In the morning Rubeus woke up to sunny skies which blinded him through the open window. Fritigern was already up getting dressed. The tal-vashoth unwrapping a suit of dragon-bone white Avvar armour around his thick muscled frame. One of the few warriors who looked both sexy and intimidating at the same time. Bloodstone clasps and dragon scales sewn into great bearskin. A pair of Silverite daggers on his back with nasty hooked blades made to rip apart flesh. Fritigern was busy bottling some neon green toxin into a special holster which he strapped onto his thigh. Before he finally noticed Rubeus was watching him.
"Don't worry, not for you guys. Bandits like to camp at the statues of Fen'harel at the end of the channel. Unless the Captain takes the demon highway, which with the inquisitor on board. Perhaps we can finally seal the rift at the waterfalls. Something to think about." Fritigern said as he sheathed everything up and left the room spotless like he was never there.
Up on deck, everyone was ready for a fight as the day crew gathered around the wheelhouse for orders. A large older qunari woman with chalk-white hair stepped out, a tiny dream catcher hung on her horn as she looked over the crowd. "I want every sail unfurled, we need to reach top speeds today. We are headed to Ferelden. We are to drop off the inquisition forces and meet with their forward scouts outside the storm cost. From there we are going to be getting uncomfortably close to Tevinter. If you don't plan to end up there. Get off now. Do you have magisters hunting for you? Be ready to fight, because we will not let anyone go. You are the heart and soul of the Barnacle and we will protect you at all costs."
"Nicely put Honey, we are also protected by the inquisition. They are our allies, I know many of you are still scared of going back to your masters, but I promise you that you are all free men. I will not allow that to change." Michela was standing behind the Qunari known as Honey. Rubeus shyly was watching from the door, dressed in his battle-master armour and sword on his back. He arrived just in time to hear the tail end of the inspiring speech, but hung back to not draw attention.
Michela was dressed in a long mustard stained enchanter's coat, a rapier on her hip and large black captains hat perched on her dreaded hair. Plumes of peacock, raven and ostrich feathers pinned with rosettes of silk. "I have broken my ties with the masters, and this is how we rescue our brothers and sisters," Michela reassured a few of the worried faces giving her pause.
"If we go back to Tevinter, we might as well be dead men" a voice called out. It was an elf, one with short white hair and spoke with a deep voice. He was handsome, with lyrium tattoos on his chin and forearms which were masked with heavy armour. Silver plates bronzed with blood stains.
"I didn't realize you were still with us Fenris," Michela said calmly approaching the bannister before Varric pushed out of the crowd.
"Hey! Fenris! It's so good to see that broody face again." Varric called out.
"Varric, it is good to see you. You look terrible, how much did you drink?" Fenris's tone shifted as he greeted the dwarf.
"Enough to put me straight again. Listen can I talk to you for a second." Varric whispered and pulled him away.
Michela eyed Varric curiously, still addressing the crew. "This boat is going on a dangerous mission, we have to take the inquisitor across the sea. We will be facing demons, dragons, and yes, magisters. I am here to protect you, they are here to help us. There are plans in motion to dismantle an hierarchy of slavery in Tevinter. If we do not do out part, they have little chance in success. I'm willing to put my life on the line to ensure the freedom of your children. Are you?" Michela said with gentle pride.
The crew began to rally to her call as Varric and Fenris steered away from the crowd. Before they escaped a familiar voice called out.
"Good morning Varric, who's your handsome friend?" Dorian approached the two. He looked paler than usual.
Michela's attention drifted again as Dorian came up on deck. Wanting to listen, but one crewman was quivering in fear.
"I don't want to go back." He said and the crowd all started to panic.
"The magisters will kill us!" Another squealed.
Fenris was distracted by the fearful voices, the Captain climbing down from the elevated platform to talk more personally.
"Good morning," he said and kept his eye over Varric's shoulder at Michela. "Wait, I recognize you. Have we met before?" Fenris asked. Upon closer inspection, Dorian could see the tattoos on his face were not vallaslin. They were lyrium.
"I can't say we have, at least not formally," Dorian replied with a quizzical look on his face.
"Seems like so much of my life is still shrouded in mystery. A pleasure to meet you." Fenris extended his hand to shake. Dorian shook hands with Fenris.
"Dorian Pavus of the Inquisition and your name," he asked.
"Pavus?" Fenris lingered in the name.
"Sparkler, he's going to find out sooner or later. He's from Tevinter." Varric said honestly.
