A/N – I've had to update this chapter early as I won't get to do it tomorrow. Enjoy
Chapter 199 – The beginning of the end
'Katza?' Varric says as he entered the office, 'is she not here either?'
Garrett sighs and rubs his eyes. 'I don't know where she is, we've looked everywhere. Not even Fenris is here or the wolves,' he said as he looked around. 'I don't think she's done anything stupid, I just don't know where she is.'
'Okay, think like Petal, the execution. The noble families all screaming at her, a rough week to say the least. The threats she received... honestly, Hawke. I think she just wanted to get away from it all. Where does she go when she needs to breathe?' Varric asks as he looks over her desk, her paperwork hadn't been completed and that wasn't like her.
Her cousin clicks his fingers, 'that's it! You're a genius! Where does she go when she wants head space? The same place Fenris goes. The Dalish! That's where they are!'
Varric raises a brow, 'but the Dalish aren't there any more, they've moved on.'
'Yeah but where they were hasn't. Fenris proposed there, they had their first kiss etc, all the sappy stuff happened there at that lake. That's where they are!' Garrett says happily as he punched the air. Seneschal Bran walked into the office to find the Champion and one of the guild leaders rifling through his Viscountess' things.
He clears his throat, 'gentlemen? Is there anything I could perhaps help you with?' He asks politely not wanting to assume anything as to why they were here. Garrett spun around on his foot and grinned briefly before his face fell and he tilted his head.
'Hold, hold on, why aren't you in a tiffy about where Katza is?' He asks crossing his arms and moving his hand around for emphasis.
Seneschal Bran raised his brow and gave him a look, 'because I know were Viscountess Lorias and her betrothed, Ser Fenris, is,' he says bluntly. 'I am under strict orders not to tell you or any of the... companions she associates with as to where. The exception being, Guard Captain Aveline,' he said simply. 'The Viscountess wished to have some time away from office and came to an accord with the Knight Commander Meredith, Grand Cleric and Guard Captain.'
'So she's been away for days and you've known exactly where?! No wonder Aveline wasn't worried when I said she had gone missing! Oh that wily little minx! Why didn't she want us to know? We were all worried!' Garrett complains taking a sympathetic pat from Varric. 'That's so mean, I thought she loved us.'
Bran sighs, 'while I cannot speak in regards to her feelings, Lady Lorias did leave this for you,' he says walking over to her writing desk and taking out a letter. 'She knew you would be by and prepared it,' he said as he handed it to Hawke. 'Now if you would please, gentlemen? Leave the Viscountess' office before someone takes it into their head to go whispering about your presence? That's how rather troublesome rumours get started and I believe the Viscountess would like to avoid all that.' Varric and Garrett were rather rudely shooed out the office and the doors relocked, thanks to Varric they hadn't had much trouble breaking in.
Garrett wanders down towards the Barracks wanting to have a serious word with Aveline as Varric reads the letter while walking beside him. 'Dear pains in my ass,' Varric read and then grinned. 'She knows us perfectly, huh,' he jokes making Hawke smile. He continues to read, 'Fenris and I have gone camping for a couple days. Don't fear, we're pretty much where you would expect us to be. Papa is going to enjoy having the house to himself for a couple days and we'll be back on the fifteenth. The reason I didn't tell any of you is because you have an uncanny way of getting into trouble and then need Fenris to bail you out. Garrett if your arse is on fire, deal with those toasted cheeks on your own. Isabela, if you get stuck in your bra again, remember you can swivel it around to the front. P.s, don't let Merrill near the bras, last time I had to cut her out.' Varric snorts and closes the paper. 'Do you want to be the one to tell her or should I?' He asks referring that the night before Merrill had indeed caused trouble regarding a certain piece of clothing.
'Ah, doesn't matter,' Garrett says as he walks into the Barracks, 'the fifteenth is today right?'
'Yeah? What's up?' Varric asks noticing the mood on his friend's face.
'Nothing, just... a feeling,' he replies.
