Life grew less exciting after that for the next few months, while Claire continued to help build up her castle and research the Eluvians, and Anders helped the mages in the underground resistance. Edric and Nicole had gotten married, and Claire felt such joy that her castle commune was able to provide such a sanctuary for mages that they could have families. Other relationships were blossoming as well, and so more houses outside of the castle were being built to accommodate the growth.

Hawke had started coming around more, helping the mages as well, though his duties as Champion kept him busy. Claire knew it wasn't going to get any better for him, but nothing serious seemed to happen, it was all just a growing tension that everyone could feel. Occasionally Varric would bemoan the lack of players for his game, but Claire knew he was being kept busy running after the Champion, along with Fenris, Isabela, and sometimes Merrill.

While Claire was in the Gallows collecting information one day, however, she saw Cullen again. She could never get the image of him trapped by the blood mages out of her head, nor could she ignore the knowledge of how what he had gone through was shaping what he was to become, a sort of savior for the future of mages, but there, standing in the Gallows, he was no friend to mages and he wouldn't hesitate to strike her down if he knew her for what she was. Knowing this, she still wandered over to him.

"You!" He frowned, getting slightly defensive. "I've seen you with the Champion, and before that, in Ferelden as well, haven't I?"

"Yes, I was helping aid the Hero of Ferelden defeat the Blight, and it was I who tried to break the blood mage barrier keeping you trapped," she replied. "It's good to see you well."

"As well as one can be in a city full of blood mages and abominations," Cullen growled.

"Kirkwall is good for that, indeed," Claire sighed. "It keeps us all busy, that's for certain. I'll not keep you, but take care." He looked almost as if he wanted to say something, but stopped himself. Perhaps one day in the future, she could have a proper conversation with him, but she didn't want to chance him figuring out she was a mage. Having been seen with Hawke was a blessing, knowing that that was the only thing saving Anders from being truly pursued.

"We're halfway through 9:35 already," Claire said as she laid down next to Anders. "It seems strange to think so much time has passed since Ostagar."

"Do you still have nightmares of it?" Anders asked, rolling over to look at her.

"Sometimes, yes." She quickly kissed him, smiling. "But I've made peace with it, for the most part, and proclaiming my love to you that night helped a lot, so that even while I wandered the woods in a daze, I had it in the back of my head to find you again."

"I will never forget it." He kissed her deeply, running his hands along her body as he pulled her close. Sleep would have to wait.

A woman ran through the forest with her twin children behind her and her youngest child pressed against her chest, while the sound of the Templar's armor rattling as he crashed through the trees and brush was dim in her ears due to her pulse beating so hard. She couldn't think, there wasn't much she could do, especially against a Templar, but she had to save her children. It wasn't their fault they were gifted in magic! She spotted a ruined house and ran to it for cover, her heart screaming for someone to help them.

Claire's eyes opened wide, the scene still vivid in her mind, and she grabbed Anders' arm, shaking him awake.

"Love, wake up!" she cried. "We have to leave, now!" She jumped out of bed and quickly put her armor on, then buckled her sword to her belt as Anders rolled out of bed.

"What happened?" he asked, worried.

"A mage called to me for help... she has children, including a really small one." Claire grabbed a few elfroot potions. "A Templar is chasing them, but I'm not sure why, something about the children being mages." Anders nodded and she was glad he didn't need more of an explanation. Once he was ready, she teleported them to the location she'd received from the mage woman, and in the early morning light, spotted two blonde children, a boy and a girl, possibly ten years old, firing spells off at a Templar who had his sword out.

"Stop!" Claire cried, running forward. The children ran back into the ruined house while the Templar stared at Claire.

"You mean to prevent me from eradicating these maleficar?" he snapped.

"They're children!" Claire growled. "Can't you hear the youngest? You would kill an innocent child as well?" The smallest child had started crying, but Claire could hear the twins trying to comfort it.

"Perhaps not the tot, but the other two children... they have shown that they are too dangerous to let live, by using magic against me to avoid capture. They should have gone quietly to the Circle."

