Graphic Depictions of Violence and Major Trigger Warnings this chapter. Chapter summary available at the end if you want to skip on reading.

Sundermount towered high up into the sky over the Vimmark mountains. It's peaks were obscured by fluffy white clouds that rolled across the Free Marches' skies. The mountain pass was quiet as they approached the foot of the mountain, the incline sloping up. Lena tracked the path and up into the mountains. It was a long way up and likewise a long way down. She was sorely under dressed and under prepared for a hike up a mountain. Not that it mattered to Athenril.

Lena could see a jutting cliff, she assumed that was where the altar to Mythal was. Where one day Hawke and his or her merry band of companions would deliver an amulet and Mythal would be born again. Assuming she was killed by the Warden. If she would be killed. She corrected herself.

While the pass did not look like it did in game, it did not make her any less cautious. Bandits, highwaymen, heck even corrupt guardsmen could be lurking around any corner. While she had killed two people recently - the thought making a stabbing guilt rise up - she was by no means ready for combat. The leathers she wore fit her snug, the daggers she had bought were in place but short of a container of poultice and some potion bottles she had nothing else on her as she traveled. She had no water, no food, nothing.

After her little discussion with Samson, she'd meant to drag the templar out with her, but he was less than receptive to her idea of taking him to see Harlan. It wasn't like she had any way of bullying someone bigger and stronger than her and could take her down in a few seconds. She'd only gotten the drop on him because he had lowered his guard and the lyrium addiction slowed him. So she got Sebastian to help her.

Nothing quite like religious guilt and a firm punch in the face on her behalf from Sebastian to make a former templar and devout Andrastian to willingly give in and go with her. Or he would have. Athenril had been waiting. And she wasn't alone. She really hoped Nika was okay. Lena pulled the bandage tighter around her hand, where she had tried prying the knife Athenril had poised against the child. Children, no matter how much she hated them, did not deserve that kind of trauma.

"Athenril." Lena called. The elf said nothing but spurned them faster along the path. Lena could feel her heart racing as it was, her eyes swiveling around to see if she could make a run for it. "We don't have any water, or or food. How are we supposed to survive out here?"

The Coterie agent didn't even acknowledge her, but if Lena lagged behind too much Athenril would grip her shoulder and drag her along. It was as night approached that Lena began to worry. Her stomach rumbled, but she could ignore the hunger pains easy enough. She could not however ignore the cold and suspicion that rose. She tried to run, it did not end well when Athenril bore down on her. She was pushed, smacked and then her hands bound with rope and pulled along. Her feet tripping as she was dragged. Lena still had her daggers on her but they were sheathed and at her waist. She neither had the know how or stealth capability to grab them, much less the courage to try what with the elf looking back at her so often.

Cowed by Athenril, Lena could do nothing to really fight against the elf so she stopped fighting. For now. Looking back the way they came, she had hoped maybe someone would come for her before they arrived. Lena wasn't so lucky.

The cave was high up in the mountain where the air was thin. Athenril and her had stopped only once to gather water from a stream, at Lena's pleading because she'd been thirsty.

"Is this it?" Lena asked as Athenril didn't move but glared at the entrance. It was night, the darkness thick around them as the dual moons hid behind dark clouds that had begun to roll in. "Is this where the thief is?" She asked, keeping up the pretense. Because Lena was beginning to suspect that Athenril was the thief.

"According to Viktor, yes." Athenril crossed her arms whilst sneering. "Go." She undid the rope bindings and shoved Lena at the entrance.

What was the whole point of this? She knew Athenril was the thief. Why was she insisting on her going in the cave? Why couldn't they just admit her whole part in this and move on? The only reason she'd insist is if she was going to frame her for the theft and kill her. Lena gulped, paling from the reality of what was about to happen. She wasn't coming back from this little trip.

There was no fighting a seasoned warrior, even a rogue. Selena wasn't fast, she wasn't strong, tactful and smart yes but this was the wilderness. She had nothing. So she did the only thing she could do. Took a deep breath and walked into the cave, resigned to her fate.

