"Fennic!" Startled, I turn to the panicked screech that is Eve who pounces on me, horrified; my muscles tense up as I flip the abomination over.
"I told you not to do that!" I scold her as she sighs and grumbles.
"Meanie….look, I…I saw Krem, he, she, I…I don't know anymore!" Eve cries in utter confusion.
"Okay what happened?" I sigh shaking my head as I gently set down the shaking and panicking girl.
"I…I planned o go treat myself to a bathe w-when I stumbled across Krem and he…she…I…argh! I don't…I don't understand, I'm so confused," Eve panics as slowly my eyes widen at the lost girl, slowly gathering the pieces.
"Ah so you found out…" Calmly, I respond.
"Wait you knew!?" She gasps.
"Had an idea," I shrug.
"I…I don't understand why wouldn't Krem…"
"Surely you met a few in the tower?" I argue softly, only to frown. She's been confined to the tower for years, never really been outside, of course she wouldn't really know of Krem's situation, oh boy, I guess it's time to…explain in the best way I can…
"No, I…those bindings looked painful," Eve whispers still lost as I steady her.
"Eve…sometimes people are a born a gender they later on discover they do not wish to be, or feel more comfortable as another gender. So in order to feel more comfortable, some would use magic to change their appearance or follow the lifestyle Krem does. Krem wishes to be a man so we should respect that," I try to explain fearful of angering any passer-by's.
"Is it because he likes girls because Sera does he could…" Naively, Eve offers as I sigh at the poor girl.
"That doesn't matter whether he likes girls boys or whatever, what matters is how comfortable he feels with himself and what he wants to wear, be or act shouldn't matter because he's our friend," I try to explain to her calmly.
"O…okay I never knew gender could be so complex," Eve confesses.
"Even the most simplest of things can be the most complex, people may argue against this and such, and have different views on Krem, but life goes on so do we, I mean it's his life, his choices what about you?" I reason.
"I mean…he's not hurting anyone…" Eve bows her head, brow furrowed as I nod and help her.
"Whether you support him or not is up to you, but I will not tolerate you treating him differently," I step back, wanting her to make the choice.
"Do you?" Eve ask.
"Sure I mean he's not being a dick about it and hasn't made a big deal out of it, just be careful when talking about this stuff, you'd be surprise how sensitive this topic can be…" I explain carefully.
"Right, thanks Fen for the heads up I mean it," Eves smiles and leaves.
Calmly, I stroll through Skyhold, my ears perk up at the sound of cheering, making me glances at and smile when I see Robin, happily exploring the grounds of the garden. I raise a brow when I find Cole kneeling down, smiling as he has…a nug in his hands. I raise a brow when seeing Cole offer the nug out for Robin to pet.
"Don't worry he won't hurt you Fennic told me they don't bite…" Cole assures Robin.
"Um…" Nervously, Robin glances to the side fearful.
"Cole what are you doing?" I enquire curious as I watch the curious Robin stare at the creature both wary but in awe.
"Auntie!" Joyfully, Robin leaps into my arms.
"Hey buddy, what's going on?" I ask gently kneeling down as Robin hides in my arms, shyly.
"I wanted to show Robin what you showed me," Cole whispers revealing a familiar nug.
"Where did you get it?" I request curious.
"Leliana," Cole answers.
"Did she know or did you steal again?" I query recalling Evie telling me of Coles innocent acts of mischief.
"I was trying to be nice. Robin seemed bored and I thought she needed a friend, everyone needs a friend like you do…you didn't have many before but now you have plenty, "Cole whispers as my eyes briefly widen at the leakage of info, no one relay knows of but my brother.
"I…see. Well Robin don't you want to say hi to the Nug?" I probe softly wrapping my arms around the fidgeting Robin, shyly, one of their blues eyes meeting my calm composed blues and nods coyly approaching, turning their back to me to approach the pink nug and softly, slowly gently place their hand on the nug, earning a squeal of approval from the nug, a genuine excited look crosses Robin's features.
"He likes me!" Robin gushes, smiling brightly at me and Cole, earning a small smile from Cole.
"You smell nice, a comforting smell of pine. Very much, hand as soft as silk, so gentle, so soft, so warm, remnants of ambers from what once was a mighty spell," Cole whispers, scaring Robin slightly as they remove their hand from the nug, feeling her tugging on my leg, hiding behind my thigh fearful.
"Hey now come on, why don't you both play with the nug?" I offer.
"Will you watch?" Robin begs most likely as I sigh and nod taking a seat. I watch the two children play with the nug…
Note to self, thank Leliana for the nug…calmly, I watch the two play with one another in their own little happy go lucky world, however as they do, my eyes narrow as my ears pick up the distant murmuring of staff, servants and civilians currently living in Skyhold as I feel their eyes on me and the other two…
"Isn't that the half-blood?"
"I had heard rumours of the champion and that knife ear…"
"I hear they are an abomination…"
Scowling, I turn to glare at the gossiping crowd of both men and women who quickly disperse fearful of my gaze as I glare at the scumbags, talking about my family, tch they can go die for all that matters. I glance back at the two only for my eyes to widen worried when I see Robin's shaking hands quivering balling into fists as I notice faint sparks of ember from her hands, Cole slowly turns to look up at me, not sure what to do as he awkwardly bows his head, trying to console her burning rage…
"Robin," Quickly, I approach the girl, my eyes narrowed as my nose twitches at the stench of burnt skin.
"Let me see your hands," Softly, I instruct her as she turns away from me.
"Robin," I command as she bows her head, revealing her bloodied hands, burned.
