I watched breathlessly as Issac removed his axe from the prone figure, small in death. I think an apology, wondering if it can find him beyond the expanses of death. I am sorry it had to happen this way. I wish you could have understood, I thought someday you could have. Your death was unnecessary. I have set the wheels in motion, I am sorry you had to be crushed beneath. I close my eyes hard, willing the words to reach him, knowing that it is in vain. Issac stood motionless except for his heavy breaths, his chest heaving.

"Please Issac," I whisper, bringing my quivering hand to his shoulder, "Let me heal..." He does not let the rest of the words escape my lips as he harshly pushes my hand from him. He turns and I see the full extent of his injuries. One eye is purple, bruised, swollen with only a slit of vision possible. Blood poured from numerous gashes on his face, and a thick trickle of blood crept from his nose down past a split lip.

"I want to feel it..." He said monotone, his good eye staring at me with such pain and hurt that my soul ached. He had taken my words, 'I would drown us both in blood to keep you safe' and has claimed the sentiment, protecting me, drowning us both in blood. I can only look at him, the warmness gone from his face, joy gone from his eyes. He is covered in blood, only some of it is his own. It is a cold and terrible feeling when I realize the gravity of my actions. I had known I was a monster, I had known I would hurt him, but I did not fully comprehend how until this very moment.

…..

From the moment he entered my life, I knew Issac Hawke would impact me deeply. He entered my clinic, boldly with a ridiculous swagger, made even more ridiculous by the fact that he was shirtless. A woman and a dwarf followed behind, not even batting an eye to his odd display of either foolishness or misplaced bravado. Perhaps it was both. Weak as I was from my recent exertion healing a refugee boy, I still had to protect myself, my clinic.

Grabbing my staff I accosted him, "I have made this place a sanctum for healing and salvation, why do you threaten it?" I gauged his reaction, a little taken aback at first, then a smile, a smile with such genuine warmth it could thaw the Frostback Mountains.

"We just want to talk." He said calmly. His dwarven companion went on to inform me that they were interested in finding a way into the Deep Roads, and he had heard that I was a Warden. A sudden jolt of panic hit. Were they from the Grey Wardens?

"Did they Grey Wardens send you...I'm not going back, those bastards made me get rid of my cat, poor Ser-Pounce-a-lot, he hated the Deep Roads." My anger and panic fading as they looked more confused at the mention of my cat.

The longer we conversed , the more I found out about my strange visitors. I was introduced, names now to match these new faces. Varric, Bethany, and the shirtless grinning warrior Issac. Issac bombarded me with questions about my cat and the Wardens. I answered with an amount of humor I had been lacking of late. There was something about this man that put me already at ease, it was a feeling I had become unfamiliar with.

I did tell them of the map I had swiped from a Warden passing through. I did not want to return to the Deep Roads, I did not even want to think of the place again, but an idea manifested suddenly, a trade, a favor for a favor. I had promised to help a friend, a friend who at one time was much more, but that was besides the point. He needed me and I was but one man. I could have this warrior's muscle behind me in case the Templars showed up. As soon as I presented the idea a part of me rebelled.

We are being careless.

I know I am being careless, but I need the help.

"Sounds like a fair trade." He promptly answers me without hesitation.

"You don't even ask my terms? What if I asked for the Knight-Commander's head on a spike?" He looked at me quizzically, trying to make sense of my response.

"Is that what you ask?" He was genuine, if the situation were less serious I would be amused.

"You decide." I replied. He looked more lost than ever, I decided I might as well ease his confusion. I told them of Karl and my plans to free him...

Karl...