A/N: Well, it ended up being two months instead of the one month I was hoping for, but here's a new chapter for everybody. And at least it wasn't three months this time! I blame Christmas and New Year's this time for putting me behind - it's a crazy time of year lol. So this chapter is pretty light, starts out with some smut picking up where last chapter left off, so if you don't want to see that, skip down to the first break and it's smut-free after that. The rest of the chapter is centered around my favorite Aveline quest, so a lot of laughs (I hope) and fluff on that one. Next chapter I will either be doing a Sebastian or Fenris quest from Act 2, I haven't totally decided yet. Hope you all enjoy!
Thanks to everyone who has favorited, followed, and read so far - I'm glad you're all enjoying it!
Extra special thanks to my awesome reviewers of last chapter - bigjake90, ElyssaCousland, LostSpace, SuperAnon, and WolFang1011, who was the winner of the 150th gift review. I always love to hear what you guys think!
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Disclaimer: And, of course, Bioware owns any characters or dialogue you recognize, the rest is mine!
Song lyrics that inspired the title of the chapter, because this is pretty much how Mardin/Brianna are feeling at the start (and probably Aveline/Donnic too lol):
He said please just don't stop
Please don't stop until I'm screaming your name
It's a head-spin until we're both insane again
Don't stop 'til I'm screaming your name
He said I just won't stop
I won't stop 'til you're screaming my name
It's a head-spin until we're both insane again
Don't stop 'til I'm screaming your name
The song is Head-spin by Butcher Babies.
Chapter 22: Head-spin
Mardin had dealt with the animal inside him most of his life. All of his life, if one were to ask some of his countrymen, who believed that any child born to a shifter was tainted. But certainly, he'd dealt with it since he was sixteen and had gained his animal kin and his shifting abilities. Yet in all that time, he'd never felt quite so wild as he did now, like a starving animal stalking its prey. Which was not, he supposed, inaccurate; he was starving with lust, and his prey was within his grasp.
Her hand was within his as she tugged him along through the streets of Hightown, towards the mansion and his room there. Even the touch of her hand in his was making him tingle in anticipation, and the only thing holding him back was the knowledge that Brianna probably didn't want him ravishing her in the middle of Hightown with so many people around. He hadn't been joking when he'd said earlier that if he greeted her the way he wanted to, he wouldn't be able to stop. That was why he hadn't allowed himself to touch her until now. Only by not touching her at all and by throwing himself into battle with abandon had he been able to keep himself from pouncing on her. As soon as they were within the door of the mansion, he wouldn't be able to hold back any longer, he felt certain.
He was choosing not to examine why he felt so desperate for her, for the feel of her silky skin against his, her breasts in his hands, the taste of her mouth and her arousal, which was truly finer and rarer than any wine, or the sounds she made when he moved within her, especially when she cried out his name . . . he shook his head fiercely. If he didn't stop thinking about it, about how he wanted to have her any and every way he could imagine until the wild lust within him was quelled, he wouldn't make it to the mansion. It was simply because he'd not had her, or any woman at all, for over three months, he assured himself. It had nothing to do with her in particular, nor did the fact that he'd not even been tempted to stray in Ferelden mean anything, despite the lovely women that he'd seen there. He just hadn't grown tired of her company yet; how could he, when he hadn't even seen her in so long, let alone touched her?
She glanced back over her shoulder at him as she kept tugging him behind her, her gorgeous violet eyes sparkling as she grinned at him. "Aren't you even going to say anything?" she teased him. "'It's so nice to see you again, Brianna' or 'I've been waiting for this', for example?"
Have I ever. He shuddered, his body drawing up tight with desire, his cock already aching to feel her. How many times had he pleasured himself in Ferelden, thinking of her, of their times together before, or of the words she'd written to him? Or there had been that one explosive time over the sending crystal; he really hadn't expected the astonishing effect the sound of her voice saying his name would have on him after so long apart. Still, it was nothing compared to actually being here with her, and he felt like he might burst from the anticipation of it. "I'm not . . ." he hesitated, picking his words carefully. "I'm not going to be able to take things slow. At all. So I'll apologize in advance for it."
She gave him a slow smile, heating his blood all through. "Did I say I wanted things slow?"
"Goddess," he breathed, clenching his other hand tightly to keep himself from throwing her over his shoulder and running the rest of the way. "You need to move faster. A lot faster."
Her eyes widened slightly as they met his, then darkened; probably from the look on his face, he guessed as she nodded, agreeing breathlessly, "I think I really do."
And then she was nearly running, and so was he, until they'd crossed the remaining distance to the mansion door. Mardin hastily dug the key out of his pouch, unlocking the door, and Brianna slipped through the instant he'd pulled it open. He hurried in after her, slamming and locking the door before he turned to her. "Sorry," was all he got out before he whirled her around and shoved her up against the door, hauling her up and locking his mouth onto hers.
Oh Goddess, yes. That taste . . . He nearly shuddered in relief at the taste of her mouth beneath his, at the way she opened instantly to him, matching his tongue stroke for stroke as she wrapped her legs around his waist, rolling her hips against him. He growled into her mouth, gripping her ass tightly with one hand, squeezing and caressing and rubbing himself against her, fire swirling through him as he threaded his other hand through the waves of her hair, angling her head as he ravaged her mouth hungrily.
Her hands were roaming all over him, kneading and gripping and tugging impatiently at his armor, though they were pressed so closely together she couldn't get anything undone, and he couldn't seem to stop kissing her long enough to get her robes off, either. It wasn't until she pinched his ass, causing him to yelp and buck against her, that he jerked his mouth off hers, panting for breath and staring down at her in lust and astonished delight.
"Can't . . . get undressed . . . like this," she managed between panting breaths, giving him a cheeky grin.
He kneaded her ass again, thrusting her hard into the door, aching with the need to feel her naked and writhing against him, and yet somehow unable to put her down at the same time. "Need you now," he got out breathlessly as she squirmed against him, desire pounding through his body. "If you undress here, I'll take you here. Right against the door."