"Fair enough," Dorian conceded. "House Pavus of Qarinus. Normally I'd love to spread that around to spite my family but at this moment it seems like the quickest way to get myself killed and I would rather not die today."
"Ah, another one. I never knew rebelling against the magisterium would gain me so many friends." Fenris smiled, though he eyed the Altus suspiciously.
"I share a very similar sentiment," Dorian replied with a cheeky grin.
"Listen, have you noticed anything off about the Captain?" Varric asked.
"Other than the withdrawal?" Fenris asked.
"Withdrawal?" Varric asked curiously.
"Ah, I should have kept that to myself," Fenris muttered under his breath.
"Alcohol, sex, Lyrium…" Dorian prattled, counting, vices off on his left hand. "Take your pick, or any combination of the three if you're extremely unhappy" Dorian's words came across affably despite the underlying snark.
"I admire the Captain being so honest with me regarding quitting. Perhaps you lack the support system to help you do it yourself." Fenris snarked back.
"Whoa easy you two, the Captain mentioned no such thing to us," Varric said.
"It is admirable, and whatever she's doing it's her own business. Just lovely to see she doesn't go it alone." Dorian replied.
"Then I will not say anymore. It is not my story to tell. Excuse me. I have to go let her know what I have said." Fenris said and started to walk away.
"I should be off as well. Better make myself useful before I get sick again. Don't want the captain coming after me." Dorian dismissed himself to find work, leaving Varric on his own. Dorian caught sight of the inquisitor, skulking around the ship.
Rubeus walked around the deck avoiding as many people as he could. Every so often a crew member turned to look, but everyone seemed to be more interested in their work. Which was relieving for the captain constantly vanished. After the crew meeting, she was running about the ship. Reporting with each team as they prepared the ship, but eventually, Rubeus tracked her down at the cargo bay gate. Rubeus hopped over some barrels to cut her off before she could descend below deck.
"Captain. May we talk, privately?" He asked.
"Excuse me there are more preparations to be done before we set sail, no everyone is comfortable with this mission." Michela said and tried to pass around him. Which the armoured elf strifed into her path.
"No, now. I need to speak with you," Rubeus's normally soft voice became hard and stern. Michela gave him a stern look, but relaxed.
"Alright, let's go to the war room," Michela said and turned around to see Fritigern confronting Dorian of all people.
"Dorian, there you are. I've been looking for you since yesterday." Fritigern said with a sly smirk. "It's good to see you again. You survived through a lot I've heard." Fritigern said and blocked Dorian from approaching the others.
"I was very surprised to see you, of all people. Hired by another run-away mage?" Dorian replied playfully. Michela started listening, leaning against the bannister patiently to hear more. Rubeus gave her an odd look but nonetheless, joined her in eavesdropping.
"How long has it been? Ten… no… thirteen years? Surprised you even recognized me. Then again with a face like mine?" Dorian said cheerfully.
"I could never forget you, your patronage allowed me to find my cousin. Though he's a bit uptight. Unlike some people I know." Fritigern said calmly.
"Excellent! I'm glad to hear that worked out. I remember you not being able to relax or focus on much else. Always in need of a distraction…" Dorian reminisced.
"Funny, I was looking for you. Your boyfriend ended up sharing my cabin last night. You better keep him close. He's gorgeous, and I don't know what I'm going to do if he keeps brooding like that. It's like he wants us to swoon for him." Fritigern teased.
"Should see him when he's planning a manoeuvre. Spends the day pacing around the library and staring off in the distance," Dorian retorted.
"Dreamy," Fritigern smirked. Michela rolled her eyes. Rubeus sighed to hide his slight smile on his lips.
"Puh-lease." Michela over-exaggerated. "Can we just focus, it's going to take 3 days to cross the channel to get into Cumberland port." Michela broke up the conversation. Rubeus cleared his throat.
"It will be more than that. We need to make a stopover first." Rubeus interrupted.
"Excuse you?" Michela spun around, her tone making Fritigern's smirk disappear.
"We need to go to Skyhold," he explained.
"No, we don't," Michela states sternly and glared.
"We need supplies for one," he started. "For two, there are people on this boat who will be put in danger. They can stay at Skyhold during this run. They will be safe there and out of harm's way." Rubeus gave Michela an austere gaze and held a militant stance. Michela's face flared red in the cheeks, despite the tan her thin skin showed her mood. A mighty growl mixed with a prissy squeal reaching an impressively high note. Though she muffled her anger with a deep breath.
