Option Three

Another attack on The Last Straw quest. Who says Hawke wanted to side with the Templars or Mages? Who says Hawke didn't want to bleed again for Kirkwall. This is sort of how my poor character felt towards the end of the third play though. (Quick edit to put Qunari translations in)

"Choose your side carefully champion." Snarled Meredith. Marian Hawke looked at the burning Chantry, the ash sticking into her hair. Her companions were looking at her, wondering who she'd side with.

How many times have I bleed for this city? For these people? For the Templars and Mages? For my companions?

How many times have I saved them? From Qunari, Blood mages, abominations?

"No." She said, everyone barely hearing her. Both Orsino and Meredith looked at her dumbfounded.

"Excuse me?" Asked Meredith.

"I said No. I will not take a side." Hissed Hawke. Templars, mages, Carver, Anders, Aveline. They all looked at her in horror. She'd already been ready to help both sides, always mediating the peace.

"Hawke? What are you doing?" Asked Varric, shaking his head in disbelief. A crowd of civilians were gathering.

"Refusing to help. Refusing to take another blow for this city. I'm doing what I should have done three years ago, let the fools of this city die." Muttered Marian darkly. They all gasped in horror. This wasn't their Hawke, it couldn't be. She slowly began walking past the two squabbling sides, to her estate.

"Hawke, you can't just let this hap…" Started Aveline. Hawke whipped around, fire in her eyes.

"I CAN and I WILL! I am sick of saving these fools from themselves! I am sick of them cowering behind me!" She yelled. " I should have listened to the Arisnok about this city. I can no longer stand fixing everyone's problems. I am sick of solving problems, which could have been solved if the Viscount or Elthina got off their backsides!" Sebastian looked at her dumbfounded and shocked of how she spoke of Elthina.

"How dare you insult her Grace!" He yelled. Hawke just sighed.

"Didn't you ever think, Sebastian? What if she actually kept the Templars on their leash? What if she kept Petrice under control? What if she actually decided that Meredith was a Looney and needed to be replaced? Then this whole stupid thing could have been avoided! The Viscount never had a backbone and he just bent over for Meredith!" Hawke chuckled to herself before continuing her rant.

"Everyone just looks to me. Everyone piles their problems onto me without even asking if it's alright."

"Marian. We've never done that to yo.." Started Anders, but was flung back with a lighting bolt to the chest.

"Don't LIE TO ME! You've all done. Everyone except my family. Isn't that right Anders? You ask me all the time to help your cause, you constantly insist that Justice is safe. I didn't see that when you nearly killed that poor mage girl!" Fenris tried to come over, he could sense the magic built up inside her. He knew an angry, unstable mage was dangerous.

"Fenris! No matter how nice I was to you, you always scorned me. Even when I let you rip out Denarius, Hadrianna, even your own sister's heart. You'll never respect me because I'm a mage, my sister was a mage and my father was a mage." The elf backed away, clearly shocked. Merrill attempted to calm the champion down next.

"Don't start you gullible blood mage." She snarled. " You were always too focused on that stupid mirror of yours. You decided to continue working on it no matter what harm it causes. Even though you have Pol's and Marethari's blood on your hands." Merrill backed away shocked, tears coming to her eyes. Aveline quickly put herself between Hawke and Merrill

"Hawke! Listen to yourself! Where's the Marian we knew?"

"She died. She died when her mother died. When she was flung into protecting this city because of everyone else's stupidity." Hawke knew the words she spoke were truthful, nobody ever asked her if she wanted to defend the city from Qunari, nobody came to comfort her after her mother died. Aveline stormed forward, her face red with anger and jaw clenched.

"You seemed pretty set on defeating the Qunari." Yelled the Guard-Captain.

"Oh really? Was this before or after you dragged me to the high town? Did you even ask me if I wanted to deal with Qunari? In fact, how many times have I done the right thing, only to have you berate me 'cause it's against the law?" Aveline reeled from this outburst. Varric stood at the back of the crowd, then walked away, his heart shattered.

We never saw this coming. We never saw that she was so close to snapping. We forgot she is mortal, just like us. If only we'd actually asked her how she was feeling. If only we'd actually looked for the warnings.

He thought, then he realised the warnings had been right in front of them. Hawke had become more brutal in her ways, changing from the sarcastic, charming woman they knew to one whose temper was quick to fray. When she'd been so quick to hand Isabela over to the Arishnok, when she handed Keran and Alain over to the Templars after kidnapping her brother.

