Solace, 9:34 Dragon
Kirkwall
I shuffle my feet nervously, peering around the seemingly abandoned mansion. I can feel this… tingling on my skin, and Anders described it as feeling the touch of powerful blood magic. Somehow that does not make feel better.
I'm not all that surprised when Shades pop up to attack us, but Garrett is, judging by the unmanly yelp and curses he yells at them when they fade back into the floor. I can't say I didn't find the sight of him glowering at the floor amusing, but we do manage to convince him to keep moving.
What we find is not encouraging. Notes of apology from the Knight-Commander—I didn't even know Meredith knew how to say 'I'm sorry', nonetheless write it—a letter from the Starkhaven Circle politely insisting he keep his nose out of their damn business, and a trunk full of women's clothes.
So far it is not looking good for Gascard De Puis. And is that really his name? I can just imagine little Gascard in the schoolyard, being teased for having cruel parents that named him something so awful, and struggling to spell his name without flinching. Orlesians apparently do not have common sense when it comes to naming a child.
No wonder the man turned to blood magic.
When we finally find him, the fact that a sobbing woman is crouched at his feet and he's trying to rationalize why he needs blood to track her (creeper) is not helping his case, and Garrett is all but ready to clap him in irons and call it a day.
And then he starts talking and, as we all know, Garrett is a sucker for sob-stories.
'Oh no, I'm not a killer. Yes I'm a blood mage and yes I'm a creeper who likes to keep women's clothing in a trunk in my bedroom, but I'm not a killer! I swear!'
Garrett lets him run and as soon as the danger is passed, the contrite expression falls from Gascard's face and he looks so smug…
I hate smug. I just want to punch smug people in the face until they get the point.
He tells us he'll be in Darktown if we need him, and smugly walks out like the smug Mr. Smugsalot that is he, and I just want to smack him.
"So I'm the only one who thinks he's just a teensy bit suspicious?" I ask in disbelief.
"I trust him about as far as I could throw him," Anders grumbles. "Are you sure letting him go was a good idea, Hawke?"
Garrett ignores our complaints with his usual charm. "He's just a piece of the puzzle. Come on, let's go back to Emeric and tell him what we've learned."
What did we learn, Garrett? I'd love to know. Please enlighten me.
I listen to Garrett and Merrill chatting, and exchange a worried glance with Anders, taking his hand and squeezing it. I can't help but feel like Garrett really isn't taking this whole thing seriously.
I wish he had been.
