Moonpriestess30: Sweet together, yes, doesn't mean they always agree! Just realised that tomorrow's chapter is going to be a nasty cliffhanger.

Chapter 4 – My choice.

'Alright we're heading out. If we're not back in about five hours send someone to look for my ass,' Garrett says as he picks up his blades and sheathes them across his back. Aveline, Anders and Isabela were waiting for him. Evelyn had gone back to work after having a wash and something to eat after her lesson and she happened to be in the room while Hawke said he goodbyes.

'Be safe,' she signs after putting her tray down and looking at him.

Hawke smiles and nods, 'aww, don't worry. We're used to this kind of thing,' he says reassuringly. 'Sure you're going to be able to handle this rowdy lot?' He teases as he looks around the table. Fenris, Varric and Sebastian playing cards, Merrill curled up in her chair reading a book. Eve smiles and rolls her eyes as she picks up her tray and holds it close to her chest as she nods. 'See you all later,' he calls getting a chorus of goodbyes as they leave.

Aveline looks at Garrett as they walk down the corridor and muses to herself, 'looks like you have a soft spot for her,' she says quietly, noticing Isabela tense across the shoulders. They walk down the steps and through the crowd before Hawke replies.

'She reminds me of Bethany,' he admits quietly. 'Eve is kind, sweet and genuinely seems to want everyone to be happy, despite all the shit she's been through. It wasn't easy for Bethany growing up a mage but she didn't let it get her down. I suppose... I feel protective,' he says as they step out into the street.

The Guard Captain nods and pats him on the shoulder, 'there's nothing wrong with that, Hawke. I can see what you mean when you say she reminds you of Bethany,' she agrees. Isabela plays with her dagger, secretly relieved that he saw her as a comparison to his younger sister. They had spent a night together, only Varric knew but it didn't seem like anything more was going to come of it. She liked Hawke, he was easy to get along with and they had fun that night. Shaking some sense into herself she puts her dagger away before following them down the street, her mind elsewhere.

-x-

Merrill smiles, 'this is a plant that cannae grow anywhere that has too much light,' she explains as Eve catches sight of the flower in her book. Merrill wasn't very good at understanding Eve but they still managed to bond quite well. 'It glows inna dark and it's so beautiful. There's some at the mountain where ma clan … .are,' she says growing quiet. Eve tilts her head and leans down to give her a hug, Merrill holds her tightly and after a minute or two she lets her go. 'Thank you, sorry, I jus' forget how much I miss them at times,' Merrill said looking at her book. They have a brief one sided conversation where Merrill tells her about the Dalish, Evelyn was keen to learn about elven culture having never heard any before. Raised in Tevinter she knew nothing of the history of elves, now she saw a chance to change that.

Fenris clicks his jaw as he sees the two women together and he could hear Merrill speaking, without realising he lost the round as he wasn't paying attention. Once he knew that Hawke didn't need him, he had gotten changed into something a little more casual. Cotton top and leggings, it had taken him years to finally be comfortable wearing this around others. Evelyn said goodbye to Merrill and smiles at him as she passes. 'I need a moment,' Fenris says simply as he puts down his cards, making Sebastian and Varric share a look. He gets up with no further explanation and catches up with Eve easily. 'Evelyn, may I have a moment?' Fenris asks as she turns around with a tilted head. She nods and noticing they were next to her room she takes her key out her apron and lets them in shutting the door behind them.

'What's the matter?' She signs with concern on her face.

'I do not think it is a good idea for you to be talking to …. Merrill,' he says bluntly as he looks at her. Confusion riddles her features and she gives him a questioning expression, he sighs. 'Have you been told what she is?' He receives a shrug in reply. 'She is a blood mage. The reason she was cast out from her clan is because she practices blood magic!'

Evelyn pauses before she signs. 'Does she hurt anyone?' She asks.

Fenris had to give her her due, 'no. She uses only her own blood but she consorts with demons and does so with no regard to the safety of those around her! I would feel better if you did not associate-'

Evelyn interrupted him shaking her head. 'Merrill has been nothing but kind to me,' he could tell she was shouting at him because her signing was fast and sharp. 'I'm not going to avoid her when she's not hurting anyone or myself.'

