"Fifty sovereigns," Hawke sighed as she walked alongside Varric and Bethany. "What was I thinking?"

"It's hardly your fault," Varric grinned as they strode through Lowtown. "You couldn't resist my charms - no one can." Bethany laughed.

"That must be it," Hawke replied, putting a hand to her breast. "Anything for you my short, shaggy stud."

Varric chuckled, dropping a hand in his pocket, "That's what I like to hear."

"Why do I have the feeling I'm going to regret being around you two," Bethany murmured. "So where are we going anyway? And why are you carrying so much?"

"To Sundermount to repay a debt," Hawke said.

"Real funny," Varric murmured, "Snagging your new dwarven compatriot to climb a mountain."

"You did say you'd help," Hawke's eyes glinted as she looked down on him. "And you look like you could use the exercise."

Varric smacked a hand on his stomach, "I can't help it if you don't like a man with meat on his bones."

"Or hair," Bethany muttered, to which Varric sniggered.

"Come on," Hawke laughed, shaking her head. "Unless you're too much of a coward to traipse up the mountain to a Dalish camp?"

"Far be it from me to try and impede your egress," Varic replied. "Lead the way, serah. I could use getting into a bit of trouble."

"We need to meet up with a friend, first," Hawke replied.

They made it part way up the slopes by that evening, and Hawke dropped their bedrolls. Aveline stretched in the dying light, conducting a rudimentary patrol of the nearby trail.

Hawke climbed a nearby tree and sat in the branches, watching the sun on the water in the distance. It was the first time they'd really been outside of the city since arriving.

"So do you know where we're going?" Varric asked, leaning against the base of the stubby tree.

"Never really been there," Hawke absently said, before smirking and looking down. "Would you like a hand up into the branches?"

Varric grumbled, "No. And that's because I'm not some wild creature scrambling up trees. Don't see the fuss about this, give me a city."

"She's always been like that," Bethany said, settling by the fire she started. "Her and Carver always used to… to…"

Varric raised his brow, though Bethany turned and curled up into her bedroll. Aveline furrowed her brow, remaining quiet as she turned away into her own thoughts of loss. Hawke dropped out of the tree, sinking to sit at the base of it. The dwarf sat on one of the gnarled roots beside her.

"Our brother," Hawke quietly said, stripping some bark off the tree. "He died before we made it out of Ferelden. They were twins."

"I'm sorry," Varric said, exhaling as he looked towards the sea. "It's never easy losing family."

"If only he were so easily misplaced," Hawke murmured. "Then I might find him, and pick him up off his ass. He would love Kirkwall – and you and Isabela."

Varric smirked and said, "I'm not sure if I should be flattered at being grouped together with that pirate."

"He'd like you for different reasons, I assure you," Hawke chuckled, her grin growing. "You don't have quite the rack she does. I would be able to tease him endlessly."

"And she would too, no doubt."

"Yes," A ghost shadowed Hawke's face in the growing twilight. "We rarely got along. When he joined King Cailan's army, I followed to make sure he wouldn't get himself killed on some darkspawn's sword. He hated that I did. And then I ended up outranking him," Grinning hawkishly, she followed, "Part of the reason I did it too, I think."

"Never would have pegged you as a deserter." Varric groused a bit, "Suppose I got used to the role – never minded too much that Bartrand got all the attention and responsibility."

"Lot of good it did Carver in the end," Hawke murmured, turning her face into the breeze. She slipped an amulet from around her neck turning it over.

"That something you took from him?"

"No," Hawke laughed, shaking her head, "One of the few things I didn't. No… this is the reason we go to Sundermount. All because of a witch."

Varric arched his brow, grinning, "I sense a story."

"He's an abomination," Bethany said, furrowing her brow. "If you couldn't tell, I can confirm it for certain."

"Good times," Varric muttered, following Hawke through the dark streets.

"We've got half the gold," Hawke replied under her breath, watching the shadows. "And he's got the map that will let the coin fall into Bartrand's pocket."

"She's right about that," Varric said, and he patted Bethany's arm. "He seems like a nice abomination, at least?"

"Why do I always end up at your side breaking into the chantry at night?" Aveline asked, keeping stride with Hawke.

"Because you are the big sister I never had," Hawke pouted at her as they stopped to listen. "You couldn't bear the thought of me going all alone."

