Avatrix:

"Archie? You home?" In response to the question, metal objects and other items falling out of the room in the back, there were a lot of sounds of objects colliding with the ground.

"Archie, what's going on?" He paced back and forth in front of Ava, mumbling fast sentences. Oh great the working phase

"The amount of lyrium would destroy the object, but if the object had a special enchantment that would block the lyrium intake by the second it might work, but I need a the right one."

"This wouldn't have to do with the artifact I just gave you?"

"But then the lyrium inside the object could go into the person using it and then…"

"ARCHIE!"

"Oh Purple Finch when did you get here?" He stopped in his tracks and grinned widely at her cheek to cheek. His hair was more tousled than usual, his shirt was stained with maker-knows-what, and his pants? "Where are your pants?" Looking down at his bare legs, with only a loincloth to cover up and even that didn't help much.

"I have found out that it is so much easier for me to stay focused when everything can breathe!"

"Oh Arch…" He sat back at his desk, pulling different papers after another from the wall. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to put that artifact to good use. It's a beautiful thing, I still wonder how you got it sweets." Ava rolled her eyes to the memory of that night, "Don't remind me." "Little Finch if you hate the man so much, then stay away from him."

"Don't hate him, it's just…"

"You're too nice to people you care about, you know that?" Archie looked back at her, with those green eyes again. Ava shrugged, then her stomach grumbled, "You have any food in this place?"

"OH! That reminds me I'm glad you're here. I need you to-" he reached up for another paper and handed it to her, "get these things for me."

"Archie you sent me to get these things two days ago! I already got them for you."

"I'm doing a lot of thinking and I need food and drink when I think, everything's in Lowtown. And I need those things relatively quick, so no side trips."

"Didn't plan on it."

"Have fun little bird."

Making the way to the elevator out of dark town, she read and sighed in deep annoyance. "Archie why do you do this to me?"

OoOoOo

Carver:

"Come on boy, I know you don't like sitting in the house all day, let's look around Lowtown!"

"For someone who doesn't want to look too Ferelden, running around with a mabari doesn't help your case brother." Carver rolled his eyes to Ethan comment.

"And for someone who doesn't want to get caught being a apostate, you do love to just go waving staff around for everyone to see."

"Touché Carver."

"Don't you have anything better to do brother, then patronize me?" The brother walked up behind and snatched him in a headlock their dog, Atlas, was barking like he was laughing along with Ethan. "But you are my little brother! Why deny myself such a pleasure to tease you!" He released him from the headlock.

Carver's anger faded and his face soon turned grey, he closed his eyes, "You are far too happy brother." He shut his eyes tighter, remembering each and every detail of that day. Holding back tears, "I miss her too Carver."

Opening his eyes and he turned toward Atlas, "come on boy let's go." Carver didn't dare face his brother again; he didn't want to see the sadness or the pity. Carver hated pity. Carver and Bethany were always the closest, they were twins, and she was his best friend. When things would get rough, with most the family being mages and he being the one of the non-mages, she was always there to tell him how lucky or strong he was. With Bethany gone his temper got worse.

There was a lot of banter going on in Lowtown it was very busy. Well, Lowtown has always been busy, this where they throw you if you can't get a decent house in Hightown. And if you can't get a place here, Darktown is where you're packing to next.

Atlas sighed, "Yeah, I hate it too." The dog stopped in his tracks and laid down on the ground, "Oh, don't look so depressed. I miss Lothering too." He leaned against the wall and sat with the sad dog. Atlas nudged his way under Carver's arm and had lain on his thigh. "You miss her? Yeah…I do too."

The two didn't know how long they sat there, but the quiet peace was interrupted when Atlas's ears perked up. His head stood tall from Carver's lap and before he knew it Atlas was running through the streets of Lowtown. "Atlas! What are you doing?"

"Atlas! Oh shove off!"

"Watch it kid!" Some man said after Carver pushed past him.

"Atlas!"

He stopped right in his tracks; everything around him stopped, and just focused on a girl, the girl. That girl. Right there, in front of his eyes. She'd looked different then when he saw her in the crowd or when they were with Athenril. She looked more laid back, less determined, even less scared. He just stood there looking at the two figures, his dog and her. She was smiling, and her smile was beautiful. Her rose lips formed a small smile, and she turned to him, looked at him with those big brown eyes, oh god those eyes! Carver realized her form was making his way toward him. His feet stepped in motion when his mind told him to not a make a fool of himself.

