Evelyn was lying on her back hours later, staring up at the stars above her while she and Blackwall stayed awake to let the others sleep in peace. They had made a fire, ate some ram meat Varric killed, and the other four in their small party went to sleep almost right away. Riding all day and some of the night had taken the last bit of energy out of them, and Cassandra had finally relented to eat and sleep, feeling that the twenty miles between them and Alexius safe enough. Everyone knew that they were being followed, but all had drawn the conclusion that it wasn't meant to be a sneaky sort of follow when they saw their campfire not even a half mile down the river bank from where they had let out their rolls. No one trying to be sneaky would be so brazen, and Evelyn almost wanted to trek down to their camp and ask the mage with Dorian where he fit into the tapestry that was slowly being woven around them.

Varric's snores were enough to wake the dead, as usual, so no beasts of the night bothered to come within yards of the camp, both she and Blackwall hearing the grunts of bears but never seeing a single hair of one. She chuckled to herself about it, and Blackwall turned his blue eyes to her in question.

"Varric," she explained with a fond smile. "With him sleeping, nothing ever bothers camp. He could take down the Frostbacks if he truly wanted."

"Aye," Blackwall laughed back, his eyes crinkling in the firelight. "I had a friend in the Marches, a dwarf. He could make the very air around him move when he slept."

"You've spent time in the Free Marches?" Evelyn asked curiously, and he nodded.

"I was born there," he said with a bit of pride in his voice.

"So was I. My father is the bann in Ostwick. Where were you born?"

"Markham. Just a piss spot on the map. But I loved it." His eyes were far away as he watched the flames move before him.

"How did you end up with a sword?" Evelyn pushed herself off the ground and sat up, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her head on them.

"I was… a soldier," he returned, not looking at her. She took note of his pause.

"And then you became a Grey Warden. Why?"

"Got into a spot of trouble," he mumbled uncomfortably. "Don't like mentioning it, really. My life before the Wardens seems hollow now. When I became a Warden, I had purpose… after I joined, everything was erased. Being a Warden is a sort of absolution."

"So I've heard. Well, I found you in seclusion and helping people. That doesn't scream 'bad man' to me at all. I think you're all right, Ser Blackwall." Evelyn gave him a disarming grin. "Not all of us here are saints. Except Cassandra. Pretty sure she's straight and narrow."

"By 'not saints', what do you mean?" Blackwall asked suspiciously, and Evelyn gave a careless shrug.

"Solas is, and has always been, an apostate; Varric has more shade than a leafy tree; Sera has sticky fingers; and I'm an alcoholic murderer," she told him nonchalantly, as if she were giving him the weather report for the evening.

He stared at her for a moment, his eyes taking in her youthful face and her slight stature, making the same mistakes that many men before him had made, thinking her too pretty to be dangerous. Her beauty only made her more dangerous. "Murderer, eh? Mind explaining exactly what you mean?" he finally asked, and Evelyn gave him a single nod.

"When I was a child, I had aptitude with blades. Short swords, throwing knives, and daggers, in particular. I nurtured that talent with my older brother's trainers behind my father's back. Someone noticed when I was fourteen, and offered me two hundred sovereigns to take out this gutless fuck that I hated anyway because he couldn't keep his comments to himself when I passed him in town. That couple hundred sovereigns was the base of what became my runaway fund. I planned to get out of my father's house before I was eighteen and legal to be married off or sent to the Chantry."

"So, you're an assassin?" he said slowly, obviously conflicted with this revelation.

"When it suits me, yes," Evelyn replied with a casual shrug. "I do not go out of my way looking for work, if that's what you mean. But if the price or reason is right, I do not hesitate to do as I am bid."

"So what price does a person's life run?" he asked, and she did not miss the cold tone beneath his words.

"These days it's free, if you haven't noticed in the past week," Evelyn said dryly, not offended at all that he was offended. Not many people would understand exactly what she stood for, so it did not surprise her this seemingly do-gooder would not agree with her choice of profession.

"That's different-"

"Is it?" Evelyn interrupted lightly, not looking at him, but at the fire between them. "We've killed bandits, templars sworn by Divine rite, mages by the bucket loads. Who is to say that each of these men and women that have fallen before our blades were inherently evil? Everyone we kill has a purpose, has an ideal, has a dedication to some creed. Every one of them is someone's child, or parent, or sibling, or lover. When I take a contract, I do not delve into the personal life of the target because I do not wish to know that the man who stole a pair of diamond earrings from my proprietor's wife is a father who loves his children but cannot stop himself from taking things that are shiny. Nor do I wish to know that the templar I just ran through was the teenaged son of some worried mother out there, who is dying under the pain of not knowing if her baby will come walking through her door when the fight is finished. How is it different, Warden?"

Blackwall only made a passive grunt, thinking on her words. Evelyn did not press him, nor did she really care if he answered her at all. She had her beliefs, her moral code, and he had his. After several minutes passed he spoke again, only it was another question. "You said price and reason. What are your reasons?"

"I do not tolerate slavery," she said automatically and unapologetically. "I do not like watching people being mistreated by others that think themselves superior. I do not allow a known rapist to escape my attention, that goes double if it is a child they have violated… I make them hurt. I do not like abuse of power, politically or otherwise. I don't play around with fuckers that have it out for the mages in particular, meaning I don't like most templars. I've only known three that I could stomach for any extended amount of time. And the Maker and His Bride help the dumbass that threatens or insults people I care about." She glanced over her shoulder at this last line, looking directly at the dark lump on the ground that was a sleeping Sera. When she looked back, Blackwall was studying her again.

"Aye," he said after a pause. "I agree, those are good reasons. We can agree on that and talk of something else. I want to like you, if we are to work together."

Evelyn chuckled to herself, shaking her head. "I don't think you liking me is going to be a problem. I'm rather charming, if I say so myself."

"I don't form my opinions on others based on charm," the Warden said gruffly, not looking at her. "I base them on merit and heart. If you're truly what you say you are, then you certainly have neither."

