Chapter Text
Varric watched from the top of the steps as the pair arrived. He knew the elf easily enough. Tall, brooding with white hair. It was longer then he remembered but there was no mistaking the marks that carved over the man's face and neck. The elf glanced up at him and gave a small nod. A quiet hello, that Varric understood. The elf's companion was silent and moved slowly. A hood was pulled over her face but he knew her as well. It still sent an ache through him to watch her move like she did. Silent, and watching.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Champion of Kirkwall moving. There was an accusing look at him but Varric gave him a small shrug. Varric did not stand to watch the reunion of the three as he knew there would be some catching up to do for them. Instead, he went off to find Cassandra.
She was where she almost always was. A small corner of the training yard where she practised or sat and read. Today, she was reading. Pouring over more of the book she had obtained from the former Lord Seeker, the head of her order.
“Seeker... Cassandra?” He said, wondering if he had perhaps should have done this before he sent for the new arrivals.
“Varric?” She asked, looking up at him with her eyebrows knit in confusion.
“The Inquisitor told me what you found in that book.” Varric said, hand motioning to the book open in her lap.
There was a faint scowl on Cassandra's face as she regarded him. She had not wanted to share much with what was in there, not until she was sure of it. That Varric could easily read on her face and he understood it completely.
“Is it true?” He asked. “About how you seekers are made?”
“It is.” She said before quirking an eyebrow. “Why?”
“Then... there's something I need to tell you.” Varric rubbed the bridge of his nose. “You remember how you asked me for the truth about what happened with the Champion?”
Cassandra looked at him, the eyebrow quirking even higher. Realization dawned in those eyes and she practically glared at him. “That was not the truth then?”
“Well, you know what they say. There are always three different versions to every story. Yours, mine and the truth.” Varric said with a small sad smile. “So, let me tell you the truth about the Champion and all his siblings; and you'll understand why I didn't tell you before.”
Cassandra closed the book in her lap and set it to the side.
Varric took a breath and began to speak. “It started off pretty much the same as what I told you. Lothering was burning and the darkspawn were invading...
She woke up as she heard someone coming into the house. Her hand instinctively reaching for the small lumber axe that was by her bed. The night still lingered with only the faintest of sunlight shining over the hills. She quietly got to her feet as she advanced, her lyrium blue eyes glittering in the dark like jewels.
She advanced slowly and raised the axe to take a swing when the person turned around, sword in his hand.
“Carver?” She stared at the dark haired boy with the same lyrium blue eyes as all the rest of their family.
“Ava!” His voice was a surprise.
Both of them dropped their weapons and embraced each other in a hug. Her face lit up in a smile as she looked at her brother.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were at Ostagar?” She asked as she looked at him with curiosity.
“I should have listened to you, sis.” Carver said as he ran his fingers through his dark hair. It was tangled and matted, like he had not had a proper bath in several days. “Where is Garrett and mother?”
“Mother is still sleeping,” She responded before she moved to begin putting together the morning meal. “Garrett went to the neighbours, one of their cows is having a bad delivery.”
“Get mother and Bethany up, we need to get going.” Carver said as he grabbed her hand to keep her from gathering things.
“What? Why?” She asked, surprise colouring her features.
“King Cailan is dead.” Carver said with some urgency in his voice.
“Oh no...” She understood that well enough. They had always kept one step ahead of those in charge and knew of the king having no heirs. Not that it was a great secret in the kingdom of Ferelden.
“It gets worse.” Carver said before moving to shove a piece of bread into his mouth. “There were darkspawn there, they were overwhelming everyone.”
“I remember someone mentioning that when a few people came through town a few days ago.” She said with a frown as she moved to the door to her mother's bedroom.
“Who?”
“I didn't know them, they had a mabari with them though.” She paused as she thought about it. “Plus they took the Qunari that was caged at the edge of the fields. They headed north. I think someone said they were surviving grey wardens.”
