Pilgrimage to Desolation
A story about the events leading up to Dragon Age: Inquisition. For some of the possible Inquisitors.
I do not own any of the setting, and take creative license over the original characters presented. Author's note at the bottom.
"You have the coin, I presume?" Edward asked, glancing over the Dalish emissary who fidgeted about in clothes far too large for his figure. They stood on an empty, derelict street at the edges of Markham, the city growing dark and settling around them.
The scout sized him up. Edward assumed it was to see if he matched the description given by Councilman Suledin. Or the Dalish clan, he wasn't sure who passed on the orders. It mattered little in the end, and Edward found himself cross with the unnecessary delay. After a moment of scrutiny, the scout nodded, untying a ratty grey bag from his belt.
Edward glanced up and down the loosely cobbled street, a prayer to Andraste crossing through his mind. It would not do well for the Lord of the Watch to find him or the Dalish in this position, despite the innocence of its true nature.
"Fifty coin, as promised," the elf answered, an edge of fear creeping into the whisper. Edward reached out and took the bag, mentally weighing it. He knew the Dalish would not cheat him, not if they wanted the alienages in Markham or Denerim to assist them in the future. But even more than that, his experience with elves outside the Guild was that cheating was not in their nature. After his display of checking the bag and sizing its contents, he nodded to the elf in approval.
"Come this way shem." The scout turned away from Edward, heading back into the alley whose mouth they had met at. The shadows stretched and covered them in the growing night, giving a glowering nature to the alienage wall ahead. Edward strode deeper into the alley after the scout, moving slowly so his eyes could adjust as theirs didn't need to.
The scouts low, worried voice spoke again in the darkness, this time in Elven foreign to him. Edward saw he spoke to another slight figure, standing against the far wall. He knew she was a woman, but hearing the soft reply confirmed it for him. He moved to stand with them, and he felt the scout tense.
"You are Edward Trevelyan, I presume?" the woman inquired, a light pleading behind the words. As she spoke, Edward saw her hand reach out reassuringly to sit on the Dalish scout's shoulder. He let out a breath he had not realized he was holding in. Why do I keep taking on back alley deals?
"Yes. We can talk more once we have left Markham though. We need to leave for Ostwick soon if we intend to make passage tomorrow."
The elves took a moment for more whispered words, and then they embraced briefly. Edward gave them the moment, but as the hug broke he cleared his throat with no lack of impatience. In the distance he could hear the guard calling for watch change, and soon after the second watch patrols would start. If they wanted a smooth exit from the city it was to be now.
The scout moved past Edward, turning his head to grumble a brief thanks before darting in the direction that would lead him back into the city. Edward assumed he would have someone harbor him in the alienage until he could leave.
"It's hard for Dalish to find people to work with them, especially on this scale. He is more grateful than he is able to express. All of them are." The woman elf spoke from just behind him, though he hadn't heard her move. While he had been wanting for a little more than the veiled hostility the scout had shown, her open gratitude made Edward just as uncomfortable.
He turned to look at her, but there was little he could tell in the dark. Observations could wait as well. "Come on, we need to get moving. We have a long night ahead, and the horses are an hours walk."
"Of course. Just tell me where to go."
The contract that Edward Trevelyan had landed was a complex one, to say the least. Certainly out of the ordinary. It had been arranged by the Black Crescent guild, a small time thieves guild out of Ostwick that dreamt at breaking into the Kirkwall black market. As the youngest child of minor nobility, he decided to invest his youth in making money with them before his eldest brother wasted their inheritance. He stayed on because it was fun.
They were contacted a month ago by the Alienage Elder, an elf called Suledin, about a job for the Dalish. A transport job of the utmost importance. Thedas had been shaken by the mage rebellion, and not even the Dalish could remain ignorant in the matter. Soto, his guild leader, had been persuaded by the heft of gold that was attached to the offer.
Edward, with a mage in the family and reasonable cause to go to Fereldan, had been singled out immediately. It had not taken him much to convince his older brother and mother that he should be the one to journey to the Chantry conclave to retrieve his older sister Una. His brother was too busy trying to make sense of the inheritance he'd had thrust on him, and his mother had no desire to go back to Ferelden in her lifetime. Edward spun his story, and they were all too thrilled to believe it.
It wasn't until he'd accepted the contract and convinced his family the he was told he would be transporting a person. A Dalish no less. The following weeks had been a mass of arranging for it to look as though he had an affair going with an elven maid. The details were kept purposefully vague, even from him, but he trusted Soto. When his brother gave him the papers to travel, underneath his documents were ones labeled for a Rowena Lavellan.
