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Prologue

In the Redcliffe chantry, covered in sweat, out of mana, and with a gash bleeding sluggishly along his bicep, Dorian stood before the Herald of Andraste.‘Dorian Pavus, Scion of House Pavus, most recently of… everywhere really.’ He bowed, low and regal. ’How do you do?’‘Watch yourself. Pretty ones are the worst.’Dorian looked across to the speaker.It was Bull.The Iron Bull. A man who until two months ago, Dorian shared a job, a life and a bedroll. A man who had saved Dorian’s hide time and time again, and who he had saved in turn. But now, Bull was glaring down at him, his whole posture screaming distrust and wariness. Dorian looked Bull directly in the eye and cocked a smile like an archer might cock an arrow.‘Suspicious friends you have there.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Two Months Ago

Nevarra, even this far north, was cold at that time of year. And the weather was only going to get colder. The air carried a hint of snow on it. It was almost dark by the time The Iron Bull and his Chargers stumbled back to their camp.

‘Can we agree to never do that again?’ Dorian asked as he tried to wipe some of the vicus from his robes.

‘Yep.’

‘I agree.’
‘Me too.’

‘Never again.’

‘No more giant spiders.’

Grim grunted.

‘You’re all a bunch of whiners,’ Bull said, carrying a sack of spider bits over his shoulder. It was leaking something black and sticky. Mucus? Ichor? Bile? None of the possibilities were appealing. ‘This was a great job. We’re not only getting paid to get rid of those spiders, but we get to keep them afterwards!’

‘Yay.’ Krem’s sarcasm was so thick a man could almost wade through it. Bull ignored him.

‘You have any idea how much this gross stuff is worth to the right apothecary?’ Bull said gesturing to the bag.

‘Is it worth a new set of robes?’ Dorian asked.

‘You bought a new set in the last town we passed through!’
‘And now, as you can see, they are completely ruined. Honestly Amatus. It’s as though you have some scheme to only take jobs that will destroy all my clothes, so I am forced to wander the countryside naked.’

Bull raised his eyebrows. ‘Is it working?’

The rest of the chargers groaned and Dalish yelled at them to get a room.

‘And I thought the spider bits were going to make me throw up.’ Krem muttered. Stitches called out over the top of him.

‘Oi Chief. The pigeon’s here.’
A round of cheers erupted from the Chargers as they ran to the tent the pigeon had landed on. Pigeons from Mae – full of gossip, job offers and on occasion chocolates – were one of the few highlights of life on the road. Only three things topped them; Sleeping in a tavern, getting free drinks from a friendly local in a tavern, and sleeping with a friendly local in a tavern.

‘What happened to the pigeon?’ Dalish asked. ‘Did it fly through a chimney?’

Grim picked the poor bedraggled bird off the tent and held it close to his chest. Soot was all over the pigeon and it was missing a fair amount of its feathers. Grim opened the canister tied to the pigeon’s leg. He pulled out the folded sheets of paper from inside and handed them to Dorian.

‘What’s it say Dorian?’ Stitches asked, dropping his pack in front of his tent.

‘Give me a minute, haven’t opened it yet. I’ll read it to you all when I’m finished.’

‘I don’t get why you always read the letter to yourself first.’ Skinner said. She squatted next to the fire-pit and putting some more wood on the embers. ‘You always end up reading them all aloud anyway.’

‘He edits them.’ Krem answered for Dorian. ‘A lot.’

Dorian didn’t look up as he unfolded the sheets of paper. ‘You were the one who chose to read a man’s private correspondence over his shoulder, Cremisius. You’re the only one to blame for the mental scars you endure.’

‘Mental scars are one thing, but after reading the last one, it’s a miracle I’m not blind. Mae has a dirty mind for an Altus.

‘That’s why she likes you all so much.’ Dorian smirked. ‘She recognises kindred spirits.’

The Chargers moved towards the fire and sat around it. Grim still carried the pigeon like it was a newborn. He stroked the bird gently, while it wheezed.

‘I think the pigeon’s getting too old for trips to Tevinter.’ Dalish said.

‘I’m shocked it’s not dead by now.’ Krem said. ‘How long are those birds meant to live anyway?’

Stitches shrugged. ‘Don’t have a clue. They say parrots can live until they’re one hundred.’

‘Yeah, but this ain’t a parrot,’ Rocky said. ‘We’ve had the thing for, what, two years? So that-‘

Bull cut Rocky off. ‘Dorian, what’s wrong?’

Dorian hadn’t moved with the rest of the group. He was standing stock-still, holding the letter limp in his hand.

‘The letter isn’t from Mae,’ Dorian said. He looked at Bull, his mouth slightly open. ‘It’s from Alexius.’

‘Alexius?’ Krem asked. ‘Who’s Alexius?’

‘My old mentor.’ Dorian said. ‘We… we had a disagreement. I haven’t seen him for years, even before I left Tevinter. But he was like a father to me, once upon a time.’

‘Like a normal father or like your kind of father?’ asked Skinner. Dalish elbowed her.

Dorian swallowed. ‘He is a good man. And a brilliant father, as it happens. A man who would do anything for his son.’

‘What does the letter say?’

‘It’s long. Five pages, both sides. But I think I have the gist of it.’

‘And what is the “gist.”’ Bull asked. His stomach felt like it was filled with the same black bile that was oozing out of the spider bits.
Dorian licked his lips. ‘He’s asking for my help. He wants me to come back to Tevinter.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

That night, in Bull and Dorian’s tent, Dorian packed his bag.

‘I don’t like this.’

Bull folded his arms across his chest as he watched Dorian scurry about to gather his belongings. He was sitting on their bedroll, his bad leg stretched out before him. ‘There’s something off about this whole thing.’

‘Which is why I have to go.’ Dorian said as he shoved some of his robes into his pack without bothering to fold them. The camp was silent. Everyone had gone to their tents hours ago, but Bull felt it was quieter than normal. The rest of the Chargers were probably straining their ears to try and hear what he and Dorian were saying.

‘Alexius hasn’t tried to contact me in years,’ Dorian said. He was fighting to shove a book the size of a newborn baby into his pack. ‘I haven’t heard a single word from him since our falling out. And with the words, we exchanged there isn’t a chance he would have reached out to me like this. Not unless there was no one else he could turn to.’

‘Well then fuck him,’ Bull snarled. ‘You don’t owe him anything, Dorian. If he’s gotten himself into some kind of shit that’s his problem. Not yours.’

‘It’s not about him.’ Dorian murmured. ‘I owe this to Felix.’

Bull sighed. Bull had heard about Felix a lot. All the Chargers knew him by reputation. Half of Dorian’s best stories involved the legendary Felix in one way or another.

‘Does the letter mention Felix?’ Bull asked. There was another question implicit under Bull’s words. Is Felix still alive?

‘Yes. Though the letter doesn’t mention his condition. It’s astounding Alexius has found a way to extend his life-span this long.’

‘Yes. It is.’ Bull let his words hang heavy.

Dorian looked up at Bull.

‘What are you trying to insinuate?’

‘You know that desperate times lead to desperate measures, Kadan. And in Tevinter you don’t even wait for the desperate times to use the measures.’

Dorian scoffed.

‘Don’t be absurd, Bull. Alexius wouldn’t have resorted to blood magic. It’s not within him.’

‘Isn’t that what you thought about your old man?’ Bull asked and immediately regretted it. Dorian shot him the sharpest of looks.

‘Alexius and my father are completely different people.’ Dorian’s voice was thin. ‘My father would do anything to maintain his facade of the perfect Altus patriarch. Alexius married for love, he openly adored a son who exhibited the barest minimum of acceptable magical ability, and to add to all that he took on a scandalous hellion like me as his apprentice because he saw a skerrick of potential. There is nothing blood magic can offer a man like that. He couldn’t care less about power or reputation.’

Bull held up his hands. ‘I get it. He’s not your dad. But the man you described? He sounds exactly like the kind of guy who would do something stupid with the right motivations.’

‘What motivations?’

‘Saving someone he loves?

Dorian pursed his lips. He always did that when Bull made a good point in an argument and he didn’t want to admit to it. Bull held out his arm to Dorian. With reluctance, Dorian put down his pack and crawled to Bull. He let his lover wrap his arms around him and lie them down on their bedroll. Bull felt Dorian’s hand rub gently along his sternum.

‘You’re right. He does love Felix. More than anything else in his life. But you have to understand, Amatus, I love Felix too. He’s the closest thing to a brother I’ve ever known.’

Bull sighed. How had this happened? Better yet, how had this happened so fast? Today had been a job like any other job, and now Dorian was leaving for Tevinter at first light. The whole thing hit him like a fist to the gut.

But Dorian was tight and ridged in his arms, and he had barely looked Bull in the eye since he’d read the letter. It was obvious that leaving was tearing Dorian up inside. Bull didn’t want to add to that turmoil.

‘I get why you have to go.’ Bull said. ‘I hate it, but I get it. Just … promise me you will be careful, alright? More than careful. I want you to be suspicious of everyone and everything from the minute you meet up with Alexius’ envoy.’

‘I will be the very definition of obsessive paranoia.’

‘I’m serious, Dorian.’ Bull ran his hand through Dorian’s hair. ‘Don’t get flippant. I don’t want you caught in the crossfire of whatever Alexius is doing.’

Dorian’s expression softened and he sat up a little so he could look Bull in the face. This small gesture soothed Bull’s fear if only a little.

‘I won’t be. You know why? Because there will be no crossfire to get caught in. Alexius will pitch to me some sort of harebrained idea and try and rope me into collaborating with him again. I’ll decline, saying I have a better offer,’ Dorian deliberately raked his eyes over Bull, ‘and we’ll part ways. That’s it. The full extent of my tiny Tevinter detour. I’ll be back with you and the boys within a fortnight, at the most.’

‘That sounds too long to me,’ Bull said. Dorian smiled sadly.

‘It will be over before you know it. Besides they say absence makes the heart grow fonder.’

Bull pulled Dorian tighter against him. ‘You are my heart, Kadan’

Dorian sighed and kissed Bull’s collar-bone instead of replying.

After a minute of silence Bull spoke up. ‘At least let me send some of the boys with you. It would be smart to have someone watching your back.’

Dorian laughed, but it wasn’t pleasant. ‘There is no way on the Maker’s green earth I would allow one of the Chargers to come with me.’

‘Dorian—‘

‘Tevinter is no less dangerous than the last time we were there. If things go wrong, I refuse to have their blood on my hands.’ Dorian’s voice dropped lower. ‘You and the Chargers are the only family I have.’

‘You don’t think that works both ways?’ Bull asked. ‘You’re one of us, as much as we’re yours. Anyone of the guys out there would be happy to go with you to make sure you’re safe.’

Dorian’s shoulders slumped.

‘Of course, I know that,’ he said. Dorian laid back down and nestled his head under Bull’s chin. ‘But I promise, Bull. There is no need to send back-up. The invitation was for one, and at the end of the day, this is a personal matter between me and my old mentor. I would rather do this alone.’

‘You sure?’

‘Whenever you speak to Gatt you always leave us behind and talk to him by yourself.’

‘That’s different.’

‘Of course, it is. I’m not going to be performing acts of espionage under Alexius’ direction.’

‘There’s the flippancy again.’

‘Fine, allow me to be completely sincere. I promise I shall be perfectly safe. Nothing will happen to me while I’m in Tevinter.’

Bull wanted to say I know nothing will happen. But he didn’t.

It would have been a lie.

Instead, he chose to say, ‘I wish there was something I could do.’

‘There is.’

Bull took his chin off the top of Dorian’s head and looked down into Dorian’s eyes. ‘What?’

‘Give me a proper send-off?’ Dorian whispered.

Bull obliged.

Dorian woke early the next morning. He had intended to leave before first light, to avoid any awkward goodbyes. He had never been good at them and was terrified he would do something unbecoming like cry.

Bull still seemed asleep, but you could never tell. No point in waking him. They had said all they needed to last night. He did stop to kneel beside him and press a kiss into his forehead.

‘Stay safe Amatus.’ Dorian whispered. He flipped open the tent flap and crawled out, pulling his pack out behind him.

‘Going somewhere, Altus?’ Krem asked.

Dorian looked up to see all the Chargers standing around his tent.

‘Ah.’ Dorian rose to his feet. ‘I see not making a scene is off the table.’

‘You bet Mythral’s sweet arse it’s off the table.’ Dalish said, grabbing Dorian and pulling him into a huge hug. For a tiny woman, she had a grip like a vice. ‘You come back as soon as you can, you hear?’

‘I hear.’ Dorian hugged back. ‘Besides I know if I’m not back in two weeks you’re all going to hunt me down and drag me away, whether I wish to come with you or not.’

‘Damn right.’

They stood there for a moment longer before Dorian spoke up.

‘Dalish? You can let go now.’

‘Nope. Five more minutes.’

‘You’re hurting my ribs—‘

‘Man up and take the hug.’

Dalish eventually did let go and allowed Skinner to move forward. Skinner didn’t look Dorian in the eye as she handed him a tiny knife, the length and width of his middle finger.

‘Hide it up your sleeve,’ she said. ‘If someone tries to come at you, jab it between the second and third rib. Under and up to hit their heart. Got it?’

‘Skinner dear, you’re far too sentimental.’

Dorian took the knife and slipped it into his sleeve like she’d recommended. Skinner slapped him lightly on the cheek a couple of times, her version of a hug. She then stepped away, letting Rocky take her place. He took out four thin canisters and handed them to Dorian one-by-one.

‘Fire cracker, tear gas, smoke bomb, real bomb. Don’t get them mixed up.’

‘I’m uncertain I like the idea of carrying these around on my person.’ Dorian said, holding them at arms’ length. ‘And you do remember I can use magic, right?’

‘I wanted you to have something more reliable.’

‘I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,’ Dorian said as he gingerly slipped the canisters into his pack.

Sticthes leaned in over Rocky’s shoulder.

‘I made these last night,’ he said, handing over a few poultice bottles. ‘And this.’ It was a large clay pot. Dorian opened it. Inside was a thick white cream. Dorian sniffed it.

‘Burn lotion?’ Dorian asked.

‘Got it in one.’ Stitches glanced down in Rocky’s direction. Rocky elbowed him in the thigh.

‘Rude.’

‘Alright, alright,’ Krem said pushing both Stitches and Rocky out of the way. ‘You two have your little tiff later.’ He turned to Dorian. ‘This is it, Altus. I’m ready to leave when you are.’

Dorian frowned. ‘You’re not coming with me.’

‘Yeah, I am.’

‘No, you’re not.’

‘Only to the border to make sure you meet up with Alexius’ envoy.’

‘No, Krem. I’m going alone. It’s not safe for you to get that close to Tevinter. Or have you forgotten you’re a deserter?’

‘Have you forgotten we had to smuggled you out of Mae’s estate the last time we were in that shit-hole we call a homeland? I’m the only other ‘Vint we’ve got. Out of all the Chargers, I’m the one who’s going to draw the least attention. Besides, your sense of direction is terrible.’

‘No it isn’t.’

‘Remember that time you tried to race Skinner around a small copse and we didn’t find you again until nightfall?’

‘That was one time— ‘

‘Here’s your choice, Dorian. We can travel together. Or you go by yourself and realise around midday I’ve been following you the whole time, and then we travel together. Let’s cut out the middle part.’

‘Krem —!‘

‘He’s going with you.’

At some point during the goodbyes, Dorian had become aware of Bull climbing out of their tent. Dorian turned and glared at him.

‘I should have known this was your idea, Amatus.’

‘It wasn’t. It was Krem’s. And right now, at this second, I’m not your Amatus. I’m your boss. I wouldn’t let any of my boys do what you’re doing without any back-up. Krem will get you to the border and come straight back to let us know you’re safe with Alexius’ envoy.’

‘If you can call that safe,’ Skinner muttered under her breath.

‘I don’t need protection, Bull,’ Dorian said.

‘I know. If I thought you needed protection, I wouldn’t let you go at all.’

Dorian scoffed ‘As though you could stop me.’

‘True.’

‘There’s being self-reliant and there’s being stupid, Dorian.’ Krem said behind him. ‘Making sure this isn’t a trap or a trick is basic re-con. Don’t let your pride stop you doing what is smart.’

Dorian bit the inside of his cheek. Krem had “The Tone”. Over the two years he travelled with the Chargers they had established an unspoken rule. It was to stop things from getting messy. Bull made the orders for all the Chargers. Dorian as a Charger, followed them without question. If Bull and Dorian had an argument between themselves as a couple, Dorian could give as good as he got. But sometimes there was a dispute that straddled the line. In those cases, Krem’s position as Lieutenant made him the tie-breaker. If Krem washed his hands of it and said it was none of his business, it was up to Bull and Dorian to hash it out. But if Krem stepped in, he stepped in as Bull’s second, and that meant that Dorian had to follow the chain of command. They would not tolerate insubordination.

Dorian drew in a deep breath and stood a little taller. ‘Yes, sir. Of course.’

Bull’s thumb rubbed gently against Dorian’s neck. He didn’t look away from Dorian as he spoke.

‘Boys, can you give us a minute?’

Dorian heard the Chargers shuffle away without a word. There was no whistling or playful jeers this morning. Everything was too quiet.

‘I want letters every day.’ Bull said.

‘I promise.’

‘I want you to get in touch with Mae as soon as possible.’

‘I will.’

‘She gets letters every day too. Tell Mae if she doesn’t get a letter from you to contact us straight away.’

‘I will.’

‘If something seems off, leave. Don’t make excuses, just get out.’

‘I know. I will.’

‘I’m only going to be taking jobs in Nevarra and Antivia. Close to the border. Nothing in the Free Marches or Orlais, nothing more than two days ride from Tevinter.’

‘I know.’

‘Anything goes wrong we’ll be right there— ‘

‘Amatus.’ Dorian cut him off. He took Bull’s hand, stood on his toes and pressed a kiss against Bull’s lips. ‘I’ll be fine.’

Bull tried to smile. It didn’t work but he managed to nod.

‘Yeah. I know you will.’

From outside the circle of tents, Krem came forward leading his horse. Grim was next to him holding Dorian’s horse Commander by the reigns.

‘I better get going.’ Dorian said.

‘Yeah, you’re right.’ Bull said. He kissed Dorian on the forehead. They stood still, Dorian making no move to leave.

‘The longer I take to say goodbye, the harder it will be for me to go.’

‘You’re not wrong.’

‘So… goodbye, the Iron Bull.’

‘Goodbye Dorian.’

‘Don’t do any interesting jobs while I’m gone.’

‘We’ll only do giant spider jobs. How about that?’

‘Sounds perfect.’

‘Krem’s looking impatient.'

‘I shouldn’t keep him waiting.’

‘Then go.’

‘I am.’

‘You’re just standing here— ‘

‘Would you two stop acting like horny kids and move!’ Krem shouted through cupped hands. ‘We’re losing day-light.’

Dorian nodded and stood on his toes to kiss Bull again. This time Bull cupped the back of Dorian’s head, holding him in place for a few seconds longer. But then he let go and Dorian sank back onto his heels giving Bull’s hand a squeeze.

‘Two weeks,’ he said. ‘At most.’

‘Two weeks.’ Bull repeated.

Dorian withdrew his hand and strolled to Krem and Grim. Had someone filled his shoes with lead during the night? Every step he took seemed heavier and harder this morning. When he reached the horses, Grim grunted and held out the pigeon to Dorian. Dorian noticed Grim had already secured the bird’s travel basket to the side of his saddle.

‘No Grim. Alexius will have ways to send letters. The bird will be safer with you.’

Grim grunted again and held out the pigeon more insistently . Dorian sighed and took the bird. It was impossible to have an argument with a man who didn’t argue.

‘I promise I’ll look after him,’ Dorian said. ‘He’ll be completely safe.’

Grim nodded and clapped Dorian on the shoulder before handing him the horse’s reins. He paused for a second, giving the bird a wistful look, before running a finger along its neck. Then he turned away. Krem sidled up to Dorian, watching Grim’s retreating back.

‘When did that bird go from being “our pigeon” to “his pigeon”? Krem asked.

‘I’m not sure.’ Dorian ran his thumb through the bird’s feathers. ‘But you can't deny they have a unique connection.’

‘Yeah. Probably bonded over long and meaningful conversations. C’mon. We don’t want to keep the fancy-pants envoy waiting.’

Dorian nodded but didn’t reply. Instead, he slipped the pigeon into the basket and climb up into Commander’s saddle. Krem followed his lead.

Dorian looked back at Bull, who hadn’t moved from his spot. The Iron Bull, mercenary captain, leader of the Bull’s Charger’s, gave Dorian an awkward, almost shy wave.

Dorian sat up straight in his saddle and gave his captain a proper salute. Bull laughed.

‘It’ll only get harder to leave if we don’t go now,’ Krem murmured at Dorian.

Dorian drew a deep breath ‘I know.’

And with that, he spurred Commander forward and down towards the road.

Bull watched Dorian and Krem until they were out of sight. His shoulders fell a little once they had disappeared through the trees.

‘Hey Chief?’ said Skinner. Bull turned around. She was holding a large stick. Bull looked it over.

‘Yeah, that’ll work. Hit me with all you’ve got.’

If Bull had known what had happened during the night, while he and Dorian were wrapped in each other’s arms, there is no way he would have let Dorian leave . Nor would have Dorian even thought about going.

But how were either of them to know?

Way down south, on the top of a remote mountain, a temple had exploded.

And a living, breathing person had fallen out of the fade.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Krem had been running for six days.

His sleep had been minimal. His food what he could eat on the run. Everything his army training had taught him was screaming through his brain. When he had fled camp after decking the army physician, no one had seen him go. He was sure of that much. If the alarm had gone up any sooner, Krem knew he would have been hanging from a tree right now.

But he was close to the river now. He could smell it. And on the other side of the Minater was freedom.

All he had to do was swim across. He was good at swimming. His father’s tailor shop, back in Minrathous, had been down near the docks. When Krem had finished his chores, and when his mother was in a good mood, she had allowed Krem to go swim with the other children. That was until he had grown too old and his mother had told him that sort of behaviour was “improper”.

To Krem swimming was as natural as walking.

The edge of the forest broke away and Krem finally staggered onto the bank of the river.

It was twilight, so at first, he thought he couldn’t see the other side of the river due to the darkness. But as he strained his eyes, Krem realised the truth.

The darkness wasn’t the problem. It was the distance.

The river was so wide you couldn’t see one side from the other.

Krem swore and kicked a nearby rock. How big was the bloody thing? Should he risk swimming across and running out of energy halfway? How strong was the current? Were there any creatures waiting beneath the surface to grab him by the leg and drag him under.

He was so stupid. If swimming across a river was all people needed to do to get to Nevarra hundreds of slaves would have tried it by now. He was such a fucking idiot.

A dead idiot.

A light, further along the shoreline, caught Krem’s eye. He squinted and stared at it longer. A silhouette was barely visible in the darkness and he could hear the sounds of… what was that? Music?

A tavern.

Krem bit his lip. If he went inside the chances of being caught were huge.

But inside the tavern would be food. And a fire. And maybe someone with a boat willing to ferry him across the border. He didn’t have any money, but his sword could be worth something.

Krem looked from the tavern to the river to the tavern again.

He didn’t have many options. And he had even less time.

Krem drew in a deep breath and stumbled towards the tavern.

Krem always forgot how wide the Minater River was.

The first time he had seen it had been when he first deserted, the night he met the Chief. The second time was for the job that had led to Dorian joining the Chargers.

This was the third.

The thing was still bloody massive.

There was only one bridge across. Tevinter Guards stood at the end of the bridge. Their keen eyes watched every carriage, horse, wagon and all the unlucky people who could only afford to travel by foot . The bridge itself was an ancient stone monstrosity, boasting all that was pretentious in ancient Tevinter design . A way for the Imperium of old to tell their Nevarran neighbours that they were there to stay.

On reaching the bridge, Dorian lead his horse off the side of the road to a bare patch of grass. Krem followed him.

‘So this is the spot?’ Krem asked.

‘Apparently. The envoy will bring the correct border papers with him when he arrives'. Dorian glanced around. Not finding whatever he was looking for, he shrugged. ‘I suppose I’ll wait.’

‘We’ll wait.’ Krem said and slid off Peppermint’s back. He didn’t miss Dorian roll his eyes at him.

‘I take it that it would do little good to argue.’

‘No good at all. But you could do it anyway. Fun way to pass the time.’

Dorian dismounted off his own horse. It shook its head and Dorian stroke it’s neck.

‘I’ll pass if that’s the same to you.’

Krem cast his eyes over Dorian. He hadn’t talked through the whole day’s ride in spite of Krem’s best efforts. True, most of Krem’s efforts had been in the form of verbal jabs, but that was the language all the Charger’s shared.

‘You look tense.’

‘Astute as ever, Cremisius.’

‘You still pissed at me for pulling rank back at camp?’

Dorian drew in a deep breath and shook his head.

‘No Krem. I’m not pissed with you.’

‘The Chief?’

‘No.’

‘Alexius?’

‘Do you ever consider what it would be like to see your parents again?’

The question was abrupt. It was the verbal equivalent of someone punching Krem in the back of the head when he wasn’t looking. Krem’s expression changed to match Dorian’s.

‘Not much chance of that. After my father sold himself… they could be anywhere in Tevinter. They may not even be together. Sold off to different masters. They can’t leave. I can’t go back. Thinking about it doesn't help.’

‘But would you like to see them once more, if given the chance?’

‘Why you asking?’ Krem snapped and bit his tongue. Dorian didn’t look offended.

‘Seeing Alexius and Felix again was something I used to long for. Particularly after my father “escorted” me back home to his estate. Some of my happiest memories are of their company. And now that time has finally come to reunite with them and I feel nothing but dread.’

The lines around Krem’s mouth and eyes smoothed out. He rubbed the space between his eyebrows with the knuckle of his thumb.

‘I get that.’

'How can you? I don't understand it myself.'
'Places and people don't stay they same. You're afriad going back is going to ruin something that used to be good.'
Dorian nodded. 'Yes. Yes, exactly.'
'It won't be the same.' Krem said. 'But that doesn't mean it will be bad.'
'Doesn't mean it will be good.'
'Okay here's your choice. We can turn around and leave right now, if that's what you want. But what will be worse; going and things turning to shit, or not going and you wondering for the rest of your life how things could have been?'
Dorian signed. 'You need to stop being so sagacious, Cremisius.'
'You need to stop talking like a ponce.'

Krem wanted to say more, something that would actually help Dorian, but he couldn’t think of anything more to say.

But it didn’t seem to matter. Dorian wasn’t looking at him anymore. His eyes fixed onto something behind Krem. Krem turned. A dark mahogany carriage was rolling across the bridge, pulled by four white horses. The windows were covered by thick, red velvet curtains. A woman in a smart, black uniform was behind the reins. Krem raised an eyebrow.

‘This your ride?’

‘I would say so.’

‘Subtle.’

‘For all of Alexius’ disdain of Magisterium excess he is, at the end of the day, a Magister.’

The carriage pulled off the bridge, while the guards eyed it warily . But the back and sides of the carriage were emblazoned with a black seal, which seemed to satisfy them. Dorian tilted his head.

‘They’ve changed their crest.’ Dorian said.

Krem looked at Dorian. ‘What?’

‘The Alexius’ family crest used to be some horrible, old, blue thing with a fish and a goat on it.’ Dorian said. ‘Believe me, I mocked Felix endlessly over it, asking whether he felt an affinity with the fish or the goat. But they family hasn't altered the crest since the Exalted Age. To change it now… It’s unthinkable.’

Krem squinted at the new crest.

‘I don’t think a stump on fire is much better.’

‘No.’ Dorian murmured. ‘I have to agree.’

‘Maybe it’s not Alexius’ envoy.’ Krem said.

The carriage rolled toward them and came to a stop in front of where they were standing.

Dorian looked at Krem.

‘Or maybe it is.’ Krem conceded.
The carriage driver jumped down from her perch and strolled up to the two men.

‘One of you Dorian Pavus?’ she said with a clipped, official tone. Her eyes scanned both men in a meticulous manner.

‘That would be me.’ Dorian took a step forward. ‘Are you Magister Alexius’ envoy.’

‘No.’ A croaky voice drifted out from inside the carriage. The driver opened the carriage door to reveal a pale young man in set of dark, loose-fitting robes. He beamed at Dorian through cracked lips. ‘That would be me.’

Joy seemed to ripple through Dorian’s body from his smile outwards.

‘Felix, you bloody bastard!’

Felix had been halfway down the steps when Dorian grabbed him around the waist and picked him up, spinning him around . Felix hugged back as best he could.

‘Good to see you too Dorian.’ Felix laughed. Dorian planted Felix on the ground and clasped his shoulders.

‘You’re here! I can’t believe… well, many things, to be quite honest. But particularly I can’t believe that your father would allow you to come play escort.’

‘He didn’t want to. There was a bit of a tug-o-war on that one. But I ended up convincing him that it wasn’t right to make you travel all the way to Asariel alone. It’s a three-day carriage ride from the boarder and another day by ship once we reach Vyrantium.’

‘So you came all this way for me?’

‘I came all this way to save our poor carriage driver. She's a good woman. She doesn't deserve to listen to you complain about boredom and sea-sickness for four days. No. I shall nobely carry that burden all by myself.’

Dorian laughed again and hugged Felix tightly against his chest. Felix looked over Dorian’s shoulder and gave Krem an acknowledging wave. Krem, in return, gave Felix a slow, deliberate nod. When Dorian let go of his friend he caught Felix’s gaze and traced it back to where Felix was looking.

‘Oh of course. How rude of me. Felix, this is my good friend Cremisius Aclassi. He’s the lieutenant of the Bull’s Charger’s - the company I am part of. Krem, this is the legendary Felix Alexius.’

Krem took Felix’s hand and shook it. Gently . Felix looked so fragile. An irrational image flash though Krem’s mind. What if he gripped Felix’s fingers a little too hard and they all snapped off in his palm? Stupid thought, but Krem felt a small amount of relief when Felix let go.

‘Good to finally put a face to the name.’ Krem said.

‘Good to meet a friend of Dorian’s.’

‘Yeah. They’re hard to find.’

Dorian gave dramatic groan but he was still grinning like an idiot. ‘ Really Krem? I haven’t seen Felix in years and you already try to ridicule me in his presence?’

‘I’d take it as a compliment, Dorian.’ Felix said. ‘It means that in the past two years you’ve actually learnt how to make friends.’ Felix shifted closer to Krem. ‘Has he told you how many fights he got into when he was in the Circle? He has a record in Vyrantium. Most physical altercations started by a student under thirteen.’

Krem laughed. ‘I bet it’s nothing compared to how many bar-fights he’s started as a full-grown adult.’

Dorian frowned. ‘Stop it, the both of you. And Krem exaggerates, Felix. I resent being portrayed as some sort of rabble-rouser, when I’ve only started three.

‘Five.’

‘Three! Four if you count the one in Casta Martis which I certainly don’t. Anyway, Skinner has caused far more than me.’

‘Yeah, but she’s got a three-year head-start on you. At this rate, you’ll overtake her by Summersday.’

Felix shifted forward. ‘And I bet this Skinner has never threw a fireball at someone who dared to insult a magical theorist who had been dead for over five hundred years.’

‘Do I need to be here while you both mock me,’ Dorian asked dryly . ‘Or can I go put my items in the carriage while the two of you finish up?’

Felix pulled out some sheets of paper from inside his robes.

‘Let Vita do that.’ He said waving at the driver who immediately followed the direction. ‘You give these to the guards on the bridge.’

‘What are they?’

‘Your boarder passes.’ Felix handed them to Dorian. ‘They should all be in order. With the amount, we paid for them, they’d better be.’

Dorian’s brow furrowed.

‘Felix… It may take me some time to pay you back—‘

Felix pushed Dorian’s shoulder.

‘Don’t be an idiot. We asked you to come. Go! Show the border guards so we can get moving.’

Dorian looked down at the papers in his hands and then back up to Felix.

‘You two are not allowed to talk about me while I’m gone.’ Dorian said walking backwards towards the bridge. ‘You will confine your conversation to the weather, fashion, travel, and food. Politics, religion and all embarrassing things I have done are completely off limits. Clear?’

‘Dorian, I’m gravely ill.’ Felix called after him. ‘In my weakened state, I have no control over what I say and do. Besides everyone knows that the one benefit of having an incurable disease is a licence to be a complete arsehole without consequence.’

Krem laughed a little too loudly and clapped Felix on the shoulder. Dorian gave them both a rude gesture and turned to walk towards the guardsmen. In a blink, Krem grabbed a fistful of Felix’s shirt and tugged him in close so he could whisper in Felix’s ear.

‘If anything happens to Dorian, the Blight will be the least of your problems. You better make sure he comes back from Tevinter in one piece. If you don’t, the Chargers will hunt you and your old man down to the ends of Thedas and find new and inventive ways to cause you pain . Got it?’

Felix swallowed. ‘Got it.’
Krem let go of Felix and smoothed out his robes.

‘Good. Glad we got that sorted.’

Krem moved to step away. To his surprise, Felix cleared his throat.

‘To be clear, I would never hurt Dorian. He’s like part of the family.’

Krem smiled at that. Or sneered. It was hard to tell.

‘You might want to think of a better comparison. We know all about Dorian and his family.’

Felix narrowed his eyes. ‘I don’t understand’

Krem raised his brow.

‘Wow. Not all of us then. You two have some catching up to do.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘That’s for him to tell you. But for what it’s worth, I believe you. I don’t think you’d try to hurt Dorian.’ Krem leant forward a little. ‘Doesn’t mean it won’t happen. And if it does, we’ll be there.’

Felix didn’t reply. He just let his eyes drop and nodded. Krem drew in a deep, deep breath.

‘What’s your dad want Dorian for, anyway? What’s his play?’

Felix rubbed the bridge of his nose. ‘I don’t know,’ he whispered. There was something bare in his voice. ‘I wish I did but I was rarely involved in Father’s work. Never had that level of magical talent, you see. Even before my illness. Maybe Dorian will be able to… I don’t know… Return a little bit of normalcy to our lives. Father hasn’t been himself for a long time. I’m hoping it’s a good sign that he reached out to Dorian. That’s all.’

Krem looked Felix over. Krem had never seen anyone with the Blight before. Felix's eyes were sunk deep in his sockets and his skin was so pale. Not just pale. Almost translucent. Krem felt like he could see every vein underneath the surface. His skin was also starting to form bruises simply from the pressure of Dorian’s hug.

But Felix’s appearance was almost secondary. What impressed on Krem more was the vibe of nervous and hopeless energy he seemed to radiate. When Krem was a kid he had watched a storm roll into Minrathous from the sea. There had been one or two fishing boats out on the open ocean who hadn’t made it back to port in time. Krem had known those ships were going to get smashed to pieces and sink, long before he saw the storm reach them. The feeling of anxiety and bleak inevitability was something Krem had never forgotten.

Felix was that emotion personified.

Krem would have felt sorry for him. If he wasn't certain this Felix was going to try and drag Dorian down with him, like a drowning man in a panic. Krem moved back into Felix’s space again.

‘This is a friendly warning. Remember, I’m not the one you should be scared of. If things go sideways you’ll be answering to the one-eyed, axe-swinging, Qunari mercenary Dorian has been fucking for the past two years.’

Felix’s eyes widened in their dark sockets. Krem tilted his head and beamed.

‘Something to keep in mind.’

Krem plastered on his normal face as Dorian wandered back.

‘Everything’s done.’ Dorian beamed. ‘Ready to get going?’

‘What? Already?’ Krem put on a fake whine. ‘But I haven’t told your mate about that night in Starkhaven with those acrobats—‘

Dorian cut in. ‘Oh! Would you look at the time. We had better be off if we want to get to a tavern by dusk'. He bustled between Krem and Felix making a bee-line for the carriage.

Dorian and the driver helped Felix back into the carriage. As the driver climbed back onto her little perch, Dorian turned to Krem.

‘Give everyone my best wishes.’

‘I will.’

‘And those same wishes go to you as well, Krem.’

‘Don’t get all soppy, mate. It’s only two weeks.’

Dorian’s mouth smiled but his eyes didn’t change. ‘Of course, I keep forgetting.’

Krem nodded and slapped Dorian on the back.

‘You come back in one piece though, yeah? Take care of yourself?’

‘I will. You don’t need to worry about me.’

‘Course I have worry about you. You’re like the little brother I never wanted.’

‘I’m five years your senior, Cremisius.’

‘Your body is. But in your head, you’re nine. At most.’

Dorian slapped the side of Krem’s head gently and Krem shoved Dorian’s chest.

‘Go! Don’t think I don’t know that you’re milking all these goodbyes for the attention.’

Dorian laughed and climbed into the carriage. He paused on the top step and turned.

‘Krem—‘

‘I’ll look after the big idiot, don’t you worry.’

Dorian smiled and this time it reached his whole face.

‘Thanks, Krem.’

Satisfied, Dorian snapped the door shut behind him. Krem stood and watched, as it rolled across the bridge and out of sight.

Krem sighed and whispered to no one.

‘This day is bullshit.’

A hand grabbed a fistful of Krems hair and wrenched his head back. Krem felt the hot sting of sharpened metal against his throat. From behind him a voice spoke.

‘It’s about to get worse.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

If you were sitting next to Vita, as she drove the House Alexius carriage, you would understand why she had a headache .

The sun had almost set, but the day had been brutally hot. She had been sitting under that sun for hours and her tight black uniform was making her sweat. She had a water-skin tucked away under her seat, but she hated to drink out of it while driving. The carriage swung from side to side and frequent pot-holes and rocks littered the road. Vita almost always ended up spilling more water down her top than in her mouth.

But the heat and her thirst and the bumpy road were not the reasons Vita had a headache.

She had a headache because the two grown men in the carriage had been cackling like schoolboys from the moment they had got onto the bridge.

Another bellow of laughter erupted from behind her and Vita pinched the bridge of her nose.

This Pavus had better be worth it.

‘…So she stripped off all her clothes, threw them at her sisters’ feet and said ‘Fine. You keep my dress, and I’ll keep your lover!’ And then she stormed out of the Magisterium naked.’

Dorian slumped against the cushioned bench he sat on, holding on for dear life and wheezing.

‘She can’t…’ He gasped for breath. ‘She can’t have. You made that up, Felix!’

‘Every single word is true. And then three weeks later the lover ran off with her maid so she lost both.’

Dorian sank lower and hooted, holding his ribs. The carriage went over a large bump and Dorian was nearly thrown to the floor. With unsteady limbs, he forced himself upright and wiped the tears from his eyes.

‘Why must you always do this, Felix.’ Dorian said. ‘My stomach is going to ache for hours.’

‘You wanted me to get you up-to-date on what you’ve missed since you were away'. Felix pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Dorian. ‘You have been gone a while.’

Dorian took the handkerchief and swiped it gently under his eyes. He was sure his kohl was everywhere by now. ‘You’re one to talk. Where have you been? I went back to the estate to try and reconcile with your father a few months after the argument. But when I returned it was abandoned , except for an elderly care-taker. He was… not much help.’

‘I’m sorry, Dorian.’

‘I gave him a message.’ Dorian didn’t know why he made the statement sound hopeful. ‘Did you get it? To be fair he may not have caught my name. The old fool kept calling me Donovan.’

Felix shook his head. ‘I’m afraid not.’

‘Then tell me, where did you go? What happened?’

‘Father decided that he had exhausted all avenues for finding a cure in Tevinter. So, he dragged me to Nevarra and worked with some Mortalitasi on my little problem for a few months.’

Dorian inwardly cringed and smirked at the same time. Felix still called the Blight his “little problem”.

Felix went on. ‘It was a dead end. Then we went to the Anderfels to see if he could uncover Grey Warden joining secrets. When that proved too much of a risk, we sailed to Rivain. We spent some time at the Dairsmuid circle and spoke to hedge-witches. but then we got word that the Templars had been given the authority for the right of annulment and we had to leave-‘

‘Dear Maker, Felix.’ Dorian said. ‘And here I thought I would be the one telling you stories of adventure and daring. You’ve been traipsing across all of Thedas.’

‘It wasn’t as exciting as it sounds.’ Felix played with a hem on his robes. ‘ Mostly I would stay in a rented room and read while father followed a lead. Sometimes I'd come along but, well… you remember how tired I get these days.’

Felix smiled as though he had said a joke. Dorian stopped himself from sighing.

‘You need to take better care of yourself Felix.’

‘Ah yes. The good old Pavus hypocrisy. How I missed you.’ As Felix spoke he lent forward and nudged his knuckle against a long, pail scar on Dorian’s chin. It went from the corner of Dorian’s mouth straight down until it ran off his face. Another scar poked out of Dorian’s shirt, slicing across a collarbone at the exact same angle. Clearly the scar on his chest was a continuation of the one on his face.

Dorian looked a bit sheepish and brushed Felix’s hand away. ‘Oh that. Don’t fret about it. It was nothing serious.’

‘You don’t get to tell me not to fret Dorian. That’s going to happen whether I have your permission or not. You need to be more careful.’

‘But it was all for a good cause! If I hadn’t intervened the great oaf I work for would have lost his entire hand.’

‘His hand?’

‘Well, he insists it would have only been a couple of fingers but he just wants to undermine my heroics. Besides, he didn’t see the blade as clearly as I did. He has terrible depth perception.’

‘You certainly saw it up-close.’ Felix murmured. His eyes were still locked on the scar. Dorian felt grateful that Felix couldn’t see how far the scar went down. Or the other, more impressive ones that covered his body. He bent his head lower to try and regain Felix’s gaze.

‘I know when you’re avoiding a topic, Felix.’ Dorian said. ‘Say what you need to.’

Felix looked up at Dorian, his dark eyes almost black. ‘A mercenary company, Dorian?’

‘Yes? What of it?’

‘When you worked with Father you were a rising star among the Imperium. Everyone knew you would do… something. Maybe politics, maybe magical theory, it didn’t matter. You were destined for the history books. And now you’re a mercenary?’

Dorian felt like an invisible hand was squeezing his lower intestines.

‘You’re disappointed in me?’

‘No!’ Felix said. ‘That’s not what I’m saying. Not at all.’

Dorian looked out the window. ‘Please Felix. You would not be the first to tell me I’ve squandered my potential.’

Felix shifted forward and grabbed Dorian’s hand.

‘I’m not one of those people. I’m sure you’re one of the best mercenaries in the business. For Andraste’s sake, you could be a beggar on the street and not only am I sure you would end up being the king of the beggars, but I would still be proud to know you . Please believe me when I say that.’

Dorian chanced a look at Felix. Blast his stupid puppy-dog eyes.

‘Then what are you saying?’

‘How?’ Felix said. ‘You needed four slaves to help him get dressed when we first met. How does someone like you end out being a soldier of fortune?’

Dorian’s laugh broke through his reserve. ‘Are you insinuating I’m not cut out for the life?

‘Even you must admit it’s not a straight trajectory from magical prodigy to hired thug.’

Dorian lifted a finger ‘We are not hired thugs. We are an eclectic assortment of individuals, with a wide array of skills, which we sell to people who find themselves in difficult situations.’

‘Is that so?’ Felix shifted back into his seat and rested his ankle on his knee. ‘And how often do you and your comrades use your “skills” to eviscerate people.’

‘Less often than you’d think.’

‘How often?’

‘Only… eighty percent of the time.’

‘Oh. ”Only.”

‘We do good work, we get paid good coin and surprisingly enough we help a lot of people with nowhere to turn.’ Dorian said. ‘We work for nobles most often, it is true. But we’re also hired by small towns or remote villages to fight off bandits or protect them from rampaging creatures . And I must say, I am proud help ordinary citizens after years of seeing Magisters line their own pockets. My skills are finally doing some tangible good.’

‘I see. So, when Andraste said “magic must serve man,” you interpreted “serving man” as roasting outlaws alive.’

‘Exactly.’

‘They do say the Maker moves in mysterious ways.’

‘Additionally, I trust the Chargers with my life. You must admit, that is something no one in the Magisterium could ever claim.’

Felix smiled. ‘I’m pleased Dorian. It’s good to know there are people looking out for you. That Krem fellow seemed very protective.’

Dorian pause. He scrutinised Felix for a brief moment before flopping back into his seat.

‘He threatened you, didn’t he?’

‘Only a little.’

‘I’m going to kill him.’

‘It was fine Dorian. I take our little chat in the spirit of which he intended.’

‘And what spirit is that? The spirit of violence. Of bodily harm?’

‘An impassioned appeal for your continued safety.’

‘What exactly did our dear friend Cremisius say to you?’

‘Just that there are people out there who would like for you to remain unharmed. That’s all.’ Felix let his words taper off, but that smile was still playing at the corners of his lips. Dorian squinted at Felix.

‘Anything else?’

‘Not really .’ Felix laced his fingers together. ‘I mean… apart from you bedding a Qunari warrior.’

Dorian slapped his hands over his eyes. ‘Oh, for fucks sake, Krem.’

Felix punched the air. ‘It is true! I knew it! Part of me thought that Krem fellow was just trying to put the fear of the Maker into me. But then I thought “what is the statistical likelihood of Dorian travelling with a muscle-bound Qunari and not attempting to seduce him?”’

‘It wasn’t like that!’

Felix shrugged. ‘If you say so.’ In Dorian’s opinion, he looked too smug.

‘It wasn’t! You don’t know the Iron Bull. The man is a constant flirt.’

Felix snorted. ‘The “Iron Bull”? Sweet Maker, Dorian.’

‘You have an issue with his name?’

‘I have an issue with your predictability. Of course, your bed-partner of choice would go by “the Iron Bull.” It’s a wonder you didn’t run up to him and fling yourself into his arms the moment you laid eyes on him.’ Felix paused. ‘You didn’t, did you?’

‘The opportunity didn’t arise. I have forgotten what an irritating little man you can be.’

‘And I though absence made the heart grow fonder.’

Dorian’s mind had a sudden flash to those words tumbling out of his own mouth the night before. Bull had followed those words with:

You are my heart, Kadan.

Dorian closed his eyes, and pressed down the ache that had taken up residency where his stomach should have been . It wasn’t a bad ache, though. It was a reminder of what he left behind and what he would soon return to. He could live with that ache’s company for a few weeks.

‘He’s a good man, Felix. Probably the most generous lover I’ve ever been with. Don’t look so terrified I won’t give you details.’

‘I'm grateful.’

‘But I… love him. I try not to tell him that too often, otherwise he gets
infernally sappy. But I’ve been with the Bull for two years and I can honestly say, I’ve never been happier.’

Felix blinked slowly and slid down the seat a little. Dorian, even after all these years, could spot the tell-tale signs of Felix’s energy draining away. But he managed to give Dorian a nod.

‘I’m happy for you, Dorian. You deserve to be happy, even in unlikely circumstances.’

‘You’re not shocked and scandalised by my choice of bed-partners?’

‘Do you remember when we first met?’

‘Yes.’ Dorian coughed and looked out the window. ‘It was the day after your father brought me to your apartment in Minrathous. You put some herbal tea and a cup of water on my bed-side table to help me with my hangover. I told you to fuck yourself for opening the curtains.’

‘Nope. That’s not how we met.’

Dorian looked back. ‘Yes, it is.’

‘You don’t remember, do you?’

‘I do and it was like that.’

‘I met you on the day you arrived. I can quote the exact introduction father gave verbatim. “The young man currently vomiting in that pot-plant is Dorian Pavus. I tried to convince him to leave the brothel he was residing in and return to his father’s house. He tried to convince me to come join the orgy he was in the midst of. We came to a compromise. He’s going to be my new assistant. Livia can you organise some suitable clothes for him? Preferably ones not covered in a wide assortment of body-fluids.”’

‘Maker’s balls!’ Dorian slip lower into his seat. ‘What is this? The carriage ride of shame?’

‘So in short, no. Discovering you are in a stable relationship with someone who loves you doesn’t scandalise me . Surprising? Yes. Scandalising? No.’

Dorian smiled. Felix had always been a terrible liar, when asked his opinion head-on. He would try and sugar-coat it, for the sake of Dorian’s feelings, but it was always clear what his real view on any topic was. Knowing for certain that Felix was happy for him made Dorian lighter. Not having to hide Bull from Felix felt like a blessing.

However …

‘Are you going to say anything about Iron Bull to your father?’

Dorian had to admit, Alexius looked commanding on the Magisterium floor. Sometimes it was hard for Dorian to remember that Alexius was a highly-regarded Magister . Dorian had seen him trip on the same corner, of the same rug, every morning since he started his apprenticeship . That was six months ago.

But today he was down on the senate floor, bedecked in black and gold. His voice rang out among the marble and slate. Alexius looked like the central figure of a historical fresco.

Dorian had always assumed that mentors were proud of their students’ achievements. Not the other way around.

‘Lords and ladies of the Magisterium,’ Alexius said. ‘Before we vote on the budget for this latest measure against the Qunari, I would ask that we take a moment to consider the state of our institutions of higher learning.’

There was general mutterings, and a few mild jeers from Alexius’ detractors. Alexius ignored the noise as any consummate Magister would

‘The Circle of Minrathous is more than ten thousand years old. Darinius the Dreamer himself was born within those walls. It continues to be a source of wisdom and guidance for the best and brightest of the Imperium's youth.’

Alexius glanced up to the back of the senate where Dorian and Felix were standing to the side. It was a fair distance, but Dorian thought he caught Alexius wink in their direction.

‘Yet it falls into disrepair!' Alexius swept his arm towards an older Magister with stooped shoulders and a smile so innocent only a cunning person could achieve it . 'Magister Aurarius, has made her case several times for increased funding to the Circles . And as yet , her appeals have gone unanswered.’

The mutterings for and against Alexius grew slightly louder. He waited for the noise to peter-off before gesturing at a balding man whose paunch was threatening to burst through his robes .

‘Magister Viren has spoken at length on the threat of the oxmen in the north.’

There was a series of low boos and hisses at the mere mention of the Qunari. Alexius’ tone had taken on a similar venom. ‘A tide of brutality that we alone hold back!’

Alexius beat a closed fist against his chest twice, his voice rising over his fellow magisters' . With his other hand, he pointed upward, his finger raised to the heavens.

‘Let me add this: how shall we defeat the Qunari? How have we held back their advance all these long years without support from the other nations of Thedas?’

He span around, staring down his fellow Magisters. He was like a professor waiting for his students to answer his question.

‘You know the answer! Magic! It is our magic that holds the beasts at bay. And through the ingenuity of our magic we will drive them from our shores forever.’

There was an uproar of applause from Alexius’ allies and a muted series of claps from his opponents. As Alexius finished his speech, Dorian leaned over to Felix.

‘Your father is surprisingly compelling. When he’s not in his bed slippers and trying to find the quill he tucked behind his ear an hour ago.’

Felix laughed. ‘Don’t tell him that. He’ll get a big head.’

‘What? Are you afraid your father will cast aside the roll of absent-minded scholar to become a political powerhouse instead?’

‘As though politics could hold father’s interest for more than an hour.’ Felix scoffed. ‘Besides he’s not suited for public life. It involves “leaving the house” and “speaking to people”.’

‘You underestimate him.’ Dorian said. ‘You must admit it. Interlocking the concept of circle-funding with the Qunari threat was sheer brilliance. How can any magister who claims to be a true red-blooded patriot and oppose his bill now? It would be tantamount to siding with the dreaded enemy?’

‘How indeed?’ said an older voice.

Both Dorian and Felix turned to see Alexius strolling up next to them. Dorian hadn’t noticed that the Magisterium had called for recess while he had been talking to Felix.

‘I take it you approve, Dorian?’ Alexius asked.

‘I do. I was saying to Felix it was a brilliant tactic to couple the Qunari threat and circle funding together. If you can do that with two topics as unrelated as those, you may yet make a politician. In spite of yourself.’

Alexius laughed. ‘Dorian, how can a man as young as you already be so cynical?’

Dorian tilted his head. ‘I don’t follow.’

‘Did it ever occur to you that I may actually believe what I said? That we need our nation to be at the pinnacle of magical skill if we are to defeat the Qunari forces?’

Dorian blinked but didn’t reply. Alexius started strolling towards the exit while Felix and Dorian followed him. He continued.

‘Tevinter may have faults too numerous to count. It may be corrupt and oppressive and elitist in all the worst ways. But the Qun and those who follow it wish to not only tear away our worst faults, but destroy all our best ones as well. If Par Vollen was to invade, we could lose every skerrick of our culture, learning and identity. I would see Tevinter overcome her faults and regain her past glories. This cannot happen if our nation is razed to the ground at the hands of barbaric oxman hordes.’

‘I never knew you felt so strongly —‘

‘You could not have guessed? What are my values, Dorian? What do I hold in esteem?’ Alexius asked. ‘I value intellect. I value questioning. I value discovery and debate and everything the Qun wishes to deny us. And why? Because they make us harder to control. There is nothing redeemable about Kolsun’s teachings and nothing redeemable about those who would submit to it . Or would force others to submit.’

Alexius stopped and turned to Dorian, fixing him with a stare. Not an unkind or judgemental one, but one that suggested Dorian had a lot to learn.

'I have to go speak to Magister Aurarius,’ he said. ‘I would appreciate if you boys could inform Livia that I haven’t forgotten our dinner reservations . After completing that errand, the day is yours. Try not no to get dragged home by the city guards.’

Felix fiddled with the hem of his robe again.

‘No… You should be the one to tell him. If you chose to, I mean. But… wait a few days, maybe .’

‘Or until the last day of my visit.’

‘Or never.’

‘Never seems like the best option.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The tavern – known by the locals as The Cup and Sword – was packed . Even so, it didn’t take Bull long to lay eyes on Gatt, tucked away in a dark corner. The elf raised a tankard to Bull and smiled. Bull didn't smile back. He shuffled through the crowd towards his old comrade, people naturally moving out of his way. One of the benifist of being a six-foot eight inch Qunari. As he sat down opposite Gatt, the elf pushed another tankard his way. Bull didn’t take it.

‘You not happy to see me, Hissrad?’ Gatt asked. ‘What has it been? Two years—‘

‘I’d be happier if you’d stop threatening my men whenever you want to get a message to me.’

Gatt wiped his lips.

‘The 'Vint was fine. I barely touched him.’

‘The slash on Krem’s neck says different.’

‘Hardly a scratch.’

‘He’s one of mine, Gatt,' Bull growled.

‘If you want to run around with bas ‘Vints as part of your cover, that’s your choice, Hissrad. But I'm not going anywhere near those filthy, murdering, animals unless they’re on the other end of a blade. Especially a soldier.’

‘Krem’s a deserter. You know this.’

‘You think that makes a difference? If he had been in Seheron back when we were—‘

‘We’re not in Seheron.’

Gatt looked Bull over. ‘Not in body. But up here?’ Gatt tapped his forehead. ‘Always. It’s the only reason we’re still above ground.’

Bull didn’t argue, reaching out for his tankard instead. He took a long swig before setting it down.

‘So,’ Bull said, ‘why have they got you running around Nevarra? Doesn’t seem to be your sort of climate?’

‘The Ben-Hassrath are looking for you, and I was the poor sod who was the closest to your last known location. They’ve got a mission for you.’

‘When don’t they?’

‘That’s what happens when you’re the best. You get stuck with all the work.’

‘Will I have to break a contract? You know I hate that. I’m already late for a job in Cumberland. Got to take care of a nobleman’s giant problem.’

‘What makes the problem so big?’

‘That’s a terrible joke.’

‘Can’t help it. I mean, look who I got my sense of humour from.’ Gatt pointed his tankard in Bull’s direction. ‘Anyway, the job is down south in Ferelden so you’ll be heading in the same direction anyway.’

‘That far south, huh? What’s it about?’

‘C’mon. Like you can’t guess.’

'I won't have to if you tell me.'

Bull waited and Gatt sighed.

‘They want you to look at the hole in the sky.’ Gatt said. Bull furrowed his eyebrows.

‘Is that... a metaphor for something?’

‘No, it's about the bloody hole in the bloody sky.’ Gatt put his tankard down. ‘Don’t tell me you don’t know.’

‘Don’t know what?’

‘The conclave? The Temple of Sacred Ashes? The dead Divine?’

Bull leant forward. ‘What? The Divine’s dead?’

Gatt ran a hand down his face. ‘How do you not know this?’

‘I’ve been in the middle of a forest for the past week killing giant spiders, Gatt. I'm sorry they weren't the gossipy type.’

‘Alright, alright. I’ll get you caught up.’ Gatt raised his hand to catch the eye of a nearby bar-maid. ‘Can we get another two over here. This is going to take a while.’

Bull didn’t speak for the next hour and a half, except to let out the occasional curse. By the time Gatt had finished Bull had drank two and a half tankards and his head was in his hands.

‘So,’ Bull said slowly , ‘a giant hole rips through the sky, spits some poor bugger out of it, and all the humans decide he’s is going to save the world?’

‘Sounds like.’ Gatt said and took a sip.

‘That’s… some weird shit.’

‘Finest quality, highest calibre, weird shit.’

‘What has that go to do with me and my boys?’

‘I’m think a hole in the sky effects everyone.’

Bull gave the elf across the table a dry look. ‘ Specifically , Gatt.’

‘Par Vollen is terrified . No, wait, I said that that wrong. Par Vollen is pissing themselves.’

‘That bad, huh?’

‘Yeah, but I think that pissing yourself is the correct response when the world starts to end. But there is a lot of misinformation flying about. No one knows for sure who got thrown out of that sky-hole-thing. Par Vollen is getting conflicting reports from every direction.’

‘How conflicting?’

‘Let me put it this way: at this stage, we’ve narrowed down the list of possibilities to a Circle Mage, a Dalish elf, a dwarf from one of the Cartas or a human noble.’

Bull raised an eyebrow. ‘Sound intel you got there, Gatt.’

‘A mountain exploded, Hissrad!’ Gatt spread his hands wide. ‘The people who gave us this information are the lucky ones. The unlucky ones are smouldering piles of ash. But Par Vollen isn’t too concerned about all those scenarios. There is another report that's really riding up their backside. If it’s true, I the Qunari are going to get into this shit up to their elbows.’

Something in Bull stilled at that. The Qun believed every member was part of a whole body; the mind, the heart, the soul. If the Qun did want to get involved they'd would see Bull as their shit-digging hands. And by extension, his boys.

‘What’s the problem?’

‘The Fade might have spat out a Tal-Vashoth.’

Bull blinked.

‘Shit.’

Gatt took a swig of his drink.

‘Yep. Shit.’

Bull looked down at the table. Then back up to Gatt.

‘Shit!’

‘I think we covered that.’

‘Shitting fucking shit-fuck!’

‘My friend needs another drink.’ Gatt called to the bar-maid. She nodded and went to fetch Bull another tankard as quick as she could.

‘When you say “Tal-Vashoth,”’ Bull said, ‘are we talking Seheron Tal-Vashoth or –‘

‘Like I said, we don’t know. That’s why we need you, Hissrad. You’re the most experience guy we’ve got when it comes to dealing with Tal-Vashoth.’

Where had all the red come from?

He was covered in it. Smothered in it. Had someone dropped a vitaar pot? Splashed it all over him? His clothes were soaked in it. He could feel it trickling down his face.

Vitaar always went on cool though. It heated quickly on contact with the skin, hardening as it dried. But the red on him was too thick, to oily, too warm.

Hissrad glanced down and saw the rolling eye of the dead Tal-Vashoth on the floor next to him.

All he could hear was the sound of his own heart-beat in his ears.

It was blood. He kneeling on the floor, covered in blood.

Fuck, it was making him feel itchy.

A face drifted into his line of sight. A Taarsidath. A young one. Her horns were still growing in. Hissrad recognised her. She had only been on the island for six months.

She shouldn’t have to see this.

‘Hissrad?’ she asked. ‘Hissrad can you see me?’

Hissrad blinked the blood out of his eyes.

‘I am making a formal request for re-education.’

The Taarsidath’s eyes grew wide for a second but then she nodded.

‘I understand Hissrad. Can you walk?’

‘ I think I may have done something to my knee.’

‘That’s fine, Hissrad. Lay down. We’ll get a stretcher.’

‘D'you hear what I said? About re-education?’

The Taarsidath’s hand lay on his chest. She pushed him back gently until he is laying on the cold stone floor. She had to clear a severed limb
out of the way to make enough space.

‘I heard you, Hissrad. I’ll make the arrangements. But for now, lie down. We’ll fix everything once you’re back to base.’

‘They killed Vasaad.’

‘I know.’

‘Did they get anyone else?’

‘No. No, everyone else is safe, because of you.’

‘Not for much longer. I’m dangerous. I’m becoming like them.’

The Taarsidath’s hand rested on his forehead. Hissrad flinched. She was going to get blood all over her hands.

‘No, you’re not. We’re going to fix you. You did your duty Hissrad. You stopped them from hurting anyone else. You did what the Qun demanded of you. Now it’s time to rest.’

‘You need me to take the guy out?’ Bull asked.

‘If necessary. But only if you see no other choice. After how things went down in Kirkwall, Par Vollen doesn’t want to cause any more “international incident.”’

Bull smirked. ‘Is that’s what they’re calling it?’

Gatt laughed. ‘Something like that. They probably didn’t want a bunch of elderly Tammassrans to have to write the word “clusterfuck” on all the official records . It doesn’t matter. The Ben-Hassrath request you don’t kill the humans’ religious figure-head at this juncture . Please and thank you.’

Bull shifted in his seat. ‘So what do they want?’

‘The humans’ chantry is creating an army to stop the rifts. They’re calling it an Inquisition.’

‘Sounds heavy duty,’ Bull said. The bar-maid returned and put the tankard on the table, giving Bull a wink. Bull smiled and nodded, but something below his ribs tightened. Dorian suddenly seemed a long, long way away. It had only been four days he reminded himself. Getting older was making him clingy.

Or maybe he just wanted his Kadan by his side, in case this end-of-the-world rumour was true.

‘It is heavy duty,’ Gatt said. ‘But I suppose a demon-spitting fade-hole demands a heavy-duty response. Hundreds are joining up each day. We want you and the Chargers to sign up too. Give us reports from the inside.’

‘I see,’ Bull took a swig from his tankard. ‘How much does the Qun expect me to pick up as a lowly grunt?’

‘You always manage to get us good intel, Hissrad.’ Gatt said. ‘Besides, if they are Tal-Vashoth, you can play up your cover. That’s got to get you an in.’

Bull shot Gatt a look from under his eyebrows. ‘What? I’ve got a great-rack, you’ve got a great rack, let’s be best friends?’

‘Look, I’m not the Ben-Hassrath here, remember? That’s your purpose. Figure it out. Get the leg over, if you have to. Just make a connection and tell us what the fuck this guy is doing about the breach? That sound like something you can manage, Hissrad?’

‘Was there ever any doubt?’ asked Bull, but a more accurate question would have been “Do I have a choice?”

‘Good. You and your men should leave for Ferelden at first light. You’ll be able to meet up with this Inquisition in a small town called Haven, not far from where the Temple is. Well… where it was.’

Gatt finished, his tankard and stood. As he walked pasted Bull, he stopped for long enough the clasp him by the shoulder.

‘It was good to see you, Hissrad,’ Gatt said. ‘Try not to die.’ Bull nodded back.

‘Same Gatt.’

Gatt gave his shoulder a squeeze and turned to leave. Suddenly Bull’s hand locked onto his wrist. Bull locked eyes with Gatt, his gaze more threatening than his vice-like grip.

‘Gatt. Never touch one of my men again.’

Gatt blinked a few times, his brow furrowed. Then he nodded. Bull let go of Gatt’s wrist and the elf retreated to the door without a word. Bull watched as Gatt opened it. The sunlight outside engulfed him and then Gatt was gone.

Bull slumped. He pushed his tankard away from him, his stomach reeling.

The Qun wanted him in Ferelden.

Dorian was in Tevinter.

Damnit. Couldn’t the world have picked a better time to end?

Outside the Sword and Cup, sitting in the limbs of a mulberry tree, Skinner and Krem waited. The Chief had been in there for almost two hours. It wasn’t unusual for his Qun related meetings to go for that long. But that did nothing to aliviate any of Krem’s tension. He rubbed his neck and winced, remembering too late the knick left behind by Gatt’s blade. Skinner slapped him on the bicep.

‘Don’t rub it. Stitches will get pissed.’

‘Sorry mother.’

Skinner graced Krem with one of her more stabby glares, but his attention was fixed on the Tavern door. Skinner picked another mulberry from the tree and bit down into it. Her hands were already stained maroon.

‘When Gatt comes out, do you want me to plant a knife in his skull?’ she asked. Krem considered for a moment.

‘I would... but don't do it anyway. The Chief doesn’t know we’re checking up on him. He’ll get suspicious if he comes out to find Gatt in the middle of the road with one of your daggers sticking out of his forehead.’

‘He’s a spy. I bet he already knows we followed him here.’

‘Then we don’t want to lose plausible deniability. No knives.’

Skinner rested her back against the trunk of the tree and slouched downward.

‘I hate this.’

‘I know. It must be so hard. Waiting in a tree with no chance to stab anyone.’

‘No I mean this. The Chief talking to the Ben-Hassrath always leads to trouble.’

‘We’re mercs. Everything we do leads to trouble.’

‘You I think Gatt
knows about the Chief and Dorian?’

Krem looked at Skinner. ‘What makes you say that.’

‘He got hold of you near the bridge, just after Felix picked up Dorian. How did he know Dorian was going back to Tevinter?’

Krem shifted his weight.

‘He didn't. We were only a day’s ride from camp. Chief sends the Ben-Hassrath reports that have his location all the time. Gatt must have known we were in the area, and he spotted me first. Nothing suspicious.’

‘You think?’

‘Yeah. If Par Vollen knew that the Chief was pretty much married to a Tevinter mage, we'd know about it.’ Krem said. His words rang hollow, even to him. ‘No offense Skinner, but growing up in an alienage made you paranoid.

‘Paranoid kept me alive. Paranoid is the reason you have that cut on your neck and I don’t.’

‘And the fact you were back at camp when it happened.’

‘Krem, I’m telling you. Something bad is going on.’

‘Come off it, Skinner.’

‘Fine, explain this. The letter from Dorian’s old teacher came on Grim’s pigeon, right.’

‘Yeah. So?’

‘How did Dorian’s teacher get hold of it? How did he find out that pigeon could get the letter to Dorian?’

Krem stopped. He hadn’t even thought of that. It would have made sense for Mae to have passed the message on, but she would have sent a letter at the same time, wouldn’t she? Someone would have had to have caught that pigeon, knowing it was the quickest way of getting a message from Tevinter to Dorian . That meant that someone had been keeping an eye on the correspondence between Mae and Dorian.

Skinner was right. They were being watched.

‘Shit.’

‘Should we tell the Chief?’

Krem rubbed his eye. ‘If we do, and we’re wrong about this we’ll freak him out over nothing. If we tell him there’s a problem and we’re right, there’s nothing he can do about it. Dorian’s probably on a bloody boat by now, and he's got the bird. There's no way to reach him.’

‘So, what do we do?’

‘Hope that we don’t need to haul ass to Tevinter.’ Krem said. ‘And that if anything does go wrong Dorian will burn the place to the ground.’

Skinner lightly thumped her head against the tree trunk. ‘Should have given him a bigger knife.’

The door of the Tavern opened. Skinner and Krem stilled. Gatt stood on the front step, blinking in the sunlight. Skinner turned to Krem.

‘One knife. I’ll just wing him, I swear. Make him limp around for a week.’

‘No, Skinner.’

Skinner grunted. ‘Fine. It’s your blood on his dagger.’

Krem tapped his leg as Gatt strolled towards the road. Something about him seemed smug. Krem looked back at Skinner.

‘You got that sling-shot with you?’

Skinner grinned like a crocodile.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

He’s got to be my son’s age. That was Alexius’s first thought on Dorian.

His second thought was that the carnal act Dorian was performing was illegal. In Tevinter. And in Nervarra. And Ferelden, Antiva, the Free Marches and even Orlais. When the Orlesians banned something, you know it was scandalous.

Dorian had not gotten into the carriage willingly , but he had been too inebriated to do anything about it. As they drove back to the Gilded Quarter, the boy slumped in the corner of the carriage, his legs folded up to his chest. Alexius had never seen anyone sulk with such malice before.

‘You’ll be staying with my family until we can arrange a suitable ship to take you back to Qarinus,’ Alexius said conversationally . The Pavus boy huffed and glared down at his knees.

‘Your father has been quite worried about you.’

‘My father,’ Dorian spat out the word, ‘was worried about his reputation, nothing more.

‘I’m sure that’s not true.'

Dorian didn’t respond. His sullen air seemed to fill the carriage.

‘I heard you—‘ Alexius cut off the word “escape” before it left his lips, ‘you left your circle without telling anyone.’

‘If I had told someone I was leaving they wouldn’t have let me go.’

‘Considering where I found you, would they have been wrong to keep you?’

Dorian continued to scowl at his knees. Alexius blessed the Maker that Felix couldn’t hold onto a grudge for more than a day.

‘Which circle had you been attending?’

Dorian laughed. ‘Attending? Imprisoned is more like it. You ever heard of Order of Argent?’

Alexius leant back.

‘Your father sent you to the Order of Argent?’

Dorian looked up at Alexius for the first time since he’d been dragged into the carriage. He seemed pleased that Alexius sounded disturbed.

‘Yes. It was always his threat. “Improve in your studies or face the Argent brothers." "If you enjoy aggravating your tutors so much. Maybe we should see how the Argent brothers deal with your antics." "Eat your vegetables or the Order of Argent will make you." All empty threats and posturing.’

‘Until it wasn’t.’

Dorian’s eyes found his knees again. ‘Until it wasn’t.’

‘How did you get out?’

‘No.’

‘No?’

‘II refuse to answer that. If I tell you how I escaped, you’ll tell my father, who will tell the brothers. I am certain my father intends to send me back.’

‘And you intend to escape again.’

Dorian shrugged. ‘Unless they shackle me to my bed.’

Alexius laughed but then it petered out.

‘You’re not joking.’

Dorian didn’t reply. Alexius rubbed his eye with his thumb.

‘Could you enlighten me, Dorian? Does your father punish you for your reckless behaviour? Or is your reckless behaviour a result of your father’s punishment?’

‘That would depend on whether one buys into the notion of causality or the notion of fatalism. You’re suggesting that my father and I disagree because one of us misbehaves, triggering a series of events . I believe my father and I are destined to be adversarial because of who we are on a fundamental level’

Alexius hummed. ‘Interest philosophical question. Surprising, coming from a boy so drunk he needed help putting on his pants.’

‘I’m a man,’ Dorian snapped. Alexius’ eyes flicked to the moustache Dorian was trying – and failing – to grow.

‘Fine. A man so drunk he couldn’t put on his pants. Let me then ask you. If you’re certain your father and you clash because it is your “destiny”, where do you see your life going?’

Dorian wiped his nose.

‘There are one of two endings. One, I let my father break me and I become the dutiful son. I take his seat in the magisterium. I marry a woman who I loathe, raise a child who resents me and then I force said child to continue the whole charade again. And again with their own pitiful offspring. Like my father and his father before him. We Pavus’ do love a family tradition.’

‘And your alternative ending is what? Winding up in another one of those brothels I found you in. You’ll end up murdered for your coin or drown in a pool of your own vomit. Is that what you want?’

‘It’s not about what I want. It’s about… what is preferable.’

‘Neither of those paths seem preferable.’

‘The lesser of two evils, then. The frypan or the fire. Anyway, this doesn’t concern you.’ Dorian turned himself onto his side so he was facing the wall. ‘Leave me alone.’

Alexius’s tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. His relationship with his own father had never been easy. He'd only exchanged affection for accomplishments and failure was greeted with disdain. Even into adulthood, Alexius had struggled to gain his approval. Until his father had tried to kill Felix and the last slither of love he had had for the man crumpled into ash.

Alexius looked at Dorian again. The first though he’d had for the boy came back.

He’s got to be my son’s age.

Alexius sighed.

‘May I suggest a third option?’

...

A pothole jolted Dorian awake.

It was dark outside. Before Dorian’s eyes had drifted shut, the sun had still been high. Regardless, he knew exactly where they were.

The road to Alexius’ estate had been etched into his brain years ago. He could never forget the way.

They were almost there.

Felix – who was using Dorian’s lap as a pillow – stirred.

Felix had held up well on the first day of the trip back to Asariel. He played the gracious host and laughed at all of Dorian’s best stories. But the next day was in agony. Dorian could tell Felix was trying to hide it or though Dorian hadn’t noticed. But it was obvious from the set of his posture
to his expression when he thought Dorian wasn’t looking. On the third day, Felix didn’t even try to pretend he was fine. He was too busy trying to stay awake.

Dorian had said ‘ Maybe your father was right. You shouldn’t have come to fetch me.’

Felix had replied. ‘I left to get away from his hen-pecking for a while, Dorian. Don’t take up the mantle for yourself.’

Dorian looked down at Felix now and warred with himself about whether to wake him. He grimaced and shook Felix by the shoulder.

‘Felix. Felix. We’re almost there.’

Felix’s eye dragged themselves open. He blinked a couple of times. Then he sat bolt upright.

‘Where’s the boat?’

‘We got off the boat two hours ago.’

‘What? We just got on the boat!’

‘That was yesterday, Felix. You’ve been asleep since then.’

‘I’ve been asleep for almost two days?’

‘It’s been an exhausting trip, Felix.’

‘That doesn’t make any sense!’ Felix rubbed his face. ‘I don’t sleep that deep anymore. No… we got on the boat, you took all our stuff to the cabin, I drank that potion you gave me and then you went to get food…’

Felix’s own words sank into his mind before he turned and glowered at Dorian.

‘Dorian…’

‘It wasn’t deliberate.’

‘You drugged me? You said that potion was for joint ache.’

‘It is! Stitches concocted it for that reason. But I … forgot to take into account he made it with Bull in mind.’

‘You gave me something that could knock out a Qunari!’

‘It never knocks Bull out. He gets a little drowsy and sappy, but that's all. I didn’t think it would have such a strong effect on you.’

‘I was out for two days, Dorian!’

‘Two days of mind-numbingly dull travel, with nothing interesting to look at or do. I swear the most interesting thing you missed out on was me vomiting in a bucket from sea-sickness.

‘Good. I hope some got in your moustache.’

‘You’re grumpy when you wake up.’

‘I am when I’ve been asleep for two days!’

‘You keep harping on about that one point. "Two days! Two days!" You sound like a parrot. Tell me honestly Felix, how are you feeling?’

Felix looked down at his knees and then out the window. ‘That’s hardly the point.’

‘You haven’t slept that well in an age, have you?’

‘Shut up.’

‘Certainly, haven’t slept that well since the start of the trip.’

‘Vita, pull over!’ Felix called out the window. ‘Dorian’s going to walk the rest of the way.’

‘How are your joints?’

‘Don’t bother stopping, Vita. Just slow a little and I’ll push him out.’

‘Felix, I’m sorry. I swear it wasn’t a deliberate. But you do look far more rested, and your father will have no reason to fret over you when you arrive. Isn’t that a positive result?’

Felix huffed and sank lower into his seat. ‘You’re not getting a reprieve, Dorian. I will have my revenge.’

The carriage slowed and the sound of the horses’ hooves against the packed dirt came to a stop. Dorian and Felix spared a moment to look at each other before Vita opened the carriage door.

‘Vita, I wasn’t serious about throwing Dorian out of the carriage.’

‘I know, Master Alexius. I am more than familiar with your particular flavour of humour.’

She spoke with a flat heavy tone, that Dorian had often heard his mother use. Mostly when she said the words “I need a drink”. ‘ However , we have arrived.’

‘Oh,’ Felix said
and scrambled out of the door. Dorian followed him.

Dorian had seen many grand buildings in a state of “disrepair”. The Alexius estate was, if anything, in a state of “repair”.

Workers were crawling over the place like insects. Painters, builders, gardeners, decorators, cooks. Dorian could see broken or weather-worn patches of the building. But these were all disappearing before his eyes, under the hands of industrious…

Slaves. All these people were slaves.

The feelings he'd been anticipating – nostalgia, reconnection, a sense of home-coming – were all displaced . What greeted him instead was the unsettling reminder of that this was Tevinter.

And but for the grace of the Maker, he could have been one of those slaves.

Felix took in the sight without a hint of uneasiness.

‘I see father has been busy. We should be ready before tomorrow night.’

Dorian drew his eyes away. ‘Tomorrow night?’

Felix waved his hand.

‘Father’s organising some sort of political function. He’s timed it for tomorrow night. That way he can have a celebratory feast for your return and woo potential political allies at the same time.’

Dorian folded his arms. ‘Did he?’

Felix smirked. ‘Oh? Did I forget to mention that?’

‘Felix, you are an utter shit.’

‘I see it didn’t take you two boys very long to revert to bickering like old women.’

Dorian and Felix looked in the direction of the voice. Standing on the estate’s front steps, in a royal purple peplo, her hair pinned atop her head in a refined bun
was Mae. Dorian laughed and ran to her. The last time he had seen her was nine months ago and even that encounter had been brief. They both realised that the more contact the higher the risk for both of them. Letters were one thing, a lifeline to the life he left behind. But they were no match for seeing Mae in the flesh and in all her glory.

‘Maevaris my dear, it’s been so long.’ He said enveloping her in a hug. She was stiff in his arms.

‘I wish it had been longer.’

Dorian stopped and leant back. Mae was looking at him like he had told an offensive joke about her grandmother.

‘I’m sorry, did I do something wrong?’

‘We’ll discuss it later.’ Mae said sharply . She turned to Felix, who had strolled over in time to only catch the end of the conversation. ‘Felix.’ She greeted him warmly with a kiss to the cheek. ‘I see your father has let you out of the attic for once.’

‘Yes, but not without a nanny.’ Felix pointed at Dorian. ‘What brings you to Asariel.’

‘Why, to see your father, of course.’ Mae said. ‘He did invite me to your little get-together.’

‘Yes, I remember. But from what I gathered you weren’t able to make it.’

‘Originally I wasn’t. But then I received a pigeon from Dorian two days go. He said he was in Tevinter of all places and I thought to myself, Magisterium obligations can wait for another day . Opportunities to see old friend rarely come about.’

Dorian paused at the way Mae said “Tevinter of all places”. It felt like a jibe, but he couldn’t for the life of him understand why.

‘You’re a day early.’

‘More time to catch up.’ Mae purred, running her hand along Felix’s arm. ‘I’ve managed to pack away my things in the guest room so I haven’t had time to go see your father yet. Should we all go together?’

‘What do you say, Dorian?’ Felix asked. ‘Would you like to change before you see Father?’

Dorian looked over to Mae again catching her eye. She had the poise and bearing of a swan.

Dorian had had a few run-ins with swans when he was a child. They were vicious creatures created by fear demons to terrorise all mortals. Whatever he had done to offend Mae he would have to rectify. And soon.

But he could only deal with one angry friend at a time and Alexius was first in line.

