Summary: (Inquisition Re-imagined) Instead of falling out of the Rift in Haven, Ellana Lavellan ends up in the company of the people responsible for the destruction at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. As a result, the fate of Survivor of the Breach, and that of the Inquisition itself, plays out very differently...
A/N: This idea came to me when I was busy tinting my Inquisitor's armour, and I thought to myself how cool my elf would look in all-black. One thing lead to another, and here we are!
The whole story is based on the assumption that the Inquisition never found the Herald - most of it is made up by yours truly, but I am working on my own logical conclusions of how things would have played out if the To-Be Inquisitor didn't tumble out of the Fade exactly where the soldiers found them.
In a nutshell, I'm gonna be taking a few wild guesses, but then again, this is what FanFiction is for, no? Also, this chapter and the next was supposed to be one thing, but I decided to break it up because, A, the length, and B, because the real cannon divergence begins in the next chapter.
I already have about 4 chapters written, but I'm only going to post the next one once I've finished writing the one I'm busy with now. I will post the second chapter along with this one in a day or so, though.
Disclaimer: EA and Bioware are the people you're looking for.
Like a Shot from the Dark
-ONE-
Crack and Break, Twist and Tear
"I've been stumbling around between the lines of red and blue,
I was colouring thoughts for the sake of finding truth,
Was following rules, counting all of my good deeds -
Living in fear, hell at my feet, heaven is out of reach.
And there's a fire that I once laid/There's a fire but no fire brigade."
"Help our souls tonight/We are losing, losing this fight,
Help our souls tonight/Is there no one on our side?
Who's gonna help our souls tonight? No one here to/Help our souls tonight,
It's on me, it's on you/To survive."
- Nihilis, Help Our Souls Lyrics
The Herald
She woke up to an alien sky, alone and in the dark. There was a sound almost like a whisper and an unnatural chitter on the non-existent wind, but it was only the passing shadow out of the corner of her eye that stirred her from somewhere between dreams and consciousness.
Sprawled out on her front and dazed, when she raised her head, she winced at the blinding, golden light she found above. At first she mistook it for the sun until her senses caught up with her, and every hair on the back of her neck stood on end.
For a moment, as her mind raced, there was nothing but pure naked fear - fear and the sudden, overwhelming need to see blue sky and green, growing things. The desolate landscape around her stretched out into an unknown, murky horizon, broken only by the jagged shapes of mountains in the distance and the shadows from before flickered in the murk.
Before she could give this the thought it deserved, there was a stabbing pain and a green light that shined underneath her glove. Once she managed to pick herself up and get onto her knees, she gritted her teeth as tight leather slid over the tender skin there, revealing a glowing, vein-like pattern on the heel of her palm.
Bewildered yet strangely captivated, when she tried to trace the shape there she yanked her other hand away with a hiss of pain, the sensation similar to being electrocuted.
Despite her burning nerves, however, when she happened to look up, the distinct tangible outline of a person caught her full, undivided attention.
With some effort, she picked herself up off the ground, intending to go to it but froze when that ominous, tingling sensation of being watched brushed against her senses.
She turned her head and caught a movement in the murk. At first she tried to fool herself that it was a trick of the limited light until the shape darkened and loomed. When it was close enough to make out multiple back eyes and fangs the length of her forearm, she ignored the pain in her hand and the stiffness in her legs, turned and ran.
She stumbled over uneven, rocky terrain, nearly falling to the ground in her urgency. From above, she heard a voice shouting at her to climb, urging her up and onward and to please hurry, hurry, hurry.
She scaled the steep surface faster than she thought herself possible, her heart thundering in her ears, drowning out the frenzied chittering of things at her heel.
She saw a hand outstretched for her to take, and when she was close enough, she reached out-
Her fingers brushed against withered skin, but just as she tried to take it, something latched onto her leg, and with a single sickening lurch, air rushed by her ears as she fell.
She heard screaming, but whether it was her own or the voice was uncertain before her hand lit up with another bright green burst-
-she hits the ground with an audible thud, the air knocked straight from her lungs. She's not dead, she's sure of that much; it would have hurt less if she was.
