A/N: Am I the only one that feels like these are getting shorter? It is not on purpose I promise, my writing style just has a habit of ending chapters wherever it feels like I need to move on to a new part of the story. Some times it takes fewer words to reach that stopping point. Just to note, I am trying to keep this updated on Friday every week. Some times they might come late, but I will try to stay regular.
Chapter Three Templars and Clerics
The trip to see the Clerics started at the end of that week and would take them a week and a half on it's own. Irasir'in reflected not for the first time on how much more effective travel would be if people feared magic less. Still she understood their stance, people had always been scared of what they couldn't understand after all. Especially when only a rare few could actually use magic. The trip was dull and slow, Cassandra insisted that they bring a handful of soldiers as a guard but Irasir'in had begged off of bring anyone more on a diplomatic trip. She regretted that since Varric had stayed behind and he would have been ideal for passing the time with all of his stories. Half way through their travels Irasir'in found her attentions drifting to the seeker that rode beside her and finally spoke up, "So Cassandra, you're the right hand of the Divine aren't you?"
The woman jumped a bit at the sudden noise, "Oh. Well yes I am. Or at least I was." The elf nodded, "How did you do that?" She frowned, "Do what?" The woman shifted in her saddle, "How did you become the Divines right hand?" Cassandra looked surprised, "You... you mean you don't know?" She cocked her head, "Should I?" The Seeker hurriedly shook her head, "No I suppose not. The Dalish wouldn't really have a reason to talk about it after all..." Irasir'in shrugged, "So how did you do it?" Cassandra sighed, "It's not a story I really like telling. I did my duty and that's all there is to it." Irasir'in smiled at that, "There has to be something more to it if you gained so much of the Divines trust." The Seeker paused, "Well... I suppose so. I saved her life from a cult that tried to assassinate her." The elf nodded, "I see. Yes that would be a good reason to trust someone."
The silence dragged on a bit before Cassandra couldn't help herself, "That's it?" Irasir'in frowned, "Is what it?" She looked at the elf, "Well most people would... ask me to explain. Want to know the story." The elf laughed, "Oh that's what you meant. Do you want to tell me about it?" The Seeker shook her head, "No no, I was just surprised you didn't ask." Irasir'in gave her an amused look, "I assumed that if you wanted to tell me about it you would, otherwise prying would just annoy you." Cassandra went to respond and stopped a moment, "Well... yes. Thank you then." The elf nodded serenely and they kept going for a time before Cassandra broke the silence again, "So Her- Irasir'in. It occurs to me that... well I don't really know anything about you." The elf looked over at her with a smile, "I suppose you don't do you?" There was a pause where the Seeker fidgeted a bit before Irasir'in decided to save her from it, "Was there something in particular you wanted to know about me?" The woman cleared her throat, "Yes well... where are you from?"
The elf cocked her head as she considered how to answer the question, "Orlais. I grew up in the region of the Dales." Cassandra frowned, "That's a bit... vague." Irasir'in sighed, "I am sorry, but I am bound by oaths not to speak of where I came from exactly. I may not... agree with all their views but I will respect my clans wishes to remain hidden from the rest of the world." Cassandra nodded slowly, "I see. Oaths and duties are things I can understand perfectly. Do you miss your home though? Your clan?" Irasir'in snorted, "I cannot say I do or that they miss me." She looked at her in surprise, "That is... unexpected. I thought the Dalish were a close knit people." Irasir'in hesitated thinking for a moment before slowly answering, "First I wouldn't call myself a Dalish. I'm... something else. Second... I didn't leave of my own choice." Cassandra studied her seriously, "What made you leave then?" Irasir'in sighed, "I didn't really leave. I was cast out as an exile." The Seeker watched her intently but Irasir'in didn't say more. The elfs face had fallen and the smile she had had was forgotten now. Cassandra decided not to pry further into Irasir'in business. At least for now.
Their arrival in Val Royeaux was quiet for the most part. They kept their heads down when they arrived late in the evening and found an inn on the edge of town to spend the night at. They were due to meet with the Revered Mothers the next morning so Cassandra thought it was best that they kept their presence quiet till then. The night was quiet as well but the peace was broken the next morning when Lelianas scout reported that while the Revered Mothers were gathered as asked, but they had come with an army of Templar and the people of the city thought the warriors were there to protect them from the inquisition. When they arrived at the square where the Templar and Clerics had gathered there was quite the crowd listening to one of the mothers give a speech. Irasir'in calmly kept moving to the front of the crowd, Cassandra hurrying after her as the crowd tried to separate them. The Revered Mother giving the speech saw them and called out over the crowd, "Behold the so-called Herald of Andraste! Claiming to rise where our beloved fell! We say this is a false prophet! The Maker would send no elf in our hour of need!"
