Author's Disclaimer: I don't own a thing belonging to "Dragon Age 2." Not a darn thing.
Author's notes: We'll be going between the mates in the next few chapters. This one will focus on Merrill's joy with the current situation. Ideas throughout chapter suggested by CharlieBarrow.
All you guests and readers, feel free to drop a line :P Do you like where the story's going?
"Catching the Wind"
Chapter twenty- five "New Mother"
Falcon noticed her father approaching the ship's edge before Isabela did. He tugged at the hem of her tunic and his brother spoke up on her other side. They lit up at the sight of Hawke, but Hawke had eyes for their mother.
Isabela's tunic was gray, but the smears of blood around the waist were unmistakable. Hawke settled one hand on her mate's shoulder. Isabela brought her hand to her face and Hawke's heart sank as she realized she was crying. Hawke took off her cloak and wrapped it around her mate, effectively wrapping her in her love, and from view of the crew.
Hawke sighed with relief when Isabela leaned back into her. Their sons leaned on either side of them.
"Bela…..are you?..."
"I have no baby. I don't know what 'okay' is," Isabela mumbled. Lark stared up at them, and at Isabela's lack of round belly.
"Ma….what?..." he began. Isabela sighed raggedly.
"I don't know, Larkie. But Mamae has the baby inside her," Hawke said gently. The twins shared a confused look. In a world with mages and spirits, this was just one more mystery added.
"Is the baby okay?" Falcon asked worriedly. Both women shuddered. Hawke moved a sheaf of her mate's dark hair and pressed a kiss to the side of her throat. Since being marked by her, Isabela had worn her golden choker less and less and Hawke appreciated being able to kiss her mating mark. Hawke poured love and support through her kiss to the mark. Isabela molded back into her arms.
"We….we think so. Mamae is sleeping now, so we need to be quiet when we go to bed," Hawke offered. Isabela's thoughts went dark as her hand smoothed over her flat stomach. Hawke would want to protect and dote on the woman holding her child. It was only natural of her alpha instincts. It still hurt though.
"I have a few more rounds to go over. Go, Hawke," Isabela said. Hawke reluctantly let her go and took her sons by the hand. The look she gave her mate was one of unspoken anguish and pain.
Isabela's face went neutral, walling off her emotions from her. Hawke sighed and led the twins down to the galley kitchen.
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After telling a story and tucking the boys into their hammocks, Hawke wanted to look for Isabela. But she found herself heading for the captain's quarters instead. One candle was lit and in the dim light, the Champion could make out her second mate's round shape half covered with a blanket. Hawke's heart hurt as she took in Merrill's round belly and thin legs.
Her alpha's heart told her to search for her other mate, but her alpha's paternal instinct made her legs carry her to the bed. Hawke stripped to her under tunic and climbed under the covers. At the feel of the mattress dipping, Merrill turned on her back, and sputtered, stuck like a downed turtle. Hawke was quick to adjust her and help her move against the pillows.
"Hawke?" Merrill murmured. Her eyes gleamed with such love Hawke could have wept. She found herself smiling fondly as her hand dropped onto her mate's now round belly.
"I guess….we found a way," Hawke murmured. Merrill nodded, eyes gleaming. She held Hawke's hand against her middle and cuddled closer. Hawke dropped a kiss to the top of her head.
"In a way, yes…oh, Hawke, I can't wait to have him! I feel so close to the twins but I'm even closer to this pup…" Merrill's words were innocent and happy, yet Hawke felt a twinge of pain for her first mate. Oh, Isabela… she prayed her pirate captain was not taking it out on herself while she was in bed with her pregnant mate.
"You keep saying 'him.' I think it's a girl," Hawke protested gently. Merrill pulled her in for a deep kiss. Hawke was astonished at the amount of tongue she used. When Merrill initiated intimacy, she was not that showy for it. But Merrill kissed her now as if she were drowning. Hawke let herself get pulled into her whirlwind kisses. "Hmmm…"
"A boy. It's a boy," Merrill insisted. Hawke nodded. She put an arm over her round belly and held her close.
