-- Dark Dawn -- IV --

IV. First Glance

Alyx and Bethany finally reached the top of the stairs, their blood pumping like fire through their legs. Looking around, Alyx took in the familiar sight of the many stalls in the square, bustling with business. Alyx pulled Bethany away from a man selling overpriced jewellery; which resulted in Bethany pouting at her.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, her eyes still looking at the stall as they walked up the stairs.

"Because, of one main problem. We don't have money" she said, rolling her eyes at her sister who sometimes resembled a magpie when it came to shiny and sparkly objects.

"Well, not on us. But we have some in the Estate and in the Bank" Bethany countered, smiling at her. Alyx gave a deep sigh, shaking her head at her sister and her addition to sparkly trinkets.

"Fine…Once we have money, you can buy yourself as many pretty baubles as your heart desires" Bethany gave a squeal and hugged her sister, chanting 'thank you' over and over again. People in the street looked at them, their eyes wide and mouth agape.

Alyx shrugged her sister off, telling to behave as people were staring at them.

They soon arrived at the main courtyard of Hightown. Many nobles where walking about, flaunting their jewels and boasting about how much money they had. Bethany ran forward until she was in front of the Amell Estate. Alyx walked next to her, her right hand on her left shoulder as they both looked up at the white stone building.

The white stone gleamed in the soon as the vines of flowers crawled up the walls, adding a variety of colours to the Estate. The twin Amell shield stood proud on the main wall; the red crest contrasting against the silver shield and the white brick wall.

They walked forward and Alyx knocked on the doors but no one answered. Searching through the pack on her leg, Alyx found her spare key for the Estate. Opening the door, they both walked in to be greeted with silence. They walked through the Entrance Hall and into the Main Hall of the Estate, then through the double doors and into the Lounge Area, the fire crackling away.

"Hmm…" Alyx hummed as she put her hood down. "They can't have left to long ago, the fire is still burning and the wood looks fresh" She turned and saw Bethany looking around, shock and awe gleamed from her eyes as she took in the many tapestries and paintings that hung on the dull red walls.

"I forgot that you haven't been in here before" Bethany looked at her with a sad smile, he eyes flashing as she remembered the Templars taking her away to the Gallows, forcing her to forget her old life.

"Come on" Alyx said. She stood in the middle of the room. The room was finely decorated with expensive antique furniture. Painting and tapestries on the wall. A rich red rug took up the centre of the room, sofas placed delicately around it. "This is the Lounge Area, as you can see" she pointed to the door on the far left, "That's Bodahn and Sandals' bedroom".

They walked out into the Main Hall. A simple room, made up of a dark wood floor and rust coloured wall. The furniture was sparse as this was a simple meet-and-greet room.

"This is the Main Hall, through that door" she pointed at the door on the left, "is the study and library and through that door" she motioned to the door on the right, "Is the dining room and the kitchen and Pantry is also through there".

She then pointed to the other door on the right, "That is Uncle Gamlen's room".

Bethany raised her eyebrow and Alyx smiled at her. "I asked him to move in after I helped him find his daughter, – our cousin – I thought it would be better this way" She gave her sister a smile.

"Cousin?!"

"Yeah, she's really nice. Her name is Charade. She has long brown black hair and, I think, blue eyes. She's also an archer, quite good" She said with a smile as Bethany nodded.  

"Right, where were we?" She looked around. "Oh, right…yes, so that's Gamlen's room"

She then took Bethany up the left stairs. "That was mother's room. I locked it after her death. Nothing's changed" Bethany gave her sister a sad smile, before giving her a hug. The hug soon ended and Alyx continued the tour. "That's my room" she pointed at the doors in the centre of the wall, and that's your room", she said as she motioned to the doors at the left.

Bethany noticed two doors that she hadn't shown her. "What are those doors?" she asked as her she pointed to the doors in the right corner and left corner near the stairs. "Oh, the left door is a storage room and the right is the washroom, nothing important" Bethany smile before grabbing her sister hand and dragging her to her room.

The room was carmine red, with golden decals here and there. The floor was a dark brown wood. There was a double bed in front of her with a canopy about it; the bed sheets were also carmine red with gold trim and frills around the pillows. At the far end was a golden wired room-divider with a dull gold tub behind it with a mix of toiletries. Portraits were scattered about on the wall and there was also a small desk with a quill, ink well and some parchments on it on the opposite wall facing the bed, and a wardrobe was next to it. Also on the desk, turned slightly to face the bed was the portrait of their mother Alyx had given Bethany in their second year in Kirkwall.