The crowd parted around Irasir'in and Cassandra as they were singled out, and the focus turned on them. Irasir'in did not shrink from their stares, instead holding her head tall, "I made no claim to be a herald of anything! And what others say I am does not matter in the face of the Breach! Every day it remains more and more rifts open in the world and release demons upon us! The Inquisition stands against those demons, fights to protect the world from the rifts and the Breach itself while you stand here making speeches! I do not ask that you call me by ANY title, instead I call to you, beseech you, to listen to reason and help us STOP this madness born of the fade before it is too late!" Sound of armor clanking signaled the coming of the Templar troops and the Revered Mothers face read of victory, "It is already too late! The Templars have returned to the Chantry! They will face this 'Inquisition' and the people will be safe once more!" Irasir'in watched the stride of the warriors and how they carried themselves, how their leader looked at the Cleric before speaking softly to Cassandra, "This is already over." The Seeker began to ask her what she meant when one of the Templar taking the stage stepped up to the Revered Mother and backhanded her to the ground. The crowd backed away from the Templars, now unsure and scared. Their leader began speaking to the Templar soldiers standing on the stage without looking at the now humiliated woman and Irasir'in eyes narrowed, "Something is off here Seeker and I do not simply mean that act of violence..."
Cassandra ignored her as the she moved to intercept the man that was now leaving the stage, "Lord Seeker Lucius, it's imperative that we speak-" The man, Lucius, turned his head away from her, "You will not address me." Cassandra slowly came to a stop, "Lord Seeker?" He turned and gave a glare of disgust to the both of them, "Creating a heretical movement, raising up a puppet as Andraste's prophet. You should be ashamed. You should all be ashamed! The Templar failed no one when they left the Chantry to purge the mages! You are the ones who have failed! You who'd leash our righteous sword with doubts and fear! If you came to appeal to the Chantry, you are too late. The only destiny here that demands respect is MINE!"
Irasir'in put a hand on Cassandras shoulder and stepped forward, "I care about one thing and one thing alone. Closing the Breach. Anything else is moot if we do not stop the demons from consuming our world! I do not ask that you follow, I do not ask that you cast aside your faith or your wants, I only ask that you help us finally close the Breach so that we might all be saved!" The Lord Seeker sneered, "The Breach is indeed a threat. But you certainly have no power to do anything about it." One of the Templars started to protest but Irasir'in didn't listen anymore as she turned away setting a hand on Cassandras shoulder, "He's too far gone. Words are wasted on him now, let's deal with the mess instead."
The Seeker followed after her a bit reluctantly and watched as the Lord Seeker declared the people unworthy of his protection and left. She looked at Irasir'in, "I don't understand. Lord Seeker Lucius has always been a decent man, never given to this sort of grandstanding and ambition. This is... bizarre." The elf paused and looked back, "Do you think we will be able to reason with him?" Cassandra seriously considered the question, "I hope so. If not him, then there must be others in the order that will not feel the same. Either way we should return to Haven and inform the others." Irasir'in studied her before nodding, "One thing first." She walked over to the Revered Mother who still sat shocked on the stage, she held her hand out to the Cleric, "Are you alright Revered Mother?"
She looked at the elf's hand a moment, "...We have been shown up by our own Templars and my fellow clerics have scattered to the wind, along with their convictions. With that victory you still offer me your hand?" The woman sighed, "Just tell me one thing; do you truly believe you are the Maker's chosen?" Irasir'in gave her a serious look, "I think that people believe that is what I am. Whether or not it's true is not for me to say, but what I can say is true is that I and the Inquisition are only here to help. Nothing more and nothing less." She looked down a moment before answering softly, "I suppose that is all that really matters isn't it? I will pray that what you say is true then. Now please, leave me to my shame." Irasir'in studied her a moment before nodding, "Be well Revered Mother." The elf hopped off of the small platform and left, trying to ignore the various eyes watching her.
She did take an interest in one pair of those eyes when it shot an arrow into the bushes near by. Cassandra jumped at the arrow and her hand went to her weapon immediately while pushing Irasir'in behind her, "Where did that come from?" The elf looked over at the arrow and the paper tied to it, "I don't think it really matters, it wasn't meant to harm me but instead it was to send a message" She plucked the arrow out of the bushes and showed the letter to Cassandra, "Literally." The Seeker frowned at that, "That is an odd way to send a message." Irasir'in shrugged as she read the letter, "Well. It would seem we have a friend in odd places. Let's go see what kind of person sends letters by arrow shall we?"
It was starting to get dark out when they finally found the end of the bread trail that their new ally had left and they had met the odd elf. Seras reaction to Irasir'in being an elf threw her off a bit but she wasn't going to let it bother her when they needed allies. Cassandra was less than pleased with the idea of letting Sera into the Inquisition but Irasir'in insisted. After all, they needed every person they could get if they wanted the Inquisition to grow. When both the rebel mages and Enchanter Viviennes servant came asking for her attention as they were preparing to leave, the elf frowned at the timing. Once was coincidence, twice was a trend. Why were people suddenly lining up to join? Surely the failing of the chantry wouldn't spark this much support for them.
She was mulling it over on the way to see the Enchanter when Cassandra spoke up, "Be cautious when meeting the Enchanter. She is not our enemy, but she is ambitious. Whatever reason she has to support us will be as much about personal power as anything else." Irasir'in answer had just a hint of bitterness, "Of course it will be. Even with the sky torn asunder and our world falling apart, people still must concern themselves with their own wants first and foremost." The Seeker frowned, "That is less than charitable Herald." The elf sighed, "You're right. I apologize, I am already letting the politics irk me and I have yet to actually speak with a noble." She shook her head and gave Cassandra a thin smile, "I will make sure to behave myself in front of the Enchanter herself and that I leave her with the best impression I can."
A/N: And as it always should and will be, please feel free to review. Till next time.