Author's Notes: I expect this to be a short story I hope to have done before Inquisition is released on Tuesday, I expect this to run 3 or 4 chapters total. This is a spiritual sequel of sorts to my one-shot story "Birds of Prey"
Though this chapter is fairly mild if you're looking for a story filled with sunshine and rainbows you'd best go somewhere else.
For everyone else please read and drop a review
Chapter 1: A Haunting Reminder
Many months have passed since the Inquisition was founded and the Breach was at least temporarily stabilized. Much to everyone's surprise a Mage who had somehow survived the blast which destroyed Haven and claimed the lives of thousands of Mages, Templars, Civilians, and others in the blink of an eye. His miraculous survival combined with the fact he apparently met a mysterious female figure within the Fade caused the people to start calling him "the Herald of Andraste." A moniker the man himself seemed to view with a certain measure of disdain.
Since the stabilization of the Breach the Inquisition has grown into a powerful force in Thedas, its influence growing in Orlais and Ferelden. They had gone from a small force of "heretics" in the eyes of the Chantry to a major military and political power in Thedas' chaotic landscape. Day by day their position seemed to strengthen with more territory falling under their control, more supplies such as food and weapons, increasing commerce helped grant the Inquisition some much needed coin, and of course the most valuable asset of all people who put their skills to work for the restored order.
"Our influence in Ferelden is growing steadily" a black haired human woman with matching armor and a vertical scar on her left cheek explained "thanks to the help of King Alastair the land is for the most part experiencing a tenuous piece though there are still problems with groups of rogue Mages and Templars."
The former Seeker sat at a simple wooden table with maps of Ferelden and Orlais laid next to each other dotted with black stands of the all seeing eye which represented their order. To think that their influence was once confined to the keep they sat in at Skyhold was hard to imagine.
Across from Cassandra sat a young human man with dark brown hair which had been recently cut short making him look far more professional. He had long diagonal scar across the left side of his neck. He wore dark black robes with the emblem of inquisition was emblazed on both the upper chest and back. His dark grey eyes were focused on the matter at time.
"Looks like we need to start focusing our efforts on Orlais then" Falke Trevelyan more commonly known as the Inquisitor or the Herald of Andraste sighed heavily "I'll ask Sera and Varric to have their spies look into the players, see what we can dig up, hopefully save some lives in the process."
"Do you really want to put so much faith in those two?" Cassandra asked her personal feelings towards both the Elf and the Dwarf were clear.
"You can't deny Varric has a good network" Falke chuckled "and of course Sera seems to have a virtual army of beggars, thieves, smugglers, and whores feeding her information, they're bound to find something we can use."
"Do you find everything funny?" Cassandra asked in sheer disbelief at the man's levity.
"It's a coping mechanism" Falke answered with a contemplative expression.
Cassandra did not know what to think, Falke had never really spoken too much of himself, despite having fought beside him so many times she still did not know much about him at all. He brought no real possessions of his life before he became known as the Herald so even the contents of his quarters provided little insight to him.
"You never struck me as being very religious" Cassandra stated as she gestured towards several books on the famous prophetess "it's past time I figured out just who I'm dealing with."
"I'm not, I stopped believing when I was five" Falke stated plainly "I'm just curious."
"About what exactly?" Cassandra inquired, normally she'd take issue with someone who would dismiss the Maker and his bride so casually.
"About the woman behind the legend" Falke answered calmly as he pulled a tome from the shelf that looked as if it had survived a fire "did you know in Tevinter they believe that Andraste was not a prophetess but a powerful Mage?" he gently laid the fragile text on the table "they say that the 'Maker' was a powerful fade spirit and the reason she didn't scream out when they burned her was because they had made her Tranquil."
"Their teachings are all lies used to justify the Magisters' tyranny" Cassandra stated bluntly "you and I have both heard the stories and Dorian has confirmed them."
