Daughter of Tethras

Disclaimer: Don't own Dragon Age

A/N:

Chapter 33 (Sitting in Judgement)

The throne chair of judgement; it wasn't something Bianca greatly enjoyed, and she'd done her best to ignore it all this time. Still, people were in cells waiting to tried in Skyhold's "court". Now, with the most recent addition, she had no choice but to play the judge for all that were waiting her verdict.

Upon returning with Varric, Thane, and even Isabella, all eyes had fallen on them and a hush fell over the castle walls. They were covered in the dried blood of the dragon they had fought, and Amelia was marching in front of them with her hands tied in the firmest rope they could find.

"We'll save her for last," Bianca said as she took her seat on the large chair-which resembled the throne of Kirkwall's Viscount. The guards nodded and went to retrieve the person that had been waiting for trial the longest. "God I hate this…"

She perched her elbow on the armrest and brought her knuckles to her cheek while peering with half-lidded eyes at the distant entrance to the castle. Josephine approached her, holding in her hand the list of prisoners waiting judgement.

"It's a difficult task I know," Josephine said with a gentle smile as though trying to reassure her. "But it has to be done. It's part of the role you play as leader of the inquisition."

"You said once we'd be executing people?" She didn't feel comfortable ordering someone to death. It had a different feeling than when she met blades on the field of battle. "I don't think I could do that."

"In the end it is up to you how you handle the fate of those that are brought before you." The doors opened and two guards led a large man with two rounded horns attached to a blue cloak. Bianca's eyebrow rose and she leaned upright as Josephine turned to the man. "And here is our first. Chief Movran of the Avaar. For his son's death, he stands accused of attacking our castle walls with a goat…"

She did a double take and looked at Josephine. "A goat?" It was bad enough she had to deal with the insane people in the disgusting mire that had been filled with rotting corpses rising due to what she suspected was yet another abusive act of magic; and now she had to deal with yet another annoyance lingering from that place. "You attacked Skyhold with a goat?"

"It is our custom," Movran replied, "To answer a grievance by assaulting one's hold with a goat." She closed her eyes and brought her hand to her forehead, rubbing it with her thumb and forefinger.

"Great. That's…great." She could almost hear the nobles in the room snickering under their breath, and at the same time she was trying to keep from chuckling herself. If she wasn't as stressed as she was, she would find this more amusing. "How about we just arm you and your people and send you guys to Tevinter?"

Tevinter was a place the Avaar disliked greatly, so this could benefit the both of them as whatever Movran found there could certainly aid the Inquisition in some way.

Movran laughed and made a statement about his son having been useful after all. Bianca shrugged and watched the guards lead him away.

The next person brought before her was a painful and familiar face: Magister Alexius. She cringed on the inside but remained as calm as possible while listening to Josephine read the charges against him.

"I'm not a nobody," she thought as she recalled his harsh words. She did her best to fight the urge to make this judgement personal. While one option was to execute him, she didn't want to have to go that far.

"There's been enough bloodshed as it is, and the Inquisition prevented your future from happening." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I've researched a little bit of the arcane arts, and I think your research and knowledge could benefit the Inquisition." Alexius groaned with disgust and bowed his head.

"As you wish…"

Next in tow was the former Mayor of Crestwood. His charge was flooding his village ten years ago, using the blight as an excuse. Granted he killed those infected with the blight, there was no way of knowing for sure if innocent lives were lost in the flooding.

She didn't feel like judging him, as his crime was committed on Ferelden soil during an already tragic period. "I sentence you to be judged in Ferelden courts." Surely King Alistair would want to dig into him, since the crime happened when he was actively working to end the blight.

The next person, they encountered on their travels through the Western Approach while fighting through both darkspawn and the Venatori. Crassius Servis led the Venatori expedition that caused darkspawn to come to the surface.

What was truly amusing was that Servis had also been sneaking resources from behind Corypheus's back. He then offered to work for the Inquisition, so in order to test his loyalty, she put him to work but on probation just in case he did something to screw them over.

Mistress Poulin from the small village of Sahrnia in the Emprise du Lion was carted in next. Already exhausted from judging, the anger she felt towards the woman's reckless act that ended with villagers being sold to the red Templars wasn't dominant.

