Char: Zevvin & Iron Bull

All That Glitters

Worry

"Absolutely not. "

Zevvin crossed his arms and glared at Solas, who was glaring at him. "And why the hell not?" Zevvin asked. Solas gave Zevvin an incredulous look. He looked at Dorian then at Iron Bull. Said human and Qunari shared similar looks of disbelief.

"You are actively putting your life in danger. There is no need for this at all. This plan is absolutely ludicrous."

"Don't you think Bertrand would find it suspicious that the identity of the inquisitor suddenly…changed?" Iron Bull asked.

"He walks in with a beautiful head full of thick red hair and suddenly ages a day or two later - 30 years, lost his hair, lost his sense of fashion, lost his knowledge of Orlesian politics, and suddenly lost his ability to speak in Tevene?" Dorian crossed his arms with a raised eyebrow. Solas spared him a dirty look before returning his gaze to the impudent inquisitor sitting before him.

Zevvin crossed his leg and folded his hand on top of his knee and stared between the three. "And to explain how the fearsome mage inquisitor with the ability to create a storm suddenly has no access to his magic? That this so-called inquisitor is now defenseless and easy pickings to a gathering of humans who secretly or not so secretly wants him dead? At the very same gathering where they're exchanging elven slaves illegally?" Zevvin held his hand up to show the dim light of the anchor. "The anchor's abilities have also dissipated since my magic's lockage, or did you not notice I'm not a giant walking lantern any longer?"

"Inquisitor…" Solas pinched the bridge of his nose. "Zevvin, please think this through."

"I have. I thought it through before I presented you with his plan," Zevvin said, sighing. "I know the dangers but whether I do this or not, I'll still be in danger. If we present you as the Inquisitor, the limelight will be off me. I won't have to answer any questions about my lack of magic." Zevvin looked at Solas. "Yes, I'll still be in danger but I will not be the main target - especially assassinations. I'd be too valuable to the slave market to be killed."

"He does have a point," Iron Bull said.

"Don't encourage him," Solas snapped. Iron Bull shrugged.

"But…it does make sense…" Dorian piped in. "This way we can keep a closer eye on the Inquisitor."

"But to have him then masquerade as a servant?" Solas asked with a glare. "This-"

"This Gertard or whatever his name was-" Zevvin spared Dorian a glance when he chuckled. "He doesn't even know who I am. He would have commented on it when we first came to his manor. He didn't even know who the Inquisitor was until I spoke up. I'm almost certain the rest of the people arriving don't know who the inquisitor is either."

"And if they do?" Solas asked.

"Why are you being so stubborn?" Zevvin huffed. "This isn't the first or the last time we've been thrown in the middle of the fray. This isn't the first or the last time I'll be in direct danger, too. The Inquisition is still a new face to Thedas - a fantastical idea of an elf heralding an army of humans. The only information they have to go on is the Inquisitor is an elf."

"An elf from Tevinter," Solas added, crossing his arms. Zevvin sighed.

"You're not making this easy, Solas," Zevvin huffed.

"I'm not trying to make this easy. I'm trying to let you see reason. We don't need to put you into any unnecessary danger!" Solas's eyes narrowed. Zevvin bit his tongue. It was the first time the other elf had raised his voice at him. Zevvin turned his head away with a huff. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

After a moment of silence, there was a knock at the door. Zevvin huffed through his nose and stood. He pushed past the three towering men and made his way to the door. "Oh!" Zevvin gasped in surprise upon opening the door. It was Caelus. " Avanna , Lord Devereaux." The Tevinter smith opened his mouth, probably to protest the name, but Zevvin gave him a look.

"Oh..." Caelus mumbled with a raised eyebrow. "I was under the impression this was the inquisitor's quarters."

"It is, my lord. The lord inquisitor is currently having an audience with his traveling companions, however." Behind Zevvin, the three shared a look between each other. They hadn't realized Zevvin had already begun spreading around that he wasn't the inquisitor.

"Would you pass on the message that I would like to have a word with him. His traveling companions as well." Caelus crossed his arms. Zevvin nodded.

"I'll only be a moment, lord Devereaux," Zevvin said as he gently closed the door. He turned around and looked between Dorian, Solas, and Iron Bull. Solas was glaring at him, Dorian was giving him an amused look though he looked annoyed, and Iron Bull looked impressed but concerned. He moved closer to the three.

"Inquisitor..." Solas growled.

"That would be you, my lord," Zevvin smirked. Dorian chuckled humorlessly and shook his head.

"Well isn't this something...So when you came to us with this...plan...you were just telling us what was going to happen, not asking our opinion?" Dorian asked.

"This is beyond reckless, Zevvin," Solas said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This tops everything you've ever done that was incomprehensibly stupid..."

Zevvin frowned. "I wouldn't say that..."

"You've thought of all the dangers of doing this?" Iron Bull asked. "All the things that could go wrong?"

"Of course I did. I would not have agreed to it if I had not thought it through."

"Zevvin," Solas said, crossing his arms. "Should I remind you of the reason you cannot use your magic right now?"

"That's beside the point-"

"Is it?" Dorian asked with a frown. "Zevvin, you have been acting a lot more reckless than usual. Is there a reason for this?"

