They stood side by side at the front of the boat, fording through the mist that hung over the bay. Behind them, smoke rose in the distance from the smouldering pile of the chantry. Aveline and Merrill sat by Varric to steer the boat across the calm water. Echoes of fighting reached them from the city, flashes of light snapping here and there amidst the labyrinth of streets.
"I didn't know what would happen after," Anders quietly said, face into the wind. There was an odd serenity to his features. "I - I didn't hope that you would let me live. Not that you would kill me... that others would. I had accepted that."
Hawke gradually looked to him from where she stared across the water, "Things make a lot more sense now."
"I suppose," he replied, shifting as the boat swayed beneath them. There were others crossing the water behind them. "This still doesn't quite feel real."
"You can say that again," Hawke said, looking at the Gallows once more. There were shadows in her features. Water slapped against the hull and the sails rippled, and another explosion echoed off the cliffs. "You and Justice will always be together, won't you?"
"Yes. At least while I'm alive," he quietly said, looking down as he sat again. Hunched on his knees, Anders clasped his hands together.
Features drawn, Hawke sank down beside him, slipping her hand into his. He tightened the grip, squeezing and looking at her as she said, "I broke my arm trying to kill Meredith. Needless to say, it didn't go well." She looked at their hands, voice wavering, "Many things have... gone unsaid these months."
"I wouldn't know where to start," Anders said, and he almost laughed in disbelief. "I've been in contact with the other Circles. With other free mages - with people who wanted change. Their eyes have been on Kirkwall as much as the Chantry's."
Hawke absently nodded, still looking at their linked hands.
"I couldn't tell you," he quietly said, shaking his head. "I couldn't let you shoulder any of it. I knew you would."
"Because I want to," she replied, gripping his hand tight and drawing his gaze. "You aren't a burden to me. This is terrible - I won't deny that. But I've done a lot of terrible things too. My hands aren't clean."
"You're a good person, Marian," Anders replied, still absently shaking his head. "You've helped a lot of people."
"And I've killed a lot of people," Hawke narrowed her eyes a bit. "I make no illusion of that. And I've probably done it for reasons a lot less worthy than this. My father once told me, be the change you want to see in the world. And you are."
"I won't hide from you anymore," he said with a deep sigh, looking at their hands before bringing her knuckles to her lips. "I promise."
Hawke nodded and let go of his hand, standing up as they approached the docks of the Gallows, "That is all fine and dandy, but let's try and survive the day. You can kiss my ass to make up for all of this when we're not eminently sure to die a gruesome, painful death."
"And here I was worried for a moment with how serious you were getting," Anders chuckled sadly, sitting as she took to the bow and snagged the rope there.
"Yes, well if I stay serious too long, I may actually think about what we're doing - and we don't want that," Hawke said, before leaping onto the dock and pulling the boat snug to lash it down. "We have very little time before Meredith lands with the bulk of the templars. We need to find Orsino and my sister, and prepare or evacuate the mages to the best of our ability."
"You really try loyalty, do you know that, Hawke?" Aveline said as she shouldered her sword.
They ran up the docks towards the Gallows, past the bodies of templars and mage alike that littered the steps. The front gate was broken open, and the stones were charred in various blast patterns. There was fighting ahead, and the blossom of fire let them track to Orsino.
"Champion! You made it," the elf said as the flames engulfing his hands died. Bethany took off from his side to embrace Hawke, and the sisters moved together up the steps to him.
"With bells on, I assure you," Hawke replied. "Have you made much progress inside?"
"It has been a trial," Orsino replied, features fatigued. "We were able to smuggle a boat of the children out with guardians. I only pray that the Knight-Commander doesn't track them."
"And the rest of them?"
"We don't know all the details," Bethany chipped in, other mages joining with them as they advanced towards the inner courtyard. "It has been to our advantage that most of the templars here do not yet know what she has ordered."
"They will kill the apprentices?" Aveline asked, furrowing her brow.
"That is what the Right of Annulment means," Orsino coldly said. "Every mage within the Circle, young and small. They spare no sympathies just because a mage is young."
"But they are no doubt innocent," Aveline interjected, and they stopped.
"Are not the rest of us?" Orsino said, stepping closer to Anders. "This is on your hands. We might have found a better resolution..."
"Please," Bethany said, taking his arm. "Meredith would not have listened. She is beyond reason. We are being given the chance to use our Maker granted gifts to find freedom."
