Chapter One
The Lonely Lord
To be told that the mountain pass was not as cold as some make it out to be made Mia Rutherford feel even more of a fool for believing it. The bitter chill had turned from nipping at her cheeks to stabbing her joints which seemed to have frozen. Mia watched from atop her horse as her guides, all who were clothed in three layers of thick coats as well as their travel armour, talked freely with one another. Watching as they made small-talk sent a constant shiver through the woman's body.
"I should have a brought more layers" Mia muttered to herself. Her horse snorted as if to laugh at her. "Bloody mountain".
She held the frail overcoat tight to her skin. Wherever she would start to lose feeling Mia would gently smack it back to life with a severe persistence. One of the guides dropped back from the forward position.
"We should be arriving within the next hour or so, Miss Mia" he said.
Mia glanced sideways at the young man. "Wanna make a bet which of my legs drops off first?".
"Miss?" The guide said in confusion. Mia scoffed, her lungs almost choking from the cold.
"Never mind." She said. "Is it always this bad trying to get to Skyhold?".
"Most of the time".
"Most of the time?".
"This is the civilian route. It was specially made for non-combat uses since most attacking forces believe that the Hold's weakness comes from its gigantic bridge." The guide chuckled to himself. "Also, we avoid all of the caravans and traders attempting to bargain with the Inquisition".
Mia exhaled a sharp breath. "Is the main way shorter?"
The Guide chuckled again. With a quick growl the Guide fell silent.
Skyhold was a beautiful sight. The silver coloured stonework compared to nothing Mia had seen in Ferelden and the autumn leaves blended in smoothly with the rustic courtyard. She had barely taken ten steps onto the upper courtyard and it was easy the notice the Tavern bustling with soldiers, diplomats, and various other visitors to the legendary home of the Inquisition.
Suddenly the hefty weight of Mia's satchel began to weigh heavily on her mind. She gripped it unknowingly, focusing on the brass clasp and making sure it was closed.
"Mia!" A voiced boomed from across the yard.
A man stood opened armed as he looked down from the citadel stairway. You could tell this man was from Ferelden: concerning his infatuation with the red and black colour scheme, the fur padding across his shoulders, and as Mia quickly noticed an almost translucent frown line most of Ferelden inhabitants shared. The man sauntered towards Mia, his expression never breaking from its mixed confused and serious expression. They were merely five feet apart when Mia made her attack.
A sudden lunge took the man by surprise as Mia punched repeatedly hard into his non-armoured arm. "Ow!".
"Seven months."
"What are you - Ow!" The man clenched his arm in defence.
"Not a single letter, or update, or mission report you mistakenly sent. Sometimes your family would like to hear from you." Mia looked up to him with one of her stone-glares. "You may be my older brother, Cullen, but I can take you down".
Cullen gave a tiny pout which soon became an apologetic grin. "I am sorry Mia".
"Well sorry isn't gonna cut it this time".
"It does every other time".
The Rutherford siblings gave each other a look, one that said more than a hundred words. Mia softened as her brother scratched the back of his neck. Cullen looked around Mia but never actually at her as silence fell between them. It was almost ironic how the widowed Mother of one was able to make the great Commander Cullen Rutherford, leader of the Inquisition forces, act like a young child who has just been told off.
Mia jumped, wrapping her surprisingly strong arms around her brother's shoulders. Though it took a second Cullen returned the hug, spitting out the rogue blonde hairs as Mia's curly mop swung into his face.
"Just write a letter, once a month, maybe two. It's not that hard".
He nodded, a small smile forming. "Mia, what are you doing here?".
"I need to ask a favour of you brother".
"You came all the way to SKyhold to ask for a favour?" Cullen asked.
Mia swayed on her feet, once again clutching at the satchel on her hip. Cullen noticed her slight movements, one of the perks of having to train recruits every day. The ability to spot the smallest of flaws was often infuriating for all those around him but it counted when it mattered. In that moment it certainly did matter, concerning how the matriarch of the Rutherford family looked at her brother with fear in her eyes. Not the fear that everyone has of the dark but greater and on the verge of terrifying.