‘No, let’s go see your father,' Dorian said to Felix. 'I’m certain he’s anxious to see you.’ Felix smiled and lead the way down the hallway to Alexius’s office.

‘Besides,’ Dorian muttered under his breath, ‘I should get this over and done with.’

As they walked through the corridors and hallways of the large estate, Dorian sidled up to Mae.

‘Are you going to give me a reason you’re unhappy with me? Or is this something I have to deduce, like a fictional character in one of your cousin’s books?’

‘I am not going to indulge your ridiculous behaviour right now, Dorian.’ Mae hissed. ‘As I said before, we’ll discuss this later. First, let’s get through this introduction. Try not to do anything else monumentally foolish.’

Dorian was taken back by Mae's venom but had no time to reply before they reached the doors of Alexius’ office. Felix flung them wide.

‘Hello, father!’

Behind his ancient and monstrous desk, completely absorbed in whatever he was reading, was Alexius .

He looked older.

Dorian scoffed at himself. Obviously , Alexius looked older. He was older. Had Dorian expected Alexius’ age to regress over their time apart? But there was something else. The lines around Alexius’ mouth had become more entrenched. His eyes seemed fixed in a permanent squint. Dorian had seen that squint a thousand times before. It had been set permanently onto the faces of his circle tutors, whose careers were built by candle-light and ancient hand-written tomes . He even seemed shorter, but that could be chalked up to the increased stoop of Alexius’ shoulders. Dorian tried to tell himself that age changes people. But not this much, not in five years, surely ?

He shot a look at Mae. She was wearing her Imperium face. Professional, steady, almost bored. But Dorian knew that expression immediately. It was as unmistakable as Bull putting on his Vitaar. Mae was preparing for war.

Dorian changed his face to match.

But then Alexius looked up, and it was like a shaft of light breaking through a cloudbank. He rose from his desk and crossed the room in one swift, fluid motion. Long strides, his arms spread wide.

‘You’re here!’ Alexius reached Felix first and enveloped him in a huge hug. ‘We weren’t expecting your arrival until tomorrow, but I can’t pretend I didn’t hope you’d be home sooner.’

He leant back and cupped his son’s face in his hands, his eyes taking in every detail.

...

Alexius and Dorian had ridden for six days straight. They only stopped for fresh horses and the minimum sleep that would sustain them. It was an hour past dusk when they arrived at the three-room tavern in the middle of nowhere. A dwarven woman was waiting by the door, a lantern in her hand. The wind was whipping the few stray hairs that had escaped her ponytail around her face. She didn’t do anything to stop them.

Alexius leapt off his horse before it had stopped and stumbled towards her.

‘You’re Ada Brarin?’ he gasped.

She nodded and snatched Alexius’ wrist, dragging him inside. Dorian dismounted and grabbed Alexius’ horse’s reins. He looked from the door to the horses. They had been riding this pair since last night and they needed brushing down. But Dorian’s whole body was screaming at him to follow Alexius. A hand grabbed the reins from Dorian’s hand. He looked down to see a dark bearded dwarf glaring up at him. The family resemblance he bore to the dwarven woman was undeniable. With his free hand, he shoved Dorian towards the door.

‘I’ve got them. Go. He doesn’t have long.’

Dorian was drenched day's worth of sweat from riding. As the dwarves words hit him, every drop of it seemed to freeze. Dorian nodded and staggered into the building.

It led to a kitchen. Small and musty. A fire was dying in the hearth.

On the table, covered in a cheerful, blue tablecloth, was a body.

Covered wasn’t the right word. It wasn’t long enough. The face had been mercifully obscured, but the figure’s feet poked out the other end. One foot was bare. The other wore a shoe. A yellow, embroidered, satin slipper. Stitched along the edges were blue ribbon roses.

Even though Dorian felt like he was trying to move through a dense fog, one thought came through, clear and sharp. Was it strange that he could recognise Livia from one shoe?

But grieving for Livia, as callous as it seemed, would have to wait. The living were the priority and for the moment, Felix was still among them.

However short that moment was.

Dorian caught a movement from the corner of his eye. He turned. It was the dwarven woman, holding her lantern. She nodded towards the passageway behind her, Dorian followed her down it.

‘How did you find him?’ Dorian whispered. He had to stoop, or his head would hit the ceiling.

‘My brother was part of a merchant caravan. They were heading south-east to Orzammar
when they found your friend’s carriage. He said Dark Spawn were already crawling all over it, like ants. It was amazing there were bodies left, let alone anyone alive.’

‘Yet they chose to fight them?’ Dorian asked. ‘No one would have blamed them if they’d fled. Maker knows I would have.’

‘That’s because you’re sane. But my brother and his friends have seen what Dark Spawn are capable of. They all knew if they didn’t strike them down there, they would ravage for miles. They needed to destroy them then and there.’

‘But not before they slaughtered Livia and Felix.’ Dorian spat. He squeezed his eyes shut. He could still see the glow of the lamp behind his eyelids. ‘Forgive me. I didn’t mean that—‘

The woman waved her hand. ‘Save your apology. If there is a time to be angry and bitter, it is now. But before you enter that room, I need you to understand what you may have to do in the days to come.’

She stopped in front of a closed door at the end of the corridor. Ada turned to face Dorian, her hand on the nob. Dorian could see candlelight slipping out from the crack beneath the door. A noise was also escaping from the same crack. Ragged agonising gasps.

‘When my brother pulled your friends from the carriage,’ Ada said, ‘they were both alive.’

Dorian jolted at Ada’s words. She remained as stoic as ever.

‘Only the woman was conscious. She begged my brother to end her life. He said she was shrieking. The pain was like acid and venom and fire. He performed that act of kindness for her. I did not tell your friend in there. Better to let him think his wife was dead already.’

Dorian nodded.

'But, the son was unconscious. He could not beg for mercy and none of my brother’s companions had the strength to do what needed to be done . They all claimed that they didn’t have the right, but make no mistake, it was cowardliness. Oh, close your mouth, human. I may appal you right now, but in the days to come, you’ll see exactly how right my words are. The stone knows what lies ahead, but I promise you, it won’t be pretty.’

‘Are you finished? Dorian snapped. It felt like every muscle in his body was tight to the point of snapping. ‘Because if you are, I would very much like to see my friend before he dies! ’

‘No, I am not finished.’ Ada put the lamp on the floor and pulled a knife from the scabbard on her belt. She held it close to her face, scrutinising the edge.

‘If you’re lucky, your friend won’t wake up. He’ll die and you’ll never see how much he suffers. If he does wake, he’ll either writhe and screech like a demon until he dies, or until he becomes dark spawn himself. Either way, you’ll need this.'

She flipped the knife over, the blade landing on the flat of her palm. She held the handle out to Dorian. He stepped back.

‘I can’t— ‘

‘The man in there said that your dying friend was his only son. Is that true?’

Dorian licked his lips. ‘Yes.’

‘Then don’t put this dreadful burden on his father. Take it.’

Dorian’s eyes flicked to the handle, them back to the woman’s stern, uncompromising face. Lead, not blood, seemed to fill his veins as he reached out and took the knife from her. Ada’s brow furrowed and she reached out, giving Dorian’s wrist a brief squeeze. Dorian got the sense this was probably the most amount of comfort she had ever shown to anyone.

‘Like I said, he may never wake up. Ma used to say, “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.”’

‘I suspect this was not the scenario in which your mother envisioned that adage being used .’

‘No,’ Ada let go of Dorian’s wrist and gripped the doorknob again.

‘Brace yourself.’

Dorian closed his eyes and blew out his breath. He drew his shoulders back, lifted his chin and slowly let his eyes open again. He fixed them on the door as he spoke.

‘Open it.’

‘The door creaked open revealing a narrow, musty room. The only furniture inside was a chair and a bed, both occupied.

Alexius was in the chair.

Felix was in the bed.

In a sudden, gut-wrenching moment, Dorian thought Felix might already be dead.

The figure on the bed was so still. Wax-like, even. But then Felix drew in a gasp like a drowning man who had just reached the surface. Not only his chest, but his whole torso seemed to arch up off the mattress. He attempted to suck in a breath, before slumping down again.

Dorian counted four seconds go by before Felix’s body performed the same grim manoeuvre again . There was no mistaking this for some peaceful sleep. Every breath Felix took was a battle.

Dorian felt his hand on the knife grow sweaty.

Alexius was sitting next to Felix. He was leaning over his son’s body and cupping his son’s cheeks in his hands. He stroked a thumb along Felix’s cheekbone and Dorian could see the wet streak left behind. Another of Alexius’ tears fell onto Felix’s face, replacing the one he'd wiped away.

‘Papa’s here,’ Alexius whispered. ‘I’m right here, Felix. Papa’s with you now.’

…

Felix took his father’s own face in his hands and smiled.

‘What did I tell you? See? Back in one piece. Turns out I am more than capable of travelling unsupervised for a week.’

‘You look tired.’

‘When aren’t I?’ Felix pulled himself out of his father’s hands and gestured at Mae and Dorian. ‘We have guests, Father. Don’t keep them waiting.’

‘Of course, how rude of me. Please forgive my behaviour. Age seems to be robbing me of my memory, my manners and most distressingly my tolerance for wine and loud noises. I am becoming the geriatric misanthrope I’ve always bemoaned.’ He took Mae’s hand and kissed it. ‘Mae. Still outshining the sun with your radiance, I see.’

‘Alexius,’ Mae smiled. ‘Still disarming women with your silver tongue.’

‘I speak only the truth, and the pleasure is all mine.’

‘Oh, don’t be so modest, Gereon. I’m sure that tongue has given many women pleasure over the years.’

‘Oh Mae, please.’ Felix cringed. Alexius graced Mae’s comment with a wink.

Alexius drop her hand and took a step to the side. He was now, face-to-face with Dorian. Dorian forced himself to stand up straighter. Forced himself to look Alexius in the eye.

‘Dorian,’ Alexius said.

Dorian bowed his head a little.

‘Alexius.’

There was a pause. Long enough for Dorian to brace himself for whatever words Alexius was planning to hurl at him.

He should have braced himself more physically , and less mentally. Alexius pulled Dorian into his arms with such force it knocked the air straight out of him. Dorian stood rigid with shock.

‘Dorian, my boy,’ Alexius said. ‘How I have missed you.’

With slow, hesitant arms, Dorian returned his former mentor’s embrace. He struggled to force words through his tightening throat.

‘Alexius-’ Dorian’s voice came out weak and chalky . He cleared his throat and tried again. ‘Alexius, when we last spoke—‘

‘I know.’

Alexius stepped back locking his hands on Dorian’s shoulders. ‘I know. You regret what you said. As do I. Terrible circumstances bring out the ugliest parts of people and we are no different. If you choose to forgive me, as I forgave you years ago, we could strive to regain what we lost. Is that something you want?’

Dorian nodded and clapped a hand around Alexius’s wrist.

'Of course. Nothing would please me more.’

Alexius smiled and took Dorian’s face between his hands as he had done with his own son.

‘Welcome home, Dorian.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Alexius had made sure Dorian’s old room was ready for his arrival.It seemed smaller.It shouldn’t have. Everything was exactly the same from memory. Three overflowing bookcases. A large, soft chair by the window. A desk with a quill and an inkwell already in place. A large bed.Maker. When was the last time he’s slept that bed?More importantly, when was the last time he had slept in any bed?Dorian let his pack drop to the floor and trudged in a straight line towards that bed, toeing off his boots along the way. He turned his back on the bed and spread his arms wide. Dorian tilted back, allowing gravity to pull him down into the mattress’ warm embrace. He moaned in delight and closed his eyes. The sheets smelt so familiar. If only Bull were here to help him warm the bed up-There was a series of sharp knocks against his bedroom door.Dorian’s eyes snapped open.More knocking.More knocking.Endless, ceaseless knocking.Dorian dragged his body upright and forced his feet to carry him back to the door.‘Alright, alright! Enough. I heard the first forty-seven knocks just fine, thank you very much.’He had barely opened the door when Mae swept into his room. She seemed to pull a cold wind along behind her, like a dog on a leash. Dorian shut the door behind her and turned a towards his friend with a winning smile. It did nothing. She still looked furious.‘Mae.’‘Dorian.’Dorian’s head rocked sidewards as Mae’s palm collided with his cheek. It took a second for his face to register the sting of the slap.‘Dear sweet Maker, Mae! What in the void was that?’‘What was that? What was that?!’ Mae hiss at Dorian. It was the sort of hiss people do when they’re trying not to scream but really, really want to. ‘I can’t believe you were soutterly irresponsible, Dorian. Does Bull know you’ve come here?’‘What sort of question is that?’ Dorian asked, rubbing his jaw. ‘Of course Bull knows I’m here.’‘Then did you lie about why you came? Keep the whole truth from him?’‘For Andraste’s sake Mae, what’s gotten into you? Why would I lie to Bull?’‘Because Bull is smart and he loves you and there is no way he would have sent you alone after my warning.’Dorian stopped rubbing his cheek.‘What warning?’Mae stilled.‘The warning in my last letter. The one I sent you two weeks ago.’‘Mae,’ that cold wind she had brought in with her seemed to wrap itself around Dorian as he spoke. ‘I haven’t heard a word from you since Funalis.’Mae’s mouth fell open a little. She shook her head. ‘But that doesn’t make any sense. No! You replied to me.’‘What?’‘I received this infuriating little message four days ago'. Mae pulled a folded piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to Dorian. ‘It’s the reason I had to drop everything in the middle of the Minrathous season and come straight here.’Dorian took the paper and unfolded it.It was written in his hand. It was messy and looked like it had been written in a hurry but was no mistaking his penmanship.

Dear Mae,

I am sorry I ignored your warning and joined Alexius but I had no other choice. If I am with him I can stop him, and Maker knows someone needs to. Maybe this will all make sense after Alexius’ little party, but with a mess as big as this, I don’t hold out hope. Please don’t fret. I am writing to Bull as well, and he will know the full situation soon enough. I’m sure he will scold me for my foolishness far better than you can.

I would ask you not to be angry with me but we both know that’s unlikely. All will be well. Probably.

With affection and fear of your inevitable wrath,

Dorian.

‘What?!’‘Is that all you can say? “What”? Are you denying this is your handwriting?’Mae would have made an amazing city-guardsman in another life. Her interrogation technique was terrifying.‘I… I don’t think I can,’ Dorian admitted. ‘It’s an incredible forgery if nothing else. But Mae, I swear I never wrote this.’Mae snatched the letter back before looking at Dorian. ‘I don’t understand.’‘You don’t understand? You’re not the one who got slapped so hard they eye almost fell out of their socket.’Mae grabbed Dorian’s arm. ‘Dorian, if you didn’t get my warning why are you here?’‘Alexius sent me a letter - the only letter I have received in weeks. He wants to mend bridges. Or maybe burn them down. It’s hard to tell.’‘Shit.’ The word clashed harshly against Mae’s refined voice. While she was a constant source of innuendos and double entendres she was never one for cussing. Too unladylike. ‘How did he get a hold of you? You and the Chargers move around constantly. You could have been on the other side of the Hunterhorn Mountains for all he knew.’‘The letter arrived with the pigeon.’ Dorian’s brow furrowed. The question Skinner had asked Krem a nation away was now worming into his own mind. ‘The pigeon… shit.'Mae rubbed her temple. ‘Alexius, you conniving little rat-bastard.’‘Mae, please tell me you have an explanation.’‘He must have intercepted my letter and sent you his own in its place. He’s been sniffing around, trying to find out what became of you since he returned to Tevinter. I’ve managed to hold him off for a while but I see he took drastic action.’Dorian frowned. ‘You’ve been stopping Alexius from contacting me? Why?’‘For protection.’Dorian pushed Mae’s hand off his arm. ‘Alexius would never turn me over to my father, Mae. We may have parted on bad terms but he would never be that malicious.’‘In all honesty, that possibility didn’t even enter my head. This has nothing to do with your father- for once. This is about Alexius. He… he has change, Dorian. He’s not the man you remember.’Dorian suddenly could remember the comforting tightness of Alexius' embrace and the warmth with which the man had said: "Welcome home." He scowled at Mae. ‘Shouldn’t you have given me the opportunity to judge that for myself? Or am I to be coddled like an infant? After all you seem to know what's best for me.’ Dorian snapped. ‘You are my one connection to Tevinter, Mae. I trust you. You are the last person I would expect to hide things from me.’Mae gritted her teeth. ‘I did nothing of the sort! Don’t you dare accuse me of being underhanded. As soon as Alexius returned I sent all I knew about him to you in the letter that went missing. I swear.’Dorian watched as Mae scrunched her eyes shut and forced a breath through her nose. When she opened her eyes again she was as composed and serene as ever.‘I wasn’t trying to keep anything from you. Just you from him.’Dorian raised his hands palm-up.‘Alright. I think we are both missing some crucial facts. Could we call a truce and start from the beginning? With less physical assault this time, if possible.’Mae smiled in-spite-of herself. She moved forward and stroked her palm on Dorian’s still-stinging cheek‘We could give it a try.’

Magister Thales’ birthday party was the dullest event anyone had ever spend a fortune on. Mae would have made her apologies and left hours ago. But Mae was also well aware Thales’ wife had not wanted to invite her in the first place. Now Mae was filled with determined to drink and eat as much of their food and wine as she liked.

Maevaris Tilani had learnt long ago that spite was a powerful motivator.

Still, that determination was waning. Magister Hypatia had cornered her forty-five minutes ago. All the woman wanted to talk about were her ancient Pomeranians and their various ailments.

While Mae was scanning the room for someone, anyone, carrying a tray of drinks, a familiar laugh rang out. Mae looked towards the sound and smiled.

‘Is that Gereon Alexius?’ Mae asked Hypatia, cutting off the woman’s monologue about the scourge of mange. Hypatia turned to look.

‘Hmm? Oh yes. Arrived back in the country a few weeks ago, after his travels abroad. Not that you can tell. The man looks as pale and sickly as ever. Now when it comes to hair loss as severe as–‘

‘Any word on his son?’

Hypatia frowned as though Mae was the one with no manners. ‘No one has seen him in society yet, but the boy was always a recluse, even before his accident. I never liked the son or the father. Too similar. Always fixated on obscure irrelevancies that interest no one but themselves. But getting back to Leo’s mange--’

‘Try a combination of honey and vegetable oil. Thorold said that the nug-wranglers he knew in Orzammar swore by it. Excuse me.’

Breaking free of Hypatia’s clutches, at last, Mae made her way through the crowd towards Alexius. She tapped him on the shoulder.

‘Pardon me, Sir? Someone told me Gereon Alexius was here and that he was neglecting to lavish the appropriate amount of attention on his old friends. You haven’t happened to see him, perchance? I wish to give him a piece of my mind.’

Alexius span around, his face breaking into a smile.

‘Mae, my dear. How are you?’ He kissed both her cheeks. ‘You grow more radiant every day.’

‘I’ve always been this radiant. Maybe you’re growing more observant.’

Alexius laughed. It was so good to see Alexius laughing. It had been too long. Alexius turned back to the group of people he had been chatting to.

‘Mae, allow me to introduce you to Havian, Corinnia, Erimond, Calpernia, and Paulus. Ladies and gentlemen, Maevaris. An old friend and fellow rabble-rouser.’

The warm feelings Mae had at Alexius' returned were smothered when she saw the faces of Alexius’ compatriots . She knew most of them. She wished she didn’t.

‘Havian, how are you?’ she extended her regal hand towards him, ‘Rumour has it you have a big event coming up. Is it still a secret or are you finally willing to let the cat out of the bag?’

Havian had always been grim but is face tonight was chiselled out of granite. He didn’t take her hand and Mae was secretly grateful.

‘I don’t know what you are referring to.’ His voice was like a stone slab being pushed off a sarcophagus.

‘Oh? So you weren’t the one filling the pockets of every slaver in Minrathous? From what I’ve heard you’ve been emptying entire auctions all by yourself. Do tell us what you need so many bodies for? Planting season? Constructing a monument in your honour? Perhaps an elaborate dance number?’

Havian’s eyes narrowed. One of the women, freckled and gap-toothed, moved forward.

‘Maybe he plans to free them.’

Mae raised an eyebrow sceptically. ‘ Really ? How philanthropic.’

‘You recently freed all your former slaves before hiring them back as paid workers, did you not Magister Tilani?’ asked Paulus .

‘Yes. A friend of mine made some… compelling arguments.’

‘Is it beyond the realm of possibility that Havian had a similar change of heart?’

‘It would depend on whose chest he ripped the new heart out of.’

‘We were just discussing the origin of the first Dreamers.,’ Alexius said. He was either oblivious to the subtle tension or outright ignoring it. ‘Corinnia was suggesting their ability to walk physically in the Fade had to do with the purity of their magical lineage.’

‘An interesting concept.’ Mae yawned. ‘But I am afraid I can’t contribute. I was always a terrible student of history and philosophy. The only classes topics that ever roused my interest were the sciences. Physics. Chemistry. Biology. Now those I can see the point of. If you would all excuse me, I have to thank the host for a lovely night before I retire.’

‘Oh Mae, no. Stay a while,’ said Alexius. ‘We have so much to catch up on. I have been investigating some new and exciting opportunities while away. I would very much like your opinion.’

‘If I had known you were going to be here tonight, dear Alexius, I would have been a little more temperate with the wine. But I will call upon you tomorrow if you are available.’

‘I would be delighted .’

Alexius’ rooms in Minrathous were always a mess. Mae could not remember a time when the place didn’t look as though a paper demon had torn through it. Maps, letters, books, scraps of paper covered in notes and equations. They were all strewn across the floor, the coffee table, the lounge and most of the chairs. This relaxed Mae. This was like the Alexius she knew.

She had asked about his travels. She had asked after Felix (Still in Asariel. Recovering. In good spirits). She had made delightful quips about the Magisterium’s bureaucracy and flirted subtly because… hey, why not ?

Now was the time for Mae to broach the topic of the party.

‘Alexius,’ Mae hesitated. ‘You haven’t been back in Tevinter for long, have you?’

‘A few months. Why?’

‘Not long enough to have your ear to the ground when it comes to Magisterium affairs, am I right?’

‘Not really no. But then again, when have I ever been?’

Mae chuckled. ‘Quite.’ She licked her lips. ‘Alexius. I am… concerned about your acquaintances. The ones I met at the party last night.’

Alexius’ brows drew together. ‘How so?’

‘Oh, you know. Only rumours of blood magic, conspiracies against the government, assassinations. The typical Tevinter fair. I would hate to see you drawn into dangerous affairs than are none of your doing, only to be dragged down too. It was my father’s downfall and I don’t want it to be yours.’

‘Ah! Is that all.’ Alexius got up and walked towards the window. ‘Mae, my dear. I am surprised that you of all people would allow court gossip to sway you. After all, I can think of a number regrettable things I have overheard about you.’

‘As long as they sounded like fun they were probably true. But I’m not talking about gossip. I am talking about rumours. Very different.’

‘Oh. Now I see the nuance.' Alexius joked.

‘So you understand my concern?’

‘Yes, I understand it, but I don’t share it. While I am touched you would be so anxious on my account, I see no reason to fret.’

‘You need your eyes examined.’

‘Come now, Mae. When did a provocateur extraordinaire like yourself begin to let the opinions of others trouble her?’

‘You did hear me mention blood magic, right? Or are your ears going too?’

‘So?’

Mae paused. ‘So what?’

‘Exactly.’

Mae shook her head. ‘Sorry I… I may have had a mild stroke there, just now.’

‘So what if my friends hire assassins? The Magisterium is full of people whose machinations should meet the end of a knife blade. So what if conspire against an Archon? He is a man so corrupt and pompous that he has let his country slip further and further into decadence and decay? And while I do frown upon blood magic— ‘

Mae threw up a hand, ‘Alexius, please, do not finish that sentence.’

Alexius turned back to Mae, his expression soft.

‘Maevaris, you and I have both known what it is to lose those we love, either as a sudden blow or by inches. We both understand grief and anger and injustice. We are not alone in that. All mankind, every sentient being on this earth, has been abandon by the Maker, and for what crime? For daring to expand or knowledge and explore new realms that he, in his arrogance, see us unfit for. We can choose to rage impotently against him. Or we can choose to channel our pain into something that benefits all Tevinter. All Thedas. But to achieve this, we need to make certain sacrifices.’

‘Alexius,’ Mae breathed. ‘What are you talking about?’

He moved back to the lounge, and lent his arm along the back. ‘My acquaintances, as you so dub them, and I are on the brink of history. I am having a gathering in my Asariel estate a fortnight from now. I would like you to be my guest. Have a chance to actually talk with my fellow patriots and rabble-rousers. Help us make Tevinter great again.’

The lower half of Mae’s face smiled. ‘Alexius, if you had given me more time, I would have loved to visit your estate and see Felix again. But it’s the middle of the Minrathous season…’

Alexius snatched her hand. ‘Please, Mae. All I ask is that you try.’

Mae made a show of sighing. ‘Alright. I’ll see what I can do, but I make no promises.’

When Thorold was alive, he had called that particular voice of Mae’s her “no fucking way” voice.

‘Thank you, dear Mae.’ He kissed her knuckles before letting go of her hand. A cloud seemed to cover his face and he sighed. ‘Unfortunately, I won’t be able to invite the person I would have liked to have been there the most.’

‘Oh? Who?’

‘Dorian.’

Mae did everything in her power not to twitch or flinch. ‘Oh, Of course.’

‘They say he disappeared?’

‘Something to that effect. I honestly don’t know the details.’

‘He hasn’t contacted you?’

‘No. Should he have?’

‘I thought you and he were close. When Thorold died, I remember her left in the middle of some critical research to be by your side.’

Mae smiled at that. A deep genuine one this time. ‘Yes, I will always remember that. But falling off the face of the earth has strained the relationship a little. I have no idea where he is.

‘I see,’ said Alexius. Mae could hear the splinter of scepticism in his voice. ‘Felix would have loved to have seen him again.’

‘As would we all.’

‘Oh well. I will have to keep investigating. I found him once in the slums of Minrathous, I’m sure I can find the boy again.’

Mae subtlety bunched a fist in the folds of her dress. ‘I have no doubt.’

‘I sent you a letter that night Dorian.’ Mae finished, crossing her legs. Her and Dorian were both sitting on the edge of his bed. ‘And then I got your letter, or what I thought was yours, I came here, blah blah blah, slap.’‘I don’t believe it.’ Dorian mumbled. He was folding the letter that he hadn’t sent over and over again.‘Neither would I if I hadn’t heard it with my own ears,’ Mae said. ‘And even then, I don’t want to.’‘That is a lot of trouble for him to undergo to find me.’‘Which brings us back to the letter.’ Mae said, taking the piece of paper back. ‘A cunning forgery on Alexius’ part to lure me here as well?’‘If it is it’s remarkable.’ Dorian said leaning over Mae’s shoulder and reading the letter again. ‘Even I can’t tell the difference between this writing and my own. But I don’t understand why he would do to such lengths. If he intercepted your warning then he must know you don’t trust him. And he must have known I would talk to you at some point during our stay so that means I would be suspicious as well. It makes no sense.’‘I agree. So when do we leave?’‘I beg your pardon?’‘Alexius is up to his eyes in something dangerous, Dorian.’‘I have no doubt, but don’t you want to find out what that dangerous thing is? The effort he put into this alone is enough to—‘‘Dorian, out of the five people Alexius was talking to at that party, three are dead.’Dorian jolted. ‘What?’‘Three dead, one missing and the fifth has left the country. I have no fondness for mathematics at the best of times, but those odds are not appealing. Whatever his plans are he knows they’re getting people killed. And yet he still brings you here.’Dorian clenched his jaw, anger flaring up inside him. Back in Alexius’ office, he had been so full of hope. So full of joy. The man had embraced him like a son. It had felt like a personal redemption. Now Dorian felt manipulated.‘I want to confront him.’‘Don’t be absurd.’‘He owes us an explanation.’‘You mean you think you can reason with him.’Dorian avoided Mae’s glance.Dorian, I realise he’s your mentor and you think you can talk sense into him, but he has made his choice. He is a grown man who has chosen his path. Walking into the lion’s den is not the answer. What would Bull say?’Dorian ran a hand through his hair. ‘He… he told me before I left that if I found anything suspicious I should get out.’Mae rolled her head back and said ‘Yes! I always loved that smart, handsome slab of muscle. So we go.’Dorian pursed his lips. ‘On one condition.’‘No. On no conditions. You and I are leaving tonight. I can’t and won't tolerate your Pavus stubbornness when it comes to—‘‘Mae. We have to talk to Felix.’Mae scrunched her eyes shut. ‘Oh Dorian.’‘I already know Alexius is manipulating me. I need to know whether Felix was in on this as well.’‘Dorian, you know Felix can’t lie. His ears get red. That’s why we used to play so many games of wicked grace with him. Besides I told you, Felix was here while his father was in Minrathous. I wouldn't put it passed Alexius to keep whatever his plans are from his son. He's developed a talent for keeping secrets.’‘Then if he doesn’t know, we need to tell him. You said his father is doing something that has got others killed. If that’s true Felix – his terminally ill son, with the magical abilities of a sick toddler – is going to have no way of defending himself. If we go, we have to take him with us.’‘If he’ll come.’‘We have to try Mae. I owe him that.’Mae groaned. Then she shook her head.‘Fine. We’ll go talk to Felix. Then we leave. I am not going to be the one to tell Bull you died doing something stupid and noble.’‘I sure Bull has always assumed that’s how I’d die.’Mae laughed. ‘Sounds accurate. But if your pretty face comes back even slightly damaged, you know he’s going to blame me. It’s now my duty to make sure you get back to him in one piece.'‘You already slapped me, so too late on that front.'‘Oh no. What’s he going to do? Spank me?’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Mae didn’t want to be here.

She had gotten used to every party she attended being a secret battle-ground. Her father’s death had been a scar on her soul, but it had also been a lesson in survival. Everyone in the Magesterium was willing to harm you. Even if you had known each other for years. Even if you had been children together. Even if they were your family, your friends, your lover. Tevinter’s national emblem was the snake after all. There was always someone waiting in the weeds, ready to strike.

And that was just your typical soiree.

This party was a suicide mission.

The candle-light in the parlour was low. A small band sat in the corner playing string instruments. Servers with silver trays flittered among the guests. They refreshed drinks and distributed food in silence. All the guests talked to each other with the same hushed tone. No one moved from one group of people to another. Instead everyone within their own tight circle.

It looked like Mae wasn’t the only one who didn’t want to be here.

‘Why are there so many Orleasians?’

Mae looked at Dorian. It was remarkable how he could transition from hardened mercenary to sophisticated Altus. All he needed was a new set of robes in silk and Vyrantium samite. No one would ever guess he had spent the last few months eating nug-meat and shitting behind trees.

Mae herself looked magnificent, of course, but that was hardly news.

‘You’re mistaken, Dorian dear,’ Mae murmured.

‘How so?’

‘Just because they’re wearing masks doesn’t mean they’re Orleasian.’

Dorian screwed up his nose. ‘Oh, please don’t tell me the Magisterium has taken up that awful fad. We used to scoff at our southern neighbours’ attempts at fashion. What happened to the good old days?'

‘It’s not fashion, Dorian,’ Mae said as though she was talking to a young child. ‘They don’t want anyone to recognise them.’

Dorian blinked before letting his face settle into a frown.

‘At least Felix and his father don’t see the need to hide away. Makes this whole endeavour easier.’

Alexius was near the centre of the room talking to the largest group of guests. He laughed at someone’s comment and clapped them on the shoulder. Felix was standing at his right elbow. The dim, yellow, candle-light made his skin look even more sallow.

‘We should have talked to Felix before the party,’ Mae said. ‘Separating him from his father for long enough to talk won’t be easy.’

‘Well then next time you can be the one to try and convince that Vita woman to let poor, frail Felix have visitors. Have you been on the wrong end of her glare? I swear she was a hawk in another life.’

‘You think she’s trying to keep you away from Felix on Alexius’ orders.’

‘More likely Felix genuinely did need all day to recuperate for the festivities. He looked less sea-sick on the boat-trip over here than he does now.’

‘He looks like he’s barely staying awake. Maybe if he retires early we can make our excuses and follow—’

Dorian laid a hand on Mae’s forearm. ‘I think this may be our chance.’

Both watched as Felix turned his head slightly. Following the line of his eye, both Dorian and Mae saw Vita standing in the doorway. She gave Felix a slight nod which he returned. Felix leaned over and whispered something in his father’s ear. Alexius turned to him, his brow furrowed. Felix rolled his eyes and ran a hand over his father’s upper arm. Alexius smiled, brow still furrowed and nodded, patting his son twice on the cheek. Felix bowed to the group of people he was a part of and walked towards the door.

‘He’s bowing out for the night.’ Dorian said. ‘Playing the illness card.’

‘What was Vita signalling?’

‘There’s only one way to find out.’

Dorian put his wine glass on a passing tray and strolled towards the door. Mae went in a different direction before circling back. But before they could follow Felix, Alexius’s caught everyone’s attention.

‘My friends, thank you all for your fine company tonight. My son, Felix, regretfully has made his apologies and retired. But the show must go on as they say, or at least people who perform shows do. Shortly dinner will be served. However, before we do that, please accompany me outside. I have a little entertainment planned for this evening.’

There was a general hum from the crowd and everyone bustled their way towards the door. Mae lost sight of Dorian for a moment among the throng. Something snatched her arm and pulled her into an alcove Mae almost gasped but Dorian put a finger to her lips. The waited until the murmur of voices died away.

’Perfect,’ said Dorian as he peaked around the corner making sure the coast was clear. ‘We can slip back in unnoticed after we talk to Felix if we need to.’

’Do you think someone saw us?’

’Not a chance. Besides, if anyone gets suspicious, we’ll pretend we snuck away to have a tawdry but passionate love-affair.’

Mae scoffed. ‘Dorian, I say this with affection. I’m out of your league.’

Dorian mock-gasped. ‘Rude.’

’But true.’

The two Alti snuck around the corner and along the corridor towards Felix’s room. Every step they took seemed to echo in the corridor and no matter how hard Mae tried, her breathing seemed far too loud. Suddenly Dorian put a hand on Mae’s wrist. She jumped.

’Dorian, what—‘ Dorian shushed her and included his head around the corner.

It was the way to Alexius’ study.

Standing outside the door was Vita looking restless. She was holding her hands in front of her, clenching and unclenching them. Her eyes darted from side to side.

Under the door, there was the flicker of candle-light.

Mae looked at Dorian. ‘Shall we?’

’Let’s.’

Dorian and Mae strode out into the corridor with a practised haughty arrogance. Vita gasped and stepped in front of the doorway, as though that would stop them somehow. Dorian gave Mae a sideways smirk before speaking to Vita.

’I guess playing lookout isn’t part of your usual job description.’

’What?’ Vita stammered. ‘How did- That’s not--‘ she took a deep breath and tried again. ‘Ser Pavus, shouldn’t Magister Tilani and yourself be at the party? Magister Alexius-‘

‘Would be very interested to know why you were sulking around his private study. Shouldn't you be attending to his son’s needs? Unless of course, that son needed you to stand guard while he rifled through his father’s belongings.’

Vita’s eye grew wide. Mae made a mental note to mock Dorian for ever letting this woman intimidate him.

’Please go.’ Vita said. ‘Please? Don’t get involved. If you stay Felix is going to get into trouble.’

Dorian moved towards her. ‘What kind of trouble?’

’It’s not my place to say. Just… return to the party. No one needs to know you were here.’

’Vita,’ Mae asked, ‘what is the nature of your job, exactly?’

Vita looked at Mae.

’I- I’m Master Felix’s Valet. I attend to his needs. Ensure his well being-‘

’And part of that job description is making sure Felix is safe. Am I correct.’

’Yes of course.’

’Do you feel Felix is safe now?’

Vita licked her lips before replying

’No.’

’Do you feel you can keep him safe?’

’Master Felix’s orders were--‘

’Can you keep him safe?’ Dorian repeated Mae’s words. Vita looked down.

’No.’

’We can.’ Mae said. ‘And we will. And you as well. If we know what’s going on.’

Vita’s eyes darted between Mae and Dorian. Mae held her breath, waiting to see which way they would tip.

The door behind Vita swung open.

’Let them in, Vita,’ said Felix.

Vita moved to say something, but Felix shot her a look. His face was so gaunt, every hollow and jutting bone casting a shadow. Vita bowed her head again and stepped aside, making way for Dorian and Mae to enter. The room was dark except for Felix’s lone candle. It only served to draw the eye to the study’s large bay window. It looked out onto the brightly lit courtyard of the Alexius estate. The crowd of revellers below were busy. Before them was some sort of acrobatics display, complete with fire-jugglers and contortionists. At the very front of the crowd was Alexius himself. The man was laughing with delight, oblivious to those who watched him from above.

As Mae passed she whispered in Vita's ear.

’Go to Felix’s room and collect some belongings. Pack light clothes, good for travel. You remember which carriage is mine?’

Vita nodded and walked away. Felix watched her go.

’What did you say—?’

’Felix do you trust me?’ Dorian asked. Felix started.

’What sort of question is that?’

Dorian put his hands on Felix’s shoulders. ’An important one. And one you need to answer right now. We don’t have much time.’

Felix laughed. It was a harsh laugh and completely foreign coming out of Felix’s mouth. ‘You’re one to talk about trust, Dorian.’

Dorian stepped back. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

Felix strode over to the desk and grabbed a piece of paper. He marched back shoving it in Dorian’s direction.

’Explain this.’

Dorian took the piece of paper out of Felix’s hand and squinted to make out the words.

’”Dear Alexius,’ Dorian read aloud. ‘I have no idea how you managed to contact me. But even out here in the wilderness, I have received word about your return to Tevinter. And the unfortunate company you have chosen to keep. I cannot say the news of your current endeavours hasn’t disheartened and disturbed me. I refuse to take part in whatever scheme you are in the midst of. You said yourself that you fear you will not be able to complete your efforts without my help. As bleak as it sounds I hope that is true. I shall not be coming to your estate, nor will I respond to any more of your letters. Please do not contact me again. I only plead for the sake of your son you see the light and turn away from the path you have chosen. With a heavy heart, your former appre—” of for the Maker’s sake.’

‘What?’ Mae asked, peering over his shoulder.

‘It’s another letter from “me”.’

’You must be joking.’

Felix snatched the candlestick from the desk and held so close to the letter that a few drops of wax landed on the page.

’Are you going to pretend this isn’t your writing, Dorian?’ Felix demanded.

’No, it’s my writing but someone has been making excellent forgeries of it lately.’

’What?’

’I received a letter from Dorian’s impersonator as well,' Mae said. She pulled out her own letter from her corset and showing it to Felix. Felix grabbed her letter and skimmed through it.

’This makes no sense.’

’Indeed,’ said Mae, taking the letter back. ‘Why send a letter telling me that Dorian was coming to the estate when I told him to stay away? And then send another to your father telling him Dorian wasn’t coming when he wanted the reunion?’

’You told Dorian not to come?’ Felix said, his confusion rising. ‘Why not?’

’She had a good reason.’ Dorian said. ‘Felix, your father has gotten involved in something very ugly. You need to leave with us. Tonight. Alexius can’t know.’

Felix gaped. ‘Are you mad? You expect me to leave in the middle of the night with no word to my father. It would destroy him. No.’

Dorian took Felix by the shoulder again.

’Felix, people have already died. I’m not sure what conspiracy Alexius has gotten involved in. But there is already blood in the water and sharks circling. If you’re going to remain safe you must come with us.’

Felix pulled out of Dorian’s grip. His hand landed on his own shoulder where Dorian’s own had been seconds before. He held it like he was covering a burn.

’Why are you doing this, Dorian? Father invited you back into our home. We wanted you back in our lives and you repay him with slander?’

’Felix, I swear I only want what is best for you.’

’Don’t! Don’t you dare feed me that lie.’

’It’s no lie Felix!’

’I know why you and father fell out, Dorian. You thought he wouldn’t tell me. You wanted to stop the research. You wanted to let me die.’

Dorian stopped. It was like the words had made him shrink.

’Do you deny it?’ Felix asked. ‘Answer me.’

Dorian drew himself up. ‘No.’

Felix let his eyes fall shut. He turned away from Dorian. ‘And you think I would trust you more than him? Leave. Now.’

’Felix, please.’

’I said leave!’

Dorian in a sudden move that startled Mae, strode forward and snatched the front of Felix’s robe. He shook Felix, forcing the other man’s eyes open.

’No. If you think I don’t regret leaving - and the reasons I left - every single day, you are wrong. I am trying to make up for it by saving your life now, even if I have to drag you away myself.’

Felix grabbed Dorian’s wrist and tried to pry his hand off his robe. ‘If you think I am going to abandon my own father—’

’Why are you in Alexius’ study?’ Mae interrupted. Dorian and Felix stopped their tussle and looked at her.

’You were scrounging through his desk when you found the fake letter, is that correct? That startled you. Enough to confront Dorian. But if that letter wasn’t what you expected to find, what were you looking for?’

Felix said nothing.

’You know your father is up to something, don’t you Felix? You were trying to find proof.’

What little colour Felix had left drained from his face. He tried to step away from Dorian, but Dorian kept a tight grip on his robes.

’Were you?’ Dorian asked. Felix shook his head.

’No,’ he whispered. ‘I was trying to find something to prove myself wrong.’

Dorian loosened his grip on Felix’s robes. The may have fit him once, but now they were far too big on him making him look too old and too young at the same time.

‘Oh Felix.’

’I keep thinking this all has to be some dreadful mistake,’ Felix shook his head. ‘It must be. My father cannot be connected with something so vile as what happened at the temple. I refuse to believe it.’

’What temple?’ Dorian asked.

’The Temple of Sacred Ashes.’

Mae covered her mouth. ‘Oh no. Oh no, no, no.’

Mae could feel panic rising up in her lungs, cutting off her breath. What had Dorian got her into? No that was unfair. He didn’t know. How could he have known? But Mae had worked so hard, so bloody hard not to put herself in stupid, dangerous positions. That had gotten her father killed. That had gotten Thorold killed. Sometimes danger came right up to your doorstep, no matter what you did. But there was that and there was blindly stumbling into it like a drunk stumbling into a thief in a dark alley. And now these two idiot boys-- who she loved dearly but idiot boys all the same – were going to be the death of her. Perhaps literally.

’What?’ Dorian asked. ‘What am I missing.’

’The Temple of Sacred Ashes, Felix?!’ Mae hissed. ‘While the Southern Divine was holding a conclave? Your father was involved that?’

Involved in what?’ Dorian demanded.

’I don’t know but… I think so. It’s the only way things make sense. The hushed visits from strangers, the cryptic things he has been saying--’

’And you didn’t think to warn anyone?!’

’ I only heard what happened at the conclave this morning. I was on my way to collect Dorian if you’ll recall. We didn’t hear any news about it on the road. It was only when I found out that everything clicked together. I had no idea, Mae, I swear.’

’Some of us still have no idea. What are you talking about?!’ Dorian said. Mae moved forward and grabbed Felix and Dorian by the wrist.

’We need to go. Right now.’

She tried to drag both men from the room but Dorian snatched his hand away.

’What happened at the Temple of Sacred Ashes!’

’It exploded.’

Dorian narrowed his eyes. ‘Define “exploded.”’

’Think the Kirkwall Chantry… times fifty.’

Dorian’s mouth fell open.

’No. You must be exaggerating. I’ve been to Kirkwall, I saw what was left--’

’Dorian, Varric was at the Temple when it blew up. He was almost caught up in the cataclysm himself.’

’Why was your cousin anywhere near the Temple of Sacred Ashes, for Andraste’s sake? It’s on the Orlais-Ferelden boarder. Besides, the man makes up stories for a living. Don’t you think he may have embellished?’

’I’ve heard the same thing, Dorian.’ Felix said. ‘The news is everywhere. The Southern Divine is dead as is half the southern Chantry. Mages, Templars, Nobles. Thousands of people were killed.’

Dorian stood in stunned silence before running his hand over his moustache.

’And… you think your father played a part?’

Felix rubbed his forehead. ’Yes? No? I don’t know, Dorian. That’s why I’m in here sulking about when I could be watching people throw fire at each other down in the courtyard. I was trying to find out the truth.’

’You come across anything?’

Felix shrugged in a hapless sort of way and walked back to the desk.

’The only suspicious thing I can find is this map of Ferelden. He has marked three spots; a town called Redcliffe, a small bay on the Storm Coast… and the temple.’

Mae shot a look at Dorian who in turn had turned to her.

’Good enough for you?’ Mae asked

’Far from good, but I concede the point.’ Dorian said. ‘Felix, you’re coming with us.’

’I told you I won’t leave him. I sure I can talk sense —’

’We have no other choice, Felix! If you stay here your father will get himself killed and you along with him.’

’And you would give up your entire life so easily? You would flee like a hunted man in the middle of the night from your own father?’

’Yes! And when he tried to use blood-magic on me that’s exactly what I did!’

Felix drew back, his eyes huge in his deep sockets. Every angle on his face accentuated his horror.

’He tried to…? Why? Why would he ever—?’

’Now’s not the time.’ Mae said. ‘We have a long journey ahead of us and I’m sure we can talk about this cheery topic the whole way.’

’She’s right.’ Dorian said. ‘Felix, please. I know I haven’t always been as good a friend to you as you were to me—’

’Dorian—’

’—but we are out of time. Once we could have swayed your father to follow his conscious. But if we are right, and he was somehow involved in the deaths of thousands of people, we can no longer reason with him. We need to go before someone notices we’re gone.

Felix nodded, his eyes blinking rapidly his jaw locked. He looked out the window for a moment. His father was still down there, gasping at one of the feats of daring the entertainers performed. Felix drew in a shaky breath.

’At least let me write a note.’

Mae finally allowed herself to breathe like a living creature again.

Dorian patted him on the shoulder. ‘Make it short.’

While Felix scribbled out a hasty goodbye Dorian turned to Mae.

’Do you have an escape plan in mind?’

Mae rubbed her thumb along her bottom lip. ’Get to the carriage, drive as fast as possible towards Minrathous, get the Chargers here. Maker willing, we don't get caught, that is.’

’I’ve worked with lesser plans than that. Felix, you finished?’

Felix slammed the quill down on the desk.

’Done. We can leave.’

’No, son. I’m afraid not.’

Dorian, Felix and Mae span around to face the doorway. Standing in it was Alexius.

Mae turned her face back to the window for a split second. It was all she needed to confirm what she thought. Alexius was still down there among the revellers too.

She looked back to the Alexius standing in front of her, his face as unmoving and unreadable as stone. He stepped inside his study, shut the door and turned the key in the lock.

’I think we all need to have a discussion.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

In the basement of an old building, down near the Rialto docks, Vincenzo drummed his fingers on the table.

’Fancy-boy is late,’ he said. His lieutenant, Erasmo grunted.

’Told you we couldn’t trust an outsider for this. He’s either dead or ran off with your gold.’

’If he’s dead, it saves us killing him. If he tried to run he’s not going to get out of Rialto alive. I’ve got guardsmen on the payroll. They know who to look for. We’ll get the gold back one way or another.

In the corner, Luella kicked another stone across the floor. She’d been kicking the things since they came down to the basement and it was beginning to get on Vincenzo’s nerves.

‘We should have taken out this merc by ourselves,’ she said. ‘The ox has caused us enough grief already. How the fuck did he figure out where we docked our last two shipments?’

’If you want to take on a fucking Qunari Luella, be my guest. But fancy-boy is a ‘Vint, who has spent time in Seheron. They know how to take down one of those grey bastards.’

’My ears are burning,’ came a voice from the top of the stairs. All three basement dwellers looked up. ‘Vint strolled down the stairs with a cocky self-assurance they had all come to hate. Either side of him were two people dressed in revealing clothing. A human man on the left, and an elven woman on the right. Both of them wore shackles around their feet and hands, linked together by a loose chain. Vincenzo smothered his face under a smile.

’Ser Mystax. We wondered whether you were coming.’

’And miss our little meeting. That would be incredibly rude of me.’

The Tevinter snapped his fingers and the male slave ran forward to remove his cape. Ser Mystax sat down in the seat provided, across the table from Vincenzo and his two employees. ‘I take it you have the rest of my payment?’

’That depends on whether you took care of that prying Ox or not.’ Ser Mystax chuckled.

’But of course. What sort of businessman would I be if I didn’t hold up my end of the bargain?’

Ser Mystax snapped again and the female slave moved forward, handing him a piece of paper. He slid it on the table towards Vincenzo.

‘You’ll find the remains of your Qunari interferer in this warehouse, on the corner of Butcher and Wharf street. Here is a map of the exact location. He’s in the back under a sheet, but I would get there before morning. If the workers find him first I won't be responsible.’

’You expect us to go into a warehouse, alone, in the middle of the night?’ Luella said. ‘What sort of idiots do you take us for?’

’I think you would prefer it if I didn’t answer that question.’

Luella turned to Vincenzo. ‘The guy could be leading us into a trap. How do we know we can trust him?’

’How do I know I can trust you?’ Ser Mystax interjected. It seems that your whole enterprise must involve a little bit of faith. Otherwise, you would do no business at all. Have I let you fellows down yet?’

’Well, for starters I remember telling you to come alone.’

Vincenzo nodded at the two slaves standing with heads bowed behind him. ‘You couldn’t even seem to do that?’

Ser Mystax waved a hand. ‘These two? Come now, they are my body slaves. They hardly count as people. Would you have objected if I brought along a pet dog?’

’They look much more… interesting than a dog,’ said Erasmo. His eyes were trailing their way down the female elf. She lowered her head more. Erasmo walked around the table and took her chin in his hands, lifting it up to get a better look at her face. 'More fun to play with.

Ser Mystax frowned.

’She is my property and I would ask you not to paw at her like that. I not sure you have this saying here but in Tevinter we were always told: “don’t to touch what you can’t afford”. And I assure you, my dear man, she is far beyond the reach of your pocket.’

Erasmo scowled at him, but Vincenzo ran a finger under his nose, considering.

’Tell you what. You put that note away and come with us to the warehouse. Show us where the Qunari's body is and then we can do some negotiations.’

’Why would I do that when I can take my gold and leave?’

’Here's the new deal. Lead us to the Qunari. Show us his body. Help us dispose of his remains and maybe let Erasmo get a taste of your little elven slave there. Do that and we’ll double your commission. What do you say?’

Ser Mystax put a finger to his lips. He looked over his slave appraisingly.

’Fine.’ he sighed. ‘But this better not take all night.’

Mae looked at the Alexius in the doorway.
Then the Alexius down in the courtyard.Then the Alexius in the doorway again.Under different circumstances, two Alexius’ could have given Mae delightful things to daydream about. But at that moment, it had a slow, hollow feeling. Mae recognised it from her nightmares.Mae hissed in Dorian’s direction, ‘Next time I say we run we run.Dorian didn’t react in any way. His eyes were glazed over, like a fish trapped on a boat-deck.Felix did move, stepping forward towards Alexius.‘Father—’Alexius held out a hand cutting him off. ‘We’ll discuss your foolhardiness later, Felix. As of right now, my quarrel rests with these fiends.' His eyes were sharp and steely in the dim light and he had them pinned on Dorian and Mae. 'People who I took into my confidences, who I invited into my home and who planned to kidnap my son.’’Kidnap?’ Mae sneered. ‘He’s a little old for that, isn't he?’There is no kidnapping, father! I chose to go of my own free will. And I still do. Move aside.’Alexius didn’t. He slipped the key into his pocket.’Felix, in your weakened state you are too easy to sway. To manipulate. You can’t—’’I can’t what? Be trusted to make my own decisions. I am ill father, not a drooling infant!’’Felix every I’ve done is to protect you. I only want what is best for you!Dorian’s voice was quiet. Barely above a whisper. But it was enough to break through Alexius’ and Felix’s argument.’You did it. You make it work.’Dorian let out a long high laugh that made Mae’s skin crawl.’You magnificent son of a bitch, you actually did it!’Dorian ran forward and grabbed Alexius by the shoulders, a manic grin plastered across his face.’Was it in Otho’s Novo Doctrina Praecantatio like you had been toying with when I left? Or was it Varius’ Scriptum Oblitus? No, wait wait, don’t tell me… was the answer in Disce in Omni Tempore? Don’t tell me it was in Disce in Omni Tempore this whole time?’Alexius beamed and gripped Dorian by his lapel. ‘I was in Disce in Omni Tempore.’ ’I knew it!’ Dorian pulled away from Alexius began to pace the study, running his hands through his hair. ‘I bloody well knew it.’ He pointed at Alexius. ‘How many times did I say we should incorporate Disce in Omni Tempore! into our methodology and you always scoffed - scoffed - at the mere suggestion—’Alexius shook his head, but the beam was still there. ‘I knew you would be completely insufferable when I told you.’’My insufferably is the price you have to pay for ignoring and squandering my genius.’’Dorian,’ Mae cut in, ‘would you care to fill us all in on what you’re babbling about?’Dorian bounded up to Mae and pointed out the window. ‘Who is that down there?’Mae looked down at the second Alexius. Smiling, happy, chatting with his guests while the show gathered steam.’A simulacra?’ Mae asked.Dorian gave Mae an unimpressed look and gestured at Alexius. ‘Does he look unconscious?’Felix shrugged. ’An… actor he has paid—’Alexius laughed as Dorian buried his face in his hands.’Are all his guests that drunk? Or blind?’’Dorian, dear, this parlour game has lost its novelty.’ Mae said. ‘How is he in two places at once?’Dorian eyes flicked between the Felix and Mae. He seemed to be waiting for them to provide an answer that was so obvious to him. When they didn’t he provided it himself.’Alexius has finally cracked time magic!’

The inside warehouse was a cold dim blue. Moonlight shone through high windows onto dusty floors. Vincenzo and his cronies followed Ser Mystax and his slaves, not daring to let them out of sight. The large crates, destined for Orlais, Ferelden and the Free Marches, created a maze. Vincenzo was glad he's pushed the 'Vint to lead them here. They would never have found the body otherwise.

At the back of the warehouse, obscured by some barrels that smelt of fish, was a large sheet.

A large horn poked out from underneath one of the covers.

’You didn’t do a great job covering it,’ Erasmo muttered.

Ser Mystax sniffed. ’You paid me to kill the brute. Not arrange a burial for him. Next time hire an undertaker.’

Luella squeezed Vincenzo’s arm. ‘Is it dead?’

Ser Mystax gaped at her. ’Is he dea—No. No, he’s not dead. My mistake. He’s having a nap so I used the sheet to tuck him in you dim-witted clot.’

Luella jabbed her finger at the body. ‘I’ve been to Kirkwall. Those things are like demons. I’ve heard you can stab one straight through the heart and it will still come for ya. I ain’t going anywhere near that creature until I know it’s dead. Dead dead. Good and proper dead.’

’So not slightly dead, then?’
’Would you two shut it?’ Vincenzo tossed a knife to Ser Mystax. ‘Stab him for us. Show us you've done the job right.’
’Really? He’s dead. Look.’ Ser Mystax kicked the Qunari’s body. It shifted a little but didn’t make a sound. ‘If he were any deader he’d be a rock.’

’Just stab the bastard and get it over with,’ said Erasmo. ‘This place is fucking freezing.’

’You lot are ridiculous. .’ Ser Mystax muttered under his breath. He knelt down and flipped back the sheet to show the Iron Bull’s slack face. Wounds and bruises covered his torso – tell-tale signs of a fight he had been in, and apparently lost. Ser Mystax took Vincenzo’s knife and dragged it along the Qunari’s belly, blood welling up along the cut. The Iron Bull didn’t move.

Vincenzo strolled forward and jabbed the body with his toe. ‘So, this thing is the Iron Bull. Ugly looking fucker. Surprised he caused us all this trouble. Doesn’t look like of a thinker, I’ll tell you that much.’

’Someone said something about doubling my commission?’ Ser Mystax asked, studying his nails. Vincenzo took out a coin purse and chucked it to the ‘Vint.

’What can I say? Worth every gold piece. Tell the truth I didn’t think a pompous, fussy ‘Vint with a stick in his arse would be able to pull this off, but hey. I’m always looking to be proven wrong. Isn’t that right, fellas?’

Vincenzo looked back over his shoulder. Luella was on the ground, with the wide. lifeless eyes of a doll. Her face still looked surprised. Erasmo was still gurgling and trying to hold his throat together as he fell to his knees. The female elven slave was holding a knife covered in Erasmo blood.

A hand yanked Vincenzo shirt, pulling him down to his knees. Inches away from his face was the Iron Bull’s. Bull smiled.

’And I’m the one who doesn’t look like a thinker. There’s a word for that isn’t there Kadan?’

’Irony, Amatus,’ said Dorian still kneeling by his shoulder. He flipped Vincenzo’s knife in his hand. ‘I’m almost certain that’s irony.’

Mae rubbed her temple.’Please spare me. You said it yourself, Dorian. Time magic is impossible.’’And I would have said so again half an hour ago. But one must relent when one sees physical proof of time magic in action.’You don’t think there could be a simpler explanation?’’Not when time magic is the simplest explanation.’Dorian dragged Mae towards the window again. ‘Look at the Alexius down there. He is clean shaven. His clothes are immaculate.’ He twirled Mae around to look at the Alexius in the room. ‘Now look at him here. A slight regrowth of stubble. Dishevelled and sweat-stained. I am guessing there is two maybe three hours difference between the man down there and the man up here with us. That and a blind panic about a missing son. Am I right?’’Exactly.’ Alexius said like a proud tutor.’Oh that means nothing,’ said Mae. ‘Of course, a illusion is going to look more perfect than reality. We all have our little vanities.’’Alright… how about an experiment?’ Dorian looked back to Alexius. ‘I’m guessing when you found Felix’s note was when you knew we were gone, is that right?’’Yes,’ said Alexius, his tone growing darker. Dorian pulled Mae over to the table and Felix followed. Alexius moved too but stopped when Dorian held up a hand.’No, no, stay where you are. It’s important to the integrity of my demonstration. Felix. Would you please write down any number on the bottom of the page.Brow furrowed, Felix picked up the quill and did so. Dorian looked at Alexius.’Well?’’Forty-two.’Felix and Mae exchanged looks.’Do it again,’ said Dorian. Felix did.Alexius didn’t even wait for a prompt. ’Ninety-three.’’But that’s not possible.’ Mae snatched the quill from Felix and wrote her own number.’Three hundred and seven. Twelve. Sixty-nine. Lilac. Minrathous. Stone. Fenric. Chair. Enlightenment. Four. Four. Four. Druffelo. Four again. Oh Mae, I am not saying that out loud—’’This is ridiculous.’ Mae threw down the quill. ‘And it still isn’t proof. Just because Alexius has a neat trick—'’What about the letter Felix showed us before?’’What about it?’’It didn’t make sense until now.’ Dorian threw his arms wide. ‘It was clearly in my writing but I had absolutely no memory of writing it. And you remember sending me that warning, telling me not to come, but it never arrived. Now we know why! Alexius used his time magic to intercede. He got my rejection. He learnt you had warned me off. He went back in time, captured the pigeon and swapped his letter for yours!’Mae looked at Alexius, the pieces clicking together. ‘Is that true?’Alexius looked thunderous. ‘You had already poisoned Dorian against me, Mae. All I wanted to talk to him first. To explain exactly what is at stake. He's the one man on earth who understands me research besides myself. I could make him see!'’That’s…’’Ingenuous?’ Dorian supplied.’I was going to say diabolical.’Dorian shrugged. ‘Can’t it be both?’Mae fixed Dorian with a stare. ‘You are far too pleased about this.’Dorian raised his hands. ‘What can I say? After you’ve spent years trying to solve
one of Thedas’ greatest questions, maybe you’d be excited when it’s finally solved.’I knew you would understand.’ Alexius moved forward, placing a hand on Dorian’s shoulder. ‘I knew that if I were to get you here and show you exactly what I have achieved—’Mae pushed Alexius away from Dorian. ‘Don’t you dare. Do you think Dorian is so blind that he would overlook the people you are getting into bed with? Your involvement in the explosion at the Temple of Sacred Ashes? The way you lied and manipulated him to get him here?’’Father, I know why you’re doing this, but this isn’t the way.’ Felix came forward his head ducked low. ‘People are going to get killed. People already have been. Please stop before you go any further.Alexius looked at his son and shook his head. ‘This is why I kept my dealings from you, Felix. You are too like your mother. Too tender hearted—’’No.’ Felix spat. ‘You kept this from me because you knew I would never agree to it. My life is not worth the price of all those people on that mountain.’’But,’ Dorian murmured, running a finger over his moustache. ‘Now that Alexius has unlocked time magic, those deaths could be rectified.’Mae stopped short, feeling like she needed to vomit. ‘You can’t be listening to this man?’’Why haven’t you gone back to stop Felix’s attack, Alexius?' Dorian asked. 'If you have unlocked time magic, surely he would be well by now.'’Dorian don’t—’ Felix said. His father stepped in front of him.’That’s why I need your help, Dorian. The time magic only goes back as far as the explosion at the conclave. It has become the epicentre of a… a… vortex of fade magic. I can’t push past that point.’’So your new abilities and the explosion are intrinsically linked. I see. Perhaps with a little time to study exactly how you manipulated the time-stream, I will be able—’’Dorian, stop!’ Mae moved forward. ‘Think about what you are saying. You have always railed against the magisterium for its willingness to exchange lives for power.'’This is for those people Mae! Think about how many atrocities we can stop before they happen. How much we could do for Tevinter.’’Tevinter?’ Mae spat, ‘not your own glory? Your own legacy.’Dorian laughed and shook his head. ‘Mae, you silly woman. Clearly, you don’t understand.’Mae lifted her chin. ‘No. Clearly, I don’t.’Alexius put his hand back on Dorian’s shoulder again. ’Dorian, Felix and I are leaving tonight. If you wish to be part of my work again you have to make a choice now.’’I am not leaving with you.’ Felix growled walking towards the door. ‘Mae, blast this thing open. If Dorian wants to behave like an idiot that’s his business, but I’m going with you.’’Oh, Mae’s not going to be leaving here, Felix.’ Alexius said. He turned a murderous look at Maevaris. ‘We can’t allow her to get word back to the magisterium and ruin our plans. The Archon has already killed some of my comrades and I’ll be damned if I’m next on that list. Doiran,’ he looked at the man standing next to him. ‘I am loathed to do this but there is no choice. Mae must die.’

Back at the tavern Bull finished up dividing the gold from the Charger’s last job. He shoved a stack of coins towards Skinner.

’Here you go. Don’t spend it all on grog again. I am not going to stay up all night holding your hair out of your face while you vomit.’
’Speaking of puking, I should get more because the ugly shem got handsy.’
’Did he?’

Skinner nodded. ‘Dorian tried to stop it but he had to play nice.’

Bull pulled ten gold off his own stack and tossed them at Skinner.

’Happy?’

’Will be. Once I’m pissed.’

Skinner left the table while Bull groaned. He turned to Krem.
’Krempuff, go with her. Make sure she doesn’t drown in her own tankard. Or drown someone else.’
Krem rolled his eyes but followed Skinner like Bull asked. An elbow jabbed Bull in the forearm. Bull looked down. It was Grim. He was still wearing his body-slave disguise for some reason. Maybe it has something to do with the attention he was getting from the serving girls.

’You have a problem with your cut too?’

Grim grunted and pointed towards a corner of the tavern. Dorian was sitting alone at a small table, nursing his pint. Bull looked back at Grim.

’Thanks, Grim.’ Bull stood back up and wandered over towards Dorian. His lover didn’t even notice him until he was right next to him.
’This seat taken, pretty boy?’
Dorian didn’t reply with his usual harmless jab. He nodded at the chair across from him and ran a finger around the rim of his tankard. Bull sat down.

’What’s wrong, Dorian?’

’I don’t want to do “Operation: Evil Magister” anymore. I told you that last time.’

’We’ve only done it, what? Three times?’

’Four. And every time I tell you it’s the last.’

’But it works so well Kadan. You’ve got that whole hot evil swagger down pat. No one ever sees it coming. Besides, it’s sexy.’

’Was it sexy when I sliced you open with that knife?’

’Is that what you’re worried about? That tiny thing won’t even scar. We’ve done far worse to each other in the bedroom.’

’I offered up Skinner to one of those vile men. As part of a business deal!’

’She’s fine. I gave her a little bonus for it. Besides, Skinner doesn’t blame you. She told me you tried to stop that bastard touching her.’

’But I didn’t stop him. I let it happen. That’s the point.’

Bull leaned back and looked Dorian over. He was hunched over the table, not looking at Bull at all. His knuckles were white on his tankard. Bull leaned over and took one of his hands.

’Why does this play get to you so much, Dorian? You’re fine with all the other shit we do.

Dorian sighed. ‘I don’t know. It… it hits a little close to home. That’s all.’

’I don’t understand.’

’That could have been me, Bull. If I had let myself buy into all that Tevinter bullshit, I could have been Ser Mystax. It would have been so easy. I would have been the sort of man who didn’t care what it took to gain power as long as he achieved his ends.’

’But it isn’t you. None of it’s real. All the boys know it’s a play.’

’How would you feel if you had to pretend to be Tal-Vashoth?’ Dorian snapped. ‘And not one of those southern ones either, who never lived under the Qun. A Seheron Tal-Vashoth?’

The tavern noise was too loud all of a sudden. Either that or the table got too quiet. Dorian covered his eyes with his hands.

’I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. I’m… I’m tired, that’s all. Please forgive me, it’s not remotely comparable.

Dorian only removed his hand from his eyes when Bull laid his own hand on Dorian’s forearm. Bull linked their fingers together.

’It’s fine. I get it. No more Operation: Evil Magister. I promise.’

Dorian looked at Bull from under his brows. ‘You’re certain?’

’Yeah. We’ll figure something else out. But, if Ser Mystax made an appearance in our bedroom tonight… well. I wouldn’t complain.’

Dorian rolled his eyes. ‘I never should have let you pick my cover name.’

Mae's lungs felt like they had been filled with shards of ice. No breath she took could be deep enough to satisfy her body's demand for air. But she would be damned before she let these betraying bastards she once called friends know that.Felix ran forward.'Father don't you dare-''It's you or her, son.' Alexius said, his voice dead-leaf dry. 'And while I adore Maevaris, I will always choose you.'Mae let her magic dance along her fingertips. Auras full of glyphs and runes span around her hands.'If you take a single step towards me Alexius I swear--''People, please. This is completely unnecessary.'Dorian, with a practised carelessness, stepped between Alexius’ and Mae.‘Alexius, don’t be angry with her.' He said, his tone soothing an placating. 'You know since her father’s death, Mae has always erred on the side of conservatism. She couldn’t afford not to. And after Thorold’s tragic end, well…’ Dorian tsked. ‘I’m afraid the poor dear is too paranoid to see your true vision. Once burnt twice shy, as they say. To her, every opportunity is a potential threat in disguise. Let her be, and let's go.’Mae looked at Dorian, her hands trembling. ’Dorian, please don’t-‘Dorian cut her off.’Mae, enough. I can see what you were trying to do here. Your attempts to protect me were… sweet. Utterly misguided, but sweet. However, it’s obvious now that I’ve heard both sides that you are letting your fears control you. Alexius is giving us the opportunity to reclaim Tevinter’s glory. More than that! You reshape Thedas as we see fit! Look at him down there. Look at what Alexius has already accomplished! How could I pass up a chance to work on something as ground-breaking as this? To control time itself?’Mae’s face was ashen and her mouth was open. ‘Dorian, I… you can’t… Don’t fall for this madness. Not now. Think about the Char—’‘I have made my choice Mae. It seems you have made yours. I am… disappointed, but not surprised.’ Dorian took a deliberate step beside Alexius and placed his hand on his mentor’s shoulder. ‘I hope in time you’ll come to understand my decision here tonight.’Alexius put a warm hand on Dorian’s. ‘She will. In time. Of course, you are right, Dorian. It was cruel of me to make this offer to her when everything is still in motion. Once the dust settles and Mae sees the true glory of the Elder One, she will have no choice but to join us.’Alexius reached out and grabbed Felix by the shoulder. He raised his other hand and a swirl of green light filled his palm. From the energy emerged an amulet.'She will,' he repeated. 'In time.'Mae wrapped herself in every barrier she had ever been taught just as the green light enveloped them all.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Mae shifted in her sleep.Why was her bed so hard and uncomfortable? And so cold. She may as well be sleeping on the floor.Oh. She was on the floor.Well, that explained things.With a grunt, she forced herself to sit, but not to open her eyes. She could only handle one shitty task at a time. Her brain felt like it was trying to beat its way out of her skull and her mouth was so dry her tongue stuck to every part of it. Had she been drinking? Yeees, but not enough for her to feel like this. That was disappointing. If she was going to feel like a human refuse pile she should have gotten the joy of getting hammered beforehand.A hand touched her shoulder.‘Ma’am?’Mae scuttled backward away from the touch, her eyes flying open. She screamed.‘Ma’am! It’s alright. It’s fine. I’m not here to hurt you, I promise.’Mae’s eyes focused enough for her to recognise the face beside her.‘Vita?’ Mae sighed with relief. ‘Oh thank the Maker, it’s you. Out of all the people I’ve spoken to this evening, you’re the only one I haven’t wanted to punch at some point.’Vita tilted her head, puzzled. But like the consummate professional she was, she didn’t say anything.‘Let me help you to the lounge, ma’am. Do you need a drink?’As Vita helped Mae to her feet memories of that night came back to her. It was like someone hitting her over the back of the head with a plank of wood again and again.‘No. I don’t need a drink. I need to find Dorian Pavus and kick his traitorous arse to the Anderfells and back.’Mae flopped down on the lounge like a sack of flour. ‘What am earth am I going to say to the Chargers. To Bull. I would never have believed Dorian would so something so vile!’Even though Mae had refused it, Vita pulled out a flask from her nightclothes. Nightclothes? When had she gotten changed? Vita handed the flask to Mae. She took it and had a large swig.‘Thank you, Vita. I needed that. I suspect I'm going to need a lot more very soon.’‘Ma’am, if it’s not too impertinent, may I ask you a question.’‘Yes?’‘How do you know my name?’Mae looked up at Vita. ‘What? You’re Felix’s Valet.’‘So Master Felix told you about me? Or was it Master Pavus? You mentioned him before.’‘I don’t know, I can’t recall.’ Mae rubbed her forehead. ‘It’s very rude of me. But if I had to guess Felix may have referred to you by name in front of me yesterday.’‘Yesterday?’ Vita asked.‘Yes? Why?’‘Ma’am with your permission I’d like to examine your head to see if you hit it when you fell—’Mae waved her away. ‘My head is fine! Well, no, it feels like a giant stepped on it but it doesn’t need checking.’‘If you say so Ma’am but if you don’t mind I have to ask you a question. Are you Magister Tilani?’Mae squinted at Vita. ‘What? Why are you asking that? Of course, I am.’Vita bowed her head. ‘I intended no offense Magister Tilani, I only needed to make certain. Master Pavus was very clear in his instructions.’‘Oh was he?’ Mae sneered. ‘And too much of a coward to talk to me himself? Where is he? I’m going to squeeze his neck until his eyeballs burst from their sockets.’‘He may have said something about you being… displeased with him.’ Vita said. She had the requisite drollness of all the best Valets.‘Where. Is. He.’‘He’s gone. He left the estate with Magister Alexius and Master Felix over a fortnight ago.’Mae gripped the arm of the lounge.‘What?’‘Yes. Arrived suddenly and left just as quickly. It was a surprise to everyone. Magister Alexius cancelled a party he had been organising for weeks. He put a halt to the estate’s restoration— Magister Tilani I don’t think you should be standing yet—’Mae brushed passed Vita and strode to the window. The courtyard beneath her was empty.No, not empty. Abandoned was closer to the truth but even that was wrong. There were no signs of anyone having been out there in years. There were cracks in the pavements. The gardens were overgrown. The moss covered statues were on the verge of crumbling. There were no guests, no performers, no waiters no Alexius duplicate. All signs of life had been wiped away. Everything seemed eerie and still under the pale moon.Mae turned around to Vita.‘Where is everyone?’‘The staff?’ Vita asked, misunderstand the question. ‘Before Alexius, Dorian and Felix left for the south the whole household staff was let go. Sent away, paid off, freed. I’m the only one who has been here for weeks.’Mae wanted to kick something.‘Andraste’s arse, Alexius did it again. All his grandstanding about the importance of his work. How vital, how noble. Ha! All he's done so far is use time as his own personal fuck-toy.’‘Magister Tilani? I don't understand.’Mae shook her head. ‘It’s difficult to explain. Answer me this, would you Vita? How long have we known each other?’Vita’s brow creased. ‘I hope I won’t offend you, Magister Tilani if I say that I don’t recall ever having met you in my life. That was why I was so curious about how you knew my name.’‘Great,’ said Mae. ‘Fan-bloody-tastic. So, we’re the only people here.’‘Magister Alexius asked me to remain behind as a groundkeeper of sorts. It was Master Dorian doing actually. He convinced Alexius to retain me.’‘Why would he do that?’‘To wait for you, Ma'am. Before they went Master Pavus took me aside and told me on this day, at this hour, to go to Magister Alexius’ study. He said a woman would be inside and that she was going to be Magister Tilani. Obviously, he was right. Magister Pavus said when I found you, I should relay a message to you. Only you.’‘Did he? Is the message “I am a sack of shit who is willing to toss one of his oldest and most loyal friends to the wolves because I can’t keep my massive hard-on for power and fraternal approval in check?”’‘Those weren’t his exact words, no.’ Vita said, dryly. ‘His message was “Check the letter.”‘Oh for fuck's sake, which letter. There has already been a myriad of maker-be-damned letters! The one Felix wrote? The one Dorian originally wrote Alexius when he refused to come? The one Alexius lured him here with?’‘The one you have on your person. Or so Master Pavus says. He told me you received it two weeks ago.’Mae’s eyes went wide and she scrambled through the fold of her dress. She pulled out the letter she had shown Dorian when she confronted him in his room the day before. Vita pointed to it.‘That’s the one. I was with Master Pavus when he wrote it. Had me sent off on his own private pigeon and everything, even though I told him we had younger ones. Poor thing was half dead.’Mae blocked out Vita’s words as her eyes darted across the letter again.
Dear Mae,

I am sorry I ignored your warning and joined Alexius but I had no other choice. If I am with him I can stop him, and Maker knows someone needs to. Maybe this will all make sense after Alexius’ little party, but with a mess as big as this, I don’t hold out hope. Please don’t fret. I am writing to Bull as well, and he will know the full situation soon enough. I’m sure he will scold me for my foolishness far better than you can.

I would ask you not to be angry with me but we both know that’s unlikely. All will be well. Probably.

With affection and fear of your inevitable wrath,

Dorian.
‘Dorian Caelius Lucian Pavus you complete and utter arsehole.’‘He said if you used profanity and his name in close conjunction that it was likely you understood his message.’‘Oh, I understand it alright. I thought he was a traitorous bastard doing something so stupid he'd get himself killed. Instead, he is a self-sacrificing bastard doing something so stupid he'll get himself killed. He left Tevinter because he knew he couldn’t maintain the pretext of being the perfect Altus forever. Now he thinks he can do it as a cover? Bull’s the spy! Not him. When Alexius discovers his true intentions, he will...’Mae scrunched the letter into a ball with one hand. She couldn’t bring herself to finish that sentence. ‘Oh, I should have known. This is exactly the sort of idiocy Dorian would get involved in.’‘Master Pavus said that after you arrived I was to follow your instructions. He said you’d know what to do.’Mae ran her fingers through her hair with her free hand.‘Of course, he did. Infuriating sod. Vita, I have some letters of my own to write. Get a carriage ready for tomorrow. We leave at first light.’As Vita bowed and retreated to fulfill her task Mae unscrunched the letter. She read the words again.‘Maker damn you, Dorian, if I had known what you were going to do I would have slapped you harder.’
Krem knew the Chief was smart. So smart. Smart with tactics, smart with business, smart with people. It was scary how intelligent he was.But what was far scarier was watching someone so smart act so dumb.‘So what?’ Krem asked. ‘You’re going to blow off the Qun.’‘No, I’m going to stall for time.’ Bull said. He was pouring over his letters and contracts, trying to work of what jobs he could push forward or back. ‘Dorian will be getting my letter in the next two days. That gives him a week to get back to us, and then we head straight for Ferelden. I’ll make up some excuse for the delay. A week isn’t something the Ben-Hassrath get suspicious of.’‘That’s only if things go right. If Dorian gets delayed or if he doesn’t get the message— ‘‘He will.’‘Chief— ‘‘It. Will. Work. Out. Krem.’Krem bunched his fists.We can’t pin our hopes —‘Rocky called out overtop of Krem. ‘Oi, Krem! Chief! It’s the pigeon!’At the sound of Rocky’s voice, Bull and Krem stood and rushed over to where the Chargers gathered around Grim. The pigeon lay limp in his hands.‘Is it dead?’ Rocky asked.Stitches prodded it. It made an indignant noise. ‘No, just winded. us, we have to put that poor thing into retirement.’‘What does the letter say?’ asked Bull. Grim passed him the letter and Bull unfolded it. He read it aloud.
‘”Amatus. Things are bad. Very bad. I am safe but I have to try and stop Alexius doing something monumentally stupid. He’s involved in a catastrophe in Ferelden, and if I don’t stop him more terrible events could follow. He’s traveling south and I am accompanying him. Our destination is the town of Redcliffe. Your presence would be most appreciated. Meet me there as soon as you can. Love, Dorian.