"I don't know if there would have been an easier path in hindsight," Orsino said, touching Bethany's hand. "We will do all we can."
"Champion!" The call came up from the public courtyard, and they turned from their place atop the stairs. Hawke advanced back down the steps, able to see where Meredith stood, a troop of templars at her heel. Fenris was by her side, hair stained with blood. "Turn from this path, and you will yet be spared."
Hawke shook her head, coming further as she said, "You cannot ask me to do that... Fenris... Fenris how could you?"
"You and I have rarely seen eye to eye, Hawke," Fenris called back with a jerk of his chin. "You would have me defend mages in this hopeless fight?"
"I would have you fight by my side because of all we have been through," Hawke said, jerking her dagger in the air. "Because I thought we were friends. Are you going to kill me? Or Varric and Aveline?"
The elf bristled by Meredith's side, testing the weight of his sword as he rolled his muscles, "I... I cannot abandon my friends."
"Then you share in their fate!" Meredith called as he took off up the stairs.
Hawke grabbed Fenris' arm as they ran into the Gallows, scarce hearing Meredith's orders as Orsino manipulated the Fade and brought down the gate behind them. "See, it's not so terrible."
"That remains yet to be seen," Fenris replied, moving to help slide the bolts across the gate with Aveline. It took four of them to barricade it.
"Thank you," Anders said.
"I'm not doing it for you," Fenris replied, crossing his arms as they had a moment's breathing room. "What is the plan?"
"We must evacuate as many of the mages as possible. The children are our priority," Bethany said, leading them deeper into the prison. "Most have been taken down into the caverns."
"And if the templars break through the gates we'll all be pigeonholed in a tunnel underground," Varric murmured. "Lovely."
"It was my hope you would be willing to stand with myself and the senior enchanters," Orsino said, leading them into the inner courtyard where a mass of mages and a few templars were. "They have agreed to help our people escape."
"Keran," Hawke said with a nod. "I'm glad to see you on the right side."
"Thank you, serah," he said, looking down as a young girl hide behind him. "It's alright, Daliah, they're here to help you go somewhere safe."
"You're the Champion," the little girl replied.
Hawke smiled and knelt down, "Yes. I bet you know my sister, Bethany. She probably didn't let you get into any trouble at all." Daliah nodded. "I promise we won't let anyone hurt you. It'll be an adventure, you'll see."
"I'll be coming, don't you worry. Go with Ser Shelly," Keran gave the girl a light push, and she hurried off to where a female templar was counting and directing them. Daliah looked once more before she disappeared through the doorway. "Her parents died trying to keep us from taking her. She... she doesn't know."
"Keep focused," Orsino said, taking his shoulder. "Ensure a mage for every child, in case we get separated, they will have someone to look out for them."
"Of course, serah," Keran said.
"And what of your phylcateries," Hawke said, and the mages all looked at her. "What? Bethany, you mentioned them every time I wanted to break you out. Are you so surprised I finally caught on?"
Another templar with them shifted uncomfortably, before saying, "The Commander moved them."
"Do you know where they are?" Anders asked, stepping closer to the man as he hesitated. "You have come this far to help us, do you think they will show you mercy for standing against Meredith's will?"
"I..."
Hawke took Anders's arm as a fracture of light lined his eyes, "You just need show us. Then return to the children. Varric?"
"Seems the least I can do," he said with a sigh, motioning with his chin for Merrill to follow.
"Wouldn't the least be nothing?" she asked.
"Just follow me, Daisy." he sighed, and they disappeared with the mage down an adjacent corridor.
"My kin," Orsino said, clasping his hands together and drawing their attention. "They would have you lay down your lives for what you are - for the gifts you were born with. But they cannot take us all, and you will escape. Find others, the Circles must know what has happened here - and that there is more to life." The silence hung a moment before people hurried back to their duties, a flurry of activity creating a hum in the air as they gathered supplies. "Take a moment, the gates are holding. But we don't have long before we go to cover their escape."
Hawke stayed on her feet, pacing with her arms crossed as the mages gathered what they could to flee. She stood within sight of the gate, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Bethany moved amidst their friends, checking for injuries before going to assist the evacuation.
"I don't like being here," Hawke quietly said.
"Imagine living your life here?" Anders replied, and she turned as he came close.
"I'd rather not," she whispered, staring at the gates again. Her body ached from injury and fatigue, but if she stopped moving... it wasn't an option. There were distant sounds of metal, and the building shook a bit. They stood in silence for a while, scarce noticing as Varric returned with Merrill.
