The Daughter of Tethras

Disclaimer: Don't own Dragon Age

A/N:

Chapter 23 (Theorizing)

Back at Skyhold, Bianca made her way to Cullen's office to try and figure out what their next move was going to be. They managed to track down Corypheus's top man, Samson, a former knight of Kirkwall.

Voices behind the door caught her attention, but she couldn't make out who was speaking. Rather than interrupt, she took a seat on the edge of the battlement wall and waited with her arms crossed and her gaze focused on the ground.

The latch of the door jamb drew her attention and when she looked up, she saw a tall woman with soft brown-near shoulder length hair leaving the office. She had beautiful blue eyes, a soft complexion and peach colored lips. Bianca watched the human female walk on by, her hips swayed sensually with each step and Bianca's eyebrows shot up.

"Well. I thought Cullen wasn't interested in any romantic pursuits…" She pushed herself up and entered the office. Cullen was facing the window behind his desk, arms neatly folded and his strong expression seemed focused as though intensely studying something. "Oh Commander?"

Cullen flinched and turned partially. "Inquisitor! Bianca. I wasn't expecting…"

"Uh huh." She smirked and gestured out the door. "So, who's the lady? I thought you turned down everyone at the Winter Palace." Cullen scratched his head and chuckled nervously.

"I er-I did. She's different, she's not one of those noble socialites. She and her brother were at the palace, but they were outside training." He dropped his hand and cleared his throat. "That was Trina Trevelyan. She's a soldier with her brother, Leon. Cassandra and I met them at the ball."

This meant the two left the party at some point of time, which was a shock considering neither of them ever appeared to take breaks. "So what you're telling me is you actually took a break?" She laughed out as a blush spread over Cullen's cheeks. "It's nice to see you're not too focused on work."

"I won't get distracted again if-"

"Seriously, breaks are okay once in a while." She leaned her left shoulder against the wall. This was a perfect opportunity to take a break as well, she wanted to know more about this Trevelyan person. "So tell me, that woman didn't look Orlesian."

"She and her brother are from Ostwick, in the Free Marches. They did have a friend of the family who invited them to the ball."

"Oh. How did you come to meet them, then?"

"Cassandra and I were talking about the party when we looked outside and saw the siblings sparring together. We went out to join them." Cullen walked past his desk, sweeping the surface with his fingertips. "Should we not have?"

"I don't see any reason for you not to." She didn't ask anyone to not try and live their life as well. "I'm trying to live my life at the same time, I'd like to have a life and to have something with my father, it wouldn't be right for me to keep you from doing the same thing." She stood straight and looked out the door. "So, you will be seeing her again? I hope?"

"You hope?"

She rolled her eyes and shrugged. "You're always stuffed in this office without any free time, constantly working. You need someone to get you away from it all once in a while."

Cullen turned his lips into a smile and cast a lingering gaze out the door while lowering his tone of voice. "It takes quite a bit to impress me, and that is one impressive woman."

"Dare I ask about last night? No, I don't think I'll pry." She would definitely get in touch with Cassandra and find out if Trina's brother is still around. "Will they be benefiting the Inquisition as well?"

"Yes, they thought it would be a good cause to get involved with." Cullen glanced back at her and sat on the corner of his desk. "They should have been at the Conclave as well, you know, but as luck would have it, they got lost on the way."

"Funny how that works. I've met at least two others that should have been at the Conclave that day as well…" She looked down and tension spread over her face. "I guess fate decreed I was to be the one there."

"Can you truly still complain?" She raised her head up with a slight smile. "You're here, you're developing a relationship with your father, one that may never have happened if you weren't at the Conclave."

"I know, and I don't regret it. I'm glad for it." She opened her hand up and peered at the fingerless black glove that she wore to cover up the mark. "I still hate the damned anchor, don't get me wrong, but I don't hate what it's done for me."

"And what is that?"

"If it wasn't for this damned thing, I wouldn't be here." She was focusing on the throbbing sensation in her palm now, but it wasn't as bad as it used to be. "If not for this, I probably wouldn't be near my father-I would have thought he died at the conclave, so I would have given up. I'd probably be dead right now. Whether by my own hand or someone else. I've made friends too, friends that I wouldn't have otherwise."

