"Reading"

She had found it one night when they were in the Alienage, just doing the usual, wandering about and getting ambushed by some disgruntled crowd or another, she couldn't even remember who they were; so many people seemed to want them dead. It was whilst rooting about, looking for stuff they could sell when she had found an old sack, dusty and threadbare, looking for the world like there would be nothing interesting at all in it. She'd felt the weight of something solid in it, but it was only when she put her hands in that she felt the familiar shape and feel of leather bound book. This was treasure indeed. She loved reading and the feel and smell of books. How they opened up new worlds of imagination and knowledge. Although it felt that she had little time to read these days, she hoped it might be something that she could lose herself in when those moments presented themselves when she could. Who could be so careless as to throw out a book? As she took it out the sack she reverently wiped off the dust to look at the cover. No title to be found there, she opened it up and gasped as she realised what this book was. "The Book of Shartan" she whispered, what in the maker's name was this doing in a sack in Kirkwall, ready to be thrown way?

She knew of Shartan, an elven slave who had fought with Andraste, the leader of a slave rebellion. He had fought for an elven homeland, but had not lived to see it. He had been killed when Andraste had been betrayed. She knew even as she brushed a hand over the pages that this was not for her. This was something Fenris would love; it could only be for him. A smile grew over her face. At last, something she could give him that had nothing to do with fighting or smashing people's heads in and a way to let him know she still cared about him, repair some of the damage, help them to start talking again.

She wrapped it back in the sacking to protect the book and placed it carefully in her backpack. She tried not to run all the way back to Fenris' mansion immediately, Varrric and Isabella were giving her 'the look'. They knew where her heart lay, but were silently warning her, "Slow down, you don't want him to run off again, don't push it. Be careful." Anders let out a low groan, "What do you see in that elf? Broody, grumpy, angry bastard, only thing he's good at is swinging that sword." Isabella smirks at him, "Jealous Anders? Watch out or your demon will come out green instead!" Hawke doesn't hear them, just waves them a farewell as she take the road up to Hightown.

The mansion is dark as usual as she enters; "Fenris?" she quietly calls out in the entrance hall, she can see the light of a single candle shining from the room he usually occupies. "Good, he's in." She moves slowly up the stairs and sees him approach the doorway to meet her as she climbs up. "What are you doing coming here at this time of night? Do you ever go to your own home?"

"Not if I can help it." She replies," It's not the same without mother there and that makes me sad and I can't be sad tonight."

Fenris cocks his head to the side, "What are you up to? You look excited."

"I have something for you; I found it tonight and thought you might like it." She pulls the sack out of her backpack and hands it to Fenris who pulls the book out of the sack and looks at it blankly,

"It's a book!"

In her excitement Hawke doesn't notice the tone of his voice and whispers back at him,

"It's 'The Book of Shartan', you've heard of him haven't you?"

"A little." Fenris replies, "Hawke, it's not that I'm ungrateful or anything, it's just...slave's are not permitted to read, I've never learnt."

Hawke looks at him crestfallen, how could she have not known this? How could she have been so insensitive? Then she looks up excitedly again, "It's never too late, I could teach you!"

Fenris looks back at her, a frown creasing his forehead, "I wonder...I've always wanted to learn more about Shartan, maybe this is my chance."

And so it began, the reading lessons. For Hawke these lessons eased the heartache and tension that had built up between them over time. She could be near him and be helping him at the same time. She would go to Fenris' mansion two or three evenings a week. It took some time for her teaching skills to develop, but Fenris was a quick learner despite his fears and his confidence quickly grew. Their relationship slipped into an easy friendship they were both comfortable with. In the years that followed the departure of the Qunari, the lessons became less about learning and more about enjoying each other's company. Hawke and Fenris slipped into spending their evenings reading to each other, although truth be told, Fenris did more as Hawke had never tired of listening to the sound of his voice, Hawke always stating it helped him improve his skill even when it became clear it no longer needed to improve. Sebastian occasionally joined them, saying he appreciated the change from sitting in the Hanged Man drinking all evening. Hawke had found Sebastian particularly helpful in relating techniques his tutors had used to educate him when he was growing up in Starkhaven. Hawke took time selecting books for them to share until Fenris started seeking them out for himself. Each began to be more aware of the others interests and would search out relevant material. Hawke trawled looking for history books for him and Fenris sought out magical tomes for her, always Circle endorsed of course, both enjoyed poetry and songs, but agreed that singing was out.

Those years were relatively peaceful, the group only gradually becoming aware of the tension building up between the mages and the templars. With the title of Champion, work came regularly and there was regular coin coming in from the Bone Pit. Varric had discovered a talent for financial matters that had developed since he took over his brother's business interests and he gladly invested money for the group and the returns were good.

Near the end of this time, Hawke arrived at the mansion excitement once again bright in her eyes.

"I know that look, what have you done now Hawke?" Fenris asked his eyes narrowing with a certain wariness.

"Oh! This is good, but I'm not telling just yet. Open a bottle and get settled, I want to enjoy this." She replied dumping the bag of bread and cheese on the table.

Fenris brought up a bottle of red wine from the cellar, among the last of Denarius' quickly depleting wine collection. Hawke built up the fire, lit enough candles to make reading easy and tidied the blankets on the narrow cot in the room Fenris had lived in for the last six years. Wine was poured into glasses, and then Fenris sat on the cot at one end while Hawke lay down with her head in his lap. She pulled out a closely folded piece of parchment from her pocket and handed it to him.

"Do not ask where I got this and for Maker's sake do not tell Sebastian, he would not be best pleased. It's a part of the chant, but it was removed years and years ago. They now consider it heretical, so I suppose we could get into some trouble if we were found with it, but I thought it was beautiful, it made me think of you and I just wanted to hear you read it." Hawke laid her head back and closed her eyes wanting to savour the coming pleasure.

Fenris opened the parchment fully, scanning over the page at the few words there were, and began to read,

"At Shartan's word, the sky grew black with arrows. At Our Lady's, ten thousand swords rang from their sheaths, A great hymn rose over Valarian Fields gladly proclaiming: Those who had been slaves were now free."

Hawke sighed when he had finished, about to ask him to read it again, she opened her eyes to find Fenris' head bowed and a single tear rolling down his cheek. She sat up quickly; concern clear on her face, then reached up her fingers to catch the tear and then cupped his face in her hand.

Fenris raised his head and looked deep in her eyes, "Thank you, Hawke." Lifting his own hand to cup her face he then pulled her into him and held her close.