Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age: Origins.

Warning: Goes after Second Chances. You might want to read that one before reading this one.

A/N: Because I found the gossiping people amusing and the old lady in Denerim's chantry hilarious. Besides, everyone wants the mages out of the tower and no one thinks that the templars are pretty much stuck there too unless they're going hunting apostates. I felt it was my obligation to take one out.

Gossip

Greagoir's retirement caused uproar in the Circle Tower. The Circle had yet to be rebuilt, and though he vowed to assist the new Knight Commander, he would not leave Denerim. The rumors of why such a pious and loyal man would leave so suddenly spread like wildfire. Newly appointed Knight Commander Cullen refused to believe any of them. Instead, he packed everything as soon as possible and vowed that, as soon as the Tower's new Knight Commander arrived; he would be on his way to his new post in Denerim.

While the wait felt too long for his liking, looking at Denerim's chantry made him feel like it hadn't been long enough. He'd spent most of his life in the Tower. He was used to the silence, the darkness, the closed spaces and its strict set of rules. The sheer amount of sound, light and space gave him a headache.

"I shall not be left to waffle the drifting boats of the Fade; for there is no darkness, nor deaf either, in the Maker's Light. And nothing that He has wrong shall be lost."

The words of the chantry sister echoed around the market and Cullen's contemplation went to a sudden halt. His head turned to look at an old woman surrounded by two or three laughing citizens. Besides her stood another sister trying, and failing, to mask her frustration.

"It's wander not waffle. And it's roads, not boats," her chastising voice reached him, " For there is no darkness, nor death either, in the Maker's Light. And it's wrought not wrong."

He shouldn't be standing here watching them. He had better things to do, like get a hot meal and a bath.

"Will you stop correcting me! I was singing the chant when you were but a baby. I know what I'm saying."

The young templar could feel his headache increasing. If this is what he had to look forward to, he'd rather stay in the Tower with those Maker cursed mages. He sighed, praying to the Maker for fortitude and strength, finally daring to cross the chantry's doors without even bothering to look at the two templars standing guard at its doors. Once inside, he looked around the place that would become his new home feeling lost.

"Did you hear? The King's marrying the Hero of Ferelden in a fortnight."

Two sisters gossiped inside the chantry and Cullen resisted the urge to roll his eyes. After endless years of hearing the soft whispers of mages talking, the women's voices felt too loud for him.

"Isn't she an elf?"

"From our own alienage, if the rumors are true."

And if he remembered correctly, the same elf found him almost at the top of the Tower. She'd been the one to end his torment and kill all those abominations and blood mages.

"She's a Grey Warden now. Guess that's what they have in common. Though I didn't think they could marry."

Wasn't that the way all good stories ended? As far as Cullen knew, a story wasn't worth it if the hero didn't get the woman. Or, in this case, the heroine gets the guy. With the way the other Grey Warden had followed her around, he had a pretty good idea who truly wore the pants in that relationship.

"At least they are willing to get married. My friend, the seamstress, told me she was hired by the king to make her several outfits for a woman with child."

"You don't say!"

"I swear, by the Maker, that's what she told me."

By now, Cullen was getting annoyed. Didn't these women have anything else to do? For that matter, why wasn't anyone around to help him? Where were his templars when he needed them? Probably busy gossiping around too.

"What I wouldn't give to work in the palace now! Have you heard about the templar and the mage?"

"Dearest Andraste! Don't tell me the poor boy got entangled with one of the cursed! Is that why they sent him away?"

Cullen suppressed a snort at the sister's words. Any templar seduced or brainwashed by a mage would be sent as far away from temptation as possible. If Knight Commander Tavish had been discovered, or was even suspected, to be under the influence of a mage, then he would've been sent as far away from temptation as possible. The Circle Tower, even with its new shortage of mages would be the last place to send him.

"I'm not talking about Tavish. I'm talking about the templar from the Tower. Used to be their Knight Commander, if the chantry priestess at the palace is not mistaken."

Now this truly got his attention. They were talking about Greagoir. Part of him wanted to approach them and ask all they knew. The other part wanted to do nothing with gossip. The last part also wanted him to stop standing like an idiot and just settle in the first empty room he encountered before going in search of food. He didn't move from his place, years upon years of just standing silent in the Tower giving him plenty of experience in that area.

"What did she tell you?"

"She says he retired to stay with that mage. You know, the new advisor to the king. I think her name's Wynne."

Cullen's eyes grew wide at her words and a surprised gasp left his lips, finally gaining the women's attention.

"Oh, welcome. I apologize if we made you wait. Are you Knight Commander Cullen by any chance?" one of the sisters said and Cullen let himself be guided around the chantry and to the templar's chambers.

His stomach rumbled. His body ached. His clothes begged to be changed. But instead of getting food, or bathing or sleeping; as soon as he was alone in his new room, Cullen went to his knees and began to pray. He prayed for guidance. He prayed that what he'd come to believe after the abominations attacked was wrong. And he prayed to have the strength to slay both Wynne and Greagoir if it was needed.

A/N: I hope no one hates me for Cullen, but he ended up hating all mages in my game. I may do something about it or I may not. Don't hold your breath on it, though.

Why the title? Simple: Tarot=magic, Tower=Circle Tower and The Tower: sudden change - going through a crisis - letting everything go - having a revelation - chaos