Cui Bono?

Alva braced herself, Renegade's Ruin clutched to her left and Penalty dangling to her right. Whatever it is that Garrett chose now, she promised herself that she wont abandon him, her family, and quite frankly what she did tell him back at the estate was true. She doesn't care whether mages nor templars win this stupid Maker-forsaken war. What she wants is her family safe and sound and her friends--

"--you've got yourself a Champion."

The hunter stiffed a bit, suddenly tense at what her brother picked. She knew that everyone around him were loyal to the fault and no doubt that even the mage-hating Fenris would follow him to defend mages if he chose that.

The problem is, Hawke didn't chose that.

When Garrett looked at her direction for a brief moment, Alva knew she couldn't say no. Never, against this man who is her family in all but blood.

'Family before anything else, right?'

With a resolute face, Alva grimaced internally as Garrett turns to Anders, not missing a heart beat.

"You have to pay for what you've done."

'Serves you right, traitor. If you couldn't trust my brother, then you're no better than a scum.'

"Garrett, wait!"

Alva glared at the blond's slumped form, not caring about the years worth of friendship and solidarity they build. Against this dumb decision to blow up the Chantry and put everyone (especially Garrett) in danger, no amount of fond memories would redeem him in her eyes.

"We'd all best get to the Gallows. It's going to be quite a show!" Varric called out as everyone began to follow Alva's brother. She looked around, trying to check up on everyone's condition when she realized that one other person is missing. Alva turned back to see the Elf mage still, her eyes staring at the body sadly.

"Sevalra? Aren't you coming?"

'Nononono-- please don't do what I think you're about to do. Come on Sev, pick up your staff and leave that traitor-- you still have to help me braid my hair and--'

"I'm going to the Gallows. But not with you."

---

'I always wanted a sister, a big sister, just so I can have the full experience of a true family. Quite a shame I never had the chance to feel what a father's love would have felt--'

"Hey, how are you faring?"

"Like a Mabari about to go on a hunt?"

"And you wonder why Varric calls you a puppy."

"At least I'm not broody--"

'I like Sev--alra. She's nice, homey, and what I thought would be a model sister. It's funny how she likes that Antivan cheese a lot, and how she would ask me sometimes to raid some noble's mansion for a book, of all things--'

"Are you ready for this?"

"As always, brother. Anything you point with the end of your sword, Penalty shall follow."

'--and she'd sometimes sing in some weird language but it's a nice lullaby. I don't want to kill her, she's my sister, my family--but Garrett's my brother too.'

"Alright, I'll check on Fenris before heading off."

"Maker preserve us, brother."

"Perhaps you have been spending too much time with devouts, Alva."

Garrett gave her a knowing smile before heading into Fenris' direction, no doubt to also give the former slave the same talk they had just now.

'Maker-above, if you're truly there, save my sister. Save Sevalra from this damnation. Let her escape to some boat, let her go somewhere far, far away... Please...!'

Alva sat down, eyes hardened and glossy, tears threatening to pour out in each blink. She refused to cry again, not after that session with Garrett (and he still said no, that we can't spare her if she goes against us). Alva knows Garrett would also try to reason with Fenris and hope he has more success with him than her.

"Please..." She whispers softly, closing her eyes to erase anymore thoughts of doubt and guilt and conscience pouring in her head.

'For family... right...'

---

'Oh no. No, no, NO please, Maker, NO!'

Alva's eyes widen at the familiar mage standing in front of them. She vaguely heard Aveline's protests but with startling clarity heard Sebastian's voice the loudest.

"NOW you hesitate at killing one of those abominations. What of Anders? You shed no tears then, shed none now!"

'Anders betrayed us and endangered us, you prick! Sevalra has done nothing of the kind!'

"Family's always worth crying for, Vael. Or maybe you forgot that feeling when your family was betrayed by their closest allies?"

'A bit too harsh there, Alva.' She managed to suppress a wince as the Prince of Starkhaven glared at her direction. She heard the templars calling out someone and then it finally hit her that Sevalra really is going through with this.

"Sevalra, what are you doing?!" Alva half screamed, half pleaded at the stubborn mage. When she saw no movement, she tried harder.