"Good," she said, eyes flaring as she looked up at him. He gaped wordlessly at her for a moment, feeling the bear within him roaring its approval as his grip on her tightened. She leaned up to murmur in his ear, "I said good. So put me down so we can get undressed."
He scrambled to comply, nearly dropping her in his haste to set her down, but managed to catch himself at the last moment and lower her to the ground before he pulled back only enough to strip off his sword, shield, boots and armor hastily. He undressed so quickly, in fact, that he finished even before Brianna, advancing on her as she dropped her breeches and smallclothes to the ground. She was reaching for her breastband when he gripped her hands, pulling them away before he simply ripped it right off her, tearing it in two before filling his hands with her breasts, caressing them and rubbing at her nipples as he backed her against the door once more.
"Mardin," she gasped, arching towards him, and when he felt how wet she already was against the head of his cock, he quite simply lost his head.
He scooped her up, and without any further preamble, buried himself within her, moaning aloud in blessed relief at the velvety feel of her, at the heat of her closing around his aching length as she cried out, locking her legs tightly around his waist as she moved to meet him. Far from being upset at his sudden intrusion, she gripped his hair in one hand and pulled his mouth down to hers, kissing him with a fierce want that matched his own as the nails of her other hand dug into his shoulder.
He pounded into her, driven by the wild desperation that was filling him, needing to feel her come around him, needing to hear her cry out his name, needing to explode within her before he'd be able to breathe properly again. He didn't care if the whole mansion crumbled down around them, so long as he could have that.
He pulled his mouth away from hers, trailing it down her neck, his teeth grazing the side of her neck until he reached the curve of her shoulder, biting down hard, driven by the need to claim her. She gasped, her hips stuttering in the pounding rhythm she'd been matching him in, her body clenching around him, and he froze, realizing that he'd never actually bit her before, at least not like that. He'd found that non-shifter women tended not to appreciate it at all, and so he'd been careful never to do it to her before now, certain that he'd frighten her off. He raised his eyes to her, panicked. "I'm sorry, Brianna, I –"
"Do it again," she said lowly, her eyes blazing at him.
"What?" he blinked at her, astonished, certain he'd not heard her correctly.
"I said, do it again," she repeated, before sinking her teeth into his own shoulder, causing his hips to jerk and fiery want to surge through his body at the feeling of her breaking through his skin, marking him. "I want it all, Mardin. Everything you have to give."
Lust spiralled alarmingly high in him, nearly making him burst then and there, and it was only through sheer force of will that he didn't. "Don't regret saying that later," he warned her, not even giving her a chance to reply before he kissed her hard, nipping at her bottom lip and resuming a brutal pace, slamming her into the door with the force of his thrusts.
"I won't," she managed as soon as his mouth left hers, and then she let out a keening cry as he bit down on her other shoulder, her walls rippling around him and her nails raking down his back, sinking into his ass, making him moan against her skin.
"Goddess, I missed you so much," he growled, nipping at her breast, angling her higher and thrusting more deeply into her, trailing his free hand up and down her side as he moved. He was so drunk on the feel of her, the smell of her arousal coating him, that he didn't even register that he'd said 'you' and not 'this' as he'd meant to.
She shuddered, tightening around him at his words and bucking against him wildly as she came, crying out, "Oh, Mardin," before sinking her teeth into his shoulder once more, followed by the soothing burst of her magic flowing through him from her release. The combined sensations were enough to trigger a violent climax in him, making him slam her one last time against the door as he came, spilling his seed deeply within her as he cried out her name in turn.
He stood there, unmoving, for a long moment, one hand braced against the door while the other kept her clutched tightly to him, still keeping her firmly between the door and himself as he buried his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of it. Still vanilla and lemon, he thought, inhaling deeply. "I'm not done with you yet," he warned her, feeling his cock stirring to life inside her again at the smell of her hair and the feel of her plastered to his body, simultaneously worrying that she'd regret what she said to him about wanting it all.
"I would hope not," she replied, sounding both amused and a trifle breathless still. He raised his head to look at her, and she gave him a warm smile as she caressed his back with one hand, the other remaining looped around his neck. "I believe you made me a promise about all night and possibly some of tomorrow, too."
He grinned, flooded with relief at the fact that she looked lazily content, and not at all frightened of the rough way he'd just treated her. Was it any wonder he hadn't tired of her yet, when she always embraced the animal inside of him so easily? And though the interlude against the door had calmed some of the wild desperation inside of him, it still wasn't fully satisfied, especially not after what she'd said. Still, he felt certain he was calm enough now to make it to his bed with her.
With that in mind, he pulled back from the door, though he didn't let go of her, and she clutched him tightly to keep her balance as he began to walk.
"Um, Mardin," she began, her face beginning to turn red, which appealed to him just as much as her demanding nature earlier, "are you really going to carry me like this?"
He grinned, knowing she was referring to the fact that he was still buried inside her as he carefully walked along, both his hands now firmly on her luscious backside to keep her pressed tightly against him as he made his way down the hallway. "It seems I am."
"But . . . why?"
"I told you," he stopped long enough to press a kiss to her lips, nibbling on them briefly before he pulled back and continued, "I'm not nearly done with you yet."
"Oh. Well then," she wriggled against him a little, causing him to harden a bit more inside her with a groan as she gave him a devious smile, though she was still flushed pink, "good."
"Do you want me to drop you?" he threatened with a growl when she did it again, nearly halting him in his tracks as he tried to manage the spike of want flowing through him.
She grinned. "I suppose not, at least not until we get to the bed."
Though she didn't wriggle deliberately on the rest of the way down the hallway and into his room, by the time he'd reached the bed, the simple act of carrying her that way while walking had him hard and ready to go again. But, he was struck with a sudden and powerful urge as he saw the rumpled bedding, remembering that she'd slept there before while he was gone and how she'd claimed to want it all. He'd give it to her, then, and do something else he'd not done to her yet, because he'd known the act of taking her that way would make the urge to bite her too strong.
