Dearest Father,

There has been something on my mind that I have been meaning to talk to you about. I know I tend to ramble on about my day and the things that happen to me and around me, but this is pretty serious. I wanted to get it off my chest before we went into the Deep Roads.

Here's the thing...

"Hawke!" Varric interrupted her thoughts with the thud of a large sack being thrown on his table.

"Yes Varric?" she asked as she looked up from her letter writing.

Varric dumped the contents of the sack on to the table. "I know you said you were a little short on coin and we're out of jobs, so I thought maybe it was time to go through all of this junk you collected. I shit you not Hawke, there's a fortune to be made here!"

She placed the letter face down on his desk before joining him at the table. Several objects immediately caught her attention. "Uhm Varric? What are those three?" she asked pointing to three jars that appeared to be filled with dirt.

Varric picked up each one and looked at the writing on the bottom. "Something we probably should've returned a long time ago," he told her. "Come on Hawke, we have work to do."

Hawke laughed at the excited dwarf. "We? What work do we have to do?"

"Figure out who else you want to take along the way," Varric told her as he gathered the three jars. "You and I can run to the Chantry and the docks, but we'll need to go to Sundermount and I'd rather not travel outside Kirkwall with just us. Not that you aren't quite the skilled protector, but I like a little more meat between me and the bad guys."

"Always the flatterer," Hawke sighed. "Might as well take Isabela while we're here, and I'll see if Carver has had enough of Gamlen yet to get out of the house."

Varric couldn't help the broad smile on his face. "Hawke, if you tell your brother that Rivaini is going, I know he'll agree to come along no matter what he's doing."

Hawke secured her staff and the smaller sack that Varric had placed the jars in. "What do you know dwarf?" Hawke asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I only know what I see," he replied walking down the stairs. "And if I were a betting man, based on what I've seen my money's on Isabela."

Hawke shook her head trying to get rid of the image of Isabela and her brother. "Gross Varric, just gross."

Sorry for the interruption. Varric insisted we go immediately to return the remains of a few people I apparently had picked up along the way of my adventures. First we went to the Chantry to return the remains of Sister Plinth to Brother Plinth. Nice to bring family back to each other I suppose, even if in the form of ashes. To the docks next for some outlaw named "Bearded Beast" Arintal; his son appreciated the gesture. One more quick stop to Sundermount to deliver poor "Half-Braid" Silsam's remains to Eb Silsam and now the morning is almost over!

I have to quickly mention Carvers lame attempt at flirting with Isabela. Oh Father, he certainly didn't get his flirting skills from you according to Mother. He began asking Isabela about her ship, and when he got all tongue tied he mentioned how she must have handled a lot of men! Isabela called him on it immediately, telling him he was adorable for trying to find a topic for them to talk about. The teasing brought out a little fierceness in my dear brother and the two continued on. Not that I'd encourage Carver to do anything with Isabela, given her reputation, but it's nice to see that maybe he can have some fun. He hasn't even liked anyone since Peaches, and that always kind of worried me.

Anyway, back to what I was originally writing to you about. I talked to Anders about his plans for assisting the mages in Kirkwall, and he said...

"Hawke!"

She sighed as she dropped her quill and glared at the dwarf. "Yes Varric?"

"Time to go," he said as he loaded up another sack. "Quick trip to Hightown will get you two sovereigns!"

Hawke left her letter yet again to stand over Varric's table. "On top of what we made this morning? Wow Varric, you really do know all the odd jobs in the city."

"I told you Hawke, stick with me and you'll be rich before you know it." Varric handed her the pommel, a shawl, and two important looking stacks of documents. "Rivaini has your brother trapped in the corner downstairs, want to drag them along again?"

"Maker yes," Hawke stated throwing the items into her pack. "I don't trust them alone for five minutes!"

Varric laughed as he retrieved Bianca. "Oh don't worry Hawke, what's the worst that can happen? Rivaini as your sister-in-law?"

Hawke moaned at the thought as they walked down the stairs to the main room.

"You look like a man I once dueled," Isabela was saying as she sat close to Carver at the corner table. "He was a little intimidated by my reputation as a vicious pirate, but he...rose to the challenge so to speak."

Carver shifted in his chair and leaned closer to her. "He looked like me you say?"

