The light of morning slowly crept over the sea, rising slowly and bathing the dull stone walls of Kirkwall, coloring them a pale pink, with no regard to the couple standing on the pier who wished for nothing more than the night to go on.
"Malcolm, I shouldn't, I can't. I am betrothed to the_"
"Count De Launce, I know Leandra. But what we have is real. I can't give you up; especially not to some poncy noble who only cares about the sons you might give him." Leandra closed her eyes as she felt the rough yet gentle hand of her love sweep a lock of hair out her face. Opening her eyes, she stared into the warm brown eyes of the one she loved most. His mahogany hair lightly curled near his chin and his crooked smile gave him a rakish look that she adored with every fiber of her being. But while she wanted and needed to go off with him, to live the life she had dared to dream of, to live with the freedom she had only ever seen within his eyes… Even though she longed to say yes, even though her heart sang when she was near him, decorum demanded she say no.
"Malcolm, I_" She started, opening her mouth to argue once again, to say goodbye to the man that she had given her heart to, when a pair of lips effectively cut off any further argument. She felt her heart flutter as she melted into him, kissing him back with every ounce of passion in her body, determined that he would know how much she loved him.
"Please Leandra," He whispered into her ear when they had broken apart, startling both himself and her with how raw with emotion it was. He sighed and buried his face in her dark hair that cascaded to the center of her back, breathing in the smell of her. "I would die without you. I swear it. I know that I am not as good for you as the Count; I will never be able to give you that kind of life, full of grandeur. I know that I am a mage, and an apostate no less and any child of mine will most likely be cursed with this magic. But putting all of that aside, I can give you everything that a life here won't. Love and compassion. Companionship and understanding. Life without rules and decorum. Please Leandra, don't leave me. Don't marry him. Marry me and leave with me. We will flee the Free Marches and start a new life. Start a family." He stepped back and looked her in the eyes as he waited for her answer, struggling to hold in the very unmanly tears that threatened as the waiting stretched on.
Leandra's blue eyes were open in shock. She had never dreamed that Malcolm, her Malcolm, would ever propose this. She thought about her life here, as a noble in a stuffy well-ordered life. The only moments of true happiness and freedom she felt were when she was with Malcolm. She smiled slightly as she came to a decision. Malcolm's eyes slowly lit up as he saw the smile grow on Leandra's face.
"We can't leave right now," she whispered, "I can't leave my parents without something to remember them by. And I want to make sure we have enough coin to last us a while. Will you wait for me a little longer?" She asked as she took a smile step closer to Malcolm, the question clear in her eyes.
Letting out a breathe he hadn't known he had been holding, Malcolm launched forward with a laugh of joy and took his Leandra in his arms. Lifting her up, he spun her around until her laugh joined his. Finally setting her down, he leaned until his forehead rested against hers and he was looking into her eyes once again.
"I could wait forever for you. But if I must wait for you again," He said, caressing her back and he tightened his grip on her slender frame. "Will you allow me one night with you? Then I will gladly give you up until you are ready to leave with me. Please Leandra."
Leandra took a deep breath as she closed the gap between her and Malcolm Hawke. "Nothing would make me happier than to be with you." She said after their lips had parted.
"I love you." He said as he claimed her lips once again.
It was then, as the sun rose even higher across the sky, as the lover's embraced and later that day, in the cool of Malcolm's small home in dark town, as they joined together as one for the first time, that the Champion of Kirkwall became more than a possibility. It was this day, when Hawke became a certainty.
(PAGE BREAK)
The flames burned bright as darkspawn after darkspawn fell to the combined efforts of the three Hawke children. Malcolm's legacy burned bright as his daughters, mages both, fought alongside their warrior brother to protect their mother.
Leandra watched silently, looking towards the distance where she and Malcolm had built their home so long ago. Where she had given birth to her three beautiful children, where two of them had shown the first signs of magic. Where Malcolm had taken his last breath three years prior.
'Do you see your children now, Malcolm?' Leandra thought quietly.
"I think that's all of them," Carver, the only male left in the Hawke family, said after the last darkspawn had fallen.
Liana Hawke stayed silent as she appraised her mother silently, she was taking this rather well, considering everything.
"For the moment," Bethany, Carver's twin and the youngest mage broke in, looking around nervously.
"Maker save us, we've lost it all!" Leandra felt slightly hysteric and Liana Hawke could only look on sadly as her mother finally comprehended what she was losing. "Everything you're father and I built."