Evelyn outright laughed at him. "Ser, you definitely do not know to whom you speak. I have both, and in multitudes. I just do not waste what is precious on anyone less than deserving."

Blackwall said nothing for the moment, only peering into the blackness around them, listening to the sounds of the night forest around them. Evelyn didn't press him for further conversation, instead leaning back on her elbows and getting comfortable for the time being. She knew their time was winding down to changing watch shifts, and her body was feeling the fatigue of the entire day on its shoulders. She wished she had assigned Cassandra with Varric instead of Sera, but there were two main reasons she did not. She wouldn't be accused of favoritism on Sera's behalf, and she did not want Cassandra to be off with Varric's head before sunrise. She did not pick Solas to watch with Sera because there would have been a flat out refusal from her imp and Solas would not keep his scathing remarks about the girl to himself. She would wake up to arrows in his throat.

"You care about her, don't you?"

The sound of Blackwall's question pulled Evelyn from her thoughts and she focused her gaze on the man again. "I'm sorry? To whom are you referring?" she asked, confused. They had not talked of any individual person, so the query threw her off.

"Sera. You and her, it's not a fling, is it." It was not a question.

Oh. Sera.

Evelyn weighed in her mind the response she would give. If this would help him see past her profession to the person sitting in front of him, she would be honest. She needed her people to trust her, to be on board when she gave the word. She couldn't afford to lie to him, even about something so personal.

"No, it is not a fling. She is my best friend. I am very lucky to have her at this time in my life. She has been a tremendous stress relief, in more ways than one."

"It does make a difference to have someone to help you shoulder the world," he sighed with a weary nod. "Is it love?"

Evelyn shrugged at this question, because she honestly had no clue if it were or not. "It could be, one day," she allowed carefully. "But we've only known each other a month, no matter that it feels like she's been in my life the whole time. Love is a tricky thing. There is definitely a deep affection for her in my heart."

"You're smarter than I'm giving you credit for."

"Probably," Evelyn agreed with a faint smile. "I just have a separate perception of the world and how things work in it. I'm not a monster, Blackwall. I'm still human. You don't have to worry that I'm leading you to the Void with me."

"I'm sure I'll become accustomed to your… less desirable traits. Just will take some time, that's all."

Evelyn stifled the chuckle blooming in her chest, not wanting the man to think she was mocking him in any form. Her behavior was paramount. "It still makes Cassandra's eye twitch when she thinks about it," Evelyn said with a touch of pride to her voice. "But don't let her fool you; she adores me."

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you assume the command of this party? By mark default?"

"Yup," Evelyn said with just a hint of bitterness. "You'd think the Seeker was perfect for my job… but I'm the one that is marked. The one they think Andraste herself flung back into the mortal world to do her work for her."

"I didn't mean to say I think you're a shite leader. To be honest, I think your strategy and execution of planning is sound. I wondered because the Seeker obviously has years of experience on you. You can't be more than a teenager."

"What I lack in years I make up for in candor," Evelyn said cheekily, shooting the bearded man a wink, making him crack a small smile, his beard twitching with the expression.

"Fair enough, Herald. Fair enough."

Not too long after this last conversation, Sera drug herself from her bedroll and made her way over to the fire, shivering in the cool night air. Evelyn gave her a sympathetic look and slipped out of her long leather coat, standing up and slipping it around the elf when she came near. Sera gave her a look of gratitude through her half lidded, sleepy eyes.

"Thanks, Shiny," she murmured, and Evelyn nodded back.

"Anytime, my imp. I'm gonna catch some sleep. We have a long ride ahead and I don't want to pass out in the saddle." She touched Sera's face, half glancing at Blackwall to see if he were looking at them. She wanted to kiss the imp goodnight.

"Go on, then," Sera yawned back, slipping her arms into the sleeves on the jacket and pulling it tighter around her small frame.

Ah, fuck it. He knows, anyway. It's just a kiss.

Evelyn grabbed the lapel of her jacket Sera was wearing, tugging the girl forward and to her lips. She made the kiss as chaste as she could allow herself, and it was still a soft lip lock, full of the affection for the girl that she'd tried to explain to the man earlier. Sera glanced at the Warden as they broke away, a smug look pulling at the corners of her generous mouth.

"Sleep tight, Shiny."

"As long as you keep those bears back when Varric wakes up and the natural deterrent has stopped."

Sera gave her a blank look. "I didn't understand half of that, Shiny. No bears, got it."

Evelyn shook her head, and leaned forward to press a kiss to Sera's forehead before making her way to her bedroll, exhaustion leading each of her steps to a slow crawl. When her head hit the mat, she rolled over and pulled Sera's bedroll closer just to have her scent within range, thinking the whole time how sad and pathetic she must seem.

Fuck 'em. I don't care what they think. I like my imp near when I sleep, big deal.

The trip back to Haven was not meant to be. The sun had risen naught an hour before a messenger bird flew down in front of Evelyn as she groggily tried to wake herself in her bedroll. It pecked the tip of her nose sharply and the rogue sat right up, wide awake now and pissed.

"Bloody fucking bird! Give me that and shoo! Give your master my curses!" She snatched the slip of rolled paper from its talons and the raven took flight with a loud call, deftly clubbing Evelyn on the head with its wing feathers as it took off. "You're a regular funny bird, aren't you, you little duster!"

Ignoring the peals of laughter coming from Sera and Varric, Evelyn rubbed her nose to see if the blighted thing had broken skin, but her hand came away blood free. "Stupid thing," she muttered angrily, unrolling a message from Leliana. She scanned the thing and gave a heavy sigh. Here we go again.

"Fallow Mire. A group of Inquisition soldiers were taken hostage by a local clan of Avvar. We have to go get them."

"It isn't terribly far," Cassandra yawned, stretching in her own bedroll, arms reaching to the heavens. "Perhaps two days by horse."

Evelyn gave a nod, pulling on her boots quickly and lacing them tightly. "The reports say there was a demand from the Avvar chief's son that I face him for the soldiers' lives. Have you ever seen an Avvar?"

