Chapter 37

Catching up

Never had staying in late in bed been so good. Merrill no doubt had the worst bed in the city but when she could at least make it comfy it was pleasant enough to sleep in for awhile.

This morning was different though.

She nuzzled her cheek into the soft pillow unlike her own at home which was just straws all bundled up in a thick cloth, the soft bed felt like sleeping on a bed of wool along with the gentle yet heavy bed sheet that rested beneath her head. Despite this bed being possibly the softest and most comfortable bed she had ever laid upon, it paled in comparison to someone else.

She still smiled softly as she placed her hand on the pair of hands clasped around her stomach, her back touched the warm bare chest that was Hawke's, she could feel her legs entangled with his own and thanks to her amazing ears she picked up the gentle breathing from him. She got sleep sure but she couldn't fully sleep, her happiness was just through the roof.

Merrill's feelings for Hawke had been laid bare and not only did he have the same feelings towards her, but she was his lover now. She felt like screaming like a little girl, nothing could compare to this joy that swelled in her heart. Even now this was the time she'd be up and about, creators it would've been two hours ago she'd already be heading to the Hanged Man for the next adventure but she didn't care. Just laying in this bed with her lover (she still felt like squealing just thinking that) was far more important and much nicer~

Suddenly she felt him pull her closer to him. 'Hmm? What's this? Why is there a Merrill in my bed?', he asked tiredly with a smile forming on his lips. Merrill giggled as he nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck. 'Hawke that tickles!', she giggled. She rolled onto her side to face him, smiling happily at him as he pecked her forehead. She laid her head on his chest, sighing contently as he held her close to him. Then their moment of silence was ruined by the sound…

A loud growl echoed in their room and upon looking down at the small elf's smaller stomach, it let out a smaller growl. Blushing the elf shyly giggled. 'Looks like someone needs some nourishments', Hawke chuckled, patting her head as he, to her disappointment, climbed out of bed. 'Breakfast is in order, and hopefully with everything going crazy we'll have a day to relax', he said as he picked up his trousers and robe. Merrill just laid there as he changed, smiling as she memorized the muscles his body possessed…and that amazing rump.

'Enjoying the show?', Hawke asked with a smirk. '…yes', she admitted with a sheepish grin as she stared at his toned chest just as he closed it up. 'Come on then, lets grab something to eat', he said. Merrill rolled over to her side and after standing on the floor, picked up her own armour and clothes. However, she turned to an expecting and waiting Hawke. 'Why are you staring at me?', she asked. 'Just waiting for the show', he teased. Merrill blushed as she quickly dressed herself, feeling the hue of red spread down her neck.

Later…

Nibbling the toast with hot butter between them, Merrill was listening to Hawke explain the wondrous creation that was of course Orlesian toast. How is it humans can be the most racist and cruel beings on Thedas yet they not only create amazingly soft beds and make delicious food? Then again Hawke is a human so there may be some hope for them yet. She even showed him some special elf tea and he agreed it was better than human tea with a touch of honey.

Then they heard a knock on the front door. 'Keep eating I'll get it', he said. Nodding, Merrill munched away the delicious toast as Hawke headed for the foyer. Awaiting for him was Varric, looking rather tense and impatient this morning. Upon seeing Hawke, he gave him a tired smile. 'Sorry to bother ya this early', he apologized, shaking his friend's hand. 'It's never too early to see my favourite dwarf', the mage welcomed with a smirk. 'Tea?', he asked. 'Maybe something stronger', the dwarf grumbled as Hawke led him.

Inside the dwarf spotted the elf sipping the elven tea, he raised a brow. 'Morning Daisy', he greeted with a friendly smile. 'Morning Varric!', she said happily. 'How long have you been here? Thought you'd be at the Hanged Man', he said. Merrill blinked before quietly placing another piece of toast in her mouth and returning to her tea shyly, ignoring the curious look in his eyes. 'She stayed the night after our talk, it was too late to allow her to go home alone', Hawke intervened. Varric made an "oh" sound and replied with a nod as he took his seat.

