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The Hanged Man was definitely the best tavern in Kirkwall, without a doubt. Although it always smelt of piss and vomit and was full of delinquents, Lana Hawke felt right at home. It reminded her of her local tavern back in Lothering, a place of peace and entertainment in equal measure complete with a mix of interesting patrons and travellers from all over Thedas. But Lothering was lost to them all now. The Blight may have been ended, but Kirkwall was Hawke's home now. Instead of listening to another argument between Gamlen and her mother, Lana frequently visited this fine Lowtown establishment, having drinks with her companions and trying desperately to ignore the mounting problems on her shoulders. It was like a battlefield in the tiny run down shack that Gamlen had so "graciously" invited them to live with him in. Granted there were a lot more fights here in The Hanged Man, but at least Hawke wasn't involved (mostly).

Lana checked her cards and took a quick glance around the table. She was sitting with Isabela, Varric, her sister Bethany and Aveline, trying to win her coin back from the busty pirate rogue who had no doubt cheated her way through every hand so far. Aveline and Bethany were terrible at cards, but Isabela and Varric won so often that Hawke was suspicious of their luck. They were sneaky buggers. Anyone who blindly trusted them was a fool, and Lana Hawke was no fool.

Bethany took a glance around the table and played her hand then.

"I win!" she shouted excitedly, checking the cards around her when the others had followed her lead. Hawke laughed.

"Not this time, Little Sister, I always save the best for last."

She flipped over her hidden card and looked up at her younger sister's face to see her reaction at having victory snatched away from her. Bethany groaned. She had only won once before and the sum was very little.

"Damn it! I thought I had you."

Varric laughed. "Bad luck, Sunshine. Hawke's the best player I've ever seen. She doesn't even need to cheat!"

Hawke chuckled. "You mean I'm stupid enough not to. I swear I would have had enough coin for the deep roads expedition before now if you and Isabela hadn't hustled me out of my hard earned sovereigns."

Isabela and Varric laughed as Hawke reached over the table and scooped her winnings into her coin purse, keeping watchful eyes on the pirate's hands. Isabela held them up in surrender.

"What are you looking at me for?" she asked with a smirk. "I'm not going to try and steal any this time. My wrist still hurts from the last time you caught me."

Hawke grinned smugly. She had caught Isabela slipping her hand into her winnings once and squeezed the rogue's wrist until she dropped the coin back onto the table.

"Touch my coin, you'll feel my wrath."

"Ooooo," Isabela swooned, her eyes travelling over Hawke's figure. Every time the woman looked at her, she could feel herself quiver. But Hawke wasn't stupid enough to go down that road. Isabela changed lovers in the blink of an eye. "I'll have to remember that."

The Rivaini winked at her before emptying the remains of her mug of whiskey into her mouth. Hawke rolled her eyes. This game again.

"You're going to have to think of something better than that to get into my pants, Bela" she teased. Bethany and Aveline cringed as Isabela and Varric threw their heads back in laughter.

"Maker's breath, Hawke!" Aveline exclaimed, shaking her head disapprovingly. She expected it of Isabela but not of Hawke. The prudish guardwoman hated being around such crass. Hawke on the other hand, rather enjoyed Isabela's banter. At least it was better than listening to Aveline's endless complaints about her Captain. Isabela turned to her then.

"Oh, hush Big Girl. We don't need your judgmental remarks ruining our fun again."

Aveline gave her a stony look. Maker she couldn't stand the pirate rogue. "You and I have different opinions of fun, Whore."

"Really?" Isabela said mockingly. "I didn't even think you knew how to have it. All work and no play for Lady Man Hands as usual."

"Say that again and I'll put you in the brig" Aveline said angrily.

Isabela shrugged uncaringly. "I'll probably end up there by the end of the night anyway."

Hawke, Varric and Bethany laughed. Aveline looked furious, but she couldn't deny that Isabela was probably right. Arresting Isabela had become a routine part of her job, mainly for starting bar brawls in The Hanged Man. Or finishing them. Hawke saw Aveline's grip tighten around her mug, irritated once again by Isabela's company.

