"Me? Mock you? Perish the thought!" Jennifer growled and lunged for Hawke. "Careful now, you are starting to sound like Fenris."
Jennifer gathered another clod of dirt and chunked it at Hawke. "Good, perhaps someone can put you in your place!" She darted after him, grumbling about how Hawke could run in the heavy metal armor he was wearing.
When Hawke darted by her, she slid to a halt and darted after him, but before Hawke could make it to the kitchen door, he slipped on a patch of ice and slammed into the wall of the estate. He fell back onto his rum and shook the stars from his vision before glaring at Jennifer who laughed mockingly behind him. She held up her hands and shook her head before looking pointedly at Anders.
Anders gazed innocently at the dead plant bed near his feet, carefully avoiding Hawke's gaze. Hawke jumped to his feet and pointed at Anders. "That's cheating!" He brushed off his backside. "Mages against non-mages is not fair!"
Jennifer laughed again, walking up to Anders and resting her arm on his shoulder. "We mages have to stick together."
Anders looked at Jennifer with a smirk. "Yeah, but I'm the one doing all the work, you can't even create a wisp." He jested cheekily.
Jennifer gasped in mock offense and folded her arms. "Fine. I see how it is." She turned and walked into the doorway leading into the kitchen. "Then you boys can clean the mess here all by yourself." She then slammed the door.
"Aww.. I dinnae even say anythin'!" Sebastian called out.
"Women." Hawke jested.
"I heard that." Came her muffled voice.
Hawke and Sebastian laughed as Anders rested his cheek on his erect staff and frowned at the closed door.
-ooo-
Two days had passed, in which time, Bodahn and Sandal (mostly Bodahn) had dedicated their services to Hawke for helping rescue his son, Anders and Jennifer had resumed her lessons, Jennifer took the cellar to Darktown finding it much more convenient, and Leandra had dedicated herself on returning the status of her family back to it once was. She busied herself with preparing the manor for Hawke and Jennifer's friends.
Leandra seemed more at peace, so when she had opened the door to Jennifer's bedroom with an abundantly cheerful placement, needless to say Jennifer was a bit skeptical at first. Leandral whirled into the bedroom with an emerald silk bundle in her hands and with a flick of her wrist the laid upon the bed.
Jennifer gasped. The garment was amazing. "It was mine, the very same one I wore at my debutant ball." The garment was a emerald green silk that fell to about Jennifer's knees. It was overlaid in a sheer gold fabric that split in the front at the empire waist and fell past Jennifer's feet, it was trimmed in gold lace and green jewels and an eye popping brooch sat in the center of where her breast would be.
"Needless to say, I can't wear it." Leandra smiled. "Why don't you have it?"
Jennifer blinked at Leandra, "A-are you sure? It looks so… expensive."
Leandra smiled again and nodded. "I'm sure. Besides if you are going to be living at this estate you will need to dress the part!"
"The part?" Jennifer quirked a brow.
"The part of being my ward!" Leandra beamed happily. "If it weren't for you and my wayward son, we wouldn't even have this estate."
"Will that work?"
"Of course it will!" Hawke boomed from the doorway. "Varric's bringing the 'paperwork' tonight, before the end of the gathering you will officially be of the Amell family!"
Jennifer blinked. "Alright…"
Leandra clapped her hands, "Wonderful. Now change before your friends arrive. I'll leave the shoes by the door. " Jennifer sighed inwardly but did as she was told.
-ooo-
Anders knocked on the cellar door of the estate, when the door creaked open, he peered around and slipped through. Hawke greeted him on the other side. "Nice of you to join the party."
Anders brushed off his coat and looked pointedly at Hawke. "I had to close the clinic. Pardon me for having responsibilities." Hawke chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder before ushering him into the main sitting room. Everyone else had arrived. Sebastian and Fenris conversed in the corner of the room, Bodahn was setting the side tables with foods and glasses of wine. Isabela, Merril and Varric were all in the library talking and Isabela had a full bottle of whiskey in her hand. Aveline, was talking with Leandra and chuckling over something inconsequential.
