Author's Disclaimer: I don't own a thing belonging to "Dragon Age 2." Or 3. Hawke, Isabela, Merrill, Varric, they all belong to BioWare.
Author's notes: More island life, it's gonna be a touch more peaceful, til it ain't for Hawke. I want to look at a few more years of the family before stuff kicks off again fully into "Inquisition."
"Catching the Wind"
Chapter thirty-two "Surprises and Shared Heat"
Magpie was coming on her third name day when she started exhibiting signs of magic. She had been playing in the sand, bare legs browning under the sun, as her brothers played around her. The sailors were across the beach, some working on the distillery, others sunning themselves, or sparring with their own wooden weaponry.
Lark noticed this and nudged his brother. They grabbed their weapons and ran to join in. Craven ruffled Falcon's hair with a large hand and the twins got to work. They were nearing their tenth name days and were growing tall. Magpie reached out with chubby hands, grunting with effort, then sparks of green magic erupted from her fingertips. Merrill, Hawke and Isabela ran to her side rather quickly, Merrill first to put her hands around the baby's and calm her magic.
Magpie stared up at her mamae as her magic was pulled into her, funneled between their hands. "Just like that, da'len!" Merrill urged. Magpie gurgled up at her.
"Ma," she grinned.
Hawke ran a hand through her tousled hair. "What was that!" she breathed. Isabela gave her a rueful look.
"Should have known we'd have a mage. It tends to run in your family, doesn't it?"
"A mage?" Hawke couldn't help looking worried. She bit her lip, trying to smile as her baby giggled up at her, feet pushing in the sand happily. "Damn…"
Isabela scooped up the baby, heart warming as her daughter's eyes lit up. "It'll be fine, sweet thing. We'll make it so."
Merrill nodded. "There's so much I can teach her. The life of an apostate is not so bad….you know this, Hawke."
Hawke winced, looking guilty. Her own father had been an apostate, separate from magi circles. But the old worries of keeping temptations from her mage family members reared in her thoughts. The one time she wasn't as vigilant with Bethany and the Blight threatened to consume her….
"Well, mages certainly have fought back for their place," Hawke murmured. The war that had started during their run from Kirkwall supported that. Anytime they heard news from nearby island communities confirmed it. Her actions to defend the mages left in Kirkwall had sparked some kind of revolt all across Thedas. Mage circles were abandoned. It was a strange thing to get news of on the way outside looking in. She wondered if somewhere, Bethany would approve.
The baby squealed as Isabela bounced her.
"Oh, you sweet thing," she was murmuring. Magpie patted her face and leaned up for a hug. "I should have known your children would always be some work."
But Isabela had a smirk on her face, so Hawke didn't take it as a slight. She gave her usual roguish grin, rolling her bare biceps under the sun.
"You love it," Hawke grinned.
Isabela was rubbing her nose against Magpie's. "You know, I do."
Hawke's heart soared. She grinned at Merrill who slung an arm around her waist. "Well when you put it that way."
Hawke watched Merrill take Magpie from Isabela and both of her mates knelt on the sand, talking together. Merrill was explaining spells to the pirate and the baby stared at them. At least she hadn't touched blood magic, not since Kirkwall. Maybe all their past secret arguments about it had finally rung true. Hawke could only be grateful.
The cuts along her arms had healed, some leaving faint lines of scars. The silent way she'd kiss those marks could only show her heart for her mate. Merrill would have to be the one to guide their daughter. And not in the dangers of blood magic.
Hawke swallowed. So many years ago, she remembered Father doing the same with a very young Bethany. His deep voice telling her what she needed to do…. She had been a few years older than her daughter, but the similarity was striking. Hawke blinked back tears. Her daughter was staring at her, chubby hands reaching.
"Da!" she called. Hawke knelt and swung the toddler to her shoulder. Magpie giggled. Hawke pressed a kiss to her dark brown curls, inhaling the unique baby scent of her scalp. The kiss she pressed to the sharp tips of her daughter's ears earned a giggle.
