Chapter 20:

She heard the knocking at her door, but it seemed to be in a haze. She saw the sunlight coming in from her balcony, but that seemed to be from a dream. She yawned rolling over away from the rays of sun. The knocking didn't stop, so she decided she should get out of bed. Bodhan always had a habit of dragging her out of bed when she slept too late, but she didn't think it was that late.

The knocking subsided as crossed the room to her vanity table. Bodhan usually wouldn't desist until she yelled at him, perhaps he knew she had a slight headache from the night before. It must not have been that urgent, but she still felt a necessity to see if he needed something. She braided her long hair quickly to the side and slid her short red robe on: the sleeves at least covered her arms. She opened her door to step out and almost slam into Fenris. She gasped, catching herself and stepping back before she slammed into him. Flustered her cheeks flared red, the same his did at looking at her in such a personal state of dress.

"Why are you here?"

"I-… uh—I told you I would be coming over."

She frowned, more of a pout. She was still half-asleep. It was hard to put on the face she wore to the public when she wasn't even in her public attire. "I thought that meant like noon…"

He stared at her blankly"It is three."

"….Fuck."

He took a whiff of her, not her usual smell. It was somehow nice to see her so intimately. "You smell like cheap liquor."

"You smell like…" She waved her joke away. Did she really smell that bad? She was regretting getting out of bed now. "Why didn't Bodhan wake me up?"

"He wasn't here. Orana said he went out to run errands for you, and she thought you were awake." That part was a lie. He knew that Hawke was either asleep or gone, and when he heard her shuffle in her room he knew she was asleep. She was erratic in her behavior; it unnerved him to see her flutter between these different worlds haphazardly.

"He could have woken me up before he left." She had grown too use to Bodhan baby-sitting her. She knew he was leaving at any moment, she didn't know why she still remained so dependent on him. Maybe if she stayed dependant he would feel sorry for her and not leave…. No. That wasn't going to happen.

"Do you want something to eat?"

"You're going to cook…?" She could hear the curiosity in his voice and the doubt that it was going to happen.

"No." She laughed, crushing his delight in the fact she might bake him something. She hadn't baked since she had been to Kirkwall, or cooked for that matter. Either her mother or Orana had cooked for her, before that it was Bethany or her mother. She was the fighter if anything, and while she had moments of being nurturing and caring for the most part she was just the assassin that brushed in and out at her own time. She was rummaging throught he kitchen when Orana timidly appeared.

"I can do that for you, Mistress."

Hawke backed off allowing Orana to do her magic. Orana always said she didn't cook as well as her father, but Orana was a goddess in the kitchen. She had decided to cook them eggs for breakfast, or lunch, or maybe an early dinner… it was three after all. She wondered if Fenris had already eaten today, but the way her stomach felt she truly didn't care. She took the plates from Orana when she was finished cooking, allowing Orana to clean up the mess. She sat one in front of Fenris before taking a seat at the dining room table herself that was much too large for just two people.

"So you don't cook at all I gather." Fenris was just watching her eat as she woofed down her food like it was the last of the eggs and bread in the world.

"I have cooked a few times in my life if you count roasting rat over a fire as cooking.." She looked to him and to his plate then back to his face in a quick succession. "Are you not hungry?" He took the hint and started eating, taking a few bites out of the food. He had already eaten, though he did have to admit that this was the best food he had had in a while. Between the wandering and his run-down mansion he truly didn't have home-cooked food, it was more like whatever-slop-taverns-had food. "So what do you want from me? I'm sure you didn't come over to just wake me up and have breakfast."

He had to smile at her, the way she looked so disheveled and the way she was eating her food like it was a precious commodity. She was endearing as she sat there in her robe with her hair braided like she was one of the Dalish. "I must admit you are quite a sight woken up.. I didn't expect this little gem when I came to visit…but…" There was always a but when she talked to people.. I am a strong templar, but I need you to rescue my kitten…. I usually don't ask people for help but could you find my crate of goods in the warehouse… She sipped on some wine Orana had brought her as she just looked at him while he talked. This had to be good for him to come crawling back to her. Well… she knew he wanted her, but he was too full of pride to say that, or to ask for her help after he had left to show that he was something stronger than what she had seen him reduced to after his memories hit him. "I need you to make sure something isn't a trap."

She pushed her empty plate away from her after sitting her glass down to yawn. "That's all..? You want me to scout an area for you? I could do that in my sleep."

She saw him redden a little bit. "You don't understand… It's my sister. I tracked her down, and I sent her coin to come and visit. Everything Hadriana said was correct…"

"Then why do you need me? It sounds pretty normal."

"I just can't put my finger on it… It just feels too…"

"Right? It feels too right that you are actually going to see your sister and learn about your past." She chuckled at him, maybe it was the wine or the hangover talking. "Whatever, Fenris… I will scout the place out tonight and then tomorrow I'll go with you if you want."

"Thank you, Hawke… and I would appreciate that. It's at the Hanged Man. Variana should already be there. You won't be able to miss her I'm sure."

"Do I miss anything?"

"No, not usually." He had fed into her already large ego, he could see it in the way her eyes lit up. He had so much he wished to tell her, but even when he was alone with her he felt afraid to say it all. Would she reject him, or would she just laugh at him? He wished he could curb her, but it seemed all her near death experiences just made her more adventurous and immortal to some. "I must be going though. I have some preparations to make."