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Leaving the Deep Roads	By : ArchaicLegend Category: +A through F > Dragon Age (all) > Dragon Age (all) Views: 3879 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Dragon Age and the characters of the game do not belong to me. This is a no profit fanfiction

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The moon was shining brightly as they left the chantry casting its silvery brightness over the somber group. They walked fast, almost fleeing and did not stop until they reached Lowtown.

Varric looked at each of them, "I don't know about you, but I need a drink."

Hawke nodded, she still held her staff at the ready to all casual observers she seemed alert for any pursuers but Varric knew better. He noticed the tense line of her jaw and her white knuckled grip, the events at the chantry had shaken her as much as him, probably more so.

"I need to get drunk!" the warden said with vehemence and just a little sadness.

They moved as a group, no one really relaxing until they had reached the safety of Varrics rooms. They sat around the table subdued as Norah poured the ale.

Once she had left Hawke stood raising her tankard, "To all those friends and family who have passed through the veil long before their time."

They all raised their tankards and drank deeply. Varric turned to Anders, "Tell us about Karl."

Anders paused and looked down at his tankard. "I ...... " he stated blinking rapidly as his eyes moistened. "I met Karl after one of my first escapes from the Ferelden circle. I think Grigor thought I needed a steadying influence," He laughed sadly. "I am not sure it turned out the way he planned......" The story unfolded slowly, then another and another. When Hawk started telling a story about Bethany, Carver took his leave pleading exhaustion. She watched him go sadly before continuing. They talked for a long time laughing and crying in turn ale saturated emotions running high.

It was early in the morning when Anders escorted Hawke to her home. She looked at him as she sat heavily down on the stairs outside of Gamlen's house.

"How can you be so...." She waved her hand at him. "Un....drunk."

He sat down next to her and she drunkenly leaned against his shoulder, unable to manage totally upright anymore. "I can't get drunk.... not any more"

"It is to do with the glowy thing?"

"Something like that," he smiled slightly.

She turned her face up to him starting to teetering away from him towards the edge of the stairs. "Why do they do it?"

"What?" he said, putting and arm around her to steady her, pulling her away from the edge.

"Tranquilness.... why not kill us?........ It .... just ..... It's sadistic."

"Control, fear, hate .... for some just plain sadism."

With a supreme drunken effort she managed to sit up right, "You not allowed to get made tranquil," she said poking him in the leg.

He chuckled, "I don't plan too," he tilted her face up to his. "You're not allowed either."

She nodded in drunken solemnity before turning green and turning to vomit over the side of the stairs.

He chuckled again quietly as he patted her back and held her. "Hanged man ale, gets you every time."

She moved into the narrow corridor examining the area for any a way around the cave in. She sighed another dead end.

She paused and looked up at the cavern ceiling, the entry way had been narrow but it opened up into a small domed room. She watched and moved her glowing staff around, the ceiling appeared to be made up of hundreds of crystals. She walked to the centre of the room and the ceiling came to life, crystals glowing with a gentle reflected light. Who ever designed it had made the glow of each cluster coales to a single pinprick of light. Surrounded by so may points made her feel like she was floating among the stars. A quiet footstep at the entrance made her spin around, magical energy beginning to wind itself around fingers, but it was only Anders. She extinguished the magic and turned back to the starry ceiling.

Anders came up beside her following her gaze. "What is it?" He breathed.

"I have no idea..... But maker it's beautiful." They stood silent, both lost in their own glittering thoughts.

She heard a distant yelling and gave Anders a quisical look. "That is why I came to find you, Bartrand has decided to set up camp until the scouts can find a way around the cave in."

"He sounds overjoyed by the prospect," she said giving the magical sight one last lingering look before heading towards the exit, Anders followed. They were winding their way through the narrow entrance tunnel when she stopped and turned to him. She rested a hand lightly on his chest to stop him and he frowned.

"What is it?" He asked softly.

She looked slightly abashed, a faint pink cast to her cheeks. She looked up at him her pupils deep pools in the darkness. "Can we keep that place between us?" She looked away fiddling unthinkingly with the chain of his coat trying to find the words. "I don't care if it those crystals could set us up for life. I couldn't stand anyone destroying something so beautiful..." She trailed of then looked back up at him.

He moved his hand up to cup hers and he looked at her his eyes crinkling in a gentle smile. "Beauty in the darkness," he breathed.

They stood like that for a moment, neither willing to break the contact. Anders stiffened suddenly his hand reaching automatically for his staff. "Darkspawn!" He hissed.

The moment broken, she turned in one fluid motion bringing her own staff up. There was Darkspawn to kill.

