A/N: Finally finished! I know its long overdue (sorry about that ^^b), but I just didnt know how to finish this story. I had most of it written a month ago, but the last page was just... stubborn xD But now its over, so, enjoy and tell me what you think! :D
Hawke dove to the side, as the large statue brought its weapon crashing down on a place she stood a moment before. She dashed towards it, seeing its huge sword stuck in the ground.
Suddenly, she found herself flying through the air before slamming into some wall. Damn it... She fought unconsciousness, while struggling to get up. Shaking her head to clear it up a bit, she saw Meredith approaching her menacingly.
"Now Champion, you will pay." She rose her sword, but before she could deliver fatal blow, an arrow struck her, lodging into the back of her armor, making her stagger a bit, but not really harming her.
Two hours earlier
"First Enchanter!"
"Champion! You've survived, thank the Maker! We must..." He was interrupted by the coming of Meredith, Cullen, Fenris, Sebastian and some of her other top ranking Templars. "And here you are!"
"Let us speak Meredith!" He pleaded the Knight-Commander, quickly coming down the stairs to confront her. "Before this battle destroys the city you claim to protect!"
"I will entertain a surrender, nothing more." She said casually, smirking at the mage. "Speak if you have something to say."
"Revoke the Right of Annulment, Meredith." Orsino said quietly, unable to keep despair from his voice. "Imprison us, if you must, search the Tower... I will even help you. But DO NOT kill us all for an act WE DIDN'T commit!"
"The Grand Cleric is dead, killed by a mage." She said matter-of-factley. "Your offer is commendable Orsino, but it comes too late."
Hawke thought now was a good time to jump in "We can still prevent this. Before you both tear Kirkwall apart."
"You realize this is a cause you cannot hope to win." Fenris said, but before Hawke got a chance to respond, Sebastian asked "Where is Anders? Did you...?"
Hawke, who was glaring at the elf, turned to look at the prince, sadness in her eyes evident. "He is dead."
"You actually... killed him?" He asked, shocked. Exchanging glances with Fenris, he looked at the Champion, thinking hard.
"I... I hope its not too late to rejoin you?" He finally said.
Hawke's head shot up in surprise. She glanced at Isabela, who gave her small smile. Hawke nodded at the Prince and he rejoined her ranks.
As Meredith turned towards her attacker, Hawke got up and tackled her. The Knight-Commander dropped her blade when they hit the ground, and since Hawke lost her daggers when Meredith charged on her, she had to settle for trying to beat the crap out of the Templar with her bare hands. Not an easy task with fully armored opponent.
She managed to break the Knight-Commander's nose, before Meredith somehow managed to grab her hands and kick her off of herself over her head.
Hawke grunted as she hit the ground. She had to roll over to avoid being trampled by Meredith, as the Knight-Commander stomped with all her might on the place Hawke was laying moment before. The pavement shattered under the Templars boot from the force of impact.
Sebastian used this opportunity to put few more arrows in the Knight-Commander's armor, giving Hawke enough time to collect her daggers. But before she could get near, Meredith realized she needed even more power, so she jumped, soaring through the air and landing on the higher ground.
"Maker! Your servant begs you for the strength to defeat this evil!" She shouts as she plunges her sword into the ground, animating every statue in the courtyard.
"Balls!" Hawk heard Isabela swear as they got surrounded.
Suddenly, the pirate was enveloped in the red aura "What tha...?"
"Isabela!" Hawke shouted in alarm as she reached towards her lover, only to be repelled by the sinister aura. No! Not again! Its the same as when we fought Huon...
"How does it feel, Champion, to know I hold the life of the one you love in my hands?" Meredith said, smirking mockingly, as she jumped down between the combatants.
One hour earlier
"I refuse to keep running! I wont wait for her to kill me!" Orsino was getting dangerously desperate.
"I hope you are not giving up before taking a shot at Meredith." Hawke said cautiously. I have to calm him down a little, before he does something stupid.
"I am not giving up. Im giving in!" Orsino yelled, slicing his own palm with a small dagger.
Balls. Hawke thought as the First Enchanter became an abomination right in front of her.
Hawke screamed as she charged at Meredith, dodging the first, sliding under the second and jumping on the third, spider-like statue. She used the momentum to jump off of it, straight at the Knight-Commander.
Meredith only smirked as she lazily raised her sword at the enraged rogue, parrying or dodging her every attack.
"Let! Her! Go!" Hawke screamed, emphasizing every word with a strike of her blades.
"Enough!" The Knight-Commander grew bored of Hawke's clumsy attacks, so she kicked her in the chest, making the Champion stagger backwards. She thrust her free hand towards the pirate, and Isabela screamed as Meredith began to squeeze the life out of her.
Hawke, looked in horror at her lover, but as she turned to face Meredith again, a shadowy figure suddenly appeared behind the Templar.
Meredith gasped, and her concentration faltered when Zevran stabbed her in the back, grinning in the apparent victory. Isabela fell to the floor, still conscious. She tried to get up, but her legs couldn't support her just yet.. Hawke was about to run to her side, when Meredith began glowing bright red. The Knight-Commander turned and backhanded the elven assassin, sending him flying into the wall. She turned her attention back on Hawke.
Hawke crouched, daggers on the ready, in case she decided to charge at her again.
"I will not be defeated! Maker! Aid your humble servant!" It seemed to Hawke like the Knight-Commander was on fire, so bright was her aura.
But then, something unexpected, even to the Templar Commander, happened.
