Cat stared at the blank page in front of her, unsure of what she should even say. Her friends had left her alone, after hearing her complain of cramping all morning, and she eventually decided to catch up on some letters.

The problem was, the letter she needed to answer was from Cullen's sister, Mia. Cat had already written three letters, which when she re-read, she had to crumple up and throw away.

It was either obvious that she was angry with Cullen, or she would try so hard not to mention him- leaving the letter sounding distant and fake. She was introduced to Mia as a friend of Cullen's, and that's how she wanted to sound. Doing otherwise would just cause Mia unnecessary worry.

The other problem, was that she was still angry… and it was hard to pretend otherwise.

So, she sat there, pouting, as she stared at the blank page, her thoughts stewing. Why can't he just think for himself?! Why is he following Meredith when he knows she's wrong?!

She scrubbed her hands over her face, knowing that as much as she wanted to blame Meredith, she couldn't- not completely. For all her faults, the Knight Commander had started out wanting to help keep others from the pain that she had suffered at the hands of an untrained mage when she was younger.

Her sister, or something like that… wasn't it? Cat asked herself. She wasn't entirely sure, as it had never mattered to her before, so she didn't bother to remember when she heard the story.

Shaking the thoughts of Meredith from her head, she leaned forward, putting her quill in the jar of ink. The only way to get the letter written, was to try again. And this time, she decided to just be honest… without giving away any particulars.

Dear Mia,

I am very glad that you like the present that I picked out. Although Kirkwall is not a high and mighty city, nor part of a large country like Ferelden, it is known to some that are outside of the Free Marches. You can easily brag about your brother being the Knight Captain of Kirkwall, knowing that some will at least know WHERE you are talking about.

And I agree with you, I think you and I will easily become friends. If I am ever in Ferelden again, I will make a point to come to South Reach, though I cannot promise anything now, as life is a little hectic.

I must disappoint you in your hopes of a union between your brother and I, for you see, I feel as though he is a brother to me as well. Family, not by blood, but by choice, though most see us as opposites. I am usually reckless and too emotional, while he is over protective and too logical.

Unfortunately, that can lead to… disagreements with each other, which is where we are right now. And, this one is lasting longer than usual, because I am just as stubborn, if not more, then he is. I won't go into many details, as I am sure we will work it out. We always do.

He is a good man, a kind and fair man, but being a templar... he sees people at their worst, at their most desperate. It cannot be easy for him, learning to mistrust others. And while we cannot see eye to eye all the time, I have told him simply to follow his heart- what he knows to be right.

I wish… that I could make things easier rather than more difficult- but I cannot change who I am.

Cat paused, looking over what she had written, then continued.

Wow… I did not mean for that to sound so dire. I apologize if I worried you. Each day, the tensions in this city between templars and mages grow, and it is affecting all of us…

The man I love is a mage.

Cat paused again, shaking her head. "I guess I'm going into details then?" she asked herself with a laugh.

Now you understand, yes? she wrote.

The two of them don't quite know what to do with each other, as Hawke has been named the city's Champion, and can practice magic openly, unlike most mages. That is not something that sits well with the templars, though Cullen seems to handle it better than most. And Hawke, being a mage outside of the circle- well, let's just say that me having a templar for a friend hasn't been easy for him either.

If that brought on a laugh, or at least a wry smile, then I believe we will not just be friends, but GOOD friends.

Now add in the fact that Hawke's group (of which I am part) are mercenaries- warriors and rogues that will take on almost any job around the city- and I believe you will understand what I mean when I say life is hectic.

Oh, the stories I could tell.

I won't though, as one of our group is an actual story teller, and I don't want to take on his role. He has been taking many notes through the years, and I feel like he may turn the story into a book at some point. Some things are almost too crazy to believe, which will make for a great adventure story!

I am sorry to keep this short. I would love to hear more about you and your family in your next letter. I do not know how I will manage to get Cullen to write you more as you asked, without either bribery or threats… but I promise, I will try!

Your friend,

Cat

She didn't think she had another draft in her after this one, so she avoided reading it again. She simply sprinkled the page with sand, letting it soak up the excess ink. Folding it quickly, and sealing it with wax, she put it aside.

She would write to a few of her own friends, before trying to write something to Cullen. It would be rude to send him a letter to send his sister without writing something to him at least, but she wasn't sure she could do it just yet.

"There is definitely something out there," Nathaniel murmured to Duran. "It's far too big to be anything else."

