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Post by Zaria Hawke on Jul 29, 2016 22:53:56 GMT -5
((Note: This is an alternate ending for the first site plot that just kept floating around in my head and wouldn't leave me alone.))
Fenris
Location: Skyhold, site event 1 "I'm going to get more herbs," she said, standing up. She muttered a spell to reinforce the barrier before darting off. Zaria kept casting spells to defend herself as she went back into the garden. She found the Elfroot plant and proceeded to pluck a few leaves off. When she turned around, there were a few humans and an elf dressed in Qunari armor. And they were faces that tickled something in her memory. That could only mean one thing. They were from Kirkwall.
"Just my luck," she muttered. She used magic to kill the elf first, and then the humans were on her. She managed to kill one of the other humans before they got a good hit on the back of her head, knocking her unconscious. The two left dragged her away through one of the holes blown in the wall.
__________________________________________________________
Location: Somewhere in the Free Marches, north of Ostwick "They will come for me!" she promised, glaring into the elf's eyes. The elf smacked her across the face, his eyes cold.
"You will submit to the Qun," he said again. "Submit, Saarebas."
"Never!" she swore. She'd tried a few spells, but there were wards all around the room that rendered her magic useless. The elf smirked at her before smacking her again. She bit back a cry of pain, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing her hurt. She'd only been here a few days, but she was starting to feel weak. The battle had worn her out, and she hadn't had the chance to rest and recover her energy since.
"You will break, Saarebas, or you will die," he whispered darkly. The sound was almost more threatening than if he had yelled, and that scared her. __________________________________________________________
Two months had already gone by, and she was slowly caving in. Their words had broken through, and they were influencing her. Magic was dangerous, she'd already known that. But they said she couldn't be trusted to be alone. She might be possessed, after all.
She still believed that he would come for her. The elf she saw in her dreams, the one whose laugh touched her heart. His name sometimes escaped her mind, which she knew should scare her. But right now she knew he was Fenris. Fenris... He'd been there beside her since before the disaster of an expedition that brought the... the... what was the thing...? Her memories slipped away at that moment, and she sighed softly. __________________________________________________________
More than two months, less than three. The days were blurring together now. They were telling her she'd been here the whole time, and that her adventures with the others had been a dream. That... that would make sense... who were the others she had said she remembered? A pair of elves... A dwarf... a few human women...
But the memories faded just as fast as she called them up. Her bindings were probably part of that, she figured. Her bindings, the markings of the Sarebaas that she was. She was dangerous, and she couldn't be trusted to be alone... That's what they told her.
But she still held on to the sound of that elf's laugh, the image of his face when he smiled. That was the only thing she believed in. If he was real, he would find her.
Right? __________________________________________________________
She'd lost track of the days. Most of the time, her master kept her bound with the rod that responded to her collar. She was sitting on the floor, legs crossed, while her master worked on her hair. Her master wanted her to look nice, so she allowed Master to do her work. It pleased Master, so Zaria allowed it. It wasn't like Zaria was really able to do anything in protest anyway.
She didn't know it, but six months had already passed. Her memories of her life before were nothing but dreams now, and she believed her master's words. The elves, the dwarf, the other humans, they had all been a dream. She didn't remember because she had been a good Sarebaas and told Master, who took her to be re-educated. Her memories had been damaged in the process, which had resulted in the mix-up before.
She didn't even remember resisting all those months ago.
When the door burst open, Zaria didn't even look up. She might as well have been Tranquil, for all the emotion she now showed. The only proof that she wasn't Tranquil was the missing Chantry symbol on her forehead.
Her hair was longer, but had darkened and dulled, and her eyes were empty. She hadn't lost any weight, but there were new scars along her arms and legs, and a small one just below her right eye. The woman who was sitting in the chair behind her was braiding Zaria's hair. The woman was human, but had the look of a Rivaini. She had the chain that stuck out of the back of Zaria's collar over her left arm as she braided Zaria's hair.
