Morrigan teases Leliana about Trevelyan. Trevelyan and Leliana talk about Leliana's candidacy for Divine.
There's something about this chapter that I don't feel entirely certain about, so if as you're reading you have suggestions for edits or anything, let me know. I feel that way about every chapter though, so we'll see what you think! Lots of fluff ahead, as per usual.
In the scant few days that she had been there, Morrigan discovered that her favorite aspect of Skyhold was its mornings. The winter sun, breaking free of the mountain's grasp, bathing the courtyard in gentle light. The relative quiet as only the most dedicated stirred. It was then that Morrigan chose to wander the castle grounds, free from the annoyance of a crowd, and she could almost feel the ancient magic of the place hanging in the air.
And that was where she found herself now, enjoying the early morning peace. The sounds of combat, coming from the training dummies across from the tavern, attracted her attention, so she strolled that direction. The Inquisitor and the qunari were sparring with wooden weapons, and Morrigan thought it rather ambitious of the rogue to choose to pit herself against him. The qunari was barrel-chested and intimidatingly muscular, and evidently proud of it for he refused to wear a shirt, sporting only some ridiculous harness. Trevelyan as well had dressed down, wearing a sleeveless leather tunic that Morrigan granted would protect her from splinters but little else.
She watched them for a moment, the qunari striking arcing, mighty blows that the rogue would evade at the last second. The witch shook her head, marveling at the courage or the stupidity of such a match, and caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye. Leliana was leaning against the tree in front of the tavern, watching the two as well (though really just one of them, Morrigan would wager). From her angle (and the spymaster's preoccupied focus), Morrigan could make her way to the redhead unnoticed, and the opportunity was too good to pass up.
"Leering, are we?" Morrigan remarked by way of a greeting as she neared the spymaster. The other woman must've at least heard her approach, because she did not jump.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Leliana said defiantly, with the hint of a blush staining her cheeks at being caught, and for a moment Morrigan was reminded of the Leliana that she had known, all those years ago, the silly and frivolous girl who had somehow managed to grow into a hardened and capable woman. But of course that girl remained somewhere under the spymaster's cool exterior, and Morrigan knew just how to draw her out.
Morrigan smirked, turning her gaze back to the Inquisitor. "Oh? 'Tis a shame – what a fine specimen of the human form, after all." She remarked, then lowered her voice and drawled, "A lean physique, muscles carved as if from stone. Such a form belies power, does it not? The power to conquer, both in battle and…in other matters." She looked at the spymaster out of the corner of her eye, awaiting a reaction, and was not disappointed.
Leliana blushed, this time a deep red, and averted her gaze from where it had been trained on Trevelyan, though Morrigan noted it didn't stay averted for long. "M-Morrigan!"
"What? 'Twas only an observation," Morrigan said, putting a hand on her hip and shrugging a shoulder, only barely able to conceal a wicked smirk. Coyly, she added, "But alas, as one who is a candidate for the next Divine, no doubt you are above such temptations of the flesh."
Leliana crossed her arms and turned to the witch, giving her a cool glare, having regained some of her composure though to Morrigan's trained eye still appearing unsettled. "Being Divine – being considered for Divine – has nothing to do with this," she accused, attempting to shift the topic. She was suspicious that Morrigan knew about her candidacy, though she knew gossip spread like wildfire throughout Skyhold.
"Oho, so there's a 'this,' is there?" Morrigan asked, unable to hold back her smirk any longer.
Leliana's eyes widened. "W-what? I…" She trailed off – so she had improved on her (annoying) habit of babbling, Morrigan noted.
"How easily you become flustered!" Morrigan said amusedly, chuckling.
Leliana narrowed her eyes, realizing the other woman was simply trying to get a rise out of her, clenching her jaw as she tried to suppress her temper. "Quit harassing me!"
"Now that, I cannot do. I would surely wither from insipid boredom." Morrigan waved a hand dismissively at the mere thought. How droll that would be – how else would be entertained? She was in the middle of a frozen wasteland, surrounded by the mindless, zealous faithful.
Leliana sighed, a long-suffering, wary sigh that Morrigan distinctly remembered. Her gaze flitted back to the Inquisitor, who was still managing to dodge the Iron Bull's blows (though was noticeably slowing), then back to the witch by her side. "As…delightful as this conversation has been, I must return to my work."
As she walked away, Morrigan called out after her, "So you were simply here to gawk!" Upon getting no reaction, she added, "At least you shall have your active imagination to keep you company in your lonely tower."
Morrigan spied Leliana's shoulders grow rigid and tense, and her hands curl into fists at her side, but the redhead did not turn around. Morrigan watched her go with a sense of victory and a wide smirk.
Trevelyan rolled her shoulders as she took the steps up to the rookery. Her muscles burned from her earlier training session with the Iron Bull, and she had bruises on top of bruises, but it was a pleasant, accomplished sort of pain. Bull had been agile, but his size made him a tad slow and he tended to signal his next moves through his stance so a good portion of the time she'd managed to dodge his blows. The improvements she'd made to her combat style gave her a sense of pride and a gratefulness to her companions who'd helped her along the way, including the spymaster that she was on her way to visit. Trevelyan paused near the last step, considering; how long had it been since she'd last trained with Leliana? Maker, it felt like ages – had it been since Haven? She'd have to ask her if she wanted to spar again, though the spymaster was likely busier than ever with her candidacy for Divine hanging over her, atop her regular duties.
When Trevelyan stepped into the rookery, it seemed empty except for the ravens. The other woman wasn't at her desk as she usually was. Trevelyan scanned the room until she spotted her a few paces off.
