The keep was quieter at night, the clusters of everyone from servants to nobles that normally chocked the main hall had disappeared. Nothing to be heard but the gentle crackle of torches and distant footsteps.
Emery nodded to a pair of cooks as the trudged burdensomely up the stairs into the main hall. They didn't even seem to notice the Herald as she loomed behind them on her way from the ambassador's office. The cook and her works were always the earliest to rise and the latest to fall. There was a heavy bang, followed by a crowd of laughter and conversation that seeped in from the tavern outside, the kitchen staff was perhaps not always the latest to fall. Emery smiled as she saw the glowing lights of the tavern as she pasted the main door, no one ever had an early night if they went to the Heralds Rest. Smiling to herself the inquisitor wondered into Solas's rotunda, the young herald could never help the smile that crept across her face when she caught sight of the timeless artwork the elf as strewn across the walls.
"Good evening Inquisitor." The mage greeted from where he was perched onto of one of the tall scaffoldings.
"Evening, Solas."
"Its rather late, I expected you had long since retired for the night, given tomorrows events. What keeps you so late? If I might ask."
"Same as you I suspect. Like I keep telling Varric the work of the Inquisition is never done." Solas smiled down at her, an expression he so rarely showed it looked far too out of place.
"I am simply practicing a hobby, but others would learn from your determination. But you have a long journey ahead of you come morning. I'd advise you get some rest." Emery smiled,
"As soon as I drop these reports off with Leliana, I shall. I wish you a good evening Solas, and do try and get some sleep yourself." The herald smirked up at the elven mage, he would never admit it, but the two had become friends of sorts. All be it very formal, Solas answered all the Inquisitors many inquiries about the fade and its many secrets. Solas possess a well of knowledge unlike any mage Emery had encountered before. Despite their differences, the two had gotten along rather well. Even if they hadn't agreed in Emery's choices to keep the Templar order intact after the events at the Therinfal Redoubt.
"I will try," He said with a small laugh before returning to his painting. Entering into the grand library Emery found there was hardly a soul there. Normally there were a half dozen mages mulling about. Now in the darkened hours of the night, there remained but one man, sitting alone reading by candlelight.
"Inquisitor Trevelyan, you grace me with your presence," Dorian said as he set his book down beside him. With a chuckle and slight shake of her head, Emery gave pause and stopped before the mage, knowing very well she might not leave anytime soon if she did.
"Evening Dorian, it seems as though the castle isn't nearly as quiet as I thought. Half of my companions seem to be up and about."
"I was actually hoping to catch you this evening, what do you say we head over to the tavern for a few rounds? We won't exactly have the luxury of doing so for quite some time come morning."
Emery smiled at the man with a pained look of rejection.
"We leave for Crestwood tomorrow, and I still have much to prepare."
"Such as what? I thought you had everything worked out." He asked stepping up from his chair.
"I still have to review and sign all the construction request and reports. I need to go over the assignments for everyone while I'm away. I have a dozen letters from nobles and dignitaries alike that I still haven't read. I-"
"Or," Dorian said as he slipped an arm over the Herald's shoulders. "You could sit down and breath for just a moment." The mage guiding her into his small cave of books that was painted golden by candlelight. He reached behind his tall chair and produced a tall bottle of some kind of liquor and two glasses. "Just a drink or two with me, I promise I won't keep you all night."
"That's what you said last time," Emery said as she stared at the man with suspicion.
"And remember how much fun it was?" He said with a laugh before taking his seat again and looking at the Inquisitor to do the same.
With a sigh of defeat, the Herald grabbed a chair from one of the nearby tables and dragged it over to her friend.
"But only one drink." She said sternly, but Dorian's smile only grew.
"Of course." With a shake of her head, Emery sat down and took a glass the mage had filled to the brim with liquor.
Despite the mans being a mage from Tevinter he and the Inquisitor had gotten along famously. Their wit was equally matched in one another, their back and forth conversations never seemed to end. Having spent a fair amount of time together when scouting the Stromcoast and the Hinterlands the two had gotten to know one another better then Emery knew most among the Inquisition.
More than once the two had spent long night swapping stories in the tavern. Sharing the annoyances of being born nobility and some of the many interesting times they had fought off suitors of unwanted marriages.
"Come now my friend, we speak far too often about our families, yet I know scars little about yours. Why is that?"
"I'm not supposed to talk about my family."
"Well, your house is hardly a small one, I bet I could find a whole book on it if I wanted. What dirty secrets lay within the depths of house Trevelyan hm?"
