Chapter 10: To Serve
"OOOF!"
All the air rushed out of Ana's lungs, the hard boot to the belly sent her reeling, even with the hard leather training vest. She staggered back, she backpedalled, trying to keep her shield up, trying to hold onto her sword. It proved impossible, but at least she made the attempt.
Her feet went out from underneath her. She went down hard on the packed snow; she came down, ending up in a sitting position before her opponent.
She tried to bring her sword up, like Cassandra had shown her, it would buy her time and allow her to keep fighting.
Her opponent beat her to the punch though, he was too fast. His blade thrust through her weakened guard, and ended up pointed directly at her chin, forcing her onto her back.
She lay there on the cold ground, her armor doing little to protect her from that. Her opponent stared grimly down at her. Their eyes locked, making her blood race and her breath quicken.
Cullen gave her a questioning look.
Ana raised her hands in surrender.
"I yield," she proclaimed.
The commander nodded, and planted his blade in the snow.
Despite it being gone, Ana still did not feel at peace. She tried to will her heart to slow down, to find her center like her trainer back in Ostwick had showed her.
That calm did not come easily, not around the commander, not around Cullen.
She shook her head.
Ending up on my back with Cullen pointing his sword at me…hm…
A hint of a blush started, as well as memories of last night's dreams, which threated to turn the blush into a full on explosion of red, she managed to hold that back. It was not as bad as could have been…but…
Andraste save me, she thought.
This…this really should not be getting me excited should it?
Fortunately Cullen did not seem to notice her discomfort.
Praise the Make for small favors.
"Good," Cullen said in his commander's voice, "You held onto your weapons, and kept your guard up."
She gave him a sheepish look.
"You still beat me," she reminded him.
"Perhaps, but you still maintained control. In a real fight, had you maintained hold of your weapons you would still have a chance to turn the tables, or at least survive."
He gave her an encouraging look. He offered her his hand. She took it, letting him pull her to her feet. For one brief moment she found herself in his arms, their noses almost touching, and his strong arms on her waste.
She swallowed hard, staring into those hard predator's eyes.
Oh Maker.
She pulled back before she could embarrass herself further. If he noticed he said nothing. He remained focused on their training session.
"The ability to keep that control, do not underestimate the value of that."
She nodded dumbly, not really hearing his words.
She swallowed hard.
Those arms…those eyes…oh Maker, she thought.
I'm in serious trouble!
Usually she spent her time training with Cassandra. The warrior woman seemed intent on teaching her everything she knew about the sword and shield. Ana was grateful for that; the Seeker had spent more the twenty years surviving on the battlefield. She likely knew more about the art of the blade then House Trevelyan's own weapon master.
Ana was eager to absorb all that knowledge.
Unfortunately, Leliana had needed to speak with her new mentor; Ana had found herself in the training yard alone. She spent a short time helping with the new recruits, mostly locals from Haven or pilgrims come to aid the cause.
Cullen had been out here as well, he had agreed to spar with her. That is how they ended up in this situation…
That is how she came so close to embarrassing herself…yet again.
She backed up, raising her sword and shield, dropping into a fighting stance.
The commander followed suit.
"Cassandra has done well," he commented, "Your skill with a blade is quite impressive."
Ana smiled, basking in his praise.
"Cassandra has helped," she admitted, "But I've been studying the marshal disciplines for a quite a while now. My family's master at arms taught me. Ser Geoffrey said I had a talent for it."
Cullen gave her that little smile again, the one that threatened to make her melt into a puddle.
She laughed nervously.
"You should not be surprised," she said quickly, "My time in Ostwick was not spent entirely spending money and chasing boys."
Ana's eyes widened.
Andraste's ass, had…had she really said that!
She tried to backpedal.
"Not that I chased a lot of boys," she added quickly, "Don't get me wrong, boys are good, men too, not that I spent a lot of time on that kind of thing. I like men and…and…"
She stopped Cullen. Cullen looked amused.
She was now blushing pure scarlet.
