A/N Hey everyone! Here is chapter two of my story. As usual I do not own anything, all these wonderful character are property of Bioware, I'm just stealing them for a moment.


Seraphina Hawke glanced sadly at her companions as they walked across the fields of Ferelden on their way to Vigil's Keep. They were all tired, one can see it in the bags under their eyes and their pale faces. After the fight that ensured at Kirkwall they fled the city on Isabela's newly acquired ship and didn't look back for one single moment.

Hawke was sad to leave the city that had been her home for ten years, but understood that nothing else awaited her there except death. Her mother and sister were long gone, her brother Carver was somewhere with the Grey Wardens and even her uncle Gamlen decided to leave the city to its own devices and move to Antiva. Nothing was left in Kirkwall for Hawke and her friends.

On their first night on the ship, the Champion of Kirkwall gathered all candles she could find and lit them in the memory of those who died in an unjust and useless war. She remembered the mages that were pushed over the edge by the templars, but also the templars who had been good, but had no choice than to follow Meredith. She lit candles in memory of Keeper Marethani and the fallen elves, in memory of the sisters who died in the Chantry and in memory of her own family. As she lit candle after candle despite Isabela's protests that the ship will catch fire she wept and wept remembering all the happy plans she had made before the accursed Blight came upon their heads and tore all notions of freedom and happiness from her soul.

Now, a week later, their ship lay abandoned near the city of Amaranthine while they made their way on foot to Vigil's Keep tired and hungry, with low morals and even lower expectations. Anders especially looked hell bent to turn tails and flee with each passing moment. Hawke knew that only his love and devotement for her kept him close as he was forced to come closer and closer to the place that turned him in the direction of Kirkwall in the first place.

"Do we really have to do this?" Anders asked for the tenth time that day. "She might not even be there. When I left there was this Orlesian witch harping on everyone."

Hawke sighed and did not even bother answering. She didn't feel comfortable relying on the help of an almost legendary figure who may or may not help her. A figure clouded in mystery about whom some said that she was ten feet tall and shoots lightning through her eyes. She knew that wasn't true, but Hawke was still anxious about the upcoming meeting.

"Told ya before Blondie," Varric piped in, "my sources are certain that the Warden Commander is someone called Neria Surana and according to you that is her name. Having second thoughts?" The dwarf smirked upon seeing the mage's worried look.

"Of course I'm having bloody second thoughts! I left without turning back! I never contacted her and allowed her to think I'm dead! Then I bloody met Nathaniel Howe in the Deep Roads and surely she knows I'm alive and what I did! And she's my Commander! And I basically deserted!" He turned his eyes to the ground and sighed adding in a less worried voice "She was also my friend and I let her down."

"Come now, Blondie, I'm sure she'll forgive you!" Varric added and stepped a bit forward leaving Hawke and Anders in the rear. The woman gazed at him softly, her pale, blue eyes sparkling with pity and care.

"It'll be ok, Anders!"

They walked a few moments in silence until they reached the end of the hill. Vigil's Keep appeared in front of them, glittering in the sun, the banners of the Grey Wardens fluttering in the wind. Anders smiled to himself seeing the Keep returned to its former state.

"No point delaying the inevitable," he sighed "Let's go and meet her."

"Is it wise to ask the help of another mage?" Fenris asked with disdain in his voice. "So far they brought us naught, but trouble."

"We don't have many choices available, Fenris." Hawke sighed and moved forward."We can't be picky when presented with a situation like ours."

"A situation the mage brought upon us." The elf pointed out, but did not continue further. It was already bad enough he had to travel with an abomination and a maleficar, but to risk even more and ask the help of another mage was too much even for him.

As they got closer to the gates they spotted Grey Wardens guarding them and patrols inside the keep. Nobody looked prepared to stop them so they passed the gates and walked forward towards the entrance of the citadel. A young woman in her thirties at most was positioned next to the gate looking incredibly comfortable in her role.

"Greetings, ser! Who are you and what business do you have in the Keep?" the woman raised a gloved hand and her eyes widened a little upon seeing Anders, but she decided to say nothing.

"I am Sera Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall! I seek an audience with the Commander of the Grey!"

"Welcome, ser Hawke! We have been expecting you!" Hawke rose an eyebrow in surprise, but decided not to comment. "I am Sergeant Maverlies. The Arlessa is in the city of Amaranthine, but Senior Warden Howe will attend to you until she arrives."

"Looks like you'll have to worry a little longer, mage." Isabela smirked to herself as the party followed Maverlies down a long corridor.

"Thanks for reminding me, pirate!" The apostate replied in a dry tone as he trudged forward to the farther end of the corridor. Maverlies stopped in front of a deep red chestnut door and knocked twice. The door sprung open and Nathaniel Howe towered in the doorstep. He scowled darkly upon seeing Anders, but stepped to the left and allowed the party to move inside.