"So the anchor's done what, more good than bad for you?"

She caught the smirk growing on his face and met it with a single wry chuckle. "When you put it like that…" She closed and dropped her hand, and grinned from ear to ear. "I mean, I've met my personal heroes, those responsible for saving my life in the deep roads."

"And you still want that thing removed from your hand?"

"More than anything, but I'm not saying I couldn't live with it if I had to." She approached him and snapped her fingers upon remembering what she came here for. "Oh, I wanted to discuss Samson. What's our next move on him?"

"Our next move?" Cullen narrowed his eyes and hummed. "We track him down at his hideout." He swayed to the side and gestured at the side door with his head. "By the way, three trainers are here to try and train you to specialize in a specific trade."

"Oh?"

"Yes. A chevalier who wishes to make you a Champion, a Templar knight and someone that specializes in something called a 'Reaver'. I suggest talking to your father about these, but it's your decision to make if you want to learn any of those trades."

"I might." The Templar sounded the best, but at the same time she wasn't sure if it was worth it. Even Cullen was still struggling from withdrawal of the lyrium that Templars had to take in order to amplify their own abilities. He was doing better, but it was a struggle he'd have to deal with for some time, and she wasn't sure she wanted to deal with that. "I don't know what a Reaver is, but a Champion might be good."

"Ask Iron Bull about the Reaver training, I think he might know something about that."

"What do you suggest?"

"My advice? I would say to stay away from the Templar, whatever you do." Cullen sat in his chair and slid his hands onto the desk. "You'd be doing yourself a great favor by avoiding the Templar, and probably your father as well. If you want to be able to have a life with your father, I would definitely suggest staying away from the Templar." He raised his right hand and extended his index finger. "You have no idea how long it's been since I've seen my family because of my duties as a Templar."

"Okay. Point taken." She knew her ex specialized in Assassin training, but stealth wasn't her forte. "The champion thing stands out more to me anyway, less use of magic and aren't they more adept at defense?"

"Possibly."

With that said, Bianca hurried to her father to get his input on the matter involving the trainers. They left Skyhold grounds to walk the perimeter together and to overlook the landscape. "So you think training under the champion standard would be better?"

Varric locked his wrists behind his back and looked skywards with a soft hum. "I do." It was the nobler one of the three as well from what she understood, so she felt it was more appropriate given her father's connection to nobility. "Probably it's the safer bet as well."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." He ran his hand over his chin and lowered his gaze to the ground. "If you want to become a Templar, you have to start taking that lyrium shit. Everyone that touches that stuff gets addicted and their mind goes to hell."

"That's what Cullen was saying…"

"Then this other trainer? I've heard a little about Reavers before, and I'm pretty sure it involves drinking the blood of dragons." Disgust stabbed at her stomach and she slowly moved her hands over her abdomen. Varric turned to her and raised his eyebrows. "Not to mention, you don't need to be fighting dragons. You could, but I'd prefer you didn't, those things are dangerous as hell."

"More dangerous than Corypheus?"

"Let's see. Hawke and I have fought Corypheus, and we fought a high dragon." His eyelids fell halfway and the corners of his mouth pulled back into his cheeks. "I'd rather fight Corypheus ten times than fight a dragon." She laughed for a moment and Varric started to smile.

"Okay, I get it." She preferred to train as a champion anyway. It was a nobler calling, champions were leaders and defenders, so it was perfect for her. "The champion training is for nobles though, isn't it?"

"Eh, sure."

"You're a noble?" Varric spread his arms out and bowed.

"Yes, and that makes you nobility too. Just don't act like you're better than everyone else, because we are not." He rose with a smirk plastered across his face and a daring glint in his eyes. "At least we don't want to act that way."

"Oh I understand, Marcus and Amelia were terrible about that." They stopped at a section of the castle that sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking a magnificent view of water far below that shimmered beneath the sun which tore the clouds apart above them.

Bianca took a deep breath and ran her hand over the back of her neck, it was hot to the touch and slightly clammy. "So, aside from what training to specialize in, away from Corypheus and the Inquisition and all that…" Varric turned his attention to her and leaned back against the wall of the castle. "I was hoping to ask you some questions about, well, our family."