"I'll defer to your judgment, my love."
"Hawke…." Merrill blushed. "Where's Isabela?"
Hawke looked down. She felt so much guilt over the exchange, certain she had caused the events leading up to it. If she hadn't stolen the mutton, if she hadn't walked with her pregnant mate into town the day after…
"I'll go check on her soon. You should get some rest, little mother," Hawke murmured. Merrill's giggles soothed the balm of her guilt only slightly.
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The sky was dark when Hawke extricated herself from Merrill's arms. She bundled the blankets over her belly and kissed her brow, dressing in the dark. A quick round down the crew corridors told her no captain.
Hawke sighed when she noticed the twins had gotten out of their room and were laying on the deck at the foot of the rope ladder leading up to the crow's nest.
"Up," she commanded gruffly. Falcon rubbed his eyes, but Lark darted a glance up into the dark sails.
"Mama's still up there…" he said. Hawke nodded.
"Back to bed, pups. I'll get your mother down."
"No." Before Hawke could pick her jaw up from the blatant disregard to her order, her son went on. "Mama went up there and she's sad. She'll want us to make sure no one bothers her…"
Were she just a crew hand, Hawke would have agreed. However, she was the captain's mate and she'd been through a horrifying experience. Hawke's place was at her side to help soothe her mate. She growled and was placated at how quickly her young sons snapped into rigid postures, waiting her next words.
"I'm going up. If your mother asked me not to, then you'd keep me away. Am I understood, pups?"
"Yes, Papa…." Falcon and Lark waited, heads ducking. Hawke patted them to take the sting from her words and climbed up the rope ladder carefully. The salt air was cool the higher she went and finally Hawke bumped against the bottom of the crow's nest. She pushed for the hatch to climb up, but the hatch thumped from on top. There was no give and she couldn't complete her climb.
"Isabela?" Hawke called.
"Go away," Isabela said. Hawke's heart lurched as she heard the tears in her voice. Hawke banged a fist against the bottom side of the hatch.
"Bela, it's me. Please, can I come up?"
A tense silent moment. Then Isabela gave her the answer she didn't want. "No. Not now, Hawke."
"Please, Bela," Hawke pleaded. She leaned against the beam the rope ladder was nailed to and pushed against the hatch again. "I, I'm here….if you need me, or a shoulder…."
A small sob and Isabela spoke louder. "NOT NOW, Hawke. Please."
It was only the please that forced Hawke to agree with her mate's decision. She sighed and cast an anguished look up at the hatch separating her from her mate. The mother of her child….even if the babe had been cast to Merrill…it was the truth! She waited long moments in the cold, leaning against the hard wood of the beam.
"O…okay, Bela…. Please come down. I'll be waiting," she said. No answer. The wind whistled through Hawke's hair as she climbed down. She sighed. The pups were waiting at the top of the steps leading below deck instead of their room, but they took off running when they noticed Hawke approaching.
It was their loyalty to Isabela that had Hawke saying goodnight to them instead of punishing them. As she shut the thin door to their narrow room, Hawke hoped she wasn't making a mistake today.
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When Hawke woke the next morning, she was glad to see Isabela in her own bed. She was curled up on the far other side wrapped in a corner of the blankets. Hawke reached for her, but Merrill began to wake, sputtering with surprise as the child kicked again and again.
"Oooh, he's kicking," Merrill squeaked. Hawke moved back over to the elf and helped her sit up. She rubbed her belly, talking in low tones to the pup. The baby finally stopped kicking and settled. Merrill was purring happily, twining one leg with Hawke's. Isabela rolled over and Hawke's attention went to her. Her heart pinged when she saw the pirate's flat belly.
"It'll do that," Isabela offered. She sat up and reached for her tunic. Hawke swallowed as she reached for a new corset, fastening it around her smaller torso.
Merrill smiled down at her large belly. Her hand reached for Isabela, but the pirate was quicker. She rolled off the bed and put on her earrings and bandana. Her wrist gauntlets came next and Hawke breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't put her old choker on. She could see her mating mark and longed to kiss it to calm her lover.
