Champion of Hope and Steel, A Buffy: The Vampire Slayer Crossover with Superman and Dragon Age 2
TTH Challenge Response: #7859: A new costume + a different reality = a change of pace
Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me, but are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, DC Comics, Bioware and Electronic Arts. No profit is being made from this story.
And so Defender of Man died.
Many would find this an odd place to begin a story, but the story itself and how it all came about is even odder. But, like most epic stories, this one started with a girl, a girl known as The Slayer. One girl in all the world, destined to fight against the darkness on equal footing. This was a strange title, to be sure, for a hero of renown, but it was far from the strangest aspect of this story.
Like many women in these sorts of stories, The Slayer was a heroine of great repute: born to slay monsters and demons of all sorts. Aiding her in her quests was a White Knight, a veritable Defender of Man, and a Red Witch named after the very nature from which she drew her power. Together they thwarted evil in its various forms until one day a Warlock of Chaos came and cast a spell upon them. What had started as a night of chaos and mayhem became the harbinger of a new Champion of Hope, one of great power beyond the scope of mortals, as the White Knight ascended to near Godhood.
Many others came and left our trio of adventurers who'd each had begun to have adventures on their own. The Champion of Hope, in particular, took the fight to those who would harm others with great zeal and then came his greatest challenge, a full fledged Goddess, one from the deepest pits of pain and torture, who reveled in that which she inflicted on others. The Goddess was after the Morning Child, the younger sister to the Slayer, both of whom the Champion of Hope, when he was but the humble White Knight, had vowed to protect.
It was a fierce battle, one that toppled tall towers and shook the earth to its very core, but so the Champion of Hope persisted and prevailed. Only the victory that was so long sought after was snatched out of his hands as the evil Goddess had opened a portal of ill intent that would destroy everything the Champion of Hope held dear.
The Morning Child, however, was no ordinary being, but a creature of magic given form from the Blood of Champions: In this case, the Slayer and the Champion of Hope. The only way to close the portal was to sacrifice the Morning Child as it was through her blood that the portal was opened. However, the Slayer loved her sister too much to allow that to happen and because the Morning Child shared blood with her, The Slayer decided to be the sacrifice in her place. Before she could do so, however, she was stopped by the Champion of Hope, who loved both the Slayer and the Morning Child and could not bare to allow them to die when he could still take action to save both them and the world, even if it meant sacrificing himself to do so, as the Morning Child also shared the same blood that flowed through his own veins and thus he took the leap so that neither the Morning Child nor the Slayer would have to give their lives to save everything and everyone they'd ever loved.
And so the Defender of Man, Champion of Hope, The Slayer's White Knight, died.
But as I implied when I first began this tale- his adventures were far from over. In fact, they were only just beginning...
-Varric Tethras, on the Champion of Kirkwall
9:15 Dragon, Imperial Highway
A man and his wife were traveling, their wagon bereft of any cargo as they made their way back to their home. They were simple folk who enjoyed the simple life- they were farmers, farmers who had no idea that destiny was about to bestow upon them a great blessing. It took them by surprise when a huge ball of fire struck the ground nearby. They ducked in some nearby foliage, thinking that maleficar bandits were attempting to rob them. After some time passed, the couple decided to investigate the explosion. All they found was crater in which contained a large hunk of metallic rock and a young boy of approximately three years of age.
"Oh, Jonathan look!" the farmer's wife exclaimed upon seeing the child.
"I know, Martha. It's like a gift from the maker. We shall take him in and raise him up as our own," Jonathan declared.
And it was on that day that the Kents of Lothering adopted a young boy named Alexander as their own and all was mostly well for fifteen years, until the Darkspawn came, until the Blight.
9:30 Dragon, Just Outside the Village of Lothering
"Maker! Give me strength!" Marian Hawke prayed as she slashed at the Ogre that had charged into the melee after they'd eliminated a great deal of hurlocks. Both Aveline and Bethany were barely able to dodge it, but Marian had stood her ground.
She couldn't leave her mother undefended.
The Ogre had easily blocked her strikes- she couldn't get more than a glancing blow on it, when it finally managed to snatch her off the ground, further aggravating her injuries. She and her younger brother, Carver, had been part of the King's personal regiment, who'd been fighting along side the Grey Wardens. They'd been overrun and slaughtered and she'd lost track of her brother.
As much as she'd wished otherwise, it was likely he was dead.
