Varric crumbled the fourth piece of parchment, and threw it into the fire with the others. Words didn't fail him often. The problem was he knew what the answer would be. If he asked, Hawke would come. And if Hawke came...

First the expedition. Convincing him to go looking for a Grey Warden with maps. Then Corypheus. Even that woman, Tallis. Hadn't he gotten his friend into enough trouble already? Hawke was safe with his family.

Or was he? The whole damn world was at stake.

He dipped the pen in the inkwell, and wrote.

"I need your help. Meet me where you met the guy who wasn't an ogre after all. - Varric."

Folded and sealed with the very same signet ring Hawke had once recovered for him, the letter almost looked harmless. He scrawled a name, and went to find Josephine.

#

Gabriel tossed the parchment into the fire, and went to get his staff. He could feel Orana's disapproving gaze. Caleb and Salla were with Fenris, and wouldn't be back for hours yet, but he hadn't been able to come up with an excuse for Orana to leave that wouldn't arouse her suspicions.

"What if it's a trap?"

"It's not." He kissed her cheek, then grabbed his cloak.

"At least tell me where you are going."

"If I tell you, you'll tell Fenris, and he'll follow me." Gabriel shook his head. "He needs to stay here, to keep you and the kids safe."

"And your safety?" She folded her arms and glared.

"I'll be fine."

"At least take lunch?"

He sighed, and took the rucksack she handed him. "I'll be fine, Orana."

"Yes, master."

"And don't call me master."

"Yes, master."

#

Officially, he was using his contacts to help with getting supplies into Skyhold. One good thing about Cullen was the man really didn't have a devious bone in his body. He hadn't questioned Varric volunteering at all.

The tavern still looked the same. A bit dingy, and out of the way. He walked into the private room, and felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped about a foot in the air.

"Expecting the merchant guild?"

"Hawke." Varric turned around, and hugged his friend.

A few minutes later, they were sitting with tankards of ale, catching up. "What about Daisy?"

"Last time I heard from Carver, he said she'd helped them translate some old elven lore they'd found."

"I don't suppose you've heard from -"

"No." Hawke cut off that line of inquiry. "And Sebastian is still causing problems for Aveline."

"Short of sending him Blondie's head, I don't know we can do anything about that." Varric sighed. "She can handle him. Might see if I can't convince the Herald to lend Aveline some help."

"And I take it this Herald is the reason you wrote me?"

"Corypheus." Varric drained his tankard. "And red lyrium all over the damn place. Missing Wardens."

"They are hunting Loghain."

Varric blinked. "You know where to find him?"

"He's on the run, but got a message to me letting me know where he is heading. The Inquisitor going to have an issue with him?"

He shook his head. "She's from Ostwick. Ostwick's Circle, to be exact. The Nightingale might be a different issue, but seems to be the Herald calling the shots now. She'll hear him out."

"Got a plan, then?" Hawke drained his own tankard.

"Sneak you in, get you a meeting with her before anyone is the wiser, and then let her handle the ruffled feathers. She's pretty good at it." Varric laughed softly. "I think she's got a good shot at fixing Blondie's mess."