Staying At Fenris's

Part I

Fenris frowned at the human woman standing in the center of the massive grand hall of "his" mansion. She and the Marbari beside her were soaked to the bone, but that wasn't why he had remained at the top of the stairs. No, it was the look of anger on her face. Whoever had caused such normally ended up on the ground bleeding. That was unless it was...

"Why is she being like this?"

Shaking his head, Fenris stared down at Avalyn Hawke. "Your mother again?"

She nodded. "She has taken complete control of the remodeling of the estate."

He crossed his arms across his chest. "That doesn't explain why you are here, Hawke."

Avalyn tilted her head. "Do you remember your offer when we found my grandfather's will?"

His eyes widen slightly. He had forgotten his offer of allowing her to stay in one of the many rooms of the mansion, but then it had been months since he had made that offer. Fenris nodded at her. "I remember. I take it that is the reason you are here."

"I need a break from her, Fenris. I love her, but she is really testing my patience." Her face softened.

Sighing, he lowered his arms. "You can stay, but..."

She smiled up at him. "Oh, I know. I'll have to clean out my own room." She then frowned. "You did clean bodies out at least didn't you?"

Rolling his eyes, Fenris turned and walked back into his room. He was already beginning to regret making that offer to her.

XXXXXXXXX

What was she doing in there? Thuds and crashes came from the room down the hall. Fenris poked his head out of the door and stared down the hall at the dust billowing out into the hall.

He frowned as an old rug flew out of the room and over the railing to land in the grand hall below. Dust followed after it. Was it really that bad? He glanced back at the room he lived in. Was dust truly a bad thing? It covered also everything, didn't it?

Avalyn walked out into the hall covered in dust. She glared down at him. "Seriously, Fenris have you ever cleaned this place at all?"

Fenris blinked. "What is cleaning?"

Avalyn sighed before marching up to him. "It's about time you learned then." She reached out towards him and stopped. She then took a step back from him. "Follow me please." She then turned and walked back to the other end of the hall before glancing over her shoulder. "Well, are you coming?"

Fenris frowned as he stood straight. His instincts hadn't caused his markings to react as she had reached towards him. He hadn't reacted at all like would normally would to someone reaching towards him. What did she have planned? Yes, over the last few months he had followed along with her. He was grateful for her help. That was all. It had nothing to do with the fact he liked her, or that he had wanted her to touch him. Oh, no that wasn't it at all.

"Fenris, are you coming?" Her soft plea reached his ears. He was damned. Why did her voice pull him so? He could pick her voice out from the crowd at that damned tavern down in Lowtown or the Market Place without any real effort. Shaking his head, he sighed before walking out the door and turning down the hall.

XXXXXXXXX

Ahchoo! He hated cleaning. Or was it dust? Fenris couldn't believe this was something one did willingly. He hadn't stopped sneezing since he had entered the room.

Almost all the furniture than had once filled the room was now either in a heap in the garden or were still laying in the grand hall after it had been thrown out of the room.

He glared over at Avalyn as she wiped off a mirror hanging on a wall. "I still don't understand how you couldn't have stayed in the room as it was. Now I have more work to do.

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "I wouldn't have had to do this if you had asked for help making the place more livable, Fenris. Not even the shack in Lowtown was as bad as this when we arrived."

Fenris softened his face. He had been inside the small hovel she had shared until recently with her mother, sister, and uncle. It hadn't been as grand as some of the places he had seen that he could remember, but it had felt something he couldn't name.

Avalyn frowned at him. "Is something wrong, Fenris?" She turned towards him. Concern was written on her face.

He forced a small smile. "I'm fine, Hawke."

She shook her head. "Ava."

Tilting his head to the side, he lowered the corners of his mouth. "Ava?"

Avalyn nodded. "Someone in this city besides my family should call me by my name." She then shrugged. "Not even Aveline calls me Ava."

Fenris frowned. If not even Aveline called her Ava, a person who had known her longer than he did, then why would she allow him to?

Avalyn smiled at him. "Well, we're almost finished." She nodded towards the hearth. "Although the chimney does have me worried."

Fenris tilted his head to the side. "What about the chimney?" He glanced over at the cold hearth.

"I saw a few cracks. So it wouldn't be safe to use it. At least, this one isn't safe." Avalyn looked towards the opened windows. "At least, it shouldn't hopefully get cold this far into the year."

Fenris nodded but soon frowned. Just how long was she planning to stay? How angry was she with her mother?

Sighing, she looked back at Fenris. "Why don't we head down to the Hangman and get something to eat? My treat."

Fenris righted his head but continued to frown. "Why go there?"

"You want to go to the Rose?" She frowned at him.

His eyes widened before he shook his head. "No."

She gave a quick nod. "I thought so. Besides, I think after everything we've done, we both deserve a drink."

He gave a half-smile before nodding. "Fair enough."

Avalyn nodded, smiling. "Good." She dusted her hands against her equally dusty pants. "Either way at least there they won't question us too much on why we look like we've been crawling around in duct."

The half-smile turned into a full smile. "With what we've looked like before," he gestured at his equally dusty appearance, "this will look normal."

Avalyn nodded as she began to move towards the door. Well, we better get a move on. I don't want to wait too late before leaving."

Fenris slowly began to follow her.

She paused at the door. "Oh and Fenris, make sure you bring your sword just in case." Then she continues out into the hall.

Fenris remained in the room for a moment. Maybe making that offer hadn't been such a bad idea as he had first thought. Shaking his head, he exited the room and quickly went to his room. After retrieving his sword, he began down the stairs.

Avalyn and Shadow waited beside the door. She gestured to the massive pile in the main hall. "We'll deal with that tomorrow. Tonight we relax."

He nodded as she turned and opened the door. The Marbari trotted out into the square. Avalyn followed not far behind him.

Fenris shook his head again before following after them the waning light. The door of the mansion shut behind him.

So I've returned to this series of one shots for now. I can't say when a new one shot will be out, but I hope soon.

Thanks for any support given.

CL