Who Said the Heroes Had All the Fun
A Dragon Age Fan Fiction by: Susan Rose
So her leather overcoat was a bit worn and the too large socks soaked in melting snow that seeped through the broken soles of her boots, but still Jessamine trekked on. It was an ideal location if one needed seclusion and time to gather forces against a want-to-be god. She had to give the Inquisition that much, but it certainly was a pain when you were traveling from the Imperium. The young woman couldn't even remember Kirkwall being this cold and she had slept on it's dirtiest streets. She was on a mission however. Though that really wasn't any different than any other day of her life. Luckily enough, Jessa wasn't the only person in Thedas making her way to Skyhold. It was gathering quite a name for itself and people were coming from all over to offer what they could or to simply seek refuge amongst it's rumored stronghold.
She'd already been making her way back to the Free Marches when a letter found her. Varric. He had explained all he could about the strange glowing light in the distant sky and about the gathering forces on both sides of yet another pending war. Jessamine had sighed in frustration even though her old friend had asked nothing of her. It was just an informative letter. One he was probably sending out to all of old his Kirkwall associates and it was only the first of many she would receive as she hiked seemingly all of Thedas, but if Varric Tethras was joining the Inquisition, then she couldn't think of a better place to be as well.
Of course, it wasn't until three weeks after the first letter that she reached Fereldan from a cargo ship she had sneaked on to back in Wycome. In Jader the pilgrimage to Skyhold was large and easy to follow. If not long. Kindness wasn't something Jessamine was accustomed to, but many strangers offered it to her in the days to come. A ride on the back of a caravan or a turn on a mount. Information. Food. The mage and templar rebellion had seemingly died down and trouble wasn't as keen to follow her as it normally would have. There were only a handful of times in the coming weeks that she would have to fight for her life. Peace. Something else she wasn't accustomed to.
When they were close enough to see Skyhold castle in the distance, Jessa broke off from the group of want-to-be soldiers that had most recently offered her their company. If things ended badly, she didn't want them in the crossfire. She already had more blood on her hands than any twenty four year old probably should. No sense in adding to that. No, instead she hiked for two more days alone. Cold and hungry with only a walking stick in her possession. She reached the large main gates just after sunrise on the third day. Whilst her appearance most likely reflected how grimy and grim she felt, the smile she flashed the guards who halted her was absolutely brilliant. And probably a bit more than suspicious. " Fancy meeting a couple handsome gentlemen like you out here", she tried with her most upbeat voice. The guards' eyes narrowed even more. "State your business", the younger of the two demanded. Jessa didn't miss a step. Smile still in tact, she replied. "This is the Inquisition stronghold, yeah? I'd like an audience with the people in charge. A commander Cullen and Sister Nightingale to be precise. Along with the Inquisitor, of course". The guards looked at one another when she started naming names, but didn't budge. Jessamine sighed and held up her hands, turning in place. "I'm unarmed. Just a walking stick. Wasn't so easy to get here, ya know". She normally wouldn't have made herself so vulnerable, exposing her back to a couple of armed guard, but trust was earned with trust. Or so she'd heard. The younger guard seemed to relax a bit, but the older spoke out. His voice rough and all too obviously Fereldan. "And just where might you be coming from, young one? You a vint?", He practically spat the last word, making her pause for the first time. She had known being back in Tevinter had given her skin a bit of a tan, but she never would have guessed that she'd sound as such. Her accent was a muddled mess. Mixed with the various regions she had grown up in. "No. Though, I did some traveling in the Imperium recently". Honesty was honesty. Even if she left out a few things. "Look, I'm half froze and a week without a meal. Please don't turn me away". That seemed to do it for the old guard and he nodded at his companion to step aside. "Leave the walking stick out here on the ground". He was a smarter man than he seemed. Jessamine smiled and dropped the stick, holding her palms up as she passed through the gates.
Skyhold was..more than she had ever even imagined it to be. The walls were both solid and beautiful. Life bustled all around the place and it almost seemed as though she were walking into another world. Not the same world that was currently being torn apart by magic and demons and men with small swords trying to make up for something they lacked. Life here seemed..almost normal at first glance. Almost.