"We…we need to get to Solas he can help," Cole reasons as I nod, gently picking up Robin who curls into my chest.
"Cole can you get Hawke?" I request as Cole nods and vanish. Determined, I head to Solas's room, gently shushing the crying Robin in my arms, sobbing cradling their bloodied hands, apologising over and over as I feel a sharp pain in my chest, pained to see her so upset..
"Solas!" I call out as he turns to me.
"What happened?" Solas questions as I gently place Robin on his desk.
"Burns, self-inflicted," I tell him as the door bursts open and the heavy slam of the door startles me, making me flinch as we turn to Hawke.
"Did it happen again?" She questions me as I nod as Hawke releases a worried sigh.
"Robin…" Hawke sighs worriedly down at her daughter as Solas tends to her injuries.
"They were saying means things about papa, why are they being mean to him?" Robin demands tear eyed, sniffling.
"Because they don't understand that's all…" Gently, Hawke tries to reason.
"It's not fair! Papa and mama did nothing wrong they…they tried to help…!" Robin cries, wrecked with tears.
"Sweetie…" Hawke begins.
"Solas could you?" I ask as he nods and uses his barrier magic stopping Robin from harming her palms. In the end, Solas and I sit down on the sofa while Hawke plays with Robin her back turned to us as Solas frowns, his eyes turning to me, clearly wanting to talk…oh boy.
"So Robin is a apostate…" Solas begins as I grimace; the pair of us sat on the sofa as Robin plays with Solas paints with Hawke watching patiently. .
"Yes, she is still learning how to deal with her magic as we speak…" I argue.
"Have you taught her?" Solas questions to Hawke.
"I've tried, I always had an inkling that if we had a kid, it would be a mage, the Amell's have a strong bloodline of magic and so does Fen's family…" Hawke brings up as briefly I scowl at the mention.
"You may have magical abilities laying dominate in you…?" Solas turns to me as I frown.
"I'd rather not speak of it, what matters is Robin needing to control her magic, she's harming herself Hawke, you know this," I begin.
"I know. I thought I taught her to control her emotions or else her spells will go chaotic…" Hawke sighs guilty.
"You did the best you could," Solas assures her.
"It wasn't good enough…I've been so busy with wanting to escape Kirkwall that I forgot to even think of my daughter," Hawke confesses sadly.
"I can teach her…" Solas offers.
"Solas?" I raise a brow surprised by the suggestion.
"It will be difficult at first especially with your husband, Hawke but I am willing…" Solas explains.
"I…thank you Solas I thank you," Hake bows her head after tending to Robin who broadly explores Solas office.
"So pretty! These wolves are so pretty! Just like daddy and auntie!" Robin gushes making me chuckle.
"Robin, Fennic is named after the Fox," I correct her.
"Why a fox?" Robin questions making me frown as Hawke intervenes.
"Because why not I mean were named after birds," Hawke smiles bringing her daughter into a hug picking her up.
"Oh yeah! Heh! I wanna see Daddy! I wanna see Daddy!" Robin pouts.
"Alright, alright lets go," Hawke smiles pecking her child's forehead and leaves.
"Thanks for dealing with Robin," I thank Solas standing up.
"It was nothing, she seems like a pleasant girl," Solas compliments.
"More like curios if anything," I huff.
"You make that sound as if it's a bad thing," Solas raises a brow.
"Oh no it isn't just a bit tiring when she asks questions way beyond her years," I confess.
"A progressive thinker," Solas praises.
"Yeah, yeah still though you sure you want to teach her? She can be a bit of a handful," I warn him.
"I don't mind. She can't be as bad as you," Solas smirks.
"Hey I'm not bad…" I argue.
"You bite people who go near you…" Solas points out.
"You don't know where those hands have been…"I propose making Solas chuckle, shaking his head at me.
"Auntie come on! Training! Training!" Robin's voice calls out as my eyes widen.
"Oh yeah I did promise to teach them," I mutter
"Teach them what?" Solas questions.
"Some self-defence." I shrug.
"She's ten," Solas frowns.
"Hey who's the guy who says knowledge is great," I argue silencing him as I smugly smirk and leave the prideful am to his art pieces…
Loudly, I smirk as I hear the cheer and roar of the pub as I enter the establishment, finding my brother and Sera chatting surprisingly.
"I've heard of Red Jenny," Fenris begins as the tow nod at me as I join the table.
"Yeah? What next, you gonna tell me it's rubbish? We do just fine the way we've done it, got it?" Sera huffs.
"I was going to say you should look into doing some work in Tevinter," Fenris recommends.
"With all the weirdy blood magic and stuff? Pffftt, pass," Sera dismisses.
"I can see it already. Magister's running around covered in glue and feathers," I smirk coyly at the thought.
"Yeah, they laugh," Sera smirks.
"Okay so you glow and kill things like Fennic does. Handy that. You ever been stuck in a dark spot and thought murdery things just to light up so you could see?" Sera asks curious.
"No. Fennic's power allows her to absorb damage and deal it back while I simply…" Fenris trials off trying to find the right words.
"Fist people," I summarise earning a snort form the giddy Sera as my brother glowers at me as I smirk back.
"But it's good for pick pocketing nobles," He huffs.
"What you mean you just – reach in and take it? Wicked! You should pants 'em too. Nobs bein' surprise pantsed by an elf! Never live it down," Sera giggles excited.
"I'll try it some time," My brother smirks.
"What are you doing?" I question baffled
"Hawke told me of this relationship, now it's your turn to tell me," Coolly, my brother demands as Sera goes off to hang out with the chargers and I feel my form recoil, slowly sinking into the booth seat, terrified for what's to come...