*All right folks I am no sailor, not even a huge fan of the beach much less boats. I did what I could here and any mistakes are my own.
The sea had just a bit of an attitude but that was how Isabella liked her, a rolling deck made sure you knew you were alive. Standing leaned against the rail of the forecastle, she had already managed to slip past several Qunari supply vessels without notice but now came the interesting part. Somewhere ahead of them in the dark was a string of small islands, all held by the Qun and all according to her charts, rimmed with reefs. Somehow she needed to find that zone that kept her out of the main shipping lanes, away from the reef and still close enough to see what was going on. Sighing, she looked at the two men she had positioned as watch on the forecastles and nodded sharply before returning to the poop deck where her first was manning the wheel. Nodding to him because she knew well that he knew what he was doing, she turned her eye to the horizon. The silence on the ship was profound; every single soul understanding that one wrong move, one errant cough could well be the end of them. Behind her Hawke watched tense, she didn't like it when her fate was completely out of her control and never had, even when it was in the hands of someone as trusted as Isabella. Varric and Fenris on the other hand were watching everything with frank curiosity and the Tal-Vashoth's thoughts were their own, not showing on their faces.
It wasn't long before the rolling of the Siren's Call II found the first island, nothing more than a spit of land with grass and nothing else. Using that, the mate angled helm for the next island. Isabella and he had spent the last few days memorizing the charts and he knew his way through as well as he was likely, so long as the charts were accurate. 'Maker, let them be accurate,' Isabella prayed. Soon the larger islands started rising from the horizon, these with lights. Slipping silent along the waves, the Siren's Call II moved further away, out of the lights cast along the shores of the camps for that was what they were. Temporary and transitory, the Qunari moving around were housed in tents and small wooden structures among the high grass that grew along the coast. Small docks and piers sheltered small ships, obviously fishing vessels. Turning a hard look at the Tal-Vashoth, Isabella cursed under her breath and went back to scanning the horizon ahead with her spy-glass.
Hawke glanced at the female Kossith, noticing for the first time that there were tense lines along her mouth, giving away the woman's fear. Slipping next to her Hawke whispering, "You're sure?" Her only response was a sharp nod, and Hawke was inclined to believe her.
The next island was big, sizeable among this chain and the light was substantial. Here was an entire colony, built of native woods and imported stone, this one implied permanence. The reef here cleared the water at low tide and created a natural water break and harbor. They could see not only fishing vessels, but also vessels of a more martial nature. Still, nothing of any substance and as they passed unnoticed into the dark Hawke began to worry that just maybe she was going to be forced to buy Isabella a case of Antivan rum regardless of what this Tal-Vashoth woman believed.
Suddenly the first mate froze, eyebrows drawn and mouth bowed. Leaning over the wheel to get a better look, he grunted to get Isabella's attention. About the same time one of the men she'd left along the forecastle to keep an eye out for reef came running across the deck, his own spy-glass in hand and a wide-eyed look. Before he could say anything Isabella had turned her glass out over the dark and saw what they had. Lights, distant but still lights. And not where the charts said there should be an island. Instead they were dead in the center of what they had said was the shipping lane. And their vague illumination was outlining something…. Suddenly Isabella stood straight up and Hawke could have sworn that every hair on her stood straight out. Shoving her first mate out of the way she took the wheel and pulled the Siren's Call II hard to the port to avoid what she had seen. Hissing Hawke's name, Isabella tossed her spy-glass at her as she waved her men to silence. Catching the glass and putting it to one eye it took a moment for Hawke to make it out, but that was only because she wasn't prepared for the scale of what she saw. It was a ship, a ship so massive that it could have easily fit the whole of the Siren's Call in its hold several times over. The forecastle was at least half the length of Isabella's ship wide and held not one but two rows of windows, indicating that it was at least two stories high and close as Hawke could count in the dark there were at least three masts planted firmly on it. Dropping the glass from her eye she looked hard at Isabella, who was whispering orders to one of her men while staring hard at the dark and light bulk of the monster in front of her. A light touch on her shoulder reminded her that Fenris and Varric still could only vaguely see and she handed Fenris the glass without taking her eyes off her friend. When Isabella finally turned to look at her the grim and slightly round –eyed look she had told Hawke all she needed to know.
