Aleia

She had dressed 'down' for the early morning hours the night after she dragged him there. Somehow she felt like she needed a long bath after the night she had, but after her long term sting operation she had to debrief with a dozen officials before getting a small nap before interrogating her prisoner.

There she sat in her office, with a steaming cup of coffee on the rickety desk before her. A stack of papers spread out before her. Pictures of Oliver, of Daggone sat there, case study notes.

The Elf got away. As did the Shadow Dragon.

With a sigh she leaned back and steepled her fingers, eyes sweeping across her desk.

Oh Oliver, why did you take Ressa's offer? Why couldn't you just let it go?

"Problem Knight- Lieutenant Aleia?"

She stiffened in the chair and her eye swept towards the door.

"No, Knight-Commander Alexios."

He gave her a small smile as he walked over to her, then squeezed her shoulder.

"Ah the Mercar case. You know I would be more then fine taking the interrogation myself. I know loyalties may get confused. I know you are tired. Go home. Get some rest."

"No sir, I can do this." She bowed her head.

He sighed, "very well, I'll go fetch him."

It took her a moment to relocate to the interrogation room. The desk her file was on was now a lot sturdier then the one in her office which meant if Oliver got out of control it could take the pounding.

She broke the seal on the packet and her eyebrows shot up at the questions on the list, those about the Shadow Dragons, about their involvement with one another.

But if they have read my reports then they know Oliver only just met Ressa.

The sound of a slamming door and the rattling of shackles snapped her head around.

In came Oliver, as two sword armed guards dragged him in through the open door. The look on his face was a half mix of rage and curiosity as he beheld her.

Her mind froze for a second, her own doubts coming right up to the forefront. She knew she had done a job, what she was assigned to do, but guilt and regret ate at her soul.

"Your prisoner ma'am." One of his guards said.

She blinked, then brought up a confident smile. "You may latch him to the table and then leave us."

The guard looked skeptically at her and then gave Oliver a reproving glance. "Are you sure, ma'am?"

She nodded. "I am."

The two of them did what she ordered before strapping him to the table.

As they left it became the two of them staring at one another across the wooden expanse. Each one of them waiting for the other to speak, to break the stalemate.

"So...were you ever working with us or was this always a sting?" Oliver crossed his hands over his chest and leaned back, his chains rattled.

"It was...legitimate. You were hunting the Venatori. I was hunting the Venatori. It seemed like a natural alliance at the time."

"And I still hunt Venatori. That is what I was doing on the night you captured me."

"You were also working with the Shadow Dragons Oliver. Just how long has that been going on? When did you start working with the Shadows?"

The bowman's eyebrows arched at the accusation, "you know that to. You met Ressa with me in the catacombs at the same time I did."

"If you were willing to work with-"

"Is that what this is about? Is that why you decided to turn me in and betray the Imperium?"

"They are a criminal gang Oliver!" Her rage snapped like a fire spell.

He stood his ground but she noted the tightness around his eyes.

She pushed back on the desk and threw her pen on the ground, rubbing at her eyes.

"They are criminals Oliver. They are little better then the Venatori themselves. We have to let law and order rule the day if we have any hope to see our society prosper."

"Aleia, you joined with a criminal gang. You helped us already. Where is the line Aleia? Where is the line?"

She wanted to throw her hands up but she knew the walls were closing in, the trap of her own making. Her mind worked on his words and picked at them even as her duty demanded she play her part.

"What can you tell me about the Shadow Dragons internal operations? Do you know the Viper?"

"You know I don't."

She rolled her eyes, "Oliver there was a lot of time I wasn't with you. A lot of time that you could've-"

"Gone to maintain my cover within the Magisterium? Trying to make sure my family didn't get too suspicious?"

"Its my job to ask."

"Yes and who is making you ask? Who is wanting you to ask? Whose orders are you following?"

"I-"

"I know that the Templars have been infiltrated. You know it to. Its one of the reasons why you decided to work with me in the first place. Its what you told me in any event. So suddenly your superiors get a burr up their butts about the Shadow Dragons as well? The one group that is opposing the Venatori?"

In the back of her mind she felt the nagging voice grow louder.

"Just answer the questions."

"Is that all you have to say? Parroting orders? I thought you were smarter then that."

"You really aren't helping your case." She scoffed.

"Its not about helping my case. I don't have a case. Not for your superiors. They want information on the Shadow Dragons because the Shadow Dragons oppose their Venatori masters. For the corruption and rot that has crept into the Imperium there is no escape. It has already declared me guilty whether I am guilty or not."

"If you just answer the question-"

"I have no answers for you. Or for your bosses. They see a grand conspiracy. Do you want me to lie? Will you or some other Templar torture me into a confession? Will a magister come in here and use Blood Magic to puppet me? I cannot tell you what I do not know. But someone will find a way to use me to their purposes."

His words continued to chip away against her resolve. She looked around at the partition behind her. Knowing that they ere likely being monitored.

She leaned in, "look Oliver. Just give me something. Anything. I am on your side here..."

He leaned back and crossed his arms.

She glanced back again. "Please Oliver. I can't guarantee that the next person they send in will be any friendlier. I'm trying to do this for you."

"My point exactly."

Her dam broke. "Dammit Oliver! You were a soldier of the Imperium at one point! A scout! You served with honor. You defended the Imperium. How could you decide to betray your oath like this? To throw in with criminals and terrorists?"

Oliver sighed, doubt flashed in his eyes. "Truthfully I don't know if the Shadow Dragons are the answer either. They could very well be every bit as bad as you say they are. They do seem like a gang squabbling with the Venatori for their own ends."

She smiled.

"But then the Venatori are little better. And I will do whatever it takes to stop them and their influence."

She nodded, "guards!" she snapped, "take him away."

The same two as before stepped in, bound his shackles and began to drag him out with barely a "lets go."

He glared at her, dragging his feet as he left. No words passed. His simple judgement. It was enough to shake her to her core.

But in the end it left her alone. She stooped over her notes again and started to jot down the remarks for the interrogation. Such as they were.

She didn't have much time though as the door banged open, Knight-Commander Alexios stood there, and without preamble came over to her.

"That seemed pretty rough...are you OK Knight-Lieutenant Aleia?"

"I am." She said with the barest of hesitation.

"I must know though...you did not seem to push. Where is your loyalty Knight-Lieutenant? To the Templar Order and the Magisterium or to Oliver Mercar and the Shadow Dragons?"

She stiffened. Not to the people? Not to Tevinter? The Magisterium?

Yet he still watched her.

"To the Imperium my lord."

He hesitated as he looked down at her, but in the end he licked his teeth and nodded. "Very well."