Disclaimer: Would I really be on a fanfiction site if I owned the gold mine that is Dragon Age?
Gamlen's House, Lowtown
"Oh Bethany..."
"It'll be alright mother..." Bethany assured her mother amidst tears of her own, "I'll still write to you and-"
"Not happening." The Knight Captain stated bluntly and coldly, "Mages are forbidden from having outside attachments, the Gallows will be your new home."
"Or prison-"
"As a mage of the circle," Cullen continued, "You will be expected to abide by our every rule, for though your magic is a gift, it is also a curse-"
"What the hell is this?"
"A shakedown."
"Brother! Varric! Aveline! Merrill!"
"Don't get in the way Hawke." Cullen warned the newly arrived Hawke, "The fact that you've harbored an apostate while associating with many other apostates on a daily basis should be enough to have you jailed."
"That is not within your disgression."
"Then Guard-Captain, why was this rogue mage not reported?"
"Cullen." Hawke stepped forward and pulled out a large sword that was over twice his height and width, "You're not going anywhere with my sister."
"Brother-"
"Bethany, take mother upstairs."
"What in blazes is going on-"
"Go back to your drinks uncle!" Hawke roared at his uncle, who wisely retreated into his room, "Now understand something Cullen, I am not really in the mood to have to put up with this templar and mages shit."
"This is the law of the Chantry-"
"I've had to travel through an underground dwarven ruin for an entire week facing demons, darkspawn and spirits that encase themselves in rock...Now that I'm home, I won't allow your hyperactive zealotry to tear apart my family."
"Do you really think that you'll get away with retaliation?"
"Yes." Hawke answered as his companions agreed with smirks of their own, "You don't shit where you live, Cullen. For the past year or so, I've taken care of Lowtown. So Lowtown will take care of me."
"So if I take care of a garden, it will take care of me?"
"Yes Daisy, that's exactly what will happen."
"Just give it up friend." Aveline warned the templar captain. While she was never one for defying authority, she had just gotten back from a long treck through the Deep Roads, "It's not like Meredith can't replace you."
"Please tell me that your joking, Hawke." Cullen laughed but only saw a warning stare from Hawke, "I have forty templars at my beck and call...Do you really believe that you'll get away with my murder?"
"And I have a few friends myself."
"These three?" At this, Varric armed Bianca and shot one of Cullen's accomplice's through his forehead, Aveline drew her sword and shield in a dancing flurry that slew three other templars and Merrill was momentarily distracted by a glowing butterfly, forgetting about the templar that was being dragged into the earth.
On seeing this, Cullen exhaled as Hawke's eyes started to glow red.
"It's one of those days...isn't it?"
Knight-Commander's Office, The Gallows
It was just another day in the life of the Knight-Commander.
Her templars had just found a litter of puppies found to have magical potential and by Chantry Law, they were placed into a bag and dropped into the sea.
She personally dropped the mutts herself.
After that, she had to quell a minor uprising by elves in the Alienage who were harboring an escaped mage from the Circle. One threatened that Ferelden would not allow this go unpunished.
Maker's breath...she hated it when everyone brought up Ferelden.
"Lady Meredith..." She heard one of her subordinates call out from outside.
"What is it? I'm busy signing away death warrants for a raid in darktown."
"Ma'am...you really need to see this."
"Fine! Come in!" Meredith stomped out of her office and onto the courtyard where her templars were gathered in shock and awe, "This better be-" When she came to the heart of the commotion, many thoughts ran through her head as she witnessed it.
Is that Cullen?
Where was half of his face?
Why is there a branch growing out of his charred ass?
What happened to his arms?
Why isn't he saying anything? Oh right, he's dead.
WHY IS HE DEAD?
"We found him...pinned on the front gates..." A templar reported as the Captain's body was covered over in a sheet that had a yellow stain on it.
"What the bloody hell happened to him?"
"There was a note on his back." The templar said as he handed a dirty note to the Knight-Commander, "Here's what it says."
Beware the hawk,
Or he shall Knock.
A Reaper gentle,
Before the battle.
Cease to impel,
Or say farewell.
Please do not rattle,
Or face en-flamed metal.
- The Hawk of Kirkwall
"This was not done by a mage..." Meredith said to herself, "Where was Cullen sent to?"
"I don't know, it was some sort of off-the-record assignment and before you say anything, I'm not going."
"You dare to reject your vows?"
"Suicide is a sin against the Maker." The Templar said to his fuming commander as the two returned to her office, "So...I'm sure that the two cancel each other out."
"Get out!" She roared and slammed the door behind the insubordinate templar. Feeling her face contort and tears run down her cheeks, she walked over to the glowing lyrium teddy bear sitting on her office and pulled it into a hug, "You're the only one who understands me..."
Author's Notes:
Just a random oneshot that I had based on one question...
Why didn't Hawke confront Cullen about Bethany?
Then I decided to have fun and here's what we got.
No hard feelings about Cullen, it's just that no sane brother would ever let their sister be dragged away by a group of men without a fight. As a brother with two sisters myself, I know this to be true.