Well kids, here we go again. I just recently finished playing Dragon Age: Inquisition (I know I'm late to the party), and the juices started flowing again. First and foremost, while you can upload your own custom world into the game, which I did, there are several glaring holes in some of the dialogues sequences that bothered me a quite a bit. So I decided to do the thing that I always seem to do: I wrote a short snippet to try and fill in some of the gaps. Does this mean 'ol Beanball is back? I don't know yet. I do know that I've had some ideas for another story for some time now. I never really felt like the witch and her warden's tale was complete and it seems like DA:I leaves me with more questions than it answers. If there are people who want to read it, then I just might write it. Anyway, on to first CFT in nearly a decade (has it really been that long?).

Campfire Tales:

The Inquisitor's Inquiries

Skyhold. What was once little more than a derelict fortress hidden away deep in the Frostback Mountains, had undergone a remarkable transformation in recent months. Patched walls and rebuilt archways now stand where nothing but crumbling stone and splintered wood stood before. It is the home of the Inquisition: A force to combat the evil that is Corypheus.

Inside these ancient walls, members of the Inquisition plan and prepare for the fateful day when they must finally face the evil magister and his corrupted forces. It is here, in this grand fortress, that the leader of the Inquisition, the man known as Inquisitor Trevelyan, organizes and carries out the plans of his advisers. And on this day, just like many days of recent, the Inquisitor roams the halls seeking council from his closest companions.

Usually his trusted advisers offer insightful council on the dangers ahead. Inquisitor Trevelyan has come to rely on them as his eyes and ears into places he can't go himself. But on this day, there is a matter that concerns the man known to the masses of Thedas as 'The Herald of Andraste'. One member of his inner circle and his vaunted war council, has been less than honest with him about certain crucial matters and he intends to find out why.

The Inquisitor climbs the rounding staircase that leads ever-upward to the aviary near the very top of the fortress. It is here that he will find the person he seeks. His spymaster: Leliana.

Normally the bard could be counted on to have eyes and ears throughout Thedas and beyond. It was her job to bend the rules when necessary and keep the Inquisition forces one step ahead of Corypheus' zealots. It was a task she excelled at. But it was one that took its toll on her. She was far removed from the kind and gentle sister of the Chantry she used to be before the Fifth Blight engulfed Ferelden.

Leliana had become as cutthroat and ruthless as she used to accuse Morrigan of being, and it weighed heavily on her soul, though she rarely showed any signs of her inner torment; another of the witch's traits that seemed to rub off onto her. She felt her many sins were required if it meant that Corypheus and his forces would be stopped.

"Do you have a moment?" the Inquisitor asked as he finally reached the top of the stairs.

"I am in the middle of something, actually," the flame-haired bard replied, before relenting "what is it that you need?"

"There's something I wanted to ask you about."

Leliana could tell by the look on the Inquisitor's face that something was indeed troubling him. He had the look of a man who had been pondering something for a good while and had yet to come to any sort of useful conclusion. "Certainly. What do you want to know?"

Inquisitor Trevelyan paused briefly, as if he was trying to sort out the question in his mind. "I'd like to talk more about Morrigan." he finally offered.

A sour feeling began to form in Leliana's stomach. The witch was definitely not her favorite subject to discuss and she preferred to pass the subject off as quickly as she could. But seeing as Morrigan had recently endeared herself to the Inquisitor, the bard knew that the questions would come sooner or later. She sighed and said, "I don't know how much help I can be, but I'll try."

"Do you remember back in Haven when you told me that the Hero of Ferelden was one of your closest friends?"

"I do." The bard answered, unsure where this conversation was going.

"There's something about that which troubles me." he said in his normal plain and unassuming tone. It was a tone that Leliana very much disliked. She never knew if he was being angry, facetious, or genuinely curious. "You said you had no way of contacting The Warden."

"That's true, he suddenly stopped responding to my letters. Just like I told you before."

"But you knew he's Morrigan's husband, didn't you?" he countered, already knowing the answer. "Why didn't you mention it before?"

"I didn't think it was important at the time." she replied, doing her best to brush off the conversation as quickly as possible.

"Not important? But you could have sent word to her and she could have gotten in touch with The Warden. If we were trying to get his help, why didn't you do that?"

The bard let out a long sigh. "Yes, I knew." she said, "I was at their wedding at Castle Cousland. I even helped to arrange it." she admitted as though having to confess for some crime.