What would she find? An ambush? A firing squad to kill her and then prop her body to make it seem like she's the thief? Would they have her with a bunch of coin? She smiled, bitter at the idea. Six months in debt and it would be after her death she'd have enough coin. Her eyes teared, bottom lip quivered, pre-emptively flinching at the possible pain but the cave was empty.

No it wasn't empty, it was filled. It had a burning fire, its smoke filtering up. There were crates and barrels along one side and a tent along with a few bedrolls. There was one wooden chest and table with barrels around it for seats. "What?" She turned around to look at Athenril who walked in after her, prowling at Lena and staring at her.

"Shh." She pursed her lips and held a finger up.

Lena's brows furrowed as she watched Athenril as silent as the dead duck into the tent. There was one shout, a kerfuffle of fighting before it was quiet again. The tent flap opened and out came Athenril with a man at dagger point. He had brown hair and was in only his trousers. His marred, scarred, and firm chest on display, arms bulging with muscles.

"Athenril!" The man spat as he stumbled, but kept himself off the dagger. "What are you-" He didn't get to finish as the elven coterie kicked him down, gripping his hands and tying them up with the rope she had used on Lena.

"Whos this?" Lena looked at Athenril.

"This is Brekker." Athenril growled, while holding the man down. "He's the thief."

"You bitch!" Brekker grunted, trying to use his feet to attack Athenril but she stepped away, around and punched his face. Lena flinched at the crunch of his nose, turning away as Athenril shoved him forward.

"Why-"

"He is the thief." Athenril stressed and glared. "Understand?" She spoke slowly as she forced Brekker to his knees.

"Oh I'm the thief?! We were in this toget-" Brekker didn't get to finish, but Athenril smacked him again and he spat blood.

"I don't-" Len began but Athenril pushed Brekker down onto the ground, face into the dirt. He squirmed as the elf pounced on top of him, holding a dagger to his throat.

"Harlan is set on you becoming his right hand." Athenril spelled it out, seething. Her eyes reflected the firelight as she pushed Brekker's face further into the dirt and stone.

Right hand?! With eyes wide, Lena gaped at the elf. "Wh-what?!" She took a step back. "I can't… I can't be his right hand!" The right hand of a crime boss?! She blanched, shaking her head.

Brekker began laughing, the chuckle deep and rumbling until Athenril growled, pulled him sharply by the hair up. His laughter grew louder. "Harlan wants - hahaha - He wants her." He cackled until Athenril's knee pressed into his back and he coughed.

"Shut up." Athenril sliced her dagger down his face, blood staining the metal. "You." Athenril addressed her. "You will do what you did to Viktor."

Lena backed up from Athenril, the sight of more violence prompted flashes of Baltier's body, spread in his home where he slept, in an alley in Darktown. His abdomen, arms, and legs shredded by a dulled knife to gain access to his fats, liver extracted from inside him. Images of Petrice, cut into pieces, the heat of her daggers and force Sebastian had applied to dismember and quarter her after she took what she wanted, the blood and viscera staining the carpet they had wrapped her in and did so again before dumping her remains into the sewers, where the rats would get to her.

She should feel bad - terrible. She should be plagued by guilt. She killed someone, murdered them in cold blood. Sure, Baltier was justifiable homicide as it had been in self defense but Petrice was another matter. No, not really. Lena could recall Sebastian's whimpering, the way he'd been hurt and forced by Petrice. It made her growl deep in her throat even remembering he had been suffering like that. Lena stumbled back, and fell. Shaken and sick, she heaved a great big breath and then stopped. She already had too much blood on her hands, she wouldn't - couldn't do this. Not again.

"No." She whispered. "I won't. You can't make me." Chest puffing up she turned and ran, the coward that she was. She had to get out of there. She exited the cave, out into the night and cold. She meant to gain her bearings but a hand gripped the scruff of her jacket. "NO!" She screeched, loud and fighting but the body that slammed her into the ground was feminine and tight.

"Let me make this clear to you." Athenril gruffed. "You don't have a choice. Either you did what you did to Viktor, or you don't walk out of here alive." She seethed. "I'll make sure of it."

"Why does it matter then?!" Lena squirmed, but the body pressed closer

"By the blood of the maker," Athenril cursed and stopped, getting off her. "This would be so much easier if you hadn't killed Viktor." She paced away from Lena and stalked around in a circle before stopping at the cliff, glaring down the mountain, her body stiffened.

