"I should really be used to this kind of shit by now, but somehow I'm not." Varric shouted over the sounds of battle. Of course, when they had finally made it to the Royal Wing, Florianne had laid a trap. Ellana had expected it, but it was still an unpleasant experience. She thrust her palm forward and felt it latch onto the rift that Florianne had opened in the courtyard, feeling as if a clock was winding down the longer this took. She yanked her hand away and the rift closed with a "pop." She immediately untied the mercenary captain. Surprisingly, Florianne hadn't been lying about that.
"Andraste's tits! What was all that?" the man cursed. "Were those demons? There aren't any more blasted demons coming, right?" he whined. Ellana was too short on time to deal with this.
"Aren't you supposed to be a soldier? Act like one." she growled.
"The pay's not good enough to keep my calm, friend." he pointed out. "I knew Gaspard was a bastard, but I didn't think he'd feed me to fucking horrors over a damned bill." he grumbled.
"Gaspard told you to come here?" she asked in surprise, for a moment forgetting her need to hurry.
"Well, his sister, but it had to come from him, didn't it? All that garbage she was spewing didn't mean anything. Gaspard is the mastermind." he argued.
"Tell me everything you know." she demanded.
"The duke wanted to move on the palace tonight, but he didn't have enough fancy chevaliers. So he hired me and my men. He had to offer us triple our usual pay to come to Orlais. Stinking poncy cheesemongers." he growled. She studied him. His face was scarred and lean. He had the look of a man who had seen too much in his line of work.
"Want a new job? One that pays better? The Inquisition can always use a good mercenary company." she offered. He brightened visibly.
"You hiring? I'm game. Anything's better than this bullshit. You want me to talk to the Empress, or the court, or sing a blasted song in the Chantry, I'll do it." he promised. She nodded.
"Go find Leliana and tell her I sent you. We might need you tonight." she agreed. He left immediately, and she headed in a different direction to make it to the ballroom in time.
"We're going to be too late." Bull grunted. She shook her head.
"We'll make it. And if we don't, Cullen and the others have their orders. We'll stop her." she protested while running as quickly as she could. They sprinted through the halls, dodging drunken guests and slipping on the smooth marble floors. When they made it into the ballroom, she skidded right into Cullen. He caught her and set her on her feet.
"Thank the Maker you're back! The Empress will begin her speech soon. What should we do?" he asked, clearly panicked about her state. She was probably a mess after that battle. She forced herself to ignore his careful study of her.
"The Grand Duchess is the assassin. Don't let her anywhere near Celene." she ordered.
"The duchess? At once." He nodded and gave a signal to one of his men. She could see them moving in unison in an attempt to block Celene from Florianne.
"Let all gathered, attend! Her Imperial Majesty will now address the court!" the Marquis called. Ellana was trying to shove her way through the throng, and she could see Florianne calmly walking toward the Empress across the room.
"Lords and Ladies, as a nation, we mourn our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, friends and lovers claimed by war. The sky is torn open, the Divine is dead, and many fear the end of all things is upon us. Orlais must stand as a bastion, a bulwark behind which all of Thedas may take shelter. So has it stood for a thousand years! So shall it ever stand!" the crowd erupted into thunderous applause. "This would not have been possible without the efforts of many. Dear cousin, please step forward." Ellana forced her way through and began to run. She needed to stop this.
"Grand Duchess! Stand down!" she cried. Inquisition soldiers reached the duchess before Ellana did, shoving Celene out of the way and raising a sword to Florianne. The woman already had a dagger in hand, and she quickly murdered the soldiers who assaulted her. Panic erupted in the ballroom as the people realized what was happening.
"Now!" Florianne roared. Harlequins appeared all around the room, attacking at random. Inquisition soldiers did their best to defend everyone, but many were too late. Ellana kept running to Celene. She needed to save the Empress. "For Corypheus! Kill them all!" the duchess cried. When she reached the Empress, a host of soldiers were surrounding her. She was safe. She saw Florianne darting out toward the balcony.