“That's impossible.” Carver said with a haunted look in his eyes.
She wanted to ask more but she did not bother. She entered into her mother's room and roused her from her sleep and then went to do do the same with Bethany. It was a slightly happy reunion but it was quickly ruined when they began to hear sounds outside the house.
“We're leaving.” Their mother said, clearly wasting no time as she grabbed a few things and quickly went for the door.
“But Garrett isn't here,” Bethany started.
“We'll get him at the neighbours.” Their mother said with a nod.
The four of them slipped out into the cool morning air but it was clear that something was wrong. A silence hung over the village. No animals could be heard, not even the birds that normally haunted a nearby field. In the distance, Ava could make out something. She was not quite sure what it was but it was not a good thing. Smoke began to billow up in the air. Fear clenched in the pit of her stomach as she thought back to the dream she had a few nights before when the four strangers had strolled through Lothering.
The smoke. It rises, kissing the sky. A sky that's the wrong colour. It's black and foul.
There are things crawling through the ground, running on the ground. Dark things. Little thimgs.
They're whispering. Constantly whispering.
She was staring for several moments before Carver grabbed her arm and pulled her along. He pressed the wooden staff into her hand with a nod.
“Carver...”
“You might need to,” He said with a comforting smile before ushering her before them.
They hurried along, heading straight for another little farmhouse. There, they were greeted with a horrific sight.
The creatures were terrible to look at. They were the size of men and had the same general shape but there was nothing human looking about them. Faces that seemed tortured and torn, teeth that were too sharp and eyes that seemed to have no eyelids. They seemed to wear armour but it was not a cohesive pattern among them all. Each one held weapons that seemed designed simply for cruelty.
Garrett stood in the thick of them, his staff twirling even as he willed his magic into a weapon against the things that attacked him. Their mabari, Mal, was equally as vicious. Attacking them as if they were rabbits in the field. Ava stood in awe at her brother but her other two siblings moved. Carver's sword arched through them, cutting them down where they stood. Bethany performed magic, not as strong as Garrett's but enough that it was helping to cut a path through the darkspawn.
Ava hung back with her mother until the fighting was done. Ava called her magic to herself then, letting it travel over her siblings and healing the minor aches that had come from fighting. None of them looked seriously injured and she was glad for that.
“Garrett!” Their mother shouted as she ran to embrace her eldest.
“Mother!” Garrett gave her a quick hug before glancing at Carver. “Carver?”
“No time to explain, Ostagar was overrun and so will Lothering be. We need to get out of here.”
Garrett nodded and led the way. They followed, as they had done since their father had passed a few years before. He had made Garrett promise to protect them and it was a vow their brother took seriously.
They rounded a corner and came to a halt. A group of darkspawn was just up ahead. Garrett motioned for them to go around and they all quickly went as quietly as they could. Carver led the way with the girls between him and Garrett. They were almost out of the way when Ava stepped on a twig. The crunch seemed to echo in that silence.
The darkspawn turned to look at them before they made an awful noise. It was a cross between a roar and a scream, and yet it still managed to sound like the gurgling noises a dying animal made. Garrett did not say a word before urging them on.
They hurried up the hill and away from Lothering even as the darkspawn followed behind them. They rounded a corner and their mother came to a stop, out of breath from the running. Ava moved to her side even as her siblings acted. Bethany pulled that magic from the air, a wall of fire to dance across the narrow pass they had just run through. Carver and Garrett moved to finish off those that had managed to get through.
Their mother stood there, shaking her head as the realization finally hit that there was no going back to Lothering.
“I think that's all of them.” Carver said, glancing between his siblings and their mother.
“For the moment.” Bethany added not quite looking at her younger sister.
“Maker save us, we've lost it all.” Their mother said, misery clear in her voice. “Everything your father and I built...”
“I know how much Lothering meant to you, but we have to move.” Garrett said, trying to comfort the distraught woman.
“Yes. You're right.” She agreed.
