Drained and beyond exhausted, Ellana climbed the stairs to her room. The room was furnished and finished, and the rest of the tower declared safe enough to climb.
High up and exposed to the thin mountain air with the Frostbacks as her view. Twas nothing compared to forested views of the Marches, but it would do. It was certainly better because she didn't have to be anywhere near the shems like she had been when they first found Skyhold.
The way Cullen looked at her at times, especially when she did magic - it was a desperate hunger that dripped over her. There was a time when she might have thought him handsome, but now the way he gazed at her left her wishing for heavier and more concealing cloths.
Then there were the faint whisperings of the nobles who dared and "braved" the roads to visit Skyhold. Knife-ear and little rabbit were among their common vernacular as they thought she had left the room. Her ears were not big for show. She had incredible hearing range.
Her teeth ground hard whenever she had to greet a noble who she knew was staring at inappropriate places through his mask. She restrained herself, if only because Josie had asked her.
She tolerated Josie. She was nice and at least pretended to respect the Dalish and their culture. Josephine was the good shem. Even if she assigned mountains of paperwork and missives.
Her fingers were swollen from responding, eyes strained from reading, and back ached from being hunched over the war table as they considered their next movements. It was harder now than before. Before she was an agent who happened to have the mark, the anchor. Now she was the Inquisitor.
A title that felt bitter on her tongue, bitter in her heart. She didn't want to be Inquisitor but someone had to. Just like she'd told Bull. The Inquisition was a mess and better a Dalish to make sure her people's needs were not forgotten.
She entered her quarters and shivered. "By the dread wolf it's freezing." She cursed the opened doors of her balcony. Ellana had forgotten she'd left them open and hurried to close them. With a handwave her fireplace lit up, casting the room in light.
The room was extravagant, by shem standards, meant to be inviting. Big enough for a family with a side room for a child — if she converted the wine closet. But to her it was large, empty, and oppressive with the Chantry's flag on the wall.
Ellana pulled her most treasured item out from underneath her collar. An enchanted beaded necklace with the markings of Sylaise. An elven charm of healing, protection, and warmth. It was a charm given to children once they reach their fifth year, as a weaning 's pulsing thudding warmth was meant to emit the heartbeat of their mother or father, to aid in getting them to sleep. This charm had belonged to her daughter.
"Da'lan, ma vhenan." She whispered to the beads.
"Mamae." Sulana ran into the aravel, hair braided and giggling as she ducked behind Ellana. "Hide me!" Ellana used her robe to hide Sula, while continuing to attend to the hanging leaves of the vallasdahlen. When they fall for autumn, the clan picks them up to dry. Their oils had a healing property - not to mention the fragrance was pleasant.
"Sula! Time for sleep." Revehn came after Sula, body hunched down to be level with his small child. His hand braced against the wall as he stopped, smile bright as he cast his gaze around the aravel in mock.
Sula let out a giggle before slapping her hand over her mouth.
"Mamae, have you seen our da'lan?"
"Sula? No-no. I saw her run right past." Ellana smiled wide at the wink Revehn gave her.
"Ah, ma serannas, ma vhenan." Revehn pecked her lips before sneaking out of the aravel. He waited just outside.
"Is Papae gone?"
"Mhmm." Ellana hummed, watching as Sula peered around. Her dress ruffled and dirtied from playing but she walked on her tiptoes to the door. Her neck craned as she looked. She shrieked as Revehn jumped down from a tree branch and wiggled his fingers at her.
"Ah ha! There you are!" he laughed and Sula giggled as her father picked her up and bounced her in his arms. He threw himself onto the bed, tickling Sula's sides.
"Papae!" Sula laughed as she wiggled, attempting to avoid her father's fingers on her sides.
"Yes Sula?" Revehn stopped long enough to let her take a breath before turning them over and he blew raspberries against her belly.
"Ahh hahaha papae!" She wiggled. "Mamae, help help! Papae isn't fair!" She called between gasps of breaths.
"Oh? You want me to help?"
"Yes!"
Ellana climbed onto the bed, slow before pouncing and also tickling Sula. "Like this?"
"NOOOOoo hahaha!" Sula went red face, but her lips were spread wide as she cackled. The tickle attack continued until all three were laughed out. Sula shifted downward until she was between her parents.
"Mamae, will you sing me to sleep?"
"Wouldn't you prefer Papae?"
"No."
"Ouch, Sula. Is my singing that bad?"
Sula turned around and gave Revehn a stare. "You sound like a halla."
"Ooof. You wound me. Mamae, do I sound like a -"
"Without a doubt." Ellana snickered.
"Betrayed by my two vhenans. Revehn gasped and fell away from them, hand on his forehead. "By the dread wolf, whatever shall I do?" His eyes fluttered closed, only opening one eye to peek at them as they snickered.
"Be quiet while I sing, perhaps?" Ellana suggested.
