Chapter 25: Aftermath of the Inquisition - Part 2

Obsinion was more than happy once they were on their way back. The week of celebration at Val Royeaux had left him with not only a headache, but a bad itch across his shoulders and chest. Whatever that suit was made of that he wore two days ago, he was allergic to it.
"Don't scratch." scolded Cassandra as Obsinion raked his nails across the reddened flesh.
"Cassandra, it itches." he whined back, even as she took his wrists so he couldn't scratch. He knew he was sounding like a child, but the itch was so bad he'd scratched his flesh raw in several places.
"Here." A small hand that Obsinion recognized right away as Faize's, rubbed a cool mixture over the raw, inflamed flesh. As he did, he sang a short Dalish poem that made Obsinion smile.
"What was that?" asked Cassandra, letting Obsinion's wrists go when Faize finished.
"It's a salve." Faize replied. "It should help speed his healing, and it'll help take away the itch." He looked at Obsinion as he said the next part, "And Halla-fur shirt for you." He placed the garment in his brother's arms and left the room to help where he could with getting the wagons ready.
Obsinion carefully ran his hand over the soft fur cloth of the shirt. Looking up, he noticed Cassandra had walked away to feed one of the twins. With a sigh, he put the shirt over, relaxing a bit at the familiar touch of the soft fur against his inflamed skin. It would be nice to get back out on the road.
That thought crashed when he spotted Iron Bull and Krem rounding up the last of the Chargers. The group of mercenaries had been drinking, and now would be of little use as guards for at least part of the trip back.
"Sorry, Chief. I tried to keep them out of the hard stuff." Krem apologized.
"It ain't you I'm mad at." said the Qunari as he tossed the last two into the back of a wagon. "It's Dalish and Stitches. Without a healer or an 'archer', we're pretty much blind out there." He looked at Faize and added, "You don't count."
Faize frowned. "Why not?"
"Your range of sight's been varying since you've gotten . . . bigger." said Krem. "Nothing against you, you can still hit the targets. It's just that they have to be closer."
Faize nodded and climbed into the second wagon, settling onto the floor as Iron Bull climbed in with him and Krem took the reigns.
And so they headed back to Skyhold. The trip was quiet-ish, for the most part, until the drunken Chargers would break out into a slurred version of singing that sounded like a group of half-dead Wyverns and Dragonlings trying to carry a tune. It was awful, and prompted Krem to put the cover over the wagon to muffle the noise.
"They seem . . . lively." said Cassandra. She smiled as Felden grabbed her finger.
Obsinion sighed, laughing lightly as Adria started chewing on her sleeve, rather fascinated with the flavor of cotton.
Suddenly, the warning horn went off. Something was coming at the caravan, and it looked hostile.
Quickly, Cassandra slipped into the hidden compartment under the wagon seat, taking both children with her before Obsinion closed it and covered it over again. The Elf armed himself with his old sword and shield, checking outside to see what was coming.
A band of raiders, their faces covered so you couldn't see who they were, came riding up alongside the caravan, screaming and shouting. One raised a torch and set the wagon Faize and Iron Bull were on ablaze.
Krem leapt off the wagon, cutting the horses loose and turning to face the bandits. The Chargers, even though they were sloshed out of their skulls when they'd left Val Royeaux, put up a decent fight, letting Obsinion's carriage get away, but only theirs.
Suddenly, the raiders scattered, leaving several wounded Chargers and an unconscious Iron Bull, his head bloodied.

Obsinion let Cassandra out of the hidden compartment as the carriage clattered into a town a days ride away from Skyhold. "Darling?"
"Obsinion. Is everything alright?"
"I'm not sure. The wagon behind us caught fire, and the Chargers were trying to fight last I saw." He helped Cassandra out, taking Felden and Adria and holding them close. "I hope they make it soon."
"I do, too." said Cassandra, taking the crying Adria back. "What do we do now?"
"This was supposed to be our stop. It was a scheduled one, too, so if those raiders were able to figure out our travel path, they'll know we stopped here." Obsinion replied.
"Then we should keep going." Cassandra replied. "We can't be here if they might have followed us."
Obsinion nodded. "Let's continue, then." He looked to the driver of the carriage, who started the horses again, continuing on to Skyhold.

