Chapter 10. Of Zealots, Acorns, and Cookies

Leliana was clearly confused and looked askance at her partner. Val noticed it and smiled to herself. That confirms it—she doesn't know about the order, and she doesn't look pleased; thank you Zevran!

Val looked suitably surprised. "It really isn't my place to inform the Divine of anything. Of course you can share our information with her Most Holy, but certainly she would rather receive that information from her own agents, especially her Right and Left Hands? Wouldn't you agree, Leliana?"

"Yes, I would." Leliana looked directly at Cassandra

"Champion, surely you can see that you are in a much better position to share information with the Divine than we are. After all, we were entirely wrong about your involvement in Kirkwall. Who knows what other information we have been mistaken about?"

Maric stroked his chin. Nice try, Seeker. "Seeker Pentaghast, when I was King any reports from the Teyrnirs or the Bannorn were written. It simply didn't make sense for everyone to travel to Denerim to say what could have easily been written down."

Leliana agreed. "We send the Divine regular written reports."

Cassandra looked pensive and unhappy. Written, encoded reports are exactly how we update the Divine. Cassandra sighed. "Leliana's correct. We typically send written reports, but surely you agree that this isn't a typical situation?"

Maric continued, "That's true – it is far from typical. You must keep in mind, however, that mages will attack Val on sight, Orlais bears no love for me, and an ideological chasm exists between all parties. Any action we take right now has to be covert. We cannot prance into Val Royeaux for an audience with the Divine."

With an annoyed huff, Cassandra stood up and began to pace. It isn't my place to question the orders of the Divine. If the Divine wants them in Val Royeaux, then that's where I will take them. She was about to go to the outside door and stopped at the sound of Leliana's gentle voice.

"Cassandra. Let us put aside the issue of Val Royeaux just for the moment, and discuss why the Champion and Lord Theirin called this meeting?" She was frustrated with her partner. Maric and Val are being very reasonable; she is not.

Cassandra sat down and said, grudgingly. "All right. What did you have in mind?"

Val began, "The first thing we wanted to accomplish was to garner your support. Then talk about what, collectively, we know. For example, I understand that there's a plan underway to rescue the mages imprisoned in the White Spire."

Leliana was so stunned it took her a moment to school her expression and temper her emotions before she could speak. "The mages have just been rescued, and I understand many of their phylacteries were destroyed in the process." Who is their contact? Just before the conclave, at Fiona's request, Leliana had helped her devise a rescue plan. Fiona told her a contact had warned her of Lambert's intentions. Leliana was planning to aid in the rescue, but Cassandra moved up the mission to Kirkwall. I wonder if they share the same contact?

Val smiled. "Good, then the mages should be starting to gather at Andoral's Reach. They will be safe there, for now, especially if their phylacteries were destroyed, but they're still quite vulnerable. If Lambert and his army attack them, it will be a slaughter. As I see it, we have about a month before Lambert can amass a large enough force to take Andor –

Cassandra looked at Val angrily. "Who is your contact?"

Val wearily shook her head. "Is the information correct?"

Leliana replied, "Yes, it is. You're very well informed."

Cassandra gave Leliana a nasty look.

Val pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to force back a headache from dealing with the arrogant dogmatist. "Seeker, if the information is correct, does the identity of our contact really matter? Maric and I have very good reasons to implicitly trust our contact. That will just have to suffice."

Maric leaded forward, putting his arms on the table with his hands clasped. The tenor of his voice was the same patient tone he used when explaining a tactical situation to a subordinate. "As we see it there are several things standing in our way. The biggest one, at least at the moment, is Lambert and his merry band of mage-hunting thugs. We need to eliminate Lambert and everyone in his inner circle. This was what he tried to do to the mages when he attacked the conclave. Without Lambert, and his close advisors, spilling hate-mongering filth, the rogue Seekers and Templars should be more receptive and easier for Val to reason with."

Cassandra's knuckles were white from grasping the arms of her chair. Her lips were compressed into a thin, disapproving line. "The whole point of finding you was to avoid bloodshed. Now you are talking about killing Lambert and several Templars and Seekers!"

