Dragon Age 1. Chapter 1 Conspiracy

_Author's Notes: I am very new to writing Dragon Age fanfiction, so forgive me if occasionally the things they say don't sound entirely in character. It can be difficult to get into the heads of the characters, as I'm sure many of you know. As a warning to anyone who might have a problem with OC's, there IS an original character in this story. Actually, there are several. Captive's Chant is meant to be an introductory story to the character Aria, who you will learn about if you read this. Aria was an idea I had while lamenting some of the limitations of the game-play in Dragon Age II and pondering the things that a Malifecar would be capable of. I take some liberties and use quite a bit of creative license with this story._

_Legal: Dragon Age belongs to Bioware._

_Timeline: This story takes place in the 3 years between Acts 2 and 3. The assumptions made are that both of Hawke's siblings have died, and Hawke has rode the fence on the Mage/Templar issue, coming out more on the side of Templars._

Pairings: (M) Hawke & Merrill, Fenris & Isabela

_Warning: Mild Language, Violence, and potentially some suggestive content later._

_**(UPDATE:) Edited, Revised, and re-posted (again)!**_

* * *

The Captive's Chant

* * *

Chapter 1

_Life could never be simple._

As Aria leaned carefully against the stone wall just on the other side of the armoire, she gritted her teeth and attempted not even to breathe. She had come into this room an hour ago to read in private, not knowing that her master and his brother would enter the room and get comfortable.

She wasn't allowed in this wing of the house. Mordan Cartwright didn't approve of his 'staff' wandering the house without his permission, and his private library was most definitely off limits. She closed her eyes and steeled her nerves as fear and apprehension of what might happen threatened to overwhelm her. Gripping the metal necklace around her neck, she took a soft breath and listened to the men. At first, Aria had been curious about their hushed tones when they were in a wing of the house that was forbidden to most, but it didn't take her long to realize the truth of it.

"We would place an archer here, and here." The man said, pointing to the locations on the map before them.

His co-conspirator squinted in the candlelight at the indicators that the man had placed, taking in the plan with a malevolent grin. "Good, good. But the archers can't be the only ones there. Your target goes nowhere unarmed, and if they miss…"

"I already thought of that. The plan is to have more assassins in the crowd. If the archers miss, it will afford enough of a distraction to allow the others to cut him down."

"The festival will be the perfect cover. If the men you hired are any good, they should be able to escape any of the city guard or perhaps even go completely unnoticed."

"I assure you, I could not have hired better men for the job."

Aria's heart sunk from her chest into the floor. The festival was tomorrow, there would be no time for her to sneak into the room later and potentially learn the target's identity. She squeezed her eyes shut and took another shallow breath to steady her nerves, her hands trembling in trepidation. Not only for her own wellbeing, but for whomever Mordan had seen fit to sic the pack of trained killers he hired. Chewing on her lip, she continued to listen.

Neither men touched further onto who the intended target would be, but continued to discuss potential contingencies and concerns about failure, most of them coming from Leander, rather than from conversation dragged on for what seemed like hours, before their voices eventually faded into the distance and Aria had enough nerve to peek around her place of safety to see if she could leave.

When she felt certain the coast was clear, she launched into motion, moving out the door and down the hall as quietly and yet as fast as her feet would take her. Continuing until she had nearly reached the safety of the 'servants' quarters, she turned to look behind her to be sure she had not been noticed. In that instant, she slammed backwards into someone else, and she let out a startled yelp that might have been described as the sound a dog might make when beaten. She whirled quickly, and met almost the duplicate of her own face. The only real difference in appearance between she and her twin sister had been the earring Audrienne wore in her right ear, the beauty mark that accented the corner of her left eye, and her short cropped hair.

"Aria!" She hissed quietly. "Why are you wandering the halls? Are you looking for a lashing? Creeping around this house in the middle of a night like you own it, you're going to get yourself killed!"

Audri held the door open for her sister, who slid quickly in and pushed it closed behind her. As she leaned up against the sturdy wooden door, her hands still trembled, and she clutched them to her bosom to ease the feelings of fear that still tried to control her.

"I stole away for a bit of reading. I have yet to see the harm in that."

"If Mordan catches you in his study… Maker's breath, you can be foolish. I've warned you before, Aria. There may come a day when my favors won't work to keep you from feeling the brunt of Mordan's anger. Please, dear sister. I do not want to think what he would do to you if I were not able to stop him."

The thought flashed quickly through Aria's mind, the contemplation of whether or not she should tell her sister what she had overheard, but she inwardly shook her head as soon as the thought formed. It was far too risky. If Audrienne caught even the slightest hint that Aria might try to foil their plans, she would find every possible method to keep them from ever getting to the festival. She was alone in this. Utterly alone.

"I will try harder to be careful. Forgive me, Audri."

Audrienne sighed and sunk down onto the fainting couch, clutching her head softly in her hands.

"I swear you will be the death of me."

Try as she might, Aria could not sleep that night. However, it wasn't thoughts about what would happen the next morning. It was her sister's words that haunted her dreams in the Fade.

* * *

Festivities were in full swing. The banners were flying high, welcoming residents into the streets for what was supposed to be a memorable occasion. All of Kirkwall nobility and a decent portion of the middle and lower class had turned out to see what excitement and entertainments were in store for them. All manners of performers and merchants hovered about the Hightown Bazaar and the areas around Hightown that were close to the Chantry. Some of the attendees had obviously been into the drink heavily, and amongst them he recognized quite a few of The Hanged Man's regulars. When Garrett Hawke had heard of Ser Cartwright's plan to have a festival in celebration of surviving the Qunari attack on Kirkwall, he had thought the entire thing to be a risky venture. It had only been a year, and the attack was still fresh in many of the citizens' minds. To make matters worse, the hostilities between the Mage's Circle and the Templars only continued to grow. Acts of what could only be called terrorism on both organizations' sides were pulling Kirkwall further into darkness. And then there was always the Coterie and the Carta to consider, along with a host of smaller thief factions that vied for control. While he might have agreed that Kirkwall was in need of some light-hearted fun, this was also the worst possible distraction. Hawke's thoughts immediately went to his friend, Aveline Vallen. He could only imagine that 'Captain of the Guard' must be a difficult position to swallow in situations like this. Being in charge of the safety of civilians was hard enough in these times, without bringing the entire city's residents into the streets.

"Aveline is going to have her hands full trying to keep the crowds under control." Hawke spoke over the din.

"She's a big girl. I think she can handle herself." Isabella replied with her usual nonchalance and coy smile, her eyes scanning the crowds of people before them with a predatory gaze.

Hawke shook his head and observed the thrall of celebrators himself. Pushing through the crowds of people gently with the occasional murmured apology, he made his way towards the stage close to the Chantry's staircase.

"The main attraction is supposed to be quite a thrill. Evidently Ser Cartwright entered two of his own servants in the event. The dancer is supposed to be quite impressive, and –very- flexible." Isabela said, the word 'flexible' coming out with a lascivious undertone. She stood on tip toe in an attempt to see above the people in front.

"Keep your hand on your purse, Hawke. Thieves like striking during events like this." Varric reminded him, adjusting the strap that held Bianca to his back.

As they slowed approach, realizing they could move no farther forward, the drums and trumpets began to sound, and a simultaneous shout of excitement sprang from the crowd. The hovering horde in front of them thinned slightly, allowing Hawke and the others a chance to see what all the excitement was about. A group of ten women, each dressed in the same garb, took the steps to the stage gracefully and stood in their places.

"There she is; the one in the center front." Isabela shouted over the whistles, claps, and cheers. "She's one of Cartwright's; rumor going around The Hanged Man is that she's his 'private dancer' And there's her sister, the one sitting at the drum."

Hawke's attention went to the one Isabela was indicating. Honey-blonde hair flowed down the girl's back, falling to her waist, most of it pulled back into a braid to keep it out of her face. She was not as dusky as Isabela, but her skin did not share Merrill's porcelain coloring. Though he could not make out the more subtle features of her appearance, from what he could see, she was a very attractive Elven woman in her early twenties. When his eyes slid from the dancer to the musician sister, his mouth parted a little in surprise. Identical twins. Hawke's attention was pulled back to the conversation, which had developed into a conversation about the festival's 'benefactor', who had offered his own servants as part of the festivities and had obviously shelled out more coin than Hawke had spent at one time.

"How is it we've never heard of this Cartwright until now?" Hawke glanced at Varric, who still strained to see through the crowds.

The dwarf shrugged. "He keeps to himself. There are whisperings that he's got his fingers in some pretty nasty stuff. Without evidence, who's to say?"

"I heard he's had dealings with the Coterie –and- the Carta."

Hawke looked at Isabela. "Are we talking Lyrium or something more sinister?"

Isabela shrugged, eyes going forward to the dancers again. "Who knows, but as long as he keeps his nose clean enough that the Guard and the Templars can't catch him, no one can touch him. What can anyone do?"

"You say that as if it has stopped Hawke before." Fenris remarked, amusement turning up the edge of his lip a little.

Isabela snickered. "If Hawke had his nose any further up Aveline's arse—"

"—shall we cover the situation regarding the Qunari relic again, or shall we let my wish to remain on the proper side of the law alone?" Garrett grinned at her playfully, knowing that the relic was still enough of a sore point that she wouldn't finish her sentence.

She let out a sigh and rolled her eyes, crossing her arms under her ample bossom. "You're never going to let me live that down, even though you let me take it?"

"I let you take it. I didn't encourage you to steal it the first time." He reminded her, that charming smile still on his face.

She offered what could only be described as a sigh of defeat. "Alright. Point taken."

Varric chuckled and shook his head.

The remainder of the conversation was drowned out by the music as the girls began to dance.

