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"Cullen, what can I do for you?" Marian asked as she got a letter from him, being summoned into the Gallows.
"There is a matter regarding…" Cullen sighed. "I've heard a rumor that Guard-Captain Aveline is, uh… coddling her men and weakening law enforcement."
"Have you met Aveline?" Marian questioned. Were they talking about the same Aveline?
"I have." Cullen said. "But… in the absence of a viscount, I'm being called to vacate her position and assume her authority. Frankly, I'd rather not have the headache."
Anyone, who knew Aveline well, would not. Marian sighed. "This is going to make her day, but I'll look into these… allegations."
"Thank you." Cullen said gratefully.
"I haven't seen Thrask in a while. You've been keeping him busy?" Marin asked.
"Not particularly." Cullen said. "Though, with the Knight-Commander being more… strict… of late, perhaps regular card games with a known yet tolerated sympathizer of mages isn't the wisest pastime."
There was a templar lieutenant in Aveline's office, apparently annoying her. "You have no viscount. It's clear you are suffering without…" The templar smirked in a way that made Marian want to walk over and punch him. "Sufficient leadership."
Aveline folded her arms and glared. "That doesn't grant default authority to you or your commander."
"It would be easier if you cooperated."
"Wouldn't it."
"Guard-Captain." The templar marched out without so much as a nod.
"Something wrong, Aveline?" Steve asked as he entered with Marian.
"Yes. He's been hounding me. These templars strut around as it is, but now it's just…" Aveline gestured in frustration. "Out of hand."
Marian had rarely seen Aveline so furious and it was apparent that what she was about to bring up was going to agitate Aveline even more. "Knight-Captain Cullen has heard some troubling things."
"Such as…?" Aveline narrowed her eyes.
"That you coddle your men. Give them special treatment." Marian said.
Aveline glared. "Someone… has dared? Who? Who accuses me of this?"
"No names given, of course." Marian said.
"No wonder the lieutenant was harassing me." Aveline muttered. "Bastards. If they think I'm coddling anyone, it'll be my husband, Donnic. You and I will intercept his patrol tonight. Then you can see for yourself if I'm coddling him. Or any in my command."
"Aveline, calm down, we believe you." Steve tried to assure her.
"Of course you do." Aveline nodded, her tone calm but her eyes still had her glare and face was still full of anger. "But nobody questions my leadership without a response. Cullen wants to know if these things are true? You'll be able to tell him." She pointed. "Donnic's patrol Me and you. Tonight."
"Roger that, Guard-Captain." Steve said as Aveline looked confused.
"Roger what?" Aveline blinked as Steve chuckled, with Marian looking just as confused.
"I'll explain later."
They found Donnic patrolling the docks in Lowtown and found him surrounded by bandits. Steve threw his shield, knocking down some of them as Clint, Varric and Hunter fired. Aveline, Marian and Fenris attacked them, finishing them off as Aveline helped Donnic on his feet.
"Serah Hawke." Donnic bowed. "Or is it always "Champion" now? You're too much of a chameleon, my friend."
Marian returned the bow. "I didn't expect to find you so…" She glanced around at the corpses. "Deep in bandits."
"A good day, to be sure." Donnic rolled one of his shoulders. "I'll be sore tomorrow, but it was my choice." He glanced from Marian to Aveline. "Tell me, what's going on?"
"It's all right." Aveline nodded, and then gestured for Donnic to keep talking to them. "Go ahead."
Donnic nodded, and then turned to face Marian. "Every guard chooses the patrol they want. My wife promotes from the bold, not the reckless. Action is up, casualties are down. It is…" His smile was proud. "Remarkable. As are you, love."
Aveline blushed as Marian chuckled. "Thank you. That will do."
"Another time, Serah Hawke." Donnic and the other guards gave them slight bows. "Safe travels."
Aveline waited for them to leave. "That should be sufficient. Take that to the templar."
"Indeed. Let's go talk to Cullen." Marian nodded.
They returned to the Gallows courtyard, approaching Cullen, who looked like as if he would like to hide behind someone as he eyed the furious Aveline but he kept his tone calm. "Champion. And you are with the captain. None too happy about the accusations against her, I'm sure."
"You could say that." Aveline said, rubbing her forehead in frustration.
"We saw no evidence to support the claims against." Marian said.
"As I suspected." Cullen gave Aveline an apologetic look.
"Then why press this?" Aveline demanded, running out of patience.
"Some feel that the solution to the current crisis of leadership is to… consolidate authority." Cullen said hesitantly. "As long as these complaints continue, baseless or not, they will serve as justification for eliminating the position of guard captain. It would be the simplest fix, whether or not I agree."
Obviously, this particular problem wasn't just going to go away on its own. Marian glanced from Cullen to Aveline and back again, and then sighed. "Just point me in the right direction, and I'll get you some peace and quiet."
Cullen gave her a grateful look. "I have no answers for you other than to say that all of the complaints have come from Lowtown."
"Guardsman Brennan is on that patrol. Why wouldn't she tell me of this?" Aveline wondered.
"I don't know, but…" Cullen ran a hand through his short hair. "I do apologize for the assumptions of this incident, Guard-Captain. It has been…" He shook his head. "Unfortunate."
"It's not done." Aveline said. "To Lowtown, people. I need to speak to Brennan." She ordered.
"I feel sorry for Brennan." Varric muttered.
They thought about trying to warn Brennan, but saw no way to do so that wouldn't result in Aveline directing her ire at then.
"Guardsman!" Aveline strode towards Brennan. "Why did a templar have to tell me there is unrest in this district? What's going on?"
Brennan looked very reluctant to answer. "Guardsman?" Marian asked.
