A Templar's Faith, A Mage's Resolve
Chapter 4
A Familiar Face
Maev sat slumped over bowl of stew. She could feel the stares of the occupants around her. It made the stew feel like sludge. Herald. She had heard the word whispered a thousand times when people thought they were too far for her to hear, but her long ears worked rather well. The word made her stomach lurch every time.
"Try some salt, it gives it a little more of a punch." Came a voice from far too close. Maev's head whipped around to stare at the dwarf from before - Varric, who was climbing rather unceremoniously onto the next bar stool.
"The stew is great." Said the mage, avoiding the gaze of the barkeep.
"Than what's with the look? Its like someone tried feeding you nug shit." He watched as Maev looked over her shoulder, glancing at the occupants of the tavern. Oh. "A giant hole in the sky and they have nothing better to do than stare huh?" The mage's face burned a dark red, along side several of the patrons of the pub. One even knocked over his pint in his scramble to turn away. Maev snorted.
"Thanks," she said, turning back to her stew, she no longer had to swallow it twice before it went down. "I feel like a sideshow attraction." She grumbled, letting out a heavy sigh. "No, scratch that. Side show attractions get paid to be stared at all day." The dwarf let out a loud laugh, throwing his head back. Maev cracked a smile, the stress lines across her forehead loosening. They spent a few moments in comfortable silence as she sipped at the thick broth in her bowl.
"Not that the seeker is out of earshot, how are you holding up? You go from the most wanted criminal in Thedas to joining an army of the faithful." Maev thought about the dwarf's question, giving a heavy shrug.
"I'm alive, the mark has stopped spreading, Cassandra no longer wants my head on a spike and this stew is actually pretty damn good. I'd say I'm doing fantastic all things considered." She missed home though. She missed her people. She missed the freedom of the sanctuary, the sound of the music that flowed ever through the halls of the stone, large archways, and courtyards that would put the winter palace to shame.
"You alright Hera-"
"Maev." She reminded, nodding. "Missing home is all."
"I know exactly how ya feel. As much as I'd like to be as irresponsible as the next guy, with the giant green glowing asshole in the sky staring us down and shitting out demons, I couldn't bring myself to leave." He took a long drink of his ale before letting it back down on the bar with a loud clunk as Maev mopped up the remnants at the bottom of her bowl.
"I understand completely." She replied, licking her lips. The hearty meal settled nicely. She could feel the strength returning to her limbs, along with a heavy set drowsiness. "I wouldn't have stayed either, but I can do more good here than running home to my people. Who knows what will happen if we just leave the breach. This chaos could spread to all of Thedas. The least I could do is try and help."
Varric offered the mage a nod as she piled her cutlery in her bowl and stood, stifling a yawn. She bid him good night - or afternoon really - and made her way back to her little hut. As she reached the door she turned to stare at the glowing menace looming in the sky. What had she gotten herself into? The continuous burn of the mark was only a dull ache, but it was still a constant reminder of the danger ahead. What if she couldn't close the breach? How could she possibly do such a thing?
"Andraste preserve me." She muttered to herself before pushing open the door and kicking off her soft leather boots. The mage crawled under the heavy quilt on her bed and let her mind drift into the fade. Perhaps there, she could find peace.
And so she did.
The fade had changed, she could feel it. Spirits that once roamed near haven and the temple of sacred ashes had fled - or worse, had been pulled through the rifts and become demons. A few stragglers remained curious, of course but never venturing close enough to the breach to be drawn through, and neither did Maev. The gaping hole in the veil looked much worse from the other side. She spoke with what spirits had lagged behind, telling them of what she knew, warning them all to stay away. All the while she felt as if she was being watched. Only as she awoke did she catch a glimpse of a black wolf watching from the brush.
Maev jerked upright, blinking rapidly in the darkness. What a strange occurrence, though in the long string of strange, unlucky situations it was certainly the least so. The mage pushed her blanket off, stepping out of the warmth of her bed she peered out the frosty windows. She could just make out the sunrise over the far buildings. Apparently she needed much more rest than she had thought.
Maev pulled off her dirty clothes, laying them neatly over a wooden chair as she pulled a bucket of water towards the center of the room. It was cold, clearly left for her the day before, but as her hands dipped into the basin the water began to bubble. Being a mage certainly had it's uses. A soft song left her lips as she used a cloth to scrub away the dirt and grime from the days before, stopping only when she came to the mark that spread from her palm all the way to her wrist. Deep cracks in her skin, a glowing green emanating from the divots. Could the maker really have given her this mark? The venomous green hardly looked divine, in fact it looked ominous. She couldn't blame the chancellor, or anyone else that doubted her innocence. As much as it angered the mage, if the shoe was on the other foot, she'd most likely do the same. She heaved a heavy sigh as she dried herself off, followed by the floor.
