Chapter 11: The Bone Pit

The first to settle in for the night was the dog. Nobody had said a thing since getting off the boat. One stop had let off three passengers back in the city. Donnic was reluctant to leave his wife's side, but Aveline insisted it would be for the best that he remain to maintain order until it was safe for her to return. He could also serve as a set of eyes in the city in the interim. Zevran hadn't intended to go with the group as it was, but was disappointed to see that Isabela wanted to stay with her friends, especially that other elf.

"I got into plenty of trouble traveling with Aedan Cousland, don't get me wrong," he had laughed, the gravity of the recent battle apparently being lost on the Elven assassin, "but we never felt the need to hide in the wilderness when it was done."

Nathaniel Howe, one of Bethany's fellow Grey Wardens, had left without a word. He simply nodded to her, then gazed longingly at the boat as it drifted away. It was understood well enough, two missing Wardens would have drawn far too much attention. It was enough that Bethany's mentor, Stroud, was taking over leadership of Vigil's Keep, he didn't want the new Warden-Commander thinking he needed to start sending search parties.

They had wasted no time getting away from the city after that. Not far, as it was quickly decided that they wouldn't all simply abandon Kirkwall, but far enough to avoid the immediate wrath of Templars still loyal to the late Knight-Commander, blood mages who had fallen to the temptations of demons, and other panicked citizens. Even then, it seemed like people were gathering on the dock, glaring at them. Something about this, even on a day like this, seemed unusual to Garrett Hawke.

"Where are you?!" Somebody called. That seemed especially wrong to the Champion, like it wasn't supposed to happen. Hawke shrugged it off and sat down, curling up by a wall. Lother was busy propping himself up by his front paws a few feet away, taking in the smells of the harbor. Merrill plopped herself down on the floor of the boat, now moving faster with three less occupants weighing it down. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. Isabela steered, she being the one who knew anything about sailing, and the others looked off in different places.

The mine was a good place to hide. Plenty of people knew Hawke owned it, but operations had been shut down after the discovery of, and eventual battle against, a high dragon living in the area. That made it spacious, abandoned, and intimidating to glory-seekers who may want to seek out the people who had just slain some of the most influential figures in Kirkwall.

The group had abandoned the boat on the edge of the Wounded Coast, and walked the few miles to the Bone Pit. Hawke led them into the network of caverns that ran through the mine. They had gone through this area plenty of times before. Hawke had essentially stumbled his way into co-owning the mine years earlier, and the headaches associated with it frequently brought him out there, ready to clear a robber or dangerous animal. They eventually settled on a cave overlooking the main quarry. It hadn't been more than a few weeks previous that the high dragon had perched outside of this cave, raining fire on Hawke and the friends who had accompanied him to investigate. The dead beast's rib cage was still visible in the quarry.

"Where are you?"

"Hm?" Hawke jumped, not knowing how to place the voice.

"What's wrong, ma vhenan?" Merrill asked, joining him at the mouth of the cave.

Hawke was staring absently into the night sky, slowly processing everything that had just happened. Anders, who was presently trying, without the aid of magic, to start a fire, had taken a heated argument between the Knight-Commander and the First Enchanter and turned it into carnage. An elaborate spell he cast, one which Hawke, in his trusting ignorance, had helped facilitate, destroyed the Chantry and everyone inside. Hawke was still sorting out all that happened in the chaos after. Meredith finally making her move to destroy all of Kirkwall's mages, a move people had feared she would make for years. Sebastian demanding that Anders die, and storming off when Hawke wouldn't kill his friend. Bethany's abrupt appearance. Orsino's sudden use of blood magic, Meredith's lyrium corruption…

"Do we have any food?" Anders called.

Nobody answered. Fenris snorted and walked off.

"Uh, that's right Elf, we should go hunt a nice rabbit to cook," Varric said, grabbing his crossbow and catching up with Fenris.

Anders looked back down at the fire. A glimmer of hope had earlier been evident in his eyes, one born of the possibility that maybe, just maybe his friends understood why he had done what he did. The last traces of that glimmer died when Fenris and Varric walked out. He didn't take his eyes off the fire for some time after that, seemingly not noticing Isabela pulling out a deck of cards, or the dog howling at the moon, or for that matter, of Merrill openly wondering what dogs always had to say to celestial bodies that was so important.

