Summary: After Hawke rebounds to Anders, Fenris disapproves. He does not like Anders' neglecting atitude towards Hawke, and suspects the mage is scheming something horrible. But Hawke is finally warming up to Anders, who has told her that he has found a way to rid himself of Justice. Hawke is delighted at the news. Meanwhile, Hawke is asked up front whether she will be okay with Isabela bedding Fenris. Hawke reluctantly says she is fine with it, and during the celebration of Hawke's new title as Champion of Kirkwall, Isabela asks Fenris to sleep with her!

Chapter 12: The Contract

He wasn't sure what he was thinking, quite honestly. All he knew was that he was, more or less, tipsy that night. What with all the celebration going on, he had half a mind to drink himself blind – it worked, haphazardly.

Isabela giggled as she tugged on him to walk faster. They were both intoxicated, without a doubt (Isabela more than him). Fenris did not struggle to keep up with the pirate as they neared her room in the Hanged Man.

It was not nearly as extravagant as Varric's of course, but it was better than nothing. Fenris would have preferred anything over letting Isabella have her way with him in public, an idea that she was more than willing to showcase for the large crowd tonight.

The pirate slammed the door behind them, pushing Fenris into the creaky bed before them. The first thing the pirate did was shed her blades from her back. He cleared his throat, watching her skip to the bathroom and disappear behind the door. He assumed that she was readying herself, and stared at the wall in front of him blankly as he thought about what he was about to do.

Isabela was an attractive, single woman. As far as he understood it, she had no baggage whatsoever, and he liked that about her. She was, so to speak, very simplistic. There would be no worries on who would get hurt, and there would be no clear commitment that he would have to tend to afterward. Perhaps this was what he needed.

His hands crossed and shifted to his knees as he sat there, wondering. Was he really going to do this? What about Hawke? How would she react to this? No – this was not right. Fenris knew, more than anyone, that he was still in love with Hawke. He could not devote himself to anyone else.

But then again, bedding Isabela did not mean committing himself to anything to say the least. In fact, he had a hunch that as soon as this was over, they would wake up the next day and speak as thought it had never happened. She was a simple woman.

Fenris stood up and went to the bathroom doorway. He couldn't see what the pirate was doing in front of the mirror, but paid little attention either way. He leaned himself against the doorway.

Being with Isabela may not change anything, he knew, but it was not Isabela he worried for. After all, their party was prone to chat – and throw in rumors to spread. Varric, of course, already knew what was going on. Merill might take some explaining.

"Isabela..." He started.

The door opened all the way, and Fenris was taken aback by the sight.

Isabela's hands played with the strings that kept her voluptuous breasts from jumping out of her blouse. She still wore her corset, of course, but the thought of her undressing in front of him was...

"Are you worried about Hawke?" She whispered in a low voice as she neared him.

He inhaled once and tried to stop himself from staring. He knew she was merely trying to seduce him – but it was working.

She pulled her blouse loose and her breasts bounced out of them, just as he suspected they would. Her tanned skin and supple nipples stared right back at him in an alluring manner. The rest of her white blouse merely slid down her shoulders.

His breath fastened, and he had to force himself to look into her eyes.

"Isabela, this is not a good idea-"

"Hawke has already talked to me about this though, darling." Isabela pouted.

Fenris blinked. Twice.

"What?"

Isabela used one finger to slowly traced a circle around his chest, while her other arm snaked its way around his neck. Her thighs brushed up against his, her right one attaching onto him like vines. He could almost feel her sex rubbing up against his. She was, as he and Varric discussed many times before, quite the temptress.

"Hawke told me she was perfectly fine with us doing this." Isabela was explaining. "I asked her about it the other day – after your fight with Anders here."

Fenris did not know how to respond. Had Hawke really told Isabela she was fine with him sleeping with the Rivaini? At what point in time did anyone need Hawke's permission to bed him anyways? How preposterous! He was hit by a sudden rage that proved insatiable.

