Legacy of the Hawke

Chapter 2

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" the younger male muttered, rubbing a large hand through his short, dark hair as he turned to cast a sidelong glance at the elder male beside him. "Say what you want. But, for once, a girl's finally interested in me, and not the great Garrett Hawke!"

Sputtering slightly, taking note of the amused chuckle from the dwarf behind them, the blond stopped in his tracks, scowling up at the other. "Never said I was interested in the pretty little elf girl, Carver." He shrugged, resuming stepping along the rugged trail, leading deeper into the Vinmark Mountains. "That was all you, brother."

"Which is probably why she's more interested in Little Hawke than Hawke," Varric, the dwarf, chuckled from behind the bittering brothers, gently patting the crossbow slung across his back. The younger male – Carver, turned to settle his glare upon the dwarf as the one the dwarf named as 'Hawke' laughed out loud.

"Who are you calling 'little', dwarf?" the young man scowled darkly, dark brown eyes narrowing slightly as he felt his face heat up. Standing over three inches taller than his more slender mage brother, the well-muscled warrior deeply resented being labeled with the nickname 'Little Hawke'.

"'Little' in this context has little," the dwarf chuckled again as the mage hid his grin behind a slender, long fingered hand, "to do with size," brown eyes glittering with mischief, the dwarf added, "Junior."

His scowl deepening, the young warrior turned from his companions, ignoring the grins on the faces of the two women trailing behind. "I hate you, dwarf," he muttered with venom as he clomped along the stone-strewn mountain trail.

"Love you too, Little Hawke," Varric grinned at the amused look upon the elder Hawke's fine-featured face.

"I'd think your biggest concern would be her learning of your…visits to the Rose," the dark skinned woman sauntering along at the back of the pack, quipped, amusement dancing within sultry, golden brown eyes.

"I…I…" Carver stuttered, turning quickly to glare at the woman, who merely smiled brighter at his discomfort.

With a chuckle, Isabela raised a dark hand. "Have no worries, there, Pup," she smirked. "I wouldn't dream of interfering with…true love."

Everyone – even Aveline – chuckled at the young man's expense as he cast a scathing glare at them and turned his back.

Seeking to soothe his brother's ruffled pride somewhat, Garrett stepped up to the taller of the two, patting a hand to one strong shoulder. He could break me in two, the mage thought as Carver turned an angry eye to his elder sibling. Sighing, knowing full well that the teasing from the dwarf – coupled with his own amusement at said teasing – was doing little – he chuckled – to ease the ever growing tension between the brothers.

"She is very pretty," Garrett offered, smiling slightly as Carver shrugged his hand from his shoulder. "A definite step up from Peaches."

"She's not just pretty, she's beautiful." With a sigh, Carver turned to his brother. "There is no comparison," he said in a strong voice. "Peaches…" the young warrior shrugged again, turning back to the path, kicking at the loose dirt and stone at his feet. "'Sides, Peaches only…liked me to get closer to you."

"And you know she never stood a chance with me," Garrett smiled. "Not nearly delicate enough."

Snorting, Carver scowled. "Then why aren't you interested in…" A light dawned in his eyes as a snide smirk crossed his handsome features. "Unless it's Fenris who's caught your eye."

Shaking his head, Garrett responded, "No, no…as much as I think our Tevinter elf is beyond exquisite, he hates me. I think I rather like all of my internal organs to remain internal, thank you very much." Sighing heavily, glancing back at the all too interested dwarf following them, the mage stepped closer to his brother. "I just…don't want to get into any…entanglements right now." He shrugged. "As much as our elven companions may….hold an interest for me," he chose to ignore the scowl that deepened upon his brother's face. "I'd much rather concentrate on first taking care of this Carta matter and then getting through the expedition. Once we're set…once Mother is safe and sound somewhere other than Lowtown, maybe, just maybe I can relax…"

"I get it, I get it," Carver said in a soft voice, reaching over to pat his brother's shoulder. "I don't mean to be an ass about things, Brother," he almost sighed at the surprised glance he earned from his elder. "Sometimes, when I actually get something I want, well…"

"You just wait for the rug to be pulled out from under you," the apostate nodded. "That's been your whole life. Having a mage for a father and then two mage siblings has been difficult for you." Gazing at his brother sidelong as they continued along their path, Garrett said in an even quieter voice he knew his listening brother could hear well. "There have been many times when I thought that my and Beth's going to the Circle would have been the best thing for you and Mother." He ignored the scowl that had taken full hold of Carver's mouth and brow as he pushed forward to continue. "You have given up everything – friends, a stable home, girls, even being able to join the local militias – because we could not allow close scrutiny of the family. Because we had to be prepared to pack up and move if someone found out a family of apostates lived nearby."

