Chapter THIRTY-SEVEN

The next morning, just before dawn, Aria woke, but didn't know why. She laid there, her head on Fenris's chest. She heard his heartbeat thudding slowly and his breathing was deep. He was certainly still asleep. She listened to the rest of the house intently, trying still to figure out why she'd woken up.

There was a rapping on the front door, softly echoing through the sleeping halls of her estate after a moment. She carefully moved so as not to disturb Fenris and donned her robe. Aria went first to her window to see if she could identify the visitor. To her dismay and fury, several templars stood outside her door, with Ser Cullen at the lead.

Aria padded silently down the stairs and answered the quiet summons herself, bristling with hot anger the entire way.

"Serah Hawke, I'm…terribly sorry to wake you at this unfortunate hour, but given the events that transpired yesterday…" Cullen began, but Aria was in no mood and she cut him off.

"You're here to take Bethany back to the Circle. Just say it," Aria crossly stated. "I have lost my Father. I have lost my brother. I have lost my Mother, and now, you've come once again, to take away my sister."

Cullen's eyes were genuinely sad as he nodded his affirmative to her statement. Aria felt badly for the man; he was good, he just served a master who hadn't yet realized she was evil. She wouldn't shoot the messenger.

"Hawke, I don't want to do this," Cullen said, his voice weary and strained. "I can't possibly begin to fathom how you must feel, but I must uphold the law. There is great fear that war is imminent, and the Knight-Commander does not wish a mage to be brought onto the battlefield."

"Without chains, you mean," Aria snorted.

"Pardon?" Cullen asked, not quite understanding the comment. Or perhaps he was trying to goad Hawke into action. She didn't entirely rise to the bait, if that was the case.

"She doesn't want a mage to enter the battlefield—unless she is in control of them," Aria clarified, leaning against the door jamb, her arms crossed over her chest.

"One warring faction is too much as it is," Cullen diplomatically replied.

"You have two templars inside, so she's in no danger of slipping away. Give me an hour to say good bye," Aria said then.

"Very well, Serah. One hour."

"And you needn't bring an entire garrison with you. I'm not going to fight you, and neither will Bethany. This show of force is insulting," Aria spat back at him, closing her door before he could reply.

When she turned to go back into the living quarters of her estate, she saw Fenris standing just inside the hall that stood after the foyer. His eyes swirled with sadness and anger.

"They have some nerve," he bitterly stated as Aria walked up to him.

"I'm not going to kill the messenger. Cullen is a good man," Aria numbly stated, her eyes going to the landing. She did not want to wake Bethany. She didn't want to let her go. It was cruel, both to her and her sister. "This is going to crush her. How can she go back to that Maker-forsaken place so soon when she's been so happy here?"

"Because she is a Hawke, and Hawkes don't lie down and give up when the world knocks them to their knees," Fenris whispered next to her ear.

"No, they;re idiots who just keep standing and taking it," Aria replied, allowing him to draw her to him.

"They take it when they have to, and get even when they can," he chuckled. "She's alive, Aria. And you've made the Circle a less…inhospitable place to live, recently. She will be fine, and so will you."

"I may be fine, but I don't have to be happy about it," Aria groused, leading him towards the stairs. "Let's get this over with. We're wasting precious time."

Bethany didn't get angry. She didn't cry. She simply got out of bed when Aria woke her, and donned one of the new sets of robes Aria had given her. While Bethany dressed, Fenris fetched Bodahn and Orana to start making breakfast. Aria woke Gamlen, and they all convened in the dining room fifteen minutes later.

"This is…infuriating," Gamlen said as they sat down to fresh fruit and toasted bread for their breakfast. Orana was still in the kitchen cooking the eggs.

"It will be all right, Uncle," Bethany said, grasping his hand from across the table. "I will be fine. The Knight-Commander does have a point."

"And what point is that?" Gamlen crossly asked, spearing a strawberry and popping it into his mouth.

"If the Qunari do attack, having all of the mages ready to fight could turn the tide immediately into Kirkwall's favor," Bethany reasonably answered.

"Why do we have to give any more to this city? It's bad enough they have your sister running around doing all their dirty work and constantly risking her neck, while their scum murdered my sister… And they have the audacity to put you in chains," Gamlen replied. "Hasn't this family done enough for Kirkwall?"

They all were silent at this, Aria simply listening to the tete a tete between them for the time being, but then she decided to speak.

"If the Qunari do attack, or if Petrice's harebrained scheming provokes the simpletons into attacking the Qunari, Bethany will be safest within the walls of the Gallows. It's a position that is defensible and necessary to Kirkwall's survival."