"And others would say that the Chantry's teachings are also lies to justify the subjugation of Mages among other charming acts it has engaged in over the centuries" Falke replied lightly as he gently placed the book back on its shelf "relax Cassandra, that's what other people are saying, if you keep getting this worked up over what other people believe you're going to give yourself a conniption" once again the young man chuckled which annoyed the former Seeker.
"So what do you believe?" Cassandra asked "and this time why don't you actually answer my question?" she added in annoyance "to think people really consider this man to be the Herald of Andraste."
"Not much I'm afraid" Falke answered with a shrug "even when she was alive pretty much everyone who spoke of her did so to further one political agenda or another" he pulled up his chair and took a sip of water "it's fairly safe to say she was an astute politician, a gifted speaker, and she had some talent for warfare given the fact she waged a successful rebellion against the Imperium" he emptied his goblet "maybe she was the prophetess and bride to the one true god and her murder caused that god to turn his back on this world, perhaps she was a powerful and gifted Mage, for all we know she could have been both."
"An interesting perspective I suppose" Cassandra stated.
"Unfortunately, unless there's some cache of ancient writings by Andraste herself, I fear the 'truth' of the woman behind the legend has been lost to history" Falke sighed heavily as he gazed out a nearby window "and even if such a discovery were made, it's likely that both the Chantry and the Imperium would want to censor if not outright destroy the relics depending on the contents."
"And what of the woman you met in the Fade?" Cassandra inquired.
"Things are rarely what they appear to be in the Fade, that's one of the first things you learn when you're a Mage" Falke stated solemnly "perhaps it was Andraste I met, perhaps it was a demon trying to toy with my mind, or perhaps it was a benevolent spirit who wished save me or this world for whatever reason…"
"You seem disturbed" Cassandra noted.
"Varric told you didn't he, about the Mage Anders and Justice I mean" Falke replied solemnly "about how he took a benevolent spirit into himself only for his anger and bitterness to corrupt it…and then…"
Cassandra did know, all too well, after all it was because in large part to that Mage and Spirit that the whole world had been thrown into chaos and war, though there were other factors to blame as well. She didn't have to ask the young Mage anything, she could tell just by looking at him that he feared perhaps he took a benevolent Fade Spirit into his body and that his own negative emotions might be twisting it into something terrible.
"Ah if it isn't my favorite couple of cut throats" a familiar voice called drawing their attention to a certain beardless Dwarf "Cullen and his men have just returned from their little excursion into the Hinterlands, apparently they brought the leader of a rogue band of Mages in for trial."
"Lovely, and to think six months ago I hoped we wind everything up" Falke sighed as he pulled up his hood to make it harder for anyone to gauge his feelings and grabbed a small sheathed knife with his left hand before following the Dwarven story teller.
Cassandra followed the Dwarf and the Mage to the Great Hall, though there was still sections blocked off by scaffolding the difference from when they first laid on it were astounding. Simple yet elegant stained glass windows filled the hall with a gentle light. Numerous black banners with the white all seeing-eye emblazoned on the center draped the walls throughout the lands, they sent a simple but powerful message which could be summed up in four words "we are watching you", for some they were a symbol of fear, for others hope.
"All stand for the Herald of Andraste" a young man who effectively served as Skyhold's steward said with a surprisingly commanding voice.
The people assembled were a combination that Cassandra would have had a hard time believing if someone told her that they would not only be standing under one roof, but they also wouldn't be actively trying to kill each other. There were former Seekers who like Cassandra remained loyal to Divine Justinia and helped found the Inquisition along with their spy master Leliana and their chief diplomat Josephine.
To the left as came in through the main entrance stood the Iron Bull, a Qunari mercenary with a missing eye, his face carried his usual bemused expression as some of his men paid Falke their unusual salutes. Across from him stood Sera, an elven woman with short unevenly cut blonde hair surrounded by raggedly dressed individuals, she nodded to the Inquisitor though she still seemed to not like being amongst so many "big wigs" as opposed to the back alleys or taverns.
