A/N: Hello hello readers! Thank you for all the follows/favorites/reviews on the last chapter. Sorry to have kept you waiting. Unfortunately, I wrote most of this chapter a week ago and then my computer crashed and deleted most of it because I'm terrible at saving as I go. But luckily it's finished now!
I hope you're all as excited for the new DLC as I am! I've already started writing bits and pieces for that part. As a die-hard Solavellan fan, I lost my marbles at the end of the trailer and I'm pretty much unraveling now that I've played it. So many feels. But let's remained focused!
The Path that Leads Astray
Chapter Two
It wasn't long before they found themselves against another rift.
This time, there were soldiers everywhere fighting off swarms of shades while trying to dodge incoming blasts from wisps. Many fought valiantly as the wounded were being helped back toward the camps, but without the rift closed, the waves of demons seemed never ending.
Their forces were dwindling.
Among them was a heavily armored man sporting a steel helm with a growling Mabari face engraved into the metal and thick, red pauldrons atop his shoulders like a lion's mane. Steel shoulder covers leaked from beneath the feathers, matching his shimmering gauntlets.
He held a large shield, branded with a templar insignia though the armor wasn't templar in the least, and he swung a long, knight sword skillfully through the heads of the shades rounding on him. His armor was very different from the soldiers' and Hirale assumed he must be the leader or some sort of commander.
"How many rifts are there?" Varric shouted from behind them as Cassandra and Hirale ran forward and into the fight. Clatters and clangs of metal against demon skin and the shouts of soldiers in tandem with demonic shrieks drowned out most of Varric's words.
"We must seal it!"
Hirale vaguely heard Solas yell as he knocked his maul into the side of a shade, sending it flying away from a soldier that had collapsed. Another quickly helped his fallen comrade to their feet, draping their arm over him as they nodded their thanks and scampered away.
The elf turned to see the rift spout out a few tall, treelike demons that screeched triumphantly as they emerged. They resembled the sylvan trees Hirale had seen in many Ferelden forests, though they were twisted into the stuff of nightmares. They had glaring red eyes and razors for fangs. Long, sharpened talons slashed out toward any nearby soldiers, sending them to the ground in bloodied heaps.
Their screams were piercing, causing Hirale's vision to spot and his head to spin. He shook it off and Cassandra blew past him. Solas sent a spell shooting into one of the trees, freezing its wooden limbs as cold overtook it. Cassandra slammed her shield into its legs, shattering it with one blow. As the demon thawed, it shrieked out in pain, lashing out at her violently as it floundered on the ground.
The other sylvan dug its claws into the earth; opening a green portal underneath it while simultaneously a matching one appeared under the Mabari warrior's feet. The masked soldier hadn't noticed, as he was distracted with fighting off a weakened shade. The sylvan jumped in, and Hirale had no time to bark orders at him before he rushed the soldier with all his speed, crashing his body into him and flinging him off the vortex just as the sylvan erupted from it.
The Mabari warrior came up to his knee, steadying himself as Hirale pushed off and brought his maul down onto the tree, digging it into the ground. Then he swung a killing blow into the shade before it could strike either of them down.
Hirale held his hand out to the warrior, helping him back up to his feet. Up close, he was much taller than Hirale expected, though typically humans always made Hirale feel more on the short side. The warrior nodded to him before charging away, shield first, into the stumbling sylvan as it tried to stand up again.
"Hirale! The rift!" Cassandra called to him, pointing at the rift a few meters away. There were swarms of demons all over the path to the rift in chaotic battle.
"I'll cover you, kid!" Varric said, running in front of him and firing quick shots from Bianca as they darted through the skirmish. Once they were close enough, Varric swiveled so his back was facing Hirale's, firing more shots at any demons following them.
Hirale brought his hand up to the rift and it instantly began to suck the energy closed around the crystal. It whirred deeply as Hirale pulled his fingers together into a fist, blasting it shut and extinguishing any demons left standing. Hirale glanced from his mark to the rift, still surprised by his ability to close the rift at all.
"Sealed, as before." Solas said, admiring Hirale's handy work. "You're becoming quite proficient at this."
"Yeah, good job, kid." Varric said with a pat on Hirale's back. "Let's just hope it works on the big one."
"Fingers crossed." Hirale answered breathlessly. He glanced around for Cassandra. She was walking up to the Mabari warrior, who sheathed his sword and placed his shield on his back.
"Commander Cullen!" Cassandra said, bringing her hands up to his shoulders, relieved that he was still real and solid. The warrior pulled off his helmet and Hirale inhaled sharply.
The Commander was like something out of a fairytale. His hair was blonde with a light curl to it and he had hazel eyes that could leave any woman weak in the knees. He had a line of light scruff defying the morning shave as they prickled across his jawline and an aged scar along his upper lip. He had Prince Charming written all over his obnoxiously attractive features.
He's so beautiful it hurts. Hirale thought for a moment, gawking at the man before realizing how ridiculous he looked and quickly shut his mouth; blushing furiously as he grabbed his maul, hoping no one had noticed.
For a Shem, that is.
"Lady Cassandra." His voice was definitely Ferelden, one of the few accents Hirale recognized amongst all the new faces today. "You sealed the rift. Well done."
Hirale's face soured. He looked down at his hand bitterly, unsurprised to be overlooked. She didn't really close the rift herself, did she?
"Don't congratulate me, Commander." Cassandra replied, whirling around toward Hirale. The elf's ears perked in astonishment as he turned to see Cassandra motioning the warrior to him. Hirale stared like a deer in headlights, his face turning pink again. "This is Hirale's doing."
"Is it?" The Commander looked over to the elf. His gaze was stern like old steel, but not nearly as frightening as Cassandra's. "I hope they're right about you. We lost a lot of good people getting you here."
"I… well, um." Hirale stuttered, still taken aback from the acknowledgement. He cleared his throat before continuing. "I can't promise anything… but I will try my best."
"That's all we can ask for." The Commander nodded to him. He turned back to Cassandra, extending a finger toward a pathway along the spikes protruding out of the once holy temple. "The way to the Temple should be clear."
"Buy us some time, Commander." Cassandra replied, her eyes trailing off along the path before returning back to him, firm and determined. "Leliana should be arriving shortly and we need as many able bodies in there with us."
"Maker watch over you, for all our sakes." The Commander said. He turned back toward his soldiers, helping a fallen comrade to his feet and helping him back toward the camps. Hirale watched after them, wishing he could join them.
Or go home. Hirale sighed.
"We mustn't dally." Solas said, grabbing Hirale's attention from his homesickness. Cassandra took lead toward the temple, closely followed by the rest of them in foreboding silence.
Hirale had never seen the Temple of Sacred Ashes up close before, but it was clear it was only shambles of its former glory. The stone bricks had crumbled into piles alongside parts of the foundation that still stood. Jagged rocks pierced upward and through it like spines on a wyvern. There were veins of green energy twisting up the walls in pulsating vines and the fire from the debris exuded the same green hue.
The Temple was eerily quiet, except for the crackle of wreckage and the soft murmurs of wind. Bodies of burnt people, glowing with red mist, stood as statues, silently screaming their agony in twisted faces and seared flesh. The mixed of ash and burning skin was a putrid combination, making Hirale want to gag.
They stepped carefully through the mess and toward the main hall. The mark flickered a bit, but didn't spark any shots of pain through his arm. Hirale stopped as his eyes fell upon the large rift in the center of the hall.
Hirale exhaled tersely. "Oh shit."
"The Breach is a long way up." Varric said from behind the elf, his eyes wide and mouth gaping as he spun around to get an entire view of the Temple and Breach.
"Tell me about it."
Hirale stared in awe. His steps slowed as he came up to the ledge of a balcony. There was no direct way to the Breach and it was much further up than Hirale had imagined.
"Am I supposed to fly up there or something?"
It was bigger than any of the other rifts he'd seen, but by the looks of it and the little reaction of the mark, it appeared to be dormant. It snapped slowly, adjusting its branches without spilling out demons. Curtains of Fade light twisted around the crystal and then billowed up into the sky, up toward the Breach.
Hirale hadn't even considered how high up the Breach actually was. Running through the waves of demons and the sky falling, he had little time to consider the logistics of it.
How am I supposed to get up there?
They all stood quietly together, eyeing the main hall and the Breach, trying to formulate a plan when footsteps came shifting behind them. Hirale's ears twitched but he didn't turn to look.
