i'd like to take the time and say, thank you so much to everyone that reviewed! last chapter got a bunch more than usual which was a lovely surprise haha. i loved reading all of your reactions to these two dorks finally seeing each other again!
*4.1.21: retyped edited to fix mistakes, update writing style, and add to the story.*
Part VIII
To say that Fenris expected the sight which greeted them upon their entrance would be a complete and utter lie.
Though the sounds of fighting already had them rushing, it was the scream that had them barreling through the door. Fenris had recognized the source of it instantly, memories of the shrill sound of it digging into his ears, grating and taunting and relentless, washing over him as panic and fury both gripped his heart with fingers icy to the touch.
Whoever it was fighting Hadriana, Fenris did not care — only one person would be taking that witch's life today, and it was him.
But when he shoved the door open, sprinting inside with his blade at the ready, Fenris could only reel to a stop and stare, all thoughts of clawing into Hadriana's chest to rip out her heart dropping into the Void.
For there, surrounded by about a dozen undead and crumpled to the floor, was a small woman gaping back at him.
A woman who was supposed to be dead.
Fenris felt it, his heart stuttering to a stop the very second her eyes locked with his — a familiar, deep blue-grey which had haunted his dreams beyond measure, for days and months and years, to no foreseeable end. All breath rushed out from his lungs in one harsh exhale. Pink lips moved to the shape of his name, the sound of it by a voice he hadn't heard for so long, a voice he had not been aware of just how keenly he missed the sound of, pulling from him a ragged, wrecked gasp that left him weak in the knees and had his companions turning to him in shock.
"Kagome…"
It was as if time had slowed to a stop as she and Fenris stared, too stunned for words as they drank the other in.
You're here, Kagome numbly thought, scarcely able to believe. Her chest felt — tight, as if all breath had been siphoned from her lungs with just… a single glimpse of white hair and olive green eyes, and all she knew next was the roaring tempo of her pounding heart.
I… actually found you…
But time, in fact, did not stop, and when Kagome registered the unique gravelly groan belonging only to the undead, she was quickly reminded that it was also a terrible time for a reunion.
Reinvigorated by the sight of Fenris, Kagome leapt to her feet with a war cry on her lips. She tackled the undead closest to her, ramming her shoulder into its rotting, meaty chest and choking back a gag at the rancid smell of decay that assaulted her in turn. They tumbled to the ground, the decrepit longsword it wielded falling from its hands and clattering to the floor.
Shoving herself away, Kagome rolled and scooped the blade into her hands and pushed herself off the ground. Putting all her weight behind the swing, she decapitated the next undead within reach and used the momentum of the strike to carry over and sweep through the one she'd just tackled as it clambered to its feet.
A roar came from behind, one still so familiar to her ears despite not hearing it for so very long. And though exhaustion wore at her bones, her arms trembling and her legs threatening to buckle beneath her, Kagome felt her lips twitch, a smile coming to life as her eyes began to sting.
Fenris, she nearly sighed out aloud. Kagome couldn't help the soft, giddy laugh she huffed out from under her breath, blissful warmth spreading through her veins.
But now was not the time to celebrate — not with her still surrounded by the undead.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Kagome jumped back into the fray with a wide swing directed at her next opponent. Her blade cut true, cutting a large diagonal slash deep across its chest. Pushing past the corpse as it stumbled and dropped to the floor dead once more, she swooped down to collect her dagger with her free hand and readied herself for the next undead.
She darted back just in time to dodge a corpse lunging at her with a jerky swipe of its greatsword, only to freeze when her back pressed firm against that of another's.
Three years apart and yet still Kagome recognized Fenris with ease: the sculptured outline of his armored back pressed flush against hers; how the air sung in time with the pulses of his markings; the sound, the cadence of his sharp, measured breaths; even the scent of his armor polish underlying that of his sweat.
And for a moment, it… it felt like it was only yesterday that they were on the road together, fighting off bandits or a group of hunters or those gods-be-damned spiders again.
"You should rest," she heard the man himself rasp from under his breath, and Kagome allowed herself a respite to just... allow his voice wash over her. Her eyes fluttered shut as she basked in the familiarity, unable to help it as her lips curled in response. "You are injured. We can take care of this."
Rest… what a tempting idea. Coming into these holding caves on her own was a poor idea — that she knew the moment it was too late for her to turn back, and the injuries she'd procured from the stunt itself were testament enough. Many were superficial, but one of the rogue-assassins from the last room had gotten a couple of pretty good hits in that even with her last health potion, they'd yet to fully close either.
She had been lucky in the beginning, to be truthful, striking from the shadows and the few stamina potions she kept on hand helped to stave off the fatigue from travelling and fighting nearly all day. It was the last few fights that had really wore at her, her movements having become slower and slower as a result, the hits becoming harder to dodge and those that she couldn't progressively left deeper wounds. And yet…
Just the thought of Fenris being captured and imprisoned somewhere inside these caves, ready to be dragged back to Tevinter in chains…
She couldn't have waited — not if there even was the infinitesimal chance he was here. Waiting could never have been an option.
