FIC: [Dragon Age II] Light 3/?
Sebastian/Fenris
No warnings. A little spoilery but mostly invented backstory. This chapter turns fluffy.
The next few days were contrary to either of their expectations. They kept to a page a day and Sebastian found he was halting less as he read about lyrium in general, many findings in keeping with general knowledge. There were also impersonal notes on some of the other slaves but Fenris did not remember them. There were more accounts; it was not clear if Varania had sorted through the notes without sending them.
Thus the sickening feeling in Sebastian's gut was more from the anticipation of what all this research was going to lead to.
The next page surprised him. It was a letter, in a different hand. He leaned forward in the chair as he read, skipping the flowery praise to Danarius. "It is with pleasure that I confirm the transaction is complete and with satisfaction on my side. The elf and her child are to be delivered almost as soon as this letter and you will find that they have an excellent, docile temperament. As for the child's magic, it is proven beyond reasonable doubt. If you will consider investing in her education, it will be well worth the reward." Sebastian paused. If this was about Varania, there was no mention of her brother yet.
Fenris scoffed. "It wouldn't surprise me if he'd been grooming her from the start. Making her feel special by choosing her to be his apprentice when it had always been his plan."
Sebastian drudged through a paragraph about recent transactions with other slavers and more pompous language. "Of all the disgusting, self-congratulatory..." he muttered before checking himself. He sighed, leaning back as he neared the end of the letter, ready to set it onto the table. "P.S. There is another bargain I would discuss with you, once the above slaves have been assessed. I have an elf-child that may interest you and could be settled in with them as soon as next month with little inconvenience."
He didn't need to provide his own comment on that. He couldn't read Fenris' expression, his face was turned away from the flickering light of the fire. Sebastian wanted to take him away from this... pit. This. All of it. He had little to offer except his strength of faith in the Maker, and even he knew how rude it would be to try to preach at this moment. He just had to walk through this with him. Stay by his side.
"I'm here. Page by page. I will do this with you."
Fenris looked down at his own lap.
"And when it's over..." it would be up to Fenris to decide. He would be free.
The shift of the chair alerted him as Fenris stood. "I'm not waiting until then to- to do what I want."
Sebastian sat up straight, interested. He commended Fenris' courage. "What do you want to do?"
Fenris had his hands on his hips, wrinkling his nose. "I want to start by cleaning this place up."
Cleaning?
Fenris' expression softened as he looked at Sebastian, a tiny quirk to his lips. "You were expecting a trip across the Marches? Or to the Rose?"
Not quite that, but... "I think it is a very... proper thing to do." he offered.
"Don't be so wary. You don't have to help me."
Sebastian tilted his head. "I can see that it would be satisfying to make progress yourself..."
"You're being diplomatic. But?"
"But why not get as many people as possible to help you in one day? I'm sure Hawke and Isabela don't mind getting their hands dirty, in fact Isabela can probably enlist a team and get it ship-shape."
Fenris shook his head but his smile grew a little. "I'm sure she could." Fenris paced. "I have barely any posessions, but I would not like to see the things here pawned off at the docks. No matter how much I hate the statues. It would have to be, as you say, Hawke and Isabela, if they accepted."
The omissions were clear, and Sebastian did not question them.
Isabela's smile was, for lack of a better word, triumphant as she stood there with her hands on her lips, looking around. "I thought you'd never ask. Though four is a pretty small crew."
Hawke had brought Orana, making up the number.
"I thought you might appreciate the chance to show your skills." Sebastian said.
Isabela walked towards him. "You just want to be captained. Who knew?" she said, looking him up and down.
Thank the Maker he had left all that behind. "Indeed," he replied politely, "we are ready to start."
Within an hour the worst of the debris had been removed. Windows were opened, chasing the dust and musty air away. Fenris had kept his room relatively clean if a little untidy, but the rest of the mansion was neglected even without the proof of the battle. After much persuasion Fenris relented to the dockside sale of the statues after all, on the condition that the money was invested into their current work on the place. The owner was dead, the person who killed the owner was dead, but Fenris was still only a squatter as he continued to refuse to make any claim on the estate, like Hawke had.
Sebastian understood; Hawke's circumstances were different. Fenris had nothing. The documents had been hidden away in a drawer in Fenris' room and this could have been anybody's house.
Isabela, true to her role, did not let them stop for lunch until the worst of the dust and cobwebs had been swept and the floors mopped. Orana had brought them a cold lunch she had made at Hawke's estate. Hawke had to assure Fenris that Orana was being paid extra for this. It did not make him entirely comfortable just yet.
They sat around a hastily arranged table and Sebastian delayed tucking in to admire the way Fenris looked. The quality of light in the rooms had improved massively, although the windows were not yet clean they were open, and showed what it could look like. Fenris' neck and cheeks were flushed slightly, not just from the exertion, which any battle could show, but he looked lively. Sebastian could only attribute this to the fact he was doing something for himself and enjoying it, no matter how menial the task. He admired him greatly for this. He had taken off the armoured parts of his outfit and was rolling his shoulders, trying to get comfortable. It was tempting to follow suit, but Sebastian preferred to keep his full set on unless it couldn't be avoided. Fenris met his gaze and Sebastian smiled.
"I have a feeling we've got even harder work on the way." Fenris said before taking a good gulp of the wine Isabela had brought.
"I will do what is needed, but I'm more a polishing man." Sebastian said honestly.
"Really." A wicked smile played at Fenris' lips.
What was with today? Everyone was flirting with him. It was harder to calm himself with Fenris because for one it was so unexpected. For the other... well, Fenris was very attractive. Sebastian kept his thoughts chaste. He was very fond of Fenris. There was nothing wrong with that. He ate and restored his energy, although he chose water to drink, at the protest of the others.
