A letter from the office of the Viscount had come to the estate, requesting the twins' presence. They were currently at the Keep, looking at all the guards and other nobles roaming around "...Have I ever said how much I really don't like it up here?" Adia stated with a frown.
"Several times on just this short trip over," Fenris teased.
"What's wrong with it, Adia?" Amber wanted to know.
"Aside from the stuck-up nobles and uptight guards, that is," Anders added.
"That's pretty much it. It's full of nobles. It's bad enough we have to deal with them at the estate. I'd much rather be taking a job in Lowtown. At least they appreciate our work down there."
"But the Viscount himself wanted to see us," her sister reminded her. "I doubt it's a trivial matter."
"And perhaps if you win him over, the other nobles would follow," the Elf pointed out. The redhead shook her head and led the group up the stairs.
"Let's just see what the old man wants so we can get out of here. It gives me the creeps." They walked in to the sitting room, and were immediately approached by Seneschal Bran. Adia had to bite down hard on her lip to keep from laughing at seeing the man. She secretly wondered if he and Serendipity were still together.
"Ah, Miss Amber and Miss Adia. The Viscount has been expecting you. Follow me, please." He led them to a small office, where the Viscount was standing looking out the window. There was an open letter on his desk. "The Hawke Twins, your Excellency."
"Thank you. Now leave us," the older man said as he turned and nodded.
"But sir-"
"I said leave us." Bran bowed and left the room.
"Yes, Excellency." When they were alone, Viscount Dumar turned to the assembled group.
"I suppose you're wondering why I asked you here."
"Yes, Excellency," Amber said as she gave a respectful bow.
"...If we weren't we wouldn't be here, now would we?" Adia added, folding her arms. The Viscount sighed heavily.
"It's the Qunari. In the four years that they've been here, they're never once asked for anything. Even the space they occupy was "gifted" to them. But now... Now the Arishok has asked for you, by name." He picked up the letter. "Viscount Dumar, it is of the utmost importance and with swift speed that you will send the girls known as the Hawke Twins to my compound. I have matters to discuss with them." Tossing the letter back down, he faced the sisters again. "What did you do to gain his attention?"
"...I'm not sure," the red-eyed mage admitted after a moment.
"We beat up a few Qunari a while ago?" the archer offered with a shrug.
"You showed strength and honor, which he did not believe existed here," Fenris explained. The healer frowned and rested a hand on Amber's shoulder.
"Yes, but I dislike this sudden interest in the girls."
"If it means keeping the peace, I will do as he asks," the Viscount told them. "Please ladies, find out what he wants, and then let me know. If it is within my power to grant, he shall have it, and then hopefully he shall go back to being dormant."
"You cannot just hope the Arishok will stay quiet. He is here for a reason."
"I know that, Elf. However, he will not tell us this reason, and so I am forced to handle things in this manner."
"We will go see the Arishok, Viscount Dumar," the elder Hawke assured him. Adia gave her sister a sideways glance.
"Why is today full of things that I honestly don't want to do? Those Qunari are frightening."
"It'll be fine, Adia," Amber promised, hoping her twin's hesitation wouldn't make the Viscount regret asking for their help. "I somehow doubt the Arishok means us harm."
"Not if he knows what's good for him..." Anders whispered. The Viscount seemed to visibly relax, and smiled slightly.
"Thank you. That is one less weight on my shoulders." Leaving the Keep, the foursome quickly made their way to the Docks, and the Qunari Compound. Adia gripped her bow tightly as they came within sight of the gate.
"Why do I get the feeling this is just going to end badly?"
"Your sister is right, little rogue: The Arishok would not request your presence simply to hurt you," Fenris attempted to calm her. "If he intended that, you would have found Qunari on your doorstep." Amber's eyes widened a bit as Anders rolled his.
"And on that wonderful thought..." the healer quipped.
"...That's just nightmareish. No," Adia added, shaking her head to clear out the thoughts. "...I'm not going in first." The dark-haired mage approached the guard, who stared down at her. She wished she could tell what they were thinking by their facial expressions, but their usual scowls were no help.
"We are the Hawkes, and have business with the Arishok." The guard eyed them, and then nodded.
"Enter basra, he is expecting you." The gate opened, and the mages went through first. Fenris took the rogue's hand.
"It'll be all right, Adia."
"Somehow, I doubt that very much." She squeezed his hand and walked in, keeping an eye on everything that moved. The Arishok was sitting on his throne, looking... Imposing. He stood when he saw them.
"Ah, the Sisters Hawke. Last time we met, I did not know your names. Did not care to. However, now your fortune has changed. Ours has not." It took most of Adia's will not to hide behind the Elf as the large Qunari spoke.