"You're here! Thank the Maker." Leliana exclaimed in relief.
Cassandra turned to her, immediately barking orders to her and the scouts for formation. She waved her hand to the few soldiers. She came up to Hirale's side and stood square next to him.
"Are you ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess." Hirale answered, tearing his eyes away from the Breach finally. His nerves wriggled all over his body, making him shake with anticipation and concern. "I hope you have a plan to get me all the way up there."
"No, this rift is the first. It is the key." Solas stated. Both Cassandra and Hirale turned to look at him. "Seal it and perhaps we seal the Breach."
"Then let's find a way down." Cassandra concluded. Her eyes scanned the rubble for any sign of a clear pathway, though most of it seemed muddled together in wreckage. "And be careful."
"This way." Hirale pointed behind her to a long way through the spiked rocks. It was less direct than any other way, but it looked a bit more stable than attempting to go straight down. "It looks like a landslide gave enough of a push to make this path. It may be a bit slippery, though."
Cassandra nodded to him, motioning to the soldiers who followed them obediently. All around the temple, Leliana's scouts placed themselves in spots that gave them the best vantage point.
The veins in the stone seemed to glimmer like scales along the protruding rocks, reflecting Fade light along the pathway. They marched together in silence, none of them willing to speculate what awaited them at the bottom of the temple.
Then a voice boomed throughout the rubble.
"Now is the hour of our victory."
Hirale glanced around, his steps slowing beneath him as he tried to find where the voice was coming from. Something about the voice sounded familiar to Hirale, but he couldn't place it. It itched at the back of his mind, insisting he knew it, but fading away like a dream.
His eyes fell on the rift in the center, and it spoke again. "Bring forth the sacrifice."
"What are we hearing?" Cassandra asked faintly, her eyes darting around every which way, searching for the source of the voice. She had stopped next to Hirale while the soldiers trailed forward.
"At a guess? The person who created the Breach." Solas suggested.
"But where is it coming from?"
"The rift?" Hirale breathed, watching the crystal twitch and stretch into different ways. He waited a few more minutes but the rift didn't speak again. He nodded to Cassandra. "C'mon, let's get down there."
As they made the corner further down the path, the rocks appeared to be covered in a crystal-like red coating. It shimmered in the light and pulsated an angry, red glow. Hirale thought for a moment he heard whispers from them, but that couldn't be possible.
"You know this stuff is red lyrium, Seeker." Varric said in a low tone, clearly unnerved by the effervescent red rocks.
"I see it, Varric." Cassandra replied, though she didn't appear to be nearly as upset by it as the dwarf was. Varric kept himself as far from it as possible.
"But what's it doing here?"
"Magic could have drawn on lyrium beneath the temple… and corrupted it." Solas theorized.
"I thought lyrium only came in blue." Hirale remarked with a weak laugh. Varric did not seem in the mood for jokes, however.
"Well, the red stuff's evil." The dwarf stated, an uncharacteristic streak of distain in his tone and features. "Whatever you do, don't touch it."
"Keep the sacrifice still." The voice thundered again.
The steps were barely visible in all the dust and dirt, but they made it down further without any slips or falls. They came to the edge of wall, short enough to jump down to the main floor without injury.
Hirale was the first to jump down from the ledge, and the others were close behind. As he stood up, he walked toward the rift carefully. The mark still hadn't reacted much to being near it.
"Someone help me!" A new voice echoed from the rift. It was a woman's voice, but Hirale couldn't remember where he recognized it.
"What's going on here?"
That, however, was most definitely Hirale's voice.
Dread took over Hirale as he turned to look at Cassandra, hoping she wouldn't immediately chain him up and ship him off to Val Royeaux. Cassandra looked stunned, but not angry so that was a relief.
"That was your voice." She said, gazing at him in shock. "Most Holy called out to you but-"
Then white light erupted around them, engulfing them in a foggy memory. The air felt thin around them and Hirale's head was left spinning. An older woman in Chantry robes hovered in front of it, her arms bound by swirls of red magic.
"Divine Justinia…" Cassandra whispered.
In front of her was a towering figure with two piercing demonic eyes and long jagged nails for hands. It was consumed in twisted wafts of smoke that drowned out the edges of its silhouette. In one claw it held something round, but it too was indistinguishable in faded smoke.
"What's going on here?" The words danced around him like leaves in the wind. He clasped his hands over his mouth. He hadn't spoken the words himself, yet he had?
"Run while you can!" The Divine shouted to him. "Warn them!"
"We have an intruder." The mysterious figure boomed as it turned to Hirale, red eyes peering at him angrily. One of its claws twisted out toward him, extending a long, thin finger his way. "Slay the elf."
With those words, an eruption of shadows burst from behind the figure and rushed toward Hirale with clamoring talons. Hirale pulled his arms up in front of him, bracing for an impact, but the shadows blew through him in a howling wind before all the lights evaporated around him.
Hirale looked up, the vision was gone.
"You were there!" Cassandra's voice made Hirale jump. He turned to see the Seeker quickly coming up to him, her expression desperate for answers. "Who attacked? And the Divine? Is she…?" Cassandra asked frantically, Hirale couldn't get in a word. "Is this vision true? What are we seeing?"
"Your guess is as good as mine." Hirale answered. He scrounged the corners of his mind for that memory, but he couldn't recall anything. "It does seem familiar, but I can't remember it."
"Echoes of what happened here." Solas stated. Hirale and Cassandra turned to him. The mage had stepped closer to the rift and was eyeing it thoughtfully. "The Fade bleeds into this place. It probably reacted to you being so close."
"Then why wasn't it clearer?" Varric asked, tossing his hands in the air.
"Perhaps because he doesn't remember it himself?" Solas answered quickly. "But more likely that as a memory of the Fade, it too is unclear." Hirale was sure there was a bigger explanation of the inner workings of the Fade, but was glad Solas held back the lecture. Now was not the time. "But we must focus on the task at hand. This rift is closed, but not sealed… albeit temporarily."
"What do you suggest we do?" Cassandra asked the apostate, all the shock washed away from her face but her tone gave her away with the slight crack in its delivery.
"I believe that with the mark, the rift can be reopened and then sealed." Solas answered, motioning to Hirale's hand. Varric walked up next to him, shooting a 'you've-got-to-be-shitting-me' look to the mage.
"Hold on, Chuckles. You want him to open the rift?"
"It's the only way to seal it properly and safely." Solas replied simply.
Hirale looked at the rift as it shifted, Fade energy leaking out and up into the Breach. It was clear the rift was feeding the Breach more energy to expand, while not actually being fully open itself. Hirale considered a moment how bad things could get by opening the rift, but he knew Solas had a point, as much as he hated to admit it.
"Let's do it, then." Hirale responded finally.
"You've all gone crazy." Varric resided, but he didn't press the issue any further.
"Be wary." Solas warned. "Opening the rift will likely attract attention from the other side." Hirale rolled his eyes and walked toward the rift.
"Of course it will."
"That means demons!" Cassandra shouted for the soldiers and scouts to hear. She turned to them, urging them to prepare for a fight. Soldiers positioned themselves in formation behind Hirale, prepared to protect him at any costs. Leliana's scouts aimed their arrows directly at the Breach, sharp eyes ready to shoot down any demons that dared enter their world.
Cassandra turned back to Hirale, giving him a nod as she unsheathed her sword and swung her shield out in front of her, standing ready beside him. Large violet eyes looked back to the rift as he stepped closer. He felt butterflies flutter through his stomach and sweat inch down his back.
Hirale extended the mark out toward the rift, unsure how to actually open a rift, as all his experiences were with closing them. Once his hand was extended out completely, the rift immediately took hold of the mark. Hirale stretched his fingers out, hoping the rift would mimic the gesture. The rift crackled angrily at him and pain began to seep through his palm as it began to open.
Hirale winced as a jolt of energy whipped past them like lightning, crashing behind them as a large demon appeared. It was larger than any of the previous demons he had seen and looked much more formidable.
It towered well over the soldiers tenfold and its armored skin was grey and spiked. Spines embroidered its arms and chest. Four long, bent horns were atop its head in a warped crown, just above a multitude of slit-like eyes that resembled pools of darkness. Its roar was more a screech, showing off its plethora of razor fangs inside its heavy jowls. It slammed down to the ground, causing the ground to shake and a few rocks to crumble off the rubble of the temple walls.
