A/N: Disclaimer: I own none of the recognized characters. I simply am borrowing them to satisfy my muse.
Chapter 33
"Fighter!" CJ was glad to hear Sera's voice. More glad than she had expected. "Fighter, you're back!" As soon as CJ's feet were on the ground, a body crashed into her, forcing her to step back. Sera hugged her tightly. "You've missed so much! Shiny's got everyone out looking for him. And I mean everyone. So don't worry."
"Why would I worry?" CJ exclaimed. "He can take care of himself, can't he? He's a grown man."
"Grown man?" Sera snorted. "Is that what you're calling him now? A kid don't grow to be a man in four months."
"Kid?" CJ repeated, confused. "Who are you talking about?! Blackwall's not a kid!"
"I'm not talking about Beardy! I'm talking about Tommy!"
All of a sudden, CJ couldn't breathe. Surely she had misheard the elf. Somehow. But Sera was still talking.
"We've had people looking for two days now. A scout found someone who matched Beardy's description heading towards Val Royeax yesterday morning. Leliana's got people heading there now. I've put out a letter to Red Jenny. How come you're so late? I expected you to come tearing in here soon after we sent the letter! Bull was-,"
Things came into focus sharply. Letter. The letter they'd received yesterday morning. The one Bull had read. Blackwall was missing. But so was Tommy. Bull knew, and he hadn't told her. Anger surged through her, but CJ shoved it aside.
"How long has Tommy been missing? Who was he last seen with? Where was he last seen? Did he have anything with him?" CJ shot off questions quickly, cutting Sera off mid-sentence.
"Don't you know?" Sera's voice was incredulous. "Josie put it all in the letter! He was last seen heading out with Beardy and one of the runts from the kitchen staff, Lia?, Beardy was going to teach them how to track animals. They were gonna be gone overnight. That was four days ago."
"And they just vanished?!" CJ demanded. "How can the Inquistion not track one man and two children? One of whom has a wooden leg?!"
"Blackwall's good." CJ whipped around at the sound of Talon's voice. "If he doesn't want to be found, he won't be. He could easily cover the children's tracks as well as his own."
"Why would he do that?"
"To teach them how to hide. He said it'd be a good skill for them to have-," His voice had been drawing closer, and abruptly, CJ reached out, finding him quickly and yanking him towards her.
"Where. Is. My. Son?" She hissed, separating each word.
"We're looking for him, CJ." Talon's hands covered her own which were clutching his tunic tightly. "We've got everyone we can out looking for them."
"Not everyone." She released him and purposefully began walking the direction she had come from, assuming that was the main gate. Despite being unable to see, she refused to let any hesitation creep into her strides. She would find her son. She never should have left him in the first place! Damn it!
She ran into a solid body and began swearing.
"Where are you going?" Bull. The anger swept up fiercely. He'd known yesterday morning and hadn't said anything. If she would have known Tommy was missing, she would have been home a hell of a lot sooner than she was! Hours earlier, time wasted that she could have been using to help search for Tommy.
"I don't see how that concerns you." Her tone was clipped. Cold.
"The hell it doesn't, Kadan." He retorted. "Where do you think you're going?"
"To find my son! Who is apparently missing!" She snapped and Iron Bull swore.
"Who told you?" He demanded, taking her arm. CJ shoved him away angrily. Or, rather, she attempted to shove him away. Really, all he did was sway for a moment.
"You didn't?!" Talon's voice was incredulous. "Why the hell not? I thought she knew!"
"So did I!" Sera exclaimed. "How was I supposed to know you hadn't told her?! Why didn't you?"
"What good would it have done?" Bull said and CJ fought harder to release herself.
"I could have been here hours ago!" She snapped, trying to pry his fingers open with her good hand. "I could have pushed the horse faster! Gotten here last night! Instead I've wasted time! Time that Tommy remains missing!"
"All it would have done was worked you up into a panic, Kadan." Bull exclaimed. "And you could have gotten hurt, moving faster. What would have been the point?"
"I could be helping look for my son!" She yelled.
"How? You can't see! Right now, you're useless!"
Oh, that stung. That hurt. Badly. But CJ refused to let him see how much. Damn him, the stupid bastard. If that's what he thought about her when she had no sight, then she didn't need him.
"Go to hell, The Iron Bull." She spat viciously. "You can just go to hell!" His grip loosened and she yanked away from him.
"Kadan,"
"Leave me alone! I'm going to find my son!"
She never knew the blow was coming. A strong, well-aimed blow to the back of her head. She went down like a stone, her head buzzing and swimming. CJ gasped in surprise and pain.
"I'm sorry, Kadan." And she was hit again.