“We should have run sooner! Why did we wait so long?” Bethany's voice was almost angry and Ava found herself staring at her sister.
“Why are you looking at me? I've been running since Ostagar!” Carver said.
“Are you two insane? If we stand around, we'll die!” Garrett said as he looked back to see darkspawn just on the other side of the flames.
Ava went to put her opinion in but her mother spoke quicker, cutting her off.
“Please! Listen to your brother.” Her voice begged.
“Then let's go.” Carver said as he looked towards Garrett. “Lead on.”
Ava sighed before she looked over at Garrett. He quickly shook his head at her and she slipped into total silence. She followed after him as he led the way. Carver taking up the lead with their mother this time.
Around almost every corner, they encountered a group of Darkspawn. Small groups that Carver muttered and called 'Scouts' under his breath. Still, she did not voice her concern over what was happening or where they were going. Just that they were all together and fleeing the danger.
“Wait! Where are we going?” Bethany asked as she stopped at the top of a hill.
“Away from the darkspawn – Where else?” Carver said, looking at his sister like that was the dumbest question he had ever heard.
“I like that idea.” Ava said in agreement. She didn't care as long as they were out of here.
“And then where?” Bethany said as she tried to get her point across to him. “We can't just wander aimlessly!”
“Wherever we go, what's important is that we don't separate.” Garrett said as he looked towards Bethany, trying to keep his tone friendly even though anyone could see the annoyance on his face.
They were all so preoccupied discussing it with one another that no one really noticed when their mother looked thoughtful and then spoke up. “We can go to Kirkwall.”
“Kirkwall?” Garrett sounded surprised and looked at their mother in disbelief. “Are you sure that's wise?”
“There's a lot of templars in Kirkwall, Mother.” Bethany said, eyeing her mother cautiously.
“I know that, but we still have family there – and an estate.”
She sighed. “Then we need to get to Gwaren and take ship.”
“If we survive that long.” Carver said as he began to walk away. “I'll just be happy to get out of here.”
They all agreed and began moving forward, only to run into yet another group of darkspawn but this time, they were not alone.
Up ahead, Ava could see a red haired woman and a man in a suit of armour fighting the darkspawn. She watched as the man took a strike to the back and a darkspawn closed on him to finish him off but the woman stopped it. She was all fire and fury as she launched herself at the darkspawn, knocking it to the ground before she proceeded to start punching it to death.
Ava watched in amazement and she suddenly wished she could be more like that. A warrior woman. Tough and more capable of actually getting the job done instead of just hanging back behind everyone. Ava clutched at her staff tight as she thought about it.
“You will not have him!” The woman said, her voice an angry growl as she picked up a nearby sword. Even as the darkspawn tried to tear at her throat, she shoved the blade down and sliced through it's neck, killing him.
There was some fascination as the woman continued to move, taking the sword and picking up the shield that had been dropped. The man's arm was tugged over her shoulder as she looked at him with love in her eyes. She had seen her mother give that look to her father before he died and it was a bit heart wrenching. Ava could not hear what was whispered between them but she had her attention once more back to her siblings as they fought off the other darkspawn.
“You know you could help.” She heard Bethany's terse voice sent in her direction.
Ava fumbled a little before using her magic to once more sooth the pain her siblings were feeling. She knew that was not what Bethany meant and she tried. She reached forward with her magic, willing the fire to life in her hands as she threw the bit of fire at the darkspawn. She was almost worried that it would have no effect but it seemed to do the job quite well.
The battle was done shortly after that and they approached the other two. The woman was on the ground, tending to the man in the suit of amour. It was a bit awkward as she was telling him not to squirm but even more so when they all recognized the sign of the templars on his shield and armour. They knew what the templars did to mages like them. Apostates, outside the circles.
“Wesley, stop squirming, you're going to make it worse.” The woman said to the man.
He gently pushed her off before he got to his feet, his eyes blazing as he stared at Garrett. “Apostate - Keep your distance.” And there it was. At least he wasn't trying to smite them which was a good sign.
