Stomping around, Loretta's mind blurred with anger as she kicked a nearby bucket over.

"Ugh, why must she be so difficult!" she thought as she trudged onward down the Lowtown streets. "I just need a good gallop around, and then- - -"

She stopped her train of thought as her feet faltered underneath her. No, Loretta thought as sadness twinged her heart. Sunburst's dead...has been dead for a while... and he's never coming back. I must accept it...

Loretta cracked her knuckles, sighed, and resumed her quick pace as thoughts of her conversation with her mother reignited her previous feelings.

...。. o.。. o.。. o.。. o...

Merrill nearly dropped her plate of food she was preparing for lunch when Hawke burst through her door in the Alienage.

"Creators, protect me!" Merrill exclaimed, "Oh, Hawke, it's only you. I'm glad it's you- - -really glad, in fact. I thought it might have been the Dread Wolf coming to take me."

"No," Loretta replied as a headache began forming behind her eyes, "I have a errand I need help on."

"Oh, goody, is it a long one? I haven't been able to make much progress helping my clan with restoring our heritage, and I've begun to feel a bit stale."

Normally, Loretta didn't mind Merrill's rambles about her people, her gods, or her culture. But today was not a normal day, and it took all of the woman's patience to not scowl at her.

"We're heading for the mountains in search for several dozen flowers called 'Queen's Envy'. It'll take about a week."

"I'll be right with you Hawke," Merrill chirped as she began packing hastily.

"Good, because we still need to grab Anders, too."

...。. o.。. o.。. o.。. o...

Although Hawke was no longer rampaging in anger when she got to Anders' clinic, the mage immediately sensed something was wrong.

"Loretta?" he asked as he glided over to her side swiftly, his face knit with uneasiness, "Is something the matter?"

"No."

"But you look- - -" he studied her from her flyaway hair barely kept in check in its bun to her flushed cheeks. "Livid..."

Loretta took a few deep breaths to ease her mind. Things were so much easier when she had Sunburst to help her in times like this.

"Sorry," she mumbled as she tried smoothing her hair back into place, "Shit day."

Anders reached out to put a hand on her shoulder, but then realized Merrill was standing by his doorway as well. His voice quieted as he spoke to her,

"Do you need me for something?"

The anger making her chest burn and her ears ring chipped away slightly. For some reason, Loretta couldn't help but feel that Anders wasn't referring to a quest.

"Oh, as a matter-of-fact, yes, I do need you...right now- - -" she grinned up at his clearly blushing face, "- - -for a week-long trip into the mountains."

Anders chuckled as he rubbed his hands together. "Just can't seem to stay away from me, can you?"

The anger chipped away even more.

"Nope."

A few minutes passed, and Anders blew out the flame lighting the lantern outside of his clinic before joining Loretta and Merrill as they headed off for the mountains.


The air was stale and humid, and the companions baked in the orange, afternoon sun. Moving quickly, Loretta led the group towards Vimmark Mountains. According to an herbalist in Kirkwall familiar with flowers, the "Queen's Envy" they were looking for resided in places that were cool, damp, and rocky, but that still received plenty of shade and sunlight. Finding an area such as that would prove to be difficult, at best.

As they marched forward, Loretta could hear Merrill trying to talk to Anders about his cat, Ser Pounce-a-lot. She was clearly failing miserably at the conversation, and Loretta could see his mouth twitching in aggravation as he walked beside her.

I don't know why she even tries, Loretta thought to herself, Some people are just never going to like you no matter what you say or do. No use trying to please every- - -

"Hello-o? Earth to Hawke?"

"W-what, sorry..." Loretta stuttered when she realized Merrill and Anders had been talking to her.

Anders looked at her for a moment before replying, "I was asking you what's so important about these flowers we are looking for..."

"My blighted mother wants them." Her stress about her and her mother's "marriage talk" began to come back in full swing.

