Chapter 36: Reflections on Andraste
Starr was thinking about the days' events and revelations as she set about the familiar task of preparing dinner. Wynne was able to heal Brother Genitivi enough for him to lead them to the temple, which he said held the Urn of Sacred Ashes. The healer opted to remain behind with the learned scholar near the entrance; she could keep an eye on him as well as watch for more villagers or cultists. Starr was awed at the size and dilapidated grandeur of the old building. Even the snow and ice coming in through holes in the walls and roof couldn't diminish the sense of ancient reverence imbued in the temple. Leliana couldn't help gasping, "This, this is incredible, and to think its presence has been kept secret all this time. We need to be careful. There are bound to be others here, whoever these people are they must be prepared to act in the event the villagers do not keep all away."
They found the Urn; they had the Ashes, well a small pinch. They also found ancient scrolls, traps, dragons and wraiths in addition to many, many cultists. The temple opened deep into the mountains. Their search led them to the leaders of the cultists, or as they called themselves, the Disciples of Andraste. Starr was personally glad Elissa chose not to work with the leader, Father Kolgrim, and pour dragon's blood into the Ashes. Maybe Morrigan and Zevran's reasons to do so might have practical merit, but Starr didn't trust this Kolgrim fellow. And if they were really ashes of Andraste, it felt disrespectful to destroy or alter them. Kolgrim had a lot of mages for them to contend with after Elissa refused his offer. Starr and Alistair had plenty of opportunity to develop a pattern and rhythm with their smites.
Then they just had to quietly get past the napping dragon. Talk to an ancient man? spirit? and pass a series of mental, physical and spiritual tests. Was it wrong of her to notice how attractive all her companions were when they were naked? She smiled when she thought of Alistair; he was so uncomfortable with all that nudity. If Zevran had commented on how gorgeous he was, she had no doubt Alistair would have crawled into the floor. Before Wynne healed her, she might have been equally uncomfortable for different reasons. Oh, and she mustn't forget that on the way out they had to defeat the high dragon they woke up in spite of their efforts. She certainly had a lot to add to her journal for Marcail. Starr was so thankful that Alistair's archery had improved during their lessons.
Alistair finished setting up the tents and joined her. She still got a thrill when he kissed her cheek before helping her. She marveled at how long she had been able to resist him, she couldn't imagine not having him beside her. One of her favorite times together was in the morning when they just cuddled for a few sleepy minutes before getting up, savoring the nearness of the other in the privacy of their tent. Change that to semi-privacy. Fen and Zevran weren't above sticking a head inside if they lingered. She laughed to herself as she remembered one morning when Zevran decided they were taking too long. Alistair's backside was very close to the opening and his mouth busily devouring hers. When Zevran kissed him and commented on the view Alistair jumped, cursed and then fell on top her, knocking the breath out of her. Since then he'd been working on some way to fasten the tent against further intrusions.
"What are you thinking about, woman, with that wicked grin on your face?" Alistair asked suspiciously.
"Just that I agree with Zevran about the view," Starr replied while wiggling her eyebrows, before ogling his rear.
"I am not surprised, my dear cousin," the elf himself joined them. He sighed dramatically, "if only I knew what I was missing I would have redoubled my efforts to seduce him long ago."
Starr patted his shoulder sympathetically, "I'm sorry, Zevran, he's taken and I don't share." Even as she spoke, a vision of the three of them passed before her mind's eye. She shook her head.
"I suppose the two of you think you're funny," Alistair muttered, blushing. "Did you come to help, Zev, or just to see me blush?"
"Seeing you blush is just a bonus, my dear templar," he grinned slyly before adding, "I enjoy imagining just how far down it goes." He was satisfied when Alistair blinked rapidly and his blush turned even darker. "But no, I am simply here, but if you need help bellissima, I will gladly do so."
"We will as well," chimed in Elissa when she and Leliana strolled over to the kitchen fires. "Wynne is getting Brother Genitivi settled for the night. Once we are out of these mountains, he should be well enough to travel on his own and as soon as we meet a caravan or reach the Imperial Highway, he can make his own way to Denerim. He is a tough old man, he and Wynne were discussing some of the things we found in the Temple." At this, the women exchanged a quick glance and smiled.
"To think, we actually saw Andraste's ashes, the holiest thing on this earth. I do not think anything has moved me so much. I am not sure I am worthy to gaze upon them," the bard stated, still in a state of wonder.
"I admit it, I was in awe, truly" Morrigan joined the group, an unusual move on her part. It was as if they all felt the need to be part of something normal and mundane after their experience with the Urn. Starr quietly directed their efforts as they continued talking.
"Andraste belongs to all of us, doesn't she?" stated Elissa.
"I wonder what she would think about the Chantry if she were here," added Starr.
Everybody looked at Starr, startled. Morrigan smiled in approval tinged with malice at the dismay shown by Leliana. "What do you mean? The Chantry spreads her teachings," Leliana was aghast.
"That's not all. It's a political power, not simply a religious organization."
"What do you mean, love?" Alistair was truly interested in her answer. He wasn't an especially religious man himself. He believed in the Maker but until Morrigan he hadn't heard anybody actually speak against the Maker or Chantry and disdainful remarks were hardly an explanation of her position. He knew the Qunari were against the Chantry, but trying to get Sten to explain anything was more difficult than getting water out of a brick wall in the middle of a desert.