He set her down on the edge of the bed, pulling out of her, though he felt a sense of loss at doing so, and she moaned in protest too. "I thought you weren't done with me yet?"
"I'm not," he told her, anticipation thrumming through his body. "I just . . . want to take you a little differently. On your hands and knees, this time."
"Really?" She looked up at him, clearly intrigued, before she nodded and scooted backwards onto the bed, turning herself around until she was arranged on her hands and knees, her backside facing him. She tossed him a saucy glance over her shoulder when he merely stood there for a moment, astonished that she'd agreed so easily. "What are you waiting for?"
"Not a damn thing," he replied, lust rocketing through his body at the sight of her. He jumped up on the bed behind her, kneeling for a moment as he curved his hands over her ass, sliding them down her legs and parting her further for him, groaning aloud at the intoxicating smell of her arousal wafting to him.
How he'd missed that smell, and Goddess, that taste. He leaned in, inhaling deeply before slipping his tongue inside briefly to taste her, moaning right along with her at the desire that surged through him. He lapped and suckled at her briefly before he pulled back, ignoring her protest as he decided that he could no longer wait to be inside her again.
Though, when he got up on his knees behind her and guided himself to her slick entrance, he did take a moment to tease her with the head of his cock before he slammed inside, hard and fast, eliciting a sharp cry from her as she rocked forward. She almost immediately rocked backward, however, forcing him deeper inside, and he let out a long moan before he leaned over, pressing his face between her shoulder blades.
He halted there for a moment, simply taking in the feel of her, before he lifted his head a little and swept the waves of her hair aside, baring the nape of her neck to him. The need that swelled inside him at the sight of her tender skin there was almost overwhelming; he pulled back, long and slow and nearly came out of her, before he thrust forward hard and swift, leaning down to sink his teeth into the nape of her neck at the same time. He bit down deep, sucking the skin of her neck into his mouth, laving it with his tongue as she cried out sharply, her hips bucking against him and her back arching.
He pulled back, gripping her hips as he began to move in her again, steady but rough, driving himself home in her again and again as he gripped her hips tightly, his gaze fixated on the mark of his teeth on her neck. "Sorry," he managed between thrusts. "I . . . needed to do that."
"I said . . . I wanted it all . . . and I meant it," was her reply, ending in a gasp as he reached below to toy with her nub, rubbing slow and steady circles into it as he kept moving.
"Can you . . . can you not heal that one?" He didn't know why he asked the question, only that the sight of the mark there delighted him. "Is that something you can do, heal all of them but that one?"
"Yes, I can do that." She kept rocking back into him, working to keep her balance even as she met him, thrust for thrust. "If you want it there, I'll keep it there."
"Good," he growled, feeling desire winding tight in his gut at her words and promise; he was close to bursting again. "I need you to come for me. Now." He leaned forward, using the hand still on her hip to shift her and change his angle, sliding in just a little deeper as he pressed down hard on her nub.
"Mardin!" she cried out, her hips stuttering as she clenched and pulsed around him, the sensations and burst of her magic through him once more finishing him off as he shuddered, emptying deep inside her in a haze of ecstasy as he collapsed over her back, thinking that now he might finally be able to breathe properly again, though he still wasn't nearly done with her.
Brianna woke up late the next morning with Mardin pressed to her back, his arm snug around her waist and one leg thrown heavily over hers. He was snoring loudly, yet she couldn't find it in herself to be annoyed at the sound. She simply felt . . . content. And, okay, she was fairly sore also. He had, after all, made damn good on his promise of all night and into the morning, both of them only getting brief, broken bits of sleep through most of the night until somewhere around dawn, when they had both finally been too exhausted to keep going, and had succumbed to proper sleep.
She couldn't regret it, though. It had been an amazing night, and though she'd known that she missed him – and missed this – she hadn't realized just how much until he'd been back. She had thoroughly enjoyed every minute, even the parts she hadn't known she would, like him biting her. It had hurt, certainly, but she'd gotten just as much electric pleasure out of it as pain, and had been surprised at how much it aroused her.
She'd realized, too, when she'd seen the panic in his eyes when he'd first done it, that he'd expected it to frighten her off, and he clearly hadn't meant to do it. It was only then that she'd realized he'd been holding part of himself back with her before he'd left, restraining his natural instincts, hiding who he really was, and she didn't want that. She didn't want him to feel like he had to do that. She knew all too well how it felt to have to hold part of yourself back from a lover, and she never wanted to do that to anyone else. Until Mardin, she'd never been able to relax enough with a man to truly experience the release that caused her magic to burst out; she'd always been too afraid of what they'd think. But he'd always accepted her mage nature so wholeheartedly that it hadn't occurred to her to hold back, and not only had he not been frightened of the burst of her magic, he'd always seemed to enjoy it and try his hardest to make her keep doing it.
So she'd simply wanted to return the favour when she'd told him she wanted everything, and she'd sincerely meant it, especially when she'd found she actually enjoyed it. And he'd seemed to be so happy about it that there was no way she could regret it, especially not when it had turned out so amazingly for her. He'd even said that he missed her, and not in the 'I-miss-you-in-my-bed' way he'd said before over the crystal, but in a way that had sounded far more fervent and sincere. She had the feeling he hadn't even realized what he'd said, he'd been so wild with lust. She'd realized the significance of it immediately, though; it had caused such a burst of desire and elation in her that it had triggered her release. And she felt sure that both him saying that and the way he'd been so wild and needy for her meant that he had greater feelings for her than he realized. It gave her hope that she might be able to keep him at her side, which she was now very certain she wanted to do, for she had not felt this content, this relaxed and happy, in a long time, perhaps ever.
But, she realized, she was also very hungry, so she was going to have to move. She went to gently disentangle herself from him, but he stirred almost immediately, grumbling her name and squeezing her more tightly to him.
"Mardin," she said softly, tugging at the solid iron band of his arm. He grunted in response. "I'm starving, so you're going to have to let go."
