Hello, dear readers, and welcome to my new story set in the world of Dragon Age!

The general mood of this story will be darker than my Mass Effect stuff and more in tune with my previous Dragon Age stories. Characters won't have plot armor like in DAI game, and everyone will be fair game. The many character deaths in the previous stories have also led to some very notable cast changes in this story, which means that while it generally follows the main plot of DAI, there will be many differences.

If you are curious about some of the surprising changes and want to read up on the prequels, the recommended order of reading is 'Tranquility' and it's small tie-in 'Price of Immortality', followed by the post-DA2 stories 'Survivors of Kirkwall' and 'The Years Between'.

Note: at the end of 'The Years Between', I hinted that Bethany would be joining the Seekers of Light, however, now that DAI has revealed the lore of just how one becomes a Seeker, clearly this is impossible and has been changed. Still, this isn't really plot-breaking; just like Leliana was able to become the Left Hand while being a mere lay sister, Bethany does not need any special status to become involved with the Divine and her 'Small Council'.

And now, onwards with the story! Enjoy!

Chapter 1

City of Val Royeaux, Orlais

Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast let out a disgruntled sigh, snatching a glass of red wine from the tray carried by one of the many elven servants, rushing to serve the many nobles and dignitaries in attendance of yet another ball in the capital where its busy social life and the Great Game appeared undisrupted by something as trivial as a civil war ravaging most of the fair country of Orlais.

Dressed in the ceremonial garb of the Seekers of Truth, Cassandra stood in the shadows provided by an arch formed by two incrusted marble pillars, keeping away from the heart of the festivities, maintaining the perfect position from which to observe the guests and keep an eye on her charge, currently chatting animatedly with another young woman, the only one amongst the guests who was not wearing a mask. Cassandra recognized the olive-skinned woman as the Antivan ambassador to Orlais, which explained lack of the traditional mask, as well as her differently, slightly oddly styled clothing, featuring plenty of golden sequins and slightly comical looking ruffles. The Seeker was a little surprised when she picked up some visual clues of Bethany lightly flirting with the other woman, wondering whether her young charge had somehow managed to detect something about the Antivan that Cassandra had been unaware of.

This was all they had been doing as of late, much to Cassandra's frustration. The conflict between mages and the templars was only picking up in strength, and the Divine's attempts to call for peace had fallen on deaf ears so far. And waiting for one side to claim victory by completely eradicating the other was not an option, for they would undoubtedly see most of Thedas destroyed before that happened. The Divine had a plan, one final attempt to secure peace, calling for a Conclave in an attempt to bring the leadership of the templars and the rebel mages together, and hopefully get them to actually talk instead of swinging swords and hurling spells at each other. Getting the mages and the templars to commit to attending, however, was a very difficult task, one that Cassandra did not enjoy even if she understood its importance. But as the Right Hand of the Divine, she could not refuse Justinia's request, and together with her young protégé they had set out to try and ensure the presence of enough mages and templars to grant legitimacy to the Conclave.

Oh, it was not as if the mages or the templars themselves attended these Orlesian parties, but that was not the point. Everyone in these circles had connections and either had ties to templars or mages, or knew someone who did and could put in a good word. The Antivan ambassador likely did not know any mages or templars herself, but she had plenty of contacts in the Antiva City and elsewhere, through which they were hoping to extend their persuasive influence. Over the many months, some progress had been made, but Cassandra knew it was not nearly enough. Grand Enchanter Fiona and her rebel mages were still sitting tight in the fortress of Andoral's Reach, while Lord Seeker Lucius Corin led the rebellious templars and Seekers across the countryside, tracking down and eliminating any mages daring to set foot outside of their newly found sanctum. Until the very leadership of the rebels agreed to attend the Conclave, the chance for peace remained slim.

Truly, Cassandra was now very glad for having made the choice to bring Bethany back to Val Royeaux and introduce her to the Divine. Certainly, her apostate status had caused even more stir in the circles of the templars and Seekers, especially when the Divine immediately took the young woman under her wing, Justinia almost entranced by Bethany's fascinating stories, and her measured, reasoned faith in the Maker, sometimes involving more questioning and doubt than Cassandra personally approved of, but the Divine apparently considered healthy, and Cassandra trusted Justinia implicitly. Her initial plan to have Bethany assume the status of a Seeker without undergoing the Vigil was shot down immediately by the then current Lord Seeker Lambert, but Justinia was happy to accept Bethany in her personal service without any special status other than a mere lay sister of the Chantry, and Cassandra knew that Justinia had big plans for the young woman, intending to groom her into becoming the Left Hand of the Divine.