As they drew closer they could see that the hulking ship was at anchor, three were dropped from her bow and behind her other ships were at anchor, these maybe half the size but still twice the length of Isabella's ship. These were more familiar, though still far larger than anyone aboard the Siren's Call II had ever seen. These were Qunari warships, cannon turrets lining the deck and sides of them. Squinting into the dark Hawke was pretty sure that she counted three of them. Turning a look at the Kossith woman, she was surprised to see for the first time a frank emotion on her face-terror. The male simply stood watching as Isabella's crew scrambled to do as they were told.
It wasn't long before they were abreast of it and could make out details. There were nine masts total, three on the forecastle, three on the main deck and three smaller ones on an even more massive poop deck. Near as Hawke could tell the aftcastle was as wide as Isabella's total length and four stories high above the massive main deck and that was so high over their heads that only the crows nest cleared it. There was at least one row of windows along the sides below deck hinting at even more quarters and those were thankfully dark. This ship wasn't for fighting; this behemoth was for after the fighting was finished. This was for transporting people, administrators and their staffs and this was the true invading force behind the Qunari. A few tense minutes later they had cleared it, sailing so close that it almost felt like you could reach out and touch the side. Hawke turned to look at Varric who was craning his neck to look up at what would be a mighty impressive and frankly intimidating sight to see off the coast of any city. The look he returned was inscrutable, but she knew he was thinking the same thing as she was.
Isabella was now concentrating on the real threats - the three ships off the stern of the big one. She knew that there would be men posted as night watch on all three and somehow she would have to get past them all without being seen. She also knew that her chances were just about zero. Firing off a quick prayer she decided that her only chance here was to outrun them. They were at anchor and by the time they could get those up and their sails hoisted in a perfect would she would be able to get herself out of range of those blasted cannons. Right now she only had her foremast hoisted along with the two latten sails along her stern, but at her signal her men could have the mainsail and the bowsprit sail up and then in her experience anyway, nothing could catch her. Thinking back to the fate of the original Siren's Call, Isabella swallowed hard and prayed her faith was well founded. With almost agonizing slowness they crept past one, a full ships-length off the port without notice, but as they approached the second, their luck ran out.
Isabella heard the alarm being sounded and didn't need to understand Qunari to know she'd been spotted. Nodding to her first mate, she only vaguely heard him when he bolted from the poop deck barking orders to hoist the sails, instead she was watching as the Qunari who had made her out in the dark ran to a bell to add its call to his. Though it took only minutes to get the sails up it seemed like an eternity and the second she felt the bite of wind in the sails she pointed her bow to where she knew she would eventually find open water and hopefully no more surprises. As she took a course straight between the last two ships more Qunari poured onto the decks and she knew time was running out. By the time the fastest of the Qunari were able to give chase she was several of their ship lengths ahead and knew she was well out of cannon range. Praying that she could hold her lead, knowing full well that Qunari ships were big but still fast and every bit as maneuverable as her own, she ignored everything as she tried to remember those charts.
Hawke stood watching the Qunari ships as they each turned to follow, hands clenched around the railing until her knuckles were white with the effort. Fenris stood behind her, gracefully ignoring the rolling of the ship and feeling completely helpless. In this situation he was useless and he well knew it. He heard Isabella begin barking orders to her men, completely forgoing quiet now that they had been seen and tried his best to have the same faith in the woman that Hawke did. Off to the side, both Tal-Vashoth were standing together, his arm wrapped around her to steady her as they too stared off the bow at the pursuing ships. Neither needed a translator to understand that this situation could get bad fast. Varric had disappeared off the poop deck entirely.
It wasn't long before it became apparent that one ship was going to be a problem. They far outstripped the other two, leaving them in their wake and were slowly gaining on Isabella's caravel. Isabella was completely ignoring what was off her stern in favor of making sure that she didn't end up running aground on some spit of land that the charts hadn't seen fit to mention, but soon was clear of the worst of the small islands and in open water. There was she knew one more large island to pass before she was completely clear and able to turn her sails to the strongest winds and make a mad dash for Tevinter waters where she hoped this lone ship wouldn't follow. When a distant boom echoed across the water she clenched her teeth and shot a look over her shoulder. She never saw the cannonball that splashed down behind them in the dark, but if they were firing test rounds then they were just entirely too close for her liking. Cursing as creatively as she possibly could at the top of her lungs and barking orders like command was something she'd been born to, inside she cringed and urged her ship faster. When a second controlled explosion echoed, she ignored it in the mad hope that this would change the situation.
"Isabella!" Hawke shouted over her constant carnage of the common tongue.
"I know!" Isabella fired back.
"That was way too close!"
"I said," Isabella shot a heated look over her shoulder at her friend. "I know!"
