Moonpriestess30: Yep, he's back and he's an ass. I'm glad you think the quality was excellent!
Chapter 53 – Cliches are classics.
'Well your collars will be ready in about an hour,' Isabela said as she peeled herself from the wall, she spotted the look on Makatza's face. 'Hey, sweetness, what's the matter?' She asked, her friend looked a little pale around the cheeks and her eyes were a bit blank. Elgon and Ciere leapt from the higher stairs and onto the Pirate who swore annoyed at the weight that knocked her back.
'Yeah...yeah...I um... just realised that as I am a Lady, I really am going to have to deal with the whole marriage thing aren't I,' Makatza said quietly as she pulled Ciere off of her friend. 'I bumped into Lord Bavent in there-'
'That one at the party who was a right twat?' Isabela said as she shoved Elgon to the side so she could get up.
'Yeah, him. Ended up having to talk to him while I waited for my appointment, I have the worst feeling that he's going to take an interest,' Makatza says pulling a face. She had put her certificate in her satchel so that she didn't lose it, it was nice knowing she had done something right. 'And he went on about Aunt Leandra going to him to find out matches? I don't want her to find matches. I'm happy doing my own thing,' she said as she helped her friend up.
'Oh don't worry about it, if she's not tried to kick me outta bed with Hawke she'll let you do you,' Isabela assures. 'As for that twonk, just let Hawke know and he'll sort him out. If you want him dead, let Fenris know,' she teases.
Makatza sighs heavily as she loops her arm through Isabela's, 'are you ever going to let that drop? You bring him up all the time.'
'I'm just being honest, sweetness. We all see it. You know as well as I do that if you asked these things of him he'd probably do it,' Isabela shrugged a shoulder as they walked. 'This way,' she adds as she directs them into the right shop, 'the pups would have to wait outside, that okay?' She asked.
Makatza nodded and directed them into the alley beside the shop and made them promise to howl should anything go wrong. She realised too late that she had been dragged into a boutique, she resigned herself to the fact and started to peruse over the racks and shelving. 'Do you really think he would do things that I ask?' Makatza says simply to Isabela who was squealing over an outfit.
'Maker, yes,' Isabela laughs as she looks over her shoulder at Makatza.
'That's terrifying,' Makatza says pulling a face. 'I don't like that idea. Hmm,' she said thinking that she would have to talk to him about that. She found a nice looking outfit and pulled it off the rack to look at it, the cut didn't look quite so nice when really examined so she put it back. Maybe I should get some new underwear, especially... well... if I'm going to be getting close to someone. It would be good to be prepared.
Isabela snuck up on her and spoke while next to her ear, 'see anything you like?' Making her jump and laugh, Makatza suggested that she liked the idea of new underwear and Isabela leapt into action grabbing various things from shelves and shoving them into Makatza's arms. 'And this, and this, and a pair of these and this...but not in this colour.. you want it in this colour and last but not least these,' she says happily and then gives her friend a hefty push into the changing room. After a while of trying things on Makatza had a nice selection of things to purchase.
'What's next?' Makatza asked as they walked out the store and the puppies bounced at her feet in greeting.
'By the time we get there your collars should be ready, as well as your belt with the pouches? I didn't think you wanted a belt like that?' Isabela asked, Makatza avoided the question and distracted her by talking about one of the outfits she had gotten, it was a light purple set of breast band and underwear, it had more defined cups and had ribbons that wound from the bust piece to the hips crossing over around the navel. Isabela had great fun talking about the potential situations she could find herself in where an ensemble like that would have perks.
When they reached the leather-works Makatza dipped inside and her nose wrinkled at the smell of urine and faeces, she forgot that the tanner men needed the sulphates and things in waste products. She was glad that she didn't come here earlier, she was going to be smelling this all day. A man walked up to her wiping his hands on a stained cloth, 'you 'ere for them collars?' He asked bluntly. Makatza nodded he was good looking, no wonder he had a dalliance with Isabela.
'Yes, if they're ready of course,' she says smiling, her pups wander in sniffing things happily. He raises a brow at the sight of them.
'I see. The collars for them?'
'Yes,' she nods, she whistles bringing them back to her side instead of wandering around. He disappears into the back and returns with some dark brown leather collars. He had branded the Hawke sigil into the side of them.