"Don't be so disruptive," the woman said when the door burst open. "My mage and I are expecting a visitor today, and you are interrupting our preparations." She looked up, shooting a harsh, cold glare at the intruder. "Leave now, or I shall be forced to unleash the Saarebas and her abilities." |
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Post by Fenris on Jul 30, 2016 0:14:27 GMT -5
SAAREBAS When the fighting was over, the battle seemed won, Fenris had taken a moment to look over the field of bodies of both allies and those of the Qun. While curious to find out what had happened hear, there were far more pressing matters an the elf had started off towards the infirmary, hoping to find Hawke there and safe. But that would be too easy, right? He was told that she had went out to gather herbs, that in itself causing the mercenary to release an exasperated sigh. She hadn't come back though, so he'd decided to check around and see where she could have gone. After hours of searching, screaming, and threatening potential witnesses, he found no trace of her. He could only hope the girl had escaped, but that would do little to quell his fears. He shouldn't have left her alone! ... Fenris wouldn't stop till he found her! ------ Two months. It took him two months of searching until he finally had himself a trail. The crew had of course gathered, all of Hawke's companions joining the search to find her, which surprisingly was welcomed by the otherwise lone wolf. He was growing desperate, it seemed, and it was obvious enough that the group caught on, wanting to not only rescue Zaria, but to help Fenris before he delved deeper into a depressive state. Varric, though he'd come to nearly strangle initially, blaming the dwarf for this even happening, had proved to be quite useful, hearing talk of a couple of Viddathari being spotted within the Free Marches. No mention of Hawke, but it was a lead that Fenris was willing to take. ------ He knew the length of time that had past but dared not speak it, upset with himself that it had taken this long at all. He didn't want to think about what they could be doing to her, though could only hope they were keeping her alive. But they were finally getting close, he could feel it, and he wasn't going to let her wait a second longer, ready to kill every last Qunari bastard if they refused to release her. It didn't even matter how many times the group would try to calm him, the elf going from depressed to now being aggressive, warning him that he wouldn't be doing her much good if he were dead. Considering where she was, he clearly wasn't doing much good alive, either. He was getting her out of there, no matter what. ------ The crew had agreed upon a distraction, wanting to get rid of the guards and avoid alerting the people within. They agreed, but Fenris had decided to take advantage instead, storming up the stairs and slamming open the door, sword at the ready. What he found inside was a Saarebas and her Master, not yet recognizing either of them, at least not until he got a better look at the woman, his heart sinking a bit at that lifeless look in her eyes. He knew just what they'd done to her, and it made his stomach turn, raising his sword and aiming it towards the Rivaini woman, hardly intimidated by her glare and instead returning it with his own, a feral fierceness in those green eyes of his. "I wont be leaving without Zaria." he states simply, trying to be calm to avoid this situation turning nasty. He hoped that Hawke wasn't so lost that fighting against her would even be a possibility. That hadn't stopped him from looking at her again though, his harsh expression turning to sorrow as he could only hope his Zaria was still in there. |
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Post by Zaria Hawke on Jul 30, 2016 0:48:43 GMT -5
"Zaria?" the Rivaini echoed, curious. "Oh, you mean my pet?" She laughed softly, standing and showing him the chain that led from her hand to Zaria's collar. "She isn't going anywhere. She was pronounced Basalit-an back in Kirkwall all those years ago. But look at her now."
At the sound of his voice, Zaria slowly turned to look at him, his voice pulling at something in the depths of her memories. She blinked slowly, eyes trained on the elf, tilting her head to one side in a very familiar gesture. There was a spark of recognition there suddenly, and for a moment her face lit up again. She heard fighting outside, and instead of speaking she simply looked up at Master for a moment before slowly looking back at Fenris.
"Fen... Fenris...?" she muttered softly, her voice hoarse from disuse. Her lips had yet to be sewn shut, as was the norm for Saarebas. Master didn't like the way sewn lips looked. Before she could say anything else, the Rivaini yanked hard on her chain.
"You will be silent, my pet," she reminded Zaria, whose expression returned to a vacant, dead look. Master returned her gaze to the elf. "You will leave now, or not at all." She pulled again on the chain, and Zaria stood. "You will protect your master, won't you, my pretty thing?" Zaria hesitated, and her master sensed it. "You will not disobey me again! I will turn you over to the Ben-Hasrath!" Zaria looked at Fenris, her expression changing slowly to one of sorrow as she raised her hand, palm out, toward him. "Fire, my pet."
But before she could, the others followed Fenris into the room, causing Zaria to hesitate again.
"We're all worried about her Fenris," Aveline said sternly. "But I've been telling you for months not to be so reckless. What do you think she'd do if you died trying to save her?"
"Um, Aveline... I don't think we have to worry about that..." Merrill muttered, staring at Zaria.
"Daisy's got a point," came Varric's voice. Zaria didn't recognize them right away, but they did tug at something in her memory that made her hesitate longer.