Resting now, too, was not an option either.
So Kagome put on a grin and let out a laugh. "I've had worse," she reminded him, keeping her voice light, "Rest can wait until after we put this magister in the ground." And with that, she leapt forward on nimble toes and swung her blades.
The sound that worked itself out from Fenris's throat was pure exasperation and so familiar, Kagome would've let out another laugh were she not too busy trying to kill an undead. Instead, her eyes stung with another wave of nostalgic tears. Blue light flared and danced from behind her as Fenris's markings pulsed, the man lunging forward to attack his own opponent.
"What are you even doing here?"
Kagome let out a soft 'hah' under her breath.
How could I not be here? When I heard your name fall from a Tevinter slave hunter's lips?
"Oh, you know," she huffed out instead, as flippant as one could be whilst whirling out of the way from the incoming jab of a longsword, "Overheard a couple of hunters earlier — something about a bounty, an elf, and Danarius. Followed them here." Plunging her stolen blade into her opponent's chest, Kagome used her booted foot to shove it off and went on to face the next. "Had to make sure-" she cut off, ducking under a swing.
Using the momentum to pivot on her feet, she grasped the arm attached to the offending weapon and threw the corpse into another nearby. Without pause, she sunk her sword into them both.
"Make sure of what?" Fenris asked from behind her as she yanked the blade out. Then came a grunt, and Kagome glanced over her shoulder to find him rearing his sword up high into the air before bringing down hard, decapitating his opponent with one deft swing and then moving onto the next one closest.
A noise to her front had her twisting back just in time to see a flash of corroded metal, and with a grunt of her own she parried the oncoming strike, arms screaming with the effort to knock it away. Leaping back, she took a few quick breaths before finally answering.
"That they didn't have you."
Fenris grew quiet after that, so much so that Kagome chanced another glance over her shoulder only to find him staring right back at her, his eyes two burning, unfathomable depths that sent shivers down her spine. The muscle of his jaw twitched under the strain of his clenched teeth, the grip on his sword becoming visibly white-knuckled.
A whistle broke their staring, a bolt sweeping by Kagome so close it nearly caught her hair. It hit its intended target with an obscene squelch, and they turned to find it buried into the forehead of an oncoming corpse just to their side. They watched, staring dumbly as it fell to the ground dead.
A click and whir had them turning back around to the opposite direction to find a dwarf loading a rather sophisticated looking crossbow. "I'd advise less flirting and more fighting," the blond drawled, the corners of his lips quirking in a lopsided smirk. Palming a gloved hand into his jacket, he pulled out a dagger — dark metal forged with a wicked curve and sharp — and tossed it over to Kagome. "You look more the dagger type than a sword."
Kagome let the sword drop to the ground in favor of catching the short blade, twirling its hilt between her fingers to test its weight. Light, but it felt sturdy and its weight balanced. "Appreciate it," she said, flashing him a genuinely grateful smile.
Varric nodded with a grunt.
Just then, Fenris's markings stirred to with a flicker, burning bright right as Kagome felt the tingle along the back of her head.
"She's calling more demons," the pair chorused, before sharing a startled look.
"Yeah…" Varric drawled, looking between the two with a shake of his head, "That's not weird or anything."
Snorting, Kagome turned to the magister and called forth her abilities. Drawing the purification energy into her hands, she charged ahead, her once forgotten fury reigniting at the sight of the summoning circles that lit up the ground and the burning forms that surged up from within them. "Didn't I already tell you?" she snarled, daggers raised in front of her, "Demons won't help you here!"
"She glows too?" came a female voice.
"What do you know," came another, different from the first, "A matching set — two short glow sticks of rage!"
An angry cry spilled from Hadriana's painted scarlet lips as the rage demons she attempted to summon were destroyed before they could even charge an inch forward, a pulse of purification blowing outward the moment Kagome brought her blades in a downward swing and turning the creatures to dust.
"I can see why he likes her."
Kagome heard Fenris snarl. "Didn't you say less talking?"
Ducking her head, she tried not to grin; instead, she gave a harsh exhale as she darted back to Fenris's side to fight the undead once more and quickly murmured so only he could hear, "I don't think I'll be able to do another one of those for a while."
"After that, I doubt she'll be summoning more demons anyway," Fenris grunted out, almost sounding wry as he cut down the undead before him, turning to the next quickly thereafter.
He was right, as Hadriana instead resorted to raising even more undead.
"Really?" The groan came from across the room, indignant and exasperated — one of Fenris's companions, a woman with dark skin and wild brown curls, tamed only by the blue headscarf tied around her head. In both hands she wielded twin blades, restlessly twirling them between her fingers with practised ease. "More undead?"
Kagome agreed with the sentiment wholeheartedly as she stabbed the one in front of her, and would have voiced it if not for the large spike of ice she noticed hurtling straight for them. The barrier she instinctively threw up in response would only take off the edge and slow it down. She knew that with the energy it was costing her to hold up the one still protecting the innocent captive, with how low her reserves were already running, she didn't have enough to hold this one against the force of the attack.
