"Silence," the Viscount called towards the room filled with excited whispers and gossips from the nobles invited to witness this. Javeen sat with impatient arms across her chest, in the witness section of the courtroom. Seneshal Bran sat next to her, which was grating on her ability to stay civil. Although...she glanced up. There was another who threatened to do more than that.

Lacrissa sat across from her, her face masking rage and fear. Oh, murderous noble stain, Javeen seethed, if you could feel what I'm feeling, you wouldn't be able to hide your fear.

At the command of silence, the noble's quieted down. Dumar nodded to his second, Bran, who stood and announced the reason for this trial. "Two days ago," Bran started, "an assassin attacked Joanna Linett, a...former noble from the Linett family. The assassin of course failed, but evidence has shown Qunari involvement with this plot. The attempted murder weapon is of Qunari make, and the identity of the assassin is still unknown. It is thanks to the efforts of...Serah Hawke beside me, that Joanna still lives. As a prime witness and her testimony, we will decide whether action should be taken against the Qunari for this...terrible crime."

Javeen's blood boiled. If these people knew anything about the Qunari this trial would be thrown out as foolish. But if it prevented Kirkwall from attacking the Qunari, of course she would do anything to stop it.

Viscount Dumar nodded at her, his eyes downcast. "Thank you, Serah Hawke. We realize that this is a difficult time for you."

She couldn't think of mother right now. Her ashes arrived yesterday and she didn't even have time to acknowledge-

It didn't matter. Right now, she needed to focus. Focus. "Let's get this over with."

"Then please, Serah Hawke, let us begin with your story."

And so she did. She recalled the events two days ago, down to the last moment. She did not include what she said to Aveline. Aveline, who was present for this, stood way in the back, trying to hide behind the nobles in front. She wouldn't even look at her. Nor did Javeen include the looks on her friends faces as she and Joanna returned to the Compound, and told them what had happened.

The rage in the Arishok's eyes.

I will fix it. I will fix it.

When she was finished, the Viscount rubbed his chin in thought. "And you believe the Qunari are not responsible for this attack?"

"There isn't a shred of Qunari activity in this plot."

That was when Lacrissa raised her hand. "If I may speak, Viscount Dumar. It was, after all, my daughter who was the victim in this."

And you the mastermind, Javeen seethed.

Dumar nodded, allowing her to speak. "I wish to point out the obvious pattern in the relationship between the nobility of Kirkwall and the Qunari," Lacrissa said, clearly a practiced speech. "My daughter. Serah Hawke...and Saemus, your son. I do not think it is a coincidence that three of ours have been... coerced to their side."

At the mention of Saemus, the Viscount's eyes went frigid. "And? What is the motivation in this then? If they are purposely converting nobles, why try to kill Joanna now?"

"This is the second time they have tried to kill my daughter," Lacrissa pressed, "they are striking where it hurts the most. Converting, then killing. A show of absolute power-"

"That's dumb," Javeen interrupted, which caused a wave of whispers throughout the room. Lacrissa's face went deep red as she glared back at her. "This whole plan was dumb. It only exists due to a complete lack of understanding of what the Qunari are, how they operate, how they live. This assassin wasn't Qunari. Anyone with a brain could figure that out. Whoever came up with this was sloppy."

"All cultures have assassins, Hawke-" Lacrissa snarled.

"Yeah, no shit. But they don't use the weapons of dead Qunari."

Javeen threw a glance at the Viscount. A fact that he now knew was true. Dumar's eyes went wide. "What do you mean? The weapon didn't belong to-"

"It belonged to an Ashaad, who died in the Bone Pit not long ago. His weapon had disappeared which prevented the qunari from a proper funeral. Which trust me," Javeen glared right back at Lacrissa, "was sorely felt by all the qunari here. To them, the Ashaad's soul was missing. And you want to tell me they used that weapon in an assassination attempt against one of their own? That makes no sense. It's unthinkable."