"Marian!" Fenris wrapped an arm round her shoulders and pulled her back against him so that he could murmur in her ear, "She's doing the best she can."
"I know it," Hawke fired back, feeling helpless. When she heard another shot fired she pulled away from Fenris to once again clutch at the rail and stare into the darkness. This time the projectile landed barely a within a stone's throw of the stern of the ship and she knew that she had to do something, she could not let this happen. Before even the sharp electric smell of magic registered, Fenris felt his lyrium start answering the call of the magic that Hawke was gathering to herself and turning he could see that she had her head bowed as she concentrated on flexing muscles she had long left unused and ignored everything else. Deep inside him he wanted nothing more than to step away but he knew the rolling of the ship would throw her and break her concentration so instead he stepped up behind her. Laying both hands on the rail and pressing himself to her to sandwich her between himself and the rail to hold her steady he desperately ignored both instinct and the burning of his own tattoos as they flared dully in the dark. Finally with a final flick of her arms she fired off the spell and Fenris felt the magic fly away from her. The fireball landed squarely in one of the five square sails and it immediately began to blaze. Without pause Hawke began gathering from the Fade again, and the static smell grew stronger around her. Gritting his teeth when he heard the Tal-Vashoth male grate out a surprised, "Saarebas," Fenris hoped the two would keep to their side of the poop deck and not force him to let loose of her.
Again and again, fireball after fireball fired from Hawke until most of the sails and a decent portion of the deck were ablaze. Qunari scattered about the deck trying to put the flames out before the gaatlok that powered their cannons caught but the burning sails put a dent in their speed as they did. Soon they were nothing but a bright speck as her sister ships came to their aid. Hawke stood straight staring out at the ship as it fell behind and anyone seeing her would not suspect that Fenris could feel her tremble. The male Tal-Vashoth, having pushed the female behind him chose this moment to advance, pointing an accusing finger at Hawke and once again snarling, "Saarebas!"
Hawke jerked free off Fenris with more strength than even he would have given her credit and before he could react was after the warrior that fast. Stopping just in front of him she stuck her nose straight up to his and snarled, "Yes, Saarebas! Also Basalit-an, so declared by your Arishok right before we dueled and he died!" She could tell that he understood enough when his violet eyes widened but his menacing expression never changed. "Go on, test me!"
Fenris grabbed her arm, pulling her away as the female Tal-Vashoth stepped between them, laying both hands on the man's cheeks to make him look at her. As she soothed him, Fenris felt Hawke sag and catching her before she went to the deck he managed to lower her gently. Eyes closed against the suddenly dancing scene before her, Hawke clenched her teeth until the dizziness passed. Slowly opening them she found herself sitting in Fenris's lap. Smiling wanly at the concerned creases in his brow, she quipped lightly, "I think I might have overdone it."
Fenris snorted but didn't say anything as she laid her head on his shoulder.
"Hawke," Isabella shouted boisterously from the wheel, "You are one crazy bitch! I knew there was a reason I liked you!"
Chuckling but unwilling to move, Hawke waved weakly at her friend. Sighing now that it was over and eyeing the Tal-Vashoth standing on the other side of the poop deck, Fenris laid his cheek on top of her head and breathing in her scent, tried to calm his jangled nerves. He was unsure exactly what had twanged them worse, the chase or Hawke's reaction to it or the Tal-Vashoth's reaction to her. What he did know was that once this insanity was over, they were going to have to have a talk.
Now that Isabella was under full sail she was unwilling to go back to trying to move stealthily through the Qunari waters, even as she approached the final of the smaller islands off the western coast of Seheron. Daylight was fast approaching and after that chase she wanted to be well out of Qunari waters when light touched the first wave. Instead choosing to put a little distance between herself and the port that she knew was there, she handed the wheel back to her first and snatched her spy-glass from Fenris's belt where he had tucked it earlier. After scanning the scene as they approached she reached down to tap the back of her hand against the back of Hawke's head without putting down the glass. When both Hawke and Fenris looked up at her she waved them up.
"Hawke…"
Her tone stifled Hawke's sigh and scrambling up she stared at what she could see, even without the benefit of the spy-glass. At anchor off the port were more dreadnaughts just like the one Hawke had just done her best to sink – a lot more. Hawke counted at least twenty, along with larger ships that looked to be some kind of transports and dozens more of a smaller vessel that much like the dreadnaughts were obviously of a martial nature because of the cannons placed along the decks. Isabella gazed at Hawke as she took it in and then shot a hard look at the Tal-Vashoth. They were both standing silent, staring at the impressive array like everyone else.