"Is he yours?"

"Uh…" Carver only nodded.

"Well he's a beauty. What's his name?"

"Atlas, that's his name."

"What strong name for such a strong dog!" She rubbed the top of the dog's head once more, and smiled revealing her bright white teeth. Man that smile could kill.

"He seems to like you," he's not the only one "that's new, this dog like to take a nip at anything that comes near him, let alone pet him."

"He actually helped me. There was snatcher, and he was so brave!" She said getting down to Atlas's height and petting him. "Oh I love mabari. Such smart dogs, and some have the most beautiful markings. Reminds me of Ferelden."

"Are you Ferelden?" She shrugged and grin slightly, "Well I haven't been there in ten or eleven years, but yeah." Stood up and stretched out her hand, "Avatrix Bellaire, I lived in Denerim."

Carver responded the gesture, "Carver Hawke Lothering, but now Kirkwall." He didn't mean to put so much spite in his voice when he said that, but truth is in the little time he had been here, he hated Kirkwall. But her response was something he'd never expect.

"I know; I hate this place too."

Silence followed the comment, but something sad registered in her eyes. Unlike those other times where her hair was out; when her bangs would blanket her face. But her hair was in a pin-up bun. And you could really see her eyes. She shook her head; "Anyway, I'm umm out doing errands for my friend. So…"

"Oh sorry to keep you, here boy." Atlas obeyed.

"It was nice meeting you."

"Likewise."

She turned her back to him and started walking, Carver sighed, there she goes again. Atlas nudged his hand and whimpered. "You saying what, I should go after her? I wouldn't know what to say. I'd just make a fool out of myself." Carver frowned, but in that split-second a memory raced through his mind.

When him and Bethany were lying out in the fields of Lothering, and Carver was going on about one of the girls he had "fallen for" in the town. The words she said that day, Carver would hold onto for the rest of his life. "Sometimes all you need 20 seconds of insane courage, just 20 seconds of embarrassing bravery and I promise you something good will come out of it."

"Twenty seconds," He whispered. "Twenty seconds! Excuse me, Avatrix!" She turned around, and he began to count down in his head, 19…18…17, "do you want to go get a drink?"

"Now?" 14…13…12

"Yeah now, I know a place, it's in the docks, not that far away." 10…9…8…7

"I really shouldn't…"

"Trust me." He said quietly. 5…4…3…2…

She smiled, "Sure, sure that would be nice." 1…

"Let's go then." He offered his arm and she gladly took it. And they walked to the docks.

OoOoOo

The Hanged Man wasn't the best place, but it was the least expensive, but what mattered was that they were there and were having a considerable amount of fun. Atlas was lying beside Carver's seat, and the two were at the bar. Talking and drinking, Carver got into personal details. Talking about his life in Ferelden. Ava talking about the things she missed.

"Really? A Qunari? In a cage?" she asked.

"Yeah, um apparently in the local farmhouse, he killed every person in the family. Every time we walked past him, my sister would hold shoulder. He frightened the hell out of her. Next thing you know the hero of Ferelden comes in town and brings him along on her journey. She was my cousin." Ava's brow went up, "The Hero of Ferelden. Yeah another mage, magic just loved to consume our family. For sometime I hated the fact that I wasn't a mage, but then older and realized that I wanted the special attention my brother and my sister got from my dad. He was always distant with me. And my brother was always too serious about magic, I only had…Bethany."

"It's okay to miss her you know."

"I know that, it's just I can't talk about it."

"You doing that with me." Carver smiled, "It's just looking at my mother and her face looks like it's constantly blaming me. And my brother and his sadness and my uncle and his pity…I can't take it." He huffed out a large sigh, "but anyway, enough about me and my lovely life," Ava giggled, "what about you? Living the life of luxury in Denerim." Carver had to admit, she looked rich, hell she even smelled rich! She smelt like lavender and mint, clean and fresh, he wondered what he'd smelt like.