It had all gone rather smoothly, Edward had thought, but the trade left him wondering what details he still didn't know. His nerves followed him through the next several hours, as the two of them rode through the Free Marches countryside toward Ostwick.
Ostwick rose up to greet them in the morning light, pressed up against the backdrop of coastal waters, a rich cerulean color as the Waking Sea met the Amaranthine Ocean. The Circle stood as the tallest building aside from the keep, setting the boundary for the city itself, which had not yet come to life. As the sun began to creep over the horizon of the ocean, Edward signalled for them to stop.
Getting off of his horse, he pulled open one of the saddlebags and procured a rolled up servant's dress and a container given to him by Landri, the guild alchemist. As the elf slid off of her steed, he moved over to give her what she would need to be in the city. He was caught off guard by her appearance underneath the hood, however. He'd grown up with elves looking beaten, trying to draw attention away from themselves. Looking over this Dalish however, he was not certain he could help her blend in.
Her eyes moved over him, and Edward found himself unnerved by an elf for the first time in his life. Andraste's tits. She had eyes the color of amethysts, with a matching color etching swirled lines across her face, marking her as one of the elves bound to the Dales. Between the tattoos and the innocent gaze that lacked the broken nature of her city-dwelling brethren, he was certain she would stand out like a sore thumb. And that was without worrying about her eye color attracting attention.
"So, you're Rowena? I expected something a little more… elf-like. I couldn't even pronounce your leader's name when I looked over the contract." He countered with humor when he was off-guard. This definitely qualified. He hadn't, however, expected her to look hurt by it.
A scowl clouded her features, which made her look a little dangerous, and Edward backpedalled, "I mean, I'm sure his name is very nice, I just meant it was a bit long."
"No, don't worry about it. His name is long. It's just… Rowena isn't my name. Well, I guess now it is. This is something we both have resigned ourselves to. Pay it no mind."
Ah. Edward knew what nerve he had touched on now, at least. But it wouldn't do for them to get too familiar, or for him to call her by the wrong name. So he would heed her advice, and rather than questioning any further, he held up the clothes, "Well, these are for you, to blend in once we reach the city. They would have made poor riding gear though. And this was also included for you."
Rowena took the dress gingerly, looking it over as though it might fall apart, but then lay it over her shoulder to take the container from him. A small smile lit her features, and Edward hoped she knew what it was meant for, because he had not been told. She glanced up at him again, for when they were this close he towered over her by almost a foot, and said, "I'll go take care of this so we can keep moving."
As she carried the items away into the outskirts of the nearby woods, he called after her, "Take your time, we made haste on the way here. I don't want poor workmanship to be the death of me." The words left him, and he felt a shiver run down his spine. Maker, don't let this contract be the death of me.
Fel'ruwyn of clan Lavellan was to be no more. Rowena had to make her peace with that as she stood in the shaded grove. It was a quiet, brief funeral for who she could no longer be. Her clan, all of the Dalish if she was to believe her Keeper, needed her to be Rowena Lavellan. She could only carry her home with her in a name, and it was not even her true one. The peace of the forest could not last much longer. The noble shem, Edward, would come after her soon enough, and this was something from which she could not run.
And so she stood, stripped off her traditional clothes, folding and tucking them under a tree. Sliding into the city clothing, the quality of material was uncomfortable against her, but it was not as foreign as she feared it would be. Taking a moment to ensure everything was laced properly, she then turned her attention to the box he'd giver her. Taking a breath, she opened it and began her work.
Rowena only hoped it would be enough, the alchemist who had mixed the concealer could not have known the color it would need to cover. But she traced the contours of her face, knowing by heart where the marks would be. The shem might need to help if she missed anything, and the thought of being touched by a shemlan stranger made her uncomfortable.
And so she hummed as she painted her face, an elven love song for those lost in battle, filling the forest with a feeling of home for the last time. The forest standing still, the moss beneath her, the feel of a solid tree against her back, none of it could last long enough. Rowena finished, stood, and said a quiet goodbye to the outskirts of the forest. The conclave would not wait for her.
She only carried back the box that Edward had given her, and as she emerged into view of him, she found herself somewhat amused to find him talking to his horse. Before she drew close enough to listen in on the conversation though, he saw her approach. His eyes widened for a moment, no doubt that he was surprised by the difference she presented.
"I'm not sure I did the finest job, but is it passable?" she questioned. He moved forward to grab the box she offered up, and as he drew in he scrutinized her face. Rowena found herself doing the same, interested in the shem who had offered to take her across continents. He stood taller than her, but that was no surprise, but he was leaner than most human men. His eyes looked as though they had captured the Amaranthine sea itself, but squinted when he looked at anything too closely. He was fair haired, more so than she usually saw amongst the humans, cut in a style that she could only assume was allowed due to his nobility.
