~o~

Come into my world,

See through my eyes.

Try to understand,

Don't want to lose what we have.

~See Who I Am by Within Temptation~

Chapter Six

"Hello, Knight-Captain." Hawke slid an arm around his, leading him to a quiet table out of the way. Loud laughter and raucous conversation buzzed through the tavern, creating a welcoming atmosphere of general merriment.

Cullen smiled when they were seated across from each other. "I came as soon as I could get away."

"I take it you found the boy. Poul, wasn't it?"

He clucked his tongue disapprovingly, shaking his head. "He was in the very first place I looked; the girls bath."

She snickered, admiring the boy's pluck. "I do hope you won't be too hard on them. It sounded like an innocent enough mistake."

"Well, they will have plenty of time to think about their mistakes while they scrubs floors for the next month. In separate areas, of course."

He brushed his arm against hers in a way that looked completely incidental, but made her smile up at him through her lashes.

"You assigned them floor scrubbing? Somehow, I'm not surprised."

He shrugged a heavily armored shoulder, the metal clanking with his movement. "Actually, If was First Enchanter Orsino who chose the punishment. I leave the mages to his guidance, as much as possible."

Hawke chewed a lip thoughtfully. "Really? That's interesting." Before he could comment further, she rose and gestured with a thumb over her shoulder. "We had better get going. I'll just go fetch Varric and Carver. Be right back."

She wove through the tables, and trotted up the steps to the upper floor, Cullen's eyes following her until she was out of sight.

"Well, you certainly aren't what I thought our dear Hawke would go for, but I can't fault her taste."

Cullen looked up to find a scantily clad woman surveying him in a most disconcerting way.

"I beg your pardon?" His cheeks heated in embarrassment for how the woman was dressed, or not dressed, as the case may be. He had seen the whores at the Rose wear more.

She laughed in delight. "Oh, you're blushing! I think I'm going to enjoy tonight even more than I thought."

He started to stammer something when Hawke's voice cut in, saving him the effort.

"Leave Cullen alone, Isabela. He's not trained to deal with your kind of boldness."

She smirked, turning away to talk to Varric, and Hawke leaned in to Cullen, speaking softly. "Isabela is a pirate, but she's very good in a fight. You don't mind her coming along, do you?"

He kept his gaze safely focused on Marian. "No, I don't mind, as long as you trust her."

She grinned and turned to the little group. "Off we go, then!"

~o~

Cullen walked beside Hawke, his eyes probing the shadows of the Lowtown alleys they passed. It was funny to think that it was in one of those very alleys that he had first wrapped his arms around Marian Hawke. He smiled, glancing at her profile from the corner of his eye. He wondered exactly who had caught whom that night.

"We're looking for a dwarf named Anso," Hawke said to the group. "He should be waiting somewhere in the market and…ah" she said, jerking her chin forward, "I think that must be him."

She stopped and turned to Cullen. "Do you want me to do the talking, or do you want the pleasure?"

He narrowed his eyes, considering. "I think I'll just listen, for now."

Carver frowned. "Can we just get on with this? There are better things to do than stand around all night."

Isabela gave a low laugh. "Are you in a hurry to make it back to the Rose, big boy? I've seen you there a lot lately."

"What!" Carver sputtered in embarrassment, "Of course not! I don't know what you're talking about."

Varric tsked, shaking his head. "Can't go there and expect to keep it a secret, Junior. Word always gets out."

Marian blushed and started walking briskly toward their contact. The last thing she needed was Carver giving away her secrets, even if he wasn't fully aware of all of them.

"Are you Anso?" she asked, startling the dwarf.

"By the stone!" He clutched his chest with wide eyes. "You scared me. It's bad enough with that big, open sky up there waiting to swallow me." He shuddered, and Hawke glanced at Varric in confusion.

He shrugged. "It happens to a lot of dwarves who aren't used to the surface. Bartrand used to be the same way."

"I see." She turned back to the jittery dwarf. "You wanted some special help tonight, I believe?"

He nodded. "Ah, yes, yes. Thieves stole my merchandise and I need it recovered before my buyer gets angry. Templars aren't known for their patience."

Hawke crossed her arms. "So it's lyrium we're recovering then."

