A/N: I'm going through a bit of an obsessive phase with Dragon Age: Inquisition, especially with the Dorian romance line. The story picture is of the human Rogue that I made for my third play through and the one I'm representing in this story. He ended up being the more attractive of the characters I made.

X

The Inquisitor's Choice, Chapter One

"Oh, no! Not this again, ambassador!"

Dorian paused in his steps, hearing the exasperated groan from behind the door. One of his eyebrows arched in surprise and he glanced to the side to see Mother Giselle also looking to the door curiously. Her eyes met his and she averted her gaze, likely unwilling to get too caught up with any machinations of his. Amused, he turned away from her and stepped towards the cracked door of Josephine Montilyet's makeshift office. He edged it open, leaning against the doorway. Ashik Trevelyan had his hands planted firmly upon his hips, pacing around the desk, away from a pursuing Josephine.

"Lord Trevelyan, it is only right to pursue this line of inquiry – Cassandra has even insisted upon it. It could work in our favor."

"You act as though her opinion is going to make me change my mind," he told her with a dry smile, pausing in the middle of the room and turning to her. "You forget that she and I are constantly butting heads."

"Regardless, I do believe after this incident at Redcliffe that encouraging your family's attentions and support of the Inquisition will help spread our fame throughout Thedas. A noble family of the Free Marches supporting the Inquisition would surely draw attention from Orlais."

"Put money and title in someone's pocket and anyone in Orlais would be panting at their heels," Ashik said, catching a glimpse of Dorian lounging in the door. His eyes sparked upon seeing him and he dropped his hands. "Ah, good, I'm glad you're here. I was hoping for a word, if you don't mind?"

"We're not through with this conversation," Josephine warned him as he rushed to the door, taking Dorian's shoulder and guiding him away from the room.

"That's what she thinks," he muttered to Dorian as he shut the door. Dorian cast him an amused smile. When he had received news of the herald of Andraste's life being threatened, he had expected the man to be far more serious and solemn of a character. In fact, he rather imagined someone like Cullen being the herald. Instead, as soon as he had met Ashik Trevelyan, he had been drawn to him almost instantly. After closing the rift in the Chantry in Redcliffe, he had been cracking jokes and wise remarks. He discovered the man to be entirely witty and prone to sarcastic rejoinders to nearly anything, sometimes even at inappropriate times. Nonetheless, he had been eager enough to talk with Dorian when they returned to Haven and they spent a good portion of their time discussing Tevinter and the Inquisition.

"Since I've been used as your decoy, I am quite interested to hear what the lovely ambassador is harassing you about," Dorian told him as they moved past Mother Giselle and away from Josephine's office. "I never thought the herald of Andraste could be cowed so thoroughly!"

" 'Cowed' is not the word I would use," Ashik chuckled. "She is diplomatic for the most part...but she can get fierce and stubborn when she feels strongly about something. You'd think there were better things to force her attention upon than my family connections." He released a sigh and pushed a hand through his dark, chocolate brown hair. His eyes shut briefly. Dorian took a moment to survey him. With the exception of their spare bit of conversation, he had not had a chance to observe the herald too closely. Anyone with eyes could see that the man was attractive. He had a solid build and his skin was only a shade lighter than Dorian's own dark colour. There was a dark blue tattoo around his left eye, a strange addition for a human, and his hair was partially shaved upon one side of his head, the rest of his hair being swept to the other side.

More pretty than handsome, Dorian decided appreciatively. "I take it you don't want them involved? For some heroic reason, perhaps? Want to protect them or something like that?"

"Playing the hero is hard," Ashik said, opening his bright green eyes and dropping his hand. "You would think that, but no. My family consists of a bunch of religious zealots and since I started denouncing the Chantry and refused to serve as a Templar, along with several other things, we've been at war with each other. Thankfully I've been wandering around Fereldan most of the time and could avoid them." He winked, smirking at him. "I'm rather good at avoiding people I don't like."

"Except for Josephine," Dorian reminded him, flashing his own charming smirk at him. "Something even your abilities can't deal with, hmm?"

He laughed. "No, the problem is that I do like Josephine...she's just driving me crazy right now."

"How do you feel about your advisors, I wonder? Not as brilliant or good looking as me, of course, but besides that."

"Ah, yes, I think it would be hard for someone to surpass you in that, Dorian," Ashik told him musingly.