"When can you begin teaching her?" she asked her second mate. Merrill's eyes sparkled.
"She won't keep lessons at this point. We'll have to wait. And monitor her magic use," she said wisely. Hawke gave her a rueful smile. She rocked Magpie who was giggling in her ear. Island life had been strange for her to get used to. After the hubbub of Kirkwall, the comings and goings and want for her aid, it was strange to wake with her family slowly and take each day as it came. The only extenuating task seemed to be drilling the twins and watching her mate work the rum and brandy distillery under the large palm trees.
Hawke tried to keep her muscles up. She worked the twins hard, and they were growing lean and willowy, small muscles forming. They did enjoy jogging with her on the beach with a few of the other sailors after breakfast. The hours passed slowly on the island, but Hawke found she liked seeing her mates happy. And the pups loved their home.
Hawke sat on the sand, long legs sprawling. Magpie settled into her lap, small hands clutching her forearms. Hawke cast her gaze down the beach where Falcon and Lark were sparring with Craven and another of the men. She smiled when Isabela sat beside her.
"How are you?" she asked softly. Hawke gave her a tender smile.
"Fine. All of this….never thought you'd want it. At least when I met you," Hawke admitted. Isabela gave her a loving look. She trailed her hand along Hawke's forearm, trailing her finger across Magpie's pudgy hand.
"When I first met you…I knew you'd be fun. You always are." But Isabela leaned in to kiss her mate's cheek. She whispered in her ear. "I was wrong back then. There's more and…..I'm glad I came back."
"Me too," Hawke blushed. She bounced Magpie in her lap. "I love you, Bela."
"I know…." Isabela kissed her cheek. "I love you too."
The smile on Hawke's face was bright. Small zaps tingled her forearms and Hawke yelped as Magpie begin surging spurts of green magic. "Merrill!"
The tentative whine in her mate's voice spurned Merrill to action. She knelt down and captured her daughter's hands gently, talking to her in a soothing tone. The baby's brow furrowed, then her face lightened to a smile. She listened to the soft elvish words from her mamae and calmed.
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Isabela cast a shrewd look over her children. The twins were holding onto their sister's hands, one on either side, and walking slowly with her. The toddler was happy to see new people in this community some islands over from their home. They had an established series of stores and her crew loved to shop there when she could make the journey. And they'd had to often, to have clothing made for a growing baby. Magpie's new outfit was finely sewn but plain without family crest. Same as the rest of her family.
"That's her, isn't it?" Isabela overheard. Her hand settled over the hilt of Bodice-Ripper. "The Champion."
"Ex-Champion. Kirkwall's a mess."
"Fits Varric's description. Tall, slender, dark hair. That scar…."
Belatedly, Isabela realized her mate had kept her rogue's hood pulled back. That useless hood was settled around her shoulders as she basked in the island sun, looking over wares. She wondered if she had time to whisper the potential danger to her mate when the decision was taken out of her hand.
"Champion Hawke!" an old man had taken up pace beside her mate. Isabela froze. Her mate froze as well, features frozen in a rictus of confusion. "That is you, isn't it?"
"I….I don't know what you're talking about," Hawke gave. She met pace with her pups and picked up Magpie to her shoulder. Her twins flanked her, staring at the old man in confusion.
"Aye, twin boys, same as Varric said," the man nodded to himself. He reached into his satchel, but instead of a weapon he pulled out a bottle of wine. He grinned, extending it out to the confused ex-Champion. And Hawke was too polite to refuse the gift. "For you, for helping the city always."
"You're a Kirkwaller," Hawke said in response. She stared at the name on the bottle. It was from a high-end company that sold their brand in the city. Or was it used to now?
The man nodded. "I've friends in the Circle. They say you helped them. Helped them get away to live the lives they wanted. That's just, well my way of thanking you. For doing the right thing."
Hawke blushed. Isabela strolled to her side and took the baby. "It was nothing."
"It wasn't nothing," the old man insisted. "Thanks, Champion. You always were of the right stuff, I knew it."
