Chapter 3

Valenya couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I had…a mother? And a father too? Another name? Another life?" She whispered, fighting back another wave of tears.

"I'm sorry I held the truth from you for so long, Sweetheart. I thought that it would be wise to wait, though now I cannot see my own reasoning" Hawke replied guiltily, head hanging in remorse.

Valenya looked up, eyes stinging and blurry, and gazed into Fenris's returning green stare." You, you said that about me?"

At first, he remained still, warring over his emotions and unsure of what to do. There were so many things he could have told her in that one moment that could carry no meaning at all, but what would that give her? She deserved something meaningful, something that she would remember besides a stupid remark. It was the least he could give her, and it would mean more to her than anything else.

All at once Valenya felt a body collide with her, wrapping its arms around her neck, letting her rest her head on its shoulder. All that she could process was the warmth that it gave off, the tightness of its grasp and the overwhelming sense of comfort it brought. Yet she couldn't understand what was happening in that second. Would he be so bold as to show so much care? To show so much…

Father was hugging her, lovingly and willingly.

"I meant every word." He said slowly, never wanting her to forget that common phrase that her mother had told to her those many years ago.

"I believe you" Valenya responded, letting her tears fall and roll down the sides of his armor.

Hawke would have given anything to be able to watch this moment longer, but time was never on his side and the fires were approaching the house quickly. Running back to the house, Hawke opened the door and bolted into the house. The other two followed, grabbing food and supplies to take with them and shoving the items into various travelling packs for their escape.

"Take only what you need, we must travel light if we are to stay ahead of the Templars." Fenris called, swinging a knapsack over his shoulder and exiting the hovel.

Valenya soon followed, holding a bedroll and a small bag of personal items, which she didn't want to lose to the flames. Barreling down the hill, the father and daughter managed to make it to the small barn, where Frost and her two stable mates, Bianca and Sparrow, were neighing and stomping loudly in their stalls. Hitching the horses faster than she had ever done before in her life, Valenya strapped down the bedroll and bag, and quickly assisted her father with the other two. Hawke soon caught up with them and finished tacking his large mare while keeping a close eye on the fire as it worked its way up the other side of the hill.

"Whatever you do, stay together!" Hawke called," I can't afford to lose either of you in this mess, let alone have to try and find you."

"All of the horses are fast, Papa. We will have an advantage over them if we leave now." Valenya responded, steadying her steed and looking out for any signs of clanking metal or battle cries.

Fenris rode Sparrow in a wide circle, trying to calm him." Where will we go? Ferelden is no place for us anymore."

Hawke didn't respond, for he in fact wasn't sure where to go. Valenya however saw that there was only one option." We ride to Kirkwall. Aunt Aveline will greet us there, will she not?"

A very worried Fenris glanced in Hawke's direction." If we do, then we will not know what we will find. Thedas is preparing for war, and Kirkwall is bound to be the center of attention."

Hawke knew the risks all too well. After fleeing Templars with his father, his partner, and his daughter, Hawke was far too familiar with the consequences of a wrong move. But despite the overwhelming list of precautions and details that couldn't afford to be overlooked, she did have a point to what she said. Since Aveline was the captain of the guard, she had a major standing on the present court of Kirkwall, and with that standing also came protection and cover in case of an attack.

"What do you say, Papa?" Valenya asked.

Sighing, Hawke answered," To Kirkwall it is."

Fenris gave one last look to the burning remains of his once-peaceful life and turned his stallion around, following his family out of the flames and into the battleground.

Sorry for this chapter being so short, but i couldn't think of anything to put down other than that. I'm sure you all understand. I will be editing this chapter in perticular over the next few weeks.

TtR,