Chapter 7: The Phoenix

It was early morning; the sun was barely beginning to rise when Rynn left the house, a canvas bag slung over her shoulder, she made her way to the clinic in Darktown.

Anders can't sleep, when he sleeps, he dreams; dreams about, the wardens, what happened that night; he remembers agreeing to Justice's proposal, his argument that together they could free the mages. He remembers Rolan the Templar Warden he'd held his decapitated head in his hands saw the bodies of two other Templars and two Wardens and all that blood, then he remembers running. Waking up in a panic he almost forgets where he is, he throws his worn bed sheet off of himself and sits up rubbing at his face, in an effort to erase the dream, the memory. Anders leaves his room in the back of the clinic, there is a barrel in the corner of the clinic that is filled with rain water, which he walks toward to fill his personal wash basin from.

"Good Morning" said a cheery voice form behind him.

Dropping the basin he was carrying with a loud clang he spun around to see her. She was dressed in loose fitting brown breeches and a white tunic that was much too large for her; she was sitting with her feet up on his desk.

"How…what… what are you doing here and how did you get in?" he managed to stammer.

"Rogue, remember" she smiled "I can pick most locks" then lifting and eyebrow she added "I was also hoping to catch you naked." She joked. He wore in a large tunic that came to his mid-thigh; his blond hair was loose and fell in wisps around his face. her stomach felt weird, not the kind when of weird when you're going to be sick, or the kind when you realize that is all your blood this was different, she realised she was staring and looked away her cheeks going hot.

Anders turned away, heading back to his room to grab breeches. Never had he been more aware than at this particular moment just how close to naked he was. Also her sitting there in his clinic, with her hair loose of its usual tail, curling wildly around her face and shoulders like thick ringlets of deep rich fire, was making him want to cross the clinic and burry his hands in it while he kissed that smirking mouth of hers. Maker she's beautiful.

"So you came here at this hour, just to see if I sleep naked" he asked as he sat across from her his hair still lose and a smile crossing his lips and touching his eyes, at the thought, he defiantly needs to smile more, it's heart-stoppingly gorgeous.

"Actually I brought you breakfast" she replied waiting for him to dress.

She opened the canvas bag she was carrying and handed an apple, some cheese and a slice of bread to Anders. "I also wanted to invite you to hanged man tonight, we are celebrating Aveline's promotion, and it's my sister's name day as well, and I thought you would want to come…." She trailed off

"That sounds like fun, and thanks for breakfast" he said looking at her, but it seemed like he was looking into her.

"She quickly stood, "I should get going, Mother will be waiting and she'll make me change before we go to the chantry for Carver and…" she realised she was babbling and quickly walked out the door and back up to Lowtown.

By the time she reached the house, the sun was high in the sky and Mother was fussing over Bethy, who was wearing a dark purple bodice, that hugged her beautiful curves over a light lavender frock which came to slide just off her shoulders, her ebony hair falling loose and wavy down her back to her waist, she was fixing the makeup Rynn had given her earlier that morning. "You look so beautiful Bethy" Rynn breathed smiling at her sister.

"My little Bethy all grown up" Leandra gushed, tears welling her eyes as she clapped her hands together, then turning to her older daughter "you're not going to dressed like that, we're going to the Chantry, in Hightown remember."

Rynn turned and headed to her room to change. The only good clothes Rynn owns, or rather managed to salvage from Ferelden were a gift from Carver and Bethy on her last name day.

From Carver she had a pair of dark brown leather breeches, they had lacing up the sides and fit her body like a glove, when he'd given them to her she'd looked at them a slight frown on her face. "what you don't like them?" he'd asked her, the truth was she did like them, they just showed more skin than she would have liked, Carver had laughed at this punching her in the shoulder he'd said "Rynn you need all the help you can get, how else are you supposed to find a husband, especially with that mouth of yours... Right Mother?" Mother just sighed and shook her head. "Oh shut up carver, I'm not looking for a husband" she'd punched him back, hard.

She also had a deep emerald tunic that reached her hip made of a light fabric that seemed to float on top of her skin, it was slit up the side to the just under her breasts, revealing a good portion of her firm abdominal muscles from the side. The front on the tunic was laced to just below her breast offering a little peekaboo, but not revealing too much, the neckline was square and the sleeves were loose and slightly puffy tying at just below the elbow. Bethany had made this for her, she said the colour made her auburn hair pop, and seem like it was on fire.