* * *

The music thrummed through her as if it were her life's blood. Her heart kept perfect tempo with the beat of the drums as they thumped to life under her sister's capable hands. When it came to music, Audrienne had the gift. Whatever the instrument, given enough time and determination, she could play with expertise that made others jealous. Her twin's hands moved over the drums, changing pitch and tempo by choosing a different spot on the stretched hide. Eyes closed, Aria waited for the proper moment, and then without opening her eyes to check her fellow dancers, she began to move. Following the cadence of the drums and the sounds of the music as it enveloped her, she needn't look at the other dancers to know what she when and where she was supposed to move. Through the first half of the dance, she barely opened her eyes at all, content on feeling her heart keep perfect time with the beat of the music from the snare drum, reed flute, and the castanets on a few of the dancers fingers.

Once they reached the difficult part of the dance, Aria opened her eyes and gazed out over the crowd in between dance moves. An excited smile crept onto her face as she watched the mass of people cheering, clapping and dancing along. For a moment, things were perfect.

_Nothing is ever perfect._ She reminded herself.

Her eyes moved away from the crowd, and she caught sight of something, which drew her attention. No, not something. Someone. A man dressed in dark leathers, with a bow in hand, stood atop a roof overlooking the festivities. Aria's heart fell as she was reminded that she had a job to do. She had to foil Mordan's plans, even if it meant the death of her. She couldn't stand the idea of him pulling off the assassination and getting away with it. He had to be stopped. Her eyes darted to another rooftop, and she caught sight of another archer. It was that she took note of the others, a scattering of men in the crowd, all in the same uniform and heavily armed. Her heart sunk as it had done the night before, and she had to concentrate to keep dancing and pretend as if nothing was wrong. Her blood thrummed through her, but now for another reason - fear.

_Maker, they're Crows. Four on the ground, two on the rooftops._ How had the city guard not seen them? How had the Templars not? She gritted her teeth, and watched the men as best she could while she continued to dance, her attention going back to the archers on the roofs.

_There!_ She thought. _One of them tipped his hand; he's looking at the crowd!_

She followed his line of sight, and a knot settled into the pit of her stomach when she realized who the intended target was.

_Maker's breath… no!_

She saw the archer pull an arrow from his quiver, knock it, and prepare himself for the draw. In that instant, Aria's body reacted on instinct. She broke formation and leapt from the stage, rushing through the crowd.

_Andraste… Maker's Bride… let my feet be swifter than his arrow!_

"Aria?!" She heard her sister shout, but there was no time to explain.

As she pushed through the crowd, she grabbed a shield off one of the citizens as she shoved them out of the way, and continued to rush forward. Several people tried to stop her, clawing at her garments, forcing her to dart away from their outstretched hands. They could not stop her. If they did…

She heard the thwang of the bow just as she reached the target, and she turned the shield in the direction of the archer. She yelled out to the man to get down, but she did not realize that as adrenaline pumped through her, she had slipped into her native Antivan. All breath escaped her as the arrow made impact with the wooden shield, pushing her back into the target a little. The ones that were with him pushed him out of the way, and the other archer's arrow struck a wooden barrel to Aria's right. She sucked in a breath to steel her nerves and looked for the two archers as panic took the crowd, but they were gone. Her attention went in the direction of the target, and she caught sight of one of the armed assassins lunging towards him, the killer's daggers raised and poised to strike.

"Watch out! Behind you!" She shouted, throwing the shield at the killer.

The wooden shield connected with the assassin, sending him flat on his ass. As the killer pushed himself to his feet, he made eye contact with Aria, eyes narrowing. They stared at each other for a mere second, but a challenge had passed between the two of them without a word being spoken. He launched himself off the ground and at her, moving forward and up as he kicked himself off the ground, blades raised to strike, but with her as the target this time. At the last second, Aria shifted a foot backwards slightly to catch herself as she dropped to the ground, both legs lifting in a graceful arc upward. Her feet connected with the man's chest, and the action of his jump and her fall did the rest. As he arced over her, his expression turned to one of shock. Gritting her teeth, she kicked as he was over her head, sending him crashing into a stack of cargo behind them. Quickly, she pulled herself to her feet, turning to meet another potential attack, only to find that her attacker was no longer amongst the broken and fallen pieces of cargo that he'd been thrown into. He'd disappeared into the chaos of the crowd.

Whirling quickly, Aria meant to assist in dispatching the other assassins, only to see that the man's companions had everything well at hand. One young woman, clothed in so little it almost made Aria blush with embarrassment at the sight, slashed at one opponent with her daggers, while the elf she had seen with the mouth pulled back into a severe grimace and the Champion took turns slashing at the other ones.

"Anybody order a shot to the face?" Called the Champion's dwarf companion, taking shots at each attacker with a cross bow that looked as if it should have been wielded by someone twice his size.

The scantily clad woman let out a shout as the assassin attempted to overpower her, bearing down on her blades with his own. Gritting her teeth, Aria looked around for something she could use to help. Catching sight of a small bag of useless pebbles, she snatched the bag up, and moved in to flank the opponent the woman was battling. Shouting something meaningless in Antivan, she loosened the string on the bag and flung the pebbles on the ground at the opponent's feet. The diversion worked. In attempting to turn to look at the Aria, the pebbles caused him to lose his footing, and he went down. The woman finished him off with a coupe de gras before glancing up at Aria, amber eyes dancing with excitement.

"Thanks, pet!" She shouted, rushing off to help take down the last two men.

Seeing that her role in the battle was finished, Aria stepped back, leaning forward with her hands on her knees for a moment, finally attempting to catch her breath from the excitement. City guards and Templars moved about quickly to try and quell the panic, but the streets were already beginning to empty. Aria felt herself grabbed by the arm, and whirled. She raised her fist up for a punch, but held her blow when she met the angry expression of her twin.

"Aria? Are you crazy?!" Her sister chastised her, shaking her like a rag doll.

Aria opened her mouth to explain, but nothing came out. They stood quietly for what felt like minutes, until the Hightown square was empty of all but those who had been involved in the fracas.

"I want to know what in the void is going on here." Sounded the booming female voice of Guard-Captain Vallen.

"So do I! Aria! Audrienne!"

At the sound of Mordan's voice, Aria stiffened slightly, and then dropped to one knee and crossed one arm over her heart, fist to her left shoulder. Audrienne instinctually did the same. Feeling eyes upon her, Aria turned her head just to the side enough to look at the man whose gaze had settled on her so intensely. In that moment, the feeling of apprehension she had felt at the thought of what punishments lay in store for her were squashed by the relief of knowing that no matter what happened, she had seen to it that no blood was shed today.

* * *

As nobleman Cartwright and Aveline conversed about what had just occurred; Fenris lifted the small wooden shield to show it to Hawke. The arrow stuck through the wood two inches.

"That was a close one." He murmured.

"What the bloody shite was that, Hawke?" Isabela swore under her breath.

Hawke did not answer her. His focus had fallen on the dancer who had saved his life. Now that she was closer, he could make out more of her small athletic form, but her face was hidden. As if she knew he was watching her, she turned her head slightly and peered through her hair at him, an expression of relief on her face.

"Did you see the way she moved…?" Hawke murmured the question quietly to no one in particular.

"That couldn't have been chance. She knows something." Varric said.

"I'll bet 10 silver he'd never let us get close to her, let alone talk to her." Isabela muttered.

The group watched as Aveline shook hands with the nobleman, and then approached the group, rubbing her forehead.

"What did he have to say?"

"He doesn't know anything about the attempt on Hawke's life. I told him he should consider promoting that woman to the role of bodyguard, or let me hire her. The girl's view from the stage most likely gave her the advantage; though it's anyone's guess how she saw the archers. I didn't even see them. I'll talk to –you- later, Hawke. Right now I have reports to fill out on this mess." Aveline walked away, muttering.

As Mordan and the two servant girls passed, the group went silent to avoid them from overhearing the discussion. Hawke instantly felt tension from Fenris, and he heard the elf growl low in his throat in anger.

"Slaves…"

Garrett turned to look over his shoulder at Fenris. "What do you mean?"

"The necklace around their necks. Another old Tevinter technique. Make the collar look like jewelry and no one will be the wiser. They can travel with slaves outside of the Tevinter Imperium and no one will notice."

"What's to stop them from running away?" Isabela, the inflection in her voice filled with doubt.

"The collar is made of a special metal that is highly conductive. If a mage uses a chain lightning spell, they can shock or kill the wearer instantly." His tone filled with disgust and anger.

"Do you think he'll punish them for what happened today?"

Fenris snarled softly. "Men like that need no reason. The use of that collar is proof enough."

Isabela frowned softly and chewed at her lower lip. "What's the plan, Hawke?"

"He's a nobleman. We won't be able to get him arrested or even touch him without raising Aveline's blood pressure. Unless we get evidence." Varric murmured softly. "We're better off sneaking in and getting what we need. Then, I say we let Broody here do that hand thing."

Hawke nodded, watching after them as man and his slaves turned the corner, heading towards the Hightown Estates.

"She stuck her neck out pretty far for you, Hawke; me too. I think there should be a way we can skirt the law on this one."

"You sound as if you want to castrate the man." Varric stated.

"I'm not adverse to the idea." Fenris' voice filled with hatred for the man.

"I don't intend to break the law on this, Isabela. Varric is right. We need to find evidence, not rush into this situation half-cocked."

Isabela snorted softly, eyes rolling. "You're just worried you'll get in trouble with Aveline."

"I don't intend to do nothing. I'll go by myself. The four of us together will attract too much attention."

"Why not let one of us go?" Isabela said; her tone argumentative.

"Because –I- owe her, and you –would- castrate him."

