Anders seemed to be stuck in a loop in his daily activities. Everyday since Hawke was knocked unconscious after the fight with the Arishok, he had been performing the same routine. Now, however, the routine was becoming more frantic as Mari's heart continued to slow with each passing day. The blonde warden paced in front of the fire in the study. He was vaguely aware of Merrill flitting about the house watering the overly-drenched plants, he ignored Sebastian's incessant chanting in a seat nearby, and tried not to make eye contact with the younger Hawke who tracked the healers movements everywhere in the house with a menacing glare while sharpening his greatsword. Anders honestly couldn't blame Carver for being angry, his sister was on death's doorstep, and the mage wasn't even the one to come up with a viable solution but the intimidation wasn't going to work. He feared Varric more than Junior and he had already survived a few of the dwarven merchant's threats.
After receiving his missive, the Keeper had arrived at the mansion, Marethari thankfully knew the final ingredient missing from the potion Orsino remembered from his childhood. It was red algae, a rare sea plant that was expensive as well as difficult to obtain. This didn't deter the two rogues from using all their contacts to track down the obscure sea tangle in what they viewed as a welcome challenge to their social abilities. Isabela even resorted to using some contacts of Castillon's when the two were unable to track down the gulfweed the first time and every one of the companions had offered to chip in their own money to help fund procuring the algae since it was so prohibitively expensive.
The two thieves were at the docks, the ship carrying their final ingrediant was set to arrive at high sun and they set off to meet the boat on it's arrival. Sadly that was hours ago, it was near sunset currently and Anders knew the two should have been back already so he had asked Aveline and Fenris to see if they could find Varric and Isabela. If they didn't get the final component into the potion and given to Marianna before morning, she would likely never wake up. It had been hard enough for Anders to wake up next to her still form each morning that he had taken to sleeping in the study, to help prevent the panic her slow, unsteady breathing caused the warden in the middle of the night. Anders thought the darkspawn nightmares were horrible, but now with Hawke's fading health and the new torment they created, he found the warden dreams much more bearable.
"This is complete bloody rubbish," Carver finally jumped up, tired of watching Anders pacing. "They should all be back by now, something has happened. We should go look for them."
"I know," Anders acquiesced solemnly and ran a hand through his loose blonde locks, trying to free his tawny vision of the curtain of unkempt hair. "Why don't you and Sebastian see what's keeping them. I'll stay here with Merrill just in case you miss each other, then we'll be here to administer the elixir."
Carver quickly strapped his sword to his back and moved toward the front door of the mansion. The young warrior wasn't waiting for the archer, and Sebastian was forced to run to catch up to the young Hawke's quick pace once he had finished his prayer and grabbed his family weapon. Anders watched the chantry brother rush around the foyer, a slight smirk playing across his stubbled features that quickly faded with the final rogue's departure. He met his fellow mage's gaze before ascending the stairs to his bedroom to hold his beloved's hand for a short time. Their room was disturbingly quiet as he settled into the chair near Hawke's stilling form. The blonde found himself continuing Sebastian's prayer, much to his own surprise, to combat the distressing sound of Mari's slow, unsteady breathing.
Anders wasn't sure how long he had been reciting the chant before a resounding boom echo throughout the stone estate and Fenris' telltale gravely voice called his name. He rushed from his lover's side and was greeted with Aveline and Fenris, slightly battle weary, supporting a nearly unconscious and bloody dwarf between them in the foyer. Rushing down the stairs, his healer's instincts took over while grief and despair overtook his heart like a broken flood gate.
"What happened?" the warden queried as his hands lit up with blue healing energy.
"It was a set-up," Aveline stoically explained. "Castillon tracked Isabela when she used his contacts to find this ingredient. Varric apparently gave Isabela a chance to escape, while Castillon's group tracked him through town. Fenris was able to find him in Darktown. The three of us were attacked on our way here, and I can only assume that Bela managed to escape the city before she was captured since my guardsmen haven't found her."