Anso nodded, handing her a slip of parchment. "I've tracked it as far as here, but I'm a merchant, not a fighter." He glanced at the heavily armed group. "I'm sure you and your friends won't have any trouble though."

She read the paper then tucked it away, pursing her lips. "Alright, Anso. We'll be back."

Cullen took her arm and pulled her away from the others. "If it is a Templar, I'll need a name so I can follow up on it."

Hawke chewed her lip in thought, watching the dwarf. Something about him was setting off alarms, but she couldn't put a finger on it. "We can question him further when we get back, if you want. Maybe we can even make the delivery and catch the culprit ourselves."

Cullen glanced back at the others and Isabela winked at him, making him shift uncomfortably. Hawke rolled her eyes, shaking her head and smiling at Isabela.

"Next stop is the Alienage," Hawke said, taking the lead.

~o~

The fight hadn't been overly difficult, Hawke mused, if there had only been fewer traps. She winced. The steel teeth of the trap had already closed around her leg by the time Isabela shouted a warning. Cullen pried it open while she placed a hand on his armored shoulder to steady herself.

"You know, sister, if you didn't always insist on running in first, you might not end up injured as often."

"Really Carver," she grumbled, "if you have nothing useful to add, you could keep your commentary to yourself."

Cullen looked up at her in concern. "How bad is it?"

"Not too bad." She took a step and ignored the pain shooting up her leg. "Who has the potions?"

Isabela pointed at Varric who dug in his pack and tossed one to Hawke. She downed it, making a face at the sharp and unpleasant flavor of elfroot.

She wiggled her foot, already feeling the pain lessening to a manageable level. She looked at the blood and holes in her leathers and sighed. Something else she would have to replace.

Cullen walked to the back room, returning a moment later, stepping carefully over a body and shaking his head. "There's nothing here. The chest is empty."

"Looks like a wild goose chase, Hawke," Varric said, stowing Bianca in his back holster.

She gave the Knight-Captain a self-deprecating smile. "I seem to have particularly bad luck every time I chase lyium. I had a nagging feeling Anso wasn't telling us everything. I'm sorry, Cullen, I thought this might actually be a trail worth following."

He rested a hand on her shoulder. "You are too hard on yourself, Marian. Even with your talent for reading people, you can't always predict every outcome."

Isabela moved closer, twirling one of her daggers with casual ease. "I can get him to tell you anything you want to know, Hawke. I bet I could even make him sing it, and he would enjoy every damn minute of it."

Cullen looked at the pirate curiously and opened his mouth to speak, but Hawke interrupted. "Don't ask Isabela questions, Cullen. Ever." She raised a brow at the smirking rogue. "Believe me, you will get an education you don't want."

She shuddered in remembered horror of when Isabela had decided Hawke needed to know about different types of sex toys and their many uses. It had given her the desperate desire to scrub her ears and wash her mind with strong soap.

"Now, Hawke, he looks like a man who could benefit from my vast knowledge." She looked him slowly up and down, licking her lips.

"I don't know how she does it," Carver said, "but I feel dirty just watching."

Isabela turned a predatory gaze on him. Hawke started for the door before Isabela could begin tormenting her brother.

"Let's just go talk to Anso again. I think I've had about enough of running in circles for one night."

She opened the door and stepped out, her jaw clenching angrily at the large group of armed men waiting for them.

"By the Void," she muttered, pulling out her sword and dagger and stepping aside enough for Carver and Cullen to move to the front.

"I don't see no elf," one of the men said, glancing at another uncertainly. The man leading them lifted his sword. "We were told to take care of whoever came out of that door. Now move!"

Hawke and her companions scattered, fanning out to keep from being overwhelmed. Carver used the reach of his blade to slice into his foes, while Cullen bashed and slashed, using his great strength to his advantage.

Isabela taunted a dual wielder, always spinning just out of reach of his blades, finally stabbing him in the back with both her daggers simultaneously and moving on to the next target.

"Look out, Hawke!" Varric shouted, and she jumped aside before she could be impaled by a hail of arrows.

She got knocked to the ground by a flying fist to her shoulder and had to scramble away quickly to keep from being skewered by a longsword, finding herself cut off from her friends in the process. Her arms were tiring as she continued to block, getting in a hit here and there, and the thought flittered through her mind that she might have to use her magic to save her life.