"Be careful, Hawke. Only a mage would use those collars."

"Watch out for fireballs. Got it."

Varric chuckled.

"Hawke…" Isabela and Fenris said in unison, their voices tinged with concern.

"I'll be careful." The finality in his tone silenced more objections or comments as he strode away.

* * *

It was the depth of twilight when Hawke reached the estate that Varric's talebearer indicated belonged to Serah Mordan Cartwright. The stone structure resembled many of the other homes in Hightown. The sound of hushed voices lured him around to the back of the estate, where there was a small courtyard.

"What you did today was inexcusable."

The voice was barely recognizable as the voice he had heard from the nobleman earlier that day. It was deeper, darker, and cruel.

"Mordan, she was just attempting to protect the Champion. What she did will not hurt your status in Kirkwall in the slightest. The fact that she's considered a servant to you might elevate your status. Please, Mordan. Show mercy…"

Hawke heard a cry of pain, and heard the other sister pleading over and over for Mordan to stop. On the air was the smell of ozone. Garrett clenched his teeth and closed his eyes, imagining what the monster was doing.

The cries of pain ceased moments later, and then he continued to hear the sounds of the other sister's pleas as they faded into the distance. He heard the sound of a heavy wooden door shut, and the courtyard went silent. After waiting several minutes, he slipped into the moonlit courtyard, slowly moving towards the slumped figure of the one sister that lay on the ground. The air was charged with the power of the spell, and smelled even stronger of ozone as he grew closer.

Garrett crouched down, gently grasping the girl's shoulder and turning her. As he took in the sight of the burns around her neck, he felt his anger boil over. Forcing himself to focus on the girl's wounds, he reached a hand gently out, finger feeling for a pulse.

His attention elsewhere, he had not noticed that they were not alone until the cold metal of a blade was pressed against his neck. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't slit your throat."

The girl who had been slumped on the ground opened her eyes slowly one at a time, and met Hawke's gaze.

_Maker's breath… those eyes…_

The girl's upturned face was illuminated in the moonlight, and what struck him was the shade of her eyes. They were a haunting violet, the color of uncut amethyst. The girl's expression moved between fear, confusion, and then recognition. Her lips parted slightly to speak, but she seemed momentarily struck dumb. When her gaze finally shifted and caught the glint of the blade held to Hawke's throat, however, her voice returned.

"Audrienne… stay you're blade… it's the Champion." Her voice was hoarse, either from injury or from crying.

The blade came away from his neck, and he turned to glance at the other young woman, though there was no need to now that he knew who she was.

"What are you doing here?" She hissed quietly. "You will see us both killed for sneaking in here like this."

"Audri, your tension will do nothing for the situation. Please. Calm yourself." The girl on the ground shifted. Instinctively, Hawke offered her a hand and helped her gently to her feet. She looked at him and put her finger to her lips, and beckoned for them both to follow her to the furthest end of the courtyard, near a small flower garden that had obviously been ignored for some time. A stone fountain that appeared to be the center focal point for the garden had long since dried up, and begun to crumble with disrepair. Several stone benches littered the area, but could not be called inviting given their surroundings.

Once they were further away from the house, the woman exhaled heavily in relief.

"You already know who I am. Don't you think it's time you introduced yourselves?" Hawke asked, his gaze moving between the both of them.

"There is not someone in all of Kirkwall that does not know the stories of the Champion of Kirkwall." The one who had been called 'Audrienne' motioned with her blade before returning it to its place within the folds of her skirt. One dainty hand pointed to herself, and then to her twin. "As my sister announced, I am Audrienne. Her name is Aria."

Now that he was able to observe them up close, he could see the subtle differences between the two of them. Though they were identical in appearance, there were nuances that were not lost on Garrett Hawke. Audrienne's personality reminded him vaguely of Isabela; though not on such a grand scale. There was a confidence to her gait that indicated battle prowess beyond her years. Her voice was deeper, with a husky undertone, and there was a hint of accent that seemed to be void in her sister's. She leaned against the wall, arms crossed loosely across her chest, her gaze on him as if to be a challenge. There was a fullness to her figure that indicated an activity level that differed from that of her twin. Aria was an inch or two shorter, even with the slouchy relaxed posture of her sister, and her body had a muscle definition that led one to believe that dancing was her life. However, the way she carried herself was devoid of her sister's 'go ahead and try to take me on' attitude. She was demure, stealing the occasional glance at Hawke but not making complete eye contact. The twin seemed more content to keep to herself. This was not the woman he had seen on stage, smile curving her lips.

Audrienne seemed to notice his observation, because she glanced to Aria. Pulling something out of her pocket, she offered it to her, and he caught a glimpse of a small crystal vial of red liquid.

"Here, sister. Tend to your wounds while I talk to the Champion."

The girl accepted the potion and moved quietly inside without another word. Once Aria had shut the door, Audrienne allowed herself another heavy sigh.

"Maybe you should start at the beginning and tell me what this is all about." Hawke sat down on a stone bench overlooking the dried-up fountain, lacing his fingers and giving the woman an expectant look.

Another sigh escaped her, and she raked a hand through her hair. "What would you like to know?"

"The rumor around Lowtown is that Mordan Cartwright is your benefactor, and that you are paid servants in his household. What a companion of mine caught sight of earlier, and what I saw just now, indicate to me that those rumors are baseless, if not outright lies."

"Mordan Cartwright is no benefactor." She said; her voice dripping with venom. "He is a menace. And we are not his 'servants'. Mordan Cartwright purchased us from a mage in Tevinter for a tidy sum ten years back. He 'owns' us. He's raised his hand and his magic towards Aria only a number of times, but I try to ensure that the majority of his monstrous behavior is aimed at me. The day he…" She paused to swallow, not finishing her statement. "I don't know why the assassins attacked you, but considering the way she took off like her smalls were on fire; I can imagine Aria might know something about it. The only reason I sent her away is because now is not a good time to talk about it, considering the punishment she has already suffered."

"Why didn't he use his magic on you?"

Audrienne gritted her teeth. "Mordan has plans for me, I assure you. He chooses not to mar the flesh he intends to feast on later."

"Blessed Andraste…" He muttered softly, disgusted. A sick feeling settled into his gut, and for a moment he thought he might have to void the contents of his stomach. Hawke could not stop the surge of anger that threatened to undermine his self control at the understanding what she intimated by her words. Slavery was bad enough, but if her words to be believed, Mordan was the worst kind of slaver. In that moment, he thanked whatever gods watched over them that he had not brought any of the others with him, namely Fenris. He could only imagine what would have transpired.

"Your sister…"

"Intact, but only because Mordan is far too preoccupied with me. Unfortunately, I fear it may not always be that way. No matter how hard I try, the eventuality is that he will turn on her if I do not get her clear of it. I would chide her for being foolish and attracting his wrath today, but perhaps some good can come of this. I need your help, Champion. We need your help. Mordan Cartwright is selling citizens of Kirkwall to places like the Imperium and Orlais, and he's also been smuggling people into Kirkwall. There's slave trade going on under the noses of the city guard and the Templars. The Coterie, the Carta; Apostates and Templars; these aren't the only things this city needs to worry about. Mordan and his brother Leander are not going to stop on their own. Someone needs to take them down, and I can think of no one better equipped to deal with them than you." She straightened up, her hands dropping to her sides. "Mordan has a drinking and a gambling problem, I might be able to entice him to the tavern of your choice. There, if he gets involved enough in his drink and his pleasure, we should be able to find time to meet with you. Then you can feel free to question Aria about what she saw and what she knows."

Hawke nodded in understanding. "One of my companions has a private room at the Hanged Man. I will arrange for us all to be there. Something needs to be done about this."

They arranged a meeting, and then Audrienne slipped inside the darkened estate without a look back. On his way home, Hawke had to resist the urge to turn around and go back, to face the slaver now when he was asleep and at his weakest, to give him a taste of his own medicine.


	2. Chapter 2 Freedom Has A Price

_Author's Notes: I apologize for how long it has taken me to post this chapter, but I got carried away on something else and got distracted. Notes = Win _

_Legal: Dragon Age belongs to Bioware._

_Warning: Mild Language, Violence, and potentially some suggestive content later._

* * *

Chapter 2

"What you did was incredibly stupid, Aria. What could you possibly have been thinking? More importantly, -were- you thinking?"

Aria scoffed and glared, slumping onto the fainting couch in their shared quarters. _That's right. Blame this all on me._ She thought bitterly to herself.

"I'm waiting for an explanation."

A growl of frustration escaped the 'younger' of the two, and she threw her hands up in defeat. "I was thinking that the Champion of Kirkwall deserved not to be taken down by men the likes of Mordan and Leander. Someone of his caliber warrants a frontal attack, not a horde of assassins stabbing him in the back. They were Crows, Audri! Crows! And not just one, but six of them! Had I not interfered when I did, the Champion might be dead. Mordan and Leander would have carried out the plot, and there wouldn't even be a remote chance of them getting caught. The guards haven't apprehended any of those murderers, and they probably never will. I just did what I could to stop an already bad situation from getting worse. If it meant I had to risk my own life to ensure that someone else survived, then that was a sacrifice I was willing to make. Isn't that what you've tried to teach me over the years with your actions, Audrienne? Self-sacrifice? Because if anyone should understand that, it's you!" Her words were quiet, but there was an edge to her voice.

Audrienne sighed and slumped onto the end of the bed. "Maker, this is a mess, Ari. It's done now, and I know I shouldn't be verbally flogging you for it, but you understand my distress. At least some good can come of it. Now that the Champion of Kirkwall knows our plight, we might finally be able to get you free of this place."