Maric sat back and said, wryly, "It seems you were right Seeker, there are other things you've been mistaken about."

Val smiled patiently at Cassandra. "No bloodshed is an admirable goal, but unrealistic. There is usually no peaceful way to stop a determined religious zealot, is there?" See any resemblance?

Leliana suppressed a smile. For years, I've wanted to accuse Cassandra of just that.

Cassandra stood up and began to pace, again. Surely she doesn't count me as a zealot? Her tone was snide. "You would know about zealots, religious or otherwise, wouldn't you, Champion."

That Cassandra was referring to Anders made Val want to flay the Seeker alive, but she pretended to look contrite. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I hope you didn't think I was accusing you of being a religious zealot? Zealots blindly follow their leaders. They're a dogmatic, single-minded lot. Clearly not qualities one would ascribe to you."

Cassandra looked down her nose at Val. "I accept your apology."

Val nodded. "As you can see, we need to do a lot of forward planning in a very short amount of time. Now do you understand why we can't take the time to have a tête-à-tête with the Divine? We simply cannot take the risk."

"It wouldn't be a quick meeting, and we can do the forward planning there." Cassandra was getting desperate, angry, and confused. None of this is going as I had planned. Both Val and Maric noticed that Cassandra was near the outside door.

Leliana knew Cassandra was hiding something. She is normally difficult, but this is unusual even for her.

Between the emotions stirred up by the flashback and the frustration of the tedious meeting, Val had had enough. She stood up and was now face to face with the Seeker. That Val was taller, and therefore had to look down at Cassandra, intensified the contempt in Val's expression and tone of voice."I take back my appology. The Divine has given you an order." She opened the letter and slammed it on the table. "Will you question it? Or will you obey it just like the dogmatic religious zealot you seem to be?"

Maric was already sitting by the door to the main hall, ready to block it, if needed.

Cassandra recognized the letter at once. "How did you—?

Leliana had just read the scroll and interupted. "This order makes no sense. What have you been reporting to the Divine?"

Cassandra pointed at the scroll. "That is a direct order from the Divine to me, not to you Leliana. I do not question the Divine and I do not disobey orders. You will all go to Val Royeaux, willing or not!" Cassandra opened the door to the outside. Without looking, she said, "Take them all to the cellars. They're under arrest."

Her words were met with silence.

Cassandra turned toward the doorway. She looked wide-eyed at Zevran and Varric who were leaning against opposite sides of the doorframe.

Varric walked in with Bianca holstered. Zevran walked in, shut the door, and stood in front of it. Cassandra looked quickly about the room and saw that Maric was standing in front of the other door. "You murdered my men?"

"My beautiful Seeker, we did no such thing. They are perfectly safe."

Varric added, "Sleeping, bound and naked, but safe."

Cassandra turned her anger on Val. "What is the meaning of this outrage?"

Val picked up the letter and glared angrily at Cassandra. "I could ask the same of you. Maric and I asked for this meeting in good faith, whereas your intent seems to have been to drag us to Val Royeaux, kicking and screaming. You want to end this war. The Divine wants to end this war. We want to end this war. We all want the samebloody thing!"

Val took a deep breath to calm down, then she looked pleadingly at the Seeker. "Maric led the rebellion that freed Ferelden; Zevran fought the Blight at the side of the Hero; Varric has contacts throughout Thedas. We also will have the assistance of Kirkwall's former Knight-Commander, Ser Cullen." Val pointed her finger at the floor. "And I was here when this whole Void-bound nightmare started!

Maric stepped in. "Don't you see? We all have special skills that give us the best chance of ending the war and healing the Veil. But you would throw it all away to obey an ill-informed order. You've already admitted that the Divine was wrong about what happened in Kirkwall. She's also wrong about bringing us to Val Royeaux, and you know it!" Maric practically roared.

Leliana spoke sternly. "Cassandra! Sit down and stop this nonsense, before I tie you to that chair."

To those watching the tableau, Cassandra and Leliana looked at each other for what seemed like ages. Finally, the Cassandra sat down. "Fine. I am now sitting and I have some questions for you, Champion, none the least of which is how you obtained that letter."