Anders tentatively put a hand on her back, "Thank you for believing in me. Even if I couldn't."
Hawke turned around to him, wiping some of the blood from his stubble, "Varric makes me the hero in all his stories, but I think it's really you. I'm just the woman who loves you."
"The champion who loves me," Anders replied, holding her hand against his cheek. He looked over her face, "If we survive this, I'll be hunted - they'll be nowhere in Kirkwall to find safe harbour."
"A willing sacrifice," Hawke quietly said, smirking. "Fugitives together."
"You mean that. You really do."
"I always have, silly man," Hawke said, expression softening. "It's for the world you want - the world we want."
"A world where our children can be mages and be free... ten years from now - a hundred years - someone like you will love someone like me, and there will be no templars to tear them apart," Anders whispered, exhaling as their foreheads touched.
"Lovelier than the Golden City itself," Hawke replied, resting her eyes briefly. Another thud rang through the Gallows, and more screams rose from the second wing. A mage came running, nearly smack into Orsino.
"They've broken through the secondary gate, First Enchanter," the young man tried to compose himself. "We could not hold them."
"Then we will," Hawke turned to them, beckoning to her friends. "Remember this night when you feel the sun on your face and the hills stretch before you - get out while you can."
"Go," Orsino said, and the remaining templars left with a few more mages, disappearing into the tunnels. He trembled a bit, but Bethany squeezed his hand as he led them down the corridor. Bodies littered the passage, and his footsteps faltered. "They've cut to the front. They... they just killed them all."
"Don't," Bethany said, urging them on as the other enchanters hesitated.
"Those bastards," Orsino hissed, before leading them through a side door, across a blood strewn and burning library to emerge into a secondary courtyard full of templars. "You will not have us!"
A flask snapped from Hawke's waist, before she ran into the fray with Fenris and Aveline on her wings. The heavily armoured men and women floundered as fire licked beneath the metal, and the Champion let her dagger sink home, warm blood on her hands. The confined space lit with fire and ice, the air keening as a mage fluttered into a swarm of wasps and engulfed a templar.
Hawke spun to slice the link of a templar's armour as she darted out of his way, the fabric ripping and founting blood. He screamed and whipped her with his shield, knocking her back over a bench. A ball of fire smacked into him from the periphery, the ephemeral form cracking his armour as another bolt of arcane energy shot him. Lithe on her feet, Hawke fell upon him to finish the deed, only to roll up to kick another templar advancing on her.
"Champion!" Orsino called, drawing her attention as the mages fell down another hallway.
Disembowelling the templar, Hawke trembled and sprinted after them. More templars were advancing upon them, and she had to avoid the dead beneath them. She took an arrow as she stumbled through, falling against the door with Fenris to hold it shut. He snapped off the shaft as she panted, and they leant their weight into it as the templars hit. Aveline and a pair of mages threw their weight behind the door, and Hawke ripped a curtain down, tearing off the cloth before jamming the rod into the handles.
"Go," she said, flanking them as they darted through to another training hall. Orsino had stopped, and she ran into Varric and Anders, weakening as she bled. The room was filled with dead mages, young and old alike.
"They should have gotten out," Orsino strained, eyes dilated from the mana strain.
"We cannot help them," Bethany said, choking on her words. "They're coming."
"Why do they even bother," he said, despair creeping into his words. "Why don't they just drown us at birth."
"Don't say that," Bethany whispered, and he scarce heeded as she pulled away, the doors breaking as the templars made it through. "The others will make it. We draw the templars away so they can."
Flames took up the tapestries, and paintings on the wall curled and turned to ash from the fires that burst to life to block their way. Seeing them held back, Hawke stumbled and dug her talon-armoured fingers into the arrow, pulling it out with a cry. A healing light followed it, and she panted softly as she herded the mages further from the templars, another trio of arrows seeking across the room.
"Where, sister," Hawke said, flexing her fingers on her daggers. "We must lead them back out."
Another arrow flew, and a mage beside Bethany cried out as he staggered back, gurgling on the sudden fluid. It was then the fires died, and the templars pressed once more. In the crush of bodies and blossoms of magical light, Orsino's words went unheard. When the chamber trembled, Hawke leapt back, finding footing as others floundered, their movements cast in a blooded glow.
Varric caught Bethany as she screamed, pulling her to the wall as the elven man was enveloped in the bodies of their fallen kin. He scarce held her as she crumpled and broke, aghast at the creature Orsino became.