At first, Cassandra was a little taken aback after Justinia had confided in her about some of her plans, unsure about the wisdom of placing so much trust in someone who was essentially an apostate, even if she had proven to be trustworthy and dependable. Still, as time passed by, the Seeker had to acknowledge that the Divine's intentions had strong rationale behind them. Bethany had seen so much during her adventures with her sister, the famous Riona Hawke, Champion of Kirkwall, and her experiences at the Gallows, the Kirkwall Circle of Magi, provided her with a unique perspective. But most of all, the Divine was fascinated, and deeply concerned, by the shocking knowledge that Bethany had obtained at a forgotten Grey Warden prison in the Vimmark Mountains, something that Cassandra herself was trying to dismiss and not think about, trying to convince herself that what Bethany had learned was irrelevant.

Cassandra herself did not believe a single word this creature, this ancient magister of the Tevinter Imperium, had told Bethany about the Golden City already being black when he and his power hungry cabal of magisters passed through the Veil to walk in the Fade, place where no mortal was supposed to thread. And still, during these troubled times when the Chantry was losing its influence and had already lost its power base in Templar Order and the Seekers of Truth, the Divine did not need such stories to spread and seed further doubt amongst the flocks of still loyal followers. Others would have probably suggested simply silencing Bethany and those who had been with her, but Cassandra could never consider such a course of action, her honor would not stand for eliminating someone simply because they could become inconvenient. And there was something to Bethany's warnings that this Corypheus was still out there, having possessed the former Knight-Captain of the Kirkwall Circle, a templar by the name of Cullen. The younger Hawke believed that Cullen, or Corypheus, had possessed the entire Circle of Nevarra City and led them to the Deep Roads, likely to build its power base and craft nefarious plots. Cassandra was not certain what exactly had happened in Nevarra, but the entire experience of watching the Circle mages and templars entering the caverns rumored to lead into the Deep Roads had been deeply unsettling, and thus she did not want to dismiss Bethany's theory outright.

Still, in light of the mage and templar war, otherwise concerning events such as the possible reemergence of an ancient magister, and even the ongoing civil war between the forces of Celene and Gaspard had to be pushed down the priority list, at least in the eyes of Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast. The Chantry had ensured relative peace upon Thedas for the last nine centuries, and Cassandra did not even want to imagine the chaos that would erupt if they did not succeed in their effort to help Justinia restore the Chantry, and assist the Divine in reforming the institution as she saw fit to ensure that such crisis would never repeat.

Maker, give us strength to see this task through, Cassandra thought to herself as she continued to observe Bethany and her new Antivan acquaintance, the two young women laughing and chatting amiably like old friends. Cassandra was continuously surprised at how natural Bethany had become at this new role, especially since by Bethany's own admission she was generally quite shy and preferred to stay out of the limelight. Still, knowing what was at stake, pushed the younger Hawke to do what was necessary to help the Chantry, and her recent experiences since leaving Kirkwall had made her a lot more confident and self-reliant compared to the young woman who had always looked up to her more outgoing older sister.

In truth, Cassandra supposed, Bethany had everything to excel in her new role. She was highly intelligent and possessed extraordinary beauty, and the bard training that she had received during the past few months had taught her how to utilize her natural gifts. Before meeting Cassandra, she had spent almost a year living and working in Val Chevin, and had already observed the way the Great Game was played, and at that time her opinion of the Game mirrored Cassandra's distaste for the ruthless Orlesian pastime. But now... now it was the necessary evil that one of them had to master, and Bethany had volunteered instantly, the results surprising even her bard trainer. Cassandra believed that in many ways it was because Bethany was so adept at choosing her masks and clothing ever so skillfully to emphasize her beauty. While most Orlesians wore masks that hid their faces almost entirely, Bethany selected hers so that it hid some of her features, but displayed others, such as those lush red lips and mesmerizing brown orbs of her eyes. A carefully selected dress that revealed Bethany's supple bosom often won more negotiations than any spoken word, no matter how much Bethany herself frowned at using this tactic. Many hours had also been spent trying to eliminate the remnants of Fereldan accent from her speech, the mix of Orlesian, Fereldan and Marcher giving her voice a slightly exotic sound that left the men and women at the capital's ballrooms intrigued and speculating about Bethany's origins.