"But, there must be some sort of reason- - -"

"Crap- - -" Hawke stopped suddenly and scanned the scene in front of her. The area was flat and still teaming with trees and vegetation on one side, and good for setting up tents and camping supplies. Just on the other side of the plateau, Loretta knew there was a small stream that had fish in it. "Me and my stupid temper. I'm so hungry...I forgot to eat earlier" she said as she dropped her pack with a loud thud. "We can stop here for tonight...there's only about an hour of sunlight left, anyways."

Anders cocked his head, and stared at Loretta. She seemed distracted, and as she ripped open her pack, dumped all of its contents on the ground, and picked up a fishing spear, Anders knew something was inevitably bothering her.

"What do you want me to do, Hawke?" Merrill squeaked as she watch the woman jog over to the stream some distance away.

"Gather firewood, make a fire."

Merrill sighed as she slunk over into the wooded area to perform her task.


Anders watched Loretta plop down on the stream's bank, muttering to herself as she kicked off her boots with some amount of difficulty. Taking off her knee high socks that Anders was pleased to see had faces of little grey kittens on them, Hawke rolled up her traveler's pants above her knees.

Anders felt his collar tighten and his neck warm as he noticed her feet were small, dainty, and even painted at the nails.

She has the cutest toes...

He was careful to keep his distance from her, but still managed to remain within earshot. Absent-mindedly searching for herbs for the night's meal, Anders kept his eyes glue to Loretta.

There was a bucket filled with water on the bank that Hawke used to throw in the fish she had speared. Anders suddenly found himself curious to see how Loretta managed to catch fish in this method- - - all he could ever do was to bait a pole, and wait for the fish to come to him.

Wading into the water, the woman's face relaxed minutely as she bent her knees, readied her spear, and squinted her eyes. Anders had never seen her stand so still before in his life; the concentration in her eyes made them glitter in what little daylight they had left. In a flash, Loretta lunged at something in the water, her spear disappearing in the process. In one swift movement, a fish flew through the air and off of her weapon, landing in the bucket. Again and again, Loretta repeated this motion, and each time, returned with a fish. Anders whistled his admiration quietly.

Loretta, however, was completely oblivious to the mage eyeing her from a distance, and instead, was consumed in her own thoughts.

Classic, Mother...do as I say not as I do- - -

She nearly tripped as her foot passed along an oddly shaped rock. She cursed under her breath before her thoughts resumed.

And then you have the balls to tell me you'll arrange my own marriage partner for me. How hypocritical- - -

Now stabbing the water in rapid succession, Hawke's spear now had three small fish piled up on her weapon. Sloshing around the stream noisily, she made her way back to the bank to deposit her catch.

Anders had just put down an armful of herbs next to her when she moaned, "Ugh, why is it always about men!?"

Anders jerked his head around to make sure she was indeed addressing him. "Um... excuse me?"

"I'd rather live my life as an exiled nomad than be forced to marry someone I don't love."

His face paled slightly in alarm. "What? Who's forcing you to get married? To whom? Maker, is that even legal anymore?"

The flood of sudden questions made Loretta stop her angry rant to look quizzingly at Anders. His mouth was tight in a grimace of concern, and Loretta didn't even try to deny the backflips that her stomach seemed to be performing as she stared at the mage. She turned around and went back into the water. Anders followed her to the edge of the stream, and waited anxiously for her answer.

Their eyes met, but Anders looked away quickly, saying, "N-not that it's any of my business what you do with your life. It just...doesn't seem right, that's all."

"Oh, I dunno," Loretta quipped and she hurled her fishing spear into the water, drilling it into another fish easily, "I wouldn't mind if you made it your business."

She heard Anders inhale as if to say something, and then stop himself. Sensing his hesitation made Loretta instantly regret she had said something so blunt.

"Listen, Hawke..."

Hearing her commonly used name instead of her first name by Anders made the woman internally flinch, but she hoped her face remained unchanged as she continued searching for fish.

"Perhaps it's best if we don't get too close- - -"

Loretta stared at her reflection in the water. "Close?" she said with a snort, "Who said anything about getting close? We're just buds."

She hurled the spear harder than she meant to. She flashed Anders the biggest smile she could muster. "Just friends."

