Chapter 5

"I should kill you." Lyna spat. Her hands drifting toward the knives belted on her hips. Merrill's eyes widened and Varric happened to notice that Merrill's own hand drifted to her knife too. Good girl, Daisy. Varric thought. He didn't know this Hero of Ferelden like he knew Merrill. Merrill was a sweet young thing with her heart in the right place. She had made some mistakes, everyone does. He didn't think it was right for this Grey Warden Commander to her small clothes in a knot over it.

"I can't believe you!" Lyna snapped, "Not only did you not listen to the Keeper, you killed her and then I hear you've been messing around with that mirror!"

"It's a priceless artifact of our people. We couldn't just abandon it." Merrill whimpered, though Varric did notice her eyes were steady and starting to take on an edge.

Glancing around the room he saw the few people that were left were watching them pretty intently like they were waiting for a bloodbath to start. "Ladies," Varric started but then stopped at a shake of Anders and Alistair's heads.

"I wouldn't try and interfere, Master Storyteller." Alistiar said leaning a bit closer to Varric. "Lyna's not to be trifled with when she's like this. She'll put an arrow through your eye faster than you can talk." Varric didn't think to refute the statement. He could tell the King of Ferelden wasn't fooling around. He knew the Hero of Ferelden better than most. Varric's eyes darted to the blonde elf standing a few paces behind everyone. He wasn't brooding like Fenris. In fact he a genuinely open stance and an easy going smile plastered on his face. But his eyes told a different story. Varric saw in the space of a breath. The fine white scars that crisscrossed his knuckles, the dark swirl of tattoos on his face to the sun kissed skin and fine weapons and armor. This elf had seen more death and rot in the world than his easygoing appearance let on.

"An artifact? Do you even remember what it did to Tamlen? To me? That thing is dangerous! What kind of fool hearty half- baked idea were you…"

"I cleansed it!" Merrill jumped to her feet. Lyna reacted instinctively, her knives flashed as she leapt forward. She pressed the tip of a blade into the soft white flesh of Merrill's throat. Varric was on his feet, Bianca in hand, when he felt the cool demand of metal at his own throat.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A charmingly accented voice hissed into his ear. "Let's just let the ladies finish what they're doing, such we?" Varric shifted to see Anders and Alistair both sitting on the edge of their chairs. Both glanced back and forth between Varric and Merrill.

"They shouldn't be having this conversation in the middle of the common room of the Hanged Man. Look, the barkeep is getting suspense." Varric commented.

"True, Lyna, doesn't mean to kill her. Otherwise, she already be dead. She wants to rattle her." The voice said removing the blade her Varric's throat as he lowered Bianca. "No hard feelings, my friend, but if you raise a hand to harm her." He lowered is voice- it took on a dark and dangerous tone, like he was trying to scare Varric. "I will kill you. And I won't hesitate."

Varric nodded. He could understand that. "Fair warning, I can appericate that."

"Good as long as we're on the same page."

"Cleansed it!" Lyna shouted. Her knife making Merrill take a step back. The taller elf tripped and stumbled into her chair. Lyna didn't stop she pushed forward, leaning her lither smaller frame forward to bring her face inches from Merrill's. "You contacted a demon to teach you blood magic." Her voice was a whisper Varric had barely caught the words himself. "I should kill you on that principal alone." Merrill was visibly shaking now. Varric even saw that her hands were clenched into fists in her lap.

"Blood magic isn't bad."

Lyna scoffed and retracted her knife. "Unbelievable. Just unbelievable." She took a step back from Merrill and looked around the common room. She must have noticed everyone watching her. "A round of drinks on me!"

The common room cheered as Lyna reached down grabbing hold of Merrill's shirt and yanked her to her feet. "Master Dwarf, Anders told me you keep rooms here, may I borrow them for a couple of minutes?" She turned her bright blue eyes on him. Varric was shocked he had never quite seen eyes like that. Isabela was right elves had pretty eyes.

"Only if I accompany you." He said strapping Bianca to his back. "And as long as you promise to not get blood on the rugs."

"I appreciate it."

Varric took the lead. The two elves following behind him. Both were silent. Varric kept an eye on both from the corner of his eyes. He wanted to be able to help Daisy if as soon as they were away from the common room and the Grey Warden decided to do something drastic. Merrill kept her eyes downcast like she had something interesting on her feet. Lyna walked with her head held high and her eyes focused solely on Merrill. She wasn't one to miss anything though. She moved like a hunter- purposefully and quietly. Something told Varric that this was a woman use to getting her way. This was an elf people looked up to and respected. She was the Hero of Ferelen after all so it did make sense.

Zevran watched Lyna walk away with Merrill and Varric. He was more than certain that Lyna could handle both of them if necessary. She had asked to speak with Merrill alone. Isabela stared after the three as well. Her feet were on the ground and she looked about half ready to start after them.

"Don't, my dear pirate Queen," Zevran warned sheathing his weapons.

Isabela shot him a look. "She isn't going to hurt her?"

Zevran shook his head. "If Lyna wanted Merrill dead she would be." He popped himself down in Merrill's vacated chair. Setting his feet up on the table much in the same manner Isabela like to sit at the table. He surveyed the group. Alistair sat with his arms behind his head, fingers laced together.

"Well, that went better than expected."

"You actually expected that to happen?" Anders asked snagging an extra chair from another table with his foot. He slid the chair over and sat down.

Alistair shrugged. "With Lyna anything can happen."

"True enough."

Zevran crossed his arms and tilted his head back looking back in the direction of the stairs. Varric was coming back toward them.

The dwarf looked crestfallen. Anders must have noticed the look on Varric's face.

"She didn't kill her, did she?"

Varric shook his head and sat down with a thump. "Nope, but she kicked me out. In fact she didn't let me anywhere near them. Close the door right in my face."

Zevran chuckled. "That sounds like her."

"I was hoping from something juicy and gossip worthy. You know something for the history books."

Zevran winked. "You can always make up some delicious little tale of two lost lovers reunited."

"I don't know how Lyna would like that." Anders quipped, but he smiled at Zevran.

"You never know. She doesn't mind the other stories about her." He might have spread some of those stories himself. Lyna seemed to know, but she didn't mind. She just shook her head and laughed.

"That's ridiculous, Zev." She usually kissed him then and he kissed her back.

"Isabela, Varric, Anders has been telling me, that you might be able to help with a little problem that Lyna and I have ran into." Alistair's voice through Zevran's pleasant memories.

"Well, what did, Blondie tell you."

"We need some who knows the underground of Kirkwall. We need people who have a certain skill set." Alistair leaned forward locking eyes with the pirate and storyteller. "Oh course, as the king of Ferelden I would compensate you handsomely."

"I'll say." Isabela stated teasingly leaning across the table and show off her one of her certain skill assets.

"So you're in?" Alistair asked his eyes darting quickly to Isabela chest and then quickly away. Zevran covered his mouth with a hand, stifling the chuckle that wished to escape his lips. He really wanted to say something, but at this moment it wouldn't right. Or would it? He opened his mouth to reply just as a door slammed closed from upstairs.

Zevran canted his head just in time to see Lyna storming down the stairs. Her bright eyes were alight. She stormed pass the table without even bothering to stop. Zevran stood up and started after her. She paused just as she reached the door. Zevran stood behind a hand outstretched to grab her arm.

"Alistair!" Lyna called to the king.

"Yes, Lyna?" Alistair asked an eyebrow raise.

"I'm assuming that you and Anders have deciphered those scrolls. We leave at dawn." With that she turned back to the door and walked out of the Hanged Man.

Zevran didn't waste any time he went after her.