A/N: To you...thanks for taking the time to read, you make it so much more fun...

Act 1

Chapter 7

"An Outing

It had been weeks since that horrible night with Hadriana. Hawke could still remember the agonizing pain on his face when she found had him in the hallway. But most of all she remembered how it had only receded with her touch. He had done an amazing thing that night, sacrificing himself so she and Orana wouldn't be harmed. He truly was an amazing man.

With each passing day, a deeper and stronger longing began growing within her, when their fingers would brush up against one another or his lip would curl up as she walked into the room. Something had changed. Every time she was in his presence nervous butterflies floated around in her stomach. It was like she didn't know what to say or do. For a moment that night she thought he was going to kiss her. Every fiber of her being had wanted it to happen. But the anguish on his face as he tried to reach up to her, she couldn't tell what he was thinking. Maybe he hadn't been trying to, perhaps she was only imagining things.

Why would a man like Fenris desire anything from her? He was gorgeous and strong, and she had nothing to offer him. She was a slave. Over and over she told herself that he was only being nice, helping her work through her predicament. It was foolish to think that he could ever want more from her.

What did it matter anyway?

It wasn't like they could run off into the sunset together and make sweet passionate love underneath the stars.

Her mind began to wander as she walked towards her Master's study. Wouldn't it be amazing to have his lean, muscular body pressed against her? To feel his soft lips trail kisses up her neck. Or his strong hands grip her hips while he claimed her.

A deep sigh pressed out of her lungs as she leaned up against a wall just beyond the staircase. She couldn't deny that she had fantasized about it nights on end. Most of the time it was the only way she was ever able to find sleep.

But it was silly. Nothing about her could possibly appeal to him. She was an idiot. Selling her life into slavery to save a family that she didn't even know was safe. There had been no contact with Bethany or her mother since she had arrived here. For all she knew Clayden could have sold both of them after she was gone. Not that she would have been able to do much about it if she had been there.

Quickly, after they had arrived she learned that this was no friend of her father's. His cold calculating stare as he sized her up, told her immediately that something was amiss. After he had thrown them in his dungeon she was sure they were all doomed. It wasn't until Bethany had used her powers in front of a guard that Clayden began to show hospitality towards them. Once he had a good idea of her talent, he had practically been salivating at her skill. Hopefully, he was still impressed and this wasn't all in vain.

Deciding to push those thoughts as far away from her mind as possible she moved up the stairs. It served no purpose for her to dwell on things that could not be changed. For now, it was better to think of the present. She was a slave and if she tried to escape there is no telling what Danarius would do to seek retribution. Perhaps he and Clayden would join together and harm her entire family.

No, she couldn't live with that. It was time she accepted her predicament. There would be no family reunion, no riding off into the sunset with the elf who had claimed her heart. This was it.

As she approached Danarius's study Fenris's back was framed by the door. He bent down to retrieve a book on the bottom shelf making her knees grow weak. His body was incredible. Ugh, stop thinking about that, she told herself as she entered the room.

Upon hearing her, Fenris turned over his shoulders and grinned. When he did things like that it did make it incredibly more difficult. A nervous twinge hit her gut and she felt her legs slow as their eyes met. She cleared her throat and broke eye contact as she moved to stand in her usual spot. This was becoming more difficult. If a man from Fereldan looked at her like that she would know instantly that he was definitely interested, but with Fenris it was a completely different matter. He was neither from Fereldan nor a human. That smile could mean anything.

"Hawke, I will need you to prepare yourself to accompany me outside the walls tonight," Danarius broke through her thoughts.

It took her a moment to process what he had said. "You wish for me to leave the estate?" There was an edge of excitement and apprehension in her voice. The only part of the city she had seen was when she was being transported here. These walls had been a prison. It was too good to be true.

"If you do not think you are ready I am sure I can manage with just Fenris," he spoke with annoyance.

"Oh, no Master I am ready," she quickly replied. "More than ready." A bright smile was beaming across her face. The voice in the back of her head told her to remove it. If Danarius saw how happy this made her, surely he would revoke his offer.

"Good," he responded.

