A/N – Um, guys, I've screwed up a little bit here. I've already covered this mission. I didn't realise until I started revising this to upload it and I thought 'Hang on, this looks familiar. I'm sure I uploaded something similar not long ago.' It was because the mission covered, I wrote it before my very long break from writing entirely (I was on holiday). And the problem is, I can't really change anything now as the story is complete. Thankfully, I've checked the first upload compared to this, and it's almost the same regarding plot, so it'll just have to be a duplicate.

Sorry.

Also, I'm sure a few of you thought the last chapter was a little... dark and depressing, Uhtred taking a couple of real punches to the gut. To be honest, I don't think 'Dragon Age II' is a particularly joyous game, in fact, I think it's a tragedy. Shit rains down on Hawke from all angles. Very few missions have a happy ending. Personally, Hawke loses both siblings one way or the other, and their mother no matter what. Even relationships can go badly depending on choices. And then there's what happens throughout the game itself. Just one crisis after another. As for Uhtred, I've sort of kept to lore regarding Bethany - Wardens have difficulty having children... and I'm not ready for him to settle down just yet. There are reasons, but they will slowly reveal themselves through the rest of this story and into the next.

There is light at the end of tunnel. He just can't see it yet.

Bethany recovered quickly, physically at least, the healers doing their jobs well. But the mental, psychological scars, they would take longer, if ever really recovered from. The distance between us was noticeable immediately. The laughter disappeared from the house. Bethany barely left the bedroom, lying in bed most days until the afternoon, sometimes not even getting up at all. She ate little, drank enough water to sustain her, but that was it. She spoke only a few words.

As for our relationship, I simply didn't know. Whenever I went to bed, she would be as far away from me as possible. Whenever I tried to hug her, she'd shrug me off. Occasionally, I'd wake in the morning to find her close to me, but it never looked like she slept much. Whenever I awoke, she'd be lying there, eyes open, wet, and on the verge of crying once again. I'd want to reach out and touch her, caress her cheek, tell her how much I loved her, but even that almost made her recoil.

The house was quiet, devoid of any life. Any joy that had once existed had departed with our child. Our servants, the Nine Divines bless them all, were magnificent. They could see what was happening, and they helped as best they could. The females tended to Bethany, made sure she at least looked after herself regarding the most basic of needs. As for Gawen, he would sit next to me as I sat by the fireplace as I stared into it, feeling nothing but… well, nothing.

Leandra spent nearly every day at our house, sometimes sleeping in one of the spare rooms. After a couple of weeks, I simply suggested she tend to her daughter and I sleep in there. That made her cry again, believing our relationship, that we had invested so much in, was now… gone… I still loved her. Loved her like crazy. But even though she didn't mean it, I was left feeling she blamed me. I blamed myself. Maybe if I'd been home, maybe if I wasn't always away, maybe…

Hawke would drop by any day we were not busy to keep me company, not that I would have been a whole lot of fun. I ranged between depressed to anger to bitter. She would check in on her sister, but their conversations were brief at best. The only thing Hawke could think of to do was take me out and keep my mind busy, so I didn't have time to think. We did odd jobs here and there, nothing terribly exciting, but it kept me active, occupied, and it gave me time to suppress all the emotions bubbling up inside.

Our friends were… wonderful. Every single one dropped by to either visit myself or Bethany. She hadn't taken part in most of our escapes since we had moved in together, but she had always been considered part of the group. Merrill was beside herself with grief for us, spending most of her time with her fellow mage. For the first time since I'd met him, Varric was speechless, simply sitting with me by the fire. He'd tell a tale or two to raise a smile. It sometimes worked. I tried not to spend too much time alone, while also making sure Bethany had people to support her. I did my best, I was always left feeling… she didn't want me around. So I made myself scarce.

It must have been a good month after before Hawke approached with something I could really dig my teeth into and help my own state of mind. Leandra had basically moved in by now, and Bethany was at least up and about a bit more often. We were barely speaking, trying my best to be communicative, but whenever she saw me, I saw the hurt in her face, the pain in her eyes. I was nothing but a reminder, so I left her alone.