"Oh, my head."
"Stay put, Chief." said Krem. "You took a bad knock to the noggin."
"O-o-oh. Why's everything moving?"
"Cause we're on the move." Krem replied. "We lost two men, and nearly every other Charger is wounded bad enough we won't be able to put up a fight if we're attacked again."
"Who'd we loose?" Iron Bull asked.
"They killed one of the throat-cutters, and we've lost Faize." Krem replied. "And don't go getting up. Your head wasn't the only thing hit."
There was something akin to a pained whimper of an "I noticed" behind him, and Krem turned slightly to see Iron Bull nurturing his unfortunately bruising package.
There was silence for a while as the sole surviving wagon continued along.
"So, did anyone get a good look at them?" Iron Bull asked.
"They were a mixed bunch. A few Qunari, some speedy Elves, there was a Dwarf or two from what I saw." Krem replied. "Mixed colors, too. The standard had a symbol from the Qun, the Dales, Orsimar, and the Inquisition."
Iron Bull frowned. "They seemed too organized to be just any bunch of raiders." he said. "They knew exactly where to hit me to knock me out, but not kill me."
"Yeah, and as soon as they had Faize, they took off." Krem added. "He was their target to start with."
"Why him, though?" Iron Bull asked. "I mean, if they wanted someone of political importance, they'd have gone after Obsinion or his family."
"Indirectly, they did." said Stitches as he finished patching up another Charger. "Faize is well known to be Obsinion's younger twin brother."
Iron Bull sighed. "So, the question is where they went, and how we're getting Faize back."

"They did what?!" Obsinion shouted as the last wagon reached Skyhold and he was brought up to speed. "Where is he now?"
"We don't know." said Krem. "I'm sorry, Boss."
Obsinion let out a frustrated and defeated sigh. "Why him? Why Faize?"
There was a soft tap sound, just barely audible, and a black-clothed figure walked over. The face was covered so they could only see the eyes, but from the slender build, they could guess accurately that this was an Elf.
"Who are you?" asked Obsinion.
The Elf only handed Obsinion a scroll, then leaned on the wall near the exit to Skyhold.
"That's the collection of symbols the raider's wore." said Krem.
Iron Bull remained sitting where he was, stewing and thinking.
Obsinion carefully opened the scroll, sighing when he saw the contents.
"What?" asked Iron Bull.
"It's the demands for Faize's release." Obsinion replied, handing the scroll to the Qunari. "I don't know what to do."
The Iron Bull took a look, his frown deepening and his anger really showing now. He looked back at Obsinion. "Your Inquisition is not up for bargain." he said as he stood and stalked over to the Elf. "Where is he?" he demanded, grabbing the other by the shirt.
The Elf remained quiet, but the hood fell off when the Qunari gave the other a good shake, enough to rattle teeth and bones, but not kill the little bastard. For that what it was, was a male Elf, and one Obsinion knew quite well.
The Elder's son from Clan Lavellan.
"YOU!" Obsinion shouted. He turned on his heel, stalking away and getting the Elder of Clan Lavellan. "I protected you, when you needed protection. I fought for you, when you needed warriors. I sheltered you when the Clan was attacked. And your bastard son just stole my brother, so tell me why I shouldn't throw the rest of the clan out? It's not like you ever protected us."
"He's an abomination." said the Elder. "A creature like him has no right to call himself a Dalish Elf, or a servant of Mythal."
Obsinion pinned the other Elf to the wall. "That's not your choice, old man." he growled. "My brother made these choices for the one he loves, not for Clan Lavellan." He was breathing heavily. "Now, where is my brother?"

