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Chapter Text

Fenris took a long, long drink from the wine bottle.

The only time he ever really drank like this was at the Hanged Man during card night. Wine was meant to be sipped and savored. If he drank too much, his tongue would become numb, and he'd no longer be able to taste it.

Tonight was different. Tonight he wanted to be drunk and it didn't matter what got him there.

The wine cellar had only a small table and a couple of chairs. It was perpetually cold, especially at night, and the candle resting on the table did little to improve the lighting.

Hawke was sitting across from him, straddling the back of her chair. Her staff leaned on the wall behind her. Before coming to Kirkwall he never would have trusted a mage enough to sit across from them while becoming shit faced. Hawke was the exception. And Merril and Anders. But only on card night.

When he finally came up for air, bottle half-drained, Hawke had her lips pursed and her eyebrows raised. She had her own wine bottle freely dangling from her hands.

After an awkward pause, he said, "I am free."

"Sure are."

"Danarius is dead."

"If you like, we can resurrect him as the undead and kill him again."

He knew it was a joke, but he couldn't muster the energy to laugh. "It doesn't feel like it should."

She rested her head on the back of the chair and nodded solemnly. "You thought killing him would solve everything, but it doesn't." She took a swig of wine.

"I suppose not. I thought if I didn't need to run and fight to stay alive, I would finally be able to live as a free man does. But how is that? I have nothing - not even an enemy."

"Maybe that just means you have to find something to fight for."

He hummed, "An interesting thought. It's just ... difficult to overlook the stain that magic has left on my life. If I seem bitter, it's not without cause. Perhaps it is time to move forward. I just don't know where that leads. Do you?"

She shrugged, "That's the point, isn't it? You can do anything you like."

His eyes met the floor. The wine bottle was set on the table. “A slave lives and dies for their master. Their purpose is clear. Their future is never uncertain. How is a free man supposed to know what he wants to do?" 

She raised her bottle. “When you figure it out, let me know.” And with that, took a drink.

"I think I considered it my purpose to kill Danarius ... now that Danarius is dead, I no longer know what my purpose is."

"Maybe that’s the beauty of it. You don’t have to answer to anyone. You get to pick your purpose."

He let his bangs fall over his face, digesting the words. Hawke slammed her now-empty wine bottle on the table, a proud grin on her face.

"Perhaps it is time I remember that I am no longer a slave.” He finally concluded, “Thank you, Hawke. I would never have thought to call a mage my friend, yet here you are."

Chapter Text

Fenris was annoyed by Tallis from the start. Something about the amount of confidence with which she spoke and the way she always happened to know things was rubbing him the wrong way. He'd never be rude to her, if for no other reason than because Marian had taken such a liking to the elf. However, it didn't cease his habit of watching her from the corner of his eye while she explained to Marian her intention to steal the Heart of the Many.

Evidently, in Orlais, there was a priceless jewel owned by none other than a noble who happened to be visiting Kirkwall when the city nobility hosted a banquet to honor Hawke's victory over the Arishok. It would take only a letter for Marian to be invited to Duke Prosper's annual wyvern hunt, where they could raid his treasure vault for glory and riches.

Fenris was quite certain there was a reason why Tallis knew all of this, and why she neglected to tell them how she knew these things. Unfortunately, Hawke was never one to turn down a challenge. The mage was as headstrong as she was stubborn, and the more Tallis talked up the gem, the more Hawke's smile had widened.

Fenris was splashing cologne on his neck when he heard the mansion door open, and Marian announcing herself with a shout, "It's only Hawke, don't jump me!"

After tucking the little green bottle into the side of his pack, Fenris lifted the overstuffed burlap sack. The image of a fish with a rock on its back could be conjured as he made his way down the stairs, and Marian covered her mouth to snicker.

"Andraste's ass, are you planning to move to Orlais?" She laughed.

"Is it a crime to be prepared?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"No, but you don't have to come prepared for the next blight. Come on, Tallis and Anders are already waiting for us."

He bit back the urge to groan. The season was already making it along trip, but the thought of traveling with Anders now was going to drive him insane.

Hawke led the way to the far end of the docks, where Isabella was crawling over a modest ship. Merrill had her feet dangling over the edge of the water, her big toe occasionally brushing the sea's surface and making a ripple. When Hawke approached, she perked her head like a curious cat. Hawke sat down behind her, wrapping her in an embrace that included both arms and both legs for good measure.

"You'll be back soon, right? I'll come back here and wait for you when you do." Merrill said.

Hawke nodded, "A week, at most. Assuming we don't hit a storm on the way."

"Better knock on wood now!" Isabella called from the ship's deck. Hawke stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry as she knocked on her own skull twice.

Merrill rapped her knuckles twice on the plank below them. "You could have just used the dock, you know."

Hawke planted a wet, sloppy kiss on Merrill's cheek before untangling herself and rising, "I'm going to miss you two so much."

"'You two'?" Isabella echoed.

Fenris had made his way up the gangplank and was just passing by Isabella when Hawke started approaching. "Oh, right! That reminds me." Hawke said as she strode up to her, "Isabella, off the ship."

The pout on the pirate queen's face could have rivaled the world's saddest puppy, "But ... why? You rent a whole ship and I don't even get to play on it? Why?"

Hands on her hips, Hawke scrunched her lips and looked to the sky in mock contemplation. "Let's see," She sighed, and began counting off the reasons on her fingers, "I don't need two rogues on the mission, I already hired a crew, I'd like the ship to return to Kirkwall in one piece,"

"Psh!" Isabella scoffed, crossing her arms. Hawke caught her chin and steered her head before she could turn away.

"And ," Hawke continued, leaning into Isabella, " Someone has to stay here to satisfy Merrill. It's heat season. You can smell it on her."

Fenris ducked into cabin and pretended he hadn't heard that.

The first door he opened to the sight of a shirtless mage. Anders back was to him, blonde hair loose and tumbling over a map of scars on his back. Fenris froze in the doorway, lips curling, cheeks flushed.

Anders tossed his hair with his hands and ran his fingers through it before gathering it into a bundle and tying it back with a strip of leather.

Suddenly, the mage spoke, "You can come in, you know."

As Anders stepped aside, Fenris caught full view of the mirror he'd been in front of.

"Never mind. I'll look for a different cabin."

"Hawke and Tallis claimed one, and the crew is staying in the other." Anders gestured broadly to the room around him, "This is it, I'm afraid."

Fenris sighed. If there was one thing he could agree with the mage on, it was that this outcome was also what he was afraid of.

There were two cots across from each other, with a foot locker at the end of each one, and a desk and chair in the middle. A small mirror hung on the wall above the desk. Fenris removed his pack and tossed it on top of the foot locker with an unceremonious thud.

"Did you pack the whole mansion? What in Andrastes name do you think we'll be doing during this mission?" Anders asked.

"It's filled with bees."

"What?"

"Bees. I intend to unleash them at the soiree."

There was a long pause where Fenris watched the gears in Anders' head turn.

"Andraste's knickers," A smile tugged at the corners of Anders' lips. "Can you imagine a manor filled with Orlesians patting at their wigs and masks to ward off bees?" He covered his mouth with his fingers, a light laugh bubbling up.

"It's the perfect plan," Anders continued, laughing, "While they're running away, we'll just walk in and take the jewel."

The tension in the air melted ever so slightly. Anders returned to dressing himself while Fenris kicked open the foot locker and chucked the bag inside. The lid couldn't lower more than a few inches before being stopped, so he left it loose. Anders was buckling the front of his coat by the time Fenris flopped down on the cot.

"You have a funny way of unpacking." Anders quipped.

"Shut up."

"Fine, fine." Holding up his hands as he made for the door, "Are you coming up to watch us cast off?"

"No, thank you."

He listened to the door shut and Anders' footsteps make their way up the stairs. Once they reached the top step, he counted ten seconds before he scrambled to the foot of the bed, reached past the locker lid, and into his bag.

A few layers of clothes were quickly tossed back into the bin as he dug for the bottom. The first thing he set on the bed was a hand-sized package wrapped up in cloth. He set it aside so he could dig deeper and produce the toy he'd spent an exuberant amount of coin on.

The herbs he would have to ration out, mostly for use during the day so that he wouldn't be distracted in battle. He wouldn't have a lot of opportunities to be alone like this.

The toy was polished silver, a flat base so you could set it upright with a short rod that connected to a bulb. "Feels like knotting." The shopkeeper had said, "Trust me, your omega will not be disappointed."

Which was rather generous of him to say.

He removed his gauntlets, unlaced his pants, and tossed them all on the floor beside him. Leaning back, legs spread wide, he reached under one leg and began rubbing at his own entrance.

It wasn't doing much.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. There were a few shouts upstairs from the crew. Water splashed against the boat's hull.

There had to be a few alphas that would do the trick for his fantasy. Of course Danarius and Hadriana came to mind first, and were quickly discarded. Isabella was attractive, her breasts always plump and her shirt just a little too unbuttoned. Though lately she seemed to only have eyes for Hawke and Merrill.

Sebastian had arms as muscular as his ass, and breathtaking eyes, which Fenris could picture hungrily roving his body. Isabella had passed on rumors of how promiscuous the monk was in his younger days. Had they met a few years earlier, Fenris might have been tempted for a taste. Sebastian's accent was smooth and creamy. Fenris imagined what it would feel like to have his breath against his ear as he whispered what he planned to do. The elf managed to insert a finger.

One finger, gently thrusting in and out, while Sebastian ran a tongue across his chest, nipped at his lips. Blindly, Fenris groped at his side until his hand found the cool metal of the toy.

It was cold between his cheeks, and almost took him out of the fantasy. He took it slow, picturing perfect white teeth nipping at his neck and his hand reaching up to grip long blonde hair. Anders voice in his ear, "You want me to put this in you?"

The ship jerked, and Fenris yelped as the toy jerked in the entirely wrong angle.

He moved the toy away from himself as fast as possible. He was panting, and tragically soft, and more than annoyed at the way Sebastian had managed to morph into Anders in the middle of his fantasy. No , that simply wasn't an acceptable option. Not ever, and certainly not while he was sharing a room with the mage.

He sighed. The mood was ruined for the time being. He tucked the toy into the deepest part of his pack, alongside the package of herbs.

x - X - x

Late at night, the only sound was the creak and splash of the boat and Anders lightly snoring a few feet away from him. The cabin was never the right temperature. Under the blankets, unbearably hot, and above them, inexplicably uncomfortable. Eventually, Fenris kicked all the bedding off of him.

He slept in his armor, bare footed, sword propped up at the side of his bed in case any would-be attacker attempted to sneak up on him. Even at sea, he wouldn't be caught dead without being armed.

With the sword across his back weighing him down further, his feet make every step creek as he walked to the deck. He found himself bathed in a blanket of stars. In Kirkwall, the sky hid behind towering walls and gates, and even craning your neck, you never saw so many of them in the city. When he walked to the edge of the ship, he could see a flawless reflection of the constellations, marred only by the occasional ripple of waves.

Resting on his elbows, Fenris took in the sight with a deep inhale of fresh night air. The breeze dried the sweat on his forehead, and he felt a little cleaner than before. With his mind clear, his focus shifted to the tight ache in his pants, which had been ever present since his cock’s quick recovery from the day’s earlier events.

Straining his ears, he couldn't pick up a single sound of another person's breathing or footsteps. There might be a lookout in the crow's nest, but whoever was there would certainly not be able to see Fenris in the darkness below.

Clawed gauntlets gently tugged at the tie on his pants, unlacing them enough to allow him to pull the band of his boxers just below his balls.

He wrapped his fingers around his erect member. Eyes still closed, he tried picking up the fantasy where he'd left it off.

Anders - no - Sebastian above him. Soft fingers pinching his nipples. It wasn't the same without the toy, but he could imagine how it felt to have fingers sliding into him, delicately fucking and stretching him. Whispers of that Anderfells accent in his ear. Creaking floorboards behind him.

His hand shot to the hilt of his sword, his markings bathing the area around him a light blue. He couldn't turn around in his state, but a low growl formed in his throat.

"Don't come any closer." He warned.

"Fine," Anders replied behind him, "Man can't find a little fresh air anymore. Let me know when you tuck your cock back in."

Fenris felt the tips of his ears burn. Anders’ footsteps moved further away from him. At first, he didn't move. A large part of him wanted to disobey Anders just because , but it didn't make a lot of sense to spend the entirety of the trip with his dick out in the air.

Once he had his breeches re-laced, he turned to see Anders on the opposite end of the boat, back against the deck wall. The mage was tipping back a flask.

"Sorry." Anders said as Fenris approached, "I get awful sea sickness. Didn't mean to interrupt anything. Whiskey?"

The mage held out the flask for him. Fenris considered it for a moment, then decided he'd rather be drunk for this awkward moment anyway. Accepting the flask, he flopped down on the wood at Anders' side.

"The first time I was in a boat was when they took me to the circle." Anders spoke while Fenris tipped back the flask, "I was twelve. Spent the whole time locked up in the cabins down below. Smelled awful. Didn't smell any better after I puked everywhere."

The whiskey burned his tongue but then immediately made everything in Fenris' mouth blissfully numb. He returned the flask to Anders, who took a swig.

Anders was as he had fallen asleep, naked save for a loose pair of trousers, locks of hair dangling and framing his face. His adams apple bobbed as he drank.

"Danarius traveled by boat quite frequently." Fenris said.

"You must be used to it, then." Anders held out the flask for him.

"I was not, at first. The smell of the fish always bothered me."

"What changed?"

"Nothing. I grew used to it. There was no alternative." Fenris tipped back and drank.

Anders scoffed a laugh, "Story of my life, there."

When Fenris looked up, he could see a line drawn through the sky where clusters of stars thickened to form a mighty crack. He'd seen it before, but not once since living in Kirkwall.

"Pretty, isn't it?" Anders said, "My father used to be able to name all the constellations."

"You have memories of him, at least." Fenris passed the flask.

"Yes, and most of them good before I developed magic and became a worthless little twit in his eyes."

"He was not wrong. You are a bit of a twit."

There was a pause long enough to distract Fenris from the sight of the stars, and turn his attention back to the mage. Anders gave him a hard stare, eyes wide, thin strands of his hair falling over his face.

The corners of his lips twitched, his shoulders bouncing with heaving breaths as a smile slowly tugged on his lips. One, two, three solid barks of laughter before he choked, the chuckles quickly reducing to hiccups, and then sobs. The flask rattled in Anders' hand, tears soaked his cheeks.

"Anders?" Fenris was at a loss, " Fasta vass . I am sorry. I spoke impulsively."

"No, don't." Anders wiped the tears from his cheeks. He hugged himself, one hand covering a circular scar on his shoulder, "Sorry, that just reminded me of something. It was ... probably not the best idea for me to come on this trip."

If only you knew how true that was . Fenris thought.

Anders capped the flask and turned to Fenris, eyes still red and swollen. He cleared his throat, "Well, better save some of this for the trip back, shouldn't I?"

It wasn't the most graceful walk Fenris had seen the mage make, but Anders made his way back down the stairs with his head hung low. Eventually, Fenris followed, trying his best to leave the awkward air behind him.