Sitting at my desk, trying to concentrate on anything but the women in our bed upstairs, Gawen lightly knocked on the study door, announcing Hawke had arrived. She strode in and, after a hug, a long hug as she gave me a good squeeze, we took a seat. "How are things?"

"I want to say 'could be worse', but I honestly don't know how they could be. I think there are only one or two things possible, and neither bear thinking about. So, I have to ask, have you got something for me?"

"Possibly. Aveline has asked for our help. She said 'our', she wants your help, figuring this might help you feel better. Not sure if it will, but it's the thought that counts."

"I'm a ticking time bomb, Hawke. Something goes wrong, something pisses me off, I could do something I'll regret."

"Possible, but you can't continue moping around the house all the time. Those odd jobs are not enough to keep you satisfied." She leaned forward. "You might have the chance to rough up a templar."

She said it in such a tone, I think I cracked a small smile, which made her grin. "Okay, I'll get ready. Give me a few minutes."

I headed upstairs. I hadn't moved all my things into the spare room, I didn't plan on remaining there forever. Entering ours, Leandra sat in her chair, Bethany was curled up in a ball, staring into nothing. Her mother looked my way and smiled. "Are you well, Uhtred?"

"I'm just grabbing a couple of things. Hawke has a job to do."

"Okay, I'll hold the fort here. Keep safe, the pair of you."

After changing into my armour, I headed downstairs, told Gawen what I was up to, grabbed my sword, shield and dagger, before heading out the door where Hawke was waiting. It was another sunny day in Kirkwall. In fact, most days had been pleasant since that morning, but I'd rarely been outside to appreciate it. The city was as busy as ever. The tension between the city and Qunari had seemingly disappeared completely, their presence once again tolerated but also resented in equal measure. Rumour still abounded regarding the mages, but after learning one or two things about Meredith, I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. Partly, anyway.

Aveline was expecting our arrival, rising and greeting me warmly. She always had, but there was something extra in her hug, giving me an extra tight squeeze. "Are you well, Uhtred?"

"I'm coping, Aveline. Thanks."

"We're all here if you need us."

"I know." I let her go and stood back. "Hawke coming with the offer of a job might take my mind off things, at least for a little while."

She gestured to the two empty chairs, and once we'd sat down, offering and accepting a drink, she got straight to business. "I've got a bit of a thorn in my side, inventing trouble and scaring people." Before I could say anything, she continued. "Remember Emeric? The templar?"

"Vaguely at best, but continue," I replied.

"You helped him a while back. He wants your help again and some sort of official sanction."

"Official sanction?" Hawke asked, confusion in her tone. I felt my own brow furrow. He was a templar, why did he need official sanction?

"For his 'investigation'. He's convinced that every random murder over the past few years is connected, and he won't be quiet."

"You don't think it's worth looking at?" I wondered. I know Aveline liked to get stuck into things like this.

"I have! You both know me well enough. I smell a lead, I'll go looking. But this?" She shook her head. "He convinced one of my lieutenants to raid the DuPuis mansion. Nothing there. You won't believe how much arse I had to kiss after that debacle." The imagery led me to chuckle. I hadn't laughed much recently. Hawke even seemed surprised by the noise.

We shared a glance. "Emeric… Emeric…" Hawke muttered to herself. "Hang on, yes, I remember. Ninette rings a bell. Something about a Ninette. She went missing and was murdered, and it was connected to the murder of someone else. But that was three or four years ago. Is he saying there is a serial killer on the loose?"

"Personally, no, not based on this flimsy evidence. But I'm willing to throw you two a bone, let you sniff out something. If you dig something up that's worthy of a look, you know I'll pick it up. But right now, he's distracting my own men from what they should be doing. And I don't want to be kissing anymore arse than I have to in this job."