Cassandra halted her train of thoughts upon noticing that Bethany had parted company with the Antivan ambassador and was now slowly approaching her, heads of the other guests turning as she walked by them, the men in particular accompanying Bethany with stares full of lust and longing. The Seeker rolled her eyes at the shameful display before turning her attention to the satisfied looking Bethany, standing in front of her.

"I take it that you have been successful," the Seeker stated impassively.

"I would like to hope so," Bethany nodded. "Josie is a delight. She promised to do what she can to put pressure on both mages and templars to attend the Conclave."

"Josie?" Cassandra's eyebrows rose at that.

"Oh! I meant Ambassador Josephine Montilyet," Bethany grinned. "But as a said, she is a delight. Two minutes into the conversation, and she was already insisting that I call her Josie."

"A testament to your training, I suppose," Cassandra shrugged. "I noticed that you were... flirting with her?"

"Was I?" Bethany appeared a little surprised. "I didn't think so, but I suppose I was? A little. She seemed to respond well to it... oh, no, no, you don't need to worry," she laughed, having noticed the frown on Cassandra's face. "She is very pretty, but we all must remain professional... too much is at stake here to give in to... distractions."

"I'm glad you remember that," Cassandra nodded.

"Have I given any reason for you to doubt that?" now it was Bethany's turn to frown. "Anyway, Josie is completely on our side in this. The situation could not be any more precarious, so she is utterly motivated to do whatever she can to help stabilize it. And she has a wide net of connections... it was a very good idea to make friends with her, I think."

"It does sound like it, yes," the Seeker agreed. "Ah, I will be glad to be done with these games... but at least you appear to be enjoying them."

"Do you truly think so?" Bethany asked, sounding genuinely curious. "I can assure you, there are a dozen things I would rather be doing than this... and a dozen places I would rather be than here..."

"I know... and I apologize, I did not want to make insensitive implications," Cassandra's voice softened, having picked up on the tinge of hurt in the girl's voice, remembering some of the private things that Bethany had shared during the past year, the separation from her sister and her old friends in Kirkwall was still affecting her, and even though Bethany was brooding less and less, Cassandra knew that she had not forgotten her missing lover as well, still no trace or any news of this missing elven apostate Merrill.

"Think nothing of it," in an instant, the genuine emotion in Bethany's voice was gone, the young woman slipping back into her bard role, a metaphorical mask settling back in its place, almost as if dismissing the concern that Cassandra had tried to show.

"Are there any others you wished to speak with, or should we leave?" Cassandra asked, quickly swallowing the disappointment at being brushed aside so decisively.

"There are several dignitaries from Lydes that I was hoping to have a chat with," Bethany replied. "However, Madame de Fer had them in her clutches until now... oh, I see that she has released them," the young woman exclaimed, having stolen a quick glance back at the ballroom. "Now is my chance! Wish me luck..."

"Good luck," Cassandra sighed, Bethany already out of her earshot, the Seeker having left with nothing else to do than to return to her role of a quiet observer.

It was several hours past midnight when Bethany and Cassandra finally left the ball, Bethany refusing the Seeker's offer to escort her to the apartment she was renting a convenient walking distance away from the Grand Cathedral. Even with two wars ravaging the country of Orlais, the capital appeared almost as safe as ever, the warring parties picking and choosing their battlegrounds elsewhere. Besides, it was not as if Bethany could not protect herself, and right now she wanted the opportunity to sort out her thoughts during the short walk home instead of spending time chatting with Cassandra, the Seeker's only topic of conversation these days being the crisis they were facing, understandable as it was.

