We arrived back at Kirkwall six days later, approaching the walls in the mid-afternoon.

"City's still here." Varric apparently shared my relief as we skipped the line of people waiting at the Hightown gate, earning our share of glares from the men and women trying to enter. Mostly merchants and suppliers from the look of their wagons and goods. "And it's not even on fire."

"Day's young." I replied, keeping pace with him. "I think that's one of the new Lieutenants up there."

He grunted. "Good. Should make this simple then. Get everyone in place. If Bartrand is here, we go straight to the Keep. If he's not, then we'll drop the loot at the Guild before we go find Brennan."

I nodded, falling back a step so that I could look more like a bodyguard. "Form up around the Bronto. Make sure no one pokes at the bags or we're going to have a feeding frenzy on our hands. Anders? Soon as we're through you'd best slip away. We might draw some Templar attention."

The other mage nodded. "And my pack?"

"Keep it." Varric called without turning around. "Consider it a bonus and a bribe, all in one."

Anything Anders could have said in reply was washed out by the Guards ahead shouting excitedly, "It's Deshyr Tethras! He's alive!"

Varric rolled his shoulders, getting into his usual persona before raising his voice. "Alive, thirsty, and fratricidal! Has my nug-humping brother been through here?"

The first Guard to run up was a tan-skinned Rivaini, the barest wisps of a mustache betraying his youth. "No, Messere. He never returned. A small group arrived last night from your expedition. They claimed your entire party had fallen, and that your brother had gone mad."

"Well they were half right. Where are they, and how much of my gold are they trying to claim?"

"Guard-Captain Brennan had them all arrested, Messere. Suspicion of having murdered their employer to steal his wealth." The young man waved ahead eagerly, the other guards already pushing people back so that we could get through the gates. "She should be at the keep."

"Good. Five of you on duty?" He didn't wait for the other man to nod before pulling out five gold coins from his pocket. The Guardsman took them, nearly tripping over his own feet in shock. He'd probably expected a silver or two at best. "One for you and each of your men. Keep up the good work."

"Thank you Messere!" He gasped, "Do you need an escort to the keep?"

I raised my voice before Varric could decline. "Yes. Clear the street ahead of us and watch for anyone following. We'll take the Bronto to the Guild's Headquarters, then head to the keep."

To my own shock the kid turned around, quickly saluting me. "At once my lady! Hallis! Close the gates! Everyone! Form up around the Deshyr and his party!"

Mass protests from the various merchants trying to get into the upper portion of the city were cut off by the Guards baring their steel at them. The heavy gates slammed shut quickly, men and women hastily securing the massive locks before forming up to escort us farther into the city. Anders vanished somewhere in there, before they even realized how many of us there were in total. Fenris looked as if he'd have preferred to slip away as well, but ended up sticking with us the entire way.

We were a big hit among the rich and noble. Well, Varric was. Everyone was pointing, and several people outright cheered when they realized that the Bronto was loaded down with gold. That lasted all the way to the Merchant's Guild, where a small army of Guild members and various servants rushed out to greet us.

Varric shouted down their questions by calling for a full banquet that evening, once he'd secured the rest of the expedition's loot. That earned him a hearty cheer, then at his direction men and women in the employ of House Tethras quickly rushed forward to take care of our beast of burden.

"My brother?" He demanded again, once the gold-laden Bronto had been led off to have our loot cataloged and added to House Tethras' enormous wealth, with a cut no doubt going to the Guild.

"Absent." An old gray-beard of a Dwarf replied. "Did he finally go sky-mad after all?"

Varric shook his head, turning away, "I want the papers to disinherit him from the House drawn up by the banquet."

The elder chuckled darkly. "They're already on your desk at home, and another copy is at that dive you're always slumming it in. The Guild expects them signed and delivered by tomorrow."

My friend waved over his shoulder in reply, walking back to where the rest of us were waiting. A second wave had the five Guards who'd escorted us keep back, waiting for our little party to have a private conversation before we got moving again.