"At least we're alive" Hawke said, trying to keep her mother calm as she looked over to the other members of their small group. Aveline was allowing Wesley to hang on her as his strength diminished. The warrior was starting to look noticeably frantic.
"Please Hawke," She said, struggling not to beg, looking at Hawke with pleading eyes. "We must hurry."
"Yes of course," Hawke said, grimacing as she looked around, surveying their surroundings and debating what to do.
"Where can we go?" Carver asked, looking into the distance where the hoard could be seen destroying their home.
"We can go to Kirkwall!" Leandra said, surprising her children with her lucid response. "We have family there."
"What? Why would we go there?" Hawke asked, looking at Bethany and then the Templar Wesley who was still looking at her in distrust.
"There are a lot of Templars in Kirkwall, Mother," Bethany cut in.
"But we still have family." Leandra argued.
"Then we need to get to Gwaren and take ship." Aveline said. "And we need to hurry."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Carver said, rolling his eyes impatiently. "Let's go!"
And without waiting for the others to begin walking up the path, Carver sped off.
"Carver!" Hawke and Bethany called, running after him up the small incline. They found him standing on the plateau, shaking as the ground rumbled.
"What is happening?" Leandra asked, having just reached the top of the path.
"Ogre!" Hawke called, seeing the beast ready to charge. She readied the stave given to her by her father and waited for it to move.
Carver however, drew his long sword and charged.
"Carver!" Bethany screamed at her twin and ran forward to try to pull him back. Unfortunately, the moment the Bethany pushed her brother back was the moment that the Ogre charged. In what appeared to be slow-motion, Bethany flew and landed on the ground and lay there. Unmoving.
"Bethany!" Leandra cried, rushing to her youngest child's side. Cradling her broken form as one would cradle a babe and rocking her back and forth, all the while urging her to wake up.
Hawke longed to rush to her sister's side. But Carver and Aveline were fighting the ogre all by themselves. Clearing her mind of all distractions, she reached deep within herself, to that distant corner where her power lay hid. She extended her stave as she ignored the whispers in her ears.
"Help us and your sister need not die," One said.
"Why let her suffer?" Another said.
"Shut up!" Hawke hissed and shot a large bolt of lightning directly at the Ogre's throat. The beast merely twitched as it turned its red eyes toward the mage. Standing her ground, Hawke gathered her mana and sent a spike of ice shooting through the monsters gut. Her aim was deadly and the beast gurgled as it began to drown. Carver, seeing an opening, leapt upon its back and swung his blade, cleaving its head from its shoulders.
Hawke let out a relieved sigh and slowly turned towards the prone form of her sister. Dreading what she might see, she slowly and carefully walked forward. "Bethany?" She called softly.
"Bethany wake up!" Leandra called. "The battle is over. We're fine! Wake up!"
Aveline kneeled down next to Bethany. Stripping off one single gauntlet she reached out and felt at the pulse point. "I am sorry mistress. She is gone."
"No! Not my little girl!" Leandra cried. "These things will not take Bethany!"
"No." Hawke whispered, looking down at the body that once was her sister. Kneeling down, she pushed Aveline aside and summoned her magic. Placing her hands on her sister's chest, over her heart, she sent a bolt of lightning through her. Bethany's body convulsed then lay still once more. "Wake up!" She sobbed as she continued to send pulses through her body. Finally she stopped and leaned down, touching her forehead to Bethany's chin and beating weakly on her now reddened chest. "Wake up. Wake up."
"Bethany gave herself to save me!" Carver whispered, shocked. "I'm so sorry sister," He whispered, biting his lip and looking away.
"I don't want a hero!" Leandra sobbed. "I want my little girl!" She glared at her eldest. "How could you let her charge off that? Your little sister! My little girl!"
Drawing in a deep breath, Hawke looked at her mother. "Mother we can't stay here. Bethany wouldn't want her… her sacrifice to be meaningless."
Wesley spoke up at that moment, breaking the family momentarily from their grief. "Allow me to commend your daughter's soul to the Maker, Mistress."
Leandra couldn't bring herself to look up from her daughter and Hawke nodded to the man and bowed her head as he began the rite.
"Ashes we were, and ashes we become. Maker, giver this young woman a place as your side. Let us take comfort in the peace he has found in eternity."