"Where is he?" I asked.

"Where you'll find most templars. In the Gallows."

"Okay, we'll have a chat with him, see what he can tell us. If we find what he tells us even moderately convincing or interesting, we'll check it out then let you know," Hawke stated.

"Good. And thanks. I hope it's much ado about nothing, but knowing what this town is like at times…"

After a brief chat about other things, nothing touching my personal life, we left Aveline to her regular job and we headed back out into Hightown. I stood on the stairs overlooking the city and took a nice, deep breath. "Right, we going to grab anyone else or…?"

"Well, how about Varric, simply because he'll make you laugh. And Isabela, as I want some of my own eye candy." She said it in such a tone, I let loose a laugh from deep down. I'm not sure why I laughed so hard, but it felt good. "I didn't know if that would make you laugh or you'd have thoughts," she added.

"Oh, it was just the tone, that's all. Come on, we'll grab those two then head to the Gallows. Guess it's best we don't take Merrill or Anders. I'm not sure how much longer our protection of them will last. And, to be honest, I am concerned whenever Anders is with us, simply because we don't know if Justice will make another appearance."

"Anders has kept himself busy at his clinic, and away from anything that might cause him to anger."

We stopped by to pick up Varric first, and he was soon regaling us with stories that I may have missed recently. Isabela was in the Hanged Man as always, and seeing how she and Hawke were together made me realise how different my relationship was now with Bethany. Hawke used to make plenty of jokes at our expense whenever we were together at the tavern.

I always hated the Gallows, the Circle Tower the dominant feature, knowing a few of the details that went on inside. Templars patrolled or kept watch, and while I noticed glances in our direction, we were basically ignored by everyone. Luckily Hawke remembered what Emeric looked like, so she led us in his direction. If I'd been in charge. I'd have asked a dozen templars if they were Emeric before finding the right person.

Seeing our approach, he was definitely not expecting our appearance. "Hello, Emeric. Aveline says you need my help again?"

"Hello yourself, Ser Hawke. Aveline has?" he asked, eyebrows raising in surprise, if not shock. We all nodded, so he cleared his throat to explain. "I've spent the past few years continuing my investigation into the murders of Ninette, Mharen, and the other women. I believe I finally have a suspect, a man called Gascard DuPuis."

"Aveline told us about him, that his mansion was raided and nothing found. So is he in hiding? Should we find him for you so he can be questioned?" Hawke asked.

He shook his head. "No, I know where DuPuis is. I just can't get to him. But after the search found nothing, the city guard were forced to apologise and I've been reprimanded."

"How so?" I wondered.

"Meredith forbade me from continuing my investigation. But she didn't say I couldn't seek outside help. I'm not sure if she would want me coming to either of you, but you've both got reputations as problem solvers, so I'm glad Aveline directed you to me."

"Fair enough. You have a suspect then. What can you tell us about him?" Hawke asked.

"He's a reclusive nobleman who's rarely seen outside his estate in Hightown. He knew two of the murdered women and made inquiries about the others. It cannot be a coincidence."

Hawke looked at me. I shrugged. If that was all the evidence he had, it was flimsy at best. I thought what we had found a couple of years back may have been evidence, but it had been so long, I could understand why the guard wouldn't see a connection. Hawke looked back at Emeric. "Well, I guess looking into it can't hurt. If we find something, that's good, and it'll look good for you. If there's nothing, we'll tell you and you can at least keep looking on the down low. Sound good?"

"It does. All you need to do is go to DuPuis's estate after nightfall. Please figure out what the man is hiding. If he's innocent, find evidence to prove me wrong."

"Okay, we'll return when we have something," Hawke stated.

Walking away, Varric was the first to ask, "So, is our templar friend suggesting a bit of breaking and entering then?"

"It would seem so," Isabela replied.

"Good thing we have a couple of rogues with us then eh?" Hawke joked.