Is he actually flirting back with me? Dorian wondered, his interest even more piqued. The flattery rolled off the man's tongue so easily that he was not entirely sure how sincere it had been or if it had even been flirting. Ashik had not even batted an eye or looked abashed at speaking thusly.

"For the most part," he continued, "I like my advisors. Leliana is incredibly insightful and has a great deal of resources at her disposal. Her skills can make her a bit...unapproachable at times. Cullen's training as a Templar has let our forces expand as well as they could, although being a Templar was a problem when I chose to make an alliance with the mages instead of the Templars as he wished. He's been surprisingly accommodating."

"And your viper of a Seeker?"

"What a snap judgment!" Ashik said, smiling knowingly. "Cassandra has been traveling with me, Varric, and Solas all over the place making treaties, gaining agents. I owe her a lot. But she sees things different than I would – of course she would, being a Seeker of Truth. Besides almost being killed when she found me, we've had some difficulties...but I like her fierce spirit. It keeps things interesting."

"Being fierce can keep things interesting?" Dorian queried. "How about a charming attitude combined with an ability to be blunt and make smartass comments?"

"Even better," Ashik said, folding his arms over his chest. He seemed to size Dorian up, his speculative gaze skimming over the length of his figure. Dorian was unable to distinguish the look in his eye before the male dropped his arms, saying, "I was actually hoping you would join us the next time we go out. Varric wants to work on his book, find some escape from this madness, and your abilities at Redcliffe speak for themselves."

"I'm delighted. Always nice to know I don't have to explain how excellent I am. It gets a little redundant."

"I know that all too well. I just let Cassandra tell people about my being the herald now. She has more patience for explaining than I do. I've started to make up grand stories that neither Solas nor Cassandra approve of." He paused, drumming his fingers over the side of his leg. "I think I just gave myself a reason that you definitely need to come, now. Everybody else will scold me for my humor – you seem to actually tolerate it."

"On the contrary, I do more than tolerate it. I rather enjoy it. Even when we're facing a magister gone mad."

"Ah, speaking of him...did you want to go see him in the cells? I know you were feeling a bit unsure of it."

"Do you have the time?"

"Thankfully most people are too busy criticizing or hating me to need me around too much here in Haven," Ashik cheerfully answered, ushering for him to follow him. "It lets me do as I please. I think I'll have to go disappear in the wilderness here soon. Nothing like demons, undead, and bandits trying to kill you to get your mind off of other things. Seems to help relieve stress."

"You do lead a strange life, Trevelyan," Dorian told him as they left the main hall and moved through a door and down to the holding cells. "I'm not sure whether to envy or pity you."

"Would you like to trade left hands?" Ashik questioned, glancing back at him over his shoulder. "Apparently if your hand glows green, you get to be a hero."

"I prefer to remain unblemished, if you don't mind."

"More adventure for me, then."

The more I talk to him, Dorian thought as they passed through to the cells, the more charming he seems. He was not given too much time to deliberate upon that, however, as they came upon the cell that Alexius was being held in. Ashik politely kept his distance, extending his hand out to indicate for Dorian to move up to the bars. He glanced hesitantly at the male, but he merely nodded his head towards the cell encouragingly. After a pause in which he considered his options, he slowly stepped up towards the bars, peering in them. Alexius was sitting on the floor on the cell and looked up at Dorian with a bitter, angry gaze.

"Come to laugh at me, Dorian? Or are you intending to finish me off with the herald?" Alexius sneered.

"Neither, unless you want it," Dorian replied calmly. He tilted his head slightly, his eyes softening. Once, Dorian had placed Alexius above all other men in his life. He had seemed better than his father, better than all the corrupt magisters in Tevinter. Now, he could only look upon the man with pity and regret in his eyes. At some point, Alexius's morality had diminished to nothing and he was left as nothing but a hollow shell of what he had once been. He understood that Felix had been his motivation, but the past Alexius would have known better than to consider using such dark powers. He would have known that it would lead only to corruption. "How did you change so quickly?"

"How did the world change so quickly, Dorian?" Alexius shot back at him, sinking further into the gloom of his cell. "The more you fight against the change, the sooner you drive yourself into a position that you cannot bring yourself from. The world is changing to benefit the Elder One, Dorian...your herald can do nothing about it. The Elder One will come and he will destroy everything...and everyone. Including the Inquisition. I've warned you. Now all you can do is act, to do what is necessary, rather than waste your energies and time with these fools. I will not repeat my offer...but the Venatori remain as an option."

"The Venatori," Dorian calmly answered, "were never an option, Alexius. They should not have been for you, either."