"I don't want to talk about it here".
Cullen waited as a group of fresh recruits walked past. Each one of them giving the Commander a respectful nod before scurrying off. Guiding Mia up into the main hall Cullen blatantly ignored the various nobles and diplomats who beamed his way. Mia wanted a secure place and there was only one in the entirety of SKyhold.
Leading Mia through a door to the side of the hall Cullen swiftly closed and locked the doors behind them. They made their way up flights of stairs and Mia soon realised they were climbing Skyhold's tallest tower. She had briefly seen it whilst she was in the courtyard, rising high as the sun peaked over the mountain tops and onto the balconies. Cullen took point, even when walking hastily his left hand never seemed to leave the hilt of his sword. Mia smiled to herself as she remembered the constant teasing she and their younger brother Branson used the give the ex-templar.
At the top was a room, large and spacious and filled with expensive looking furniture. The sun was indeed pouring through the open balconies and trailing over a corner of the room where a desk was situated. What caught Mia's attention the most was the man standing beside the desk, holding sheets of paper which she imagined had scribbles and important information written on them. Dressed in a tight tunic and possibly tighter pants it was plain to see that the man was a Free Marcher, exactly how easy it was to recognise Cullen was from Ferelden.
The man looked up at the sound of Cullen closing the door. Analytic green eyes watched carefully as Cullen and Mia stood by the stairway.
"Cullen?" He said a fair tone, one that was non-judging and yet sceptical at the same time. "Is something wrong?".
"I don't know yet." he said honestly. "This is my sister Mia, she needed somewhere to talk privately about something serious".
The man gave a one-sided smile and dropped the papers onto the desk. "Ah the famous Mia Rutherford, your correspondence with Cullen always entertain me".
"Really?" Mia gave a side glance to her brother. "I'm sorry but who are you?".
Cullen scoffed. The man laughed.
"My name is Lukas Trevelyan, leader of the Inquisition and maybe the Herald of Andraste." Mia went blank. "The 'maybe' depends on the person to be honest".
"You're the -" she pointed. Lukas nodded as he closed the distance between the three of them. "I am so sorry, Cullen didn't tell me he was taking me to the Inquisitor's chambers".
"There is no need to apologise. I'm just finding funny how the Commander just barged in without banging on my door." Lukas teased as he smiled at Cullen.
The Commander blinked. "Inquisitor, please, Mia needs to tell us something".
The two men looked towards Mia. Mia just stared at them, noticing how both men were the same height but Lukas was leaner than Cullen. Maybe it was the armour or the layers but Cullen looked like a bad back away from being a hunchback. Lukas nodded for Mia to speak.
"It's my village, milord." Mia twisted the handle of her satchel. "We live about a five-hour ride from Redcliffe, ninety farmers who have made a life after losing so much in the last Blight. It's rare for any of us too leave the village for more than a couple of days".
"Since the Inquisition started only one woman was recruited to join." Cullen expressed, Lukas nodded.
"So peaceful and without flaw".
"Not anymore milord".
Lukas was about to let Mia continue with her story when Cullen spoke up first. "What's happened?".
Mia looked between the two men, expecting Lukas to reprimand the Commander for some military reason. But instead Lukas looked too Mia, his face expressing the same worry that Cullen had.
"There was ninety, now we are only twelve." Cullen was ready to speak but Lukas shushed him. "There are creatures, in the night. We don't hear them, see them, or even know when they are coming. They first attacked months ago and killed three families. Seventeen souls lost in a massacre of blood. Bones stuck out like swords, heads were crushed. My very own daughter, Liza, saw her best friend's mutilated body".
"What creatures could do this?" Lukas pondered.
"Demons maybe? Possibly these were possessions gone wrong".
Mia took off her satchel. "I thought the same with Cullen having explained to us how to spot abominations and such. But I was wrong and the next time they attacked two houses were burned down with the villagers still inside. Everyone panicked, Branson and I tried to keep the peace but this brute of a man convinced everyone that the village was un-safe and fled. The next morning, we awoke to find all those who had left strung up on trees with body parts missing. That was last week".