She'd been gravely injured, but managed to make it back to Lothering just ahead of the Blight only now it had finally caught up with her. The Ogre roared in her face, squeezing her in its' grip. Marian could feel her ribs breaking as it blew its' rancid breath in her face. She blacked out before the Ogre slammed her into the ground, breaking nearly every other bone that wasn't already broken in the first place.
The Ogre slammed her into the ground several more times before tossing her away like a rag doll. It then turned its attention towards Leandra Hawke, who was paralyzed in fear at seeing her eldest and most capable child crushed and killed before her very eyes.
"Mother!" Bethany shouted, but Leandra did not register the danger she was in as the Ogre reached for her.
It was then that a blur rushed passed her and a young boy shoulder tackled the Ogre away from her.
"Are you all right?" the young boy who was even younger than Bethany asked in concern.
"I..." Leandra fumbled for an answer. She was still in shock due to both the shock of what had happened to her daughter, but also in part due to how the boy had taken down that fearsome beast. The Ogre grunted as it tried to stand up. It was weakened greatly.
"I'll be right back," he assured her. He then jumped impossibly high, punching the monster in the jaw as he landed on it. The Ogre's head snapped back with such force that there was little doubt that it was dead, killed by a boy who was neither armed nor armored.
"Who... What are you?" Bethany asked. "How did you do that!?"
She blushed at the crooked smile he gave her.
"I'm a friend," the boy answered. His expression turned solemn. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. The name's Xander, short for Alexander. Xander Kent."
"I know you! You're from that farm all the way on the outskirts of the village! I'm Bethany, Bethany Hawke," Bethany introduced herself, her face held a sad expression. "The woman you saved is my mother, Leandra."
"I'm Aveline," the red headed soldier woman told him. She then gestured to the Templar. "This is my husband, Wesley."
"You guys know you're heading the wrong way," Xander informed them. "You're headed right into the bulk of the horde and your battle here is bound to have attracted some attention."
As he said this, hundreds of Darkspawn began to converge on their location.
"Damn!" Xander cursed.
"It seems you have a gift for the understatement," Aveline commented as she gripped her husband's sword.
It was then a mighty roar sounded from the cliffs above them.
"Dragon!" Xander shouted as it descended upon them and proceeded to roast the attacking darkspawn before transforming into an old woman. "Neat trick."
"Thank you," she said she replied with a smile. "I must say, that was most impressive display- felling an ogre with your bare hands."
"It's a gift," Xander replied, keeping the other members of the party between him and the old woman. Just being in close proximity to her was setting off all sorts of warning bells in his head that he'd, unbeknownst to himself, developed after years of fighting demons in Sunnydale.
Something was definitely Hellmouthy about her.
"My name is Flemeth, might I ask your name?" she introduced herself.
"Xander," he replied evenly. "Might I ask what you want? Beings like you rarely save strangers without wanting anything in return."
"Same could be said of you," Flemeth riposted. "I'd say you have had dealings with such beings in the past."
Xander made a fist with his right hand and punched it into the palm of his left. "You might say that."
Flemeth laughed. "Such courage. It's rare to see it in such quantities without equal measures of bravado or arrogance."
"So what does the Witch of the Wilds want with us?" Xander asked. Living at the edge of the Korcari Wilds, one couldn't help but hear the many tales of Flemeth and Xander had felt that when dealing with magic and mages they couldn't afford to discount that legends could come to life in one way or another. To discount that this old woman as nothing more than a mere mage and not THE Flemeth would be a folly he wouldn't dare make.
"Witch of the Wilds!?" Bethany exclaimed. Despite also having grown up in Lothering, she hadn't thought to associate the old woman with the witch of countless legends.
"Straight to the point. My Morrigan would like you." Flemeth chuckled. "Yes, little mage, I am the Witch of the Wilds... T'is but one of many names bestowed upon me. I also go by other names, like Asha'bellanar or an 'Old Hag Who Talks Too Much'." She then turned her gaze back on Xander. "All I ask is a favor for a favor."
"And what does this favor entail?" Xander asked.
"Nothing too strenuous. Just a simple delivery in exchange for safe passage away from here," Flemeth replied.
"I'll do it," Xander agreed.
"Good lad. All I need is for you to take this amulet to a clan of Dalish Elves who were headed for the Free Marches, near the City of Kirkwall," Flemeth instructed as she handed Xander the amulet.
