Disclaimer: Dragon Age characters, settings, and all in-game dialogue property of Bioware. I only own my Hawke, Roxanne, and my wonderful Inquisitor, Mhyrra.^^
As they walked through the courtyard towards the main keep, several soldiers and people of the Inquisition turned to look at them pass, more than a handful stopping with a double-take, staring and gaping as they were struck by that feeling of awed-recognition. The one a person gets when they are almost positive they are looking at a living legend, but are surely mistaken, that they can't truly be looking at who they think they are.
The fact that said living legend was walking next to the other living legend they'd all proudly sworn to follow only fuelled the effect.
The trio paid them little mind. There were more important things to do right now than feed the rumour mill.
Mhyrra led them past Josephine's currently-empty office to the War Room, then gave instructions to nearby agents to seek out every one of her inner circle and tell them she was holding a meeting of the utmost importance, the men quickly complying.
"Anything or anyone in particular I should brace myself for?" Roxanne asked drolly after a while.
"Not really. Bull, Solas, Blackwall, Dorian and Leliana will probably like you. Josephine likes everyone, within reason. Sera might give you a bit of a stare, but I think you'll grow on her. Cassandra's pretty much your biggest fan, so far as I've gathered. Vivienne might chose to give you grief over "catalysing" the dissolution of the Circles, but ignore her, she's really just a toothless fop painted to look like a mage.
Cole will probably like you too, though he's a tad…eccentric, so don't expect normal conversation from him. And unless something happened that I'm unaware of, you and Cullen don't have any persistent problems, right?" Mhyrra finished as she turned to her.
Roxanne shook her head, before she realized something.
"Apart from Leliana, Cullen, and Cassandra from the basic description Varric sent me in his missives, I have no idea who any of those people is which."
Mhyrra and Varric both smirked lopsidedly. "Trust me, you'll know them when you see them." Mhyrra assured.
As she said this, the doors of the chamber swung open, and in strode all eleven missing members of their little troupe.
And just as Mhyrra made a note in the back of her mind to grant a commendation to the agents she'd sent for such blatant, almost supernatural display of efficiency, all eleven of them froze in place, registering mid-step just who was standing next to Mhyrra and Varric.
The scene stood still as a painting for a few seconds. Then, exasperated, Mhyrra rolled her eyes and broke it into a thousand pieces.
"My friends." She intoned with a theatrical grin and flourish, gesturing at Roxanne. "Allow me to formally introduce, or re-introduce in the case of two of you, Lady Roxanne Hawke. Champion of Kirkwall, Hero of The Dragon Age, and as of current, our foremost expert on Corypheus."
Roxanne's notion of what to do in a situation where she was faced with a room full of some of the most influential people in this part of the world all at once, had grown somewhat rusty in the last few years, and even then her previous record was hardly spotless.
So she fell back on the one thing that, in all her experience, had never explicitly made any situation worse: Politeness.
Donning a hesitant smile, she raised her left hand in greeting.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all. I hope I'm able to help."
Still nothing for a moment, then a golden-haired elven lass broke from the rest of the group, jumped onto the war-table without a single thought or care, her brown eyes boring into blue as she crouched and leaned into Roxanne's face.
If she hadn't gotten so used to Merrill, she would have jumped. As it was Roxanne just stayed very still, confused as the elf seemed to size her up, before she broke into a grin.
"So, you're the nutter who was there when the other nutters buggered everything up?"
Roxanne blinked, but the elf ploughed on before she could respond.
"Pretty too. Got nothin' on my Myrri, but hey, no one does or ever will."
With that, she leapt up and grabbed Mhyrra's shoulders before swinging herself onto her back, slinging her arms around her neck and her legs around her waist.
Roxanne stared as Mhyrra simply smiled and reached up to ruffle the elf's hair, the young woman in question purring in response.
"I…take it that's Sera, then?" Roxanne questioned dumbly.
Both women turned grinning faces towards her.
"Damn right! I'm me, I'm hers and she mine, so back off, you hear me?!" The now-confirmed-to-her Sera loudly proclaimed.
Roxanne did a double-take.
"I-I can assure you, I was in no way…!"
Both women burst out laughing, and Roxanne realized with a mental face-palm she'd been had.
"Andraste's tits, did you see her face?" Sera snickered.
"Yep. That one sure-fire way to break Lady Hawke into our little group. My thanks, malady Sera." Mhyrra chimed.
Sera giggled, nuzzling against her belle's face.
Mhyrra smiled before turning to the others who had remained seemingly transfixed during this entire spectacle.
