Author's Disclaimer: I don't anything belonging to "Dragon Age 2/3."
Author's notes: Poor Hawke, poor poor Hawke. Thanks for the scenario plotpoints by CharlieBarrow at certain points.
"Catching the Wind"
Chapter forty-nine "Closer"
Being home was trying.
Hawke was glad for the sand, the crew, the sun overhead and the sight of her children and her mates. Merrill greeted her with smiles and kisses, and it felt good to be wanted. Isabela however…Isabela took leave of the room whenever she entered, refused to answer but barely and she hadn't let Hawke back into their bed. Every night Merrill went with her and Hawke gave both of them a forlorn look that only Merrill returned when they turned in for the night.
She did like the camping out with her pups. Pups minus Falcon. Any moment she could find him, Hawke tried to talk or give a kind word. Her oldest ignored her but the flash of indecision on his face was becoming all the more apparent as the days went on. Hawke was certain she could whittle down his remaining anger.
The absence of her leg certainly slowed her down. One morning, Hawke was hopping out of the washroom on her left leg, having left her crutch out in the living room. She almost lost her balance, flailing to grab at the wall when Isabela turned suddenly from the hallway. Hawke's flailing fingers were grasped by the pirate and the two slammed full into each other. Hawke was shocked; luckily Isabela kept her upright, and the blush across her cheeks was certainly satisfying. So, she DID still feel something for her. It made Hawke's heart lighten considerably and she gave a careful smile.
"Thanks…." She said. Isabela helped her hop back over to the couch and retrieve her crutch.
"Here. Just don't…..think too much of this," Isabela muttered. Hawke watched her face blush even further and tried not to smile. There was still anger in her mate, anger that was justified. Hawke settled the crutch beneath her right armpit and stood up, leaning on it.
"Thanks. Falling on this thing hurts like a bitch," Hawke muttered, gesturing to the stump that was what was left of her right knee. Isabela's eyes softened slightly.
"I…can imagine. However did you come by…this?" Isabela gestured to Hawke's right side. Hawke sighed. She crutched along to the kitchen, where Merrill greeted her.
"A horrific creature called by a demon named Nightmare."
Isabela looked good and perplexed. "Is that a metaphor or…."
"Oh no, I was being quite literal."
Sparrow was in her highchair, staring at her until she grinned happily.
"Pa!" she called. Hawke flushed happily as did Merrill for her sake. Her sweet mate felt so much for all of them, it was too touching. She didn't deserve her.
"Hi, Sparrow." Hawke collapsed into a chair and shifted her weight to her left hip. She leaned to grasp the little one's pudgy fingers. Sparrow grinned, showing off her few teeth when Magpie came in the back door. The low hem of her robe was coated with a layer of sand and she shook off near the door when both of her mothers made to give her a look. Isabela patted her head and watched thoughtfully as their mage child made her way to Hawke, leaning up to whisper soft words into her papa's ear.
Hawke was smiling, listening intently. She leaned to kiss Magpie soundly on the cheek and Merrill sighed at the sight.
"Papa…can I help?..." Magpie asked quietly and plaintively. She gestured at her sire's side. Hawke nodded, thoughtful.
"Sure, you can help wash this thing. I guess we're due for another cleaning, huh, Merrill?" she called to her mate. Merrill nodded at the stove. She ladled porridge into a few bowls and Isabela helped set them at the table with spoons. Sparrow dug happily into hers, smearing the goopy breakfast across one cheek as she tucked in. Magpie carefully sampled hers and followed Hawke's example at slower eating. The twins ambled in, Falcon slinking as if he could retreat quickly without notice. Lark tugged his elbow and forced him to a chair.
"Morning, Papa," Lark chirped. Hawke smiled at him. She gave Falcon a welcoming smile. Oh, how her heart hurt for her pup, and for Isabela….
"Morning, laddies. Any interesting dreams?" she inquired. Falcon shrugged and handed a napkin to Merrill who set to cleaning Sparrow's face. The toddler cried out in distress, pushing at her mamae's hand. Merrill tutted her and cleaned her chin, then released her back to her breakfast.
"A few!" Lark said. Falcon grunted, but he regarded his papa under tousled black bangs. It was a start. Hawke gave him a gentle smile. Yes, she would get somewhere. She just had to be patient.
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That night, Isabela waged a silent war with herself. She was in her bedroom, surveying the wide bed she'd shared with two mates, not just one. She still hadn't marked Merrill, but they had time aplenty to do that. After she settled things with Hawke.