Emery looked down at the half-empty glass in her hand, her mouth drawn into a sour line. She couldn't talk about it, no one was supposed to know. Emery sighed and closed her eyes, there was no doubt Leliana and a handful of her scouts knew. It wouldn't take much for the handsome mage to finesse the answer he sought out of one of them. Perhaps it was better for him to hear it from her, or perhaps she simply needed to tell someone after all this time.
Emery looked up at her friend, his typical look of mocking gone, he honestly wanted to know out of what would appear good-natured curiosity. The Herald chuckled to herself and leaned back in her chair.
"Alright, I'll tell you. But be warned its a rather long story," Dorian smiled and sat back eagerly.
"I think I can bare it, besides it's not every day I get to learn noble house secrets like this." He said tipping his glass for her to start. With another chuckle, Emery began.
"I have three siblings. Two brothers and a sister. My eldest brother Kalian, left our house and joined the Templar order when he was fifteen, against my parent's wishes. I was seven when he left. Like any good brother, he wrote home often enough and we saw him when we could. My father, however, was not happy with Kalian regardless. He had been next in line to become head of our house, as you can imagine. His whole life laid out before him, yet Kalian never wanted any of it, thus he left to join the Templars."
"Yes, I can see how that might have been a problem with your lord father. But your brother seems a brave man, set upon creating his own path, not the one handed to him."
"He was stubborn, never took something happily unless he had earned it. I suppose that was why he joined the order. He was so disciplined, noble life didn't suit him at all."
"Was your brother at the conclave?"
Emery's eyes shot up to meet Dorian's, tear lingered at the edge of her vision but she blinked them away. Nodding when she couldn't find her voice.
"Yes," She managed to chock out, "Yes, he was the one who brought me there."
"Your brother brought you to the temple? I thought you had traveled there with the other clerics." Dorian said setting his glass down as he was further intrigued by the story.
"No," Emery took a harsh swing of her drink the put the empty cup down, clearing her throat. "Kalian brought me away from the Ostwick circle when it collapsed into infighting. I was serving there as a cleric in the circle's chantry and he the Knight Captain."
"I see," Dorian waited for her to go on.
"Though, we were not the only Trevelyan children there." She said with a slick smile, trying to ignore the way her eyes still burned at the recollection of her brother's fate.
Dorian raised an eyebrow in interest.
"My second brother, Gabriel, was there as well." She said looking down at the floor feeling the nagging pull of guilt for finally admitting the truth.
"Gabriel? That man you asked after in Redcliffe?"
"Yes, that would be him." She said with a sigh.
"Your brother was no templar then?" Emery looked up to meet his eyes.
"No, he was a mage." Dorian slumped back in his chair as he mulled over the information.
"Damn, I can see why you're not supposed to talk about it." He said with a slight chuckle. "One brother abandons the family for the Templars and the next is forced out because he's a mage. My, that really wouldn't go over well with you southerners now would it?" Emery shook her head with a distant but sad smile.
"Irony; Kalian never wanted what he had been born into, and Gabriel wanted nothing more than just that." The two sat in silence for a time before Dorian spoke up again.
"So I assume your sister took over as heir, then."
"Yes, Alanna and Gabriel were born twins but she had no magic. So while my brothers and I lived in the circle, she got married and has taken up to be the next head of our house, if the day ever comes that our father wishes to step down."
"And what became of you throughout this whole mess?"
"I was young when it all happened, but old enough to remember. It wasn't until I eighteen that when my parents figured I was going to refuse or sabotage any marriage or suitor they sent my way. That's when they sent me to the chantry, set to serves my maker and his bride as many of my family had done before me, I was to be the good child, the example."
"So instead of getting married, you joined the chantry? You were so young, had your whole life ahead of you, how could you just accept that?"
"The same reason Kalian did. I wasn't going to live the life someone else wanted me to live. I wasn't going to let anyone else tell me how to live my life, and that included the chancy mothers. I still lived a full life within the circle, I just had to be more⦠discreet with whom I lived fully with." She said with a sly smile.
"Had your fun with the Templars then?" Emery giggled and looked at the mage.
"When my brothers didn't catch me, yes." Dorian laughed outright at that.
"Between your brother leading the Templars at the circle and the mages quietly watching your every move I'm impressed you managed to get away with it at all."
"I never truly did," She said with a laugh, "They always found out somehow., though I suppose it was better that way. I had friends among the mages and Gabrial managed to keep those who were not in my favor from spreading the word of my 'activities' to the mother. Meanwhile Kalian, did the same among the Templars, though he often warned them away from me for good measure. Then at the end of the day I would always receive a stern lecture from the both of them."
