"They say death is a journey."

"How is that supposed to help the grieving?"

"I.. I do not know. I've never spoken about such things before."

"You're lucky then, you've never lost anyone."

"I have lost everyone Hawke. My mother, father, sister.. myself. I simply never had another person to discuss such things with."

"Oh."

"I think that there is little point filling these moments with empty words, to be honest."

"You can leave if you like. You know where the door is."

"If I could leave I would."

"Maker, Fenris, I don't need you here. I don't want you here. You know what you are to me, right now? Another thing I've lost."

"A thing?"

"You know what I mean."

"I do not. I have never considered myself as a thing for you to lose."

"This is how you comfort me?"

"You misunderstand-"

"I'll tell you what I understand. I understand that you hate me. I understand that I'm a means to end for you. I understand that as soon as I've outgrown my usefulness you'll leave me. Again."

"I did not-"

"You didn't come here to fight. You didn't come here to comfort me. Just go, Fenis. Take your loss and your anger and your revulsion and don't come back."

o0o

"I left."

"For the love of Andraste, why in all the hells did you do that?"

"Because he did not want me there. As I told you he wouldn't."

"Of course he did. At least until you opened your mouth. Oh, lord, I'm sorry pet. I didn't mean it like that."

"Why apologise? It is a fair assessment."

"No, it's not. You're both as ruined as the other, aren't you?"

"Hah."

"Listen, you can't listen to him-"

"Isabella, stop. He has told me his wishes. I will respect them. This is not a story."

"Everything's a story, pet."

"Then it is not the tale you wish it to be."

"Fen, I'm not wrong. I know I'm not."

"I.. it doesn't matter. The past is the past, and what is said is done. I can no more turn back time than I can remove these markings from my body."

"If you could?"

"If I could... I would not have walked out that night. But I did. And now I must do so again."

"What?"

"I plan to leave Kirkwall. It has been almost a year since Hadrianna. Nothing has happened. I don't need Hawke any more."

"So he was right? He's outgrown his usefulness and off you go? Fen, I've listened to people, friends, call you every name under the sun. I've stood up for you. And you know what? I wish I hadn't. You coward. You selfish, rotten, coward."

"I cannot – how can it be any other way? I am not wanted. I am the one who has outgrown his use."

"So go then."

"I will."

"Follow his orders. It's what you do best."

"Pardon?"

"Oh, don't bother. That glow doesn't frighten me, sweet. I said, go. Follow orders. Fade forbid you should actually think for yourself. Or think about someone else."

"You had best explain yourself, woman."

"Oh? Explain myself? I owe you nothing, elf. Work it out for yourself. I can't be around you anymore. If you find an answer that doesn't lie at the bottom of a bottle of in the hull of a ship you know where to find me."D