She opens her eyes and there's a terrible moment where she looks up and thinks she's still in the Other Place until she notices swatches of blue among the green slashes in the sky.
She manages to turn on her side, gritting her teeth when her knee grazes against the harsh stone surface when she shifts her leg just so. She splays her unmarked hand across the ground, nail digging into the granite, but when she tries to push herself up, her arm gives out and she crumbles.
She hears the sound of heavy, armoured footsteps approach her from the side before exhaustion takes her and the world goes black again.
The Mind
Standing in the shadow of the trees, he watches the evacuation efforts in Haven from a safe distance, partially hidden from view amongst the branches. He can hear guards shouting over the sound of villagers trying to coax stubborn plough horses into pulling overloaded wagons, the panic and fear as obvious as the massive tear in the sky.
He frowns, letting apprehension coil in the middle of his chest for a moment before drawing the hood lower around his face and steps forward, out of the cover of the tree line.
None of the soldiers he passes seem to notice him, or if they do, they barely look at anything other than the staff on his back. He doubts this will stay that way forever, however, and is proven right the moment he arrives at the gate leading into the village.
The soldiers standing guard draw their weapons, regarding him with open suspicion.
"Identify yourself, mage."
They don't attack on sight. Interesting.
He holds up his hands as not to startle them. "My name is Solas." He says calmly, carefully removing his staff before holding it out for the men to take. "And I believe I can help."
Once they confiscate both his staff and his pack, the soldiers lead him to the Chantry building at the heart of the village. The inside is crowded, more than a dozen soldiers and hooded agents standing around a large table as a formidable-looking dark-haired woman, the apparent leader, stood coordinating their efforts and barking out orders in equal measure.
"What of the mountain pass to the east?" she demands, sharp eyes not leaving the map spread out over the table's surface.
"Charter's report came in." A grim-faced scout says.
"And?"
"She spotted several dozen shades in the immediate area - the report also mentions she might have seen a handful of rage demons moving along the main road as well."
Solas watches as the woman exhales heavily, leaning against the table as she pinches the bridge of her nose.
"...Seeker Pentaghast?"
Her jaw clenches, and with another sharp breath, she straightens up and looks the scout in the eyes, visibly startling him with the intensity. "Speak with Commander Cullen, see if he's able to spare extra soldiers to guard the villagers. If he cannot, request that Leliana lend some of her people to offer a distraction."
The scout nods hastily before bowing out and leaves with three soldiers at his flank.
When the soldiers escorting him approaches the woman, they salute before the one on Solas's left speaks up, "My lady, this mage approached the camp a short while ago - he says he has skills that may help close the Breach."
She turns her head and arches a brow once her eyes fall on him. Despite himself, something inside flinches and shrinks as those piercing eyes stare right through him.
The woman then steps away from the table before dismissing the soldiers with a firm wave of the hand. "Leave us."
The men do as she says, but just as they're alone, there's a flash of steel and quicker than Solas can comprehend, she has her sword levelled at his throat.
"You took a great risk coming here right now, Apostate." She says in a low voice, her grip firm around the hilt of the blade.
Somehow, he manages to keep his cool and his voice steady as he answers her, "I would think current circumstances demand taking such risks."
"Perhaps... but what makes you think you can be of any use to me?"
"Because I sense your patience is limited, I'll be blunt - I have more knowledge and experience of the Fade and matters pertaining to the Veil than anyone currently alive."
"A bold claim. How can you be so sure of that?"
"Because I am." Then, after moment and unflinchingly even in his current position, "You also have no other real options open to you at this point. And regardless of outwards appearances, I do wish to lend my assistance wherever I can."
She narrows her eyes. "Why?"
"Because I fear what is happening. This world is in more danger than any of you can comprehend. If something is not done to stop the damage from spreading, the Dream and the Waking Realm will merge into one, and I would rather that not come to pass in such a manner."
She looks at him for a long while, and after that, there's a fraction of a second where Solas notices how the tension leaves her shoulders.