“Well, the maker has a sense of humour. Darkspawn and now a templar.” Bethany's voice was practically dripping with sarcasm. “I thought they all abandoned Lothering.”
“The darkspawn are clear in their intent but a mage is always unknown – The order dictates...” Wesley said, his hand waving in the air like the usual self righteous prigs that templars tended to be.
“Wesley...” The woman said with a small shake of her head.
“The order dictates...” Wesley took a step towards them, a sneer on his blood splattered face, but Garrett moved to interpose himself between the templar and the rest of the family.
Ava didn't need to see the glare on Garrett's face to know it was there. His shoulders had that tenseness about them that always said he was one step away from doing something that they might all regret later.
“Dear, they saved us,” The woman's voice was soft as she tried to calm him. “The maker understands.”
“Of course.” Wesley said, clearly relenting at the words of the woman.
“I am Aveline Vallen. This is my husband, Ser Wesley.” She said, “We can hate each other when we're safe from the horde.”
Ava couldn't deny the logic in the woman's voice and it made her wonder how a practical woman ended up with a templar for a husband.
“How bad is that wound?” Garrett said, looking from Aveline to Wesley.
I went to take a step forward, in case it was something I could heal.
“I think my sword arms a loss, even with healing.” Wesley said, his voice far calmer then it had been a moment ago.
“Then you will have mine – as always.” Aveline said, looking to her husband with love in her eyes and voice. She nodded to him before turning to look at the rest of us. “For now, we move with you. North is cut off. We barely escaped the main body of the horde.”
“Then we're trapped! The wilds are to the south! That's no way out!” Carver sounded angry as he responded it.
“We have no choice. The darkspawn have us fenced in. We go south.” Garrett said, looking over his shoulder at Carver.
Garrett gave a brief glance in Ava's direction as if he was begging her to say something but she remained silent, just watching them with those bright blue lyrium eyes. Then he was walking and everyone followed. Their mother stopped and glanced over the hills towards the smoke rising in the distance. It was all that remained of Lothering. Refugees, the dead and ruins.
“Mother?” Ava asked, offering her hand.
“It's alright, my dear girl.” She said with a smile before moving to catch up with the main group, Ava travelling behind her.
There were more darkspawn up ahead and they all moved together. Ava started using her magic but still, she hung back a little. She still used her powers just as her siblings did but she was never quite as quick at it as Bethany or Garrett. Compared to the two of them, she felt so completely inferior.
She could see it wearing on all of them as they fought the darkspawn that was in their way and then dealt with those that came up behind them. They must have cut down more then three dozen before they came to a slightly raised area. Below them, they could see the wilds that stretched out as far as the eye could see with a few mountains far in the distance.
The ground began to shake and they all looked around in surprise only to see a fearsome creature come running at them from just down the hill. It was taller then a man and twice as broad. Horns curved from the sickly grey skin. Ava watched as Garrett and Aveline dodged out of the way of it's charge. It ran past them and turned towards them. It left out a tremendous roar that shook her to her core. There had been stories about things like this, books about the darkspawn that called this thing before them an 'ogre'. The name definitely seemed appropriate.
And then it advanced.
It moved towards her, her mother and Bethany. Terror clung at Ava for a moment but it was quickly forgotten as Bethany shoved her out of the way. Ava stared as she fell, realizing that her sister had possibly saved her life but she could not help but watch as everything seemed to slow.
“Maker, give me strength.” Bethany said as she moved towards the creature. Fire dancing out along her staff as she tried to fight the creature one on one.
It took the fire on it's arm and waited for Bethany's cast to finish before it reached and grabbed her around her torso.
“Bethany!” Ava screamed as she scrambled to her feet.
There was only horror on all their faces as the ogre slammed Bethany into the ground several times. Each time, they heard the crunch of bone and saw the splatter of blood. The beast tossed Bethany's limp body like it was no more then a doll and she fell, discarded and unmoving. Ava's heart was in her throat as the ogre ran past her to face off against one of the others.