"Here's what's going to happen." Bianca leaned forward, bending her elbows on her knees and tapping her fingertips together before her face. Mistress Poulin looked up with guilt-ridden eyes and pouty lips. "You're going back to Sahrnia and you're going to put your efforts into rebuilding the town. You owe them a great debt.

"Thank you, Inquisitor. Your kindness will not go ignored."

"I hope not." She dropped her hands to her knees and rolled her eyes while muttering under her breath. "First time really my input's been that complimented." Hopefully people wouldn't think she was being too nice, and that the public wouldn't start demanding more bloodshed from her. "No executions, that's the plan here."

Grand Duchess Florianne was brought before her, and did little more than to give a disgusted scoff. "Despite her demeanor, she recognizes your authority here," Josephine stated plaintively. Bianca shrugged and waited for Florianne to plead her part.

Though it wasn't an easy part to plead. She was guilty of attempting to assassinate the leader of half a continent. All in the name of Corypheus. "Make her work in the commons. I happen to know no matter where you are, nobility treat the common people like filth, so it only seems appropriate." She referenced what she witnessed in Orzammar so long ago, and even today, where the Casteless were treated like scum by the nobles.

"Although I honestly could use some amusement…" She pondered whether or not she could have made the woman a jester for the court. Josephine looked at her and asked if she needed a break, having heard her statement. Bianca waited for several seconds, then let out a sigh of defeat. "No, no, I need to get through this. I want to get to Amelia sooner than later."

Her anxiety was building up, along with the anger she felt towards the woman. The longer she had to deal with the prisoners she didn't want to bother with, the more antsy she became.

Thoughts of the abuse she suffered at the hands of her adoptive parents plagued her mind to no end, causing her to grow visibly angered. Her muscles tensed and she stared down the next person that the guards brought in.

It was Magister Erimond. Her teeth ground together and her nostrils flared upon remembering the tragedy at Adamant. While she wanted desperately to end his life for all that he'd done to the Wardens, she couldn't bring herself to do that. He wasn't in power to do anything more, he couldn't hurt anyone else, nor could Corypheus use him to corrupt the wardens again.

It was a situation where they were fooled once, but could not be fooled again by the same trickery.

"You are hereby sentenced to spend the rest of your days imprisoned." Erimond gawked and started to mock her, but she ignored him and signaled the guards to remove him.

Next up was Ser Ruth from the Grey Wardens, demanding judgement for her own actions. Bianca was moved by the woman's wish to take responsibility for her crimes, but she didn't feel right to judge her. She sent Ruth on her way, and hoped that perhaps the wardens would be more fit to judge her.

As she waited for the next person to be brought in, she was surprised to see Varric approaching. "Dad?" He was tense and had his hands closed to the point his knuckles were pale.

"They're bringing her in," he replied, "Finally. I thought I would oversee this." He stood beside her and put his hand on the arm of the chair. "Besides, I thought you might need me to be here for you." She relaxed a bit and flashed a smile.

"I'm glad you are."

"Too bad it's only Amelia. I'm looking forward to when we catch your mother."

"Yeah…I'm surprised you don't have the crossbow with you right now."

"Thought about it." Varric crossed his arms and smirked as the doors opened up and three silhouettes appeared. "I'd be too tempted to put an arrow in Amelia."

"I know the feeling. All this time, I was thinking about how much I would like to demand her execution, without mercy and without thought, but I know that wouldn't be right. Even for her. Even if it were my mother, it wouldn't be fair."

"I'm proud that you realize that." Everyone deserved a fair trial, no matter how vile they were. While some probably wouldn't get one, such as Corypheus, it was important to give everyone a chance. "By the way, that dragon? Let's not do that again."

"We're lucky Amelia had a good amount of her poison with her." Amelia's poison was a great benefit, since they were able to apply it to their weapons and use it to weaken the dragon considerably. Though it nearly finished all of them off, so Bianca did share her father's lack of enthusiasm for dragons.

Amelia was placed before Bianca, her glare burned into the girl and her mouth stretched into a virulent sneer. "You should have left me for the dragon, bitch." Bianca ground her teeth together and closed her hands tight. "No matter what you do, my husband will come after you. He'll come for me. He'd storm this entire place."

"He'd be met with an army."

"Or my crossbow," Varric muttered. Amelia's eyes darted to him and her expression grew smug. Varric's eyes slanted and he peered down at Amelia as though she were nothing. "What?"