"They'll get the loot divided up by the contracts." He said, already sounding exhausted. "Buzz and I should probably handle the rest of this alone, no sense drawing more attention to you all. Rivaini, walk Daisy home would you?"

Isabella nodded, "Of course. Fenris?"

The tall man grunted, holding an arm out for her bag. "It'll be in your usual room at the mansion."

"Sweet thing?"

I sighed, handing my bag over to her in turn. "I know exactly how many coins are in there, and in Merrill's. Don't even think about it."

"I would never!" When three of us gave her flat looks, and Merrill giggled, she stopped holding back her grin. "All right, I would, but I'd give it back at least."

"Uh huh." I drawled, "Merrill, tell everyone I'll be back later, and that I'm not dealing with any crises until I've slept."

"I will." She promised, stepping up for a quick hug that I returned.

Then she and Isabella were off, heading home, while Fenris vanished nearly as quickly as Anders had... and Varric and I were again surrounded by an armed escort as we made our way through the streets of Hightown.

I waited until the Guards had separated from us a bit, then I put a hand on his shoulder, speaking quietly. "We'll find him."

He nodded, saying nothing... but he didn't shake my hand off either.

"It's all right to not be all right, boss. God knows I wouldn't be."

Several silent steps followed before he let out a frustrated sound. "Maker's balls. No, I'm not all right. I've spent the entire trip back remembering what happened to you when you got near that thing, and wondering just why the hell Bartrand kept it. You know he had a knife in his other hand? He was going to stab you if you hadn't collapsed."

I winced, both at the implications and at the memories his words stirred up. "No, I missed that on account of the blacking out thing."

"What was he thinking... I mean, I knew he didn't like you, or sharing money with anyone, but I'm his damned brother." His hands clenched into fists. "I didn't like him, but that meant something to me. And he tried to bury me alive over a thirty-percent cut of gold that we didn't need."

I kept my mouth shut that time. This was clearly a rant he'd been saving up since we'd left the Thaig.

"And now the bastard isn't even here for me to deal with. Just ran off with whatever that thing is. He could be dead in the wilderness or on a ship to Antiva." Varric jerked his head in a hard shake. "I was terrified he'd be here, driving everyone else to scream and thrash around like you did. I should be relieved that the city's just fine, but..."

"...but it would have been closure." I finished for him. "At least you'd have known. Been able to destroy the idol, scream at him for being an idiot. Maybe shoot him with Bianca if he really did go mad. I know that pain, boss."

"Do you?" He demanded, voice hot.

I squeezed his shoulder, then let go. "My family was poor even before my father was thrown in prison. My brothers and I paid our way through school by stealing. We had a rule about never doing anything alone, or anything too dangerous. Matthew... broke both rules."

Varric glanced at me, then away. Some of the heat left him. "What happened to him?"

"Don't know. He left behind a letter, saying he'd be back in two days with a score that would set us up for life." I shrugged, trying not to show how much it still hurt to think about. "He didn't, and we never found him. Never got a chance to tell him I didn't care about being set for life. That I'd accept being poor if it meant still having a brother."

"...shit, Buzz."

"Family is a real pain in the ass." I muttered, shaking my head. "Like I said, I know that pain, boss."

"...yeah, guess you do." He sighed as we walked. "You've never told me a damned thing about your family. It cost you something to tell me that, didn't it?"

"Yeah." I swallowed, "So you'd better fucking appreciate it. And know that I mean it when I say I'll help you find him."

His broad fist rose, "I do. And stop calling me boss. It's not like that anymore."

"Heh." I brought my little fist down, thumping the back of my knuckles against his. "I'll think about it."

We both chuckled before I fell back to my public 'bodyguard' position just before we reached the Viscount's Keep. Our escort led us up the stairs, though they showed the good sense to return to their posts before we actually went through the doors.

I'd never actually been inside the Keep before, and found it... well, surprisingly minimalist to be honest. Sure, it was damned big, and had nicely vaulted ceilings, but apart from a few reliefs of birds of prey, and a few others of dragons, there wasn't much decoration inside. There weren't even that many banners of the city crest hanging from the walls.

