#cbsotpmarch2017

As much as Teagan Hawke was not a very devout man, he still ended up visiting the Chantry quite often. He was a social worker, after all, and his job involved quite a few dealings with the Chantry. Getting priests to come work with the kids, organizing events in the church itself, and investigating families that were part of the church's parish were regular reasons for Teagan to visit. He normally dealt with Elthina, a sharp matronly woman who made him feel very small sometimes, and sometimes with a few of the other sisters. But this was the first time that Teagan saw him.

Teagan knew that Sebastian Vael existed - Elthina had mentioned him before, the son of a business man from Starkhaven who came to the Chantry to find peace. He had heard the brother's soft voice through the echoing Chantry as Teagan walked inside, and managed to put the accent to the stories. But Maker's breath, no one had told Teagan that the man was so damned pretty. Warm skin, bright blue eyes like a freshwater spring, soft mahogany hair, and dear Maker, those hips. Teagan's eyes watched the curve of Sebastian's waist as the priest walked around, lighting the candles needed for the next service and talking to one of the sisters. He could listen to that voice all day, and he found himself wanting to walk closer, just so he could see Sebastian better...

SMACK.

Teagan walked straight into a wall, so focused on watching Sebastian that he had not been looking where he was going. The sound echoed in the Chantry and Teagan stumbled back, cupping his face in his hands. Blood started to drip through his fingers and Teagan cringed with the pain reverberating through his face. That was a broken nose. That was definitely a broken noise. Shit.

"Maker, are you okay?" There were footsteps racing across the stone floor and soon a hand touching his arm. Opening his eyes, Teagan saw the Chantry brother looking at him with nothing but concern. Oh, what a first impression this was. Teagan gave Sebastian a weak smile under his hands and gave a thumbs up with a slightly bloody hand.

"Sorry." He managed, not quite able to speak for the pain in his face.

"You don't need to apologize, here, sit down." Sebastian led Teagan to a nearby pew and sat him down on it, settling beside him. "I'll talk to Elthina and take you to the doctor. And get you some tissues."

Teagan watched Sebastian take off and just focused on trying to stem the blood flow, not wanting to bleed all over the pew or the floor. Soon, Sebastian was back with a handful of tissues, some gauze from a first aid kit, and a concerned expression on his face. "You're too kind." Teagan managed before taking the gauze, rolling a bit up his nostrils with a grimace and using some tissues to wipe his face a bit.

"How are you feeling? I'll take you to the doctor when you feel you can stand."

Teagan sighed. "Few minutes."

"Okay. You're Hawke, right? I've heard you talking to Elthina before, about the children's fairs."

Teagan felt himself smile just a little. "Yeah, that's me.

"You spoke rather kindly of the children that you work with. You have a good heart."

Teagan's cheeks went rather red at that, and he looked down to try and hide the blush. Finally, he murmured, "Thank you. I think I can stand now."

Taking Sebastian's arm, Teagan walked with him out of the church, still holding his face to stop the blood from dripping onto the ground. After a few steps, Teagan found himself asking out of the blue, "Can I have your number?"

Sebastian stuttered a bit in his steps. "I...sorry? I didn't catch that. You must have hit your head rather hard there."

Teagan winced a bit, which made the pain in his nose even worse, but he took his hand away from his mouth so that he could ask again. "Could I get your number? Sorry if that's rude, but you're gorgeous and I was watching you instead of walking and Elthina makes you sound so kind and passionate and ow, my face." Teagan had to cut himself off, covering his nose again to stop the blood.

Sebastian stared at him for a moment, stopping walking to make sure that Teagan was alright, and after a moment, cracked a smile. "My vow of poverty means I can't have a cell phone, but you can reach me by the Chantry's phone. Also if you are feeling better tomorrow and you are truly that persistent, you can take me out for coffee tomorrow after services."

Sebastian sat at his desk in Starkhaven castle, going through his morning routine of answering all the official letters, that had come in yesterday.It was a pleasant, if also tedious routine, but it at least managed to distract him from his loneliness. It had been three months since Garrett had left the city to go aid the Inquisition. News from his mission were sparse. Partly because Hawke was too busy, to write and partly because Varric just didn’t bother to write.

It might have been that latter fact, that caused Sebastian’s stomach to drop the very instant his eyes fell on the dwarf’s crest. There amidst complaints and pleas from various nobles, was a small, unadorned letter, bearing no more information that Varric’s crest and the scribbled words: “To Prince Sebastian Vael - personal”. The Prince of Starkhaven hesitated, before he finally reached for it, opening the wax seal with shaking fingers. He did not know, why exactly he knew this letter was bad news. Maybe it was, because Varric never wrote back to him. Maybe it was because he knew the dwarf would consider it his duty, to inform Sebastian at least, if something had happened to Garrett.

Taking a deep breath, Sebastian began to read the surprisingly few lines, written in Varric’s unmistakable handwriting. He had not noticed, he was holding his breath all the while reading the retelling of Hawke’s last moments, but when he was done, it left him all in a rush. All of a sudden, he felt numb. He could hear nothing but the rush of blood in his own ears.

With routined hands he unclasped the sunburst pendant from his neck and held it tight in his folded hands. Bowing his head humbly, he began to softly recite the Canticle of Transfigurations.

“O Maker, hear my cry:

Guide me through the blackest nights.

Steel my heart against the temptations of the wicked.

Make me to rest in the warmest places.

O Creator, see me kneel:

For I walk only where You would bid me.

Stand only in places You have blessed.

Sing only the words You place in my throat….”

Salty tears stung in the corner of his eyes, but he barely noticed, as he forced his dry throat through verse after verse. It was, as if the words were trying to choke him, but he carried on. Garrett deserved this. His beloved might be gone for good, but he-

A pained sound escaped the prince’s throat, like a wild beast in agony. And then - finally - he couldn’t hold it back any longer. Folding in on himself, like a puppet without string, the Prince of Starkhaven cried for his lost love. Thick drops of salty water stained the knees of of his pants. Loud, choked sobs wrenched themselves from his throat, as the realization finally settled into Sebastian’s heart.