Faize remained kneeling on the patch of dirt, trying not to show any fear. Someone struck him, punched his face and knocked him to the ground again. Sitting up again, Faize wiped the blood from his lip and wrapped his arms around his belly. It was all he could do to try and protect the small life inside him.
A week had passed since his capture. He never saw anyone's faces, but he had an idea who these were. A few of the Qunari had said Adaar, meaning they knew Lotus, but she wasn't among them. He also had a good idea the Elves around him were from Clan Lavellan, just by the jeers and snarky remarks. The Dwarves were obviously outcasts from Orsimar or wherever they came from, they still smelled of the earth. The few Humans called him by name, or called him Iron Bull's bitch. They were people who had left the Inquisition.
Another punch landed across his face, and Faize lay sprawled across the ground. He was dazed, but managed to struggle into a curled position to try and protect his belly. Someone kicked him in the back, and then he was pulled off to the side and a rope tied to the collar he had been forced to wear.
"Here, food." said one of the raiders.
Faize accepted the meal handed to him, eating everything he'd been given and gnawing on the bone afterwards to try and get a few pieces of food out of his teeth. He looked out the high crack in the ceiling, noticing the sun was setting. He'd be able to sleep tonight, hopefully, and then, the beatings would start again the next morning.
He knew what they wanted. They wanted his baby to die, because he was a male. He had slept with a Qunari. It wasn't a pure child, just like Obsinion's children, but those were acceptable because Obsinion had made Elves seem like something other than slave work.
Hugging his knees, Faize tried to get a few hours of sleep, before the terrors would come and leave him awake the remainder of the night.

The Elder's son gagged as he was lifted from the water trough. "So, going to answer now?" asked Iron Bull. He was angry. It was now over two weeks, and they had yet to find out where his beloved Faize had been taken. The Elder had nearly died during his interrogation, once it had been found out that all of Clan Lavellan had been behind the capture of Faize.
"Never." the bastard sneered.
Lotus tilted her staff towards the kid. "Tell us, or so help me, the water's going to be the least of your concerns."
"Like you could do anything, ox-bitch."
Iron Bull let go of the Elf, and Lotus poked him with her staff, letting a light current of electricity run through his body. When she pulled her staff back, there was steam and some smoke coming from the Elf.
"You're just like the Humans. In the end, what has the Inquisition done except close the hole in the sky?" the Elf asked, spitting a gob of blood onto the floor. "That little shit's probably already dead, anyway."
Obsinion stepped in just then. "What did you say?"
"I said the little cock-sucker's ox-brat is probably dead, and he's sobbing away that the darkspawn in his belly is now rotting inside him, killing him slowly." said the Elf. He sneered as Iron Bull grabbed him and dunked him back under the water. He wasn't sneering anymore when the Qunari pulled him back up about two minutes later, but was rather gasping and choking out water.
Obsinion stood there, turning a dagger over in his hands. "You know, I really didn't want to have to ask him, since he can find so many little dirty secrets. But you know, your father really doesn't know where you assholes took Faize. So now, I'm going to ask him to pick through your little mind, and fling all your dirty little thoughts out into the open." He turned as Cole stepped into the room.
"What's this scrawny waif going to do?" the Elf snapped.
"Hair, softer than any I've touched. Skin paler, too. Too bad it's a boy, might try training him anyway. Jealousy, he's a better shot. I'm supposed to be the best, me! Anger, I pin him down. Pain, he bit me. I force him to do as I say, make him obedient." Cole looked at Obsinion. "Did I find it yet?"
"No, but I don't think he's happy about his opinions of my brother being let out in the open. Keep going, Cole. Either he'll get embarrassed and tell us, or you'll find it."
Cole looked back at the Elf. "There, the one I would train. How dare he escape and become more important. Following his brother like a puppy. Wait, there is another he clings to. Why can't he just come back, do what I want him to do? I want him, I NEED him to be obedient. I must be the important one."
Iron Bull frowned. This was the bastard that made Faize get the night terrors, that trained him in seduction and the ways of sex? He hated the guy even more, now.
"Deep, forested area. Lots of green, flowers. A cavern area, where precious metals and stones are found. Seal the collar on his neck, he can't escape. Beat until he bleeds, make it die." Cole suddenly held his head. "Make it die, so I can have my pet again." He looked at the Elf, frowning. "He want's to make your brother a slave, to sell to Tevinter."
"Can you locate where he is?" Obsinion asked.
"Tall, green trees. Flowers. Names for each tree." Cole said.
"That sounds like where we were that one mission." said Iron Bull. "Can I dunk him again, Boss? He's making the ugly-Elf face."
"Go ahead, and then put him in the cell. We need to go get Faize back."