Bethany smiled at the room, her hands clasped in front of her mouth as happy tear streamed down her rosy cheeks. She turned and pulled her sister into a hug, tears staining her sister's cloak - not that Alyx minded.

"It's beautiful" whispered Bethany, tightening the hug. Alyx finally was able to realise herself from the hug, smiling at her sister.

"Why don't you get changed, there might be some clothes in the wardrobe. Mind you, we bought them last year. So they might not be in fashion" she said, as she twirled her fingers as she said 'not in fashion'. Bethany laughed at her sister before playfully pushing her out of her room, shouting that she was not to be disturbed.

Standing in front of her sister room, Alyx laughed before heading to her own room.

It was still the same. The same dull fire red walls with dark stained wooden floors.

Same desk and wardrobe. Same fire place and bed. She smiled, slightly glad that Bodahn hadn't touched her room.

She through her cloak onto her desk chair and sat on her bed. She pulled her boots off - with some difficulty - and put them at the side of the bed. She put the contents of her bag into her wardrobe; leaving out a pair of black breeches and a white blouse with red floral designs. She also left out a black corset with gold buckles.

After putting her clothes away, she changed out of her old clothes and into the ones she had put out before pulling her boots back on, just in time to hear the door to the Estate open and the sound of her Mabari, Lexus, bark echoed throughout the building.

"Oh will you hush!" Shouted a male voice who Alyx presumed was her Uncle since he never got along with the War Hound.

"I do hope he calms down"

Lexus continued to bark. "Oh, I dare say. He is making quite a bit more noise than usual"

"Hahaha! Doggy go woof!"

Alyx shook her head 'Ah, Sandal' she thought as she tightened the last strap on her boots. She heard Bethany's door open.

"Bethany!"

"Oh well, Mistress Bethany! I didn't know you would be arriving"

Lexus continued to bark excitedly. Alyx opened her room door and walked over to the left staircase.

"Hey, Sunshine. You wouldn't happen to know where your sister is, would you?"

Just as Bethany was about to answer, Lexus ran at the stairs as Alyx reached the bottom, before running around her in circles. She bent down to his level.

"Hey boy, have you been behaving?" She asked him as she stroked his muzzle and kissed his forehead. His response was him nuzzling his head to her head and a big wet lick on her cheek.

"Ew! Lexus, was that really necessary?"

He barked at her before lying on the ground, giving a happy bark.

"Lady Hawke!" Smiled Orana, who was looking healthier than when she had last saw her; she wasn't as gaunt looking in the face and she had gained a healthier build.

"Hello" Sandal said, giving her a wave. He hadn't changed. Her eyes moved to Bodahn who looked the same; but will a few more wrinkles as some grey hairs in his hair.

"Well, well, Hawke. Liking the new hairstyle" Alyx looked at her closest friend and sent him a smirk.

"What can a say, Varric. Got to keep up with the times" Varric let out a deep laugh, before walking up to her. He held out his hand at her.

"Good to have you back, Hawke"

She smiled and gripped his forearm, giving it a tight squeeze while smiling at her. They released their arms before they all moved into the Lounge Area. As Alyx lit the fireplace, everyone else took a seat; either on a chair or sofa or the floor. The orange light of the fire shone on the white marble fire place.

Alyx turned to face her family. Her Uncle broke the silence. He looked the same as he did as well.

"Not that we aren't glad your back…but…why are you back?" he asked as he looked at her, the light from the fire making his change from their normal murky brown to a golden hue. Alyx put her hand into the pack on her leg, taking out a white envelope with slightly yellow edges and the seal ripped open.

She gave the letter to Varric, who examined it.

"Hmm, a letter from the Viscount…must be important"

He looked up at Alyx, silently asking permission to read the letter. She nodded with a small smile before turning back to the fireplace, her hands clasped behind her back.

"Alyx Hawke

Let me start by saying that it was no easy task finding out your location. It seems you have a certain skill in dodging the guards and personal servants I send to find you, but as you can tell, my persistence paid well in the end.

Now, I believe that you are probably wondering why I have sent you a letter, especially what happened when you left Kirkwall. Let me explain by saying that it is in the past. The citizens of Kirkwall understand your decision and are very grateful that you were about to stop Knight-Commander Meredith before she fully destroyed Kirkwall.

But it seems Kirkwall is no longer allowed the peace that it once had. I have had word from one of the patrols caught sight of a few Qunari near the Wounded Coast. I know this seems like little importance as there was only a small number, but lately I have had more and more reports of Qunari sightings and I worry for my people.