"What now?" Aveline eventually said, as the fire started to die. Fenris and Varric had returned an hour later with a handful of berries and a goose that had been flying by. It seemed an odd time of year for birds to migrate, but nothing seemed right this night.

"Now, we sleep in a cave and hope Templars don't try to kill us," Varric said.

"I don't know," Merrill interjected. "They seemed excited to see us leave."

"I'm serious," the Guard-Captain groaned. "What now? The Gland Cleric is dead. So are the First Enchanter of the Circle and the Templar Knight-Commander. And we were in the middle of it all. Is there any going back?"

"No," Anders muttered, still gazing at the fire. "Kirkwall as you knew it is over. We can't just go back to how we were."

"You can't," Fenris growled. "Some of us may still have a chance."

"You're part of it, just like me."

"I got swept along in the shockwave of your foolishness," Fenris said

"Poetic," Isabela laughed, once again fiddling with her deck of cards. Even after a heated game of diamondback ended, she had kept shuffling and fidgeting with the deck.

"Do I have any place staying with the Guard?" Aveline asked.

"You lead the people who protect the city," Hawke said. "What did you do but protect the city?"

"I ran while it was in flames," Aveline replied. "While three of the most influential people in Kirkwall lay dead. I feel like a failure."

"I'll say again, you protected the city," Hawke said.

"I can't hide here for long," Aveline said. "Consequences notwithstanding, the Guard needs me. At least, Donnic needs me."

"Putting out fires and quelling riots gets his juices flowing, do they?" Isabela quipped. Aveline stifled a smile. "Oh yes, you get back to that as soon as you can."

"And what will you do, now that your playground is spoiled?" Aveline asked.

"I admit it may not be as fun with all my favorite prudes lying dead, and I do have a wonderful new boat I've been dying to take to sea," the pirate mused. "After this jarring bout of altruism, I wouldn't mind a few months sailing. Maybe visit Antiva, cause a little of the less catastrophic mayhem I'm used to. Anyone want to come along?"

"No," Anders muttered.

"You are truly no fun," Isabela jeered. "Believe it or not, though, that invitation is serious. I can get far away from the Free Marches very quickly, and you're all welcome to come."

"And what would we do?" Aveline asked. "Raid silk shipments and start barfights?"

"I could get behind that," Varric said.

"Don't knock the life until you've tried it," Isabela smirked.

At this point, Lother got up and raced outside, chasing the far-off sound of a nocturnal bird. Merrill wished him luck.

"I can't go back there," Hawke said. Everyone, even Anders, looked at him. "Nearly a decade, and everything I did led to what just happened. People are going to be out for my head, and I don't blame them."

"Why? None of it was your fault," Isabela said.

"Who didn't see me publicly chastising Meredith time and again?" he replied. "I'm the Champion who encouraged a battle."

"War," Anders cut in. "It's a war. One that's going to happen all over Thedas, as it should have years ago."

"If you come along, we're making a last stop at the Blooming Rose first," Isabela quipped. "You're going to be so annoying until we get you laid."

"I'm not going with you. Any of you," Anders said. His voice was monotone. There was none of his usual wit, or even a trace of the spirit of Justice that lived in his body. "I caused this. It needed to happen, but people still died, and it's still my doing. None of you deserve the fallout from it. I'll be gone in the morning."

"So we'll finally be rid of you?" Fenris asked. The prospect pleased him.

Somewhere outside, Lother was barking at a rodent. Hawke twisted around where he sat to spot the dog.

"Where are you?!" came a voice in the quarry.

"That isn't right," Hawke muttered. "That didn't happen…"

"Ma vhenan?" Merrill pulled Hawke back to their spot.

"Who keeps calling to me?" he asked, getting back up.

"Hawke, you're exhausted," Aveline said, getting up to grab him as he headed to the mouth of the cave. "Come, sit, try to relax. Nobody is calling you."