"And you think that Hawke... has that sort of power over me?" He asked the pirate, his teeth gritted as he tried to remove her leg from his waist.

But she wouldn't budge.

"Oh, don't be so angry, Fenris." She smiled. "It'll only turn me on more."

He didn't know what to think. Had Hawke thought that he was simply her old toy, free to give away? He was no longer a slave. He was certainly not hers to give away.

Isabela took his hand and placed it on her plump ass. He was caught off guard and turned back to look at her. He caught her lustful eyes and, to his own surprise, did not remove his hand from her.

"I merely asked because I didn't want her getting angry at me." She pouted. "If it makes you feel better, I'd say she was more than reluctant to give you away. Not that it matters, of course. I would've gotten my way just as easily without her permission."

Fenris said nothing. He was feeling a little better because of that though. Hawke had unwillingly given him away. In which case, the waves of his rage died down slightly. They were still looming in the back of his mind though.

He stared down at the pirate, who was rubbing herself over him, and smirked. Hawke was not going to listen to him and take his advice and break things off with the abomination, so Fenris was going to do exactly what she did not want him doing. It had been a formality, to say the least, that Hawke would tell Isabela she was over him, and give the pirate permission to bed him. But even Fenris knew that Hawke had never given up on him. At least, now he was almost sure.

"I know what you're thinking." Isabela wore his same smirk. "You want to incur Hawke's jealousy by sleeping with me, don't you?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"I only know because I've done things like that myself. And may I add that I like the way you think?" She winked at him and leaned closer to his, her lips touching his face.

"Is this a proposition?"

"Maybe... I'll help you with this scheme." She smiled. "So what say you and I honor our agreement with something hot and steamy here?" She said in a low voice that send chills down his spine.

All he could do was nod as his other hand went up to cup her breasts – something that he had thought of doing before while they played cards. Isabela instinctively hooked on to him, grabbing him with her legs by the waist.

She kissed him ferociously, and he tasted the whiskey she had been drinking that night. Both of his hands flew to her buttocks, and he stumbled back onto her bed as they bit at each others lips. Isabela's breasts rubbed up against his chest, and he felt her hands fumble around, trying to undress him as fast as possible, her short skirt riding up as she sat down on his lap. She undid all the buckles to his breastplate in an almost expert manner. He felt his erection coming on, fast.

"Damn! I knew it!" She giggled as his clothes came off. "Those tattoos do trace all the way down there!"

"You were wondering all this time?" He smirked as he nipped at her neck. "You could have just asked me."

She moaned slightly as Fenris groped her breast, while sucking on the other. Her head arched back to give him more space. For a pirate with no where permanent to stay, she sure smelled good. He bit her nipple lightly, and she gave out a tiny scream. Her nails scratched into his arm involuntarily. He didn't mind, however, and continued.

Soon, he was completely naked and Isabela had only her black lace panties left. He had seen her underwear on many occasions, but never had he dreamed that he would be taking them off.

Her hands traced his tattoos seductively. He closed his eyes to savor her touch.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?"

He opened his eyes to look at her, unsure of what she intended to gather from her inquiry. Did she want to hurt him in bed? Or was she asking out of genuine concern?

"No," He answered with a charming smile. "Are they truly that fascinating to you?"

Isabela smirked. "It's just nice to be able to touch and admire them while you aren't tearing someone inside out. I find them extremely... attractive on you."

Her breasts pressed against his chest once more and suddenly all self-control was thrown out the window as she placed her hands further down his body.

"Isabela..." He let out a desperate gasp. It had been so long since he had... release.

She leaned her head down to his for a searing kiss. His lips were almost addictive, and she could not get enough of them. She felt his hands possessively tangle in her hair, his teeth nipping at her exposed flesh of her neck, and her breath escaping her throat faster with each passing second. Every inch of her body quivered in desire as her senses took over and directed her actions.

