The Way Of The Champion

Chapter Five: "The Deep Roads Expedition"

GARRETT

I pressed fifty sovereigns into Bartrand's hand, rather forcefully. "You're joking," Bartrand gasped as he counted them.

Varric and I gave each other a wink, before he turned to face his brother, "What did I tell you, Bartrand? Not bad for a human."

Bartrand sighed, "Alright, partner. Full share of the profit between you, me, and Varric. Now we just need a decent entrance into the Deep Roads."

"This might just be what we need," I grinned, handing over the Warden maps too.

"What's this?" Bartrand looked at them in disbelief, "Three...four entrances into the Deep Roads all in the Free Marches??! Where did you get these?"

"A wizard did it," Anders smiled.

"Well, color me astounded. We just pick the most promising one and go! Time to wrap up any business you have in the city, my friend. We'll be gone for several weeks at least."

An hour later, Bartrand had assembled everyone who was going on the expedition, "We've chosen one of the hidden entrances!" He explained, "And there are bound to be leftover darkspawn from the Blight. Big risks, big rewards. Now, before we-" He stopped as an all too familiar woman approached, "Wait, who invited the old woman?"

Mine and Carver's mother shoved her way over to us, "I'm sorry to interrupt, dwarf, but I must speak to my children."

"Mother, no. We talked about how important this is," Carver said stiffly.

"I just want to know one thing," She glanced at me, "Are you planning on taking Carver with you?"

"I can't leave him behind," I growled, "I need him."

"I'm going," Carver insisted, "It'll be fine."

"It's not fine!" Mother argued, "You can't both go! What if something were to happen to you?" She looked at me again, "You I understand wanting to do this, but leave your brother here, I beg you!"

"I said, I'm going!" Carver barked, "Besides, if we're so bloody afraid of templars, I should go and he should hide!"

I glanced between them, Leandra's absolutely hate-filled gaze upon me. She still blamed me for Bethany. I blamed myself too. Carver, silently begging me to take him with. He wanted to prove himself, in whatever way he thought he could.

And as much as I wanted to share an experience like this with my brother, I thought of Bethany, and the darkspawn that awaited us, and I knew that I couldn't live with the weight of knowing I'd been the cause of the death of another one of my siblings.

"Fine, mother," I said, refusing to look Carver in the eye, "Carver can stay home."

He didn't say a word to me, just took Leandra home without a second glance. He was angry. So angry. I hoped my decision would be worth it.

"Personal drama over with?" Bartrand asked. I nodded rather sullenly, and he led the group towards our chosen entrance, Anders and Varric on either side of me.

VARRIC

Cassandra put her hands on her hips, "No. This Can't be right. The Champion was an apostate who came to Kirkwall to spread subversion against the Chantry. But you claim this wasn't the case. The Champion just happened to have dealings with the Qunari, joined forces with a blood mage, a rebel Warden, a former Tevinter slave, and for what? Coin?"

Varric sighed, "Maybe its not as simple as you imagine, Seeker."

"Simple?" She gaped, "Do I need to remind you what your friends did? Do I need to tell you how many lives have been lost? How many more will be lost? You cannot sit there and tell me he's innocent!"