"Cullen! Protect the people!" she shouted before leaping after her.
"Ellana!" he cried. She was too focused on her target to notice the fear in his voice.
"We're right behind you, Peanut!" Dorian called out so she wouldn't be startled. She saw Florianne disappear for a moment in a cloud of smoke, but when it cleared the Duchess was still there, only she wore a dark leather armor instead of the gown she had been wearing previously. Ellana shook her head. Rogues. The woman drew her bow and had an arrow pointed at Ellana's chest.
"Beaten at every turn. You stole the moment of my triumph just as you stole the demon army from Erimond. And now you've chased a defenseless woman into the garden. Are you proud of yourself?" she drawled. Ellana frowned. She could hear voices coming from the balcony above them, so they were clearly being watched. If she was trying to come up with a story, no one would believe her.
"We have the palace. Surrender, Florianne. You don't have to die today." she ordered. Florianne laughed in her face.
"Surrender? Now? Oh, you poor, deluded thing." she fired her arrow so quickly that Ellana almost didn't dodge it in time. She disappeared in another cloud of smoke before reappearing on a nearby fountain. "The night is still young. All I need to recover...is to kill you, Inquisitor." she decided. Ellana knew the woman was mad. The gates shut behind her, and Ellana saw more Harlequins filtering into the garden. There were only a few, but as far as numbers went, they were now outmatched. "So good of you to attend my soiree."
There was barely time to react. As one, the Harlequins began to dive onto the balcony where she and her party stood. Bull immediately plowed forth to meet them, and both she and Dorian cast an arcane shield around him to prevent him from getting too hurt. Ellana could sense someone sneaking up behind her, and immediately sent out a mind blast. Three Harlequins flew away from her as if she had physically thrown them. She wasted no time in attacking them with everything she had, while also paying attention to what the Duchess was doing across the garden.
Varric had managed to slip away from the assassins as only a rogue could, and he was firing Bianca at the Duchess ferociously. Somehow, the woman kept knocking the bolts aside with her own bow. Ellana wondered if her armor was enchanted to make her move more quickly. It was very likely. She eventually finished off the Harlequins that were attacking her by freezing them solid. She was out of breath, and she had taken a shallow wound in her thigh that she could feel soaking one of her boots. It wasn't a terrible wound, but it would exhaust her if they did not finish this soon. She had a lot of skill with healing, but using the Dalish method of healing magic on oneself was counterproductive, as you needed to draw a portion of the energy from the person you were healing in order to complete the spell. Lyrium was not enough. She had seen people use the type of healing taught in Circles, but it did not seem as effective as the ways passed on through her people.
She looked over to see Bull viciously protecting Dorian while the mage defended Varric. She rushed over to them, eager to help take some of the weight off Bull's shoulders. She screamed as an arrow pierced her shoulder, but she could not let that stop her. The air crackled around her as a dark cloud appeared above them. Suddenly lightning was striking out of nowhere, lashing out at all their enemies. She heard Florianne shout as she was hit by one of the bolts, and she saw her tumble off her perch. The remaining Harlequins lay unmoving on the ground, dead because of their leader's folly. Ellana turned to limp toward where Florianne had fallen. When she got there, the body was missing.
"Shit." she muttered as she felt something harder than stone hit her in the back. She realized it was a dagger as she turned around, and thanked the Gods for enchanted cloth. Without it, the dagger would have gone right through her dress and hit her heart. Florianne looked stunned, and Ellana took advantage of the moment to yank the dagger from the Duchess' hand and stab it into her chest. The woman looked shocked until the life slipped from her eyes. Ellana collapsed to the ground under the weight of the woman's body. She was breathing heavily and felt lightheaded. She realized that the wound in her thigh might be worse than she initially thought.
