I've… twisted a little the plot/ timeline (?) by making Sebastian a follower in Act 1 for a short while … all for the sake of the storyline, of course (that and I found it unfair that I couldn't have Bethany and him with me in the same party almost all the game). Nothing else will be altered much. It may contain some spoilers for The Mark of the Assassin later on, and some minor spoilers for various guests in general; I'm thinking it will be about 3 chapters long. I make no promises when I will finish them, though, I'm easily distracted.

And…I believe I'm babbling aimlessly already…feel free to ignore me.

It'd been there, hidden under layers of glossy indifference, painted so carefully by experience, a flicker of desire, a hint of impious intent… It rested dormant, never given space to manifest, boiling his insides from under the metal of his armour; a punishment for his hypocrisy, for sins he wasn't committing, but thoughts of depravities he wasn't condemning. The teachings told him of the enormity of his fall, he had been able to tell from the start, had felt it; the shift that spelled his doom.

It started on a hot, summer day; somewhere on the narrow streets leading towards the docks, under an unforgiving sun, surrounded by the acrid smell of poverty and salt. Sebastian couldn't remember why they were there that day, except for the fact that Hawke had asked him to join him on some errands, and that along the way they'd ended up taking on a job that had something to do with some dwarfs nobility and a lot of angry Carta Thugs and Assassins.

He could not have pinpointed the exact moment it happened, mostly because they've been in the middle of a battle, and battles alongside Hawke had always been swift and frantic. All he remembered was the graceful, wide movement of Bethany's staff and the fire in her eyes. He hadn't noticed them before; not until she'd screamed his name in warning as he had just finished pulling at the string of his bow, letting loose an arrow that pierced the space between a man's eyes with ease. Her dark hair sprayed behind her, and he was taken in by her eyes, wide and bright, by the glow of her skin and the shape of her mouth.

Time slowed down, and he could only stare at the concerned creasing of her brows, at the soft angles of her face and the harsh lines of her frown. He'd knew the mage to be beautiful, but not like this, shards of ice mingling with her hair, catching the midday sunlight sharply, her cheeks flush from the residue heat of her latest fireball.

"Get out of the way!"

And by the time her voice had hushed, there was something cold prickling the back of his neck. Behind him, a cone of ice, within which was a frozen Carta Assassin- one who would have stabbed him in the back- and he realised that she'd saved his life.

Everything was a blur of knifes, arrows and spells after that. The fight was won and the blood in his veins stopped pumping so frenziedly, even with the image of Hawke's sister so stubbornly engraved in his mind.

"Let's go, we should tell Lord Harrowmont that the cost is clear." Hawke's voice rose over the restless sounds of the city, and his head stood tall as always, a pleasant smile on his noble face, pulling at the corners of his eyes.

They moved eagerly, blood staining all their clothes and armours and mixing with the sweat and dirt from fighting in the dusty streets. It was a look that suited Isabela well, he thought, but was not at all to his tastes.

He caught sight of movement from the corner of his eye, dark hair, loose robes, smooth skin, and he instinctively slowed his pace, to walk besides her.

Bethany noticed him, turned her head, fixed him with her golden gaze, and smiled. Her face lit up and her eyes lowered shyly after a moment, showing off her dark lashes.

Maker, her smile…

He didn't know how he managed not to gasp like a fish, but somehow he did, and he even remembered to thank her for saving him.

She'd laughed lightly, eyes bright and teeth showing, and she'd graciously accepted his gratitude, speaking out her certainly that he would do the same for her, eventually.

A few weeks later, he did, of course, killing the Shades that materialized behind her in a hail of arrows, and she'd smiled at him then, too. Her soft, musical voice rang her thanks over the dim of metal clashing against demonic flesh.

The after-match of the battle was more nerve-wrecking that the actual fighting. Since she'd dazzled him with her smile, he'd convinced himself that he would not give in into temptation again. Bethany was a sweet girl, proper, kind and friendly, but she was still just a girl, Hawke's little sister, and above all else, a mage, he should not allow himself get so easily distracted by something as simple as the turning of her mouth. But it didn't work quite like that.

Before long, the two of them started to remain somehow in the back, chatting, and her sweet demeanour made him doubt himself, made him question his determination not to get too close to the woman, her smiles always disarming.

"So, Sebastian... you're a prince" She started, in a whisper. He tried not to notice the wonderful interest in her voice; it brought back memories most… disorderly.

"That is my lot, Lady Hawke." He answered just as quietly, although he did not doubt that both Isabela and Hawke could hear them. The mage laughed softly, angling her head towards him.

"I'm a mage. I don't hear "Lady" very often." She admitted thoughtfully, somehow shy. He almost, almost wished she would stop smiling, then, but he liked the sight too much to really do.

The price smiled in return, a bit of his old charm and pretension shining through his gestures. "You were made as you are. I have yet to see evidence of the Maker's fallibility. I certainly don't see any in you." He breathed, and he could not completely rein in the knowing glint in his eyes after she blushed, noticeably even in the poor lighting.

"I... oh my." Bethany gasped most entrancingly, because not even she would have missed his well-placed jab. Such a sweet sound, he wouldn't have minded hearing it again… and that was entirely inappropriate, of course- not that the comment that invoked that reaction out of the woman had been intended to be all that appropriate either. He vaguely heard Hawke's chuckle somewhere in front of them and saw him pull Isabela closer to his side and the rogue whispered something in pirate's ear.

They both proceeded to laugh in unison, sneaking peeks the archer's way. Sebastian had the decency to flush and clear his throat while Bethany just smiled shyly his way and fastened her pace to close the distance that had formed between them and her brother. He followed suit, telling himself he would not forget himself in the presence of the apostate anymore.

She did look wonderful when flushed, though, and that smile...

Oh, Divine Prophet, what was he thinking?

After that day, he'd started praying for wisdom, as it was clear he lacked any.