"I have," Cassandra answered shortly in a clipped tone that told Evelyn all she needed to know.

"I'll assess once we're there, size him up, see if I can take him alone. If I cannot, I trust we will do what it takes to get these people back to Haven still breathing?" Evelyn meant taking every Avvar in attendance out without hesitance, and Cassandra knew it.

A firm nod confirmed what Evelyn already knew. Cassandra would support her. "We will do what it takes, Herald."

"Evelyn," Evelyn corrected, and Cassandra shook her head as she packed her bedroll back into a saddle bag.

"That was spoken by our leader, not our friend."

Evelyn was confused, pausing in her quest to strap her plate mail back over her jerkin. "Are they not the same?"

"Yes and no," Cassandra said with a smirk. "Think on this, Evelyn. Before the Inquisition, would you risk your life for a handful of men and women you'd never met?"

Fuck no. Evelyn's mouth pulled down into a frown. "No, I wouldn't have."

Cassandra raised a dark eyebrow to accentuate the smirk still pulling at her own lips, and the realization of what Cassandra was saying hit Evelyn hard. She'd changed, drastically, without barely recognizing it for what it was.

"You've made your point. Thank you." Evelyn gave a nod to the Seeker, who smiled approvingly back at her. It made a warmth spread through Evelyn to see it, knowing that she was finally starting to resemble someone the Seeker could be proud to fight beside. The knowledge gave her the strength to take a deep breath and steel herself for yet another task of the Inquisition.


Somewhere on the Waking Sea

The steady rocking of the ship wasn't enough to lull Hawke to sleep. She laid in bed with Isabela, who was passed out on her right with her unruly raven hair scattered across both of their pillows after a rather vigorous round of sex. Usually Hawke would have been snoring lightly before Isabela could even shut her eyes, but ever since she read Varric's last letter she had not been sleeping well. When she managed to close her eyes, all she could see was red lyrium and all she could hear was Meredith's final scream as it consumed her and made her flesh a vein of itself.

This night was no different.

She gave up, and carefully extracted herself from the arm lazily slung over her bare midriff, climbing out of the bed in the captain's quarters and making her way over to the desk where a few candles still burned. She collapsed into the chair, leaning forward onto the desk with her elbows, bringing her hands up to cradle her slightly throbbing temples. Three years had passed since the last time she'd seen red lyrium, and she had hoped then it would be the last. She didn't want to think about what it meant that it was so far south, that it had been in the Temple of Sacred Ashes, or that it was anywhere near her best friend. She didn't want to think about what it had done to Bartrand, even if he was always a dick, and she didn't like to remember the look in Varric's eyes when they'd discovered the small piece his brother had stashed in his manor in Hightown. She didn't want to think about any of it. She wanted to think about shipment manifests and tight ropes, about wind in her face and the light spray of salt water on her sun-burned skin. She wanted to think about the light feeling she got in her chest when she looked up to the wheel and saw her indomitable captain with an utter serenity to every part of her being as she snapped off orders with a bottle of rum in one hand and the wheel in the other. She loved being on the sea with Isabela.

But that was all about to change. She could feel it in her bones. The Inquisition was on everyone's tongue in every port they'd anchored, the deeds of Ellen's sister the roar of every tavern. She was no longer the focus of Cassandra Pentaghast's attention. She was no longer on the run.

Then why in seven hells am I debating on going straight to them now that I finally have the freedom to do what I want?

She rubbed her hands on her face hard, not really believing herself. She had hated being the Champion of Kirkwall, she had hated being the center of attention just because she was a decent person that didn't like assholes that fucked things up for everyone. She stood up for mages, she stood up for the little guy, and it made her some fucking hero for everyone.

She angrily shoved back from the desk, standing up and beginning to pace furiously back and forth across the floor, her bare feet barely making a sound as she went. This internal battle was ridiculous; she knew she didn't want to do this. It was her fucking morality and honor driving her to make this decision, and she hated it.

"Could you brood a little more quietly for fuck's sake?" A familiar voice thick with sleep carried through the semi-dark to Hawke's ears, and she cut her eyes over to the bed. Isabela hadn't shifted in the rumpled bed linens, but she was clearly awake.

"Sorry," Hawke mumbled, pausing in her pacing to run fingers through her disheveled hair. "Didn't mean to wake you."

"I've been awake since you got out of bed," Isabela groaned as she rolled over on her back with a long stretch. The pirate pushed herself up into a sitting position and swung her long legs over the edge, getting to her feet and coming towards Hawke. She slipped her arms around her, burying her face in Hawke's neck as Hawke brought her own arms around her lover. "What has you digging holes in my floor, sweet thing?"

"I'm a fucking idiot," Hawke answered with a light scoff, closing her eyes when she felt Isabela press a kiss to her throat.

"Well, that's not news, " Isabela joked softly, beginning to rub small circles at the base of Hawke's spine. "But why does that have you out of bed in the middle of the night?"

Hawke didn't verbally reply, just turned her face to press a kiss to Isabela's dark curls.

"You want to go to Haven, don't you?" The question wasn't truly a question, and Hawke's eyes blurred a bit as a pang hit her heart. Isabela always knew what was on her mind, even when she didn't say it aloud.

"It's stupid, I know."

Isabela shook her head at her lover, pulling her face back to look at Hawke in the candlelight. "Probably the dumbest thing you've said all day. But I… understand."

Hawke found herself slightly surprised with the pirate's response. "You do?"

"There's a giant fucking hole in the sky, Hawke. Varric is alone with a bunch of whacked out Chantry birds, and is seeing red lyrium of all fucking things. I told you once that you'd rubbed off on me; I didn't mean that in the way you usually rub off on me." Long fingers skillfully danced up the Champion's spine, giving her chills in all the right ways. "I don't like this anymore than you do, sweet girl. I was thinking maybe we should dock in Jader, maybe leave Huey in charge of the route to keep the sovereigns flowing while we figure out how to put our asses in the fight again." Those fingers slowly crept around Hawke's sensitive ribs and came up to cup her small breasts in their palms, thumbs coming up to rub the tips into hard peaks again.

