Rose of Ferelden

Anna was packing a bag as Hawke perched in the window, swinging her feet in a sheer nightdress. "How long are you on leave?"

"Two weeks, her clan is just passing through. And it's just Lothering." Anna looked up, a smile shimmering on her face. "You could come you know. It would do you some good after that letter from your mother and you could see your sister."

Hawke held out her hands like they were cuffed. "I can't leave without an escort, remember?" She smiled at Anna's laugh. "Besides, you don't want my issues ruining time with your mom. I'll get some extra scouting duty and run it out of my system."

Anna sighed, crumpling a shirt in her hands before sidling over to her. She traced her fingers up her arms, smiling at Hawke's pleased hum as her skin pebbled. She bumped their noses together. "My mother would love you, you know."

Hawke scoffed. "Really, Anna? I'm a thief. A good thief, but still." She arched her brows, her smile soft as she shook her head. "I steal everything for a living. That's not what anyone wants for their daughter."

Anna kissed her lightly before tracing a finger down her cheek. The moonlight made her skin glow beneath her few freckles. Her life in the shadows kept them from getting out of hand, but Anna found them adorable. "Is that all you see yourself as, a thief?"

She captured her finger with her lips, a gentle nip before answering. "I am The Rose, sweets. I gave the chances of something better to my brother and sister."

A bright chuckle left Anna. "A thief who hasn't stolen anything in months." Hawke shifted. "Oh, I noticed, darling. You've taken extra work to make up for the lost income. But the only thing you've taken is food for those kids that belong to the washer woman. And that's not stealing." She tucked a dark curl behind her ear. "You are so much more than a thief, one day she will see it too. You're charming and thoughtful. Your voice brightens dreary days when we've lost people. Your translations are unparalleled. The Chasind will only speak to you. Give yourself some credit."

Hawke chewed her lip. "You're going to make me cry."

"It would do you some good." Hawke tangled a hand in her hair, dragging her lips to hers. Anna moved closer to her, jostling her in the window sill and knocking her off balance. Hawke caught them both with one hand wrapped around the frame, the other tight around her waist and her legs hooked tightly around the ledge as she half dangled from the window. They stared at each other for a heartbeat before Hawke began to laugh. Anna drug her into the room and pulled the window shut. "Stay away from the window while I'm gone."

Hawke smiled against her lips. "Aye, captain."

Carver found her several days after Anna left, moodily tossing daggers at a dummy. "You are making everyone edgy."

She scowled at him. "They should have given me the extra work." She tossed two daggers, they hit the dummy with enough force they wobbled in the mockery of its eyeballs. "I'm bored. That letter from our darling mother left me with energy to spare."

"And you miss Anna." He jostled her shoulder and she gave him a one-sided smile. "How bad was the letter?"

She sighed. "The usual. Why can't you be involved with a nice boy? I heard she's part elf, even if she is a captain. Scouting isn't very hard and your brother said you are still drinking and singing." She rolled her shoulders and tossed another dagger. "Nothing on my promotion, or the decrease of my sentence, or the fact that Anna is a wonderful person. Just endless bitching." She threw herself on the ground and laid her head on her knees. "It's keeping me up at night. I'm happy and doing well and everything is legal for once and she just. I don't get it, Carver. I can't make her happy. I could marry the next King or become Divine and she would find a problem with it. And they won't give me anything to do."

He sat beside her. "We all know if you did either of those things it would be so you could steal their crowns." She laughed. "Just ignore her, Hawke. I know it's hard, and that she's always been awful to you but I'll read her letters for you from now on. I'll send the money and the news. You escape until you are ready to go home."

Hawke wrapped an arm around his broad shoulders. "You're not so bad for a potato."

He chuckled. "Speaking of escape, Anna is only a few hours away. Go. I'll cover for you."

She gave him a sideways look. "What do you want?"

"To stop hearing how scary hot my sister is."

She chuckled before growing silent for a time. "We have deal then." She got up, a wide smile blooming with the roses on her cheeks. "Anything I can get you while I'm in Lothering?"

"A real drink."

"Done. I may find you a girl to go with it." Her laughter echoed back to him drowning out his protests.

It was dark and rainy when she knocked on the window to Anna's room. It had been easy to borrow a horse from the fort stables; easier to ride through the forest, her heart tugging like a compass. Lothering had one inn and the bartender was easy in giving information about a pretty blonde staying in the end room on the second floor. A bar fight had broken out and she had slipped back out into the rain and climbed the roof. Rain was better than bruises. She knocked again before pushing open the window. She stepped into the room cautiously. "Anna?"

