Chapter twenty seven- The dominoes start to fall.
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Carver sat for a moment, taking a bite out of an apple as he thought.
It would be soon time to leave for the Deep Roads, and he had been aiding Bartrand with his sister all day, and quite frankly he didn't think the bastard of a dwarf was going to make it to the Deep Roads before either he or his sister throttled him. He glared at Bartrand who was barking out orders to some of the hands that were accompanying them throughout the Expedition. To say Carver didn't enjoy the dwarf's company would be an understatement. If Varric hadn't told him they were brothers then he wouldn't have been able to see a single similarity; Varric was disarming and full of wit, whereas Bartrand seemed serious, and the only time he'd seen a smile of the older dwarf's face was when Varric and his sister approached him with a sack full of gold.
His gaze flickered to the stairs from Lowtown, hoping Merrill would be on time to say goodbye at least. He prayed she didn't get lost whilst he was away, or that Isabela would at least actually come through with her promise to look after her.
It wasn't a serious relationship, not yet he knew that. But he felt something in his bones when he looked at her, and he always got butterflies whenever he thought about her. He couldn't wait to give her everything she deserved with the money and status he had gained, Maker it was one of the reasons he was going on this Expedition.
It was not the only one, of course. He was doing this for mother, with the Amell line established she would live the life full of the comforts she deserved. But the biggest reason of all was his older sister. He would not let her throw herself into the unknown without anyone to lean on. He would forever keep his word to his father and would protect her to the end. Despite their arguments, they had always defended one another from the onslaught of life, and even with Merrill in his life he would do so.
His eyes flickered to his sister, who sat on one of the crates pretending to be looking at the supplies list that was laid out on her lap. He knew she wasn't, she was looking at the elf again. For the past few weeks, he had watched his sister with him and he hated to admit the more he tried to find faults with Fenris, he only seemed to find good reasons they should be together.
He had seen them insult and snap at each other and argue until they were blue in the face, he had watched as Fenris looked at his sister in her worse temper with a stoic expression as though she was merely speaking. He had also taken care of his sister when she was paralytic and merely put a blanket on her when some of her admirers would do more. He didn't want to know every detail of Fenris' past, but he knew it was a bad one and that was something they could relate to.
He lit the candle, looking at trying to find the source of the noise when he saw her. She no longer looked like his sister and yet he could feel that it was her. She stared through the window, her eyes wide and only the dirt to cover her dignity. Her skin a greyish white and her hair stained with dirt and blood with debris sticking out. She moved her hand from her leg and he almost vomited at the sight of the infected wound.
He shook off the memory, throwing the apple to the floor violently and began aiding the men in loading the crates onto the wagons. As they worked, a crowd appeared, wives and other relatives of those who were journeying down to the Deep Roads coming to wish them farewell. He scanned the crowd and was disappointed when he did not find Merrill yet and Bartrand had already started briefing the group.
He took position next to his sister, who had already been joined by Anders, Varric and Fenris. She looked bored at Bartrand's monologue and from the corner of his eye, Carver swore that he saw Fenris grin at the sight.
"We've chosen one of the hidden entrances, the Deep Roads will be nice and virginal, ready for a good deflowering," Bartrand started, looking around the group of thirty or so people, the majority of them dwarves.
"Now there's an interesting image," Varric whispered to Aria, who snorted at his words.
"It'll take a week for us to get to the depth we need, and there are bound to be darkspawn left over from the Blight, big risks, big rewards," Bartrand continued, not even noticing Varric speak.
"Risks? Rewards? What could be better?" Aria said, grim determination set on her face complimented by a coy grin.
"Exactly partner! Now if- wait, who invited the old woman?" Bartrand said, looking at Leandra Hawke who was charging her way through the crowds and bee lining it for his sister with obvious intent. Carver Hawke was not afraid of many things, but when it came to his mother's rage he would cower behind Aria as she took the brunt of it. Her mother threw her apologies at the dwarf before grabbing both Aria and Carver and pulling them away from the crowd, her lips mashed together as she looked at them both with scolding eyes.