"Then you leave me no choice," Claire said. Her eyes started glowing softly as she held out her hand and the Templar fell to the ground in a lifeless heap.

"What did you do?" Anders asked.

"I reached into the Fade and killed him," she said as she walked to the building. The mage woman was already dying, her blood covering her little one and the twins. When she saw Claire, she reached a mangled hand to her.

"You came..." Her smile was full of hope, as if she knew Claire would fix everything. Claire and Anders knelt beside her, pouring their healing magic into her even though they knew she couldn't be saved. They could at most ease her pain, which would allow her passing be peaceful, and the children wouldn't have to see their mother in such agony.

"I try my best to protect the mages," Claire murmured. "Rest easy, your children are safe with us and the Templar will never touch them again."

"You... promise... promise you won't abandon them..." the mage gasped. "You can raise them... you must... special. They... they're special..."

"I have a castle with many mages, they will not be alone," Claire said.

"No, you. You must."

"What I do is not safe for children to be around," Claire said firmly, while Anders watched her carefully. Was he worried about her? "I fight, and there will come a time when the city will be chaos. I will not put children in that kind of danger."

"Please..." The mage was pleading with tears running through the blood and dirt, and Claire found she couldn't deny this woman her request.

"I will..." Claire finally said, her voice hoarse. "I will raise them like they were my own." The woman nodded and smiled before her eyes closed for the last time. The children seemed too exhausted and in shock to react aside from tears coursing down their cheeks, so Anders laid the woman out decently and took off her amulet and ring while Claire took her belt and pouches off.

"Children, we must build a pyre for her," Claire said. "Stay close please." They didn't build a big one, but it was something, and laid the woman's body down while the children watched.

"What was her name?" Anders asked.

"Astina..." the boy said, while his twin sister nodded.

"And your names?"

"I'm Lucas, my sister is Liliane, and our little brother is Tristan," the boy said. "She wanted to name him Alistair, but the Templar insisted on Tristan."

"Alistair, after the king of Ferelden?" Claire asked.

"Yeah, mum loves him..." Liliane said quietly. "She said he's a symbol of hope for us, but..."

"He has a hard time fighting against the Chantry himself, doesn't he?" Claire said. "He's worked hard to make things better for mages, but there's only so much he can do."

"Tristan is only our half brother," Liliane said. "The Templar took our mother away, but when she came back, she had Tristan." Claire saw Anders grimace at the implication.

"Are you ready to lay your mother to rest?" The children nodded, so Anders and Claire stood on the opposite ends of the pyre and used their magic to light her body on fire, then went to stand beside the children, with Claire taking Tristan in her arms.

"Did you mean it, that we'll go with you?" Lucas asked.

"I do not go against my word," Claire said. "It will not be the life I was hoping you would have, but it is what she wished for you, and I will honor my promise."

"She said you would save us..." Liliane said.

"She heard rumors of you," Lucas added. "That a mysterious woman was saving mages, that she was an ancient goddess, protecting us. Are you a goddess?" Claire was startled, but she noticed Anders holding back a laugh.

"No, I'm no goddess, just a mage trying to help others."

"We can go now, if you like," Anders said. The youngest was busy tugging at Claire's hair, looking worriedly towards the fire. Claire had no idea how old he was, she'd never been around kids before, so she'd have to ask the twins, but he seemed to know something was wrong, just not what.

"Please?" Lucas asked. Claire nodded and held out her free hand.

"Take my hand, we'll go now," she said. "But you must promise not to be scared."

"We promise," they chorused. Anders put his arm around her shoulder and she teleported them to the back of the clinic, where the children gasped.

"You are a goddess!" Liliane cried, staring up at Claire in awe.

"No, I'm a mere mortal, and now you're my charge," Claire said. "How old are you?"

"We're eleven," Lucas said. "Mum said we were born the fourteenth day of Drakonis. Tristan is almost four."

