Iron Bull and his Chargers decided to travel with Talyn's small group back to Haven. Talyn found it fun to travel with them. Iron Bull was pleasant to be around, and so were his men. There were six of them that seemed to be in his "inner circle", and Talyn quickly got to know each of them.
There was Krem, a Tevinter man who was Iron Bull's second-in-command. Talyn learned that this was odd, because Tevinter and the Qunari had been enemies for centuries. They often threw good natured insults at each other. And then there was Rocky, a dwarf from Orzammar, which Talyn learned from Varric was the homeland of the dwarves, deep beneath the earth. He was a little too into explosives, but he was nice enough.
Then there was their medic, a human they called Stitches. He seemed exasperated most of the time, often scolding the others for their improper use of his medicines. Grim was another human, and his name fit him. The man didn't speak, and never smiled. Then there was Skinner, a city elf who joined the Chargers because she was no longer welcome in her alienage. She didn't say much on why she had to leave, or why her name was Skinner, except that a human lord tried to take something that wasn't his to take. Talyn decided that she didn't want to know the whole story.
Talyn's favorite out of the group though, was Dalish. She was a Dalish elf, with a green vallislin. She was a mage, but when Iron Bull pointed it out, she said that her staff was merely a bow.
"But you have a gemstone in it." Talyn had pointed out.
Dalish winked at her. "That's just a Dalish trick to help with aiming. You wouldn't understand."
"Do you know any stories about the Evanuris?" She asked the mage-slash-archer.
Dalish nodded. "'Course I know about the Creators. Why do you ask?"
Talyn looked around to make sure that Solas wasn't within ear shot. He had something against the Evanuris, but Talyn had been burning with curiosity.
"I can't remember much about them. I was hoping you could refresh my memory."
Dalish grinned. "Well, there are nine of them, so this may take a while. Which one do you want to start with first?"
And, honestly, that was how Dalish became her favorite out of Iron Bull's inner circle. Just like how Varric became her friend, and Solas. People who could spin tales like no other fascinated Talyn. Every bit of information Talyn could obtain was like treasure to her, because she had nothing except for the few weeks she's been the Herald of Andraste. And all she heard about was the Chantry, which Talyn was growing to dislike immensely.
"How did you learn to fight, Herald?" Iron Bull asked one night.
Talyn cringed at her title. Which made Iron Bull and Varric break out into laughter.
"You were right, Varric! Her face does twist when you call her that."
Talyn glared, which just made them laugh harder.
So, she stood up, and walked away from the fire. That was when Bull's men started laughing too.
She walked into the trees and found Solas quietly gathering herbs. It was night, but he had used some flickering blue light, probably some form of magic, to help him see. He hadn't seen her yet.
Talyn crouched, hiding behind the underbrush. With her ebony armor that seemed to be made for stealth, she blended right in with the darkness. Her boots were silent on the forest floor, and she stepped so lightly she didn't even break a twig. She moved around a tree, planning to surprise the normally calm elf.
"Hello, Talyn." Solas greeted her with a smile in his voice.
Talyn sighed in frustration and stood to her feet, revealing herself. "How did you know?"
There was amusement twinkling in his eyes when he turned to face her. Or was it? "I'm a mage, Talyn."
"Oh."
"So..." Talyn started awkwardly. "What are you doing?"
"Collecting elfroot. I thought the Inquisition could use some more."
"Do you need help?"
Solas turned back to the patch of elfroot. "Yes."
So Talyn knelt in the patch of elfroot, and silently helped Solas collect it. It was a comfortable silence though, and after the past few days of nothing but Iron Bull's rambunctious men, Talyn enjoyed the quiet. And she enjoyed being around Solas. As usual, the loner elf stayed away from the others, only speaking when it was an important matter. She didn't want to admit it to herself, but she missed him.
They gathered the plants and put them in a basket that Solas used his magic to make out of a few tree branches.
"Were you always an apostate, Solas? Or were you in a Circle?" Talyn asked while they were walking back to the camp site.
"I was never in a Circle."
"So you taught yourself to use magic?"
"I grew up in a small village to the north. There wasn't much else for a young boy to do. I quickly learned that I had an aptitude for magic."
"It must be nice, being able to use magic."
Solas smiled. "It's a blessing, and a curse. Mages who don't know how to properly use their magic fall prey to demons."
"Have you ever been the victim of a demon?"
Solas shook his head. "It wasn't a true demon. But it was my own."
His tone ended the conversation.
Val Royeaux was a beautiful old city, carved from ancient stone and it's towers reaching for the sky like beacons. The group was walking down a wide bridge lined with colossal statues of various saints on either side, their hands folded in prayer. The closer to the gates they got, the older the stone looked.
This city was holy. Talyn could feel it deep in her bones. There was an ancient energy that the mark reacted to. It started to glow faintly.