"I thought you were sleeping with me tonight, Isabela, not spending it chained up in the brig," Hawke joked, breaking up their squabble. "I'm disappointed now." She always tried to keep the peace between the two women whenever she could. Isabela loved winding Aveline up. The only way she could distract her was by talking about her other interest: Sex. Isabela grinned cheekily at her again.

"We can go right now if you want, sweet thing? Or why don't you come there with me and we can put those chains to good use?"

Hawke chuckled. Isabela had said the words as a joke, but there was an actual proposition there as usual. She poured them all another whiskey, avoiding answering her question. Aveline held her hand over her empty mug then, refusing a top up. She gave Hawke a disapproving glare, unhappy with her and Isabela's continuing banter.

"You two have no shame," Bethany said, giggling along with Varric. She took the drink Hawke handed her reluctantly. "I think this will be my last."

"Oh come on, Sunshine!" Varric said. "We still have another bottle to go and Isabela has a friend she was going to introduce to you."

"Oh yes!" Isabela said as though just having remembered. She put her left arm around Bethany's shoulder and pointed with her right. "He's right over-"

Hawke grabbed Isabela's outstretched hand and flattened it to the table. "You're not setting my younger sister up with some idiot from The Hanged Man," she said firmly.

Bethany looked relieved. She'd never been with a man before and always got quite nervous when Isabela started to coax her. Isabela and Varric laughed at the serious look on Hawke's face.

"I was only kidding, Hawke. Bethany's too good for anyone in here," Isabela said. She pulled her hand out from under Hawke's and ran it up Hawke's arm, flirtatiously. "You, on the other hand...aren't as innocent as your sister." The pirate captain got to her feet, leaning seductively over the table, her face hovering in front of Hawke's, slowly leaning in for a kiss. Hawke rose to her movements played along, moving her head towards Isabela's. Just as their lips almost touched, she dodged at the last second and moved her lips to Isabela's ear.

"Nice try, Bela" she whispered smugly. Isabela fell back into her chair in defeat as Varric and Bethany burst out laughing. It was their favourite form of entertainment watching Isabela try and seduce Hawke. Lana was the only one who seemed to be able to withstand Isabela's charms and she was sure that the others were wondering how long she could keep it up, just as she was. Good choice or not, there was no denying the Rivaini's sex appeal, or her cunning wit.

"Ooo, you're such a tease," Isabela said, chuckling herself. Even though she always got rejected, she loved trying to entice the woman. It was becoming like a hobby.

"She's beating you at your own game, Rivaini," Varric said, shaking his head in mock disappointment. Normally Isabela was the one in control. That was how she liked it. Hawke was taking her for a different sort of ride though, and it rather intrigued her.

"Oh, I'll win in the end Varric." Isabela answered confidently, not taking her eyes of Hawke. "Sooner or later I always manage to get on top."

Hawke and Varric chuckled, grasping her meaning. Bethany looked confused.

"I don't get it," she said.

"Oh, don't worry your pretty little head about it, Bethany" Isabela said, patting her sympathetically on the shoulder. "I'll get you a night at The Blooming Rose sometime." She glanced at Hawke for her reaction.

"Over my dead body," Hawke said seriously.

"Oh Hawke, don't be so selfish. I'm pretty sure I've seen you there before," Isabela replied jokingly.

Hawke laughed. "Only when I was going in to get you out!"

All of them at the table, bar Aveline, laughed. She sighed and got to her feet, finally having had her fill of their antics.

"I have to get back to the barracks. My shift starts soon," she declared.

"I thought you had a night off!" Hawke said, looking up at her confused.

"I did," Aveline replied. "But I decided I would rather work than have to listen to tales of Isabela's sexual exploits."

Isabela turned to her. "Maybe you should stay, Big Girl. You might learn something."