A few of the islanders that heard pressed a few bottles in thanks and Isabela had to bag most to keep up. By the time they left the market, they had a good ten bottles of very well aged wine and brandy. Top-shelf as it were.
"Well, this is a nice surprise," Isabela drawled. Hawke shot her a worried look. She had pulled her hood back over her features after the recognition.
"We don't want them knowing where we live, do we?" she asked.
"We won't. But still, good wine and brandy. Damned good names," Isabela grinned. Merrill was going over one of the bottles with Hawke.
"Is this a good one?" she chirped. Hawke nodded to her mate.
"Yes."
"Then we'll share some later," Merrill suggested. Hawke gave her a soft look.
The sail back to their island took the rest of the afternoon and as Isabela's crew secured the Stormy Lover, she rowed back to shore with her family in tow. Isabela opened the door to the room off the kitchen at the back of their house. Mainly it was used for storage of food stuffs and other supplies. Isabela pulled out the bottles and lined them upon the shelves built into the wall.
"Well, that's a right nice collection to start," Isabela grinned. "Which shall we start with?"
"Antivan red. That's a good one," Hawke said. She bounced Magpie to her shoulder.
"Right for upper society," Isabela drawled. "Your good tongue and all."
"Oh hush, love," Hawke blushed. Isabela grinned as she popped the cork and went in search of glasses for the three of them.
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Hawke gave a nervous look into the master bedroom. Isabela was combing out Merrill's hair. She had grown it longer and it was a very becoming look. Her elf beamed catching her eye. Both women were wearing their skimpy night shifts and the bare glimpses of thigh had Hawke smiling to herself. She loved…..being with them. To put it frankly. But her mates were smelling more and more alluring. Hawke had had a heat with one or the other at a time. But so far Merrill hadn't synched up with Isabela. And her pirate could leave her sleeping for days after a heat. But the scents she noticed now were enough to make her heart quicken and shift form. Hawke took a deep breath, staggering to capture her sanity.
"The boys are laying down. How's Mags?" Hawke asked. Merrill nodded to the other room. Magpie's cradle had been put in there the previous few months and she was taking to sleeping alone.
"Sleeping like a kitten, like Kitten," Isabela giggled. She gave the elf an affectionate squeeze and lay half on her side grinning at Hawke. Hawke swallowed. Her cock was already hard and straining against the front of her loose trousers. The looks her mates gave her was bordering on salacious and more than a little expectant. While she loved the intimacy and then some, they did have three children. Three should be enough. It was why she started spending on Isabela's belly. Her mate was not happy about that and it was showing. "Are you coming?"
"Really? You're going with that?" Hawke taunted. She unfastened her light tunic and the looks her mates gave her torso as it was revealed was more than alittle gratifying. Merrill leaned up to help unwind her breast band. The small kisses she placed along her side as she did so told her she would be wanted for more than a simple embrace. Hawke smiled at her second mate, cupping her cheek in one hand. She leaned to kiss her. The unsubtle loosening of her trouser laces from her other side told her Isabela didn't want to sit this one out. Hawke whined in Merrill's mouth and gasped as she leaned back from her kiss. "Isabela!"
"What, it's not like you can be surprised at this point." The grin on her pirate's face was smug indeed. And she'd found her prize, hand cupping her shift and squeezing firmly. "And yes, I'll be going. With that."
Hawke smiled, a few beads of sweat dotting her brow as she eased her hips back, sliding out of her trousers. Merrill's hand ran along her bare thigh, caressing her. They both took an angle of her and Hawke gasped as she was stroked, her mouth against Merrill's, and Isabela's doing…wonderful things. Hawke could only tangle a hand through the pirate's dark hair to show her thanks. When she was done, Isabela swallowed as much as she could, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
As Hawke lay panting, body glistening with a fine sheen of sweat, she was jarred back to the now with Merrill crawling up her body. Her thighs pressed on either side of her hips and Hawke groaned as she stirred again.