We headed back to Hawke's place, agreeing to collect Merrill and Fenris later so we had more numbers. I wasn't expecting anything untoward, hopefully an empty mansion that might divulge one or two clues as to this DuPuis character. But if he was there, I always figured going in armed with a few colleagues can't hurt. We enjoyed lunch together, Varric disappeared in the afternoon, stating he'd collect the other two on the way back to where we were, and I found myself in the study, picking out a book to read as I relaxed, hearing Isabela and Hawke giggle on the couch on the other side of the room.

"We have a bedroom upstairs," I heard Hawke whisper.

"We're not doing anything… yet…"

"Uthred is just there."

I concentrated on reading though I could hear everything they were saying. It's not like I was deaf. "He might appreciate a show, Hawke."

"I'm not having sex with you in front of him."

I chuckled to myself, rather distracted, fairly sure I'd read the same paragraph at least three times. I heard plenty of heavy petting, definitely not looking in their direction. "Isabela, I said don't put your hand… Oh…"

"Thought that would shut you up."

I stood up and put the book on the table. "Okay, I think I'll leave you to it." Isabela looked at me, a smirk on her face. Hawke's cheeks were red with embarrassment. I tried not to look any lower as it was obvious what Isabela was doing.

"I said we have a bedroom, Isabela. Uhtred is our guest."

Isabela pouted before she finally removed her hand. "Spoilsport. And you were turned on, Hawke."

"That's because you're a bloody tease." She looked back at me. "Please, sit down, Uhtred. Actually, sit between us so she doesn't try anything again."

"If you won't play, maybe Uhtred will." The look I returned made her fall quiet straight away, and it was her turn to be embarrassed. "Shit, sorry. That was just…"

I gently touched her forearm. "You were teasing, it's fine. But... I won't go into detail."

"Are things any better?"

Shrugging, I replied, "I'm doing what I can. I'll wait as long as she needs. I've dealt with my own kind of heartbreak before. It takes time to deal with it. For the heart and mind to heal itself. If she needs distance, she can have it. Once she needs me again, I'll be there."

Hawke shuffled and cuddled into my side, resting her head against me. "You're a good man," she said quietly.

"I like to believe I am now. So all I can do is keep doing what I am now."

Our friends arrived just after sunset. We had a quick bit to eat before trying to organise a plan, but not knowing anything except breaking into the mansion, we suggested we operate as we normally did. Finding the DuPuis mansion wasn't difficult, as each house had a metallic plate outside, with the name etched into it. Varric had also scoped it out earlier on so we knew where we were going. The dwarf got to work, cracking the lock rather easily. The door made no noise as we entered, finding ourselves in a dark room.

Unsheathing, Hawke and I led the way forward. We all hoped that all we would do is find DuPuis and question him. I hoped further that there was no sign of him and we'd simply find paperwork either confirming his guilt or exonerating him. What I don't think any of expected, upon entering a large room, stairs leading to the next floor, were the shades that appeared.

"Well, this doesn't help prove his innocence," I muttered, raising my shield to block the sharp claws of a nearby shade.

Aveline had mentioned nothing about any demons being present, so we could now assume that DuPuis was also a mage, an apostate. That didn't bother me, though it certainly led to even more questions. When a rage demon appeared, Merrill immediately using a cold spell, my Thu'um turning it to ice before she used 'Stonefirst' to smash it into pieces, I assumed further that we were dealing with a powerful mage.

As we explored, the house wasn't empty. It certainly had the appearance of being lived in, but we still found no life. More demons, of course, and we also found some notes which didn't really make sense, though certainly back up Emeric's suspicions. Particularly one note from the Circle at Starkhaven, I guess before it burned down, where DuPuis had made enquiries about missing mages.

Slowly exploring the mansion, keeping our noise to a minimum, we ended up in a hallway with numerous doors. We split up, two by two, and I ended up walking into what looks like his office. The fireplace had a fire burning, the room incredibly warm, and that told me that someone was definitely in the house. On a nearby desk I found a bottle. Popping the top, I smelled blood straight away. I turned to Varric and told him. He popped his head out the door and gestured for the others to join us. Telling them what I found, Merrill suggested that DuPuis must at least dabble in blood magic. "It's the only reason why you'd keep a bottle of blood around, obviously."

