A/N: Much has been going on in the past couple of weeks and as we all know rl is a bitch, so here is the latest chapter.

Warning: Taboo sexual content and what not... you have been warned.

Two years later, Kirkwall…

She sat at the bar of the Blooming Rose awaiting her usual customers. It was always a sickening proposition: selling her body and lying to Fenris. She had told him that she had gotten a job serving drinks, but instead was serving a different type of intoxication. It was something she knew she was good at and while many of the men just wanted the companionship, others wanted the bondage and control removed from them. Many of the nobles liked being submissive until they were on top of her and ramming as hard as they could till their sweat dripped and mixed with hers.

At the end of her night, she would stagger home smelling of stale ale and semen. Walking in to the tiny lean-to that Fenris and she had called home for the past couple of months, she couldn't make eye contact with him. She evaded his questions and recoiled when he went to touch her. The shawl she wore hung loosely in her arms as she kicked her shoes off only to cry herself to sleep. Intermittent interruptions in her sleep from Fenris sliding his hand along her side in anticipation of an amorous moment. His breath on her ear as he whispered softly that everything was alright and he'd figure out a way to get her to Ferelden.

She didn't deserve his devotion. She was a whore and the more he showed his yearnings for her, the more she pushed away. Adria knew that he was trying his hardest to scrounge up the money for the trip, but it was taking a long time to do so. He didn't want to have to work; his markings that drew attention to both of them when they were together had hindered the incognito they were looking to attain. They wanted to put as much distance between Danarius and themselves. But at every turn, his slavers seemed to appear and Fenris would protect her. They had become gluttons for cruelty. Each one took turns torturing and interrogating the last survivor until he usually exsanguinated. As much as Fenris made his attempts at shielding her from the barbaric rituals that he would commit on behalf of their freedom, she knew that deep down that his actions were more from frustration about the independence they had longed for would continue to be corrupted no matter where they ran to.

Whether it was Ferelden or the Kocari Wilds even further south, the master would come and destroy what they had. It wasn't freedom to be on the run in constant paranoia about the possibility that this day or the next he would appear.

She sipped her wine and smiled at Madame Lusine who was watching out for the new customers that were to be coming in. It was a group of three and their first time there. Her new mistress had offered the exotic woman to them at a rather low price: six sovereigns. As her eyes scanned the room at the other "entertainers" she saw the shabbily dressed men walk in the door. They stopped when they saw her and approached Lusine with apprehensive glee.

It wasn't long before she was leading the trio upstairs to a private room. She dreaded the group orgies, but Jethann had reassured her that most just wanted to watch and that being a woman made it easier to please them in one shot (well, technically three). She frowned at the comment as she closed the door behind them and strolled to the bed. Her large green eyes stared up at them as seductively as she could fake and smiled. The men seemed to quake in their boots and the rank smell of cheap mead and cabbage seemed to emanate from them. She sighed and slid the shawl from her body and placed it on the night stand.

"Is there a problem?" she asked.

"N-n-no," the red headed man replied. He wrung his hands feverishly until Adria looked away.

"Let's start with something simple: name?" she said with a lopsided smirk.

"Jansen," the red head muttered nervously.

His accent was thick Ferelden and it was strange to see someone from her homeland staring down at her, constantly diverting his eyes from hers when he saw the twinkle in her eye. She looked at the blonde portly man and winked playfully. He stammered and sputtered and from his posture seemed like he was going to bolt for the door.

"Earl," he finally mumbled as bravely as he could.

She nodded politely and rose from her perch on the corner of the bed. She circled the three of them, sizing them up for whatever devious plan they had for her. Which couldn't have been much given that they were cowering as she closed on them.

"And you?" she questioned stopping in front of the last man.

His dusky hair and black eyes peered down at her hungrily as she grabbed his finely tailored vest and pulled her closer to him. His hands touched her arms. They were calloused and worked; worn from labor and age. The gaunt facial features were terrifying and as she swallowed down her fear felt his hand reach her waist and slide across the gentle curves of the bones to the supple tissue of her rump.

"Crankovich," he stated slyly.