Dorian laughed, he opened his mouth to say something but his attention was drawn elsewhere. There was a distant curse follow shortly by a handful of paper that came fluttering down from the landing above. The two shared a confused look before walking over to the railing to watch the papers quietly settled onto Solas's floor, the elf looked at the reports confused. Then the three looked up to see nothing more than a quick flash of armor as someone disappeared from above. With a shrug, Dorian and the inquisitor retreated back into his hovel of books.
"I should probably get these reports to Leliana before I forget," Emery said collecting the papers and tapping them together.
"I suppose I should turn in as well. Morning always comes far too early for my liking, especially with a journey like tomorrows lays ahead of us." Dorian said with a stretch as he collected the disregarded cups and half-empty bottle. As the two turned to leave there was the heavy creak of stairs as someone came from Leliana's office. Turning the pair saw none other than Commander Cullen come rushing by, his ears a flaming red. The man gave them a quick nod in his passing before he continued down to where Solas still painted below. He scrambled to collect the fallen reports, then as formally as ever he turned on his heels and preceded back up the stairs. After the former templar disappear back up the second flight up steps Dorian turned to the young Herald beside him with a growing smile.
"I do think the Commander might have been eavesdropping on us," Dorian said, loud enough as to be heard on the upper level in the silent rotunda. Emery shook her head, but the smile on her face when unmistakable.
"I'm sure the Commander already knows enough about my family history, he needn't hear it again." She lied, knowing Cullen hadn't read the report on her other advisors had; therefore he knew nothing of her family, but Dorian didn't need to know that.
"Sharing late night stories with him as well?" Dorian teased. "My, my you really do have a thing for templars don't you?" He went on. The Herald only rolled her eyes at him.
"Goodnight, Dorian. I'll see you in the morning." She said playful shoving the mage as she made her way up to where Leliana normally lurked. Upon reaching the top of the stairs she found the spymaster was nowhere to be found. The only movement she caught was that of the Commander's as he walked across the room to one of the scouts who had come in from another door.
"Ensure these reports go to Lady Nightingale," Cullen said practically throwing his papers at the soldier.
"And these as well." Emery cut in gentle behind them, handing her own stack of reports to the man. Cullen turned to look at her, a little surprised, but he quickly returned his attention to the scout.
"Right away, Commander, Inquisitor." The man addressed them both before he quickly scampered off leaving the two alone in the now empty room.
"Do you ever stop working?" Emery asked with a laughed as he stood ridged next to her. With a slow exhale Cullen let his shoulders fall a little as if he worried about what she might say.
"There is much that has yet to be done before your departure tomorrow, Inquisitor." Emery chuckled quietly to herself, Cullen turned to face her taking a step back to give her some space.
"Is something the matter?" He asked looking at her with an air of concern.
"No, it's still strange to hear people call me, that is all. I don't feel worthy of such a title." Cullens face softened as he looked at the woman before him.
"Do not doubt yourself, you are worthy of much, your title included." Emery smiled at him through the dim light that colored the space from the sparse spotting of candles.
"Thank you, Cullen,"
"You're welcome, Emery." The heralds gentle smiled grew into a grin.
"You remembered for once." The Commander chuckled and looked at the floor for a second before returning her gaze as if he was thinking of what to say next.
"Well, since we are alone I don't see it being too scandalous for me to refer to you by your given name."
"If it makes you uncomfortable, you can refrain from calling me by it all together." She began, worried that she had crossed a line he had never intended to.
"Not at all. I quite like your name," He reassured her. "It's very beautiful, quite suiting of yourself." Emery stared at the man with a look of surprise. He, however, was serenely calm, until the weight of his words seemed of wash over him. His eyes lighting up in alarm,
"Forgive me, Inquisitor, that was for to informal." He began, taking several steps away from her.
"I quite like you being informal," She said with a smile, slowly approaching him again so they were no longer at such a distance. Now backed against a table Cullen slowly let his eyes flicker up to meet the Heralds. He stared at her for a long time, his eyes dancing over her face as if he was pondering something. Then with a heavy sigh, he spoke,
"I should let you retire for the eve, you no doubt have a long day ahead of you tomorrow." With a polite nod, he stepped around her. Emery scampered back wrapping one arm around herself and holding her hand balled into a fist over her mouth with the other. She looked down at the floor embarrassed, she was to bold, was he not even interested? Yet he thought her beautiful? Perhaps she had misunderstood. Of course, she had. Stupid, stupid girl, she scolded herself.
The Commander stalled at the top of the stairs, turning to face where the Herald remained in the dark.
"Sleep well, Emery." He said with a soft smile.
"You as well, Cullen," She said both confused and relieved.
He had scampered away from her, yet he seemed to relish the opportunity to use her name so personally. Why couldn't think just be simple?
Hope everyone liked this chapter. As always reviews are appreciated. Thanks again. :)