Hawke muttered under her breath. "So… are we now killing this guy then?" I wondered, not really expecting an answer just yet.

We found another set of stairs, heading up another level, amazed at the sheer size of the mansion. Considering he was only a minor nobleman, to own such an expansive mansion was a surprise. We continued looking for evidence and clues, and DuPuis certainly didn't feel it necessary to hide anything. Another desk, another clue, this being a letter from Knight-Commander Meredith herself.

"Holy shit, if she knew he was a blood mage, that letter could come back to bite her in the arse," Hawke stated.

With a rather sly grin, I pocketed the letter for future use.

The house had been rather quiet since we'd entered, but when we heard a blood curdling scream, we broke ranks and ran towards the source of the noise. Entering what looked like a master bedroom, we were greeted by the sight of a woman on her knees, trembling as she tried to scamper backwards from a man leering over her, staff on his back. He heard us approach and turned to face us, more confused to see us than angered.

"You're not…. You're not him!" he stated. I strode towards him, and before he could raise his hands in defence, I grabbed him by the collar and dragged him away from the woman. "Shit. I know what this looks like, but I didn't hurt her!"

"We'll check on that. Merrill, does she need any healing?"

I noticed her brush past in my vision, kneeling down to check on the woman. "She's okay, Uhtred. Frightened to death, but she's okay."

"Good." I now used two hands to grab his collar, lifting him off the ground. His eyes widened as his feet no longer touched the floor. "Now, I know I may look like a fool, but don't take me for one. You are going to explain what's going on. You will answer our questions, or you'd better pray to your Maker, as I will snap your neck like a twig. Do you understand?" He nodded, so I placed him back on the ground, Hawke handing me back my sword, which I kept unsheathed, and made sure he recognised that I was willing to use it.

"Look, I don't know why you're here," he stated, his voice shaking, "But there's a killer out there, and I think he's playing both of us! Just… let me explain."

I glanced at Hawke, who didn't look convinced. "All right, DuPuis, let's see if you can talk your way out of this. All I've got so far is a mountain of evidence that suggests, if not proves, you are the serial killer." Varric then cracked a good joke which even had me laughing, though DuPuis looked deathly white and certainly found no humour in his current situation.

But he did relax somewhat, running a hand through his hair before he started to explain. "Several years ago, my sister was murdered. The bastard's now in Kirkwall, killing again. The same way he killed my sister."

I gestured. "Go on, I haven't heard anything yet."

"It starts with a bouquet of white lilies. He sends them to each new victim. Alessa was going to be next."

"Alessa?" Hawke asked, before she looked at the woman, still on the ground. "Are you Alessa?" She nodded, at least.

"I took her so he'd have to come find me. I was finally going to face my sisters' killer, but then you showed up…"

He trailed off. Then Alessa cried, "He's lying! He hurt me!"

Before any of us moved, he surprised all of us by turning and falling to a knee beside her. She couldn't back away, as close to the wall as she was, but he made no move to touch her. "I've explained this," he stated, far softer than I would have thought, "I need your blood to track you down if he took you. It was for your protection!" He then turned towards us, fear in his eyes as he's let slip the blood. "Please, you've got to believe me. I haven't hurt her. I'm only trying to help."

Distracted by us, Alessa was on her feet immediately, bursting into tears as she fled. "Leave me alone!" she cried.

He made to stand up and give chase. My sword was immediately up, pointed straight at him. "Move, and you die," I growled.

"She'll go straight to the city guard. They'll ruin everything."

To be honest, I was just ready to put a sword through and be done with it. Hawke rested a hand on my shoulder, the gesture for the Dragonborn to be calm, and she stepped forward. "Look, why don't you actually tell the guards everything you've just told us, then they can deal with matter professionally."

