Promises: Chapter Thirty-Two

Disclaimer: Dragon Age and all assorted characters/places/etc belong to Bioware, not me.

Fenris watched the next morning as Hawke bustled over their packs, checking to see that everything was in its place. The two of them were going to set off to visit the chanter's board to see if they could find any work. However both Fenris and Hawke were of the same mind when it came to being prepared. Hawke had suggested and Fenris had readily agreed that they should be ready to leave in a hurry in case things went south. They had finished putting away everything a while ago, but Hawke had insisted on double checking to make sure nothing had been forgotten.

It was a practice that Fenris would normally endorse, but this time, he couldn't help but wonder when Hawke would take care of one last, glaring detail.

"All right, what is it?" Hawke asked him, twitching her nose. "You've been glaring at me for the last ten minutes. I'm keeping everything in order, I promise you—"

"It's not that," Fenris interrupted her. He had never had a problem with the mageling's neatness; if anything, she liked to keep things more orderly than him. "I was thinking that you had better take care of that sooner than later," he told her. He gestured towards her neck at the rather prominent love mark he had left on her neck.

Hawke lifted up a hand to rub at it, a wistful smile on her face. "I don't know what you expect me to do about this, Fenris," she said. There was a faraway look to her eyes, and he could tell she was thinking of how they had spent the night before. He swallowed a breath. Seeing her like that—not only remembering everything he had done to her the night before but wanting more of the same—it was hard for him to think of anything except taking her again.

It was not the appropriate time for such thoughts however. If there was no work for them in this village, then it would be best for them to move on to someplace where they could make some coin. So Fenris pushed such temptations aside and focused on bringing his mageling's attention back to the present too. "Don't be obtuse, Hawke," he said. "Aren't you going to heal it?"

"No actually, I'm not."

Both of Fenris' eyebrows shot up. "What?"

"I know you're not hard of hearing, but because it's you who's asking I'll repeat myself just the same. I said I'm not going to heal it."

Fenris couldn't believe his ears. A shiver of delight ran down his spine at the thought of Hawke walking about, his mark uncovered for all to see. If she paraded herself around like that everyone who saw it would know that she was claimed. That idea was intoxicating, but he pushed those thoughts down. It simply wasn't practical for Hawke to do something like that. While he liked very much seeing his mark on Hawke, it simply wouldn't do for her to keep it when they were going about town. People would naturally notice it and stare and maybe even talk about what a strange pair they made. Such notoriety was the last thing they needed.

"Hawke," Fenris said patiently, silently hoping that his mageling wouldn't be too stubborn about this. "You have to heal it. It will not do for you to be seen with such a…such a…."

"An obvious token of affection?" Hawke finished for him. She batted her eyelashes flirtatiously at him, but he refused to be moved on this subject.

"That's one way to put it," he said. "People will talk Hawke, and who knows who might overhear them. The last thing we need is to stir up gossip in every town we visit."

"I know that, Fenris. But we're already a rather memorable pair. It's not every day that you see an elf like yourself wielding a giant sword. For that matter, my cover as an impoverished noble isn't exactly the best there is if you're trying to avoid notice."

Hawke had a point. Fenris had to give her that. However, just because they couldn't fade into the background, didn't mean that it was all right for them to go ahead and make spectacles of themselves. "Fine, Hawke. I'll agree that an elf that looks as strange as I do or a lady who is as beautiful as you are—"

"Wait! You think I'm beautiful?"

Fenris blinked. Hawke was looking hopefully at him, waiting for his reply with bated breath. It was such an odd question for the mageling to ask. Of course, she was beautiful. She was simply the one of the loveliest women he had ever met. "It's a fact that you're a stunning woman, Hawke."

"Yes, but usually when people say that, they're referring to my lightning spells."

"Let me guess. When you say they, you mean your brother." Hawke nodded her head. Fenris held back a sigh. "I would hardly think your brother is an unbiased observer," he noted.

"Well, no, he's not. He tends to think the worst of me, actually. But that being said…you really think I'm beautiful."

Fenris looked sharply at Hawke to confirm that she wasn't just fishing for compliments. As far as he could tell—and he liked to think that he had learned to read the mageling very well since they met—Hawke was sincere in her questions. "Yes, you're beautiful," he said. "You must know that. This can't be the first time you've heard such a thing."

Hawke wrinkled her nose. "You've said as much before, and I suppose that's all that matters. Father and Mother have also told me the same, but they don't count because they're my parents and they're supposed to say things like that."

"But you must have had suitors before? Surely they must have paid you numerous compliments on your looks." Though Fenris knew that Hawke had been a virgin, the men in her village would have to be blind not to pursue a maiden as lovely and charming as she.