"We were told that you required our presence," she managed to get out.
"I did," he replied as he sat down again. "I have decided to pass on a warning: Someone has stolen what they believe is the formula for the gaatlok. However, it was a ruse, and the formula was for sar'qaamek." Fenris eyes went wide as his jaw dropped. Amber saw his expression and addressed the Arishok.
"I take it that's not a good thing."
"Sar'qaamek is a poison that is used to turn our enemies against one another." At this, Anders' expression matched Fenris', and Adia sighed. Today was a bad day.
"So someone stole what they thought was the exploding powder, but it's really just another poison? I think them getting a hold of the powder would be more of a concern," she mused.
"It is still a concern, especially if it was a certain merchant who was trying to make enough to sell," the grey giant reminded them. "A small amount would be enough to deplete an entire section of your city."
"Wait a moment," the dark-haired mage said as she held up her hands. "How did someone get into this compound and steal anything?"
"It was allowed." That simple statement had the twins tilting their heads and exchanging confused glances.
"...You just... Allowed a thief to steal from you?" the archer wondered.
"He did not get what he wanted, and since we are letting you know what occurred, the situation will still be resolved."
"Wait, you want them to catch your thief for you?" Anders asked.
"No human, I am merely extending the courtesy of allowing them to safeguard their home from an individual consumed by greed." Adia tried one more time to make sense of the situation.
"So... If he had gotten a hold of the powder, we wouldn't be having this conversation?" The Arishok shook his head.
"No, the conversation would still be the same."
"We need to find this thief before they do something even more stupid. Like use the formula," Fenris told them, urgency in his voice. The redhead looked up at him as they left the Compound.
"See. I told you this wasn't going to end well." He raised an eyebrow at her.
"Regardless, we need to hurry."
"And how are we supposed to find this thief?" Anders demanded, looking frustrated. "It could be anyone!" Amber pursed her lips and thought for a moment.
"I say we start with that Dwarf Jevaris."
"Any idea where we can find the little coward?" Adia asked the men.
"He's either Carta, Coterie, or Merchant's Guild. And I think we can rule out the latter," the healer replied.
"So, Darktown, then?" the warrior asked with a shrug.
"Darktown it is! We can never stay in one place, can we?" Adia teased with a smirk and quick shake of her head. Trekking down was the easy part, but trying to find one dwarf in the sea of refugees was going to be another thing entirely. However, passing by one recessed section, they heard:
"Step right up! The assets for Jevaris Tintop are now for sale. Contracts for the bidding!" The group stopped in its tracks, and the archer raised an eyebrow as they walked over to the woman.
"What's going on?" She smiled at them like any other normal merchant, but the twins could tell right away from her clothes that she was Carta.
"Oh, interested is some contracts are you? Old Jevaris left with dues outstanding, so his lot goes up on auction to pay for it. And if we don't make enough from the sales... Well, let's just say he'll not want to set foot back in Kirkwall for a while."
"Wait, Jevaris left? Where has he gone?" Adia wondered, getting a bad feeling.
"Well, if he was running from someone, I'd put him at Smuggler's Cut. Best way to avoid guard patrols too," the woman told them after a moment.
"It's a section of the Wounded Coast that has many caves littered about," Anders explained. "I know of an entrance to the tunnels that lead there."
"Then we'd better hurry," Fenris pressed. Adia held up her arm, cleared her throat, and shouted in the most sarcastic tone she could manage:
"To the Coast!" The tunnels were long and twisting, but eventually they came upon a sandy stretch of the Coast. But the moment they stepped into the sunlight, armed thugs attacked them.
"Well, at least we went the right way," Amber quipped, launching a fireball at the closest one. Her twin quickly unhooked her bow and fired at one of their archers.
"Oh good! I do get to shoot something today!" The thugs were quickly dispatched, and that was when they saw the Dwarf cowering behind a rock.
"Enough! By the Stone, you're like... Demons! What do you want?!" he shouted.
"Where is the formula you stole from the Qunari?!" Fenris demanded.
"The what?" Jevaris asked, peeking around his hands. Amber sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, and Anders chuckled.
"Ah, so the obvious thief was perhaps a bit too obvious," the healer mused. Adia huffed and shook her head, patience almost worn out.
"Did we honestly come all the way out here for nothing?" She grabbed Jevaris by his shirt. "You better not be lying, little man. Where's the formula?"
"Sod it all, I don't know! This Elf ran into me in Lowtown, and then suddenly a whole bunch of people were trying to kill me! I hired some guards and ran for my life."
