Anders could not believe what he was hearing. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, Healer," The brown eyed woman, whose name Anders could not remember, said. "Four people came to the Lirene's store asking for you. Three were human and one was a dwarf. They claimed that they were Fereldan and had no intention of hurting you, but…"
"It still sounds like a Templar trap," Anders passed back and forth in his clinic trying to think of what to do.
"Healer, what are you going to do?" The woman gave Anders a worried look.
"So they are finally coming for us." Justice's voice said in his head. "And they will not take us without a fight!"
Anders had to fight to keep Justice under control. The last thing that he wanted to do was hurt the people who were trying to help him. This was not the time, not yet. Worst of all, there was a small chance, however remote, that these people were not really Templars.
"Are you alright?" The woman asked noticing the discomfort on Anders's face.
"I'm fine," He said quickly turning away from her. "I'm just worried."
The six other Fereldans who had come with her all said that they would fight to protect him, but he quickly told them no. His clinic was small, two-room dirty hovel with room only for six or seven patients with only one way in or out and no windows. In other words, it was a good place to heal and hide, but a death trap if anyone came to kill him. Plus, if they really were Templars, Anders knew that Justice would come out, and if Justice came out everyone who was in the clinic would be killed even if they were trying to help him.
"I don't know," Anders turned to face the woman. "Just keep as many people away from the clinic as possible just in case. I don't want innocent people getting hurt in a fight between me and Templars."
"Yes, Healer," With that, she turned and several others went with her leaving Anders alone in his clinic.
At least an hour passed and no one had come. Anders was starting to think that no one was coming.
Then the door opened with a bang. Anders grabbed his staff ready for a fight, but instead of the three humans and a dwarf, he saw a man holding a child who could have been no more than six years old in his arms.
"Healer, my son" The man's said in a frantic voice. "He fell, and won't wake up."
Anders cursed under his breath. This was the worst possible time for something like this. Of course, he could turn them away, but in his heart Anders knew that he would never do that.
"Place him on the cot," Anders ordered.
The man did as he was ordered. Anders placed his hand on the boy's head and used his magic to see if there was really anything that he could do. After all, there was only so much that magic could do.
"Your son is at death's door due to an injury on his back," Anders said gravely, "All things considered, he is lucky that he did not die instantly. I may be able to save him, but there is a chance that he will never be able to walk again."
"I don't care just save him," The man pleaded.
Anders closed his eyes and started to heal the boy. In his mind's eye, he could see the damaged part of his spine, and he started to heal him. Anders knew that he had to be careful or he would kill the poor lad. First he fixed the cracks in the bone, then he fixed the nerves in the spine, and then at last he healed the bruising. After the last piece of tissue was completely healed, the boy woke up.
Anders was not sure how long it took him to heal the boy, but it did take a lot out of him. Maker, that was difficult. Anders thought as he struggled to keep his balance. He could just barely hear the door open.
"I hope that this is the place, Varric," said a soft, but confidant female voice.
"It looks like the description Lirene gave us," answered a sarcastic sounding voice.
"They are here!" Justice's voice raged.
Anders grabbed his staff and turned to face small group of people by the door. "I have made this place a sanctum of healing and salvation. Why do you threaten it?"
The four people standing at the door seemed slightly taken aback by Anders. Just as he was told, there were three humans and a dwarf. Two of the humans were obviously brother and sister with their jet black hair and crystal blue eyes matching each other too much for it just to be chance. The third human was a ginger woman dressed in a guard uniform. The dwarf had no beard, something Anders had never seen with a dwarf, with strawberry-blond hair and with a large crossbow slung on his back.
"Strange to see a Grey Warden healing," The dark haired woman gave a quick glance to the boy Anders just healed, who was now leaving with his father, leaving the five of them alone. "I thought that you were all kill, taint, and save the world."
Anders was now quite sure that these people were not working with the Templars. "Did the Wardens send you to bring me back? Well I'm not going those bastards made me get rid of my cat. Poor Ser Pounce-A-Lot, he hated the Deep Roads."
"I would ask about the cat, but I think that introductions should come first," The dark haired woman stepped toward Anders and held out her hand. "My name is Marian Hawke."
"I'm Anders," Anders shook her hand.
While shaking Marian's hand, Anders felt a jolt of electricity shoot up his arm. Maker, she's a mage! Anders looked Marian in the eye, and she smiled a half lipped smile and seemed to understand that he understood.
"That is my brother, Carver," Marian let go of Anders's hand and gestured toward the dark haired man behind her.
"Are you…" Anders started.
"I'm not." Carver curtly cut him off.
"The guard is Aveline, and the dwarf is Varric," Marian gestured at the other two.
"Is this really necessary, Hawke?" Varric asked Marian.
"Yep," Marian said, giving the dwarf a cocky grin, "Otherwise, how can I feel fine with asking about the cat?"
Marian turned back to Anders. "You had a cat named Ser Pounce-A-Lot in the Deep Roads?"
Anders decided that he like Marian. "He was a gift a noble beast. Almost got ripped in half by a gunlock once, he swapped the bugger right in the nose drew blood too. The blighted Warden said he made me too soft, so I had to give him to a friend in Amaranthine."
Marian giggled.
"Remember why we are here, sister," Carver said through gritted teeth.
"You're no fun, Carver," Marian sighed. "We are planning an expedition to the Deep Roads, and any information that you have could save lives."
Anders was slightly taken aback at the request. No sane person would want to go to the Deep Roads. "I would die a happy man if I never had to think about the Deep Roads again."
Anders then thought about Karl. These people might be able to help. "Although, a favor for a favor. I do have maps of the Deep Roads in this area, but you will have to help me with something."
"Whatever it is I'll help you," Marian stated.
"Just like that?" Anders asked, "What if I wanted the Knight-Commander's head on a pike?"
Marian raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you want?"
"No, I just need to get my friend mage Karl out of the city." Anders waited to see if she would help or not.
"I'd help any fellow mage escape the Templars. Maps or no," Marian looked at Anders. "Where and when do we meet him?"
"At the Chantry just after midnight," Anders said.
"Then I will see you tonight," Marian and her friends walked out of his clinic.