hands, it's more of a, I want to do that but never had a chance too', she chimed.

'Basically, one person says "I never" something, anyone who did drinks, people who don't have to keep the tankards on the table', she explained. She gained a collective sounds of "oh" and hums of interest. 'So whose going first?', she asked. Shrugging, Carver started.

'I've never…been to Orlais', he said. For that, Isabela, Aveline and Anders took a sip of their drinks. He turned his eyes to Hawke, who was mentally training to think of something he never did that could be interesting. He clicked his fingers as an idea formed.

'I've never slept with the empress', he said. He gained a few chuckles as to everyone's surprise, Fenris drank. Once he placed his drink down, he noticed everyone was looking at him in shock and curiosity. 'How the hell did you do that?', Isabela asked, now a little jealous of the white elf. He merely shrugged at the question as if they were chatting about the weather. 'I was involved in an apparent attempt on her life while I acted as a servant. Accidentally saved her and was rewarded by coin to Kirkwall and a night of…thrills with her and her maid', he said.

'…Lucky bastard', Isabela muttered. Next was Varric, who was taking down notes of this little information, this could be a best seller. 'I've never been chased by a bear', he said. Merrill debated drinking as the more she looked at her drink the more convinced she was it'd kill her. However, a quick nudge from Isabela and a smirk from the licious pirate, she relented and took a sip.

She coughed as the taste washed down her throat, it tasted old and burned her. She wiped the taste from her lip with the back of her arm as she was rewarded with chuckles from Varric while praise from Isabela. 'Care to explain that little incident Daisy?', he asked.

Merrill gulped as the blush formed on her cheeks. 'W-Well, when I was younger, Tamlen and Lynn tricked me into stealing our fish back from the bear…I accidentally fell on him and…spent four hours running away'. Everyone, even Fenris and Anders laughed at that, the image of an even smaller Merrill running away from a colossus sized bear.

Hawke patted her head in an attempt to cheer her up. 'Clearly you out ran it if you're still here', he said. 'No…I accidentally fell into a ditch…and stayed down for two days', she mumbled. Everyone laughed even harder at her. She shuddered at that memory as everyone continued to laugh, she absolutely hated being stuck in that ditch. She lived off what berries grew down there and thankfully it rained for water.

'Let's keep going, this is grade a material folks', the dwarf said. Merrill looked at Isabela, who was drawing a circle with her finger as she pursed her lips while her dirty mind tried to come up with a good one. 'It doesn't need to involve sex Isabela', Aveline groaned as the pirate was seemingly dragging this out.

'I know Avy, but that'd be boring~', she chimed. She got a glare in return from the red head as she clicked her fingers. 'I've never drew a beard on a statue of Andraste!'. The Hawke brothers looked at each other before they silently sipped their drinks, suddenly interested in the table. 'Bull', Varric said, unable to believe the two would risk it.

'I wish', Hawke bemoaned, rubbing his temples. 'To be young and foolish again', Anders chuckled. 'It wasn't our fault! Peaches tricked us- Hawke spluttered his drink as Carver spoke, glaring at his little brother. 'You swore we'd never speak of that again!', the elder Hawke growled as to Merrill's surprise she saw a blush across his face. She smiled subtly to herself, he looked so bashful~

'Ooh, somebody's been naughty~', Isabela teased as she poked the mage. Hawke growled as Carver looked anywhere but at his brother. 'Come on Hawke, what exactly are you so shy about?', Anders joined the tease. The mage gave one final glare to Carver as he sighed and begun his tale.

'When Carver and I were younger, much more stupid then today I'll admit, a girl named Peaches promised us a kiss if we pranked the chantry', he started, hesitating to continue when he realized everyone was listening intently to him. 'We…agreed to draw a beard on every statue of Andraste in our chantry…and we nearly succeeded'.

'Until we accidentally drew a moustache on the templar sleeping', Carver mumbled. 'How did you guys-

'…We were very…VERY…stupid', Hawke mumbled as he placed his head in his hand in dismay. 'He caught us, brought us to the revered mother who was in a meeting with several others, and the moment they saw us…they burst laughing'.

'That templar was not gentle with the clapping', Hawke said. Everyone laughed at the two men, who both looked like they were hoping some bandit would enter and kill them. Merrill in particular was laughing happily, her mind conjuring up a fun image of a short innocent yet mischievous little Hawke with that smirk of his.

"Adorable~"', she mused.

'If we're done laughing at the stupidity of the Hawke Brothers, can we move on?', Carver growled. 'Spoilsport', Anders joked as he thought off his own little I never. Slowly he nodded. 'I've never won a game of Wicked Grace against Isabela', he said with a shrug. 'I don't think anyone's accomplished that Blondie, may as well have said I've never been to the moon', Varric replied.

However, the heard coughing. All eyes fell to Merrill, her tankard held by her small hand as she placed fist by her mouth to hold back her coughing. She sheepishly smiled as Isabela smirked at her. '…I let her win', she said. Merrill just smiled in response to that attempt to retain her dignity.

'Learn something new everyday', Hawke said as Aveline mused her drink. 'I've never been with a woman', Aveline said simply. To that, the men drank to her never as Isabela gave Merrill a wink as she joined the drink as the elf shyly blushed. 'Good times', Carver said, recalling Peaches. Hawke rolled his eyes as his brother told Isabela about her, Merrill blinked at him.

He simply smiled at her.

'I've never been with a man', Carver said, ignoring the disappointed looks from Isabela. To this, Aveline, Isabela, Fenris and Anders drank to that while Merrill's face matched the red of Aveline's hair. 'Ooh~ We've a virgin among us~', Isabela cooed as she formed a large evil grin on her face. Merrill turned darker as Isabela, Carver and Varric chuckled at the adorable elf. Hawke merely rubbed her back gently.

