At the foot of Sundermount, they took a moment off the path to check their bearings. Bethany watched as her brother laid down the map against a tree stump, looking over it to decide which side of the forked path they should take.

"The climb should only take a few hours with a direct path. The Dalish tribe is around this area here," he said, circling his finger over a marked spot on the paper, high on Sundermout. "All we have to do is follow this road up and circle our way to here. Hopefully there won't be too many thieves looking for an easy target."

"Or darkspawn. There's an entrance to the deep roads not too far from there," Varric said, pointing to an area at the edge of the map. At the curious looks he received from both Hawke siblings, he quickly explained, "Bartrand was looking at it as an option, but it's too unstable, and dangerous."

Making a some 'Ah,' of understanding, Garret nodded and looked back over the mapped area. "All right, so we'll be careful, and try using this road here to snake our way up. It might take an extra hour but…" the rest of his voice trailed off as Bethany walked away, over to where Isabela was lying down on the grass. The pirate had reclined herself backwards against a fallen log, crossing her boots at the ankles as she seemingly slept in the warm sunlight.

"They're still talking?" she asked, open one eye to peer out at Bethany.

"Yes. They're talking about the Deep Roads again."

"Ah yes, I'd rather stay out of that adventure, if you don't mind."

"The Deep Roads expedition? Why?"

"Stone, small spaces and me aren't what you'd call the 'best of friends'," she explained stiffly. It was the first time Bethany heard humor touch only lightly on her words. "I'd rather be locked up in the brink of a ship, at least there I know the wood can be broken."

"So if Garret asks you to come, you'll say no?"

Chuckling, Isabela looked up beneath her lashes, "I would never say no to your brother."

"That's...not what I meant."

"I think it is. But if you guys really need me for that spelunking trip, I guess I can be of service. Fear, after all, makes the fight much more sweeter," she smirked up at Bethany, watching the mage's brow furrow at her. "Something the matter?"

"No. It's just...you never seem afraid in battle. I mean, at least not last night."

Isabela sat up straighter, rolling her shoulders as she smirked up. "Of course not. Half the game is bluffing. If the enemy knows you're afraid, they'll become empowered. The trick is to pretend you're not, allow something else to overtake your mind, whether emotional or otherwise."

"Like...anger?" she asked, thinking of how Aveline fought.

"Sure. I mean, why not? For some it's fury, other's prefer to concentrate and focus on each precise movement. Your brother seems to be the latter, you don't hear him speak much."

"And you?" Bethany asked softly.

"What do you think, Sweetness?" she asked. "You've seen me in a few fights now."

"You...seem to..." she frowned, looking for the words. Bethany was half afraid she might say the wrong thing as she mustered up the courage to say, "you enjoy yourself."

"That I do," she laughed. "You should too. Fighting is fun. Exhilarating. Isn't it fun for you to light half the battlefield on fire with all that magic you have stored up deep inside of you?"

Bethany chuckled lowly, tucking a dark strand of hair behind her ear. "No. Not really. And I'm not half as powerful as you think."

"I think you're twice as powerful as you think," she counted. Biting the inside of her cheeks, Bethany looked down at her feet, shifting from one foot to another. She didn't know how to reply to that. A simple thank you felt wrong. Isabela wasn't complimenting her. And she certainly didn't agree with Isabela.

Taking a breath, Bethany nodded her head, chewing on her lip. She wished she had her staff to fiddle with, her hands felt empty without it. But she'd placed it down by her bag. "I guess we'll be moving again soon," she said, looking sideways to where Varric and Garret were huddled together, "Brother looks like he's almost finished plotting."

Isabela, sighed, rolling her head. "All this walking is boring. When are the highwaymen going to attack, and try to steal our gold?"

Bethany laughed, "Not the quest you were hoping for?"

"No. Lots of walking and not enough fighting. Even the conversation is dull. And it's not like I can read my book and walk at the same time."

Tilting her head, Bethany's eyes wandered to the knapsack beside the pirate. "Is that the book you were reading this morning, 'Hessarian's Spear'?" Isabela hummed, shutting her eyes briefly as the words washed over her in a shiver. "I don't think he had a spear in the legends."

Isabela reached over into her pack and pulled out the thick book. "He does in this one. Read the description."

Carefully, Bethany took hold of the book before opening the cover to read the short description. Her eyes darted quickly over the lines, scanning the contents before beginning to murmur the book's summary out loud.