"I don't understand," Duran replied. "How can that large structure be the prison?"

Nathaniel looked behind him, just to be sure that the others couldn't overhear them. "Perhaps it is like the Peak, and the wardens used to live here? Used it as a base?"

Duran pulled on the end of his beard, not liking how the dry heat was making it feel so coarse. "I suppose that is possible," he responded. "But then that begs another question. If they did live here… why aren't they now?"

Nathaniel didn't answer, because he didn't have one to give. He was just as uneasy as Duran was, knowing what awaited them. "What should we tell the others?" he asked.

Duran looked off into the distance, the large buildings and walls in the valley below them. "We'll tell them what we can," he answered with a nod, then turned to walk back down the rocky slope they had climbed. "We'll rest here tonight, and enter the prison tomorrow."

"Ready or not," Nathaniel added, as he followed his commander.

"And which are you?" Duran asked, his lips twitching upwards.

"I don't know," Nathaniel replied wryly. "I thought I was prepared, but now I am not so sure."

Duran nodded, though he said nothing this time, and the pair made their way back to their group.

"Well?" Hawke asked, as they returned. "What is the verdict?"

"A few hours away," Duran replied, loudly enough for everyone to hear him. "I suggest we rest here tonight, and go in in the morning."

Hawke nodded. "We would be at a disadvantage if we entered a hostile fortress in the dark," he said, thinking it over. "The wiser course is to wait, though I admit I'd like to just burst in and demand some answers."

"Agreed," Carver added, his face determined.

"Now I know why you all are getting into so many fights," Alistair said, as he wiped the sweat from his face.

"You just want to stop so you can take off your armor and cool off," Carver jeered at him.

"I'm sweating just looking at you," Sebastian chimed in.

"Don't worry, Hawke is only reckless when it doesn't involve everyone else," Anders said, pulling off his pack. "With that sun, we won't get cool, but these rocks can keep us from getting burned. Although once darkness falls, you're all going to wish for the heat."

"The cliff will also block the smoke, so we can have a small fire at least," Nathaniel added. "There are miles of flat land before the fortress, so whoever is on watch will easily see anyone coming."

"And they'll see us too," Varric said with a frown. "Maybe we should get close once it gets dark, find a place to hide until morning. Then they won't know we're there until it is too late."

Hawke's thoughtful face turned into a grin. "I like the way you think, Varric."

"Why thank you, Hawke," he replied.

The wardens looked at each other, and finally Duran shrugged. "It's not a bad idea," he said. "We should get some rest now then. We'll be on the move once darkness falls."

Hawke nodded. "I'll keep watch," he offered moving to climb up the hill, as the others moved into the shade and pulled their packs off their shoulders.

"I don't know that anyone could sleep now," Sebastian said.

"Oh, I'll sleep alright," Nathaniel said, as he sat, leaning back onto his pack. He pulled a bandanna out of his pocket and covered his eyes with it.

Hawke's crew watched in fascination as Duran and Carver did the same, then looked to Alistair, who looked like he was trying to decide something.

"Are you going to sleep as well, Alistair?" Anders asked.

"Yes," the warden answered. "I'm just debating on whether I want to remove my armor. I'll be cooler, but then I'll have to put it all back on later."

"Perhaps I can help," Anders replied, reaching out to the man. Alistair frowned as Anders put his hand on his breastplate. He was surprised when he saw frost spread from the mage's hand and over his mail.

"It won't last too long in this heat, but should help you get comfortable," Anders said, removing his hand, and stepping away.

Already much cooler due to the chilled metal he was wearing, Alistair gave a relieved "Thank you!" and got into a similar position as his fellow wardens, quickly shutting his eyes, and practically dropping into an immediate sleep.

"I'm not sure whether to be impressed or not," Sebastian said with a smile.

"You learn to do everything quickly when you become a warden," Anders replied, and Varric wondered if he realized how the nostalgia colored his tone. "Sleeping, eating, fighting, travelling. Any moment may be your last."

"That is true of any warrior," Fenris pointed out.

"Yes, but… how do I explain this?" Anders wondered. "Being a warden, is like having a never ending job. Everyday, you push and strive to complete it, even knowing that your struggles do very little overall. You come to hope that what you do will make a difference, though you know it may very well not be in your lifetime."

Hawke and his crew looked over at the sleeping wardens, gaining a new insight into their lives. Hawke felt sorry for his brother, having basically decided on this life for him, though he knew he didn't really have another option besides death when Carver became slick with the taint.

