A Life Reclaimed

Hawke stood at the window in the morning; the sky a dull grey. The day started out overcast, and the rains slowly began to fall. Despite the gloomy weather, the streets filled up quickly, as Nevarra City's residents opened up their shops and went about their business. Even in the dullness of the grim day, the city was beautiful – the lowliest of streets decorated with statues, carvings and murals on the sides of buildings. Tremendous gardens filled entire city blocks, and dotted the side streets between buildings instead of alleys. She imagined that many of those that came to the city were artisans, wishing to add their talents and designs somewhere to the landscape.

As she continued to look out the window, a group of people, wearing very familiar armour, caught her eye.

"Damn," she muttered to herself, as she eyed the soldiers carefully.

"Something the matter, love?" she heard a voice from behind her say as a hand rested on her hip and a kiss landed on her cheek. She did not take her eyes off the scene as she motioned out the window.

"Starkhaven soldiers," she said. "Here quicker than I expected."

"They can't know we're here," Anders replied. "Look…they're scouts. They are not in heavy armour. Probably came down the Minanter and landed here."

"I hope you're correct," she said. "But this will certainly make for a difficult exit from the city. Particularly if someone passes along information that we were sighted."

"So, perhaps we should just lay low for the morning. We'll take our time and prepare for the journey ahead of us," he suggested. The two watched as the soldiers walked out of view. She turned to face him, spinning straight into an embrace.

"Oh!" she said, surprised by his closeness.

"Good morning," he said, smiling warmly at her.

She smiled back, the trouble in her face being replaced by bits of serenity.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Your spirit has been quiet lately?" she questioned, though it was more of a statement than an inquiry.

"He has," Anders answered. "I wasn't sure if it was just me imagining the quiet in my mind, or if he has actually subsided."

"Truly though, the injustice against the mages is fading," she said. "Perhaps he is sated for the moment. I recall that things were similar after…"

"After fleeing from Kirkwall," he cut in, "yes, I know. But it didn't take long for the spirit to return to the forefront of my mind and take over my thoughts once again."

"Perhaps we need to keep you in a good mood then," she said. "There is no injustice in the world…there is no injustice in the world."

He laughed at her mantra, wishing the thought were true. He suspected that it would not be long before Justice was enveloping his mind again, embracing some new cause…seeking some new inequality to correct. He had spent the past four years fighting very hard to maintain some semblance of control over his mental guest, and at times, felt he was winning. The fact that he was still alive…still in the arms of his love was indicative of that in itself. Small victories were sometimes more rewarding than the bigger ones. All in all, the process was exhausting. He had aged significantly in too many ways.

"I can think of a few ways to keep me in a good mood," he said, smiling at her. He quickly glanced at the bed where the two elves lay sleeping, and the chair where Grymm was still completely knocked out. "You know…we could probably just…"

"Don't you even think of it, Anders," she scolded. "I refuse to engage in any such behaviour in front of our new friends."

"Killjoy!" he declared.

"Besides," she responded, "they'll find out soon enough. Poor Koehemar was almost witness to more than he was ready to see yesterday."

"And now he's traveling with us," Anders pointed out. "Perhaps he's looking to join in?"

"You're just awful," she said, swatting at him. He pulled her close and kissed her on the forehead. He released the embrace at the sound of a knock at the door. This time, Anders made his way to the door, as she walked towards the table to grab an apple from the tray from the night prior.

He opened the door and looked out to again see Mistress Valencia standing behind it.

"May I come in?" she questioned. Her face displayed worry, and there were no false pretenses behind her question. Anders stepped back and opened the door to allow her to enter.

Hawke heard the woman's voice and walked over to the entryway to the room. The woman nodded in her direction curtly.

"I apologize for the interruption," she said. "But I am concerned about something. I'll get right to the point. There were men here a short time ago asking for a pair of mages matching your descriptions."

Anders looked nervously at Hawke. The older woman saw the glance and nodded.

"You are the mages in question then," she said.

"Likely," Hawke responded. She described the armour on the group of soldiers she saw on the street earlier and Valencia nodded. She sighed. "Then they do know we're here."

Valencia shook her head.

"I was careful to not let on that I had seen you. I believe they accepted my word as truth," she said.

Anders breathed a sigh of relief. "I…how can we thank you for this?"

She smiled sweetly. "There is no need. I have owned this establishment for many years. What I saw between you…it reminded me of something I once had, long ago. My…daughter…was taken from me. She started to display…considerable talents…when she was five years old. Five years old…" Her eyes watered a little, but she continued. "My husband…he tried to stop them from taking her, but…they…killed him. They just…threw him off of them as he tried to grab for my little Melina, and he…he fell to the ground. His head…he landed on a…rock. He was dead shortly after, and my daughter taken."

She sniffed loudly, and Hawke took her hand in both of hers. She was no longer fighting back tears, and they flowed generously.

"I lost everything. I came to Nevarra City from the farming village we lived in, and never looked back. My daughter…I don't even know if she's still alive. You're both mages. I don't know what you've done. I don't care what you've done. But I refuse to turn over a mage to anyone."

Hawke thought back as best she could – considered every mage that she ever come across in the past four years. Melina…Melina…, she thought. Had she ever encountered the girl? She would likely have been through her Harrowing by this time.

"Wait," Anders said. "Didn't we encounter a Melina back in Cumberland? Dark haired girl…very gifted with entropic spells."

Hawke's mind flooded with the girl's image suddenly. She nodded. "I do recall a young woman with that name." She tried to remember something…anything distinguishing about the girl.

Valencia's eyes widened with hope. "My daughter, would be of twenty two years now. She did have dark hair. I know little of magic – I could not tell you what talents she would possess now."

