Maxwell had just returned and already Josephine had informed him that he had more judging to do. However, the one he appeared to be judging was a box which was guarded by two Inquisition soldiers. Maxwell raised an eyebrow, and gave Josephine a suspicious look.
Josephine started to take a deep breath, and then apparently reconsidered the notion. "First, this wasn't my idea. It is an issue born of titles and heir appearancy and…" She sighed, and turned towards the box. "Halamshiral is having difficulty freeing trade routes formerly controlled by Duchess Florianne." Maxwell gave the box a vaguely horrified look. "Had she been tried, her assets would be forfeit and considerable bureaucracy avoided. So they ask that we judge her."
Maxwell looked at Josephine as he tried to wrap his mind around this. "Are you serious? I did my part—she's dead!"
Several seconds of Josephine staring at the box passed in silence. "That was the time allotted for rebuttal. Her crimes negated any claim to…" Josephine coughed and rubbed her nose. "Forgive me, there is an odour."
The poor soldiers standing next to the box were all turning various shades of green. This was… this was utterly and completely ridiculous and oddly enough it wasn't the first time. He straightened in the chair. "Strangely enough, something similar happened to an uncle of Emperor Leandra the Second. His trade routes were returned to the reigning monarch. Why don't we follow suit?"
"A wise choice!" said Josephine, looking quite relieved. "Thank you for making it swift."
Unfortunately, this was not the last of the most unusual judgements he had to make today. For the next person was an Avaar chief by the name of Movran who was accused of attacking Skyhold with a goat.
As it turned out it was just some weird custom of his after he killed his son. He said that he was meant to fight against the Tevinters, but ended up fighting against them instead. Seeing as this was a big misunderstanding, Maxwell decided that his punishment would be banishment to Tevinter with as many weapons they could carry.
Chief Movran was quite happy with the way things turned out.
Blackwall was staring into the fire. He glanced up when he saw Maxwell enter. "Want a drink? I've a hankering for company."
Maxwell nodded, and followed him to the nearly empty tavern. He was quiet for a time, staring into his drink. He tilted his head at him, and he must have caught the worry in his eyes. "When I was a boy, there were these urchins who roamed the streets near my father's house. One day, they found a dog. A wretched little thing. It came to them for food. They caught it, tied a rope around its neck, and strung it up. Do you know what I did?" He took a drink.
"You stopped them? Cut the dog down?"
He stared into his mug. "I did nothing. Not a damn thing. It was crying. I saw the kicking legs, the neck straining and twisting…" He took another drink. "And I turned around, went inside, and closed the door. I could have told my father or alerted someone. I didn't. I just pretended it wasn't happening."
Maxwell simply frowned. "You were a child."
"I was old enough to know the dog was suffering and that it was wrong." He slammed his mug onto the table. "I may as well have tied the noose myself. We could make the world better. It's just easier to shut our eyes."
Maxwell had no idea where this was going. "Nothing worth doing is easy."
Blackwall stared at him for a moment, then gave a small, bitter laugh. "Look at you. You would've done the right thing. We're lucky there are people like you in the world. There's always some dog out there, some fucking mongrel that doesn't know how to stay away." He finished his drink, set the mug on the table, and walked away.
The next morning, Theron informed him that Blackwall had vanished without a trace. He quickly made his way to the barn and found that it was indeed empty. A note was tacked to the wooden griffin. He pulled it off, and read it before crumpling it in his hand.
"He's gone," said Erdic as he entered the barn. "Without saying a word?"
"That would appear to be the case," said Maxwell. "Leliana and Theron are looking into it now."
It was at that point as an agent approached them. "The spymaster has confirmed it. Blackwall is gone."
Erdic folded his arms. "He would not have left unless he had a good reason."
The agent glanced over his shoulder. "It is not for me to speculate on Blackwall's motivations. Sister Leliana had us search the Warden's quarters. Not much to find, except this." He offered Maxwell a piece of parchment. "It was missing from last week's reports. I don't know what Blackwall's interest in the particular matter is, but it could be a good place to start."
Maxwell read over the document. Cyril Mornay. He didn't recognise the name. With a sigh, she went to go gather some of the others. If Blackwall was in trouble, they'd deal with it.
Varric, Solas, and Cassandra followed Maxwell and Erdic into the market square of Val Royeaux. None of the three had recognised the name either. Maxwell eyes then fell down upon the gallows and the spectators had gathered around it.
"Cyril Mornay. For your crimes against the Empire of Orlais…" The announcer read off a scroll. "For the murders of General Vincent Callier, Lady Lorette Callier, their four children, and their retainers…" Maxwell couldn't figure out what this man's connection with Blackwall could be. "You are sentenced to be hanged from the neck until dead. Do you have anything to say in your defence?" The condemned man said nothing, just knelt there, his face bleak. "Very well." He gestured to the executioner, who lifted the man to his feet.