"What about-" Anders voice broke in anguish, unable to finish the sentence when the thought there might not be a much-needed component amongst the people in front of him.
"Here," Varric's normally smooth voice, now gritty and edged with fatigue and pain as he motioned towards his pack. "Rivaini slipped the vial into my ammo bag before she vanished."
Anders dug through the dwarven merchant's bag before discovering the promised vial. He hadn't been this excited to see a vial since discovering his phylactery in his templar guard's hands. The vial contained what could be mistaken for a branch from a bare bush, with the exception of its brilliant scarlet coloration. It was extremely delicate looking, made all the more so with it currently being dried out. The blonde mage shot the trio a grateful look before turning to rush into the kitchen. His potion making supplies, normally kept in the cellar, had been moved into the kitchen so they could be utilized as soon as the final component arrived. He pulled the cork from the vial, and watched the dried algae slip from it's glass confines into the waiting bowl of his mortar. Working the gulfweed into a find powder, he added the scarlet dust to the viscus fluid waiting in a cauldron nearby. Anders soon had the concoction simmering, and watched the potion change color from a faint pink to a deep red that reminded the blonde mage of blood. Once he was certain the brew was ready, he began dividing the elixir between the waiting flasks to allow them to cool before he could finally administer the antidote to his Mari. The warden had already been instructed by the Dalish Keeper about the potency of the elixir. The longer he allowed the mixture to cool, the more potent it would become and thus speed healing. However, it was a double edge sword now with Hawke on the verge of death: wait for the potion to cool and she would wake up but wait too long and risk her never waking up again.
With hope so near, Anders found his anxiety had redoubled. He stared at the vials in front of him drumming his fingers on the marble surface wondering how soon would be feasible to give one to his unconscious lover when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. The blonde glanced back, finding Aveline behind him understanding shining from her green orbs. The ginger haired warrior guided Anders from the kitchen with a firm but surprisingly gently hand and instructed him to take a bath and freshen up to help time pass. When he was done making himself more presentable, he could administer the potion. While Bodahn and Orana prepared a bath for the healer, Anders found himself staring at his visage in the mirror. He no longer recognized the gaunt figure looking back, his normally twinkling caramel eyes now looked haunted with deep bags from so many restless or skipped nights of sleep. His cheeks were sunken and hallow looking, making him look almost skeletal from not eating properly. His hair, once always well-kept and bound now hung in greasy clumps from running his hands through his hair and not bathing.
The healer couldn't help the bitter laugh that bubbled from his lips at the change in appearance these few weeks wrought. He could imagine that without this bath Aveline insisted he take, Hawke would admonish him for not taking care of himself when she awoke. The mage could almost hear her words of recrimination as he worked his shaving brush in the mug to whip his shaving soap into a lather. Time flew by as the healer set to the new task in front of him, though he wasn't going to be able to hide the weight loss, he could at least look some what normal when his love awoke. He also forced himself to think positively, not daring to consider the potion not working, or even worse waiting too long for it to have any effect.
It will work, Anders recited to himself as he sank into the hot water. She will wake up, and my life will have meaning again. Her smile will light up Hightown. Andraste's knickers I miss the sound of voice. How did I think I would survive a month without being near her, while being in those blighted deep roads? At this point, it's nearly the same thing. It's been nearly a month and Nathaniel should be back soon with the rest of the wardens.
Rising from the still warm water, Anders dressed quickly in the breeches and tunic Orana brought while he was shaving. Entering the study, the healer noticed Carver and Sebastian had returned. Varric was in the middle of the story of his survival and Isabela's escape but upon seeing Anders enter the room ceased mid-sentence which caused all the present companions to turn in Anders' direction.
