Secret companion: Yeah he has his moments, I'm back. I did promise gore but this chapter got away from me a little and is setting up for another thing i've got planned. It's going to be good.

Chapter nine

Amelie woke up, rubbing her eyes. So, she had been in this world for about three days now. It was surreal how her mind was coping with this reality. She guessed being a mage gave her a slight extra edge to deal with the abnormality. Clearly Catherine was dealing with it by 'working' her stress off. She stretched without any formality and her nose caught a wiff of her robes, making it scrunch. Eww, well it's clear that I've been wearing these for a few days, she thought to herself. It didn't smell horribly unpleasant, just a little stale. A little musty, seeing as she had been bled on, bathing in dust and running around like a headless chicken. She sighed and swung her legs over the bed, throwing the blanket aside. She tried to run her fingers through her hair and untangle the curls, it needed a wash. With a wince as her fingers got caught she gingerly tried to plait her hair into two, one either side of her head. She tied the ends with a bit of robe she tore from the hem. She looked over to where Fenris would normally be, but he wasn't in his chair. Tilting her head, she wondered where he might be. He must be out, which made a pang of worry flare in her chest, but she didn't dawdle on it. Rotating her wrist made it twinge in pain, but it was a lot more bearable to the previous day and the swelling had almost completely gone.

She managed to scavenge a shirt from one of the chests, it was a little too big. Fenris was obviously a lot larger in stature than her, then she realised. She thought about searching the other bedrooms for clothing, Danarius used to own this mansion, there were bound to be more robes around. Amelie didn't feel like dressing like a mage today. She rooted around a little longer and found a pair of leather leggings that weren't as long in the leg as the others. She attempted to pull them on without jumping around the room. Leather leggings weren't the easiest to get on. Amelie was sure that she had put on weight which was annoying her. Using the knowledge of the mansion she wandered into the bathroom and rinsed her hair through, using her old robe as a temporary towel; before shoving her thick locks into a rough looking bun. After washing her face and feeling a bit more human, she went to find Fenris. She had a thought that might please him.

She found him in the garden, he was running through his training routine, she blushed; he wasn't wearing a shirt, and yes, she had seen him without his top on before, but it was a surprise and she wasn't ready for it. The sun was just peeking over the wall, his hair had gone almost gold and his skin glittered with sweat. She could feel her eyes betraying her as they traced his tattoos that wound down his body almost seductively. Amelie had seen his routine before many times, but with this Fenris, it was different. Maybe it was the way he held himself and his sword. She noticed when she first saw him, his demeanour was more dominant, his accent thicker, voice slightly deeper. She paused by the door and tried not to disturb him. Amelie was biting her thumb nail when she became aware that he was in fact watching her. He was standing with his sword over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow as to why she was there. He couldn't help but notice the change he could see in her clothing. Fenris hid expression, she looked a lot more fragile in her robes, but dressed as she was he could really see her delicate frame. The clothing almost hung off her, it was far too big.

'Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you,' Amelie apologised as she blushed heavily. She leant against the door, one leg crossed behind the other. 'I just uh, wanted to run an idea by you,' she mumbled. Fenris tilted his head in reply. 'I just was thinking,' she says softly. 'That I might spend a night down at the Hanged man. I mean, it will give you a night alone without having to babysit me. And uh, as it's only for the night, I can't get into too much trouble.' She added with a light giggle. Fenris sighed and rubbed his eyes, he could tell that she was doing it for him, that much was obvious. Amelie looked at the blood stained bandages on his hand as he rubbed his eyes. 'You hurt yourself,' she says softly as she tilts her head and moves closer to him. 'You clearly need stitches,' she states.

Fenris looks at his hand, it was where he had smashed the bottle before hurting her in their last confrontation. He shakes his head, 'no, there is no need, it will heal fine on it's own,' he says simply. Amelie gives him a look and her mouth pulls down in annoyance.

'Please, I used to stitch up my brother all the time,' Amelie said as she went to take his hand. He flinched, pulling his hand away, but she ignored that and grabbed it anyway. Fenris scowled as she unwound the bandages that had stuck to his skin. 'Fenris, you really need to get this either healed or sewn,' she says with a grimace. 'It doesn't look happy at all.'

'I tried to sew it up, but I cannot,' he says simply. Amelie nods, looks like he was left handed, not that he would know that. She gave him a look, she was going to sew it for him, she would be a lot more gentle than his half shambled attempt.

