Chapter 54: Hearts and Minds

"Smile sister," Evelyn said with that almost smile of hers, "It is not every day that one finds a chance for advancement."

Rhaena rolled her eyes. She could not really tell if she was being mocked, or if Evelyn was really proud of her, perhaps neither, or maybe both.

The girl sighed.

Whatever the mage thought, one thing was certain.

She was no longer a humble clerk in the service of the Inquisition.

She flexed her fingers, the burns on her hands had healed as best they could, but still she chose to hide the scars behind a pair of long silk gloves.

It was better that than seeing pitying looks on the faces of her friends and family. She did not want pity, she had done what was right.

Her wounds were proof of that, even if she did now want everyone gawking at them.

She sat at her desk while Evelyn leaned idly against the nearest wall. For the moment the mage had found herself between duties, so she had offered her aid in setting up her sister in her new surroundings. The office that Ambassador Montilyet had found for her was already filling up with what she needed to perform task. Both Lady Josephine and Sister Leliana had promised her whatever aid they could offer. Her desk already had a stack of reports waiting, not to mention the fact that the Nightingale had found her several books dealing with both the previous Inquisition and how the people at the time had seen them.

Useful material, Rhaena knew; especially if she was going to accomplish the goal the Inquisitor had set before her.

I will need to come up with something quickly, she realized. After the events at Caer Oswin and what had happened here in Skyhold this week, the Inquisition could use some good news.

Rhaena smoothed on the first report on her desk, this one having come from Sister Leliana's people, a report of a singer in entertaining the refugees in the hinterlands. The man had stayed during even the thickest of the fighting, and his presence had done much to keep the people calm while the Inquisition had fought to restore order. Corporal Vael had even praised him for doing what he could to take the refugees minds off the chaos around them, even for a little bit.

Rhaena smiled.

She would see if the soldiers knew what happened to him.

Perhaps he would welcome a trip to Skyhold.

Evelyn pulled a book off of the nearest shelf: The Tones of Resistance: a collection of songs and hymns from the days of the Ferelden War.

The mage shook her head.

"It amazes me what people collect," she said, "Knowledge is power, I know that to be true, but some things seem almost too trivial to record in a book."

Rhaena shrugged.

"You can learn a lot about history from songs, sister," she replied, "Peoples hopes and dreams put down on paper, preserved for future generations."

Evelyn snorted as she put the book away.

"A sword has more value than in a book in war."

Again Rhaena shrugged.

Her sister was no stranger to war, but that did not mean she was right, not in this.

Steel won battles, but a song could win the heart.

That was why her new job was so important.

They needed to win both hearts and minds.

IOI

She had been standing behind Ambassador Montilyet during the last war council. Cousin Nicholai had only just returned with Seeker Cassandra, yet recent events meant that the Herald would not be able to rest quite yet.

Rhaena fidgeted. Her burned hands itched but she did her best to ignore that. she had no desire to distract her cousin.

Trouble had come to Skyhold, and it fell to the Herald of Andraste to deal with it.

"They call themselves the Orphans," Sister Leliana said with disdain, "And apparently Herald…they wish to see you dead."

The Herald gave her an arched look.

"More people wanting me dead? Hm, I suppose I should feel flattered."

Rhaena stifled a giggle, but if the others were amused, they did not show it.

Both Cassandra and Leliana glared at him, prompting her cousin to give them both a sheepish grin.

Though she did not blame her cousin, from what she had heard, there were many in Thedas who sought his downfall.

If her cousin did not make light of it, he likely would have been paralyzed with fear.

"Not funny?" he said to his counsellors, "Oh well, I never said I was an entertainer. So, back to business, are these…Orphans agents of Corypheus?"

"We do not think so," Cullen said, Rhaena was shocked by how bad their commander looked; he had bags under his eyes, and was sweating like he had spent a day walking through the hot desert.

The commander licked his lips.

"The orphans have only emerged since the destruction of Haven. What we have observed of them suggests no ties to the Venatori or the Red Templars."

"That you can see?" Nicholai added.

"Yes Herald," he added with a curt nod, "That we can see."