Fenris brought the book to him and moved to stand across from her, suppressing a smile. But those deep green eyes told her that he was happy for her. The excitement in her stomach was almost too much. She shouldn't be this overjoyed to accompany Danarius out of the estate, but Maker she was!

Then a thought occurred to her. In the whole time she had been here, never once had she actually had to act as his body guard. The grounds were securely protected by his guards, so any attempts on his life here were quickly ousted before they even reached the outer walls.

You've protected people before. It will be just like watching over Bethany. Don't let anybody who seems shady get close, and have your weapons ready. You can do this.

The rest of the day was a blur all she could think about was getting to leave this awful place, if only for a few hours. Apparently, Danarius had a lady friend. Talla. Who knew? He didn't really seem the type to court women, but a man with his power most likely didn't even have to try.

She and Fenris were to meet him at the carriage house in about fifteen minutes. Standing in her small room she was attempting to put on her armor, but she was so nervous the clasps on her boots just weren't cooperating.

"Having trouble?" his deep voice brought her attention to the door.

"Yes," she smiled a little embarrassed.

Quietly he stepped into the room and knelt down before her. With expert hands he fastened them to her leg then looked up to her.

"You are nervous."

"Is it that obvious?" She blew her hair out of her face and strapped her bow and arrows to her back. "I should bring my daggers too, shouldn't I? I mean do I need to?" He only arched an eyebrow up at her. "Fenris," she stomped her foot and whined. "I have no idea what I'm doing. This is the first time I've been allowed to leave the estate. Say something." His face beamed up at her. "You enjoy seeing me this flustered don't you?"

"You have nothing to be worried about, Hawke. It will be fine." In what looked like something completely ordinary he tugged on his ear lobe. She wasn't sure if it was to ease her nerves, but it definitely made her heart pound fast within her chest. "Here," he grabbed her daggers and straps. "Let me help you."

His hands moved to her thigh as he placed the leather strap high on it. The breath in her throat caught at the touch of his hands. Once the dagger was on, his fingers brushed against her thigh and he reached for her other leg. She heard a ragged breath come from his mouth and she dared to look down at him. His concentration was hard as he strapped the second to her. Once that one was also in place he looked up at her and stood to his feet, but left his hand at her thigh.

"Are you ready?" His deep voice and the nearness of their bodies made her knees nearly buckle.

"Lead the way," she choked out.

With that he grabbed her hand and began walking down the stairs. Once they reached the bottom he released her and made his way to the carriage house. Hawke followed behind him, struggling to keep her emotions in check. Did he have any idea of what he did to her?

Her hand still tingled from the effects of his touch. Holding hands hadn't gotten her this giddy since she was twelve.

As they walked, Hawke studied him. His masculine swagger demanded notice, not to mention the tight muscles of his shoulder blades flexing and bowing in time with his walk. If she wasn't careful she could quickly lose herself to this infatuation she was developing with him.

They waited patiently by the carriage for Danarius to arrive, not speaking.

"Who is that?" a woman's voice echoed from across the courtyard.

"She is the new bodyguard I informed you of my sweet," Danarius answered. Ah, this must be Talla. Hawke straightened her posture and mimicked Fenris as she waited for them to arrive.

"I don't like her," the woman hissed. "What good is a woman bodyguard anyhow? You should get rid of her."

Hawke held her breath, she didn't know this woman at all. Was she cruel and conniving like Hadriana? Or sweet and innocent like Claudia? As she got closer, she knew instantly. This was definitely a Hadriana. She wore dark eye shadow and lipstick. Her mouth was spread thin into a sneer. The black strands of her hair were choppy and wild, resting just below her shoulders. The icy blues of her irises pierced through Hawke as she looked her up and down. With every ounce of restraint she had, she fought back narrowing her eyes back at her.

"She is a valuable asset, Talla. I have no intention of getting rid of her just because you don't like the way she looks."

Talla scoffed. "It's disgusting. Fereldan trash. I'm not riding with her in the carriage, Danarius, or that knife-ear."

Immediately, Hawke balled her fists. She could call her trash all day long, but insulting Fenris was a different matter. Within seconds of meeting her she already knew that he was a far superior person that she could ever hope to be. How dare she insult him? Just as her mouth was about to get her into trouble, she heard Danarius sigh.

