Memory - The Tevinter party; murdering an old acquaintance rather than deal with him.

[likebigboats]

Isabela’s taken her ship to Tevinter for a job King Alistair’s hired her and Varric for. Tevinter is not her favorite place, so she’s on edge, but she’s dressed up very fancy for the occasion anyway. She instructs her elf right hand to keep watch for trouble; Brand promises to get word to her, and she tells him to focus on getting word to Alistair. “We’re here on his coin, and he’s like a lost puppy away from his homeland.”

She heads to the party, making some mental lists among all the fancy Tevinters. Things she hates: the magisters, the slave tenders, the dress code, the way they’ve cooked the meat (over seasoned). Things she worries about: no one is visibly armed, but everyone is armed because it’s Tevinter and most of the people in attendance are mages. Things she’s optimistic about: the wine is probably not poisoned, and it tastes good.

Varric’s found an old acquaintance, Maevaris (“Mae”). Mae is a trans woman and a magister and is all around fabulous, though Isabela’s standoffish due to all the things she doesn't like about any Tevinter. Varric and Mae banter and Alistair is introduced. Mae flirts with him. Not much of interest to Isabela until Mae brings Lord Devon into the conversation; he’s happy to see the pirate, while Isabela is unhappy. She immediately deflects into teasing Alistair about whether he wants to take Mae up on her flirting.

Mae, Varric and Alistair move further into the party while Isabela and Devon lag behind. For those taking other memories in Callie’s mirror, Devon is one of the men who oversaw throwing a boatload of slaves off Isabela’s ship and leaving them to drown. This is why Isabela immediately gives him a cold shoulder when he tries reconnecting with her. Devon’s cheerfulness on seeing her rapidly disappears over the course of his attempted conversation.

Devon: I didn’t mean to surprise you. Escort for a king now? Just transport and security, or --
Isabela: Don’t. Say. A. Word.
Devon: ...Mae asked me to watch for your ship and keep it off the registry. I didn’t think you were still alive, to be honest.
Isabela: I’m alive.
Devon: Don’t mistake me, I’m very glad. (Awkward pause.) . . .Maybe after this, we can catch up over drinks? You’re awfully quiet.
Isabela: I’m imagining you as a legless cockroach, rolling in your filth and waiting to die.
Devon: . . . You owe me! How would you like it if I told your king about the Venefication sea?
Isabela: Nothing happened there, Devon. [She pulls a hidden dagger, pushes him to a wall and puts the blade near his face.] You understand?
Devon: Yes.
Isabela: Then walk away.

The pirate leaves him, rejoining the others. She’s still prickly though, and now openly hostile, asking if she missed Mae showing off her slaves. Mae counters that everyone in Tevinter has slaves, she’s not some horrible oddity; it’s probably for the best that at this point, the conversation is derailed by a mage in dark clothing arriving at the party. Mae swears, nothing that the mage is early.

A servant announces the arrival of Magister Titus. There’s people asking if he’s defeated the Qunari Arishok, honoring his arrival, etc. Isabela’s just mentally comparing everything here to the sewers of Kirkwall. Alistair instructs Varric and Isabela to spread out and get ready for trouble; the rogues do so while the king goes to confront Titus.

Alistair: Aurelian Titus?
Titus: Yes?
Alistair: Do you know who I am?
Titus: No.
Alistair: Funny, that. You tried hard enough to get your hands on me. You weren’t as lucky as you were with my father.
Titus: [Taking on a malicious grin.] Ah. Tainted scion of Calenhad. The circle of blood is complete. King Alistair of Fereldan, welcome to Tevinter.
Alistair: Stop that. I want to know what happened to King Maric.
Titus: I see.

Titus’ guards draw swords, and the magister’s eyes turn black as he starts drawing on magic, ordering Alistair to fall. Alistair, however, is a Templar; he’s been trained and equipped to counter mages in combat. An interesting note is that Tevinter has its Templars as well, but since the mages hold power in this country instead of the other way around, they’ve defanged their Templars and deprived them of the special anti-mage abilities Templar normally have. It’s a big statement when Alistair in unaffected by Titus’ magic and simply backhands the man. This is likely why Titus orders his men to seize Alistair and immediately makes for the door himself.

Alistair is immediately in a situation where he’s trying to punch out armed men; luckily he has two rogues who’ve snuck in their weapons, and Mae comes to support them with her magic. Alistair tries ordering them to chase Titus, but Isabela says the priority is to fight and protect Alistair, then chase the magister. Alistair arms himself, and starts fighting back-to-back with the pirate.

Isabela: It’s funny how many parties I go to end up like this.
Alistair: I don’t think that’s funny.
Isabela: It does mean fewer invitations. So how’d you do that thing with Titus. . .?
Alistair: I used to be a Templar - - fighting mages is what we do. After the Tellari swamps, I thought I’d get back into practice.
Isabela: [Face turns a little sour; she has some Opinions about the Templar, as well.] The things you learn about people . . .

After the party’s killed most of Titus’ men, Alistair instructs Isabela to make sure they keep one alive. She goes to see who she can grab. There’s one who’s running for it - and surprise, he’s pushing his way past Devon who is generally flabbergasted at this turn of events. The man slashes wildly at Devon in his panic, wounding Devon’s arm. Devon’s accidental interference lets Isabela catch up, slamming the man’s head into the ground and knocking him out.

Devon clutches his wounded arm, and thanks Isabela. He’s starting to say more - he thought the man was going to - and then Isabela drives her dagger clear through his chest. She’s moved away from Devon’s body and is cleaning her weapon off when the others finally catch up. Mae immediately goes to Devon's body, dismayed at her acquaintance's death.

Isabela: Titus’s man got him. But we have our captive, at least - assuming he knows anything.
Mae: Damn it. You should leave before the guard arrives. There will be questions, and it’d be better if a magister is the one answering them.
Varric: You’re a doll, Mae.
Mae: [Giving him a kiss on the cheek.] Be careful, Varric. Titus’s mage shouted manavaeris dracona - “Long live the dragons.” Tevinter has seen dragon cults before, and they’re never pretty.

Isabela and Varric pick up their captive as Alistair exchanges parting words with Mae. The dwarf is savvy enough to know there’s more going on here than Isabela’s letting on.

Varric: Are you okay?
Isabela: Fine.
Varric: You’re sure? You’re covered in blood.
Isabela: There are worse things than blood. Let’s get to the ship.