"If only you could tell me your plan." She whispered as she pulled a clean tunic over her head, her eyes locked on the glowing green mass in the sky.
The residents of Haven started their day early, much to Maev's surprise as she exited the small cabin. "There's no rest for the faithful, and gold doesn't grow on trees," She said to herself, nodding to the blacksmith as he crossed her path, a bundle of bread tucked neatly under his arm. Breakfast sounded delightful, but it seems the thought was short lived.
"There you are," Maev whirled, catching the gaze of Cassandra. How could someone wake sounding so surly?
"Good morning to you too, Seeker." Maev grumbled. The stern woman stopped for a moment, pursing her lips.
"Good morning." She said, earning a smile from the mage.
"There, see? Isn't that a much better way to start the day?" The seeker glared.
"I am not one for mornings. Especially when there is business to be attended to." Whether the woman was upset by the mage's words, she couldn't tell. Maev pushed her locks out of her face.
"I don't think ANYONE is fond of mornings. Especially busy ones, now pray tell what business is to be had at such an early hour?"
"You are to meet with the war council. We will be deciding our first course of action. It seems coming to an agreement on our next step has become difficult. Considering that you are crucial in any steps we take, your presence is necessary." Cassandra gestured towards the Chantry and Maev followed. Of course they needed her- no. They needed the mark. Maev glanced down at the ominous green glow for the second time that day, again wondering if such a thing was a blessing or a curse.
"Does it trouble you?" Maev's head snapped up, steel eyes catching Cassandra's stare. The mage flushed, the red of her cheeks making the bright green of her vallaslin seem to glow as bright as her hand.
"No - yes. I mean -" Maev sighed. "It doesn't hurt any more, not really. Tingles a little when I use my magic, but what bothers me the most is... why? Why me, and what happened? How did it get there?" Maev swallowed as she pulled back her sleeve to see her wrist.
"It spread." Stated Cassandra, reaching out to grasp Maev's hand when she pulled away.
"It's fine, don't worry yourself. We have much bigger problems to fuss over." Maev offered the woman a smile, but it went unrequited. Clearly, the woman would not be letting go of the subject. She gave a curt nod.
"What is important is that your mark is now stable, as is the breach. You've given us time, and Solas believes that a second attempt might succeed, provided the mark has more power. The same amount of power used to create it in the first place."
Before she could stop it, a snort erupted from the mage, followed by a short laugh. Cassandra shot her a look.
"Forgive me, seeker. It just - what possible harm could come from powering up an ominous glowing magical occurrence that we barely understand?" The seeker's glare lessened, perhaps even turned into a glimmer of a smirk.
"Hold on to that sense of humor." She quipped, turning towards the double doors at the back of the chantry. The room where it all began.
"Sometimes seeker, you have to laugh, or else you'll lose your sanity." Maev could have sworn that she huff of air that escaped the seeker sounded like a laugh, but she couldn't honestly be sure. A laugh or not, Maev couldn't help but smile to herself. At least the stern woman no longer wanted her head on a spike outside the chantry doors.
Cassandra pushed the heavy oak doors , stepping inside. Maev looked up as they swung open, and her knees nearly gave out beneath her. Across the table, staring directly at her, was a pair of honey gold eyes that she had given up hope of seeing ever again. They had haunted her nightmares, enchanted her dreams, and now they were right in front of her.
"May I present Commander -"
"Cullen." His name slipped passed her lips before she could catch it. Her stomach had given a sort of flop, her heart shot into her throat. Ten years, give or take a month or two, ten years since she had seen this man, and oh how he had changed. His jaw was set, firm, a stubble across his cheeks, a deep scar upon his upper lip. Any remnant of baby fat on his face had long since gone. He was never sore on the eyes, but she could honestly say that the years had done him justice. Memories flashed through her mind one after another, songs in the chapel, late nights peering at the stars through library windows, looking back at the circle tower, seeing those golden eyes watching her ride away.
Someone cleared their throat, the sound may as well have been an explosion. Maev was ripped from her thoughts, suddenly aware that not only was the golden eyed Templar staring with just as much surprise as she had clearly stamped across her face; but the three women stared just as fiercely.
"I see you have already met." Said the left hand. It seemed as though Maev's heart was still jammed in her throat, for words couldn't seem to find their way out of her mouth.
"Many, many years ago." Said the commander, who finally tore his gaze away from the young mage. His voice had gotten deeper too. The deep baritone resonated in the long ears that clearly peeked out from her curls. There was another moment of thick silence before Cassandra broke it, much to Maev's relief. What does one say to one they thought long lost, or perhaps even dead? She had heard of the circle's fall, she was not sure what happened to him.
"Commander Cullen is the leader of the inquisition's forces." Cassandra had continued as if she hadn't been so rudely interrupted.