"Is it time?" Merrill asked, her hands releasing Carver's as she stood in her eagerness. A simple nod from her fellow mage prompted her to skip into the kitchen to retrieve one of the vials before heading into Hawke's bedroom. All of the misfits, minus Isabela, followed the Elvhen mage into the bedroom. Merrill uncorked the vial before administering the drought swallow by slow swallow all the while reciting a Dalish spell of healing. Once the last of the potion had been consumed, she guided Anders through the healing magic needed, since he was a much more proficient healer than Merrill as the rest of the companions stood around the room, waiting for results. When the last glow of Anders' blue healing magic faded, Merrill looked up and blushed at the attention they were receiving. "Now we wait," she explained, and settled on the edge of the bed near Marianna's feet allowing Anders the chance to sit in the chair near at hand. Carver dismissed propriety and climbed into the large bed next to his sister's form, the two men each holding one of her increasingly cold hands. Varric pulled a deck of cards from the folds of his abused leather duster, which prompted the rest of the group to gather around the dwarf on the floor and join in a few hands of cards.
Time seemed to pass slowly for Anders as he waited with baited breath for his lover to awaken. Merrill appeared to be the only one content with waiting for results or perhaps she trusted in the potion to work since it was an ancient Dalish remedy. As more time passed without any sign of positive change, Anders and Carver shared a concerned look over the quiet form between them. Hawke's breath grew slower while her already faint heartbeat became even more listless. In a panic, Anders began pouring healing energy into Mari, hoping to stave off her death and give the potion time to work. The sudden blue glow from the warden's hand drew the attention of those playing cards on the floor. However, try as Anders might, Hawke's breathing and heart soon ceased all together. Switching spells to try and revive Mari, against all odds, the healer tried in vain to jump start his lover's heart and bring her back to him.
Carver aware of the moment when his sister's heart failed, turned away from the trio of magi and stared at the drawn curtains. Tears glistened in the human warrior's eyes but he refused to let them fall even though he was now the last of the Hawke family. Merrill let out a strangled gasp as her hands shot up to her mouth and tears began streaming from her eyes. Sebastian knelt and began a chant while Varric suddenly looked stricken, as if this outcome had never crossed the storyteller's mind. Aveline remained on the ground silent and reserved, but anyone who looked upon her face would notice the silent tears making silver tracks down her face. Fenris looked just as flabbergasted as the dwarf by his side, the only other show of emotion was his hand that bore the crimson scarf clenching repeatedly by his side. Anders' mana finally gave out and with an anguished sob, the blonde mage collapsed on his lover's lifeless body. The room was silent with the exception of the occasional sob or crackle of firewood from the burning hearth. Every face in the room soon wore the same haunted, lost look as if without their leader they were unsure what to do now.
Without warning, Hawke's body erupted in blue and black cracks of energy as power from the fade poured from her body. Anders leaped away, uncertainty overtaking grief in his caramel gaze, as he watched Mari's body arch off the bed. Marianna became the center of attention but only Fenris moved towards the bed-ridden mage. The warrior held his weapon at the ready, waiting for what he thought would be an abomination to finish its transformation. Anders wasn't aware of the ivory-haired warrior's movements, his eyes only able to concentrate on the glowing form of the woman on the bed. As the light slowly began to fade, the blonde mage watched as the pale azure light faded into her warm cerulean depths.
"Thank you Justice," Anders heard her voice whisper into the pervading silence before her eyes finally focused on his face. "Hello love."
A/N: Yes, it's another cliff hanger, this story started to get away from me so to make it more manageable I broke it up into two parts but have no fear, I'm already working away at Part 2, hopefully it will be up in a few days. Normally for me something wouldn't take that long, but babies...well they seem to require a lot of time and I can't just type away for hours at a time like I used to do. That being said, I am writing sooner than I had believed, which I'm sure is a great relief to all of my fans who were waiting rather anxiously for this next installment.
And for those who are interested, I did in fact bring into this world a little bundle of joy. A beautiful baby girl, granted I'm a little biased being her mom and all. ;-) But everyone so far agrees she's a beauty, so I'm not totally wrong. Any who, that's all for now, until next time.