"Mother no, we talked about how important this is," Carver started to say, hoping to defend his sister from Mother's fury.
"I can understand you wanting to do this, but I beg you to leave your brother here!" Leandra interrupted, staring at sister with pleading eyes. Carver watched for a moment, his sister would do anything to make their mother happy.
But Aria stood defiant, staring at her mother with strained eyes.
"Carver is a fully grown man, Mother he can make his own decisions now. The choice is his, not mine," Aria said, her joined clenched as if it were truly painful to deny their mother.
"I have already decided to come, mother and there is no changing it," Carver added, his voice trembling slightly under his mother's angry gaze.
"You would let me lose another child?" Mother said, looking at Aria with tearful eyes.
"I repeat, mother he is a grown man," Aria stayed her ground, although he could see that Mother was taking her toll on his sister.
"And why can it not be that one of your other friends comes with you? What of that elven girl you and Carver seem to always be hanging about with?" Mother asked, her voice bitter at Aria's refusal.
"Not if the Maker asked me to himself! Merrill will not be going because I already am Mother!" Carver replied.
"Aria, I will never try to understand you or these things you get yourself into, but please don't do this, I don't want him to end the same way as Bethany, please don't do this to me!" Mother pleaded.
"Mother, it is final. I am going with sister, there is nothing that will stop me, please stop blackmailing Aria with Bethany, it won't change my mind," Carver concluded, his eyes searching for Merrill as he scanned the crowds.
Mother looked at sister and then back to him for a moment, contemplating what else she could do to have it so he would stay, after a moment it seemed she could come up with nothing and granted them one last glare before storming off down the stairs back to Lowtown. He hated it when she was displeased, but he would not be coddled by his mother or his sister any longer. He scanned the crowds a final time, wishing Merrill would be there.
His stomach nearly jumped out of his mouth when he saw Merrill and Isabela walking towards them, Isabela basking in the glory of the men that were staring at her, Merrill giggling in tow at the sight of the men. He had never been so thankful to see her, standing there with her lack of shoes and impish grin.
He ran towards her, not even bothering with his mother's pleas and his sister's replies. He needed to kiss her one last time. Until he returned that was, and when he did he would give her everything. She was the fresh air to a drowning man, whenever he was with her his problems melted.
He lifted her in the air and spun her around, making her giggle like a small child. She cried for him to stop but he did not, wanting to bask in the moment forever. He slowly set her down and leaned in and met her lips, giving her a kiss that was full of promises, full of passion and full of futures.
"I told you I would come to say goodbye! Isabela made sure I didn't get lost Ma'vhenan,"she said, nuzzling his nose with her own.
He looked at Isabela who had already left to speak to his sister; Isabela was not one for thank you's or cute couples it seemed. He watched as every so often, despite conversing with Isabela sister would glance at Fenris, and smirked to himself.
A thing for elves indeed.
Anders seemed to be nervous as he stood with Hawke, as if he was scared by the Deep Roads. He did not like the mage one bit but he did sympathise with what he was going through to impress his sister, the Deep Roads were already fearful without the taint running through your veins. He imagined it would be worse for Anders.
His sister beckoned him as the group started to mount their horses or wagons, readying themselves for the journey ahead. He smiled at Merrill, giving her one last kiss before he too would join the group.
"Be safe," Merrill whispered, more as a command than a plea.
"I will, my love," he replied, making Merrill smile widely, she looked almost childlike when she smiled, but he found it to be one of her most endearing qualities.
He mounted the wagon where Varric sat next to him, a wicked grin on his face as confirmation that he would be teased endlessly for what he had just witnessed.
He waved to the crowds as the wagons started to move, a smile on his face as he saw Merrill's smiling face shine brighter than the rest of them.
When he made it back, he would ask for her hand in marriage.
And then mother would finally get the grandchildren she dreamt about.