Chapter Text

They arrived on Orlais shore where Hawke hired a carriage to take them inland. Fenris spent four hours wedged between a wall and Anders with a bitter, hoppy herb leaf pinched under his tongue.

The duke's estate would have been an impenetrable fortress on any other day. It rested nestled in a mountain range, with only one winding road for horses and carriages to travel on. They pulled up on a wall so thick that three horses could stand end-to-end inside. Atop either side of the gate perched massive golden lion statues that towered above the treetops. The gated archway passed was wide and tall enough to fit a giant. Tallis poked her head out of the caravan window to stare up at the sky as they passed under it.

"Duke's got some money to throw around." She said as she ducked back inside.

"Nobility are all the same." Fenris grumbled, "They spend money purely to show off how much money they can spend."

Hawke scoffed, "Well, that's just rude. "

"With some ... obvious exceptions." Fenris added, waving his hand in her direction.

The carriage came to a halt and the driver opened the door to a handful of servants who were on the carriage like ants on a picnic. Fenris was untying his bag from the roof when a woman approached him and reached for the bag, but a quick wave urged her to look for someone else to help.

When everyone's bags were squared away, they were led inside by a grey-haired and rather tired looking butler. The elf man was dressed to the nines in Orledian formal wear. He bore puffy silk sleeves sticking out beneath a boiled leather vest. He missed the mask that Orlesian nobility usually wore, but he had pointed boots and all the ruffles to match.

As they passed through the entryway and up a set of stairs, Hawke commented, "Nice armor. Must be dangerous work being a butler."

"The wyverns which you will be hunting are wild in the area. Their youngest offspring are bold, overconfident, and spit venom."

"Nice to know what we have to look forward to."

He stopped, turning on a heel to face the party. "We have two guest rooms available." He indicated the doors on either side of him, "I'm afraid the rest are already occupied. I shall leave the assignment of sleeping positions between the four of you."

Hawke was approaching the nearest door. "Not to worry, old chap . We'll take it from here." And with those words, she was already entering the room. Tallis followed behind, giving a wink to Anders and Fenris as she ducked in.

Fenris blinked incredulously.

What was that supposed to mean?

"I will have the help send your luggage to you ." The butler said as he glided past them and returned to his duties. The door to Hawke and Tallis' room locked with a loud click .

"Well," Anders shrugged and jacked his thumb at the other room, "Shall we settle in?"

Fenris opened the door into a room bathed in red. Red carpet, red paint, red drapes framing two massive windows that overlooked the courtyard. Red finish on the dressers, red blankets on the bed.

The one bed.

"Well," Anders said, coming up behind him, "That's a problem."

"I will take the floor."

"Don't be ridiculous. It's a big bed. We probably slept closer to each other on the boat." Anders stepped past him and sat on the edge. He looked the size of a child in comparison. The bed could have comfortably fit a horse.

Anders flopped back, letting his eyes drift shut and his arms stretch above him. "Oh, it's soft, too. Come on, feel it."

The mage patted the space next to him. Fenris dropped his bag off next to the bed and sat. He sank into it like it was made of sand. It was actually nicer than the mattress he used at the abandoned mansion back in Kirkwall. He felt a sudden urge to burrow under the covers and curl in the center of it.

"One moment." Fenris stood and made his way to the chamber pot.

He glanced over his shoulder to ensure Anders wasn't looking before he dug the herbs from his cheek, their texture long ago reduced to mush. They were promptly discarded in the chamber pot before he relieved himself and returned to laying beside Anders.

"Does something bother you about Tallis?" Anders asked out of the blue.

Fenris turned to him and cocked an eyebrow. He'd tried hard to treat her with respect, even though he didn't trust her. Had he been that obvious about his real feelings?

"It's just," Anders continued, "She shows up, and just happens to know about Hawke's connection to Duke Prosper, which was a passing exchange at a party in a city which she supposedly doesn't even live in, and Hawke doesn't question a thing because Tallis manages to push all her 'I like pretty girls' buttons. You don't find that suspicious? She paints herself a sophisticated criminal but she's very ... manipulative."

Fenris was taken aback. "For once, we have found something to agree on."

"Don't think this means I'll start agreeing with you on anything. It's just ... I don't think I can get through to Hawke on this one. I need someone to help me keep an eye on her. I don't trust her."

"Nor do I."

"Good." Anders sighed, a relieved smile on his face.

The ceiling was tiled. Polished red wood formed the borders of each tile, and at every corner were vines of little budding flowers. The tiles themselves were swirls of white and red, different images of fruit painted inside each one.

After a long pause, Fenris asked, "Are you doing better since last night?"

"Hm?" Anders hummed, "Oh yes. Apologies." His arms drew in to hug himself, hands on his shoulders, brushing the scar again, "Boat rides tend to be emotional for me."

"Because of the bonding mark?"

Anders looked to his own shoulder, pulled down the collar of his shirt enough to be able to see the little circular scar there. The perfect shape of a person's teeth.

"In a way, yes." Anders sighed, "Something you'd said reminded me of him."

Nobody had to tell Fenris what that was like. He understood completely. "Memories can be drudged up in unexpected ways. Do not worry about it."

A soft knock came from the door. Anders jumped to his feet and greeted the woman who had brought his luggage up.

Sitting up, Fenris took the chance to dig into one of the side pockets on his bag and withdraw the little green cologne bottle. He splashed some onto his hands and rubbed it on his neck while Anders lugged his own bags inside.

"She wanted to tell us that the hunt will begin first thing in the morning." Anders said as he sat down. Fenris was already ducked by the side of the bed, stashing the bottle once again.

"Then we should rest for the night." Fenris replied.

There was little else to say after that. Anders took the time to wash his face, brush his hair, and change into more comfortable clothes, while Fenris simply propped up his sword next to the bed and then curled up in his armor. He didn't bother with the blankets, not trusting himself to fight the urge to nest in his sleep. He had a dream that he was back in Danarius' garden in Tevinter. Grape vines wound up every stone wall, the strong smell of oranges was everywhere. He followed the stone wall for hours, turned four times, and never found the exit.

Chapter Text

The space beside the bed was already cold by the time Fenris opened his eyes. Anders was seated at the little round table off to the side of the room. It was draped in a red tablecloth. The silver platter atop it bore a half loaf of bread, butter, a pot of tea, and a silver bowl piled high with fruit. Anders was in his feathered coat, hair already tied back, picking at a pile of grapes beside him.

"The servants dropped this off, if you're hungry." He said.

Fenris reached for the pack beside the bed, silently grateful that he'd chosen the side farthest from the table. Grabbing the bottle of cologne was an innocent enough action, he decided, and he was not going to approach Anders with his early morning stink.

He was rubbing it onto his neck when Anders spoke up, "Massage oil? You know your neck probably wouldn't be so sore if you didn't sleep in your armor."

"I do not recall asking your advice, mage."

Fenris seated himself opposite Anders and plucked an apple from the fruit bowl. Eating it felt like swallow ing mud. He only made three bites before he absently set it on the plate and set to work fidgeting. The silence was broken when there was a knock at the door, and Hawke's voice muffled from the other side, "Alright, boys, put your clothes on. Everyone's already downstairs."

Anders rose right away and made for the door. He stopped halfway, asking, "Aren't you coming?"

"I will in a moment."

The mage left without any further prodding. Fenris used the chance to retrieve a pinch of herbs from his bag, then headed downstairs.

There was already a crowd gathering beneath the lions, an antsy mix of Orlesian and Ferelden nobility, distinguishable only by whether or not one elected to wear a mask.

Even armor couldn't bar Duke Prosper from looking as regal as possible. He was easiest to pick from the crowd, his helmet freshly polished with a wide, fluffy feather perched atop . He was every bit the noble huntsman, and Fenris found his assumption true when a man in a cream mask and a black cap spoke up.

"Andraste's tears, Prosper, when is this going to get started?" He asked.

The duke turned with a flourish, the golden buckles on his jacket glimmering in the pale morning sunlight. "Presently!" He announced, then turned to address the crowd, "All right, everyone. You all know the tradition, yes?"

He was ridiculously styled. Red silk sashes over his shoulder and along his waist, a golden pendant of an intricate crest, leather gloves that squeaked with every movement of his fingers. He waved his hands as he spoke, which might have been annoying if Fenris weren't busy staring at the way he'd styled his beard. It was meticulously pulled into two stiff spikes jutting out from his chin. It moved up and down when he spoke.

"The first to find and slay a wyvern wins the honors at the celebration! And bragging rights, of course. Good luck to you all!" The Duke made a dismissive wave. The crowd moved at a snail's pace. Most of the fancier-dressed people were commanding small bands of sell swords. A few others simply crouched down with one another to go over plans.

Hawke strode up to the Duke, looking every bit as though she owned the place, and came in direct contact with a muscular wall. He had a face made out of angles, with Chasind tribal tattoos along his eyes and forehead that only served to make his whole face cast even more shadows. His hair was woven into corn rows and pulled back into a pony tail. A two handed battleaxe was strapped to his back. The huge, broad-shouldered body guard crossed his arms, jaw tightening.

She forced a grin, "Lovely day for a hunt, don't you agree? Very outdoorsy."

The Duke came up behind the man, and this formerly immobile mountain turned his head to listen as the Duke said, "Ah, the Champion of Kirkwall!” And then, turning to the bodyguard, stressed with a point of his finger, “These are honored guests."

The body guard uncrossed his arms and gave one final glare at Hawke before walking away, taking a natural place behind Duke Prosper.

Hawke walked up to the duke, who chuckled, "Please excuse Cahir. A polite body guard is a contradiction in terms, or so I am told."

"A Chasind?" Hawke asked, eyebrows perked, "Here?"

"Ah, yes. You are Ferelden, aren't you? You would know of his people."

"I know of darkspawn, too, but I generally don't let them breathe on me."

"Oh, he breathes on all the guests." The Duke waved his hand dismissively, "Think of it as a rite of passage!"

The way the Duke's eyes wandered to Tallis made Fenris' skin crawl. There was a spark behind his eyes that spoke a mix of emotions. Danarius used to get the same look in his eyes. He was an alpha assessing a threat, determining whether it was better to fuck it or kill it.

"And who is this lovely specimen?" He asked.

Regardless of her size, Tallis squared her shoulders and spoke like a blushing noble, "You flatter me, Your Grace."

The same gaze passed over Anders and Fenris, and the elf squared his shoulders and jaw in defense.

"And I see you brought assistance," The Duke continued, "Already armed and armored. Wonderful!"

Finally, his gaze turned back to Hawke, and the domineering aura faded from his eyes. Whether it was through a sense of kinship or ease, Fenris couldn't tell.

"I must say, your presence is a surprise." Prosper said to her, "When we spoke at the banquet you seemed ... uninterested when I mentioned our hunt."

She responded without missing a beat, "It's a favorite pastime of mine to find things and kill them, actually."

Prosper threw back his head with a hearty laugh, "So I hear! At any rate, I won't keep you from the hunt! Wouldn't want you to fall behind the others, yes?"

"The sooner we get to the celebration, the happier I'll be."

There couldn't have been more truth to Hawke's words.

"Oh I quite agree!" Prosper exclaimed, "The festivities cannot come soon enough. Good luck to you , my lady. Remember: fortune favors the bold. "

Prosper turned on a heel and left them. There was a strip leading uphill where the foliage had been trampled into a suitable path for travel through the woods. Hawke was leading the party up that path when a Ferelden man stopped them with a motion of his hand. He wore chainmail-and-leather armor with a blue jerkin layered over it, silver vines and vines sewn into the fabric. Salt-and-pepper hair was pulled back, revealing a map of lines and crow's feet on his face, made even paler by his light blue eyes.

"You've come a long way to join our duke, serah." The man said, "You'll pardon me for saying that you do not seem like a hunter. A word of caution, since you are new to this: wyverns spit venom. Their victims suffer terrible pain before they die."

Hawke cocked an eyebrow at him, "Since people hunt these creatures successfully, I imagine there's a trick to learn."

"There are many tricks. It is best not to face the beast head-on. Flank them. Blind them, if you can."

Fenris stopped listening to the two Fereldens. Hawke seemed to have a knack for talking to her own countrymen. He was rolling the herbs around with his tongue, finding they'd already taken on the texture of sand. Hopefully they'd last him until the end of the hunt.

He knew Hawke was done when the man finally gave her a bow, which she returned. "May the Maker's luck grace your hunt. Be careful, serah." The man said.

Fenris was especially sensitive to the smells in the woods. Damp earth and moss, rotting foliage, he picked up the scent of rot as they passed a brush that no doubt held the remains of some predators dinner. The smell of blood didn't strike him as odd until they came upon a field soaked in it.

"Wow." Hawke whistled, "Would that be prey or from a wyvern itself?"

Tallis shrugged, "I've heard they fight for dominance. Can't be gentle."

"Maybe we can use some to draw out rivals."

Fenris sniffed, unable to shake the sense of deja vu that had overcome him the second he was in the clearing. He'd smelled this blood before, though he'd never encountered a wyvern. It reminded him of when Hawke had dragged them to the Bone Pit.

"I don't think that's wyvern blood." Fenris said, right before they heard a hellish lizard screech.

The largest dragonling was leading the flock, bellies low to the ground as they scurried down the worn pathway, eyes on the party. Fenris drew his sword and immediately lit his markings.

There was a buzz to combat that always overcame him. Time ceased to exist, his other senses turned off in favor of only the necessary ones. Sight was needed only to know the moment when he had to knock his blade into the dragonling's chest. Hearing alerted him to the soft stomps behind him so he could swivel around and strike at the one sneaking up on him. He wasn't sure at what point he wound up swallowing the herbs under his tongue, nor how much dragonling blood managed to splatter on him. He was not thinking of anything other than defense and attack when the juvenile wyvern shouldered its way into the fray.

Broad shoulders and thick muscles set this lizard apart from its distant cousins. Fenris and the dragonlings turned in unison, and Fenris charged for the wyvern before Hawke could shout, "Wait, Fenris!"

The wyvern flared, hissed, and sprayed a stream of bile onto its attackers. Fenris closed his eyes as it sprayed against his face and shoulder, already knowing where his sword was going to land. He thrust his sword into the wyvern's shoulder, muscle bulk and scaly coat sending the blade sliding off to the side with barely a scratch on it. A handful of dragonlings thrashed behind Fenris, while the rest swarmed the wyvern like ants to a corpse. Fenris didn't see where they went before he collapsed, his head swimming.

He felt the cooling sensation familiar with Anders casting a healing spell. It took care of the scratches and blisters from the battle, but did nothing for the knotting in his stomach nor the fatigue that seeped into his lungs. Just breathing suddenly took a lot of effort.

Anders knelt next to him. He knew him by scent - that stupid enticing scent he had to sleep next to the past two nights. Bony fingers pressed into his forehead. He felt the wash of another spell, a familiar scan Anders did to diagnose.

Hawke and Tallis came up behind them just as Anders concluded, "He's poisoned."

Anders had a sort of focused trance that overcame him when he started healing. With the diagnosis, he immediately removed the water skin from his belt and soaked a handkerchief in it.

"That hunter said something about a treatment." Hawke said.