Hawke tried not to laugh. Aveline threw Isabela a dirty look before walking away. "See you, Hawke...Bethany."

"Good night," they called after her. Aveline could rarely stomach the conversations Hawke and the others had with Isabela. They were a bit too crude for her. Tonight though, they had behaved as best they could. Hawke watched her as she stormed out of The Hanged Man, slamming the heavy door behind her.

"Oh, she definitely needs a good seeing to," Isabela exclaimed. "Bent over backwards and hammered like a bent nail."

The three of them laughed. "Well what are you waiting for, Bela?" Hawke asked. "I bet she's right up your street."

"Ha!" Isabela exclaimed. "Not even if you paid me...well, maybe." Varric and Bethany snorted into their drinks. "I don't imagine she would be very good though...She doesn't have your kind of...talents."

"And how would you know of my talents?" Hawke asked, here eyes twinkling. So they were back to their games again? Isabela smirked knowingly.

"Call it female intuition."

"Well it isn't working tonight." Hawke said. Her attentions were then distracted by a group of men who had walked into the tavern. She recognised a few of their faces, "Shit, look who's here."

Isabela turned her head, following Hawke's gaze. "Oh, balls!" She turned back. "You should go Hawke. He'll pester you too if he sees you with me."

"Let him try!" Hawke said. Bethany touched Hawke's arm.

"Maybe we should go, Sister. Mother will be wondering where we are," She said. Bethany hated bar brawls. Mainly as she had no way to defend herself because using magic would expose herself as an apostate. Hawke seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"Alright," she relented. "I'll see you both tomorrow."

She knocked back the rest of her whiskey and she and Bethany stood up.

"See you, Hawke," Varric said. "You can win your coin back some other time."

Hawke smiled. "I was on a roll too. I'm starting to think it's no coincidence that those men are here. Maybe that was your plan all along."

Varric and Isabela laughed. As Hawke went to walk away Isabela grabbed her arm.

"Come back later," she said, giving her a sly smile, "We can have some fun."

Hawke chuckled. "Goodbye Isabela," she said pointedly. Isabela sat back down in mock disappointment.

"Fine," she said, folding her arms and leaning back on her chair, "You can't resist me forever, Hawke," she called after her as Lana and Bethany made their way towards the door.

"I can try!" Hawke called back. She heard Varric chuckle before the door to The Hanged Man closed behind them. The cool breeze gave the two sister's chills as they walked the short distance back to Uncle Gamlen's house near the Alienage. The sound of some whore plying her trade in a back alley could be heard some where in the distance. Bethany made a face.

"I don't like Lowtown," she said, eying the crumbling buildings with dislike. "I really hope Mother gets the estate in Hightown back. I can't bear the though of living with Uncle Gamlen any longer."

Hawke nodded in agreement. "I hope they've stopped arguing by now."

As they reached the door to Gamlen's hovel, raised voices could be heard from inside. They were still at each others throats. Hawke and Bethany looked at each other in disappointment, bracing themselves before opening the door.

"I'm still their daughter!" Leandra was shouting. "And I'm still your sister, as much as I hate to admit it right now!"

"Then what are you still doing here?" Gamlen yelled back. "I was perfectly happy before you and your lot came along."

"Perfectly happy spending all of my inheritance you mean!"

Hawke led Bethany past them and into the bedroom. Her poor sister had enough on her plate, worrying about Templar trouble. At least once, Hawke would like to bring her home to some peace and quiet. But that was hard to come by these days. Leandra and Gamlen barely even noticed them enter the house, still engrossed in their argument. Hawke followed Bethany to the single bed that they had to share with each other. The sheets were moth eaten and frayed at the ends and the pillow was nothing more than an empty sack with a few feathers. Bethany undressed and climbed in. Hawke sat on the edge and leaned on her knees with her elbows, holding her head in her hands as she tried to block out the noise.

"I can't take much more of this," she said, her voice muffled slightly. The strain she was trying so hard to conceal was apparent in her tone. This didn't go unnoticed by her little sister. Bethany straightened up and placed a comforting hand on Hawke's back.