"Fenris, duck!" she called out just as the spell hit, dropping to her knees as she felt her energy swoop dangerously low with the effort of holding the barrier against it as long as she could, her head becoming light and vision blurring.
Fenris obeyed her call without question, ducking low just as the ice shattered through her barrier and flew overhead, taking down his own foe instead. With a snarl on his lips, he closed the distance between them, a hand curling under her arm and heaving her up to her feet before one of the undead staggering over could get at her.
Fenris reeled her in close, hand leaving her arm in favor of his arm wrapping around her back and hoisting her up against his side, his other hand leveling his blade in front of them as a shield. "It's costing you too much to hold up that other barrier!" he admonished, an edge in his voice tinged with worry.
Kagome panted heavily as she leaned against the elf, an arm wrapped up around his back and her hand curling over his shoulder for support. She shook her head, both to clear it and to refuse what she knew he was about to propose. "It's… it's the only thing preventing Hadriana from using them-" she wheezed out as soon as she managed to collect the breath for it, "-or the undead from reaching them."
Cursing, Fenris maneuvered them around to block an incoming strike one-handed, shoving the attacking corpse back as best he could with a rough kick outward. "Hawke!" he snapped out, his arm still wrapped firmly around Kagome's waist to hold her up against him.
A beat passed before the mage called back, "What's up?"
"The slaves! She cannot hold the barrier up for much longer!"
"I'm on it!" Soon came the roar of fire, Hawke's laughter at its tail as it ushered in a chorus of screaming undead. "Take that, suckers!" she cackled, another beat passing before she called out once more, "Done and done!"
A glance over saw a layer of shimmering blue overlapped that of pink, and Kagome sagged in relief as she could let the barrier drop away, the strain of it bleeding away in an instant. The energy she'd used was already trickling back to her, the sensation as good as any stamina draught.
"I-I'm good," she murmured against Fenris's ear, catching the hand that gripped her middle and squeezing it. She felt him shiver against her, her breath hitching for not even a second before she pushed past and ignored it. "Thanks…"
"Of course," Fenris replied immediately, catching her gaze for a swift moment. His quiet exhale was a solemn declaration in of itself — that of course he would help, that of course he would always be there for her, should she ever require his aid. "Are you sure?"
Kagome stared back unflinchingly, even as her heart raced at both his words and the intensity of his stare. "Trust me," was all she said, giving his hand one more squeeze, this time firmer.
Fenris hesitated no longer than the quick beat it took for him to give her a closer look before he returned her gesture and they were jumping into battle once more.
"Y'know, I'm getting pretty tired of these guys myself!" Hawke's voice rang out. The ground glowed a blinding white then, circling around the majority of the remaining undead before they were all dragged together by some unseen pull, the same force then lifting them up into the air and slamming into the ground with a mighty crack the next second.
Panicked curses reached their ears, and they looked over to see Hadriana had backed herself near the wall, throwing up a barrier of her own.
"Kagome," Fenris murmured urgently, and with a quick inhale she nodded.
The pair broke out into a sprint, charging straight at Hadriana. Fenris covered Kagome as she dragged as much energy she could muster into her blades, dancing around the remnants of the undead blocking her way until she reached the barrier. She raised her blades and brought them down with a shout, the pommels alight with pink slamming against the other woman's barrier with a sharp crack!
"No!" Hadriana gasped, stricken as her last means of protection shattered to pieces. She lashed out with her staff in retaliation — the end of which Kagome had noticed much too late was fixed with a sharp blade.
"Fuck!" Kagome hissed as it sliced through the leather of her armor and into flesh at her waist, even as she leapt back to evade the strike.
Another two leaps back and her vision swam, knees buckling and threatening to give out from under her. Shit! She only just managed to keep herself upright, clutching at her injury. Stupid, stupid mistake! A quick inspection of the wound had her initially dismissing it as too shallow for immediate concern for the moment, knowing either fatigue or distraction would be the likelier contenders to do her in before the blood loss could.
That was before Kagome looked up at Hadriana, however, finding the magister to be sporting a triumphant grin and her fingers, just centimeters away from the blade of her staff, now tipped and dripping with blood.
Her blood.
Kagome didn't realize what was happening until Hadriana was already raising her head. Red mist gathered in the air, swirling about the other woman's fingertips. Kagome staggered back with a gutted cry as white agony lanced at her side, her wound ripping wider and deeper into her, breath hitching as blood spurted from the now-gash before her spine grew rigid.
An odd, false calm began to settle over her mind and body, despite how her heart now tripled in speed and force.
What the fuck? Panic hastened her breath, and though she tried to move, her limbs refused to obey — not even her mouth would open for words to come out. What the fuck?!
"Now I remember," Hadriana drawled, and Kagome found that her eyes at least could move as they snapped up from the ground. She watched as Hadriana drew closer with languid footsteps, the corners of her mouth now curled into a smirk. Her ice-blue eyes flickered between Kagome and Fenris, flashing with wicked, cruel glee when the latter, two paces behind the archer and having just finished with his undead opponents, froze upon the sight of Kagome standing unnaturally still and drenched with blood from the waist down on her right side.