The whispers only got more excited and loud. The Viscount raised his hand, his lips thinned. "Enough! Enough, all of you." He sighed. "Hawke. I thank you for your information. It is true, we lack a basic understanding of their culture...and it has prevented us from rational decision making in regards to them. I am...I am the worst culprit in regards to that." He turned to the crowd. "We cannot blame the Qunari when we do not have the motivation for this. We must ask this: who would want Joanna Linett dead?"

"Yeah," Javeen said mockingly, "just who would want the bastard child dead, if not the Qunari?"

Lacrissa finally snapped. "How dare you, you-you Qunari slut! I-"

"Woah, woah, did I say it was you?" Javeen laughed. "I guess when the glove fits and all."

"I will not stand for this," Lacrissa screamed, slamming her hands on the table in front of her. "How dare you slander my name, my family's name! If you were not a noble, Serah Hawke, I'd-"

Javeen smiled. "I dunno, you seem to be apt at warmongering. Though, to be fair, your plans suck. Best not to make a career out of it."

"ENOUGH," the Viscount yelled, though Javeen noticed he had paled quite a bit at the word 'warmongering.' "That is enough, you two! This trial is at its end. We must conduct a thorough investigation, before we point any fingers."

Javeen glared at him "Which was exactly what you didn't do for the Qunari with this trial. Trust me, it did not go unnoticed."

A healthy dose of fear shot through the Viscount, which he shook off with a guilty nod. "We will do this properly. We will investigate all the leads we have." He glanced at Lacrissa with a cold eye. "All of them. You are dismissed."

Lacrissa stared at Dumar, slack jawed and dumbfounded. Javeen left the courtroom quickly, though she beelined towards Dumar's office. There was yet another important detail about this that needed addressing.

Javeen hissed through her teeth as the healer pulled the bolt out of her side. It was long and thin, much easier to remove than a normal crossbow bolt. Still hurt like a bitch though. The healer pressed a clean cloth to her side as blood seeped from the wound. He nodded to Joanna, who was determined to continue working despite what literally just happened. "Vidathari, bring a Saarebas. Quickly now."

Joanna blinked, lost in thought, taking a few moments to process what he just asked. She shook her head once. "Y-yes, of course healer." And she ran out of the tent.

Javeen eyed the healer, his silence unnerving. "What, no jokes for me today?"

The healer tightened his lips. "Perhaps you do not understand the true horror of this."

"I know," Javeen nodded. "But, she's safe now. I'll deal with her mother, but you can at least-"

"Not that. Not that, Hawke."

Javeen had never heard that amount of fear in his voice. "Woah, hey, what's-"

"Hawke. So long as that weapon stays in the possession of Kirkwall, the Arishok has every reason to start a war. The Kaaras had to convince him not to storm the Keep."

A cold, very sharp shiver ran down her spine. No. No that's-

"If you care about us at all, you will bring it back to us. If you need me to beg, I will do it. We cannot abandon that soul while it rots in the hands of foreigners."

Now Javeen was running. Running to her friend that could destroy everything. Running, despite the yells of the healer to come back, you'll make the wound worse, but no, she ran. She threw open the entrance to the war tent, because that was what it was, a war tent, and grabbed the Arishok by his gigantic, muscular arms.

"I will get it back," she panted, sweat running down her face, "I promise you I will bring it back, safe. I will do this."

The Arishok placed a hand on her shoulder and said nothing.

When the Viscount saw her waiting at his door, he sighed and waved her away. "I apologize, serah Hawke, but I am not taking visitors at the moment-"

"Make an exception."

Dumar shook his head while opening the door to his office. "No. Contrary to your belief, I do have other work that needs to be do-"

Javeen slammed her hand onto the door, preventing him from moving further. "Oh, I assure you-" Javeen hissed, "that this is of the utmost importance."

Seneshal Bran, who was always at the Viscount's heels, made an impatient noise in his throat. "Now see here Hawke, you will not-"

Javeen raised one silencing finger at him, not taking her eyes off Dumar. "We need to talk. Now."