Zevran raised his hand, and smiled. "I was the one who found the letter, Seeker. You know, you really should tell the sisters to put more candles upstairs. Who knows what kind of unsavory people will take advantage of those dark halls."

Leliana had a twinkle in her eye as she looked at Zevran.

Cassandra gripped her dagger hilt, aware that Val saw the movement.

Val deliberately sat down beside the Seeker, presenting her with an easy target, knowing that she had to show Cassandra that she was serious. "Seeker Pentaghast, I know you could put that dagger in me right now if you wanted, but we truly mean you no harm. We've arrived here equipped and determined to end this conflict and stop the Veil from being rent asunder. You and Leliana should be our allies, not our adversaries."

Cassandra slowly removed her hand from her dagger. The Seeker's voice sounded weary and defeated. "What would you have me do? Disobey the Divine?"

"I am asking that you send a report to the Divine explaining the situation and our need to stay out of Val Royeaux. Suggest another place we can meet if she is determined to do so." Val shrugged her shoulders. "We need to make a move soon. Kirkwall is not a safe place for us to stay, especially with the new Knight-Commander."

Leliana thought about the new Knight Commander and shuddered.

Cassandra's anger receded. "Where do you suggest?"

Varric spoke up, "Starkhaven. Choir B—Prince Vael is a man of faith. Besides, he owes Hawke several favors. It's time she cashed them in."

Cassandra looked at Val. "That will do unless you've made an enemy out of him, too?"

Val's response was flat. "No. He was happy I killed Anders."

~oOOo~

As everyone began to adjust to Val and Maric's absence, life in Revas began to settle into its usual rhythms—fireside gatherings to listen to Elrohir's takes, farmers readying the soil for planting season, and the building of new houses.

Construction of the new school renewed in earnest and Kali and Alistair were asked to join the committee to develop the history curriculum. They were surprised to be asked, but as Merenwen pointed out: Alistair and Kali lived through an important part of Fereldan and Thedosian history, and brought a unique perspective.

Since her grandparent's departure, Adaia had become deeply melancholy. It was an emotion that neither parent had ever seen in their usually exuberant child. It tugged at their heart as much as it worried them, as it worried many people who knew Adaia. The only times she seemed to brighten up were during her magic lessons, for which her parents were grateful. Rhovaneth and Merenwen both tried to assure Kali and Alistair that those feelings would pass and Adaia would be stronger because of it.

One afternoon, after her all-day outing with her Oran, Adaia came running into the house shouting, "Mother, Father! Grandpa planted the acorn at the Keep! He really did it! He really did it!"

Kali came out of the sitting room. "Sweetling, I'm right here, there's no need to shout." Secretly, she was happy to see Adaia so ebullient.

"Sorry Mother, but I'm so excited I just hadto."

"What's this about an acorn and your Grandfather?"

"Before they left, he took an acorn from under the oak tree and told me he would plant it at Vigil's Keep. He did and I felt it. It was like he was standing right next to me! I feel like I'm on a cloud!"

Kali looked at her daughter with wonder. "Did he feel your presence?"

Adaia nodded vigorously. "He heard me laugh!"

Kali pulled Adaia into her arms. "I'm so proud of you."

"Is Daddy home?"

"Not yet, he's at the tavern with Cullen. He should be home soon, just don't shout when he comes in."

"I'll try, Mother, but I'm just so…so… Is there another word for happy?"

"I think a good word for you would be 'ecstatic.' When you're ecstatic, you feel tremendous pleasure and delight. That is how you seem to be feeling right now, yes?"

Adaia said the word a couple of times and said. "That is the perfect word…I'm ecstatic!" She paused and sniffed. "Is Marion baking cookies?"

Kali chuckled. "Yes, she is. They should be ready for after dinner." For Adaia, just as for Alistair and Maric, the smell of sweets and cheese were like a beacon, drawing them in regardless of what they were doing. This had led to the occasional ink-stained parchment from a quill that was left lying on a desk, or boot prints from boots not taken off at the door. Once, Adaia forgot to dispel her blue orb. It ended up floating through the house and knocked over a bottle of brandy on the sideboard in the great room.