"My agents have been aware of the Orphans for a while now," Leliana said, "They are made up of mostly common people and former brothers and sisters in the chantry."

Leliana shook her head.

"They do have some warriors among them. Landless knights, sell swords, even a few fourth or fifth born sons and daughters of minor nobles, people with nothing but faith and anger, with even less to lose."

Nicholai crossed his arms as he regarded the map before him.

"Desperate people with nothing to lose, sounds troublesome, what are their politics?"

"The Orphan movement would claim not to have any," Josephine said, "They have been sighted in several villages and even in Denerim in the last few weeks, poor unwashed souls lamenting their fates, preaching to the poor, asking anyone who will listen to take up their cause. They say that the world has turned against them that the Maker, our father, has abandoned us and the Divine, our mother, is lost to us."

"That is why they call themselves Orphans?" the Herald asked.

"Yes," the Ambassador agreed.

"So…what exactly is their cause?"

"They preach the virtues of poverty and chastity," Leliana answered, "Though they also blame mages, dwarves, and elves for the world's troubles, elves most of all. According to the Orphans, the world will only return to peace when the faith is elevated above the highest lord, and the land is cleansed of magic and foreign influence."

"Meaning elves and dwarves," the Inquisitor said flatly.

"We fear so," Josephine said.

The Herald sighed.

"So, what have these orphans done to warrant our attention? I might not like their message, but they have a right to preach."

"While you and Cassandra were gone, a group of twenty orphans showed up in the courtyard," Cullen informed him. "We thought them mere pilgrims at first, dressed in sack cloth robes, wielding only clubs and wood axes for protection. If not for the symbol of the empty bowl and sword they brand themselves with, we would have not recognized them for what they were."

Rhaena shuddered, she had seen the Orphans, dirty and wild eyed, they looked more like desperate animals than people, the angry looks they gave any highborn guest was enough to frighten off anyone.

One had shouted at her, pleading with her to give up her place of power, to take up the calling and join them in saving all of Thedas. The orphan showed her his brand. According to him, the empty bowl symbolized the grace of the Maker, and that the world would only know peace by surrendering to the truth faith, and that all brave souls needed to take up the sword and help them purge the taint that was spoiling the holy faith.

Just thinking about that man's wild eyes made her fingers itch.

"It has been our policy since coming to Skyhold to offer succor and protection to any loyal son or daughter of the Maker." Leliana said.

"As we should," Cassandra said grimly.

"The orphans abused our trust. They started harassing the dwarves and elves staying here. They tried to recruit our soldiers to their cause, offering them the Maker's grace if they joined…"

Cullen's eyes narrowed.

We caught one of them trying to sneak into your quarters Herald. One of the sell swords that was protecting the Orphans, apparently he was more than what he seemed, during his interrogation we discovered his Orphan brand, marking him as more than a common sell sword, that and several subtle poisons on his person, poisons that are almost undetectable in food or water."

Nicholai frowned.

"Did he confess to any wrong doing?"

"He said only that the faith had to free itself of the taint of magic. That we were being lied to, and that they had come to deliver our souls into the light."

The Herald frowned.

"They do know that I'm trying to help them, right? That I'm the Herald of Andraste and all that?"

"He said that your being here was a test, that only by rejecting you and Corypheus, by removing unclean magic from this holy place will the danger finally pass."

Nicholai cursed under his breath.

"What became of this man?" he said, "I would like to speak to him."

"He tried to escape the guards when he was being taken to the cells. He got a blade away from one, and ended up dead, but not before he wounded two Inquisition soldiers."

Rhaena suppressed a gasp.

She had heard that someone had been arrested, but she did not know about any attack.

"After that, I ordered our men to remove the Orphans from Skyhold," Cullen said, "They wailed and lamented our tyranny, and said that we had murdered one of their brothers, and that Andraste would call down a terrible vengeance upon us."

Cullen clenched his fingers.

"I should have arrested the whole lot of them."

"You had no proof the rest of them were involved with the attempt," Leliana reminded him.

The commander snorted.

"We're at war sister," he said, "We already have enough enemies. Show mercy to such people, they will think you weak."

"Execute twenty of them without reason, and we may have a hundred descend on Skyhold tomorrow." Cassandra said.