The older guard followed Jessa inside before taking the lead. Summoning another guard over to take his place. "Come. I'll take you to the ambassador. She can decide if you're to be seen. The Inquisitor only just got back from some mission or another". He was helpful, sure, but there was a coldness in the guard's voice that let her know she was not trusted and she was not pitied. One wrong move and that could mean her life. Noted,Jessamine thought to herself. She saw no reason to respond to the man aloud as he was making sure to stay at least three steps ahead of her. He led her upward, to some very large, very heavy doors and inside to Skyhold castle. It had obviously sat abandoned for quite some time before the Inquisition had moved in and they were still making repairs on the hall she was being led down. "How long has the Inquisition been here?", Jessa asked curiously. Not truly expecting a reply. "Just over two months". His voice didn't change and he didn't bother to look back, but at least he had answered. They halted at a door on the left, just before the throne and he held a hand up. "Stay here and I will inform lady Josephine of your presence. Your name?". He looked at her then, but Jessa didn't pause. Giving him the name she used most when claiming to be from Orlais. "Tabitha DuPuis". Cullen would know it was a lie, though hopefully he'd still be curious enough to agree to grant her an audience. "Not sure why you need it. It's likely The Nightingale is already aware of my arrival". She added though the guard didn't falter on his way through the door. "Charming", she mumbled to herself. Standing there awkwardly. There were a few nobles who were staring curiously at her (likely having overheard the name given to the guard), but for the most part she seemed to go largely unnoticed for the entire six minutes that the guard was gone. "Come", he commanded like a dog and Jessa had to remind herself to behave.
She was led through another door that opened up to an empty office and down to yet another large door with yet another corridor and, yes, another door at the end of that. "Talk about defense". Another mumble to herself. Though it did earn her a surprisingly agreeable grunt from the guard. He opened the last door and bowed to whoever stood beyond before backing up and leaving without another word to Jessa. Raising her eyebrow curiously, she watched him go for a second before stepping through the door to the War Room.
The first pair of eyes she met were Leliana's. They were knowing, but warm. A good sign. Jessamine nearly smiled at the older woman before being rudely interrupted by the annoyingly smooth voice of the Inquisition's commander. "Guards! Arrest this woman!". The two guards (who had gone unnoticed on either side of the exit) stepped forward and Jessa began to move into a defensive position. All halted by the soft chuckle of Sister Leliana. "Cullen. Really? Is this the time for such a thing?". The only person who did not look questioningly at their Spymaster was Cassandra Pentaghast. A face Jessamine should have anticipated but did not. Her wide smile returned and she bowed to Cassandra's great annoyance. "Lady Seeker! What a pleasure to see you!". Before the seeker could answer, a man not quite older than Jessa, cleared his throat. "Does anyone want to explain this to me?". The guards stepped back unsure and Jessamine straightened. Once again, she opened her mouth to say something and was interrupted by Cullen. "This girl is a criminal and an apostate", the Commander spat as he glared at her. "Well, to be fair, you're partially to blame for my apostate status. Though with the circles broken, I don't guess I'm anymore illegal than the next mage", Jessa answered, her perky voice never faltering. "And what of your crimes?", this glare from Cassandra. "I'm sorry, Lady Seeker. You'll have to be more specific. Which crimes? Doing my part to save Kirkwall? Killing slavers who hunted myself and my friend? Trying to save other mages from a fate this man", her anger growing, Jessamine pointed to Cullen, "deemed a necessary evil?". "I never condoned what Merr-", Cullen began but it was Jessamine's turn to interrupt him. "Because ignoring what was happening to the people whose lives were in your hands was so much better than the direct action the Knight Commander was taking". He had no reply to that, but was saved from the embarrassment by his Inquisitor. "Enough! I will hear her out, Cullen. Cassandra". He turned his gaze to the young mage. "Start from the beginning". Jessamine's story started many many years ago and she doubted she had time to tell it all before another crisis popped up, but she was willing to lend them the short version.
"The beginning? There's a lot of beginnings in my story, Lord Inquisitor, but I'll keep it all short and simple for you. My name is Jessamine. Jessa to friends. Mouser to one. I was born to an elven slave in the Imperium, thus earning myself a slave position by default. My father was a human magister and her master. Hence the lack of pointy ears and probably the reason I have magical abilities. Mother died when I was two and he sold me to a mate of his when I was four. Though I won't ruin your dinner by going into details of that decade of my life. It...wasn't pretty. When I was thirteen, I escaped. Killed for the first time. One of the other slaves had taught me how to use daggers. Magic...scares me. I rarely use it. Anyways, I fled to Fereldan and purposefully performed a little trick in front of Templars to earn myself haven at a circle. I was young enough and even smaller than average, so I was able to play it off like it was my first time experiencing magic and they dragged me off to the Kinloch Hold circle as we were closest there. I think they eventually meant to relocate me, but...plans changed".