"You'd come with me?" Hawke breathed, her heart beat picking up with the small ministrations Isabela was giving her nipples at the moment.

Isabela chuckled lowly, ghosting her full lips across Hawke's thinner ones. "If you think I'm going to let you run off by yourself and get yourself killed like some bloody fucking hero, you're dumber than you look, love." She pressed her lips to Hawke's lightly, gently nipping at her bottom lip. "Now come back to bed… I can put you right to sleep, trust me."

"You always have the best ideas," Hawke murmured, sliding her hands down to Isabela's ass, pulling the woman up so that she wrapped her arms and legs around Hawke's lanky frame. "But you're fucking crazy if you think you're going to be on top this time."


Still Somewhere on the Waking Sea

"I'm thinking about writing Evelyn," Ellen blurted out to Bethany in the dark of their small shared bunk.

"I think that's a great idea," Bethany murmured sleepily, nuzzling further against Ellen's chest.

"You don't think it would piss your sister off?"

Bethany shook her head. "Like I said before, they don't know that you're still with her. And besides, I think the search for Marian is over. That Seeker has your sister doing all of the dirty work, doesn't she?"

Ellen gave a heavy sigh, rolling over on her side, causing Bethany to groan with irritation at the sudden movement when she was comfortable lying half atop her girlfriend. But she readjusted with her, instead wrapping her arm over Ellen's side and pressing her face in between her shoulder blades. "Talk to Marian about it in the morning if it's bothering you, El," Bethany whispered, tightening her hold on the storm mage.

"Yeah," Ellen whispered back, biting her lip. "I wish I knew where Evelyn stood when it comes to our father," she went on quietly, reaching for the hand around her middle and twining her fingers through Bethany's. "If she's on good terms with him or not. I don't want the entire Trevelyan clan coming down on my head for being an apostate, but I'd like to see Evelyn and Maxwell again. I love my brother and sister. I want you to meet them, and them to know you."

"All mages are technically apostates now, El. They can't fault you for not being somewhere that doesn't exist anymore."

"You haven't met my father or his siblings. My aunts would be scandalized, and my uncles would declare me heretical. Maybe I am… but I'm happy."

Bethany pushed herself up onto her elbow, despite the fact she couldn't see Ellen in the pitch black of their room. "Then why do you feel guilty? Why do you beat yourself up, if you're happy?"

"Because I still can't figure out what I did to deserve it," Ellen answered honestly. "It's like all of this bad stuff happened to me, then I met you and it all became good after. The darkest parts pressed on us in the very beginning, and now we are free mages and together despite it all. It terrifies me to imagine meeting my family all over again because I am scared they'll take it all away from me."

"There is only one thing that could take me from you," Bethany said softly, releasing Ellen's hand to guide her lover onto her back once more. She cupped her palm and let a small flame shoot up from its center, lighting the worry lines on Ellen's pretty face. "And it isn't your family, Ellen."

Caramel eyes danced with liquid emeralds in the flicker of the small flame in Bethany's hand, neither mage having to say aloud the things they read in each other's gaze. Ellen pushed herself up on her elbows, reaching her face up to Bethany's and kissing her softly. Bethany let the flame in her palm flicker out, then touched Ellen's jaw in the dark, holding the girl's face to hers. Ellen knew exactly where this was going when she tried to pull back and Bethany wouldn't allow it. But Ellen was completely okay with that. She loved this woman more than she thought she could love anything, finding this single beam of light in a place as dark as the Gallows were. One familiar and overwhelmingly warm spot in such cold stones that surrounded her in Kirkwall, choking the life out of her. Bethany breathed it back into her. She gave her hope, and that was something for which Ellen would thank her for the rest of their days in every way possible.

"Light the candle; I want to see your face," Ellen whispered when they parted, both of them breathing just a tad heavier with the quickly rising energy between them. She reached for the tail of her night shirt and pulled it over head in a single motion just as Bethany turned to light the candle on their bedside table, tossing it into a pile of dirty laundry just across the small space.

Yellow light spread across the room, and Ellen could see the way Bethany's lips tilted up on one side as she also divested herself of her sleep shirt and came back to the circle of her arms, skin to skin. A thigh slipped up, nestling against her through her smalls and her hips twitched on reflex, grinding herself against the pressure Bethany applied as she settled on top of her. Ellen reached up and tucked the curtain of ebony hair behind Bethany's ear as the older woman leaned down to kiss her again, making Ellen's heart begin to palpitate wildly in her chest, reacting in ways only Bethany could make it do.

Everything about Bethany was soft. Her lips, her skin, her touch. Ellen had known women before her, but none like her. Most were whores, sure; she didn't have a lot of choice when sneaking out of the towers to catch a drink and fuck in whatever tavern happened to be close enough to make it back to the Circle before daybreak. She'd also been with two other mages, but their couplings were never patient and thorough; there was too much danger in being caught together. But Bethany? Even their first few times together, hiding in the lowest depths of the Gallows away from prying templar eyes, were slow and full of emotions of which Ellen had no idea existed before meeting the woman atop her now.

Soon the slow touches quickened, and they were both lost to the sensation of the other. It was a paradox to be lost in something so familiar that Ellen could trace the curves of Bethany's body by sheer memory without ever looking to see where she was touching. She still shivered every time Bethany led her hand down to the juncture of her thighs when she was ready to feel the physical equivalent of the pressure building in their chests, and this time was the same.

"Maker, Beth," Ellen breathed when her hand slipped beneath the ruined smalls her lover still wore. The slick flesh she touched quivered in response to Ellen's slow stroke of her sex, and Bethany whimpered into her ear, raising her hips so that Ellen could slide her smalls down her thighs.

"Don't stop…." The words were said so quietly that Ellen could barely hear them over the sound of her own heart in her ears.

