Karl screws up his face at the mention of the Deep Roads, but it doesn't last long.

"I suppose we could go and ask them today? While the two terrors distract their dad?"

"Hey, I'm a delight. Ilska's the only terror here."

"You can be a delight and a terror, I've seen it." 

"Who's a delight and a terror?" 

Anders rubs sleep out of his eye as he wanders into the room. 

"Cia. Apparently I'm just a straight-up terror."

"Well, obviously." Anders goes to lean on Karl, pressing his face into his hair. 

"I thought you were asleep," Karl chides. 

"I was, and now I'm awake. You know, how being alive works?"

"And if I told you to go back to bed..?" 

Anders whispers something in his ear, and Karl smacks him. "Just for that, I'm moving out."

Anders laughs.

He sits next to Cia. "What's the plan for today, boss?"

"Healing potions round two. I feel like there's a better way that I'm edging around and want a different set of eyes."

Anders pouts. "I showed you that way. And Wynne showed me, so maybe we should take it up with her. Or- Karl? You could be a third set?"

"Blaise and I have work of our own to do, love. And I wouldn't dare step on Wynne's toes."

"I'm not saying it's bad. But this sort of stuff is meant to evolve! We find new and better ways and improve things! And I'd never find a better way without having a way first."

"I suppose I have been wanting to incorporate other herbs, see how they could increase the healing properties..." 

Anders looks already very far away, 

Karl rolls his eyes. "Just make sure he eats Cia," he says, as he gets up, making eyes at Blaise and Rae.

"What do you take me for? Of course I'll make sure he eats."

"You have free reign to bully him if you get any push back," Karl says, winking. 

He heads upstairs. 

"As your father, I disagree with that. Do not bully me."

"Nah, I'll just pout at you until you do what I want."

"That would actually be far more effective." 

He wraps an arm around eir shoulders and tugs them up. "Come on, tiny, let's go do some work."

"Tiny? Really? You couldn't be more creative?"

But Cia'll let Anders tug em up and away.

"Cia, c'mon, everyone's tiny to me, someone had to get the nickname."

Their voices fade away as they head into the clinic. 

Meanwhile, Karl mounts the stairs into the Hawke mansion, going through the cellar and the vault, and heading into the kitchen. 

"Hello? Anyone home?"

Talia's sat at the kitchen table reading.