"Now if only certain others would be so kind as to get their heads out of their arses and remember that it's quite rude not to introduce yourselves, especially if it's to stare..." She trailed off expectantly.
Finally snapping out of whatever trance they'd caught themselves in, Cullen was the first to step forward, nodding his head in both respect and greeting.
"Hawke. I'm glad to see you've managed to keep yourself whole all this time. You were the only thing that kept the Gallows from turning into a complete disaster. Hopefully with your help we should be able to do as much if not more in regards to this whole sordid affair."
Roxanne gave a small smile, at both the thin praise, the familiar face, and the fact that she could see and feel that said face, along with the soul behind it, was now so much more devoid of that gnarled root of anger she had seen in it so many times before.
"Why, dearest Knight-Captain Cullen, why would the Inquisition need me when it already has you on the job?" she prodded good-naturedly.
Cullen chuckled. "It's Commander now, I'm no longer a Templar. And we will need every shred of help we can get to end this nightmare as quickly as we can. I and the rest of us would very much appreciate any assistance you can give."
Roxanne nodded. "I'll give my all."
Smiling, Cullen acquiesced before going around to take his usual place on their side of the table, just as Leliana was the next to address her.
"Champion." She greeted genially. "A pleasure to see you once again."
"Sister Nightingale." Roxanne offered back with a smirk. "The last time we met, you helped me and my friends stop a mage plot to assassinate a Grand Cleric. Now I'm here to help you put down the madman who likely killed the Divine and now threatens all of Thedas."
Leliana hummed. "Fate does seem to have the odd tendency for disproportion. I will see to it that you are properly remembered and thanked when this is all said and done."
Roxanne waved it off. "Please, if you can promise that we'll put Corypheus back six feet under where he belongs and a place to lay my head down at night without imminent fear of something exploding, then I'll feel like a queen."
Leliana graced her with a curve of her lips, before she moved to join Cullen.
The dusky woman in yellow ruffles trotted up before bowing, carefully juggling her candle-mounted clip-board. How she still hadn't burned herself or anything else was a mystery to everyone in the room save perhaps Leliana.
"My Lady, it is an honour to meet you. I am Josephine, eldest daughter of House Montilyet of Antiva, former Antivan ambassador to the Orlesian Imperial Court, and current ambassador on behalf of the Inquisition. We are honoured to have you among us, and hope to be able to-"
Both Mhyrra and Sera groaned, Mhyrra palming her face momentarily as Roxanne grew more gobsmacked by the second.
"Parshaara Josephine, get up. She's already wholeheartedly agreed to help us, you don't need to slather on the honey for hours!" Mhyrra groused, dipping into what Qunlat she knew.
"Plus," Roxanne piped as Josephine rose, startled. "I may be the scion of my house, and Kirkwall might have given me title upon title, but I hardly consider myself a noble, much less the Empress like your acting I was right now. Just Roxanne will do, Hawke if you really do insist on formality."
Josephine's darker skin made it harder to tell if she was blushing, but the utterly bashful expression she sported left little doubt to her embarrassment. She nodded before hastily gaining her spot.
White robes billowed as a man with tan skin and well-groomed hair swooped forward to bow low with a dramatic whirl of his arm.
"Dorian Pavus of Azariel, Altus Extraordinaire and Dashing Do-Gooder, at your service, Malady Hawke."
Roxanne puffed out a laugh at the same time most others smiled indulgently, rolled their eyes or both.
"Oh you're just a charmer, aren't you? Varric and you probably get along like a house on fire. We have another friend who would just love to meet you."
Dorian lifted his gaze to meet hers, smirking.
"Well then, let it be said that I would very much like to meet your friend as well! He sounds utterly delightful!"
She shook her head bemusedly. "She. A pirate-queen from Antiva, though I hear from Varric that she's an Admiral now."
Everyone contained their snickers to various degrees at Dorian's sudden sheepishness.
"Ah. A bit too spicy for my tastes then. Nevertheless," he swaggered forward, taking Roxanne's hand and kissing it. "Welcome to the Inquisition, serah Hawke."
She couldn't help but let out a tiny girlish giggle, as he let go of her hand and gracefully stepped back, the woman she surmised as the Seeker Cassandra marching forth, before kneeling of all things, head bowed in reverence and all.
"Lady Hawke, words cannot express my sentiment at finally getting the chance to meet you in person. I am Cassandra Pentaghast, former Seeker and Right Hand of the Divine."