"Don't worry, Lana," she said quietly. "We've almost got enough coin for Bartrand's expedition. We'll be out of here soon."

Hawke turned to her. Bethany was so innocent. Sometimes Hawke forgot that she was only 19. As she stared into her brown eyes though, she didn't have the heart to tell her that it wouldn't be that simple. What was the point in ruining the only thing they had to look forward to?

"I know," she agreed. "I just wish I could get a moment's peace from all the yelling."

She stood up and walked over to throw water over her face. Bethany watched her go. She felt sorry for her sister. Lana had a lot of responsibility on her shoulders. She was tough, but Bethany knew that the pressure was becoming too much for her. That, plus Carver's death, would have crippled any lesser being. Lana slept little, and Bethany knew that it wasn't just because the bed was so bloody uncomfortable. She had a lot on her mind. A younger sister, a grieving mother, and Bethany knew that Lana blamed herself for Carver's death. She would have done even if their mother hadn't screamed it at her as she held her only son in her arms as he lay dead. Then there was that toad Uncle Gamlen. He had already stolen coin from them a few times. Bethany remembered the row Lana had with him when she found out he had taken the money she had hidden under the bed for the Bartrand's expedition. She had almost killed him.

Hawke walked back to the bed and climbed in. There was barely any room for them to move in the tiny bunk. She and Bethany lay on their backs, staring up at the bunk above theirs where their mother slept.

"Isabela likes you," Bethany said suddenly. Hawke turned to glance at her and then chuckled.

"Isabela likes anything with a pulse," she replied. Bethany laughed.

"True," she said. "Can you believe she's slept with women?"

Hawke shrugged. "So what?" she replied. "It's not like it's unheard of."

"I know, but...why would you want to? I mean, how would you...?"

Hawke couldn't hold back her laugh. "Thinking of taking a woman to your bed, Sister?" she joked.

Bethany laughed with her. "No!" she said, defensively. "I was just curious...that's all."

"Well, why don't you ask Isabela sometime? I'm sure she wouldn't mind giving you a few pointers. She talks about sex often enough."

"Does she?" Bethany asked. Hawke rolled her eyes.

"You really don't get her jokes do you?" she laughed. "Maker's breath Bethany, there's a sexual innuendo hidden in almost everything the woman says!"

"Oh!"Bethany said. She thought back to all the moments when Lana, Varric and Isabela were giggling at something Isabela had said and she and Merril were confused. "Well, I'll have to listen out for them next time. I don't know how she does it though..."

"Does what?" Hawke asked.

"Sleeps with women!" Bethany said, surprised Lana hadn't understood. "I would never...well at least, I don't think I would. I mean...would you...ever...?"

Hawke stayed silent. There was a lot her sister didn't know. They weren't ones to keep secrets from each other but the conversation simply had never come up before. She hesitated.

"Let's...just...go to sleep," she said, turning onto her side. She felt the bed shake as Bethany jumped up beside her and could feel her sister's curious eyes on her.

"Lana?...What... you mean-?"

"I'm tired Bethany," Hawke interrupted loudly. "Lie down and go to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow."

After several seconds she felt Bethany flop back down beside her. She could practically hear her little sister's mind ticking over, trying to piece things together. Hawke wrapped her half of the skinny sheet around her and stared at the wall. She hasn't expected for Bethany to ask her straight up about her thoughts on sleeping with women. Her sister wouldn't mind if she told her but it was an awkward situation. After all, Bethany had known the woman back in Lothering she had slept with. And she wasn't just any woman. Hawke didn't know how she would react when she found out. Neither Lana nor the woman had planned on telling anyone as it wasn't exactly permitted. But now Isabela's sexual experiences had landed Hawke in a difficult position. Damn her for putting ideas into my little sister's head!

Hawke rolled over and lay on her back, closing her eyes. Knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep, she let her thoughts wander back to what had occurred in Lothering, three years ago...