"Now!" Cassandra bellowed, raising her sword to the scouts above. "Varric, provide cover for Hirale. Solas, cast barriers on our soldiers to protect them!"
A wave of arrows flew toward the demon, though they barely seemed to have any effect. Many bounced off the hard armored skin while those that stuck, didn't seem to inflict much pain on it. The demon thundered again, swinging its arm around and smashing incoming arrows easily with one swoop.
The demon laughed, a deep, menacing chortle as it formed lightning between its palms. It's entire body lit up with electric energy as it charged up for an attack. Purple energy radiated off of its back in a terrifying display of raw power. Many soldiers scrambled to move out of its way, but a few were left paralyzed with fear.
As it rounded on the few terrified soldiers, unable to move, Hirale raised his hand up to the rift again, hoping that it would disrupt the demons connect to this world as it had with previous rifts.
Hirale was right.
The demon fell to its knee, panting exhaustedly as the glow of energy began to fade around it. Cassandra shouted more orders, but Hirale could barely hear her over the ringing in his ears. The two of them charged toward the demon, Cassandra slammed her shield into its side and Hirale slashed at its leg. Hirale could see a few spiked arrows wedge themselves into the demons wounds.
The rift crackled again as it crystalized again and the demon began to stand upright. It clenched its fist, a whip of electricity forming around it, and it quickly snapped it around, sending many soldiers flying as well as Cassandra and Hirale.
Cassandra was much sturdier on her feet, landing skillfully before charging forward again, swinging her sword around to get at its legs again. Hirale barely recovered his footing before a few more demons appeared around them, shades and wisps like earlier.
"More coming through the rift!"
Solas quickly froze many of the shades rounding on Varric and the dwarf swiftly shattered them with a few explosive arrows. Leliana was darting around among them, her arrows quick and cruel as they sliced through the wisps from afar. Hirale found himself caught between a few shades, but easily dispatched them as he twisted himself around in a tornado of momentum.
"You have to close the rift!" He heard Solas shout to him once the demons were defeated. "Or more will continue to fall through!"
Hirale turned toward the rift, but the large, pride demon stood wide with its legs apart, placing itself between the rift and Hirale. It chuckled deeply again as lightning played between its claws.
Hirale smirked and took off toward the demon. It began to charge another orb of energy to throw at him, but just before the elf got too close, he dropped himself down to the ground, keeping his leg straight as he slid between its legs and underneath it. He quickly pulled himself back up once he was past the demon and brought his hand back up to the rift for one last close.
The rift immediately sought out the mark, whirring as it weakened. The demons began to fade back into the portal and the large demon had fallen to its knees, weakened by the disruption.
"Now! Close the rift!" He could hear Cassandra shout to him.
Hirale held his arm steady as the mark on his hand shook his entire body. The pain was blistering and Hirale's entire arm felt like it was on fire. He winced as he began to bring his stiff fingers together, attempting to close the disobliging rift. The billows of Fade energy began to unravel and twist back into the rift. Hirale's vision began to twinkle into darkness; getting dimmer and dimmer the longer he stood with his hand on the rift.
Just a little bit more…
Finally, the whirring began to vibrate so low it became quiet and the energy around the rift burst up and outward. The small burst sent Hirale flying back, tumbling to the ground in a heap. The large demon disappeared back into the Fade, nothing left in its wake other than a small bit of electric essence in a squishy lump of Fade residue.
All of Hirale's energy had left him; his body was weak and immoveable as he drifted off into exhaustion. He could faintly hear Cassandra calling his name as he fell back into dark oblivion.
The clan was buzzing with gossip. It wasn't every day an apprentice was cast out of their own clan to live with another, so the elves were eagerly spinning outlandish theories as to why she was being brought to their clan.
"I hear she worships the Dread Wolf!"
"I hear that she summoned a demon that destroyed most of her clan!"
There were already three mages in Clan Lavellan: The Keeper, her apprentice, Thelnarel, and the clan's healer. Typically, most Dalish clans stopped at around two, but Keeper Deshanna was not intimidated by shemlen templars or chantry fear of mages.
But it was a surprise when Keeper Deshanna asked Hirale to accompany her to meet with the new member of their clan and not her first, Thelnarel. While Hirale was well liked among the clan, it was not a typical duty for a hunter to be involved in these matters, but Hirale rarely went against his Keeper.
"If I may, Amelan." Hirale started, looking at his Keeper for permission. She nodded for him to continue. "If she's a new apprentice, shouldn't Thelnarel be showing her around since he's our current first?" His eyes scanned the campsite for the apprentice, but Thelnarel was nowhere to be seen. He was probably off sulking somewhere.
"Thelnarel hasn't been cooperative with her coming into our clan." Keeper Deshanna said calmly. "He feels his position as first will be threatened with her here."
That wasn't a surprise. Thelnarel bragged often about his position as the Keeper's first, but many thought he wouldn't be a very good leader in her stead. He was often spiteful and abrasive. Having been the son of the hunt master, Aris, it was no wonder he was so aggressive.
Thelnarel had been fortunate enough that the other mage, the healer of the clan, hadn't wanted the responsibility of Keeper and focused all her attention on healing magics and herbs. She was also a much older member of the clan and had little patience to devote time to that sort of training.
And up until now, he had zero competition for the position as the Keeper's first.
Hirale liked her already.
"She must be really good for him to feel threatened." Hirale mentioned smirking.
"She is very talented and incredibly clever. She will be an asset to our clan." The Keeper said; a light smile brushed over her lips. Her hands were folded neatly in front of her as she walked regally. Hirale clunked next to her, his experience in stealth not quite up to par with his early stage of hunter training.
"But why is her clan trading her then?"
"She has a… controversial take on our history." Many apprentices were valued for their magical talent and elven knowledge, while few strayed, even fewer drifted from traditional teachings. "Not many of her clanmates agreed with her and with so many apprentices already within their clan, they were planning to cast her out."
"Do clans really do that?" Hirale asked, surprised his own people would turn away one of their own, especially since there was so much importance on regaining their former glory.
Growing up, Hirale was taught that their numbers among clans were dwindling and if they had any hope of rebuilding what was once lost, they needed to keep their numbers strong. Granted, this rarely meant including city elves into the mix, as they rarely found any city elves capable of handling Dalish life and expectation. Some clans took in city dwellers, but casting out one of their own seemed downright outrageous.
"Some do, unfortunately." The Keeper answered, her footsteps began to slow as they reached the edge of camp. Hirale slowed as well. "But luckily Felassan suggested she be traded into our clan. He quite likes the girl and sees her potential for great things."
Felassan was very skilled with magic, though he didn't appear to be a Keeper of his clan; not that he mentioned his own clan very much at all. He traveled through all the clans and commanded a certain, unquestionable respect reserved for clan elders. He often spoke in riddles and rhetorical questions that made him a chore to talk to, at least to all the hunters.
Needless to say, Hirale was not a fan.
"Traded for who, exactly?" Hirale asked, hoping this hadn't been a trick to trade him out of their clan for an upstart apprentice. The Keeper smiled at him, reassuring him silently that it hadn't been a trap.
"No one, actually." The Keeper stopped and Hirale stood near her, still looking at her intently. She kept her eyes forward, waiting for the arrival of Felassan and the apprentice. "A few crafting goods and herbs and they were content."
"They must really want to get rid of her." Hirale murmured, but the Keeper said nothing in response.
The two fell hushed as they waited. Millions of questioned buzzed around in the silence, but Hirale didn't speak a word of them. A few minutes passed before Felassan came into view, followed by a smaller figure.
Felassan was a peculiar man. He wore a simple cloak and tunic, never bothering with stockings or shoes. His cowl was always up, covering most of his face and vallaslin, but wild violet eyes glowed underneath the shadow. Hirale felt unnerved by the similarity of their eyes, often finding it hard to look directly at them.
Behind Felassan, there followed a young girl. She had long, dark hair she had wrapped in a braid and huge, orange eyes that sparked like the sunlight. Her vallaslin was fresh, a bright green twisted tree along her sun kissed cheeks and forehead to depict praise to Mythal. She had a staff strapped to her back and wore comfortable apprentice robes.