"Ah, human justice." Solas shook his head disapprovingly.
"Well, this is grim," said Varric.
The rope was around the condemned man's neck. "Proceed."
Then from out of nowhere Blackwall's voice ring out. "Stop!"
"A Grey Warden." The crowd began to murmur.
"This man is innocent of the crimes laid before him. Orders were given, and he followed them like any good soldier. He should not die for that mistake!"
The condemned man was staring at Blackwall. The announcer gestured. "Then find me the man who gave the order."
Blackwall turned to face the crowd and it soon became clear who had given the order.
"Oh, shit," said Varric.
"I don't believe this," said Erdic shaking his head.
"Blackwall!" Maxwell yelled.
"No. I am not Blackwall." Sorrow showed on his face. "I never was Blackwall. Warden Blackwall is dead, and has been for years. I assumed his name to hide, like a coward, from who I really am."
"You, after all this time…" said Mornay.
"It's over. I'm done hiding. I gave the order. The crime is mine. I am Thom Rainier."
"Find one of the Inquisition's messengers, and tell Leliana," said Erdic looking at Solas, who nodded.
With Cassandra's help, Maxwell got the crowd calmed and dispersed. The Orlesian guards took Blackwall off somewhere while he did so. Varric and Erdic were looking at one another, unsure what to make of this. From the look on Cassandra's face, she was about to chew on a sword and spit out nails.
Maxwell saw the man who had been presiding over the execution, and walked towards him, hoping to get more information. The mask hid the man's face, but his voice sounded shocked. "Can you believe it? Thom Rainier himself."
"You must know something about Rainier?"
"I know what everyone knows: he'll hang for the massacre of a noble and his family."
Maxwell could hardly believe that Blackwall would ever do such a thing. "Where did they take the prisoner?"
"In the jail off the marketplace. If you've goodbyes to say, say them now." He shrugged. "It's a damned mess, but believe you me, it'll be sorted out quick. Lots of people can't wait to see that man swing."
Both Maxwell and Erdic made their way down into the cells and there sat Blackwall, who didn't even look at them.
"I didn't take Blackwall's life. I traded his death. He wanted me for the Wardens, but there was an ambush. Darkspawn. He was killed. I took his name to stop the world from losing a good man. But a good man, the man he was, wouldn't have let another die in his place."
"You saved that man. That took courage," said Maxwell.
"Courage? I killed innocent people…" He shook his head. "Destroyed Mornay's life and the lives of others like him. One moment of courage will not make up for that." He finally looked at them. "Why are you here?"
"I needed you to know you aren't alone in this."
"Also we find it hard to believe that you would ever do such a thing," Erdic added.
"Don't you understand? I gave the order to kill Lord Callier, his entourage, and I lied to my men about what they were doing!" He rose, and gripped the bars of the cell. "When it came to light, I ran. Those men, my men, paid for my treason while I was pretending to be a better man! This is what I am. A murderer. A traitor…" He slumped and fell to his knees. "A monster."
Erdic simply shook his head and walked out. Maxwell turned, with a vindication of leaving, but before he did he said, "Would a monster given himself up? Somewhere along the line you start pretending."
He didn't reply he shook his head and walked away.
He left the cells and found Erdic order discussing things with Adaar and Cullen. Upon seeing him, Cullen approached him.
"I have a report on Thom Rainier," he said.
"Give me the overview," said Maxwell.
Cullen nodded. "Looks like our friend was once a respected captain in the Imperial Orlesian army." He glanced down at the parchment. "Before the civil war, he was turned, persuaded to assassinate one of Celene's biggest supporters. He led a group of fiercely loyal men on this mission, and told them nothing of it. His men took the fall for him. A few lucky ones, like Mornay, managed to escape."
"Let me guess. Our spymaster had this lying around somewhere, didn't she?"
"It would have been difficult for anyone to connect Blackwall to Rainier," said Cullen. "Even Leliana has something of a blind spot when it comes to Wardens."
He couldn't really blame her considering that her former lover had been a Grey Warden and that she had fought at their side during the Fifth Blight.
Cullen sighed. "What do we do now? Black…" He corrected himself. "Rainier has accepted his fate, but you don't have to. We have resources. If he's released to us, you may pass judgment on him yourself."
Maxwell wasn't completely certain on what to do. "If it were up to you, what would happen?"
"What he did to the men under his command was unacceptable. He betrayed their trust, betrayed ours. I despise him for it." And if he were honest, he'd also have to admit some of the things he'd allowed were no better. "And yet he fought as a Warden. Joined the Inquisition. Gave his blood for our cause. And the moment he shakes off his past, he turns around and owns up to it. Why?"
Adaar smirked slightly. "Some part of you is impressed by what he did, isn't it?"