Hadriana hummed, the sound of it mocking as she looked Kagome up and down with curiosity. "Over three years ago, Danarius had mentioned our little wolf having procured a travelling companion: a woman with a bow." She chuckled then, a slow and menacing melody, "We had to hire more hunters just to take her out specifically."
Fenris gave a low snarl; Kagome felt similarly inclined to do the same.
She also felt extremely inclined to stab the other woman as well.
Hadriana stepped up to Kagome, looking down her thin, porcelain nose at the shorter woman with a sneer. "Last I heard, however," she mused, head tilting to the side, "You were dead."
Kagome's nostrils flared, a harsh huff escaping her. "I - got - better," she gritted out, spite spurring her on.
Hadriana pursed her lips, the narrowing of her gaze in disdain the only split-second warning Kagome had before white flashed before her eyes. She grunted as the magister's hand gripped her jaw — the same hand coated with her blood, Hadriana's manicured nails digging into the flesh of her cheeks.
Hadriana squeezed tighter, letting out a sharp tut in return. Kagome could only watch the quirk of the witch's lips when Fenris snarled out a curse from behind at her manhandling. "I'll be sure to remedy that, don't you worry," she cooed, voice sickeningly sweet, "But first…"
Hadriana's face smoothed over as she trailed off, lips now curling to form a twisted caricature of a smile, too cruel to be the real thing. She let her hand slip from Kagome's face, but not without letting her nails score lines into the archer's skin as she dragged them down the length of Kagome's jaw.
The magister took three steps back then, raising her hand once more. "But first, why don't you… turn around. Yes, I believe it would be more fitting for your so-called friend to take care of you."
Kagome's eyes widened, the icy fingers of panic closing around her throat when she found her body actually turning to face Fenris against her will. She raised her eyes to meet his own wide stare. His panic was clear as day as his gaze searched her own, his perspiring face pale and contorted not only with fury, but with fear as well.
Her heart ached at the sight, spurring Kagome to struggle anew against the invisible chains that bound her will.
Her fingers had only just begun twitching under her instruction when Hadriana spoke up once more from behind.
"Isn't that right," taunted the woman, voice dripping with oily smugness, "My little wolf?"
Kagome felt herself snap.
She was already tired and hurting — Hadriana's attempt at blood control and her monologuing was just adding insult to literal injury. But then to top it all off, the bitch would not stop referring to Fenris as a possession and she just could not take it-
Kagome snarled.
"He's not 'your' anything!"
Calling forth the very last dregs of her strength and power, Kagome allowed it to wash over her; the connection between Hadriana and her blood shattered like glass within an instant. Pink light still sparking across her skin, Kagome whirled about to face the magister and with an enraged cry, she gave into her earlier urge: hurling the blade in her hand, letting it fly into the air just as her legs finally gave out from under her.
As she pitched forward onto her knees, Kagome gritted out a victorious grin and one last parting shot.
"And I am not your plaything."
A gasp ripped out from Hadriana's lips as Kagome's dagger buried itself into her shoulder, cutting into a pained groan as she staggered backwards from the impalement. Three steps back and she ended up tripping over the hem of her robes, crashing to the ground on her backside. Her staff slipped from her fingers, skittering away out of reach.
Wasting no time, Fenris strode past Kagome and was advancing the magister in seconds before she could pull another trick from her sleeves, the dark scowl on his face a terrible thing and terrifying force to be reckoned with.
"No, no, no!" Hadriana shrieked in protest, scurrying back as much as she could on her hand and feet as the elf stalked up to her with a thunderous expression, still cradling her injured shoulder. She cast a desperate glance to her staff where it had landed paces away just as Fenris stomped his heel into it and snapped it in two with an ear-splitting crack!
Her head whipped up to look back up at Fenris, eyes shot wide with terror. "S-stop" she stuttered out with a gasp, throwing an arm up in defense just as he raised his sword with every intention of bringing it down upon her neck. "You do not want me dead!"
Fenris paused, if only to let out a harsh laugh bereft of amusement. His lips twisted as he sneered down at her, the low drawl of his voice edging something near sinister. "There is only one person I want dead more."
"I have information, elf," Hadriana hastily offered, pleading her case, "And I will trade it in return for my life!"
"Ha!" Fenris let out a scoff full of scorn, and would have rolled his eyes had it not meant taking them off the witch for even a single second. This, he expected. Of course she would beg and barter for her life with everything she could pull now that it was hers in his hands. "The location of Danarius?" he sarcastically ventured, letting out another laugh dripping with derision, "What good would that do to me?" His lips curled then, framing a callous smirk as he raised his sword higher to strike. "I'd rather he lose his pet pupil."
But Fenris did not expect what Hadriana had to say next.
"You have a sister!" she shouted fervently just as he brought down his blade. Sweat dripped from her brow, her pale face now stark white and her chest heaving with her fear and the pain of the dagger still in her shoulder. "She's alive!"
