"That they are," Hawke replied. A few images flashed through her head, some of a little girl with hair exactly as it is now looking up at the night sky, some of an older woman in brown and blue, some of a man with the robes and staff of a mage. She didn't have time to figure them out but guessed that little girl was a younger version of her. "Whenever we look to the stars, our markings glow brighter."

"I never noticed that." Rymei chuckled.

"We're like blue and red candles at night. I'm not sure you could miss glowing brighter." The moon was already ascending higher in the sky and it was getting darker. "I think we should go to sleep. I look forward to meeting the Arishok." Fenris looked at her like she was crazy and shook his head. Rymei helped him down from the roof and through a window leading to their room.

Chapter 10: Small Part of the Past

The audience with the Arishok was relatively successful. Javaris was, however, denied the gaatlok. Aveline demanded Javaris pay what was owed and left but not without a few words from the Arishok. Overall, Rymei had a good time considering the ox men surrounding her, all with their eyes trained on her group.

They left the compound and caught up with Isabella, who wanted nothing to do with the Qunari that struck suspicion in Rymei. She set it aside for now and went to the Hanged Man.

"That went well," Aveline sighed into her hands before looking at Fenris and Rymei. "What was it you two said to the Arishok to get him to actually listen?" Rymei just waved her index finger forth in a scolding motion.

"A lady never reveals her secrets," Rymei said simply, making Fenris snort.

"Mei," he started, "you are no lady and the Qunari language is no secret, just not known by many outside the Qun."

"True and true." Rymei got up and stretched before looking at the people she sat with at the table. "Aveline, do you have any more jobs?"

"Plenty, why?"

"I'm bored and need to keep occupied. My markings…itch." Aveline looked at her oddly before nodding. "Then please inform me when you want them done." Rymei got up and left to see the ocean waves.

When she got there, she saw Bethany sitting by the docks. The little mage girl was hugging her knees close to her chest and her eyes were fixated on the distance. She didn't take notice that Rymei had sat next to her until she actually said something.

"What has you so glum?" Rymei asked. Bethany jumped from fright and instantly grabbed at her staff. When she saw it was her sister, she relaxed and calmed her breath. "I apologize for scaring you."

"It's okay," Bethany said sadly, looking away from Rymei. "I'm okay."

'Liar' Rymei thought. "What are you doing out her all alone? There are always Templars roaming around."

"Why do you care?" Bethany realizes that her sister isn't her normal self anymore and she's angry at herself for not being able to help her. "I thought you hate mages."

"I hate them with a burning passion," Rymei's eyes narrowed, a dark gleam sparking in them "but it's what a mage does with the magic. You're too innocent to do anything bad. I try to give mages a chance…as long as they don't attack me."

"So you don't hate me?"

"I don't think I could ever hate someone as innocent and kind as you." At that moment, more images flashed across her mind.

Rymei saw her as a little girl. There screaming in the background before it stopped and was replaced with the wailing of a newborn. Little Rymei was bouncing up and down in joy. A door opened and in came a man with a staff on his back. He waved for her to enter the room. She instantly bounced up and ran past man. In the room, there was a woman lying on a bed, sweaty and panting but smiling in happiness. Little Rymei got closer and saw two perfect babies in her arms.

"Hawke, meet your younger brother and sister Carver and Bethany." Little Rymei's mouth hung agape at how cute they were, little tufts of hair thing atop their heads, little hands fisted and flailing. Little Rymei climbed on the bed and sat on the woman's lap.

"Mommy, I have little siblings." Her mother chuckled and handed her Bethany.

"Yes little birdie and you have to help take care of them." Little Rymei smiled and took a firm hold of her new baby sister. The newborn smiled and opened her eyes before she started giggling. "See, she likes you already."

"Mommy, I want a baby," little Rymei said. "I wanna be a mommy when I grow up. Then I can have my own son or daughter to take care of."

"In the future little birdie, in the future." Little Rymei tickled her little sister's tummy, earning her another fit of giggles.

XXXX

Malcolm was teaching Bethany to channel her mana through a staff about her size and to cast spells. Little Rymei was mimicking Bethany's motions. They were far out in the forest where mana couldn't be sensed by Templars.

As night quickly approached, Malcolm asked Rymei adn Bethany to hunt for food. This was her real area of experience. Rymei could hide in the shadows, climb trees, jump from branch to branch, the list goes on. She could use both bow and arrow and daggers though she preferred her daggers.

They trekked out further into the woods, looking for animals that weren't cute. Bethany didn't want to eat something cute like a rabbit or a deer. The further they went, the darker it got. This made Bethany scared, clinging to her sister closely.

