Garrett was reading.
Or, trying to.
It wasn't going well.
Sighing, he shifted in his favourite chair that was usually so comfortable, now too soft. By the table his glass of wine, usually more or less forgotten, stood nearly empty. The cheese next to it, the remains usually dried and crusty at the end, was gone besides a few crumbs on the silver platter.
At the other end of the room, the mechanical clock he'd bought from a dwarven merchant clicked all too loudly at the start of every minute.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Tock.
Bloody thing, shouldn't have listened to mother. Sure, it looks nice, but how important is it to tell if it's five minutes too or five minutes past? If that was important to someone, they'd stress themselves to an early grave.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Tock.
Eugh, maybe I should get more wine. Garrett looked back to the practically empty glass...and then caught himself looking further up, at the other chair, at the empty chair. It somehow made the room less colourful. This is ridiculous, I don't need company to read, I didn't need it even when Bethany was around, and I certainly don't need her around...
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Tock.
I hate this. Sighing, Garrett looked back to his book, eyes skimming texts he hadn't really read in the first place. Where's the fun in discovery and ideas if you can't share them...?
Garrett didn't like the answer the silence of the room offered him.
This is ridiculous, I just have to get accustomed to how I used to do it, no big deal, it'll take a little while, but then it'll be as it used to be, and I'll be content.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Tock.
Oh shut up, what do you know? Garrett scowled at the clock, then looked around himself with a sigh. And where's Maric? Bloody mutt is avoiding me...as is the rest of the household, it feels like. Silly, I'm not in that bad of a mood...idiots. He glanced back at the chair at the other end of the table and his scowl deepened as he with a growl dropped the book onto the table, only for the thing to hit the edge of the silver platter, sending cheese-crumbs flying everywhere. "Maker, damn it!"
A sweep of Garrett's hand and the plater was sent off the table and skittered across the floor, the glass wobbling dangerously close to tipping before he snatched it up and swallowed what little bitter remains there was. Huffing, the man cradled the now empty glass, eyes as empty as he stared straight ahead, mouth a bitter line. Tell that to Bethany...she didn't mean it, I know, but...Maker damn her. A sigh escaped him, his shoulders slumping. How can one person make you so sad?
Then the door opened.
Unable to help himself, Garrett automatically sent a glare that way, making the elf in the door recoil in fright. "M-master...?"
"It's Serah, or Garrett, Orana." Garrett managed to force the thinnest of smiles, though all it seemed to manage was to make the elf pull back even further. The Tevinters really did a number on her, she's still skittish when around anyone but other servants. "What is it?"
"Th-there's templars here..." Garrett rose, making the elf's eyes bulge. "They ha-have asked to sp-speak to you?"
"Ah, so Meredith decided to answer my message in person? And so soon?" Garrett wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad sign, but the idea of having something to focus on was welcome. "Have they been brought to the meeting chamber or hall?"
"Chamber, m-serah." Orana curtsied, head bowed as she slowly relaxed, as she usually did when the initial fear of being near the one in power faded with the lack of threats of blood-sacrifices and violence. "Th-there's no Meredith there though, Serah, but two men." Underlings? A bad sign. "I, there's talk among the other servants that..." Orana slammed her mouth shut, seemingly cursing herself for having spoken up.
"Talk about what?" Garrett asked, not in the mood for games. The elf looked away. "Orana?"
"I...sorry, Serah, it's not my place to speak of...I...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything..." The woman was visibly beginning to sweat, eyes widening in panic. "I'm not...I shouldn't, I would n-never-"
"It's okay." Noticing the beginning of the panic-attacks the elf sometimes got, Garrett moved closer, keeping his tone neutral. "It's not your place, I understand, no need to tell me then." Carefully, he placed a hand on Orana's shoulder, the elf flinched, but didn't pull away. "Lets' forget about it."
"Y-yes Serah, thank you..." Orana nodded, grateful even as she looked away, unable to meet his gaze.
"Good." Giving her shoulder a last pat, Garrett brushed past the servant and out the doorway, his steps measured as he mentally prepared for the coming discussion. He crossed the main hall in silence, vaguely aware of a distinct lack of servants in it as they still strived to avoid him. So two men...probably a second in command with guard, Cullen? That's good, he's a reasonable man and could be convinced to go my way if he has been given some leeway by Meredith.
The meeting chamber was three doors away, and only at the second one did he see anyone, the servant Fenn giving him a worried look before scurrying off. What's with people today? Garrett brushed the question aside. I need to stress the need for calm and order, for the dangers posed by Qunari and how the mages could exploit it...I need to-
Having just opened the last door, Garrett came to a standstill, heart seemingly stopping.
