The Eye in Inquisition by Varric Tethras (Varric's narrative of what's going on in the Inquisition, featuring all characters and lots of ridiculous superlatives)
I still don't work for Bioware. I still wish I did. I own nothing (except for Lilah, or 'Wynter' in this case!) Everything else belongs to them, dagnabbit. *sighs* On with it then!
Starting... Now!
Lilah sighed, glancing back at the conspicuous dwarven shadow which had been following her since their arrival at Skyhold. Varric had looked like he wanted to talk to her all day, ever since she'd spoken with Hawke, but every time she turned to confront him, he seemed to disappear around very strategically placed corners. It probably helped that he was short as well. Anyone could hide behind one of the large piles of rubble which seemed to make up this tumbledown castle. She ran her finger over the heavy iron brazier to her left and sighed again, looking at the thick layer of dust which came away on her fingertip. This place was a complete mess. Yet more work for the Inquisition to get on with. Her thoughts were interrupted by someone softly clearing their throat behind her.
"Huh? Oh! Commander, you startled me. I was just..."
She trailed off, rubbing the dust from her fingers onto the fabric of her pants. Commander Cullen smiled at her softly, ducking his head in greeting.
"Lamenting the state of our new palatial home? You wouldn't be the only one, I saw Josephine taking copious notes on which walls were crumbling slightly more than others and how many families of rats needed to be exterminated."
Lilah could feel her cheeks turning red, and Cullen chuckled softly as he noticed her reaction. He'd practically read her mind.
"It's not as bad as all that. Anything beats sleeping in tents, I was getting tired of being nomadic. Oh, and thank you very much, by the way!"
Cullen's eyebrow twitched up at her sarcastic tone. He crossed his arms, frowning slightly.
"Regarding?"
Lilah puffed out a breath, placing one hand on her hip while pointing an accusatory finger in his direction.
"You knew! You bloody knew they were going to name me Inquisitor today! Why didn't you give me a clue? I didn't know what was going on, I thought Cassandra and Leliana were going to give me a proper dressing down in front of everyone for dragging us all through the mountains for weeks. Instead, boom! Inquisitor! And I'd been talking to you only a few minutes beforehand."
Cullen's frown faltered, and he took a step closer to her.
"How exactly could I have warned you? 'Brilliant castle you've stumbled upon for us, oh, and by the way, us advisors have decided to elevate your rank to Inquisitor. No reason really, someone had to do it and you got the short straw, sorry.' Somehow I don't think you would have believed me."
Lilah snorted out a short laugh, looking up at him.
"Funny."
Cullen bobbed a slight bow, a smile playing across his face.
"I try. Forgive your military advisor for not warning you of this sneak attack from Cassandra and Leliana? They made me promise, and those two are absolutely ruthless."
Lilah sighed and smiled, then noticed Varric's shadow still stretching out around the corner.
"You're forgiven. Oh, and watch out for Varric. He's been sneakily following me about all day."
Cullen's smile immediately dropped and his eyes narrowed.
"Thanks for the warning. He must be planning something, saying he suddenly has a 'friend' available who knows all about this Corypheus, and then Hawke just shows up. And errr, thank you. For forgiving me."
A ghost of his previous smile returned, and Lilah might have only imagined it, a light blush appeared across his face. The handsome Commander backed away, still smiling slightly, then finally turned away as he turned the corner. Lilah heard him gruffly greet Varric, then his receding footsteps echoing down the corridor. She kept her eyes on Varric's shadow, then eventually sighed again and coughed before addressing him.
"Varric. I know you're there."
She heard a soft chuckle, then the dwarven rogue finally stepped around the corner to face her.
"Caught by the Inquisitor herself, I should probably be flattered. Not that I'm not always slightly awestruck by the antics you get up to, of course."
She could never stay angry at the dwarf. He was just too entertaining. Lilah crossed her arms and looked at him, warily.
"What are you up to? Why have you been following me around all day? I don't think I could deal with any more surprises today, I've already been turned into an almighty figurehead."
Varric raised his hands in a warding off gesture, shaking his head.
"Whoa there, Lize, nothing I can offer you could beat that! However, I do have something to tell you. Something I think you'll rather enjoy."
He'd definitely hooked her in.
"What is it?"
Varric threw his arms open wide, while grinning at her.
"You, Lilah Trevelyan, are going to be the star of my latest novel series! Isn't that exciting?"
Lilah couldn't stop herself from grinning.
"That actually is really exciting! Is it going to be like the 'Hard in Hightown' series?"
Varric returned her grin, now rubbing his hands together.