And she should, shouldn't she? Braving death and the Fade and all to get back to them, albeit years later. It truly was a brave story if one dwelled on it, but Isabela dwelled on her heart instead. And she missed Hawke, missed her so badly she hurt all over. But she had to set the example, didn't she? Force Hawke to think over what she'd done wrong. Up and leaving her like that, and their pups. Even if it was just for battle, it still stung.
"I should take it out on her arse." But Isabela had no want to continue a physical altercation. That one punch had to suffice. Her arms ached to be held and her body missed her mate's warmth, her mate's smell and closeness. It wasn't just sex, she wanted to be held close, head ducked on Hawke's breast, and listen to her heartbeat. She wanted to see her smile and know she'd made her happy. She wanted to trace Hawke's scars with her fingertips, kiss them, and look for new ones the Inquisition's battles gave her. She wanted to sleep against her side and wake knowing she was still there. Every morning since she'd returned, Isabela found herself leaving the bed faster than Merrill, putting on her jewelry, combing her hair and ducking out as if to check on Hawke's status.
Always she found her curled on the couch, the girls sleeping on top of her. Lark had taken up position on the floor beside her and Isabela's eyes would trace over each face until someone awoke and greeted her. But it didn't have to start that way. Setting her jaw in stubborn thought, Isabela bumped right into Merrill on her way out of the bedroom.
"Bela, I wanted to ask you…." Merrill was beginning when Isabela clasped her wrist in her hand, tugging her after her suddenly. "What the…."
"I was getting to that, Kitten," Isabela winked. Her face grew more still as she surveyed Hawke on her back in the living room. Sparrow was sitting up on her belly, straddling her and giggling, playing with Hawke's fingers. Magpie sat close by, watching, and she seemed to be talking in a low whisper to her sire. Hawke listened intently, nodding to her, then Magpie noticed her mothers and quieted. Sparrow turned wide green eyes to her mothers and grinned suddenly.
"Pa!" she crowed. She bounced her bottom up and down on Hawke's stomach who gave a quiet 'oof' below her.
"Not so hard," Hawke pleaded to her toddler. Sparrow giggled highly.
"Hawke…." Isabela cleared her throat. Why did she feel so shy suddenly? She was in command here. "If you'd like. You can sleep in the captain's room. If you'd like." She couldn't help adding again. Merrill was smiling happily beside her. Their fingers laced together.
Hawke was gaping at her, surprise all over her scarred features. She gave a shy look. "I'd like that very much."
"Great!" Merrill chirped. "Let's give the girls a bath. Larkie, tell Fal you both can dunk with some of the betas in the communal tubs real quick. You'll both take your scrubbing baths tomorrow inside."
Lark groaned and went in search of his brother. "Fun!" He gave as the both crashed out the back door, towels in hand. Craven and Mel would help draw river water to the wide wooden tubs and they could take a fast, cold soak. It was warm enough that it wasn't too horrendous.
Hawke sat up and Magpie helped support her shoulder. Hawke drew one arm around her daughter's shoulders, squeezing her and earning a smile. "Great, let's get these girls all clean."
"I am clean," Magpie said quietly.
"Well you still need your scrubbing," Isabela insisted. Merrill set out the large copper tub by the oven and Isabela asked one of the sailors to help her fetch buckets of river water. They emptied them into the tub and Merrill set a few bath salts in, foaming up the water into inviting bubbles. She set a large cake of soap on a cloth on the edge of the tub and started to undress Sparrow. The baby put up with it, giggling. Her small clothes came last and then she was set in the tub carefully by Hawke who was kneeling on her left knee. She set the toddler in with ease, but then had to clasp the edge of the tub to keep from slipping. Sparrow splashed a wave of water up at her, laughing.
Hawke watched Merrill as she knelt beside their mage daughter and helped drag the hem of her child's robe up over her head. Smallclothes off, the slender girl stepped foot into the tub and sat beside her sister. Isabela began soaping up her long hair with a jar of shampoo. These small acts of home, it filled her with comfort. She WAS home. She was here. Had been here for days. And she wouldn't ever leave again.
"Chin up, little one!" Hawke told Sparrow. She carefully soaped the baby's curly hair, cupping a hand over her brow to keep the shampoo from going into her eyes. Sparrow giggled, kicking her chubby legs. Hawke was happy the baby seemed to like her again, even if she didn't understand exactly their link. She glanced up to see Isabela watching her with a hint of longing. Hawke's heart thudded dramatically.
