Three's a Crowd, Pt. 1: Lothering

Notes: Eva, Kya

This was a prompt from gamer072196 where my Warden and Hawke discuss the possibility of Hawke joining the Wardens. I've gone one step further and decided to use it as a sort of character development exercise as well, so we can see how Kya and Eva grow throughout their own stories.

Pt. 2 will be set after the Blight has ended, and Pt. 3 will be set after Hawke is the Champion. Even though there wasn't much of an argument in this one, there will be a pretty heated argument later, along with a threat of Conscription. ;)

Also, I'm planning on doing a pretty angsty one-shot for my Cousland Warden set during her first night in Ostagar, before the Joining. I'm debating over whether I should bother with the other origins. Thoughts?

"Oops! Sorry!"

Evangeline furrowed her brow in confusion as the elf who'd bumped into her held up her hands in apology. "It's fine."

"Yeah, no, I just…" she stammered, swishing a piece of dark brown hair out of her eyes. "I'm kinda new here," she admitted with a nervous laugh. "Fresh from the Circle."

Eva did her best not to show any surprise; if the Circle mages were in Lothering, that meant the Templars would be on full alert. She and Bethany would have to be on full alert. "And what's a Circle mage doing here?" she asked casually, letting a hand rest on her hip.

"I'm not an apostate!" the elf squeaked out quickly. "I've got an escort! It's sanctioned, I swear!"

"Fresh from the Circle?" Eva repeated with a little laugh. "You don't have to be so suspicious. Nobody here will even think about reporting you, even if you were an apostate. Just watch out for the Templars. Otherwise, you'll be fine."

She looked immediately relieved. "Oh, good. Because actually, my escort isn't in Lothering right now. We were travelling to Ostagar, then Loghain summoned him. I'm just waiting here until he sends someone for me."

"The Loghain?" Eva asked incredulously. "Are you part of the King's army?"

"Maker, no!" the girl laughed. "There was a Grey Warden at the Tower and he thinks I'd fit in with their order. Nothing big like the army. I'm just going to try out the Wardens for a bit."

"I'm not sure it works like that."

She shrugged. "If I really want to come back, I'll just tell the First Enchanter. If he or the Templars calls me back to the Circle, what can the Wardens do to hold me back?"

Eva took a deep breath to calm herself; mages like this were what gave the Chantry Circles their strength. This poor elf was disillusioned by the power the Circle held. It made Eva thankful—again—that her father had risked so much to keep his two daughters away from the Circle. "My brother's at Ostagar," she remarked, deliberately changing the subject. "He's in the army."

"Oh. Well, I hope he comes back safe."

"He will. He'd never let me outlive him," Eva chuckled. "But, since he's gone, the house can seem a bit empty some times. Would you like to come have dinner with my family this evening?"

The elf's hazel eyes grew excited. "I'd love that."

"I'm Eva, by the way. Eva Hawke."

"Kya Surana."

"Mother!" Eva chastised lightly, feigning shock through her laughter. "You make it sound like a habit! It was one time!"

Leandra ignored her daughter, turning instead to Kya. "Every single time the Wardens came into town," she insisted. "Every time."

"I can remember the last time a group of Wardens came to Lothering," Bethany chimed in. "I was only about seven years old, but I remember Eva running up to them with these big, sad eyes."

"Like a beaten puppy!" Leandra added.

Crossing her arms, Eva leaned back in her chair. "I did no such thing. You two are imagining it. But," she conceded finally, "I did think about joining when I heard about they were heading south with the army. I could've gone with Carver."

Bethany giggled. "I bet he would've loved that. His big sister tagging along with him to battle."

"Well, if you're serious about wanting to join, I could talk to Duncan for you," Kya offered quickly. "He seemed pretty eager for recruits."

Eva shook her head. "It would be fun, but I just don't think I'm up for a life full of Blights and Maker knows what else the Wardens deal with." She shared a careful glance with Bethany; they both knew it would be dangerous for her to reveal herself as an apostate mage. She wasn't certain what power the Wardens had over the Circle, and she wasn't willing to find out.

"Well, if you're sure." Kya shrugged, but was visibly disappointed.

"I'm sure. Besides, I have a feeling I wouldn't quite fit in with the Wardens, anyway."

A squeal of laughter escaped Kya. "You'd be fine, I'm sure. I'm so nervous about Templars that I'll probably just live in my tent and ever even leave. Tents," she added, exasperated. "I mean, I've been forced to sleep on the floor before, but tents? Outside?"

Eva offered a sympathetic smile, but had to bite her tongue to keep from making a comment about Templars. Instead, she stood and grabbed her boots from where they sat by her chair. "Well, dinner was lovely, Mother. I think I'm going to head over to the tavern and see what trouble I can get into tonight. You're welcome to join me, Kya, or if you'd rather not, I'm sure Bethany doesn't mind the company."

"Actually…" Kya rubbed her hands together slowly, looking around self-consciously, "I'd better get back to my room at the inn. I don't know when Duncan's coming back, and there's Templars, and…" she trailed off uncertainly.

"Alright. It was nice meeting you. Maybe if things go well, you can come visit us again after the battle," Eva offered.

"I'd like that," Kya smiled. "I really would."

"Lothering?" Kya demanded, the word coming out harsher than she'd intended. Not waiting for Morrigan to answer, she raced to the edge of the Imperial Highway, peering out over the camps of refugees and searching for the familiar little house that belonged to the Hawke family.

"Yes, 'tis Lothering. As I promised," Morrigan quipped.

"Come on!" With barely a glance over her shoulder to make sure Morrigan and Alistair were following, Kya picked up her pace and half-ran all the way across Lothering until she reached the Hawke house. She knocked on the door impatiently, fully aware that this was the first time since the incident with Jowan that she'd felt anything other than nervous or upset.

"What are you doing?" Alistair questioned as he caught up with her.

Knocking again, Kya explained, "Before I came to Ostagar, I stopped here and met this woman—Eva Hawke. She said she was interested in becoming a Warden." She knew that it wasn't entirely true, but with only two Wardens left in Ferelden and a Blight rapidly approaching Lothering, Kya wondered if Eva might feel a bit different.

When there still wasn't a knock at the door, Kya gritted her teeth and marched to the tavern. She glanced around, but saw no sign of Eva's red hair. "Do you know Eva Hawke?" she asked the barkeep.

"Eva?" he confirmed. "Yep. She's a troublemaker, but one of my best customers. Always manages to rile up the boys, which," he shrugged, "means they buy more ale, so I won't complain."

"Have you seen her?" Kya pressed. "Where can I find her?"

"That I don't know. Leandra's boy was in the army. They all left town as soon as the men all got back from Ostagar."

"What?" Kya's heart dropped. "Where'd they go?"

The barkeep just shrugged.

Turning back to her companions, Kya sighed, "Well, nevermind. She's gone."