"Andraste's mantle, drakevein, and winterberry." Tallis added, "I saw some drakevein and andraste's mantle growing along the west half of the hunting grounds. Winterberry shouldn't be too hard to find, either."

Anders was delicately rolling Fenris onto his back while he said, "I can brew it if you hurry, every second counts."

They didn't need any more coaching. In seconds, Fenris and Anders were alone in the clearing. "Fenris if you can hear me, I need to get as much of the venom off you as possible."

Fenris groaned an incoherent response.

Anders wiped at his eyes and mouth first, deep strokes of wet terrycloth that made Fenris scrunch his face. He cleaned his cheeks, chin, and as Anders started to clean his neck a primal instinct made Fenris reach up and swipe feebly at Anders' hand. The venom had drained so much of his strength that he couldn't fight it when Anders shrugged off his hand and chided, "Quit it, I'm almost done."

The mage leaned in closer, and Fenris flinched as the cloth passed over the tattoos on his neck. Anders cleaned there, and along the base at either side of Fenris' neck. In a single horrifying second, Anders steady breathing turned into inhaling from his nose, then a sniff, and a confused furrow of his brow. Another deep inhale.

Shit .

"Fenris ... are you in heat?" The mage breathed.

Anders looked up, eyes wide, and blurted, "You're an omega ?"

Adrenaline and panic gave Fenris the strength to raise his arm and push Anders away, though the mage didn't budge an inch from where he was kneeling over Fenris. "Don't." Fenris whispered.

Emotion behind Anders' eyes snapped into place, and he blinked until he was focused again. "Knickerweasels." He muttered, setting a hand over Fenris' forehead, "You're burning up."

Anders removed his coat, and covered Fenris in it. Uncorking a potion, he held Fenris' head up with one hand while he poured the potion into his mouth. It went down bitter and did nothing for his nausea, but he felt some of the chills in his body lift when it took effect.

Anders remained blessedly silent until footsteps hailed Hawke and Tallis' return. Anders immediately stood, meeting them halfway across the clearing. "Don't come close." He said, "I ... can't be certain I cleaned up all the venom. Can't risk you two getting sick as well."

Hawke cocked an eyebrow at him while she handed over a bundle of herbs. "Is he going to be alright?"

"Should be, but I'm going to take him back to the room after this. The fever's taking a lot out of him. Will you two be alright on your own?"

Tallis scoffed, setting her hands on either hip, "It's just a wyvern and a bunch of dragonlings, what's the worst that could happen?"

"I think we'll be fine." Hawke added, "That hunter mentioned it wasn't uncommon for the hunt to last a few days. We might not even get to a wyvern by night fall."

They said their goodbyes, and he returned to Fenris. He tore apart the herbs and stuffed them into the empty potion bottle, then added the last of his water. A quick fire spell had the water inside steaming, and in a few seconds a potion began to brew. Propping Fenris' head up with one hand, he poured the potion into his mouth.

The relief was immediate. The potion hit his stomach and spread out like ripples. Warmth spread, to his fingertips, and with it the ache was gone, and he opened his eyes to see Anders bent over him. Blonde hair falling about his face, wrinkled on his furrowed forehead.

"Mage ..."

"It's okay. I sent them away."

Anders was already working a hand under his arm, hoisting Fenris up. The more Fenris breathed, the more his grip on the situation returned to him. He was sapped, but his eyes were focused and he could move without pain.

He got to his feet with Anders' help. "Grab your sword, we'll head back to the room."

Chapter Text

The walk was spent in silence. Fenris allowed Anders to lead them through the foliage and along the outer perimeter of the manor until they rounded the wall and finally stepped inside.

Miraculously, they made it to their room without running into any servants. Fenris made his way to the bed without a word . Anders locked the door behind him.

Anders took a deep breath, and turned to Fenris.

"Why would you hide something like this?" He asked.

Fenris flinched. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, hunched over, eyes glued to the carpet. It was an intricate pattern of rose buds and knotted vines.

"I have been doing it since before the ritual."

He looked down at his hands, where the lyrium lines crept up to his fingertips. Anders stepped closer while he talked.

"Danarius would leave me on the slab to recover, and sent one of his slaves to clean up the blood and tend my wounds." He continued, "When he was sure one portion would not become infected, he would begin work on the next stage. The girl who tended my wounds, Dithari, caught my s c ent on the first night and panicked. She said Danarius would kill me if he found out I'd lied."

Anders stopped just as Fenris reached for the side pocket of his pack. He produced the cologne bottle, and held it out for Anders to take.

"She made me this, and taught me how to make it. Elfroot, lavender oil, and musk. When I'm in heat, I double the lavender oil."

Anders uncorked the bottle and gave it a sniff. He blinked in surprise, then smelled it again. "It smells exactly like you."

"No, it smells like alpha me. What you smelled in the woods was my real scent."

"Not even Danarius knew?"

Fenris shook his head.

Anders handed the bottle back to Fenris. "And you've been dealing with that this whole trip? No release or anything?" He asked, one pale eyebrow risen.

"I have herbs I take to suppress the urges. I bought this." Digging through his pack again, Fenris produced the sex toy, "Though I haven't had much luck in using it."

Anders' eyes lit up as soon as he saw the butt plug, "Oh! One of those. Actually, it's meant to have someone else insert it."

Fenris gave him an incredulous look, "Well, then what is the point?"

Anders covered his mouth, stifling a laugh, "It's not supposed to be a replacement for mating, it's for enhancing the experience with a partner."

The toy bounced on the bed as Fenris tossed it aside. "Bah! Waste of money." He scoffed, flopping back on the bed with his arms crossed.

He felt the mattress sink as Anders sat down next to him. Anders picked up the toy, turning it over in his hands. "You're meant to have more than this to satisfy heat anyway. You don't nest?"

"When I am alone."

"I suppose bunking with me makes it hard. I don't mind, if you want to. And I could help with the ... physical needs."

Those words had Fenris shooting into an upright position, a glare on his face. "If you think for one minute-"

"I don't mean sex!" Anders rose his hands in surrender, "I don't want you getting pregnant on my watch. I mean I can instruct you on how to use the toy, maybe a few other tips. I've helped others before."

Standing, Anders removed his coat and draped it over one of the chairs. His shirt came off next, leaving him topless and presenting Fenris with those muscle-laden shoulders and tight, hairy chest.

"Skin-to-skin contact helps," Anders explained, forcing Fenris to go back to looking at the other man's face, "If you can stand to be out of your armor for a few minutes."

Fenris kept staring at him, and Anders' hand crept up to the circular scar on his shoulder, covering it. "Karl and I used to deal with his heat like this. Neither of us could risk bringing children into the circle. Just ... trust me, I know what I'm doing, okay?"

Fenris watched Anders open the chest at the foot of the bed and remove mountains of blankets and sheets which spilled onto the bed at his feet. Anders dug through the pile and selected a red sheet made of slippery silk.

A familiar hum came from Anders hands beneath the blanket. A spell . For a brief second, his markings lit up, and a warning growl formed at the back of his throat. Anders threw up the sheet, and a little mage light floated up to the ceiling, carrying the blanket with it.

Sunlight from the windows shone through the fabric. The sheet fell all around the bed like a canopy. They were draped in sea of red, and encased in a silk cocoon. Anders removed his pants, and crawled onto the bed on all fours.

"How do you feel?" Anders asked.

Fenris considered the question. Before him lay a mage, naked and armed with the deepest secret he'd ever kept. The door was locked, preventing any rescue, slowing any chance of escape.

"Scared." He concluded, his eyes downcast.

"I want you to feel safe."

"That's a laugh." Fenris scoffed.

When his eyes rose again, Anders was dangerously close to crawling on top of him. The mage sat back on his haunches, knees brushing Fenris' feet. "Can you remove your armor?" He asked.

Fenris took a deep breath, inhaling his own pheromones and Anders' intoxicating scent. For a brief second, he felt the urge to pounce on the alpha, but it wasn't the first time he swallowed back that impulse.

His gauntlets came first, one by one tossed onto the floor. Then, the chest plate, shirt, and pants, thrown atop it all. Fenris sat exposed before the mage, and Anders crawled over, and embraced him.

They leaned back as one, until both were laying on the bed, Fenris in Anders' arms. Fenris took short, shallow breaths in order to avoid dwelling on Anders' scent for too long.

He didn't know what to do with his hands. One made an awkward wedge between them, the other wound up on Anders' chest. He felt Anders breathing, and worried his hand away. His fingers curled into the thick map of hair on Anders' chest. It was surprisingly soft.

When he realized he'd started stroking the hair, he moved his hand again. A hand on Anders' arm felt awkward, like he was stretching to pull him in. He moved up to Anders' shoulder, and when his hand brushed the scar there, Anders grabbed Fenris' hand with his own.

Hand-in-hand, Anders turned so he was facing Fenris. He worked his other arm underneath Fenris’ own and held him. "There. How's that?"

If Fenris was being honest, it was incredibly relaxing. The warmth was doing wonders to release the tension he usually held in his back and shoulders. Only now, he was even closer to the scar he'd accidentally touched.

"It's a bonding mark." Anders said.

Fenris blinked and broke his eyes away, cheeks flushing.

"Of course it was strictly forbidden in the circle. Karl and I did it right under the Templars noses. It was empowering. Our own little secret. I would help him like this every heat season."

Anders released Fenris' hand, and set it on his hip. With a jolt, he shifted Fenris up so the two of them could meet one anothers ey e s. "Speaking of which," Anders continued, "When do you want me to show you how to use that toy?"

Flushing, Fenris swallowed. May as well get this over with.

His hands brushed Anders' as he handed over the toy. "I'll need you on your knees." Anders said, and with that Fenris turned so he was presenting himself to the mage, chest on the mattress and fingers fidgeting with the silk sheets.

Anders continued, "I'm going to use a spell, it's just for lubrication, I swear."

"Fine."

He felt the familiar tingle of magic behind him, and then Anders' slicked fingers pressing against his entrance. Fenris took deep, steady breaths, willing himself not to move while the mage rubbed in tiny circles. His fingers kneaded the sheets while he strained his face and body not to have any reaction.

His well-laid efforts quickly went out the window. He gasped when he felt the first finger enter. The tip of his hardened cock brushed the blanket beneath him. He hitched himself further up onto his knees, leaning back into the sensation of a second finger entering him. Fasta vass he wanted a cock in there so badly. Just imagining Anders slipping into him had him aching to be touched.

His back arched when the fingers were removed, lower half instinctively seeking more touch. He was about to turn his head when he felt the cold, smooth metal pressing against his entrance.

“Okay,” Anders said, “Once you’re prepped you’re going to want to slowly ease it in. Like this.”

He pressed the tip in, not even breaking the barrier of skin before he pulled back again. Again, Anders pressed, going in just past the entrance this time. Back and forth, back and forth, Anders repeated the motion, going in just a little bit further each time.

Nothing he could do mentally would have prepared him for the rush of pleasure as the toy slipped right into him, a brief sting before the bulb was past his entrance and slid perfectly into place. He moaned - far louder than he would have liked. His hand shot over his mouth.

He felt Anders' warmth leave his backside, leaving nothing but the sensation of the toy that was being rapidly warmed by his own body heat. The stem stretched him - not enough to hurt but enough to be noticeable - and the bulb pressed forcibly against his prostrate His erect cock pressed against the blanket pile beneath him. His dignity was the only thing stopping him from thrusting into them.

"How does it feel?" Anders asked.

Fenris wanted to weep. His eyes lowered, hand still clamped over his mouth to keep from making any more filthy sounds. It felt amazing . It made him wish he'd bought one of these toys years sooner.

Anders set a pair of hands on his hips, and hitched his ass upwards. Fenris felt Anders' hard cock brush the inside of his legs, and a warm stomach against his back. He had no time to think about the venerable position or the fear that Danarius had instilled with years of abuse.

Warmth fell over his entire body when Anders leaned forward, chest pressed against his back. The pressure shifted the toy inside him, and Fenris threw his head back, eyes rolling into the back of his head.

Anders nipped at the tip of his ear, making Fenris gasp. Anders ran a tongue up to the tip of his ear, and Fenris felt his breath as he whispered, “Here’s why it’s better with a partner.”

When Anders gave a thrust, it pushed the toy just a little further in.

The kid gloves were off. Anders humped him at a steady pace, his cock continually brushing the back of Fenris' balls while the motion pushed the toy back and forth. Fenris was on his elbows, gripping the blankets, his breaths coming in time with the thrusts.

He didn't even notice when he began groaning, each thrust a breathy burst of pleasure. "Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, A-Anders!" He moaned, hips rocking back and forth with the thrusts.

Anders’ arms were flush against his own. His whole body was hot and melting into the other man's skin. Anders wrapped an arm around his chest and kissed his back.

"Do you want me to touch you?" Anders asked.

"Fasta vaas. " Fenris groaned, "Yes. Please, I want ... ah!"

Anders wrapped a hand around Fenris' cock, pumping in time with the thrusts. Fenris threw back his head and groaned while his cock spilled onto the blankets. A splash of white against red.

His knees went out from under him, and he collapsed on his stomach . Fenris was boneless, vaguely aware that a tear was running down one cheek. With time, his panting evened out into normal breaths.

Anders chuckled, "I'm going to take it out, okay?"

Fenris managed a tiny nod.

The plug pulled out far quicker than it had gone in, and he gasped with the sensation.

"I'm going to wash this off." And with that, Ander s’ weight rose from the bed . Fenris was aware of the rustling of fabric as Anders left their little nest.

Fenris turned himself onto his back, arms limp above his head. Shutting his eyes, felt every muscle in his body sink into the bed. He wanted to doze off and never wake up. He had never felt so little tension in his body.

He was fighting to stay awake by the time Anders absence began to bother him. Too many minutes had passed, and Fenris was antsy. Rising, he pushed the blankets to the edges of the bed. The softest sheets he spread out beneath him, while the rest formed the walls of a little divet where he could lay.

Anders returned with the cleaned toy in one hand, pushing up the sheet wall from beneath. He grinned at the sight. "I'm glad to see you nesting. It's good for you."

"I am not 'nesting'." Fenris growled as he smoothed out wrinkles in the blanket beneath him.

Smirking, Anders said nothing, and put the toy down beside the bed.

Fenris sat back on his haunches and studied the mage, a mage , tucking the toy, his biggest secret, into the bag beside the bed. As Anders rose, Fenris studied him. The bonding mark on his shoulder all the way down to the limp member that Fenris couldn't take his eyes off.

"I took care of myself." Anders said, cheeks flushing a light shade of pink.

Words which left Fenris absolutely speechless.

Before him stood a mage, naked and armed with the biggest secret he had ever kept, and the mage did nothing to weaponize it. Fenris was an ice berg - frozen and silent, until Anders crawled onto the bed and pushed him back onto the pillow.

Anders wrapped his arms around Fenris, planting a light kiss on his hair. "Get some rest." Anders said before his eyes fluttered shut.

Fenris blinked, looked down, and sighed. There was nothing left to say. He let his cheek rest against Anders' shoulder.

Before him lay a mage, and for once, he felt safe.

