A Candle in the Darkness (A Dragon Age: Inquisition fanfiction)

Barrels of Gaatlok

27 Solace, 9:44

Cullen was roaming the grounds of the Winter Palace, watching the servants. What disturbed him wasn't that Sera was right—he had believed what she told him—but that it wasn't just the Orlesian servants who were acting oddly. It was also the elves associated with the Inquisition.

He couldn't put his finger on what, exactly, was wrong ... but something very definitely was.

One of his men came hurrying across the garden toward him, calling out his name.

"Report," Cullen said, when the young man was close enough to speak without shouting.

"Another ... barrel ... of that Maker-damned Qunari stuff." The soldier braced his hands on his thighs, bending over while he caught his breath.

"Take me there." Cullen was relieved to have something to do, something tangible to look at, even while he was sick with worry that there was more gaatlok to contend with. If there were two barrels, who could say how many more were secreted around the Winter Palace? Celene would hardly be pleased to have the Inquisition poking its nose into all her castle's nooks and crannies, but whatever was here would have to be found before it could be used.

With the new mabari at his heels, Cullen followed the soldier. Two elves, one Inquisition and one Orlesian, were standing over a barrel, eyeing each other with suspicion. Cullen had little time for their attitude. Ignoring them both, he bent to study the barrel, hoping against hope that it was something else, but of course, it was gaatlok. Of course. Because what they all needed was one more complication.

"Where did this come from?" he asked sharply.

The Orlesian elf answered, sullenly, "I brought it. Wine, for the guests."

"That's not wine. Who did you get this from?"

"It was in the shipment with all the other barrels. How was I to know it was not wine? It was marked for this location, and I brought it here as ordered. That was my duty." The Orlesian elf crossed her arms, looking at him defiantly.

Cullen sighed. He was clearly not going to get an answer from her beyond what she had been ordered to do. He wished the Iron Bull was here, instead of lost somewhere in the world beyond the eluvians with Antonia. That was one place Cullen had no desire to go—he preferred his feet on familiar, solid ground. But he wanted Antonia back, safe and sound and in his arms. Just when they had thought this part of her life was over, he thought sorrowfully, thinking of the baby they had left at Skyhold and the one she was carrying.

That line of thought wasn't going to get him anywhere, so he rose to his feet and went in search of Leliana.

The former spymaster didn't know any more than he did about the barrels of gaatlok in the Winter Palace, but they both assumed it must have something to do with the dead Qunari they had found, and with the Qunari lyrium mining operation Antonia had destroyed. They called their people together, along with the security detail from the Winter Palace, and instituted a thorough search for any more barrels. Where there were two, there would be more.

Varric and Josephine and Cassandra joined them at that point, freed from the day's Exalted Council session, and the five of them withdrew to Cassandra's chambers to discuss the problem.

"You don't think the Qunari are trying a takeover, do you?" Josephine asked.

Varric groaned. "The Qunari mounting a formal attack? That's just what we need."

"Sorry to ruin your new book with an international crisis," Cassandra snapped.

The dwarf smiled at her. "Oh, I'm sure that'll do great things for the book. But for the writer ... possibly not so much."

Ignoring him, Cassandra asked impatiently, "What do we do about it?"

"I don't think there is much we can do, not until the Inquisitor comes back. She will likely know more about the Qunari's plans," Leliana said.

Cullen gritted his teeth. Couldn't anything ever be solved without Antonia having to do it personally? "Surely we can find something out without needing to run to the Inquisitor about it."

They all stared at him, then looked away, seeming to understand his frustration.

"I can look into where the barrels came from," Josephine offered. "If they were to be placed in particular locations, as the elf said they were, then they had to come from somewhere, and there will be a paper trail."

Leliana nodded. "I will question this servants, see what any of them know about the barrels."

"And I will go see if I can charm Teagan," Varric said. "That's one very unhappy Fereldan."

"Why is he unhappy with us? I mean, with the Inquisition." Cassandra corrected herself, reddening. "We have done nothing but help Ferelden—specifically in his lands!"

"I believe that must be why. We have done what he couldn't, or what he didn't, rather, and therefore have shown him up and caused his people to trust us more than they do him," Leliana pointed out. "No one likes to be made to look bad."

"He used to be considered a reasonable man. Pleasant, even," Cullen said. "The years have not been kind to him."

There came a knock at the door, and Cassandra moved to open it, while Leliana melted carefully into the shadows.

The Inquisition scout who stood there was wide-eyed, looking past Cassandra. "Is the Commander here? We need the Commander."

"What is it?" Cullen asked sharply.

"It's the Inquisitor. Come quick."