Isabela and Fenris were waiting under an overhang at the port when Hawke approached. Anders and Varric were still at his side, each of them equally soaked. When he reached them, Isabela had to shout to be heard over the sound of the rain pouring down around them, "Hawke, a bloody storm is brewing, and there's not a ship in this harbor that could survive it."
"Are you certain?" Hawke asked.
"Coming from a rogue who loves to take risks?" She jeered, "Yes, I'm certain."
He scanned the docks for any sign of The Winters. Fenris followed his gaze, and said, "I saw them board a ship half an hour ago." He said, "A whole company of armed men."
"They'll be lucky if they reach the shore." Isabela remarked.
"So what, we wait it out?" Hawke asked.
"Unless you have a spell that can clear the skies, yes." The pirate sighed, and when she saw the stress on his face she added with a rare sincerity, "I'm sorry, Hawke."
His hands ran over the Qunari's chest, stopping to rest on his ribs. Saemus sat perched on the man's lap, growing harder by the second. He could feel the scout's length pressing into his arse through the cloth of his pants. He relished it. Ashaad grabbed a hand full of his hair and pulled back his head to expose the sensitive flesh on his neck. He nuzzled eagerly beneath the boy's jaw.
It wasn't long before Saemus began coursing his hips back and forth against the Qunari's lap.
Ashaad unbuttoned the his lover's pants, slipping them off, then pulling away his underclothes. With Saemus exposed he motioned for him to sit up so that he could remove his own slacks. When they were both bare, he positioned the boy so that his back was against the scout's chest. He started to lower himself onto the giant's member, but Ashaad halted him.
"Wait" The Qunari said, reaching into his pack. He removed the two jars of salve, and when Saemus selected the correct one he uncapped the lid and dipped his fingers into it. Very carefully he pressed them inside of the Saemus, earning a soft whimper from the boy who straddled him.
"Does that feel… good?" The Qunari asked.
"Yes" Saemus said in a whisper. He withdrew his fingers and rubbed them together until they were slick, then slipped them inside the boy again. He gasped at the sensation, and Ashaad worked them in a little deeper until his knuckles rested just outside his entrance.
Once his whimpers abated, the scout removed his fingers and gathered more of the salve to apply it to his own length.
Once he was sure it was coated well enough, he guided his tip to the boy's entrance and gradually slid the length inside of him. His thrusts were slow and gentle at first, and when he picked up pace Saemus reached back to grip one of his horns, steadying himself.
With one arm around his waist, the scout reached forward and gripped the boy's piece with his other hand, pumping it steadily. The slickness of the salve made a fine lubricant, and after a moment of jerking him Saemus was cursing between breaths, whimpering and moaning like a needy whelp.
"Don't hold back, Ashaad." He pleaded, "I want this."
"Then you must face me so I can see your eyes." The man told him, "I will not hurt you again as I did last night."
Saemus nodded and slid off of the Qunari's lap. He spread his cloak over the sandy floor and laid back on it, letting Ashaad lean over him. Looking to his left, he saw that he storm outside was fierce. He worried that it may find its way into the cave, but a touch from Ashaad reminded him that he had nothing to fear.
He lifted his legs, allowing the scout to come between them, his ankles barely rested on the giant's shoulders, so he repositioned them to where they were wrapped around his waist. Again he found himself in awe of Ashaad's size. He fit inside the oxman's shadow with ease, and with those great arms at his sides he could feel no safer, not even in his own bed.
Ashaad pushed back inside of him, and began thrusting normally, then faster as Saemus had asked. He gasped at the pressure, and dug his nails into the creature's back. That only seemed to please him more. His pace grew harder, faster, and every few seconds he cast his gaze on the boy's face, studying his expression thoughtfully.
There was nothing to worry for, Saemus knew. The last time, and first time, had been more painful than anything he could have imagined. But this time it was different; this time there wasn't any ache. Whether it was the salve or his own experience, he couldn't be sure, but it mattered little. He loved it all the more.
Saemus grew close, loud moaning interspersed with curses from no single language in particular. He came against the giant's stomach, and as it was before, it wasn't long before the Qunari followed. The warm fluid flooded him, and he felt it running down his thigh. For Saemus, it was bliss.
Once again they lay together, out of breath and still aching for each other's touch.
