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The Laws of Unity: Embers in the Dark

My first breath was full of pain and relief—it was weird to be alive and know that I had died what felt like moments ago. I didn't know how long I laid there, eyes closed as I became acquainted with my new body. It spasmed around me as my soul tried to slip into all the little crevasses. It felt as if it wished to reject me—and with the pain that blossomed in my chest, I wished it would reject me to.

I could still remember watching Alistair as he slept, unaware that I was about to sacrifice myself for his world and my freedom.

My eyes slowly opened, telling me what I already knew: I was alone.

Alone and unsure just where I was. Who I was.

My head lulled to the side, light hair falling into my eyes. The strangeness of it struck me—I was supposed to have dark red hair, not these curls of gold. I willed it to change, to take on the attribute of fire and burn but it denied me that comfort.

Slowly, the desire to lay there and waste away slipped from my grasp. Each time I blinked, I saw Alistair's face on the back of my lids, my promise still on my lips.

"I will come back to you."

I slowly pushed myself up, my body slow to respond to my commands. I pulled myself from the bed unsteadily, legs shorter than what I was used to. A new body meant a new reach. The problem now was.. who was I supposed to be pretending to be?

Memories slowly trickled in as I thought harder, familiar and fuzzy just like Rosalind's was once. The more I concentrated, the more clear they became. The more I remembered, the more likely I would be able to pretend to be someone I was not.

I glanced down, thanking my lucky stars that I hadn't accidentally become a man. That would have sucked.

"Finally awake, are you?"

The voice was familiar in a way that I knew I had heard it before but I didn't really.. remember who it belonged to. I looked to the voice, blinking at the man that stood in the door way, leaning against the door frame as he eyed me.

Hawke. I had given him a pouch of coins in my last life, told him to desert. Seeing him now, did that mean it worked?

I inwardly cursed as I tried to force the memories to come—why was I with him? Who was I supposed to be? I prayed it wasn't that I was his sister. If there was one thing I knew about Hawke, he loved his family. He'd know if I wasn't.. Bethany?

Pain seared through my mind, causing my hands to quickly raise, catching my head. I tried to stabilize myself, but it only helped to send me to the bed, flopping over uselessly.

"Hey, take it easy," I heard the gruff man murmured worriedly as his hands rest on my head. It wasn't a moment later that I felt the soothing mana easing the pain, reminding me of Wynne. "You were passed out when I found you, just rest."

As the pain cleared it became apparent that I didn't have many memories available from this girl. She boarded a boat from Ferelden but had nothing but the clothing on her back and..

My eyes casted about the room, worry inciting anxiety.

..and a small bag that held everything that would ensure her survival in the Free Marches that was conveniently missing.

Well, that's great. She was robbed by the Lowtown lowlives.

"Shit," I muttered, eyes pulled to Hawke's as he raised his brows. I tried to get up, to no avail. Hawke held me down. "I need to kill someone—let me go."

"And here I was thinking you were going to be the sweet damsel in distress."

"You just want to get in my pants."

He let out a soft—and fake—gasp as he released me. "How crass! And completely true. Tell me, spitfire, how do you intend to kill whoever clearly got the drop on you?"

"You're just bored, aren't you?"
He shrugged, his hand dropping onto my head, ruffling my hair in a familiar manner. "Guilty, I suppose. I just can't let a little thing like you go off on an adventure without me."