'So what brings you here so early and why does it make you want alcohol so early?', Hawke asked as he placed a cup of tea in front of his friend. 'Please tell me it doesn't have anything to do with the merchants guild', he pleaded. 'Oh trust me Hawke, its not half as bad', Varric said. 'Its Bartrand. He's back'.

At this, both mages looked at the dwarf. 'One of my spies spotted him a few times in Hightown, renting out an old estate we used to use for storage. According to them he's been hiding there for a week', he explained. 'But why would he come back to Kirkwall? Didn't you seize everything he left behind?', Hawke inquired. 'Pretty much yeah, but its possible he wanted to sell what he got from the deep roads here. Maybe a better price, I don't know but he won't be here for long once someone gets word I know he's here'.

Merrill nibbled away as she listened in to the two. 'So you think he'll still be there?', Hawke suggested. 'That's what I'm hoping, and I was thinking it's been so long since Bianca and I have seen dear brother a family visit is LONG overdue', he said. 'And we're owed some answers for what he did back then…', Hawke agreed with a smirk on forming on his face. 'Excellent, we'll meet up at his estate after sunset, see I'll grab Isabela if she's up for it', Varric said, finishing his tea quickly. 'Hold on a minute, sure you don't wanna stay for breakfast?', Hawke asked.

'Orlesian toast?', He offered. Varric hummed in response to this but after seeing the pleading eyes from Merrill, he let put a exaggerated sigh. 'Twist my arm with Orlesian toasts', Varric said as he retook his seat and awaited Hawke to cook the delicious meal. As the mage cooked Varric took note of the strange marks around the mage's neck, red little spots that looked like he was nibbled by something small. Then upon looking at Daisy, he saw her hair was wilder then before, not a single braid to be found but she was beaming like a light house.

'New hairstyle Daisy?', he asked. Merrill ceased her toast nibbling as she looked at him. 'Oh I took them off last night and just forgot to put them on', she said innocently. 'Odd, Isabela said you kept them in braids even when you sleep', he said curiously. Merrill blushed and scratched her cheek. 'W-Well, I may have had a bath and then just, went to sleep later', she muttered.

Then the dwarf saw small marks on her neck too since she forgot to close up her tunic properly, almost like teeth. He then compared the marks to Hawke's own and then smirked as he quietly waited for the breakfast.

He had a lot to tell Isabela~

Nightfall

The warm summer breeze accompanied by the quiet of night, it would've been romantic if Merrill could go for a walk with Hawke, enjoying the peace and quiet with their hands interlocked as they enjoyed the serene silence between them.

But they were busy with the possible chance of murdering a certain dwarf that left them to die in one of the most dangerous places in Thedas for greed's sake alone so the promise of answers won over romantic outings for now. She stood there beside Hawke and Fenris near an estate, keeping an eye on the home Bartrand occupied. For almost two hours there had been little change, excluding the other nobles that were doing what most did at night.

Fenris was apparently informed by the dwarf hours ago so he'd been keeping watch on the estate for some time before the group met up together but like present time, nothing had remotely changed. No servant had come or go, no visitors or buyers either, it as if the estate was empty or vacant. 'Nothing's changed', the white elf said as he watched the home. 'Maybe they're sneaking out back?', Hawke offered. 'Possibly, but wouldn't that more suspicious for neighbours?'. 'You clearly haven't played the "I spy on my neighbours" game', Hawke said with a chuckle.

Patting his leg, Merrill pointed to Varric, Anders and Isabela coming up the steps from the chantry, primed and ready for action. 'Anything happen?', Varric asked. 'Nope, oddly enough no one has come in or out of the estate', Fenris answered. Varric let out a grunt in annoyance as he turned on the estate. 'It looks like it hasn't been touched for weeks', he muttered bitterly. 'Sure he's here? Could be a decoy', Hawke suggested. 'I…don't know', Varric sighed.

'Well no sense in waiting lets go pay B a visit', Isabela said as she and Fenris proceeded to the estate with the others in tow. Though Hawke kept a worried eye on the dwarf, noticing his shoulders were tense, his fists unclenching and clenching regularly with his jaw tightening occasionally. Among all of the victims of Bartrand's greed, Varric was the one who was harmed the most. He never shows it to the others, maker they thought he was over it and just laughed it off.