"She used to hum, this one particular tune," Anders said. "It stuck in my head whenever she did, and I can still remember it." He began to hum the tune, and Valencia immediately dropped to her knees in front of them. Hawke kneeled at her side.

"You know it?" she asked.

The woman nodded. "It was a lullaby I used to sing to her to help her sleep. I can't…I can't believe she…" She threw her arms around Hawke, shaking as she wept tears of joy. Hawke hugged the woman back and looked up at Anders who stared back incredulously. He was shocked that this woman they encountered so randomly was linked to their rebellion in such a small way. The Maker certainly had a strange way of providing assistance to those who needed it.

"Valencia," he said. "The Circles are no longer. Your daughter is free. We have contacts that could likely track her down, if you wish it."

She looked up at him and nodded, wiping away tears. "More than anything, I wish it! More than anything…" Hawke rose to her feet and offered a hand to the woman to help her up. She accepted the hand and stood up. "Do you truly think you can find her?"

"It has been some time since we've seen her last," Hawke warned her. "I cannot guarantee that we will find her, but do not lose hope. There is a very good chance that we will be able to learn of her whereabouts and send her a message. We will put you in contact with one of our Nevarran associates. Through that person, you will be able to reach us if you need, and they will be able to provide you with information about your daughter when it is available."

The older woman looked at her, grateful for all that she offered.

"I apologize for putting you through what I did last night. My status here sometimes leaves me little room for anything but cheekiness. You are too kind to help me," she said. "It would appear that you are both very lucky to have each other in the way that you do." She looked at Anders and smiled, then looked back to Hawke. "And he does have quite an ass."

The three heard a very audible snicker behind them and turned to see Koehemar and Lafatria stifling giggles under the bed covers. Grymm was also awake; stone-faced as ever.

"Ah, your companions are also awake," Valencia said. "Please, let me prepare a meal for you all before you leave. It is the very least I can do for you for the hope you have provided me this day."

"Is it…safe for us to come down into the main hall?" Anders questioned.

"Yes," Hawke chimed in, "what are the chances of the men you spoke with returning?"

"Very slim," she replied. "I will have the door locked and the curtains drawn to minimize attention. I will arrange for one of my employees to bring the supply carts round the back to assist in taking you from the city. The men only described the two of you, so your companions should be free to leave without having to be discreet."

"Thank you," Anders said. "We will wash up and be down shortly then?" He looked at the others for approval of the plan; all nodded, save for Grymm. Valencia nodded and retreated from the room as the others began to prepare themselves to face the world.


Valencia had kept her word. She entrusted the task of getting the five mages out of the city to one of her longest and most dependable employees. The man, Barnaby, had been in her employ since his teenage years, and was one of the few who knew about her past. He too had lost family to the templars – a brother, Matthius, taken at the age of nine. The group could not recall a man with that name though, and could not promise the same to Barnaby as they had to the woman. Still, they would always remain vigilant for any sign of him. Contacts were exchanged, as were embraces.

"You are always welcome here should you need a place to rest your heads," Valencia advised. "Provided you do not mind the company we keep."

And no one minded. Support was always a welcome thing, no matter who or what the source.

Thankful that the rains had subsided, Hawke and Anders ascended on to the cart, hiding behind some cases of empty bottles of ale and wine. The two elves covered them with blankets and other random bits of refuse before settling on to the back of the cart. Grymm stood at the side of the cart, happy to walk by himself. Or at least, as content as the scowl on his face allowed him to appear. Barnaby had long since connected the cart to the pair of horses he used for supply runs and sat at the front of the cart, ready to go. Valencia bid the group farewell, and the man signaled to the beasts to move.

The trip through the city was uneventful. Hawke dared to peak out of their hidden location as the cart wound through the paths of the necropolis outside of the city. She was fascinated by the funerary practices of the Nevarrans, and could not deny herself the sight itself. The tombs that skirted the southern border of the city were incredible. Some huge pieces were carved out of single rocks…others were constructed simply – indicative of lower class families. But all proved such a respect for the dead. The tombs seemed to go on forever. The further they traveled, the more ornate they became, until finally, they were surrounded by farmland dotted with the odd tree.

Barnaby slowed to a halt as the cart pulled into an area full of thick brush. He and the others looked around carefully before pulling the covers back to allow the hidden mages to emerge. The group thanked Barnaby for his assistance and reminded him that they would always keep an ear to the ground for word about his brother. He was appreciative. They removed their belongings and supplies from the cart, and the man pulled the horses away, turning back around towards Nevarra City.

They walked on. The weather was cool, and the rains were spotty. Banter, like the rain, was also sporadic. Koehemar and Lafatria would chatter away here and there about their favourite foods, what they planned to do in Ferelden, naughty books that they had spied in the older apprentices' footlockers back in the Circle. Grymm grunted occasionally to signify his displeasure at one or two of their topics. Hawke and Anders followed behind the other mages, listening in on the random pieces of conversation, but primarily enjoying the company of one another in silence. She reflected internally on what they would be able to do in Ferelden if they were successful in opening a new clinic for the poverty-stricken and downtrodden in the country.

Starting a new life. It all sounded so idealistic. Yet they had a long way to go. Safely traveling to Cumberland would be their first challenge – especially with the awareness that they were currently being hunted by Starkhaven scouts. They had hoped their trail was thrown off however, with the help of Mistress Valencia – a surprising woman that neither of them would forget.

As they walked along, the rain beginning to sprinkle once again, she looked at Anders. He noticed that she was doing so, and he turned and smiled at her. He reached down and took her hand in his, lacing his fingers through hers. She smiled back, knowing that the challenges they had faced down thus far were only beaten because they faced them together. With that in mind, her heart sent out a challenge to the world – bring it on. She was ready for anything.