Her sword exploded in her face and the lyrium dust began settling on her. Meredith screamed in pain , horror and confusion. She fell to her knees clutching her head.
Hawke took a few hesitant steps back, her mouth slightly open as she watched grisly scene before her.
Screaming soon stopped and when the dust cleared, there was a lyrium statue in the spot where Meredith had been few moments earlier.
The Templars surrounded them almost immediately. One scout approached their former Commander, checking on her. She looked at Cullen and shook her head. The Knight-Captain then looked at Hawke, who glared at him, daring him to try something.
He quickly withdrew, gesturing to other Templars to do the same. Hawke gave him a curt nod, before turning on her heels and quickly walking towards where Aveline was supporting still weak Isabela.
"We have to get away from this town as fast and as far as possible. Cullen won't try to arrest us, but the next Knight-Commander will. Isabela, is your boat ready to sail?"
"Ship, Hawke" she corrected the Champion for the Nth time, making Hawke scowl at her "and yes, she is ready."
The Champion nodded "Good." She turned towards the Guard Captain "Aveline, I will need you, Donnic and Varric to get us supplies. Gather as much as you can and be sure to come back before the dawn." Aveline nodded, as she let go of Isabela, handing the pirate to the Champion, before she and Varric ran off to find her husband.
Hawke turned towards the rest of her companions, who were now gathered around her "The rest of you, go to the Sirens Call II, we will be leaving at dawn." She added, gesturing at Zevran and Isabela "Help those who can't walk by themselves."
"What about you?" Isabela and Bethany asked at the same time.
"I have something I need to take care of first, but I will be joining you later." Hawke said, glancing at Fenris.
They all nodded and started towards the docks. Hawke could hear Isabela muttering "… I can walk fine by myself…" as she was being led by Bethany. Sebastian was carrying unconscious Zevran over his shoulder.
As she turned towards Fenris, her face was unreadable. Fenris was looking at her impassionetly. They just stood there, watching each other for a few moments, before Hawke spoke "You are welcome to join us, if you wish."
The elf stared at her for a few moments, before looking away, frown on his face "And why would I want that?"
"I don't really like you, and you always knew that." She thought she heard him mutter 'The feeling is mutual.' "But… You are useful in combat, as you have proved again and again over the years. And I can always use another warrior by my side."
Hawke turned to leave, adding over her shoulder "Its your choice. Just be sure to make it before the dawn." With that, Champion of Kirkwall left the Gallows.
"What happened?" The younger Hawke asked the Champion as soon as she boarded the ship.
Her sister just shrugged "We will see. I gave him the choice, he can come with us if he wishes. How is Isabela?"
"She will be fine, she just needs to rest, so that means no sex, no alcohol and no fighting for at least a month." Young mage gave Hawke knowing look. The rogue just chuckled "Does she know about that?"
"Ask Sebastian." Bethany was having a hard time containing her laugh, as she motioned with her head over her sisters shoulder. Hawke turned around to see the Prince probing his bandaged head with a finger, and wincing at the contact.
"When I told her that, Seb tried to cheer her up a little. He's lucky she isn't in her prime condition; the dagger she threw only grazed him, though the gash was deep enough that my weak healing couldn't fix it completely." Mage sighed "I just wish Anders was here, he was a much better healer than I am." She finished with a frown.
Hawke tensed a little at the mention of Anders' name "Don't worry, you will do fine. You are the best healer we have now." She said, putting a hand on her sister's shoulder.
"You mean, the only one." Bethany corrected her.
"That too." Hawke chuckled. "I'm going to see Isabela now. Knowing how stubborn she can be, I'm worried she won't listen to the doctor." She said with a small smile.
"See you later sis. And don't forget; NO sex!"
Hawke just waved her, not turning around.
Hawke slowly opened the door to the Captain's cabin and peeked inside. When she saw that Isabela was asleep and that it was safe to come in, she sneaked inside, quietly closing the door and taking a chair to sit besides sleeping pirate.
Damn it, its my fault she is in this condition. If I had just kept my distance… If we weren't together, Meredith would never have used her to get to me. She put her head in her hands, silently berating herself.
"Hey." Isabela's voice got her attention and Hawke lifted her head to give her lover a small, strained smile. "Don't tell me you were sleeping in that chair." The pirate said mockingly "There is enough room in the bed for both of us."
Hawke eyed the small, one-person bed "Only if you slept on me."
"Wasn't thinking about any other way." The pirate winked.
Hawke chuckled "Why am I not surprised?" he shook her head "But seriously, you need to rest. You know what Beth said."
Isabela scowled "Seriously Hawke? You really think I will abstinent from alcohol and sex for a month?" Licking her lips seductively, she added "You really think YOU will manage?"
Hawke shot her a glare "This is serious Isabela. I need you to promise me, you will at least try to listen to my sister… At least, until we find a healer that can fix you."
Isabela frowned at Hawke.
"Please. Do it for me." Hawke's expression softened to a pleading one.
Isabela turned her head away from the other rogue. "Fine." She said, sulking.
"Thank you." Hawke got up from the chair and leaned over the pirate, to place a soft kiss on her forehead. "Now rest. I still have some things to take care of, but I promise I will be back soon."
"Fine. Go, before the world crumbles in the absence of the all mighty Champion!" The pirate exclaimed dramatically, and Hawke just shook her head, as she paused at the door, looking back at her lover with a smile.
This is going to be an interesting voyage.