"What Elf?" the red-eyed mage asked as the Dwarf grimaced.
"Never saw her before, but she seemed to know who I was. Kept telling me that I would be a martyr to the cause, and that soon everyone would see the evil in our midst."
"Wonderful, a fanatic of some kind," Anders muttered. The redhead dropped him and put her head in her hands.
"So now where do we go look? Maybe we should go back and warn the Viscount what's going on..."
"Probably a good idea," her sister agreed. "And you," She stared at the Dwarf. "Get going, and keep away from Kirkwall."
"Or the Qunari might find you, next time," the Elven warrior added. The Dwarf didn't need to be told twice, and took off as fast as he could.
"...We better go before I break my rule of not shooting people in the back while they run away," the archer said through ground teeth. They hightailed it back to the city, intent on getting to the Keep before something else happened. However, Fate seemed to have other plans. Passing by an alley in Lowtown, they heard:
"All of you, get back! I'll not risk any more lives!"
"Oh for the love of the Maker!" Adia nearly shouted. "What now?" To answer their question, they saw Aveline coming towards them.
"Amber, Adia, what are you two doing here?"
"We were just passing through, but I think one of your guards needs help," the dark-haired Hawke told her.
"Yes, they sent a runner to the Keep." They headed down the alley. "Samuels, what's going on?!" The young man turned, relief on his face.
"Captain! I'm not sure. There was a small explosion down the alley, and then this thick, green fog rolled in smelling of sulfur. It seemed to drive some people insane, and they killed each other. Everyone else... Wretched themselves till they were dead."
"Sar'qaamek..." Fenris whispered, fear on his face.
"Well. I guess we found what we were looking for now," Adia quipped as she threw her hands in the air dramatically. Aveline raised an eyebrow at them.
"The quick version, you two," she commanded.
"Some nutty Elf stole some kind of poison from the Qunari. Is that quick enough?" Adia shot back as her sister blinked and slapped her forehead. The Guard Captain sighed.
"Wonderful. Let's get in there and fix this."
"But Captain-" Samuels began, before she cut him off.
"Keep everyone back. Let's go, girls. Anders, Fenris, watch their backs."
"...Why are we cleaning up this mess?" the healer asked softly.
"Because I said we are!" Aveline shouted at him.
"We're with you, Aveline, don't worry," Amber assured her.
"Because Kirkwall would crumble without us putting our lives on the line on a daily basis, Anders. You should know this by now!" The archer teased as she ripped the sleeve off her shirt and tied it around her head to cover her nose and mouth. The others grabbed what they could to use as a filter, and the group proceeded down the alley. They saw the green fog, and what appeared to be more leaking from some barrels. Bodies were lying around, most just regular people. However, a few came racing out of alcoves, brandishing weapons.
"We've got to get these barrels sealed!" Anders advised.
"We also need to hold them off!" Aveline countered as she drew her sword.
"If you don't want to kill them, don't, but don't take any risks!" Adia cautioned, firing off as fast as she could. Where the warrior redhead was mostly trying to bash people unconscious, she and Fenris would strike to kill. The mages broke off to seal the barrels, while Adia and the two warriors took on the rather irate commoners. The barrels eventually stopped spewing fog, and the air became a bit cleaner. Suddenly, the archer noticed movement on a staircase, and an Elf walked down, followed by a few mercenaries. Now what was going on?
"Wait, the Hawkes?" the Elf girl said, looking confused. "Oh no, this has gone all wrong... I mean, just look at it all..."
"Did you do this?" Amber demanded, staff out in case they got stupid. Adia shot her sister an odd look.
"...She's an Elf. And she's obviously upset we're here. I think it's a safe bet she's behind this." The female mage stuck her tongue out.
"...Shush."
"What was the point of this?" Fenris wanted to know.
"To prove that the Qunari are evil! To show Kirkwall that they should be driven out!" Aveline's jaw hit the ground.
"So you kill people? No one will blame the Qunari, they'll blame you!"
"What did the Qunari ever do to you?" Anders asked, his curiosity piqued. He remembered the Commander's stories of the Qunari she'd traveled with, and she'd made him seem… Reasonable.
"My siblings forget their culture, then go to the Qun for purpose. We're losing them twice," the girl hissed.
"So mass murder would've solved this?! You're insane!" Amber accused.
"...And we're arguing with her why?" her twin wondered. "She just admitted to this whole mess!"
"Adia, we're just trying to understand why-" the Captain started.
"It's too late for me, but your deaths will serve more purpose than theirs," the Elf girl interrupted. "The Viscount will have to take notice if all of you are taken down."
