At last: Fenris.

Thank you for your patience and please enjoy!

Wintersend 6

He reigned in his horse after they had conquered the steep pass. Both man and animal puffed out a heavy breath; the warm moisture hung like a mist in the cold air. Affectionately he tapped the animal on its long neck and received a soft neigh back. He had been surprised horseback riding had come so naturally to him and even more surprised he had taken a liking to the steed. Undoubtedly Varric, had he been here, would have stated it was due to his elven nature and even more indubitably he would have dismissed that with a derisive snort. Nevertheless he grudgingly had to admit it probably held at least some truth. With a wan smile he acknowledged it was hard to shake off the dwarf's influence. He could not deny he had been the glue that had kept their mishmash band together for all those years, even more so than Marian although Varric had always given her the credit. He returned his attention to the horse. 'It has been a hard ride, my friend,' he murmured gently, 'but it seems we've finally reached our goal.'

The afternoon was turning towards evening and the sun was starting to descend behind the mountains he had crossed to get here. Indeed the air was cold but even at this height he could feel, and even more smell, spring was approaching. Fragile looking flowers had worked their way through the thick layer of snow and the very air seemed to tingle. It made breathing very pleasurable, as if his lungs got filled with a promise of new life. Nevertheless he couldn't shake off the disquiet that had held him in its grip since he found that disturbing note. Involuntarily he shivered and drew his fur lined cloak faster around his body.

From his vantage point he looked down at the impressive castle that took most of the space on the slopes. Or rather between the slopes. He had to admit he was in awe. Beneath the bright blue freezing sky lay a fortress that could withhold even the mother of all sieges. It was vast and not only vast enough to even hold spaces to grow food and pens to breed animals but vast in the way of hardly comprehensible. Its towers stood out like indomitable sentinels, its strong walls looked back with the conviction of being insurmountable, he didn't doubt for a second its guards matched the impression. Of course they would. He understood Cullen was their Commander and he knew the man as indomitable as this stronghold looked and so the guards under his command would be not only strong but also intelligent and utterly vigilant. The man had shown his prowess in the night – in that night. At the moment he had seen the light and found the courage to defy Meredith and had chosen to fight against her. Indomitable though at the same time not without wisdom. He flinched. He wanted to chase the memories of that awful night Kirkwall turned into a bloody turmoil away. He urged his horse on to walk down the last mile it took to reach the gates.

To reach his woman.

'There will be stables down there,' he told his new friend, 'warmth and food. Just one more mile.' His lips pursed into a harsh line. His woman. Could he still call her that? It was obvious to him something was wrong but he couldn't fully grasp the nature of the problem nor how deep it ran. He didn't know what to expect, not even how to feel except that the situation disturbed him greatly. But he was certain Marian needed his help, no matter how hard she had tried to keep him out of it. That was the reason he had travelled all this distance.

Lady Josephine was in a very good mood today. She had received a letter from Lady Seryl of Jader, promising the Inquisition could make use of her trebuchets and sappers; in fact the troops were already heading for Adamant Fortress with their siege equipment. And besides that rumours were flying through Skyhold, from the barracks via the kitchen and the stables to the nobles' quarters and back. Everybody spoke in loud whispers and with merry giggles about the Inquisitor and the Commander who had spent the night together. There were already speculations about a betrothal. Josephine had no doubt Evelyn would giggle or rather laugh wholeheartedly with the others but she couldn't wait to see Cullen's reaction. She pictured a permanent blushing face with eyes that vainly tried to look stern but instead couldn't hide mild bewilderment and beneath that happiness. She couldn't help smiling broadly; after all she had given him advice the evening before how to handle the situation. She had thought (and tried to make clear) he made a too heavy issue out of it and he should shut out all the difficult reasoning and just plunge into the love he felt for Evelyn. Apparently he had in the end. Or else the Inquisitor had just dragged him to her room and had forced him to forget his trepidations. If possible her smile broadened even more. She really couldn't wait to hear the story.

With reluctance she returned to the task at hand.

She had just finished her last letter for the day when a knock came on her door and one of the gatekeepers entered her office. 'I'm sorry, Lady Ambassador, but there's someone here to see you.' With some difficulty she suppressed an annoyed sigh. She had hoped to call it an early day for a change but it seemed her well-earned glass of wine had to wait a little longer. The gatekeeper ushered in a cloaked and hooded person and Josephine automatically produced a professional smile. 'How can I help you?'