"You're both going to kill me one day," she said. But one hand steadied Merrill's hip as the other caressed her thigh, fingers zeroing in on the elf's clit. Merrill gave a sharp cry and gave her a hooded look of lust. It was so unbecoming of her usual shy nature that Hawke had to swallow with anticipation.
"Oh, we wouldn't damage you, sweet thing. We need our goods as it were," Isabela purred. She lay along Hawke's side, caressing her flesh and kissing her breasts. Hawke turned to kiss her, then her attention was brought to how much of her length her second mate could take. She helped the elf gently begin to ride her. The moon arched high over the island.
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When Hawke woke, she had to use the washroom so she hopped out of bed as quietly as she could. Her mates were tangled with each other, Isabela wrapped around Merrill's side. The contrast of their skin tones was pleasing to look at and Hawke hurried with emptying her bladder. She thought about stopping to check on the pups and the baby, when a sweet smell wafted to her nose. Wafted? More like floated out and slapped her in the face.
Her mates were waking and the soft sighs they gave told Hawke they expected much more of her. And what's more, her cock couldn't agree more. The previous night couldn't begin to compare with the hunger that began roiling in her belly at their scent.
"Heat already?" Hawke murmured. The mattress dipped under her weight. Merrill turned to press into her arms, naked curves flush against her. Isabela curled along Hawke's other side, hands stroking wherever she could reach. Hawke couldn't stop from touching both back in kind. The closer her right hand got to the juncture between Merrill's thighs, the higher her moans became. The honey sweet scent of her heat fanned brighter and Hawke gave her a soft grin. Isabela's scent spiked and Hawke gasped against the elf's shoulder. She turned her head and her lips were taken in a hard kiss. Hawke moaned as Isabela stroked her tongue with her own, hand between her thighs and coaxing her shift to stiffness. Not that she needed the help.
It was like the previous night hadn't happened. Hawke was as hard as she could remember being during a heat and she wanted to sink into one of the two women beside her, claim them, fill them, over and over as their bodies asked for. Both of them in heat at once! Her overheated brain threatened to short-circuit at the thought.
But she could hear the boys moving in their bedroom, giggling and talking. The baby would be up any moment. Hawke groaned. Once they got started, she wasn't sure she'd be able to stop. No, the pups had to go to someone else. At least for today. If both heats went on, they need to be taken care of.
"Mate…..pups…." Hawke whined. Her mind was slowly being glazed over with red passion. Her words reflected her current one-track mind.
Merrill gave a gasp against her shoulder, shaking. She and Isabela gazed at each other, warring a silent battle without words. Hawke made to get up herself, erection be damned, to collect her pups. Who should watch them….Craven or Mel. Whoever was up, whoever was first…
Isabela gave a groan of disappointment and pulled her white tunic on. She left her boots where they were and didn't bother with her corset. Her dark skin was flushed darker yet and she gave the two women on the bed a blistering look of lust. "If you get started, Hawke, I expect a turn when I get back," she all but growled. Hawke gave her a look of soft lust as much as she could manage. Merrill was half on her chest, kissing along her collar, hand dipping between her legs.
"Both of you…I swear," Hawke groaned. Isabela's gaze drifted up and down her mate's shifting musculature and she left the master bedroom with a moan. She tried to collect herself. If she had time, she'd splash cold water all over her face. She felt so overheated that any bit of water was like to sizzle off her flesh. The twins were playing on the floor with their carved wooden soldiers, giving her a smile. Isabela tried to be congenial to her offspring, but she was on fire. She gently but urgently told the twins to gather up some things, they'd be spending the day and possibly the night with Craven or Mel.
She didn't register the twin's excitement. They did love Craven and Mel. Isabela hurried into the third bedroom to collect Magpie. The toddler was awake and keeping quiet to herself. Isabela gave her a changing and collected some of her things. At her look, the twins hurried to keep up with their pirate mother. Something was up and they knew to obey her.
