Bec Note: OK! I've never written like this, and I'm only posting this to gauge you're interest and reactions. PLEASE! Tell me what you think? Does it suck? Was it confusing? Was it boring? Suggestions? If you guys don't like it and don't think I should continue, then please let me know Thanks!

Chapter 1: Hope

Carver Hawke had to admit: they made a great team, deadly even. Rosewyne was a fortress of power. Lightning sparked at her hands as she stuck down enemies right and left. She didn't let anything too close to Mother, and fought at his back, unafraid in the middle of a dark chaos. Bethany wasn't a battle mage like his older sister, but a healer. Every time Carver took a hit or Rosewyne screamed in pain, a blue light intchingly soothed away the hurt. Carver wasn't that bad of a fighter himself, survival had taken over. He followed his older sister, Rosewyne to what he hoped was safety. Her brown eyes blazed as she searched the hills. They had been running for what seemed like days. Carver was just thankful he reached their house in time, but doubts crept into his mind. Rosewyne wasn't the type to give up, she had been taking care of the family since their father died. But this… This was different.

"We can't just wonder… Aimlessly." Bethany said.

Rosewyne's eyes never left the lonely hills, "We stay together. No matter what."

A hissing sound ended the conversation. Carver heard the clash of metal, and cries of pain. Before he could figure out what was going on, his sister had bolted toward the sounds.

Great. A mage. Aveline and her husband Wesley had been fighting for days. The last thing they needed was more complications. Her resentment was stripped away however when the brown haired mage took down four darkspawn at a time with a wall of ice followed by a lightning bolt. Wesley was injured and as strong as Aveline was, she knew couldn't fight off the horde. A dark haired warrior fought at the mage's side, and soon all the darkspawn were slain, and they were out of danger… For now. Aveline felt an itching warmth surround her wounded side. Another mage appeared, with raven hair followed an older woman. The healer stepped closer.

"Apostate!" Aveline's husband stumbled protectively in front of her. "Keep your distance!"

"Well, the Maker has a sense of humor." the raven haired healer said. "Darkspawn and now a Templar. I thought they all abandoned Lothering."

"The 'spawn are clear in their intent, but a mage is always unknown. The Order dictates."

"Wesley-" Aveline began.

"The Order dictates…" He insisted taking another step toward the healer.

The battle mage stepped forward, her brown eyes narrowed. "Back away my sister, Templar." Aveline was surprised. For such a pretty thing, she was quite intimidating. Her dark eyes burned at her husband. She was about the same height as Wesley, with a thick strong body, but it was those eyes that worried Aveline. She was threatening.

"Dear, the saved us. The Maker understands." Aveline persuaded.

Wesley eyed the mage for a few seconds longer before yielding and stepping back.

"I am Aveline Vallen and this is my husband, Ser Wesley. We can hate each other when we're safe from the horde."

"I am Rosewyne Hawke. This is my sister Bethany, my brother Carver, and our mother Leandra."

Aveline nodded. 'Hawke' certainly fit this family. Their features were hawk-like, with strong noses and hard jawlines, but it was the protective and quick actions that made the name stick. The battle mage definitely studied their surroundings like a hawk. Aveline had to stifle a smirk at her last thought.

A truce was made and Rosewyne sighed internally. There was strength in numbers, granted no one here liked each other. Still, the eldest Hawke child was grateful for the strong woman and even her Templar husband. They worked well together with the new additions, but there was a dark cloud in Rosewyne's mind, shadowing their escape. She could not shake the feeling of doom. She looked at the Templar. His eyes were glassy and his skin pale, veins visible. Something was wrong. This was wrong. Nothing felt right since Carver busted through the door of their house two days ago. Rosewyne Hawke had never seen her brother so frantic, so worried. She loved her brother dearly, and she trusted him when he said they needed to leave, now. She just hoped they were going the right way, but something about the roar that sounded in the hills followed by shaking ground told Rosewyne otherwise.

An ogre strode toward the unlikely allies, roaring and showing death in its eyes. Rosewyne steadied herself at her brother's side and order Bethany and her mother back. Bethany did not listen.

"Maker give me strength." A fireball appeared in Bethany's hand, but it was not enough. The ogre was quicker than anyone thought. It reached out, grasping Rosewyne's little sister tightly. Her chest tightened when her sister screamed in pain. The ogre smashed Bethany to the ground twice then threw her aside like garbage. Leandra screamed after her baby. Rosewyne and Carver rushed forward, backed by Aveline.

Freeze. Lightning. Fire. Freeze. Lightning. Fire.

Rosewyne felt nothing but fear as she cast her spells, quickly slaying the ogre with her brother's and Aveline's blade, but it was too late. The damage was done. Her mother's sobs broke through the crisp silence and Rosewyne wished with all heart the ogre had snatched her and not her little sister. Kneeling beside her mother, Rosewyne stared at her sister. Blood covered her ruined face, and bone could be seen on her broken arms. Rosewyne muffled a sob and wiped away a stray tear. She had to be strong. They had to keep moving.

