Chapter 29!

I am actually on schedule! More or less. I don't exactly have a schedule. Point is; I actually have time to finish working on this! Soon, friends! Soon!

Disclaimer: Not mine!

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Chapter 29 – Murder, In Fact

Carlisle had found his place in the Inquisition. He helped Josephine with the nobles. Josephine spent ridiculous amounts of time discussing with the nobles visiting, about rooms, food, and all the small - not to mention unimportant - things that nobles found crucial in their lives. Never mind that there was an evil megalomaniac on the loose, trying to break the world, but the lack of that one particular wine? That was a major issue.

Carlisle had a way with the nobles - flipping their opinions upside down without them realising it.

He played The Game - brilliantly - and the nobles didn't even realise.

The fact that he was a lord did help a lot as well. Hermione learned – from Josephine – that the Venece family was rather high in the noble society, and thus, the nobles visiting Skyhold wanted to please the man. Carlisle was rather perfect for the role.

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She was sitting at a table in the Main Hall with Carlisle, updating the list of nobles visiting, or would visit soon, while eating perfectly sliced fruit – perfectly sliced for the nobles – when Solas emerged from his chambers. Carlisle was sitting with his back to Solas, but did – apparently – notice how Hermione's expression softened.

"Will I ever figure out who this person is? This person who changes your whole being in less than a second?"

Carlisle had yet to figure out this – who made Hermione's eyes soften – because the hall was full of people at all times, and Solas didn't exactly linger there. He exited his chambers, and was out of the Main Hall within fifteen seconds or so.

Also, Solas was an elf. Carlisle didn't expect this, she suspected.

Not that he had anything against elves. Not at all, in fact. He treated the elves no different than anyone else, a rare trait for a noble.

Hermione blushed slightly as she met the lord's eyes. "Probably," she said, giving the man an amused smile, "but isn't it fun to have a mystery to contemplate in the meantime?"

He rolled his eyes. "It's thrilling, indeed."

Hermione looked up, and realised Solas was not out of the hall. He was heading towards her, in fact, and she gave him a soft smile which he returned.

"Your thrilling mystery is over, I believe," she said before turning to look at Solas. He reached their table a few moments later. "Hello, love."

"Lethallan," Solas replied softly before looking at the lord across the table from Hermione. "Carlisle Venece, I assume?"

After some polite chitchat – Hermione was surprised to see that Solas and Carlisle actually clicked rather well. There wasn't even a second of awkwardness.

Solas looked at Hermione, and she cocked her head. "Do you want to sit down? Or was there something in particular?"

"The latter," he said, and hesitated for a moment. "I have some news. Does the lord know elven?" Solas asked – in elven – and Hermione shook her head.

"No, not unless he has been lying about it on several occasions. Let's test, shall we? If you could look at his reaction? He's rather good at keeping a smooth mask, though," she said, glancing at Carlisle.

He did not look like he understood a thing, but then again, the man was rather apt at keeping up appearances. "I'll tell you something, noble man," she said in elven, keeping her eyes mostly on Solas. "Approximately one hour ago, I was naked, up against a door, and had my legs wrapped around the waist of this lovely elf here."

She had to stifle a laugh when Solas was the one to be caught off-guard. "Any reaction?" she asked, giving her elf an amused look. "Even the slightest?"

"Not even a hint, Lethallan."

Hermione nodded before looking at Carlisle. "We are not talking about you. And I am sorry for being so rude and secretive, but chatting about inner circle Inquisition things in the middle of the Main Hall is rarely a good idea."

Carlisle's eyes lit up in understanding. "Clever," he said. "Very clever, in fact."

Hermione gave him a smile before looking at Solas again. "Now," she said in elven. "what is it we are being rude and secretive about?"

"Murder, in fact," Solas said, and Hermione's eyes widened. "Three elven servants have been murdered."

"When?"

"Within the last two hours."

"And what of the murderer?"

Solas shook his head. "On the loose. The servants were, however, killed with magic. Lightning, from what we could see."

"Well, that narrows down the suspects quite a lot," Hermione said. "We are basically looking for an elf-hating mage, in other words."

"It would seem that way, yes."

"Well, that's something."

"It is a start. Now, I must go aid the search for the murderer."

Hermione nodded. "I will aid as well. Let me finish this – five minutes top – and I will be there."

"We are spreading out, but the hallways and rooms farthest away – at the other side of the garden – no one is assigned to at this point."

"I will go there, then."

He gazed at her for a moment. "Be careful, my love," he said softly before turning to walk away.

Hermione grabbed his sleeve, and he turned around to look at her. "I'm no elf. You however, are. Be careful, my heart. I love you, Solas. I love you, and thus, be careful."

He looked somewhat taken aback, but then he nodded. "And I you, ma sa'lath. And I will be careful."

She watched him walk away, took a deep breath, and turned back to Carlisle.

He was staring at her in fascination. "I have absolutely no idea of what you were talking about, and still; that was one of the most heartfelt, genuine displays of - well, love, quite frankly - I have ever seen. He does, I believe, know how lucky he is. And if I ever find someone who looks at me and talks to me in the way you look, and talk to each other - if I ever find half of that - I will be a happy man. Now, I assume there is some form of emergency that requires your attention; something dangerous if your worried expressions are anything to go by - I am quite certain that you told him to be careful when you grabbed his sleeve - and thus, let's finish this."

Hermione stared at him for a moment, but then she just nodded, and focused on the list.