Alistair had known that the Rebel Mages would ask for sanctuary from Ferelden long before Grand Enchanter Fiona had come to his court and asked.
The Free Marches wouldn't open their city-states to the Mages, not when Kirkwall was still fresh in memory and news was still rather dire from there, Orlais was in the midst of a civil war and would hardly be safe for them so that left them with Ferelden unless they wished to travel to Nevarra.
Ferelden had recovered from the Blight, there was no civil-war being fought and there wouldn't be in Alistair's lifetime nor his children's—Anora couldn't champion for the throne, not when Andra had given Alistair three children with another on the way while she still had none.
The only conflict they would expect from Ferelden would be from Templars and that was true all over Southern Thedas.
It had given time for Alistair to prepare and decide.
Eamon had cautioned against granting them sanctuary especially as they were still under the leadership of Grand Enchanter Fiona—the woman that called for the vote and forced everyone mage to go through with her decision.
Andra had thought they should grant sanctuary to those who would be willing to go under the leadership of Leona, she thought they should open the doors of Academy of Magi—the newly renamed Tower of Magi in Denerim—to those that were willing to go under Leona's protection and leadership and only them.
They already had a number of mages that had done that, she had pointed out to Eamon, amongst them had been Eamon's own son.
Leona had agreed to house those that wished it, but had also argued that they should give some sanctuary to all the Rebel Mages.
While Grand Enchanter Fiona's call for vote and breaking of the Circles had been reckless and foolish—Kirkwall was still too fresh in the people's memory, to call for the end of the Circles was almost condoning what Anders had done and no one could every truly condone what he had done, Sereda had been so ashamed of what one of her recruits had gone on to do and still blamed herself (which was probably the reason behind her taking to the Deeproads to fight beside the Legion)—Leona had doubted she'd do something like that again, not now when her people needed her in a different way.
Alistair had agreed with Leona after several hours and had asked of his people who would be willing to house the Rebel Mages. Teagan had been the first to offer and so the Rebel Mages had gone to Redcliffe.
For a while, it seemed to be going as well as could be expected during this trying time, and then merely a week after the Conclave, Teagan had come riding with his men to Denerim and told Alistair of Fiona's mad alliance with Tevinter that led to he and his people being kicked out of their homes.
Leona had been disappointed and horrified at what her suggestion had brought, Andra grim and serious as she dealt with the influx of people fleeing Redcliffe and their surroundings lands to Denerim, and Alistair? Alistair had been furious.
He had done them a great favour, had allowed them to stay within his boarders and under the protection of his people, and this is how Fiona repaid him? By throwing his uncle from his home? From scaring people away from their homes and lands? As if they weren't afraid enough with this Rebellion on and the crisis that the Conclave had brought? All for an alliance with Tevinter?
No, he wouldn't allow it, not in his kingdom.
The Rebel Mages had broken his trust and were no longer welcome in Ferelden, that went especially for Fiona.
An angry King of Ferelden actually made things easier for Grace as Fiona had no choice when it came to her conditions for their alliance.
It was good for both of them—though Fiona didn't know it and probably hated her right about now—but Grace wasn't in the mood to be nice.
She had just had four people die for her, three of those people she'd have to see daily and a fourth that she still has to get on her side, she's probably lost all the respect Edmund had for when he heard this and she was tired.
So tired, she had witnessed the end of world and now she just wanted to sleep till it seemed like a bad dream.
Of course that thinking led her to bad dreams, which led her to be sitting in the tavern when most people were snug in bed.
"Can't sleep?" a quiet voice asked and Grace looked up from where she was rubbing her temples and staring sightlessly into her still full tankard.
Vala Tabris stood before her, long dark red hair down from her usual ponytail, hiding all but the tip of her right ear while she had tucked strands behind her left which showed of the piercing in its lobe and rim. The green and brown armour that all of Lelianna's people wore was gone, making her seem smaller and thinner as she stood in a green tunic and simple brown breeches.
"That obvious?" Grace attempted to joke, wincing at the flatness of her voice before gesturing Vala to take a seat. "Care to share why you are up?"
"Anna works for long hours and sometimes forgets to take care of herself," Vala smiled slightly and it took a moment too long to realise that 'Anna' was short of Lelianna. "I bring her drinks and food during the night."
"Oh," Grace replied almost dumbly and Vala frown in concern.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Vala asked gently and for a moment Grace was tempted, she wanted to spill about what happened and how when she closed her eyes she could only see what happened, could only see Vivienne and Varric's limp bodies, could only see Lelianna being overwhelmed, could only see Kiara staring straight at her as life drained from those dark eyes.
But the moment past and Grace knew she couldn't, not here and not now. Not when hope was surging through the village and people were still looking at her for leadership.
Vala saw her decision in eyes and on her face and inclined her head slightly before she looked down at the table for a moment.