"They will ride in the back, darling. Don't get yourself worked up over this."

Unaffected by her words, Fenris opened the door for them to enter and took his seat on the back of the carriage. With soft eyes he reached for her hand to assist her in climbing up. Hawke scowled and exhaled loudly through her nostrils, telling him without words that she was upset. A faint smile spread across his lips and he wiggled his fingers at her. Unable to deny the effect he had on her, Hawke felt a grin building on her face and took his hand. When she was up, he sat and guided her down next to him on the narrow seat. Clearly, this spot was meant for only one person. Her leg jumbled with his and she was nearly sitting on top of him. At least something good was coming from this.

Fenris leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees. When the carriage started moving, Hawke was jarred and grasped his arm for support. "Sorry," she whispered and started to move her hand, but Fenris moved his hand to hers and kept it in place until they got to a steady speed.

When he released her, Hawke slowly pulled her hand free and smiled to herself. Oh, he was something. If only they had met under different circumstances. Things would have been much less complicating. It was a shame that the first man to ever effectively creep into her heart was out of her reach.

Even Danarius apparently had love. It was unfair that she would be denied it, and an even greater shame from a man such as Fenris. How was it that such a foul creature as Danarius was able to even find someone willing to look at him, let alone take him to bed?

"Do not worry about Talla," he leaned over and whispered. "She does not have nearly as much power over Danarius as he lets on."

"How Danarius found someone at all is shocking to me. I've never heard him speak of her. Have they been together long?" She kept her voice down, not wanting the occupants of the carriage to hear their conversation.

"I'm not sure. After the ritual she was…" He trailed off and looked away from her. Never before had he spoken to her about the lyrium brands or his memory loss. Perhaps he didn't want her to know about it, and even though she knew he had no memory of anything before she had never brought it up to him. A part of her hoped he would talk to her about it on his own.

Deciding that maybe she should tell him that she already knew, she leaned over to him. "I know about your memory loss, Fenris. You have no reason to hide it from me."

Arching an eyebrow he turned to look at her. "And how would you know about that?"

"Right after I arrived I asked Orana about you. She told me, though she didn't know much about it." When she looked over to him he seemed annoyed. "I should have just asked you about what I wanted to know, but we had just met. Have I offended you?"

"No."

Clearly something was bothering him. He was still such a mystery to her even after all this time. Figuring out what he was thinking was a lost cause. "Do you not want to talk about it? We don't have to. I would never want to make you feel uncomfortable."

"I've just never told anyone about the ritual or my memory loss."

"I'm a great listener," she smiled and nudged his elbow.

"Well, it was painful. The only reason I remember any of it at all is because of the great agony I faced when receiving them. When Danarius summoned me for the first time I didn't know my name, where I was from, how I got here. It was all just gone…"

Hawke watched him. It was clear speaking about this was difficult, but she was glad that he was opening up to her about it. Then a realization donned on her. "So you could have been married?"

"I suppose, but I doubt that. Slaves are not generally permitted to wed. It doesn't matter," he sighed. "Whatever my life before was, is lost."

"Slaves are not permitted to wed?" The thought had never occurred to her, but it made sense. What purpose would it serve? The look on his face confirmed her thoughts. "Are slaves not permitted to take lovers even?"

"There are some who 'breed' their slaves, hoping to increase their assets. But no, generally they are not."

The wheels in her head began turning. Could it be possible that Fenris was a virgin? "So you have never taken a lover."

"I am not unfamiliar with sex, if that is what you are asking," he cut his eyes to her. "Though I would hardly call it 'taking a lover.'"

"Oh," the disappointment was clear on her voice. The idea of him being with anyone else made her stomach turn. Her mind wandered to scenes of him with various women she had seen around the estate.

"What of you?" He nudged her back to reality.

The playful grin on his face made her smile. "Umm…" she hesitated wondering if she should be honest with him. "I was one of the few women serving at Ostagar. Let's just say I got a lot of attention."

"A lot?" The disappointment in his eyes made her heart flutter. Was he jealous?

