The Fate of Wolves

Summary:

Fenris is a slave in Danarius' household. His meals are denied and he's hounded when he sleeps, but someone is looking out for him. This is a story of Fenris' fight for freedom, not only for his freedom but for the freedom of a woman who will one day change the tides of Thedas and truly set him free. This is very AU. Hawke will make an appearance later in the story and Kirkwall will also be part of the plot. FemHawke/Fenris

(This is my first FanFiction EVER, so please be patient with me. I've never written anything like this before so hopefully I will improve. I hope people read & review this so I can get feedback on what you think, I only ask that you take into accoun that I've never done this before) *I will say what everyone says: Bioware owns everything (except my own created character: Laria) and I'm just enjoying my imagination* I think I'll rate this story M just in case it goes places I haven't anticipated yet. *Update: I want to thank everyone for their kindness and reviews. I came back to this chapter to break up the paragraphs since it was pointed out that they were too packed together. I need to remember to preview it before publishing :)*

3 Years ago in Tevinter…

Fenris was once again thrown into his cell. When Denarius no longer required his services for the day, he was always returned to his room. It wasn't really a room, it was a small cell with a blanket on the ground and a chamber pot. The cell only fit one person but there was a barred window at the top of the wall that let some light in. It was the light that told Fenris there was a life outside of this hell.

Sitting with his back to the wall, Fenris wondered if Hadriana would let him eat today. He'd eaten three days ago and he was hopeful that another meal would be coming this evening. His stomach growled and while he waited he once again contemplated his surroundings. The cell was small and dank, the floor wet and moss had grown in between the stone slabs that made up the floor.

Considering how isolated Denarius liked to keep his slaves, Fenris had initially wondered why the doors to the cells had small windows that were left open. After his first few nights as a Teventer slave he knew the answer. One way to keep slaves obedient is to break their will and the windows in the doors allowed the cries and wails of despair coming from the other cells to permeate the air. Hearing the hopelessness surrounding them at night, few slaves ever rebelled.

Fenris heard footsteps approaching his cell and his breathing automatically became shallow from stress. He would recognize the sound of those boots anywhere. Hadriana was here. Fenris tried to control his expression so she wouldn't see how desperately he wanted food. The door to his cell opened and Hadriana stood there flanked by two guards. She always came with guards because although his spirit was practically broken, Fenris was still dangerous and she knew it. The lyrium that Danarius had branded into his flesh made Fenris a living weapon. Hadriana simply didn't know that Fenris lacked the will to try to escape anymore. He did however have some pride and so he stood when she entered his room instead of crouching on the floor before her.

He couldn't bring himself to look her in the face though so his snow white hair drifited over his downcast eyes.

"And how is Denarius' Wolf tonight?" Hadriana asked in a sweet tone. Fenris knew that meant to insult him and he did not give her the pleasure of responding. Instead of getting angry, his lack of response simply made her chuckle. She walked around him slowly until she stood in front of him again and Fenris could imagine the smirk upon her lips.

"Tell me Fenris, are you hungry?" Fenris lifted his head slightly at this question but still avoided her eyes.

"Yes Mistress". How it galled him to have to call her that! Again she chuckled.

"How long has it been since you've eaten Wolf"?

"Three days Mistress." Fenris answered and felt the ache of hunger in his belly.

There was silence for a long moment and Fenris dared to hope that she would allow him to eat. Hadriana placed a finger under his chin and raised his gaze to hers. She stared at him for a moment and Fenris knew that he conceal his hunger from her. He knew the moment she saw it because her eyes glittered wickedly and the corner of her mouth turned up in contempt. Hadriana turned away from him and spoke to the guards.

"Give him water and nothing else." She walked out his cell without looking back and he heard her footsteps echo as she exited the basement.

He heard one guard snort and for a moment Fenris' lyrium lit up. The guards took a step back but Fenris wanted water so he calmed himself and backed up against the wall signaling submission. He felt a piece of him die in that moment but he was so thirsty it didn't matter. One of the guards put a wooden cup on the ground and shut the door leaving him alone again. At least his torment was over for the night Fenris thought. He had water and that was better than nothing. Maybe he would be allowed to eat tomorrow.

3 Years Ago in Tevinter…

Laria heard Hadriana taunting the elf with the white hair and tattoos. It was one of the reasons each cell door had an opening, so each slave could hear the degradation of the others and lose hope. Laria refused to lose hope, she had to believe that there was something better than this and that someday she would find it.

She listened closely and heard Hadriana once again deny the elf food but she allowed him to have some water. That would make things easier Laria thought. She knew that the elf, Fenris was his name, had been denied food for three days and so Laria had been hiding some of her bread from the last few days in case this happened. Before Fenris had been moved into the cell next to hers, Laria had been working on making places of concealment in her cell. She had a few stones on the floor loose and she could hide things there. She had also loosened a stone from the wall that connected her cell to Fenris', that way, when the guards left she could pass him the food she had been hiding.

She had to be patient and wait for the guards to take their stations at the entrance to the basement which was far enough away that they wouldn't hear her. While she waited, Laria focused on breathing, because if she was breathing then she was alive and if she was alive then someday, maybe, she could escape.

Fenris rationed the water he had been given and sat back against the wall. He was tired but it went beyond physical exhaustion. His soul was tired and he wondered how long he could live like this. Fenris' eyes drifted closed for a moment but they snapped open when he heard a kind grating sound coming from the wall to his left.

He came up to a crouching position, immediately going into a defensive mode. He didn't know who was on the other side of that wall but they would be sorry they crossed him. Fenris watched the wall warily and suddenly a bit of light came from a hole that had appeared in the wall. Before he could react, Fenris saw a small bundle of cloth come through the hole. The grating sound came again and the light was gone.

Fenris crouched, confused for a moment before he slowly crawled over to the bundle of cloth. Reaching out for it he saw that it was a rough burlap. Something was inside of it. Still cautious, Fenris slowly unfolded the cloth and was dumbstruck. Wrapped inside the burlap was bread, enough bread to ease his hunger for the night. He couldn't believe it. Who had done this and why? He knew that another slave occupied the cell next to his but he had never seen them or spoken to them. Why would they give him bread? He had learned the harsh lessons of life and no one did anything for anyone without expecting something in return.

At that moment a hunger pain hit him and he gave up thoughts of what the unknown person would want from him and instead devoured the bread as quickly as he could without choking. He took a small sip of water and for the first time in a long while, he was grateful. He was sure that he would pay for this "gift" later but at that moment it didn't matter. He went to sleep without a gnawing pain in his stomach and that was enough.