She was used to being the driver in these cases, but things were different with Fenris, especially since she was aware that the elf was still emotionally raging. A large part of her desired this possessive Fenris, and felt jealous that Hawke had experienced it before her. Fenris' possessive and violent side in bed was indeed very, very hot.

She heard a low, throaty chuckle pass by his lips, and it sent shivers down her spine once more. She used her fingers nails to dig into his shoulders, hoping that he too would start to roughen up to her. A sudden pressure against her crotch told her that the fun was about to begin.

Fenris was too good with his hands, and he was quick too.

With her bare thighs grinding up against him, he let out a low growl and immediately flipped her onto the bed so that he loomed over her. It surprised her, especially since she found herself often to be on top. Fenris was already hard from their kissing and biting, and not to mention the groping. Both their mouths tasted like alcohol, no doubt due from their incessant drinking at the celebration upstairs.

His lips were on hers and her legs wrapped around his.

"Mmmmmm..." Isabela moaned as Fenris squeezed one naked breast, and then the other. She looked up at him again, a look of lust on her face.

"So we're really going to do this?"

Fenris looked down at her. Her lips were parted and she was breathing through her mouth. Her lips glistened in the flickering candlelight. What a silly question – of course they were going through with it. She had teased him all night long, and it had been a while since he...
Fenris grinned at her foolish question. "I hardly think that question's necessary. You've already got the both of us unclothed, Isabela." He said sincerely as he gently pinched her nipple. "Was there something else were you hoping for?"

Isabela bit her lip and thought long and hard. She did, in the back of her mind, want to know what Fenris could do in bed – but a part of her knew that he would be holding back on her. The extremely intimate moments, she knew, would be given to the woman in Fenris' mind – Hawke.

Nevertheless, she smiled and tilted her head up to him. Fenris leaned over kissing her lightly, then harder as he felt her tongue brush his. Isabela moaned and turned towards him, pressing her chest against his.

Fenris was caught off guard and his face twisted in surprise as he felt Isabela's right hand move over to his thigh. She broke their kiss, leaning back and looking into his eyes as she slid her hand higher and higher up his thigh. She was grinning as she continued higher. Her hand cupped his full balls and then moved to cover his hard cock.

"My, Fenris..." She whispered with a sultry smirk. "You're hard as a rock..."

Her eyes closed as she wrapped her palm around him and began a rhythmic squeezing. Fenris groaned again and returned his lips to hers. Their tongues intertwined, dueling wetly with each other. Isabela was moaning as they kissed and her hand was working wonders on his cock, running up and down it's full length, squeezing and pawing.

Fenris knew she had experience – perhaps even more so than him. But the way she was sliding her palm up and down his length was driving him crazy. It had been far too long since he had last taken to a woman, and with his fury in Hawke's relationship with Anders, there was indeed a lot he had been bottling up. The only problem was that he felt ill-prepared to let it loose on Isabela.

Fenris gazed at her exposed tits. Her naked flesh felt wonderful under his hand, and he gently teased and stroked her breast, especially her nipples. Every time he touched them, he felt Isabela shiver beneath him. Though they were merely friends, he wanted to satisfy the pirate's needs for the night.

This was not his only thought, however. As the minutes ticked by, he suddenly grew aware of what Isabela was planning. His breath caught in his throat as he felt Isabela change her pace. He pulled back allowing her the space to work, and moaned slightly.

She sat up in the bed before him, her hands still making quick work of his cock, and her eyes staring deliciously at him still. She brought herself up to his lips and started kissing him fiercely. He groaned loudly as she continued jerking him off.

Fenris dropped his hand to her thigh. Isabela thrust her tongue deep into his mouth and spread her legs wider, inviting him higher. Fenris grinned into her mouth and slid his hand up until he felt her hot dampness under his palm. There was no more teasing now. Both of them were fully intent on exploring their lustful fantasies.

"Mmmm...it's so hard... " Isabela whispered.