However Hawke shook her head from side to side. "No, I've never had a beau. I honestly don't know if anyone was interested or not. I was an apostate, you see. Father taught Bethany and I that we had to keep our magic a secret from everyone else, that we could only trust our family."

"I see." Fenris coughed nervously. He suddenly felt kind of pervy with the way he had been unable to keep his eyes off of Hawke's figure from the start. He knew that other men stared at Hawke at the same way, but apparently he was the only one who had ever acted on that attraction. Not that there was anything wrong with that; knowing that he was Hawke's one and only was satisfying in its own way.

"I think we've ventured far off topic though," Fenris said, more to himself and his wandering thoughts than to his mageling. "I was going to say that our disguise has served us well in the past and I see no reason why it wouldn't continue to serve us just as well in the future."

"We're in a different country for one," Hawke replied promptly. "You have to admit that Antiva was a strange place. I don't think we were ever bothered too much mainly because that's not what people do if they want to keep on living in Antiva. Besides we were with a Crow for most of the time there. If he pulled strings to keep the templars away from us, who knows what else he did behind the scenes?"

"But the Free Marches are different from Antiva," Hawke continued on blithely. "More like Ferelden, I think. The explanation that you're the only servant my family could afford wouldn't work in Ferelden. There a lady always had at least a maid with her, and if she was seen traveling with only an male elf for company, most people would assume," a pale blush covered the mageling's cheeks, "well most people would assume that she was intimate with him."

"Which you are," Fenris couldn't resist saying.

"Yes. Frequently," Hawke agreed, her blush deepening. "But my point is that people will assume we're together anyway. I don't see the harm in confirming their suspicions. Maybe that will make them talk more, maybe that will make them talk less, but on the balance, I don't think it will make much of a difference. Besides maybe we'll gain the odd ally that way if they think I'm running away from my family to be with my one true love."

Fenris snorted at that romantic backstory that Hawke suggested. "Nothing could be further from the truth," he murmured.

"Not entirely. I mean, I am trying to get back to my family rather than run from them. But I like to think that…never mind." Hawke bit her lip and ducked her head, her hand rising up to trace the mark on her neck. She spoke up again before Fenris could question her on what she had been going to say. "In any event, I think it's best I leave my skin as it is. We're going to the chanter's board. Which is by the chantry, in case I've forgotten to mention that. Perhaps it's different in Tevinter, but here there are usually templars around chantries. I don't want to use magic and have it linger around me in case we run into one."

With that, Hawke effectively disarmed Fenris. He turned her argument about in his head, trying to find a weakness, but in the end, he concluded the mageling was right. "That makes sense," he concluded.

"You don't have to sound so surprised, Fenris, Even I have sense once in a while."

The elf shook his head at that remark. "No, it's more often than that." The mageling was clever, if maybe a little naïve, and common sense was not something that she lacked. His gaze fell upon Hawke, lingering over his mark that she would wear openly today. His mind clouded over with lust. As before, the mere idea of her parading around with his mark in plain sight did things to him. The urge to take her then and there struck him with sudden urgency. He adored his mageling, and even though he wasn't ready to give voice that emotion, he still wanted her to know just how much he cared for her.

However, Hawke herself had other ideas. She turned her attention away from him, satisfied that she had won their little debate, and finished checking their packs as he stood there contemplating how much time they had to spare for more bedroom exercise. Then before he could act on his desires, she thrust one of the packs into his hands.

"There," she said. "We had best get going. The morning chant will start soon, and I would like to see the chanter's board then."

Fenris held back a grimace. It was his own damn fault for just standing there rather than distracting Hawke from her task. "Is there really such a need to rush?" he asked. His eyes darted back and forth. He could pounce on her, he supposed, and pin her to the wall again.

"I believe I just told you why. Now come on. If we hurry, maybe we can stop by the baker for some fresh bread." Then Hawke cocked her head to one side and smiled cheekily up at him "I don't know about you, but I find that I'm rather hungry after all the exercise we got last night."

Just like that, his arousal deflated. Fenris silently cursed himself for not thinking about that. Of course, Hawke wanted to eat. She didn't have his stamina—yet—and what was more, she hadn't ever had to go without food when she was hungry. He would never wish the sorts of punishment he had to endure, the days his meals had been withheld from him because of some magister's whim, upon Hawke. That meant that he needed to remember in the future that his mageling was used to eating after vigorously exerting herself.

His plans for a morning lie in now laying in shambles, Fenris slung his pack across his shoulder and followed his mageling out the door. Hawke had no problems navigating through the end. She easily found her way from their room to the inn's entrance. She paused once she was outside however. "I think the baker I saw was that way," she remarked pointing to the left. "But I'm not entirely sure."