"No demon is creative in the way it kills. How they kill is like how you two have blonde hair." Lukas said in a flat tone. "It's a family trait".
"Do demons have families?" Mia asked.
"Not important." Cullen scoffed. He began to pace, walking around as he thought to himself. "This is erratic. And you haven't seen the things behind this?".
Mia shook her head.
"This is definitely a cause for concern. Denerim is closer to you, why did you not bring this to King Alistair?".
"The King would help us, I know he would. But we've all heard of the horrors the Inquisition has faced. Darkspawn Magisters, Gods, you name it." She said.
"But we knew what we were facing then." Cullen replied.
"Not at first. The sky ruptured and I was the main suspect." Lukas reminded him. "And then we thought Corypheus had an Archdemon by his side".
The men were distracted by the sound of Mia's satchel landing between them. "Look inside".
"Why?" Cullen asked.
"The day before I set off for Skyhold the village was attacked. This time they came for us." Cullen growled but Mia cut him off. "It was dark, we couldn't see it. Me and Branson just kept swinging our swords blindly. And then we hit something, it screamed and destroyed one side of our house just to escape. This is what we collected".
Lukas picked up the satchel and he felt it. A small energy tickled at his fingertips, like a familiar song you cannot place when or where you first heard it. It was not magic. As a mage sensing magic was second nature to Lukas, like a sixth sense to fully incorporate into your life. Lukas often described it as a deep feeling within you, a gut instinct as he explained to Cullen once. But Lukas knew this feeling. He had not felt it for a long time.
Unclasping the satchel, Lukas reached in and gripped onto the object within. Cullen moved as if too stop him but his intrigue won over. With a steady hand, Lukas removed the bag and looked upon the cracked horn. It was black, burnt black, and curled like a twisted branch.
"Qunari." He simply stated and Cullen let out a stuttering breath.
The fact it was a Qunari horn did not faze the Inquisitor. The Qunari had never and would never be able to scare him. He never had an issue with non-humans and placed negative opinions on a person's actions. But the cracked horn in his hand glowed a sickly green colour and that worried him the most.
"A Fade-touched Qunari horn".
"Fade-touched?" Mia stepped forward, bewilderment covering her face. "But the only way you can access the Fade is through Harrowings".
"Yes now". Lukas said. "But years ago, when the Breach appeared there was doorways into the Fade all over Thedas".
Cullen pinched the bridge of his nose. "But with Corypheus' defeat and the Crisis being averted any form of access to the Fade is difficult".
Mia began to bicker with her brother whilst Lukas looked upon the horn.
The Crisis was perhaps the darkest part of Lukas' life. The Inquisition relied on him to lead, the same way he took control to defeat Corypheus. Only at the time, a greater enemy was working behind the scene. Someone who Lukas trusted manipulated the end of Thedas for his own personal gain, manipulated the Inquisitor's life for control. Lukas had been given a power he never wanted, one that almost killed him if it was not for the intervention of a reluctant witch. The world was on the verge of war that it could not survive.
Lukas lost more than was expected of him. But in the end the Inquisition was victorious: The Fade was closed off, the enemy was defeated, and peace had returned. Rather than fight exceptional foes and dangers, it was the Inquisition's role to maintain the peace.
The horn being held in Lukas' hand threatened the peace. It threatened everyone.
"The Fade is no joke Mia!".
"I'm not saying it is, Cullen. But you told me about the Crisis and what happened". Mia argued back. "What I'm saying is that the horn came from someone who tried to kill your family. If the horn is Fade-touched then what does that make the owner?".
Silence fell.
"Dangerous." Lukas stated. "It makes it dangerous and our duty to at least investigate".
"You're going to help us?" Mia smiled.
"We're going to try".
Night had fallen quickly, it was barely evening and the sun had already fallen behind the mountain line. Lukas sat at his desk and watched the burnt rose coloured sky fade into the purple and blue tones of the night-time.
