Chapter 22

Gavin hesitantly knocked on the door to Jethann's room. He hadn't visited the elf since he'd returned from the Deep Roads and wasn't sure what to expect. He heard the lock click and the door was pulled open.

"Gavin!" Jethann's eyes went wide. "I'm surprised to see you here. Come in, come in."

He stepped through and turned as the door was closed behind him. Whatever he'd been about to say froze on his lips as he got a good look at the elf's face. "What happened to your eye? Actually, I can see what happened, but who did it?"

Jethann shrugged, "Sometimes customers get a little rough. I'm not the first employee to get a black eye."

"Nobody deserves to be hit," Gavin shook his head. "Who's responsible? I'll find them and make sure they're very sorry," he growled out, his green-eyes flashing with anger.

"Madame Lusine took care of the former patron," the elf waived him off. "I'd rather talk about you. I figured since you haven't come to see me for over a year that you'd finally gotten together with that elf, Fenris, that you've been pining for." As hard as he tried, he couldn't keep all the hurt he was feeling from his voice.

Gavin heard it and winced, "I'm sorry for seeming to forget about you."

"You don't owe me any explanations," Jethann turned his back and busied himself with watering his plants. "We had our fun, you moved on. It's the way of things."

"You are more to me than just a means to get off," Gavin said softly. "I consider you a friend and I haven't been the best friend to you. And I haven't gotten together with Fenris yet. Still working on it."

"So, you're here for a quick fuck. Is that it?"

Gavin winced again at that statement. "Let me explain," he motioned the elf to have a seat on the bed and then sat beside him. "You know how bad off I was when I came back, having lost my brother down there. I tried to bury the pain and threw myself into fixing up the estate for my mother. I was too exhausted to dream when I went to bed. Then, once I'd fixed things up, I turned to alcohol to help me sleep without dreaming. For several months, I lost myself in a bottle. Friends finally pulled me out of it, but it took a while. I didn't forget about you, I just tried to forget myself and what happened."

Jethann felt a twinge of guilt for believing the worst of him. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Gavin shook his head. "I understand how it must have looked to you."

Jethann felt a sly smile curve his lips and, while running a slim hand up the mage's leg, whispered, "So, how about we celebrate your return to the real world."

Gavin felt a shudder run through him and briefly allowed the familiarity before pulling away and standing up. "Jethann, it's not that I don't find you attractive anymore, but I didn't come to see you for that."

The elf's mouth pursed in a moue of disappointment, "Are you sure? I really miss having you in my bed."

"I'm sure," he smiled in return. "Actually, I've come with an offer for you. You mentioned once that what you really love most is growing plants and things."

"It's rather obvious huh?" Jethann waived a hand around indicating all the potted plants in his room.

"Well, the thing is, the estate has enormous grounds," Gavin continued. "I know a little about growing things, but my father and ..brother were the experts. The estate needs someone to take care of the lawn, plants, trees, etc. And the first person I thought of was you."

"What exactly are you offering?" the elf asked suspicously.

"I want to employ you as groundskeeper for the estate," Gavin said firmly. "I can pay you 2 sovereigns a week, plus you get free room and board. There is a wing with quarters for servants right off the kitchen area."

"You're offering me a paying job?" Jethann sat up in shock. "What will your family, or even the other nobles, think?"

"My mother won't care, and I don't give a rat's ass what my uncle or the nobles think," he retorted. "I already have two dwarves living there, my manservant Bodahn and his son, so I think adding an elf will make things a little more lively around the place."

Jethann was flabbergasted. Never, in his wildest dreams, had he ever thought that a human would hire him. He'd often thought about what he could do other than whore himself for coin, but there weren't many paying positions for elves in or around the city. And most of those paid next to nothing. What Gavin was offering was a chance for him to actually make something of himself, perhaps even earn enough to someday buy his own place.

Seeing his friend was speechless, he hastened to assure him, "You can take as much time as you need to consider my offer. There are no hidden strings attached to it. I don't expect you to cook, clean, or warm my bed, just take care of the grounds." He turned to leave but was stopped by a hand on his arm.

"Wait, I don't need to think about it," Jethann said in a rush. "I'd be crazy to turn down your offer."

Gavin turned back with a smile, "Then get your things ready and I'll help you move. The rooms in the servants quarters are already furnished. Nothing fancy, but comfortable enough, and you're free to add anything or decorate them any way you wish."

"All right, give me until tomorrow and I'll be ready," he replied and watched as his friend left. He felt like singing, or dancing, or something. He looked around the room and thanked the Maker for the day that Gavin walked into his life.

Gavin was very happy that Jethann took him up on his offer, especially after seeing that some patron of the Blooming Rose had roughed him up. It made him angry to see things like that. He was thankful that he had family and friends that looked after him all his life. Jethann had no one. Now, he just needed to come up with a way to properly thank Fenris for all his support of late.