"Very well," she says, and he feels the very tip of the blade ghost against his throat. "But let me make myself perfectly clear - if you are lying, if this turns out to be a trick of some kind, I will kill you." It isn't a threat, merely a statement of the fact delivered in a flat voice that betrays her weariness.
His mouth is a thin, downwards line but he nods anyway. "Understood."
With that, the woman withdraws her sword and sheaths it with a single, fluid motion. "My name is Cassandra Pentaghast, and I am a seeker of the Chantry."
"And I am Solas."
She gives him a curt nod of her own before some of the pretence falls away. "The mages we've consulted already tells us the Veil has been torn open - is this true?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"Smaller tears occur naturally in areas where the Veil is thin... but in this particular case, the Breach seems to have been created deliberately through the means of a singular, powerful burst of magical energy."
"The explosion at the Temple." She says quietly, and then, grimly, "Is there a way to close it?"
"Possibly..." He says slowly. "Our only hope would be to find the source - the artifact that created the initial rupture."
"Artifact?"
"One would assume so. My journeys into the Fade have showed me that similar magical devices have been used to likewise effect in the past."
"I... see. How accurate were these... dreams?"
"Very accurate."
Before Cassandra can say anything else, the door opens and the blonde head of a dwarf appears through the crack.
"Hey, Seeker?" he drawls.
Cassandra looks vaguely annoyed by the interruption. "What is it, Varric?"
"Yeah... the Nightingale wants you out here. Shit just got weird again."
The Believer
Cassandra finds out the hard way that Varric wasn't so much lying as what he was downplaying the current situation - "Shit just got weird," was an understatement if ever there was one.
Stepping outside, the first thing she sees is the crowd gathered in front of and around the Chantry, and is a mixture of soldiers, agents and the remaining clergy and villagers alike. They have their backs turned, and their eyes fixed on the same thing, awe, fear and disbelief written clearly across their faces.
She doesn't have to wonder why for long, as the moment she looks up, she feels the breath catch in her throat.
The sight of the Breach suspended in time is both utterly spectacular and absolutely terrifying.
There's a scream and a collected gasp amongst the people as, all of a sudden, reality seems to speed up double and a single shot of energy surges up, up and into the very Fade itself before the sky around it lights up.
There's a blinding flash, but she doesn't see the sudden change in the air so much as feel it.
Profound and electrifying, her skin prickles and her nerves thrum in her ears like an echo several long seconds afterwards. She's isn't sure at first, not immediately anyway, but when she looks again, the Breach, while not gone, is knitted together, closed.
From her side, Solas takes a steps forward, the look on his face suggesting he's doing so unintentionally.
"Impossible..." she hears him whisper under his breath.
Oddly, all things considered, it strikes her then just how strange it is to see the elf speechless, but doesn't think of this any further when she hears her name over the din that erupts all of a sudden.
Cassandra's head snaps up in time to see Leliana pushing her way through the unruly masses towards her.
"What happened?" she demands once the other woman comes to stand next to her.
"I just received word that movement was spotted near the Temple." Leliana says, looking just as wide-eyed and bewildered as Cassandra herself felt.
"What-? Who?"
The spymaster grimaces. "That's what I've been trying to find out until... that happened.."
Cassandra lets out a short breath of air she wasn't even aware she'd been holding until she looks up at the sky again and then back at Solas who was still standing there, transfixed.
She calls his name, but when he doesn't respond, she reaches up and grasps the elf's shoulder. It's more abrupt and definitely with more force than what she intends but the touch is enough to startle him out of his thoughts.
"What just happened?" She says, and the mage blinks at her. "The Breach, is it...?"
Apprehension flashes in dark blue eyes, but when it passes, he frowns. "No..." he says, quietly at first before, more loudly, "No, it's not sealed."
It isn't what she wants to know. "Then what are we looking at, Solas?"
"I don't know." At the incredulous look she gives him, he seems to regain his composure, and, calmly, "Unless I see the Breach up close for myself and study it, I will not be able to tell you what you wish to know, Seeker."
"I'm afraid we're going to have to wait for those answers," Leliana says abruptly, joining in the conversation. "The rifts along the path have made it difficult for my agents to get through, and even then, the reports are too far apart to be useful anymore. Until we have more information - anything to go on - it's too dangerous to set out on our own."
