Chapter 13
"What the fuck were you thinking!" Faelwen screamed at her sister.
"I was thinking we get the mages and templars to Haven, seal the breach tomorrow and maybe I could get a sandwich before Corypheus beats down the gates with his army of power hungry red templars, demon possessed wardens and pet dragon." Fainariel yelled back, "You know, for starters!"
"You said conscription, not alliance!" Faelwen countered angrily.
"So did you, Wen, check and balances!" Fainariel snarled back.
The twins faced off across the war table and glared at eachother like hissing cats. The entire inner circle and the two Tevinter mages watch the battle of wills uncertain, unable, or unwilling to intervene. "After what they've done we can't just let the mages waltz in here as if there are no consequences to their actions! We'll have abominations or worse to deal with and we need to have some way to deal with that."
"Because the Templars are a bunch of blameless choir boys? Mythal's tits, Wen!" Fainariel sighed and slumped, "We can't afford to be divided on this, we need them both to close the breach and deal with Corypheus. Backing out of either alliance or giving one group more freedom than another makes the entire inquisition look like a pack of hypocrites. All of Thedas is watching, we need to do this the right way." She continued in a much more reasonable tone.
"You aren't in charge here, Fainariel, you aren't the Keeper here, you can't just unilaterally make decisions like this." The Herald snarled dangerously.
"Fenedhis! Praise the Creators for small favors. You are right, and I'm sorry." Fainariel said, looking from her sister and then to the previously ignored twelve other occupants of the room. "My apologies to all of you, my sister is right. I made the choice as I saw fit at the time, but it was not mine to make. I had no authority and no right to do so and you have my oath I will never do so again. Ar ame ir abelas."
"I, for one, agree with Fainariel," Cassandra spoke up, "The most important thing to do now is get the Templars and mages to work together. We need to close the breach and prepare to fight this Corypheus."
"Ah the voice of reason, I thought I'd have to wait all night to hear it!" Dorian exclaimed dramatically.
"That's another thing, Riel, what the fuck are the Tevinters doing here?" Faelwen wheeled on her sister again, but this time her twin do not jump back into the fray.
"Not everyone in Tevinter is and evil blood magic wielding asshole, Wen. Even with your poor grades in history you should remember that much. This is where their revolution starts, Dorian Pavus' work with the Inquisition is what makes it possible." Fainariel replied wearily.
"I believe everyone here would like to hear more about what you know of our future." Leliana spoke up, suspicion lacing her words.
"Leliana, lady Nightingale, we were not properly introduced, but you once wrote, or someday will write, 'I've known mages. Some of them were better people than me. And yet I'm free and they're not. It's not right.' You breed nugs, the first one you ever received was a gift in Orzammar from the Hero of Ferelden herself. She was also a Dalish elf, and you were, are, romantically involved. To answer you veiled threat, I intend to tell you everything I know, in time. You must understand, however, there is changing history and then there is changing history so much, so fast, that my future doesn't exist. Please appreciate that no matter what tactics you use, I will end my own life before I say or do anything to risk the chance my sister and I will never be born."
"I did not." Leliana began and Fainariel interrupted her.
"You have lost your faith in the Maker, Leliana, you see everyone as pawns on a board and nothing more. We both know, if you saw it as an advantage you most certainly would." Riel's voice and eyes softened as she looked at Leliana, "The Inquisition will give you your faith back, you will feel the golden light again." Her words stole Leliana's voice and the elf took the opportunity to step away from the table and move towards the door. "I am going to rest. It was a long trip and we have a ton to do tomorrow. You can all talk about me better if I'm not here anyway. And you can explain to my sister why both the Mages and Templars need a huge supply of lyrium."
"Templars don't need lyrium!" The Herald scoffed at her sister's back, and then she saw the grim look her advisors were giving her. "You have GOT to be kidding me!" She exploded, "That shit is stupid addictive to non mages, It'll fucking kill them. You know, after it drives them crazy!"
"It is how they are trained, it's how they can nullify a mage's ability to access magic." Cullen explained.
"The hell it is! Templars I know totally can do all that shit without lyrium." She declared derisively.
"Be that as it may, these Templars are not trained that way, and many would suffer or die without a steady supply." Leliana said.
"Fenedhis! This entire world is kookoo for cocopuffs." The Herald declared.