Wandering around the Hightown Market, he pondered what would be a suitable gift for the picky elf. Fenris had declined his offer of a room at the estate, and had resisted his attempts to buy him different clothes in the past. Maker, he just wanted to thaw the elf a little bit. How could he ever get the elf to see him as more than a friend?

Seeing a bookseller, he remembered the huge library and the numerous empty shelves in it. Deciding that he should at least start on filling them up, he opened the door and went inside. Looking around, he saw texts of varying shapes, sizes and about a wide array of topics. Going to the history section, he looked for and picked out a couple books about Kirkwall's history and the Free Marches. Might as well get a better understanding of the place he now considered his home.

He saw a shelf with various books on cooking, gardening, and home remedies. Having always tried to avoid using his magic unless absolutely necessary, he figured it might be a good idea to get a couple of those as well. As he looked around once more, he saw a shelf with some very old books on it. He walked over and perused the titles, stopping on one with a slight gasp. A book about Shartan would be a perfect gift for Fenris.

With a happy smile curving his lips, he added the book to his growing pile and took it to the merchant. After a bit of spirited haggling, he told the merchant to deliver all the other books. He would take the last one to Fenris right away. Leaving the shop, he hurried over to Fenris' place. He knocked once and then opened the door and bounded up the stairs to the second floor.

"Hey, Fenris," he called out as he entered the upper sitting room, startling the elf from his contemplations.

"Hawke, what are you doing here?" Fenris' eyebrows went up in surprise as he saw the big grin on the mage's face.

"Well, I was at the market today trying to find something to get you as a thank you gift," he replied. Seeing the elf frown he elaborated. "Well, you've been very supportive of me these last few months and I wanted to show you how much I appreciated it."

"You are my friend, isn't that what friends do for each other?" Fenris was honestly puzzled. "There was no need to buy me something."

"Yes, well, anyway, here," Gavin held out the book, holding his breath as Fenris took it from him. When he got nothing but silence, he cleared his throat nervously. "It's a book."

"I can see that," the elf said wryly.

"Yes, about Shartan, you know about him right?"

"Yes, it's just," Fenris hesitated and then looked down at his feet. "Slaves are not taught to read," he said, feeling a little ashamed at the admission. When he got nothing but silence in return, he looked up expecting to see amusement on Gavin's face. What he saw puzzled him.

"Oh, I-I d-didn't know that," Gavin stammered out, his face heating in embarassment. "I didn't mean to offend you-

"Gavin-"

"I mean, you're so well spoken and intelligent and-"

"Gavin-"

"I just never thought that you couldn't-"

"HAWKE!" Fenris shouted and finally got silence. He saw his friend appeared close to tears and hastened to reassure him. "I didn't say I didn't like it," he paused and coughed to clear his throat.

"Everyone should know how to read," Gavin said softly. "If you'd like, I could teach you. I mean, if you want me to. It doesn't have to be me-"

"I'd like that Gavin," he smiled slightly and got a relieved smile in return.

"Shall we start tonight then?" Gavin cocked his head.

"Yes," the elf agreed. "Thank you."

"No problem," he blushed a little and shrugged. "So uhm, we'd probably be more comfortable at the estate. You know, I have that big area in the library. It has a fireplace and everything. But, if you want to do it here, that's okay too."

Fenris found Gavin's hesitancy and embarassment touching, and a little amusing too. Who would have thought that such a big man, who also happened to be an accomplished mage and fighter, could be so awkward over something as simple as this? It only served to make him stand out from all the other mages he'd known. The magisters of Tevinter certainly never thought of anyone other than themselves. They also never cared about how others felt or what they thought, unless the person was more powerful and wealthy than they were.

When they'd first met, Hawke had challenged him to make his own decision about what type of mage he was. He was coming to learn that, mage or not, he was the kindest, most caring, and most sincere person he'd known in his life, at least that he could remember. It warmed him all the way to his toes and made him feel things he'd never expected to feel.

He cleared his throat, "So, have you eaten yet?"

Gavin shook his head, "I was thinking of making a meat pie tonight. You're welcome to join me for dinner?" he asked, crossing his fingers behind his back.

Fenris stared at him for a long while before nodding, "I'd like that."

"Okay, so I'll see you in a couple of hours then," Gavin smiled and then headed for the door. He didn't want to make Fenris feel like he was pushing him or something.

Fenris watched him go and then sank back into his chair by the fire, staring at the book in his hands. To be able to read! It was something he never really thought about. Not because he didn't want to learn, but because he knew it couldn't be an easy or quickly learned skill. He never thought he would meet anyone who'd have the time or the desire to teach him, an elf, who was a runaway slave to boot. He closed his eyes and said a silent thank you to Andraste for this opportunity.