"Ask anything you like."

"Were you always in Kirkwall?"

Varric folded his arms across his stomach and nodded. "My mother was not pregnant with me just yet when King Aeducan exiled my father from Orzammar. They joined the merchants guild at that point and moved to Kirkwall-it was the best place for Dwarven merchants at the time."

"Are they still around?"

Varric winced and looked away to the side. "I don't know how to talk about them, to be honest, but I will try." She furrowed her brow and bit the corner of her lower lip. "Abuse runs through our family like a curse, as much as I hate to say it." She bowed her head and Varric sighed. "My father passed away when I was only two years old and my mother developed an alcohol problem. When she drank, she would fall into her rages, and I was there to bear the brunt of it since my brother was off trying to follow dad's line of work."

Hearing about her grandmother dealt a crushing blow to her. She had hoped for grandparents, but not to the level of disappointment. She was more disheartened to hear that her grandmother had become an abusive drunk after her husband died. "Oh…"

Varric scratched the back of his head and closed his eyes. "I'm told that people follow some sort of pattern in their lives because of familiarity. I don't know how true that is, but after your own mother, I'm curious about the validity of that statement."

"My mother is-was-fairly abusive too?"

"As you know, she's the reason you're twenty years old and we're just now getting to know one another." He swept his hand down his sleeve and let inhaled slowly. "Your grandmother passed away before the Fifth Blight, and I assumed the head of House Tethras after your uncle, Bartrand passed a few years ago."

She moved next to Varric, mimicking his posture as she leaned against the wall. "What was he like?"

"Before going anywhere near that Lyrium Idol that drove him insane? He was already crazy enough, but he was my brother…He was a good person beneath that angry exterior." Varric looked to the scenery before them and started to chuckle. "Oh if he were still alive today and he heard about you, I wouldn't hear the end of it."

She smiled at the thought and looked towards the sky. "I would have liked to know him, I think."

"Maybe. Also, we're not technically noble anymore. Used to be, before my father was exiled."

"I see. I heard Orzammar nobles tended to hold high positions."

"You heard right." He smiled at her and walked forward a bit, stopping next to a large rock on the floor. He kicked his right foot on top of the rock and folded his forearms on top of his knee to lean against it. "House Tethras is known for holding the position of Steward for the Assembly. At least three of us held that position-my father, my grandfather and his father."

Her eyebrows shot up and she tried to picture her family at such a high position. "Wow. I can't say I've really ever seen the Assembly. I mean, I know they're kind of advisors to the king or their main purpose is to choose a king, and I know the Steward tends to be in charge of the city guard at times and he addresses the assembly, but that's about all I know."

"Yeah, you don't need to know too much about it." Varric exhaled and shook his head. "Orzammar politics is far too confusing anyway, and like I was telling Solas the other day…I have little connection to Orzammar."

"Yeah, you probably don't want to go back there."

"I prefer the surface, to be honest. What about you?"

"I've only ever been out of Orzammar when Marcus and Amelia would venture out for whatever reason." Marcus held a high position of nobility as well that allowed him to leave Orzammar at his leisure without being chastised for it, which was how she wound up in Kirkwall when she was five and still managed to get lost in the deep roads when she was ten. "Officially I didn't start living around the surface until I joined Dasher's clan."

"When was that?"

"Whenever I was fifteen or sixteen. It's not important."

Varric stood erect and moved his foot back to the ground. "What do you think of the surface?"

"Not as bad as people make it out to be, but I could do without all the crappy demons, darkspawn, and everything else." Varric threw his head back and shook with laughter. Bianca smiled softly and glanced to the ground.

She kicked a nearby pebble and thought on what her father was saying about how abuse seemed to run in the family. It was strange, but maybe the chain could stop at this point. She was trying to stand up for herself more, and the more she thought about it the more she acknowledged that a good person may be taking an interest in her.

"Do you think Sandal is a good guy?" Varric raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

"He's never done anything wrong as far as I can tell. Why?"

"I just, well I don't know…I'm not interested in relationships right now, but he seems to like me. Or maybe I'm imagining that, I'm not sure."

