Trigger warning - Sexual abuse.

Please do not read this chapter if you are sensitive to such content. If you do wish to read it please make sure that you have the appropriate support and aftercare available.

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Chapter 5 - Silent fear

'So I need a refill on white,' he explains. 'Ones that look like this,' he holds up a bottle. 'And grab some more whiskey, this one,' pointing to another. 'Got it?' Evelyn nods, he knew that she wasn't very good at reading. He passes her a crate and points to a door, 'go down through there. There should be a candle burning, there's not much light but take your time it's pretty quiet up here. I'll call you if we get a rush or something. Bring up as much as you can.'

Evelyn nods and takes the crate from the bar and smiles happily, she enjoyed working, it kept her mind and body busy. Walking over to the cellar door she wanders down the stairs, it was dark but her eye quickly adjusted as she gingerly steps down. She could hear the scuttle of rats and mice, cobwebs were pretty much everywhere and it was dusty. 'Ew, would it kill them to run a broom around?' She mouths to herself as she begins to hum looking at the racks. Evelyn tries to hold back a scream as a rather large spider pokes it's head out as it appears from behind some shelving. They had a small staring contest before she flapped a gust of wind at it with her apron. 'Shoo!' She says pulling a face. 'I don't mind you down here just don't come near me,' she shudders as it quickly scuttles back into the dark crevice it came from.

Picking up a bottle she recognises the words and a happy smile crosses her face as she puts it into the crate. Reading was definitely becoming easier and she began to sing silently as she thought about what she was going to teach Fenris. If he even came over the next day. She was pretty sure he was going to so she started to make a mental plan of what to do. Lost in her own thoughts she didn't hear the cellar trapdoor open, it was on the streets for an easier delivery. Three men slipped in and shut the hatch behind them. The candle flickered as the gust of air washed around the room. Evelyn paused as she picked up a bottle and turned around aware that something wasn't right.

She drops the bottle as she's grabbed painfully around each arm. Fear rushes through her and her body freezes up and stiffens. The shattering of the glass and cold liquid splashes up her legs and feet. The man in front of her she recognises as the one she had stabbed, 'we told you, you were going to regret it!' He snarls as he slaps her across the face. The pain knocks some sense into her and her adrenaline hits as she begins to struggle and fight back, lashing out with her legs as she pulls her arms, feeling the burn and tear in her skin as they hold her tightly.

She's forced onto the floor and they pull her dress up around her hips. Sobbing she continues to frantically fight back. 'See, I told you, no sound. If we keep quiet no-one will hear anything,' the man on the left laughs as he places his hand on her breast and squeezed. Evelyn can feel the red hot embarrassment hit her cheeks as well as fear and frustration washing over her. Her throat burned and she couldn't stop crying.

'Fuck, hold her legs!' He snaps as he fiddles with his belt, trying to lower his trousers while dodge the kicks she threw. The two men that were holding a hand each both leaned down to grab an ankle. Evelyn saw her chance and bit down hard on the hand that didn't have such a firm grip on her wrist. He screamed out in pain, blood filled her mouth and he jerked his arm away. Now that her hand was free she grabbed a piece of the broken bottle and shoved into the other man's eye who was holding her down.

There was a moment where both men were yelling and she tried to get up but felt hands wrap around her throat as she was pinned back down to the floor. 'Fucking knife-eared bitch! Think you're too good for me?!' The man between her legs increased the pressure on her neck and she coughed feeling dizzy. She writhed and clawed at his hands, she could feel his erection pressed against her thigh and bile rose in her mouth as fear ran her heart a thousand miles a minute. 'I will fuck you while you beg me to let you live,' he snarls.

Her eyesight was starting to go blurry as she gasped for breath, her movements growing weak. All she could hear was her own thundering pulse in her ears, the dull thud as each beat of her heart got slower. Just as she thought that she was really going to die she heard a grunt and the pressure from her throat was removed almost instantly. Her lungs inflated desperately and she inhaled sharply turning onto her side as she coughed heavily, panting and retching as pain hit.

