Author's Notes: Internets! I has it! Finally! Sorry for the long wait in posting, everyone, moving has been way more hectic than I ever wanted it to be. But I guess that's what happens when you move from state to state by yourself and work like a mad man. Hehe.

Zeeji: I love love love exploring familial relationships. The whole spark to this story actually came when I discovered the connection between the Amells and the Hawkes. I was like OMG YES. And the creative juices started pouring in! Hopefully your daughter has a good idea now of where she feels like she wants to go! :)

Gatorsnacks: *steps back from putting glue on floor* Oops...sorry, you weren't supposed to see that. ;)

Orpheus Thanatos Messiah: I gotta say, I don't think anyone would mind, either. Both of them were absolute hunks. ;) And the Hawke I made had both me and my fiance making googly eyes. The one in my story I picture slightly different, but yes..um...right. Where was I? *fans self*

At any rate, here is chapter six. Hope you all enjoy!

Thayer left the Hawke estate feeling more confused and exhilarated than he ever had before. He recalled the last time he'd felt this way: right after being conscripted by Duncan. Much like then, he stood before what seemed like an insurmountable task. This time, it was discovering more about his family and trying to piece together whatever he could.

Part of him desperately wanted to let go and simply not care as much. After all, he'd grown up more or less alone, relying on socialization from friends and mentors. He'd steeled himself to not knowing about his family and the likelihood that he'd never see them again. Now, however, it would seem that no matter how hard he tried to bury that curiosity, it kept bubbling up and taking over his focus.

So much for being strong-minded, he thought as he walked away from the estate.

Where had Alistair gotten off to?

Oh, right. He remembered that they hadn't agreed on a meet up point because Thayer wasn't sure when they would be finished. He knew he'd been in the Hawke estate for a while—the sun had shifted significantly west in the sky above.

Thayer wandered through the crowded streets, keeping his eyes out for his tall, blond-haired companion. He knew Alistair well enough to know to follow his nose. Whenever his partner was bored, he tended to go wherever his nose led him. The second Thayer smelled food wafting through the air he started in that direction. He soon found a small, closed off courtyard with several food carts sporting all different kinds of delectable wares.

Sure enough, by the time he passed the second cart, he found Alistair browsing the different plates available.

"Following your nose, hm?"

Alistair gasped in surprise. He turned to Thayer, frowned, and said, "Oy, I don't need your judgment. I got bored looking around town and I got hungry…"

"Well, don't eat too much. We were invited back to the estate tonight for dinner. I imagine there will be plenty to eat there."

Alistair's eyes lit up. "You don't say? Wait, I was invited?"

"Of course."

"So everything went okay?"

"It's a long story. Here, let's get something to snack on and we'll talk in private."

Thayer got them a pair of meat and vegetable shish-kebabs to eat while they walked back to their room at the Hanged Man. By the time they arrived the kebabs were long gone and the mage had all but exhausted the story of what happened with him and his newfound family.

As Alistair opened the door to the tavern for the two of them, he laughed and said, "Are you me? All of this secret family history, so hush-hush, with unknown brothers and sisters…"

"Well, the only difference is that I'm not royalty."

"Shh, nobody needs to know that. Your mum was still a noble. That's something."

"If you say so."

Back in their room, Thayer lay back on the bed and covered his face with his hands. This was the first time in hours he'd had any silence, and while it wasn't the ideal environment, he would take it wherever he got it. He'd readily accepted going to the Hawke estate tonight but what would he do afterward? He really hadn't the slightest idea. He had only come to Kirkwall to retrieve Alistair and bring him back to Ferelden. Now he felt like he needed to stay to discover more about his history, his family.

Alistair sat beside Thayer on the bed, reaching over to run his fingers through the mage's hair. It was a simple gesture that went a long way, even if Thayer didn't say it aloud. Instead he just shifted on the bed and moved into the touch, bringing himself closer to the warrior's leg.

"It's going to be all right, you know," he said, voice soft and soothing.

"Hm?"

"This situation with your family. I know it's overwhelming for you. There's a lot going on up in your head, I can see it on your face. Want to share with the club?"

"I don't even know where to start," Thayer replied.