Jessamine, paused. Trying to shake the memories of the fall of the circle tower. "Because of the blood mage rebellion?", The Inquisitor asked gently and she nodded, about to continue when once again Cullen interrupted. "And don't leave out your part in all that". The inquisitor shot the commander a look that said to let her speak and Jess refrained from rolling her eyes. "I did not have a personal role in the downfall of the circle. I was but a child. There is, however, speculation that Uldred conspired with Tenvinter blood mages. He got what he wanted and they would get what they wanted. Which, turned out to be me. My master wasn't happy that I had fled. Wynne kept us all safe and when the Hero of Fereldan showed up, the kids were able to leave. I...stayed though. I didn't know at the time about the said speculation, but I had seen enough blood magic to think that I could maybe help. Dolan Amell was from the circle tower and we had gotten to know one another briefly before he was recruited into the Gray Wardens" , She glanced up at Leliana, the memories so clearly there in the other's eyes as well, but she gave Jessamine an encouraging nod. " I got as far as the desire demon with them, but was locked out of the room that sent them into the fade. Once Uldred and the demons were defeated, the remaining mages were sent away". She had skipped over some parts. For time's sake and, slightly, for Cullen's. That mess had brought the worse out in the young templar and Jessa didn't know just how much he had shared with his new company. "I was in the last caravan being sent to Denerim when we were overcome . There weren't many others with me, but two more children died that day. Just so I could be recaptured. I spent a total of four more years back under my master's hand. The beatings were worse. So were...other things. Things that I..matured in to. It broke my will. Which, naturally, was his plan. I don't even remember my escape the second time. I just...saw an opportunity and took it. Told myself that it'd be foolish to return to Fereldan. Especially since they'd consider me an apostate if I tried. Who knew that's what I'd end up being in Kirkwall..Anyways, I was there for that mess. If only I'd known what I'd have been getting in to. Spent a good deal of my time in Hawke's company after Anders took me in as an apprentice of sorts. He couldn't get me to use magic much more than the circle mages, but he was a lot nicer than a lot of them and I'm great at potion brewing. Plus..he helped me...control it". Her head hung in shame at the last bit and she found herself staring at her feet. "Control...what?", the Inquisitor asked after it became apparent that Jessa couldn't continue on her own accord. "I...have magical outburst", she admitted. "Because I refused to use my magic, I was basically a walking bomb most days. Anders taught me to control it. To use just enough to quench the need. It still happens sometimes, but only if I'm overly emotional and that hasn't occurred since I left Kirkwall.
"Anyways, you know the stories about Kirkwall by now, I'm sure. I was there. Questioned by Cassandra and the seekers afterwards and then fled before they could decide to arrest me. By the time I left, I had developed...a nice set of skills that helped me track down and...kill all the remaining slavers that had hunted me. My father was killed by Fenris, his pet slave, so I didn't have to worry about him. My master and his group were next. I traveled with the elf for some time as we both had common goals and he's the one who taught me how to truly fight. He would periodically return to wherever Hawke was or Hawke would find us for a bit. It was..nice to see them so in love even after everything that had occurred., but eventually I convinced Fenris to spend more and more time away and continued on my own. I'm told that he does as well from time to time, But..ya know. That gets boring after awhile. So, here I am. Ready to fight demons instead".
Jessa finished, leaning up against the wall. There was only a moment's pause before Cullen, unsurprisingly, refused. "No. Absolutely not. You forget the part where you helped blow up the chantry". "Unknowingly helped", Jessa protested. Only for the Commander to fire right back. "Hawke refused to help. He knew something was wrong and yet you ignored the warning signs. You distracted the grand cleric without even a question as to why". She glared at the ex-templar. "I was young. I thought I was in love. I thought he was going to save me. Save all the mages. I didn't need anymore reason than that". Grief threatened to buckle her knees, so Jessamine slid to a sitting position on the floor. Cullen had no comeback this time. Letting the Inquisitor ask his own question. "But, you said Cullen was partially to blame for your apostate status. How? He's no more to blame for any of those events than you are". The young mage's brown eyes met Cullen's and this time it was his turn to hang his head. "I...turned her away. She attempted to join Kirkwall's circle when she first arrived, but we ran into one another before she could talk to anyone else and I threatened her. Tried to make her leave Kirkwall. I..was not over what happened at Fereldan's circle and truthfully, I did not want a reminder". He raised his head and met Jessa's eyes once more. "I should have turned you in". That wasn't a surprise. "I'd be dead if you did. Or worse. They'd have made me tranquil the first time I had an outburst". When, he looked away, she knew that Cullen still thought that might have been a better fate for her. Apparently, the Inquisitor knew it too. "Alright...so you know Cullen. And apparently Cassandra interrogated you. How do you know Leliana? From the Hero of Fereldan?" Jess, nodded. "Yes. She was traveling with him during the circle incident. We ran into one another again in Kirkwall and she eventually...offered me leads when I went off on my own". The Inquisitor nodded like all of this made perfect sense to him. "And how'd you know where to find us?". Before Jessamine could answer, the door flung open and in stormed Varric. Bianca in hand. "Inquisitor! Do not arrest that mage!". Unfortunately, flinging the door open had resulted in knocking the young woman in her face and out gushed blood from her broken nose. The cry of outrage was enough to draw the dwarf's attention from the war table to behind the door where Jessamine had been sat. "Oops, sorry Mouser", he smiled sheepishly.