Sorry again for the stupidly short chapter... Still getting my head around what I want to do with this! I had some great ideas on my epic 5 hour train journey today, so going to scribble them down during my lectures tomorrow (Hard working student me...)

Anyways, thank you again for taking the time to read my little fic!

(OH and a note on the Aveline name... "Ben" is taken from Benoit, her fathers name... I did my research!)

Picking Up The Pieces Chapter 2

Sebastian could hardly believe he was travelling back to Kirkwall after all this time. He remembered the long journey well, having made it almost monthly as a child to visit various estates around High Town, then of course the last time he had traveled to the city was when he was heading for the Chantry. The coach ride to Ostwick had taken 3 days, then taking ship to Kirkwall which took another 2. A five day journey, with only a handful of attendants. Back when he was a child, his father the King had taken scores of people with them when he traveled with his family. How things had changed since then.

Sebastian was much older now, and had no interest in drinking or whoring like he had been in his youth. Charles often remarked with a smile that it seemed he was still living the Chantry life even now. He would still spend many hours in prayer, and lend himself to charitable events whenever he could escape the palace for long enough.

Romance was something else Sebastian had been ignoring since his return to Starkhaven. He was now in a position of great power, and many nobles were already steering their daughters his way. He was already growing tired of the doe eyes and simpering expressions. Although he knew that once he was crowned, something else he was avoiding, an heir would be the first thing he would have to address.

The boat suddenly shuddered, jarring Sebastian out of his thoughts. No doubt they were passing through the Gallows now, heading to the docks. As a child he would stand on deck and stare at the weeping ghoulish statues as they passed through, while Charles (a young scholar then, fresh from Ostwick) would tell him tales of the Tevinter Imperium.

Now the Gallows reminded him only of that great sorrow he still carried with him, and he had no desire to gaze upon them now. As he always did he twirled the leather band around his wrist while pushing thoughts of that last month in Kirkwall out of his mind. He needed to focus now, he was not here to reminisce.

He made sure the boat was pass the Gallows Pass before heading onto the deck, nodding to the crew who bowed awkwardly, not accustomed to having royalty on their ships. The voyage had been planned without much warning, but Sebastian was happy with the small room with few comforts of the palace. He had spent many years with much less than that.

The first step onto the docks flooded Sebastian with memories of his time with Hawke and all the others. He saw the door to the warehouse where they had freed Isabela from Castillion, the shady merchant who sold weapons was still lurking behind it, and he was pretty sure the mage underground still had their anonymous board posted up.

The docks were busy, and he was quickly ushered onto an open top coach for the short journey to the Viscounts Keep. He kept his head down on the way through Low Town, not wishing to see any familiar faces just yet. It was too soon, he wasn't sure how he would deal with seeing Varric or Isabela just yet, the Hanged Man regulars. When he thought he caught a sight of Gamlen, Hawke's grouching uncle, he almost dived to the floor, gaining a few looks from his attendants.

Sebastian was so consumed with his own thoughts that he hadn't even realised the most obvious encounter he was to face, the city guard had accompanied him through Low Town, and now at the entrance of Viscounts Keep he came face-to-face with an old friend.

"Sebastian." Aveline smiled when she saw him. "Or should I say your majesty? My lord? Welcome back to Kirkwall!" She did not bow, and he was suddenly full of warm emotion towards her and bit back the sudden compulsion to hug her. Aveline, he remembered, was NOT a huggy person.

"Aveline. It is good to see you. How have you been?"

"Good. Still Guard Captain, still married, and I had my first a year ago." She smiled again, with more warmth now.

Aveline, a mother? Sebastian could barely believe it. "Congratulations!" He said, as they walked into through the great doors of the Keep. "How are you doing the balancing act?"

"It's easy when you're the boss, I write the rosters remember? Donnic stays home with Ben while I work and vice versa." Aveline looked happy. Sebastian was happy for her; Aveline was one of the kindest people he knew. He felt a pang of guilt for being away for so long without so much as a letter to his old friends.

"What about the others?" Sebastian inquired gently.

Aveline turned to face him, her expression unreadable. "Sebastian... Do you not know anything about what's happened since you left?"

Sebastian shook his head, "Nothing... I... didn't keep in touch with anyone. Why?"

"Things are not the same here... You see-"

"Aveline! Thank you for showing our honoured guest here, you can go back to the Barracks now." A voice interrupted them, and when Sebastian turned he couldn't stop the gasp of surprise that left him.

Standing on the steps of the Keep, dressed in the black robes of the Viscount, was Hawke.

"Hawke?"

The other man smiled coldly, "Hello Sebastian. It's been a while."