"Go back in! They have every right to kill you!" Her blue eyes widen, staring at teal ones begging, whispering, crying.

'Please, no. Not my sister. Not my family. Please.'

"H-h-hello Garrett..." The mage's eyes were full of resignation but not once did Alva notice any form of hate and bitterness. Despair through and through kept reflecting back and Alva swore she stopped breathing for a second because it hit her full on that she has to kill her sister in all but blood.

'I-I have to kill her... I have to... Do I? She hasn't done anything... but she didn't side with us... Maybe we betrayed her?'

"Sevalra, are you here to change your mind? We can still stand together, like old times."

Alva's breath barely hitched as she hears her brother convince the mage one last time. Her eyes glazed, teeth shivering, she feels creeping sensation all over her body at the very thought of having to bloody her hands with her blood. She lets her thoughts wander off, barely paying any attention as one thought rang all over her head.

'We betrayed her. I betrayed her. I have to kill myself. I'm the worst scum. No wonder Gamlen hates me, I'm nothing but poison.'

"If you won't change your mind, I won't hurt you. But I won't let you stop me!"

Garrett's ultimatum and booming voice seemingly brought Alva back for a bit. Swallowing the lump of desperation, she mustered up her voice one more time, somehow still cracking on some hitches despite her trying to hide it.

"Sev, just join us! We're on the winning side here!" A cold sweat formed on her head, pleading for someone, the Maker, Andraste, anyone, just please let her live.

'Sister, please, I'm sorry, I wont betray you again, I'm sorry, please live--'

"Amatus, please. Come back with us," Even Fenris is drastically pleading and Alva felt like a bit of her soul broke, hearing the usually broody and prideful elf warrior desperately begging. She felt her world broke bit by bit, realizing that for all the talk about betrayal and family, she's the first to scorn them the first instance of guilt and trechery.

'Anders didn't deserve that... He was my brother's lover, my brother... Why didn't any of us see it? Why didn't I stop him... Now Sev is going to die--'

"Mi amor... I'm sorry."

Alva could barely remember what happened, as if she was sunk deep under water. Muffled voices surround her and before she knew it, shouts were barely heard but her grief stricken eyes couldn't leave the body slowly slumping as an arrow pierced through her.

The rogue no longer thought of anything. She let her instincts take over, Penalty about to be released at the unsuspecting Templar but Varric caught her at the act and stopped her.

"Puppy, now's really not the time to switch sides, don't you think?"

"And, fire!" Meredith's voice called out once more before the ice wall Sevalra briefly managed to conjure collapsed. The final arrow flew straight in Sevalra's throat. Sebastian briefly showed a pained expression towards Alva before his eyes looked down in distress.

The hunter made a choking sound, somewhat similar to a mix between a cry and a whelp. She stood frozen, on top of the stairs. It felt forever, her mind constantly repeating that same scenario, the arrow flying, her blood gushing. The weight of Penalty and Renegade's Ruin felt extremely heavy in her hands and she could have sworn that she dropped them at least once as they made their way downstairs.

Alva stood over her now dead sister, nothing going on in her mind but a whirring mess. She remembers blurry scenery and tears. She remembers hearing Fenris mutter something in Elvish or the other, Alva could barely care at that point. She remembers Ser Cullen briefly and softly telling her to take cover for now as he gives her brave and so very much alone in the Fade sister a small prayer. She doesn't know what happened, if Garrett killed Meredith or Orsino turned to blood magic, she doesn't care. At one point, Sebastian and Merrill tried talking to her but all she remembers saying is a brief yes that sounded more like a gurgle. Her eyes finally stopped tearing but her mind continues the echoed screaming she made in the Gallows.

She remembers eating a bit and then feeling a bit sleepy. Somebody probably dosed it with some sleeping potion but she can't bring herself to care a bit anymore. Maybe this was all the Fade and a nightmare and soon she'd be woken up by Sev after their excursion with the fat noble's library.

The last thing she recall is her mind gently whispering where Fenris is and if he would apologize for her and accept her own apology for him.

She dozes off, dead to the world.