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Seven Years of Love: Chapter 14

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Chapter 14


The trek to Dougal’s hideout began that afternoon. Hawke left her other friends to protect her mother in case the Carta went after her. Varric, Isabela, Fenris, and Anders made it to The Wounded Coast in just a few hours, but before they could walk any further Varric stopped them.
“I just wanted to let you know that Dougal’s place is very deep within the coast. My informant will be meeting us tonight, so we should make camp.” Varric said.
“That’s a good idea,” Hawke replied.
Isabela sighed as she set up camp with Fenris. The deal that she and Varric made a year ago was going quite badly. Hawke and Anders were as awkward as ever. Carver was Maker knows where and Merrill was obsessed with her mirror. Isabela turned to Fenris who was brooding by the fire Hawke had created.
“What is it now darling?” She asked.
Fenris looked up at her. “What?”
“You’re brooding again.”
“I always brood according to everyone.”
Isabela chuckled and sat next to him. There was a pregnant pause between the two before Fenris spoke up. “So I hear you think mages should be free.”
“Everyone should be free. Not just mages.” Isabela responded.
“Not everyone's dangerous,” Fenris said.
“It's not about who's dangerous. It's about having choices made for you.” Isabela snapped. “Don't you wish you had the choice not to have lyrium stuck under your skin?”
“I do.”
Isabela sighed. “This is silly. I don't want to argue.”
“Do you want to guess what color my underclothes are again?”
Isabela beamed. “Oh, yes, that's much more fun.”

OOO

“They’re getting on well,” Hawke remarked looking at the elf and the pirate.
Anders glowered. “It seems they are.”
Hawke hit him lightly on the arm. “Oh come now, I think they’re cute.”
“Of course you would think that.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You’re a romantic at heart.”
Hawke chuckled. “True, I always used to read the story of Esprit and his love Grace when I was a child.”
Anders turned to Hawke who was now sitting on her bedroll. “I’ve never heard that story.”
“Really, it’s quite popular back in Ferelden. When the Orlesians occupied Ferelden they brought all of their stories with them. This one actually caught on. I think it will suit you, it is about mages after all.”
Before Anders could speak someone shouted from up the path. “VARRIC!”
They all saw a small dwarf woman stumbling around in Carta armor run towards Varric as she hugged him mightily. “Cousin!” She chortled.
“Good to see you to Jemica,” Varric said patting her on the back.
“Easy there Varric, I ain’t as young as I used to be.”
“You didn’t tell me your informant was your cousin,” Hawke said.
“Oh my dear sweet Hawke, there are many things I don’t tell you. It’s all being saved for my autobiography.”
The dwarven woman broke from the embrace and faced Hawke. She was taller than Varric, but not by much. Her hair was a fiery red, her face was dotted with freckles, and her blue eyes gleamed with youth. A shield and a mace were strapped to her back. She did not look related to Varric in the slightest, but from what Hawke had read dwarves had many extended relativities.
Jemica rolled her eyes and turned to Hawke. A huge smile spread across her face. “You must be Hawke… Varric never stops talking about you in his letters… I thought he was in love with you.”
“Jemica, you know I don’t lay with humans,” Varric jested.
Hawke over dramatically slapped a hand over her heart. “But you are so beautiful Varric!” She said.
Varric laughed. “Calm down, I know I’m irresistible.”
Jemica grinned at Anders. “Well, she already has a boyfriend…”
Anders eyes widened as he awkwardly stumbled from Hawke’s side. “Um—no, we’re just…” He said trying to find words to befit the situation.
“Friends,” Hawke completed smoothly, almost coldly.
“Oh… Anyway I brought information,” Jemica whispered. “Dougel plans to leave Kirkwall tomorrow, he knows you are coming for him. He expected you all to be killed at The Hanged Man, but that didn’t happen. You have to strike and you have to strike now.”
Hawke knew that the dwarf was right. Dougel would be long gone by tomorrow and Hawke wanted to make sure he never hurt anyone she loved. That would have to take brute force. “I am ready, we go now… Everyone gather your possessions!”

OOO

Anders knew one thing for sure as they climbed up the side of the mountain were Dougel’s encampment was that Hawke was a natural born leader. She took command immediately saying that they needed to be stealthy in order to get the jump on Dougel and she was right. It took hours to get over the jagged rock and all of them fell quite a few times, even Fenris. When they reached Dougel’s cave Isabela began to set up traps by the mouth of the cave while the rest waited.  
Anders sauntered slowly over to Hawke. After their latest awkward encounter (there seemed to be a lot of those lately.) Anders felt it best of him to apologize. “Hawke?”
She raised her head to him accidently showing her hands. They were marred with deep cuts from the rocks and Anders inwardly cursed himself for not noticing.
“You’re hurt,” he said taking her hand and examining it.
“Anders, calm down… I wasn’t stabbed or anything, it’s just a cut.”
“Why do you never tell me when you are hurt?”
“I don’t want to burden you,” Hawke said as he began to heal.
“You never burden me,” Anders said. For extra effect he took her chin in his hand. “Never.”
He saw Hawke’s face redden and her body started to quake in anticipation. In that instant Fenris tripped over another rock and landed on the ground. He shouted out many curses in an unfamiliar language as Anders pulled away from Hawke to meet the elf.
“Fenris! Are you alright,” Isabela asked running over to him.
That was odd… Isabela never addressed Fenris by his first name. It was always darling or sweet thing. It was so unlike her.
The elf got up and dusted himself off. He gave a nod of thanks to Isabela for her sympathy and stalked off towards the cave. “So? Are we going?” He asked.
The others followed him, stepping carefully over Isabela’s carefully laid traps. Jemica took the lead. “Dougel should be right in front…” She said.
Varric placed a hand on his cousin’s shoulder. “Jem, you don’t know what this means to me. I’ve had too many family members betray me. It’s good to know someone is on my side.”
She flashed him a grin. “No problem.”
Right at that second an arrow flew from the darkness and hit Anders in the shoulder. With a yelp of pain he hit the ground. Hawke blasted the archer with a rain of fire as Isabela took out her daggers and Fenris his sword. Thousands of Carta members began pouring through different paths of the cave. Varric got three of them with Bianca and Jemica managed to slice some with her mace.
“It’s a trap!” Jemica yelled over the clash of steel.
Hawke and Fenris always worked well together in battle. Even though he hated to admit it. Hawke froze some soldiers as Fenris tore them apart with his great sword. Isabela threw her daggers in a flurry. They were all covered in sweat and blood when half the group was cut down.
Hawke had forgotten about Anders during the fighting, but now that some of the pressure was off she could check on him. “Anders?” She asked over her shoulder as the rest of the Carta surrounded her.
They all formed a tight circle as the Carta attacked them. One of them must have slipped through their defense because he jumped up Hawke knocking the wind out of her and sending her upon the floor. His dagger drove itself into her arm and Hawke screamed in pain. She had suffered worse, but this had taken her by surprise. Just when she thought it was over the dwarf’s head suddenly flew from his body with the quick flick off the sharp edge of a staff.
She saw Anders standing above her. She could have kissed him that moment. Well she could have kissed him at any moment. “Anders thank yo—”
The figure that rose to defend her was not Anders.
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