Pathways
Endings
They decided to split up after Sebastian took off, cover more ground and rescue as many people as they could as they headed to the Gallows. Aveline headed the long route near the Alienage, Isabela, Merrill, and Varric with her, leaving Eldrun with Fenris, Anders, Aren, and Zevran. Butler and Dagger had found their mistress and master, both mabaris having calmed considerably at doing so.
At this point, Aren figured they must have taken out dozens of shades. They had done a sweep to check up with Aveline as she headed into Darktown, agreeing to meet at the Gallows when the opportunity arose. Eldrun was desperate to check on his uncle, but blocking their path was an ongoing fight with yet another group of shades and panicked mages, flashes of silver and blue armor stark against the dark creatures.
Wait. Silver and blue armor?
Aren cursed, charging into the fray against Eldrun's call to hold on. She threw ice at the shade cornering one of her Wardens, annoyance at finding them in Kirkwall evident. "What in the Fade are you lot doing here!?"
"Commander!" She groaned. So that's why. The last shade fell to Eldrun's fireball as the younger Hawke brother approached her, looking at least slightly contrite. "I'm sorry, the company deviated when we saw the Chantry, and I feared-"
"You feared what, boy?" she snapped, staff clicking back into its holster on her back. "You were on a mission, one I gave your company myself, and you deviated?" She pinched the bridge of her nose as Eldrun came up to them, worry and relief at war on his face. Carver gave him a lopsided smile. Zevran just laughed at her. "Fine. Company, move out. Carver, stay with your brother if you so chose, but Maker help me, when we leave here you are on chamber pot duty for three weeks. And that includes Oghren's."
Carver paled a little, but nodded. Zevran laughed again. "Thank you, Commander. I was not expecting the leniency."
Aren sighed. "I'm angry with you, do not doubt that, but I understand needing family. I won't hold that against you. I'd be a hypocrite if I did." She refused to let her eyes wander to her Crow, but the meaning was there nonetheless.
Carver confirmed Gamlen had run quite some time ago, much to Eldrun's relief, and the party left for the docks.
- - - - - - -
The tension was as thick as Redcliffe castle the night before she took down the Archdemon. Zevran had not left her side since arriving at the Gallows, and even now he kept his arm touching hers as everyone said their goodbyes. Anders stood closer to them than the group he had known over the years, but she didn't blame him. He'd damned them all, and he knew it.
Carver was red as wine at some story Isabela was telling him, Varric and Merrill making plans to visit some foreign country once this was all over. Fenris and Eldrun had not let go of each other once they'd stepped off the boat, and she couldn't blame them.
Fenris had a grip on the Champion's hip, foreheads touching as Eldrun ran his hands along the elf's arms. "Hawke, I...may not get the chance to say this again." His voice was quiet; the mage wagered he wouldn't hear him if he were another inch away. "Meeting you was the most important thing that ever happened to me, Eldrun." One steel-covered hand came up and rested on the Champion's jaw, green eyes rising to meet blue. "Promise me you won't die? I can't bear the thought of living without you."
Eldrun tugged his lover even closer, as if by some force of magic he could make them one being. "I don't make that promise unless you do," he growled.
"Nothing is going to keep me from you," he growled in return, voice dropping as he gripped the back of Eldrun's head, pulling him into a fierce kiss. Whistles went up from Isabela and Carver squawked to get a room, but neither man could bring themselves to care, not when they feared they may lose their world from the safety of their arms.
Aren could relate, smiling at the two after they broke apart. Zevran shifted to pull her in by her hips, touching his nose to her temple. They'd said goodbye too many times; they'd simply see each other on the other side, no matter what happened.
- - - - - - -
It was over.
Orsino, dead by blood magic. She should have figured. Meredith fell to a craze from the red lyrium the Champion found in the Deep Roads, frozen into a statue at the center of the Gallows. The templars had backed away, unwilling to go near the several mages coming down from a battle high.
Except Cullen. He recognized her instantly - then again, her hair made her hard to miss - and sheathed his sword. "I will not let anyone here follow you."
Eldrun blinked. "What?" His hands were shaking, pupils blown wide from the amount of lyrium potions he'd gone through to keep up with the fight. Fenris was at his side instantly, a hand on his back to steady the taller mage. She doubted she looked much better.
Cullen spared a glance at the Champion, then refocused to Aren. "Surana. I will not make my offer twice. I will take over as Knight-Commander, and I will not let them chase you."