Their mother ran towards Bethany but Ava did not need to look to know her sister was dead. She heard her mother's cry but she turned with her brothers, the three of them moving to attack the ogre. Ava tried to blink away the hot tears on her cheeks as she used that hurt to pull at the magic.
My fault. The thought came to her mind even as she willed the power of the fade to do her bidding. If I hadn't been there... Bethy...
It came easily to her. Natural. Like it was as simple as breathing. The fire wreathed around her as she launched fireball after fireball at the creature. She felt Garrett's magic in the air, crisper then her's but the two of them twined the power together.
Both Carver and Aveline were shouting something in the heat of battle but she did not hear it. All her focus was on killing the thing who had just taken her sister from them. A final blast of magic had the thing falling to the ground and Carver came over to stab it with his sword just to be on the safe side.
Grief clung to her but she did not look at her mother or the broken form of Bethany on the ground. Instead, she turned when Garrett spoke.
“There's more of them!”
For the first time in her life, she used her magic like a weapon. The grief was still there but there was a pleasure stirring within her and she did not know whether it was from using power that she had kept pent up for so long or if it was the simple joy in using the power to kill.
The hill top was littered with dead darkspawn by the time the battle had finished.
“Bethany, wake up!” Their mother's voice cut through the pleasure like a knife. The overwhelming despair almost too much to hear. “The battle's over! We're fine!”
“I'm sorry, Mistress.” Aveline said as she approached, sadness ringing in her voice even as her face betrayed her further. “Your daughter is gone.”
“No!” Their mother raged. “These things will not take Bethany!”
“Bethany risked her life to save us.” Garrett said as he knelt next to Bethany and their mother.
Ava felt shame in her cheeks and she could not look at her mother any longer. If she had just been quicker, then perhaps she could have done something to protect or even help her sister. Deep down, she knew that Bethany was dead because Ava had been in the way.
“I don't want a hero!” There was anger in that voice but it broke into sadness before she finished. “I want my daughter!”
She glared at Garrett and the anger returned to her voice. “How could you let her charge off like that!?” She placed the blame squarely at his feet. “Oh, my poor little girl. My sweetheart.”
Ava still did not go to her mother, and just stared at her hands.
“If we stand here weeping, the darkspawn will take the rest of us too!”
Ava glanced over at Carver as he spoke. She knew full well what he said was the truth but it was hard to really think of that when his twin was lying dead on the ground. Wesley approached Bethany's body and spoke to her mother but Ava did not listen. She stepped away from them, glancing down into the wilds below even as she saw more darkspawn approaching them. She turned back to the others when they all began to kneel and she joined them.
She heard the prayer as it was said but there was no comfort in it. It was only words.
Garrett got to his feet first as their mother continued to whisper something to the body of their sister.
“Our lives are more important to her then our prayers, let's go.” There was a determined note to his voice.
“Flames! We're too late.” Aveline said as she turned around to see the darkspawn coming up the hill.
Ava was surprised at their speed as there had been none close enough to reach them that quickly. She grimaced to herself as she nodded to her brothers and took up her place beside them. Lothering was gone, as was Bethany, it was time she started acting like a Hawke.
The darkspawn just kept coming and she could feel her body beginning to run down. She could see that Garrett was slowly losing his energy as was Carver. They could not keep this up for much longer.
“There's no end to them!” Carver said as he glanced between all of them.
Then there was a tremendous roar. It was far different then the one that had come from the Ogre which had just been a beast making noise. This sounded angry. Everyone turned to look up the side of the mountain from where the roar came, even the darkspawn looked to see what it was.
There, high above them was a strange shape that unfurled to reveal that it was a dragon. A terrible beast easily bigger then a house. It launched itself from that low peak and dove down towards them. It breathed flame as it went, scorching the earth and the darkspawn. It even launched a few into the air before landing and spouting another wave of fire at the fleeing darkspawn.