They sat around the campfire eating some of the rations they had brought and preparing for the night, well at least the time interval they called night here. The darkness beyond the camp was oppressive and absolute, they had sentries watching, but she wasn't sure what they could really see anything. Anders was the best and only real warning system they had. She looked over at him, he didn't like the deep roads and kept shifting uneasily looking into the darkness above and around them. She felt a pang of guilt she should have let him stay in Kirkwall not dragged him down here. He looked at her then his gaze catching hers. She moved across the camp to sit next to him on his bedroll.

"I am sorry I made you come down here again, " She said without preamble.

He looked at her a smile playing on his lips, "It could be worse, there are no Templars and I have beautiful woman on my bed."

She felt the colour rise to her cheeks and she thanked the deep roads for their darkness, though given the amused glint in Anders' eyes she suspected he could still see it. "Are you trying to wheedle your way on my good side?" She said poking him jovially to hide her flush.

He fell back against his pack pretending to thrash in pain, "Ahhh! You would me with your accusations!" Abruptly he stopped and looked up at her "is it working?"

She laughed, "a little bit."

He rewarded her with one of his deeply amused slanting smiles, "I'm glad."

"If you two have quite finished flirting with each other, it is time to get some sleep," Bartrand yelled from the adjoining camp fire.

Hawke coloured again, what had gotten into her she had never blushed this much in her life. She moved to stand up, but Anders grasped her hand and squeezed it gently. "Sleep well," he said quietly.

"You too," she replied and stood giving his hand a returning squeeze. As she moved away she noticed a weary look slide across his face, sleep may not be a restful affair for him either.

Anders looked out from the circle of firelight. He hated this darkness, it was heavy, oppressive, it was like the light had given up on this place. His stomach growled loudly and he grimaced. He sensed her approach, her quiet footsteps dampened by the layer of dust and dirt that covered the ground. Settling beside him she rested her head on her knees and looked at him.

"It won't be long now, maybe a day or two," he said to fill in the silence.

She nodded, looking tired and drawn. "I think we passed a small town with an inn not far from where we entered. I am shouting us all a meal, bed and bath." She paused sniffing herself and grimacing, "Make that two baths."

He chucked. "I'll hold you to that promise."
So it was that they piled into the small in two days later. The innkeeper looked at them askance as they entered, but once he saw the gold he was obsequious enough. Bathed and fed Hawke curled up on one side of a huge overstuffed couch by the fire. She wore a floral robe that the in keeper's wife had been kind enough to lone her while her underclothes got a good wash. She sighed contentedly sipping her ale. Anders collapsed onto the couch sprawling its length his head falling neatly on her lap.

"Now that bath was divine." He squinted up at her, "What are you wearing?"

She swatted him on the arm to hide the blush that was crawling up her neck.

"Ow!" He laughed, "I didn't mean it like that." He considered her, grinning. "It looks rather fetching."

She poked her tounge out at him and settled back down one arm resting carelessly on his chest. They sat like that for a long time relaxed in the knowledge that they were finally out of the deep roads.

She looked down at him, he looked deep in thought worry lines creasing his brow. "Who did you hurt?" She asked quietly.

Anders started, his eyes wide and he began to rise, "Wh...."

She gently pushed him back down, touching her fingers to his lips. "It was not that long after I first met you that you warned me away, saying you would hurt me. I would like to think I have come to know you better since then." Her eyes searched his face, her hand gently touching his stubbly cheek. "Anders, you are not a man who hurts another easily, something must have triggered you to push everyone away, to warn them to keep their distance."

He looked away his gaze looking back, to what she could only imagine. He bit his lower lip as his gaze came back into focus, his eyes drifting to hers then away again and she wasn't sure if he would stay or go. "When justice and I first joined..... the balance between us was harder to manage. My anger and his power..." He shook his head. "I had to get as faraway from the Templars as I could. One of my oldest friends had a place far enough off the beaten track to be safe for a time, or at least I thought." He looked at Hawke a hash self hatred in his eyes. "They came for me..... She had always been so careful never to engage the Templars, she knew it would be her death sentence. She killed them for me, she saved me, and because of me the man she loved was made to hunt her down." He looked at his hands. "There were others too, whom justice killed or who were left broken in his uncompromising quest." His jaw set the muscles tight. "I can not allow anyone else I care for fall to his.... our quest."

"I..." Hawke started.

"No Hawke." He stood abruptly his expression torn, then it softened. "I ... We should get some rest." He turned away and made his way towards the stairs.

"Anders" she called softly. He stopped dead his back stiff, unable or unwilling to turn and face her. "You don't have to face this alone. I will be here if you need me."

He looked over his shoulder sadly. "I know," his voice soft almost in audible. "That is what I worry about."

He left then leaving her alone by the fire to reflect on the fickleness of fate.
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Leaving the Deep Roads