"Somewhat. I'll change your name and look, of course, but there's only so much I can do to disguise you. I mean, you're the Herald of Andraste, the Inquisitor. There's really no mistaking you for anyone else. And I'll change the names of everyone else, including myself, as well. Just for fun really."
Lilah paused for a moment, thinking.
"Will I get to read the chapters before you publish them? I don't want anyone being put out."
Varric looked at her, eyes narrowing.
"Don't you trust me, Lize? We've been together since the beginning, I thought we were building a friendship here..."
Lilah stepped forward, eyes growing wide with concern.
"No, no no, you're absolutely right! I'm sorry, you've been writing for years, you know what you're doing. I trust your judgement completely. Besides, I am a rather large fan of your work. 'Hard in Hightown' was brilliant."
Varric bowed, grinning up at her.
"Well, it's always great to meet a fan. So now I just had a few questions for you, if you don't mind. This won't take long."
Lilah smiled back, relaxing once more.
"Alright. Shoot."
Varric pulled a worn, leather-bound notebook from his back pocket and readied a charcoal pencil in his right hand. He leaned against the wall beside Lilah and glanced across at her.
"Ok then, Lize. Here we go. Now, what do you remember from before we met up...?"
~The Eye in Inquisition Chapter One - The Beginning of The Whole Mess (A new serialised novel by Varric Tethras)~
Wynter Frost stifled a yawn as yet another mage stepped forward to voice yet another opinion about something she had absolutely no interest in. She was only present at this so called 'Conclave' because her father had willed it so. 'A united front' he'd said, sending her and her slightly older brother Jason to meet up with their two much older brothers David and Merrick, who were both templars. Having all the Frost heirs in one place may not have been the smartest move, but what harm could come from a peaceful meeting of the minds? So far it had been two days of boring waffling, followed by boring rhetoric and hemmed in by more boring banter. Jason had disappeared midway through the first day, most likely following his roguish instincts to the local tavern to find some willing wench to pass the time with. With his disappearance, David and Merrick had kept an almost prison-guard like eye on her, making sure she didn't follow suit. Right now, she was planted firmly between the two of them, with the possibility of escape at zero percent. She needed something to do. She surreptitiously undid her hair tie and began running her fingers through her snow white locks, detangling them while still trying to look mildly interested in what was being said. She felt a sudden jab in her left side as David's elbow made contact with her ribs. Her hand moved to her side to rub the now aching bones.
"What in the Fade are you doing, Wynter?"
His deep blue eyes burned their displeasure down at her, while her icy blue eyes glared back at him defiantly.
"Father only said I had to come. He didn't say I had to be interested."
Merrick elbowed her from the other side. Well, at least she'd have matching bruises now.
"What are you two mumbling about? People are going to take notice."
Wynter elbowed him back and he grimaced, his own hand going to his side.
"Good. I hope they do. What good is all this talk going to get us anyway? This conclave is going to go on forever."
Merrick looked down at her, grinning.
"Isn't that a good thing for you though?"
Wynter looked up into his friendlier face, still scowling herself.
"How so?"
Merrick tried to keep his mirth in check, but ended up snorting out a chuckle, his green eyes dancing.
"Well, the longer you're here, the longer you don't have to deal with mother sending you out for marriage meetings."
Wynter's eyes widened and she giggled, hurriedly coughing to cover her untimely humour explosion. A couple of the young mages standing behind them giggled as well. Merrick calmed himself, eyes once again facing forward and a cool look of faked interest falling across his features. David looked like he was about ready to punch both of them.
"If you're not going to pay attention, little sister, I suggest you move out of the front row. Now go and calm yourself!"
He practically growled the last part of the sentence, and Wynter could feel his patience growing thin. One of the young mage girls behind her stepped forward.
"Beggin' your pardon, Ser David, but I'll take your sister out to the kitchen to get a drink, if you like. Something to help with that, errr, cough of hers."
David glanced at the young elven girl and smiled. He was so very handsome when he smiled. Wynter sighed and looked away as the young mage blushed and stared down at the ground. She wished he'd reign it in a little with the young ones. They all ended up with crushes on him.
"Yes, that would be lovely Tabitha, thank you."
The young mage girl grabbed at Wynter's hand, pulling her out through the milling throng behind them. The back of the room was relatively empty, and had several tables with large kegs of wine and mead available for everyone's convenience. Tabitha dropped her hand as soon as they reached the tables and started giggling.
"Oh my stars, I've never seen Ser David look so cranky before. And you're not even a mage, milady!"