"Ahh…" Roxanne turned to Mhyrra and Varric, the former shrugging her shoulders, the latter merely smirking and making a rolling motion with his hand. She turned back to her fellow raven-haired woman, clearing her throat. "Well, yes, I mean, it's an honour to be here as well. I hear you were the one who was looking for me for quite some time."
Cassandra raised her head to answer her. "Indeed, we all were. We desperately needed someone to help stave the chaos." Then she swivelled her gaze to Varric, the dwarf shirking back at her suddenly livid glare. "And if someone had just-"
"Cassandra." Mhyrra cut her off, everyone turning to her, her countenance brokering no room for argument. "Parshaara. We can all discuss that later. We will all discuss that and more later." She added as she looked down at their hirsute companion, who had the good sense to look abashed, before turning back to the furious woman. "But now is not the time. Besides, I believe Lady Hawke herself would take quite some issue with you outright murdering one of her best friends."
Confirming her thoughts, Roxanne stood a bit in front of Varric, raising an arm as if to shield him from the Seeker's wrath, face set in determination to never lose another of her family, no matter to whom it was or why.
That deflated Cassandra right quick. "Of course. My apologies." She nodded curtly and stood up.
"And besides," Roxanne spoke slowly as she lowered her arm, eyes still on Cassandra. "If stopping the chaos was what you were after, then I'm sorry to say you've been wasting your time. I'm the one who helped ignite it before throwing even more fuel onto it, remember?"
"Well, at least she has sense enough to recognize it…" Vivienne spoke up. She was summarily ignored.
Here some of Cassandra's famous stoicism broke off as her face twisted a little. "You could have been at The Conclave! If anyone could have saved Most Holy…!"
To the side, Leliana sighed sadly for only herself to hear.
"Last I checked, the last important religious figure under my watch died, with myself having inadvertently helped the madman who killed her do it." Roxanne drawled lowly.
"And you know what I think? If Hawke had been at The Conclave, she'd have died along with everybody else!" Varric unexpectedly ground out, slamming his hands on the table. "You people have done enough to her!"
Roxanne softened, laying her hand on his shoulder. "Varric…"
Cassandra's temper was stoked anew however. "You-"
"PARSHAARA!"
More thunder-clap than shout, Mhyrra's towering aura had the effect of divesting the entire room of any and all sound or movement. Everyone was very careful not to move a muscle as she glared and fumed through her nose.
Sera, the only one unaffected, calmly stroked her love's hair and face to soothe her. Taking a deep breath and rubbing her belle's hand in thanks, she resumed with less force and volume, but just as much strength.
"Stop acting like children, both of you! When this is all over, you can shout, slap and kiss each other as much as you like, but now is not the time for "he's wrong, she's wrong"! We get enough of that from the nobles, I will NOT have my companions turn into a rendition of some moronic court!"
Varric and Cassandra carefully looked at her, then each other, before Cassandra stepped back.
As if completely unrattled – or more likely, trying to appear as such – a woman with dark skin and an outrageously flashy outfit strode up before the table.
"My dear." She greeted, though she neither bowed nor nodded. "Such a pleasure to meet the Hero of the Rebellion."
Internally, everyone groaned as Mhyrra's fist clenched and Roxanne's expression blanked.
"I take it you're the "toothless fop painted to look like a mage"?" she deadpanned, barely a question.
Some barely managed to contain their mirth, others didn't even bother, barking out short laughs.
Vivienne seemed to take it in stride though. "Indeed, my dear. I am Madame Vivienne, First Enchanter of the Monstimard Circle, Official Enchanter to the Imperial Court and to her Excellency, Empress Celene, and Leader of the last Loyal Mages of Thedas."
Roxanne stared at her dispassionately.
"Fancy titles. The last woman with a fancy title whom I butted heads with turned into a raging lunatic who sought to slaughter every mage she could find, even those "loyal" to her version of the Circle and Chantry."
"A true wonder that you did not get along better. Are you sure you were not looking in a mirror, my dear?"
Twin bzzt sounds whizzed past both Vivienne's ears, and she blinked as she felt her cheeks begin to sting painfully, both Mhyrra and Roxanne's outstretched hands still sparking, neither woman looking amused, along with Sera, who glared at her with them from Mhyrra's shoulder.
"Vivienne, the warning I gave Varric and Cassandra goes for you too. Actually, especially you. If all you're going to do is stand there, sneer, judge and posture, you can leave right now." Mhyrra snarled.
"Otherwise, I can't guarantee we won't miss next time." Roxanne added.