"You'll pass, so long as you keep your head down. Your eyes are… unusual. And I don't want to chance some porter or captain getting curious," Edward replied carefully. The scrutiny left both a little wary, Rowena assumed. He returned to his mount, placing the box in a saddlebag. As she prepared to ride again herself, Rowena noticed some of the differences in their clothing. Climbing onto her mount made the shift much more obvious, and she suddenly felt longing for her clothes in the woods, or even the loose and comfortable ones Edward wore.
The ride was a short one, thankfully. They made it into Ostwick with little incident, stabling their horses and slipping into the unfamiliar city. Rowena caught her eyes lingering in some places a bit too long, trying to push off the waves of fear and growing nerves by memorizing the rooftop patterns, or the paint peeling off the chantry walls. They crossed through what she assumed was the market, slowly resurrecting itself for another day.
Edward prodded and called her along, his voice a constant reminder of what she needed to do. A beacon in a sea of unfamiliarity. They slipped through back streets, but not alleyways. He took the time to make them unnoticed, not suspiciously avoidant. Rowena could hear the ocean as the docks grew closer. She heard it, and then smelt it, long before it broke into view.
The docks came to life before the marketplace did, it seemed. When they emerged from the buildings into view, the docks were teeming with activity. Sailors called out orders, loaded and unloaded, laughed and yelled. Edward held out an arm to stop her before they moved too close though. "Over there, with the red on the sails? That's the ship we're taking and… Oh Andraste's tits, damn it all."
"What is it?" she replied, fear shooting into her throat.
"My family is here…" he replied, a misery which seemed to drop him into an unenthused monotone. "The woman? That's my mother. And the short unsightly fellow next to her is my pompous arse of a brother. And, wait, did they bring someone? Arse. Arse, arse, arse…"
He continued to mutter, and presumably curse, under his breath. Rowena stayed still, uncertain on how to act. This series of events was out of her control. She only could trust that her Keeper would not have delivered her into incapable arms.
Edward straightened himself, and Rowena watched him undergo a visible transformation. His shoulders pushed back, his eyes hardened and went dead. He glanced at her, and she felt nervous in his presence for entirely new reasons. "Come on, duty calls. We can't stop here. Just don't say anything."
A quick nod of assent was all he needed. Rowena followed a few paces behind, trying to stare at the ground as they walked. She would see enough of the ocean soon enough that she did not miss the sight too terribly. Perhaps the key to seeming a city elf would be to wish herself invisible. She could only hope it was enough.
The sea breeze on a warm morning would have made for a pleasant way to see Ostwick off, Edward thought. If only the city at it's best couldn't be so horribly marred by the worst it had within it. A smile, one he hoped was humorless, stretch across his features with little feeling. His mother, Lady Opal of Ostwick, rushed forward to pull him into an embrace. The theatrics had begun early, it would seem. His mother had not seen him in almost a fortnight.
"Edward, it would seem you decided to show up for your own departure. We've waited some time now," his brother, Isaac Trevelyan, chimed. Edward managed to scowl from the chokehold that his mother had him in, but his brother remained placid. Lord of the Ostwick estate and inheritor of the titles that accompanied the position, his older brother was outstandingly self righteous.
Prying his mothers bony hands from the vice grip on his head, Edward stepped away from her as politely as she could manage. "I'm dreadfully sorry I kept you waiting then. I was unaware that you were in a rush for me to leave."
"Oh, darling, you mustn't say it that way!" his mother cried out, at a pitch he deemed unnecessary. She had already started to cry, though he couldn't imagine there was much reason for it. But the more she could tell her friends over wicked grace, the less she would feel guilt over gambling away their small fortune. Still, her teary eyes and pouting face reminded him of Una, and he always had a soft spot for his sister. He touched his mothers shoulder, "I'll be back soon enough. With Una. There's no need for this."
"Typically I would agree, but there was some business to attend to before you left. And to no ones surprise, you were nowhere to be found. And so here we are." Edward begged his eyes not to roll, forcing himself to meet his brother's gaze, but found them focused behind him. Shit. The elf.
Edward also noticed the figure he'd seen before, sitting off to the side, but chose the more prominent issue. "Right, well, Rowena… Why don't you get settled on board? I'll accompany you shortly," he said, though it was more of a command than a suggestion. To her credit, she did not meet any of their eyes, and even attempted to curtsy before she left. It should be enough.
His mother and brother waited until she was out of sight, before their icy stares slid back to him. He laughed at the sight, "Surely you could have waited until I'd gotten home to tell me how much you disapproved in my tastes."