"I don't think so," Fenris snarled, markings flaring. "Adia, cover me!" He charged forward, the archer firing off at any who got close to him as fast as she could reload.
"Why can't we ever have a normal trip around the city?" she half-joked. Thugs and mercenaries seemed to keep coming out from every doorway and crevice, until there were piles of bodies in the street. By this point, the fog was pretty much gone. Aveline turned to the twins.
"All right, now I need a more in-depth explanation."
"The Arishok said someone had stolen their recipe for that exploding powder, but it was a fake. What they stole was some kind of poison," Adia replied.
"We thought we knew who it was, but turned out it was that Elf girl who stole it," Amber added.
"And that's when I saw you?"
"Pretty much. Now the real question is what do we do with this stuff?" the rogue redhead asked as she looked at the barrels.
"Dispose of it somehow," Anders stated. "This stuff is too dangerous to be left on the streets."
"We should bring them back to the Arishok," Fenris suggested. Aveline seemed more bothered by that idea than she had the Elf admitting to setting them off.
"You want to give them a weapon, Fenris?"
"They are the only ones who know how to render it down."
"He's got a point, actually," Adia brought up. "The Arishok didn't have to tell us about the recipe being stolen. There's nothing pointing to him using it against us."
"Then why don't we go tell him about this, while the guards get the barrels to the Compound? Besides, he needs to know that there are factions that are acting against his people now," Amber told the others.
"I'd rather just drop this stuff in the harbor..." Aveline mused.
"Not a good idea," the healer retorted. Adia wrinkled her nose.
"That should be an interesting conversation. "Here you go. We found barrels of this stuff and it's all for you now! Oh, and by the way, even though you haven't outwardly attacked anyone in this backwards city, there's people here who want to kill your race."" She smirked and shook her head.
"The Arishok will not be surprised by that last part," Fenris pointed out.
"Good. Then I'll get my people to do their part," Aveline told them. "I don't envy your task at all." The four of them headed back to the Compound.
"If we go more than a day without any crazy things happening, I might just die of shock," the archer quipped. They approached the gate, and her smile faded. "...Do we really have to go back in there?"
"Well, one of you needs to explain the outcome, since he did specifically request the Hawkes," the warrior noted.
"I'll go talk to him, then," Amber offered with a shrug.
"Not alone you're not," Anders stated, wrapping an arm around her.
"Then you two go," the Elf said with a heavy sigh. "We shall remain here in case of any problems."
"I don't mind going in; they're just scary. They're huge!"
"They won't do anything, sister," Amber vowed. "We'll all be right here with you." Fenris took her hand and smiled.
"It'll be quick, Adia."
"Let's get this over with then," the redhead said with a sigh and roll of her eyes. "But I swear, if we have to go trekking off into the middle of nowhere again after talking to him, I'm going right to Hanged Man and getting drunk."
"Okay," the other replied in unison. Entering the Compound, they found the Arishok waiting.
"You have dealt with the thief?"
"The actual one, yes," the female mage told him.
"Explain."
"It was an Elf," Adia elaborated. "It seemed like she wanted to try and... Frame you and your people for the poison." The giant sat back for a moment.
"So, they finally show themselves? This was to be expected."
"You aren't concerned?" Amber wondered, knowing that she would be.
"Of religious zealots? Hardly," he answered with a dismissive wave. "This Elf was determined to lay blame at our feet, and she will not be the last." Adia tilted her head, sharing her sister's confusion.
"So you knew there were going to be people who would try to do something like this?" The Arishok nodded.
"There always have been, and always will be. In the chaos and filth you all keep yourselves living in, it is a wonder your cities still stand."
"If Kirkwall bothers you so much, why are you still here?" Amber asked.
"I cannot leave. It is as simple as that."
"There has to be a reason why you can't," Adia reasoned. "I don't know many people who'd stay here by choice." And now the Arishok stood, a scowl on his face. Adia tried hard not to twitch as he did so, but her fingers still crept back towards her bow.
"Shall I argue the wind? Very well. Filth stole from us. Not the sar'qaamek, but long before. It is the reason we are stuck here. I am denied Par Vollen until the thief is found. No ship is coming until this task is completed."
"This must have been something of great importance," Fenris said softly.
"It was, and that is all I will say on the matter," he answered with a nod.
"What did they steal? Maybe we can help get it back and then you wouldn't have to stay here." The Elf immediately put an arm around her shoulders and hissed:
"Adia, do not press the subject."
"We will recover what was taken from us, and it will take as long as it takes," the grey giant said, voice getting louder with each word. "And if your Viscount cannot abide by that, he is welcome to try and remove us!" There was silence after his last sentence, and then Anders swallowed the lump in his throat.