The crew was up and about, some lounging outside their front doors, windows open to air out the wooden housing. Everyone was barefoot, everyone was amicable and happy. Some of the sailors hailed greetings, but some had already scented her. The few alphas quivered and deliberately went inside to avoid any altercation. They did not want to face Hawke's wrath and Isabela was mated and out of bounds. The betas that remained outside watched her avidly, but politely averted their gaze when they were noticed by the flustered pirate queen. She found Craven and Mel eating breakfast on the sand. The boys chirped greetings and sat on either side of the large man. Mel took the baby, hoisting her on one hip. The pair only had to inhale to know the situation. Craven turned his stolid frame away so he wouldn't ogle his captain. The shudder that passed through his broad shoulders spoke of his reaction in so many ways.
"Sorry it's so sudden…" Isabela was saying but Mel smiled as the baby patted her face with one palm.
"It's fine, Isabela. I imagine we'll keep them a few days."
Isabela nodded, shivering. "Yes…. Boys, listen to Craven and Mel. And look after your sister."
"Yes, Mama!" Falcon nodded gravely. He didn't understand why his mother was shivering in the heat, but he'd do what she asked. Lark nodded, plopping beside Mel to talk at his sister. Isabela left her pups in good hand and all but ran back to her house.
She could hear the moans before she reached the master bedroom. Throwing open the door, she surveyed her mate on top of Merrill. The elf's head was thrown back, delicate throat white and open. Hawke's face was buried against her shoulder, nipping and biting as her hips churned between Merrill's open thighs. They noticed her at the same time and a pulse of want came from Hawke and an affectionate caress from Merrill. Isabela tore her tunic off and hopped onto the bed. She took one of Hawke's hands and kissed each finger before laying it between her damp thighs.
"Hurry, sweet thing," she urged. Hawke pounded more urgently, but her thrusts were as firm as she could make them. A glance between them told Isabela that Merrill was taking more of Hawke than she could have before Magpie's birth. An interesting thought, but her lust had the better of her and jealousy roiled that it would be HER turn soon.
"Just let me do this!" Hawke growled at her. Isabela ran her nails down the back of Hawke's thigh, hearing her yelp in response and jog her hips in response. Merrill mewled under her, sweating. "Isabela!"
"That's right," Isabela purred at her. "I love how you say my name."
The lustful grin Hawke shot her made her even more wet. Merrill buried her face in Hawke's shoulder, murmuring her name. Hawke turned her head and gave her a hard kiss. Soon Merrill finished for this time and Hawke slid out on a tide of her release. She kept her hand between Merrill's thighs, knowing she felt so vulnerable after, but soon Isabela was pressed against her, trying to straddle her hips. Hawke growled and let go of Merrill, reaching for the pirate's hips. She threw her on her back and slid between her thighs.
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"Are you sure this is a good idea?"
The captain of the small ship gave a grin in response. "Surely you haven't forgotten Isabela's intrusion into our fun? We settled that island rightfully and she had to stick her neck into it. I don't care if she drudged up papers somewhere. We were there first!"
"Aye!" the other pirates cheered. The woman settled her hand on the hilt of her jeweled blade. She had a few short years to brood on her options. Other raids had taken up her crew's time but now was a time for vengeance.
The third islet in the string of islands they had been ejected from would know their wrath. It was high day, but the surveillance of the other pirates had grown lax. The captain noted this. The two dinghies they rowed to shore revealed some of the sailors working a distillery. Good, they could take some rum on the way out. For now, their quarry was somewhere in the series of wooden houses built along the tree trunks ahead. They made their charge fast and silent, only bothering to knock out one or two sailors that noticed. The rest were oblivious to the danger they could face.
The captain made her way in through the back door of the largest house that had to be the captains. That bitch Isabela was going to get it. One of the alphas behind her snickered in anticipation when they heard a string of moans from one of the bedrooms. She didn't have to glance to know he'd been affected, erect and straining.
"Focus," she snapped over her shoulder in a harsh whisper. The man grinned lasciviously at her. There was a few muffled shouts and thuds from the master bedroom and the woman captain collected herself. It was almost good they'd catch Isabela with her pants down. They'd have no defense. Even her alpha would be slow to realize the danger.
