Accipiter

Chapter 1 - Can I Protect Them When I Let You Down?

"Garrett!" Leandra called from the other room. She was currently doing the dishes when the young Marian began crying, Malcolm chuckled and patted his daughter's head. The three turned over to the young boy with raven swept hair, he had a calm and gentle look. His auburn eyes showing peace and happiness.

"Yes, mother?" His small frown turned into a smile when he saw Malcolm take Marian and place her onto her feet, she wobbled a bit but her father kept his hands on her back. Garrett placed himself on one knee and opened his arms while his little sister began clumsily walking towards him. Soon the young Hawke fell into his arms and her older brother hugged her that was followed with a kiss on the cheek.

"She just keeps crying without you." Leandra explained with an exhausted sigh.

Garrett picked his sister up and walked into his room, jumping onto his bed he watched as his little sister began playing with the collar of his shirt. She cooed and giggled, "Why are you so attached to me, Marian?" he asked while ruffling her hair. Marian kept quiet before hitting her brother playfully, Garrett laughed softly and stared at the ceiling, it was difficult to be an older brother. He just couldn't wait until Marian was grown up and was able to take care of herself. Garrett shut his eyes slowly and felt the years pass by quickly.

Through the years, Marian had become a handful, unlike her brother she grew up to be a mischievous rogue. She would cause trouble towards the other people which made them end up at the Hawke's house and complain. Whenever Malcolm would scold her, she would bring up her bright blue puppy eyes and before she knew it her father was laughing and hugging her. Malcolm couldn't get mad at his children, he just wanted them to be happy. Especially since Garrett was a mage. He didn't want his son to be sent to the Circle. Before Marian cause more trouble, they had moved to the outskirts of Lothering. Garrett thought he would be able to get some rest while the rogue was out hunting, but that wasn't the case. He would always be watching his two younger siblings. The fraternal twins, the young male named Carver and young female named Bethany. By the time they found out that Bethany was a mage, Garrett kept himself by her side the most while Marian brought Carver out to play. He felt terrible as he would stare at his little sister who would always look through the window and watch her two luckier siblings. Malcolm noticed as well and placed a hand on her shoulder, casting a blue aura in his hands he smiled as he saw his daughter smile brightly. Her eyes sparkling by how beautiful it looked.

"Magic is a gift from the Maker, Bethany." Malcolm kissed her forehead before returning to the small library he built in the bottom of the house.

Once Marian and Carver returned back inside the house Bethany greeted them with a hug around the rogue's waist and she gave her younger brother an identical kiss Malcolm had given her. The young warrior grimaced and rubbed his forehead with a grumble. They watched as Garrett hugged his sister and kissed her cheek softly, he giggled and returned the hug.

"You're weird, brother." Carver commented and crossed his arms.

"I'm just showing that I love your sister, I love you too Carver." he chuckled and knelt down to kiss his cheek, the boy yelped and jumped away. Growling he walked away while muttering a bunch of curse words that he learned from Marian. Garrett gave a look at Marian and she shrugged, wiggling out of the hug she followed her younger brother to tease him more.

Eventually the two young children turned into teens while the oldest Hawkes matured into responsible adults, well... Garrett turned out responsible but Marian didn't change a bit. When the four children were training with Malcolm observing from a distance, the rogue first jumped into the air with her daggers behind her head, she brought them down swiftly. Garrett felt his heart jump, he stumbled back which gave Marian an advantage. She was about to slice her brother's staff out of his hands but Bethany had protected her brother with shards of glass. This time the rogue fell back, Carver quickly caught her and growled at the female mage. Bethany smirked and prepared herself when the warrior dashed forward, cutting the shards in half and pushing his Garrett out of the way. Just as Carver was about to clash with Bethany's staff, Garrett casted Mind Blast which forced the youngest Hawke to fall onto the dirt. Malcolm shook his head and was surprised when the nimble rogue tackled her brother and placed one of her steel daggers near his neck. Just as Bethany was about to help her older brother, Carver grabbed her wrist and forced her staff out of her hands.

"Looks like we won, brother." Marian let go of Garrett with a smirk.

The mage accepted his defeat and ruffled the rogue's hair like he always did. Carver apologized and Bethany responded by hugging him tightly, Garrett laughed brightly and grabbed the three of his siblings, bringing them into a warm hug. The four Hawke siblings began to laugh and even the stubborn youngest Hawke chuckled a bit. Garrett loved the three of them, he was not afraid of death, he was not afraid of the Templars and he was not afraid of the Circle. He was afraid of losing Marian, Bethany or Carver. Not just by separation, but by death. He never thought of anyone in his family passing away until the next three years. The third year, when the Blight occurred. Malcolm, Garrett, Marian, Carver and Bethany continued to fight as they slowly retreated from their house but the dreaded Blight had taken their father. The eldest mage was just as broken as the three siblings. Marian forced herself not to cry as she kept Carver and Bethany in her arms. Garrett didn't even notice the tears spill from his eyes as he stared at the corpse of his father. He fell to his knees and screamed to the Maker. The last words of Malcolm haunted his thoughts.

"I trust you to watch over them now... Promise me Garrett, you will live to see the day Marian gets married to someone who will accept her silly antics, we Bethany turns into a beautiful woman and you watch as men swoon over her, when Carver reaches his dreams and shows that he is not just your younger brother... And when you become a Champion and show that the mages deserve their freedom. Thank you for allowing me to experience this... Now it's your turn..."

Garrett felt useless, there was no way he could protect his three siblings and his mother when he couldn't even protect his own father. The one who trained him to become a mage that would fight for others and make this sick twisted world into the peaceful one that everyone deserves. Templar or mage, everyone deserves their freedom to live. How could he fight for this world when he couldn't keep his father alive? He couldn't handle the sounds of tears from Leandra, Carver and Bethany. He knew that Marian was sobbing, but they were silent. Garrett knew that he needed to stop their tears, and he wouldn't stop until he saw their smiling faces again.

"I will not fail you anymore, father..."

Garrett vowed to himself that he would not die until his name was known to each mage and templar. Until he saw mages living with their families without worrying about getting caught and templars guarding others from the real dangers. He would see the day Marian find the man of her dreams, the day Carver proves himself and steps out of his shadow and the day Bethany becomes one of the greatest mages. He will take his risks and he will take his sacrifices, Garrett finally found his sole reason to live. Not for power, not for fame, not for the women, but for his family. And nothing would change that reason.