Sebastian stood there, gobsmacked. After a moment he realised he was staring, blushed, and looked round for something to cover Hawke with. Finding nothing, he averted his eyes slightly.

"Sebastian..."

"I don't know who you are, and I don't know what you've done with Hawke. So you'd better start explaining before I call the templars."

Hawke sighed, pulling the remains of his already tattered shirt around him.

"I'll tell you... everything. Can you get me a shirt first? I'm getting kind of cold."

Sebastian nodded. "Aye."

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Fully dressed now, Hawke began explaining. "I... haven't always been entirely honest with you. Well, not that... Not that I'd been honest with anyone before Anders." At the mention of Anders, Hawke's face fell, and he fought back tears.

"Anyway... I can prove I'm Carroll Hawke, but I'll do it once I've explained, it will make more sense that way. As you know, my father was a mage, as was my sister Beth. The Hawke family only ever had one son. Carver."

Sebastian made as if to interrupt, but Hawke held up a hand. "I have never told this to anyone that's living, and only one or two people suspect. I... was born female." Gesturing to his stomach, Hawke smiled crookedly. "I suppose some would say I still am. I knew when I turned nine that I was born in the wrong body. You don't hear much of it in Ferelden, but it's a lot more common in places like Orlais, where there's more, umm... variety of people. I'm sure it still happens, but my guess is people don't want to draw attention in places like Kirkwall and Ferelden. Unless they work at the whorehouse anyway..."

Sebastian laughed, remembering a story Carver had told about Gamlen's visits to the Blooming Rose. "Aye. I remember once I met Gamlen when he was fighting with Carver. Carver brought that Blooming Rose story up, poor sod shut right up."

Hawke smiled weakly. "Mmm. Anyway, the first person I told was Bethany. She can only have been about six, and together we told Father. He... didn't take it well to begin with. He felt he'd lost a daughter. After a week or two, he came to me when I was walking round the woods one day. Said Bethany had talked to him, she was a smart girl even then. He said he'd rather have a happy son than a miserable daughter. That was possibly the best day of my life, looking back. Mother always thought we moved on so Bethany wasn't caught by the templars, but really we moved to Lothering so I could get a fresh start as a boy."

By now, Sebastian's head was spinning. "So, your Mother knew? And Carver, obviously. How did they never slip up and call you female? No offence Hawke, but I can nay see Leandra getting used to that easily. There was a big fuss when she found out you were with Anders years ago."

Hawke shook his head. "No. She didn't know. I... Father and Bethany were the only ones that ever knew. You've got to understand, Father was an extremely powerful mage, rivalling me, and Orsino, every mage we've met, Father had the strongest magical aura."

Sebastian narrowed his eyes, suddenly angry. "Blood magic then?"

Hawke looked shocked, then furious. "No! Maker, Sebastian, you're as bad as Fenris! Why does everything always come down to that? Father was a great healer and a brilliant elemental mage. That's partly where Bethany and I got our passions for those schools of magic from. But his real passion was entropy. We knew it would upset Mother and Carver, and they'd never understand. He spent a few months before we moved convincing Mother and Carver I was born male using entropic spells. Nothing harmful, just the hints of suggestion. Then, when we moved, he kept it up. He taught me how before he died, and it only needed topping up once a month or so. That's part of why I was so furious when Carver became a templar. I was terrified he'd find out. I'm pretty sure he suspects something, to be honest, as it's hard to use entropy on him now without him noticing, now he's a templar."

"He never said anything to me." Sebastian mused.

"I doubt he would if he did know." Hawke replied. "I don't think he's sure what to think, and doesn't want to look stupid. Even if he knows there's something wrong, I doubt he knows what it is."

Sebastian nodded. "It makes sense so far. If I find out you're lying, Hawke..."

Carroll smirked. "Which I'm sure you would. I think the best lie I ever told was that Ser Conrad was doing "demony things" late at night. With goats."

Despite himself, Sebastian smiled. "Aye. But my statement still stands."

Anyway, that's the main explanation with. I... think I owe you one about tonight as well, however."

"I'm listening."

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Sebastian sat at his desk with a brandy. He had no idea how to deal with this situation. He'd had it planned out what he'd do when he found the two apostates – Anders would be killed with minimum fuss, so as to not make a martyr out of him. His remains would be burnt, and thrown into the Waking Sea unofficially, and no-one would hear of his death.

Hawke... now Hawke would have been a different matter. Sebastian had planned a trial for the mage, over and done with quickly, then a public hanging before the templars could steal his revenge from him. When he first saw Hawke he had even considered gutting him on the spot, considering the two apostates had stormed his castle with the intention to kill him. But then he had heard from his Guard-Captain what Hawke had done, how many people he'd injured, then saved... And he remembered, that for all his faults, Carroll Hawke was a healer at heart. As he had taken Hawke down to the dungeon, his thoughts had been swirling. Should he not let the mage from the dungeon for his crimes, with no interaction with people except for twice-daily meals? He knew Hawke was a social creature, and thought that may be a fitting punishment. Or even hand him over to the templars – he considered perhaps requesting them to make him tranquil – at least then the mage would be of no danger and some use. Perhaps he could use his original plan and go ahead with the trial and hanging.

Then Hawke had told him of his previous life... Or should it be her previous life? Sebastian was at a loss for what to do in such a situation. Hawke had kept referring to... himself as male, so Sebastian supposed that was what he wanted. He may be a criminal, but he should still be treated with some respect... And the fact that Hawke had told him Anders had blackmailed him into the attack on the castle gave him more food for thought. Of course, it was possible Carroll was lying. But Sebastian just had a feeling he was telling the truth.

Now, with the plethora of new information Hawke had freely given, he was at a loss for what to do. It was clear he couldn't hand the mage over to the templars now – he wondered what the mother being made tranquil would do to an unborn child. Hanging was also out of the question – he would not be held responsible for an innocent's death.

Gulping down the rest of his brandy to steel his nerves, Sebastian knew he would not come close anytime soon to making a decision. But he supposed it was time to let Hawke out of the dungeon – it was cold down there, and not the best place for someone expecting a child to stay.