Dearest Father,

As I promised Merrill, we went to the Hanged Man to see if Varric had any new work for us. Anders was there, the two of them deep in their discussion about the Black Marsh. I remember the stories you used to tell me of that place, how haunted it was. I can't imagine Anders had actually been there, and I would've loved to have heard all about it. When he saw Merrill and I coming up the stairs however, Anders made a quick departure.

I can't help but feel like he's been avoiding me since the last time we spoke. I haven't heard if the potion he was creating was a success, and I still have no idea what he was doing in the Chantry when he had me distract Elthina. I assumed he would come to me when he was ready to talk about it, or fill me in, but his exit upon my entrance has me wondering if there's more going on than he's telling me. Carver used to say that sometimes my curiosity got the better of me, and often it's best not to know the truth about everything. Perhaps in this case he's right, and I should just leave it alone.

Varric didn't have anything for us to do, only a warning of the inevitable fight on the horizon. Trouble is brewing he said, Kirkwall seems to be in love with crisis, and it's only a matter of time before the next wave hit. I'd be more than happy to stay out of whatever it is, but I have this horrible feeling that I'm going to be at the center of it.

We spent the rest of the afternoon chatting and drinking, and then Varric and I walked Merrill home. She was a bit tipsy, and still after all these years finds herself lost, so we thought it best to escort her. Varric then insisted on walking me home as well. "There are plenty of people who'd love to take a shot at the Champion," he reminded me. He's sweet, but overprotective at times. I've walked around this city alone for years, I don't feel being Champion has made me any less of a target than I already was with the feathers I've ruffled.

Turns out it wasn't a bad idea on his part, as we arrived home to find Talyn barking up a storm in the bedroom.

"That ruckus has been going on for some time," Bodahn explained when they walked in the front door. "Can you go calm him down?" Sandal, standing beside his father, imitated the dog with a series of barking noises.

Varric looked up at Hawke. "I know you Ferelden's have a thing about Marbaris, but if I had to listen to that all day, Bianca would get twitchy."

"You'd shoot my dog?" Hawke asked as they made their way up the stairs. "Try it and Bianca will have an unfortunate accident with a sledgehammer."

Varric gasped. "You wouldn't."

Hawke laughed. "No, of course not. Just like you wouldn't hurt Talyn, even though that noise is piercing my ears."

They entered the bedroom to find Hawke's Mabari barking incessantly at her wardrobe cabinet. "Offended by your fashion sense?" Varric asked. "Or lack thereof."

"Forgive me for not being up on the latest apostate fashion out of Orlais," Hawke said as she knelt beside the dog, who was now growling angrily. "Easy boy. What is it? Something in there?"

Talyn continued to bark, keeping his eyes on the cabinet.

"Alright then," Hawke replied as she stood. "Shall we have a look?"

"Please don't open the door," a muffled man's voice came from within the cabinet.

"Hmm," Varric said. "Doesn't sound like anyone we know."

"Only one way to find out," Hawke said, opening the door against the occupant's wishes. "Good boy Talyn! You've caught a burglar!"

A scruffy looking man with a scared expression hesitated on exiting the cabinet as Talyn continued to growl. "My legs were cramping in there, thank the Maker you've come. Just let me go, I promise not to bother you again."

"You really expect me to just let you walk out of here?" Hawke asked the intruder.

"Please serah," the man begged. "I was seduced by crime at a very young age. "But your guard-monster has scared me towards a path of honest work!"

"If he's being honest, I'm the Queen of Ferelden," Varric stated.

Hawke released a small sigh. "Get out of here," she told the stranger. "Don't let it happen again, or next time I'll make sure Talyn is good and hungry."

"Thank you Champion, for sparing my miserable life," the man said as he ran from the bedroom.

"Well, that was exciting," Varric said as they followed the man downstairs to make sure he left without incident. "We should probably look into how he got in here in the first place."

Hawke shrugged as she walked toward the desk and browsed some of the letters waiting for her. "Any number of ways I'm sure," she said, distracted by one letter in particular.

"Find something interesting?" Varric asked. Hawke handed him the parchment and he read it aloud. "'I require your assistance in a matter of great urgency. Please report to the Templar Hall in the Gallows at your earliest convenience. Sincerely, Knight-Commander Meredith.' Sincerely, yeah right. Sounds like a trap to me."

Hawke laughed. "What, you're thinking she'd invite me to the Gallows only to lock me up?"

"I wouldn't put it past her," Varric said. "My curiosity however is getting the better of me. You should bring me along, as well as Aveline; less likely to be locked up with the Captain of the Guard beside you. And perhaps you should bring Sebastian as well."

Hawke raised a brow at his last suggestion. "Really? Sebastian? And why is that Varric?"

"Oh, you know, a representative of the Chantry can be a good reminder that Meredith isn't as in power as she thinks she is," Varric said. "He'll keep her humble. She can't misbehave knowing he'll report back to Elthina if she does."

Hawke shook her head. "I don't know Varric," she said. "Sebastian and I haven't really spoken since the whole 'mages will bring down Kirkwall' argument."

"Maybe this is your chance to prove he's wrong," Varric told her. "You're a mage, yet you're coming to the aid of the Knight-Commander who, for the record, is asking you to do so. And besides, you can't avoid him forever."

"No?" Hawke asked. "I wasn't going for forever, but maybe a little more than a week. He's made no effort to seek me out since his return, so it's clear to me he's not interested in a reconciliation."

"The only thing clear in this situation is how stubborn you both are," Varric stated. "You think he hates you because he's protecting Elthina after Leliana's warning, so you're avoiding him. He thinks you hate him for the kiss and run he pulled, so he's avoiding you."

"Sounds about right," Hawke acknowledged.

Varric shook his head. "I'm inviting him to come along, and when it's all over, I'm locking you two in a room together until your sort this out."

Hawke sighed. "Fine. Just make sure there's plenty of food and water," she told him. "There's no telling how long that may take."

"As long as it's resolved one way or the other, take all the time you need," Varric said. "Though it would be nice to see you kids work it out, Maker knows you two have danced around the inevitable outcome long enough."

"And what outcome is that?" Hawke asked out of curiosity.

"That you'll live happily ever after and rule the world," Varric said with a smile. "Or at least Kirkwall and Starkhaven."

"You have big dreams for us Varric," Hawke said. "But I do appreciate the effort. You're a good friend."

Varric smiled. "Tell me something I don't know."