Lord Trevelyan's brow furrowed, and Edward spotted a small vein raise in his temple. "There is more to it than that, certainly. But if that's what you wish to get out of the way first I'm sure I can make myself rather clear. I'm glad you've finally started to take an interest in women. Truly, Edward, don't scoff so. But a rabbit?"
Edward winced internally, praying he kept his composure. He was unaware that his brother had become so racist. If memory served he'd had a tryst or two in his time. Before marrying the most dour woman in Ostwick. His mother picked up, "I am the one with the complaint, however. You know I'm the one who arranged this trip. And I have seen to it that she had passage with you so that you could get this out of your system, Edward."
His stomach twisted suddenly, wary of the news that made his mother seem so smug suddenly. She continued, "I've arranged passage for three to Ferelden, and for three to return. Our contact in the Dwarven Carta will be accompanying you as an additional measure, given the state across the sea."
He moved to glance behind his brother to find that, indeed, a very impatient dwarf was watching them with feigned interest. Tucked away in hoods and armor though, he decided he'd worry about the dwarf later. "Well, I don't see why this changes anything, if you want me to end it fine. Once we get Una…" he stopped. Suddenly he realized what his mother had arranged. Una, himself, and the Carta dwarf made three. They were short a ticket.
Lord Trevelyan cleared his throat, "So I think you'll find we've been more than fair. You get this out of your system, and represent the family as best you can. Do try not to screw anything up. I have enough paperwork as it is. Come, mother. We'll give him time to acquaint himself with Miss Karliah and get on board."
Edward stood, shocked, as his brother clapped him on the back and fled as fast as decency allowed. It wouldn't do for them to face a scene. And had they stayed any longer, they would've had one, they knew Edward at least that well. His insides felt as though they'd been doused in ice. He was now smuggling a Dalish elf across the sea, and knowingly had to abandon her there. The dwarf, having gathered her belongings, brought him out of his stupor, "You mind letting me get on board? I need to get on, even if you decide to stay."
He glanced down, and found her observing him with a look he hoped was sympathetic. He felt his shoulders drop, and an anger slowly warming the ice, but plastered on a pleasant smile. Holding out his hand, he made to let her pass, "After you m'lady."
She nodded, and moved up the ramp into the ship that would carry them to Ferelden.
It was hard to romanticize molding wood after three days of staring at the same surfaces, Karliah had found. The ship was spacious enough, but they had but one room between the three of them. Of course, things could have been far worse. She initially thought the human and the elf were lovers, but by the first night she was relieved to see that that was a ruse. Edward had sat her down and begged her not to breath a word of their falsehood to his mother. He sweetened the deal with a few coin, though she had been happy to oblige. The business of noble families was one thing she was happy enough to leave alone. Her purpose on the surface was absolutely singular.
Staring at the blank vellum of her journal, she closed the book in frustration. There was nothing to add. Nothing of import, at least. They were due to arrive in Highever by evening, but that left her waiting with baited breath until the call for shore was raised. Glancing over, she saw the human lying in his cot, sleeping. But the elf was awake, and reading. Karliah decided to give comradery a shot.
"So, it you two aren't really lovers like his family made such a stink about, why are you here?" she quipped. It wasn't much of a transition, but it served her purpose. Rowena looked up from her book, surprised, "I'm here to attend the Conclave."
Karliah had to hold her tongue, before a retort burst forth. The elf, smart as she may have been, didn't seem to pick up on conversation queues. "Well, yes, but what for?"
"Ah. Well, to be perfectly honest, I'm not certain I can go into much detail."
Lovely. Neither of them had pasts they could openly discuss. Karliah was suddenly irritated with her own attempt at being social. If they were both so closed off, it really ruled out the ability to get to know one another.
"Don't you want to ask me, Karliah?" Edward crooned from atop his bunk, "Or does my family do all my talking for me?"
She rolled her eyes, but laughed at his tone nevertheless. "You were asleep. And a noble. I didn't think you'd have time for gossip."
He sat up, "No, being born a noble seems to mean being given twice the capacity for gossip. At least, between my mother and sister I was raised to believe that's the case."
Rowena laughed, a surprise to both bantering parties. Karliah felt the tension settle a bit between the three of them, and thanked her ancestors silently. She hadn't been certain how much more curt conversation she could bear. She was in no need of friendship, but it was nice to know she was traveling with others capable of emotion. She'd had too many stoic and unpleasant Deep Road expeditions.
"Well, Miss Karliah, I am curious to your reason for accompanying us, if I am to be quite honest. It was surprising to find you joining us, to say the least."
Karliah shifted to face the two of them properly, weighing her answer before giving it. "I'm an added security measure. But I was hired because I have business at the Conclave. I'm meeting a contact from Orzammar. Your brother thought it was a convenient alignment of interests, and I agreed to put good word in with the Carta if he made the travel arrangements."
