Chapter Two
Varric paused in the doorway, listening to the conversation as it grew louder.
"I mean seriously Bull, how was that even a choice to you, would you really have let the chargers die? They are your people!" Bull snarled, "Don't you think I know that? You think I've spent the last few years of my life with these men and don't care about them? But the Qunari are my people too, or were at least." The Inquisitor looked disgusted and walked away, almost bumping into Varric as she left the room.
Iron Bull plopped down in a chair, looking defeated. It was not a good look for him, Varric thought. "Hey, need a drink?" he offered as he motioned to the bartender. Iron Bull looked up and nodded silently.
"Don't be too offended Bull, like you said, she doesn't understand." Iron Bull scoffed, "She treats me as though I'm a monster for thinking about it. It wasn't an obvious answer, not for me."
Varric ordered them each a pint and sighed, "For her it would have been." Iron Bull looked annoyed, "No, here let me explain," said Varric. "Inquisitor Lavellan was a first in her clan, set up to be the next keeper."
Iron Bull nodded, "Yeah I know." "Then you know her whole life revolves around keeping her people safe. Her clan is her family, and her role within that family has been defined since she was a child. I guess in that way you have something in common."
Iron Bull scoffed but Varric continued anyway, "In her mind, your people come first, no matter what. Elves look after each other like that, it's how they've survived." He took a moment to thank the waitress and take a sip of ale. "I know it wasn't an easy decision, heck, I get why it was a decision at all.
Iron Bull sighed, "I haven't been around other Qunari in a long time, haven't had to deal with all the shit that comes with it sure but, the Qun it's...it's home. No matter how far I run or how many good men I work with, Qunari are my people. And I caused the death of two dreadnaughts worth of them and became Tal Vashoth all in one go." Iron Bull took a sip, well more like a gulp and Varric and he sat in companionable silence for a time.
"I ever tell you about the time the carta drank darkspawn blood and got used by Corypheus to try to kill Hawke?" Iron Bull nodded and looked at Varric with a look of shock. "Yeah, had to go and stop it, which in the end required killing a lot of Carta members. Dwarves, and ones that I had known a long time. I had drank with them and bought from them and in an instant I had to kill several of them."
"Man that… sucks." Varric took another sip and continued, "Yes, it did. But they were trying to kill Hawke and her and her company were my friends, hell more than friends, they were my family. And other dwarves, sure we belong to the same race and I'll always have a fondness for them, but they aren't my family, not really, not the ones I chose anyway."
Iron Bull's face softened, clearly seeing where this was going, "And Hawke was." Varric nodded, "After what we've been through together Hawke is more family to me then my own parents. Dwarves die every day all over the world, and it's sad, shit it's sad any time anyone dies, but they make their choices and I've made mine and at the end of the day I'm happy with the path I've chosen...with the family I've chosen. And if I could go back and do it all again I'd choose Hawke again, every time."
Iron Bull thought on that for a moment and then finished off his beer. Varric smiled, "Shit, I hate when the conversation gets this serious. What I'm trying to say is if you need to talk, I'm here. No judging, I'll just listen if that's what you want, however I do retain the rights to create a dramatized version of whatever you tell me in my next book, "Magisters and Mercenaries."
Iron Bull laughed, "I think Dorian might take offense to that." Varric smiled, "I think he'll come around." Iron bull stood, "Thanks Varric, I needed that, now if you'll excuse me I need to go beat the shit out of something." Varric chuckled and watched him go, finishing off the last of his beer and pulling out a quill, this would make an excellent prologue.