Under Darkness [AU]

[Marian Hawke]

"No," she whispers, with a whimper. "Please, Zevran, don't-- I can't--"

She  buries her face against Aveline's side, struggling to control her breathing, her hands trembling. 

[Tethras Clan]

"Okay, okay," Aveline says quickly. "Enough for now. Let Hawke process that for a bit and you can talk about tomorrow. We have time. We have plenty of time."

Zevran hesitates, not sure how to react to Hawke's reaction, but finally nods a little.

[Marian Hawke]

Time they definitely have. Hawke sleeps for quite some time once she's out; when she wakes, she's subdued, unwilling to talk about what happened. She doesn't avoid Zevran, however, and once they break out a board game, she seems to relax, enjoying his company. 

The whole next day she seems fine once more. She makes a point to kiss Zevran and Aveline both, letting them see how much she desires them, how much she enjoys their company. She makes casual conversation over dinner with Varric, but she flags afterward, and turns in to bed early. 

Which is why it's a surprise when Aveline wakes in the middle of the night. Her body instinctively moves before she quite finishes waking; as such, when her eyes finally get around to telling her what's going on, she's atop Hawke, shielding her amata with her own body. From... the danger seems less apparent now that she's awake. It's cold in the bedroom, far colder than it has a right to be. Snow dampens her back, and there's hailstones in her hair, on the bed, on the floor. Hail indoors? It's sleeting in the bedroom, clearly the result of the slumbering Hawke as she twists and moans in the bed beneath Aveline. 

[Tethras Clan]

Aveline channels healing energy into Hawke instinctively as she tries to rouse her lover. "Hawke! Hawke! Amata!, wake you! Come back to me! You're having a nightmare, wake up," Aveline says urgently, rocking Hawke in her arms.

[Marian Hawke]

Hawke's eyes snap open, her arms rising to cover her face, as if to protect it from a blow. The wind begins to die down as she whimpers, shuddering. 

[Tethras Clan]

'Safe now," Aveline croons. "Safe now. I've got you, amata, safe now. It's Aveline, you're safe. Sshhhh, it's okay, you're safe."

[Marian Hawke]

"Merrill," she whimpers. "Have to protect-- have to find-- Merrill."

[Tethras Clan]

"Merrill is safe with Varric. Your Papa and Silence are with her right now," Aveline says quickly. "Would it help if I sent Beka to check?"

[Marian Hawke]

Papa. Merrill is with Papa. Papa will fix this. Papa will--

She whimpers, shaking her head. "Papa," she echoes, dully, as the wind finally dies off, gentle snow falling onto them still.

[Tethras Clan]

"That's right, Papa is with Merrill. She's safe." Aveline pulls Hawke a little tight to her chest as she uses her other arm to keep most of her weight off the merikos elf. Not all of it, she's noticed that Hawke likes the solid pressure against her body. Probably finds it grounding, something she can focus on.. "She's nice and safe. She's got a hamadryad, a mabari, a locality god and a dwarf watching over her. She's nice and safe."

[Marian Hawke]

That's right. I got her free. I got her out of there. She's safe now. Papa will take care of her, now that I can't. Hawke takes a deep breath, her trembling slowly subsiding.

[Tethras Clan]

"Good, that's good, it's okay. She's safe. You're safe. You fought for her, keep her safe until Varric and Zevran could save you both," Aveline whispers, punctuating her words with feather-light kisses. "It's okay, we're all safe. You're safe and warm, I'm with you. And- and Merrill is keeping us warm, with the blanket she made for you."

[Marian Hawke]

Warm, she latches onto. Why does she keep saying-- oh. Oh, that's snow. 

Hawke blushes faintly, taking another deep breath as the snow tapers off, dies down. 

[Tethras Clan]

"...got your magic back, it seems." Aveline's tone is proud, supportive. "Don't suppose you can muster up a cantrip to dry the bed off?"

[Marian Hawke]

"wasn't gone," she mutters, as the bed dries itself. "Just... Just the snow."