"...We need to go," he advised.
"...Quickly," Amber added, ready to cast a barrier if need be. They all began edging away, and Adia waved at the Arishok.
"Right then... Uh... Take your time!" The group ran as if being pursued, and did not stop running until they reached the Viscount's Keep.
"This is not good," Amber said, trying to catch her breath.
"The Viscount needs to be warned of this," Anders told them.
"Yes, and we must pray he doesn't want his city demolished," Fenris added.
"I don't think he'd openly attack the Qunari without any provocation," Adia predicted. "He doesn't seem that type." She looked at her twin. "How did we get mixed up in this again?"
"We left Ferelden?"
"...Touché. Let's just get this done with." The girls were shown in the Viscount's office, and he looked up expectantly from his desk.
"And?"
"Well, the good news is we saved the city from a poisonous gas. The bad news is some crazy woman stole the recipe from the Qunari in an attempt to make it look like they were attacking the city," the rogue began.
"Factions have begun to move against the Qunari, Excellency," the mage clarified. The older man stood and began pacing.
"So that was what happened in Lowtown... Years of quiet peace; gone! Along with a whole street." Amber decided to just get all the bad news out of the way.
"The Arishok also said he has no plans to leave any time soon,"
"He did say you were welcome to try and make them leave, but I wouldn't recommend it." Adia's statement seemed to deflate him even further, and he sighed.
"I had feared as much. And now this tentative stalemate might be tipped into war anyway."
"What do you mean?" Amber asked.
"While you were helping the Qunari, a delegation arrived. It was civil; hopeful even. They left my chambers with precision... But were not reported by the outer guard. They are missing, almost literally, from my doorstep." While the elder Hawke's eyes went wide at what this implied, her twin proceeded to smack her forehead and groan.
"How exactly do you misplace a Qunari?"
"You don't, which means that they had to be taken," Viscount Dumar said. "I feel as if I've been trying to turn a stampede for some time. Someone is pushing very hard."
"That delegation needs to be found," the mage stated, to which he nodded.
"Agreed. Seneschal Bran might have more details for you. He has been looking into the situation." Adia, however, had reached the end of her charity for the city.
"...Are we getting paid for this?" she wondered
"I will see that you are compensated," Dumar promised. Amber yanked her sister from the office, scarcely believing what she had heard.
"Adia, this city could erupt in fighting, and you're worried about coin?!" Seeing the girls looking flustered, Anders and Fenris approached them.
"What happened?" the Elf wanted to know. The archer ignored his question, and crossed her arms as she met her sister's gaze.
"Hey, if I'm going to be forced into doing something I'm not particularly keen on doing in the first place, I better be getting something in return. We're getting in way over our heads, Amber. A missing group of Qunari? Think about it. I wasn't exactly joking when I asked how you could lose one of them. They're not like a bandit or a pretender. They know how to fight. They wouldn't just go quietly if someone took them."
"So let's talk to the Seneschal." At his lover's suggestion, Anders began chuckling.
"Oh yes, because he's such a barrel of fun and sunshine to begin with," Adia shot back with a smart-ass grin.
"Well, if he gets uppity, you can always remind him about what happened at the Duke's party," the healer reminded them.
"...You mean Serendipity?" Fenris asked, shivering at the memory. Adia turned a shade of red to match her hair.
"I... I want to forget that happened. Please can we forget that happened? I'm still not even sure I fully understand what went on there."
"You don't want to know," Amber told her as they approached the Seneschal.
"Ah, the Ladies Hawke," he greeted. "What did you need?"
"The Viscount said there was some sort of issue with a group of missing Qunari," Adia answered. Bran grimaced and nodded.
"Yes..."
"How did this occur?" the Elf wondered, trying in vain to think of how a group of Qunari - Any group – could have been taken down by anything less than their group.
"Admittedly, they were not at their best. Their swords were tied to their sheaths. It seemed a respectable compromise, since even I know you cannot separate a Qunari from his weapon."
"So they were ambushed on their way out, then," Amber figured.
"This could not have escaped the notice of the guard," Bran added.
"Then why wouldn't the guards have reacted if they witnessed it?" Adia mused. "Unless they had something to do with it?"
"Aveline should be told of this. She would know who was on duty," Anders said.
"And if they're no longer there," Amber added. Bran gave a dismissive nod.
"Then you have your path laid out for you."
"This just keeps getting better and better," Adia quipped. "Let's go see if Aveline is back in her office yet." Making their way through the Keep, the foursome discovered Aveline sitting at a table with some of her guardsman, all of them looking tired.