"Ah, Keeper Deshanna." Felassan greeted with a grin twisting along his face. His teeth were glimmering and even, but his sharp canine teeth made his grin look more menacing than playful. "It's a pleasure to see you."
He bowed his head to her, offering a ridiculous curtsey with his greeting.
The Keeper smiled warmly.
"An'eth'ara, Felassan. It is good to see you." The Keeper's eyes fell upon the young, elven girl behind him. "And to you, da'len."
"An'daran Atish'an, Keeper Deshanna." The girl replied. She didn't appear timid in the least. She was actively studying her surroundings, those eyes darting every which way.
"And Hirale!" Felassan said excitedly, turning his violet eyes to lock onto Hirale's matching pair. Hirale could feel his nervousness creep up the arch of his back and a twitch of his eyebrow, straining to look unaffected. "My, how you've grown."
"An'daran Atish'an, Hahren." Hirale said, though he didn't bow in any form of respect and kept staring back into the man's eyes, unwilling to give up the staring match. Felassan simply grinned and turned to the girl behind him, bringing her around with a hand behind her back to present her.
"This is Aydienne." He said. The girl looked at Hirale curiously, absorbing every detail about him she could see. She extended her hand to him and he eyed it cautiously.
"Savhalla, Hirale." She said to him.
"Savhalla, Aydienne." He responded, taking her hand in a clammy shake. "It's good to meet you."
Hirale opened his eyes to find himself engulfed in the smell of herbs and dimly lit candlelight. It was a cabin, though he couldn't remember how he'd gotten there. There was a swirl of chatter outside, muted by thick wooden walls. There were animal pelts plastered to the wall and assorted knickknacks on the finely crafted bookshelves.
Hirale felt lighter, though his body ached with soreness and slumber. He quickly realized he was no longer wearing his heavy coat and had been stripped down to under armor. He immediately sat up straight, his hands grasping frantically at his chest in search for his binder.
It was gone.
His eyes darted around the cabin, falling onto a small chest across the room that was filled with his clothes. He leapt from the bed, sending the covers flying and nearly knocking over the burning candle on the nightstand.
He flung various clothes out of the chest, searching for the binder. When he finally found it, his body washed over in relief. He held it close to his chest affectionately before studying it carefully for any tears. It had stayed in pretty good shape, though it was clearly worn out.
Underneath his clothes were his bottles of T poultice, he was sure he had lost or had been destroyed once he had been apprehended. He sighed as he counted the number of flasks left. There were enough to barely get him through a week.
Well, hopefully I can head home to restock.
There was a gasp and a crash of dishes behind him and he turned around defensively to find a young elven woman, staring at him in surprise with a litter of broken saucers around her feet. Food that was once neatly placed on the plate was sloppily discarded onto the floor, fruit rolling off to whatever crevice they could find safe harbor in.
"I'm so sorry, my lord." She managed to whimper out as she fell to her knees, unafraid to fall on the shards of broken glass beneath her. She bowed her head so low to the floor she was practically dusting it with the mop of hair on her head. "I didn't know you were awake – I swear!"
"It's alright." Hirale said carefully as he eased his shoulders forward, hoping to drown out any distinguishable curves in the loose fitting tunic. "You don't need to do that." The woman didn't look up at him and muttered to herself curses at misspeaking.
"I am but a humble servant, my Lord. Please, I beg for your forgiveness and your blessing."
Hirale raised an eyebrow as he placed the binder back in the chest. My blessing?
"It's alright, really." Hirale said as he started placing the broken plate fragments onto the tray. The servant looked up at him carefully, in awe of his help. "You don't need to be afraid of me." He smiled to her, reassuring her he was anything but terrifying. "Just tell me where I am."
"You're back in Haven, my lord." The woman answered carefully. She sat up as well, quickly picking up the discarded pieces of food and placing them onto the tray. "They said you saved us. The Breach stopped growing, just like the mark on your hand."
Hirale looked down at his hand, realizing it hadn't flickered at all and the pain was gone, just a faint soreness remained in its wake.
"It's all anyone has talked about in the last three days."
Three days?
"Wait, they're actually happy with me?" Hirale asked in astonishment. Trying to picture any shemlen being happy with a Dalish elf seemed ridiculous; then again, it hadn't been the first time.
"But I must inform Lady Pentaghast at once that you're awake." The servant bounced up to her feet and took off out of the doorway before Hirale could stop her. The door closed behind her loudly and Hirale was left with just himself.
He sat for a few moments, letting everything soak in before he got to his feet. Hirale quickly got dressed before anyone else barged in on him. He looked himself over in the mirror.
For the most part, he didn't look or feel all that different from before. The mark on his hand barely registered unless he looked directly at it, but what gave it away was the light outline of green Fade energy seeping into his irises.
When Hirale walked out of the cabin, he was met with rows of townspeople lined up along the pathway to the Chantry, all eyes on him in awe and quietly whispering amongst themselves. He was expecting snide remarks about him being an elf or responsible for the Breach in the first place, but what he heard instead caught him by surprise.
"That's him! The Herald of Andraste!"
"He stopped the Breach from getting any bigger!"
"I heard he was supposed to stop it entirely."
"Well at least other rifts aren't opening anymore!"
The people seemed to be in awe of him, but none approached him or spoke directly to him. His eyes scanned the sky, noting the Breach still swirling about like an ominous storm cloud. His mark didn't flicker and neither did the Breach. He nodded to the people hurriedly before rushing toward the Chantry; all those eyes leaving him unnerved.
He had only briefly been through Haven's streets before tackling the Breach, but he vaguely remembered how to get to the Chantry. It helped that it was the biggest building there.
There were few people around, most of them had been surrounding his cabin when he left but none were around the Chantry itself. He pushed open the large doors and walked in, the creak of the doors echoing in the empty hall.
Candles on the ground and along the candelabras dimly lighted the hall, a few opened holy books scattered along tables in corners. Hirale's ears twitched as he stepped quietly toward the door at the far end, a familiar, abrasive shouts muffled beyond the wooden door.
"He should be taken to Val Royeaux immediately for trial." As Hirale came closer, he recognized the voice as Chancellor Roderick's.
"Tried by whom?" Came Leliana's voice.
"By whoever becomes the Divine!" The Chancellor shouted. Hirale came closer to the door, pausing to listen to the argument before intruding.
His right hand rested on the door, prepared to push it open but he waited for a few moments, contemplating if he should open it or just leave now that the mark on his left had calmed.
"I do not believe he is guilty." Cassandra's thick voice was distinct and stern; Hirale could practically see her glare toward the Chancellor. Hirale smiled, grateful to have her on his side finally.
"The elf failed, Seeker." The Chancellor challenged.
Hirale stared at his hand, watching the glow on his hand with a frown. While he disliked the Chancellor, he had a point; the Breach was still in the sky. Hirale had failed.
The Chancellor's voice leaked back into Hirale's attention. "For all you know he could have planned it this way!"
"That is a little paranoid, Chancellor." Leliana reproached lightly.
Hirale sighed and placed his hand on the door, pushing it open and walking in. Cassandra and Leliana were on the opposite side of a large table with a map of Thedas draped over it.
Cassandra was leaning over the table, marking something on the map as Leliana looked over at the elf. The Chancellor stood nearby and his frown deepened when he laid eyes on Hirale.
"Chain him!" The Chancellor barked immediately as he shot a finger at him accusingly. He looked to the soldiers that stood on either side of the door, but neither moved. "I want him prepared for travel to the capital for his trial."
"Disregard him and leave us." Cassandra ordered as she stood up straight. Of the two, Cassandra was much more intimidating so the soldiers chose to listen to her and left the room obediently. The Chancellor glowered at her.
"You walk a dangerous line, Seeker."
"I'd say speaking to Cassandra like that is the more dangerous feat." Hirale remarked as he crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the Chancellor who sneered in response.
"The Breach still remains a threat." Cassandra continued, stepping closer to the Chancellor, who in turn side stepped away. "I will not ignore it."
"It may be stable, but we need to focus on completely getting rid of it instead of pointing fingers." Leliana added. Her arms folded behind her as she stood up straight, she narrowed her eyes on the Chancellor accusingly.
"There's no need to point fingers since we already know who is responsible!" Chancellor Roderick barked, motioning to Hirale. Cassandra pursed her lips, annoyed. This was going nowhere.
"So, I practically died trying to close the Breach and you still think I'm responsible?" Hirale asked incredulously.