"Would never," she promised, pressing her lips under Bethany's jaw and slowly rolling them over so that Bethany was looking up at her with that pleading expression in her eyes, gnawing her bottom lip to hold back the cries she wanted to make as Ellen rubbed gentle circles over her. The overall effect made Ellen shake with her efforts to maintain dignity and not ravish the girl, knowing that Bethany preferred to be as quiet as possible when they coupled on board the ship; it kept Isabela's jokes to a bare minimum and gave comfort that it didn't provide the entire crew with entertainment.

Despite the gentle rocking of hips when Ellen finally pressed into her, Bethany was gasping and clutching her after just a few minutes, and when she came undone, the low whine she gave sent chills through Ellen.

This body I'm holding… this soul, so precious…

She didn't keep going when Bethany fell limp against the straw mattress, but neither did she pull her fingers out of her. She ran her nose across Bethany's collarbone, pressing lingering kisses across the top of her breasts, enjoying the rise and fall of her breath, the feel of Bethany's fingers gripping at her short hair.

One with her, always.

"Hold on," Bethany whispered when Ellen made to pull out of her. "Stay inside… just a little longer." She flexed her muscles around Ellen's fingers to emphasize her wish, and Ellen only answered by locking lips with her again.

"Embracing you like this, it makes me feel like even death couldn't take you from me, as if we are eternal," Ellen said a few minutes later, her eyes closed and her head resting on Bethany's chest, listening to the most beautiful sound in the world as Bethany traced her fingertips up and down her back lovingly. "I'll never be alone again."

"Like you can't remember what came before, and all that matters is this moment," Bethany replied in barely more than a whisper.

"Exactly." Ellen picked her head up to look at Bethany's face, inspired. She took in the delicate features, the shine of sweat still shining in the candlelight, the warmth and understanding in her eyes. "This reality, this oneness, it's all I will ever need." She swallowed the lump of emotion that rose in her throat with the next thing she wanted to say, willed the tears that gathered over her eyes not to fall. "Bethany… marry me? Please?"

Bethany's mouth fell open and she quickly sat up so that Ellen readjusted to be straddled across her lap. Her eyes were wide with surprise, all the post-coital glaze gone with those two words. "Ellen," she squeaked, looking torn between disbelief and excitement. "Are you-?"

"Serious?" Ellen cut her off with a happy grin, cupping her face with both hands and running her right thumb below her bottom lip. "I've never been so serious about anything in my life. I want you forever, I want to share my life with you, Bethany Hawke. Please do me this honor?"

"Maker, yes!" Tears filled Bethany's eyes with her answer, but unlike Ellen, she did not force them back. They spilled over her cheeks as they dimpled with the wide smile that broke across her face, her hands coming up to circle Ellen's thin wrists as she held her face.

"Yes?" Ellen couldn't believe her ears, but there it was.

"Yes!" This last was yelled at the top of Bethany's lungs, and it made Ellen laugh with glee before kissing her hard.

"We're getting married!" Ellen yelled when Bethany pulled back to shove Ellen down onto the mattress, pushing her thighs apart.

"We are," Bethany agreed with a giggle, running the flat of her palm up Ellen's stomach. She leaned down and pressed her lips to her sternum, flicking her tongue out for a taste of her skin, slowly working her way back down the skinny mage's body.

When Bethany's mouth covered her sex, Ellen couldn't stop the groan that escaped her throat as her head tilted back on the pillow- but that was all that happened before the door to their bunk was slammed open.

Both women let out a yelp of surprise and dove for the sheets to cover themselves, looking up to see Hawke standing there in a loosely tied bathrobe, eyes alight with ire as she bared down on the bed opposite.

"Hawke!" Isabela appeared behind the taller woman, face etched in real concern as she reached a hand out to grab Hawke by the upper arm to stop her advancing on the two in the bed. She was also wearing a robe, but it wasn't even tied at all, revealing every bit of her dark flesh beneath it.

But Ellen didn't even bother trying to catch a glance like she might have under other circumstance. Hawke was radiating energy into the room that she had no idea someone without magic in their blood could project. Ellen couldn't take her eyes away from the Champion of Kirkwall as she stopped directly next to their bed, glaring down at her alone.

"You want to marry my baby sister?" Hawke asked Ellen in a dangerously low voice, bright blue eyes daring her to lie to her.

Ellen swallowed against the lump that rose in her throat, feeling Bethany reach for her hand beneath the sheet and grasping it for strength. She wasn't scared of Hawke- not really, anyway- but she respected the woman for the things she stood for and the things she'd done. And she really didn't want to be tossed overboard before she had the chance to make this idea of hers a reality. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin, looking Hawke dead in the eyes.

"Yes, I do. And I will." There was a note of challenge in her voice, because if Hawke truly wanted to fight, she would; but she didn't want them to hurt one another if she could save Bethany the stress of her sister and lover going at each other's throats over Bethany's virtue that Ellen had taken long ago. "I love her, and I'll always love her. No one can change that." Including you, she thought to herself, but she didn't dare say it out loud.

"Sister, please-" Bethany's words were cut short by Hawke raising a hand in her direction without ever taking her gaze away from Ellen's defiant visage.

"I'm only going to say this once, Trevelyan, so you better listen good," Hawke said in that same low, deadly calm tone. "You ever, ever, ever hurt her… I will fucking kill you. Understand?"

Ellen didn't balk, nor back down from the older woman's stance. "I've never hurt her, and I don't plan to start when she's my wife. So you have nothing to worry about, Hawke."

Hawke's eyes looked at Bethany huddled up against Ellen beneath the white linen, softening immediately. "Are you sure this is what you want, Beth?" she asked Bethany, whom Ellen knew was the most precious thing in Hawke's life as well as her own.

"With everything inside of me," Bethany answered fiercely, the hand holding Ellen's squeezing down in her conviction.

Hawke gave a single nod, then ran a hand through her messy black hair, a slight smile pulling up her lips. "Well, fuck. My sister beat me to the punch. Congratulations, guys," she said with a light sigh, glancing over at Isabela.