"I love you, Saemus." This time he was the first to say it, "You hold my heart, eternally… And I will gladly return to the Arishok with you at my side."
Tears streaked the boy's face, and he turned away in shame.
"Kadan," The Qunari's tone was scared, "Have I… hurt you?" His eyes quickly scanned the boy, but he saw nothing that would indicate an injury like the one he had suffered previously.
"No" Saemus muttered, but the Qunari's eyes were still pained, "I'm sorry for worrying you, I just… I didn't want you to see my weakness."
"Kadan…" He repeated, with a voice that was soothing. He pulled Saemus' gaze into his, "You may always be weak with me, I am your bondmate." He shook his head gently, "But… if I have not hurt you, then I do not understand why you are sad."
"I'm not, I… Humans don't just cry when they're sad or hurt." Saemus told him, "They cry when they are scared, and overwhelmed, and when they're happy that they've finally found the one thing they've spent their whole life looking for." Saemus whimpered, "I never belonged in Kirkwall, and I'd given up hope of ever being happy, but then I met you and… And now everything is right."
The boy's tears flowed freely now, and Ashaad took him into his arms, cradling him.
"I feel the same." The scout said quietly.
A moment later he released him, pulling their packs together so that they had something to lay their heads on. When he did, Saemus saw rivulets of blood trailing down the Qunari's back.
"Ashaad, you're bleeding!" He gasped.
The giant reached over his shoulder and withdrew a hand, wet with blood. He smiled at that, though Saemus couldn't fathom why.
"You cut me." Ashaad snickered, referring to the moment when he'd raked his nails across his back, "I did not think you to be strong enough."
The boy took a rag from his pack and held it outside the cave to wet it. Once it was damp he pressed it to Ashaad's back, carefully cleaning the marks he'd made during their moment of passion. He also moved lower, and cleaned his seed from the giant's stomach.
Ashaad lay down on the bed he'd made, and motioned for Saemus to join him. He curled up in the Qunari's grasp, warm despite the lingering cold. The sound of the rain carried him to sleep, and Ashaad nodded off as well once he'd seen that his mate was safe in his grasp.
When dawn broke the storm had abated, and Hawke wasted no time getting the crew onto a ship bound for the Wounded Coast. Isabela elected to stay behind, with the excuse of keeping an eye out, should the boy return. The truth of course was that she tried to avoid involving herself with the Qunari entirely, and Hawke had no time to argue with her.
Saemus awoke to find that Ashaad was already up, though he hadn't moved from his place beside him. The sun was bright in the cave, and he guessed it was already midday.
"Good morning." He stretched, "Were you… waiting for me to wake?"
Ashaad nodded, and sat up enough to stretch as well.
"I did not wish to disturb you." The giant said, and a smirk crossed his lips, "You have not been so quiet since we met." Saemus chuckled and nudged against him.
Once they'd gathered themselves they ventured out with the intention of searching for their camp. Had they not seen the circle of stones where the fire had been, they never would have found it. Ashaad went away to look for his tent, hoping it was recoverable. Saemus stayed behind, working to find something for breakfast before they returned to Kirkwall.
"Well look what we have here, boys." He looked up quickly to see a woman staring down at him, her face twisted into an indignant smirk. She was accompanied by several men, each one heavily armed.
"Who are you?" He questioned her.
"We are The Winters," She gestured to her troop, "A mercenary company sent to retrieve you from your heathen captors."
"What?" He said, "That's ridiculous. I'm not being held captive, I'm here with a friend. We were going to return to Kirkwall today."
"How unfortunate for you that you didn't return sooner." She said, "There's no bounty for letting you go back on your own."
Saemus rose from his place in the camp, and stepped backward, seeing her inch closer with every step. Eventually he backed into something, and turned sharply to see Ashaad standing behind him, his eyes locked on to the woman and her mercs. The scout had recovered his spear, he noted, and as the Qunari stepped in front of him he removed the dagger from his belt and placed it in Saemus' hand.
There were too many for him to face alone, he knew, but letting Saemus be hurt by them wasn't an option.
"Leave" Ashaad demanded, "You will not be taking him with you."
The woman drew her daggers, and like a ripple, each man behind her readied his weapons as well.
"Run, Saemus." Ashaad told him.
"I won't leave you." The boy said, and his mate knew it was true.