As they approached the throne they were greeted by a diverse mix of individuals and groups who had joined the Inquisition at one point and for one purpose or another. Former Mages of the Circle, most of them fought for the rebellion, some were lifelong Apostates, and a few were even Blood Mages, desperate times truly did call for desperate measures if Cassandra was fighting with them and not against them.
There were a number of former Templars who like Ser Cullen grew disillusioned with the Order after the actions of Knight Commanders Meredith and Lambert. There were also priestesses of Andraste dressed in the signature robes, mostly their work consisted of tending to the wounded and providing spiritual services for those that wished them. Next to them stood a number of warriors and priests of the various tribes and faiths which dotted the outskirts of Ferelden and other religions.
Across from them stood a number of Dalish Elves who wore their traditional elven garbs. As usual they greeted Falke with "Inquisitor" and "Ancestors keep you." Cassandra remembered when they first joined and every other word from them seemed to involve some variation of the word "Shemlen" thankfully the had grown slightly more tactful since then.
In the center stood the throne of the ancient lord who had commanded the keep long ago. In front several individuals stood in a straight line. From left to right as you faced the throne there stood the bald, plainly dressed elven apostate Solas, to his left stood Blackwall a middle aged Grey Warden with thick hair which matched his name. Next was Dorian, a Tevinter Mage with white robes and a very distinct and flamboyant mustache. And at the end was the ever distinctly dressed Vivienne, First Enchanter of her Circle though that title had no real meaning at the moment.
"At ease" Falke called out as he took his seat, Varric took his place next to Solace and Cassandra stood next to Vivienne, towards the back corner stood Cole a young man with messy blonde hair that covered his eyes "bring forth the accused" his voice was calm but commanding as the large main doors opened as an elven woman with messy blonde hair dressed in dirty tattered robes was lead in by the former Knight Captain and his men "so this is the Mage I've heard so much about Ser Cullen?"
"She is, Inquisitor" Cullen replied as he tightly gripped her bound heads to make sure he kept her magic suppressed.
"What are her crimes?" Falke asked stoically.
"She lead a band of marauding Mages throughout the Hinterlands, Inquisitor" Cullen began "they raided numerous villages, took scores of slaves, and sacrificed dozens for blood magic rituals" normally such accusation would illicit gasps of shock and disgust but everyone in the hall had heard so many terrible stories that they had grown largely numb "according to survivors this one enjoyed tying up her victims before leaving them to burn to death in their own homes."
"Do you have anything to say in your defense?" Falke asked calmly as his eyes focused on the elven woman.
The elven Mage shot Cullen a look of pure hatred before turning her gaze towards Falke and smiling darkly "I see so the stories were true after all…this Herald of Andraste really is a Mage after all…from Ostwick I heard."
"Have you nothing to say in your defense?" Falke repeated dryly "just so we're clear your life is on the line."
The woman remained silent for a few seconds before responding "I can not confess to my so called 'crimes' for that would imply some measure of guilt which I do not feel, nor can I deny them for I have committed the deeds."
"You bitch" Cullen hissed as he tightened his grip causing the Mage to fall to her knees.
"Calm yourself Ser Cullen" Falke instructed as stood up from his throne and locked gazes with his fellow Mage and asked "Why?"
"You should know the answer to that" the Mage stated with venom in her voice "for a thousand years the Chantry has taken everything from we Mages" the hatred in her eyes radiated despite her magic being suppressed by Cullen's Templar skills "they have to pay for that, both the Chantry and the mundane who supported them."
"So it's vengeance then" Falke sighed heavily.
"The 'mundane'?" Cassandra asked.
"It's a slur some Mages use to refer to non-Mages" Vivienne whispered softly her eyes showing nothing but contempt.
"Very well" Falke continued his voice now carried a heavy tone "as leader of the Inquisition and Lord of Skyhold, I Falke Trevelyan hereby find you guilty of murder, slavery, and crimes against the realm and sentence you to die" no one in hall uttered a single word "have you any last words?"
The woman was again silent for several moments before finally saying "if I am to die today, it will not be at the hands of a filthy Templar!"