"Eat some bad berries, Hawke?" Varric asked. "Maybe those purple ones we brought back? Because I threw the rest of them away for a reason."

"No, I… I'm alright," the Champion said, sitting back down. Merrill placed a hand on his shoulder. Bethany moved closer to her brother. Hawke took several deep breaths and listened as the others speculated on their next steps. It seemed right after this.

They talked, and laughed a little, and eventually the others slept. Hawke asked to stay up and keep watch, which the others reluctantly agreed to. He needed to think, but thinking felt hard. Harder than it was supposed to at this moment. And Lother was still outside. Hawke could see the Mabari racing around the quarry, frequently looking back up at the cave to see his human.

"This isn't right," he whispered. "You didn't leave the cave."

"Where are you?!"

Hawke looked around for his sword, but couldn't find it.

"Where are you?!" That voice was familiar. It wasn't one he'd heard in a long time, but he knew it all the same. And when he looked back outside, Lother was gone. And then in a moment, the dog was standing at his side.

"Where are you, Serah Hawke?" came that familiar voice, out of the dog's mouth.

"Ah!" Hawke sat up, shaking and covered in a cold sweat. Lother perked his head up next to the bed. "I'm right here, boy."

The dog cocked his head, confused.

"Ma vhenan?"

"Sorry, Merrill," Hawke groaned. "I-"

"You had that dream again, didn't you?" Merrill sat up and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck. "It's only a dream."

"Strange things happen in dreams," Hawke said. "And most don't keep happening like this."

"I'm a mage, ma vhenan, I see the Fade when I dream," Merrill said. "Seeing your dog talk is nothing. I think I'd like to hear Lother talk. I bet he'd have great things to say about running around in high grass, and biting things he doesn't like."

"I suppose." Hawke turned and kissed his wife on the forehead. "Merrill, we came this way to see Bethany."

"Yes?"

"And Bethany isn't here. She went back to Kirkwall. I have no doubt Varric sent her the same letter he sent us. I- I think we should go."

Merrill's eyes lit up.

"I think that's a fine idea," she said. "I hope everyone came back. Maybe Varric is throwing a party!"

"I doubt that's the purpose," Hawke laughed. "But you know it'll happen anyway."

Merrill went back to sleep a few minutes later. Hawke lay awake. Even knowing the more surreal aspects were just the random musings of a dream, thinking about that last night in the Free Marches distracted him. Anders had kept his word and left the next morning. Hawke and Aveline were the only ones up early enough to see him go, and he didn't speak a word to either of them, just gave them a sad look before walking away. Aveline had returned to the city the day after that, and a week later, sent a messenger to give them the rundown in Kirkwall. She had regained enough control that Varric decided it was necessary for him to return as well. He had business interests, and made a cryptic comment about "making sure people got it right." Bethany left around the same time. The Grey Wardens needed her, as they always would now. She seemed the saddest about leaving the dog.

Isabela had eventually instructed Hawke, Merrill and Fenris to meet her at the Wounded Coast, and came back with the ship she had acquired from her old rival Castillon. The pirate kept her word and took them to Antiva for a fun week, drinking, gambling, and even starting a few fights. On the last day, Hawke drunkenly led the quartet into the Chantry of the town they had landed in, and coerced the local Mother to conduct an impromptu ceremony. After a hastily thrown-together wedding reception for the new Mr. and Mrs. Hawke, they agreed to part ways. Isabela had her own lifestyle she wanted to resume, and Fenris was willing to go along with her. For the few years that had followed, Garrett Hawke and the beautiful, aloof elf he had introduced to human society years before wandered throughout Thedas, simply trying to disappear, avoiding Circles, Templars, any militant factions or great dangers. And now, it seemed it was time for that nomadic lifestyle to end.

These dreams had been coming for weeks. Hawke couldn't believe there wasn't a purpose to them, or that the timing between them and Varric's letter was a coincidence. It was troubling, and needed to be investigated. And as much as anything, he needed to know who that voice belonged to. Who was asking where he was in his dreams?

I hope everyone is enjoying this so far! I want to know, what aspects of this are working for you, my readers, and what needs work? Leave comments in the review section if you've got anything to single out.