"Can you?..." she began to ask Isabela but Isabela cut her off.
"Hawke can see to you, kitten. Don't push yourself," she offered by way of advice. Hawke's heart hurt at how easily Isabela avoided touching either of them. Her heart actually hurt at being ignored by her first mate. Merrill looked equally stricken. She rubbed her belly, tears in her eyes. Isabela tugged on her boots and stood up.
"Isabela…." She called. But the pirate left. Hawke wanted to go after her but her pregnant mate was struggling to sit up. Hawke helped her. She lowered her head against Merrill's chest, letting her hold her.
"I'm sorry, love," she said softly. Merrill ran her finger through Hawke's tousled hair.
"I'm not," Merrill said "Only… I worry for Isabela."
"I do too." Hawke lifted her head and the elf leaned down to kiss her lips. Her heart gave a happy surge. "I'll get to her, Merrill. I don't want you worrying. Just focus on being a healthy mother."
Merrill glowed at her last words. "I never thought…that I could…." Her hand on her belly conveyed her thoughts. Hawke smiled lovingly at her.
"Me neither. It's my fault we can't knot…."
Merrill shushed her and kissed her brow. "You're so big. Not your fault."
Hawke blushed. "I…"
Merrill cast her a decidedly sultry look. "What, it's the truth, da'len."
"Merrill…" Hawke kissed her cheek and helped the pregnant elf up. "Let's get you ready."
"I can handle myself," Merrill giggled. But she accepted her mate's help to dress and groom for the day. Hawke pulled on her trousers and pulled her tunic on.
"Do you want to go up deck?" she asked. Merrill nodded.
"Food first. The baby is making me so hungry," Merrill admitted. Hawke smiled, leading her out of the captain's quarters. Her pups were already in the kitchen galley, downing large bowls of porridge. The fact they were eating it readily spoke of their hunger, so Hawke nodded approvingly to the cook. Belatedly he put a small pot of honey on the table for the boy's porridge.
Mel and a few of the sailor omegas sidled up in line to collect their own bowls from Cook, and one of the men squeaked at the sight of Merrill on Hawke's arm. Merrill accepted everyone's halting congratulations. It was just a strange circumstance. But the story of how the pup had gotten there had spread fast. It was common knowledge the babe was made between Hawke and Captain Isabela's union.
The pups gave Merrill a hug, exclaiming over the baby and some of the crew had questions as well. Hawke set Merrill carefully on one chair and fetched her breakfast. Cook handed Hawke a separate plate of sliced meat as well as the porridge. Merrill didn't complain over the mismatch of dishes, eating rather quickly. Lark poured her a cup of water from the pitcher on the table.
Falcon cleared his throat and Lark followed his brother. Hawke watched them.
"We'll do drills soon, boys," she ordered. The boys nodded and headed for the stairs.
"Yes, Papa!"
Mel got up without being asked, set her bowl back with the cook, and followed the twins up deck. Hawke nodded in thanks.
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Merrill did well on deck. The crew set out to make things comfortable for her, even as they ran to coil line, tie off knots and complete their tasks. Hawke cast a sad look up to the wheel area. She knew the captain was there and saw Craven's tall form move past. Her alpha instincts urged Hawke to make good on checking on Isabela. Her mark was showing, but another alpha was nearby. And their child was no longer inside her.
Merrill almost slipped, and Hawke steadied her easily. She patted the child inside the small elf, eyes distant. She blinked when Merrill cupped the side of her cheek with her palm.
"Check on her. This can't be easy," she said wisely. Hawke smiled with thanks.
"You're taking all this well," she observed. Merrill nodded.
"I'll keep an eye on the boys. They started swinging their weapons," she said merrily. Hawke cast a look over her boys, nodding with approval.
"Feet wider, Fal!" she called. Falcon did as she asked and grunted into another swing with his wooden sword.
Hawke jogged quickly, so she could get back to the rest of her family as quickly as possible. Craven was going over a map with Isabela and she nodded as he pinned down a course on the parchment. Craven straightened at her approach.