She turned to Cullen and Leliana.

"You did the right thing, both of you."

"Right or wrong, we still have a problem," Ambassador Josephine added, "Several of our guests have reported seeing more of these orphans in the Hinterland and Redcliffe. They preach tales of the Inquisition being corrupted by dark magic and greed."

"Let them talk?" Cullen spat dismissively.

"People are starting to listen, commander," she informed him,

"According to my agents several knights have already joined up with the Orphans, add to that those who still believe that we are usurping the chantry's power, we could have a problem."

"Right now, the Orphans have no armor and only have basic weapons, clubs, axes, pitchforks, a few bows, and whatever steel the knights they recruit bring over," Cullen said.

"A hundred fanatics armed with clubs would be more than enough to overwhelm our patrols," Leliana said, "Venatori agents might even be able to trick them into weakening our holding for them. They may end up being used as pawns in Corypheus' games."

"So you think we need to deal with these Orphans?" Nicholai said.

"I would rather not have an enemy at our back as we begin our campaign in Orlais," Cullen said, "There is too much at stake."

"We need to find a way to counter the Orphans' rhetoric," Josephine said, "Right now it is all that is filling the small folks ears."

"We can't just arrest them?" Nicholai said, "It will make us look like the monsters they claim we are."

Rhaena, who had been standing quietly in the back, finally spoke, to herself more than anyone else.

"Perhaps he we should hire some minstrels to sing our praises," she murmured.

All discussion had stopped then, she had looked up from her parchment.

The entire war counsel was staring.

She blushed and withered under their gaze.

"Sorry," she murmured.

"What did you say?" the Inquisitor asked.

"Nothing," she said sheepishly.

"It was not nothing," Cassandra said, "Please, Lady Rhaena, repeat what you just said.

She swallowed hard.

"I said that we should perhaps hire some singers and storytellers. Fill them up with tales and songs about our brave Inquisition, tales of valor and piety, to…to counter the lies and venom being spread by these Orphans."

The Inquisitor and his counsellors all looked at each other and nodded. Even Cullen, who she blushed far too much around, nodded grimly.

"Our own propaganda," Cullen said, "It might do some good."

"My agents could find the right people," Leliana said, "People we could trust."

"It will be needed to be handled delicately," Josephine said, "I could do it myself, but many other matters need my attention right now"

"No reason to strain yourself ambassador" The Inquisitor said.

Then he smiled at Rhaena.

"It is not a bad idea, could work I suppose," he said, "In fact, I know the perfect lady to take charge of such a mission."

Rhaena winced under his regard.

She tried to think of something to say, perhaps a suggestion of someone better, yet only the smallest sound escaped her.

"Eep."

If the Inquisitor heard he said nothing.

He merely grinned at her.

Great she thought to herself.

No good deed goes unpunished.

IOI

There was a knock at her door, bringing Rhaena out of her musings. She had several minstrels and mummers lined up to come to Skyhold but it would take some time for them to arrive.

"Yes," she called out.

The door opened, and an elven servant entered.

"Seeker Pentaghast wishes to see you Milady," the girl said, "Alone."

A chill ran down Rhaena's spine.

Evelyn stood up straighter, she regard the servant suspiciously.

"Did the Seeker say why?"

"Only that she has some questions for Lady Rhaena, and that she must come at once."

Rhaena swallowed hard.

She could not guess what this was about; she was only now just starting to carry out Cousin Nicholai's orders.

If the Seeker disagreed…

Evelyn waited until the elf was gone before approaching her sister.

"You want me to go with you?" she asked.

Rhaena shook her head no.

"We're all on the same side right?" she said nervously, "What could happen?"

Evelyn's eyes narrowed, she did not respond, she did not need to.

Her younger sister swallowed hard.

She no doubt knew what could happen when a Seeker asked to speak with you alone.

Rhaena straightened her hair, and brushed off her gown.

If the Seeker wanted a word, she would have it.

They were both servants of the Inquisition after all, both doing the Maker's will.

She would do her best to remember that, no matter how intimidated she was.

She was a Trevelyan after all, a cousin of the Herald of Andraste.

She could do this…

…and she would.