He shows her that the brand seemed to be filled with silver, 'I couldn't get the brand to shine like the one on the original, so I filled them with silver instead, I hope that's okay. Do you want to try them on?' He asks holding them out to her. Makatza smiled happily and took one trying it on Ciere, it only needed a little tightening but it was perfect. She placed the other on Elgon and he scratched at it unhappily until hushed and made to sit still, he gave her back the original and she buckled it around her waist. 'This one I've made with a little extra room as the pouches will affect it's ability to be tightened, I basically copied the stitch pattern on the one you're wearing added some waterproof material for the insides, knowing Isabela you're bound to be getting wet with blood or other shit,' he says shrugging a shoulder. 'If you want anything changed, just let me know, I had a similar buckle laying around so I've just used that.'
Makatza takes the belt and smiles, it was almost exactly like the old one. 'Nope, I think it's perfect,' she revealed as she smiled happily. 'What do I owe you?'
'Ah, bare minimum, Isabela called in a couple favours I owed her,' he chuckles. Makatza thanked him extensively as she left and inhaled deeply in the fresh air, she found Isabela waiting for her a wall.
'You didn't need to do me any favours,' Makatza says giving her a hug. 'You should have used those favours for yourself!' She says as she looks at her puppies. 'They look really smart in them though, I might have more made in different leathers,' she mused as she thought about it. The collars were thick and covered most of the throat, Makatza knew how dogs fought and it was a vulnerable area.
'Ah, na. I really don't need anything in leather. Besides if I do I'll just whisper my wants into Hawke's ear and he'll be off like a nug with a pouch of black powder up his arse to get it for me,' she laughs. Makatza laughs and shakes her head grabbing her friend and continuing with their shopping trip, they spent the rest of the afternoon together spoiling themselves with frivolities and sweet things from the market. About fourish the pups started to get tired so Makatza made the decision to take them home, Isabela was busy tonight with Hawke she had promised to go into the coast with him; an invitation Makatza refused gently.
She entered the house and called out, Bodahn appeared to greet her letting her know that Lady Amell and Orana were out for the evening as a little soiree between households that was being held till late evening. Makatza thanked him and grabbed her bags taking them up to her room, she dumped them onto her bed and sighed happily as she saw her pups wander in from the kitchen having been fed by Sandal. They both curled up by the fire and yawned before falling asleep on each other, Makatza hummed to herself as she started to put things away. She grabbed the belt that she had made and decided to wrap it in some of the brown paper that she had gotten her other things protected with. It was only when she was inspecting it did she notice that the tanner-man had even put the Hawke sigil on the back pouch on the side and again filled with silver. She swore, she hadn't meant his belt to be branded, it was a lack of foresight on her part. She should have said. Oh well, if he doesn't like it, he can always pick the silver out, she thought to herself. After wrapping it up and putting her other things away she wondered what time he would appear or what she was supposed to do, she was pretty sure that he would be coming to her so she wasn't too worried about that side. To calm her mind she went for a quick bath and worried about the girly things that women worry about before having a man come over. She opened her wardrobe to looks for clothing while drying her hair. 'What should I wear Ciere? Elgon? Any opinion?' She asked her sleeping puppies and as she thought got no reaction whatsoever. In the end she chose to wear some of her new underwear, pretty and delicate in a pastel blue and over the top she chose a matching pair of pyjamas that consisted of a pair of three quarter length bottoms and a sweet cami top, both a light grey with silver stars dusted over the material for a bit of sparkle. She was playing with her hair and trying to get it to curl the right way when she heard the plink of a stone. 'Seriously?' She giggled as she covered her mouth. 'Is he really doing what I think he's doing?' She put her towel on the back of a chair and went over to her balcony opening the glass door, it had gotten dark quickly and a little nippy too. She moved onto her balcony not really happy about it as she hated the height and looked over the railing. Fenris was standing in her garden. 'What are you doing?' She laughed in a whisper.
He smiles softly before easily climbing up the trellis that had a rather stubborn ivy growing over it. Getting over the side of the balcony he looked a little pink out of embarrassment. 'I did not wish to wake the Mabari or be questioned by Bodahn,' he explains.
'Throwing pebbles at my window? That's so cliché,' Makatza teases lightly at him.