He grumbled something else she didn't make out, but he did finally let go, so she sat up and stretched, looking back over her shoulder to find him lying there, watching her with hot blue eyes roving over her. His gaze halted abruptly on something, though, and he frowned. She followed his gaze down to see he was looking at one of the bites he'd given her, which was already starting to bruise, as she hadn't had the energy to heal them last night. All except the one she'd promised to leave on her neck, of course.
"I'm sorry," he blurted out suddenly, immediately answering her unspoken question as to what he was upset about. "I shouldn't have been so . . . rough. You must think I'm an – "
"Amazing lover?" she interrupted him, smiling. She knew that wasn't what he'd been about to say; he'd been about to call himself an animal. And maybe part of him was, just like part of her was a mage, but that didn't mean it was a bad thing, and she wouldn't have him thinking that it was.
He grinned, though he still had a concerned look in his eyes as he said, "Well, that too, but –"
"No buts," she told him, laying a gentle hand on his arm. "I already told you, I meant what I said. And I don't regret it – in fact, I very much enjoyed it, as I'm sure you noticed. I don't want you holding yourself back when we're together. I want all of you, okay?"
"Really?" he asked, looking surprised and pleased, and when she nodded firmly, his eyes began to turn that hot blue again as he reached for her.
She swatted his hand away, grinning at him. "But first, I want food, or I won't have any energy to keep going."
He laughed. "Well, I suppose I am hungry for actual food, too. But as soon as we're done eating breakfast . . ."
She nodded, smiling as she got out of the bed. "I promise." She glanced around the room, suddenly realizing that all of their clothes were probably still in a heap in the front hall. "Um . . ."
He hopped out of bed easily, heading for the door of his room with his usual lack of shame. "What are you worried about? I've already seen you naked – a lot, I might add – and since everyone knows what we're doing, I really doubt any of them will come walking in unannounced until we come out ourselves."
"I suppose you have a point," she agreed, remembering how he'd told the others that they would be occupied until late today. And she could always grab her robes on the way to the kitchen, just in case. "I'm glad you're back," she added softly as she followed him out into the hallway.
He glanced back at her, smiling a warm, genuine smile she so rarely saw on him. "I'm glad to be back. And I meant what I said, before. I'm not leaving again, at least not until we figure out why I'm here."
She nodded, smiling at him in turn. "Glad to hear it." She hoped that she could one day convince him to stay for reasons other than his duty, though, and with what he'd said and how he acted last night, she now had more hope that was possible, making her quite pleased with how her day was going so far.
It was a week later when Brianna got a message that Aveline needed her help and would like to see her at the Keep. Figuring that Aveline probably needed help eliminating bandits or something like that, which she'd asked Brianna to do before, Brianna brought Mardin, Isabela, and Varric with her to the Keep to find out what Aveline needed. Fenris, she'd been informed, had some sort of lead on Danarius that he'd decided to pursue on his own, and figuring that the four of them would be enough, Brianna decided not to track down Merrill to help either.
Once they'd arrived at the Keep, she had the others wait outside Aveline's office while she went in to see what her friend could so urgently need. Aveline was sitting perched on the edge of her desk when Brianna came in, looking unusually nervous. "Hawke. I need . . . a favour that I can only trust to you."
"Of course," Brianna replied instantly, though she frowned a little when she saw Aveline wringing her hands. What could make her stoic guard friend so nervous? "You can always ask me for a favour. You know that."
"It should be a small matter," Aveline began hesitantly, "but I worry. I need you to give something to Guardsman Donnic. Here, in the barracks. No questions, and he is not to know it's from me."
"Donnic?" Brianna repeated. "The one we pulled from an ambush?" And the one that she suspected Aveline might have feelings for; her friend had been talking about him more often lately over the last few months when they'd met for the odd card game. Though she didn't know why Aveline could possibly need her to deliver something to the man.
Aveline nodded. "The event that put me here. But this is . . . a different need of the guard and its captain. And you're doing very badly at the 'no questions' part," she added sternly.
"If that's what you want, then sure," Brianna said, shrugging, "but do you really need me to do something so simple as this?"
"Who do I really know besides you?" Aveline countered. "I need a friend to do this, and it's a short list."
It made Brianna a little sad to realize that what Aveline said was true, though really, her guard friend had only herself to blame; she spent far too much time wrapped up in her work. Still, if Aveline needed something, Brianna could hardly say no, so she held her hand out. "Very well, Aveline. If it means that much, of course I'll do it."
Aveline beamed at her. "Thank you. And please, hurry back with his reaction." She handed over a square package, wrapped in brown paper. "I appreciate this, Hawke. I really do."
"You're welcome," Brianna told her before she slipped out of the office, closing the door behind her.
Mardin and the others were waiting outside, leaning against the wall, and Mardin came over as soon as she appeared, grinning in anticipation as he cracked his knuckles. "Is it bandits? Tell me it's bandits."
She shrugged. "I'm afraid not. She just needs me to deliver a package to one of the guards here in the barracks. So you might as well wait here again; it shouldn't take long."
Mardin sighed. "Well that's too bad. Maybe we should go looking on the Wounded Coast later; I'm sure we can find some."
"Maybe later," she agreed, smiling and shaking her head at him before she headed over to the barracks, leaving the others leaning against the wall outside of Aveline's office.
It didn't take her long to find Donnic polishing his armor in the barracks; she'd always been good with faces, and she remembered him rather distinctly from the ambush she and Aveline had rescued him from. Mostly for the dazed way he'd looked at Aveline like she was a warrior goddess come to save him. He was, Brianna admitted, handsome, if in a more understated way than Mardin. He had slightly long dark hair with side-burns and a full beard, and warm brown eyes that seemed designed to put a person at ease, and was wearing all of the standard-issue guard armor, except for the pauldrons that he was currently polishing.
"Guardsman Donnic," Brianna said in greeting.
He nodded formally in return, standing up and setting his armor down. "Serah Hawke. It's been some time. You're going to be here in Hightown soon, aren't you? I think the captain mentioned it. I see your uncle now and then on my patrols but . . . we don't talk."