"Fine," the Rivaini said, pulling a rod out from the chair. "I'll take care of them myself." She pointed the rod at Zaria, who instead launched a fireball at the group. Any of them who had trained with her would have noticed immediately that she hadn't used her full force in that fireball. It was weak, and the temperature was much lower than her usual fireballs. "Fool," the Rivaini said, pointing the rod at Zaria's collar. Zaria's eyes widened, fear making her face look a bit like it had before. "Did you think I wouldn't notice you weakening your attack? You won't escape without me."
A blue flash of light radiated from the collar, and Zaria shrieked in pain before collapsing in a heap on the floor. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, but her eyes were still open. She made herself look over at Fenris and the others, silently begging with her eyes to be released. Pale blue-white light surrounded her, trapping her in a cage. These were just the functions from the collar. Different functions for different forms of punishment.
And the Rivaini woman drew her sword and swung at Fenris, undeterred by the number of people around him. The sword was stopped by a large blade as a man in Warden armor stepped between Fenris and the Rivaini Vidathari.
"Fenris, go!" Carver said to the elf. "You know more about the Qunari. See if you can get her out of that thing!" He pushed back against the Rivaini's blade, swinging at her in an attempt to keep her attention long enough for Fenris to get to his older sister.
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Post by Fenris on Jul 30, 2016 14:42:08 GMT -5
SAAREBAS All of the sudden Fenris was facing Danarius again, his grip on the hilt of his sword tightening as the woman referred to Zaria as her pet. He watched as she stood, holding the chain that made it quite obvious to the elf what had been done to her. Normally, he praised the Qunari. Their ways may have seemed harsh, but they seemed safer for everyone. But now, seeing Hawke like this, he finally seemed to understand. Did that make him a hypocrite? Probably. But at this point he could care less, wanting nothing more than to kill this woman and free Zaria.
Fortunately she wasn't completely gone, and when Zaria spoke, he turned his attention to her, the fierce expression of his softening to sorrow, seeing her in such a state. He wanted so much to just reach out and embrace her, but the Rivaini master had other ideas and Fenris was back to glaring daggers at the woman. "I'm not leaving." he remains adamant, eyes narrowed. Unsurprisingly, she'd decided to hide behind Zaria. He didn't know why he thought she would be able to resist, maybe part of him was hopeful he hadn't failed her that much by taking too long, but she raised her hand towards him and he frowned, but made no move to flee or attack.
Thankfully before she had the chance to fire, the rest of the group had caught up, and Fenris went from being mildly relieved to annoyed real quick as Aveline fell into scolding him. "I don't care." he said flatly, now not being the time for her nagging. He was already committed to getting Zaria out of here or die trying, and there wasn't much that could change that. Sure enough, the master was growing tired of this intrusion and there was no reacting fast enough as the fireball was finally launched, though surprisingly not as strong as it could have been. Perhaps she wasn't completely lost after all. But they weren't the only ones to have noticed, and Fenris could do nothing but watch as her collar was activated. He quickly moved to drop at her side, so concerned with her that he hadn't even noticed the blade about to come down on him. But luck was on his side as an old face came to the rescue.
With the woman being distracted, Fenris made his way over to Hawke, trying his best to figure out what was going on and how to prevent it, reaching out to try and touch her but seeming to be repelled by the restrictive aura cast around her. His eyes darted towards the woman, realizing he'd need that damned rod if he wanted to free her. Fortunately it seemed in all the scuffle it had been dropped. Fenris just had to get close enough and make sure he didn't lose his head in the process, which is exactly what he did, glowing momentarily before he turned to his wraith-like state, rushing over to grab the device before the woman could notice. |
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Post by Zaria Hawke on Jul 30, 2016 17:07:17 GMT -5
The battle raged around her, even though it was four against one. Her master hadn't been chosen to be her master without reason. Her eyes followed Fenris as he moved, tracking him even after he took on his wraith-like form. When Fenris had his hand on Zaria's control rod, the blue-white light that surrounded her faded, and she slowly sat up. With the rod in the hands of someone besides her master, the light of awareness returned to Zaria's eyes.
"Fenris? You're real... You're really here..." she muttered, her words slow like the rest of her movements.
"No!" the Rivaini protested angrily. "She was to be our key!"
"Like I'm going to let you qunari bastards use my sister!" Carver snarled, slashing her one more time and killing the woman. The others had taken care of the rest of the Vidathaari in the room and had gone to work clearing the building out.