"Us, Audri. You mean us. We are sisters, and I will not see you stranded here in this Maker forsaken void of a place while I am free. There are limits to which I will let your self-sacrifice go, Audri. You should be aware of that, as well. We might not share a mind, but that doesn't stop us from thinking the same way."

"Yes, well, I will try to get both of us out of this, little sister. But my main focus is always going to be you. Nothing will change that."

"We were born on the same day, Audri."

"Yes, and you were born a minute late, therefore you will always be my little sister."

Aria didn't bother to reply, seeing the futility in arguing with her over something so inane. The elfroot potion that Audrienne had given her had helped to ease the pain from Mordan's spell, but the burns around her neck still ached. She needed to focus on the important things, before her voice gave out for the night.

Allowing herself a sigh, she rubbed gingerly at her neck injury. "I'm assuming you have a plan, then?"

An unattractive snort escaped Audrienne, and she threw her hands up. "The only plan I have is to get Mordan to the Hanged Man for drinks and possibly gambling. The Champion is going to be there tomorrow night."

Aria ran a hand through her hair, chewing softly at her bottom lip while she ran the problems over and over in her mind.

"Getting him to the Hanged Man won't be difficult, but sneaking away from him to meet with the Champion once we're there, that's different. Unless we can get him so drunk he doesn't notice, which I don't count on. Perhaps the Champion can help us where that is concerned. If he invited Mordan to share a table…"

Audrienne shook her head. "Do you honestly think that the Champion of Kirkwall would share a table with the likes of Mordan Cartwright? The guy who can thank all of the wealth and influence he has on the backs of people he's enslaved? The very man who tried to have him killed?"

"Keep your enemies closer, Audri. I find it highly unlikely that the Champion would miss an opportunity that would allow him to put a slaver out of business, even if that means he had to share a table with him temporarily in order to do it. Sharing a table would give us a legitimate reason to be there and close to them, which would allow for a certain amount of conversation. All it would take to distract him enough would be a sufficient amount of alcohol, a game of cards and a woman."

"I believe I can handle the woman and the alcohol part, I've plied him with it often enough before, and he enjoys my company."

Aria's mouth opened to object, but Audrienne held up a hand to stave off argument.

"You're the one the Champion needs to speak with, Ari. I know only what you've told me about the plot, and he is going to need the entire picture."

Aria nodded gently in agreement, though she wanted to fight her on the issue, she knew that her sister was right.

"Promise me something, Audri?"

"I will be careful, Aria. I promise."

She knew that her sister meant it, but somehow the promise didn't quell the anxiety that had settled inside her. Aria could feel it tickling the edge of her conscious mind; the threat of danger, darkness. She didn't share her apprehension with her twin, but she silently prayed that in the end, it wouldn't swallow them whole.

* * *

The smells of the Hanged Man still threatened to overwhelm him even after all these years, and he had to resist the urge to rub his nose as the sensations tickled at his nostrils and made his lungs beg for mercy. Were it not for his friends, he most likely would not have stepped foot in this hole years earlier, and he certainly wouldn't be here now. Raking a hand through his hair, he offered a nod to the bartender as he strode to the stairs leading to Varric's suite, taking the steps two at a time.

It had taken him longer to walk back to the Hanged Man than usual, and he would have liked to have assured himself it was just him pacing himself, but he knew the truth. Even now, the anger blazed in him for what that monster was doing to the women he had seen earlier. Bethany would have chided him, but it was hard for him not to find fault in magic for all the darkness he had seen in the passing years. With few exceptions, every mage he had ever run across had been nothing but trouble.

_No, not every mage._ The voice of Bethany seemed to reverberate in his mind. _Not every mage. Not all mages are bad, Garrett. Remember that._

He let out a sigh, watching his friends from the doorway to the suite, all situated around the table with cards in hand. Varric was the first one to look up.

"Hawke." The word was as much a question as it was an acknowledgement. His expression was calm, but Garrett knew underneath it all, Varric had been just as concerned as the rest of them.

The others looked up, taking in his demeanor, and the joviality of the evening was ruined.

"I'm guessing things didn't go well." Isabela said, dropping her cards face down onto the table.

Garrett slumped into the chair at the other end of the table, still shaking slightly from the anger he felt. Only after a moment of careful breathing could he speak without the hate and anger being in his voice.

"Fenris is right. Mordan is not their benefactor, he's a slaver. And it's not limited to just the two of them. From what the eldest told me, he's in the slave trade up to his neck."

"Fastas vass. I knew it." Fenris moved to stand. "We cannot let this…"

Hawke raised a hand to stay the elf's steps. "We are going to do something about this. I did not get much chance to talk to the younger one, the dancer. The eldest, her name is Audrienne; she indicated to me that her sister knows about the attack today. She has planned to get Mordan here, and we are to meet with the younger sister; Aria; and find out what she knows."

"He should have died where he stood." The anger and hatred was clear in Fenris' voice.

"He will pay for what he has done, and what he is doing, Fenris. But if this goes deeper, or if there are any others involved, I want to know it. We need the whole picture here, and right now we only half one quarter of it. If this girl's information is good, we have a good chance to shut down more than just Mordan's little operation, but a decent slice of the slavery in Kirkwall."

"Nailing more than just one slaver? Sounds like the sort of vengeance I'd like to take part in, Hawke. My only question is; how do you plan to get the girl away from Mordan while he's here? I doubt he'll willingly let her out of his sight."

"Ply him with drink and women, Rivaini. This -is- the Hanged Man."

Fenris released his clenched jaw, allowing a silent sigh to escape him. Raking a hand through his hair, he nodded. "While killing this man would please me, taking down an entire organization of these criminals would be more satisfying. Consider me at your disposal, Hawke."

Garrett gripped Fenris' shoulder for a moment, giving him an appreciative look, before turning his attention back to the problem at hand.

"Varric is right; we should use the Hanged Man's advantages."

"Count me in on this too, Hawke. Bianca and I have been getting a little bored. What's with these three year lulls anyway?"

* * *

Aria still couldn't figure out how her sister had done it, and she wasn't sure she really wanted to know. While she had seen Audrienne ply the man with drink before, she had never seen her manipulate him the way she had done today. Their master had been like putty in her hands, and when they left for the Hanged Man, he was more than distracted already. It disgusted her, the way Audrienne gave herself over to his touch. What bothered her most was the knowledge that she was doing it to try and save her life. Audrienne had taken it upon herself all those years ago, when they had first gone to Asariel in the Tevinter Imperium, to be Aria's protector. Seeing what she had been forced to stoop to under that title made Aria sick to her stomach.

_Andraste, give us strength, and watch over us in the hours ahead. I do not know what will happen tonight, but if only one of us can be free, please let it be Audrienne. She has suffered enough at the hands of this life._

The scents that assailed her nose as they set foot in the tavern did nothing for Aria's already ailing innards. She bit her tongue to stop the bile that threatened to rise in her throat at the smell of stale urine, cheap booze, and body odor. The leers of some of the tavern's inhabitants caused her to shrink in on herself and wish she could disappear. Keeping her head down to attempt to avoid the lascivious glances and gestures, she followed behind Mordan and Audrienne, who walked arm and arm. As they ascended the stair case, Aria suppressed a shudder at the thought of what sort of danger they might be walking into if Mordan realized something was amiss.

The Champion sat at one head of the table, his short companion at the other, with the others crowded around the long table, cards in hand.

"Dear Champion, I would like to introduce you to Mordan Cartwright." Audrienne cooed sappily, laying it on thick.

Hawke looked up from the conversation he was having, a forced smile on his face as he stood to shake the nobleman's hand firmly.

"A surprise to see a nobleman like yourself mingling amongst civilians, Serah Cartwright."

"The same could be said for you, Serah Hawke." Mordan's inebriated voice was full of thinly disguised venom. "Wicked Grace, is it?" He motioned ungracefully to the cards on the table.

"It was. We've just finished, although we may start again momentarily."

Mordan pulled out the empty chair and plunked into it sanctimoniously, waving his hand at Aria.

"A drink; and make sure the barkeep knows not to use the cheap swill he sells the rest of these civilians."

The word civilian was laced with disgust and contempt, but Hawke did not respond verbally or visually.

Audrienne opened her mouth to protest, but Aria shook her head softly before turning and heading down the stairs.

_This is going to be a long night._

Steeling her nerves as her toes touched the floor after the last step, Aria made her way towards the bar, keeping as far away from the tables and the men that were seated at them. As she reached the bar, she noticed the barkeep's back was to her, and for a moment she had to bite back feelings of irritation at the thought of the man shirking his duties. The feelings dissolved quickly, and were replaced with a desire to get back to the others as quickly as possible. She could sense the tension in the room, and felt as if all eyes were on her.

"Excuse me…" She said, trying to be quiet and still be heard above the din.

The barkeep did not respond, and another wave of irritation passed over her, but was quickly replaced by shock.

She let out a gasp and a squeak of shock as she felt a hand roughly grab her bottom. Her perverse attacker spun her, pressed his body against her, pinning her against the bar. Trembling in surprise and anger, she attempted to knee him in the groin, only to find that the man had planned for that, and had pinned her in such a way that she couldn't move her legs well enough to follow through with her plan. Even still, she was not without her ability to struggle, and she did, bucking and wriggling to get free.

"Unhand me!"

"Come on, lovey. Just one kiss, or a romp, you look like you could handle a man like me quite well."

She turned her nose away from the stale scent of alcohol and rotting teeth as he tried to lean in closer, and wriggled her arms in an attempt to get them free of his grasp so she could push him away and make her retreat.

"Is there a problem here?"