A part of Cassandra kicks against this, rejecting the idea while another surrenders to the common sense in the other woman's words.
Her inner-conflict must have shown, as Leliana's face softens for a moment and she reaches out to squeeze her arm. "It's for the best, Cassandra." She says finally, and disappears among the crowd.
For all her virtues, waiting never was one of Cassandra's best qualities.
She's tempted on more than one occasion to order a march when the reports finally come back in. The information, though welcome, is limited and is vague enough to leave her frustrated.
Unsurprisingly, whoever had been at the Temple had gone without a trace by the time Leliana's agents reached the site of the explosion.
What stands out was, despite the evidence in and around the area that suggested a small group and the obvious signs of demons, there were no new dead bodies among the burnt, no signs of bloodshed. No artifact either, of course.
The news doesn't get better, however.
Varric is present when they announce they found glowing red crystal veins of what looked like lyrium and he takes a long draught from the flask he keeps on his hip.
The dwarf pushes the flask in her hands and she doesn't hesitate to do the same when Roderick sweeps into the Chantry moments later demanding answers she doesn't have. The not-inexpensive Antivan brandy and subsequent burn it leaves sliding down her throat does its part to make herself feel better. Not much, but still.
The scandalized look on the Chancellor's face doesn't hurt either.
It really should have surprised her more when she interrupts the man's ranting by declaring the Inquisition, effectively breaking away from the Chantry and every belief she has about it.
It doesn't. Not at first, anyway, but she's self-aware enough to know it'll come back to haunt her at the least convenient moment.
Her words don't register until Roderick storms out and Varric whistles low under his breath.
Leliana goes on to point out just how much more difficult the situation's just become; as of now, they have no numbers, no formal alliances, and no means of sealing the Breach. Adding 'no Chantry support' just seems like hammering the final nail onto a ship doomed to sink.
The brandy doesn't go down any smoother the second time, but it does leave a pleasant warmth blossoming in the middle of her chest.
Varric nods his approval when she hands his flask back to him before looking between them, clipping it back onto his belt as he does.
When he casually states that he's staying, neither Cassandra nor Leliana tries to hide the surprise on their faces.
"What? You mean you're not interested in knowing how Red Lyrium just happened to show up in the middle of all this?" he says, shrugging. "I'll even have a few of my guys keep an eye out too if you can't spare any of your little birds on this, Nightingale."
Leliana nods, relief briefly flickering across her face. "I'd appreciate it if you did."
Cassandra, for her part, isn't wholly convinced by this. "I would have thought you'd be the first to leave now that you're no longer obligated to stay."
"Oh, I'll probably sneak out in the middle of the night if things get really bad... but right now? Sure, why not? It's not like I've got anything better to do. Besides," he states with a casual, dismissive gesture of the hand as he leaves, "if I left you humans on your own, everything's just going to start blowing up... again."
Grudgingly as it is, she can't fault the dwarf's logic.
As for her urge to punch him... Well, she'd work on that too.
Later, at Leliana's suggestion, she goes out to track Solas down. She finds him amongst the abandoned huts at the far side of the village, looking up at the partially sealed Breach with an inscrutable look on his face, and goes to stand next to him.
"Seeker." He says quietly, acknowledging her presence with a curt nod and a brief sideways glance.
Cassandra nods back and they stand there in the dark. "I admit," she says slowly, "I'm surprised that you're still here."
His mouth twitches but there's little else in way of a reaction from the elf. "I assure you, your surprise is only outmatched by my own."
"The immediate danger is over." She points out, gauging his blank expression carefully.
He turns his head to look at her directly now. "Is it?"
She doesn't answer him.
"Are you going to ask me to leave?" he asks after a while.
"No." Solas raises an eyebrow at this, and even Cassandra herself is stunned by the fact that she means this sincerely. "As Sister Leliana and the others have repeatedly told me over the last few hours, our situation is dire even with the Breach as it is. And like you said yourself, I'm in no position to turn away those who would want to help."
