"Oh, I don't know about that. The thought of facing down the Guard-Captain and telling her, 'Why, yes, I did leave Hawke in the mother dragon's den and run like the Void was on my heels back to Kirkwall,' makes me think I might be wiser facing down the dragon." He grinned and kept close behind her all the way outside.

He glanced up at the sky and offered over his burden when she reached for it. "Time flies," he murmured. Nodding he crossed to the dark shape he could just make out in the dim light from the stars. The moon was no longer visible. He dipped his hands in the bucket and scrubbed them together vigorously, all the way up to mid forearm before stepping back again.