Chapter Text
Fenris groaned as he stripped off his armor and put the practice sword away. “Why did I agree to train those three hellions? I’m too old for this.”
Lethander laughed at him as he did the same. “Because you love your nephew and your sister. Lucen is getting too big to spar with them, he takes after Aedan.”
“He is almost three years older, he should start training with the soldiers and guards. He nearly took me down a few times out there.” Fenris grimaced as he stretched his shoulder.
“A magic user shouldn’t be able to wield a sword the way he does,” Anders added. He waved his arms, miming a great sword strike. “I try to spar with him using magic and he takes a sword to me. You try to spar with him using swords and he whips out the fireballs. Oh,” Anders snapped his fingers. “And he’s so fucking tall and big like his father that he bowls us all over when he wants.” Anders might have retired from being Warden-Commander and handed over the reins to Fenris while he worked in the infirmary, but he still trained the mages that came to them, getting them ready to fight.
“Make him spar with Cadewyn next time.Then he’ll learn not to throw things at us.” Fenris stretched and groaned at how many loud cracks and pops he heard.
“So…” Anders said conversationally. “I didn’t want to mention it but uh… You two have seen how Luce looks at Daer right?”
“I’ve tried to avoid thinking of it. The last thing I want to do is have that kind of a talk with him. Or avoid Aedan’s wrath if they get together.” Lethander said tiredly. “Or maker help me have a talk with Daer.”
Anders flopped down into a chair. Training the three of them in magic has been harder than I thought it would be, even with Sirad’s help. Luce has been looking at Daer, and Leto is like his father and has been looking at everyone.” He rolled his eyes and sighed. “Was I that annoying at their age?” He held up his hand. “Wait, don’t answer that. You didn’t know me then, but I can tell what your answer is going to be.”
“You’re like that now, I’m afraid to wonder what you were like as a randy teenager.” Fenris said. “Papa, don’t you dare.” he cut Lethander off before he could tell tales on his son.
Anders snorted in amusement. “Now that I have to hear later.”
“Just get it out of the way.” Fenris said in annoyance.
“Oo,” Anders crooned. “Please do!” He straightened in his chair and placed his chin in his hands, looking at Lethander expectantly.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of stories about Fenris as a wild boy, I was sent to a new master when he wasn’t much older than Lucen. He was always obedient, at least when we could see him. Much like now.” Lethander said with a laugh. “I’ll tell you more after I’ve had a bath and a hot meal, see you in the dining hall?”
Fenris’ ears were red as he set his armor on the stand. ‘Yeah, I’ll see you there. I want to check on the kids before I get a bath. See you soon papa.”
Lethander waved at them as he headed off to his rooms for a hot bath to ease his muscles.
“I swear, I am not going to live down having my whole damned family here where they can tell stories about me. I’m going to run away to the Villa and never come back.” Fenris muttered as he gathered his things for a bath. “With my luck I’ll walk in on Daer and Luce.”
Anders squeezed his eyes shut. “Please don’t joke about that. Leth might be a little understanding, but I don’t think Velanna, and definitely Cadewyn wouldn't be. I want to be able to give Luce back to Aedan and Morrigan in one piece.”
“I wasn’t joking. He’s nearly nineteen, and Daer is a pretty girl.” Fenris sighed as he placed his hand on the door handle. “I’ll talk to the boys if you want, and maybe you can talk to Daer? I have zero clue what to say to a girl about a boy’s affections. She might not even like him like that, who knows. I’ll see you after a bath love, and we really do need to look over the roster to see who might take over while we’re visiting in Arlathan and Vigil’s Keep.”
“And I would know what to say to a teenage girl?” Anders asked incredulously. “I…” He tilted his head to the side. “Okay so I did used to know how to get under their robes, so maybe I can tell her what to look out for and make sure she understands what she’s getting into.”
“Do you want to tell Velanna then? Let her have that conversation with Daer?” Fenris asked.
“I’ll ask Leth what he thinks. I don’t want to overstep my boundaries, but they have also allowed Daer into our care while we train them. And I am not asking Cadewyn if I can have a talk like this with his daughter. If he hasn’t noticed the looks that Luce has given her yet, then I don’t want to be the one to tell him first.”