A sigh of tension sounded to her left and there she was, her sword aimed for Hawke's chest. Her blonde hair was undone and falling about her, green eyes mirroring the scant light in the room. Hawke grinned at the warmness in her chest that flowed down to her toes, banishing the rain's chill and tugged back her hood. "Well, that kills the romance I was going for, sweets."

Anna let out a breath of relief, letting her arm go slack and dropping the sword on the side table. "Hawke." Lips tumbled against each other as Hawke dropped her belt on to the side table by the sword. "You look like a thief."

She chuckled against her lips. "I am a thief. A nice one." She sighed as Anna tugged the wet clothes off of her. "Maker, I missed you."

"Not as much as I missed you." Anna ran her hands up her ribs, cupping her breasts. "I'm so glad you are here. I have so much to tell you."

Hawke laughed tugging the nightgown off of her and sliding her own leggings off, tripping over the boots she was still wearing. "I'm not convinced you want to talk."

"Thief." She tugged on her hair, drawing a moan from the full lips she ached to have on her flesh. "Put that honeyed tongue to use while I talk then."

Hawke smirked. “I like when you call me a thief.” She pushed her back on the bed. “Steal your time, your virtue.” She dropped a kiss on her soft stomach. “Your heart.” She chuckled. “I would say other things, but I don’t want to be thrown out into the hall naked.”

Anna’s eyes warmed. “You are meeting my mother.”

She wilted. “Mood killer.”

She chuckled, pulling her up beside her to tangle their bodies together. “Maybe. But she will be here in the morning for an hour. And I will tie you to this bed.”

“Would you like me to call you mistress?” Hawke wiggled her eyebrows.

Mareren was a commanding presence in the great room of the inn that morning. Hawke fidgeted in her now dry clothes and odd bits of armor, wishing she had thought to bring actual clothes. She tugged Anna back into the stairwell. “She’s not the Keeper or the First or something, right? If I screw this up?”

Anna smiled, tucking a curl behind Hawke’s ear. “She’s a hunter. You’ll do fine, Hawke. You are fine.”

She clutched her hand tightly and nodded chewing her lip. They crossed the room and Anna hugged her mother warmly. “Mamae, this is Rose Hawke.”

Hawke bowed her head. “Andaran atish’an, hahren.”

Mareren considered her a moment. “Did you once get lost along a forest road between Amaranthine and Lothering and tell a group of Dalish hunters you pretended to be a leaf?

She blanched as Anna stared at her. “Yes.”

The older woman chuckled. “We talked about you for a long time, da’len. I see you still have your manners.” She turned to her daughter. “I would like a moment with this daughter of Malcolm.” Anna nodded and wandered outside. Mareren smiled kindly at Hawke and she felt some of her tension leave her. “How do you feel about my daughter, Hawke? You are all she writes about.”

Hawke gazed at the blonde head barely visible through the window and smiled softly. “She’s like flying. She holds all my pieces until I can stick them back together and doesn’t mind the strange edges.”

“Do you love her?” Hawke nodded, sucking her lip between her teeth. “You know about the darkspawn.”

“I do. Everyone thinks we can win.”

“What do you think?” Her gaze turned shrewd.

Hawke tapped her boot against the floor. “No one has seen an archdemon, the Grey Wardens don’t seem very concerned yet either. There just isn’t enough information. If it’s true.” She sighed and met the woman’s eyes. “You think I could talk her into getting on a boat for Kirkwall?”

She chuckled. “No. But you would try and that means a lot to an old woman. We are headed to the Emerald Graves. You would have a place there too.” She squeezed Hawke’s shoulder. “We accept anyone in our clan, half elves and humans as well as those from alienages. Soldiers and thieves, as long as they follow our laws, they have a home.” She was quiet a moment. “My girl hasn’t smiled since her papae died and it’s because of you. Thank you, Rose Hawke.”

Hawke was quiet on the ride back to Ostagar and Anna was content to let her be for a time as she mulled over her mother’s words. She leaned over and pulled her hood down. “Why do you always wear it up?”

Hawke rolled her eyes and yanked it back up. “It makes me look mysterious.” Anna could hear the smile. “And you should know how attractive that makes me.” She chuckled, shaking her head. “And I freckle like I’ve caught the fucking pox.”

“I think your freckles are adorable. A million more would be even better.” The wind rustled through the leaves, making the horses dance. “My mother liked you, just like I said she would.”

“I liked her too. She gave me a lot to think about.”

“Oh? Like what?” When Anna had asked her mother what she had discussed with Hawke, she had smiled and patted her daughter’s hand before changing the subject.

“Things, like if you can keep your seat on that horse.” She clicked to her mare and they took off down the road. Anna kicked her horse into a gallop behind them, Hawke’s laughter warming her heart. When they finally came to a walk, her hood had blown back and Hawke left it across her shoulders.