"Well, what's it going to be boys? Three? Two? One? None? I'm game for anything," Adria said with a shrug. She leaned against the table across the room from them and folded her arms in preparation. The three of them looked at each other and then at her. She could see the anxiety in both Earl and Jansen's faces. It was something that she hadn't been quite prepared for. Most knew before even entering what they had planned to do, but these three seemed to be confused by her line of questioning. "How about a bottle of wine to loosen up and we'll go from there?"

"I don't know if I can do this," Jansen moaned. Adria frowned and sighed. "It's not that you aren't beautiful. Maker, I'd take you in a second, but…"

She looked him over and saw his posture change to one of regret.

"Married?" Jansen nodded slowly and nudged the pudgy man beside him. She lifted an eyebrow at his action and groaned. "You too?"

"Aye. We are fully equipped to have you entertain us this evening, and while I'll be kicking myself for not going through with this, it just seems that you are not quite old enough to even be working here."

Her eyes narrowed on him and for what seemed like an eternity stared at him.

"I'm old enough," she grumbled. She pointed to Crankovich accusingly and cocked her head. "Are you? Or do you have a problem with this as well?"

"Single. Happily so," he bluntly said with a sneer.

Adria chuckled to herself and shook her head. It didn't matter really if they partook in her; they paid in advance and that was all that Lusine had cared about.

"Well, alright then. What is it that you two want? Because I'm pretty sure I know what your friend here is looking for."

"We'll, umm, wait for you outside, I guess, then," Jansen stuttered with a firm slap to the gaunt man's shoulder.

"Aye. Not a problem. I'll be with you after a while," he grinned as he started for the pale woman.

Lowtown at dusk…

Fenris paced around the hide out of one smuggler named Athenril. He had caught word that the slavers had caught up to them yet again. He was hurried and didn't want to make a scene by startling Adria. He had done much to hide her more than himself from Danarius and his lackeys that seemed to scour the lands for his prized possessions. It wasn't long before the elf emerged from behind the closed door that had separated them. She smiled and crossed her arms and with a stern look nodded for him to enter the back room.

"What is it you are asking for?" Athenril questioned as she rounded the desk and planted her hands on the top.

"I need to know if my former master is here," he explained. He coughed abruptly to hide his nervousness about his next line. "My friend and I would like to evade him as much as possible, but we do not want to be directly involved in whatever trap they have set for us. I know they will be waiting, but if Adria or I show up it will not end well."

"And that means what to me? Do you expect me to send my own people to find out what they want?" she asked with a look at the numerous piles of parchment scattered across the desktop.

"No, I want you to set up a meeting with someone. Tell them that some merchandise has been stolen and is looking to be recovered… or something. It doesn't really matter. I just need to know if Danarius is here or not," he remarked.

"First off, payment is upfront. I can get one of my guys to act as the victim, but it'll cost you six sovereigns," the elf said coldly.

Fenris sighed and took the heavy coin purse from his belt. He shook his head at the weight and muttered that Adria would kill him for stealing her earnings. He hesitated and finally convinced himself that she would understand that this was for their safety. He tossed the sack on to the table. It rattled and several coins rolled and flipped on to the floor.

"I know exactly who would fit this job," Athenril said with a smirk. "It might be a little out of the way for them – or beneath them – to be honest, but since I've met them a couple of times I'm sure they will be willing to do it for the cause. I'll set up the cover story and you'll know. Do you want a messenger to come to you for the results?"

"No. I'll be nearby."

Athenril picked up a gold coin and walked it across her fingers before flipping it in the air and catching it. She eyed him suspiciously and frowned again.

"Fine. This friend of yours must be important if you are willing to do this. I wonder if she really knows how far you are willing to go."

Fenris didn't respond. It was something that he had considered; to the Void and back seemed to be a common term thrown around about the distance he was willing to go for her safety, but she was willing to cross the same distance across shattered glass on her stomach for his well-being. Even if she didn't realize how much torture it was to watch all the horrible things happen to her for the sake of him on account of him. She took the blame for everything that had happened and while Danarius was violent with his punishments the look in his eyes was one of self-flagellation. And now for the past year, he knew she had been whoring herself to make sure they could eat. He hated what she had to do and Maker forbid he ever had to see her doing it. It was no secret that she was working with the Coterie as a mistress to some of the nobility and he cursed Danarius for turning her in to a shadow of what she was meant to be.

