Hawke and his Princess: Chapter 38

Author's note:

If you're still with me and this story, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Note for the next couple of chapters for those that don't know anything about the Dragon Age game Origins and DA2: I will be putting in descriptions of the subjects that Hawke and Elayne will be learning. I don't want to overload the readers, so the descriptions will be brief.

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History lessons.

Hawke was sitting with Elayne beside him with Caleb and Fen in front of them.

Caleb looked at Hawke, "What does Elayne know about the conversation we had on your first day here?"

"She doesn't know anything. I wasn't sure if you wanted her to know, so I've kept silent about the conversation from that day. I was going to ask you whether I should tell her today."

"She needs to know, she's part of you in more ways than we were aware of before, and I told you this includes her too, so go ahead and brief her."

Hawke looked over at her and removed the wall he had up of that day, letting her see and hear everything of the conversations. "I'm sorry, it's such a mess," he told her in her mind as she examined everything, and she did it again.

She stopped when she got to the part of the conversation with her father, "That's why you asked me to leave that day when you wanted to talk to my father alone? To talk about the disturbance from the cave?"

"It was, and that's when your father told me about some rumors coming from the deep roads."

Again, she went through the memories. Once she was done, she grabbed his hand and looked over at Caleb. "You told him that there was a change about to happen, and we are at the heart of it. What do you mean? What kind of change and how are we at the heart of it?"

Caleb looked at both of them, shocked at what had just happened between the two, and no words were spoken, then chuckled. Hawke looked at him and grinned. "She knows everything that was discussed?" Hawke, still grinning, nodded. "How is that possible? You guys didn't even say anything to each other."

"I let the wall down and let her see it, even the push I had, to have her here." Caleb looked at him curiously. "I've been thinking about that day and why I had the sudden urge to have her here with me to the point of panicking. You know me, Caleb, I have never had a reaction like that before, I've always been mostly in control of my emotions except for one time. I believe I was pushed, compelled, to have her here, I don't know where it came from, but I remember a vague feeling of being pushed, an overwhelming urge for her to be here."

He looked back down at her, "As far as your question as to how she knows? When I removed the wall, she went into my memory. She heard and saw every word that was spoken as if she was here that day sitting in front of you."

Fen looked at him and scoffed, "That's not possible. No one can remember every word that was said. It's just not..."

Caleb put his hand on Fen, "it is possible Fen, he can. Everything that is said, seen, or done, he remembers it exactly. His mind absorbs everything down to the smallest detail. How do you think he's mastered the sword so quickly? He mastered all his training not only from his father but from my training so quickly."

Fen looked at Hawke and shook his head. "Let's get to the point of this."

Caleb chuckled, "Of course." He looked back at Hawke and Elayne, "I still want to know more about the bond, but that can wait for later. To answer your question of what change, Hawke was right. It does have to do with the darkspawn. As far as the question of how you two are at the heart of it, we don't know. I apologize for not being able to give you the answer to that question. We can only see so far. I will tell you what we do know. There is a disturbance coming from the Deep Roads. We've felt it in the earth, and it's getting stronger. What we don't know is what, why, or when." He paused for a minute before continuing. He wanted to tell them about Duncan, but he had asked to be left out for now. They would be meeting soon enough with the Grey Warden Commander.

"Now, for the other reason, you are here. You will be learning about blights, different types of darkspawn and Archdemons, why you're here to learn we don't know." His gaze went to Hawke's, "I'm aware of your knowledge on some of these things, I saw some of the books you were studying on your own, we even had discussions about it. What I never did understand was what possessed you to study them anyway?"

Hawke shrugged, "I was bored. It was part of history." He looked over at Elayne with a grin, "unlike someone I know, I loved history. Well, to be honest, I loved learning, period, but history was one of my favorite subjects. Don't ask me why I took an interest in blights and darkspawn because I don't know."

Elayne snickered, "You're weird, Hawke. Who loves history, I still don't. I know the history of my family and Highever, but as far as that, I was never interested."