Edward gave a dark chuckle in reply, "I would not expect it to be so short and sweet upon our return, My brother will likely ask for a full and scouring report on what exactly transpired."
Karliah smiled at the noble, "I wouldn't worry if I were you. I wasn't instructed to watch you, and I'm happy enough to remind him of that if need be. Besides, he didn't mention it, but if things go very well at the Conclave, I may not be returning with you at all. My skills may well be required in Orzammar."
Edward seemed to visibly perk up at this, but only replied with an interested mumble. The elf, however, dove right in, "Have you been to Orzammar before, or were you born to the surface? I'd love to hear whatever you care to tell me about your culture."
Karliah blinked, so used to dealing with humans who shrugged off concepts different than their own, or elves who namely ignored her. She smiled softly, "I've never been one for studies, which is why they gave me an axe. But I'm happy enough to share with you what I can."
Karliah was pleasantly surprised later that evening. They were still lost in conversation as the captain called out that they were docking. She had genuinely enjoyed the company of the elf and found that the noble had enough wit to make his frustrations humorous. Perhaps the tiring journey across Fereldan would be bearable after all.
The Chantry Conclave was a fortnight away. The travel had been rather dull and tiring, but they made good time crossing through the Bannorn. Rowena had passed through this section of Ferelden before, but it was a decade behind her. She welcomed the reminders, for the broad fields stretched out for miles. For a few days they had passed nought but farmland, and the occasional mill or local gathering point. West Hill had been passed over by most of the travel, and so it wasn't until they neared Lake Calenhad that they saw the truth behind the recent uprisings and struggles.
Rowena saw the smoke before the others. At first it was a blot on the horizon, but when it was still there the next morning she called attention to it. It was early enough in spring that frost was still on the ground, but the heat was unmistakable as they grew close to the lake.
Before they knew it, the three were amidst other travellers, many of whom had halted their journey. Uncertainty rippled through the bystanders who were unprepared to deal with this kind of delay. Edward pulled her and Karliah through to the front. Rowena prayed there would be no templars. She had come this far.
A blockade had been crudely erected, and a singular templar commanded what looked to be poorly outfitted commoners. Or was attempting to anyway. A rough crowd of angry travellers surrounded him, barking questions of every nature. From the templars expression and stature, it did not look as though this were a new routine.
Nevertheless, Edward left the two to push forward and ask some questions of his own. Rowena sighed in exasperation. It was unlikely the templar would be able to hear anything over all the merchants and travellers barking at once. She could hardly hear herself.
Karliah tugged at her side, and Rowena turned her attention away from the struggling masses. The dwarf smirked, and gestured to where the barricade was being repaired. Rowena turned, and found they were being waved over by another dwarf. Rowena turned to Karliah, mouthing, 'A friend of yours?' over the din.
Karliah surprised her by shrugging, before glancing over at Edward's struggle again. Seeming to make her mind up with that last look, Karliah gestured for Rowena to follow, before darting underfoot en route to the other dwarf. Rowena followed, knowing that Edward was struggling in vain.
She reached Karliah as she and the dwarf were finishing some kind of handshake. Karliah smiled up at her, "This is a contact of the Carta's, Sebold. He might have a way we can get out of this mess."
Rowena nodded at the introduction, but before she could offer up her name, Sebold spoke up, "Pleasantries aside, I need a yes or a no. Calenhad is impassable through this route. The docks were torn apart by bandits ages ago, but the last of the mages had sealed themselves inside the tower. An explosion came out a week back, and the fires have raged ever since. Winds carried it, so no telling how big it is. The only templar left to keep order is Warric, and look at 'im."
Karliah glanced back, and her expression hardened. Turning back to look up at Rowena, "What do you think? There's a job he says can get us through without having to turn back and fight our way along with the masses. I can't exactly ask Edward."
Rowena met the pair of eyes staring at her. Between the noise of all the people gathered and the soft scent of smoke lingering in the air, there wasn't much to turn over. She nodded to Karliah, who turned to Sebold, "Well, you've got our answers. Majority vote will have to do. The sooner I can get out of this mess, the better. Now, what's the job?"
Sebold thrust his chin out toward the mass around the templar Warric, "Get your friend, and I'll take ya there."
"I'll go," Rowena interjected, "Karliah, find out if we'll need anything."
She moved away from the dwarves, and slid her way through the agitated group. As she reached the knot around templar Warric, she was only able spot Edward by the shock of blonde hair. Pushing without mercy for the others in the group, Rowena fought to grab his cloak, and yanked on it with all the might she could muster.