"So maybe you named that bow after your daughter, Tethras, but to think that Davri made that bow and you've carried it around all these years."

"Is this your attempt to get a rise out of me?"

"No, but it's good to know that if I wanted to, I probably could." He waved her off and Bianca signaled Josephine to get on with the charges so she could sentence Amelia.

This woman she truly wished to execute, she wanted nothing more than to make her suffer in the ways she suffered for half her life. Josephine looked between sorrow and pity, and shook her head sadly. "Amelia Cadash, you are charged with conspiracy, attempted murder on the life of the Inquisitor, and of course…numerous charges…How do you plead?"

"I don't." Amelia took a small step forward, her darkening gaze fell onto Bianca. "I'm just a tool, I suppose. I only did as I was told all these years: Keep Bianca from ever reconnecting with her father, and squash any hope or dream she has of the man." Varric tensed and Bianca turned to him, watching over him in case she would have to be the one to keep him calm. "Clearly I've failed that task, numerous times. I'm sure Davri would rather see me dead, you may as well throw me to Corypheus, I'd have better luck working under him."

"Believe me I'm tempted," Bianca said with a growl.

"Go ahead." Amelia's eyes flickered like that of a snake, and her grin increased. "I'm at your mercy little Bianca. Take your revenge, or are you too weak to do even that?"

Varric started to move for Amelia, belting out a violent growl. Bianca stood and placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "You know what?" She took a step towards Amelia, focusing solely on her until the shocked onlookers in the room became little more than a blur-a distant memory. "I'm not weak. I'm better than you are, Amelia…"

"How so?"

"Because I'm not a cruel, vindictive, abusive bitch that seeks only what benefits me." Amelia appeared to shrink with each step Bianca took in her approach. The woman stepped back and started to avoid any eye contact. "You're right, you've only ever taken orders. All the abuse, all the hate that you've pushed onto me, it's all because of my mother. You're just a soldier, but not even strong enough to be called one. You shouldn't die for my mother, you're not good enough to die for what she's done."

Her fists closed tight and her lips pulled away into a snarl that revealed her clamped teeth in the left corner. "I'll render my judgment on you, Amelia. For everything you've done. "You're to be stripped from any claims to nobility." The woman's eyes shot open and her eyebrows rose. "You're to be hereby marked casteless, and if my father allows it, banned from the merchant's guild."

"Y-You can't! I-"

"I know well enough to know the last thing you want to lose is your own power, your control over everyone and everything." To lose all the connections and ties that she had was to be the greatest punishment that Amelia could face, and in the end, it was likely to be less forgiving than what Florianne had been dealt. "But what good will they do you, when you're spending the rest of your life in prison?"

Amelia fell onto her knees and the guards reached for her upper arms. She bowed her head and began to tremble as a sob fell from her lips. "You little swine. You will pay for this."

"Keep it up," Varric replied while rolling his eyes. "Be lucky we don't petition King Aeducan to banish you to the deep roads…I couldn't put that punishment on anyone, though."

"I promise you, I will see you two destroyed whether in prison or not." The guards began dragging her off, struggling little despite Amelia's fevered attempts to break loose. "Your prisons can't hold me forever!" Bianca turned away and frowned at her father.

He took a deep breath, then embraced her, comforting her with a firm hold. Nothing more needed to be said; it was over. Or at the very least, she wouldn't have to worry about Amelia any longer.

Seeing the tears in her father's eyes brought tears to hers, though more relieved than anything. "I love you, Dad." She felt his body shift and heard a quick gasp. Bianca hugged him with equal strength and buried her head into his shoulder. "I'm glad I found you. I'm glad they couldn't prevent that."

"They couldn't keep me away." He rubbed her back and took a deep breath. "I love you too, and I'm never going to let anything happen to you again. No one's taking you from me this time, if I can help it. Not Amelia and Marcus, not Corypheus, and certainly not your mother."

"Let's just focus on Corypheus first." Isabella and Thane were waiting for them. Once they got rid of Corypheus, they could leave with the security of knowing that Davri and the others couldn't chase them. "The sooner we're done with him, the better."

What do you think of the punishment given to Amelia? Also, what do you think Marcus will do now that his wife's finally been arrested, and what does this mean for Cadash and her father? Can they truly hope to ride out the coming storm with Davri, or will she show herself once again?