The first leaned back and folded his arms against his chest. "Before we hear Alistair's account of what happened recently in Orlais, I would like to review how he came to be summoned here, as I realize not all of you were in Weisshaupt when the decision was made.
Last summer, Commander de Chambrais reported that many of the Wardens in Orlais had begun having odd dreams, dreams that reminded them of the dreams they had had during the Blight, and which featured a little girl prominently. Because he distrusted Commander Cousland's account of Urthemiel's passing—with good reason, as we now know—he speculated that there might be a connection between the girl in the dreams and the Blight. At his request, we summoned Alistair here. De Chambrais thought that we might have a better chance of getting the truth from Alistair than from Commander Cousland.
Subsequently, we received a rather confusing series of messages from Ferelden and Orlais. First came a letter from Amaranthine stating that Alistair had left Amaranthine and was on his way. Then came a message from Coteaux du Roches that both he and Cousland were in Orlais and were planning to come together. Then we received a note from Commander Cousland that included new information about the Fifth Blight and a rather unlikely account of his activities in Orlais, and said that he was not coming, but that Alistair had left Val Royeaux. Finally, Yves sent us a letter indicating that the dreams had stopped, and that the Ferelden Commander had enjoined one of his Wardens to secretly investigate the dreams."
An unlikely account? Alistair wondered if Aedan were still trying to hide the truth, or whether the First deemed the truth improbable.
Anshelm continued, "So we would like you to begin by explaining why Cousland was in Orlais at all."
Alistair told them that he had set out from Ferelden alone, while Aedan was away on a recruiting drive. Aedan had come after him because he did not want Alistair heading to Weisshaupt without knowing…what had really happened. He did not describe the somewhat embarrassing details of his capture and rescue. If Yves had not bothered to mention it, he wouldn't either.
"So you still didn't know how he had cheated death? What did you plan to tell us?" Scarlata raised an eyebrow.
Alistair shrugged. "I…would have told you that Morrigan had done…something…to save him, I guess."
Aristomachus had a different question. "So Aedan didn't come to Orlais to look for Morrigan originally?"
"No. We didn't even know Morrigan was in Orlais until a chance remark by a friend of ours in Val Royeaux. She vanished after we killed the Archedemon. I think," he sighed, "that Aedan was hoping that nothing would come of the child. In retrospect, we both had some…odd dreams that year…but nothing like we experienced in Orlais.
Other than Ricard, no one on the council had dreamed of Aife, so Alistair spent some time describing how the dreams had felt, both his own, Aedan's, and those accounts gathered by Enrique.
"So Aedan realized immediately that he was dreaming of his daughter?"
"Not at first, but after Yves mentioned that Wardens were having odd dreams, and he had a second one, he realized that it must be his daughter. Once you know, the resemblance is obvious."
"Why did he not tell Commander de Chambrais that right away?"
Alistair snorted. "Because he can't stand him. The last thing Aedan wanted to do was admit that Yves had been right all along. And he said that he was sure Yves would want to kill her, and feared it would result in a bloodbath."
The First nodded. "Killing her does seem like a logical solution. Why did Aedan oppose it?"
"I'd have thought he'd be happy to have someone else die in his stead to remove his mistake," said Marschalc. "Assuming a Warden would die killing her, of course." He glanced over at Menashe, who shrugged.
Alistair shook his head. "No, that's not. I mean, Aedan didn't want to die but he just didn't want to kill a child, his child, without knowing…what she was. He did say that if she were tainted, or some sort of monster, that he would kill her himself."
Halfdan pulled at his beard. "So you did discuss it? And you…agreed with his decision?"
"I told him I would do it, but he said…he said no, that he needed me to fend off Morrigan's magic. And when it looked like it was going to be hard to find Morrigan, I thought we should just come here and let other Wardens know, not make this decision alone. But Aedan wouldn't do that, so…"
"And you just do whatever Commander Cousland tells you," observed Marschalc.
"Yes, I do," he admitted, taking a deep breath and lowering his eyes. I did. "I trusted his judgment—after everything we'd been through, everything he'd done…"
Ricard commented, "In Alistair's defense, it must be noted that Aedan Cousland is a very persuasive man. If you haven't met him—and I don't think any of the rest of you have—" he glanced around the room for confirmation that he was correct, "it's easy to underestimate what he is."
Alistair told them how they had gone to find Morrigan, omitting the details of how Aedan had bargained for her whereabouts. As expected, he fielded many questions about the girl.
"You say that you sensed the girl, but you're sure she's not tainted. I don't quite know how you would sense her? What did you feel, exactly?" asked Anshelm.
"Not the taint, something else, like an awareness of a glow or a warmth. It's hard to describe…it's not like a Warden or a Darkspawn. I guess it was a little like the Archdemon but—well, I guess none of you know what it's like near the Archdemon—but that was darker. It was…I don't know how to describe it…soothing…to be near her?"
The elf tilted hi shead back in thought, then said, "It makes sense that the Joining attunes us to the old God, in some sense. That must be why we were drawn into her dreams, and she into ours."
"But can we know that she won't become tainted? What if the Darkspawn find her?" asked Halfdan.
"Morrigan says she won't, that it can't happen." He sighed. "She says that the Chantry has what happened to make the Darkspawn all wrong."
"And did she enlighten you as to the correct story?" inquired Scarlata.
He snorted. "Morrigan? Yeah, right. I did ask her if she was so sure, why she wouldn't come to Weisshaupt with us and explain why the girl couldn't be tainted. I knew she wouldn't." He sighed.
Aristomachus pointed out that the old Gods were said to speak to people in their dreams and compel their obedience. "Did you ever feel the girl was influencing you during the dream?"