I mused on the odd banality of the city's seat of government until we reached the Guard's Wing, the pair of us nearly running into Lieutenant Aveline at the armored doors leading inside. She was in plain clothes, apparently just coming off duty, and looked startled to see us.

"Deshyr. Lady." She came to a stop, then reversed direction, quickly waving us inside. "The Captain will want to see you right away."

"So I've heard." Varric replied, tones jovial once more. It was probably forced, but the man was a good enough actor to make it sound completely natural. "Glad to see the city's still in one piece, even after I was gone for a few months."

Aveline huffed but she didn't banter back, which... struck me as wrong, and not a little bit sad. These two should have been good friends, but whatever happened in Ferelden had stopped their paths from crossing before now.

Whatever Gregory Smith had done, it was going to affect everything for a very long time.

Well, with Bartrand missing that left me with an easy plan to deal with the other Earthling, at least. Step one, rest and recover. Step two, make sure someone else commanded the Night Watch moving forward. Step three, go to Ferelden, find Greg, and smack him until answers came tumbling out.

...all right. If he'd fought in the Blight, smacking him would be a bad idea, but still.

Step three was to get answers out of him, one way or another.

I was musing on that when Aveline opened the door to the Captain's office and called out. "Captain Brennan! Deshyr Tethras and Lady Maeve for you!"

A chair slammed into a wall, making Varric stop in the doorway. I nearly ran into him, peering over his shoulder in time to see Brennan vault her desk in a clatter of armor. Papers and ink flew everywhere, giving her a pretty impressive background as she stormed forward to grab Varric by the coat.

"You absolute bastard!" Everyone, even Aveline, flinched at the shout. "Do you have any bloody idea how much I've been worried about you!?"

"Hey, hey! Easy there," Varric got a hold of her wrists, trying to stop her from shaking him, "Buzz? Little help?"

I held my hands up at once, "She's got seven inches and thirty pounds on me, even when she's not in armor."

Brennan huffed, yanking him around and giving him a shove toward a chair. "Sit down and tell me what in the Maker's holy name happened out there. You too Maeve! Aveline? Get a runner over to the Chantry and tell that Sister who's been bothering me that they're alive after all. Then get yourself home, you were supposed to be off duty three bells ago."

"Captain." Aveline gave her a quick salute, then motioned for me to go on in.

I dutifully shuffled inside, leaving her free to close the door behind me. Brennan had already stalked around behind her desk, yanking her chair upright so that she could collapse into it. Varric took the seat across from her far more gingerly, while I slipped to one side and hopped up on a small bookshelf.

Brennan didn't say anything into the tense silence, leaving Varric to clear his throat. "You doing all right?"

"No." Her reply was flat. "Varric, this job sucks. I despise it. The only reason I took it was because you bribed me with a small fortune, and Maeve practically begged me to take it. I can do the Guard part. I'm good at that, but I can't deal with those rich bastards who think I exist to cover up their crimes. I managed it, barely, when I had you around to bounce the noble's complaints off of, but I've been on my own for the better part of three months."

Varric and I both had the good grace to wince, and he spread his hands apart. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I'll clear space for you every night to talk about how it's going."

Brennan sighed, sounding tired. "You'd better, or I'll be dead in a gutter thanks to some noble's assassin. I already had to cut down one of them waiting outside my house, and I don't even know who sent him. Maker knows the Viscount's no help. I was hoping he was just cautious, but after meeting with him daily for months now... well, I'm pretty sure he was born without a spine. He thinks every problem is one that you can negotiate with."

"We'll talk, I promise." Varric said soothingly. "We'll get it figured out."

She grunted, an almost masculine sound. "All right, enough about me. What happened to you two out there, and where's your brother?"

Between us we spent an hour giving her the broad details, starting from the time we left. How things had initially gone so well, up to the point where we'd run into the roadblock. We skipped the part where the various secrets had been blurted out, with Varric exaggerating the number of Darkspawn we'd fought instead.

Then he told her what we'd found in the Thaig, and I told her how Bartrand had left us for dead.

Brennan swore quietly at that point, shaking her head. "I knew that little bastard was greedy, but that's beyond the pale."