Now though seeing him like this concerned the mage. Understandingly so he wanted answers, they all did but Varric may end up doing something he'll regret. Blood is thicker then water, but that doesn't mean it won't spill between family…

Inside

An eerie silence befell the group as they entered the estate, unlocked and unguarded. Weapons drawn and mana at the ready for the worst they entered the kitchen first to find most of the pots and essentials of the kitchen scattered around the place haphazardly and judging from the dirt and dust gathering around them they looked unused for quite some time. Isabela peered through the door after gently opening it, she spotted a few of what she guessed were guards patrolling around the place.

'Looks like he's got his buddies on patrol', she mused quietly. 'How many?', Fenris asked. 'Five on the foyer, two more asses on the stairs, archers', she listed. Turning to the others, each of them nodded in preparation. Slowly Hawke counted down the initiation for attack, and upon shouting "three", they all burst through the door.

Quickly Varric and Hawke took down the two archers with fire and bolt while Fenris cleanly bisected a guard as Isabela tossed a single knife one and pierced their throat. Merrill chanted a quick spell and suddenly roots sprung out from the ground and wrapped the guard up in tight vines before wrapping around his neck and snapping the muscle and bones. The finally guard turned on them with a loud beastly snarl as he sprinted towards Merrill, dragging his axe along the ground.

Quickly Hawke turned and with a grunt swung his staff and bashed his face in, causing him to collapse on the ground with a heavy thud as his axe bounced out of his hand. Yet the guard didn't even register the pain as he suddenly turned on Hawke and lunged upon him, screaming a loud animalistic roar. Thankfully he only managed to grab his robe before a single bolt pierced his skull, stopping the beast man and letting him fall to the ground.

Hawke stepped back as the blood pooled around him. 'Maker's breath', he gasped. 'Are you alright?', Merrill asked, gently griping his arm. 'What the sod got into that guy?', Isabela asked. Fenris knelt down and rolled the body onto his back, taking out the bolt and removing the helmet to discover the face had certainly had suffered. The skin was dry and several patches of skin was peeling off, eyes bloodshot like a templar suffering withdrawal, hair falling out in bits and spots. Teeth had been missing though that may have been courtesy of Hawke.

'Holy shit', Varric said as all the party's eyes fell upon the guard. 'What the sod happened to these men?', Isabela asked with a look of disgust on her face. 'Good question, magic?', Varric suggested. 'Unless Bartrand hired a mage from tevinter, I doubt any mage would be capable of this level of mutation', the mage spoke wisely. 'The way he moved and acted was like a wild dog', Fenris said. 'Something's not right here', Hawke said worriedly. Then Fenris turned around to face the second floor, seeing something shift behind a door.

Quietly signalling the others, Fenris quietly climbed the stairs, sword at the ready. Everyone else joined his side but before they could grab their observer. 'Varric? Is that you?', he said. Varric immediately lowered Bianca. 'Hugin? Hold off guys', he said. The dwarf came out of the room, looking haggard and worried. 'Friend of yours?', Hawke asked. 'Yeah…kinda… he's Bartrand's steward'.

'Hugin, what happened here? What in the ancestor's names happened to the guards? And where's Bartrand?', Varric asked. 'Varric, that statue Bartrand brought back from the deep roads, he said it…sang to him. Even after he sold it', he explained. 'Sang to him?', Varric asked. 'Can lyrium do that?'. 'Kinda', Anders said. Everyone looked at him as he rubbed his chin. 'The spirit we met back in Amaranthine said the lyrium sang to him when the warden gave him a ring made out of lyrium', he explained. 'But to everyone else there's just lyrium'.

'Maybe it works differently, I mean when Merrill and I tried to use magic near it were got a shock from it', Hawke recalled. 'It was not nice', Merrill muttered. 'What else? Why are you still here?', Varric asked his old steward. 'I've been hiding in here but the guards…they've like crazed animals. I couldn't risk going past them, everyone's gone mad here!', he said. 'Judging from the ferocity from this men that's a possibility', Fenris agreed. 'But there are no demons or spirits around here', Anders countered with a worried look.