P.S. A forewarning. If Mae contacts you, she is likely to be very VERY pissed-off with me.”’
‘A “catastrophe in Ferelden”?’ Krem said. ‘He can’t mean the Temple of Sacred Ashes, can he?’‘You know any other recent Ferelden catastrophes?’ Stitches asked.‘Damn it, Kadan.’ Bull muttered. ‘I told you to stay out of the crossfire.’‘I’ll go pack the supplies.’ Dalish said without hesitating, running off.Rocky went the other direction. ‘I’ll get the tents.’ Grim grunted and followed him.‘Stitches?’ Krem said.‘On it.’ Stitches said, picking up a saddle and heading straight for the horses.‘How far is Ferelden? Skinner asked stuffing random items into her pack.‘It’s three days to Cumberland and then a week by ship if the weather’s good.’ Krem rattled off. Bull eyed him carefully. Someone had obviously been pouring over the maps.‘What about Dorian?’ Dalish said dropping the packed supplies on the ground in from of them.‘Asariel’s on the coast so there's good odds he’ll travel by boat.’ Krem said. He grabbed a pack and striding over to the horses to secure it to one of the creatures’ back. ‘But the poor bastard is going to have to sail all the way around Rivain and back. We’ll get to Ferelden weeks before he does.’Bull growled. ‘No. We can’t leave him behind. We should head up into Tevinter—‘‘Chief,’ Krem grabbed Bull’s harness and tugged it so Bull had to face him. ‘We have no idea where Dorian is right now. All we know is where he’s going to be. We head into Tevinter there’s a huge chance we’ll miss him. Then he’ll get to Ferelden before us and he’ll have no idea where we are or what happened. This is the safest way we can meet up.’‘He’s in Tevinter, Krem.’ Bull said.‘He’s a ‘Vint chief. That’s where most of us live.’‘You remember the last time Dorian was in Tevinter? Cause, I do. I found him shackled up in a slave cart after escaping his shitty-ass father!‘ Bull bellowed. All the Chargers stopped in the middle of packing and looked at him. Bull pulled Krem’s hand off his harness and stepped away.‘Look. You can take the boys south. I’ll meet you there after I find him.’‘Chief—’Bull stormed passed Krem towards Honeysuckle. His horse wasn’t carrying any supplies, hell it wasn’t even saddled yet. Bull picked up his ax on the way, not breaking stride.Krem followed on his heels. ‘Chief!’‘I don’t want to hear it Krem.’‘Dalish! Stop him!’A blast of cold air shot by Bull’s shoulder and landed on the ground right next to Honeysuckle. A wall of ice sprang upwards blocking Bull’s path. Bull span around.‘Damnit Dalish!’ Dalish leaned on her “bow” and shrugged.Chief!’ Krem punched Bull in the shoulder, refocusing Bull’s attention on himself. ‘Dorian is a grown-arse man! A scary, powerful, grown-arse man who can raise the dead! For fuck's sake, he was all those things before he met you—’‘And he still got taken by slavers!’‘So did you!’‘That’s—That’s the point!’‘Look, right now, unlike you, Dorian is thinking straight. His message says he’s safe, what the situation with Alexius is and most importantly where he is going to be. Read the letter again, Bull.’Krem pulled the letter out of Bull’s hand and read it out loud. ‘“Our destination is the town of Redcliffe. Your presence would be most appreciated. Meet me there as soon as you can.” If you feel an overwhelming need to charge in and rescue the most terrifying necromancer outside of Nevarra City, then charge south!’Bull drew in deep breaths, his chest heaving. His eyes were locked squarely on Honeysuckle, behind the wall of ice. For a moment Krem wondered whether any of his words sank in. It’s not like he could do anything if Iron Bull decided to leave. Once, part of a training exercise, all the Chargers had dogpiled on him and tried to pin him to the ground. He had managed to drag all of them across the camp and back, with everyone clinging to his arms, legs, and torso. Rocky had even been hanging from one of his horns. It was like the bad joke Bull loved to tell. Where does a Qunari Mercenary sit? Anywhere he wants.Right then, Bull wanted to sit on that horse and ride to Tevinter.But Bull sighed instead, running a hand down his face. He looked tired. He’d looked tired since the day Dorian had left.‘I shouldn’t have sent him alone,’ was all Bull murmured. Krem punched him in the arm again, but this time with affection.‘He won’t be for long. The sooner we head off, the sooner we get to Redcliffe. We'll be right there for when he arrives. Right?’‘Yeah.’ Bull said, but his voice was thick and quiet. ‘Let’s move out.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The waters off the coast of Rivian were a rich turquoise blue beneath a clear, endless, sky. The waves lapped gently against the bow of the ship as it cut through the ocean like scissors through silk. The breeze was warm and light, carrying with it the fresh scent of salt.Dorian had lost four pounds on this sea-voyage from vomiting.As he heaved over the stern that total slid closer to five.‘I see you still haven’t gained sea legs in all these years.’Alexius strolled up behind Dorian and rubbed his back right between the shoulder-blades. It was so soothing and familiar. Something in Dorian’s stomach churned and it had nothing to do with sea-sickness. He forced himself upright pulling himself out from under Alexius’ hand. His old mentor didn’t look suspicious.‘My legs aren’t the problem. It’s my blasted gut.’ Dorian wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. ‘How long until we reach this Redcliffe?’‘Three weeks. If the weather holds.’ Dorian groaned and slumped back over the rail again. Alexius laughed as he passed Dorian a water-skin. ‘But seeing as we jumped back two weeks we’ll get there before anyone knows we left. Drink that. You need to keep your fluids up.’‘I suspect many people would call all this time-jumping cheating.’ Dorian said.‘I would call them jealous.’Dorian took a swig and rinsed his mouth with it before spitting over the side. Once his mouth was clean he took a proper drink.‘As clever as all this temporal trickery is, it doesn’t change the length of time we actually spend at sea. I
pray I don’t vomit so much I become an empty pile of skin by the end of this voyage.’‘I missed your way with words. But I have an idea of something to take your mind off your stomach.’Bile gurgled up the back of Dorian’s throat but he managed to keep everything down. ‘Is it the sweet release of death? Because at this point I’m not opposed to the option.’A sound like the blast of a cannon rang out and both Dorian and Alexius looked towards the bow. In the sky hovered a plume of smoke followed by a bright, fizzling light. As Dorian walked forward to get a closer look he saw that the flare had come from a tiny boat that sat on the horizon. Dorian squinted at it.‘Was that for us?’ he asked Alexius.‘Yes. Friends of ours also heading for Ferelden. I’ll go tell the captain to follow their signal. You think you will be ready to board with me when we catch up to them?’‘What? Me?’‘Of course. I didn’t reach out to you only for the sake of our research Dorian. Felix is my son and heir, but he’s never had any passion for my work. I knew within the first week of your apprenticeship you were an extraordinary talent. I want you by my side every step of his journey. I intend for you to be my second-in-command.’Dorian’s mind flashed to Krem and all the tasks he ended up doing as Bull’s lieutenant. Balancing the books and rations late into the night. Negotiating with snooty nobles who were too frightened to talk to a Qunari. Dealing with petty squabbles between Chargers.‘Marvellous.’ Dorian muttered.The sound of creaking caught Dorian’s attention. From his vantage point on the quarter-deck, he saw Felix come up from below. In spite of the bright sunshine, his thin frame was bundled beneath a multitude of shawls. He looked like the world’s most overdressed beggar. Felix shuffled his way between the sailors towards the bow of the ship.‘He still hasn’t spoken to you, has he?’ Alexius asked Dorian.Why would he? Dorian thought. He thinks I am a power-hungry fanatic, who has abandoned all his ethics.Alexius clapped him on the shoulder. ‘He’ll see the light, Dorian. After all, we are doing this for his own good.’‘Ah yes. I will need to see that amulet at some point, Alexius. If we are to go back far enough to stop the darkspawn’s attack on his carriage. It is the same amulet we worked on in Minrathous all those years ago, yes?’‘All in due time, my boy. All in due time. Besides, if everything goes according to plan we may not need to go back that far. We can rescue Felix in the here and now.’‘What do you mean? And what plans?’‘The plans of the leader of the Venatori, Dorian. The Elder One.’‘Who is—’‘Magister Alexius.’ The captain interrupted climbing the stairs to the quarterdeck. ‘We have the signal. What are your orders?’‘Follow the flare. I’ll be with you in a moment.’The captain gave a stiff salute and returned to the main deck, barking orders at the crew. Alexius looked back at Dorian.‘The Elder One will have to wait for another time, Dorian. Finish that water and go below for a nap. I want you at your best.’Dorian nodded and Alexius released his shoulder. His old mentor followed the captain downstairs. Soon he was beside the man, whispering in his ear and pointing towards the smoke-plume in the distance.Dorian watched him go and then sighed. He looked up and across the ship to where Felix was standing. Felix was staring back at him. Dorian raised a hand and waved, but Felix scowled at him before turning his back on his old friend. Dorian dropped his hand.He could tell Felix about his intentions, but would Felix believe him? Or would he think it was a scheme to get him onside? Either way, it would mean getting Felix involved in his father’s mess. The only reason he had returned to Tevinter was for Felix’s sake.Dorian was willing to get neck deep in this filth if it meant that Felix came away from this safe.Dorian felt something wet hit his forearm. He looked down expecting to find a splash of water from the waves below. Instead, he ended up seeing a strip of white bird-poo.He looked over to see the Chargers pigeon - wind-blown and drenched in seawater - sitting on the railing. Dorian nodded at his arm.‘This is revenge for having to fly so far isn’t it?’The bird blinked. Maliciously.He picked the thing up and retrieved the message from around its leg.
Be careful Kadan.
Dorian smiled.
Alexius’s ship reached the other by sunset. Dorian had tried to nap like Alexius had suggested but the waves didn’t gently rock to sleep as he’d imagined. No. The waves on this voyage were all mean-spirited bastards who tried to fling him out of his hammock.Alexius and Dorian cross a plank (a narrow, unsteady, flimsy plank) from one ship to another. A woman in a set of blood-red robes was waiting to greet them on the other side. She wore her blonde, curly hair chopped short, and sprang around her head like a halo. She had latched her staff onto her back, which Dorian found odd. It wasn’t likely that they'd get attacked at sea. But as he looked closer he saw that the woman’s staff in full detail. It was roughly hewn and nicked, with all the tiny embellishments that marked it as a staff hand-made by the owner. It was completely different to Dalish’s in every respect but still seemed so similar.This wasn’t the type of staff one received in a circle.‘Alexius! You’ve made it!’ she exclaimed, kissing him on both cheeks. Dorian guessed that she was from Denerim based on how much she sounded like Stitches. ‘It’s terrific to see you. And let me guess. Either this is your son, Felix or you managed to get a hold of your old protégée Dorian.’‘It’s the latter,’ Dorian said, bending low and kissing her hand. ‘Felix is a little under the weather, so I am here as a poor substitute.’‘So you turned up? I would never have believed it,’ the woman said. ‘By all accounts, you disappeared in a puff of smoke two years ago. Where have you been for all that time?’‘Why, waiting for a chance to meet someone as lovely as you, of course,’ Dorian winked. The woman chuckled.‘Damn. Now I can’t even be mad at you. When Alexius told me he was trying to find you I bet him twenty gold he’d never do it. You cost me a new set of boots.’‘I do apologise. How very rude of me to continue existing.’‘Ignore Dorian’s flippancy, Beatrix. It is an affliction he acquired in his youth and has never recovered from. Dorian, this is Beatrix, one of our southern comrades. The Elder One has promised her citizenship in the new Tevinter order for her services.’Beatrix bobbed her head. ‘You can count on my loyalty, believe me. Living in a nation where they treat us mages like kings instead of muck? Sounds like a dream.’One man’s dream is another man’s nightmare, Dorian thought. Beatrix went on.‘You’ll need me once we reach Ferelden. Southerners are always going to be suspicious of anyone from Tevinter. No offence but they all think you’re all murderers and blood mages. Having someone who can get the locals on-side will smooth your path like nobody's business. ‘‘I can think of no finer southern guide. And certainly not one as radiant’. Dorian flashed a brilliant smile and Beatrix blushed. Alexius eyed him.‘Well then…’ she cleared her throat. ‘If you follow me downstairs the ships cook has prepared dinner in the officer’s mess. You should see the effort he put in. Picked all the weevils out and everything.’As Beatrix lead them down below deck Alexius whispered to Dorian.‘Enough.’‘Enough what?’‘Flirting.’‘Oh, come now, it’s a little harmless fun.’‘We both know which way your interests lie and we both know they’re not towards their fairer sex. Stop toying with the poor girl.’Dorian rolled his eyes but followed Alexius’ advice.
Dinner was… fine. It was excellent for food that had been packed in salt or soaked in brine for weeks, but that wasn’t exactly high praise. Dorian had eaten worse on the road with the Chargers. But then again, he hadn’t had to contend with a rolling boat. It threatened to make him taste the meal again as it travelled back up his throat.With the meal done Beatrix tilted her chair back and groaned. ‘Should we get to business, Alexius? Or do you want to start on the wine first?’‘I see no reason why we can’t do both?’ Alexius said, leaning over the table and taking the decanter. How he managed not to spill a drop while the whole room swayed was beyond Dorian. ‘Have you heard any news from our fellows?’‘None, but I suspect that’s on orders. The Elder One won’t want us knowing each other’s locations unless we have to. If they capture one of us the others will be protected.’‘So no news from south at all?’ Dorian asked. Beatrix smiled.‘Now I didn’t say that,’ Beatrix leant forward, resting her forearms on the table. ‘Have you heard about this “Inquisition”?’Alexius laughed. ‘Oh, do they still exist? I’d have thought they would have disintegrated by now.’‘What Inquisition?’ Dorian asked. ‘As in an Exhausted March type of Inquisition?’‘Pretty much,’ said Beatrix. ‘Only now they’re not going after knife-eared halla-riders. They’re trying to fix the sky.’Alexius swirled the wine in his glass. ‘I am surprised that the southern chantry has agreed to this. Shouldn’t they be scrabbling around looking for a new “White Divine”?’Beatrix laughed taking the decanter for herself. ‘The chantry has washed their hands of the whole blighted business. This Inquisition is the doing of Justinia’s left and right hands. I'm guessing it's a blind grab for power while everyone’s still reeling. Oh, but that’s not the best bit.’‘Better than petty infighting between religious factions?’ Dorian said trying to sound bored.‘You tell me. Have you heard about the…’ Beatrix giggled, ‘The Herald of Andraste?’Alexius stopped mid-sip. ‘Wait? Is that true? Is she real?’Beatrix nodded. ‘As real as you or I.’‘I’m not sure if you’re both being deliberately obscure for fun. Some of us aren’t as up to date on current events,’ Dorian said. ‘Who are you talking about?’‘After the conclave explosion, a woman fell out of the fade. She claims that Andraste saved her,’ Alexius murmured. His eyes weren’t on either of his dinner partners. They were locked onto his glass like it contained a secret.‘Not just a woman,’ Beatrix grinned. ‘An Oxman bandit. The chantry has disowned her, obviously. But other people believe she is some grand redeemer. The left and right hand have latched onto her and are using her notoriety to gain followers.’‘Does the Elder One know?’ Alexius asked.‘Oh, he knows.’ Beatrix says. ‘And he isn’t best pleased.’‘But it’s nothing but a fanciful story, isn’t it?’ Dorian asked. ‘There is no way anyone could survive the conclave. This woman must have invented a lie to keep herself out of trouble and then—’‘No Dorian,’ Beatrix said, ‘We have spies at their base. They say the stories are true.’The table fell silent while each of them, in turn, contemplated what that meant. Alexius was the first to speak.‘We weren’t anticipating this sort of complication. We need to stop this “Herald” in her tracks. Find out what this Inquisition's plans are.’‘Like I said. They are trying to seal the breach in the sky. The rebel mages have already offered their help.’‘The rebel mages? In Redcliffe?’‘Yes. It’s not an entirely unselfish move on their part. If they can join forces with this Inquisition…’‘They’ll have an ally against the Templars,’ Dorian finished Beatrix’ sentence. ‘It’s not a terrible plan. Two outcasts on the fringe of society banding together for strength.’‘Which means that apart they are easier to conquer'. Alexius put his glass on the table and lent forward. ‘The Herald needs the mages. And the mages are vulnerable.’
The moon was high by the time Dorian and Alexius returned to their boat. Before they left Dorian gave Beatrix a kiss on the cheek.‘Shall we be seeing you again once we reach Ferelden?’ he asked. He deliberately tinted his voice with hope. She shook her golden head.‘Afraid not. While you and Alexius are in Redcliffe, I’ll be on the Storm Coast. Separate infiltration points, you see. While you and Alexius are out in the open we’ll sneak in without anyone noticing.’‘Clever.’‘I thought so. Have fun being our distraction.’‘Dorian, we must go,’ Alexius urged. ‘If we waste this breeze the Captain will not be happy.’Dorian bowed to Beatrix and kissed her hand. She giggled like a school-girl. Dorian’s mouth was dry.That night he was going to write a letter that would get this woman killed.
Dorian would never claim to be as good a spy as his amatus, but he had picked up a trick or two from Bull over the years. For instance, he knew that every night Able Seaman Primus was on duty he would leave his post around three o’clock.
Able Seaman Primus also seemed to get three times the rum ration as the other men on the ship. Other crewmen like Landman Secundus and Coxwain
Tacitus seemed to get very little. Almost none. And for some reason, Landman Secundus and Coxwain Tacitus always seemed to be missing at three o’clock. What a staggering coincidence! And if there happened to be a lot of moaning and mumbling coming from one of the lifeboats, was it Dorian’s concern? Not at all. Did those voices sound a lot like
Coxwain Tacitus and Landman Secundus? Who could tell? It wasn’t his business.In the same way, it was no one else’s business if he sent a pigeon off with a letter at three in the morning.Dorian hurried up the stairs to the bow, in the near pitch of the night, the Pidgeon squirming in his hands. As he reached the railing, he held it up so they were face to face.‘Look, if you promise not to die halfway to Ferelden, I swear to you, this will be your last flight ever. I will be your greatest advocate. I will push for your retirement. If I have my say you will spend the rest of your days on Grim’s shoulder, growing fat. But first, you must do this. Are we agreed.’The pigeon blinked stupidly at Dorian as it had a thousand times before.‘Good. Try not to fall into the ocean never to be seen again.’‘What are you doing?’It would have been an ignoble demise for the witty and glamorous Dorian Pavus. Being scared so badly he fell over the side of a ship, shrieking and clutching a pigeon all the way down to his watery grave.Luckily, he was grabbed by the lapel before any of that could happen.Unluckily he was grabbed by Felix.Dorian pushed Felix away and felt a pang of guilt as his old friend stumbled a step. He pushed that feeling away too.‘What am I doing? What are you doing? It’s the middle of the bloody night, Felix!’‘I saw you heading on deck with your pigeon, so I followed you up to find out what you were up to.’‘So you were spying on me?’Felix gave Dorian an incredulous look, which was only highlighted by the candle in his hand. ‘Yes. Obviously. I don’t know any other way you could interpret what I said.’‘Well, it’s good to know you’re willing to forgo your silent treatment if you have the opportunity to be sarcastic.’‘You still haven’t told me what the bird is for.’‘None of your business. Now go to bed.’‘Really? You're sending me to bed like a naughty child.’‘Considering you’ve behaved like a naughty child for this entire voyage why not? It’s fitting.’‘Oh, you have no idea how childish I could be.’ Felix stepped closer to Dorian. Dorian had never been a weakling, and after years of life on the road, he had become a solid block of muscle. (Not that many people commented. That was one drawback of always standing beside the Iron Bull). Felix, on the other hand, was skin and bones. Almost literally. But Dorian still couldn’t help taking a step back. He forced himself to sneer.‘What? Are you planning on wrestling me for the pigeon like two toddlers who want the same toy?’‘No. I was thinking more along the lines of going to father and telling him his newly restored apprentice is a Qunari fucker.’A wave smashed itself into foam against the hull of the ship and both men stumbled as the whole vessel rocked. That was the only reason Dorian’s stomach churned. But Dorian knew better than to show any emotion beyond boredom or scorn on his face.‘Really? That’s all you’ve got? Tattling on me to daddy? Tell me, Felix. Considering I am the one who has been acting like a dutiful son, whilst you’ve been sulking in your cabin, who d'you think he’s going to believe? It’s your word against mine.’‘I’m planning on giving him some compelling evidence.’‘What evidence?’‘I’m planning on shouting so loud the whole crew comes on deck to find you holding that pigeon in your hand.’A wave exploded against the ship again and Dorian clutched at the railing.‘It’s Bull you’re sending the letter to, isn’t it?’ Felix went on, holding out his skeletal hand. ‘Show me the letter or I start hollering.’‘Felix, stop this,’ Dorian warned. ‘Leave now or—’‘Or what?’ Felix asked. ‘You’ll do what Dorian?’ Felix spread his arms wide. ‘There is nothing left you can do to me. You have betrayed our friendship on every front. There is nothing left of the old Dorian Pavus. just as there is probably nothing left of my father'. Felix’ brittle voice cracked and part of Dorian’s heart cracked too. ‘If I am the only one left willing to do the right thing, I’ll do it alone. The pigeon Dorian.’‘Felix—’‘Now!’With a sigh and a slow motion, Dorian handed over the bird.‘If you hurt that poor thing, Grim’s going to kill you.’ Dorian said as Felix unrolled the letter.Felix didn’t read aloud but Dorian could tell what part he was up to by the shifting expression on his face. He remembered what he’d written.

Amatus,

I have discovered the following information. I am not sure what can be done with it but if there is anyone who could put it to good use, it’s you.

Alexius is working for someone called the Elder One. He is the one who caused the explosion at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. I have no idea who this man could be but by the sounds of it he’s a Tevinter nationalist. He plans on creating a new Tevinter Empire of sorts. All very stupid and very dangerous.
Alexius seems very interested in an organisation called the Inquisition. Someone apparently survived the explosion and is drawing the Elder One’s interest. I don’t know anything about the survivor either, except everyone calls them the Herald of Andraste. (This isn’t turning out to be the font of intel you were hoping for, I know). Also, they may be a she. And Qunari? Maybe? Take that one with a grain of salt.
We are still on our way to the town of Redcliffe. Alexius has some interest in the rebel mages who have been given asylum there. But this may just be because the Inquisition is interested in them. If the two join forces, maybe they could be a threat to this Elder One? If so, how?
We met up with another ship of people also working for the Elder One. Their leader is a woman called Beatrix, who is planning on making land somewhere called the Storm Coast. She intends to cause trouble. If you can find some way to stop her I would be grateful. Exact co-ordinates on the back.
Alexius still adores me and Felix still hates me and I still feel sick about it. But I refuse to let Felix get involved in this. I don’t know why the Maker keeps shitting on him but I’ll be damned if he gets pulled into this mess too.
I still miss you terribly and expect the best welcome home fuck imaginable.
Don’t send any more messages with the pigeon. I’ll be in Ferelden soon enough and the poor thing loathes me. We either need a new pigeon or to find a better way of communicating. Besides, it’s becoming too dangerous for both the bird and me.
Give everyone my warmest wishes.

With affection,

Your Kadan.

For a long time, there wasn’t a sound besides the waves and the creaking deck. Dorian was so tense that every muscle seemed to vibrate.Felix nodded sharply, rerolling the message and putting it back in the tube. ‘I see.’‘Felix—’Felix let the bird go and watched as the pigeon disappeared into the dark. ‘You’re a bastard, Dorian. You know that?’‘I know.’‘I thought I was alone again. Just me and him and nowhere to go for help.’Dorian could see, even in the dark, tears were sitting on the edge of Felix’s eyes. ‘Felix.’Felix sniffed and looked away. ‘And Mae? Is she okay.’‘She’s fine. Very angry but fine.’‘Good. Good.’ Felix nodded. ‘As she should be. I know I am.’‘I didn’t want to get you all caught up in this shit-show again. Not after what happened at the party. I didn’t want you to get into trouble on my account.’Felix threw his arms around Dorian’s shoulders and buried his face in his neck. Dorian hugged him back.‘What have I always told you Dorian Pavus?’ Felix said, ‘I like trouble. You fucking idiot.’‘I’m sorry Felix. I thought I was doing the right thing.’Felix's laugh was wet against his collar-bone. ‘Ever since I got the damn Blight everyone has been doing what they thought was “the right thing”. Father searched all over Thedas for a cure, never asking me once whether I wanted to live. You demanded that he stop the research, never once asking me whether I wanted to die. I don’t know what’s worse about my little problem. My body betraying me all the time, or the fact that everyone seemed to agree that it wasn’t my body anymore.’Dorian squeezed his eyes tight, nuzzling his nose against his friends cropped hair. ‘I’m so sorry. I never even thought…’ He lifted his head and stepped back so he could look Felix in the face. ‘What do you want. Tell me and I will follow your lead. From this moment on, you’re in charge.’Felix laughed and shook his head. ‘You’ve never followed an order in your entire life.’‘Time change, Felix. I’m serious. Say the word and I’ll put it into action.’Felix sniffed again and ran a finger under his nose. ‘All I want… is to be a part of this. I want to stop Father. No more keeping me in the dark. No more protection. I am a grown man, I can handle hard truths, and I know my Father better than anyone. If you want to stop him you’re going to need my help.’Dorian nodded. ‘I understand. But Felix, please understand this. Your Father is involved in something very dark and very ugly. We may not be able to pull him away from this.’Felix’s face looked gaunter than ever. ‘I know. But I need to try.’Dorian reached over and squeezed his arm. ‘Then I will help you.’The stood there for a moment. Then Felix spoke.'Sorry I called you a Qunari fucker.'Dorian laughed. 'It's not slander if it's true.'

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Even though he was as close as he could be to the campfire without getting singed, Dorian's hands still shook. Wisps of cloud escaped Dorian’s lips as he read Mae’s latest message. He knew this letter was important the moment it didn’t arrive on Grim’s pigeon. It came with a messenger. He cleared his throat and began to read aloud to the Chargers.

‘Dearest Dorian,How are you? Well, I hope. How can you be otherwise with a man like the Iron Bull keeping you warm at night? Send him my fondest wishes or if you have grown bored of him, send him to me instead. Let the Chargers know I have the same warm feelings towards them as well. (Although the feeling is warmer in some body regions than others). Inf fact it is the Chargers that have to lead me to write this letter. I could use the assistance of the Iron Bull’s gallant crew once more.Remember back when you visited me nine months ago, I mentioned Thorold’s lovely cousin Varric? The one who I assisted with a small problem, along with his friends Captain Isabela and King Alistair of Ferelden? Well, while Alistair seems to be doing fine of late, Isabela and Varric have been having some trouble. Or to be more accurate have caused some trouble in Kirkwall. You remember the small problem with the Chantry exploding?’

Krem interrupted. ‘You’ve got to be shitting me.’

Dorian lifted up a finger and continued.

‘Let’s just say Varric and his cohorts were inadvertently part of the problem and the solution. Over the past year or so, Varric’s friends have been trying to rectify the city as best they can. Excluding the occasional sojourn to Tevinter to visit me. However, it appears as their presence has become more dangerous to Kirkwall than beneficial. Simply put, they need to get out of the city without arousing any suspicion. Considering Bull’s company did such a fine job helping the two of us reconnect, I would love to hire them again on Varric’s behalf.I must warn you, darling, this one is dangerous. There are more dire things attached to this job than bandits and ruffians. There are politics at play here. Not humdrum Free-Marches levels of politics either. The sort that would make Tevinter proud.’

‘Sounds like a barrel of laughs.’ Stitches said.

‘I will pay you fairly, as will Varric’s little gang. But even as I write this I am wary of leading you and the Chargers into a fight that isn’t yours. There'll be no hard feelings if you chose to reject this job. I wouldn’t blame you. However, you are the only ones I would trust with such an enterprise.’

‘So “you don’t have to do it, but if you don’t I’ll be disappointed”,’ Rocky said. ‘No wonder Mae married a dwarf. She probably reminded him of his mother.’

‘The situation is also a time-sensitive one. No matter which decision you make, please be quick. Varric takes time to concoct convoluted schemes and even then, most of them are fictional. If you cannot take this job they’ll need to know as soon as possible.In other delightful news and I was right about Magister Sulara. You owe me five gold— Blah blah blah the rest is nonsense, she is clearly gone mad, what’s everyone’s opinion on the job?’
Dalish lifted her hand like a child asking a question.

‘I like Mae. If this were Mae in this bind I wouldn’t hesitate. But a dangerous job for Mae’s dead husband’s cousin? I don’t know.’

‘Not just any dead husband’s cousin.’ Stitches said. ‘She said Varric, right? A dwarf from Kirkwall?’ He leaned into his bag and pulled out a ratty paperback book. ‘That’s got to be Varric Tethras.’

‘The one who wrote those stupid crime stories where the murderer is pulled out of his arse?’ Krem asked.

‘It’s okay Krem, I get these books may be too complicated for you. All those big words and everything.’

Krem picked up a handful of leaves and threw them in Stitches’ direction. ‘Piss off.’

Bull waved them down. ‘Guys, c’mon.’

‘Orzammar is crawling with Varrics, but it’s not a name you hear so much on the surface.’ Rocky said. ‘It could be the same guy.’

Stitches pointed at Krem. ‘See! And if he’s the same one, he’s got to be loaded. As good a reason to take a job as any.’

‘Are you stupid?’ asked Skinner. ‘The job’s in Kirkwall. You know what went down with the mages last year. And before that was the Qunari invasion. And before that was all those Fereleden refugees trying to get away from the blight. You think it’s smart to take two mages a Qunari and your Ferelden arse into a city like that? That flaming garbage pile is cursed.’

‘Besides, do any of us have any idea how to get these out of Kirkwall without anyone noticing?’ Krem asked. ‘That place was build as a prison city for the slave trade. It’s not easy to stroll in and out of.’

Bull nodded. ‘I think that’s everyone. Except for Grim. Anything to add, mate?’

There was a long gap as Grim’s mouth twitched, his eyes locked on the campfire. He licked his lips.

Grim grunted.

The Chargers sat in silence for a moment. Dalish rubbed her arm.

‘I didn’t think about it that way.’

Skinner sighed. ‘I change my vote to Kirkwall,’ he said.

‘Me too.’

‘And me.’

‘Ah fuck… Me too.’

‘Alright, so after that, I’m guessing we’re taking the Kirkwall job.’ Bull said. He shook his head. ‘This better be worth it.’

‘She’d never knowingly lead us into more danger than we can handle.’ Dorian said, standing. ‘I’ll write to Mae now. Tell he we accept.’

‘You can do that on my ship,’ said the messenger. She took off her large feathered cap and made a sweeping, low bow.’

‘Captain Isabela. At your service.’

Bull had followed Dorian’s request not to send any more messages, no matter how much he itched to do so. It made sense. It was crucial he didn't draw attention to himself. On a boat, someone was bound to notice if Dorian constantly received pigeons.
But the thought of Dorian on that boat alone surrounded by the enemy set Bull on edge. For the entire trip down to Ferelden, the Chargers gave Bull space. They all knew how snappy Bull could get when he was in a mood, and it was normally Dorian who pulled him out of it.A small dark part of him whispered that this shit was why the Qun didn’t allow romantic relationships. All the other parts of him told that part to fuck off.On the other hand, Par Vollen was with the Intel Dorian had gathered and passed on to Bull before he’d gone dark. Bull hadn’t told them where he’d got the information. He wasn’t an idiot. But
Bull getting good information from unnamed sources was something they expected. As long as the intel was good, they knew better than to ask about specifics.They had replied to Bull in response to Dorian’s inside information two days ago. All they'd said was it was even more imperative for Bull and the Chargers to join the Inquisition. The whole idea left Bull with a bad taste in his mouth. Dorian pretending to be on the side of this Elder One -whoever the fuck that was- while he and the Chargers pretended to be part of this Inquisition? That was layers and layers of shit right there. There were so many lies that it wasn’t going to get hard to keep everything straight. All he needed was for one person to slip and that would be it. His boys would end up hanging from trees, or with their heads on pikes or whatever the Inquisition did to their spies.In a sudden jolt, he remembered why this thick, sickly, irritating feeling had felt so familiar.It was the Seheron feeling.The knowledge that everything is going to go to shit, but you don’t know when or how. You had no other choice but to wait.There was a tap on the canvas of Bull’s tent, breaking through Bull’s sour mood. Stitches ducked his head in. Rain still dribbled down his nose.‘Krem's back from Haven, Chief. Send him in?’Bull nodded and Stitches retreated back out into the rain.That was another thing that didn’t improve the mood. Being stationed on the bloody Storm Coast. Dorian’s letter had said that some of the Vints were heading here so that's where Par Vollen sent them. Bull was more than happy for the Chargers to be their little “Welcome to Ferelden” greeting party. But that meant camping for days in the rain waiting for any sign of a boat on the horizon. Everyone was wet, miserable and sick of bear attacks.But the knowledge about where the Vint’s were going to land was handy. It gave them a bargaining tool for the Inquisition. If Bull could get the Herald to see his boys in action, he knew they’d be begging for the Chargers to follow them to Haven. Getting them up to the Storm Coast to watch was the tricky part.Krem clambered into Bull’s tent followed by Rocky, then Dalish then everyone else. Most of the time the boys sat around the campfire for this kind of meeting. But there was no campfire. There was only never-ending, ceaseless rain, that got into your clothes and your boots and made you feel like you would never be dry again. So, because Bull’s tent was the only one where everyone could fit, it had to double as their own little war room.When they were all inside the Chargers gathered around Krem.‘So?’ Bull asked.‘Well… I met this Herald everyone is blabbing about.’‘And?’Krem’s shoulders slumped. ‘You want the news you won’t like or the news you’ll find weird?’‘Let’s go with the first.’‘The Herald… she’s is a Qunari.’So the worst outcome was true. At least one of the worst outcomes. Bull’s stomach sunk under the weight of all the complications that lay in his future. He was not looking forward to his next letter to Par Vollen.‘Did she say she was a Qunari? Or did she say Vashoth? Or Tal-Vashoth. It’s important.’‘I met her for five minutes, Chief. It’s not like we had a heart to heart about her religious convictions. Besides, it’s not like there’s much of a difference.’Bull raised an eyebrow at that. ‘I’ll remember that next time you and Dorian are yapping on about the differences between Alti and Soparati.’Krem crossed his arms. ‘Look Chief, I may not have asked point-blank, but I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the woman running around, calling herself “The Herald of Andraste”, doesn’t follow the Qun.’Bull sighed. ‘Shit.’‘What’s the weird news?’ asked DalishKrem leant forward on his knees. ‘Well…’

Krem had heard at some point that Haven was the home of some weird human-sacrificing cult. Looking around the place now, it still could be. Small, isolated, too quiet considering the number of people running around. Everyone seemed busy, hurrying from one building to the next.

Krem had a feeling they just wanted to be inside so they didn’t have to look at that hole in the sky.

‘’Cuse me, Ma’am? I’m here to deliver a message from The Iron—‘

The Chantry sister swept passed him, her arms full of shredded uniforms, and her hands stained red. She marched straight towards a building and went inside, not giving Krem a second look.

That was the fourth response like that he had gotten today

Krem considered if he should go down to the makeshift tavern and ask some questions there. (And if he got a drink while he was down there, what was the harm in that?) That's when he saw her.

Tall. Grey. Horns.

Shit, the chief was going to be pissed.

Krem tossed around the idea of whether he should talk to her or not. Was it better to get the lay of the land first so he could forewarn the Chief? Or would talking to her potentially fuck things up?

But then he saw the woman walking towards him and that made his decision for him. He strolled forward acting as though he was the one approaching her.

‘Excuse me,’ he said dripping his head. ‘I’ve got a message for the Inquisition but I’m having a hard time getting anyone to talk to me.’

‘Is that right?’ the woman said with a small smirk. ‘It’s almost as though we’re all busy or something. You’re not another envoy from the Chantry, are you? If you are, we get it. You still hate us. We are a stain upon the Makers world, an affront to the Chant of Light blah blah blah.’

Krem shook his head. ‘No ma’am. Not the Chantry. I’m Cremmissius Aclassi of the Bull’s Charger’s mercenary company.’

The Qunari woman laughed. ‘Oh, I see. You’ve been sent on a job hunt. I used to have to do that with my old crew too. I hated it. Rocking up to people’s doorsteps at the worst moment in their lives hands outstretched coin. “Sorry to hear your child’s been kidnapped. But if you could stop crying for five seconds I’d like to ask if you would give us a job. Pay us a considerable amount of money and maybe you could see them alive again.”’

‘You were in a company Ma’am?’ It wasn’t surprising. Half the Qunari that lived in the south were part of a crew. No one would hire a Qunari to be a blacksmith or a farm-hand claiming their lot were too violent. So they ended up getting jobs fighting for coin. Then every human that they came across saw they were a merc and thought to themselves “see how bloodthirsty they all are? Good thing I didn’t give that Ox a job a few years back. He’d have murdered me in my sleep.” It was an endless cycle.

‘I sure was,’ she said. ‘Not down here. In the Free Marches. Haven’t heard of your crew.’

‘We mostly work out of Orlais and Nevarra.’

‘Damn.’ The Qunari woman shook her head. ‘No way I could stomach that. Free-Marcher nobles are pit-stains but they have nothing on Orleasians and Nevarrans. Those lot would cut off all your toes and fingers, feed them to you, and expect you to thank them afterwards.’

Krem snorted at that. ‘That’s not too far off. Think that’s why my boss has me handle all the meetings.’

The woman laughed.

‘Like the meeting, we’re having now, eh? So I’m guessing your leader saw our sky vagina and decided that was as good a chance to make some money as any.’

‘Something like that. We’ve got word of some Tevinter mercenaries on the Storm Coast. My captain The Iron Bull offers the information free of charge.’

‘Out of the goodness of his own heart?’ The woman asked. ‘How generous. What was his name again?’

‘Iron Bull.’

‘And what’s his deal?’

‘Sorry?’

‘What’s he like?’

‘Oh, he’s… He’s a Qunari like you… He’s big. He’s got horns. All of it.’

The woman raised an eyebrow. ‘Yep. That’s us. Big with horns. The Qunari experience in a nutshell. Is that why you’re looking for a job with us? He heard about me and thought I’d be a soft touch because we both have to stoop to get through doorways?'

‘I didn’t mean—’ Krem took a breath. ‘Bull’s a good boss. He leads from the front, he pays well and he’s a lot smarter than the last bastard I worked for. Best of all he’s professional. We accept contracts with whoever makes the first real offer.’

The Qunari woman considered this for a moment. ‘I see. High praise. I also have a lot of respect for a crew who doesn’t flip.’

‘We’re loyal, we’re tough and we don’t break contracts. Ask around Val Royeaux. We’ve got references.’

‘Don’t think I won’t. So why give us this information? Does he think if he helps us we’re obligated to hire him?’

‘It’s not like that. Look, this is the first time that he’s gone out of his way to pick a side. He thinks the inquisition is doing good work. You’re in a company yourself so you know talk is cheap. Come to the Storm Coast so you can see us in action.’

‘Ah. A practical demonstration. I get it.’ The Qunari woman looked Krem up and down and sighed. ‘Look mate. I’m sure your crew is great and everything, and it’s not like we can’t use good men. But we’re not exactly in the position to be handing out gold to whatever mercs wind up on our doorstep. Keeping everyone fed is hard enough right now.’

‘Iron Bull is ready to negotiate prices—’

‘Krem? Krem is that you?’

Krem turned around. He didn’t see anyone behind him until he looked down.

‘Varric?’ Bull said at the same time as half the Chargers.Stitches said ‘Mae’s Varric? Hawke’s Varric?’‘No!’ said Dalish ‘That bastard would never leave Kirkwall. He’d rather lose a kidney.’‘We were sneaking him and his mates out of Kirkwall when we met him.’ Bull pointed out.‘Yeah, and then what did he do?’ Skinner put her hand on her hip. ‘He turned right around again and went back to that pile of shit he calls a city as soon as he could.’‘Which is where he got arrested by a scary Templar woman.’ Krem said. ‘That’s why he’s here. She dragged him along “in her custody” to make a confession in front of the Divine herself about what went on in Kirkwall.’‘Is he okay?’ Stitches asked. ‘Do we need to help him escape?’‘He’s fine. Shocking enough. The Templar was taking Varric to the Temple of Sacred Ashes when the place exploded. Seeing someone walk out of that place has stoked his religious side.’‘Varric has a religious side?’ asked Rocky.‘I think everyone has a religious side when the sky is tearing apart.’ Skinner said.

‘You know this man, Varric?’ The Qunari asked.

‘Shit yeah, I do. How are you doing, Smasher?’ Varric took Krem’s hand and shook it. ‘Is Tiny still dragging your arse all over Thedas, or has his knee finally gave out?’

‘Even if the chief’s knee did give out you know that wouldn’t stop him.’ Krem said. ‘I’m surprised to see you here. But then again, the world is going to shit so it makes sense you would be. Why’d you leave Kirkwall?’

‘Oh, believe me, this wasn’t exactly a deliberate choice. Come with me and I’ll buy you a drink. Catch you up on all the ever-growing mountain of fuckery I’ve been climbing. Hey, Adaar, is Krem here for a job?’

‘Yeah?’

‘Fantastic. Even better. When are the rest of the Chargers getting here? I’ve missed playing Wicked Grace with you lot. My coin purse felt so much lighter after we parted ways.’

‘We haven’t got the job yet Varric.’

Varric looked back at Adaar. ‘What? Adaar, you're shitting me. At the moment The Inquisition is full of stable-hands and carpenters who don’t know which end of a sword to hold. The Chargers are a good crew. We could use them.’

‘And good crews are expensive. Can you imagine poor Josie’s face if I used half of the funds we have to hire one merc crew? She’d have a stroke.’

Varric strolled forward with all the easy charm Krem remembered. ‘I’ll take care of Ruffles, don’t you worry about that. Besides they’re worth the money. They have saved my ass more times than I can count. I’m more than happy to give them a reference.’

Adaar scratched her shoulder. ‘Varric, I still don’t know...’

‘Tell you what, Adaar. You give these boys a chance and I’ll let you read the latest chapter of what I’m writing. It’s brand new. Never seen before by anyone but me. What you say?’

Adaar’s eyes grew massive as Varric spoke. She looked from him to Krem and back. Finally, she relented.

‘Alright. We will go to the Storm Coast and see what your crew can do.’ She pointed at Krem. ‘I’m not promising them the job, mind. First, we fight, then we’ll talk. Sound fair?’

‘Yes, ma’am.’

‘Excellent.’ Varric rubbed his hands together. ‘The Chargers won’t let you down, Adaar. You won’t regret this.’ Adaar shook her head and strolled off.

Varric grabbed Krem’s wrist and started dragging him in the direction of the tavern.

‘C’mon. I need a drink with someone who hasn't spent their whole life serving the Chantry. By the way, I got a letter from Mae.’

‘Is she pissed?’

‘You have no idea.’

‘Anyway, Varric lucked out because the Herald has taken a shine to him. Apparently she...’ Krem began to giggle but managed to school himself, ‘loves Varric’s books.’The Chargers burst into laughter, except for Stitches who called them all plebeians.‘Did she hit her head when she fell out of the hole in the sky?’ Dalish asked.‘It’s true!’ Krem spread his arms wide. ‘And the best part is, after Varric sang our praises, she is jumping out of her pants to meet us, Chief. You make a good impression and we have this job in the bag.’Bull rubbed his chin but didn’t speak. The Chargers all waited in silence until their Captain finished churning over everything in his mind.‘Varric being there is a weight off.’ Bull admitted. ‘A big one. It was always handy to have a friendly face around and Varric could sell rocks to a dwarf. Having him vouch for us is the best thing that’s happened to us all month. But it’s also one more complication to juggle. He knows I’m Ben-Hassrath and he’s bound to ask where Dorian is. If this Inquisition finds out one of us is “working with the enemy”…’‘I know.’ Krem admitted. ‘But it’s not like we can do anything on our end to make things less complex.’Bull drew in a breath through his nose.‘There’s one thing.’‘What?’Bull nodded to himself, knowing that he was probably going to regret this. ‘I’m going to tell this Herald I’m Ben-Hassrath.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Bull had never been to Kirkwall before. Mostly because everyone he met had told him the place was a shit-hole. In fact he rarely heard a sentence about Kirkwall that didn’t have the words “shit-hole” in it.

They had been right. One hundred percent. It was a shit-hole.

And it seemed that The Hanged Man was the shit-hole’s shit-hole.

Captain Isabela lead the Charger’s through the door. It semmed like everyone inside took their time to glare at the Chargers as they passed. They were used to it. The Chargers were an eclectic bunch. There was always at least one of them a local gawking bigot would hate on sight. Isabela strut her way through as though she owned the place, and in a sense, she did. One woman who was giving Dalish a good case of stink eye caught Isabela looking in his direction. She cocked her head and the woman looked as deeply into her tankard as she could. They passed through the main hall through a hallway that lead to a door. The door had swelled in its frame so
Isabela had to bump her hip against it with a little force in order for it to open. Inside the dim, smokey, room where a group of people almost a disparate as the Charger’s themselves. Elves, humans, city guards, mages, warriors, even a grey warden. At the head of the table sat a beardless dwarf in a red jerkin. Bull strode up to him and held out his hand.

‘I’m going to do a little bit of racial profiling and say you must be Varric Tethras.’

The dwarf laughed at that, rich and deep. Bull could tell right away that this Varric guy would be a great drinking buddy or a great fuck. Probably both.

‘Well I’m going to do some racial profiling of my own and say you’re the Iron Bull,’ Varric said. He took his hand and gave it a good shake. ‘Mae sends her regards, although I can’t tell you her exact wording because… well… we’ve only just met. She also wanted me to collect some gold from a Dorian Pavus. Something about a bet?

Dorian moved forward. ‘I’m deeply sorry, Ser Tethras. But it seems like your dear cousin has developed some sort of delusion since we last parted. I’m Dorian Pavus and while we did make a wager we have no proof Mae has won.’

‘She said you’d say that,’ said Varric. ‘She also told me to tell you… what was it… “debita sequuntur personam debitoria.”’

Dorian scowled and fished some gold out of her pocket. He shoved it into Varric waiting palm. ‘Tell her she’s terrible and the Maker will judge her accordingly.’

‘Will do.’

‘Varric, this is still a bad idea,’ said a red-haired woman. Bull looked her over. Templar? She carried one of their shields and she certainly had the frown of one. ‘We have no idea who these people are.’

‘Don’t start this again, Aveline,’ Varric said. ‘They’re Mae’s friends. That’s good enough for me.’

An elf, covered in tattoos, leaning against a wall with a bottle in his hand, stood up.

‘Ah yes. Your cousin’s wife -a Tevinter mage- recommends a Mercenary band which is full of Tevinter mages. Why should we be suspicious?’

‘Um, I beg your pardon.’ Dorian said. ‘We have two Tevinters and two mages in total, and I am the only one who fits both bills.’

‘Dorian’s like what would happen if Krem and I had a kid,’ said Dalish. Dorian cringed.

‘Never say that again.’

Krem pushed Dorian’s shoulder. ‘Oi. Respect your mother, boy.’

‘Guys. Remember how we had that little chat? The one about not acting like dickheads in front of potential clients?’ Bull asked.

‘Sorry Chief.’

‘Yes, you’d all better be on your best behaviour,’ said Isabela as she sat down at the table. She put her feet up on it, crossing them at the ankles and showing off a large swath of bare thigh. ‘After all, you are in the presence of the most respectable, non-diskish people in Kirkwall. If you don’t get this job, will have to go to the hundreds of other Mercenary crews climbing over themselves to help us. Wait, did I say hundreds? I meant zero.’

‘So you trust them?’ asked the elf.

‘As much as I trust all of you,’ said Isabela. That could have been a ringing endorsement of the Chargers or it was a scathing indictment of everyone else in the room. Bull couldn’t tell which.

‘C’mon Isabela,’ said the grey warden across from her. ‘You telling me you have no problems working with a Qunari after… y’know… that whole thing with the whatsit?’

‘I don’t care about things, y’knows and whatevers,’ Bull said. ‘We’re only here for Mae. But if you’re not going to offer us a job, we’re more than happy to not get involved. From what I heard you brought this shit down on your own heads and we really down want to get any shit on our own. Chargers. Let’s go get pissed.’

The Chargers began to file out the door, ignoring Varric protests. A man sitting at the head of the table stood up.

‘Wait.’

Bull stopped and looked at him. He was tall and well built, but kind of scruffy looking. He has a red streak of… something smeared across the bridge if his nose.

‘Let me have a chat with this Iron Bull by myself. See if we can work things out man-to-man.’

A dark-haired Dalish woman looked at him. ‘Hawke? Are you sure—’

‘Yeah.’ The man rounded the table and strolled up to Bull, his hand outstretched. ‘I’m sure it’s nothing that a few drinks won’t fix, what do you say big fella?’

Bull raised an eyebrow at the nickname but took the man’s hand and shook it anyway.

‘I’m Hawke, Champion of Kirkwall,’ the man said casually. ‘You were saying something about getting pissed?’

‘I’m covered in mud,’ Stitches said.‘We all are,’ said Rocky. ‘Suck it up.’Dalish patted Stitches’ shoulder. ‘Don’t worry. As soon as you stand up the rain will wash it off in seconds.’‘Then I’ll be cold and wet.’‘Don’t worry. All you have to do lie down in the mud again and it will warm up in no time.’All the Chargers were lying belly down in the sparse scrub at the top of the cliff. They watched carefully as a bunch of Venatori brought supplies onshore. A blonde-haired woman with a crappy staff was directing the other men and women. Everything she said was “pull” and “push” and “put your backs into it”.Bull hadn’t seen her lift a single damn thing.‘So are you still going to do the stupid thing?' whispered Krem on Bull’s left.'What stupid thing?'
'Admit you’re a spy to the woman we want to give us a job?’‘Oh that. Yep.’‘And there is no way I can talk out of doing the stupid thing by telling you how stupid it is?’‘Nope.’‘Great. Just making sure.’Skinner crawled forward on her elbow until she was next to Bull’s face ‘We don’t have much cover here, Chief. They’re going to spot us any minute. We should attack while we still have the drop on them.’‘If we kill them all before the Inquisition forces get here what’s the point? They want to see us in action, remember?’ Bull turned back to Krem. ‘They will be here, right Krem?’‘I met up with their scout. She promised me they were only half a days ride from here yesterday. She went to meet up with them and guide them here. But... she’s a dwarf so it will take a bit longer for her to reach them, what with her little legs and everything.’‘That’s offensive.’ Rocky sniffed. ‘Hey, Chief, are those ‘Vints bringing ale casks onshore.’‘Looks like.’‘Can we…?’‘Once they're dead, those casks are all ours.’Rocky pumped his fist in joy.‘I’m serious, Chief.’ Skinner cut in. ‘We either have to find better cover or move on them now. They’re going to spot us if we stay here.’Bull rolled his eyes. ‘Skinner, don’t get your pants in a twist. We can wait until the Inquisition shows up—’An arrow shot passed Bull’s head, clipping his horn.‘There’s soldiers up on the cliff!’ someone on the beach yelled.Bull grabbed his axe. ‘Or we could take them out now. That’s good too.’‘They’re up there on the—‘There was a sharp gurgle as Grim’s arrow hit the shouter straight in the eye. The rest of the Chargers leapt up and scrabbled their way down the path to the beach. All except for Skinner who ran forward, down an almost vertical slope, not stumbling once. By the time Bull reached the Venatori, his axe raised, Skinner had taken out three of them. She shot Bull a glare that clearly said “I told you so” before hurling a dagger straight into another one’s chest.But Bull soon forgot that insubordinate look as a blast of lightning shot passed him. The blonde ‘Vint was snarling.‘Looks like we were only half right about the “Herald” guys,’ she yelled with a broad Ferelden accent. ‘A woman, no. But an Oxman? Yes.’Really? thought Bull and he buried his axe-blade among someone’s ribs. She sees one Qunari so they must be the Herald of Andraste? It had an effect though. Half the ‘Vints on the beach began to swam on him. He swung his axe in a wide arch cutting down as many as he could.‘Sorry to disappoint lady, but you have the wrong guy!’ he yelled back. She threw another bolt of lighting that smacked against his bicep. His whole arm jolted.‘Is that so?’ she sneered. ‘Well, then where is the real Hera-hlk!’A dagger ran across the Venatori’s neck and she fell like a sack of potatoes. That is if potatoes bleed.‘I’m right here,’ said her killer. A tall, grey-skinned, horned Qunari woman.A fast Qunari woman.The Herald ran into the fray, the daggers in her hands a blur of motion. She carved a path of death people as she sprinted across the beach to the center of the throng. A dark-haired woman in plate-mail was right behind her, using her shield as a weapon as much as her sword. A blast of green light shot down from the cliff-top, bombarding the ‘Vints. Bull caught a glimpse of a bald elf on the edge, his staff outstretched. He didn’t look like he’d ever stepped foot in a circle. Was the Inquisition using apostate’s now? No time for that, he’d find out later.A ‘Vint ran towards him, sword overheard, screaming like a wounded horse. There was a thunk sound as an arrow pierced him through the collarbone from behind. He fell to his knees, then on his face, then lay still. Behind him, Varric was already reloading Bianca.‘Hey Tiny!’ Varric called running in Bull’s direction. Bull came to meet him in the middle, cutting a Venatori off at the knees as he went.‘Took you long enough.’ Bull’s said, without malice. ‘We had to start without you.’‘It was rough going in this weather. In case you hadn’t noticed Bull, it’s kind of wet here.’ Another crossbow bolt knocked a charging ‘Vint off his feet.Bull smacked a guy with the butt of his axe in the nose. In crunched like a nutshell. ‘You’d think that coming to a place called the Storm Coast you’d prepare for, you know, storms.’‘You’re very sarcastic for a man who only got this job interview because of my charm and charisma’. A ‘Vint a few yards away knocked Dalish’s staff out of her hand. Within seconds he was on the ground, a crossbow bolt jutting out the back of his skull.‘Thanks, Varric!’‘Anytime Sweetpea.’ Varric called back. ‘See. Dalish knows how to show her appreciation. She needs to give you a manners lesson.’Bull looked around for the next enemy to take down. There wasn't any. All the 'Vints were either falling to the ground, or trying to block the blow that was going to be the one that finished them off. The Qunari woman plunged her dagger right into the last enemy’s chest. He slumped to the ground and the beach was still.She looked at the dark-haired woman with a grin.‘We should do all our recruiting this way,’ the woman panted. ‘That was fun.’ She caught Bull’s eye and moved towards him.And there she was.She was shorter than Bull, but only by half an inch, which after so long away from Par Vollen was a novelty. She was not beautiful. Her features were too sharp for that, too many angles. A strong jaw-line coupled with a long face. A wide mouth with thin lips. The tip of one ear cut off at a sharp angle. But it didn’t matter. While she wasn’t beautiful she did manage to be striking. She'd pulled her white hair tight against her scalp and gathered in a bun that sat at the base of her neck. Her horns curved backwards and down before sweeping up again into curved points. She'd capped in unadorned copper tips. She was wearing official Inquisition armour and a bright red vitaar at the same time. Her skin was the same shade as Bull’s.Bull laughed. In spite of all the shit he was going to get from his supervisors when they found out who the Herald was, he laughed. It had been such a long time since he saw anyone who looked anything like him. There was something comforting about it. Like walking into your hometown.‘Damn it’s true! Oh, the Chantry must love you. A Qunari mercenary as the Herald of Andraste. Who’d have thought.’The Herald smiled still panting and offered Bull a hand. ‘Nice to see someone’s pleased about me having horns. I hear you’re looking for work.’Bull took her hand and shook. ‘I am, not before my drink though.’‘A man after my own heart.’‘Good to hear. I’ll have my boys break open the casks and get you a tankard'. Krem strolled up beside him and stood to attention, the picture-perfect second-in-command. ‘I assume you remember Cremisius Aclassi. My Lieutenant.’‘Good to see you again.’ Krem nodded at the Herald, who nodded back. ‘The throat-cutters are done, Chief.’‘Already? Have them check again'. Bull knew the Chargers would never skip over a body. But he wanted this Herald woman to know they were professionals. ‘I don’t want any of those Tevinter bastards getting away.’ Bull caught Krem raising an eyebrow. No offence Krem.’‘None taken. At least a bastard knows who his mother was.’ Krem walked away, calling over his shoulder. ‘Puts him one up on you Qunari, right?’Bull squeezed his eye shut. So much for looking professional. The herald snorted.‘Ah yes. The joys of leadership. I can’t tell you how much I miss sassing my old captain.’‘Krem said you were in a merc company.’ Bull said.‘Yep. Before the conclave. They were very different to the Chargers though.’‘In what way?’‘Well for starters, we all had these.’ The Herald pointed to her horns.Bull fought to keep himself from scowling.
He tried to remind himself that her crew was completely different to the roaming bands of Tal-Vashoth he faced on Seheron. It wasn’t an easy feat.‘Well you've seen us in action, so you know what we have to offer. We’re expensive, but we’re worth it. And I’m sure the Inquisition can afford us.’The Herald put her hands on her hips. ‘You'd think that, but we're not rolling in money. How much is this going to cost me, exactly?’‘Wouldn’t cost you anything personally. Unless you want to buy drinks later. Your ambassador, err… what’s her name…’. Bull waved his hand as though he wasn’t completely aware that the Inquisition’s ambassador was Josephine Montilyet. Eldest child of an Antivian noble. Former Antivian diplomat, and close personal friend of the Divine’s left hand. The information the Ben-Hassrath had provided Bull with was both thorough and enlightening. Well,except for the woman standing in front of him.‘Josephine! We’d go through her and get the payments set up. Gold will take care of itself.’‘Says the man getting the gold.’‘True, but I promise; we’re worth it.’‘I can tell. The Chargers seem like an excellent company.’‘They are. But you’re not just getting the boys.’‘Really? Do I get a free set of steak knives?’‘You’re getting me.’She looked startled. ‘Oh.’‘You need a frontline bodyguard. I’m your man.’'Oh!' she said again, this time looking relieved. 'That makes more sense.''What d'you mean?''I just thought... nothing. I thought nothing.' The Herald raised her chin. ‘But you did hear me when I said I’m also a Mercenary, didn’t you? I can handle myself on the battlefield without a bodyguard.’‘That was before or after the demons fell out of the sky?’‘I’ve been doing fine with the demons so far.’‘I’m sure you have been. But you’re also the only one who can close the rifts. Or was that just a rumour?’Bull saw the Herald’s left-hand clench. ‘No, that’s right.’‘All the more reason to keep you in one piece. This isn’t a jab at your fighting skills. I saw you down on the beach and you can hold your own. But it would be smart to have someone to watch your back. Because if you go down, we’re all fucked.’The Herald smiled and grimaced at the same time. ‘No pressure, then.’‘That’s why I’m here to give you a hand. Whatever it is, dragons, demons. The bigger the better.’‘You’ve face dragons and demons before?’‘Hordes of demons. Hate the fuckers. Dragons… that’s more wishful thinking on my part. So, do we have a deal, mighty and powerful Herald of Andraste?’‘Or you could call me Jill. To save time.’Iron Bull raised his eyebrow.‘Jill?’ He said. ‘You’re a Tal-Vashoth named… Jill?’Jill squared her shoulders and looked Bull straight in the eye. ‘Just a Vashoth. And my real name is "Shokra Hissra Anaan-Kost Esaam Qun Talan Ebasit Adaar."’Bull took a step back at this, his mouth falling open a fraction. Jill smiled. It had sharp edges.‘My parents said it means “Struggle against the illusion that victory and peace are to be found within the Qun. Truth is a weapon.” Is that right?’Bull nodded. ‘Yeah. I mean, it’s a bit clunky, but pretty much.’The Vashoth put her hands on her hips. ‘Good to know. I’ve always wondered if they called me something like “One Who Cleans Out Stable Filth” as a sick joke and never got around to telling me.’‘No. No, they didn’t. They gave you a name that would have you sent to the re-educators and given qamek within an hour. But it definitely doesn’t mean “stable hand.”’‘You see why I go by Jill,’ she said and winked. ‘Besides, the leader of my company is called Shokrakar which is too similar to Shokra, and they had a Hissra already, so I couldn’t just use my second name -the company already had two Ashaads at the time and that was a real pain, you have no idea- and we all figured it would be good for at least one of us to have a name the humans could pronounce--‘Bull waved his hand. ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get the picture.’‘But Adaar is fine. Or Jill. Or “hey massive grey person with horns”. Although if you end up sticking around that one may get confusing too.’Bull nodded. ‘I’ll probably end up calling you “boss” if that’s alright with you.’She laughed. ‘I’m not going to complain.’Bull scrutinised Jill for a moment. Should he back out of his original plan to tell her the truth of why he was here? He’d known her for less than five minutes and he knew that she wasn’t going to be a fan of the Qun. But if he didn’t tell her and she found out on her own…He remembered what had happened when Dorian discovered he was Ben-Hassrath. He didn’t want to repeat that mistake.Bull took the plunge.‘There’s one more thing. Might be useful. Might piss you off.’Will definitely piss you off. Bull thought to himself. Your name is practically Fuck-The-Qun-With-A-Rusty-War-Axe.But she was waiting expectantly now and there was no backing out. Bull stood up straighter.‘Ever hear of the Ben-Hassrath?’Jill stiffened. She lifted her chin high and narrowed her eyes. ‘I learned of the Ben-Hassrath from my parents. They are the enforcers of the Qunari. And the spies.’‘Yeah, that’s them. Or well… us.’The sun flashed off Jill’s dagger as she whipped it out and held the edge against Bull’s throat.‘Stay back,’ she hissed. ‘Come and inch closer and I’ll slice your head clean off your shoulders.’Bull raised his hands. The hand holding the dagger was rock steady, but he could see fear lurking in the corners of Jill’s eyes.‘This isn’t how most of my business negotiations go.’ Bull said.‘Adaar! What the hell are you doing?!’Varric was the one yelling. And running across the beach at full speed. The Chargers weren’t far behind him, weapons drawn. The stern woman had already pulled her sword from her scabbard again and had rushed to the Herald’s side. Beside her stood a bald elf, who didn’t aim his staff at Bull, but gripped it tight.‘Adaar, what is this?’ the woman hissed at Jill in a thick Nevarran accent. Her sword was already pointed in Bull’s direction.‘He’s Ben-Hassrath.’ Jill said. She didn’t turn her eyes away from Bull for a second. Didn’t even blink. ‘He just admitted it, right to my face.’‘Of course he’s fucking Ben-Hassrath!’ Varric said skidding beside them, his hands raised as though he was the one she was threatening. ‘I could have told you that!’‘You knew?!’ Jill hurled the words as Varric like they were rocks. ‘You knew what he is, and you let us come here like lambs to the slaughter?!’‘I’m not planning to do any slaughtering if you’re not.’ Bull said in a practiced, even tone.‘Oh really?’ the elf asked. He looked at Bull as though he was a dried-up druffello testicle. ‘I didn’t realise your people had the capacity to stop mindlessly killing those who oppose you.’‘You want to see how far I can shove that fancy, magic-stick up your arsehole, mate?’ Rocky snarled, taking a step forward. All the Chargers moved with him. Bull held up a hand and shot Krem a “I’ve got this” look. Krem’s eyes shifted between Jill and Bull.
He silently waved at the Chargers to lower their weapons. The boys did, with palpable reluctance.Bull locked eyes with Jill again. This was still just between her and him.‘The Ben-Hassrath are concerned about the breach. Magic out of control like that could cause trouble everywhere.’‘No shit,’ said Jill.‘I’ve been ordered to join the Inquisition, get close to the people in charge and send reports back on what’s happening.’‘That’s it?’‘That’s it.’‘No invasion, no qamek, no forced conversions?’‘Nope. They’re putting all that on hold while the world ends.’‘I don’t believe you.’Bull looked down at the dagger against his neck. ‘In your own words, “No shit.” Look, Jill. Whatever happened at that conclave thing is bad. Someone needs to get that breach closed. And you with your weird glowing hand seem to be the only one who can do that. So, whatever I am, I’m on your side.’Jill drew a deep breath through her nose.‘You expect me, a Vashoth, the child of Tal-Vashoth parents, to trust a Qunari spy?’Bull shrugged. ‘Well… yeah. Or tell me to leave. Either way is fine. You want to talk Tal-Vashoth, we can do that in detail some other time. Preferably when I don’t have a knife to my throat. But the short version? If you’re not a bandit terrorising innocent people, I’ve got no problem with you.’‘Oh, that’s nice.’ Jill flashed the world’s most insincere smile. ‘What about if I have a problem with how the Ben-Hasrath treat everyone forced to live under the Qun?’‘My, what an excellent question.’ The elf said, folding his arms.Bull didn’t take the bait. ‘Like I said. Anytime you want to talk Qun vs. Tal-Vashoth, I’m up for it. But I didn’t come here to debate philosophies. I’m offering intel.’‘What do you mean?’‘I get Ben-Hassrath reports from agents all over Orlais. Sign me on. And I’ll share them with your people.’‘Adaar.’ Varric moved forward tentatively. Jill tore her eyes from Bull to look down at him. ‘Look, I get it. I was in Kirkwall during the Qunari invasion. When I first met Tiny, I didn’t know if I could trust him as far as I could throw him, as hilarious as that mental image is. But I’ve known him for years now, and he hasn’t tried to kill me once, if you don’t count liver damage. Iron Bull and his boys are legit, I swear. I will vouch for him if you want me to.’Jill paused considering. ‘How did you meet?’ Jill asked. Varric coughed.‘Ah… well… you see… the thing is…’Varric Tethras, the dwarf with the silver tongue, was stuttering. Seeing him trip over his words was enough of a signal to Bull that the truth was not an option.‘My crew and the old crew of Varric’s buddy did a few jobs together.’‘What buddy?’‘A guy named Hawke. Used to be a merc too. We’d meet in Kirkwall for drinks when we were passing through. If he was in a bind, we’d lend a hand now and then. If there was some money in it.’‘You met the Champion?!’ the Nevarran asked, her eyes wide. Bull glanced at Varric. Varric squeezed his eyes shut. Bull guessed that the topic of Hawke was what he had been trying to avoid in the first place.‘Where did you meet him?’ the woman said. There was a whiff of desperation to it. ‘Do you know where he is now? How long since you last communicated.’

Hawke was hard not to like.

The fact he was buying Bull free drinks didn’t hurt. It would have worked in his favour more if the beer didn’t taste like dog piss but it was the thought that counts.

But after a few funny stories shared between the two of them, the topic of business reared its ugly head.

‘The rumour is that the Divine is calling an Exalted March.’ Hawke said. ‘The only way for the city to be safe is for us to leave. As quickly and quietly as possible. Varric’s friend Mae says you and the Chargers could arrange that.’

‘There’s a chance.’ Bull tapped a finger on the table. ‘It won’t be easy. You and your friends don’t exactly shy away from the lime-light. At least that’s what I’ve heard.’

Hawke smiled sheepishly. ‘It wasn’t by choice. But then you fight one Arishok and suddenly your “Mr Popularity.”’

Bull grinned even though he knew his Tama would have slapped the back of his head for it. The grin faltered a little as he made a decision.

‘Just so we’re clear,’ Bull said slowly, ‘I am Qunari. I think it’s important that I’m upfront about that.’

Hawke leant back in his chair. Bull mirrored him.

‘Is that going to be a problem?’ Bull asked.

Hawke scratched his jaw with his thumb. ‘Depends. Are you here as a Qunari, or here as a friend of Varric’s cousin-in-law?’

‘The latter.’ Bull said without a pause. Hawke breathed deep, then nodded.

‘We can work with that.’

‘You sure? Like you said you’ve had your… differences with my people.’

Hawke laughed. ‘Have you seen my group of friends? Barely tolerating each other’s political and philosophical beliefs is how we roll.’

‘Kirkwall, no, and not for three years. We’re more go-out-for-drinks-if-we’re-in-town friends. Not send-each-other-letters friends.’The Nevarran woman slumped as much as someone with the posture of an iron rod could slump. Varric caught Bull’s eye and gave him the slightest nod.In spite of her disappointment, the Nevarran woman leaned into Jill space.‘If he intended this as some sort of trick, Adaar, it is a poor one. Telling you of his position in the Qunari only roused your suspicions and distrust. It weakened his chances of joining our ranks. I can see no benefit to him unless he told you as a show of good faith.’Jill scrutinised Bull for an eternity. Then, with a glacial slowness, drew the dagger away from Bull’s throat. It was like someone had finally let go of a string that had been pulled to the point of snapping. She slipped the dagger into her sheath.‘Alright. I’ve got this Cassandra. You, Varric and Solas can go talk to the scouts. I’ll finish up here.’‘You are certain?’ Cassandra asked.‘I am. Go on. I’ll sort this out.’Cassandra frown but gave a short nod, before heading down the beach. The elf frowned before following her.Varric didn’t make to leave.‘I said you can go Varric.’ Jill said She didn’t take her eyes off Bull. Varric bunched one hand into a fist and wrapped his other hand around his wrist.‘I will… but Jill, can you promise me something?’Jill looked down at him. ‘Depends. What?’‘Please don’t stab Bull. He’s a good guy and it will cause more problems than it’s worth.’Jill sighed through her nose. ‘I won’t kill your Ben-Hassrath friend, Varric. All we’ll do is talk.’Varric looked Jill over. ‘You swear? Because I’m trusting you on this one, Jill. You have no idea how many letters I’ll have to write if you think twice about your stabbing policy.’Jill turned to look at Varric head on. She put one hand over her heart and held the other in the air, like she was making an oath. ‘I swear in the holy name of Andraste, Bride of the Maker, that Iron Bull and I will not come to blows. He and his company shall leave this beach unharmed. Regardless of the outcome of our negotiations.’ She dropped her hand. ‘Sound good to you, Varric?’Bull raised his eyebrows. Now that was interesting.‘Sounds perfect.’ Varric said his posture back to its regular relaxed, open stance. ‘You two kids play nice.’And with a wave, Varric sauntered off down the beach. Bull looked over to the Chargers.‘We’re good boys. Give me a minute and I’ll straighten things out with Jill here.’Krem somehow managed to narrow his eyes and raise his eyebrows at the same time. ‘You sure about that Chief?’‘You heard the woman.’ Bull said, tilting his head in Jill’s direction. ‘Swore on Andraste and everything. And when the Herald of Andraste swears on Andraste, you can’t get any better than that.’Krem clenched his jaw, wanting to disagree. But then he slid his Warhammer into the holster on his back. ‘C’mon lads. Let’s let the Chief finish his discussion.’One by one the Chargers put away their weapons and with a clear hesitancy, walked back down the beach.‘Now isn’t that something?’‘Your men following your orders is something?’ Jill asked.‘No. I was talking about you. Swearing on Andraste’s name, eh?’‘What about it?’‘I expected the whole Herald thing to be a label the humans slapped on you'. Bull looked at Jill from the corner of his eye and smiled. ‘I didn’t expect you to be an actual Andrastian. But that spiel to Varric was legit, wasn’t it? You’re a true believer.’Jill shifted her weight from one foot to another. ‘Like I said. What about it?’‘Did you convert after you fell out of the breach?’ Bull asked. ‘Was it some sort of religious awakening? Or were you one of the faithful before?’‘We can have a Qun vs. Andrastism chat another time. Right after our Tal-Vashoth vs Ben-Hassrath one.’ Jill said dryly.‘But only if you give me and my boys the job.’ Bull said. ‘How likely is that?’‘More likely than a minute ago. I trust Varric. And he trusts you.’‘Not to go and ruin my one shot at getting employed, but honesty isn’t exactly the virtue Varric is known for. His motto is “never let the truth get in the way of a good story.”’Jill rested her hands on her hips. ‘Before it blew up, Cassandra was dragging Varric to the conclave. She wanted him to tell his version of what happen in Kirkwall to the Divine. Don’t know why. Justinia could have read “The Tale of the Champion”, but maybe that’s why they didn’t give me the big fancy hat instead. When I first fell out of the fade after the explosion, I was the chief suspect. They thought I had blown it up. The whole Qunari Barbarian vibe I gave off didn’t help my case either. Stop looking at me like that, I am getting to the point.’‘I wasn’t thinking anything like that.’ Bull said. He had been, but Jill didn’t need to know that.‘What I’m getting at is, Varric and I bonded over a mutual feeling of “we didn’t even want to be here in the first place”. Everyone else in the Inquisition has an agenda. Cassandra has her sworn duty, Solas -the elf that hates you- has a hard-on for the rifts. Everyone I meet has their own reasons for being at Haven and tolerating me. I don’t blame them. Having an agenda is not always a bad thing. But Varric told me to run the first chance I got, out of concern for my own safety. So yeah, I trust Varric.’‘And you’re a fan of his books.’‘And I’m a fan of his books. Wait, how did you--?’‘Krem was there when Varric promised you a chapter, remember? No sneaky spy stuff, I swear.’Jill nodded, eyes narrowed. ‘There you go. Varric is the only reason you’re still standing.’Bull didn’t contradict her, even though she was wrong. With his boys on the beach, he could have taken her and her party down in a minute and a half.‘Also Cassandra’s right,’ Jill went on. ‘You still could have hidden what you are.’‘From something called The Inquisition? I’d have been tipped sooner or later. And then you would have come for me in my sleep. Better you hear it right up front from me.’Jill rubbed the base of her horn. ‘Alright. If I am living in a crazy world where demons fall out of holes in the sky, and I offer jobs to members of the bloody Ben-Hassrath, we may as well do this right'. Jill stood at ease, her hands held in front of her. ‘What are going to be in these reports you send back to your superiors?‘Only enough to keep them happy. Nothing that would compromise your operations.’‘And what exactly would keep them happy?’ Jill asked.‘I’m not going to lie to you. The Qunari want to know if they need to launch an invasion to stop the whole damn world from falling apart.’Jill’s poker face impressed Bull. But he saw her neck bob as she swallowed. The idea of one Ben-Hassrath had her drawing weapons. The idea of a Qunari invasion probably had her screaming internally.‘If you let me and the boys sign up, I promise it won’t come to that. You let me send word of what you’re doing it’ll put some minds at ease. That’s good for everyone.’‘So this deal is the lesser of two evils.’ Jill said. Bull sighed.‘You can call it whatever you want. But it’s what I’m offering. Take it or leave it.’Jill tilted her head. ‘What you’re offering? Do the Qunari know you deliberately blew your cover to me?’Bull grimaced. That was sloppy on his part. ‘They’ll know soon enough.’Jill, for the first time since Bull had told her he was Ben-Hassrath, genuinely smiled.‘What about the Ben-Hassrath’s reports your offering in exchange? What’s in those?’‘Enemy movements, suspicious activity, intriguing gossip. It’s a bit of everything.’‘Sounds like basic stuff. We do have our own scouts, you know.’‘I admit alone there not much. But if your spy-master is worth a damn she’ll put them to good use.’Jill folded her arms. ‘She?’Bull chuckled. Damn, you couldn’t pull anything over this woman. ‘I did a little research. Plus, I’ve always had a weakness for redheads.’Jill nodded and rubbed her right thumb along her left palm. She was wearing thick leather gloves but Bull knew what was under there. He couldn’t see this mark everyone kept talking about, but he thought he could feel the energy it radiated. Or maybe that was his imagination.Jill straightened her shoulders and looked Bull in the eye.‘You run your reports past Leliana before sending them. You send nothing she doesn’t approve. If this turns out to be a trick, or your reports compromise the Inquisition,’ Jill pointed her thumb over her shoulder, ‘Cassandra will eat you alive.’Bull looked in the direction Jill had pointed. Standing off in the middle distance, was the Nevarran woman. She was glaring at Bull so hard Bull wouldn’t have surprised him if her eyes had popped out of her head. He smirked and winked in her direction. The woman screwed up her nose and turned away.‘Wouldn’t have it any other way.’ Bull said.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Bull was naturally gregarious. It was one of the reasons he was so good at his job. People liked him. When you liked a person, you wanted to trust them. And when you trusted someone you wanted to tell them your secrets.Jill… did not like Bull.And to be honest, Bull wasn’t fond her Jill either.He had promised her a conversation about the Qun and he had delivered. A few times actually. None of those conversations had ended well.
‘I thought we should talk. One Qunari to another.’Bull raised an eyebrow and scrutinised Jill. ‘You’re not Qunari. You’re Tal Vashoth. World of difference.’Jill smiled. ‘Oh, I know the difference. And I thank the Maker and my Tamas every day.’‘Fine. You didn’t turn out to be a murdering bandit so I guess you turned out fine.’‘Oh, thank you so much! You’re far too kind. Ever heard the term “damned with faint praise”?’‘What? You want me to congratulate you? I’m Ben Hassrath, remember. My job was to help people live under the Qun. Not turn into mindless savages.‘I’m sorry. What did you say about my Tamas?’
‘So why Iron Bull?’‘I picked it.’ Bull said flatly.‘No shit.’ Jill replied in the same tone.‘I thought it was obvious. Even growing up Tal-Vashoth your parents had to have told you about some of it, right?’‘Only the bits they couldn’t spare me from.’Bull soldiered on, ignoring the jab. He was getting very good at that. ‘We don’t have names. When I came south I needed one so I made one up. I expect your parents did the same.‘That’s pretty obvious, don't you think?’‘Considering your name is the biggest fuck-you to the Qun I’ve ever come across, yeah, you could say that. Can’t complain about the Adaar bit though. “Weapon”. I like that.’‘It'd thrill them to know it meets your approval. But why did you go with “Iron Bull”.’Bull crossed his arms and gave Jill a subtle flex.‘This may surprise you. But I really like hitting things.’‘I’m shocked.’‘I thought you might be. I put it at the top of all my reference papers.’‘Iron Bull – Specialty: Hitting Things.’‘Technically it’s “the” Iron Bull. I like having the article at the front. It makes it sound like I’m not even a person, just a mindless weapon. An implement of destruction. That really works for me.’Jill’s eyes had grown wider as Bull spoke.‘So… you like the Adaar part of my name because it reminds you of yours.’‘Yep.’‘And you chose your name because it literally makes you a “thing”.’‘You got it.’‘Are you saying that because you thought I would be… pleased by the comparison?’‘Well… yeah? I thought it was interesting.’‘You know what? I remember I have to be… anywhere that isn’t here. Excuse me, Iron Bull.’As Jill trudged away, Bull called out to her. ‘You didn’t use the “the”.’‘Your Ben-Hassrath skills are amazing, Iron Bull,’ Jill called back.
‘The Qun isn’t perfect. But at least there’s some sense to it.’‘Yes. Lots of things make sense if you’re taught from birth not to think too hard about anything.’‘True. It’s not like the Qun’s founder was a philosopher or anything. What was Andraste’s claim to fame again? Oh, that’s right. The Maker got a hard-on for her, she started a war and then got set on fire. I can see how she’s the thinking person’s choice.’
‘How much am I going to regret asking you about your Ben-Hassrath work?’‘Depends what you mean when you say Ben-Hassrath. Do you mean the secret police? The re-educators? The spies.’‘Yep. Already regretting this.’But Jill didn’t move to leave.‘Did you do any… re-educating?’‘No. Wasn’t my area.’She tried to hide it but Bull saw Jill let out a tiny sigh. Bull leant a little forward.‘But I know the basics. Keep a man awake long enough. Ask him the right questions. Give him the right potions, and you can get him to say anything.’Jill took half a step back. Bull kept going.‘You don’t need blood magic or demons to change a person’s mind. We’re a lot more fragile than we like to believe.’Jill looked ashen. A part of Bull delighted in that, making this self-righteous, judgemental, Tal-Vashoth squirm. But another part didn’t want to confirm all of Jill’s worst feelings about the Qun. About him.‘My Tamas told me stories.’ Jill swallowed. ‘About what the re-educators did.’‘Yes.’ Bull said. ‘You’re lucky your parents got away.’ He didn’t know why he offered that up like it was a comfort.‘What would have happened if they didn’t?’ Jill asked.‘Do you actually want to know the answer to that question?’‘No but I’ve asked it already so you may as well give me one.’‘The weak minds get bent into the right shape. Strong minds like yours…’‘What?’‘They would have ended up giving you Qamek. You would have been a polite happy labourer for the rest of your life.’Something in Jane’s body changed. The apprehension drained away. Replaced with… something Bull couldn’t place.‘Oh? Is that right?’‘That’s right. And you would have a handler to help you eat and make sure you didn’t crap your pants.’Jill narrowed her eyes.‘I bet dealing with crap in pants is better than dealing with the crap that comes out of your mouth.’Bull drew back. ‘What?’‘I think Josephine’s calling me,’ Jill said stomping away. ‘I’ve got to go.’‘How did I piss you off that time?’ Bull yelled at Jill’s retreating back. She didn’t respond.
‘So how did you end up in the south?’‘The Ben-Hassrath ordered me to come to Orlais, ostensibly as a Tal-Vashoth, and work undercover.’Jill smirked a little. ‘That must have stung once or twice. People thinking you’re one of us.’‘It did. Better than being one for real though.’Jill’s smirk faltered.
‘My Tamas are farmers. I spent my childhood feeding chickens and getting water from wells. Why would the Qun hate that?’‘I believe you. You don’t need to convince me.’‘I do if you’re working for the Qun. I don’t know when you’re going to decide I’m too much of a threat and need to be “dealt with”.’‘Look if you’re worried I’m going to attack you, don’t be. I’ve had a lifetime of fighting Tal-Vashoth. You’re not the kind I hate.’Jill sniffed in the cold morning air. ‘Can’t say I can return the compliment.’
‘So you were a spy.’‘Close. I am now I suppose. But that’s not how I started. They sent me to Seheron because they needed someone who could fight and hunt down problems.’‘Ah. Problems. Like my Tamas.’‘And ‘Vints, and native rebels fighting both sides. That island was a sack of cats. I was in the middle, trying the wrangle the rebels and restore order.’‘Qun type order?’‘I would have settled for the type of order where people didn’t put rat poison in the bread and kill a bunch of children.’For once, Jill shut her mouth.‘I hunted down a lot of rebels. Lost a lot of friends to the ‘Vints, the Fog Warriors,’ Bull gave Jill a deliberate once-over, ‘and the Tal-Vashoth. One day I woke up and couldn’t think of a damned reason to keep doing my job. So I handed myself over to the re-educators.’Jill’s mouth fell open. ‘I’m sorry? You did what?’‘It was better than letting some rebel kill me. I couldn’t give any of those bastards the satisfaction.’Jill ran her hand over her face. ‘You, of your own free will, handed yourself over to re-educators!’‘I thought your whole shtick was that I don’t have free will.’ Bull put a hand on his hip. ‘Qunari and all that.’‘Nope. Can’t do this. Conversation finished.’‘Not even going to think of an excuse to leave this time?’ Bull asked as Jill, once again, hurried away.
This morning Bull thought they had moved onto safer topics. She’s asked about life day-to-day under the Qun and so far, there hadn’t been a spat between them. Then she had asked about love and relationships and sex and… well…‘There are Tamassrans that pop your cork whenever you want to.’Jill cocked her head and blinked. ‘I’m sorry. “Pop your cork”?’‘Yeah. It’s not a big deal like it is here. It’s like… going to see a healer.’‘A healer.’ Jill was gritting her teeth. ‘Exactly like a healer.’‘Hey, Boss? You alright?’Jill looked Bull up and down. She opened her mouth to say something but forced it shut again.‘Boss?’‘You know what?’ Jill shook her head. ‘I’m not doing this. I tried. Maker knows I tried.’And with that Jill strode away. When she was out of earshot Krem strolled over.‘What’d you say?’ Bull shrugged‘Nothing. Told her some truths about life in the homeland. That's all. It’s not my problem if she has a stick up her ass when it comes to these things.’In the distance Jill speaking to Cassandra by the training dummies. With a nod, Cassandra handed her sword to Jill and stepped back. There was a slash. A crunch. A snap. Within thirty seconds the training dummy was gone. All that remained was a broken crumpled sack bleeding sawdust onto the snow. Jill was still hitting it.‘Think it is your problem, Chief.’…Haven itself wasn’t bad. It had the smell of a military encampment, and everyone was on edge. But it didn’t yet have that tired, worn feeling that developed when soldiers had been in a place for years. Everyone had a sense of purpose. The soldiers. The Chantry sisters. The regular everyday people who had come to do whatever they could. All of them believed in what they were doing.Plus, they had a tavern. The redhead Leliana had set it up to run the place? Definitely a plus.Bull strolled through Haven’s gates. As he headed up the stairs he noted an interested glace a Chantry sister threw his way. Looked like she would be a good time too. Y’know, if circumstances were different.Dorian and Bull had rules in place about sleeping with other people. It wasn’t that they couldn’t. In the early days of their relationship both of them had fun with interested locals they met in their travels. Sometimes apart and, if their tastes aligned, sometimes together. But over the years Bull and Dorian’s interest in other people had slowly petered out. It had been without any discussion on either of their parts. Bull couldn’t say why. But the thrill of being with someone new eventually got superseded by the comfort of someone he knew. And who knew him. Someone he trusted without question. Besides, while Dorian was familiar he and Bull shared an interest in getting creative. Let’s just say they were never bored.But back when sleeping with other people was a semi-regular occurrence, Dorian had always been able to give Bull the go ahead. And vice versa. That was impossible with Dorian nations away.Fuck, he needed a drink.He turned right at the top of the stairs only to see someone tall and grey disappearing through the tavern door. A dwarf in a red tunic followed behind.So much for a nice quiet drink.Bull debated whether to go in or not. The idea of having to listen to Jill’s half-assed assumptions on the Qun put his teeth on edge. But Bull had every right to go and get a drink too, and with Varric there maybe there would be a chance to keep the peace.Also, Jill would be just as pissed he was there as he was to see her. That was something at least.As Bull walked up to the door, ready to push it open and stroll in as though nothing was wrong, he heard Varric voice drift out from inside.‘--Come on Jill. Give him one more chance.’‘No.’‘Please.’‘Nope.’‘For me?’‘I’m not talking to him again.’‘I’ll let you read—'‘You can’t bribe me with another chapter.’ Jill said. ‘Hell, a whole book wouldn’t be enough. I can’t keep doing this, Varric. You can’t say I haven’t put in the effort to reach out to him like you asked me too. I’m going to tell Cassandra I made a mistake. I want the Iron Bull and the Chargers out.’‘Jill, I get it. You and Bull have… very different outlooks on life.’‘He’s a monster, Varric!’ Jill hissed. ‘And he’s proud of it. He was bragging about what the Ben-Hassrath do to people, and how he’s trained himself to be a “mindless weapon”. His words!’‘And you weren’t goading him at all? Not even a little bit?’There was a pause. ‘Not… really…’Varric laughed. ‘Remind me to play Wicked Grace with you sometime. I’ll make a fortune.’‘I can’t help it!’ Jill says. ‘He knows how to get under my skin. You think you’re having a normal friendly conversation with him and then bam! The most disturbing thing comes out of his mouth. I’m pretty sure he does it to watch me squirm.’‘You ever think that Bull’s not trying to piss you off?’‘I don’t get you.’‘He grew up under the Qun. He probably thinks those things are… part of everyday life. Doesn’t see a problem with them.’‘That’s even worse!’‘Look, maybe he doesn’t get why what he says bothers you. Maybe he is trying to fuck with you a bit. Maybe both, who knows? But I went into the Qunari compound in Kirkwall more times than I can count, and I can tell you this. Bull is probably the most friendly, easy-going, Qunari you’ll meet.’‘That’s fucked up if true.’‘I swear, Jill. I knew the Arishok, remember? Now that was one solemn, hard-arsed s.o.b, let me tell you. There was this one time when Hawke—’‘Varric. Less story, more point.‘Alright. You want a point? Here’s a point. If you send Bull away, the Qun’s not going to let things lie. They’ll send other spies, ones you don’t know about, and who are far more Qun-y. And if they think your Tal-Vashoth ass is going to be more trouble than useful? They’ll have no problem with making things less… complicated.’‘And how do I know Bull doesn’t already consider me a complication?’‘You don’t,’ Varric admitted. ‘But at least you know to watch your back around him.’A chair creaked. Bull could see in his mind’s eye Jill slouching sullenly in it. ‘I hate you.’‘Because I’m right?’‘Yeah. And because you’re going to be all smug about it.’‘I prefer the terms confident and self-assured.’ Varric said. There was the sound of coins clattering on the wooden table. ‘And don’t worry about Bull. I’m telling you he’s a good guy once you get to know him.’‘Yeah, but you’re not a great judge of character.’‘I beg your pardon. As a writer, I am an amazing judge of character. The inter-workings of people’s minds are my playground.’‘Says the guy who didn’t know his friend was going to blow up the Kirkwall Chantry.’‘Alright, you got me there.’ Varric said. Bull heard his chair scoot backwards and coins land on a table. ‘But as far as I know Bull hasn’t blown anything up. Rocky, maybe, but not Bull. I like to judge people on what they have done, not what they could do. Give them the benefit of the doubt, you know?’‘Yeah, well… I’m not sure if I can afford to do that Varric.’‘Give it a try. After all the Inquisition gave you a chance when you were suspect number one after the conclave. That turned out good for us.’‘That’s not a fair comparison.’‘I don’t know. Perhaps you and Bull have more in common than you think.’A peel of harsh laughter rang out. ‘Thank you Varric. I need cheering up.’The tavern door swung open and Bull moved out of the way as Varric stepped out. He caught Bull’s eye. There was no point in Bull trying to pretend he hadn’t been listening. Varric pointed up at him.‘You’re on thin ice, Bull.’‘So I heard.’‘You’d better get off your arse and fix this. I’ve done all I can to talk you up but you’re not helping.’‘She keeps asking about the Qun. I keep answering.’‘Then lie! Change the subject! Pretend you’re having a heart attack to get out of the conversation. Do anything but talk about the Qun.’‘Jill’s already made up her mind about me, Varric. Nothing’s going to change that.’‘I thought you were a spy?’ Varric asked. ‘One of the Ben-Hassrath’s most elite? Stop acting like a prick because she’s Tal-Vashoth and start doing your fucking job. And don’t pretend half the reason you’re acting like an arsehole isn’t because you haven’t seen Dorian in weeks and need a good fuck.’Bull growled. ‘Watch it, Varric.’‘And thus, with his point proven, the dwarf takes his leave.’ Varric gave Bull a small bow and left.
Jill was amassing more and more followers each day. It seems every time she went on a mission she’d come back with a new one. One day it was the High Enchanter of the Imperial Court of Orlais. The next it was some crazy elf chick with links to some sort of underground resistance. Bull never could work out how she got in contact with these people.He also never went with her to collect these new allies. In fact, Bull had never been out with her on the field, since that day on the Storm Coast. So much for being a front-line body-guard.Varric was right. If the Chargers were going to stay with the Inquisition Bull was going to have to start mending fences and soon. He’d done jobs for many people who had rubbed him the wrong way. Hell, he wouldn’t have lasted two days in Fisher’s bleeders if he didn’t know when to bite his tongue. He could play nice with Jill.That was if Jill was willing to play nice with him.He’d received some intel from Par Vollen. Nothing earth-shaking, but potentially useful all the same. Normally he would hand it over to Red or one of her lackeys and be done with it. But after some consideration, Bull thought it would be smart to give it to Jill in person. Make sure she saw him hold up his end of the bargain.He was considering whether to knock on the door of the war-room or not when Jill walked out. Her stride faulted a little when she saw Bull. But, to give Jill credit, she squared her shoulders and walked straight towards him.‘Bull.’‘Boss. Got some intel I thought you’d like to see.’‘Give it to Leliana, Bull.’ Jill said walking passed him. 'I’ve got to go pack for Redcliffe.’Redcliffe. The word hooked into his mind. Dorian wouldn't have arrived yet, but if that's where he and Alexius were heading—Bull fell into step beside her.‘What’s in Redcliffe?’Jill’s brow creased, but she didn’t comment on Bull’s sudden interest. ‘It’s the seat of the mage rebellion. They’ve all locked down there after the conclave explosion. I’ve agreed to meet with Grand Enchanter Fiona and see if we can help each other out.’‘You want mages to help you with the breach?’ Bull said, failing to keep the skepticism out of his voice. Jill gave him one of her acidic smiles.‘Yep. If all goes according to plan Haven could be full of to the brim with crazy rebel apostates.’‘Great.’‘You worried what Par Vollen will say when they hear the Tal Vashoth herald is banding together with a legion of Bas-Sarrebas?’‘The Qun know that mages are useful. We hold them in great reverence for their sacrifices.’Jill didn’t even try to hide her eye-roll.‘What about you?’ she asked. ‘Does magic freak you out? Do you feel it needs to be kept “in check”?’