"Kill the Qunari," She ordered, and as her men leaped forward Saemus stepped back. Ashaad charged them, killing the first when he rammed into his chest, effectively sending several broken ribs into the sensitive organs beneath. The second was skewered with his spear, and the third was the victim of a broken neck- snapped when he was within Ashaad's grasp. A dagger sank into the Qunari's shoulder, but he didn't stop.
Another two men were killed; five down, but six more were still waiting. Ashaad was riddled with wounds, blood seeping out of the cuts like wine from a loosely bound cask. Saemus wanted to fight, to step forward and kill the woman who'd caused this, but he was frozen with fear and could do nothing but watch as his lover bleed out before him.
Three men charged him at once, and though he threw one off, the others managed to get a hold on him. Seeing her chance, the woman rushed forward, and ran him through with both of her blades. The Qunari dropped to his knee, then collapsed, his blood pooling in the sand.
"Ashaad!" Saemus screamed, his fear dissipating. He came forward, falling to the Qunari's side. The daggers that killed him were still in the woman's grasp, dripping blood into the dirt as she loomed over them both.
"No, no, no!" He begged, "Please, maker, you can't die! You can't!"
Tears trickled down his cheeks, trembling at his jaw then falling onto Ashaad's face.
"It is the end whelp, surrender yourself." The woman spoke.
Saemus stood and held Ashaad's dagger to his throat, crying, "I am worth nothing to you if I am dead." The dying Qunari tried to raise a hand, to stop him and beg him to surrender, but his strength had fled.
"Saemus!" The boy turned to see more people approaching.
"Hawke" He whimpered, recognizing him at once.
Seeing the bleeding corpse, the mage asked, "Have you done this?"
"It was an honest accident." She sneered.
"You killed him!" Saemus snapped, "You vashedan bitch!"
"Ooh, is that one of their words?" She stepped closer, "To speak their tongue… I'll bet you've gone farther than that!"
At her proximity he pressed the blade harder against his throat. A small cut appeared there, and a gentle trickle of blood, "You think I won't do it." He smiled weakly as the tears streamed his face, "You're wrong."
"You won't have to, Saemus." Hawke told him.
"I'll never go back with her." The boy warned.
"Perhaps I'll cut out your tongue and charge extra for bringing you back quiet." She narrowed her eyes ruefully.
"I've had enough of this." Hawke said, his tone serious, "Anders, tend to Ashaad. Varric, the company. Fenris-"
He didn't need to finish that order, the elf muttering, "I'll tear her fucking throat out."
"Now!" Hawke shouted. There was an explosion of fire and the mage rushed forth, reaching Saemus and pulling him back. He pressed the boy behind him and lit his hands again, should any of her cohorts come his way. Varric unleashed a swath of arrows that rained down and pierced each of the men several times over until they'd fallen. When everything halted there was only the woman. Fenris set his gaze on her, and as he came close she began walking backwards, dropping her daggers and begging for forgiveness.
"May the Maker grant you mercy," Fenris hissed, "Because you won't get any from me." He thrust his hand into her neck and tore out her jugular. Blood splattered into the sand and she choked for a moment, drowning, before she fell over dead.
Saemus moved past Hawke to return to Ashaad's side. A light emanated from Ander's hands, and the Qunari's eyes opened cautiously.
"Ashaad!" He cried, "You're alive."
"I can't save him, Saemus, but I can give you a moment… Maybe it will be enough." Anders told him, his eyes dim with sorrow.
The Qunari reached up, placing his hand gently on the boy's cheek.
"You hold my heart, eternally." Ashaad reminded him.
"And you mine." Saemus whispered, and even as the healer's glow persisted, Ashaad's hand fell from his grasp. He was gone.
Hawke stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry Saemus, but I have to take you back." A moment of silence passed between them, "If you wish, we could bury him."
"No, the Qunari do not believe in such rituals." Saemus sighed, "I will tell the Arishok of his passing, and perhaps someone will keep a record of it. Even if they don't… I will never forget him."
The return trip to Kirkwall was done with a heavy heart, and during the voyage Saemus sat alone, rolling a pearl in the palm of his hand.
There is a tale among my people about a man who spent his entire life searching for one of these. It teaches us to cherish what we hold dear, and that a journey is just if it leads you to what you seek.
"Just" Saemus whispered, and pressed the pearl to his lips before slipping it back into his pocket. He'd made his decision.