Fiat Justitia

Hawke almost closed her eyes as she poised in the shadow of the desk, on the tips of her toes and contorted to stay out of sight. There were footsteps down the hall, she could place them on the stairs. Perhaps her contacts had been right - they had been quick to dismiss the possibility of infiltrating Danarius' estate.   But she had. Hawke couldn't help but inwardly grin as she listened. The voices were too distant to make out, muffled by the walls. The opportunity had presented itself to glean more information from the magister and help Anders' cause. She couldn't deny, the challenge thrilled her. Hawke breathed slow and steady, straining to keep it silent in the position she held as she lowered a hand to the desk to steady herself. Her calves had begun to tremble with the strain. The silence in the house stretched on. Perhaps it was coincidence - she could still escape with the books. When Hawke stood up, there was the whoosh of air and a streak of blue, and she just barely missed the hand advancing upon her. Caught in the surreal charge, she gasped out and she was pinned against the wall, the fist of her captor smashed through the plaster beside her. The flaring blue of his tattoos made her dark-adjusted eyes strain. "You," Fenris rumbled, and they fought for dominance. When Hawke tried to throw him, his superior strength won, and he kneed her in the gut. She wheezed and crumpled, but he held her against the wall. "I know you." "Indeed," Hawke groaned, arching her brow as she drew breath. "Inclined to let me go?" "You're a thief," he sneered, drawing his arm back. The tattoos on his skin flared bright, and the energy coalesced as he formed a fist. "My master does not tolerate larceny." Fenris' forearm slid higher to pin Hawke's throat and cut off her reply, a peculiar grin on his lips as his muscles tensed. Before he could move, the floor beneath them flared bright with a glyph and they froze in place. "Fenris," Hadriana said from the doorway, stave relaxing to her side as she advanced. "Always so faithful - so quick to kill. Don't you recognize her?" Tensing visibly and withdrawing to a more submissive stance as the mage released him from her glyph, Fenris replied, "The Ferelden mage. She is his bodyguard." "And you would kill her," Hadriana pouted, and traced her finger down the tattoo on his chin and neck. He closed his eyes instead of flinching. "It is what Master has decried," Fenris said, his eyes growing distant under her caresses. "She is an intruder." "Indeed," Hadriana replied, before motioning to Hawke, who was still immobilized in the glyph. "Bind her arms and legs and bring her to my room." "Master will wish to-" Hadriana turned and the switch was in her hand, the reed leaving a seething red mark across Fenris cheek, "Do not speak out of place, servus. You may be his pet, but you are bound to my word." "Yes, Mistress," Fenris replied, dropping his head to retrieve the rope needed. Hawke felt her pulse rise in her chest as sleep edged at her consciousness, hearing the arcanum on Hadriana's lips before darkness enveloped her. It wasn't light or sound that woke Hawke from the forced sleep, but the slice of pain across the soles of her feet. She clipped a cry and lifted her head, blind in the lamplight as the delicate skin throbbed like it were against heated iron. When she tried to move, she found her arms bound from elbow to thumb, her legs spread and tied beneath her. The air was against her skin - she, she was almost naked, she had to be. A hand rested on her hair, keeping her from moving further. Lyrium. She could smell the lyrium. It sent her back to her childhood, cradled in her father's arms as they fled the templars. It was a sweet cool scent on his breath, and there was an energy about him that tugged at her gut still. It was a smell on Anders' breath and in his kisses - to quell the spirit, he said. To satiate it. The heavy hand weighted Hawke's head down as another stroke hit the soles of her feet, and she choked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "Awake, then?" Hadriana asked from where she flanked the pair. "She is," Fenris said from where he sat, Hawke leant into his lap. He brushed her dark hair from her eyes, letting the bound woman see the mage in her periphery. "Then tell me what you're doing in my master's home," Hadriana said, bringing the length of bamboo down upon Hawke's soles once more. Choking on her heard breath, Hawke jerked into Fenris' thigh, clenching as the blows hit, and it was only when they abated that she let herself breath. Gasping hard, she blinked the tears in her eyes, finally able to gasp, "Couldn't sleep." "I am in no mood for glib idiots," Hadriana plainly said, and her wrist darted to smack Hawke's bare thighs. The bound rogue closed her eyes, finding some reprieve in the softened curves of her thighs, twitching even as the fiery strokes dipped to her inner thighs. She clenched her teeth, trying to breath through her nose as the pace became erratic, leaving her tensed and quivering as she awaited the next. "You had very specific books in your