"Can you look past what I am?"
"I have no quarrel with mages, only those who seek to use their power at the expense of others."
This seemed to be the right thing to say, and Solas nods. "Then you and I are in agreement."
There isn't anything left to say after that until she turns to leave again. "...You should know that that it's only going to get worse, Cassandra."
She looks over her shoulder. "Is that your personal opinion on the matter, Solas?"
"Am I wrong?"
Cassandra smiles humourlessly. "No, but I can hope you are."
If the elf says anything else as she leaves, she doesn't hear it.
The Storyteller
The days that follow are chaotic and frenzied and pass quicker than Varric anticipates or appreciates.
He's tempted on more than one occasion to discreetly pack the few things he'd brought with him and sneak out of the camp like a thief in the night.
But, between the Seeker watching him like a hawk and the Nightingales' little birds (and, yes, he's aware of the many, many avian references), he knows the chances of leaving are slim-to-none with a fun added bonus of stabbing on the side.
Still, it could be... No, nope. Never mind - that line of thought had 'sucker bet' written all over it.
He made a point to bug Leliana for frequent updates about the state of things, and while the immediately danger being over (for now...), the mystery around specifics (the 'how', 'why' and 'who do I need to shoot' being Varric's personal favourites) and demons literally pouring out everywhere... there isn't exactly a ton of people lining up outside Haven's gates to join up.
Apparently, a lot of doubt from the masses came with establishing an Inquisition. Who knew?
To make things worse, no one seemed to want to play nice - the Templars were still assholes, the mages were still weird, and the Chantry, bless them, still called them heretics and crazy people (both, while technically true, still rude).
On the plus side, the Nightingale found out about a Chantry Mother in the heart of the Fereldan Hinterlands who'd be willing to help smooth a few things over. It was a long shot, and one that dragged Varric out into the middle of nowhere.
Long shot or not, however, they didn't had a lot going for them.
It isn't easy - there's too many rifts and not too many detours to avoid said rifts for that - but when they eventually make it to the Crossroads, fighting rogue templars and mages is a nice change. Mother Gisele isn't what he expects either, and despite how soft-spoken the older woman is, she's blunt to a T and has a will of solid steel Varric could respect.
It didn't mean she didn't intimidate him - which she did.
Which brings the dwarf to his present predicament...
It's the night before they return to Haven - Cassandra's busy talking shop with the Corporal in charge of coordinating the Inquisition's efforts in the area, and Solas wandered off several hours ago to go to sleep... or something.
The Chantry Mother caught him trying not to draw any attention to himself, which of course only drew her over to sit next to him by the campfire.
If she notices the sudden tension in his shoulders, she doesn't comment on it at first.
They sit like this until Varric begins to fidget and he clears his throat. "Something I can help with?"
She smiles - it's friendly enough but he can't quite keep from cringing a little internally, feeling like he'd done something wrong.
"I was actually about to ask you the same thing, Master Tethras."
Crap. She knew his name - never a good sign if it came from religious officials... "How's that?" he asks, staring into the fire.
"From what Lady Cassandra has told me, she noted that your silence may not be normal behaviour."
He snorts. "You and the Seeker make a habit of discussing me? And here I thought she didn't care."
"It's not concern, exactly, but she does have the impression that something is troubling you."
"You mean aside from the obvious?" At the curious look he got, he grimaced.
She hesitates for a minute. "I... do not wish to intrude, but if I could offer my assistance? I suspect that is why I was asked to come speak with you."
"Depends," he allows. "You got an answer for why all this... stuff is happening?"
"I see." She says quietly. "If I may..." When he nods, "Perhaps, all things considered, this is the Maker's way of testing our resolve? Our ability to endure?"
Varric frowns. "Yeah, I don't buy that."
"Then what do you believe? Do you not trust Lady Cassandra?"
"This isn't about trust. Anyone with eyes can see Cassandra and Leliana - two of the scariest women alive, by the way - are giving their all to make this Inquisition work. Anyway, I've known Cullen long enough to know he isn't just going to sit around doing nothing, and even if I don't really know Josephine all that well, she already scares the ever-living crap out of me."
