As promised the fate of Marian Hawke from Love Thy Enemy which has been discontinued. Enjoy!
Leandra paced all around the mansion in desperation. Anxiety radiated from every pore on her skin. Her grandson, Little Malcolm, sat staring at his grandmother with frightened eyes. He had seen her like this for days, and he wasn't sure why. He thought maybe it had something to do with his mother's disappearance, but he was still a small boy and didn't know much. He missed his mother dearly and seeing his grandmother in this state scared him.
Realizing she was frightening the child, Leandra stopped and faked a smile. She sat down and held the boy in her arms. She kissed his head and whispered kind things in his ear.
Leandra's mind was so pre occupied with wondering and worrying over Marian's whereabouts. She had gone missing a few days back after going to visit Gamlen and deliver food to his house in Lowtown as she always did. Marian had promised she would be right back and at the last minute decided to leave Malcolm at home. Hours turned into days , and Leandra grew restless. It was not like Marian to just run off.
She didn't know what to think and prayed for her eldest to come. The front door opened suddenly to Garrett and his companions. Leandra left Malcolm'a side and ran over to her eldest. Her son wrapped his concerned arms around his mother.
"Gamlen said you needed me. Are you , Marian, and Malcolm alright, Mother?" He asked while looking her over for any injuries.
Leandra wept, "It's Marian! She's been missing for almost a week! She said she would be right back! I don't know what's happened to her! You must find her!" She begged.
Garrett stared at his Mother in disbelief, " Marian's...missing?," he whispered. That couldn't be, this was Marian. She was tough. Surely she just...got caught up in some business. Yes that was it.
"I'll find her mother. Just wait here with Malcolm and I'll bring her back. I promise. Where was she last?" he asked.
"She was on her way to Lowtown to deliver some food for a visit with Gamlen,". Leandra responded.
Garrett nodded slowly, "Alright. We'll start. Isabella," he said turning toward the rogue, " stay with my mother and Malcolm and make sure they stay safe. The rest of you follow me," he ordered.
Varric made his way up the group and walked beside Hawke as they exited the Amell estate. He was concerned about Lady Hawke. It wasn't like her to just run off. Varric knew something was very wrong. His gut told him so, but Garrett didn't need him predicting the worst.
"We'll find her, old friend. She's probably waiting for us this very moment to bring her some cheese and wine," Varric pitched.
Garrett smiled faintly, " I hope you're right,"
He looked up at the sky and prayed he would find his sister.
Their searched turned far more deadly than anyone had anticipated. They met with Gamlen and soon discovered Marian never made to his home. He was concerned about his niece. She was the only one out of his nieces and nephews that did not judge him for his lifestyle choices. Every visit she only asked how he felt and he came to tell her things he never told anyone in his entire life. Finding her was something important to him.
"I know a guy who can help us out, but it's going to cost us,"
Garrett looked at Gamlen in disbelief, "He would charge us for information regarding my sister?!" he shouted.
"Listen I want to find Marian just as much as you. Remember boy:this is the under city. Everything here comes at a price," Gamlen responded to his high and mighty nephew.
Garrett shook his head, "Gamlen it isn't right. Giving-
Gamlen jabbed his finger into Garrett's armored chest"It ain't right but I don't see any other way to find the girl. She and Leandra visited me weekly to make sure I was doing fine while you were off on your adventures. They were always worried about you, with your good diplomacy. Well your damn righteous personality isn't going to find her! We may be different men, but I'm willing to go to extremes for the ones I love. Can you say the same?"
Garrett remained quiet because he wasn't sure how to answer his uncle. Gamlen took his silence as an answer and set up the meeting.
Thanks to the urchin, they found out, something, or someone, had lured Marian off her initial course. However, their bodies stiffened when the man told them to follow the red trial.
Garrett knelt to the floor and picked up some red dirt in his hands. It smelt of metal...it was blood. He remained still as he shook at the turn of events. Varric placed a hand on his shoulder and told they had to keep moving for Marian's sake. Garrett nodded sadly before standing. However, his chest tighten as began fearing the worse.
I can't lose it. Not now. She's alive...I just need to keep thinking that. She's not dead. She can't be dead he thought.
