They ended up waiting until nightfall.

Anders sat with Merrill, Isabela and Varric on the campfire, roasting some meat. Solona and Hawke sat a little ways away from them, talking in hushed breaths. Fenris had gone into the forest to talk with Sebastian, while Lily sat on a blanket near the burnt ruins of her house, petting Cuddles on her lap as she looked up. He wanted to talk to her, to comfort her after she had moved away from their embrace to stare at what was left of her ruined home. But Hawke told him to give her some alone.

"She'll need to figure out for herself what to do now." Hawke said, her gaze sympathetic as she looked at Lily. He simply nodded and headed to the fire, staring at the flames.

Of course, one of the reasons he couldn't talk to her was because it was his fault that Sebastian had burned her house to the ground. She was hiding him, and he did what he had to do to root Anders out.

He put his head in his hands and shut his eyes tight. If he hadn't met Lily, she would've been safe and away from harm. If he hadn't met her, she would still have her home and her beautiful garden…

"Come on, Blondie, don't beat yourself up. You're going to make me cry just by looking at you." Varric said beside him, "I could tell she's a strong girl. She'll rise up after this."

"I don't know." Anders said as he looked up to see his friends, who were all giving him looks. "I keep thinking that if I hadn't met her, this wouldn't have happened to her. If I hadn't met her…"

"You would have run all your life." Isabela said, "Or you would be dead, with Sebastian hunting you. You were happy with her, and that should be enough reason to thank the Maker you had met at all."

Anders smirked, "That sounded almost profound, Isabela."

The pirate queen grinned and winked at him, "I have my moments, Anders. Besides, if you died, then I wouldn't be able to add 'renegade mage' to my… conquests."

Aveline laughed, "Conquests. Is that what you call it, Isabela?"

The pirate queen elbowed the Knight Captain, smirking, "Yes, that's what I call it, big girl. What about you?"

Aveline laughed, before shrugging and blushing a little, "I called it my 'mission'."

"Oh, did you have a lot of missions and conquests, Aveline?" Merrill asked innocently, making Isabela and Varric burst out laughter and making Anders chuckle. The elf blinked, looking confused, before covering her mouth, "Oh my… did I miss something dirty again?"

Isabela patted the elf, "Never you mind, kitten."

"Pardon me, but I'd rather not be a part of your 'conquests'." Anders smirked, and then pointed to himself, "This 'renegade mage' is now the private property of that 'flower girl'." He said, pointing at Lily.

"Oh, and I take it that you've… 'Praised her Maker'?" Isabela said, making Anders' blush, "Or perhaps you've used your… 'electricity trick' on her."

Anders burst out laughing, "Wouldn't you like to know, Isabela. Unfortunately, I'm not telling."

Varric chuckled, "The fact that you're joking and answering to Isabela's banters like that, Blondie… it makes me see that she changed you. You weren't as surly or broody as before."

Anders scoffed, "Broody. You make me sound like I was Fenris."

Merril grinned, "Fenris smiles much more often now too, I guess we have Hawke to thank for that."

Aveline chuckled beside her, "And you have stopped ranting about the Mages' plight. That's definitely something to thank Lily for."

He smiled and looked up at Lily's back, "I… I guess so." He sighed and looked around, "It's good to see everyone again, but… I would've thought you all would hate me… be angry at me."

"Oh, we were." Isabela said, "Aveline here was so bloody furious she turned as red as her hair."

"Shut up, whore."

Anders chuckled. It was good to see them, and know that some things will never change. "Then… what happened? Hawke said that Elthina survived."

Merrill nodded towards Solona, "It was a friend of hers… an Antivan assassin named Zevran. He was actually in Kirkwall. They heard about the people's fear of a rebellion, and King Alistair requested Solona to send Zevran to Kirkwall to investigate. He saw you in the undergrounds and knew you that you intended to make the Chantry explode." She shrugged, "When the first pillar appeared, he charged in and pulled Elthina to safety… but he wasn't able to save the others. We found them hiding underneath the rubble, though Elthina had a broken leg. She's better now."

