The trek back to Kirkwall was a heavy weight upon Jennifer's shoulders, she didn't want to return, she wanted to keep walking. Hawke held onto her hand, a distant comfort. Instead of returning to the manor, she turned away at Lowtown. "Are you sure you don't want to come back? I think Mother was making those apple tarts you like so much." He smirked.

As did Jennifer, but she shook her head and turned away, "I will only be gone for a moment. Tell Leandra I'll be back soon." When she rounded a corner, she darted through the streets, she leapt down the stairs and didn't stop till she could smell the ocean. She bent over catching her breath. Tears fell freely down her chin to the sandy stone beneath her feet. She ran to a peer and sat heavily at the very edge. She sobbed quietly to herself, letting the emotions torrent through her.

When the tears finally subsided, she removed her boots and placed her feet into the high tide. She wiggled her toes as little fish came up to nibble at her digits. She inhaled deeply, letting the light breeze graze her skin and flick her hair about casually. She closed her eyes and let the elements calm her as they always did.

When she next opened her eyes, the sun was low in the sky, she stood, stretching her muscles and sighing. She made her way to Hightown, almost letting herself stop at Gamlen's to stay the night, but finding herself cowardly for thinking so. So she stood upon the threshold, knowing either Leandra or Hawke would bombard her as soon as she entered, steeling herself for the worst, she inhaled deeply and opened the door.

What she found when she entered, she didn't expect. Fenris, sat upon a bench within the foyer, rubbing Rascal's ears softly. Jennifer froze wondering if she could step back outside and run, too late, Fenris looked up as she had opened the door and cleared his throat, standing. "I've been thinking about what happened with Hadriana." Jennifer stepped forward and watched as Fenris' fingers twitched, un used to the words he was now speaking. "I took out my anger on you, undeservedly so. I was… not myself. I-I'm sorry."

"It's alright, I'm just glad you made it back to Kirkwall safely." Jennifer forced a smile upon her face, praying that Fenris would not notice how it did not quite reach her eyes.

"I needed to be alone." He turned pacing the foyer. "When I was still a slave, Hadriana was a torment. She would ridicule me, deny my meals, hound my sleep, because of her status I was powerless to respond." He turned back towards Jennifer, his brows furrowed. "And she knew it." He hung his head and spoke quietly. "The thought of her slipping out of my grasp now, I couldn't let her go. I wanted to, but I couldn't."

Jennifer stepped forward again, watching to touch, but pulling her arm back. "What do you mean?"

"This hate… I thought I'd gotten away from it, but it dogs me no matter where I go. To feel it again, to know it was they who planted it inside me, it was too much to bear." He turned back making to leave. "Pah, but I didn't come to burden you further." He stepped away.

Jennifer caught him by the arm, "You don't need to leave, Fenris." Fenris' lyrium glowed brightly, startled he caught Jennifer by the shoulders, she shoved back following her till she slammed against the wall with a dull thud.

Jennifer gazed at Fenris in shock, his face a grimace of anger. When he realized who he held tightly against the wall, his eyes widened and he opened his mouth in slight horror. When he pulled away, he pulled his hands back as if they hurt, but Jennifer pressed forward, he looked at her until their lips met, quickly and forcefully. Jennifer grasped him firmly by the arms as tongue, teeth and lips met in a hidden passion that rattled Jennifer to her very core. She spun, surprising Fenris with a strength she didn't normally possess and slammed him back into the wall, he grunted and their lips met once again.

She snaked her arms around Fenris' neck and deepened the kiss, tasting the Aggrigio and spice, like cloves and cinnamon. She lifted herself onto her tip toes letting her fingers comb through the silky strands. Fenris, after his shock disappeared, lowered his hands down to her waist, mindful of his gauntlets as he mapped the curves of her body by touch. Jennifer pulled back, looking at Fenris she pulled away her hands till they were merely resting on his shoulders "I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't ha-"

His lips met hers, silencing anything else she was about to say, she closed her eyes and relished the kiss and when he next pulled back, it was to lift her into his arms and carry her through, she squealed in surprise as he bounded up the stairs two at a time. "Your room?" Was all he asked and Jennifer pointed towards the red stained door at the back of the hall. Swiftly he carried her, their lips barely parting as he grabbed the handle to the door, Jennifer shifted, wrapping her legs about his waist and cupping his face as she kissed him thoroughly. They stumbled through the door all kisses, hot breaths and clattering of weapons as they fell heavily to the floor. When the back of Fenris' knees hit the mattress, they fell in a tangle of limbs and moans.

