Chapter 36

Leandra looked up from the dough she was kneading when she heard the front door slam shut. That sound was followed by several hurried footsteps and a smile curved her lips as she realized that her son was finally home again. She hurried from the kitchen to greet him. As she reached the reception area, she heard raised voices and her steps faltered. She saw Gavin come through the doorway and started to speak, but he rushed past her and up the stairs followed closely by his hound. A minute later she heard the door to his room slam shut.

"What is going on Sebastian?" she cried, turning to face the others. "He seemed upset."

"It's a long story mistress," the prince sighed.

"Fenris finally showed his true colors," Anders said triumphantly.

"You've said enough on that subject already Blondie," Varric snapped. "Time you gave it a rest."

"Someone tell me what is going on, right now!" Leandra demanded.

Sebastian nodded and proceeded to tell her all that had transpired from being ambushed by slavers to the final moments in the holding caves. "Fenris disappeared afterwards and Hawke started to head back to Kirkwall. We had a hard time keeping up with him or getting him to rest along the way. What normally takes four days we did in just under three."

"I can't believe that he would do something like this to Gavin," Leandra shook her head. "He loves my son, I know he does."

"He's obviously a great actor to make you believe that he could ever love a mage," Anders snorted in contempt.

"People tend to say things in the heat of the moment that they later come to regret," Varric spoke up. "Broody was dealing with a lot of shit there in the caves. Once he comes to his senses, I'm sure he'll be properly apologetic."

Leandra stepped closer to Sebastian so she could look him straight in the eye. "Do you believe that Fenris meant to say such hurtful things to my son?"

He opened his mouth to assure her that the elf didn't and then paused. He thought back over every time he'd seen Fenris and Hawke together. Finally he looked at Leandra, "No, I don't think he meant it."

She nodded and then turned towards the stairs. It was only then that she realized there was a stranger in her house. "Who is this?" she pointed towards the blond elf girl huddling in a corner of the room.

"We ran across her in the caves," Varric stepped towards the girl. "She was a slave to Hadrianna but Hawke told her she could come work for him cleaning the mansion and stuff."

"What is your name dear?" she asked gently. The girl was clearly frightened.

"Orana mistress," the girl bowed deeply.

Leandra thought for a moment. She really wanted to go and talk with her son, but it was getting late and she couldn't very well leave the girl at odds ends. "Bodahn, would you get Jethann and have him see to the girl here. He can show her to a room and things like that. " She turned back to the girl. "We'll talk later after I've spoken with my son. Don't worry," she hastened to reassure her, "my son has promised you a position here and that will not change."

"Do you wish me to stay?" Sebastian quietly asked her.

"I think it best if you give my son some space for a while," she answered, frowning at Anders as she did so. She trusted the Prince's judgement more than the mage's. She strongly suspected that Anders opinion was influenced by the feelings he harbored for her son. "You may call upon him tomorrow."

The three nodded and then left. She watched them go and then turned and went upstairs to her son's room. She knocked softly on the door, "Gavin, may I come in?" Getting no answer, she tried the door. Finding it unlocked, she pushed it open and stepped inside, closing it behind her. Seeing him lying on his side on the bed, she moved closer expecting to find him asleep. A pair of tear filled green eyes met her blue ones. "Oh baby, I'm so sorry," she said softly as she took a seat on the edge of the bed.

Gavin turned his gaze back to the fireplace, meeting Fang's eyes as he did so. His faithful hound had settled there and watched him closely. "You should have heard him. He was so filled with hate and he looked at me like I was no better than that bitch Hadrianna."

"Sebastian explained it to me," Leandra smoothed his hair back from his forehead. "He doesn't believe that Fenris meant to hurt you and I believe him."

"Anders warned me that Fenris would turn on me one day," Gavin seemed not to have heard her. "That he hated mages too much to ever really love or trust one. Fenris swore to me that he would never turn on me and yet, a few days after swearing so, he did just that."

"He struck me as honorable," she said gently. "If he swore to something then-"

"If I was not a mage then that would be true," Gavin interrupted, his voice bleak. "But he stated clearly that he had no problem breaking an oath that was made to a mage. Which means that any promise he made to me was worthless."

She sat back a little, thinking about all she'd heard so far. "That whole situation with the hunters and that witch was very stressful. People say many things that they don't really mean when under pressure. I'm sure that Fenris didn't mean to say what he did."