Soon the girls were being rinsed off and picked up into waiting towels. Hawke sat on her rear on the wooden floor, drying off a very wet pup in her lap. Sparrow wasn't helping, moving with her motions and giggling. Hawke found she didn't mind, planting a kiss on her wet head. Magpie walked beside Merrill, holding her towel up against her. Her long hair lay limply and damp against her shoulders as she went in search of a nightgown. Isabela leaned to lift Sparrow, towel and all, into her arms. She propped the pup on one hip and leaned her free hand down to Hawke.
Hawke took her hand gladly, using the nudge to get her left leg under her. She stood, groping for her crutch, and finally settled into position.
"Thank you…." Isabela said shyly. Hawke gave her a slow look.
"I'd do anything for the pups," she said carefully. Isabela shook her head.
"Just…thanks. For coming back. I thought…"
Hawke touched her elbow. "I know. I'm sorry."
"You keep saying that," Isabela gave a haughty laugh and Sparrow reached up to clutch the ends of her long hair. Isabela gently pried her fingers loose and they went into the girl's room to dress the toddler. Magpie was in her long nightgown, sitting beside Merrill, gazing up at her mamae. Merrill had been telling her a story about her Dalish clan but looked up, smiling at Hawke.
"Are the boys back yet?" she asked.
"I'll go check," Hawke said. Isabela moved beside her.
"I'll help you."
There were wooden walkways made between the sailor's houses, but Hawke knew stepping out on the sand would be a bitch with the crutch. Luckily, they needn't go far. The twins were ambling back toward the house, hair wet, and dressed in sleeveless tunics and loose trousers. Their feet were bare, and Isabela tutted them, gesturing to wipe the sand off before they came inside. Both used their damp towels, then deposited them into the laundry basket.
"Wash your hair tomorrow, lads," Isabela said, kissing each teen on the head. Falcon accepted it and Lark gave her a hug.
"Goodnight," Falcon said carefully, staring at his sire. Hawke smiled.
"Night, lads."
Lark gave Hawke a careful grin, following his brother. Then Hawke was left to follow Isabela to the girl's room. Sparrow was already asleep in her small bed, and Merrill was singing in elvish to Magpie. Her eyes were fluttering closed. Hawke waited, propped against the doorjamb, as Isabela went to tuck in their eldest daughter. Magpie was smiling as she fell asleep and the two women carefully made their way to the hall. Hawke shuffled her crutch and moved as quickly as she could so they could shut the door.
She followed her mates to the captain's bedroom, mouth dry. She knew not to expect anything to happen, but just to be close to Isabela….she was asking her in her bed. Whether anything happened in it would come in time, she was certain. It was good Isabela wanted her in, right?
"So….. am I on this side?" Hawke asked, sitting on the right side, her usual place before the Inquisition. Merrill blushed, nodding. Isabela shook out her hair, removed her earrings, and then her choker. Her bite mark was visible on the column of her bare throat and Hawke's heart moved hard seeing it. She swallowed. "Bela…."
"Tuck in, Hawke. Don't expect too much of it," Isabela said crisply. But Merrill was soothing her with her pheromones, both omegas wrapping around each other. Hawke ached to feel it. Merrill was placed between them and Isabela was on the far side. But Hawke was glad to reach across her second mate, clasp Isabela's hand and kiss it, then burrow close to Merrill. Their heads touched and Hawke could almost see her smile in the dark after the lantern had been blown out.
"Goodnight, my dears," Hawke said. Merrill chirped in response, but Isabela didn't say anything. No matter. Hawke was where she was meant to be. She couldn't be happier with how the day had gone.
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Hawke woke to a weight on top of her, thighs straddling her hips, and hands moving across her breasts, torso, and belly, aiming for her smallclothes. She gasped as she started to come to, the warmth and weight of the woman on her making her shift suddenly and hard, her cock springing up between them. The woman moaned and Hawke recognized Isabela, the siren of her heart, clambering to grind against the hardness she could feel. Hawke gasped, trying to move her hips under her, as her hands moved against Isabela's back, pulling her close. What was she doing? Was everything all well between them, was that why she was riding her through their night clothes? As Hawke struggled to force her small clothes down to let Isabela near what she was trying to get, she noticed Isabela's face. Her jaw was slack as she moaned wantonly, but her eyes were squeezed half shut. Was she asleep? What in the….
But then Isabela's messing with their clothes yielded results as her cock was half pulled out of her smallclothes. Hawke tried to shift her hips to ease them the rest of the way off but had to make do with part way as Isabela shucked her smallclothes and straddled her. With nothing in the way, her warm wetness draped up and down the underside of her cock and Hawke groaned. The ache in her shaft doubled, and she wanted to push inside, but she had to know it was alright. She placed her large hands on her mate's round hips and tried to still her.