"Yet you lived." The man disparaged with a crinkled nose. "How convenient for you."
"Lucky for you seeing as this mark is the only thing that seems to be able to close the rifts and the Breach." Hirale sassed as he waved his marked hand around. "But please, ship me off to Val Royeaux so I can be of no use in restoring order."
"Gladly."
"If you two are finished. The Breach is not the only threat we face." Cassandra intervened as she turned around toward a bookshelf behind them. Leliana looked at the Chancellor, her eyes cold and threatening.
"Someone was behind the explosion at the Conclave." The bard conceived. "Someone Most Holy hadn't expected. Perhaps they died with the others, but they may have had accomplices." Leliana's eyes narrowed onto the Chancellor critically. "Allies that may yet live."
"Wait, I am a suspect?" The Chancellor sputtered. Leliana nodded and crossed her arms over her chest.
"You are a suspect." Leliana stated simply. "You, and many others."
"Yet the prisoner is not?" The Chancellor questioned. Cassandra stood next to Leliana, a book cradled in the curve of her elbow and balanced loftily on her hip.
"I heard the voices at the Temple." Cassandra interjected, waving a hand toward Hirale. "Most Holy called to him for help. If he was responsible, that vision would have shown it."
"It could have been a coincidence."
"Not coincidence." Cassandra insisted. She turned her eyes to Hirale, a gleam in them Hirale hadn't noticed before. "Providence. The Maker sends him to us in our darkest hour."
"Um, not to rain on your parade or anything, but I am an elf." Hirale reminded carefully. Cassandra frowned. "A Dalish elf."
"I have not forgotten. No matter what you are or what you believe, you are exactly what we needed when we needed you most." In all the chaos, Hirale had nearly forgotten that Cassandra was one of the faithful, and her tone had taken him aback.
Leliana continued, "The Breach remains and your mark is our only hope of sealing it and returning things to how they were before."
"This is not for you to decide!"
Cassandra slammed down the heavy book in her arms onto the table. It held the same insignia as her and Leliana's armors and looked worn down with age. She pointed a finger at it, glaring daggers at the Chancellor as a quiet threat to continue arguing with them.
"You know what this is, Chancellor." She said smoothly. "A writ from the Divine granting us the authority to act as we need in times of crisis." The Chancellor's face fell and Cassandra continued. "As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn."
"You are as stubborn as the tales describe you, Seeker." Chancellor Roderick tried to derail, but Cassandra wasn't having it.
"We will close the Breach, we will find those responsible, and we will restore order." Cassandra rounded on him and the man began to step back toward the door. Even unarmed, Cassandra was quite intimidating. "With or without your approval."
The Chancellor jeered at her, but there was no winning this fight. He recoiled and stormed out of the room angrily, muttering curses under his breath. As the door opened and the man left, Commander Cullen strode in, his hand rested comfortably on his sheathed sword and a smirk plastered on his face.
Behind him was a woman embellished in golden ruffles and blue satin. She wore fine jewels strung along together in a loose necklace. Her skin was smooth and dark, with her cheeks rogued slightly with blush. Her black hair was pulled back into braids, twisted around into a bun and a few rogue strands curled around her face. She held a clipboard in her hand and a feathered quill in her other, a permanent flick of the wrist in her hands posture.
"He didn't look pleased." The Commander said with a smirk, taking his place on the opposite side of the table next to Cassandra. The flashy woman followed behind him, and took her place on the other side of the table as well.
"He was not. Not that that's news." Cassandra replied with a snort. She looked back to Hirale and gestured to the Commander. "You've met Commander Cullen, leader of the Inquisition forces."
"It was brief, but it's good to see you up and about." The Commander said, a light smile as he nodded to Hirale. "I didn't properly thank you for your help on the battlefield. Without you pushing me out of the way, that demon surely would have gotten the upper hand."
"Oh, it was nothing." Hirale replied sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
Cassandra continued, "This is Lady Montilyet, our Ambassador and diplomat."
"Andaran Atish'an." She greeted and Hirale's ears perked, violet eyes wide and excited.
"Dirthas Elvhen?" He asked eagerly.
Josephine immediately deflated and looked at him blushingly, busying herself with some note taking. "I'm afraid you've heard the entirety of it, I'm afraid."
"And of course, Sister Leliana." Cassandra gestured to the red head. Hirale nodded to her.
"My position here requires a degree of-" Leliana started.
"She's our spymaster." Cassandra said bluntly, earning an eye roll and a sigh from Leliana.
"Tactful as always, Cassandra."
"That's a fancy bunch of titles." Hirale said, sounding impressed though he wasn't entirely sure why any of it was important. "But do you have a plan for the Breach?"
"Luckily, the mark is stabilized now and you've bought us time." Cassandra explained. She stepped around the table and toward him. "Solas believes a second attempt to seal it would work, provided it has enough power."
"The same level of power used to open it in the first place." Leliana clarified further. "Which is why we should approach the rebel mages for aid."
"I still disagree." Cullen interjected, turning toward Leliana. "The templars could serve just as well."
"We need magic, Commander." Leliana insisted. "Enough magic poured into the mark-"
"May destroy us all!" Cullen interjected. Hirale noted the Templar insignia on his shield possibly as a big reason for his mistrust of mages. "The templars are the only means at containing such calamity. Templars can suppress the Breach and make it weak so-"
"That's pure speculation." Leliana conceded, thoroughly unconvinced. The Commander looked completely frustrated with her, he rubbed his temples and scowled at her.
"I was a templar." Cullen stated emphatically, though that didn't seem to sway the spymaster any more than before. "I know what they're capable of better than anyone here." Leliana and Cassandra exchanged looks. Cullen added, "And that goes for the mages as well."
"If I may." Hirale intervened, raising a hand to get their attention. Immediately, all eyes were on him and he felt his entire body become ten times warmer. "My clan, and many other clans, benefitted from the knowledge and skill of mages that couldn't be matched by warriors."
"Templars are not just simple warriors." Cullen started, but Hirale held up his hand.
"True, but mages can provide power as well as suppression." Hirale argued. He had never really considered which side of the templar and mage war he fell on, but he couldn't stop thinking of what Aydienne would do.
"Mages are treated like prisoners outside of our clans, da'mi." She once told him. It was shortly after the explosion in Kirkwall that started sending the shemlen world into turmoil. "They aren't given the respect and rights of regular people simply because they were born with a gift someone fears. Imagine, being locked up because of your ability to wield a battle axe."
"That's hardly the same, da'avise."
"But isn't it?" Aydienne urged. "You possess a skill that could be used to kill someone or defend or help someone. Locking up everyone capable of swordsmanship for what might happen with a few is unfair and unjust." She looked toward the horizon sadly, her face drenched in orange dusk light. "The templars would make criminals of the mages before they even had the right to decide."
"I suppose you're right." Hirale said carefully.
"I'm always right." Aydienne laughed.
Hirale exhaled and looked Cullen directly in the eye. "And given the state of things and how the Chantry treats them, the mages may have more to prove than the templars."
Cullen fell quiet, his eyes studying Hirale's face thoughtfully. Josephine cleared her throat as she scribbled something on her clipboard.
"Unfortunately, neither group will even speak with us just yet." Josephine stated. "The Chantry has denounced the Inquisition… and you, more specifically."
"That didn't take long." Hirale laughed, some of the tension releasing from his shoulders. "They aren't concerned about the Breach?"
"The Chantry loves to focus on unimportant matters. Shouldn't they be scrambling to find a new Divine?" Commander Cullen remarked, looking at Josephine with a snide look. Hirale was surprised to hear an ex-Templar speak so disdainfully of the Chantry, but then again he was an ex-Templar.
Josephine ignored the Commander's uncouth comment. "Well, some are calling you, a Dalish elf, the Herald of Andraste."
Hirale laughed. "Now, that's just silly. My name doesn't even have a 'd' in it." Cullen chuckled and Hirale immediately smiled at the Commander, his heart beating quickly and his palms becoming sweaty.
"The mere thought of you being Andraste's chosen frightens them." Josephine explained. "The remaining clerics have declared it blasphemy and we as heretics for harboring you."
"Chancellor Roderick clearly wasted no time in slandering your name." Leliana added.
"Fantastic." Hirale breathed. He thought more about it and everything felt so heavy around him. Nothing could be the least bit simple now. "The Chosen of Andraste?"