Wynter smiled at the young woman, and grabbed a tankard to fill with ale.
"I'm worse in his eyes. His useless sister who refuses to join the Chantry or the templars. If I was a mage at least I'd be a member of a circle, which is better than what I do now."
Wynter passed the tankard to Tabitha and grabbed another for herself. The young woman looked at the tankard curiously, then looked back up at her.
"Mage's aren't allowed, milady."
Wynter grinned, and clinked her tankard lightly against the mage's.
"I won't tell if you won't."
Tabitha grinned, and took a small sip.
"So what is it you do, milady? I don't mean to pry, of course."
Wynter squinted out the window at the now dying light of day. The stained glass windows lent the light a green tinge, which made it slightly surreal.
"I stay at home mostly, with my other brother Jason. He's... a mercenary for hire. Occasionally I help him. I also help my parents run the property. And I try to get out of as many marriage meetings as I possibly can."
Tabitha giggled, swallowing another sip of ale.
"That's one thing I'm thankful I'll never have to go through. Meeting people with a mind to marry them. I'd rather go on adventures, or help people."
Wynter took another deep sip of her ale, looking up at the young mage.
"Or save the world, if needs be?"
Tabitha reached forward with her tankard, clinking it against Wynter's again.
"Aye, saving the world, that's always on the cards. Just like those two mages who helped the Hero of Ferelden. I could totally do that."
Wynter glanced at the girl over her tankard. She was young, and idealistic. Just the person who should actually be talking at this conclave instead of the ridiculously stuffy old Chantry sisters, head templars and high mages. They'd never take her seriously though. She sighed, and blew a few strands of her now loose white hair out of her eyes. Tabitha put her now empty tankard down and ushered the taller girl onto a chair.
"Please let me fix your hair, milady, it'll get wicked tangled if you leave it out like this."
Wynter's eyes drifted closed as the young elf deftly re-braided her hair. Then she heard the girl yelp faintly as a heavy hand fell upon her shoulder. Her eyes sprang open and she found herself eye to eye with a worried looking David. Merrick was standing just behind him, hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"What is it?"
She looked to the window and the light pouring in seemed even greener than before.
"There's..."
David looked lost for words for the first time in his life. Tabitha ran to the window where the other younger mages were now congregating, and gasped.
"Oh my stars..."
Merrick grabbed her arm, pulling her up off the stool and pointed her towards the door.
"It'll be easier to show her."
Wynter could feel the larger man's hand trembling as it rested on her arm. For both of her templar brothers to be this freaked out, it must be something... large. She stepped toward the door, noticing that even away from the stained glass windows the light was still green tinged. Her footsteps sped up and she ran out of the Temple, dreading what she might see but knowing that dragging it out would make it even worse. Once she stepped outside... Her legs gave out as she gazed up at the heavens...
"What in Andraste's name...?"
Merrick dropped to his knees beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders for support.
"We don't know. Nobody knows."
Wynter stared up, uncomprehendingly, at what used to be the sky.
"What...?"
She felt strong arms pulling her from behind, and realised that David had come out to drag them both back inside. She struggled, trying to find her feet, and eventually scrambled back inside with both of her brothers. The sky had grown darker, and an ominous rumbling had begun to shake the ground beneath their feet. Tabitha ran back to meet them as they entered the door, her hand finding Wynter's. The poor girl was shaking like a leaf, and her eyes were filled with terrified tears, but Wynter wasn't faring much better.
"What happened to the sky?"
David and Merrick both just gazed down at her, looking as confused and scared as she felt. She felt slightly safer in their arms, but... The rumbling deepened, and there was a loud crack as the first lava ball burst through the roof of the Temple, landing in the centre where most of the representatives had been gathered. They didn't even have time to scream. They had been there, and now they just... weren't. Tabitha gasped, tightening her grip on Wynter's hand, and David and Merrick's arms tightened around her. The air was starting to turn black with ash as the building was bombarded with more lava. Large shards of red glowing stone seemed to spring up wherever the balls of molten rock landed. David suddenly stood up, looking around wildly.
"The Divine! Where's the Divine?"
He looked like he was about to tear off looking for her, but Wynter reached a hand up to grab his arm.
"I'll go."
He looked down at her, eyes narrowing.
"You will not. You'll stay here where it's safe."
Wynter looked around them and cocked an eyebrow.
"In what way is this safer? Besides, I'm faster than you, lighter than you, and I'll seem less terrifying to anyone that needs rescuing, you big bloody templar!"
David looked torn, but Merrick placed a hand on his shoulder.