"We… We have to go, Mother. Bethany saved us—"

"I don't want a hero! I want my daughter! Why didn't you stop her! This is your fault!" Leandra collapsed into Bethany's beaten body, and sobbed loudly. Rosewyne hung her head. Her mother was right. This was all her fault. She felt a heavy hand fall onto her shoulder. She met the gaze of her bother, his eyes were shiny with unshed tears. Bethany wasn't just his sister. She was his twin. Rosewyne couldn't wrap her mind around what he must be feeling. The dark cloud in her mind grew as Carver pulled her up. The Templar stepped forward, and commended Bethany's soul to the maker. Rosewyne watched in somber silence, accepting the blame for all that had happened and vowing to save what was left of her family and the two strays they had claimed.

Carver leaned down and gently pulled his mother up, "If we stay here weeping the darkspawn will take us too. We have to go Mother, now." His voice was stern, and Rosewyne was thankful.

"Flames. We're too late." Aveline cursed. They were surrounded. Darkspawn poured from the hills. With a burst of ice sickles, Rosewyne dispatched the first line. Carver and Aveline took out the second, but it wasn't enough.

"There's no end to them!" Carver shouted over his shoulder as she sliced into one of the fiends.

"Then we die fighting!" Rosewyne's voice was steal.

Carver huffed. He had no intention of dying or letting his sister or mother die. Rosewyne would get them out of this. They might not see eye to eye on everything, but he knew his sister. She never gave up, never quit, never stopped. They would make it through this… They had to. For Bethany.

A mighty roar sounded on the battlefield. Darkspawn and human alike stopped and gaped at the cliff. A high dragon flew into the air calling down a storm of fire. Rosewyne's group backed away as it quickly became clear the dragon was targeting the darkspawn. The group watched as the mighty dragon roasted, clawed, and chomped all the darkspawn, then in a cyclone of fire and chaos, the dragon changed. Rosewyne immediately felt stupid for not sensing it sooner. This was no dragon. A well-aged woman clad in attractive armor sauntered toward Rosewyne. The battle mage stepped forward, the power rolling off the old woman was terrifying, but Rosewyne would not lose anyone else. No matter what.

"Well, well, what have we here?" The woman put her hand on her hip, and studied each person with harsh yellow eyes. They flickered to Rosewyne last, and the mage sore she saw a smirk in them.

Carver, sensing his sister's nerves, stepped forward at Rosewyne's side. The mage once again thanked the Maker for her brother. Behind them Wesley stumbled to the ground, Aveline at his side.

"It used to be we never got visitors to the Wilds, but now it seems they arrive in hordes." The dragon-lady's voice was dangerously calm.

"Careful." Rosewyne's eyes narrowed, "I thank you for saving us, but I know you're not dragon. You're much, much more."

The witch laughed, "As are you. If you are fleeing the darkspawn, you should know you're heading in the wrong direction." The woman turned to leave.

"So you're just going to leave us?" Carver asked.

"And why not? I spotted the most curious sight. A mighty ogre vanquished, who could perform such a feat? But now my curiosity is sated and you are safe… for the moment. If that not enough?"

Rosewyne was afraid of this mage… or whatever she was. She was dangerous, but she knew they couldn't make it without help. And this dragon-lady had already saved them once. Deciding, Rosewyne hoped her kindness would hold out a bit longer. "The darkspawn are everywhere, despite the hills seeming bare. I am no fool, we won't make it on our own."

"Such a smart little mage. Tell me brown eyes, where do you plan on going?" Yellow eyes flickered down Rosewyne's form, making her uncomfortable.

Carver answered, "Kirkwall." He stepped closer to Rosewyne.

"Hmmm, that seems quite the journey to simply flee the darkspawn."

Rosewyne rolled her eyes, "What do you suggest? I hear the Deep Roads are vacant now."

The woman laughed loudly, "Oh! You I like!" Rosewyne decided that wasn't exactly a good thing. She watched intently as the woman turned around, deep in thought. "Hurtled into the chaos you fight and the world with shake before you." She rambled. "Is it fate or chance? I can never decide."

Carver leaned in and whispered into her ear, "Are you sure we can trust her?"

"We don't have a choice." Rosewyne replied remembering the Templar's injury and their Mother's emotional state.

"It appears fortune smiles on us both today. I may be able to help you yet."

Aveline spoke up, "We're going to trust a Witch of the Wilds?"

Rosewyne tensed. She had heard the stories. Carver would tell them to Bethany when they were children to frighten her. Rosewyne couldn't help but laugh, Carver scared his twin every time. "There must be a catch." She finally said.

"There is always a catch!" The woman cackled. "Life is a catch! I suggest you catch it while you can!... I offer you this: I will get your group past the horde 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?'"