And he truly didn't. What good would it do for him to find his siblings? He'd seen what had happened with Alistair and Goldanna. He didn't want to think such a scenario possible between him and his brother or sister, but anything could happen. His journey since becoming a Grey Warden had proven that time and time again.

"Well, let's review the basics, here. Your mum was a noble from Kirkwall, she had three children and they were all mages. Your older sister is what…a year or so older than you? And your brother is six years younger."

"Right."

"Your sister would be a member of the Circle here if she survived her Harrowing, right? That's probably a good place to begin."

"What if she didn't?"

"My, you're morbid, aren't you? Try to think positively, love. If she didn't survive it…well."

Alistair let the thought trail off. Thayer was glad he did. He understood what he meant, however. If she didn't survive it, it wasn't as much of a loss as it could have been. He didn't even know she existed until today. Same with his brother. But inside him, just below the surface, was an aching want for them both to be alive. He wanted to know what they were like, how similar they were, and what interests they shared. He wanted to let them know about his exploits and adventures just as much as he wanted to hear about their lives and their achievements.

"This isn't exactly how I planned on spending my time with you here in Kirkwall," Thayer offered with a chuckle. He needed to lighten the mood, lest he fall deeper into thought and get lost. Again.

"Nobody ever said life was easy, love. You're lucky I'm not the envious type." Alistair grinned down at his lover. "All this attention you're getting would make the average man rife with jealousy."

. . . . .

For the second time that day Thayer found himself standing in front of the Hawke estate. He and Alistair had just come from a clothier, who had dressed them up quite nicely for their dinner tonight. Despite the amount of coin it had set him back, Thayer knew it was worth it. Alistair looked positively regal.

"Are you ready?" the warrior asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Thayer replied. Before he could reach forward and knock on the door it was pulled back, revealing Leandra in an elegant, flowing evening gown.

"Ah, there you are." She smiled, moving in close to embrace Thayer in a hug. He responded after a moment's pause, surprised. When she pulled back, she looked to Alistair. "Good evening, gentlemen. And you are?"

"Alistair. It's a pleasure to meet you, Madame Hawke."

"Oh, please, call me Leandra. Both of you, please, come in."

Leandra led them into the house, moving through the foyer toward the dining room. Every square inch more of the estate that Thayer saw cemented the elegance and refinement that he'd experienced during his first visit. When they arrived in the dining room Thayer immediately took notice of the beautifully decorated wooden table and the low-hanging crystal chandelier that hung above it. It seemed awfully extravagant for a dining area, but in his time with nobles, he'd come to realize that this was considered the norm.

At the head of the table sat Hawke. He offered a polite nod in greeting.

Leandra ushered Thayer and Alistair in to their seats on opposite sides of the oval-shaped table. She took her seat across from Hawke, where she took a moment to situate herself.

"Garrett, this is Alistair. He's Thayer's company for the evening."

"Pleasure to meet you," Hawke offered out of courtesy, though they had run into each other before. "You two arrived just in time. Dinner was just served."

Thayer and Alistair shared a look at the smorgasbord of food available to them. There were several Cornish hens, a bountiful bowl of greens, potatoes and a few other delectable plates of food. It seemed like far too much for four people, but then Bodahn and Sandal soon joined them from the kitchen.

"Everything looks absolutely delicious, Bodahn," Hawke said. "Your skills are never more appreciated than at dinner time."

"Thank you, Ser Hawke. Now, let's eat."

Each and every plate was passed around the table so that everyone could choose what they wanted to eat. Thayer chose a minimal amount mostly out of respect—unsurprisingly, Alistair did the opposite.

That was just one of the many things that Thayer loved about the warrior: he was unabashedly forthright with his appetite.

Leandra wasted no time in learning more about Thayer and where he came from. He shared things about his life in the Circle, but predominantly stuck to his life once he'd been conscripted out by Duncan. He explained his relationship with Alistair, then with Bodahn and Sandal, before going on about his fellow companions through the Blight. Hawke would occasionally interject with comments and questions, which made Thayer feel good—at least he was showing interest. Perhaps his distant façade was just a front.

He went on about his adventures across Ferelden and how he eventually came to defeat the archdemon and consequently end the fifth Blight. Neither Leandra nor Hawke questioned how Thayer was still alive, which allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief. And to his pleasant surprise, Bodahn chimed in several times to express his admiration for Thayer's abilities and leadership skills across their time together.