There was a long silence, broken only by the screams of the darkspawn in the distance as they all said their last goodbyes.
"I will never forget you, Bethany" Leandra whispered and kissed her little girl on the cheek.
"At least she will be with father," Carver said, helping his mother to her feet.
Turning to begin their journey anew they spotted more darkspawn closing in.
"Flames," Aveline cursed. "We're too late."
And so battle began. Swords clashed and the smell of magic was in the air. The voice of demons was louder in Hawkes ear as she fought alongside her brother and newfound ally, despite her distrusting Templar husband. But no matter how many they cut down, it seemed that for every one dead two took its place. They were slowly being surrounded and the beasts snarled at them, eager to begin the slaughter. But all sound ceased as a great roar pierced the air. Turning, the siblings eyes grew wide as they saw a being they had only heard of in their father's tales; A high dragon.
The dragon took to the air, letting out great spews of hot fire that seemed to melt the very skin off of the beasts. With terrifying accuracy, the dragon plucked darkspawn into the air as the ventured to close to the group and tossed them as one would toss a rag doll. As soon as they all were dead, the dragon landed in front of them. With a far too intelligent look in its eyes, it appeared to smirk and in a great flash of light and magic, it was gone. In its place stood a woman. She looked both ancient and young all at once. With white hair and eyes that spoke of times long past, yet a fit and youthful body.
"Well, well, what have we here?" She drawled in dulcet tones.
Hawke and her brother strode forward, intent on interrogating this new addition when a pained cry sounded from behind them. Wesley was falling. Aveline rushed to him and lay him down next to Bethany.
The woman quickly brought focus back to her. "It used to be we never got visitors to the Wilds, but now it seems they arrive in hordes!"
"I don't know what you are!" Hawke said, resting a hand on her stave. "But I won't let you harm us!"
The woman laughed. "Let me? If I wished you harm, I daresay you could not stop me." She shrugged and her eyes flashed as she grinned a toothy grin, reminiscent of a dragon. "If you wish to flee the darkspawn, you should know you are heading in the wrong direction."
"Wait!" Carver called, as the woman turned and began to walk away. "You can't just leave us here!"
"Can I not?" She said, turning her head slowly to peer at them from the corner of her eye. "I spotted a most curious sight: a mighty ogre, vanquished! Who could perform such a feat?" Looking at Carver dismissively, she addressed Hawke. "But now my curiosity is sated, and you are safe… for the moment. Is that not enough?"
Smiling weakly, Hawke replied. "You could show me that trick of yours. That looks useful."
The Dragon Lady threw her head back and laughed. Licking her lips she smirked at the young woman. "If only a clever tongue was all one needed! Tell me, clever child: how do you intend to outrun the Blight?"
"We need to get to Kirkwall," Leandra said, walking up behind her children. "In the Free Marches."
"Kirkwall? My, but that is quite the voyage you plan." She said, raising an eyebrow. Turning to Carver, she raised both her eyebrows questioningly. "Your king will not miss you, hmm?"
"Hard to miss someone when you're a snack for the worms." Carver snarled.
"There is nothing for us here," Hawke added, laying a hand on her brother's arm which was shrugged off immediately.
"I see," The woman said. "Hurtled into the chaos, you fight… and the world will shake before you."
"What?" Hawke asked. The woman ignored her, turning her back and looking into the sky as if expecting to see answers.
"Is it fate or chance? I can never decide," She muses before turning back. "It appears fortune smiles on us both today. I may be able to help you yet."
"There must be a catch," Hawke said cautiously.
She once again laughed, as if mocking them. "There is always a catch! Life is a catch." Her eyes glittered dangerously. "I suggest catching it… while you can."
"Should we even trust her?" Carver asked, looking at his big sister. "We don't even know what she is!"
"I know what she is! The Witch of the Wilds." Aveline said, wiping Wesley's brow gently.
"Flemeth?!" Hawke asked.
"Some call me that," Flemeth replied shrugging. "Also Flemeth, Asha'bellanar. An 'Old hag who talks too much.'" She chuckled before again growing serous. "Does it matter? I offer you this. I will get your group past the hoard in exchange for a simple delivery to a place not far out of your way. Would you do this, for a 'Witch of the Wilds'?"
Hawke smirked slightly. "Roast a few more darkspawn, I'll do anything you want!"
