"It's been three days! This waiting has to end," Aveline grumbled, pacing back and forth.

They had picked a spot in the shade of one of the giant statues in the courtyard of the Gallows. Clearly, staying on the ground wasn't the best, but it was better than being stuck at the docks, in the throng of refugees still arriving.

"I'm sure it wont be much longer." Leandra assured her, wringing her hands together. "He must still be looking for us." It seemed to Hawke as though she was trying to reassure herself.

Ever since the Captain left to go look for their uncle, they had absolutely no news. Zero, zulch, nothing. They were all on edge, still worried that they wouldn't get into the city after all, despite everything.

"And if he's not?" Aveline turned on her.

Hawke winced. She knew Aveline didn't mean it, but it came out harsher than she might've realized. Leandra looked down, a grimace twisting her features. In the few days they'd been here, anyone could've seen the toll it was taking on their mother. There were dark circles under her eyes. She constantly worried about her two remaining children, and continued to mourn over the one they had left in Ferelden. There was a beat of silence before Ellendrya heard footsteps coming their way.

"Wait," she continued to listen. "I think someone's coming."

Lo and behold, Gamlen slipped through the gates, striding towards them uneasily.

"Leandra! Damn girl, the years haven't been kind to you," he chuckled, light hearted, but Hawke saw the tightness around his eyes. Thing's weren't going to be as easy as they thought.

Gamlen didn't look like a noble at all. His unkempt hair, ruffled clothing, and scrawny figure did nothing for Hawke's hope.

"Gamlen!" Leandra cried, entirely happy to see her brother.

She embraced him firmly, happy he was there. He paused awkwardly for a moment before returning the gesture. His façade faltered as a frown creased itself upon his face.

"I must say up front, I wasn't expecting this." He released Hawke's mother, holding her at arms length. "The Blight, your husband… dead. I'd uh… figured you'd pretty much be Ferelden for life," he finished uncomfortably.

"Oh Gamlen," Leandra nearly started weeping, "we came too late. My poor Carver didn't make it, Andraste guide him."

Gamlen's eyes filled with sorrow for his sister's loss before rubbing a hand over his face.

"Oh Maker save me." He mumbled under his breath. "Leandra, don't drop this on me here. I don't even know if I can help you get into the city." He said looking at her.

Should've known…. Hawke thought to herself. She and Bethany exchanged a look, hers one of annoyance, Bethany's one of despair.

"I'm more concerned about mother," Ellendrya spoke, shaking her head slightly. "Can you get her in at least?" she asked, doubting that was even possible.

"No!" Leandra objected quickly. "We stay together." Ellendrya sighed.

"I was hoping to grease some palms, but the knight commander's been cracking down. We're going to need more grease…." Gamlen explained.

A weasel indeed, Ellendrya thought. Aveline didn't seem excited by the thought either.

Leandra seemed to have just noticed their current situation.

"But…What about the estate? Surely father left something when he died," she asked, confusion clear on her face.

"Right… about the estate…" Gamlen rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably.

There is no estate, of course, Ellendrya rolled her eyes in irritation.

"Its, um, gone… To settle a debt. I was going to write you!" He continued, trying to justify his actions. He wouldn't even look his sister in the eyes.

Leandra wasn't even angry with her brother. Defeated, her shoulders slumped.

"Then there's no hope," she nearly whispered, head hanging.

"Well, not quite," Gamlen continued. Leandra looked up at him. Her last thread of hope shining in her eyes. "I know some people that might help… if you're not too delicate about the company you keep," he chuckled uncomfortably, addressing Hawke this time.

"We don't have much choice," Ellendrya said, mulling the opportunity over in her head. "I need to get my family into Kirkwall."

"I talked to some of my contacts and I found some people who might be willing to pay your way into the city."

But….

"The catch is, you and your sister have to work of the debt. For a year…" he cringed slightly, knowing how his kind hearted sister would react.

"A year?" Leandra exclaimed.

"It's the best I could do!" Gamlen said, defending himself. "Trust me when I say a bunch of refugees wont get a better option anywhere else."

Hawke could only shake her head. He was right, to her dismay. They at least had an opportunity. Half of the refugees couldn't say the same. It wasn't the most ideal situation, but it could be worse.

"I'm sure we'll be free and clear before we know it," Ellendrya spoke, smiling gently at her mother.

"Excellent. I've managed to convince my contacts to come to the Gallows to meet you personally."