"Well actually, just one succeeded," she stifled a laugh. But still his face told her that he too was most likely picturing her lying with another man and not exactly happy about it. He was jealous. Perhaps there was more than just friendship between them.

When they arrived at the theatre Hawke and Fenris followed behind Danarius and Talla to their private viewing box up in the balcony. Fenris was completely distracted by Hawke. He would have been a useless bodyguard if someone chose to attack Danarius out of nowhere at the moment. He had to try extra hard to focus his attention on the task at hand, but it was proving to be difficult. She looked radiant tonight. Though, nothing about her was particularly different than normal, something about the way the soft firelight of the city played off her features and danced in her eyes had him completely enamored. Not to mention the effortless sway of her hips as she walked in front of him. His mind kept wandering to this mystery man from Ostagar and what he was to her.

There was no reason to be jealous. He hadn't even known her then. Still the idea of her putting her hands on anybody's body but his own made his stomach turn. What was she doing to him? Never before had he felt so possessive over anything. He wanted her, all of her.

The realization was terrifying. There was no way this could end well, but his heart kept pushing him to her, begging him to reach out. There had been a few instances where he had a chance to show her how he felt, but every time the moment would pass him by. Always too hesitant to make a move. He doubted it was even possible that she felt the same way, but every so often when she looked at him he saw a twinkle lingering in her eyes. Sometimes she would even turn away from him in bashfulness. There was something, but was it worth risking both their lives in being discovered? Danarius would surely beat them and sell Hawke away because she made him happy.

Fenris sighed as they reached the box and the Magister and his date settled in. He and Hawke took their positions near the door, giving them privacy but still remaining close. Just before the play started he looked over to her. She was already staring at him, with that twinkle in her eyes. His stomach jumped as he curled his lip up at her. Never before had a woman looked at him like that. She saw more than just the lyrium or his looks, she saw Fenris. Deep down into him. Something he never thought another person capable of doing, and yet here she was easing her way into his heart that he had thought would never beat again.

She was worth anything Danarius ever did to him, but what he would do to her…

This indecision was a nightmare. Either go for what he wanted for once, or continue to let Danarius rule over his happiness. The consequences of the latter were clear, but maybe if they were careful they could hide it.

What was he thinking? He wasn't even sure she would accept him. This was all most likely for nothing.

As the play started Fenris held back his moan of displeasure. Another stupid romance. He hated coming to these. It was always the same story. Two people against impossible odds, determined to let their love survive. In the end either one died or they lived happily ever after. Personally, he preferred when one of the lovers died. Much more realistic, even if he had to endure the teary eyes of all the woman in the audience, sometimes even the men.

As the play dragged on Fenris glanced over to Hawke. A battle between the villain and hero was being performed on stage. She was completely enamored with the scene. Wincing when the hero nearly got ran into, smiling brightly when he succeeded in vanquishing his foe. When his love interest raced out to congratulate him, rewarding his victory with a kiss, Hawke made a silent 'aww.'

So she was a romantic. Fenris grinned to himself at the idea. The blade wielding, arrow firing spit fire who had started arguments with guards and mouthed off at her master went all mushy when it came to love.

The play was finally finished. Unfortunately, the couple lived happily ever after. He would have really loved to see that piss-poor actor run through by a sword. Tevinter. They can't even get plays right. With a sigh he waited for Danarius to head back to the carriage. They were stopped periodically on their way, for Danarius to speak with his fellow Magisters about stupid things that Fenris had no care for. While they conversed Fenris let his eyes wander to Hawke.

She was looking up at the sky with a silly grin on her face. Completely oblivious to doing her duty. "Hawke," he whispered. Slowly she turned to look in his direction. He motioned for her to come to him. Avoiding the Magister's conversation, she slipped around behind them to stand near him.

"What is it?" she peered up at him with those beautiful green eyes that sparkled when light hit them in just the right way.

Grinning, he moved to whisper in her ear, "You're awfully distracted."

Her mouth fell open in disappointment. "Was I? I'm sorry, Fenris. I've never seen a play before. It got a little carried away I suppose. Do you think Danarius noticed?"