The look in Adria's eyes, when she came home, was one of humiliation beyond reproach. The way she pulled away from him and muttering as she turned from him that she was unclean, he knew. She didn't have to outright say anything. They were both brainwashed about it. Sexual liaisons were something that just came with the history. As much as he hated it, it was who she was; cultivated to be by a civilization that harbored far more demons than people from the outside world realized.

"It's hard to put in to words," he muttered, turning and heading for the door. "I'm sure she knows how I feel."

"I wouldn't be so certain."

She cleansed herself and sprayed expensive perfume to hide the stink of her last customer. She tied her hair up and looked at the blackening welt on her thigh. That was kind compared to what Danarius had done to her. The noble was at least "honorable" enough to throw some extra coins her way for his sadistic play and for keeping her mouth shut from Lusine. She gulped her wine and laced the final bindings to her dress. The button hook that rested on the table drew blood as she cut it across her finger to enclose her foot in the intricately stitched shoes.

Porfiria knocked on the door and stuck her head in. She smiled weakly and told the prostitute that her next appointment would be arriving shortly. Adria walked out and spoke with Idunna, who was just finishing up with her client. She looked the small woman over and frowned at the red hand marks on her upper arms.

"You need to tell her," the brunette stated, running her fingers across the raised welts that burned. "Madame Lusine could put a stop to it."

"I doubt it. It's no different from what I've had to endure before," Adria said with a shrug. "He just got overzealous this time around. The coin is good and if it'll get me back to Ferelden – I'll take my lumps."

"Is your friend going with you?" Idunna questioned, following Adria down the stairs and to the bar where Serendipity was perched in a rather disturbing conversation with a potential client.

"If he wants to. His home is in the opposite direction of where I want to go," she explained. Corfius placed a wine glass in front of her with a smile. "It might as well be on the other side of Thedas." She ran her finger around the lip of the glass and stopped. "We had just come from there under some dire circumstances. If he opts to go back, I won't stop him."

"You won't stay with him? You two seem to be attached at the hip for the most part. Why hasn't he ever come in?"

Adria's eyebrow furrowed as her eyes narrowed on the deep red liquor in the glass.

"Because he doesn't need to know what I do. I'd rather not have to do this, but what can I do?"

"Adria, how are you doing?" a dwarf called to her as he entered and calmly approached.

"Varric, it's been awhile. You hardly leave the Hanged Man, what are you doing here?"

"I know. I know. Things got busy. My network has been keeping an eye out for any slavers that might be after you. Seems you were right. A group has come to the city in search of you."

"I figured as much when I saw them walking around Hightown. They always seem so strange in their armor with a bunch of pompously dressed elite nobles strutting around." Her eyes grew wide at the thought that Danarius would be nearby. Varric patted her on the hand reassuringly. "I need to tell Fenris."

"Don't worry your little head, messere. It seems that they are going to be taken care of. Athenril has sent a group to find and eliminate them. It took some string pulling about who was going to attend to your situation, but rest assured all will be well," the dwarf said with a smile.

Adria relaxed and exhaled slowly. She couldn't keep running, eventually she was going to have to stand up to Danarius once and for all. As much as she dreaded seeing him again, it was the only way she knew she could stop running without constantly looking over her shoulder. It was bad enough staying here in the mecca of templars. She'd serviced several of them. The pent up frustration that lingered from dealing with mages at the Gallows came out in rough and unforgiving bouts of hardcore penetration. She bled after many of those appointments, but there fantasies that were to be played out were far more disturbing than the average. Even the best of them would role play with taking advantage of the mages in the tower and she would have those punishments exacted on her.

Viveka poked her in the shoulder and whispered that her next client had arrived. She looked around the room and saw the older man standing there. His greasy hair was slicked back and from the obvious scowl he had, his day was going to be one that she would remedy for him between the sheets. Half the time it was stroking his ego in to submission, the rest was spent fulfilling his desires. They were simple and something she could easily attend to with a smile and kind words. He was lonely and while the time they spent together was spent talking before any acts were ensued, she could relate in part to him.