"Then why keep silent about it all this time?"

"Morrigan is a hard person for me to talk to. Especially now. And with Dwemer gone, it doesn't make things any easier."

The truth of the matter was something far worse than Leliana would openly say, however. If her friend, one of the closest and dearest friends she'd ever had, knew what she'd become, it would be unbearable for her. The Warden would be upset and disappointed in her. It would be best to avoid all of it and just let him think she was the same sweet girl he remembered. If he were ever to find out her greatest sin of all, there would be no chance of forgiveness. The Warden valued honesty and integrity above all things. There wasn't any way she could bear to look into his eyes again after what she did. It was best if he never knew.

"Why is it so hard for you to talk to Morrigan?" the Inquisitor asked, "surely you two know each other quite well. She even gave me the impression that you might have been friends at one time."

"We were...are friends. Yes." Leliana answered meekly.

"Then what's the problem?"

"Please. I can't talk about this now. I'm very busy and need to get back to work." Leliana said as she turned her focus to the array of documents laid out before her on the table.

The Inquisitor could only shake his head. Nothing around Skyhold was ever easy, he thought to himself. But one thing he was sure of was that there was more to the bard and the witch than either of them were letting on. Maybe it was best if he didn't know. Some things are better left unsaid.

But that didn't mean he had to abandon all hope of inquiring about the mysterious woman who left the Orlesian court to join the Inquisition. Just like Lelinana, Morrigan had left quite a few questions unanswered.

Well, not completely unanswered, if the Inquisitor was being honest with himself. Yet there were several things that didn't quite make sense. Add to that, Leliana's strange response and one might get the impression that there was far more to Leliana's and Morrigan's past than either of them were admitting.

He found the witch admiring the gardens, as she often was. Her son, who was nearly ten years old now, wasn't with her this time. A rare occurrence, but not completely out of the ordinary. Most likely, the boy had his nose buried in some book in the castle library. At his mother's behest, of course.

"Wandering the gardens, I see." Morrigan said as she noticed the Inquisitor.

"Just out getting a bit of fresh air." he replied. "Although I'm glad I ran into you."

"Is there something you need of me?"

"I was hoping I could talk to you. You said some things before that I was curious about."

"This will undoubtedly lead to more questions, I imagine." Morrigan said in a matter-of-fact tone that indicated the witch was willing to answer some things, albeit begrudgingly.

"You said that after the Blight you left for Orlais to join Celene's court." he began, "a few things about that don't make sense."

"What part do you not comprehend? As I stated before, I wished to seek refuge. 'Tis not so hard to believe that one such as I would require sanctuary from those who would hound me."

The Inquisitor rubbed his chin, as though he was trying to make sense of something but he felt like he didn't have all the pieces. "But why Orlais?" he asked, "The Warden is a Cousland and surely the teyrn could have provided for any safety you needed."

"Ah...you are perceptive." Morrigan replied with a knowing nod. "'Tis true that Teyrn Fergus could have given me shelter within his castle, and did indeed offer to do so. My needs, however, dictated that other requirements be met. Requirements the teyrn was unable to fulfill."

"Those must have been some requirements then, if it was beyond what the Teyrn of Highever was able to do." he noted, as if sensing there was more to the story than she was telling and trying to get a glimpse of it. "What about King Alistair? Rumor has it that you two know each other quite well."

Morrigan paused before responding. Even though the Inquisitor had no way of knowing it, he was digging up old bones from the past. Bones that Morrigan very much wished to remain buried. "My relationship with Alistair is...complicated." was all she would offer.

"I see." he said, noting the witch's reluctance to elaborate further.

"There are things about me, Inquisitor, which you may hear in the hushed whispers of darkened corners and in rumors spread by those who know little of the truth." the witch informed, "But I can assure you of one thing: I am as dedicated to you and your cause as any under your banner."

"That's good to know." The Inquisitor replied. Although he wasn't really sure of the witch's reason for making such a bold statement. The only thing he was certain of was that the witch and the bard were hiding something from him. Perhaps they were hiding something from the Hero of Ferelden as well. It was difficult to know for sure, given how both of them were acting towards what should have been a simple series of questions.

Strangely though, the Inquisitor's questions actually put Morrigan somewhat at ease. If Leliana had told him nothing, then chances were she hadn't mentioned anything to anyone else, either. Perhaps some secrets had no intentions of revealing themselves. Morrigan greatly wished that was the case.