Caleb cleared his throat to get their attention. He looked at Elayne, "looks like your bonding with each other is going to be a big help in the days to come. In the meantime, you both will be learning what Fen and I will be teaching you."

Feeling restless, Hawke got up and started pacing, his mind taking in everything that was being said. He looked over at Caleb, "Is there a possibility of a Blight happening? If my memory serves me well from my history, according to the timeline, wouldn't it be early for a Blight? And if there is, why aren't the Grey Wardens involved? I know the history the Grey Wardens have with Ferelden is rocky because of a power struggle with the Crown. But they would still be here if there was a chance of a Blight, has any even been seen?" He kept pacing, his mind still working with what he had heard so far. When no answer came, he looked over at them and stopped. Fen and Caleb had shock on their faces, and Elayne looked at him in wonderment.

"How do you do that, Hawke, the way your mind started putting things in order so quickly. I've seen you do it before, and even then, I was as amazed as I am now," Elayne asked curiously.

Hawke shrugged, "it's the way my mind has always worked. It's just like what Caleb and my mom said. My mind takes everything in and analyzes it quickly

until I come up with a solution. I don't know how or why."

He looked at Caleb and Fen, watching them, studying them. They knew something about one of his questions but weren't telling him. He started pacing again, his mind going through everything that had been said. Then he heard Elayne gasp, and they both turned to the men as one.

"The Grey Wardens are involved, aren't they?"

Fen looked at him the way he always did. He was indifferent to Hawke, but there was something in his eyes that told Hawke he was right. Caleb hesitated before looking at him, and when he did, there was a knowingly pleased look in his eyes.

Hawke stood there, smirking with his arms crossed, waiting for someone to say something, but when neither man would, he shrugged. He already knew the answer, Caleb's look told him that. They would tell them in their own time. Elayne looked at him curiously, "Are you positive that's what they're hiding? How do you know," she asked him in his mind.

"Because I know Caleb, that's the way he would look at me when I had figured out the right solution to something he'd have me do. He's not aware that I figured that out though," he told her.

After a few minutes of no one saying anything, Hawke sighed and sat down by Elayne. "So what exactly are we to be learning?"

Caleb looked at him curiously, usually when Hawke had his mind set on something he'd keep at it until he got the answer he wanted. For him to give up, then he already knew the answer to his own question. He was going to let them confirm what he already knew. Caleb sighed, looking at him, "You are correct, Hawke, but I can't and won't say any more about that. I'm glad to see you're still as perceptive as ever. You're going to need that in the days to come."

For the first half of the day, they learned about the darkspawn, the taint, the Blight and the Old Gods even though there wasn't a whole lot of information about them. When Elayne got stuck on something, she would go into his mind until she figured it out with his help.

Darkspawn:

'Darkspawn 'are a malevolent, monstrous race that live underground until they are driven to the surface during a Blight. They are depicted as twisted creatures, often originating from the corruption of other beings by a supernatural disease called the "Taint". Their primary goal is to wage war against all sentient beings in Thedas, and they are known for spreading the Blight, a destructive force that corrupts the land.

The Taint compels them to seek out and destroy all other life, as well as the ancient, slumbering Old Gods.'

The Old Gods:

Background:

--From Threnodies 1

'The true nature of the Old Gods is unknown. The Old Gods are not creators and even the people of ancient Tevinter attributed the creation of the world to a Maker-like deity, although by a different name. (The Old Gods are sleeping beings that were worshipped in the form of dragons by a significant number of Thedosians, specifically the people of the Tevinter Imperium, thousands of years ago. Legend holds that it was the Old Gods who initially taught mages how to use magic. The Archdemons are awakened Old Gods, tainted by the darkspawn.)

The Tevinters worshipped seven Old Gods. The first--and the leader of the others--was called Dumat, the Dragon of Silence.

Dumat, the Dragon of Silence, and the archdemon of the First Blight.