"Of course." Revehn conceded, situating himself so Sula could tuck herself against his chest. Ellana sat up, beginning to undo the braids in Sula's hair on one side, while Revehn did the other with one hand. Sula reached into her dress and pulled out Sylaise's charm.
Skyhold was bristling with a wind chill. Her fingers brushed across the wooden charm, invoking the magics. A heat blossomed from the small charm. Enough to stave off the cold and no more. It thrummed in bursts in hear hand. Her daughter always did that right before her bedtime song. Taking a shuddering breath, Ellana began to sing.
"Elgara vallas, da'len." Ellana pulled her braid loose from the bun. "Melava somniar."
"Mala taren aravas." Sula gave a small yawn, bright green eyes staring up at her as she sang. "Ara ma'desen melar."
"Iras ma ghilas, da'len." She ran her fingers through her hair in the same way she would have with Sula. "Ara ma'nedan ashir."
"Dirthara lothlenan'as Bal emma mala dir." Revehn pulled the blanket up over Sula, shifting so he could climb out.
"Tel'enfenim, da'len Irassal ma ghilas." With hair loosened, Ellana slipped out of her trousers and curled up under her blankets, hand wrapped tightly around her necklace.
"Ma garas mir renan ― ara ma'athlan vhenas. Ara ma'athlan vhenas." Ellana repeated the song a few more times, watching her child's eyes droop close before laying a kiss on her forehead. Revehn slipped out, laying his own kiss on their daughter and turning to Ellana.
"Ar lath, ma vhenan." Revehn pressed his forehead to hers.
Ellana fell asleep to their memory, knowing at least for now, she might see them in her dreams.
HAVEN
Seven Months Ago
"Lady Montilyet, you said there was something urgent for me?" Lavellan walked through the doors to the back of the Chantry. They were only in Haven again to resupply before heading toward the Hinterlands. The watchtowers for Redcliffe farm should be finished and having horses to make their travel easier would be a welcome treat. They weren't Halla or Harts, but beggars could not be choosers.
They had two more recruits, Lady Vivienne and Sera, but they could use more. It helped that the former Grand Enchanter had given them an invitation to Redcliffe but Leliana said she wanted to watch the town first before letting Ellana go. It had to be safe and secure and there had been no word out of Redcliffe since Leliana asked for aid from the rebel mages and then Fiona shows up.
They had almost begun measures to contact the Templars when Ellana met them in Val Royeaux. Lord Seeker Lucius did not seem like a Shem who would be willing to help, especially not after that display. So they were a bit desperate.
They needed to close the Breach.
Erring to caution was always her usual course of action. Watching and waiting but it was all thrown out. The Breach was not usual circumstances. Who knows how long that temporary seal would last. They needed power. Fast.
Ellana paused inside Josie's door at the sight of Cullen and Leliana.
"Herald." Cullen spoke up but his voice was off, like he'd been given bad news. In his hands he clutched a parchment. His brows furrowed as he stepped forward. "I've received word from Lieutenant Chambreterre and..."
Ellana reached for the parchment when Cullen would say no more.
"Commander Cullen, our group approached the Dalish camp in full armor to show the strength of the Inquisition." Ellan read out but stopped. "Un...Unfortunately, the Dalish hunters took our arrival as a threat and sounded an alarm. We…" Her heart sank. "...defended ourselves." Her eyes tracked back and forth across the missive. "...did not strike in malice — lives lost on both sides — the Dalish leader was able to rein his people in."
Ellana breathed a sigh, though shakily she finished the missive from the Lieutenant, until she got to the second page.
Silence.
"Let us give the Herald a moment." Josephine spoke up. Her heeled footsteps led out of the war room, followed by the booted feet of Cullen.
"I'm sorry." Cullen whispered as he passed. The door closed.
The parchment crumpled in her hand as she sank to her knees. Her shoulders shook before heaving as gasping sobs overtook her. Ellana shoved hand balled into a fist in her mouth to silence herself as she read the second parchment. The single blood stained Sylaise charm heavy in her hands, cold.
Her fingers brushed against the charm, activating it. It came to life, a thud-thud-thud pattern of her heartbeat left her sobbing.
"Herald?"
Ellana shot up. Face tracked with dried tears. She'd fallen asleep in the war room. On the floor no less. The parchments still clutched to her chest and charm and necklace wrapped around on hand.
Leliana stood before her giving her a pitying look.
"Do you…" Lavellan's voice cracked.
"I know." Leliana answered. "There is an urgent matter you should be aware of."
"What is it?" Lavellan snapped. She didn't want to deal with any of this. The mark or the Breach. For all she cared at that very moment, the Inquisition could fuck off. It was the Inquisition that...that cost her the only family she ever had.
"Bring her in."
Entering the war room accompanied by Scout Charter was a dark haired young woman with skin as rich in color as the earth. Yet her eyes were sallow, lips dry and appearance an unkempt mess.
