Elanna had not gotten far in the Tavern when The Iron Bull caught sight of her. He waved to her with a mug of ale in hand, hailing the bar tender, "Cabot, get this woman a drink!" Across the table from Bull, Krem threw her a casual two-fingered salute with a slight smile on his lips.
"It's going on your tab, Bull!" the dwarf called as he turned to fill another mug with ale from the large keg behind the bar.
The tavern minstrel struck up a cheerful tune on her lute and several of the off-duty Inquisition soldiers tapped a fist to their chests in respect as Elanna passed by. She made a point of nodding and smiling at them. Both Varric and Bull had been right about the importance of seeming approachable to her men. Just because Varric was gone, she was not about to let that habit go.
By the time she pulled up a chair next to Krem, there was already a foaming mug of ale waiting for her at the table.
Bull raised his glass to her and said with a grin, "Good to see you, Boss."
"To what do we owe this honor, Inquisitor?" Krem asked with a playful lilt in his voice, raising his glass as well.
Elanna struggled with the weight of the large, overly full mug, but managed to get it off the table a few inches to return the gesture. As she dropped it on the table, foam and ale sloshed over the edges. She slid it closer to the edge of the table and bent over it to sip from the rim.
Bull laughed, "I forget you tiny elf-types have a hard time holding your liquor."
"Even in your hands," Krem joined him in laughing.
Elanna grinned sheepishly. "I have not the experience with taverns that the Chargers do," she laughed.
"Few do," Bull replied, winking his one good eye.
Both Elanna and Krem laughed.
"Maybe that is why I always seem to be able to find you here," Elanna replied, grinning. She paused, wondering for a moment how to breach the subject of her plans to Bull and Krem, but Bull saved her that trouble.
"So what's this I hear about you starting out on another long trip to close rifts?" Bull asked with nonchalance over his mug of ale.
"I was not aware that was generally known yet," Elanna replied.
Bull laughed and shrugged then downed the rest of his ale. As he slammed the mug back down onto the table with satisfaction, he replied, "Once a Ben-Hassrath, always a Ben-Hassrath."
"That's Chief for you," Krem chided, "Never one to stay uninformed."
"You really ought to keep decisions more secure if you want to avoid giving fodder for spies," Bull offered, waving to the bartender for more drinks. "I could give Red a few tips on that."
"Given her mood lately, she might even take you up on that," Elanna replied.
Bull let out a thoughtful grunt.
"Well, however you found out, that saves me explaining why I came to find you," Elanna chuckled. There was really no need to keep things hidden from The Iron Bull. He had never been a security threat even when working for the Ben-Hassrath, but now that his ties were cut, Elanna had even less to fear.
"See, what did I tell you, Krem?" Bull laughed then turned his attention back to Elanna, "What can we do for you, Boss?"
"I don't know the details of what you've heard, but—" Elanna started, but Iron Bull cut her off.
"You'll be leaving soon with a small contingent of Inquisition forces to close all known Fade rifts, and probably will not return for at least a year," Bull finished for her. "It's amazing how fast things get around the Inquisition servants."
"It's amazing how fast you get around the Inquisition servants," Krem rolled his eyes.
Iron Bull laughed loudly.
"Well, that is the basics of it," Elanna started again, somewhat uncomfortably.
"Oh, don't worry Boss," Bull reassured her, "I've only been talking about it with Krem here."
"And I haven't told a soul," Krem added, "On my honor."
Elanna relaxed visibly. Leliana did hate secrets getting out without her hand guiding them. She thoughtfully took a sip of her drink. The bitterness of ale favored by humans and much of the rest of Thedas was something she still was not fully accustomed to. "Not that it needs that much security," she began, "I wanted to talk to you about your involvement in this trip."
"And?" Bull asked, uncharacteristically attentive.
"I haven't decided yet," Elanna replied. "I value your help in the field, Bull. You've got more experience than almost anyone else here dealing with demons and Fade rifts."
"Demons and Fade rifts," he snorted, "As-eb vashe-qalab…" he broke off into angry muttering, then boldly interrupted himself, "Yes I do, Boss. I'm one of your best. You'll need me out there."
"But, we're traveling very light, with only a small contingent of troops," Elanna explained, "Enough Inquisition soldiers will be clamoring for escort and scout duty on this one that we can't justify adding the full Chargers to the regular roster, and I don't want to take you away from your company for over a full year."
"I appreciate it, Boss," Bull said, nodding slowly. His usual joviality was gone. "I've been talking to your Commander about jobs lately, and it sounds like there is still a lot of cleanup for my boys to do in Southern Thedas."
Elanna's shoulders slumped in disappointment. She had wanted to have Bull's reassuring presence with her in the field, however reluctant she was to separate him from the Chargers.
"Which is why I'm going to leave the Chargers in Krem's capable command while I am gone," Bull continued.
Krem looked as shocked as Elanna felt. His eyes grew wide as he gaped at Iron Bull, nearly dropping his mug. Elanna never expected him to voluntarily leave his mercenary company behind for that long. "Chief, are you sure?" Krem stammered.
"Sure I am," Bull replied firmly, "The Inquisitor needs me out there, and the Inquisition needs the Chargers elsewhere. The boys respect you as much as they respect me. You just need a good hard-ass second to keep some of them in line. I think Skinner could do the job. And I expect regular reports sent to the field with whatever Red and Cullen send out to us." His thorough explanations made Elanna suspect that this was something he had already thought through an decided, long before she walked into the tavern.
"I won't let you down, Chief," Krem responded, with more confidence this time.
"Bull, you don't have to…" Elanna started hesitantly.
"No, I don't have to," he replied stubbornly, "But this world needs you to stay alive and keep closing rifts, and you need all your best assets on the field with you to keep you safe. Never can get too confident when fighting demons. That'll kill you."
"Thank you, Iron Bull," Elanna replied, still somewhat in awe.
"Besides, where else in the Inquisition are you going to find someone built like this?" Iron Bull shifted easily back into joking, flexing his biceps over the table.
Elanna and Krem laughed.
"Really, thank you Bull," Elanna repeated, "I'll feel a lot safer with you out there."
"That's the idea, Boss," he replied with a smile, "That's my job." He shifted his attention to Krem, "Now you and I need to have a good talk about all this before we break it to the boys."
"Right," Krem agreed, "We don't want any of them thinking you abandoned us."
"Exactly," Bull nodded, "Or that things will be any less fun with you in charge."
Krem laughed, "Yours is going to be a hard act to follow. My jokes aren't nearly as bad as yours."
Elanna smiled and relaxed back into her seat. Although others of her closest friends had left, it was a relief to have many good people still in the Inquisition.