"We should go back Bethy," Rymei said.

"Okay sister." As they walked back, Rymei heard the rustling of bushes. Rymei told her sister to be careful but Bethany couldn't hear. She was frozen in fear by the animal in front of her.

It was a big black bear. They must've woken it up when they went through. Bethany started shaking and Rymei moved to push her sister out of the way of the bear's claws. It roared and chased after them. Bethany was still too scared to move so Rymei picked her up bridal style and ran as fast as she could. The bear was faster and ponced on Rymei, sending Bethany tumbling from her arms.

The bear swiped at Rymei, scratching her in the chest. Then it tried to bit her but Rymei was quicker. She pulled one of her daggers from their bindings to her back and stabbed it in the neck. Blood splashed all over her face but the bear wasn't dead, just really angry. It swiped at her again but she managed to escape.

The bear chased a heavily bleeding 8 year-old Rymei for a while before is stopped and dropped to the forest floor. Bethany was still there, this time crying and trying to cover Rymei's wounds.

"I'm so sorry sister," Bethany cried into her sister's sloppily bandaged chest. Rymei rubbed her younger sister's back in a soothing manner.

"You're still learning magic as I'm still learning to wild my daggers and master my form." Hawke got up and grabbed the dead bear's hind paws in her own hands. "Come on, let's take it back to camp." Bethany nodded and grabbed one of the legs Rymei was holding and helped drag the bear back to their camp

XXXX

"Where have you two been?" Malcolm scolded when he heard them approach. He turned around and was them dragging a large black bear. "What happened?"

"We went further in the forest than we realized and encountered a black bear. It got me on the chest."

"I'll take care of that birdie, but you should be ashamed." Rymei looked at her father in astonishment, like what he just said had come to life and slapped her in the face.

"What did I do?"

"You were reckless and put your sister in danger. She could've been hurt or killed!"

"I was the one that was attacked!" Rymei pushed her father's healing hands away and stood, her vision blurry before it cleared.

"You still have to protect your sister regardless!"

"I don't need you to tell me to protect Bethany father." Rymei spat the word 'father' and grabbed one of the bears legs. "Come on Bethany." The little mageling nodded and grabbed a leg, helping her sister drag it back home.

XXXX

"Carver, look what Rymei killed," Bethany called from the front door of the house. Her twin brother came out, a sword as tall as he is sheathed on his back.

"What is it?" Carver was frozen at the door. "You killed a bear, a fucking bear?" Their came running to the door when she heard that her daughter killed such a large animal.

"Was Bethany with you?" Leandra looked like she was going to explode with anger. Rymei looked down at the ground, knowing her mother would have the same reaction as her father. "Are you insane? What if she had gotten hurt?"

"Bethany doesn't have a scratch on her! I got fucking claw marks on my chest! The most she has is probably a few scrapes!"

"Why should she be hurt at all if you were with her? You have to protect her!"

"I did protect her but I get hurt and you scold me!" Rymei threw her hands up in the air and stormed away from the house, going back to the part of the forest where the bear attacked her. A few minutes later, she heard rustling and turned around to see Bethany. Her angry eyes softened at the sight of her little sister.

"I'm sorry sister," Bethany cried again. "It's my fault mother and father yelled at you."

"No, it's never your fault. You're younger than me and it's my duty to protect you. I don't care what they have to say, but you're more important to me than anything. I can never hate you, no matter what. You're too innocent and kind hearted to hurt anyone. I'll always protect you, no matter what." Rymei pumped her fist in determination and led Bethany away from the forest.

Back in the present, Bethany was waving a hand in front of Rymei's eyes.

"I remember," Rymei whispered. "Bethy." When Bethany heard Rymei's nickname for her, she cried. Rymei took her younger sister in her arms and rubbed her back.

"Oh sister," Bethany cried into her older sister's breastplate. "I missed you. I thought you died when those slavers took you off that ship."

"Sorry Bethy but I still don't remember that, just a small portion of my childhood."

"What did you remember?"

"When you were born and the time we went hunting ant the bear attack as well as the argument."

"I'm just glad you remember something." They sat together for the rest of the afternoon till late at night and Rymei decided to walk her home. "Thank you."

"No problem Bethy."

"Would you like to come in?"

Rymei shook her head. "Right now, all I have are bad memories of your mother and that's how I think of her right now, maybe when I remember a few more of my past. Good night Bethy."

"Good night sister." Bethany kissed Rymei's cheek before going inside quickly. Rymei left for the rundown mansion she shared with Fenris.