"How are you doing today, messere?" she asked with a sweeping curtsy.

"Poorly," he snapped.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Adria cooed. "Would you like to head upstairs now?"

"For you, sure," he shrugged with little enthusiasm. "I'm not in the mood for conversation this evening. If we could cut to the chase…" Adria grabbed his hand and led him to the room. "There's something I want to try with you."

Adria stopped short of shutting the door and glanced over her shoulder.

"Anything. You paid for it."

"Now don't give me that!" he growled. He rubbed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. "I don't know if I can even pull this off."

The door latched shut and Adria pressed against it. She cocked her head with a feisty smile on her face. She had never seen him nervous and to her it was cute and unexpected.

"Tell me and it is done." Her head tilted in the opposite direction as her fingers nimbly began to unlace her bodice. She pulled it off and the sheer chemise she wore exposed her gently curved breasts and small perky nipples. He grabbed them with hungry aged hands and rubbed the nubs of pinkish flesh under his finger. He buried his head in the crook of her neck and slathered wet kisses along her shoulder line. She scratched at his back and moaned the harder he became. "What is it you want then?" she questioned through gasping breath.

He unbuckled his belt and hiked up her skirt. He threw her legs around him and slid in to her. He grunted with each move. She bit her lip to keep quiet. Everything was fading in and out as sweat beaded on their skin. His body shivered and shook with each thrust. His hands cradled her ass; fingers digging in to her supple flesh with dirty fingernails.

"I told you I didn't want to talk," he groaned with another forceful thrust.

Lowtown, near the Alienage

He heard the scuffling from a ways away. Anso stammered repeatedly that the job was done. Fenris thanked him and excused himself to attend to the aftermath. He was curious about who these people were that Athenril had assigned to aid him. He headed in the direction of the noise and stuck to the shadows the best he could. The silence followed abruptly as he rounded the corner. He followed two slavers, while hanging back to give them distance. A stern man was barking at his lieutenant in Arcanum about keeping an eye out for city guard and to "deal" with them as necessary.

When the lieutenant was alone, Fenris made his mood. He rushed to him, slamming the human in to a nearby wall. He was submerged in his chest halfway to his elbow. He felt his spine crackle and pop. He swept his hand along his cavity and clawed his liver until it was shredded. His hand wrenched a hunk of the purple meat from him and threw it to the ground.

"Lieutenant!" the angry man called.

The elf and the dying man both looked in the same direction. Fenris dropped him to the ground with a thud. He bent over him and glared.

"Don't keep him waiting," he sneered.

The man staggered to his feet, clutching his chest in anguish. Blood poured over his hands and spilled on the ground in deep red puddles that glistened in the moonlight. He shook his drenched gauntlet letting a dotted line of red appear on the ground next to him.

"Captain?" the lieutenant groaned.

Fenris followed behind him with a satisfied grin on his face. This was easier than he thought. He snickered at the idea of Adria never knowing that Danarius was here. This could be their chance to finally be done with him and his ilk. It would be the most glorious gift that he could give her. No more fear and dread, but life that was deserving of both of them.

The exsanguinating man grunted one last time before tumbling down the steps and dropping dead at the captain's feet. He glanced at the corpse as he passed the captain with a scowl; even though inside he was applauding the inevitable. He looked over the faces of the four man group. They were covered in blood but appeared to be unscathed.

"You're coming with me slave. After we have you in shackles we'll go after your pretty little accomplice and I'll put her on her knees and see how far she's willing to please her captor."

Fenris' eyes went blank. He wasn't a slave and there was no way that he would allow Adria to be used in front of him just to demean the both of them. He spun around and impaled him in the chest, feeling the man's racing heart slam in to the back of his rib cage before exploding in to a rush of fluids and tissue. He gasped and shook, their eyes locking on each other as the captain grew white. He winced once; a single drip of spittle fell from his lips as they quivered. Blood crept in to the corners of his opened mouth.

"You will do nothing of the sort. We aren't slaves anymore," he growled, withdrawing his hand from the man's body. He pushed him aside and returned his attention to the stunned onlookers. "I apologize for having to put you through this."