Bull was on his knees before Dorian, wrists shackled behind the small of his back.

The stone floor was beginning to make his knees ache.

The Chargers had found an abandoned keep and decided to make home-base for a few weeks. It was draughty and dank and had been abandon for a reason. Half of the Chargers were sure the whole thing would collapse and bury them alive one night while they slept. But it was a roof over their heads, and easily defensible and they all got their own room for once.

Except of course for Dorian and Bull.

Dorian wretched Bull’s head back by the horn, forcing him to meet his eye. He lifted his other hand and ran a finger under Bull’s jawline.

‘You really are magnificent.’ Dorian mused. ‘You know that?’

‘I do walk pass a mirror every now and then.’

Another sharp tug at his horn. A warning. A reminder of his place tonight. The finger, once feather-light suddenly became ice cold, razor sharp, claw-like.

‘And all mine.’ Dorian whispered. Bull glanced down and saw his lover’s fingers tipped in shards of ice. Dorian trailed them down neck, following the path Bull's artery created. Then along his clavicle to the centre of his chest. Bull tried to keep breathing even as Dorian splayed his hand across Bull’s sternum. ‘Say it.’

Bull knew this wasn’t the time to smile sweetly but he couldn’t help it all the same. ‘Yours Kadan. Always.’

Dorian’s face softened a little, but then his lips quirked into a wicked smile.

A jolt of electricity burst through Bull’s chest, leaving him gasping.

‘Good. Let’s make sure you don’t forget that, shall we.’

‘Magic doesn't intimidate me.’ Bull replied. 'Hasn't for years.'‘If you say so.’ Jill said as she and Bull strolled out the Chantry door. She had the uncomfortable look on her face. The one people get when they’ve already said goodbye to someone but keep walking in the same direction.‘When are you leaving for Redcliffe?’ Bull asked.‘I would leave tomorrow, but Cassandra has things she wants to take care of before we go.’Bull tucked a hand into his belt. ‘Is that so. Who else are you taking?’‘Vivienne obviously. She knows Grand Enchanter Fiona personally. Still tossing up between Sera and Varric for the ranged support. I think Sera. Don’t want to burn Varric out.’So not him. Not shocking, but still a pain in the ass.But Bull kept this thought to himself. Instead, he hummed at her choices. ‘Really? That’s interesting.’Jill slowed her steps until she came to a stop. ‘What is?’Bull gave a glance towards Cassandra who was in Leliana’s tent pouring over a map with their spymaster.‘Nothing. It’s only… you said something about Cassandra being the head of this Inquisition.’‘I said I consider her to be the Inquisition’s head. She declared it, she organised it. Why shouldn’t it be? Do you think she shouldn’t be?’Bull lifted a hand. ‘No, no. The Seeker is a good option. She knows what she’s doing. What you said about Varric burning out got me thinking, that’s all.’‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’Bull leaned in closer to Jill and gave Cassandra a furtive glance. ‘Don’t you think she looks tired?’Jill’s eyes darted to Cassandra for a second. But it was a long second. ‘Well… yeah. But we’re all tired. Everyone in Haven is working around the clock.’‘Yeah, but everyone in Haven has one job to do. Cassandra is not only running around the Hinterlands and the Storm Coast, but she’s keeping this whole thing afloat too.’Jill’s eyes slipped back to Cassandra again. By sheer fucking luck, the Seeker rubbed her eye with the heel of her hand. Jill rubbed her thumb along her palm.‘You think we’re running her into the ground.’‘Nah.’ Bull said in a way that clearly said “yes”. ‘Cassandra’s smart. She knows when to pull back.’‘Does she?’ Jill asked. ‘Because on the last trip we went on she fell asleep sitting up in her armour.’Bull hissed through his teeth. ‘Alright. Maybe she doesn’t.’‘But Cullen is too busy training the new recruits to come out into the field with us. And we need someone who knows how to use a bloody sword—’ Jill stopped. Her eyes fixed on Bull and narrowed.Bull inwardly groaned. Maybe he’d pushed it too far.‘Are you actually worried about Cassandra, or was this all just your way of manipulating me into getting you to come.’ Jill asked hands on hips.Bull rubbed his arm. ‘Can’t it be both?’‘Unbelievable.’‘Look, I get it. You don’t like me. I can deal with that. But I joined his Inquisition to do a job.’‘Yeah, to spy on us for the Qun.’‘And to actually help you close the hole in the sky. I can’t do that sitting here at Haven with my thumb up my ass.’Jill pursed her lips. She looked at Cassandra again and then down further to Varric standing beside a fire-pit. Varric caught Jill and Bull looking in his direction and he gave them the thumbs-up. She shook her head.‘This is so stupid.’‘C’mon Boss. Give me a chance to show you what I can do. Besides, that means we can leave tomorrow and Cassandra can have a break for once. Everyone wins.’Jill looked up at Bull and sighed. ‘Fine. I suppose if we are paying for you we may as well use you. Pack your stuff. We leave at first light. I’ll tell Cassandra the plans have changed.’Bull clapped Jill on the shoulder. ‘Thanks, boss. You won’t regret this.’‘I’d better not.’ Jill said strolling away. ‘And Bull? You can tell Varric that he is coming with us to Redcliffe after all. Tell him this is what happens when you give people the benefit of the doubt.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Redcliffe… wasn’t what Dorian had expected.All though his sea voyage Dorian had heard nothing but Redcliffe. It was all “Once we get to Redcliffe,” “We’ll deal with that at Redcliffe,” and “Our people at Redcliffe will sort that out”. After all this talk and anticipation, he’d thought their grand destination to be a little more, well, grand.Wasn’t Redcliffe the seat of power for Arl Teagan, uncle to the King of Ferelden? Wasn’t Redcliffe the scene of many extraordinary events during the Fifth Blight? Wasn’t it meant to be a major hub of trade in Ferelden?Why was everyone covered in mud?When he’d mentioned this to Felix his friend had had the gall to laugh at him.“This is the hub of the Mage Rebellion, Dorian. These people fled from their circles with nothing but the clothes on their backs. For Andraste’s sake did you expect everything to be business as usual?’Dorian hated to admit how obvious Felix’s observations were in retrospect.Grand Enchanter Fiona wasn’t what Dorian expected either.Fiona resembled a scholar, far more than she did a rebel leader. She slight elven woman, in her mid-fifties. But something told Dorian that most of her grey hairs and wrinkles were recent. Yes, her hair was still mostly dark and her skin was mostly firm. But the fine lines around her eyes spoke volumes, especially when she scowled.She was scowling at Dorian and Alexius now.‘So, the offer you are presenting is this,’ Fiona said, running the tip of her ring finger along the edge of her tankard. ‘You will grand the mage rebellion your protection and eventual Tevinter citizenship. But only on the condition, we indenture ourselves to your service for ten years.’‘That is a substantial amount of time,’ added Arl Teagan, who was sitting beside Fiona, his own tankard in hand. He looked like he might have been an attractive man in his youth. But time had weathered his features, leaving him on the cusp of haggard. The crags of his face looked even more exaggerated in the low light of the Redcliffe Tavern.‘It may seem that way, but I assure you it is the standard length of time for such a contract in Tevinter,’ said Alexius. ‘In exchange, we will provide food, clothing arms. Those are items that your followers desperately need. And none of those things come cheap.’‘Nor does our freedom.’ Fiona shot back.‘You are not surrendering your freedom'. Alexius patted Fiona’s hand like she was a frightened child. ‘I understand you southerners have certain… misconceptions when it comes to my countrymen—’Fiona snatched he hand back.‘Do not attempt to patronise me. I am elven, Magister Alexius. I know exactly how your countrymen treat my brethren. Or is that another “misconception”?’Alexius faltered ‘I— I beg your pardon, Grand Enchanter. I did—I did not intend—’Dorian cut in over Alexius’s stumblings. ‘What my mentor is trying to say is that what we are offering is not slavery. We have used this practise in our armed forces for centuries. It is a way that people who are not citizens show their loyalty to our nation and earn their place as part of it.’‘Your mentor and yourself seem to be under some mistaken impression.’ Fiona snapped. ‘What makes you think that the Mage Rebellion is an army?’‘Well…’ Dorian said, ‘I would go out on a limb and say the word “rebellion”.’Fiona gave him a glare that was reminiscent of Skinner on a bad day. On pure reflex, Dorian glanced down to make sure that there wasn’t something sharp on the table.‘We are rebels by necessity, not by choice. Yes, some like myself have seen combat. When those in power have deemed our magic to be a tool they could lock away once they had no more use for it,’ she admitted. ‘But for the other mages? For some, this is the first time they have ever left the circle since the Templars dragged them there. They were children. By the Maker, some are still children. We would have at least fifty mages here that weren't even alive during the last blight. What do I say to them? How do I tell a ten-year-old that I have promised the length of their life thus far to a man they’ve never met?’‘You tell them it’s for the chance of a better life!’ said Alexius. ‘Think of it! By the time those children reach their twentieth year, they will belong to a nation where their talents are revered and esteemed! Not feared. Not squandered or hidden. Don’t those children deserve that opportunity? What about rest of the mages you have sworn to protect and lead? Shouldn't they have the right to live in the open, as they are?'‘They won’t have that opportunity if they die on a battlefield.’ Arl Tegan muttered.‘With all due respect, Arl Teagan,’ Dorian said, ‘if this conflict between the mages and the Templars continues any longer, that possibility could happen anyway.’The table fell silent. Arl Teagan and Fiona exchanged looks before the Grand Enchanter stood.‘We will need time to consider your offer gentlemen.’Alexius stood.‘I cannot wait for an answer, Grand Enchanter. We have plans we need to—’‘We will take all the time we need to consider your offer and weigh them against the other options we have.’Alexius frowned. ‘Other options? What other options?’‘Options that you need not concern yourself with—’‘Is it that Inquisition?’ Alexius sneered. ‘You would refuse to entrust your lives to us, fellow mages, but put your safety in the hands of a savage Qunari? If you think your subjugation at the hands of the Templars was horrific just wait. You think different once that brute stitches your lips shut.’‘She seemed quite civilised when we met in Val Royeaux,' Fiona replied with infuriating calm. ‘And if the rumours are true Andraste herself delivered her from the fade. Surely you cannot object to a woman who seems to be chosen by the bride of the Maker?’‘You’ve already spoken to her? She approached you?’‘Actually, I approached her. The Inquisition has sworn to close the breach, and I felt that we may be able to help her accomplish that goal.’‘But Grand Enchanter—’‘Enough. The Inquisition comes within the week to put forward their case. Afterwards will I decide who is best suited to help the mage rebellion. If you still wish to recruit the mages, remain in the Hinterlands and wait for my answer. If not… you have nothing preventing you from continuing on your way.’Fiona gave a small nod to both Dorian and Alexius but it was perfunctory. Then she swept passed them and towards a group of mages in circle robes standing beside the tavern bar. Arl Teagan got to his feet.‘Thank you for your time gentlemen. I hope I won’t offend you if I ask you and your fellow Tevinters to make camp outside of Redcliffe’s walls. We are far too full as it is at the moment, as you can see and… well, I don’t like or trust you.’Arl Teagan smiled and left Dorian and Alexius alone. Alexius lent in close to Dorian. With a slow steady motion, Alexius pulled the time amulet out from under his robes.‘It seems we’ll have to try a different tactic.’
…
It had only been three days since the Temple of Sacred Ashes had exploded, but to Arl Teagan, it may as well have been a year.He only agreed to allow the mages to remain at Redcliffe at Alistair’s request. If it were up to him… he wasn’t certain he would have agreed. He’d sworn he’d seen a young man who might have been Conner among the throng of mages marching into Redcliffe. It could have been a trick played by an exhausted mind. But that one boy had been able to ravageRedcliffe by himself a decade ago. And now he was letting hundreds of mages through Redcliffe’s gates with no templars to combat any abominations that rose in their ranks. These were desperate and afraid.Easy prey for demons.Arl Teagan shut the door to his chambers and walked towards his desk. He would write to Alistair. Yes. He would send a raven with his concerns. Alistair would have to find a more suitable place for these rebel mages to camp. They could stay here for a while but everyone knew the arrangement was temporary.A knife point between Teagan’s shoulders stopped him short.‘Stay perfectly still,’ said a refined voice. ‘I am not here to harm you.’‘Your weapon would say otherwise.’‘This little knife? It was a gift from a friend for my own protection. It’s only here to make sure you stay facing that direction. I have taken a large risk coming here. I’d rather not run the chance of being recognised at a later date.’‘You have no idea of the risks you take.’ Teagan began reaching under his desk towards the dagger he kept beneath. ‘If I yell my men will be here in seconds.’‘I wouldn’t recommend that. Just as I wouldn’t recommend that you keep reaching under your desk for whatever weapon you have stashed there'. His assailant put a little extra pressure on the blade and Teagan forced himself to still. ‘That’s better. It would not do to be so rude as to attack a guest. Particularly one who’s come with your well-being in mind.’‘Would you either stab me or tell me why you’re here?’ Teagan snapped.‘With manners like that you should be grateful, I’m choosing the latter. A Magister by the name of Gereon Alexius has seeded Tevene men under his employ into the rebel mages.’‘What? Why—?’‘He wants to stir tensions. He believes he can make the rebel mages afraid enough to accept his offer of indentured servitude. Gain an army through a mix of opportunism and preying on the desperate.’‘And you know this how?’‘I'm sure you are clever enough to discern my accent. You need to talk to Grand Enchanter Fiona. Get her to go and see the Herald of Andraste as soon as possible.’‘Who the bloody hell is the Herald of Andraste?’Teagan’s captor grunted in frustration. ‘You will know soon enough! And until then keep by Fiona's side and be vigilant. Have your men look out for any dissatisfaction in the mages ranks.’Teagan’s eyes caught sight of a simple silver goblet that was set on his desk. In the reflective surface, he caught sight of a distorted figure. Moustache. Scar that ran vertically beside his chin. Robes. Tevinter robes.‘If you’re a ‘Vint, why are you telling me this?’‘Fate of the world trumps national pride, wouldn’t you say? Follow my instructions and be on your guard. Oh, and don’t turn around until you’ve counted to thirty. You’ll regret it.’Arl Teagan only counted to ten before glancing over his shoulder. There was the sound of a flask smashing on the ground and Teagan’s room began to fill up with a noxious smoke. While Teagan began to cough and choke on the smog a voice called though the haze.‘I said you’d regret it. Foolish man.’By the time the smoke had rolled back, the room was empty and Arl Teagan was alone.
…
‘So, you didn’t see his face at all?’ asked the Redcliffe guard-master.‘For the last time no.’ Teagan lent one elbow on his desk and ran a palm over his face. ‘I didn’t bring you here to interrogate me, Garrel. I want to know how this mad-man got into my chambers without anyone seeing!’‘We shall double the castle’s guard immediately, Sir. And I will send men out to hunt—’‘No, no.’ Teagan said wearily. ‘We both know the men are stretched to breaking point as it is and I doubt the intruder will be returning. All he wanted was to make an impression and he did. No use shutting the gate after the horse has bolted.’‘Sir, do you think what he said was true?’‘About Tevinter nationals in the mage’s ranks sowing discord?’ Teagan asked. ‘Perhaps. Perhaps it’s a ruse. Perhaps he’s trying to distract us with one hand while he picks our pocket with the other. Perhaps nugs dress up in frilly little outfits and drink tea when no one watches. It doesn’t matter Garrel. It changes nothing.’‘But Sir, if ‘Vints are trying to—’‘Have you noticed the number Orleasian chantry sisters in Redcliffe, Garrel? A little disproportionate, wouldn't you say? How many traders from the Free Marches are here this close to winter? If you think that other nations don’t have spies in Redcliffe, you are too naïve to hold your position. Tevinter is without a doubt among them. They shouldn’t regard their presence as special.’‘So you don’t think this is a credible threat? He attacked you.’‘Really? I didn’t know that,’ snapped Teagan before he calmed himself again. ‘I won’t waste time and men chasing shadows. We are already fighting demons and bandits and holes in the fade. Everyone is waiting for Templar Order to come marching over the horizon and slaughter us all, any day now. The dangers we already face are real and plentiful. Let’s not squander our resources on “what ifs”.’And Teagan didn’t. In the weeks that followed, Teagan’s days were full a thousand other problems. The stranger’s threats became a strange event buried beneath a mountain of strange events. And soon forgotten.
…Unknown to Teagan, the day he’d originally met Magister Alexius rolled around again.He was in the throne room, talking with one of his advisors about the state of the food supplies. They were arguing about whether their rations would need to become stricter when Garrel and a few men threw the doors open.‘Arl Teagan,’ said the Redcliffe guard-master, marching over to him and dropping to his knee. ‘You need to come to the Tavern. Now.’Teagan threw his head back. ‘Oh, what now, Gerrel? Did that bunch of young mages break into the meade again? Are they running about town, undressed and scandalising old women?’‘Sir, young Briarson was just in the tavern. He heard Grand Enchanter Fiona is in the midst of talks with a Tevinter Magister.’Teagan’s head whipped around. ‘A Tevinter Magister?’‘So he said. And we all know it was part of the mage’s asylum agreement that you be present during any negotiations—’‘Which of these men is Briarson?’ Teagan asked. A ruddy youth with a flat nose moved forward and knelt next to the guard-master.‘Sir.’‘What were they talking about? What were their exact words if you can remember.’‘Sir, the Magister was trying to make a deal with Grand Enchanter Fiona. He was saying he was going to take the rebel mages to Tevinter if they agreed to work for him.’Teagan locked eyes with Garrel. ‘Indentured servitude.’‘Sound like an empty threat now, Sir?’ Garrel asked. Teagan ignored his guard captain’s insolence.‘You men. Follow me. I want a talk with Fiona and this Magister.’
…
Even as Arl Teagan burst through the doors of the Redcliffe Tavern, something told him he was too late.At a table on the far right of the tavern. sat Fiona with her face in her hands. Something about the way she sat reminded Teagan of a fresco he's once seen. It had been of Maferath in Orlais after betraying Andraste to Tevinter.Arl Teagan looked down in horror at the table. On it sat a piece of parchment, a quill and an inkwell. Teagan shook his head.'Oh, Fiona tell me you didn't--''She did.' said the Magister sitting opposite Fiona. He stood and turned to face Teagan, his smile as wide as a wyvern's. 'Because Fiona is willing to do whatever it takes to protect her people.''Fiona, this is madness.' Teagan said, side-stepping the Magister and placing his hands on the table. 'You promised I would be present for whatever meetings you had. We agreed for the protection of the mages and the people of Redcliffe.''But we all know, when it came down to a choice, you would choose your citizen's lives over those of the mages.' said the Magister laying a hand on his shoulder. 'It's only natural. You are their Arl, it's your duty to protect them. Just as it's Fiona's duty to protect the mages.'Teagan turned to the magister and grabbed him my the collar.'What did you say to her? What poison did you fill her ears with.'A set of firm hands grabbed Teagan and pulled him off the Magister. He struggled in their grip but they held him firm.'I told her the hard truth about what needs to be done if the Mage Rebellion
in to survive,' said the Magister. 'And one of those truths is that Redcliffe must belong to the Mage Rebellion and the mage Rebellion only.'A group of mages, some wearing circle robes, some wearing Tevinter attire, circled around Teagan and his men. The magister nodded to the man holding Teagan restrained.'From this day forward Redcliffe has no Arl. My apprentice Dorian here will show you and your men out of the city. If any of you return... it will be on pain of death.'
…
Arl Teagan fumed as the mages marched he and his men towards the boundary of Redcliffe. The very mages they had granted asylum to. The Tevinter magister kept in step beside him every now and then looking down his nose at Teagan.‘You and your mentor will regret this,’ hissed Teagan. ‘As will Fiona. Her betrayal of the people of Redcliffe will not go unanswered.’‘Oh, were her actions not what you expected?’ the magister asked. ‘You didn’t pick up on any signs of discontent? Was there no warning?’Arl’s eyes shot back to the magister taking in his face properly for the first time. His mind compared that face to the glimpse he got in the reflection of his goblet.‘You—’‘It is no use complaining now.’ The man said affecting a bored countenance. ‘What’s done is done. I am sure you plan to run to that nephew of yours in Denerim, but don’t think for a moment he’ll be able to help you. Or that new Inquisition.’Teagan ran a finger over his top lip, taking in the double agent’s meaning. ‘I can tell your mentor is not acting on behalf of the Archon. How well do you think Tevinter will regard your actions?’‘It doesn’t matter. Soon the whole imperium will know our cause and join us.’ The magister dropped his voice low. ‘I believe your King Alister and I have a mutual acquaintance. One Maevaris Tilani. I’m sure if they were to get in contact she could give you the full scope of your predicament.’They passed beneath the archway of the wall that surrounded the town. The mage pushed Teagan out the other side, while the other mages herded Redcliffe’s guard through.‘Let this be a lesson to never dismiss the strength of Tevinter'. The magister raised his chin before turning on his heels and marching back into Redcliffe. Some of the mages followed him but most remained. They watched Teagan and his men with suspicious eyes, waiting for them to leave. Garrel moved closer to Teagan.‘What do we do? If we fight them there is no guarantee—’‘We will not fight.’ Arl Teagan said, turning to his men. ‘We march. To Denerim!’
…
‘So much for undermining the Venatori from the inside,’ said Dorian.He had managed to sneak Felix away without Alexius’ notice. They had crept their way through town to a ruined windmill near the Redcliffe outskirts. It had taken a little struggling on both their parts, but Dorian had lifted Felix up onto the ruined second floor before climbing up after him. They sat with their legs swinging over the edge, watching the sky turn from orange to violet. He passed a wine bottle over to Felix to let his friend have a swig.‘If I had known I would have no effect on your father’s plans I may as well have refused him and met up with the Chargers. I wouldn’t have to maintain this horrendous façade and I would have people onside who could help us. If Bull was here he would have—’Felix cut in.‘Dorian, it’s so sweet that you love the Iron Bull so much. But if I have to
listen for the 43rd time what he’d do if he were here, I will break this bottle and stab myself in the ear with the broken shards.’Dorian made an indignant noise.‘I do not talk about Bull that much.’Felix barked out a laugh. ‘Is that so? Let me make a list of the topics we’ve discussed over the last two days. That time Iron Bull forgot to remove his Vitaar before sex and you almost fell into a coma. How the Iron Bull lost his eye defending Krem from a Tribune. Four different equally gruesome stories about the Iron Bull’s time in Seheron. Nine different equally gruesome stories about the Iron Bull’s time with the Chargers. A seven-minute monologue about the Iron Bull’s back muscles. A twelve-minute reverie on the exact shade of grey his eye is. A nine-second speech about how well-endowed he is which, only by the grace of the Maker, I managed to stop in time. A list of his favourite foods in descending order—’‘Alright, alright. Enough.’ Dorian pushed Felix’s arm, making his friend spill some of the wine. ‘You may rest your case Senator Felix Alexius. The magisterium bows to your oratory talents.’‘I forgot to mention the eleven-minute espousal of the Bull’s own oratory talents. No wait, did I say “oratory”? I meant—'‘Fine! Yes! I get it. It’s only…’‘You miss him.’ Felix finished Dorian sentence. ‘I understand.’‘It’s been so long!’ Dorian let himself fall back onto the dirty boards. ‘I was only meant to be gone two weeks! It’s been a month and a half for him and with your father’s time shenanigans I’ve lost count of how much time has passed for us.’Felix patted his hand. ‘I’m so sorry, Dorian. I shouldn’t have dragged—’‘You stop that nonsense right now Felix Ignatius Alexius.’ Dorian pulled his hand away and sat up again. ‘We agreed no more apologising from either of us for pulling the other into this mess. I am a grown man, I will survive. Besides,’ Dorian’s voice grew quiet. ‘I’ve missed this. Sitting with you, talking shit, drinking. Remember how we used to sneak out onto the roof of your father’s estate with a bottle of his best port?’‘Oh yes.’ Felix laughed. ‘You would talk about men and your work with father. I would talk about women and my mathematics and we’d both pretend we understood what the other was saying.’Dorian’s laugher joined Felix’s and he took back the wine bottle. ‘Ah, yes. Feigning interest in another’s obsessions. The basis of any true friendship.’‘Here's to that.’ Felix said.The violet of the sky was turning navy blue and the light drawing back like a tide. Soon they would have to sneak back and pretend their friendship was broken beyond repair again.‘It was nice to do this one last time.’ Felix murmured. Dorian patted his thigh.‘Now Felix, don’t be a pessimist. Things will work out. No hole in the sky is going to stop us.’Felix gave Dorian a thin smile. His chapped lips cracked a little. ‘That’s not what I mean.’Dorian eyebrows drew together his eyes unwilling taking in Felix’s gaunt frame. ‘Oh. I see.’Felix smiled. ‘Oh Dorian, I’m sorry. Forget I said anything. Don’t let me spoil the fun.’Dorian nodded, looking at the bottle in his hand. But then his set it down beside him and looked at Felix.‘No. We used to talk about everything and your illness is part of everything. Besides, I have a question.’‘Oh Dorian, don’t. You’ve heard my father and his daily interrogations. “How are you eating?” “How did you sleep.” “What were the consistence of your bowel movements”—’‘It’s not one of those questions, don’t make me vomit.’ Dorian said. ‘It’s… it’s about what you said on the ship.’‘Which was?’Dorian made himself look Felix in the eye.‘You said your father wanted you to live, and I wanted to let you die—’‘Dorian—’‘No please, let me finish. I did want to let you die Felix. You were in so much pain and I thought… I thought it would be kinder. It was all selfishness on my part now I look back. I thought there was nothing worse than watching you suffer. But I didn't once imagined what it was like for you, the person suffering. But you also said that we made those choices without once asking you what you wanted. It would be an irredeemable blunder on my part to make that mistake again.’Dorian shifted closer to Felix and put his hand on his back between his shoulder blades.‘Do you want to live, Felix?’Felix hunched over a little and looked out toward the hills beyond Redcliffe’s boarder-wall. He gave a small puff.‘You know, I… I haven’t even… No one's ever asked me that. I’m not sure I have an answer.’He reached over Dorian’s lap and grabbed the bottle again. He took another sip before continuing.‘Besides, it’s a moot point anyway. My little problem’s going to kill me whether I want it too or not.’‘Maybe, maybe not.’‘Definitely, Dorian. No “maybes” about it.’‘Humour me, anyway. Talk out your thoughts to me like back when you were trying to work out an equation.’Felix chuckled. ‘This is a little more complex than a maths problem, Dorian.’‘You’ve never been on the other end of one of your calculus explanations'. Dorian nudged his forehead against Felix’s temple. ‘Go on, Felix. I need to know.’Felix rubbed his thumb up and down the neck of the bottle, the condensation making the glass squeak as he did. He licked his cracked lips before he spoke.‘I don’t want to die.’ Felix murmured. ‘And not for noble reasons. Not because I don’t want people to grieve for me or the fear of leaving father alone. I’m…’ Felix choked on his words and wiped away a tear with the heal of his hand. ‘I’m scared. It’s so weak and pathetic but it’s true. I’m scared, Dorian. I want to live.’Dorian folded his arms around Felix and pulled him to his chest. He wanted to say something comforting. Something to take any of this burden from his friend. But his mouth had dried up and all his words with it. He could feel every breath shudder through Felix’ body as his friend sobbed into his shoulder. He felt guilty that his tears were dropping onto Felix’s head, but his friend didn’t seem to notice. Every organ in Dorian’s body- in his stomach, his chest his throat his head – all ached and cramped like sorrow itself was a disease. It was agony but he refused to let himself push his pain to the centre again when his friend needed him. So he sat there and held his friend while he wept, choking down all his rage and his hopelessness and his feelings of futility. Eventually his Felix quieted and pulled himself away.‘But,’ Felix said, ‘and it’s a very important “but” Dorian, I don’t want to keep living if living is like this. The thought of a life-time of this? Feeling this tired, being in this much pain? I can’t do it, Dorian. I can’t. I’ve already gone on for far longer than I should have. Then I wanted to. I know I don’t have much longer left. Don’t ask me how. I just know it. Probably the fact I cry at the drop of a hat nowadays.’ Felix used his thumb to wipe a tear away from Dorian’s cheek. ‘And it seems to be contagious. If you start, I’m going to start again and we’ll both never be able to stop. No one will your whole evil Tevinter ploy seriously.’‘Now’s not the time for terrible jokes, Felix.’‘Good thing I only tell excellent ones, then.’‘Felix.’‘Okay, fine. I need a promise, Dorian.’ Felix dropped his voice even though there was not a single other soul around. ‘When that time comes, I need you to do what father couldn’t. You have to let me go.’Dorian scrunched his eyes shut before covering them with one hand, to shield the tears for Felix’s view. He remembered on the night when he’d first seem Felix after his attack. That dwarven women had given him that knife to end Felix’s life. To stop his suffering. And back then he had been too much of a coward to go through with it. Was he any braver now? Did Felix understand what he was asking?A hand gentle caught his wrist and pulled his hand away from his face. Felix wrapped his fingers around Dorian’s and squeezed.‘Please, Dorian.’ Felix said. Please?’Dorian looked at his friend, his face a blur behind the tears trapped in his eyes.‘Yes, Felix. I will let you go.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The trip to the Hinterlands wasn’t as bad as Bull had thought it was going to be.Varric was there and he was always great for a laugh. Bull had gotten off to a rocky start with Madam De Fer when he’d called “Viv” but they had buried the hatchet quickly. She was a force of nature with that staff of hers and if you showed her respect, she repaid you in kind.He’d even managed to not fight with Jill, which for them was almost like getting along.‘All I’m saying, Varric, is that no self-respecting Merc would allow their employer to come along on a job!’ said Jill. Her footing was awkward as she tried to shuffle her way down a steep slope. She got fed up halfway and jump the last three feet. ‘You can’t get paid if the noblewoman dies, no matter how subtle and nubile she is.’‘And she can’t fall in love with the roguish mercenary if she’s stuck in a castle, hundreds of miles away.’ said Varric. ‘You don’t believe dramatic licence at all, Poppy?’‘There’s dramatic licence and then there’s a noblewoman with no weapons training, killing dozens of bandits in a ballgown,’ said Bull. He reached the bottom of the slop and held out his hand towards Vivienne to steady her decent. She took it with all her regular grace and poise. ‘I mean, look at Vivienne here. She’s a courtier. She’s not running around the Hinterlands in one of those massive skirts that five dwarves can fit under.’‘Only lucky dwarves.’ Varric smirked.‘It’s called a Pannier, Bull dear, and of course, I’m not.’ Vivienne said, reaching the foot of the slope. ‘Those only come into vogue once the winter season begins.’‘The point is, Bull and I are agreeing on something Varric,’ said Jill. ‘Shouldn’t that tell you how ridiculous that scene was?’‘Look, I’m a writer, okay? No one wants to read a book that leaves out all the best bits because their implausible. I mean, look at you. If I left out all the “unbelievable” parts of your story all I would have is “There once was a Qunari named…” That’s it. I wouldn’t even get past your name. Life isn’t realistic.’There was a strange crackle in the wind. Bull came to a stop, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. The air smelt burnt and full of static, like when Dalish or Dorian used one of their lighting spells. The others paused as well. They felt it too.‘What is that?’ Bull asked.‘Oh, that’s right, you haven’t been out with us yet.’ Varric said pulling Bianca off his shoulder. ‘It feels like a rift.’‘Jill dear?’ Vivienne looked up to their leader, before her eyes flicked to Jill’s hand. Bull followed Vivienne’s gaze. Jill’s hand was bunched but green energy was escaping between the stitching of her glove. She couldn’t stop her arm from vibrating.‘Definitely a rift. One of the scouts mentioned it. They’ve sealed off the road to Redcliffe until it gets taken care of.’‘I meant your hand, dear.’ Vivienne said in a lower tone, moving forward. She rested her delicate fingers on Jill’s wrist. ‘Can you manage?’Jill started, almost yanking her hand out from under Vivienne’s. She managed to force herself to keep her arm still. ‘I’m good. It’s weird, but it doesn’t hurt.’Bull scrutinised Jill for a moment. It would have been less obvious if Varric and Vivienne weren’t doing the same. Jill cleared her throat.‘We going to take down this rift or what?’ she said, marching down the path. ‘This mark is just a creepy green scar if I don’t actually put it to good use.’Bull followed after her with Varric and Vivienne in tow. ‘Whatever you say, boss. What’s the usual plan for tackling these things.’Jill looked over her shoulder at Bull. ‘It’s pretty simple. Keep the demons off me for long enough, so I can do my thing.’‘That’s it?’‘And try not to die.’‘Thanks for that tip.’‘I think the words “Try not to die” apply to most of life’s endeavours.’ Varric said, slipping a bolt into Bianca.‘Is there anything I should keep an eye out for?’ asked Bull. ‘What do these rifts look like?’There was another crackle again. Through the trees, Bull’s eye locked onto… something. His mind didn’t know how to interpret it. It was like lightning, molten metal, and jagged rocks all suspended in the air ten feet above the ground. He’d seen the rift in Haven, but only as some distant faraway thing. Something you could trick yourself into thinking wasn’t an immediate threat. This thing was close and vibrate and so, so green. The air smelt of it, tasted of it, thrummed with it. It was completely unnatural.The Iron Bull was so glad they were going to kill it.‘Something like that,’ said Varric.‘We ready?’ Jill asked.Bull pulled his axe out of its holster and twirled its shaft in his hands. Varric nodded and Vivienne smiled.‘Always darling,’ she said. ‘Shall we?’Jill, with caution, peeled her glove away. The green mark on her hand spat and sizzled like bacon in a frying pan. She tucked her glove into her pocket before looking at her companions.‘Now!’They charged in.Bull had fought demons before. Seheron was full of blood mages and Tal-Vashoth Saarebas. He hated many things about that island, but the demons there were at the top of the list.This rift was like the worst kind of nostalgia.He ran in swinging his edge towards a demon that looked like the offspring of a stick-insect and a starving tree. I shrieked at him, a blind hollow shriek, before the axe buried itself into the creature’s shoulder. It curved downwards through the chest, before lodging in the demon’s ribs. It arched back before dissipating into flecks of green light. One of Varric’s bolts whizzed past Bull’s arm. Bull span around in time to see a bolt sticking out of the eye-socket of a wraith. The thing crumpled and dissolved. Bull caught sight of Jill standing under the rift, her palm outstretched. A stream of light shot out of her hand toward the shifting, contracting objected above her. But a rage demon was moving in fast, it’s talon’s sharp and ready to strike. It already had one of Jill’s daggers embedded in it. Jill tossed her second one at it with her free hand but it did nothing to slow it down.‘Bull!’ yelled Vivienne and Bull knew exactly what she meant.Bull charged towards the thing, while beside him a bolt of frost flew towards the demon. As it hit it crackled around the demon, encasing it in ice. As Bull’s axe sliced it in half it shattered into a thousand pieces.Then something weird happened.Well… something weirder.The shard of the demon began to slow and stop, hanging in the air like the rift above them.Bull and Jill caught each other’s eyes. Another of Varric’s arrows drifted between them like a leaf floating down a stream. Bull had the irrational urge to reach out and pluck it out of the air.But then another rage demon was barrelling down on them, moving at a speed that wasn’t possible. Bull leapt forward and shoved Jill out of the way before they were both demolished. They both fell to the ground, but Jill still had her palm up, channelling energy into the rift.An ice wall sprang up between them and the demon at the exact moment the rift shrank in on itself and burst. The demons all gave one final cry before they melted away.
Bull allowed himself a few moments to pant before hefting himself up to his feet. The ice wall melted away as Vivienne and Varric stepped through.‘I’ve worked something out,’ said Bull. ‘I fucking hate rifts.’‘That… wasn’t your typical rift experience, Tiny.’‘What?’‘I haven’t heard any reports of temporal distortions around these rifts,’ Vivienne murmured. She spoke more to herself than anyone around her. ‘Interesting.’Bull thought of Dorian and smiled. He would have reacted exactly the same way.‘If that wasn’t normal for a rift what the fuck was that?’ Bull asked.‘No idea.’ Jill said, sitting up. ‘But I really don’t want to do that again.’Vivienne stopped short next to Bull and rested a hand on his elbow.‘Bull, darling.’ She whispered to him. ‘Her horn.’Bull turned sharply and looked at Jill. Her left horn was lying on the ground a few feet away from her. He sucked in a breath. Varric turned to see what they were both looking at.‘Shit. Does she know it’s gone?’ Varric asked.‘Dunno.’ Bull whispered back. Back in Seheron, he remembered one Sten had said losing his horn felt worse than losing his leg. Another had come back from a scouting mission and didn’t notice their horn was missing until someone pointed it out. Bull thought it has to do with where the nerves ended and how close the blow came to the base of the horn, but he wasn’t certain.‘You going to break it to her?’ Varric asked.‘I can’t go two minutes without offending her and you want me to tell her she lost a horn?’‘You’re the only person who could possibly relate, dear.’ Vivienne said.‘You lot okay over there?’ Jill called, eyeing the small huddle Bull, Vivienne and Varric had formed. ‘If you’re all planning on quitting after that weird shit, I completely understand.’Both Varric and Vivienne looked expectantly at Bull. He sighed and walked towards Jill. Her frown deepened.‘Bull? What are you doing?’ Jill moved to stand but Bull knelt next to her and put a hand on her shoulder, keeping her seated.‘Look, boss.’ Bull drew in a breath. ‘Sit down for a minute. I need to tell you something.’Jill’s face dropped. ‘What?’‘Um…’ Bull licked his lips. ‘Are you a sugar-coat-it kind of person or a get-it-over-with kind of person?’‘Right now? The second.’Bull nodded and picked up Jill’s broken horn from where it lay in the grass. It still had the brass cap on it. Bull held it palm up to Jill. Her eyes locked on it.‘I’m sorry, boss.’Jill let out a sigh and a laugh at the same time. The sigh part died but the laughter built.‘Boss,’ Bull squeezed her shoulder, trying to refocus her. ‘Take a deep breath for me.’Jill’s laughter got louder. Bull didn’t like it. Seheron had taught him that the ones who laughed were the ones to watch out for. He shook her shoulder.‘Boss! Calm down. Focus on me. It’s only a horn, alright? It’s…’‘It’s a fake!’ Jill wheezed.Bull paused. ‘What?’Jill took the horn out of his hand and turned it over. ‘Look!’Bull had thought the horn was still covered with a bronze cap. It wasn’t. The brass cap was the horn. The inside of the cap was solid metal. He looked up at Jill’s head. The remaining segment of horn coming from her skull was filed flat. Not jagged and rough like the ones he’d seen snapped-off on the battlefield. Jill reached up and tugged the
other cap from her right horn. That horn was completely intact, and when Jill showed Bull the inside of that cap it was hollow all the way to the tip.‘I lost that horn when I was nineteen.’ Jill said. ‘From the same slash that took out my ear.’Bull released a breath and sank down to the grass beside Jill. ‘Thank fuck. I had no idea what I was going to say.’‘You did a better job at being comforting than Hissra did when I lost the real one!’ Jill nudged him with an elbow. ‘She said “Shame the sword didn’t get your face instead. It would have improved things!”’‘Shit.’ Bull wiped his brow with the back of his hand. ‘Shit.
I’m more relieved than you are.’‘You guys right?’ called Varric. He and Vivienne were still standing a little way off.‘Her left horn was fake the whole time!’ Bull yelled back. Varric groaned like someone who had heard an awful joke. Vivienne put her hand on her chest and took in a deep breath.‘If this is how you all act when I lose a horn-cap I can’t wait to see what happens if I actually get maimed.’ Jill said.‘Probably wait a bit before trying that. Save it for a special occasion, like a birthday or something'. Bull leaned forward making the slow move towards standing. Jill grabbed his shoulder.‘Oh no.’ she whispered.‘What?’‘Bull… Bull I’m so, so sorry.’ Jill’s eyes were huge and swimming with concern. ‘I don’t know how to say this but… something terrible has happened to your eye.’Bull shoved Jill sideways onto the grass. She giggled the whole way.
…
‘This is a terrible plan,’ said Dorian, fixing Felix’s shirt. They had gotten word from Venatori scouts. Inquisition agents were making their way to Redcliffe. Rumour even had it that the Herald of Andraste was among them.Things were coming to a head.‘You said on the ship you were going to follow my lead, remember?’ Felix said. They were standing in Felix’s room, which not too long ago had belonged to the Arl of Redcliffe.‘That’s because I thought you weren’t going to do something stupid.’‘You were originally going to do this.’‘Yes, because, I am an expert at doing stupid things. You’re a novice. We need someone with the prerequisite experience.’‘Would you shut up and tell me if I look evil enough to be in a villainous cult.’Dorian looked Felix over and signed. He was wearing mustard-yellow Venatori robes. Awful things that only heightened the paleness of his skin. The whole outfit was a mess from start to finish. From the hoods that came with little ears, to the flappy bits around the neck. Whoever had designed these uniforms wanted to make a statement. “We can’t even dress ourselves. You really think we should be in charge of anything important?”‘You look very dastardly and malicious. It’s not too late to turn back.’‘Dorian,’ Felix put his hands on his friends’ shoulders. ‘I'll be fine. Passing a note is hardly the scheme of the century. Does father still think we’re at odds?’‘If you’ve done your part. I’ve done mine.’ Dorian said. ‘I don’t like deflecting suspicion onto your Felix. This whole farce is dangerous enough as it is.’‘Which is why it’s better he’s wary of my actions and not yours. While he’s busy watching me like a hawk, you’re free to do what you need to do to stop him. You think this Inquisition is going to be any help?’‘A Qunari woman working with two Tevinter mages?’ Dorian said. ‘The odds aren’t stacked in our favour. We’ll have to convince her that we’re the less sneaky and sinister of the ‘Vints.’There was a knock on the door. Dorian snatched Felix by the collar and pulled his face inches from his own, a snarl on his lips. The door opened and Alexius walked in. Dorian immediately drew away, pretending to be caught in the middle of an argument.‘Alexius,’ he said, giving his mentor a small nod. Alexius’ eyes shifted between the two young men.‘Boys. I hope I wasn’t… interrupting anything.’‘Of course not father,’ Felix spat. Dorian glanced at Felix long enough to see the glass-sharp glower aimed at him. If he and Felix and he made it out of this alive, maybe they could get into acting. Take this show on the road, earn an obscene amount of coin.‘Fiona is already waiting at the Tavern for the meeting,’ Alexius said. ‘Go to the stables. I’ll meet you down there.’‘I can walk down to the Tavern, father—’‘Why bother when there is no need?’ Alexius said. ‘Go on. I’ll see you there soon.’Felix shot a look in Dorian’s direction and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Alexius turned to Dorian and shook his head.‘My boy, why is it so hard for you to believe Felix has had a change of heart?’‘Why is it so hard for you to see he’s conning you?’ Dorian snarled. ‘Look at him! For weeks he acted like a sullen, spiteful, wretch. And it’s only now he comes to you and says he’s seen the light and wants to be part of the elder one’s plan? You still don’t trust me enough to tell me who the elder one is, even after all I’ve done for you. But Felix apologises once, just once, and all a sudden he is the golden boy again?’Alexius moved forward and cupped Dorian’s cheeks. Something in Dorian’s gut railed against the contact, but he managed to stay stock still.‘Dorian, my boy, I'm not replacing you. You know you are the person I trust most here.’Dorian’s stomach clenched.‘But we both wanted Felix to join our cause, yes? How can he if we never give him the benefit of the doubt? How can he prove his loyalty if he never has the opportunity to show it?’Dorian exhaled before nodding a little between Alexius’ hands. Alexius pulled him in for a hug, but Dorian could not fight the strength to return it.‘When all this is over when we have dealt with this Qunari pretender, I promise you this. You and Felix will meet the Elder one face to face,’ Alexius said. ‘And I will have never been prouder of the both of you.’Alexius drew away locking onto Dorian’s eyes and giving him a smile. ‘We’ll discuss our meeting with the Herald at supper. I’m sure you’ll find some way to entertain yourself until then. Maybe go over the amulet’s temporal limitations again. See if we can find a way to tie Consus’ original formulas into Numitor’s chronology theorem.’‘If Consus’ original formulas were any good he wouldn’t have discarded them in favour of his revised formulas.’Alexius laughed as he wandered out the door. ‘No respect for your forefathers work, Dorian. That has always been the millstone around your neck.’Dorian waited until Alexius’ footfalls had faded. Then he grabbed his staff and cloak from where he'd stashed them behind the door. He’d gotten good at sneaking in and out of Redcliffe castle since the Venatori had set up camp there.If everything went alright on Felix’s end, then all he had to do was wait in the Chantry.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The sun was so bright.

When was the last time he’d seen the sun?

The other Ben-Hassrath lead Hissrad by the chain around his neck.
He stumbled a little. That wasn’t unexpected. The thick shackles around his wrists and ankles would make walking difficult at any time. But Hissrad had gone three days without food or sleep. He was so tired he was struggling to move. One of his re-educators tugged at his leash, pulling him forward. Hissrad gagged at the pressure around his throat.

‘Enough!’ said the re-educator be his side to the other. ‘Hissrad came to us, remember? He isn’t a weak-willed bas who wants nothing of the Qun. He was once the leader of our Seheron forces. He wishes to follow.’

‘And yet Hissrad still struggles with his role under the Qun,’ said the first, pulling Hissrad along. ‘He suffers and that is his choice. Hissrad must remember his role and it is our role to help him remember it. We do him no service if we neglect the Demands of the Qun.’

Hissrad said nothing while they spoke about him. He was a block of stone ready for reshaping. Stone did not speak.

They came to an alley behind the re-education centre. There lay a pile of garbage that reached almost to Hissrad’s shoulder. Food-scraps, waste, broken things. Hissrad wondered if this garbage pile was a metaphor for him.

The pile of garbage moved. By instinct Hissrad took a step back. The re-educator with the leash grabbed him by the horn, holding him still.

‘You may speak, Hissrad. What do you see?’

From beneath the mounds of rubbish came a thick muzzle. The Qalabla locked eyes with Hissrad, chewing on some rotting plant leaves.

No. This was the metaphor for him.

‘I see a Qalabla.’ Hissrad replied.

‘And who is better, Hissrad. You or the Qalabla?’

‘The Qalabla.’ Hissrad replied.

‘Do you know why the Qalabla is better than you, Hissrad?’

Hissrad didn’t reply. He knew better than to offer an answer he wasn’t sure of.

‘The Qalabla is stupid. Hissrad is smart. The Qalabla cannot follow the Qun because it cannot understand the Qun. Hissrad could follow the Qun if he wished. But he chose to exist and then chose to doubt and to suffer. If Hissrad wishes he could be like the Qalabla. He could have the Qamek and become Viddath-bas. If you choose not to use your head for the Qun why does it matter if we empty it? Or Hissrad could return to his role and the Qun. Without doubt. Without suffering. It is Hissrad’s choice like everything else.’

Hissrad looked down at the Qalabla, bile at the back of his throat.

‘I choose the Qun.’

Bull squinted in the noon sun. ‘Gotta admitted. I didn’t expect to find so many ‘Vints here.’Bull wandered with Varric through the streets of Redcliffe. They had slowed deliberately so Vivienne and Jill could move further up ahead. One of the Inquisition scouts had greeted Jill at the edge of the town. Apparently, they were surprise guests. No one knew they were coming, not even the woman who had invited them. One part of the conversation had caught Bull’s attention. An elven envoy had run up to greet them while Jill was in the middle of arguing with the scout. The man’s words stuck in Bull’s mind.
‘Agents of the Inquisition, my apologies. Magister Alexius has not yet arrived. You’re free to speak to the former Grand Enchanter in the meantime.’
So, Alexius was here.That meant Dorian was here too.‘Tevinters are like socks, or couriers from the merchant’s guild. They turn up in the damnest places.’ Varric replied. His eyes shot in Jill and Vivienne’s direction, making certain they were out of earshot. ‘That elf back there did say Alexius, right? The guy who used to teach Dorian?’‘Yeah, he did.’‘What has he got to do with the mage rebellion.’‘Dorian’s last letter said he was interested in the Mage rebellion but… I dunno. There is something off here.’‘Did Dorian’s letter say where he was going to meet you?’‘Yeah. In Redcliffe.’Varric huffed. ‘Tell Dorian to be a little more specific next time.’A couple of mages hurried past, giving Bull the skink-eye as they passed. If this place was full of ‘Vints it wasn’t going to be safe for he and Jill to be here. Particularly Jill with her freaky hand and her “Herald of Andraste” shtick.Bull was going to have to make himself the bigger target then.A gleam of light caught Bull’s eye down near the harbour. At first, he thought it was the light shining off the harbour. But as his gaze naturally followed the movement he thought he saw—Was that Dorian?Bull did a double take, but if Dorian had been down there he was gone now. However, the thought of Dorian being here gripped Bull’s gut like a fist. He looked at Varric.‘I think I saw him.’ Bull said. ‘Keep the other two distracted. I’m going to check it out.’‘What? Distracted? How?’‘Lie or something, Varric!’ Bull called over his shoulder, elbowing his way through the throng. Varric yelled after him.‘Wait! Bull! Specificity! You and Dorian can work on it together!’Bull found it more difficult than normal to push his way through the crowd. You know how tired and jaded a group of people are when a massive Qunari hurtling towards them didn’t even faze them. He managed to find a way down the rickety planks pretending to be stairs and to the waterside. He glanced around for another sign of Dorian. Nothing. Was he so desperate that he’d tricked himself into thinking he saw Dorian? Dozens of tiny boats had docked in the harbour. People were crowding around them and dragging supplies aboard. They all looked like they wanted out of Redcliffe bad. With the road blocked by the rift, many had begged and bartered their way onto one of these boats. Bull didn’t blame them. This place stank of fear.And… something else?At the far end of the dock was a little shack. It looked like a supply hut. It had piles of planks and sacks stacked up against it side.Why would people dump their supplies outside the supply hut? Were they that lazy?Or was there something inside it already?Bull strolled up to the door, taking the handle in his massive hand. He jostled it. Nothing. He looked left and right making sure no one was paying any attention to him. He took a step back, preparing to knock the door in with his shoulder.‘There you are!’‘Fuck!’ Bull span around to find Jill, Vivienne and Varric running up behind him. He fleetingly glared at Varric. Varric gave him a sheepish shrug. Neither Jill or Vivienne caught this.‘Why d’you run off?’ asked Jill. ‘The Gull and Lantern is up the hill.’‘Oh, sorry boss. I thought I saw something… weird. That’s all.’Jill shook her head.‘Bull, you don’t need to take the whole “bodyguard” thing so seriously. This place if full of terrified villages and starving mages. I think I could take them in a fight.’‘No doubt, boss.’ Bull said. ‘You want to head up?’Jill looked at the shack behind Bull. ‘Do you… smell something?’Bull followed Jill’s gaze. ‘I thought it was only me. The door’s locked though.’Jill smiled and pulled a wire and a pick from a pouch on her belt. ‘Lucky for you your boss is a shifty lock-picking type of gal'. She nudged Bull out of the way with her hip and began to pick the lock. Varric caught Bull’s eye and mouthed the word “Dorian?” Bull shook his head. Varric nodded his head towards the door questioningly.That was a thought. Had Dorian locked himself inside the shed?The door clicked open and Jill stood up. Her nose scrunched.‘Ugh. It’s like… I don’t even know what it’s like.’The shed was dark inside. At first it looked like it was empty. But as Bull’s eyes adjusted to the gloom, he saw there was a wooden partition running down the middle of the shack. Bull rounded it and came face to face with something that was a lot less pleasant than Dorian.A wall covered in shelves of empty skulls.Jill stopped next to him.‘Occularum.’‘What?’‘We’ve been running into these creepy skulls out in the wilderness,’ said Varric. ‘Someone has been mounting them on poles.’‘As a warning?’ Bull asked.‘More like the worlds freakiest telescope.’ Varric replied. ‘You look through the eye socket and for some reason they’re able to spot some magical object lying about. But I’m fucked if we know what they’re for.’‘It looks as though the rebel mages have been making these awful things.’ Vivienne said in disgust.‘Maybe,’ said Jill. She was leaning over a desk in the corner squinting down at an open book ‘Maybe not. Look at this.’Jill held the book up to the torchlight and began to read. As she went on her voice became sharper and huskier at the same time.
‘”Alexius was quite clear in his orders. We must scour the countryside to find more of the shards. Without them, the Venatori cannot claim the treasure our master seeks. For that, we need the oculara. Without them, the shards are nearly impossible to find, even if they are no longer cloaked by whatever magic hid them for all these centuries.

There must be more Tranquil in the area — the rebels abandoned most of them when they fled their Circles. Remember, the skull will only attune properly if the Tranquil is in close proximity to one of the shards when the demon is forced to possess him. Even then, the blow must be delivered immediately. The oculara produced from Tranquil killed even minutes later failed to illuminate the shards when used.

I trust you to continue your efforts in this matter. Our master expects success.”’
‘Those occularum were tranquil skulls?’ Varric grimaced.Bull eyed the shelf of skulls. There was the low rasp of the wind through the boards that made the walls of the shack. It almost sounded like whispers. He snapped his eyes away and squared his shoulders.‘Not like the tranquil were using them,’ he muttered.Jill went rigid. Every muscle in her body tensed to the point of snapping.Oh boy. Bull thought. Mistake.‘I had hoped they were safe with the rebel mages.’ Vivienne said, bitterly. She lay a hand on Jill’s wrist, rubbing her thumb along the joint. ‘I see that I was mistaken.’‘Poor bastards.’ Varric said.Jill dropped the book back on the desk and slammed it shut. Bull saw that her fist was shaking.‘Let’s get out of here. Things have gone from unnerving to completely fucked up.’Jill stormed out the door. Her shoulder slammed into Bull’s on the way. It was deliberate, but Bull didn’t think Jill was trying to be subtle. Vivienne gave Bull the look. The one that mothers, Tamas and Chantry sisters shared between themselves. Then she followed Jill out.Varric looked at Bull.‘You see, that comment was the type of shit Poppy finds disturbing,’ he said walking out the shed’s door. ‘And I can see where she’s coming from.’Bull stood alone in the shed for a moment. The skulls began to whisper again. Dozens of empty eye sockets judging him.‘Shit.’
The Gull and Lamp wasn’t much cheerier than the shed full of skulls had been.It was full to the brim with huddled, terrified people. They were all hunched over their drinks like their life depended on them. Someone had covered the windows with slats. Stingy rays of sunlight struggled feebly to slip between them. The air smelt like dust and lamp oil. The whole place screamed claustrophobia.As they wandered through the crowd an elven woman stood from one of the tables and nodded to them all. ‘Welcome agents of the Inquisition'. She looked at Vivienne and gave her a tight smile. ‘First Enchanter Vivienne.’‘Fiona my dear, it’s been so long since we last spoke.’ Vivienne’s voice dripped in just the right amount of sympathy. It was the voice one would reserve for an elderly relative who could no longer remember how to put their shoes on. ‘You look dreadful. Are you sleeping well?’Vivienne wasn’t wrong. Fiona looked like refried-shit. There was a worn, exhausted look about her. In spite of the fact she was a tiny elf woman, it reminded Bull too much of his former commanders in Seheron. He expected he had had that same look countless times too, after he'd taken the job. Fiona ignored Vivienne’s petty slight.‘What has brought you to Redcliffe?’Bull looked at Varric but Varric was already exchanging looks with Jill.‘Well…’ said Jill. ‘You invited us, so we came. Wasn’t that the whole point?’‘You must be mistaken,’ Fiona said. ‘I extended no such invitation.’‘What?’ Jill spluttered. ‘Yes, you did! In Val Royeaux. Didn’t she Varric?’‘That’s definitely what I remember.’ Varric said.‘That’s not possible.’ Fiona shook her head. ‘I have not been to Val Royeaux since before the conclave.’Bull did manage to catch Vivienne’s eye this time. He hoped his expression was able to convey the message “what the shit?”.‘What are you talking about?’ Jill stepped forward. ‘It was you. You spoke to us.’‘It was a very busy day,’ Varric said. ‘What with all the yelling and the accusations and the Templars punching Chantry sisters in the back of the head before storming out of the city. But we know it was you. There’s no mistake.’Fiona’s eyes shot up, taking on some emotion for the first time. ‘The Templars left Val Royeaux? Where did they go?’‘Therinfal Redoubt,’ Jill said. ‘Which you should know because you were there!’Vivienne put a hand on Jill’s elbow, holding her back. ‘Calm down, darling. It will do no good to yell at an old addled woman like Fiona. You know how confusing things can get for the elderly.’For all Vivienne’s jibes, Fiona did look out of it. Her eyes seemed to glaze over as she muttered to herself.‘Why… why does that sound so strange?’Fiona shook her head and looked back at the group before.‘In any case, whoever… or whatever brought you here—’‘You did!’‘—the situation has changed.’Bull squinted down at Fiona. He had a feeling like someone had filled his belly with steel marbles. ‘Changed how?’‘The free mages have already—’ Fiona struggled as though the words she was trying to say had caught in her throat, ‘pledged themselves to the service of the Tevinter Imperium.’The Gull and Lantern fell silent as the stupidity of the words rolled over everyone.‘Fiona dear,’ Vivienne said without the veneer of pleasantry, ‘your dementia is showing.’‘Andraste’s ass.’ Varric muttered resting his side against an empty table. ‘I’m trying to think of a single worse thing you could have done. And I’ve got nothing.’Bull snarled. ‘This, right here, is why you can’t trust mages.’Jill stared at Bull over her shoulder. ‘Really, Bull? Here? Not the time.’‘This is fucked, boss! These idiots have gone and—’‘Bull!’ Jill snapped. ‘Shut it.’Bull grunted and forced himself silent. Jill turned back to Fiona.‘So… what now?’ Jill asked between clenched teeth. ‘I’ve still got that hole in the sky to deal with, you know.’Fiona bowed her head, not meeting anyone’s eyes. ‘As one indentured to a magister, I no longer have the authority to negotiate with you.’Jill rubbed her forehead. ‘Great. Fan-fucking-tastic. So who do we talk to?’The door of the tavern opened behind them, and in walked a group of ‘Vints. The one at the front looked like he was on the wrong side of middle age and wore a red robe. He spread his arms wide as he walked forward.‘Welcome, my friends. I apologise for not greeting you earlier.’‘Agents of the Inquisition,’ Fiona announced. ‘Allow me to introduce Magister Gereon Alexius.’This guy - this guy – was Dorian’s old mentor?Bull stared down at him. He looked so… ordinary. Genial, friendly. A bit boring. Bull had expected the man who had taught Dorian everything he knew to be a bit more… flamboyant.But Bull saw Jill’s jaw clench. She wasn’t thinking about Alexius the mentor.She was thinking about Alexius, the man who had killed dozens of tranquil.‘So.’ Jill said, looking down her nose at Alexius like he was a slug. ‘You’re in charge?’‘The southern mages are under my command, yes.’ Alexius drew close to Jill his gaze pulling her apart. ‘And you are the survivor? The one from the fade? Interesting.’Jill lent back, unnerved by Alexius’ examination ‘I’m not “from the fade”. I fell out of the fade once. It’s not like my hometown.’Alexius laughed. ‘Oh, and she’s got a sense of humour. That’s a delight I was not expecting. I’ve heard rumours you hail from the Free Marches. Is that true?’‘I’ve heard rumours you’re from Tevinter.’Alexius laughed again. ‘Yes, very good. We are both strangers in Ferelden, trying to make our way.’He gestured towards an empty table and sat down, looking at Jill expectantly. With an obvious reluctance, Jill sat across from him, as far away as she could. Alexius turn towards a thin man in a mustard uniform.‘Felix, would you send for a scribe, please?’Bull’s eyes snapped towards the young man in an instant.So, this was Felix. Somehow the stories Dorian told didn’t seem to match up with what he was seeing.‘Pardon me,’ said Alexius. ‘Where are my manners. This is my son, Felix. Felix, this is the Herald of Andraste and the agents of the Inquisition.’Felix’ eyes turned ran across Jill, Varric Vivienne and Bull. He stopped. He did a double take on Bull.‘I’m sorry,’ said Felix turning towards Jill. ‘What are your compatriot’s names? I don’t think we’ve been introduced. Jill looked a bit confused but turned to her party-members.‘Madam de Fer, First Enchanter of the Imperial Court of Orlais, Varric Tethras compatriot and biographer of the Champion of Kirkwall,’ Jill’s voice became flat, ‘and Iron Bull.’Once again, the absence of the “the” was louder than the rest of his name.Felix’s eyes ran up and down Bull. He felt like he was a piece of meat at a butcher’s.‘A huh.’Looks like Dorian had mentioned him to Felix.‘Felix.’ Alexius prompted. ‘The scribe.’As Felix bowed and left to follow his orders. As Jill and Alexius began to chat Bull’s eye followed Felix. Felix kept his gaze on Bull.Then Felix winked. Bull caught a glimpse of what he must have looked like before he got the blight. He wasn’t a bad looking guy. With that wink Dorian's stories didn't seem so far-fetched after all.Bull allowed himself to return a smile. Just a little one.Bull turned back to the conversation that was happening at the table but couldn’t take in any of the words. Dorian had said that he hadn’t told Felix that he was working against his father. Had that changed? Was Dorian near here now. What was Felix trying to tell him with that wink?‘There will have to be—’ Alexius had begun to say when Felix returned without a scribe. He looked unsteady, his eyes glassy and unfocused. Jill stood up from the table and moved to him.‘Hey are you oka—’Felix held out a hand for balance and then stumbled. He would have fallen straight to the floor if Jill hadn’t caught him.‘Felix!’ Alexius shot up and rushed to his son’s side.‘My lady, I am so sorry.’ Felix gasped trying to regain his footing. ‘Please forgive me.’Jill stared down at Felix and said nothing. She looked confused. Alexius grabbed his son around the waist and held him up.‘Are you alright?’‘I’m fine, father.’ Felix said trying to pull away but his father kept his hold firm.‘Come, I’ll get your powders.’ Alexius said, pulling his son away, all his arrogance and slipperiness gone. ‘Excuse me, friends, we will have to continue this another time.’As Alexius shuffled his son out of the tavern, ignoring Felix’s weak protests Bull looked back at Jill. She was holding a slip of paper in her hand.‘Boss?’ Bull whispered.‘It’s from Felix,’ she whispered back. ‘”Come to the Chantry. You’re in danger.”’
‘So new plan.’ Jill said once they were all back out in the fresh air. ‘We get the fuck out of Redcliffe and get the Templars to help seal the breach.’‘What? You’re completely ditching the idea of enlisting the mages?’ asked Varric.‘The mages have already been enlisted, Varric. By fucking ‘Vints. ‘Vints who have been killing tranquils and hollowing out their skulls for evil magic purposes. You really think we should ally with them?’‘What about the chantry note?’ said Bull. ‘Why would Felix warn you about danger? Maybe he wants to help’‘Who cares?’ Jill said. ‘Either he’s trying to pull some trap for his dad, or he’s trying to tell me this place is dangerous. Which, y’know, I already figured out. I don’t need to go to a chantry for that. Let’s go.’Bull stepped in front of Jill, blocking her path.‘Look, boss, I have more reason to hate ‘Vints than you do. But if they wanted to pull a trap on you they should have done it the moment you entered Redcliffe. Why do it this way?’‘Because they think I’m a stupid ox who will fall for anything they through my way?’Bull rolled his eye. ‘It’s not like you’re a proper Qunari anyway, boss.’‘You think these ‘Vints give a shit about the differences between Qunari and Tal-Vashoth?’ Jill asked. ‘They see grey and then they see red. I don’t want to hang around here waiting for someone to knife me in the back.’‘Fine.’ Bull snatched the note from Jill. ‘I’ll go check out the chantry then. I’ll see you back at Haven.’‘What? Alone? Bull, don’t be stupid.’‘Something weird is going on here. That thing with Fiona not remembering she was in Val Royeaux? That’s messed up. Felix is the only lead we’ve got. If we speak to him maybe he’ll tell us what Alexius is planning.’‘Or maybe he’ll feed us bullshit.’Varric, thank fuck, stepped forward. ‘You can find some interesting truths among bullshit, Poppy. I say we check it out. Worst comes to worst we kill everyone and then leave. Y’know, the usual plan.’Jill looked from Bull to Varric. Then she turned to Vivienne.‘Vivienne? Please be the voice of reason.’‘The mage rebellion has gotten up to their necks in hot water.’ Vivienne said. ‘If circumstances were different I would be the first to watch them sink. However, I feel we shouldn’t leave without knowing exactly what we’re facing here. The idea of Tevinters having a stronghold on Ferelden soil is not something I relish. If we gain some information from this Felix boy, we might be able to offer it to the Templars in exchange for their services closing the breach. Then we'll be able to deal with this Alexius fellow properly, with the order’s help.’Jill clenched her jaw and her hand with the mark. Then she groaned up at the sky.‘Okay! Fine! Great! Let’s all skip along to the chantry and into a trap we could have avoided! What better way to cap off such an amazing day.’Jill trudged her way towards the chantry, muttering to herself like an angry beggar. Varric fell into step beside Bull.‘So that guy, Felix. You don’t think he’s—’‘I’d bet my other eye he’s Dorian’s old friend.’‘Great so the question becomes, once we find Felix will he be able to tell us where Dorian is.’Jill reached the doors of the chantry and pulled out her daggers. With a grunt, she kicked open the doors.‘Okay, ‘Vint!’ she began. ‘What’s the big--?’In the middle of the chantry, twisting and spitting in mid-air was another rift.Below it was Dorian.The doors flying open distracted him for a moment, enough time for a rage demon to rake a talon along his arm. Dorian snarled and clubbed it over the head with his staff. He looked back at Bull and grinned like an idiot.‘Ah! You’re finally here. Help me close this rift, would you?’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Krem didn’t get Merrill. He liked her. Kind of. He liked well enough for a blood-mage with the attention span of an easily-distracted nug. But he didn’t understand her. In some situations, she was incredibly naïve, not knowing basic social interaction. But in other situations, she was so smart. Cunning and discerning in a way that exceeded her years. And then there was Merrill the mage, a completely different person on the battlefield. The Kirkwall crew seemed to alternate between needing to protect her and needing to get the hell out of her way.

So, of course, it was Merrill who sidled up to Krem in a small pub on the outskirts of Val Forte. He was having drinks with the Chargers and the members of Hawke’s group that hadn’t already gone to bed at the time. Merrill sat next to him and tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. Merrill’s eyes were the first thing Krem had noticed about her when they met. They were probably the first thing everyone noticed about her. They seemed to take up half her face. But at that moment, they looked like they had doubled in size, swimming with apprehension.

‘Krem, Bull and Dorian are having a fight. What do we do?’

