Disclaimer: I own nothing, I make no money.
Author's Note: Please pardon the inordinate amount of cheese in this chapter. Have fun!
Interlocking
Chapter Three: Slaying Dragons
"'I hear good things. You've been keeping my Chargers busy?'" – Krem and Harding find each other in a world torn apart. A story told in brief glimpses.
Krem just makes his way up the crest of the hill when he catches sight of Harding standing near the potions master of the camp, instructing the three scouts before her and then turning to the man, mouthing something that brings him to laughter. The potions master then walks off as her three scouts disband and Harding turns just in time to see Krem coming toward the camp, Iron Bull and the Chargers beside him.
"Here you go, Chief," Krem announces. "Harding. In the flesh." He motions toward the dwarf and Harding has to crane her neck back pretty far to catch the gaze of the towering Qunari.
"Hey there," he greets, smiling. "I hear good things. You've been keeping my Chargers busy?"
She smirks. "If by 'busy', you mean keeping their blades bloody, then yes. Whole lot of that going around." She reaches a hand out toward their commander and he grasps it instantly. They release hands, smiling.
"Hey," Bull begins, the sudden bright gleam of a thought in his eye, "have you ever been to Kirkwall? Because you'd be-"
"Harding in Hightown," she groans. "Yes, I know. Can't seem to escape it."
Bull releases a throaty laugh, one hand slapping against his thigh.
Krem cocks his head toward Harding to catch her eye, hooking a thumb toward his boss next to him. "Thinks he's right funny, this one."
"Don't worry though," Bull continues. "You're in good company. Krem's Aclassi guy, after all." He cannot help the chuckle he releases at his own joke.
Harding raises her brows to Krem in question.
"My last name," he waves off.
She has to hold her hand to the smile pulling at her lips and the giggle breaking through behind it.
"You two should get a room, really," Krem frowns at them, looking between the dwarf and the Qunari as they both chuckle mercilessly.
Krem rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. "Good thing you stick to blades, boss. Because you're certainly not slaying 'em with your jokes."
Harding coughs into her fist and clears her throat, trying to check the smile breaking across her features. "Anyway, I could certainly use the Chargers' help with this one."
Bull sobers up minutely, his face alighting with the promise of battle. "What needs killing?" he asks eagerly.
"Well," she begins, "there's a dragon up past the Rebel Queen's Ravine and-"
"A dragon!" Bull breathes excitedly.
"Yeah," Krem starts, warning, "best observed from a distance, boss."
Bull's eyes are bright and frantic. "But to slay a dragon…" He tapers off dreamily.
"Is not the request," Harding finishes, bringing their attention back.
Bull blinks at her in question.
"Look," she starts, her hands poised in the air, "we're not trying to take down the Fereldan Frostback. It seems to have flown off past the ravine into some of the cliffs, happily enjoying its little crater by the sea. But we need to clear out the dragonlings. Inquisitor wants to gather the last of those 'shards' or something and the place is just crawling with those fire-breathing runts. Think you guys are up for it?"
Bull's shoulders slump at the explanation.
Krem leans in toward Harding, one hand raised to cover his mouth from Bull's view, whispering conspiratorially, "I think you just killed his dream, Harding. You cruel, cruel woman, you."
Harding levels Krem with a disbelieving look. "What, is he twelve?"
Bull pulls a deep breath in and grumbles, turning to walk through the ravine and into the dragonling-infested clearing. "No, just a man broken," he sighs dramatically.
The Chargers follow and Harding and Krem chuckle beside each other.