That made him laugh. "Professionals? Seriously? Have you see the idiots that work for the city guard?" He had a point, I'll give him that. Aveline was a golden nugget, and she had some good underlings, but most were… yeah… "And I don't want him arrested. This isn't about justice. I need to be the one to bleed him dry."

"So it's about vengeance then."

"Of course it's about bloody vengeance! The bastard killed my sister!"

"Well, that's something honest he's finally told us, at least," Varric stated.

"Who's the killer? Got a name?" I wondered.

"He's a powerful and experienced blood mage. I believe he uses the women for some ritual. His victims are attractive, healthy women with few social ties."

"Explain the blood magic," Merrill stated. I could understand her curiosity.

"Yes, I've used it, and also lyrium to augment my powers. Look, I know how blood mages are view upon, even by my fellow mages. I'm not proud of doing I'm using anything I can to find the bastard who killed my sister. It's important to me, and it's important to stop him killing the others."

"What do you guys think?" Hawke asked.

"Kill him and be done with it," Fenris grumbled. No surprise there.

"I think he's trying to help," Merrill stated brightly. She always gave people the benefit of the doubt. It occasionally bit her in the arse but she always meant well.

"Uhtred?"

"Give him some rope. He'll either succeed or he'll tie enough around his own neck and swing."

"Fair enough. Alright, DuPuis, somehow you've managed to convince most of us that, despite being a bloody fool, we actually believe you. Be glad it's us and not the guard or templars. You'd be locked up so fast… So how can we help?"

"Help? I don't want your help. What I need is for you and everyone else to leave me alone so I can get on with my work. But it's obvious I can no longer remain here if people are just going to come and go as they please. I'm headed to Darktown." He started to walk out, stopping at the door and looking back. "Though I guess if you do find anything out, you can come and find me there." He glared at us. "Don't even think about settling this yourself. He's mine, understand?"

Before any of us could reply, he turned and walked out of the room.

We looked around for any sign of Alessa as we were leaving the mansion, but it was obvious she'd fled out into the night. Though it hadn't been a complete success, we decided to head to the Hanged Man, simply so we could relax and enjoy a few tankards. For once, I was in absolutely no rush to go home. I felt guilty thinking it but… I figured a few drinks would help me feel better. In the end, they didn't, but the buzz felt nice.

After staggering home, I wandered inside to a dark house. Gawen rose immediately, but I told him to head back to bed, and I'd be doing the same. Walking upstairs, tip toeing as quietly as possible, I stopped by the bedroom door. Bethany was still curled up in bed. I couldn't see her eyes, no idea if she was actually sleeping. I thought about heading in but, believing I'd get no reaction, I sighed to myself and headed to the spare bedroom.

Gawen served me breakfast as always, now sitting at my desk in the study alone. He would occasionally join me, but I know I wasn't the best of company nowadays. One of the other servants would take a tray up to Bethany. Sometimes she would eat a little, sometimes she'd clear the plate, sometimes she wouldn't touch it. None of them gave up on her though. I hadn't… but it was difficult.

Collecting my things, I headed out and straight to Hawke's so we could at least update Emeric on what we'd discovered. Doubt he'd be pleased to hear that we'd let DuPuis go, but he'd left it up to us and that was the decision we'd made. We searched the Gallows for him but there was no sign. Just as we were about to head into their barracks, we were approached by another templar. "Are you Hawke and the Dragonborn?"

"Looks like we are becoming famous, Uhtred."

"Or infamous, depending on who you speak to," I retorted.

"My name is Moira. I'm a friend of Emeric's. He left me a message."

"Oh, what is it?"

"He said you'd arranged to meet tonight."

Hawke and I shared a glance. "We did?" she asked carefully, and I'm sure we both had that feeling in our stomach.

"Yes." She dug into her pocket, retrieving a letter and handing it over. "Emeric gave me the letter you sent him."