She blinks in surprise. "I only know Lady Montilyet through reputation - I always had the impression she was a very accommodating, capable woman."
"Exactly my point."
"In that case... may I ask what it is that's bothering you so?"
"Honestly?" he says, watching at the Chantry Mother out of the corner of his eye. "From where I'm standing, it just looks like we've been doing an awful lot of running lately. And even with everything that's happened already, I've got this stupid, nagging voice in the back of my head that's telling me what we have now isn't going to be enough to beat whatever's coming our way."
Something, if possible, softens even more in the woman's eyes. "Many feel as you do."
"Good to know I'm not special, then." The sudden bitterness he hears in his own voice is enough to startle him and he looks down, brows furrowing. "Shit- I mean... sorry."
When Mother Gisele speaks again, she does so slowly, carefully, "Perhaps, if anything, all these hardships are meant to teach us how to hope. Hope is what we need the most."
"You think that's enough?"
She reaches out and lays her hand on his arm, smiling a little when he looks back at her.
"Is it not worth trying, at least?"
He doesn't have an answer for that - not one he'd say in front of polite company, anyway - and the night passes quickly after that.
The Mind
Between observing the rifts and Breach from a distance, fighting demons, rebels and the downright suicidal - and the ever-present, ever-growing headache that comes with it all - the weeks that follow pass in a blur.
In this time, Solas accompanies Cassandra to Val Royeaux in Orlais only to stand on the side with Varric as they watched the Seeker attempt to sway the Chantry.
It doesn't work out, and once the Templars show up, the thunderous look on the woman's face afterwards is enough to part the crowd that surrounds her.
The trip isn't all for naught however, and despite the Lord Seeker being a 'jackass' (Varric's words) and Fiona's ambiguity and unwillingness to make promises (understandable albeit inconvenient), an arrow with a message and an invitation with a First Enchanter's seal changes things.
For the most part, personally, Solas doubts Madame Vivienne's motives for joining. For all her talk of restoring order, righteous words conceal neither the ambition in her eyes nor the obvious contempt on her face. She's arrogant, but proficient enough in combat situations, however, and as much as he doesn't want to admit it, she is shrewd, intelligent and a powerful mage in her own right.
As for Sera, the 'Red Jenny'... although a talented elven archer, Sera shunned all things elven, feared magic to the point of ridiculousness, and didn't even think of herself as an elf - possibly even hated that about herself. A walking paradox by all rights... one that goes out of her way to be obnoxious - the lizards he keeps finding in his bedroll are proof enough of this.
It's not the Chantry support they need, but at least they don't leave Orlais empty-handed.
After returning to Haven, Solas doesn't go with Cassandra to the Storm Coast, but isn't too surprised when she returns two weeks later with a brand new mercenary company and a qunari spy in tow.
It's far, far past the point of surprise, anyway. He'd trust the Seeker's judgement on the matter, even if he doesn't believe the Iron Bull's intentions to help the Inquisition is as straightforward as the man claimed them to be.
When he asks her about the trip itself afterwards, she's tight-lipped about details but admits that the Grey Wardens had moved on and all but vanished.
Solas can tell Cassandra's more suspicious about this than she lets on, but leaves her to her own thoughts. Personally, he's never cared nor had any patience for the Wardens, but goes with her when she takes him on a return trip back to the Hinterlands in search for the lone recruiter.
They manage to track down Warden Blackwall at a cabin at the lake overlooking the crossroads. The man clearly isn't expecting Cassandra's approach as his entire posture changes and he then stalks over to her.
He doesn't, however, get a chance to speak, as the moment he opens his mouth, Cassandra's back suddenly stiffens before her hand shoots out and grabs his arm. Yanking it up, she levels the shield there just as an arrow strikes it dead in the middle.
When he realizes what just happened, the Warden stares at the Seeker with blatant astonishment before Cassandra disengages and arches a single eyebrow, challenge issued.
They fight. They win.
The Seeker then launches an interrogation and the Warden maintains a grim stoicism about himself. He doesn't have the answers they want, but he does go on to pledge himself to the Inquisition.