Mhyrra blinked, turning to her. "You didn't miss?"
"…Actually yes I did. Sorry?"
"Bah, no worries. Saves someone the trouble of dragging her out of here." Mhyrra shrugged.
Vivienne had once accused Dorian of being a fish without teeth trying to pass for a shark.
Neither of the two women before her were fish or even sharks. They were dragons thinly disguised as tigresses.
She wisely bowed her way out of the spotlight.
The one-eyed Qunari was the next to step up, crossing his great big muscular arms and smiling pleasantly.
"So, you're the basalit-an who knocked down the Antaam a peg or ten. Good on you! Name's Iron Bull, though it's "The" Iron Bull when we're working."
Roxanne blinked, completely at a loss as to what she expected and what she should have expected from such a mighty-looking Qunari warrior, although that certainly had not been it.
"Ah, yes that's me. Sorry for killing your Arishok…?"
Mhyrra allowed herself a smile as Bull laughed.
"Bah, neither him or the new guy are my Arishok, least not anymore. Plus, I'll be honest, the new Arishok has a slightly better head on his shoulders, hornless as it is. Must be from all the time he spent down here in the South running around with your Heroes of the Fifth Blight."
Leliana smiled.
Roxanne did as well. "Well then I'm happy to have been of service to the Qun." She joked.
Almost everyone joined in laughing.
She held out her hand over the table. Her armoured one, she wasn't going to take any chances with how strong his appearance suggested his grip was, coupled with his apparent joviality.
"Well, I certainly look forward to working with you, The Iron Bull."
Bull bellowed another rumbling laugh, shaking the offered hand so strongly Roxanne though he might lift her of the ground. Then he backed away, herself almost feeling the steps as he did in her brief fit of dizziness.
She recovered just in time to see a strikingly bald elf standing before her, hands folded behind his back as he briefly inclined himself in greeting as he addressed her cordially.
"Andaran atish'an, serah Hawke. To the difference of my fellows, and no doubt the deception of your expectations, I am merely Solas. I have no claims or titles beyond my name."
Mhyrra rolled her eyes. "Solas is our resident Fade expert. Without him, we'd never have managed to seal the Breach."
Solas smiled at her. "I did little. It was, as it often is and should be, your will and strength that saw us through, and shall continue to do so."
"He's also, as you can see, my greatest dispenser of humble praise. Please, Master Solas, regale Lady Hawke further with tales of my exploits. I promise my head won't swell." She ribbed as she winked at him and Sera giggled, Solas smiling calmly back.
"Hey! Don't you dare Chuckles! That's my job!" Varric piped in faux-indignation.
Many erupted into sniggers.
Blackwall was next, slowly walking up and nodding deeply in respectful greeting.
"Serah Hawke. It's an honour. Name's Blackwall, Warden-Constable and Recruiter for the Grey Wardens of Orlais."
Roxanne let out a small laugh, shaking her head.
"True Grey Wardens always seem to be where they're needed the most, when they're needed the most. A pity there aren't more like you."
Blackwall chuckled sombrely, though his appreciation shone clear. "A curse I would not wish even on my blackest foe, malady. A Warden's burden is already a terrible price. That and being me? The stuff of nightmares! All this hair, can you imagine?"
She laughed louder this time, before sobering. "I know it's too much to hope for but…have you ever crossed paths with a Warden named Carver Hawke?"
Blackwall seemed to cast around his memory. "No, I don't believe I ever have. Your brother I take it? The brother of the Champion, no doubt a mighty warrior in his own right, part of the Order. Forgive me, but such a thought cannot help but bolster my heart."
Her smile turned sad. "I wish I could say the same. But thank you. Though don't let him hear you say that "mighty warrior" bit, I'll never hear the end of it for weeks. At least it's better than the months or years it would have been before. Pass along my thanks to the Order for that, will you?"
Both Blackwall and Varric chuckled, the former nodding and conceding the space.
All eyes turned to the final member of their little group who had yet to be introduced, a pallid, thin, unkempt young man who resembled a malnourished scarecrow, comically large hat and all. Said hat currently hid his face from view, his head bowed as he played with his hands, mumbling to himself, seeming oblivious to those around him, making no indication of moving forward.
Roxanne tentatively reached out.
"And you must be…Cole?" She ventured.
As though her hand had stretched across space and time, the lad's head snapped up as if she had struck him upside the chin, brim of his hat flopping. His messy pale blond hair hung limply, framing his shadowed eyes. Eyes that were currently looking straight at her, wide and bewildered like a deer spotting its hunter.