'What about that idol? You said he sold it right?', Hawke asked. 'Yes, and we've heard no end of it. Its why we came back to Kirkwall, he wanted to try and get it back. He was ranting about it and its singing. Ancestors on his better days he hated the damn thing, wanted to get rid of it'. 'And when he actually got rid of it?', Hawke asked worriedly. 'He just got worse human', Hugin said. 'Karma at its finest folk, trap your brother and his buddies down there, and an evil statue will make you go mad!', Isabela teased with a smirk.

'Wait what about the other servants? We've only seen the guards', Hawke said. At this, Hugin's face turned disturbed and pale. 'I…I don't know what happened to them…but from the sounds from Bartrand's study…By the ancestors they're dead, I hope', he said with such sorrow. 'Well that's rather pessimistic of you', Isabela said. 'Why would you hope for them to be dead? Shouldn't it be the other way around?', Merrill asked.

'What about the guards, what in the Maker's name did he do to them?', Hawke asked. 'He's, been forcing them to eat lyrium', Hugin. 'The servants he, started cutting pieces off them while they were still alive'. 'Why would he do this?', Hawke asked. 'He says he's trying to help them hear the song'. 'Bartrand's not a nice guy but that doesn't sound like my brother', Varric said with a look of shock on his face. 'Eating lyrium is lethal alone for templars and mages if unchecked but forcing people to eat it would've melted them inside out', Anders said in disgust. 'Hugin, where is he now?', Varric asked. 'Inside the study room', Hugin pointed.

'Get going, we've cleared out the place, should be smooth sailing for you', Varric offered. Nodding the steward bid the younger Tethras farewell as he quickly ran outside of the estate. 'So who wants to say hi to Bartrand?', Anders asked. 'Bianca and me', Varric said darkly. Just as they entered the study, suddenly a puff of smoke enveloped around the group, Bartrand's voice echoed within it. Quickly Hawke dispersed the smoke with magic just in time for Fenris to tackle an leaping dwarf into the wall just as more deranged guards charged at them.

Quickly Isabela slit one of the guards by the throat and tossed her dagger into another's chest piercing him. Anders and Hawke blasted two more into wall breaking their spines and backs in the process while Merrill fired a rock bullet at one and pierced his forehead with deadly accuracy. Fenris tossed Bartrand aside after disarming him and tossed his axe into the wall. With the remaining guards defeated and out of their way, the group turned their gaze on Bartrand, who just getting to his feet begun to ramble.

'I can't… I can't… hear it anymore. I just need to hear the song again… just for a minute', he said. Then he started to rear his face around, hissing at nothing. 'STOP SAYING THAT! I know I shouldn't have sold the idol to that woman! It was a mistake…a mistake', he ranted. Growling with impatience, Varric grabbed Bartrand's shoulders and shook him hard. 'Bartrand! Get a hold of yourself! Do you know where you are? Do you know what you've done?', Varric questioned, frustration in his voice with a hint of desperation for answers.

Bartrand stopped his pacing as he looked at Varric, grabbing his arms desperately. 'Varric! You'll help me won't you? You were always the good brother', he said, desperate for help. Varric scoffed and shrugged off Bartrand's hands. 'Help you!? Bartrand! You left me to die in the deep roads! You left Hawke and the others down there to die! You tortured and killed the people who served you for all these years! And for what? A trinket!?',

The anger in Varric's voice was something none of the party had ever heard, yet they also heard the sadness behind the fury. 'Look at yourself! Look at what you've done to the men and women who served you! Where is your nobility brother? Where is your dwarven pride', Varric demanded. Yet the more he yelled the lesser his anger became as he realized his brother wasn't even acknowledging what was going on, rather he seemed to mumble and ramble more about the idol he lost. 'Something's not right…Anders?', Hawke suggested looking at him.

'This doesn't feel right that's true…if he wasn't a dwarf I would say a demon did this to him but…no. It's like mind was…poisoned by something powerful', he explained. 'You said the room the idol was in, it affected your magics right?'. 'Yes, Merrill and I tried to use magic to escape but once we finished a chant, the spell backfired and next thing we knew we were zapped', Hawke explained.