As soon as Hawke stepped in the room she could clearly notice it was not an office, rather a meeting chamber of some sorts. A huge, oval table stood in the middle surrounded by chairs on all sides. Nathaniel allowed them to take a seat and spoke:

"Welcome to Vigil's Keep!" glancing at some of those he had not yet encountered in the Deep Roads he added "I am Senior Warden, Nathaniel Howe. The Commander is away with business, but should arrive shortly. Until then I will ask a servant to bring you some food." He turned around, as if to leave, walked a few steps, then spoke to Anders with a surprisingly pitiful voice. "Just for the record, Anders, she'll be as furious as an Archdemon when she sees you. Good luck!" Nathaniel stepped outside and the door rang loudly behind him.

Anders paled and stepped up as if dashing for an escape any moment now. Varric glanced at him weirdly and placed a strong hand on his shoulder, putting him back in his place.

"Come on, Blondie, surely she can't be that bad!" the dwarf mused out loud.

"No, she's not. She's worse than anything you can imagine when she's angry! The woman killed a bloody Archdemon, isn't that enough proof for you?"

"Anders," Merill piped in with her sweet and calm voice "you're her friend. Surely you don't have to worry that much!"

"Oh, she won't kill me." Anders said morosely "She's just not gonna let me forget anytime soon that I was an ass and didn't keep in touch with her after I ran away. And she's probably going to kick my butt from her to Amaranthine!"

"See then, nothing to worry about." The blood mage concluded giddily and smiled at him.

A few minutes later, the food arrived and they were left to their own devices as Nathaniel was called away and didn't have time to return. More than two hours passed until the doors of the meeting chamber opened and a petite elf woman, with short, red hair and emerald eyes entered. She wasn't a rare beauty, but she held a certain charm and air of mystery around herself that had not receded with age. Her hands were marred with burn and bruises, clear signs of a life full of struggle and hardship. Hawke could easily see in the woman that stood in front of her, the one who assembled a band of allies then marched through a Blighted land to assemble and army and fight the Archdemon; despite being an elf, she held an air of confidence around her, head left high as if daring anyone to comment something of her.

The Warden turned her gaze to Anders and for a moment there was a look of relief and utter joy, before her eyes turned dark with anger and pointed to the door behind her:

"Out!" she said coldly and Anders looked startled at her.

"But, Commander!"

"Don't Commander me, Warden!" She was using his old title to show that he was still a Warden, she was still his Commander and she still held authority over him. "You will leave this room, remain outside the door and wait, understood?"

"Yes, Commander!" He got up with a sad sigh and left the room in silence, closing the door behind him.

"I am sorry for that. I promise I will not hurt him too much when this is over, but I have to talk some sense in that stubborn head of his. We all thought he was dead! I am Commander Neria Surana," she turned her head towards Hawke and nodded "You must be Hawke. King Alistair spoke highly of you."

"I… I am glad to hear that, Commander!"

"Please, I'm Commander only to the Grey Wardens and the guard from the Keep. Call me Neria or even Surana, if it's easier for you." She gazed at every member of Hawke's party and stopped startled upon seeing Isabela. Blushing furiously, she said in a wanna-be stern voice:

"That never happened!" Hawke and the others watched in confusion as Isabela started laughing merrily.

"Keep telling yourself that, luv!"

"Oghren got me drunk! And Zevran is the guilty one!" she sat down next to Merill and glared at Isabela.

"Not one word!" Neria added.

"My lips are sealed, dear!"

"Now that everything is out of the way I wish to hear what brought you here. My fellow Wardens already brought news of what happened in Kirkwall, but I want to hear your side of the story. I was led to believe that although Anders is the immediate cause of the uprising, there have been stirrings for a long time now. There also has been news that both the Knight-Commander and the Senior Enchanter have both been pushed over the edge."

"That is putting it mildly, Commander!" Varric interfered "The Knight-Commander was almost possessed by a statue my fool of a brother found in the Deep Roads and the mage turned to blood magic."

Surana closed her eyes sadly. There had been many times during the Blight when she had toyed with the thought. It would have been so easy, to get more power, to stop the Blight faster, yet she never gave up and fought the temptation. But she partially understood the others…

"I had not known these facts. I'm eagerly waiting to hear more, but perhaps the story is too long and you are weary. I have been a poor host and it is already quite late. I will have rooms prepared for you and for Anders providing he's still in once piece after I deal with him."

Neria was intrigued by Hawke and by the company she kept. The woman was strong and had a charisma that clearly drew others to her. She was always on her guard, her blue eyes calculating everything with every glance. Her friends, that much was clear, would die for her is she asked them to. But she never would as she valued their safely more than anything. Otherwise she would have never taken refuge in Fereldan, rather joined the battle.

"I have one more thing I wish you ask of you, Hawke!" Neria smiled kindly "As I have been such a poor host until now, I would really wish to be properly introduced to your friends."