"You…can see me? And you remember my name?" He asked as if such a thing were completely beyond comprehension.
His bewilderment was certainly beyond Roxanne's comprehension. But then she remembered what Mhyrra had said about him being eccentric, and could practically feel said woman looking at her from her right, as if to silently remind her of it.
Politeness don't fail me now. "Well, actually Inquisitor Adaar just told it to me a few minutes ago, and I'd have to be pretty soft in the head to have already forgotten it." She forced a laugh to try and dispel his tension, to little success. She reached out her hand again. "It's nice to meet you Cole."
For his part, Cole looked at her hand, then her face, before his head tilted and his eyes seemed to lose focus.
"Gentle, polite, always better to start with a smile than a sword. But so often the smile only finds fists, so few people thinking, caring anymore. My care only ever seems to make things worse. I shouldn't be here, I'll only make things worse. Streets smeared with blood and buildings burning. Because of me. His strong hands on my cheeks as his markings glow faintly in the dark, pretty like the veins of leaves. "Be strong, my Hawke." Where is he now? Is he still where I left him? Is he looking for me? Is he hurting because of me? Fenris…"
Solas posed a steady hand on Cole shoulder, snapping him out of his rambling trance.
"Cole. Enough. She isn't used to you, and her pain is greater than most."
Cole, along with everyone else, turned to look at Roxanne.
Her hand had clenched shut, and it trembled as her wide blue eyes and slackened face betrayed how shaken she was.
"What. Was that?!" She breathed.
"Cole is a Spirit of Compassion, at least that is what we strongly believe, and the evidence, such as it is, is rather compelling. It means that he can sense, can see in to others' pain and hurt, in order to try and heal it." Mhyrra explained while Solas consoled the fretting spirit in question. "Although in hindsight, perhaps I should have warned you about that beforehand. Apologies."
Roxanne processed this for a few seconds more, before her face twisted.
"Apologies?! Apologies for you having a thing that can jump into peoples' minds just waddling about?! Don't you know what will happen in the end?!"
"She raises her hands to her face in despair, crumbling to her knees, Marethari's blood splattered all over her. Everything broken, so much wasted, because of blood and pride." Cole started again, seemingly unable to help it, before shaking himself as if awaking from a dream.
"I am not like that!" He pleaded. "I'm don't want to hurt anyone! I only want to help people!"
"Help yourself into their heads, I'd bet. Got any plans to blow up Chantries as well? I'm that would help the Venatori." Roxanne growled.
"His skin crackled blue, the man I'd thought I knew, called friend, all but gone, burning, vengeful wrath all that stood in his place." Another switching twitch. "I don't want to do that! I couldn't do that! Justice was bruised, battered by Anders' bile! I'm here because Mhyrra and the others acts with compassion. Good people, who are helping heal the world's hurt. I want to help!"
"But they'd do it so much better if the Inquisitor had you whispering in her ear, right?" She snarled.
Cole vividly shook his head, almost knocking his hat askew.
"Mhyrra doesn't need my help. Too bright, too strong, a bulwark against the blasted, a beacon against the blighted! She knows how to help when I don't! Even if I tried without her letting me, she'd shatter me, rip me out and cast me down with a flick of her thoughts! I want to help her help others!"
Everyone stared. Even Mhyrra seemed somewhat surprised by Cole's words. When he'd said that she was "too bright" for him to "read" her, and not just because of the Anchor, she hadn't thought he'd meant it that far, let alone that he held such reverence for her. A newfound sympathy for Cole bloomed in her chest. She would continue to live up to his shining ideal of her, for him, and the countless others just like him in the Inquisition and the rest of Thedas.
"Well that's…comforting to know I suppose. Assuming it's true." Roxanne stalled for a moment, before rising back up. "Am I to understand that the rest of us are fair game?"
Cole's shaking grew desperate, Solas grabbing hold of both his shoulders.
"No! These people are my friends! I don't want to hurt them! I'm not the Pride Demon who stole Merrill's life! I'm not the hate that twisted Justice and Anders into Vengeance and Wrath! I'm not Meredith who thought she was always right in her fear! I'm not Orsino who let his fear turn him into a monster! I'm not the monster who killed your mother for a faded dream!"
Roxanne went ramrod straight, clenched fist igniting.
"Get out of my head demon!" she roared as she aimed, Solas stepping in front of Cole, barrier shimmering into existence.
A strong hand gripped onto her arm like a vice. She turned, snarling.