"I just don't want to see you get hurt, that's all," Anders said as he studied her expression. He thought she deliberately avoided his gaze as she threw another fish into the bucket. "And with Justice and the clinic- - -"

"Oh, don't worry about that," she interrupted while stepping deeper into the water one last time, "It's not like I thought you were hitting on me or anything like that. Friends joke. I get it."

Her final throw missed the fish.

Anders rubbed his shoulder uncomfortably as he cast an apologetic glance in Loretta's direction she did not see. "I know that," he said softly as he twisted the leaves of an herb between his thumb and forefinger. "I just thought it was a bit...selfish of me just to unload all that stuff about Justice on you earlier. I'm sorry."

"When are you going to realize I'm not some delicate lady, Anders?" Loretta said as wiped her feet on the grass to dry them off. "You tell me anything you need to. Anything at all. That's what friends do."

When Anders merely grunted in an unconvinced manner, Loretta thumped him on the back like she usually did with her brother.

"All this heavy talk has got me starving," Loretta continued as she rolled her pants back down to their original position. "Let's get those fish on a spit, and into the fire."

Anders now knew for certain she was refusing to look him in the face. After all, it was quite easy to tell that Loretta was trying not to look at him due to their height difference. Anders followed her back to the campsite, making sure to walk several paces behind her.


Dinner was over, and the companions were now taking turns keeping watch during the night. Anders had taken the first watch, and Merrill the second, which only left Hawke with the midnight one. Sitting down near the fire, Loretta sighed, allowing her back and neck to release their tension. Thinking back to the previous conversation, the woman's attention drifted.

How could I have been so blind? the thought surged through her mind just as she looked up at twinkling stars. I must be really dense to think someone as kind and interesting as Anders would want to have anything to do with me in that way.

Loretta tugged at her hair tie until it came loose. Feeling the weight of her long hair against her back gave her a sense of comfort. Placing her hands behind her head, she continued gazing up at the stars. Her eyelids felt heavy against her face, and before she knew it, sleep had brought her back to the Fade once more in a dream.

...。. o.。. o.。. o.。. o...

Standing in the middle of a cobblestone street, Loretta realized she was still in Kirkwall. A woman with black hair approached her, and Loretta walked up to meet her halfway.

"Bethy," Loretta said happily as she took her sister's hands in hers. The younger woman smiled back at her.

"Hello, Sister," she replied softly.

Loretta touched Bethany's cheek, not quite believing what was happening. "I didn't know I could talk to you in dreams."

"All are connected to the Fade, but it is only a select few who can consort with others like this."

Loretta frowned, "What does that even mean?"

"Here," Bethany said as she rubbed her hands over sister's palms. Loretta watched as her own hands began to glow with a bright blue color that spread up her arms quickly. "Speak with your mage friend...he will guide you on your path. I'm afraid I cannot stay any longer..."

"Path? What path? And, why are you speaking in riddles?"

Bethany's form began to flicker much like it had when Justice's influence faded after Anders' bout with the Templars.

"No, don't go, don't leave me again!" Loretta cried, her chest tightening as sadness gripped her heart.

Bethany squeezed her sister's hands one last time before releasing her. "I am always with you, Lettie. But, you might want to wake up now...

...。. o.。. o.。. o.。. o...

A horrible stench filled her nostrils as Loretta screamed in pain as reds, yellows, and oranges streaked across line of sight. A loud cackling sound resounded in her ears, and she thrashed about in confusion as a strange heat enveloped her.

"Holy- - -" Anders breathed as he awoke with a sudden jolt at hearing a blood-curdling sound. Grabbing his staff, he flung himself out of his sleeping quarters, expecting to see darkspawn, raiders, or even a rabid animal. What he didn't expect to see was Loretta's upper body aflame, her hair being the source of the fire; she appeared like a macabre beacon in the dark sky.

"Loretta!" Anders yelled to her amidst the screams. The woman dropped to the ground suddenly, rolling in an attempt to put out the flames that now crept dangerously close to her neck.

"Cover your face!"