And he understood, more so than even his crew did. Hawke struggled every day for his home, to make it a better place, to make a difference. There were times he wondered if he even could, times he got discouraged- when he felt like no matter what he did, the city and its people were doomed to suffer.

There were days, when he came home, and simply hoped that he had done something good, made a difference for at least one person that day.

And in that understanding, he suddenly felt very tired. "Seb?" he asked, and Sebastian turned to him.

"Yes, Hawke?"

"Since you can't sleep, can I trade you watch shifts?" he asked. "I'm suddenly feeling a need to rest."

"Certainly, Hawke," Sebastian replied.

"Thanks," Hawke said, as he mimicked the warden's positions, and closed his eyes. He decided to dream of Cat, and brought their last meeting to his mind. He probably would regret it later, but he began to anticipate all the things he could do when he saw her again, and how he could translate what he wanted to do with the new stipulations.

Without realizing it, he dropped into sleep.

Cat wasn't used to being alone for such extended periods of time, but she put the time to good use. She wanted to just go drop onto her bed, but knowing her own desire lately to simply shut down when things got difficult, she made herself continue. She wasn't willing to let it happen, not any more.

She strode into the large dining room that she and Fenris had made into their training room. There were homemade dummies stuffed with straw if she wanted a punching bag, or aiming practice. There were ropes hanging from the ceiling for her to climb, and even a few pulleys with rubble tied to the end of the rope so that they could do weight lifting.

Most of these were on one side of the room, with targets placed on the far wall, for dagger throwing or archery practice. The main part of the room was clear, for sparring and tumbling.

She wasn't sure what exactly she wanted now, but decided she should work on building her muscle back to where it was previously. It would help her feel stronger, obviously, but would also assist in her stamina.

She peeled off her clothes, and changed into a workout outfit. She had several such outfits, which were basically clothes that had been damaged, and then trimmed to what she needed.

She wore a pair of small shorts that were cut from an old pair of Anders' sleep pants- he had no need for them after all, and didn't even mention that they had gone missing- and a small tunic that she had cut the sleeves and midsection off of.

It wasn't spandex and a sports bra, but it did well enough.

She began with some deep breathing and a few yoga stretches to warm up, then moved on to her throwing knives. She knew once she did weight training, she wouldn't be able to aim well.

Disgusted quickly with how much she had lost in the last several weeks, she didn't bother going to collect the knives. She knew the sight of them in the wall and on the floor with not a single blade hitting the target would push her even when she wanted to give up.

Even still, she was surprised at how quickly she needed the motivation as she began trying to climb the ropes. Her arms were simply not doing what she knew she was capable of, and after the umpteenth time of falling on her ass, she glared at her new mortal enemy and swore up a storm.

Which is exactly how Isabela and Charade found her.

They had entered the house, and been drawn into the room from the sounds of grunts, groans, and curses. Normally, Isabela would have made some joke about catching Cat doing something naughty, but she was concerned enough to stay silent.

For a self professed narcissist, Isabela had a hard time speaking as she saw her friend push herself to overcome the effects of what she had been through the past few months.

Kitty is coming back… she thought, pride being the reason her eyes were shinning and she'd profess that to her grave if confronted over it.

She looked up at Charade as her hand was squeezed, and they smiled at each other, the smiles turning into grins at hearing Cat's expressive and creative curses to the rope.

"That poor rope, I bet it's shaking in fear now," Isabela drawled, smiling at the glare that Cat leveled at her.

"Finally decided to show up, have you?" Cat asked as she sneered at the rope.

"Sorry 'bout that," Isabela answered as she came into the room. "Need a break?"

"Yes, dammit," Cat replied, more angry at her lack of energy than anything else. She gave the rope one last evil glare, and flopped back to lay down.

"It takes time, don't get discouraged," Charade said kindly as she followed Isabela over to join Cat on the floor.

"More annoyed I'd say," Isabela added.

"You know me so well," Cat replied. "I'm annoyed that I can't just bounce back. What's the point of healing me if I'm still an invalid?"

Isabela rolled her eyes. "You're hardly an invalid Kitty," she said. "And you know healing only takes care of the surface damage."

"Yeah, yeah," Cat responded. But she sat back up, and began stretching out her arms to avoid cramping. "So, what kept you, Issy?"

"It looks like all the men still left, so hopefully we didn't cause too many problems," Isabela answered.