"I don't blame you," Brianna replied dryly. "I try to avoid talking to him myself. This is for you." She handed him the package, which he took quizzically. "It's apparently very important."
"I'll take you at your word." He unwrapped the package, setting the brown paper aside, and Brianna was unable to keep from watching out of sheer curiosity as he finally held the item up. "It's a copper relief of . . . marigolds? And it helpfully says so. 'Marigolds.' Well. How crafty. Is there a meaning to this that I should know?"
Brianna blinked, stunned. Why in the Maker's name would this be some urgent package that Aveline insisted she deliver? "I guess there must be," she said at last, flabbergasted. "Anyway, you should keep it. I'm sure it's more important than it seems."
Donnic raised his eyebrows. "It would have to be. Right. I'm sure we both have things to do. Of varying import. Serah Hawke." He nodded to her again, before sitting back down and returning to polishing his armor.
She left the barracks, shaking her head in total confusion as she approached the others. "So, what was it?" Varric demanded. "What did our guard captain need you to urgently deliver?"
Brianna shrugged. "A copper relief of marigolds, apparently."
"What?" Mardin asked, looking utterly confused. "Why?"
"I have no idea," Brianna confessed. "I'm supposed to report Donnic's reaction to Aveline, anyway."
"All right, Hawke, that's it," Varric declared. "I'm way too curious now; I have to come in with you. There's gotta be a story here."
Isabela snorted derisively. "Probably not a very good one." She and Aveline had always been at odds with one another from the moment they'd been introduced at a game of Wicked Grace; they were nearly as bad as Anders and Fenris, sometimes. Bringing her along probably hadn't been the best choice, Brianna realized, but she hadn't expected that they would be here long, and there was nothing she could do about it now, anyway, so she simply shrugged and gave in.
"Well, fine, if you insist, come in. Just stay in the back and try not to say anything; she seems really nervous about this for some reason," Brianna told them as she headed for the door, the others trooping in behind her.
"You're back," Aveline said from her seat behind the desk as soon as they entered, not even seeming to notice that the others were there now. "Of course you are. You're efficient. Get things done. Good or ill. So, how did Donnic react?"
"Exactly the way a totally confused person would?" Brianna said helplessly. "Mind you, I was confused, too."
Aveline frowned. "I thought it was clear. Metal is strong. Copper ages well. Flowers are soft."
Brianna shook her head. "No, Aveline, that's really not clear."
"I've clearly gone about this the wrong way," Aveline said anxiously. "Don't talk to him again. Just . . . take this." She shoved a sheet of paper across the desk, which Brianna took, still utterly confused. "The patrols for next week. Post it to the roster and just . . . listen."
Brianna blinked at the paper, then shrugged. It wasn't like it was a hard favour, after all, even if she had no idea what she was doing. "All right. Posting the roster just over there."
"I need to know exactly how he reacts," Aveline added. "That's key. Thank you." She smiled warmly at Brianna, who simply nodded again as she turned to leave the office.
Isabela sighed as soon as the door was closed behind them. "Too many hits to the head. Or not enough."
"I have my suspicions what it's about," Mardin offered, grinning broadly. "I've seen a few interesting things since I came back and started training the guards again."
"Really, Red? Do tell," Varric replied, though Mardin shook his head, still grinning, as Brianna headed over to the roster, pinning up the new one, then returned to the others, keeping a close eye on the roster to see if Donnic would look at it.
It didn't take long for a female guard with short blonde hair to come over and look at the roster before she yelled out, "Hey, Donnic, whose pucker have you been greasing to get Hightown?"
"What?" Donnic poked his head out of the barracks. "You're daft. I'm working those skinnings across town."
The female guard gestured to the roster. "Says here you're guarding the square. Always been a make-work job, that one. You someone's pet?"
"Check your eyes," Donnic retorted, though he came out of the barracks and started towards the roster. "It's a mistake."
"Says the pet," the female guard said scornfully, walking away.
Donnic had reached the roster by now, and looked closely at it before shaking his head. "You have got to be kidding me. What did I do to get that post?"
"Back to Aveline, I guess," Brianna said with a sigh, shuttling the others back to Aveline's office.
"Donnic thinks I'm punishing him?" Aveline exclaimed in distress once Brianna had relayed his reaction. "But Hightown is a safe patrol. A reward."
Brianna shrugged at her. "You wanted his reaction."
"He wouldn't see it as a reward," Mardin added, making Brianna glance at him curiously, wondering just what he had noticed now that he was back training the guards. "He's been working hard, trying to impress someone, and an easy post without challenge isn't going to do that."
"Trying to impress who?" Brianna asked, since Aveline had already started pacing back and forth, muttering to herself.
"You'd have to ask him," Mardin told her, though he was smirking, and jerked his head a little in the direction of Aveline. Brianna raised her eyebrows. Did he mean that Donnic had feelings for Aveline, too?
Aveline halted her pacing, whirling to face them. "All right, I can fix this. I need . . . I need three goats and a sheaf of wheat. You'll take them to his mother."
Brianna gaped at her. "Are you insane?" She glanced behind her at the sound of a muffled snort, only to see Mardin and Varric both shaking with suppressed laughter, barely able to hold themselves up.
"It's a dowry tradition," Aveline explained, bringing Brianna's attention back to her. "Maybe it will smooth the process."
"Hold a moment," Isabela exclaimed, holding up a hand as she glanced back and forth between the laughing men and Aveline. "You're sweet on the boy."
"So help me, whore, I will break you," Aveline snarled at her, though Brianna noticed she didn't disagree with Isabela.
Isabela laughed. "Oh, this is glorious. All this flailing is her idea of courtship."
That explained a lot, Brianna realized. Aveline must have thought the gift, unusual as it was, would somehow announce her intentions. That and the roster, though neither had really worked, vague as they were. She ignored her other hysterically laughing friends, though she couldn't help seeing the humour in the situation herself, and focused on Aveline instead. "Aveline, you know you can talk to me. Why didn't you just tell me what you were trying to do?"
