Hawke and Carver arrived home to find their uncle and mother in yet another one of their fights. Leandra was arguing with Gamlen over their living conditions, and Hawke sighed as she entered the room. "Will you two please stop. Mother," she addressed Leandra, "it's alright. I know you expected more, but we're okay. Poking at Gamlen for his mistakes every day isn't making the situation any easier."

Leandra ignored her daughter and demanded Gamlen show her the will from her parents. It was a fight that had been building for a year, and Hawke sighed again as the bickering continued. She tried to change the subject with questions on the Amell family. "Why don't you talk about the Amells Mother?"

"My parents didn't approve of your father," Leandra explained. "The Amells always had a rough time among the nobles, having magic in their line. When I chose to be with your father, I was bringing more magic into the family. I think that's what hurt my parents the most."

Great, Hawke thought. More of my mother reminding me what a disgrace I am to the family by being born with magic. "Do you regret it Mother; leaving with Father?"

"I regret a lot of things," Leandra said looking sadly into the fire. "But will those regrets bring my parents back? Or your father? Or even Bethany, my darling baby girl..."

Hawke hated when she got like this. Perhaps it was their confined quarters, or their poor living conditions, or even the smell of Uncle Gamlen. She didn't know what it was that kept her mother in this state of depression.

Carver placed a hand on Hawke's shoulder, and they quietly went into the bedroom. "Mother gave me her old key to the estate. I say we search for the will. If we find it, maybe that will be the closure Mother needs from her old family."

Hawke took the key from her brother and felt the weight of it in her hand. "So we do this then. Break into our old family home. And then what?"

"I don't know," Carver said. "But we should try. For Mothers sake."

Dearest Father,

We broke into the old Amell estate. The basement has about a dozen rooms, three floors, I can't even imagine what the upstairs looks like! Barrels and barrels of wine that are aging...those alone could give us a fortune if we sold it. It felt good to rid the place of slavers; they had no right to be there.

We found the will and brought it to Mother. It was the first time I saw any determination on her face since we came to Kirkwall. The old estates owner died with no heir, so it's in the hands of the Viscount now. Mother's excited, even happier since she found out her parents didn't hate her. I don't know if I care for this new attitude in her. It seems she is more than willing to embrace the old life of an Amell and completely forget the name Hawke. When I asked her if we would've even come back here if it wasn't for the blight, she said no. If that's the case, then why is she so dead set now on getting her name back?

It feels like she's denying you. Denying her past. Denying her children. She told me Grandmother would've considered us mongrels, having you as a father. She also fell into her grief again just as quickly, blaming me for Bethany. Insisting there was something I should've done.

I never really thought about it before, but as Mother went on about Bethany, her precious daughter, old jealousy surfaced within me. I'm ashamed to admit this to you Father, but I have a lot of resentment towards you still. The twins came into the world and I felt like I was pushed aside sometimes. Of course the three of us studied magic together, but Bethany always got the extra attention. I almost feel if it were her writing you these letters, you would've already responded. You and Mother always showed the twins attention; I was now the one looking out for templars when I should've just been your daughter.

When we gave Mother the will, Carver attacked me when I supported her in reclaiming the home, stating I only cared about the estate because we are under templar scrutiny. How wrong he is Father! I could care less about the Amells or their estate. And Carver blames me for Bethany as well. He said I could've stopped the ogre. That we should've stood our ground and not run. He blames me for leaving Ferelden. He blames me for taking your attention. Like I blame you for giving it to him. It seems we all feel you gave the other more attention.

Are we all wrong? Or just missing you more and more these days? Except for Mother. She seems content to forget about you. I will never embrace the Amell name Father. Never.

We also found a letter in the old family vault. It led me to a mage named Tobrius. He told me that a templar helped you escape Kirkwall. You must have respected him well enough to name your first and only son after him. Faith in the templars, that's something you never shared with us Father. Be cautious, never let your guard down, they are not our friends. And now, years later I find this is not entirely true. And you are not here to question about it. How did you come to trust a templar? I would ask Mother, but she's busy staring at an old betrothal picture of herself. I guess she's wondering what might have been.

So am I.