"Is it because you're the thief?" Lena gaped as she sat up and Athenril glared. "Baltier was gaining on you? Found out about your little scheme? And you framed Samson, and I got stuck with the blame, fault, and debt. Your debt." All her pent up frustration, anger and hopelessness over the last six months rose, clawing its way to the surface. Everything she had suffered wouldn't have happened if it hadn't been for the elf before her. "I became a prostitute because of you!" She yelled. "I sold… I sold my maidenhead because of you." She snarked, bitter. "I...I wouldn't have killed if it wasn't for you." Lena's voice was a whisper, body shaking.

Athenril didn't answer but she never looked back either. Her whole body and gaze fixated on the mountain below, specifically a plume of smoke rising up. Her shoulders tensed. She was running out of time.

"Hey. You piece of shit!" Lena glared as the silence stretched. "Answer me!" She shouted, pulled her fire enchanted dagger out and stalked to her. "I said-" her arm raised to slash at Athenril.

The elf turned around and caught her hand. "Back. Inside."

"No!" Lena protested but Athenril used sheer forced to push her back, fingers and nails digging into her wrists until they were back into the cave. She was tossed alongside Brekker who had both his arms and legs tied. Athenril wrenched Lena's dagger out of her grasp and pulled on the one still in its sheath. "Hey!"

"This is how it's going to go. Lena, you will do what needs to be done to Brekker, and you get part of the pot." Athenril glowered at them both. "And you get to live."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do I have to-" Lena looked at Brekker who was gagged. His teeth gritted on the rope in his mouth, the glare intensifying as he looked between them.

"You think I'm the only thief?" Athenril laughed, sharp teeth glinting in the low light. "Viktor was in on it too."

"You...were all stealing? From Harlan, but why?" Lena couldn't understand. If the right hand and left hand both stole from the head, why would they continue working for him, much less let him live.

Brekker next to her scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"We don't exactly have a choice. No one - no one crosses Harlan, not without paying."

"So why steal from him in the first place?"

Athenril stared long at Lena, imperceptible emotions and frustrations flitting across her but she shook her head. "We all have our reasons for that. Viktor has -" Athenril sighed. "Had a kid. Brekker here just likes an extra bit of coin."

Lena recoiled. Baltier had a kid?! She felt like she should feel bad but all she could remember was what he almost did to her.

"So… we pin it on Brekker, and we get to leave alive with a hefty bit of coin." Athenril spoke evenly. "And we remain in Harlan's good graces."

Lena stared long and hard, then turned to Brekker who didn't even hide his hatred.

"Why can't you do it then?" Lena asked. "Why do I…" She didn't want to say it out loud.

"I-" Athenril looked away. "I don't have the stomach for it. But you clearly do."

Clearly, Athenril didn't see the vomit. Lena frowned. She couldn't believe she was considering this, but she'd already done it once, twice now. She wouldn't wish the guilt of the acts on anyone else. "I'm going to hell anyway…" Lena muttered under her breath. She was always the one who did what good girls would never ever do. "Alright, I'll do it."

"What do you need?"

What could she need? Slowly, she stood up, not once looking at Brekker as he growled and shouted through his gag. Both women ignored him. Lena looked around the cave. There were large pinkish boxes and pots lining one side of the cave, far from the sleeping area. She approached them.

"Those are filled with lyrium." Athenril warned.

Lena halted and turned her gaze elsewhere. Back home she'd had a morbid sense of curiosity in her teen years. It had been her I'm-so-edgy-and-goth stage, where she had spoken openly about different torture methods and ways people could extract information or just took pleasure in other's suffering. It didn't last long, but when she was older it certainly came into play in her role as a Madame, if only because her clients did want to feel some semblance of pain mixed with pleasure. She never wanted to inflict actual pain, she'd been on the receiving end of that when she'd been a submissive for one year. She learned early on she wasn't a submissive; she had to be in charge with a strong sense of control over the situation. Otherwise she'd- No. She pushed her memories aside.