Edward toppled, the jarring crowd and sudden force throwing both of them to the ground. Rowena grabbed at his arm, but though they had managed to stick together, they were buffeted by the crowd. A strong arm hefted her with ease, and she was suddenly disoriented as her view flew from that of feet, to one of the spring sky.
She glanced over at the arm that had it's grip around her, expecting Edward to have managed to pull them out. But she saw him similarly hefted, both in the arms of a Qunari. The crowd gave him wide berth, but Rowena remained in too much shock to throw herself off. The Qunari moved over to where she and Karliah had seen Sebold, before setting them down with more care than she would have expected.
Looking up at their rescuer, Rowena was greeted with a smirking face resting between viciously curled horns. Her eyes widened, and she stumbled over an apology.
Edward, however, seemed relatively unphased by the rescue, and rather turned on her. "I was going to be answered next! I could have gotten us through! What did you pull me away for?"
A laugh cut him off before Rowena could worry too much, the Qunari having successfully grabbed his attention by now. Edward turned to him, "And what is so damned funny?"
"No one is getting through while Warric is here. That's damned sure. All the elf did was save you some of your breath. And almost have you crushed underfoot. But who's to say that wouldn't have happened anyway?"
Edward still glared at her hotly, but he didn't continue berating her. Rowena spared an apologetic glance, but looked back to the Qunari. "Thank you. For pulling us out of that."
The Qunari looked down at her, his smile seamless, "Well, you just got added onto our job. You won't be much help dead. Sebold took the other dwarf out of sight, I suggest we do the same."
Rowena pieced together the familiar armor and markings, and concluded that Sebold and the Qunari were together in either a guild or merc band. She glanced at Edward, "I was coming to tell you we found a way around. Karliah found a Carta contact here."
Edward's stare was withering, but he gestured for them to carry on without complaint. She carried on, uncertain if it was worth the effort of an apology. The Qunari continued to take them off the road, and gestured to a lone tree under which they saw two figures. "That will be them. I'm Kaaras, by the way. Best to get that out of the way now, I don't like being called 'The Qunari'."
"'Kaaras', what does it mean?" Rowena asked.
Kaaras chuckled, "I should've expected an elf with questions. Especially bas Saarebas. It means 'navigator' in Qunlat. But I've come to prefer it as my name."
Edward cleared his throat, "Do you know her? What is 'bah Sarbas'?"
Kaaras looked over him, "No, I don't know her. It was merely an observation dathrasi, I sometimes express myself best in my native tongue."
Edward seemed put off by the underlying implications that led him to believe he was being insulted, but Rowena turned her attention from the sulking shemlan. "I am Rowena, and he is Lord Edward Trevelyan, my guide through Fereldan."
"I'm not the Lord of any-" Edward began from behind, only to be cut off by Sebold.
"Damn it Kaaras, move a little faster, will ya? I gotta get back soon and I want to see this done right."
Karliah called after him, "I think it might have been worth mentioning before we agreed to this that it was a job through the damned Deep Roads!"
Rowena's eyes widened, and she turned to look at Kaaras and Sebold for confirmation, but the dwarf's wince was all the explanation needed. "Look, you wanted to get around faster. And it's not like I could've plucked anyone up for this. You just happened to be the first dwarf I've seen."
"Oh, good, you two signed us on for a trip to a quick death? Forward thinking Karliah," Edward chimed in.
"It's not a damned quick death. Now shut your arguing, both of ya," Sebold interjected before the disagreement could continue. "The roads have been cleared out. Half of my company died doing it, which is why I've hired on this big bastard. I've been payed out the fuggin' nose for this job, and by the Stone, I'm gonna see it done."
"So why are you sending us?" Karliah chimed.
"Because I don't have a damn choice in the matter. You're Carta. I can't be too damn picky, so that's good enough for me. Kaaras will pay you a cut on the other side. My wife, however, is fighting for her life in the makeshift camp up the road. There aren't enough sovereigns in the world to make me leave her side in this condition. But I've got my honor as a sellsword to uphold."
Rowena watch Karliah soften as Sebold spoke, and glanced between all parties to discern the truth in their reactions. It wasn't a lie, as best she could tell. Edward spoke up, "Alright. So the Deep Road we're to take is clear? Then why are we still here? Let's get moving."
Kaaras was pleased that he had not been stranded with entire imbeciles, but he knew the silence that lingered from their entry into the Deep Roads would not last much longer. He knew what they were transporting, but Sebold had not entrusted it to him. So suspicious, dwarves were. And so here he was, counting footsteps as he marched through the oppressive stone road that would guide them under the lake.
"So… why are we down here again?" the lordling, Edward said. He was the first to break the silence. It had been ten minutes. Kaaras had at least hoped for twenty.