Krem looked at Merrill and then back to the Chief and Dorian. They were sitting side by side at the bar. Dorian had a glass of red, and Bull had whatever grog could be used as a paint-stripper in a pinch. They were facing each other, Dorian resting his elbow on the bar, while Bull leaned into his space. Krem glanced back at Merrill.

‘I think they’re fine.’

‘No, you don’t understand. I was over there and I heard them talking to each other. They were saying such terrible things, Krem. I hate to see them fight.’

‘What were they saying, Kitten?’ Isabela asked, leaning over the table and taking Merrill’s hand.

‘I can’t remember exactly. But Bull was saying something about how you could never trust a ‘Vint – sorry Krem – no matter how good-looking they are. And then Dorian said that only a fool would put their faith in a Qunari and… I can’t say anymore. It was all very unsettling.’

‘Did Bull use the word “Pretty” when he said Dorian was good-looking?' asked Stitches, with the voice of a man near the end of his tether.

‘I er… Yes? I think so.’

‘And did Dorian call Bull suspicious?’

‘Yes, he did! That was the very word he used.’

All the Chargers either groaned or laughed.

‘What’s so funny?’ asked Varric.

‘They’re both fine.’ Krem said, ‘You don’t need to worry about it, Merrill. They’re playing a game.’

This time it was the Kirkwall crew who all groaned. With one exception.

‘A game?’ Merrill asked. ‘What sort of game?’

‘”Pretty suspicious”’, said Rocky. He had beer foam in his moustache. ‘It’s what they do when they want to… spice things up.’

‘Oh Rocky, no.’ Dalish covered her eyes. ‘Please never say that again.’

‘I didn’t want to say it the first time. If you can think of a better way to put it, please, be my guest.’

‘Spice things up?’ Merrill asked. ‘Spice what up? I didn’t see them eating anything spicy. They were just drinking and being rude.’

Krem looked over at Hawke. ‘You want to take this one? Please take this one.’

Hawke laugh. ‘No, I’m good. She’s all yours.’

‘You’re a shit.’

‘I’m missing something. What am I missing?’ said Merrill.

‘It’s a sex game,’ said Skinner who was using one of her knives to pick dirt out from under her fingernails. The Chargers and the Kirkwall crew all glared at her.

‘What?’ she said defensively. ‘You were all going to stumble around and confuse her more. Merrill’s a grown-ass woman. She can handle it.’

Merrill’s eyes lit up. ‘Oh, it’s something dirty! That’s a relief. That’s much better than them actually fighting. How does it work?’

Krem sighed. ‘Sometimes they like to go to pubs and pretend they don’t know each other, so they can “meet” for the first time. Pretend to be different people. That way they can go back to their rooms and… play make-believe? Hawke, stop laughing or you’re a dead man.’

Hawke didn’t stop.

‘I can’t help it. It’s so funny to be on the outside of this conversation for once.’

‘I think I get it now,’ said Merrill. ‘It’s a bit like that thing that Hawke and Isabela do when he dresses up like a Chantry sister-‘

Hawke leapt to his feet, knocking over his chair. ‘Hey! Who wants drinks? Does everyone want drinks and not to listen to what Merrill is saying? I’m going to go get drinks! Drinks for everyone!’

Seeing the Champion of Kirkwall sprint from that table was one of Krem’s favourite memories of him. As Hawke scrambled to the bar, Krem noticed Bull and Dorian’s wine glass and tankard. They were on the bar. Alone.

Krem looked over to the hallway that led to the bedrooms in time to see two figures slink away.

Of course, the first-time Bull saw Dorian in
two months would be when he was fighting a bunch of demons below a rift in the fabric of reality. That just made sense.The demon Dorian had thwacked in the face with his staff had rallied, and was surging toward him at full speed. Bull lunged forward, his axe slashing off the creatures outstretched claws. The thing reared back jaw distending like a snake’s. Dorian thrust his staff down the demon’s throat and let loose a surge of electricity. It writhed and squealed before melting into the chantry tiles. There were more demons falling out of the rift, and the others were busy fighting them off. But there was enough time for Dorian and Bull to see each other face to face.‘Hello,’ said Dorian. He sounded strangely shy.‘Hello yourself.’ Bull grinned.But then another rage demon exploded into life beside them, and they had more pressing matters.‘We’ve already dealt with a rift today!’ Varric yelled, loading Bianca while he hid behind a pillar. He leaned out and fired off a volley of bolts before ducking back again. ‘Shouldn’t there be a rule against this?’Bull hacked away at the pride demon, taking one step back for every molten slither it moved forward. ‘I’m adding that to my contract when I get back, Boss!’ He yelled in Jill’s direction. ‘One rift, per day, max!’‘You’re both very funny.’ Jill screamed back. She dug both her daggers into the chest of a demon and raked them across, tearing it open. ‘Vivienne, you good?’‘Oh, would you hurry up and close the thing, dear,' Vivienne yelled pelting a retreating demon with shards of ice. When it froze solid, Dorian swung at it with his staff like a bat. The monster disintegrated into pieces.‘Yes, please do!’ Dorian yelled. ‘I’ve heard so much about the process. I would love to see it in person.’Jill tore off her glove and shoved her open palm in the direction of the rift. The mark in her hand seemed to hook itself into the pulsating green gash. The air around it rippled and shook. Jill ripped her hand back and the rift shuddered and collapsed, making a noise that sounded like a scream. The last few demons blew away like embers on the wind.With the rift gone, all of them stopped to pant and wipe the sweat off their brows. Except for Vivienne. She’d never do something as common as sweat. Bull looked at Dorian but Dorian had reached out and grabbed Jill’s hand.‘Hey!’ said Jill, but Dorian held her wrist firmly in front of his eyes.‘Fascinating! How does that work exactly?’‘I… I er—’Dorian laughed. ‘You don’t even know, do you? You just wiggle your fingers and boom! Rift closes.’Bull wanted to smile. Of course, Jill’s freaky magic hand was the top of his Kadan’s priority list. Dorian was like a magpie for weird magical shit.‘I don’t need to know how it works.’ Jill said. Dorian lifted an eyebrow.‘Oh? Silly me then. If I had a mark on my hand that could close holes between our world and the fade, I’d have a few questions. Small things like “How did I get this?” “Is it dangerous?” and “What are the chances of it transforming me into some sort of monstrous fade creature?”’Bull bit his lip to stop himself from laughing. Jill, on the other hand, did not look amused.‘I don’t need to know how it works right now,’ Jill said. ‘At this second, I have different questions. “Who is this weirdo holding my wrist and why did he send me a note?”’Dorian coughed and let go of Jill. ‘Getting ahead of myself again I see. Dorian Pavus, Scion of House Pavus, most recently of… everywhere really.’ He bowed, low and regal. ’How do you do?’It was a split-second decision. Bull wasn’t even sure if Dorian would catch-on in time, and even if he did there was half a chance he wouldn’t go for it. But Jill already didn’t trust Dorian and she hated Bull. Jill was so close to terminating the Charger’s contract Bull could smell it. If she knew that Dorian a Charger, she would wash her hands of the mages and head straight to Therinfal Redoubt. No one would stop Alexius from doing… whatever shit he was doing and Bull would need to tell the Ben-Hassrath why she'd fired him.There were too many things at stake here. If they blew one, only one, the whole thing would come down around their ears.Bull made a choice. Half of him felt like it was the dumbest choice he ever made.‘Watch yourself,’ he said to Jill. ‘The pretty ones are always the worst.’Jill glanced back at Bull but he had his eyes locked on Dorian. Dorian’s eyes narrowed a fraction before he plastered a smirk on his beautiful face.‘Suspicious friends you have there.’Jill turned back to Dorian. When her back was to him, Bull gave Dorian the fraction of a nod. Dorian didn’t react, but Bull knew he saw. A boot jabbed Bull in the shin. He glanced down to see Varric staring up at him. Varric mouthed the words “what the hell”, but Bull ignored him, looking back at Jill and Dorian.‘Do they have the right to be suspicious?’ Jill asked. ‘There seems to be a whole lot of Tevinters here. In Redcliffe. A Ferelden town.’‘Is there? I haven’t noticed.’Jill folded her arms.‘Fine. I see this is one situation where my wit and charm are wasted once again. Magister Alexius was once my mentor, so I have come to lend my assistance to the Inquisition’s cause.Jill rolled her eyes. ‘Oh, I see. You’re meant to be the “good” Magister wanting to help us to fight the “evil” magister.’Bull bit the inside of his cheek. He knew the “magister definition” was coming. Dorian raised a brow, unimpressed.‘Alright. Let’s say this once. I am a mage from Tevinter, but not a member of the magisterium. I know southerners use the terms interchangeably, but that only makes you sound like barbarians.’Jill tilted her head at the word “barbarian”. ‘What a coincidence!’ she said. ‘Because I was here thinking you sound like a complete prat.’Dorian chuckled in the most patronising way he could. ‘This Inquisition must be so pleased you were the one to fall out of the fade. Imagine how bad it could have been if they were stuck with some tactless clod, without a shred of diplomacy.’Bull pinned Dorian with a look. It said Dorian, stop it.Dorian’s gaze flicked to Bull for a second, but his expression didn’t change.Not on your life, Amatus.Jill pinched the bridge of her nose. ‘Look. Is there someone less snooty I could talk to? That Felix guy seemed okay. Y’know, before he collapsed and everything.’‘I’m sure he’s on his way. He was to give you the note and then meet us here after ditching his father. If he collapsed that will make it more difficult, regardless of whether it was genuine or not.’‘So, Felix is just pretending to be sick? Or is there something wrong with him? Because if he’s pretending he’s… dedicated to the performance.’Dorian hid it well, but Bull knew him well enough to see the small crease appear between Dorian’s brows. Dorian waved his hand airily.‘He’s had some lingering illness for months now. Felix is an only child and Alexius is being a mother-hen most likely.’Jill scoffed. ‘Yeah. When I look at Alexius his whole face screams “nurturing”.’‘You’d be surprised,’ Dorian said. ‘On the days he isn’t forcing rebel mages into indentured servitude Alexius reads books to orphans and makes broth for the elderly. His other interests include flower arranging-’‘Look, it’s not that I’m not enjoying your stupid prattling, but let’s cut to the chase. You’re betraying your mentor because…?’‘Alexius was my mentor. Meaning he’s not any longer. Not for some time. I assume I don’t have to explain past tense to you?’Jill threw up her hands. ‘You know what? Fuck this. Let’s go guys.’Bull was about to step in. He needed to say something, anything, to stop Jill from leaving. But Dorian snatched her wrist again before she could turn away.‘Look. You must know there’s danger. That should be obvious even without the note.’Jill yanked her hand out of Dorian’s grip but didn’t walk away. ‘Explain. Without sarcasm, if you physically can.’‘Let’s start with Alexius claiming the allegiance of the rebel mages out from under you. As if by magic, yes? Which is exactly right. To reach Redcliffe before the Inquisition Alexius distorted time itself.’Jill scoffed.‘What? That’s ridiculous! Magic can’t do that. We’d have heard about it by now.’‘You’re quite right, my dear.’ Vivienne agreed. ‘Manipulating time itself? What do you take us for? Many have attempted over the ages but never once succeeded.’‘You’ve seen it with your own eyes.’ Dorian pointed to the air above them where the rift had sat. ‘The rift you closed here. You saw how it twisted time around itself. Sped some things up and slowed others down? Is that proof enough for you?’Jill didn’t answer Dorian. Bull knew if she had any kind of comeback she would have used it.Dorian moved forward again. ‘Soon there will be more like it. And they will appear further and further away from Redcliffe.’‘How far?’‘How far is Thedas?’Jill rubbed a thumb along the mark in her palm. ‘I’m not going to lie. I don’t find that idea appealing.’‘The number of rifts with temporal abnormalities is one thing. What they do to the fabric of reality is worse. The magic Alexius is using is wildly unstable. And it’s unravelling the world.’Jill rubbed her mark again. There was a flicker of realisation as she noticed what she was doing. She clenched her fist hard. ‘I’m sorry, I forget, why should we believe you again? You’re just some ‘Vint we found beating the shit out of demons in the chantry and suddenly you’re an authority on time magic?’‘Considering I was the one who helped Alexius develop it, yes.’ Dorian snarled.‘Wait. You made this magic. This is your fault and you’re here asking me to trust you?’‘Is the blacksmith to blame when you jab one of the daggers he made into someone else’s back? No. And besides, when I was still his apprentice it was pure theory. Alexius could never get it to work. That’s why he got back into contact with me. He was hoping a fresh set of eyes would help him overcome some of the problems he hasn’t been able to solve.’‘Such as?’‘You see, he has some control over his newfound abilities, but he can only go back as far as the explosion at the conclave.’Jill narrowed her eyes. ‘So they’re linked?’‘I would say so. Which is a piece of luck for us. It limits the amount of destruction he can do to the last two months. It could be a lot worse.’‘Tell that to the rebel mages.’‘Fine. Let me put it this way. Imagine if he could go back in time and knock on the door of your parents’ bedroom the minute of your conception. That would present a whole plethora of new and interesting challenges, would it not?’Jill screwed her face up. ‘Hey, here’s an idea. Instead of making me think about my parents having sex how about you tell me how close Alexius is to his goal?’‘Not close at all, which is in no small part due to my talents at sabotage. When he told me what he intended to do I pretended to go along with his plans and joined the Venatori, his Tevinter supremacist cult. I have been undermining his work ever since.’‘Wait, wait. I think I misheard you.’ Bull said, moving forward. ‘You joined a cult?’Dorian looked at Bull, unimpressed. ‘It’s not like I could have tagged along unless I proved my loyalty to him.‘So… you joined a cult.’‘I pretended to join a cult to gather information on Alexius’ plans and pull his efforts off-course.’‘Is it pretending if you, you know, actually join the cult?’‘I’m sorry. I suppose you would have done things differently?’‘Fuck yeah I would have.’‘Well then, please. Enlighten me. What would you have done in my place?’‘Not joined a cult!’‘Alright, settle down Iron Bull.’ Jill said. ‘I think everyone knows where you stand on the topic of cults.’‘I’ve explained my reasons for joining the Venatori. I don’t need my motives interrogated by some Qunari oaf I’ve never seen before in my life.’Bull glared down at Dorian, not missing the sharp mischief gleaming in his eyes. He’d make Dorian pay for that later. Jill moved between them.‘Can we not have a Tevinter-Qunari pissing match right now? We have bigger problems. We’re here on behalf of the Inquisition, remember?’‘Ah yes, the Inquisition.’ Dorian smirked. ‘And how did this fine Qunari gentleman end up joining your ranks, exactly? Did he sign up at his local Chantry after attending one of his regular Sunday services?’It was then Bull realised that, no, he hadn’t written to Dorian since he’d joined the Inquisition. Dorian had been expecting the Herald of Andraste to come through that door with some Inquisition agents at her side. And instead, he came face to face with… him.They really needed to catch up. When they weren’t pretending the didn’t know each other from a sack of nug dung.‘There’s a hole in the sky, ‘Vint.’ Bull said to Dorian. ‘You think only Andrastians want it gone?’‘Oh no. I find it a little ironic that you would lecture me on joining a cult when you have allied yourself with a group of… what were the words the Chantry used again? Oh yes. “Heretics, false prophets, and deserters of the faith.”’Jill scowled down at Dorian. He held up his hands.‘Their words. Not mine. Considering what I saw you do with that mark a few minutes ago, I’d say you have more right to claim divine providence than they do. And that’s not including you falling out of one of those rifts. I must ask, that did happen yes?’‘Yes, I fell out of a rift.’ Jill said like a bored adolescent. ‘No, I don’t remember what happened. No, I didn’t kill the Divine. Yes, Andraste saved me in the Fade.’Dorian frowned. ‘Wait, if you don’t remember—’‘It’s long, it’s complicated, I want Varric to write a book about it so I don’t have to repeat it over and over again.’‘Are you giving me exclusive rights to your life story, Poppy?’ Varric asked. ‘Because I will hold you to that. Don’t think I won’t.’‘You’re losing focus, dear.’ Vivienne cut in, speaking to Jill. ‘We came here to find out why Alexius would want the rebel mages at all, let alone why he would destroy time for them.’‘He didn’t do it for them.’Everyone looked towards the voice to see Felix coming through the door of the Chantry. He looked paler than he did before, and he’d looked plenty pail then.Bull saw the wide grin spread across Dorian’s face. When he spoke, he used that forced jovial tone he had, when he was trying to pretend he wasn’t worried.‘Took you long enough. Is he getting suspicious?’Felix sat down at the very end of one of the pews. ‘No. But I shouldn’t have played the illness card. I thought he’d be fussing over me all day.’Vivienne sneered down at Felix. ‘Let one Tevinter in, suddenly they’re scurrying out of all the walls like roaches.’‘Now, now.’ Dorian said. ‘I’m ever so much more handsome than a cockroach.’‘What about me?’ Felix asked in mock offence.‘Perhaps. In the right light.’‘Okay, great. Felix. The
guy we’ve been waiting for. The man of the hour.’ Jill said. ‘Please honour us all by answering our question. What the fuck is your dad doing.’Felix shifted trying to get comfortable on the hard wood of the pew. ‘My father joined a cult.’‘Yes, we know, we did that bit,’ Jill said exasperatedly. ‘Bull got his smalls in a bunch something fierce about it.’‘I’m sorry, I wasn’t here for that bit. You want me to tell you what’s going on or do you want to complain?’‘Both if I’m honest but the first one will do.’‘Okay, I can tell you one thing. Whatever he’s done for the Venatori, he’s done it to get to you.’Jill frowned. ‘What? I don’t even know your dad. Today’s the first day I’ve even heard of him. Why does he hate me?’‘He doesn’t. The Elder one does.’‘The Elder one?’‘We don’t know his name, or who he is yet.’ Dorian explained. ‘Alexius is keeping us in the dark for the moment. All we know is he’s the leader of the Venatori and very powerful. Alexius needs the Elder one’s help for—’Dorian cut himself off. The others missed it, but Bull saw Dorian’s eyes flicker to Felix for a second.‘—his studies in time magic. And he’s sold his soul to this Elder One to get it.’‘Okay. So the Elder one hates me. Alexius works for the Elder one. And the mages now work for Alexius. Shit. Why can’t things ever be easy?’‘Did Alexius get to the mages first to stop the Inquisition from having them? Or to use them as bait?’ Bull asked.‘Both,’ said Dorian. ‘He wants the rebel mages for the Venatori, but he also wants your Herald out of the way.’‘Why?’ Varric asked, ‘He knows she’s the only one who can stop the rifts, right? Doesn’t Alexius want the breach gone?’‘Considering the Venatori are connected to the explosion at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, the answer could very well be no.’All the Inquisition agents froze like they had been hit with one of Vivienne ice spells.‘You know this for certain?’ Jill whispered. ‘The Venatori are involed Divine Justinia’s death?’‘We’ve seen the evidence with our own eyes.’ Felix said. ‘That’s why we’re trying to stop my father. Both Dorian and I love him and our country but this is…’‘An atrocity?’ said Jill.‘I was going to say madness. Please. For his own sake. You have to stop him.’‘Oh, don’t for a second think I’m going to do anything for your father’s sake.’ Jill hissed. ‘I’ve known him for a day and he might already be the most despicable man I’ve ever met.’Felix flinched back. Dorian moved forward.‘Look, we’ve come here – two members of the Venatori – offering our services. If they discover we’ve spoken to you, we’re already dead. Maybe literally, with all Alexius’ time shenanigans of late. You don’t have to trust us. But consider whether we’d take such a big risk if our motives weren’t genuine.’‘I don’t trust you.’ Jill said. ‘But don’t take it personally. I don’t trust anyone these days.’‘We know his next move.’ offered Felix. ‘Father said he planned to send me to Haven with a convoy for negotiations. When I had gained your trust, I was to bring you back to Redcliffe castle to finalise our agreement. That’s when he planned to strike.’‘While Felix is off playing diplomat with you lot, I’ll remain here, keeping tabs on Alexius.’ Dorian said. Bull stepped forward.‘By yourself?’ Bull asked. ‘That's suicide.’‘Alexius thinks I am his right-hand man. He’s not going to want to spare me. And while I’m here I can push back his research on time magic by months, and still appear to be helping his efforts'. Dorian flashed Bull a perfect smile. ‘Oh, don’t you worry your pretty horned head. I’ll send the Inquisition information daily. I’ll stay safe, never fear.’Bull shook his head, staring down at Dorian. He’d only just found him again. He couldn’t walk away and leave Dorian here without any defence. One slip up and Dorian’s entire cover was blown.But Bull couldn’t blow his own cover either. Not without Jill turning on them both.‘I don’t trust either of these ‘Vints, Boss.’ Bull said to her, keeping his face sitting in a scowl. ‘What's to stop them playing both us and Alexius. I want them at Haven where I can keep an eye on them.’‘What do you mean “you don’t trust us”?’ Felix asked, incredulously. ‘Me I understand, but not even Dorian? For Andraste’s sake, he’s your—’Dorian pulled Felix up from the pew and began to tug him towards the door.‘Now, Felix. Don’t go starting arguments with giant Qunari men. That’s a great way to lose limbs. Send Alexius a message saying you want to continue negotiations for the rebel mages. When he gets your letter he’ll send Felix your way.’‘Dorian let go, what are you—?’‘I just remembered we have to get back to Redcliffe Castle. Alexius will be wondering where we’ve both disappeared to, and we’ve been gone too long as it is.’‘Alright,’ Jill sounded sceptical. ‘I’ll think about what you said. But I’m not making any promises.’‘That’s all we ask,’ said Dorian, with a smooth bow. He shoved Felix out the door with one hand. ‘Good luck, all of you. Oh and… try not to get yourself killed.’Dorian addressed them all, but his gaze landed on Bull with this last sentence.And then he was gone again.Bull grimaced and gripped his axe handle until his knuckles turned white. This was not how he'd imagined his reunion with Dorian going.Both of them didn't take their pants off or anythingJill sighed. ‘Can we go back to Haven now? I’ve had enough of ‘Vints for one day.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

‘Okay, let me run through this again so I can make sure I’ve got this straight.’Felix had propped himself up against the headboard of his bed, so he could better watch Dorian as he paced the room. ‘The Iron Bull gave you a secret signal -that you guys developed for when you play some weird sex game- telling you to pretend you don’t know each other.’‘Yes! Why is that so hard to follow.’‘I don’t know. Because it’s crazy?’‘Bull obviously thought it was a bad idea to reveal that we were in a relationship to those people.’ Dorian said. He turned on his heel and paced the other direction. ‘The question is why?’
‘The question is why?’ Varric said. It was hard to fit himself, Bull and the rest of the Chargers into a single tent. But they'd done it before and they'd do it again. Varric had told all the Chargers what had happened in Redcliffe. When he'd finished, Bull swore he could feel every single pair of eyes judging him. Skinner had even started playing with one of her knives.‘Hey, you all know I want Dorian back here more than any of you!’ Bull said. ‘Jill doesn’t trust me, and we needed her to trust Dorian. Otherwise, she was going to go to the Templars and leave him stuck in Redcliffe with his crazy mentor and that cult. The best thing I could have done for Dorian is stayed the hell away from him.’Krem lent forward. ‘It’ll be a lot worse for both of you if you get caught in the lie. You think either Jill or that First Enchanter lady caught on Chief?’ he asked.‘Nah. There was too much freaky shit happening in that town from the start. Perfect distraction. Varric and you boys are the only ones here who know the truth.’
‘Varric already knows that Bull and I are together, so it must have been one of the women.’ Dorian said. ‘And I’d put my coin on that Herald. She seemed to be the most disagreeable, and certainly the one with the most power in the dynamic.’‘Yeah, and she wasn’t even the one who compared us to cockroaches. Why do you think Bull would want to keep you a secret?’‘For protection. Either my own or the Chargers’.’‘Could the Herald of Andraste has some grudge against Tevinter?’ Felix offered. ‘She is a Qunari. Maybe if she found out you two were sleeping together Bull would lose face with her. Sleeping with the enemy and all that?'‘It’s not unfeasible.’ Dorian said. ‘But if she is a true member of the Qun, then our connection would be a problem in itself, regardless of my nationality.’‘What do you mean?’‘Our relationship isn’t exactly one that Qunadar would look on with favour.’‘Because you’re a ‘Vint?’‘Because it’s a relationship.’ Dorian explained. ‘Qunari don’t believe in any connections that could get between people and their devotion to the Qun. Not parents, not children, not siblings and definitely not lovers.’‘That’s insane.’‘Says the man who father has joined a cult to save his life.’‘Alright, good point but you know there’s a space between the two extremes, right?’‘Yes, dear Felix, I am aware. What I was trying to say is that the Charger's mostly work out in the wilderness or back-waters. There it’s easy to keep Bull’s minor transgression quiet. But if the Herald discovered we were lovers and sent word back to Par Vollen? The consequences aren’t pleasant to think about.’
‘Have you thought about the consequences if this goes sideways, chief?’ asked Stitches. ‘Because by my count you looking to piss of the Herald, Par Vollen, a group of ‘Vint extremists—’‘To be fair most of those people were pissed off with me anyway before we went to Redcliffe.’ Bull said. ‘Look, all we need to do is keep this quiet until we get rid of the hole in the sky. Once that’s done, the jobs over and we can get the hell out of Haven and back to our lives.'‘And how long is that going to take, Chief?’ Krem sniped.‘How long is a piece of string Krem?’ Bull bit back. ‘All we can do is press on the Boss to get this shit done as fast as possible, without seeming suspicious.’‘And while we do that, Dorian is stuck with a group of mad-men, pretending to be one of them.’ Rocky said.
‘Look, for all, we know this Inquisition is stocked with as many mad-men as the Venatori.’ Dorian said. ‘Are you sure you’re going to be fine at Haven?’Felix groaned. ‘Yes, mother Dorian. I will be safe and not talk to strangers and eat all my vegetables—’‘I swear the Maker is using you to take his revenge upon me for all those times I was flippant towards Bull.’ Dorian said. ‘Promise me when you get there you will find either Bull or Krem, straight away. They’ll be able to protect you.’‘Last time I met Krem I felt as though I need protection from him.’ Felix said. Dorian fixed him with a glare. ‘Yes, yes! Chargers good. Everyone else bad. I’ll go find your merry band of mercs first thing. The first thing on my to-do list; make myself a meat shield out of Dorian's lover—no forget that it sounds wrong.’There was a knock at the door and Dorian caught his voice in his throat. Felix spoke up warily.‘Who is it?’‘Your father wishes to speak to you,’ said the former Grand Enchanter Fiona. Making the leader of the southern circles perform menial tasks. Alexius must be somewhere gloating. ‘He is waiting down in the throne room.’‘Thank you.’‘And if, perchance, you happen to see Ser Pavus before I do, would you do me the kindness of relaying the message to him as well?' Fiona asked from behind the door. Felix and Dorian exchanged looks.‘I shall.’‘You have my thanks.’ Fiona said before the sound of her bare-feet retreated away from the door.‘Is that going to be a problem?’ Felix asked.‘If it is, it’s not one we can do anything about.’ Dorian said. He reached his hand out to Felix and helped him up. ‘We should go. And if you could throw some more venomous scowls my way, that would be great.’
‘We shouldn’t be in this mess, Chief! Skinner said. 'We wouldn't be if you'd stopped trading scowls with the Herald and shut your face about the Qun.’Bull banged his fist on the dirt floor. ‘Enough! I’m still the leader of this company. I’m still the one who pays your gold and I’m the one who hands your asses to you when you fuck up, not the other way around. You don’t have to like the plan we have but so far, it’s the only one we’ve got. If any of you have a problem with the way I run things, there are plenty of other crews out there.’The Chargers’ voices died. They all sat in the tight hot air of the tent trading wordless glances. They all knew it was an empty threat but for Bull to say that out loud was telling enough in itself.Bull rubbed his eye. ’Look, I hate it too. But I didn’t have a choice at the time.’‘We know, Chief.’ Krem said. He patted Bull’s giant shoulder. ‘We’ll get him back.’‘How did he look?’ Dalish asked. Bull thought about the question for a moment.‘Hot.’All the Chargers groaned and Varric crawled towards the tent-flap.‘And with that, I make my leave before I vomit over everyone. You guys going to meet me for a dri—’The tent door flipped open before Varric could touch it. An Inquisition scout poked his head in.‘Master Tethras. Master Bull. The Inquisition leaders would like to see you in the war room at once.’‘What? Now?’ asked Varric.‘That’s usually what “at once” means, sir,’ said the scout before flipping the tent-door closed again.‘Very lippy for an errand boy.’ Varric muttered. ‘You coming Bull.’‘Yeah.’ Bull said, climbing his way over all the Chargers while they grunted and whined. ‘Wonder what they want.’‘Hopefully, it has nothing to do with the huge stack of lies we’ve told,’ said Varric disappearing out the door.‘Yeah. Let’s hope.’
‘What do you mean I’m not going to Haven?!’ Felix asked. His father was sitting on the Redcliffe throne in front of them. He seemed to think he was actually king of something, instead of a stupid old man sitting on a fancy chair.‘After your little… spell in the Tavern, I don’t think that a trip to the Frostback Mountains would be good for your constitution'. Alexius brushed some lint off his chest. ‘Dorian will be able to handle the situation fine.’Every nerve in Dorian’s body was trying to force himself not to shake. He’d had his reservations about sending Felix to Haven. But that prospect was far less terrifying than leaving Felix behind with his father. Alone.If Felix was in Haven meant the Chargers could keep an eye on for him. Out of immediate danger. In Redcliffe, he was defenceless.‘Alexius, I cannot abandon my studies now.’ Dorian said, moving forward. ‘I’m so close to a break-through I can taste it. Felix doesn’t understand our work as I do. He’s no help to you here.’‘I have managed without your help for the past few years, Dorian. I’m sure our work will not grind to a halt while you’re gone.’‘Father, I can do this.’ Felix said. ‘I was feeling a little light-headed that day. That’s all. Anyway, I’ve met the Herald face to face. Dorian hasn’t.’‘Yes, I’m sure she’ll remember well the sickly man who collapsed on her. We need to present a front that signals “strength”, Felix. Dorian is perfectly capable of introducing himself to the Herald.’Felix stiffened. ‘And I don’t represent that “strength”?’Alexius sighed rubbing his eyes. ‘Felix, you must understand—’But Felix had already turned his back and stormed towards the door of the throne room.‘Oh no! I understand. You can’t have your invalid son making a bad impression. I’ll be in my room, that is if my frail pathetic body doesn’t collapse in on itself before I reach it.’‘Felix!’‘If you don’t hear from me in an hour send a legion of guards to search for me and at least nine healers. I’ve probably tripped over a small pebble and shattered every bone in my body,’ Felix yelled behind him. Then he was gone.Dorian raised an eyebrow in Alexius’ direction.‘Sometimes I ask myself why you shunned speaking the Magisterium. Then you open your mouth and the memories come flooding back.’Alexius slumped in his chair. ‘He’ll understand, once he’s cooled down.’‘Good, because I don’t.’ Dorian turned to him. ‘What is this? Do you think Felix isn’t well enough to make the journey? Or are you sending me to Haven because I’m more expendable?’‘What? No!’‘Oh please.’ Dorian scoffed. ‘Felix is your real son. This whole endeavour is for his benefit. If you're going to throw either of us to the Inquisition’s wolves it’s going to be me.’‘That’s not true! Dorian, how could you think—?’ Alexius stood up and moved towards Dorian. Dorian, without thinking stepped back. Alexius halted, his face contorted at the sight of Dorian retreating from him. When he saw the look on Alexius’s face, Dorian stopped.‘My boy, I’m not sending you because I think I can… discard you like you’re nothing.’ Alexius said. ‘It took me so long to find you again, Dorian. To make things right between us. Sending you to Haven is a necessity I loathe.’‘Isn’t my work on the amulet a necessity?’ Dorian asked. ‘Isn’t that the real reason you scoured the earth for me?’‘One of the reasons, yes, but not the sole reason.’ Alexius dropped his head in defeat. ‘Come with me. I have something to tell you.’
‘You’re choosing the Templars?’ Varric said. ‘I mean, I can’t say I’m surprised but… no. I can. Because I am. What?’Varric, Vivienne and the Iron Bull stood on one side of the war table. They had finished going over what had happened in Redcliffe for the third time. The Inquisition's advisors had stepped out of the room, mutter to themselves behind the door, and stepped back in again. With their decision.Leliana and Josephine were standing off to the right side, whispering to each other. Cullen and Cassandra stood next to each other in the centre, looming over the map. Jill sat on a chair in the corner, almost in shadow.‘We’ve taken a vote and decided that, after what you saw in Redcliffe, the situation with the mages is too unstable'. Cassandra said. ‘The Inquisition is vulnerable. We have few allies. We cannot even pretend to ally ourselves with Tevinter Magisters unless we wish to alienate all Thedas.’‘So, you’re going to walk away after seeing all the shit that was going down in Redcliffe.’ Varric said. ‘What about… that Dorian guy and his friend? We’re going to leave them in the lurch after they reached out to us.’‘C’mon Varric,’ said Jill. ‘It was so obvious. They were either a trap Alexius set up, or they’re trying to undermine him so they can usurp Alexius later down the road. Then they’ll stab each other in the back. Y’know, Traditional Tevinter shit.’‘We thought you all should know the outcome of your mission since you were there. However, we hope you understand if we ask you to keep this news confidential,’ said Josephine. ‘Spies are potentially everywhere, and while we do our best to root them out—’‘Think nothing of it, darling, we shall be the soul of discretion.’ Vivienne said. ‘If I may say so, you all made the right decision. Fiona made her bed, and now she must lie in it, although it saddens me to see her drag so many misguided fools down with her.’‘We should still go with the mages,’ insisted Varric. ‘There was too much weird stuff down there. We ignore it and it will blow up in our faces.’Vivienne raised her brow. ‘Like how you ignored the danger your friend Anders presented? Before he blew up the Kirkwall chantry, of course.’Varric’s eyes grew stoney for a split second but they snapped back to life just as quick. ‘Damn right. You think I’d make that mistake again? Look, you guys are going to do what you want to. But if it were up to me I would go do something about the people with the most potential to fuck things up for everyone.’‘You seem quiet Iron Bull,’ said Leliana. ‘Do you have nothing to add to the conversation?’Bull looked at Leliana. The way she looked at him that reminded him they were cut from the same cloth. In another life, Leliana would have made a formidable Ben-Hassrath. Maybe in another life Bull would have made a good left-hand for the Divine. She wasn’t calling on him for the sake of giving everyone a voice. They'd already made their choice. The only reason for getting Bull to speak was to try and change the outcome.But why?The Ben-Hassrath had sent Bull a wagon-load of intel on Leliana. It was the good stuff, straight from the new Arishok himself. It also took Bull by surprise. It turned out Hawke hadn’t been blowing smoke up Bull ass when he’d boasted about his cousin, the fabled “Hero of Ferelden”. But Hawke had neglected to add in the good parts, or maybe he didn’t know. Warden Amell was apparently a bit of a stunner. Enough to catch both Cullen and Leliana’s eye at least.Bull wondered if Leliana ever pulled that card on Cullen. “I’ve fucked the Warden and you haven’t”.So, it made sense that Leliana would vote to help the mages. Body language alone told Bull that Josephine was on Leliana’s side of the vote. No prizes for guessing what the Templar and the Super Templar voted for. So the deciding vote was—Ah shit.If he was going to win Jill over he was going to have to play this smart.Bull leaned his shoulder against the wall. ‘It’s not what I’d thought you’d go for, I’ll give you that.’‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Jill asked. Bull tired not to smile at her predictability. Only she would interpret everything Bull said as a personal attack.‘Like I said. I thought you’d go try and get the mages. That’s all.’‘Because with your keen Ben-Hassrath mind you’re able to predict our actions before we make them?’‘I didn’t mean anything by it, Boss. The Templars are the obvious choice.’‘But you wouldn’t have picked them.’‘You did. What I would have done doesn’t matter.’‘Why would you have picked them, Bull?’ Leliana asked. Her tone was pitch perfect. Not leading, mildly curious, with a slither of distrust in his direction, just for Jill’s benefit. It was like a fucking artwork. Bull sighed like she was dragging the answer out of him.‘I thought you southerners would have more of a problem with a fuckton of ‘Vints setting up shop in a Ferelden city'. He pointed at Jill. ‘I mean, you shit your pants when you found out I was Ben-Hassrath. You were certain the evil Qunari hoards were going to invade. Now Tevinter has actually invaded and you’re all shrugging your shoulders.’‘That is not what’s happening!’ Cassandra said. ‘The Breach is our number one priority. Afterwards, we can deal with this Magister Alexius and the mages. But until then we can’t waste time on their nonsense.’‘The nonsense being time magic?’ Varric said.‘We don’t know for certain it was time magic!’ snapped Cullen. ‘We only have the word of a Tevinter mage to go on.’‘You weren’t there Cullen,’ Jill said. ‘It was certainly fucked up. I mean, more fucked up than normal, but that’s still saying something.’‘Look,’ Bull took his weight off the wall and shuffling towards the door like he was about to leave. ‘It’s up to you guys, and you’ve made your decision. But that mage in the Chantry used the words “unravelling the word”. I thought the whole point of your Inquisition was to stop that sort of shit from happening. If you end up sealing the breach only for Magister Dickhead to blow it up again, you’re going to look pretty stupid.’‘The Iron Bull does have a point,’ Josephine interjected with her sexy lilting Antivian accent. ‘All our reports tell us the templars are sequestering themselves in Therinfal Redoubt. While they’re isolated they can us no good, but they can also do no harm. We cannot say the same about the mages.’‘Exactly. The whole reason the Qunari sent me to the Inquisition was to see if the breach was going to end the world. It's going to piss them off when I write and tell them it’s not only the breach but crazy mages as well.’Jill had pinned Bull with a look throughout the discussion. There was the normal hostility there but also some curiosity. A grin snapped into life on her face and she leant back in her chair.‘Those two ‘Vint mages really freaked you out, huh Bull?’Bull squinted at Jill, ‘They’ve given us plenty of reason to be.’Jill nodded and folded her arms. ‘I see what this is about. I’ve worked out your little game, oh mighty Ben-Hassrath.’‘What do you mean?’ asked Cassandra. Jill refused to unlock her eyes with Bull’s‘I know the real reason why Bull wants us to pick the mages.’
Redcliffe Castle had been their base of operation for a few short weeks. In that time Alexius had managed to turn his whole room into a pig-sty. Dorian wasn’t surprised. His work area had always been a symptom of how he thought through a problem. The more complex an issue the more debris ended up scattered around his study.‘So, was the walk here sufficient time for you to think of an excuse as to why you’re sending me away?’ Dorian asked.‘Dorian, I was never a fan of your vitriolic tongue when you were my student. Time has done nothing to lessen that opinion.’ Alexius said while he rifled through a pile of papers on his desk. Finding nothing he turned to the bed. ‘A letter arrived for me yesterday. Word on our friend Beatrix.’‘Oh,’ Dorian removed a pile of books from a chair and sat in it. ‘Has the woman confessed to you her unrestrained attraction to me?’Alexius found the letter he wanted and handed it to Dorian.‘She’s dead.’Dorian sat up and snatched the letter from Alexius. He pulled it out of the envelope so fast it tore. The words only made sense on the fourth pass.‘How?’‘The Inquisition intercepted her and her crew the day they landed and cut them down'. Alexius sat on the edge of his bed. ‘Dorian, there was no way they could have found Beatrix without help.’Dorian’s body temperature dropped. You knew you were going to get her killed. You knew it.‘I… I don’t want to seem callous Alexius but what has this got to do with me sending to Haven.’Alexius covered his eyes with his hands and, to Dorian’s shock, a sob escaped his lips.‘Felix has betrayed us, Dorian.’Dorian leapt to his feet and moved to the bed sitting down next to Alexius.‘What? No. How can you say that?’‘You yourself kept saying you didn’t believe his change of heart was genuine. You saw the truth from the start. But here I am, an old fool who refuses to recognise that his own son plots against him.’Dorian’s pulse was so loud it was making it difficult for him to think. This was all his fault. He’d been the one telling Alexius all this time that they couldn't trust Felix, all to cover his own ass. He was an idiot. A fucking idiot who was going to get his friend killed.Dorian forced himself to breathe, dragging deep lungful’s through his nose. A voice, that sounded suspiciously like Bull’s, spoke from the back of his brain.Don’t lose your grip. Alexius is vulnerable. He doesn’t want to believe Felix is betraying him. That’s you in. Gain the advantage.‘What are you talking about?’ Dorian spoke like a man exhausted by trivialities. ‘How could Felix have known that Beatrix was heading for the Storm Coast? He didn’t even meet her, remember?’‘He came across the map of Ferelden I had in my office, back in Asariel. You recall? The night I told you the truth and showed you what the amulet could do? Beatrix’s destination was marked on that map. The only people here who knew about it were you, me Felix and Mae. It can’t have been Mae because with the time-skip she would have been too late to do anything about it. That leaves us and Felix, and Felix has been the one vocally resisting the Elder One’s plan.’‘But who would Felix have sent that message to?’ Dorian asked. ‘He didn’t leave when we were at odds with him. Why? Because he had nowhere to go. He certainly doesn’t have anyone in the Inquisition he could turn to, now does he?’‘Maybe not. But maybe he has an accomplice.’
Bull’s face managed to remain impassive, but it was a close thing. Thank fuck for years of Ben-Hassrath training. Jill went on‘If the ‘Vints take home the mages, Tevinter has hundreds of fresh bas-sarrebas for the front line. That’s a huge boost to their ranks. Could even be enough to win themselves Seheron once and for all.’ Jill lent back and crossed her arms. Her smugness was as harsh and relentless as the sun in the desert. ‘I can’t imagine how you would explain that one to Par Vollen. Can you, Bull?’Bull tugged on the strap of his harness. On one hand, Jill still didn’t suspect Dorian. But on the other, she did have a point about Par Vollen. Why hadn’t he thought about what Par Vollen would say?‘The Ben Hassrath wouldn’t be happy, Boss.’Jill pursed her lips, only for a second and then stood up.‘I’m changing my vote. We should get the rebel mages.’‘What?’ Cullen spluttered. ‘But we already voted! You said Bull was—’‘Yeah, he was being a manipulative prick but he’s a Qunari spy. It’s his job, what did you expect?’ Jill said.Bull raised an eyebrow. ‘Thanks for that, Boss.’‘What I mean is just because he’s biased, it doesn’t mean what he said is wrong.’‘Once again. Thanks.’‘Shut up and let me agree with you. Here is the list of things the Lord Seeker has done. One: Punch a Chantry sister by proxy. Two: Behaved like a massive tit. Three: locked him and his Templars in a tower and had a sook. Now for Magister Alexius' list. One: invaded a Ferelden town. Two: enslaved citizens of Ferelden and Orlais under the guise of "indentured servitude". And three; The big one. Has been linked to the death of the Divine. That was one of the main points of the Inquisition, yes? Finding out who killed her?’‘We have no proof that they are involved. For all we know they could be grand-standing,’ said Cullen.‘Do we have any other leads? The last suspect you had was me. And that’s besides the freaky time magic stuff we saw. Or the tranquils Alexius has been murdering'. Jill lent over the war table, leaning her wait on her knuckles. Between her two closed fists sat the map-point for Redcliffe. Her left hand crackled beneath her glove.‘I’m the one who Alexius has a fixation on, and the one the Lord Seeker wants to meet. If it’s going to be my ass on the line, I may as well get the final say.’There was a silent pause while everyone in the room who wasn’t Jill traded looks with everyone who wasn’t. Cassandra broke that silence.‘You are Andraste’s herald,’ she said. ‘If Redcliffe is where you think she is leading you, then the Inquisition supports your decision.’Bull tried not to look pleased. It’s such a fine line between divine guidance and subtle manipulation, he thought to himself.Jill glanced in his direction with a self-satisfied air, like she had just won a game between them. If she wanted to believe that, Bull was more than happy to let her.‘Leliana, send a message to Redcliffe,’ Jill said. ‘Let’s get ourselves a phoney ‘Vint diplomat.’
Dorian cursed his stupid mouth for not producing enough saliva at those times he most needed to.‘This is all pure speculation.’ Dorian said, standing up. ‘If Felix and his shadowy band of conspirators existed they would have tried to stop us in other ways.’‘I’ve got word that the former Arl has arrived in Denerim. He's spoken to King Alistair and Queen Anora about our "impromptu occupation of his lands". Our people on the inside said that he got forewarning of what was going to happen from a Tevinter Mage.’Dorian rubbed his palm along his thigh. His mouth was too dry but his palms were to damp? What the bloody hell did his body think it was doing?‘Perhaps it’s some absurd ploy to save face. I mean, if he had forewarning of our plans why did he fail to stop them? Also, Felix is… distinctive. If he had warned the Arl, Teagan would have been able to give a clearer description to the King and Queen. The spies you sent would have confirmed it to be Felix rather than some unremarkable “Tevinter Mage”’Alexius removed his hands away from his eyes. ‘You think so?’Dorian sighed. ‘Alexius, I have been the most critical of Felix over the past few weeks. Wouldn’t you agree?’ Dorian paused while Alexius nodded. ‘I am not blinded by paternal love for Felix, and I’m telling you he is not capable of betraying you, even if he wanted to. He doesn’t have the connections, he can’t do it physically due to his condition. And finally, I don’t believe he has the heart for espionage. He would fall at the first hurdle.’‘He did manage to run away with you and Mae once, before the time skip.’‘Yes, when he and I were both mislead about your intentions.’ Dorian placed a hand on Alexius’ shoulder. ‘You were the one who always said “Felix will come around”, “Felix will see the light”. And now it has! Don’t let paranoia taint your relationship.’‘Do you still have your suspicions?’ Alexius’ asked. ‘About where his loyalties lie?’Dorian made a high pitched non-committal noise before answering. ‘In my dark hours, when I’m feeling my most tired and most bitter. But even then, you caught my true feelings faster than I care to admit. It was jealousy. Plain, ugly, jealousy. And if I had known it was going to distort your opinion of Felix so badly, I wouldn’t have let it fester for so long.’Alexius patted the hand Dorian had on his shoulder. ‘Don’t be too hard on yourself. We all have our weak moments'. Dorian bit the inside of his cheek. If he didn't, he knew his true feelings who the weak one in the room was would spit out of his mouth like viper venom.‘Now,’ said Dorian. ‘Are you going to allow Felix to go to Haven and put this whole messy business in the past?’To Dorian’s unease, Alexius shook his head.‘I cannot.’‘What do you mean, you cannot?’ asked Dorian.‘I wasn’t the one who brought forth the concern about Felix’s loyalty?’Dorian’s ribs were suddenly three sizes too small. ‘Who did?’‘It doesn’t matter.’‘It does matter if they are spreading such poison about your son. You don’t still believe—’‘No. No, Dorian. You talked me down from that ledge. You know Felix the best here and I trust your judgement. Yet, if this rumour persists among our brethren here in Redcliffe you see that I cannot afford to send Felix to Haven. If things go wrong and we don’t stop this Inquisition—’‘Then these gossip-mongers will say that Felix sabotaged us.’ Dorian grunted. If he ever found out who spread this rumour he was going to cut their tongue out himself.‘Exactly.’ Alexius said. ‘I need to send someone who is beyond reproach. Someone who I know has the best interests of the Venatori at heart'. Alexius took Dorian’s hand off his own shoulder and held it with both hands. ‘Please, Dorian. It is vital that the Herald comes to Redcliffe.’Dorian nodded, knowing the choice he had to make, but dreading it all the same. ‘Of course. Of course, I will.Alexius sighed and the air he expelled seemed to drag ten years off his face along with it.‘Thank you, Dorian.’‘But on one condition.’‘Yes?’‘I go alone.’Alexius stood up.’ Absolutely not. I cannot send you to that Qunari Barbarian’s camp alone! They could tear you to shreds the minute you walked through her door.’‘That’s a risk I’m going to have to take.’ Dorian said, standing so he and Alexius were eye to eye. ‘Think about it, Alexius. The Arl insists a Tevinter mage tried to help him. Then there's Beatrix’s death, and now rumours Felix is working against us? All those events can't be unrelated. You were right. Something strange is going on.’‘You think we do have a traitor? Who?’ Alexius said. It took all Dorian’s self-control not to point to himself and say “Surprise!”‘I don’t know for certain. Maybe it’s all this talk of treachery within the ranks that’s playing games with my head. But if there is someone working against us, I would bet all my gold that they are the same person who implicated Felix.’‘To throw us off the scent?’‘Exactly!’Alexius’ face turned dark. ‘What spineless, pathetic, cur would do such a thing?’Once again, Dorian managed not to point at himself and say “This spineless, pathetic cur!”‘I couldn’t tell you. However, if they know I’m going to Haven to talk to the Inquisition, they’ll do whatever they can to be part of that envoy. If I go alone, I know that our plan is safe. If anyone comes with me, I can’t guarantee they won’t spill all our secrets to that horned she-demon.’Alexius moved around his room, while he considered Dorian’s words. It would have been pacing. Only there were too many piles of papers and open books on the ground, forcing Alexius to navigate around them. After a while, he circled back to Dorian.‘You are right. You must go alone.’ Alexius took Dorian into his arms and hugged him tightly. ‘Oh, I would change places with you in a heartbeat if I could, dear boy.’‘I know, Alexius. I know.’Alexius pulled away and cupped Dorian’s face. ‘Stay safe. Stay vigilant. Come back to us in one piece. If those Inquisition brutes lay a hand on you I promise you vengeance will be swift and ten-fold.’Dorian nodded, once again ignoring the little shit that was his basic urges. But this time it wasn't the impulse to out himself as a spy for the same of a good one-liner. It was the urge to say; ‘The prospect of having one Inquisition brute, in particular, lay his hands on me is the only good thing about this nonsense.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Was everything in the south so anticlimactic?Redcliffe had been a letdown. Haven had found itself a shove and dug itself even lower than Dorian’s lowest expectations.Dorian almost missed it. He almost missed the bloody base of operations for the bloody Inquisition! It was almost laughable that Alexius had become so paranoid over a rag-tag bunch such as this. The was only one reason Dorian didn’t laugh when he worked out that, no, this dirty little hovel was actually Haven.
This was the organisation he had hoped would stop Alexius and the mad-men like him. These were the people whose hands he had put his life. Had put Felix’s life. And this was all they had?It was a gut-punch of a realisation.But one thing about Haven wasn’t anticlimactic.That terrifying sky-hole lived up to expectations.Fuck, he needed a drink.Dorian rode his horse up to the stables and dismounted. An older, dark-skinned, man with a snowy white beard was eyeing his horse with disdain. Dorian lead it up to him.‘Excuse me, I was wondering if I may leave my horse here.’ Dorian said. ‘I have business with the Herald—’‘Ah, right. You must be that ‘Vint emissary from Redcliffe.’ The man gave Dorian the same look he’d given the horse. ‘I’m the horse-master for the Inquisition. You can leave your steed with me. Although I’m surprised the old thing managed to carry you this far. This mare has spent all her days pulling ploughs, not crossing mountain ranges’‘Unfortunately, we had few good options in Redcliffe for mounts’. Dorian explained handing over the reins. ‘Someone told me the best horse master in the area left and took all his good horses with him.’This, for some reason, made the horse-master smile. ‘Is that so? I’ll take care of your horse for you ‘Vint, not to worry. But if she were to die during the night she’d be more useful to us. We’re low on feed and even though she’s skinny as a grey-hound we could use the leather and meat.’Dorian tried not to recoil.‘I would prefer to save that as a last resort.’ Dorian said.‘Right you are sir. I was only being half serious.’ The horse master said taking the mare off Dorian’s hands. ‘We’ll deal with her tack and rub her down. You go on up and see the Herald.’‘Ah. Er… which way would—’‘Through the gates, the Chantry up on the hill. Keep going through the hall to the big set of doors right at the end.’‘Ah, thank you.’Dorian dipped his head and retreated through the gates when someone called out to him.‘Hey, you! Where did you say you were from?’Dorian looked over to see a pail man with a long ginger moustache striding towards him.‘Well, I came here from Redcliffe but I am Tevene—’‘That’s what I thought.’A glob of spit hit Dorian’s chest. He looked down at his robes and then back up at the man, with a practised, bland look.‘Was it the Redcliffe part or the Tevinter part that offended you so?’‘Both you filthy—’‘Oi, Harrit. Get off with you.’ A man with a long dark beard streaked with grey stormed forward and shoved the spitter away. ‘The man is here to see the Herald. If you want to be a piss-pot doing it on your own time.’Harrit jabbed a finger in Dorian’s direction. The bearded man stepped between them ‘Mages like him are why I had to leave Redcliffe in the first place. I defended that town from the blight, Blackwall, and his lot drove me out. I’d think a Warden would have more to say—’‘I’m saying leave it!’ The second man pushed him away again. ‘This man is here on Inquisition business. You work for the Inquisition. Act like it.’The warden took Dorian by the shoulder and steered him pasted the stables towards the gates.‘Thank you.’‘Don’t mention it,’ said the warden. ‘Ever. I didn’t step in because I like you, Venatori. I’ve heard what your lot has been up to.’‘Oh. I see. Then why?’‘I’ve sworn myself to the Inquisition. I made a promise to stand with them. I may not agree with all their choices, but I’ll be damned before I let Harrit sully our good name with displays like that.’Dorian was going to reply when he saw a man standing in front of a tent, set along the border wall in front of Haven. Short-cropped hair, tanned skin, armour shining in the cold winter sun.One middle finger extended in Dorian’s direction when he knew no one was looking.Dorian couldn’t stop himself from smiling as he passed. Krem was looking well.
Bull was in the pub drinking with Skinner and Grim. It was midday so the place was almost empty. Bull was going over a new tactic he had come up with during the night, that was going to end up being rogue heavy. He was drawing a battle plan on the back of a scrap of paper with charcoal.‘So, while Grim has them distracted with the flaming arrows, Skinner’s up on their flank, right? Then we get—’The door of the tavern burst open and Dalish skidded inside, bringing with her a trail of snow and mud. The few people that were inside yelled at her to close the door. She slammed it shut with her shoulder and ran over to Bull and the others.‘You alright there, Dalish?’ Bull asked. ‘I thought you were playing look-out or something on the Haven’s outskirts.’‘I—’ She panted. ‘I was— Chief. Listen—’‘You know that Nightingale woman has got agents all around Haven,’ said Skinner. ‘I don’t know why you need to be out in the sno—Hey!’Dalish grabbed the rest of Skinner’s drink and finished it in three long gulps. She thumped the tankard back on the pine table not even look at Skinner.‘It’s him.’ Dalish panted in Bull’s direction, her words hard to hear over her ragged breaths and attempts to whisper. ‘Dorian. I saw him on the boundary. He may already be here.’Bull’s back straightened. His fingers twitched. Bull grabbed the half-finished battle plan and began to scribble down some words on the back.There was another blast of cold wind and a yell from the others as Krem burst through the door. He kicked it shut and rushed to the Charger’s table.‘I saw—’‘I know,’ said Dalish. ‘Me too. While I was on lookout.’‘He’s already here,’ said Krem. ‘Blackwall was taking him up to see Jill.’ Krem smiled. ‘How stupid did his Venatori robes look?’Dalish laughed ‘So stupid. Oh, I can’t wait to give him shit for them.’‘You guys all right over there?’ Flissa asked, peering at them from her place behind the bar.‘Yeah, it’s nothing.’ Krem said. ‘Just a bet we have going with Varric.’ He lowered his voice and glanced around the room. ‘We still pretending we don’t know him.’‘For the moment,’ said Bull, not looking up from his paper. ‘Just until it’s safe.’‘You think anyone heard us?’ Skinner asked.Bull looked around. Two Chantry sisters deep in their own conversation. A man making his way through his forth beer for the day. A soldier snoring in the corner, his helmet over his eyes. Two others sitting right next to the bard and wincing whenever she tried to hit that high note. Besides them, no one.‘We’re right.’ Bull said. He slid the piece of paper towards Grim.‘You know what to do, Grim. Be discreet.’Grim grunted and left the table. Bull also stood.‘Hey, where are you going?’ asked Krem.‘I need to get ready.’Krem scrunched up his nose. ‘Enough said. Make sure he can still walk after.’
Dorian wasn’t certain that he could trust this Blackwall fellow. He had two reasons for that.First, because the man had already admitted to not liking him. And second, because he seemed to be leading him towards a room where everyone was screaming. He was either leading Dorian to a torture chamber or the people in charge of the Inquisition played by Magisterium rules. “I’m the loudest, therefore I am the most right”.‘Are your leaders always so… vocal?’ Dorian asked.‘There is much at stake and they are passionate about our cause,’ Blackwall said. He had an unsettling level of stoicism which seemed to be a permanent part of his face. ‘It would be worse if they sent good men off to their deaths and didn’t think twice about it.’‘True, but they do know the term “War Room” isn’t meant to be taken literally, yes? Should I arm myself before I enter the fray?’Blackwall almost smiled at that, but it could have been a trick of the light. Or a trick of the beard.‘You’ll be right,’ he said stopping in front of the door. ‘But if you see the Seeker unsheathe her sword duck for cover. That’s what we all do.’‘Thanks for the tip.’They both stood outside the door, while the squabble carried on from the other side.‘You going to go in?’ asked Blackwall. ‘Or you lost your nerve.’‘No, my good man, I have not. I’m merely waiting for the most opportune time.’Blackwall squinted at him. ‘What?’A woman’s voice floated from the other side of the door.‘We’re going to need a distraction.’Dorian flung open the door and sauntered in with all the bravado he possessed.‘And fortunately for you, I can help with that.’Dorian’s back was to Blackwall so he didn’t see the man roll his eyes and plod away.There were only five people in the room. That surprised Dorian. The noise had led him to believe there should have at least a troop of circus performers in here. There was only one person he recognised and she was easy to spot. She would have stood head and shoulders above the rest even without the horns.‘And who are you meant to be?’ asked a man who was reasonably handsome. You know, for a Ferelden.‘This is Dorian Pavus.’ The Herald said. She seemed unimpressed by Dorian’s grand entrance and declarations of aid. ‘Alexius’ old protégée and current betrayer.’Something panged in Dorian at that description, but he tucked it away. After all, the woman wasn’t wrong. ‘I’m sure your Herald has given you all a glowing account of me.’‘She said you had an infuriating obsession with dramatics,' said a Nevarran woman with a face as severe as her accent. ‘I can now see what she meant.’‘I also told them all Felix was coming,’ said the Herald. ‘Because that’s what you said back in Redcliffe. Remember?’‘That was the original plan, yes. But after Felix’s feigned collapse in the tavern, Alexius said “no fun, no games, no trips to Haven. It’s straight to bed with you, young man.” Thus I was in Felix's stead. If you want to discuss people who are needlessly dramatic Alexius is far higher on that list than I am.’‘So… you're our envoy.’ The Herald said. It sounded like the very thought exhausted her.‘Yes. I can see your disappointed. You’re going to need me to get your people passed the wards Alexius has set up. That’s if you don’t think I’m triple-crossing you.’‘We’ve already contacted Arl Teagan and given him a brief description of you,’ said an Orlesian woman wearing a hood. ‘He confirmed to us that you were the one who warned him about Alexius’ plan originally. It’s a shame he didn’t listen. If he had we wouldn’t be in this predicament now.’Dorian tiled his head. ‘Well, it’s nice to see someone appreciating my efforts even if they didn’t bear fruit. Regardless of how things did or didn’t turn out, I am here and I am at the Inquisitions disposal.’‘Great,’ said the Herald. ‘What fun.’‘Oh come now, I’m sure you’ll enjoy my company immensely. As much as the Chantry enjoys having a Qunari as the Herald of Andraste, I’d wager.’The Herald crossed her arms and leaned her hip against the war-table.‘Alright. Let’s say this once. I am a Tal-Vasoth, not a Qunari. I’m grey and have horns and everything, but I’m not a practising member of the Qun. I know you ‘Vints use the terms interchangeably, but that only makes you sound like barbarians.’Dorian raised his eyebrow. ‘What this Inquisition lacks in manpower it certainly makes up for in sass.’‘That’s why Andraste chose me,’ The Herald said. ‘My divine sass levels. We’ll need a couple of days in Haven to make sure everything is in order before we head to Redcliffe. Can you stall for time with Alexius.’‘Of course,’ Dorian said. ‘In fact, it will make things easier. I can pretend negotiations were more difficult than I anticipated. It’ll give the illusion that your suspicions have finally been put to rest.’‘Excellent,’ spoke a woman who Dorian originally thought had dressed too ostentatiously. Then Dorian heard her voice and realised she was Antivian. Under those circumstances, those clothes were almost dowdy. ‘Master Pavus can send his own messages to Redcliffe. I will start penning a formal acceptance letter to Alexius’ invitation straight away. If the Herald has time, I would appreciate her looking at the final draft.’The Herald cleared her throat. ‘Yeah. I mean, yes. Of course, Lady Montilyet. That would be… fine.’Was the Herald blushing? Dorian had only caught Bull blushing a couple of times. It was hard to tell with Qunari’s skin-colour, but Dorian could swear—’The Herald stepped towards him, trying to push that awkward moment into the past as quick as she could. She extended her hand to Dorian.‘If you’re trying to do something that will hurt the Inquisition, I will hunt you to the ends of Thedas. But if it turns out you’re genuinely trying to help us, I want to be the first to thank you. This is a dangerous thing you and Felix are doing. We owe you a lot.’Dorian furrowed his brow before reaching out and taking her hand.‘Well, I’ll count myself lucky that I am on your side Lady…’ Dorian paused and laughed. ‘I’ve only now realised I’ve done something unspeakably rude. I have yet to ask you your name.’The Herald, for the first time ever, smiled at Dorian. ‘It’s Jill.’Dorian laughed again. ‘Very funny. No really, what’s your name?’
As Dorian walked away from the Chantry he bunched his hands into fists and blew his warm breath into them. If this Haven place was the Inquisitions headquarters, he was going to have to invest in some gloves—A passer-by slammed into Dorian’s shoulder and he passed. Dorian swore and turned to give the man a piece of his mind when he saw it was Grim. To anyone who didn’t know Grim they would have thought he was giving Dorian a venom-filled glare. But Dorian knew better. For Grim, the look he was giving him was practically a smile.As Grim wandered away Dorian looked down and found a piece of paper sticking out of one of his belts. As Dorian strolled away, he plucked it out of his belt and unrolled it.

Meet me in the Old Alchemist’s Cabin. Go the main gates, turn right, go past the Templar’s troops, turn left after the trees.

Dorian would have recognised that handwriting anywhere. It was Bull’s.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

As much as Dorian wanted to sprint to the cabin, he knew that wasn’t an option. He was going to meet Bull alone, for the first time in months. He wasn't going to do it in clothes covered in travel-mud and blacksmith-spit.Besides those Venatori robes were hideous. He could only imagine what Bull would say if he saw Dorian in them. It was bad enough Krem had seen him wearing those. He was never going to hear the end of it.So, after finding a chantry sister who was willing to speak to him, Dorian learned where he could freshen up.He didn’t take long though. Bull was waiting for him and he knew that all his prep-work was likely to get ruined again.When he’d finished Dorian wandered through the gates of Haven and turned right. He could feel dozens of soldier eyes following him as he walked by. He may have changed out of his Venatori robes but word had gotten around. They knew who he was and why he was here. Well, the official story at any rateDorian had an aunt who owned a Butterfly collection. Innocuous enough. Until you learnt all those poor creatures had their wings and abdomens pinned to the backing cards.Passing by the Inquisitions forces Dorian could relate a little too well.But Dorian wasn’t going to let a few sidewards scowls put him off. Not by a long shot. Not when he was so close.Dorian followed the path passed the little outcrop of trees. He caught sight of a small scrappy building. It wasn’t exactly a mountain chateau. But after seeing Haven Dorian was impressive that it had four walls and a roof. Dorian walked up to the door a put his hand on the doorknob. It creaked open without the slightest amount of pressure.Well. That wasn’t reassuring.Taking a deep breath, Dorian wandered inside. When his eyes managed to adjust to the gloom, what struck Dorian the most was how bare the place was. There were a few boxes and barrels and someone had gone to the effort of hanging up a chantry banner on one of the walls. But beyond that… there was a desk against one of the walls. And someone had gone to the trouble of lighting the central fire-grate. Those were… things.Dorian wandered over to the Chantry banner and gave it a look over. Was this put up after the Inquisition took root in Haven? Or had someone put it up for the Divine conclave? The second was the more likely option. Which meant that “someone” had probably died with thousands of others in a fiery cataclysm. Not the most cheerful thought.‘Damn. I thought I would make it here way before you. That meeting with the boss must have been a short one.’Dorian turned around to see Bull standing in the doorway.Only a few feet away from him after so long apart. There was a light dusting of snow on his shoulders and he had a hand tucked into his belt. Little details that seemed to scream out to Dorian that this wasn’t a dream or a memory. This was Bull. Here. Real. Within reach. Dorian smiled and put his hands on his hips.‘So, are you going to tell me the reason behind all this sneak—‘In four long strides, Bull crossed the room and lifted Dorian up, pinning him to the banner. Dorian’s automatic response was to wrap his legs around Bull’s hips, which was a good thing. There was no way his legs would have held him upright, not with Bull kissing him senseless like this.‘You didn’t – Answer - My Question—’ Dorian had to break up his comment between kisses. Bull grabbed a fistful of Dorian’s hair and pulled his head to the side to give him better access to Dorian’s neck.‘Later.’ Bull said, pressing his lips against Dorian’s jugular. ‘It’s been two months, Kadan. Four times longer than you promised. Have to make up for lost time.’‘You’re right.’ Dorian panted. He grabbed onto Bull’s massive shoulders as best he could. His nails dragged along Bull’s shoulder-blade leaving a trail of scratch marks. ‘Got to keep our priorities in order.’Bull bit Dorian’s neck in response. Dorian was barely able to stifle a yelp.‘I missed you so much, Kadan.’ Bull whispered, his mouth moving to behind Dorian’s ear. ‘Fuck, you have no idea.’Dorian briefly considered telling Bull how much he’d missed him. All those long moments when he wished Bull had been by his side. For advice, for morale, just as a comforting presence. But you only get one chance at a reunion and Dorian knew that talking about such things was going to bring the mood down. There was time for all that maudlin stuff later.‘Let me stand long enough to undress, and then you can show me how exactly much you missed me.’‘Fuck that!’‘What--?’Bull lifted Dorian off the wall and carried him through a small partition. There were two cots tucked away at one end and Bull dropped him on one of them.‘Bloody hell, Bull! I can walk around a corner!’Bull leant down and kissed Dorian in a soft, placating way, pushing Dorian back onto the cot with one hand. Bull toed off his boots before climbing over Dorian. The cot creaked as Bull straddled him.‘I don’t think this thing is going to hold both our weights.’ Dorian said, but one of his hands was busy undoing Bull’s belt. The other had already slipped into Bull’s pants. Bull wasn’t wasting time either. He had become an expert in getting Dorian out of his outfits in record time. Sometimes Dorian thought Bull was better at undressing him than himself.‘Don’t care.’ Bull panted. Dorian’s hand was making talking hard for him (and other things harder). ‘We keep going until the cot buckles underneath us, and then we go again.’‘Have I told you how much I adore your genius for planning?’ Dorian pulled Bull’s belt off and let it drop to the floor with a thump. He sat up a little to let Bull pull off his tunic and sucked in a breath as the cool air ran over his bare skin.‘It’s why I’m in charge of the Chargers.’‘That and you formed the group in the first place.’‘That too.’Dorian reached around Bull as far as he could and tugged down his pants as low as they would go. Bull was straddling Dorian. So it wasn’t surprising that they only reached mid-thigh. But then again, the part of Bull’s anatomy Dorian admired the most wasn’t his knees. He ran his palm over Bull’s naked arse and gave it a squeeze.‘Ah yes. This is what I’ve been missing.’Bull laughed, nuzzling Dorian’s hairline at the temple. ‘The thing you missed the most was my ass?’‘Oh, I missed many things.’ Dorian murmured. ‘According to Felix, I drove him crazy listing all the things I missed about you?’‘Such as?’‘These lips.’ Dorian said, touching them gently with his own before his mouth began to wander. ‘This eye.’ A kiss on Bull’s closed eyelid. ‘This lack of eye'. Dorian reached up and peeled away Bull’s eye-patch and tossed it aside. He planted a kiss on the rough scar-tissue it had hidden. ‘I missed this nose. This chin. This neck'. The feather-light kisses continued all the way down Bull’s face. All the while his hand continued stroking Bull’s length. ‘I missed every single exquisite inch of you, Amatus.’Bull caught Dorian’s under jaw so he could turn Dorian’s face up to his and reclaim Dorian’s lips. While this slow languid kiss continued, Dorian could feel Bull moving against him. He shuffled off his giant pants and let the crumple over the side of the cot. Dorian ran his thumb over Bull’s cock and Bull moaned into Dorian’s mouth.They pulled apart for a moment and Bull spoke. ‘It looks like you missed a few inches more than others.’Dorian barked out a laugh. ‘See! I even missed your terrible jokes. So, did you have a plan here? Or was the aim today to and rub against each other like desperate adolescents?Bull reached over the side of the bed and pulled a vial of oil out from his pants pocket.‘I was going to suck you off while I prepped you and then watch you sink onto my cock, but that doesn’t seem like enough. After all this time I should have had something more special planned but—’‘Bull, if you don’t do exactly what you described to me right now, I am going to scream.’Bull chuckled. ‘So, it’s okay I didn’t get you flowers or write you a poem?’‘You know I’m allergic to most flowers and poetry in this modern age is pretentious twaddle. I don’t need something elaborate'. Dorian cupped Bull’s face and brought their mouths together again. He whispered against Bull’s lips, ‘I need you.’Bull made a low guttural sound that Dorian knew well. It never failed to send a rush of warm through his lower regions. He moved lower and the cot creaked as Bull slid off the end onto his knees. Dorian sat up on his elbows.‘Is kneeling on a cold stone floor going to be too hard on your bad—Ah!’Dorian’s back hit the cot as Bull dragged him forward by the legs. He took more care tugging off Dorian’s muddy boots and peeling away Dorian’s leggings. He tossed them across the room. Now both of them were completely naked. If anyone walked in Dorian was sure neither of them could come up with a believable lie.‘My knee will be fine.’ Bull said, bending over Dorian and kissing the join between his thigh and his pelvis. ‘You fuss too much.’‘You’re one to talk.’‘Besides it will be worth it.’Dorian grabbed hold of the tip of one of Bull’s horns and tried to angle Bull’s face toward his dick. ‘If you ever get around to it, that is. Come on you lazy brute, let’s do this sometime before All Souls Day.’This didn’t have the effect Dorian was aiming for, considering it left Bull giggling against Dorian’s thigh. ‘I ever tell you how hilarious you are when you get needy? You’re like a child stomping his foot and demanding sweets.’Dorian gave an indignant gasp, but only to stop himself from laughing too. ‘I beg your pardon I am not needy. You’re the one who threw me up against the wall and started mauling me like a wild animal if you remember. You are the one who is lucky to have me and don’t you forget it. If you believed in the Maker, you would be praising his name that you managed to bed someone as magnificent as me—’Dorian’s words cut off sharply as Bull took his cock and swallowed it down to the root. He pulled back with a long, slow movement, the flat of his tongue caressing the underside of Dorian’s length along the way. The sensation made Dorian arch back and cry out.‘What was that?’ Bull asked as he pulled off. ‘Someone was thanking some god for someone’s sex skills?’‘Stop being smug and fuck me.’Bull sniggered and began to work his mouth along Dorian’s length again. He increased the pressure and the speed as his cock grew to full hardness. Dorian’s eyes fluttered closed. He felt free to revel in the familiarity, the comfort and yes the arousal. Finally, after endless weeks he was back where he wanted to be. Back with who he wanted to be with. No scheming, no secrets, no façade. Bull was right here, between his legs, and the world was right.Bull came off Dorian’s cock and Dorian whined in the back of his throat at the loss. Bull shushed him. He uncorked the oil bottle and liberally poured its contents over his fingers. He then shifted Dorian into a favoured position the two had used many times. He pulled Dorian’s knees over his horns and got straight back into sucking Dorian’s cock. Dorian was always so sensitive. Keeping himself still while Bull worked was almost impossible. Dorian suspected that’s why Bull liked this position so much. It left him curled back on top of himself, almost folded in half, with everything spread out and on display. There was very little Dorian could do from this angle but let Bull take control.Speaking of, he felt one of Bull’s oiled fingers begin to stroke around the rim of his arsehole, trying to sense the tenseness of the opening. Dorian’s hand shot to his mouth and he bit into the meaty section under his thumb. Bull’s voice trailed up from Dorian’s groin.‘Dorian? Can I?’Dorian nodded his head.‘I’m kind of busy down here, Kadan. I can’t see you if you’re nodding.’Dorian pulled his teeth out of his palm. ‘Yes! Yes! You have my permission!’‘Were you doing the hand-biting thing again?’ Bull asked. His Marker-be-damned finger was still circling with infuriating slowness. ‘You haven’t done that in years. You know I like to hear you scream.’Dorian knew Bull had always hated that habit of his. He’d worked out long ago it was one Dorian formed young. A hangover from those shame-filled dalliances he’d had with other Altus’. Bull had weened him off this biting tendency in a myriad of inventive ways, but it still cropped up from time to time.‘Yes, Bull! I was biting my hand. Silly me. I thought considering we’re in the middle of the bloody Inquisition encampment and, for reasons you still haven’t explained, we are trying not to expose our relationship, it would be better for the whole encampment not to hear me in mid-orgasm.’Bull laughed. ‘I think we’re far enough out of the way. Cullen’s drills are going to cover up any pretty sounds you make.’‘Would you get on with it!’The tip of a single finger entered Dorian. He groaned with relief but also frustration.‘Bull! You can’t honestly want to go this slow. You know I can take more than that.’‘Not after two months you can’t.’ Bull said, working into Dorian’s hole, little by little. ‘Unless you’ve been having some Venatori underling keep you loose for me.’‘Oh, dear Maker, what a dreadful thought.’‘I dunno.’ Bull nuzzled along the base of Dorian’s dick while he worked. The bastard knew how close Dorian was to coming and he seemed determined to make him squirm. ‘Sounds hot to me.’‘Not if you knew anything about Venatori underlings. Greasy, sad, little men. They all act as though their misguided patriotism makes up for their lack of personality. You and Jill fucking would be more likely than that.’Bull, without warning, slipped in a second finger. Dorian suspected he wouldn’t have done it yet if he didn’t want to change the topic so much.‘Dorian, talking about the boss right now is a real mood-killer.’Dorian gritted his teeth against the increasing stretch. Another day he would force himself silent and let Bull work. But today goading Bull was too tempting.‘Why? Is she not attractive for a Tal-Vashoth? Isn’t the idea of a forbidden tryst between you two something that stokes your fire?’‘Did you miss being a brat while you were gone too?’ Bull’s tone was dismissive but Dorian could feel his hand working faster.‘Absolutely. Come now. You enjoy a combative, illicit, romance otherwise you wouldn’t be with me. You telling me you never thought about it?’Bull snorted. ‘You’re all I can handle in that department, Kadan. Besides, she’s not my type. You’ve only met her twice. She has an Andrastian stick so far up her arse you can see it if she opens her mouth'. The tip of the third finger began to make its presence known.‘Oh! A member of the faithful and a proud Tal-Vashoth'. Dorian’s speech was becoming ragged, his thoughts hard to catch hold of. ‘You two must have gotten on like a house on fire.’‘Oh yeah.’ Bull drawled. ‘It was so sexy the way she pulled a dagger on me that first time we met.’Dorian’s eyes flew open and he sat up as far as he could.‘She did what?!’Bull sighed and lifted his head as much as he could with Dorian’s knees still hooked over his horns.‘It wasn’t a big deal, Dorian. The boss freaked out a little when she found out I was Ben-Hassrath. It’s all sorted now. Lie back down.’‘She attacked you with a dagger! We’re working for a woman who attacked you – Bull stop, get off'. Dorian unhooked one knee from Bull’s horn and pushed Bull’s shoulder back with his foot. He knew they both must have looked a sight right now but he couldn’t care less. ‘The woman who is in charge of the Inquisition threatened you with a blade and now you are working for her? What in the name of the Maker’s balls possessed you to join forces with this mad-woman.’‘Par Vollen wanted to know what was going on with the Breach. Which meant joining the Inquisition. Which meant working with Jill. Honestly, Kadan you’re making too big a deal—’‘Too big a deal?!’ Dorian clumsily untangled himself from Bull and leapt off the cot. ‘I am away for two months and you completely lose your senses. Where are my pants?’Bull stood to follow him. ‘Dorian, calm down.’‘Oh, I’ll calm down, Amatus. I’m sure setting Jill Adaar on fire will be a very calming experience. She is the Herald of Andraste after all. What better way to emulate her namesake—’Bull grabbed Dorian around the waist and tugged him back towards the cots. Dorian tried to wrench himself out of Bull’s grip but Bull pulled Dorian onto his lap. He caught both of Dorian’s hands in one of his own and held them against Dorian's chest. Dorian’s legs were straddling Bull’s thighs, trapping both of their cocks between them. Every time one of them moved, their hard shafts rubbed together shooting a flood of arousal through them both. Under different circumstances, it would have been ideal. But now it was counterintuitive to Dorian’s need to break free and butcher a religious figurehead and Bull’s need to get his lover to... not do that.‘Kadan, listen to me, listen.’ He took Dorian’s chin in his oil-slicked hand and forced their eyes to meet. ‘It was the first time the boss had met a Ben-Hassrath and she was scared. That’s it. We’ve talked since then and now she… only hates me.’‘Oh, what a vast improvement.’ Dorian said, trying to yank his hands free. ‘I’m sure you’re completely safe from her murderous inclinations.’‘When you found out I was Ben-Hassrath you ran away in the middle of the night, remember?’‘Those circumstances were completely diff—’Bull pressed the pad of his thumb over Dorian’s lips, shushing him.‘Dorian, the idea you would charge out of here while sporting a raging hard-on I might add, to save me from the wicked Herald of Andraste is sweet. But Jill’s not evil, Kadan. She’s only a prick. I’ve worked for pricks before and I’m sure I will again. I’ll be more pissed off with her if she ruins our reunion this way. You’re not going to let her ruin this are you?’Dorian snarled and tried to turn his face away. The oil made Bull’s fingers slip along Dorian’s face, losing purchase. Bull grabbed a fistful of Dorian’s hair instead and pressed their foreheads together.
‘Are you?’
Dorian sighed.‘No, I’m not going to run off in the middle of sex to set the Herald of Andraste on fire.’‘Or afterwards?’‘For fuck's sake, Bull. She attacked yo—’
‘Or afterwards?’
Dorian rolled his eyes like a sullen child.‘Or afterwards.’‘Good.’ Bull kissed Dorian as a reward, before letting go of his hair. His oiled hand reached behind Dorian and his fingers began to play with Dorian’s hole again. ‘I would hate for all this work to go to waste.’Two of Bull’s fingers made a long, firm stroke along Dorian’s prostate. Dorian keened at the sensation and leaned into Bull’s chest, nipping at Bull’s collarbone.‘Lie on your back.’ Dorian whispered against Bull’s skin. ‘I want to ride you.’The fingers inside him spread, making Dorian’s breath hitch.‘You’re not quite ready for that, Kadan.’Dorian rolled his hips revelling in the breathy “ha” that escaped Bull’s lips. ‘Then give me some damn oil and I’ll prepare your cock while you open me up.’Bull studied Dorian for a moment, working out whether Dorian was going to bolt again as soon as he let go of his wrists. He did let go, and leant back, letting Dorian’s eye take note of the way his muscles shifted under his skin. This was deliberate, the bastard. He wanted Dorian to see the benefits of staying here with him, instead of running off to cause a political disaster. And they were good, good benefits. Bull folded his arms under his head, making a show of his glorious biceps. Damn him! He knew how much Dorian loved the flexing!‘The oils on the floor over there, big guy.’ Bull smirked. ‘You going to get to work?’Two could play at this game.Dorian slid of Bull’s lap like a cat and stalked towards where Bull had dropped the oil. He bent low to pick it up, giving Bull a full view of the result of Tevinter’s obsession with genetic perfection. He picked up the bottle, straightened and turned back towards Bull. As Dorian walked back towards the cot he revealed in the way Bull’s eye moved from his shoulders to his chests, to his abs.’‘Fuck,’ Bull breathed. ‘This better not be another dream.’‘Oh? You had dreams about me while I was gone?’ Dorian asked as he drizzled the last of the oil onto his palm. He hoped Bull had more of this stuff stashed somewhere. ‘Did some demon take my form to entice you into its claws?’‘Nah. They were regular naughty dreams.’‘I’m almost insulted no demons of them tried.’ Dorian faced away from Bull before climbing back onto him again. This not only meant Bull had better access to his ass, but he also gave the man a splendid view.‘I’m not. Anyway, how do I know you’re not a demon now?’ Bull asked. Dorian knew if he suspected that in the slightest he wouldn’t be this calm. Dorian looked at him over his shoulder.‘Do you need to know how to titillate an ocelot?’Bull had never been with a mage before Dorian and had originally had a few strange ideas when it came to demons. In the early days of their relationship, the men had come up with a strategy that almost worked like a safe-word. Dorian had given Bull half a riddle to which only Dorian, out of the two of them, knew the answer. If Bull was ever unsure that Dorian was the real Dorian, he would ask for the answer to the riddle. If Dorian could answer, it was him and everything was fine. If Dorian couldn’t…‘Nah, Kadan.’ Bull said, running a palm down Dorian’s spine to the swell of his arse. ‘I know it’s you.’The two of them began to work in earnest, Dorian slicking up Bull’s cock and Bull stretching Dorian’s arsehole. Both of them had a competitive edge when it came to sex, each wanting to be the one to make the other fall apart first. Their movements became sloppy and uncoordinated. The pressure that had built inside them for two months was reaching the breaking point. When Dorian thought he was going to spill all over Bull’s thighs, Bull slapped his arse.‘Get on. I can’t hold back much longer.’Dorian didn’t reply, instead giving Bull a hazy nod and positioning himself over Bull’s cock. Bull had done an
excellent job preparing him. But there was always that inevitable shock of fullness as Dorian sank down onto Bull’s head. Bull’s hands gripped onto his hips with a bruising firmness.‘That’s it.’ Bull panted. ‘That’s it. Nice and slow.’Dorian breathed his way through the glorious stretch before allowing Bull to guide him lower. It was a measured, gradual sinking both physically and mentally. A return to the natural order. A homecoming.Dorian and Bull fell into the natural rhythm they had developed over the years. They knew each other’s bodies as well as they did their own. Every breath, every sound spoke more than any other language they knew between them. Dorian knew when to roll his hips when to tighten around Bull’s cock when to arch and bear down. Bull knew when to guide Dorian’s hips when to thrust upwards when to dig his fingers in deeper. He reached around with his slicked hand and began to stroke Dorian off with the last remnants of the oil. Four quick strokes were all it took before Dorian jolted and spasmed. His release came all over Bull’s hand. The noises Dorian made were all it took for Bull to come inside of him. Bull's own body turning ridged and then stilling.They panted for a moment. Dorian braced himself on Bull’s knees, feeling the man he adored shift beneath him with every gasp of air. Somehow, he found the strength to pull himself off Bull’s cock and stand up, his legs wavering beneath him.‘That…’ Dorian huffed. ‘That was as close as we ever got to coming together.’Bull grabbed Dorian by the arm and yanked him down on top of him. Dorian allowed Bull to rearrange him. He tucking Dorian's head under his chin and pulling Dorian’s arm across his chest.‘We’ll get it one day, Kadan.’ Bull said. ‘Operation: Synchronised Orgasm is not off the table yet.’Dorian laughed into Bull’s shoulder and Bull pushed Dorian’s face away.‘Stop! No! You know your moustache tickles.’‘One day, Amatus, the world will discover that you’re ticklish and your whole reputation will be in tatters.’‘I’m not worried. I’ve managed to keep a lid on bigger secrets.’Dorian sat up on one elbow and looked down at Bull.‘Speaking of, before we leave this place, we’re going to have to talk.''About?'Dorian slapped his bicep. 'Don't be obtuse, Bull. We need to fill each other in on what’s been happening while the other was away. If this mess gets any more complicated—’Bull cupped the back of Dorian’s neck before leaning up to kiss him.‘We will. But we have some time still. Let the world take care of itself for a little longer.’Dorian smiled and tracked a finger up the scar on Bull’s lip. ‘Alright. I’m sure everything will still be standing after we leave.’And with that, the cot buckled beneath them.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The rest of the afternoon went like this:

They went another round of sex.