Backing up the flight of steps leading out of the Alienage, she yelled and stabbed her blade into the belly of the man she fought, but his comrade took a swing at her seconds later. She saw her mistake too late and braced for the impact at the same time a loud roar sounded behind her.

A flash of blue and there was suddenly a man standing guard over her, decapitating her attacker with his massive sword.

Hawke heard Isabela yell her name, but she was too busy staring stupidly at the flickering blue figure who seemed to disappear and reappear, and her mouth hung open in shock when he appeared right in front of her with his hand inside a man's chest.

"You might try fighting instead of staring," he growled, rushing off again in another blue flash.

Hawke turned her concentration back to finishing the fight, shrugging off her foolish lapse of concentration.

Cullen jogged up, breathing heavily. "Are you all right, Marian?"

She took a moment to assess her body, feeling the various cuts and bruises and waved a dismissive hand at him. "I'm fine Cullen. Is everyone else alright?" She squinted toward the large tree in the middle of the Alienage but it was blocking her view of her companions.

Cullen sheathed his sword and hooked his shield across his back. "Your pirate friend was knocked out, but she's awake now, although wounded. Your brother is helping her."

The unknown warrior walked up to them. An elf, Marian realized, now that she could see him clearly.

"I thank you for your assistance," he said, in a deep, vibrating voice. "I had no idea Anso would manage to find such skilled fighters on short notice."

"Anso said he wanted us to retrieve his property. Are you telling me we were actually hired to fight these mercenaries?" She gestured to all the carnage around them.

"That is correct. I am Fenris. These men were slavers sent by my former master to retrieve me. I apologize for the deception, but it was necessary. I could not risk Danarius discovering my plan sooner."

She inclined her head politely. "I'm Hawke, this is Cullen. So, you escaped this man? Danarius, was it?"

He nodded, crossing his arms. "Yes. He is a Tevinter Magister, and I was once his slave."

Cullen drew in a breath. "You were fortunate to escape him. Magisters are very powerful mages, and they practice forbidden magicks as well. Not someone you would want to tangle with unless you had Templar support."

"All mages can rot as far as I am concerned," Fenris snarled.

Marian blew out an annoyed breath. "But what was that you were doing with the flickering and glowing? That certainly looked like magic to me." She crossed her arms, already irritated by the strange elf with the deep voice.

He extended his arms, showing off the strange patterns on his skin. "This is lyrium, burned into my flesh by Danarius. The markings give me special skills, as you saw, but I am no mage. Warriors such as myself are extremely rare. These brands are the reason he keeps sending men after me. They are very valuable. He will even take them from my corpse if he must."

Carver, Isabela and Varric walked up, Isabela leaning against Carver, heavily favoring one leg. "It looks like the boys made out better than we did tonight, Hawke. I think that means they need to buy us a drink to help us feel better."

Hawke smiled and looked to see if Carver was injured, but he scowled at her. "That was bloody stupid, Mari. How do you expect anyone to look after you when you go scampering off with half a dozen bastards chasing you?"

She smirked. "Thanks for the concern, brother, but Fenris here helped me out of my tight spot."

Fenris glanced up from rifling through the pockets of the man who had been the leader, his gaze inscrutable. He walked up to Hawke and thrust a piece of parchment at her. "Will you read this?"

She took it and glanced at Cullen in confusion before reading what was written. "It says something about meeting up at the Hightown mansion." She glanced up. "It doesn't have any names on it."

Fenris paced restlessly. "He's here. Danarius is here. I must go and confront him before he gets away." He looked at Hawke. "I must ask your assistance once again."

Her lips parted in surprise and Cullen stepped forward. "You can't go against a mage on your own. I'm the Knight-Captain of the Templars in Kirkwall, I will come and assist you."

Fenris looked surprised. "You are a leader of the Templars? I would welcome the aid of a mage fighter."

Cullen nodded. "You have it, Fenris." He turned to look at the others then touched Hawke's arm. "Marian, since you and the other young lady are injured, perhaps you ought to go back to the tavern and wait for us."