Ava watched as her brother hunched down, ready to fight and there was a clear look sent towards her and Carver. A look that said to run. Glumly, Ava realized he was planning on sacrificing himself to buy them time to escape. Perhaps unluckily for them, the dragon suddenly began to shift and change on the ground.
Waves of golden light came off the creature as it shifted to become human size, or more specifically a woman. She looked old, with white hair and small lines around her eyes. That white hair was pulled back from her face by an iron looking crown, and took on the shape of four horn like shapes behind her, a brownish red colored ribbon seemed to be wrapped around them to help with that look. Her eyes were a vibrant golden color and her lips were painted a dark color that was almost black. Her outfit was something else entirely. That same shade of dark brownish red for leather that was incrusted with metal pins. Black feathers from her shoulders. Despite the age of her face, there was an almost walking sex appeal about her. Armour graced up to her shoulders and to her thighs and she looked quite out of place.
She dragged a darkspawn in one grasp, the fires licking at her hands, before she dropped it and continued on towards them.
“Well, well, what have we here?” She asked as she put her hand on her hip. “It used to be we never got visitors in the Wilds, but now it seems they arrive in hordes!”
“I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't arrived.” Garrett said, looking gratefully at the woman.
“I do! You would have perished. You still may.” There was a small smile on her lips as she turned away. “If you wish to flee the darkspawn, you should know you are heading in the wrong direction.”
“So you're just going to leave us here?” Carver asked as he took a few steps to follow her.
“And why not?” She asked, turning to look over her shoulder. Those golden eyes gazed past Carver and stared straight at Ava who shied away from the intensity of that gaze. She then turned and her face was once more staring in Garrett's direction. “I spotted a most curious site: a mighty ogre, vanquished! Who could have perform such a feat?”
She shook her head. “But now my curiousity is sated and you are safe – for the moment. Is that not enough.”
“You could show me that trick of yours, that looks useful.” Garrett said, referring to her ability to turn into a dragon.
She laughed, a rich sound that hinted at the power that she was actually capable of. “I daresay it is. Such a clever tongue – for a mage.” She smiled warmly at Garett for a moment before posing a question to him. “Tell me, clever child, how do you intend to outrun the blight?”
“We're going to Kirkwall- in the Free Marches.” Carver said.
“Kirkwall? My, but that is quite the voyage you plan. So far – simply to flee the darkspawn.”
“Any better suggestions? I hear the Deep Roads are vacant now.” Garrett's voice was an almost sarcastic little whip, the words coming before he caught himself.
“Garrett!” Ava muttered under her breath. Her brother was going to get them all killed. This woman was just a woman a few moments ago, Maker knows what else she was capable of.
The woman laughed, the kind of belly laugh that came from true amusement. “Oh, you I like!”
Ava stared at the woman, her eyes wide. That tone of voice, she'd heard before. Older women who thought to call on her brother. A grown man who had seemingly no interest in wooing the women of Lothering though they all fluttered their lashes at him and tried to beg him without outright saying it.
“Hurtled into the chaos, you fight... and the world will shake before you.” She said to Garrett, turning to take a few steps as she muttered to herself. “Is it fate or chance? I can never decide.”
She turned and walked back towards us. “It appears fortune smiles on us both today. I may be able to help you yet.”
“Anything you could do for us would be appreciated.” Garrett said as he ignored both Carver and Ava.
“Should we even trust her?” Ava asked, cautious about the whole situation.
The woman turned to look at Ava and there was an unreadable expression on her face. Ava couldn't help but avert her eyes and looked down at her feet. There was something about the woman's gaze at her that made her feel full of guilt and shame.
“We don't even know what she is.” Carver said in agreement.
“I know what she is. The Witch of the Wilds.” Aveline said from where she had been by Wesley's side. The man had begun to look more sickly as time passed and Ava wondered if that injury was far worse then they had all believed it to be.