"No," he smiled. "He's too busy socializing with the others." They stood in silence for a moment. And Fenris tried to do his normal task of scanning the crown, looking for potential assassins, ensuring no harm would come to Danarius, but all he could think about was the cute little woman standing directly next to him. Her arm was close enough to brush up against his whenever she would turn. The scent of her hair was picked up by a breeze and blown towards him. Oh what he would give to run his fingers through that hair. In his admiration he didn't even realize she was staring right back at him, grinning widely. "See something you like, Fenris?" She arched up her eyebrow playfully.

A little taken back and unsure what to say, he grumbled and looked away from her.

Luckily Danarius had reached his limit with his fellows Magisters and wished to go home. So Fenris and Hawke escorted them to the carriage and took their seat on the back, still squished and practically on top of one another. But Fenris didn't mind. Due to the small space, Hawke's leg was draped over his own. And finally, Fenris gave in to the urge and placed his hand on her knee. At first it was just to settle her while the carriage began moving, and he told himself that once they'd reached an easy pace, he could remove it. He didn't. And she actually leaned into him.

"What do you think it would be like to run off into the sunset with the love of your life?" she breathed, babbling on about that play.

"You enjoyed that for too much," he grinned. "I may be a slave, but I've seen enough to know that doesn't happen."

"Oh, Fenris," she turned into him. "Don't tell me you've never wanted to run away, just you and your beloved, leaving all the cares of the world behind you." Her mannerisms were theatric and he couldn't help but let his mouth quirk up in a smile.

"You would first have to find a love to run away with, Hawke. Don't forget I'm a slave. I don't think there will be any running or frolicking or whatever else."

"You've never been in love have you?" He turned to see her staring at him with knowing eyes, like she'd just unraveled one of his deepest darkest secrets.

"Have you?" He shifted on the bench to fully face her.

"No…I haven't. But you didn't answer my question."

Drawing closer to her face he spoke in his deep, deepest voice. "The truth is, Hawke, I never thought I needed anyone nor wanted anyone…," he withdrew slightly so he could look her directly in the eyes. "…until now."

She inhaled a rushed breath and stared back at him, frozen, captivated by his confession. Feeling bold, Fenris leaned in ever so slightly. Her lips parted and the tip of her tongue darted out just enough to moisten them. Waiting to see if she would withdraw or try to talk him out of this, he studied her lips. They were so full, a light rosy hue that just begged to be kissed. The heat of her heavy breaths was falling against his lips and upon looking up into her eyes, he saw the desire burning through her as she too studied his mouth.

Deciding that she did indeed want this, Fenris propped his elbow on the back of the carriage and simultaneously brought his hand to cradle her jaw while, he began leaning into her.

Before he could feel the slightest stimulation from her lips the carriage bucked and jarred them away from one another. Fenris grabbed her waist to keep her from falling then heard the loud crack of the wheel snapping.

Danarius rung out a string of curses while Talla squeaked from inside the car. Coming to a complete stop the carriage pulled off the main path with only about an hour away from their master's estate. On these long stretches of road, the only light provided was that of the moon or of the torches you carried with you.

Luckily, Danarius had some skill wielding fire and would be able to provide enough light in order for them to fix the broken spoke.

Fenris jumped off the back of the carriage and held his arms up to assist Hawke in climbing down. She flashed him that beautiful smile then stood to her feet. Moving to the edge of the seat she balanced herself and winked at him before she did a back flip off the side, landing perfectly on the balls of her feet.

"I'm not quite as helpless as I let on, Fenris," she smiled.

"I'll keep that in mind," he raised his eyebrow but couldn't help himself from returning her smile. The broken wheel might have prevented that kiss, but he wasn't nearly ready to give up just yet. The look in her eyes told him that she had in fact wanted this as much as he had. Perhaps on their patrol of the estate tonight, there would be enough privacy that he could find the courage to finish what he started. They grinned at one another, seemingly forgetting how incredibly pissed their master was at the moment.

"Fenris! Get over here and help with this wheel," Danarius yelled.

Jerking out of his trance, he raced over to assist the driver. Talla stayed in the carriage, bitching and moaning the entire time about how Danarius should take better care of his possessions, and Hawke stood just outside the realm of the fire, peering off into the woods.