"Fine!" She said and flicked her hair into Rubeus' face. The heavy fragrance of spiced lavender and mint oil clogged his nose as she stormed off. Shoving herself between Fritigern and Dorian. Dorian stepped back, giving her space to confront Fritigern.
"You! How many times have I told you to keep your appetite in order or the next tasty snack that comes your way I will poison. Do I make myself clear?" Michela stated to Fritigern.
"Lighten up, we're inquisition soldiers now." The assassin scoffed. Michela didn't respond, instead, she straightened up and narrowed her eyes. Fritigern's shoulders dropped and he stepped back suddenly.
"Yes, Captain." He said and cast his gaze downwards.
"You sleep in the crew quarters tonight. It seems the inquisitor requires privacy." Michela added and walked away to Rubeus's now private room.
"We are not done talking," Rubeus exclaimed.
"Duh, that's what private's quarters are for." Michela snarked.
"We need to chart the course and I need to know the route we are taking. I was informed there are rifts in the waters. I would like to close them." Rubeus continued.
"You want to go through the river of chains?" Michela asked and kept walking for the navigators quarters. They walked up to the officers' deck and were there quickly. Once behind the heavy wooden door, they resumed talking. "We should be heading directly there now, each minute you wait Emilio has time to come up with some plan to save his skin," Michela said and pulled out the maps stored in the navigators' desk.
Rubies scanned the maps carefully. Michela pointed out the route of the waterway which formed into two different paths.
"If we take the river of chains, we can hit all the land scraps, but that also means adding two days into our journey. We should go through the Betrayers bay. I know one large rift is there and possibly could be the central source of the small tears. Plus we won't lose time."
"As long as we go to Skyhold before we make our way to Cumberland, we can take any route. If rifts are in the way we clear them as we go," Rubeus said, direct and clear with his tone.
"I know you want to keep the people safe, but Emilio has never made a mistake before and is the route of corruption in the magisterium," Michela said darkly.
"If you are that concerned about the timeline of this then why did we not meet before now to discuss the Magister and chart a course?" Rubeus demanded.
"Because Varric kept me out of the loop that Emilio was involved. I have no quarrel with anyone else part of the magisterium. I have not been home since I was young." Michela snapped.
"I am aware that you received several messages over a month. However, you chose the last possible moment to meet. You want to sail a crew of people who have no business being in the crossfires and forced me to dismiss my people who would be able to work as crew for this voyage and keep people safe," he continued.
"You're men? Last I heard anyone whining about their love of andraste gets through your castle doors. You don't screen any of the mages for radicals and your servants are just as easily spies for Orlais or the qunari. My men might be scared, but they are at least loyal to me and not some god who blessed me." Michela defender herself.
"We are working on my timeline now, not yours. We are going to Skyhold and stocking a crew who are prepared to fight Magisters and Venatori. If that means Magister Di'Pasqua gets a couple more days to think up an escape strategy so be it. It gives us just as much time to make plans as well." Rubeus finished with a large powerful tone that carried the weight of his experience and position. Michela stood stone-faced and glowered at him, though a small little smirk tried to break her cheek.
"So be it, now allow me to leave you alone to your chambers to enjoy some peace and quiet," Michela said and walked out the door and quickly closed it. Locking Rubeus inside behind a rather flimsy lock, but just enough for her to get a head start. Rubeus heard the click and quickly tried the door. It jostled and rattled but wouldn't open. Up the stairs, onto the deck, Michela grabbed hold of one of the ropes. She kicked the lever of the rig and she was propelled up onto the centre crows nest. She scurried out of sight, and not one man on the deck reacted to her dashing display of acrobatics.
Rubeus sighed and gave the door a hard kick. The lock popped off and the door swung open. He looked around for traces of the Captain but she was already gone. Dorian and Fritigern were still on deck and saw the whole thing.
"If she's up there, I would leave her alone," Fritigern warned. "Listen, I don't know what the beef is between you two, but she asked me if I have ever killed a mage from Tevinter. She said that when she saw you arrive here."
Dorian rolled his eyes."Dramatics I assure you." he said, "I don't know how many times I will have to tell this story, but here we go. When I ran away in Minrathous, I wasn't just leaving my family. I was leaving an engagement as well. A long time ago, it was to the Duchess. That changed, and I was engaged to another young lady of the court. That was before... it was a long time ago. I was eight." It was hard to discern if his reaction was genuine remorse for her or just seasickness.