She was indeed different from Hawke, with whom Fenris had only been with for a night. In that experience, Hawke had been a much more reserved and shy type of woman. Never would she have grabbed his length, referred to it as his 'cock' and been so straight forward with him. He had expected no less from Isabela. But in all honesty, Fenris preferred the shy and anxious types; he enjoyed the way they squirmed and were completely dishonest with their feelings in bed.

Isabela stroked him faster as Fenris found the wettest spot between her legs. She stiffened when his fingers found her naked pussy lips, then she let out a long "Aaahhhh..." as he worked his fingers between them. Fenris flicked his thumb lightly over her clitoris, stimulating her further as he slid his finger into her pussy.

She was wet enough to allow him effortless passage, and he pushed deeper until his entire middle finger was inside her. Isabela's hips began to move, and he followed her rhythm, fucking his finger in and out.

Isabela broke their kiss, pushing her face into Fenris's shoulder. Her hand maintained it's grip on his cock, but her stroking stopped, much to Fenris's relief. He certainly did not want to finish too soon and make a mess all over the two of them.

He looked down at the pirate, who head was situated on his shoulder. Her mouth was open, breathing hard. Her every breath was steamy and excited. She gazed at him with begging eyes.

He continued to slide his finger in and out of her pussy, as he gently pushed her back onto the bed. Isabela didn't resist at all, leaning back until her head was against the soft pillows. Her hips arched forward invitingly and her firm breasts heaved impatiently.

Fenris continued to finger her as she looked up at him with smoldering eyes. She brought both hands up to her tits, squeezing them as she spread her legs wider.

"Make me come, Fenris..." She panted, "Maker, your finger feels so good inside me...Please make me come...oh...yes..."

But before she could reach her peak, Fenris slid his fingers out from inside her. Her head snapped forward and she gazed at him quizzically. Fenris then grabbed a handful of her hair and leaned down, crushing her lips with his, claiming her mouth. She automatically put her hands up on his broad, strong chest, feeling his muscular figure. She was surprised that he had stopped touching her even disappointed. But it only served to feed her lust more.

"You're not allowed to come yet." It was a demand, rather than a request. She smiled, knowing that this was only the surface of Fenris' demanding nature – the one she had heard about from Hawke when the latter was drunk off her boots.

His arms tightened around her until she was so pressed into his body she could barely breathe. He lifted one leg over her and straddled her, took hold of both of her wrists and pressed them into the sheets above her head. Her chest was heaving. This was very exciting indeed and she could feel that her pussy twitching. Fenris had her at his mercy., and she certainly hoped he wouldn't show her any.

He gazed down at her, dark hair splayed out wildly against the white sheets. Her eyes were shining with sexual excitement, and her lips were red and full from all the rough kissing, perhaps even some blood. He could tell she liked being restrained in this way. Of course she did – she was Isabela. What did she not like?

His lower body slid down the length of Isabela's, grinding his crotch into hers. She could feel his erection very thoroughly now. She spread her legs as far as could, giving him better contact with the sensitive, moist place between her legs. He lifted his hips and released her hands so he could nudge her opening slowly with the tip of his erection. This proved to be tremendously arousing to both of them - the torture of holding off actual sex was heightening their passion to a feverish pitch.

Her wrists free, Isabela clawed at his arms, moaning and begging him to take her.

"Maker, Fenris... please!" Isabela gasped as he continued his teasing.

He felt so much passion rise up in him it was almost violent. Without thinking about the consequences or whether Isabela would be upset, he grabbed her wrists with one hand, and leaned over to her glistening breasts, biting down on her nipple as she gasped out loud.

"Maker, Fenris!" Was all she said, as she groaned with excitement.

"Do you want me to take you, Isabela?" His voice was nearly a growl in her left ear, as he caught her earlobe in his teeth.

"Yes!" She breathed, her chest heaving. "Please, please!"

His other hand worked on pinching her other nipple, never ceasing her moaning. She tried to struggle against him, but she was not in a position where she could. She was at his mercy now. And she liked it.

"Yes what? I want you to say it!" Fenris hissed in her ear.