"Actually it worked out for the best," Cat told her. "But I'll explain after you tell me what happened with you two."

"Sailing is more fun then I thought it would be," Charade spoke up. "Though Captain Isabela is much different then the Bell I know."

"Oh?" Cat asked, smiling. "I didn't see too much of a difference when I sailed with her."

"Well, that was when the crew was already trained, wasn't it?" Charade asked, grinning. "This new bunch…" she gave a sigh. "Let's just say it'll take a lot of work still."

"So what happened?" Cat asked.

"Someone was trying to steal the ship out from under me," Isabela explained. "After we stopped the first attempt, Char convinced me that we wouldn't be able to stop the next. It was leave then, or forget the whole plan."

"Sorry to leave you all in a lurch," Charade said, looking guilty.

"It turned out all right, though we were concerned about you both, of course," Cat replied.

"Bell had gotten word that the ship she was buying was ready, and she had told me it would only be a few days to go there and back," Charade continued.

"Obviously something went awry," Cat pointed out.

"Sailing Castillon's ship with just the two of us, was probably the worst experience of my life," Isabela groaned. "Don't get me wrong, Char is fun to have around-"

"But I had no idea what I was doing," Charade interrupted. "Bell had to stay up the entire journey, explaining how to do things, redoing them when I couldn't get it right. I mostly just held ropes."

"Ooh…" Cat murmured in sympathy. "But did she ever throw you overboard?" she asked.

"Not yet," Isabela replied. "Though I was sorely tempted a few times."

Charade chuckled, and continued. "It took days longer than I thought, but the sale of each boat went smoothly, since Bell wouldn't let either man try to cheat her. And since the one she bought was a bit smaller, she had enough to hire on a few men for the return journey."

"Novices, all of 'em," Isabela said. "But I'll whip 'em into shape."

"Of that I have no doubt," Cat replied. "How's the ship itself?"

"Solid," Isabela answered. "Changes needed are mostly surface- needs a better sail, and the captain's quarters are ghastly. There isn't a spot of color… and no luxuries at all."

"So our captain here decided to base out of Kirkwall for the time being, take a few jobs to nearby ports in order to get the money to fix those," Charade said.

"And give you a chance to get the crew used to taking your orders," Cat said in understanding.

"Exactly," Isabela agreed with a nod. "They're young, and for the most part eager to learn."

"Especially after she sent this big fella overboard. He's been much more amenable since," Charade said with a snicker.

"That's the point, right?" Cat asked, knowing her friend's tactics. "And he'll be a leader to the others now."

"You got it," Isabela replied. "So, tell us what's been going on here."

"Well, I'm honestly not sure where to begin," Cat mused.

"Juicy stuff first," Isabela suggested.

"Well," Cat said, leaning forward eagerly. "I'm assuming you knew about Fenris' joining in on Zev's time with Nyssa?" she asked.

Both ladies gave a nod, and Cat raised her eyebrows at Charade.

"Bell insists on swapping stories with Zevran, even if I am right there beside her," she explained dryly. "Says it gives her ideas."

"Of course she does," Cat rolled her eyes. "Anyway, Zev isn't one to settle in one place for long, and he was getting twitchy about moving on. Though, in my opinion, they were getting serious, and he was just scared."

Isabela gave Cat a skeptical look. "Not everyone wants what you have Kitty," she said. "For some, love isn't part of the life they are looking to have."

Cat smirked at her. "Love wasn't what I wanted if you'll remember," she pointed out. "You were part of pushing me back to Hawke."

"Really?" Charade asked Isabela.

"All right, yes, but only because she wouldn't sleep with anyone else," Isabela said.

"I can see how that would be concerning to you," Charade laughed.

"This is about Zevran, not me," Isabela protested.

"Right," Cat said with a laugh. "The point is, he decided he was leaving, so he tried to make it easier by being awful and making everyone mad at him. It seemed to really eat at him, and he ended up leaving that night."

"So he didn't go with Hawke?" Isabela asked, and Cat shook her head.

"The morning they were leaving, Merrill spoke with the warden commander, and discovered that she wouldn't be able to fix her mirror, no matter how she tried," Cat continued. "Long story short, he had found the friend she has been searching for, and he was dead."

"Oh, poor Merrill," Charade murmured.

"She has been grieving, but now is trying to decide what to do with herself," Cat said. "It doesn't sound like she wants to go back to her clan though."

