The Heart of a Dragon (a Dragon Age fanfiction)

Approaching Dangers

Ren had given some thought to which of the many dragons they had glimpsed over the course of their travels she should take the Iron Bull to kill, and was leaning toward the Storm Coast. It seemed appropriate, given that the Storm Coast was where they had first met, and given both of their yearnings toward the sea.

But that plan was put on hold at breakfast the next morning, when Ren was summoned up to Leliana's rookery. Leliana had finally tracked down Blackwall—he'd been seen in Val Royeaux, attending the trial of a man named Cyril Mornay, who was accused of the murders of a nobleman and his family in Orlais. Mornay had been on the run for a decade since the killings.

"What does this Mornay have to do with Blackwall?" Ren asked.

Leliana gave her a sidelong look that told her nothing. "It is hard to say for certain."

Ren had the distinct impression that her spymaster knew more than she was saying, but she knew from experience that Leliana would say only what she needed to and no more.

"Mornay is being hanged in a few days," Leliana said. "I would strongly suggest that you attend the execution."

A strong suggestion from Leliana was as good as an order. "I'll leave after lunch."

The Iron Bull was less than entirely pleased that Ren was leaving again so soon, and for Val Royeaux of all places—meaning there was pretty much no chance of any fighting to be done. But he was relieved that he wasn't being left behind on this trip. He didn't think he could have handled any more time pacing the battlements, not knowing what was happening to her.

In the midst of her hasty preparations for the journey to Val Royeaux, Ren was caught by Varric, who had a female dwarf with him, both of them looking downcast and disturbed. Varric introduced his fellow dwarf as Bianca, bringing up all sorts of questions regarding the name of his crossbow; Ren wondered if she would ever be able to convince him to tell her the story. She made a promise to herself that she wouldn't ask unless Hawke came back, however. It seemed only fair.

Bianca, the living version, explained that she knew of an entrance in the Hinterlands to the Deep Roads thaig where Varric had first found the red lyrium idol, the beginning of all of this. Varric studied his boots through all of this recitation. Ren knew he felt a deep sense of guilt and responsibility over the red lyrium idol's fate and all the damage it had caused. She waited until he looked up at her, and then promised him that they would meet Bianca in Valammar, the entrance to the Deep Roads in the Hinterlands, as soon as she returned from Val Royeaux.

Varric played it off as though he didn't care. Bianca took off immediately, and he played that off as though he didn't care, either, but neither attempt fooled Ren. She hated to see the dwarf's usually cheerful face so closed-off and dark.

Ren had hoped to get a chance for lunch before leaving Skyhold, but was foiled there, as well; on the way into the keep, she ran into Mother Giselle and Dorian having a quiet but intense argument. When the mage stalked off, his face thunderous, Mother Giselle turned to Ren. The Inquisition's representative from the Chantry had few positive things to say about Dorian, despite the fact that she had rarely ever spoken to him and had certainly never discussed his conception of Andrasteism with him. Ren imagined if she had, Mother Giselle might have discovered Dorian's views weren't as far from hers as she thought. While Ren's own views were much farther, a fact Mother Giselle ignored as hard as she could.

Mother Giselle had gotten herself embroiled in a correspondence with Dorian's parents, and now she wanted Ren to trick Dorian into meeting a family retainer at an inn on the outskirts of Redcliffe.