"I want you to take me, Fenris. Please take me!"

The words that came out of her mouth were strange and foreign to her. She was never one to submit to men – not after her violent husband. She often found herself to be the driving force to every sexual excursion she had. However, this one was different – and she was enjoying it enough not to kick Fenris in the nuts and run out of the room, a tactic she used often when she found herself in those situations, most of which occurred out in sea, back when she had a crew of men, all of whom had not laid eyes on a woman for months. She often found herself the object of their affection, and made it clear to her underlings that those actions were entirely inappropriate unless desired.

Nevertheless, Fenris released her hands so he could grab hold of both her breasts. In comparison to most of the women he was around, the were indeed very large - even more so than Hawke's. Fenris grinned; he knew Isabela prided herself on this fact.

He began to kiss and bite his way down her body, all the while his length maintaining contact with her moist opening. She paused to look up at him, a look of near defiance on her face.

"Are you teasing me?" She demanded. "You knife-eared bastard - that is so cruel!"

"Yet there is little you can do about it." He corrected her. His voice was low and very sexy, and he didn't take his eyes off of her face. He leaned down to her once more and whispered, "Not even if I did this." At that, he grabbed hold of her body and flipped her over onto her stomach.

"Hey!" She exclaimed, surprised by the turn of events. She tried to push herself up with her hands, but he covered her with his body, pressing her down to the floor and again capturing her wrists. This time, he pulled them behind her back. He began to talk in her right ear, interspersing kisses with his words.

"What will you do? The same you do to all the other unwanted men that lust after you?"

She didn't answer. Sure, if this was an unwanted man, she would have long kicked him out. Game over. But Fenris was not unwanted to say the least.

"You are enjoying this." Fenris stated in between rushed breaths. "I bet you don't lose control very often, do you Isabela?" He taunted with a smirk that she could only imagine on his handsome face.

Her heart was pounding. She was not afraid, but rather excited. This was far more that she usually bargained for when she was with a man - what did he intend to do? He was right – she was enjoying this. Perhaps a bit too much.

"Fenris?" She pleaded softly.

"Be quiet." He commanded.

She struggled slightly within his grip, but his hold on her only got tighter. She only desired to touch his skin. The more he denied her, the more she wanted to do it. However, there was little strength in her when compared to Fenris. And Andraste forbid if he actually started glowing while they did it – the dangerous ideas that flowed into her mind gave her shivers.

"Are you enjoying this, Isabela?" He paused for a moment, and when she didn't respond, he ran kisses along the back of her neck. "It is making you wet, after all."

He moved down her body and sunk two of his fingers deep inside her wet cunt. She moaned in reply, her head was spinning and she was losing her ability to reason. His fingers trailed in and out of her wetness, and her wrists were still being held from behind, by only one of his hands.

Grasping her legs, Fenris flipped her over onto her back again so that she was directly under him, his body pressing her back into the soft sheets.

"Maker, yes - please..." Isabela didn't speak further, though sounds of pleasure seemed to be wrenched from her as she felt Fenris slide his hard penis into her. It didn't even take a couple of thrusts to get it all the way in, he slid in quite easily.

But then he began to slam into her with more velocity and rhythm. He groaned as he thrust himself into Isabela's wonderful tightness. She arched her back up toward him, taking him in even as he drove into her. Her fingernails raked passionately down his back - but she was scarcely aware of what she was doing. The sting of her scratches only served to excite him further.

"Maker, how long I've anted this, Fenris..." Isabela moaned. "You have no idea. I knew I was going to enjoy fucking you, you brooding elf."

He didn't even mind that she had called him 'brooding'. It felt good to finally be inside a warm body. It was like a fantasy come to life. He was so enamored with the good feelings that he had ignored the fact that the only thing he was missing... was his woman.

Fenris lifted her knees to be nearly even with her ears - and thrust into her, in an out, in and out, the power growing with each second.

"Ohhh..." he groaned.