Zazikel, the Dragon of Chaos and the archdemon of the Second Blight.

Toth, the Dragon of Fire and the archdemon of the Third Blight.

Andoral, the Dragon of Slaves and the archdemon of the Fourth Blight.

Urthemiel, the Dragon of Beauty.

Razikale, the Dragon of Mystery.

Lusacan, the Dragon of Night.'

Finally, Caleb called for a break for the day, Elayne still had her training sessions not only with Hawke but with the elves. When she had suggested combining the two, both Caleb and Hawke said no. She didn't see what the difference would be. Hawke told her that her training was only temporary with the elves. The only reason she was training with them was so she could continue training in a group like she did with her soldiers. That and she could learn a lot from the elves that she couldn't learn anywhere else. Her individual training with him would stay the way it was.

By the end of the day, she was tired and temperamental. She found herself lashing out at Hawke for no reason. Needing to be alone, she went for a walk trying to figure out why she was being so emotional, and then it dawned on her. The next couple of days would be uncomfortable for her, but at least she knew she wasn't pregnant. For some odd reason, though, she found herself sad at the thought despite what she had said to Hawke.

She sat down, needing to think. Why did she feel so sad at the thought of not being pregnant? She knew the reason she wanted to wait, her sword training. This was something she wanted to do, had to do, it was important to her, so why was she feeling this way? She felt her face wet, and when she realized why, she groaned. When she finally got back to their tent, she was emotionally exhausted and laid down for a while. She felt him in her head before she felt herself drifting off. She could have sworn she felt a burst of his power before she had the sudden urge to sleep.

Elayne had been unaware that he had been in her head, watching her thoughts. Even though he couldn't help her with the battle she was fighting within herself, he could help her in other ways. When she was back in the tent, he sent the push for her to sleep. Once she was asleep, he soothed her with healing magic.

He watched her for a minute to make sure she would stay asleep before taking on a couple of the elves' challenges to spar. The last time he had practiced was with Caleb before going to Denerim.

Caleb looked at Hawke in question as he passed by him with his swords in his hands. "A couple of your elves invited me to spar with them." Caleb followed him curiously. When they got to the sparring area, there were two elves, Aldon and Alvar, waiting for Hawke.

"Are these the ones you'll be sparring with?" Hawke nodded absently as he prepared himself. "This won't do Hawke, I read the pamphlet for the competition. You need to start training for that." He looked out at the crowd that was starting to gather, "I need six more of you willing to spar with Hawke here. Who's up to the challenge?"

When Hawke finally made it to their tent, he was too exhausted and sore to do anything else. He had refused Caleb's offer of healing. This would be a good lesson for him to keep up with his training. The elves were faster and more agile than what he was used to, but in the end, he was the last one standing. He had a feeling this was going to be his new training regimen while he was here. He understood why Caleb was doing this, as Hawke had told Elayne. He didn't know how many people he would be fighting in the groups, and he needed to be at his best.

There was too much at stake for him not to succeed. He had to make sure she was going to get what she wanted one way or the other. The abuse he was going to put his mind and body through until the competition was going to be brutal, but for her, it would be worth it. He laid down beside her, pulling her close to him, his mind in hers to check on her, he sent some more soothing magic into her, sending her into a deep sleep before he fell asleep with her in his arms.

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"Hawke, why didn't you let Caleb heal you," Elayne asked again as they were sitting down at breakfast. She had woken up this morning feeling his discomfort as he went through his sword forms from the evening before. When she had asked what had happened, all he said was that it was a reminder of what happened when you became lax on your training.

Confused, she went into his mind to find out what had happened. He had been challenged by eight of Caleb's warriors. Yes, he had been the last one standing, but the abuse he had gone through to achieve that had left his body battered and bruised. She had also seen Caleb's offer to heal him, but Hawke had refused, which she hadn't understood, and she still didn't. Why suffer if he didn't have to?