"No argument." I replied, having taken over to spare Varric from having to repeat parts of the story. "I don't think that idol's going to do him any favors either. Even brushing my fingers against it nearly killed me. Maybe being a dwarf will protect him for a while, but it's... we found a lot of bad evidence on the way back."

"Tell me."

I described the various bodies we'd found, from the slaughtered party we'd left at the gates, to the the dead at the camp sites, and on to the random corpses along the road.

"Matches what those few who made it back said." She provided when I finished with our arrival at the city gates. "They said Bartrand's guards killed the group with the horses, and intimidated them all into staying quiet. Then they started murdering people one at a time on the way back, cutting down the number of shares. That Bartrand was talking to himself constantly, holding a small bag that he killed a man for even looking at."

Ugh. Yeah. that didn't sound good. "Not sure about the rest, but I can tell you that Bartrand had a grand total of six armed guards. Six people aren't killing the forty that stayed at the entrance. They had help from everyone else who went underground, they must have."

A grim smile appeared. "You have contracts to prove that? Six bodyguards only?"

Varric nodded. "I do."

"Good. That's a confirmed murder charge then. Get me the papers and I'll have them hung the next morning. Did you need to interrogate them first?"

"I do." Varric repeated. "Need to know what happened to my brother. Do you have all of the treasure they brought back secured?"

"The Chantry does." She grimaced. "I don't trust the city vaults, so I burned a favor with Meredith to have it moved to Grand Chantry. She and the Grand Cleric both signed the paperwork on it."

"Good. Buzz, you want to stick around for this part?"

I shrugged. "I can, but do you want me to?"

"Not really." He admitted. "I appreciate everything, and I'll definitely need you when I find him. But for now you should get some rest. I can deal with my family's problems, Maker knows you're probably going to have enough of your own with how long we've been gone."

I definitely would. "If you're sure."

"I am. Brennan? Mind if we do it now?"

"All right." She pushed herself up to her feet, "Let's get that over with then. I'm guessing you're busy tonight?"

"Guild banquet to tell them all what I just told you, and so that a bunch of people I hate can suck up to me thanks to how I'm even richer than I used to be."

Brennan nodded, "Right. I'm going with as your guest and escort, and you can start repaying me by telling me who I can ignore and who I can't in the Guild. And let me drink their expensive wine while you're at it."

"I'll never turn down company at a Guild event." Varric said. "Buzz certainly won't come with."

I smiled, shaking my head, "I'll fight Darkspawn for you, but the Merchant's Guild is a step too far."

Everyone laughed a little at that as we headed for the door. Brennan had calmed down enough to let me hug her, both of us promising to meet up for drinks later in the week. Then the two of them were off to the jail cells, while I slipped back out into the Keep proper.

I wasn't as out of practice with moving through Kirkwall as I'd feared I would be. It was easy to slip back into the furtive, quick run of a servant. Head bowed enough to look subservient, eyes up enough to watch everything around me.

Not that it saved me from the ambush near the door.

One moment I was just a few paces near the Keep's grand exit; the next someone swept out from behind a pillar, hands grabbing at my shoulders, trying to yank me around. I snapped my left arm up on reflex, batting one hand away, while my right grabbed my sword.

It was halfway out of its sheathe when the pull turned me enough to see Petrice, her mouth parting in a gasp when she realized I was more than ready to attack her.

"Petrice!" I gasped, forcing myself to freeze. "Don't do that."

Her throat worked in a nervous swallow, a warm hand slowly, carefully, coming up to rest on the top of mine. The gentlest push saw my sword slide back into its sheathe, both of us breathing a little too hard as the steel was once more hidden away.

"I am sorry, it's just..." That same hand slid up my arm, coming up to cup my cheek. "By Andraste's Grace, you are alive and untainted. You are healthy?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just-oof!" I grunted in surprise when she yanked me into a hug, her robes making me feel like I'd just been swallowed by a particularly affectionate tent. My next words were a mumble into the cloth on her shoulder, "Petrice!"