"I think that would be hard, after living apart from them for so long," Isabela agreed.

"However," Cat continued, "she did say she needs to take care of the demon that's up there. I'm not certain if she will wait for Hawke to return or not, as it would kill her if something happened to one of the clan."

"I can help with that if needed," Isabela offered, looking to Charade. "If the pay is right."

"She means, WE can," Charade corrected. "I'll help too, but I'll settle for a meal as payment. The rations on the ship weren't bad, but I'd love something fresh."

"You can eat here anytime you like," Cat offered. "Especially since the men are gone."

"What was that wistful tone I just heard?" Isabela asked, searching Cat's face. "Did something happen with Hawke?"

Cat flushed slightly. "I suppose you could say that," she replied. "We're going to experiment when he gets back… try to be together without me having a panic attack." She gave them a grin. "Our goodbye took longer than we originally thought."

Isabela hooted, and made a couple of guesses as to why, that had Cat in shock at the audacity. "Are you joking? While everyone was in the next room?!" she exclaimed.

"I think it's lovely," Charade comforted. "That he's so understanding, and you are able to work through this together."

"I'm sure I don't have to tell you not to push yourself into something you aren't ready for," Isabela added. "But what brought this on?" she asked. "Last I heard, you couldn't stand to be near him, and he was doing everything he could to not think about you."

"Neither of those were helping, though, were they?" Cat said with a guilty expression. "I got a guilt trip from Nate, and a hug from Al…" she said. "That gave me an idea or two, which I ran by Hawke before he left. He seemed to like them."

"I'm surprised that Aunt Leandra hasn't been trying to push you two to get married though," Charade spoke up. "It feels like she won't let herself marry Lord Henley until she ensures that Garrett is settled down."

"Oh believe me, she has," Cat replied sardonically. "I try to explain why it won't happen, but she acts like she doesn't hear a word. She keeps saying that she'll get Garrett straightened out." She gave a sigh. "I think we all know now where he gets his stubbornness.

"But I digress, I was just getting to the best part."

Cat could tell she had caught their interest, so she continued. "Fenris stayed behind, saying he would wait for you two to show up, and then catch up to the others. He could tell that Hawke and Duran wanted to get going."

"And Hawke was okay with that?" Isabela asked with a frown.

"Well, as far as we knew, the two of you were just running late," Cat replied. "We sat in the Hanged Man- Nyssa was there too- and waited. We were just speaking of going home, when I recognized someone."

"Who?" they asked at the same time.

"She was an elf, and I say recognized, but it was more that she looked familiar," Cat corrected herself, wanting to curse again at her blunder. "She looked very similar to Fenris, and since he had invited his sister to come…"

She told them the story of Fenris, his sister, and the subsequent fight. She must have done a good job, as they were hanging on her words, and Charade even gasped when she spoke of Zevran bursting into the room at just the right moment.

"So that's how Fenris got those tattoos, huh?" Isabela asked. "Strange that we've never seen the like before, or since."

"From what Varania told us, it sounded like a very lengthy process, as well as dangerous. Most of the original slaves they tested it on didn't survive," Cat replied.

"It must have been very expensive too," Charade added.

"What makes you say that?" Cat asked, intrigued.

"Well, this Danarius has gone to a lot of trouble, not to mention expense, to track down what was, to him, a runaway slave." She looked at Isabela. "Didn't you say he has been chasing him for years?"

"Something like that, yes," Isabela answered. "Though we think he was just biding his time."

"Even so, why not just perform this ritual again, gain more servants with these powerful abilities?" she asked. "It seems like that wasn't truly an option."

"Hmm," Cat mused. "There was mention of a partner as well, someone that helped it be successful."

"If that's true, then even if Danarius is dead, there could either be more people after Fenris, or more slaves going to be put through what Fenris was," Charade replied.

"I don't like either of those options," Cat frowned.

"You said his sister went back to the Imperium?" Isabela asked, giving a lazy stretch as she rested back on her elbows.

"Yeah," Cat replied.

"Well then, maybe she can look into it, see what rumors are going around," Isabela suggested.

"Issy… that's a good idea!" Cat exclaimed. "We could get intel on this before it becomes a problem!"

"Are you so sure it will be one?" Charade asked.

"No, of course not, but better safe than sorry," Cat answered, her mind whirling with possibilities. "In fact, we know someone else that lives in the Imperium, and he owes me a favor." She gave a smile, and started to get to her feet. "I'll write to both Varania and Feynriel right away!"

