Authors Note: Welcome to my take on the Dragon Age 2 story. I am going to be doing thing sort of out of order to make everything fit my novelization of this monster LOL. This story features the Marian Hawke from A Sword of Mercy and Bethany from Chant of Darkness. Well… without further delay, let the games begin!

Suffer and Sacrifice: A Chant of Darkness Tale

Chapter 1: Welcome to Kirkwall

You will need to hear the whole story.

Marian Hawke sighed heavily as she made her way down the darkened streets of Lowtown. It was well after midnight; Athenril had needed her to provide security for the latest shipment of goods that had arrived.

Babysitting several crates of stolen goods wasn't the most exciting of jobs, but at least it would keep food on the table. Athenril did not go out of her way to maximize violence with her deals. Hawke was simply there to make sure her clients didn't either.

Hawke had to admit the elf wasn't the worst person to work for, Athenril may not have been an upstanding citizen, but she was loyal to those under her, and after all she had paid to get Hawke in her family into the city, at the very least that bought one year of loyalty.

She hurried home, Mother would likely be concerned about her, Lowtown wasn't the safest place after all.

Mother worried about her being out here alone at night, an attractive young woman out on the streets after dark. Hawke never thought about such things herself; she knew that she was pretty with her Amell family blue eyes and pale skin. Her dark black hair was always cut short for ease when wearing a helmet, she was taller than her sister and her body though toned from years of warrior's training wasn't overly muscled, and still held a sense of feminine grace. Men found her attractive she knew, but not many approached her, she could be intimidating at times with her armor and great sword. Few women warriors used a great sword like she did, her first night here a group of thugs thought they would have a little fun with her, suspecting the sword and armor was all for show, but after a few broken arms and dislocated jaws, the locals now knew enough to leave her alone on her way home.

Home? A bitter chucked escaped the young woman's lips. Uncle Gamlen's hovel could hardly be called a home. Still, it was a roof over their heads, which was more than many Ferelden refugees, had. Her family could have ended up in one the refugee camps outside the city. Now those poor sods had it bad.

She made her way up the stairs to Gamlen's hovel, one of the city guards nodded to her as she put her key in the lock. After two weeks the patrols knew that she was no threat to them.

Inside the hovel was hot and dark as usual, with the low light from the hearth she could just make out her friend Aveline Vallen sleeping in a bedroll by the fire. Aveline had been a Ferelden soldier who had aided them in escaping the darkspawn months ago, Hawke would never admit it, but she was grateful for the red headed soldier's presence. She knew that Bethany and Mother were safe with the woman here.

A sharp bark stopped her at the door.

"Quiet Jester," she hissed, not wanting to wake her family.

Her Mabari war hound cocked his head; he gave her those sad puppy dog eyes of his. Hawke relented, giving him a good scratch behind the ears. The dog wagged his stubby tail gratefully.

Quietly Hawke stripped off her armor and weapons, leaving only her shirt and breeches; they were stained with sweat from exertion.

I must smell so charming, she thought, the perfect picture of feminine beauty.

"Hello Hawke."

Aveline's voice made her jump. She had not even been aware the woman was still awake.

"Aveline," Hawke nodded, "sorry I woke you."

"You didn't," the other woman sighed, "Bethany just went to bed, we were just talking before you came home."

Hawke frowned.

"How is she doing," Hawke asked.

"She is a little stressed. A group of Templars were doing door to door searches this afternoon."

Hawke's eyes narrowed.

All her life she had tried to shield Bethany from the Templars. As an apostate mage, Bethany was always in danger, always forced to look over her shoulder.

Neither she nor Bethany was happy with coming here, not with the Gallows, the Templar center of power in Kirkwall right across the harbor.

Sadly the Hawke family had nowhere else to go; they had barely escaped Ferelden with the clothes on their backs. They had nothing to start over with, at least not yet.

At least Athenril gave them a chance to make a name in this city; Marian did not intend to have her mother live out the rest of her life in Lowtown. She deserved better, they all deserved better.

There were chances to get ahead in Kirkwall; sadly those might draw too much attention to Bethany. Hawke had promised her father before he had passed that she would keep Bethany safe, that she would keep them all safe.

I already failed once, I shall not fail again!

Carver's face sprang up in her mind, his eyes angry, like he would never forgive her for letting him die.

She tried to push those thoughts out of her head.

There was nothing she could do for Carver now.

All she could do was look to the future.

She had to protect what was left of her family.

That was all that mattered now.

Family always comes first.

IOI

Bethany could hear Marian and Aveline talking. She had only been asleep for a few moments when the door opening had awakened her.

She was glad, the dragon had just been about to take her.

She shook her head, Maker why couldn't she just sleep?

Every night since they had arrived here the dream had been the same.

They were in Lothering once again, running for their lives from the darkspawn. Only this time a great dragon was after them as well. One by one it had taken her family away from her; Carver had gone first, then Mother, then Jester, and then finally Marian. She had cried out as Marian had been carried off, but had been powerless to stop it.