A breathy laugh tickled my ear, arms squeezing me harder. "Maker of all things. Can you believe that I missed hearing your complaints? I prayed daily for your safe return."

Realizing I wasn't escaping any time soon, I got my arms free enough to give her a gentle hug back. "I'm back. I'm exhausted and more bitter than usual, and I almost had my brain melted, but no one picked up the Blight in our group."

She whispered a soft prayer of thanks, then pulled back a half step without actually letting me go.

"We must speak at once. There is a nearby suite reserved for the Chantry's use."

I groaned, "Petrice, I am happy to see you, but I'm exhausted as hell. I just want-"

"There will be wine and food." She promised, "And a proper couch that you may lay down on."

I knew that tone. She wasn't going to let me go without a struggle. Dammit. It was easier just to go along with her, and find out what crisis had broken out so I'd be ready to deal with it tomorrow. Brennan hadn't said anything, but then she'd been extremely distracted with everything else.

"...it better be good wine."

She beamed, quickly bustling me out of the central hall, an arm wrapped around my waist the entire time. A Templar stood watch outside of a small door, offering the Sister a quick nod before pulling it open for her.

"We are not to be disturbed." Petrice informed him as we went past. "And send a runner to the Gallows. Tell the Knight-Captain that the Lady Maeve has returned alive. She will need his reports delivered to her home by the eighth bell tomorrow morning."

His helmet tilted forward, "He will be told, Sister Petrice."

I didn't get a chance to ask about that before I was guided into a small lounge. True to Petrice's words there was a very comfortable looking couch along one wall, a cozy fireplace, several bookshelves, and small tables loaded down with wine, cheese, and crackers.

The Chantry Sisters did not live badly if their guest suite at the Viscount's keep was nicer than my home.

Petrice fussed over me, helping me get my belt and sword off, then making me sit down so that she could put food and drink together for me. I tried not to show just how damned good it felt to sit on actual cushions, to let my legs stretch out limply.

And when she returned with the wine, it proved to be of an excellent vintage.

"All right." I sighed, setting it on the end table next to me, nibbling on a cracker. "It's got to be bad if you're buttering me up this much."

She bought herself a few moments, taking off of her heavy outer robe, carefully laying it over the far arm of the couch. Then she took a bit more time settling in beside me, a hand brushing some of her blonde hair back behind her ear.

Only after a quiet sigh, and about a second before I lost my patience, did she speak. "You said your mind nearly melted. That you are more bitter than usual. What happened in the Deep Roads?"

I went still for a long moment, then took a deep breath and picked up my wine again. I tilted it back until I'd downed nearly all of it, coughing once as I set the glass back down. "I'll tell you later, just... not today. I don't want to tell that story again today. I'm alive and rich, and so are my friends. That's enough for now."

Petrice nodded slowly, reluctantly. "I... understand. Another time."

"Thank you. How bad is Kirkwall?"

"Less than ideal." She said, accepting the change in topic. "Several crisis have erupted during your absence. There will be very little time for to recover from your travels."

My head slowly fell back against the couch, a sigh of my own coming out. "What else is new. How bad is it?"

"I will begin with the worst of it. The situation in the Alienage has devolved since your departure. Elder Leras suffered a fall five weeks past. He is badly injured."

...damn. My relationship with Leras might have been very up and down, but he'd conceded my right to protect the kids in my Night Watch from the stupidity of arranged marriages. He was probably blocking more than a few efforts to marry me off as well. The other Elders hadn't been happy about that. If he died...

"Is he going to live?"

"I set his broken bone, and ensured no infection would follow." She shook her head. "It will soon be the height of summer, which will help, but he is very old, my lady. I cannot say for certain that he will ever walk properly again, or that he will survive the next winter."

"Damn." I murmured that one out loud. "All right. That's not ideal."

Her thin lips pressed together for a moment. "It is worse than that. With the Elder bed-ridden, others have begun attempting to seize power. One attempted to force the girl you allowed to live in your home to move away for a marriage. The Night's Watch put a stop to it, but some of their number were far more cowed by the Elders' anger than others. They have become divided without your example."