"We don't remember what day he was born," Liliane said. "We were already on the run, because of mum. She said the Templars attacked her and da. She fought back, but da was killed, and she was taken... It was cold when she came back... so winter..." The girl started tearing up. Almost four... Claire had a brief flashback of the corrupted Templars, remembering how many other mages they'd had, and how many babies were brought forth in that environment...

"We'll protect you, little one," Anders said, getting down to her level to look her in the eye. "You've been through a lot, but we'll take care of you." Claire wanted nothing more than to take Anders away in private and talk to him about what had just happened, but she needed to take care of the children first and foremost, and as they were covered in dirt and blood, they needed to bathe, and get new clothing.

"Anders, do you think you can get them bathed while I find them new clothes?" she asked. "I don't think we have anything here for them, but I know who does."

"If you're sure you're up to the trip," Anders said. "I'll be fine here."

"Thank you, love." She smiled tiredly at him. "I'll be right back, and I'll bring some food as well."

The first thing Anders needed to do was to fill the tub with water, which wasn't the most difficult since the river was right there and they'd rigged a system for getting the water up. While he did that, he showed the kids how it was done, as his mind was trying to process what he was doing, and what it meant. Why had Astina been so adamant that Claire raise the children? Demanding things of someone she thought was a goddess? It had worked, though, and her wish was fulfilled, yet despite helping the mage, he could feel Justice's emotions, frustrated by the outcome and seeing the children only as obstacles.

"What's your name?" Lucas asked, watching him with his dark blue eyes.

"I'm sorry, we forgot to introduce ourselves, didn't we?" Anders warmed up the water with his magic as he looked at the children. "I am Anders, and the woman who was with me is my wife, Claire." He almost laughed as he realized they'd adopted children, and that Claire was being forced to raise them as if they were her own. Was that something she would accept easily? Would it fill the void she'd felt after finding out she was barren, or would she be too upset at being forced into it?

"Do you think she's a goddess?" Liliane asked quietly.

"No, but she's not human either," Anders said. "You'll find out soon enough what sort of person she is, though, and you'll see her castle as well, even though you'll be staying here. She wanted you to live in a safe area, but... she made a promise and she'll keep it." He knew she would probably end up visiting the castle more because of the children. She would need help raising them, after all. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up, and she'll back soon with new clothes for you."

"What is it you do here?" Lucas asked, looking around as he started undressing.

"We're in Darktown, where I run a free medical clinic for the poor and destitute," Anders said.

"We know a little of herbs and healing ourselves, I wouldn't mind helping out," Lucas said.

"Thank you, it's appreciated." Liliane had already gotten Tristan undressed and had begun washing him, then Anders helped Lucas get in the tub as well, while trying to deal with the internal struggle he was suddenly faced with as he realized the end coming really quickly.

Claire was panicking as she stared at the food in the Orlesian market. What did children eat? The same as everyone else, right? Even little kids? She grabbed some bread, then some pastries. Surely they needed meat though, so she paid for the baked goods and looked around for something until she found a stew. What did they drink? They couldn't drink wine, and there was nothing like soda anywhere around while juice was something you could only get fresh as it went bad quickly. Someone set out some fresh milk, so she bought that.

For clothing, she prayed she got their sizes right. Lucas was nearly as tall as she was already, and Liliane was only a little shorter, but Tristan she wasn't sure on. Flustered, she teleported back to the clinic and set the food down on the bed as she watched Anders helping the children get clean. He made a great father, being patient with them and guiding them.

"I brought some food, so when you're done there, you can help yourselves," Claire said, walking over to them. Liliane was still dressed and Claire wondered if she just didn't want to bathe around Anders. "Perhaps the boys can get started and I'll help you here, Liliane?" The girl flashed her a timid smile and nodded.

"Thank you," she said.

"What kind of food did you bring?" Lucas had no problems with being nude and stood up, rubbing his hair to dry faster. There were scars on his body, indicating he had been abused and Claire felt anger flare up in her. There was much Claire needed to find out about their past.