Cassandra's words from earlier on had made her think about things she had not considered for some time. She had been so taken with her at times obsessive mission to atone for the sins she had unwittingly committed in Kirkwall, for having unknowingly helped to start this mage-templar conflict, dedicating herself completely in helping the Chantry, hoping that it would grant her absolution from the guilt she was still feeling. There was no time for anything else in her life, but tonight, Cassandra's words together with the charming Antivan she had met during the party, had brought back memories Bethany thought she had buried. It wasn't as if she didn't think of Merrill anymore at all, but... Maker, it was almost three years from that fateful day in Kirkwall. The shy, awkward elf who had stolen her heart had been missing for a long time, and Bethany had slowly come to accept the obvious explanation. Merrill was no longer amongst the world of the living, either her blood magic or the eluvian she had been researching probably proving her undoing in the end. It was the end to their romance that everyone, including her own sister Riona, had warned her about, but even if it had all ended in tragedy, Bethany did not regret a single thing.

Bethany briefly wondered whether these reemerging emotions meant that she was finally ready to move on from waiting for the unlikely chance that Merrill might return one day. Perhaps she was ready to turn a new leaf, yes, but Bethany also knew that she would have to deny herself such distractions, at least until the current crisis was over and she had redeemed herself in the eyes of the Maker. Perhaps... perhaps then I might meet someone as charming and attractive as Lady Josephine Montilyet... Bethany thought to herself, turning the key in the lock on her apartment doors, resolving to immediately write a letter of gratitude to Josie, thanking her for the support she had promised to provide.

However, this resolution would remain unfulfilled. As soon as Bethany stepped into her living room and casually flicked her wrist to summon the mage-lights, she received the fright of her life. A massive crossbow rested on top of the living room table, fortunately not pointed at her by its owner, a very familiar smirking dwarven gentleman, casually sitting in one of the chairs, dressed in a leather jacket that as always displayed a generous amount of manly chest hair.

"Heh, you should see the look on your face right now, Sunshine," Varric Tethras chuckled amiably. "Priceless, utterly priceless. Completely worth the six pairs of lock-picks it took me to infiltrate this fortress of yours."

"Varric!" Bethany exclaimed, her head spinning from the unexpected surprise before she rushed forward to embrace the dwarf, Varric as always tolerating her displays of affection with all the patience of a Chantry saint. "What brings you here, you magnificent bastard!"

"Well, I don't get called that every day," Varric grinned once Bethany had released him and regained some control over her bursting emotions. "Actually, I've been in Val Royeaux for quite a while... but you have proved incredibly difficult to track down and get in touch with. Not with that Chantry lapdog of yours, always sticking by your side."

"Oh, you must mean Cassandra," Bethany smiled. "She's one of the Seekers of Light. Very stern, driven lady... but she's really nice to those she trusts, so I've come to like her a great deal. Come to think of it, Cassandra reminds me a little bit of Aveline. You would like her as well, I'm sure."

"Yes... because Aveline and I get on so well, huh?" Varric groaned.

"Hey! You became fast friends... after seven long years of bickering," Bethany laughed. "Okay, I concede your point. But you still haven't answered the question of what you're doing here!"

"We didn't like what we were hearing out of Nevarra, so... Aveline thought that one of us should go investigate..." Varric started his tale.

"You mean she made you go to Nevarra City," Bethany inserted with a knowing grin.

"Something like that," the dwarf grumbled. "When I arrived there, the Circle was empty and nobody knew what had happened. Someone had seen you leaving with your Seeker friend, though, and after a little bit of digging I found out that you were headed for Val Royeaux. And that's why I'm here now... to see in what kind of trouble you have gotten yourself into. And also to find out why you have not written anyone a word about what's going on with your life."

"I, uh... well, I'm not in any kind of trouble, I've just been so very busy..." Bethany blushed, knowing that the excuses she was making sounded pathetic. "I'm actually working with the Divine herself to stop this mage-templar war!"

"So... not in any kind of trouble, huh?" Varric smirked. "I think I will have to stick around and make sure you don't get dragged even deeper into plots that go way over your pretty little head, Sunshine."

"Varric... not that I don't appreciate you being here and all, but... why?" Bethany blinked. "You have your own life in Kirkwall! And I thought that you were spending all your resources on locating Riona! Maker... I should have written just to learn whether you have tracked down my sister. I'm such an idiot..."