The pirate gave her a dubious look, crossing her arms over her bare breasts. "Don't get any funny ideas, Hawke, looking at me like that. The kids want to go tying knots and fucking building houses that's fine, but-"

"-you're married to the sea, yeah, I remember," Hawke finished dryly, turning and walking out of the room with a single wave of her hand over her shoulder to bid Ellen and Bethany goodnight.

Isabela scoffed loudly, throwing her hands up in the air as she flipped around to follow her lover back to their quarters. "Bloody fucking great, like this is my fault!" she was complaining as she slammed their door shut behind her, and they could hear her continue to rant as she walked back into the room connected to theirs.

Muffled arguing could be heard through the wall, but neither Ellen nor Bethany paid attention to what was being said; they were already looking at each other with mirroring relieved grins. Ellen pulled their clasped hands up and placed a kiss on the back of Bethany's, making the older girl blush lightly.

"That went well, I think," Ellen said hopefully, and Bethany giggled.

"I think so, too. Isabela isn't too happy about it, but that's only because she knows Marian wants to marry her, and the very thought of it terrifies her." Both of them flinched as a loud thud hit the adjoining wall, followed by sound of breaking glass.

"It sounds like she's arguing with herself, honestly," Ellen said a moment later, noticing an absence of Hawke's slow drawl while Isabela flipped her shit.

Bethany laughed. "She is. That's the funny thing about Isabela: she wants to marry Marian just as much as Marian wants to marry her. That's what bothers her most."

Ellen blew out a hard breath of air, thinking about how lucky she was that Bethany was sane. "I hope we didn't just start something they won't be able to fix."

Bethany snorted, rolling her eyes and lying back on the bed, tugging Ellen down beside her. "Ten more minutes and they'll be screaming at each other in an entirely different way, El. Trust me."

"Thank you for not being as complicated as some people on this ship," Ellen said sincerely, turning over to bury her face in Bethany's soft bust. "I'd still be just as in love with you, but I have to admit: I don't envy your sister."

"Only the truly stupid do," Bethany chuckled, beginning to run her fingers through Ellen's hair. "Do you want to try to sleep, since my sister ruined the mood?"

Ellen just nodded, curling her arm around Bethany. "I still have to work up the nerve to ask her about writing Evelyn. But after this, I think I should wait a few days for things to cool off."

Bethany put the candle out with a wave of her hand, and they were shrouded in darkness once more. "Perhaps that is a wise idea. Isabela makes her cranky unlike anyone else in this world."

Ellen gave a weak laugh, the warmth of Bethany's body already proving to be a lullaby for her. "I can see why… Goodnight, Beth. Thank you for making me the happiest I've ever been tonight."

"Likewise, Ellen. I love you."

Ellen touched her face in the darkness. "I love you, too. Sweet dreams."

Right when both grew quiet in the act of trying to fall asleep peacefully, another thud hit the wall, only this time the noise following it was completely different.

"Ow! Watch the table, Hawke, for fuck's sake- Andraste's tits, just fuck me!"

"Yeah," Hawke's voice shot back, "you're one to talk about watching the furniture when I have bruises all over the front of my thighs from the edge of the desk, love."

Bethany gave an exasperated groan from beneath Ellen, reaching over to the table and blindly grabbing the candleholder, flinging it against the wall as hard as she could.

"Maker's breath, be quiet!" she yelled, making Ellen laugh to herself when Hawke and Isabela both burst into giggles at Bethany's exclamation.

"Sleep tight, love birds!" Isabela called in a singsong voice.

"I'm going to kill them both one day," Bethany sighed despairingly, and Ellen just kissed the patch of skin her mouth was against.

"I'll help hide the bodies."


Haven

Evelyn's head felt like it was about to crack in two. She'd just spent the better part of two hours in a near screaming match with Cullen, who was as stalwart as ever about his precious templars. The information Dorian had given them was enough to push Cullen's fear of mages to the table, laying it out for everyone in the war room to see. Evelyn still had no idea where his fear was rooted, but she was now more sure than ever that something had befallen the man in his past, if Leliana's soft assurances and pitying looks were anything to go by. Evelyn wanted to know more, so Leliana's tent was where she was headed when a soft voice politely called out to her as soon as she stepped into the sunlight from the Chantry.

"I'm sorry, excuse me, miss?"

She twirled around to face the speaker, seeing a young soldier in heavy armor. His face was clean shaven without a speck of stubble from a beard, and his voice was a light tenor as if he were only coming into puberty and was trying to make it sound deeper than it actually was. All of that may have been true, if his height didn't nearly tower over Evelyn's own, and she was not a short person by any means. There was definitely something different about this man in comparison to every other man in Haven.

"Yes?" Evelyn said, still eyeing him up, trying to figure out what the mystery behind this stranger could be.

"I've been trying to talk to someone in charge, but no one will give me the time of day," he explained, taking a step closer to her. She didn't miss the way his eyes moved up and down her body, obviously assessing her in a more than friendly way. She fought the urge to roll her eyes at him.

"That's because we were too busy verbally sparring in the council meeting to see anyone. Who are you?" she asked curiously, resting her weight on her back foot and crossing her arms over her chest. "I've never seen you around here before."

The soldier gave a dip of his head, his handsome features solemn. "My name is Cremisius Aclassi, and I am here on business."

"What sort of business?"

"My boss would like to extend an invitation for the Inquisition leaders to come meet with him. We feel like our services could be invaluable to you."

"What services do you provide?" Evelyn felt a spark go off in her head when he cleared his throat to continue speaking, and it sounded almost feminine. This was no man. This was a woman dressed as a man, and one that obviously lived as a man. She'd met a few people in her travels that were the same, and was respectful enough that she didn't call him out on it.

"I am with a mercenary company called the Bull's Chargers. We mostly work out of Nevarra and Orlais, you can ask around. My boss, The Iron Bull, would like for you to come and see us in action."

Evelyn went over the boss's name in her head, raising an eyebrow at Cremisius. "The Iron Bull?" she repeated, a ghost of a grin on her lips.