He turned her around to look at him, "Elayne, quit worrying, I'll be fine. It's my fault, I've been lax on my own training. This is just a reminder of why it's important to keep up with your practice. If anything, it will better prepare me when the competition comes. I have no idea what the other competitors are like, what I'll be walking into. I have to not only be mentally but physically prepared. There is no other choice, I have to succeed, and if that means beating up my body every night, then it will be worth it when I win, and you get what you want." He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. She felt a warm tingle throughout her body, and the discomfort she was feeling was gone. He pulled away from her and kissed her lightly, "I love you baby," he said before walking away.

Caleb came over to sit beside her as he watched Hawke walk away. It was evident that Hawke was uncomfortable in the way he moved even though he was trying to hide it. "I see that stubbornness is still in him," Caleb chuckled before turning his head to look at her. "That must make living with him a challenge."

"You have no idea, but that's one of the many things I love about him. If he wasn't who he is, I wouldn't be here right now in more ways than one," she whispered. "Caleb, what would happen if I decided to get married in Highever instead of in Denerim? At least he wouldn't have to enter that stupid competition and put himself through this." She saw Caleb shaking his head before she even finished talking, and she looked over at him.

"That won't happen, Elayne. He's committed. Even if you were to change your mind, he'd still compete and win. Not only did he make a deal, but Hawke doesn't know the meaning of quitting. Once he commits himself or says he's going to do something, he will make sure he gets it done. So what if he's got to get some bruises and some stiffness? Elayne, it's what he wants to do. Let him do this. In the end, it will be worth it not only for you but for him. Your dream became his, to see you walking down the aisle towards him in the place you've dreamt about, Hawke wants this as much as you."

Caleb gently placed his hand on her shoulder, reassuring her, "Just give him a few days. He'll walk out of practice without a scratch, bruise, or even a hint of soreness. This is beneficial for him; he's obviously been a bit lax with his training lately, and that's why he's feeling this way. Consider it a valuable lesson because he does. Trust me, he'll be just fine. Now, you have somewhere important to be, so let's head out and dive into some more history," he said, flashing her a mischievous grin despite her groan of protest.

Blights:

'A Blight begins when the darkspawn find and taint an Old God, who then unites them into a great horde and unleashes them onto the surface in both smaller groupings and large armies. The tainted Old God is now referred to as an Archdemon, and a Blight will not end until it is destroyed. Without an Archdemon to command them, the darkspawn flee back underground. After a period of time, they search for another Old God to turn into an Archdemon and thus starting the cycle again.'

The taint:

'The taint is a form of spiritual and physical corruption spread by the darkspawn that ultimately makes the victim hear the call of the Old Gods. It can be transmitted through contact with darkspawn fluids, or through objects imbued with the taint. The contact does not automatically make one sick, but there is a great chance of it. The taint is an aspect of the blight.

The taint also manifests as spidery tendrils of black rot, along with a dry shiny film covering underground passages used frequently by the darkspawn. As the corruption progresses, it gathers into black sacs the size of a man lining the floor or hanging from the ceiling.'

It was more than a few days, but by the end of the week, Hawke was walking out of the practice field without a bruise or any soreness. Even after Caleb had added more men. Hawke was practicing with twelve men now, and he was victorious every time. Even her own practice sessions were progressing faster with double training each day. Not only was Hawke and Caleb impressed, but she was pleased with herself. She knew she'd never be able to keep up with Hawke, but she could definitely hold her own. She couldn't wait for her brother and father to see her, she looked forward to...

"While it's admirable to take pride in your accomplishments, Elayne, be cautious not to let that pride turn into arrogance. Such overconfidence can not only undermine your achievements but also hinder your growth. Remember, the reason for your training, it doesn't lie in showing superiority over others, but in proving to yourself your own abilities and persistence. With focus and dedication, you possess the power to attain your goals. If you truly commit to this, there's no limit to what you can achieve," she heard Hawke say in her mind.