One of Thayer's favorite things he heard was: "For someone so young, he certainly did a great job!"

As Thayer's tale of his life through the Blight came to an end, Leandra and Hawke shared their own, and how they had fled Lothering with Bethany and Carver, Hawke's younger twin siblings and the apples of Leandra's eyes, when the Blight had gone into full swing. Hawke mentioned how Bethany used to love listening to Leliana's tales at the Chantry. Thayer couldn't help but wonder if Leliana would remember her, or the other Hawkes. That would certainly be interesting.

Soon Garrett switched the subject back to Thayer. He wanted to know how Thayer had become Warden-Commander of the Grey, and how he maintained such a prestigious title. Thayer shared how it had fallen into his lap after he defeated the archdemon. He also went on to tell the tale of the battle against the Architect. By this time most had finished their entrees and were leisurely enjoying their dessert: a thick, rich tiramisu with rum-soaked lady fingers.

"You mean to say there was a sentient darkspawn who could talk?" Garrett asked curiously.

"Oh, yes, and he was quite the talker. Some of the things he said were unbelievable. He was freeing darkspawn from the Calling, which is basically what draws them to the Old Gods and makes them corrupt them," Thayer explained.

A good portion of this was new to Alistair, who had left shortly after they'd discovered Velanna on the Wending Wood. He was listening, enraptured, as Thayer continued his story, talking about how he'd gone and defeated the Broodmothers, a powerful blood mage, and eventually the Architect himself.

"We lost a lot of people in the battles," Thayer said grimly. "But one loss apparently was another's gain: Anders is still alive and well."

"You know, it's funny," Hawke began. "You mentioned that spirit of Justice you came across. Anders…"

He trailed off, which caught Thayer's attention. He eyed the other man curiously. "Anders what?"

"Anders mentioned to me how he'd merged with a spirit of Justice. Knowing what I know now, I can't help but think it's the same one he knew from before."

Thayer couldn't believe what he was hearing. Anders had always seemed somewhat scared of Justice when they traveled through Amaranthine together. Why in the world would he have merged with him? The mage had always assumed that Justice had been laid to rest when Kristoff's body had been found on the grounds of Vigil's Keep. It would seem that something otherwise had occurred—something quite intense.

Alistair frowned. "That might explain why you never found a body for Anders, like you said."

He needed to talk to the other mage. There were a lot of missing pieces to this puzzle. Yet another task to lay ahead of him, he thought with concern.

"Enough about me," he said suddenly. He needed to take a moment to recuperate. He'd just relived several intense moments of his life in recalling them, and now he felt tired. "Tell me about yourselves. Leandra, you've no magic skills of which to speak, right? Nor does Carver?"

"Oh, no, it would seem magic skipped me and your mother's generation and went right into you children. Carver…well, we were surprised he didn't have any magical abilities. Malcolm I daresay seemed a little disappointed at first, but he loved his son no less because of it."

"Carver certainly acted like it," Garrett offered, his tone flat.

"Now, hush, Garrett, that's no way to speak about your brother. Especially now that he isn't here."

The air grew tense between Leandra and Hawke. Thayer could feel its palpable presence, but chose not to comment on it. Instead he waited for one of them to speak again.

"So, do either of you know the Grey Warden who took my brother under his wing?" Hawke asked.

Alistair nodded. He explained, "He's an Orlesian Warden. We heard about him when we were in Orlais. He wouldn't just choose anyone. Your brother must have had something about him that made Stroud want him as a Warden recruit."

Garrett scoffed beneath his breath. "Yes, well, that doesn't make the pain go away any better. I shouldn't have taken him down there in the first place."

Silence filled the dining room. Thayer and Alistair shared a look. They knew it must have been hard to deal with, especially so close to the loss of Carver's twin sister, Bethany. It was clear that their safety had been Garrett's number one priority. There was no easy way to deal with the loss of a family member. However, there was a brighter side in knowing that Carver was still alive.

"The good news is that it isn't a death sentence. You'll see Carver again." Thayer offered Hawke a comforting smile.

"Yes, but that still doesn't bring back my sister."

"Garrett."

"Sorry, Mother."