"He's a resilient one."
"He keeps trying to shield it."
"Wouldn't blame him. I mean, we are beating on him."
"Boss's orders."
"Boss hasn't been back since we got the little shite."
Faize gasped, hands around his swollen belly. It had been almost a month, and they were still trying to kill the child. It had gone from just hitting him to using small rune-stones to burn him, electrocute him, or even freeze him in addition to the hits. He whimpered, trying to calm his wiggling child.
"Why kill the child, though?"
"I dunno. The Boss wants it dead."
"But . . ."
"No buts. Just hit him."
Faize flinched as he was struck across the head, knocking him to the floor again. He held his stomach, trying to defend the five and a half-month child inside.
There was a sound from outside, and the tormentors turned as a huge figure stepped into the cavern.
"Who's there?" asked one of the Humans.
"The Iron Bull." came the angry reply. There was the sound of metal traveling through the air, and the war-hammer he was carrying collided with one of the Dwarves. "Now then, are you going to move, or do I have to move you?"
The group parted, not wanting to get beaten by the infamous Iron Bull of the Ben-Hassrath. They soon found themselves arrested and being led back to Skyhold in chains.
Faize only whimpered as Iron Bull picked him up and carried him out of the cave. He flinched in the sunlight, taking several minutes to be able to adjust to the brightness. By that time, he been placed on a cot in a wagon. He was still curled around his belly, and it took Iron Bull a while to get him to let go.
Stitches shook his head as he checked over the burns, whether from fire, electricity, or ice.
"Bull." Faize whispered.
"I'm here, Faize. I'm here."
Faize held the large hand that touched his face, tears running. "I'm sorry."
"What's there to be sorry about?" Stitches asked as he felt over the belly.
Faize yelped in pain, twisting and gasping. When he settled, it was only because he'd fainted.
"That's all of them." said Obsinion. He saw Faize's tear-stained face and sighed. "Is he going to be alright?"
"Several burns of different kinds all across his body, cuts from switches, bruises." said Stitches. "The baby keeps moving, but I wouldn't let him move much."
"Why's that?" asked Iron Bull.
"He's bleeding. If it goes on for too long, I'm going to have to do some dangerous work. It might kill him, the baby, or both, but we'll keep an eye on him first."
"What kind of dangerous work are you talking about?" asked Obsinion.
"Cutting the baby out." Stitches replied. "It's a last resort, and in his condition right now, one he would most likely die from."

Faize woke to the rocking of the wagon as it moved along, back towards Skyhold. "Bull?" he called out, coughing afterwards.
"Shh." Iron Bull soothed. "Drink this. Stitches says it'll help you feel better."
The Elf drank, crawling into the lap of his lover and wrapping his arms around the other. He needed to be held, to be close and assured that this wasn't just a dream. He kissed Iron Bull several times, over and over, and kept crying for some reason.
"What's wrong?"
"I just need to know it's really you." he said. "I was so scared." He spotted something walking outside the wagon. "Is that a wolf?" he asked.
"Yeah, it's been following us since we left Skyhold." said Obsinion. He gently rubbed his brother's back, just like he used to. "I think it's Fen'Harel, or a messenger from him."
"The Elfhen used to walk alongside wolves." said Faize, now snuggling Iron Bull's cheek so he could feel the stubbly beard. "So he could just be following because of that."
"True." Obsinion sighed. "Still, the number of people, not just Elves, but Qunari and Humans, that the Elder's Son had in chains being turned into slaves was crazy."
Faize settled into Iron Bull's lap, snuggling his head into the side of the Qunari's neck and drifting back to sleep.
"He seems to be sleeping a lot."
"Well, as long as the bleeding doesn't start up again, he should be fine. He showed signs of fatigue when he was rescued, so the extra sleep should be alright." said Stitches.