She nodded, sheathing her staff and turning towards the massive Gates that guard the Gallows, Zevran at her heels. Fenris looped Eldrun's arm over his shoulder to guide him out. Merrill supported a limping Isabela, and Carver and Varric walked alongside Aveline and her husband , who had joined in the middle of fighting Meredith, exhaustion written on everyone's face. Anders followed behind quietly.
A ship was procured, and Aveline, Varric, and Carver set off to retrieve the belongings they could for the party. Anders was checking over and healing what injuries he could, such as Isabela's concussion and Zevran's broken arm, but Fenris would not let him near Eldrun.
Aren sighed. "Move over you stubborn elf," she ordered. He glared at her. "You won't let Anders help. I can at least heal a concussion and give him something for the lyrium haze. It'll fade in a few hours." Fenris scowled at her, but moved to Eldrun's left, arm still wrapped around the mage's shoulder to support him. Aren rested her hands against the man's temples, channeling what remaining energy she had into healing magic. His eyes slid shut as soft blue enveloped her hands, the coolness of the magic bringing welcome relief.
She stood back as he opened his eyes. "Thank you, Commander." She nodded, walking over to Zevran and leaning against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her.
It wasn't long before the rest of the party returned, mostly with Varric's notes and things from Hawke's estate - gold, his mother's jewelry, a few books and ledgers, and a note from Bodhan that he'd taken Sandal and left at the first sign of trouble, and that he hopes Eldrun and Fenris stay safe.
Isabela led them onto a ship, and settled in as a natural captain.
- - - - - - -
Merrill and Varric got off at a Free Marches city that wasn't Starkhaven - Aren couldn't remember the name of it as she bid them goodbye. She could tell Anders longed to depart, maybe to take a ship to Tevinter from there, but knew he stood no chance against the Hero of Ferelden's wrath.
Aveline and Donnic said their goodbyes next, preparing to ferry into Orlais where they hoped to find guard work or to help at the Chantry. Eldrun looked like he wanted to cry when Aveline left his line of sight; she and Carver were all he had left of his small, original family unit when they ran from the Blight.
Isabela finally arrived at the port closest to Amaranthine. Aren smiled at the sight of her Keep in the distance, feeling a certain balance restored in herself. She had a mess to sort out and a trial to arrange with Anders, and she was certain she would be flooded with questions from a desperate Nathaniel Howe, and likely a tongue lashing from Velanna for taking so long and leaving her to deal with humans and their politics and not writing a single letter.
She knew war was coming, one that would change the course of the world. But she had her Crow, and she had the support of the Champion and all of Ferelden behind her.
Together, they'd meet this war, and they would bring it down.
At this point, Aren figured they must have taken out dozens of shades. They had done a sweep to check up with Aveline as she headed into Darktown, agreeing to meet at the Gallows when the opportunity arose. Eldrun was desperate to check on his uncle, but blocking their path was an ongoing fight with yet another group of shades and panicked mages, flashes of silver and blue armor stark against the dark creatures.
Wait. Silver and blue armor?
Aren cursed, charging into the fray against Eldrun's call to hold on. She threw ice at the shade cornering one of her Wardens, annoyance at finding them in Kirkwall evident. "What in the Fade are you lot doing here!?"
"Commander!" She groaned. So that's why. The last shade fell to Eldrun's fireball as the younger Hawke brother approached her, looking at least slightly contrite. "I'm sorry, the company deviated when we saw the Chantry, and I feared-"
"You feared what, boy?" she snapped, staff clicking back into its holster on her back. "You were on a mission, one I gave your company myself, and you deviated?" She pinched the bridge of her nose as Eldrun came up to them, worry and relief at war on his face. Carver gave him a lopsided smile. Zevran just laughed at her. "Fine. Company, move out. Carver, stay with your brother if you so chose, but Maker help me, when we leave here you are on chamber pot duty for three weeks. And that includes Oghren's."
Carver paled a little, but nodded. Zevran laughed again. "Thank you, Commander. I was not expecting the leniency."
Aren sighed. "I'm angry with you, do not doubt that, but I understand needing family. I won't hold that against you. I'd be a hypocrite if I did." She refused to let her eyes wander to her Crow, but the meaning was there nonetheless.
Carver confirmed Gamlen had run quite some time ago, much to Eldrun's relief, and the party left for the docks.
- - - - - - -
The tension was as thick as Redcliffe castle the night before she took down the Archdemon. Zevran had not left her side since arriving at the Gallows, and even now he kept his arm touching hers as everyone said their goodbyes. Anders stood closer to them than the group he had known over the years, but she didn't blame him. He'd damned them all, and he knew it.
Carver was red as wine at some story Isabela was telling him, Varric and Merrill making plans to visit some foreign country once this was all over. Fenris and Eldrun had not let go of each other once they'd stepped off the boat, and she couldn't blame them.