"Sadly my charity is at an end," Flemeth said, striding forward to stand before Wesley. "There is a clan of Dalish elves near the city of Kirkwall. Deliver this amulet to their Keeper, Marethari." She tossed the amulet to the mage who stowed it away securely. "Do as she asks with it and any and all debt between us is paid in full. Before I take you anywhere, however, there is another matter…" She took another step towards Wesley.
Aveline stood before him. "No! Leave him alone!"
"What has been done to your man is in his blood already," Flemeth said gently, looking at the woman.
"No! You lie," Aveline said, looking at her husband. "He cannot… no!"
"She's right Aveline. I can feel the corruption inside me." Wesley spoke up.
"This corruption is the permanent sort I take it," Hawke asked, looking to the other witch.
"The only cure I know is to become a Grey Warden." She replied, looking surprisingly sad.
"And they all died at Ostagar," Aveline cursed.
"Not all," Flemeth corrected. "But the last are now beyond your reach."
Aveline's face crumpled as she kneeled next to her suffering husband. "Please Aveline. Listen to me. The corruption is a slow and painful death."
"You can't ask me this!" Aveline sobbed quietly, tears carving paths of clean skin through the gore and dust. "I won't!"
"Please," He begged. "The corruption is a slow… I can't" He coughed and the sound was as if his body were trying to dislodge his very lungs.
Hawke kneeled next to her new friend. "He's your husband Aveline, I can't make this choice for you."
Aveline looked to Hawke and nodded sadly.
"Be strong, my love." Wesley choked out. He slowly and painstakingly drew his small dagger from his side and with his wife's help held it over his heart. They closed their eyes and Aveline thrust the blade. Reaching up, she closed his eyes.
"Without an end, there can be no peace," Flemeth said gently and a bit sadly. She began to walk away. "It gets no easier. Your struggles have only just begun.
(Page Break)
The Witch kept her word and got them to Gwaren, where they took ship. They sailed north across the Waking Sea lashed by terrible storms. Two weeks they spent in that dark hold, packed in with the fearful and the desperate. And then they saw it: Kirkwall, the City if Chains. Long ago, it was part of the Imperium, slaves coming from far and wide to work the quarries. Now it's a free city. Sail through those black cliffs and you'll see what the slaves of old saw: the Gallows, welcoming you. That's where their ship landed with all the rest.
The fugitive's from Fereldan slowly disembarked the ship along with their countrymen. They looked tired and were thinner from their experience with small food rations.
Spotting the large crowd of people in front of a city guard, Aveline spoke up. "They're not letting anyone in."
"What?" Leandra said, shocked. "That can't be!"
"It's true," Aveline said. "Look at them all."
And indeed, there was a large group of refugees all gathered in front of the gates. Clamoring and bickering. Trying to get inside.
"Are we really surprised?" Carver asked. "Everyone's fleeing the Blight, just as we are."
"And they would throw us back to the wolves." Aveline said disgusted. "Unbelievable."
Hawke shook her head and shrugged, flashing a small smile at her mother. "I'm only surprised they let us dock." Carver smiled a bit, hiding a chuckle as their mother glared at them.
"We need to find Gamlen," she said seriously. "Our family has always been highly regarded in Kirkwall. He can do something, I'm sure of it!"
"Let's hope he received your letter," Carver said sadly.
Aveline returned from where she had been checking out the crowd. "The guards seem to be reporting to that man. Perhaps we should speak to him."
"Ha," Hawke said. "Maybe we're better off sneaking past."
"No!" Leandra said sharply. "We don't want them looking too closely at you Liana."
"Yes mother," Hawke said. Walking towards the guard, she pulled her long hair back into a low pony-tail, anticipating a fight. Surprisingly, none broke out when the guard called for them to halt.
"Get back to the crowd, you lot." He barked. "Trying to bully your way through won't get you into Kirkwall any faster!"
"But you do intend to let us in?" Aveline asked, looking the blonde guard directly in the eyes.
"Ha!" He laughed, seemingly amused. We have enough poor of our own in the Free Marches. We don't need you refuges piling up here like middens heap!"
"There must be some way we can get in." Hawke said, more to herself then the guard. "Someone in charge I can speak with maybe?" She asked him.
The man sighed. "Yes, yes, always the same sob story. Family in the city?" He sneered. "Lost someone getting here? No more coin for a return voyage? Your all the same. Dogs, the lot of you."
