The Past That Haunts - Ch01: Words of an angel

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The sun began to sink on the horizon and the streets in Kirkwall started to empty when the people went to their homes. Fenris, an elf and escaped slave of a magister from Tevinter, started his journey from his mansion to Lowtown to look for one special person. His first stop: The Hanged Man, a filthy tavern, where the vermin of the city go to drink and forget the stress of the day. Unfortunately his so-called friends attend this tavern too. He opened the heavy wooden door and immediately he could smell the bad ale and hear the drunken laugh and chatter. He headed up the stairs into Varric's room where the group always met to discus the quest for the day or to just drink and have a good time. "Fenris!", the whole table shouted except of Anders, the mage and former grey warden, and Carver, her younger brother. Anders turned his head with disgust in his eyes and Carver gazed at him with bitterness in his eyes.
"Where is she?", he asked coldly in his deep voice.
"Who?" Isabela pressed herself up with a flirty smile and walked over to Fenris, showing off her curves.
"Don't be so foolish. You know who I mean, Isabela."
"Fenris, sit down and have a drink. The next round is on me!" Varric explained with a big smile on his face. The dwarf didn't wait a second as he continued to tell his stories about the adventures he experienced with their fearless leader, which Merril loved to hear although she had been with them.
"I don't have the time.", he admitted without hesitation.
"Thank the Maker." It wasn't to be overlooked that Anders and Fenris weren't best friends.
"Oh Broody, don't be so boring. Come, join us it will be fun. I promise you won't be bored.", Isabela whispered in his ear nearly touching it with her pirate lips. Every one knows she was really interested in the elf but only physically.
"No. I have to find her. Is she at home?" He looked into Carvers eyes, full of anger as he responded, "No, she isn't. It seems to be a bad day for you." Normally Fenris wouldn't just listen to such arrogance but he had no time for such childish things.

He turned and headed out of the filthy tavern to continue his journey. Where can she be? He asked himself as he found his way out of Kirkwall to the woods near sundermountain. He followed the last sunshine deeper into the forest until he heard a stream and headed directly in the direction where the sound of water came from. As he went out of the deep green of the forest he found himself in front of the stream. On his left, he saw a gigantic and beautiful waterfall. He turned right and followed the water. After about half an hour he heard a familiar voice. A female voice. She was singing.
This voice.. I remember this voice.. but how? Curious he went on, to see who's the owner of this angel like voice, which let him forget every thing. Fenris nearly ran up the hill where he expected his aim and so it was. There she was: Leaning on a pasture, the sun lightened her brunet nearly blond hair and let it seem a little bit red. She looked like she would sparkle. A light breeze wafted her hair to her left in Fenris' direction but he couldn't feel any wind blowing. Hmm… strange.. I must have fantasized. He whipped the thought away and shook his head as he walked towards her. She was still singing silently and drew something on a large and strong paper. Next to her laid her faithful mabari war hound Tanael. "Hawke?" Fenris said carefully. Immediately Tanael jumped on the taller and stronger elf, but nevertheless both fell on the ground, Tanael on Fenris torso, happily licking over his face. Hawke looked up in confusion what just happened but than she couldn't stop laughing when she saw Fenris kicking under her mabari, trying to get him off so he could stand up again. "That's not funny, Hawke! Tell him to stop!", he nearly shouted, clearly surprised from this warm welcome. "But it IS funny! I can't tell when I laughed so much the last time! Sorry, Fenris, but this picture and your face… this is just priceless hahaha..!" She lay back on the grass, holding her stomach, which already hurt. Without hesitation Tanael jumped over to his owner and started to lick her face. "Ha, you're right it IS funny!" He laughed until Hawke was finally released from the war hound. Both leaned against the old and thick pasture, she looked at him with a big smile on her porcelain face and sparkling eyes.

"What? What is it?"

"I've never seen you smiling not even slightly and now you just laughed until you almost died."

"No, I didn't. It's just-"

"Oh, shut up, Fenris. It won't help you if you try to lie to me. I SAW it."

He grumbled as he finally admitted. "Hmm… well, it doesn't happen often so you should be proud that you had the opportunity to watch it."

"Of course, but we only know each other since one week so I bet I could make you laugh like this again. I'll tell you a secret-" she stopped while she turned her head to each site to check that nobody was listening. "I haven't laughed that much for ages.", she whispered with a soft smile. Her eyes sparkled brighter than the sun, which was nearly down, making place for the night sky and the stars.
"What's wrong?", she asked softly, nearly concerned.
"I… I have never seen your eyes sparkle, especially not like that." Fenris felt how he blushed slightly.
"Oh… yes. It seems that I'm… happy." She said calm and a little bit unsure.
"I'm sorry we couldn't find your former master, Fenris."

"No, I should have known that he wouldn't be there. It would have been too easy."

"I expect he's not taking all this only because of one escaped slave, no?" Hawke looked into his deep green eyes while he looked down on the grass.

"No, I think he wouldn't." he admitted coldly. "It's because of these filthy markings. They're lyrium, burned into my flesh. When they were created the pain was… extraordinary and my memories faded away with the pain the ritual cost. I never wanted them. But I won't let him kill me and take the flesh from my corps to get his investigation back." The disgust in his voice was not to fail to hear.

"Hmm… Now that would be a waste of a very handsome elf." Flirty she smiled at him with her hazel eyes, costing him to laugh and blush slightly. After clearing is throat he started to say for what he came for. "I wanted to thank you. You helped me without any hesitation although you didn't know me. If I knew Anso would find someone… capable I would have met you earlier."

"Maybe I should thank Anso that he brought us together." After her words escaped from her soft and full lips she immediately regretted it. Why did I say something stupid? Hawke… you really should learn to speak AFTER you thought about what you're going to say not otherwise.
It was very quiet. The only sound they could hear were the birds singing their last songs before they went to sleep and the stream near the mountain. She enjoyed it. Here she felt save. No-one would find her and she can find peace at least for a little time, it was her place where she didn't have to hide. She leaned her head on the pasture and closed her eyes to capture the silence and the feeling of freedom. They just sat there for a while until the sky slowly grew darker and darker, showing the first stars.
"Hawke?" Fenris turned his head to see her eyes closed and his gaze fell on her rising and falling chest while she was breathing, causing him to blush lightly.
"Hmm?" She grumbled without a move.
"We know each other for one week now." Quietly he sat up again, feeling how tired he really was.
"Wow, someone seems to be very clever." She giggled but her eyes were still closed.

"Haha. And someone seems to be very funny."

"Hey, you're really clever.", she answered while she kept giggling.

"All the time I've never heard someone calling you by your forename."

"Yep. So what's the point?"

"Why is that so?"

"Because I don't like my name very much. I don't think it suits me well."

"So, what is your name?"

"My name is Asaliah."

"Like… the angel? The angel of love and justice, which is interested in human's potential and the power of thoughts?"

"Yes. I told you it doesn't suit me."

"Hawke – Asaliah, I don't know you very long, but I have the feeling it suits you perfectly. It's a beautiful and strong name."

"Thank you. I don't think I'm worthy of the name. But if you really have to call me by forename please call me Liah." She finally opened her eyes to look at him so that she could see his reaction.
"As you wish, Liah."