Revas shifted her weight ever so slightly and adjusted the quiver on her back. She was following a Ben-Hassrath agent. The operative had been identified by an Inquisition asset in Denerim. Now the human was trying to reach Orlais.
The agent was exhausted, she had been running for days. The agent had been exposed by King Alistair's spymaster. A bold move intended to stir action from the Fereldan court against perceived Qunari aggression in the Free Marches.
It had backfired and cost the spymaster his position.
Revas crept forward carefully. The operative had veered south toward the Korcari Wilds but stopped short of the shell of what had been Lothering before the fifth blight. The land was still scarred by the blight, peopled by wild Chasind clans and stray darkspawn.
Revas had started her pursuit with a five person team. During the chase three had fallen back due to injuries or simply being outmaneuvered by their prey. They would regroup and return to Skyhold or an Inquisition camp for orders. For now it was down to Revas and the last of her team to run their quarry to ground. She was looking forward to the conclusion of the chase.
The woman was dark of eye and skin, she wore mottled armor that did an excellent job of helping her blend in with the scant greenery. She made no fires and moved with the easy lope of someone conditioned to long journeys on foot. To make the chase harder the woman was smart, very smart. She used the terrain against them and wasn't afraid of pain or discomfort.
The woman appeared to be asleep though Revas fully expected she had surrounded herself with traps or at least noisy warnings. She crept forward carefully looking and feeling for any triggers. As she drew near her prey she saw that the woman's breathing was irregular. Cursing Revas got to her feet and rushed forward. There were no traps.
She knelt, ready to jump out of range should the Qunari spy react, and checked the woman. She was unconscious. Revas swore out loud and rolled the woman onto her back. She had broad features and a scar running from her right temple to the right corner of her mouth.
"Mistress?" Her lone companion, a male dwarf, asked as he arrived. He had been shadowing Revas prepared to back her up or pursue their quarry solo as needed.
"Kaler, she's ill, some kind of fever. We need mounts and a healer. We cannot let her die."
He nodded thought for a moment, seemed to have an idea, nodded again and set off at a jog. Revas started a fire and pulled the woman close to it. She searched her opponent and found four throwing knives, a short sword, a handful of rusty caltrops, several flasks of what had to be poison, and a pouch of gold. No food, no medicine, no clean water.
Revas sighed and reached for her own pack. She carried essential items and tools only. She pulled out a paper wrapped parcel and carefully opened it. Inside was a concentrated paste of elfroot and other powerful healing herbs. It was potent enough that in high enough doses it could kill.
She set it aside and removed a flask of water then she separated a quarter of the healing paste, looked over at the woman, increased the amount of paste and added it to the water. She held the woman in her lap and gently fed her the healing mixture. Once the flask was empty she put it away with the paste and checked her charge for any injuries or additional symptoms.
Night fell and the moon rose. She kept a careful watch on the camp and her charge. Hours later she heard the steady rumble of shod hooves in the distance. She drew her bow and slipped into the shadows ready to take down the lead rider.
This spy could have information critical to the Inquisition and the safety of Thedas. She knew Iron Bull, she knew what lengths the Qunari would go to if they felt it necessary. She would not let the spy escape.
She waited patiently, breathing in a calm slow rhythm that would ensure steady hands and a clear head when the time to act arrived.
Instead of armored soldiers or Ben-Hassrath reinforcements Kaler appeared with a male human and two spare horses.
"There's your patient." Kaler said to the human as he slid off his horse's back and drew his own sword.
Revas sighed and stepped from the shadows. Kaler saw her and sheathed his blade.
"Healer from the merchant caravan we passed this morning. Cost a bag of gold."
"I'm worth it. What have you given her?" The human asked. Revas told her and showed the flask and the paste so the healer could gauge the amounts.
"You did well. It is swamp fever, common here. She should recover in three days but should be watched."
"All that gold and that's the best you can do?" Kaler growled.
"The gold will also buy your silence healer." Revas said. The human nodded.
"Kaler, in the morning escort the healer back to her people." Revas said wearily. They shared their rations and Kaler stood watch.
"I could ask why a pair of Inquisition rogues are deep in Chasind lands pursuing a sickly human, why none have mounts, or supplies, why they are very well armed, very well disciplined …. I could ask but I know spies when I see them." The healer said as she and Revas huddled around the fire.
"You are free to make up your own mind. So long as you tell no tales of our presence beyond those no doubt already stirring I do not care."
"What is her name?"
"I don't know. Hopefully I will have a chance to find out."
Revas allowed herself to sleep once the healer gave up on conversation and settled next to her patient. Kaler stood watch the full night. As dawn broke he roused her, the healer was ready to leave and their charge was awake. She glared at Revas and Kaler as they spoke with the healer. Kaler's gold had purchased three horses in addition to the healer's skills and silence. As Kaler and the healer set out Revas tried to speak with her prize.
"You are Ben-Hasrath, you were exposed in Denerim and fled." The woman glared at Revas but remained silent.
"You do not need to speak with me, I am taking you to Skyhold." She said. The woman reacted at the mention of the Inquisition fortress.
"You are not Fereldan?"
"Do I sound Fereldan?"
"Somewhat but..no."
"We will leave when Kaler returns. You are ill, the healer called it a swamp fever. You will be weak for several days. I will bind your hands, if you try to flee I will put an arrow between your shoulders."
"Why tell me?"
"I have no need to lie to you. You're a professional, possibly a zealot, but a well trained one at least. We only caught you because you were ill."
"I am called Sara."
"In Fereldan." Revas said with a smile and held up a hand as the agent started to protest.
"It's okay, you don't have to talk to me but you don't need to lie either. I know someone who was Ben-Hassrath."
Sara looked unsettled by Revas' matter of fact attitude but didn't object or speak further. She was silent until well after Kaler's return. Only after she had been bound and settled on the calmest of the mounts did she speak.
"You know the Tal-Vashoth called The Iron Bull?"
"Yes, he's a good man, a good friend."
She didn't speak again.
They made good time and used their skills and forgotten pathways to make better time. The weather held and Sara's illness passed. By the time they reached the foothills of the frostbite mountains nearly a week had passed. They changed mounts and started for Skyhold.
Revas was nervous about Sara, she had not attempted to flee even once. She suspected the Viddathari was plotting to learn about the Inquisition and Bull then escape and inform on them to the Qunari.
By midmorning of the sixth day they reached the first of Skyhold's twin gates. They handed their mounts over to be groomed and included with the Inquisition's other mounts.
"Soldier, this is Sara, she is a Viddathari and Ben-Hassrath, inform Bull of her arrival. She is to be treated with respect and utmost caution. Signal Lady Nightingale of our return." She said. She was so weary her voice was little more than a croak, her bones hurt from the long days of riding and running. Kaler at her side was silent with exhaustion. The soldier saluted and raced off to complete her requests. Two others stepped forward with manacles for Sara.
"See she is provided food, clean water, and clothing. We've had a long journey." Revas said. They nodded and Sara allowed them to replace her rope bindings with the iron manacles. She looked down at Revas, like most humans she was slightly taller than Revas, then nodded respectfully and followed the soldiers ahead of Revas and Kaler and across the long windy bridge to the second gate.
"Kaler, I want you to take personal responsibility for Sara, she could be an invaluable asset. I don't expect any of our people will hurt her or try anything but there are zealots that would easily see a Ben-Hassrath as a traitor to the Inquisition."
"No worries Revas, I got her in hand." He rumbled tiredly. Together they walked toward Skyhold and warm beds. As they walked one of the Inquisition's red crested black birds arced overhead, spreading their news among the Inquisition.