"Take your time, and if you're ready you'll know. Sandal's a decent kid, though I'll have to talk to him a bit more." Varric turned around, gazing at the mountains in the distance. His eyelids slid down and his chest expanded slowly. "You know something? Hawke's fiancé, Isabela, she's sailed outside Thedas."

"Really?" She moved beside her father and followed her gaze. Her lips separated and intrigue filled her chest. "I think Josephine was asking about that in the war room a while ago. We have a map of Thedas and she asked if anyone ever thought about 'what was beyond the map'."

"Thedas is essentially an island, or it's part of one." She fell quiet and turned towards her father, eager to hear what he had to say. "Isabela said when she ventured out, the sea was almost endless, but she finally touched down on land and had the opportunity to speak with people in the country she found…"

"What did she learn?"

"The world outside of Thedas? You know they've never even heard of the 'Blight'?" Her jaw dropped and Varric started to laugh. "Hell, it seems dwarves are really just short humans."

"Wait? We're human?"

"Possibly." He shrugged. "Isabela spoke of dwarves and she said she was looked at oddly for talking about us like we were a separate race of people. These people don't know what the blight is, they have their own views of demons…"

"Such as?"

"Let's just say their 'divine' and their 'chantry' is much different than what we have." He rolled his head to the right and his forehead creased in the center. "Or that's what Isabela says. It's a very different world out there, our country appears to have been hidden away by the first blight somehow. Either that, or any explorers from the outside world were too horrified to say anything."

"So if blights, darkspawn, and demons only inhabit Thedas and Tevinter-"

"And mages." He snapped his fingers and raised his eyebrows. "Isabela said some people study alchemy outside our continent, but nobody possesses magic abilities." He crossed his arms and slanted his eyes. "Possibly has to do with the fact that ancient elves seem to have been based solely here in Thedas. Either magic doesn't exist outside Thedas, or it does and people out there are less inclined to use it."

"It all probably has to do with Corypheus and the people that entered into the black city or something. Right?"

"That's what I'm thinking." Varric lowered his arms and turned his eyes upwards. "Isabela has this theory that something happened in ancient times, that for whatever reason the continent we live on is where the ancient elves and those who practice magic were sent to-perhaps cursed to live here."

"We can't practice magic." She folded her arms and scoffed at the thought. "Either way, I would love to see this world outside Thedas." Varric smiled and glanced sideways at her.

"I was thinking the same. A land without darkspawn, without magical corruption at every corner or strange and twisted creatures? I'd love to explore it. I think it has more to do with the ancient elves than anything, though."

"Why?"

"Because, Isabela also said the people in these other lands have only heard about elves in novels. They don't exist outside our continent, apparently, so maybe ancient elves that got caught up in magic remained solely on this continent and never saw reason to leave."

"Like how we are in Orzammar?"

"Right." He snapped his fingers and raised his eyebrows. "Maybe those ancients were sticklers for tradition and decided to remain here, and maybe ancient humans came to these lands and mingled with these ancient elves…so what if that's why humans and elves can practice but we can't? It's not in our genetic code?"

Her eyes widened for a moment and she chuckled almost disbelievingly. "If that theory were true, can you imagine the field day everyone would have?"

"Possibly, but what else could there be?"

"I don't know…" She wasn't too concerned with the how's or why's of magic and its existence within the continent that Thedas was on. Her mind was now fixated on a new thought, outward exploration. "Do you think…maybe Isabela could take us there? To this other land?"

"She's offered. She says despite that they have their own problems, it's 'nicer' than Thedas." Varric paused and rolled his eyes. "I can't possibly imagine why." Bianca laughed and Varric grinned openly. "Perhaps when this is all over…I'll write to Isabela and see if she and Hawke would be up for that exploration."

"And just leave all of Thedas behind?"

"Leave the Carta, leave the darkspawn and the blights, and the chaos that is the constant warring of elves against humans, mage against everyone else…yeah, I'd say an 'seaworthy escape' is a good one."

"Just get away from it all…I'd like that."

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. What are some of your thoughts and observations here? Also, yes, we just saw the last cameo up at the start. What do you think of the theory that magic may start with the ancient elves? I might suggest there's more to that theory than what has been said here. Also important, Bianca and Varric finally get to have a good detailed talk about family and whatnot.