With a heavy sigh and an exhausted effort, Lukas stood from his chair and lazily paced to his bed. The mage sunk down, comfortable fabrics hugging his skin as sleep threatened to overtake him. Having spent the better part of the day planning what the Inquisition should do to investigate, Lukas had to deal with Cullen's personal feelings as he pushed for himself and a small batch of soldiers to spend the night riding through to Mia's village. Never mind the possible bandits and wolf packs roaming around but navigating the steep mountain path with no light was idiotic Lukas thought.
Then there was the input of his other advisers. The ever intriguing Leliana, the Inquisition Spymaster with a determination for safety and security. Sister Nightingale, as she was known to her peers in the Chantry, was always the sceptical point of view. When a plan or opinion was expressed she was the one to find the flaws, in order to better and in a way to teach. Then there was the sophisticated yet brutal Ambassador Josephine Montilyet, a lady of pride and attitude. Her take on the Inquisition was often neutral, looking for a peaceful and influential path for the Inquisitor to take.
As Cullen embodied Ferelden, Leliana and Josephine embodied the great empire of Orlais. The Great Game was hard to manipulate, weak players would be disregarded or killed whilst the best were relished and congratulated. The Inquisitor, Spymaster, and the Ambassador had been masters of the Great Game, making any move within Orlais easy. Ferelden, on the other hand, was different to handle.
The friendship between Lukas Trevelyan and King Alistair was a good one but not political. They had bonded over meeting the fabled Hero of Ferelden, the Grey Warden Commander turned Queen who had united a Kingdom and ended the Fifth Blight before it even really began. Kida Cousland was an exceptional woman. But not even the Inquisitor's connection with the royal family could manage the struggle Ferelden's ambassadors gave the Inquisition. Everyone had to be warned, even if Lukas wanted to visit his various friends.
Due to Mia's village location, Leliana and Josephine were quick to eradicate the idea of a military movement. Cullen disagreed but was overruled by Lukas. At one-point Lukas thought he heard the Commander mutter about the Spymaster and Ambassador's 'uptightness' even in the possibility of a Fade Event. Hours later, and a few more arguments coming from the Rutherford family, it was agreed that a small party led by the Inquisitor himself would travel to Mia's village.
"I have requests for the party." Lukas stated.
"Of course." Josephine smiled.
Lukas then handed the Ambassador three letters already written and sealed. Leliana peered over and smiled as she read the Inquisitor's chosen party members: Magister Dorian Pavus of Tevinter, Mister Iron Bull and his Chargers, and Sera, just Sera.
"I would also like to accompany you." Cullen said.
"As would I." Leliana added.
Cullen turned to her, frowning as he was ready to deny her. "It is unwise for two advisers to leave Skyhold on a possible military procedure".
"You would be safer without me, no?" The Spymaster simply put. "Or would you prefer Josie's pen?".
Josephine laughed to herself. "My calligraphy can make demons cry".
Lukas and Mia could not hold back their laughter as Cullen rolled his eyes like an over dramatic child.
When everything was settled Lukas excused himself and departed for his room. He thought at least one of them would have protested but it was clear that the Inquisitor was tired, physically and emotionally. It was hard when your only friends around had to tend to their own duties, their own flock of soldiers, spies, and diplomats. But every now and then he would get a surprise.
That night was one of them moments. Again, without knocking or any acknowledgement, Mia and Cullen walked into his chambers. Mia was holding a basket which Lukas saw was filled with various foods and three bottles of wine. Lukas was ready to protest but Cullen beat him to it.
"Don't bother, she has already arranged with Josephine for us to travel in a carriage." Cullen grunted. Lukas chuckled until he saw the other two bottles of wine in the Commander's hands. "Also, it is sort of a Rutherford tradition".
"A tradition? Getting as drunk as possible".
Mia nodded. "We've been doing it ever since Rosalie turned sixteen. Whenever Cullen came for a visit we would crack open any drink we had and celebrated like a typical Ferelden family".
"You Rutherford's are not the average family".