Gamlen gaped at Aria in shock. "You would willingly send her back?"

"I would willingly put her some place where she would be safe, Uncle," Aria gently stated. "Now, I forbid any more talk of templars and Qunari at this table. We have but minutes left together. Let's spend them celebrating the fact that we are still here, and for the moment, we are together."

Bethany leaned over and hugged her sister, then planted a kiss on her cheek. "I love you, and this wise woman you've become."

Aria returned the hug and spooned a pineapple chunk into her mouth. Orana appeared then with an enormous skillet of freshly cooked scrambled eggs. They tucked in to their meal in silence. Aria hoped Sers Kerran and Gerrault would inform the Knight-Commander of her stance, so that the overbearing woman would go easier on Bethany than she had in the past.

All too soon, however, the bell pull rang. Aria walked with Bethany and her templar guards to the front door. Ser Cullen and one other templar stood there, much to Aria's surprise. It was an unexpected olive branch, and she didn't intend to squander it.

"Serah Hawke," Cullen said with a bow as she opened the door. He nodded to Bethany.

"Do be good to her. She's all I have left," Aria quietly stated. She hugged Bethany one last lingering time and managed to stem the tears that threatened to form in her eyes as they took her away. Aria watched them go, waving and offering her best heartfelt smile before they turned the corner out of sight. Bethany returned the gesture.

"I don't suppose you'd let me remain a while, perhaps until this whole mess with impending war is over?" Gamlen asked then, trying to hide his own tears.

"You're welcome to stay as long as you like, Uncle. I probably won't be here much anymore," Aria bitterly replied, walking past him and Fenris as she returned to her estate.

Varric's nickname for Bethany, Sunshine, was all too fitting a moniker. The mansion felt as though night had fallen upon it, even as day broke over it. The heaviness in her heart returned and she fought desperately for something to do and lighten the burden. She couldn't...stay here.

"Let's get out of Kirkwall for the day," Fenris suggested as he followed her back to her room.

"That sir, is a fine suggestion," Aria replied.

"I'll need to run home and fetch a change of clothes… Meet me at the gates in an hour?"

"Deal," she answered his query.

He pulled her to him and kissed her sweetly, and when he moved away he gently cupped her face in his hands. "She'll be safer there."

"I know," Aria said in response, covering his hands with hers. "But I still don't have to like it."

He chuckled and withdrew. "I'll see you in an hour."

But Aria didn't make it out of her house. As she tightened her belt and sheathed her freshly honed daggers, courtesy of Sandal, Aveline and Isabela all but burst down her door. They both shouldered inside, Isabela finally managing to dart ahead of the much bigger woman.

"What in the bloody name of the Maker…" Aria yelled at them.

"This is important!" Aveline boomed at Isabela as they ran into the living room. "Don't interrupt with your selfish prattle!"

"Get off your high horse! I have problems too," Isabela fired back, then turned to Hawke.

"Ha!" Aveline sneered, shoving the rogue brusquely. "'What drink I should order' and 'Who's the father?'"

"Oh you little…" Isabela stormed, stalking towards the Guard-Captain as she raised her hand to strike.

"I'm too sober for this," Aria groaned, then walked over and sat at the desk near the hearth. She poured herself a shot.

"Hawke!" Aveline shouted in shock. "What in the name of the Maker are you doing?"

"Preparing for the world to end," Aria bluntly replied, downing the shot and pouring herself another. She looked to Isabela, indicating the bottle with a questioning look on her face. Isabela nodded and Aria poured a second shot. They drank them together then turned back to Aveline. Aria grimaced. "You were saying?"

"This isn't funny, Hawke! This is serious!" Aveline bellowed, moving to snatch the bottle from Aria's hands. Aria unsheathed a dagger and held it to the Guard-Captain's wrist before Aveline could finish with her intent. Aria took another swig when Aveline backed away, the tall red-head shaking her head, eyes wide.

"Out with it. Final chance," Aria admonished, returning the dagger to her back.

"The Arishok is harbouring two fugitives who 'converted' to the Qun. He must be convinced to release them," Aveline pleaded then.

Aria took another drink. Could they force her to face the Arishok again if she was drunk off her ass? Aria was about to push her luck and find out.

Aveline looked horrified, but continued. "He must be convinced to release them, Hawke!" she repeated as if Aria hadn't heard her the first time.