He took a long breath, biting back every bit he wanted to yell. But he relented, nodding for her to go in. Bran made a short, disgusted noise as he shook his head, turning to face away from the door. He would at least prevent anyone else from seeing him.

Javeen didn't even let the Viscount sit down. "I need to return the Quanri weapon to the Arishok. Immediately."

Dumar threw her a flabbergasted look. "This is what this is about? Surely you know we cannot just release it. It is evidence."

"Do you want a war."

He stopped, that paleness returned. "What-"

Javeen stepped slowly towards him, her eyes wide and almost crazed. "Because if that is the case, then I will break into your study and take it back by force. If that's what it takes, I will do it. And in the end you will realize I prevented a very stupid and avoidable tragedy."

The Viscount slumped against his desk, rubbing his eyes. "Why... do you say there will be war? Have they spoken a plan of the sort?"

"Once again, you have underestimated them. Once again, you have failed to understand them." Javeen fought down a hysterical laugh. After everything that had happened all at once, she couldn't hold it back any longer. With every word she stepped closer to him, the desperation in her voice fluctuating. "You are a complete fool who won't listen. I said it in court you fucking-" She shook her head. "I have laid out the steps for you, given you enough information to make a rational decision, and yet here you are, still wondering why the Qunari hate us so much? You hold, in your heathen possession, one soul. A soul. And maybe you still somehow think they are unthinking, heartless beasts who do not care about their own, but you are so, so wrong. They will fight, to the very last, to get that soul back. Humans have gone to war for less. One of the Arishok's subordinates had to talk him out of storming the Keep. So, Viscount Dumar, now that I have once again spelled it out for you, I ask you again: do you want a war?"

Now she was right in front of him, inches away. Dumar had to lean back to keep her from touching him. Oh, but now he was listening. "In the interest of keeping the peace, Dumar, I would strongly advise that you return the weapon. I'll even tell them you did it with no argument."

Speechless. He was utterly speechless. Nervous hands wiped away beading forehead sweat, and he finally managed to speak. "I'll have it delivered in the morning."

"No. I need it today."

Dumar rubbed his eyes and relented.

Wrapped in white cloth and placed in a fancy box, Javeen presented the dagger to the Arishok not two hours later. He took the dagger gently in his hands, examining it. His expression lost some of the hard rage that it had for the past few days. It was given to the one who would prepare the funeral for the lost Ashaad. And Javeen felt like she could breath again.

"You did well, Hawke." The Arishok stated, pouring himself some tea. They were in his tent, awaiting the preparations to be complete. It would take until much later tonight, but Javeen would stay for it.

She nodded. "Least I could do, really. I'm sure Dumar finally gets the importance of your tools now."

"A notion foreigners rarely understand." His brow raised slightly. "Though, this is not the first time an outsider has understood."

"Oh?"

He nodded. "During the Blight, I sent the Beresaad to find out what it was. Only one survived, and he had lost his blade in the process. He allied with the one who defeated the Blight."

Javeen's eyes went wide. "Woah, the Hero of Ferelden?"

"Yes. She was able to find his sword and thus he could return home. Another worthy of the title basalit-an."

Javeen leaned back and smiled. "Even here we heard lots of amazing things about her. But finding a lost blade in a war torn country within a year? I think that wins."

"Accomplishments are not competitions," the Arishok sighed. Javeen looked him over. Having been around him for so long, she could finally tell when something was off with him, and today he looked...tired. It was subtle, and she was sure he would go back to being his normal self once he left this tent, but it was there.

He really did trust her, then.

"You can always rely on me," Javeen said suddenly. "I'll do what it takes to keep the peace."

The Arishok raised his head to meet her eyes. "I cannot," the Arishok answered, "and you know why."

The funeral lasted for a few hours, rites were said in Qunlat so she could only follow so much. Bitterly, she chided herself that she was attending this funeral, and not her mother's. God damn, that was still so fresh-it hadn't even been a week yet since hers. But this one, from what she could understand of it, it was peaceful. They concentrated more on honouring his life and what he accomplished for the Qun, rather than being sad that he was gone. All of it revolved around the dagger he once held in life.

