A Week Later

Bartrand had been easy to track down, having believed a simple locked door would shut down any of us.

I'd delivered him, just short of hogtied, to Varric at the Hanged Man, where it had been made known that we would be getting our shares. In exchange for not having him thrown in prison. Or handed over to me.

Once that had all been settled, I'd learned that Bethany had been taken by templars to the circle. Poor Mama Hawke had already been a wreck when the older twins came back, and to find that Carver was gone, too? Granted, neither were dead, but... With how the mages were being treated in Kirkwall and the fact that Grey Wardens generally didn't seem see their families again... Well, I couldn't blame her for how she felt.

Speaking of the Hawke family, the Viscount had given them their titles and estate back. With that, the expedition, and Hubert's mines, they'd be living comfortably for some time. Rebuilding their family name. Building onto their own individual ones.

It would definitely be interesting and, from the whispers the Well gave me, when I flailed trying to suppress them, I knew the older twins would do something great. It was just a matter of when and what I could do to aid them. Because, of course I was going to. Kirkwall had become another home, as much as I missed Antiva, for all of the short time I was there. As much as I missed Ferelden, where my very existence was celebrated. As much as I vaguely longed to go back to my world.

I liked it here, too, and I didn't want it to end up in ruin. With the way the templar force was seeping into everything in the city, though... It wouldn't be long before something snapped. One too many pieces of straw breaking the back. Ironic, given the statues leading up into the Gallows.

And I couldn't be too sure it wouldn't have nothing to do with the blue, glowy mage standing in front of me.

"Something must be done about those bastards. They're locking up the mages like animals." He was raging, waving his hands about in an agitated manner.

I watched him pace about my living room, perched on the back of the couch. Eyes following his every move.

"I know. I was going to send someone in to, to tell us how bad it really is, but Meredith wants to see me. Specifically. She's not very happy that the Hero of Ferelden has been living in her city this whole time and hasn't deigned to pay her a visit yet." I sighed, holding out the letter I'd been about to bring to the clinic, when he'd burst in. "I was going just now, to talk to you about it."

"Oh." Deflating a little, the glow leaving his eyes enough that I could see his natural blue under, he gingerly took it from me. Scanned through it. Crushed it in his hand once he was through. "You can't go."

"Why not?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm still not convinced they can't sense you, that they can't do something to you." He shook his head when I opened my mouth to respond. "I mean, I don't think that your title would stop them from trying to lock you up."

"...I see your point, but without going and talking to her, how can I get a sense of what's going on?" A counter argument.

He frowned, sinking deep in thought. We stayed in silence for a while, during which I flopped backward and landed with an "oof" onto the cushions behind me. Letting my head hang off the edge of the seat, my hair pooling on the floor.

"What are you doing?"

"My head hurts." I waved my hand dismissively. "Have you thought of anything else to add to the conversation?"

"Just the usual. Be careful, don't take risks. Basically, don't do anything you would normally do."

I chuckled. "Got it."

"When are you going?"

The whispering grew to a crescendo, overpowering in their intensity. It only lasted a couple of seconds, but it was enough for me to get the message.

"Tonight. Tomorrow, I'm going to Antiva. Not sure exactly how long, but I know I'm not going to be here for a while." A sigh escaped me.

"You're going back to take back command?"

"Probably not. Let's be honest, the amount of time I've spent there versus the amount that I haven't... Zevran is probably going to be in the position of stand-in leader for a while."

"Where are you going after that?" His bottom lip stuck out, brows furrowed, as he tried to figure out why I was being so secretive.

"I'm not sure." I shrugged. "I just go where I'm needed." Lifting my head, I fixed a glare on him. Regrettably, because of my red face, I doubted it was very impressive. "Don't do anything stupid until I get back."

"I can't promise that."

"I mean, like..." Searching for something to say. A whisper winding through my mind. "Don't blow anything up, kind of stupid."

"Ah, that I can promise."

His face fell suddenly, and he sat heavily on the empty cushion beside me. Looked down at me.

"I'm going to miss you, Commander."

"I know. I have that effect on people."

We shared a laugh, but his expression darkened all too soon.

"I mean it. I'm not very good with people, you know that."