"The Captain has killed her family. Emilio is the last survivor of the Di Pasqua. Hardly a noble family anymore." Fritigern said and licked his deathroot painted lip. "I would be cautious, I don't know what her angle is, but she's ruthless. Whoever you knew from before. That's not her." Fritigern said before walking away. Dorian tried to follow, but the world went fuzzy for a bit. As if he had stood up to fast on an empty stomach. When his vision cleared, Fritigern was gone. Rubeus came running up on deck looking frustrated and saw Dorian stand alone in a daze.
"Did you see where that woman went?" He asked. Dorian pointed upwards. Rubeus huffed with a defeated tone.
"This is more of a headache then I anticipated," he lamented. Dorian did not say anything. Rubeus touched his arm and looked at him with concern.
"Are you ok?" he asked. Dorian shook his head.
"I'm not actually sure. I think I need to lay down…" he said quietly.
"Go to the navigator's quarters. It's quiet and you can rest. I'll come to check up on you when I finish here." Rubeus directed and gave Dorian's arm a gentle squeeze. "Just be careful with the door… I broke it." Rubeus looked sheepish about the last remark. Dorian smiled meekly.
"Thank you," he said and headed below deck. Rubeus decided to ignore the captain's tantrum and speak directly with the navigator. He headed to the wheelhouse where the large white-haired Qunari women, Honey, stood steering the ship. Politely he knocked on the door and did not enter till she gave him clearance.
"Good morning," he said to her. She grunted in response but did not look at him
"I just wanted to check the route. We are planning to make a stop at Skyhold to change some crew around and get supplies," he explained.
"I've already been alerted of the changes and we are on course," she replied curtly. Making a few hand gestures up to Michela who waved at her.
"Oh, well if it's taken care of. I'm sorry to bother you…" he turned to leave the navigator to her work. Rubeus wanted to find tools to fix the lock he broke, and made his way below deck to try and find the ship's carpenter, Rawlins. Instead, he found Cassandra.
"How was your drink with the captain last night?" He asked curiously.
"Wonderful, she showed me her collection of rare books. Did you know that there is a naughty romance novel about Andraste? I only read the first two pages and I can hear the mothers screaming." Cassandra said and stood up tucking a book into her satchel. Rubeus eyed the book.
"That's not it, is it?" He asked with a chuckle.
"I asked to borrow it, she said yes as long as I don't remove it from the ship. Or show it to anyone." Cassandra said and smiled a bit.
"That's generous of her!" Rubeus sounded surprised, "She's been temperamental at best in my dealings with her. I'm starting to run out of ways to approach her."
"Perhaps, we need to sit her down with Cullen. They are both dealing with Lyrium withdrawal. Perhaps talking to someone else with a similar experience will help her." Cassandra explained. Rubeus raised an eyebrow.
"Is that what it is?" He asked, "that actually explains a lot. Though I am not sure how keen she will be to talk with the commander after that game of wicked grace."
"What do you know about Tevinter Assassins?" Cassandra asked.
"Krem and Dorian reported about an assassin who targets mages that helped them clear out some Venatori in the Hissing Wastes. But I really don't know if there is a difference between a mage assassin or a regular assassin," he admitted.
"If Dorian knows a little, Perhaps Lelianna or Iron Bull might know more. Lyrium has different effects on mages, let alone having Lyrium tattooed into your skin. Plus she's a dreamer." Cassandra added.
"I think I know why she helped my clan then… Not as altruistic as she seems," Rubeus muttered.
"Before I became the right hand of the divine, I worked very closely with mages. You learn to spot threats by their behaviour. Figure out if they are desperate enough to summon demons. I fear Captain Michela may struggle controlling her magic." Cassandra followed Rubeus down the ship's halls. Checking door after door for the carpenter. "Her bedroom is littered with wards to suppress magic. It's strange, you think most mages would want full access to their power." Cassandra stopped and checked another door.
"if the mages of the inquisition are an example to go by," Rubeus replied as he peeked into the room. Inside the dwarf known as Rawlins was sleeping in a hammock inside the carpenter's bay. Countless projects on the go and a finished railing sitting on the worktable ready to be installed. Rubeus pulled his head out.
"I don't have the heart to wake him." Rubeus dismayed.
"We will have to come back," Cassandra said
"You should know as well as I do, let sleeping dwarves lie." He said softly
"Agreed."