Chapter 3

Hawke's POV

Fenris had left my room awhile ago but I couldn't permit myself sleep yet. I was expecting a visitor. The hoot of an owl sounds outside and I rush over to the window making the coo of a pigeon. A second later my red cloth I had tied around my previous window was being shoved through my new window and tied around a bottom rung. "How's your progress Hawke?" A voice whispers on the other side, silky and seductive.

"I'm getting closer to getting Denarius' trust. But there's another slave, Fenris. He'll be harder to convince since he already suspects. But I don't think I'll have much to do with the other slaves which means I'll mostly be dealing in information." The soft sound of metal daggers dragging from their sheaths makes me press harder towards the window. "Isabela I know what you're thinking but we can't kill Fenris." An angry sigh sounds in the night air but she slides her daggers back in place.

"You're lucky I owe you and not the forces of the Free Marches. Otherwise your man would be dead in a ditch."

"He's not my man and more or less you'd be in a ditch. He's quick not to mention strong. He was pretty close to breaking open my chest earlier by stepping on it with what I would gauge as half his force." The sound of a knock on my door propels me up to stand straight and at attention. Isabela would have heard it and run off already and I calm my breathing as the door opens revealing my master. Quickly I throw myself on the floor. "What would my master ask of me?" I ask the ground.

"I just wanted to know more of your history little lioness. Come now Khione, stop looking at the ground." I bring my head up but stay kneeling on the ground. He walks around me, dragging his nails lightly over my bare shoulders. Keeping my face passive I keep track of his steps. The soft hiss of a knife escaping a sheath reminds me to stay completely still. "I wonder Khione, is your blood as cold as your composure? What will it tell me?" And with these words he makes a small cut on my shoulder. Trying not to flinch or turn away I clear my mind, knowing blood mages couldn't read blood but the mind of whose blood you used.

What I was currently doing was an old Templar trick of making your mind blank but still being able to think things without having it read. "Hm, intriguing. Templar training is it? So why aren't you a templar?"

"I was planning on it but I wished to travel first. Once I got to Tevinter however I was captured and thrown into slavery." Danarius hms again and walks back around to my back which was mostly bare and prods a spot with his shoe.

"This is a magical scar. What is it from?"

"My sister, an apostate who is now in Kirkwall's circle as the First Enchantress, was first learning her craft from our father. She had gotten angry at me and used a spell that would have blown me apart from the inside out. My father counteracted the spell but the scar remains." This answer seemed to please Danarius as he walked around to my front, patting my head along the way.

"How old was your sister?"

"Fourteen."

"Such power at such a young age. And how old is she now?"

"Twenty six master."

"And you?"

"Twenty nine master."

"Ripe then. Since I have no need of bastard children I'll have you sleep with Fenris. Strength plus Magic. A grand plan I think. Goodnight my little lioness." And with these words Danarius leaves and I slump, but still keeping my walls up around my mind. I had heard stories about Danarius before. He planned things out quickly. Perhaps I had the rest of tonight and tomorrow to talk things over with the rogue companions I kept. Standing up I wander over to the bed, throwing myself on it with just the thought of taking a small rest but before I knew it my eyes slammed closed and I fell into a deep sleep.

When I woke I noticed in the back of my mind I wasn't alone. Turning my head I see Fenris leaning under my window, watching me. Alarm spreads through my mind like wild fire and I let slip a look of panic. I could feel it on my face before I managed to cover it up again. Fenris tilts his head just the tiniest bit. "So, your face is not as lifeless as a tranquil's as you've lead me to believe." He uncrosses one of his arms and opens his hand, my red scarf unraveling.

My mind shuts down as my stomach clenches. Everything I had worked for, gone. His green eyes flick back to me then out the window. "While you were sleeping a woman came by the window and called for you. We talked for awhile. I'm surprised she told me more of your plans than you did."

"So why did you stand there the whole time? Shouldn't you be dragging me off to master to have me beaten then hanged for planning on citing a widespread slave rebellion?" Fenris turns toward the window and ties the scarf back around a pole then walks over to me.

"So, a rebellion? That was far easier than I thought." So... he had been bluffing this whole time. Now if anything I was doomed, expecting him to drag me away.

Instead he sat next to me and leaned on my wall. "Your idea is a noble one but why slaves?"

Figuring I was dead anyway I sigh and lean on the wall next to him, frowning. "I was thinking that if we managed to crumble the Tevinter Emporium from the inside as well as out it would nearly double our chances of success. No one expects an attack from within. We have contingents of Templars acting as slaves all across the Emporium. I was the last piece." Fenris looks at the ends of his gauntlets as I speak but looks at me as I finish speaking.

"Then why are you as important as you seem to be?"

Smiling I shake my head. "I'm just one of the generals. Yeah, important position but one you're usually given for being the Champion of Kirkwall." I close my eyes and sigh. "What time should I expect to die?"

"Not for another four days if I've counted right. I won't give your information away since Danarius plans on turning you into what I am. He's tried many times before with no success." His hand skims over my hair and I open my eyes, giving him a sideways glance. His eyes met mine and I find myself giving him a slight smile. "Shame." Is all he says and I tilt my head curiously. "A beautiful woman such as yourself shouldn't have to die."

"I'm a small cost of war. But if the war succeeds I'm a small price. And I wouldn't have pitted you out as a flatterer." He smiles and takes his hand out of my hair.