"Well... to tell you the truth, right now... Kirkwall really isn't a great place to be," Varric shrugged. "Aveline is the only one left there from the old group. The city has changed after... after Anders... and well, it hasn't changed for the better. Maybe I'll go back eventually, but... right now, it's not really where I want to be. And I did make a promise to look out for the Hawke sisters, didn't I? Well, here I am."

"For some reason I always thought by that you meant Riona first and foremost," Bethany gave the dwarf a scrutinizing stare. "What has happened? Where is my sister, do you know anything at all?"

"The last letters she sent to Aveline were from Vigil's Keep in Amaranthine," Varric replied. "She hasn't written in a while, and the last few ravens that Aveline sent returned with the messages still attached, but... I don't think it's really a reason to be concerned. After all, Ferelden is the safest place for any mage right now, isn't it?"

"I don't know... these news really don't reassure me all that much," Bethany frowned deeply. "You should have gone looking for her, not for me."

"Sunshine, I don't really think that your sister wants me to come looking for her," Varric grumbled in reply.

"What, why would she not want that, I don't understand," Bethany shook her head, feeling confused.

"Well, in the last letter she sent to Aveline, there was mention of a... man in her life," Varric said stiffly. "Someone called Nathaniel, or something. Lord of this Vigil's Keep, apparently. Aveline and I, we were thinking... maybe she's married by now... maybe she doesn't want anything to do with her Kirkwall past, and I certainly would not blame her if she felt that way."

"That's... a lot to take in..." Bethany remarked, her legs feeling a little weak and she was grateful for having remembered to sit down before Varric sprung all these revelations upon her. "If not for this war... I would go look for her myself. And also to make sure this Nathaniel is suitable for my sister. But I would have expected you to go anyway, despite everything. You know how much Riona treasures your friendship. After mother's death, you were the most important person in her life."

"Damn it, Sunshine... don't say things like that," Varric replied hoarsely, turning away and appearing to be coughing a little uncomfortably. "Just... don't..."

"Wait... what are you saying? No... it can't be..." something suddenly began to dawn upon Bethany, making her eyes go wide in realization. Varric and my own sister being lovers, and keeping it from me all this time? Those sneaky bastards! "No, I would have noticed... wouldn't I? How did I not notice it over all those years? Under my very nose!"

"You don't want to go there, Sunshine, please," Varric spoke up gravely, Bethany wincing from the tone that suggested deep hurt despite his best efforts to appear indifferent. "Whatever happened, it's in the past. I do not wish to discuss it... besides, I'm here to help you, so let's focus on that, shall we?"

"I... yes, of course, Varric," Bethany offered quickly. Perhaps I should ask him about Merrill... but if he had news about her, he would have mentioned them by now. No... just like for me, Kirkwall has taken his love from him... but we cannot afford to be brooding upon that. A new chapter in our lives begins, and we both must turn the page and move on. "I am very glad you are here," she added, flashing her old friend a grateful smile. "You have extensive experience managing a network of spies and informants... yes, if you truly wish to help me... there is much I could learn from you, Varric."

"Step closer, my dears, step closer," at the urging of Divine Justinia V, Bethany and Cassandra walked up the steps towards the Sunburst Throne and gently lowered themselves to sit at the Divine's feet. "I have most excellent news to share with you both... though the news, these bright rays of hope amongst all this darkness, are entirely of your making."

"Your Holiness?" Cassandra looked up at the smiling elderly head of the Chantry and the leader of the Andrastian faith.

"Your efforts have borne fruit," the Divine spoke, producing two elaborate envelopes and displaying them for Bethany and Cassandra. "These letters are from Lord Seeker Lucius Corin and Grand Enchanter Fiona. They are... no longer dismissing my proposal of peace talks. Which means that your work of many months has resulted in enough pressure on both the mages and the templars to sit down at the Conclave and once and for all actually begin to discuss our issues calmly and rationally. For the first time in years, hope for peace has reemerged once again... all because of you."

"You are too kind, Your Holiness," Cassandra replied, looking deeply flustered by the unexpected praise. "But you diminish your own tireless work in this matter. Without your support and guidance, we would have never been able to accomplish this," she added, Bethany nodding along fervently.