"I understood…" Carver began, but Garrett cut him off.

"Of course you did," the young mage frowned at the anger within his own voice. "It was drilled into your head since you were born simply because Father and I were mages. And then when Beth's talent emerged..." His gaze upwards became more intense, and Carver had to look away. "But, really Carver, was it fair to you?"

Silence reigned between the two Hawke siblings as the words were absorbed by both. Finally, Carver spoke. "We had to protect the family."

A small smile crossed Garrett's features, his blue eyes – his father's eyes – softened even further as they gazed upon his youngest surviving siblinng. He really wanted to hug his brother, but knew full well that Carver would never allow it. Instead, he said, "Just, know that both Beth and I knew how unfair it was to you and Mother. That, we had to protect three other members to the detriment of the two of you."

"At least I got to join the army," Carver offered, his attempt to ease his brother's obvious guilt-ridden conscience.

Snorting, the mage turned his gaze to the back of their pack, where Aveline – tall, strong, proud – strode beside their darker skinned friend, Isabela, trying to ignore…whatever was pouring from the pirate's mouth. "Yeah, I know. But, even that was taken from you before you could earn your way through as you deserved."

Shocked, Carver could think of nothing to say in reply, and so just walked silently beside his elder brother, feeling just a little bit closer to the one member of his family he strove on a daily basis to antagonize and heap the blame for his life upon. It had been unfair of him, he knew it. After all, it was not Garrett and Beth's fault they were born mage-blooded. It ran in both sides of the family. And yet, their parents still married, still had children, knowing full well the outcome. The young warrior knew full well where any blame should lay. But, Carver would never say such a thing to Garrett. His elder brother worshipped their father and adored their mother; had taken up the mantle of protector and head of the family when their father passed away a few years ago to some unknown affliction.

Garrett had proven an easier target for his ire. The mage was easy going, all too accepting of his role as the midden heap, as it were. And Carver, with his envy of the time the elder Hawke brother spent with their father, jealous of the pride his mother shown to the blond Hawke – the only one of her children to resemble their father in every way - found it all too easy to heap that refuse upon Garrett's more slender yet remarkably strong shoulders.

Yup. He, Carver Hawke was an ass.

He was startled from his revelries as Varric stepped up to the pair, calling a halt to the group. Looking up, he took note that they had reached a stone bridge, crumbling from years of wear, overlooking a deep chasm scorched deep into the valley of the Vinmark Mountains.

"Well, according to my sources, this leads to where the idiot Carta are holed up," the dwarf remarked in his deep, dry voice.

"You seem concerned," Aveline observed from her place at the back.

Turning to look over at the tall human woman, Varric's frown deepened. "There shouldn't even have been a 'here'," his voice was laden with confusion. "This entire area is a blind spot on the map."

"But you are certain it was from here our assailants are headquartered?" Garrett asked, frowning as Varric nodded.

"My sources are never wrong," the dwarf reiterated.

"Well, whoever they are, they need to be stopped," Aveline's strong voice cut in, annoyance clearly in her tone as she stepped up to the pair of men she considered family.

"Daft in the head," Isabela remarked as she sidled up beside Garrett, cocking a hip in what she considered a provocative stance.

"What's the plan, Hawke?" Varric asked, as always trying to keep things on track.

"Oh, I don't know," Garrett drawled as he looked over the expanse of the chasm below. "I thought we'd just ask them to stop. That, there must be some misunderstanding."

"Oh," Varric mimicked Garrett's drawl. "You're Hawke? I thought it was Locke. My mistake."

"Sure," Carver's anger tinged voice interrupted over the chuckles and laughter of his companions. "Joke about it. Figures."

Shaking his blond head, Garrett patted his brother on the back. "Better than getting all upset, yes?" That only earned him a stern glare. "Fine, fine. Come on…let's go and see what we can learn about this particular mess."