Starr poured herself a cup of tea and leaned into his hands when he began massaging her neck. "Oh, that's nice," she sighed contentedly. "I'm not saying that there aren't true believers in the Chantry. Certainly, Mother Hannah is a believer and tries to not only teach, but show by example. She works hard to see to the needs of those in Redcliffe, and not just a sermon one day a week. She and the Sisters and Brothers under her visit the sick, counsel those in distress, help the poor find work and shelter, and many other things. I wonder if they aren't more like the original followers before the Chantry was created than the current leadership."
Starr checked dinner and it was almost done. As if sensing this, Sten and Wynne came towards the group in time to hear Morrigan asking Starr a question about mages. "And their stance on mages?"
"Your people do not treat magic with the care you should. Your mages have too much freedom." Sten stated firmly.
"I have seen some of your mages; you have special collars designed for them and sew their mouths do you not?" Zevran asked the big man.
"WHAT?!" Morrigan and Wynne exclaimed in unison.
"What the elf said is close enough," Sten's voice was perfectly calm as he looked over the food handed to him. It was quite satisfactory. "Magic must be properly contained or it will destroy everything in its path."
"Then Loghain must be an incredibly powerful mage. Look at all the destruction he has caused and he managed to hide this fact from the Chantry for all these years. Amazing." Starr countered.
"Loghain is a warrior and not a mage," Sten stated emphatically.
"That's my point," Starr was quick to speak before Morrigan could say something.
"The Qun is not wrong."
"That is your belief and I can respect that even though I do not share it," Starr responded.
"Do you believe the Chantry is wrong?" demanded Leliana.
"This is just my opinion, but I believe evil lies in the person, not in their abilities. Nor does evil have to be responsible for catastrophic events. The baker's apprentice who banks the fires improperly one night and half the village is destroyed as a result is not evil. Careless or mistaken, but not evil. Those who prey on and abuse children are evil. Do mages have unique temptations or obstacles because of their abilities? Perhaps. Should they be trained from an early age to prepare them? Yes. Does that mean children should be forcibly removed from their homes, never to see family or home again? No, I don't think so. Does that mean people should be taught that mages are evil by definition? No. Does that mean mages should be forced to live separate from the world and others? No."
"You sound like Anders; he is or was a devout Andrastian, but he chafes at the Chantry's restrictions. There may be some merit to what you say, but change must happen slowly or the consequences will be considerable," warned Wynne. "In my case, I had no family or home. One of the few people I met who was kind to me was one of the templars who brought me to the Circle. And when I entered the Tower, if felt like I finally had a home. The Circle is not all bad, in spite of what some may think."
"I agree, I can see many benefits to the Circle," Starr respectfully added. "But the Chantry basically uses them as a prison. You are an experienced mage, you should be allowed to live outside the Circle without having to ask for permission if you so desire. However, the Chantry, in direct contradiction to the Chant, has managed to convince most people that mages and magic are evil. This makes it less likely that mages would want to live outside the Circle. People fear what they don't know. Personally, I think Andraste would be horrified at what the Chantry has become."
"Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him.
Foul and corrupt are they
Who have taken His gift
And turned it against His children.
They shall be named Maleficar, accursed ones.
They shall find no rest in this world
Or beyond.
All men are the Work of our Maker's Hands,
From the lowest slaves
To the highest kings.
Those who bring harm
Without provocation to the least of His children
Are hated and accursed by the Maker." Leliana softly recited from Transfigurations.
"So the Canticles in the Chant of Light are only referring to certain types and uses of magic as evil, that magic is actually a gift from your Maker? " Morrigan was surprised. "Your Chantry has twisted this to bring all mages under its control. Or tried to," she snorted in contempt.
"I don't claim to be an expert, but I can't recall ever hearing anything in the Chant of Light about creating an armed body, such as the templars, or having authority over mages by divine right. That verse strikes me as a warning to mages and others about how not to act. I don't see how it gives them the authority to have absolute control over a significant number of people. Nor do I see how their need to spread the word also means converting at the point of a templar sword, as happened with the Dalish."
"Templars are the only warriors who can cross borders from one nation to another without comment, at least in small groups," Alistair said thoughtfully. "All they have to do is say they are tracking a maleficar and nobody would question them."
Morrigan stirred the pot, "I imagine it's easy for some templars to abuse their powers."
"Why do you . . . ah, the helmets. Yes." Wynne confirmed. "It doesn't happen often, at least in the Fereldan Circle, but sometimes abuses did occur."
"Templars are supposed to protect the mages, are they not?" Leliana questioned.
"But the templar helmets completely cover their faces. I bet the anonymity gives some a sense of protection and if they feel they can do whatever they want . . ." Elissa's voice trailed off.
"The mage can't identify the transgressor and so they aren't punished. At least officially," Wynne finished the thought. "Greagoir has a pretty firm sense of his men, so he can guess and reassign. Unfortunately, I can easily imagine that it could be worse in other Circles. Too many will take the word of any templar over that of the most respected mage."
Leliana chewed her lip. "This is disturbing. I wonder if any of the Mothers or the Divine is aware of this possibility."
"Probably," thought Starr, but didn't say so. She didn't see any need to distress Leliana any further. She was a smart woman; she would come to the same conclusion in her own time. She offered a change of subject, "I wonder if Andraste is even aware that the Guardian even exists." A lively debate ensued about how closely the Maker and his Bride watched the people of Thedas and whether they should or not. It was late before the group separated to their different tents.