"Andraste knelt before no man but her Maker, but she hadn't counted on the archon Hessarian." Her brow furrowed in thought. The summary sounded similar to the romantic novels she had stashed away under her bed, but giant adventures that end in professed love didn't really seem the type for Isabela. Her curiosity peaked, she read further, "Can Hessarian penetrate the tight-knit defenses of the warrior-prophetess? Will she be prepared to face the full blast of his...power? Wait a minute..." Frowning in thought, Bethany flicked a few chapters in, briefly reading over a few paragraphs before snapping the book shut, "Isabela! This is a vulgar thing!"

"You want to borrow it?" she asked, chuckling as Bethany's face began growing extraordinarily red from the few line she'd read. Andraste was not meant to be described doing such...acts. That was pornographic material. Blasphemous!

"No!" she screeched in horror, giving the book back quickly. Her behaviour only appeared to amuse Isabela further.

"You sure? It has pictures!"

Sharply turning away, Bethany snapped her hands over her ears, trying to deafen them from Isabela's chuckle, "not listening! I'm not listening!" she shouted, scrambling to run back to her brother. Standing safely away from the pirate, she dropped her hands by her sides in tight fists, and clenched her jaw tight as Isabela laughed from afar.

"Everything okay?" Garret asked her slowly.

Rigidly, Bethany folded her arms under her chest, huffing as the laugh rang loud in her ears. She could feel her inflamed cheeks burning from embarrassment. "It's fine," she muttered.

"You look flushed. Are you sick?"

"No."

"Are you-"

"She's just getting educated," Isabela called from the distance. "And by the way, I've put it in your bag incase you wanted to read it later." Bethany stiffened at the comment, turning to see Isabela slinking back into her reclined position, away from her now, overly stuffed bag. Bethany groaned, seeing a corner of the book protruding rather largely through the material of her backpack.

Beside her, Garret stared between the women blankly, "whatdid Isabela just put into your bag?"

"Nothing."

"Beth-"

"Nothing." Taking a breath, she rolled her eyes skyward and counted to ten before smiling at both her brother and Varric, "let's just get moving, shall we? We want to get there before dark."

Garret watched her curiously stalk back over to her bag and staff, lifting both in her grip as she ignored the pirate. There was a small moment where Isabela swaggered up to him, still chuckling at the heated cheeks Bethany wore brightly, but nothing else was said on the matter. It was relatively clear that Isabela had partially corrupted his sister in some way, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know how.

He just hoped that the corruption was only a single event and not a slow chip away at Bethany's innocence.

"You Hawkes are so adorable," she smirked at him, her own bag swinging freely from one shoulder. "Now, if only I could make you blush so easily, my day would be complete."

"Keep trying, Isabela. If you only knew the stories I had."

"Oh, I've heard some," she purred. "That's why I'm interested." Chuckling, she mockingly patted his shoulder as Garret, for the first time, struggled with an adequate reply for her.

Behind them, pure magic crackled in Bethany's fist, her emotions running overtime as she stared between her brother and the pirate. No one had that effect on her. No one made her so wound up that sparks ran up and down her fingers, unrestrained.

But then, no one purposely went around pushing people's buttons like Isabela did. From the short time she'd know her, Bethany had witnessed no less than six occasions where the pirate had said something extraordinarily outlandish just to spark a response of some kind. All six occasions included, of course, sex in some way, shape or form.

A self-loathing part of her wished that the entire act of lovemaking didn't make her go crimson in thought, her stomach quivering nervously at the image of two people-

"You alright there, Sunshine?" Varric asked, coming up to stand by her.

Startled, the magic crackled inside of her, coming out of her hands in electric licks against her skin. Bethany shut her eyes, focusing her mind on breathing until it dulled down to a gentle hum. "I'm fine, just…" she trailed off, smiling. "Emotional, I guess. It's harder to control magic when you can't control your emotions."

"Isabela does seem to have that effect on people."

Breathing out a laugh, Bethany rolled her eyes, "She's impossible."

"And you seem to be quite taken by her."

Confused, Bethany's steps slowed as she turned to blink at him. Ahead of her and Varric, she could see her brother and Isabela chatting adamantly as they began climbing the inclining road. "Taken?" she echoed. "I guess. She's interesting and being her friend is-"

Varric chuckled, walking ahead of her, back onto the Sundermount road. "Not that kind of taken, Sunshine."