After Rynn was dressed she walked into the living area of the house, Mother finished fussing over Bethy and now turned to Rynn, who was stretching in a sort of yawn. Leandra looking her daughter over, paused brining her hand to her mouth "Rynnthera , is that a tattoo, she points to her daughters left hip.

"Yes, it was a thing with the other soldiers, Carver wanted to do, but we didn't know what we wanted so we picked for each other" Rynn quickly explained. "I gave Carver a Mabari, because they are strong, protective and Growly, just like Carver, and he gave me a Phoenix" she pulls up her tunic to show the bird, wings stretching behind it to touch her hip bone, its graceful head and neck forming an s shape its tail trailing into the her breeches.

"Why a Phoenix?" Bethany asks

"Because it represents rejuvenation, and strength through adversity, he said 'you're the only person I know who's 'died' and lived, you always get us out of the tough shit situations.' It was the nicest thing he'd ever said to me." Tears are stinging the back of her eyes, Mother has embraced her daughters with tears streaming down her face, "my children"

The Hawke family left for the evening service at the chantry Rynn following her mother and sister begrudgingly only to pay her respect to Carvers memory and because it's what Bethy wanted on her name day. Bethany and Mother insisted on Kneeling at the altar after the service, Rynn decided to take this opportunity to find Sebastian, and give him the good news. She found him standing beside a door.

"So will anyone smite me if I tell you I killed the men who wronged your family?"

"Excuse me who are….. My post to the chanters board, did her Grace let that stay, I thought for sure no one even read, but you say you've killed them. You have my eternal gratitude Serah. It is comforting to think my parents might now rest now easily in their graves."

"Your parents probably don't care much at this point, but I hope you sleep a bit easier."

"Yes… I hope I will. Thank you. Consider this an advance." Sebastian hands Rynn a coin pouch. "When I have secured my lands again, you will be paid royally, if you'll excuse me, I must meet with the viscount to petition him for aid to a fellow city."

"Your right Thera, I do think he's cute" Bethany whispered to her sister

"Did you want to invite him to your party?" Thera teased

"Maker no! I wouldn't know what to say, and it'd be awkward." She blushes as they walk down the chantry stairs. They escort their Mother home then head, to the Hanged man.

Rynn walks down to the bar to grab a tray and help Nora carry them into the room, when Anders walked in.

Upon seeing her he headed toward her, noticing what she was wearing, the way her leather breeches hugged her body, the shape of her tunic, showing just enough skin to be alluring and sexy, the emerald of her shirt and how it made her hair look like fire, especially the way it curled around her face like flames. She smiled at him, like she was happy to see him, like she meant it, it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, and he couldn't look away.

"We're all in Varric's Quarters" she paused to lift the tray then walked up the stairs at the back of the inn. Setting the tray on the table and taking a seat she beckoned Anders to sit beside her. "Anders this is my sister Bethany" Rynn said putting her hand on her sisters back. Bethany turned to see who her sister was talking to. "Hello, Anders right?" Bethany smiled in a polite hello before turning back to her game.

Everyone is seated at the long table in Varric's quarters, Varric at his usual spot at the head of the table, Aveline at the other end drinking her fine wine. Bethany is seated next to Varric, near the fire and Isabella is beside her, helping her to cheat at cards, as soon as Varric's head is turned she slips a card down Bethy's bodice "that's for latter kitten" she winks, Bethany giggles. Merrill who is seated on the other side of Isabella is watching the card game occasionally asking Aveline questions about how it's played. Fenris is seated on Varric's other side, losing to Bethany.

"Oh... Hawke, I'm having so much fun, this game is fascinating" Merrill shouted from across the table at them. "We don't really have parties like this in the clan."

"I have no doubt about that" Rynn laughed, "There are no Dwarfs with crazy stories, or that much chest hair."

"Suck it... I won" Bethany shouted as she jumped up to point her fingers at both Varric and Fenris.

"Bella, how much have you given her to drink?" Rynn groaned at the pirate.

"Just three drinks, I swear, ok maybe they were doubles and maybe it was four" Isabella shrugs her shoulders.

At that precise moment Bethany jumps up in her excitement at winning another hand, hitting her head on the low hanging chandelier and kind of slumping down in her chair… "Oh, Thera I don't feel so good she mumbled"

"That's what letting a busty pirate beauty buy you drinks all night will do… But I'll take you home, just give me a moment."