Fenris faltered then, his weapon dropping to the side and his grip around its hilt slackening in his shock. He could hear the sharp intake of breaths of his companions, but could not push his mind past the words he just heard.
A sister?
His mind raced at the possibility, as well did his heart — this could be a trick, a devious plot of Hadriana's in order to preserve her life, and yet…
And yet…
A sister…
Somewhere in the depths of his very being, those words rang a note of truth.
Hadriana must've seen his uncertainty for she shifted forward, stumbling as she shuffled onto her knees. Relief crept into the edges of her expression.
The sight of it infuriated him.
"Y-you want to reclaim your life, do you not?" Hadriana was panting heavily now, curling inward on herself; blood seeped from around Kagome's dagger where it impaled her flesh through the witch's fingers as she clutched at the wound, rivulets of red trailing down the length of her arm and staining the expensive pale blue silk of her robes. "Let me go," she beseeched of him, "Let me go and I will tell you where she is, I promise it."
Fenris hesitated for a brief moment where he only stared down hard at his former master's apprentice, conflicted. Slowly, movements unsure, he straightened and stowed his sword on his back.
Footsteps approached him from behind before coming to a stop at his side, and a quick glance out of the corner of his eyes told him it was Hawke that stepped up to stand beside him. "This is your call, Fenris," he heard her murmur quietly.
Fenris set his jaw and stepped up to the fallen magister down on her knees.
"So I have your word?" Hadriana asked of him swiftly as he drew closer, wide-eyed and pupils dilated — afraid. The sight of it conjured a small amount of silent satisfaction to curl inside his gut. "I tell you and you let me go?"
Fenris paused just inches away, leaning forward as he loomed over the witch.
It could be a trick, his mind warned yet again, but a sister. He felt it foolish, the hope that ignited inside his chest — but of anyone besides Danarius himself, Hadriana would know of his past. Likely to taunt and tease him with in the future should he had ever returned into Danarius's clutches, but still. She would know.
And there was that part of him, small and deep inside that he couldn't ignore that just knew it to be the truth.
Looking Hadriana square in the eye, Fenris studied her — he could spy no deception, nothing hidden in the depths of her gaze. What he saw was blatant fear, trepidation, desperation… and that hint of relief. If nothing else, it would not hurt to hear what the witch had to off him.
Then… then, he could decide.
"Yes," Fenris told her, the word rolling slow off his tongue, "You have my word."
Words spilled forth from Hadriana with ease and eagerness, "Her name is Varania," she exhaled, sagging where she kneeled, "She lives in Qarinus, serving a magister by the name of Ahriman."
Fenris felt his eyebrows furrow. "A servant…" he repeated at length, "Not a slave."
Hadriana shook her head, brisk and fervent, "She's not a slave," she hurried to placate, and her eyes locked with his once more. The relief he saw earlier was now profound, and no longer was she tense. It was as if she felt safe. From him.
Not once had he ever felt safe in this woman's presence — that she would in his, when at last it was she at his mercy….
Fenris jaw twinged. His fingers curled, the metal claws of his gauntlets digging into the sensitive lines of lyrium marking his palms. Words he'd often heard time and time again echoed in his ears, louder than ever: "Such a good slave you are, my little wolf…"
Another phase then followed it — one that sent his blood aflame: "We had to hire more hunters just to take her out specifically."
His markings ignited, flashing blindingly bright and pulsing with the infuriated beat of his heart.
No.
"I believe you," was all Fenris murmured next, his tone one of quiet decisiveness. He watched as Hadriana's eyes widened in time with his markings lighting up, saw the reflection of his own face inside them, of his fist raised in the air and shrouded with the blue of lyrium.
And in the next second, his hand had phased into her chest, crushing her heart between his fingers with a single, brutal strike.
His eyes slid shut as he listened to her breath stutter and stop, that quick-second look of horrified realization and fear flitting across her face just before he'd struck imprinted in his mind. Slipping his hand out from inside her, Fenris let the body crumple to the ground, straightened, then turned to stalk away.
"We are done here."
Watching Fenris thrust his hand out so suddenly had Kagome starting, inhaling sharply when Hadriana's body gave a violent jerk — from Fenris crushing her heart in a single clench of his fingers, no doubt. The light had vanished from her eyes in less than a beat, before Fenris had even removed his hand from her chest and let her body fall to the floor in a lifeless heap.
Blood was dripping readily from his fingers as Fenris stepped away from the body, his expression a dark one telling of the warring emotions playing out inside of him. As Kagome staggered to her feet, cradling her injured side as it throbbed with sharp, lancing pain, she could only watch in grim silence as Hawke then turned to call after him and offer a kind and gentle: "Do you want to talk about it?"
Fenris rounded on the mage in an instant. "No! I do not want to talk about it," he snapped in a biting tone, "This could be a trap! Danarius could have sent Hadriana here to tell me about this — this sister. Even if he didn't, trying to find her would be suicide. Danarius has to know about her and has to know that Hadriana knows…"
Fenris trailed off, his gaze drifting to the side to find Hadriana's body sprawled over the ground behind where Hawke stood. His face darkened then, nostrils flaring and lips curling back into a sneer, his guttural tone as he charged on sending a chill down Kagome's spine. "But all that matters is that I finally got to crush this bitch's heart."