Adaia flopped to the floor. "This is one of the best days ever!"

It was then that Alistair walked in. "One of the best days ever?"

Adaia jumped up and ran to her father. "Daddy, I'm ec…ecstatic!"

Alistair picked her up, thrilled at the return of Adaia's smile. "Are you now? What are you ecstatic about?"

Adaia told him about the acorn and then said, "And Marion is baking cookies!"

Alistair chuckled; his eyes glimmered. "I have to agree that would make this one of the best days ever. What were the other best days?"

Adaia didn't even pause to think. "When you gave me my practice daggers; when I met Grandpa; my first magic lesson, and when Grandpa and Grandma got married. Those are the other best days ever."

She threw her arms around Alistair's neck, gave him a big kiss on the cheek, and then she said in a singsong voice, "I know something you don't know."

"What is it you think I don't know?"

"I saw Lyna at Serah Lanvier's stand and she had a big basket with her. You know what that means?"

Alistair grinned from ear to ear and they said at the same time, "Cheese!"

He put Adaia down. "Go see if you can nick a piece for us both."

Adaia nodded and skipped towards the kitchen.

Alistair pulled his wife into his arms and kissed her. "It is such a relief to see her smile again. It seems our daughter's day was a winner. What about yours, love?"

"Relaxing and quiet. How was your visit with Cullen? You two are becoming inseparable. If he wasn't married, I'd be jealous." Kali teased.

Alistair laughed at the thought. "No, my dear, no worries there. What about you? You spend a lot of time with Renna, if she wasn't married…" He stroked his chin thoughtfully, then gave Kali a wicked look, and waggled his eyebrows. "Well, I'm not sure I would be jealous…" Kali swatted him on the arm. He gave her another kiss.

"Seriously though, we had a really good visit. He's ready to leave as soon as he receives word from Zevran. I wish he didn't have to go, but I understand why he is. Renna is staying behind, so we should endeavor to keep her spirits up. Good to know that Da and Val made it to the Keep."

From behind him he heard "Boo!" It was so sudden, Alistair actually startled. Kali, who had seen Adaia, tried not to giggle.

When Alistair turned around, he saw Adaia, and a plate of cheese as it floated up to him. He could see the blue glow below it. Amazed, he took the plate off the orb and watched as it went back to Adaia's palm and vanished. "When did you learn to make it do that?"

~oOOo~

Cullen came into the house after visiting with Alistair. Renna was sitting at the desk writing. She seemed completely unaware of his arrival, so he took advantage of her distraction and nibbled her neck. Renna was so startled that the quill flew from her fingers, sailing up in the air, and they followed its trail of ink, watching as the quill landed in one of Cullen's boots. Cullen pulled the now inkless quill out of his boot, watching as Renna's eyes traced the path of ink spots from her desk to his boots.

Cullen laughed. "Well that's a new and unique way to welcome me home."

Renna arched an eyebrow. "I think I could come up with unique and less messy ways of welcoming you home."

Cullen pulled his wife up from the chair and gave her a lusty smile. "I look forward to them."

"So, how was your trip to the tavern?"

"Great. Alistair and I spent a lot of time talking about his more colorful experiences during the Blight. We also talked about the situation in Thedas." He stopped as he watched Renna's mouth turn down. It had done that a lot recently. Now I know how Alistair felt. He pulled her into her arms. "Maybe we should revisit the idea of you staying behind?"

Renna drew away. "I think we should."

~oOOo~

Prince Sebastian Vael sat as his desk; he was holding a letter that had recently arrived by courier, and smiled when he recognized the handwriting. As he read the note, his smile began to fade, his eyes widened, and, by the time he finished, he looked very worried.

~oOOo~

AN: A big thank you to all who are reading this story. A special thanks to xseikax, EasternViolet, and Shakespira for their continued reviews. Finally, deep gratitude to Shakespira for being my incredibly helpful Beta.

BioWare owns all, I'm just playing with their toys.