"We're here because it's a delivery only a dwarf can make. That and it's the only guaranteed way we'll make it to your Conclave on time," Karliah replied. She had been given the package, and seemed satisfied with its importance. Kaaras decided if she didn't want to tell them what it was, then he shouldn't either.
Kaaras did find their banter more agreeable than the cacophony that had surrounded the lake's edge. He'd only managed to avoid trouble there due to his size anyway, but it was unlikely to have lasted longer if he'd been found as a mage. Sebold had asked him to be as discreet on the surface as possible, and he'd held out longer than he thought able. But Kaaras couldn't help but tell that the elven mage was trying to hide the same thing.
The silence stretched on a bit longer the next time, before the elf herself spoke, "I've never been in the Deep Roads. I can't imagine many Dalish have. It's both incredible and unsettling."
Karliah chuckled, "That about sums up dwarven culture. In fact, I don't think I could add anything better."
They continued on for a bit, their minds on too much to invest much in conversing. Kaaras was the only one to stay quiet. He also was the first one to recognize the impending danger. A warning hiss and a slight scuttle was all they had.
The giant deep spider crept out from a massive hole in the top corner of the road as they passed. Rowena and Karliah took no notice as they walked in front, but Kaaras turned to face it immediately. Edward, noticing him, turned to see what had attracted his attention. He made a harsh noise under his breath to attract the women who had passed.
Kaaras sized up the spider, no doubt in his mind that it had engorged itself on the dead darkspawn left in the wake of the mercenaries he had joined. It did not view him as an acceptable target, and immediately set it's eyes on the weakest and smallest prey. The elf.
Realizing this, Kaaras turned to warn Rowena, but found that she had turned several shades of ghastly. If he hadn't been Tal'Vashoth for so long he would have balked at her fear. But it was likely larger than any of the creatures she'd seen before. The creature darted toward her with surprising speed though, scuttling safely across the ceiling to lower itself down upon her.
To her credit, the elf did make to move. The sound she made was somewhere between a cry and a yelp, jumping to action only to be hit by a vicious burr the arachnid shot at her. Kaaras knew it was likely coated with a sedative, to reduce the struggle. It paid no mind to the other three who were acting to engage through various states of shock. Before any of the bystanders could act, Rowena herself pushed onto her back, a wail of pain hissing out as she reached out a hand.
There was a moment of anticipation as the spider, far larger than her, loomed only a few feet in front of the small elf. Her hand flicked forward, before erupting into flame. The creature shrieked wildly in pain, but the torrent of fire did not end until its caster fell backward unconscious. It was still lit as Karliah approached cautiously and unsheathed her sword and ended the beasts' misery.
Kaaras knelt and picked up the elf, examining her wounds. It would remain to see if she had been poisoned or not. He was not skilled enough to know. He set to work dressing the wound. Karliah spoke up after a second of looking over the spider corpse, "She should survive. She wasn't hit by a fang."
An uneasy silence fell again. It was strengthened by the oppressive weight of the stone around them. It was only as he recovered from his shock that Edward was able to break the silence with the foremost thought on his mind, "She was a mage?"
Rowena awoke to the harsh sound of metal scraping against stone. As her eyes fluttered open, she winced to close them again as they were unexpectedly assaulted by light. Her shoulder burst into pain with the sudden tension in her muscles, and a gasp hissed out of her.
"You would wake up while I was here," came a voice she had to take a moment to place as Edward. His tone indicated he was less than thrilled about it. Rowena grit her teeth and pushed herself to sit up, biting back the pain. As her eyes cracked open, she found a hand holding a skin of water in front of her, and looked up to find Edward connected to the hand. His face was a mask of irritation, but she was able to take the water and quench the burning in her throat.
"We made it out of the Deep Roads early this morning. You've been in and out, but hardly what I would call lucid."
She closed her eyes and took another sip of water. It had clicked into place why he was so icy with her now. The silence stretched between them, only broken by the natural sounds of the Hinterlands.
"I could have been killed, if this were any other crisis. If that Templar hadn't been overrun yesterday. If the captain had questioned me a little further. You put my life on the line, and you didn't let me know. I thought this was a normal job," his voice was scathing, but soft. Rowena turned to look out over what she assumed was the other end of Lake Calenhad, making sure he was done before starting a response.
"And you were going to leave me in Fereldan. I have no money, no means, no title. I'm an elf, Dalish, and a mage," she spat the word out like the poison he thought it was. "The best I could have hoped for was that I'd have joined another clan, if I could find one. Most likely you would have left me to face certain death. It had to be me, and we knew no one would smuggle a Dalish mage across borders. So I lied."