Fenris pivoted away from it and Hawke both, spitting, "May she rot and all the other mages with her."
Hawke went still, her mouth pressing into a tight line, the hand she had extended to reach out after the elf now dropping to hang limp at her side. Whatever retort she had sitting on her tongue, Hawke swallowed it back. Instead, she glanced at the captives still huddled in the corner, watching them back with fear and trepidation.
Hawke pinched at the bridge of her nose, drawing out a soft sigh before wearily mumbling, "We should go."
Fenris, however, was not content to let the issue lie there, nor to hold his own tongue. "You saw what they did here, Hawke," he went on ranting, whirling on her. He threw out a hand to gesture towards the captives, "What was almost done. There's always going to be some reason, some excuse why mages need to do this."
Fenris shook his head to himself, "Even if I found my sister, who knows what the magisters have done to her. What has magic touched that it doesn't spoil?" he snarled in demand.
Hawke flinched, stunned. Her fingers trembled as they curled into fists, the hurt on her face unmistakable.
It was then Kagome pushed herself to limp forward, lips pursing. She rested a gentle hand over Fenris's shoulder, reeling him towards her so that he would no longer misdirect his angry gaze on his friend. "Fenris," she chided softly, a plea slipping into her voice that conveyed, Enough.
"And you—"
Fenris was already like a coiled snake ready to strike — beneath her touch he tensed even further, the others watching immediately following suit. But before any of them could so much as blink his markings lit up in a blinding flash. He ducked under her hand, snatching it by the palm as his other hand wrapped around her bicep, pushing towards her; startled, Kagome allowed him to crowd her against the wall, letting out a faint hiss against the pain shooting through her side as it jostled her wound.
"Do not admonish me like a child, Kagome," Fenris snapped, his face looming close above hers, ignorant to how even his friends took a worried step closer just in case. "It was also because of magic that I've carried the weight of your death for nearly three years!"
"Because of Danarius!" she snapped in return with vehemence, forgetting her pain in favor of her anger. Kagome couldn't even begin to imagine the turmoil Fenris must be feeling — seeing Hadriana again after all these years, fighting, killing her; discovering he had a sister back in Tevinter; seeing her, after thinking her dead for that time — but none of that excused his treatment to Hawke nor herself.
Kagome raised her chin, matching his glare with a scowl of her own. "Because of the hunters he sent after you — because one mage stupidly bit off more than they could chew and fucked up a spell!"
Kagome grasped the edges of his chest plate, gripped it tight and yanked him in even closer. She watched as Fenris stilled, noses a scant hairsbreadth away from brushing. She could feel the warmth of his harsh breaths wash against her skin, was sure he could feel the same as it mingled with hers while they stared one another down.
"And as you can clearly see," she murmured, her soft voice hoarse, "I am not dead."
Softening, Kagome slipped her fingers out from behind his chest plate, instead raising them to gently cup his face. She canted her head to the side, appraising him, before eventually offering a hesitant smile. "Hello to you too, by the way."
Caked with blood and soot, her face glowed warmly.
Beautiful.
Fenris swallowed thickly at the sudden thought his mind whispered, intruding into the wild haze running amok inside it. He huffed in annoyance, despising just how easily she was able to tear his reasoning into shred. Gauntleted fingers slipping from her arms, he reached up to hesitantly return her gesture, to cup her cheek, only to realize they were still wet with blood.
Mouth twisting into a grimace, Fenris dropped his hand to his side and gave a mournful sigh. "Hello, Kagome," he murmured, weary. He started suddenly, eyes flickering to the blood soaking her side and remembering. "A-are you badly hurt?" he asked, urgency audible in his voice. He peered into her face in concern, guilt and no small amount of horror lining his own.
Gods, it certainly fucking feels like it.
"I've had worse," Kagome told him instead, thumb sweeping at a spray of blood sprinkling against his cheek as her other wrapped around her abdomen, fingers lightly touching at her injury. "It's not that I'm worried about."
It's you.
His gaze evaded hers at that, even as he leaned just so into her touch, just for a brief moment, before giving a jerky nod. It was then that he caught sight of the blood pattern smearing her bicep — scarlet fingerprints stood stark against her pale skin. He stared blankly at it for a long moment, tensing, before his eyes darted first to his own hand as he raised it between them, to Hadriana's dead body on the ground, and then back to peek at her once more.
Kagome gazed at him in return, nothing but the soft glow of gentle kindness in her blue eyes, reserved just for him. He was struck then, mesmerized by the sight, his breath catching — for how long had he dreamed of those very eyes glaring back at him, consumed by the hatred and accusation he very well deserved?
And yet there was none of that, even after how crudely he'd treated her, even after how he'd marked her with the blood of the woman he'd given his word not to kill...