'I hate those, it always means any plans I've made are about to go tits up,' Varric mutters. Garrett snorts and they walk into Aveline's office who's having a rather heated discussion with her husband. 'Oh, hope we're not disturbing anything,' Varric grins.
'No,' Aveline states simply as she looks at Donnic who sighs and bows with his dismissal. He nods to Hawke and shuts the door behind him as he leaves. Aveline rubs her eyes, 'sorry, he's just been on my case about the amount of hours I'm working that's all.'
'He has a point Aveline, the city is doing better than it has in years and yet you're working harder than ever-' Garrett says or at least tries to.
'Why do you think that is? Makatza has done great things but she needs us to keep up the hard work. If I start slacking now, everything she's done will be in vain,' Aveline sighs as she leans against her desk. 'The Alienage is finally starting to integrate, the court system is working and we've had our backsides handed to us with that whole abuse case-'
'The one regarding the dwarves and that noble?' Garrett winces.
'Yeah,' Aveline nods, 'that one,' she adds bitterly. 'Maker, that was a mess,' she sighs. The trial was still ongoing. Makatza had appointed a judge she deemed to be fair and allowed them to use her throne room while it wasn't needed in official capacity. 'With the way it's going it looks like another execution. Some of those dwarves were children,' she mutters. Varric swears heavily in dwarven and sends a quick prayer, to the ancestors or Andraste, Aveline didn't know. 'Anyway, that's not my point. A couple more months and things will calm down again and I can take more time off.'
Garrett and Varric share a look with each other and Garrett loses. 'Look, we all appreciate the hard work you're doing, Aveline. Just... don't put your marriage on the line for this. This city isn't worth it. Donnic isn't worth losing over something like this,' he says tactfully. Aveline glares at him and then softens.
'Maker, I hate it when you're right,' she sighs. 'Alright, fine. Get out of my office, I need to find my husband and... have a word.' She ushers them out and locks the door behind her.
'Did you know about Katza up and vanishing a couple days ago?' Garrett asks already knowing the answer.
'Yes, and yes I refused to tell you. She needed a break, she was pulling her hair out and looked practically half dead. Fenris had even lost weight, they both needed to get out of the city,' she says simply as she looks around the Barracks.
'Hmm, funny that you can tell that about her and not realise it yourself,' Varric grins making Aveline scowl at him.
'She'll be home in an hour or so and then you can annoy her then,' Aveline snaps as she pushes the dwarf away from her with his shit eating grin. 'Leave me alone, Varric, I'm trying to work,' she says giving him a look. He mentions something about a book and then he has to duck to avoid the low swinging fist she threw at him. Garrett grins and rolls his eyes at the pair, leaning against the wall. If Katza was going to be coming to the Keep soon he wouldn't worry about leaving and finding something to do. He tactfully moved Varric away from Aveline and allowed her to wander off to find her husband.
Varric was about to suggest finding someone in the Barracks who knew where to find a bottle of something and a pack of cards when he saw Bodahn. The manservant looked flustered and he ran over to Garrett. 'Lord Hawke! Lord Hawke, there you are! Urgent message for you arrived at the house. I didn't know when you'd be home so I've been looking for you. I've already sent the boy ahead to let your companions know, he's having trouble finding Mr Anders, but fear not he'll track him down!' He smiles as he bows.
Garrett tilts his head, raises his hands and looks at him. 'What?' He asks confused. Bodahn handed him a letter and he opened it, scanning it over:
'Champion,
You have proven yourself a friend to Kirkwall's mages and it seems I must call upon you once again. Meredith has gone too far, and I will not let her madness remain unchecked. I ask that you come to the Gallows at once. Perhaps together we can stop this before there is bloodshed.
First Enchanter Orsino.'
'Well this is going to have a happy ending,' Garrett says sarcastically as he hands the letter to Varric to read. He whistles and gains Aveline's attention. 'Thanks Bodahn, get yourself, Sandal and Orana safe. If you can send a message to Uncle Gamlen, bring him to the Estate. Uncle Silvanus too, though send Sandal to help him through the city,' he says making plans. 'No matter what happens, stay at the Estate. In the damn cellar if possible,' Garrett says bluntly.