While the person walked towards her he removed his hood and cloak altogether and her eyes fell on the most gorgeous man she had ever seen and her breath hitched. Only the experience of years staying at the Orlesian court made her achieve to in an instance change the hitch into a small cough. The experience however didn't help to hide her expression in full. Her eyes flew wide and she had a hard time not to stare slack jawed when he ended up standing before her desk. As a matter of fact she could but just manage to close her mouth and force her lips into a charming smile. She knew exactly whom she was dealing with. There was no mistaking that tall and lean frame and graceful posture, the unfathomable deep eyes, (brooding, Varric? Really? That was the best term you could come up with? It's obvious you are no woman), that unruly mass of white hair and even less those elegant lines swirling about his arms and thus she immediately recognized him from the stories the dwarf had told. In her opinion they didn't do this elf any credit by far. She was stunned.

And then he started to speak and she was in for another shock.

'My apologies,' he said with a small polite nod, 'it was not my intent to disturb you but the guard insisted I'd see you.'

'That is more or less customary with new visitors,' Josephine said faintly while she thought, gobsmacked, dear Maker, with such a voice at your disposal you can turn all the expensive diplomats out of the house! A voice like that could persuade Celene and Gaspard to forget their hostilities, embrace each other and share the throne of Orlais for eternity in solid harmony. A voice like that could bring down Corypheus.

'My name is Fenris,' the hypnotising voice continued, 'and I am looking for Marian Hawke. I was hoping to find her here in Skyhold.'

'Have you ever considered a position as a diplomat?' she let slip without thinking.

He raised one eyebrow in confusion. 'Excuse me?'

Oh Maker! Determinedly she pulled herself together and stood abruptly. 'Indeed Marian Hawke is here in Skyhold. I suppose she is with Varric in the tavern at this hour of day. Come, I will show you the way.'

'I don't want to give you any more trouble,' Fenris started but Josephine waved her hand airily.

'It's no trouble at all. Besides I think it wise to accompany you through the Great Hall. Or escort is perhaps a better word; a walk through the throng of inquisitive nobles can be like running the gauntlet. They didn't bother you yet, did they?'

'Apart from a few probing looks, no they didn't,' Fenris reassured her. 'And after having been an inhabitant of Kirkwall's Hightown for many years I am used to much worse, believe me.'

In which case you apparently never met the likes of the Iron Lady, Josephine mused. She offered him her arm and a brilliant smile. 'Let's go,' she said and thought, and let's hope she is still lingering in her room, standing before her closet while trying to conquer the vast problem what to wear for dinner tonight.

But of course her worst fear came true after just four steps into the hall.

'You are the consort of Marian Hawke, aren't you?'

As far as Josephine knew no-one till now had tried to mix honey and venom into one mighty mixture until right now, pressed together in one voice. This voice. Aarch. It seemed to her the bitch had been waiting for the occasion; she probably had witnessed Fenris's arrival and, though he had concealed his features in the heavy cloak, she had drew her conclusions. She was not only irritating, arrogant and, well insufferable at most times, she was also very cunning, intelligent and percipient. And now she practically pounced upon them, or better him. Josephine tried not to cringe. She already opened her mouth to shoo Vivienne away but Fenris beat her on the spot.

He cocked his head slightly and his face assumed an amused expression. 'Consort? That sounds – quiet interesting, if not important,´ he said.

The sarcasm escaped Vivienne completely. 'And so it should, darling,' she drawled, 'because you are all that stands between your dangerous hedge mage and the rest of the world. You are the only one who can keep her in check. You must be aware of that grievous fact.'

'Must I now.' Fenris's voice had obtained a sharp edge but that also failed to catch Vivienne's attention. She might be percipient, sometimes the simplest signs escaped her. 'I was not aware I had taken the vows of a Templar. Nor that Hawke needed any supervision whatsoever.'

'But of course she does, dear.' Vivienne radiated the unbearable tone of the ones being in the right. Or at least having the conviction of being in the right. 'She is a mage and moreover a mage who lacks the proper education!' she went on remorselessly, not giving heed to Fenris's dark expression. 'You should be well aware of your responsibility. After all you let her run loose once already and look where that led to. I can understand that love is blind, although I don't recommend it, but you should stay vigilant. We can't cope with more trouble than she stirred up already. She started the mage rebellion after all.'

Josephine feared a furious explosion, some deadly class of how to tear out someone's heart out off their ribcage could be afoot but Fenris stayed quiet and looked at Vivienne as if she represented some rare breed of insects. 'Since you have taken the liberty to interfere my stroll with the Ambassador without asking for my permission, or hers for that matter, I think you could at least grant me the favour of telling me your name and position at this – he hesitated only for a moment – court.' It had taken him not five heartbeats to understand what she represented. A peacock. A perhaps convenient but nevertheless damn expensive peacock. With strings. Damn.

Josephine wide-eyed witnessed how he handled the Iron Lady and almost fainted. Definitively diplomat material.