"But how can I trust him now?" Gavin protested, tears beginning to fall. "The worst part is that, despite everything he's done, I still love him. How can I love someone who hates me?"

Leandra moved to gather him in her arms. She rocked him as he cried, just as she did when he was a child. "He doesn't hate you dear. He was angry and lashed out at everyone. He loves you, I know he does. Don't give up on him."

Gavin just cried silently, the hurt he felt was still as sharp and painful as it was on the day Fenris turned against him. His mother had waited a long time for him to find someone to love and he couldn't help but feel that this was coloring her judgement. She hadn't seen the look in the elf's eyes when he said those hateful things. Even if Fenris were to show up at the mansion and apologize, he wasn't sure he would believe him.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore, mom," he said, pulling away from her. "I heard enough already from everyone else."

"All right dear," she agreed and stood up. "You brought a young elf woman home with you," she changed the subject.

"Orana," he nodded. "She had nowhere else to go and I couldn't leave her to fend for herself. She'd end up a slave all over again, or worse. We have plenty of room and could use help cooking and cleaning."

"I agree," Leandra nodded. "Does she know that she's no longer a slave?"

"I didn't come out and say it exactly," he shook his head.

"Then it's best that I go and talk with her," she stated and turned to leave. "We can sit down with her tomorrow and go over what duties she'll have and how much she will be paid."

"Okay mom," he said. "And mom?" his questioning voice made her turn back around. "Thanks for listenening to me."

"I'm your mother, that's what we do dear," she gently admonished him, earning a slight smile from him. It was small, barely visible, but it was there and it lifted her heart. She hated seeing him in pain and she was angry at Fenris for being the cause of it. He'd suffered more than enough for one man. She only hoped that the elf would come to his senses before too much time had passed.

"Jethann has taken the elf girl to the servents quarters," Bodahn told her as soon as he saw her. "He seemed quite taken with her, but she seemed terribly shy and didn't raise her eyes or her voice once."

"From what Sebastian told me of her former mistress, I can't say I'm all that surprised by that," Leandra frowned thoughtfully. "I hope she will be able to get comfortable here."

"Messere Hawke is a kind and gentle man, a real honorable human," Bodahn told her. "Our little elf girl will see that and come around. Sooner than we might think even." The dwarf hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "About this business with Serah Fenris and all. I find it hard to believe the elf would behave so badly," he said in a quieter voice. "He's always been fair and polite with me and seemed to be honest, almost to a fault sometimes."

"How do you know about Fenris and my son?" she puzzled.

"The prince there and that mage were arguing when they entered the house mistress Amell," Bodahn shook his head. "Such behavior, most shocking."

"What were they arguing about?" Leandra's curiosity was now peaked.

"The prince was saying that Anders had designs on Master Hawke and that's why he was so quick to question the elf's motives," the manservant answered. "Anders denied it of course and then you came into the room and that was the end of the argument. At least until they left. They were so loud I could hear them through windows. Those are high above the street!"

"Hmm," she tapped a finger against her lips, "what's your opinion then Bodahn?"

"Me?" the dwarf was surprised. He'd often expressed his opinion, to his detriment sometimes, but this was the first time he was actually asked for it. He could see she was serious so he took a few minutes to consider his reply. "In my opinion, this is a matter that should be left between Fenris and Master Hawke."

Leandra smiled at him, "I rather think I agree with you."

"If we leave them be, they'll work it out, don't worry," Bodahn assured her.

"I hope so Bodahn," she sighed. "But it's not easy admitting your mistakes and Fenris is certainly not someone who can express himself with ease. I think it will take time for them to work through this. I hope that I can count on you to help them in any way you can."

"Of course you can," Bodahn nodded. "I owe Master Hawke so much, more than I can repay."

"Thank you Bodahn," she smiled at him. "Now, I had better go and see to our new guest and make sure she is comfortable. I think it will be a day or two before my son is able to address this matter."

Bodhan watched her go and then glanced towards the stairs. "Poor Master Hawke." It seemed that whenever he started to be happy, something happened to mar it. The dwarf shook his head and looked over at his boy. "Too bad you can't invent something to make problems go away. What a fortune we'd make with something like that, eh my boy?"

"I like Master Hawke," Sandal nodded. "Can I have some pie?"

Bodhan sighed and shaking his head, went to see if there was any pie left.