The soldier gave a fond smile. "Yeah. He's one of those qunari. Not like the others, though, he's never tried to get us to join up or anything like that. Just come meet him and see for yourself. You won't be sorry for it." His eyes drifted down her body once more, and Evelyn gave mental head shake at his lack of subtlety.

Looks like you won't be sorry for it, honestly.

"All right, where can we find your company and this Iron Bull?" she asked him, holding in an amused grin as he blushed when he realized he was caught eyeballing her.

"There's a small pocket of those Tevinter mages, the Venatori or whatever they call themselves, that we've been tracking for a few weeks now. We have them surrounded on the Storm Coast, but they haven't even noticed us. Meet us there, watch us take them down."

The Storm Coast was about a two day ride north of Haven, and they still hadn't received word back from Alexius. She supposed a short trip up there and back could be well worth their time if these Chargers proved to be a fighting force.

Cullen could certainly use the morale boost. Poor bastard thinks I'm trying to make an army of mages.

"All right," she heard herself say. "Let me share this information with the rest of the council and we will see about this trip north. Please, make yourself comfortable here. It will be at least until morning before we ride. Thank you, Cremisius."

"Just Krem will do, ser," he replied with a charming smile and formal bow. "Thank you for your hospitality… I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name?"

Evelyn grinned widely at the barely concealed request for her name. "Evelyn Trevelyan, a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Krem." Her name had the exact effect she expected, as his face inflamed with blood rushing to it.

"My lady Herald, I had no idea-"

Evelyn waved off his apologies, chuckling at his fluster. "It's fine, I get it all the time. Go have a drink in the tavern. I have one last thing to attend to, and then my imp and I will join you."

"As you say, Your Worship," he said hastily, giving a nod with his head and nearly running off towards Flissa's in his embarrassment.

Evelyn shook her head, continuing the short walk to Leliana's tent, where the spymaster was in conversation with one of her scouts, grave looks on both faces that never boded well for good news. Instead of interrupting them, Evelyn leaned casually against the center pole to patiently wait as Leliana wrapped up her business with him- until she heard what was being said.

"I was afraid that he had turned," Leliana said softly to the scout, who gave a nod in answer. "You know what must be done. Make it quick; he was my friend, once."

"Whoa," Evelyn said, standing up straight and taking a few steps towards the pair. "What's going on?"

Leliana gave a glance over her shoulder at Evelyn as the scout gave her a salute in respect. "One of my agents has betrayed us. I am only doing what needs to be done."

"So, you're going to just kill him? And he was your friend?" Evelyn was incredulous, but she couldn't exactly say why. Once upon a time, she would have whole heartedly agreed with Leliana, and would have supported her in this. But now, this sent cold chills through her, and she didn't like it.

Leliana whipped around so fast that her chain mail chinked with the movement, and her hood nearly fell. "You find my decisions in poor taste, Herald?" she asked waspishly, obviously upset with her judgment being called into question.

"Just this one," Evelyn insisted, stepping forward again. "At least have him brought in for questioning before making such a call, Nightingale."

A grimace crossed the bard's beautiful features and her nostrils flared in anger, but she turned back to the scout. "You heard the Herald. Bring him to me. Alive."

"Of course, Lady Nightingale. It will be done." The scout gave them both a bow before turning around and running out of the tent, leaving Leliana and Evelyn in complete silence.

"I would have expected you to agree with me, given your former profession, Evelyn," Leliana said pointedly, dropping the titles and speaking to her as the friend she had become.

"Honestly? So would I," Evelyn admitted, looking at the icy ground beneath their feet. Then she looked up to meet Leliana's eyes. "But that didn't feel right for you. I had to make you think twice. I am sorry if I seemed as if I were demeaning you in front of one of your men."

Leliana laughed, but it wasn't a pleasant sound. "I've done enough that my men do not question me. This incident will not impact that." She turned and bent over a map of Ferelden and Orlais that was spread across the table beside them, her back to Evelyn. "There must be a reason you sought me out, so go ahead and speak."

"Yes," Evelyn said slowly, tugging at the sleeve of her leather coat. "I wanted to ask you about Cullen."

Leliana looked up at her, surprised. This wasn't what she expected, Evelyn could see that plainly. "Cullen? What about him?"

"It's become obvious to me that his thing with mages isn't purely his templar training," Evelyn said carefully. "I was just wondering if you…?" She left the question open ended on purpose, hoping that the spymaster wasn't so put off with her that she wouldn't answer her.

Leliana stood up straight and turned back to face her, clasping her hands behind her back. "I met Cullen under unfortunate circumstances, about eleven years ago. I was traveling with Kallian, King Alistair, and an infernal Wilds witch called Morrigan. We had to go to the Circle on Lake Calenhad to find help for a young boy in Redcliffe and to recruit their mages for the Wardens' cause, as per treaty." Leliana began to pace the small space, looking down at her brown leather boots as they moved across the melted slush beneath them. "Things had gotten well out of hand before we even arrived, and the Circle was on lockdown. The Knight-Commander had already called for the Rite of Annulment. It was Kallian's quick thinking and silver tongue that saved those mages their lives. Cullen was a young man, likely not long from training, and served that Circle. When we found him, he was being held captive by a blood mage that had crossed over into abomination. He was delirious and nearly dead. The mages were using his life force to fuel the things that were going on in the room just above him. He begged us to kill him, kill the mages, just anything that would end whatever torment these people had caused him."

"Maker's breath," Evelyn whispered, shaking her head at Leliana's words. This certainly explained it. "If that happened to him, why the Void would he continue to serve? And in Kirkwall, of all places?"

Leliana gave a sad smile. "He has a good heart, and the best of intentions. Kirkwall has always been a catalyst of ugly in the vein of magic. I am sure that he felt that he would be useful there, given his experiences and how he chose to grow from them, rather than let that fear eat him alive."