"Maker," Aveline sighed, waiting along the wall as Hawke investigated the path ahead. "I know you can handle yourself."

"Boredom, then?" Hawke asked, arching her brow before directing them across the square. "You said your patrols have been rather mundane. Or is it the pay? Shall I continue?"

"No," Aveline said, arching a hand over her brow. They stopped in the open. "I can't do this, Hawke. The captain is already on my tail. If he catches wind of this..."

"You are not bound to help us," Bethany said, touching her arm. "I know my sister can be rather demanding."

Aveline made a trying sound before saying, "I will stay on the steps and watch your back. The least I can do is keep city patrols from nosing around."

Hawke's eyes sparkled, and she leant to give Aveline a kiss, "I owe you."

Smacking her away, Aveline said, "Damned right you do. Go then... I don't want any details."

Hawke strolled through the Lowtown markets, pausing as something caught her eye. She turned over the amulet, holding it up in the light. The gem within glinted silver and blue in the early morning light.

"Fine piece of work," the merchant nodded. "Tevinter origin, I'm told."

"Hmmm," Hawke replied, feeling its heft in her hand. The thought to pocket it and flee crossed her mind, when she saw someone nearby. "Anders."

The mage looked up from the herbalist, depositing a few silvers into the gnarled hands of the old woman. The small bottles of dried bits disappeared into his satchel as he hesitated before strolling over, "Hello."

"Marian Hawke," she said, putting her free hand to her chest.

"Yes," he said tiredly, "I remember."

"I don't expect it I suppose," Hawke smirked. "I wouldn't have expected to see you here."

"She has the best herbs," Anders motioned back to the woman. "I try to come early, before any... trouble might brew."

Hawke smoothed her thumb over the amulet, the merchant expectantly watching her, "If you ever need anything, I'd gladly help retrieve it. You help our fellow countrymen more than anyone else in this damned city." The merchant frowned.

"Thank you," Anders replied, his eyes not meeting hers as he reached for the gem. "Let me see that... this would be worth buying, you know."

"Ten silver," Hawke said, arching her brow at the merchant.

"I don't know who you think you are, serah, but it is worth twice that," the merchant scoffed.

"Yes, well the funny thing is, you can sell it to me for that much, or I can simply walk off with a new trinket," Hawke smiled, resting a hand on the dagger on her belt. She pulled out a handful of coins and left them on the table. The merchant grumbled as she walked away with Anders.

"That seemed a little extreme," he said, looking back.

"Oh please," Hawke replied, waving her hand as the amulet disappeared. "I paid for it, didn't I?"

"I suppose," Anders murmured, following her through the market. She led them to the Ferelden imports, and the woman inside rushed to clasp his hand as Hawke left more coin in the donations box. When they were back in the street, he said, "I miss it more than I thought I would."

"Sometimes I wonder if we could go back," Hawke said. "I mean, I know there is... Lothering is gone. I have heard enough from others who did not get out of the country as soon as we did but." When Anders nodded, she asked, "Did you grow up there?"

"I did," he stiffly replied, lips forming a line as they slowly walked.

Hawke raised her brow, resting her thumbs in the loops of her belt, "I see. Well. Enough of me asking about awkward things then."

"Lots of memories," Anders said, shaking his head. "And not all of them pleasant ones."

"Sounds about right," Hawke said, hesitating outside the Hanged Man. "So you need more pleasant memories then?"

Anders arched his brow, "I suppose you could say that."

"How does that spirity thing inside you feel about swimming?"

Glancing around, Anders cautiously said, "I am not certain he has an opinion. Why?"

Hawke's smile twisted as she said, "Well some of us are heading out of town. A lovely summer day like this, it's a shame to stay clothed, really."

"Pardon?"

"We're going swimming," Hawke laughed a bit. "In the ocean? You know? Wounded water? You should come."

"Swimming," Anders flatly said.

"Mhm," Hawke replied, turning to point, "My house is just up the steps. They're women, you know. My friends. Most of them. Then again, perhaps you're keen on seeing a dwarf down to his smalls. All that hair, mmm?"

Anders' expression shifted as he laughed oddly, glancing back towards the markets, "I - I have my things from the market."

"And you may leave them at my house," Hawke said, offering her arm. When he took it, she turned towards the slums. "I promise, his grace will keep my uncle from hawking it."

"Why am I not reassured," Anders muttered.