"Actually I didn't have the noble house or the heirs and graces. No, my parents owned a bakery, a small one too. But we were very popular. My parents were lovely people. And I know they loved me. I remember waking up in morning and smelling sweet rolls fresh out of the oven." She closed her eyes and breathed in. "My dad would sing some random song, I never had paid attention to. It was a content life. They were happy, I was happy...My parents were murdered. When I was seven."

"What happened?" It wasn't his business, but she had told him something earlier before he started talking about his family, "better out than in"

"I don't remember much, but I think we were losing money. Food was getting harder to get. Like I said I know my parents loved me, because they did what ever they could to get food in stomach. So they made a deal with a family. A higher, a richer family," she stopped and closed her eyes; Carver then took her hand that was on the table and squeezed. She didn't flinch she just nodded. "They didn't pay back one time. And they insulted the family. And this noble was angry. Next thing I know I'm hiding under my home, watching my family get murdered by Flint Company mercenaries. And then they were hanged the next morning, humiliated out for everyone to see. I know how it feels to not want to see the faces people who hear stories, because you just…"

"Hate pity, you hate feeling it, you hate seeing it." Ava simply nodded. They sat in silence for a while, Carver's hand still latched onto Ava's, and soon both hands intertwined. Ava turned her head toward him, and grinned. Carver took in her features again, "Maker you're pretty." A slight red flushed through her cheeks and Carver realized he had said that out loud. "That was supposed to stay in my mind." He said blushing; Ava giggled in response her cheeks went redder.

"Hey! Hey I know you!" A drunken man said to Carver. "No buddy, I'm sure you don't." He said calmly.

"No I do! You and your brother! You made me lose my business!"

"I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing."

"Oh really, you work with Athenril right?"

"What?" Ava questioned.

"Worked." Carver stated.

"Whatever! I do know you! You ruined my business!"

"I did a lot of things when I worked for Athenril." Carver said sarcastically.

"Hey!" The drunken man picked up Carver by the shoulders and pinned his against the wall; Carver released a grunt.

"Ever remember "Ralf's Wear and Tear. Eh kid!" Carver grunted as he was shoved against the wall harder.

"Oh I do remember you," he mumbled, "listen, I told you no hard feelings."

"Sparrow?" Ava asked. Carver's eyes narrowed when he realized she said that to her

"No hard feelings! You ruined my business!"

"It's not my fault your afternoon smoke backfired a little. Oh you'll pardon the pun right?" Ava snickered in the back and the man turned his head toward her.

"Oh you got a pretty one. We'll have fun with her after we finish with you."

"You won't touch me!"

"Yeah Ralf, she wouldn't like you with your "Wear and Tear." She prefers a man with imagination." He heard another laugh from her, and then a punch in the face shut Carver up. And then went another, and another.

"Stop it!"

With the sound of broken glass Carver was released. He saw the man holding his head and Ava holding a broken glass bottle in her hand. "Oh you're getting it now missy!"

"Let me go!" The man grabbed her, and Ava protested. Carver regained enough of his senses to stand up and deck the guy.

"Come on we're leaving." He said to her intertwining her fingers with his.

"You're not going anywhere." The drunk dove at Carver again, but Ava interjected and punched him face. Knocking his drunken ass out.

"You should get some sleep Ralf." Carver chuckled, Oh I really like this girl

"Hey! That was my friend!" A tall muscular man said from one side of the room.

"Time to go."

"You two get back here."

They ran, and they ran until they reached the edge of the docks. They were still being followed, and Ava stopped in her tracks, pulling Carver next to her. "We can't run forever, and they're gaining, we have to hide!"

"Hide where?"

"GET BACK HERE!" A stern voice said from a far.

"In the water Sparrow." They both jumped, hands still together. They clung to the wall to avoid eye contact when 4 guys came running to where they were. They were under water, and luckily it was beginning to get dark and the water in docks weren't the clearest. A minute past and all the figures walked away. Ava was about to go up for air when Carver stopped her and held her waist tight. He gestured her to wait with his free hand. A couple more seconds past and the two went up gasping for air. Carver climbed up the low wall, and soon helped Avatrix up. When they got up they both leaned standing against the wall of a nearby house. Looking out toward the sea.

The sun was setting against the sea and soon light around the circle was beginning to fade. "The Circle of Magi. What do you think of when you see it?" Ava asked, Carver looked out at the island with the tall tower in the middle.