"Saving Mornay the way he did took courage. I'll give him that," Cullen admitted. He then looked back at Maxwell. "But I can't tell you what to do."
Maxwell then looked at Adaar and Erdic. "What do you two think?"
Adaar crossed her arms. "To be honest I'm not entirely sure, but I think wasting a skilled soldier would be a waste."
Erdic simply shrugged. "We don't really know the full story and a massive known the real Blackwall if he was able to pass offers him. I think upon meeting Blackwall something changed in him and he became a better man."
Maxwell had to agree with Erdic. "Have Rainier released to us."
"We must move quickly. We can explore our options back at Skyhold."
Once they arrived at Skyhold, the first thing Maxwell and the guard did was bring Theron to get his point of view.
"I had my suspicions that he wasn't the real Blackwall," said Theron.
Cassandra turned on him with fury. "You knew? And you didn't tell us?"
"I didn't know the real Blackwall that well, in fact we never met, I only heard rumours. I have to admit that Rainier is a pretty good actor."
"Still you should have informed us," said Maxwell.
"I wanted to find out who he was first," said Theron. "If I suddenly announced that he wasn't a real Grey Warden what you think would have happened to the treaties?"
Maxwell's face dropped, he had completely forgotten that they had used the Grey Warden treaties to provide aid. Of course, since they had recruited the Grey Wardens that wasn't much of a problem now, but many nobles may not see it that way."
"So when were you going to plan to tell us?" Ellana asked.
"My original plan was to find a cache and quietly put him through the Joining. Of course, I was planning on doing that once we finished dealing with Corypheus," Theron sighed, and shook his head. "I should have told you."
"What you know the real Blackwall."
"Gordon Blackwall?" said Theron crossing his arms. "He was a Warden Constable, up for Warden Commander. It was assumed he didn't return to the fort because he wanted to step aside for Clarel. It's common enough no one thought to question it. I assumed Bla… Rainier… he's not the first to impersonate a Warden. Standard protocol when we find such people is just to put them through the Joining and let fate take its course."
"We'll talk about this later," said Maxwell. "At the moment Josephine is arranging for us to have custody of Blackwall."
"Yes, Inquisitor," Theron nodded.
"Empress Celene has agreed to let us deal with the Rainier matter?" said Josephine.
"The mastermind was a Robert Chapuis, loyal to Gaspard. Since both are dead, the empress is willing to wash her hands of the matter," said Leliana.
Maxwell paced a moment, and then turned back towards them. "What is the Joining?"
Theron looked as if he was expecting this question. "It what gives us our abilities, we drink a concoction made from darkspawn blood."
"You what?" Ellana stare at him.
"That would explain quite a bit," said Adaar crossing her arms.
"For me it wouldn't have mattered either way, because I already had the taint in my blood. In order to save my life I had to join the Grey Wardens. However, as you can imagine the magic involved is strenuous and not everyone survives the Joining, which is why we really do it and only select the best."
"And you're not completely immune," Erdic added.
"No," said Theron shaking his head. "As you well know the Wardens know when the time is over when they hear the Calling."
"I suppose the whole oath about, 'In death, sacrifice', make a whole lot more sense now," said Adaar.
Maxwell, closed his eyes. "That will be all."
Josephine's voice was calm. "For judgment this day, Inquisitor, I must present Captain Thom Rainier, formerly known to us as Warden Blackwall. His crimes…" Josephine twitched a shoulder. "Well, you are aware of his crimes. It was no small expense to bring him here, but the decision of what to do with him is now yours."
Maxwell looked down at his old friend, a man he fought side-by-side with. "I didn't think this would be easy, but it's harder than I thought."
Blackwall's voice was bleak. "Another thing to regret." He looked up at him. "What did you have to do to release me?"
"Josephine called in a few favours. There are enough people out there who owe the Inquisition."
"And what happens to the reputation the ambassador has so carefully cultivated?" Blackwall shook his head. "The world will learn how you've used your influence. They'll know the Inquisition is corrupt."
"I wish there'd been another way, but my options were limited."
"You could've left me there." He glared up at him. "I accepted my punishment. I was ready for all this to end." His face became confused. "Why would you stop it? What becomes of me now?"
Maxwell looked down at the broken man. "You have your freedom."
"It cannot be as simple as that."
"It isn't. You're free to atone as the man you are, not the traitor you thought you were or the Warden you pretended to be."
"The man I am?" Blackwall glanced down at his bound wrists. "I barely know him. But he—I have a lot to make up for." He took a breath. "If my future is mine, then I pledge it to the Inquisition. My sword is yours." He glanced up as one of the soldiers cut his hands free. "If I'd said anything less, would an arrow from the rookery have snuffed me like a candle?"
Maxwell simply shook his head. "Take your post, Thom Rainier."
