This was written for the Dragon Age Reverse Big Bang and was inspired by a picture by the wonderful and talented chenria.

Chapter 1 - On the Run

The quaint little inn, heart of social life in the tiny fishing village on the Waking Sea, was crowded with refugees from Kirkwall. Yet Tabby had somehow procured two rooms for them, whether by capitalizing on her fame as Tabitha Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall, or through the liberal application of bribes, Bethany didn't know. She didn't want to know either. Her sister could be fairly ruthless, and she had little doubt that some poor family or other had been turned out to make room for them.

Tabby and Isabela seized the smaller room, eager for some privacy, while Bethany, Fenris and Merrill shared the other one. Their lodgings were primitive and less than clean, but no one complained.

"It's only for a night, anyway. Tomorrow we'll be at sea. Gosh, I wonder if I will get seasick." Normally Bethany didn't mind Merrill's inconsequential chatter, but on this particular night it grated on her nerves.

Fenris had already withdrawn to his bunk bed, face against the wall, making no secret of the fact that he wasn't interested in company. Bethany suppressed a sigh. She couldn't blame the elf. They had all been on edge ever since they had left Kirkwall behind ten days ago. The city had been in turmoil, the poor fighting in the streets, the rich barricaded into what was left of their mansions, the Chantry a smoking pile of rubble. Briefly she spared a thought for Anders' fate. Tabby had only shrugged when people had called for her to kill the mage for his deed, refusing to take responsibility for his death, but she had made it abundantly clear that he would be on his own once the fight against Meredith was over.

The room was stuffy and Bethany decided to go out onto the rickety balcony for a breath of fresh sea air. They were set to leave early in the morning, on board Isabela's ship. The Sea's Pearl was hidden away in a cove not far from here for just such an eventuality. Bethany had no idea where they would head once they were at sea. It wasn't likely that Tabby and Isabela would consult any of the others about their preferred destinations.

With a start she realized that she could hear their voices through the open window. They hadn't noticed her in the darkness, and Bethany was about to withdraw discreetly when she heard her name and stopped in her tracks.

"Look, Tabs, I know Bethany is your little sister and you love her, but you have to see she's a danger to us all." Isabela's voice was calm and almost expressionless. "The Templars in Kirkwall still have her phylactery, and they can use it to track us down. Every one of us is in the line of fire as long as she's with us."

"What are you suggesting, Bela?" Tabby sounded agitated. "That I leave the last surviving member of my family behind? Throw her to the Templars to save my own skin? Blight it, I have a duty to protect her."

"Oh, you know very well she isn't all that helpless." Isabela seemed undaunted. "I pity the poor Templar who tries to attack her. Besides... Who knows, maybe she even wants to go back to the Circle, deep down inside. After all, she went there of her own free will, remember?"

Bethany swallowed. It was true - joining the Circle had been her own decision. And it hadn't been all bad. There had been things to learn, books to read, and she had made a few friends. But the mere thought of being dragged back there by enraged Templars, intent on punishing her for running away for the role she had played in Meredith's downfall, sent shivers down her spine.

"I don't want to hear another word, Bela." Tabby sighed. "No matter how great the risk, Beth is my sister and I'm not leaving her behind."

"But-" Isabela was obviously not ready to give up.

Yet Bethany had heard enough. Her heart was beating so fast that she was surprised the others couldn't hear it when she came back into the room. Not that they actually took any notice of her. Fenris was asleep or pretended to be, and Merrill was completely engrossed in one of her books. Bethany sat down on her bed, trying to calm the thoughts racing through her mind. When Merrill finally blew out her candle and curled up on her bunk, ready to sleep, her decision was made.

She waited for another hour or so before she grabbed her staff and her pack and carefully opened the wooden door. It squeaked a little on its hinges and Fenris opened a sleepy eye, mumbling a question, but she muttered something about going to the bathroom and slipped through the door before she could change her mind. Once down the stairs, she pulled her hood over her head and made her way to the back door. No one stopped her; no one asked where she was going. There were too many strangers around, refugees who were desperate for food and lodgings and who could be relieved of their more valuable belongings by any enterprising villager.

As soon as Bethany was outside, she headed for the inland road. She was sure the others wouldn't follow her in the morning. They couldn't afford to lose so much time, and Isabela would insist on leaving. She walked briskly, eager to be gone. The flagstones gave way to packed earth, but the track was easy to follow. She could see a forest looming ahead, ready to swallow her up as she got closer.