"Peaches, how do you get yourself into these situations?" Varric asked as Bull lifted Florianne's body off of her. She was a bit woozy as he helped her sit up.
"I don't think I'll ever know, Varric." she slurred. The ground fell out from beneath her, and she had to blink a few times to realize that Dorian was carrying her.
"Why'd you start calling me 'Peanut'?" she mumbled. He chuckled.
"Because it suits you, Peanut." he replied.
"All right then." she agreed. The part of her brain that was lucid was sure something was wrong. There was no way she had lost enough blood to feel this way. "Poi...son" she muttered.
"What?" Dorian asked.
"I think the dag...dagger was poisoned." she repeated. They were suddenly moving a lot more quickly. Were they running? She had no idea. She heard people talking, but couldn't understand them. Her mouth felt incredibly dry. She suddenly found herself looking into a pair of golden eyes. Where had she seen eyes like that before? She hissed as she felt the skin of her leg stitching itself back together.
"Drink this." a low, woman's voice ordered. She did her best. Sounds became a little more clear, and so did her vision. It was easier to breathe, and easier to think. She saw Morrigan sitting in front of her.
"You healed me." she said. The woman nodded.
"I did." she agreed.
"Thank you." she replied. Morrigan shrugged and said nothing. "I didn't peg you as a healer." Morrigan laughed.
"I once spent a lot of time with an irritating old bag who taught me that healing was an important skill to have." she said vaguely. Ellana nodded. "You should probably go, I think the Empress wants you to join in the end of the negotiations." she said. Ellana stood, finding that her leg did not feel any weaker after being wounded.
"Thank you again, Morrigan." she said before heading off to find the Empress. She found the trio arguing on a balcony.
"Your sister attempted regicide in front of the entire court, Gaspard." Briala spat.
"You're the spymaster. If anyone knew this atrocity was coming, it was you." he accused. Briala glowered at him.
"You don't deny your involvement." she pointed out.
"I do deny it! I knew nothing of Florianne's plans. But you... You knew it all and did nothing!" he roared. Briala snorted.
"I don't know which is better: That you think I'm all-seeing, or that you're trying so hard to play innocent and failing." she hissed. Celene had clearly had enough.
"Enough! We will not bicker while Tevinter plots against our nation! For the safety of the empire, I will have answers." she cried, her voice like a thunderclap. As she looked at them, an idea began to form in her mind.
"I wouldn't have caught Florianne in time without Briala's help." Ellana said. Three heads swiveled to look at her. Briala tilted her head slightly, but nodded in acceptance. What she said was not entirely true, but she had helped her in a way.
"You were working together?" Celene asked.
"Of course." Briala agreed.
"Thanks to Briala, Gaspard's mercenary captain will testify that he hired men to infiltrate the palace." Ellana revealed. Celene laughed.
"Hired thugs? I didn't expect you to stoop so low, cousin." she taunted. Gaspard scoffed.
"Don't be naive, Celene. The only difference between a mercenary and a common soldier is a uniform." he argued.
"Keep talking, Gaspard. Eventually you'll convince somebody." Briala drawled.
"He also murdered a Council of Heralds emissary. I found the body and his knife in the servant's quarters." Ellana accused.
"I have done no such thing!" Gaspard argued. Perhaps she had been wrong about that charge, but she had plenty more if needed.
"He also ordered his general to sneak troops into the Winter Palace. Briala found all of this out for your sake, Celene." Ellana finished. Celene stared at her for a long time.
"In light of overwhelming evidence, we have no choice but to declare you an enemy of the Empire. You are hereby sentenced to death." Celene decided, waving her hand so that her guards could retrieve her traitorous cousin.
"I believe Briala deserves some reward for uncovering all this." Ellana added. She realized as she spoke why she cared to reunite the lovers. Part of her thought that if she could fix their broken hearts, maybe she would be able to fix her own.
"I can scarcely believe you did all this for me." Celene murmured.
