Part 3...Lu and Izzy have a little girl talk... Note: If you ever head over to and check out Aimo's DA art, you'll probably pick up the book reference here. :-p

I love it when the house is quiet.

The pleasant thought drifts through my head as I'm looking through some books in the study.

Let's see, what am I in the mood for? The Pursuit of Knowledge, boring. Hard in Hightown, no thank you. What's thi- Anders manifesto? I thought I used all these to start the firewood. Oh well more starters a guess. Wait, what do we have here?

My fingers trace the spine of a book I never noticed before. The Stone Heartbreaker? It looks…interesting to say the least. For some reason I feel the need to check my surroundings. Knowing that the coast is clear, and feeling a bit foolish, I grab the book and make my way back to my room.

I look up from the stairs and notice my door swinging. I don't have a window open so I know it's no draft. My hand tightens into a fist of energy as I cautiously walk up the stairs. I stop at the door, trying my best to calm my nerves and focus. I push the door with one hand while trying to concentrate on the other. I slowly walk into the room, my eyes searching every corner. I make it to the middle of the room but I don't see anyone. The creek of the door closing catches me off guard. I have no time to react before the intruder grabs my wrist and pulls it behind my back. I try to fight them off with the other but I'm greeted with a dagger to my neck. I stop struggling, and the prowler finally speaks.
"You even think about anything Mage, and I'll slit your throat." The grip gets tighter on my wrist and the blade. Eventually I release the spell and scoff. "You know Is, it's not a bad thing to knock once and awhile." Isabela laughs as she frees her grip. "Where's the fun in that." I shake my head and calm my racing heart.

"You really need to relax Lu." She stretches, looking very proud at her achievement. She walks over to my bed and sits down. She's surprised at how soft it is, and puts both arms up falling back into the soft feathery blankets. "Ah, this is nice you know. Still, not as nice as a ship cabin, but still…" Her voice trails off when see spots something on the desk. "What is that?"
I turn to see what she was referring to. "Oh, that's just something Avilene picked up while in Orlais." I lean back on my dresser. "I've been meaning to put it in the study; try and save it for a special occasion maybe."
Isabela glides over to the desk intrigued. "Antivan brandy, Starkhaven scotch, oh Rivaini whiskey." Her curiosity piques as she studies the tray. "Seems that ginger prude really knows her stuff, surprising."
I can only shake head at the comment. "You know, I really wish you two could get along"
Isabela sighs running her fingers across the bottle of brandy. "Well I could…if she wasn't such a bitch." She laughs as she opens the bottle and takes a generous swig. "Mmm, that is good!" She offers the bottle to me, but I refuse, to which she rolls her eyes. "Oh come on. Live a little." She persists. "There's no one here and what's one bottle going to hurt?"
I gaze at the bottle which was looking more and more enticing by the second. "All right, but not the whole bottle." I take the bottle, and bring it to my lips. "I would like to have something left after." I mutter under my breath before taking a sip of brandy. It hits me like a mind blast and slowly drifts throughout my body.
Isabela smiles with pride. "That's my girl."

Well after few hours, and with still half a bottle of brandy remaining, we decide to retire from the tray and move on to wine. With our best effort we manage to sneak up three bottles from the cellar. However considering that there was really no one else in the house it wasn't really sneaking. We haul our treasure to my room and take a seat on the floor at the end of the bed. Since we're alone, drink coursing through us. Isabela finds it's the perfect time for 'girl talk'
"So you never really told me about you and Fen." She looks far too excited to chat about this subject.
"Well Is, if you really must know." I lean in closer, my voice drawing a whisper. "There's nothing to tell."
"C'mon Lulu." She cooed. "Relaying intimate details about ones love life is what friends are for."
I throw my head back and laugh. I take another sip of my wine, and shake my head. "Isabela, there is no amount of wine in Thedas is going to make me talk."
She pouts and huffs at me, but then a scheming smirk curls onto her mouth.
"You should know I have ways of persuasion."
"I'm sure you do." I chuckle, oblivious to the pirate's shadow upon me, but it was too late. Isabela pounces like a jungle cat, pinning me to the floor.
"Isabela! What are you-" Shock turns to hilarity as I feel fingers softly digging into my sides.
"ISABELA!" I buck and squirm beneath her gasping for breath in between bouts of laughter. "Please! You'll spill the wine!" But my cries are ignored. I think I'll die right here and now if she doesn't let go. The assault lasted mere minutes, but it was enough for me as I admit my loss. "O.K., O.K, you win." I stop fighting back and give in.
Isabela relents, and her hands cautiously back away. "So, are you willing to talk?"
I take a minute to regain my breath and my thoughts. My eyes dart away in defeat, but I peer back with a victorious gleam in my eyes. "Never!" With a roar I tackle Isabela, and began dishing out the same manner of torture.
In a matter of minutes the debacle escalated and both of us are rolling on the floor giggling like children. In the mist of it all clothing is pulled; hair becoming a mess.
Unfortunately, in the end Isabela has me pinned, and is holding me fast by the wrists. We lay there; legs and arms entangled clothes loose and disheveled. Our breathing was heavy between moments of amusement. Then something occurs I didn't expect.
"Did you ever think that if you and Fen weren't...? Do you think we could ever...?
I look up at her with wide eyes as if seeing her for the first time. It seems she's changed. She is no longer the uninhibited, fiery person I thought I knew, but a sweet, gentle spirit before me.
"Izzy..." My voice trails off, and I feel heat rushing to my cheeks.
Isabela remains silent sweeping her hand across my forehead, brushing away the tousled hair, and finally resting it on my blushed cheek.

We are too preoccupied in our own little world to notice the figure in the doorway.
The unexpected cough alarm us. I try to look up as best as I can. I see Fenris standing there leaning in the doorway.
"H-How long have you been there?" I ask with a half-smile. I'm still trying to wiggle my way out from Isabela's grasp, but it's no use.
"Long enough." He crosses his arms and frowns. "Is there something you need to say Hawke?" he sounds annoyed, but I ccan see the smile behind his eyes.
Isabela and I look at each other, and then set our sights towards Fenris.
I reach over and grab a bottle of wine, and present it to him as an offering. "Care to join us?" I nervously chuckle.
Fenris raises his eyebrow with intrigue, gazing between the both of us.
"I thought you'd never ask."
He says with a smile, slowly closing the door behind him.