When the door to the bedroom was kicked open, a few things happened all at once. The pirate began yelling her intentions, the elf on the bed yelped, hands wreathing in magic, Isabela grabbed a dagger and while her men behind her were unsheathing, the half-stunned alpha on the bed reacted quicker. She had been inside of her adversary, but she hadn't knotted for she pulled out, springing for a jug of water on the bedside table. With one arch of her arm, she hurled it straight at her. Water flew out of it in its overhead arch and the captain barely had time to duck and it smashed into the face of the man behind her. The loud oof! He expelled startled her. The crash of the pottery against his face spurred her to action.
"Isabela! You bitch!" she screamed. Isabela flung a dagger at her she barely managed to knock away. As she advanced into the room, Isabela was tugging another from under the mattress, unperturbed to her nudity. The magic the elf had called up enveloped her, immobilizing her. The captain yelped in surprise. She hadn't known Isabela had a mage close at hand. Too late, she realized her mistake. And Isabela's alpha, the once Champion of Kirkwall, was climbing off the bed, naked, musculature roiling with her rage as she advanced upon them. A flick of her eyes told her of the sword in the alpha's hand.
"Cap'n, I can't move!" one of the men yelped behind her. The captain hissed.
"Shut up!" she told him. Hawke roared and charged into the tight-knit band of immobilized pirates. They went sprawling into the hallway like so many pins and the captain winced as one of the men half fell on her. The elf advanced, hand outstretched. One of her arms draped across her pale flesh to protect some of her modesty. Isabela had no inclination or time for modesty. Neither did her alpha.
The Champion prowled after them, shoulders bunched with her rage. She lifted the sword high with both hands. Her cock twitched in the open air, as potent as her anger.
"Wait! Wait!" The captain screamed. The alpha blinked, a fraction of her blood lust receding in that instant. She turned the sword so she struck the man beside her with the butt of the hilt. He went down like a sack of potatoes.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE!" The alpha roared. Isabela sidled up behind her, dagger in hand. One hand passed over her mate's twitching side, stroking her. Her alpha shook with pent up rage. A fine sheen of sweat coated her torso from earlier activities.
Isabela's gaze settled on her and she recognized her. "Haven't you gotten the message? This is our island!"
The captain winced. Her fingers twitched as she longed to reach her weapon. The elf mage secured behind the pair had them all in her grasp.
"Can't blame me for trying!" she gave. Isabela seethed. Her chi was a riot of lust and anger, not nearly as hot as her mate's but it was reaching its peak.
"Do we have to kill you all in our hallway to get the message?!" she demanded. The elf yelped behind them. The alpha turned her head, softness in her gaze. She said something in a low murmur and the mage calmed. Just so.
"No!" the captain winced, hating how she sounded. The men sprawled along side her twitched, the longing to flee all over their features.
"We won't come back. Right, Cap'n?" one demanded. The captain found herself nodding.
"Fine, fine!" she agreed. Isabela's alpha grunted. She gave some of the men and her a kick and the elf loosened her hold. She and her crew scrambled to spill out the front door of the main house and the sailors of her crew regarded the spectacle with surprise.
"Captain!" one of the betas called, and several stopped what they were doing to help give chase to the opposite crew. Hawke stood in the doorway of her home, sword in hand and naked. She glowered at the pirate captain, potent chi roiling.
"GET. OUT."
"Fine," the captain snapped. Isabela's crew had them well in hand and the march back to the beach was a fast one. As they were observed rowing back to their ship, the captain heard a barrage of mirthful exclamation, over their speedy expulsion, to how Isabela and her mage and alpha had subdued them all during a heat. The captain took it that Isabela's alpha was often talked about in such regard.
'The Ex-Champion of Kirkwall still has her thralls,' the captain thought. She spit over the side of the dinghy into the ocean.
End for now
End notes: Like it, drop a review! Keeps the story going. Stay tuned, lovely readers. Oh, and I was listening to the Solas theme from Dragon Age 3 through some of this. A good track.
Pen 4/14/2019