Author's Disclaimer: I don't own a thing belonging to "Dragon Age 2/3." Nothing.
Author's notes: Poor Bela, poor Isabela, poor pups. Just waiting at this point! Drop a review if you like or have suggestions.
"Catching the Wind"
Chapter thirty-six "Delay"
Magpie stared past Hawke's arms into the face of her sister. Sparrow opened her rosebud lips and erupted a loud wail. She covered her ears and grimaced, but her sire only laughed and rocked her, talking softly to her. Sparrow quieted for her, of course, and rarely anyone else. She loved being fed by Mama and Mamae could get a few moments quiet with her singing, but her younger sister had latched onto her sire. Magpie knew she didn't like it but there wasn't much she could do about it.
Magpie picked up her child-sized staff and tapped it across the sand. She heard her papa call after her. Hawke was staring after her, smiling sheepishly.
"Where you going, Mags?" she asked. Sparrow wailed loudly again, and Hawke murmured down to her. Magpie grimaced.
"Mamae," she said simply. Hawke nodded. She stood up, cradling Sparrow. Her little arms were moving as she wailed listlessly. Hawke's soft voice quieted her.
"I'll go with you," she offered. Magpie bit her lip. She liked being with Papa, but the new baby soured that outlook for her. Even her brother's teasing couldn't get her to be happy about it. Her mothers spent so much time with Papa to quiet and calm the loud baby and there wasn't enough time right now for her. No time for magic lessons, or too many Papa hugs. Magpie grimaced.
"I'll go," she said simply and quieted. Hawke watched her, walking from a short distance, matching her short stride. Magpie bit her lip, focusing on where she put her staff on each step. Falcon and Lark came up behind her, surprising her. Her fingertips spurted green static jolts of magic and Lark yelped as he was knocked on his rear. Falcon dodged a zap and rubbed his bare arm where she'd gotten him.
Hawke frowned with concern from ten feet away.
The twins shared a quiet look, then both of them knelt down beside the little mage. "Did we scare you, Mags?"
Magpie lowered her head, lip quivering. "Yes…" She remembered what Mamae and Papa said about her magic. No using it on her brothers. But she couldn't help it, it just came out.
"Well, we won't scare you," Falcon said confidently. He patted his sister on the head. "Want a piggyback ride?"
Magpie brightened. The only thing that would have been better was if Sparrow was asleep and Papa was free. "Yes," she said quietly. Lark carefully took her staff and Falcon knelt for her to climb on. He bounced her, hands holding onto her legs, then took off at a jog. Magpie began smiling widely.
At the very least, her brothers could give her hugs.
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"You've been sweeter than cream lately, sweet thing. Anything I should know?" Isabela drawled. Hawke pulled the last of the children's clothes off the clothesline under the trees of the connecting walkways. She gave a sheepish look to her voluptuous mate. She hoisted the basket against one hip and came off the sand up onto the wooden deck connecting the captain's house to the other households.
"Just being a good mate. I thought that was fine," Hawke couldn't help teasing. Her pirate latched onto her arm, leaning into her torso. It felt good.
"It is. I was just wondering. Sparrow's so attached to you and well…everything…."
The usual thoughts of the Inquisition and Corypheus poured guilt into Hawke's heart. She put the basket down and put her arms around Isabela's waist. She lifted slightly, and Isabela giggled as her round breasts pressed into her torso. Hawke felt warmth flood between her legs and her mate gave her a knowing smile as she felt her nudge her below.
"I didn't think laundry got you excited," Isabela purred. Hawke laughed. She nuzzled her lips down the pirate's throat. Her teeth scraped her mating mark along the side and Isabela purred. "Oh, sweet thing…"
Hawke intended just to hold her, but the sudden surge of lust had her in a pressing situation. "I swear I didn't plan that."
"Oh, it just happened?" Isabela laughed. She ground up against Hawke's torso. "I can think of worse things to do in an afternoon…."
"How are you?" Hawke murmured against her throat. They had joined once since Sparrow's birth, and it had been a slow affair. To feel her mate want her had her stiff and aching.
"Needing you," Isabela purred. Hawke banished lingering thoughts on her decision, Varric and the Inquisition aside. She picked Isabela up and walked off the deck onto the sand and out of sight into a cluster of trees. Out of sight, she gave her attentions to Isabela. Tunic parted, smallclothes tugged off, smooth legs parting for her. Afterward, Isabela held her as Hawke panted. Stray locks of hair clung to their sweaty brows and Isabela's smile was smug and wide.
"Well, that was a nice surprise…. What's gotten into you?" the pirate grinned.
"I just love you," Hawke murmured. Isabela leaned up and sought her lips. Their kiss was sweet and heated. As her mate held her, Hawke wanted to be the one to comfort her mate. But she would take every touch from Isabela. She couldn't sit on her decision forever.
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The household was dark and silent. Hawke gently slid Merrill to her side and off of her. Leaning over she tucked the blankets over her mate and pressed a kiss to her brow. Isabela was on her other side, curled up and deeply asleep. The baby's crib was still in their room but after a brief look, Hawke was satisfied that Sparrow still slept. Her footsteps were light as she padded out to the hallway, clad only in a loose tunic. Her bare legs flashed as she moved quietly.