"Speaking of fancy titles." Cullen quipped. Hirale glanced over at him to find him smirking and his face felt pink again. Luckily, the lighting in the room could hide that. "How do you feel about that?"
"I'm not the chosen one…" Hirale answered. "Particularly not Andraste."
Cullen nodded in agreement, adding, "I'm sure the Chantry would agree."
"You must understand the people are desperate for a sign of hope." Leliana explained. She looked at Hirale with cold eyes that Hirale, for a moment, mistook as being melancholy. "For some, you're that sign."
"And to others, a symbol of everything gone wrong." Josephine added, though Hirale could have done without that little amendment.
"Should we be worried the Chantry will attack us?" Hirale asked. After the war started, the templars broke away from the Chantry but Hirale was unsure if they had a backup army hidden away somewhere.
"With what?" Cullen asked with a cynical chuckle. "They only have words at their disposal. If the templar order had stayed with them, sure, but otherwise they have no means."
"And yet, they may very well bury us with their slander." Josephine warned.
"There is something you can do." Leliana said, trying to deter them from the negative toll the conversation was taking. "There is a Chantry mother, by the name of Mother Giselle, in the Hinterlands near Redcliffe, that wishes to speak with you." Hirale exchanged looks with Cassandra hesitantly. "She knows many people involved in the Chantry better than I do and her help could be invaluable."
"Why would anyone from the Chantry want to speak to me?" Hirale asked. "Didn't we just get done saying the Chantry thinks I'm a heretic?"
"I understand she's more reasonable than her sisters." Leliana further rationalized. "She may see more importance in helping us close the Breach rather than pointing fingers as to why it happened."
"And why is a Chantry Mother roughin' it in the woods?" Hirale didn't often see Chantry mothers out and about in the forests. They typically stayed in the overdone Chantry halls built of stained glass and polished stone.
"She's tending to refugees there." Leliana answered. "The fighting has become much more hostile with the explosion."
"While you're there, look for other opportunities to expand the Inquisition's influence." Cullen suggested.
"Kind gestures to refugees or helping out soldiers could benefit our reputation greatly." Josephine clarified. "And look for agents to extend our reach beyond this valley."
"Why me?"
"You're better suited than anyone to convince others." The Ambassador answered. "While many are skeptical of you, there are many who believe you're the Chosen One and that could work to your advantage."
"There will be other options as well." Cassandra spoke up. She turned to Hirale, the two of them attempting to read one another's poker face. "You won't be doing this alone." She added and extended her hand to him. "That is, if you're willing to help us."
"If you plan to restore order…" Hirale started.
"That is the plan, yes." Leliana replied.
"Help us fix this before it's too late." Cassandra implored, though it sounded more of a statement than asking. Hirale's eyes falling to Cassandra's hand as he weighed his options. There was very little he could do, but joining this Inquisition was a big decision. If he left, the world would fall into chaos, as he was the only one capable of closing the Breach. If he stayed, he wouldn't be able to return home and his entire life was bound to change.
But if I don't help, my home could be in danger anyway.
He took Cassandra's hand firmly. "I'll do it."
A few days had passed as they waited to hear from Leliana's scouts in the Hinterlands. Cassandra was adamant about sending scouts to find Mother Giselle before Hirale and company journey out that way. The Hinterlands were very large and with the fighting between mages and templars becoming more violent, Cassandra wanted to be as prepared as possible. This gave Hirale some much needed time to recover.
The mark hadn't grown any more since Hirale had sealed that last rift and it had become much more stable upon his hand. It didn't hurt anymore, but just glowed and whirred calmly. His violet eyes still held a tint of green along the line of his iris and sometimes he felt a bit lightheaded, but nothing too strenuous.
The potion master, Adan, had been explicit that Hirale still needed a few more days to recover before heading out into battle-heavy chaos. Granted, Adan had also told him to cut back on any vigorous activity, such as hunting, but Hirale conveniently ignored that bit of advice.
Hirale explored the woods outside of Haven. The calm of the woods brought him back to the simple life with his clan. He spent most of his time away from Haven and into the forest, leaving by first dawn and not returning until the last meal of the day.
The woods were a comfort compared to the life around town.
While the townspeople hadn't said anything directly to Hirale, he was not oblivious to the sideways looks and whispers they exchanged whenever he walked past them. They were a mix of prejudice or skepticism that Hirale just didn't have the patience for.
But it wasn't just the humans that made it difficult.
Many of the elves around the camp were servants and could barely look Hirale in the eye let alone hold up any sort of conversation. There were absolutely no Dalish other than himself. The only one willing to discuss anything truly elven was Solas, and the mage had made it abundantly clear his distain for the Dalish.
The last time they spoke, Hirale nearly got into a one-sided screaming match with the apostate. It had gotten so heated that Adan and his apprentice had to break it up. So, it was best they remained at a safe distance from one another.
It was nearly noon as Hirale sat perched atop a boulder, watching a herd of nugs scampering around the snow and wondering how they could stay warm without any fur of their own, when a scout came running up to him. He wore a scarf over his head, possibly for stealth but more likely for warmth in the snowy tundra.
"My Lord." The scout said as he came closer.
He brought his fist to his chest and bowed respectfully to Hirale, who still wasn't quite used to this sort of treatment and simply stared back awkwardly.
"Lady Ambassador wishes to speak to you."
"To me?" Hirale asked. He had very little interaction with Lady Montilyet, not because she was dislikeable, because she hadn't been, but rather he had little to nothing to talk to her about. At least with Cassandra or Cullen, they could get lost in discussing training exercises or various types of fighting styles. "Did she say what for?"
"I'm afraid not, my Lord." The scout replied. Hirale sighed and stared back at the nugs for a little bit before standing up on the boulder.
"Alright." Hirale said as he jumped off the boulder, simultaneously scaring the nugs off into the forest as he landed. Hirale frowned toward the woods and pulled out a slice of bread from his pack, crumbling it up in his hand. "I'll head back to the Chantry now. Thank you."
"You're welcome, Herald."
"Hirale." He corrected as his ears flattened, annoyed, but the scout had already left.
Hirale chirped toward where the nugs had scampered off and tossed a few crumbs of bread around the snow. They peered back out from the forest, noses twitching and ears flailing as they cautiously approached the offering. Hirale walked away and the nugs devoured the bits of bread he had left them.
He followed the pathway back toward Haven, passing the training grounds where Cullen was drilling the recruits on their form. Cassandra was nearby, training alone, but viciously against a training dummy.
Better that than me. Hirale thought for a moment, thinking back to when they first met. He continued into the main gates, unnerved by the sudden hush that fell over a few of the townsfolk as he passed.
Hirale hated this attention.
He quickly made his way to the Chantry and to Josephine's office. He could hear a light conversation behind the wood. Hirale pushed open the heavy door to find Josephine speaking with a ridiculously dressed man. He wore a combination of blue, yellow, and brown silks with a large collar designed with shimmering plaidweave. He wore a mask, indicating he was Orlesian that covered most of his face.
"You simply can't stay here." He insisted to Josephine, who looked a bit exasperated from their discussion. The man pounded his fist in his palm, trying to be more emphatic. "You can't prove that it was founded on Justinia's orders."
"This is an inopportune time, Marquis. More of the faithful flock here each day." Josephine argued, fluttering her fingers airily. She looked over to Hirale and politely smiled at him. "But allow me to introduce you to the brave soul who risked his life to slow the magic of the Breach."
The odd man turned to look at Hirale, though he didn't seem at all enthused.
"Master Lavellan, this is the Marquis DuRellion. He's one of Justinia's strongest supporters."
"And the rightful owner of Haven." The Marquis added petulantly. "This Inquisition is not part of the arrangement. Surely you can respect that." He looked directly to Hirale, attempting to bolster sympathy, but received none.
"Honestly, I didn't know that Haven was owned by anyone." Hirale deadpanned. "And aren't there more pressing issues than ownership of Haven?"
"Yes of course, but you must understand this is about what the late Divine Justinia would have wanted." The Marquis insisted, but Hirale just stared at him. "I will not let an upstart order remain on her holy ground."
"That's interesting… considering this order was founded by the right and left hands of the Divine." Hirale scoffed. It was clear the Marquis was absolutely offended, despite his mask hiding his expression. He puffed up.