Zaria looked at Carver, head tilted to the side. A light returned to her eyes with her master dead, and she finally began to remember.
"Sister," Carver muttered, falling to his knees next to where she sat. "You're alive..." He pulled her to him, embracing her. "I should have been there..." he whispered, just loud enough for her to hear. "I'm sorry."
"Carver..." Zaria said quietly, hesitating a moment before hugging him back. She pulled out of the hug and put one hand on her brother's cheek, revealing clearly now the cuffs around her wrist that were chained to her collar. "You're real... All of you..." It was at that moment that the others returned, hanging back around the edge of the room. Zaria turned back to Fenris again. Some of her memories from before were returning now, and she reached her hand up to touch his cheek. Her fingers were light and hesitant, as if she was afraid he would disappear. When he didn't, her eyes welled up with tears. She clung to the front of his armor, shaking. The fact that her dreams had been real after all was enough to start bringing her back. "It wasn't a dream... You're real... You're here..." Sure, she was just repeating herself, but she hadn't been allowed to speak much of anything in months.
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Post by Fenris on Jul 30, 2016 17:32:49 GMT -5
SAAREBAS Having successfully retrieved the rod, Fenris had distanced himself before he could be noticed, turning back to Hawke who fortunately appeared to have been freed. She was even slowly coming back to her senses and Fenris actually smiled a bit, a very rare expression to anyone but Zaria herself. The expression was cut off, however, as the Rivaini woman shouted, but Carver would fortunately make short work of her quick, the elf himself feeling just a tad relieved as she was slain.
When the chaos appeared to have died, the rest of the group having gone out to make sure no other surprises waited for them inside the building. Fenris wanted to approach her then, take her in his arms and never let go, but he stood aside as Carver went to check on her instead, not wanting to get in the way. The siblings hadn't seen each other far longer than Fenris had gone without Hawke. He would be patient, his markings beginning to dim as he dropped the rod, feeling immensely uncomfortable just having it in his hands. She was so close to being gone... What if he had waited a second longer? The thought left him sick and the warrior was going to have a hard time forgiving himself for allowing her to be in this position.
He was snapped out of his self pity when he felt a familiar touch, flinching at first but calming as he looked into her eyes, seeing that life that was almost snuffed out. He leaned into the touch, reaching up to cover her hand with his own, that red favor she' given him all those years ago still tied around his wrist. In seconds she was already clinging to him, and Fenris paused for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her protectively, wanting nothing more than to tear off those chains and that heavy collar. "I'm here." he assured. And he'd never leave her side again, he swore it. |
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Post by Zaria Hawke on Jul 30, 2016 21:26:44 GMT -5
After a few minutes, she pulled out of her elf's arms and wiped at the tear tracks that ran down her cheeks. She looked down at the bindings on her wrists and turned her back to Fenris, moving her hair to show him where the collar opened at the back of her neck.
"Use the rod," she told him. "Use it right there." She got down on her knees as she spoke, closing her eyes to wait while Fenris got the rod again. When he did use it, the collar opened at the seam and clattered to the ground, and the bonds on her wrists opened up to release her. She left her bonds on the ground and stood again, a little off-balance now that the excess weight was gone. She stumbled as she stood, ending up leaning on Fenris again. She managed a small smile at him as she looked at him, her eyes meeting his.
Now she understood him better. She understood now why he was the way he was. Her time with the Qunari, even a Vidathaari like the Rivaini woman, had brought her a new perspective on things. But did he really believe all mages should be treated like that? She hadn't even been treated all that harshly by comparison of others. Some mages born into the Qun had their tongues cut out and their lips sewn shut.
She slipped her hand into his, dropping her gaze as the smile faded from her lips. She glanced over at her former master's body. "She kept insisting that you... that all of you were just a dream," she admitted softly. "She said she had me re-educated... And after a while, I started to believe her..." Her voice cracked, and she squeezed his hand. "I think I understand now... how frustrating it is to not remember..."
The absent look returned to her eyes, making her seem distant again. There was no real sense of loss as she gazed upon the body of her Rivaini master. No in looking upon her dead master, she felt... nothing. She knew that should scare her, but she was too soon freed.
"Thank the creators you're alright!" Merrill said as she ran over. The elven mage threw her arms around her friend, sending them both toppling over. "Oh, I'm sorry! I really should be more careful!" She stood and pulled Zaria to her feet.