The soft question surprised her, and she turned her attention in the direction of the voice's owner. A man barely into his late twenties leaned against the bar; regarding them both calmly for the moment; but the warm green eyes that penetrated hers were anything but calm. His hair reminded her vaguely of the color of an elfroot potion, and was cut neatly, with small braids here and there. The left side of his face above his eyebrow and under his eye brandished a very simple line tattoo only a few shades darker than his natural tan. Had it not been for the lack of what many called 'knife ears', she would have thought him an elf due to his bone structure. His height was the thing she noticed the most. He stood at least a head taller than her attacker, and he used his height to his advantage as he stood to loom over the man in a threatening fashion.

"There will be if you don't mind your own business." The nasty man retorted, his fingers digging into the flesh of Aria's arm possessively, causing her to give a small cry and struggle anew.

The soft-voiced man moved quick as lightning. Grabbing her assailer by the dirty ponytail he sported, he jerked him backward, then moved his hand to the back of the man's head, he slammed the man's face into the surface of the bar once. As the man reeled backwards from the attack, he shoved him down onto his ass. Gripping him around the neck with one hand, the taller man's eyes blazed with righteous anger, and he shook the lecherous drunkard once as a warning, practically throttling him.

"I believe you owe the Lady an apology." Her rescuer's voice sounded like a rasping growl.

The drunkard gasped out an apology, struggling against the pressure that was being applied to his throat.

"Now get out."

Her savior let go, and her attacker clambered to get up form the floor, wheezing as he did so. He left with so much haste; the barkeep was forced to chase him down to get paid.

Aria realized then that she still had herself pressed against the bar, trembling, and she allowed a shaky breath to escape her lips as she attempted to relax. The presence of her rescuer as he moved closer to her only served to raise her anxiety. _First the attack at the festival, and now this._

What did this man want? What was he capable of?

Gently, the man took her arm and looked over the damage, then the other, clicking his tongue once in disapproval. "These will leave bruises." He remarked; looking at the half-moon shaped marks that the evil man's nails had left in Aria's upper arms. Warm green eyes regarded her apologetically. "Are you alright?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but Serah Hawke and the female companion were suddenly at her side in that moment, both looking shocked and concerned. As Aria became aware of her surroundings again, she looked towards the stairs to see Mordan and Audrienne at the top of the stairs, and the short companion to the Champion at the base, his crossbow in his hands.

"What happened here?"

Her rescuer turned his gaze to Hawke. "Ah, the Champion. I assume this young Lady is with you?"

"She is with us. What happened?"

"One of the typical drunks man-handled her when she approached the bar. He won't bother her again."

The female companion let out a sigh. "I had a feeling we shouldn't have let her go down here alone, Hawke. She's not used to dealing with these ruffians." She reached out and took Aria's shoulders gently, easing her away from the bar. "Come on, pet. Let's go back upstairs where it's safe."

Aria looked back over her shoulder at her rescuer, a thank-you poised on her lips that she never got the chance to speak aloud.

As they returned upstairs, Audrienne settled Mordan into his seat and looked to the Champion, shaking her head.

"I cannot believe this. You're short friend over there just challenged Mordan to a game of diamondback," She lowered her voice to finish her sentence without alerting Mordan. "with us as the winnings."

"Varric? Playing diamondback with Mordan?" He asked incredulously. Hawke looked to the dwarf before turning his attention back to Aria and Audrienne.

A soft chuckle could be heard from Fenris, who leaned against the wall just inside the door to the hallway. "I hope you were the only thing he bet, or your master will lose much more than two slaves."

Hawke glanced at Fenris with an expression of vague amusement. "How much do you owe him this time?"

Fenris grunted uncomfortably at the question, but a slight smile curved up one side of his mouth.

"This may be our only chance. We should talk." Aria said, glancing momentarily to the elf against the wall warily before turning her attention back to the Champion.

Hawke nodded and motioned for them to go sit by the fire.

Aria hesitated and turned towards her sister to say something, but Audrienne was already moving to another corner of the room, where a stringed instrument sat untouched. Lifting it into her arms, she sat down and began plucking away, her voice rising and falling as she sang in time with the sweetly humming whine of the strings under her fingers.

_Bless Andraste that she always knows just what I'm about to say._ Aria gave a sigh of relief, and moved over to the fire where the Champion waited.

* * *

Between the beautiful music that Audrienne played, the game of diamondback, and the noise of the fire, he knew that their conversation would not be overheard Yet, he could still feel a knot of apprehension in his stomach at what she would say. How much did she know? Did she really know anything?

"Mordan and Leander are directly responsible for the attempt on your life. Mordan hired the Antivan Crows to end you're life at the festival yesterday because they felt it was the best way to hit you without you noticing."

Hawke regarded her solemnly, leaning forward to allow them both to speak without having to raise their voices above the din.

"And who are Mordan and Leander Cartwright to me?"

"You're bad for business. Between you and you're dealings with the Guard-Captain, you and you're companions have put a crimp in Leander's slave trade earnings, and he wants you stopped. Mordan profits from the slave trade earnings too, so he has financial interest in helping."

"How did you come by this knowledge?"

"I was in the room. I'd snuck into Mordan's study to read a book, and didn't have time to escape when they came in. The only thing I didn't know at the time was your identity, though now it makes perfect sense. Mordan and Leander would be stupid enough to go after someone as important as you."

Hawke waved his hand dismissively at the mention of his 'importance'.

A loud laugh from Isabela caused them both to start, and they both turned their attention momentarily to the table where the card game continued.

A shuddering sigh escaped Aria, and Garrett reached over and touched one of her trembling hands in reassurance.

"Is there any way to get physical evidence; something that would allow the City Guard to arrest him?"

"There may be something tangible, but if it exists, there would be no way for me to lay my hands on it. Mordan keeps information like that under lock and key; not to mention possible magical trap. I could supply you and Guard-Captain Aveline with information regarding locations where slave sales are done, the routes they use, and the times. I assume that would help?"

"That kind of information would be invaluable, but how have you come by such knowledge?"

"Mordan and Leander may be careful with their paperwork, but they're loose with their lips when in the drink. I've also been to some of the locations, because Mordan doesn't like to let Audrienne and me out of his sight"

Another laugh and a cheer could be heard from the table, causing Hawke and Aria to turn their attention in that direction once more. Mordan bellowed a string of curses and threw his cards down onto the table. Varric sat with a self-satisfied look on his face.

"What happened?" Aria asked softly.

"Varric just cleaned your master out of whatever he bet. Mordan Cartwright lost."

An expression of shock spread across her face at the realization of what that meant.

"We're free…"

* * *

"You're a cheat! A cheat and a liar! I will not turn my two best servants over to someone who can't play an honest game of cards!"

Aria trembled at the rage she heard in his voice. This was the side of Mordan that she didn't like to see. The side that normally meant electricity would be coursing through her body, rendering her unable to move or speak, ripping through her with a pain that made her beg for death. The dwarf may have won, but they were not out of danger yet.

"You made the bet, Serah. I even let you set the terms, aside from requesting the servants as part of the winnings, which I may remind you – you agreed to."

Serah Hawke approached the table, crossing his arms one over the other. "Is there a problem, Varric?"

"None at all. Serah Cartwright was just expressing his displeasure at having to leave his two best servants with me."

Mordan spat obscenities at Varric, and then turned his blazing anger towards the Champion. "I'll make you pay for this, I promise."

The elf companion growled low in his throat, eyes narrowing, and reached a hand back for his weapon in anticipation of combat. The dwarf slid his chair back, turning just enough to reach his crossbow if he needed to. The vaguely clothed woman crossed her arms under her ample bosom.

Audrienne and Aria both tensed visibly.

Hawke raised a hand, dismissing the need for rash action before a fight broke out. "Serah, I think it is time for you to return to your home and sleep this off. You have been drinking the rest of us under the table all night, and you were already under the influence of the drink when you arrived. Once you have rested, you will see that this for what it is. My friend here no doubt has family in the Carta, and I would not want to imagine the things they might do to you if you rescind your promise to pay. Better to sleep this off, and come to a decision when you have all of your faculties in place, hmm? Isabela, will you see him to the door, please?"

Aria shook with relief as the scantily clad female escorted him from the room without a fuss.

"Well played, Hawke. Though I don't I like the idea of you associating me with the Carta."

"It worked, didn't it?"

Audrienne shook her head and allowed herself a nervous laugh. "Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable; I can hardly bring myself to think that I'm not dreaming right now." She looked down at the dwarf, who was still seated in his chair at the head of the table. "I don't even know who you are, and I want to kiss you."

"I wouldn't do that, my dear. Bianca would become terribly jealous." Remarked Hawke with a smile.

"Bianca?" Aria asked, her curiosity peeked. "Is that the woman in the very little clothing?"

Hawke doubled over in laughter, while his two companions shook their heads, smiling.

Varric chucked warmly and held out a hand to Audrienne. "Let me introduce myself, my dear. I am Varric Tethras. And this," He placed a loving hand on the cross bow at his side. "Is Bianca."

Audrienne's mouth dropped open as she realized she was trying to understand something that was obviously an inside joke.

The scantily clad companion returned to the top of the stairs, a smile of satisfaction on his face. "Don't worry, Hawke, I left him with all of his faculties intact, although I must say the idea of leaving him unconscious in a ditch some where would have been satisfying. He grabbed my ass on the way out the door, so I might have bruised him a bit, but I doubt he'll remember it in the morning." She strode over to Aria, offering a hand to shake. "Isabela, formerly Captain Isabela; and hopefully will be again one day. You must be Aria. You're right, Hawke. Her eyes are stunning."

She shook Audrienne's hand as well. "And you are Audrienne."

Audrienne nodded in confirmation to that fact, and then slumped into a chair, finally relaxing.

