My name is Sujesstive, long time reader first time writer so reviews would be most appreciated ^.^ This particular plot bunny has been bouncing around my head for a while, demanding freedom so here it is:
Twins run in the Hawke line and F!Rogue Marian, and M!Mage Garrett Hawke are fraternal twins like Bethany and Carver. Marian is Direct/Aggressive and Garrett is Sarcastic/Charming. Thing that Garrett will become 'The Champion' merely because the Destiny trailer is too cool to ignore, so Marian will be the twin referred to as 'Hawke' and will decide the fates of Mages and Templars. Eventual pairings to be; F!Hawke/Fenris, M!Hawke/Isabella, Bethany/Anders and Bethany/Nathaniel, Carver/Merrill (or whoever's left, because let's face it, I don't like Carver enough to find him a one true love)
Note: In my fic the Hawkes have had to live on the move their whole lives, mostly due to three apostates in the family. When Marian was seventeen the family was living in Highever where she and her mother worked in the castle for the Cousland's. As the younger brother the, then seventeen year old, Aeden Cousland was the atypical second son of a noble family, and regularly slept with the staff. He and Marian developed a friendship that turned physical. When he slept with an Orlesian noblewoman she demanded to her father that they leave Highever and Aedan, angered by her sudden disappearance told the Templars that the Hawke's were apostates. They caught up to them in Redcliffe, killing Malcolm, but the rest escaped and made a life for themselves in Lothering. This is three years on...
As we all know, Bioware owns all, I just borrow their toys for my sick little games.
Of Ostagar and Wardens
"I wish you'd stayed in Lothering," grumbled Carver as he unrolled his bedroll by the fire, shooting a poisonous glare at his older sister. The same piercing blue eyes glared back at him over the fire as Marian rested her weight to one side, hand on hips.
"Afraid I'll steal all the glory, Carver? Maker you sound like the bloody king," chastised the older sister, folding her legs beneath her in a graceful motion as she began to oil her armour.
"King Cailan is right, sister. There hasn't even been an Archdemon sighted. Who's to say this really is a Blight anyway?" Carver bit into a crust of bread, sending crumbs flying all over his bedding. Marian shook her head at her naive younger brother. She wished her twin was with her instead. Garret might have the same dry humour as Carver, but at least he wasn't as much an idiot, but both Garret, and Carver's twin, Bethany had to stay in Lothering. Being apostates didn't leave much room for running off to fight a horde of Darkspawn in the King's Army.
"Perhaps the order of warriors who have been fighting the Darkspawn for the last several hundred years. I'm sure that Grey Wardens have far more accurate ways of detecting a Blight, little brother," sneered Marian. Carver glared at his rogue sister. After his fifteenth summer, the boy that Marian used to beat up on had stopped being so small. Now he was a hulking brute of a man, with a great sword resting beside his bedroll. Marian could still beat up on him, however, now the task took a little more skill and dexterity on her part.
"What would you know about Grey Wardens?" snorted her brother. Marian didn't look up from her oiling as she smirked.
"I know that there is a new Grey Warden recruit arrived in camp. His name is Aeden Cousland," she added with a fond smile. Carver looked at his sly sister, stunned.
"How did you – "
"I'm a rogue, little brother. One must keep up their skills. He arrived here this afternoon, with the Warden Commander. I wonder how Teyrn Cousland ever let his little boy join the Wardens?"
"No one 'let' me," answered a voice from behind the siblings. Carver jumped, his hand on his sword in seconds as he turned to face their assailant. Marian just smiled, placing her freshly oiled cuirass beside her before rising to face the young Cousland.
"Good evening, Aeden," greeted Marian with a sad smile, looking up at the face of her one time lover and friend. He was just as handsome as ever, with his messy dark brown hair and deep green eyes, but there were dark lines around his eyes and lips that had never been there before. Marian recognised them for lines of grief.
"How did you get in the camp, Cousland?" growled Carver, placing his bulk between Marian and the young noble. Carver wasn't as stupid as everyone seemed to think. He knew full well that Marian had cried for three whole weeks when they'd left Highever, and it was all this stupid noble's fault.
"Your sister is not the only rogue at Ostagar, boy." Aeden glared up at the taller young man who snarled in response.
"Perhaps we should take a walk?" suggested Marian, peeking out from behind her brother's impressive bulk.