She took stock of the cave again. There were daggers and knives in one box. In the chest there was a full plate of templar armor with a shield and sword. The table had forks,plates, and a cup. There was more rope, a lot of rope. Why would they need so much rope? There was a rotisserie for the campfire, she pulled it closer and slightly away from the fire.

"Do we need he - it alive?" She asked as she gathered the rope into a pile, the daggers on the table. All the while it watched and squirmed, but Athenril kept him still.

"We do still need information from him."

Stilling, Lena took a breath. "It." she said.

"It?" Athenril asked, the dwarf glared at her and Athenril grinned but nodded, her arms crossed. "It knows when the next shipment is. And it knows Baltier's contacts."

"Alright." Lena sighed. She couldn't kill it outright, she had to let it squeal like a pig. Or perhaps a rat. She looked up. "I need a rat. Or...a rodent. Something small with sharp claws."

"A rat? Why?"

"Well… if we can find one, it would be the quickest option." Lena explained as she pulled her jacket off. She didn't want to get more bloodstains on it. She could still see the browned stains Petrice had left on it. She wet her hands with water from the skin and slicked her hair back so it stayed out of her way. "Small animals panic in tight places, they will try digging to escape." Lena elaborated. She turned her gaze to it and pointed to his stomach. "It's stomach is fairly soft."

Athenril's lips parted a fraction, paling at the imagery of her words. Brekker stopped squirming as the reality of what was about to happen hit him. His complexion became ghostly and greened as his shoulders shook. He tried to squirm faster out of Athenril's grasp. The elf didn't react in time and he managed to get to one of the knives, all the while gritting through his gag.

Lena watched him as he grabbed the dagger and turned it on himself. It was her dagger.

"Stop him!" Athenril managed but she was shaken.

Brekker managed to cut his bonds loose but when no one stopped him he went for his ankles and Lena stepped to him, and tossed him onto his back. He hadn't been trying to keep her off him, instead he was trying for a quick death. She placed one foot over his throat and pressed, he stopped and welcomed the pressure, staring at her pleading for death.

"Do you know how many pounds of pressure it takes to crush a throat?" Lena muttered, sneering down at it. "No? Good." She stepped off him as Athenril got his arms tied again. "Hold it still." She stepped back and gave a wide grin at his legs. "For reference, it only takes seven pounds of pressure to crush a throat, but it only takes three for the knees." She gave one big stomp on his knee, the bone crunch and snapped and he screamed into his gag as the leg inverted incorrectly before attempting to snap back. Brekker's tears unsettled Lena and she stepped back. "On the table." She whispered, looking away as Athenril pulled the human up onto the table.

"We need his- it's information." Athenril reminded shakily.

"Ungag him." Lena's voice came out raspy, her shoulders shook and she thanked the powers that be that she hadn't eaten in so long. She'd be heaving everything up.

"Please, please. Athenril, kill me. Don't make her do this." Brekker pleaded.

Athenril didn't answer. "Do you need anything else?"

Lena gulped. "A lot of water and wood ashes."

"Why do you need ashes?"

"I need soap."

A barrell full of water with all the wood ashes Athenril could find from frequent trips here was propped up and draining. Athenril was in charge of straining the lye solution again and again through the wood ashes and rocks, while Lena boiled a pot of water on the campfire, the knives and daggers sitting inside it.

"Why are you boiling them?" Athenril asked.

"So he - it doesn't die of infection, who knows how long this may take. A few hours, a few days. Better to be safe than sorry." She shrugged and looked up, squinting. "I hope you have a plan on feeding me. My last meal was this morning, and I do need to eat." Lena muttered.

"What? You're not going to eat him?" She joked, but froze when Lena turned to look at her. A sickly look about her as she considered the possibility. "You're not going to eat him, right?"

"I'm not a cannibal." Lena shook her head. "Besides, human meat is tough on warriors." She explained and cracked a grim grin.

Athenril wasn't sure she should be relieved or terrified of the dwarf before her that she could make such a joke. Harlan frequently gave the threat of eating someone but Athenril had never had the unfortunate pleasure of witnessing it.

"She's as bad as Harlan." Brekker rasped. They'd had to gag him as he had screamed and complained the whole way and then some. His throat was more than raw. He lay across the table, arms and legs spread and tied to the table's legs, keeping him from moving. He could turn his head but that was about it. He was ignoring the pain in his knee. "You at Harlan's side. What a terrible pairing for Kirkwall."