"So be it. And watch yourself burn."

After that, Alexius refused to talk any longer and seemed to engross himself in his own thoughts of melancholy and despair. Dorian felt it was best to leave the man rather than torture him more and so he turned and started towards the exit of the holding cells. Ashik tarried but a moment before following him, walking beside him and remaining respectfully silent. As they walked through the cold cells, Dorian slanted a look at the herald, wondering if Alexius's words had unnerved him. "Give him no credit," Ashik spoke up, noticing his look. "The man has obviously lost his mind."

"I was going to say the same to you," Dorian said in surprise. "What is it they say down here? 'Great minds think alike'?"

Ashik's mouth kicked upward. "I'll admit...I wanted nothing to do with the Inquisition when this all started. Frankly, I was feeling irritated by the time we realized the Breach hadn't been closed. I might be a noble, but I'm not accustomed to having this many people depend on me, let alone be depended upon in case the end of the world comes."

"And yet your newfound popularity hasn't gone to your head," Dorian pointed out as they stepped into the warm, main hall of the Chantry. He shut the door behind him, smiling slightly at him. "Quite a feat. Others would take that power and run with it."

"Oh, I do," Ashik told him with a smile. "I take naps right before every war meeting and turn up late."

"That's what power does to your head?"

"You're right, I should start demanding free drinks at the tavern."

Dorian laughed. "Can I get in on one of those free drinks?"

"I think," Ashik told him, "you could get one of those without me being the herald, Dorian."

X

I'm not sure what to make of this, Dorian thought to himself, turning and sending a narrow-eyed glance over his shoulder. In fact, it's annoying me a bit. There wasn't much that annoyed Dorian and Ashik Trevelyan had never done anything to inspire Dorian's ire. In fact, since he had joined the Inquisition, he had enjoyed quite a bit of flirtatious banter with the man. There had even been moments where he had dared to go beyond verbal flirting, just to test the herald and his own luck. Once, when Ashik had been inspecting a map that Vivienne had laid out for him in the war room and was alone, Dorian had crept in, claiming the innocent intention of determining when they would be venturing out to the Fallow Mire. When spotting the map, he had pretended to make a point and had hovered dangerously close to the male, his pelvis turned towards him and his breath passing over his neck. Dorian was still not sure whether it had produced the desired result. He was accustomed to interested men getting nervous when in close proximity with him. At the time, he had been aroused by the thought he was playing hard to get. Now he was unsure.

"Does he normally flirt with the scouts?" Dorian asked Cassandra, turning around to her. She frowned and looked around questioningly before her eyes fell upon Ashik and Scout Harding. It was clear the girl was nervous and unaccustomed to many men making advances upon her. Cassandra's face immediately set into a scowl.

"How am I supposed to know?" she demanded irritably, turning back to the requisition table she had been inspecting. Dorian's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Jealous?" he teased, unwilling to admit that he, himself, was getting nettled by that emotion.

"Of what?" She turned her attention entirely on him. "Of some little – "

"Lower your voice," Solas hissed from his seated position on a rock nearby. Cassandra pursed her lips and then glared at Dorian, who stared back at her innocently.

"No, I am not jealous," she spat in a low tone. "Now, do something useful or shut up!"

Touched a nerve, did I? he thought, amused. Shortly after the conversation, Ashik returned to them, oblivious as to the topic of their conversation. "Well?"

"It seems that the men are being patched up and will return to Haven when they're in better condition," he told them. "We shouldn't be having any trouble with the Avvar's people any longer. At least for now. In the meantime, though, it might be good to make our way back to Haven. Leliana sent a message here, telling me that the mages are ready for the assault on the Breach."

"Good," Cassandra said stiffly. "It will be good to finally close the damn thing."

"And here I thought we were finally getting past the whole 'You might have killed the Divine' thing." A reluctant smile crossed her lips briefly before she turned away from him, stomping up the path heading towards Haven. Solas followed a bit more slowly while Ashik and Dorian took the rear of the group. As Ashik passed Dorian to walk next to Solas, he murmured with an amused glint in his eye, "See what I mean? Nobody appreciates my jokes."