"Wait…Bela….Bela! Stop….." Hawke whispered hoarsely. She could make out Merrill fast asleep beside her and felt irrationally guilty. If they were going to do this, she'd have liked to talk to her other mate as well. But Isabela found purchase and pushed down firmly, taking the head of her cock smoothly. Hawke groaned, all the blood in her body seeming to rush between her legs as her cock seemed to swell inside her mate's warm wet walls. Isabela moved steadily down onto her with purpose and soon their hips joined. "Oh, Maker…."
Isabela rode her hard, eyes half closed as she babbled incoherent words and phrases. Then she was arching above her, breasts swaying. Hawke's eyes locked on them, longing to wrap her lips around the hard nipples she could make out in the rising sunlight. Her hands reached up to cup them, thumbs scraping over the nipples with purpose. Then Isabela was coming, hard and giving a choked scream. All Hawke could do was watch, eyes wide, as she spurted suddenly, drawn along with her mate's orgasm.
"Fuck…" Hawke's chest rose up and down as she breathed harshly. Her bunched up night shirt was pushed half up on her breasts, her belly scars were fully visible, and her good leg twitched as she stretched beneath the woman straddling her spent cock. Her hands roamed warmly down Isabela's back as the pirate fell half on her, gasping for breath. "Oh, Bela…"
Her mate seemed to have wakened, for she lifted her head, gazing down at Hawke with a look of utter dismay.
Hawke's fingers twitched along her back. "I didn't…." she began but the look on Isabela's face told her she understood her own mistake. "Am I….forgiven?"
Isabela stayed resting on her torso, hands splayed under her breasts. She still held her cock inside her so Hawke began to relax. Maybe things would be alright, now…. She leaned up to kiss her mate but got a palm directly in the face instead. Hawke grunted, pressed back into the mattress.
"Not. Even. Close," Isabela muttered through grit teeth. She dismounted, Hawke's seed leaking down her thigh and Hawke's heart thudded seeing it. Merrill was waking, and eyeing what was happening. She gave Isabela a soft look of what could only be gentle consternation.
"Isabela." She made the pirate's name sound an admonition. Isabela wiped at herself with a corner of the sheets and stumbled toward the washroom on shaky legs.
"She's all yours," she said. Hawke tugged her small clothes up over her soft cock. She could barely meet Merrill's eyes.
"I didn't do anything," she insisted. Merrill leaned in and gave her a longing kiss. Hawke shook with the force of it. Soon, Merrill was half tipped on top of her. Her cock throbbed suddenly at the sudden turn of events, held captive in her smallclothes. "Oh, Kitten…."
Merrill pressed affectionate kisses across her face and smoothed her tousled hair out of her eyes. "Before you came back…. Isabela asked to mark me as well, and I her. I want us to, and to share you. As we have before. I'll talk to her. And then….well, I expect my turn making you mine again."
Hawke's heart thudded and her blood boiled at her mate's words. "I would be happy if you marked each other… three together is better than one and two."
"We were already three together. But Isabela and I just grew closer when we thought…" Here a stormy look clouded Merrill's eyes. It was Hawke's turn to sit up, adjusting her weight to her left hip. She leaned in, cupping Merrill's face. She kissed her deeply, the gesture full of love and affection.
"I'm here. I'm alive. Oh, Merrill…."
Merrill put her hand over Hawke's and kissed her calloused palm. "I know… it just takes some getting used to."
"I'm not going anywhere."
"I think Isabela needs to realize that," Merrill said wisely. Hawke nodded. Merrill helped her stand up and reach for her crutch.
"She will….won't she?"
"I have no doubt."
With Merrill's sweet words, Hawke was ready to face the day.
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Hawke was teasing Merrill washing dishes when Isabela sidled up by her side to help. Hawke eyed her from the side and nodded in approval. Especially when their hands brushed passing dishes. Merrill noticed, her aura gleeful and bubbly. It seemed to be rubbing off on Isabela and she smiled at them.
"So, what else did you did you do in that bloody Inquisition?" Isabela wanted to know. Hawke was glad to talk about it, even though she'd kept herself away from many of the party members.
"So many scouting expeditions, across the Western Approach, helping Varric's spies. Oh, and I met Bianca."
Isabela dropped the cup she was holding; luckily, she juggled it against her middle and retrieved it from meeting a broken end on the hardwood floor. "Andraste's ass! I thought she was just some bar wench!"
"Far from it," Hawke confided. "She's a proper guild member, far from our silver-tongued poet."