A figure approached them, swathed head to toe in a black cloak, despite the warm day. Talyn felt Cassandra tense and reach for her sword, but the figure quickly made a hand sign that proved they were one of Leiliana's scouts.
"The clerics have summoned the Templars." The scout said in a low voice. "They're waiting to ambush you in the marketplace."
"Damn it." Cassandra sighed. "I was hoping the clerics would actually see reason."
Talyn nodded her thanks to the scout and walked around him.
"Aren't you worried about the Templars, Talyn?" Cassandra asked.
"Templars don't frighten me." Templars were easy to deal with, compared to demons.
"Templars are frightening to everyone." Iron Bull pointed out.
"Templars are merely men. Men can bleed."
Bull chuckled. "I knew there was a reason I liked you, boss."
Talyn scowled. "Stop calling me that."
They passed through the gate into the city. It seemed that the moment they entered Val Royeuax, it became as silent as a graveyard. The people were all staring at the group. Well, more specifically, they were staring at Talyn. And who wouldn't stare at her? Talyn was a anomaly. She looked like some wild thing, with her hair undone and tousled by the wind, and her lyrium markings that were branded into her skin. Not to mention her armor, which was the darkest color of black possible, so dark that it seemed to suck all the light surrounding Talyn.
The Marketplace was just a giant circle. It was loud, and busy, until the people started to notice Talyn and her people walk in. It got just as quiet as the rest of the city.
A woman stood on a wooden platform, dressed head to toe in the red and white Chantry robes. She was old, her wrinkled face twisted in disgust and her watery eyes filled with hatred at the sight of Talyn. She pointed a finger at Talyn, and Talyn had a flashback of her nightmare, of a broken, clawed finger.
"Imposter! Heathen! How dare you enter this holy city!" The woman accused Talyn.
This just made Talyn stand taller and bite her tongue before she could say something stupid.
"Please, Mother Helena, see reason." Cassandra implored. It didn't surprise Talyn that the Seeker knew her.
"This imposter should be hanged! Not celebrated like the false servant of Andraste she claims to be!"
"I never claimed to be the Herald of Andraste!" Talyn had to fight to keep herself from shouting back at the woman. "I'm just trying to keep the world from falling apart, which is what all of you should be more concerned about, rather than who I am and who I am not."
There started to be a low murmur in the crowd as the common people witnessed what would probably be a legendary exchange between an elf and the Chantry.
"And who is to say that you did not create the Breach in the first place?" Mother Helena spat at her.
"The Divine called out to Talyn for help, Mother Helena." Cassandra defended Talyn. "The Herald is nothing more than another victim in the explosion."
Talyn really wished Cassandra would just stop talking about her being the Herald.
"I will not believe the blasphemous lies coming out of your mouth, Seeker Cassandra." Mother Helena gestured towards a gate, where a man with a scar on his face and black eyes filled with rage lead a group of men walking out of it, all wearing the same Templar armor.
"We have called for the Templars!" The woman addressed the people. "They will protect us, and make this false prophet pay for her crimes!"
The group all reached for their weapons as the Templars approached them.
But then, the man that seemed to be the leader turned and walked onto the platform instead of attacking Talyn. And then backhanded Mother Helena. Everyone gasped, and the frail woman fell to the ground.
With a deadly look in his eye, the man turned to the crowd. "The Templars do not serve the Chantry any longer."
"That's Lord Seeker Lucius." Cassandra whispered. "What is he doing?"
"We will wipe out the mage rebellion, without the Chantry and their meddling."
That was a waste of time. "Why don't you help us repair the sky instead, Lord Seeker?" Talyn demanded.
He gave her a nasty look. His eyes were black, empty, and Talyn was once again reminded of her nightmare. "I will not help the Inquisition, not while you have mages amongst your men."
He looked directly at Solas.
His men gave each other concerned looks, but they followed their Lord Seeker as he stepped down from the platform and left out of a side entrance.
Talyn went over to Mother Helena. She was still on the ground, refusing to meet Talyn's eye.
When Talyn offered her hand to her, Mother Helena slapped it away.
Talyn stepped back from her. "I am not your enemy. The Inquisition is not your enemy."
"Just get out of this city! And never come back." The old woman hissed at her.
Talyn sighed and walked away. Solas, Cassandra, and Iron Bull followed her. Talyn didn't look back as they left the city.
A slender elf woman with short black hair and blue eyes was leaning against a staff in the middle of the bridge. She had a small smile on her face.
Talyn's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and she stopped in front of the woman.
"Are you the Herald of Andraste?" She asked Talyn in a sing song voice.
Talyn fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Yes. And who are you?"
Her smile widened. "My name is Grand Enchanter Fiona. I heard you were looking for me."
Talyn immediately snapped to attention. The mages. "Yes, I have been looking for you."
"Then meet me in Redcliffe, and we can talk." Fiona bowed. "It was a pleasure, Herald."
Then she disappeared.
Talyn and Cassandra each met each other's surprised stare.