Evelyn considered her words, finding nothing but truth in them, and she understood now the sympathetic looks Leliana gave the man when his brow started to sweat with the thought of being surrounded by mages without templars to support him. "If you saw this for yourself, then why do you advocate for their freedom?" she asked her, and Leliana pursed her lips in thought.

"In that same Circle, we met a woman named Wynne. She was the strongest woman I've ever known. She was kind, and smart. She helped people. When she was but a girl, she had a romance with a templar in her Circle, and had his son. She gave the baby to the Chantry, as was expected of her, and did not stir in bitterness for it. I admired her. I admired her for what she had been through and for her ability to not be a harpy for it by the time we met her in her twilight years. Had it not been for Wynne, I may not even be standing here speaking with you now. She saved our lives in more ways than one. Last I saw of her, she had decided to find her son, and I pray to the Maker that he was kind enough to guide her. I fear I heard she passed, not too many years ago." Leliana smiled again, a hopeful, happy grin. "She was one with a spirit of compassion. That spirit allowed her to live long enough to do great things with us. Wynne is who I think of when I say mages deserve the chance to prove themselves. She was a better person than I, yet I have freedom. They should be allowed the same courtesy, yes?"

Evelyn smiled back at her, giving an eager nod. "Yes! That is exactly how I feel, and not just for my sister. I want everyone to have that same chance. We are all living, breathing things. We all do evil in our own ways."

Leliana nodded in agreement. "I am glad to see such optimism in you, Evelyn. I am glad you can see the world this way… you remind me so much of Kallian."

That stopped Evelyn short, and caused her to bite her lip in thought. "Is that a good thing?"

Leliana chuckled, reaching over to stroke the feathers of the bird she referred to as the Baron. "It hurts, sometimes, but it is a good thing, yes. The qualities you share were some of her better ones."

"I wouldn't have left," Evelyn said without thinking. "You're amazing. I can't fathom how she could do it."

A light blush dusted the bard's porcelain skin with the words, and she tittered another laugh. "Kallian Tabris was a scoundrel when we met. But by the time she left, she was a gallant hero, and brave unto the point of stupidity." Leliana's hand went up to her throat, dipping down below her chain mail vest and coming out holding a leather thong, showing Evelyn a golden band threaded onto it. "But she is my wife. I know her better than anyone. Kal left on some noble campaign, and knew that it would cause me nothing but strife. I just pray she comes back to me when she is done… before the taint takes her."

Tucking the ring back under her vestments, Leliana surprised Evelyn when she lifted up on to her tiptoes and pressed a chaste kiss to Evelyn's cheek. "You're as sweet as she is. Sera is lucky to have you," she said softly, wistfully.

Evelyn felt her face flush with warmth, and she felt very hot all of a sudden. "I- uh- thank you," she breathed, feeling more flattered than she'd ever felt. "Speaking of Sera, I guess I should…." She jerked a thumb in the direction of the tavern, and Leliana nodded.

"And I should get back to work. Good eve, Evelyn." Leliana turned back to her maps, and Evelyn walked out of the tent feeling more enlightened on two of her advisors than she expected to be.

On the walk towards Flissa's, Evelyn thought about what if she and Leliana were free to do as they pleased. Would she truly try to romance the woman, knowing the things she knew about her? She scoffed at herself, rolling her eyes. Of course I would. She's truly something unique, and I've always loved a bit of notoriety.

But when she stepped inside of the tavern and her eyes magnetically locked onto the elf that had her attentions, all thoughts of what might have been with Leliana flew right out of the door behind her before it shut. She was standing at the table they frequented with Varric and Blackwall, balancing an empty wine bottle on top of her head while Varric tossed peanut shells at her, trying to make her drop the bottle. There was a small pile of coin on the table top, and Evelyn knew right away that a bet was going on how long the elf could keep the bottle from falling. Both men were laughing at her, and her own face was red with the efforts not join in, a look of serious concentration in her stormy grey eyes.

Evelyn dug in her deep inside pocket, searching for her coin purse. She fished a few silver out of it as she drew even with the table, tossing them down into the pile. "If we win, we split it three ways, right?" she asked Varric and Blackwall.

"Sharps! Hell yeah, but she's actually pretty good at this. She's been doing it for about fifteen minutes now, and the bet is twenty," Varric said, slapping Evelyn on the back.

Sera was determinedly not looking at Evelyn, face still screwed up in concentration. Evelyn gave a chuckle, winking at the two men with a knowing grin.

"Well, that sucks," Evelyn sighed dramatically, turning to walk right back out of the tavern. "I'm going to have some alone time in my cabin, and if she isn't there in two minutes, she's getting locked out until I'm done."

CRASH.

Evelyn turned back with a laugh to match both of their friends, Varric beating a fist on the table in his mirth. Sera was looking at her murderously, but that hunger she'd held for two weeks now was still there, and Evelyn couldn't help but to lick her lips just to tease her further. The bottle lay in pieces of glass on the stone floor, and Blackwall was already counting out their portions of the coin.

"That," Evelyn said smugly to her incensed imp, "is how I play dirty." She made to swing a leg over the bench seat to join them, but Sera grabbed her by the front of her coat and pulled her towards the door.

"Bloody wanker, I'm going to show you dirty," Sera seethed as she snatched the door open.

"But I have to meet with-." A single look from the elf shut her up, and she looked at Krem sitting at the bar, having witnessed the whole thing. "Krem, Varric will take care of you, just talk to that handsome dwarf right there!" she called to the solider whose eyes left her and Sera in search of the man Evelyn was pointing towards. "I'm sorry, I-"

"She has shite to do!" Sera called out over her, finally pulling her out of the door and into the falling snow.

With the way Sera shoved her against the cabin door and kissed her when they were inside, Evelyn just knew it was going to be a long night.

Author's Note.

Just a quick revision because I was in a hurry last week and forgot to add breakers between scenes. Also, wondered if anyone caught the song lyrics that I slid into the scene with Ellen and Beth. Anyone that can name the song and band, you get MAJOR kudos. New chapter up in a bit, just hang in there. Toodleloo.