"Kirkwall!?" Bethany exclaimed. "That's where we're headed!"
Xander's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Convenient."
Flemeth merely smiled. "Yes... Most fortuitous."
"I don't like this," Aveline commented.
"I'll uphold my end of the bargain," Xander replied evenly. "So long as you uphold yours."
"I will, after one last bit of business has been taken care of," Flemeth told him. "The man in your little party, the templar. He holds within his veins the Blight."
"No!" Aveline screamed in denial.
"No, she's right. I can feel it tainting me from within," Wesley told Aveline. "My end won't be too long in coming."
"Is there any way to help him?" Xander asked.
Flemeth shook her head sadly. "No. The only way to help him is for him to become a Grey Warden."
"And they all died at Ostagar," Aveline commented bitterly.
"Not all, but the last are beyond your reach," Flemeth informed them.
Aveline steeled herself, mentally preparing herself for what she had to do as she drew a dagger from her boot.
"Hurry..." Wesley pleaded weakly.
Xander knelt beside Aveline and offered her an out. "You don't have to be the one to do this."
Aveline's gaze never broke with Wesley's. "I appreciate the sentiment. But I must."
"I love you, Aveline," Wesley said weakly.
"I love you too," Aveline whispered before ramming the dagger through his heart. "I'm sorry."
Xander closed Wesley's eyes.
It was Leandra who spoke up after a moment of silence had descended upon them. "Let us leave this wretched place."
"Agreed," Aveline replied.
Before they left however, Xander and Bethany placed Marian's body next to Wesley's and, using Bethany's magic, burnt the bodies where they lay.
9:30 Dragon, Kirkwall, Hightown, Atop the Roof of the Kirkwall Chantry
"It's so beautiful up here," Bethany commented as she sat next to Xander. Xander, since they started working with Athenril, had changed his wardrobe. He wore dark blue trousers with a matching tunic with a red coat. He also wore a silverite bracers on his arms that were engraved with a peculiar symbol, an 'S' inside of a diamond and a silverite pauldron on his right shoulder. "I'm so glad you brought me up here."
"I figured after the day we had in Darktown, we were entitled to a little bit of R&R," Xander commented.
"Everything looks so peaceful from up here," Bethany commented. "Do you come up here often?"
"Not really. I came up here the first time just to see if I could get up here in a single jump and to check out the view from up here. This is the first time I've ever just sat down to actually enjoy it and I figured you might want in on the experience," Xander commented.
"I really appreciate this and, well... Everything else you've done for us," Bethany said.
"It's the least I could do," Xander replied with an uneasy smile. "Especially after..."
"There was nothing you could do," Bethany assured him. "Marian... She died protecting Mother from an ogre that caught us completely by surprise. There wasn't anything anyone could have done."
"I wish your mother saw it that way," Xander confided. "Every time she looks at me, I can't help but hear her silent accusations. 'Why couldn't you have been faster? Why didn't you save Marian?'"
"Is... Is that why you've been spending less and less time at Uncle Gamlen's, taking those extra jobs?" Bethany asked.
Xander was silent for a moment, not wanting Bethany to fight her mother when they next saw each other, while simultaneously not wanting to lie to her. "It's part of it... Nevermind the smell of all that Qunari Cheese that your uncle invested in. It's worse than some parts of the sewers underneath Darktown."
"Oh, it's not that bad!" Bethany defended her uncle's hovel mockingly.
Xander smiled at her. "No, I suppose it isn't. It's still not exactly pleasant either. I don't know how they manage to actually eat it."
"My it's a punishment for disobeying a tenet of the Qun?" Bethany suggested.
"You have failed to complete your training exercises," Xander said in a bad imitation of the Arishok. "The Qun demands that you eat five blocks of cheese!"
Bethany let out a heartfelt laugh, which Xander was glad to see. Ever since the death of Marian and Carver, the loss of their home and finding out her uncle had gambled away her mother's inheritance, neither Bethany nor Leandra had a lot to smile about. She leaned into Xander, putting her head on his shoulder. "You always know how to make me smile."
"It's a gift," Xander boasted mockingly.
Bethany sighed. "I wish Marian and Carver were here to see things like this."
"I know what you mean," Xander replied. "I think about Ma and Pa, every day."
"What happened to them, if you don't mind my asking," Bethany inquired.