"I'll just shut up now," she sighed in surrender.
Cullen chuckled.
"It is okay," he said, "It is nice to hear about your life before all this, to see that you were not always the herald. It makes you seem more…reachable somehow."
She winced.
"I seem unreachable?"
"Some of the recruits see you that way," he confessed, "The stories they have heard about you. Legends grow quickly in military orders. It was like that in the Templars as well."
Ana lowered her blade. It was rare that she had a chance to speak with Cullen outside of the war council, even rarer that she was not putting her foot in her mouth around him. As long as the conversation remained on combat and military matters she should be fine…
…at least she hoped so.
"What is it like," she asked, "Being a Templar?"
Cullen shrugged.
"If you are trying to discover the order's current motivations, I'm a poor example," he admitted, "If I knew those answers I would be with them now. As for my own experiences, I spent most of my time working in the circle, first here in Ferelden and then in Kirkwall."
The commander winced.
"If I had been stronger, maybe I would have stood up to Knight-Commander Meredith sooner, maybe…maybe all this could have been avoided."
Ana gave him a sympathetic look.
"From what I have gathered from Varric, that wasn't your fault. This Knight-Commander Meredith seemed intent on pushing the mages into open rebellion."
Cullen's eyes narrowed.
"I still should have done something," he growled, "I still should have said something. Had I even tried, things…things might have been different. Maybe I would not have failed so spectacularly, maybe I could have stopped it. Maybe…maybe I could have saved them…she deserved better."
His last words made Ana pause.
She?
Cullen shook his head, pain passed over his face like a passing storm. Quickly he was back in control.
"It does not matter now," he said grimly, "I have a new purpose, these recruits, this Inquisition, we have a chance to change the course of history. Our recruits would be a part of that, we can make it happen…we…"
He chuckled.
"I'm sure you do not need to hear a lecture.
She laughed lightly.
"If you have few prepared, I would be tempted to listen," she said with a warm smile.
Her respond made the Commander pause, he met her warm gaze.
For the first time since they had met, it was he that looked away first.
"I…um," he looked down at the snow, "I…I will try to keep that in mind…Milady."
She smiled.
The shyness as he spoke just now, it…it was quite endearing it…
"Commander Cullen! Ana!"
The two jumped turning quickly, like they had been doing something forbidden.
Cassandra was striding towards them. All shyness and awkwardness left the two warriors, around the Seeker they were all business.
"Seeker Pentaghast," Cullen said coolly, his mask of command firmly back in place.
"Cassandra," Ana said with a slight nod.
"We are summoning the war council," the warrior woman said, "Leliana's agents have discovered some things that require our attention."
Ana and Cullen both nodded, they agreed to meet with the others in the chantry in one hour.
Ana made her way to her cabin; she wanted a chance to change before the meeting. She tried to stay focused on the business at hand, but something was nagging at her.
What Cullen had said about the circle…?
Maybe I would not have failed so spectacularly, maybe I could have stopped it. Maybe…maybe I could have saved them…she deserved better.
She deserved better.
Ana pursed her lips.
Who was she, and how had Cullen failed her?
It was an interesting question, but one that would wait until later.
Now, she had work to do, they had work to do.
IOI
An hour later she stood with the rest of the war council as they stood around what she referred to as the command table, a map of Ferelden, and Orlais spread out before them.
Ana glanced around at her fellow council members, she had to admit, she had been a little intimidated in their earlier meetings. At nineteen she was the youngest member, and everyone else had had so much experience with…well…everything.
Cullen had been a Templar captain; he had served with two circles. Ambassador Montilyet had served in the Orlesian royal court. Cassandra had been right hand of the Divine for almost twenty years. Leliana, beyond being their spymaster was…well…she had done more than anyone here…
She was a hero, a legend.
Ana tried not to meet the woman's eyes.
When they had first met, she had not realized that Sister Leliana had been thee Sister Leliana, one of the heroines of the Blight.
It was a little intimidating truth be told.