"Um… You did see the dead body of a Mother last night, right? You know, the one who killed a convert of the Qun?" Aria asked bitterly.

"The Arishok's already feared because of Petrice. If people start to think he can ignore the law… I need your help so this doesn't get out of hand," Aveline entreated.

Aria rolled her eyes. Two doses of the Arishok in two days? Maker, when had her life been so joyous, she thought sarcastically.

"I'm going to die!" Isabela cut in then, before Aria could respond. "There. Got your attention? Real problem."

"I heard 'Arishok' and 'die'…" Aria scoffed, taking yet another drink that was the equivalent of a strong, Hanged Man double.

"Remember the relic?" Isabela hastily stated before Aveline could utter another word, taking the shot Hawke poured for her. "The one Castillon is going to kill me over? A man called Wall-Eyed Sam has it."

Aria set the bottle down. "I thought…didn't we… Oh wait, we didn't kill that guy. Must have been some other lout after you. How's your friend's business in the Hanged Man? We set him up nice and proper with his…'legitimate' goods."

"Aria I'm serious!" Isabela cried then in unnervingly uncharacteristic helplessness. "If you help me get it, Castillon won't kill me. Please!"

"I'm trying to keep the entire city from rioting against Qunari!" Aveline butt in, squaring off with the pirate rogue.

Aria rolled her eyes again and finished the rest of the bottle in one heroic swig. Yep. Today was going to be one of those days. As if she hadn't had an abundance of them already. She glared at them both.

"Well…maybe it's connected," Isabela said then.

"What?!" Aveline fumed.

"Nope, still sober." Aria needed another bottle. She got up and went over to the wine rack, looking for the little bottle of Hanged Man moonshine she had stashed for desperate times. She found it, uncorked it, and returned to her seat. She took another drink, grimacing as it went down.

"I'm just saying, maybe it will help," Isabela replied, lifting an eyebrow at Aria's actions. "It's important to someone, right?"

Aveline glowered at both of them. She lifted one brawny arm, her fingers rubbing at her temple. "Now you start being responsible?" she said to Isabela. "Shit."

They both turned to Aria then, looking expectantly at her. Aria took another staggeringly impressive drink from the bottle.

"Urngh," Aria groaned. She corked the bottle and set it on the table. Already, she was beginning to get the fuzzy woozies. "You want me to go now, make a decision right now? I am going out of town with Fenris today."

"No, you're certainly not," Aveline rebuffed. "We've got to get this in hand."

Aria glared at the Guard-Captain. "I'm sorry, I'm not understanding how you get to order me around. I'm not a guard. I'm not under any employ of the city at all. You're not my Captain and unless the Viscount wants to clap me in irons and drag me there... This sounds like an issue for you and your guards. Take a lot of them."

"Sending a full patrol would just increase tension. But you're right. I am the Captain, and it is my responsibility. However, I suspect the Viscount was hoping I would bring this to you," Aveline replied.

"Then he should have come himself!" Aria snarled. "With manacles!"

"Perhaps. But it's understandable that he is not at his best. I'm going to help him, if I can."

"It's understandable he's not at his best!" Aria retorted hotly, standing abruptly. She swayed slightly and gripped the edge of the table for balance. "But I'm never allowed to not be at my best? The Viscount lost his son. I've lost my whole family." Aria didn't wait for a response to that and turned to Isabela. "Why has this come up so suddenly, Isabela?"

"Sam's been talking to Black Market dealers all over Lowtown. It didn't take me long to get wind of it. What frustrates me is that he's held onto the relic so long," Isabela replied.

"Who's involved in this exchange?" Aria reluctantly asked, abruptly sitting as the effects of the alcohol robbed her of her equilibrium. She tried to make it look deliberate, but was fairly certain she'd failed.

"Tevinter mages," Isabela proffered. "I doubt they'll look kindly on us interrupting. Bring a sword. Or twelve."

"And…who is this Wall-Eyed Sam bloke?" Aria queried. She attempted to stand, stumbled, and started drunkenly pacing in front of the hearth.

"Sam used to run with Martin, that fellow at the Hanged Man with his 'legitimate' goods. Martin says Sam is a bit of a magpie, picking up things that don't belong to him. Not a trustworthy sort. When Martin gave up raiding, Sam became a drifter," Isabela answered.

Aria stopped pacing and rested her arm on the mantle of the fireplace. She lowered her head to the cool stone and closed her eyes. The room spun, hard, and she was forced to open them again. "You're sure this is the relic you're after?"

"I've had my ear to the ground for a while. There was a description of the book. It's the right one," Isabela replied.