"Such as they are. We lost many good men in the valley, and I fear many more before this is through." Reality sunk in, the haze of seeing the Templar from her youth had faded. He wasn't wrong. In her sleeve, Maev's fist clenched, the mark burned.
"This is Josephine Montiliyet, our ambassador and chief diplomat." Maev followed Cassandra's gesture to a woman clad in gold and purple. She gave a short nod.
"Anderan Atishan," she said simply, and Maev's jaw dropped ever so slightly.
"You speak elvhen?" She blurted,
"You've just heard the entirety of it, I'm afraid." The woman smiled, and Maev found it contagious.
"Even taking the time to learn that much is an oddity of a Shem. I'm impressed." The woman's smile spread wider.
"Perhaps you could give me a few pointers. I'm sure that having such knowledge could be useful to the inquisition." Maev gave another nod.
"Perhaps. There was a time where I would have said it blasphemy to share the long lost secrets of my people, but understanding one another is the greatest step we can take towards peace."
Cullen gripped the hilt of his sword. He was sure that beneath his gloves, his knuckles were white. He couldn't believe his eyes, for a moment he thought that this had been a nightmare fueled by his body's ache for the lyrium's sweet song. It was the surprised look in those silver eyes that had told him of the truth. This couldn't have been a dream. In every dream he had she greeted him as if she hadn't left. The commander forced himself to look away as she spoke with the others, an ache reached his heart, and truly he wasn't sure if it was from the withdrawals, or seeing this girl, no - this woman, for the first time in nearly a decade. There was a grace to her movements that came with time. He didn't know how to feel on the matter. He should have been overjoyed, and part of him was, but the years had taken their toll on the once naive young man, and he couldn't help being weary of the mage that stood across the way from him. It was a mage after all that caused all this chaos was it not? He swallowed the bitter taste in his mouth before trying to focus on the conversation at hand.
"... means we must approach the rebel mages for help." Cullen's stomach gave a sickly turn.
"I still disagree, the Templars could serve just as well." He couldn't help the bitterness that coated every word.
Cassandra huffed, and Maev stiffened.
"We need power commander, enough magic poured into that mark-" she started, but clearly the commander wasn't having it.
"Could destroy us all. Templars could weaken the breach, suppress it so -"
"Pure speculation." Leliana interceded, arms neatly tucked behind her. Maev could almost feel the commander's distaste in every word. She felt slighted, insulted. Rage bubbled under her skin.
"I was a Templar, I know what they're capable of- "
"Anyone who has suffered a life in the circle is well aware of what they're capable of." Three pairs of eyes shot towards the mage, her face contorted in a mixture of anger and deep-rooted pain. The commander was first to break his gaze, looking instead to the ceiling.
"That wasn't what I meant." Maev scoffed.
"I'd certainly hope not. Though I must say, its foolish to turn down an idea that has a high chance of success, to follow one that has a slight chance of working." The herald clenched her fists once more. The mark sparked. A pregnant silence filled the air once more, Maev couldn't believe her ears. This was not what she expected of the man she had met in the circle so many years ago. The look he was currently supporting as he stared across the table was one of clear frustration.
"Neither group will speak to us yet," Maev tore her gaze from the Templar, landing on the Antivan woman, a board sporting a candle in her grip, a quill firmly clutched in her hand. "The chantry has denounced the inquisition, and you specifically."
"Typical." Maev grunted, folding her arms. Her people had suffered under the chantry for years, her holiness, Divine Justinia had taken to giving the mages a chance, but without her the chantry had fallen right into their old ways. It was discouraging to say the least.
"Shouldn't they be busy arguing over who will be the next divine?" The commander had a point.
"Some are calling you - a Dalish elf - the 'Herald of Andraste'. That frightens the chantry." Herald. She had heard the word whispered so many times, and they seemed to be pointing the word at her, but having it confirmed left a sour taste in her mouth, and her head swirling all at the same time. "The remaining clerics have declared it blasphemy, and we heretics for harboring you."
"Chancellor Roderick's doing, no doubt." Maev nearly snorted at Cassandra's comment. She couldn't honestly blame the man for being frightened of such a claim, but Cassandra's words the day before struck a nerve. How was she there at exactly the right time, with exactly what they needed? Confusion set in as she pulled her hand from being tucked under her arm, peering down at it. She couldn't even remember how she got the damn thing!
"How the hell did they come up with 'Herald of Andraste'?" She blurted, interrupting whoever was speaking, she had lost track of the conversation. Leliana stifled a smirk behind her hand at the bewildered look on her face. "Seriously, who was the one who came up with such a ridiculous name?"
"People have heard of what you did to stop the breach from growing. When you stepped out of the fade, there was a woman standing behind you. They believe it was Andraste herself." Said Cassandra, stiffening a little.