Chapter Text

Fenris thrust his sword into the wyvern's throat, watching with renewed vigor as the creature attempted a growl and managed only a gurgle. Hawk slammed her staff onto the ground, and icicles sprung forth from the wyvern's chest. He felt the pull of Anders’ healing spell just before the cut on his arm mended itself. The wyvern spent a brief but glorious second frozen in place before it collapsed in a crumpled heap.

Hawke sheathed her staff in time to be interrupted by a thick Orlesian accent.

"Well, if it isn't the Ferelden turnip!" The man spat as he entered the clearing, flanked by armored guards on either side. Fenris recognized him from the gathering outside the gates yesterday. He sported a polished red chest piece inlaid with silver leaves and vines along the side. Sparkling chain mail on his arms looked like it was barely a day old and had never seen battle.

"They say you are a champion of some backwater city in the east." He continued, "Quite an achievement, I'm sure."

His tone of voice implied that it was no such achievement, and that he was quite cross over the news. Hawke approached him, Tallis at her side.

"I suggest you run along with your servants while you have the chance." The m a n continued as Fenris and Anders came up behind Hawke, "This wyvern was mine to kill, not yours. Mine, mine, mine!" He went so far as to stomp his feet in protest, eliciting a cocked eyebrow from the impatient Hawke.

"I paid good coin to be the one who wins this contest! It was my turn!" Flecks of spit showered Hawke, his face an inch from hers. Fenris found it a miracle that she hadn't changed her facial expression at all. Were he in her shoes, the Orlesian man would already have his heart laying on the ground.

She stepped back and gave him a mock bow with her hands out "Oh, I'm sorry," She said, "I didn't realize that the Duke w as offering charity to his more useless guests. My mistake."

He was shaking, his face cherry-red while he shouted, "I will not accept such talk from a backwater mongrel!"

Tallis spoke up, "You do realize Hawke can beat you like a rented mule with both hands tied behind h er back?"

"More insolence! From a knife-ear this time! I can take no more of this. Kill them all! We can say the wyvern was too much for them!"

It was at that moment that the rest of his entourage poured into the clearing. The two polished guards were a decoy for the real forces of six sell swords who were now flanking the party.

On Fenris' side, Anders already had his staff out and cast a barrier spell on the party. Fenris rose his sword and rolled his shoulders.

He couldn't remember ever feeling so alive. Battle had a way of slowing down time. He parried a war hammer just as it swung at him, then side stepped and slashed his sword at the attacker's side. Though the battle lasted mere minutes, every movement was slowed. Fenris was acutely aware of every enemy surrounding him. He could smell their sweat, their fear, their blood. Fenris thrust his hand into the nearest mans chest and pulled out his still-beating heart.

He smiled - a ctually smiled - when a stray arrow hit him and was healed as soon as he yanked it out. His eyes met Anders' across the clearing, but didn't dwell long as he parried another sword that came at his side.

Parry, stab, thrust. Parry, stab, thrust. The Orlesian noble had a sword in his hand but hadn't sullied it with blood yet, just pointed with it and shouted orders.

A dagger flew from Tallis' hand into the throat of the guard behind the nobleman . Hawke strode towards him, a glare in her eyes, staff in one hand and a ball of fire in the other. He stumbled a few steps back, dropped his sword, and tripped over a mound of dirt behind him.

"Now what is going on here?" Duke Prosper asked as entered the clearing to the sight of Hawke standing over their attacker. That ever-silent bodyguard was at Prosper's back, as expressive as stone.

"Prosper!" The Orlesian man wheezed as he scrambled to his feet, "This bloody bastard tried to steal my rightful kill!"

The Duke shook his head, "Now, is that any way to speak of the Champion of Kirkwall, Baron?"

The 'Baron' looked as though the Duke had just offered him a dead puppy with a bow on it . "This is your fault for inviting a stinking turnip in the first place! Your mother would be ashamed!" He flailed his arms as he spat out the words, back to shaking in anger.

The Duke's calm laugh could have made a bear cower. "Says the man whose mother has slept with half of Val Chevin." He chuckled, then turned to Hawke, "My apologies. Arlange has always been a cheat. What would you have done with him?"

Tallis squinted, "You're not suggesting ..."

"Why not?" The Duke countered with ease, "You believe Arlange would have stopped short of murder, given the chance?"

Hawke already had her staff put away and was wiping away a la y er of sweat from her forehead. "I’ve no interest in more bloodshed." She said, meeting the Duke's expectant gaze.

"You hear that, Arlange? It behooves you to leave while you still can." The Duke's head was tilted slightly up, just enough that he had to look down his nose at the baron.

"I ..." Arlange trailed off, glanced over at Hawke, then returned to looking at Duke Prosper, "Fine. I will go."

They didn't have time to watch the defeated man walk away. The Duke immediately between Hawke and Arlange. "Congratulations on finding the wyvern. It looks like a fine one, indeed!" He said with a smile, "There will be a celebration in the chateau courtyard tomorrow afternoon. Do attend."

With that, the duke turned on a heel and left, toting his bodyguard along with him. Every set of eyes were on him, waiting until he was well out of hearing range.

"Right," Tallis said, releasing a breath, "Done with the wyverns ... and various nonsense. Back to the chateau?"

"I wouldn't mind kicking my feet up until tomorrow." Hawke said, meeting Tallis' eyes.

Tallis winked and rested a hand on Hawke's shoulder, "Oh, I know more than a few ways to get your feet up, Hawke. Care to-"

"Andraste's knickers, get a room!" Anders groaned. Fenris already had his forehead on his palm and was shaking his head at the conversation.

"Ignore him," Hawke said, turning Tallis' chin so they were facing one another, "He's just jealous that I have one pretty woman here and two at home and he's stuck bunking with Mr. Grump."

"Aw," Tallis cooed, standing up on her toes to rub noses with Hawke, "Did you just call me pretty?"

"Alright, you two have fun fooling around in the woods while covered in wyvern blood. I, for one, am in need of a bath." Anders threw his hands up and walked through the group, headed for the manor. Fenris followed without thinking, doing his best to tune out the kissing and moaning behind him.

Fenris stretched his arms as he walked. He took the trip back to the manor with incredible ease, following Anders' unrestricted alpha scent the entire time. It was agonizing to wait until they were inside their room and the door was closed. Fenris wasted no time in pushing Anders up against the wall and nipping at his neck.

There wasn't any need for words. Scent and instinct drove Fenris to kiss and lick at Anders' neck, and Anders leaned his head back and let his eyelids flutter shut. After a few seconds, Anders huffed a laugh.

"Horny?" Anders asked.

Fenris growled, "I've never felt so invigorated. That battle was ..." He sighed, the words leaving with his breath. His stomach was pressed against Anders'. He could feel the other man's breathing.

"Yes, fascinating how much good it does your body when you listen to it." Anders quipped and was immediately silenced by Fenris' lips pressing into his own. Anders moaned, Fenris' tongue snaked out to lick his lips. Asking for entrance, which Anders granted, allowing Fenris' tongue to slip inside.

Anders let his hands rest on Fenris' hips, and neither pulled away for several seconds . Both of them were breathing heavily, noses brushing as they caught their breaths together.

"I want to go again." Fenris whispered.

"I was serious about washing up, you know."

Fenris sighed, rolling his eyes, and eliciting a giggle from Anders. "Don't pout."

"I am not pouting." Fenris grumbled.

Anders shook his head and took Fenris' hand in his own. "Come, you should wash up too. The scent of wyvern blood is not exactly erotic."

Anders took Fenris' hand and led him to the wash basin, where the large water pitcher had been refilled at some point when they'd been out. Fenris also noted that the bed had been made, and the extra blankets neatly folded and placed at the foot of the bed. The sight made him shuffle his feet. After he'd worked so hard on making it comfortable ...

When his eyes returned to Anders, the mage was stripping. Each article of clothing was tossed into a pile until he was naked, and he filled the basin with water and dunked the rag in.

"This is going to be hard to do with your clothes on."

Fenris perked. "Oh. Right."

Fenris ditched his gauntlets first. Chest plate, grieves, leathers, feeling Anders' eyes on him and doing everything he could to keep his own eyes on the ground. When he was bare before the mage, Anders stepped up behind him and wrapped his arms around Fenris' middle.

He brought the cloth up to Fenris' chest first. Fenris’ heart pounded as Anders wiped the cloth along his pecs and down his stomach. When he moved up to Fenris' neck, Fenris bent his head back to allow for easier access. Anders kissed his neck where he'd just wiped it down, then dunked the cloth in the water, and moved onto his hands. A single steady stroke down each finger, scrubbing the pads of all the grime. He squeezed his eyes shut when Anders cleaned his face.

Nobody had ever paid so much attention to his body without the intention to dissect it in one way or another. Anders wrung out the cloth again, and Fenris flushed as the mage bent down. A nagging nerve in the back of his head urged him to kick the mage and make a break for it, but the instinct quickly died when Anders paid no attention to his privates and instead wiped down his legs. Fenris leaned against the wall so Anders could get to the bottom of his feet.

Anders was smiling by the time he rinsing out the cloth again. "Much better," He said, "Just give me a bit, I won't take as long on myself."

Fenris remained leaning on the wall, watching Anders with half-lidded eyes. The adrenaline from the fight was rapidly leaving his body, and with so much running through his mind he wasn't sure if he could make it to the bed.

I asked for this. He thought, watching the mage wipe himself down.

"Something on your mind?" Anders asked, pausing with the cloth on his arm.

Fenris immediately tore his eyes away, fixing them on the floor at his feet. Lyrium lines stretching down his toes and reaching for the bouquet of roses woven into the carpet.

"Danarius used to host parties where he'd line up his most attractive slaves and allow his guests to be serviced by them. Each one had to be scrubbed head to toe in order to be presentable. He wanted me to himself, so he never ordered me to participate. In a sick way, I was grateful, watching by his side the whole time and thinking how quickly my scent would be caught if I were in their position."

Anders had stopped completely, allowing the rag to dangle in his hand. "We don't have to do this if you're not comfortable."

"No. No, it's not that." Fenris shook his head, "It just ... feels strange. I don't know how to feel about being bathed before sex."

Setting the rag on the edge of the washbasin, Anders stepped forward and set a hand on Fenris' hip. "Listen," He said, crooking a finger under Fenris' chin to force his gaze up, "It's easier said than done, but don't let your history with Danarius control your present. That's the same as letting him control you again. You want to do this, right?"

"Yes."

"And did you enjoy it when I washed you?"

Fenris thought about it. He wanted to look away again, but Anders' hand still on his chin stopped him before he could even try. "Y ... yes." He concluded.

"Then ... relax. Breathe. This isn't Tevinter. I'm not Danarius."

Anders closed the gap between them, and Fenris sighed into the kiss.

"And for whatever it's worth," Anders breathed, "I love your scent."

I asked for this .

He let himself be led to the bed, Anders lay down first and pulled Fenris over him. Fenris found himself straddling Anders' hips, their mouths dancing together. Heavy breathing, tongues tangled, interrupted when Anders broke away and pulled one of the blankets up over their heads.

Anders flopped onto his back, grinning at his accomplishment of having pulled them into a cocoon. Fenris shook his head, smirking. The word 'why' danced on the tip of his tongue, but he knew the answer before the word formed.

Besides, he liked nesting with Anders, he decided. It felt nice.

He dove forward, taking Anders mouth again and thrusting his hips forward so their cocks brushed. Anders moaned into Fenris' mouth, his own hips bucking to seek friction.

"Oh ... Fenris!" Anders gasped, then tapped the other man with his knee, "Get the toy."

Grinning, Fenris burrowed under the blanket and poked his arm out of the side, where his bag still rested on the floor by the bed. After shuffling blindly for a second, he threw the blanket off of him so he could see what he was doing. There was a shuffling of fabric behind him while he pulled the plug out, and Anders threw one of the fluffy comforters over his shoulders and wrapped his arms over it, holding Fenris tight while he kissed his neck.

Fenris leaned into Anders' arms, eyes rolling into the back of his head. Anders trailed kisses down to his shoulder and then back up to his ear, then nipped at the lobe before promptly ducking back under the covers and throwing the blanket over Fenris' head in the process.

"Get back here!" Fenris said as he dove after Anders. Down feathers and cotton rustled around them as Fenris crawled in to the blanket pile. He snagged Anders arm with one hand. Anders immediately pulled him over, flipping Fenris so he was underneath the mage. They met one anothers eyes. The toy was still clenched in Fenris' hand. After setting it down on the mattress, Fenris leaned up and nipped at Anders' neck.

A hand came up under Fenris' leg, groping his thigh and then giving his leg a tug to urge him to spread himself more. Fenris wrapped his arms around Anders' neck for balance. "Maker, I love your legs. I always have." Anders breathed.

Anders went from groping his thigh to groping his ass. By leaning forward, Anders brought them both down until Fenris had his back on the mattress. Anders' hands paused behind Fenris’ balls.

He heard the hum of a familiar conjuration spell. A pair of slicked fingers rubbed small circles at his entrance. Fenris allowed his eyelids to fall, toes curling when Anders pushed the tip of his finger inside. Fenris bit his lip to keep from moaning. " Fasta vaas." He breathed.

Anders chuckled, "Is it good?" With every rotation, he sank his finger just a little bit deeper.

"I ... want ..."

Anders added a second finger, and Fenris threw his head back with a gasp. "What do you want?" Anders asked.

"I want ... to ..."

"Hm?" Anders had a third in, corkscrewing his fingers in and out. Fenris forced his eyes open, seeing the wide grin on Anders' face. The mage was enjoying this, and Fenris was too. He pushed his own hips towards the sensation of being fucked on Anders' fingers, rocking back and forth with the movement.

"I want ... to pleasure you as well."

The grin disappeared so fast that Fenris thought he might have said something wrong. The mage stopped moving his fingers, a dumbstruck look on his face. After a moment, he stammered, "You don't … You don’t have to."

Fenris moved his hand behind Anders' head, looking into his eyes. "I want to."

The smile returned to Anders face, and he leaned in for a chaste kiss. "Let me take care of both of us then." He said.

Fenris felt the smooth metal near his entrance. Anders' stubble tickled his lips. He gasped, throwing his head back when the toy slipped inside. His arms fell to either side of his head as Anders rose to his knees to admire him. Fenris' mouth was open in a silent scream. He couldn't move an inch without moving the toy and bringing pleasure to himself, but every jolt of pleasure made him want to squirm all the more.

"You're beautiful, Fenris." Anders whispered.

Without warning, Anders brought his cock together with Fenris' and wrapped his hand around both. Steady pumps broke Fenris' silence. He moaned, bucking into Anders' hand and reveling in the friction caused by their cocks rubbing together.

Each pump of Anders’ hand released a breathy moan from Fenris. The mage fell forward on one elbow, a curtain of blonde hair falling to the side of Fenris' head.

"Look at me, Fenris?" Anders asked.

Fenris tried to say something, but it came out as a groan.

"Please? I want to see your eyes." Anders said.

Shakily, Fenris forced his eyes open into tiny slits. Green eyes met whiskey brown, and Fenris came with a gasp. Two more pumps had Anders spilling over Fenris' stomach as well, that wide grin once again spread across his cheeks.