"Mages."

He heard her let out a scoff, "Mages, that's all."

"Not much else comes to mind, just mages. You know I don't like magic. It scares me, it really scares me. There's just so much power in one person's hands. It's like they can use anything, even someone's own blood against you. But I have, had three members of the family as mages. I shouldn't scared, I should use to it. But I think that's what scares me most. I'm use to the fear. Everyday, I'm living in it, and it's consuming me." Turning her face to her, she looked terrified, sad even.

"Do you…"

"I don't hate me family. I don't hate my brother, I never hated my sister, and my dad I never knew enough to hate him." He was silent for a minute, "But a new fear just might be coming to get me."

"And what's that?"

He grinned mischievously as he pulled her towards him, releasing a giggle from her when she wrapped her arms around his neck, they were still soaked from their little dive. Ava's wet blue polka dot dress clung to her form, making Carver just want to pull her closer. Her bun was in shambles but she was still beautiful. A little bit of her eyeliner was running but Carver rubbed it off and looked into her eyes, "Avatrix Bellaire you frighten the hell out of me. I've known you for a good 2 hours and you've gotten me to open old wounds rather left untouched. With just a smile, that beautiful smile." He brushed his thumb against her cheek. Her cheeks flushed with red, and he grinned again. "And all I do is make you blush."

"You also make me smile." She replied.

"You called me Sparrow, a couple times back why?" She laughed, "Because Sparrows are smart, protective, and creative…they're also very loving." Sunlight was fading even more and they were inching closer, "Ruff Ruff!"

"CARVER!" Ethan screamed followed by more barks from Atlas.

"Oh brother," Carver said. She stepped back a little, and now Carver realized how close they stood, but they never disconnected from each other. "I guess you have to go," Ava said.

"I wish I didn't."

"Oh but we stayed here forever, there's no looking forward to tomorrow."

"Is that a guarantee that I'll see you again? I don't even know where to find you."

"Ask around, and when you're done asking, just know that I like roses." Ava said.

"I'll put that my shopping list." She laughed and looked out toward the sea. Little strand of hair that had fallen from her bun and blew over her face.

"Wait shopping list, oh SHOPPING LIST!"

"What?"

"I…I have to go, I'm sorry. I had great time." She released herself from him and began to run toward Hightown.

"Brother! Where have you been all day?" Ethan said shortly after Ava left. Carver didn't answer at first; he was in shock by her sudden leave.

"Out?"

"And who's the girl?" Carver's senses heightened again.

"No one!" he said defensively.

"Whoa whoa, I'm just curious. What do you think I'm going to do steal her from you?"

"Wouldn't be the first time brother," he laughed and walked off with Atlas.

OoOoOo

Avatrix:

"Archie! Are you up?"

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN MISSY?" He yelled from the back room. It was late, really late. Ava had just made the quickest run for groceries in her life. She couldn't stop thinking about Carver though. A boy she had just met, and she was already smitten. "So are you gonna tell me?"

"Archie, I'm really sorry, I just got a little side tracked." Archie's face went sterner. Ava knew exactly what he thought, "No, no, it's not that."

"Oh it's never that! What am I going to do with you Purple Finch?"

"I don't know Arch, but I'm telling it wasn't Cullen this time." She smiled, thinking about the day she had just had.

"Hey dolly daydream, give me my food."

"Sorry," she said cheerily. Archie opened his mouth to yell at her more, but gave up. "Oh just go home, I won't lecture you, you look too happy."

"I'll see you later Arch."

"Wait! Ava, why are you wet?"

"What?" she said shocked, "Oh oh, some stupid idiot bumped me in the water, but he gave me the bread for free!"

"Go home Finchy."

Ava walked to her house with skip in her step, she undid her bun and let out the wet. When she came to her front door, she noticed a small box in the front of her door. A little blue box with a note at the top that said:

Great performance with Wilks, so how about a little game, Avatrix Bellaire."

"How the hell?" Ava grabbed the box and ran inside, the fact that someone other than Archie, Cullen, or Athenril knew where her house was scared her. But what was in the blue box, sent chills down her spine. The bottom of the box revealed another note.

"Exhibitionist vs. Exhibitionist may the best one win."