“Nor do I but he won’t break you in half, he might try with me.” Fenris gave Anders a wave goodbye then headed down to the room Leto and Lucen shared.
Fenris knocked, unsure if the boys were already at the baths or still in their room.
Lucen answered the door wearing clean clothes and his shoulder length, dark hair still damp from the quick bath he had taken. “Fen,” Lucen said in surprise. He hadn’t expected to see him so soon after practice. He moved back to let him in.
The elf arched an eyebrow at being called Fen, sure he should have nipped that nickname in the bud before others picked up on it.
"Lucen, is Leto here too? I wanted to talk with you boys."
“He’s finishing up his bath and should be here soon.” He walked to a table near the center of the room. It was piled with books, scrolls, leftover food, and scattered playing cards.
Fenris sighed at the state of the room, then set his towel and bag aside as he sat with Luce. "So...has your father talked to you about...um, well..." Fenris stammered as he tried to talk to his ‘nephew' about sex.
“Um?” Luce prompted. He was beginning to look nervous. “I like it here, Fen. Please don’t tell me father wants me to come back to Weisshaupt with him and mother.”
"Ah no...nothing like that!" Fenris assured him. "I mean, uh...like when you, um... we noticed how you've been looking at Daer and, and..." Fenris tapered off again, his ears red as he glanced towards the door.
“Are you talking about fucking?” Luce asked bluntly. “Because father and Zev already talked to me about that years ago, and then mother did too.” He blinked. “Wait… What about Daer?”
Fenris' eyes widened and he made a strange, choked noise as he nodded his head and tried to find his voice. He hadn't expected that from Lucen, especially not in such a blunt way.
He finally spoke, unsure what else would come from the young man before him. "Uh, yes...that. I...we, Anders noticed the way you look at Daer, like you...um, like her?" Fenris squeaked, sure his face was beet red.
It was then that Luce finally got bashful. “I mean…” He shrugged in a bid to look nonchalant. “I guess. Uncle Anders said something?” His voice came out a little panicked at the end.
"He was your age once, and he noticed the way you've been mooning afte Daer. I wanted to be sure you didn't get yourself in trouble, because you don't want her parents after you. Or me, since she is my little sister." Fenris' voice dropped as he stared at Lucen like he was one of the recruits fresh off the boat.
“I…” Lucen swallowed heavily. “I just really like her,” he admitted.
"How much do you like her? Like want to kiss her, or more than that...like her?" Fenris asked as he stared in the younger man's eyes.
“Oh, Maker.” Luce buried his face in his hands, all earlier bravado gone. “I don’t know.,” he mumbled.
The door opened right when Lucen looked as if he was going to crawl out of his chair. "Uncle, what are you doing to Luce, he looks about ready to pee himself."
"Nothing...it depends on how he answers my questions. You sit down too, might as well get this all out of the way at once." Fenris pointed to the only empty chair in the room.
"I just got here, what could I have done?" Leto complained as he sat down.
"You...I notice how you flirt with everyone and I haven't missed how you flirt with Luce, even some of the guardsmen. Has Varania spoken with you about... you know?"
Fenris gestured vaguely with his hand at the other boy and sighed. Why was this so difficult?
Luce peeked between his fingers at his elven friend. Leto had his father’s blond hair, but in the summer hints of the red hair of his mother came out. It was as long as Luce’s, and already braided at the temples.
“Wait, what does this have to do with Leto?” he asked as he slowly lowered his hands.
Fenris mumbled an old curse under his breath as he beseeched Mythal for help. "You two are old enough, and apparently Lucen's parents already had a talk with him about sex. I don't want either of you to get into trouble." Fenris said tiredly
If it was at all possible, Lucen slid further down in his seat. He braced himself for what he knew was coming. Leto had told the older boy more about sex than Luce had even known was possible. Whether he had gotten the knowledge from his parents, or some finding out on his own, Luce didn’t know.
Leto groaned and covered his face as he considered how to break it to his uncle that he didn’t need to have that talk. “I...um, father. Well he told me about that and how not to get a girl with child. Especially since I’m young.” Leto knew his face probably was red and flushed but he carried on.