Ana Trevelyan had still been a child during the Blight, only nine years old. In the decade since the Archdemon fell, the stories of the heroes of the Blight had turned into legends. Leliana was a part of those legends, she had known those people, had fought beside them and called them friends.
Ana shook her head.
What did a noble girl from Ostwick matter in the face of that, even if she did have a magical mark upon her hand?
Leliana had stood would this legends, with the Hero of Ferelden.
She had stood with the Warden Queen.
Ana could not deny it; she had grown up revering Elissa Cousland-Theirin. She had been more than just a hero; she had become the stuff of legend, the woman who had united men, elves, mages, and dwarves into single host, the woman who had taken the Archdemon's head.
How many of her childhood games had been centered on the warden? How many times had she imagined herself in the hero's boots…?
…Many…to be certain.
Then of course, there was the king, she thought with a slight smile.
King Alistair had his place in legend to.
Ana remembered the first time she had seen a painting of Fereldan's legendary ruler, that dark blond hair, those kind puppy dog eyes.
She smiled slightly.
She could not deny it, her first crush growing up had been on Ferelden's king, and she had not been alone, many girls of her generation had no doubt been smitten with him, and perhaps a little envious of the warden queen's position, both as queen, and as the king's lover.
"Lady Trevelyan?"
Ana hiccupped.
Oh Maker, she had done it again!
She had been caught daydreaming when she should have been tending to business.
"I'm sorry Lady Josephine," she blinked, "You were saying?"
The Antivan woman smiled.
"I was saying that we need to do something about your Cousin Reynard."
Ana blinked.
"I have a cousin Reynard?"
Leliana giggled.
Ana felt a blush come to her cheeks.
"I have a big family," she said, "Mother required that I know the names of the first three tiers of our family tree, but I don't remember a Cousin Reynard."
Josephine looked down at her pad of parchment.
"Well, he claims to know you, close friends, apparently," the Ambassador added, "During a recent salon in Ostwick he threatened a rival by claiming that his beloved cousin Anastasia would bring the Inquisitions troops again the man."
Ana frowned.
Leliana shook her head.
"This should not come as a surprise," she said, "The herald's fame is spreading."
The spymaster's mouth became a grim line.
"I have agents in Ostwick. They will have…a talk with this young man."
Ana winced.
"Sister please," she said, "I know we have to protect our interests, but after the business with my sister in Orlais…well…"
The herald fidgeted.
"My sister already believes us responsible for a great many things. Please, please do not start hurting my cousins; it won't win us any allies among my clan. Lizzy might even convince my Mother to oppose us openly."
She gave the spymaster a pleading look.
"I can't fight my own family, please don't ask that of me."
Leliana gave Ana a reassuring look.
"The boy will not be harmed," she promised, "But…he will be reminded that the Inquisition does not like having our name used so…frivolously."
Ana sighed with relief.
One crisis averted it seemed.
The meeting turned to more mundane matters. The Inquisition was currently involved with choosing the Duke of Lydes. Leliana and Josephine had a noble in mind; it was now simply a matter of neutralizing two of her relatives. Both Cullen and Leliana had ideas on how to do that. Plus, the spymaster had come to them with a disturbing report. Apparently all the Grey Wardens in Ferelden and Orlais had vanished. That was not unusual given the enigmatic nature of the order, what had raised so many questions that the disappearances had happened just before the explosion at the Conclave.
Leliana pursed her lips.
She had friends among the wardens. She clearly did not want to believe them involved in this, but evidence was evidence.
It would require investigating.
There had been reports of warden movements along the Storm Coast. Scouts were already being dispatched. She had also received reports of a warden named Blackwall moving through the Hinterlands.
Ana volunteered to try and locate him.
There was also the matter of the Bull's Chargers, a mercenary company looking for work. Their leader, this Iron Bull had asked to speak with the Herald about long term employment. Given the Inquisitions need for strong soldiers, Ana did not see how she could refuse, plus there were reports of fade rifts up there.
