You're My Only Hope

The loss of his husband had worn on him. Not that he’d talked to anyone about it. He just couldn’t. There were layers and layers of guilt that had built up over it. He’d followed the hare brained idea to go on the mission. His healing magic had messed up so he wasn’t able to save him or even get him stable. Everything was so firmly on his shoulders and he was carrying it by himself as he felt he should have.

You’re welcome as long as you like, Bethany. I’d love to show you around, introduce you to the griffons and such. he took her bag as they moved through the keep to his rooms. They were a bit of a mess, as was his nature, though the bed looked largely unslept in because it was. He hadn’t slept in it since he’d gotten back. His desk however… well stacks of parchment and vellum could make a lovely pillow if one stacked them the right way. I’ll set you up nearby, hm? There are some nice rooms across the hall.

Still, his home was quite a bit better than the clinic had been in Darktown. Warmer, with creature comforts he didn’t allow himself in Kirkwall. Rowan’s bedroom was off to the left and looked quite a bit neater. She was out at the moment though, probably getting into trouble or visiting Connor or the twins. They were all one big happy family up here. Something that Anders didn’t fail to notice. The boys felt as much his at this point as Rowan did.

He couldn’t follow that train of thought too much or he’d have to face a truth he knew but hadn’t acknowledged in all this time and didn’t feel like he ever could.

Anders smiled softly at the mention of his old friend and glanced up at the mantle where he kept the Deep Roads maps. The man was a sentimental bastard and for good or bad that had been a turning point in his life so he’d kept them.

How is she and the priest? I try to keep up with them at a distance considering everything. It’s the least I can do. Her public ‘execution’ of me allowed me to get out of Kirkwall and back here. I don’t want to involve myself in her life too much, anymore. He was well aware of the betrayal he’d committed on her when he blew up the Chantry and he was also well aware the woman was smart enough to know that in his possessed state a knife to the back wasn’t going to do much. He also knew Sebastian probably still wanted to stick a few more sharp pointy things into him so it was better he steered clear of Starkhaven.

Anders poured the hot water over some tea and put the cups in front of them both on a small table he cleared with magic. There were two overstuffed chairs that were the height of comfort and he slid into one, massaging his burn scared hands, I doubt you’re here to talk about your sister though. And if it were a social call you would have written. Is everything okay? Are you in trouble?