Compromise. Compromise. Compromise.
It's a week later, when he hears from Sera that Cassandra had been arguing with Leliana recently.
"The Seeker's keen on going after the Templars." The other elf says with a grimace on her face. They're in the tavern back in Haven (Varric insisted he be there), and while not as packed as usual, the commotion within is enough for them not to worry too much about being overheard.
Started by the news, Solas frowns, his eyebrows knitting together in concern. "You mean they've already decided?"
"Looks like," she says, squinting into her mug. "From what I could tell, Leliana tried to talk her out of it until Cullen got all huffy and jumped in... so, he's all up for it."
Bull makes a low sound of approval. "Can't say I don't disagree with the sentiment. With the way things are going, we could used the muscle."
Blackwall nods firmly. "Agreed. But now, what did the Ambassador say about it?"
The archer snorts. "I didn't stick around for the whole bloody conversation. But if I had to guess Josie-preen right, I's say she just told them to play nice and then ran off to draft letters and kiss babies for nobles or shite."
"Oh, be nice, Buttercup." Varric chides mildly, swirling the last of his ale before cringing his nose. "...I take it you don't like the Templars?"
"I'm not tickled about mages either, but it's not like there's a third option now, is it?"
The dwarf in their company smiles wryly. "Pretty sure we're the third option in this situation."
Sera snorts. "Exactly my point. Anyway, back to templars, from my experience the lot of them are a bunch of jackboots and tits."
"Maybe, but well-armed ones." Bull points out with a shrug of his own.
Solas excuses himself shortly afterwards and happens to notice Cassandra as she made her way down the side path from the Chantry.
The woman looks vaguely annoyed, but even as his common sense tells him otherwise, he approaches her. Her expression clears only slightly when he's close enough and she nods in acknowledgement.
"Seeker," he begins, "a word?"
She must have read the look on his face and sighs. "I take it you've heard already." At his raised eyebrow, she smiles ruefully. "Sera wasn't subtle in her eavesdropping."
"So it's true then?" he says evenly.
"Yes. Josephine believes with enough noble support on our side, we may turn the Lord Seeker's gaze... If all goes well, he may pledge Templar as well as Seeker support to our cause." With that, she doesn't falter when she meets his eye. "I'm aware the decision isn't universally accepted, but a decision has been made nonetheless."
"You didn't go to see the mages."
"No." To the Seeker's credit, she doesn't offer any excuses.
He sighs. "May I ask how long it will take to gather these nobles?"
"With luck, we'll receive word the day after tomorrow."
"I see."
He doesn't waste his time with a goodbye, but when he turns to leave Cassandra speaks up and he could hear the frustration in her voice. "I'm trying, Solas."
"I am aware of that, Lady Cassandra, and while you, Cullen and the rest would do better than most, it's not within my nature to blindly follow a path I do not agree with."
"Nor would I expect you to. But the fact is, enough templars could dampen the Breach."
"Theoretically." He corrects. "Theoretically, it may also cause a number of different things to happen as well. All are decidedly pointless and very much conjecture on our part without the artifact."
"Then give me a solution."
"Very well. If you must proceed, don't do so blindly. Wait. Allow Leliana's agents to find what you need to close the Breach safely and most importantly, permanently."
"Time is against us."
"And haste is counterproductive in the grand scheme of things."
Her shoulders sag, but whether it's because she sees his point or not is unclear. "It's happening, Solas, regardless whether you and I are prepared for it or not. As it is, Templar support may inspire others to join us. More than that, the Seekers have always kept lore that may help us in the long run, and that is something we desperately need."
"In that case, there's nothing more for me to say that can sway you from your course."
"No, I suppose not... I would, however, have asked you to join me when we go to Therinfal. We could have used your talents."
"I'm sure Madame Vivienne would be more than capable in my stead."
Cassandra's smile is wry. "She did seem willing enough when I asked her earlier."
He turns, but pauses before leaving to look at her over his shoulder. "...I wish you luck regardless, Seeker."
She nods curtly and without any further ceremony, Solas walks away.
-To Be Continued-
End Notes: Onwards!
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