"How do I feel to you?" She demanded. " Do you like fu-" He stopped her from talking here by covering her mouth with his. Isabela felt like they were breathing each other in.

Very suddenly he pulled up and yanked himself out of her. Before she could even question what he was doing, he roughly threw her over onto her stomach again, grabbing hold of her hips. Fenris tugged her upward and she gasped as he penetrated her from behind. Her back was arched like a cat, as Fenris knelt behind her and jabbed himself deeply inside. She crossed her arms and rested her head on her forearms as Fenris plunged into her over and over again - pulling almost all the way out before lunging back again. He was hitting her cervix and beginning to touch her g-spot. He leaned down and sank his teeth into her left shoulder blade. She cried out from the pleasure and pain he was inflicting. She felt like a cat in heat, balanced precariously on a hot surface. It was exhilarating.

Fenris, meanwhile, was nearing the peak of his own pleasure. He reached a hand under her and began to flick her clitoris with his fingers. She stretched against him even further and began to make a sound that was a moan and a desperate cry at the same time.

"Come for me." He told her between breaths. He began to talk into her right ear as he rammed himself into her and teased her clit. Her breathing became ragged, and she was on the verge of tears from the raw passion he was creating.

With his free hand, he pulled her hair and turned her head so that he could kiss her from behind. She moaned into his mouth as the floodgates opened inside her. Fenris felt her pussy clench and unclench in rapid-fire motions around his cock. She became even wetter, and as his penis moved in and out of her at a slower pace, the slick sounds that it made seemed very noisy in the now quiet room. Isabela's strength gave out as she collapsed forward on the floor. Fenris fell forward with her, adjusting himself so as not to crush her beneath him.

It took a while before the both of them regained the posture. Isabela got up first. This kind of thing, while the experience was different, was definitely more customary to her than the elf. But it was obvious that her future experiences would be dull in comparison to Fenris.

He sat up slowly and reach for his trousers first, much to her disappointment. The two of them began to dress themselves again, and an awkward silence ensured. They were both thinking of the same thing.

"I don't know why you don't want Hawke with Anders." She suddenly stated.

He turned to her, his expression bitter. "Why must you ask this of me? Isn't it obvious?"

"You're jealous he's had Hawke all to himself?"

He shook his head and replied, "He cannot be trusted. Everyone, including you, have fallen under his spell."

Isabela chuckled. "That's because he's a sexy apostate."

"You mean an abomination."

Isabela tsked. "Oh, don't be so close minded. Just imagine what it would be like if we were in a threesome." She giggled.

Fenris didn't laugh as she'd hoped he would. Instead, his gloomy expression only grew darker. She made a mental note never to suggest such things in front of broody again.

"So, was there anything else you wanted?" Fenris asked as he got up from the bed. He didn't need to ask 'other than sex' to his statement. He was still naked from the waist up. He walked to the bathroom, and began washing himself with water from the basin.

Isabela followed the lines of lyrium with her eyes. They twisted and curled over his olive skin in patterns that accentuated the play of muscles in his back and shoulders. It made her mouth water with desire all over again...

"Answer me this first – do you or do you not want to get back together with her?"

The question was straight-forward. But she didn't care.

Fenris did not turn back to look at her while answering. In fact, he remained silent for a while. It was obviously something that he was having a hard time coming to terms with. But Isabela already knew the answer, just from his silence alone.

"You're going to need my help." She told him as she neared him. She rested her body against the wall next to him. He had yet to put on his breastplate. She could still see the beads of sweat down his neck. It was so sexy. She felt proud of herself for having just gotten a piece of the attractive elf.

"If you want to help, go ahead." He answered without looking at her.

She smirked. "But... I'm going to have to request something in exchange."

"Sex?"

She laughed out loud. "My dear elf, I do like you." She gazed at him, her grin never leaving. "You know everything about me, don't you?"

"Is there any time when you don't think about sex?" He asked inquisitively. She didn't know if he was trying to make a joke or not, but she regarded it one anyway.