"Take it easy Daisy," Varric said as he walked over. "Maker's breath, Hawke, I'm sorry. Next time I'm finishing my work and going to Skyhold myself."
"How long have I been here?" Zaria asked, not sure she wanted an answer.
"It's been six months since the attack on Skyhold," Carver reported. "I heard about it from Commander Varalas. Everyone's been worried about you."
"You really do have a knack for finding trouble, don't you?" Isabela laughed.
"At least I never go looking for it," Zaria countered. A small hint that she had survived even this long with some of her old self still intact, but it was enough to lighten the others up a bit. They were all just glad to find her alive.
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Post by Fenris on Jul 31, 2016 0:05:50 GMT -5
SAAREBAS Fenris watched curiously as she turned around, listening as she explained herself before he grabbed the rod, not eager to hold the foul thing again, but more than ready to get those chains off of her, just finding them painful to look at. So the moment they were gone, he could practically feel the relief radiating off of her. Once she was officially freed, he welcomed being her support again, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her steady as she adjusted to the lack of weight.
The elf continued to listen patiently as she explained what she endured, tensing up a bit all the while and giving a weak "Don't." when she expressed that she understand how he felt. It wasn't that he didn't want to be compared to her... Not exactly, anyway, he just didn't want to even imagine the possibility of her suffering like he had, even if the evidence was there. She didn't lose her memories, not completely anyway, which was something to definitely be thankful for. He wouldn't have known what he would have done if she had forgotten everything. He certainly wouldn't abandon her, but it would have been a very difficult task, he was sure. Fortunately that wouldn't be the case. "I'll never let anything like this happen again, I swear." he promised her, only taking her eyes off her when the rest of the group joined in.
It took everything in his power to avoid berating the other elf as she quite literally tackled Hawke, the warrior narrowly avoiding falling down himself with the two. Once again he found himself stepping aside for a moment, giving the rest a chance to greet her an express their gratefulness in finding her safe. He was hers, and she was his, but it would be selfish to hold her all to himself, even if that was exactly what he wanted to do at that moment. Without their help, he probably wouldn't have been successful, after all.
He quieted down as they spoke, cringing as they revealed to her just how long she was there for. She'd been waiting for so long, struggling to decipher what was real or not. Did she blame him for not showing sooner? He was mostly beating himself up over it still, as he had been for those long six months, barely eating or sleeping and it showed, especially now that he had the chance to calm down. He still could care less though, just glad that things hadn't gotten as worse as they were certainly capable of! Danarius always told him about the Qunari, taking inspiration from the way they treated their mages in dealing with him. Only now did he truly feel sorry for the mages who had to deal with such treatment. Fenris only wished he hadn't had to figure that out at Zaria's expense.
It seemed Fenris really was feeling bad, as he didn't even quip or so much as even scoff when Hawke insisted she never went looking for trouble like he usually would at such a half-assed statement. Now was not the time to argue over pointless things, so he kept his mouth shut. "We should probably get out of here before reinforcements show." he eventually spoke once the group had began to quiet down. The further they were away from this place, the better. He doubted Zaria would argue against that either. |
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Post by Zaria Hawke on Jul 31, 2016 0:32:50 GMT -5
"Thank you," Zaria finally muttered, looking around at everyone. Her gaze lingered on her brother first, and then Fenris.
"I would never stop looking until I found you," Carver insisted, his voice serious. "You are my sister. We may not always see eye-to-eye, but you will always be my sister. Nothing can change that." Zaria initiated the hug this time, and she felt so much lighter without those heavy shackles and the collar. Her head was beginning to clear, too. Her memories were returning to her, gradually.
Of course the first one that came to her mind was that first night she and Fenris shared in the estate.
She returned to the most comfortable position for the moment - at her elf's side. She leaned against him, closing her eyes for a moment. "Thank you, Fenris," she muttered softly. "You kept looking for me this whole time, even though I forgot..." She put one hand lightly on his chest, the feel of his armor helping her anchor herself in her present reality. She'd gotten more adept at walking the Fade in recent months, which she found odd for some reason but couldn't quite place yet. She figured the memory was still missing somewhere.
"I agree," Aveline said with a nod. "Let's get back to Kirkwall. Fenris, you and Carver take care of Hawke. We'll make sure the way is clear." With that, Merrill, Aveline, and Isabela went out into the hall. There were a few soft sounds of bodies hitting floors, and Zaria knew it must be Isabela. She didn't worry about how she knew; thinking too much right now would force her back into the Tranquil-like state. And now that she was out of it, she didn't ever want to go back in again.