Carver was standing just at the other side of the door, so close Garrett could touch the man...and his face was a mask of neutrality that couldn't quite conceal a lingering hostility. His voice was cold, polite, the greeting of a stranger. "Hello, brother."
A foreboding sense of dread fell over Garrett at the greeting...and then he brushed it aside and forced a smile. "Brother! I didn't know you were here! Good to see you!" Garrett moved to hug the man...and then found himself changing his mind at the sight of Carver's posture and instead offered his hand.
Carver was in templar armour, but had taken the gauntlets off, and so took the offered hand, giving it a firm but quick shake before releasing Garrett and stepping to the side, tone still bereft of any warmth or even recognition. "I believe you've met Knight-Captain Cullen before?"
Tearing his eyes from his brother, Garrett forced himself to look at the rest of the chamber.
The room was sizeable and rectangular in shape, as was the large table dominating it, allowing for many to be seated. At the nearest edge of the table, Cullen was standing, the Knight-Captain smiling politely, if somewhat awkwardly. Further away at the other end of the room, Leandra was standing, hugging her shoulders and staring at Carver with a mixture of disbelief and hurt, a stare the man was stoically ignoring. What the...? The atmosphere was awkward in the room, words said before Garrett had entered seemingly lingering.
Cullen's forced smile was at least something, and the man didn't hesitate to move closer and offer his own hand. "Garrett, nice to see you, it's been some time."
Garrett took the hand, giving it a shake. "Y-yes, yes it has." He shot Carver a puzzled look, but all he met was a wall in the dark blue eyes of his kin. "I'm sorry, I'm a little taken off guard, didn't realise you'd take my brother with you as a guard."
"It's Knight-Captain, actually." Carver's correction was rapt and acidly, like a poisoned whip snapping out.
"Acting knight-captain, actually." Cullen corrected with a little chuckle. "You still have to earn the promotion, brother." To Garrett's horror, Carver actually shot a smile back at the other templar. He can spare him one but not me or mother...? Wh-what's happened? "But yes, I figured it would be nice to bring him along for this mission, seeing as how he has relations here..." Cullen awkwardly shifted back and forth at his own words, obviously struggling to conceal how noticeable the lack of warmth in the room was. "My apologies on Meredith's behalf, but she's a very busy woman and could not come herself."
"I understand. To be honest I expected it to take longer for someone to come and speak to me." Garrett smiled back.
"Doesn't take long if all your message contains is a 'no'." Carver replied, tone droll and face a neutral mask.
Garrett shot his brother a disapproving look, his horror and confusion slowly being replaced by irritation. Cullen was faster though, his chuckle forced as he spoke up. "Perhaps we should...sit down?"
"Yes, let's." Garrett agreed with a nod, moving to the centre of the longer side of the table on the left as the templars moved to mimic his seating on the right. "Mother, want to sit with me or perhaps next to Carver...?"
The woman finally tore her gaze from Carver, the man still having ignored her like she was a piece of furniture. "N-no...I...I think I'll be going..." She shot Carver a look, but the boy didn't even glance at her as he took his seat. "Though...m-maybe...I'll bring some refreshments...?" Leandra blinked, her eyes visibly filling with tears.
Carver still didn't look at her as he answered instead of Garrett. "That won't be necessary, we won't be long."
Leandra bit her lower lip, looked to Garrett, then to Carver...and turned away and fled.
Garrett, clenching his fists under the table, slowly turned his head to glare at Carver...who blankly looked back, seemingly unfazed. What. The. Hell?! If the fury in Garrett's eyes was noticed by Carver, he didn't show it in anything but an arrogant cocking of an eyebrow.
Cullen, shifting where he sat, eyed the look on Garrett's face with worry, the man visibly taking a deep breath before he started. "Right, perhaps we should...err...focus on the issue at hand?"
"That would be best." Garrett agreed, gaze fixed on Carver, who met it without the slightest bit of a waver.
"Carver here is not...incorrect." Cullen started. "The issue of the Qunari is a stately business and does not enter Templar jurisdiction. In fact, given Thedas making peace with the Qunari, Templar forces are under strict orders not to start any future conflicts."
"Considering how the templars still like to enter Kirkwall's business on a daily basis, I don't think too much on this." Garrett replied. "I've gone through the records with the chantry scribe Meredith sent, and while the taxing of the state has dropped at least somewhat, there seems to be a lot of 'borrowing' going on...the withdrawals from the Kirkwall treasury are now less frequent, but often larger. Normally when one borrows money, it's expected for it to be paid back at some date...the templars have given no such time-plan and continue to avoid any discussions of debt."
"This is about the Qunari, not the Templar finances." Carver droned back, eyes never leaving Garrett's, expression never changing.
"True..." Garrett gritted his teeth, trying to keep his tone reasonable. "...but I'm saying that this shows that the templars can and have entered stately jurisdiction already...the only difference here is that I'm asking them to give, rather than to take."