"This is what will be happening. Get used to it." Zevvin glared at the three.

"Inquisitor-" Both Solas and Dorian were interrupted by Zevvin hissing and slicing the air. His voice was firm, but not angry. He looked between the three surrounding him.

"Caelus knows me as a servant of House Pavus." Zevvin looked at Dorian with a pointed look. "Take care of what you say and how you say it, Lord Pavus . When this is all said and done we still need to return home together." Dorian raised his hands in mock surrender.

"I'll only say what is necessary. We have to keep up appearances, don't we, rattus. " Dorian's eyes narrowed with a smirk. Zevvin's eyes narrowed but he didn't respond.

"The Iron Bull, you are as you are - the inquisitor's bodyguard. You stay near Solas the entire time."

"Whatever you say, boss," Iron Bull said with a nod. Zevvin nodded back at him, glad there was no backtalk from the Qunari.

"Stand near the door," Zevvin said, flicking his hand towards the door. "You two sit here." Zevvin motioned to the table with armchairs near the window - assumedly a small dining area were someone to take their meal in their room. The two did as they asked, neither looking too happy. "Fix your faces," Zevvin snapped, his eyes narrowing at the two. Dorian huffed but did as commanded but Solas just glared at Zevvin.

"You-"

"Solas, this is not the time nor the place. Do as I say or you'll be the reason I get hurt or worse." Zevvin hissed. Solas clenched his jaw and said nothing.

Iron Bull raised an eyebrow at them from his place at the door. He'd never seen the redhead so feisty and commanding before. He'd be lying if he said he didn't like it.

"I will open the door for him now," Zevvin said, walking back towards the door and opening it. He bowed his head. "The Lord inquisitor will see you now," Zevvin moved away from the door to let Caelus in. Caelus gave him a brief nod and entered. Zevvin closed the door after the man and walked after him, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Lord Pavus, Lord Inquisitor," Caleus said with a bow. I am Paelus de Devereaux-"

"You can stop," Zevvin said. "There are no ears here beside our own." Caelus straightened and looked at Zevvin. "They know the plan. They're not happy about it."

"So he knows you're the inquisitor?" Solas asked, confusion written all over his face.

"I wanted to show you how easy this will be for me to pull off." Zevvin crossed his arms and glared. Zevvin walked to stand next to Caelus and looked up at him. "Bertrand had been standing behind him in the hall. I expected the man to come in as well but he had left by the time I opened the door for Caelus."

"You must refer to me as Paelus," Caelus said. "They know me as such."

"Not very creative, now are we?" Dorian asked with a raised eyebrow. Caelus shot an annoyed look at Dorian.

"And what would an altus know about creativity. You-"

"Enough," Zevvin snapped in a low voice. "The gathering starts in an hour."

"My apologies, Zevvin..." Caelus turned his attention to Zevvin. That's when Zevvin took notice that the man had a bundle of clothing in his hand. "I came with servant clothing. It would be best you wear these instead of your mage equipment."

"Yes. It would not make sense..."

"Unless you were a liberati ," Dorian piped in. Both Zevvin and Caelus glared at him.

"Would you shut up ," Zevvin growled. Dorian chuckled.

"There is a ledger in the cellar," Caelus said, crossing his arms. "I'll give you the signal to go down there. We're all going to have to act as a distraction while Zevvin goes down there under the guise of getting more wine. The only ones that will be paying any mind to Zevvin would be those looking to buy him. Everyone else is here for the festivities or the inquisitor." Caelus looked at Solas. "The only thing Zevvin has to worry about is the ones who aren't too keen on waiting to... test the wares." Caelus gritted his teeth and looked away.

Solas's eyes narrowed. "He is without his magic. He will not be able to defend himself if these people were to-"

Zevvin growled and interrupted Solas. "Quiet ! It is not up for debate."

Everyone stared at Zevvin in surprise. A shock ran through them all at the growled quiet . It was storm magic. There was a slight glowing gleam in the mage's eyes that had everyone hesitating on responding to him. Just as fast as the shock and the glow came, it was gone. The redhead suddenly looked exhausted. He sat down on the bed and shook his head with a frown.

"Your magic..." Dorian said lowly. He stood up and sat next to the redhead. "Are you okay? What was that?" He placed a hand on the redhead's shoulder.

"I-I...I'm fine. Let us put an end to this so we can return to Skyhold. I grow weary of Orlais..." Zevvin looked up at Caelus. "Please show them to the room everyone will be gathering. I shall change."

"I'll stay with him," Dorian said when he saw Solas open his mouth to protest. After a moment Solas sighed and gave in.

"Alright."

Dorian watched the three leave then looked to Zevvin who was massaging his temples. "Are you okay?"

"No," Zevvin sighed. Dorian tilted his head to the side and fingered the necklace around Zevvin's neck.

"Where did you get this from?" He gripped it and raised an eyebrow. "Feels like its embued with storm magic."

"Caelus gave it to me as a gift," Zevvin said, plucking Dorian on the back of his hand. He moved to pick up the clothes that Caelus left for him.

"Hmm..."