Aveline met them in the Viscount's hall. "Hawke. Is it true what I heard? You're planning to challenge the Winters for the bounty for finding the viscount's son?"

Hawke only grinned.

"Are you sure that's wise?" asked the guard. "They have a fearsome reputation."

"They have a reputation, and I'd like one. It's terribly convenient. And the chance to get on the viscount's good side is a definite plus."

"They're said to be very violent, Hawke."

"So am I." She looked behind her. "What do you think? Varric? Fenris? Worried about the violence, or would you care to join me?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Varric promised.

"It would be a pleasure," growled Fenris.

Hawke's smile grew even wider. "There, you see Aveline? Nothing to worry about."

Aveline looked as if she thought it were a great deal to worry about.

The viscount's son had been safely restored, and they'd killed enough members of the Winters to sate the most bloodthirsty of appetites. After settling things with the viscount, Hawke had met the others at the Hanged Man for a celebratory drink.

She leaned her back on the bar, watching her sister try to maneuver Anders into offering her an early walk home. In a minute, she'd go over and provide the needed company, but Bethany would be upset if she intervened too soon.

"So tell me, why does everyone call you Hawke?"

She hadn't heard Fenris approach. Damn fighter had no excuse for moving so quietly. "Sorry?"

"You are both Hawke, correct?" he asked. "But everyone calls her Bethany."

"Ah. When we first got to Kirkwall, we worked for the Red Iron. It seemed like a good idea to downplay her involvement to avoid Templar notice. We're both Hawke, but I stepped forward as the face to the name. A lot of people still don't know there are two of us." She shrugged. "My first name is Jade. But I like Hawke. It's a good name."

"It suits you." He nodded, and leaned next to her, a careful six inches away. "Bethany seems to have an unhealthy interest in Anders."

"I know." Hawke finished her ale. "I don't like it, but as he seems determined to ignore that she exists, I'm deciding not to worry."

Anders glanced over to where they stood - had he heard them? it seemed unlikely - decided there was no help to be found with Hawke, and turned to Varric. Fenris scowled. "He knows you exist."

"He'd better," she snorted. "I've saved his skinny mage ass more times than I can count. He's all damage and no defense."

"How can either of you not be bothered by what he is?"

"Bethany doesn't see what he is." She went to take another sip, remembered the mug was empty, and set it on the bar behind her. "She sees Father."

She felt Fenris' look of inquiry, but her eyes went back to Anders. "Our father was an apostate too. To be fair, there are some similarities. Irreverent, idealistic, passionate about their freedom... Bethany's enough like Mother that I shouldn't be surprised they'd fall for the same sort of man."

"Anders isn't a man, he's an abomination," the elf said sternly.

Hawke sighed. "It's worse than that. With Father... once he married, he had a family to support. We moved around a lot, but we stayed together. It forced him to think beyond the end of his nose. But as far as I can tell, Anders has no ties at all. He left the Circle - at least seven times, if you believe his stories - and he left the Gray Wardens. Someone with that much power and that little stability is dangerous, even when they're not possessed."

She turned and dropped a few coins on the bar. "I know how you feel about Anders. I don't blame you. When his eyes glow and his voice changes… it's wrong." She stacked the coins into a neat little pile, thinking. "I might have really liked Anders the human. But he's joined with that spirit, so I'll never know. I keep him around because he's good at healing, he's helping Fereldens... and when he's tramping around with us we know exactly what he's up to." She frowned. "To your original point - Bethany may be a mage but she's not passionate enough to interest Anders or Justice. She'll be alright." She pushed away from the bar. "And now, I'm going to go walk her home before I get another one of those lectures where Mother asks why I'm not more like her. See you tomorrow?"

"I will be here."

"Good. 'Night."

Hawke gathered up her sister, said her goodbyes. She felt both the emerald and the amber eyes on her back all the way out the door.