(1)Anders awoke to find Marian gone. On further inspection of the hut they had been hiding out in he discovered her heavy fur lined cloak and sword (half as big as their tiny ridiculous wife) were also gone. Before he could really start to panic Justice spoke up saying he had spoken with her in the night, that she had decided to "undertake a most noble quest" and that she would return in a few days. Also that he should keep an eye on Anders and make sure he ate in the meantime.
(2)Anders grumbled at the implied nudge, but couldn't really argue the point seeing how he really did forget to eat if people didn't remind him. He spent the day going over his latest manifesto draft, and occasionally stopping to smile at the little tokens of affection and gratitude he and Hawke had received from various mages they freed from the circle over the years. Mostly from children. Little things, like a smooth rock or a picture drawn with a shaky hand showing a clear sky and no walls.
(3)Things had calmed down since the hole in the sky had been mended. Supposedly the new Divine was serious when she disbanded the circles. Justice had been ecstatic for weeks when he heard, and Anders was cautiously optimistic about it. They had spent years working to destroy other circles and free the mages held there, the idea of it finally being over felt like a fantasy.
(4)āPerhaps. But it is a good fantasy at the very least.ā Justice said happily from the back of his mind. Anders nodded to his lover and felt the spirit begin to twine through his limbs trying to coax him into a better mood. āJust actions usually prevails in the end, and all of us have worked hard for this. We deserve to find peace. And Marian has thought of a lovely way to celebrate this peace.ā
(5)Anders tried to get Justice to tell him what that meant *exactly* but the spirit just sent him the the mental equivalent of a smug smile and refused to say. Stubborn spirit.
(6)The week went past fairly uneventfully. Days spent writing interspersed with bouts of anxiety wondering if Marian was alright -where ever she was- and Justice helping Anders focus again or reminding him when he missed a meal. And snow. So much snow. Winter in Fereldan was terrible when you were missing your wife. Anders woke up one morning to the sound of a loud thump.
(7) Another blizzard had hit the night before, because of course it did, but this didnāt sound like a branch scraping against the hut. There was another āwhumpā and then the door started to creak open. Years of the three of them being on the run and fighting templars had Anders and Justice on their feet in an instant, blue spirit fire flashing.
(8)āWell arenāt you two a sight for sore eyes.ā Marian stood in the doorway disheveled with a sparkling grin on her face and hip deep in snow.
(9)Anders and Justice rushed forward with a laugh and tried to bring her in for a hug when her cloak squeaked. Justice pushed forward flashing a smile (literally) āI see you were successful in your endeavors.ā Anders pushed back forward and looked at Marian curiously, āLove?ā
(10)With a soft smile Marian pulled an old orange tabby out of her cloak. The cat took one look at Anders, leapt into his arms and started purring up a storm determined to rub his head all over Anders face. āPounce!ā
oh my goodness, thank you so much! this honestly made me cry, itās so good and itās been such a fucking week, so just...thank you for this, really so very much <33