Selena flinched.

"As if Darktown wasn't bad enough."

She glowered and grabbed a piece of cloth and plunged it in water until it was dripping

"Maker, save the sorry sods-" His voice halted as she held

Grabbed three pieces of wood and created a makeshift table. She draped the cloth over the wood so it would drip constantly on his forehead. Pulling away, she meant to walk back but stopped and grabbed one of the cups, filled it with water and reset the cloth so half of it was in the cup and the half dripped onto him. She gave a small grin as the water drip-drip-dripped.

"What are you doing?" He glared.

Lena turned away, not answering. She removed the pot from the campfire and set it aside so it would cool enough to reach in and grab the knives. "Athenril, let's step out for a moment."

The elf in question had watched all this with no questions but now she was curious. "He could get loose if we stay out too long."

"I redid the knots. I should teach you those knots. You can't get them loose without restricting blood flow and potentially damaging your extremities." Lena spoke with a pleasant smile and began out at a leisurely pace. Athenril unsure, followed her and looked back.

Brekker waited with bated breath until they were out.

Drip.

He wrenched his wrists, initially not believing the dwarva's words but as he twisted it did as she said it would.

Drip.

It was too tight too quick. He cringed, stopping all movement.

Drip-drip-drip.

He looked around, trying to see anything that he might be able to reach.

Drip-drip.

Even the construct she had made was too far from his arms to try and knock over. His shoulders useless.

Drip-drip-drip.

He tried moving his leg, but the pain had him grit his teeth.

Drip.

His breath quickened, water dripping onto his eyes. He shook his head to rid it but the water kept dripping.

"Hey. Hey!" He called out.

Drip.

"Athenril!"

Drip-drip-drip.

"ATHENRIL?!" He cried out. The water continued to drip-drip-drip.

Drip.

He cried again and again, wanting someone, anyone.

Drip.

No one answered him.

Lena sat crouched with her hands over her ears, singing. "75 bottles of beer on the wall, 75 bottles of beer, you take one down and pass it around. 74 bottles of beer on the wall. 74 bottles of beer on the wall, 74 bottles of beer. You take one down and pass it around. 73 bottles of beer-" She squinted, unsure of how much time has passed. She took her hands off, "Athenril how long has it-" She stopped altogether as she faced the elf who perched with her. The elf had also covered her ears to block out the screaming.

The night was silent. She listened carefully and heard faint sobbing. She tugged on Athenril's sleeve and headed back for the cave. She wasn't sure how long to leave it with the water dripping.

Quiet, she walked in, the piggly wiggly body shaking and great heaving sobs wracked his body.

"Please, please make it stop." He rasped. His lips bloody where he had torn at them, leg twisted and his hand turning a dark shade of purple where he had thrashed but only made his situation worse. Lena loosened the knots. His hand would not recover. She swallowed as she removed the cloth. Athenril came up behind her.

"Who is your contact?" Athenril asked, quietly.

"Let me go, please… please Athenril." He sobbed, eyes red and lip quivering. "Don't…. don't leave me with her." His eyes flicked to Lena but he wouldn't meet her gaze. Lena tilted her head, frowning but she walked away to the pot that was still warm, she grabbed the first knife.

Athenril tracked the dwarf as she moved, chilled by the methodical way she pulled each knife out and dried them, setting them on the clean cloth. Who was she?

"Just tell me who your contact is." She turned back to Brekker, rubbing his other wrist.

"I-... I can't." Brekker shook his head.

"This can all end, mercifully if you just tell me. You'll die with dignity." Athenril pressed. For a moment it looked like he was ready to say something. Athenril leant forward, ready to receive the information but he faltered. She needed him to give him so she grasped at the only thing she had left. "Don't you want your family to know you died a soldier's death?" She'd hoped that would tip him over, give her all the information but panic and fear filled his gaze, he shook his head.

"No… no. I can't. I won't. You can't make." He spat blood at her, angry. She recoiled and glared.

"Looks like we might need that rodent now." Lena spoke, her eyes blank as she came up. "You go find it while I try a more traditional method on it."