"Aveline!" Amber greeted, trying to sound cheerful. The warrior redhead looked up and groaned.
"Oh no... More trouble?" It still amazed her how often the twins managed to find themselves in some situation or another.
"Well-" Adia began, before snapping her mouth closed and shaking her head. "You know what, I'm not even going to try and come up with an easy way to explain this. There's a missing group of Qunari that we need to find." The guards' eyes all went wide, and Aveline gave a heavy sigh as she stood up.
"Maker... How and where did they go missing?"
"From the Viscount's front door," the mage Hawke informed her. "We think they were ambushed."
"We need to know if any of your guardsmen might have seen what happened," her sister continued. "A struggle like that... It couldn't have gone unnoticed."
"Let's check the roster," the Captain agreed with a nod as she went over to the list, quickly skimming through it. "Several new recruits apparently took early days. And since they're not here, we need to find them."
"Any favorite hangouts?" Fenris questioned. The guards didn't miss a beat.
"Hanged Man!" they called out in unison. Adia's eyes lit up.
"WELL! Let's get going then! No sense standing around here doing nothing!"
"No getting drunk, Adia," Amber warned with a sigh. "We still have a job to do."
"Then let's go," Aveline said as she led them towards Lowtown.
"Who said anything about getting drunk?" the rogue questioned. "Maybe I'm just thirsty? Maybe I'm just excited to see Varric?"
"You're not a very good liar," Anders told her with a wink. Upon reaching the Hanged Man, the archer quickly scooted up to the bar and ordered a drink before her sister or Aveline could stop her. Holding her mug tight, she rejoined the group.
"Do you see your guardsmen, Aveline?" she wondered. The Captain was surveying the room with a practiced eye, and then pointed at one of the tables. One of the men from it got up, dropped a few sovereigns at the bar, and requested the best.
"A lot of coin for this place…" Anders noted as they approached the man.
"That's right, friend," he answered, not even bothering to turn around. "Tonight I'm paid and blessed, and all I had to do was turn my head."
"Is that so?" Amber questioned, knowing they had found at least one target.
"And just what did you have to turn your head from?" Adia inquired as she sipped her ale, eyeing the man over her cup.
"We're gonna show those grey-skinned heretics what it means to go against the Maker." Fenris clenched his fists and fought with himself not to shove his hand through the man. But they needed him alive for the moment…
"Coward..." he managed to get out through his teeth grinding. Adia shook her head and stood next to Fenris, seeing how tense he was.
"I sure hope the gold was worth it... You're most likely out of a job," she informed the man. Amber turned back to the Captain.
"Aveline, care to get involved?" At the mention of her name, the man spun around, his face pale.
"Wait, Aveline? As in-" She grabbed his collar and hoisted him off his feet.
"As is Guard Captain." Now they locked eyes. "Who?"
"Who what?" he asked, starting to sweat.
"Who bought you? Who bought a proud member of the Kirkwall guard, and made him a drunken mabari bitch?!"
"A Templar!" the man squealed, voice getting more frantic as struggled in her grasp. "He had the seal of the Grand Cleric and everything! Andraste as my witness, Captain!" Aveline dropped him on his ass and glared at him.
"You will either be out of my city by sunup, or you and I will discuss your punishment for abandoning your post tomorrow." The man left in a hurry, and she looked at the girls. "There's your answer: A Templar."
"As if things weren't bad enough..." Anders stated with a groan. He felt Justice stir at this revelation, but only out of curiosity. Adia seemed to be thinking something over, pursing her lips and tapping her mug with her free hand.
"...A Templar?" A horrible thought hit her, and she grabbed Amber's arm. "And what Templar do we know who seems to have a vendetta against the Qunari?" It took her twin a moment to put the pieces together, but then she grimaced.
"...Oh no, not that bitch again..."
"It is a safe assumption that they are still causing trouble together," Fenris reasoned, having followed Adia's logic.
"We have to bring this to the Grand Cleric," Amber advised. "She has to do something." The mage wasn't sure if she were speaking the truth, or trying to convince herself that it was the only right response from Elthina.
"I'll let the Viscount know what's happening as well," Aveline told them as she left the tavern. Anger was slowly creeping into Adia's stance, and she touched her bow.
"I'll put an arrow in her head this time, Amber. I promise. I'll pummel her into the floor if she's involved in this." She slammed her empty mug onto a table and growled.
"Not in full view of witnesses, you won't," the red-eyed girl warned.
"I make no promises if there's no witnesses..."
"So, to the Chantry?" Anders suggested, knowing that nothing good was going to come of this situation.