The mood had quickly turned sour at the table. There were few ways to recover a conversation that had turned toward death, especially when it remained as prevalent in the minds of those it affected as it did here. Thayer cleared his throat and poked at his dessert a few times before changing the subject and moving on.

"The Maker works in mysterious ways. I find it interesting that I discover my family here by complete chance. I'd love to hear more about my parents…whatever you know."

Leandra gave a melancholy smile. "Oh, child. The things I know about your mother! She and I grew up together. There's so much to say. Let's enjoy our conversation in the parlor; it's far more fitting than the dinner table."

Leandra led the way for Hawke, Thayer and Alistair into the parlor. Night had fallen and the moon's pale light shone through the long, slender windows. Hawke lit several lamps around the room and also started up a fire in the handsome fireplace around which were centered several chairs. Alistair and Thayer shared a loveseat while Leandra and Hawke chose what seemed to be their own personal chairs in the room.

"Would I be farfetched in assuming story time will continue now?" Garrett asked with a sidelong smirk.

"It wouldn't hurt you to learn more about your family, Garrett," his mother said, tone chastising. "There's a lot I never shared with you or your siblings about our family. Mostly about our lives here in Kirkwall…"

Leandra proceeded to tell the three men about the Amell family and its exploits. She told them the tales of growing up in Hightown, spending the majority of her days with her cousin, Revka. The two were closer than Leandra ever was with her own brother, Gamlen, who Leandra explained had always been envious of her and her successes in life. She described Revka in great detail—her love for the arts and music; her interest in cooking; her laughter that lit up a room. Thayer tried relating all of this information to what he could remember about his mother from all those years ago, but it was harder than he thought it would be.

"You look just like her," Leandra went on to say. "Everything about you just…is your mother. I wonder what she'd say if she saw your hair?"

Thayer laughed. "I've been meaning to visit a barber recently. It's slipped my mind."

"We'll get it taken care of, don't worry," she said with a smile. "And we'll do one for your partner, here, too."

Alistair made a face, but then snorted. "Oy, I don't look that bad, do I?"

The conversation continued with stories about Thayer's father, Marcus. He was a lesser noble and only two years older than Revka. His family had known the Amells for years, and it had been set in stone just a few years after Marcus and Revka met that the two would wed. The idea of an arranged marriage between his parents seemed difficult to believe, but Thayer supposed true love could blossom at any time, and with any pair. Marcus enjoyed the more physical pleasures of life, being an avid swordsman. On a seemingly softer side, he also liked spending time outdoors, tending to plants and flowers.

"It was one of the reasons why Revka loved him so," Leandra said with a smile.

Thayer also learned that his father and mother's wedding had been an important day among the Kirkwall nobles. This, as with anything that really painted his parents as nobles, was strange to him. What memories Thayer had of his parents remained humble. His mother had never given off an air of nobility, of privilege, nor had his father.

"It just seems so out of place for them to have grown up in such a way," Thayer explained, mildly perplexed. "They were so…normal."

"My dear child, normal can mean anything, depending on what you are comparing it to. What happened with your sister humbled your parents. They no longer had their name to do their hard work for them. They started from the ground up in Ferelden. I daresay you saw the better side of your parents."

"It does one well to remember their humble roots," Garrett offered. "Or so Mother says."

"You come from a wonderful pair of people. It's a shame you didn't get to spend more time with them before their untimely death. But, know that you have family here. You are welcome any time."

Leandra's kind words spread warmth throughout Thayer's body. It was indescribable, this feeling—this sense of wholeness that came from learning more about where he'd come from. This was truly just the tip of the iceberg but it was more than satisfying enough for the night. Thayer had a lot to digest.

"Where are you two staying?" Leandra asked. "Don't tell me at that Hanged Man tavern, that place is an absolute hovel."

Hawke rolled his eyes. "It's not that bad, Mother. You just hate it because I go there with Isabela and Varric and drink."

"It's foul, Garrett, and it always has been. You're not staying there, right?"

Thayer nodded. "There really was nowhere else to go."

"Nonsense! You're staying here. No Amell will stay in that…that shack. Your room probably has rats. Filthy." Leandra made a face.

"As you can see, she's quickly reacclimated to the noble life," Hawke joked.

"You two go get your things from that fleapit and come back here right afterward. I'll have a room upstairs made for you upon your return."