Only when she was alone did the dragon come for her. The creature was massive, long horns like a bull marked its massive head. She tried to run, but it blocked her way with fire. Its roar deafened her; she dropped her staff, falling to her knees sobbing.

That is when the dragon changed shape. It spun its flesh flowing like water, shrinking, until finally it was no longer there…

But the witch was.

Flemeth grinned hungrily at her, advancing, Bethany could not even summon the strength to run.

Then the witch spoke to her.

"Two sisters," the witch cackled, "bound in blood, but separated by choice and duty. One destined to sacrifice, the other to suffer."

The witch grabbed her, wrapping her fingers tight around Bethany's throat. She lifted the young apostate into the air.

"Are you ready to suffer dear girl?" the witch laughed.

Despite the fingers tightening around her neck, Bethany screamed, and woke up here on her cot in Kirkwall.

She shuddered, what was happening to her, why wouldn't the witch just leave her alone?

She had no answers to those questions.

She settled down on the straw mattress, trying to get back to sleep.

But found herself listening to Marian and Aveline.

"Soooo," her sister said cheerily, "What did you kids do while I was at work?"

"I applied for the city guard," Aveline replied.

"Annnnd?"

"They rejected my application."

Hawke snorted.

"I can't understand why?"

"I can," Aveline sighed, "I'm a little too…Ferelden for them."

"Oh I'm sure that is not true."

"Really," she could hear Aveline rise and start pacing, "Kirkwall isn't the nicest of places for Ferelden refugees. Especially not one with military training,"

"They think you're a deserter?"

Bethany could not hear Aveline's reply, but expected that she must have nodded.

"Well at least you're in good company," Marian laughed, "Carver and I deserted as soon as we hit Lothering. We didn't like the fact that we left King Cailan to die."

"I just wish we could have done more." She heard a loud thump, Aveline must have pounded her fist on the table, "Between the civil war and Blight there won't be anything left for us to go home to, and I would rather not have to turn to people like that smuggler boss of yours…no offense."

"None taken," she heard her sister sigh.

"Look," Marian continued, "Athenril isn't all bad. She got us into the city didn't she? All we need is some time. We have to make names for ourselves here. The guard just needs to get to know you the way we do."

Aveline snorted now, clearly that idea didn't completely appeal to her.

"We just have to be careful," Hawke said lowering her voice, "We can't afford to get too much attention…"

Because of me, Bethany thought glumly.

Sometimes she wondered if it was worth it. She had been avoiding the Templars her whole life. First they hid to protect father, and then to protect her… when her own magic manifested itself.

She wondered if it would not be better if she just turned herself in. Then Marian could get on with her life without having to worry about protecting her from the Templars. She could make a name for herself. She knew that Carver had always resented her magic. How far would he have gone if he did not have to hide because of her?

They would never know now.

Those three days they had sat in the Gallows courtyard had been the hardest of her life. As they had waited for Uncle Gamlen, Bethany had been expecting for a Templar to come up and grab her at any moment. They would drag behind one of those heavy steel portcullises and she would never be allowed out again.

Bethany shuddered in fear, she both feared and secretly desired an end to all her running.

Part of her wanted that, it would finally set her family free, but no, she could not do that to Mother. They had already lost Carver; if Bethany was taken away, it would break her heart. Leandra Hawke still cried herself to sleep at night, heart sick over Carver's death. If she lost Bethany now to…

No…it would likely kill her.

Bethany had to remain strong, for Mother's sake. She would pay her debt to Athenril, and keep her head down. Marian would find a way to get them out of this, her big sister always had.

Bethany had never been as strong as Marian; she never would have had the strength to resist the Templars on her own.

They would find a way; they would stay hidden and keep their heads down. Once they had something they could hide behind, they would be able to deal with whatever the Templars threw at them.

Marian would find a way, Bethany had faith.

IOI

Aveline had finally slipped back into her bed roll and dosed off. She could hear Gamlen snoring in the back ground, how mother and Bethany slept through that was beyond her. If it kept up a few more nights she would likely have to stay at Athenril's base at night. The elf did not need her falling asleep at her post after all.

Marian was just about to turn in for the night herself when she felt something sharp in her pocket, wincing she drew out the object that she had forgotten was inside.

The witch's amulet.

Marian grimaced.

A Hawke paid her debt, that was why she would spend the next few months working for Athenril, but she had another debt as well. That witch Flemeth had saved them from the darkspawn, and all she had asked was delivery of this amulet.

It sounded simple enough.

They couldn't do it now of course, or tomorrow, Athenril wanted both her and Bethany at the base tomorrow to discuss next week's shipments, but soon they would have to find out where that Dalish camp was the one the witch had told them about after she had saved them.

Marian wasn't sure what the significance of the amulet was to the witch, but it did not matter, she had to deliver it.

She had made a promise…and a Hawke always paid her debts.

Whether she liked it… or not.