"Celene..." was the only word that came out of Briala's mouth. Her smile was beautiful, however, as was Celene's answering one.
"Thank you, Inquisitor, for all your efforts tonight." Celene said graciously. "I owe you my life, and Orlais owes you its future." they turned and walked back into the ballroom. A few people were tending to some minor wounds, but any bodies that had been there had already been retrieved. "You have done so much. For my people and...for us." she squeezed Briala's hand.
"We won't forget this." Briala promised. She felt a pang of loneliness that was strangely accompanied by a feeling of hope.
"It was my pleasure. The two of you deserve to be happy." Ellana assured them. They grinned at her as they went to make their final speeches of the evening. She heard them praising the Inquisition and their efforts, as well as declaring a new era for elves. She smiled and drifted off to the balcony to look at the stars. It had been a long day.
"The Orlesian nobility makes drunken toasts to your victory, and yet you are not present to hear them?" a now familiar voice said behind her. She shrugged as she turned to look at Morrigan. "Do you tire so quickly of their congratulations, Inquisitor? 'Tis most fickle, after all your efforts on their behalf."
"I would have stayed, but the punch ran dry. Scandalous." she quipped. Morrigan smirked.
"Indeed? Let us see if you take this piece of news as poorly. By Imperial decree, I have been named liaison to the Inquisition. Celene wishes to offer you any and all aid. Including mine. Congratulations." she said drily. Ellana nodded. It was a smart move, and would give the Inquisition a powerful ally.
"Welcome to the Inquisition, Morrigan." she answered.
"A most gracious response. I shall meet you at Skyhold." she said, turning and leaving Ellana alone. She removed her mask and set it on the wall she was leaning on. She had a moment to just stare up at the night sky and breathe. It was not something she was used to. She closed her eyes, and listened to the music drifting through the open doorway. It was nothing like the songs of her people, but it was somehow comforting. A cool wind blew against her cheeks, lifting tendrils of her hair away from her face. Finally, it was peaceful. She heard the softest footsteps approaching, but did not turn. She recognized them, just as she had always recognized the steps of her clanmates back home.
"Are you all right?" Cullen asked, leaning against the railing beside her. She turned and smiled up at him. He was so concerned for her well-being.
"Morrigan healed my wounds. I'm just worn out. Tonight has been...very long." she admitted. Relief filled his eyes.
"For all of us. I'm glad it's over." he agreed. For a while they stood in silence, looking out across the gardens and just enjoying each others company. "I know it's probably foolish...but I was worried for you tonight." he broke the silence. She looked at him again, seeing the worry still on his face.
"I know. I...I worried for you too, Cullen." she said truthfully. They could hear applause inside as one song ended and another began.
"I know you aren't a huge fan of the practice, but I might not get another chance, so I must ask: May I have this dance, my lady?" he inquired. She was surprised that she felt no hesitation with him. She felt safe.
"Of course. I'd heard you didn't dance." she pointed out as she took his outstretched hand. Warmth filled her as he pulled her close and placed his other hand on her waist.
"For you, I'll try." he promised. The steps were simple, and Cullen was a surprisingly good dancer for someone who "didn't dance." She felt comfortable in his arms, as if it was where she should have been all along. She was surprised when she realized she was crying. He stopped, and looked down at her. "What's wrong?" he whispered. She shook her head, unwilling to pull away from him.
"Nothing. I think things are actually starting to feel right again." she confessed. His smile warmed her heart. She had the sudden feeling that Mahanon was with her, and that he was happy, which only made her cry more. Cullen pulled her against his chest in a tight embrace and stroked her hair comfortingly.
"I am here for you. However you need." he murmured. And with those simple words, she had no more doubt. She loved this man.
"I've missed you, Cullen." she breathed.
"And I have missed you, Ellana." he agreed. Both of them sounded like a weight had lifted from their hearts. Slowly, they began to dance again. She didn't stumble once.