"Mhmmm," she teased as she looked into his eyes. "It went on all night, under the stars, the waves lapping at our ankles..."

"Isabela!" Hawke called to her loudly even though her and Carver were within earshot. "Brother, let's go. More items to return to the helpless in Hightown."

"Not now sister," Carver said with gritted teeth, looking very annoyed that Hawke had disturbed them.

Isabela laughed at Carvers demeanor. "Come on sweet thing, we can talk more while we play backup to the lost and found. Besides, there's a new outfit I have been dying to buy in Hightown. You can help me fit into it if you'd like."

Carver's face flushed and Hawke groaned. Taking these two out today was not one of her best ideas, and she was quickly regretting the decision to have them continue on. Better they be with her to keep an eye on though she figured.

Did you know Carver visits the Blooming Rose? We just got back from delivering some shawl to a woman who works there, and Isabela said she saw him there the other night! He tried to get out of it of course but she tricked him into admitting it. Oh Father, I have gone wrong somewhere with that boy!

Okay, now that I have a moments peace let me try to continue to tell you what I have been wanting to tell you. I talked to Anders like I said, and he told me that...

"You really need to let me take care of that brother of yours," Isabela stated from the doorway into Varric's suite. "He's a lost puppy that needs some attention, and I am just the person to give it to him."

Hawke rested her forehead on the desk. "Maker, what have I done to deserve this?" she mumbled into the letter beneath her. She looked up at Isabela who entered the room and now sat on the table where Varric had more items spread out. "Isabela, please. He's my brother; I do not want to hear about this."

Isabela shrugged. "I could take care of you too ya know," she said in her sultry voice. "Now you and I...we could have so much fun!"

Varric coughed, interrupting the two. "Up for more coin Hawke? A trip to Darktown and Lowtown will knock out the rest of this stuff I think and bring you at least another five sovereigns."

"Fine," Hawke gave in, dropping her quill yet again. "Might as well see that friend of yours while we're in Lowtown."

"Dougal," Varric reminded her. "I don't think you'll need his services Hawke after we finish delivering these items to their owners. You should have plenty for the Deep Roads."

"Still," Hawke shrugged, "can't hurt to hear what he has to say. By the way, what are we delivering now?"

Varric handed her the pack of items. "Just some wine, a grimoire, and some other items that don't really need mentioning."

Hawke eyed him suspiciously. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Don't do it Hawke," he warned as she began opening the pack to inspect the items.

She nearly dropped the bag as she threw it back to the dwarf. "Varric! There's a toe in there! And it's hairy!"

"Just relax Hawke, nothing to get excited about," he said as he swung the pack over his shoulder. "The toe has been turned to stone. It won't bite you. And the hair belongs to someone else, we'll be returning that too."

"Ugh," she said disgusted. "Let's just get this over with."

I am exhausted Father. All of the traveling we did today, twelve random items I collected all returned to their rightful owners. I suppose it was worth it. Now we have more than enough for the expedition and I didn't need Dougal's help to finance it. I didn't trust him, and neither did Varric, so I guess it's a good thing I like to collect other people's junk.

"Don't write another word Hawke," Varric told her when he approached the desk.

Hawke released a half yawn, half sigh as she stretched her arms behind her back. "There can't possibly be anything else worth any value in that junk Varric. And I'm tired. I just want to finish this letter and go to bed."

Varric handed her a map of Kirkwall. "This needs to go back to the record keeper, Teryn, in the Gallows. You sure you don't have enough energy for one more trip?"

Hawke laughed at the mischievous grin on Varric's face. "You saved this for last on purpose didn't you, knowing I could never pass up an opportunity to go to the Gallows."

"Strange words coming from a mage," Varric stated. "Unless of course this has something to do with a certain templar you've been eying for the last few months?"

It had been some time since she had seen Cullen, and the idea of running into him caused her to smile. "Well, this map does look like it's very important. We really should return it."

"Mhmm," Varric agreed as he once again gathered his things. "Meet you downstairs Hawke."

Looks like I won't be finishing this letter after all Father. Maybe once we're in the Deep Roads I'll have a chance to tell you what I've been meaning to tell you. Until then, take care of Bethany. I'll talk to you tomorrow.