In spite of the scout flirting, Dorian could not help but smile. The conversations while traveling to Haven were muted and while Solas and Cassandra pleasantly spoke about the Fade and other such topics, with Dorian occasionally chiming in, Ashik seemed content to remain silent and let them dominate the conversation. He said very little, but he did not seem to be in a poor mood and, if anything, his own silence seemed to make him more relaxed than ever. They encountered more bandits than demons along the way, as most of the Fade rifts in the area were closed. Even though Dorian had become uncertain as to whether Ashik enjoyed the company of men over women, he unashamedly admired his physique while they traveled. There was nothing that seemed to displease him about the man and the more he considered him, the more he wanted to touch him. He wondered if an experimental caress was not due, just to satisfy his own selfish desires.

Unfortunately, Dorian was given no time to act upon such desires. While on the road, they were constantly surrounded by scouts or their other two companions. Once they arrived at Haven, they began to prepare to move to the Temple of Sacred Ashes and were given only a day's rest before they set out again. While Dorian was glad to see that they were ready to seal with Breach, he wished he could have put his plan into action rather than be forced to patiently wait.

"You are like a wolf staring at a lamb," Solas murmured to him as they approached the temple. Dorian looked at him, a politely puzzled expression crossing his features.

"Should I be flattered that I'm being compared to a mangy beast?" he asked at last when Solas did not elaborate upon his statement.

"Flattery has nothing to do with it." And with that, Solas lapsed back into silence, leaving Dorian to frown at him in some confusion.

Once they arrived at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, Cassandra and Solas took charge of the operation, arranging the mages appropriately. Dorian stood with the mages, his staff in hand. He saw Ashik cast an uncertain look over his shoulder. Their eyes met briefly and the male smiled slightly before turning away, approaching the Breach. Dorian felt confident that the herald would be able to succeed in this venture, though he could not help but feel sympathetic towards him. This was perhaps one of the few times that Ashik's witty personality would be unable to get him out of a rough spot if he failed.

"Mages!" Cassandra called up to them, rousing Dorian from his thoughts. After she and Solas gave them their directions, the mages slammed their staffs into the ground, sending their mana into the Breach just as the herald opened his hand and it glowed green. There was a tense silence and then a sudden explosion that threw everyone to their backs. There was a sound of confusion and Dorian struggled with another mage's robes that were blinding him. He eventually managed to get to his feet and went surging to the balustrade. He saw Cassandra helping Ashik up, who looked dizzy, but uninjured. Above them, there was nothing but a scar in the sky and the green glow had disappeared.

"Amazing," one of the mages whispered. "We did it..."

Afterward, at the celebration in Haven, the Templars and mages in the village collectively joined in spirits and music. Varric convinced Dorian to spend his time at a card game, but after a time, he folded and bid the other men (mostly mercenaries of Iron Bull's) adieu, intending to get his private moment with the herald now that everyone else was too elated to focus on one Tevinter altus. Ashik was easy to find. He was standing near the Chantry, gazing out at the celebrations with a strangely grave expression. "Everyone is celebrating your success and here you are, brooding like a Templar," Dorian said as he strolled up to him. Ashik smiled upon seeing him, the dark expression fading.

"I must be spending too much time in the wrong company."

"A mere hour alone with me should cure that," Dorian told him with a suggestive glance. Ashik's eyes narrowed slightly, his mouth curling in a devilish smirk.

"Is that so? I can believe it."

"What are you two talking about?" Cassandra demanded as she walked up to them.

"Puppies and rainbows, something I'm sure you're not interested in," Dorian said dismissively.

"Who said I didn't like puppies?"

Dorian sighed. "My dear, you really do take things too literally sometimes..."

"Oh...you were joking." There was a sudden commotion of sound that caused the three to turn from their conversation. Haven seemed to go suddenly silent and then screaming was heard outside the gates. Alarm washed over Cassandra's face and she drew her sword. "What was that? What's going on? Cullen!" She spotted the blonde Templar running towards the gates and went rushing after him.

"At least Cassandra is prepared," Ashik said mildly. "We best put on our armor. I have a feeling we may have celebrated a bit too soon."

"You don't think it's the Elder One?" Dorian asked him as they both hurried into the Chantry to get their armor and weapons.

"I don't think anything, usually. But I am hoping it's not. Given what we saw at Redcliffe...I'm not sure that Haven can handle that type of attack from an army. It's barely defensible as is."

"Great attitude from our leader. Very inspiring."

As soon as they were equipped with their necessities, they both hurried to the gates where Varric and Solas had just arrived, also armed for battle. Cullen swept the group with an approving glance and then gestured for Ashik to draw closer. "There's an entire army marching our way, herald," Dorian heard him murmur. "We can't even see who it is or where they're from...but we let in this boy, Cole. He says it is the Templars with the Elder One."