No warnings. A little spoilery but mostly invented backstory. This chapter turns fluffy.
The next few days were contrary to either of their expectations. They kept to a page a day and Sebastian found he was halting less as he read about lyrium in general, many findings in keeping with general knowledge. There were also impersonal notes on some of the other slaves but Fenris did not remember them. There were more accounts; it was not clear if Varania had sorted through the notes without sending them.
Thus the sickening feeling in Sebastian's gut was more from the anticipation of what all this research was going to lead to.
The next page surprised him. It was a letter, in a different hand. He leaned forward in the chair as he read, skipping the flowery praise to Danarius. "It is with pleasure that I confirm the transaction is complete and with satisfaction on my side. The elf and her child are to be delivered almost as soon as this letter and you will find that they have an excellent, docile temperament. As for the child's magic, it is proven beyond reasonable doubt. If you will consider investing in her education, it will be well worth the reward." Sebastian paused. If this was about Varania, there was no mention of her brother yet.
Fenris scoffed. "It wouldn't surprise me if he'd been grooming her from the start. Making her feel special by choosing her to be his apprentice when it had always been his plan."
Sebastian drudged through a paragraph about recent transactions with other slavers and more pompous language. "Of all the disgusting, self-congratulatory..." he muttered before checking himself. He sighed, leaning back as he neared the end of the letter, ready to set it onto the table. "P.S. There is another bargain I would discuss with you, once the above slaves have been assessed. I have an elf-child that may interest you and could be settled in with them as soon as next month with little inconvenience."
He didn't need to provide his own comment on that. He couldn't read Fenris' expression, his face was turned away from the flickering light of the fire. Sebastian wanted to take him away from this... pit. This. All of it. He had little to offer except his strength of faith in the Maker, and even he knew how rude it would be to try to preach at this moment. He just had to walk through this with him. Stay by his side.
"I'm here. Page by page. I will do this with you."
Fenris looked down at his own lap.
"And when it's over..." it would be up to Fenris to decide. He would be free.
The shift of the chair alerted him as Fenris stood. "I'm not waiting until then to- to do what I want."
Sebastian sat up straight, interested. He commended Fenris' courage. "What do you want to do?"
Fenris had his hands on his hips, wrinkling his nose. "I want to start by cleaning this place up."
Cleaning?
Fenris' expression softened as he looked at Sebastian, a tiny quirk to his lips. "You were expecting a trip across the Marches? Or to the Rose?"
Not quite that, but... "I think it is a very... proper thing to do." he offered.
"Don't be so wary. You don't have to help me."
Sebastian tilted his head. "I can see that it would be satisfying to make progress yourself..."
"You're being diplomatic. But?"
"But why not get as many people as possible to help you in one day? I'm sure Hawke and Isabela don't mind getting their hands dirty, in fact Isabela can probably enlist a team and get it ship-shape."
Fenris shook his head but his smile grew a little. "I'm sure she could." Fenris paced. "I have barely any posessions, but I would not like to see the things here pawned off at the docks. No matter how much I hate the statues. It would have to be, as you say, Hawke and Isabela, if they accepted."
The omissions were clear, and Sebastian did not question them.
Isabela's smile was, for lack of a better word, triumphant as she stood there with her hands on her lips, looking around. "I thought you'd never ask. Though four is a pretty small crew."
Hawke had brought Orana, making up the number.
"I thought you might appreciate the chance to show your skills." Sebastian said.
Isabela walked towards him. "You just want to be captained. Who knew?" she said, looking him up and down.
Thank the Maker he had left all that behind. "Indeed," he replied politely, "we are ready to start."
Within an hour the worst of the debris had been removed. Windows were opened, chasing the dust and musty air away. Fenris had kept his room relatively clean if a little untidy, but the rest of the mansion was neglected even without the proof of the battle. After much persuasion Fenris relented to the dockside sale of the statues after all, on the condition that the money was invested into their current work on the place. The owner was dead, the person who killed the owner was dead, but Fenris was still only a squatter as he continued to refuse to make any claim on the estate, like Hawke had.
Sebastian understood; Hawke's circumstances were different. Fenris had nothing. The documents had been hidden away in a drawer in Fenris' room and this could have been anybody's house.
Isabela, true to her role, did not let them stop for lunch until the worst of the dust and cobwebs had been swept and the floors mopped. Orana had brought them a cold lunch she had made at Hawke's estate. Hawke had to assure Fenris that Orana was being paid extra for this. It did not make him entirely comfortable just yet.
They sat around a hastily arranged table and Sebastian delayed tucking in to admire the way Fenris looked. The quality of light in the rooms had improved massively, although the windows were not yet clean they were open, and showed what it could look like. Fenris' neck and cheeks were flushed slightly, not just from the exertion, which any battle could show, but he looked lively. Sebastian could only attribute this to the fact he was doing something for himself and enjoying it, no matter how menial the task. He admired him greatly for this. He had taken off the armoured parts of his outfit and was rolling his shoulders, trying to get comfortable. It was tempting to follow suit, but Sebastian preferred to keep his full set on unless it couldn't be avoided. Fenris met his gaze and Sebastian smiled.
"I have a feeling we've got even harder work on the way." Fenris said before taking a good gulp of the wine Isabela had brought.
"I will do what is needed, but I'm more a polishing man." Sebastian said honestly.
"Really." A wicked smile played at Fenris' lips.
What was with today? Everyone was flirting with him. It was harder to calm himself with Fenris because for one it was so unexpected. For the other... well, Fenris was very attractive. Sebastian kept his thoughts chaste. He was very fond of Fenris. There was nothing wrong with that. He ate and restored his energy, although he chose water to drink, at the protest of the others.