"How dare you!" Carver started, only to be hushed by a glance from his sister.
The man chuckled. "You want in, talk to Captain Ewald. I'm just here to keep you refuse from climbing the walls."
"Good job," Hawke sneered as she pushed past the jerk, hissing as he pinched her bottom.
"What a charming fellow," Aveline muttered.
Liana Hawke fumed silently as they made their way up the stairs and towards where they assumed the captain would be.
"Isn't this the Gallows," She asked her mother, who nodded. "Then where are the mages?"
"Inside I assume," She said, also looking about. "I couldn't tell you much. My father never allowed me near here before as a young woman."
"Great," Carver muttered. "More mages."
"Oh shut up," Liana snapped, leading the group forward. Turning a corner, the found themselves in a large courtyard. Sighing heavily as she spotted the well armored group of arguing men in front of her. "Great," She muttered as she drew her daggers that she barely knew how to use. "Fighting."
"Let us through, you flaming blighter! We're not staying in this pit!" The leader of the men spat, obviously trying to intimidate the Captain.
"Then get back on your ship and leave! Kirkwall has no more room for refuges." The captain replied calmly, obviously unimpressed.
"The ship's already gone! We paid good coin to get here!" A man yelled. Hawke scoffed.
"Everyone paid good money to get here," She muttered.
"You and half of Fereldan," The man agreed, nodding to Liana. "There is nothing I can do! The city id full!"
Hawke smirked at the man and batted her dark eyelashes. "Surely there's a bit of extra room for the pretty people?"
"I find keeping my neck away from Knight Commander Meredith's blade far more attractive than any of you." Hawke pouted and stuck her tongue out at him slightly. "We've been letting you Fereldans in for months! Your too late. There is no more room!"
"Damn," Carver muttered. "Liana what do we do now?"
"But we have family here!" Leandra spoke up.
The Captain chuckled darkly. "I've heard claims like that a thousand times already." He rolls his eyes. "Trust me."
"Then what are we to do?" Aveline asked.
"We'll find some ships to take you all back to Fereldan… eventually. Until then, you stay here."
Hawke swore quietly before trying a different tactic. "Surely there's someone higher up we could persuade."
The man shook his head. "The city has been closed by order of the viscount and Knight Commander Meredith, whose fortress you're standing in. But, as far as your concerned, I'm in charge."
Carver spoke up, crossing his fingers behind his back. "If you find our uncle, Gamlen Amell, you might just have a few less refugees bothering you."
"Gamlen?" The captain asked. "I know that name…"
"He's a nobleman here in the city," Leandra said. "Our family has an estate."
"A nobleman?" The captain said amused. "The only Gamlen I know is a piss poor gambler who couldn't rub two coppers together. Bit of a weasel." He sighed. "Tell you what, he comes back, I'll bring you to him. But I don't have time to_"
"What?!" One of the men spat, outraged. "You're going to let them through?"
"I didn't say anything about_" The captain said, shaking his head.
"We've been here for FOUR days! They only just got here!" A blonde man yelled, pointing accusingly at Hawke who only scoffed back.
"That is!" The leader said angrily. "We're carving our way out of here! MEN!"
"Fuck a duck," Hawke muttered, leaping into the fray.
Quicker than one would believe, the men were beaten and, if not dead, lay dying on the ground.
"Unbelievable," The caption muttered, kicking a corpse out of his way as he walked to stand in front of Hawke.
"No," She muttered under her breath. "Totally believable."
"Captain!" A Templar called running up. "Are you all right?"
"I am," He replied, glaring at the man. "No thanks to you. Where is everyone! GO find them. I want this under control! Now!"
Muttering something about the stupidity of his guards, he looked back at the group. "You have my thanks," He said sighing and shaking his head. "Look, I can't get you into the city. It's not my decision. But I'll find your uncle and bring him here."
"You have my thanks!" Liana called to the man's retreating back, the man waved off her thanks and disappeared through a closed door.
(Page Break)
Bit longer than what I normally write. This has actually been sitting on my computer for a while. I was not satisfied with some of the story of the game. This will somewhat follow the flow of the game. It will start out like that at least. Eventually it will break off from the main story and follow it less strictly. This may or may not include an OC or two. Might become a bit AU later on, actually that is pretty much a certainty. Anyway, updates will be about… once a month? Possible and hopefully sooner but I just had twins so they take up the majority of my time.