Fenris collapsed, boneless, spent. Anders wiped the beads of sweat away before kissing his forehead. He forced his eyes open to see Anders. W arm, brown, and lit up by a smile. Anders set a hand on Fenris’ cheek and brushed away his bangs. They stayed like that until Fenris shifted and realized the mess between them was starting to grow cold and sticky. Anders rose, pulling the blanket away from them.

After removing the toy, Anders cleaned them both with the washbasin rag and then promptly returned to the bed. The blankets had long ago been kicked around and unfolded, leaving them to lay in a fluffy mound that sank when Anders laid down. Fenris wiggled until he was up under Anders’ chin, face buried in his neck, close to the scent glands. A deep inhale released tension in every joint in his body.

Anders wrapped his arms around Fenris, idly stroking his hair. They fell asleep like that, no need for words between them.

Chapter Text

Fenris awoke to the sound of Anders' heavy snoring. He was still snuggled up under Anders' chin, one arm lazily draped across his shoulders. The sky was pale blue outside, only a soft light peeking through the windows. It was still too cold to leave the comfort of Anders' body heat, Fenris told himself.

Fenris took another deep breath of Anders' scent and idly traced patterns on his chest. There were a few scars there but not nearly as many as Anders sported on his back. Nicks from darkspawn blades or arrows, wounds too deep to heal completely. The most prominent was the bonding mark on his shoulder, dark brown and unhidden by hair. Touching it, Fenris discovered it wasn't nearly as deep as it's appearance made it look. Just a slight dip in the skin, but otherwise smooth.

"We met on the boat to the circle tower." Anders said.

Fenris' hand retreated and curled against his own chest, fearing he'd done something wrong. Anders was staring at the ceiling.

"I couldn't stop crying. Couldn't say a word through the crying. Just ... wailed nonstop hoping it would convince someone to take pity on me. After a few hours, Karl ... he slapped me on the face and called me a twit." Anders huffed a laugh and rubbed his glazed-over eyes with the heel of his hand, "Snapped me out of it, I'll give him that. He had a way with words."

Fenris looked away from Anders.

"That's why," Anders said, voice cracking, "That night on the boat ..."

Fenris set a hand on Anders' cheek and turned his head for a kiss. Anders' eyes fluttered shut. He sighed into the kiss. By the time Fenris pulled away, Anders was smiling again.

"Mmm ... I like that." He hummed, "We should wake up like this more often."

"To you pouring your heart out like a smuggler in a confessional?"

Anders barked a laugh, "If it involves more kissing, I wouldn't object." He leaned forward and stole another kiss before adding, "Besides, it feels nice to talk about."

Fenris rested his chin on Anders' chest and allowed the mage to hold him. "Does it not pain you to sleep with other people after having lost your mate?"

He shrugged, "Karl is gone. I need to move forward. Haven't you ever courted anyone?"

"There was Hawke, but ..."

"Yes, well," He chuckled, "Who isn't interested in Hawke?"

Fenris cocked an eyebrow, "You?"

"I proposed it, but she seems only interested in women. Have you really had nobody else ?"

He shrugged, "Dithari, perhaps."

"The girl who tended your wounds? What happened with her?"

"Slaves shuffle in and out of the master's care all the time." Fenris sighed, "It is not our place to wonder why or where they went. Besides, it would not have worked out. She might have known my secret, but after I matured Danarius wanted me only at his side."

"Well ..." Anders' hand idly moved to Fenris' hair, stroking it, "Let me put it this way. You let go of Dithari, and I let go of Karl. There's no point in living in the past. We move forward."

"We move forward."

They laid in silence for a few minutes, Anders stroking Fenris' hair until Fenris began to lightly purr. Anders huffed air through his nose, and though Fenris' eyes were closed he could feel the smile boring into the back of his head.

He didn't mind, he decided. Anders wasn't hurting anyone by smiling.

The purrs ceased immediately when there was a loud rap at the door, and Fenris' eyes snapped open at the sound of Tallis calling, "Wake up, boys! We have a party to attend! Hawke's already there!"

With a sigh, Fenris pried himself away from Anders and left the warmth of their nest to retrieve his clothes from the floor. "Be there in a minute!" Anders called.

They dressed in silence. Fenris generously slathered the cologne onto his neck while Anders ran his fingers through his hair and tied it back. He left while Fenris was still strapping his gauntlets to his wrists.

Fenris stepped out to see Tallis in the hallway, leaning with her foot up against the wall. Anders was a few steps ahead, paused and waiting for him.

"Ready?" Tallis asked, kicking off the wall.

Fenris silently turned and walked towards Anders, who was already moving forward.

"Fenris?" Tallis called, causing him to pause.

Their eyes met, and hers immediately moved to the floor. He cocked an eyebrow. Was she nervous ?

"You ... smell nice." She said after a moment.

He drew his lips into a thin line. What was that supposed to mean? Had she caught his scent? No, he'd been sure to lay the cologne on thick after sleeping with Anders. If she knew, why didn't she just come out and say it? What did she gain holding this over him?

Either she was a very good actress, or the glare Fenris fixated on her broke through her resolve. She shuffled her feet, hands wringing together. "Well ... Better not keep Hawke waiting." She stammered.

"Yes ..." Fenris growled as he watched her pass. Suddenly, it felt like a very bad idea to let her leave his line of sight.

Which wasn't easy at the party.

The whole of the courtyard was decorated with chairs and tables, along with an array of food . Servants shuffled in and out, replacing dishes as they were consumed or went cold and offering bottles of wine and trays full of glasses to everyone they passed. It took perhaps five seconds for Fenris to lose track of Tallis in the crowd, and another two seconds for him to decide that he didn't want to brave the crowd to search for her again.

He positioned himself against a wall near a potted shrub, where only the most dedicated servants would disturb him. Once, an elven woman approached him and held out a tray of tall, thin glasses. He took one for the sake of getting her to leave.

He was tipping back the glass of wine when Anders appeared at his side, a tray of food in one hand. "Have you tried these skewered fish? They're amazing." Anders asked.

Fenris curled a lip in disgust, "I hate fish."

"Well try the venison then. You have to be hungry. I know you didn't eat breakfast."

Fenris hummed but didn't respond, taking another sip of the wine.

"Here, try this." Anders jabbed a piece of red potato off his dish and held it in front of Fenris' lips. Immediately, Fenris tightened his lip. He could smell the char roast on the blasted potato and it was close enough to see the herbs that it had been doused in prior to cooking. Smelled the same as the herbs they'd thrown on the fish on Anders' plate. Did the mage intend to feed him like a dog at the dinner table? The potato poked his lips ... twice, then Anders sighed and set the fork back down.

"Alright, what do you like?"

"Apples." Fenris replied without hesitation.

"Very well. Wait here."

Anders sat the plate down on the edge of the planter beside them. Fenris stayed only because he had no intention of leaving in the first place. He swirled around the white liquid in his glass. He preferred red wine, he decided.

Anders returned with a second plate, piled mainly with pastries. Fenris recognized the apple scent before he even noticed the pile of roasted apple slices or the tarts next to it.

"Here, open." Anders held a flaky golden pastry in front of his mouth. The light, airy scent of the crust tickled his nose.

Fenris opened his mouth and allowed Anders to push the treat inside. He could best describe it as a miniature pie. The crust was stuffed with minced and sugared apples.

"Good, right? Try this one, it's pork and apples."

Anders stabbed one of the apple slices, and only now did Fenris notice the cube s of meat that were mixed in with the apple slices. He allowed himself to be fed again, and again approved of the taste. They continued until the pile of pork and apples was gone.

Anders was reaching for one of the tarts on the plate when Fenris interrupted, "I can feed myself, mage."

"I know, but it's fun like this, isn't it?"

Fenris chose to ignore the question, focusing his attention on the crowd. A gentleman in a beaked mask and a feathered cap leaned over the table towards a woman who straightened her collar while she spoke. Anders held an apple tart under Fenris' nose.

When Fenris didn't make a move to eat the treat, Anders followed his line of sight. "Are they a cute couple?" He asked.

"She is mated," Fenris explained, "He is not. She is covering her mark with her dress. That isn't a dress built for movement, she isn't a hunter. She must have come here with a mate. Where is he?"

Anders eyes scanned the crowd and rested on a potted rose bush, next to which an armored man with a flushed face and a wine glass was making loud conversation with some other hunters. "He's wearing the same colors as she is." He said, nodding at the man.

" That he is . Matching their family crest, no doubt. What does she hope to gain by flirting with-"

He was interrupted by Anders shoving the tart past his lips. Fenris narrowed his eyes, squinting at the mage and half-tempted to spit the pastry back at him. Fortunately for Anders, that would have been a waste of good food.

After taking a bite, Fenris said, "Was that necessary, mage?"

"No, but the look on your face was worth it." Anders grinned ear-to-ear.

"If this had been fish, it would be splattered on your coat."

The grin did not cease. Instead, Anders set down the plate and followed Fenris' eyes into the crowd.

"Those two just finished making out." Anders said, pointing to a pair lingering near the fountain, "See how his shirt's all wrinkled? And the bruise on his collarbone?"

Two O rlesian men stood next to one another, and the one in the red-and-gold mask had the top button of his shirt undone. Wrinkles like ripples on a lake spread out from his collar. The man next to him straightened his collar to cover the bruise.

Fenris' eyebrows perked, "Good catch. Have you played the game before?"

"The game of feeding handsome men apple treats and people watching? No I can't say I've made that a habit."

"Handsome, am I?" Fenris turned to Anders, one corner of his mouth turned up.

Anders' ears turned pink.

"Orlesians refer to the aristocratic grab for power as the game." Fenris explained, "It's a sick and twisted way to refer to a system that allows rulers and nobles free reign to cheat and murder. But it does make for a good show, I suppose."

"So it's a game of spot-the-assasin, is it?"

"For me it is." Fenris shrugged.

Tallis shouldered her way through the crowd, slapped Anders on the shoulder, and stepped between them. "Hey, we're finally in." She said, wearing a triumphant smile. There was a key on a leather cord dangling from her finger, "Don't ask what we went through to get this. Come on . Hawke's already waiting."

She wasted no time in trotting off, and the pair were forced to follow lest they lose track of her in the crowd. She led the way around the edge of the courtyard and out along the wall connected to the kitchen. In seconds, the murmur of the crowd faded into silence.

"In a hurry?" Anders quipped.

"I just want to find the ... jewel. And get this over with."

Fenris and Anders met eyes briefly.

"You don't sound excited." Anders replied.

"This is something that's been a long time coming. That's all."

Fenris hummed, "This jewel is so important to you?"

Her feet froze to the ground, her eyes downcast. . Anders nearly bumped into her. When Fenris came up beside her, she turned away from him.

After a second of Fenris staring, she finally said, "Yes. I want this part of my life finished. You know how that feels, right? I want to move forward but I have to ... get this over with first."

“All this fuss over a jewel?” Fenris said, one eyebrow cocked.

“It’s more than the jewel, it’s … never mind. I’m rambling. Let’s go.”

Chapter Text

They opened the door to a guard in red armor.

"What in the name?" He shouted in a thick Orlesian accent, stopped only by the sight of Tallis calmly approaching him with her hands out.

"There's no need for you to die today, friend. Just move on. You never saw us."

He cupped his hand to his mouth and just barely managed to begin the word, "Thieves!" Before his shout turned into a gurgle, blood shooting up around Tallis' dagger in his neck. His body spasmed briefly before he collapsed, dead in seconds.

"You could have walked away." She sighed as she knelt next to him and yanked the dagger out of his neck.

Hawke cocked an eyebrow, "Something wrong?"

"I didn't want to kill him."

"I've seen you kill several men."

"There are other paths. They do not all need to lead to the same destination."

Fenris grumbled, "Cheap words from a criminal."

Which had Tallis shooting to her feet, glaring while she pointed her dagger at him, "You've never sought a different path, Fenris ? Really? In between resigning yourself to a life of slavery and escaping to Kirkwall you didn't stop to reconsider the path you were walking in your life?"

"Wait, how-"

"Enough!" Hawke stepped between the two of them, "We're here for the Heart." And with those words, shouldered past Tallis and into the manor vault. Tallis had her lips pursed shut, eyes glued to the ground and avoiding Fenris' accusing glare while she turned and followed Hawke.

Fenris was shaking , livid, and followed only because Anders had decided to obey as well. He kept his eyes on the back of her head the whole time.

x - X - x

The iron gate came down and separated Anders and Fenris from Hawke and Tallis with a deafening clang .

Any number of traps were to be expected in an Orlesian vault, but when Fenris tried to lift the gate only to find it thoroughly locked in place, he set his glare on Tallis.

"I swear I didn't know!" She hissed, holding up her hands, "There's gotta be some sort of switch."

"It's never easy, is it?" Hawke sighed, "Alright, we'll look around on this side and you two circle back and see if there was a switch we missed."

Fenris glanced at Tallis, then back at Hawke, "Will you be alright here?"

"After the blight, a dragon, and a crazed magister?" Hawke winked, "I think I can handle a few Orlesian guards."

His eyes passed over Tallis again, then returned to Hawke. He nodded, then swiveled and left with Anders close behind.

They had left the hallway well behind them before Anders said, "Something the matter?"

"I never told Tallis about by time as a slave. Unless Hawke mentioned it to her, she knows too much."

"You think she set up the trap?"

"I don't know. Maybe." He paused, studying a painting of the younger Duke Prosper, flanked by two vases. He picked up each vase in turn, and replaced them when no mechanism was found.

"No." He concluded, "I don't think she could have set that up in advance. But I think Hawke trusts her too much."

There was a deafening CRASH to his left, where they'd entered the vaults. Armored footsteps rattled their way down the hall. Grabbing Fenris' arm, Anders ducked around the corner and took refuge in the shadows of a rounded door frame. While Anders flattened himself against the wall, Fenris peered around the corner to catch sight of the platoon of guards that were running past, directly towards Hawke and Tallis.

He didn't stop staring until Anders tapped him on the shoulder and jerked his head backwards. Anders opened the door they'd been hiding next to and revealed a storage closet. A broom and mop leaned against one corner with a bucket nearby. A pile of rags accompanied some scrub brushes and a bar of soap on the wall shelf. Anders shut the door behind them, leaving them in total darkness until a mage light flared to light in his palm.

"What now?" Fenris asked.

"Well, while you were snooping around the corner, I managed to find something."

There was one stone in the wall that stood out, perfectly round and smooth, and when Anders pressed it the wall swung away to reveal a second hallway behind.

"The way we came in is out of the question," Anders continued, "I think this is our only option."

There was no small amount of dust and cobwebs in the passage. Thankfully only the smaller breeds of spider managed to cross their paths. The first door the y came across opened to the back of a tapestry which bore the Prosper family crest. Pushing it aside spit them into a familiar hallway. The loud clank of dishware and the murmur of conversation greeted them. Servants in the kitchen down the hall were scrubbing away evidence of the Duke's party.

Following their previous route led them back to the vault entrance, the guard’s body still growing cold at the entrance.

The iron gates that had separated their party before were returned to their previous position. Fenris noted the thicker-than-usual crack in the ceiling as they passed under them, this time with far lighter steps. Even slowly creeping along, Fenris managed to brush a stone which sank slightly before he realized his error and retreated.