This stretch of the road was the darkest one of the journey. On both sides thick trees lined it, with the moon providing only minimal natural light. As he set about fixing the broken wheel, he noticed Hawke slowly backing her way up to them.

"Something is not right, Master," she whispered as she eyed the woods. Clearly she was on edge.

Danarius looked over his shoulder and scanned the tree line. "Nonsense, you are imagining it. Now get out of the way."

Taking a deep breath she did as she was told but looked back at Fenris. "Something is drawing near," she whispered.

Over his shoulder he watched her slowly walk back towards the trees. With great care, she drew her bow then carefully pulled an arrow off her back. There was definitely something that had her spooked. Trying to keep most of his attention on the task at hand he stretched out his senses to see if he could feel anything.

There was nothing. But he trusted Hawke. If she said there was danger, he believed her. Still helping the driver, he watched her intently to see if she showed any other signs of distress.

Just as they were about to be finished, Hawke aimed her bow and fired a shot into the trees. The whizz of air drew Danarius's attention to her. Before he could reprimand her a high pitched yelp echoed out from the forest.

Without hesitation Hawke had another arrow ready and fired again. "Get inside the carriage!" she yelled at Danarius as she started backing away ready to fire another shot. He didn't listen and stared at her in shock.

Fenris abandoned his task, for once thinking of the protecting someone else other than his master. He withdrew his sword and took a fighting stance next to Hawke, ready to defend her against anything that came out of the trees.

"What is it?" he whispered to her.

Before she could respond a pack of wolves, at least ten strong came stalking out of the woods towards them. Without pause Hawke fired her bow piercing two straight through the skull. They fell with a thud to the ground as the remaining animals charged towards them.

Fenris glanced back towards Danarius, the coward had cast a protective spell around himself, leaving the driver of the carriage completely vulnerable to an attack. "Go," Hawke urged him as she pulled her daggers from their sheaths and charged towards the oncoming animals.

Forcing his feet to move he rushed towards the man, drawing his sword and igniting his lyrium while Hawke was left to fend for herself.

Two of the animals advanced on her, while the remaining six stalked towards the three of them. Talla remained in the carriage, screaming and carrying on like a mad woman, as Danarius stood there chanting his mantra to keep the spell up. That bastard, one shot of lightning from his fingers would send these creatures to their deaths.

Easily, he took one of the wolves out with a swing from his sword. The other five circled around them. Using their advantage in numbers they attacked all at once. Fenris was able to only slice two more before he was pinned to the ground. The beast took a fierce bite on his arm, causing him to cry out.

Then he heard a high pitched whistle from across the road, followed by the whizz of one of her arrows. The animal above him fell in heap against his chest. Peering over the creature he watched Hawke taunt the animals, beckoning them to come to her.

Snarling, the two remaining wolves charged towards her. Realizing that she wouldn't be able to fire a clear shot at them, Hawke took off into the woods leading them away from the carriage.

Once the sounds of their howls were far enough away Danarius released his barrier and yelled at them to finish fixing the carriage. Fenris ignored his request and began charging into the woods after Hawke.

"Fenris! Fix the wagon. If it isn't fixed before she returns we could all die," he hissed.

Growling, Fenris turned back and helped the driver frantically put the final parts in place. Once done, he started off into the woods. "Where do you think you're going?" Danarius questioned.

"After Hawke," he responded without looking back.

"I don't think so," his master snarled. "I may have already lost one of my bodyguards, I am not about to lose another."

"But she could still be alive," he shouted. "You would leave her out here to die?"

"She did her duty, Fenris. And you will do yours."

Every fiber of his being wanted to tell him off, run into the woods anyway. But the slave in him was already succumbing to the order. He stared at the woods for a moment fighting the urge to obey his master.

Then he heard the brush move; Hawke stumbled out of the forest, bloodied and armor tattered. He ran to her, catching her just before her legs went out. "They're gone, Fenris. You're safe…" she whispered before going limp in his arms.

"Hawke?" He shook her, trying to bring her back. He called her name a little louder. She still didn't respond. "Danarius! Do something!" It was foolish that he was letting his feeling for her flow so freely at the moment, but he didn't care. The magister could save her and he damn sure better. He walked slowly over to them and pressed his fingers to her neck to check her pulse.