"Wow, Bianca's real," Merrill wondered. "What was she like?"
"Cute as a button," Hawke admitted. "Though I met her right after, well, this." She gestured to her right side. Isabela's eyes darkened thoughtfully.
"You got that trying to get to us…. We'll do whatever we can for you."
"Can I remain in our bed?" Hawke mumbled, expecting her sudden words to be turned aside. Isabela leaned against her side, pillowing her head on her left shoulder.
"Yes."
"Well, good," Merrill chirped. "We need to be closer, don't we?"
A flush swept through Hawke's body. "Yes…. Maker, yes."
A figure stalked by past the kitchen window and Hawke made out a frown and slouched shoulders. She readied her crutch and made her way to the back door.
"Hawke, what are you…" Merrill began but Hawke waved her away.
"It's high time that pup and I had words. If he has to yell them at me, he'll feel better sooner all the same. Just let me go to him."
Isabela's heart was in her eyes, but she nodded. "If you need any help on the sand…"
Hawke stood firmly on her left leg and thumped the crutch on the hard wood floor. "I'll manage it. Somehow. I have to moving forward, don't I?"
Her mates watched her step foot on the sand and struggle with the crutch. It was slow going; it had rained the night before and most of the sand was packed hard. Sweat began to gather along her spine beneath her loose tunic, and Hawke's forearm muscles bunched with the effort. She bit her lip as she trundled along, following her pup's trek across the sand toward the trees. Rounding a tree, she noticed Falcon waiting, leaning against one tree. She tried to hurry towards him, then began to trip. Her crutch became entrenched in the hard sand and she almost went down hard on her stump. She barely saved herself from jarring her injury.
Then Falcon rushed forward, strong hands helping her rise. Warmth flushed through her heart and she smiled at her eldest. "Thank you, son."
"I just…I can't bear seeing this," he complained. He helped her toward the trees and Hawke sat down on one upturned log carefully. Falcon perched on the sand, watching her like the bird he was named for.
"I know it's a lot to get used to. Believe me, I still think that leg is there. I can feel it," Hawke admitted. Falcon regarded her curiously, and the pinned edge of her trouser leg. He frowned again, glowering beneath his black bangs.
"You just show back up. You think everything's just magically okay? The girls, they're too young. Of course they're happy. But I had to help take care of them. And Mama and Mamae. Me and Lark. Just us. We thought you were gone!" Falcon breathed. Hawke winced as if struck.
"I'm sorry. I fell behind in the Fade….and your uncle Varric was passing on what he thought was the truth. I'm sorry he had to tell your mother I was dead. I wasn't. I was trapped there."
"That doesn't just make everything okay…." Falcon's fists bunched.
Hawke regarded her eldest and sighed. "Strike me if you must, pup. But I'll put you on your back in turn."
Falcon glowered at her and Hawke laid her hand over his, loosening his fist. She clasped his fingers. "Son….my son. I can't tell you how much I thought of you. You and your brother, your mothers, your sisters. You were all that was getting me through those dark times in the Fade. I was being tortured, made to see….horrible things." Hawke swallowed hard. Falcon saw an old pain on her face and squeezed her hand. Hawke smiled at him. "And during all of that, all I could think of was your face, your brother's, and your mothers. I had to escape to see you again. And I did. I hope that is enough."
Falcon's shoulders bunched. He gave a shuddering sigh. "Yes….it is."
"Will you stop being so obstinate with me now, pup?" Hawke asked gently. Falcon nodded. Hawke was still surprised when he leaned to hug her tightly. She gave a silent 'oof' of exclamation, then squeezed his broad frame with one arm tightly. "I'll take that as a yes. Wow, you have grown strong, son!"
Falcon blushed happily as Hawke squeezed his strong arms and biceps. "I kept running and drilling with Craven…."
"Aye, he's strong. But these arms, lad. You're as strong as your Uncle Carver," Hawke said. A flash of hurt flared in her eyes and Falcon recognized the name of a long dead relative, before he'd been born even. He squeezed his sire's hand and helped her rise.
"As strong as you," Falcon admitted. "Come on, I'll help you back."
Hawke groaned as they toiled across the hard, wet sand. "We'll have to do something about this situation of mine."
"Maybe make a wooden leg? Fit right in with the crew," Falcon teased. Hawke tousled his hair affectionately.
"It's a good idea, actually. Even if it makes me look more pirate."
"We're all pirates now, aren't we?"
"True, son. True."
The two made their way to the back door and inside.
End for now
End notes: If you liked, drop a review. This story's going okay I think :P
Pen 5/3/2020