It was only by following the path that didn't lead further into the vaults that they managed to find the dungeon. They entered a small room with a steel door on the other side, marked only by a tiny window with bars on it. Next to it was a chest that with Hawke's staff resting beside it. A guard was asleep on a cot in the corner.

Fenris phased his hand through the guard’s back and made quick work of him before he even woke up . With a squeeze of Fenris' hand, the guard only gurgled quietly before going limp. Opening the chest revealed Tallis' throwing daggers. After gathering the weapons and relieving the guard of his keys, they went inside.

Rows and rows of cells were empty, and just as Anders inhaled and cupped his mouth, a familiar voice echoed through the otherwise empty prison.

"I have a question." Tallis said, and Fenris put his hand over Anders' mouth.

"When the duke told you what I was, you said you didn't care. Was that true?"

"You could have told me the truth." Hawke replied, "I might have listened."

"And what if you didn't?"

"I suppose we'll never know."

A short pause, and Fenris' hand slowly lowered. Tallis continued, "I am sorry. This didn't work out like I'd planned ... obviously."

"What was your plan exactly?"

"The one I expected to find is named Salit, a member of the Ben-Hassrath ... the Heart of the Many. I was told he's here to sell secrets to the Orlesians, and I came to stop him. I ... suppose I was misinformed."

"So you came here to stop this Salit from betraying your people?"

"You probably won't believe me, but this isn't a political mission. It's ... personal."

"What do you mean?"

"Salit was my bessrathari - the one who recruited me into the Ben-Hassrath. My tutor. I was a slave, being transported in chains to a new master who had bought a whole ship of us. The Qunari love raiding any Tevinter ship that comes close to their waters. They freed us all, giving us the choice to go where we wished or join the Qun. Salit saw my potential, convinced me that I could make a difference."

Eyes wide, Fenris ran towards the cell that held Hawke and Tallis. Tallis' voice cracked, "It doesn't matter now."

Tallis came into view first, seated on the floor with her back against the wall. Laying eyes on her was like finding a lost piece of a puzzle.

"Dithari?" He asked.

She met his gaze, eyes glazed over. She looked ready to cry even though a smile tugged at her lips.

"You remembered." She breathed.

"You ... dyed your hair."

"No, but it was dark in Danarius' basement. I don’t blame you for not noticing. "

Fenris was breathless as she rose, a far cry from the timid girl who'd washed his wounds and coaxed him to drink water and healing potions. When she moved to press her hand against the bars of the cell, he stared at her eyes. Wide, stormy gray, and as gentle as he remembered them.

"You two know each other now?" Hawke quipped from her corner of the cell, "Any other secrets people want to share? Anders, you're not the Divine or anything, are you?"

"Knickerweasels, no." Anders laughed.

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Fenris breathed.

“Would you have listened to me?” She asked, cocking an eyebrow, “Be honest.”

His eyes met the floor.

Tallis coughed to clear her throat, finally moving her hand away from Fenris'. "Well, mushy reunions aside, I say we get out of here before the Duke decides we would taste good in the soup ... or whatever he has planned."

Bending down, Tallis removed a single pin from her hair and set to work picking the cell's lock. Seconds later, the gate was sliding up.

"So, back through the castle, then?" Hawke said as she took the lead.

Tallis took one step forward before Fenris' hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Wait," He said, "You said this Salit was selling secrets?"

"He is." She nodded, "Or at least he intends to. One last act of defiance. I couldn't let him do that. Not when he'll hurt so many others in the process."

Hawke was already out the cell door, taking her staff from Andes. She glanced back at Tallis, "He'll hurt other Qunari?"

"Not every Qunari is a soldier." Fenris replied.

"There are tens of thousands of farmers, aristans, craftsmen ..." Tallis continued, "People who have never hurt anyone. People who's only crime is living! People who helped me when I didn't even have the words to ask for help!" Her voice was echoing in the empty prison. Having realized this, she took a breath and pressed her hands together. Fenris recognized the meditation technique he'd seen repeated by both Qunari and Tal Vashoth.

"I never knew what it was like to have someone help you without any concern for themselves." She continued, voice steady, "I want to pay them back. They don't deserve what Salit is going to do to them."

Slowly, Fenris' eyes were drawn to Anders, who was staring back with complete helplessness . Light may have been shed on the situation, but the path still wasn’t clear yet. Someone had to make a decision. Tallis shuffled her feet, eyes on the floor.

"One last question." Fenris said, causing her head to snap up, "Did you involve Hawke to get to me?"

She shook her head, " I chose Hawke because she was the only one on the invitation list who wasn't a personal friend of the Montfort family. And she's also the Champion of Kirkwall. And a Ferelden with no reason to love Orlais."

This time, Hawke chimed in with a question, "So what was supposed to happen when all this was over?"

"Truth? This wasn't exactly what I was expecting." Tallis was wearing a smile that was some mix of awkward politeness and genuine amusement, " Asit tal-eb. "

Fenris translated aloud, "'It is to be'."

They spent another few seconds in awkward silence. Anders offered Tallis her throwing daggers, which she accepted with a forced smile.

Finally, Fenris took the lead. “Come. We will stop Salit.”

Chapter Text

Tallis led them through the escape tunnels, through a cavern at the end of which was a crack with sunlight pouring from it.

"And there's the way out." She said, sprinting several paces forward. Wearing a cheeky grin, she turned on her heel right before stepping into the beam of sunlight. "See? I had a plan. It was a good plan. The kind that had an escape and everything."

Fenris was the first to step forward, without any hint of hesitation, " Are we still hunting Salit?”

She nodded, "I once considered you a friend. I'm ... hoping that hasn't changed. What Salit is going to do will harm so many innocents. It's my duty to stop him. Even so, I can't do it alone. Not anymore. I'm not here on directive from the Qun, I came ..." She trailed off, sighed , and paced.

Fenris watched her. Nervous and fidgety, she painted a familiar picture. Slaves didn’t look their superiors in the eye, never looked up, never squared their shoulders. A slave with nothing to do was likely to be whipped. Years of being free and Fenris still hadn’t broken those habits, and it seemed for once that he wasn’t alone.

After few seconds, she continued, "Salit was declared Tal-Vashoth, but they didn't deem intervention worthwhile." She continued, "I ... couldn't agree. I had to try."

"Seems like a poor decision. Does that not make you Tal-Vashoth as well?"

"Hey, I'm not a slave anymore, I can make my own decisions." She stopped pacing long enough to force a smile in his directions, "Besides, the Ben-Hassrath didn't order me not to do this."

She chuckled, crossing her arms, "I was trying to earn my way back into their good graces. This probably won't help."

"Did something happen?"

Her eyes were glued to the ground. A somber expression rapidly took over her. "It's not easy, being an elf in the Qun. You're not born to it like they are. I've struggled to find peace. To find certainty. I know it's there, I just ... keep falling short."

Fenris understood that all too well. "You want to find purpose."

She bounced in excitement. "Yes!" She blurted, and then she immediately her cheeks flushed, " You understand! "

He nodded. "Say no more. I will help."

Hawke heaved a huge, dramatic sigh, "I suppose that means I'm coming with you. Can't let you two have all the fun."

"You'll need a healer." Anders added, and nodded at Fenris, "I know how much trouble this one can get into."

Relief washed over Tallis' face. She looked like she'd just released a lifetime of tension. Fenris was almost jealous.

"Then there's no time to waste." She said, "Let's go."

The crack opened onto a familiar patch of forest, only a few paces away from the clearing where Fenris had previously collapsed from wyvern venom.

They followed the worn path back to the manor until a flash of gray around the next bend had Fenris' hand on Tallis' shoulder. She stopped, looked at him, and he withdrew just as a slew of horned warriors poured around the corner.

"Tal-Vashoth!" Tallis called as she drew her daggers. Hawke readied her staff while Anders cast a barrier around the party. Tallis skirted to the edge of the path. Fenris parried a blade that threatened to cut her route short.

Hawke fended off the first wave with a cone of cold that left Fenris alone with the warrior who'd gone for Tallis. A heave of Fenris' sword had the warrior's guard up. S word met shield with a loud clang . The warrior lunged with his short sword and Fenris side stepped. The sword barely struck his bare arm and was entirely deflected by the barrier.

The clear view of the man's back was all Fenris needed to phase his arm through his back and crush his heart. The Tal-Vashoth warrior collapsed with his face in the dirt.

Hawke had managed to lay down a few runes that were keeping the rest at bay. She was tearing the cork off a lyrium bottle with her teeth when the next warrior managed to side step one of her runes. He charged at Fenris, war hammer reared to attack, and when the massive weight slammed into Fenris' chest, the barrier shattered. Impact sent Fenris stumbling back.

He used his sword to catch himself before he fell, which left just enough opening for an arrow to fly into his arm. Wincing, teeth clenched, he yanked the arrow out of his arm and immediately felt relief as he watched the wound seal with a blue glow. He looked behind him, spotting Anders, staff already twirling to cast a new barrier spell on Fenris.

Fenris smiled, turned around, and charged back into the fray.

The war hammer wielder collapsed when Fenris cleaved into his leg. Fenris stepped on his stomach to pin him in place before reaching down. His hand was already a ghostly blue and poised above his chest when Tallis came out from her hiding spot in the trees. She clasped a hand on his shoulder and jerked her head. Fenris stepped aside.

The fallen Tal-Vashoth stiffly turned his head while she knelt down beside him. "Ataas shokra, Ben-Hassrath." He said.

"Ebala maraas. Ben'dar Salit-asit?"

His head lolled backwards, horns hitting the dirt with a thud. His chest heaved as he replied, "Sataareth-barek. Alat kafir a'bas."

"Ataasra val. Panahedan."

She promptly slit his throat.

Hawke approached her as she stood and sheathed her dagger. "Salit is already here." She explained, "He's meeting with the duke at the base of the mountain."

"Then we're going the wrong way."

Tallis wasted no time in turning around and leading away from the manor. "We need to get down there before it's too late."

They passed under the same golden lions which had previously welcomed them to the estate, and followed the stone road to a cliffside that had been tapered a n d evened out. The ground here was lined with the same stones that built the manor, though moss and vines made a valliant attempt to retake the forest at every crack.

Prosper was already there, approaching a band of four Tal-Vashoth who stood with their backs to the cliff. One of them had wider shoulders than the rest and vitaar splashed wildly on his neck and chest. The hulking Tal-Vashoth stepped forward as the duke approached.

"Let's get this over with, Qunari, before your assassins find us." The duke spat, "Already I regret agreeing to spare them."

"I have chosen my path." The man - Salit - bore a leather circlet that wrapped around his forehead and horns, adorned with gold ornaments. "That choice should not-"

Prosper cut him off. "Parshaara." He snapped, and Salit's lips buttoned, "I am here to facilitate your deal with the empress, nothing more."

Silently, and with chilling calm, Salit reached behind his back, and withdrew the two swords he had sheathed there. One of the guards at Prospers back immediately gripped his sword, until Salit jabbed both blades into the ground at his sides, and stepped forward.

Prosper nodded at his men , and the guard lowered his hand. Salit withdrew a scroll from the pouch at his belt. The guard stepped forward, and took it with a nod.

"Well?" Prosper asked as the guard unfurled the scroll.

"Names, Your Grace." The guard replied, brow furrowed, "Its ... a list of names."

Prosper strode forward and snatched the scroll for himself. Yanking it open, he glanced over the contents for himself. "What is the meaning of this?"

"You asked for a weapon." Salit replied, voice unfaltering, "I am providing it."

"We expected the formula for blackpowder! Dreadnought plans, a map of the Qunandar, anything! This ... this is useless!" He threw the scroll onto the ground. Salit didn't even react.

It was then that Hawke led the way into the clearing, Anders and Fenris flanking either side of her. The nervous guard tapped Prosper's shoulder. "Your Grace!"

Turning, Prosper reguarded Hawke like a dead mouse on his dinner plate. "Champion. I should have known you would turn up."

He thrust the scroll into the guard's hands and s trode toward Hawke while she replied with a shrug, "I have an excellent sense of dramatic timing. And good hair."

"Joke while you can. You will not find it funny for long."

The guard collapsed at his feet, a dagger in the back of his neck.

Prosper turned to look in time to see Tallis stepping under the second guards battleaxe and swiveling to stab him in the back. As a third guard drew her sword, Tallis threw down a smoke bomb, allowing her the cover to scamper away and up a wall before Prosper had his weapon drawn.

"Tallis." Salit said, voice cold.

She was perched atop the barbican, glaring at him. "I said I would stop you, Salit."

"And I said I would slay you if you tried."

Prosper produced a crossbow from behind him. It clicked as the bolt locked into place. "If anyone is to do any slaying, it will be me!"

The bolt fired and burst on Salit's chest. Glass shards fell away leaving him coated in a green ooze.

A roar sounded from the opposite side of the barbican. Just as Salit was examining the substance, a wyvern crawled over the edge of the wall. Tallis hopped down in time for the ground beneath them to shake when the wyvern landed. It charged directly for Salit, and snatched him up in its jaws.

For the next few seconds, time seemed to slow down. Salit flailed, perhaps to signal for help, perhaps to reach for weapons that weren't there, and immediately seized up when his bones crunched. Tired of it's prey moving, the wyvern shook its head, tossed Salit into the air, and then caught him again. By now, his limbs were hanging on by threads. His body quickly disappeared down the wyvern's chomping throat.

Running to the wyvern, Prosper hoisted himself up by one of the leather straps along the beasts back, and situated himself into a saddle. "Kill them all!" He shouted, and fired the crossbow again. Hawke sidestepped, the vial whipped past her, and burst against Fenris' stomach.

The wyvern, a low growl in its throat, turned towards Fenris.

The cliff erupted into chaos, Orlesian soldiers going head-to-head with the Tal-Vashoth. Anders darted to get between Fenris and the wyvern, a barrier spell cast on both of them.

"Run!" Anders called. The wyvern crouched down on its haunches. Fenris scraped at the substance on his armor, but a rapidly hardening shell had already caked it onto him. The wyvern charged forward, deterred only when it stepped onto an ice rune. In the brief second it took the creature to startle and rear back, Fenris was able to stand and ready his sword.

"I told you to run!" Anders shouted, glancing over his shoulder.

"I'm not leaving you to fight it!" No sooner did Fenris finish talking than did the wyvern charge again.

Staff in hand, Hawke cast a fireball that barely phased the wyvern, and then was immediately cut off from her focus when one of the Tal Vashoth soldiers swung his great sword at her. Fenris had no time to see what became of her as Tallis moved between the wyvern and him.

"Trust me!" She called, then threw down a smoke bomb. Tallis grabbed his hand and led him through the thick blanket of coverage. When they emerged he saw Anders turning his staff around and striking the wyvern's nose with the spearhead there. The creature turned its head as it flinched, but wasted no time in going for the attack. Again, Anders parried, and Tallis increased the pace at which she dragged him.

"Wait!" He called.

"Trust me, I have a plan, and this time it's a good one!" Tallis replied.

They moved to the edge of the cliff, where she finally released her grip on his hand. "When I tell you to dive, dive!" She said, then turned in the direction of the wyvern.

Another ice spell sent it backing a few steps away from Anders. Tallis tossed a dagger which rebounded off the armor on its face. She tossed another which barely grazed the back of its head. Slowly, the wyvern turned its head, nostrils flaring and unflaring as its eyes rested on Fenris once again.