Aveline shrugged helplessly. "What am I to say? That a grown woman can't speak her mind? I've been focused on being captain for so long, that's all I know."
"Wait," Isabela said, holding up her hand again, apparently having gotten her laughter under control. "I'm confused. Wasn't Lady Man-hands married already?"
Aveline shot a glare at her, though she did reply wearily, "That was . . . a long time ago. It was easier. Or seemed to be."
Brianna frowned. "I can't imagine you having trouble speaking your mind. Why is this so difficult?"
"The guards are in my care. I hurt when they hurt. But Donnic . . ." Aveline sighed. "I want him to know that I feel . . . but if something happened to him . . ."
"Something already happened and he's fine," Brianna pointed out.
"If it made sense, I wouldn't need you." Aveline went back to her desk, leaning against the edge as she continued, "I feel paralyzed. I hate it."
"I could just pull him in here right now, and you can just talk to him. Say the word," Brianna told her. It would certainly be easier than all these vague gifts that Donnic couldn't possibly interpret.
"Oh, and how would that look?" Aveline exclaimed, throwing up her hands. "The captain ordering her guardsman to . . . to . . . it wouldn't help."
"I'd find it sexy," Mardin offered.
Brianna shot him a glare, though she couldn't stop her lips from twitching, or her blood from heating when she saw the way he was looking at her. "We all know you wouldn't have a problem with it," she said dryly, "but that doesn't exactly help."
"Would it help if I said I'd also find that sexy?" Varric volunteered, smirking, before he scribbled something down in his notebook.
Brianna rolled her eyes in exasperation. "No. Ignore those two," she added as she turned back to Aveline, who still looked distressed.
"I can't believe I'm going to be the voice of reason here," Isabela said with a sigh. "Go out. Get him drunk. Shame is a great equalizer."
Aveline turned to look at her, astonished. "What, just . . . go out somewhere? Like it's that easy?"
Brianna grinned, nodding at her friend. "It can be. You don't have to make it complicated."
Aveline nodded slowly. "Tell Donnic . . invite him to the Hanged Man tonight. Don't tell him about me, make something up. It's a surprise, or just you, or a group. Anything to get him there. He's not like the others. I don't want him to think he's meeting the captain."
Brianna sighed, shaking her head. She didn't think that was going to solve the problem, but if it was the only way to get Aveline there . . . "All right, Aveline. Whatever you say."
"Don't you dare wear your armor there," Isabela added, pointing a finger at Aveline. "Come to Varric's room before. I'll get you something normal to wear."
"I'm not going to wear any of your whorish clothing," Aveline retorted coldly.
Isabela rolled her eyes. "Oh please, you prude. I did say normal clothing, didn't I?"
"Let Isabela try," Brianna coaxed her. "She's right, you can't wear your armor there."
Aveline threw up her hands. "Fine. But if I don't like it, I'll wear my own clothes instead."
"Okay, we'll go and invite Donnic," Brianna told her as they went to leave. "See you tonight."
"Well, that was a disaster," Brianna groaned, leaning her head against Mardin's shoulder at their corner table in the Hanged Man later that night.
She'd invited Donnic, as promised, telling him there would be a group of people there. Aveline had taken forever to come down, though she'd really looked quite nice when she had, wearing a lovely, simple blue dress. Brianna had spotted her over Donnic's shoulder, but she'd panicked before she'd made it to the table and left. Though Brianna had waited for her to come back, trying to keep Donnic at the table with supremely awkward conversation, she hadn't returned, and Donnic had eventually come the to the conclusion that Brianna was the one interested in him, telling her she wasn't his type before leaving. The irony of it being, he'd told her he liked a little backbone and someone who didn't play shy. And he was hardly her type, either, she thought, rolling her eyes. As if she'd be interested in him when she had Mardin in her bed.
As if knowing she was thinking about him, Mardin slipped an arm around her shoulders, rubbing her upper arm soothingly, though the touch still managed to spread a little fire through her body as well. "You did your best," he offered. "Not your fault she didn't come over as planned. And if it's still bothering you, I'm sure I can think of a way to distract you."
"I'm sure you can," she said with a laugh. "And since the others have all left already . . ." She cut herself off as she saw Aveline approaching their table, looking thoroughly ashamed of herself.
"I . . . I couldn't do it," Aveline mumbled. "What did he say?"
"He thought I was interested in him," Brianna informed her, more than a little exasperated with her friend. "I had to tell him he wasn't my type."
"He'd better not be," Mardin muttered, his arm tightening a little around her.
Brianna had to restrain her urge to whip around to look at him. Was he actually jealous? While the notion that she might prefer Donnic to him was laughable, it was also heartening to hear that he might actually be worried about it. Surely, if this was just a fling, he wouldn't actually care, right? She brought her hand up over his to squeeze it, looking back at him and somehow managing a teasing tone as she said, "Of course not. I prefer my men feisty."
He laughed, his eyes blazing blue at her. "Glad to hear it."
"I'm so sorry, Hawke." Brianna turned back to see Aveline hanging her head. "I'm an idiot."
Part of Brianna almost wanted to agree with her; really, how hard would it have been to walk those last few feet and talk to him? But she knew it wasn't what Aveline needed to hear right now, so instead she told her, "While I agree you should have come over, if you were totally hopeless, you'd have hidden from the start. You almost made it over to talk to him."
Aveline sighed heavily. "Would it have ended any worse? I need to talk to him, but I'm a mess unless I'm on patrol. I'm good at that. Killing highwaymen doesn't exactly provide an intimate setting, though. And I'm tired of embarrassing myself."
Brianna blinked. That . . . actually wasn't a terrible idea. "I think you're on to something, there. You should arrange a patrol with him," she advised.
Aveline shook her head. "But I can't fight and talk . . ."
"So we'll clear the way for you and you can see if he's the one," Brianna suggested. "Do it tomorrow morning."