“Some call me that. Also Flemeth. Asha'bellanar. An 'old hag who talks too much.” She gave a small laugh. “Does it matter? I offer you this. I will get your group past the horde in exchange for a simple delivery to a place not far out of your way. Would you do this for a 'Witch of the Wilds'?”
We're dead. That's all that went through Ava's mind. She knew the stories of what lurked in the wilds. So, very very dead.
Garrett asked her some other questions but Ava wasn't listening. She was looking over at her mother who had seemed to become very frail over the last few minutes. Her mother was still kneeling next to Bethany's corpse and Ava wanted to move to comfort her but she couldn't. She remained still, just standing there and watching the distraught look on her mother's face.
“No! Leave him alone!”
Ava's head jerked towards Aveline who was on her feet and standing between Wesley and the rest of them. Her words were angry and there was a determined look in her face but there was also fear. Everyone could see it.
“What has been done to your man is within his blood already.” Flemeth said with finality and just a hint of sadness.
“You lie!”
“She's right, Aveline.” Wesley's said where he lay, his voice weak and sad. “I can feel the corruption inside me.”
Aveline looked down at him, grief beginning to creep into her face.
“There must be something we can do.” Ava said from where she stood, and once more was under the gaze of Flemeth. She found herself shifting from foot to foot as she tried hard not to look at the woman, fearful that she'd say or do the wrong thing and bring her wrath down upon all of them.
“The only cure I know is to become a Grey Warden.” Flemeth said calmly.
“And they all died at Ostagar.” Aveline's voice was faint.
“Not all but the last are now beyond your reach.” Flemeth responded with a small shrug.
“Aveline. Listen to me.” Wesley's voice had everyone's attention once more on him. His eyes had taken on a sickly sheen that almost looked like the eyes of an old man, blind and discoloured.
You can't ask this of me, I won't.” Aveline dropped to her knees next to him, her hand gently caressing his face.
“Please. The corruption is a slow death. I can't...” Wesley's voice had become weaker.
Garrett moved to kneel on the opposite side of Wesley and looked to Aveline. “He's your husband, Aveline. I can't decide his fate.”
Aveline looked over at Garrett with a sad and miserable look in her eyes before she nodded.
“Be strong, my love.” Wesley whispered to her even as the dying man knew what he was asking of his wife.
Wesley pulled the dagger free of it's sheath and lifted it above his chest, holding it there. He gave a weak nod to Aveline who then put her hand on it and shoved hard. The blade cut cleanly through the armour, sliding up between the two overlaying plates. It found his heart. Wesley gave a few gasping breathes before he lay still. Aveline reached over to close his eyes before she got to her feet.
Ava felt sadness creeping up into her gut as she looked at Aveline's face. That pain was raw and fresh. Far worse then what lurked on Ava's mother's face. Aveline had been the one to kill her own husband, a mercy killing but it was still a terrible thing to have to do.
Flemeth approached behind Aveline, an imposing figure. There was something regal with how she walked and almost seductive. It was a bit of a disconnect as the woman had to be old.
“Without an end, there can be no peace.” There was no sadness in the Witch's voice, but there was a hint of something that indicated familiarity. That she understood what Aveline was feeling at that moment. Flemeth turned and walked from them. “It gets no easier. Your struggles have only just begun.”
The witch kept her word and got them all to Gwaren, where they took ship. They sailed north across the waking sea, lashed by terrible storms. Two weeks they spent in that dark hold, packed in with the fearful and the desperate.
Ava had dreams then, like she did in Lothering. Nightmares of little substance but each one featuring the darkspawn. She confided in Carver about the dreams, not wanting to burden her eldest brother or mother about it but there was little privacy. Even Aveline knew of Ava's disquiet but no one said a word. They had all narrowly survived Lothering, and even Aveline had nightmares about Wesley.
And then they saw it. Kirkwall, the City of Chains.
So began their first year in Kirkwall.