Dorian filled Bull in on what had happened with Alexius and the Venatori.

There was a heated exchange.

(I told you to get the

fuck out of there!

What happened to you leaving at the first sign of trouble, Dorian?!”

“I couldn’t go without Felix.”

“You’re no good to Felix dead!”)

The heated exchange led to another round.

Bull filled Dorian in on what had happened with Jill and the Inquisition.

There was another heated exchange.

(“Bull, love, you know I adore you so please consider this as constructive criticism—”

“Oh, here we go.”

“How about you don’t antagonise the devout Andrastian Tal-Vashoth by rubbing the Qun in her face? For future reference?”)

The heated exchange led to another round.

After having sex for the fourth time, Bull and Dorian laid in the wreckage of the second cot. They had been staring at the roof for twenty minutes.

‘It’s getting dark,’ said Dorian.

‘Yeah,’ Bull said, threading his fingers through Dorian’s hair. ‘We’re going to have to get up soon.’

‘Yes. Yes, we are.’

Neither of them moved.

‘If I don’t go one of the Orleasian woman’s spies is going to notice.’ Dorian said.

‘You think she’s keeping tabs on you?’

Dorian chuckled. ‘If she isn’t she’s not much of a spymaster. No one would let a Tevinter double-agent wander around their camp unchecked. If I’m gone much longer I’m sure to raise suspicions. Or worse, they’ll come looking for me and find us like this.’

‘Dunno… Kind of worth it.’

‘You won’t say that if the Inquisition strings you up.’

Bull smirked. ‘Hey, there are worse last words.’

They still didn’t move.

‘You know that once we get back to camp there can’t be any interaction between us,’ Dorian said. ‘Or myself and the Chargers.’

‘Not

necessarily

.’ Bull tightened his arm around Dorian’s shoulders. ‘We met in Redcliffe after all. We could play it off as though I’m trying to suss you out.’

Dorian shook his head and pulled himself out from Bull’s hold. He sat up, his back towards Bull. ‘This situation’s precarious enough as is.

We don't need to come up with a plausible excuse why a Tevinter mage and a Qunari Mercenary are spending time together

. Besides, I’m not very popular at the moment with the Inquisition’s men. I don’t want to make things harder for you and the boys than I already have. I was the one who got into this mess with Alexius.’

‘Hey. The Chargers are here because Par Vollen sent us.

And I was the one who came up with this stupid pretend-we-are-strangers idea in the first place,' Bull said sitting up and putting his hand on Dorian’s spine

. 'There’s enough blame to go around.’

Dorian signed under Bull’s touch and turned to look at him. His mouth was set in a soft smile, his eye keen. Dorian’s eyes flicked down to those lips for a moment. He felt something almost like gravity pulling him towards Bull—

Dorian leapt up. ‘No! No. Stop it. We can’t. Not again, or we’ll never get out of this stupid cabin.’ He started hunting around for his pants. ‘Yet another reason why we should stay out of each other’s way until the job's done.’

‘Oh, I see.’ Bull lent on his knees and smirked. ‘Think you won’t be able to keep your hands off me, huh?’

Dorian rolled his eyes. ‘Please.’ He balanced on one leg while threading his foot through one of his leggings. He could feel Bull’s eye following the moment before panning over the lines of Dorian’s body. There was an appreciation there that made Dorian’s skin radiate with heat. ‘But… only for the sake of clarity, you understand… how long do you think we’ll have to keep this charade up?’

‘If everything in Redcliffe goes according to plan?’ Bull asked. ‘It depends how soon the boss can close the Breach. I can’t see that taking more than a month, and I’m being generous. The mages will need some training. But one wants a demon spitting fade-rip sticking around for any longer than they can help. After that Par Vollen has no reason for me to be here.’

‘And once I’ve dealt with Alexius I have no reason to stay either.’ Dorian said.

Bull rolled off the remains of the cot and stood up. ‘Right. So, first things first. We’ve got a couple of days to convince the boss to take me to Redcliffe when you go and confront Alexius.’

Dorian stopped in the middle of tying the laces on his leggings. ‘Do you need to come for that? From what I gathered at the meeting Jill and I will only be there to serve as a distraction. The Inquisition scouts will do the heavy work. All we have to do is keep Alexius talking for as long as possible.’

‘You think you can do that?’

‘The problem will be getting him to stop.

He once held the Magisterium hostage for six hours expounding the virtues of a

newly

developed form of crop rotation

. I don’t expect this little venture will end up being particularly exciting—’

‘And I want to be there to make sure it isn’t'. Bull hooked a couple of fingers into the waistband of Dorian’s leggings and pulled him close. ‘You didn’t want back-up when you went to see Alexius the first time, and I respected that. But I’m not letting you go back to face that shit-head alone, especially when he’s got a town full of mages at his beck and call.’

Dorian looked at the stone floor, pretending to be looking for the rest of his clothes. ‘While your needless concern is endearing Bull, I’d…’ he took a breath, ‘I’d prefer it if you weren’t there.’

Bull cocked his head. ‘Why? You said it was going to be boring.’

‘Yes, I’m sure it will be. But with such a heavy Tevinter presence at Redcliffe, it won’t be the safest place for a Qunari—’

‘That’s not the reason.’

Dorian looked up.

‘What—?’

‘I’m not blind, Kadan. You keep trying to shove me and the Chargers out of this.’ Bull said keeping his hands on Dorian’s waist. ‘You chose to go back to Tevinter alone, you chose to cut off all communication and now no contact at all at camp. This “keep us out of trouble” shit only explains so much. What’s going on?’

‘It’s not…’ Dorian shook his head. ‘It’s not like that.’

‘Then explain it. C’mon Dorian. Stop pushing me away.’

Dorian blinking a few times still not willing to meet Bull’s gaze.

‘This is all my fault, Bull. Everything.’

Bull leant down trying to catch Dorian’s eyes but Dorian

deliberately

avoid him. ‘The hole in the sky is your fault? Par Vollen telling me to join the Inquisition—?’

‘Alright, not

literally

everything, but a fair amount is. All the parts

concerning

Alexius are.’

‘How?’ Bull’s hand reached up to rest on the side of Dorian’s neck. A steadying weight. An anchor.

Would that comforting presence still be there when he realised the type of man Dorian

really

was? Dorian didn't want to tell him, to see that light in Bull's eyes turn into disgust but that hand was there. Waiting. Dorian forced a breath into his lungs.

‘After Felix’s attack, I promised his father and him I’d help find a cure. It became our obsession. We spent months trying to find a way to combat the Blight but it was useless. And in the end… I gave up. I couldn’t be around Felix’s illness anymore. Or Alexius’ grief and desperation. It was consuming them and it was consuming me. I deserted them when they needed me the most and now look what has happened, Bull. This is all direct result of my cowardice. I ran away like I always do when things get too hard and now I am finally going to reap what I sewed. This is the Maker’s way of punishing me for my abandonment and if you and the boys stand too close—’

‘Hey, hey. Come here.’ Bull pulled Dorian forward against his chest, resting his chin on Dorian’s head. ‘None of that is your fault Kadan. You hear me? So, you didn’t find a cure for the Blight. Guess what? Neither have I.’

Dorian emitted a short, breathy laugh against Bull’s chest. He didn't know why. Was from hearing one of Bull's terrible jokes again after so long? Or was it because Bull had heard of what Dorian had done and step closer instead of stepping away?

‘If the Blight was easy to cure they would have done it by now,’ Bull went on. ‘You are the most tenacious, knowledge-hungry man I know. If there was an answer to

be found

nothing would have stood in your way.

Remember that time you spent nine weeks translating that Nevarran Tome from the Glory Age because you were certain that a monk from the Black Age had misunderstood the original nuance when he’d quoted it in his manifesto

?

‘He was an imbecile, Bull! His incompetence sent Thaumaturgy back two hundred years—’

‘What I’m saying is that you’re persistent. You don’t “give up”, Dorian. You

physically

can’t. It’d be cute if it wasn’t so irritating.’

‘Such a sweet-talker.’

Bull moved back and cupped Dorian’s cheek so he was finally looking him in the eye. ‘You can’t fix everything, Dorian. Alexius is his own person. You are not responsible for his choices and you’re not to blame for his mistakes.’

‘But if I had stayed I could have stopped him. Steered him away from the path he’s on and spared Felix from this whole farce.’

Bull shrugged. ‘

Maybe

. Or he could have dragged you along with him like he did Felix. We don’t know, Kadan. And anyway, he was

your mentor

, not the other way around. He’s meant to be the one looking out for you and keeping you on the right track. If anyone failed anyone, he failed you.’

‘But if I had—'

Bull shook his head. ‘You’re overthinking this Kadan. Don’t get your head stuck on the what-ifs. They don’t change the past.’

Dorian laid his hand on Bull’s wrist. He wasn’t sure if he believed Bull. After all, Alexius had succeeded in developing time magic. What-ifs and changing the past were his wheel-house now.

Also as much as Dorian would have liked to shake the feeling of shame that swelled in him when he remembered the day he left Alexius' estate, he couldn't

. Love was blind they said, and Bull was already halfway. There was every chance Bull was overlooking Dorian's selfishness out of affection. But Bull was right about one thing. Alexius was his mentor and not vice versa. Even now Alexius treated him like a son. And it wasn’t a son’s duty to guide his father.

As much as one may want to.

But he kept these thoughts to himself. Voicing them wouldn't change Bull's mind and would

probably

lead to another argument. Instead, he reached up to the run his thumb again the stubble on Bull's jaw-line

‘You know,’ Dorian said, raising one eyebrow, ‘you made that whole heart-warming speech as naked as the day you were born.’

Bull grinned. ‘Yeah, I realised halfway through. The pep-talk turned out pretty good though, wouldn’t you say?’

‘Yes, yes. Very rousing.’ Dorian stood on the balls of his feet to kiss Bull’s cheek. ‘Go put on some clothes before you catch your death.’

Bull turned from Dorian and bent down the pick up his pants, giving Dorian full view of his ass. Dorian smacked it because, hey, he wasn’t made of stone. Bull laughed.

‘So, we’re clear.’ Bull said straightening up. ‘I’m going with you to Redcliffe. Either I go with you and the Boss or I follow behind on my own.’

Dorian groaned ‘Amatus, I don’t think that’s the safest—’

‘Don’t “Amatus” me. We did things your way the first time and we were stuck with an ocean between us for almost two months.’

‘That wasn’t my fault—!’

‘I’m not blaming you—!’

‘Strange how much it sounds like you’re blaming me—!’

There was another round.

When they had finally gotten out of the old Alchemist’s cabin Dorian and Bull had come to an understanding. They would both try – and try

properly

– to get Bull on the party heading to Redcliffe. Dorian was not going to sabotage those efforts in any way. But if Bull wasn’t picked he would stay behind in Haven and wait for news. He would not go tracking the party through the wilderness like a crazed wildman. At Haven, they would have

minimum

contact but not go out of their way to avoid each other. Bull would inform the Chargers of the situation and ask them to keep their distance. But Bull wasn’t going to set any orders in stone. If say Dalish decided to run up and hug Dorian, Bull wasn’t going to stop her. Varric was going to do whatever he wanted anyway so why bother planning for him.

And finally, they had to meet in that cabin at least once a day to tell the other the latest developments.

And

probably

have sex, but that was almost a given.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Dorian got up in the early hours of the morning. Or, to be more accurate, he gave up trying to sleep in the early hours of the morning. Josephine had managed to find him a spare cot inside the Chantry, next to all the other refugees. Desperate, ragged people that had stumbled their way up the Frostbacks after the conclave. It wasn’t comfortable, it wasn’t quiet, and it certainly wasn’t warm. What galled him the most was that he knew outside of Haven’s wall’s the Chargers had their tents all set up. Living out of a tent was never the most luxurious lifestyle, but the Chargers tents were all well-made. Krem, the son of a tailor, would not allow anything less. Each tent was water-proof and cut from a thick insulating material. But more than that, they were familiar and comforting. And his tent contained his own personal body-heater named Bull.And he couldn’t go anywhere near those tents.Life was a malicious bitch when she wanted to be.He'd drifted in and out of consciousness throughout the night, only to awaken when his body felt the need to remind him how cold it was. It was no use. In disgust, Dorian threw off his thin blanket and got dressed. A lanky boy shivered in the cot next to him. Dorian took his blanket and draped it over the kid. No point in them both being cold and grouchy.Dorian wandered out the Chantry door and looked out across Haven. Dawn was creeping its way over the mountains, lighting the frozen valley below. It would have been a glorious sun-rise if it hadn't been tainted by the sickening green of the Breach.Looking at it made the back of Dorian’s head ache, but Dorian couldn’t help but stare at it. It was only when his eyes began to water that he tore them away.Only to lock eyes with Jill Adaar herself.Bull’s words flashed through his mind.
“—she pulled a dagger on me that first time we met—”
Dorian had to stamp down the anger that flared inside him. She had threatened Bull. This woman had attacked his Amatus and was standing in front of him like it was nothing.
Remember the plan. Remember the plan. You were able to play nice for months with Alexius, you can play nice with Adaar. This whole farce will mean nothing if you make the only woman who can close the breach boil from the inside out.

But she threatened Bull.
‘Hey, Dorian. You’re up early.’ Jill shuffled towards him, her gaze focused on his boots.Dorian forced his face into a smile even though it made his whole jaw ache. ‘Well, you know what they say…’‘What?’‘Um... Some
proverb about the virtues of rising early I’m sure. Excuse me.’Dorian made to sweep past her, knowing that if he stayed much longer he was going to say or do something he’d regret. And Jill would regret more. But Jill stepped in front of Dorian.‘Wait a minute, Dorian, wait a minute. I…’ she sighed glancing towards the Chantry door. ‘Josephine thinks I should say something to you.’Dorian raised his eyebrow, unnerved by her new attitude. He could handle the abrasive Jill he’d met in Redcliffe. She was fun to poke. But this hesitant, unsettled Jill had Dorian on the backfoot.‘Alright… what is it?’Jill took a breath, like a hiker who is about to start a steep climb up a mountain.‘I was rude to you back in Haven, and I’m sorry.’Dorian’s brows drew together.‘Oh… I can’t pretend I was expecting an apology.’‘Well, that seems to be my thing. I do the unexpected.’‘Can I ask what brought this on?’Jill didn’t look at him. She was toeing snow into a pile.‘We… we had discovered earlier that day a stash of skulls in a shed near the docks. Vivienne said that Alexius was making Ocularum.’‘Ocularum?’ Dorian said. ‘That’s… disturbing.’‘He didn’t tell you?’‘No… What would Alexius need Ocularum for?‘We don’t know for sure. But the Venatori are killing tranquil to do it.’Dorian drew in a sharp breath. The cold air made his lungs ache. ‘You’re certain?’‘They left behind papers saying what they’d done.’Dorian rubbed his hand over his mouth before speaking. ‘I’m so sorry. I can't… It’s hard for me to see how far the man has fallen.’‘Yeah. So, you see, I wasn’t in the mood to deal with any more Tevinter shit after that little discovery. You caught the brunt of that. I apologise.’Dorian found himself nodding at Jill’s words. Part of him was still itching to fight her, but her apology had taken some of the wind out of his sails. Besides, after she said about the Ocularum, Dorian’s priorities had refocused.He could fight Jill later if need be.‘I understand. And now you’ve agreed to help me take down Alexius, we can stop the rest of his “Tevinter shit”. I know it’s little compensation—'‘I’ll take what I can get.’ Jill said, finally looking Dorian in the eye. ‘So… you want a turn?’Dorian tilted his head. ‘A turn at what?’Jill pointed a finger at Dorian. ‘’Vint.’ She turned that finger back towards herself. ‘Qunari. I’ve already had a dig at you back in Redcliffe, so it’s only fair you get a free shot back.’‘Oh, I see. Very well.’ Dorian cleared his throat. ‘You are very grey and very tall and as for your head? Well, it has horns on it! Ha! That should show you. How will you ever recover from my rapier wit?’Jill tried to force down a smile. ‘Come on. You’re telling me there is no bad blood between you and the Qunari.’‘You made it very clear you are Tal-Vashoth, not Qunari. Believe it or not, I am aware of the difference.’‘Oh really?’‘If you weren’t Tal-Vashoth you would have split my head open in our first meeting. That was a fairly clear indicator.’This time Jill didn’t force away the next smile. ‘I won’t pretend I didn’t think about it. So, have you met any Qunari Qunari or only watered-down Qun deserters like me?’Dorian’s fingers twitched. Was this only small talk? Or did this Jill woman suspect something?‘Oh… you know.’ Dorian rubbed his neck. ‘I may have met one or two of the Kolssun’s devotees over the years.’Jill raised her eyebrows. ‘Oh, have you? I can’t imagine that was a barrel of fun. Did they give you grief because you are a Tevinter Mage.’

‘You’re one stupid, cocky fucker, you know that Dorian? You put the Saare in Bas Saarebas!’
Bull unbuckled his bracer and dropped it on the floor of their tent with a clatter. Normally a sweaty, ash-covered Bull would be a sight that gave Dorian all sorts of ideas. But Dorian knew that wasn’t on the cards tonight. Bull was pissed.
‘It worked, didn’t it? Kaffas Bull, you’re acting as though this is the first time we’ve had to improvise on a job—‘

‘Improvise? That’s what you’re calling that fucking shit-show?’ Bull scoffed. ‘You think the Marquis is going to sing the praises of the Merc crew who burnt down his east wing and brought all his taxidermy animals to life?’

‘He’s more likely to than a dead Marquis. Which is what he would have been if those Antivian Crows weren’t squeamish about a few stuffed nugs.’

‘They were more freaked out by the mounted great-bear you sent charging at them. While on fire.’

Dorian laughed. ‘Oh, their faces were priceless! And did you hear that one who did that little piglet squeal when he saw—’

Dorian’s words cut off sharply as Bull snatched a fistful of Dorian’s hair pulled Dorian’s head back. Bull loomed over Dorian is face inches away.

‘Dorian, who is the Captain of the Chargers?’

Dorian was about to roll his eyes when Bull’s hand tightened and gave his head a little shake. Dorian hissed.

‘You are.’

‘And did you disobey a direct order because you think your flashy magic is the answer to every problem?’

‘I’ll concede to the first part but as I pointed out my magic did solve— Ah! Stop! Okay, I didn’t follow your orders and a Marquis mouldy, glassy-eyed, menagerie paid the price.’

Bull stood over him. Not moving. Expectant. Dorian sighed.

‘I was wrong. I am sorry.’

Bull smiled down at him. ‘Good.’ He pecked Dorian on the lips. ‘Latrine duty. Three weeks.’

He let go of Dorian’s hair and walked passed him to the bedroll. Dorian gaped after him.

‘What? I can’ believe—!’

‘You want to make it four?’

Dorian clamped his mouth shut but it was a close thing. In spite of himself, he knew Bull would have punished any of the Chargers the exact same way if they had pulled the stunt he had. That only made him angrier. He undressed in a huff before crawling into the bed-roll, making a show of turning his back to Bull.
‘Goodnight Kadan,’ Bull’s voice sing-songed over Dorian’s shoulder.
‘Piss off.’

‘I’ve had my small clashes with Qunari, but as you see I stand before you no worse for wear. I can imagine many southerners aren’t aware of the subtle discrepancies between Tal-Vashoth and Qunari.’‘Tell me about it. You know how many people think The Iron Bull’s life and mine are interchangeable?’Jill’s nose screwed up like a child presented with a plate of vegetables. ‘Can’t think of anything worse.’Dorian’s narrowed his eyes.‘Ah yes, I’ve heard about your own little scuffles with the Qunari’. Acid was threatening to creep its way up his throat and tint his voice with vitriol. ‘Seems like you’re not overly fond of a certain Mercenary.’Jill's face fell back into the same sheepish look she’d worn at the start of the conversation.‘Ah… you’ve already heard about that? You’ve only been here a day.’‘Haven isn’t that large. Gossip travels fast.’
Particularly when you’re sleeping with one of the key players in said gossip.
Jill grimaced. ‘Wonderful. That’s… that’s great news.’Dorian crossed his arms. ‘Forgive me for asking this, but if you loathe the man why do you allow him to stay? You are Andraste’s chosen, yes? Surely the future saviour of Thedas has some sway in the Inquisition.’Jill rubbed her shoulder. ‘I… I don’t… loathe Bull.’Dorian stared at Jill.‘What?’‘I don’t!’‘You tried to cut his throat!’‘Threatened to cut his throat.’‘Oh. That’s different. Now I can see the warm affection you have for him. Clearly, you two are bosom buddies.’‘How are you so sarcastic this early in the morning? Is it exhausting?’‘Oh no. I find it invigorating. It’s never too early to verbally eviscerate someone. I try to mock at least three people before breakfast.’‘Is it too early to start drinking? Because if you’re like this all the time I really want to start drinking.’Dorian shook his head. ‘We’re getting off track. Do you like the man or do you hate him? That should be a fairly simple question to answer. If you’re sane.’‘Well, it isn’t. Believe me, it would be easier if he was the way he’s meant to be.’‘Meant to… what are you talking about?’‘You know… A proper Qunari.’‘And he isn’t? Have you discovered he’s secretly a group of dwarves in an elaborate disguise.’Jill lifted her hands. ‘Look, forget it. Bull’s not important. I just came out here to clear the air before we leave tomorrow. If we’re going to face Alexius together I don’t want any unnecessary tension between us. This is too important to let petty shit get in the way.’‘I agree. And thank you. I do appreciate the gesture, despite my glibness.’‘I have a feeling you can’t help it,’ Jill said with a small smile. ‘Well. I better get to work. Lots to do before we leave tomorrow.’‘Of course. Good day to you, Adaar.’Jill bobbed her head and strolled back in the direction of the Chantry. Dorian hesitated before calling after her.‘Jill?’She turned back to him. ‘Yeah?’He walked over to her. ‘Have you decided who will be going with us to Redcliffe?’‘Not yet. I was hoping that I could take the same people who came with me last time because they’re familiar with the situation. But when I floated that idea with Vivienne she… wasn’t keen.’‘No?’‘She thinks I should go and ask the Templars for help with the breach. When I said I was going to go back to Redcliffe and try and get the rebel mages she wasn’t impressed.’‘She said as much?’‘No. She raised an eyebrow though. That was enough.’‘I see.’ Dorian put his hands on his hips. ‘Well, I’ll be able to provide any magical assistance we should need. And if the other two are happy to return to Redcliffe then I don’t see a problem.’‘I’m not worried about Varric being there. But Bull… that could be an issue.’The same bloody knot that had been tying itself around Dorian’s insides for the last couple of months re-emerged. The little bastard.‘What issue?’‘Oh, I don’t know. You don’t think bringing a Qunari warrior with me to a negotiation with a Tevinter magister is a little antagonistic?’Dorian looked Jill up and down. ‘I think that’s going to happen regardless.’‘Oh. Right.’‘Besides, it could be good to have him there. You can play the enlightened, Maker-fearing counterpart to his northern savage.’‘Ugh.’ Jill groaned. ‘Fuck that shit.’‘I know it’s unseemly but Alexius does harbour certain attitudes towards the Qunari. He’s said many times that they cannot be reasoned with. Doing everything to set yourself apart will go a long way.’‘“Certain attitudes” eh? Your old mentor sounds better and better each day.’‘It’s up to you.’ Dorian shrugged. ‘But please consider it.’‘Alright…’ Jill pursed her lips. ‘Why are you so interested in the Iron Bull?’‘What?’ Dorian stepped back. ‘I’m not.’‘You brought him up twice.’‘No. You brought him up twice. All I was trying to do was be a good conversationalist. I have no particular interest in this Iron Bull fellow. I barely even know the man.’‘Right.’ Jill said squinting her eyes. ‘Well, that may change if the Bull does end up coming with us to Redcliffe. I don’t trust him enough to share a tent with him.’‘Oh, so you’re palming him off on me.’‘Yeah, pretty much. See you later Dorian.’ Jill smirked and wandered away. Dorian watched her enter the Chantry and out of sight.‘Well…’ he said, his breath fogging in the morning air. ‘That conversation needs digesting.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Bull ducked out of the tavern and made a bee-line for the gates of Haven.

That chantry sister had been giving him the fuck-me eyes from across the room again. He’d been trying to blow her off for the last few days, but she either wasn’t getting the hint of ignoring it on purpose. Not that she didn’t look like she’d be a good time but were all chantry sisters this… tenacious?

It didn’t matter. He needed to look for Jill anyway. He wasn’t sure how he was going to convince her to put him in the party heading to Redcliffe but he needed to try.

He slowed to a stop at the top of stairs.

Dorian was talking to Seggrit down at his makeshift weapons store.

Bull found himself grinning. Dorian had a frown etched across his face and was gesticulating

wildly

. No doubt he had only now found out about Seggrit’s inflated prices. Seggrit stood there with his arms crossed looking completely unfazed. He had heard this rant before from others and he was bound to hear it again.

‘Excuse me? This may be a strange question, but might you be the Iron Bull?’

Bull turned and looked down at a chantry sister who had been standing in his blind spot. No. Not sister. He didn’t know much about the Chantry or their ranks, but he had heard people call this woman Reverend Mother. It suited her. There was something “

motherly

” about her. She had a rich Orleasian accent and deep lines etched her face. Under different circumstances, they would make her look harsh or stern. Instead, they seemed to make her look kinder. Bull turned to face her

fully

.

‘What gave me away?’

The old woman smiled at his joke and held out a steaming mug in both hands. It was clear they had seen years and work but they were steady and unwavering. Bull took the mug and nodded in thanks.

‘What’s this for?’

‘I would like to say that it was a friendly gesture, from one member of the Inquisition to another. But in truth, the one lay-sisters told me how much your healer had helped her over the past few days. This is my way of showing gratitude.’

Bull took a sip. It was tea. Nothing like the fragrant, spiced tea he grew up with, but warm and welcome all the same. ‘So, Stitches does all the work and I get all the credit? I knew there must be some perks to being in charge.’

‘Your healer said that it had been your idea to send him our way.’

‘Yeah, but only because he was getting antsy. I worry one day there won’t be anyone for him to heal so he’ll pick up a knife and make himself some new patients.’

The Revered Mother laughed. Weird. Were Chantry sisters allowed to do that?

‘In any case, we are grateful to both of you,’ she said. ‘While I do have some small medical skills, most of the healers I have worked with in the past were mages. When the Rebellion started, well…’. The old woman shrugged as though the whole mage rebellion was one of those “what can you do” situations. ‘It was good to learn some new techniques that anyone can use, regardless of magic.’

‘Well, we’re happy to do whatever needs doing. Haven is a start but this whole Inquisition thing going to need a lot of hands on deck if it’s going to get anywhere.’

‘I agree. We may have Andraste’s blessing, but it would be unwise to rely on faith alone. Only a fool would think that Andraste never did a hard day’s work while leading the original army of the faithful.’

Bull sipped his tea and said nothing. Down the stairs, Dorian was still arguing with Seggrit and Bull knew he would be there for a while.

‘I see you’re keeping a careful eye on the Magister,’ said the Revered Mother.

Bull stopped himself from saying “He’s not a magister, he’s an Altus.”

‘Yeah, well. I would keep two on him but I don’t have that option.’

The Revered Mother smiled.

‘I am pleased that someone else seems to share my concerns about him.’

Bull’s stomach sank a little. He knew he was wandering into a talk he didn’t want to have.

‘Who says I’m concerned?’

‘Concern may not be the right word.

After all, a hardened Seheron veteran such as yourself must have faced hundreds of Magisters

. I doubt they

concern

you anymore.’

Bull took a longer sip. It burnt his tongue a little but a few more gulps like that and he'd

be done

with this tea and conversation. ‘What term would you use then?’

‘It’s not my place to say’, the Revered Mother said, with a tone that screamed out she wanted to. ‘I have great faith in Adaar.

But I hope that allowing a Tevinter Magister to wander through our ranks unchecked doesn’t end up being a costly mistake.’

Bull looked into his cup. Halfway. Great.

‘You don’t think we have bigger worries?’ Bull nodded towards the breach swirling over-head.

‘The breach is a great threat, that I cannot deny,’ The Revered Mother nodded. ‘But we must not let the greater threat blind us to the smaller ones that surround us. Working with the sick and injured has taught me many things, but there is one lesson I keep close to my heart at all times. Never ignore small wounds. They are the ones most likely to fester.’

The tea leaves had steep for too long now, leaving the tea tasting bitter and a little acidic. Bull downed the rest of it anyway and handed the cup back to the Revered Mother.

‘Thanks for the tea.’ Bull said not looking in her direction. ‘I should go find the boss.’

‘Of course,’ said the Revered Mother. ‘A pleasure to finally speak with you, Iron Bull.’

She nodded her head -which considering that hat was pretty impressive- and headed down towards the gate

. Dorian was still mid-rant so he didn’t see the Revered mother give Dorian the stink eye as she passed.

Bull did.

Bull stayed where he was until Dorian threw up his hands in disgust. He stormed away from the store, Seggrit smirking after him. His step faltered a little as he saw Bull but he kept walking, not looking at Bull as he went by.

There was the slightest hint of a smile beneath his mustache. Dorian was pretty good at keeping a straight face. But Bull was better at spotting tells.

Bull didn’t watch as Dorian wandered away. He’d spotted Jill walking away from the catapults and now was as good a time as any.

As he trudged his way through the snow and down towards Jill, he lifted his hand to greet her.

‘Hey, Boss. I wanted to talk…’

‘Look, Bull, I know what you’re about to ask but the answer is no. You can’t opt out of going back to Redcliffe.’

Bull stopped. ‘Er… what?’

‘I’m sorry, Bull. I know you hate the ‘Vints. I know you hate the weird time-magic shit. I know Redcliffe is the last place you want to go, but I need you and Varric there again. You were both in the original meeting with Dorian and Felix. This shit is too complicated to try and explain to someone who wasn’t there.’

‘…Okay. If you say so.’ Bull frowned in confusion and looked over Jill. ‘Was this your idea?’

‘I talked it over with Dorian this morning and we agreed it was the best idea. And before you start, don’t

be pissed

at him. This was my choice, not his. I know you butt heads with him but please try to get along for the sake of the mission. This is too important to fuck up with Qunari vs. Tevinter bullshit.’

Bull opened his mouth like he was about to argue, paused and sighed. ‘I’ll try my best boss. But I can’t promise anything.’

Jill looked relieved. ‘That’s all I ask Bull. Be ready to go in at first light tomorrow. I’ll go and tell Varric.’ She punched him in the shoulder and walked away.

When she was gone Bull made a small victory fist and punched the air.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Dorian knew that coming to the tavern was a mistake.The tavern itself was pleasant enough. Flissa was a good hostess. The bard wasn’t completely off-key. And the beer was… it was foul, there was no point fooling himself. But that was standard for Ferelden beer. He could bear it for now.What was getting on his nerves was the group of Cullen’s soldiers in the corner scowling in his direction. Something about their baring smacked of ex-Templar arrogance.Probably don’t believe a mage going to a tavern and having a drink is “serving man”. Dorian thought to himself. Probably don’t believe in mages enjoying life at all.Dorian knew he had two options. The first was to down the rest of his beer and leave as quick as possible. He was heading out for Redcliffe tomorrow and turning in early was the wiser choice anyway. The second option was to nurse his beer for as long as he could just to spite them. Make the pricks seethe with his mere presence. He was leaning toward the former when someone pulled out the chair opposite him.‘So, the rumours were true. There is another ‘Vint in Haven.’Dorian looked up. Krem was already sliding himself into the seat. He held out his hand to Dorian and flashed a grin.‘The names Cremisius Aclassi. Lieutenant for the Bull’s Chargers.’Dorian fixed him with an unimpressed glare. He didn’t take Krem’s hand.‘Right... My apologies Cremisius Aclassi
but I’m not in the mood for company tonight. If you’ll excuse me.’Dorian tried to pull his chair out but it wouldn’t budge. Krem had hooked his ankle around Dorian’s chair leg. What was he playing at?‘C’mon, don’t be like that. Let me buy you a drink. You look like you could use one. You ever had Ferelden beer before? You’ll get a kick out of it.’Oh Krem, really? Airing his shameful tastes in public now? That was low.‘I'm sure I’ll survive without the experience.’ Dorian kicked away Krem’s foot. ‘Some other time.’Dorian tried to stand again but a hand landed on his shoulder pushing him back down. Dorian’s eyes followed the hand up the arm, along the shoulder to the face.Grim looked down at him, with his patented Grim nonchalance. Rocky peered around his side.‘Hey, Krem. Who’s your new friend?’‘He hasn’t said his name yet.’ Krem said. ‘But he looked like he could use the company.’Krem’s eyes darted for a split-second towards the ex-Templars. The surly bunch all got up from their table and stalked out of the tavern.Ah. That explained a lot.Grim and Rocky had already grabbed a few chairs from an empty table nearby. They sat on either side of Dorian. It was familiar. So familiar. Dorian had the chance to reunite with Bull already but he hadn’t seen the Chargers in months either. Since he’d joined the Chargers there hadn’t been a day where he hadn’t seen these faces. They were closer to him that some of his family.Most of his members.Okay, fine. All his family.It was so, so tempting to not push them away and have a drink with them like this was any other night on any other job.But this wasn’t any other job. Everyone in Haven believed Dorian was a dirty Venatori traitor sent to negotiate for Alexius. He may as well be wearing a sign that said “Blood-Mage and Slave Owner”. The Chargers didn’t need any of that stink rubbing off on them. They had to stay here for Maker knows how long. The last thing they needed was the whole Inquisition turning on them.‘My name is not important and your company is not required.’ Dorian said, his words clipped and precise. ‘I was finishing up. I have a long journey tomorrow.’‘We’ll grab you one for the road then.’ Krem caught Flissa’s eye and
signalled for a round. ‘Make sure you have a good send-off.’‘There they are!’ Dalish said as she elbowed her way through the crowd towards the table. Skinner and Stitches followed the path she made. ‘We almost missed you guys. You couldn’t have got a bigger table?’‘It was a table for one.’ Dorian sniped. The Chargers ignored him as they pulled over a second table against Dorian’s original.‘Look…
Cremisius.’ Dorian leaned towards Krem. ‘You’re not doing anyone any favours hanging around with me. I’m not exactly Mr. Popular.’‘Really?” Krem tilted his head. ‘But you have such a welcoming and friendly nature. So warm. So cozy.’Dorian tried to scowl at Krem but Flissa got between them, putting a tray of tankards on the table. Dorian straightened and tried to peer over her shoulder.‘I’m being serious. You don’t want to associate with me. For your sake get up and leave. Now.’‘Oh, stop being so dramatic and drink!’ Stitches said, shoving a tankard into Dorian’s hands. ‘You’re not that big a deal.’‘Those Templars seemed to think I was worth their curiosity.’ Dorian murmured.‘Yeah,’ Krem said. ‘We noticed.’‘We’ve been noticing all day.’ Rocky added.Dalish blew some foam from the top of her beer. ‘And all yesterday.’Dorian raised an eyebrow. ‘You all have been keeping a close eye on me, have you?’‘Well…’ Krem lent back in his chair. ‘Someone had to. For the Inquisition’s sake. After all, you can’t trust a ‘vint.’‘Or a mage.’ Dalish added. Dorian shook his head.‘Yes well, if the whole Mercenary thing works out I’m sure you can try your hand as babysitters.’Dorian took one last swig of his beer and pulled out his chair. ‘Thank you for the drink I never asked for and the conversation I tried to avoid. Goodnight and maker bless.’There was a thunk. Dorian looked down to see his sleeve pinned to the table with one of Skinner’s knives. Her eyes were boring into him.‘Have. Another. Round.’Dorian’s eyes flickered from one Charger to the next. They were all looking at him expectantly. Of all the stubborn, hard-head imbeciles…Andraste he’d missed them.Dorian, with a heavy sigh, yanked the blade out of the table and handed it hilt-first back to Skinner. He had numbed to her more aggressive ways of expressing affection years ago.‘Well… since you asked so nicely.’
Bull had packing his kit down to a fine art. He had the smallest pack out of all the Chargers and they ragged on him about it all the time.‘How can a bastard three times my size have a kit half as big as mine?’ Rocky once asked him.Bull replied ‘It would be smaller if Dorian didn’t make me carry so much of his shit.’Bull didn’t tell them that his kit now was twice the size of the pack he carried back on Seheron. The Qun was never big on possessions and Seheron destroyed everything worth-while.The pack in his hands now was even smaller than his normal one. The trip to Haven was only two days by foot and there were Inquisition camps already set-up along the way. Fuck it, if he wanted to Bull could choose to only take his axe with him and it would be fine. He’d managed with way less in the past.But the Redcliffe job had Bull on edge. It had everyone on the edge. It had Dorian rattled and that wasn’t normal. Sure, there was the personal element with Felix and Alexius. But Dorian was also good at compartmentalising his feelings when there was something that needed to get done. Tevinter had taught him that. He hated it, but he did like an expert.If Redcliffe had Dorian worried then there was something big to worry about.Bull looked down at his kit, sighed, and began to repack it for the fourth time.He needed to be prepared.The tent flap opened to his left making Bull’s head shoot up.The Chantry sister crawled inside, caught his eye and a smile stretched across her lips.‘The Iron Bull. I was hoping to find you here.’Oh boy.Bull raised his eyebrow. ‘In my tent?’‘Yes. That way I wouldn’t have to look very hard.’‘I’m sure you would have found me in time. I’m hard to miss. Look, sister…’The Chantry sister took off the weird head-thingy they all wore.Shit.She was a red-head.‘Olympe.’‘Sister Olympe. I’m heading to Redcliffe tomorrow—’‘Yes, so I head.’ Oh fuck, she was undoing buttons on the back of her robe. He’d never seen the appeal of the Chantry sister fetish before, but he had a feeling he was about to learn. ‘That’s why I sought you out, Iron Bull. I knew you would be gone for a few days and I knew this could be the only chance.’‘For what?’He knew for what. Why the fuck did he ask “for what”?Sister Olympe giggled. ‘Your healer gave us such good advice.’ She allowed her robe to pool around her feet. ‘I wanted to make sure you got properly thanked.’Koslun’s balls.
It was snowing. Only a little but it still counted. Dorian and the Chargers left the tavern, singing all the wrong words to the song the bard had been playing.A song they had paid her to play six times. With each repetition, the Chargers remembered less and less of the lyrics.Dorian was leaning on Grim for support. He was leaning on Skinner. She was leaning on Dalish who was leaning on Krem, who was leaning on Stitches who was… somehow leaning on Rocky. They moved like some concussed fourteen-legged creature, weaving from side to side. Dorian lost his footing for a split second on the icy ground. But he managed to right himself instead of taking the rest of the Chargers with him.‘No no no no!’ Rocky said, shove Skinner a little. ‘It goes “boiled or toasted, broiled or roasted, bad children all get eaten.”’‘Boo! No! You’re wrong!’ Krem cupped his hands and called into the night. ‘Rocky’s wrong everybody! It’s pouched and pasted and… something-something.’‘Nothing wasted,’ said Dorian.‘What?’‘Nothing! Wasted!’Dalish laughed. ‘Bullshit! You’re wasted right now!’‘Now that’s the pot calling the kettle… a cooking implement? I don’t remember how that saying goes.’‘Just how you don’t have a fucking clue how that song—’‘Oi, you! Tevinter scumbag!’Dorian span around as did the rest of the Chargers. Standing behind them was half-a-dozen ex-Templars, their armour flecked with freshly fallen snow. The one who had called out to was a stocky freckled woman, her dark hair pulled back into a high pony-tail. Her eyes locked onto Dorian like she was a hawk who had spotted a nug.Dorian became aware of how cold it was.He stumbled forward a step but Krem moved in front of him.‘You’re gonna have to be more specific!’ Krem said, yelling even though they were only a few feet away. ‘You mean me the Tevinter scumbag or him the Tevinter scumbag?’The woman with the pony-tail rolled her eyes. She pointed at Dorian.‘Him! He’s the one we have a problem with. The rest of you can fuck off.’‘Ooo. That’s not very lady-like.’ Rocky said.‘What isn’t?’ asked Stitches.‘The fucking swearing.’‘Oh yeah.’ Stitches tsked.
‘Very shitty behavior.’‘Guys,’ Dorian warned. ‘I think it’d be best if you left this—'‘Shhh.’ Grim tried to put a finger against Dorian’s lips but ended up poking Dorian’s nose instead. Dorian batted his hand away.‘We’re not here for you.’ A beefy young man with wide-set eyes stepped up behind the Templar woman. He had a nervous energy, hopping from foot to foot. ‘You lot better get out of here now if you know what’s good for you.’Dalish staggered forward, jabbing her finger at the Templars. ‘Yeah, well, you lot better get out of here if you know what’s good for you'. The Chargers cheered and slapped her on the shoulder for oratory prowess.‘You threatening us, knife-ear?A knife landed half-an-inch in front of the young Templar’s boot. He jumped back a step and gave a little scream. The other ex-Templars stared at him. He cleared his throat and pointed at the Chargers.‘Right! Who threw that?!’The next knife actually sank into the Templars boot. He shrieked. Skinner strolled forward flipping a dagger over her hand.‘Take a guess, Shem.’Dorian wasn’t sure whether the Chargers or the Templars attacked first, or even if there was a first. Truthfully, he was still pretty drunk. But at the end of the day, did it matter.All that mattered was a bunch of pompous, self-righteous templars were going to learn the definition of regret.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Bull was paying very close attention to Sister Olympe's face because he knew if he looked anywhere else it was only going to cause more trouble. She slinked towards him, slow and cat-like. He held up his hands.‘Sister, please—’‘Call me Olypme.’Bull rubbed the back of his head. ‘Sister. I’m not sure…’ He noticed Olympe's eyes latch onto his flexed bicep. Bull dropped his arm and cleared his throat pulling her focus back to his face. ‘I’m not sure what you thought was going to happen here tonight—’Olympe tilted her head. ‘You didn’t? Well then,’ she leaned in close and ran a finger down Bull’s chest. ‘Let me show you what I had in mind.’All the old excused Bull had used in the past before he’d met Dorian, came swimming to the surface of his mind. “The Qun doesn’t allow it.” “If we have sex this once that means we’re married where I come from.” The old “sex with me will physically break you” chestnut. But something in Olympe’s eye suggested that the wrong excuse would just add fuel to the fire.The tent flap flew open and an Inquisition scout’s head poked in.‘Iron Bull! They need you up at— Oh sweet Andraste!’Sister Olympe snatched her robes off the tent floor and used them as a blanket to cover herself. She glared over her shoulder at the scout.‘Do you mind?’The scout covered his eyes with his hand. He probably thought his Maker was going to strike him down for seeing a chantry sister in this position.‘I’m sorry Sister, but they need The Iron Bull up in the war room. We have a small situation.’Bull took Olympe by the shoulders and pushed her off to the side. ‘What situation?’‘Your men were in a fight with some of the former Templar forces. They’re sorting it out—’But Bull was already out of the tent and into the night, one problem replaced with another. From behind him, he heard Olympe call after him.‘So… I’ll get dressed then, shall I?’
‘Okay, let’s go over this one more time,’ Jill said. Her eyes were heavy, and one hand keeping her blanket in place around her shoulders. Dorian could see her night clothes underneath. In fact, all the Inquisition heads were there in their sleepwear and all them were looking pissed. ‘Without the screaming match if possible.’‘Like we said,’ Krem began, his speech a little slurred due to a busted lip. ‘We had just finished having a drink and were going back to our tents. Then these piss-heads attacked us for no fucking reason.’The ex-templars roared in objection and the room descended into chaos again. Dorian stood in the back, pressing a cloth full of snow against his forehead. The combination of the alcohol and the punch in the head was making him uninclined to join in with all the yelling. At least the ex-templars were in a sorrier state than the Chargers. They had bruises and scrapes but the Templars looked like they had had the shit kicked out of them. Mainly because they had. The freckled woman's eye-sockets were already bruising after someone socked her in the nose. Her beefy friend was leaning on two other templars not daring to put weight on his foot. Seems taking on a band of Mercenaries wasn’t the same as brow-beating a bunch of circle mages.‘This is a shit-show innit?’Dorian looked at the sandy-haired elf eating an apple next to him. Her knuckles were red-raw. He was pretty sure she had been the one to break the freckled woman’s nose.‘Sorry, who are you?’ Dorian found himself asking.‘Sera.’‘That’s… not helpful.’‘Then why did you ask, arse-biscuit?’Dorian screwed his eyes shut.‘No, I mean… why did you help us in the fight?’‘They had it coming. You lot were just drunk and singing badly, you didn’t do anything to them.’‘True but how do you know that?’‘Been following you ‘round all day.’Dorian squinted at Sera. ‘Why?’‘I was waiting until you were alone so I could pelt you with snowballs.’‘Oh. Could I ask you… not to do that?‘You still working for that Alexius bloke?’Dorian sighed. ‘Technically.’ Sera shrugged.‘Well then “technically”, you’re going to get a snowball to the back of the head.’Dorian repositioned his ice-cloth. ‘Fair enough.’The door to the war room burst open, hitting the opposite wall so fast Dorian heard the wood splinter. Bull stormed through the doorway. He filled the space with not only his physical presence but his air of authority. The yelling died in an instant. The templars shrank back and all the Charger leaped to attention. Dorian just stop himself from following suit, remembering he was pretending to be a stranger. Bull’s single eye scanned over all the Chargers, falling finally on Krem. He marched over to his second in command and stood in front of him.‘You start this?’Krem lifted his chin, eyes locked ahead. ‘No chief. We were defending ourselves from an unprovoked attack.’‘Sure you were.’ Bull mused. He looked over at the templars sizing them up. He pointed at the freckled woman. Her eyes went wide as though they had to be bigger to see all of him. ‘You start this?’‘I… I…’ She glanced around at her compatriots. They all shuffled away from her. ‘We had no problem with your men!’ she said at last and pointed to Dorian. ‘He started this. All we wanted was to talk to him.’Bull snorted. ‘Yeah. One of those typical six-on-one conversations'. He looked over at Dorian and raised an eyebrow. ‘You causing trouble ‘vint?’‘Actually, I’m trying very hard not to, for once.’ Dorian mumbled. He thought he saw Bull’s expression soften for a split-second. But that might have been his imagination. Then he was glaring down at the woman again, his face all hard angles.‘What’d you want to talk to him about?’‘What?’‘You said you wanted to talk to the ‘vint. What about?’The woman bit her lip like she was trying to hold the words inside her mouth. But everyone in the war room’s eyes had fixed on her and the silence grew worse and worse with each passing second. Bull kept staring her down.‘He’s a spy!’ She blurted out. ‘He’s a fucking spy for those Venatori fucks. It’s so obvious. You know he's sending messages back about our numbers and our movements. Look at him. ’Everyone did. Dorian pinched the bridge of his nose.‘If I was a spy wouldn’t I pick a less obvious cover? Perhaps
walking around Haven announcing “I’m a bloody spy” at the top of my lungs.’‘You’d be surprised how well that can work.’ Bull said and smiled at him. Dorian narrowly cut off a smile in return.'I have been monitoring Dorian's correspondence, Evandra.' Leliana said to the freckled woman. 'Or did you think we be foolish enough to allow one of Alexius' men into our camp without taking precautions?'Evandra eyes darted about like a trapped animal. 'I... I was trying... to look out for... the Inquisition...'Bull folded his arms. 'A-huh. And you thought the best way to do that was to beat up on a glorified messenger boy.''I resent that,' said Dorian.'Good.' Bull turned around and looked at Cullen. ‘You’d better reign in your soldiers Cullen before they get themselves killed.’‘What?’ Cullen stepped forward, his sleep-mussed hair jutting off at every angle. ‘The Chargers are equally guilty for this disruption.
If anyone needs to keep their men in line—’‘Enough!’ Cassandra snapped. ‘This is pointless. We have no way of knowing what happened—’‘The Templars started it.’‘Thank you for your input, Sera.’ Cassandra said dryly. ‘Cullen can discipline his men in the morning, Bull can discipline his. And if this ever happens again, I will be the one who does the disciplining. Understand?’There was a general muttering of terrified agreement.‘Good,’ Cassandra snatched a book off the desk and tucked it under her arm. Dorian caught a glimpse of the cover. Was that buxom woman in a corset swooning into the arms of a shirtless man? Cassandra scanned the room.‘Do not make me get out of bed again.’ She said and stalked out.Cullen ordered all the Templars out of the war room and they limped their way through the door. Bull nodded his head towards the door and the Charger’s followed suit. Josephine and Leliana headed back to their shared room, whispering to each other. The looked less like a diplomat and a spymaster and more like two giggling school girls.
But Jill stood up and inclined her head towards Bull.‘Bull, can I have a word?’They strolled over to a corner and began whispering to each other. Less like school girls this time. More like parents who didn't want to argue in front of the children. Dorian tried to lean forward and catch what they were saying but Sera’s hand landing on his shoulder.‘Well, I’m off to bed,’ Sera said, throwing her apple-core into a corner for someone else to deal with. ‘You’re off the hook for the snowballs, ‘vint. Think you copped enough shit today.’‘How kind.’She licked her finger and stuck it in Dorian’s ear. He leaped back.‘Vishate Kaffas! Why would you do that?’‘I only said snowballs mate. Not anything else.’ Sera said backing out of the room. ‘I see you 'round, yeah?’She was gone before Dorian could tell her, no, he really did not want to see her round.‘He's harmless. You said so yourself. Look, we’re going in the morning so it’s only for tonight. You can do that, right?’Jill’s words hit Dorian, making him look back at the Qunari and the Tal-Vashoth in the corner. Bull’s mouth was set in a hard line. His shoulder’s slumped.‘Fine.’Bull looked over to Dorian and walked towards him.‘You’re coming with me, ‘vint. The boss thinks you need a bodyguard.’Dorian stiffened. ‘What? No, I don’t.’‘You heard the Templars,’ Jill said. ‘They know you’re a spy. The difference is they don’t know you’re working for us.’‘Supposedly,’ Bull muttered. Jill ignored him.‘We need you to make it back to Redcliffe in one piece and Bull’s one of the few people in Haven who knows the truth. He’ll watch your back, just for tonight.’Dorian did his best to look over Bull with an incredulous air. ‘And what’s going to protect me from him.’‘The fact the Boss still thinks you’re useful.’ Bull stalked out of the room. ‘You coming or what?’Dorian looked back at Jill.‘Is this necessary—'‘This is an order now. Not a request.' Jill said. 'Why is everyone acting like whiny little babies tonight. "She was mean to me!" "He started it!" "I don't want to share a tent with him!" We're meant to be the last line of defense from the hole in the fade, for Andraste's sake. Can we act like adults for two minutes?'Dorian sighed. 'Fine. I'll share a tent with the lummox. But if he rolls over and crushes me to death while I sleep, you'll be the one I haunt. Clear?'Jill actually smiled at that. 'I'll take that risk. Goodnight Dorian. Iron Bull.'Dorian gave Jill a small bow, while Bull muttered something about the importance of the "The" in his name. They left the chantry in silence and didn't say a word to each other until they reached Bull's tent outside Haven's walls. They crawled inside and closed the flap behind them.Only then did they burst into laughter.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Sleep was a complex thing for Dorian.

As a mage, it was dangerous, with the threat of demons lurking throughout the fade. He’d gotten used to it but they were always there, lingering in the corners of his dreams.

His dreams weren’t always pleasant either.

Dorian also knew of how vulnerable he was

physically

when asleep. He'd learned that the hard way after a certain run-in with slavers.

But in spite of these dangers, Dorian still loved it.

Those languid sleepy mornings where he

was allowed

to surface into consciousness one of the purest joys he knew

.

This was not one of those mornings.

‘Kadan.’ Bull’s voice was thick and slurred. ‘We have to get up.’

‘Nrmpf.’

‘Dorian, we have to go soon.’

‘Nooo.’ He buried his face deeper into Bull’s shoulder.

‘We have to stop your mentor from using dangerous magic to do stupid things, remember?’

‘Let him do the stupid things, and let me go back to sleep.’

‘He could destroy the world.’

‘This world is

thoroughly

terrible. Let it burn, I say.’

‘If we don’t get up, Jill is going to come and get us and if she sees us snuggling on the same bedroll she’s going to have questions.’

‘If her question is “can I get in too?” the answer is no.’

Dorian felt Bull trying to shift from underneath him, but Dorian knew this tactic from old. He latched around all Bull’s limbs like an octopus with abandonment issues. Bull laughed and tried to untangle himself. But while Bull was

substantially

larger than his lover, Dorian was still a full-grown man. No sooner had Bull managed to get one limb free Dorian would pin down another.

‘Kadan, come on. Get off.’

‘No. You go and you take all the warmth with you. You don’t want me to freeze do you?’

Bull chuckled. ‘I don’t know how you’ve slept without me these past months.’

‘

Poorly

. So don’t think I’m going to give up my last few minutes of sleep without a fight.’

‘How can you be this cute and this much of a pain in my ass at the same time?’

Dorian felt fingers brush against the tender spot on his forehead. He must have an impressive bruise by now. ‘How’s your head feeling this morning?’ Bull asked. Dorian groaned

dramatically

.

‘Terrible. I am far too injured to travel. Jill and Varric will have to go to Redcliffe without me.’

‘And what about me?’

‘Well, I’ll need a nursemaid,

obviously

.’

The tent flap flew open.

Considering they were both still half asleep it was impressive how

quickly

they were able to leap to opposite sides of the tent

. Bull even managed to grab his ax before Varric poked his head in.

‘Whoa there, Tiny! You want to do me a favour and put the ax down? I’m short enough as it is without you slicing my head off.’

‘What are you doing Varric?’ Dorian hissed, grabbing the blankets and pulling them around his shoulders

. ‘You trying to give us a stroke, you infuriating dwarf?’

‘Hello, Sparkler. It’s good to see you too! No, you’re right. It’s a real shame we haven’t had a chance to catch up since you’ve been at Haven. But that’s okay. It’s enough to know that you care. You’re a real friend.’

Dorian rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand. ‘Sorry, Varric. Hello Varric. Nice to see you’ve got the fortitude to displaying your glorious chest-hair in these harsh climes.’

‘Jill send you to get us?’ Bull said pulling on his boots.

‘I volunteered. Thought it would be safer if I was the one ducking into your tent. For you two I mean. Waking you up should come with a health warning.’

‘Thanks Varric.’

‘

Just

… be careful okay?

I don’t know exactly what went on last night with the Chargers, But you’re attracting a lot of attention for people who

are meant

to be laying low.’

‘It’s not like I asked to get attacked by a bunch of Chantry sanction bully boys,' Dorian said. He snapped one of his buckles into place. Varric shrugged.

‘All I’m saying is it’s a good we’re leaving for Redcliffe today. Gives you a chance to let things die down a bit while you’re gone. See you boys at the stables. Pants are not optional.’

Varric ducked out of the tent and was gone.

‘He’s right, you know.’ Bull said as he adjusted his eyepatch. ‘We’ve gotten carried away because we’d spent too much time apart, that’s all. But we need to be careful from this point on.’

Dorian huffed. ‘

I

was being careful, remember? I was the one who tried to keep away from the Chargers. It’s not my fault the blighted fools latched onto me like barnacles.’

‘If they weren’t there you would have a lot more bruises than that shiner on your forehead.’

‘I would have been fine.’ Dorian waved a hand. ‘I’ve beaten worse odds than that before, or have you forgotten Antivia City?’

‘Yeah, you came out the other end of that scrap looking like a drowned cat. And on top of that if the boys weren’t there last night, what would you have told the Inquisition’s head-honchos? It would have been your word against the Templars.’

‘Are the Chargers going to be alright while we’re gone?’ Dorian asked. ‘I’d hate for them to get branded as Venatori sympathisers because of last night’s debacle.’

‘They’ll be fine. The boys have been making far more friends than those shut-in Templar fuckers. It turns out living in a circle for years doesn’t do much for your social skills. If people are going to take a side over this it will be the Charger’s.’

‘But that’s not the end of it.’ Dorian ran his fingers through his hair. ‘It’s one more complication we didn’t need adding to the ever-mounting pile of complication. Soon that pile will be high enough that Jill will be able to climb up it to reach the breach.’

Bull put a hand on the back of Dorian’s neck and pulled them close so their foreheads touched. ‘Hey, remember what we said in the Alchemist’s Cabin?’

‘Stop Alexius. Fix the hole in the sky. Get paid and go.’

‘See? Four steps. Not complicated at all.’ Bull pecked at Dorian’s lips. ‘All we have to do is not get caught before then.’

‘That’s would be easier to achieve if you didn’t keep kissing me.’

‘I said, it wasn’t complicated. I didn’t say it was easy.’ Bull kissed him again. ‘Finish up, their waiting.’

‘Yes, mother.’ Dorian started to roll up the bedroll and stopped.

‘Bull…’ Dorian said, picking up a Chantry sister’s head-dress with two fingers. ‘What is this?’

‘Er…’ Bull’s eyes darted back and forth. ‘It’s a funny story, actually…’

After a brief discussion that stirred more amusement in Dorian than

jealousy

, the two men crawled out of their tent

. Jill and Varric were already a the stables chatting. Jill flipped through the battered pages of a much-loved copy of “Hard in Hightown”.

‘But I don’t understand. In this chapter, Donnen ate the oysters with the pirate captain down at the docks.

But two installments before he worked out how the duchess

was murdered

because they shared the same seafood allergy

. Is he only allergic to shell food?' Jill furrowed her brow and muttered to herself. 'Are oysters a shell food?’

Varric shifted his weight from foot to foot. ‘Ah, well… the thing is— Ah! look who's finally awake!’

Varric shuffled towards them with

barely

disguised relief. ‘You boys ready to go.’

‘Ready to leave this snow-drenched wasteland?’ Dorian said, ‘I’d thought you’d never ask.’

‘I see you two didn’t kill each other in the night,’ Jill said her eyes tired but sharp. ‘Despite all your whining.’

‘You sound disappointed,’ said Bull.

‘It would mean one ass-hole the put up with on this trip, instead of two'. Jill grabbed her pack off the ground and headed towards the stables. ‘Let’s head off.’

‘Charming.’ Dorian said as they all followed.

‘She’s a little cranky this morning.’ Varric whispered to Bull and Dorian.

‘Isn’t she cranky every morning?’ Bull asked. ‘Or is she only cranky when she’s around me.’

‘I’m cranky because your elite group of mercenaries started a bar-fight last night. So professional. And then I had to get up and listen to an annoying round of he said, she said.’ Jill said over her shoulder. ‘I’m tired. Not deaf.’

‘Wow. Now I see the difference between regular cranky and sleep deprived cranky.’

‘You want to see boot-up-your-ass cranky, Bull? Because I’ll give you a demonstration.’

‘Well. This is fun already.’ Dorian muttered.

The group didn’t push themselves. None of them were eager to get to Redcliffe and they all knew they wouldn’t reach it by nightfall. So why punish the horses?

As they traveled through the mountain pass towards the Hinterlands the snow grew thinner on the ground, giving way to greenery and life

.

It would have been a beautiful day's ride if they'd managed to stop arguing for ten minutes.

‘I didn’t mean that!’ Jill said, her horse’s eye flickered at her shouting. ‘All I’m saying is that Tevinter would have more allies to fight against the Qunari if they weren’t so isolationist.’

Dorian gritted his teeth. ‘And I’m saying -as someone who has actually lived there and isn’t talking out of his arse- that the opposite is true. The reason Tevinter is so isolationist is

because

we’ve stood alone against the Qunari for so long. The southerners have no concept about what it’s like to hold Par Vollen’s forces at bay.’

‘You wouldn’t have to if Tevinter had signed the Llomerryn Accords.’ Bull butted in.

‘You stay out of this.’ Jill and Dorian snapped in unison.

‘Children,’ Varric yelled from his pony at the front, ‘if you don’t play nice, we’re turning around and go straight home! Is that what you want? Because I will do it.’

‘Varric, c’mon,’ said Jill. ‘You’re a Free Marcher too. You of all people should get why—’

‘Oh, no Poppy. You’re not going to get me to join in by playing that card. New rule, alright? No politics. Dorian can’t talk about Tevinter, Bull can’t talk about the Qun and you can’t talk about Tal Vashoth shit.’

‘Does that mean we don’t have to hear you pine for Kirkwall anymore?’ Bull asked.

‘If that’s the price I have to pay for some peace and quiet, then fine. No Kirkwall.’

‘Fine.’ Dorian sighed. ‘What do you suggest we discuss instead?’

There was the noise of a few birds tweeting and their horses’ hooves. Otherwise, there was silence.

‘Hey Jill,’ Bull said at last. ‘You’re Andrastian. Explain to me why the Exalted March—'

‘Don’t even try, Tiny!’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

They reached the camp as dusk was settling around them. Dorian and Bull both knew too well that arriving at a campsite didn’t mean that the day had ended. You had to unpack and take care of the horses and get a fire going. But it turned out being a member of the Inquisition had its perks. As soon as they had dismounted scouts took their horses by the reins and lead them away. Bowls of hot stew were thrust into their hands and their packs picked up and moved to their tents.‘If this happens every time we show up to camp we’re going to start to get lazy.’ Bull groused. Getting things squared away was part of his routine whenever he got to a camp. It helped him clear his mind.‘It’s fine Bull.’ Jill said sitting on a log beside the fire. ‘I bet the poor scouts are bored out of their mind at this out-post.’‘Then the Inquisition should give them something to do.’‘How about we focus on our own job instead of trying to micromanage others?’ Dorian asked. It probably sounded like a barb to the untrained ear, but Bull had heard those same words before. He'd gotten used to Dorian gently reproving him when he became too much of a “mother-hen” to the Chargers.Bull looked down and Dorian. ‘How about you keep your opinions to yourself. ‘Vint?’ He tried to keep his words rough and curt for the sake of appearances. It was hard and it didn’t help that Dorian was smirking up at him.‘What’s the matter, Iron Bull? Not used to a mage who actually talks back? Because we tend to do that when our lips aren’t sewn together.’Bull narrowed his eyes. The truth was while the two of them were equal partners in their relationship there was a power dynamic. Bull was still Dorian’s boss out on the battlefield and tended towards being more dominant in the bedroom. Which was fine for them. Dorian certainly didn’t seem to have any complaints. However, with the both of them keeping their relationship secret, Bull knew he couldn’t react to Dorian’s cheek. And Dorian knew that too.The little shit.‘I think I have some thread in my pack. You want me to fix that for you?’ Bull asked. Dorian’s only reply was a rude gesture.Jill’s back was to the both of them. But that only made it easier to see the way her shoulder’s tensed at his words. Varric cut in, shooting Bull a glare.‘How about we don’t start poking at each other and eat our damn stew.’‘He started it.’ Bull grumbled.‘Yeah, well I’m finishing it.’‘The scouts will be hard at work tomorrow.’ Jill said talking around a mouthful of stew. ‘They’re the ones who are going to sneak into Redcliffe castle while we cause the distraction. You heard any word from Alexius yet, Dorian?’‘Not yet, but I didn’t expect to'. Dorian walked around the campfire and sat opposite Jill, the flames flickering between them. ‘I sent word we’d be arriving tomorrow. Alexius probably knew any message he sent wasn’t going to reach Haven before I left, so I doubt he bothered to respond.’Jill glanced at Dorian with a but said nothing. There was still suspicion there. Bull cleared his throat, drawing her attention away.‘We’ll have to get a good sleep tonight.’ Bull said. He considered sitting next to Dorian but sat next to Varric instead, to be safe. ‘We have to be ready for anything tomorrow.’‘Well, I’ll try,’ said Jill. ‘But that will depend on if Dorian gets into another fight or not.’Dorian tossed his spoon into his bowl. ‘For the last time, I did not want a fight, I did not go looking for a fight, I didn’t say anything to provoke a fight. If Cullen, Cassandra, and the rest of you had a tighter rein on your men it never would have happened. And considering how much I am risking here a little respect wouldn’t go amiss.’‘Fine, fine. You’re right. Sorry.' Jill said. ‘I think we’re all just… tense.’‘Yeah,’ Varric looked down at Jill’s left hand. ‘I wonder why.’‘Well, then we should use this opportunity to unwind.’ Dorian said.‘Really? You got any ideas, Dorian?’ Bull asked with a wink. Dorian shot him a look.
‘So we’ve shifted from threatening to flirting now have, we? You sure that’s the best tact, the Iron Bull?’Bull didn’t miss the subtle way Dorian nodded his head towards Jill. Bull grinned back. His Kadan wasn’t the only one who could be a little shit.‘All I’m saying is that we’re sharing a tent, ‘Vint. If you wanted to do your part for Qunari-Tevinter relations—’‘The fact I am not striking you down with a lightning bolt is my contribution to Qunari-Tevinter relations.’‘Oh boy, this bickering is so relaxing.’ Jill said.Bull scratched his shoulder. ‘Sorry boss.’‘Besides,’ Jill went on. ‘Don’t you have a pretty Chantry sister as a bunk buddy back in Haven?’Bull’s head snapped back towards Jill. ‘How did you—?’‘Word gets around. Also, Sister Olympe is not a subtle woman. You should have seen the way she watched you walk around camp. She’s like some sort of human-hawk hybrid.’'Was it anything like the way you moon over a certain Antivian ambassador?’Jill choked on a mouthful of stew. Varric leaped up and slapped her a few times on the back until she stopped coughing.‘Bull we need her!’ Dorian said. ‘Please try not to murder the Herald of Andraste before we seal the breach if you’d be so kind.’‘I’m all good, Varric. I’m fine now.’ Jill said, with a choked raspy voice. She pinned Bull with watery eyes. ‘I’m not mooning over Josephine.’‘Alright fine.’ Bull shrugged. ‘I’m not bunking with Sister Olympe.’‘What? Really?’‘Yep.’‘But… people said she was in your tent last night.’‘She was, but we got,’ Bull looked at Dorian, ‘interrupted.’‘Oh, what a shame.’ Dorian stuck out his bottom lip. ‘You shouldn’t have stopped on my account.’‘Next time I won’t. I could put on a little show for you if you want.’Dorian pursed his lips. Bull could see he had a comeback but it probably wasn't Jill friendly.‘But what about before last night?’ Jill leaned forward. ‘You two must have… you know…’‘Nope. Do you have any other questions about my sex life? My favourite positions? The length of my—'Jill's hand’s shot up. ‘I’m surprised, that’s all. I mean you mentioned back when we first met your weakness for red-heads.’Dorian’s eyebrows shot up, a smirk spreading across his face. ‘Oh, she is a red-head, is she?’Bull looked to Dorian. ‘Yeah. You jealous you’re not my type, ‘Vint?’‘Don’t be absurd.’‘So are you going to… not get interrupted when we get back?’ asked Jill.‘Probably not,’ said Bull jabbing a hunk of meat with his fork. When was this conversation going to end?‘Why not? She seems like a fun person to spend time with.’Varric chuckled. ‘“Spend time”. Is that what they’re calling it nowadays?’‘Look, I’m sure she’s a great girl.’ Bull said, ‘I would definitely consider it if I wasn’t taken.’Jill sat straight up. ‘Wait. You’re taken?’All the sweat Bull had built up from the days riding flash-froze on Bull's body. From Bull’s peripheral vision he saw both Dorian and Varric cover their faces. He cleared his throat, scrambling for an out.‘What I mean is … I’ve taken… A vow of… chastity. For the Qun.’Dorian jumped to his feet and raced towards the nearest outcropping of trees.‘Dorian, are you alright?’ Jill called after him.‘Need to piss, don’t follow me!’ Dorian said, the edge of hysterical laughter already colouring his tone.‘A vow of chastity for the Qun.’ Varric said rubbing his upper lip to obscure his smile. ‘I didn’t know that was even a thing.’‘There’s a lot you don’t know about the Qun, Varric.’ Bull said through his teeth.‘Well then here’s your chance to enlighten us poor southern heathens. Is it a Ben-Hassrath thing? How long is this vow go on for? Does it include… alone time?’‘Right. I’m full.’ Bull tipped the rest of his stew onto the ground next to him and stood. ‘Night everyone. Let’s see if tomorrow I’m in the mood to protect your ass from crazy mages.’
Bull had already spread out his bed-roll and got under the covers when he heard the rustling at the tent opening. As Dorian crawled inside, Bull covered his head with the blanket.‘What the fuck happened back there?’ Bull asked.‘I was going to ask you the same thing.’ Dorian said pulling the blanket away from his face. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen you tell such an obvious lie since… well ever.’‘That was amateur hour, Dorian.’ Bull sat up. ‘I could have blown the whole thing!’‘But you didn’t. Besides, I doubt Jill knows enough about the Qun to dispute your story.’‘That’s not the point. If anyone back home saw how badly I fucked up that situation they would have sent me straight back to Par Vollen and made me a cleaner or something'. He ran his hand down his face. ‘What is wrong with me?’‘Nothing is wrong with you. You’re being melodramatic.’‘There are lives on the line, Dorian. Your life.’‘And yet I live to tell the tale. And I will be telling it. Repeatedly. Because it is hilarious and Krem will shit himself laughing.’Bull covered his eyes.‘Come on now, Amatus. It was a bad moment. Everyone is allowed to have them.’‘Not Ben-Hassrath.’‘Even Ben-Hassrath.’ Dorian took Bull’s hand and pulled it away from his face. ‘Look at me, Bull. How many stories are we trying to juggle? Four? Five? It's a miracle we’ve made it this far with only a minor slip-up.’‘If I’m that careless tomorrow—’‘You won’t be. Listen Amatus. While I was with the Venatori I was terrified that one wrong word would be the end of me. I had to be the perfect Venatori agent every moment of every day. It was exhausting. Do you know what I thought to myself when I felt I couldn’t continue to keep all the plates spinning?’Bull curled his fingers around Dorian’s. His grip was tight. Protective. ‘What?’‘I thought “What would Bull do?” And that got me through every time. Don’t beat yourself up over one silly mistake. Everything is fine, nothing is ruined.’Bull smiled and leaned in to kiss Dorian. Dorian pulled away.‘Wait. Are you allowed to do that?'‘What?’‘Well I thought that maybe because of your vow—’Bull lay down and covered his head with his pillow. ‘Goodnight Dorian.’‘Oh Amatus, it was a joke. Don’t be angry.’‘I said goodnight.’Dorian didn't say anything for a moment. Bull felt the fabric of the pillow shrink and expand against his face with every breath he took. Then he felt something else. Something crawling under his blanket. Something fiddling with the tie on his pants.‘Dorian, what are you doing?’‘What do you think I’m doing?’ Dorian muffled voice wafted out from beneath the blanket. ‘I am a wicked and lecherous Tevinter Mage, here to tempt the noble Qunari Warrior away from his righteous path.’Bull tried not to laugh, determined to stay cross. ‘How do you plan to do that?’He felt hands tugging his pants lower down his hips, warm breath ghosting along the base of his cock.‘How else? Though seduction.’ Hot, soft lips pressed against Bull’s cock, as Dorian began to nuzzle and kiss the area. ‘I swear to make you break that vow of chastity and bring glory to my homeland.’Bull did laugh that time, pulling the pillow away from his face. ‘You vow to make me break my vow? This is a vow-off?’‘Yes, it is.’ Bull felt calloused fingers reach into his pants and wrap around the dick, pulling it free. ‘You may best me in size and strength Qunari, but when it comes to my devious charms you are far outmatched!’Bull couldn’t stop himself from cracking up, as Dorian took his half-hard dick into his mouth and began to do that thing he knew Bull loved with his tongue. Bull’s hips bucked-up at the sensation.‘Oh no,’ he groaned theatrically, ‘I am thwarted.’
Varric dipped his pen in the inkwell before continuing to scribble. He wasn’t sure if the Inquisition was actually delivering his letters to Kirkwall or not. He started out as their prisoner after all. But he continued to write them anyway. Laying out thy days events on a page was sometimes the only way he could make sense of them himself. Besides, he missed the old crew. It was good to keep up a connection, even only in his own head.‘Hey, Varric?’Varric squinted through the dim lamp-light towards Jill’s bed-roll. She was lying on her side, looking up at him, her head resting on one hand.‘Sorry, Poppy. Let me finish this letter and I’ll turn the lamp off.’‘Oh don’t worry about that, it’s fine. I wanted to ask you something. When you’re done.’‘Alright?’ Varric finished off his sentence, blew on the page and capped his inkwell. ‘Go ahead.’‘Are Bull and the ‘Vint a couple.’Varric’s hand slipped, knocking his inkwell over on its side. He was lucky he’d put the cap on tight, otherwise, it would have spilled all over his blanket.‘How… how did you—?’‘It’s obvious. You can tell they’re close in spite of the bickering and the sass. And that whole “vow of chastity for the Qun” thing? I’m not an idiot Varric.’‘Look, it’s not my place to talk—’‘And it’s none of my business. If you could subtly let Bull know I don’t care who he’s with, it would cause us all a lot less stress.’Varric looked Jill over. ‘You’re completely fine with it?’‘These things happen when you travel together. Nearly everyone in my old Merc crew was getting it on like rabbits.’‘Alright. I’ll let him know.’‘Great,’ Jill lay down and rested her hands on her stomach. ‘So tell me, how long have Bull and Krem been a thing?’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Dorian didn’t know why his sleeping brain had decided to remind him

just

before dawn that he was facing Alexius today

.