"You'll just have to go see," Claire said. "But you have to get dressed first." She'd gotten him just a simple shirt, tunic, and breeches with some socks as he already had boots, and Liliane got a dress and tights, nothing that would stand out but would hopefully be well made enough to last a while. Lucas ran over to the bed and started looking at the clothes while Liliane dried Tristan off. Claire got the youngster's outfit, a long shirt with soft leggings, and helped Liliane dress him. When they were done, he clung to Claire's skirts.

"Here, I'll take him and see if he wants to eat," Anders said. He picked the child up and asked, "Are you hungry? Do you want some food?" Tristan rubbed his face on Anders' shoulder.

"No," he said.

"No food?"

"No, no, no, no, no," Tristan repeated quietly, hiding his face in Anders' robe.

"He does that," Liliane said. "He says no, but he is hungry. He doesn't speak much..." Claire figured it was because of what he'd been through, that there was probably some sort of trauma in his life. What would it be like if she went into his head? What did the mind of a child even look like?

"Well, come on, let's get you cleaned up so you can eat as well," Claire said. She noticed Liliane glance nervously at Anders, but as he had his back to her and Claire was standing in his way, Liliane started undressing. There were scars on her body like her brother, showing she had been abused by the same person, and it made Claire angrier. She gently washed Liliane's back, noting how she flinched at the touch.

"I hope you like it here," Claire said. "We'll try to keep you safe, though this place isn't the best. Stay in the clinic and you'll be fine. You'll get to meet the Champion of Kirkwall as well, he likes to come around here."

"I've never heard of him," Liliane said, looking interested.

"He's the one who defeated the Qunari when they decided to attack Kirkwall, saving the city," Claire said. "You'll probably like Varric too, he's a storyteller here, and he helps us on our adventures." Liliane scrubbed at her hair, then looked at Claire.

"I hope we don't get in your way," she said.

"Don't worry, I doubt you will." Claire smiled, but she'd had the same thoughts and she'd spoken them out loud in front of Liliane. "There may be times where I will have to leave you for a while, but you will never be alone, you will always have someone trustworthy to guard you. You can trust me, and if anyone ever so much as touches you, you tell me and I will make sure they pay for it." Liliane looked surprised, but nodded.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Come on, let's get you out and dry." Claire held up a cloth to cover the girl as she got out, then brought her the clothes. "We'll have to brush your hair, it's a mess. Anders is really good at that, if you don't mind." Liliane seemed hesitant, but then nodded. She wandered over to the food and began eating. Anders excused himself and led Claire out of earshot.

"This was not what I expected my life to turn into," he said.

"I'm sorry, I never saw them in any of my visions either," Claire sighed. "I never expected... she just... she knew what sort of life I live, yet she still insisted! I don't understand it! I want to give these children the best life I can, but how can I when I'm constantly risking my own life? And..."

"And your vision..." Anders finished for her. "You'll have to have them stay in the castle for that, we can't have them experience a full blown war here, especially with demons all around."

"I'm sure they'll understand," Claire said. "I feel like we don't have much time left..." By her calculations, they had a year and a half to go before things would snowball into destruction.

"Justice isn't happy because of that," Anders said. "I can feel how upset he is by all this."

"Well you can just tell him he can shut up about it," Claire growled. "This has no effect on what must happen, what will happen. Things are progressing as they should, and I don't care if he doesn't think it's going fast enough, it is enough and we will see the end sooner than later." Anders suddenly hugged her, scaring her. "Are you all right? I'm sorry..."

"No, you're fine," he said, stepping back. "It's just difficult, waiting. We've been waiting for this moment for a long time, it feels as if time is going by slowly."

"I understand what you mean," she sighed. "We'll get through it, and we'll help these children out as we go. I'm sure they have enough issues as it is, but I'll be working with them the best I can. We need to find out how much they know about magic, what they can do... and how much trauma they're dealing with. You saw the scars."

"I did." Anders looked over at the children. "But I think we'll be able to help them with it, having experienced similar ourselves."

"Thank you, love, thank you for helping me. I could never do this on my own." Claire rested her head against his shoulder so he wrapped his arm around her.

"Of course."