Obsinion sent each species of raider to their own kind to face their sentencing. Most were just bandits that had thought they were joining something with more meaning and were given community service to make amends. The Elder and his Son, however, were judged under the Inquisition, and cast out of all Dalish society to live as exiles in the Western Approach.
Most of the slaves had nowhere to go, nowhere to call home. A few were in severe debt. Josephine and Lotus set to work, and soon most were employed outside of Skyhold to be able to pay those debts, while a few remained in Skyhold as assistant cooks, cleaners, or scribes.
The seasons turned, and the winter winds came, though it wasn't all that different at Skyhold. It was getting close to the next turn of seasons, and the time that Faize would birth, when Obsinion and Iron Bull found the young Elf fiddling with something.
"What are you up to?" asked Obsinion.
"Just under you." Faize replied with a smile. "Actually, I was . . ." He sighed. "My Halla died."
"I'm sorry." said Obsinion.
"She was an older Halla, I kinda expected it." Faize said, wiping a tear away. "I asked for her pelt."
"Why?" asked Iron Bull.
"For the baby." Faize replied. "I . . . I remember the touch of Halla fur, but not much else."
"A soft voice, singing. A lullaby. Stay warm, she says. A gentle kiss." Cole walked over. "Sorry."
"No, it's ok. Things like that help me remember my Mom, and it's good to know I remember those little things."
"Good." said Cole. He suddenly looked a little troubled.
"What? Something with the baby?" Faize asked.
"It wants to know why you just squeezed it." Cole stated.
Faize put a hand on his stomach. "I've been feeling these things every so often. I guess, it's time."
"Oh." Cole said. "I'll wait near here, if that's alright."
Faize nodded, and he and Iron Bull made their way to their room.
"So, um . . ."
"Stitches." Faize said softly. "I know you trust him more than the Elf healer." He gave a huff as he sat on the bed.
Iron Bull opened one of the doors, which actually opened into the attic of the tavern, and shouted "Stitches, off your ass!" The healer was up there relatively quick.
"It's happening?" he asked.
Faize nodded, tears starting to run. "Bull."
"I'm here, Kadan." he soothed.
"This could get messy."

It was unnerving, how quiet things got in the tavern. They could hear Faize's cries of pain, and then, the silence.
Obsinion swallowed his beer and looked up as they heard the door open, watching as Stitches came down the stairs and nodded.
All at once, the Chargers cheered, and began singing. "No man can beat the Chargers, 'cause we'll hit you where it hurts! Unless you know a Tavern with loose cards and looser skirts! For every Bloody battlefield we'll gladly raise a cup! No matter what tomorrow holds, our horns be pointing up!"
Stitches raised a mug in the direction of Iron Bull's room. "And may his be that way, too."
"What?" Obsinion asked.
"Oh, you're here. Good. They wanted you and Krem up there to meet the new arrival." said Stitches.
Krem looked at Obsinion, and the two headed up, taking the stairs two at a time. Obsinion reached the door first and knocked.
"Come in." said Iron Bull. He was sitting on the bed, an arm around Faize, and their baby wrapped up in a blanket of Halla fur.
"So?" Krem asked.
"A boy." Faize said, his voice sounding hoarse but happy. He pulled the blanket back a little, letting the two see the baby's still red face, and the tiny horn nubs at the top of the child's forehead.
"Horns, huh?" asked Obsinion.
"Yeah." said Iron Bull. "He's got at least that part Qunari in him."
The baby blinked at them, and Obsinion laughed.
"What?" asked the new parents.
"He got Faize's eyes." said Krem. "They're huge."
The baby yawned and started to try and nuzzle Faize's chest.
"Should I . . ?"
"No, it's ok." said Faize. "It was part of the magic, after all." Faize pulled the blanket up over his front, and they noticed his relieved sigh.
"Well, congratulations." said Obsinion as he and Krem left.

Cassandra found Obsinion in the tavern and put her hands on her hips.
"What is is, Cassandra?" Obsinion asked.
"If I had to guess, you planned on this from the beginning, didn't you?"
"Planned on what?"
Cassandra gave him a look as little Adria made the three steps from her mother to the chair. "I swear when I said 'mother of three', I was joking." She hit his shoulder. "Obviously, you weren't, though."
Obsinion looked at her. "Seriously?" he asked.
"I wouldn't be here, in a tavern, with the children, if I wasn't." She took a seat beside him. "So you had better make sure this is a world that will be good for our children, Obsinion."
"I'll do what I can." he said, giving his wife a kiss.

The End