I stood outside the door where I could hear Cassandra and Roderick arguing. Whatever Cassandra had been hoping for, Roderick seemed intent to put her down. And while I had no great care for her, Cassandra had aided in saving my life on enough occasions over the last few days (the last three not counting) that I did feel a small sense of loyalty. It wasn't until Roderick started talking about me, however, that I truly felt angry.
"Have you gone completely mad? She should be taken to Val Royeaux immediately, to be tried by whomever becomes divine," Roderick shouted. "I do not believe she is guilty," Cassandra said, her tone indicating that her temper was just barely in check. I felt a swell of gratitude at this. "The elf failed, Seeker," Roderick continued. "The Breach is still in the sky. For all you know she intended it that way."
"I do not believe that," Cassandra replied, the sound of a chair being tipped over following her words. "That's not for you to decide. Your duty is to serve the Chantry."" Roderick said, and even through the door I could feel the iciness of his tone. "My duty is to serve the principles upon which the Chantry was founded, Councellor," Cassandra replied, warning in her tone. "As is yours."
At this I decided it was best to intervene or at the very least make my presence known. "Chain her," Roderick shouted, pointing at me but looking to the two guards standing on either side of the doorway. "I want her prepared for travel to the capital for trial." I tensed, not looking forward to a fight, but Cassandra was a step ahead of me – and without bloodshed. "Disregard and leave us," she commanded, to which the soldiers bowed and exited.
"You walk a dangerous line, Seeker," Roderick said through gritted teeth. Cassandra regarded him coolly for a moment before commenting. "The Breach is stable, but it is still a threat. I will not ignore it." I glanced back and forth between the two of them. "I'm still a suspect after everything we did?" I asked indignitly.
"Yes, you absolutely are," Roderick answered. "No, she is not," Cassandra said taking a step towards him. "I did everything I could, and it almost killed me," I tried to explain to Roderick. "And yet here you are, a most convienent thing for you," he said with a sneer.
"Someone was behind the explosion, someone Most Holy did not expect," Leliana said, stepping out of the shadows she had been in to stand behind Cassandra. "Perhaps they died with the others, or have allies who yet live." I nearly jumped, having not knonw she was there, but managed to make it look like I was just shifting my weight. Oh what the clan would say if they knew that a shem had scared me.
"I am a suspect!?" Roderick sputtered. "You," Leliana paused, "and many others." Roderick's eyes widened as he caught what she was implying then he pointed at me. "But not the prisoner," he said with a scoff. "I heard the voices in the Temple," Cassandra said, her voice tinged with distain. "The Divine called out to her."
"So you want me to believe what…her survival, that thing on her hand – all a coincidence?" Roderick said, motioning to me with one hand but effectively ignoring me otherwise. "Providence," Cassandra replied. "The Maker sent her to us in our darkest hour." Even I had to raise an eyebrow at this one. "You believe your Maker would send someone like me?" I asked.
"The Maker does what he will. It is not for me to say," Cassandra responded. "Even if that person is an elf, a Dalish elf," I said, not keeping the disbelief out of my voice. "Humans are not the only people threatened by this Breach," Cassandra said with an indifferent shrug of her shoulders before heading towards another table in the room.
"The Breach remains. Your mark is still the only hope we have of closing it," Leliana cut in. "This is not for you to decide," Roderick said with a huff of irritation. At this point Cassandra had returned to where we were holding a book. She slammed it down against the table with more force than I had expected. "Do you know what this is, Chancellor? A writ from the Divine, granting us the authority to act," she said, drawing up to her full height.
"As of this moment," she continued, "I declare the Inquisition reborn. We will close the Breach, we will find those responsible, and we will restore order with or without your approval." For every new "we will" that Cassandra said she jabbed Roderick in the shoulder for added emphasis, and by the time she was done there was a hint of fear in his eyes. With a quick look around the room, and seeing no one who would stand with him, Roderick turned with a huff and exited, making sure to clip my shoulder as he did so.
"This is the Divine's directive: rebuild the Inquisition of old. Find those who will stand against chaos," Leliana said softly as the door slammed shut behind Roderick. "We aren't ready. We have no leader, we have no numbers, and now no Chantry support." She shook her head as though clearing away bad thoughts. "But we have no choice," Cassandra put in. "We have to act now, with you at our side."
This last bit she directed to me. I carefully looked them both in the eyes, taking a deep breath before replying. "I got to say, when I woke up today I was not expecting this." I opened my mouth to say something more, but words failed me and I just shook my head. "Neither were we," Leliana reassured me. "It will not be easy if you stay, but you can't look at all that's happened as pretend this has not changed you," Cassandra said, I think trying to win me over.
The Inquisition is supposed to be for restoring order and fighting chaos. Was this not what the Conclave was for as well? Is this not what Keeper Deshanna wanted to know about? Once again I looked them both in the eye. "If you are truly trying to restore order…" I left the rest of the sentence hang. "That is the plan," Leliana said brightening. "Help us restore order before it's too late," Cassandra said, holding out her hand for agreement.
As soon as my hand grasped Cassandra's, Leliana was on the move. Letters had been written and ravens sent out with the word. A notice was even nailed to the Chantry doors. "It will take a few days for the ravens to reach their destinations," Leliana told me as we watched the last two disappear from sight. "And a few weeks more before we begin to see people," Cassandra said as she came and joined us where we stood. "This is it," I said, "This is the start of the Inquisition."