Carver breathed in deeply, he didn't like this, but sister was right. What choice did they have? Rosewyne voiced just that to the witch, the tightness in his chest did not ease. They made a deal, and Carver felt like they just sold their souls to a demon. When the witch turned to the Templar and his wife, Carver tensed even more. He had noticed something wrong with him, it never occurred to him it was the blight. He sighed sadly. It would seem his family wouldn't be the only one losing a loved one. His eyes glanced at his Mother. She was still holding Bethany, stroking her bloody face lovingly. His chest painfully tightened even more.

"You lie!" Aveline spat back at the witch when said it was too late. Carver watched as the disbelief faded into a sorrowful realization.

"She's right, Aveline. I can feel the corruption inside me." The Templar's voice was extremely strained.

"There must be something we can do." Rosewyne leaned down beside Aveline. Carver noticed that the red head didn't flinch or stop her when her hands glowed blue and hovered them over the Templar.

"The only cure I know is to become a Grey Warden." Flemeth offered.

"And they all died at Ostagar." The sadness in Aveline's voice did nothing for Carver's chest. Rosewyne dropped her hands helplessly.

"Not all. But the ones remaining are long gone."

"Aveline, listen to me." Wesley pleaded. "You must do this."

"No! I won't, I can't!"

Rosewyne wasn't sure how much more of this she could take. She wanted to run away and scream or cry, but instead she put up a strong front quickly, the one no one saw through, save Carver. Wesley was still pleading with his wife to end his suffering. Gently, Rosewyne placed her hand on Aveline's shoulder. "He's your husband, Aveline. I can't tell what to do."

Rosewyne watched with a heavy heart as she made a choice. Soft whispers of endearments were shared between the two then with her husband guiding her hands, Aveline drove a dagger into her his heart. A soft sob escaped her lips, and Rosewyne's chest tightened. She had already broken her promise. Someone else was lost.

"It gets no easier." Flemeth led the group away, leaving behind broken bodies of darkspawn, and loved ones. Failure and regret carried in their hearts.

Aveline felt like the world had just crumbled around her, crushing Wesley and all happiness with him. She searched the faces of those aboard the ship. She saw it in their eyes, a mirror of her own pain: death, loss, and regret. It seemed no one escaped Lothering unscaved. It was strange when she looked at Rosewyne Hawke and saw something else glimmering in her brown eyes. It wasn't the tears that gleamed in her mother's eyes, or the anger that darkened her brother's. It was something else, something Aveline couldn't quite place.

Leandra hadn't done anything but cried since that dreadful ogre killed her child. The warrior couldn't blame her, she couldn't imagine what it was like to lose a child. Though she had an inkling to her pain from her own loss. Carver was a strange lad. Instead of comforting his Mother or trying to as his sister did, he sat apart from them. He spoke to no one, never met the gaze of anyone, though his sister was certainly trying. Aveline wondered if this was his way of grieving for his sister, though he didn't seem the 'suffer in silence' type. He argued with his sister a great deal before boarding the ship. No, Aveline decided this was a rare action for Carver and it clearly worried his older sister.

Rosewyne stroked her mother's gray hair as she slept in her lap. She looked so calm, so peaceful, Aveline could hardly believe it. Though, she had not broken down herself, she doubted she looked as serene as the Hawke mage did. Aveline could only watch as the mage did everything she could to comfort her family. She was surprised when the mage sat down and talked to her about Wesley. She asked questions, and comforted her in a way that made Aveline feel like part of her family.

There was no warm welcome waiting for them at the gates of Kirkwall. Aveline was once again surprised when Rosewyne refused to back down. She earnestly sought a way into the city, but it was days before the Hawke's uncle arrived. Aveline frowned, he was a snake. Everything about him reeked of deceit, but she had no real option and staying with the Hawkes was the wisest choice.

Gamlen Hawke used his 'contacts' to arrange a meeting for the Hawke siblings and Aveline with two different groups that would pay their way in. Though, it soon became one group. The moment Gamlen mentioned mercenaries, Rosewyne dismissed it declaring she would not be a killer. This mage was slowly earning Aveline's respect. The survivors elected they would join a group of smugglers. Aveline didn't like it, but she agreed with Rosewyne. Killing people for money blindly wasn't something the once soldier wanted to do. Rosewyne settled things quickly, allowing Aveline to take charge at one point. Carver went along with his sister, though he offered disapproving stares and unhelpful comments.

The Hawke family and Aveline stood before the steps leading into the city. It looked ominous, with miserable painful statues placed about.

"Well, sister, we're here." Carver said, his eyes searching their new home.

"Not all of us..." Leandra commented sadly. Aveline nodded in agreement.

Rosewyne turned around, facing her family and Aveline. That gleam in her eyes sparkled as she raised her brow, "We have a home." She smiled, brightening her worn face. "Let's make the best of it." Her gleam sparkled, and it dawned on Aveline what it was. Rosewyne Hawke had lost her home, her possessions, and her sister… but what she never lost was hope and it glowed in her eyes.