"Champion."
Hawke nodded and cast her gaze to her mate. Isabela looked put together, but she couldn't keep ignoring the situation forever.
"Isabela. Will you come with me a moment?"
Isabela gave her an even look. Affection warred with indecision. "I…not now, Hawke. Are the boys okay?"
"Aside from trying to follow you?" Hawke dared a step closer. She longed to rub her mate's arm, but Isabela was just out of reach. "They're drilling."
"Good…" Isabela blinked and fixed her gaze on the horizon. "I need to navigate."
"See you later?"
"Not that many places to go on a ship," Isabela snorted. Hawke gave her an anguished look. She wanted to take her into her arms, Craven be damned.
"Bela…. The baby is safe. You know that, don't you?"
The look of rage Isabela shot her stopped Hawke in her tracks.
"GO."
Hawke had to comply with her wishes and slunk off like a kicked dog.
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It was nearing night again. Hawke let her pups try a few knots under Mel's supervision as the other sailors moved quickly around them. She grunted with disapproval that her mate hadn't come down from the wheel area. She knew Craven was navigating for her, but she wasn't leaving that area of the deck. The sun was setting, and Merrill longed to go below deck. One of the omega males offered her his arm and Hawke nodded her approval at his questioning look. The thin man beamed and asked Merrill about her health.
Merrill's voice chirped as she answered. Hawke stalked to the wheel area, a plan formulating in her mind. Isabela had liked a more forward response in the past. Perhaps she had to apply it to this strange situation they all found themselves in.
Isabela had been lounging against the railing but straightened when she saw Hawke approaching. Craven leaned against the wheel stand, steering with one large hand. He raised an eyebrow at the woman stalking toward them.
Hawke kept coming until she was pressed up against Isabela's body. She sighed with a moment of relief, feeling the familiar curves press up against her torso. Her hands boxed Isabela in on either side on the railing and she leaned in. Isabela was properly flushed, her face curious. She tilted her chin, giving Hawke a rather haughty questioning look.
"What?" she demanded.
"BELA, come with me," she growled. Hawke was pleased to see Isabela quake in response. She leaned close, inhaling the side of her naked throat. Confidence raged through her blood and Hawke smiled against her flesh. "We need to discuss this NOW."
"This what? What is 'this?'" Isabela demanded. She shoved Hawke off of her and Hawke was quick to anger, her alpha's pride wounded. Craven made a step toward them, but Hawke growled at him to stay put. She was placated slightly the large man actually listened and rooted to the spot.
This close, suddenly Hawke noticed the heavy air of whiskey on her mate's breath. Well, she couldn't be upset about that. There was no baby to endanger with her drinking….Maker! Sudden grief welled through Hawke's heart and she knew her mate had to be suffering even more.
"THIS, us, our baby… And Merrill!" Hawke exclaimed. Sudden tears pricked the pirate's eyes and Hawke wanted her to get it out. Maybe then she would come back into the family's embrace.
"It's not ours, is it? I don't…. I don't know how all this happened…" Isabela gestured to Craven and the large man tossed her a flask. Hawke sighed as she tipped the flask back and took a heavy swig.
"It is! How else do you think Merrill got this big?" Hawke protested. Isabela gave her a disapproving frown.
"You should see to her. She's fit to pop as it is."
Hawke could hear a trace of jealousy in her mate's words and her heart ached. "Isabela!"
"Just leave me be, Hawke!" Isabela thundered. Hawke winced under her onslaught. She reached for her again.
"Please….."
"Go….go!" Isabela swung a clumsy fist. Hawke let her clip her chin, letting her get any frustration out. She took her fist and kissed it sweetly, letting her go.
"As you wish…we're waiting for you!" Hawke insisted. Isabela growled at her, drawing hard at her flask again.
End for now
End notes: And done before the new year. Happy holidays, ya filthy animals. Like it, smash that review button and let me know what you think. Stay strong, lovelies.
Pen 12/30/2018