We ignored the alarm bells. I ignored the alarm bells.

Orsino took a step towards the seething mage.

"Champion. This has nothing to do with the circle, plea…"

"No! My answer is final. No matter what I did for you mages or Templars, you never repaid the kindness. Everyone knew I was supporting peace. But then the stupid rebellion against Meredith. Templars and mages alike thought it'd be a good idea to kidnap and use blood magic on my little brother! To try and convince me to join their side. All they had to do was ask politely! So as far as I'm concerned you can all rot in the void." Hawke strode towards the first enchanter, fire appearing in her palms.

"I am sick of bleeding for this city. I am sick of bearing it's burden. I am sick of taking lashes for it. So goodbye. Try not to have too much of a messy death." And with that Hawke stormed away, leaving the denizens all stood there shocked and suddenly very vulnerable.

"Orsino! I will allow your circle to muster a defence. This is the only chance I'll give you."

"Knight-commander please. The apostate who caused this is standing right there. Surely he will satisfy the citizens." Said Aveline, having her guardsmen grab Anders. In the ensuing argument, nobody noticed Carver slip away and chase after his sister.

He too was stick of this city.

Catching up, he hugged her. Ignoring her struggles, he whispered to her:

"I'm sorry, sis. I'm sorry I never noticed. Where are you going?" Hawke ceased her struggles and put her arms around her brother.

"Anywhere but here. And you?"

"Home, to Fereldan. It's quieter there. I might try and settle down." He kissed his sister's forehead. And released her.

"I hope you do. Goodbye Carver." Carver watched as Marian Hawke walked into the Hawke Estate. He never saw his older sister again. Neither did Kirkwall. Neither did anyone in the Free Marches.


Four Months later, Qunandar, Par Vollen.

The Triumvirate sat at the table, discussing matters of the Qunari people. The Ariqun spoke:

"The influx of Viddathari is staggering. The fallout from the battle at Kirkwall has bas running to us. All are so eager to prove themselves to the Qun. Perhaps it was wise for you ,Arisnok, to withdraw after the Basalit-an Hawke gave you the thief. You were most definitely right, in the fact she could not keep the city together."

"Yes Ariqun. It was a shame that I could not convince Hawke to convert to the Qun. She would have been a worthy addition. Even though she was a Sareebas." Uttered The Arisnok, folding his arms. Even he had been surprised when he found out the Hawke was Sareebas.

Sareebas, Basalit-an, Sten, Tallis. She was all those things. Perhaps even an Arisnok of her people. She defied so many parts of the Qun.

Then there was a polite knock at the door and a Viddathari poked her head in.

"Triumvirate. There is a bas here to speak with you." Then a cloaked figure came in, hood over his head. He bowed respectfully to the three leaders of the Qun.

"Who are you? A bas must be suicidal to come to the capital of the Qun." Said the Arisnok.

"Shanedan Arisnok. Maraas to ebra-shok. That is what you named me three years ago." Came a woman's voice from beneath the hood. The Arisnok jumped in his seat.

It can't be!

The figure lowered her hood to reveal, the black hair and piercing blue eyes, that he knew as Hawke, Basilt-an.

"Shanedan Hawke. I hear you finally came to your senses and left those Dathrasi to fend for themselves. Why are you here?"

"Can you not figure that out? I have come to convert to the Qun. To find meaning."

For the first time in his life, the Arisnok allowed himself to smile. The Ariqun rose from her seat and bowed her head in respect to Hawke.

"Then welcome Viddathari. Even though you are Sareebas. You have proven yourself to be worthy and to exist without an Avaarad. You will be given to the Ben-Harraseth for assessment and your new name." As Hawke was led away by the Viddathari. The Arisnok looked at the Ariqun and thought:

Perhaps I was wrong when I said I doubted she'd join the Qun.


Maraas to ebra-shok= You alone are Basalit-an. (I think)

Shanedan = I'll hear you. (Qunari greeting)

Dathrasi = (Qunari Insult)

Ariqun = The leader of the soul (priests)

Qunandar = The Qunari Captial

Triumvirate = The three leaders of the Qunari, Arisnok (Body) Arigena (Mind) and Ariqun (Soul)


I always thought that Hawke would be Mentally broken after her mother's death and having to burden everyone's problems. So yeah, this Hawke turned from charming and witty to a bitch.