Much to the shock of everyone in the hall Ser Cullen glowed a light blue collar before collapsing to the ground as the light seemed to be absorbed into the elf's body. Before anyone could react, the rope binding the Mage's fell to the ground in a small blaze of flames and with a wave of magic power Ser Cullen and several of his men were thrown backwards.
Grinning evilly the Mage turned her gaze back towards the throne. However the Inquisitor was no longer standing in front of his seat of power. While her back had been turned and everyone else was reeling in shock, Falke had utilized a spell known as "Fade Step" which propelled him to right in front of the renegade Mage.
So shocked was the woman that she barely registered when his left hand gripped her from behind her left shoulder. However, she did feel the cold steel of Falke's knife as it pierced her chest and blood instantly began to pour forth from the resulting wound.
The two Mages locked gazes as the elven woman admired the cold focus in Falke's eyes while also seeing how upset he was "I…suppose there are worst ways to die…" she said weakly with a smile as she lifted the blood stained fingers of her right hand to Falke's face "…I'm glad I could at least be killed by…someone…who…understands me…" the life then faded from the criminal Mage causing her arm to fall limp leaving thin trails of blood down the left side of Falke's face.
"I don't understand, I was suppressing her magic, how in the Maker's name did she do that?" Cullen asked in shock as he struggled to his feet, the former Templar felt as if he had run five miles in full plate armor "just what did she do to me?"
"You'll be fine Ser Cullen, you just need rest and I would recommend a hot meal" Falke assured the man as he removed his knife from the woman's chest and wiped the blood clean from the blade using her robes before sheathing it "that was a spell developed for combatting Templars, it works by drawing power from the Lyrium present within a Templar's body to counteract magical suppression."
"How exactly do you know this?" Cullen inquired curiously as he tried to digest what Falke had just taught him.
"That spell…was one of my master's creations" Falke answered softly with more than a hint of trouble in his voice as he closed the Mage's eyes and clasped her hands together before standing up "Bull, Sera, Varric…" he called out causing the Qunari, Elf, and Dwarf, to jump to attention "…I need a damn drink and to be around people who can make me laugh, if there is nothing then this court is hereby adjourned."
"Well that was…unexpected" Cassandra thought as the hall began to fill with gossip as Falke left with his drinking buddies "someone clean up the body and prepare it for cremation" she commanded as she walked towards Josephine.
"I…I don't recall ever seeing the Inquisitor that…troubled before" Josephine stated as the crowds began to empty.
"I don't think anyone has" Cassandra replied.
"I think it would be best to check on him" Josephine said, concern was evident in her voice.
Cassandra nodded before silently following their leader and his compatriots. They didn't have to go far, the nice thing about Skyhold was that even though it was large, everything was within easy walking distance. Within a matter of minutes the two women arrived at the tavern, neither of them frequented it but they acknowledged the practical benefits it brought to the Inquisition. After all most of their people were constantly putting their lives on the line without some form of outlet morale would go straight to the void.
The building itself was a fairly large three story structure. The second and third floors were lined with a number of beds meant for patrons who had drank too much, but from what Cassandra had heard thanks to Varric, Sera, and the Iron Bull they were frequently occupied by pairs and occasionally trios for other means of relaxation.
The first floor was where the action was at, in the back corner was a long bar manned by a Dwarven and Elven man who kept all matter of intoxicating beverage flowing for lone patrons taking some enjoyment after a long day's work in the farms and stables. In the center of the adjacent wall was a massive fireplace which provided warmth and light for the patrons on one side and a nice cooking fire for the staff on the other. As usual there was a bard singing various hymns to provide some entertainment, some of the songs were decidedly less wholesome than others.
The patrons were a broad combination of humans, elves, dwarves, and even the occasional Qunari dressed in all matter of garb. Most seemed to virtually inhale both their drinks and whatever food they had ordered in between bouts of laughing at crude jokes at their tables. A few were even wound up enough to start dancing on the tables only to fall face forward to the ground to the amusement of all present.