Jennifer straddled the elf, kissing down his jaw to his neck, she stopped when she met leather, she lifted herself up and glared at the offending pieces, before diligently flicking away the buckles and straps, removing the heavy metal pieces. When his gauntlets fell to the side of the bed, Fenris spun, pinning Jennifer into the mattress. Jennifer splayed her fingers into the clasps of the leather popping it open slowly, a low primal growl escaping Fenris' throat, and Jennifer smiled wickedly.

When Fenris' saw he bared his teeth in a similar grin before assaulting Jennifer's neck with teeth and lips. The sting of his teeth taking a winding path down to the center of her breasts, pulling her corset open with his teeth and sliding his hands beneath to pull it above her head. His menstruations shortly followed by his warm lips soothing the skin, making her flesh ripple with goosebumps. Jennifer arched her back into his mouth, gasping when he took on wanting nub into his mouth. She turned her fist into the pillow beneath her head and bit her lip to keep from screaming out as Fenris' mouth trailed lower, when he came upon her leather breeches he lifted up removing his leather, tunic and her bottoms his nails skimming along her thighs as he pulled trouser and small clothes in one motion.

When Jennifer shifted her foot to brush against his trapped member, his breath hitched and clenched his teeth, "Venehedis…" She sniggered and grabbed hold of his arm bringing him to her lips and darting her tongue inside coaxing the moans that elicited from his throat. He continued kissing her as he struggled with his trousers before tossing them to the floor. When he nudged Jennifer's legs apart, she combed her fingers through his hair, causing him to look up into her light green pools. He stopped, his eyes searching as she slowly drew her finger from his hair, around his ear and along his jaw, causing him to shiver. As she looked back into his deep emerald eyes he slid into her causing him to clench his eyes tightly and moan loudly into her shoulder.

He breathed deeply, inhaling the scent of freshly tended lawn after a spring's rain, and Jennifer let her hands roam the raised lines of his lyrium, mapping the turns and spirals to her memory. She crept down, dragging her nails up his ribs to his shoulders, he shuddered under her touch, he looked up and flexed his hips, pushing his throbbing manhood deeply inside of her it was her turn to shudder. He smirked.

"Tease…" she hissed as he pushed in again, this time more slowly.

A deep chuckled resonated within him, vibrating his chest against hers and she sighed in delight. As he rolled his hips lifted her legs, when she wrapped them about his waist she gasped as his next thrust rubbed the small spot in her center and she saw white. She clenched his shoulders as she dug her heels into his backside. "Please, Fenris…uh!" She cried out as he quickened his pace faster and harder and deeper into her center.

He panted as he pounded into her, and when his arms cramped, he lifted her, sitting back and settling her into his lap, she rolled her hips, her muscles tightening and flexing along his member and gained the leverage needed to go the speed desired. Quickly he flexed his hip, over and over hitting the nub deep within her. She held onto his shoulders as she used her legs to match him.

Fenris started to feel the climb of his release. His thrusts urgent now as he sought to climax, but Jennifer gripped his face in her hands and urged his eyes open, she smiled, her face flushed with a pleasurable euphoria and she panted. "Wait for me. Come with me Fenris?" She asked breathlessly and he grunted, gripping firmly to her waist as he met her thrust for thrust, and when her muscles clenched tightly around him, signaling her release, one that had her screaming. He relinquished his hold, releasing into her and growling her name into her shoulder.

-ooo-

Leto walked along the paved courtyard path, Varania was ahead picking flowers for their mother who walked behind with the freshly laundered clothes. She ushered her children inside and sent them along to the slaves quarters for bed as she finished folding the laundry.

Leto was tucked into bed by Varania and he threw his arms into the air. "Et accidit quadam die ut liberi esse."

Varania scoffed. "Sine quo vadis?" Then climbed into the thin pallet beside his. "Stultus es. Nunquam futurum sit."

"Ego esse liberum." He sighed happily as he turned over in his pallet. "Iustus exspectat".

AN: Leto: One day I'm gonna be free.

Varania: How are you going to be free? - You're stupid, that will never happen.

Leto: I'll be free. - Just you wait.