Aria's head shot up and she turned to face the other rogue. "Book? I thought you didn't know what the relic was?"

Isabela looked extremely uncomfortable with this rare slip-up. "Well… I… I know it's a book. But that's all I know. It's written in a foreign tongue. Honestly, what does it matter?" she sought to cover up her mistake. "It'll save me from Castillon, so I need it."

Aria sighed and turned her bleary focus on Aveline for the moment. "Isn't it odd that someone would run to the Qunari?"

"They're elves accused of murder," Aveline helpfully answered. "Maybe they feel they've nothing to lose by leaving the alienage." The way she said it... Aria smelled a rat. Aveline was a horrible liar.

"And if their conversion is genuine?" Aria countered, ever playing the devil's advocate.

"I…don't know," Aveline uncomfortably said. "But how many more will try if I allow this? Justice must be respected."

"So, you're expecting trouble?" Aria asked.

Aveline looked at her as though she were daft. "After what happened with the Viscount's son, yes. I'm hoping the Qunari aren't looking for a fight. I'm hoping they'll be reasonable. But we'll see," she dejectedly stated.

Aria looked between the both of them, then went back to pacing for a moment, stumbling a couple times. When she stopped, she leveled her gaze on Aveline.

"The Qunari and the elves aren't going anywhere right now, are they?"

"Not right this instant, no. And the Qunari don't show any intent of leaving at all. That is the real threat, Hawke."

"Well that settles it then," Aria said, straightening her dagger belt that rested between her shoulders. "Let's see about this relic. Hopefully it can be of some help, as you think it may," she said to Isabela.

"You trust her this much?" Aveline incredulously asked.

"Probably not," Isabela said, casting a wary glance at Hawke. "I wouldn't."

"I really do hope this helps," Aveline scathingly directed the words at Aria. "Because if it doesn't—"

"You really think I like having this thing on my mind?" Isabela interjected. "The exchange is happening at noon, in a Lowtown foundry." She left then, casting one more glare back at Aveline before she disappeared out the front door.

"Hawke—" Aveline started to say, but Aria cut her off with the wave of her hand.

"Don't. Just…don't. As soon as we're done getting the relic back, we'll deal with the Qunari."

"I'm not helping Isabela—"

"I'm not asking you to, don't you worry. I'll come get you when I'm ready to go head to head with the Arishok. Again," Aria stressed that last word through gritted teeth. "Go. Now. Right fucking now, both of you. Before I decide neither of you is worth my bloody time."

Aveline thankfully left without so much as a backward glance. She slammed the door rather hard, Isabela a couple paces in front of her. Aria slumped back into the recliner near the fireplace and took another swig off the bottle of Hanged Man moonshine. She stared angrily into the coals in the hearth, their smoldering red coals reflecting her mood perfectly.

When would she ever get to live a life of her own? Father was gone. Carver was gone. Mother was gone. Bethany was as good as gone. She had Fenris. She had wealth. What was to stop her from leaving now, and just never returning? She didn't have to stay and deal with all of this. It wasn't her responsibility. Maybe she and Fenris could go to Tevinter… Pay Danarius a little visit.

As if her brooding summoned him, Fenris walked through the door. Aria turned to face him, lifted the bottle in salute, and took another drink. He shook his head, his keen, sparkling green eyes lit with the fires of fury. Ah, so he'd heard, Aria deduced.

"Do you think this city would last a day without you?" he growled, taking the bottle as she offered it and draining half of its remaining contents in one go.

"I'm beginning to realize I don't bloody well care what happens to this Maker-damned city," Aria replied.

"You chose to help Isabela over Aveline?"

"No, I made a tactical decision. Isabela said the relic might help with the Qunari issue. It's worth a shot, at least. Two birds, one stone. And Aveline has gotten far too comfortable with ordering me around. I'm weary of it."

"She does tend to tantrum if she isn't getting her way," Fenris rasped. He handed the bottle back to Aria, but she waved him away, indicating to him by a nod of her head that the rest was his, should he want it. He emptied the bottle in two more swigs and whipped the bottle into the hearth. The coals momentarily blazed and a shower of sparks erupted in its wake, shards of glass littering the coals like glowing red diamonds.

"We have to be at the foundry in Lowtown at noon," Aria informed him.

"We being whom?"

"We'll pick up Anders, Varric, and Isabela first."

"I had feared as much. Come. Let's get this over with," he sighed in lamentation.

"Andraste's tits," Aria snarled, following him out the door.