"Come on, Hawke, I just want my brother to see that he's not better than me at everything. It would be a sweet reward to see that smirk taken off his face even for a minute."

Hawke chuckled, "So, seeing your sword at your brother's throat would be a victory for you?" she couldn't help the satisfied smile on her face when she pictured that in her head. "Are you aware of why your brother always teased you when it came to your sword practice?"

"Yea, he enjoys torturing me and seeing me angry."

Hawke chuckled again, "That's not the only reason. Think about it, baby, or better yet, ask him when you see him again."

She felt him coming behind her before she felt his arms around her. "How are you doing, my love," he asked quietly, putting his head on her shoulder.

She turned around in his arms, looking up at him, "I'm doing great baby, you always make sure of that." She put her arms around his neck, bringing his head down to hers and kissed him, putting everything she felt for him in the kiss.

When she finally let go of him, he looked down at her, "Not that I'm complaining because I'm definitely not, but what was that for?"

"Just showing you how much I love and appreciate you and to thank you for being you, for everything you do for me." She grabbed his hand and brought him to the stump outside their tent. "Sit Hawke while I get your dinner."

After dinner, Hawke went to do his training with the elves while she stayed behind to clean up. One of the many great things about their bond is that she could literally see him in action. He had suggested that during his practice, not only could she feel and see what he did, but she could also follow along with his moves. At first, she was hesitant. She didn't want to distract him, but he had reassured her that wouldn't happen. In fact, it would help him focus better with the distraction. Then she had a thought, maybe she would go watch him after all. She hurriedly cleaned up and changed her clothes.

When she got to the practice field, she found a place she could sit and watch him. By the time she had gotten there, three men were already down. Even his training was getting better. He was getting faster than he already was if that was possible. She looked forward to seeing him in action in the competition.

Caleb came over to where she was sitting and sat down beside her on the log. The elves had brought logs to place around the practice field so people could get comfortable while watching. A lot of them were impressed by how quickly he had picked up on a lot of their moves. Even though he had been trained by Caleb, he was still learning more.

"A few more weeks of this, and there's no doubt of him obliterating the competition, not that there was before, it might have been a struggle, but he would have won. He's almost as quick and agile as them, which I find interesting considering he's not an elf. Some of the moves he's still struggling a bit on, but I bet by the time you guys leave, he'll have those mastered."

He looked over at her, "How about you, I've heard and seen you've been improving yourself. Do you feel and see any difference in your training?"

Remembering what Hawke had said earlier, "I have noticed and felt a difference. But I know I still have a long way to go, I also know I wouldn't be as far as I've gotten so quickly without you or Hawke. I'm aware of the gift you have given me by letting me train with you, and I want to thank you for allowing me this precious opportunity."

"You are very much welcome, young lady. It is and will be an honor and a privilege to help you both as much as I can. I have a feeling that you're both going to need all the help you can get in the future. I'm proud of you. You're doing great, Elayne, both of you are."

Elayne felt her face getting a little red, and Caleb chuckled. "I have a question, though, about my training. I've been learning the sword since I was about twelve, and I struggled with my lessons but since Hawke's been training me and now you and your elves, I've been able to pick up on things faster. I never practiced with my sword, always with practice swords, so I can't use that as an excuse. Why is it easier for me now than before?"

"I believe a lot of that has to do with Hawke and your determination to be part of him in this. Let me ask you this, why did you pick up the sword in the first place?"

"Part of it was because of listening to my fathers stories. They were always so exciting. Before you say anything, though, I know there's nothing exciting about taking someone's life. For me, it wasn't about that. It was something more, an adventure. Maybe it had to do with both sides of my family being warriors. It's in my blood, and hearing the stories kind of put a fire in me. My mother was known as the Seawolf. When she was fifteen, she took down her first Orlesian warship, and she had quite the reputation by the time she met my father."