Isabela and Charade exchanged a glance and a smirk, then got up to follow Cat. "Kitty, what about Leliana?" Isabela asked. "She didn't stay to spend time with you?"

Cat glanced back, even as she moved towards her room. "She was going to, but she received a summon from the Divine," she explained. "I told you the Mother she was working with became the Divine, right?"

"I must have missed that conversation," Isabela said in surprise.

"Well it's not common knowledge," Cat replied. "Leli said she would try to come back and visit after whatever job the Divine has for her. Though I hope we're not in the middle of something when that happens, again."

"Everything seems to be gathering," Isabela nodded. "Like… I don't know… like clouds do before a big storm."

"Tensions are running high," Charade agreed.

"We'll weather it, don't worry," Cat said, giving Isabela a smile, and trying to sound confident, though Isabela rolled her eyes at the pun. She learned early on that Charade shared Hawke's joke telling abilities.

But Isabela could see the fear, and the way Charade looked away in that moment. It didn't help her feel better. She followed Cat into the bedroom, and seeing the crumpled up pieces of paper, she gave Cat a smirk.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say Anders was in here making changes to his manifesto," she teased.

Cat glanced at the mess. "Nothing quite so noble," she replied. "I was finally able to reply to Cullen's sister's letter, but I'm having a hard time writing one to him."

"Why write to him at all?" Isabela frowned. "I thought you didn't want to see him any more."

"It's far more complicated than that," Cat murmured, then raised her voice again as she answered. "Cullen is the one that sends the letters," she explained. "I can't just have a messenger deliver this to him without giving a note as to what it is, or they'll all feel the need to read it."

Isabela rolled her eyes. "Hand it over," she said, putting her hand out.

"What? Why?" Cat asked.

"I'll deliver it, and tell him what it is," she replied. "I don't want you apologizing first to him, not after what he said about Hawke."

"You're more forgiving than I," Charade muttered.

"I'm not forgiving at all," Isabela responded. "But Cat won't be able to send a mean note, so she'll end up apologizing or forgiving him when he doesn't deserve it. This way, he knows what it is, and I get to get a few jabs in."

"Not literally," Cat demanded, and Isabela sighed.

"Fine," she said, feeling put out. "But for the record, I wasn't going to use my dagger… probably."

"There's been no movement for hours," Nathaniel reported.

"Nothing about this place seems dwarven," Carver commented. "So what are carta dwarves doing living here?"

"Carta dwarves aren't your average dwarves," Varric said, deciding to enlighten the boy. "They're more criminals and smugglers then anything else, so they'll use any base they can if it means keeping a low profile." He looked around at the vast nothingness of the wastes surrounding the fortress. "And this is about as low profile as it gets."

Varric glanced over at Hawke. "The strange part, is that my contacts didn't know anything about this place, which is why we had to have someone follow the dwarves that attacked you. It's not on maps, which makes it invisible… and while I'm sure the carta loves that…it's unusual."

"Does it even matter?" Carver asked as he moved in between the pair to look out at the buildings. "We're just here to stop the attacks."

Varric gave a shrug. "Fair point."

"So what's the plan then?" Nathaniel asked, looking to Duran.

"Knowing us, it's probably all a misunderstanding," Alistair spoke up sarcastically. "We'll have tea later and laugh about this."

Hawke grinned, enjoying the warrior's humor, and Varric picked it up from there, just as he would have with Hawke.

"Oh, your name is Hawke?" he asked, impersonating one of the enemies. "I thought it was Locke! Heh, heh, heh!" he chuckled, as the other two joined in.

Carter, not wanting to be left out, tried to follow along. "Yes, we were looking for some other combination of general and ringmaster!"

There was silence, as the three looked at Carver and then each other. Duran took pity on his warden, and cleared his throat.

"Ahem, so then, we've noticed that there isn't anything keeping us out… I say we just walk up there and get some answers."

"Best idea I've heard," Fenris replied, as he started walking towards the open walls of the fortress.

"Come on then, we'd better keep up," Hawke said. "Fenris can be reckless when it comes to fighting." Fenris glanced back to Hawke with a look, but kept moving forward.

The group left their packs hidden where they had waited the night, and took only their weapons and armor along. One way or another, they decided that this was ending, today.

Hawke noticed that Duran was lagging behind, and glancing back, saw that he was intent on bringing up the rear. Hawke quickened his pace, determined to lead the group in, and he gave his brother a smirk as Carver kept pace with him, just as when they were kids.