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Post by Fenris on Jul 31, 2016 0:51:29 GMT -5
SAAREBAS While the rest spoke, Fenris seemed to zone out, consumed by his own thoughts and the sudden exhaustion he felt now that his mission to find her was finally over. It was all finally hitting him now, and he had a feeling he wouldn't be leaving Kirkwall for a while once they returned, not that he planned on leaving Hawke alone for a while, if ever again. He snapped out of his drifted state however when he felt her at his side.
As she leaned into him, he wrapped his arm around her again, making sure she didn't fall and admittedly needing no real excuse to want to hold her after worrying for so long that he might never get the chance again. She thanked him, which the elf had already decided was entirely unnecessary, but then even went as far as to seem surprised that he looked for her, apparently feeling guilt for forgetting. No, that wouldn't do. "You know I'd fight through the Fade to get to you." he reminded, which was a reason why she hadn't taken him with her during that blasted mission with the Inquisition, but that was another rant for another time. "I am yours, as always." he insists. No matter what happened, that fact would remain. As much as they fought, he planned to always remain at her side and there was nothing that could change that.
With everyone seeming to be in agreement, Fenris took to supporting Hawke, reluctantly relying on Carver were anything to stand in their way. He was a trustworthy swordsman, no doubt, but the elf would always have difficulty allowing other to fight his own battles. But making sure Zaria got out safe and sound was a priority, so he was willing to swallow his pride. "Let's go." he states after a couple moments, waiting for the sounds the quiet down outside before starting out, keeping a firm hold on Hawke to keep her steady. He wanted nothing more than to go home and forget all this had happened. |
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Post by Zaria Hawke on Jul 31, 2016 12:12:28 GMT -5
Zaria's eyes took on an unfocused, distant look again. The Fade... That's right, she went physically into the Fade almost ten years ago. But she hadn't brought Fenris with her because... because he would have sacrificed himself to save her. She had one arm around his shoulders, the other hand on his chest. She was limping slightly, due to a rather large scar on one leg.
"And I am yours," she agreed softly, managing a small smile. It was a far cry from the strong woman she had been months ago, but now that she was free from the Rivaini she could begin to look to the future again. A future where she was her own woman, where she chose who she worked with and for.
"Fenris, you know they'll come for me," she muttered softly, so the others couldn't hear. "When Par Vollen doesn't receive word from... from her... When they find her dead without me, they'll come for me..." Fenris had spent time with the Qunari before. He would know what would happen to a Saarebas who went without its master. They would come to kill her. She looked away from him. She'd almost lost herself to the Qun, what if she had lost him too? Would she have felt anything if he had been any later? Or if he had come alone, and her former master had killed him... Would she have felt sadness, or pain? Or would she have just considered it another event and moved on, stuck in an emotionless haze for the rest of her life? That was a terrifying thought.
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Post by Fenris on Jul 31, 2016 13:53:25 GMT -5
SAAREBAS It was relieving to hear her say that. He ought to have faith in her, having always said she was strong, stronger than most mages. Of course she would prevail, despite the torment she had to endure. Still, knowing that she had the same feelings, despite the torture, the abandonment, and his own incapability to protect her, it gave him the courage to make sure it wouldn't be in vain. Which is precisely why he didn't appear the slightest bit phased by her next hushed words.
He knew well enough, and could certainly sympathize with her plight. But as she had been there for him, he would remain there for her, no matter what happened. "Let them come." he growled with a ferociousness that upheld his namesake. "I will cut down every Arvaarad who dares to come near you." he added, not a threat, but a fact. They would have to get through him before he'd allow any Qunari or Viddathari to touch her again. But maybe she wasn't sure of that? He frowned the thought. "I know I failed you before, but... you can trust me. I wont allow anyone to hurt you again." he tried to assure, not wanting her to doubt him, even if she may have every reason to. He failed her far too much than he cared to admit, but he wanted to change that. Fenris would prove it to her, if she would give him the chance.
The elf noticed she'd grown quiet, looking away, and he reached down to take a hold her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze to reassure her. "You're not weak, Hawke. You'll overcome this, I promise." |
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Post by Zaria Hawke on Jul 31, 2016 14:47:18 GMT -5
His words lifted her heart, and she finally brushed her lips against his cheek. "You have never failed me," she assured him. "My memories may not be in the best of shape right now, but I do remember that much." She remembered meeting him for the first time in the alienage, fighting slavers, and that first night they shared together.