Carver laughed quietly and exchanged an amused look with Varric, shaking his head at the Knight-Captain's mistake.

Hawke's eyes darkened, her lips thinned in displeasure. "Don't try to send me home like a wayward child, Cullen," she hissed. "I don't appreciate being coddled. There is little wrong with me and I'm coming with you."

He held up a placating hand, slightly taken aback by her anger. "Very well, if you deem it best."

Hawke stalked over to Varric, Isabela and Carver, holding a brief conversation before returning to Fenris and Cullen. "I'm taking Isabela back to the Hanged Man. If you want to go on, I'll meet you there."

"Yes, I must go without delay, I cannot squander this opportunity to be rid of Danarius," Fenris said, already glancing toward the stairs.

Cullen gripped Hawke's hand, squeezing lightly. "We'll wait for you in the Chantry courtyard, if that's acceptable?" He looked enquiringly at Fenris and the elf nodded.

"It is a good place to meet. Very near the mansion."

Hawke rubbed her forehead with the heel of her hand, looking bemused when it came away smeared with blood. "Varric will go with you to provide ranged support should you run into trouble, and Carver will come with me."

"Take care on the streets." Cullen gave her a peck on the cheek and the Templar, elf and dwarf set off for Hightown.

Hawke led the way up the steps to the top floor of the Hanged Man, while Carver helped Isabela hobble up the steps, finally sighing loudly and picking her up to carry her the rest of the way. Isabela laughed.

"Thanks, big boy. It's sometimes nice to have a man who takes charge."

"I think Varric has some poultices for your wound. I'll see if I can find one for you before we go," Hawke said, and opened the door to Varric's suite, smiling in relief to see Anders still sitting where she had left him earlier. He stood, his brows furrowed in concern when he saw the blood covering them. Carver helped Isabela into a chair.

"Anders, I'm glad you're here. Isabela was injured but Carver and I need to go. Varric is waiting for us in Hightown."

Anders hands were already glowing with blue healing light as he passed them over Isabela's injured leg. "Don't rush off just yet," he said distractedly.

He went to the cupboard where Varric kept potions and poultices and took one out, returning to apply it to Isabela's leg.

Hawke shifted from foot to foot impatiently. Carver walked out, muttering "I'll be downstairs," over his shoulder.

Isabela stood after Anders finished applying medicinal paste and binding the wound with fresh bandaging. She kissed his cheek with a loud smack. "Thanks, pet. I feel good enough to drink the night away."

The healer gave her a stern look. "Just try not to run into any more blades. That wound came awfully close to an artery. You were very lucky."

The pirate rose and winked, heading for the bar. "I'm always lucky."

Hawke blew her fringe off her forehead, tense and tired of waiting. "Anders, I really can't delay any longer."

He ignored her words and stepped close, healing magic washing over her and soothing bruises and repairing wounds. He cast a regeneration spell on her and she felt her mind clear and sharpen, and her energy refreshed.

"How did you and Isabela get so banged up?" he asked, as the glow from his hands finally faded.

A section of Hawke's leather pants were hanging off her knee in a torn strip and she bent over to cut it off with her belt knife. "An ambush, of course, and now there's a Tevinter Magister to vanquish in order to free an odd elf. Just another typical night in Kirkwall," she said sarcastically. She hesitated. "Thank you, Anders, I didn't realize how much I needed healing."

She walked to the door with Anders following close behind. "Are you heading back to the clinic?" she asked as they walked toward the stairs.

"No," he said quietly, "I'm coming with you. If you get that badly beaten up when you don't use your magic, then I will just have to use mine to ensure you don't fall."

She stopped, dumbstruck, then grabbed his arm to pull him away from the stairwell, mindful of listening ears. "You can't come," she whispered, "the Knight-Captain is waiting as well. He'll know you're a mage even if you don't cast a single spell."

"I don't care," he said stubbornly, crossing his arms. "Magisters are powerful, Hawke. I can't just walk away when I know you're in danger, Templar or not."

She tensed, ready to explode in anger, when the obvious explanation struck her. Tilting her head thoughtfully, she turned back to the stairs. "Fine, but you let me talk to Cullen first. Agreed?"

He nodded tightly. They retrieved Carver and rapidly made their way to Hightown.

~o~