Authors Note: Sweet, reviews already. I love reviews. All of them.

To "A Random Internet Stranger ", since there was no reply link, you tricksy bugger: Thanks for the grammar/otherbits, this is why I should get a beta reader. I actually did go back and fix the numbered things. As for the rest, keep in mind that it was a letter written by a man who's out of the circle for the first time ever. And he wants his cousin to be able to picture his strange new friends. And, being a (straight) man, he fails at describing other men. At least, when I ask one of my guy friends "well what did he look like?" they go... "I dunno. He had brown hair and was a dude"... (also, Amell did mention Alistair's hair and said templars fascination with it, so he didn't skip him entirely)

And honestly, it is not my intent for Lyna to be taken as a mary-sue. Again, it's written in letter format, from the perspective of someone who's been enclosed with a not super large group of people for his whole life. He thinks Alistair might be getting a bit of a crush? Well what's wrong with a little hero worship? (So yeah, actually, I guess it was sort of deliberate... but that's just from Amell's perspective.) I'm really just describing my Warden from my other DA stories with a heavily biased male-mage-guy thought pattern, I swear. Don't worry though, descriptions of people were mostly reserved for the first letter.

On with the show!

Messere Amell,

So... hello. I must say, the letter (novel, really) you sent was, as you thought, very unexpected. I wasn't sure what to make of it at first. Let me clear it up, first though. My mother is Leandra Hawke, formerly Amell, and she grew up in Kirkwall. So yes. Hello, cousin! Mother mentioned you once, when she was muttering about how magic runs in our family. Yes, my father was the apostate you heard of, though he died a few years back. And Bethany, my baby sister, was a mage as well...

We lost her, though, as we fought our way through the darkspawn trying to get away from Lothering to the sea, so we could make it to Kirkwall where the Amells were supposed to have an estate. Where we could hopefully start over. Carver, my little brother, Bethany's twin, made it though. Is it terrible to wish I could go back, so they could switch places? I suppose it is. Don't get me wrong, I love my brother. But we fight, all the damn time. Bethany was so full of life... Mother blames me, I think, and so does Carver, for her death.

But how was I to stop her from trying to kill that ogre? It wasn't my damn fault she didn't avoid it when it reached out and snatched her up. I was trying to shove Aveline off me. If anyone is to blame, it's Aveline...

That's not fair. Let me explain. Aveline is a warrior we met on the roads, along with her husband, Wesley. Wesley was a templar, but he didn't make it much longer then poor Beth. He'd contracted the blight at some point, and we ended up having to put him to the knife...

So the ogre rushed in, bowling us all over. Bethany fell into mother on one side, Aveline fell into me on the other. Carver got thrown back, knocking poor Wesley down. And Aveline, being a warrior, is a lot heavier then she looks. Bethany got to her feet first, and then she died...

Sorry. I got a little maudlin there.

I have to say, cousin, that your letter was... well, rather fascinating. A bit like some of the novels mother used to read. Fantastical stories of strange companions coming together from diverse backgrounds in a crisis, only to pull through in the end, saving the entirety of Thedas!

I only hope your story ends so triumphantly. Your... clan mates... I have to try not to giggle at the phrase, by the way... they sound very interesting. I hope you'll write again, and tell me more about them, as you get to know them all better. I almost wish I was still in Fereldan. Then I could track you down, give you all a hand... After all, what is family for?

Alas, I have to stay here, take care of Mother and Carver and bloody Gamlen. Gamlen, if you didn't know, is my uncle. And he's a bit of a scoundrel. Apparently he lost the fortune left by his and mothers parents, then sold the estate. So we're all crammed into his little three room house in Lowtown, while Carver and I are basically indentured to a mercenary group to pay for the bribes we needed to get into this blasted city.

Only for a year, though. I hope, by the time we're done the servitude, to hear that you've triumphantly removed the head of the archdemon and saved us all from certain doom. If so, please send me a souvenir of some sort. A tooth, maybe? What does an archdemon look like, anyway? Does it have teeth?

