Anders holds her tightly, letting out a sigh of relief. "Missed you, so much."

"So don't leave us alone." That's as close as Ilska can manage to reciprocating the sentiment.

"Promise. We stick together from now on."

"Good. That's- good."

Cia joins the hug at that point. "Safety in numbers and all that."

"You'll hear no argument from me," Anders laughs softly. He holds both of them, feeling like everything has settled into place.

"You need food," Cia decides abruptly, poking Anders stomach.

"I second that. I can feel your ribs through your coat."

"My very fancy coat."

"It is delightfully fancy," Raeli agrees. "Still. Food."

"All right. Food." He pulls away from Cia and Ilska, somewhat reluctantly.

Cia squeezes him, before going to see about food, and comes back with bread and cheese. Something that doesn't take ages to prepare.

Anders arranges enough seats around a table, and sits closest to Karl, Cia and Ilska.

"So what kept you?" Cia asks.

Anders look hardens somewhat. "We were two weeks into the Deep Roads when we came across a very old dwarven city. Naturally, Varric wanted to explore, so he took the twins and me along with him. We came across this huge old room, possibly an ancient temple of a sort, when Varric found an idol made of the same red lyrium that was growing around the city. He gave it to Bartrand, who then shut us in. Took us two weeks and many wrong turns to find a way back up to the surface."

Ilska makes a low, angry sound.

"Def took pretty major exception to the idol," Raeli says quietly.

"And Ilska took pretty major exception to Bartrand coming back without you."

"There's something wrong about the lyrium. Never mind the colour, the feeling of it is...off. Tainted, somehow."

Anders grips Ilska's shoulder. "Varric's hoping to reintroduce his crossbow to Bartrand for that."

Ilska glances away with a slightly nervous laugh.

Anders isn’t sure why she reacted that way, but he doesn’t press her. “On the upside, we did manage to find an enormous amount of treasure, so the clinic and it’s allies (the mage underground) will be well funded for some time.”

"That's good!" Cia agrees happily.

“It is. And we’ve got good allies in the Hawkes and Varric. They’re all very well connected. We’re not going to have Templar visitors as long as we keep our noses clean.”

Karl kisses the tip of Anders’.

Anders blushes.