Alistair shook her head. "Not in the dreams, but…in person, in a way. I guess. She made me feel—relaxed. Happy. When we shared a meal with Ellaire and Aife, it was like a family dinner, even though we didn't know them."
Anshelm turned to the Tevinter mage. "Do you think she can control us?"
Aristomachus' gaze flickered to Alistair than back to the first. "Not yet by the sound of it, at least not consciously. In time?" he shrugged. "I suppose Avernus is too fragile to travel. It would be helpful to have his opinion on this as he knows more about the taint than anyone else. Perhaps one of us should go to Ferelden and seek his counsel."
The First nodded, then indicated for Alistair continue his tale.
Avernus, Alistair thought to himself. I always wondered why Aedan let him live, after everything he had done, even with the promise that he wouldn't subject people to his experiments any more. I suppose he hoped for a cure for the progression of the taint.
When he finished his description of how Morrigan and Aife had left Thedas through a mirror, Marschalc spoke up, "Do you really expect us to believe that she went to another world through a magic mirror? I read that in Aedan's letter and thought—he's still working with this woman, covering for her. This 'beyond the fade' business is way too convenient."
Alistair glared at him. "Do you think I'm lying to you?"
"Well, how do you know she's left Thedas?"
"I—well, I guess I don't really know where she went, but the dreams stopped in Orlais. Have they started up anywhere else?"
"Maybe she told the girl to stop doing it."
"Marschalc, no, I think Alistair is telling the truth." Menashe held up his hand. "Please, Alistair, can you describe this mirror? Tell me everything you remember."
He did his best to recall the type of wood in the frame, the runes carved into it. As he did so, he could see Menashe and Aristomachus nodding to each other.
The elf turned to the First. "It's an Eluvian. It has to be."
Anshelm rubbed his forehead. "I thought they were for communication, not travel."
Aristomachus explained, "That's what the Tevinter magisters used them for. But it was said that in Arlathan, the elves could travel from one city to another. I'd never have imagined they could go to other worlds, but," he lifted a hand in a gesture of uncertainty.
"Yet that only deepens the mystery," observed Menashe. "How could Morrigan possibly know how to use an Eluvian with more expertise than the great Magisters of old could manage after decades of study?"
"I suppose Flemeth must have explained their usage, or it was in that book of hers," suggested Alistair.
The elf shook his head. "That's not good enough. You said Flemeth was—what—a few hundred years old? That knowledge was lost many centuries before. Unless the legend isn't the true beginning of Flemeth," he frowned.
The First turned to him. "Perhaps you should go to Ferelden and see if you can learn anything more about this Flemeth from the Circle Library, or maybe from your people. You could inform Avernus of what's going on, and see if he has any insights, as well."
Menashe nodded.
The dwarf said to Alistair, "I don't understand how you could just let them get away. Knowing the danger she could represent."
Alistair winced. "I—I know, but," he sighed. "She's a little girl. And—I really don't think I could have raised a hand against her. The feeling when she's near…it's hard to describe!"
"She's a weapon not a little girl. And a weapon in the hands of a woman you don't trust."
Scarlata raised an eyebrow, "A weapon she may be, but the mother must be quite sure she won't be tainted, since it's hard to see how she would benefit from a blight. And if there is no blight, is this really our problem? If Morrigan wants to use the girl to make herself," she gave a casual wave of her hand, "Queen of Nevarra, is that the Warden's affair?"
A grim nod from the First. "Yes. If the Chantry figures out what she is, they will expect us to deal with it. And be furious that it was allowed to happen.
Menashe raised an eyebrow, "Since when do we take orders from the Chantry?"
"They know they need us, but—except here in the Anderfels—the Wardens are far too few to resist the Templar armies. If the Divine wanted the Orlesian Wardens under his thumb, de Chambrais would have little choice but to submit. No, we must deal with this."
"Alistair, your group had some experience with Litany of Adralla at the Circle Tower. Do you think it would work against her?" asked Aristomachus.
"I don't know. Ellaire said that what Aife does was not like blood magic, but we didn't try it, so I…don't know."
"Well," observed the First. "I don't suppose it matters for any of us, since if this Morrigan is to be believed, she will be gone for many years. All we can do is try to guess what she is, what she can do, what her mother's intentions might be, and prepare the next generation to deal with the threat as best they can.." He fixed Alistair with a cold blue stare. "You and your Aedan have placed her beyond our grasp."
"It may not be so," breathed Aristomachus. Everyone stared at him.
Menashe looked perplexed. "Even if we were to find another Eluvian, and somehow learn to use it, we wouldn't know where to look for her."
"It may not be so. Blood calls to blood. There might be a way to reach her through the Fade, through the father."
The elf's green eyes widened. "I…had not thought of that. Do you really think it would work?"
"I don't know. I think I've read of something similar, but not to find someone in another world. Adelheid, I will be visiting the Archives tomorrow. We need to look for some very old Tevinter codices."
"It sounds as if this is worth investigating, Aristomachus. I have just one last question for Alistair before we adjourn. Why did Commander Cousland change his mind about coming here?"
"He felt that since he was—finally—giving you the truth about what happened, that the letter would be enough. He wanted to go home, and I think he feared…judgment. But I had said I would come, and I keep my word." He was not lying, he told himself. Aedan had not wanted to go to Weisshaupt. But he would have, to stay with me, if I had let him. But the First didn't need to know that. Some things were private.
I think Alistair is finished his story and we may go for today. I would like to see you for further instructions in my office in two days time after mid-day meal, Alistair. The rest of us will meet again tomorrow, but I think out path is clear from here."