I hadn't sent a letter. Hawke didn't even bother reading it. "I never sent a letter, Moira. Neither of us did."

"You didn't? Strange." She shrugged. "To be honest, Emeric has been behaving a little strangely these last few months. Perhaps it's all just a giant misunderstanding. You know these things are."

"How could it be a misunderstanding if I didn't send this letter?" Hawke wondered. Moira had no response, simply bidding us 'Good day' and walking off back to the barracks. "Uhtred, I have never sent Emeric any sort of message or letter. Have you?"

"No, of course not."

"Shit, this is a set up. They're after Emeric."

"What does the letter say?"

"He's to meet us in Lowtown."

"Okay, let's grab the troops and head there. Does it say when we are meeting?"

"As the chantry bells strike five."

"Shit, that's the rest of the day. Can we not try and find him, get a message?"

"I'm not sure. He did seem slightly unhinged when we talked to him last, Uhtred."

"Okay, you go grab the troops, I'll go search Lowtown, see if I can find him. Once you've grabbed everyone, go to the Hanged Man and I'll meet you there."

Back in Hightown, we split up as I headed straight for Lowtown. In the warren of streets and alleys, it was easy to get lost, find yourself in a dead end street, where there was a high chance you'd be robbed, beaten, even killed. I saw no sign of any templar wandering the main roads, so started to head down narrower alleyways, ensuring I didn't go down any dead ends. But there was no sign of him, and that worried me.

I searched for a couple of hours before I simply gave up and headed back to the Hanged Man. Hawke and I sat together quietly, clearly worried about Emeric. I had no doubt who was after him, who wanted him silenced. And if he knew about Emeric, he knew about us. I hadn't fought a mage yet I couldn't beat, but there was a first time for everything. No-one is invincible.

The chantry bells could be heard across Kirkwall, even within the tavern. There were clocks as well, but we headed out and waited for them to chime. Once we counted five, we headed to the alley that Emeric has stated we were to meet him down. I had no idea why he'd chosen it… and within a few seconds, it became clear that he hadn't.

Emeric was dead when we arrived, his body… It was horrific what they'd done to him.

Our backs were to the wall immediately as the alleyway was flooded by shades and demons. I unleashed my Thu'um immediately, enveloping many of them in fire, before I Shouted again, this time sending many of them crashing backwards into each other. Immediately on the front foot, Hawke, Isabela and I sliced, cut and stabbed our way through. But no matter how many we killed, more seemed to rise in their place.

The fight definitely gained the attention of others, as we were finishing off the last few when we heard a flurry of footsteps heading in our direction, turning to see a dozen armed templars heading our way. Hawke and I stepped forward immediately, ready to fight, thought the templars simply stopped and formed up.

Moira came running towards us, and that's when she noticed his body. The cry of 'No!' was a surprise. She'd seemed so… uncaring. Maybe she just hadn't given it enough thought. On her knees to his body, I wasn't sure if she was incredibly upset or about to unleash a fury upon whoever did this. "Oh, Maker," she cried quietly, "The murders! He was right. He was right…" She took off her glove and caressed his face. I could see the tears falling down her cheeks. "You're at peace now. They can't hurt you any longer."

"Were you… close?" Hawke asked softly.

"He was my friend. We've worked closely together for a long time." She leaned down and kissed his forehead. I had a feeling perhaps they hadn't taken that vow of chastity to hear like some others. If they were only friends, they were… incredibly close. She stood up, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand, clearing her throat before walking towards us. All business again. "He suspected someone, I believe his name was DuPuis. Did he do this?" she demanded.

"No, I don't believe so. He was on the same side as Emeric, trying to catch the killer. The evidence we found suggested he was innocent."

She nodded, a sob catching in her throat before she frowned. "Hawke, we should have believed him, I should have believed him. Whoever this apostate is, I am going to see to this personally. If you find any information in regards to this killer, I want to know immediately."

"Yes, Knight-Captain."

"Thank you. Is there anything else?"