Ellendrya did yet another mental eyeroll. He makes it sound like he's doing all the hard work… she thought wearily.

"Meeran heads up the mercenary company, The Red Iron. They're looking for recruits. Athenril… I guess you might call her a smuggler. Either one of them can help you. All you need to do is find them in the courtyard and convince them you're worth the trouble."

"He makes it sound easy…" Aveline muttered under her breath. Hawke had to agree.

"What do you think about this Bethany?" Hawke turned to her sister. She already had her mind made up, but she didn't want to force her sister into something she didn't want to do, even if it meant getting them into the city.

"We've come this far. I don't care who we work for, as long as it means we don't have to go back," Bethany replied.

"How dangerous is this smugglers work?" Ellendrya turned once again to her uncle. She saw Aveline grimace beside her. That would have to be a conversation for later.

"Well it won't be pretty working for her. She's a pretty small fish compared to the other thieves guilds around here. She's tough though, and fair, and she never deals in slaves or flesh."

"And how about this Meeran?"

"He's a hired sword. What do you expect him to be like?" he answered in a 'duh' sort of tone. Ellendrya bristled at his attitude but held her tongue. "I wouldn't bring him home for dinner or anything but he's got a decent reputation. I wouldn't have asked him if I thought he'd cross you."

"Let's find them then, and see what they have to say."

"Oh Gamlen, I don't know about this…" Leandra said as she watched the three women walk away.

"It's a lot of coin Leandra," Gamlen tried to explain. "Don't expect our name to carry the kind of weight it used to."

Hawke and her two companions left the shade of their most recent abode and down the steps to the courtyard.

"Well, what do you both think?" She inquired of the mage and warrior.

"A smugglers job seems a bit more below the radar if you ask me," Bethany replied. "It would attract less attention to me being an apostate namely."

"I doubt either job is more legal than the other," Aveline grimaced. "It makes no difference to me at this point." She sighed.

"Athenril it is," Hawke said, heading off to their left where she saw an elf speaking with some armed men.

"Are you Athenril?" Hawke asked as she approached the elf. She was slightly surprised at her being an elf in the first place. Not that she had anything against the race in the first place, but she wasn't used to elves in positions of power, no matter how underground they were.

"You must be Gamlen's niece. Interesting…" Athenril replied, scrutinizing the group in front of her. She held herself with confidence. That's good, Ellendrya thought.

"I'm not sure how much he told you about us," she continued, "But he certainly told us quite a bit about you."

Not everything I hope… Ellendrya winced. The less people who knew Bethany was a mage the better.

"He didn't say anything about me did he?" Bethany asked, voicing Ellendrya's concern.

"Enough to pique our interest, provided you can justify your uncles' confidence," the elf shrugged. It didn't explain what exactly the smuggler knew, but it was enough to know that she knew something.

"I hear getting us into the city isn't cheap," Ellendrya pretty much stated. She needed to know if she could trust this smuggler, to some extent at least.

"If you're as good as your uncle claims, we're hoping you'll be worth it."

Ellendrya took note of how Athenril always said 'we'. Good to know she at least respects her people, she thought.

"Besides," the elf continued, "it's not every day we get offered an apostate's services," she finished, putting both Ellendrya and her sister on edge.

"It appears our uncle likes to talk," Bethany commented begrudgingly.

"The templars in Kirkwall like to think they have all of the mages properly leashed. But when has that ever been true?" Athenril sighed, noticing the tension remaining in Ellendrya's stance. "We can keep them from taking notice while you're with us. Wouldn't be the first time," she assured them. Ellendrya nodded in approval.

"Well then, tell me what you need done."

Athenril proceeded to tell Hawke about a merchant named Cavril, who cheated the smuggler and her group out of their money. All they had to do what get the pay owed, and return it to the elf.

Ellendrya had to laugh when Aveline stepped in. The merchant was also cheating refugees out of their money, buying things for much less than they were worth. Aveline had a heart for justice it seemed. That was made clear when she pulled out her dagger, holding it to Cavril's throat as she threatened both him and his men simultaneously with a beating if they didn't pay up. It worked well enough, and the merchant was sent running, telling them to take all the coin he kept in the chest.

"Here, as requested." Ellendrya dropped the coin purse into Athenril's open palm.

"Well, would you look at that," the elf mused, nodding in approval.

"Tell your uncle we'll make the arrangements. Welcome aboard Hawke."