"Pa died of heart sickness a couple years ago," Xander told her. "He collapsed while working one day and none of the healers we could find could help him. Ma..." he hesitated.
"You don't have to tell me if it's too painful," Bethany assured him.
"Thanks, Beth. But I want to. I know I don't have to, but I feel like I should, you know," Xander commented. Bethany nodded in acknowledgment. He took a steadying breath. "Ma... We put off leaving because we wanted to try and take as much with us as we could. I slept in the day the Darkspawn attacked. I was sleeping when I heard Ma scream. When I rushed out to find her, she was already dead, run through by one of their blades. I went on a rampage after that, trying to kill practically every darkspawn I could get my hands on."
"And then you found us."
"And then I found you. And failed to save someone else the Blight shouldn't have taken," Xander said more than a little bitterly.
"Even with your abilities, you can't save everyone," Bethany assured him.
"Doesn't mean I can't try," Xander told her. "I've been training them more and more, seeing what my limits are."
"Oh?" Bethany replied.
"I don't think I have a limit for my strength and I think I'm still getting stronger," Xander chuckled humorlessly. "Some days I wake up and I feel like I'm stuck in a world made of parchment, like I have to consciously concentrate to be so careful not to break things or people." Xander's gaze met Bethany's. "The though of hurting someone with my strength on accident keeps me up a night."
The message wasn't lost on her. She put his hand in hers. "I trust you, more than anyone else in this world. Honestly, I'm not sure you could hurt anyone who didn't deserve it."
"Everyone has their bad days, Beth, and that doesn't even take into account blood magic. I might be near invincible, but I'm as vulnerable to magic as anyone else. Promise me, that if I lose control, either to rage or blood magic, you'll put me down."
"Xand..."
"Promise me, Bethany."
She'd never seen Xander like this, with the desperate pleading in his eyes. She gulped nervously. "I-I promise."
The silence between them became uncomfortable. "So, what else have you found out about your powers."
Xander smirked. "You said you trust me, right?"
"Xand?"
"Trust me." He said as he pulled her into a hug before leaning over the ledge and letting them fall of the tallest point of the Chantry.
"Oh, Maker! Xander!" Bethany screamed, before she realized they were floating. "A-Are we...?"
"Yeah..." Xander said as he floated effortlessly in the air. He adjusted them until they were vertical. "I can fly."
"This... This is incredible!" Bethany exclaimed excitedly. "Simply amazing!" Her feet were left dangling in the air and she was being supported solely by Xander's arms around her waist.
"Yeah... It is..." Xander whispered. "Grab on tight so I can show you just exactly what I can do."
Bethany wrapped her arms around his neck as he then began flying at mush higher speeds, bobbing and weaving through the various buildings in Hightown, before flying up high above the city, making a single lap around Sundermount before taking her over the Waking Sea before arcing up and taking her high into the air and gently heading towards Lowtown and, ultimately, her Uncle Gamlen's small hovel.
"Wow!" Bethany exclaimed breathlessly, her face flushed. "That... That was... I don't have words..."
He smiled sadly at her. "Good night, Bethany."
"You're not coming inside?" Bethany asked in concern.
"Got another job for Athenril lined up for tonight," Xander told her.
"Xander..." Bethany complained.
"Relax, I'll be fine," Xander assured her.
"I know, but I can't help but worry sometimes," Bethany told him.
"I'll be by some time in the morning," Xander promised.
"You better!" Bethany said sternly with a smile on her face. Before she released a sad sigh. "I really wish you'd stay."
"Don't be too hard on your mother, Bethany. Honestly, I wish I could have saved Marian every bit as much as she does," Xander defended.
"That doesn't make it right!" Bethany argued.
"You're all your mother has left... Well you and Gamlen. Don't let this get between you two. She'll come around one day," Xander said.
Bethany sighed in frustration. "All right... See you in the morning." She then gave him a quick peck on the cheek that left him grinning goofily. She opened the door to Gamlen's hovel, but stopped before fully entering it. She turned around to see Xander flying away to parts unknown. "Be safe, Xander..."
"I will, Bethany," Xander whispered knowing she couldn't hear him as he could her with his super hearing.
9:30 Dragon, Lowtown, Gamlen's Hovel
Gamlen could hardly believe it.