Fenris looked down the street, trying to pick out any signs of a bakery being down it. Then he shrugged his shoulders. "I don't remember seeing a baker so we'll have to trust your instincts. We can rely on our noses if it comes down to it."

"Brilliant idea!" Hawke exclaimed. She set off purposefully. Though she walked at a fast pace, Fenris was able to keep up with her with ease. Feeling the stares of the townspeople upon them, he decided to walk by her today rather than a few steps behind. He was willing to bet that the love mark on her neck had been sighted, and that people were putting two and two together about the true nature of their relationship. He knew that gossip was inevitable, but he hoped that would be the end of it. However he couldn't be too careful. Hawke was a beautiful woman, and most would assume that she could do much better than him. While Fenris could understand such a sentiment—even now he had trouble believing that Hawke not only wanted him but was happy to be with him—he wasn't about to give Hawke up to anyone.

Hawke's memory turned out to be correct. The baker was located just down the road, and the stall was marked by a small line standing beside it. The two of them got in the line, which moved at a quick pace. It took them longer to buy the bread though once they got to the front of the line. The baker named an obscene price for a single loaf of bread, his gaze flicking over first to Hawke and then to the elf standing resolutely at her side. Hawke merely wrinkled her nose in response and set about convincing the man into being more reasonable about the worth of his wares. It always amazed Fenris to see just how potent Hawke's charm could be when she put her mind to it. In a matter of minutes, they were walking away from the baker's stall with several piping loaves in his pack and another in Hawke's hands.

The couple split that last loaf of bread between them as they continued on to the town's chantry. They caught sight of the chantry after they walked along the town's high street for several minutes. The chantry was the largest building in town, its steeple towering over everything else, and was surrounded by a small stone fence. Despite that, it seemed a little small and dreary to Fenris' eye when compared to the chantries in Tevinter, but somehow its aura was infinitely more welcoming.

As Hawke had planned, the outside of the chantry was mostly abandoned when they arrived because everyone was inside for the morning chant. Just inside the chantry's fence was a large board, which Fenris surmised this was their destination. A sole priest stood by the board, his eyes watching them as they approached. To Fenris' surprise, the priest didn't issue a standard greeting when Hawke trotted up to the board and instead quoted from the chant of light.

"Chanters are priests who have sworn to speak the chant and nothing else," Hawke murmured under her breath, answering his unspoken question. "Now let's see….are there any interesting jobs." She pulled a face. "Hmm…looks like a farmer needs some help with his harvest but that's not exactly our specialty Oh! Someone wants an erstwhile daughter to be tracked down after running away with a bard…the pay's good, but something tells me there is more to the story there."

"Isn't there always?" Fenris muttered. He wished that he could peruse the board as well rather than relying on Hawke to find a decent job for them. If he could read, he was certain that this task would go much faster.

Hawke continued to scan the chanter's board, clucking her tongue at the selection. She pointed out the more amusing ones, like the one whose owner needed help exorcising the ghost of a dead chicken. Fenris had to wonder just who was allowing such a ridiculous item to be posted. He glanced over at the chanter, who seemed to be of sound mind. Perhaps the chanter had a soft heart, Fenris thought, and so allowed sillier jobs to be posted to the board than he should.

A glint of armor caught Fenris' eyes. He looked discreetly in that direction and then mentally swore. A templar was now patrolling the chantry's grounds and was heading their way.

"If there aren't any promising jobs, we had best be on our way, Hawke," said Fenris. "We can always try the chanter's board at the next town," he added with some urgency. The templar had caught side of them and was now headed their way.

"Just one moment," said Hawke. She bent over. "There's this one last posting that I want to read. Hmm…no pay is offered but—"

"If we're not getting paid, then we're not interested," Fenris said sharply. "We're not so well off that we can risk our lives for a charity case."

Hawke straightened up, a hurt expression on her face. "But Fenris—"

He shook his head and then took her by the elbow. "If that's all, then we had best get going, Hawke." He dropped his voice to a whisper. "Before we outstay our welcome," he told her urgently.

Hawke's eyes widened as she grasped his meaning. However it was too late. The templar was now within earshot and hailed them both promptly. "Good morning!" the templar called out. "A bit late for the morning chant, aren't we?" he noted as he sidled up to them.

Out of habit, Fenris inserted himself between Hawke and the templar. However Hawke peeked out from behind him and answered the templar, rather than fading into the background like she should have. "Oh yes, I know. We're just passing through town and so we didn't know when the morning chant would start," she replied. It was remarkable how steady her voice was considering who she was talking to. "I never liked interrupting the chant after it got started. I thought we might as well check out the chanter's board rather than waste the trip here."

"A trip to the chantry is never a waste," the templar proclaimed. "Although the two of you seemed to be arguing over which job to take. If you don't mind my asking, which ones interested you?"