"Get her to the carriage. There is nothing I can do for her now. If she makes it back to the estate…well, we'll see." And with that he turned and walked back as if this woman's life wasn't in his hands.

Growling Fenris rose to his feet and carried her. Carefully, he climbed up onto the back of the carriage and cradled her to him.

They began moving and Fenris felt warm moisture trickling down his face. Pulling her as close to him as he could he whispered into her ear, "Hold on, Hawke. Please…" Placing a soft kiss to her cheek he felt his emotions slipping. "Stay with me…"

The ceiling above her was fuzzy at first. After blinking a few times it gradually came into focus. Her body felt sore, like she hadn't moved her limbs in ages. Flexing her fingers and wiggling her toes she assured herself that everything was intact, then she felt the hard wood of the table beneath her.

Was she in the dungeon? Had Danarius punished her for something and she had passed out? Quickly, she sat up. The room spun and she brought her hand to her forehead trying to ease her vertigo.

"Ah, my little Hawke. You have finally awakened," Danarius's voice echoed through the room. "You gave us quite a scare you know."

"What happened?" Her voice was hoarse and barely recognizable. The throbbing in her head wouldn't cease so she continued rubbing her temples, trying to bring the memories forth.

"Do you not remember? We were attacked by wolves. To save my life you led them away from us. As courageous as that was, they nearly killed you. You are worth nothing to me dead, Hawke."

The memories came back in flashes. No. She didn't lead them away to save his life, she did it to save Fenris's. The wolves, they had been attacking him. One had him pinned to the ground. Without even a second thought she taunted them to follow her. "Fenris," she choked out. "Is he alright?"

Opening her eyes she saw him stepping out from the corner of the room. There was deep concern in his eyes. Every part of her body wanted to run to him, hug him close, ensure that he was definitely fine. Instead she let out a relieved breath. Thank the Maker.

Removing her hand from her forehead, she brought it down to rest in her lap. A dark mark on the inside of her wrist caught her eye. Turning her arm, she studied the markings. They were three bold lines. The fingers of her other hand went to rub across them. Ink. A tattoo rather. And it was fresh. Danarius had finally put his slave brand on her body, marking her as one of his own.

"You have done well," Danarius threw a wicked smile at her. "I think I will keep you after all."

And with that he left the room. Fenris moved to follow, eyeing her the entire time. But before he could catch up to the Magister, the door to the dungeon was already closed, leaving the two of them alone for the time being. Hesitating at the door, he was clearly deciding whether or not he should follow his master or stay.

Unable to resist the urge to have contact with him, she broke the silence. "Are you alright, Fenris? I saw that wolf take a bite out of your shoulder."

He took a deep breath then propped his arms above his head. "I am fine. But you nearly got yourself killed, Hawke."

She knew what was coming next. 'Don't ever try to save me again.' Or 'Stop being such a fool.'

Rising from the table she tested her legs to make sure they would support her weight then she walked over to him. Hoping to squash his anger before he had a chance to release it, she placed a hand to his back. He turned to her. His face was flush, his eyes and jaw were set tight. Yep, Fenris was pissed.

Just as she was about to speak, he pulled her into a hug, clutching her to him desperately. After the initial shock of it wore off, she gave into him and wrapped her arms around his waist. His breath was heavy in her ear, she felt the tremors running through his body.

It was obvious her actions had caused him great distress. Trying to soothe him, she ran her hands up and down his back. This felt nice. It was the most contact the two of them had ever had. Taking a deep breath, she drank it in and squeezed him to her. In her ear she heard him take a choked inhale, that nearly sounded like a sob, then in a flash he released her.

Without looking her in the eyes he opened the door and raced up the stairs, leaving her staring up at his retreating form.

This was completely unfair. She was falling for him, and hard. The stoic, emotionless man she met when she first arrived was beginning to wash away. There was so much more to him. And Hawke longed desperately to get to know everything about him, what he hated, what he loved, what he dreamed about.

For now, she would just have to be satisfied with this. It was all he could give her.