The four of them stared at him. A woman with platinum white hair sheathed her sword and glared. The three men with her were confused. He didn't know what they were staring at, but from the collective glares that were thrown at him, he worried that he would have to slay them as well.

"Where's Adria?" the woman asked forcefully.

Fenris took a step back and gripped the pommel of his sword. He didn't know how they knew of her, but he was going to protect her the best that he could. He knew he couldn't take the four of them together and yet was willing to die to keep her secret.

"What are you doing here?" a blonde man questioned, slinging his staff over his shoulder.

"Do I know you?"

"You don't remember?" the woman queried.

He shook his head slowly. To ease his instantly frazzled nerves, he decided to rummage through the captain's pack for any information on the whereabouts of Danarius. He found the folded scroll with the broken seal of the magister on it. He opened it and frowned. It was then that he wished Adria was there to read the document for him. He grumbled softly to himself before handing the letter to the woman.

"Read this," he harshly ordered. The woman stared at the torn paper and then to him questioningly. "I can't read it."

He watched her eyes scroll across the paper in thought. She crumpled it up and tossed it over her shoulder. Fenris was dumbfounded. The audacity that this woman had for a simple request, while forceful, didn't require the brash insult to him.

"Hightown. Danarius is in Hightown," she muttered.

"Then we must go there," he replied hurriedly.

"Wait a minute. Is she even with you or did you leave her in Tevinter?" the blonde mage blurted out.

"I'll take you to her once we take care of the magister. I don't want her knowing he was here," Fenris stated. "It's just a simple thing. If you know Adria, then you also know what she was to Danarius."

"We do," she snorted. "I'd make introductions, but we obviously don't have time for that."

They ran to Hightown. All the steps they climbed seemed to lift them further in to the heavens. It was a rarity that Fenris would have even stepped foot in to the upper echelon's abode. He tended to stay in the depths of the Undercity for the sake of appearance. When they reached the address on the letter the white haired woman stopped him before they entered.

"Alistair, stay here and keep an eye out for the city guard. I don't need them interrupting us while we go murder this son of a bitch," she ordered with a subtle blush to her cheeks from the encapsulated body heat that couldn't escape from her armor.

She pulled her sword from its sheath and nodded for Fenris to open the door. He obliged and led them in to the darkness within the mansion.

"Do you think this is a good idea, Neveren?" the mage questioned.

She turned to him and glared. Even through the heavy plate Fenris could see her muscles growing tense. It was the one thing he couldn't stand: a whiny mage. Though the four of them had all acknowledged the fact that they knew the both of them from when they were in Tevinter.

"This is Adria we're talking about. Do you think it's fair that we have lived in freedom from our titles while she has been a leashed slave to a bastard like their master?" she argued with a hard shove to his shoulder.

"I know we should do this for her, but when is it going to be enough. We're mages and Wardens, not mercenaries."

Fenris looked at Neveren angrily. He thought he sensed something off about the woman. Of course she was a mage; they had that smell of liquid lyrium from the vials they would imbibe from. He shook his head and sighed.

"If you two plan on arguing, I'll continue on by myself," he huffed.

"No we're coming. Let's get this over with," Neveren snapped.

They walked through the house. An eerie wind whistled through the rafters of the massive estate. It was no wonder Danarius chose this place: it varied little from his estates in Minrathous and Seheron. As they entered the main hall a swarm of shades attacked. They come from all sides. Fenris rushed at them, putting as much distance between himself and the mages. He glanced over his shoulder at Neveren who was surrounded by four of them. She cut them down with ease. She moved smoothly past them. The mage was a rather strong swordswoman in her own right.

The creatures shrieked and turned to a black ichor that slipped between the crevices of the stone tiles. They marched up the flight of stairs to the only location left to search: the master bedroom that overlooked the entire hall. Neveren started up the stairs and kicked in the door. Fenris slid beside her and entered the room. He dropped his sword to the ground and scowled. Danarius wasn't here and as he looked around the room his weariness shrieked strongly in his ears.

"Where is he?" Anders asked.