Anders peered around the room again. "She isn't down yet. Apparently her dress was giving her… erm… difficulties." Hawke grinned and set to raiding the side table of food.
Anders stood awkwardly off to the side. When he heard a distant door shut at the far end of the hall he looked towards the stairs and gasped, his eyes widening. Jennifer was dressed in a emerald dress that followed her curves nicely, the swell of her bust just only peeking from the neckline. Her hair was an array of short messy curls that bobbed with each step, when she reached the top of the steps and smiled brightly and hurried down the stairs, in her excitement however she had forgotten just how thin the heel of her shoes were and stumbled. Anders, closer than the others, ran to catch her, only to have the both of them collide to the floor, Jennifer inches above him. "Holy crap balls! Anders are you alright?"
He winced and rubbed the rapidly forming knot on his head, but smiled. "Not every day I have women falling for me. Or on me for that matter." Jennifer snorted in reply and helped him to his feet before straightening her dress.
She looked out at the others and grinned. "Well that was less than graceful."
"But one hell of a grand entrance, Smiles!" Varric cheered lifting his glass high.
Jennifer mocked curtsied and hugged Anders, "I'm so glad you could come." The embrace ended too quickly for Anders' liking and soon Jennifer set about greeting her friends. Anders returned to standing off to the side intent on waiting for Jennifer to make her way back when Isabela sauntered up to him with a grin.
"Nice catch!" She exclaimed drinking from the bottle in her hands. Anders nodded with a half smirk and Isabela leered. "Would have be a great catch if you would have caught her by the tits." A deep blush rose on Anders cheeks mirrored by Isabela's as she took another swig.
"Not all of us are as lecherous as you." He replied without venom.
Isabela only laughed and swatted his butt as she sauntered away. "Come join the party!" Anders rolled his eyes but acquiesced, noticing Jennifer making her way through the friends her eyes a light and her smile bright.
-ooo-
The evening was full of laughter, drinks, and general merry-making. Jennifer couldn't remember the last time she had had so much fun. The time she spent speaking with friends, enjoying company and laughing till her belly ached and her cheeks were sore, was something she found oddly at home with. It was a strange sensation to feel at home somewhere so far away from your home. She looked amongst her friends with watery eyes, but quickly wiped at them before anyone could notice.
Merrill sat at Varric's feet humming lightly before turning towards him with a smile. "Varric, tell me a story."
"Now?" He asked.
"Oh please? I would love to hear some of your stories." Jennifer asked, but she stood up quickly. "Give me just a moment, though. I need to visit the little mage's room."
"Oh, that was eloquent." Isabela quipped, to which Jennifer promptly turned around and stuck out her tongue.
"Better than what you would have said." Countered Aveline.
Jennifer laughed and made her way towards the end of the hall to the privy. When she emerged, Anders stood opposite of the door looking down the hallway. "Oh, sorry, if I knew you were out here I would have been done sooner, or not, this dress is being difficult." She smoothed the back, making sure for the eighth time that is wasn't caught in her drawers.
Anders stepped forward and Jennifer shifted to move away until Anders grasped her wrist and pulled her into the corner of the hallway. Startled, Jennifer made an undignified squawk as she hit the wall. Anders covered her mouth and looked back towards the end of the hall. Confused, Jennifer's brow furrowed as she looked at the mage who sighed heavily. "You have no idea, do you?" She made a curious noise when Anders did not remove his hand for her to reply. "You have no idea what you do to me… to everyone here."
Gently, Jennifer removed Anders hand "What are you talking about?"
Anders roughly carded his fingers through his hair. "You! I- I have no control around you, none of us do! I never thought I'd meet someone, let alone another mage, like you. You tempt me at every turn."
"Anders, I don't-" she began.
"You here, smiling all the time, you don't look down on magic, you embrace it. I can't- I can't think around you. I've tried to hold back, you've seen what I am, but I am still a man." He lowered his head for a moment, resting it upon her shoulder. He inhaled deeply taking in her scent, memorizing it, grounding himself with it. "You can't tease me like this and expect me to resist forever."
"Anders…I-"
AN: HAHAHA! Cliff hanger! You won't know what she say's or who she will pick till the next story! *cue maniacal laughter*