"Tell me about it." Cullen smiled. Lukas noticed the small twitch and had to hide his own grin. He would never admit how much he enjoyed watching his Advisers loosen up. Particularly Cullen and Leliana, the ones who have worked for their redemption and earned it.
Mia looked to the fireplace and noticed the perfectly set up logs, untouched by any flame. "Aren't you cold milord?".
"Mia, you can call me Lukas. You do not see me calling Cullen 'Commander' all the time, do you?" He laughed.
"I wouldn't call him that either." Mia scoffed.
"Hey".
Lukas and Mia shared a chuckle before they focused on the fireplace again. "Would you mind if I light it Lukas?".
"No need." Lukas raised his hand and with a gentle curve he formed a fireball the size of an apple. It flickered in his fingertips before he tossed it in the fireplace, setting the logs ablaze and a healthy warmth flowed across the room. "I'm not just a pretty face".
"I've not met many mages. In fact, you're the first one I've actually talked too." Mia said, her smile seemed to be contagious as Cullen described. "I can remember at one-point Cullen would never speak about mages in a good light".
It was a sore subject to bring up, particularly in front of Cullen who was rubbing his arm awkwardly. It was no secret of what happened at the Ferelden Circle Tower. However, after many months of working together Cullen finally decided to tell his version of events to Lukas, someone who he considered a close friend. What surprised Cullen the most from the ordeal was that Lukas did not say a word and just hugged the ex-Templar. It was comforting for him, everyone would try and say what they thought Cullen wanted to hear when the truth was it was annoying. He was thankful for a change.
"I can honestly say I'm not like any other mage." Lukas said, opening a bottle of wine and pouring him, Mia, and Cullen a glass each.
The night was fun. Lukas loved hearing about Mia's and Cullen's childhood and he was honestly excited to tell Mia about his time in the Ostwick Circle Tower. She really enjoyed the showcase of magic he performed for her after she bartered him with the second bottle of wine. Even Cullen became enticed when the Inquisitor placed a lightning bolt within a pyramid made of ice.
Three bottles of wine later and Mia was sauntering around the room, stumbling as she pretended that everything she touched belonged to her. "This is m-mine".
"Just that brick?".
"Precisely!" She cheered. Lukas and Cullen howled with laughter when the woman tried to remove said brick from the wall and fell onto her backside.
Cullen was laughing hard enough that his armour plating began to shake, chaffing against his skin. Finishing his glass, the Commander began to unbuckle the plates. Soon his overcoat was on the floor with his plating until he was just in his bear hide pants and loose-fitting undershirt, all inhibitions gone as he relaxed.
More wine later and it was only Lukas and Cullen awake as Mia drunkenly slept against the foot of the bed. The Inquisitor and his Commander were slurring stories to each other. Cullen explained his first day with the Inquisition and how he made arrogant soldiers run on Haven's frozen lake for an hour without slipping.
"It's not that hard. I used to do that twice a week with Sera." Lukas blurted out.
"You also got her to unlock the gates in Haven's under chamber cause 'you wanted to read some books', ha!" Cullen slurped from his glass. "And then the book fell apart in your hands. Roderick was so furious".
"This coming from the man who had to run buck-naked to his chambers because he lost a card game to Josie." Cullen shuddered but his foolish grin remained.
"Thank the Maker no one outside the Tavern saw me".
"At least it was only Varric and Bull that saw you".
"And you." Cullen said. "I remember the staring".
"You are not exactly unpleasing to the eye, Cull." Lukas chirped. Cullen's face formed an unreadable expression, or Lukas had too much wine to see clearly.
The sexuality of Lukas Trevelyan was a hot topic several years prior. The Herald of Andraste, up and coming socialite in the Orlesian Empire, and the fresh-faced Inquisitor fighting the Fade itself had never shown interest in any available girl or guy. In Skyhold, especially in the Inner Circle, bets and attempts were made to discover the Inquisitor's preferred type of partner.
Josephine flirted with him.
Dorian flirted with him.
Lukas never flirted back. He was a walking enigma that was surrounded by mystery. Until Cassandra Pentaghast discovered the Inner Circle's latest obsession, strolled up to the Inquisitor, and blurted out "End this now and tell them!".