I grimaced. "Is the girl all right?"

"She is now staying with Knight-Lieutenant Thrask, as are two other girls and a boy who fled to their protection rather than be forced to travel to other cities to be wed." Her eyes flashed with anger, "Several of the Elders attempted to coerce me into marrying another against their will. I remonstrated them before the entire Alienage in the Maker's name."

I copied Isabella's favorite line, "That's my girl."

Her cheeks pinked a little, moving on. "Just as the Alienage is very tense, so is the city around it. There has not been another serious attempt to break in, but I have been forced to tend to many who return home with bruises or broken bones."

"That's expected." I replied. "Doesn't make me happy, but we figured that would be coming."

"Perhaps, but it escalated two days ago. Two of the girls I was training as healers vanished on their way home from their serving duties in Hightown. The young man escorting them to the abandoned mansion was found dead by Ser Emeric, with his throat slit."

"...fuck." That one came out as a long groan. "Who?"

"Aria and Lia. Both have seen fifteen years, and are cousins." I didn't know them, but she went on to name someone that I did know. "The boy was Senvel, a member of the Watch. As he was a Templar Auxiliary, I alerted the Knight-Captain who began an immediate investigation. He is using those Templars with trained Mabari to try and find their scent, but it is difficult in the city. Ser Emeric is questioning their noble employer with the Guards' assistance."

Two days. They'd already been gone for two days. That... was not good for our odds of finding them. Not alive, at least.

"I know you are tired, and worn." A hand found mine. Her much longer fingers slipping between my own, holding tightly. "But this is a test from the Maker that we must pass, or else we may see all of our efforts turn to ash."

"...you're not wrong." I mumbled tiredly. "Merrill's probably already been dragged into it, she should be home by now. Let me rest here a bit, then I'll head down and try and take command of the search."

"There is more."

Of course there was.

"You were right. There was a Qunari agent attempting to infiltrate the Alienage, to turn its residents against the Maker. He bribed several foolish young men and women into heckling me during one of my sermons. Your lieutenants interrogated them after, and their resolve broke."

"Did you catch him?" I asked.

Her voice was grim. "Yes. I brought him to the Guard, who questioned him thoroughly."

Tortured, she meant. What a world.

"He confessed to being a spy, sent by the Ben-Hassrath to determine why the Elves of Kirkwall ceased approaching the Qunari compound as they once did." A trace of pride entered her tones, "He reported that you and I had closed their minds to the heresy, and was sent back to disrupt our efforts by any means short of killing us."

"The Arishok doesn't want us to be martyrs." I mused. "Or... dammit. I can't remember if the Arishok can even give the Ben-Hassrath orders or not. Their society is so damned stratified. Is the spy still intact enough for me to talk to him?"

"No." She said flatly. "Someone slipped him poison in his cell after the second night. Proof that there is at least one Qunari convert among the Guard. The Captain has already assigned her chief Lieutenant to locate them."

I hummed softly. "Brennan and Aveline will be on that. We can trust them."

Petrice didn't quite seem like she agreed, but she let it go for now. "Dealing with the heretic surely pleased the Maker, but many of those already set against Him in the Alienage have begun to stir further disquiet. My last sermon was far more sparsely attended than usual."

"The Evanuris worshipers are saying you killed an Elf and made up the part about him being a Qunari, just to force Maker-worship on them." I guessed.

"That have been the tenor of the rumors, yes."

"I'll add that to my list of things to scream at the Elders for." I promised. "It's going to be a long list... ugh. Did anything actually go well while we were gone?"

Her head dipped, eyes flicking around the room as it to confirm no one was hiding under chairs before she replied. "Yes. Your theory about the Docks was correct. There paths under them, including under the Qunari compound."

"Do the Qunari know about them?"

"Impossible to say. I have begun quietly reaching out to a few like-minded individuals about constructing false walls within the tunnels. If we can deceive the heretics into believing themselves safe, we shall have an easy method of striking them down when they show their true colors."