Aveline smiled, looking hopeful for the first time since she'd come over. "You're too good at this. Is it any wonder you've all but taken Hightown?"
"I still think she should just jump on him or ask him to spar with her naked," Mardin whispered in her ear. She elbowed him in the ribs, smiling at Aveline. "Thanks, I think. But the success of this will still depend on you, you know."
Aveline nodded. "You clear the route up the Wounded Coast and I . . . will think of something to say."
"Just tell him you're interested in him," Mardin told her frankly. "He won't mind, I promise you."
"Are you sure?" Aveline asked skeptically.
"Positive."
"Well, if you say so." Aveline still looked doubtful as she added, "I'll see you all tomorrow," before she turned and left the bar.
Brianna turned to look at Mardin. "You think he's interested in her too. Did he tell you that in training?"
Mardin shrugged. "Not in actual words, but I can see the way he looks at her. Honestly, they both want each other, why can't they just say so? How hard is it to say, 'Would you like to share my bed'?"
"It's not as simple as in your world," she reminded him. "The rules are more strict here, and it's not a common practice for everyone to just out and say that."
"I suppose, but I still think it's needlessly complicated here," he grumbled.
"Well, Aveline is definitely making it needlessly complicated," Brianna agreed. "Anyway, didn't you promise to distract me?"
He grinned at her. "I believe I did, at that. Let's go."
Brianna let him pull her out of the Hanged Man, hoping that things would work out for Aveline tomorrow so she could also have the man she wanted in her bed at night.
The next morning found them at the Wounded Coast, along with Isabela, Varric, and Fenris, who had not managed to find any traces of Danarius yesterday. Brianna had drafted him into service as well, figuring that he could use the opportunity to work out his frustrations, and help them clear the patrol out for Aveline faster.
Unsurprisingly, the first section of the coast they hit upon did have a group of bandits hiding out, but they weren't particularly skilled. It didn't take long for them to wipe out the group, hide them, and light a signal fire. Brianna would've been perfectly willing to keep going, but Varric and Isabela insisted on hiding nearby so they could hear how things were going. Brianna sighed and gave in, crouching with the others behind an outcropping of rock several feet off the path, but still close enough to hear and see what was going on.
"So this route's pretty quiet," Donnic commented as the two of them came up the path.
"Yes, and it's . . . a real nice evening, um, morning, I mean," Aveline corrected herself hastily.
Donnic gave her an odd look before moving on ahead of her. "Um, as you say, Captain."
Aveline chuckled helplessly, shaking her head as she muttered, "Heh, yes, as I say."
"Oh, honestly," Isabela groaned, thumping her head on the rock.
"Maker, she is bad at this," Brianna muttered, and her friends all nodded in agreement, though Varric was still scribbling away in his notebook, smirking.
"You know, I could fix this really quickly," Mardin suggested.
Brianna shook her head. "No, we should give her a chance. Come on."
It didn't take them long to clear out another area, and Brianna didn't even protest listening this time; it was clear that Aveline was probably going to need help at some point. This was made all the more obvious as she heard what Aveline was saying as she came around the bend in the path. "If it isn't done right, the blade can be too soft. Quenching the steel is a vital step that can make or break a sword."
"Right," Donnic said faintly, sounding either bored or confused – Brianna wasn't sure which.
"A blade for every purpose," Aveline went on. "What do you think? About blades?"
"I think she should just grab his blade," Isabela muttered. Varric snorted, Mardin started chuckling, and even Fenris cracked a smile. Brianna couldn't contain a grin herself, but she nudged Mardin to be quiet as Donnic said, "I'm sorry, Captain. I drifted off a bit."
"Right. Of course," Aveline sighed, following him up around the path.
"Ugh, painful," Brianna groaned, burying her face in her hands.
"I can't decide if it's more painful or hilarious," Isabela chimed in with a grin.
Varric closed his notebook with a snap, tucking it away. "I think more hilarious. Good writing material, anyway."
"It is almost pathetic, yet admirable, how much she wants him," Fenris added. "But she does not seem to be getting anywhere."
"She sure doesn't," Brianna agreed. "That's it, I can't take it anymore. If she doesn't say anything the next time, I'm stepping in."
She marched on to the next area, determined to clear it, and sincerely hoping that Aveline would finally get her act together. She could hear Mardin say as the others fell in behind her, "I'm starting to wonder how anyone in Thedas ever manages to have sex with each other."
"With some people, it's definitely a mystery," Varric agreed.
They got the next area cleared out easily enough, but much to Brianna's disappointment, she could hear Aveline saying as she came up the path, "Well, Guardsman, good patrol. I think we're done, and I . . ."
"Oh, no, you're not," Brianna muttered to herself, stepping out of their latest hiding place in front of Aveline, blocking her way onwards, the others all stepping up next to her.
"Hawke!" Aveline exclaimed, looking both shocked and rather like she wanted to murder Brianna for coming out of hiding. "What a surprise. What are you doing here?"
"Aveline," Brianna began in a warning tone.
Aveline shook her head, waving her hands frantically. "Hawke, don't."
Sorry, but it's for your own good. Brianna tried to give her an understanding smile as she said, "I think you'll come around once it's all out in the open."
Donnic looked back and forth between the two of them and the rest of their friends. "Will someone please tell me what's going on?"
Isabela rolled her eyes. "You're a daft couple of . . . Take a hint and bend her over a basin, will you?"
"I've often found that actions speak louder than words," Mardin added. "She wants you to do this." And before Brianna could prepare herself, he'd hauled her close and kissed her, hard and hungry. She couldn't stop herself from rising to meet the kiss, pressing herself against him and wrapping her arms around his neck as he dipped her low, before bringing her back up and setting her on her feet.
"Yeah, that," she managed breathlessly, feeling more than a little hot and bothered now, especially when Mardin kept looking at her like he wanted to devour her then and there. Ever since he'd come back, he'd been taking the opportunity to touch and kiss her wherever and whenever possible, even if it was out in public. And where before, she would have been embarrassed or worried about what other people thought, she now found she was starting to care less and less. Why should she worry about what others thought, if she was happy with it and so was he? She hadn't been able to see or touch him for three months; she'd take what she could get now.