They continued following the trail of blood until they reached the entrance of the Dark Foundry. The path of red continued onwards until it reached a trapdoor.
Nothing could have prepared them for what they saw: bodies of mutilated women laying wasted on the ground as if they were worthless. Garrett heard one of his companions sob slightly at the sight of lost of life. He reminded himself of what he had said earlier...he needed to stay strong.
Suddenly, the women's corpses rose from the dead and began attacking them. They were able to dispatch of them quickly, and when they searched the bodies for any identification. As the looked, they saw a number of strange things: missing feet, detached arms,...and things too painful to think about.
"The pain these women must endured...rest in peace," Merrill said while watching the deceased with sad eyes.
As they battled their way through the area, they realized something was sinister at work. They had gathered a series of notes written by theabductor of these women and figured out that blood magic or something worse was at work. The notes read:
Entry 1
Used quicklime to preserve her feet. Unsure whether texture of the skin is to my liking. Will try other methods.
Entry 2
Mharen... it's a pretty name. I saw her hands. Long, slender fingers. Fair skin—the hands of a lifelong scholar. Oh, to lock my own clumsy fingers in hers again...
Entry 3
Today is our anniversary. Had hoped to complete my work before now, but one piece is missing. I'm so sorry, love. Please wait a little longer. I haven't forgotten my promise.
When I see it, I'll know. I would know that face anywhere.
Entry 4
It's close, now. My long wait is almost over.
Am I doing the right thing? It all seemed so clear to me, but now... what have I become? When did this happen? Someone will eventually try to stop me. I've left too many clues for them not to. When they come, should I try to stop them? Maybe the Maker took her from me because I deserved to lose her.
No. It's too late for me to stop, now. The Maker will need to stop me if he thinks I need to be stopped.
No one else.
Garrett fears were coming true, "What in the Maker's name is going on here? ," he turned to his companions, "I just want to bring her home."
"We're with you Hawke," Fenris replied.
As they moved further along, they saw a shrine with a picture of a woman in the center. They all stared wide-eyed at the uncanny resemblance the woman had toward Marian and Garrett's mother, Leandra.
"What..is this?," Garrett finally said.
"That woman in the portrait looks a lot like your mother and sister," Aveline replied.
"It looks like a shrine dedicated to a wife or sister," Anders added.
Garrett shook his head. Whoever was behind this, they targeted Marian for this reason. Who knows what the person was doing to her. The thought of Marian curled up in and being tortured was too much for Garrett.
"We need to find her. Now,"
They entered the last hallway and found a man talking to someone in a chair with their backs turned to Garrett and his companions. As if knowing they were there, the man turned toward them and smiled evilly.
"Marian told me you would come to get her,"
Garrett rushed him, "Where is she, you bastard!"
The man grew defensive, "You'll never understand my work! Your sister was chosen for something greater than her own life in this world," he responded.
Garrett was tired of his games, "Save me the demented rambling! Where is she!" he yelled angrily.
The man smiled, "She is here. She is waiting for you. I have done the impossible. I have touched the face of the Maker and lived," he walked back toward the person in the chair before continuing, "Do you know what the strongest force in the universe is? Love," he placed a hand on the woman's shoulder lovingly, " I pieced her together from memory. I found her eyes, her skin, her delicate fingers...," he stood up her up and cupped her face gently, "And at last, her face...oh, this beautiful face.
He held her hands and continued his rambling, "I've searched far and wide to find you again, beloved, and no force on this earth will part us," and he released the woman.
She shook as she turned to face Garrett and his companions. The world came crashing down as Garrett came face to face with his sister's cold face. Marian was pale as snow with stitches holding patches of skin together. What was the once beautiful girl was no more. She was no more than an object of desire to this maniac. Garrett glared at the reality of the situation.
The man raised corpses and demons from the ground intending to keep Marian from reuniting with her brother. However, no force on this land would prevent Garrett from rescuing his sister. Not even the Maker himself.
The last of the man's minions fell at Garrett's feet. Emotions threatened to overtake him but he didn't allow them to. He heard uneasy footsteps and turned to see Marian shambling toward her big brother. Her pale face longed to be with her loved one. She fell into his arms as Garrett eased her to the ground while he held her lovingly. A single tear escaped Garrett's eye as he felt how cold Marian was. He gently held her frail hands in his.