But it did and Dorian went from deep sleep to wide awake in less than two seconds.

He rolled over a few times, but he knew it was hopeless. There was going to be no more sleep that night, he was certain. He sat up, but Bull’s arm curled

tightly

around his waist.

‘What’s going on?’ Bull slurred. Dorian rubbed his arm.

‘Need to piss, Bull. Back in a moment.’

Bull’s arm didn’t budge. Dorian sighed

‘Still? After all this time? You expect me to run off in the middle of the night after two years together?’

‘It was a bad experience.’

‘It wasn’t exactly fun for me either, you know.’

‘Two choices Kadan. Tell me what’s going on in your crazy head or lie back down.’

‘You realise you would be more commanding if your eye

was opened

?’

Bull’s arm still didn’t move. Dorian relented.

‘I remembered what today was and now I can’t sleep. I was going to take a walk to clear my head.’

At this Bull did manage to crack open a bleary eye. ‘You want me to come with you? For company?’

‘That’s sweet Amatus but if one of us can get a full night’s rest they should'. Dorian rested a hand on Bull’s neck, stroking a thumb along his lover’s jawline. ‘It’s almost dawn anyway. I’ll get breakfast started.’

Bull made a low sound in the back of his throat and

slowly

withdrew his arm. Dorian planted a kiss near the base of his horn.

‘Go back to sleep. I’m sure my screams will wake you if I get attacked by a bear or something.’

‘Don’t joke about that.’ Bull shifted, pulling the blanket back up to his shoulders. ‘This

is

the Hinterlands.’

Bull was snoring again by the time Dorian had gotten dressed and crawled out of the tent. Morning mist twisted between the tents and the trees. He took in a breath of

bitingly

cold morning air and strolled around the camp.

A few inquisition scouts who were flittering about and keeping watch but besides these poor tired souls, everyone else was asleep

.

But as Dorian headed towards the campfire to see if there was a pot on the boil for tea, he came across a familiar silhouette

.

Jill sat on one of the logs, not facing the fire but outwards towards the east, watching the skyline.

The sun wasn’t up yet but you could see the faintest glow on the horizon.

It’d be day soon.

Jill jumped a little as she heard his footsteps approaching, but relaxed when she saw who it was.

‘Why do we always bump into each other so bloody early?’ Jill asked. Dorian did a quick risk calculation in his head and sat next to her.

‘I haven’t the faintest. Under normal circumstances, I’m not known for being an early riser.’

‘Yeah, well… these aren’t normal circumstances, are they?’

‘No. No, they’re

certainly

not.’

Dorian sat with Jill, watching the patch of sky she seemed so focused on. Dorian didn’t see the appeal of a sunrise. It was only a sunset in reverse, after all.

‘I’m guessing you couldn’t sleep either. A gold piece for your thoughts?’ Jill asked.

‘They’re not worth that much at the moment. The damn things

are scattered

all over the place. “How’s Felix?” “Does his father suspect him?” “Does his father suspect me?” “Are we turning his trap into a trap like we planned or is Alexius planning another trap to fool us all?”’

‘Oh, is that it?’ Jill scoffed. ‘It’s amazing your hair isn’t as white as mine.’

‘That’s the tip of the iceberg, I assure you. Dare I even mention my concerns about what the Inquisition plans to do with me and Felix once this is all said and done?’

Jill crossed her arms. ‘You think we’re planning to double cross you?’

‘It’s something I’ve considered, yes. Why? Are you saying you haven’t thought about whether I’m planning to double-cross you?’

‘The thought did crop up now and again.’ Jill admitted. ‘But don’t

be offended

. You’re not on the top of the “possible traitors” list.’

Jill lent back and peered passed Dorian in the direction of Bull’s tent. Dorian rubbed his shoulder. When was the blasted sun going to rise and cut through the cold night air?

‘Another question has been playing on my mind, actually. Based on our last early morning chat.’

‘Okay…?’

‘Back at Haven, you said something about Bull not being the way he’s meant to be.’

Jill raised an eyebrow. ‘I also said something about you asking a lot of questions about Bull.’

‘We are going to face Alexius today.’ Dorian scooted forward. He knew the card he wanted to play, but whether he should or not was another question. He cast aside his concerns and went for it. ‘How am I meant to keep focused on the mission when even you admit Bull could be a traitor? I need to know what you meant for my own self-preservation.’

‘It’s fine Dorian. What I said… it’s got nothing to do with today, alright? It’s Qunari, Tal-Vashoth shit, that’s all.’

Jill trailed off. She turned to the other side of the log and began to poke the fire with a stick. Dorian turned around too.

‘Do you care to elaborate, or did you think that blatant brush-off would

satisfy

me?’

Jill didn’t rise to the taught. Her eyes remained focused on the flames. She

eventually

spoke.

‘My parents escaped the Qun before I was born. We moved around a lot as kids because they were too scared to stay in one place for long. The whole time we had it drilled into us to watch out for the Ben-Hassrath. How they could be anywhere. Anyone. What they would do to us if they found us. What re-education was like. When I was a child a Ben-Hassrath wasn’t a person. It was a monster. And now I’ve actually met one and he’s… a guy. He has friends and tells jokes and is… normal.’

Dorian moved closer. ‘Well… that’s good, isn’t it? It

certainly

sounds better than the nightmarish scenario your parents painted for you?’

‘No.’ Jill shook her head. ‘It makes it so, so, much worse.’

‘I don’t follow.’

‘Since I was little I thought there were three kinds of Qunari. One, the people who wanted out of the Qun but

were trapped

and unable to escape. Two, the stupid people who followed the Qun without question. And three the baddies who trapped people in the Qun because they were evil and wanted control. And I believed that right up until the first moment I met Bull. But it’s not like that at all is it? Stupid of me to think that way in the first place. I hadn’t even considered the Bull option.’

‘”The Bull option.”’ Dorian said resting his ankle on his knee. ‘Interesting term. What does “The Bull Option” entail?’

‘Someone can be smart, funny, insightful and

genuinely

care about the people around them, but at the end of the day none of that matters

. The Qun is the only thing that’s important to him and everything else, every

one

else is disposable. We are all

just

things to Iron Bull.’ Jill threw her stick in the fire. ‘Fuck, even he’s

just

a thing to himself.’

As Jill talked every vertebra in Dorian's back had turned to steel forcing his back ram-rod straight

. He knew it would have been smarter to bite his tongue, but the words he needed to say were burning in his throat. He had to get them out.

‘That’s not true.’

‘It is,’ Jill said. ‘He told me he thinks of himself as a mindless weapon, Dorian. If he doesn’t even think his own life matters why the fuck would he think ours do?’

‘No, Jill. That’s not right.’ Dorian’s brain began scrambling, trying to think of the right words.

If she’d known Bull and Dorian were together he could tell her about the hundred little ways Bull had proved who he

really

was

. The blows he’d taken for him, the nights they had stayed up talking, his warmth, his brilliance, and his heart. But he couldn’t.

And at the same time, he couldn’t let this slander stand.

‘What about Krem?’ Dorian said at last. ‘Krem told me the other night Bull lost his eye protecting Krem from attackers. And they were strangers at the time. He wouldn’t go to such lengths if he saw no value in people’s lives.’

‘I’m not saying he doesn’t think people have worth.’ Jill mumbled. ‘I’m saying that he thinks the Qun is worth more. And I guarantee you, if that guy had to choose between us and the Qun, -fuck even the Chargers and the Qun- the Qun is going to win. Every. Time.’

‘Bull, I need to know something.’ Dorian’s tongue felt think in his mouth as he spoke. ‘You said that you only took this job because the Ben-Hassrath told you to. Is that correct?’

Bull narrowed his eye and turned his face to the side. ‘Yes?’ he said. It was clear he didn't know where this was going. Dorian licked his lips.

‘If, by chance, you had opened my father’s letter first, instead of Mae’s, would you have dragged me back to him? If that’s what your superiors demanded?’

Bull’s face tightened. ‘But I didn't open his letter first. And I told you, my superiors don’t care about what Mae or your father wanted me to do. They

just

want--‘

‘Intel from Tevinter, yes, you said as much.’ Dorian’s voice grew sharp. ‘But if you ruined a mission, you would burn your bridges. You would waste an opportunity to come back and find out more. I need to know--‘

‘Dorian, don’t--’

‘Would you have taken me back to my father, Bull?’

The Iron Bull hung his head. He didn't meet Dorian’s eyes.

‘Yes. Yes, I would have taken you back.’

Dorian whipped a trembling hand over his mouth.

From the cold.

Obviously

.

Just

shivering from the cold.

‘Well. That’s… that’s one unsettling theory.’

‘Yeah.’ Jill said, looking up. ‘Let’s hope we never have to put it to the test.’

Dorian followed her gaze to see Bull crawling out of his tent. One of the flaps got stuck on his horn on the way out but he untangled it with ease. As he stood to his full height he scanned his eye over the camp before it settled on Jill and Dorian. He gave them both a nod and a small smile. The typical warmth spread through Dorian’s chest, but Jill’s words still hung over him as thick as the mist.

‘Yes,’ said Dorian. ‘Let’s hope.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

They reached Redcliffe by midday.

Everyone was quieter than normal. Bull wasn’t surprised.

Varric kept Bianca close, tucked under his arm and at the ready. Jill’s hands twitched, repeatedly brushing against
her dagger scabbards. And Dorian…

Dorian seemed distant. Distracted. Considering he was at the centre of this maelstrom he was barely there.

Bull had been looking for a good excuse to pull Dorian aside without Jill noticing, so they could run over things before finally meeting Alexius. See where Dorian’s head was at,
ask if there was anything he could do to make things better. The opportunity didn’t arise. Probably didn’t matter. Bull had run through every possible scenario in his head already. Even in the best of them, it was still a shit-show.

‘You sure this will work?’ Jill asked. They had left their horses behind at the gates of Redcliffe choosing to reach the castle by foot. Redcliffe had been eerie when they had visited before. Now it looked deserted.

‘Oh, it will work,’ Dorian said. He moved his hands in intricate patterns as they walked. ‘These are the same protection wards Alexius used back on his estate in Asariel. I’ve been breaking these without his knowledge since I was sixteen.’

‘As far as you know,’ Bull muttered.

‘A little credit wouldn’t go amiss, Iron Bull.’ Dorian said. ‘Or is dispelling magical barriers one of your expertise. Oh, it isn’t? I am so shocked.’

‘Looks to me like you’re wiggling your fingers and looking like an idiot.
At least more of an idiot than usual.’

‘These fingers are delicate instruments. Would you like me to show you my favourite one?’

‘Guys c’mon.’ Jill cut in. ‘Can we at least put the pissing contest on hold until after we stop Alexius?’

‘Are the Inquisition’s soldiers in place?’ asked Varric. Jill squinted up and the sun.

‘They should be at the tunnel entrance by now,’ she said. ‘All they need to do now is stay out of sight and wait until Dorian breaks the barrier.’

‘Which should be…’ Dorian did one last gesture, ‘now.’

There was the sound that was close to a bubble bursting, but it was lower and deeper. A ripple of energy launched out from Dorian’s hands hitting all of them like a small gust of wind. Bull’s ears popped. Varric winced and Jill put a finger in her ear and jiggled it.

‘A warning would be nice there, Sparkler.’ Varric said.

‘I’ll try and remember for the next time we infiltrate a magically-protected castle.’

As they came to the gates of Redcliffe, Bull took notice of the guards. Well... took notice of the lack of guards.

‘Not exactly fortified,’ Bull mumbled. ‘Redcliffe was crawling with Venatori when we were here before.’

‘I’d wager he has his more elite members lined up in the throne room,’ Dorian said. ‘Alexius does like to make an impression.'

Varric walked up to the draw-gate of Redcliffe Castle and waved his arm towards it.

‘So, fellow agents of the Inquisition. Who would like the honour of—’

With a tortured, elderly groan the gate began to rise.

‘…knocking.’ Varric finished looking around for whoever had opened it. The space remained empty.

Jill walked past him towards the castle.

‘I’m getting real tired of this place.’

As Varric followed her Bull looked down at Dorian and chanced a wink.

‘Her and me both.’

Dorian smiled, but then something flickered in his eyes and the smile dropped away.

‘We should catch up.’

Dorian turned and followed the others towards the castle.

...

Once inside a single servant greeted them in the hallway. Bull didn’t know much about Ferelden or Tevinter hospitality, but he knew a power play when he saw one. Jill either didn’t notice this deliberate attempt to insult her, or she didn’t care. She strode up to the servant using her height to her full advantage.

‘Announce us,’ she ordered. Bull didn’t believe she was the Herald of Andraste, but damn, at that moment he could see why others did.

The servant had to crane his neck to look up at her.

‘The invitation was for mistress Adaar alone,’ he said. He cast his eyes over Bull and Varric and sneered. ‘The rest will wait here.’

‘”The rest” will go where I go.’ Jill growled. Dorian moved forward.

‘I sent word forward to Alexius but we may have arrived before it.’ Dorian said, smooth and refined. ‘I promised Mistress Adaar that she would be able to bring with her a couple of men for protection. They are merely here to help her feel more secure during these negotiations. ’

‘This is meant to be a friendly meeting between potential allies.’ The servant looked over Bull and his axe. Bull flexed a little. The servant glanced away.

‘Exactly. And with these fine men at her side, it will be. Please, Lawrence. It's not as though she's brought along an entire troop. Let them come and help to put her mind at ease.’

The servant pursed his lips, weighing the pros and cons. He sighed and nodded, sweeping his arm as an invitation to follow him. Jill caught Dorian’s eye and gave him a slight nod.

The group made their way up the stairs and followed the servant through the hallways towards the throne room. Bull didn’t fail to notice the Venatori mages that fell in line behind them, blocking off their retreat.

The doors of the throne room opened, and they all stepped through. It was huge and musty, bathed in a low and dirty fire-light that created more shadows than they dispelled. Good. More shadows for the Inquisition’s agents to hide in. Between the columns that lined the room stood Venatori soldiers, silent and ready.

Jill made her way up the steps toward the throne. Alexius sat on it, leg crossed, hands folded. It was a practised casualness. A deliberate attempt to put Jill off her guard.

That was never going to work.

Beside the throne stood Felix. The dim light highlighted his hollow features. He looked even sicker than the last time Bull had seen him, and Bull hadn't thought that possible. Bull risked a glimpse at Dorian. He thought he saw Dorian’s brow crease slightly but there wasn’t any time to dwell on it.

‘My Lord Magister,’ said the servant. ‘Ser Pavus has returned and he has come with the agents of the Inquisition.’

Alexius uncrossed his legs and leapt to his feet. His pleasure at seeing Dorian was no act. ‘Dorian, my boy. I am so pleased to have you back with us.’

‘Yes, and no worse for wear,’ Dorian said. He turned his head slightly so the bruise from the Templar fight wasn’t obvious. ‘For all the tales of barbaric south, the Inquisition were the perfect hosts.’

‘We could ask for nothing more.’ Alexius turned towards Jill and spread his hands wide. ‘My friend. It is so good to see you again.’ The magister’s smile faulted. ‘And your… associates. Of course.’

Bull and Varric both gave Alexius a nod. Some people would claim that a nod cannot be classed as sarcastic. Those people are wrong.

‘It’s great to see you as well Magister Alexius.’ Jill said. It was a good thing the Inquisition had an ambassador because bull-shitting was not a talent of Jill's. ‘You ready to give the Inquisition a bunch of breach-sealing mages?’

‘Oh, I’m sure we can work out some arrangement that is equitable to all parties.’ Alexius said. ‘ Shall we—’ Alexius cut himself off. Bull saw Fiona step forward, the lines on her face etched deep. ‘Yes , Fiona?’

‘Are we mages to have no voice in deciding our fate?’ she asked. Iron Bull raised an eyebrow at that. When she had the freedom to choose she picked Alexius. And she felt now was the time to bitch? Southern stupidity. You can't take a shit on a table and then complain that the smell is ruining your meal. There was a reason the Qun didn’t stand for this type of fuckery.

‘Fiona,’ Alexius spoke like a tired parent. ‘You would not have turned your followers over to my care if you did not trust me with their lives.’

If Bull hadn’t been standing right next to Varric he wouldn’t have heard the dwarf scoff.

‘I’m sure Fiona is the one who knows the strengths and weaknesses of the mage rebellion best,’ Jill said. She looked at Fiona instead of Alexius as she talked. ‘Her input would be of interest.’

Alexius stiffened but forced a smile.

‘If you wish to have her stay, why I have no objection.’

Fiona looked at Jill and dipped her head. ‘Thank you.’

Alexius turned his back to the Inquisition party and walked back to the throne. He turned and sat on it as straight and solid as though he was carved of granite.

‘The Inquisition needs mages to close the Breach. I have them. What shall you offer in exchange.’

‘Oh. Are we’re getting right into it then?’ Jill asked. ‘Negotiations start right now? I was expecting a tour or lunch or something’

‘If you wish we can do so after we’ve reached an agreement. But you are as aware as I am that time is of the essence. If you’re ready then, please. Proceed.’

Her eyes darted to Dorian who nodded for her to continue. She cleared her throat. ‘Alright. Um… We have lots of backers in the Orlesian nobility. I’m sure we can work out something… nice?’

Alexius almost looked amused. ‘I not sure what the Orleasian nobility have to offer that I don’t already possess .’

‘Okay then… maybe some horses? We got lots of good horses recently. I least I’m told they’re good. Honestly, I don’t know anything about horses but the people who do seem very impressed by the ones we got. Do the Venatori like… horses?’

‘Oh Maker, this is too painful.’ Felix muttered and stepped up to his father’s throne. ‘Father, she knows everything.’

Bull watched the realisation spread its way across Alexius’ face. The bemused, polite smile that he had been maintaining fell off his lips and shattered.

‘No. Oh no. Felix,’ Alexius whispered. ‘What have you done?’

‘I did what I needed to father.’ Felix’s gripped the arm of his father’s chair. ‘There was no other choice.’

‘You betrayed me to the Inquisition?’

Bull had spent more than a few moments hating Alexius over the past month. But even he felt pity when he heard the heartbreak in the old man’s voice. Jill stepped forward

‘He asked us for help.’ Jill said. It was clear she’d felt the same pity too. ‘Your son loves you, Alexius and he is scared you’re involved in something terrible.’

‘So, says the thief.’ Alexius spat, rising to his feet. ‘You think you can turn my only son against me?’

‘Father,’ Felix went to rest a hand on his father’s elbow but Alexius shook him off. He strode forward, his voice rising.

‘You walk into my strong-hold with your stolen mark, a gift you don’t even understand, and think you’re in control? You? A Qunari savage with delusions of holy favour? Ha!’ Alexius looked Jill over and sniffed. ‘You are nothing but a mistake.’

Jill’s expression darkened, all that sympathy fizzling and dying. Bull moved with her, keeping at her elbow ready to pull her back if needed.

‘If you know so much enlighten me,’ Jill hissed. Her left hand was squeezed so tight Bull could have sworn he heard the bones cracking. ‘Tell me about the mark. What is it? What was it made to do?'

‘It belongs to your betters.’ Alexius barked. ‘A beast like you wouldn’t even begin to understand its purpose.’

‘Father enough. Do you hear yourself?’ Felix said. He was leaning on the arm of the throne now, his face drawn and pail. ‘Do you know what you sound like?’

‘He sounds exactly like the sort of villainous cliché everyone expects us to be.’

Bull turned and saw everyone’s head turn with him. Dorian had stepped forward.

Alexius’ face broke again for a split second.

Then it hardened.

‘Dorian. You too?’

‘Yes. Alexius,’ Dorian said. ‘The whole time.’

Alexius shook his head and laughed like he’d heard the world’s worst joke. ‘I thought you understood. I thought you were the only one who saw my vision.’

‘I understand you completely Alexius. I also know you’re wrong.’

‘You stupid, stubborn, traitorous little fool!’ Alexius snarled. ‘You would bring thing ruin upon my family’s head after everything we’ve done for you. You were like a son to me.’

‘And you were better than my father to me,’ Dorian said. ‘That’s why I came to save you from yourself.’

‘I don’t need your salvation! The Elder One has power you would not believe. He will raise the Imperium from its own ashes.’

‘Yes, let’s talk about The Elder One.’ Jill said. ‘Is he the one who killed the Divine? Is my mark because of him? Who is he? What is he?’

‘Soon he will be a god.’ Reverence echoed throughout Alexius’ words and Redcliffe’s great hall. ‘Soon the world will bow to mages once more. We will rule from the Boric ocean to the frozen sea.’

‘Oh boy.’ Varric said cocking Bianca. ‘Last time I heard someone spout so much crazy they turned into a pile of red lyrium.’

Bull pulled his axe off his back. Things were on the tipping point of getting ugly. There was a faint choking sound off to the left and Bull noticed as a Venatori was pulled back into the noiseless shadows. Looks like back-up had arrived. Thank fuck.

Fiona was yelling now too, ‘You can’t involve my people in this. We came to you for protection and now you would use us to commit atrocities?’

‘Alexius,’ Dorian pleaded, ‘This is exactly what you and I talked about never wanting to happen. You know this goes against every principle you taught me.’

‘And you know this is the only way, Dorian!’ Alexius was on the brink of screaming. ‘It’s the only way to save Felix.’

Jill looked at Dorian. ‘What does he mean?'

Dorian looked back at Jill, his eyebrows furrowed, his lips pressed together. But it was Felix who answered Jill question.

‘I have the Blight, Adaar.’ Felix announced, his words filling the grand hall. ‘And it is going to kill me. I have accepted that. My father will not.’

‘Because The Elder One can save you!’ Alexius turned back and grabbed his son by the shoulder. ‘He promised me that if I undo the mistake at the temple he will repay me with your life. It doesn’t have to be this way! The Maker abandoned us long ago, Felix. The Maker let your mother die and left you to be infected by darkspawn. He would take you from me and leave me alone in my grief for the rest of my days. If The Elder One becomes the god he promises to be then I will not hesitate to kneel before him. A dark god that protects his followers is better than one who does not answer at all.’

‘Father he’s lying to you. He is no god and he can’t cure me. You have to accept that I am going to die.’

Alexius’ face twisted. He looked like a man forced to swallow shards of glass. With a sneer, he turned back to Adaar and the others.

‘Venatori! Seize them. The Elder One demands this Qunari woman’s life. And as for our own dear Dorian take him down the dungeons. I will make an example out of him.’

Bull span, his axe
at the ready for whatever Venatori came out of the shadows.

None did.

There was a series of screams and gurgles and snaps. And then the Inquisition scouts emerged from the darkness.

‘You took your time,’ Varric said to all of them ‘I appreciate waiting for the most dramatic moment, but next time try not to cut it so fine, alright?’

‘You told us to wait for a signal,’ said a freckled dwarven woman.

‘And you didn’t think his whole “we need a new dark god” spiel was enough of a signal?’

Jill turned back to Alexius.‘Well… it looks like that whole “seize them” thing isn’t going to be happening, what with all your men being so very dead. Do you want to do some more crazy ranting for a bit, or are you going to come quietly ?’

Alexius stood stock still, his hand still on his son’s shoulder. It was almost like he was a living optical illusion. At first glance, he was still the Venatori cult leader, dauntless and unrelenting. But if you blinked, in an instant he became a frightened, cornered old man. He shifted between these two men as he walked forward, changing from one to the next with the tilt of his head or the flicker of a candle flame.

‘You…’ he hissed, ‘are a mistake.’

Bull would curse himself later for not seeing Alexius’ hand slide into his robes.

He’d have a whole year to do so.

Clutched in his fist, Alexius pulled out an amulet. It pulsed with a familiar green light. The same as a rift. The same as the breach itself.

‘You should never have existed.’

Dorian was on Bull’s blind-side so he didn’t see him run forward until he was in front of Jill swing his staff like a club. He heard Dorian, shout, he saw a flash of magic hit Alexius straight in the eyes and then that green was everywhere.

Bull blinked once. Twice. His visioned cleared.

Dorian was gone.

Dorian and Jill were both gone.
Residual green light crackled and wafted around the room while everyone stood in silence. Varric, Felix, Inquisition scouts. Alexius was the one to speak first.
'It... worked?' There was no victory or triumph in his words. Just confusion.
'Father, what happened?' Felix ran forward and grabbed his father's sleeve. 'What did you do?'
'I... I...'
The light in the room shifted from green to red, but Bull knew that was only happening for him. Reaver rage was flooding his mind like a river that had finally burst its banks.
'WHAT DID YOU DO?!' Bull roared.
Alexius stood straight. He locked eyes with Bull and lifted his chin.
'I destroyed the pretender and the traitor. In the Elder One's name.'

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

A future historian or bard might describe Dorian’s actions that fateful day as heroic. Leaping in front of the Herald of Andraste to save her from the machination of his former mentor had an air of valour and selflessness that folk-tales thrived on.Falling face first through a rift and into a foot and a half of stagnant water, however, did not.Dorian scrambled to his feet wheezing and gasping. He’d made the mistake of breathing in the exact moment he hit the water. He regretted it. So did his mouth. And his sinuses. And his stomach. And his lungs. Half of his organs were willing to give up and walk out on him for that badly-timed breath.He heard Jill, somewhere to his left. She spat out the eloquent words ‘Fucking shitting fuck shit’ and hack up what sounded like two lungs and a kidney. He shook his head and blinked the water out of his eyes.Red. There was so much red.Red crystal-like formations surrounded them. Caking the walls. Breaking through cracks like ivy covering a ruin. It glowed. It pulsated. Dorian could feel the energy radiating from it, like the warmth of a terrible sun. Worse still he could feel it thrumming inside his mind.He also saw two startled Venatori standing off to the side and gaping. One had a sandwich. There was a bite taken out of it.Dorian looked at Jill.Jill looked at Dorian.The Venatori looked at each other.‘Shit,’ said Jill.The Venatori screamed and charged at Jill and Dorian. Dorian still hand his staff in hand from countering Alexius spell. He stepped to the right and swung it, clocking one Venatori in the back of the head. He fell headlong into the water. The other ran towards Jill’ sword high above his head. Jill caught his sword-hand and twisted his arm around his back. Dorian put his foot on the back of the fallen man’s head. He writhed and gurgled beneath the water. Jill slashed her dagger across her captive’s throat and let his body slump. Dorian brought his staff’s blade down through the back of his Venatori's neck. He stopped moving.Everyone stopped moving.Jill looked at Dorian again. The stagnant water saturated her from horn to heel. Half her white hair had escaped from its tight bun and was sticking to her neck and cheek. A dead leaf sat on her chin. But Jill was alive, that was the main thing. The spell had worked. While the Herald survived there was still a chance to fix all this.Jill bent over, lent her hands on her thighs, and started wheezing.That’s if she didn’t give herself a stroke, it seemed.‘Dorian…’‘Keep calm Jill.’‘I’m freaking out—’‘Please don’t.’‘—There was a rift—’‘Take a breath.’‘—And then there was water and red lyrium and those guys and I don’t know where we are—’‘Jill, focus!’‘— And the last time I fell out of a rift, things got really bad really quickly and everyone thought I’d killed the Divine and blew up a temple and I can’t do all that again right now—’It was lucky that Jill had bent over to hyperventilate. It made it easier for Dorian to grab Jill’s face and pull it to his eye-level. ‘Pull yourself together, Adaar. Panicking is not going to solve anything. You’re meant to be the Herald of Andraste, aren’t you? Act like it!’Jill panted in a few more short breaths before Dorian’s words sunk in. A steely quality filled her eyes. She straightened up to her full glorious height.‘Yes. Yes. Of course.’ Jill cleared her throat and wiped the leaf off her chin. ‘Andraste chose me. I mean, she saved me the first time, it would be stupid to let us die now, right? She’ll protect us.’‘Of course she will,’ Dorian said, taking her hand and patting her wrist. From his experience divine intervention was never that reliable. As an old drunken aunt of his used to say, the Maker helped those who helped themselves. But if Jill needed to believe that Andraste herself was shielding them, he was willing to placate her. They could discuss the theological implications of all this later. If they made it back.But making it back would mean determining where “back” was.‘So… is this the fade?’ Jill said. ‘Because I didn’t think the fade looked like this.’‘I doubt we’re in the fade.’ Dorian rested a knuckle against his lips and examined the room. ‘To me, this still seems to be Redcliffe Castle. Had more than enough time to get acquainted with the place after Alexius commandeered it. But we're somewhere in the dungeons, not the grand hall. I must say this is all fascinating.’‘I was thinking of another word that begins with F but sure. Let’s go with fascinating.’Dorian ignored Jill for the moment looking around the room. ‘Displacement. Interesting. It’s probably no what Alexius intended. The rift must have moved us to… what? The closest confluence of arcane energy?’ Jill nodded sagely.‘Ah yes. Of course. The closest conference of archaic energy. Makes complete sense.’‘Shut up for a second I’m trying to think. If we’re still in the castle it… isn’t.’ Dorian snapped his fingers. ’Oh of course. It’s not simply where it's when! Alexius used the amulet as a focus. It moved us through time!’Jill’s eyes widened. ‘Time?’‘Yes.’‘As in… time?’‘Exactly.’‘Like TIME, Dorian? TIME?!’‘Precisely. I’m glad you understand.’‘Where in time?! Are we in tomorrow, or yesterday or the Exalted Age or back during the Fifth Blight? Because I may not be some sort of time magic prodigy like you but I was under the impression that time was, you know, big!’‘Those are… excellent questions.’‘Great. Please have some excellent answers.’‘I have… theories. Concepts. Maybe even an inkling.’Jill crossed her arms.‘Look,’ said Dorian. ‘I wasn’t planning on getting thrown through a hole in the reality and more than you were. I am trying to figure this out as fast as I can.’‘I thought you were an expert with this time-magic bullshit!’‘I am. Which means our chances of getting back have increased from zero percent to, let me think… ten percent.’Jill’s face twisted she and sucked another breath through her teeth. Dorian grabbed the front of her jerkin and pulled her forward before she lost her grip on her emotions again.‘No. Stop that. No time for panicking, remember? You and I can have a mental break-down this is all over. We’ll make a day of it. I’ll bring the wine and you can bring the mental anguish. But for the moment we’re going to look around and find out where the rift took us. Then we can figure out if and how we can get back. Can you hold yourself together for that long, Jill?’Jill nodded. ‘I’ll… I’ll try.’‘Good. Honestly, how did you cope after the explosion at the conclave?’‘I was unconscious for days.’‘Ah. Sound strategy.’Dorian turned to the door and gave the bars an experimental shake. Locked. One of the guards must have a key on them. Why would they lock themselves in a flooded cellar?‘What was Alexius even trying to do?’ Jill asked sloshing her way to a desk in the corner of the room. ‘Did he mean to shove us to this point in time? He seemed desperate.’‘I think Alexius’ original plan was to remove you from time completely.’ Jill scrunched up her face.‘Please don’t talk about Alexius cock-blocking my parents again.’‘Apparently, he doesn’t even need to resort to coitus interruptus anymore,’ Dorian said. He fished around in one of the dead guards’ pockets nothing. He waded his way over to the other body. ‘It seems the amulet can just make you “not happen”, like ripping a page out of a book. If you never existed you would never have been at the temple of sacred ashes, or mangled his Elder One’s plan.’Jill pulled out a draw on the desk and began to rummage through. ‘Okay but if he could do that why didn’t he?’‘That sort of magic takes a lot of focus and preparation. Your surprise in the castle hall made him reckless. He tossed us into the rift before he was ready. I countered it. The magic went wild and here we are.’ Dorian waved his hand to the lyrium filled dungeon cell. ‘Makes sense?’‘Yes…’ Jill said before grimacing and shaking her head. ‘No. No, I lied. I don’t get any of this.’‘Fair enough. How about this. I’ll concentrate on the magical aspect of this whole misadventure, and you can do what you do best. Seal rifts, stab things and call upon Andraste for guidance. Sounds like a good plan to you?’Jill smiled. ‘Now those things I can handle.’ She slammed the drawer shut. ‘No key.’‘Wait, I think I’ve got it.’ Dorian pulled the key out of the dead man’s pocket. ‘Ah. Here we are. Let’s get out of here.’‘Wait! What if we’re in the past? Won’t we change everything if we accidentally step on a butterfly or something?’Dorian scowled. ‘Where on earth did you hear such nonsense?’‘I thought that—’‘No Jill.’ Dorian waded to the door. ‘The untimely demise of one unfortunate insect is unlikely to have dramatic repercussions. And even if it did, I think Alexius has done more damage with his time experiment than you ever could.’‘Is what he’s doing that dangerous?’Dorian put the key in the lock and turned it. It fit but the lock was rusty and hard to manage. ‘I don’t even want to think about what he’s doing to the fabric of the world. He hasn’t so much changed time as punched a hole in it and tossed it into the privy'. The key finally gave way and the door creaked open. He looked back at Jill and motioned for her to follow him. She didn’t move. She had her right hand wrapped around her left wrist and she was staring at her mark intently.‘I can’t let everyone down again,’ Jill murmured. Dorian tilted his head. How old was Jill? It was difficult for him to tell. The height and the white hair gave Jill a hair of maturity (even if her personality didn’t). But even then was she Dorian’s age. Older? Younger. Right now, the lost, frightened glaze to her eyes made her seem like a child.‘Who have you let down before?’ Dorian asked. Jill flinched and looked up at him pursing her lips together. Dorian realised she hadn’t meant to say that last part out loud. She put her hands behind her back like the mark was a secret she was trying to hide from him.‘I don’t know if someone told you this Dorian but I’ve already tried to seal the breach.’‘You have?’‘Once. It didn’t work, obviously. That’s why we need the mages onside. I can’t do it alone. I don’t have enough… rift…juice. If I screw this up again—’‘Jill.’ Dorian cut Jill off, gently. ‘You haven’t let anyone down. And you won’t. I promise.’Jill scoffed. ‘You think you can make that promise?’‘I already have. If you believe Andraste chose you to close the breach then by that logic she chose me to get you home'. Dorian planted his staff into the ground and smiled like he was posing for the statue they were undoubtedly going to erect in his honour after this was all over. ‘Don’t worry. I’m here. I’ll protect you.’‘Yeah. I can tell by your tone you thought you were being comforting then, but just so you know, you weren’t. Nothing you’ve said since we fell into that green death-vortex has been comforting. I’m not blaming you. I understand the time-rift thing wasn’t your fault, but this whole situation is fucked-up. Just so we’re clear.’‘I think I can agree with you on that. Let’s move. I've got water in my boots and this place smells like a hundred dead rats.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

‘You do know where you’re going, don’t you?’

Jill and Dorian crept through the halls of Redcliffe’s dungeons, like heavily--armed mice . They hadn’t come across any other guards yet, but Dorian had no doubt more would be lurking about. The air was musty and close sticking to Dorian's skin. The red lyrium crowding the corridors made it more claustrophobic still.

‘Yes, but hard to get my bearings'. Dorian pushed himself up again the wall so he could squeeze past a pillar of red lyrium without touching it. ‘They’ve redecorated since I was last here as you can see.’

‘Why is it whenever something shitty happens there’s always red lyrium there too?’ Jill asked, examining the gap Dorian had squeezed through . She sighed, took off one of her horns and crawled through the gap on her hands and knees. When she emerged on the other side, Dorian couldn’t help but stare at the stump where her horn had been. Jill raised an eyebrow as she reattached her fake horn.

‘Yeah, I lost it ages ago. No big deal.’

‘Well, well. Aren’t you full of secrets?’ Dorian said and continued down the hall. Jill followed after him

‘Yeah, that’s me. Super secret keeper, right here. Speaking of secrets, Dorian. Why didn’t you tell me Felix had the Blight?’

Dorian looked back at Jill. ‘Is this the most pressing topic of conversation?’

‘You told me that he had some “lingering illness” that’s all. And then I find out that it’s not just a case of the sniffles, it’s the bloody Blight! And not only is it the Blight but it’s the reason Alexius decided to join the Venatori in the first place. It would have been nice to know before confronting him in the throne room.’

‘Would it have changed anything?’

‘It means Alexius isn’t just some power-hungry magister asshole. He’s a desperate dad trying to save his son from dying. If I had known that I could have…’ Jill’s voice trailed off.

Dorian tilted his head. ‘You could have what?’ Jill shrugged.

‘I don’t know,’ she admitted. ‘But I don’t get why you thought that was something you needed to hide.’

Dorian sighed. If Jill had any idea of the things he was hiding…

‘Jill, please understand. I had only met you moments before when I lied to you about the extent of Felix’s condition. And we did not get off to the best start if you remember.’

Jill smiled. ‘I do.’

‘I’m not in the habit of giving personal information to people I’ve known for two minutes. Particularly not if I don’t know whether they’re going to be allies or enemies. I was not about to expose Felix to that scrutiny.’

‘What, you think I’m the sort of person who would use someone’s terminal illness against them?’

‘Like I said before. I didn’t know you at all.’ Dorian turned his back to Jill and moved forward. ‘And regardless that information wasn’t mine to give.’

Dorian didn’t look back but heard Jill’s steps following his own. ‘I understand.’

‘You do?’

‘Yeah. Felix is basically your family, isn’t he? I get people doing whatever they have to to keep their family safe.’

Dorian smiled but didn’t look back at Jill. Turns out that he and this large, tactless woman had something in common after all. The reached the corner of a corridor and Dorian motioned for Jill to stop while he peered around.

Nothing.

‘Dorian… is Felix really going to die?’

Dorian stopped. The question was like having a bucket of cold water dunked over his head. He licked his lips before he spoke.

‘He has the Blight , Jill.’

Jill’s head dropped. ‘Sorry. That was a stupid question.’

Further up the corridor Jill and Dorian heard a noise.

Chanting.

The words were indistinct and fuzzy. But there was something about the red lyrium that made them echo strangely along the walls.

‘Andraste bless me, Andraste bless me, my tears are my sins, my sins, my sins. ’

Jill and Dorian glanced at each other.

‘We can always go back,’ Jill suggested.

‘And what? Sit in a waterlogged cell with two dead Venatori and a half-eaten sandwich while Alexius destroys the space-time continuum?’

‘It’s a better option than following the creepy singing?’

‘Andraste guide me, Andraste guide me, my tears are my sins, my sins, my sins. ’

Jill groaned and pulled out her daggers. Then she reached into a pouch on her belt and took out a small black pellet.

‘Stay here. I’ll check it out.’

She threw the black pellet onto the ground, a burst of smoke filling the hallway. Dorian fanned the smog away from him furiously , but by the time it dissipated, Jill was gone.

‘Jill!’ Dorian hissed, looking around the corridor and finding nothing. How was she so good at hiding? She was over six feet tall! ‘Jill!’

‘Dorian, it’s clear. Get over here, quick!’

Dorian dashed around the corner and along the corridor.

‘For future reference,’ Dorian said as Jill came into view, ‘I need a more warning before you literally disappear in a puff of—’

Dorian’s words died when he caught sight of what Jill was looking at.

An elven man in mage robes was kneeling in a cell. He was rocking back and forth, his hand clasped tight before his face.

Escaping between his fingers and knuckles were shards of red lyrium.

‘Andraste bless me, Andraste bless me, my tears are my sins, my sins, my sins. ’

Jill was already crouching before the lock, trying to pick it open.

‘I know this man,’ Jill said through gritted teeth. ‘I talked to him on the way out of Redcliffe. He didn't know what the Venatori were planning to do, but he was terrified .’

‘Seems he had every reason.’

‘Andraste guide me, Andraste guide me, my tears are my sins, my sins, my sins. ’

The rusty lock finally clicked. Jill stood and stepped back, pulling the door open.

‘Hey. It’s okay. You’re safe now. Come on.’

‘Andraste guide me, Andraste guide me, my tears are my sins, my sins, my sins. ’

‘Shh,’ Jill knelt down near him and shook his shoulder. ‘You’ve prayed enough for now. Let’s get up and go find you somewhere safe to hide.’

‘Andraste bless me, Andraste bless me—’

‘Jill,’ Dorian said. ‘ I think he’s too far gone. We need to keep moving.’

‘We can’t leave him in a cell!’

‘You’ve opened the door for him. Maybe he’ll snap out of it and run.’

‘Run where?’

‘He’ll be far safer here than he ever could be with us, I can promise you that.’

Jill scowled at Dorian, unimpressed by his opinion. But then she looked back at the elf and pursed her lips.

‘That's got to be hurting him.' Jill muttered and Dorian didn't know whether she meant physically or mentally. 'I’m just going to take this bit of red lyrium you’ve got, okay?’ she said to the elf. ‘I know it looks like something that could help you but it’s actually really dangerous.’

Jill took the man’s clasped hands and tried to pull them apart. He held firm.

‘Jill, there is red lyrium everywhere. I don’t think the piece he has in his hands is going to make any difference.’

‘I’ve almost got it.’ Jill, said trying to pry his fingers apart. ‘C’mon, let it go!’

The man began to scream.

‘—GUIDE ME, ANDRASTE GUIDE ME, MY TEARS ARE MY SINS—’

‘Jill stop it! ’ Dorian grabbed her wrists and pulled her back. Blood began to ooze through the man’s knuckles and onto the stone floor.

‘Shit,’ breathed Jill. ‘Shit! He must be holding that shard so tight it’s buried into his palms.’

‘—my sins, my sins. Andraste bless me –’

‘We’ll find him a healer when this is all done.’ Dorian said taking Jill by the elbow and helping her to her feet. ‘I fear we’ll do him more damage if we try anything else.’

‘Andraste guide me, Andraste guide me—’

Jill looked down at the man, her fingers twitching, like she wanted to try and pull his hands apart again. To do something. Anything.

‘I don’t think we could damage him any more than he already is,’ she said at last. She shuffled out of the cell with sagging shoulders, Dorian close behind. She carefully shut the cell door.

‘It’s still unlocked, okay? You can get out whenever you want to.’

The elf didn’t look up. Throughout this whole rescue attempt, his eyes had been shut tight.

‘My tears are my sins, my sins, my sins.’

Dorian rested a hand on Jill’s elbow. ‘Come. We need to keep moving.’

‘Dorian,’ Jill asked. ‘What do you think happened to the others in the throne room? You think Bull and Varric and Fiona got thrown through the rift when we did?’

Dorian frowned. He had asked himself this question before. But had thrown it aside without an answer because… well… none of the answers were comofting. Dorian couldn’t allow himself to think about what happened after he and Jill disappeared. One of them had to keep things together and Jill had already had her little freakout. If he thought too hard about what happened to Varric and Felix and…

And Bull—

‘No.’ Dorian cut off his own thoughts and dismissed Jill’s question in the same breath. ‘I doubt Alexius would have brought the whole room through. He wouldn’t risk getting himself or Felix caught in it.

‘So… you think they are in one of these cells too?’

Dorian knew what she was really asking.

‘Do you think the others are broken like this man?’

Dorian ran a hand over his mouth. ‘They might be down here, somewhere. Or maybe they died of old age hundreds of years ago, or haven’t been born yet. Anything is possible. That’s what time-travel is! We have no idea which period we’re in.’

‘No.’ Jill looked back at the elf in the cell ‘I told you, I’ve met that guy before. If he’s here then we can’t be that far in the future or the past. And I don't remember a part in the history books where old Arl Fartpants decorated his whole castle with red lyrium. So we must be in the future.’

Dorian nodded. ‘That’s… all very sound deduction, Jill.’

‘Well, I’m not just a pretty face.’

‘So now all we have to do is determine how far into the future we are.’

‘And find the others,’ Jill said. ‘We’re going to need help.’

Her eyes flickered to the elf again. ‘ Hopefully they’re… still here.’

Jill turned away and began to slink towards the stairs. Dorian, in spite of all his better judgment, looked down at the elf’s hands again.

They were still bleeding

Blood trickled along the protruding edges of the red lyrium that jutted out from between the man’s fingers. It swelled at the tip of one of the sharps and fell to the floor with a fat plop.

He continued to pray.

‘My tears are my sins, my sins, my sins.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

‘You said left!’ Jill shouted rounding a corner. Dorian was right behind her, lobbing fireballs at the Venatori guards in pursuit. Dorian and Jill had stumbled up a flight of stairs and onto a suspended platform. For some reason that seemed to be the popular place for the Venatori guards to hang out. Jill and Dorian had taken a few down before deciding that fleeing was the better plan.

‘No,

you

said left!

I

said run!’

Jill snatched Dorian’s arm and pulled him flat against the wall. One of the Venatori skidded around the corner. She grabbed the back of his head and buried her dagger in his jugular.

‘Run is not a helpful direction!’

Another Venatori ran into the first one. Dorian jabbed his staff into the man’s side and released a burst of electricity. The Venatori jutted and shuddered as he fell to the floor. There was the smell of burnt flesh and ozone. The man stilled.

‘No, but it is a helpful direc

tive

.’ Dorian wiped some sweat off his cheek. ‘Are there any more?’

Jill peeked around the corner. ‘No, but some did run off to get help. I don’t think we’re going to be able to stay secret for long.’

‘Nothing ever does.’ Dorian said, scanning their surroundings. The corridor they stood in split-off into three doors.

Where’s Bull?

Dorian gestured at the doors. ‘Do you have a preference?’

‘The one that leads back to the past?’ Jill panted. Dorian shot her a look.

‘Sometimes Jill, it’s completely fine to say “I don’t know” or “I’d rather you choose”. Not every situation demands a witty comeback.’ Jill smirked.

‘It’s not as fun when you’re not the sassy one, eh?’

‘Do
we

really

have time for this banter’ Dorian pointed down the hallway, with his staff, the way they came. ‘You do remember those all those Venatori gentlemen right? The ones chasing us with pointy objects?’

‘Ergh. Fine.’ Jill’s eyes darted from door to door. She pointed to the one on her left. ‘That one. That one has a good vibe.’

‘Is that another special power the mark gave you?’ Dorian asked. ‘”Good vibe detection”?’

‘Sometimes Dorian, it’s completely fine to say “good choice” or “let’s go”.’

They opened the door and skulked. It was another set of cells. Once again red lyrium crusted the room in jagged stalactites and stalagmites.

Where’s Bull?

‘Hey, Dorian. Want to guess my least favourite colour?’

‘Is it red?’

‘Yep.’

‘Will wonders never

cease

.’

From one of the far cells, a croaky voice cried out. ‘Who’s there?’

Where’s Bull?

Dorian and Jill stilled. Dorian looked at Jill. She shrugged.

‘Who’s there yourself?’ Jill called back. Dorian pinched the bridge of his nose.

‘Have you always been like this?’ he asked Jill. ‘Or is your complete lack of social finesse a recent development.’

‘Like you’re one to talk about social graces. You offend everyone.’

‘Yes, but I do that

deliberately

.

You

can’t seem to help yourself.’

The person in the cell spoke again.

‘If you have come… to mine my corpse… I am not dead yet... You’ll have to wait… Or tear it out of me…’

‘Wait. I know that voice.’ Jill strode up to the far cell. ‘Fiona is that you— Oh sweet merciful Maker!’ Jill stumbled back, eyes wide.

‘What?’ Dorian darted after her to see what had made her recoil. He saw and he couldn’t stop himself from flinching too.

At first, he thought it was

just

another red lyrium formation, crowded into a corner.

Then it shrank. Then expanded. Then shrank. The red lyrium clinked and knocked together with every movement.

The lyrium was breathing.

Between the gaps of red-lyrium, Dorian caught sight of strips of skin. Some sections were smooth and unmarked.

Others

were raised

and inflamed like there was an infection lurking beneath the surface

. And others…

Sharp thorns of red lyrium had begun to poke through the flesh. Like teeth poking through the gums of teething children.

But then Dorian saw a shoulder, and an arm, and the head.

It was Fiona.

One of her arms was leant against the wall in a painful attempt to cushion her head against the stone. The other was

limply

propped up on a painful angle, like a mock rendition of a scarecrow. The remanence of her filthy robes were in tatters about her torso. The rags

barely

covered what

was left

of her chest. A trail of tiny lyrium shards ran up along her aorta, along her jaw-line to the corner of her mouth. The line dragged the skin down, pulling her lip at an unnatural slant.

Another lyrium track slashed across her temple and along her eyebrow, pulling her eyelid up

. When she blinked that eye didn’t

fully

close. Dirty tear tracts lined her cheek from her eye’s constant watering.

And those eyes.

They were a blistering red.

Jill’s hand landed on Dorian’s shoulder. He knew it was there for comfort but he didn’t know whether it was for his or Jill’s.

‘Adaar…You’re… alive?’ Fiona gasped. Dorian’s could

practically

hear the red lyrium cloistered around her vocal cords. ‘How?... I saw you… disappear… into the rift.’

‘Rumours of our death have been

greatly

exaggerated.’ Dorian said. He used none of the self-satisfied bravado that made such comments enjoyable. ‘The short version is we didn’t die. Alexius’ magic transported us here.’

‘Fiona, I don’t want to be rude but is that red lyrium

growing

out of your

body!

?’ Jill asked. Dorian slapped her arm. ‘What?! Are we

just

meant to ignore it? It’s not like she has an unfortunate wart or something!’

‘Yes… It's growing... from me... The Venatori… harvest it…The longer your near it… eventually, you become this… then they strip it… from your body... after you’re dead.’

Jill covered her mouth with her hand but her words still escaped from under it.

‘He wasn’t holding the lyrium.’

‘Who?’

‘The chanting man. The red lyrium had fused his hands together. It wasn’t sticking into his palms. It was coming out of them.’

Dorian shut his eyes, the gruesome truth sinking to the pit of his stomach.

Blood leaking out between fingers and lyrium. Knuckles stained two shades of red.

Where’s Bull?

He opened them again and stepped up to the bars of Fiona’s cell.

‘Fiona. We need your help. Can you tell us the date?’ he asked her. ‘It’s very important.’

Fiona’s brow furrowed as she concentrated.

‘Harvestmere… Nine… Forty-Two… Dragon.’

‘Nine forty-

two?

’ Dorian said. ‘Then we’ve missed an entire year?’

Where’s Bull?

‘This is bad.’ Jill ran her thumb over her left palm. ‘We knew it was bad, but a whole year bad? Can we even fix this?’ Dorian shook his head.

‘No. This cannot

be fixed

. But it can be undone. Our only hope is to find the amulet Alexius used to send us here. If it still exists,

I might

be able to use it to reopen the rift to the exact spot we left.’

‘So, if we do that, it will be like we never left?’ Jill asked

‘

Theoretically

.’

‘And you can do that spell?’

‘I know what I should do, but Alexius was the one to perform all our time-magic so far. But if we have the amulet…

Maybe

.’

‘Good.’ Fiona rasped.

‘I said “

maybe

”. It might also turn us into paste.’

‘Paste?’ said Jill.

‘Paste. Goo. Something gelatinous.’

‘When I got up this morning, the plan was “stop a magister, get the rebel mages”. No one said anything about it being “sunny with a slight chance
of becoming paste!”’

‘”

Maybe

”… is better… then “no”.’ Fiona said. She grimaced the lyrium skewers coming out of her back knocking together. ‘Please…stop this from happening… Alexius… serves the Elder One. More powerful… then the Maker… No one challenges him… and lives…’

Jill looked at Fiona and, for the first time, lay her hand on the bars.

‘No one is more powerful than the Maker. I sing the Chant of Light. I know what happened the last time a group of Tevinter mages thought they were more powerful than the Maker’s will. They didn’t succeed then, they won’t now. I'll stop them. I promise.’

A tear leaked out of Fiona’s eye. Dorian didn’t think this one was due to her eye

being forced

open.

‘Adaar… Your spymaster… she is here.’

Where’s Bull?

‘What?’ Jill leant in closer, 'Why is Leliana here?’

‘She thought... she could stop all this... She infiltrated the castle… with a small group of agents… to assassinate Alexius... But they found her… and have been torturing her… ever since… If she’s still alive… she can help you…’

Jill nodded her head. ‘Thank you, Fiona. We’ll find her.’

‘What about the men we came with?’ Dorian said, finally voicing the question that had been thrumming through his mind

. ‘The Qunari and the dwarf.’

‘Varric… is across the hall... Sometimes…’ Fiona laughed, ‘I can hear him… singing…As for what happened to… The Iron Bull… I do not know.’

Dorian ran his hands through his hair. A ridiculous part of him wanted to
burst into tears right there.

Where’s Bull?

Jill looked down at Dorian. ‘Well, we know where we’re going next. That’s something. ’ Jill peered at Fiona through the bars again. To Dorian, it seemed like she was both trying to look at Fiona and NOT look at her at the same time.

‘I want you to know… I’m sorry. I should have been here.’

‘It doesn’t… matter now... Go!... Before the Elder One… learns you’re here.’

Dorian herded Jill out of the cell block and closed the door behind them. Jill gave a full body shudder.

‘Dorian, her face was—’ Dorian held up a hand.

‘Stop right there. We are not going to discuss her face or her… her anything. We are going to get Varric and plan our next move from there.’

‘How do we know Varric’s not as bad as her.’

Dorian strode across the hall and opened the door. ‘We don’t. You coming along?’

Jill screwed up her face and trudged through the door.

There were more cells inside. And more red lyrium.

And a huddled figure, curled up in the corner, not moving.

‘Varric?’

The dwarf sat up

It was clear he'd

been infected by

the lyrium too, but nowhere near to the extend Fiona had been. Spikes poked through his skin and clothes at random points. A jut from his left elbow, a barb at his right hip, a notch pushing its way through the gap between his shoulder blades. One small spur had emerged from the scar on the bridge of his nose. But the largest cluster had emerged from his chest, right over his heart, pushing aside his tunic to make way.

But when Varric saw Dorian and Jill standing on the other side of his bars, his face split into a smile. The widest smile Dorian had ever seen on him.

‘Andraste’s sacred knickers.’ Varric breathed. ‘You’re alive.’ Jill got to her knees began to pick the lock. ‘Where were you? How did you escape?’

‘We didn’t escape.’ Dorian said. He pulled a small flask off one of his belts and handed it to Varric. ‘Alexius sent us into the future. Here. Drink this.’

Varric took the flask and drained it before handing it back. ‘Shit Sparkler. Why is everything that happens to you so fucking weird?’

The lock snapped open and Jill opened the door. But as Varric stood and lurched forward, Jill leapt back.

‘What’s the matter Poppy?’ Varric chuckled. ‘Not keen to join the whole red lyrium craze? It’s the latest fashion. Everybody’s doing it. And I mean everybody.

Jill face was the picture of concern but she still kept her distance from Varric.

‘Varric, are you alright? You don’t look so good.’ Varric tsked.

‘Bite your tongue there Poppy. I look damn good for a dead man.’

Dorian folded his arms. ‘Come now Varric. You’re no more dead than we are.’

Varric smirked, and Dorian remembered that the dwarf had won every game of cards they’d ever played.

‘The ‘not dying’ version of this red lyrium stuff? It’s way worse, Sparkler.

Just

saying.’

Where’s Bull?

‘No one has to die at all Varric. I can stop you from ever getting infected. We get to Alexius and I

just

might be able to send us back to our own time.’

Varric lent against the door of his cell, winded from

just

the act of standing up. ‘Getting to Alexius. Is that all?’ He laughed at the red lyrium vibrated inside his lungs. Jill inched forward.

‘What’s so funny? What are we missing?’

‘It’s been a busy year, Adaar. You’ve missed a lot.'

'Like?'

'For starters, the Elder One assassinated the Orlesian Empress and led a demon army in a huge invasion of the south

. The Elder One rules everything. At least what’s left of it. Alexius isn’t the one you need to worry about.’

Where’s Bull?

‘Wait, back up.’ Jill lifted her hands. ‘A

demon

army. We’re going to have to fight a demon army?!’

‘Only if you feel like dying, Poppy. Which right now,’ Varric gestured at himself, ‘I’m not opposed to.’

‘No one is fighting an army, demonic or otherwise,’ Dorian said. ‘The amulet is what we need to get out of here. That’s all. And if Alexius has it, he’s our goal. This Elder one is a problem for when we get back.’

‘If we get back,’ Jill said.

‘You’re both crazy,’ Varric chuckled. ‘Or I’m crazy. I thought the lyrium was going to get into my brain sooner or later. Fuck it.

Maybe

we’re all crazy.’

Varric

slowly

transferred his weight off the bars onto his own two feet. He stumbled out of his cell and towards a crate near the door.

‘What are you doing?’ Jill asked. Varric waved her over.

‘If you’re planning to take on Alexius, I’m in. I

just

need one thing. Help me pry this open, would you?’

Jill

tentatively

came over and slid her dagger under the lid of the box. In one smooth motion, she levered it open. Varric reached inside.

He pulled out a battered and dilapidated crossbow and held it like it was Andraste's ashes themselves

.

‘Oh sweetie, what did they do to you?’ Varric ran his fingers over the cracked wood. ‘Daddy’s here, Bianca. I won’t let those nasty men touch you ever again.’

Where’s Bull?

Dorian moved forward and knelt next to Varric as the dwarf caressed his weapon.

‘Varric, do you know where they’re keeping Bull.’ Dorian asked. He knew Jill’s eyes were on him but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Varric blinked, and then his face fell.

‘Sparkler… Bull is… After you and Jill disappeared, we all thought you were dead. He thought you were dead. There was an explosion and scorch marks on the ground where you stood. Alexius even said he killed you and we had no reason to doubt the guy.’

Where’s Bull?

Dorian stilled. ‘What did that stupid oaf do?’

‘What did you expect the captain of the Chargers to do? He charged Alexius.

Nearly

choked the life out of the bastard before more Venatori arrived to drag him away. He became Alexius’ pet project after that. Alexius wanted to test something out, Bull was his favourite subject.’

Dorian’s throat threatened to close up like he was the one

being choked

. He swallowed, pushing that fear deep into his stomach again and asked the question he dreaded.

‘Is Iron Bull dead, Varric?’

‘No…’ Varric said. ‘At least I don’t think so. They locked him in the deepest part of the dungeon for months. I’ve tried asking about him but these Venatori guys aren’t the most talkative.’

‘But you know where he is?’ Jill asked.

‘I do.’

‘Great. If there’s anyone who knows anything about killing Tevinter Mages it’s Bull’. She put her dagger back in its scabbard. ‘Let’s go get him.’

As Jill went through the door Varric put a hand of Dorian’s shoulder and leant close to his ear.

‘I’m warning you ahead of time, Sparkler.’ Varric whispered. ‘You’re not going to like what you see when you get down there.’

‘You telling me what then?’ Dorian snapped. ‘I should

just

leave him there?’

‘No. I’m saying… He’s not the man you remember.’

Dorian rose to his feet, gripping his staff.

‘In this time, in any time, he is still my Amatus.’ Dorian said. ‘And I will always find him.’

Varric smiled and his eyes lit up with their old good humour. It was warming to see, even if his red irises did give his expression an unnerving air. He put an arrow into Bianca’s mechanism and cocked it.

‘Alright. Let’s go have some fun before the world ends.’

‘Are you talking to me or to your cross-bow?’

‘Why can’t I do both?’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It was three months after Dorian joined the Chargers that he saw Bull “go off his head” for the first time.

They were fighting another Merc crew. It began some petty territorial dispute between two nobles. They both decided the best way to sort it all out was to pay

heavily

armed men to swing swords at each other. Krem had laughed at that. He thought it was an apt metaphor.

Things came to a head in the middle of an open field. The Charger’s on one side the other crew opposite, with their Captain standing at the forefront. The opposing Merc captain was a massive man in every sense of the word. Tall. Barrel-chested. Legs like tree-trunks. Arms that could hold the world. That captain was so pale he was almost luminescent in the early moonlight. Dorian had noticed Bull giving him the once-over before the fight. When Bull fought, he

normally

ended up fighting half a dozen people. It was rare he came across someone he could go toe-to-toe with. Bull looked delighted by the prospect of taking on this guy one-on-one.

It

was meant

to be a simple job.

It was not meant to get ugly.

‘You think their chief part Qunari?’ Krem yelled to Dorian. He swiped the legs out from under a stampeding enemy before slamming his war-hammer down on his head. An arrow flew straight for Krem’s temple. Dorian threw up a barrier. The arrow shattered into splinters inches from Krem’s face.

The man in question was wrestling,

actually wrestling

, with Iron Bull.

‘I don’t know!’ Dorian hollered back, ‘I’d say Avvar, but why don’t you go ask him? He seems like he’s one for a friendly chat.’

Dorian felt a body collide with his and span around, ready to attack. The attacker was already dead. The corpse slumped to the ground, arrow jutting out of the back of her skull. Grim, in the distance, nodded at Dorian, and Dorian waved back.

‘How many left?’ Dorian asked Krem as he slept over the body.

‘The big guy and four other stragglers.’ There was a sharp scream and then a gurgle. ‘Whoops. Three. Skinner’s quick tonight.’

The wrestling match was still on. It had rained earlier that day. The brawling men’s feet had the churned soft grass into muddy sludge. It only took a second for Bull’s foot, on his bad leg. to lose

purchase

. He flipped sideways onto his back, the pale Merc straddling him.

‘Bull!’ someone yelled. Dorian didn’t remember if it was him or Krem or one of the other Chargers or

all of

them at the same time.

The opposing captain pinned Bull to the ground by one of his horns. While Bull struggled to push him off, the captain fumbled with his belt, pulling out a dagger. He raised it high over his head, ready to plunge it into Bull’s jugular.

A bolt of lightning shattered through the ozone, striking the knife like a lightning rod. The Merc screamed as the electricity crackled down his arm, blackening it to the elbow. The knife toppled out of his grip, blade deep into the mud. The pale captain snarled and twisted his neck until it almost snapped. His eye locked onto where the strike came from.

Dalish stood a few meters away, her lips blood-less her vasilin stark against her pale skin. Her “bow” shook as she pointed it at the merc.

‘Get off him, you big ugly fuck,’ she hissed.

Later Dorian would marvel at how fast the captain must have moved. He was running at him. All the chargers were running at him. Bull was right underneath him and had lunged to grapple the man down to the ground again.

Even Dalish had seen him coming for her. But she only managed a few steps before the merc grabbed her by the scruff of the neck.

There was some horrific dream-like quality to the moment. Dorian trying to run as fast as he could, but feeling like he was wading through mud. The look on that giant bastard’s face as he lifted Dalish six inches off the ground. The frightened noises she made as she scratched at his arm with her nails. The fact he could see everybody moving but no one moving fast enough.

And then the pale captain hurled Dalish like she was a ragdoll.

Dalish flew back seven feet and hit the ground with a sickening crunch. She tumbled arse over-head, once, twice, skidded and stopped.

Dalish didn’t move.

Everything slowed down before Dorian’s eyes like everyone was moving through water.

Skinner screeched out Dalish’s name.

Dalish didn’t move.

Stitches ran full pelt towards Dalish’s limp body. His hands were already in his satchel.

Dalish didn’t move.

The pale captain began to laugh, a big jovial belly laugh, at the sight of Dalish’s crumpled body—

Bull slammed into the side of him, knocking him to the ground.

Dorian watched in horror as his Amatus dissolved in front of his eyes, becoming some primitive, feral creature

.

He was familiar with Bull’s brutality on the battlefield. The man was never cruel, but he delighted in a good fight.

He also had a blood-thirsty streak that emerged when his adrenaline was up and the Reaver training kicked in

. Bull would be the first to admit it.

This wasn’t that.

In those moments, Bull still knew where he was, knew who he was. He could tell friend from foe, he could tell who to protect and who to attack.

But the Bull in front of him was ripping into that captain like a feral dog ripping into a hare. But with fists and claws and elbows and teeth and feet and knees and horns. Instinctively Dorian knew if he got within arms reach the Iron Bull would shred him.

Krem grabbed Dorian’s arm.

‘Chief’s lost it, we gotta go!’

‘We can’t leave him—!’

‘We have to keep out of sight until he comes back! Stitches! Grab Dalish and move it!’

Stitches was on his knees, forcing a potion through Dalish’s lips. Her eyes slid open, still hazy and unfocused. ‘If I move her, I could snap her spine!’

‘If the Chief gets to her, he’ll do it for you!’ Krem yelled at him. Krem let go of Dorian’s arm only to grab one of his belts. ‘I. Said. MOVE!’

Rocky and Grim were already running. Stitches hooked his hands under Dalish’s armpits while Skinner grabbed her feet. Krem dragged Dorian along as fast as he could. But Dorian kept his eyes fixed on Bull, as he continued to destroy the merc.

The Chargers retreated to a nearby copse and lay in the undergrowth for hours. The merc captain kept screaming for a while, but even when he stopped the sounds of Bull’s bellowing. He sounded enraged, and terrifying and

hopelessly

lost all at the same time.

The moon was high before the sound died away.

Dorian was the first to emerge from his hiding spot. Rocky hissed and made a grab for his ankle.

‘What are you doing?'

‘Someone has to be the first to check on him.’

‘Give it an hour!’ Krem said, ‘If he’s still gone, he’s going to pull your arms off like their chicken wings.’

But Dorian was already striding into the field, staff in hand, toward the towering grey figure that stood in its centre

.

Bull was facing away from him, his head tilted up toward the waxing moon.

Dorian didn’t look towards the mass of bones and muscle that used to be the merc captain. Instead,
he kept his eyes focus on the slow rise and fall of the Iron Bull’s shoulders.

His arms

were red

up to the elbows.

‘Bull?’ Dorian inched forward, his hand tight on his staff. ‘Amatus?’

Bull looked over his shoulder at Dorian, catching his eye. Dorian could read every shift in emotion on his lover’s face.

Confusion.

Recognition.

Relief.

Shame.

‘Kadan, I…’ Bull trailed off looking away again. ‘I’m sorry. I got lost.’

Dorian circled Bull until they were face to face. Bull still wouldn’t look him in the eye. It wasn’t

just

Bull’s arms that

were red

. It was his face, his chest, his stomach his pants. Gore splattered across Bull, touching every part of him. Dorian pulled out a rag from one of his pouches and dosed it in water from his waterskin. He took one of Bull’s hands and began to wipe away some of the blood.

‘That’s alright. You came back. That’s all that matters.’

Every blighted corridor was beginning to look the same.

Turn a corner. Red lyrium. Open a door. Red lyrium. Turn another corner. Red Lyrium and another stupid Venatori soldier to kill. Another door. Also red lyrium!

‘Varric are we lost?’ Jill asked. She was following the dwarf but still keeping a safe distance. Every now and then she would eye Varric’s lyrium protrusions without a shred of subtlety.

‘We’re not lost. We’re… taking the scenic route. The Venatori already know you’re here so it would be better to not go the most obvious way, in case of an ambush.’

Dorian scoffed. ‘Even at a time like this I can’t help but admire your bull-shit artistry.’

‘Look, I’ve

been locked

in a cell for almost a year and in the meantime, all this red lyrium shit has sprouted up everywhere. You’d

be disorientated

too.’

‘So we

are

lost

?’ Jill asked, her voice going up an octave.

‘No!’ Varric said. He leant his shoulder on the wall, his chest rising up and down. ‘No. We’re… we are right where we need to be.’

Dorian smiled and shook his head. He placed his hand on Varric’s shoulder, ignoring Jill’s horrified look. ‘You need a short rest?’ Varric looked up at Dorian and flashed his renowned Tethras grin.

‘I’ve been in a cell for a year, Sparkler.’ Varric forced himself to his feet again. ‘

I think

I’ve wasted enough time “resting”.’

‘You’re also riddled with red lyrium, Varric. There is no shame in taking it slow.’

‘Except the part where taking it slow means we all die. Stop fretting like an old woman, 'Vint. I’m—’

There was a shriek and a lone Venatori guard burst through a door, swinging his sword like a mad-man. There was a “Schunk”. The Venatori yipped. His sword clattered on the stone floor.

The Venatori squirmed, clutching at the crossbow bolt that pinned his shoulder to the wall

. Jill and Dorian looked down at Varric, Bianca tucked under his arm.

‘See?’ Varric smirked. ‘Haven't lost my edge.’

Jill strode forward changing the grip on her dagger. ‘I’ll finish him.’

‘No, wait.’ Dorian moved forward, placing a hand on Jill’s wrist. ‘Directions.’

‘Oh. Yeah, good idea.’ Jill moved forward and rested her blade against the Venatori’s jugular. ‘We’re looking for the Iron Bull’s cell. Where is it?’

The Venatori whimpered. Jill’s blade pressed in, ever so

slightly

. The Venatori squeaked. How old was this soldier? He couldn’t be more than twenty.

‘I don’t know!’ The boy whined. ‘I don’t know what an Iron Bull is!’ Jill rolled her eyes.

‘The Qunari guy. Looks like me but with a dick. Big. Grey. Horns. Has an eye-patch.’

A

slimy

expression slithered onto the Venatori’s face along with realisation. His eyes narrowed and his grin spread.

‘That dangerous thing?’ the Venatori asked. ‘Alexius broke him long ago. If you think that hunk of muscle is going to help you escape this place, you’re in for a disappointment. That beast is nothing but an empty husk.’

Dorian stalked forward. He felt Varric try and grasp his arm, try to draw him back and calm him down, but he

easily

manoeuvred out of the Dwarf’s way. He roughly shouldered Jill to the side, coming face to face with the Venatori. The writhing man still had it in him to sneer.

‘Ah, the traitor returns. How does it feel to know your betrayal meant nothing, Pavus? The Elder One wi—’

His words cut off. Blood filled his mouth as Dorian thrust his staff’s blade straight through his sternum.

‘Dorian, the fuck!’ Jill yelled shrinking back. The Venatori, jerked, spasmed and died. Varric shook his head.

‘We needed him, remember? How are we going to find out where Bull is now?’

‘He was taking too long,’ Dorian said with the cool, calculated tone. He pulled out his staff and raised it above his head. A dull mauve mist began to gather at the end like the forming of a storm-cloud. Dorian swirled the mist

gently

allowing it to grow and take shape. A gaping maw, empty sockets, ragged teeth.

'Oh shit,' Varric murmured. 'I've seen this before.'

When the screaming skull had been

fully

formed, Dorian pulled back his staff as far as he could. With a jolt, he drove it straight through the Venatori’s right eye. The mist-skull’s jaw opened wide, making a sound like hissing steam. Then the mist swirled down Dorian’s staff and funnelled into the Venatori’s socket. When all the mist had dissipated Dorian yanked out his staff and lent close to the corpses face.

‘Who are you?’

The Venatori’s whole body arched against the wall, his empty lungs refilling again, with a hollow gasp. Varric and Jill both yelled and leapt back. The Venatori’s head lifted, his eyes distant and glazed.

‘I am Otho Paulinius, third son of Priscus Paulinius of Minrathous, servant of the Elder One'. He blinked and blood slid out of his unmaimed eye like a tear. ‘I… I thought I was dead.’

‘You are,’ said Dorian. ‘And if you are very lucky you will return to being so. Where is the Qunari known as the Iron Bull?’

The corpse frowned like this information didn’t seem important. Regardless the dead thing lifted its arm and pointed down a hall to his right.

‘Through there. Turn left. A set of stairs goes downwards. In the locked room at the end of the hall.’

‘Thank you,’ Dorian chirped. ‘Now was that so hard?’

Dorian trust his staff under the corpse’s chin and sent out a burst of flame. The creature shrieked and spluttered. The flames enveloped it, and it burst into ash. The cinders made from the Venatori’s hair and clothes fluttered to the floor around Dorian. He toed the cremated bits of tooth and bone with his boot. Then Dorian turned around to see Varric and Jill gaping at him.

‘Through there, left, down the stairs, locked room at the end of the hall.’ Dorian repeated. ‘Did I forget anything?’

Both the dwarf and the Tal-Vashoth shook their head.

‘Great!’ said Dorian. ‘Then let’s not delay any further.’

He strolled down the hall in the direction the Venatori had indicated. From behind him, he heard Jill’s whisper.

‘Varric? That was so fucked up.’

‘Yeah. Be glad he’s on our side, Poppy.’

‘I know he’s our only chance of fixing this but… can we trust him?’

‘Have a little faith Jill. The man knows what he’s doing.’

Even to Dorian’s ears, Varric didn’t seem so sure.

Bull had been quiet since they got back to camp. He’d hadn't eaten dinner and insisted on taking the first watch. The Chargers – hadn’t said a word about what happened but they all kept throwing glances at Dorian. They didn’t need to speak for him to know exactly what they were saying.

‘You’re going to take care of this, right?’

The rest of the Chargers had followed their regular routine. Dalish had

been sent

to her tent with minimal grumbling. Stitches had gone with her to give her the once-over before bed.

Skinner had seen to the horses, Grim had packed away the leftover stew, and Krem and Rocky went over their newest battle plans

.

It would have been a normal night if it weren’t for the lingering energy that marinated the camp.

Dorian had stayed by the fire until everyone else had crawled into their tents. Once he was alone, he dumped the remains of his sloshy stew into the fire and wandered to the edge of camp to look for Bull. He almost mistook Bull’s hulking form as a rocky outcrop in the dark.

He was so still.

Dorian sat down beside Bull in the wet grass.

‘You want to talk about it?’ Dorian asked, crossing his legs.

‘No,’ Bull said.

‘Well, to use one of your favourite phrases “tough shit”. You’re going to.’

Bull looked down at Dorian for the first time. There was something… delicate about his expression. It was jarring, particularly on a face like Bull’s. Bull liked things that were delicate. He never wanted to be delicate himself.

‘Is this how this relationship thing works then?’ Bull asked. ‘You boss me about while nod and say “yes sweet-heart”?’

‘In an ideal world.’ Dorian smirked. ‘But we both know you’re too stubborn for that.’

Bull looked away again, twirling a blade of grass between his fingers.

‘Amatus, please talk to me.’ Dorian said, ‘If the shoe was on the other foot, would you want me to confide in you?’

Bull’s eye fell shut and he
drew in a deep breath.

‘It happens sometimes. One moment I am here with the boys and the next… I back there.’

‘Where?’

‘Serheron.’ The word sounded thick like it was too heavy for Bull’s tongue. Dorian rested a hand on Bull’s thigh.

‘And you can’t tell the difference?’

‘Sometimes I can, but times like today…’ Bull shook his head. ‘It’s so real. I see everything. I can

smell

everything. It’s all black-powder and saltwater and blood.’

‘Do you know what set you off?’

‘No idea.

Maybe

it was that ozone smell from Dalish’s spell. The ‘Vints back in Seheron did that one a lot. Or

maybe

it was the sound Dalish made when she landed…’ Bull ran his hand from his forehead to the base of his skull. ‘I don’t know what set me off. That’s one of the things that freaks me out most.’

Dorian rubbed circles on Bull’s leg with his thumb. ‘I understand.’

Bull opened his eye again. ‘You do?’

‘I still have nightmares about the night my father attempted the blood-magic ritual. They are… vivid, to put it

mildly

. Some days I am completely immune to any stimulus. On others? All it takes is a whiff of blood or someone using a phrase he used and that night I am trapped there again.’ Dorian huffed. ‘

However

, my case isn’t as extreme as yours. And I don’t

normally

have those dreams while I’m awake.’

Bull’s massive arm curled around Dorian’s shoulder. Bull pulled him close to their sides pressed together.

‘You’re safe Kadan. He can’t get you now.’

‘No. Stop this.’ Dorian said, slapping Bull’s shoulder. ‘I only told you that so you know you’re not alone. I am meant to be comforting you, remember? Help you find ways to stop this from happening? Don’t even think about stealing my thunder.’

‘I appreciate the thought, Kadan.’ Bull nuzzled Dorian’s hair. ‘But this isn’t something that can

be fixed

. If it could be the re-educators would have done it when I handed myself to them.’

Something bitter and greasy slid around in Dorian’s gut at the mention of the re-educators. But Dorian bit his tongue. He’d tried to talk to Bull about them on more than one occasion and it had always devolved into an ugly fight. Instead, he wiggled himself around so he could look Bull in the face.

‘Alright, we can’t stop it, but can we lessen the impact?’ Dorian suggested. ‘Have something in place that will help you come back?’

‘I don’t think so.’ Bull said. ‘When I’m there I am

there

. I have no idea what’s real and what’s inside my head.’

‘

Maybe

we could have a watch-word of some sort? Do you think that would work?’

Dorian saw Bull consider his words. After a while, he shook his head.

‘No. That’s the problem. If it’s all in my head, how do I know if you’re saying the watch-word or if I

just

think you have?’

Dorian pursed his lips.

‘True.’ He uncrossed his legs and pulled them up to his chest. ‘So you need some sort of signal… but you can’t know the signal ahead of time?’

‘Yeah. So we’re fucked.’

‘Not

necessarily

.’ Dorian smiled up at him. ‘What did the grape do when he

was stepped

on?’

Bull looked down at Dorian. ‘What?’

‘What did the grape do when he

was stepped

on?’ Dorian asked again. ‘Do you know the answer?’

‘No, Kadan,’ Bull humoured him. ‘What did the grape do when he

was stepped

on?’

‘I’m not telling.’ Dorian stood up, offering a hand to Bull. ‘Come to bed, Amatus. I’m sure Grim won’t mind starting his watch early.

‘Oh c’mon. You can’t leave me hanging like that.’ Bull said but took Dorian’s hand anyway. ‘You know I love shitty jokes.’

‘Well, you’re going to have to be patient. I’ll tell you in due time.’

‘When?’

‘The next time you can’t tell memories from reality. You ask the joke, I give you the punch-line. If the joke makes sense, then it has to be the real me.’

A grin of understanding spread across Bull’s face. He got to his feet and wrapped an arm around Dorian’s waist.

‘Have I told you lately how clever you are?’

Dorian hummed.

‘Yes, but you could stand to say it more often.’

The Venatori’s directions had been spot on. At the bottom of the stairs, Jill, Varric and Dorian entered a long empty hallway.

Every drip of water echoed off every wall, accentuated by the silence into something deafening

.

Dorian couldn’t even gauge how far below ground they must have gone by now.

How long had Bull been in that room?

How long had it been since Bull had been above ground?

Their footsteps were hollow and loud as the crossed the room towards the door. As Dorian reached for the handle Varric put his hand on top of his.

‘Hey, I’ve got an idea.’ Varric said, as

casually

as he proposed rounds of wicked grace. ‘How about I go in first and see how Tiny’s doing? You’ve both been dead for over a year, and seeing you two up and walking about? It'd give him the shock of his life.’

Dorian narrowed his eyes.

‘Kind offer. But one I will not be taking you up on. Open the door please.’

Varric didn’t move to follow Dorian’s request.

‘It would be a smart move. This has been a shitty year, to put it

mildly

. Some fore-warning would—’

‘Varric, if you think we’re going to wait outside—’

‘Oh, for fuck's sake guys,’ Jill strode forward and pushed her way between them. She knelt in front of the door, her lock-picks already in hand. ‘If he’s not in the right head-space to see me and Dorian than Bull’s not in the right head-space to fight Alexius. Let’s see if he’s okay and then work out the plan from there.’

Dorian looked down at Varric. The dwarf didn’t look back. There was something like guilt etched across his face.

‘Do you know what they did to him?’ Dorian asked.

‘No. Not the specifics.’ Varric admitted. ‘All I know is, it is bad.’