"Perfect," Ashik muttered sarcastically.

"My sentiments exactly. The trebuchets might give us time, but...I'm not sure."

"There's no way for us to protect Haven, Cullen, you know that. The best I can do is launch the trebuchets and bide my time, but you need to get the people out of here. They won't survive against the Elder One – Haven won't survive." There was a tense pause where Cullen seemed to be constructing some sort of plan in his mind. Dorian waited tensely and saw that Cassandra seemed to have noted the same thing in the herald's words as Dorian did. It was clear that Ashik intended to get everyone else out of the way by putting himself in harm's way. While it was certainly the heroic thing to do, it was also a rather stupid thing to do. "Is there a way you can get the people out of Haven?"

"I...remember Chancellor Roderick mentioning taking a pilgrimage that leads out of Haven," Cullen quietly said, "but that is if he's willing to show us."

"Get some of the soldiers together to man the trebuchets," Ashik ordered, "and me and a few in my party will take care of the army. Get the people out of Haven while we're doing that – force Roderick to do it, if you have to. If this is as bad as I think...Haven will have to go under an avalanche. Let's hope not, but I'd prefer we be prepared than not."

"Very well." Cullen was clearly reluctant, but he immediately turned away and began to shout orders. Dorian made his way to the gates with Cassandra, Varric, and Solas as Ashik made to leave. He paused upon seeing them and then inclined his head, noting their determined expressions. The group exited the gates, drawing their weapons. Behind them, soldiers streamed out, running towards the trebuchets.

"Maker preserve us," Cassandra murmured beneath her breath. Dorian glanced at her, but there was no time to talk as the assault began.

The first thing he realized was that the Templars were glowing red. They seemed to be infected with something and when their beasts arrived, red lyrium bursting through their skin, Dorian realized that they had been corrupted with the lyrium. While Dorian had never been a fan of Templars, he had never hated them, either. He could tell that it was difficult for Cassandra to kill the soldiers, but she drove her sword and shield forward determinedly. While Dorian blasted soldiers apart with fire repeatedly, it seemed as though he never had a chance to think or observe any of his companions besides those in his immediate eyesight. Ashik was quick and deadly with his double daggers, slashing and stabbing, moving too quickly for any of the soldiers to catch him. First one trebuchet struck the mountain, then another. They waited for the third trebuchet to launch, to trigger the avalanche that could possibly finish the red Templars, but it never came.

"Retreat back into Haven!" Ashik called out before the next wave came. They hurried back behind the gates and he paused, peering over to where the other trebuchet was located. He swore and then turned to the group. Only a few of the soldiers upon the trebuchets had survived the attack. "Go ahead! Meet Cullen in the Chantry. Cassandra, Dorian, come with me. I need someone to watch my back while I get that next trebuchet going. The rest of you, go on!" Varric hesitated before leaving, but Solas obstinately remained behind, following them to the trebuchet.

As Ashik struck down a red Templar that made its way towards them, Cassandra shoved him forward, smashing her shield into another that made a move towards them. "Get to the trebuchet! Leave this to us!"

Rather than waning, the red Templars seemed to come in more powerful waves. Just as Ashik was about to launch the trebuchet, he paused, his eyes narrowed. They had killed the last red Templar that had invaded the area around the trebuchet, yet it did not seem like a victory. In fact, a strange sense of foreboding came upon the group and Dorian whirled around, clutching his staff, waiting for an attack. Ashik's gaze flew to the sky and then he jumped off the trebuchet, violently shoving Dorian and Solas forward. "Get out of here!" he snarled at them. Both Dorian and Solas stared at him, bemused. Cassandra, however, had also seemed to spot something in the sky and hesitated upon his words, glancing behind her towards the Chantry. "Get to the Chantry – I'll hold them off for a bit longer."

"Are you mad?" Cassandra ground out. "You'll die!"

"Perhaps he will find luck again," Dorian said, grasping her arm, pulling her around. He saw the desperation in Ashik's eyes and knew that standing here arguing would only waste precious time. "Perhaps he will find a way." Cassandra glared accusingly at Dorian, but after Ashik stepped towards her threateningly, brandishing his daggers, she whirled around and charged towards the Chantry. Solas followed after her and Dorian hesitated a moment more, looking to Ashik. He caught the sight of the fierce dragon in the sky and shuddered.

"Go," Ashik told him intensely. "Now!"

Without another word, Dorian turned and fled, purely because the herald had ordered him.

TBC