"But, Marian –"
"Don't you 'but, Marian' me, Carver," admonished Marian, her tone becoming that of the older sibling. "I'm quite capable of looking after myself if Aeden turns out to be an Emissary in disguise." With that Marian turned on her heel and stalked off behind some tents, Aeden following her into the darkness. Carver just growled to himself, settling himself into the bedroll, refusing to brood over his annoying older sister. He really wished she'd stayed in Lothering.
"You are looking…good, Marian."
"It's Hawke, Aeden. I stopped being called Marian a long time ago."
"I'd hazard a guess at about three years ago," guessed Aeden tentatively, his green eyes on her face as she watched her feet. Marian let out a ragged sigh.
"Yeah, about then." Aeden wished things were different. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and hold her, assuaging both her grief, old and scarred, and his, fresh and bleeding.
"For what it's worth, Marian, I'm so sorry."
"It's not worth much at all, Aeden." She turned to look up at him then, her blue eyes sad and brimming with unshed tears. "I trusted you, Aeden, maybe even loved you, and you betrayed all of that. You slept with that Orlesian sop of a woman because your father disapproved of your tryst with 'the help'."
"Marian, I-"
"No." Marian put up a finger to silence his apologies. "We've already been over this, Aeden, and I left. After all of that, after those months of love and friendship between us, after you had betrayed me, you sent the Templars after my family." Marian looked away from him then, unable to see her own hurt mirrored in his green eyes.
"They came, Aeden. They caught up to us in Redcliffe. Father and I held them off long enough for everyone to run again. They killed father, and we barely got away, and not unscathed." Marian felt the scar across her abdomen itch with memory. She glared up at him. "You took everything from me."
"Maker, Marian-"
"It's Hawke," she snarled, her eyes an icy blue that cut through Aeden's heart as sure as a sword.
"I know what I did was stupid, Hawke. I know that and you can't believe how much I regret everything I've done to you. I'm so sorry." He reached out a hand then, but Marian sidestepped his touch.
"Words are cheap, Cousland." She whirled on her heel and disappeared into the night, leaving Aeden alone in the King's camp, his wounds freshly reopened.
"I will prove to you that I am a better man, Marian Hawke," whispered Aeden into the unresponsive darkness. Determined, the young noble made his way back to the Warden encampment. He needed to rest if he was going into the Wilds tomorrow. Who knew what the Maker and the Darkspawn had in store for him?
"Did ya 'ear, Hawke? Two of t'Warden recruits died last night?" Marian was helping the Kennel Master feed the Mabari a potion he'd made from a Wilds' flower. The one she was tending now rolled on to his back, the tiny stub of his tail wagging in happiness as she rubbed his tummy.
"I guess that must happen often," shrugged Marian. "I'm sure the Wardens don't let just anyone join their ranks."
"Aye, that be true, lassie," agreed the Kennel Master. He grinned at her, showing a few gaps where teeth had been knocked out be over zealous Mabari pups. "That 'un seems t'ave taken a shine t'ya, lass. I think he's imprinted on ya." Marian grinned back, excited at the prospect of having a Mabari. They were the most intelligent animals in Thedas, though they rarely imprinted on a peasant girl.
"You really think so?" The man nodded and Marian smiled at the dog who wagged his tail at her, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth.
"You want to come with me, boy?" The Mabari barked in agreement, the stub of a tail wagging ferociously.
"Alright then, boy, you can stay with old Marian Hawke, then. How would you like me to call you Cael?" Cael barked and bumped his head against her hand. "Cael it is, then," grinned Marian.
"Ya won't find a more loyal friend, Hawke." Marian grinned and thanking the Kennel Master returned to her camp to show off her new Mabari to Carver. Oh, he was going to hate her.
"Carver!" screamed Marian, her voice hoarse as the sound scratched its way up her parched throat. Her limbs burned with effort as she lopped off another Hurlock's head, grunting in pain as she put too much weight on one leg. Cael barked, drawing Marian's attention to the unconscious body of her brother.
"Carver, no!" She screamed, forgetting all exhaustion as she ran to his limp body cutting down a Genlock on the way, Cael tearing out its throat when it hit the ground with a sickening thud. "Carver, you bastard, wake up!"
"Shut up, Marian," groaned the boy, eyes twitching. Marian almost cried in relief as she hugged her brother to her body. "Ugh, gerroff me."
"Carver, we have to go." Marian helped her brother stand, handing him his heavy sword once he was upright.
"But the king-"
"The king is dead, Carver. The Wardens are dead. Loghain betrayed us all. We have to get to Lothering, get Garret, Bethany and Mother and we have to run. The Darkspawn will be heading there now."
"Maker," whispered Carver as realization dawned on him. Without hesitation he lumbered after his sister.