'Then if it affects mages in such a way, then it may have influenced Bartrand's mind, possibly damaged it', he said. 'Can you help him?', Merrill asked. 'Yes…but not for long', he said. Gently with a small chat Anders casted a spell that surged around Bartrand's head, making him stumble a bit and then catch himself. 'That should clear his thoughts but it won't last long', he said with regret. 'Varric?', Bartrand mumbled, dizzy and confusion in his tone as his brother caught him. 'I'm here brother', he said in a assuring tone.

'What…what have I done?', Bartrand said with regret and remorse in his voice, guilt washed over his face as he looked around the carnage he wrought. 'I…I don't know, but we're gonna fix this, I promise', Varric promised. Behind the dwarf, Hawke looked at Anders who gave him a shake. The spell was only temporary and soon the Tethras would return to the deluded mad man the idol reduced him to.

A possible fate worst then whatever Varric could have done…

Outside

As the group climbed back down the stairs that lead to Lowtown after bidding Fenris a good night, Isabela awaited for the dwarf by steps with Merrill, talking about the recent events as Hawke stayed by the younger Tethras.

'You need anything?', Hawke asked. '*Sigh* A stiff drink maybe. Feels like a horse kicked me', the dwarf said. He looked in the direction of the estate, a look of guilt and frustration on his face. 'Part me kinda wishes Blondie didn't bother using his magic, it would've been so much easier to just put a bolt in the bastard's head and call it even'.

'You would've hated yourself afterwards, you're not the sort of person who'd kill his own brother', Hawke assured. 'Heh, you sure Hawke?', he asked. '…Alright a swift kick to the family jewels and maybe rubbing in his face I'd expect', Hawke said while throwing his hands up in defeat. Varric chuckled at him, a smile replacing his frown. 'Thanks for this', he said. 'Least he can get the help he needs, and who knows? Maybe he'll go back to his greedy ways we all know him for'.

'Just as long as we never agree to pair up for an expedition into the deep roads', Hawke said with a smirk. 'Oh no, trust me I'll make the hirelings read the fine print about the "warning: employer may imprison you in deep roads" part', Varric promised. He looked to Lowtown with a look of apprehension. 'Still…if he did sold that idol, then I need to find out who bought it and warn them about it', Varric said with concern. 'I'll have Aveline see if a noble or someone picked it up, wouldn't be the first time someone bought dangerous', Hawke promised.

Patting his friend's side and bidding them a good night, Varric climbed down the steps after Isabela bid Merrill a good night. Once the two mages were gone and out of ear shot, Isabela leaned near him. 'So…Kitten and Hawke?', she teased. 'Oh yeah I noticed the two, see the way Daisy was watching him?', Varric agreed with a smirk. 'Oh please did you see Hawke's gaze? You'd swear her arse was the only thing that existed in that place!', she persisted.

And thus a new story has already begun to formulate in Varric's mind…

'Hey, wanna help write a story?', Varric suggested. 'Do I get to write the fun stuff?', Isabela asked. 'That goes without any saying!'.

Hawke Estate

'Well that was an ordeal', Hawke said as he and Merrill entered their bedroom, staves placed against the wall. 'Do you think the sanatorium will help him?', the elf asked. 'I don't know Merrill…this level of corruption, it may be too much for them', he said with regret. 'But live in hope'. Merrill nodded as she removed the armour from her clothing but looking at Hawke she saw him picking up some bars of soap. 'What are you doing?', she asked. 'Going for a bath, nothing worse than getting into bed covered in grime and blood', he said.

Merrill nodded in agreement as Hawke headed for the bathroom but then paused. He turned to the elf with a smile. 'Do you want to join me?', he offered. Merrill blushed at this as many images of a naked wet Hawke in suds quickly overflowed her mind.

'…Yes please', she said with a grin.

A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates. I've run out of ideas for HXM shorts and just don't have the time to make more for now. That said I've got one more chapter for this then I'll be taking a break from it and working on a new project.

Thanks for reading and worry not the project will only be three chapters long I promise~