A number of small alcoves had been created in the wall opposite the fireplace where some tables have been placed. This allowed groups to eat and drink at a table which would allow them some manner of privacy thanks to the stone walls. In the alcove directly across from the fireplace they found Falke and his little party. Cassandra couldn't help but cringe slightly at the sight of Sera making some strange gesture with her arms as she stood in front of the table, she was certain the elf was saying something raunchy judging by the laughs of her male companions.
"Sera, you are a damn lunatic" Falke chuckled from the back of the table as he pressed his hand against his chest to support his ribs "please don't ever change" the Iron Bull and Varric seemed to nod in agreement as they sat to his left and right side respectively.
"Oh you don't need to worry about that…" Sera grinned before noticing their guests "…okay…I wasn't expecting to see the two of you here…"
"We were just concerned after what happened in court today" Josephine explained taking note of the casks of ale standing next to Sera "may we join you?"
"I don't think anyone here is the type to deny the company of two lovely ladies such as yourselves" Falke answered in a bemused tone of voice causing Cassandra to raise an annoyed eye brow and Josephine to chuckle slightly "I should warn you though, once Sera reaches her fourth or fifth round she turns into a real fiend."
"Hey I thought you and I were partners" Sera stated in an annoyed tone of voice as the other two women sat at the ends.
"We are which is why I'm warning them, you know if you try anything Cassandra here will kick your ass" Falke replied before turning to his chief diplomat and the woman who was essentially his second in command but before he could speak.
"So Falke mind telling us what's going on?" Varric asked curiously.
"It was nothing" Falke answered though his lie fooled nobody.
"Bull shit" Cassandra retorted "we all saw you in the keep, none of us have ever seen you like that."
"She's right" the Iron Bull said plainly "I once saw you get slammed against a wall by a guy with one hand over your shoulder and the other wrapped around your neck, you ignited your fingers on your free hand and gauged his eyes out before frying his brains, the whole process took about two seconds" he recalled causing Josephine's mouth to gawk slightly at the brutality before draining his massive stein "and you still didn't look even remotely as disturbed by that than you did just now with a simple stabbing."
"Face it Falke, if Bull and Choir Girl noticed then it really is that obvious" Varric stated with a somewhat amused tone of voice earning a glare from the former Seeker while the Bull simply took it in stride.
"Fine…" Falke sighed in defeat as he took a sip of ale "…I'm just bothered because she…she said I understood her…"
"I find that hard to believe" Josephine said softly "ever since we met you've conducted yourself in a benevolent if sometimes harsh matter, I can't see you having enough in common with a murderer to…"
"The problem is I do have enough in common with her" Falke stated heavily "I understand all too well what lead her and her band to do what they did" he emptied his tankard and gestured the Iron Bull to give him a refill "I saw it all in her eyes; the anger, the sorrow, the desperation, and sheer feeling of powerlessness…even as she died with some measure of content, it was there up to her last moment of life."
"I don't believe I've ever met a mage who felt powerless" Cassandra stated in calm confusion "if anything they seem to feel the exact opposite and…" the former Seeker found herself at a loss for words as Falke looked at her with a completely broken face.
"You don't know how cruel you're being, do you?" Falke asked weakly "tell me something have you ever felt weak and powerless at any point in your life Cassandra?" the former Seeker nodded "I see, well try to imagine feeling like that all the time every minute of every day from early childhood to your very last breath."
"Lord Trevelyan, we're…worried about you" Josephine said gently earning nods from the other gathered members of the Inquisition "we want to help you but…we can't if we don't know anything about you…"
"Are you sure you want to know?" Falke asked as he took another sip of ale "it's a long dull story I'm afraid."
"We've got time, plus we're all curious" Varric assured him.
"Alright then, Bull you'd better tell the server to bring us another cask of ale when she comes by" Falke replied calmly as he looked at his mug heavily "I suppose this story begins in Ostwick where I was born…"
Author's Notes: I foresee this story having two or three more chapters, I hope to have it all uploaded by Monday evening so it'll all be out of the way in time for Inquisition. In the meantime please leave a review.