Brennan sighed. "It's Captain Jeven. I didn't report his return because…" Her shoulders drooped. "I'm ashamed for him. He's trying to rile the guards against you, but none of us will follow him. You lead better than he ever did."
"Jeven?" Wanda asked. She thought she had heard that name before but couldn't remember.
"We've made so many enemies. I don't remember him as that impressive." Marian said as Wanda suddenly remembered. The disgraced Guard-Captain that Aveline had replaced.
"He deserves to be forgotten." Aveline sneered. "He abused his position, and blamed me when we caught him."
"He was well liked by some, but not once the truth was known." Brennan nodded in agreement.
"Where is he?" Steve asked.
"The guards will have nothing to do with him, so he found others." Brennan gestured. "Militia, mostly anti-Fereldan. The same kind who were against the qunari." She shook her head, and then offered them a pamphlet. "I guess it's been long enough they've forgotten how many the Champion killed."
"A rally. Against "the tyranny of the guard, and foreigners who infest Kirkwall"." Aveline read.
"I'm sorry, Captain." Brennan said apologetically.
"Return to the barracks." Aveline ordered as Brennan left, while she turned to the group. "The rally is in Darktown. I need to be there."
"Are you mad at Brennan?" Steve questioned, once she was out of earshot.
Aveline sighed. "No. Disappointed, perhaps. I expected better judgment."
"Aveline…"
"I know. I know." Aveline raised her hand before Marian, Wanda, Steve or anyone else could say anything. "She was just trying to spare me of the pain and trouble and I suppose I cannot fault her for that. I'm not going to punish her for trying to spare my feelings."
"Ah, good." Marian chuckled.
"Frankly, if anyone coddles my guards, it's you." Aveline teased.
"Well, someone has to." Marian chuckled as Aveline shook her head, laughing, while the others joined a moment later.
A murmur went through the crowd in a small alley in Darktown as they approached. "The Champion? And the Scarlet Witch and the Avengers? Here?"
"It's the captain? Are we ready for this?"
The grey-haired man giving a speech at the front of the crowd did look vaguely familiar. "Too long, brave Kirkwall. You did not throw off all others only to fall under Fereldan influence! Leaderless, displaced! Alien hands on the most basic authority. Foreign elite bleeding you!"
"Ugh, this guy." Wanda groaned.
"Jeven!" Aveline called out as the crowd went silent. "You… disgrace yourself."
Jeven sneered. "The Fereldan with the Orlesian name! Is there anybody else who so embodies how far this city has fallen?"
"Have at him, Guard-Captain." Steve smirked, wanting to see how would Aveline handle it.
Aveline strode forward, gesturing. "Do they know how you sacrificed your men?" She turned, making sure she had the crowd's full attention. "How you alone disgraced your name?"
"Bitch! You took everything from me!" Jeven snarled.
"You took it from yourself!" Aveline raised her arm, pointing at Jeven accusingly, her voice calm and leveled. She would not let Jeven get to her. "The guard know this, and none stand with you!" She turned back to the crowd. "He stands alone! This is no rebellion. It is delusion! A joke inflicted on Kirkwall! Your home, and mine!"
"I will not be left with nothing again." Jeven reached for his weapons.
"No." Aveline drew her own sword. "You shall have less."
The crowd was about to attack but stopped themselves upon the sight of the Avengers in addition to Fenris, Varric and the rest. It was obvious who was going to win.
Jeven roared, attacking Aveline, who blocked with her shield. Aveline knocked him back as they exchanged strikes. Steve, Bucky and the Avengers were impressed, Aveline would have made an impressive Dora Milaje. Jeven jammed his daggers into her shield but Aveline disarmed him before stabbing him in the throat as Jeven gagged before falling on his knees as he slumped to the ground, bleeding out.
Marian and the others dealt with the crowd, while Aveline dealt with Jeven. Those, who knew better, either ran or surrendered and the very few supporters he had remaining, was incidental at best.
"You fool." Aveline stared down that corpse. "Why would you do this? If I live to a hundred, I will never understand his kind." She straightened, and then turned towards the group. "To the barracks. My guardsmen will be waiting."
Aveline leaned on her desk. "Jeven. Son of a bitch. You build a good thing, work your hardest, and the past just claws at you."
Marian had a feeling Aveline was more talking about herself than Jeven. "Jeven failed before he started. You know this."
"I do, and he doomed himself. But it smears all the guard." Aveline sighed. "I wonder what I would do if my captain lost my respect."
Marian was saved from having to reply by the entrance of Donnic. "Captain? We're waiting for orders."
"Will you accept them?" Aveline's voice was contemplative.
"May I speak freely?" Donnic barely waited for her nod. "There isn't a man or woman here who wouldn't follow you through the Void." He smiled as he bowed. "Captain."
Aveline looked at Marian as Donnic left the room. "I'll take it. I need a moment, Marian, but…" She shook her head. "There is something else. Come back and talk to me."
Marian started to walk away, and then turned back to Aveline. "Just so you know, Captain. What he said includes me." Marian gave her a bow, and left.
Present
"The templars should never have involved themselves in the affairs of Kirkwall's nobility." Cassandra sighed. "It makes us look hypocritical when we deny the mages to rule over themselves. Meredith preventing the election of a viscount is not acceptable and then there's the group of templars that attacked civilians that were just helping their friends and family."
"It is becoming clear that Meredith was squeezing too hard." Leliana agreed. "Theron said that Meredith should have used the gentle fist approach, firm but fair. That's how the tower in Ferelden managed to prevent anymore revolts."
Cassandra nodded. "Yes, this story is getting more interesting by the minute and it's clear that we've misjudged the Champion."
"Still, we still need to get some other facts about the Qunari straight." Leliana said.
So, what do you guys think about it?
Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far and want for me to continue.