"Did Lelianna mention we were at Redcliffe during the Blight?" golden eyes glanced up just to see Grace shake her head. "We were in the Hinterlands when we met the Walking Dead as Kiara called them, we were going to petition the aid of Arl Eamon or at least his wife and had no idea of the trouble they were having.
They attacked during the night and I was seriously injured, Saya carried me all the way to Redcliffe with Ellana doing her best keeping me alive. Kiara was furious as she stood watch over me as Ellana healed me, was still furious when night came and I was mostly stable and the dead returned.
She rained hellfire down upon them, but it didn't really help her fury, she was still furious when the others were heading towards the castle to confront the person behind it. Kiara refused to go with them, knowing that she'd only do something she'd regret in her fury," Vala glanced up once again. "Even the best of us let our emotions become the better of us."
"Kiara stopped herself," Grace pointed out, maybe a bit more sourly then she wanted, and Vala nodded slightly, agreeing easily with her words.
"Only just though and do you know what she would have done? She's cut a merciless path to that person and have killed them. What she could have done is a lot worse than what you have done," the elf said softly. "You have still offered them protection, offered them sanctuary even if it isn't as open and free as they may have wished—it is still better than what they could have had."
Vala was right, it didn't suddenly make things better but it certainly eased her mind over her decision somewhat. It wouldn't make the memories go away, wouldn't do away with the nightmares, but it helped and that was all Grace could ask for at the moment.
"They don't look happy to be here," Ataash mused, glancing up from where he was sharpening his sword and towards the Rebel Mages that were being directed to tents and such, the clashing of the swords and shields of Cullen's men covered his voice from being overheard easily.
Asaara snorted as she dragged the fine-toothed comb through Asalsa's long hair.
"That's an understatement," their elder sister spoke, her braids carelessly pulled back in a bun. "Their alliance with Tevinter was built on false promises and because of their actions the Inquisition shackled them instead of welcoming them with open-arms like they think they should have been."
"They were desperate," Asalsa attempted to defend them and winced when her elder sister tugged sharply on her hair before returning to her gentle strokes. "They made a mistake."
"A mistake, that according to rumours, would have ended the world as we know it," Asaara's voice was hard as she spoke. "Their Grand Enchanter was a fool to trust the Magister's word."
"Worse thing she could have done," Ataash agreed shortly.
Asalsa quietly agreed with her siblings, it was the worst thing the Grand Enchanter could have done and it had almost been too late when she was confronted with the truth. She could attempt to defend them, but Asalsa couldn't find away—not truly.
Yes, they had been desperate, but Grand Enchanter Fiona should have realised exactly what it meant when she agreed to an alliance with Tevinter, should have known it would only backfire on her and mages everywhere.
Tevinter wasn't looked kindly upon anywhere apart from Tevinter, the Rebel Mages had enough of a bad image before the alliance and even with the alliance—mostly one-sided that it was—with Inquisition wouldn't erase that.
It was quiet for a moment as Asaara started to braid Asalsa's hair and Ataash thumbed the edge of his blade, it was of course then that Sera appeared and plopped herself on one of the wooden stubs that they used for chairs outside their tent.
"You know," Sera began as she eyed Asaara and Asalsa with her keen eyes, a cloak had been hastily wrapped around her brightly coloured form as Haven had gotten colder overnight. "I don't get why you go through all that fuss, just cut it off—that's what I did."
"We noticed," Ataash snorted and Asalsa was forced to move with her sister as she thumped him across the head. "Fuck, come on! You know it's the truth!"
Sera giggled to herself, not at all offended, and Asalsa carefully tilted her head to watch her older sister scowl at their brother.
"So," Sera began, leaning forward with that grin of hers. "What do you think of the Lady Herald's recent decision?"
"Do we need to have an opinion on it?" Asaara asked easily tying another one of Asalsa's braids.
"'Course," Sera almost scoffed. "Everyone else does. Solas is being his moody-ass self and not approving, Vivienne is almost beaming and is currently in talks with Cullen about keeping a 'discreet' eye on the mages with his Templars.
Varric is more indifferent, he is sympathetic when it comes to mages but believes they only have themselves to blame because of the fuck up with that Magister bloke— 'course every mage Varric cares about is far from here and considered safe.
Cassandra's pissed, but personally I think it's because the mages keep going to her to complain—the blacksmith had to make-up some iron training-dummies for her since she's destroyed all the other ones after some of those complaints.
Blackwell is difficult to pin-point really, but I think he's disappointed and wanted the Herald to fully ally with the mages—at least he still has an awesome beard to make up for that.
Bull's been quiet and his Chargers are closing ranks around his Dalish mage—I mean, archer though that's not fooling anyone really. And—"
"For fucks sake," Ataash interrupted her. "Do you just spy on us when you aren't doing anything else?"
"'Course not," Sera snorted as she gave him a look. "I just talk to people and listen, yeah?"
"Something that makes Jennies' famous," Asaara mused and Sera grinned at her.