"Looks like your pet was right."
"Maker have mercy on us all."
"The Basra view magic differently," she reminded him, looking over her shoulder to where the woman Hawke stood discussing what they had found with her companions, "You know that. So she is Saarebas? What difference does it make?"
"She is dangerous!" He still prickled with the shock. "That she hides her powers is proof of that! Even among their people mages are not allowed…."
"Were not allowed," she corrected sharply. "Remember this is why the armada exists?"
That pulled him up short and he considered her thoughtfully.
"Dangerous she may be, we don't know enough of her to correctly make that call," she forged ahead determinedly. "But she is not dangerous to us, not now. She knows that what we told her is true and has no reason to doubt us further. She needs us if she wishes to save her people. Are we not Tal-Vashoth?"
He nodded sharply.
"Then we too are dangerous."
Looking around her he regarded the elf at her side, the one with the oddly magical markings that stood with a possessive hand held to the small of her back. 'She keeps dangerous things in her influence,' he thought, 'Dangerous things that are also Tal-Vashoth even if they don't admit it.' Deciding that perhaps she was right even though it went against the grain of everything he knew, he nodded wordlessly.
Sighing, thankful that he was willing to see sense, she allowed herself to relax for the first time since the elf had come to get them. Now that the truth of her words had been witnessed now maybe they could get to the hard part of this adventure – convincing Thedas the danger was real.
It had been decided that they would sleep on what they had seen before deciding what they would do next though Hawke herself knew exactly where they were headed next even if the rest of them didn't. She already had planned out several moves ahead and Maker willing, there would be no snags along the way. Since the Maker had never seen fit to smile on her before she had her doubts that it would be so simple, but there was no harm in hope. She groaned as she collapsed into one of the chairs in the cabin that she was sharing with Fenris. He looked at her closely, noticing that the weary lines on her face had deepened. Sighing, he crouched next to her. Looking down at him she did her best to smile but knew that she'd only succeeded in worrying him more when the frown lines in his forehead appeared.
"Hawke…" he trailed off, not entirely sure how to ask what he wanted to know. When her eyebrows drew together, he decided directly was his best option. Taking one of her hands in both of his, he looked up at her, meeting her gaze before asking, "Why?"
Hawke sighed.
"Because I could not allow that to happen when I had even a chance of preventing it. You said it yourself, this ship is dear to her and I could not let her lose another to the Qunari." She paused before chuckling dryly. "And Varric would have drowned. He can't swim."
She wasn't saying it all, this he knew and this time he wasn't going to let her get away with it.
"And you gave no thought to yourself? What would happen should the Qunari capture you alive?"
Hawke sighed.
"Fenris, I have lived my whole life with the threat of discovery. In Kirkwall alone it was an offense that not only could get you made Tranquil, it could also get your kin hung." She paused, struggling to put it in words that he would understand. "I stopped worrying about what might happen to me if I were caught a long time ago. Once Mother was gone and Carver out of the influence of my apostate status? I decided I couldn't live in fear anymore. It doesn't matter if I'm caught, not to me. What the Qun dictates must be done to mages isn't all that much worse than what Andraste decided was to be done. Either way? They will have to kill me because I will not bow."
Fenris considered this a moment. He knew her bravado was well placed but that it was never that simple. He had bowed and worried even now that he might again.
"I didn't do what I did because I was afraid for myself. I did what I did because I was afraid for everyone else, even that obstinate bully of a Tal-Vashoth. I could not stand idly by and watch what was about to happen when I could at least try to prevent it."
She fell silent, watching as he stared at her hand in his and carefully considered what she had said for a long time. She didn't move, didn't interrupt because she knew this was important to him, important that he understand her motives behind tossing a vow she had made and faithfully kept for a decade to the winds. She was starting to worry about what was going through his head when he finally looked up and studying her a few moments more, he nodded. This was something he could accept, knowing her as he did.
It wasn't until later, when he was curled around her asleep, arms holding her tightly against him that she let herself admit even to herself that not a small part of her panic had been what the Qunari would do with him. He was no mage but his lyrium gave him a connection to the Fade that she could feel. At first she hadn't noticed but the more she was around him the more she perceived it. When he flared he was pulling from the Fade as sure as she was, but his markings gave very specific instructions. What would the Qunari make of him? And what would they do with him? So very much had been done to him already, the thought of what they might make him had helped drive her to break a vow that had become integral to everything she was.