It was odd and surreal watching history repeat itself. He remembered all too well how disapproving his parents had been of Leandra's liaison with Malcolm Hawke. Their line had been plagued for centuries by magic- cousins, aunts, uncles and other distant relations had been cursed by magic for countless generations. It was a well known fact that those who possessed magic were more than likely going to pass it down to their sons and daughters. That Leandra, dear, perfect Leandra would cavort with a mage was not only a blight on their family, adding to their already prolific curse of being burdened with magical children, but was practically all but spitting in the eye of The Maker.
Gamlen had hated Leandra growing up.
Leandra had always been the favorite. Even when she forsook her betrothed, when she took up with that mage, Malcolm, when she ran away from home to be with an apostate... Nothing she did ever lessened her esteem in the eyes of their parents. Gamlen had taken care of them, wiped their drool from their chins, played nursemaid as they gradually deteriorated... And what did he have to show for it?
Even years after their deaths, Gamlen couldn't help but resent either his mother, father or Leandra.
The mage girl, Bethany, Leandra's daughter and his niece, was an alright sort. She didn't like him- which was understandable, all things considered. Not that Gamlen particularly cared, but he understood her ire.
He'd earned it.
Or rather, Leandra had been supposed to inherit it and he'd used it up in her stead, trying his hand at making a quick coin or two. Most of his schemes paid off great in the short term but precious few did well long term.
The fiery haired amazonian of a Fereldan woman scared the living piss out of him. The fact that she was a guard was even more worrisome. After all, while none of Gamlen's schemes were illegal, per say, very few were truly on the up and up.
The boy that had come with them, Xander, was a practical one. Very understanding, too. Which Gamlen counted as a good thing, as Xander could rip his arms off with barely any effort and beat him to death with them. While the boy had not agreed with or approved of Gamlen's choices, particularly in regards to Leandra's squandered inheritance, he'd understood. To be honest, as much as he tried not to, he had actually come to like the boy. While Gamlen was definitely intimidated by what the boy could do, he wasn't afraid of Xander Kent, not even slightly. And, not that he'd ever say so to Leandra, but the boy was good for Bethany, who always fretted and worried over every fine detail. Alexander helped her relax, made her smile, helped her laugh- at his own expense even. His very presence calmed and soothed her and barely a mention of him lit up her face like one of her fire spells did the cooking pit.
Between his fondness for Xander, his neutrality of Bethany and his disdain for Leandra, he was amused by the situation they'd found themselves in. Particularly, the situation revolving around Xander's suitability as a suitor for Bethany. The kid was noble and kind and cherished Bethany every chance he got, which with them both living under the same roof and working for Athenril as much as they did was quite often. And it was plain as day that Bethany was beginning to fall for Alexander as well.
And therein lie the problem- not with the children, but with Leandra.
No matter what Xander said or did, his sister would not warm up to the lad. She held a special disdain for the poor boy who'd lost every bit as much as she had to The Blight. Gamlen couldn't understand why, he was every bit the type of man he'd figured Leandra could have ever hoped that Bethany would find. There was also the fact, if what he'd heard was true, that Xander had killed an Ogre that had been about to attack her, thus saving her life.
All said, Gamlen could barely contain the smile as he watched Leandra watch Bethany and Xander talk in hushed tones, sharing an innocent, yet very intimate moment as they talked about one topic or another. Still, he liked the boy and it was time Leandra saw the situation, if nothing else, for what it was.
"You're going to lose her, you know," Gamlen said to Leandra in hushed tones.
"What?" Leandra asked in surprised astonishment.
Gamlen's face was uncharacteristically grim. He may bitch about his lot in life, but he took responsibility for his own actions and accepted them. While he would likely never live a happy, comfortable life of luxury, he would, could and did live contently with whatever the world threw his way. "You are going to lose her, if you keep on like you have."
"I have no idea what you mean," Leandra replied defensively.
Gamlen sighed. "Tell that to someone who hasn't heard you arguing with your daughter. And if I've been taking notice, you know the boy has too. He's been amazingly patient and tolerant with your behavior towards him. I can honestly say that I don't know of anyone more deserving of the Maker's Blessing with the way you treat him."
"You wouldn't understand!" Leandra replied harshly.
Gamlen shrugged. "I don't know enough to even begin to try. All I know is what I've seen and what any of you have seen fit to tell me, which isn't much. But what I do know is that your attempts to get between he and Bethany have not gone unnoticed and have driven a wedge between you and your only remaining child."
"What are you getting at Gamlen?" Leandra asked bitterly.