"Of course not," She answered. "You only live once. In fact, I think I have the hardest time not thinking about it." She declared proudly.

He grabbed the towel from the rack behind her and started wiping his neck. Water droplets left the tips of his hair and landed on the floor around them. His face rose to greet hers. "Well, I suppose I can safely say that I've finally witnessed that philosophy tonight."

With that, Isabela rose from the wall and grabbed Fenris' hand, shoving it forcefully down her blouse. "I'm thinking about it even now."

He snapped back his hand from her breast, though a smirk remained on his face.

They both moved back into the room with the bed – it's sheets now tangled in a mess and the smell different than what it was like when they first stumbled into it.

"So do we have a deal?" Isabela asked.

Fenris stared at her for a while before answering. "I don't think we will need to carry out any drastic measures." He said slowly. "Anders will show his ugly demeanor to her sooner or later."

Her eyebrows rose.

"But I suppose if you want to get together occasionally for the fun of it, I'll have to oblige. In a strictly professional matter, of course."

Isabela wanted to laugh out loud again and tell the elf that there was nothing 'professional' about the relationship they were about to start. But somehow, that idea did not seem to be one that would work in her favor, so she kept her mouth shut.

"Sounds good to me, broody." She answered.

"Then we're done here?" Fenris asked as he faced away from her, fixing his breastplate and adjusting the buckles. He stopped, however, when his hand reached for the red ribbon on the table, he paused.

He suddenly felt terrible. And disgusting. Mixed in with sad and depressed. How could he have agreed to bedding the Rivaini. Hawke was his lover – she was his woman. Isabela was nothing less than a desire demon that lured men into her chambers. Fenris had just been one of the many that Isabela had taken to her bed.

"What's wrong?"

Isabela's voice seemed so far away and distant from him. His thoughts were muddled and confusing. As he fixed the red ribbon on his wrist, he decided it would be a nice night to break open a bottle of his more aged wines in the mansion cellar when he got back. He reached for his belt buckle on the table.

The Amell/Hawke crest lay there in the palm of his hand, almost glaring at him with ferocity and screaming his betrayal. How could he have done this to Hawke? What would she think? That he was an easy target for Isabela? That he was desperate? What was he thinking exactly?

The gleaming crest stared back at him for what seemed like an eternity. His belt was on, and the main emblem of the Hawke family that completed his daily outfit was the only thing missing. He wanted to put it on, but he just couldn't stop staring at it. This was s symbol of Hawke – of her love for him – of his importance to her. How could he still wear this on his uniform when...

"You miss her."

Isabela's hand rested softly on his spauldron. Her warmth emanating towards him. She was not trying to seduce him this time, he didn't think. This time, as he looked into her eyes, she was genuinely concerned for him. Were it not for the fact that she had come back after taking off with the Qunari relic, he would not have thought much of her. But the fact that Isabela had come back was thought-provoking in itself. She had changed, no doubt. Everyone knew, more or less, that there was more to her than she let on.

"I'm fine." He grumbled as he fixed the crest on his belt one more.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

The same question Hawke had asked him when he killed Hadriana.

"No," Fenris said firmly. "I'm not... I just don't want to think about it."

"Well, drinking yourself to death doesn't seem to be going anywhere for you either."

He sighed. "I'm not going to explain myself to you, Isabela."

"You don't need to." She answered. "I already know. You love her."

"That has nothing to do with this." He gritted his teeth.

"Then it's just Anders?" Isabela clarified out loud. "You would be fine with anyone being with Hawke, as long as it wasn't with Anders? Anyone else. Say, someone like me?"

"Definitely not."

"Then who?"

"I don't know!" He exclaimed, tired of her badgering. What was her point? She had already gotten what she wanted from him – sex. So what else needed to be said?

"Stop torturing yourself." Isabela said in a gentler tone. "You're bothered by her being with anyone else other than you. You're scared for her, and you don't want her to get hurt. But she'll never know that unless you tell her, you daft elf."