"Neither Sister Leliana nor Seeker Pentaghast have given me a written record of the Divine approving an Inquisition."
"You need it written out?" Hirale asked, raising an eyebrow to the Marquis before glancing sideways to Josephine. "Isn't their word good enough?"
"No." The Marquis stated firmly.
"Oh dear." A grim tone took over Josephine's features as she 'tsked' under her breath. She looked at the Marquis pointedly. "If you won't take her at her word, I'm afraid Seeker Pentaghast must challenge you to a duel."
"W-what?" The Marquis stuttered. Hirale's eyes lit up, grinning at the Ambassador.
"It's a matter of honor among the Navarran's." Josephine explained. She looked at her board, her finger running down the schedule hastily before stopping near the bottom. She held her pen ready as she looked up at the Marquis again. "Shall I arrange the bout for tonight?"
"Sounds excellent." Hirale chimed in happily. The Marquis was sweating. "I can inform Cassandra for you."
"No. No." The Marquis held up his hands. He sighed, defeated and straightened himself. "Perhaps my reaction to the Inquisition's presence was a bit… hasty."
"It is a dark time, my grace." Josephine soothed. She had a remarkably calming voice and managed to stay more even toned than Hirale ever could with such nonsense. "The Divine wouldn't want her passing to divide us. She would in fact, trust us to form alliances to benefit all." The Marquis turned to her and she smiled cordially. "No matter how strange they may appear."
"I'll need to think on it, Lady Montilyet." The man concluded, but he didn't appear to be putting up much of a fight like he had earlier. Fear of Cassandra Pentaghast was enough to eat away any man's confidence. "In the meantime, I suppose, the Inquisition can stay."
"Thank you, Marquis." Josephine called to him as he left the office.
Hirale waited a few moments, to give the Marquis ample time to walk away from the door, before turning to Josephine and asking, "So, does the Marquis actually own Haven?"
"Not exactly." Josephine answered. She placed her pen at the top of the board and walked over to her neatly organized desk. "Haven is technically on Ferelden ground and the Marquis is Orlesian." Hirale assumed that meant something important. Luckily, he didn't have to ask, she continued, "If the Marquis wishes to claim ownership of Haven, Empress Celene would have to address King Alistair for the rights."
"How likely is that?"
"Not very, given that the Empress currently has larger concerns." Josephine answered as she rounded her desk, sitting down in the large chair as she placed her papers out in front of her. "There is a civil war in Orlais and the Empress cannot be bothered with minor property disputes."
"So there's a civil war in Orlais as well as the templar and mage war?" Hirale asked with a raised brow. Josephine nodded and Hirale sighed. "Well, at least the Marquis can't toss us out into the cold then. Hopefully that's the last we see of him."
"His grace is just the first of the many dignitaries we'll contend with."
"You think more are going to show up?"
"Undoubtedly." Josephine replied. "And each visitor will spread the story of the Inquisition after they depart. That's why it's very important we meet them with level heads and diplomatic approach."
Hirale made a solemn face.
He was not the one who should be talking to diplomats. He could barely be cordial to Thelnarel, and he was supposed to be in a position worthy of respect. Who knows what damage Hirale could do by not posturing correctly?
"Don't worry, Herald. I'll handle that." Josephine must have noticed his expression falter. She gave him a reassuring smile. "As Ambassador, it's my duty to make sure their visits are as complementary as possible."
"Oh good." Hirale laughed, relieved that he wouldn't have to pander too much to the sensibilities of nobles. "I'm not exactly the best with shem- I mean, humans… least of all politicians or nobility." Hirale admitted.
Aydienne would have been better at this.
At least they had Josephine. He looked at the Ambassador gratefully and added, "We're lucky to have you."
"Thank you. Let us hope so. Thedas' politics have become… agitated as of late." Josephine sighed as she scribbled something on a few pieces of parchment. "I hope to guide us down smoother paths." Her hand moved to a small pile of envelopes, and pulled out one from the top of the stack. She held it out to him. "But before I forget, I wanted to give you this."
Hirale took the envelope. It smelled of the woods and herbs, urging nostalgic memories of the forest to seep into his thoughts. The parchment was like that he and the twins used for map making and it was tied firmly by a pale rope, similar to ones they had for fixing the aravels.
"It's from your Clan." Josephine said before Hirale could ask. Hirale stared at the parchment with large, wistful violet eyes. "They're concerned about you staying with us and whether or not it's… voluntary."
He unraveled the rope eagerly, tearing through the envelope brutally, and pulled out the letter. The writing was neat and beautifully swirled, and it occurred to Hirale he had never seen his Keeper's handwriting before.
Clan Lavellan offers greetings to the Inquisition and wishes it well in sealing the Breach that has opened in the sky. While some Dalish clans hate humans and wish nothing to do with them, Clan Lavellan has always dealt fairly with all and wished only for peace. That said, we have on occasion been forced to defend ourselves from those who saw us only as potential victims.
It has come to our attention that a member of our clan is being held captive by your Inquisition. He went to the Conclave only to observe the peace talks between your mages and Templars, and we find it highly unlikely that he intentionally violated your customs. If he has been charged with a crime, we would appreciate hearing it. If not, it would ease our concerns to hear from him to know that he remains with the Inquisition on his own will.
We await your reply,
Keeper Istimaethorial Deshanna Lavellan
"I shall send some elven scouts to approach them to explain the matter." Josephine stated. Hirale hadn't realized he had been holding his breath as he read the letter and he exhaled loudly.
"I would like to send a letter with the scouts, if you don't mind." Hirale said quickly, as if Josephine's words had already travelled out of the room and to the scouts, informing them of their duties. Josephine didn't seem to be a mage, but she had a proclivity for making magic happen around Haven so it wouldn't have surprised him. "I think the Clan would be more at ease if they were given the news in my own words."
"As you wish, Herald."
"Hirale." He corrected automatically as he looked over the letter again, but it was becoming more of a reflex than an annoyance. He folded the letter and placed it in a pocket on the inside of his jacket. "If that's all you needed, Ambassador…"
"No. That's not all I wished to discuss with you, Master Lavellan." Josephine said as she placed her papers down in a neat pile on the corner of her desk. Hirale's brow raised curiously.
"Oh?"
"I should like to know if anyone has treated you unkindly…" Josephine paused and Hirale made a confused face, unsure of what she meant. "For being an elf."
That caught Hirale by surprise.
"Well, I'm mostly in the woods by myself, so it's really hard for them to disrespect me to my face when I'm not around." Hirale laughed but Josephine sucked her teeth and frowned.
"Tsk. I shall speak with the staff about their conduct." She concluded, jotting down a quick note for herself.
"There's really no need to do that."
"If we're to convince the world that Andraste's Herald is an elf, then the Inquisition should show it's utmost support for you." Josephine explained.
Hirale hadn't considered that a potential problem, but he also wasn't entirely on board with convincing anyone he was the Herald of Andraste.
"Stories of 'wild Dalish elves' have grown more outrageous as people learn of you."
"Isn't the Hero of Ferelden also Dalish?" Hirale asked, vaguely remembering being lectured by Aydienne about the fifth blight.
"Yes, but she is a Grey Warden not Andraste's Herald."
"Hirale." He corrected lightly. "But how could they have gotten worse?" Hirale asked, amused. Josephine's face fell as she considered her words.
"I'd rather not repeat them." She said finally.
"C'mon…"
Josephine sighed. "Stealing children, selling peasants into slavery, burning villages, using children for blood rituals…"
"They forgot about the part where we steal your breath and turn into dragons." Hirale joked.
"Don't say that too loud, Herald. I'm sure people would be eager to circulate that rumor as well." Josephine countered, a slight smile at the corner of her lips indicated she at least found him somewhat funny. "Those are just the stories of your fellow Dalish. I won't repeat what they've said about you."
"I'm not surprised." Hirale added, shrugging as he crossed his arms. "Humans that tell those tales are the first to turn a knife on someone with pointed ears."
"You've experienced this before?" Josephine asked, genuinely surprised. It hadn't occurred to him that not all humans had seen this treatment of elves. Hirale couldn't be mad at her for not knowing. He sighed.
"Yes. While my clan has always traded with local villages, there are always a few thugs thinking they can pull a fast one on us because we're elves."