Harlequin and azure blazed into one another.
"Killing someone as if he were just a thing, all because you don't understand him, and have too much fear and hurt pride to bother trying? I suppose it truly is a wonder why you and Meredith never got along." Mhyrra calmly intoned.
All stood frozen as seconds ticked by.
Roxanne's flames extinguished. Her face and posture slackened. Mhyrra loosened her grip, the arms falling to their sides.
Roxanne looked away despondently, turning towards the door and beginning to walk out.
"Do what you feel is right, Inquisitor. You've already proven you know much better what that is than I ever did or will."
"Hawke! Roxanne!" Varric called after her, to no avail.
As her footsteps died down the hall, Mhyrra turned towards Cole, who was sitting on the ground, knees drawn up to his chest and rocking as Solas held him.
"So much hurt…" he muttered pitifully. "I dragged it all up, ripped open the scars without even knowing how to heal them…All my fault…" He raised his tearing gaze to meet Mhyrra's eyes.
"Mhyrra…what do I do…?" A broken child's plea.
Mhyrra felt her heart ache as she heard it. She rubbed her eyes and sighed.
Sera, who had been uncharacteristically quiet during the whole affair, hugged herself to her belle tighter, trying to dispel her gloom, that stupid, icky gloom that had no place on her Myrri.
The Qunari in question turned her head to smile at her, stealing a peck as she did, before she turned and walked toward Cole, kneeling in front of him, his eyes never leaving her.
"Sometimes Cole, even when you want to help with all your heart, you still make mistakes. You can even rightly say I made one by not properly bracing either of you for what might happen."
Cole suddenly lit up, as if he'd just been struck by enlightenment.
"I could make her forget. We could all start over and-"
"No, Cole." Mhyrra interrupted firmly. He blinked as she continued. "Most people don't get a do-over when they make a mistake. And as has been proven to you more than once before, I think, even that barely helps. In fact, it usually makes things worse, if not for the people you're trying to help, then for you."
"But I don't matter!"
He jumped as she laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Yes. You do. The sooner you get that through your head, the sooner you can learn how to help both other people and yourself the right way."
"What's that? Tell me, please!" Cole sounded so desperate it nearly broke her heart.
She squeezed his shoulder tighter.
"You live. You make mistakes. You learn. You grow. You do better next time. And above all, you never stop trying." She told him softly, smiling.
Cole began blinking slowly, tears glimpsing from his eyes. With a final squeeze of his shoulder, Mhyrra stood and turned to Varric and Solas.
"Take him somewhere to wind down. I'll be along shortly. And Varric, try to see if you can find where Hawke flew off to."
Both men nodded, each taking hold of Cole and lifting him to his feet. "Sure thing. Come on kid, let's go for a walk."
Cole let both men lead him off with nary a peep, head down and feet heavy.
Mhyrra turned to the others. "We'll take this up again tomorrow. The night brings council, after all. Dismissed."
They all filled out, Mhyrra and Sera heading up the stairs to her quarters to unwind for just a tad before seeking out the two wayward souls she needed to help heal.
"Myrri…everything's gonna be alright, yeah?" Sera asked, again with uncharacteristic quiet as she laid her head against Mhyrra's neck.
Mhyrra turned to her love, smiling as she ruffled her hair. "Of course. I stared down two of the most dangerous nasties in history, and we've already done at least three things people kept saying were impossible. We'll make this right."
Sera smiled serenely and giggled. "Damn right. Because you're the biggest, beautifullest badass ever. My biggest, beautifullest badass ever. Even Creepy said so, so at least he's not a total nutter."
Mhyrra smiled wider, and even wider than that as something clicked in her mind.
"Sera…did you just call Cole "he"?
She could feel Sera stiffen, grip her tighter, the colour blanching from her face.
"Aww piss…!"
Mhyrra laughed brightly.
Author's Notes: Jesus H. Christopher Robin.
This piece. This behemoth of a piece. Some of the most fun I've had writting.
The flow was constant! Which is probably how it wound up being THE longest single cohesive piece I've written so far around 5100 words, surpassing even "Gifts", which is around 4800.
We never got to see what kind of interaction Hawke could have had in the game with others of the Inquisition apart from the Inquisitor and Varric.
So here's my take on how it could possibly be!
So let me know what you guys think!
What shall be said and done to mend the hurt caused by honest, well-meaning mistakes?
Let's find out next time! Which should be very soon, no worries!^^
Cheers Warm Tiddings and Happy Holidays Everyone! Y'all are awesome and beautiful!^^