"Let us put an end to this, if we can," Fenris said with a nod. Heading back to Hightown, they practically broke the doors by slamming into them. Amber wasted no time in grabbing the first person in Chantry garb.
"You, please get the Grand Cleric for us. Tell her it concerns the Qunari."
The woman quickly left, fear and confusion clear on her face. Not even a minute later, Petrice came down the stairs and over to them.
"Ah, the Hawke Sisters," she coolly greeted.
"Last time I checked, you weren't the Grand Cleric..." Adia said as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Just her luck, there were a few people in sight, and so her weapon remained on her back.
"Grand Cleric Elthina cannot grant an audience to just anyone," the blonde explained. "As a Mother, it is my duty to see to what problems I can."
"Or you simply heard the word "Qunari" and came running," Fenris guessed.
"You always assume their side, even when they are the affront to the Maker."
"Mother or not, you don't have the authority to give the Grand Cleric's seal to anyone," Amber stated, eyes narrowing. Petrice appeared stunned, and she took a step back as her breath hitched in her throat.
"...What?"
"Oh, didn't think we'd find out about that?" Adia sneered. "A group of Qunari goes missing right from the Viscount's front door? The guardsman your little Templar pet paid off told us everything."
"And you wish to pursue this?" Petrice asked, regaining her composure.
"What you're doing is wrong. You'll cause a war in Kirkwall," Anders predicted. How the woman either didn't see this or didn't care was beyond him. She frowned and looked away, shaking her head.
"Stubborn... All right, then how about a bit of appeasement: I give you the Templar, and you do what you wish with him?"
"What is he to you?" Fenris wanted to know.
"My former bodyguard: Ser Varnell," she answered with a shrug. "He has apparently become unreliable."
"Or you're just really bad at covering your tracks," the redhead accused. "Where are Varnell and the Qunari?" She pulled a folded piece of paper from her robe, and Adia unfolded it to see a crude map of Darktown with a location that said "meeting area".
"He is there." Petrice turned to leave, and then Amber spoke up:
"Word of advice: You don't want to keep pursuing this. Sooner or later, it will fall on you." The blonde turned and gave a short laugh.
"I am a servant of the Maker. No one would dare harm me."
"Don't be so sure of that," Fenris told her, grabbing one of Adia's hands.
"You wouldn't even see it coming," the rogue warned, glaring at the Mother. "I'd heed my sister's warning. You can't keep this up forever." She turned on her heel and strode out of the Chantry, keeping a tight grip on the Elf's hand.
"I'm proud of you, little rogue," he praised once they were outside. "You showed great restraint in there."
"That, and you made sure she couldn't fire her bow," Anders pointed out, nodding at their still-linked hands.
"Only because it was the Chantry and Amber and Anders were with us," Adia shot back. "I make no promises if I ever see her on the street. Right now I want to see Amber set the Templar on fire..."
"I think I'm going to enjoy wiping the floor with Varnell..." Amber stated with an evil grin as she rubbed her hands together.
"And any followers," the healer added as they headed for Darktown. They finally made it to the spot, where a large group of commoners was gathered. The Qunari were chained to the walls, but all but one looked dead. Varnell stood in front of the chained giant, his sword up.
"You see, they cannot stand in the face of the Maker's chosen! All they have in the "certainty" of their precious Qun is death!" he jeered as the crowd cheered him on. The Qunari only scowled at him, not even flinching from the blade at his neck. Adia skidded to a stop and quickly surveyed the scene, her blood running cold.
"Sweet flaming Andraste! What have you done?!"
"He... He's killed them," Amber whispered, her mind going through all the awful things the Arishok might do in retribution.
"Templars are cowards," Anders said, feeling Justice inch closer to the surface. "They only gloat over those who cannot fight back."
"Let that Karesten go at once!" Fenris ordered, markings flaring. Varnell turned to the crowd and pointed at the group.
"Righteous, earn your place at the Maker's side! Kill those who profane His name!" Adia had her bow in her hand before he even finished the sentence.
"Templar bastard! Let them go!" she yelled as the rabble attacked them. Trying to use that as a distraction, Varnell attempted to slit the Qunari's throat. Fenris rocketed across the room and slammed into him, causing the blade to only slice into the giant's chest. The mages aided the rogue with crowd control, leaving the Elf to take on the Templar alone. However, he was no match for the former slave's speed and tenacity, and eventually ended up with a sword through his chest. Those in the crowd who weren't already dead fled into the deeper sewers, and the group reluctantly let them go. Fenris cut the bindings on the Qunari, and the two spoke for a few moments.