"Oh… I did not realize…" Josephine said slowly before her face changed determinedly. It reminded him of Aydienne wanting to defend the weak. Of how Aydienne wanted to defend him. "I will do all I can to end the slander." She paused, thinking for a moment before she pulled her parchment closer and looked at him expectantly. "It would help if I learned more about how your clan lived."
"Is that a roundabout way of asking to get to know me?" Hirale asked coyly and Josephine immediately began to stutter embarrassedly before he added, "I'm just playing, Ambassador.
"We are always busy. Everyone has a job to do. Getting up before dawn to fish, tending to our aravels… er, wagons and tents, spending days on the hunt."
Hirale's eyes glazed over with yearning tears. Josephine looked fascinated. Her eyes were wide and inquiring; eager to hear everything he had to say. It must have been completely different from how she was raised. Her clothes alone spoke the volumes of privilege she had and the way she spoke to nobility made it clear she was accustomed to first class living.
How alien it must have been to her to listen to his life in the woods.
"But the best part was when our wagons left the plains and came to the woods. My friends and I would spend weeks exploring the forests. Scoping out new trails and caves. Every day was an adventure."
"You make it sound so… idyllic."
"It really is." Hirale said. He had considered all the times Aydienne had tried to explain Orlesian life to him, hoping he'd be interested. Up until now, that knowledge just didn't seem applicable. "Can you tell me about how you live? Orlesians, I mean?"
Josephine's face lit up.
They had spent little over half an hour discussing the differences between Dalish life and city life. Hirale and pulled up a chair, sitting backwards in it with his arms draped over the back of it as he and the Ambassador traded stories of home.
"I'm still marveling over the fact you have food delivered straight to your doorsteps!"
"Really? I hadn't considered it extraordinary." Josephine replied, astonished.
"It's quite amazing to me, honestly. We hunt all the time and rarely keep meat that we don't plan to eat that day." Hirale explained. "And these desserts you have. I've never eaten thing as sweet as fruit but… not actually fruit."
"Ooh! Have you ever tried the frilly cakes they sell at the Val Royeaux market?" Josephine asked, though the answer was obvious. "They are to die for. They're so moist and decadent. You must try them. I'll order some in our next shipment from the capital."
"Sounds like a plan." Hirale smiled, grateful to have made another friend as it made him forget his homesickness.
Keeper Deshanna,
An'daran atish'an. Rest assured, I am fine. After the explosion at the Conclave, I woke up with a mark on my hand that's capable of closing the rifts that opened when the breach was created. Apparently, it's the only thing that can close a rift. As much as I would love to return home, I have to restore order, and if that means closing the breach with the Inquisition then so be it. I'm sure you'll understand that I do this with our clan in mind.
The Inquisition initially was skeptical of my involvement with what happened at the Conclave, as I don't remember anything prior to after the breach, but since I have agreed to help, they've been very courteous.
I do hope Aydienne is staying out of trouble and fighting less with you, but then again I know that's just wishful thinking. Please send her my love and let her know I'm okay. I miss her terribly, as I do the rest of the clan.
Human life is so bizarre.
The elves I've met here offer very little comfort to that of our clan. It only adds to my homesickness. Most of them are from cities or alienages and many of them seem intimidated by my being Dalish. One elf in particular, Solas, claims to be an elven expert, but I think he's just an arrogant egghead. While he seems very smart and magically talented, he has very clear prejudices against the Dalish and our culture. It's a chore speaking with him. There's also something off about him. I think he may be hiding something from us.
I hope to be rid of the rifts and the breach very soon so I may return home. I've also run out of my T poultice. I don't think it's too noticeable that I've gone without it, but I would prefer to maintain the therapy. If you could ask Aydienne to make more and send them, I would appreciate it.
Dareth shiral,
Hirale.
Hirale looked over his letter a few more times before heading out of his cabin. It took him quite a few hours to complete, given he wasn't the best with words.
Maybe I should have asked Varric for help. Hirale thought, glancing over to where the dwarf was, prodding a fire with a stick. He shrugged and called to one of the scouts that had been waiting near the front gate. They had returned earlier that day with news of Mother Giselle's whereabouts and the state of the Hinterlands.
The scout was a small, dwarven woman and had two sharpened daggers perched on her back, poised and ready for battle. She had red eyebrows, giving away that she had red hair hidden away beneath her cowl. Hirale handed her the envelope carefully, as if it would shatter if it were dropped; alas, it was still just parchment.
"Please, deliver this letter to my Keeper when you go." Hirale asked and the scout nodded to him as she placed the letter in her small satchel attached to her hip.
"Of course, Herald."
"It's Hirale." He sighed, but the scout didn't correct herself and simply bowed to him before rejoining the other scouts. Hirale shrugged and walked over toward Varric.
"Cassandra mentioned that Leliana's scouts have sent word. She'll probably want us to leave here in a few days, if not sooner." Varric said as he looked over to the scouts then over to Hirale as he tossed the stick in his hand into the flames. "But now that Cassandra's out of earshot, how are you holding up?"
"A little overwhelmed, I suppose." Hirale answered as he leaned against the stone just below the Quartermaster's set up. He watched as the people of Haven scampered around, busily going about their day as if the rip in the sky were just an unwelcome afterthought.
"That would be an understatement." Varric chuckled. "You went from being the most wanted criminal in Thedas to joining the armies of the Andrastian faithful." The dwarf gave him a sideways look, playfully smirking at him as he gestured with his hands. "Most people would have spread that out a little more than just a few days."
"Believe me, I can barely keep up." Hirale said with a laugh. He was glad that someone was willing to joke around with him about it. It made everything feel less grim. "Honestly though, none of this shit should have happened."
"You don't know the half of it." Varric agreed. "For nearly a week we've watched the Breach pour out demons and Maker knows what. It's not exactly good for morale."
Hirale nodded and studied Varric for a moment. "If it was really that bad, why didn't you walk away?"
He had considered many times that he should leave because all of this was a bit too much to handle. Hirale could have easily slipped away while he was out in the forest and none would have been able to track him; save, Leliana herself perhaps.
"The same reason you didn't, I suppose." Varric paused, looking at Hirale's hand. He smiled lightheartedly. "Granted, you had a much more prominent reason for staying than I did. It's just… as much as I want to believe I'm this selfish, irresponsible cad, thousands of people died on that mountain. I was almost one of them." Varric sighed. "Now there's a big hole in the sky. Even I just can't walk away from that."
The dwarf had a point. They were stuck until this issue was resolved.
The elf sighed. "I'm not even sure any of this is really happening. It seems so surreal."
"Do you need a pinch?" Varric joked, teasingly tapping his fingertips together toward Hirale, who swatted them away. "I will say, if you see an opportunity, you should hightail it out of here. I've written enough tragedies to recognize where this is going. Heroes are everywhere, I've seen them."
Varric frowned and Hirale furrowed his brow. Hirale hadn't read any of Varric's books, but Aydienne had, of course. She had even read the one about the Champion of Kirkwall, but Hirale vaguely remembered that it was riddled with a lot of tragedy, and that was one of Varric's nonfiction books.
"But the hole in the sky? That's something else entirely." The rogue remarked wistfully as he stared up into the sky, watching as the Breach churned quietly in the clouds. "We won't need heroes. We'll need a damned miracle."
"And you say the Breach is bad for morale." Hirale laughed dryly.
A/N: Thanks for waiting so long for the update. Don't worry, I plan on having things pick up in the next chapter or so. A little Cullen/Hirale fluff too to get us started down the slippery slope of romance!
*Mabari Helm – So, I'm a firm believer that Cullen's helm should be a Mabari because that's Ferelden, as is he, while a Lion is an Orlesian symbol. So, there's that change because it's my headcanon. Important things!
Please, read/review/follow/etc. I'm glad so many people are already starting to like this story. It feels a bit slow right now, but it'll pick up in later chapters. So thanks again everyone!
As before, I'd like to give credit to and endless thanks for many of the Elvhen phrases to FenxShiral for their incredible work on deconstructing the Elvhen language. To find Project Elvhen /works/3553883/chapters/7825850 or visit their tumblr under the FenxShiral tag.
Translations:
An'eth'ara - (Informal) Greetings / My place is safe.
An'daran Atish'an - (Formal) Greetings / Welcome / The place you go is safe.
Savahalla - (Informal) Hello
Dirthas Elvhen? - "You speak Elvhen?"