Leliana was kneeling in prayer next to the candlelit figure of Andraste. She glanced over her shoulder at Trevelyan's approach, and at Trevelyan's look she explained. "I was pondering who might be Divine, and it suddenly occurred to me." She stood. "Is it so ridiculous for the Grand Clerics to support me? Why shouldn't they?"
Trevelyan frowned at the outburst. "It's not ridiculous at all," she said, wondering what – or who – had given the older woman the thought.
Leliana's eyes grew steely. "There are whispers that I am a radical – as though that is an insult! – and must be kept from the Sunburst Throne lest it crumbles under my rule." The spymaster scoffed.
Trevelyan rolled her eyes – that line of thought sounded exactly like the Chantry. "The world is falling apart around us, and people are worried about change. The Chantry is collapsing from its own weight, change is the only thing that will save the Sunburst Throne." Trevelyan said, unable to keep a hint of scorn from her voice. Throughout her time with the Inquisition, the Chantry had fought them at every turn, often at the expense of the faithful they were meant to care for. And before that, they'd been supportive of the Circles despite being aware of the Templars' abuses of mages. Needless to say, Trevelyan was skeptical of the Chantry as it was, so change sounded more than alright to her.
Leliana gave a hum of agreement, fixing Trevelyan with searching look. She'd known the Inquisitor supported freedom for mages, but beyond that they'd never discussed matters of reform, and she found herself wondering at the younger woman's vision for the world.
Trevelyan leaned against the railing. "If you were Divine, what would you do?" she asked, genuinely curious.
"Change things," Leliana said, then gave a shake of her head. "Change everything. No more Circles. The mages will be free. The Chantry will accept them as the Maker's children. In fact, it will accept everyone. Elves, dwarves, even qunari. Why exclude them? No one should be turned away from the Chantry's doors. No one is without worth."
She turned, staring out the window nearby. "The Chantry allows our differences to tear us apart, instead of teaching us how we are the same." She paused, thoughtful, then continued. "Justinia herself fought for these reforms. I will see her work completed, and I won't stop at the Circles. The Chantry brutalized elves and belittled dwarves and warred with the qunari in Kirkwall. They twisted the Maker's message of acceptance and love into a political tool, and the people of Thedas suffered for it. I will see that suffering end, for everyone. The Chantry will be a tool, but for peace, as the Maker intended. The Chantry's love will be unconditional, whoever you are, whatever your mistakes."
Trevelyan watched her with a smile, watched the sunlight turn her hair a fiery hue, and hung onto her every word. The spymaster might as well be singing, with how beautiful her words sounded, Trevelyan thought. The world as it was had perpetuated so long a quiet agony, whether it was through its racism against elves and humans and dwarves and qunari, or its hatred of mages. How much suffering had she seen, both in her travels and before in Ostwick, that could have been prevented in the world Leliana hoped to create? Just imagining it struck a chord deep within her.
Leliana looked over at the other woman and halted mid-sentence. "Trevelyan! Are you…crying?"
Trevelyan put a hand up to her cheeks, and sure enough there were tears there. She shook her head, her smile turning inward, soft. "It's just- Leliana, so many people have dreamed of a world like that, and you…" She looked at the spymaster, eyes shining, with nothing short of awe. "You could actually do it. Maker knows I don't have much faith, but you… you inspire belief." Trevelyan broke her gaze away, looking down at her feet, attempting to pull herself together.
Leliana was almost taken aback at the wave of warmth that washed over her at the earnest statement and Maker, not to mention the fervent look Trevelyan was giving her. Her heart did a little flip in her chest.
When Trevelyan looked back up, her eyes were glowing, jaw set determinedly. "Whatever you need from me, name it and it's yours. You have my wholehearted support to become Divine, should you need it."
"I…thank you. Undoubtedly your support will be pivotal, though ultimately it will be up to the vote of the Grand Clerics. Still, it means a lot to hear you say so." For reasons that had nothing to do with the Chantry and everything to do with her growing affection for the Inquisitor. Morrigan's words from earlier echoed in her head: so there's a 'this,' is there? And now, to herself at least, Leliana couldn't deny that there was something. "For now, we should focus on stopping Corypheus, or we will have larger concerns than who becomes the next Divine," Leliana said.
Trevelyan nodded, still watching the spymaster with a gentle fondness. "I mean it. If you need me, I'll be there." She looked like she was about to add something more, but evidently decided against it, straightening from where she'd been leaning on the railing. "But you're right. We should be concentrating our efforts on how to approach Adamant and the Grey Wardens." She frowned as she thought about the plight of the Wardens, and what was likely to be a costly assault on their fortress in the Western Approach.
Leliana nodded, watching as the brunette prepared to leave. She hesitated, then called out. "Trevelyan."
Trevelyan turned. Leliana faltered under the gaze of her warm brown eyes, and Trevelyan patiently waited for her to continue.
"I…I want you to know that I enjoy our conversations, and our time together." Very much so, in fact.
Trevelyan smiled, wide and dazzling in its brilliance. "I feel the same," she said sincerely.
Leliana returned the smile with a smaller one of her own. They shared a quiet moment, both unsure what to say next, when there was so much to be said, the air seeming to grow heavy with all that was unsaid between them.
Leliana cleared her throat, feeling rather like a maiden again, fumbling for words, and thinking it slightly ridiculous, though it was not an entirely unpleasant feeling. "Ah, I have these reports to finish."
Trevelyan nodded, the hints of a blush creeping across her cheeks. "Of course. I'll leave you to it. Until next time, Leliana." She lingered a moment more, as if unable to tear herself away, then turned and started down the steps.
"I look forward to it," Leliana said, watching her go.
So there's a 'this,' is there? Leliana smiled. Yes, it seemed there was.