possession," Hadriana said, pausing so she could be heard. "Why. Did your master wish them?" Hawke shuddered, almost laughing as she huffed on her breath in a dizzy way, "I have no master." "Do you enjoy the perspective, Fenris?" Hadriana said as she slapped across Hawke's thighs again, moving between them and the increasingly reddened soles of her feet. Hawke was trembling against his thigh, breath shuddering as she tried to reign herself in and keep from screaming, but a pitched whine was escaping. "Did Anders pay you to come here? Is your silence worth his coin?" Fenris remained silent, his bare hand across Hawke's dark hair as she choked on another sound of pain into his tights. The bamboo made a defined thwick in the air with each staggered blow. It was a game he knew well. The times his skin had been mended from the lacerations, from the bruises and breaks, only so Hadriana might snap it red once more. It roused something against his will - but what will was there? "I...I don't speak to whores..." Hawke gasped, flexing her fingers into fists to protect her palms as another set of lashes licked up her thighs. Andraste, this was Andraste's final moment, burning like this. She started laughing at the pain, shuddering as she laid into Fenris thigh. Useless feet. But she would never walk again anyway. "You smell nice, elf." The taunting only aggravated Hadriana further, and the mage shook her head as her wrist snapped to crack on Hawke's feet once more. A pair of the hits had broken skin, leaving a smattering of blood flecking from the bamboo. "Hadriana," the firm command came from the door, and the woman stopped as their eyes turned to Danarius. "I know you have your pleasures, but I will not have it disturb my work." "I apologize," Hardiana bowed her head, a sheen on her brow from the exertion. "I found this thief in your library and wished to soften her resolve before presenting her to you." Fenris briefly glanced up from Hawke's hair to Hadriana at the omission. "Present her to me," Danarius said, his words firm. It was a tone the elf knew well. The magister crossed his arms, still standing in the doorway. Hooking his hands under Hawke's arms, Fenris rose and lifted her with nonchalant ease to hold her before his master. He kept her feet from carpet beneath them. Danarius tilted her chin up, her eyes dilated wide and swimming into some space in the abating pain. "You are Anders' bodyguard." Hawke huffed a little, shivering into a peculiar laugh as she looked up to him, "Can barely hold my own, how... might I g-get a job like that?" A knowing smirk passed the man's wide lips, and Danarius' brow lifted as he said, "Interesting. Do not think I am as dulled as my apprentice. Take her to the front hall." Before another word could be said, Fenris adjusted his grip, fingers digging into the sides of Hawke's breasts as he swept out of the lamplight of Hadriana's chambers and through the lush halls of Danarius' mansion. In the dizzy float of pain, Hawke scarce acknowledge the world as it passed, only laughing again and crumpling forward when she was lowered to the ground. "Don't suppose you could let me go?" she asked, before losing her balance and falling forward onto her face with a smack. She cursed under her breath, opening her eyes some as she asked, "No?" "Silence," Fenris said beneath his breath from somewhere beside her. "You don't have to do this," Hawke suddenly said, the words distorted from her cheek being smushed against the floor. "Here," Danarius' voice came from across the room, light warming the room as their footsteps entreated. Fenris moved to take the manacles and chains the magister held, tilting his head as he awaited further instruction. "Chain her to the gates of the estate - ensure she can be seen from the street," Danarius simply said, clasping his hands together as the elf moved.  He waited, unmoved by Hawke's protests. When they were out the door, he turned to Hadriana, her disquiet obvious. "Do you think I'm a fool?" "I - no, no of course not master," she replied, a moment before his hand came across her cheek. "Then do not presume to know more than I," Danarius coldly said, glancing towards the door. "I merely do not understand, master," Hadriana said, her voice constrained. "I am well aware they are lovers. He will come for her," Danarius turned, beckoning his mage-light. "If he has not shown by sunset, flay her. We will see how a second night treats her." Down the cobbles, Hawke could scarce walk as Fenris led her, and she struggled in his grip - to the point that he had to lift her once more. The night was oppressive and humid around them, the lamps dim and the shadows forgiving. But dawn would not be. "Maker's balls, give me something," she hastily said. She was still bound and practically nude from the waist down. She was planted on her knees in view of the street, and she cringed at the pain, the welts on her thighs and feet darkened now. Fenris linked the chain through the gate before securing the manacles around her ankles, seeming oblivious to her pleading. He hesitated a moment and touched her shoulder before turning towards the mansion and leaving her to the night.   ===***===***===***===***===***===***===***===***   "Just tell me where she is," Anders said, pinching his brow before leaning on the table. The dwarf took a draw from his pipe and shrugged, glancing through the shady chamber. "Damn it, Varric," Anders said, fingers on the table clenching into a fist. "I thought you were our friend." "She didn't tell me where she was going last night," Varric replied, shrugging absently. "Some job she was pretty hush hush about." Anders paled and looked down, and some of his blond hair came loose, "It was for me." "Even if you've been here a few years, Blondie, you still don't seem to get how things work," Varric replied, casually drawing a box from his side to open and lay two small lyrium vials out. "There is someone watching you." "I know," Anders said, sinking further into the chair and taking a few coins from his purse to lay out and continue the charade. "Then what was the job," Varric said, rolling the blue glowing cylinders one at a time into the mage's waiting grasp. Closing his eyes, Anders spoke through his teeth, "A magister." "Look, I've heard something of this charade you seem to be on - oh no, don't get me wrong, I want no part in it - but you are treading on very thin ice." "How do you even know about the thickness of ice," Anders sighed. "The rivers here never freeze." "No," Varric said, taking the coins from the table. "But I've a good imagination." Anders rubbed his hands down his face and spoke through his fingers, "I wanted information on Danarius." "Shit, Blondie," Varric sighed, leaning back in his chair. He signalled for the server to come fill his flagon, just staring at the mage across from him as she did her work and left. "Then maybe he's the one you should track down. Getting involved in that man's business might as well be suicidal."            Back into the streets, Anders made his way across the city with little hesitation. It was already late afternoon - his hours at the clinic had kept him. He had not thought to worry until returning home to find Leandra in his drawing room. His footsteps slowed as he neared the familiar gates of the magister. A person was cowed against the gate, a smat of dark hair on their head. He ran towards them without a thought. "Marian," Anders said as he took a knee beside her. "What have they done to you?" Lifting her head from where she'd slumped to rest, Hawke licked her lips, "It wasn't the warmest welcome." "You're a fool," he said, holding her steady as he summoned the magic to heal her wounds. They were difficult to see in the waning light as the sun dipped below the towers of the city. "Your fool," she replied, closing her eyes as the sores eased. She sighed out heavily, her voice cracking as she said, "Please tell me you brought water?" "I... I'm sorry, I didn't expect anything like this," He quietly said, tugging a rag from his pocket. He froze a block of ice on it  and put it in her waiting mouth. "Just suck." Letting the ice melt a moment, Hawke adjusted the rag in her cheek and murmured through it, "That's what he said." Anders laughed once in disbelief, before moving, "Let's get you out of here." "Oh, but I don't think that will be happening," Hadriana said from her place on the walk, drawing his eyes up. Standing, Anders clenched his fist to contain the seethe of fire under his skin, "I demand you release her, what right do you have?" "You are well aware of the laws regarding trespass, Anders," Hadriana replied with condescending sweetness. "Or have you neglected that aspect in your studies of the Imperium?" "I am a proper citizen of the Imperium and a member of the conclave," Anders took a few steps to situate himself between them. He stabbed a finger in Hawke's direction, "You will release my property this instance, or so help me..." "And what will you do?" Their heads turned as Danarius casually approached with Fenris at his shoulder. "What power do you think you have - will they even listen?" "It's not worth it," Hawke whispered hoarsely from her place on the ground. She closed her eyes. "We will find another way." "Take her in the house, Hadriana," Danarius calmly said, watching Anders. "I am within my rights to deal with theft as I see fit." Other citizens had stopped in the street to watch them, and for a moment defeat flickered in Anders eyes. They were within earshot. As Hadriana unshackled Hawke and pulled her to her feet, he stepped forward, “Fight me then.” Danarius waved a hand when Hadriana looked at him, and the two women continued back into his manor, “A duel? Official? By the rules of the conclave.” “Yes,” Anders said, his stomach flipping at his brashness. “The victor gains possession – not just of her. Of everything.” A dark glint in his eyes, Danarius briefly nodded, “Very well. At the forum in two days time. She is mine until then.” When the mage turned away, Fenris hesitated, watching him with an uncommon curiosity before following in his master’s wake. Anders watched the door through which Hawke had been taken, the dread in his stomach weighing him down.