"The boy knows you hate him. He stays because of the girl. But eventually he will leave- because you'll have driven him off," Gamlen told her. "And she will follow because she cares for him as much as he does for her."
"It wouldn't come to that," Leandra snapped defensively, though it didn't appear that she believed her own words.
"Wouldn't it?" Gamlen asked with a raised eyebrow. "Look at them! Who do they remind you of? Do you mean to tell me that you can't see that he cares enough for her to let go or that she cares enough for him to fight even him for the right to their relationship!?"
"This is different!" Leandra argued.
"Why? Because it's your mage daughter having the forbidden romance with someone you clearly don't approve of, for reasons beyond fathom! If what I heard from the guardswoman is true, he saved your life!" Gamlen snapped back.
"I... It's complicated," Leandra replied helplessly.
"Then uncomplicate it, for Bethany's sake, if nothing else," Gamlen insisted. "You weren't here. You didn't see what your leaving did to Mother and Father! And while we've not always gotten on, I'd rather not see that happen to you."
Leandra looked troubled by the prospect. "Do you truly think that will happen?"
Gamlen nodded. "I saw it before- when you were cavorting with Malcolm. Don't make our parent's mistake.
Leandra sighed sadly, taking a good long look at Bethany and Xander. "I have much to think about, don't I?"
Gamlen simply nodded.
9:30 Dragon, Lowtown, Market Place
"Did mother seem off to you this morning?" Bethany asked Xander as they moved trough the market looking for supplies for the larder.
"A bit. I think Gamlen gave her something to think about the other day," Xander said. He'd been a bit distracted himself by Gamlen's words.
"What? When?" Bethany asked in surprise. "What did he say?"
He smiled in remembrance of the day in question. "Almost a week ago now, when we were talking about Carver and the antics he would get up to to impress a girl. And don't worry about it. Honestly, if I wasn't having trouble controlling what I hear sometimes, I would have stopped listening. It was a very private conversation."
"I remember mother being upset that day and she wouldn't tell me why," Bethany replied sadly. "Ever since we got here, it's like there's this wall between us and I don't know how to get through it."
"Give her time, Beth," Xander said. "She's been through a lot. We all have."
"I know. It's just... I wish there was something we could do for her," Bethany said feeling helpless.
"Until that something comes up, you just gotta be there for her," Xander replied.
"So, any new powers reveal themselves yet?" Bethany asked changing the subject.
"I can start fires with my eyes now," Xander commented.
"Is that what happened the other day?" Bethany asked. "Because I thought that might have been me. I wasn't feeling particularly well and thought I may have done it on accident."
"Done it before?" Xander asked with a smirk.
Bethany looked a bit sheepish. "Once or twice. But I haven't done that for years."
"Good to know," Xander replied.
"So what triggered that ability?" Bethany inquired.
Xander looked away from Bethany blushingly under the guise of checking out a weapons rack. Despite having taken ill that day, he had a hard time not looking at her and thinking about how beautiful she looked. From there his thoughts had taken a more than slightly less pure turn. It was about then that he felt the itching sensation in his eyes. He was glad that Gamlen stubbing his toe had distracted him enough to look slightly away from Bethany as the crates situated at the edge of her bed had caught fire.
"Oh, you know, the normal stuff," Xander evaded.
Bethany raised an eyebrow. "No, I don't, which is why I asked."
"Oh," Xander replied. "Well, anyways, Gamlen helped me figure out how to control it."
"Gamlen?" Bethany asked in disbelief.
"I know, right," Xander agreed. "Shocked me too, just how smart he can be sometimes. Then again, with as many failed schemes as he's got under his belt and still staying afloat, I suppose it shouldn't surprise us too much. At least now I don't have to worry about setting the world on fire. Not by accident anyway."
It had been more than a bit awkward between the two of them when Xander had to explain that he'd been perving on Bethany when that power had awakened. Luckily, Gamlen had been understanding, once he got over the fact that he'd lost a great deal of whatever product his latest scheme revolved around due to Xander's lack of control over his powers. In fact, the man had a bit of fun tweaking Xander's nose a bit, once his initial anger had run its course, seeing how mortified Xander was at the situation as a whole.
"I only know that feeling all too well," Bethany commiserated with him. "I remember how patient Father was, no matter how frustrated Marian or Carver or Mother got with me at times. He was always calm and ready to teach me how to control my powers. He always answered any questions I had and didn't make me feel silly when those answers were simpler than I thought them to be."