'No shame in not experiencing sexual intercourse Merrill', he said kindly. Merrill gave him a grateful smile. 'Okay whose next?'.

Later

Hawke really should've thought better of this little game.

He sat in the corner of Varric's room, relaxed as he watched his friends.

Carver, the stubborn little brother he loves/hates, was nursing a mug at the table, grumbling and occasionally going on about being stuck in Hawke's shadow, which the older Hawke ignored since he got enough of his brother's crap at home.

To his surprise and slight joy, he saw Anders and Fenris, arms around each other's shoulder, kicking in the air while they both grinned ear to ear singing the national anthem of Kirkwall. This was probably the happiest Hawke had ever see them together, he wished he had someway to keep this forever. Maker why couldn't he be have born with a talent for drawing or painting?

To his right he saw Varric passed out next to Aveline, both had their heads on the tables, tankards spilt over and he heard snores from them. The poor dwarf challenged the guardswoman to a drinking contest and as Hawke could see, the results will include a very painful hangover for the two. Though knowing Aveline she'd probably just power through the pain and heck, for all he knew she couldn't get hangovers.

Isabela was the only one who wasn't passed out, she was just much louder and more rambunctious then when she was sober. She was yelling profanities about the chantry, circle, templars and something about a fluffy dog that cheated in a game of diamond back. The weird thing is Hawke can't tell if she's lying or not.

Merrill on the other hand…

'A-AND *HIC*, the moment the halla got out, *HIC*, s-s-s-she, nearly soiled herself when it ran across the camp and sent…sent…sent Lyn half across the damn camp!', she explained, her hand holding her now empty tankard as she swung her hands up and down to exaggerate while her face was sporting a red flush across her face as she kept giggling and hiccupping.

The elf was absolutely smashed with booze, two tankards were the novice's limits as soon as she finished, she started to become louder and energetic, plus braver too as she challenged Fenris to a fist fight. Hawke was very glad the white elf was just as drunk as her.

'I'd better take her home before she summons an army of trees', he said as he got off his chair. Unlike the others, he was as sober as a chantry brother. He approached the elf as he dodged Fenris' kick, earning a quick apology from him.

Before he reached her, the black haired elf turned to him, giving him a drunken smile. 'Isaac-Oh I mean Hawke!', she cheered. Hawke chuckled at her as she tried to stand up but nearly stumbling back on the wall. Managing to catch herself, she wobbled over to him, often stumbling before she kept catching herself.

She stood in front of him and gave what he guessed was a seductive smile as she stood in a pose. 'How you doing you magical man?', she said, wobbling and looking very unsteady. 'I'm quite well, but I think you've had enough', he said as he took her now empty tankard and place it on the table. Merrill looked at him with her perfect teeth showing as Hawke placed a hand on her shoulder to guide her out of the Hanged Man, hoping to avoid the elf stumbling and crashing into things.

Merrill's Home

'He thinks he's SOOOOOO perfect! "Look at me, I'm a mage who became an abomination but am really a good guy!"', Merrill berated as Hawke laughed at her drunken ramblings. 'He's such a hypocrite! So what if I do bad magic? I'm not the one with the demon in my head!'.

The elf was completely gone, her drunken rambles became less coherent and more of mutters, grunts and occasional, swearing to the a blond mage that he's well aware off.

Finally he managed to get the door open just before the elf could go on about how much of a jerk Anders is. Once inside, he locked the door behind him, deciding to stay the night in case Merrill does something severely stupid. He saw Atisha already sleeping in her small bed on the table, gentle purrs could be heard from the small kitten as she occasionally scratch her nose while her mistress stumbled to her room. He heard a few bumps and thuds here there while hearing Merrill ask why does the house have so many walls and why was everything spinning.

He stretched his arms as the beer was starting to take hold his tired body. He was hoping to get more work done tomorrow so an early night…well as early as a nights out could be, was in order. He slowly walked to the lounge chair Merrill added last week to take his place and rest.

'Isaac? Could you come over here for a bit?', Merrill said. Hawke turned to see her silhouette upon the wall from the candle light by her bed. He entered her room and then once he turned to her, he froze on the spot.

Merrill was sitting on her bed, her tunic and chain-mail was missing as the single piece of upper clothing that stuck to her skin was her bra, her skirt was slightly loose as he could see bits of her flesh, her hair no long braided but instead it was loose and wild looking. She stared up at the stunned human, a tiny hue of red was on her cheeks as she looked up at him.

'I've…been thinking, and Isabela has a point', she said softly. She got off her bed and sauntered over to him. Gently, she placed a hand on his broad shoulder, smiling as she placed her other hand on his stubbled cheek, making sure she was all he'd focus on. His blue eyes were fixed upon her own green eyes, he felt his heart hammer in his chest as she pressed herself against his larger frame.

'Maybe…we should rectify me', she said as he felt her hand trail down his chest, slowly stopping at the straps of his robe. 'And I want, you to help me', she whispered. Hawke's arms twitched, fingers wiggled as if they were trying to grab her like she'd disappear if he let her go. Desire washed over him as he felt her desire touch him to the core, want in her eyes.

Could he? Can he accept her offer and give her what she desires?

A/N. Okay I'm not gonna lie, I don't think this was my best. I originally had a great idea for the drinking game but my mind went blank so I literally used whatever I could think of. But I did have fun writing the final parts of this chapter and for the first time, leave with a cliff hanger.

So what happens next? Will Isaac submit to his mistress or will he resist and preserve her?

We'll see~