Author's note: Many thanks to Ekocentric for allowing me to use her beautiful artwork for the cover of this story, and to Erana for her creative input and title.

"Now do you see?" Hawke asked, just managing to keep the smugness from her voice. "I told you they wouldn't dare do anything to upset me."

Anders released her hand and stepped forward, eyes narrowed as he peered through the crowds of the marketplace. Hawke followed his gaze, watching as the Templar that had passed them a minute ago continued on his way without a backward glance. As soon as the Templar turned the corner Anders turned his attention back to her. "He just walked right by us," he said, the confusion plain in his voice.

Hawke shook her head and reached for his hand again with her own. "I'm the Champion of Kirkwall, Anders," she explained, and not for the first time. "It's thanks to me that this marketplace even exists. They won't dare..." her voice trailed off and she was silent for a moment. "Well, maybe it would still exist. I don't know. Do the Qunari have marketplaces, do you think? I suppose they'd have to. They have to get all their armor from somewhere. Or maybe they have people whose only purpose is to fulfill armor orders..."

Anders allowed himself to relax, perusing a nearby stall for weapons and tuning out the sound of Hawke's rambling voice. Ever since she'd defeated the Arishok, Hawke had been after him to spend a day in the Hightown marketplace with her, helping to outfit her group of misfits in new weapons and armor. He'd steadfastly refused her for weeks, claiming that Lowtown was far safer. The Templars would be forced to move against him if he paraded himself in front of them, he'd insisted.

Sometimes, it was nice to be wrong.

Anders picked up a small dagger from a table of wares, turning it over and running his thumb along the edge. "This would be perfect for Isabela," he said, trying to bring Hawke back around to the point of their excursion.

Hawke released his hand to pick up the second, identical dagger, holding it up to the sun. The blue decorative jewels in the hilt sparkled. "Oooh," she murmured appreciatively. "Nice catch." She turned a smile on the merchant and began to talk price.

Anders watched her charm the woman into giving her the pair of weapons for almost half the price, wondering how many times a man could fall in love with the same person. He'd never seen this side of her before. So much of their time together was spent in battle and blood. Even the quiet times spent alone in her mansion couldn't compare to seeing her amongst the people of Kirkwall. She was enchanting.

"Well, that's one down," Hawke commented with a self-satisfied smile. She opened her mouth to say something else, but was interrupted when they both heard someone call out her name. They turned as one to the source of the exclamation, Hawke's expression turning to one of bitter disappointment. "One day, Anders, I just wanted one damn day..."

Anders gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as a dark-haired woman headed towards them through the crowd. "Maybe it'll be something quick, and we can continue to pretend to be normal when we're through."

"More than for an hour, maybe?" Hawke asked, softening the bitterness of the question by smiling at him before stepped forward to meet the woman. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"Mistress Hawke, I apologize, but I must speak with you," the woman said in a rush. "You're the only one that can help!"

"Calm down," Hawke told her in a soothing voice. "You have my attention. What is it I can do for you?"

"The Wardens mounted an expedition to retrace your route through the Deep Roads. They wanted to explore whatever it was you found years ago. It's a fool's errand, and my poor brother is with them - Nathaniel Howe."

"Delilah?" Anders gasped. "Maker, it is you, isn't it?"

Hawke tried to ignore the way Anders immediately released her hand upon hearing Nathaniel's name. But it was harder to ignore the quiet, distant look in his eyes. The pained, sorrowful expression that veiled his face she'd seen only once before, when he spoke of Karl.

It had taken him years to get over that death, seeing someone he once loved made tranquil. But Anders had made his peace with it, had opened up his heart again for her. And, with the exception of the growing tension between mages and Templars, the two lived together in a blissful, romantic relationship. He'd spend his days in the clinic, healing and helping people, while she ran around Kirkwall assisting whomever with whatever needed doing now that she was officially their Champion.

The nights were theirs, though. He'd return to the estate, his permanent place of residence, and they'd stay up for hours. Reading, talking, making love until the sun disappeared behind the mountains. And with each morning came the promise - to return to each other the following night.

Something changed, though, the moment Delilah Howe mentioned her brother's name. "You two know each other?" Hawke asked Anders, not entirely certain she wanted to hear his answer.

"I knew Nathaniel, yes. We were in the Wardens together in Amaranthine," Anders told her.

Before her, then, Hawke realized. Before Justice. Back when Anders was carefree, relaxed, funny and not so serious. At least that's how her distant cousin, the Warden-Commander, had described him, when she'd found out Hawke and Anders were together through their correspondence. The mage that Solona Amell spoke of was far different from the one that stood beside Hawke, the one she had come to love.

"Wait. I remember you," Delilah said. "You were there the day Nathaniel first came to find me, after he'd returned to Ferelden."

Anders nodded. "Yes. It was a... difficult day for your brother, hearing the truth about his father from someone other than the Commander."

"Do you know any other details?" Hawke asked Delilah, interrupting her conversation with Anders in an attempt to get the woman back to the point. "We cleaned that place out last time we were there, why were the Wardens interested?"

Delilah continued to study Anders for a moment, as if she were going to say something else, but she refrained. "I know almost nothing," she said sadly to Hawke instead. "It was only by happenstance that I heard your name mentioned. Nathaniel never speaks about the Wardens," she added, eyes still on Anders. "After what happened at Vigil's Keep, well, my brother hasn't been the same since. He's volunteered for every suicide mission the Warden's had to offer, and yet has survived. Only this time, I fear the worst."

Hawke cast a side glance at Anders, who obviously knew whatever it was that had happened to change the man. A conversation for when Nathaniel's sister wasn't around, Hawke decided.

"We'll find him," Anders assured Delilah. "We'll leave for the Deep Roads immediately."

"We will?" Hawke asked.

Delilah didn't hear her. Instead she threw her arms around Anders. "Oh, thank you. Bring my brother home safely, please."

Anders returned her embrace, until a subtle cough from Hawke had the two pulling apart. "I have a room at the Hanged Man," Delilah told them. "Please, send word to me when my brother is safe."

Hawke watched the raven-haired woman disappear through the crowds of Hightown, disbelief forcing her feet to remain firmly where she stood. She wasn't sure exactly what had just happened. Turning to Anders, she asked, "Since when are you in a rush to go back into the Deep Roads? Didn't you swear to never return again?"

Anders reached for her hand, but Hawke stepped back out of reach. "I need to do this," he whispered. "I owe it to Nathaniel. If he's in trouble, if anything has happened to him..."

Hawke took a deep breath, bracing herself. "This history between you two," she said. "I'm not going to like it, am I?"

"It was a long time ago," Anders said dismissively. "We should get going if we're going to find him in time."

"Fine," Hawke said, more harshly than she had intended to. "I'll go see if Varric and Fenris are available. Head back to the estate and tell Bodahn to prepare to leave."

"Hawke!" Anders called to her, his tone pleading.

It pained her to walk away angry, but Hawke knew if she remained it would only result in a fight. "Time is of the essence, remember?" she said, moving in the direction of Fenris' mansion. She didn't dare look back, knowing he would be watching her. Being involved with him, Hawke knew better than anyone the amount of secrets he kept.

She just didn't like knowing he was keeping them from her.