Chapter 9 – Stay?

Another five days passed without any incidents. Evelyn didn't want to stay at the Hanged Man any longer but she didn't mind working there as long as someone accompanied her to the cellar should a restock need to be done. She stayed between Fenris' and Merrill's homes, an action that had caused a little friction between the two slaves. He had already expressed his concern but he would always mention it should it crop up in conversation, a little dig or blatant insult. Eve liked Fenris, she understood better than anyone why he was the way he was but it didn't mean that it was an excuse to be nasty. The real trouble started when Anders offered her a bed for the night as he was going out with Hawke and wouldn't be using it.

'It's in Dark town but the area itself is safe and you can lock all the doors. Also, there's a tunnel that leads to the Hawke Estate so if you felt unsafe you could always use that,' he explains as Evelyn places the drinks on the table.

Half the problem was that neither Isabela nor Varric was around so Fenris was stuck translating for her. 'That sounds... nice,' he says begrudgingly as he reads her hands.

Anders was having trouble tolerating Fenris this evening, he was getting better with understanding Evee. As was Merrill but these things take time and he didn't appreciate the attitude he was getting. 'You'd get some space to yourself to breathe and there are plenty of books there if you want to read anything. I saw that Varric let you borrow some of his, they're a bit trashy,' he chuckles making her smile and nod. 'Mine are a little more... educational but there are some interesting subject matters,' Anders says as she holds her tray against her chest with her arm.

Evelyn signs and there was silence from Fenris. Both of them look at him and he sighs, waving his hand in the air, 'she agrees,' he said simply.

Evelyn narrowed her eyes and held up her finger to Anders with an apologetic expression before walking over to Fenris and grabbing his arm. She yanked him out his chair and dragged him to the far side of the room. 'Look, I know it's probably incredibly wearing that you've got to translate for me, and you know how much I appreciate it... but what is your problem?!' Her signs were sharp and fast, showing her anger. Anders was trying to ignore them to give them privacy but it was hard.

'You. You are unnecessarily putting yourself into harm's way. Spending time with a known blood mage and now you wish to stay with the abomination?' He hisses, not caring if Anders could hear him.

'That is not all they are! They're people too!' She signs raising her hands towards his face, almost as if she's shouting. 'They have done nothing but look after me since I got here and you treat them like shit! You're allowed not to trust them, you're allowed to feel scared around them-' Fenris tries to cut in but she stamps her foot and clicks her fingers to show that she was not going to let him interrupt her. 'You are not allowed to treat them like... monsters because of the decisions they've made. Especially when they've done nothing but help you!'

She pokes him in the chest after finishing her last sign and he looks at her incredulously. 'What in the fade do you mean by that?' He snaps at her, his anger clear by his flickering markings.

Evelyn was breathing heavily and narrows her eyes, 'Hawke told me. When you went after Hadriana, Anders was there. He helped heal you during that fight. When you first came to the city it was Merrill that helped you clean out the mansion. Did you even thank them? Did you even realise that although you've done nothing but treat them like crap they still helped you over the years?'

Fenris glares at her, she was right but that's why it pissed him off. 'You have not heard what he has called me over the years-'

'I'm not talking about their behaviour! I'm talking about yours and how you're trying to project this prejudice onto me! Worry about me if you want, think that I'm making stupid mistakes if it makes you feel better, but do not tell me what I can and can't do,' Evelyn sighs deeply and rubs her eyes. She could tell by Fenris' jaw that he was furious but she couldn't just let him act like this. 'You're not being fair,' she signs looking at the floor.

Fenris sucks air between his teeth and thumps the wall beside them in his anger, he couldn't decipher if it was towards himself or at the frustration she was causing. He strides across the room and grabs his weapon from the rack, walking out the door without looking back. Anders raises a brow and gets up as Evelyn picks up the tray she had placed on the table earlier. 'Okay? What was that about and are you okay?' He asks.

Evelyn smiles weakly at him and rolls her eyes. 'Hot head,' she signs knowing that he would be able to understand the two simple movements. It wasn't true, she knew there was more to it than that but Anders wouldn't understand even if she could talk.

'Yeah, that's being polite,' Anders chuckles as he smiles at her. 'When does your shift finish? I can walk you down to the Clinic and show you where things are,' he says softly. Evelyn nods and they make plans to meet in an hour after her work is done for the day.

-x-

It was quite late into the evening and Evelyn was enjoying the time she was having to herself. Indulging in a bath and knowing that she wasn't going to be disturbed made her relax. She was a little wary about being alone, her natural anxiety and the compulsive urge to keep an eye on the door at all times. Once dried and dressed she picked a book from the large collection that Anders had. He was right, it was quite heavy in language that she couldn't read just yet but she managed to find one that seemed to be poetry, stashed at the back of the shelf. Picking it up she flicked through the pages as she sat on the edge of the bed. She began to read the first one, a smile forming on her lips.