"Well, I guess that makes a little more sense." Said the mage, still staring down at her hand, that was one question answered, but there were still too many to be answered, some that this group of people couldn't begin to explain.
"Even if we tried to stop that view from spreading -"
"Which we have not." Leliana pursed her lips, pausing only for a moment as Cassandra interrupted.
"The point is - everyone is talking about you." Fantastic.
"It's quite the title, how do you feel about that?" The commander had spoken again, making Maev huff, avoiding looking at him all together. The sight of the man and his clear change of attitude towards mages made her stomach turn.
"I don't know." She muttered. "This wouldn't be the first time I've been called to do the maker's work, but... I am not a godsend. If it weren't for - " her eyes darted to Cullen for just a moment before falling.
"What do you mean?" Asked Josephine.
"Ten years ago, I left Ferelden's circle with a missive from the Divine. I took with me a few mage children, raising them without Templar intervention, to prove if mages could prosper without the trials of circle life." she felt the stares burrowing into her skin. "When the conclave was decided upon, her Holiness sent word for me, calling me to the conclave to share with all who would attend the findings of my missive."
"And here you are." Said Leliana, her eyes wide. "The maker works in mysterious ways."
"I- stop. I'm not some divine messenger send to do the maker's bidding!" Maev snapped, stepping back. "I'm just- I'm just a mage, and an elf at that." Her eyes narrowed as her shoulder collided with the wall behind her. This was all too much. Their stares seemed to reach her very soul. Years she had spent mothering children and guiding mages much older than her self, but at the present she felt like a child herself, forced into shoes far too big for her tiny feet. She couldn't breathe.
"I do not know if you are as they say, but you ARE the only one who has a chance of closing the breach for good." The seeker was again a voice of reason. Thankfully the woman was not pressing the issue further.
"Neither the mages or the Templars will even speak with us," reiterated Josephine, her voice soft.
"So what do we do?" Maev forced out through gritted teeth.
"There is a chantry cleric by the name of Mother Giselle who wishes to speak with you." Said Leliana. "She is not far." A slight air of relief washed over Maev. She needed to get away from Haven, at least for a while. This could certainly be her ticket out.
"Right. When do I leave?" Perhaps the spy master had expected an argument, for she had no immediate answer.
"We will have to send scouts ahead. A day, perhaps two? We will also prepare a party to travel with you -"
"I am PERFECTLY capable of taking care of myself. There is no need to waste anyone else's time."
"That is a risk I - we cannot take." Cullen. Why wouldn't he shut up already? Every moment spent in his presence, his golden eyes peering down on her twisted her insides in the most uncomfortable way. "You are the only means of closing the breach, one well aimed arrow could end all hope we have at dealing with this situation." Of course. The mark. It was painfully foolish, but part of her, more than she'd ever admit; had hoped that the commander had worried about her safety, but it was the damned mark.
"I see your point." Her voice was hollow, she cleared her throat in hoped that it would help, but there was an emptiness there that she just couldn't shake. "Fine, you're right. The mark must be protected." She didn't look up to see Cullen's hand reach up to rub the back of his neck. He hasn't meant to sound so... calculated, but it was the truth right? Of course he was right, but he couldn't deny the fact that his gut sunk into his boots at the thought of Maev disappearing on her own into a land thrown into the chaos of the Mage - Templar war.
"Perhaps while you are there you could find other ways to extend the inquisitions reach, we need as many agents as we can find." Said Leliana, folding her arms.
"Who better than you to recruit them." Added Josephine, clearly attempting to sound cheerful about the situation.
"I TOLD you, I'm not -"
"You ARE the one that stabilized the breach, and the only one who can close it. Herald or not, those people believe in you, they are putting their faith in you, as are we." Andraste's saggy fucking tits, shut up Cullen. Why did he have to be the voice of reason? She could have swallowed the words a lot easier if anyone else had said them. Maev shook her head, sucking a deep breath. She was acting like a child.
"This inquisition was to restore order, and we cannot do that alone." She finally said, standing up a little straighter. "Though, for now I think I'll be finding my leave." No one stopped the mage as she turned front the table, all but storming out of the chantry.
"That was unnecessarily harsh," said Josephine, shooting Cullen a hard stare. He had visibly paled, a thin sheen of sweat had spread across his brow. Unseen to his companions, pain had set into his very bones.
"The breach threatens us all. " He grunted in reply, shuffling passed the women and put into the cold wind, along with the paid. and fever that raged through him, a sudden weight of guilt had laid itself firmly on his shoulders. Maker's breath.
The three women stared after the Templar and the mage. There was a history between the two that clearly hadn't been addressed.
"She left Ferelden's circle before the fall. Before Cullen's transfer to Kirkwall." Said Leliana, her eyes meeting Cassandra's. Before Cullen had been left to the mercy of the mages. What an interesting development.