If possible Vivienne straitened her shoulders even more and she held her head so high it would lose the connection to her neck and float right into the air after one more too egotistical remark, or movement, filled with righteousness and downright being right and much more right like in dead straight thinking about being right all the time. 'I, darling, am Enchanter Vivienne, Court Mage to the Empire of Orlais but you could also refer to me as Madame de Fer.'

Fenris delicately pursed his lips and Josephine would gladly gamble away what was left of her family estates that he was very hard trying not to burst out into laughter. He delicately removed some non-existence speck of dust from his trousers. 'Are you now,' he reacted and immediately after launched the attack.

'And that makes you think you can condemn Hawke's decisions and understand the situation in Kirkwall at the time the disaster happened. Because, as I understand, you were ever so happy to hide yourself in your precious circle so you couldn't be bothered by taking what sort of decision whatsoever. Let alone any responsibility.' He smiled bleakly. 'I applaud you with your firm conviction. Indeed, you haven't caused anything. If it had been for you, mages were still treated like prisoners, or even worse criminals. Or should I say slaves. You´re own fear gives you away. Without your precious Templars you are afraid to give into the temptation. You are more afraid of yourself than of the demons you try to avoid. You use the Templars to silence your own weakness.'

Both Vivienne and Josephine stared speechless at him. But Fenris had gone through a lot of trouble along the years and had learned the true values of life through the hard way. He was here to drag the woman he loved out of a lot of misery, whatever misery that might be, and if along the way he happened to stumble along a too cocky mage he would gladly give her a concussion to make her see or at least get her out of the way. He trusted Marian, she had even taught him to trust other mages and here he encountered a mage who was willing to leash herself because she didn't trust her owns abilities. Weak woman indeed.

'My Marian isn´t like you.' His expression now was almost pitiably. 'My woman, my consort, to stay with your way of thinking, is strong of mind and doesn't need a leash to keep her away from demons and their whispers. It speaks more of your own weakness you so call fear for her.´ His dark look turned into a scowl. ´And since you weren't present at the night you're referring at, I advise you to withhold from any comment whatsoever.' His eyes narrowed. 'I have heard your name over the past years. I know who you are. A mage who strives to gain control, a mage so frightened of her own capabilities she has become a greater supporter of the overseeing of the Templars than the Templars themselves.' And now he showed his real feeling. 'My Marian doesn't need the overseeing of Templars,' he growled with flaming eyes, 'My Marian is a woman who knows her strength and her limits. She doesn't need me, or anyone else to let her know the gravity of her responsibilities. She is very much aware of those, more, I bet, than you are. Because, as I see it, you're so scared of what you can do, or worse, can become, you hurl yourself into the custody of people you think can keep you safe. Because you are afraid you cannot trust yourself. You are weak. She, on the other hand, is in charge of her own actions, whether magical or otherwise. She is too wise to leave her capability into the hands of the likes of Meredith.´ He eyed her with a dark look. 'Or like you.´

Vivienne was speechless for long precious moments. Maker knew she was not a bigotry kind of person – she didn't make any difference between elves and humans – but this elf, this beautiful irresistible and insufferable elf played on her very nerves. 'I didn't know Kirkwall elves were so rude,' she at last said pointedly.

Fenris cocked an eyebrow. 'And I wasn't aware the Inquisition mages were this arrogant,' he parried, 'I thought for certain only the Tevinter ones had been infected with that virus.'

Vivienne bristled. 'Such impudence!' she shrieked, 'do know I don't take insults against my person lightly!' She knew she was acting childish but it was hard to deal with this elf. He was even worse than that awful demon Cole the Inquisitor had foolishly allowed to stay.

'Really?' Fenris reacted coolly, 'Then perhaps you should know I don't take insults against my consort so lightly, Madame le Fer. And if you'll excuse me now, I have more important business to attend to.' With that he turned on his heels and headed for the exit.

After she had thrown a venomous look at Vivienne, Josephine hastened after him. She caught him just before the large doors. 'I'm so sorry,' she breathed.

But Fenris shook his head. 'Don't blame yourself, Ambassador, you're not responsible for the nonsense the people in this fortress talk.' He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. 'But if you don't mind, I really would like to find Marian right now.' His face contorted in a grim smile. 'My consort, I mean of course,' he added cynically.

Josephine led him through the doors and for a moment they lingered at the top of the stairs leading down into the courtyard. 'I am really sorry,' she couldn't help repeating.