"Why couldn't we just stay in the city," Varric muttered, crossing his arms as they led down to the beach.

"Have you actually smelled the harbour waters?" Merrill asked, light-footed over the sand. "Worse than the choke-damp."

"Something to take pride in," the dwarf replied.

Hawke walked with her face up in the sun, pointing into the bay, "Isabela - is that your ship?"

"Oh Hawke, you're so delightfully funny," Isabela dryly said, stripping her boots and leaving them under a tree.

Hawke seemed oblivious, dropping her daggers on the pile. Pursing her lips, she pointed at the remnants of another wreck, "What about that one?"

"I could help you with that mouth, you know," Isabela said, shifting her glare to Bethany as the girl laughed. "I've got a fist here if you're hungry for it."

"I think she just wants to help you find it," Merrill replied, swaying on her bare feet, already down to her smalls. "I thought you missed it."

"Kitten, my dear, she is not helping me," Isabela said, whipping off her belt to smack Hawke's backside. "Hawke does not help. She twists the dagger."

Hawke laughed and scooted out of the way, grabbing Bethany's arm, "I am helping! Last one in has to lick a pint off the floor of the Hanged Man tonight."

"Revolting," Isabela said, darting after them across the sand. She caught Hawke by the arm, trying to trip her, but they made it into the frigid waves and collapsed into the water at much the same time.

"Holy Maker!" Bethany cried, surfacing for air as Hawke tried to half-drown her. "It was never that cold near Highever!"

"Yes it was," Hawke said, wading deeper. "You just always stayed in the shallows."

"You wanted to swim out to the rocks," Bethany defended, sinking down into the meagre waves. "No matter what father said about the tides."

"I couldn't let Carver keep all the glory," Hawke murmured, shielding her face as Isabela splashed her. "Oh you're asking for it now."

Varric sat amidst their clothing beneath the tree, a nub of graphite in his thick fingers as he wrote in a book. Liberated from his robes, Anders sat beside Aveline on a rock on the shore in a loose linen shirt and trousers. He shook his head and watched them play, before saying, "Not going to join them?"

"Me?" Aveline raised her brow, almost scoffing, "Hardly. What about you? Or do Circle mages not know how to swim?"

"Shows what you know about the Ferelden Circle," Anders replied. "I'll have you know I escaped from that prison seven times - swimming became a necessity with it in the middle Lake Calenhad."

Aveline furrowed her brow, crossing her arms and saying, "I suppose it would have." She strummed her fingers on the rock beneath them before adding, "So what are you waiting for?"

"Me? What about you?" he replied.

"It is more difficult than it seems to say no to Hawke," Aveline said after a moment. The furrow on her brow smoothed away, "She and Bethany are some of my only friends in the city. Don't really know where else to turn."

"Hmm," Anders said, his arms crossed, mirroring Aveline unconsciously. "It does look like fun."

Aveline harrumphed and stood up, rolling her eyes as she took off her belt. A light flush rose on her cheeks as she said, "Well I won't be the one caught sitting here. You can carry that honour."

"What about Varric?" Anders asked as Aveline was left in her undershirt and smalls.

"You're welcome to make him try," she replied, turning away to casually walk down to the water. Bethany ran ashore to meet her, before dragging her in.

Anders lingered there, watching them romp like children in the surf. He scarce noticed when Varric closed his book. The dwarf reclined against the tree, pulling up his coat over his head to nap, "People might be poor, but it doesn't mean they can't be happy."

Watching them a while, Anders shucked his shirt and made for the water. He waded in a few feet before shivering, "Andraste's tits, what possessed you to come in here?"

Hawke dropped Bethany and looked at him, hands on her hips, "Well it certainly wasn't a spirit of justice. It was Merrill's idea – and a good one at that." Bethany floundered before swearing at her sister.

Anders shook his head before holding his hands over the water, "Not what I meant."

The girls stopped as the water around them warmed. Merrill wiped the hair from her eyes, "Now why didn't I think of that?"

"An ocean full of mages right here, and we opt to freeze instead," Bethany muttered, pulling some seaweed off with a grimace.

"It's not so bad," Merrill replied.

"Suppose I've always been used to the water being a bit nipply," Hawke said, and Isabela laughed, splashing her. Struggling through into the shallower water near Anders, her eyes glinted," Now ser, you are simply too dry."

As he opened his mouth to reply, Hawke tackled him into the waves.