"She's right you know. You're not really a people person. Just go, fair maiden. Go and save the world. And be back in time for tea!"
Wynter saluted her brothers, and looked down at Tabitha who was now cowering on the floor.
"David. Look after your young charge, will you? She's bloody terrified."
She grabbed Tabitha's hand, placed it in her brother's and cast the now blushing mage a cheeky wink. She leaned forward to whisper in the young girls ear.
"Don't waste this opportunity. He's always had a thing for elves."
David looked down dumbfounded at the young woman's hand in his, and then watched as his youngest sibling ran off towards the rear of the temple.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Wynter dodged more of the flaming lava balls as they came blasting through the roof and walls. The smell of the burning bodies was almost overpowering as she dodged around the red crystals springing up through the stone floor. The door leading to the rear antechamber was clear of debris and she leaped over a newly fallen burning beam to reach it. She shouldered the door open, and stumbled into the strangest predicament she'd ever been in.
"What's going on here?!"
Then there was darkness. Something must have happened between opening the door, and waking up on this stone scattered ground, but for the life of her she couldn't remember a thing. She was in a rather terrible amount of pain though, and her head... Ooh, she'd rather not think about it. She stood slowly, perusing her surroundings. Well, there was certainly lots of rock. And stone. And pebbles. She heard a skittering sound off to her right, and she turned sharply, her white braid whipping around her shoulder. Skittering was never good. She started walking toward the large stone stairway which she assumed would lead her out of... wherever she was, and heard the skittering again. Wynter looked behind her again, and swore when she realised what had been making the noise.
"Shit! Spiders! Why did it have to be spiders?!"
She started sprinting up the stairs, then realised they weren't actually stairs, just a rather rough and extremely steep natural path. The light at the top, though, that seemed like the right place to be heading. The first of the spiders made it's way around the corner and started up the incline behind her, shrieking as it followed her scent. Wynter began to clamber even faster, throwing pieces of loose rock behind her at the giant spiders. She swore she could see a woman's figure at the top of the cairn reaching out to her, as if to speed her along. The light was so inviting... Maybe this was the afterlife? Maybe this was a trial you had to face before making it safely to the Maker's side? But why did it have to be giant spiders? Wynter's progress had slowed to a crawl as she reached the top of the stone encrusted hill, the loose rocks making each step treacherous. She reached out to the outline of the woman standing in front of the bright, welcoming light and fell forward, leaving the giant spiders behind for good...
And woke up in darkness again. This time in chains.
"Well. At least I'm alive."
~And back to Varric and Lilah~
Varric leaned forward in anticipation as Lilah read through the last page, and nodded.
"It's good. I like it. But why am I silver haired and blue eyed? And Wynter Frost? Really?"
Varric rolled his eyes.
"Everyone's a critic. It'll grow on you Lize, trust me. Thanks for filling in the blanks as well as you could too, that was a big help."
Lilah smiled, placing a hand on the dwarf's arm.
"I did my best. A lot of that is still very fuzzy in my memory, and I really don't remember what happened between opening the door and waking up in the fade. That one flash of memory when we sealed the breach is all I have."
Varric smiled back, encouragingly.
"Well, it was better than anything I would have made up to fill in the gaps anyway. Can I ask you more questions later, if I need to?"
Lilah stretched, pushing up from the newly dusted bench she'd been sitting on to read the first chapter of Varric's new work. The people had really come together over the past two weeks, and the castle was looking a lot cleaner. She was feeling a lot more positive about Skyhold with every passing day.
"Of course. I mean, when we're not out there saving the day."
Varric nodded sagely.
"Oh yeah, saving the world. That does come first. But right now I have to go do some editing, then send this to my publisher. And you, of course, will get a signed copy."
Lilah smiled, and moved off down the corridor back towards Josephine's office.
"I can't wait. This is going to be great, Varric. Another great series!"
Varric grinned to himself, gathering his papers into order.
"Of course it'll be great. I wrote the damn thing."
END OF PART 01
So, this is something else I've been working on. Seeing as I had mentioned 'The Eye in Inquisition' in my previous story 'I Dreamed a Dream (of banana pancakes)' I've decided to have a go at writing it. I love Varric's books, they're so trashy but just brilliant. There's going to be a chapter for each Advisor and each Inner Circle member, and a two part first chapter for the Inquisitor's origin story. I hope you guys like it, I'm on holidays for the next week so I should be able to get some good writing done on all of the things I'm working on (I know it's been a very long hiatus and I'm sorry!) As always read, review and enjoy! Part 2 will be coming soon!
Foxfire out!