"I… I see. And the Chantry? You say it's been changed? How?"

"That's true, Blondie. Here, take this." Varric said, reaching into his pack and laying a big book on his lap.

"It's Hawke's solution to the rebellion." Aveline said as Anders lifted the cover and started reading the front page. "A unified education system and military service. It's still new, but she's working with the other nations and cities to refine it. She used your manifesto that you left in Darktown to theorize it."

"A unified education system?" Anders said as he read, "How is that possible?"

"You should've heard Hawke." Isabela said, waving a hand, "Preaching on like a cloistered sister about the oppression of mages. But she was right… you were right. Mages were horribly depressed, and compared to normal people and Templars, the things they had to endure was horrible."

"In your manifesto, you said that Andraste feared magic." Merrill said, "And it's true. Every one feared magic because they did not understand it. They did not know where it came from, what to do with it, the danger it entails."

Aveline nodded, "Hawke said that in order to no longer fear mages, people must first understand them. And so she made that." And she pointed at the book.

"How… how did she say it's supposed to work?"

"All people from a young age go to schools… institutions that would teach basic education that includes reading, writing and arithmetic." Varric said, "Everyone… and she said EVERYONE is required to go, even slaves and mages, so that everyone could at least read or write."

"I think Fenris told of that bit about slaves needing education, though… seeing as he couldn't read." Merrill quipped.

Varric nodded, "Once they reached the proper age, Hawke said they are free to choose whatever fate or career they want. They can be soldiers, teachers, entrepreneurs, blacksmiths, merchants, mages… basically anything they want to be. They take specialty classes on the career they want."

Anders blinked, "Everyone… everyone is free to decide their own fate? Mages won't be locked up in towers anymore?"

Aveline nodded, "Yes. Hawke also surmised that the reason why so many Mages were enticed by demons and spirits is because of their being confined in the Circle Tower and being taken away from their family and loved ones. The racism, the indifference, the loneliness… it causes an emotional turmoil that makes mages unstable and yearn for blood magic and demons so they can be stronger." Anders nodded, since he had gone through that emotional turmoil when he was given to the Chantry as a child, "She has altered it, by making a schedule. Each student will only study from morning until the afternoon, after which the students are free to go home to their families."

"That… sounds really good. Almost too good." Anders said, "Will it work?"

Aveline shrugged, "We're testing it in Kirkwall, so far it's been good. We've had fewer incidents of blood magic or problems."

"And the Harrowing? The Rite of Tranquility? The lyrium potions for Templars? I doubt she would have a solution for that."

"Lyrium for soldiers have been banned." Isabela said, "She focused more on physical strength, stamina and fighting techniques on our soldiers now, and she even allowed mages to do military service if they wanted to. And the Harrowing is still done, but now she had allowed the mages to bring company with them, someone to fight it with and help the mage to not be tempted by demons. The Rite of Tranquility is would still be done." At this, Anders scowled, "But she made sure that those who would need to undergo the Rite would be re-educated to serve as other functional individuals. Not just merchants."

Aveline nodded, "Hawke has also created a special unit of mage researchers to further understand magic. She's also created a special judiciary unit that would settle disputes. She also separated the Chantry and the power it holds over mages and Templars. A military branch will take care of Templars and soldiers, and a mage division will take the mages, both of which will have freedom to govern themselves. The Chantry is now a religious sect, who will take in people who wish to learn Andrastian religion. Everything is in that book. It's actually pretty brilliant."

Anders looked down and touched the cover, "I… I see."

"Actually, that's the reason why we're here is to look for you." Varric said, and he pointed at the two women, "Hawke and Amell wanted to talk to you. They said it has something to do with Hawke's proposition. You might want to talk to them too, if you're still confused about it."

"I will." He raised the book and nodded to Varric, "Thank you for this, Varric. I'll make sure to read it thoroughly."

But the dwarf waved a hand, "Don't thank me, Blondie. Thank Hawke. She's the one who thought of all this."

"I will. I'll see you all later." Anders said as he stood, his friends smiling up at him, as he headed to Hawke and his former Warden Commander.