It had been a week since the tavern incident with Cole, damn kid see if he ever tried to help him become more human again. The Inquisitor and Chuckles had resumed their weird hot-cold romance and everyone seemed satisfied to let the matter drop that was until he needed to ask the Seeker for some info.
He found her, as usual above the armory a book in hand. Funny now that he knew she was an outed romantic he seemed to mind her abrasive personality less. But the book she was reading was The Tale of the Champion. Makers tits how many times had she read that one already.
"Listen Seeker, if you need a new story I'm sure I can get some advanced copies of something out of Kirkwall…No need to keep re-reading old stuff…"
With a wave of the book she motions for him to take a seat. It was odd to think that not many months ago they had been crossing the Waking Sea together Varric pretty sure he would never see home again. And now…what? They weren't exactly friends but they had grown comfortable in each other's presence. He leans back and kicks his feet on the table just to get the typical disgusted noise from Cass, she did not disappoint even with the small smile on her face. It was just their way.
"Actually, I chose to pick it up again after Cole's comments at the Inn."
"Listen Seeker, whatever you are looking for would NOT be in my books. A good artist changes enough to make it fiction."
"Not my point Varric. Having met Hawke and having traveled with you and accounts from Cullen it helps to get a better understanding of …events that happened in Kirkwall. Knowing the author's motivation changes the tone slightly." She flips to the end of the first Act, the deep roads. "This section, with you, the Hawke siblings and Anders is forty some odd pages. Finding the dwarven boy, your brothers betrayal Carter's sickness and your eventual escape amazing detail telling a fantastic is not mostly true story. " She passes flipping again and showing another section of the story he knew well.
"This entire section. The first time I met you I even commented it sounded so romantic. A mage standing toe to toe with an Arishock to save a friend who had taken over a new way of life. Even the passages where Anders almost died to save her from the sword wounds. All somewhat exaggerated but still within the story."
"If you are trying to convince me of how good I am Seeker you are doing a great job lemme tell you." Varric pulled out a flash a takes a swig before offering it to her. Surprisingly Cass takes a sip before going back to the well-worn book.
"But what you gloss over, the things that were only briefly mentioned, should have told me you were hiding more than I knew. Hawke's mothers' death….the build up and fight with the mage all detailed but her final moments and the weeks after Leandra's death totally glossed over. I can only image how Hawke recovered from that experience.
"Come on Seeker you know no one wants to see the dirty little details, anything that makes the hero look human…or vulnerable. " He tilts the flask in the direction of the war room.
"I have no doubt that what you and Hawke accomplished in Kirkwall was truly amazing. Cullen speaks nothing but praise for your efforts. But why even after the fact did you never tell Hawke how you felt?"
Varric almost chocked on his drink, damn that Seeker and her bluntness, damn that spirt-boy and his mouth. Most of all damn him for not having a good bullshit story to deflect this.
"Hate to be the one to disappoint a fan, least of all one that might break my face but not everything works out like in a story Cass. Big hole in the sky and Enchanters turning into giant corpses, explosions leveling city blocks and priests laying siege to cities. We both know life doesn't work out the way it should. Leandra? Nicest woman you ever met, real mom baking cookies type Junior? Just wanted to prove he was able to do things for himself ?comes down with the blight. Blonde? Shit he must have done something right to snag Hawke before the voices got to be too much for him…."
Cass stands up and folds her hands behind her back, thinking as she paced. A action he was well familiar with by now. He took another sip of his flask only to find it dry between the two of them.
"You know Varric when we were in the fade. Hawke didn't have on a wedding ring. She crossed the Waking Sea when you wrote her,even as a wanted fugitive. She said she would stop by before she left for Weisshaupt. You should tell her. You both deserve the chance to be happy." She puts the book in front of Varric and shuts the door. Cursing under his breath Varric looks at his own writing, one of the final chapters of the story, he had written it on the boat as they fled a burning Kirkwall.
"And in the fading light of the Fire filled shore, The Champion looked at the city that had become her home slowly melt into the grey of the sea. She reached over and squeezed her brothers hand affectionately, concern flashed between the siblings as they looked at the unconscious form besides then and she turns to me.
It takes a few moments but the smile that defines her comes. Covered in blood and soot she is still beautiful, and we know dear readers, that the story of The Champion of Kirkwall is far from over."