Hawke motioned to his elf companion. "This is Fenris. You'll meet the remainder of our little group at some point. They could not all make it here tonight."

Aria reached out a hand and shook Fenris' hand, and then pulled back in shock. The moment their hands met, the lines that Aria had mistaken for tattoos fluoresced a fierce blue that was almost blinding. Audrienne stood, a gasp escaping her as the realization hit them both at the same time. The markings on the elf were not normal tattoos, but Lyrium.

"…mage…" The look on the elf's face was accusatory, the amicable expression that had once been there now gone.

Aria took a step back as if she'd been slapped, cupping her hand to her body with her other one as if she had been burned.

Audrienne glared openly at Fenris, electricity crackling from her fingers. "You have a problem with mages do you?"

"Audri…stop. That will solve nothing."

Her sister responded to her plea, dropping her arms to her sides, but making no point of hiding her sudden dislike for the elf.

Hawke looked between them all. "What in the Maker's name is going on here?"

A soft breath escaped Aria, and she looked at the Champion apologetically. "We would have told you, Serah, but we feared a reaction like this. You're friend has earned us our freedom. I wished to do what good I could to help you, but I can understand that being a friend to mages is not… a popular idea right now. We will leave you in peace, and you will see no more of us, I promise."

Fenris' expression went from contempt to one of vague surprise as he looked at her. Aria averted her eyes, bowing gracefully. "Let's go, Audrienne."

Her sister joined her quickly near the door, and they prepared to descend. Inside, she ached to turn, to beg them to help them, to attempt to reason with them, but nothing could be done.

"Hawke…" The sound of Isabela's voice wafted in her direction as they stepped into the hallway, Audrienne sliding in front and beginning to take two steps at a time already.

She took the steps slower than her sister, her feeling of abandonment making her feet feel as if they were shackled with lead. The magic in her blood still sang in her veins from the brief contact she had had with the Lyrium in the elf's skin. How could she have known that Fenris was marked in such a manner? She had known how they would react if they had found out what she and her sister were. Becoming Apostates had not been their choice; it had been Mordan's. He should have reported them to the Circle when they had arrived all those years ago, and yet he'd kept them secret.

_If only I could have died last night. Dying would have been far better than this… how are we supposed to make it on our own?_

She shook her head gently to dispel that sort of thinking, making her way slowly to the door.

Aria had almost reached the exit when she felt a warm, barely weathered slender hand grasp her upper arm gently. Turning slightly, she turned her face upward to look into the golden eyes of Hawke's companion, Isabela.

"Come back to the table, pet. We need to talk."

Aria shook her head. "Thank you, but I think it is time I find a place to sleep for the night. Please thank Hawke… and Varric for everything they have done for us. When I can… I will send a message to Hawke regarding the locations and times with which we spoke earlier."

She blinked. "You would still help… even though…"

"Taking out organizations that prey upon the innocent is more important than my pride." She gave a gentle nod of respect, and then exited the tavern.

* * *

Pulling her thin woolen cloak around her, Aria forced her feet to walk in the direction of the meeting place she and her sister had decided on hours earlier before the entire debacle in the tavern. The Chantry had always felt like a place of refuge for Aria, and so it had been decided that that would be the safest place to meet up once their freedom had been secured. Having noticed that Audrienne was not waiting outside the Hanged Man, she had trudged in that direction with a heavy heart.

As she strode through Hightown towards the Chantry stairs, she could hear the faint sound of combat ahead of her. Fear for her sister immediately replaced the sadness she was feeling, and her slow walk turned into a run. As she turned the corner, she took note of the throng of eight City Guard impersonators crowding in on one cloaked man. Aria looked about, noting that her sister was nowhere in sight. Breathing a soft sigh of relief, she pulled a dagger from the clutches of a fallen impersonator.

"Eight against one hardly seems fair." She spun the dagger in her hands, reveling in the familiar feel of holding a blade in her hands, smiling as she thought back to earlier years in the Imperium.

The impersonators whirled in surprise, and two of them instinctively launched themselves at her. Taking note of their heavy armor and uncoordinated steps, she easily danced out of the way of their blades, allowing their own poor armor choice to be their downfall.

Catching sight of something moving within her peripherals, she moved to strike, only to have her dagger blocked by the sword of the cloaked man.

"Watch the blade; I'm on your side."

"That remains to be seen." Aria muttered under her breath, but still turned so that they were back to back, facing the other six impersonators. "Six against two, I do think I like those odds a little better. You take three, I'll take three. Sound good?"

"My kind of odds."

"Let's teach these boys a lesson or two about attacking civilians in Hightown." She rushed the three in front of her.

Ducking under one greatsword, Aria plunged her dagger into the soft spot that gapped between the sides of the man's armor, then kicked his knee. A shout of pain from the man echoed through the empty courtyards, and he went down with a heavy metallic thud, writhing and clutching his knee. Another came up from the right side, greatsword raised above his head to strike. Instinctively, Aria grabbed one of his wrists with her free hand, using all her strength to stay his blade while she brought her knee up into the cod piece of his armor. The impersonator let out a stream of curses and elbowed her in the face, sending her reeling backward. She clutched her nose for a moment, tasting blood from the damage she had done biting her lip during the impact, and took a deep breath. Light darted in front of her eyes for a moment, but she shook her head to clear it, and came at him again. He swung sideways, but she ducked under the blade, barely conscious of it as it whistled over her head. In close again, she grabbed his sword arm and jerked it in an odd direction, taking small satisfaction when she heard the sound of bone snapping under the stress. The man let out a scream, dropping his sword. Grabbing hold of the top neck of his armor, she shoved, sending him over onto his back before finishing him with a stab to the neck.

She heard the clink of armor; the other impersonator was behind her. Quickly she arched the blade, turning slightly on the ball of one foot and bringing the dagger in a sweeping arch upward. The dagger plunged into the sweet spot where the groin connected to the thigh. Crying out in pain, the man let go of his sword and fell forward, grasping at himself in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

"Glad to see you can handle yourself in a fight after all."

She reacted out of instinct when she heard the voice so close to her, making another sweeping arc with the borrowed blade, this time up to down. The blade's attack was stopped by the clash of metal against metal. Looking up, she became aware that she'd attacked the cloaked man she'd been helping, and that he was standing entirely too close. In an attempt to put some distance between them, she stepped back and tripped over the body behind her, landing flat on her backside. The cloaked figure sheathed his sword at his hip, chuckling softly.

"Where did you learn to move so fast?" He reached a hand out to help her, amusement in his voice.

She dashed his hand away, pushing herself to her feet before dusting her hands off on her pants. Though she chided herself for acting so ungrateful, she couldn't help but still feel the sting of what the evening had wrought. She couldn't lash out at the ones she wanted to, so she lashed out at him.

"If you'll excuse me, I have someone waiting on me. Goodnight, Serah." She clenched her jaw, picking up the dagger that she had absconded with and tucking it into her boot after wiping it off. There was no sense in letting a good weapon go to waste, after all.

A soft sigh came from the stranger, and she heard the rustling of his cloak.

"Look, I think perhaps we got off on the wrong foot."

"You are mistaken, Serah. I just have no intention of standing here conversing with you when I have something to—" She glanced over her shoulder to regard the stranger again, and looked about in shock. He was gone.

* * *

The scent of candles and old wood eased the pain in Aria's troubled soul as she entered the sanctuary of the Chantry's walls. Inside, she could see her sister's form by light of the dim candles that lined the walls near the door and at the altar. She approached Audrienne quietly, trying to keep her footfalls quiet so as not to roust the sleeping Chantry members somewhere else inside.

"What in the Maker's name took you so long?" Audrienne hissed at her in a harsh whisper.

Aria shrugged gently, removing the cloak from her shoulders to account for the change in temperature. "Impersonators, but I'm fine, thanks for asking." She retorted softly.

Audrienne let out an exasperated sigh, shook her head, and then looked at Aria apologetically. "I'm sorry. After what happened… I'm just a bundle of nerves. I should have done my research. Had I known that elf was basically covered in Lyrium… I would have at least warned you."

"It's no more your fault than it is mine, Audri. Life has handed what it has handed us. Let's not dwell on it."

"I've been pacing back and forth trying to figure out what we're going to do now. I can't hide here in the Chantry forever, Aria. You might be perfectly content to become a sister of the faith and live out your life in seclusion, but that's not who I am."

Aria shook her head. "That isn't my intent either and you know it."

"Why would you want to go to the Circle? After everything you've been told by servants coming and going from the estate, what would compel you to voluntarily sign yourself up for something like that?"

"The Circle is the safest place for people like you and I, Audri, and you know it. Without the Circle, we would fall victim to not only demons, but to people who fear and do not understand us."

"I do not have the same faith in the Circle and the Templars that you seem to, sister. I've listened to the stories about mages being made Tranquil, of zealots within the Templar ranks that take advantage of young mages, and punish those who speak out against the atrocities that are being committed. I know I can't stop you if this is what you intend to do, but please do not expect me to go with you."

Aria turned so that Audrienne could not see how those words hurt her, instead turning her gaze to the statue of Andraste that rose up like a spirit of mercy from the back of the Chantry.

"I know, Audri. I've always known that no matter what, I would one day walk my own path and you would walk yours. We are twins, but we are not the same person. And time and experience have driven us even further into separate thinking."

Audri sighed again. "Aria…"

"No, Audri. No apologies. It is alright. Let's not talk about this anymore. I'm… I'm tired."

She chewed at her lip, closing her eyes to stave off the tears that threatened to overwhelm her. Tomorrow morning they would go their separate ways, and she would be completely alone.