Javeen clutched mother's necklace in her hand. She'd been too focused on her death that she forgot to celebrate who mother was. After seeing this...she swore to change that. And then maybe...maybe she could start to heal, in time.

It ended in quiet prayer, and when it did, the ones that attended the first switched with the guards who were still on duty, so that they could take their turn in their prayers. Joanna sought her out after it was done, her eye tired but still smiling still.

"I'm glad that I know what to do now..." she said as they walked towards the entrance. It was very late, and time for Javeen to head back home. "I wish I had some thing of pap- of my father, so I could...you know."

Javeen glanced at her. "How are you doing, Joanna?"

"I...I'm...adjusting." Javeen couldn't help but notice her shaking. "All I can hope for is that either she's put into jail or...we find what we are looking for and leave Kirkwall."

"Mmn."

Who knew if they'd even find evidence of Lacrissa's multiple crimes. Maybe she'd have to do it herself, as always, but if she had enough time to destroy the evidence...then it'll turn out just the same as the last time she tried to get the guard to actually do something-

Suddenly, there was a voice. At the gates. A shrill, drunken voice, that was all too familiar. Joanna recognized it immediately, her eye going wide.

"Where is she," the voice of Lacrissa shrieked, "I demand to speak-"

Joanna bit her lip and closed her eye as she shook. Then she opened her eye again, a determination in them. Javeen reached out for her. "Wait, don't-"

Joanna ran towards the gate. Javeen cursed and went after her.

The guards regarded Lacrissa stubbornly-if confused and annoyed- and they blinked in surprise as Joanna put a hand on one of their arms and walked forward. She faced down her mother with no fear showing.

"Oh, there you are," Lacrissa mocked, though she was barely standing."You finally show yourself without that big beast of yours." She snickered. "Or that small one."

"What do you want, mother?" Joanna said through her teeth. Javeen made it to the gates, and which made Lacrissa scoff and throw her hands into the air.

"You again? Must you shove your big nose into every family business that I-" She ran trembling fingers through knotted hair. "This is private."

Javeen stepped forward, putting an arm between her and Joanna. "You have no family here."

Lacrissa laughed bitterly. "You know what the worst thing is? You're right. She was NEVER my family. But this stupid, backwards, pathetic place demanded I see her as a part of it. Gerald demanded that I force myself to treat her and accept-" Lacrissa spat. "And it was you who destroyed us."

"I was trying to leave," Joanna cried, "why didn't you just let me leave?"

"We would never hear the end of it, people would hate us for it. But if you died, if we mourned, then-" Lacrissa sighed, returning to an almost sober state. "It doesn't matter anymore. You ruined us anyway."

Javeen gritted her teeth. "You should leave. I will let you leave."

"But she's still here," Lacrissa whined, grabbing what looked like a small razor, "let one thing that I tried actually work!"

Javeen took out Arzhela in a flash, notching an arrow. "Leave. Now."

She laughed, about to move forward when she stopped in her tracks. The laughter died in her throat, staring directly behind them. She backed away one, two steps, shaking. Javeen's eyes narrowed, glancing behind her. Her heart almost stopped seeing the Arishok there, taking one of his giant war axes off a shoulder and glaring intently at the invader in front of him. He moved forward.

No. No no, if you kill her then-

Lacrissa screamed in terror, turning tail and sprinting down towards the huge stairs leading out of the docks. It was late, so not many people were around, but the ones who were stopped to stare. They all saw the Arishok follow- axe in hand- and...

But she did not make it very far.

Because an arrow pierced her heart as she ran.

She didn't make a sound as she fell, blood splattering the ground and pooling when she stopped moving. The Arishok stopped, and turned slowly towards the one who stole his kill. Shaking, Javeen lowered Arzhela.

"Always," she whispered to him, and the Arishok's eyes grew warm.