'Oh, fair damsel of the garden,
Arlessa of honeysuckle and rose,
I humbly beg your gracious pardon
For the offence that here arose.

Surely your work is far too vital
To be interrupted by one like me
I am in no way entitled
To earn the notice of a honeybee.

I was a fool to pluck that flower
For my lady fair. On my honour I
Swear to bring you dozens more within the hour
If you give me leave to try.

Listen traveller, if you would walk the garden paths some spring:
Mind that you don't trespass, for the gardeners do sting.'

She signed as she read it out loud, trying to make sense of the more difficult words by shaping it with her hands. There were a few words that she simply guessed from context, but the poem itself was beautiful. It was one that she was going to have to commit to memory. She was reading it for the third time when there was a knock at the doors. Evelyn froze and stared at the door, maybe they'll go away? She thinks to herself. After about ten minutes there was another light knock.

'Evelyn,' the familiar voice said. She sighed and rolled her eyes, it was Fenris. Not that she minded that he had come but she felt that he probably came for all the wrong reasons. She swung her legs out of bed and held the book tightly as she went over and unlocked the door opening it a little to see him.

'Everything okay?' She signs looking at him with a tilted head.

'May I come in?' He asks quietly. Fenris seemed not to make eye contact with her and the way he held himself was different from usual. She nods and steps aside letting him in and locking the door behind her as she closed it. He walked to the middle of the room and took off his sword for comfortability if anything. Eve waits behind him and wonders what's going on in his mind. Leaning the blade against the desk he turns to look at her. He sighs and holds his hands loosely on his hips. 'I... have come to apologise.'

Eve pauses for a moment and raises her eyebrows, 'Oh, thank you,' she signs holding her book under her arm.

'It was wrong of me to … push my own personal feelings onto you. It was not my intention and some of the things you said... made sense,' he admits. 'I apologise for my behaviour,' Fenris said softly. Evelyn smiles and puts the book down on the desk before closing the space between them with a couple of steps as she gently wraps her arms around his shoulders as she hugged him. As usual he stiffens up but he mentally forces himself to reciprocate the embrace.

'You're forgiven,' she says softly holding him tightly, trying to ignore the fact that he smelled really damn good. Her mind caught up with what happened and she freezes. Fenris leans back, his hands resting on her waist as his brows furrow as he looked at her.

'Did... Evelyn, did you just talk?' He asks looking confused.

She looks at him and then breaks the hug running over to the mirror as she grabs a candle. She can't see anything on her skin, no sigil nothing. Shaking her head she runs back to Fenris. 'Markings! Light your markings,' Evelyn begs as she grabs his hand. Not really understanding what was going on he does as she asks and she presses his hand against her collarbone. His lyrium flickered and her skin began to shimmer. 'What does it look like?' She asks, tears streaming down her cheeks.

'It... is simpler than before,' he answers not really knowing how to explain it. The first time he saw the sigil, it was like a mandala covering her collarbone, neck and the bottom half of her jaw. Lifting his hand he traces it on her skin, 'it travels down your bottom lip,' he mumbles as his fingers run over her mouth gently, 'down your throat,' he clears his throat and follows the glowing marking. 'Seems to wind around your neck like a collar.' A subtle straight line instead of the large patterned circle that it was before.

'No! No! No, no, no, no!' Evelyn sobs as she lets his hand go and covers her face. She turns away from him as her heart pounds in her chest. 'Oh fuck!' She swears as she looks around, 'no! I was supposed to have more time than this!'

'Evelyn, what is going on?' Fenris asks firmly as he grabs her shoulders and turns her to face him. 'Why are you talking?'

'He's here! He's in the city!' She says with her hand over her mouth to cover her words. 'Fenris... he's here! He's going to find me and then... then I'm going to have to go back!' She was hysterical and wringing her hands as she looked at him.

Fenris tries to calm her down, 'Evelyn, no. You are not going to go back-'

'You need to leave, you need to go now,' Evelyn says pushing him away from her. 'If he finds me, he'll find you. The spell can trigger within a mile so I've got a mile radius to work with,' she says as she grabs his sword and shoves it towards him.

'I cannot just leave you,' Fenris snaps at her as he refuses to take his weapon.

'Really? What's keeping you here?' Evelyn asks with a shaking voice. He looked at her, the way her hair rested across her shoulders before falling down her back. Her brown eyes seemed to be glittering with unshed tears as she tried to compose herself. Her lip trembling, her cheeks flushed making her freckles stand out. 'If you stay... you risk everything,' she whispers, her arms shaking as she held out the heavy weight of his weapon. 'Why would you stay?'