"Then what kind of taken do you mean?"

Adjusting Bianca on his back, the dwarf just sighed as he looked back, smiling softly. "Don't worry your pretty little head about it. You'll either realise one day, or there will be nothing to realise." Nervousness twitched her fingers as she felt a rush of heat through her.

"Varric," she said, quickly catching up to him. "You know that...I'm not that way inclined, right?"

Chuckling again, Varric raised his eyes to hers, "You make it sound like you choose what you prefer. Sometimes it just is, Sunshine. Look at your brother, he seems to have fun, regardless of who." Bethany looked up. In front of them, her brother was bumping into Isabela's side, joking around playfully with her. Bethany felt a pang hit her at the ease between them. "He acts the same around Anders."

"So?"

"So I don't understand. You could be the same. At ease with who and what. And you know, if you play with Isabela right back she's less likely to tease you. Half the fun for her is getting a rise out of her opponent, get rid of that and she'll lose interest quickly enough. If that's what you'd really prefer."

Sighing, Bethany watched as Isabela pushed Garret away, laughing as he lost his balance and stumbled sideways. "I'm not my brother," she whispered under her breath. "He's...always had it easier in some ways. Not being a mage, being afraid of what will come next, made him quicker to laugh things off."

"Do you wish you weren't a mage?"

"Every day." She went quiet then, stepping faster to move away. Thankfully, Varric didn't try to stop her. She even felt him drop back to allow her distance.

She didn't want to explain herself, explain how complicated she felt being a mage. She'd much rather have Isabela tease her again than burden people with her fears.

Her staff hit the ground harder with each thought-filled step, but even the thrums through the wood didn't distract her thoughts. All she could think was that every night she spent the time falling asleep, wishing and praying to the Maker to take back his curse. She even pleaded to other gods and revered beings, anything that may be listening to her.

It wasn't that she hated the power. She loved magic, loved the feeling humming through her, but it wasn't worth the burden, that all-consuming fear she felt every night before her dreams side-stepped into the fade; was she too angry that evening? Too arrogant? Or envious or a hundred other things, and if any of those thing were true, would this time be the time the demons sensed her.

And then there were the templars. That kept her awake some nights, wondering if the templar she passed earlier, glanced a little too long, noticed a little too much.

She'd be plagued by nightmares, the sound of snapping wood as the door was kicked in and the templar-knights filled her room, taking her kicking and screaming before they burned her home down with her family inside. Perhaps they'd locked her in a cage forever, or maybe they'd just make her tranquil. She wasn't sure which was the kinder option.

Some days she thought about running. After her father died, she spent days thinking about the Wilds. How easily it'd be to just run. Now she thought about the Circle more and more. Would it really be so bad to just...give in?

"You okay?" Blinking quickly, she forced a smile and laughed softly at her brother's concerned features.

"Of course. I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

"About what to buy first when we come rich from the Deep Roads. I thought that some Orlesian Silk Dress would be nice. Something excessive." Garret laughed.

"I think first, you'll need new boots."

Bethany sighed, looking down at her own. The dirt road had lifted dust on them, hiding most of the scuffs and scrapes, but there were still a few seeable holes where the leather had been worn away, and the laces that tied them were differently colored as well as frayed. "I know," Bethany murmured, "I haven't had a chance to go to the markets yet. Maybe when we get back."

"You shook take Isabela, she apparently knows some good shops and can probably haggle better than most."

"Isabela, eh?"

"What...?" he asked.

Smiling at him genuinely this time, she bumped his shoulder with her own. "So...you and Isabela?"

"Me and Isabela, what?"

"You know?" She shrugged, biting her lip. "You just seem close. Like closer."

Garret laughed, "We're not. She's just...Isabela. Besides, you two seemed friendly last night. I saw you two giggling at the end of the table like a pair of gossiping chantry Sisters. To be honest, I actually thought you were talking about some of my more embarrassing secrets."

Bethany frowned, puzzled at her memories. They were still fuzzy from the alcohol and lack of sleep, but she didn't remember laughing that much. She just remembered Isabela interrogating her for information, and making her ridiculously red with her own stories. "She may have been giggling, I was trying to block out what she was saying."