"That is not possible." He said quietly. "She is smitten."

"Not with Anders, she isn't." Isabela said blatantly. "Call it woman's intuition, but I just know that Hawke is not satisfied with Anders. "

"That is not true. And since when do you have a woman's intuition?"

"How dare you! I'm trying to help!" Isabela punched him playfully. "Not that it's any of my business, but if you have problems you want to discuss, I'm right here. You might as well take advantage of it." She winked as she said this.

Fenris sighed and fingered the crest on his belt.

"You don't have to be the only one suffering." Isabela said. "Don't you love her enough to let her know that you feel the same?"

"She doesn't need to know." Fenris snapped as he paced around the room. "She seems perfectly content with that abomination. Her pet mage." He spat.

"That isn't true." Isabella replied. "You know it isn't. He barely even pays attention to her on some days. She tells me about it on occasion."

Fenris let out a long sigh of frustration. " You don't understand. She seems content in every way with him." He explained.

"I'm telling you she isn't!" Isabela said irritably. "Why won't you just go talk to her?"

"Because we cannot be together."

"Why not?" Isabela demanded. "That's ridiculous! Hawke doesn't have a thing against elves!"

"I'm not going to offer her the protection she needs."

"I think she is perfectly capable of protecting herself."

"Not against Danarius." Fenris reminded. "Once I thought about it, I knew I had to back out. I can't let Danarius know that I've been in love with someone... it will only endanger the both of us."

"That's your reason?" Isabela asked, not impressed. "You're trying ot be the hero?"

"I'm not trying to be anything!" Fenris told her. "I know what I'm doing – and it's the right decision. I only... I only wish that it had not been Anders."

"Or anyone else." Isabela muttered under her breath.

"What would you have me do?"

"Easy. Be with her. The poor girl probably cries herself to sleep."

That idea was preposterous. Fenris knew himself because he had climbed up a tree in Hightown many times to stare at Hawke through her bedroom window. She never spotted him, of course, but he had a good idea what she and Anders did for long evening. He was not about to tell Isabella about this, however.

"Hawke does not need to be with Anders." Fenris claimed stubbornly. "But she cannot be with me either. I will only endanger her. I'm not trying to be a hero, I'm only trying to avoid pain and tragedy that could occur at my expense."

"You're being silly."

"You don't understand, Isabela. Every night I wake up, relieved that Danarius hasn't killed me in my sleep yet, only to feel as if I'm dead already, barely breathing." He said. "I'm terrified that something may have happened to Hawke. But while I'm wide awake every night, she has no trouble sleeping with that abomination. Yet somehow I always have this voice in the back of head whispering the best part of me is always with her, and only her. But what am I supposed to say to her when I stand there like an idiot? Meanwhile, she's perfectly fine, and with Anders, of all people!"

He was getting worked up, and Isabela watched, slightly amused. This was good. She couldn't wait to tell Varric about the progression of this love triangle tonight.

Fenris stopped pacing and sat down opposite of her in the crumbled room. He placed one hand on his forehead and took a few deep breaths.

"I... I'm falling to pieces." He said quietly. "Over one woman."

"That's because you love her."

He paused, and chose not to comment on that. What was there to say? He could not even deny his feelings – not when they were this obvious.

"It is to my understanding that bad things happen for a reason. The Makers deems it so. Yet no wise words I hear can help me. I am... bleeding."

"Sorry, love."

A/N: I've decided to place this at the end. There is a song on which I wrote a part of this chapter. Kudos if anyone can guess it, the lyrics are kind of jumbled up. It's towards the end of the chapter. Anyways~ the long-awaited Isabela and Fenris chapter, hope you enjoyed it. If not, please don't hate/flame me! Also - PLEASE REVIEW FOR ME! I love reading the comments, and it makes me a lot more motivated to write. Also, a quick question - does the summary thing up top help you get back into the story? Or is it annoying? Thanks again for reading! -A