There was the sound of something rather organic and she heard the twang of bow silk, lifting her head in the low light she saw Sebastian at the top of the stairs with his weapon. Her arms shook as she tried to get onto all fours, her head swimming in agony, barely able to breathe and freezing cold. Her clothing had been torn pretty badly and she knew that she had no dignity at this moment. A strong but gentle grip wrapped around her waist as she was lifted up. She turned her head and caught sight of Fenris' tattoos that wound under his jaw. Evelyn went to look around as he helped her to her feet but his voice came low and soft, 'no, you do not wish to see,' he said quietly. Varric ran down the stairs, his anger and concern clear as he passed Fenris a cloak. He wraps it around her shoulders and it was large enough to overlap at the front.

'Sparrow! Are you okay?' He asks worried as he takes her hand. 'Can you walk?' Varric looks her up and down. 'Ancestors, I'm so sorry,' he begins to babble. Evelyn tries to smile but just feels tears stream down her cheeks, he pats her hand and nods at Fenris who without ceremony picks her up. Evelyn holds onto him tightly and closes her eyes as he carries her up the stairs, she ignores all the whispering and wishes she could just disappear. Fenris unlocks her door and carries her in placing her on the bed gently.

She had begun to hiccup from her crying and held the cloak tightly around herself, her skin felt bruised and weak. Her jaw sore from where she was slapped and her chest burned with every breath. Fenris poured her a glass of water and brought it over to her, he moved slowly and calmly, not wanting to frighten her. There was a lot of blood on his clothing, he had been particularly brutal when it came to taking the life of the man that seemed intent on hurting her. 'Evelyn,' he said softly as she raised her head, he held out the glass and she takes it with a shaking hand.

'Thank you,' she signs with her other hand. He nods and she looks at the blood. 'Are... are they dead?'

Fenris slowly sits next to her and nods, 'yes. Sebastian killed one, I killed another and you... had already killed one,' he reveals. Eve gasps and holds her hand over her mouth. She hadn't meant to kill anyone, not that they didn't deserve it. He raises his hand and pauses before placing it on her shoulder, 'you did the right thing,' he says honestly. The anger in his chest wasn't disappearing and he was only sorry that he had killed the man too quickly. Evelyn drops the glass, water spreading over the floorboards as she throws herself into his arms, sobbing as she holds his tunic tightly. Thrown into unknown lands he had no idea what he was supposed to do, he settled for just using his clean hand to gently rub her back.

There was a knock at the door and he tells them to come in, Evelyn pulling her legs up in order to become as small as possible. Varric and Sebastian enter the room, the prince holding a change of clothing and Varric holding some food on a tray. 'How are we?' Varric asks with an awkward look on his face. Fenris raised his brows and shrugged one shoulder, this was so far out his comfort zone. 'I've sent a runner to Hawke, we need Aveline back and … Riviani, I think would be a good idea. Blondie too, if she's hurt,' he says quietly. 'I'm glad I sent Merrill home an hour ago,' Varric adds with a sigh of relief. He walks over to Evelyn and pats her knee gently after putting the tray down.

She sniffs heavily and looks around at him, 'Varric,' she mouths instead of signing.

'Hey, Sparrow,' he smiles. 'Why don't you let Broody here go and have something to eat. Isabela and Aveline will be back soon and we can get this all sorted,' he suggests. She nods weakly and realises that she had practically climbed onto his lap.

Her face flushes red and she moves back on her bed, 'sorry,' she signs.

Fenris shakes his head and brushes some of her hair over her shoulder where it had been pulled loose from it's braid. 'You have nothing to be sorry about,' he assures as he stands up. 'If you need anything we will be in Varric's rooms,' Fenris says pausing for a moment. She smiles genuinely at him and he follows Sebastian out the room. 'Did we kill them all?' He asks quietly.

'Apparently not. One was at the hatch keeping an eye out. As soon as he heard screaming he ran,' Sebastian explains. Fenris grits his teeth and a frown appears on his features. 'We've got a description that we're going to give Aveline-'

'Do not bother. I will find him myself,' Fenris states simply.