Lukas was beyond confused until all of his friends surrounded him and waited for his reply. "Get me drunk and I'll tell you".
Cullen sat up and refilled their glasses. Lukas kept quiet as his friend emptied the bottle. "You never did answer that question".
"Yes, I did." Lukas sipped at his glass.
"You said only if you were drunk".
"I did".
"You're very drunk".
"Yes." Lukas shifted so he too was sat up. "Do you really want to know?".
Cullen nodded and watched as his friend, his leader, drank the rest of his glass in one.
"I like men." Lukas admitted. "Though the odd woman manages to turn my head every now and then".
Neither men looked at each other, the Inquisitor found his empty glass fascinating and the Commander watched the fireplace. Lukas had only ever admitted his sexuality to five people in his entire life, four had been family members and the other was dead for many years.
"If you're thinking that this bothers me then you'd be wrong." Cullen stated.
"You didn't say that to Dorian".
"We never talked about it. I noticed his chess skills above who he likes to make bed with".
Lukas had to agree. The ex-Templar and the Tevinter Magister's son had been an unlikely friendship but it was entertaining when Cullen knocked Dorian's smug face to the floor after winning a chess game.
"You really don't mind?" Lukas asked.
"As a Templar it wasn't unusual to see your brother's-in-arms satisfy their urges. Whether it be men, women, or Qunari." Cullen said. He frowned as he planned his next words. "Trying to be 'righteous' within a militarised order was a tough life to live. I admit I made no sacred vow of abstinence and sometimes I succumbed to the urges but not many times. You soon learn that when the urges are bad that restrictions are a burden".
Lukas looked to Cullen and cocked an eyebrow. "Restrictions? Do you have restrictions?".
"Many." He laughed. "But other Templars did not. We respected one another and that meant we would have to accept them as a Templar, regardless of the person. I think that's why I ignored Meredith's misdemeanours in Kirkwall".
Knight-Commander Meredith Stannard.
Lukas detested her. The war between the Mages and the Templars left many innocent people at the mercy of the Maker due to the events within Kirkwall, the city under Meredith's charge. Lukas had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting her once as she was an old family friend of his Father. Meanwhile Cullen had spent his time after the Fifth Blight under her influence. He may have gone down with her if he had not realised that she had gone insane.
"But since joining the Inquisition, I have learned that people fight for a cause or reason. You didn't fight the Breach just to prove you were innocent. You fought because it was right." Cullen turned to his friend and smiled. "You are one of the greatest men I have ever met and who you sleep with does not change that".
Cullen picked up the last bottle of wine within the basket and grinned like a fool. Lukas returned the smile before offering his glass to be refilled. "Thank you, Cull".
"I don't know how I feel about the nickname".
"It's better than 'Curly'." Lukas joked.
The Commander scoffed loudly. "My hair is not curly!".
"Not when you style it".
"Shut up".
The sunlight burnt through Mia's eyelids as she gained consciousness. It felt like an hour or two before she was able to open her eyes properly and even then, she felt like a new born Halla, wobbling as she tried to stand and making goat like noises from dealing with the pain in her head. She kicked an empty bottle and groaned to herself.
"Bloody thing." she hissed.
Mia regained her composure and stretched, her bones felt relief as they eased out any aches and creeks. A knock on the Inquisitor's door gathered her attention.
"Inquisitor, the carriage is ready. We'll be setting off in an hour." The voice of Leliana said. Mia thanked her and heard as the Spymaster walked away.
Turning to the bed Mia chuckled as she saw both Lukas and Cullen passed out on the former's bed. Cullen was hugging a bottle of wine as he snored softly whilst Lukas' tunic had risen up, exposing his stomach which Mia had to admit made her want to see the rest of the mage's body.
Mia excused herself from the sleeping men, having decided to leave them to the mercy of Sister Nightingale. As Lukas and Cullen slept peacefully, the former's hand drifted closer to the Commander's free one. Barely a fingertip away from touching the hand stopped.