Fenris had a grip on the Champion's hip, foreheads touching as Eldrun ran his hands along the elf's arms. "Hawke, I...may not get the chance to say this again." His voice was quiet; the mage wagered he wouldn't hear him if he were another inch away. "Meeting you was the most important thing that ever happened to me, Eldrun." One steel-covered hand came up and rested on the Champion's jaw, green eyes rising to meet blue. "Promise me you won't die? I can't bear the thought of living without you."
Eldrun tugged his lover even closer, as if by some force of magic he could make them one being. "I don't make that promise unless you do," he growled.
"Nothing is going to keep me from you," he growled in return, voice dropping as he gripped the back of Eldrun's head, pulling him into a fierce kiss. Whistles went up from Isabela and Carver squawked to get a room, but neither man could bring themselves to care, not when they feared they may lose their world from the safety of their arms.
Aren could relate, smiling at the two after they broke apart. Zevran shifted to pull her in by her hips, touching his nose to her temple. They'd said goodbye too many times; they'd simply see each other on the other side, no matter what happened.
- - - - - - -
It was over.
Orsino, dead by blood magic. She should have figured. Meredith fell to a craze from the red lyrium the Champion found in the Deep Roads, frozen into a statue at the center of the Gallows. The templars had backed away, unwilling to go near the several mages coming down from a battle high.
Except Cullen. He recognized her instantly - then again, her hair made her hard to miss - and sheathed his sword. "I will not let anyone here follow you."
Eldrun blinked. "What?" His hands were shaking, pupils blown wide from the amount of lyrium potions he'd gone through to keep up with the fight. Fenris was at his side instantly, a hand on his back to steady the taller mage. She doubted she looked much better.
Cullen spared a glance at the Champion, then refocused to Aren. "Surana. I will not make my offer twice. I will take over as Knight-Commander, and I will not let them chase you."
She nodded, sheathing her staff and turning towards the massive Gates that guard the Gallows, Zevran at her heels. Fenris looped Eldrun's arm over his shoulder to guide him out. Merrill supported a limping Isabela, and Carver and Varric walked alongside Aveline and her husband , who had joined in the middle of fighting Meredith, exhaustion written on everyone's face. Anders followed behind quietly.
A ship was procured, and Aveline, Varric, and Carver set off to retrieve the belongings they could for the party. Anders was checking over and healing what injuries he could, such as Isabela's concussion and Zevran's broken arm, but Fenris would not let him near Eldrun.
Aren sighed. "Move over you stubborn elf," she ordered. He glared at her. "You won't let Anders help. I can at least heal a concussion and give him something for the lyrium haze. It'll fade in a few hours." Fenris scowled at her, but moved to Eldrun's left, arm still wrapped around the mage's shoulder to support him. Aren rested her hands against the man's temples, channeling what remaining energy she had into healing magic. His eyes slid shut as soft blue enveloped her hands, the coolness of the magic bringing welcome relief.
She stood back as he opened his eyes. "Thank you, Commander." She nodded, walking over to Zevran and leaning against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her.
It wasn't long before the rest of the party returned, mostly with Varric's notes and things from Hawke's estate - gold, his mother's jewelry, a few books and ledgers, and a note from Bodhan that he'd taken Sandal and left at the first sign of trouble, and that he hopes Eldrun and Fenris stay safe.
Isabela led them onto a ship, and settled in as a natural captain.
- - - - - - -
Merrill and Varric got off at a Free Marches city that wasn't Starkhaven - Aren couldn't remember the name of it as she bid them goodbye. She could tell Anders longed to depart, maybe to take a ship to Tevinter from there, but knew he stood no chance against the Hero of Ferelden's wrath.
Aveline and Donnic said their goodbyes next, preparing to ferry into Orlais where they hoped to find guard work or to help at the Chantry. Eldrun looked like he wanted to cry when Aveline left his line of sight; she and Carver were all he had left of his small, original family unit when they ran from the Blight.
Isabela finally arrived at the port closest to Amaranthine. Aren smiled at the sight of her Keep in the distance, feeling a certain balance restored in herself. She had a mess to sort out and a trial to arrange with Anders, and she was certain she would be flooded with questions from a desperate Nathaniel Howe, and likely a tongue lashing from Velanna for taking so long and leaving her to deal with humans and their politics and not writing a single letter.
She knew war was coming, one that would change the course of the world. But she had her Crow, and she had the support of the Champion and all of Ferelden behind her.
Together, they'd meet this war, and they would bring it down.