“I’m not...I’m not that interested in girls anyway uncle. I’m not going trying to make any babies, I’m only sixteen!” he said with a high lilt to his voice.
“I know how old you are, I was there when you were born. You are my nephew and…” Fenris drew up short as he blinked at the boys words. “Oh...I guess, you. Oh Maker, I’m making us all uncomfortable aren’t I?” he mumbled in Tevene.
“Yes uncle, you are… I don’t think I can show my face for a while. Why are you doing this to us, did we fail you in training or something? Maker above…” Leto muttered as he covered his face and how flushed he was.
“Uncle Anders thinks I want Daer,” Luce mumbled. He straightened up. “And so what if I did? Would it really be that bad?”
“You’ve met her mother, do you want to face her if you break Daer’s heart? Or worse… get her with child, you’re barely nineteen, you’re not ready for such a thing.” Fenris said as he gazed at Lucen then his nephew.
“But we’re ready to be trained in order to fight,” Luce said, some of his mother’s defiance leaking into his voice.
“This isn’t about your training Luce, for Dumat’s sake...it’s about affairs of the heart. Do you want to be with Daer? Do you like her, think you will love her? Do you think she even likes you like that?” Fenris asked again.
“Maybe she doesn’t like boys, did you think about that Luce?” Leto chimed in.
Lucen’s mouth dropped open. “I… Wait, did she tell you that?”
“No but maybe you should consider it, what if you’re doing all this and she doesn’t even like boys? Or hasn’t made up her mind yet?” Leto said as he reached over and shut his cousin’s mouth.
“I see this wasn’t needed, I’m going to take a bath and have dinner. See you in the dining hall.” Fenris replied as he got up to leave. “But know you can talk to me or your uncle Anders if you have...questions.” the elven fighter grabbed his things, glad that moment of embarrassment was over.
“Sure thing uncle, the same goes for you.” Leto said with a quirk of the lips, that was covered by the towel whipped at him.
“Mind yourself boy, I can still take you over my knee.” Fenris said, with no great effort not to smirk at his nephew’s cheek.
“Can we just pretend this conversation never happened?” Lucen begged.
“For now, but ...know that we’re here for you. See you later boys.” Fenris ducked out of the room, glad that their talk was over. He bathed quickly and headed down to the dining hall, starved and exhausted.
Lucen turned to Leto the moment the door closed. “Really, though, do you think she likes girls?”
“I don’t know you idiot, I was just giving you an idea to consider. Let’s go eat, and stop moping over stupid girls.” Leto said with a grin that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Easy for you to say,” Luce grumbled. “I never see you moping over anyone.” He rose to his considerable height for his age. “Do you think I should talk to her? Find out for sure?”
“Yeah, do what you want. I’ll see you at dinner.” Leto huffed and headed out in front of his cousin. He didn’t want the other boy to see the hurt in his eyes at his attentions being missed yet again.
“What did I do?” Lucen asked the room when his friend had left.
**
A few days later found Anders and Fenris in his study with Velanna and Lethander. The former Warden-Commander looked a bit harried, his his hair was slipping from its leather thong. He'd given up command a couple years prior so he could run the Infirmary along with Velanna. “So I’m going to be appointing the two of you to be in charge while Fenris, the kids and I are gone,” he finished. “Maker help me that we’re going to be traveling with the three of them.” He held up his hands. “No offense, one is a handful but three…”
“Is enough to give him gray hair and make mine whiter.” Fenris quipped. “Do you have any questions, concerns? Beg us not to do this to you?”
“I think we’ll be fine,” Velanna said. “And I love Daer, but it’ll be good for her to get out of the keep every now and then and see the world. It’s been years since she last was out of Tevinter.”
“I care for Leto, but he hasn’t been around anyone his age except Daer and Lucen and it’s showing. Hopefully some of the kids in Arlathan will be good to mingle with. “ Fenris said as he looked over the duty roster before he handed it off to Velanna.
“And maybe Lucen can find someone else to moon over other than Daer,” Velanna added.
“Wait,” Anders said. “You know about that?”
“There is little I don’t know when it comes to my child,” Velanna sniffed. “And she told me about it last night. Seems he tried to confess to her and she turned him down. He’s been moping all day about it.”
