Leaving the Deep Roads | By : ArchaicLegend Category: +A through F > Dragon Age (all) > Dragon Age (all) Views: 3881 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Dragon Age and the characters of the game do not belong to me. This is a no profit fanfiction |
"Hawke reporting for duty!" She said and snapped to attention.
Anders smiled at her, "At ease, private Hawke."
She made a face at him and then laughed. "So what do you need me to do today?" She asked, he had been working at the potions bench when she arrived and he motioned her to follow him back. There was a large pile of redish brown herbs on the table, elf root she she identified. There was also a large mortar and pestle filled with some reddy brown liquid, she could still see elfroot parts floating around in the miasma.
"Here," he said passing her the pestle. "I need you to grind the elfroot into the water untill the liquid is a bright crimson. When it is come and let me know and we can start on another batch.
She nodded and started grinding, he watched her for a minute before stopping her.
"Let me show you something," he said coming up behind her. Using one arm he adjusted her hold on the pestle with the other held her hand and the mortar, carefully he began to grind the herbs it was much more of a slow rotation and crushing motion than she had been using. "I find a bit of a twist helps release the essence better," he said in her ear. He gently released her hand and let her take the force of the mortar, his hand still hovering above but not touching hers. they stood like that for a while as she learnt the rhythm. When the liquid was a bright crimson, she turned her face to his intending to ask if it was ready. Instead she found her lips brushing down his neck, she felt him shiver goose flesh erupting where her lips had touched. She paused unwilling to move away, the contact between his throat and her lips so light as to be almost non existent, but it took up all of her focus. She could feel his breath catch in his throat, the tension in the arms around her but he was also unwilling to move, it seemed. She turned her head slightly watching the hairs stand on end where her breath passed over them.
A cough from one of his assistants, mad them both jump and he pulled away.
"Yes .... you have it. That's the colour you are looking for. Now you can pour it through the strainer over there," he said motioning to the large jar with a strainer on the top. He moved away quickly and made himself busy, trying not to look at the flush that coloured her cheeks. With a sigh of released tension, she poured the mixture through the filter and started on another batch.
The following months fell into a comfortable pattern every Tuesday Hawker would escape the madness that had become her life since her return from the deep roads and head to Anders' clinic. There she would mix potions and poltices instruct people on their usage or just generally help out. It was always busy at the clinic and they worked together well. There was not a lot of time for teaching, but she did learn a lot about potions, poltices and the people of the city she had adopted as her own. After the first day Anders had been careful around her, always keeping a distance between them as if she was surrounded by some form of force field. Even if by some miracle of absentmindedness her hand touched his, he would jerk it away almost as if her touch burned him. With an almost pain resignation she became used to the slight distance, being careful to wait for his hand to move away from something before she picked it up. Standing close enough to work with him but not close enough to touch.
She was running late it had taken her some time to free herself from family commitments enough to visit the clinic. She saw the familiar figure of Isabella consulting with Anders.
"Don't come running to me next time you pick up one of these diseases," he said as he finished up.
"Isn't that the point of magic?" Isabella retorted only somewhat jokingly as she left.
Hawke nodded her a greeting as she passed, put raised her hand to stop any discussion, "I don't want to know."
Isabella smirked and continued on her way blowing Anders a kiss from the door.
"Hawke at your service," she said smiling then stopped, he was wearing one of his grim expressions, "Are you ok?"
"Things just keep getting worse, I had Templars practically on my doorstep the other night."
She felt a stab of panic go through her, she scolded herself and pushed it down resorting to humour, her usual defense. "Don't tell me these things, I might have to lock you up, to keep them off you."
He rewarded her with one of his charming sideways smiled, "Sweetheart, I am not letting anyone lock me up, you included." His face grew serious again. "The knight commander is out of control, even her own people have been talking about it. The curfews, the midnight raids on mages families, everyone I know being forced into hiding so they won't be made tranquil."
She was going to have to have some words with her brother, she had to find out what was going on and make sure they left Anders alone. "If they want you they will have to come through me," she was surprised at the amount of venom in her voice.
He shook his head, "You are at as much risk as I am," he paused seeming to steel himself then continued. "That is what I worry. What if your money and position aren't enough, what if the knight commander turns on you?" He looked away his voice shaking slightly. "Everything I have done to control this, I don't care, I would drown us in blood to keep you safe."
It hit her like a punch in the gut, she wanted to touch him to hold him to tell him she would do the same. But it wasn't just her at stake, she could see him drowning and wouldn't let him go under for her. "I don't want to see you lose yourself, to the Templars or Justice."
He turned bitterly from her, "How much is left if you strip both those out?"
She wanted to yell at him, tell him that he was more than that but he continued.
"I am sorry," he continued. "I can't be anyone but who I am. There will be more violence, I know that. If tie yourself to me I'll only hurt you."
She decided to take the leap, "Nothing would hurt me as much as losing you." There! she had said it.
He shook his head, she could feel him pulling away. "You don't want to do this, I have no control around you. I never thought I'd meet another Mage like you, another Apostate." He looked at her his eyes full of fear, pain, anger and love. It was the love that tore at her heart, he was so tangled in himself. Was that what it was like to be constantly thinking and feeling for two. To twist yourself, to be so unsure of who you are and what you are capable of. "Don't tempt me not unless you are ready for what that means," he sounded so resigned as if the result was a foregone conclusion.
An assistant was hovering nearby, there were more clients to see. She touched him on the shoulder as she past, he stiffened as if bracing for an attack. She smiled reassuringly and bent down her cheek next to his, her mouth by his ear. "I am willing to learn," she whispered and stood heading to the back bench to help the other assistants mix potions and salves.
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