He felt a wash of anger over him, he was trying to help her. 'Do you not understand that this was done to you because of blood magic? The very ritual you are running from is blood magic? How can you be happy being around mages? Let alone one that practices such dark magics?' He wrings his hands and runs one through his hair. Evelyn had folded her arms and sighed after she inhaled deeply.

'Fenris. You have every right to be wary of mages and blood magic. If that's what makes you feel safe then who am I to tell you otherwise? I can tell you're doing this because you want-,' she pauses not knowing how to sign it without assuming anything. 'Because you are in your way looking out for me. I will make these decisions on my own.'

'I am trying to save you from making a mistake,' he said in an annoyed tone of voice.

Evelyn reached over and placed her hand on his arm. 'It will be my mistake. Not yours.' She gives him a weak smile and he knew that the conversation was over. He wasn't happy, frustrated more like. She leaves the room and he follows, slamming the door behind him as he strode back to Varric's rooms. Eve sighed and rubbed her eyes as she locked her door once more. She couldn't help but think that his heart was in the right place, his temper on the other hand needed work.

The rest of the evening was going to feel a little tense but it's nothing she wasn't used to. Wandering back down into the bar she smiles at her boss who hands her a tray and points to the table it was going to. Looking over at the patrons she mentally groaned. One of them was the man that she had hurt earlier in the week and going by the glare he was giving her, he hadn't forgotten. Plastering a fake smile on her face she walks over with the tray.

One of them grab her wrist as she puts down the drinks on their table. 'Remember us?' He scowls. Eve smiles weakly, trying not to pull her wrist away and nods. 'Remember what you fucking did to him?' The man had alcohol on his breath and nodded at his friend who's finger was heavily wrapped in bandages. Pissed off at being treated like this Evelyn pulls out the dagger from her apron and places the blade against the hand that was wrapped around her wrist. There was a silence from all of them. Only when she applied pressure against his skin did he let go. He snatches his drink and inhales half of it, Evelyn finishes putting the rest of the mugs on the table and picks up her tray. 'Watch yourself, you knife-eared bitch.' He mutters.

There's a moment of contemplation in Eve. For a brief moment she wondered how much trouble she would get into for stabbing him in the eye. She decides he's not worth it and simply grins brightly at him while signing, 'thank you!' She returns to the bar and gives her boss a look.

'You okay? I'm sorry, I didn't recognise the asshole from earlier in the week,' he says honestly as he places a couple more drinks on her tray. Eve nods and shrugs her shoulders in reply, it was what it was. 'After you deliver these drinks, can you collect the empties and then I need you to pop into the cellar, but I'll tell you when you come back.' He instructs. 'These are for Varric,' he adds, knowing that she was friends with him. She looked at the tray and tilts her head she motions over the tray and then runs two fingers down her chin and tilts her head. 'Fenris? He didn't order anything. I know he normally does, I think he's in a bad mood.' Evelyn pulls a face and leans over the bar picking up a bottle of red that she knew he drank. Her boss raised a brow and she gave him a perky smile making him chuckle and roll his eyes in reply. 'Yeah, you're probably right. You'd only be back down here in about half an hour to get it.'

Evelyn thanks him and walks through the bar, it was a quieter night. The smell of spilt ale was powerful but she was getting used to it. She didn't like taking the stairs with a full tray but it became easier with each journey. Opening Varric's door she was greeted happily but she could sense the tension in the room, there was a definite mood about Fenris' brow. With a mental sigh she walks over and starts handing out the drinks, an ale for both Sebastian and Varric, a cider for Merrill and she picked up the bottle of wine and gingerly slid it towards Fenris who seemed to only just be aware that she was in the room. 'I didn't think you ordered anything,' Sebastian says simply as he takes a sip of his mug.

'I did no-' he begins but feels Evelyn's finger run across the back of his shoulders as she walked past. He looked at her as she left but she didn't look back or acknowledge the rather... what he would say intimate action that had just happened. He picks up the wine bottle and looks at the label, it was one that he preferred. A small half smile danced on his lips and he ran a hand through his hair.

'Everything alright?' Varric asks noticing the mood shift in the elf.

'Fine,' he replies simply as he picks up his cards. He didn't know if the wine was just a way of clearing the air between them or something more, but for the moment he was going to allow himself to indulge in what he was feeling.