'It is? I have not heard of it before,' he defends. Makatza giggles and takes his hand pulling him into her bedroom, her pups raise their head at the new scents but soon settle back down again when they realise who it is. 'I see you were expecting me,' he says softly.
'Yes, translating what you said was a little tricky but I got there quickly enough,' Katza smiles as she goes over to her side table and pours them both a drink. 'It was very clever and Isabela had no idea, though I did have to refuse to join her and Hawke tonight,' she passes him the glass trying to squish the slight nerves of him being in her bedroom.
'Ah, yes, I refused that invite as well,' Fenris nodded as he put down his glass more interested in something else at this moment. 'I do not wish to talk about anyone else,' he says as he takes her hand and pulls her close. 'I have wanted to kiss you all day,' he murmurs as he brushes her hair from her face. Without waiting for her to reply or expanding on his point he embraced her tightly and kissed her deeply feeling the sudden sharp of her gasp in surprise making him feel pretty satisfied as she returned his kiss, careful not to spill her drink like last time; a mark on the carpet was always hard to explain. They took a little time to taste and find peace within each other before gently moving away and breaking the kiss.
'All day?' She teases as she smiles at him.
'Since the moment we awoke,' he admits.
'Well I think that Garrett and Isabela are going to be out all night and Aunt Leandra will be out till late so we have some time to ourselves before we worry about being interrupted,' Makatza said as she sipped her drink and smiled at him, she had already made the decision not to rush anything between them and she was sure that he wouldn't attempt to pressure her into anything so she felt incredibly comfortable with their situation. 'Did you have any idea of what you wanted to do this evening?'
'No, I simply wished to spend time with you without having to worry about whomever was around,' he says honestly as he picked up his drink. He hadn't brought his sword but had dressed in his armour just in case he was targeted on his way over, in an effort to relax he started to remove his breastplate. Makatza's healing waves had washed over his skin from the moment she had spotted him in the garden, it was surprising how much he missed the feeling of her mana and he privately wondered if it was a little selfish that he wanted to feel like it all the time.
Makatza smiled softly and began to light a few more candles around her room to make it a little brighter, 'well I had a thought, if you wanted to, I would teach you some things about reading and writing. I picked up some things in town today,' she admitted feeling a little worried that he might get a bit defensive. The look that he gave her settled the worried thoughts on her mind and she felt instantly better.
'You wish to teach me?'
'Yes, I hate the idea that you think you're somehow less of a person because of what happened to you. I want you to be able to write things down and read the beautiful stories of this world. Most of what I've learned about this place is in books, I want to share that with you,' Makatza says grabbing her satchel and sitting at the end of her bed on the floor. Fenris raises a brow and wears a half smile as he sits next to her having removed his armour. He glanced over at her as she pulled her hair over her shoulder so it wouldn't get in the way, the strappy top she was wearing showed the entirety of her shoulders and back and he couldn't help but look over the ivy and mythical animals that wound over her skin and down her arm. Somehow they suited her and he hadn't seen a woman with so many tattoos and he found the thought incredibly attractive, although he was pretty sure it was just because it was her.
He became aware that she had been talking to him and he cleared his throat, 'I am sorry, I did not hear what you said,' he admitted as he looked at her.
She laughs lightly and shakes her head as she pulls out things from her satchel. 'I said I bought you some books and pencils in town, I think quills will have to wait I can't even get used to them,' she said repeating herself as she passed him a book. He raised a brow and opened it, it had blank pages and incredibly faint lines that went across each page horizontally. 'I had them made, it's surprising how easily you can get stuff done in this town. They didn't even bat an eyelid when I asked for what I wanted,' she babbled.
'You had these made?'
She went a little pink and nodded, 'well, yeah. I wanted to teach you how I learned as I think it is going to be the easiest way,' she doesn't look at him for a moment. 'Is that okay?' She asks as she finally makes eye contact. He leans over and kisses her softly in reply feeling her smile under his touch.
'Yes,' he says resting his forehead against hers gently. 'Do not doubt yourself,' he adds as she smiles at him, 'everything that you do, I know is done with kindness.'
She blushes lightly and gently bites her lip, 'I wouldn't say I'm that thoughtful,' she mumbles a little shy. 'Oh I have an actual gift for you though!' She says as she remembers. 'Wait here!' She asks as she gets up trying to remember where she put it. Fenris watches her amused and entranced, this woman was something else.