Aveline is doing better then us, anyway. We got her in with our bribes, and she got a job with the city guard. She was an officer in the army at Ostagar. And did I mention that Carver was there too? I actually already knew about the betrayal you mentioned, more or less. That's why we were so late getting out of Lothering. We were waiting for Carver to return...

So... back to your companions. We have a bunch of qunari here, but they all seem to be the very large, horned variety. They shipwrecked or something, and now they just sit around in their compound making everyone nervous. I dunno, they seem alright. A bit rude, but if you're honest and don't show weakness, they aren't so bad.

Your elves sound interesting. I'll admit, I find elves fascinating. Especially the Dalish, though I find myself strangely more interested in hearing about your Antivan assassin. I've heard of the Crows. Mostly stories and gossip, mind you, but they're said to be extremely deadly. Careful, cousin. I jest, of course, but please, don't die. You're my last tie to Fereldan, and I'd hate to lose you so early in our parchmenty relationship.

See, I can make up words too. Honestly... 'goldy.' What sort of descriptive is that?

Morrigan sounds interesting. How's that crush you were obviously sporting. Still got it? Has she warmed to you yet? Based on what you've said, I think you're right, and we would get along rather well.

I'm going to suggest that you be careful of Leliana, though. We travelled a lot, as you can imagine, hiding Father and Bethany from the Templars, and I've been to Orlais. Was she a minstrel, or was she a Bard? They are not the same thing. If she was a minstrel, fine, good. But if she was a bard... well, then I wish you luck, what with two assassins and a murderer making camp with you.

Granted, Orlesian bards weren't just assassins, they did other things too. But... well, be careful. Maker, I find myself saying that to you quite a lot. Just do it, cousin. I'll never forgive you if you die before telling me the rest of your story.

Sorry this letter isn't as... lengthy as yours was, but not much has happened here. We managed to get into the city, and now my days are spent working as a mercenary working off our debt and trying not to get mugged at night. Lowtown is a rough place at night, let me tell you...

Anyway, that's all.

Hope to hear from you soon,

Your cousin (!),

Lilith Hawke, Fereldan Refuge and Red Iron Mercenary

ps, Yes, I in fact do have the Amell blue eyes. Carver too. Bethany had the most lovely hazel eyes... but there I go, getting maudlin again. I'll stop now.

Daylen paused, fingering the letter with a puzzled look. There was two inches of blank parchment at the bottom, and it felt... weird... to him. On instinct, he sent a pulse of magic into the paper, and was rewarded with a rather delightful surprise. There was more written there, hidden by magic.

I couldn't say elsewhere, in case this letter fell into the hands of the templars here, but I am also a mage. Obviously. The Circle here... it scares me, cousin. They keep the mages in an old Tevinter prison, and it's said the Knight-Commander is very harsh. I worry they'll catch me and lock me away, and then who will take care of mother and Carver? Carver is a good man, but he's young, and his jealousy makes him... rash. Imagine being the only sword in a family full of mages... I don't blame him for his ire, but I wish we didn't fight so much. It upsets mother. And me, if I'm being honest... Oh well. I'm running out of space, now. Hope this letter finds you, and not my future jailers. Keep writing, and stay alive!

The mage grinned and looked up, finding Alistair watching him with an amused look as he carefully cut up some cheese. "I was right, that Hawke family we heard of is related to me. And she wants me to keep writing!"

Daylen frowned suddenly, glancing down at the letter, and Alistair spoke up, "Something wrong?"

"Yes. Well, no. But she's an apostate, like her father was, and she's in Kirkwall. She hid a bit about the Circle there, and now I'm worried. It doesn't sound like a good place to be a secrety mage, you know...?"

Lyna stalked in then, muttering something about daft Arlessa's, and the conversation drifted away, back to more immediate problems. Like Conner, and the demon in his head. And the Arl's sickness...