After congratulating Aveline on her position as guard captain and collecting Bethany's winnings, upon her insistence she helped her sister stand and guided her out of the hanged man and into the cool night air, Anders following behind them.

"Oh. Mother is going to…hich…kill me …for getting…this… drunk" Bethany giggles

"Ha, undoubtedly I will be the one to blame for your drinking, it will be 'OH Rynnthera, how could you let your sister drink, you should watch out for her.'" Rynn answered in their mothers disapproving voice.

"You sound just like mother" Bethy giggles again, "I think I need to sit down…. I don't feel so good"

"Would you like me to put her to sleep?" Anders asks "Might make it easier to get her home"

"That would be great, Thank you"

Anders lightly touches Bethany on the forehead and as he starts to focus on the spell he is flung backwards hitting the wall adjacent to the alley they are standing in. "Ouch. What the..."

Anders gets back up, and before Rynn can answer, Meeran appears in front of her.

"There you are. I don't let anyone who crossed me; get this big, in this town. On her lads"

There are six of Meeran's men surrounding them and Meeran himself who won't go down easy. "Fuck" now is so not a good time for this Rynn sets Bethany on her knees in the street, realizing she isn't wearing armour and she only has the little dagger that she could fit into her boot.

Anders has gotten to his feet and is standing beside Rynn ready to attack. Rynn notices the dagger he keeps on his belt and reaches for it pulling in form its sheath, she plants her feet, ready to defend her sister, Bethany has gotten to her feet and although feeling a little dizzy, she throws a fireball at the closest warrior.

Anders casts a chain lightning stunning three of the rogues, Rynn has turned her attention to one of the rogues next to Meeran throwing one of the daggers into the man's chest, as it hits him she is on top of him with the other dagger cutting across his throat. Then turning to Meeran who is snarling at her, she quickly back stabs him before he disappears into the fray.

Bethany has managed to stay on her feet, until one of the warriors comes in close hitting her with a pommel strike knocking her onto the ground and causing Rynn to lose one dagger as she throws it at the man catching him in the jugular.

Anders has managed to kill two of the rogues and is about to freeze the third when Meeran appears behind Rynn slashing at her with his twin daggers, she cries out, then drops to roll toward the body of one of the rogues grabbing his daggers which are far better than one in her hand. She hits Meeran with an explosive strike and then another backstab, before he's gone again, only to reappear behind Rynn who is distracted looking for Bethany, Meeran manages to stab her in the stomach with the larger of his two daggers causing her to drop to her knees, as he's about to bring his other dagger to her throat he is frozen in place and then electrocuted.

Rynn stumbles to Bethany, making sure she is still alive, she grabs her sister face which is bloodied from the wound on her head "please don't be dead please don't be dead"

"My head hurts Thera" Bethany moans, before turning onto her stomach to expel the contents of her stomach, both form the sight of all that blood and her drinking.

Anders walks over to the two women, Rynn holding her sister as she vomits into the street. "You should let me look at that" He points to Rynn's stomach which she is holding

"Bethany first" Rynn stands pulling her sister up wrapping her arm around her to support her, but before she can take her sister weight, Anders picks Bethany up

"Your so stubborn, you sister's fine you're the one bleeding all over the place."

"nope, it's just a scratch, follow me, Rynn leads them up the stairs to the hovel holding her stomach as she walks, she can feel the blood start to seep between her fingers, maybe it is more than a scratch, but Bethy first.

They enter the house Rynn points to the back room, "the bed in there"

Leandra is awake in the living area, she can see the blood on both her daughters and there is a tall blond man carrying Bethany to her bed. "What happened?"

"Relax Mother its fine, Bethy's just drunk"

"I can see the blood, I'm not blind… Drunk, you let your sister get drunk... Rynnthera, I thought you better than that."

"She deserved to have a night off too, mother she's been cooped up here for ….." Rynn can't stand anymore she starts to sink to her knees, her mother rushing to her side noticing her hand on her stomach, blood seeping between her fingers to drip onto the floor.

Anders enters the main room after finishing healing Bethany's head wound, "Bethany will be fine it was a minor cut, she's mostly just drunk, just make sure she drinks water in the morning…" he stops noticing how Rynn has fallen to her knees and is being held by her mother.

"I knew it was more than a scratch" he looks at her.

"Ok maybe you were right" she laughs, through a wince "I'm just going to lay down on the floor right here and..."