Hawke peeked her head into both back bedrooms. The twins were asleep, light snores filling the room. Falcon was hanging half off his narrow bed. Their legs were getting longer, they were growing so fast. Hawke made a mental note to have larger beds made for them. She swallowed. Guilt squeezed around her heart. A peek into Magpie's room told her that her daughter was safe. Magpie was curled in a ball in her sheets, black hair spread across her pillow. Hawke wanted to smile seeing her, but her heart was troubled and her mind equally so.
Sparrow was having her first name day tomorrow. Isabela and Merrill had baked her cake the night before, and it was covered and stored in the ice box. The smell of cake still hung in the air as she padded through the dark kitchen and out the back door. The stars were out above the palm trees that shaded their house and Hawke took a few steps off the back deck. The sand was cool under her feet and Hawke took a few steps. She leaned a hand against the bark of one of the trees and her fingers found something etched in. By the glow of the moon, Hawke could see the letters carved in. 'Falcon Hawke. 9:…" The year was traced by Hawke's long fingers.
This was their home and her son had marked it their place. Hawke's heart felt full to bursting. Her sweet children, her mates. Could she leave them, even for a time? Soldiers went to war all the time, but Hawke was not allied with the Inquisition. At least not yet. Varric was. But Varric liked to be in the thick of things. At all times, it seemed.
His call for help did spark something in her that refused to be dampened down. And it was her family's blood that had gotten Thedas in trouble with the ancient magister turned darkspawn. It was her father that had tried to seal him and it was the blood flowing in her veins that could possibly help seal him again….. Hawke didn't want to think about the blood in her children's veins. No, she would take responsibility and stop him.
Her family needn't be anywhere near Corypheus. It should never fall to them.
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"Warrior. That's what she'll be," Falcon said confidently. His brother punched his shoulder. Even though he was broader in size, it still stung. Falcon winced and leaned away from Lark. "What, she will be! Same as me."
"Quick and silent. Assassin. Like Mama," Lark retorted. Falcon gestured to his twin's wooden daggers.
"You mean you too!"
"Well she's not a mage. At least, we don't know yet," Falcon responded. Both boys swept a sharp look up and down their pudgy baby sister. Sparrow was watching them with wide green eyes, then her face erupted into a toothless grin. Falcon gave her a finger to chew on.
"I use daggers, you're on sword and shield. We have our mage," Lark said. He mulled over and gave a laugh aloud. "Archer! She should be an archer and watch all our backs!"
"Yes," Magpie agreed. She was playing in the sand next to them watching her sister. Sparrow was sitting up easily now that she was a year old. The sailors of Isabela's crew were readying her party and smells of cooking meat and sliced fruit filled the air around that part of the beach. Sparrow, however, had no idea about the festivities and what they were for. She was just happy to watch a small crab walk past her bare feet. She scuffed them in the sand and crowed out loud. The crab high-tailed it away from the group of children. Lark waved a finger over her and Sparrow latched onto it, using his hand as leverage to try and stand. The twins held their breath as Sparrow strained and tried to push upright, then fell on her diapered bottom. She huffed and grinned uneasily.
"Look at that!" Lark marveled.
"Soon," Magpie told her sister. Sparrow grinned up at her, gums flashing. Her curly black hair was getting long and hung past her shoulders. Falcon ruffled her hair softly and picked her up in one arm. Sparrow clung to this collar and cried out into his ear. Falcon winced slightly then bounced her.
"Papa, she tried to stand up!" he called to his sire. Hawke moved away from the sailors, arms gleaming under the sun in her sleeveless tunic. She grinned and leaned to chuck the baby's chin.
"Good job, Sparrow!" Hawke took the baby and swung her up on one hip. As always, she was alert to her first daughter's feelings. Magpie was biting her lip, playing with her child-sized staff, swaying back and forth. Hawke gave Lark a look and offered Sparrow. "Here, take her."
"Yes, Papa," Lark said. He grinned when Sparrow clung to his collar and tried to hug him. He carried her over to Isabela and Merrill who talked excitedly to them. Hawke knelt down and got Magpie's attention.
"Do you want a lift?" she asked. Her five-year-old grinned. She put her staff down and held her arms up.
"Yes," Magpie said simply. Hawke swung her up and Falcon retrieved her staff. The love suffusing through Magpie's being swelled over to her and Hawke tried to bask in it. Soon, it had to be soon, but let her hold their love, before it soured or withered away….
The usual feeling of guilt roiled through Hawke's belly. She squeezed Magpie tighter as she neared her mate. Isabela was shading her brow with one hand, staring off at the horizon.
Two shapes were approaching. Hawke frowned, holding onto Magpie.
"What's that?" she asked Isabela. Isabela grinned. Her golden earrings flashed under the sun's light.
"The Kraken and The Dim Horizon. I know their crews and they want to trade with us awhile."
"New neighbors?" Merrill chirped. She looked excited. Hawke wrapped her free arm around her waist.
"As long as they abide by your rules," Hawke nodded. Isabela grinned.
"Bring something to the table, help with my distillery and keep all debauchery from the children's eyes. Yes, that's about it," she laughed. Isabela looked excited but Hawke saw a glimmer of an opportunity. Two new captains, two teams of sailors that did not know her. She could have an out when she was ready.
Hawke hated to think of this, but the way toward the Inquisition was clearer.
End for now
End notes: This had to connect events, but I hope not too short. Drop a review if you like. And stay strong, lovelies.
Pen 7/20/2019