"I think we'd all like a little of that," Isabela declared. Looking over at Fenris, she added, "Feel free to do a repeat demonstration."
"I think the point has been made," Fenris said dryly, though Brianna noticed that he did look a little intrigued at the thought.
Donnic looked uncertainly at all of them before looking to Aveline. "Captain?"
Aveline simply chuckled nervously, not saying anything and apparently unable to look him in the eye.
"I . . . should get back to the barracks," Donnic said slowly, still looking at them like they were all insane before he turned and left.
Aveline whirled on Brianna as soon as he was gone. "I thought we were friends."
"We are," Brianna said in exasperation. "That's why I couldn't stand to watch this anymore. Either you tell him or you don't, but this can't go on."
"I . . . I have to fix this. He'll file a complaint . . . ask for a transfer." Aveline pointed at Brianna. "You! You're coming to the barracks to explain why you put him on the spot! Double time, Hawke, or so help me . . ." With that, she strolled away angrily.
"Whoops," Varric said calmly, finishing another line in his notebook before he put it away again. "Looks like our guard captain's pissed. I'll let you deal with this one, Hawke. I'll head back to the Hanged Man for a drink and some lunch."
Isabela and Fenris also added in their desire to go back to the Hanged Man, following after Varric as he headed down the path, while Brianna sighed. "Guess I'd better head to the Keep."
"I'll go with you," Mardin volunteered. "I'd rather like to see how this disaster turns out. And I'm sure you could use a distraction afterwards." He grinned at her.
"I'm sure I will," Brianna agreed, before taking a deep breath. "Well, let's go see what's happening."
Aveline was pacing back and forth just outside her office when the two of them arrived. She shot a glare at Brianna, before frantically looking around the central lobby of the guardsman section of the Keep. "Maker, where is Donnic? I have to . . . head this off before it goes to the Viscount. Maybe a formal apology. Something that shows the guards they can still trust me."
"You're their Captain, not a golem," Brianna tried to reassure her. "They expect you to have feelings."
"Honestly, I think it'll be just fine," Mardin added, smirking as he glanced back at the stairs leading into the lobby.
Aveline ignored him, shaking her head at Brianna instead. "Not if my feelings get in the way of the job. I won't be that stupid again."
Before Brianna could reply, she saw what Mardin had been smirking about; Donnic was approaching them. And he did not look angry or upset. He cleared his throat as he stopped in front of them. "My apologies, Serah Hawke, Captain Trichlor, but I need a moment with the Guard Captain."
Aveline turned to him, shock and surprise stamped on her face. "Guardsman . . . Donnic?"
Donnic smiled warmly at her. "Please."
Aveline turned to look at Brianna, who nodded at her and made shooing motions. Taking the hint, Aveline headed into her office, Donnic following her and shutting the door behind them. Brianna waited with Mardin just outside, but it only took a few minutes before a giggle came from the office, followed by the sound of Donnic saying something and another giggle.
Mardin grinned at her. "See? I told you it'd be fine."
Brianna smiled. "Seems you were right. I'm happy for her. Let's go get some lunch and we'll check back on her later."
They returned to Aveline's office a couple of hours later, after lunch and a few games of Wicked Grace, to see a beaming Aveline waiting at her desk for them. "Guardsman Donnic . . . did not file a complaint."
"I'll bet he didn't complain," Mardin said cheerfully.
Brianna elbowed him, unable to restrain a smile, especially when she saw Aveline turning pink. Her friend shot a reproving glare at Mardin, but otherwise ignored his statement as she turned to Brianna. "This was all incredibly stupid. And you made it wonderful."
Brianna laughed. "I think you can safely claim the credit for all of that."
Aveline simply smiled, and Brianna was pleased to see how happy she was as her friend continued, "You're sweet. I knew asking you was the right thing."
"I'm happy to help out, but let's just not make a habit of this sort of favour, please?" This was not, Brianna decided, the sort of job she wanted to be doing more than once. The rest of her friends could set themselves up with somebody.
"I just . . . there's no way I can ever repay you," Aveline said fervently, her face practically glowing with happiness. "Perhaps it's simple. Thank you."
Brianna nodded, smiling. "You're welcome."
"Hey, can I ask you something?" Aveline interrupted her just as she was turning to leave. "Was there a moment when you thought I was beyond help?"
"Not for a second," Brianna said quickly.
Aveline smirked at her. "You don't lie very well."
"As far as you know," Brianna replied, grinning. To be honest, she'd had a few moments of doubt that Aveline would figure things out, but she was very glad that she had. After what her friend had been through during the Blight, she deserved this.
"Shout when you need me, Hawke. I'll always be here for you. Just . . . knock first." Aveline gave her a sly smile.
"That's good advice for anybody." Mardin slipped an arm around Brianna's waist, tugging her towards the door. "Don't forget to use it when you come to visit Brianna."
"Believe me, I won't," Aveline said fervently, though she was grinning as Brianna waved goodbye and Mardin tugged her out the door.
Brianna halted in her tracks once they were out of the office, looking up at him. "Just what are you up to?"
"You don't have anything else to do today, right?" When she shook her head, he went on seriously, "I have something very important to ask you."
"What is it?" she demanded, feeling unaccountably nervous. Why did he look so serious? He was never this serious unless it involved an actual life-or-death situation.
"Would you be willing to share my bed tonight?" he asked, deadpan.
She gaped at him for a second before she laughed, swatting him in the shoulder. "Maker, don't be such an idiot. We're hardly at the stage where you need to ask that anymore. Of course I'd be willing."
He grinned broadly at her. "Just demonstrating how easy it was. And by tonight, I really meant, right now."
"Lead the way," she agreed, smiling. And as she followed him back to the mansion, she decided she'd rather have all her jobs be this peaceful and easy. If only Kirkwall could stay quiet, she just might be able to manage that.