“This is going to make the trip oh so wonderful. Hopefully he can find someone, or something to distract him. Perhaps Leto will stop mooning over him as well.” Fenris rumbled.
“Yeah,” Anders agreed nodding along. He froze, his head whipping around to stare at fenris. “He’s doing what now?”
“He’s been mooning over Lucen for months, and Lucen is oblivious as a brick wall. Poor Leto looks like someone threw him in the lake.” Fenris said in annoyance.
Anders buried his face in his hands. “When I told everyone we would take them for training, I didn’t think it would be like this,” he groaned.
“Well, they are young,” Velanna said. “This was bound to happen at some point.”
“Why now?” Fenris groaned.
“Because when you get teenagers together in a mostly closed off enviroment, then have them working together all the time, these things happen,” Anders sighed. “Which is what always happens in a Circle, or used to until a few years back and they became more open.”
“Maker…” Fenris said again, as he sat down and scrubbed at his face. “Let’s just get through lunch so we can pack and leave tomorrow morning.”
“Maybe we can take Luce out on the practice yard after lunch and let him work out his frustrations that way. I know I like to have people talk things out, but I’m not sure if that’s going to work in this case,” Anders said.
“You spar with him, he nearly broke my arm last week.” Fenris griped.
“Oh, lovely,” Anders sighed. “Fine. I’ll get him after lunch. You’ll have to finish taking over the preparations for leaving then.”
Velanna stood and tugged on Lethander’s arm. “Come on. This means we have some work to get done as well.”
“Hopefully they are at lunch and not sulking. I’ll spar with Leto before I finish getting packed.” Fenris nodded to the other elves as they left, then slumped in his chair the second they were gone. “Maker help us, three brooding teens, and cracked hearts. I’m no good at this, why do you think I was terrified at the idea of being a father?”
“Point made.” Anders poked at the pile of paperwork. “It’ll be nice to see everyone again, though.”
“Yes, it’ll be good to get in some time sparring with the other Light Warriors.” Fenris said wistfully. “Let’s get some lunch, I’m starved.”
When they got to the packed dining hall, the table that the three teenagers usually sat at was quiet, with each of them doing nothing more than eating and staring resolutely at their plates.
“And so it begins,” Anders sighed.
“Aren’t vacations supposed to be fun?” Fenris muttered.
“So I’ve heard.” Anders and Fenris got their plates and drinks, then walked deliberately over to the table. Anders sat down on one side, with Fenris sitting across from him. Pasting a smile on his face, Anders turned to Daer.
“Excited about tomorrow?” he asked.
“I guess,” she said as she poked at her food.
“Why not?” Leto asked, suddenly interested in the conversation. “It’s Arlathan, we haven't’ been in ages, Daer.”
“Because people always treat me strangely there. Here I’m just Daer. There I’m Cadewyn’s daughter and while the two of you can go out and have fun, I’m watched like a hawk.” She set her fork down. “It’s annoying and not fair.”
“I can tell them that I’ll protect you, Daer,” Lucen offered. “Then they’d have to let you go where you want.”
“I can protect myself.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“I… I know that,” he stammered. “I wasn’t saying you couldn’t. I was just…”
“Daer, you know he meant well.” Fenris said gently.
“Sure, protect her.” Leto muttered under his breath before he got up and left the table.
“This is why I’m not a parent.” Fenris said as he got up to follow his nephew.
“Why is he mad at me now?” Lucen said in exasperation as he watched Leto stalk away.
Daer pointed her finger at him. “I love you,” she paused, “like a brother, but you can be so dense sometimes. I think your muscles have squeezed your brains out.”
“Whoa, wait,” Anders exclaimed. “That’s enough.”
“Why the fuck is everyone yelling at me today!” Lucen slammed his fork down on the table and got up to stalk off.
“Mother says he’s like Uncle Aedan and you have to be blunt in order for him to get it,” Daer said.
Anders groaned. “Just be nice, alright?”
“I am being nice,” she sniffed. “I love him, but sometimes he needs to be shaken and woken up. I was caught off guard yesterday when he came to tell me he wanted me. But I wasn’t mean about it, Anders.”