Inside Fenris's chest emotion swelled, chased by growing panic and the urge to flee. "I… I am sorry," he choked out, "But I need to-" He took a staggering step back, ripping himself away from Kagome sweet, warm touch, his dark eyebrows furrowing deeply. His entire body trembled, clearly at war with himself, before he broke at last.
"I am sorry," he said, voice mournful and low, as he looked to Kagome, then back over to Hawke, and then the exit as he made his way towards it with brisk strides.
With solemn eyes Kagome watched him go, pulling back her outstretched hand to press against her chest, fingers curling into a fist. Her eyes widened, however, when Fenris paused just after shoving the door open.
"Please…" came his plea on a rough exhale. His back was still towards her, his head bowed low. "Would you meet me in Kirkwall?"
Kagome sighed but nodded, though he couldn't see. "Of course," she assured him, "I'm supposed to find someone at this inn, the Hanged Man?" she suggested.
Without turning, Fenris gave a jerky nod and slipped out.
Silence fell as Kagome shut her eyes and let out a slow exhale. It wasn't until she heard shuffling feet that she realized Fenris had also left her with his… Companions? Friends?
Eyes snapping open, Kagome turned to find them staring right back at her in mild shock. She swallowed thickly and offered them an awkward smile that she was sure came off more like a grimace.
"Well!" drawled the woman sporting a blue headscarf and an extensive amount of heavy gold jewelry. Her dark lips cracked out a grin. "That was exciting!"
Kagome snorted despite herself, and with a trembling breath, she gave in to her weak knees and slid down the wall, grunting as she landed on her backside.
The only other woman in the group — Hawke — stepped up in worry. "Are you alright?" she pressed, eyeing the large stain of blood coating Kagome lower right side. "That… that does not look good."
Kagome mustered up a weak smile. "Honestly? I think I'm more exhausted than I am in pain. Oh, and sore." Gingerly, she pulled her hand away to reevaluate her injury. The bleeding thankfully had slowed, that much she was sure — it wasn't a deep slice to start with until Hadriana had ripped it open further — but in this lighting Kagome couldn't exactly see much. Hurt like hell, though. "Gods do I want a nap," she muttered, "Or maybe that's the blood loss. Shit." Groaning, she shook her head, weary. "Blood mages really are a pain in the ass."
A light chuckle escaped Hawke. "You're telling me — it's like this place is filled to the brim with them." Swiftly digging into the pouch at her back, the mage rummaged through it and soon plucked out a vial and a couple of small bottles between her fingers. She offered them over to Kagome. "Here, drink up: a couple of elfroot potions to help that out, and a stamina draught to perk you up. I've also a bit of magic, if you're willing?" She held up her other hand, the bright, pale blue glow of healing magic emanating from her skin. "I'm no healer, but I know of a couple spells to help if it's serious."
"Be my guest, please," Kagome murmured, accepting the potions with eager hands and a grateful smile as she shifted her injured side closer for her to work on. If Fenris trusted Hawke, a mage, to actually fight at his side without keeping one eye on her at all times, then she certainly wasn't an enemy. "And thank you," she added, tipping her head towards Hawke before popping the cork and downing first the stamina draught in one go, swiftly following up with the elfroot potions, if only to take care of the soreness all over her body.
Hawke flashed Kagome a grin, stretching out a pair of glowing hands to hover over her wound. Kagome felt the effects immediately, the tingle of magic washing over her side and repairing her flesh. The pain of her injury did not vanish, but it certainly dwindled, especially as it worked alongside the elfroot potion she was working on chugging down.
"Not a problem!" Hawke chirped as she pulled her hands away and planted them on either side of her hips as she straightened. Her mouth curled something sly then, grey eyes glittering as she regarded Kagome, "So, you're Fenris's mystery lady!"
Kagome coughed, choking on her elfroot potion. She pulled the bottle from her lips with a sputter, wiping at the bit that spilled out with the back of her hand. Hawke's hastily given apologetic look in response elicited a wry snort from Kagome, as it appeared only half-genuine, and she raised an eyebrow, giving a pointed look at the three of them standing in front of her. "And you're his… friends?" she ventured a guess, uncertain.
"Yup!" The grin on Hawke's face widened.
Kagome closed her eyes upon the confirmation, her head tipping back to rest against the wall. She felt her mouth curl. "Friends…" she murmured with a soft laugh, a bit amazed but most of all, happy. "I'm so glad. A little surprised, though," she admitted, a touch rueful. She cracked her eyes open to peer at the other three, and at Hawke in particular. "Never expected he'd willingly make friends with a mage, what with, y'know…"
As she trailed off, all four pairs of eyes trailed over to Hadriana's body for a brief moment.
The dwarf snorted. "Hawke's pretty tenacious like that," he remarked, the corner of his mouth quirking up to form a smirk, "Draws people in and sticks to them whether you want her to or not. Like a barnacle," he added, snickering when his friend let out a scoff and checked her hip against his shoulder in retaliation.
"A sexy barnacle," corrected the woman in the blue headscarf with a salacious wink and a bright laugh.