"Gone," Fenris remarked uncomfortably. "I thought we would have made it here in time." His breath hitched as the thought that the magister went in pursuit of Adria. He picked up his sword and left the room. "We need to get to Adria; she may be in danger," he called over his shoulder.

He led them to the entrance to the Blooming Rose and refused to enter. Neveren looked around at the hookers that were soliciting their services to passers-by. When her black eyes locked on him, he was aware that she was infuriated by the brothel that Adria was working in.

"She's working here? You allowed her to resort to this?" she hissed coarsely.

"I…" Fenris stammered. "I don't like the idea either. She chose to do this."

"And that makes it okay?" the mage argued.

"Of course not," Fenris sighed. "I'll come in and get her with you. Hopefully she isn't busy."

"She better not be," Neveren threatened.

They walked in to the establishment, eyes darting around over the various women that were waiting for clients and other buyers. The elf's heart raced at the lack of Adria in the large room. He shuddered at the thought of Adria in the provocative positions that she was no doubt doing to please strange men that would invade her the way he had wanted to.

"Neveren," a voice called from the bar.

The group approached, undaunted by the hustle and bustle of flesh freely for sale. The woman took control of the situation before he could.

"Varric, what are you doing here?" she asked with a smile.

"I came to see Adria. I see you finally ran in to Fenris. I take it your business is concluded?" Varric questioned playfully.

"Have you seen their master come in here?" she queried without answering his questions.

"Always business with you, isn't it? You remind me of Bartrand," he snorted. He took a sip of his ale and slammed the mug on the counter. "To answer your question: no I haven't."

"Where is she then?" Fenris finally chimed in.

"With a customer," he replied with a thumb pointing in the direction of the only door closed on the upper level. Fenris started in the implied direction when the dwarf blocked him from proceeding any further. "Neveren, there is something you should know before you go up there…"

She rode him, letting her hips sway in movements that mocked ocean waves. Her body throbbed as he pulsed in her. He was building to his climax as she bent down over him. Her breasts brushed his chest in sweeping motions. Every muscle clenched at once the more the sweat slid down her bare skin. The sheets that wrapped around her were damp with secretions and joined perspiration.

She closed her eyes as her body sent him over. His back arched angrily as he leapt over the edge in to a hot pool of bliss. She started giggling sweetly as he readjusted under her. They both were enjoying the moment of afterglow when a loud smashing sound came from the direction of the door. Adria pulled the blankets over her exposed body.

"Hey, this is my time with her! Leave us be!" her customer growled.

A second violent jolt flung the door open. In the bright chandelier light that poured in from the hallway she could make out five bodies looking on them. She shielded her eyes to get a better look. They looked familiar in some way. As she looked them over she saw the pointed ears and white hair of Fenris.

"Oh Maker," she gasped. "What are you doing here?" She yanked the sheet off the bed, exposing her nude partner to the group and hurried to the far side of the room. The full on shame and fear surged through her. He wasn't supposed to know. He couldn't know it was her burden that she carried. It was better that he was oblivious. She sobbed and shook. She hid her face from him, all the while feeling his eyes on her.

"I came to see if you were alright," he replied coldly. "And I find you in bed with…"

She heard his footsteps growing closer. The cold steel of his gauntlet hit her hot skin and sent shivers down her spine. She pulled away and dropped to the floor. Her knees couldn't take it anymore. She was wounded and embarrassed by the whole thing.

"Don't. I don't deserve this. I'm a whore. Nothing has changed in nine years. I've gotten by with seduction and what I've been given. You don't need to put up with this," she sobbed.

"Adria, I've known for some time now that you've been doing this. It's no secret in Darktown about your occupation. It was hard at first to accept that you were doing it, but would it have been any different from you serving Danarius? I still want you and now that I have dealt with the hardest part of someone else being with you I know why you had been rejecting me."

"Because I'm filthy. I'm poison," she sulked.

"Then I'll drink you gladly," he remarked with a small chuckle. "We've come too far for us to not play the deadliest game. You've already tainted me with your essence long ago, what's an eternity?"

"I'm sorry to break up this touching moment between you two, but- Uncle, what are you doing with my cousin?" Neveren shrieked in disgust.