"I knew you would say something like that, Cassandra... ever the humble one," the Divine smiled at her two loyal servants. "As for you, Bethany... please, come closer... closer," Justinia ordered as Bethany nervously approached the throne, the young woman looking almost mortified with surprise when the Divine placed her warm palm on her cheek to tilt her head slightly upwards so that she would stare right in the eyes of the Most Holy. "While I have never doubted the strength of your faith ever since Cassandra introduced us, I needed to see how far you were willing to go, and how hard you were willing to fight for what you believe in. This entire task was also a test to see whether you are suited for the role that I have in mind for you."

"What do you mean... Your Holiness?" Bethany breathed out, barely able to speak.

"After the conclusion of the peace talks at the Conclave, I will declare you as the Left Hand of the Divine," Justinia smiled at the breathless young woman. "I have thought about this long and hard, and I believe you are worthy of this role. And Cassandra agrees with my opinion."

"Without a shadow of doubt, Your Holiness," Cassandra nodded fervently.

"Then it is decided," Justinia finished, taking her hand away and releasing Bethany, the young mage looking overwhelmed and almost relieved at being able to retreat and retake her seat next to Cassandra.

"If I may ask, Most Holy," Cassandra began tentatively. "Where do you plan to hold the Conclave, have you decided yet?"

"Yes... it was a revelation that came to me in a dream, perhaps sent by the Maker himself," Justinia replied. "I saw a hidden temple, high amongst snowy mountaintops, and it did not take me long to realize what I had seen. The Temple of Sacred Ashes near Haven. Despite the ashes having been removed from the holy site, it is still a place of great significance to all of us who believe in our Lord Maker, mages and templars included. I am sure that both parties will make sure not to desecrate this holy mountain by engaging in hostilities."

"Haven?" Bethany asked, her brow creasing a little. "The Fereldans consider it their territory, don't they? Won't the... you-know-who oppose us?" By the 'you-know-who' Bethany was referring to Queen Maythre of Ferelden, the Hero of the Fifth Blight, but also an elven blood mage who had taken the throne in Denerim through series of carefully crafted machinations, eliminating all opposition, and she now ruled the country with an iron fist. The Divine had forbidden her name to be spoken amidst the walls of the Grand Cathedral because of the great dislike she harbored towards Maythre, the elven queen having effectively outlawed the Chantry in most of Ferelden, even if the Andrastian faith itself was still allowed. Several Exalted Marches against the heretical queen had been planned, but always something interrupted the preparations, first the events in Kirkwall, then the fallout at the White Spire and the dissolution of the Circles.

"She would not dare to risk interfering with armies of templars and mages flocking to Haven," Cassandra shook her head, looking assured. "Not to mention that I do not believe Haven or the temple interest her. No... she will keep away."

"I am of the same opinion, Cassandra," Justinia nodded. "However... we would do well to have contingencies in place should the worst come to pass and the Conclave fails to achieve lasting peace between mages and the templars." Bethany and Cassandra exchanged puzzled stares, uncertain as to what the Divine was referring to. "Yes, I can see you are curious, but worry not, my dears, I do not plan to keep you in the dark. The plan is quite simple, you see... and it is also the only solution that I can think of. And since the Maker has not provided me with another alternative, I must accept it as a sign of his approval."

"What are you planning, Most Holy?" Cassandra asked, looking and sounding tense.

"If the Conclave fails, then it would also mean that the whole system has failed," the Divine spoke solemnly. "In which case there is only one thing to do. We go back to the beginning, we start again and we try to do better. You both know the history of the Chantry, and our humble beginnings. Think back at the time before the founding of the Chantry, when Thedas had been plunged into the chaos following the First Blight. Well... recent events have left our world in a state of similar chaos. And in those early days, who stepped forth to restore the order?"

"Most Holy, surely you don't mean..." Bethany managed, having gone pale from the realization.

"Your Holiness, do you truly wish to restore..." Cassandra gasped, also catching on with the Divine's intentions.

"Yes, that is what I feel might be the only alternative," Divine Justinia V said, nodding at a thick leather-bound and gem-incrusted tome resting on a table nearby. "If the Conclave fails... I hereby charge you both with reforming the Inquisition..."