The creature charged.

The ground beneath them shook with every bound it took. "Dive!" Tallis called.

They dove in opposite direction, and the wyvern, already intent on its direction, charged off the edge of the cliff.

The wyvern made an almost impressive flip in midair, throwing Prosper off his seat. Gloved fingers barely gripped the edge of the artificial cliff while the wyvern flailed in midair as it fell. Fenris closed his eyes before he heard the crash.

Hawke was panting, sweat on her brow, fire from her last spell still sizzling the flesh of the Tal Vashoth body at her feet. She stepped over it to approach Prosper.

"Keep away from me!" The Duke screamed while she moved to stand over him, "The empress will hear of this! Orlais will burn Kirkwall to the ground! All of you will die screaming, I swear it!"

Hawke gave him an incredulous look, "I would have tried begging for mercy, but that's just me."

She shrugged, and walked away.

"You blasted turnip!" He shouted.

She didn't even falter in her steps. "Thank you for the lovely party!"

The second the first finger slipped, the rest fell like clockwork. Prosper screamed as he fell, and was silenced when he bounced against one of the rocks that jutted out of the mountain's edge.

Hawke only stopped to look over her shoulder once the crashing sounds stopped. "Looks like the Duke has fallen from grace." She said, looking far too proud of herself for the pun.

Tallis helped Fenris rise A s soon as they were both on their feet the y split in opposite directions. Fenris to Anders, and Tallis to the scroll that Prosper had discarded.

"Anders!" Fenris called as he ran towards him, "Are you alright?"

Anders blinked, looking downright offended , "Am I ... I can handle a wyvern. I was a Grey Warden, you know! Why didn't you run when I told you to?"

Fenris only realized that his mouth was hanging open when Anders' words made his lips quickly button. His eyes fell to the ground. "I just wanted to ..."

"Wanted to what? Die? You damn near did. Don't ..." Anders trailed off with a sigh when Fenris still refused to look up. Hooking a finger under Fenris' chin, he tilted his head up so they could look at one another.

"Just don't scare me like that." Anders continued, "It's my job as a healer to make sure you don't die."

Fenris glanced the mage over. Despite Fenris' worries, there wasn't a scratch on him. He'd never seen the mage so utterly flustered. Anders was a brooding hen complete with feathers.

Fenris smiled, rolled his eyes, and waved Anders' hand away from his face, "As you wish."

He turned to where Tallis was kneeling. She was delicately rolling the scroll back up when Hawke came up behind her.

"Atash carin kata." Tallis whispered without looking up.

Fenris came up beside her and held out a hand to help her rise. She set her hand in his only to push it away, and helped herself to her feet.

"If the duke only knew what he nearly had in his grasp." She continued, "Thank you. There's no way I could have done this without your help."

"I would do anything for you, Dithari. I owe you so much."

"It's Tallis now. Qunari don't have names. You don't owe me anything, Fenris. Especially not after this."

Hawke piped up, "I have a question. What's the scroll?"

"This is a list of agents throughout Thedas." Tallis explained, "Qunari like myself. Many of them have children, family friends. They're people you wouldn't suspect. Some have even left the Qun behind, but if this list fell into human hands, they, and everyone they know ..."

"Would be killed." Hawke finished.

"The Ariqun believes they knew the risks, but what about the innocents? I ... I couldn't let this happen."

Fenris nodded, "So you acted of your own accord, against your superiors wishes, to do the right thing."

"Sometimes you just have to do what's right, even if it breaks the rules. I've always believed that. But with what Danarius put you through I imagine that's sometimes hard for you to believe."

She turned to Hawke and Anders, "Could you give us a moment, please?"

Fenris looked to Anders, and the mage went from frantic back to frightened. Whiskey eyes darted between Fenris and Tallis. He jumped when Hawke placed her hand on his shoulder. "Sure!" She said, tugging him away, "Shout when you need us, we'll be looting."

She dragged Anders away before he could object.

When they were alone, Fenris blurted, "Danarius is dead."

"That's good to hear. So you're free."

"Yes ..." He looked down, "Whatever that means."

She turned, looking over the forest that stretched out from their cliff perch, " 'Doubt is the path one walks to reach faith. To leave the path is to embrace blindness and abandon hope.' "

"An excerpt from the Qun?"

"I found purpose in the Qun. A direction in life. I could have gone wherever I wanted after I was freed, but ... where was I supposed to go? All I ever knew was being a slave."

Miles and miles of trees were in front of them, unmarred by civilization. It was polar opposite to any city, where brick and mortar stretched into the sky and blocked the view around them. Here, the only walls were behind them.

"The first time someone is nice to you just because they can be, you don't even want to believe it." She continued, huffing a laugh, "Every mistake is supposed to be followed by a whip, right? 'The stinger is always a surprise, but so is the bee that simply passes one by.' "

"Every time it happens, you wait for the other shoe to drop."

"Right? And then one day it hits you, the shoe wasn't there to begin with! It disappears!" She waved her hands in front of her face, "Poof!"

He deadpanned.

"Okay, this metaphor got away from me." She put her hands down, shaking her head, "The point is ... I'm glad you're free."

Those words actually brought a smile to his face.

"Thank you." He said, "I'm glad for you as well. You've found freedom and purpose."

"What? Featherboy doesn't count as purpose?" She hitched a thumb to her side. Across the clearing, Hawke fished a coin purse out of one of the guards pockets and tossed it at Anders, who fumbled to catch it.

Fenris flushed, and looked down, "We're not ... like that."

"Do you want to be?"

He kept his eyes glued to the ground.

She set a hand on his shoulder, the same spot where a mating mark might be, if he had one. "It can happen twice, you know." She continued, "The nice thing about freedom is, instead of having a purpose decided for you by a master, you get to pick your purpose. If it makes you happy you can just ... go for it. Achieve it. Protect it. Fight for it."

"Hawke said something similar." He looked up at last. He didn't say it out loud, but it meant more hearing Tallis say it.

"Hawke's a smart woman." She said, and then winked, "And a pretty good lay."

His cheeks turned red in an instant, and Fenris covered his eyes to hide it. "Maker, I don't need to hear any more about Hawke's sex life. I take it you gave up masquerading as an Alpha then?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. There are plenty of ways to ‘top from the bottom’. Want me to tell you about it?”

Chapter Text

Tallis bid them a melancholy goodbye before they reached the port town, insisting she was bound for Antiva and had no reason to return to the Free Marches. Before leaving, she gave Hawke a massive ruby inlaid in an intricate gold brooch. The 'Heart of the Many', which was meant to be given to Hawke so Tallis could turn around and retrieve the scroll.

The plan may not have panned out, but the gem sold for ample enough gold to replenish the ship for the trip back to Kirkwall.

Fenris thought little of losing his pack. He'd gone most of his life with nothing to his name, and then a few years with his sword and armor as his only possessions. Besides, the worst throes of his heat were over, so he had little need for the toy or the herbs.

He didn't think much about the party returning to Kirkwall with only the clothes on their backs, until their first night on the water.

Clouds gathered above the docks as they set sail, and by sunset they had drowned out the sun . By the time Fenris retired to the room he shared with Anders, the air had already grown thick with salt. When the ship began to creak and sway, he knew he wouldn't be getting any sleep.

Bootsteps drummed on the deck above him as the crew scrambled to secure everything in preparation for the storm. For his whole life, Fenris had slept on a hair trigger. As a slave, he had to be ready to answer his master's call at a moment's notice. After freeing himself, even the slightest sound could indicate one of Danarius' thugs. He lay on his side and mostly dozed in and out of consciousness. Mere hours ago he'd fought a wyvern and a small army of Tal-Vashoth. Exhaustion would have claimed him if not for the storm.

The stomping went on for hours , and during that time not a word was exchanged between them. Even when the sailors finally rested the ship still sang a loud creak. With one particularly large wave, the mirror fell off the wall and shattered.

With a loud sigh, he swung his legs over the side of the bed. He had no desire to walk barefoot over broken glass in the morning. He picked up the glass pieces one by one and tossed them into one of the desk drawers.

Every time the ship churned, the pieces slid around, but with his gauntlets on he was able to scoop up the smallest pieces without cutting himself. When a few tumbled under Anders' bed, he crawled underneath to gather them.

He stood, dumping the last few pieces and closing the desk drawer, when he saw Anders curled into a tight ball in the center of the bed. Anders was pale as a sheet and had both hands clutching his stomach as he took deep, forced breaths.

Fenris brushed a lock of blonde hair away from his face, and found Anders’ skin incredibly clammy.

"Anders?"

"Hm?" He groaned, his eyes opening to narrow slits.

That's when Fenris remembered. Karl. The flask. Anders' experience with boats.

Fenris sat down beside him on the bed, and stroked his hair. "Can I get you anything?"

"No, j...-ngh." Anders squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep, steadying breath, his hands tightening on his stomach, "C...could you just ... hold me ... please?"

Fenris removed his gauntlets, and tossed them on the floor by the bed, followed by his chestplate. In only his leathers, he lay down beside Anders. Squeezed close together on the tiny cot, Anders had to uncurl himself for both of them to fit. With some wiggling they settled on a position where Fenris was spooning Anders from behind, his hand absently stroking Anders' chest hair.

"I'm sorry," Fenris said, "If I'd remembered about the flask I might have gone back to retrieve our things."

"It's fine. Self-medicating with alcohol was a bad idea in the first place. You saw what a mess it made me."

"You have a lot of passion. It makes your feelings more intense."

Anders heaved a sigh, "I know." His hand moved to touch the scar on his shoulder.

Fenris set his hand over Anders' and squeezed. "I like that about you ."

Anders turned so the could look at each other, holding hands in the middle. "You took o f f your armor."

"Of course."

Smiling, Anders nuzzled into Fenris' neck, leaving Fenris ample room to wrap his arms around Anders and hold him. "Oh Fenris," Anders sighed, "I'm so lucky you're here. I know we've fought in the past, but ... I never knew this part of you. Thank you."

He took a deep inhale, and nuzzled Fenris' neck again. "And for what it's worth, I still love your real scent." He added.

The last thing Fenris expected, upon having this part of himself revealed, was to be openly embraced and assisted. Fenris rested his chin on Anders' head, and closed his eyes while a single tear crept down his cheek.

"Anders," He whispered, "Would ..."

"Hm?"

The words caught in his mouth. He looked at the bonding mark on Anders' shoulder, and stroked it with his thumb. Anders made no move to stop him, his face remained buried in Fenris' neck.

Would you ever mate again? he wanted to ask.

"It's nothing." He said.

They stayed that way until the waters calmed. Fenris wasn't sure who fell asleep first.

He awoke to the sound of bootsteps again, and the gentle splash against the boat’s hull told the tale of the storm’s end .

He waited until Anders stirred naturally (it wasn't as though he had anywhere urgent to be anyway). When the mage's eyes fluttered open, Fenris brushed blonde bangs away from his face.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"A little better. Not well. Why?"

Fenris cocked an eyebrow, "Because I care for you?"

Anders looked up with red, watery eyes. His chin rested on Fenris' chest. He sniffled. "You don't have to."

"I want to." Fenris nudged him again, and sat up, "Come. The fresh air is will help."

Anders propped himself up on an elbow, "What about your scent?"

Fenris swung his legs over the edge of the bed and shrugged. "The crew doesn't care. Hawke can keep a secret. Danarius is dead." He squeezed Anders' hand, "And I want to go outside."

Taking Anders’ hand, Fenris led him upstairs , letting Anders set the pace in case his stomach bothered him again.

They stepped onto the deck, which was already dry under the beating sun. Blue stretched as far as the eye could see. The sails billowed in the wind, and Anders’ hair whipped all around his face.

Fenris leaned on the railing, and Anders joined him by his side.

Fenris tipped his head back, and let the sun warm his face. The air refreshed his lungs after a day trapped down below. He took a deep, long breath, and let the tension leave his body.

"I've been meaning to ask," Anders said, "You're not in heat anymore, are you?"

Fenris shook his head.

"Probably a good thing, I suppose." Anders continued, "Seeing as how we had to leave everything behind."

"I'll have purchase another toy before next year. I've never had a heat so satisfying."

"If you want a variety you can insert yourself, you'll have to get one that's longer and more cylindrical. It can have a small bulb at the base if you want to recreate the knotting feel."

"You wouldn't-" Fenris cut himself off, his cheeks suddenly growing warm.

Anders met his gaze, a mischievous smirk rising to his face , "What? I told you I have some experience."

Fenris held up a hand to silence him . "No, it's not ..." He trailed off, and took a breath. He wanted to choose his words very carefully. "It is ... difficult for me to describe what I am feeling."

"Take your time."

Another deep breath. Fenris closed his eyes, and focused on the water splashing against the boat's hull. After a moment, he continued, "Danarius controlled both my body and mind. He owned me, I obeyed him, and I denied my own identity because of him. Then, I escaped, and I got back my body, but I had to run and hide and disguise my scent. I am done letting him control me from beyond the grave. I'm glad you found out I was an omega. For the first time in my life, I actually feel free."

Tears pricked at the corners of Anders' eyes. "Fenris," He choked, "I'm touched."

Leaning up on his toes, Fenris put his hand on the back of Anders' neck, and pulled him in for a kiss.

Anders rested his hands on Fenris' hips while they kissed. Fenris pulled away to the sight of Anders’ eyes half-lidded and his mouth slightly agape . A nearly hysterical smile tugged at one corner of Anders’ lips. "Is that what you wanted to ask about last night?"

"You said you would move forward past Karl. Would you ever move forward with me? Would you ever mate again?"

"Oh, Fenris," Anders breathed, "It's just ... with me? The abomination? Fighter for mage rights? Author of manifestos?"

Fenris shrugged, "Many things we do not agree on, but many more I would like to share with you. If I am to choose who and what I will fight for now, I wish to fight by your side."

Anders wiped the tears away with the edge of his sleeve. "Sorry." He choked, "I'm not used to people being so nice for no reason."

" Believe me, I understand."

Anders sniffled and leaned down for another kiss. "I want to court you, Fenris. I would be honored." He choked, "I don't know about mating. I don't even know if it's possible, but ... can we wait and see? For now, can we just be together?"

Fenris nodded, embracing Anders tight. Whether or not he could mate again, what mattered was what was happening now. Neither of them would be bound by their past anymore. There, they watched the ocean and held one another until hunger chased them downstairs to find rations.

The remainder of the trip they spent all but attached at the hip. Hawke gave them a few wry looks but said nothing in terms of their relationship. When the Kirkwall docks came into view on the horizon, the three of them gathered on the deck to watch their arrival.

Merril was waiting at the docks for them, waving and grinning ear-to-ear. Isabella was close behind, cleaning her nails with one of her daggers. When they docked, Hawke was the first to the gangplank. It made a loud whack as it met the dock, and in a split second she was already racing down . She picked up Merril, swung her around, and Merril giggled the whole time.

"Ooh, I missed my girls!" Hawke exclaimed as she squeezed Merril tight.

"How did it go?" Isabella asked, "Did you find the priceless jewel?"

"Yes and no. Long story."