Xander smiled at her warmly as she reminisced about her father. "He sounds like he was a good man."
"The best," Bethany sighed. "I miss him terribly." She smiled at Xander. "You kind of remind me of him sometimes. I think he would have liked you."
"It's kind of you to say," Xander said as his smile lessened. Bethany knew why and let it go as she didn't want to get into another argument regarding her mother. Xander never stood up to her as they both blamed him for Marian's death- something that Bethany hated to think about, but she hated even more that Xander was willing to accept any punishment Leandra sent his way.
"C'mon! I think I saw a lovely dress at one of the stalls up ahead a few days ago that goes well with my complexion. I want to see if they still have it for sale since we made quite a bit of coin on that last job for Athenril," Bethany declared, grabbing Xander's wrist to drag him off to said stall.
Xander smirked in response, his mood lightened by her show of exuberance.
"As you wish."
9:31 Dragon, Lowtown, Residential Area
Xander and Bethany were taking a moonlight stroll through Lowtown. While, admittedly, not the most romantic of venues, they weren't too far from Gamlen's home, yet out from the watchful eye of Leandra. While her demeanor towards Xander had warmed considerably, she had not taken too well the notion that Xander and Bethany were tentatively courting.
"Do you think Varric will have found a job for us tomorrow?" Bethany asked Xander.
Xander snorted in amusement. "I'm pretty sure that dwarf always has something going on. And yet, strangely enough, I can't help but trust him."
"He is a rather likable fellow, isn't he?" Bethany noted.
Xander raised an eyebrow. "Should I be jealous?"
Though it was asked teasingly, it had apparantly struck a nerve as Bethany was instantly defensive.
"Oh please, I'm not the one drooling over him like some sort of Rivaini trollop," Bethany scoffed.
Xander winced. He couldn't help the fact that Isabella was incredibly attractive or that she liked to get under Bethany's skin by flirting with him. It also didn't help that Xander had been awed by her during their first meeting when she handed those other smuggler's their asses to them at the Hanged Man.
She hadn't let him live it down since.
"I'm fairly certain, I'm not drooling over Varric either," Xander replied. "Dwarves, men and dwarven men just aren't my type."
"Oh, and just what is your type then?" Bethany asked.
Xander knew a trap when he saw one and this one he saw coming from a mile away.
"Beautiful, smart and able to set me on fire with her mind if I even think about another woman that way," Xander told her with a grin.
"And don't you forget it," Bethany ordered with a grin of her own.
"As you wish," Xander replied.
Any further conversation was interupted when a Force Spell knocked them both of their feet.
"It's her!" shouted a voice. "The one that possesses the Blood of the Hawke!"
Hearing this, Xander became instantly enraged. Even more so when he saw what appeared to be a Coterie Dwarf standing over Bethany with a dagger. He was a blur of motion as he smacked the dwarf away from her. The blow killed him instantly, well before he hit the wall of the building three blocks away. The mage was next and he snapped the apostate's neck easily. The third and final member of the kidnapping/assassin's party, who looked like he was the leader, was quickly disarmed as Xander grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into a nearby wall, leaving a huge, cracked, indent in it.
"By the stone!" the dwarf choked out. "What are you!?"
"I'm asking the questions here dwarf!" Xander shouted. "Now, what did you want with Bethany? And bear in mind, if you lie to me, I'll know and then I'll start getting creative." As he said this, his eyes began to glow a bright red.
"Never!" the Coterie dwarf shouted in defiance as Xander continued to choke him. He pulled out a murder dagger, one coated with poison and stabbed it into himself.
"Damn it!" Xander tossed him away. He instantly calmed himself when he saw how shaken up Bethany was. "You okay, Beth?"
"Yeah... I'm fine. You were really frightening for a moment there," Bethany replied.
"I-I'm sorry. It's just... When I saw... I was just so angry," Xander replied in frustration.
"We're fine, Xand. I'm fine," she assured him as she pulled him into a tight hug. They stood in the street for a moment before reluctantly releasing each other. "We should go see Varric."
Xander nodded in agreement. "If anyone can find out what they wanted from you, it would be him."
"Let's go," Bethany said as they started towards the Hanged Man.
Xander's response was to hold onto her a little tighter. He then whispered to her. "As you wish."