"I do." I interjected.

"I'll be looking forward to your return."

"I know." A quiet murmur, placing a hand on his arm. "I'll miss you, too. I have a feeling I'll miss everyone."

...

A Few Hours Later

"Ah, the Hero of Ferelden! I've heard a lot about you!" The wide smile from the imposing woman before me seemed genuine.

She didn't seem like that bad of a person, which was all the more concerning.

And dangerous.

"Meredith, thank you for seeing me on such short notice." I stood tall, as tall as my short stature could be. Not even so much as dipping my head a little. I didn't want her to think I bowed to her in any sense of the word.

"No, thank you." Keen eyes studied me. "I am curious as to why the visit is so late in the night."

"I'm leaving first thing in the morning, to go," Lie. "back to the Wardens, to oversee the rebuilding efforts for a few months."

The Well was being awfully noisy tonight.

"What a shame. I was hoping we could spend some time getting to know each other. To have the Hero of Ferelden in my city... What an honor."

"I'll be back, and we can have an actual, scheduled meeting then. This was mostly just a response to your letter today." I explained.

"That's fair." She nodded slowly, an expectant expression on her face. "Will you stop by first thing when you come back?"

"If that's what you'd like, I can arrange it." An easy thing to promise. "I just don't know when I'll be back."

"I would like that, yes."

...

The Next Morning

"Zevran, I missed you." I groaned, throwing myself onto the lounge in the spacious office.

He looked up from some papers he was sifting through, an amused smile on his face. "Oh? I barely heard from you, though."

"Only the last couple months, and that was because I was busy." I reminded him, rolling onto my stomach. Propping myself up on my forearms. "She kept trying to get me to stay."

"She?"

"Meredith, sorry."

"You spoke to Meredith?" A frown, his full attention on me now.

"Yeah. She seems normal, but with everything going on at the Gallows, that just makes it seem all the worse."

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah. It wasn't anything... bad. She just kept coming up with new things to talk about, while I was literally edging out the door. Finally, I just told her straight out that I was going to leave and that I would contact her when I arrived in Kirkwall again."

Another, deeper, worrying frown.

"Also, I don't know how long I'll be here. Maker's breath, I forgot to tell you the weirdest part of the whole experience. I got to see Flemeth again."

"What?" He set aside the papers, getting up and coming over to sit in the chair next to where I lay. "Do tell."

"She had been thinking about something and how to keep it safe, and I was in the deep roads, with the others, resting at night. I woke up to her standing over me. Long story short, I now have something called the Well of Sorrow inside of my soul. It's made from people who used to worship Mythal-Maker! She's Mythal! Morrigan wasn't far off, saying she was immortal and all of that-all of their consciousnesses and their will, and it whispers things to me. Things they all know from all aspects of time, from what I can glean. It's basically me, but in ethereal form. And always in a vision."

"She is... Mythal?"

"Yes."

"The elven gods..."

"Are real, yeah." I finished for him. "Which means, other gods might be, too."

"That is..."

"Yeah." Remembering something, I perked up. "How would you like to explore the personal library to the king of Ferelden, legally?"

"I would enjoy that quite a lot."

I sat up, rummaging around in my pack. Pulled out the parchment. "Here. It says my name, but just seek an audience with Alistair, and I'm sure he'll let you in on my behalf. I'll send a letter with you, saying it was my idea."

Yawning, I laid back down. Suddenly so, so tired.

...

Unknown Time Later

Opening my eyes, I saw a strange, yet… familiar room. A heavy pounding on the bedroom door, which was normal when I overslept, had me jumping out of bed.

"You're going to be late!" My mom shouted through the wood.

I was running the risk of missing the bus. For school.

I was home. Home. That didn't mean the same thing anymore.

Wait. How did I have all of these memories from being in a classroom? Was that all… a dream? Just an elaborate, messed up dream?

My hands flew to my mouth, fighting back a sob. Was I so desperate for friends, having none in my school, that my longing had created… everything?

Eyes widening at a sudden thought, I raced to the bathroom attached to my room, staring at my reflection. At my neck, at my chest. The scars were still there, so why… How could I have these memories? How could she be acting like I hadn't been missing for a couple years?