Anders and Fenris scurried down the gang plank while the three women chattered, but they only made it to the end of the dock before Isabella called, "Oi, you two, don't sneak off! Hanged Man later!" And briefly, her eyes snaked down to the space between them, where they were holding hands, "I want to know everything!"

Anders could only wave and nod before ducking away.

They kissed good-bye at Fenris' manor, but didn't see each other again that night. Anders' absence from his clinic left him overwhelmed with patients. It suited Fenris fine that he could avoid any teasing or prodding from Isabella.

Three days after their return to Kirkwall, Fenris was sitting cross-legged in the bed, practicing his reading, when there was a knock at his door.

Anders stood on the other side with a basket in one hand. He had his eyes on the ground, a powdering of pink blush on his cheeks. "Good morning." He greeted with a little wave, "Sorry for not getting to you sooner. Um ... I brought you something."

Fenris took the basket, and lifted the cloth to reveal a pair of pastries. They looked like the same mini pies that had been served at Duke Prosper's party. Breaking one in half confirmed it contained chopped apples.

"It's alright, isn't it?" Anders asked, "Those were the ones you liked?"

"They are. Thank you."

"May I come in?"

Fenris didn't have much furniture that wasn't broken or knocked over by now, but kitchen counter was attached to the wall and thus hadn't felt the wrath of time or Fenris' boredom. He left the basket there next to some stale bread.

"I've been thinking about what you asked me on the boat." Anders said, leaning against the counter, "About mating again."

Fenris' heart leaped to his throat. "Forget it." He said, waving his hand, "You were right. We should just move forward."

Anders wore a wry smile as he looked past his forehead at Fenris, "Together, right?"

"Together."

They laced one another's fingers together. Fenris could swear he saw Anders' shoulders lower as they held hands, as though their contact instantly released tension he'd been carrying.

"I've been meaning to ask you something else," Anders said, his cheeks flushing, "What was it you and Tallis talked about before we left?"

Fenris smirked, "Would you like me to show you?"

Fenris led Anders upstairs to the master bedroom, whereupon he turned Anders around and pushed him onto the bed with a deep kiss. Anders lowered his back onto the mattress, letting Fenris crawl on top of him. Fenris could already feel the tight ache in his pants, and he thrust forward to grind his hips against Anders'. A mix of pleasure and satisfaction pooled in his chest when he found a similar bump pressing up to meet his.

Anders wore a contented smile when Fenris pulled away, his eyes closed. He arched his back so his head would press further into the mattress. "Your bed is so soft. No wonder you didn't think about nesting." He purred.

"Wait here. I'm going to grab something."

Anders looked as though he didn't have any intention of moving anyway. Fenris reached under the bed, and removed a length of rope and a little blue jar.

"I'm going to tie you with this. Is that alright?" He asked.

Anders' cheeks flushed, "Is this really what you and Tallis talked about?"

"Among other things." Tossing the rope and jar onto the bed, Fenris pulled his shirt off and then kicked off his pants. Anders followed suit, his clothes discarded in a pile with Fenris'.

Naked before one another, Fenris again crawled on top of Anders', straddling his legs. He was shaking, but if Anders noticed he didn't comment. "Go on then," Anders said, nodding at the rope, "I'm curious now."

Grinning all the while, Fenris looped the rope around Anders' thigh, flush to his balls, then brought a few more loops around Anders' wrist so he was forced to remain with his hands at his side. When both hands were bound, Fenris gave the rope a tug, and was satisfied when the knot held strong.

Anders' cock was already at half mast. He tugged at the rope on one side and rotated his wrist. "It's soft."

"Silk. Is it nice?" Fenris said as he uncorked the jar and revealed a flowery-smelling slave, "I purchased it from the same vendor who sold me the toy we left in Orlais."

"I have to say, I've never felt so comfortable while tied uuu-aaaA!" His sentence ended in a cry and a gasp as Fenris ran his tongue along the underside of Anders' cock.

"Maker, Fen-" He choked while Fenris licked the path from root to tip at an agonizingly slow pace. Fenris adored the reaction as he felt the cock harden against his tongue. He traveled up and finally parted from the tip of Anders' dick, a thin trail of spittle following as he pulled away.

Sitting back on his haunches, Fenris took fingers now slicked with lube and reached under his stomach to rub at his own entrance. Anders craned his head from where he lay to be able to watch, eliciting a wide grin from Fenris. He parted his legs a little further so Anders could see better. With his other hand, Fenris pumped at his own cock. After a few strokes, he brought his cock down so the two of them lightly touched tips. When Anders bucked to meet the touch, Fenris pulled away.

"Naughty," Fenris hummed, "Do I have to strap you r hips down as well?"

Anders squeezed his eyes shut. He went from panting to deep, steady breathing while he lowered his hips. In response, Fenris brought the tips of their cocks together again, and lightly pressed them close between his index and middle fingers. A rough thumb pad ran over Fenris' cock, then moved to Anders', tracing tiny circles on the sensitive head underneath his foreskin. He smirked with satisfaction, watching Anders arch his head back the more he touched him.

Leaning down Fenris swirled the tip of Anders' cock with his tongue. Meanwhile, he brought his lube-slick hand behind him and pushed a finger past his entrance. Anders' fingers wandered to find Fenris' hair while Fenris kissed and licked at the head of his cock. He could just barely reach the back of Fenris' head.

Suddenly, only the ends of his fingers were still tangled in Fenris' hair, as Fenris leaned in and swallowed Anders halfway. Anders moaned and briefly bucked before remembering his place and firmly gluing his own hips back onto the mattress.

Fenris smiled around the dick in his mouth and pulled back until just the end of the foreskin was past his teeth. Without warning, he bobbed his head down again, taking Anders just a little deeper this time. With each bob of Fenris' head, Anders gave a breathy moan. "Ah, ah, ah, ah!" He cried until Fenris' nose met his pubic hair.

"F-Fenris, please!" Anders moaned. Fenris s ucked and swirled the cock around with his tongue and all the while delighted in the filthy sounds Anders was making. "Oh, Fenris! F-Fenris!" Anders cried.

The word, "Please," left Anders lips and gradually became each time he repeated it, "Please, please, please, please, PLEASE!" Fenris was pulling Anders’ cock out gradually, leaving it slick and shiny with spit. Scooting up to straddle Anders' hips, Fenris leaned in for a kiss. Anders moaned into Fenris' mouth while Fenris reached behind him and found Anders' cock.

With some maneuvering, he worked the tip of Anders' cock into himself. Fenris gently pushed himself upright, which in turn lowered him further onto Anders' cock. The mage gasped, tossing his head back while Fenris sank until he had Anders completely buried inside him.

Anders' hair was fanned out behind him in a glorious halo. Arms at his side, his hands had nowhere to rest except Fenris' calves. The rope on either side was pinned under Fenris' legs.

"Maker's breath, Fen-" Anders breathed. Fenris experimentally pushed his hips forward just a bit, and smirked when Anders' eyes rolled into the back of his head. He set a pace like that, rocking his hips just to see how long Anders would make the same face.

When he bounced on Anders’ cock, he earned a groan in response. Anders’ knot pushed into him, and Fenris grinned, tossing his head back as Anders’ cock was thoroughly locked into place inside him. He could move with relative freedom now, ensured that Anders’ cock would stay in place while he moved.

What brought him pleasure brought Anders pleasure as well, but this time Fenris got to set the pace. This time Fenris chose to be in control.

Anders' warmth splash ed inside him, and with a few pumps of his own cock, Fenris spilled his seed over Anders’ stomach. Anders' hair chest, dappled with sweat, rose and fell at a steady pace. He sighed as Fenris rose.

Fenris untied the ropes and left Anders to stretch his wrists while he ducked out of the room. He returned with a few damp rags and wiped down Anders' stomach until Anders still his hand. Taking the rag, he started cleaning Fenris in turn.

"Did Tallis really teach you that ?" He asked, his voice breathy.

Fenris pressed a finger to Anders' mouth, then leaned in for a kiss.

"Don't worry about Tallis." Fenris cradled Ander's cheek in his hand, running his thumb along his lips, "Worry about us."

Discarding the rags, they fell into one another's arms. A melting pile of post-coital cuddles and quiet purrs. For the time being, the only thing that existed was the room they were in. Everything outside, past and future, didn't matter. Fenris had found true freedom, not because he fought for it, but because he chose it.

Chapter Text

The first time Anders mated, it was carefully and delicately planned. Whispers in the library, slips of paper tucked into books, all kinds of secret messages to pass under the eyes of the templars. Eventually the found an old storeroom, which they watched for weeks to ensure it wouldn't be stumbled upon by a Templar on his usual rounds. It took several more weeks to sneak in blankets and candles one by one until a romantic little nest was built. Finally, on a night when the templars would be short staffed due to a "mysterious" outbreak of food poisoning, Anders and Karl snuck off to mark one another. It was a rush, it was romantic, and it was all their own.

The second time he mated, it was the complete opposite.

The night the Chantry was bombed was a blur. Hawke berated his actions though defended his character, and agreed to help the mages escape before their execution. There was a lot of fighting, fire, and chaos. They stepped over a lot of bodies. Anders couldn't look Fenris in the eyes.

It was only in the calm before Meredith arrived that he and Fenris were able to talk, and though Anders insisted he didn't deserve it, Fenris assured him he would remain at his side. There wasn't anything left to but fight and pray ... and escape.

Hawke and Isabella secured them a ship out of Kirkwall before Meredith's body or the abandoned gallows were discovered. Anders had not set foot on a ship since their trip to Orlais, and had not in any way changed the way he felt about them since then.

Fenris was holding him, just like they'd done on their trip back from Orlais. Anders was shaking and breathing his scent and thanking the heavens for every second he spent like this. Fenris still loved him and that was all that mattered.

Perhaps it was the adrenaline, or perhaps it was overflowing gratitude, but before he knew what he was doing he was pressing his lips into Fenris', their bodies tangled into one another. Fenris moaned, and Anders slipped his tongue into his mouth. Anders pushed Fenris onto his back so that Anders was on top of him in their tiny little cot.

Arms still wrapped around Anders' neck, Fenris pulled an inch away from Anders and breathed, "Are you sure about this?"

Anders nodded vigorously, "Fenris, please. Everything hurts. I need this. I need you. Being with you is the only good thing in the world anymore."

Fenris bucked his hips to meet Anders', grinding their cocks together through their pants. Sighing, Anders fell into a deep kiss, grinding right back. Any kind of friction was welcome. Anders quickly degraded from grinding to dry humping by the time Fenris wedged his hand between their stomachs and pulled loose the knot at his drawstring pants.

No sooner was Fenris' cock freed than did Anders hand grip and pump it. Fenris moaned and slipped his tongue further into Anders' mouth.

Their lips were chapped and swollen by the time Fenris pushed Anders up. Anders kept his hand on Fenris' cock while Fenris trailed kisses down his chin and neck, stopping to nibble at the sensitive skin just below his adam's apple. Anders shivered.

In the time they'd been together, Fenris had learned that he loved bringing people pleasure, and Anders had a plethora of hot spots all over his body. He moved from Anders' neck down to his collar bone, and made the bite a little rougher and larger this time. Anders gasped when Fenris took a bit of skin in his mouth and sucked at it. It would form a bruise by morning.

Fenris was leaving hickeys on his chest and groping his ass by the time Anders decided he'd had enough, and pushed Fenris back onto the bed. Fenris was smirking at the accomplishment. Anders was going mad with pleasure and would waste no time now.

Anders hurriedly stripped while Fenris removed and discarded his shirt. He hadn't even returned to a laying position before Anders dove onto his cock, swallowing it from root to tip.

Fenris tossed his head back, biting his finger to fight the moan that threatened to escape while Anders sucked him off. That familiar hum of Anders' spellwork was followed Anders' hand beneath his balls, coaxing him to move his legs, which Fenris gladly accommodated. His fingers, slick with lube, worked gentle circles at Fenris' entrance while Anders bobbed his head up and down.

Fenris was dizzy, both from pleasure and from constant panting every time Anders' fingers thrust in and out of him. Ankles braced against the mattress, Fenris moved with Anders' fingers so he could make them go just a little bit deeper, and just as he found himself wishing it was Anders' cock inside him instead, Anders pulled his fingers out.

Fenris held his knees apart, and Anders stroked himself while he moved into the right position.

Anders worked the tip in first, then made tiny circles with his cock while he pushed the rest in at an agonizingly slow pace. All resolve melted by the time Anders sank his cock fully inside of him. Fenris moaned, wrapping his arms and legs around Anders' torso.

Anders moved at a steady pace, his breathing in sync with the thrusts. Fenris similarly gave a breathy moan each time Anders pounded into him. "Ah, ah, ah-Anders!" He shouted as Anders' knot slipped into him, locking Anders' cock deep inside. The thrusts became smaller but deeper. Fenris held tight onto Anders.

"Fenris?"

"Anders!"

"Fenris, I ... I want you to mark me." Anders breathed, keeping up the pace.

"I ... I did?"

"No, Fenris, I ... for real. Mark me. Mate with me. Please." He panted.

Fenris forced his eyes to open, seeing Anders staring back down at him. Whiskey warms eyes with deep bags under them, sweat beading his forehead and dripping off his nose, mouth agape with pleasure. "Anders?" He breathed.

"Please. I'm sure. Please. You're the only one I want. Please. Please."

Anders lowered his head as he begged, settling into a crook in Fenris shoulder so his own neck was blatantly exposed. There, at the edge of Fenris' mouth, still lay the old bonding mark, as bold as ever.

He hesitated, then sank his teeth in, earning a loud moan from Anders. "Oh! Fenris!" Anders groaned, his thrusts slowing to a grind while Fenris' canines latched into him. Fenris tasted blood. An old battle instinct told him to release his teeth immediately, until he felt Anders bite at his own neck.

Fenris' moan was muffled by his mouth still latched into Anders' skin. Anders sank his teeth into the same spot on Fenris' shoulder . It hurt, but Fenris found he didn't mind. It was akin to the pain of a sore muscle being rubbed out. After the initial shock, it quickly eased into pleasure.

Anders spilled into him at the same time Fenris' cock splashed white between them. Fenris finally released his teeth and tossed back his head, moaning loudly while Anders thrust through the aftershocks. Spent, boneless, and smiling, Fenris sank into the cot beneath them, his eyes closed in pleasure.

Anders pulled out of him with a wet, filthy schlick . Still smiling, Fenris opened his eyes and saw the new mating mark on Anders' shoulder. The outline of Fenris' teeth overlapped the old mark. Fingers brushing his shoulder, he felt the indent Anders had left there. The marks were a perfect mirror of one another.

"It worked." Anders breathed, still out of breath, "Maker..."

Leaning in, he pressed their foreheads together. Fenris' purrs were light and quiet, barely audible unless one was as close to him as Anders was now. At first, he'd assumed Fenris was shy about purring, but now he liked it. It was as though he got to hear something nobody else did. It was their own little secret.

It wasn't really a secret ... but Anders liked to think that it was all his own.

After cleaning themselves up, they settled back into the cot. Anders found he didn't mind so much when the boat rocked. When Fenris held him, all the worries of their pasts melted away. Here and now was all that mattered, and all that would matter from now on.