Bethany was not afraid of the dark, nor of anyone she might encounter out there. Isabela had been right so far - she could defend herself perfectly well. Yet as the distance between her and the others grew, the pain in her chest increased by small increments, until she had to stop and take a deep breath. Leaving them all behind, her sister, the people she had called friends for so long... it hurt. But she was sure it was the right choice.

At the break of dawn Bethany became too tired to go on, so she built herself a nest from twigs and leaves a little way from the road and slept for a few hours. She hadn't passed any villages so far, and the terrain was getting wilder and more mountainous with each mile she walked. Her meagre provisions were nearly used up, and she would have to find food and shelter soon. So far the weather had been dry and clement, but she knew it could change quickly up here.

She came across the mages' camp in the late afternoon. The first indication of their presence was a slight tingle in the air, residual energy from a protective spell, too faint for most people to notice. Yet she recognized it immediately, being familiar with it from the years when they had been on the run and her father had cast a similar charm to hide them from prying eyes. They knew she was there, of course, and a small group came out to meet her.

"Hey there! Who are you and what is your business around here?" The speaker wasn't wearing any robes, just a simple peasants' dress, but Bethany could easily sense her magical aura. She was also very frightened, judging by the tremor in her voice.

Bethany raised her staff, very slowly, turning it sideways to show she didn't mean to attack. She would have to tread carefully. The five people who had surrounded her were eyeing her with considerable suspicion and this could easily get out of control.

"My name is Bethany. I am a mage, on the run from the Gallows in Kirkwall. Please, I mean you no harm, I just seek shelter for the night." Though it was anyone's guess if they would be able to help her, she thought wryly. They looked ragged and exhausted, as if they hadn't slept or eaten properly in days. They were also all very young, barely more than apprentices.

The air was tense with distrust. "I don't recall seeing you there. Prove it." A young man stepped to the front. "Prove you're a mage."

Her lips curled up involuntarily. "What would you like me to do?"

He shrugged. "A magelight. A wisp. Anything to prove your claim."

For a moment pride welled up inside her and she was tempted to show him the true extent of her powers. A wisp? You have no idea what I am capable of, boy. But then she took a closer look at him and relented. He was really hardly more than a boy, desperately trying to hide his fear behind bravado. With a sigh she muttered a rejuvenation spell, wrapping all of them in its soothing glow. There was a collective gasp of surprise.

"You're a healer?" The young woman who had spoken first, looked at her hopefully. "We're sorely in need of one. Will you come with us?"

Bethany nodded, suddenly feeling very tired. "Not much of a healer, actually, but I will do what I can. Where are you taking me?"

"To our camp." Motioning for Bethany to follow her, the girl turned to go.

The camp turned out to be an array of simple tents, grouped around a central fireplace. Bethany looked around surreptitiously and just barely bit back an exasperated sigh. It was painfully obvious none of them had ever set up a site like this before, let alone knew anything about defensible positions or elementary camp hygiene. But what could you expect from people who had grown up in the Circle?

There were about twenty to thirty people milling around between the tents, and she thought she recognized a few familiar faces in the crowd, but it was hard to be sure without the familiar robes and cowls. There had been so many mages in the Gallows, and she had mostly kept to herself. Yet when they took her to their leader, Bethany recognized him straight away.

She inclined her head slightly. "Alain. I am glad to see you alive."

The young mage nodded, unsmiling. "Bethany Hawke. I hadn't expected to see you here. I thought you were safe with your sister, the Champion."

There was a faint undertone of contempt in his voice, when he mentioned Tabby. The Circle mages had expected more support from her when it had become common knowledge that the Champion's sister was a mage, but Tabby had tried to remain neutral as long as she could, unwilling to antagonize someone as powerful as Meredith.

Bethany rubbed her aching neck. "I'm on my own. Can I stay with you, at least for a few days? I'll try to make myself useful."

His face softened a little. "Of course. You're welcome to stay as long as you like. We will be glad to have a mage of your abilities among us."

They took her to a little tent that she was to share with three others. Bethany didn't complain. She was grateful for the little they had to offer. Yet as she set out her belongings and prepared to help with healing, she couldn't shake off the feeling that her stay would be brief. Someone was following her, she was almost certain. I'd better keep my distance. It seems I'm bad luck.