I nodded in approval. The Arishok's invasion of the city would be a lot easier to deal with if we could swarm him from the back with Templars before he knew what hit him. Still... the man wasn't stupid when it came to warfare. He couldn't be to reach the rank that he had.

"Be careful." I warned her, "I think it's pretty likely the Qunari do know about them. If they think you're just boarding it up they might not react, but don't let anyone act like they're trying to sneak into the compound."

"I have already given those instructions, let us hope they are followed." Petrice shook her head. "While I would love nothing more than to cleanse that filth from our city in the Maker's name, I yield to your wisdom and caution. The city is not ready for such a struggle, and will not be until we can force Meredith to realize that the Qun is a greater threat than the mages."

"Not sure that'll be possible."

"All things are, by the Maker's will, but we can discuss the Knight-Commander's blind attitudes later." Her hand squeezed mine softly before she pulled her fingers away. "That should be all of the important news, both good and bad. Come. Lay down, you should rest for an hour, perhaps two. I will find you to speak more of our plans after these challenges have passed."

I sighed, "I'd love a nap, but Isabella and Merrill have my Dream-catcher. I don't want to risk it."

"Then perhaps simply lay down for a while. I will keep you awake." She proposed, getting a hand on my shoulder and gently pulling me to the side as she scooted down. I considered resisting... but she had a point, as usual. I was drained, physically and mentally. "Rest for a time, my lady. Perhaps I could tell you the Canticle of Shartan?"

"Isn't that heretical... Petrice?" I groaned when she tugged me a bit farther, stretching me out... and settling my head in her lap. "Petrice..."

"Rest, my lady." She murmured, blushing once more as she looked down at me. "Allow me this... impropriety. Tu m'as manqué."

I closed my eyes to avoid looking at the part of her body that was now right above me. Doing my best to not think about the fact that Longing had taken her form to tease me with... meaning that some part of me actually did desire her.

Her. Petrice. A woman capable of manipulating people into committing suicide attacking the Qunari, all because of her overly zealous faith. She wasn't my type. She really wasn't. I needed to get up. To stop this little game we had going on between us. Make sure she knew we were friends who agreed on the dangers and evil of the Qun. That playful, courtly flirting was as far as this could go.

...and then her warm hand gently ran through my extremely uneven hair, and I remembered how lonely I was. How I was lying to everyone except for a literal devil. A devil I'd run back to the moment I'd been freed from her. How I'd just lost two potential friends over the tip of the iceberg that was my lies. How terrified I was that I'd lose the rest when I inevitably fucked up and revealed that more of my half-truths were closer to outright betrayals.

"Your hair on the sides grows long." She murmured, fingers trailing to the sides. "We must do something about that. You have an image to maintain, my lady."

"...was trying to break that image." I felt myself relaxing, content to just... lay there and be touched by someone who seemed to desire me, even if I was a conflicted mess of guilt on the inside. "I was thinking of cutting it all short but evenly next time."

Petrice hummed, "No, definitely not. Your image is your image, Maeve. Many in the Night's Watch now shear their hair just as you have. We need to maintain that look. Though if you have achieved great wealth, we should find a means to place a proper bath in your home to better keep it clean."

"Would love a bath. Also love Lowtown not rioting when they see me living like a noble."

"I may have an idea on that. One that shall please Andraste and the Maker, while also giving you a chance to live as a lady deserves. Would you rather speak of that?"

I sighed when a particularly long run of her fingers down my scalp felt especially good. "...ugh. Why does that feel so good? Fine. You convinced me."

There was a quiet chuckle, "I am glad it pleases you. Would the notion of the Chantry paying for the barracks you desire in the Alienage please you as well? Perhaps with an attached apartment suitable for a Lady of your stature?"

"My stature is five nothing." I snorted, "But I like how the rest of that sounds. How are you going to arrange it?"

She gave me the basics... and I found myself liking it enough that we spent several hours refining it into a proper plan of action. One that half of the Alienage was probably going to hate, but that was why I made sure to start thinking of other things we could include to work as bribes for those who'd be angriest.

And if I liked her plan enough to give her a kiss on the cheek that left us both blushing like schoolgirls... that was between us.