'Come on, it will make your sparring a lot easier if you can comfortably hold your sword,' Amelie pointed out as she dragged him inside the house. Fenris rolled his eyes and managed to pull his hand out hers, the contact wasn't helping the feeling in his fingers. She lead him to the kitchen and got him to sit on the table while she sat in a chair, his hand resting palm up on the varnished wood. Fenris tilted his head as he watched her thread the needle. Her hair was a lot darker this morning, the curls more apparent as the water had revitalised her locks. Fenris' eyes traced her face as she leant down and began to sew the wound shut after wiping it down with warm water. He hissed in pain as the sharp metal slid through his skin with a tug; Amelie looked up at him apologetically. Fenris mentally cursed the daylight as her freckles were as clear as the stones on a glacier riverbed. Her eyes seemed to sparkle with gold, and he had to force himself to look away as he was drawn to the shape of her lips.

'Venhedis,' he swore under his breath for both the staring and the pain. Amelie giggled lightly as she worked, amused by his cursing. It only took a few more moments before she was done. She washed it again and then wrapped a clean bandage around his palm.

'Now, try to be careful not to split them, and that should heal very soon,' she smiles. Fenris nods and looks at the stitches, they were very neat and precise.

'Thank you,' he said stiffly. Amelie beams at him and begins to clear away.

'That's okay, I mean I used to sew up my brother all the time but it was a friend of mine that really helped me get used to the whole sewing thing-' Amelie's face fell and she clapped her hands over her mouth.

'Are you alright?' He asks concerned. Her face was full of fear and she wasn't looking him in the eye. He put down his sword and walked towards her. 'Amelie?' He asked concerned. She jumped and looked at him.

'Oh ignore me,' she said, trying to place a fake smile on her face but he could tell she was hiding something. 'I, I just gotta talk to Catherine. Like right now,' she said before bolting. Fenris sighed and shook his head, going over to his sword, he'd have to follow her otherwise she could get into trouble. Amelie ran through the mansion, pausing to slip on a pair of random shoes that were gathering dust by the front door. She kicked off the covering of dirt as she ran. Her wet hair feeling heavy as her bun came lose. ORANA!? How could have I forgotten about that sweet, little girl? If I'm thinking right then she's still in Hadriana's grip and her father is still alive. If I can get there in time I could save them both, she thought to herself desperately. Her ankle still felt sore, but she ignored it as she rounded the corner to Garrett's estate. Orana had been a light in her life in the darkest times, especially when she lost her mother. She tried to pull herself together as she came to the door. She wanted to tear it open and find Catherine as soon as possible. Yet, the thought of running into Leandra held her back. Luckily as she was just about to knock, Garrett opened the door. Dressed to go out, but by the look of his supplies it was only a few hours away; Which meant he's staying in the city. I can't let him take Fenris out the city or they'll get ambushed by slavers, she swore in her mind.

'Oh hello Amelie,' Garrett said with a lopsided smile. 'Is everything okay?' He asked as he saw how out of breath she was. Amelie plastered another fake smile on her face and kept her voice low in case any one tried to investigate.

'Um, yeah sure, everything is fine. I just wanted- needed to speak to Cat, like, right now,' she babbled trying to see around him. Garrett smiled pleasantly, running his hand through his hair and then rubbing his beard that he had clearly trimmed that morning.

'Well if that's the case, you'll have to go to the Keep, she promised Aveline a day of Smithing. Apparently it's pretty rough on patrol nowadays and they need her- Hey! Where's Fenris?!' Garrett called after her as she turned on her foot and began to run. 'You shouldn't be out alone!' He yelled as she disappeared around the corner. Rolling his eyes he shut the door behind him as he left. He was on his way to the Hanged Man when he saw someone familiar walking towards him. 'Ah, hello my friend...'

-x-

Catherine was bent double, pumping the bellows when her best friend ran in. The air was thick with steam and a slight bit of smoke from the coal. Catherine wore a metal and leather corset that she had designed herself, it protected her from any stray embers , sparks or slag like metal. She kept her arms bare, but wore thick leather gloves to work. Amelie skidded in and began to pull at her friend's arm.

'Woah, woah easy there Ami,' she said firmly. 'If I had a blade in my hand that could have been really dangerous.' She warned. 'What could you possibly have to tell me that means I almost lose a finger?' Catherine asks as she pulls down her balaclava that was covering her mouth.

'Orana! Orana is still with that witch and if I go now I can save her,' Amelie said as fast as she could. Catherine pulled a face in confusion. Amelie rolled her eyes and said it again. 'Or-an-a, the elf? You know, my maid? We rescued her from Hadriana when her father was murdered? But, if I can get there in time, her father could still be alive!' She added.

'Amelie, calm down,' Catherine says taking of her gloves and facing her. 'What are you on about? You want to go to the coast and find some all powerful Magister, kick the seven living types of crap out of her and be the hero?' She said shaking her head at the incredulous idea. 'You've got to be joking me, you're not the hero here! You're supposed to be keeping your head down and figuring out a way to get back home.'

