The group strolled off the boat into the centre of the Gallows' 'welcoming' entrance. They had just returned from Sundermount after retrieving the final ingredients for Solivitus. Hawke had taken a brief pit stop to check on Merrill after the incident with Pol. She was still shaken after his death but the mage felt confident that his companion would be all right.

Backed by his usual companions Varric, Isabela and Fenris, Hawke crossed into the Gallows courtyard to hand over the gathered ingredients. Solivitus was thrilled with the items which had been brought to him.

"A varterral heart? I cannot believe you managed it!"

"I can see how much faith he had in your survival, Hawke. Perhaps he was hoping he was sending us to our deaths?" The dwarf commented from his side and the two exchanged smirks.

"Oh, my wounded heart!" Hawke dramatically clutched at his chest, a grin playing on his lips.

"Th-that's not what I meant at all!" He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh! You managed to find the Dalish tattoo ink."

"Mmm, yes, it was just lying around their camp. Surprising that, isn't it?" The mage was now playing with Solivitus to show him that he wasn't really going to hurt him. He was just a sarcastic guy.

"Heh, heh, yes.. I had thought as much!" The man was back to smiling when he saw the flower Hawke had pulled from his pocket. "A harlot's bush flower!"

He handed over the blue flower to the delighted man and zoned out as he dithered on about the origins of the flower and its uses in the making of several different potions. Another conversation had caught his attention and he was listening to it rather than the man standing before him.

"Hey, Rivaini.."

"Varric, don't. You have been spending far too much time around Aveline."

"Don't what?"

"Oh, come on, Fenris, you know what he was going to say." Isabela had turned her attention from the dwarf to the elf.

"I have no idea what you mean." Hawke could hear Varric snickering from beside him but Solivitus was still wittering on so he couldn't turn to join in the conversation.

"Why don't I believe you? " The pirate folded her arms.

"I am completely innocent!" The elf held his hands up in surrender but Varric just had to chip in.

"I'm not. Shouldn't Hawke be giving you the flower instead? It is yours after all." The two men broke into peals of laughter and he could hear Isabela sigh. He didn't feel sorry for her as she could dish it out as well. But she always took these things brilliantly.

"Bianca had better warn her Daddy that if he doesn't stop he will lose his precious for a very long time."

Varric gasped and hauled the crossbow off his back. "Nobody will ever take her from me." He gently stroked the smooth wooden handle.

"And you!" The pirate queen turned on Fenris.

"You pretending to be innocent. It's been years elf, I know you.." She sighed heavily.

"Do you want to guess what colour my underclothes are again?" Fenris offered helpfully, knowing that that would cheer her up.

"Oh, yes, that's much more fun."

Solivitus handed over three gold sovereigns and Hawke dropped them into his coin purse. It was a healthy weight by now. The Formari Herbalist merchant turned back to trying to peddle his wares whilst Hawke turned to observe his companion's conversation at long last.

"White."

"That's too obvious, Rivaini.." It appeared Varric was joining in the game. Hawke chuckled.

"All right then, blue!"

"Come on you lot! We have tasks to be getting on with!" Hawke announced loudly, clapping his hands. He sauntered past Fenris and Isabela, stopping first at his female companion.

"Just to let you know, he doesn't wear any underclothes." Isabela grinned, that glint in her eye that said her thoughts were nothing but dirty. Fenris blushed, one of the few times he had ever done so. "And you only wear them because you don't wear pants!"

He smacked Isabela's backside before turning back to catch the boat from the Gallows to the main city.

"What? Isabela don't need no pants."