I do not know if these Qunari are stragglers from the previous invasion or if more have landed to issue the threat that the Arishok had given you after your duel.

There is also the growing concern of the slave trade in Kirkwall rising. My guards cannot seem to find the culprit or the cause and it is a growing matter.

I know that this is too much to ask of you, but, my heart goes out in hopes that you are still willing to be our Champion, Lady Hawke.

I hope that myself, and the people of Kirkwall will see you soon within our walls.
Viscount Avery Bancroft of Kirkwall"

The silence in the room was deafening. Bethany was the first to speak.
"What does he mean that more and more Qunari have been sighted? Are you sure the Viscount is correct. That cannot be right".

Varric spoke up. "Hmm…I thought something was up" everyone turned to face him. "The guards have been acting more paranoid that usual. I just thought that because the new Viscount was assigned, that they were worried about an uprising, but now…this makes more sense"

Hawke nodded. "He is correct to worry about it. I knew from the moment the Arishok said it, that his threat would be held true…but…it has been about four years. Why now? The Qunari had plenty of time to re-arm and return"

Everyone murmured while Sandal patted Lexus' muzzle.

"We were weak back then…as strong as the guard was or how strong our group was, we would never had been able to defend another wave of Qunari so soon after the first"
Alyx pondered, rubbing her fingertips in circles on her temples. Gamlen spoke, his voice laced with slight worry.

"What about these slavers? I thought that the trade was over in Kirkwall"

Varric looked at the man. "It's because of Hawke" everyone turned to look at him, their eyes wide. "Because she left, Kirkwall lost their Champion and this made every thug and slaver return because there was nothing to stop them"

Alyx cursed under her breath. "Trust my leaving to cause some chaos in the world".

Bethany stood up. "You had every right to leave Kirkwall. They asked too much of you, Sister" She walked over to her, her hands gripping her shoulders as she leaned forward to speak softly to her. "They asked too much of you…and they threw it in your face"

Alyx' azure eyes widened as a scowl crossed over her feature. Bethany hated it, but she had to get her sister to remember what had happened and that it wasn't her fault it had happened. She nodded before turning back to the group.

"I should see the Viscount today and get this over with"

Varric chuckled. "That would be easy…if he was here"

Silence.

"What!?" Alyx shouted at him, a smile still on his face. "I spent two weeks on a ship. I lived with seasickness and the stench of rotten fish for two weeks, just to see the Viscount…and he isn't even here!?"

Varric smiled. "Looks like it, Hawke. Its seems out Champion doesn't believe in replying back to letters"

"If I had replied back, I would have needed to wait for a reply back from the Viscount before coming here. Who knows how long that would have taken?!"
Letting out a frustrated sigh, she threw her hands up in the air before she sat on the ground, her face red from not taking a breath during her rant.
  
Everyone chuckled at her face; her red cheeks contrasting sharply with her nearly-ivory skin. She soon stopped pouting before chuckling along with her friends. She stood up, dusting her breeches off as she did. She looked at her friends...her family.

Bodahn. Varric. Sandal. Bethany. Orana. Lexus. Even her Uncle Gamlen.

She gave them each a smile, before clapping her hands together and then resting them on her hips.

"So, what have we missed in the past year?" she asked them, and then they all began to talk at once – minus Bethany and Lexus; who instead barked his head off.
Alyx and Bethany chuckled at them. Bethany then spoke up, "Why don't we catch up at The Hanged Man?" she asks them.

----

Varric continued his tall-tales as they walked towards The Hanged Man with Alyx and Bethany beside him, clutching their stomachs in fits of laughter from the stories and rumours that had been going around about them. They began gasping for air from all the laughter, not caring about the people around them pointing and whispering about them. Hush voices rang in the air, all on the same topic.

"Is that the Champion?"

"I can't believe she has returned!"

"Oh, praise the Maker! The Champion has returned"

Alyx shook her head as she heard them talk about her, but she continued to walk past them without giving them a glass before she looked up at the upside-down mannequin that came into view, his feet bound as he began to sing from the rope.

Varric opened the door and the trio were greeted by the sound of lively music and drunken patrons before the smell of stale alcohol and body fluids. The all walked up to Varric's room, not noticing a certain pirate and female elf following them with their eyes, a look of shock and disbelief on their faces.

"Is...Is that...?"

"I believe so, Kitten. Looks like things are going to get interesting around here"