Hawke snorted, a wry grin twisting her lips, but her amusement soon bled away as she rolled on the balls of her feet and studied Kagome. Soon enough, she straightened, a troubled expression furrowing her brow. "Fenris talked about you, if only once and briefly at that. You're certainly not a mage, but those barriers…" she trailed off, her grey eyes becoming apprehensive.
Ah. "You're wondering if I'm a templar?" Kagome guessed. She caught how the other two tensed, how their stances shifted just slightly so into something defensive. "I get that a lot, but no. I have no affiliation with the Chantry. My abilities are my own." That Hawke felt such a way, however, and still offered to heal her injury and display her magic so obviously in front of her, no matter that Kagome had seen her use it before during the fight… it spoke a great volume of the woman's compassion.
Feeling the need to alleviate Hawke's concern, Kagome offered a soft smile and jokingly added, "I'm not even Andrastian."
"Scandalous," whisper-gasped Hawke's only other human companion, the one wearing the headscarf. Her mouth was curled into a delighted grin and bronze eyes widened in dramatic flair. Beside her, Hawke let out a small, relieved breath.
The dwarf dusted off his gloved hands. "Fantastic! Well, now that that's taken care! Luckily for you, you happen to be standing — well, sitting in your case — in front of two of the Hanged Man's finest residents. Varric Tethras, at your service," he introduced himself, slating Kagome a nod and a roguish wink. "You mentioned looking for someone?"
Kagome nodded, scratching at her cheek. Her head tilted in thought as she replied, "A pirate, actually." Picking up her second elfroot potion, she went on, "Dunno her personally, a friend only gave me a name and pointed me towards the inn. Isabela's the name." Popping the cork off the potion, she downed it in one go, eyes closing in bliss as the aches and pain further faded away — missing just how the three in front of her had stilled at the name.
"... Sounds familiar," Varric murmured, shifting from foot to foot. "Mind I ask why you need her?"
Kagome cracked an eye open and shrugged. "Well, Caralina — the friend that gave me the name — said she could get me out of Kirkwall without drawing unwanted attention." She let out a sigh, rolling her neck and shoulders to work out the kinks and wincing at the multiple pops she received for her effort. "Their ship wasn't supposed to stop here in the first place, something about… Qunari and all the Templars, but we came under fire on our way up to Cumberland and had to stop in to escape and make repairs."
Calling forth her abilities, Kagome twiddled her faintly glowing fingers. "Had to block some heavy fire bomb spells from sinking us, and Caralina mentioned it would be safer if I didn't continue sailing with them any longer. Otherwise someone might let slip my little secret where the Templars could hear."
Clambering to her feet with a soft grunt, Kagome took the hand offered to help her up from the only person she'd yet to learn their name. With a grateful glance, she stretched slowly, prodding the edge of the wound on her side and smiling to find the combined efforts of Hawke's healing magic and the potions had all but sealed it. Though it was still tender, and Kagome was still a little lightheaded from the blood loss, only rest would fix that.
"But… since Fenris is here," Kagome went on, murmuring absently, and she couldn't help the small smile budding on her face. Fenris was here. Not even a week into her setting off in search of him, she found him.
I found him.
"I believe I'll just ask where I can stay and keep my head low until Rylan's and her crew finally sets off."
When the trio laughed in unison, Kagome blinked and glanced up.
"Caralina, huh?" drawled the woman who'd helped her to her feet. She was still snickering under her breath. "What a coincidence, then!" she said as she stepped forward and offered her hand once more, this time in greeting, "I'm Isabela!"
fighting. so. much. fighting. boy am i glad for that to finally be over.
i feel a little bad that i didn't give a chance for these two to really reunite, but i thought so much was going on, and after killing hadriana fenris would be too... wired, for the fact that kagome's alive and here to really hit him.
but next chapter! next chapter, they should definitely have a moment to themselves ;3
oh, and a couple of announcements! :D
sweetlessly has gifted me with a wonderful surprise and created a rather gorgeous work of art. i managed to work in the little bit of writing she sent with it, in the last scene before Fenris leaves:
"Caked with blood and soot, her face glowed warmly.
Beautiful."
honestly, it really feels that you're looking at kagome from fenris' own perspective. it's amazing - thank you again sweetlessly! check it out and please let her know what you think here on her deviantart acct: sweetlessly. deviantart. c-o-m. it's called "Reunion," and should be the first thing you see on her profile!
additionally, after the last chapter i posted a scrapped scene on my tumblr, of another alternate reunion-instead of Fenris and Kagome meeting at the end during the fight with Hardriana, they actually bumped into each other in the middle of clearing out the caves. if you're interested, just head on over to the fic's tag (zefyre. tumblr. c-o-m/tagged/ttlg) and scroll down til you find it! AND there are some headcanons that some wonderful ppl decided to send in and share and a couple other things as well, so check em too! (so much stuff! haha, thank you to all of you guys that contributed, ily! )
and thanks again guys for reviewing, and favoriting too! it means so much! til next time!