"He is unharmed," the warrior eventually told the others. Anders came over, frowning at the bleeding wound on the Qunari's chest, and called up his healing magick.
"Still-" He was about to press his hand over the wound, when the Qunari grabbed his wrist and twisted it away from him.
"I do not require aid, bas saarebas," he said slowly, as if thinking about each word. "Though the offer is... Appreciated." Anders got the hint and took a step back as soon as his wrist was released. Amber stood by him, rubbing his hand while she kept her gaze deadest on the Qunari.
"What happened?" Adia wanted to know. "How did Varnell get you and your companions? Did they say what they were up to?"
"We are not welcome here. They wished to prove that we are nothing before the... Might of their god. But I saw no god, just disgraceful men and women."
"Many things are done in the name of the Maker and Andraste that I'm pretty sure they don't approve of," Amber said softly. The giant tilted his head, like he didn't quite understand how that was possible.
"Then why doesn't this... Maker stop them?"
"I've wondered that myself, sometimes..." Anders mused with a wry smile.
"Well most people would say it's because the Maker abandoned us," the archer reminded them. "...And given the events of the last few years I'm apt to agree with them." She frowned as her mind quickly cycled through the Blight, the Deep Roads, and dozen other things they'd had to live through. "We should probably let the Viscount know what we found out."
"Will your people want the bodies?" the female mage asked as Fenris cut free the last of the ones they'd been too late to help. It was clear from the wounds on them that they'd been tortured.
"I will tell the Arishok of what happened," the Qunari answered, seemingly not bothered by the demise of his group. "It is your Viscount's decision as to whether they come back whole or ashes." With that, he headed down another passage, leaving the four of them to stare at the carnage.
"Petrice will not be satisfied with this," Fenris realized, knowing that this hadn't probably even put a dent in whatever plan she had.
"And we care about her why?" Adia asked point-blank, hands on her hips. "As far as I'm concerned we should still go tell the Grand Cleric what we know. She doesn't deserve to get away with this."
"We'll only be put off again by Petrice," Amber predicted. "Maybe we could tell Sebastian? He seems to have Elthina's ear."
"That's not a bad idea," her twin agreed, but then sighed. "...But the only problem would be getting him to believe us. I don't think he'd believe that a "Mother" would do such a thing."
"Even if he goes to the Grand Cleric and says "I heard the most ridiculous thing", it's something," Anders pointed out.
"For now, let us let the Viscount know that he has enemies in his Chantry," the Elf advised. Adia rolled her eyes and headed back they way they'd come.
"Well let's hike it back up to the Keep then!" she called back. They made it back to the Viscount's office, where he was pacing.
"Did you find them?" he asked, hoping for some good news.
"We did. Most of them were dead. Murdered by a Templar by the name of Varnell. We managed to save one. He's gone back to the Compound," the rogue replied. The Viscount stopped pacing, face falling as he paled.
"Dead?! And by a rogue Chantry faction?! This could not get any worse."
"It will if the leader of this faction is left unchecked," the female mage told him.
"You know who it is?"
"Oh, we know her," Adia quipped, eyes darkening. "She tried to set us up a few years ago in an attempt to make trouble with the Qunari. She's a Mother in the Chantry by the name of Petrice. We tried to speak to the Grand Cleric about her, but she stopped us and gave us the location of the captured Qunari and Varnell instead." The older man fell into his chair, running a hand down his face.
"A Mother... Good heavens, this will not end well. I'll see if I can talk to the Grand Cleric about this. I do not want Kirkwall caught up in a war with the Qunari."
"A wise stance," Fenris acknowledged.
"Please ladies, do what you can to keep the peace," he implored, standing and walking over to the twins. "And I will do whatever it takes to bring these fanatics down."
"Yes, Excellency," Amber replied. Adia smirked and looked at the boys.
"What would this city do without us, really?"
"Fall apart, apparently," Anders teased.
"I am forced to agree," the Viscount said with a sigh. "This city owes you girls a debt. I owe you." He held out his hand to both of them, and Amber shook it. However, the redhead held out her hand to him in a gesture he knew only too well. Taking a coin purse from his desk, the man handed it over. The girls left the office, sagging against the stone walls once they were outside.
"We should get home," Amber wisely stated. "It's been a long day…"
"Home-home or the Hanged Man home?" Adia asked, still grinning.
"Hanged Man. Varric will want to hear of this," Fenris told them.
"And then home to get some rest," Anders added, wanting nothing more than to sit down for a little while.
"Agreed?" the elder Hawke asked with a smile, already knowing what her twin would say.
"Agreed!" The rogue jingled the newly-acquired coin purse. "And the drinks are on the Viscount!"