Varric looked down at the Lady Hawke, and remembered her laugh and smile. He couldn't bear looking at her like that: fragile and on the verge of death. It would not be wise to try and speak to his friend at this moment. Varric decided it was best to give the siblings their space.
Aveline grimaced at the sad scene before her. It broke her heart to know that the woman she had regarded as a sister was now...all but gone. No one deserved to die like her, no one. Marian was a loving mother and wonderful friend. She wanted to make people laugh. She may not have been the most responsible, but motherhood brought a little adulthood out of her. It was not fair.
Marian rested in Garrett's arms, and felt safe for the first time since being captured. She knew he would come...he always did. When they were small, he would hold her like this when she had nightmares or when she would fall down and get hurt. Garrett would then sing to her, and remind her of the type of person she was. It always made her feel better.
Even now, as death and pain claimed her, his embrace made her feel better. He gave her a little warmth to the cold darkness that was taking over. It wouldn't be much longer now, Marian felt it in every bone in her body. She didn't want to leave her brother crying.
"There's nothing I can to do. His magic was keeping her alive," she heard Anders faintly.
She smiled tenderly. Her big brother was still trying to save her. That was just who Garrett Hawke was...always trying to save the world, and everyone in it. It didn't surprise her one bit that he was trying to protect her from her own death.
Marian felt a hot tear land on her face. She struggled, but eventually wiped away the trail it left on Garrett's cheek, "I knew you would come," she whispered.
Garrett stilled her when he heard the struggle in her voice. He needed to keep her alive so they could help her, "Don't move, Marian. We'll find a way to...
Marian moved her hand to cover Garrett's mouth with little success, "Shh...Don't worry, Garrett. That man would have kept me trapped in here. He would have kept using any blood magic at his disposal to imprison me here," she paused before regaining her voice, "Now...I'm free," she smiled and looked up at the ceiling absently as a faint light streamed through calling her name, "I get to see Father...and Wilhelm again. But...my little Malcolm will be alone with you, mother, Bethany, and Carver," Marian said sadly as a tear escaped the corner of her eye.
Garrett clenched his jaw, "We'll be fine. Don't worry about Malcolm, we'll take care of him. I promise," Garrett vowed.
She smiled knowing her son would be fine. Marian looked tiredly at Garrett and saw how much had grown since they were kids. When they were little, Garrett had always told Marian that he was strongest when she was by his side. She never bought it seeing as how amazing he was on his own. Still he would repeat it to her. Marian thought it was maybe to make her feel better, considering she was the middle child. However, there was never a second she felt left out or under loved despite being the middle child.
"My big brother has become so strong. You always said you needed me, but you didn't. You were fine just the way you were. You didn't need anyone telling you what was the right thing to do. You just did it without a second thought. I remember father said about you and Carver...his little soldiers. He was so proud of you both and he regretted not spending more time with you,"
Garrett shook his head at her guilt, "He had you and Bethany to think about. He taught us what he could. Carver was able to get on the warrior's path just fine,"
Marian grimaced her younger brother's name. They had not spoken to each other since their falling out over his choice in becoming a templar. He probably hated her. She said some nasty things she shouldn't have, but at the time she only saw red. She blamed him for Bethany being sent to Circle shortly after and called him a traitor. Now on her deathbed, Marian would take all of that back and say sorry. However, everyone pays for their actions eventually.
"Tell the twins I love them both. Tell Carver...I'm sorry for what I said, " tears flowed from her eyes like a waterfall, "and that I didn't mean any of it. Tell my baby and Mother I always be watching and they won't have worry about me. Please...still visit Gamlen and promise me you'll try harder to keep the family together,"
His voice shook slightly from the emotion's trying to break through, "I promise,"
The life in her was just about gone. She had only moments left, "I'm so proud of you. You're going to change this world...," she willed herself to say one last thing, "...I...Love...You big brother," then darkness overtook her.
Her spirit saw Wilhelm's and her Father's outstretched hands, and she took them. They were reunited at last.
Garrett carried his sister's cloth wrapped body all the way to Hightown. He remained stone faced and expressionless at the confused glances being thrown his way. he didn't care if he looked crazy. He just wanted to bring his sister home.