"Also, there was the fact that I might possibly have to take over Highever if something was to ever happen to my father and brother. It was important that I learned how to fight if it ever came to that, to protect my people. But that fire was starting to dwindle when I kept struggling. It wasn't until I met Hawke that it ignited again, but it became stronger. He makes me want to be better, I want to be able to be better not only for myself but for him. I want to be part of his life in every way." She looked up at him, "is that the reason why it's easier, I've got a purpose, he gives me that purpose?"

"That has some to do with it, but I also believe your bond with each other has a lot to do with it, the way you two are connected. You're both an extension of each other. What he knows, you know, and vice versa. The knowledge that he has and learns, you're getting also through your bond, and I believe it comes out when you need it to. Does that make sense to you?"

She smiled at him, "it actually does. Thank you, Caleb."

She turned her attention back to Hawk. He had eliminated all but three of the elves.

She put her mind in his watching and feeling him go through his moves. Wanting to see how focused he was, she decided to test him. Before she could get anywhere, she heard him growling in her head, "Careful there, princess. You might end up with more than you can handle. It has been a while, baby."

"I think I can handle it. In fact, I'm looking forward to it, darling," she heard him growl again before she started testing and teasing him through their bond. She watched him as she started slowly running her hands up and down his chest, her tongue flicking his nipples. Her hands went lower down to his belly, his focus never wavered. She stuck her hand slowly down inside his pants, pleased to see him starting to get aroused. As she unbuttoned his pants, her hand started stroking him, still nothing from him. It wasn't until she put the tip of her tongue and mouth on him that she saw his focus waiver, but he quickly recovered. His movements with the blades became faster, and he became harder the more her hand and mouth moved along him.

Before she got very far, he swiftly eliminated the last three elves and approached her with deliberate intent, sheathing his blades with a resounding thud. The raw desire in his gaze sent shivers through her. His predatory grin deepened, igniting something primal within her. She darted away, laughing as she evaded him.

"Remember where you are, baby," she teased in his head, trying to distract him. It obviously didn't work as he came stalking towards her, not missing a stride. When they were finally away from prying eyes and back at their tent, she felt his power and found herself surrounded by a shield. "So, um, we learned one thing baby, you got fantastic focus," she giggled.

"So we did, but that's not going to save you, princess," he murmured, his voice a low growl.

"Who said I wanted saving Arik," she purred, her tone sultry as she let the straps of her dress slip down her arms, allowing the fabric to pool at her feet. This caught his attention, making him pause as his eyes swept over her body with undeniable hunger. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his head down to hers. "I told you baby, I was looking forward to this," she breathed, just before his mouth came crashing down onto hers as he lifted her effortlessly and carried her into their tent.

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"Do I dare ask what happened last night Hawke, you took out the last three elves faster than I've ever seen you move," Caleb asked with amusement.

"It was a test on how well I could keep my focus, and that's all I'm going to say on it."

"Can I assume then that considering the fact you walked away victorious so quickly means you passed whatever the test was? I got to tell you, though, Hawke, I didn't think you could move like that, but now that I know I may have to make some adjustments in your training."

"Caleb, usually I'd welcome the challenge, but what happened last night, I had a special incentive. It was a fluke, one I won't be doing again."

"Well, if you change your mind, let me know."

"Me too, my love, I would willingly love to test your resolve again, baby. I definitely don't mind being your special incentive," Elayne purred in his head.

Hawke closed his eyes, Maker have mercy. What was his wife turning into?

She giggled in his head, "You're little temptress, darling, I do believe you already call me that anyway."

"Caleb, didn't you say we had some free time?"

Caleb nodded, "I did. Was there something you wanted to do?"

"As a matter of fact, there is. I noticed that we're not too far from my farm. I believe my wife and I may take a couple of days and rest there. Are there any objections to that?"

"That actually sounds like a great idea. No, I definitely don't have a problem with that. In fact, take an extra day. Just make sure you're back here after that."

"Thank you, Caleb, and we will be." He felt Elayne's excitement when he had started talking to Caleb. She was looking forward to being away from here herself.

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To be continued...