“I know.” Anders gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you at the dinner bell. I need to go and find Lucen.”
**
Fenris finally caught up with Leto and grabbed him so he could pull the younger elf into his office. “What is it? Are you going to be such delightful company the whole time we’re in Arlathan and the Vigil? If so, I will leave you here Leto.”
“So, maybe that’s better. I wont’ have to see himchasing half the skirts between here and Kirkwall.” Leto snapped at the older elf.
“Are you still angry about him not liking you the same way you like him? Is it a crush, are you in love with him Leto? Then tell him if you want, but stop stalking off and snapping at him. No one here is a mind reader.” Fenris snapped back.
**
Anders had just enough time to get his shield up before the fireball slammed into it. When the hot air dissipated, he lowered the shield and narrowed his eyes at Lucen. “I brought you here to spar and work off whatever you’re going through, not to try and burn me into a crisp. I keep telling you that you need to have more focus, Luce. You’re magic can still be too volatile.”
Lucen growled and lowered his hand. “I feel volatile!” he shouted back. He raised his arms to encompass the empty practice yard. “No one is talking to me and everyone keeps talking to me, but it feels like they’re talking around me. I’m not stupid. Something is going on. Daer is mad at me, Leto is mad at me, and now I think you and Uncle Fenris are mad at me. I can’t seem to do anything right.”
“No one is mad at you, Luce,” Anders began. At the other mage’s look, he cleared his throat and amended his words. “Well some of them are. But I’m not.”
“She’s just so pretty, and strong, and smart, and I was hoping--”
“That she would want more from you?” Anders finished,. “She doesn’t, Luce, and I’m sorry for that. But you two are friends, and you will still be friends after this.”
“I think I screwed up,” Lucen admitted. “Really screwed up and I don’t know how or why, and I don’t know if I can fix it.”
**
Fenris snarled as he took a hard hit from his nephew, angry that words had devolved into fighting in his office and how broken up Leto seemed to be over Lucen’s indifference to his attraction. He wrestled the younger elf and pinned him down so he could talk instead of hit.
“Dammit Leto, fighting me won’t make this problem go away. Why would you raise your hand to me? I’m just trying to help you here, make you see that Lucen is not the only boy in the world. He probably doesn’t like boys, it’s not you.”
Leto bucked angrily but couldn’t break his uncle’s hold. “I’ve seen him staring at the stable boys sometimes. It is me, something about me doesn’t interest him.”
“That’s not the end of the world Leto, it might seem like it, but Maker…him not noticing you is not going to kill you.” Fenris eased up on the younger elf and warned him to keep his hands to himself once he was freed. “Hit me again, and I’ll get your mother.”
“Fine...just let me up.” Leto huffed as he fought angry tears.
Fenris had just let the boy go when the door slammed open and Varania stalked in to see what the Void was going on. “Looks like I didn’t have to go far to get you.”
“What are you doing? I could hear him screaming three doors down.” Varania growled as she looked over her child.
“Fighting with uncle Fenris.” Leto sniffed as he turned out of her graps. “I’m not a baby, stop that.”
“You’re my son, hold still.” Varania said as she healed the bruising and the shallow cut on his cheek.
“He’s having a bit of a crisis, and he’s ready to fight over it rather than talk. Why don’t you talk to him? I need to finish packing and get Anders to check my jaw. He’s stronger than he looks that’s for damn sure.” Fenris rubbed at the bruise that bloomed on his face, worried for his nephew’s temper.
“I...I’m sorry uncle. Please don’t leave me here, I’ll behave.” Leto pleaded.
“Yeah, you can still go but everyone gets their own rooms so there won’t be any more of this shit while we’re traveling. Go on with your mother, I’ll see you at dinner.”
Leto nodded and left behind Varania, his whole body showed how defeated he felt. Though he was an elf, he was almost as tall as his uncle, and towered over both his parents.
Fenris rubbed at his jaw, a few choice words that he didn’t dare say to his nephew. It wouldn’t help the situation and as it was he was already dreading the trip. He didn’t need to make everyone even more upset before they left.
The elven fighter headed to his room, hopeful his husband was there so they could pack and talk about what to do for their young charges.