The trip to the Amell Estate was a quiet one. Aveline wanted to reach out and comfort Garrett but knew better than to right now. When they arrived outside the door she stopped him before he went inside.
His eyes asked why, " We need to make sure the boy is not to see his mother like this. I don't think Marian would've wanted that." She explained.
Garrett gave his consent and allowed Aveline to enter. Leandra sat anxiously with Isabella nearby while Malcolm played with a toy horse his mother had bought him. Little did he know his mother was lay cold and lifeless in his Uncle Garrett's arms outside the front door.
Leandra saw Aveline and ran to her hopefully, "Ah Leandra," she began, " perhaps you should take the little one upstairs. Garrett's had a long day," Aveline explained.
Leandra face grew worried but she complied with Aveline's request, and whisked Malcolm to his room. However, when she returned her grew stern.
"Aveline," she said firmly, " I want to see my daughter,"
The guardswoman nodded reluctantly and opened the door. Garrett walked in stiffly with no emotion until he winced at his mother choking back a sob. He gently lay Marian's wrapped corpse on the table. Leandra ran to her daughter and cradled her cover face.
In her tears, Leandra began to undo the bindings that kept the fabric together when Garret stopped her. He shook his head sadly, and Leandra wept even more. He didn't want his mother to see Marian...like that. Garrett wanted her remember her as Marian was.
His companions left one by one to give his family the privacy in this difficult. Even Fenris, who constantly fought with Marian about magic, didn't wish her fate on her.
Leandra held Marian's body tightly and continued crying. She whispered for Marian to wake up. She refused to accept she was dead.
Garrett knelt down next to his mother and placed his hands on his mother's shoulders. She buried her face into her chest. Varric stood in the doorway as his friends filed out. Leandra's tear stained face reflected what they all felt. He finally walked away, but not hearing Leandra's cries of pain.
"My little girl...why her?!" he heard her ask while leaving. To Varric, it was question plaguing his mind as well.
A mother's heart was broken that eve.
Garrett sat staring into the flames in his private chambers. Every emotion still felt raw from the day's events. It was hard to believe the laughing woman that was Marian was gone. He sighed heavily. He hated magic with all his heart. Garrett had been understanding, but...this was too much. He would never forgive the scar magic placed on his family.
While thinking to himself Gamlen entered. His face fell when he saw his nephew's demeanor. He had to know what happened...for sure.
"Did you find her?," Gamlen asked.
Garrett hesitated before answering, "I'm sorry...she's gone,"
The news hit Gamlen like a slap to the face. His eyes became moist and tears threatened to fall. He clenched his fists against his leg in attempt to get a hold of himself. Marian...was gone.
"I can't believe she's gone," he finally said.
Garrett remained staring into the flames, "I was too late to save her," he replied.
Gamlen's brows knitted in fury, "So you're to blame! If you'd been quicker or stronger...you could've..."Gamlen began crying,"...she could be...," and his control over his emotions left him and tears rolled down his cheeks, "Why her? Why Marian?" he sobbed.
His nephew rose to face him, "She's gone, and no amount of mourning will bring her back,"
"Where's the one who did this to her? Did you kill the one who did this to Marian?," Gamlen asked bitterly. He hoped that bastard got what he deserved.
"Yes," Garret replied.
Gamlen took comfort in that. Her death did not go in avenged. He would need to break the news to the twins, however. Garrett had enough issues to deal with. He didn't need to tell more death.
"I'll go see to Bethany and Carver in the Gallows and Cirlce. They'll want to know about this. Take care, my boy," Gamlen said before walking away.
Once more, Garrett was alone with only his thoughts to comfort him. His mother was still with Marian's lifeless body, refusing to leave her alone. He didn't want to argue with her, so he let her be. Everyone mourned in their own way. As Aveline told him in his sadness...it was a person's choice on how much or how little they mourned.
'And when they tell you move on' she said,' take them by their hand and say 'My choice'
'It is your choice on how you mourn'
So ladies and gents how was it? You now know what became of Lady Hawke. I placed her in Leandra's place for All that Remains. Also, Bethany and Carver live because that is how I roll. Anyways hope you enjoyed reading this, and got some feels.