Chapter 1
Chapter Text
He walked into the building unnoticed, his black hooded cloak effectively obscuring every detail of his person. The Viscount Keep was just as he remembered it, though it now hosted Hawke's family emblem. The emblem made his temper flare, old anger and bitter resentment flaring to life in his chest. He had exacted his revenge on Hardiana, Danarius and his traitorous sister. Now it was time for the finale, the one he likely held the most hatred for...simply because Hawke was the only one he had truly loved.
He was surprised that he had managed to get into the Keep so easily and without detection. The city guards outside had cast him a few curious glances, but all in all it seemed that either no one recognized him or no one cared. Most likely it was the latter. Maybe, he thought, the people of Kirkwall have simply forgotten everything that had occurred a year ago.
Four years. He had been away for four years but he had kept tabs on the going-ons of Kirkwall. He knew all about how Hawke had sided with the Templars in exchange for her sister staying alive and safe. He knew how she had killed Anders. He knew how she had defeated both Meredith and Orisino. And he knew that she was now Viscount of Kirkwall, had been for the past year.
And, of course, he had heard plenty on how the circle before had been wiped clean - with the exception of Bethany - and how a mage, namely Anders, had blown up the Chantry. So it was more than a surprise for him to see that the Chantry had been fully rebuilt. Later he would contemplate how exactly she had managed to accomplish such a feat but not now. In that moment, the only thing than ran through his mind was how he was going to kill Elisabeth Hawke.
Elisabeth Hawke stood on the balcony in her official Viscount office with her arms crossed, mournful eyes scanning the city she now ruled. It was a road she would rather die than repeat. Looking back, she had made too many rash decisions, been ruled by emotion too much. It was not a mistake she would repeat, she would be sure of that.
Regretted memory after regretted memory began to surface, flashing though her mind with amazing speed and she reflexively screwed her eyes shut in an attempt to banish them. She knew, though, that they would never go away; they would haunt her forever and the pain she recieved from them every time they did surface was exactly what she deserved. She had given Isabela to the Qunari, she had made Fenryll tanquil, she had handed Merrill over to the Dalish after they had been forced to kill Marithari, she had killed Anders with a stab to the back and the worst of them all...she had surrendered Fenris to Danarius.
All times that she had been completely and utterly ruled by emotion, ruled by anger, betrayl, and hurt. Now she distrusted any emotion but love, compassion, and kindness.
Her body trembled subtly but violently ad the tears began to roll down her cheeks, her fingers digging into her clothed arms. The hatred she held for herself stirred within her and the disapproving voice within her - likely the voice of her conscience - became louder.
It was only in the back of her mind that she even registered the sound of the door to her office opening and closing softly.