'I don't think we can get home Cat,' Amelie says sadly. 'I can't get us back there anyway,' she sighs. 'But that's not why I'm here. I need some stuff-'

'Don't be so fucking stupid! You think I'm going to let you just run off into an ambush and then into the dragon's mouth?' Catherine snaps. 'What the fuck are you doing here? This is the Keep!' She realised before dragging her into the corner of the Smith, hidden by the shields.

'Cat I have to go. She needs me!' Amelie said shaking her head. 'I can't bear the thought of her having to go through that again. She will lose her father, and I know how she feels about that,' she mumbled. She looked around and grabbed a small dagger which Catherine then snatched out her hands. Amelie let go reluctantly, it was let go or lose fingers.

'Amelie! Stop it.' Catherine shakes her head in reply. 'I'm not letting you go to that blasted place just for Ora- It's not just about Orana is it? It's about Fenris isn't it?!' She swore heavily under her breath. 'I can't believe it! He doesn't even like you!'

'Stop it Cat! Look, it's about Orana and Fenris okay?' Amelie admits. 'Orana will lose her father otherwise, or worse, her life. Fenris... He... he doesn't need to go through the pain. Our Fenris learnt that the hard way and then she planted that foul seed in his head about his sister. His revenge on Hadriana won't take the poison that's rooted in his heart,' she mumbled. 'When he killed her, he was so angry and he took that out on me, but it didn't go away.'

Catherine sighed and rubbed her eyes. 'Amelie; This Fenris doesn't care about you whatsoever. He tried to freaking kill you!' She yelled in her ear. The girls were too busy arguing that they didn't realise that someone was loitering just outside the door of the Smith by the looks of it, a soldier that had become curious about the shouting. 'Just because you were head over heels in love with the other Fenris, doesn't mean he's the same! This one is a beast, he's cruel and nasty-'

'That's not true! You don't see what I see, what happens behind closed doors. He's kind and gentle, and yeah okay he doesn't trust me fully. But he's not a beast!' Amelie reasons. 'You can't call him an animal. That's not fair, you just don't know him.'

'Oh maker, how could I have been so blind?' Catherine says slumping her shoulders. 'Don't tell me you've fallen in love with him?'

'What?!' Amelie said going bright red. 'N-n-no, it's not like that!' She protested. She shook her head and hands as she denied what seemed to be blatantly obvious. 'I care for him, I'll admit, but I don't love him!'

'It's been like three days since we got here! And, he's so different from the other Fenris. What could you possibly love about him?' Catherine asked forcibly. She rubbed her eyes, 'at least our Fenris was quiet and sweet, as long as you didn't rub him up the wrong way. This one is an utter brute.' She sighed as she looked around for any one that could be listening, but the place was clear.

'I don't care what you think! You don't know him the way I do. I'm going whether you like it or not. I'm going to save Orana, and hopefully her father; Also, I'm going to save Fenris the pain of that witch's foul spell!' Amelie pokes Catherine in the arm.

'Amelie! You go up there and I'll tell Garrett about it, then Fenris will find out and he'll be pissed as well,' Catherine warns. 'It's too dangerous for you to go cavorting up the coast on your own. Besides, you're supposed to stay in the city!' Amelie gave Catherine a look, she recognised and knew that look well. It was when Amelie had gotten incredibly pissed off and defiant. She often wore that look around Meredith. Her hair had begun to gather the static energy, it rose from her scalp, it was showing that she was getting incredibly charged; her mana reacting to her emotions. Amelie grabbed the dagger she had spotted earlier that Catherine took off her and put it in her waist band.

'Catherine,' she said simply. Catherine sighed as she met her friend's gaze, without saying anything she moved to the side and picked up a bag, filled with health potions that she had prepared for one of the Guard's patrols to the wounded coast. Catherine handed it to Amelie and refused to look her in the eye.

'Be safe,' she says to the mage. 'I will send word to Garrett in an hour,' she adds. Amelie smiles a little and hugs her friend, ignoring the stiff reply she was given.

'Thank you Kitty,' Amelie says softly as she nods and quickly makes her way out the Keep. She had dawdled for far too long. She had to get some Lyrium potions and a staff. Though she could easily make do without one, she would prefer to have one. She pulled a face as she made her way to Anders' clinic. Realistically she was going to get a staff from either stealing one from Anders, or from a slaver that would ambush her. She put her money on the slaver, she already felt bad enough that she was going to steal Lyrium potions from a fellow mage. She used to do it all the time as a joke in her world, she knew where he kept them and he was often distracted by patients. This time it wasn't a joke, this time, it would be a matter of life and death.

Setting up for the next few chapters, lots of angst and arguing xD please drop a review