"None of them," was Fenris' response.

"The last one about the poor kidnapped Fereldan lad," Hawke said at the same time.

"I see," said the templar. "Hence the argument, I assume. Not so fond of risking your own neck without no recompense, are you?"

The tips of Fenris' ears burned, but he wasn't about to let this templar lecture him. "No, I'm not. If whoever posted that job can't be bothered to rescue the boy, I don't see why we should."

"It's not so much as I can't be bothered but rather I'm bound by my duty to protect the chantry here from any rogue apostates who might show up," the templar replied. Though his tone was light and there was a smile on his face, a chill still ran down Fenris' back. Somehow he got the feeling that Hawke's precautions about limiting her use of magic this morning were for naught. This templar knew just what Hawke was.

"If you're the person who wrote that post, do you have any more information? I mean it is rather vague the way it mentions rumors about bandits holding the boy captive in some nearby caves," Hawke spoke up. That was enough to break up the uneasy silence that had settled over them.

"Unfortunately I do not. I heard the tale from a few peasants who came to the chant last evening. The bandits had a prisoner and were armed, and so naturally they all stayed out of the way."

"Then how do you know who was captured?" Hawke asked.

"It is a bit of supposition on my part. I heard from my colleagues in Ansburg about how a Fereldan noble's son had been kidnapped by bandits a couple days ago. It seems entirely likely that these two events are connected, which is why I made the posting on the board. As I said, I would check it out myself if the chantry didn't need guarding. Or so the Reverend Mother insists." The templar's eyes cut over to Hawke. "I suppose she has a valid point. One must always be vigilant. Who knows when an apostate might show up?"

Fenris did not appreciate the unspoken threat to his mageling. His hand drifted towards his sword. "One lone templar against an apostate isn't much of a force," he noted.

"Especially if said apostate has a warrior guarding her," the templar agreed readily. "However I doubt the townspeople would look kindly upon such an apostate and her guardian once I raise the hue and cry."

Fenris narrowed his eyes. The idea of having to fight their way out of town didn't appeal to them. However it was beginning to look like they didn't have much of a choice. "That would be unfortunate. I imagine that a lot of the townspeople would wind up hurt in such a scenario."

"And I doubt the apostate and her guardian would escape with their lives," the templar replied.

"And that would just prove that you're both idiots," Hawke huffed from her place behind the elven warrior. She sighed and then tugged at Fenris' arm. "Fenris!" she cried. "We can't just go on and leave without checking to see if that poor child needs help. I mean I was captured by slavers once and no one came for me and it was…well let's just say it was scary. I can't imagine how frightened this child must be, alone and so far from home already."

"The lady has a kind heart," the templar noted clinically. "One that will serve both her and her guardian well."

Fenris sighed heavily. He was going to lose this argument. It would have been hard enough to convince Hawke not to go and help the kidnapped child, but with the templar practically blackmailing them to go, he had no chance at winning. "Very well," he finally said. "Although directions to this bandit-filled cave would be most helpful."

"I will do you one better. I have a map," the templar said. He pulled out a map from somewhere inside his armor and unfolded it. Then the templar pointed out both where they currently were and where the cave was located. Thankfully the cave was only half a day's walk out of town and so they wouldn't be going too far out of their way.

"If it turns out that the bandits are more than you can handle, then please don't try anything heroic and stupid," the templar told them as he folded up the map and handed it over to Hawke. "And that goes double if you come across any blood mages amongst them. Come back here and ask for help. Ser Thomas is my name."

"So you can't leave your post to rescue a kidnapped boy but you can to chase after blood mages?" Hawke asked.

"Confirmed sightings, yes, because then my duty to safeguard the populace from blood magic takes precedence over everything else. And who better to recognize such foul magic than another mage?"

Hawke let out a gasp and then lifted her chin, her eyes blazing with defiance. "I have no knowledge of such atrocities," she said quietly but firmly. "Nor do I wish to have any."

"I know. If there was any such taint muddling your magic, my sword would have already left its sheath and been on its way to your heart," the templar replied. "Your control is marvelous for one so young and not circle trained. Had it not been for your guardian's nervous behavior, I doubt I would have noticed it. "

"So if you noticed it, then why are you—"

"I see little good in confining a trained mage who abhors blood magic while seeking to aid others. I wish you good luck on your quest. Hopefully you won't need it." The templar's words were a clear dismissal, and both Fenris and Hawke were eager to get away.

Author's note: Look, it's another update and sooner than the last. Or so I think. Anyway thanks for reading and I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. As for everyone kind enough to review the last chapter-you all are the greatest. Seriously. Reviews always bring a smile to my face. :D