'Is this your feeling?' Varric asks as he passes the letter to Aveline having read it. The Guard Captain swears and begins to gather her men and women. This was going to get messy.
'Seems like,' Garrett mutters. 'I've got a new staff I want to pick up at the Estate, plus there's a new sword there for Aveline- Fuck my life, just when I thought today wasn't going to get more complicated,' he says rubbing his eyes. Bodahn had already left the Barracks and after a minute or two Garrett heard a commotion from the front doors. In a positive way. 'Aaand I think Katza has just come back. She's going to be so happy to hear about this.'
'You're not thinking about telling her?' Aveline asks as her men rally and get ready around her.
'I'm pretty sure she's going to figure out something is going on, what with the storm that's brewing,' he points out.
'Hawke, this could get nasty very quickly,' Aveline says as she follows him up and out the Barracks. They look down into the foyer where they spot Makatza, Fenris and the wolves being stopped by various staff members for her approval on things and some such items. Garrett shares a look with the red headed woman and she nods, he was right, she was going to find out anyway. They walk down the stair case and Makatza looks up as she smells them.
'Hey!' She says brightly. Dressed in her rogue armour for the journey she brushed aside her advisors to greet her cousin. She registered the look on his face and her smile faded. 'What's the matter?' Katza asks quietly and then Aveline's patrol of men walk past them in a hurry. 'What's going on?' Garrett sighs and explains to her what he had received. Makatza swears under her breath and looks at Fenris who merely tilts his head. 'Well I'll have to come with you, I can't just let you-'
'Katza,' Garrett says taking her shoulders and stopping her from her fretting. 'This... could be it. Y'know, like.. the fight of Kirkwall. I don't want you getting hurt,' he says softly. Fenris was secretly relieved, he didn't want Makatza anywhere near Meredith and that red Lyrium.
Makatza shakes her head, 'you spent all these years protecting me, Garrett. I am not going to sit on the sidelines this time. This time, it's my fight as well. I am the Viscountess of this city. I will protect my people.' Fenris ground his teeth, he knew that kicking or screaming she was going to fight, he contemplated for a good minute about just rendering her unconscious. Deep down he didn't want to risk it, it wasn't something he thought that Makatza would forgive him for. Secretly his relationship was more important than the city, so he'd just have to do his best to protect her. Defeated, Garrett merely nods and the group make their way to the docks, finding themselves at the Gallows before too long. It was only when they arrived that they were told that they were in the wrong place. Meredith and Orsino had already left to talk to the Grand Cleric. So now they were making their way back to Kirkwall and hopefully to a peaceful resolution. Makatza felt nervous, the evening sea air was brisk and cold. Salt teased her tongue as the spray landed on her face and skin, 'do you really think this is it?' She asks Fenris who was sitting beside her.
He tilts his head and nods, 'yes. Something is going to happen,' he says without remorse. He didn't know what, but he was certain that just by having Makatza there something was going to react. His whole body felt on edge and he felt as if he was wired to just snap at any point. Normally he would turn those feelings of anxiety in on himself and just bottle it until it turned into anger and he could use it. The thing was, he was tired. Tired of it all. Ten years in this city and this was what he had to look forward to? With a heavy sigh he reached across and placed a hand on Makatza's knee, she looked at him. 'Do not leave my side,' he murmurs.
Makatza smiles weakly, it wasn't a demand, it wasn't a command as they were going into a fight. It was a plea, a wish. She nods and places her hand on his, 'I wouldn't dream of it,' she reassures. 'I have much more planned for our future,' Makatza smiles as she leans over and kisses him.
He lifts his hand and cups her cheek as they share the moment, 'in this city?' He asks softly as she moves away but still held in his embrace. She shakes her head, it was all he needed. Knowing that they wouldn't be staying here lifted a weight on his chest. Garrett cleared his throat as Isabela started to unwind the mooring line.
'We're here,' he says quietly as they look up at the Gallows. 'Be ready... for anything.'
Have a great weekend.
Next week will have extra updates.