Walking alongside Fenris, he deliberately slowed his stride as they entered the outskirts of the buildings, and was happy that Fenris took the cue and slowed as well. The last thing he wanted was to lead them into an ambush before they could see it.

"They have to know we are here," he commented. "Are they simply waiting until we go where they want us?"

"Should we spread out?" Anders asked from behind him.

"We don't want to be too close, otherwise a well aimed attack could take everyone out in one shot," Sebastian warned.

"Fan out," Hawke replied. "But don't get too far."

Hawke and Carver stayed in the middle of the path, as Fenris and Nathaniel moved out to the left, and Alistair and Varric to the right. Sebastian stayed behind Hawke to provide support, and Anders moved with Duran, looking over the entire area, and watching their backs.

Moving through what could have once been a building, but was now simply walls, the group was cautiously heading toward the main fortress.

"Was this a building?" Carver asked. "Or simply used for cover in case of attack?"

"I doubt we'll ever truly know," Hawke replied as he looked around. "It's extremely old."

"Most likely the outer most defenses," Duran spoke up. You can see for miles from here, and yet are covered as well. Many warden outposts are set up like this."

"You think that's what this was originally?" Hawke asked, as he examined the walls around him. He noted that they were about to exit the area and ahead was very open. "Well men, we're about to lose our cover, but I see a gate up ahead."

"Be careful," Duran spoke quietly. "I can sense the taint, though it is weak."

"Agreed," Alistair said.

"I…" Nathaniel looked confused. "Perhaps?" he said, unsure of what he was feeling.

"I am uncertain," Anders admitted. "But if it is the taint… it is most likely not from other wardens."

"Understood," Hawke replied, determined, as he moved forward again.

Weapons were still sheathed, but hands were rested on them, in case they needed to be drawn. Alistair could feel the mana from both mages at the ready, and it made him slightly twitchy. He wondered if he would ever completely rid himself of his templar training.

The group had to move closer to each other again, as the doorway out of the building was small. They exited, keeping their eyes peeled for a trap, and stopped as they saw a lone dwarf walking towards them.

He looks… sick, Hawke thought, taking in the dwarf's appearance. His eyes were filmy white, and he seemed to have sores all over his face.

"You."

The dwarf looked at Hawke, and then Carver. "Both brothers. You're here! You've come!"

Instead of looking excited, he seemed nervous, his hands moving in odd patterns, but not able to stay still.

"Is he referring to you and me?" Carver asked quietly, frowning at the dwarf.

"Really Carver?" Hawke replied, glancing at him in disbelief. "Do you really think he's talking about anyone else?"

"Well, no," Carver muttered.

Hawke rolled his eyes, even as the dwarf began calling on others that were behind him, and they surged forward. "It's the children of Malcolm Hawke!" the dwarven leader called. "They've come to us!"

The brothers looked at each other in surprise. "Why would he mention Father?" Carver asked. "Do you think he crossed the carta somehow?"

"Let's find out," Hawke replied, glaring out at the carta dwarves that had started to gather, though they didn't drop the weapons they were carrying. Hawke was fairly certain they would attack, and he was happy to oblige- but he wanted answers first.

"What does our father have to do with this?!" he demanded.

The sick looking dwarf gave an eerie smile. "It started with him, and ends with you," he told them. "Blood for blood, is what we were told." He looked back and forth between them. "One or both, it matters not to us."

"How could I refuse such a delightful invitation?" Hawke asked, as he stepped forward a step, wanting to keep the focus on him, and let his people get into position.

"We must have the blood!" the dwarf cried, getting agitated. "You don't understand!" He signaled those behind him, and several dwarves that looked similarly afflicted flanked him, weapons and shields at the ready.

"So much for talking then?" Carver asked his brother.

"I'd say we've concluded negotiations, unless you'd like to offer your blood?" Hawke replied.

"No, I think I'll keep it where it is, thanks," Carver answered.

The carta dwarf was shaking, his gestures to his men wild and uncontrolled. "WE WILL TAKE IT!" he screamed, pulling his own daggers out, and throwing down a smoke bomb to disappear into stealth.

"Nathaniel, you've got the leader!" Hawke called, pushing Carver forward since he was more heavily armored. "We're moving into the open!" he called to his men, as he and Carver moved forward towards the gate, hopefully to draw the rest of the dwarves into showing themselves.