"Danarius thinks you'll survive. You've got me hopping you die so you won't have to live with the pain of lyrium scars. You also have me hoping you'll live so I can see you more." Fenris gets up and head towards the door. "I will be called on soon but I hope to talk more later." And with these words he leaves me to mull over everything he said.

~~~~~

Four days had passed and Fenris and I had come to know each other quiet well. It was obvious he liked me but I wasn't so sure I felt the same yet although I felt warmer whenever I did see him. Only a little warmer though. But this time when he showed up at my door he looked guilty and wouldn't catch my eye. "You are to come with me to the preparation chamber." He says and I gently pat his shoulder as I step out. It was the first time I touched him of my own accord but I found myself hoping it would not be the last. We walked along quietly as we headed deeper into the estate and down flights of stairs before we reached a room with several elf women waiting.

All wore Danarius' symbol just like I did and just like Fenris did, a raven curling in on itself with a sword behind it. Since all the symbols were stitched into their clothing I knew they were all slaves. Apparently they knew what I was to expect and wouldn't meet my eyes either. The lead one, an older woman, stepped forward and gestured to a steamy bath. "We must clean you before the ritual." She says and I nod, pulling off the plain clothing I wore. I notice Fenris kept his eyes off to the side and he was clenching his hands.

After twenty minutes of vigorous scrubbing the slaves motion for me to step out and wrap me in a towel. Still dripping they lead me out with Fenris dragging behind. Just how many people hadn't survived this ritual?

In the next room several mages stood around hanging chains, an assortment of men and women. Danarius stood next to the chains, giving me a warm smile. I had worked hard these past few days to become well liked by him. "Come now Khione. We don't have time to waste." He says as I step forward. As I stood under the chains he motions for the other slaves to lock me in. I needed a focus point if I was to stay calm and my eyes zero in on Fenris who was standing across from me, eyes downcast. My towel was stripped away and I try not to tremble as my body was exposed to the eyes of the mages. The air glows blue with lyrium and Danarius comes around to my back. "What design shall I engrave you with and break that frozen mask of yours?" He whispers, just loud enough for me to catch. Without warning he stabs his finger into my back, dragging it up and around my shoulder.

I bite the inside of my cheek so hard I tasted blood which I quickly swallow. His hand flies over my shoulder, digging in blue glowing lines, using magical force to make sure it stained my skin. As he lifts his hand and unbearable burn tingled across my skin and I feel my skin twitch. He mimics his former motion on my other shoulder and I feel a scream bubbling up. That's when Fenris looked up and caught my eyes. Watching his face helped calm me down as Danarius scored his fingers across my back in graceful, swirling and looping lines. As Danarius finishes with my back he moves across my hips and down to my legs, making my knees buckle.

"Very good Khione. You've made it farther than any of my other subjects. Except Fenris of course." Danarius says as he walks around to my front, grabbing my chin and hauling me up. "Come now, not even the slightest twist of pain? You aren't angry with me?"

"No master." I manage to get out and he breaks into a wide smile.

"You see? This is how a true slave should behave. Now stand up straight." I wriggle upward as he commands, the back of my legs screaming for me to stop. He traced vining patterns up my neck with a diamond shaped spot right where my neck met my chest. Keeping my eyes trained forward I ignore his hands roaming over my body as he burned lines across my chest and down my body. Fenris held my gaze, an unknown feeling flashing in his eyes.

"Don't worry Khione, we're almost done." Danarius says as he burns the insides of my thighs and I finally let out a whimper of pain. Maker curse me for slipping up. My master makes quick work of my feet, painting out the skeletal frame with bright blue lyrium. Several of the surrounding mages step forward and cut open their hands, their blood flowing into Danarius and giving him energy. As he moves away from my legs and to my arms I stumble, finding it increasingly hard to deal with the burning sensation going through my body. "Almost." Danarius echoes as his fingers dance quickly across my arms, determination in his eyes. So his other subjects started dying as they got to the stage of collapse from pain. "Just a finishing touch that will surely break your frozen face."

Then he started burning spots along under my eyes. On the last spots he drug his fingers down and curled lines from there as well. Try as I might I could not shut out my own screams or stop the tears which finally spilled out. Out of the corner of my mind I could hear clapping as the chains were taken off my hands and my body was allowed to crumble to the floor. A large, wet towel was tossed over my body and I grasped at it frantically, struggling to stay awake and not lose consciousness.

I hear out of the corner of my mind someone tell Fenris to carry me back to my room faintly, black taking over my eyes. Once more I curse myself as I black out completely, barely noticing I was being lifted up.

~~~~~

A gentle hand resting on my cheek makes me open my eyes slowly, weak sunlight filtering through my window. My entire body was on fire and I weakly tried to raise my arms to claw at my skin. The hand on my cheek moves to grab my wrists and the burning sensation in my hands disappears. Weakly I move my head to see Fenris concentrated on my hands which I tugged with nearly no force. "How are you feeling?" He asks without meeting my eyes.

"Other than my wrists and hands my body feels like its burning. Hot but only just bearable." I answer in a cracking voice. He let's go and reaches down to a bucket next to his feet, pulling up a cup of water. Keeping his face emotionless he places the cup at my lips but I turn away. "I'll do it myself." I respond as I struggle against the sheets, my fingers turning into jelly. A hand snakes under my shoulders to help lift me. Sticking out my lower lip I give Fenris a glare which he returns. Once more he places the cup at my lips and I sigh, allowing him to give me a drink.

A/N

Next chapter will be Fenris' POV. And remember, reviews are love!

Ciao!~