It was his turn to wince, and Rowena almost smirked at his recoil. Edward had no way of knowing she'd harbored this knowledge since the Free Marches, or that his mother's shrill voice carried great distances. He probably didn't even think her capable of the slight mathematics the conversation had required, but he looked rather put out by the revelation.
Edward ran a hand through his hair, letting out a breath before speaking again. "Look, I'm not sure that we're on the same level here. Should I bring up that your lot did contact a thieves guild?"
He raised up a hand as her protests threatened to burst forth, "Hang on. I'm not saying I was right in holding that from you. I just meant to say I had every intention of finding a loophole. But you've made your point. And here's mine. You withheld that you were a mage from me, and could have cost me my life. I'm not one for grudges, but I also feel slighted. It'd be pointless to deny taking you to the Conclave, you could walk there by now. But I'm not finding you that loophole now. I don't care where you leave, if you go with Karliah or the big fellow. But I'm not saving your hide if you couldn't be bothered to save mine."
Edward pushed up from the crouching position he'd settled in, and moved closer to the lake edge. Rowena had no doubt their conversation had reached an end, and she felt no urge to try and reach out to him, More than anything the conversation robbed her of her will to even sit upright. It had never occurred to her the shem would have tried to right his mothers oversight. Leaning back to lay down again, one though hissed through the pain in her shoulder.
Shit.
They had missed Redcliffe by a few miles, but the signs of activity were to be found everywhere along the road west. Where the first leg of their trip had been a slow canter through deserted farmland, the last leg felt oddly rushed by the presence of others. Refugees clamored to Redcliffe going opposite them, and the occasional Conclave bound parties moved with purpose and retinues of horses.
Kaaras had joined the small party on their trip to the Conclave, with him and Karliah having finished their business in Redcliffe. The two spoke nothing of its true nature to Edward and Rowena, only Karliah reassured them it had been worth the shortcut. But as no passerby's carried word of travelling from the north, they reasoned that the blockade would have held them up far longer than their detour.
Around the fire a few nights before they reached the Conclave summit, Karliah explained that Kaaras would be accompanying her to Orzammar and Jader if all went well. If not than they would part ways after the Conclave. Aside from that, the conversation strayed toward very casual topics as tensions rose from both the growing cold of travelling in the mountains and the unpredictable activity.
The Conclave was a beacon, able to be seen long before any of the growing crowd could hope to enter. After so long on the roads with only scattered passerby's, the mountain pass seemed as though it would overflow with people. The nearby village Haven had to turn most away to camp in the mountains the nights leading up to the event. Fights became more and more common.
The morning of the Conclave, they awoke to screams from those near, who found a mage dead in the night. It wasn't determined if it was murder or frost by the time they had to move. But in the shadow of the temple, everything else paled. Death seemed less tragic somehow.
But to make it in was truly an exercise in madness. As their approach drew in, it became clear that the only way some would make it in would be if they were to break line. All those who had arrived late still wished to be present.
Rowena felt Edward grab her good shoulder, "If you make it in, or if I don't, find my sister Una, and I'll see if I can't make an exception about that ticket home."
A few days had seemed to thaw out his opinion of her, but his response worried her. It was only then that she turned to look for Kaaras and Karliah, to find them hundreds of feet behind. Karliah safely sat on the Qunari's shoulders.
Edward's hand squeezed her shoulder again, and she turned to face him. A wicked grin plastered across his face. He was in his element, where she had been robbed entirely of hers. She called out to him, "I didn't expect it to be like this!"
He laughed, and she thought him momentarily insane, "I don't think anyone did! Just stay alive. We'll regroup later!"
The crowd had pushed them apart, but she saw him hold up a coin purse and wink shortly before disappearing in a sea of taller faces. The current of the people was her best bet of moving forward, and Rowena followed it.
The late morning sun through the mountain gaps lit the Temple in pastels, a symbol of hope in the growing chaos. Closing her eyes to regain focus, with a breath of cold mountain air, Rowena ducked underfoot and ran. If all these people had gathered here to see if the world could be changed, she had traveled too far to miss it.
A/N: Just a quick moment to say thank you for reading this. It's a story that ran away with itself. I hope you enjoyed my four Inquisitor prospects. I would like to expand on this further by making a story that covers some of the Inquisition arc. I'm mildly pleased with how this turned out, but it kind of got out of hand toward the end. I think I'll put a little more planning into the next piece, this one just blindsided me entirely. It started out as a ficlet to explain how they arrived at the conclave, and turned into 17 pages of what drove them to meet one another. Because of course they know each other. Alright, I'm making fun of my own story before it's published. But to address that quickly, if I write further they will not all four be inquisitors. But the others will survive and actively take part. We'll just have to see how it goes. Let me know what you guys think!
~Viv