Was that a flash of anger in Carver's eyes, or just a trick of the light...? Whatever it was, it was gone in a second as Cullen spoke. "Why I understand and even sympathise with your stance in this, Serah, our primary concern is the containing of mages and hunting of apostates, Meredith has been very clear about nothing else having priority."
Damn. "The situation with the Qunari is escalating though, it's out of hand, causing disruption and tensions everywhere." Garrett replied, still staring at Carver and still facing nothing but a blank stare back. "Remember the stolen Qunari gas issue? Then-"
"Yes, you were quite the hero then." Carver interrupted, his tone neutral, bereft of criticism, jealousy or sarcasm...yet Garrett still felt all of that, making him pull back in confusion. Why are you so...angry...?
A narrowing of his eyes, and Garrett continued. "Yes, I had fortune on my side, but the point is that it caused quite a few apostates in hiding to go insane and do all manner of things, not to mention become vulnerable to demonic possession. As long as the Qunari are here, they're a risk that can cause something similar to happen."
"Good, then we'll find more of them." Carver snapped back, making Garrett tense in his seat. Bloody idiotic...
"Actually, this is indeed a concern and worrying." Cullen quickly spoke up, obviously trying to salvage the situation. "But again, the orders are clear, we're not to interfere, I'm sorry." He sounded genuinely disturbed by his own answer, and then he winced as he continued. "In fact, Meredith has in light of the need for stability in the city instructed me to tell you not to cause any further disruptions with the Qunari."
"What?" Garrett blinked and looked to Cullen, his fists tightening in rage as he in the corner of his eye spotted Carver smiling at how his brother had been the first to break eye-contact. "Are you telling me that Meredith told you to come here and tell me she won't lift a finger to disarm the issue with the Qunari because it's not in her jurisdiction...and then to order me about!?"
"She is the Knight-Commander." Carver pointed out, sounding smug.
"She could be the Chantry's laundry-woman for all I care, she does not give me orders!" Garrett snapped back, glaring at the now smirking Carver. "I do not answer to her!"
"Yet she's supposed to answer to you?" Carver asked, eyebrow arched as he prodded Garrett.
"I sent a message asking for her help! Not demanding it! There's a difference!" Garrett fumed, wanting nothing but to flip the table over his brother's smug face. "She's not the Viscount, nor can she continue to reap the benefits of exploiting Kirkwall without shouldering even an ounce of the responsibility! It cannot and will not work in the long run!" He snapped his head round, looking to Cullen. "And you can tell her I said that! Also, add that if she thinks Kirkwall comes second to the templars, she's dead wrong."
Cullen, grimacing, nodded in acknowledgement. "I'm...sorry, Serah. But take my well-wishes, I too hope for a resolution of the issue, the atmosphere in Kirkwall has steadily grown sour as of late." A sigh, and he put his hands on the table. "That said...I do believe we're done here, unfortunately." The Templar pushed himself to his feet, Carver slowly following suit as he looked to the furious Garrett with something akin to satisfaction in his eyes. What the hell is wrong with you...?
Garrett, growling to himself, rose too, shaking his head as he did so. "I think Meredith is making a mistake, but as pointed out, I cannot tell her what to do." Bloody should be though. "I trust you can see yourself out? I have a lot of work to look forward to now." Plus, I find the current company...upsetting. Garrett looked to Carver, finding his insides in turmoil at the cool look he was being given.
"Yes, of course." Cullen grimaced as he moved towards the door, hand coming to Carver's shoulder to lead the man out...only to be stopped by the other templar.
"By the way, brother..." The word seemed to fit poorly in Carver's mouth, like it was something distasteful. "...how is Merrill doing?"
Garrett looked at Carver in surprise, and though he found himself looking at a carefully arranged mask, it was not difficult to discern the cause of the question. Still, huh? The thought of the elf hurt though, and Garrett shrugged as he looked away. "I wouldn't know, sorry."
"Really? Not what I had heard..." Carver replied, his tone shifting, turning more venomous. "...figured you'd gotten over your issues and wanted someone to replace Athenril, but, you know, the relationship being the other way around..."
Silence.
Stillness.
And then Garrett slowly turned to look at Carver, insides cold.
His dull eyes met Carver's angry ones.
"Get out of my house."
"What? You can't order me around any-"
"Now."
Cullen scrambled forward, grabbing Carver by the arm and pulling him back. "Of course, Serah, as you say." The other templar reluctantly followed as he shot Garrett a final glare.
When the door finally slammed shut, Garrett sat down, hands moving to cover his face.
And wept.
8
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Thanks to Abydos Jackson for bouncing to the task at hand, and to all a merry Christmas.