"I will speak with Guard Captain Aveline tomorrow. There is a missing woman by the name of Alessa. She may have more information and needs to be found, for her own safety."

"Of course. I will leave that to the guards."

We watched as she organised a stretcher for Emeric, six carefully lifting his body as Moira picked up his helmet. Once the templars were ready, they formed a cordon and slowly marched out of the alleyway. We followed out at a distance before coming to a stop outside the Hanged Man. None of us were really in the mood for a drink, so after Hawke suggested she'd go see Aveline alone the next morning, we bid each other goodnight and headed home.

It has been another awful day. Returning home to a quiet house, I busied myself in the study for a couple of hours, Gawen bringing in a bite to eat and a drink for me. I thanked him as always. "You'll get through this, lord. She still has love for you."

I couldn't help smile. "Gawen, I'm not sure what I've ever done to deserve your kindness and loyalty, but thank you."

He took a few steps forward. "You're a good man, lord. You've always been kind to us, you pay us well, you treat us like family. I know I speak for the others when we state that we'll remain for as long as you need us."

I rose from my chair and walked towards him, hand extended. He shook it, a small grin of his own forming. "I'll make sure you are cared for whenever we come to that day."

"Of course, lord. Do you want anything else?"

"No, Gawen, Go relax. As always, you've deserved it. And thank you again."

He bowed and headed out as I returned to my desk, going over paperwork as I demolished my meal before sitting back, enjoying my drink before I sighed, thinking it best I had to bed.

Heading upstairs, I stopped at the bedroom door. It was open as always, almost an invitation for me to walk in and be with her. The candle on the bedside table was still lit. I took a deep breath… and slowly walked in, Bethany cocooned in the covers as she normally was. Leandra had left her chair where she normally did. She was still awake, aware she barely slept. Moving the chair back, I got down on my knees next to her, making sure our eyes met. I raised a hand, carefully moving it towards her, curling a strand of hair over her ear.

"I love you, Bethany Hawke," I stated softly, "I have for a long time, and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. You're one of the best things that's ever happened to me. So, take all the time you need. I'm not going anywhere. Whenever you need me back, I'll be here." Carefully, I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. The fact she hadn't recoiled… It made me smile, internally at least. Leaning back, her eyes searched mine, but she remained silent. "I love you," I whispered again, before I rose and slowly walked away.

It was only when I was about to turn that I heard a whisper. "Stay." I stopped, turned around. She'd barely moved but I heard it again. "Please stay." No more than a whisper. If there'd been any other noise, I'd have missed it. Slowly, I walked back towards her side of the bed. Now her eyes moved, and I noticed them brimming with tears. I slowly lowered myself down next to the bed, her lower lip trembling immediately. "Please don't leave me too."

The fact she thought that nearly broke me then and there. Then her face cracked completely and she shot forward, pulling me towards her in a hug. I'm not sure if she'd cried with her mother or sister, or anyone else, but the torrent of tears that flowed then was… My own dam finally… finally burst. I think it was seeing her break that finally caused mine to give in. I'm not sure for how long we wept together, but what I do know is that when there was silence, I felt… better. Not good. Not great. Nowhere near how I felt before, but I felt better.

Letting her go, I kicked off my boots and shoes, removed my belt, then gently slid under the covers. I had barely seen her move in weeks. She spun around and seemed to need me more than anything. I turned to face her, holding her as close and tightly to me as possible. She occasionally sniffed, I felt a shudder every now and then, it took some time before she stilled and finally… she slept.

I held her all night and refused to sleep, making sure she finally got some of her own. The sun had well and truly risen by the time she woke up, and my body had failed me, as I was dozing. I was startled awake by the feeling of a hand touching my face, opening my eyes and looking down to see Bethany simply looking at me. I gently grabbed her hand and kissed her palm before returning the gesture, caressing her face. There was the flicker of a smile, but when she closed her eyes and sighed, I knew that maybe, just maybe, things might be okay.