Fenris sighed. He looked down at the open space down the stairs, now wrapped in dusk and at the sparse light coming out of the windows of the tavern the Ambassador had mentioned. The tavern he hoped to find the woman he loved. 'I always thought mages to be arrogant,' he said pensively, 'I mean after what I had to live through in Tevinter.´ A quick smile lifted a corner of his mouth. ´That, of course, was my conviction before I met Marian Hawke.´ His hands grasped the stone parapet. ´I must confess I never thought they could be so arrogant and at the same time so brittle and insecure.´

´Insecure?! Vivienne? You can't be serious!´

Fenris turned and gave her something that she could only define as a cheeky grin. 'Think about it, put her to the test and you will be surprised. I can only say she is the most frightened mage I have ever encountered. And now, if you please, may I finely be allowed to find my - ' he closed his eyes. 'I hate to repeat the word..'

Josephine nodded. She gestured to the lighted tavern with the inviting opened door. 'It was a pleasure to meet you,' she said and after a short and not so diplomatic consideration she added, 'I hope you will find what you are looking for.'

As the Ambassador already had assumed Varric had hauled Hawke into the "Herald's Rest", because, as he had stated, she direly needed a distraction. She had been unwilling but in the end had heeded his wish. 'Only because you're my best friend.'

'I'll turn that insult into a positive remark,' Varric had laughed, 'but only if you agree to play a game of Wicked Grace.'

'With you and what other misfits?'

At that moment the Bull had stepped in. 'What about me and my misfits?' he had rumbled and Hawke had had no other option that to give in. With an accusing smirk she had tried to frame Varric. 'This was all your idea from the start!' but the Bull had planted his impressive hand on the table.

'Hey! I see a woman in distress. I say, she needs some distraction. Don't blame the dwarf. If you have to blame someone, blame me.'

Hawke had looked the impressive Qunari up and down and said, 'Look, handsome, I was forced to fight one Qunari in my life; I don´t ask for one more to battle, not you nor anyone of your people. It almost cost me my life once. Want to see the scar he left on my body?'

Bull frowned and it was an impressive frown. 'What made you think I would want to fight you?' her rumbled.

'Well, for one, I killed your Arishok,' said Hawke, somewhat taken aback by Bull's lay back attitude.

'Ha!' Bull exclaimed, 'for starters he was not my Arishok and you can kill as many Qunari or other buggers as you want, as long as you don't bother me with it. Hey, you're here to play cards, aren't you?! Who cares about anything else. So, Miss, if you want to play Wicked Grace, we play Wicked Grace. I deal.'

Hawke cocked her head. 'Do you now.' She heard Varric take a deep sigh and at the same time the rumbling laugh of the Bull. ´Perhaps you deal and I look,´ he proposed. He pushed the deck of cards over the table, practically into her hands. The Aratham still don´t trust you,´ he added with a fat wink.

´Why should they,´ said Hawke unperturbed, she had her eyes on the cards and seemed to count them while dealing them around, 'after all I'm not their best friend and I fear I'll never be.'

And then her hands came to an abrupt hold and the cards got spread around as if the deck had exploded.

'Hey!' Krem complained in dismay but the hand of his commander clasped around his wrist as a vice at the same moment. His head turned. He had noticed the same little sound as Hawke had. Or better the lack of it.

The Herald's Rest's bard Maryden's voice had only faltered for one heartbeat but it had immediately caught Hawke's attention. Her eyes flew to the entrance. 'O hell,' she whispered.

It had taken Fenris a few moments to let his eyes adjust to the gloom in the tavern but fairly swift he had spotted her. His heart had flew into his throat and had skipped a few beats but with determination he had walked to her spot. She had looked at him as if she had expected him to turn up.

'Fenris,' she whispered. He hadn't heard her saying his name out loud but had read the word from her lips.

On the other hand Varric had been quite loud. 'I know it would be juvenile to say this, and you know I'm right anyway, but, oh hell, whatever, I will say it anyhow: I told you so damn it! I told you he would come after you. And what now?'

Before Fenris could make any comment the tall Qunari, to his surprise, growled, 'Shut up, dwarf, let those two sort it out.'

And then Marian got up and gave him a fragile smile.

'We need to talk,' he said, 'but not here.'

She bit her lip and offered him her hand. 'No, not here. Will you trust me? Follow me?'

He took her hand and let her lead him out of the tavern. Inwardly he shook his head. He had always trusted her, always had followed her. Why was she suddenly so insecure?

I think about Vivienne as a pain in the ass and at the same time she is so much fun. I liked to write about the confrontation between her and Fenris; she is a pedigree mage-bitch and he looks right through her arrogant and, to be frank, fragile appearance.

At least I suppose after all what happened in Kirkwall and after the four (apparently) years that went on after that and all the Corypheus drama, Fenris must have moved on. Besides that, I think we must give him the credit for standing by his woman. Well, I think he definitely is that type.

Thank you so much for reading!