Those needed her attention as well.
Then there was the horse situation, the Inquisition had been trying to contact Redcliffe's old horse master for weeks, but the western hinterlands were still a mess. The last caravan that had tried to reach the farmlands where the master made his home had ended up slaughtered, apparently the work of rogue Templars or apostate mages.
Ana frowned at the news.
"This cannot be allowed to continue," Cassandra said coldly.
"I agree," Cullen nodded, "We have gained some recruits from both groups, but lately those recruits are few and far between."
"Perhaps we can send some of our Templars and mages to parlay with them," Josephine offered.
"Would either side listen?" Cassandra asked.
"With the right people perhaps," the Ambassador replied.
Ana said nothing, not because she had nothing to say, but because she was building up her courage.
She did not like what she had in mind, but she saw no way around it.
The herald sighed.
"We purge them," she whispered.
Her fellow councilors all turned.
"Pardon me?" Josephine said.
"No parlay, no more chances," Ana said with a colder voice.
She looked at Leliana.
"Do our agents know where the apostates and rogue Templars are hiding?"
"They do," the spymaster replied, "The Templars are near the west road to the farmlands. The apostates have a camp in Witchwood."
The herald nodded.
"Then are choice is clear, we go in and we purge them all."
The war council fell silent. Ana knew they all saw her as the voice of moderation here. She did not like getting blood on their hands when it was not necessary.
Unfortunately this was not the time for moderation.
The herald sighed.
"Please don't think I like this idea," she said, "I don't. If we could do this clean then I would be the first to say let's do it, however, I don't believe that is possible."
She moved a soldier marker on the map towards Witchwood.
"We have been more than patient with the rogue Templars and apostates in the Hinterlands. We have given quarter when they have surrendered. We have healed their wounded, and even offered some a chance to join us, and still these raids against our forces, refugees, and merchants continue. This behavior can no longer be tolerated."
Ana leaned back, she felt a little heartsick, but she did not let that stop her.
If life was to continue, drastic measures were called for.
"I wanted to do this clean, but they have given us no choice. All that were willing to join us likely have by now. The rest need to be dealt with, it is the only way we are going to help the refugees in the Hinterlands.
She shook her head.
"It is the only way that we can make things safe for those poor people."
The rest of the council considered her advice.
Cassandra responded first.
"I agree with the herald. We do this."
Leliana nodded.
"My agents will find the most up to date information when we…deal with this matter."
"Very well," Josephine nodded, "If this is the will of the council."
"My men will handle the matter," Cullen promised.
"No," Ana said, "I'll handle it."
Josephine blinked.
"Is that wise Milady, if you go into Redcliffe the mages there…"
Ana gave her a wan smile.
"You want me to appear blameless, or at least appear to be? Thank you Ambassador, but that won't be necessary."
Ana glanced at the map, at their next target…
…She sighed.
"I was informed recently that the soldiers are starting to see me as unreachable, if I'm to continue being the herald of the Inquisition that can't happen. Everyone must see that I'm not asking the soldiers to do anything that I'm not prepared to do myself."
Cullen coughed; he likely regretted telling her that.
He should not have been. It was what she needed to hear.
"Besides," she added, "I want to take Sera and Vivienne into the field, I need to see how they hold up under fire, if they can both obey orders. This business with the mages and Templars will be perfect for that."
She nodded.
"Who knows, I might even be able to reach Redcliffe's Horse Master, get those mounts are cavalry need."
Ana shrugged.
"That should be worth it in itself, no?"
Her allies looked around at each other silently.
Ana felt a brief surge of panic.
Had she done the right thing? Typically she did not speak up at these meetings.
Maybe she had pushed too hard too fast.
It was Cassandra that broke through all that, she gave Ana a proud look.
"I will accompany the herald. We shall test our new allies, find this warden, and reach this old Horse Master."
She gave the others a wolfish smile.
"WE can no longer afford to play around with those threatening innocents…"
"It is time to act."