There was a click and a creak, and Jill stood up. With the tips of her fingers, she pushed the door open.

The cell was a circle, and Bull knelt in the centre.

Four long chains

were bolted

onto the floor around the rim of the circle. They dissected the room into four quarters, like the points on a compass. Each chain attached to a giant iron collar that sat around Bull’s neck.

His arms, his shoulders and his biceps

were pulled

back and latched together in a series of elaborate knots

. Bull’s wrists

were shackled

to the small of his back.

He did not move as they entered. He did not see who they were. He couldn’t.

A Saarebas’ mask had

been latched

onto his horns, covering his whole face.

‘Maker,’ Varric breathed.

Dorian was already on Bull. Already struggling to remove the bindings biting into his arms.

‘Don’t stand there, help me!’ he barked at the other two.

Jill moved forward and began sawing away at the bindings with her dagger. Varric lay Bianca on the floor and began to pick at the lock on Bull’s collar.

‘I knew your mentor was a bastard Dorian, but this is sick.’

‘Alexius has always had a particular hatred for the Qunari way of life,' Dorian said through gritted teeth. He found a bundle of knots away from Bull’s skin and snatched them in his fist. A surge of heat, a burning smell and the knots fell into singed threads in his palm. Bull’s shoulders rolled forward, no longer pinned back. ‘I'd wager he saw this as some sort of fitting punishment for a mage oppressor.’

The last of the rope fell away and Bull almost crumpled forward. Dorian grabbed him by the shoulder and held him up.

‘Keep him still Dorian, I’ve almost got this collar.’ Varric said, still fumbling with the lock.

‘I’ll do his wrist.’ Jill said moving behind him. ‘Dorian get that thing off his face.’

With one hand, still holding Bull’s shoulder steady, Dorian reached up and untied the mask from Bull’s horns. As he let it tumble to the floor, Dorian couldn’t help but let out a gasp.

He had been so focused on the way Bull had been bound he hadn’t even noticed the red lyrium.

There was so much of it.

For some reason Dorian didn’t want to be answered, the red lyrium had chosen to erupt along every scar on Iron Bull’s body.

All the familiar marks Dorian knew

intimately

, were now punctured with spines of lyrium

. They cross his chest, his abdomen, his biceps, in a series of glowing red pathways. Two lines ran almost parallel along his right cheek. Another caught along the corner of his mouth, tugging it up into a slight snarl.

And where his ruined eye had been the red lyrium had bloomed. A red crystallised rose jutting out of his empty socket.

His other eye was that hideous sickly scarlet. But that didn’t matter to Dorian. What scared him more was how vacant that eye looked.

Did Bull even know who he was? Who Dorian was?

‘Holy shit, his mouth.’ Varric whispered.

Dorian looked down and his stomach freefalled.

Alexius had sewn Bull’s lips together.

A burst of errant flames leapt from Dorian’s hand and hit the wall on the opposite side of the cell. It fizzled and died,
leaving a blackened scorch-mark behind.

Both Jill and Varric looked at Dorian with concern. But Jill’s concern was full of bewilderment while Varric’s was full of understanding.

Dorian stamped down the red-hot rage inside him with the promise he’d have plenty of time to use it later. He held out his hand to Jill.

‘Adaar, a dagger if you’d please.’

Jill drew one of her dagger’s out of its sheath and handed it to Dorian, who took Bull’s face with the utmost care. He tilted Bull’s chin upwards to face him.

‘I can’t promise this isn’t going to hurt,’ he whispered. ‘But I will do my best.’

I was a slow process, unpicking Bull’s lips. With every thread he cut through, he had to pull the rest through the skin and tissue. The process stained his hands in Bull’s blood. Part of him worried about possible red lyrium contamination. But that part was distant, petty and insignificant. Halfway through, Varric picked the lock on Bull’s collar. The whole construction collapsed onto the ground. Three quarters through, Jill undid him manacles and tossed them against the wall. And

just

as Dorian was tugging the last of the thread through Dorian’s lips, something sparked in Bull’s eye.

‘Bull?’ Dorian

clumsily

handed Jill’s dagger back to her. He cupped Bull’s jaw, attempting to get Bull to focus on him. ‘Amatus?’

The was a jolt and a scream from Jill and Dorian’s back

was slammed

against the wall. The Iron Bull towering over him like some possessed thing.

‘Not his face, you piece of shit!’ Bull roared, his hand around Dorian’s throat. ‘I told you last time! Stay the fuck out of my Kadan’s face!’

The night that Bull had killed the pale captain was months behind them.

It had gone from something no one mentioned

deliberately

, to something no one mentioned because no one thought about it

.

They had more scraps, took more jobs, had more close calls, but everything had returned to normal. A we-kill-people-for-money kind of normal, yeah but a normal for them.

Then one day, they set up camp on the outskirts of Val Chevin, on the coast of the waking sea.

It was a quiet day. A little warm. A little humid. But the boys had finished a job a few weeks ago and were on their way back to their regular stomping grounds in Nevarra. They’d pick up a job or two along the way if it fell in their laps, but they had enough coin to tide them over.

There was nothing to think about besides the

unseasonably

muggy weather and the sound of the waves on the shore

.

Bull had been in a mood all day and no one could pull him out of it. Even Krem, the reigning champion of pulling Bull out of his own arse was unsuccessful. Without a word, the Chargers all agreed to stay the fuck out of his way until the mood passed.

That night, Dorian

was woken by

Bull’s arm slapping him right across the stomach. Dorian winced and sat up.

‘Bloody hell Bull, watch that big meaty hands of yours.’

Bull didn’t talk back. Dorian did his best to peer down at Bull in the dim tent-light.

Still asleep. The great oaf.

Dorian shuffled himself around. He turned his back to Bull and pulling the blanket right up to his shoulder. He scrunched his eyes tight.

‘Fazha thrin marass. Fazha thrin marass, Vashedan Tal-Vashoth!’

Dorian opened his eyes and looked over at Bull again. His face

was twisted

and tense, sweat already beading on his brow.

Dorian rested a hand on Bull’s cheek and shook his face.

‘Amatus. Amatus, wake up. It’s a dream. Wake up.’

‘Katara, Tal-Vashoth! Hissrad ebra sala tost eb na shoh!’

Bull was shouting now. Screaming in his sleep. Dorian grabbed him by the horns and began to shake him as hard as he could.

‘Bull!’ Dorian yelled, trying to

be heard

over Bull’s own ramblings. ‘Wake up!’

Bull’s eye flashed open.

It was like lightning.

Dorian was on his back. The air flew from his lungs. Bull was straddling him. Crushing him down. Huge hand on his throat. Axe raised above his head.

‘Amatus!’ Dorian yelled. ‘Amatus, it’s me!’

Bull paused, arm still raised, axe clutched tight. The hand on Dorian neck was tight but not choking. Dorian could feel Bull trembling.

‘What did the grape do when he

was stepped

on?’ Bull asked.

For a moment Dorian’s brain could not understand a word Bull said. Panic filled him, making him shiver too.

But some part of Dorian’s subconscious thrust the answer to him. Dorian would always be grateful for that slither of survival instinct.

‘He let out a little wine.’

Bull didn’t move at first. But then the axe slipped from his fingers and clattered to the bed-roll.

‘Shit,’ Bull gasped. ‘Shit!’

Bull’s hand disappeared but not the weight, as Dorian found Bull crowded around him. Kisses landed on his forehead, his nose, his cheek, his chin. A tear hit Dorian’s eyebrow and he heard a sob near his temple.

‘I’m sorry,’ Bull begged above him between kisses. ‘I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, please, I’m sorry—’

Dorian shushed him and wrapped his arms around as much of Bull as he could and pulled him in tight.

‘Shh… it’s okay Amatus. It’s alright. It’s me. It’s

really

me, Amatus. I’m not going anywhere.’

All Dorian’s air

was trapped

. Bull’s hand was tight around his throat. He couldn’t get any air in and he couldn’t get any air out. He pounded his fists against Bull’s grip. Kicked him in the shin, aiming for his bad knee. Nothing loosened Bull’s hold. Dorian vision started to blur with bright hot spots—

Two arms reached under Bull’s horns, wrapped themselves around and yanked Bull’s head back with a sudden jolt. The Iron Bull stumbled back, his fingers slipping off Dorian’s throat. Dorian dragged in a breath and saw Jill hanging off Bull’s horns her feet dangling a few inches off the floor. Bull bucked and kicked and roared like his namesake while Jill clung on for dear life.

‘It’s us you big fucking idiot!’ She screamed. ‘We’re rescuing you! Stop being a cu—’

Bull smashed his own back against the wall, pinning her between him and the stonework. The impact forced Jill to let go of his horns and she slid to the floor with a wheeze.

But then Bull’s murderous red eye was scanning the room. It landed with precision on Dorian. Bull cross the room in two strides his fist pulled back, ready to swing.

And, once again, Dorian’s sense of self-preservation leapt to the rescue.

‘How do you titillate an ocelot?!’ Dorian cried out, his hands raised in surrender.

Bull slowed. And blinked. And blinked again. It was like his brain was hearing the words but failing to register their meaning.

‘How do you titillate an ocelot?’ Dorian said again. Why did he pick such a stupid riddle? There was a good chance it was going to be the last words he ever said. He was going to die, at the hands of his brainwashed Amatus, talking about how to

sexually

arouse a wildcat.

Bull drew closer to Dorian. But

slowly

.

Carefully

, taking it every inch of Dorian’s face. His hand dropped to his side.

‘How do you titillate an ocelot?’ Bull asked.

Dorian shook his head and pursed his lips together. There was no use in pride now. After all, he picked this ridiculous joke because he thought Bull would enjoy it.

‘You…’ he sighed. ‘You oscillate it’s tit a lot.’

Bull blinked.

Then huffed.

Then he started giggling.

He pinched the bridge of his nose while his shoulders shook and a massive beam swept across his face. He looked back up at Dorian, a tear leaking out of the corner of his red eye.

‘That…’ he started but the laughter cut of his words. He started again. ‘That is the stupidest joke you’ve come up with yet, Kadan.’

‘Oh please, Amatus, you know you love it.’

‘I do. Fuck of course I do. Doesn’t mean it isn’t stupid.’

Dorian’s eyes began to blur, as he moved back towards his Bull. He reached up a hand to touch Bull’s cheek.

Bull shrank back like a scared animal, pushing himself as far back against the wall as possible.

‘Don’t touch me.’

Dorian’s stomach dropped again as Bull recoiled. He took a tentative step forward. ‘Bull it’s

really

me—’

‘I know!’ Bull said, inching forward a bit. ‘I know. I trust you. It’s the red lyrium. You can’t… you can’t be around it too long Kadan. Not if you don’t want to end up like this.’

Bull gestured to his face and chest, the lyrium standing out

starkly

against his grey skin. Dorian pressed his lips together and shook his head.

‘I’ve told you before Bull, red was never your colour.’

Bull smiled at him and it hurt Dorian so much.

‘I willing to risk it.’ Dorian said. ‘I touched you before—’

‘I’m not, Kadan.’ Bull said. ‘Please. Don’t... don't end up like this.’

Dorian sniffed and clenched his jaw. No. He refused to cry and make this all about him. Not when the man he loved was standing in front of him, infected, in pain, having endured a year of torrement—’

A hand took Dorian’s wrist. He looked up. Jill was standing next to him.

Her eyes were hard, her mouth a thin line, her eyebrows furrowed more

deeply

than they ever had been before.

She placed her gloves into Dorian’s palm.

‘Here. These should keep you safe. Put them on. Touch him.’

In a space of a finger-snap Dorian remembered that Jill had been in the room the whole time.

Jill now knew the truth.

‘Jill…’ he began.

‘Save it,’ she snapped. ‘Have you little reunion with your “Amatus” and then let’s get moving. We still need to find Leliana.’

Jill stormed towards the door.

‘Wait, Jill,’ Dorian said. ‘I know you’re angry—’

Jill span around. ‘Oh, I am

way

beyond angry, Pavus. I am red-hot incandescent

furious

.

If this was another time or another place -

literally

- I would tear both of you a new arse hole, fill it with black powder and blow you both sky high

. But we are currently in a terrible demon future.

Everyone is dying from magic red rocks, and some fucker with a god-complex has taken over southern Thedas

. And you three dipshits are currently my only hope of stopping this from happening. So I am putting aside my murderous wrath, like an adult, and focusing on the task ahead. When we get back, all bets are off. We clear, ‘Vint?’

Dorian breathed in and gave a slight bow. ‘Crystal.’

‘Good.’ Jill turned back to the door but caught sight of Varric half-way.

‘You knew too?’

Varric grimaced and shrugged.

‘Great. Fan-fucking-tastic.’ Jill stomped off. ‘It’s me and the world’s three biggest cock heads against a horde of Venatori! Delightful!’

‘I’m glad you’re not dead too, boss.’ Bull called after her.

‘Shut it Bull! Your red lyrium eye is stupid and so are you!’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The gloves didn’t fit properly. They were tight across Dorian’s palms and at the base of his fingers but the tips were too long, flopping over the ends.Dorian wasn’t surprised. Jill clearly had these things tailored just for her, a way of shielding her mark from prying eyes. He’d only seen her seen her removed them once, at the chantry when they first met. Dorian suspected that if it weren’t for the threat of demons, Jill would never take them off.He squeezed his hand tight, feeling the leather crack at the knuckles. He looked up at Bull and smiled wistfully.‘Well… They’re not exactly to my taste but we all know the saying about beggars and choosers.’Varric shuffled towards the doorway of the cell and looked over his shoulder.‘I’m gonna go keep Jill company. Make sure she’s not having an aneurysm after your little… surprise. You two take your time. No hurry.’‘Thanks Varric.’‘Well… some hurry. Venatori. Demons. The Elder One—’‘Bye Varric,’ Bull said.Varric cleared his throat. ‘Yeah. Alright. I’m just going to… close this door a bit.’Varric pulled it shut behind him, leaving Dorian and Bull alone.‘I…’ Dorian held his hand over his mouth. He couldn’t help looking over Bull’s body quashing the horror that the red lyrium shards evoked in him. ‘I hope Varric didn’t accidentally lock that door. Calling for those two to come let us out would be awkward.’‘Where were you?’ Bull stepped forward. There was no accusation in his voice. Nothing that sounded like abandonment or blame. It was a flat question without hint of curiosity attached. A spy needing to ascertain a fact for a mission.‘That’s… not the right question, Amatus.’ Dorian spoke carefully. ‘I wasn’t anywhere, per se. Jill and I were in the great hall with you a year ago and then Alexius’ magic transported up to the dungeons today. It’s like stepping from one room to another but the rooms are a year apart.’‘How?’‘The short answer? Time magic. The longer answer—’ Bull held up his hand.‘I don’t need the longer answer. It was hard enough to keep up with you before when you jabbered on about magic. There’s no way I’m going to be able follow you now with a head full of lyrium.’ His eyes flickered over Dorian scrutinising him minutely. ‘You hurt?’Dorian squinted at Bull, before shaking his head with a joyless laugh.‘Am I hurt?’ Dorian closed the gap between them. ‘Am I hurt? Bull, have you seen yourself?’‘Not lately. I keep asking and asking for a proper mirror down but the Venatori don’t seem to care about my beauty routine.’Bull’s mouth stretched up into the same crooked smirk Dorian knew well. It was comforting at first. But seeing that recognisable expression distorted by red lyrium racked Dorian with a pang of sorrow. Slowly, he reached up and cupped Bull’s cheek like he’d longed to do from the moment he’d seen Bull’s face. Bull’s eyes slid shut and he sighed, leaning into Dorian’s palm. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. It was like Dorian’s hand was the only thing tethering him to the world.But for Dorian it wasn’t enough. Every inch of him itched to touch Bull’s face. To really touch it, skin to skin without the barrier of leather. Blood beaded from the stitch-marks in Bull lips. Dorian swiped at them with his thumb.‘Bull. What did they do to you?’

Alexius stalked around Bull’s kneeling form, taking in the Qunari’s bleeding shoulders with a compassionless eye. Bull couldn’t see the Venatori guard on his blind-side. But he knew he was still there, and still holding the lash.

‘Don’t think you can fool me Oxman. You think you can hide the truth from me?’

Bull kept his head low. This was becoming a semi-regular occurrence. In the month since Dorian had… since Bull had been captured, Alexius had taken a special interest in tormenting him. Maybe it was a Tevinter vs Qunari thing. Maybe it was because Bull reminded Alexius of Jill.

Or it could have been the fact Bull had almost broke Alexius’ neck in the throne-room after Alexius had killed… after everything had all gone to shit.

Regardless, Alexius was getting into a state. These little sessions had started out slow and methodical, with the usual villainous quips and snipes. But something was changing. Every time Alexius had Bull dragged before him, Bull could see an edginess building in the old man’s frame. What started out as calculated torture was quickly becoming a beat-down by proxy.

The lash struck him again and Bull hissed through his teeth.

‘What do think your defiance will accomplish Oxman? The Elder One is already undefeatable. Why prologues this torture?’

And that was another thing. Alexius seemed to be trying to drag information out of him, like Bull was keeping something important from him. However, in his growing unease and panic, Alexius had never actually told Bull what secrets he wanted his captive to spill. He just assumed Bull knew what he was talking about.

And having no fucking clue what Alexius wanted made it easier to Bull to keep his mouth shut.

Bull twisted, his shackles clacking together and looked towards Alexius for the first time. The Vint reeked of desperation. To someone else the old man may have been pitiable. But Bull had no pity for the man who’d killed…

Bull spat and the ground next to Alexius’ shoe. The magister swept backwards and snarled.

‘Have it your way ox. We’ll go again.’

Alexius could go as many times as he wanted. It didn’t matter now.

‘Nothing you want to know about, Dorian. It doesn’t matter now.’‘I’m so sorry, Bull,’ Dorian whispered, his voice refusing all attempts to keep steady. ‘I didn’t mean for this to happen. I didn’t intent to… to abandon you to this fate.’‘Kadan, no-- ’Bull whispered back, but Dorian was already babbling over him.‘I can fix it,’ Dorian said. ‘I can stop all this from ever happening.’Bull leaned back taking in Dorian’s full face. ‘How?’‘You remember the amulet Alexius pulled out just before we got thrown into the rift? I can use it to send us back to the same moment we left. This version of the time-stream would be… unravelled? No. Yes? It’s not the best analogy, I grant you, but it will do for the moment.’Bull’s eye darted across Dorian’s face, taking in every aspect.‘So, this whole year would be gone? All the bad things the Elder One and his pawns did would be undone? The demons, the battles… the deaths.’‘Everything from when Jill and I disappeared onwards. If I do this right.’Bull pulled out of Dorian’s touch, scrutinising him. Under his gaze Dorian suddenly felt uneasy.‘Sounds too good to be true.’ Bull murmured and Dorian didn’t miss the hit of suspicion under his words.

‘Bull. Bull get up.’

Bull didn’t move. He’d never been this sore or exhausted before. Yeah, Alexius had ramped up his beatings, but it was more than that. Something was happening to him.

Sharp bits were forming inside him. Sitting alongside his organs so he could feel them slice into his guts whenever he shifted. A constant low thrumming headache sat at the back of his skull and only grew. Some part of him felt like – no, knew he was dying.

And it couldn’t come soon enough.

A palm rested on Bull’s cheek, cool and gentle.

‘Bull, it’s me. It’s Dorian.’

Bull’s eye slid open. The face of a dead man hovered above him.

‘Dorian?’ Bull croaked. His voice climbed out his throat like an undead thing from a grave. Dorian shushed him and put waterskin to his lips. Bull drank for the first time in days.

‘That’s it. Nice and slow.’ Dorian soothed, his fingers resting on Bull’s jaw. When the waterskin was empty Dorian helped Bull to sit.
This is a dream, the thought thrummed in Bull’s mind along with the lyrium. I’m having the dream again.
But then Dorian’s eyebrow quirked and that smile, Bull’s favourite smile, spread across Dorian’s face ‘So… this is a mess.’

Bull smiled back so hard his lips cracked.

‘No shit.’ Bull blinked forcing his eye to focus. ‘You’re alive? Where’s Jill? What happened to you two in the throne room?’

Dorian rested a cool hand on Bull’s shoulder ‘Not here. It’s too long to explain. First, we have to get out of the castle. Do you remember how the Inquisition soldiers got in? It’s important. Think hard.’

Bull’s brow furrowed and his fought back the headache so he could actually remember. ‘Yeah. Red told us about it when she briefed us.’

‘Red?’

‘Yeah.’ Bull squinted at Dorian. ‘Leliana. The spymaster. You know I’d never forget a redhead.’

Dorian laughed. ‘One in every port, eh Bull?’

Bull’s eye skirted across Dorian’s face. His expression was so affable. So easy. Dorian loved his bravado, sure, but underneath that he’d always been a bit high-strung (though he’d bristle if you ever told him that). Why was he acting so calm?

Had Dorian’s hands always been this cold?

‘Well, you know what they say about putting a red flag in front of a bull,’ Bull said as he stood, using the cell wall as support. ‘Just can’t help it.’

‘Well once we’re out of here I’m sure the redheads will be hanging off your horns.’ Dorian got to his feet. ‘I’m going to need you to lead the way, Bull. After the accident in the throne room my minds a bit… fuzzy.’

‘You alright?’

‘A mild side effect, I’m sure it will pass. Are you able to walk, Bull?’

‘Yeah…’ Bull licked his lips, glancing over Dorian. ‘But I’ll need Skinner to take a look at me when we get back. You know how healers are. She’s a mother hen.’

Dorian began to fiddle with the lock on the door. ‘What that poor woman puts up with for your sake. Don’t fret. She’ll be tutting and tsking over you in—’

There was a satisfying “gnk” sound as Bull’s hands wrapped around the imposter’s windpipe. As the thing in Bull’s grip shuddered and jerked, Bull watched as swarths of green flesh bubbled up beneath Dorian’s skin. The things eyes bugled in their sockets before swelling and growing black and insect-like.

‘Stop wearing his face,’ Bull hissed and snapped the demon’s neck.

‘Amatus,’ Dorian said carefully, ‘it is me. I swear. I don’t know how else to prove that to you, and I can’t think of another terrible joke right now—’‘No. No you don’t need to do that.’ Bull ran a hand over his face. ‘I know it’s you now. You’ve only been back two minutes and you’re already claiming this fuckery is somehow all your fault. But Dorian… don’t make promises you can’t keep.’Dorian’s eyebrows drew together. ‘I’m not.’‘You sure? Because I can’t go through all this shit again Kadan.’ Bull shook his head and his voice shook as well. ‘I can’t.’Dorian looked Bull over, determinedly ignoring how Bull’s words felt like a dagger to the gut. He set his jaw and putt his hand on Bull’s chest. He could feel Bull’s pulse throbbing under his palm. Dorian didn’t break eye contact for a second, staring directly into Bull’s lyrium-ruined face.‘Amatus. If I get this amulet, I promise you I will fix this. I will set this all right. This is the last day you will have to endure this blighted nightmare Alexius brought forth. I swear it.’Bull’s hand reached up and covered the one Dorian had over his heart, loosely tucking his fingers around his lover’s.‘I forgot how warm your hands are.’ Bull murmured. ‘Even through the gloves.’Dorian ran his thumb over Bull’s fingers. ‘Do you trust me now?’ he asked. Bull squeezed Dorian’s hand tighter.‘You were never the one I doubted, Kadan.’Dorian was going to ask what Bull meant but was cut off by a series of sharp knocks at the door.‘You two better not be fucking in there!’ Jill called from the other side. ‘Some of us have demons that need stabbing!’‘We’re coming, Boss,’ Bull called back.‘I swear by Andraste if that’s a euphemism…’ Jill snapped and stomped away.‘How long do you think until her unbridled rage at our deception peters out?’ Dorian asked.Bull shrugged ‘Never?’‘Great.’‘But hey, maybe we’ll all get killed before we have to deal with that unbridled rage?’Dorian readjusted his grip on Bull’s hand and pulled him towards the door. ‘You’ve always had a unique brand of sanguinity, Bull. I’m glad that hasn’t changed.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

‘Why is it whenever a group of idiots get their hands on a skeleton their immediate reaction is to set it up in “humorous” positions?’ Jill poked the skull of one such skeleton that the group had found sitting at the head of a long, abandoned dining table. Its jaw fell off and landed on the empty plate in front of it. They had managed not to draw any Venatori attention on their way up from the dungeons, but a quiet unease had settled across the group, a silent recognition the peace couldn’t last for long.‘It’s a tradition, Poppy.’ Varric said rifling through a barrel in the corner. ‘That’s nothing. Every time Hawke came across a skeleton, we all had to stop for twenty minutes while he posed it.’ Dorian pinched the bridge of his nose.‘Oh, I had forgotten that. They always ended up with their hands down each other’s pants.’Bull chuckled. ‘Or flipping the bird.’‘Wait, wait.’ Jill crossed her arms. ‘So… Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall, knew about the two of you?’Bull, Varric, and Dorian exchanged looks. Jill made a disgusted noise that would have impressed Cassandra and walked away.‘To be fair it wasn’t a secret when—’ Dorian started but Bull waved him down.‘Leave it, Dorian. She’s determined to be pissed. It’s the only joy she has in her sad, holier-than-thou life.’Jill shot Bull a glare over her shoulder but Bull just shrugged.‘You can scowl at me all you like, Boss. It’s not like I have to suck up to you anymore. Got nothing left to lose.’Jill span her dagger in her hand. ‘Really? Cause unless the Red Lyrium got your balls you may want to reconsider that.’Dorian snapped his fingers and pointed at the both of them. ‘Enough. We have bigger problems. Bull, don’t antagonise. Jill, no dismemberment.’ Jill slipped her dagger away.‘Bet you’re only saying that because you’d miss his balls,’ she muttered as she wandered into one of the adjoining rooms to grab anything useful. Dorian arched her eyebrow at Bull.‘Must you?’‘What? It’s been a rough year. When you’re held prisoner by Venatori arseholes for so long you learn to make your own fun.’‘That’s not what this is about and you know it.’Dorian laid his hand on Bull’s shoulder. Bull’s eye landed on it and remained.‘Jill feels responsible for all this too, Bull. She is terrified of failing everyone.’Bull looked back up at Dorian. Dorian had expected to see a softening in his expression but Bull’s face remained stoic and grim.‘Good. Then she better not.’Bull stalked away, towards the wall where a set of battle-axes were mounted for decoration. Dorian stared after him, mouth slightly open. A hand on Dorian’s wrist pulled his focus away. Varric was at his elbow handing him a flask.‘Found some lyrium back there. Not the red stuff, obviously. The regular kind. Thought it might help.’Dorian took the flask from Varric and attached it to one of his belts. ‘Thanks, Varric.’Varric’s other hand stayed firm on Dorian’s wrist.‘Word of advice?’ Varric murmured to Dorian, but looking in Bull’s direction. ‘Don’t bother. If you can fix things with time magic like you say you can, focus on that. All the other shit can either wait or won’t matter.’‘He wouldn’t tell me what Alexius did to him,’ Dorian whispered back. His gaze flicked to Bull. His back was to Dorian, leaving every protruding shard of lyrium on display. But underneath them Dorian could also see some scars he was sure weren’t there before. ‘I have no idea what he’s gone through since we’ve been gone.’‘He didn’t say?’ Varric sounded surprised, but then hummed to himself. ‘Well… probably for the best.’‘You can’t believe that.’‘No joke, Sparkler. There are things that we’d all be happier dying without knowing.’Dorian pulled his hand away from Varric, a frown fixed on his face. ‘That is the bleakest thing you ever said.’ Varric shrugged.‘Is it? And I thought I was acting so chipper.’Varric rested Bianca on his shoulder headed towards the room Jill had disappeared into. Dorian’s eyes followed him, his frown deepening. He was beginning to sympathise with Jill. There was something unnerving about knowing the people around you are keeping you in the dark.‘You find anything in there, Poppy?’ Varric called into the room, only to stumble a step back when Jill marched through the door, almost bowling him over.‘Fuck yeah I found something,’ she said, an open book in her hands. ‘Dorian, get over here. I found you old mentor’s diary.’Dorian’s mouth fell open. He crossed the room in four long strides and snatched the book out of Jill’s hands. She made a face but didn’t complain. Instead,Jill leaned over Dorian’s shoulder and flipped the pages until she hit the last written entry.‘This is the important part,’ she tapped at the page. ‘Read this out.’Dorian squinted, trying to make out Alexius’ absurdly small hand-writing in the dim light.‘“Nothing works,”’ Dorian read. ‘” I have tried countless times to go back before the conclave explosion, before Felix’s caravan was attacked by darkspawn, before the Venatori first arrived in Minrathous – without success. The Breach is the wellspring that makes this magic possible” well, obviously it’s the focal—’‘Keep reading Sparkler!’‘Fine, fine. “The Breach is the wellspring that makes this magic possible, and travel outside of its timeline is impossible. The Elder One demand that I change the events of the conclave can never be fulfilled. He may”—’ Dorian trailed off.‘What?’ Jill asked him. ‘He may what?’‘”He may kill me for failing him, but I must protect Felix from his wrath.”’ Dorian snapped the book shut and handed it back to Jill without so much as a glance in her direction.‘So that’s good for us, right?’ Jill asked Dorian. ‘He’s on the outs with the Elder One. Maybe we won’t have to kill him. We can strike up some sort of bargain.’‘Wait, wait.’ Varric stepped back to get a better look at Jill, ‘Alexius imprisons me and Bull for a year, kills hundreds – maybe thousands – of people, allows all of Redcliffe to be smothered in red lyrium and he gets a free pass? That’s not an option Adaar. The man has to pay for all the shit he’s done.’‘Look I don’t care if the bastard lives or dies—’‘Great, then I vote die—’‘But I’m saying is we’re racing against time here.’While Jill spoke, Dorian trudged over to the table and leant his hip against it. He ran his hand over his face feeling as though he could fall asleep standing right there. He barely listened as Jill nattered on.‘More literally that we ever have before. If we can convince him to just fork over the amulet it may be quicker than having to take him down in a fight.’‘You know what’s really quick? An arrow through the head. Click. Whoosh. “Argh!” Done.’‘And if that’s not an option? This man has clearly got some powerful fucking magic behind him—’‘Oi, shut up. Both of you.’ Bull said lifting a single finger and narrowing his eyes. ‘Anyone else hear that?’The group fell silent, straining their ears for whatever Bull had picked up.Nothing.Nothing.A sharp cry cracked through their ears, echoing from somewhere above them.A woman’s cry.They all looked at each other with the same simultaneous, horrific thought.‘Leliana,’ breathed Jill. Within seconds she’d dashed passed Varric, passed Bull, wrenched open the door and leapt up the stairs three at a time.‘Poppy!’‘Jill!, wait—’‘Damnit Boss!’ Bull gripped his new axe tight and sprang after her. Dorian and Varric gave each other a bewildered look.‘I mean, who needs a plan, right?’ asked Varric loading Bianca.Dorian nodded. ‘I have always said “planning” is an overrated concept,’ he replied as they clambered up the stairs after the two Qunari.
Bull hurtled to the top of the stairway just in in time to see Jill backing away from a heavy, oak door. She squared her shoulders, cricked her neck—Oh, shit she wasn’t going to—Yep, she was charging the door.Bull’s arm snapped out and grabbed Jill by the collar seconds before she slammed headfirst into the thing. He yanked her back like a misbehaving mabari and stood between her and the door.‘You have a fucking death-wish?’ Bull hissed as Jill as she twisted out of his grip. ‘You trying to get everyone else killed too?’‘No, just the people torturing Leliana right now!’ Jill spat; teeth bared. ‘Move it Bull!’‘And what’s the point of any of this if you’re stabbed the moment you burst through that door? Try and use what’s between your horns for two fucking seconds—’A sharp slap rang out and a woman gasped in pain. Jill gritted her teeth.‘Andraste help me Bull, if you don’t get the fuck out of the way—’Whatever inventive threat Jill was about to concoct was swept away by Dorian and Varric appearing at the top of the stairs. Bull stepped out of the way and bowed sarcastically.‘There. Back-up’s arrived. After you “Oh Noble Leader”.’Jill scowled at him and backed up again, ready to kick the door down. But the second her heel collided with the wood here was another scream.Not like the other ones. This one was different. This one was a long, continuous shriek of agony. Guttural and panicked like a terrified animal.Jill was in, and Bull was right behind her. He could feel Varric and Dorian closing in behind. In the room four Venatori stood around a smouldering and writhing figure, who collapsed to the floor. Then it lay there, blackened and still. One of the guards turned to the intruders in shock.‘Who the bloody hell are you?’There was a familiar pop of energy that Bull knew well and he instinctually grabbed Varric and Jill’s shoulders to haul them back. A wall of flame ruptured from the floor and threw the Venatori off their feet. As they screeched and cried, their skin blistering and their muscle cooking, Dorian planted his staff on the floor. His face was blank and pitiless.‘Retribution,’ he said.The chorus of screams ebbed and died.Varric approach the woman’s body and knelt down next to it with something close to reverence. He pulled a ring off one of the corpse’s fingers and held it to the light. It may not have been Bull’s forte, but even he could recognise an Andrastian symbol when he saw one.‘Shit,’ Varric wiped his face with the back of his hand. ‘I think she was a chantry sister.’Bull leant on his axe. ‘Good. At least Red’s still out there.’Bull could see every muscle in Jill’s back tense and Bull was reminded of the many, many arguments they managed to pack into their short acquaintance back at Haven.‘”Good?” We could have saved her,’ Jill whispered. Her eyes landed on Bull and her voice rose, ‘We could have saved her if you had just let me—’‘No,’ Bull grunted, his hands tight on his axe. ‘You would have burnt to death along with her, Boss. There was no way to save her.’‘You don’t know that!’‘Really? Tell me Boss, how were you going to take out four Venatori by yourself? You got some protection from fire magic you forgot to tell us about?’Jill glowered, but didn’t reply.‘That’s what I thought.’‘We stood outside the room with our thumbs up our arses while a woman burned alive, Bull!’ Jill pointed to the sister’s remains. ‘You’re acting like this is nothing.’‘This is nothing,’ Bull said. He felt some sort of perverse sense of satisfaction when Jill drew back from him, her face full of horror. ‘This is an average day since you’ve been gone. Before this chantry sister was another chantry sister. And another. And another. Maybe a farmer. Maybe a merchant or blacksmith or a local healer. This woman is just the last in a long line of people Alexius has murdered, and I would bet a thousand gold that she’s not the last. So, you can either get the sniffles over every person Alexius has cut down or we can stop him killing more. Either way we’re wasting time here.’Bull strode out of the room, paying no attention to the shocked and mortified gazes that followed him as he left. Jill’s he expected and he didn’t care about Varric’s.He’d admit to himself that Dorian’s expression had hurt. But Dorian didn’t understand. Not fully.And hopefully he never would.
Dorian watched Bull leave the room. A woman was murdered and Bull had just… left.Bull had always been pragmatic. A realist. He never flinched from acknowledging how ugly the world could be.But Dorian had never like this. Never unfeeling.If anything, Bull saw the cruelty Thedas had to offer and stubbornly chose to do good in it anyway. He made the deliberate decision to care for people that would be used and exploited by those with more power.To see him like this… Saying things like this…It seemed like time and lyrium had distorted more than Bull’s body.From the corner of his eye, Dorian saw Jill looking at him. Dorian glared back.‘What?’‘Really?’ Jill sneered. ‘Him? You’re into that arsehole?’Dorian raised his hand, ‘Don’t.’‘Tiny’s not wrong.’Both Jill and Dorian looked back at Varric. Varric was looking Bianca’s mechanisms. It was clear he was aim for an air of cool disinterest, but Dorian knew he was just avoiding looking them in the eyes.‘If you’re going to make it to Alexius, you’re both going to end up seeing some shit.’ Varric said. ‘You’re both going to have to keep your emotions in check or you’re going to get us killed.’Jill scoffed. ‘If you expect me not to care about—’‘Oh, you can care.’ Varric said. He quietly slipped the chantry sister’s ring into his pocket. ‘But you need to stash those cares away until this is over. There are too many dead people Poppy. If we stop to mourn for all of them the way they deserve and we’ll be here until the Maker returns. We literally don’t have the time.’And without meeting her gaze, Varric followed Bull out the door.Jill gaped after Varric like a fish. Dorian had to admit he felt the same.‘This is wrong.’ Jill managed to stutter out. ‘Varric isn’t like that.’‘I know. I known him for years remember?’Dorian saw Jill’s flame of anger rise up inside her, but she screwed up her face and forced it back down.‘And Bull’s different too?’Dorian licked his lips. ‘Yes. Very.’Jill looked at the floor and gave a tight nod. ‘Well. It’s not like I really knew any of you fuckers anyway.’Dorian rubbed his forehead ‘Oh please, spare me.’‘What?’‘You know what! You act as though this one secret makes all the difference.’‘It does!’‘How? I betrayed Alexius to the Inquisition to help you. I leapt in front of you to stop him from erasing you from time. I am doing my best to find out how to send us back to the world we remember. I have put so much on the line to help you. How does my relationship with Bull change any of that?’‘Because I thought I could trust you!’ Jill hissed. ‘You said you’d protect me and get me back home and… fuck it, I thought maybe eventually we’d become friends or some shit. But you were lying to me from the start. Now I know the whole time you were talking to Iron Bull, of all people, behind my back. The fucking Ben-Hassrath. The man who wants to destroy people like me and my family.’ She pointed at the charred corpse on the floor. ‘We matter as much to Bull as she did.’‘He’s not a monster, Jill. He’s a good man.’‘Really? Or maybe we see who people really are when times are at their worst. Maybe you’re seeing who Iron Bull really is for the first time.’Jill turned and walked out the door.Dorian stood alone in the room. He looked down at the Chantry sister’s remains. He sighed and flexed his hand, releasing a spasm of arcane energy. The sister crumbled into dust on the floor.‘Hey Sparkler, hurry up.’ Varric called back. ‘We think we’ve found a way out to the court-yard.’‘I hope the Maker takes you.’ Dorian mumbled to the sister’s ashes before being the last to leave the room.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Varric had been right. They had found a door that led out to the courtyard.Going through the courtyard had been a mistake.Turns out the world was ending.They barely made it to the other side of courtyard. All four of them scrambled through the nearest door, frantically slamming it behind them. The wood jutted and began to splinter along the frame. Bull leant all his weight against the it, while Varric and Dorian grabbed a table and jammed it up against the door before hauling whatever other furniture they could find on top. There was a series of thuds, a shriek, and then a disquieting stillness. Jill slumped against the wall, clutching her own wrist in an attempt to stop the mark from violently sputtering.‘Were either of you going to mention that the sky was fucking gone, or did you not want to spoil that fun little surprise?’ Jill said through gritted teeth.‘How the fuck were we meant to know?’ Bull wiped the back of his hand along his chin to get rid of a hunk of demon flesh that had landed there. ‘We’ve been locked in the dungeon for over a year!’‘Didn’t one of your guards mention it? “Oh we’ve been having such lovely weather lately. Endless breach as far as the eye can see.”’‘Believe it or not I haven’t done much chatting lately.’ Bull said. The stitch marks across his lips stood out prominently, even among his other scars. Jill had the decency to look a little chagrin. Dorian took a deliberate step between them.‘At least we should be closer to that spymaster of yours,’ He held out his hand for Jill to take. She ignored it, righting herself without help.‘Leliana should have known better than to come here in the first place,’ Jill spluttered, making her way down the hall. The others followed. ‘What was she thinking?’‘I dunno,’ Bull shrugged. ‘Probably something about saving your useless ass. Stupid really.’‘If you two don’t give it a rest for five minutes you’re both going to get to know Bianca a little more intimately.’‘Are we sure Leliana’s here for certain?’ asked Dorian. ‘Could Fiona have been misled about her infiltrating the castle?’Bull shook his head. ‘Red’s here. I saw her.’Dorian lay a hand on Bull’s arm. ‘You spoke to Leliana? Are you positive it was her?’

‘Is it him? Is it really him?’

‘Fen’Harel’s nut-sack! What’s growing out of him?’

‘Is that fucking Red Lyrium? I’m getting Stitches.’

‘Good idea Rocky, we’ll get him out. Chief! Oi chief! You awake?’

Bull curled in on himself a bit more and shifted closer to the wall.

‘If you demons come in here again, I’m going to pop your head off like I’m uncorking a wine-bottle,’ Bull grumbled. It was too early for this shit. Or too late. Bull had lost track of time long ago. So long ago in fact he had lost track of how long ago he’d lost track.

‘Chief! It’s me. It’s Krem.’

‘Yeah, that’s what the last Krem said.’

‘What he fuck does that— Stitches, Bull’s in here!’

‘I’m coming just let me get my – Oh fuck me sideways, that’s a lot of Lyrium.’

‘Can you fix him?’

‘I… don’t know. But I know if I’m gonna try I can’t do it here. We need to get back to camp.’

‘Right. Stand back.’

There was the sound of metal striking metal. Once. Twice. Three times. Four. Five times and a clatter as the lock broke and fell to the floor. The door made a rusty squeal as it was swung open.

‘Chief—’

‘Don’t… Don’t go in there just yet. Chief? Me and the boys are here. We’ve come to get you out.’

‘Fuck off demon boy,’ Bull grunted. ‘It wasn’t clever the last time, it’s not clever now.’

‘Chief, we don’t have time for this. We have ten minutes before the next guard rotation.’

‘And you have one minute before I stand up and beat the shit out of every single one of you.’

‘Shit… I don’t know any of Dorian’s stupid jokes. Grim, go get the others.’

Grim grunted. Footsteps hurried away.

‘I could hit him with a sleep bomb and we could drag him back to camp.’

‘Rocky, if you want to carry an unconscious Qunari through a castle full of Venatori, you can bloody well do it by yourself.’

‘A moment Lieutenant. Allow me to try something.’

Bull didn’t recognise this voice. Not immediately.

‘Sister Nightingale I don’t think—and she’s already in the cell.’

Bull turned his face and cracked his one good eye open. Sister Leliana was standing in his prison cell. The part of her face wasn’t covered by her hood was pale and moon-like in the muted torch glow.
‘Why are you here?’ Bull growled.
‘Exactly.’

Bull blinked. ‘You said that like it was smart, but either I’ve gotten dumber since I’ve been stuck down here or you’re not nearly as witty as you think you are.’

‘If a demon was going to tempt you, it would come in a more pleasing form, would it not?’

‘Believe me, you’re more than pleasing Red.’

The slightest of smiles appeared on Leliana’s face. ‘More convincing then. Demons would take the shape of your family, your closest allies, or past lovers. Not a woman you had a couple of conversations with months ago.’

‘Depends if that demon could make a convincing story with that body.’

‘Why risk breaking the illusion with a needless face? Why make the situation more convoluted for no reason? A good spy like yourself knows that the simpler and more factual a lie is, the more believable.’

Bull licked his lips even though his mouth was bone dry. Then he stood to his full height. He towered over the slender woman but something about her air put them on equal footing.

‘What was the name of the first person you killed?’

Leliana’s expression pinched for a split second. Then it was gone.

‘Jovi Merice. I was sent to “talk” to him after he spread rumours about the wrong Orlesian nobles. He didn’t want to talk with me. It ended ugly.’

Bull paused for a moment. Then smiled.

‘Good to see you, Red.’

The chargers rushed in and crowed around Bull pulling him out of the cell. Even over all their chatter Bull could still hear Leliana.

‘I wasn’t aware that the Ben-Hassrath had access to that level of intel.’

‘They don’t. But I don’t think demons have guilt pangs when they talk about people they offed.’

Leliana raised her eyebrows. Then shook her head.

‘I wish we had more opportunities to put your skills to good use the Iron Bull.’

‘The chief’s not dead yet, Sister Nightingale. I’m sure the big lug still had a few Ben-Hassrath tricks up his sleeves.’ Krem slapped Bull’s bare bicep. ‘Metaphorically speaking.’

Bull ruffled Krem’s hair. ‘Good to see you’re still making terrible jokes, Krem-puff.’

‘Oh, you recognising me now? Don’t think I’m a demon anymore?’

‘You’ve been a little demon since the first day I met you.’

‘The Iron Bull, we need to save the pleasantries for later.’ Leliana stepped forward. ‘Do you know where Alexius is keeping Adaar? We have yet to find where she’s being held and we don’t have much time.’

All of Bull’s innards turned hard and cold inside him. He looked at the expression of hope peeking out from beneath Leliana’s hood. He turned his face to his boys, for the first time in months, and saw that their smiles were on the tipping point of faltering.

They didn’t know.

Iron Bull looked back at Leliana, but couldn’t meet her eyes again.

‘Adaar and Dorian are dead.’

All the charger’s tried to talk at once but Bull barrelled onward, not wanting to sit in this awful moment for any longer than he had to.

‘Alexius killed them the day of the meeting. He used some sort of amulet to destroy both of them in the throne room. There was nothing left.’

‘Chief, that not true.’

‘Krem. I saw it.’

‘Chief, look at me.’ Krem grabbed onto Bull’s harness to grab his attention. ‘It was a trick. We found Dorian in one of the cells. Grim is getting him right now.’

‘What?’

Dorian was alive?

Hope sparked dangerously inside Bull.

But then came realisation. Then dread.

‘Oh shit.’

A familiar yet warped voice rang out from the otherside of the nearest door. ‘Oh, Bull dear?’

Grim rounded the corner, bent on an unnatural angle. Bull saw that his arm was twisted behind his back, forcing him forward in a painful bow. Something that looked like Dorian held Grim’s wrist, but it was looking less and less like Dorian with every passing second. Behind the distorted figure that looked like his lover, the hallway was packed with Venatori.

Not-Dorian smiled. The smile grew wider. And wider. And wider. When it spoke its voice had the sticky sweetness that occasionally comes from rotting meat.

‘Darling.’ Not-Dorian admonished, its grip visibly tightening on Grim’s wrist.
‘You didn’t tell me you were expecting guests.’

Bull let his arm slip from under Dorian’s hand.‘It was Leliana. But I didn’t get to see her for long.’‘She must have been desperate,’ Jill peered around a corner to make sure the coast was clear. ‘What sort of spymaster goes into as situation like this? In person?’‘Well, you may have forgotten this Poppy, but she did hang out with a little someone known as “The Hero of Ferelden” a while back,’ Varric said. ‘And she hasn’t exactly been twiddling her thumbs in the decade since.’‘I’m not saying she isn’t capable. Far from it. I asked her back in Haven if she would go back out in the field if the chance came up. She said it would be tying her hands together. She could do much more for the Inquisition from Haven then she ever could on the battlefield. So, she either came here because she thought no one else could do the job, or…’‘They were running out of people to send into this shithole.’ Bull finished her thought for her.‘Does give us a rosy outlook for our chances.’‘My, we’re having such uplifting conversations.’ Dorian said. ‘Didn’t your mothers tell you “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all?”’‘I know Bull’s didn’t’ Jill muttered.Dorian could see Bull start to open his mouth, so he opened his own first.‘How’s your mark? I’ve never seen you close that many rifts before.’‘That’s because I haven’t.’ Jill tucked her marked hand under her arm-pit, either to hide it from sight or numb the pain.‘So how is it feeling?’‘Fine.’‘Liar.’ Bull said.‘Well, you’d know, wouldn’t you Mister I-Have-A-Secret-Tevinter-Lover.’Dorian threw up his hands. ‘That’s it. We’re taking a break. I need a break.’Bull, Varric and Jill both looked at Dorian as though he’d suggested eating a mound of horse shit.‘We’re not stopping now. Leliana—’ Jill began before Dorian cut her off.‘We’re going to be no good to her if we’re all exhausted. Varric and Bull are riddled with Lyrium, and I can see from here that your arm is visibly shaking. After months in captivity, I doubt twenty minutes is going to be the breaking point for Leliana. Besides, I’m done listening to you two argue like angry toddlers that need a nap.’‘Here here,’ muttered Varric.‘So, you can both go sit in separate corners, and have some quiet time.’‘And you became our nanny when?’ Bull asked, but there was a smile at the corner of his mouth, somewhere beneath all the lyrium.‘Considering I am the most fit for duty out of us four, it seems like I have to be the functioning adult here.’‘Dorian—’ Jill began but it came out like a child’s whine. She immediately heard it and coughed.‘I’m with Sparkler.’ Varric said, slumping against the wall and pulling a flask from some hidden pocket. ‘Twenty minutes of not-fighting-Venatori-time seems perfect to me.’Dorian nodded a silent “thanks” in Varric’s direction, before sliding down the opposite wall of the corridor. He brought his knees up to his chest and lent his head back against the brickwork, eyes sliding shut.‘I’m not just waiting around here,’ Jill said. ‘We need to get back to our time now. We can have a rest when the world’s not ending.’Bull looked at Jill very deliberately before, without breaking eye-contact, he walked over to Dorian’s side, and settled down next to him. Jill’s glance shot from Bull to Dorian to Varric, before she stomped off to a corner, muttering words a good Andrastian like herself shouldn’t use. She squatted down and turned her back to everyone, shoulders hunched, arms crossed.‘She’s pissed.’ Bull whispered to Dorian. Dorian didn’t open his eyes.‘I’m pissed.’‘With her?’‘And you.’Bull hummed. ‘I’m okay with that. Never thought I’d get the chance to piss you off again. Forgot you’re cute when you’re mad.’ He tried to make it sound cheeky, but Dorian could hear a thin note of melancholy underneath.‘Don’t say things like that.’‘It’s true.’‘Maybe, but you don’t have to say it.’‘I’ve had a year, Dorian. To think about all the things I didn’t get to tell you.’Dorian lifted his head and opened his eyes. ‘Amatus, you don’t need to tell me anything.’‘Yeah, I do…’‘About what happened to you in that dungeon?’‘Definitely not that.’‘Then either I already know what you want to tell me, or you can tell me when we get back.’Bull cocked his head. ‘We?’‘To before this year happened. When we reverse the spell.’‘You and Adaar are going back, Dorian. I’m not. That’s why I’ve got to tell you now.’Dorian blinked a couple of times as Bull’s words sunk in.This Bull wouldn’t be coming back.Why hadn’t he thought about this? It made perfect sense. Himself and Jill were the ones displaced, not Bull and Varric. Even, if they attempted to pull the two men through from this time-line back into the past (which could very well unravel the entire space-time continuum), the second they arrived Bull and Varric’s time line would have already drastically diverged. The past year would dissolve, and with no reality to support their existence, so would Bull and Varric.‘You hadn’t got that far in your planning, had you Kadan?’ Bull said gently.‘You had?’‘Almost immediately.’‘You didn’t say anything?’‘I thought you knew. You’re the time mage.’‘I’m not leaving you and Varric in this hell world.’‘You’re not going to have a choice.’‘Deserting you is not a choice either. I can figure out—’Bull’s hand landed on Dorian’s knee.‘There’s nothing to figure out. It’ll be like tearing out the latest pages of a book, right? Me and Varric will just stop existing? I’m okay with that.’‘I’m sorry? How is that remotely ‘okay’?’‘There are worse ways to go. Just stop existing? Probably the most painless way of dying. Anyway, I’ve been hoping for all this to end for a long time now. At least I get to say goodbye to you. I didn’t think I’d get that much.’‘Shut up.’ Dorian’s voice was raspy and thick. ‘Stop it. We’re not having this discussion. We’ll find Leliana, then we’ll find Alexius and the amulet and… we’ll work things out from there. I’ve got time.’‘You really don’t.’‘I created time magic. If anyone has time, it’s me’Bull’s squeeze Dorian’s knee, a few degrees shy of painful.‘Dorian, I need you to understand me. I don’t want to live like this. Even if you could find a way to take me back to your time, I would refuse to go. It… this hurts too fucking much Kadan.’Dorian looked at Bull’s hand and saw the crimson shards peeking out between the folds of skin on Bull’s knuckles. He covered it with his own gloved hand. ‘I’m sure we can find a cure for red lyrium when we’re all back.’‘Yeah, just like you found a cure for the blight?’‘That’s not fair—’‘Sorry, sorry. But while the red lyrium sucks… it’s not what I’m talking about.’Dorian glanced up at Bull. Bull was always immense. A massive hulking presence. But he was never this… heavy. Every part of Bull seemed weighed down; shackled to the year he’d had to endure. Dorian squeezed Bull’s hand as tightly as Bull had squeezed his knee.‘I wish you’d tell me what happened to you.’Bull grimaced and shook his head. ‘No, you don’t.’‘Why not?’‘For the same reason you wear the gloves. I don’t want this world contaminating you.’‘You’re not a contaminant, Bull. You’re my Amatus.’Bull’s mouth pulled into a thin sad line upon hearing that endearment. His eye darted across Dorian’s features.‘I thought I’d never see that face again. You’re the most beautiful thing, Dorian.’Dorian smiles but his brow was still furrowed. ‘So are you.’‘Liar.’‘It’s true! Always have been.’ Dorian laid a hand on Bull’s cheek. ‘Now. When I first saw you back in Tevinter. My yesterday, your yesterday. Tomorrow. Always.’‘You’ve never talked to me like this before.’‘Didn’t want you getting a big head. I like to pretend I’m the pretty one in the relationship.’Bull lent a bit closer. ‘You know what I think? I think you’re telling me this because when you get sent back, this conversation will have never happened.’There words ‘This version of me will be gone too’ clung to the end of Bull’s sentence. But they remained unsaid.‘Well, maybe you’re doing exactly the same because you believe you won’t be here tomorrow to face the consequences.’‘Not gonna lie. It’s a bonus.’Dorian drew his hand away from bull’s face, He began to draw patterns over the back of Bull’s hand, choosing to watch his finger move over looking Bull in the eye. ‘I’ve just found you again Bull. I can’t abandon you twice.’‘You didn’t abandon me once. Anyway, when you go back the younger version of me will still be there, yeah? He’s not going to be too happy to share you with me.’‘Maybe he’ll have to learn how to play nice.’‘Not a chance.’‘Bull, please. Don’t resign yourself to being written out of existence just yet. I’ll work out something. Don’t I always?’Bull sighed. ‘Okay, compromise. If you can work out how to get us all back by the time we get the amulet, I’ll follow your lead.’‘Perfect. That’s all I ask.’‘But if you don’t, you and Adaar will just go straight back to when you left. No hanging around to rejigger time for Varric and me. Got it?’‘That’s hardly fair.’‘We can’t screw this up Kadan. Jill maybe a shit but she’s the only one who has a chance to go back close the breech before it fucks up the entire sky. And you are the only one who can get her back home. All that matters is what happens to you two. No one else. Not Leliana, Not Varric and definitely not me.’Dorian screwed his eyes shut. ‘I hate this bleak pragmatism you’ve developed, Bull.’‘You can hate it all you want. Just as long as you promise to leave once you’ve got the amulet. I get that you don’t want to leave me behind again, but I don’t want to see you get killed because of some pipe dream of saving me when I’m already too far gone.’Dorian sat silent. Bull leaned as close as he dared without touching Dorian.‘Promise me?’Dorian, without looking up, nodded.‘Thank you.’ Bull whispered.Dorian hated how grateful he sounded.They sat together for a few more minutes, the silence wavering between eerie and comfortable. Varric was the one to stand up.‘Alright. Let’s keep moving.’Dorian began to get to his feet but Bull was already up first, extending his hand. Dorian took it and rose. As he bent over to dust off his legs Dorian caught a glimpse of Jill looking in his direction. As soon as their gaze connected, she glanced down, suddenly fascinated by tying her boot. Dorian sighed. Jill had got to be the least subtle person he’d ever met. But maybe it wasn’t the worst thing she heard his conversation with Bull. Maybe she needed to realise how much he was willing to give up.‘So, do we have an idea of where Leliana is, or should we just pick a direction?’ Bull asked.The group looked at each other.‘Follow the screams?’ Varric asked.Jill shrugged, ‘It’s worked for us so far.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

There was little to no conversation as the group kept searching. They weren’t as fast as Jill wanted them to be. Varric and Bull never said a word of complaint. but every flight of stairs and every long hallway left them winded. They tried to hide it. They failed.

Both Bull and Varric, with their shared history of spy work, couldn’t keep their struggles unnoticed

. That was disconcerting.

But they were steady. Always moving, always careful, always silent. On occasion a lone Venatori guards had the misfortune to be in their way.

They never realised that they weren’t alone until the second before their neck snapped, or their jugular severed

. The party would, without a word, buddle the corpse behind a door or into a corner, and then move onto the next. And the next. They had at least disposed of a dozen Venatori with this method so far. It was frightening how easy they fell into this pattern.

In another life, Dorian thought, all four of them would have made for horrifying villains. If they weren’t plagued with such pesky issues like morals and scruples.

Suddenly

Varric stopped short, the rest of the group almost tripping over him.

‘I remember this place.’

‘You do?’ Jill asked.

‘Yeah…’ Varric licked his lips, but the bottom one still trembled

slightly

. His expression shifted between realisation and horror. ‘I wish I didn’t. They brought me down this hall when Sparkler and you “blew up”. They wanted me to… answer questions.’

Dorian felt his own stomach acid creeping up the back of his throat.

‘Then which way should we go? Should we head back down the other hall and turn—’

‘Nah, nah. You misunderstand. We’re going the right way. If this is where they questioned me, then—’

‘Shush!’ Bull put up a finger. ‘You’re right. It’s Red.’

Dorian’s head shot up and Jill’s ears perked, almost like a dog.

That’s when they heard.

‘How did Adaar know about the sacrifice at the temple? Answer!’

An unmistakable Orleasian accent replied.

‘Never.’

A smack rang out.

Jill darted in the direction of the slap, but this time Bull managed to snatch her sleeve and pull her back. They glared at each other their faces inches apart.

‘We do this smart. No one gets killed. Especially you, Boss. Got it?’

Jill gritted her teeth.

‘Fine.’ She tugged her sleeve out of his grip.

‘There’s no use to this defiance little bird.’ Leliana’s torturer jeered, as the team moved down the hall. Varric pointed at a specific door. They all nodded. Jill and Bull stood either side, Varric and Dorian against the back wall so they’d have enough room to blast. ‘There’s no one left for you to protect.’

‘You’re wasting your breath.’

Another slap. Dorian saw Jill flinch.

‘You will break.’

Dorian drew in a breath. In one hand he held his staff. With the other he lifted three fingers.

Three.

Leliana’s raspy voice echoed from the room.

‘I…’

Bull gripped his axe’s handle.

Two.

‘Will…’

Jill held her daggers blades down.

One.

‘Die…’

Varric cocked Bianca.

‘First.’

Dorian swept his staff over his head and slammed it down. A blast of air crashed against the door splintering the wood into shards.

Bull and Jill charged into the room, Varric and Dorian on their heels.

The torturer’s head whipped around to see his attackers, dagger falling from Leliana’s throat in shock

.

That shock was on Leliana’s face for an eye-blink too. She used to have a face that Dorian had only seen the likes of in stained glassed windows or oil paintings. Her face was sunken and haggard, mottled with scars and bruising. The spymaster had aged fifty years in one alone. She hung

limply

from the chains at her wrists, dangling from the roof like an ill-used marionette.

But then that worn face hardened into a sneer.

‘Or you will,’ she snarled to the Venatori.

Leliana’s legs shot up, her ankles locking together. Her hips wrapped around the interrogator’s neck like a vice. He struggled and gurgled in her grip before, with one sharp twist of her torso, the mans neck snapped. His body fell to the ground like an empty sack.

Bull, Jill, Dorian and Varric stood there gaping.

Leliana narrowed her eyes.

‘I’d like to get down now.’

Jill and Bull shot to either side of her. Bull lifted her torso, to take the weight off her wrists while Jill picked the shackles.

‘I’m sorry. I’ll get these off you. I’m sorry, we didn’t get here sooner. We didn’t know where you were. I’m sorry—‘

‘You think she’s sorry, Red?’ Bull asked. Leliana breathed out the barest hit of a laugh.

One hand clicked free, and Jill rushed over to unlock the other. Leliana scrutinised Jill

carefully

.

‘You’re alive?’ she whispered.

‘Yeah. I’ve been getting to surprise everyone with that fact today.’

Leliana’s face darkened and she turned to Bull.

‘She’s alive?’

‘Yeah. I forgot how annoying she was.’

The other hand clicked free, and Leliana’s weight

fully

landed against Bull’s side.

Her decerning eyes turned to Dorian.

‘And him?’

‘It’s definitely him.’

‘You sure?’ Dorian tried not to squirm under the spymaster’s gaze. ‘It’s not like last time?’

Dorian tilted his head.

‘What’s that supposed to mean? What happened last time?’

‘It’s him,’ Bull cut in. He steadied Leliana on her feet before

slowly

taking his hands away. ‘I checked.’

‘And your satisfied.’

‘I almost throttled him first.’

‘

Really

? Even in your condition you still had the strength?’

‘I was angry.’

Leliana shrugged. ‘Fair enough, all things considered. Anger is stronger than any pain.’

‘

I think

you

just

gave us a clear demonstration.’ Varric said, kicking the dead interrogator’s shoe. A key slipped out of his pocket and landed with a clatter on the stone floor. Varric

quickly

swiped it. ‘If I thought any of my readers were still alive, I would save that whole leg-neck-snapping move for a future book.’

‘Enough talk,’ Leliana barked, walking past them to a corner of the room. A quiver full of arrows and a bow depicting Andraste on fire star there. There was no question who they belonged to. Leliana’s captors must have placed them in her eyeline to taunt her. So close and yet out of reach.

‘I see you have your own weapons. Let’s go. The magester’s

probably

in his chambers.’

Dorian glanced to his other companions. There was a new tension in the room that he couldn’t place. Bull and Varric seemed quieter and tenser

merely

by Leliana's presence. Like she was a commander neither was willing to question.

‘You… aren’t curious how we got here?’ Dorian asked Leliana.

‘No.’

‘…Oh.’

Dorian scratched the back of his neck. The tension remained in the air, thick and cloying.

‘Alexius sent us into the future.’ Dorian knew he was babbling but he couldn’t help it. ‘His victory, his Elder One. It was never meant to be.’

Jill leapt in. It seemed she had noticed the dynamic shift too. ‘And it doesn’t have to be! If we can get the Amulet Alexius used to send us here, Dorian can send us back.’

‘And mages wonder why people fear them,’ Leliana muttered.

‘What?’

‘No one should ever have this much power.’

‘I’m sorry aren’t you… isn’t Warden Amell a mage?’ Jill asked. ‘I’m sure the Hero of Ferelden would love to know what you

really

think about them.’

Leliana’s glare sliced back to Jill like a rapier. Before Jill could be

verbally

eviscerated Dorian stepped forward.

‘You’re right. It’s dangerous and unpredictable. Before the breach nothing we did—’

‘We.’ Leliana spat. ‘As in you and Alexius. Don’t think I have forgotten your hand in all this, Pavus. The suffering that lies at your feet because you chose to toy with magic beyond your reach.’

As Leliana began to kit herself, she spoke. Her voice had sort of reverence one would expect from the Divine's left hand.

But she also managed to layer her words with the sort of venom one would expect from the world's most poisonous snake

.'

'"No matter their power, their triumphs, the mage-lords of Tevinter
were men, and doomed to die.

Then a voice whispered within their hearts,

shall

you surrender your power to time like the beasts of the fields

? You are the Lords of the earth! Go forth to claim the empty throne of Heaven and be gods. In secret they worked. Magic upon magic all their power and all their vanity they turned against the veil, until at last, it gave way.
Threnodies 8:2.
' Leliana sneered. 'Thousands of years and nothing has changed.'

Part of Dorian hurt at those words. But another part finally felt relief. At last someone recognised the truth and saw him for what he was. At last someone blamed him.

Bull moved forward, as though to say something, but Dorian held up his hand to stop him. He turned back to Leliana.

‘I understand. And I want to fix this. To get everything back how it should be.’

‘Enough!’ Leliana stormed over to Dorian standing inches from his face. ‘You understand nothing. This is all pretend to you. To you both.’ Leliana spared a derisive glance for Jill. ‘Some future you hope will never exist.’

Leliana pulled off her gloves. Her arms and wrists

were riddled

with bruises, burns, slashes. Infected sores had

been left

to fester. All her fingernails were gone. The sight would have been enough to make Dorian shudder if the smell hadn’t reached him first and done the job.

‘I suffered. The whole world suffered. Your loved ones suffered.’ Leliana nodded in Bull’s direction. ‘It was real.’

Dorian’s words ran dry. All he could do was nod

dumbly

. Leliana glanced over him, taking him in. She

apparently

found him unworthy of futher reproof. She turned and strode towards the corridor. Varric followed her without a word. Bull put a hand on Dorian’s shoulder and squeezed but he did the same.

As they all left Jill called after Leliana.

‘Wait? YOU knew about Dorian and Bull too?!’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

‘This place has fucking docks?’ Jill groaned.

‘You are aware that Redcliffe is a portside town, right Poppy?’ Varric asked. ‘Because we
visited
the port when we met the rebel mages. That only had to be a week ago to you.’

‘Yeah, I know! But we’ve been winding our way through this castle for hours! And now they have a port too? It’s a bit of overkill.’

‘C’mon Boss. Don’t you love the smell of sea-air while you’re carrying out demonic sacrifices.? Bull said, toeing the ash of what had been an unfortunate victim of the Venatori.

Two people had sacrificed themselves to evoke demons, and they had killed those demons with very little fanfair

. It disturbed Dorian a little how he was becoming blasé each new horror they encountered. He supposed that at least feeling disturbed meant he wasn’t passed the point of caring.

‘Docks don’t smell like the sea-air, Bull. Docks smell like fish and – Hey, I found a crate potions!’

As Varric and Bull crowded around Jill’s discovery, Dorian took the opportunity to sidle over Leliana

. He had only caught the vaguest glimpses of her at Haven. Back there she had come across as soft-spoken and perceptive. But Dorian had learnt a thing or two from his years with Bull. No spy remained a spy without

being built

like a sabre; sharp and deadly. He expected spymasters were no different. This Leliana was

probably

the same woman she had always been. But now she was

fully

unsheathed, all her deadly power on full display.

However

, Dorian was Tevene. If anyone knew how to navigate dangerous people, it was a Tevene.

‘Leliana,’ Dorian began. ‘What happened while we were away—’

‘Stop talking,' she snapped. She didn't even bother looking in his direction.

He held up his hands, ‘I’m

just

asking for information.’

‘No, you are talking to fill silence. Nothing happened that you want to hear.’

‘Alright, suppose the first half is true. What if I do want to—no scratch that. What if I need to know what took place. I can tell Bull and Varric are keeping something from me, but I suspect that’s to protect me from unwelcome truths.’

‘They are.’

‘Such as?’

‘Don’t ask me.’

‘Why not?’

‘I’ll tell you.’

‘Oh no. Please don’t threaten me by offering to fulfill my request.’

‘This is your final warning. I don’t care if you know or not. I care that you fix this. Nothing else matters. And if you’re too emotional to do your job, then you’re useless.’

‘Excuse me, are you daring to call me emotional!’ Dorian snapped. Leliana raised her eyebrows.

‘Yes.’

‘Dorian!’ Bull called from the crate and gestured for him to come over.

‘One second, Bull. You and I have made exchanged half a dozen words and you think you know—’

‘Dorian!’

Dorian huffed and gave Leliana one last glower before strolling over to Bull. Bull dropped two glass bottles into his hand.

‘One’s a healing potion, one is lyrium. I don’t remember which is which.’

Dorian took a swig from one and grimaced. He then took a swing from the other and grimaced in a completely different way.

‘The healing potion is the one that tastes like grass and methylated spirits. The lyrium potion tastes copper pieces in salt water.’

‘You have a refined palate. Drink up. Don’t know when we’re going to find more of this shit.’

‘Oh joy,’ Dorian said. He was about to turn around and try to annoy Leliana again when Bull grabbed his shoulder.

‘Leave Red alone.’

‘I’m only asking her—’

‘I know exactly what you’re asking her, Dorian.

Just

. Leave. It.’

‘If I were you, would you "

just

leave it."’

Bull paused. ‘That’s different.’

‘Ha!’

‘I’m Ben-Hassrath, I’m trained to find out secrets. It’s my job.’

‘Well,

maybe

I’m noisy on an amateur level. Your career can be my hobby.’

‘I’d regret it.’

‘Pardon?’

‘If our positions

were reversed

and I found out what you’re trying to find out, I’d regret it. Once I knew, I’d give anything to forget.’

Dorian fell silent. He didn’t like not having a rebuttal. It wasn’t something that happened to him often.

‘Varric’s told you to let it go,’ Bull went on. ‘Red’s told you to let it go. I’m telling you to let it go. Can’t you

just

leave it behind when you go back to last year?’

‘But then I’ll always wonder what’s done this to you.’ Dorian whispered. ‘I’ll

be scared

it’ll happen again.’

‘It won’t. I’d never let it.’

‘Can you promise that?’

Bull put both his hands on Dorian’s shoulders.

‘If I can’t, what was the point of all this?’

‘So does anyone know the way to the throne room from here?’ Jill cut in. ‘Or should we take one of these boats out into the open waters and start a new life as fishermen.’

‘Nope!’ Dorian called back. ‘No boats. I have terrible sea sickness.’

‘He’s not kidding.’ Varric laughed. ‘I’ve seen Sparkler turn nine shades of green on a three-hour ferry trip.’

‘It was
choppy
.’

‘The throne room
was
this way, but it seems like we have a problem,’ Leliana said from atop a flight of stairs. The rest of the crew followed her up only to find the doorway blocked by a partial landslide.

‘Hard to believe that a shit-load of red lyrium and demon attacks hasn’t been good for the castle’s infrastructure,’ Varric said

.

‘Would it be quicker to try and clear it away, or find a way to go around?’ Dorian asked.

‘Let’s not waist time choosing,’ Jill said. ‘Bull and

I will try

and clear the crap out of the way; you guys look for another passage up. Good plan?’

‘Sounds good,’ Bull said already grabbing a plank of cracked wood and yanking it out of the debris.

Dorian felt uneasy letting Bull out of his sight. But he’d already

been called

too emotional less than five minutes ago. He didn’t need to

be called

clingy. He put his gloved hand on Bull’s elbow.

‘We’ll be back in ten minutes,’

Bull gave him a grin and his version of a wink.

‘If we get attacked by demons, we’ll be sure to call you. Or, y’know, scream.’

It seemed Bull and Jill made an effective team, as long as their task was clearing a passageway in silence.

But it seemed like Jill couldn’t keep her mouth shut for more than two minutes.

‘If you need to take a break, let me know.’

‘What makes you think I need a break.’

‘It’s the little things. Sweating. Heavy breathing. The fact you’re encrusted with red lyrium.’

‘Oh, you notice that did you?’

‘I’m observant.’

‘You have a keen eye. I’ll make a Ben-Hassrath of you yet.’

Bull saw Jill’s hand tense on the rock she was holding. She took a deep breath and flung it aside.

‘Sorry, boss,’ said Bull. ‘I promise I didn’t mean to give you the shits that time.’

‘I know,’ Jill said. ‘You’re just naturally good at it, I guess.’

‘Well at least I’m still useful for something.’

Jill wiped her brow. Bull watched here swallow as though she was trying to stop the next words bubbling up her throat.

‘You know… You’re more important than how useful you are.’

Bull squinted at her. ‘Where the fuck did that come from?’

‘You are! We all are. I mean half the conversations we have make me want to stab myself in the eye—’

‘We could get matching eyepatches.’

‘—But one of the things that fucks me up the most is when you consider your worth

in terms of

what you can do for others.’

‘It’s good to help others!’

‘It is, but that’s not what I’m saying! You think Dorian cared about finding you because we could use you in a fight or to clean out hallways.’

‘Hey, I have been kicking ass all day, and this hallway is almost done. Even with the red Lyrium.’

‘But he didn’t want to find you wasn’t because you were useful. It was because he loves you!’

‘You think I don’t know that?’

‘

I think

you know that, but you don’t believe that.’

‘Wow. Look at Little Miss Koslun over here.’ Bull grunted.

Jill sighed.

‘Bull, you’re either going to believe it or not. But I thought that

maybe

you’d believe it more if it came from someone who can’t stand you. That way you know I’m not blowing smoke up your ass.’

Bull lent a hip against a boulder and gave it a shove. ‘Why do you care so much?’

Jill put her back against it and tried to push. ‘It’s not “so much”. I care

slightly

. It’s like when your friend has an annoying cough, and you give them a potion. Yeah, they feel better after drinking it, but also you don’t have to listen to them hack-up a lung.’

‘So, you find my self-image irritating.’

‘See? You get it now.’

‘And your shitty attempts at trying to change them have nothing to do with appeasing your own guilt.’

Jill gritted her teeth, still pushing against the boulder. ‘What guilt?’

‘Either the fact you were missing in action for a year, or the fact I’m going to disappear from existence when this is over.’

The boulder finally gave way. Jill slumped to the floor, looking up at Bull from under her brows.

‘I heard you and Dorian talking.’

‘I know. You’re observant. Not subtle.’

‘You think he can work out a way to undo this and not... undo you.’

‘I doubt it. If anyone can it’s Dorian and he’s done impossible things before.’ A hint of pride crept into Bull’s voice. ‘But no. I’m going to be gone by the end of the day. One way or another.’

‘If he’s as smart as you think he is, why is he trying to turn a blind eye to this?’‘He needs to pretend me staying is an option for now. For himself more than me. On some level he understands how everything is going to play out.’

‘He knows it, but he doesn’t believe it.’ Jill muttered before huffing out a laugh. ‘You know, when I first worked out you two were together, I couldn’t see you as a couple. Now it’s kind of obvious.’

‘You’re saying we’re

equally

deluded.’

‘Yep. It’s kind of romantic.’

‘We’ll considering you think the maker’s dead wife decided to give you a magic hand I’d be careful who’d you call delusional.’

Jill shot Bull a scowl but let his blasphemy slide.

‘But how can you be so… blasé about it, Bull? Not even dying

just

… never being this version of you. Isn’t that worse?’

Bull lent his shoulder against the wall and took a moment to breath. 'There isn’t a happy ending for me, Boss. No matter what I do. Getting mopey about it won’t change it. But there might be a happy ending for you and for Dorian, and for another version of me. You may not like the idea that I define myself by being useful. But that’s all I’ve got left to give. Don’t you define yourself by how useful you are to Andraste?’

‘That’s different.’

‘How?’

‘It’s… well… because I… look you’re not going to exist by the end of the day, what’s the point of explaining it to you?’

Bull laughed and began clearing the hallway again.

Jill stood up and began to follow his lead. Bull thought that they were back to working in silence when Jill proved him wrong.

‘Well, I’m sure Par Vollen will be happy to know that even after all this you’re happy to be a cog in the Qun machine. Every tool has a use and a purpose.’

‘Who gives a shit what Par Vollen thinks.’

Jill blinked and looked back at Bull. ‘Sorry did we just temporarily switch bodies or something? Because I’m sure I’m the “Fuck Par Vollen” person in our duo.’

‘We could start a club. Go to a tavern and share “Fuck Par Vollen” stories.’

Jill didn’t laugh.

‘Bull… what happened with Par Vollen.’

‘Nothing.’

‘It can’t be nothing. You’re talking like—’

‘Like what? A Tal-Vashoth?’

Jill stepped back half a step. Bull’s lyrium-red gaze didn’t waver.

‘Iron Bull. What did the Qunari do— And don’t say nothing!’

‘That’s

just

it, Boss. They did
nothing
!’ Bull began chucking rocks the size of skulls over his shoulder. ‘When Alexius killed you and Dorian, they did nothing. When the Orleasian Empress

was murdered

? Nothing. When country after country fell in the south to demonic armies Par Vollen did fuck all.

For all those years they went on and on about stopping the Vints, stopping corrupt magic, stopping demons—’ Bull gestured around him at the world in general

. ‘And when everything went to shit they were nowhere to

be found

. Which means Seheron was pointless. My re-education was pointless. Everything I did for them, everyone I lost—’ Bull’s voice failed him, for a second but he forced his throat clear. ‘But hey, least you won, right? The great Bull vs Jill debate. Congratulations! The Qun is bullshit. That should be music to your ears.’

Jill stood silent. Her head dipped, unable to look Bull in the eye.

‘I’m sorry.’

Bull huffed. ‘What? No gloating? No victory dance?’

‘I’m sorry I wasn’t here either. That I didn’t stop Alexius from doing this to you.’

Bull tilted his head. ‘You and Dorian been chatting? Because he said almost the exact same thing.’

‘Come on, Bull. Don’t tell me you weren’t angry at me. That I let you down.’

‘Nope.’

‘What?’

‘I thought you were dead, Boss. What? You think I blamed you for
exploding
?’

‘You didn’t think Andraste picked at shit herald.’

‘I
still
don’t think Andraste picked you.

Just

because the Qun is shit doesn’t mean I started singing the chant and wearing a wimple.’

‘Shame. It’d be a good look on you.’

‘Oh, you
know
I could pull it off. In another life I could be a fashion icon.’

Jill laughed. Bull bumped her shoulder with his.

‘I didn’t feel abandoned when you died, Boss. You were trying to stop Alexius when it happened.’

‘But I failed.’

‘Yeah, so? Didn’t mean you weren’t trying. Made me respect you more than anyone in Par Vollen.’

Jill crossed her arms. ‘Alright, but what about now? Since it turns out I’m not actually dead.’

‘Are we’re not trying to stop Alexius anymore? Have you decided to lie down in a corner and wait to die?’

‘Not yet. That’s more of a “plan b”.’

‘Then I still respect you more than Par Vollen.’

Jill nodded and gave Bull a tiny smile. ‘Alright then.’

‘But… that’s not saying a lot.

Just

so you know. The bar’s

really

low, Boss. It’s on the floor.’

‘You don’t have to go out of your way to undermine every nice moment we have, Bull.’

‘I mean, I get that we need you and everything, 'cause you have that fucked-up magic hand. But if one of the other guys were to get killed, I’d definitely feel worse about it, if I’m being a hundred percent honest.’

‘And I’m
so
grateful for that honesty.’

‘The list goes Dorian, Varric, Red and then riiight at the bottom is you.’

There was a clatter and a few thunks, and the last of the rocks that had been barring the path finally rolled away.

‘Well, that’s finally clear,’ Jill said, hands on hips. ‘Let go get all the people you like more than me.’

Bull grabbed Jill’s wrist. She turned to him.

‘What?’

‘This year wasn’t your fault.

So don’t go leaping head-first into danger and getting yourself killed, because you feel guilty, like with that chantry sister.’

Jill tried to pull back her wrist but Bull yanked it back harder, forcing her to focus on him.

‘Don’t argue, we both know I’m right,’ He went on. ‘Your martyrdom won’t fix anything, and it will ruin any hope of us of unfucking the world. And that
will
be your fault and I
will
blame you for it. You want to make things right again? Live long enough to stop Alexius and get back home.’

Jill’s mouth fell open. Then she clamped it shut, jaw tight. Then nodded.

‘Good,’ said Bull. ‘Now, let’s go get all the people I like more than you.’