* * *

The door slamming open started all of them, but not as much as the blazing anger that dwelled within Audrienne as she bounded up the stairs in their direction as if she had made the decision to set them all ablaze. No one could understand a word she said as she shouted at each of them, anger and pain clearly written across her face as she yelled gibberish at them.

"This is all your fault! If you'd just—"She slipped into the other language again, arms flapping about, fingers sparking with angry electricity.

Hawke grasped her by the arms, shaking her gently, attempting to stop her crazed pacing out of concern for the floor. "Slow down. We can't understand half of what you're saying. What's wrong?"

Audrienne jerked free of his hands, pointing a finger at him, continuing to blaze, slipping between words he could understand and those he could not. After blasting them for seconds more, she seemed to finally begin to calm down.

She took a deep breath, sobbed and sunk into a chair. "He took her."

"Who?"  
"Mordan! He took Aria in the night while I was sleeping. She's gone."

The realization of what she was saying hit them all like a slap to the face.

Fenris sat up, his expression shifting between guilt and anger. Isabela looked to Hawke, an expression on her face that mirrored his own feelings. If only they hadn't overreacted to the knowledge of their secret. They should have kept her safe. He'd promised himself no more harm would come to them.

Varric swung Bianca onto his back, securing the strap in place with a tug. He nodded at Hawke as if acknowledging some unspoken agreement between the two of them. Hawke returned the nod, reaching for his greatsword, sheathing it in its place.

Isabela grasped his upper arm. "I'm coming too. Yours isn't the only arse she saved out there the other day."

Hawke looked to Audrienne. "Where would he go?"

"There was a place out near Sundermount where he was keeping stock piles of supplies and illegal items, sometimes slaves. Aria had told me about it, and she's shown it to me on the map once. If I see a map of Sundermount, I should be able to pick it out."

Fenris pulled a map from a far table and laid it out on the table, using bottles to hold the map down. Audrienne pushed past him, making no attempt at apology, and began staring at the map intently.

Fenris opened his mouth to speak, his expression indicating he was trying to think of what to say.

Audrienne didn't even look at him. "Don't bother. I warn you right now. Any harm comes to her; I'm holding you personally responsible. You're number one on my shit list, so don't mess with me." She growled angrily, electricity crackling along her finger tips in punctuation.

Fenris' jaw clenched. "Fair enough." He muttered under his breath.

"There." She touched the spot she was indicating on the map. "I remember this peak. The cave entrance is on a cliff. He'll be expecting me to come after her, but it can't be helped because the only way to get to the cliff is the one path, so there'll be risk involved."

"When isn't there?" Varric said with a chuckle.

Audrienne looked up at Hawke. "After last night, I should hate you. But right now, you may be the only ones able to help me get her back. He can render me useless any time he wants with a simple spell." She gripped the mock necklace around her neck. "There's no way to get this thing off without his blood, so I'm vulnerable. The rest of you aren't." Her jaw clenched visibly, and she gripped the edge of the table to combat the feelings of anger he knew that she was dealing with.

"We'll get her back. I promise."

"This guy isn't going to give us the choice to stay within the confines of the law, Hawke." Varric mused.

Garrett gritted his teeth, staring down at the location on the map. "I know."

"What do we plan to do?" Fenris asked quietly, an angry edge to his voice.

"He forces our hand, he dies. I won't have this happen again, and I won't allow him to make a victim of the people in this city." He said, looking at the companions. "If he makes an attempt to attack anyone involved, kill him."

"Now those are the words I like to hear." Isabela said, sheathing her blades at her back. "Let's go kick some arse."

* * *

Aria struggled against the confines of bindings. During her wriggling, she had managed to dislodge the cloth that had originally covered her eyes, and now she could make out the shadows in the dark. She lay there on the cold dirt, listening to the sounds of the wind up the mountain, and the talk of the men around her. At first, she had wondered if Mordan had managed to talk some of the locals into supporting his cause, but their language eventually gave them away.

_Leave it to Mordan to hire more Crows._ She thought bitterly. _Merciless mercenary bastards…_

Her entire body ached from the jolts of electricity Mordan had shot her with before he had extricated her unwillingly from her place of safety in the Chantry. Gritting her teeth against the pain as she shifted again, attempting to wriggle free of her hand bonds, she heard the clicking of a tongue and felt a booted foot as it collided with her mid-section. The pain that shot through her from the kick only accentuated the pain she was already feeling, and she barely bit back a moan.

_Why don't they just kill me?_

But she knew the answer to that question. She was bait for her sister. Mordan had raved for minutes after taking her, blaming the entire thing on Audrienne, saying that he was too gentle with her and she needed to be taught a lesson. He revealed his intention was to slit Aria's throat in Audrienne's presence; to let her watch while she died, and then to punish her over and over for her attempt to thwart him.

Aria let out a soft curse in Antivan, curling into a fetal position. If she couldn't get out of these bonds, she would be useless when the time came. Then something occurred to her suddenly, and she had to suppress a smile. The fight in Hightown left her with a weapon in her possession that she would not have had otherwise.

_Thank Andraste for small miracles._

She curled up into a ball as tight as she could, and surreptitiously slipped the dagger from her boot, carefully beginning to cut at her bonds, making sure to keep the dagger as out of sight as possible. When the rope was loose enough she could slip out, she worked at the bonds around her ankles, gently shredding at the fibers until she could slip out of the rope. Aria held back a sigh of relief, knowing that she wasn't out of danger yet.

She lay there a while, listening to the sounds of the creatures of Sundermount as the sun began to slowly crest the horizon and make its way into the sky. In the distance, she could hear the sound of a bird waking to search for its morning meal, and the night creatures scurrying into hiding to wait for the moon to shine again. The sun had just barely begun to rise in the sky when she caught faint sounds of combat from somewhere in the distance. The sounds of explosions and the smell of ozone in the air told her that her sister was coming for her, pushing her way through the numbers of mercenaries that Mordan had hired to bar the way.

She heard a cackle, and felt herself jerked to her feet, her bonds coming free.

"Hah. I see you managed to find a way out of your ties; no matter, in a moment it won't make a difference. I'm going to use your blood to torture your sister. How does that make you feel?"

Gritting her teeth, she refused to answer him or respond, even when he pressed the blade of the athame he held clutched in his hand.

She watched the path as Audrienne came into view, but had to bite her tongue to hold back the gasp of surprise as she was quickly followed by Hawke and three of his companions; Varric, Isabela, and Fenris.

The ceremonial dagger pressed securely against her neck, Mordan held her tight against his body, using her as a shield.

"Let her go, Mordan." Hawke warned, brandishing his sword.

Aria gritted her teeth, swallowing hard, faint tears rolling down her cheeks. "Audri, he's prepared to use blood magic. The only way you're going to kill him… is to kill me. You've got to do it, or he'll use my blood… I don't want to die that way, Audri…"

"It's not going to go that way, Ari." She said softly, before raising her voice in anger. "You wanted me here, you got me, Mordan. Let her go."

"You're right. I did want you hear." He raised his hand, and electricity arched from his hand.

Audrienne gritted her teeth, dropping to her knees, eyes sliding shut as the spell arched through her over and over, causing the same pain it had caused Aria earlier.

"Audri!"

"Shut up!" Mordan shouted; pressing the blade harder against the flesh of her neck as Hawke and the companions took a step closer. "Not another step or I end her right here."

"You aren't going to get away with this, Mordan. If you kill her, you may use her blood, but you will have no one left to hide behind. Do not delude yourself into thinking you are the first blood mage I have fought against. You aren't the first, and you won't be the last."

Laughter escaped the man that held her; sick laughter. The man was crazy, he wouldn't be reasoned with anymore.

"Kill them."

She had been so focused on the feel of the blade at her neck and the imminent threat of danger by Mordan that she had not noticed the Crows hiding in the bushes. She gave a cry of surprise and fear for the others as they were surrounded, and began battling for their lives.

Mordan pushed her to the ground, and she clenched her teeth as he blasted her with the same spell he had used on her sister. Eyes shut tight; she rode out the pain, focusing on something, anything, to take her mind off the sensations surged through her and the agony they caused. She opened her eyes to look to where her sister had fallen, and she noticed her sister no longer lay nearby. A familiar cry caused her to turn her head as the pain eased, the spell no longer being cast, and she looked the direction of the noise to see her sister and Mordan struggling over the athame.

She watched helplessly as the two of them fought for control of the blade, and let out a cry when Mordan used the spell on Audrienne again before shoving the athame into her abdomen. Shoving her away from him, Aria watched in horror as Audrienne fell, disappearing over the edge of the cliff.

Ignoring the pain, she dragged herself over to the cliffs edge, gritting her teeth and writhing occasionally as Mordan laughed and assailed her with the chain lightning spell. Catching sight of Audrienne's hands grasping the edge, she pulled herself closer to the edge and grasped her sister by the wrists.

"Audri! Audri! You hold on, you hear me! Don't you dare let go!" She shouted, begging and pleading with her sister while she tried to find the strength in her to pull her up.

The look of terror that crossed Audrienne's face as her face was upturned led Aria to look over her shoulder. Standing above her, Mordan held a sword at the ready, blade raised to be thrust into the center of her body. She waited what felt like eons, but only felt one of her sister's hands wrenched from her grasp, and Mordan was suddenly struck by the athame. He fell backwards with the impact of the dagger as it landed in his shoulder to the hilt. She felt her grasp of her sister's other wrist give under the weight, and in that instant the realization came to her and she knew what her sister had done. Audrienne had wrenched the dagger free of her abdomen and threw it in a last ditch effort to save Aria from the monster that had ruined both their lives. As Aria watched her sister plunge to her death, all she could do was scream.