Chucking, her brother shook his head. "Speaking of, what did she put in your bag?"

"A book," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "The book she was reading this morning. It's nothing."

"What's it about?" His eyes narrowed at her and Bethany quickened her pace. If she said what it actually was, there was a chance that he'd take the book and burn it, and as pornographic as it was, it would still be a shame to destroy something that someone had slaved hours over. "Come on, Beth. Tell me. She wouldn't tell me what it was, just kept saying that it was 'educational'."

Of course she'd say it was education. Bethany frowned, eyeing Isabela's form unhappily. Ahead of her, she watched Isabela's hips sway with each step, and with each one of those steps the tunic-dress she wore, rose and fell, barely covering that damningly well formed ass.

Pulling her eyes away, Bethany cursed the ground.

There was a difference between appreciation and lust. She admired Isabela's well formed body, like she did other women. It was no different than admiring good art, or clothes. Varric didn't know what he was talking about. And curse him for making making her question her own motives.

As if sensing her thoughts, a warm chuckle came from Isabela as she bent over slightly to speak with Varric. Again, Bethany averted her gaze, feeling a warmth rush over her face.

She should bring up a conversation of pants one day. Or at least shorts.

"Beth?"

"What?" she spat quickly, looking suddenly guilty. Her brother stared down at her oddly.

"The...book?" he asked.

"Oh. Ah, It's nothing. Just one about Andraste and Hessarian." Garret's face became blank at the words, she may as well have been speaking elven for all the good he understood. "The archon? He was the one who ordered her death, remember? Oh come on, Leliana used to tell us tales back in Lothering. He was the first one who converted to the Chant of Light. The story is really quite romantic in a way."

"Oh, right." He nodded. "I see."

"You have no idea, do you?"

"Not a clue, no."

Resisting the urge to slap his shoulder condescendingly, she opted to laugh instead. "Don't worry brother, it's probably too boring for you anyway." Garret sighed, running fingers through his dark hair as he smiled crookedly at her.

"You're the smart one, remember? I'm just the older brother with the sword to scare away all the boys."

"I knew there was a reason why they aren't flocking around me."

"They were too distracted by my chiseled good looks?"

"Oh sweet thing, you're more ruggedly lookingwith that beard growing," Isabela spoke, turning around to face them. Bethany hadn't realised how fast she'd been walking until then. They'd managed to catch up with Isabela and Varric.

"Ruggedly, eh?" Garret smirked. "Enough to charm you?"

"Enough to rival Varric's chest hair," Isabela returned.

"Hey. Nothing beats the chest hair," Varric spoke up defensively.

"Oh, I know. But it's fun to tease him. Your chest hair rivals all the men in Free Marches, Varric, perhaps all of Thedas," she replied playfully, her hand reaching out to touch Varric's chest. Quickly, it was slapped away. "Fine, play hard to get. It only makes me want you more."

"Keep trying, Rivaini. I'm a one-crossbow-man."

"Oh," she purred, "Bianca can definitely join us." Bethany watched, confused at what was happening, as again, Isabela's hands were slapped away.

"Oh shit," Garret muttered beside her.

"What- oh." Bethany looked up, further along on the side of Sundermount, she could see evidence of a landslide. If it'd fallen, it'd happened behind a thick brush of trees, but having seen the map herself, there was a good chance that it'd fallen directly on the path they needed to take. "It might not have hit the path," she said weakly, "maybe if we check it out..."

"There's no point in all of us going. I'll go and check it out, it's only a short distance away." Scratching his head awkwardly, Garret sighed. "We'll have to double back and take the long way around up the other side of the cliff."

"That means we won't get to camp until nightfall, doesn't it?" Isabela groaned. "There's no way I'm going anywhere near the Dalish camp at nightfall. They're trigger-happy as it is, shadows will just make them even more paranoid."

"Alright, well if the landslide hit, we'll set up camp for the night in some clearing," Garret decided. "But there's no point in making choices until after I check out the landslide. Just...wait here and I'll check it out. If we're lucky we might be able to move some rocks and get past safely." Nodding he made a step forward, only to stop and turn back. "Please don't corrupt my sister. I'd like to come back to her in one piece."

"Of course!" Isabela beamed.

"Would never think of it," Varric added, smirking as he stood beside the pirate.

"Maker save me," Bethany whispered. "And stay safe, brother."

"I will."