Athenril looked at the knives, worried for a moment. But it was either Brekker or herself. Harlan wasn't known to be kind when he learned of betrayers. "Don't leave." She threatened but the threat felt hollow when looking at the tame dwarva who hid a truly terrible beast behind those dark brown eyes.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Selena watched the elf walked out of the cave and turned to the table where Brekker's chest shook, hot tears rolling down his cheeks. She waited until the sound of the elf's feet were gone. "Now that we're alone. I'm pretty sure that hand is hurting you something awful, piglet. We'll fix it up right away."

She pulled the largest and sharpest sword off the table. Carpal bones were so small and fragile. With a tourniquet in place, she raised the sword. It took a few whacks, there was blood and curdling sounds. She had to pause and gag the piggy. Once done, she poured water over the bloody stump. He was pale and trembling. His eyes bloodshot and filled with tears.

She waited until he calmed before removing the gag. "Who is your contact?"

He never said. She pulled her fire enchantment dagger and pressed it against his stump. She gripped it tighter as it began to heat up, searing the flesh and cauterizing the wound. His scream rang in her ears. She pulled the knife off and then did it again and again until it was all sealed and then switched daggers, the cold soothing the burns. All the while she kept asking, "Who is your contact?" but he never budged.

She got tired, eyes weary. She took a break, gagging him and stepping away to sit at the campfire, staring at the fire. The crackling of burning wood lulled her into a light sleep. Lena was too scared to let herself truly fall asleep. For it wasn't Baltier or Petrice she was scared of meeting in her dreams now, but rather...herself.

She drifted in and out until the sound of wood scraping on stone snapped her awake. Groggy and exhausted Lena hefted herself up, watching Athenril drag the pots. "What are you-" She cleared her throat. "What are you doing?"

"I found a fennec fox." The elf responded and she pointed tiredly at the cage where a tiny bundle of a fox shivered in a corner. "Harlan is on his way here."

"What?!" Lena answered. "How do you know? And Why? It still hasn't given us the information yet. What do we do?" She turned toward it and he was pale skinned but breathing slowly, too slowly for her liking. She went to poke him and he stirred, groaning.

Athenril flinched. "I spotted their campfire last night. They'll be here in hours… if not minutes. Get the information. I need to drag this lyrium out. It might be the only thing that might save me - us." Athenril bumbled out as she hurriedly dragged the pots and boxes to the entrance, one at a time.

Lena watched Athenril and then looked at the fox in the wooden cage. It was cute, she hated what she was about to do to it. She really didn't want to, but Athenril would kill her if she didn't do it and if she didn't Harlan certainly would. She gulped and grabbed the pot she had used. Donning her leather gloves, she grabbed the fox by the scruff of it's neck. It squirmed and scratched at the leather. She placed it under the pot and on top of Brekker. The pot itself was heavy and didn't move.

"You… hey. You. You need to give me the information. Now." She smacked his face, waking him up. "The fox won't start trying to escape unless I apply heat. Tell me what I need to know." She pressed with urgency.

Brekker's gaze was hazy and then he raspily chuckled. " - to die."

She stilled as he chuckled more. "What?"

Brekker coughed and chuckled. "You're not leaving."

"What are you saying?"

"She's going to kill you."

"Athenril?"

His head nodded and he wheezed. "Kirkwall is her home. She'd never-" He wheezed and coughed. "-never let another monster in."

"I'm not…a monster."

"Aren't you?" Brekker continued laughing.

Growling, Lena grabbed an ember from the campfire with tongs and dropped it on top of the pot. The heat transferring. "Just tell me what I want to know."

"I can't." He coughed and frowned.

"Why the ever loving fuck not?"

"They'll kill them." He said, serious and grim. "They'll find out and they'll kill them. I can't." He winced and groaned. Lena could hear the frantic scratching of the fennec fox, though she couldn't see it. "I have to- ugh - I have to protect them."

"Who?"

"My family." Brekker bit his tongue, hard, blood exploding in his mouth. Lena removed the pot, the fennec fox took off from the table and scampered out of the cave.

Her breath came in harsh and she stumbled back. She couldn't. Turning around she faced the cave entrance to see Athenril there, with a torch and several of the boxes and pots of lyrium opened.