Then he took her hand, and her heart actually skipped a beat. The look of surprise softened, and she smiled once again. "With you at my side," she said with a nod. "You, and everyone else."
_______________________________________________________________________
Location: Kirkwall
It had only been a few weeks since being freed from captivity, and already she was making progress. She still caught herself staring blankly into space, as if she were still under Qunari control. She did look more like herself though. With her hair cut in her usual style again, and a light returned to her face and her eyes, she was starting to feel better too.
Right now, though, she was asleep in her bedroom. She'd been given medicine from the healers to allow her a dreamless sleep, so she didn't have to deal with nightmares.
She rolled over and her eyes fluttered open. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up, yawning widely. The fire in the fireplace was roaring, and she found herself watching the dancing flames for a few minutes. She'd gotten more absent-minded after being rescued, but that wasn't without reason. She was still suffering from what they'd done to her in order to break her mind.
She shook herself out of the trance-like state and stood, stretching. Fenris would be here any minute, and she wanted to at least get her hair brushed before he walked in.
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Post by Fenris on Jul 31, 2016 15:28:58 GMT -5
SAAREBAS When he felt her lips against his cheek, he felt a familiar heat in the tip of his ears, said ears turning red a bit, still unfamiliar with public affection like this, but not about to discourage it this time. She'd assured him that he hadn't failed her, and that in itself helped him be a little less harsh on himself, even if he still intended to make sure she never felt alone or abandoned again. She'd be fine, and he'd be right there alongside her. ------ Back home in Kirkwall, a far shorter period that the long six months it took to hunt Hawke down. Fenris of course remained close, never travelling too far from home and taking more jobs within the city, repaying his debt to Aveline by taking care of the more 'shady' business while Zaria recovered. He spent a lot more time at Hawke's estate rather than in his mansion, either at her place caring for her, or on the streets keeping busy. He never stayed away for too long though, as there was no planning for the hunters inevitable arrival. Even in her own home she wasn't entirely safe, the Qunari not actually shy about their duties and would barge in if they really wanted. He tried not to worry too much about it though, if only to avoid stressing her out too much. She had enough to deal with already! The elf would simply be there to guard her when they showed. His armor was a bit bloody by time he'd arrived at her home, Orana greeting him and rambling on, mentioning somewhere in those mess of words that Hawke was in her room and that she'd alert her of his arrival, a suggestion that fell on deaf ears as Fenris already headed up the stairs. "Or... not." the elf sighed to herself, resigning to being ignored. There was no fighting him, and quite honestly she wasn't about to get in the way of lovers, continuing on with her duties with a soft chuckle to herself. Fenris was at least kind enough to knock before he entered, not exactly waiting for her permission, but knocking nonetheless! "How are you feeling?" he'd ask, almost like a mantra now since he asked the same question every time he met her again. |
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Post by Zaria Hawke on Jul 31, 2016 16:05:51 GMT -5
She turned at the knock on the door, smiling when she saw Fenris open it. "Well, the medicine is working at least," she said with a yawn. "You out helping Aveline again?" she asked, knowing the answer was yes by the blood on his armor. She took his hand and led him farther into the room, sitting down on the bed. She leaned into him, putting one hand on his chest. She took more pleasure in simple things now, like simply sitting with the man she loved. She kept telling herself that it wouldn't last. That something was going to go wrong and this peace would end. She just couldn't let herself believe this was how things were going to be... So she treasured every moment she got to spend with Fenris.
"Every day is a little better," she told him finally, resting her head on his shoulder. "I keep thinking this isn't going to last... Something's going to happen, and..." She sighed softly. "The Arvaarad are going to come after me, if they aren't already... I don't want any more Qunari in Kirkwall," she finally admitted, watching the flames as they licked the wood. She was getting stronger every day, and getting more accustomed to using her magic again. Her fingers ghosted over the marks on his arm, remembering when he first told her how he got them. She enjoyed looking at the patterns across his skin, but she didn't mention it to him. He never liked it when the markings were brought up, after all.
Her eyes went out of focus again as she stared at the flames, her fingers stilling over his arm. These episodes still happened rather frequently, but less often now than they had when she'd first been rescued. And now she was able to bring herself out of them. Well, sometimes.
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