"No you're not" he picks her up,

"Mmm… you smell… good" she mumbles into his shoulder.

Looking at Leandra he asks, "Where can I put her?"

Leandra leads him to her room, "she can stay in here for now"

Putting her down on the bed lifting up her shirt he can see where the dagger went into the right side of her stomach, hopefully it's not too deep. Leandra returns with a basin of cold water and cloths, he's surprised most people need to be reminded what to do. Anders places his hand over the wound letting his magic run through her to see how much damage had been done; he starts to repair some of the internal damage. Leandra hands him a cloth before he can ask for it, he wipes some of Rynn's blood away to better see the wound, then again placing his hand over it heals is until the wound has mostly stopped bleeding, Leandra had rinsed the cloth and hands him another while he is cleaning the rest of the blood off, she has returned with cloth to use as a bandage.

"If you lift her I can wrap this around" she says matter-o-factly.

"Mother I can sit up, I'm fine" Rynn says wearily

After he is certain Rynn will be ok at least for the night he stands to go when Leandra stops him.

"What you did, you saved my daughters, I can never repay you for something like that" Leandra looks at him, Please stay the night you can have Gamlen's room, he won't be home tonight"

"Thank you mistress Hawke, I'd appreciate that" and he did he was tired and did not want to travel all the way to Darktown especially after seeing Rynn lying there close to death. She'll be a distraction. He ignores this and allows Leandra to lead him to the room he will be staying in.

It's late morning when Rynn wakes up; she's sore and still dressed in her bloodied clothes Bethany she remembers jumping out of bed and rushing into the main room.

Anders is there sitting at the table eating breakfast with Bethany and Leandra who look relieved to see Rynn up.

"Are you alright Bethany?" Rynn asks concern filling her voice

"I am fine just a headache. You should take a look at yourself"

"One of these days, you won't be so lucky" Mother chided her "there is a wash cloth and clean clothes in your room."

Rynn walked to the room Anders had put Bethany into the night before and hurriedly dressed

"So, your sisters a mage" Anders said as she came to sit at the table next to him.

"Yup, she sure is, our own little destructor mage"

"If, you've been an apostate your whole life how did you learn your magic?"

"My father taught me, he was in the circle trained there but he escaped."

"If you don't mind me asking Mistress Hawke, but how did you meet an Apostate mage?"

"Yes mother how did you two meet, Leandra Amell pride of the Amell family running off to Ferelden to marry the Apostate Malcolm Hawke?"

"Amell? Like the Ward…. like the Hero of Ferelden."

"please call me Leandra" she patted Anders hand and yes she's my cousin Revka's daughter, all her children were taken to the circle" she gets a sad look on her face.

Well, you father wasn't always and apostate you know, he was a junior enchanter here in the circle, back when they performed at the Viscount's functions, I'd always believed mages were grim old men in strange robes, but Malcolm was, he was such a wit, never had a straight answer for anything, it was infuriating, and fascinating, we found ways to meet more privately after that."

Did you not want to go to Ferelden? Bethany asks

"My parents made it clear that I had no future in Kirkwall with Malcolm, they threw me out, not a silver to my name and Malcolm came from the circle with nothing."

"Would he really be a Hawke if he didn't try to fix every single problem in the world single-handedly? Rynn smirked

"Oh so I should know by now, not to try to stop any of you, I just wish he were still here, I've made such an utter muck of it since he's been gone."

"The blight would've pushed us hear, Father couldn't have stopped that" Bethany tried to comfort her mother

"He could have kept Carver alive, I couldn't" and with that Leandra rose from the table "I can't do this now, it's too hard remembering, excuse me" she left to her room.

Rynn closed her eyes; her mother blames herself for so much. Turning to Anders she said, "Now you know pretty much everything there is to know about me"

"Well, I still have one question though"

"Only one? Well ok but only because I owe you for saving me"

"What's the Phoenix mean?"

"Ha-ha, you saw that did you?"

"It means I am a reckless child and should be dead a few times over by now, but I'm sure you already guessed that"

"Her and carver both got tattoos in the army, Carver chose it, because she's so damn lucky."

"Yea I can see that, although you didn't actually die?"

"What do you think?" She teased raising an eyebrow and smirking. "Come on I'll walk you back to the clinic." She said getting to her feet.

If you would like to see a picture of Rynn's Tattoo: Find me on Deviant art: darcierougue13