"Athenril, I… I couldn't." Lena sighed. "I'm sorry, there is only so far I can go I just… he won't speak."

"I know." Athenril sighed.

"Lets just kill him and head back to Kirkwall." Lena sighed. "He's halfway dead anyway, can we just go. I can't… I can't be here anymore."

"You're not going back." Athenril gulped. "I'm sorry Lena, he was right. I can't have two Harlans in Kirkwall. One is enough."

"Athenril?" Lena stepped but the elf dropped the torch into the pots of lyrium and took off as it sparked. Lena froze trying to remember exactly how explosive raw lyrium was but she didn't have much time to ponder.

It took four hours too long for Varric, Denier, Harlan and crew to reach the site of the explosion. There was blue smoke. Blue dusty smoke.

"Lyrium explosion!" Varric called out and the majority of them pulled out handkerchiefs and covered their mouths. Those that didn't hung back.

"Varric! There's a body!" Denier cried.

Please let it be Lena. Varric bustled forward into the dusty area. Harlan however darted past him toward what looked like a cave in, rocks and raw lyrium exposed and on fire. The closer Varric got to the body, the more his stomach sank. The body was too thin, too long and too elfish. He flipped her over.

"Athenril!" He growled. "Where is she?!" his voice raspy and hoarse with emotion. He pointed Bianca at her throat. She coughed, rousing and blinking. He shoved Bianca into her throat. He cocked the crossbow and asked again. "Where is she?"

"You better answer him knife ear, because once he's done. You've got your dear ole pop to answer to." Harlan appeared behind Varric, his wide toothy grin unpleasant and unsettling. It reminded Athenril of the very dwarf Varric was asking for.

"It was Brekker." She rasped. "He… he blew us up. I got out. I don't know where she is. She might… she might still be…" She trailed off and pointed toward the cave in. "All that lyrium…" She shook her head.

Varric hand's shook but he pulled Bianca back. He walked away from them, leaving Athenril's fate to Harlan. He didn't stop walking until he was clear of the lyrium smoke.

"Varric…" Denier caught up to him.

"She's gone." he shook his head. He sighed, holding the handkerchief to his face still. His shoulders rose and fell rapidly, sharp breaths coming in. "Lyrium. Raw lyrium, and the dust. She'd be stuck in there, exposed-" His breath became sharp. "She'd be addled by lyrium consumption." His shoulders shook as he took a heaving breath. "She'd never be the same."

"This isn't just about Lena is it?" Denier touched his friend's shoulder.

"It is… but."

"Your mother." Denier pulled Varric into a hug.

Didn't want to read due to the potential triggering material? Here's a summary of the chapter:

Lena and Athenril reach a cave at the top of Sundermount. Athenril is the thief, but as it turns out Viktor Baltier had been in on it as well along with their third member, Brekker. Lena is threatened by Athenril to find out who Brekker's contact was and the next lyrium shipment date or else she dies. It is either Brekker or Lena, Lena chooses herself. She adopts a persona, distances herself from Brekker's humanity and calls him a pig and it. She uses snaps one kneecap, uses rope torture combined with water torture for roughly 20 minutes and leaves him alone. His hand goes dark purple and he he goes slightly mad. He still won't give up. Lena cuts his damaged beyond repair hand off and then takes a break while she sends Athenril to find a rodent of some kind. She wakes to find Athenril stacking the lyrium at the entrance, saying she had spotted Harlan's campfire and they were on her way. Lena is pressed for time and uses rat torture. Brekker reveals he can't tell her because "they" would kill his family. Lena's humanity returns at that and stops. Just as she's about to leave, Athenril says she can't have "two Harlans" in Kirkwall and sets fire to the Lyrium, trapping Lena and Brekker in the cave.

Varric arrives just in time to see the blue lyrium dust and explosion. He mourns because if Lena had survived the explosion, she'd be consuming lyrium and thus die of lyrium consumption and become addled. He finally breaks down because it is like losing his mother all over again. Denier comforts and hugs his friend.

Ioialoha: Lol. I don't honestly know if she will but thus far she's not exactly in a good spot. So I'll find out if she survived when you find out. :D Thanks for the review!