* * *

The scream that came from Aria's throat was matched in volume only by Mordan's triumphant laughter. The anguish that resounded in the girl's cry tore at something in Hawke, reminding him of his own pain at the loss of so many of those he had loved. The pain brought forth another emotion, righteous rage, and he brought the sword he wielded down upon the Crow that had attacked him and cut him down as if he was nothing.

"Mordan!" Hawke yelled, drawing the mage's attention.

The mage pulled the ceremonial dagger from his shoulder and tossed it to the side, turning his attentions on Garrett.

He could feel it as his companions joined him, Isabela and Fenris on either side of him, Varric at his back with Bianca at the ready.

Mordan grinned evilly, raising his hands, and Hawke could feel the air change as the atmosphere around them became charged. He could hear the pop and sizzle of the spell as the man greedily gathered energy, preparing to expel a massive blast.

"This is probably going to hurt." Isabela murmured.

"Let's end this." Fenris growled softly.

Hawke nodded, brandishing the sword in the mages direction.

The mage suddenly gave a strangled gasp, and clutched at his throat. Protruding from his neck was the pointed end of a dagger. He fell to his knees, blood pouring from his mouth as he attempted to draw a breath. Aria stood, favoring one leg, the sword he'd intended to use against her in his hand, and she moved slowly closer. Garrett could tell she was in extreme pain, and yet anger; vengeance; propelled her forward. Mordan raised his hand to attempt to cast a spell, but Aria looked at him, the fear out of her eyes. She raised the other hand that didn't hold the sword, and in it she held the collar Mordan had used to control her, and the athame dripping with the mage's own blood. She dropped them to the ground with a thud at his knees after circling to stand in front of him.

Mordan was breathing heavy, fear in his eyes, and he tried to speak.

Unmoved by his plea, Hawke watched as Aria raised the sword high into the air above the mage, and brought the blade straight down through the center of his head.

* * *

Isabela sat on a rock, grimacing while Hawke assessed the damage. "No more arguments, Isabela. You're heading back with Fenris to get that looked at. The last thing I need is another death on my hands. See to it that she gets to Anders, will you Fenris?"

Fenris nodded; his expression numb.

It didn't take an expert to realize that the numb expression hid a great deal of turmoil, but he also knew enough about the elf to know when it was not a good time to discuss the battle that the man was obviously going through internally with what had just happened.

Hawke turned his attention to Varric.

"Make sure Merrill knows that I'm alright and I will be back as soon as possible."

Varric nodded in agreement, adjusting Bianca to the right spot on his back. "Daisy will be worried anyway, but the reassurance will help as long as she doesn't see Rivaini. I can't promise she won't come looking for you if she sees the wounds."

"Do what you can."

He nodded again, following Fenris and Isabela, who were already making their way down the path.

Conflicting emotions rolled through Garrett as he watched his friends start the long trek back to Kirkwall. He turned in the opposite direction and headed down the path that lead to the base of the cliff, apprehension and concern for what he would say to her when he reached the bottom of the chasm rolling through him. He hadn't even become accustomed to dealing with loss himself. Hawke had been forced to watch each of his siblings and his mother die in a matter of years. He knew how she felt, and yet he had no idea what to say.

As he reached the turn in the path that curved around and displayed the gravesite, he raked a hand through his hair and drew a breath to steel his nerves.

When he caught sight of the form standing at the grave, his anxiety turned to surprise, and he reached for the blade at his back.

While definitely female, it couldn't be Aria. Large leathery wings, like that of a dragon, stretched out from either side of the form's back. Short white hair billowed in the breeze, occasionally revealing the smattering of scales that ran down the length of the back along the spine and disappeared beneath the clothes the creature wore. As he moved closer, drawing his blade, he inadvertently stepped on a desiccated twig, and cursed softly under his breath at the sound of the echoing ker-snap it made.

The figure whirled, and Hawke's heart plummeted. There was no mistaking that face, and those eyes. In one hand, she clutched the ornate gold bracelet Aria often wore. In the other, was the length of hair she had been wearing back in a braid.

"Maker's breath… what are you…"

Gracefully, she tossed the length of hair into the open grave, and slid the bracelet back onto her wrist, twisting and clicking the complex locking mechanism into place. As the bracelet locked, the horns that he had just now noted on her forehead, the wings, and the scales; it all dissipated as if it had never existed.

"I wish I knew." She shook her head, looking back to the gravesite. "Please, Serah. Put you're weapon away. You'll have no need of it around me. There's been enough death for one day, do you not agree?"

She crouched and filled in the grave, her jaw clenched in what might have been an attempt to fight off tears. As she placed stones over the grave, making a cairn, Hawke moved warily over to help her.

When they were done, Aria rubbed her hands off on her pants, staring down at the site for a moment more before turning her attention to him.

"No doubt you have questions. I do not know how many of them I can answer, but I will do my best if you wish. All I ask in return is a place to sleep for the night, and I then I will disappear from your life as if I had never been in it."

He doubted she could ever truly disappear from anyone's life.

"You will answer my questions."

"I will do my best."

"Then we will go to my estate." The entire walk back to Kirkwall, Hawke's fingers itched to touch the sword at his back, ever cautious that the woman he'd once thought a demure girl would strike him down.

* * *

She sat before the fire, but she doubted she would ever truly feel warm again. She felt empty, as though she had lost a physical piece of herself that she could never get back. The words that Audrienne had said days earlier echoed in her head and only made her feel worse, but she couldn't shut them out.

_I swear you will be the death of me._

Chewing at her lip, she dashed tears from her cheek. She didn't have time to mourn right now. Hawke had seen her dirty little secret, and he waited warily by the fireplace, keeping his distance. Waiting for her to explain herself.

"My sister and I, we never knew what I am. We only knew I wasn't tied to anything demonic."

"How did you know?"

"Well, I was born this way, for one; wings and all. It was one of the few ways we were told apart when we were young. If that wasn't any indication, I tried to slit my wrists in my younger years because I convinced myself I was a monster that needed to be put down. We lived in Asariel in the Tevinter Imperium for four years, and my Master kept attempting to hone my skills and turn me into the demon I thought I already was. Sister found me just in time to stop any life threatening level of bleeding. No demon would have let me attempt to do something like that to myself."

"How have you been able to hide it all this time?"

She tapped the unique gold bracelet around her wrist. "This bracelet is an interesting little bit of magic from a craftsman friend of my sister's in the Imperium. The rune stones in the bracelet are an enchantment to conceal, and to suppress."

"Suppress?"

"My powers; my magic to be precise. I don't use my abilities; I never took any real enjoyment in them like my sister did. My Master in Asariel didn't appreciate my hesitation, but everything I've ever done regarding that has been to protect those around me from the risk that I might become a demon. I've only rarely used my abilities, and I have to take the bracelet off to do most anything, which only adds to the host of problems I would get for being an Apostate. I have only ever attempted to learn the healing arts anyway, so my magic is useless in battle."

"That would explain the skill with the blade."

She nodded gently, leaning back in the chair. "Hawke…I understand if you feel the need to report all of this. I understand that what I am is unnatural, and that you must do what you feel you must do. But, may I ask you something?"

He waited quietly, looking at her from his place at the fireplace.

"I'll still give you the locations of every contact Mordan has, every bit of information I have on Leander's slave trade. I want this stopped. No one else should have to go through what Aria and I endured."

He sighed softly. "I do not know what to do about what you've told me, Aria. You have been alone with me in this house all this time; my servants have not been here; and yet you have done nothing to cause me harm. You saved my life, and you've shown no animosity towards me even after all that has occurred."

She shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself. "None of this is your fault, Serah. When I rescued you that day, I dropped all of these troubles in your lap. I can only blame myself for Audrienne's death."

"For now, I will keep what I know to myself. I do not know how the others would handle the truth of this, so for now this will be a secret. Please do not make me regret keeping it."

"You have my word, Serah."

"Hawke."

She glanced at him. "Hmm?"

"I insist anyone I'm keeping a secret for at least call me by my name, Aria."

She offered only a weak smile. "Thank you."

"Do you know what you'll do?"

"I was thinking about going to the Circle; perhaps if I explain my situation they will admit me and allow me to stay."

The answer surprised him by the expression on his face, but he didn't disapprove of the idea.

"Until you have your affairs settled, you will stay here."

She murmured another word of gratitude as she watched him leave the room.

_Oh Audrienne, what am I to do?_ She wondered to herself, staring at the fire.

She allowed her mind to wander aimlessly, trying not to think about everything that had happened, when a sound of a softly cleared throat caught her attention.

"You must be Aria."

Aria took in the porcelain skin, raven hair, and large expressive eyes of the elf that stood before her. A dainty little hand was held out to shake, and she took it and shook it gently before letting it go.

"I…don't believe we've met?"

"No… we haven't. I'm afraid I get lost a lot on my way to the Hanged Man, so I wasn't there the night that you were. But I've been meaning to meet you, that is, I've heard a lot about you, and I… oh what was I going to say… Elgar'nan…"

Aria smiled softly at the flustered way the woman talked, and waited patiently.

"I'm Merrill."

"It's good to meet you, Merrill."

"Thank you… yes… well… Hawke wanted me to help you with settling in. You are ready to settle in, yes?"

Not wishing to increase the girl's anxiety by arguing, she stood. "Yes, it's time that I get some rest, thank you."

She followed the gentle timid woman up the stairs, looking about the house as she went. As they stepped onto the second story landing, the front door opened and closed, and Aria heard familiar footsteps approaching. Taking a breath, she moved quickly to follow Merrill. She didn't want to see –him-. Not for a while. The pain of the reaction he'd had to her, and the death of her sister were far too fresh in her mind.

_Andraste have mercy, and let my stay here be short._

Something deep inside her didn't mean it, but she would admit that to no one, not even herself.


End file.