"Lavellan!" The woman said in glee as Ellana faced her. She tried to step forward but Charter gripped the chain that held her, halting her progress. "Sorry… sorry. I-wow...you're different than how I imagined. Course I imagined it was my custom inqy, but anyway - wow! So nice to see you. Hey what's your first name anyway?"
"What?"
"Your name. Er wait — unless, is it Ellana?" The woman grimaced but at Ellana's taken back expression she grinned. "Awesome. Defaults."
"Defaults - what? What are you talking about? What is your name?"
"Oh doy. Sorry, I've been waiting, trying to figure out the order of when things happened." She rambled and Ellana stepped toward her with an impatient sigh.
"What is your name?"
"Sorry-sorry. Gosh I sound every bit the Canadian I am. Uh, I'm Cosette."
"Leliana says you have vital information?"
"Yes! Okay you're going to get a letter from your clan." Cosette began. Lavellan's heart skipped, her body stilled. "Whatever you do, do not tell Cullen to send his forces. I mean I don't have to tell you that. You're Dalish. I mean who would send armed human forces to a bunch of Dalish who don't trust humans for shit? It's common sense, ey? But they'll die if you do."
Common sense? Ellana's teeth ground staring at the shem before her. "Common sense? Is it not common sense to send armed forces in the midst of all this chaos? Is it not common sense for me to have sent them to protect my clan? Is that not common sense?" Ellana roared and pushed Cosette against the door. The chains keeping her hands bound slammed against the door. Tears pricked at her eyes as her ears pointed up.
"You knew this would happen and you-" Ellana growled. "How long has she been here? How long has she known about this?"
"Had I known she possessed this information I would have made this the utmost priority." Leliana offered, expression severe.
"How long?!"
"Since before the Breach." Leliana stated, already seeing where Ellana was now headed. Her face stony and grim.
"Before the Breach?" Ellana snapped to look at the shem. "And she possesses information about the future? Is that not suspicious?" Ellana rasped and slammed Cosette against the door again. "Did you know the Breach was going to happen?"
"I did yes. But- " Cosette flinched back with the realization that things weren't going how she thought they would. "Wait. I-I… did know but it had to happen!"
"Had to happen?" Ellana growled. The thrumming of her child's charm at her chest. The death of so many at the temple, the Andrastian Divine's death. Everyone that died in the Hinterlands because of the Breach. The soaked earth muddy with the thousands of death and the charred remains of those blasted by the explosion. "None of this had to happen." She pulled back, disgusted in the shem. "Take her away. Find out everything she knows."
"Of course." Leliana agreed and nodded to Charter.
"Wait! What are you going to do?" Cosette asked, fear etched into her voice as she was dragged out of the room and down into the dungeon below the Chantry.
Once the shem woman was out of sight, Ellana turned to the war table, arms braces against it. Her glare scanned the landscape of the Hinterlands, all the people that had died because of the Breach. Mages, Templars, Civilians...Dalish. Her clan.
"She could be a spy." Ellana finally spoke.
"She could."
"Did anyone see this…" Ellana gestured to the missive she still had.
"No one but my scouts and ravens. I will find out if any of them leaked the information."
"Thank you." Ellana sighed. "If…" She frowned. "If she does know the future." She let out a bitter laugh. The sheer thought of that possibility would have never been possible under normal circumstances. But there was a hole in the sky, rifts raining chaos across Ferelden, Orlais, and even as far as the Free Marches. Anything was possible.
"She will be a valuable asset."
"Good."
REVIEWS:
Aiyaki: I gotta say, seeing this review really threw me for a loop. I hadn't expected anyone who has seen such torture, pain, and suffering to ever read this but I did make sure to treat the subject as realistically as I could without making this into Suffering Porn for people. You're right. This sort of stuff happens around the world.
whrr. trudy: Dorian is forever on our side. No way could I make him complicit in this.
adelphe24: Lol when I say I'm writing future chapters, I'm writing chapters that are usually out of sequence. Sorry. Not faster updates. I get fairly impatient to write the interesting bits so I write them so I can concentrate on the in between stuff and then slowly update those interesting chapters to reflect what has happened in the in between chapters. As for whether the Inquisition will be divided... I wouldn't count that as is yet.
ArtFox2721: I know, it's a bit of human suffering without actually detailing it out. I'm avoiding the Torture porn aspects in favor of describing what people see and how they react.
animexchick: I don't think Dorian, despite his ignorance on how slavery is, would knowingly be complicit in wholesale torture like that. Dorian will certainly help her recover eventually. Right now though, Cole is trying to get Alexius because she really doesn't trust anyone. Even Dorian she snaps at a little. While they will be friends, it's going to take a bit for that to happen.
coduss: I love doing that too! I usually play as a Red/Ass Inquisitor. It's sooo much fun. The Chargers don't all know yet. But they will, eventually.
Thanks for reading and reviewing!
